ń ， cǐ shì yǐ hòu màn màn kǎo lǜ ， liǎng gè yā tou fǎ lì suī dī ， dàn cōng kě yǐ zài bù shǎo dì fāng bāng shàng zì jǐ 。”
嗯，此事以后慢慢考虑，两个丫头法力虽低，但聪可以在不少地方帮上自己。”
Lin Xuan pondered for a moment before closing his eyes and sinking his spirit into the jade cylinder, continuing to contemplate the secret technique he had obtained from the Moon Clan.
lín xuān shuō dào zhè lǐ ， bì shàng shuāng móu ， jiāng shén shí chén rù yù tǒng jiǎn zhōng ， jì xù cān wù nà cóng mò yuè zú dé lái de mì fǎ 。
林轩说到这里，闭上双眸，将神识沉入玉筒简中，继续参悟那从墨月族得来的秘法。
Seeing this, Yue'er also became obedient and started meditating. After all, improving their strength was the most important thing right now.
yuè ér jiàn le ， yě guāi qiǎo de bù zài duō shuō ， tóng yàng kāi shǐ le dǎ zuò 。
月儿见了，也乖巧的不再多说，同样开始了打坐。
---
bù guǎn rú hé ， tí gāo shí lì cái shì zuì zhòng yào de 。
不管如何，提高实力才是最重要的。
Meanwhile, the two Condensation Core Elders returned to their lairs.
……
……
"Senior Brother, there's no problem; Lin Xuan suddenly appearing here might not discover our secret," said a female cultivator named Cao Yue with a frown and concern in her voice.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， nà liǎng wèi níng dān qī zhǎng lǎo yě huí dào le zì jǐ de dòng fǔ 。
与此同时，那两位凝丹期长老也回到了自己的洞府。
"Humph! It is indeed despicable. We managed to get rid of that Zheng, but now the Young Master has come back," Zhou Mian gritted his teeth, his face twisted into a sinister expression.
“ shī xiōng ， zhēn méi yǒu wèn tí ， lín xuān tū rán lái dào zhè lǐ ， huì bú huì fā xiàn wǒ men de mì mì ？” nà míng jiào cáo yuè de nǚ xiū ， xiù méi wēi zhòu ， yī liǎn dān xīn de kāi kǒu 。
“师兄，真没有问题，林轩突然来到这里，会不会发现我们的秘密？”那名叫曹月的女修，秀眉微皱，一脸担心的开口。
"Or should we follow their example and deal with him?" Cao Yue's usually pretty face was now filled with murderous intent as she spoke, though her words were cut short.
“ hēng ， què shí kě wù ， wǒ men hǎo bù róng yì cái chú qù le nà xìng zhèng de ， méi xiǎng dào yòu lái le shǎo mén zhǔ 。” zhōu miǎn yǎo le yǎo yá ， mǎn liǎn de zhēng níng zhī sè 。
“哼，确实可恶，我们好不容易才除去了那姓郑的，没想到又来了少门主。”周冕咬了咬牙，满脸的狰狞之色。
"No. Lin Xuan is different from Zheng; he is the senior disciple of Senior Tuanyu. We cannot risk alerting the sect," Zhou Mian shook his head. "Lin Xuan said that he will leave after resting for a few days. Even if the Sage Sovereign is eager to revive, this delay should be tolerable."
“ yào bù rán wǒ men yě rú fǎ páo zhì ， jiāng tā ……” cáo yuè shuō dào zhè lǐ ， hái suàn xiù lì de miàn róng bù mǎn le shā qì ， huà suī méi yǒu shuō wán ， dàn xiǎng yào biǎo dá de yì si yǐ jīng hěn qīng xī 。
“要不然我们也如法炮制，将他……”曹月说到这里，还算秀丽的面容布满了杀气，话虽没有说完，但想要表达的意思已经很清晰。
"Let's hope so!" Cao Yue muttered softly, her frown deepening as she spoke.
“ bù xíng 。” zhōu miǎn yáo le yáo tóu ：“ lín xuān bù bǐ xìng zhèng de ， bì jìng shì tōng yǔ nà lǎo jiā huǒ de gāo tú ， běn mén shǎo zhǔ ， zhè yàng zuò ， hěn róng yì dǎ cǎo jīng shé 。”
“不行。”周冕摇了摇头：“林轩不比姓郑的，毕竟是通羽那老家伙的高徒，本门少主，这样做，很容易打草惊蛇。”
"But what about him being here? We can't send our low-rank disciples to the Sage Sovereign for blood sacrifice," Cao Yue hesitated before continuing. "If something goes wrong..."
