Chapter 723: Chapter 556: The Evil Ghost in Lust
"The Blood Clothes are delicate and almost skin-like to the touch. Yet, this wearer of the Hundred Demons seems to be invisible; I’ve witnessed this person in combat, but never have I seen the Ghost Coffin emerge," the Old Clan Leader furrowed his brows, questioning and answering himself.
"I’m quite curious, why do you suspect that the Innate Treasure is on him?" Young Master chuckled, "Is it an intuition?"
"Not entirely," the Old Clan Leader shook his head: "I deliberately mentioned the Soul-Capturing Mirror and the Torturing Life Saber, two Magic Artifacts. He didn’t hesitate to offer both treasures to me, but he made no such offer for the Blood Clothes. This suggests that in his heart, the Blood Clothes are more important than two peak Ghost Level Magic Artifacts. Isn’t that strange?"
Hearing this, Young Master sighed, "It’s one thing for the Torturing Life Saber, but the Soul-Capturing Mirror is a Magic Artifact that I’ve cultivated with my own hands. This youngster doesn’t cherish it at all."
With a change of tone, Young Master volunteered, "Old Clan Leader, how about this? You let me go, give me the time it takes to burn an incense stick, and I’ll kill him. You can keep the Soul-Capturing Mirror, and I’ll bring you those Blood Clothes."
"Heh," the Old Clan Leader chuckled lightly, "Don’t even think about it. Just stay here peacefully until you decipher the clues in that ancient tome, helping me locate the Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes."
Young Master shrugged, showing a disappointed expression. He leaned back in his chair, sighing in resignation, "Honestly, I’m very curious since even though your talent is also top-notch, pardon my candor, even if you truly find that Innate Treasure, it’s not something that you can control. Besides... you already have more than enough Magic Artifacts on you."
"I have no covetous desire for that treasure. I merely don’t wish to see it fall into the hands of evildoers and stir up a bloody storm in the world of martial arts. We’ve had enough trouble with just the Great Black Buddha Mother over these years."
The Old Clan Leader sighed slowly and continued, "Now, seven out of the nine Innate Treasures have appeared. One is in the hands of the Patrol General Director, another in the hands of the Apostle Federation Chairman, and one more in the possession of the current Store Manager of the Chamber of Commerce. That is the foundation for the national three major powers to maintain a balance, forming a tripartite stand-off. As for the fourth, you understand that it’s in the hands of the Black Buddha Mother. Back then, the three major powers joined forces to eradicate the Black Buddha Mother from the Cult, during the battle at Fuyang Mountain. The Patrol Bureau Chief, Federation President, and Chamber of Commerce Store Manager, it was one against three, and they only managed to severely wound Black Buddha Mother, lacking the strength to kill her. That battle made the strength of Black Buddha Mother crystal clear. Since then, the title of Head of Ten Thousand Religions has been rightfully hers."
"You speak amiss. As strong as Black Buddha Mother is, that outcome was because none of the three powers were willing to go all out. After all, no one could endure Black Buddha Mother’s desperate counterattack at death’s door. And if any of the leaders were severely injured, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t be taken out by the other two in unison." The next second, Young Master sat upright, his expression turning serious, "Moreover, it wasn’t three against one. To be precise, it was three against two. Black Buddha Mother had an accomplice, that neither monk nor Taoist, half-human half-ghost Life Demanding Monk."
"That person doesn’t possess an Innate Treasure, but still touched that level of power. Without his help, Black Buddha Mother would have been doomed," Young Master paused, then continued.
"Life Demanding Monk..." This was a name that struck fear into the heart of the martial arts world, and even someone as strong as the Old Clan Leader couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
Young Master’s light laughter broke the solemn atmosphere, "Aside from these four treasures, there are three more overseas. One is in the hands of the Big Leader of the Japan Ghost Sect, one with the Yin Temple High Priest in the lawless regions of Northern Myanmar and Thailand, and the last owned by the reclusive Female Pope of the Western Church territory. Out of the nine treasures, the last two have yet to appear. Among them, one’s clues are mentioned in the ancient tome discovered by Yiling Academy, which is the very Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes you yearn for."
Seeing that the Old Clan Leader frowned slightly, apparently dissatisfied with his phrasing, Young Master continued without care, "This item last appeared three hundred years ago. Its last owner was the female pavilion master of the Heavenly Water Pavilion, whose talent was unparalleled. However, she was murderous by nature and an Evil Ghost among lusts, constructing the Nine-layered Demon Tower filled with innumerable treasures and raising over a hundred beloved male attendants and officials. Eventually, she died at the hands of her most favored attendant, ambushed by the Nine Great Sects from within and without. Though the Heavenly Water Pavilion fell, even when manipulated, this peerlessly beautiful female pavilion master managed to slay dozens of masters. And... in the end, no one got their hands on the Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes. There are rumors that in the last moment of battle, the female pavilion master sealed herself inside the Ghost Coffin and sealed both the coffin and the Nine-layered Demon Tower together."
Young Master’s tone shifted, revealing a rare hint of sincerity as he advised, "Old Clan Leader, I urge you to heed this advice: Even if you truly find that artifact in the future, do not take it lightly. It is not something you, nor the disciples under your Academy, can control. If the rumors are true, I suspect that the peerlessly beautiful female pavilion master didn’t die at all but may have become part of the Ghost Coffin."
