dhist, Daoist, and secular—take turns managing for three months each. Currently, it's Old Madam Ma's turn, who is over a hundred years old. She leaves the minor matters to her disciples to handle. She...Indeed, for someone like Long Xiaoge, continuing the lineage is probably the most important task.

It's a pity that I heard from him before that the woman around him betrayed him. I presume their relationship was more task-oriented, with not much feeling involved, which is why Dragon Little Brother could speak about it so lightly.

Moreover, Long Xiaoge himself wasn't in a hurry. He looked very young, yet he was the kind of person who cherished tradition and solitude. The previous Miao King had quite an eye for talent.

As if he knew what I was thinking, Long Xiaogē glared at me and said, "We're different from your shaman king. The shaman king still follows the system of abdication, choosing people with virtue and talent within a certain range. We are passed down through bloodlines from generation to generation."

"Huh So you're related to this Great Corpse King... by blood too"

The Great Corpse King said with a smug smile, "He is my 49th descendant... Ha ha ha ha... There are millions of people in this world, how many families can continue for so many generations We hide within the Dharma gate, but we haven't completely severed ties with the mortal world, therefore we have been able to endure..."

Yes, completely separating from the world, the ultimate outcome is inevitably gradual extinction.

If it weren't for Mu Wanchen's spiritual power that commanded the trees and plants to stabilize the Wuzhangcheng, those people would probably have been killed or injured by now.

Even if we avoid natural disasters, it won't solve the problem of survival—in a few years, those of childbearing age will be too old. Then, our lineage will truly be cut off.

Regarding this issue, the Great Corpse King surprisingly took it quite lightly. His shriveled phantom let out a "kekeke" laugh: "Little girl, in this world, is there anything that never ends Things come and go naturally, life and death are cycles. Live well in the present, fear not the future, just watch the clouds and winds pass by..."

“Although you're a little frightening, you are truly a kind and wise old immortal.” I complimented.

The Great Corpse King's raucous laughter.

Long Xiaoge frowned as he tidied the skeleton, muttering in a low voice: "Gentle and wise After accumulating years of Yin Qi and being tricked by the descendant of a traitor, he almost went mad to the point where even I attacked… It was Mu Xia Qiao and Mu Yunfan who came to cleanse the bloodlust that made him sober. Now you brought so many living people here, just the life energy is enough to nourish him, so his soul gathered and is just floating around here…"

Only when one has leisure does one have the heart to urge marriage.

Would it be inappropriate to laugh The Great Corpse King's true form is deep within the tomb. I dare not, nor do I want to go and gaze upon it. Seeing his soul so majestic yet with a cute contrast is enough for me.

These bones belong to emperors and empresses of the Miao dynasty. They were buried outside initially, then after three years their remains were collected, honored in a ceremony, and moved into this tomb.

Almost every bone on the surface had a special mark. Long Xiaoge quickly classified and sorted them out. I'd never touched so many skulls in my life, but with respect for our ancestors, I wasn't afraid. Gritting my teeth, I carefully put each skull in its place.

The Great Corpse King expressed great admiration for my deference. He nodded, saying, "Beautiful women are often arrogant and extravagant; few know how to be respectful and obedient. It is truly rare."

"That was your era," Long Xiaoge replied gloomily. "Nowadays, no matter how beautiful a woman is, she's all spoiled and extravagant."

"Huh This sentence seems to include me as well"

I glared at Long Xiaogē. Shouldn't we be teammates How did you drag me into this mess too

The Corpse King coldly snorted, adopting the tone of a seasoned veteran, and said: "In this world, men and women are nothing more than pawns in the game of love. If you truly desire it, you will surely find your red thread of fate. It's just that you have a cold heart and lack desire, unwilling to even touch it."

I'm about to call the Big Corpse King! This old immortal must have had a life full of incredible experiences.

But even if we "love" this old immortal, we have to leave the tomb.

There's a magical barrier here, and the tomb is a place of yin energy. We've stayed too long, disrupting the energy field and disturbing the peace of the ancestors.

As the massive stone gate closed, I caught one last glimpse of the Great Corpse King through the crack.

His soul, faintly glowing, followed the closing of the stone gate. The fireflies inside extinguished, and he was once again swallowed by darkness.

The Corpse Immortal, it sounds terrifying and mysterious, but he has been dwelling in the tomb for a thousand years, protected by his filial children and grandchildren. Being able to endure this coldness and solitude, I find that quite frightening.

If it were me, I wouldn't be able to stay.

I guess I'm someone who can't escape worldly attachments and lacks a true heart for the path.

We followed Long Xiaoge out of the tomb. This was also a mountain crevice, with vines entwined at the entrance and no guards.

“How could such an important place be left unguarded” I couldn’t help but ask.

"There used to be guards here, but it was difficult for them to change shifts. Plus, what happened last time – a guard being killed – made me think that keeping two people here wasn't worth the risk. It might be better to just let nature cover this place." He said in a somber and flat tone.

He seemed to be in a bad mood. Although the bones in the tomb had been cleaned up, they were still damaged, and there weren't enough people on hand to repair them—nor were there that many trustworthy people.

Mu Wanchen didn't speak either. He remained silent all the way, and when he returned to the dock, he stood in a corner, watching the river flowing slowly, carrying fragments of ice, without saying a word.

Snowflakes kept falling, and the banks were covered in ice, making it very inconvenient for boats to travel. Boatmen had to get close to the shore and even jump into the icy water to break the ice before they could dock their boats.

"Wàn Chén..." I stood beside him, calling his name in a low voice.

Flecks of snow clung to the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, while the silver hair that fell from his temples danced gently in the cold wind.

He took out a talisman from his lapel, his slender fingers gently folding it.

"The Dragon King is also a member of my clan... Though we are at odds, we actually... have the same goal in mind..."

Do they all lead to the same destination

Though all converge to the same end, their paths diverge. Though united in purpose, they face a hundred worries.

They chose different paths, but ultimately...their goal was nothing more than the survival and glory of their tribe.

I foolishly daydreamed—if the Jade Emperor said "accomplishment leads to retreat, the way of heaven," was he hinting at Mu Wanchen's words

Mu Wanchen's fingertips wove talismans into a miniature boat.

very small.

He handed me the little boat, saying, "Put it in the water."

I don't quite understand his intentions, but just then a small boat approached the dock, and the boatman was lying on the deck, breaking up the increasingly thick ice along the shore.

A crack appeared in the ice, and I crouched on the edge of the pier, placing the paper boat with the talisman into the fissure.

The current immediately carried the little boat away.

Mu Wanchen raised his hand and pinched the formula in front of his chest.

His thin lips moved slightly, and the water surface flowing slowly suddenly rippled.

The amplitude of the shaking grew larger and larger, and suddenly a bulge rose in the middle of the wide river!

The descendants of the Wu tribe temporarily residing on both sides were terrified, thinking another disaster had come.

A gigantic water dragon, like a tornado, surged out from the wide, placid river surface —

It churned up huge waves, smashing the ice along the riverbank to pieces!

A low rumble of wind and thunder echoed from the river, surging up to the sky.

Above the clouds, scattered as rain and dew, moisturizing the mountains and fields.

He was reminiscing... about the Dragon King. outside the Three Realms, beyond Heaven and Earth’s jurisdiction. How can we interfere”Luo Hu Xingjun seemed arrogant, but there was no trace of arrogance in his words. He judged the situation very c...