Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 22: Settling Accounts

Shi Jingzhi quickly regained consciousness.

As he regained awareness, Yin Ci was lying beside him. Shi Jingzhi felt around and found Yin Ci’s face—he was still breathing, not dead.

Relieved, Shi Jingzhi ignited the yin fire once again, and this time it radiated its usual brightness. After hesitating for a moment, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t help but worry about his disciple. He propped up Yin Ci and slowly moved forward with some effort. Along the way, the others either remained unconscious or unable to move.

If the Human Shaped Coffin were still intact, it wouldn’t have left so many survivors. It was likely that it had been destroyed.

However, if it had been destroyed normally, several masters wouldn’t be completely silent. If they were also knocked unconscious like himself…

It was probably the work of the person in white.

Shi Jingzhi felt a chill down his spine. He searched behind Yin Ci’s neck for a while, relieved when he found the Buddhist bead still there. The person in white was probably not interested in the Buddhist beads; otherwise, they would have taken advantage of the chaos and killed everyone.

The person’s target must be something else.

But Shi Jingzhi didn’t care—he had no interest in any other treasures. As long as he and his disciple were breathing and the Buddhist beads were safe, it was enough.

After dragging Yin Ci for a while, he finally woke up. Yin Ci blinked in confusion, and said in a hoarse voice, “Shizun?”

“Here,” Shi Jingzhi replied softly. “A’Ci, can you walk on your own?”

“I feel a bit dizzy… but I can manage. Shizun, did the seniors win?”

“They did.” Shi Jingzhi still supported him cautiously.

The two of them walked towards the area with the most wounded, and finally found the Human Shaped Coffin in a certain corner—it was heavily damaged, with the gaping wound in its neck particularly striking. Shi Jingzhi finally released Yin Ci and took out a small cutting knife, smearing the yang flame on its blade.

The array was already broken, and the Human Shaped Coffin had become much more fragile. The yang flame naturally countered yin objects, so the Human Shaped Coffin was easily cut open with the small knife.

Inside the coffin, there wasn’t much, but each item was extremely precious.

In addition to Yan Budu’s Death Whip, there was a long-lost famous sword and an infamous demonic knife. There were also various scrolls, some of which were stained with dried blood, likely secret scriptures stolen by the Ling Sect.

Three Buddhist beads lay quietly among them, carefully picked up by Shi Jingzhi.

He pondered for a moment. “A’Ci, I will keep the lamps burning for you. Go and wake up everyone nearby… Don’t forget the people from the Yueshui Pavilion.”

Yin Ci pretended to be puzzled. “Isn’t it first come, first served?”

“‘With gold and jade filling the hall*, none can guard it all’… Our small sect can’t withstand all of this,” Shi Jingzhi said calmly. “Wake them up as soon as possible.”

*(金玉满堂) Idiom referring to abundant wealth. Combined with the next line, it means it’s impossible for anyone to protect or possess it (wealth) all.

“Understood.”

Yin Ci counted the number of people he had knocked out. Before long, he managed to wake up several key figures and brought two disciples from the Yueshui Pavilion.

Meanwhile, Shi Jingzhi arranged the treasures from the coffin in a row, illuminated by a lantern, so that everything was clear and visible. None of the secret scrolls had been opened.

“Esteemed seniors, these are the treasures from the coffin, along with the three precious map beads.” Shi Jingzhi smiled. “The Human Shaped Coffin was defeated together by everyone. This junior dare not be presumptuous and has only cleaned up and not taken anything.”

Faced with these treasures, no one raised the issue of “first come, first served”. Even the disciples from the Yueshui Pavilion remained silent, and the atmosphere grew tense.

“The Human Shaped Coffin wasn’t destroyed by this humble monk; I dare not take credit.” Monk Juehui broke the deadlock.

“Buddhism emphasizes the cycle of life and death and does not cling to worldly possessions. If this junior may speculate, Venerable probably came for the lost secret books and Buddhist treasures. Just a while ago, I saw the <Woodless Sutra> written by the Jianchen Temple…”

At this point, Shi Jingzhi changed the topic. “Thanks to Venerable for lending me the Infinity Prayer Beads, we were able to successfully battle the Human Shaped Coffin.”

The monks couldn’t help but feel helpless, but they weren’t foolish enough to argue at such a crucial moment. The <Woodless Sutra> was a treasure of Buddhism, and the Jianchen Temple had no intention of getting involved in this mess until Yan Budu hid it in the tomb.

Monk Juehui folded his hands together and chanted “Amitabha*.”

*It’s a general term as a greeting or farewell, but also to express apologies, praise, anger, or in this case, gratitude.

“Shall we return the <Woodless Sutra> to the Jianchen Temple?” Shi Jingzhi asked politely.

“Let them have it already. Stop wasting time,” Matron Wuxue said impatiently, clutching her injured arm. “No one cares about that bald donkey’s scriptures.”

“Thank you, Patron.” Monk Juehui received the scripture with both hands, and the pained expression eased from his face.

“The Death Whip originally belonged to the Ling Sect. The Guanwu Sword is from the Taiheng Sect, and the Cuo Yuan Knife is a treasure of the Chigou Sect. There are also these secret scrolls… Esteemed seniors have contributed greatly to this battle, so it’s only fitting that these items be returned to their rightful owners.”

After speaking, without waiting for the reactions of the important figures, Shi Jingzhi respectfully presented the treasures.

With the major threat eliminated and no external enemies, the various sects were on guard against each other. After weighing their options, they silently accepted the treasures.

Zheng Fengdao took the whip and spoke with a displeased tone, “By bribing everyone like this, kid, do you intend to keep the Buddhist map beads for yourself?”

Shi Jingzhi ignored him and said, “There are still some unclaimed items. Let’s give them to the Rong Palace. After all… ahem.”

He stumbled over his words, but everyone understood. Out of consideration for the imperial court’s face, they couldn’t let the Rong Palace leave empty-handed.

Xu Jingming’s face turned pale with anger. Unfortunately, he was facing esteemed and influential figures, and he wasn’t the emperor. He couldn’t risk a confrontation and could only grudgingly agree.

“Lastly, the Buddhist map beads.” Shi Jingzhi’s voice remained steady. “According to the rules, it’s first come, first served…”

Zheng Fengdao: “Ha, just as I suspected!”

“…But I want to distribute them. The Taiheng Sect has been of great help to me along the way, while the Jianchen Temple suffered the heaviest losses in holding off the Human Shaped Coffin. As for my Kushan Sect, I used my inner force to support everyone and maintain the bead net. I will only take one Buddhist bead. Does anyone have any objections?”

As his words reached the end, a faint hint of authority emerged in Shi Jingzhi’s smile.

Yin Ci was amused as he listened from the side.

Shi Jingzhi’s fox tail was now hooked onto the Taiheng Sect and the Jianchen Temple. The Ling Sect was left with only a single member, and the Chigou Sect was severely weakened. They couldn’t afford to be tough against the two major orthodox sects while dealing with the Kushan Sect.

Shi Jingzhi divided the three Buddhist beads, giving one to Monk Juehui and one to Shi Zhongyu. Finally, he made a grand gesture towards Matron Wuxue and said, “Forgive me, Matron, there aren’t enough prayer beads to go around. How about this? My sect will never touch the items in this tomb again.”

Matron Wuxue stared at him for a while. After a moment, she turned away and said, “Instead of that, who was the hero who destroyed the Human Shape Coffin?”

No one responded.

Wrinkling her brow, Matron Wuxue stopped asking. She pondered on the spot for a long time before finally walking away with her cane.

Yin Ci enjoyed the show and even took out a pack of fried rice, crunching on it loudly. Shi Jingzhi was hungry from watching him, so he grabbed Yan Qing from the crowd, and the three of them started a fire and heated their rice on the spot.

The other sects didn’t have the leisure for such things. They were busy tending to the wounded and exploring, each of them as busy as spinning tops. Only the three members of the Kushan Sect remained motionless with full bellies.

Yan Qing ate carefully and attentively, but once he was full, he didn’t touch his food anymore. He glanced at Shi Jingzhi, who was trying to explode himself from food, and hesitated before speaking. “Sect Master Shi, don’t you want the Buddhist beads? Are you really giving them away like this?”

“I can give them away, and naturally, I can take them back.”

Shi Jingzhi happily took a bite of the fried bun, speaking casually but with conviction.

“…And if it’s what I desire, there’s nothing that I can’t obtain.”

Yan Qing stopped packing his food box. “But Sect Master, you are no match for Senior Shi.”

“What are you thinking? I’m not going to steal them. Rest assured, I will make Miss Shi willingly hand them over.”

On the side, Yin Ci no longer bothered to pretend, allowing a smile to creep up on his lips.

Keeping this kid was the right decision.

The three members of the Kushan Sect took turns keeping watch, wasting a full two days in one place. During this time, the various sects thoroughly plundered the Palace of Leisure. The Chigou Sect found the exit and returned as if they were loaded with loot.