“ kě tā zài zhè lǐ 。 wǒ men gēn běn jiù méi yǒu bàn fǎ jiāng nà xiē dī jiē dì zǐ sòng yǔ zūn zhě xuè jì 。 wàn yī ……”
“可他在这里。我们根本就没有办法将那些低阶弟子送与尊者血祭。万一……”
"I understand your concerns, but if anything happens, we will have to explain it to the Sage Sovereign," Zhou Mian sighed. "Lin Xuan said he would leave after resting. The Sage Sovereign is eager to revive, but a few more days should be bearable."
“ shuō dì qíng kuàng wǒ qīng chǔ 。 dàn fā shēng le yì wài 。 yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ 。 zhǐ hǎo qù xiàng zūn zhě jiě shì yī èr le 。” zhōu miǎn tàn le kǒu qì ：“ lín xuān bù yě shuō le 。 tā xiē xī shí jǐ tiān zì rán huì zǒu 。 shèng zūn suī rán jí zhe fù huó 。 dàn zhè diǎn shí jiān 。 yīng gāi hái shì kě yǐ rěn nài dì 。”
“说地情况我清楚。但发生了意外。也没有办法。只好去像尊者解释一二了。”周冕叹了口气：“林轩不也说了。他歇息十几天自然会走。圣尊虽然急着复活。但这点时间。应该还是可以忍耐地。”
"Still, it's risky." Cao Yue remained silent for a moment before continuing. "Our abilities are limited; we can't force anything. But this time, with the order from Senior Tuanyu, we came here to establish a branch temple and happened to meet the Sage Sovereign..."
“ dàn yuàn ba ！”
“但愿吧！”
Zhou Mian's voice grew low as he reminisced. Three months ago, they had led a group of disciples into the occupied area, establishing branch temples like other sects in hopes of gathering scattered materials and crystals.
cáo yuè dī shēng yīng le yī jù 。 méi yǔ jiān dì yīn mái què yuè fā nóng zhòng le qǐ lái 。 guò le bàn xiǎng 。 yǒu xiē yóu yù dì kāi kǒu ：“ shī xiōng ……”
曹月低声应了一句。眉宇间地阴霾却越发浓重了起来。过了半响。有些犹豫地开口：“师兄……”
Their task was entrusted to them, their wife, and a fellow disciple named Zheng.
“ shī mèi 。 yǒu huà jiù shuō 。 hé bì tūn tūn tǔ tǔ 。 wǒ men shuāng xiū yě yǒu bǎi nián le 。 nán dào hái yǒu shén me shì qíng bù néng míng shuō ？” wàng zhe shēn páng dì bàn lǚ 。 zhōu miǎn zhēng níng zhī sè jǐn qù 。 yì cháng wēn róu dì kāi kǒu 。
“师妹。有话就说。何必吞吞吐吐。我们双修也有百年了。难道还有什么事情不能明说？”望着身旁地伴侣。周冕狰狞之色尽去。异常温柔地开口。
To avoid trouble, they built the temple in this remote location without any spirit veins.
“ shī xiōng 。 wǒ men xiàn zài dì suǒ zuò suǒ wéi 。 bù zhǐ bèi pàn le líng yào shān 。 yí dàn bèi fā xiàn 。 kǒng pà zhěng gè yōu zhōu dì xiū xiān jiè 。 dū huì shì wǒ men wèi gōng dí 。 zhēn dì zhí de ma 。 wàn yī zūn zhě shì zài piàn wǒ men ……”
“师兄。我们现在地所作所为。不止背叛了灵药山。一旦被发现。恐怕整个幽州地修仙界。都会视我们为公敌。真地值得吗。万一尊者是在骗我们……”
They thought there would be nothing related to cultivation here. However, during an unexpected outing, Cao Yue and Zhou Mian discovered a strange cave that might have been an ancient cultivator's site.
