Chapter 854 – Blood Corpses
Mo Hua pretended to be under the control of the eye technique. He rolled on the ground a few times, rubbed his eyes red, struggled a bit, then suddenly tilted his head and "fainted" on the spot.
The "acting" was a bit excessive.
Xiao Magistrate was a little suspicious.
Mo Hua's reaction to the eye technique felt a bit odd… maybe even delayed.
But he didn't dwell on it for long.
After all, no one had ever resisted his Blood Prison Eye Technique before.
Even the two Golden Core cultivators—Gu Changhuai from the Gu clan and Magistrate Xia from the Xia family—had fallen victim. So how could a little Foundation Establishment brat hold out?
Perhaps the boy was naturally gifted, with a special kind of spiritual sense, which caused his reaction to differ from the norm.
He was already a strange little rascal to begin with.
So a weird reaction after being hit? That actually… seemed normal for him.
Because he was always weird, Xiao Magistrate stopped finding it strange.
He stepped forward, checked Mo Hua's breath—still alive, but his divine sense was silent, barely detectable. Clearly, his sea of consciousness had taken a serious hit.
Xiao finally nodded, pulled out a Spirit-Binding Chain from the Dao Court Bureau, tied Mo Hua up, and tossed him over to Water Yama.
"Keep an eye on him."
Water Yama's expression turned cold. "Not going to kill him?"
Xiao sneered. "Kill him? Use your head. This brat is more useful alive."
Water Yama didn't dare defy him and nodded. "Yes."
Just then, the jade pendants on Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia's chests lit up, glowing with a gentle radiance that dispelled the murderous aura.
The two of them gradually recovered from the shock of the Blood Prison Eye Technique.
Xiao raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, but then recalled that both were from prestigious families and likely had protective treasures—so it was understandable.
"Mo Hua!"
Magistrate Xia spotted the unconscious Mo Hua bound in Xiao Magistrate's hands and frowned deeply.
Gu Changhuai's expression also darkened. He looked at Xiao with a sharp, killing intent in his eyes.
"Xiao Zhenhai, let Mo Hua go," Gu said coldly.
Xiao gave a lazy smile. "I went through hell to get my hands on this little prince. You think I'd just let him go?"
Magistrate Xia's voice chilled: "Didn't you say we were working together? Is this what you mean by 'working together'?"
Xiao shook his head. "Oh, that part was genuine. But I've always been cautious—without a little leverage, I'm uneasy about cooperating. And this kid… is a slippery little devil. Can't make sense of him. Letting him roam free makes me uneasy. But now…"
He held up Mo Hua by the collar, giving him a little shake. "Now that he's in my hands, tied up, I've got my bargaining chip. Now I can relax."
Magistrate Xia frowned. "What do you want?"
"Give me the Fishbone Token," Xiao said plainly.
Magistrate Xia's eyes twitched. "If I give it to you, will you let Mo Hua go?"
Xiao chuckled. "Of course not. Like I said, I worked hard to catch him. At most, I'll promise not to hurt him… unless, of course…"
He wrapped his cold, pale hand around Mo Hua's neck, smiling coldly.
Magistrate Xia hesitated for a long time, but ultimately worried for Mo Hua's safety. She sighed. "Fine. I'll give you the token."
Xiao's expression brightened, and he promised, "Don't worry, Magistrate Xia. I like this little fellow too. As long as you hand over the token, I won't harm him."
He added with a light laugh, "Besides, whether the token's in your hands or mine, it's the same. It's just… I'm not who I used to be. I'm no longer a Magistrate. Once we leave this Dragon King Temple, I'll probably be a wanted criminal by the Dao Court Bureau, so forgive me for being a bit cautious…"
Magistrate Xia's gaze darkened. She pulled out the Fishbone Token and tossed it to Xiao.
Xiao nodded. "Excellent. Let's forget these little grudges. It's more important to get out of this grim bone maze."
He didn't want to truly sever ties. He just needed some leverage to keep Gu and Xia under control.
This White Bone Labyrinth was eerie—who knew what dangers lay ahead? More allies meant more survival chances.
But now that his identity was exposed, without some hostage to threaten Gu and Xia, he'd surely be betrayed.
Magistrate Xia might be hesitant, but Gu Changhuai was notoriously ruthless to evil. If he had the chance, he'd absolutely try to kill Xiao.