However, compared to their initial arrival, their numbers were now reduced by more than half, with only a dozen survivors remaining.

The exit was beneath the bed of the Human Shaped Coffin, and it took considerable effort for everyone to pry open the volcanic rock slab. After the slab was lifted, a set of descending stairs was revealed.

At the end of the stairs was a narrow barrel-shaped space.

The ground was marked with seven lines crossing the center, dividing the circular floor into fourteen equal parts. The surrounding walls were smooth and impossible to climb and there was no ceiling on the top, only darkness.

Around the room, there was a circle of smooth copper rings, with fourteen fist-sized heads attached to them. Each head had an exaggerated, distorted smile, with one eye missing, and the size of the eyeball matched that of the Buddhist beads.

Cautiously, Shi Jingzhi prodded one of the heads, and it smoothly slid and adhered to the nearest head with a ‘pop’. He was startled and hesitated to touch it again, wrinkling his face in disgust.

Shaking his head, Yin Ci stepped forward and effortlessly separated the two heads.

Matron Wuxue glanced at the two of them. “The Yan family won’t let us go so easily. Everyone has to put the Buddhist beads on those faces so we can seize them after leaving the tomb… Children, come over and stand in position.”

After the members of the Chigou Sect stood in place, she collected two heads and placed the Buddhist beads in them one by one. As soon as the beads were in place, two stone slabs beneath her feet lit up.

At the boundary between light and darkness, a transparent barrier gradually rose, shining with reflections. The barrier was as hard as iron, separating the members of the Chigou Sect inside.

Following that, the members of the Jianchen Temple and Monk Juehui took out their three Buddhist beads and placed them in order. The same was done by the Taiheng Sect and Zheng Fengdao of the Ling Sect. Xu Jingming took out two beads and quickly embedded them, remaining vigilant as he glanced at Shi Jingzhi.

Three beads from the Jianchen Temple, two from the Taiheng Sect, two from the Chigou Sect, two from Zheng Fengdao of the Ling Sect, and two from the Rong Palace… a total of eleven beads.

Shi Zhongyu also took out two prayer beads, creating a subtle atmosphere in the room.

Furrowing her brows, Shi Zhongyu asked, “Are we missing one? The disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion, please check.”

The disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion flipped through the records and said, “There were only three prayer beads reported for the ‘Suffering From Parting’. They went respectively to the Rong Palace, the Taiheng Sect, and the Ling Sect… One is missing.”

Shi Zhongyu recalled for a moment and said, “The missing one belongs to the group led by Brother Yin. Sect Master Shi, do you have any clues?”

Xu Jingming added fuel to the fire. “Yes, I heard about it. Sect Master Shi was the first one to leave.”

Shi Zhongyu smiled embarrassedly. “No, I didn’t mean anything by that, just…”

Matron Wuxue sharply interrupted, “The Rong Palace and the Taiheng Sect have obtained the prayer beads, and Zheng Fengdao of the Ling Sect and my sect shared the same room and took the beads in front of me. We will certainly not protect our enemies… Sect Master Shi, if you continue to hide and conceal, none of us will be able to leave.”

She then smiled maliciously. “If it weren’t for Yan Budu leaving a trick, you would have deceived everyone. This is a violation of the rules. Shi Zhongyu and Monk Juehui, two honorable figures, would you protect this insignificant little boy?”

Shi Zhongyu furrowed her brows. “Matron, you’re mistaken. Sect Master Shi was initially with the people from the Rong Palace, and the Buddhist bead was obtained by them. Sect Master Shi rescued two people from another room, and I personally witnessed it—the ‘Suffering From Parting’ had already been deciphered by someone. You should be aware that the ‘Suffering From Parting’ can only be broken from the inside.”

“He rescued Yin Ci and another monk from the Jianchen Temple. Previously, these two were together with Lu Fengxi. With Elder Lu’s skills, they certainly wouldn’t be opponents.”

The monk who had been present at the time also stepped forward. “I can testify that it was a person in white who broke the ‘Suffering From Parting’. Sect Master Shi was initially in another room, so it couldn’t have been him.”

He took a deep breath, muttered a few unclear words, and spoke again, “This humble monk saw the face of the person in white, and it was very… cough. This humble monk can confirm that I have never seen that person before.”

Matron Wuxue narrowed her eyes. “According to your statement, there is a skilled master who disguised their identity and infiltrated the group? No, I heard that you had already fainted. Perhaps the person in white is disguised as that Yin kid. Has anyone heard of this master-disciple pair before entering the Ghost Tomb?”

Her gaze was vicious. “Taking a step back, it’s possible that the person in white didn’t take the Buddhist bead and it was coincidentally picked up by Sect Master Shi.”

Yin Ci sneered inwardly. It seemed that his own junior wanted to kill two birds with one stone—

According to the rules of the Jinyu Group, hoarding loot and hiding one’s identity were major taboos.

If Shi Jingzhi concealed the Buddhist beads, he could be labeled as “breaking the rules”. The Chigou Sect could freely seize them without having to wait until they left the tomb.

If the person in white had taken the Buddhist bead, they would inevitably have to hand them over now, and some flaws would surely be revealed. Likewise, the Chigou Sect could logically besiege that person and see what rare and precious treasures they had obtained.

What was even more wonderful was that the scapegoat would be the monk himself, stirring up trouble.

Yin Ci looked at Shi Jingzhi beside him. His cheap master maintained a calm demeanor, but his lips were slightly pursed, indicating that he had also guessed Matron Wuxue’s intentions.

He was surely aware that if the person in white wanted to continue hiding their identity, they would find a way to shift the blame onto the Kushan Sect.

The Kushan Sect’s prospects were grim.

Shi Jingzhi couldn’t match Matron Wuxue’s expertise, and Zheng Fengdao wouldn’t remain idle. They might even play a trick behind the scenes.

Yin Ci grabbed hold of Shi Jingzhi’s left hand. The hand trembled slightly and was cold as ice.

Matron Wuxue removed the Buddhist beads from the heads, and the barrier slowly disappeared. She tapped her cane on the ground, stepping forward and enunciating each word. “Sect Master Shi, have you thought of an explanation?”

Unfortunately, she had picked the wrong opponent.

Both the prayer beads and Shi Jingzhi were things that Yin Ci had his eyes on. Although the Chigou Sect was a demonic sect, it wasn’t so easy to overstep its boundaries. Matron Wuxue was still too green in his eyes.

The Chigou Sect held great reverence for “persistent authority*”, and he understood its operating rules better than anyone else.

*In this context, it means that they hold high regard for those who hold/held high positions in their sect (like the founder or sect leaders thereafter).

Yin Ci tightened his grip on that hand. “Shizun, as I said—I have a strong destiny and specialize in combating demons and evil. Those in the demonic sect should be associated with the word ‘evil’.”

His words weren’t loud but audible to everyone.

Yin Ci didn’t release Shi Jingzhi’s hand. His other hand reached into his pocket, formed a fist, and then opened his fingers—

“The last one is with me.”

The author has something to say:

The phrase “Nothing can keep a house full of gold and jade” comes from chapter 9 of Laozi’s <Tao Te Ching>.

———

As usual, here’s a promotional preview. If you’re interested, you can find it in the author’s column. The novel <Evil As Humans>.

Yin Ren is a thousand-year-old rare-born evil creature. He chose an ominous day and happily tore apart the seal. Wherever he went, talismans shattered, stone tablets burst open, fierce ghosts shrank into a ball, and even zombies got weak in the knees.

People around him felt uncomfortable within a three-foot radius due to his presence. Yin Ren wandered around, feeling quite restless.

Zhong Chengshuo frowned. “Why does this person always loiter near the crime scene? I’ll go check it out.”

And he casually took Yin Ren with him.

Yin Ren: (；ω；)!

An atheist gong x Ghost King shou

A mini-supernatural criminal investigation story where an atheist brother encounters a supreme evil, and they cooperate (?) to solve cases.

Kinky Thoughts:

This is the last of the free chapters on jjwxc. If you’ve been enjoying the novel so far and are able to, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. I used Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

The author note is a summary of her next work (which I’m also working on). You can check it out: Evil As Human.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 21: Passing On

The people with authority fell silent, and the room became quiet.

A disciple of the Chigou Sect stood up. Judging from his appearance, he held a respectable position. “Our former Hierarch recorded the ‘Human Shaped Coffin’ in our teachings. Its inner shell is made of the skin of a demonic creature that’s extremely tough. It is wrapped in a ghostskin robe made from the silk of ghost silkworms, and its tendrils move like a living person.”

“The coffin is covered in various spells that can control its movements. The body inside the coffin doesn’t decay and can even move normally in the tomb. Yan Budu most likely infused it with his own techniques…”

His voice trembled with fear.

“The Human Shaped Coffin has no teeth and no body inside. Without any corpse interfering, it will only grow stronger. Everyone, be cautious.”