“ shī mèi ， kāi gōng méi yǒu huí tóu jiàn ， xiàn zài shuō zhè xiē hái yǒu hé yì yì ， wǒ kǔ kǔ xiū xíng wèi de shì shén me ， hái bú shì xī wàng fǎ lì néng gòu bù duàn jīng jìn ， ruò yǒu zhāo yī rì néng gòu níng jié yuán yīng ……” zhōu miǎn shuō dào zhè lǐ ， liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī xiàng wǎng ， dàn suí jí jiù bèi jǔ sàng suǒ dài tì ：“ kě xiān dào zhī lù ， bù bù jīng jí ， gǔ wǎng jīn lái ， néng gòu jié yīng de xiū shì yòu yǒu jǐ gè ， wǒ fū qī zī zhì bù dī ， kě jí shǐ shì níng dān yě lì jìn le qiān xīn wàn kǔ ， wèi fū shù shí nián qián jiù yǐ jīng dào le hòu qī ， kě zhè xiē suì yuè yǐ lái ， què nán yǒu cùn jìn ， zhào zhè zhǒng jìng kuàng xià qù ， bié shuō yuán yīng dà dào ， jiù suàn shì níng dān qī dà yuán mǎn ， yě méi yǒu duō shǎo xī wàng 。”
“师妹，开弓没有回头箭，现在说这些还有何意义，我苦苦修行为的是什么，还不是希望法力能够不断精进，若有朝一日能够凝结元婴……”周冕说到这里，脸上闪过一丝向往，但随即就被沮丧所代替：“可仙道之路，步步荆棘，古往今来，能够结婴的修士又有几个，我夫妻资质不低，可即使是凝丹也历尽了千辛万苦，为夫数十年前就已经到了后期，可这些岁月以来，却难有寸进，照这种境况下去，别说元婴大道，就算是凝丹期大圆满，也没有多少希望。”
---
cáo yuè mò rán ， tā de zī zhì ， bǐ zhàng fū hái yào gèng chà yì diǎn ， rú jīn bù guò cái dá dào níng dān zhōng qī ér yǐ 。
曹月默然，她的资质，比丈夫还要更差一点，如今不过才达到凝丹中期而已。
The couple was overjoyed at the prospect of such a rare opportunity. Ancient cultivators had far greater abilities than those in their time; if they could find any precious medicines or treasures...
“ yǐ qián ， wèi fū suī rán yí hàn zháo jí ， kě zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng ， fēi rén lì kě yǐ qiǎng qiú ， yě zhǐ néng suí bō zhú liú ， dàn zhè yī cì wǒ men fèng tōng yǔ nà lǎo jiā huǒ zhī mìng ， lái zhè lǐ zhǔ chí fēn tán ， qià hǎo yǔ shèng zūn xiāng yù ……”
“以前，为夫虽然遗憾着急，可这种情况，非人力可以强求，也只能随波逐流，但这一次我们奉通羽那老家伙之命，来这里主持分坛，恰好与圣尊相遇……”
After thorough preparations, Cao Yue and Zhou Mian ventured into the cave to search for treasure.
zhōu miǎn shuō dào zhè lǐ ， shēng yīn jiàn jiàn dī chén le xià qù ， fǎng fú zài huí yì wǎng shì 。
周冕说到这里，声音渐渐低沉了下去，仿佛在回忆往事。
However, all they found inside was an enormous coffin.
nà shì sān gè yuè qián ， tā men dài zhe yī pī dì zǐ ， lái dào lún xiàn qū ， yǔ zhèng mó gè pài yī yàng ， líng yào shān jiàn lì fēn tán ， yě shì xiǎng yào hún shuǐ mō yú ， shōu jí sàn luò de cái liào jīng shí 。
那是三个月前，他们带着一批弟子，来到沦陷区，与正魔各派一样，灵药山建立分坛，也是想要浑水摸鱼，收集散落的材料晶石。
The coffin was sealed with many talismans as though something dangerous was imprisoned within.
fù zé cǐ shì de shì tā men fū qī yǐ jí yī wèi xìng zhèng de shī dì 。
负责此事的是他们夫妻以及一位姓郑的师弟。
Seeing this, both Zhou Mian and Cao Yue exchanged glances. As Condensation Core cultivators, they knew that whatever was in the coffin might be dangerous.
wèi le miǎn chú má fán ， sān rén jiāng fēn tán jiàn zài le zhè huāng pì méi yǒu líng mài de dì diǎn 。
为了免除麻烦，三人将分坛建在了这荒僻没有灵脉的地点。
But as the saying goes, "For gold, one risks life." Despite their reservations, they decided to open the coffin to see what lay inside.
