Volume Two: The Nine Provinces Map Revealed, Entering the Spirit Ruins Chapter Ninety-Five: Ambush at Ghostshade Pass

As the tomb collapsed, Xia Ruo sprang out at once.

Chu Shu and the others hurried forward at the sight of her. "Senior Sister Xia, are you all right?"

Xia Ruo did not answer. Her brows tightened, and with a muffled groan she spat out a mouthful of dark blood.

"Senior Sister, you're injured," Yuan Shan said anxiously.

"It's nothing," Xia Ruo said gravely. "That Ghost Abyss Sect Master is very formidable, but I have severely wounded him."

"Then is he dead?" Li Qing asked.

Xia Ruo also understood their hatred for the Ghost Abyss Sect Master. After all, so many of their senior brothers and junior brothers had died at his hands.

"Most likely not yet," Xia Ruo said. "And from what you have said, all of this was very likely part of that Ghost Abyss Sect Master's scheme. By borrowing the malevolent yin energy here, he should be able to recover quickly, and may even advance further."

"What should we do, then?" Li Qing asked.

"The only course is to inform the sect and send for several more senior brothers," Xia Ruo said, and she immediately activated a talisman. It burst into talisman light and shot into the sky.

"You all should return to the sect first. I will guard this place," Xia Ruo said.

"No... we'll stay here and help keep watch for you, Senior Sister."

Seeing this, Xia Ruo said no more. Everyone sat down and regulated their breathing.

At that moment, Xue Ren, who had been waiting outside all along, also came up.

"Senior Brother Xiao..." Xue Ren called softly.

"Mm?" Xiao Gu turned to look at him. "Junior Brother Xue, why haven't you left yet?"

Xue Ren shook his head, then asked, "Where is Senior Brother Chen? Did he not come out with everyone else?"

At that, Xiao Gu was stunned, then asked in surprise, "Junior Brother Chen hasn't come out yet?"

With that said, everyone understood what had happened.

Looking at the sorrowful Xue Ren and the other two, Xiao Gu let out a sigh as well. "This place is far too dangerous. You should hurry back to the sect."

"Understood, Senior Brother Xiao. You must be careful as well."

The three of them, their spirits low, glanced at the collapsed tomb and left helplessly.

What none of them knew was that Chen Yu had not died at all, but was still hidden within the tomb.

After the Ghost Abyss Sect Master left to pursue and kill the group of cultivators, Chen Yu, whose figure had been concealed by a dharma banner, had not been discovered by anyone.

Only when the entire tomb chamber was left with him alone did Chen Yu carefully reveal himself.

It was not that he did not want to leave at once, but that he knew the time was not yet right. He understood clearly that there was only one way leading to the surface. If the Ghost Abyss Sect Master blocked that path, everyone would surely be caught in one net.

Although the passage had eight or nine branching routes in each section, who could guarantee they would not run into danger? To avoid any mishap, it was better to remain here for the time being.

What was more, this was the Ghost Abyss Sect Master's place of cultivation; there was no telling what treasures might be hidden here.

From what he understood, that Ghost Abyss Sect Master had not even been at the Yin-Yang Realm before, yet now he had attained a green-corpse body, equivalent to the cultivation of the Heavenly Human Realm. Moreover, nine of the elders had also cultivated purple-corpse bodies. If there were no secrets or opportunities involved, who would believe it?

Chen Yu paid no heed to anything else and went straight to the pool.

At once, a frigid aura swept toward him, and he could not help shivering. He circulated the Nine Breaths Nourishing Qi Method to resist the erosion of the malevolent yin energy.

"How strange. Could just this pool of yin energy be enough to allow rapid cultivation to the green-corpse realm?" He stared at the water, which merely exhaled sinister yin energy, and was full of doubt. "Or does that Ghost Abyss Sect Master possess some remarkable secret cultivation art?"

Chen Yu crouched down and carefully extended his hand into the pool. At once, his expression changed drastically. A surge of sinister yin resentment rushed along his arm straight into his mind. He felt as though this immense force of hatred were tearing his skull apart.

Terrified, Chen Yu immediately withdrew his hand and flew backward.

"Agh..." Chen Yu clutched his head and let out a low roar. In his heart he cried out, "Hold on... hold on! Nine Breaths Nourishing Qi, suppress it for me... refine it..."

After more than a dozen breaths, Chen Yu finally forced out that mass of resentment. By then he was drenched in sweat, as though he had just survived a desperate battle for life and death.

"There's something at the bottom of the pool?" Chen Yu fixed his gaze on the water with unwavering resolve. Though it had only been an instant, he had still sensed the source of that resentment.

Without another word, he struck downward with his sword. In a flash, the pool was cleaved cleanly in two, revealing the treasure within.

It was a jade-white mineral stone. Though he had only glimpsed it from afar and had not touched it, Chen Yu's first impression was of bone. Or rather, a mineral stone refined from bone.

Within the bone stone, it seemed as though countless vengeful spirits were howling, eager to devour everything.

Chen Yu frowned. "What is that?"

He did not dare to take it. The pain from his earlier lesson still lingered on his body. Yet if he were to give up here, Chen Yu was extremely unwilling. Countless thoughts surged through his mind.

"Perhaps there is one more method!"

Looking toward the direction above, he thought, "If Zhao Ying and the others can severely wound the Ghost Abyss Sect Master, then that will be my chance. If the other side returns unscathed, then I can only abandon it and perhaps wait for a better moment. That would be the safest course if one wishes to obtain a treasure."

Chen Yu did not waste time. He deliberately buried all the fire-spitting talismans and wind-borrowing talismans he had on him beside the pool. He intended to strike the Ghost Abyss Sect Master hard with them. If by then he still had no certainty of success, then he would simply have to swallow the loss.

Chen Yu hid quietly off to the side, waiting for the Ghost Abyss Sect Master's return.

Time slowly passed; Chen Yu felt as though he had waited day after day. At last, sounds came from the passage. Chen Yu's spirit jolted at once, and he immediately concealed himself, hiding in a corner nearby.

Very soon, the Ghost Abyss Sect Master staggered out of the passage. One of his arms had been severed, one of his legs had been crippled, and his body was covered in dozens of sword wounds, each deep enough to show bone. Even his neck bore a sword mark, his head seeming as though it might fall off at any moment. And yet, to think that even after such grievous injuries, the Ghost Abyss Sect Master was still alive.

"Damned disciples of the Spirit Ruins Sect. I underestimated you," he muttered. "Hmph... but fortunately, this sovereign was quick enough to collapse the tomb and barely escape disaster. With the power of the Dao Bone Yin Essence, I will recover very soon. Then will come your death."

Watching the Ghost Abyss Sect Master limp step by step toward the pool, Chen Yu's excitement surged beyond measure. The cells in his body seemed ready to cry out in exhilaration. Yet he also understood that at this very moment, he must remain absolutely still, conceal himself well, make no sound, and let himself be discovered by no one.

And how could the Ghost Abyss Sect Master have imagined that within this chamber there still lurked a hidden dragon? With no caution at all, he stepped up onto the stone steps, ready to enter the pool of sinister yin energy.

Chen Yu, who had been waiting all this time, also cried out in his heart with excitement: now is the time!