Everyone understood the implicit meaning behind his words.

Yan Budu possessed exquisite martial arts skills, only matched by the Chigou Sect’s Su Zhi, and Kong Shi from Jianchen Temple. When the orthodox sects besieged the Ling Sect, Yan Budu single-handedly slaughtered nine orthodox masters. Even if the Human Shaped Coffin inherited only a small portion of Yan Budu’s power, it would still be more than enough to deal with them—

Except for the personal presence of the Chigou Sect’s Matriarch, Matron Wuxue, no other sect sent their top experts. Not to mention the previous events in the tomb had already exhausted everyone’s resources, leaving them weary.

“Yan Budu’s corpse isn’t here?” Xu Jingming couldn’t help but gasp, a chill running down his spine. “Has he truly ascended to immortality?”

No one answered him.

Shi Zhongyu acted decisively. With a flick of her yin fire, she aimed to cut off the arm of the Human Shaped Coffin that was holding the smoking pipe. Unexpectedly, the divine weapon that was covered by the yin fire, produced only a light “ding” sound. The sword blade barely broke through the outer layer of the ghostskin robe, revealing the inner layer of demonic skin.

The Human Shaped Coffin casually reversed its hand, directly snapping the slender sword. With its fingers gathered together, it stabbed towards Shi Zhongyu’s neck.

Shi Zhongyu couldn’t dodge in time, and it seemed like blood would splatter on the spot. However, a long string of prayer beads caught her waist, pulling her back towards the entrance. Monk Juehui swung his prayer beads. “You’re welcome.”

The Human Shaped Coffin didn’t immediately pursue but instead calmly got off the bed. Its red robe was of fine material—though it had some signs of decay and fading, there was no trace of decay.

Even so, the Human Shaped Coffin’s clothes were still in disarray, exposing half of its shoulder.

Shi Jingzhi took two steps back and rushed to the outside of the room. Just as Matron Wuxue frowned, he returned and made random gestures towards Monk Juehui.

Seeing that no one reacted, Shi Jingzhi directly took action.

He crossed over the Human Shaped Coffin, stepping on the bedpost, and slammed his palm towards the ceiling. His palm emitted a blaze of golden fire, shattering the roof and revealing the empty sky outside.

When Shi Jingzhi landed on the ground, he snatched the prayer beads from Monk Juehui, and then leaped onto the broken wall, swinging the prayer beads in all directions.

The monk from the Jianchen Temple couldn’t contain his anger any longer. “That is the treasured possession of our temple, Patron…”

Before the monk could finish his sentence, Shen Zhu interrupted him with a single hand. Shen Zhu smiled at him and said, “Master, I believe Sect Master Shi borrowed it precisely because he recognizes that its’ the Infinity Prayer Beads.”

The Infinity Prayer Beads could condense true qi into new prayer beads. As long as one had enough inner force and could maintain it, the length of the beads wasn’t a problem. Shi Jingzhi held his breath and hooked the prayer beads onto the rocks and trees outside, creating a network of prayer beads.

Matron Wuxue reacted swiftly. “Good kid—everyone, go! Finish this quickly!”

She pulled her cane, which unexpectedly came apart into several segments. Each segment was connected by black and red demonic tendons, and at the bends of the cane, there were hook-like structures resembling scorpion tails. The disciples of the Chigou Sect simultaneously rushed toward the Human Shaped Coffin with wind surging in their palms. The Human Shaped Coffin was pushed back two steps and got hooked by the elongated cane.

Matron Wuxue let out a silent sinister smile as she stepped steadily onto the prayer bead network. “Sect Master Shi, hold on!”

The others didn’t fall behind, leaping onto the prayer beads network together and leaving the dream-like objects on the ground.

The smile on the face of the Human Shaped Coffin gradually disappeared.

It gripped the crimson hook, coated in a deadly poison, causing its palm to hiss. The monks took advantage of the situation and set themselves up in their formation. Their chanting resounded, enclosing the Human Shaped Coffin in the middle.

Disturbed by the Buddhist mantras, the movements of the Human Shaped Coffin became stiff and unnerving. It held the smoking pipe like a dagger, and in the next instant, the nearest monk had their entire face pierced through, their features vanishing without a trace, leaving only a circular skull.

The red jade smoking pipe was covered in blood and brain matter, and the sweet fragrance of incense became even heavier.

The Human Shaped Coffin waved the smoking pipe, and several sword qi cleaved in all directions. The smoking pipe was so thin that it could break with a slight bend, yet at this moment, it felt as heavy as a thousand catties, exuding an endless chill with each swing.

It was merely a dead object without a brain, yet remnants of countless arrogance lingered within its techniques. The Demonic Hierarch from a hundred years ago, whose whereabouts were unknown, could create a burst of blood flowers just by lifting an empty coffin, turning its might into a spectacle.

And it didn’t even have any killing intent.

What kind of strength did Yan Budu, the lunatic who fought against the orthodox sects for two years, possess when he was still alive?

One corpse after another fell from the prayer beads network, their blood flowing and staining the golden light of the beads. While none of the lamps were extinguished, the shadows around grew increasingly dense.

The formation of the Jianchen Temple remained steadfast, and the speed of the monks’ chanting grew faster, causing the golden light of the nearby prayer beads to intensify. Monk Juehui, Shi Zhongyu, and Matron Wuxue launched an attack simultaneously, with Zheng Fengdao stepping onto the prayer beads network as well.

“I have come to support the flourishing Ling Sect. I hope Hierarch understands.”

The Human Shaped Coffin ignored him; its bloody eyes fixed on Shi Jingzhi outside the encirclement.

The masters from various sects were accustomed to battle and could easily hold their breath. However, Shi Jingzhi had to exert all his true qi and couldn’t multitask. His face turned purple from the effort.

He struggled to organize his scattered thoughts—

As the master of the dream realm, the Human Shaped Coffin would definitely distort the dream realm spontaneously, creating illusions to deal with him. Unfortunately, he also had to be concerned about the ongoing battle around him and couldn’t close his eyes to escape.

Fortunately, the Human Shaped Coffin didn’t possess Yan Budu’s strength. The young monks had entered the tent and hadn’t encountered any problems so far. It seemed that even if it could dominate the dream realm, it could only focus on dealing with one person.

Like himself. Shi Jingzhi forced a wry smile.

Sure enough, the Human Shaped Coffin lowered its eyes, disregarding the blood on the smoking pipe, and took another puff. This time, the smoke it exhaled was as white as bone, like overlapping silk, lingering for a long time.

A cry of astonishment came from the disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion below. “Sect Master Shi, hold on! The Human Shaped Coffin has taken control of the dream-like entities and is coming straight for you!”

Shi Jingzhi really didn’t want to know what the approaching dream-like entities looked like. While holding his breath, he continued to channel true qi into the Infinity Prayer Beads, maintaining their form.

Although hindered slightly by the masters from various sects, the Human Shaped Coffin was still getting closer.

Shi Jingzhi involuntarily clenched his empty hand but didn’t touch another warm hand. Ah, his disciple was still below. Yin Ci was nestled in the clean air of the tent, unaffected by nightmares.

…Perhaps he had become accustomed too quickly. Shi Jingzhi clenched his fist in frustration.

He had to hold on.

Once he started to breathe again, the illusions would take effect, and he would see the dream-like entities approaching him. If he was forced to touch them, he would undoubtedly meet an unpleasant end.

If he fell, the Infinity Prayer Beads would immediately return to their original state, and everyone would plummet to the ground. And the ground would be filled with dream-like entities, ensuring certain death for everyone.

The battlefield was like a formation, and Shi Jingzhi was the key point.

The masters from various sects could naturally see the situation clearly, and each one made fierce attacks. The Human Shaped Coffin’s beautiful appearance was destroyed by more than half, but it stubbornly continued to advance towards Shi Jingzhi. The red jade smoking pipe was missing a significant portion, emitting intermittent puffs of incense.

If he could hold on a little longer, the smoking pipe would be destroyed. Unfortunately, channeling true qi was an exhausting task, and Shi Jingzhi’s entire body felt drained. Holding his breath, he was on the verge of passing out, and his vision was filled with golden stars.

Just a little longer…

‘No, I can’t hold on,’ Shi Jingzhi thought in a daze.

His brain felt as if it were being roasted over a fire, and his heart and lungs were burning one after another. The taste of rusty blood surged in his mouth, and a suffocating acidity accumulated in his chest. He was about to lose consciousness, dying alone and taking everyone with him in this place.

Was this his destined end?

‘What a pity,’ Shi Jingzhi thought. If he had to die, he would rather die by someone’s side.

Anyone would do, as long as that person was willing to look at him seriously, just like back then…

At this moment, the prayer bead network trembled lightly. A pair of steady hands held Shi Jingzhi’s face, and something soft pressed against his cold lips.