yuán běn yǐ wéi zhè dì fāng bú huì yǒu shén me yǔ xiū xiān jiè yǒu guān dì dōng xī ， nǎ zhī dào fū qī liǎ yī cì yì wài chū xíng què fā xiàn le yī qí guài de shān dòng ， jí yǒu kě néng shì shàng gǔ xiū shì de yí zhǐ 。
原本以为这地方不会有什么与修仙界有关地东西，哪知道夫妻俩一次意外出行却发现了一奇怪的山洞，极有可能是上古修士的遗址。
They hoped it would be a monster whose lifespan had run out and left behind some treasures. While this thought wasn't entirely wrong, it was driven by too much greed.
fū qī liǎ zì rán dà xǐ guò wàng ， zhè zhǒng jī yuán kě bú shì shéi dōu néng gòu yù shàng ， gǔ xiū shì shén tōng zhī qiáng ， yuǎn zài rú jīn zhī shàng ， rú guǒ néng zài lǐ miàn fā xiàn shén me dān yào fǎ bǎo ……
夫妻俩自然大喜过望，这种机缘可不是谁都能够遇上，古修士神通之强，远在如今之上，如果能在里面发现什么丹药法宝……
Before opening the coffin, both activated their talismans and prepared to use earth transmigration talismans if necessary.
yú shì jīng guò yī fān jīng xīn zhǔn bèi zhī hòu ， fū qī èr rén tōu tōu qián qù xún bǎo 。
于是经过一番精心准备之后，夫妻二人偷偷前去寻宝。
Despite their preparations, the scene inside shocked them.
nǎ zhī dào jìn qù yǐ hòu ， chú le yī jù dà de guān cái ， shén me yě méi yǒu 。
哪知道进去以后，除了一巨大的棺材，什么也没有。
Inside lay a mummified corpse.
bù guò nà guān cái zhī shàng ， tiē yǒu hěn duō fú ， jiù xiàng shì fēng yìn yǒu shén me dōng xī shì dì 。
不过那棺材之上，贴有很多符，就像是封印有什么东西似地。
But it wasn't just any corpse; the upper half resembled that of a human, while the lower half was that of a beast. It seemed as though some strange technique had fused the two together.
jiàn dào zhè bān qíng xíng ， zhōu miǎn yǔ cáo yuè zì rán shì miàn miàn xiāng qù ， yǐ tā men níng dān qī xiū shì de jiàn shí ， zì rán yě cāi dào guān cái lǐ miàn ， fēng yìn dì dōng xī ， duō bàn huì yǒu wēi xiǎn 。
见到这般情形，周冕与曹月自然是面面相觑，以他们凝丹期修士的见识，自然也猜到棺材里面，封印地东西，多半会有危险。
The couple was stunned, but even more terrifyingly, the monster's body, which should have been dried up and lifeless, suddenly came to life after the seal was broken.
kě sú huà shuō dé hǎo ， rén wéi cái sǐ ， niǎo wèi shí wáng ， liǎng rén jǐn guǎn yǒu suǒ gù jì ， dàn yòu shí zài bù gān xīn zhè yàng liǎng shǒu kōng kōng de huí qù 。
可俗话说得好，人为财死，鸟为食亡，两人尽管有所顾忌，但又实在不甘心这样两手空空的回去。
Terrified, they used their talismans to attack. However, despite its apparent weakness, the monster possessed incredible abilities, defeating them in a fierce battle. Using some unknown technique, it even rendered their earth transmigration talismans ineffective, capturing and subduing them.
zài chóu chú le hǎo yī huì er zhī hòu ， zhōng yú jué dìng jiē kāi fēng yìn ， kàn kàn guān cái lǐ miàn dào dǐ yǒu shén me 。
在踌躇了好一会儿之后，终于决定揭开封印，看看棺材里面到底有什么。
The couple was terrified but had no choice but to wait for death. Surprisingly, the monster did not kill them; instead, he proposed a deal.
xiǎng lái jiù suàn shì shén me guài wù ， lì jīng le zhè me jiǔ de suì yuè ， yě gāi shòu yuán hào jìn ， hún guī dì fǔ ， shuō bù dìng fǎn ér liú xià le shén me bǎo wù 。
想来就算是什么怪物，历经了这么久的岁月，也该寿元耗尽，魂归地府，说不定反而留下了什么宝物。
Under duress, they agreed. The monster then revealed his identity: an ancient Incarnation Realm cultivator.
