Second Senior Sister Has A Highly Dangerous Profession - Chapter 43
Chapter 43
The Kunwu Sword Formation, like the Qingfeng Liuyun Sword, is an introductory sword formation that must be learned upon entering Kunwu. Although it is simple and basic, it is indeed the initial prototype and foundation of all the evolved Kunwu Sword Formations.
If one cannot master this formation, they will likely struggle with more complex ones. Therefore, learning this formation is, to some extent, a way to gauge a disciple’s aptitude for swordsmanship.
Although Cheng Luocen went directly to Qianya Peak, Huang Li and Yi Zui still taught him this formation. Additionally, the old man gave him a few pointers while he was learning, so he is relatively proficient.
Originally, Yu Xizhi was supposed to stand at the forefront of the formation, being the sharpest sword. However, since the sword’s edge is always the most dangerous position, Shen Ye, who was tasked with watching over Yu Xizhi, would not let her take such a risk.
Thus, Senior Brother Shen stood at the front of the formation. Taking a deep breath, he resisted the urge to kick open the door of the mansion before him.
Kunwu Academy has a specialized course on secret realm etiquette, which Shen Ye studied diligently. Before taking treasures from a secret realm, one must greet the realm’s master and express thanks from afar.
When entering any door, especially those of a mansion, one must knock before pushing it open. Some secret realm masters who place great importance on such etiquette may deliberately make things difficult for those who neglect it.
Shen Ye raised his hand, knocked three times on the carved wooden door, and loudly announced, “Disturbing the master of this place!” Only then did he infuse a bit of spiritual energy into his hand and pressed it against the door.
The spiritual energy was a test. When the energy entered the door, there was no unusual response. The carved wooden door did not light up with any patterns; it seemed to be just a door.
Shen Ye felt somewhat relieved and then pushed the door open with force—
A creaking sound was heard.
The seven people held their swords, not just facing forward, but each guarding a direction, watching their surroundings.
The courtyard before them still appeared to be a courtyard. The door, though beautiful, was clearly old and poorly maintained, creating a harsh scraping sound against the floor as it opened.
Just as the door opened, Yi Zui, who was at the rear, let out a low gasp.
“What is it?” Yu Xizhi instinctively lowered her voice.
With the sword formation member watching from all directions, she was fully concentrated and should not look elsewhere to avoid breaking the defense.
“The Nine-Curve Corridor has reappeared,” Yi Zui said with a deep breath. “What is this thing? It seems to be following us!”
As the door opened, the Nine-Curve Corridor, which Yu Xizhi had previously severed with one sword strike, abruptly reappeared on the path below the courtyard steps, as if space had folded!
Looking closely, it seemed there were multiple corridors overlapping, creating a visually confusing scene with interlacing red pillars.
However, since the door was open, they had to move forward rather than hesitate.
Shen Ye stepped forward, and the sword formation moved with him.
Dust flew up inside the room, along with some strange odors—unfamiliar yet oddly familiar.
The mansion had high thresholds. Shen Ye lifted his robe and stepped in.
As his foot touched the ground, a crimson pattern appeared on the bluestone floor.
More crimson lines quickly spread from that pattern, weaving strange designs on the ground. Everyone saw the ongoing design, but no one recognized it, yet they were inexplicably drawn to it, staring at the pattern and momentarily forgetting to react.
In Yi Zui’s eyes, the overlapping and blurry Nine-Curve Corridor gradually became clear. The young man rubbed his eyes in confusion, unable to determine if it was an illusion or reality.
However, the Xiao Zhizhi sitting on Yu Xizhi’s shoulder saw the patterns and suddenly looked grave: “Retreat!”
Yu Xizhi snapped out of her trance from staring at the crimson, immediately shouting, “Senior Brother Shen, get out of there!”
Shen Ye woke up as if from a dream and tried to lift his foot, but it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, almost immovable!
The remnant spirit of the old man also looked solemn: “I didn’t expect to see such a formation here! This formation is extremely sinister. The person wants to use you all as a means to revive himself!”
