"These people died in a very strange way, all by the same method — their heads were severed. Every single skeleton was decapitated, without exception. What a cruel tomb master, to build such a grand tomb at the cost of burying hundreds of thousands of lives."
Yi Tianxing's gaze swept across the sea of bones.All of the skeletons were headless. Though one could expect some disarray after turning into bones, he clearly saw sharp, clean cuts at the necks.These were wounds caused by a sharp weapon — under normal circumstances, such clean breaks wouldn't occur naturally.
"Hmm? You're right,"Ye Zhiqiu said, eyes widening in surprise as he studied the remains. "It seems the tomb master didn't just let these laborers, slaves, and craftsmen slowly die of hunger. Instead, he ordered them executed — by beheading. No wonder the resentment among these corpses is so thick. Dying this way, in such massive numbers, creating a mass grave... This is an ominous place, extremely ominous."
A heavy look crossed his face.Under such conditions, sinister changes were bound to occur. Vengeful spirits would easily arise.Yet here, there were only intense resentful auras — no malicious ghosts in sight. The whole mass grave radiated a disturbing, eerie atmosphere.This wasn't normal.
And anything abnormal meant there was a hidden mystery.
"It's certainly strange," Yi Tianxing nodded inwardly. "Either no ghosts have formed yet, or something else has intervened."If there were any malicious ghosts, his Innate Yin-Yang Eyes would absolutely detect them.These eyes, capable of peering into Yin and Yang, were unrivaled among mystical eye techniques.He had relied on them countless times to hunt demons and ghosts, never once failing.
Looking around again, the mass grave was truly enormous.Behind them, a hidden underground river flowed, its water cascading down from the cavern entrance high above.All around them: walls of piled bones. The grave stretched across two to three miles in diameter.
Ahead, a cliff loomed.
The cliff was steep and sheer, making climbing incredibly difficult.Clearly, this entire space was an enormous underground world — either excavated during the tomb's construction or adapted from a naturally occurring cavern.Regardless, the only way out of the pit was by climbing the cliff — no other exits existed.And there were no ropes or aids — one could only rely on personal skill.
The other cultivators realized this too.Some had already begun attempting the climb.
"Just a mere cliff — it won't stop me,"said a beautiful young woman, showing little interest in the sea of bones. She didn't bother climbing either.Instead, with a flick of her wrist, she produced a Talisman.
Upon activation, the talisman transformed into a gust of clear wind, enveloping her. She soared upwards, riding the air itself.
Wind Riding Talisman!!(御风符)
This talisman wrapped the body in wind, allowing the user to ascend rapidly for a short time — more than enough to reach the cliff top.
"Ruyi Rope!!"Another cultivator had his own method.A middle-aged man produced a golden rope from his hand. It shimmered with strange light, extending outwards like a living thing, latching onto the cliff's top.Then, it retracted suddenly — pulling him up like a spring-loaded cord.
"That's a rare treasure,"Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but praise."Perfect for scaling cliffs — what a marvelous item."
Indeed, a mere cliff posed little obstacle to cultivators.
"Fellow Daoist Yi, people are already getting ahead. This mass grave feels extremely sinister — it's giving me the creeps. Let's go up too. Others have their tricks — I'm not helpless either. I know Earth Escape Technique. I can take you up through the ground!"
Ye Zhiqiu's eyes burned with eagerness.Everyone who entered the tomb wanted treasure — no one wanted to fall behind.
"Then I'll rely on your Strange Gates Earth Techniques,"Yi Tianxing agreed immediately.
"Leave it to me!"Ye Zhiqiu grinned, slapped Yi Tianxing on the shoulder, and activated his technique.A yellow light enveloped them both.Their bodies sank into the ground as if diving into water.
Yi Tianxing could see soil surrounding them — yet it felt like they were swimming easily through the earth.Of course, he could still feel pressure from the surrounding soil — it did slow their progress somewhat.This was the wonder of the Earth Escape Technique.Otherwise, simply entering the earth, even a cultivator would be crushed alive by the sheer weight.
Because he was carrying someone, Ye Zhiqiu's speed wasn't fast — but still far quicker than climbing manually.
Without realizing it, Yi Tianxing felt the pressure around him vanish. His body lightened — and their vision opened up.
"We're here,"Ye Zhiqiu gasped, collapsing onto the ground, drenched in sweat."Taking someone else while earth-escaping... it drained half my true essence! If we hadn't made it, we'd be buried alive down there for sure!"
Earth-escape was not without risks.There were historical cases of cultivators who dug too deep and failed to surface — dying trapped beneath the ground.
"Earth escape carries risks — bringing passengers requires caution."This lesson seared itself into Ye Zhiqiu's mind.
He swore that next time, he'd think twice before bringing anyone along.
Yi Tianxing chuckled and tossed over a pill.
"Here, use this. We don't know what dangers the tomb holds — recover your strength quickly."
"A pill?!"Ye Zhiqiu caught it instinctively — then his eyes widened with shock."A spirit pill? A perfect pill without any impurities — a Heavenly Astral Pill!!"
Only a true master alchemist could refine such a flawless pill.Such treasures were priceless — yet Yi Tianxing casually handed him one.
Without hesitation, Ye Zhiqiu swallowed it.Instantly, his depleted true essence began restoring at an incredible rate — even slightly expanding in quantity.
"Fellow Daoist, uh... do you have any more?"Ye Zhiqiu asked hopefully.
Yi Tianxing didn't answer — his attention had shifted forward.
There, atop the cliff, lay a wide platform.
And on it, a chilling sight greeted them.
A massive ancient platform stood in the center, crafted from unknown materials.It was seamless, covered in strange, mystical runes, and reeked of a powerful bloody stench that made one nauseous.
Atop it: a heavy, brutal Ghost-Head Blade.
The blade's hilt was carved into the shape of a demonic ghost's head.Its body glowed with a bloody sheen, emitting a chilling gleam.The blade's surface bore twisted, ominous patterns.It was as if countless vengeful souls were weeping and wailing from within.
"Guillotine and Ghost-Head Blade,"Yi Tianxing muttered grimly.His Innate Yin-Yang Eyes revealed endless streams of resentment and bloodlust swirling around both the blade and the platform.
Ghost-Head Blades were infamous among executioners — capable of slicing off heads cleanly and efficiently.They were the favored tool of headsmen.
And this blade... was drenched in an unimaginable amount of blood.
"The guillotine reek still lingers after a thousand years,"Ye Zhiqiu said, voice trembling."How many heads must have been taken to stain the blade blood-red? Could it be that all the corpses in that mass grave were beheaded by this very blade?"
A strong sense of ominous dread filled his heart.
A blade that had killed hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands — would become an ultimate cursed weapon.Especially when nurtured in a geomantic treasure land infused with the powers of dragons and phoenixes...
Who knew what monstrous changes it might have undergone?