147: Chapter 146: White Jade Skull [Additional update for Alliance Hierarch Yuxiaoyao] 147: Chapter 146: White Jade Skull [Additional update for Alliance Hierarch Yuxiaoyao] Wang Mian gritted his teeth in anger.
The nine Quanzhen standard longswords, although it couldn’t be proved that they were all destroyed by the giant rat clan, were definitely related to them.
When he saw these swords and recalled the previous water inundation of Suqiu, any trace of pity he had felt was gone.
He only hated that he hadn’t allowed himself to feel more hatred at the time.
He silently gathered the longswords without anyone saying a word; the two yellow weasels kept quiet.
This wasn’t about dividing spoils but about retrieval.
Huang Xiaoxian let out a sigh, “We might as well collect them all.
As for the other swords, it’s hard to tell…”
Wang Mian was taken aback but then realized the truth.
Yes, many Quanzhen disciples didn’t use standard longswords, instead purchasing their own.
How could one be clear about that?
In fact, one must learn to let go a bit in these situations.
Even if nine or even dozens of Quanzhen sword cultivators died here in bitterness, if spread out over several hundred years, it wouldn’t be much.
If that was the case for the swords, what about the demons?
If you added up all the demon bones slayed by Quanzhen sword cultivators over several hundred years, wouldn’t it be enough to encircle the continent?
Just the rat bones killed by these three people this time, if you connected the tails, wouldn’t they nearly reach Jin City?
Suddenly, Huang Xiaoxian warned, “Be careful!
There are significantly more bee carcasses behind that door ahead; we’re probably close to the place.”
Everyone heightened their alertness.
Of course, their observation couldn’t match Huang Xiaoxian using a demon core to scout from afar.
Although they knew the tiny bees had no attacking power in water, their sheer numbers were a headache for any creature.
They slowly approached the door, and Huang Xiaoxian issued another warning, “The chamber behind that door is higher up; there might be air pockets!”
Air pockets meant that if water flooded in too quickly, some places might trap air, and eventually balance the water pressure, ensuring that not all chambers would be completely inundated.
On their journey, they had come across several such spaces.
Although they hadn’t found any living creatures, that didn’t mean the next one would be the same.
The most important thing was if there were air pockets, it didn’t necessarily mean the bee swarm would be completely wiped out, right?
Hou Niao thought for a moment, “Senior, do you say this rat skin of mine wouldn’t be recognized by rodent kind even from several zhang away?
If that’s the case with rats, those mindless slender-waisted bees surely couldn’t, right?”
Huang Xiaoxian understood what he meant, “It should be so, but I feel certain the bee swarm has drastically reduced in number.
These creatures rely on numbers to overwhelm and catch people off guard.
If their numbers are reduced, it’s not impossible to fight them head-on.
Plus, if you really can’t handle it, you can just jump back in.”
The other three would wait underwater for his signal while he would scout ahead alone.
This was the procedure they always adopted when encountering air pockets, taking caution to the extreme.
Only by doing so could they survive in this environment so unsuited for battle.
Being cautious or bold depended on the situation.
Only by understanding this could one be considered an experienced cultivator.
Otherwise, one’s own longsword might end up as part of the giant rats’ collection.
Hou Niao was the primary scout, not only because of his high combat ability but also because of the rat skin he wore.
He stayed under the water for a few breaths, not sensing any danger.
Then, he cautiously stuck his rat head out.
Before he had a chance to look around, he felt a slight weight on the whiskers of the rat skin—something had landed on it?
A quick glance from the corners of his eyes revealed three slender-waisted bees; two on one side of the whiskers and one on the other.
Looking up, he saw a buzzing mass of slender-waisted bees fluttering their wings, causing him to break out in goosebumps all over.
Knowing it wasn’t good, he tried to sink back underwater, but he felt that his body was completely beyond his control.
Although he wanted to retreat into the water in his mind, his actions betrayed him, fully emerging from the surface instead.
He didn’t know why this was happening?
What had been a foolproof strategy, tranquil as a smooth-sailing journey, now abruptly faced a tremendous change, placing him immediately in a life-and-death situation.
This was a strange phenomenon to him: his consciousness was still his own, his Dantian had no issues, his body was nimble and flexible, yet it wouldn’t obey his commands.
He clearly wanted to withdraw into the water, but his body stubbornly crawled out instead.
Several hundred slender-waist bees descended, landing on his rat-hide clothing, yet their stingers didn’t penetrate, as if waiting for something?
Struggling to calm himself, Hou Niao knew that he couldn’t lose his composure now, otherwise the sting of the bees would be more than his fasting Realm could withstand.
As he completely left the water and stepped into the palace, he suddenly regained control over his body; his feet no longer moved forward without reason, and his hands were free again.
But by now, he dared not make any sudden moves, as hundreds of slender-waist bees nearly covered his body, their three-inch stingers glistening coldly—these were the famous Qi-breaking, Gang-piercing stingers of the Cultivation World, and he had no wish to experience them firsthand.
He tried to relax, not showing the slightest impatience, and cast his gaze deep into the palace, faintly making out a jade-colored skull with its mouth wide open…
Was it smiling at him?
“Welcome to Ksitigarbha Palace, I have been waiting for you for a long time.” The skull spoke, its voice a bit airy due to having no flesh on its teeth, which gave it a clangorous, metal-colliding texture.
Hou Niao stopped about thirty feet away from it, with the water’s surface three feet behind him, but he didn’t dare turn back.
Although somewhat out of his control, he couldn’t show weakness in a conversation with such a creature, “Spare me the pleasantries.
If you truly had the ability to reach the heavens and plumb the depths, you wouldn’t be hiding in a rat’s hole, playing tricks!”
“Cackle, cackle, cackle…” The skull laughed loudly, “You’re right, right to the point!
So, can we talk calmly and peacefully?
Without getting angry out of embarrassment?
Without reckless actions?
It’s for the best for both of us.”
Hou Niao watched it, “How did I come out of the water?
What did you do to me?”
The skull gazed with its hollow black eye sockets, it was unclear what it was seeing, “I can satisfy your curiosity.
Actually, this is just the most basic Bone Control Skill.
It doesn’t affect the victim’s spirit, consciousness, or Dantian—just merely controls your skeleton.
You can’t break free simply because your Realm is too low.”
Hou Niao had some guesses in his mind, which were mostly confirmed.
There were too many peculiar skills in the Cultivation World that he needed to slowly encounter; his only mistake was appearing in the wrong place, facing an opponent he should not have encountered, just like the Wandering Souls and specters he met before.
He began to move forward again, and immediately experienced the sensation of being out of control once more, only this time his desire to move was unmet by his unresponsive bones.
The skull started grinding its teeth again, emitting a grating noise similar to scraping the bottom of a pot, “Don’t make reckless moves, young man!
I’ve already warned you, and I will not give you a third chance!”
The Bone Control Skill, although very niche and only effective against low Realm cultivators, just so happens that you fall within the range of its control!
Why not settle down and listen to my story?
It won’t delay you much!”