Chapter 52 of 100
Chapter 52
9 min read2,221 words
Originally, Zhao Zhu thought he had plunged into a nest of zombies. Although it was indeed the case, he soon discovered that these zombies were not moving, nor were they eagerly pouncing on him with bared fangs to gnaw at his flesh and blood. They remained standing there quietly, orderly, and solemn, just as they had when they attended court a hundred years ago, exuding a profound silence.
At the same time, Zhao Zhu noticed that each zombie had a talisman pasted on its forehead. These talismans were clearly much more advanced than the low-level talismans he had previously exchanged. Even after several hundred years, these talismans still shimmered with a radiant light, their spiritual power still intact, continuing to suppress these ancient zombies.
If it weren't for his clear understanding of the consequences of removing them, Zhao Zhu would have torn off all the talismans and taken them away. Of course, tearing them off now would be tantamount to suicide. If over a hundred Qing dynasty zombies were to start moving, the thought alone was enough to make one feel hopeless and shudder with fear.
The surrounding Qing dynasty zombies exuded a sinister and terrifying atmosphere, but fortunately, Zhao Zhu had encountered and dealt with such situations many times before. He had developed a kind of "immunity" psychologically. Although he was still tense, he wasn't overly panicked. He quietly and carefully made his way through the motionless zombies to the central dragon throne in the grand hall.
The Nine-Dragon Golden Lacquer Throne was flanked by six massive pillars, each 1 meter in diameter, adorned with gilded cloud-dragon patterns. On either side of the throne were four pairs of displays: the treasure elephant, the lu端 (a mythical creature), the immortal crane, and the incense pavilion. The treasure elephant symbolized the stability of the state and the consolidation of power; the lu端 was a legendary auspicious animal; the immortal crane symbolized longevity; and the incense pavilion symbolized the stability of the empire. Above the throne, the ceiling featured a caisson with a canopy-like design, at the center of which was a carved coiled dragon, its head lowered, mouth holding a pearl.
On the dragon throne sat a man in a dragon robe, exuding an aura of authority. His hair and beard were white, and he was well-preserved, appearing "lifelike." Even with a purple talisman pasted on his forehead, it could not completely mask the aura of a supreme ruler. Hundreds of years ago, he sat on this throne, ruling the vast Qing empire. Even in death, he had his own mausoleum built by the imperial architect Lei, filled with items that showcased his literary and martial achievements, to boast to his ancestors who also rested there.
Zhao Zhu climbed the steps, approaching the dragon throne and the man in the dragon robe. As he got closer, he could see that the man was an elderly man, likely around seventy years old, with a few pockmarks on his face, a common result of the smallpox he had as a child.
"Is it really... Xuanye?"
Zhao Zhu took a deep breath, subconsciously suppressing his agitation and unease. He firmly extended his hand, one hand gripping Xuanye's chin, the other pinching his jaw.
If the essence of the dragon vein were to be hidden anywhere, where would it be?
As a supreme ruler, it would definitely be with him. So, where would a dead person hide something?
The mouth!
This was the first place that came to Zhao Zhu's mind. So he decided to check it himself. Even if it wasn't the essence of the dragon vein, it should be some other treasure.
Of course, if it wasn't in the mouth, it could only be in the anus. Didn't Empress Dowager Cixi have a priceless ancient jade extracted from her anus?
However, at this moment, a loud shout came from the entrance of the grand hall:
"Stop, stop now!"
Zhao Zhu halted his actions and looked at Yan Xing and Xiao Ge standing at the entrance. Shi Chong's whereabouts were unknown, either severely injured and staying somewhere or already dead. In fact, if it weren't for Zhao Zhu's good luck, he would have died many times already.
"You can't desecrate him, or there will be punishment. In life, he was a supreme ruler, and he has been suppressed in the Taiji Hall with these hundred zombies for a hundred years. If you show disrespect to his body, the accumulated resentment will be released, and the purple talisman will no longer be able to suppress him. If he breaks free, everything in this hall will come to life!"
Yan Xing spoke quickly, showing his urgency.
However, after listening, Zhao Zhu shook his head and forcefully pinched Xuanye's mouth open. Inside, there was a piece of amber-like substance, emitting a gentle light, with the faint image of a dragon moving inside.
It really was the essence of the dragon vein, it was really there!
Zhao Zhu was overjoyed and reached his fingers into Emperor Kangxi's mouth to extract the essence of the dragon vein, which would allow him to complete the main mission and return directly.
However, at this moment, an unexpected change occurred. Xuanye's mouth, which Zhao Zhu had pinched open, suddenly closed.
"Ahh..."
Zhao Zhu let out a scream and fell down the steps. His right index finger, ring finger, and middle finger were all bitten off by Xuanye, and the wounds began to turn black, quickly becoming infected, clearly a sign of zombie poison.
"Damn it, you're hurting people!"
Yan Xing immediately cursed, but he soon stopped cursing because the hundred Qing dynasty zombies in the Taiji Hall began to shake. Xuanye, who had been sitting on the throne, slowly stood up after biting off Zhao Zhu's three fingers, and the purple talisman on his forehead began to fade visibly.
"With the blood from my heart, I summon the true talisman of the celestial lord!"
Yan Xing stepped in the pattern of the Seven Stars, then formed a hand seal and spat out a mouthful of blood, which automatically condensed into a blood-colored talisman.
"Stick it on, stick it on the purple talisman!" Yan Xing shouted to Xiao Ge.
Xiao Ge didn't hesitate. He flipped his wrist, and two silk threads flew out, wrapping around the blood talisman and directly crossing the distance to stick it on Xuanye's forehead.
"Buzz!"
A tremor sounded, and Xuanye sat back on the throne. The hundred zombies in the Taiji Hall stopped shaking and returned to their stillness, stabilizing the situation.
Zhao Zhu drew his military knife and chopped off his right arm, the discolored part separating from his body. Ignoring the pain, he rushed up the steps like a madman.
"Stop him, stop him, he doesn't care if we live or die!"
After summoning the blood talisman, Yan Xing was pale and weak. He could only rely on Xiao Ge to stop Zhao Zhu, the madman, because he had seen Zhao Zhu's intentions clearly. Zhao Zhu was determined to complete the mission by any means necessary, take the essence of the dragon vein, and leave the mission world. Even if the zombies went berserk, it wouldn't be his problem. Yan Xing and Xiao Ge would have to search the tomb for a new essence of the dragon vein to complete the mission, which would put them in a dire situation!
Yes, that was Zhao Zhu's plan and intention. Although his fingers had been bitten off by Xuanye and he had been forced to cut off his arm due to the zombie poison, it was just a mistake. If he were more careful and decisive, he still had a chance to extract the essence of the dragon vein from Xuanye's mouth!
Moreover, Zhao Zhu had no choice. When Yan Xing and the others entered the central passage and reached the burial area of Xuanye and the entrance to the Taiji Hall, it meant that Zhao Zhu had no retreat. His only option was to extract the essence of the dragon vein from Emperor Kangxi's mouth, complete the mission, and return to the real world. Otherwise, he would be left with a dead end!
He would either be killed by the zombies or by Yan Xing and Xiao Ge. Zhao Zhu had no choice but to fight!
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