Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Loyal Heart Part 19 (4)

He turned and ran towards the blood pool, with Lan Wangji following closely by his side. The blood-red Zhaoyin Flags on his white robe indeed made him the best target. None of the fierce corpses paid any attention to others, utterly disregarding the living people who brushed past them. Their blood-red eyes were fixated solely on Wei Wuxian, charging straight towards him!

The relentless horde of corpses surged forward. The path Wen Ning had cleared was quickly filled by new fierce corpses, so he rushed back to clear it again. Inside the Burial Mounds, most people had not yet managed to evacuate, and some were still too weak to move. They watched as the sword glare of Bichen swept through the cave, cutting down rows of fierce corpses into pieces, only to be replaced by the next wave. The deafening cries and screams threatened to shatter the dome of the Burial Mounds. In no time, the horde surrounded Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, making it difficult for them to approach the blood pool. The piles of corpses around them grew higher, and the encirclement tightened. The younger generation, witnessing this, grew frantic and unsheathed their swords, turning back to lend aid. Lan Jingyi, seeing someone wielding a sword to fight their way out, shouted, "Can you lend a hand? If you can still hold a sword, please help! Even a little help would be good!"

The person replied, "Get lost!!!"

Lan Sizhui said, "Forget it, Jingyi. We'll manage on our own!"

Hearing their voices, Wei Wuxian roared, "Wen Ning!!! Throw them out!!!"

Wen Ning responded, "Yes!" He seized Lan Jingyi with one hand and was poised to seize Lan Sizhui with the other, but Lan Sizhui shouted at him, "Ghost General, I can't leave! Let me stay!!! Otherwise, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!!!"

For a moment, Wen Ning froze, facing Lan Sizhui directly. Seeing that Wen Ning wasn't going to grab him, Lan Sizhui immediately raised his sword and charged back into the fray. Lan Jingyi and the others took the opportunity to slip past him. Jin Ling, half-dragged and half-carried by Jiang Cheng, brushed past several fierce corpses. These corpses, drawn by the Zhaoyin Flags on Wei Wuxian's body, had their blood-red eyes locked on that direction, completely ignoring the others. Jin Ling cried out, "Uncle! I..."

Jiang Cheng snapped coldly, "If you dare go back, don't call me your uncle!"

Jin Ling stared at him in shock, and Jiang Cheng threw him out, shouting, "Stay put!" He then gripped Three Poisons and charged back into the Burial Mounds. Jin Ling was stunned for a moment, then called out, "Uncle, wait for me!" and followed after him.

Inside the Burial Mounds, the encirclement around Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had tightened to less than a square zhang.

Though the light of Bichen still shone brightly and the talisman flames burned fiercely, the sheer number of fierce corpses was overwhelming!

Wei Wuxian had just thrown out a handful of talismans when he sensed danger. He glanced to the side and saw a fierce corpse climbing over a pile of corpses nearly as tall as a person, its mouth gaping as it lunged at him. Wei Wuxian, empty-handed, cursed and reached into his sleeve, only to find it empty. His heart sank.

He had run out of talismans!

Lan Wangji also noticed the danger Wei Wuxian was in and was about to strike back with his sword when a sharp scream pierced the air. The fierce corpse was torn in half mid-air.

No. It was ripped in half. And the thing that tore it apart was right in front of everyone!

A blood-soaked, crimson fierce corpse stood atop a mountain of corpses, its hands dragging two halves of a still-twitching corpse. It looked down at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

Lan Jingyi's mouth hung open in shock, and Ouyang Zizhen murmured, "...Ancestors... what is that?"

Everyone who saw it had the same thought—what is that?!

This strange, blood-soaked fierce corpse was unlike any they had ever seen before. From head to toe, it was a gruesome crimson, as if it had just crawled out of the blood pool. It looked emaciated and horrifyingly fierce.

The horde of corpses controlled by the Yin Tiger Tally was also drawn to this strange creature, hesitating as they looked in its direction.

The blood corpse took two steps.

As it staggered forward, its joints creaked and cracked, as if it were stretching its limbs. Dark red blood dripped from its limbs and body, leaving a trail behind it.

An extremely fierce and malevolent aura of resentment emanated from its body. As it drew closer, the other fierce corpses began to retreat. Many of the onlookers turned pale and fell silent.

Lan Wangji stepped in front of Wei Wuxian, but Wei Wuxian pressed down on the hand holding Bichen and whispered, "...Wait."

He fixed his gaze on the blood corpse, a suspicion taking root in his mind. His heart pounded as he repeated, "Wait."

The blood corpse stopped about a zhang away from them, then suddenly threw its head back and let out two piercing howls.

The howls grew sharper and sharper, forcing everyone to cover their ears.

The surface of the blood pool rippled slightly.