The other person’s familiar and warm breath was so warm that it almost burned.

Pure air was brought into his mouth, and Shi Jingzhi greedily took a few mouthfuls, finally catching his breath as his thoughts gradually became clear.

Wait, everyone was dealing with the Human Shaped Coffin, so there should be enough leeway to breathe—

Shi Jingzhi looked at Yin Ci in front of him and barely managed to suppress his exclamation. He gently patted his disciple’s back in a discreet manner, making a muffled sound. Yin Ci ignored his flailing master and continued to press their lips together, focusing on transferring air, turning his cheap master into a scorching-hot tomato.

While Shi Jingzhi’s face turned tomato-red, he didn’t forget to channel true qi through his hands, keeping the prayer bead network stable. However, his thoughts were almost stagnant, and the sensation of their skin touching felt like a potent poison, causing his internal organs to burn again.

A soft crack lightly sounded.

The red jade smoking pipe shattered, and the fragrance of incense instantly faded.

Under the sacrificial attacks of the masters risking their lives, the situation on the battlefield finally improved. The magnificent scenery within the Palace of Leisure gradually deteriorated, and the illusions dissipated like snow under the scorching sun, quickly disappearing without a trace.

Shi Jingzhi embraced his disciple’s waist, gradually ceasing the flow of true qi. The Infinity Prayer Beads returned to their original state, and everyone, including the Human Shaped Coffin, fell to the ground.

As the illusions vanished, everything turned dim, and no one noticed that the Sect Master’s face was flushed.

“A’Ci, I… You… Didn’t I tell you to stay put?!” Shi Jingzhi even spat out a mouthful of blood, which was rare for him.

Yin Ci had an innocent expression. “I calculated the time and was afraid that Shizun couldn’t hold on, so I asked Miss Shen Zhu to throw me up here.”

The Sect Master’s face remained blank. “…”

“If Shizun were to fall here, how far do you think I could run alone?”

“If you have such plans in the future, let me know first.” Shi Jingzhi rubbed his face and finally regained his composure.

Yin Ci timely changed the subject. “Now that the illusions are gone, all the seniors should be fine, right?”

Just as he finished speaking, the Human Shaped Coffin picked up the Buddhist bead pendant on the smoking pipe, tilted its head back, and swallowed it along with the fragments of the pipe.

Half of its face retained a stunning appearance, revealing a faint smile. The other half of its ghostskin robe was covered in scars, looking extremely grotesque. After swallowing the Buddhist beads, the Human Shaped Coffin didn’t immediately close its mouth. It reached into its mouth again and pulled out a whip.

Zheng Fengdao spat out blood. “It’s the Death Whip of the Hierarch.”

Matron Wuxue’s wrist was broken, and she was panting heavily. “Now that the illusions have been broken, this thing will focus on dealing with us.”

The Human Shaped Coffin tilted its head slightly and swung the pitch-black whip in its hand.

The sound of the whip exploded, and all the lanterns, torches, and yin fire and yang fire extinguished instantly, unable to be reignited. Thick darkness enveloped everyone’s vision, making it difficult to breathe.

Shi Jingzhi stood up cautiously, repeatedly trying to ignite his yang fire, but there was no trace of light.

“A’Ci, stay by my side and don’t go anywhere…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed limply.

Yin Ci withdrew his hand and pressed his lips to Shi Jingzhi’s ear. “You did well. Take a rest for a while.”

He gently laid Shi Jingzhi on the ground and walked towards the densest darkness.

The darkness underground was heavier than outside, but Yin Ci was already accustomed to it. He seemed to dissolve into the shadows, without breath, emotion, or the slightest sound, leaving only a void behind.

Not far away, blood splattered, mixing with groans and screams, piercing the eardrums. The sound of metal colliding, soaked in the scent of blood, sounded particularly tragic.

When Yin Ci found the Human Shaped Coffin, it was busy tearing off the arm of a disciple from the Chigou Sect.

This thing had no inner force, and its power was only about one-tenth of Yan Budu’s. Yan Budu’s martial arts, similar to “Su Zhi’s” Bone Sweeping Sword technique, followed a peculiar and tricky path, giving him many advantages.

However, Yin Ci could fight against Yan Budu himself, let alone a mere Human Shaped Coffin. Moreover, he had dealt with this thing a hundred years ago—he had strip off the ghostskin robe once, and he could do it a second time.

Yin Ci grabbed the Death Whip, ignoring the barbs and curses on it, and pulled the Human Shaped Coffin in front of him.

Just like when he played with Shi Jingzhi earlier, he restored his original voice, and spoke clearly and melodiously. “If you continue to cause trouble, it’ll become annoying.”

Finally sensing the danger, the Human Shaped Coffin tried to stab Yin Ci’s heart with its other hand, but Yin Ci firmly held its wrist. With his other hand, he grabbed the neck of the Human Shaped Coffin and exerted a subtle force, pressing it down, causing it to kneel halfway to the ground.

Despite Yan Budu’s countless tricks, Yin Ci only needed one opening.

The Human Shaped Coffin was firmly pressed to the ground, emitting creaking sounds all over its body. It struggled to break free but couldn’t use any techniques, like a butterfly pinned down by a needle.

Facing Yan Budu’s face, Yin Ci felt no sympathy or tender affection. With strength in his shoulder and arm, he swiftly snapped off one of the Human Shaped Coffin’s arms. The demon skin was forcefully torn apart, emitting a piercing sound.

In the next instant, Yin Ci’s palm turned into a sword as his fingertips swept across the Human Shaped Coffin’s throat like a swift gust of wind. A nauseating sound of fracturing echoed as the Human Shaped Coffin’s neck was severed, revealing a faint red glow at the severed stump.

With its pressure points shattered, the array was broken, and the technique was dispelled. The entire process was precise and swift, resembling a one-sided execution.

Without the support of spells, the Human Shaped Coffin couldn’t bear the weight and collapsed on the ground with its joints folding unnaturally.

Indeed, it didn’t bleed.

Noticing his subconscious thoughts, Yin Ci smiled and kicked Zheng Fengdao, who was about to regain consciousness, to knock him out again.

All fourteen Buddhist ybeads were here.

Everyone was weak, so killing them would be effortless. Once everyone was killed, he could easily collect all the prayer beads and escape alone. The members of the Jinyu Group couldn’t stop him, and the Yueshui Pavilion couldn’t find him.

Next, he just needed to follow the treasure map and slowly search for the hidden treasure. Even if the treasure had nothing to do with the Shirou, this would be just another failure, but at least he had successfully killed some time.

If this was the end, his plan could be considered successful.

However…

Yin Ci walked to Shi Jingzhi’s side, silently bending down to look at his cheap master—although he had passed out, a trace of blush still lingered on Shi Jingzhi’s ears.

It had been too smooth, perhaps a bit too boring.

Yin Ci caught a strand of Shi Jingzhi’s long hair, playing with it between his fingers.

‘…Let’s play a little longer,’ he thought.

The author has something to say:

Yin Ci: This mysterious fox, I can’t figure out his intentions yet, so I’ll keep him as a plaything for now.

Raising foxes is dangerous, Demonic Lord Yin.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 20: The Human Shaped Coffin

The scent of incense grew stronger. Shi Jingzhi opened his eyes slightly and looked towards the nearby bedroom.

The surroundings remained pleasant, with warm lighting and no trace of the gloominess often found in tombs. Shi Jingzhi listened intently and indeed heard shallow breathing coming from the direction of the bedroom.

It was as if someone was sleeping there.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t dare to shake the bell anymore. He held his disciple’s hand tightly. Yin Ci’s hand was warm, with a dry palm. Perhaps it was because he was fearless like a newborn calf, Yin Ci showed no signs of trembling.

That hand held on firmly and steadily, without any stiffness or discomfort. Shi Jingzhi adjusted his breathing for a moment and then took a step forward towards the bedroom.

The bedroom was extremely spacious and extravagantly decorated. The firelight was perfectly balanced, dancing on exquisite decorations.

Across from the bed, there was a translucent wall.

This wall was made of resin bricks, each the size of a human head, with a piece of human skin wrapped around each transparent brick. The skin seemed to be peeled off from living faces, meticulously processed to preserve their shape perfectly, resembling finely carved masks.

Each of those faces had well-proportioned features with their eyes closed without any expression, facing the large bed.

Monk Juehui’s face became even more grim. Shi Zhongyu shivered, whether from astonishment or anger, it was unclear.

Shen Zhu clicked her tongue lightly. “There are many famous figures in there, all righteous people killed by Yan Budu.”

Across from the wall was a large bed. A man was lying on the side of the bed, wearing a simple red robe, facing away from the entrance. His long black hair flowed on the bed, revealing a pale nape of the neck.

Seemingly aware of the sound at the door, the man slowly sat up, causing the red robe to slide off his shoulder, revealing a broad chest. He adjusted his hair and lazily turned his head, allowing everyone to see his face.

