Chapter 43

The spoils were divided, but the two did not leave.

After all the trouble to reach the tomb, how could they not take a good look around?

The two became tourists.

Niu Hong, holding the soul-capturing bell, approached the stone coffin, circling it countless times, occasionally tapping the coffin lightly with his finger.

Zhao Yun, on the other hand, strolled around casually.

The treasures in the tomb were truly abundant, with over a hundred thousand taels of silver and gold.

However, they could not be touched.

The elders and the Heavenly Book of the Mystic Gate both warned that the possessions of the dead should not be disturbed.

So, they could only look.

After admiring the treasures, he stood by the wall, which was carved with many ancient patterns. The figures in the paintings wore peculiar costumes, suggesting they did not belong to this dynasty.

"Damn, this is the Yin Moon King!"

On the other side, Niu Hong exclaimed, as if he had discovered something.

"The Yin Moon King?" Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow.

He had heard of this before. The Yin Moon Dynasty was a very ancient kingdom that once flourished but was destroyed by the eight major dynasties during the Warring States period. Five hundred years after that, the Great Xia Dragon Dynasty unified the world.

The Yin Moon King was the last ruler of the Yin Moon Dynasty.

Legend has it that he was born with divine strength and exceptional talent, a genius seen only once in a thousand years. Unfortunately, he was a warmonger. In the final battle that led to the fall of the Yin Moon Dynasty, he fought to the death, single-handedly causing the enemy's army to retreat in disarray.

However, the dynasty's fate was sealed, and no matter how strong he was, he could not change it.

After his death, his head was cut off by the enemy and hung on the city wall for three months.

Who would have thought this was his tomb?

This tomb was not small, but for the Yin Moon King, it was too meager.

After all, he was once a king.

But it made sense; with the kingdom destroyed, having a tomb at all was fortunate.

"Indeed, it is the emblem of the Yin Moon."

"A king of a dynasty, buried in this remote mountain."

"Dynasties rise and fall, and the victors write history."

The two stood on either side of the stone coffin, examining the carvings that detailed the life of the Yin Moon King, a legendary figure despite being a fallen monarch.

Their hearts were not at ease.

How could they not be! They had never seen a real emperor, yet they were now at the tomb of one.

"Senior, we did not mean to disturb you."

The two young men, being quite sensible, bowed to the stone coffin before leaving, vowing not to touch anything in the tomb or disturb the Yin Moon King's spirit.

"Let's go."

They turned and walked away, the tomb door closing behind them.

Ding ling ling!

Soon, the sound of the soul-capturing bell rang out, as enchanting as ever.

It was Niu Hong, who loved the bell so much that he shook it every few steps.

"You damn it, stop shaking it."

Zhao Yun scolded, the sound making his head buzz.

"According to the description, it seems to work with a spell."

Niu Hong, either intentionally or unintentionally, shook the bell even more, muttering incantations that Zhao Yun couldn't understand.

"Give it to me."

"No way, this is mine."

"Still shaking?"

The two clowns chased each other on the suspension bridge.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a loud hum came from behind them, from the tomb.

Both stopped and instinctively turned around.

They saw the closed tomb door, from which a surge of yin energy was pouring out.

In addition, there was a wailing sound, like the cries of vengeful ghosts, making their hearts tremble.

"Zombie... resurrection?" Niu Hong swallowed hard.

"Put away your soul-capturing bell." Zhao Yun snorted, his tone serious. The bell had likely disturbed the Yin Moon King's spirit, causing the resurrection.

Boom!

As he spoke, the tomb door burst open, or rather, was smashed open.

By what? The coffin lid.

Indeed, the stone coffin had opened, and the lid flew off, smashing the tomb door.

"Be careful."

Niu Hong shouted and hid behind Zhao Yun.

Clang!

Zhao Yun immediately drew the Purple Dawn Sword, swinging it wildly to block the flying debris. He managed to block it, but coughed up a mouthful of blood. The debris itself was not strong, but the force behind it was, causing the Purple Dawn to hum and shaking his internal organs.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Before they could steady themselves, they heard a rhythmic thumping sound. Upon closer listening, they realized it was footsteps, heavy and slow, each step causing the suspension bridge to sway.

"Damn it."

Niu Hong shouted, unable to stand steady due to the bridge's movement.

Zhao Yun was in a similar state.

Looking at the tomb door, they saw a surge of yin energy, and a human-like figure slowly emerging.

It was the Yin Moon King.

The Yin Moon King without a head, his body perfectly preserved, clad in ancient armor, holding a large halberd. He looked like a ghostly soldier from hell, a demon from the netherworld, exuding a powerful aura.

Zhao Yun and Niu Hong finally steadied themselves, looking up and swallowing hard.

The Yin Moon King was a towering figure, standing over two and a half meters tall. In front of him, they felt like children.

"Alive, he was a king; dead, he remains a king."

This was Zhao Yun's evaluation of the Yin Moon King.