yán gé shuō lái ， zhè zhǒng xiǎng fǎ ， bìng méi yǒu shén me cuò ， kě xī jiù shì tài guò lì yì xūn xīn le 。
严格说来，这种想法，并没有什么错，可惜就是太过利益熏心了。
Hearing this, Cao Yue and Zhou Mian exchanged glances, though their disbelief was evident in their eyes. It was hard to believe that even an Incarnation Realm cultivator's lifespan would only be a thousand years.
dāng rán ， liǎng rén yě bù shǎ ， zài jiē kāi fēng yìn yǐ qián ， shuāng shuāng jiāng fǎ bǎo jì le qǐ lái ， tóng shí shǒu lǐ wò yǒu tǔ dùn fú ， zhǔn bèi qíng kuàng bù miào jiù táo zhī yāo yāo 。
当然，两人也不傻，在揭开封印以前，双双将法宝祭了起来，同时手里握有土遁符，准备情况不妙就逃之夭夭。
The monster sneered at their ignorance; he knew the power of his secret technique far better than they did.
àn lǐ ， zhǔn bèi yǐ jīng hěn chōng fèn ， kě guān cái jiē kāi hòu de qíng jǐng ， hái shì ràng liǎng rén dà 。
按理，准备已经很充分，可棺材揭开后的情景，还是让两人大。
He was indeed an Incarnation Realm cultivator and one feared by all, known for his mastery of various dark arts. One of his most powerful techniques involved fusing himself with that of a beast to combine the strengths of both.
lǐ miàn shì yī jù gān shī 。
里面是一具干尸。
However, this method required great skill, almost bordering on madness. Despite its drawbacks, he had managed to achieve it after capturing an exceptionally strong three-stage beast and undergoing a long period of seclusion.
rán ér què bú shì pǔ tōng de shī tǐ ， de shàng bàn shēn ， shì yī rén lèi dì yàng zi ， kě xià bàn shēn què shì yāo shòu ， jiù xiàng shì yòng shén me gǔ guài de shén tōng ， jiāng rén yǔ yāo shòu róng wèi le yī tǐ shì dì 。
然而却不是普通的尸体，的上半身，是一人类地样子，可下半身却是妖兽，就像是用什么古怪的神通，将人与妖兽融为了一体似地。
For the Blood Sovereign, once his technique was perfected, his power would skyrocket, and with his fusion, his lifespan could be extended by several centuries, giving him a chance at ascending. He didn't mind looking like a monster; he had already been shunned by others.
liǎng rén jīng dāi le ， ér gèng jiā kě pà de shì ， nà guài wù shēn tǐ míng míng yǐ jīng gān kū ， què piān piān wèi sǐ ， fēng yìn yī dǎ kāi ， jiù huó le guò lái 。
两人惊呆了，而更加可怕的是，那怪物身体明明已经干枯，却偏偏未死，封印一打开，就活了过来。
Despite his ambitions, his luck was poor. Just as the critical moment of fusion approached, an enemy appeared.
fū qī èr rén hài dé miàn wú rén sè ， lián máng cāo zòng fǎ bǎo hōng guò qù le 。
夫妻二人骇得面无人色，连忙操纵法宝轰过去了。
Although he had set up many barriers around his lair, they were no match for the foe. Forced to fight, he managed to defeat it but suffered severe injuries in the process. The abrupt termination of the fusion caused his spirit energy to begin a backlash.
kě zhè guài wù kàn shì xū ruò ， què yǒu zhe bù kě sī yì dì jīng rén shén tōng ， yī fān dà zhàn xià lái ， fū qī èr rén shuāng shuāng luò bài ， ér qiě bù zhī dào shǐ yòng le shén me gǔ guài mì shù ， ràng tā tǔ dùn fú yě shī qù le xiào guǒ ， bèi tā qín xià zhì zhù 。
可这怪物看似虚弱，却有着不可思议地惊人神通，一番大战下来，夫妻二人双双落败，而且不知道使用了什么古怪秘术，让他土遁符也失去了效果，被他擒下制住。
Most cultivators would have gone mad from this, but the old monster's knowledge was extensive. In such dire circumstances, he devised a method to fake death for healing.