At first, it was as if a pebble had been dropped into the pool, but the ripples spread wider and wider, as if something was stirring beneath the thick, viscous blood.

Suddenly, a hand burst out of the blood pool!

The hand clawed fiercely at the shore, its fingers digging deeply into the ground. Following it, a half-rotted, unrecognizable face, crimson with blood, emerged from the water.

The second blood corpse climbed out of the blood pool.

Immediately after, the entire surface of the blood pool began to churn and bubble, as if boiling, gurgling as more and more heads surfaced. The third, the fourth, the fifth...

Each one was covered in horrifying bloodstains, with grotesque faces and piercing shrieks. As they climbed out of the blood pool, they immediately began to fight with the other corpses!

The corpse horde controlled by the Yin Tiger Tally was thrown into chaos, as if a red blade had been thrust into it, scattering chunks of flesh, severed limbs, and black blood in all directions!

Jin Ling exclaimed in shock, "...What are these things?! Why are there corpses in the blood pool? I thought all the corpses on the Burial Mounds had been cremated?!"

The Ouyang family head, standing nearby while protecting his son, said, "Not all of them!"

Lan Jingyi asked, "Which ones?!"

The Ouyang family head replied, "Those... those..."

He couldn't bring himself to say it. Those remnants of the Wen family who had been killed during the siege on the Burial Mounds—those fifty or so corpses—had all been thrown into the blood pool!

Suddenly, Jin Ling shouted, "Watch out!"

A blood-soaked red figure landed in front of him. Lan Sizhui raised his sword and took two steps back as the blood corpse slowly stood up.

This was an exceptionally gaunt and hunched blood corpse. Its skull seemed to have been caved in, with sparse white hair plastered to its scalp by the blood, and its half-rotted flesh made it extremely disgusting and terrifying, causing discomfort to anyone who saw it. After standing up, it limped and hobbled, slowly approaching Lan Sizhui. The younger generation, trembling with fear, quickly gathered around.

With so many living people nearby, the blood corpse became wary, growling low in its throat. The young cultivators grew even more tense, and Lan Sizhui hurriedly said, "Don't move!"

Although he was also nervous, for some reason, he wasn't afraid.

If this thin, frail blood corpse had eyes, they would have been fixed on him. It tilted its head and extended a hand, slowly reaching out toward Lan Sizhui, as if yearning to touch him.

The hand was covered in blood, resembling a gnawed and mangled chicken claw. The young cultivators all felt a shiver run down their spines. Jin Ling raised his sword to block, but Lan Sizhui blurted out, "Young Master Jin, don't!"

Jin Ling asked, "Then what should we do?!"

Lan Sizhui said, "All of you... just stay still for now."

The blood corpse let out a few soft cries. Lan Sizhui steadied himself and slowly reached out his hand toward the blood corpse.

Just as he was about to touch it, a new wave of corpses surged forth. The blood corpse suddenly turned its head, let out a long, piercing howl, and leaped into the air, pouncing into the horde of corpses, tearing and biting left and right, as if gone mad. Flesh and blood flew everywhere. Its roar was deafening and terrifying, and its movements were swift and brutal, a stark contrast to its earlier demeanor in front of Lan Sizhui. Wen Ning, who had just knocked down several corpses, trembled all over and shouted at the blood corpse, "Is it you?!"

The blood corpse didn't respond.

All the blood corpses were engaged in a frenzied battle. Wen Ning shouted, "Is it you?!"

The Burial Mounds were filled with sharp, piercing screams of varying pitches, but no one answered him, and no one could answer him.

In less than half an hour, all the sounds gradually subsided.

The Burial Mounds, after everything had ended, resembled a scene straight out of hell.

The blood corpses began to gather around Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

They were of different heights, genders, and ages—all blood-drenched demons. Yet, among these figures, Wei Wuxian saw some familiar shadows.

Wen Ning murmured, "Fourth Uncle..."

"Granny..."

He called out each name, his voice trembling increasingly.

Wen Ning said, "Have you been waiting here all this time?"

If he were among the living, his eyes would surely have turned red and filled with tears.

Wei Wuxian's lips quivered, wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

He bowed deeply, offering a solemn salute, and said hoarsely, "...Thank you."

Lan Wangji also performed a salute.

These blood-soaked corpses, ferocious in battle just moments ago, now faced them with still terrifying appearances, but their movements were slightly clumsy, and they bowed and raised their hands unevenly, returning the salute to the two.

Then, as if something had drained the essence and vitality from their bodies, they all collapsed.

The bloodied bodies seemed like fragile porcelain, cracking inch by inch, breaking into smaller and smaller pieces. It seemed as if another gust of wind would scatter them to nothing.