Yin Ci had seen Yan Budu while he was alive, and the creature in front of them indeed had the same face as him.

Yan Budu had countless male and female lovers, and it wasn’t solely due to coercion and force. He was undeniably a stunning figure himself—his facial features were enchanting, but completely different from Shi Jingzhi. He had a certain poisonous beauty to him.

A pair of crimson eyes swept over, and no one dared to make a sound. Yan Qing looked around and slowly hid behind the master and disciple.

Yin Ci’s heart sank gradually. Although the thing in front of them was incredibly lifelike, it was clearly not a living creature. Its movements had subtle stiffness, without showing any hostility or murderous intent.

That wasn’t Yan Budu.

The thing didn’t immediately attack; instead, it picked up a red jade smoking pipe from the side. Leaning against the headboard, it leisurely puffed out clouds of smoke. Its half-closed red eyes had no focus within the smoke.

A delicate pendant hung from beneath the red jade smoking pipe, decorated with three Buddhist beads.

Yin Ci quickly calculated in his mind.

There were a total of fourteen Buddhist beads. The Paper Figures Street had three, while the number of beads on the second level was unknown. Considering that the teleportation liquid relied on the beads for positioning, the Ascension Hall probably hid four beads. The “Suffering From Parting” stone pillars had four, and there were four more at the exit… This was highly likely the last three Buddhist beads.

Since they were placed together, the level of danger posed by that thing was self-evident.

It seemed more like a warning than bait.

Shi Jingzhi gritted his teeth and shook the silver bell. “That thing is not an illusion… Matron, what the hell is it?”

“I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s not some cheap corpse puppet.”

Matron Wuxue had a gloomy expression, and every wrinkle on her face was stiff.

“This place is the center of the third level, where the coffin should have been placed. Did that bastard Yan Budu not even make a coffin?”

Her voice was low, but that thing heard it. It tilted its head and smiled at Matron Wuxue, revealing a mouth without teeth or tongue and only a pitch-black void between its lips.

Matron Wuxue immediately took a step back. “Taiheng’s brat!”

Shi Zhongyu instantly understood her meaning. “Senior, the blood essence beads are white. This is not a demonic entity.”

“Hah, our Hierarch Xijing pursues purity. How could he keep such a thing by his bedside?” A cold laugh sounded among the group.

Only one person remained from the Ling Sect. He had a burly figure and carried a nine-ringed saber stained with blood, though his gaze was sharper than the blade itself.

Shi Jingzhi said sincerely, “But he placed a bunch of human faces at the foot of the bed. I still think monsters are cleaner.”

Yin Ci followed his master’s lead. “Indeed.”

That person immediately glared, veins popping on his forehead.

Matron Wuxue snorted, not letting go of any opportunity to taunt her adversary. “Zheng Fengdao, as an esteemed elder, are you really going to have a grudge against someone younger? They didn’t say anything wrong.”

After saying that, she glanced at Shi Jingzhi. “Interesting, I can’t figure out whether you’re brave or timid.”

Shi Jingzhi pointed at the object on the bed. “That thing is a mechanism, not a ghost. Since it’s a mechanism, there must be a triggering condition. Moreover, it hasn’t been activated yet, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“According to you, what is the triggering condition?” Matron Wuxue looked towards the “Yan Budu” leisurely smoking at the head of the bed.

“The distance from it.” Shi Jingzhi scratched his head. “The third level is full of dream traps. After struggling to reach this point, encountering such a dangerous mechanism… If my intuition is correct, this place connects to the exit of the Ghost Tomb.”

“Oh?”

Shi Jingzhi replied confidently, “Moving forward means facing unknown attacks, while retreating means being stuck here waiting for death. This kind of design is the most despair-inducing.”

Jin Lan couldn’t help but interject, “Isn’t it even more deadly if there’s no way out?”

Matron Wuxue chuckled. “Fools will always be fools. Yan Budu, who has always aspired to ascend to immortality, would never exclude the path of resurrection. He must have left a shortcut to the direct exit.”

After a few more exchanges among the people, the tense atmosphere finally relaxed slightly.

However, just as Shi Jingzhi deduced, no one dared to step forward, and there was no way to retreat.

The thing resembling Yan Budu took a tobacco pouch from under the smoking pipe and added some to the pipe. A new incense burned, intensifying the fragrance. The ambiguous firelight and swirling smoke created an eerie scene. With the wall of human faces opposite the bed, the previously exquisite scene sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

With the interference of “Dream Bubble”, even if the exit were right in front of them, no one could see it.

At this point, the personal belongings of everyone had already been consumed to a minimal extent. Without resources, they were left with a sense of being at a dead end.

Thanks to Yan Qing’s heritage, he bypassed the “Suffering From Parting” stone pillar and was directly thrown into the Palace of Leisure, so the belongings of the Kushan Sect were still intact.

However, their bags only contained food, miscellaneous items, and two sets of bedding. The only thing that could be considered a “treasure” was the Hanging Shadow Sword obtained from Paper Figure Street—a collectible that could fetch some money.

Matron Wuxue swept her eyes around the room and made a few clicks with her cane. “The space here is closed off. If we could create a moluo tent and close off the air for a while, it could withstand the enchantment for a short period… Even if the time is limited, at least it would allow me to see the true form of that thing.”

Monk Juehui: “Moluo tent?”

“Immerse fine satin in medicinal water and set up the tent on-site. Use yin fire to burn the outside and yang fire to heat the inside, expelling the incense. Stay inside for the duration of a cup of tea, then go outside and hold your breath for a while to temporarily break free from the incense illusion.”

While Matron Wuxue spoke, she lightly tapped her cane on the ground.

Jin Lan muttered in a low voice, “Why didn’t you mention it earlier…”

Matron Wuxue gave him a sideways glance and continued slowly, “This is a method to buy time under toxic smoke, but its effectiveness is very short. Even if it can be set up, the moluo tent is disposable. Once you leave the tent and come into contact with the incense, you can’t go back.”

After speaking, she lifted her chin towards Zheng Fengdao and said, “If Elder* Zheng had not refused to die in the sacrificial pit, I wouldn’t have abandoned the tomb exploration items. Such a pity, such a pity.”

*Note that Matron Wuxue is addressing him with courtesy, not in respect as a junior would address an elder, and in this case, it’s more sarcastically.

Zheng Fengdao sneered, and the iron rings on his nine-ringed saber clanged loudly. “You old witch…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Shi Jingzhi pushed him aside. Sect Master Shi held a blanket with a pattern of mandarin ducks playing in water with a serious expression and asked with a serious face, “Matron, do you think this can be used?”

Matron Wuxue and Zheng Fengdao: “…”

Matron Wuxue skeptically looked at Shi Jingzhi for a while, then flicked the fabric of the blanket with her fingers. “It can be used in a pinch, but we still need to prepare the medicinal water…”

Shi Jingzhi rummaged through the luggage and presented a medical kit with both hands. “Please.”

Matron Wuxue: “…Kid, you didn’t happen to keep enough water, did you?”

Shi Jingzhi: “I did, I did. My disciple brewed herbal tea. There are ten bamboo tubes in the bag. Matron, can we use herbal tea?”

“The Shi girl from the Taiheng Sect knows how to use yin fire, and we need yang fire—”

Shi Jingzhi rubbed two of his fingers together, and a cluster of golden flames ignited at his fingertips. “How much do you need?”

Matron Wuxue fell silent.

What’s up with the Kushan Sect? How come they have everything, including weird stuff?

After being tormented with large luggage along the way, Yan Qing’s eyes gradually became empty. “In such a creepy place, you dare to carry ten bamboo tubes of herbal tea? Even the Taiheng Sect didn’t bring that much water…”

Shi Jingzhi took out one of the tubes and shook it in front of Yan Qing. “You’ll know when you taste it. A’Ci is especially skilled.”

Matron Wuxue cleared her throat twice and interrupted Shi Jingzhi’s sales pitch. Several members of the Chigou Sect opened the bedding and used blood to draw an array on the satin fabric, while Matron Wuxue took the medical kit and began preparing the medicine on the spot.

The moluo tent was quickly set up. As the great contributor who provided the raw materials, Shi Jingzhi made only one request—to allow his disciple to enter the tent.

After all, there were only two sets of bedding available, and the space inside the muluo tent was limited. At most, it could accommodate eight people.

Each of the four major sects sent a representative, one from Rong Palace, a male disciple from Yueshui Pavilion, and two spots were taken by the Kushan Sect.

Inside the tent, Shi Jingzhi squatted into a ball and rambled on, instructing Yin Ci. “You will stay inside the tent. The air here is clean. I’ll go out first. If things don’t go well, I’ll call you immediately. When that happens, hold your breath and find a clean spot outside the room while the enchantment hasn’t taken effect yet.”