Before Cheng Luocen could ask what he meant, Yu Xizhi suddenly braced herself on the ground with one hand and opened a barrier!
Almost simultaneously, the Nine-Curve Corridor seemed to come alive, crashing forward fiercely!
The red pillars resembled red fangs, and the surrounding corridors seemed to transform into a bloodthirsty mouth!
Yi Zui’s eyes widened, feeling as if that mouth was about to bite down on his head.
As the Nine-Curve Corridor’s pillars collided with the barrier, Yu Xizhi’s body suddenly trembled violently. She couldn’t suppress the metallic taste rising in her throat and spat out a mouthful of blood!
“Second Senior Sister!” Several voices cried out simultaneously.
Yu Xizhi quickly raised her head and shouted, “The formation’s core is inside this house! Don’t touch the ground, find it! Otherwise, this formation will swallow everyone!”
In her ear, Xiao Zhizhi spoke rapidly and with rare seriousness, “This Hunyuan Secret Realm is not an ordinary secret realm. In addition to the two types of secret realms that bless descendants, there is a third type.”
“The master of this secret realm, though his body is gone, his soul has not dispersed.”
Nascent Soul stage cultivators can expel their Nascent Soul in critical moments, exchanging their life for the survival of the Nascent Soul. As long as the Nascent Soul remains, even death only results in a loss of cultivation and not complete demise.
In the Soul Accumulation stage, such methods become even more numerous.
Even if only a trace of the soul remains, there are various ways to facilitate revival. These methods naturally require external assistance. In large sects, a Soul Accumulation stage cultivator with a sliver of soul left would have resources gathered for them, fulfilling all the harsh conditions needed and amassing vast spiritual energy to aid their revival.
But it’s different for rogue cultivators. The path of cultivation is lonely and harsh, and most rogue cultivators endure unimaginable hardships. They find it difficult to trust others, let alone entrust their revival to someone else.
Thus, some rogue cultivators—or rather, those who have chanced upon certain formation techniques—set up secret realms with revival formations before their death. Such formations defy the natural order and come in various forms, but they all follow a common path:
—They require the fresh blood and flesh of someone with spiritual energy cultivation as a sacrifice, or to take over another’s body.
Fresh blood and flesh naturally refer to living beings.
When Shen Ye stepped into the activated formation earlier, it was none other than one of these sinister creations!
The master of this secret realm intended to use their lives as sacrifices to regain a sliver of his own!
If Yu Xizhi hadn’t severed the Nine-Curve Corridor with one strike, they might have continued walking until they met an irreversible end!
But such formations are not without solutions. If they can obtain the natal object of the formation’s master, they can cover its aura with spiritual energy, deceive this space, and stop the formation, even opening the secret realm.
As Yu Xizhi shouted, while some were still wondering how to search the house without touching the ground or using their swords, Cheng Luocen was already on the move.
The young man’s movements were agile. He lightly touched the ground at the entrance and then lightly kicked off the doorframe, quickly bypassing most of the room.
The room’s furnishings were meticulous, which often meant it was cluttered with items. Although he knew there might be many treasures among them—after all, the old man remnant spirit was listing them as if reciting a menu—he only sought the formation’s core due to the urgent situation.
The room was full of dazzling items. Meanwhile, the Nine-Curve Corridor, with its menacing aura, crashed again into the barrier, producing a sound like the world was collapsing.
Cheng Luocen became even more anxious.
At that moment, Yu Xizhi’s slightly weakened voice came from the doorway: “Look for something that stands out or is particularly unusual!”
Cheng Luocen was just about to move past the study room inside the house when he suddenly spun around and stood directly on the desk.
On the desk were a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. The paper was splattered with ink, depicting a vivid image of a young woman. The girl had jet-black hair cascading like a waterfall, with her face slightly turned, her brows lowered, and a gentle smile on her lips.
The ink on the inkstone was slightly dry, the brush bristles were stiff, and the paper had yellowed with age. There didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about it, nothing that should have made Cheng Luocen stop.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on the rosewood desk.
On the desk, inexplicably, there was a pot.
A pot that looked heavy at first glance, with a thick base and wide diameter… a pot.