Even as a corpse, even without a head, the Yin Moon King still exuded an overwhelming presence, a force that could not be resisted.

"I remember the soul-capturing bell can control corpses."

Niu Hong said, lifting the bell again.

"Control your sister."

Zhao Yun shouted, pulling Niu Hong away.

Control a corpse? It depends on who it is.

Someone like the Yin Moon King could not be controlled by a mere soul-capturing bell. If it were possible, the necromancer would have already summoned him.

Niu Hong dared not act recklessly again.

The two crossed the suspension bridge, entered the tomb passage, and ran faster than rabbits.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Behind them, the heavy footsteps continued, the Yin Moon King following them.

"Too intense."

Niu Hong looked back several times, his face pale.

"Did you take anything from him?" Zhao Yun shouted.

"No."

"Then why is he following us?"

"Alright! I took a spirit pearl."

"I... ."

Zhao Yun nearly spat blood in frustration.

"Here, take the pearl back."

Niu Hong laughed sheepishly, pulling out a spirit pearl and throwing it down the passage.

Indeed, the items of the dead should not be disturbed.

As soon as the pearl was returned, the footsteps stopped.

Both breathed a sigh of relief.

However, a few moments later, the thumping sound resumed, and the yin energy surged again.

"I've returned it to you."

"Stop howling."

Zhao Yun turned, using the Wind God Step to flee, pulling Niu Hong along.

Buzz!

As they ran, stone doors rose from the ground, blocking the exit of the tomb passage. This was likely a trap set by the tomb's builders, designed to trap anyone who disturbed the spirits, or perhaps to prevent the Yin Moon King from escaping, as his strength in life was too great, and few could control him if he were to rise as a zombie.

"Trying to trap us!"

Niu Hong's face changed, and he felt an urgent need to urinate.

"Vital Dragon."

Zhao Yun, straightforward as ever, unleashed the Vital Dragon Palm.

The stone door hummed but did not crack.

Zhao Yun, however, felt his arm bone shatter and spat blood.

"Open it."

Niu Hong shouted, gripping the Dragon Spring Sword and striking the door.

Clang!

The stone door, though made of stone, sounded like metal when struck, producing a clear metallic sound and sparks.

Puff!

Niu Hong also spat blood, the sword flying out of his hand and caught by Zhao Yun.

"Move."

Zhao Yun, with a resolute voice, pulled Niu Hong aside and threw three flying knives at the door, each with an explosive talisman. Just before impact, he detonated the talismans.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Three explosions followed, with smoke and lightning tearing through the air.

The stone door, however, remained intact.

Zhao Yun was not surprised. Typically, if earth-penetrating and wall-piercing techniques were ineffective, even explosive talismans would not work. The stone doors were too thick and hard, sealing their fate.

Under normal circumstances, this would not be a problem.

But now, they had the terrifying Yin Moon King behind them.

He was too strong.

Even if they stood and attacked him, they might not be able to break through his flesh.

Bang! Bang!

As they spoke, the thumping sound grew closer. Before they saw the Yin Moon King, they felt the overwhelming yin energy, so cold that even the flames on Zhao Yun's body were extinguished.

"Finished, we're dead."

Niu Hong's face was pale, mentally slapping himself for using the soul-capturing bell without fully understanding it, disturbing the Yin Moon King.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Zhao Yun, without a word, threw nine flying knives, each with an explosive talisman.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

More explosions, but the tomb passage and the Yin Moon King remained unshaken, the attacks barely causing a scratch.

It was not that the explosive talismans were weak, but that the Yin Moon King was too powerful.

Even a cartload of explosive talismans might not move him.

Puff!

Zhao Yun spat blood again, from the strain and the severe injuries.

Dead end.

He was out of options. Earth-penetrating and wall-piercing techniques were ineffective, the stone doors could not be broken, and the Yin Moon King could not be destroyed. Death was their only fate.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Yin Moon King continued his approach, each step causing a loud thud. The overwhelming yin energy alone made Zhao Yun and Niu Hong struggle to stand, and the terrifying aura made them spit blood.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the stone doors sank into the ground one by one.

Whoosh!

A gentle breeze blew, and a jade belt flew from behind, wrapping around their waists and pulling them away.

The one who acted was a woman in purple.

Zhao Yun, seeing her, was stunned. It was the purple-clothed fairy maiden who had asked him for directions earlier, with the white crane as her spirit mount.

The fairy maiden said nothing, only looking at the Yin Moon King.

Her expression was grave, and even someone at the Earth Concealment Realm like her could not help but tremble, her purple aura extinguished by the yin energy.

Boom! Bang! Bang!

The Yin Moon King's steps continued, his halberd scraping the ground, producing sparks and a scraping sound that filled them with despair.

"King, dust to dust, earth to earth."

The purple-clothed fairy maiden stepped forward, kneeling with a loud thud, her hands on the ground, as if paying respects to an emperor, showing both reverence and fear.