"I hold no interest in that treasure; I simply cannot tolerate it falling into the hands of Evil Cultivators, giving rise to another Great Black Buddha Mother," the Old Clan Leader said righteously.
"In that case, our agreement still stands. I will do my utmost to help you find those Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes," Young Master promised, "But before that, please give me a clear answer: the disappearance of Yiling Academy’s old director and his group over the past ten years... does it truly have nothing to do with you, or with Ru Lin Academy?"
"It has nothing to do with me," the Old Clan Leader replied decisively, followed by a bitter smile, "As for the others in the Academy, do you think they have the ability?"
Upon hearing this, the Young Master slowly nodded in agreement. The Yiling Academy was one of the renowned Upper Three Bookshops and also a famous entity in the world of martial arts. The old Headmaster of Yiling Academy, even if not a match for the Old Clan Leader before him, was certainly not someone like Yang Yunluo – the current Headmaster of Ru Lin Academy who had only recently entered the Netherworld Realm – could handle. It can be said that, as long as the person before him did not take action, then the rest of the Ru Lin Academy would be on a suicide mission facing the old Headmaster of Yiling Academy.
"Since it has nothing to do with you, then this matter becomes interesting. There aren’t many forces in the world of martial arts capable of eliminating an entire team, especially since this secret meeting was highly confidential. Who leaked the information and managed to gather such a group of masters, invisibly wiping out a line of people from the world of martial arts? The waters are very deep indeed," the Young Master murmured to himself and then suddenly changed the subject, "Old Clan Leader, I don’t believe you haven’t thought about the trickery here."
"It’s common sense that the biggest suspect would be the one who benefits from it. After the old Headmaster Sheng Yanlin went missing, his younger brother Sheng Jingxuan took over the position. It was from his inauguration that he has been causing trouble for my Ru Lin Academy. Moreover, he has openly accused us of killing his elder brother and has been making covert moves against us over the years, becoming even more excessive now!" As past events surfaced in his mind, the Old Clan Leader’s expression visibly worsened.
"But we have no evidence and dare not make baseless accusations. After all, Sheng Yanlin was his own brother. Over the years, I have also been sending people to investigate this matter, but to little avail," the Old Clan Leader stated bluntly.
"Your people are good at teaching, but when it comes to such matters, they are lacking. How about this? I help you investigate, what do you think?" the Young Master asked with a smile, "You let me go, and I promise to help you solve this trouble."
Hearing this, the Old Clan Leader also laughed, "Sect Leader, you might as well settle down here comfortably. Releasing you would be the real trouble."
The Young Master sighed and fell silent.
The Old Clan Leader turned to walk outside, and just after pushing the door open, as if suddenly recalling something, he turned around, looking towards the young man behind the desk, "Also, I have something else to tell you. The Xiu Sect Master has been killed by that young man you encountered before. The Sect Masters under your command likely came here to investigate your whereabouts; it seems they have found out that you may still be alive, and moreover, are probably within my Ru Lin Academy."
"And what can they do once they find out? Even together, they are no match for you, Old Clan Leader. And my Deputy Sect Master, he’s an ambitious man. When I was around, he didn’t dare to cause any trouble. Now that I’m gone, who knows what kind of chaos he’s going to stir up," the Young Master snorted.
"Let me correct you, he is now the Sect Master." The Old Clan Leader’s words were like a knife to the heart, smiling as he said, "After you disappeared without any trace for a month, they assumed you were dead."
"Traitorous officials and rebel subjects, traitorous officials and rebel subjects!" Despite his grievances, the Young Master laughed along, "To think that I raised him from diapers to adulthood."
"Rest easy here. If I were you, I would quickly decipher all the clues in that book and help me find the Innate Treasure. Then return and dismember your former deputy, reclaiming your rightful throne."
After the Old Clan Leader had left, the man in a long robe standing outside still wore an expressionless deathly face under the dim light, cold and stoic like a statue.
After the Old Clan Leader departed, the Young Master continued to read. Time ticked by, second by second, with no concept of time in the dark, dreary cell. But he had grown accustomed to it. After who knows how long, tired from reading, he bent over and forcefully pulled the iron chain out from the cracks of the iron chair. This process was extremely difficult and nearly drained all his spiritual power. Indeed, this was one of the powers of the Netherworld-level Magic Artifact, the Immortal Restraining Lock, to make an Apostle’s existence unbearable, consuming any accumulated spiritual power almost entirely.
Finally freeing the chain, the Young Master, dragging his shackled feet, stumbled to the bed and lay down. He had no control over the lighting here; all he could do was accept and close his eyes. Soon after, his breathing rhythm steadied, and he fell asleep.
As time inexorably slipped by, in his sleep, the Young Master turned on his side, facing the wall with his back to the iron door. Almost unconsciously, he pulled the thin blanket up just enough to cover his face. The next second, a pair of eyes suddenly opened in the gloom, shining with a bewitching purple gleam, and his mouth curled uncontrollably into a savage grin. The previously calm face instantly transformed into something hideously crazed, filled with extreme mania:
"At last... I’ve found it!!"