Having worked with Gu for years, Xiao knew this. Even if he had the upper hand now, he didn't dare underestimate him.
"Let's move," Xiao said.
Gu and Xia could only nod in response.
Nearby, Ouyang Feng and Hua Qianqian wanted to help Mo Hua, but they were powerless. All they could do was sigh helplessly.
Xiao turned to look at the "unconscious" Mo Hua and instructed Water Yama, "Carry him."
Water Yama's face twisted as if he'd just swallowed a fly.
But in the end, he obeyed, slinging Mo Hua over his shoulder—but not gently.
Xiao frowned. "Careful. If you injure this young master, I'll hold you responsible."
Water Yama hesitated, then nodded. "Yes…"
And so, the group declared a temporary truce and set off again.
This time, Xiao held all the power.
He led the group. Water Yama followed behind, carrying Mo Hua.
And with Mo Hua as a hostage, Gu and Xia, though trailing behind, didn't dare act rashly.
Xiao Tianquan stayed away from Xiao Magistrate and walked beside Magistrate Xia.
The group continued forward through the White Bone Pathways.
The corridors were dense with white bones, stretching endlessly in every direction—a labyrinth without discernible direction.
With no guide, all they could do was hope for the best and wander blindly.
The deeper they went, the more twisted and complex the paths became. Instead of escaping the maze, they became more entangled in its winding ways.
The surrounding bones grew thicker, the joints more gruesome, the atmosphere heavier and more oppressive.
And among the bones, fresh blood stains began to appear.
Xiao stopped in his tracks and frowned.
Only now did he realize he had underestimated this labyrinth.
It was far larger and more intricate than he had imagined.
And these bone walls...
He drew his sword and slashed one of the walls.
The sword qi cracked it, leaving behind a shallow scar.
But Xiao's frown deepened.
The wall could be broken—but it took a lot of effort.
And with endless walls in all directions, trying to carve a path by brute force would be exhausting, probably fatal.
Wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly wasn't working either.
Not one to be blindly stubborn, Xiao turned to Gu and Xia and asked, "Either of you have a way to navigate this?"
Gu hesitated, then pulled out a compass plate. Xia produced a floating magnetic silver needle.
Both were path-finding spiritual tools.
But when activated, the compass spun wildly, and the needle wavered erratically—completely ineffective in the labyrinth.
Gu frowned. "The directional tools are useless here. We'll just have to rely on memory and luck."
Xiao said nothing more.
The group pressed on.
But the deeper they went, the heavier the bloodstains, the stronger the stench, and a foul evil aura began to seep from the maze around them.
Everyone's expressions grew grim.
Just then, Xiao paused again. Around him, killing aura surged—he was sensing something.
His face turned serious. "Everyone, be careful."
As the words left his mouth, the white bones around them began to tremble.
One by one, blood-drenched corpses, rotting and unrecognizable, began to climb out of the walls.
"W-what is that?!"
The group paled.
Xiao drew his sword. Sword qi gathered in his hand.
Gu readied his feather fan. Xia held her ice sword steady. Everyone else drew their spiritual tools as well.
Then the blood corpses roared, blood mist spreading, and the battle erupted.
These zombie-like creatures, twisted in limb and deformed, surged from the bone forest—rushing the group.
Sword qi flashed, wind blades howled, spiritual tools flew.
Many of the corpses were dismembered before even reaching the group—arms and legs severed.
But after just a moment, they reassembled themselves with the help of the corrupt blood pooling on the ground, and charged again.
And the blood on their bodies—reeking and foul—could even corrode one's own qi.
The group could only fight as they retreated.
Some of the blood corpses still wore tattered monk robes.
Seeing this, Water Yama's face went pale. "They're the Temple Guardians…"
All the guardians who hadn't died in the Yaksha Hall or been eaten by "Mr. Wu"… had been tossed into the blood pools, transformed into these ghastly, unholy blood corpses.
More and more kept coming. Though weak and easily maimed, they wouldn't die, and their corrupted blood was dangerous.
This couldn't go on…
Xiao Magistrate's expression darkened. "Fall back."
With the situation deteriorating, no one hesitated. As they activated their spiritual tools and unleashed spells to cut down the charging blood corpses, they began a full retreat.
Fortunately, the blood corpses didn't seem to pursue indefinitely.
Once they got far enough, most of them gave up the chase. Only a few—driven by uncontrollable, violent bloodlust—continued to pursue the group.