liǎng rén xīn zhōng jīng kǒng ， dàn yě wú fǎ kě xiǎng ， zhǐ néng bì mù dài sǐ ， kě qí guài de shì nà guài wù jū rán méi yǒu dòng shǒu shā tā men ， fǎn ér wèn liǎng rén yuàn bù yuàn yì zuò yī cháng jiāo yì 。
两人心中惊恐，但也无法可想，只能闭目待死，可奇怪的是那怪物居然没有动手杀他们，反而问两人愿不愿意做一场交易。
He sealed himself within a puppet body while entering a state of apparent death, slowly recovering over decades before reviving through his puppet.
rén zài wū yán xià bù dé bù dī tóu ， zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng liǎng rén nǎ gǎn jù jué ， máng lián lián diǎn tóu 。
人在屋檐下不得不低头，这种情况两人哪敢拒绝，忙连连点头。
However, fate had other plans. His spirit energy gradually regained consciousness and fled, leaving the once-powerful Blood Sovereign trapped in the coffin for millions of years.
yú shì zhè guài wù shuō le dì lái lì 。
于是这怪物说了地来历。
Despite this, his fake-death technique was so powerful that it shielded him from aging, allowing him to remain seemingly dead until Zhou Mian and Cao Yue awakened him recently.
jìng rán shì shàng gǔ shí qī de yī wèi yuán yīng qī xiū shì 。
竟然是上古时期的一位元婴期修士。
---
dāng tīng dào zhè huà shí ， fū qī èr rén miàn miàn xiāng qù ， zuǐ shàng bù shuō ， dàn yǎn shén xiǎn rán shì bù xìn le ， yě nán guài ， zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī ， jí biàn shì yuán yīng qī de lǎo guài ， shòu yuán yě bù guò qiān nián 。
当听到这话时，夫妻二人面面相觑，嘴上不说，但眼神显然是不信了，也难怪，众所周知，即便是元婴期的老怪，寿元也不过千年。
The explanation of what happened was too complex to be explained in a few words. The old monster had no time or inclination to elaborate further.
shàng gǔ shí qī ， zhè niú pí chuī dé yě tài dà le 。
上古时期，这牛皮吹得也太大了。
Zhou Mian and Cao Yue were wary; despite their apparent strength, the old monster's true condition was dire. After a million years of slumber, he had fully recovered from his injuries but his body was now severely decayed. His victory over them was a quick one, using up all remaining energy.
duì yú liǎng rén de wú zhī ， guài wù mǎn liǎn bù xiè zhī yì ， tā men rú hé zhī dào zì jǐ mì fǎ de shén qí 。
对于两人的无知，怪物满脸不屑之意，他们如何知道自己秘法的神奇。
Now, in this state, rest would not help him recover; thus, the cunning Blood Sovereign turned his gaze towards Zhou Mian and Cao Yue.
Lin Xuan pondered for a moment before closing his eyes and sinking his spirit into the jade cylinder, continuing to contemplate the secret technique he had obtained from the Moon Clan.
Seeing this, Yue'er also became obedient and started meditating. After all, improving their strength was the most important thing right now.
---
Meanwhile, the two Condensation Core Elders returned to their lairs.
"Senior Brother, there's no problem; Lin Xuan suddenly appearing here might not discover our secret," said a female cultivator named Cao Yue with a frown and concern in her voice.
"Humph! It is indeed despicable. We managed to get rid of that Zheng, but now the Young Master has come back," Zhou Mian gritted his teeth, his face twisted into a sinister expression.
"Or should we follow their example and deal with him?" Cao Yue's usually pretty face was now filled with murderous intent as she spoke, though her words were cut short.
"No. Lin Xuan is different from Zheng; he is the senior disciple of Senior Tuanyu. We cannot risk alerting the sect," Zhou Mian shook his head. "Lin Xuan said that he will leave after resting for a few days. Even if the Sage Sovereign is eager to revive, this delay should be tolerable."
"Let's hope so!" Cao Yue muttered softly, her frown deepening as she spoke.
"But what about him being here? We can't send our low-rank disciples to the Sage Sovereign for blood sacrifice," Cao Yue hesitated before continuing. "If something goes wrong..."
"I understand your concerns, but if anything happens, we will have to explain it to the Sage Sovereign," Zhou Mian sighed. "Lin Xuan said he would leave after resting. The Sage Sovereign is eager to revive, but a few more days should be bearable."
"Still, it's risky." Cao Yue remained silent for a moment before continuing. "Our abilities are limited; we can't force anything. But this time, with the order from Senior Tuanyu, we came here to establish a branch temple and happened to meet the Sage Sovereign..."