Not far away, Xu Jingming, who was rolling his eyes in exasperation was squeezed together with Monk Juehui. The other prominent figures were aware of Xu Jingming’s identity to some extent, but due to the awkward situation, they could only pretend not to recognize him.

After a cup of tea’s time, one by one, everyone crawled out, leaving Yin Ci alone inside the tent.

With the absence of the “Dream Bubble” covering, the scene inside the room instantly transformed.

There was no trace of light in the room, and the air was chilling. The floor was covered in dust, metal decorations were heavily rusted, and the wall of human faces was covered in a thin layer of gray. The edges of the canopy were decaying unevenly, and the bedding on the bed was tattered, with patches of mold.

However, the person on the bed remained unchanged.

The figure with disheveled long hair still played with the ruby smoking pipe in their slender fingers. The faded and decaying red robe emphasized their striking blood-red eyes.

Matron Wuxue held her breath and succinctly said, “Things are not looking good.”

“…That is a ‘Human Shaped Coffin’.”

The author has something to say:

Shi Jingzhi: Actually, there are also braised pork buns, fried noodles, candies, smoked fish slices, dried fruits, vegetable meat pancakes, salted egg yolks, fried rice…

Yin Ci: Yes, I have been doing it for a long time.

The master and disciple completely unaware that something is amiss.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 19: Palace of Leisure

At the end of the main hall, a row of downward stone steps was set up.

The stone steps were carved with exquisite reliefs, making it difficult for people to step on them. At the end stood a pair of scarlet red doors with the words “Palace of Leisure*” on the plaque. The strokes of the characters were soft, adding a touch of tenderness.

*A mythological place in Chinese mythology that symbolizes utopia, where one can live a harmonious and carefree life, detached from worldly affairs and immersed in spiritual pursuit. It’s often portrayed as a realm for immortals and enlightenment.

Matron Wuxue sniffed at the door and gently tapped it with her cane, and the large doors slowly opened.

“There are no traps on the door, but as for what’s inside…”

She didn’t finish her sentence and was the first to step inside.

The group, which was originally less than a hundred people, now had only about forty left. The Taiheng Sect had the fewest losses, while the lone wanderers had been completely wiped out. After entering the door, everyone stopped in their tracks at the same time—

The scene in front of them was really strange.

They seemed to have entered a large mansion, with swaying tree shadows and gentle starlight visible outside the windows. The interior of the house was dimly lit, with a pleasant aroma of incense. There was not a speck of dust in sight, and the air carried a pleasant warmth.

Half-eaten snacks and tea were arranged on the table. The snacks were fresh and crispy, and the tea was still steaming. The fruits on the fruit plate were covered in water droplets, and the green plants beside them were lush, with some even blooming in vibrant colors.

The atmosphere of life in this place was extremely strong, as if the owner of the mansion had just left and would return soon.

If it was said that Yan Budu was still living here, Yin Ci could almost believe it for a moment.

For a brief moment, Yin Ci even harbored a faint hope—perhaps Yan Budu, like him, was unable to die and had chosen to live in seclusion in a tomb?

However, this thought only lasted temporarily.

Yin Ci had been in too many tombs, and he knew better than anyone. No matter how powerful the arts were, they couldn’t create something out of thin air, and a tomb couldn’t provide fresh water.

It was just an illusion.

Before Shi Jingzhi could tremble, Yin Ci reached out and grabbed his hand. The candlelight flickered, and for a while, no one dared to move, afraid of disturbing something.

“Shizun, should we look for Yan Qing? Senior Shi said he’s not in the main hall, so he should be here,” Yin Ci whispered, diverting Shi Jingzhi’s attention.

“Mm, let’s look for him.” Shi Jingzhi’s voice was dry.

At the same time, possibly due to being too nervous, a disciple from the Yueshui Pavilion dropped his pen. The pen fell on the thick and soft carpet, and after hesitating for a while, he decided to reach out and pick it up.

Shen Zhu let out a light sigh and brushed off the dust on her clothes. “Idiot.”

The room became very quiet, and the person clearly heard this remark. He straightened up and grumbled discontentedly, “Making a fuss over nothing. It’s not like I haven’t been in a tomb before. I was careful enough just now and definitely didn’t trigger anything…”

He hadn’t finished speaking when a series of gasps sounded from inside the room.

The man’s face changed.

He didn’t transform into another person—his facial features slowly slid across his face like a paper painting floating on water. One eye slid down to the position of his mouth, while his mouth slowly slid towards his left ear. His eyes, nose, and mouth were all in the wrong places, yet the man seemed completely unaware, blinking his misplaced eyes.

As if realizing the horror in everyone’s eyes, he reached out a hand and touched his own face. As soon as he touched it, his fingers stuck to his face, melding with his cheek.

The mouth that had slid to the side of his face finally opened, letting out a scream of terror.

“Save me!” He stumbled toward the crowd. “Save—”

For some reason, with each step he took, his body shrunk a little. After a few steps, his entire being had twisted to the point of being unrecognizable, unable to move even a bit.

He no longer made any sounds. It was unknown whether his throat had changed shape, or he had died in the contorted state. The brightly colored fabric clung to his flesh, appearing particularly glaring. His body seemed like a colorful wax figure slowly melting into the ground while his clothes seeped into the earth, gradually disappearing.

Shi Jingzhi: “…”

Shi Jingzhi: “A’Ci, be careful. Don’t move recklessly.”

Yin Ci sighed. “I know… Shizun, you should get off me first.”

Shi Jingzhi’s fear overwhelmed his status as a master—he clung to Yin Ci like a monkey clinging to a tree, not daring to let go.

Yin Ci even somewhat missed Shi Jingzhi’s madness. Even if he distributed one-tenth of that madness to his normal self, it wouldn’t be so… clingy.

Patiently, he slowly peeled Shi Jingzhi off bit by bit. “Yan Qing has made calculations, divining the journey of the Taiheng Sect as auspicious, which is fortunate for us. Let’s stick close to them.”

No one laughed at Shi Jingzhi, including Matron Wuxue. The expressions on everyone’s faces weren’t good. Shi Zhongyu pushed up her sleeve, revealing a string of blood essence beads that were still white. Monk Juehui struck the iron bowl a few times, but the environment in front of them didn’t change at all.

There were no monsters here, nor were there any ordinary illusions.

The aroma of dim sum mixed with incense created a delicate sweetness that lingered. The air was warm and flowed gently. This should have been a soothing environment.

From this position, everyone could see the entrance to the study not far away, filled with books. On the weapon rack, knives and swords shimmered with a cold light, and it was obvious that they weren’t ordinary.

Yin Ci clicked his tongue inwardly—he recognized this situation, but at the moment, perhaps it was only he who could recognize what it was.

This technique was called “Dream Bubble*” and was known as the most dangerous incense illusion. It used the human brain as the main ingredient, along with thousands of materials from monsters, to create the fragrance. If the incense burner was chosen correctly, the fragrance could last for hundreds of years.

*Based off of the idiom (梦幻泡影) that refers to thinking everything in the world is as empty as dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. Metaphorically, it means it’s an easily shattered fantasy (aka a pipe dream).

The effect of “Dream Bubble” was twofold.

First, it allowed people to produce dreams while remaining awake and blend those dreams with reality. Second, if one touched an object within the dream, they would be directly affected by the dream.

The man just now didn’t die from a mechanism; he died from everyone’s nightmares.

Arriving in such an eerie place, people inevitably felt some fear—fear gave rise to imagination, and imagination merged with dreams. The disciple from Yueshui Pavilion became the scapegoat, drawing everyone’s attention and coincidentally touching an object within the dream, becoming the “distorted” object.

As a result, the various fears and speculations of the people mixed together, materializing on the man’s body, erasing him from existence.

After the “Dream Bubble” technique had taken effect, everyone became unconscious practitioners of the technique.

The solution was simple: Destroy the incense burner without touching any objects within the dream.

Unfortunately, amidst the various things in the room, it was difficult to distinguish which ones existed solely within the dream. The most troublesome part was that Yin Ci didn’t want to expose himself; he needed an outsider—anyone—to discover the solution.

“Could it be a problem with that carpet?” Yin Ci deliberately raised his voice. “Shizun, I felt something was off just now. The carpet has no patterns at all. It’s all black, which is completely out of place in this mansion.”

Shi Jingzhi asked, puzzled, “A’Ci, what are you saying? Isn’t there a golden dragon and phoenix pattern on the carpet?”

Shi Zhongyu furrowed her brows upon hearing this. “I saw a red carpet with patterns from the Western Regions. Jin Lan?”

Jin Lan stammered. “I-I saw a regular blue carpet with a pattern of longevity flowers…”

Monk Juehui pondered for a moment. “What kind of dim sum do you see on the table?”

“Mung bean cake.” “Lotus blossom cake.” “Pea pudding.” “…”

Everyone answered one after another, and then they exchanged glances.

As everyone’s attention focused, both the carpet and the dim sum distorted, taking on bizarre appearances, and eventually twisted away. Only a piece of decaying carpet remnant and a plate of dark residue remained.