They fought and retreated until they finally reached a secluded area. No more blood corpses followed, and the group could finally breathe a little easier—though exhaustion was setting in.
Along the way, they'd hunted down the monsterized "Mr. Wu," fought internal battles, had no time to rest, and then stumbled into this tide of undead.
Even with Golden Core foundations, this kind of attrition was too much.
Especially for Magistrate Xia.
Her cultivation focused on ice-type spells and agility-based combat, excelling at quick, precise kills—not prolonged attrition. She'd also been hit earlier by Xiao's Blood Prison Eye Technique. The baleful aura had invaded her mind, shaken her soul, and after this brutal battle, her face was now pale, and her breathing unsteady.
Xiao Tianquan, who had been near her the whole time, immediately asked:
"Magistrate Xia, are you alright?"
She was just about to respond—when suddenly, her sea of consciousness seared with pain. It felt as if vengeful spirits were wailing inside her skull, and malicious ghosts were dragging her soul away.
She had been gritting her teeth and enduring it all this time—but now, she could no longer hold on. Her face turned paper white, her steps faltered, and she swayed unsteadily.
Xiao Tianquan reached out to support her.
But before his hand reached her, a blur moved—
Gu Changhuai had already stepped in and caught her arm.
Xiao Tianquan froze mid-motion.
Gu Changhuai himself looked a little confused—stunned for a moment.
He had acted entirely on instinct, grabbing her before he even realized why.
Maybe it was out of camaraderie—they were both Magistrates, after all.
Or maybe… maybe it was the bitter pang of jealousy he felt seeing Xiao Tianquan get close to her.
But since he was already supporting her… he didn't let go.
Magistrate Xia, overwhelmed by the pain in her sea of consciousness and barely able to stand, felt someone steady her. She reflexively tried to push the person away.
But the aura around her felt… strangely familiar.
Not unpleasant, actually…
She blinked open her eyes, dazed—only to see that the person holding her was Gu Changhuai.
She froze—momentarily forgetting to resist.
Seeing her pale face, Gu Changhuai turned to Xiao Magistrate and said, "Find somewhere to rest."
Xiao, already drained of spiritual power, nodded. "Alright."
So the group found a relatively safe and defensible bone alley inside the maze to take a short rest.
Gu Changhuai supported Magistrate Xia as they walked into the alley.
Xiao Tianquan passed by the two with a neutral expression. But as he watched their backs, a flicker of jealousy and resentment flashed in his eyes.
Like something that should've been his had been taken by someone else…
Xiao Magistrate caught the entire exchange with cold amusement—but said nothing.
The Bone Alley was shaped like the character "工" (a straight corridor with two dead ends).
Xiao Magistrate and Gu Changhuai's groups each took one side, clearly on guard against each other.
But there were exceptions.
Xiao Tianquan, despite being from Xiao's clan, was now sitting with Gu Changhuai's group.
And Mo Hua, who should've been with Gu's group… was currently "hostage" with Xiao and Water Yama.
Mo Hua, for now, was still playing unconscious.
Even during the whole chaotic battle with the blood corpses, he hadn't stirred.
That only made Xiao's eye technique look more formidable.
And it helped sell the image that Mo Hua had suffered serious injuries.
After all, Xiao was a Golden Core cultivator. Mo Hua was just a lowly Foundation Establishment. It made perfect sense for him to be knocked out this long by a Golden Core's eye technique.
Which is why, while everyone else was struggling for survival…
Mo Hua was straight-up slacking off.
To be fair, he hadn't actually suffered any injuries.
But even he had to admit: that smiling tiger Xiao's Blood Prison Eye Technique was seriously powerful.
He had truly felt a crushing sense of pressure.
That said… it wasn't quite as terrifying as it should've been.
In fact, Mo Hua thought back and realized—
It didn't even feel as scary as the big white dog guarding the sect gate back at the Great Void Sect.
Mo Hua was a little uncertain now.
He might've overestimated Xiao's eye technique, and underestimated that big dog.
That dog… might really not be an ordinary dog.
Conclusion: Xiao Magistrate… not as good as the dog.
Xiao Magistrate is inferior to a dog.
And since he had beaten that big dog… didn't that mean his own eye technique might not actually be any weaker than Xiao Magistrate's?
Mo Hua's heart settled. He now felt even more confident about what was coming.