Zhou Mian's voice grew low as he reminisced. Three months ago, they had led a group of disciples into the occupied area, establishing branch temples like other sects in hopes of gathering scattered materials and crystals.
Their task was entrusted to them, their wife, and a fellow disciple named Zheng.
To avoid trouble, they built the temple in this remote location without any spirit veins.
They thought there would be nothing related to cultivation here. However, during an unexpected outing, Cao Yue and Zhou Mian discovered a strange cave that might have been an ancient cultivator's site.
---
The couple was overjoyed at the prospect of such a rare opportunity. Ancient cultivators had far greater abilities than those in their time; if they could find any precious medicines or treasures...
After thorough preparations, Cao Yue and Zhou Mian ventured into the cave to search for treasure.
However, all they found inside was an enormous coffin.
The coffin was sealed with many talismans as though something dangerous was imprisoned within.
Seeing this, both Zhou Mian and Cao Yue exchanged glances. As Condensation Core cultivators, they knew that whatever was in the coffin might be dangerous.
But as the saying goes, "For gold, one risks life." Despite their reservations, they decided to open the coffin to see what lay inside.
They hoped it would be a monster whose lifespan had run out and left behind some treasures. While this thought wasn't entirely wrong, it was driven by too much greed.
Before opening the coffin, both activated their talismans and prepared to use earth transmigration talismans if necessary.
Despite their preparations, the scene inside shocked them.
Inside lay a mummified corpse.
But it wasn't just any corpse; the upper half resembled that of a human, while the lower half was that of a beast. It seemed as though some strange technique had fused the two together.
The couple was stunned, but even more terrifyingly, the monster's body, which should have been dried up and lifeless, suddenly came to life after the seal was broken.
Terrified, they used their talismans to attack. However, despite its apparent weakness, the monster possessed incredible abilities, defeating them in a fierce battle. Using some unknown technique, it even rendered their earth transmigration talismans ineffective, capturing and subduing them.
The couple was terrified but had no choice but to wait for death. Surprisingly, the monster did not kill them; instead, he proposed a deal.
Under duress, they agreed. The monster then revealed his identity: an ancient Incarnation Realm cultivator.
Hearing this, Cao Yue and Zhou Mian exchanged glances, though their disbelief was evident in their eyes. It was hard to believe that even an Incarnation Realm cultivator's lifespan would only be a thousand years.
The monster sneered at their ignorance; he knew the power of his secret technique far better than they did.
He was indeed an Incarnation Realm cultivator and one feared by all, known for his mastery of various dark arts. One of his most powerful techniques involved fusing himself with that of a beast to combine the strengths of both.
However, this method required great skill, almost bordering on madness. Despite its drawbacks, he had managed to achieve it after capturing an exceptionally strong three-stage beast and undergoing a long period of seclusion.
For the Blood Sovereign, once his technique was perfected, his power would skyrocket, and with his fusion, his lifespan could be extended by several centuries, giving him a chance at ascending. He didn't mind looking like a monster; he had already been shunned by others.
Despite his ambitions, his luck was poor. Just as the critical moment of fusion approached, an enemy appeared.
Although he had set up many barriers around his lair, they were no match for the foe. Forced to fight, he managed to defeat it but suffered severe injuries in the process. The abrupt termination of the fusion caused his spirit energy to begin a backlash.
Most cultivators would have gone mad from this, but the old monster's knowledge was extensive. In such dire circumstances, he devised a method to fake death for healing.
He sealed himself within a puppet body while entering a state of apparent death, slowly recovering over decades before reviving through his puppet.
However, fate had other plans. His spirit energy gradually regained consciousness and fled, leaving the once-powerful Blood Sovereign trapped in the coffin for millions of years.
Despite this, his fake-death technique was so powerful that it shielded him from aging, allowing him to remain seemingly dead until Zhou Mian and Cao Yue awakened him recently.
---
The explanation of what happened was too complex to be explained in a few words. The old monster had no time or inclination to elaborate further.
Zhou Mian and Cao Yue were wary; despite their apparent strength, the old monster's true condition was dire. After a million years of slumber, he had fully recovered from his injuries but his body was now severely decayed. His victory over them was a quick one, using up all remaining energy.
Now, in this state, rest would not help him recover; thus, the cunning Blood Sovereign turned his gaze towards Zhou Mian and Cao Yue.