“I see now.” Monk Juehui sighed. “I see now.”

Yin Ci wasn’t surprised at all.

That was how objects in dreams were—the power of “Dream Bubble” had its limits, and most of the details were filled in by individuals’ subconscious. However, if everyone concentrated their attention on one thing, it would be shattered by conflicting imaginations, just like what happened to the man earlier.

However, this alone couldn’t break through the “Dream Bubble”, because dreams were never just one layer.

“Shizun, the dim sum disappeared completely just now. It must have been an illusion, right?”

Shi Jingzhi furrowed his brows, seemingly realizing something. “I saw rotten dim sum remnants. Wait, A’Ci, let me think…”

He took a few deep breaths and turned to Monk Juehui. “Master, I’ve read about it in books before. The Xiele Buddhist Sect seems to have a similar technique called… what was it?”

“You are knowledgeable, Young Patron. Yes, the Xiele Buddhist Sect does indeed possess a similar technique. That technique has long been lost, with only incomplete records remaining.”

Monk Juehui closed his eyes. “This technique is born from the burning of incense. All illusions are ominous, and if one touches them casually, they are easily affected by the dreams of all living beings.”

Shi Jingzhi gritted his teeth. “A’Ci, hold my hand.”

“No problem. Shizun, why did you suddenly mention this?”

Shi Jingzhi didn’t answer immediately. He took out the stuffed silver bell, cleared away the bits of paper, and swung the bell. The clear sound of the bell resonated through the room, creating ripples in the air.

“This technique affects the consciousness, deceiving the eyes but not the ears.”

Shi Jingzhi closed his eyes tightly.

“The sound of the bell expands and rebounds when it encounters an object. I can perceive the obstacles. Dream objects have no substance and can be penetrated by sound. If I don’t look at the dream and don’t acknowledge its existence, I shouldn’t be affected by consciousness-based techniques. Monk Juehui said this thing relies on incense to take effect, so we need to find the place with the strongest fragrance and destroy the incense burner.”

His voice was confident and loud, audible to everyone present.

…This kid is truly cunning.

Yin Ci’s lips curled up.

Shi Jingzhi was just spouting nonsense, performing a visual version of covering one’s ears while stealing a bell*. He had no idea whether the “Dream Bubble” would consider him as having “not touched” it.

*(掩耳盗铃) Idiom referring to someone who attempts to deceive others but ends up fooling only themselves. It comes from a story in ancient China where a man wanted to steal a valuable bell but feared that the sound of the bell would alert others. To prevent this, he covered his own ears while stealing the bell, thinking that if he couldn’t hear the sound, no one else would. || In this context, Shi Jingzhi is literally performing that (with a bell even!) but instead of covering his ears, he’s covering his eyes.

Naturally, it would be good if he considered it “not touched”. Even if he was considered as “touched”, he had managed to instill a subconscious sense of reassurance in everyone—they firmly believed that nothing would happen to him and he wouldn’t be affected by everyone’s nightmares, meeting the same gruesome fate as the man earlier.

The various illusions from before weren’t his own hallucinations; Shi Jingzhi indeed had a touch of madness deep down.

Matron Wuxue said with a serious tone, “Kid, do you really think you can do such a thing?”

Shi Jingzhi, wearing the mask, shook the silver bell in his hand, making it ring. “A trivial skill. I was born with heightened senses.”

His voice was steady, but his palms were covered in sweat. Yin Ci held his hand tightly, signaling him to relax.

“A’Ci, follow behind me, and be careful not to touch anything recklessly.”

“Yes.”

No one dared to search for treasure. The group followed Shi Jingzhi’s footsteps, walking cautiously, imitating his every move.

The mansion was large, and the group walked quietly for over an hour before Shi Jingzhi stopped—more precisely, he nearly tripped.

Yan Qing lay at the end of the corridor with his body stretched straight and arms tightly against his sides. The luggage of the Kushan Sect was neatly stacked next to him, with a sealed farewell letter placed on top.

His chest rose and fell calmly as he slept.

Yin Ci: “…Brother Yan, wake up.”

Shi Jingzhi immediately improvised. “Everyone, this is my new servant, recently recruited by our sect. He has been missing for a while. He’s visually impaired, perhaps naturally capable of breaking this technique, which is why he was left alone here.”

Amidst the commotion, Yan Qing slowly woke up, still groggy. “Hmm?”

Yin Ci whispered, “You didn’t touch anything at all?”

Yan Qing, with a bewildered expression, took a while before showing a hint of joy for having survived the ordeal. “This place is extremely dangerous, and I was well aware. Instead of triggering any mechanisms, it’s better to wait here for death… cough—wait for the two of you to rescue me.”

Yin Ci: “……” Well, no need to be that realistic.

Shi Jingzhi cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Have you found any clues?”

Yan Qing’s expression turned serious. He took a deep breath and pointed to a nearby bedroom.

“…There’s the sound of someone’s breathing inside.”

The author has something to say:

Also, although the name “Dream Bubble” may sound a bit like a magical girl technique (…), its origin is actually from Buddhism, specifically the phrase “All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows,” which is a Buddhist concept.

The literal translation is just too dreamlike, so I had to explain it (…

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 18: Out of Control

Yin Ci was curious.

He knew that Shi Jingzhi was clever and shouldn’t be underestimated. He also understood that the more he spoke, the more mistakes he might make, so he should immediately throw out the smoke bomb and leave the scene. The current Shi Jingzhi wouldn’t be able to stop him.

But he was just too curious—what was Shi Jingzhi going to do to him? And how did he view “Yin Ci” as his disciple?

So he laughed wantonly. “Most likely, I killed him.”

How would Shi Jingzhi react? Surprise, regret, fear, or—

A strong murderous intent suddenly erupted.

The half-broken flagpole instantly aimed at Yin Ci’s throat, but Yin Ci pinched it with two fingers and firmly stopped it. “Kid, you’re no match for me.”

Shi Jingzhi cautiously moved his feet, and the light from the tomb illuminated his face. He wasn’t wearing a mask, and his face flickered in the shadowy light, exuding an unusually strong demonic aura.

“I know,” he said hoarsely, his tone completely different from usual.

Yin Ci was slightly taken aback.

He had never seen Shi Jingzhi so angry before. In Yin Ci’s impression, his cheap master was usually never serious and only knew how to joke. This was the first time Shi Jingzhi had shown anger in front of him.

And it was an anger filled with killing intent.

Although Shi Jingzhi said he knew, he didn’t show the slightest sign of retreat. He refused to let go of the flagpole, and his gaze was like that of a vicious wolf selecting its prey.

All for a disciple he had only been with for less than a month?

Yin Ci’s interest grew. He decisively pulled back the flagpole, but unexpectedly, Shi Jingzhi held on tightly and charged straight at him. Yin Ci sidestepped, hooking Shi Jingzhi’s waist and pressing a finger on his shoulder, firmly pinning him to the stone pillar.

Leaning forward, almost touching noses with Shi Jingzhi, Yin Ci asked, “Since you know, why dare to provoke me?”

Shi Jingzhi struggled a few times, and his tone carried bloodlust. “I can’t kill Senior, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hurt you.”

“You two have a deep master-disciple relationship.”

Shi Jingzhi whispered, “It doesn’t matter if it’s deep or not; it’s ‘my possession’.”

Yin Ci: “…”

What kind of nonsense was this? Why hadn’t he heard about this before?

Yin Ci’s mind wandered for a moment. A layer of golden fire surrounded Shi Jingzhi’s body, and his amber eyes almost reflected a golden hue. The golden fire was scorching. Shi Jingzhi started to struggle fiercely that holding him by the shoulder alone wasn’t enough to restrain him.

He needed to find a better place to subdue him and make him more obedient.

Yin Ci moved his left hand upward, holding down Shi Jingzhi’s chin, forcing him to expose his throat. Just as his right hand was about to clamp down on his neck, Shi Jingzhi suddenly turned his head and bit down on Yin Ci’s left thumb.

Shi Jingzhi’s bite was incredibly strong. His teeth instantly broke the skin and reached the bone, staining his lips with blood that then flowed down his chin, shining brightly in the light of the yang fire.

Yin Ci could feel the scorching sensation of his opponent’s tongue. Shi Jingzhi seemed to be burning all over, like a moth drawn to the flame.

With a cold snort, Yin Ci firmly pressed his hand against Shi Jingzhi’s neck, allowing him to bite.

Leaving a wound would be good; later, the wound would disappear without a trace, and the suspicion of being “Mountain Dweller Yin Ci” would be smaller.

“Forget it, I only killed a few followers of the Ling Sect. Judging from your actions, you don’t seem like someone from the Ling Sect.” Yin Ci saw the other person increasingly losing control, and he didn’t want to take things too far.

Shi Jingzhi’s state was clearly not right.