Wen Ning dropped to the ground, scooping up the crimson ashes with his hands. Once he had gathered them, he stuffed them into his clothes, quickly filling the space. Seeing this, Lan Jingyi scratched his head, removed one of his sachets, emptied the spices, and crouched to hand it to him, saying, "Here!"

Seeing this, the other youths followed suit. Only Jin Ling looked at them, then at Wen Ning, his expression conflicted, and he did not move. His brows furrowed with cold, and he walked further away. Meanwhile, seven or eight hands extended sachets and cloth bags toward Wen Ning, leaving him bewildered.

Lan Sizhui said, "Ghost General, do you need help?"

Wen Ning hurriedly said, "No, you..."

Lan Jingyi said, "There's so much bone and ash, can you pick it all up by yourself?"

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji approached and said, "Don’t pick them up carelessly. Without gloves, you’ll get corpse poison."

Hearing this, the youths gave up the idea. Lan Sizhui said, "Senior Wei, Hanguang Jun, and Ghost General, thank you this time..."

Suddenly, a cold voice came from the crowd, "Thank you for what?"

Lan Sizhui and the others turned to look, and the speaker was Fang Mengchen again.

He stood up, his face filled with anger, and said, "What is this?"

Lan Sizhui was puzzled, "What is what?"

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji also looked at him. Fang Mengchen shouted, "I'm asking you, what is this? Atonement?! Don't tell me you all really started to feel grateful to him?!"

In the Burial Mounds, there was dead silence, not even a whisper could be heard.

The taste in everyone's hearts at this moment was truly unpleasant.

They had come in full force to exterminate, but ended up being the ones exterminated. They had rallied to eliminate the evil, only to rely on the "evil" to save their own lives.

It was hard to say whether it was ridiculous, eerie, awkward, or simply inexplicable. They only felt that in this grand drama, their righteous indignation and frantic actions were not very glorious or dignified.

Expressing gratitude to Wei Wuxian? It felt wrong; yet, having been saved by him, denying any gratitude also felt wrong. In this situation, the best course of action seemed to be to remain silent.

Seeing that no one responded to him, Fang Mengchen became even more furious. He thrust his sword and said, "Do you think you can just do a few good deeds, pretend to repent, and wipe away the blood on your hands?!"

Wei Wuxian dodged. Someone nearby tried to mediate, "Brother Fang! Don't get so worked up, let it go..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had said the wrong thing. Fang Mengchen's eyes indeed turned red. He said, "Let it go?! What do you mean let it go? The murder of my family, and you say let it go?!"

He shouted accusingly, "Wei Wuxian killed my parents, that's a fact, but why does he now seem like a hero?! Do a few good deeds, and suddenly everyone forgets what he's done? What about my parents then?!"

In the crowd, Jin Ling clenched his fists, and suddenly a sharp pain shot through his shoulder as Jiang Cheng's grip on his shoulder tightened.

Jin Ling couldn't see his expression clearly and whispered, "Uncle..."

From Jiang Cheng came a cold, ambiguous laugh.

At this moment, Wei Wuxian spoke up.

He said, "Then what exactly do you want?"

Fang Mengchen was stunned. Wei Wuxian continued, "What exactly do you want? Nothing more than to see me suffer a miserable fate to ease your own hatred."

He pointed to the unconscious Yi Weichun in the crowd, "He lost a leg, I was dismembered; you lost both parents, and I was already homeless, expelled from my family, a stray dog, without even seeing the ashes of my parents."

Wei Wuxian added, "Or do you hate the remnants of the Wen clan? The remnants of the Wen clan you speak of died once thirteen years ago. And right here, just now, they died again for me, to save you. This time, they were completely obliterated."

He said, "Tell me, what exactly do you still demand?"

Fang Mengchen glared at him fiercely, and after a long while, gritted his teeth and said, "It's useless. I tell you, Wei Wuxian, no matter what you do, don't expect me to forgive you, or forget the grudge against my parents."

He shouted, "Never!"

Wei Wuxian said, "I'm not asking you to forgive me. What I've done, not only do you remember, but I remember too. You won't forget, and I won't forget either!"

After staring directly at him for a while, Fang Mengchen felt a whirlwind of emotions and utter despair.

His life was indeed saved by Wei Wuxian and his companions, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of the grudge. Yet, if he wanted to seek revenge on Wei Wuxian, he was powerless on his own. In the end, he could only let out a loud cry and rush out of the Burial Mounds.

After he rushed out, someone said, "There won't be any more corpse hordes coming, right? Are we really safe now?!"

Hearing this voice, everyone felt a headache: "It's him again!"

Nie Huaisang looked around and, seeing no one answered him, asked again, "Then can we... leave now?"

This question was spot on. Now everyone wished they could instantly sprout wings and fly back home on their swords. A female cultivator said, "Two hours should be enough, how much spiritual power has everyone recovered?"