Still, that was just his own speculation. The real test would be to try it out on someone…
He kept his eyes closed, quietly plotting in his mind.
Meanwhile, Water Yama was glaring at Mo Hua's handsome face, getting angrier the more he looked. He growled at Xiao Magistrate, "Big Brother, this brat's definitely faking it."
Xiao Magistrate didn't even look his way.
Water Yama's icy hand reached toward Mo Hua's neck, intending to wake him up—and humiliate him while he was at it, just to vent his rage.
He'd suffered at Mo Hua's hands several times and hated him with a passion.
But before his fingers could make contact, Xiao Magistrate's cold gaze swept over. "Don't touch him."
Water Yama frowned. "But Big Brother—"
"I said—this kid is still useful. Until we're out of Dragon King Temple, don't lay a finger on him. Don't make me repeat myself." Xiao's voice was ice-cold.
Water Yama could only mutter bitterly, "Yes…"
Xiao was silent for a moment, then suddenly took out the Water Prison Forbidden Casket from his storage pouch and tossed it to Water Yama.
Water Yama froze—then lit up with glee.
Xiao said, "You've already cultivated that technique to the fourth level. That's enough. For the next two days, do nothing else. Feed the casket with your blood essence—find a way to open it."
Open the casket?!
The "unconscious" Mo Hua's heart gave a sudden thump.
Xiao Magistrate actually knew how to open the Water Prison Forbidden Casket?
Even Elder Yu Canghai of the Yin Water Sect had no clue…
Mo Hua fumed inwardly.
This guy knew Water Shadow Steps, Water Prison Arts, Blood Prison Eye Technique, and now even knew how to open the casket…
Honestly, he seemed more like the last inheritor of the Yin Water Sect than Elder Yu himself.
And if he really opened the casket…
Mo Hua's thoughts began to churn. He quickly reined in his emotions and continued pretending to be unconscious.
Too late.
That brief emotional fluctuation—Xiao had already sensed it.
Xiao's gaze snapped to him, narrowing slightly as he stared silently at Mo Hua's face.
Under that stare, Mo Hua started to feel awkward. They were all clever people—any more pretending would just be rude.
So he let out a weak groan and slowly opened his eyes, face pale, expression dazed—as if he'd just woken up.
Xiao's eyelid twitched. In a flat tone, he said, "Little brother, you're awake?"
Mo Hua frowned faintly and acted thoroughly confused and pained. "Xiao Magistrate… where am I…"
Xiao's face was unreadable. "When did you wake up?"
Mo Hua figured it was pointless to keep acting—might as well save his energy. Acting was exhausting.
"Just now," he said.
"Then that means…" Xiao's face darkened. "You heard everything I said just now?"
"Heard what?" Mo Hua blinked innocently.
Water Yama instantly lunged for his neck, snarling, "Big Brother! This brat is cunning to the bone! Keeping him alive is asking for trouble—better to strangle him right now!"
Xiao snapped coldly, "I said, don't touch him!"
Mo Hua quickly nodded, chiming in helpfully, "Exactly, exactly! My body is very fragile—if you use a little too much force, I might die. Then I can't be your hostage anymore."
Water Yama gritted his teeth so hard they almost cracked.
Xiao's gaze deepened as he stared at Mo Hua, clearly weighing his options.
Right now, he truly couldn't kill Mo Hua.
This Bone Maze was filled with unknown dangers. Even as a Golden Core, he might not make it out alone—he still needed Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia's help.
If he killed Mo Hua, he'd be tearing the alliance apart.
That would make both sides enemies, and they'd all likely die here in the bone-choked labyrinth.
And this brat clearly understood that—hence why he remained so calm and composed.
Still…
Xiao narrowed his eyes. "My Eye Technique… it didn't seem to affect you much, did it?"
"How could it not?" Mo Hua scoffed, as if offended. "Your Eye Technique is incredible. Way stronger than that Water Yama guy. I just looked at you once—and was out cold for half a day!"
"Then why do you seem completely fine now?" Xiao asked, frowning.
By all logic, even if he had fainted for hours, a soul wound like that should've left some serious side effects.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then replied, "A senior in my sect taught me a Meditation Technique. It helps clear the mind and stabilize the spirit."
Unexpectedly, Xiao's pupils dilated sharply at the words.
"…Meditation Technique?!"
(End of this Chapter)