Previously, he had been cautious and cherished his life. Even if he occasionally said a few foolish words, Yin Ci knew very well in his heart—they were just acquaintances with some good feelings, still guarded against each other, and far from committing their hearts to each other.

During these days, Shi Jingzhi had also not shown any extraordinary interest in “Mountain Dweller Yin Ci”.

Based on such a relationship, would it make Shi Jingzhi abandon his fear of death and fight desperately like this? Moreover, his current state seemed more like he had gone insane rather than being overwhelmed by grief.

…Was this loss of control really due to “his disciple being killed”, or was it because “everything was taken away”?

This person was too abnormal. A faint chill rose on Yin Ci’s back.

On the other hand, upon hearing Yin Ci’s denial, Shi Jingzhi finally loosened his grip. He licked the blood off his lips with a face filled with doubt. “You have his smell on you.”

Yin Ci narrowed his eyes. “Smell? This place is filled with the smell of blood. Where would there be his scent?”

Shi Jingzhi said in a cold voice, “I applied a special-scented ointment on him, so I can’t be mistaken. Senior definitely had contact with him.”

He knew that the peculiar-smelling burn ointment had some tricks. The ointment was applied to the ghostskin robe, so his hands inevitably picked up some of the scent.

Yin Ci sneered, then grabbed the front of Shi Jingzhi’s clothes, lifting him up along the pillar while concealing his healing thumb. “There’s no need for me to deceive you. Considering your young age, you wouldn’t have been able to take in disciples for many years. How did things escalate to this point? Are you and your disciple involved romantically?”

Shi Jingzhi clenched Yin Ci’s wrist with great force. “A’Ci saved my life, understands my emotions, and cooks delicious food…”

As he said this, he suddenly smiled, and the madness in his eyes diminished slightly. “He is ‘my’ disciple. As his master, I cannot let him down.”

Upon hearing this, the smile on Yin Ci’s face gradually disappeared.

At that moment, another “Suffering From Parting” mechanism was activated, and the dull friction sound reverberated through the hall.

Well, that was good timing.

Yin Ci looked coldly at Shi Jingzhi. “You’re somewhat pleasing to the eye, so I’ll spare you this time.”

He released his cheap master and struck forcefully at the spot where Shi Jingzhi had been. Debris flew as a large piece of the pillar shattered. The entire pillar cracked and slowly toppled.

At the same time, Yin Ci threw the smoke bomb, filling the space with gray-white smoke.

Taking advantage of the smoke not yet dissipating, Yin Ci quickly returned to the room. He put on the freshly dried ghostskin robe and lay down beside the monk, pretending to be unconscious.

Shi Jingzhi soon arrived.

“A’Ci, A’Ci.” He forcefully slapped Yin Ci’s face and shook him vigorously. “Wake up!”

“…Shizun, even if I’m awake, I’ll be knocked unconscious by you.” Yin Ci, irritated by the slaps, had to open his eyes.

Shi Jingzhi had already lost the anger he had before, and that look of madness seemed like an illusion. He checked Yin Ci’s pulse and sincerely breathed a sigh of relief. “Are you injured?”

Yin Ci gritted his teeth. “My face hurts.”

Shi Jingzhi: “It’s good that you’re fine. What happened here?”

“I woke up early and saw people from the Ling Sect, so I found a place to hide,” Yin Ci massaged his face while coming up with a prepared story. “I was discovered by an elder from the Ling Sect halfway through, but it was another person who jumped out. It was a man in white clothes, without any weapons.”

“He fought with the members of the Ling Sect, and that master was knocked unconscious by him while I was also dragged out and knocked unconscious… That’s all I remember.”

The nearby monk also woke up, clasping his hands together. “The Young Patron is right. This humble one also saw the person in white clothes. Unfortunately, my skills were no match for him, and I was knocked out by his palm.”

After the monk finished speaking, he looked up at the void and muttered softly, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form*.”

*A Buddhist concept associated with the Heart Sutra, a fundamental text of Mahayana Buddhism. Its idea is that everything is interconnected and that all things are fundamentally empty of inherent existence. It points to the interconnectedness and interplay of form and emptiness, challenging dualistic perceptions and inviting a deeper understanding of reality.

“Perhaps it was a skilled master who infiltrated anonymously,” Shi Jingzhi innocently said, his expression unchanged. “This has nothing to do with us. Let’s go and get out of here.”

This was the Shi Jingzhi that Yin Ci was familiar with.

Yin Ci didn’t sit up immediately. “Shizun, how did you get out?”

“Me? I ended up with the people from the Rong Palace. They happen to have some knowledge about these things and didn’t think much of our small sect. I just took advantage of the situation.”

“Your mask…”

“Oh, right. I was in a rush and forgot to put it on.” Shi Jingzhi scratched his head in embarrassment as he gave a radiant smile.

The monk quietly turned away. “Form is emptiness—”

Shi Jingzhi quickly put on his mask. “A’Ci, come here. I’ll carry you.”

Yin Ci obediently extended a hand for Shi Jingzhi to pull him up. He looked straight into Shi Jingzhi’s eyes. “Shizun, you really came to rescue me.”

“Of course.” Shi Jingzhi’s tone was light and cheerful. “I am your master, after all.”

Yin Ci took two steps forward, almost leaning close to Shi Jingzhi’s ear, and asked directly, “I was wondering, why did you give me the Buddhist bead?”

Shi Jingzhi held Yin Ci’s shoulders with both hands, still smiling. “If I had taken away the bead, wouldn’t you feel anxious—afraid that I would abandon you or something. As a good master, there is no reason to make my disciple afraid.”

Yin Ci remained silent and just gazed steadily at Shi Jingzhi.

Previously, he was the “strange man in white”, and Shi Jingzhi had no need to act in front of him. Shi Jingzhi’s words were genuine, but there was an inexplicable sincerity that couldn’t be deduced by conventional reasoning, which made Yin Ci feel a bit uneasy.

Unaware of Yin Ci’s thoughts, Shi Jingzhi held his disciple’s hand.

“A’Ci, hold on a little longer. We have arrived at the entrance to the third level… Do you trust me now?”

“As your master, I will never let you down.”

Yin Ci reflexively wanted to withdraw his hand, but he held back. In the end, his hand trembled in Shi Jingzhi’s palm.

Initially, he agreed to follow Shi Jingzhi for seven parts utilization and three parts interest. Later on, perhaps the balance between “utilization” and “interest” shifted to fifty-fifty, but it still didn’t surpass the realm of “having fun”.

Now, among these reasons, a darker one emerged—he wanted to see if this person would fulfill his promise before dying.

People change. Shi Jingzhi was still too young. He didn’t yet understand that some promises should never be made lightly.

I will never let you down. I will never let you down.

If he considered the recent past, Sun Huaijin had also said these words. But every time he made a move behind Yin Ci’s back, Yin Ci saw it and couldn’t be bothered to point it out.

As for the person who said these words first…

Yin Ci stopped reminiscing, pulling out the most harmless smile and mixing in a perfectly timed sense of gratitude.

“I trust you, Shizun.”

I definitely don’t trust you.

Shi Jingzhi fully regained his spirits and lifted Yin Ci and the monk up from the ground, directly facing the people from the Taiheng Sect and Jianchen Temple.

Shi Zhongyu was in the middle of a conversation with Monk Juehui. Upon seeing the safe return of the Kushan Sect master and his disciple, she stopped talking and had a slight smile on her face. “Both of you are really lucky.”

Yan Qing’s divination was quite accurate. The Taiheng Sect indeed had good luck, and they didn’t suffer many casualties this time. Shi Jingzhi couldn’t hold back his question. “Miss Shi, how did you break the ‘Suffering From Parting’?”

“Thanks to the masters of Jianchen Temple. They have been practicing asceticism for years, with their limbs bound by heavy sand hoops. The sand hoops are extremely heavy, which was more than enough to deal with the stone pillars.”

Yin Ci: “…” He had completely forgotten about this matter. If he had remembered, perhaps he could have avoided losing a few limbs.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t understand his disciple’s pain. He continued cheerfully, “That means only the people from the Ling Sect, Chigou Sect, and Yueshui Pavilion are left.”

Before he finished speaking, the fourth “Suffering From Parting” slowly descended, carrying a strong smell of blood.

Matron Wuxue was the first to jump out. Her eyes scanned the Taiheng Sect and Jianchen Temple, clearly counting the number of people. In the end, a hint of regret could be seen in her gaze.

“Let’s go.”

She flicked the blood off her hand.

“This Ghost Tomb is finally over.”

The author has something to say:

There is a reason why Fox Shi is regarded as an evil by his brothers! Xu Jingming won’t go all out just because of a prophecy… The reasons will be revealed later (?

Let’s rule out two wrong answers: It’s not about multiple personalities or being possessed, haha.

Yin Ci: Are you having an affair with your disciple?

Many years later.

Shi Jingzhi: Yes.

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