Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 415

The big bait has arrived.

Before leaving Nantong, Li Zhuiyuan realized that his plans for this trip were missing a strong motivation that would compel him to visit the Goguryeo tombs.

The boy guessed that the motive was hidden among the three carrots, with one of them leading him to Wei Zhengdao.

Therefore, in Li Zhuiyuan's eyes, the old woman in front of him was an old man with a special mission.

I felt a little disappointed.

Li Zhuiyuan came with high expectations.

The boy hoped that the person in front of him could break free from "it's" control, gain autonomy, and unleash his influence in this pre-arranged situation.

This will make the wave more chaotic, but also more interesting.

But when this person asks himself "Is my surname Wei?", it means he is still moving within the framework set by "it", only he himself is unaware of it and feels good about himself.

In theory, this extra layer of cloud cover is unnecessary.

"It" has no need to listen in, nor will it stop itself from coming, because "it" already knows his motives and purpose, as well as the consequences that will result.

Li Zhuiyuan: "My surname is not Wei."

The old woman said, "It is perfectly normal for the inheritance of surnames to become distorted in the long course of history."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You have an obsession with your surname."

The old woman said, "I have a strong attachment to bloodlines. In my view, bloodlines are the strongest bond for passing on traditions. Don't you think so?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.

The old woman said, “You just told me that my Chen family in Qiongya is now a powerful family, isn’t this the best proof?”

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm not here to debate with you."

The old woman said, “It’s not that you don’t want to debate, it’s that you have nothing to say. I’ll just ask you, is the ‘Listening to the Sea and Watching the Tide’ only something that my Chen family can practice now?”

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

The old woman's face showed a smug expression, and her eyes gleamed with the light of a victor.

The old woman said, “I proved that I was right. It’s ridiculous that they didn’t agree with my theory back then and even went so far as to expel me from the family, but in the end, they still followed the path I had envisioned.”

Li Zhuiyuan: "Is this why you became a traitor to the Chen family?"

The old woman said, "I used to be, but not anymore. I am the forerunner of the current Dragon King Chen family."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I don't believe that the current Chen family, or the three Chen family dragon kings in history, would recognize a pioneer like you."

The old woman said, "I don't care about that. I've endured endless torment and survived in that godforsaken place just so that one day I can come out and see right from wrong."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then you should go to Qiongya instead of staying here."

The old woman said, "I want to remember my younger brother and sister first."

At this moment, a little mist rose into the room.

The old woman stood up, raised her palm, and showed Li Zhuiyuan the lines on her palm.

The palm lines had long since been severed, and lividity was clearly visible on the palm.

"Did you see it?"

"Ah."

“When I arrived, she had just passed away peacefully in her bed. I chose her as my temporary body, and I helped her deliver the will she hadn’t had time to send to her children. It’s fair.”

"really."

This not only demonstrates his kindness and principles, but also reveals his harmlessness to Li Zhuiyuan.

He couldn't use this old woman's body to fight. As a sorcerer, he knew what those who walked this path feared most.

White mist began to condense, and moss gradually climbed onto the bedroom door of the room, and the material of the door also changed from wood to stone.

"My name is Chen Zunfeng, what's yours?"

"Li Zhuiyuan."

"A good name, Wei Zhuiyuan."

Chen Zunfeng walked to the door, reached out, and patted it.

The aura of the barrier emanated from the stone gate. It was only a little short of being fully connected, but now it was completely smooth, meaning the stone gate could be opened.

"After a lot of effort, I've finally repaired the old front door. Would you be so kind as to invite me to my home?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I want to know about that Wei you mentioned."

"Squeak..."

The stone door opened, and a large amount of wood ash spilled out.

This kind of "Shangri-La" supported by a small barrier is nothing more than a house that ordinary people cannot see with the naked eye. If no one lives in it or takes care of it for too long, it will also collect dust, decay, and collapse.

Chen Zunfeng gestured for them to enter.

"Stories deserve to be enjoyed with tea or wine."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't move: "My men are coming soon."

Chen Zunfeng: "Don't worry, with my arrangements, your people won't be able to get out for a while without your help. We have plenty of time."

No, there isn't enough time.

Indeed, Chen Zunfeng's arrangement was ingenious, demonstrating his extremely high level of expertise in this field.

Before Li Zhuiyuan came out, he specifically told his companions the numerical formula. Theoretically, they would be able to break through the setup here in a few more minutes.

This was also the time Li Zhuiyuan had reserved for himself to meet the "old woman" in secret.

Chen Zunfeng underestimated the boy's skill in this area; he hadn't expected the boy to be even better than him.

However, there might be enough time.

The "it" in "The Book Without Words" should thoughtfully help continue the time.

Chen Zunfeng gestured "please" again: "Are you really unwilling to grace my humble abode with your presence?"

Li Zhuiyuan took a step forward.

Chen Zunfeng smiled and went inside first.

Li Zhuiyuan then entered the stone gate as well.

After the two entered, the stone door closed.

The space inside is not large; a narrow path leads to an ordinary courtyard house.

When Chen Zunfeng left the family with his younger siblings, he probably only intended this place as a temporary residence and didn't put much effort into its construction.

The vegetation inside had long since turned to ashes, obscuring most of the once tranquil path. The courtyard in front was half collapsed, and the remaining half was also on the verge of collapse.

Chen Zunfeng walked in first, and after entering, he began to fulfill his promise, telling Li Zhuiyuan what he wanted to hear.

"Our ancestor, Chen Yunhai, left behind a notebook that records his journeys through the world by lamplight... oh, now I should say he traveled the rivers."

When I looked at this notebook, the handwriting was already blurred, and while reading it, I had a vague sense of rejection and isolation. I guess future generations will not be able to see this record.

My ancestor said that when he was traveling along the river, he met a man named Wei Zhengdao.

The ancestors called him the most terrible and hateful person in the world.

Do you know what this ancestor means to the Chen family?

"I heard that in the Chen family ancestral hall in Qiongya, there are four memorial tablets. Three of them are for the Chen family dragon kings, and the one in the head is for Chen Yunhai."

"It seems that future generations can also recognize the contributions of their ancestors. My generation is not too far removed from our ancestors, and our understanding of them is more vivid."

In our understanding, the biggest regret is that our ancestor failed to become the Dragon King in that generation. Our ancestor certainly had the ability to do so.

There has always been an unsolved mystery surrounding that generation; it seems that no one in the martial arts world knows who the Dragon King of that generation really was.

He never showed his face, yet he made the entire martial arts world seem exceptionally quiet in that generation.

I guess...

Chen Zunfeng reached out to push open the courtyard gate.

"boom!"

The courtyard gate collapsed inwards.

"It can only be him, the one who made even our ancestors feel terrified."

Li Zhuiyuan knew that the Dragon King of that generation was indeed Wei Zhengdao.

There are Qing An's oral accounts, as well as what Sun Boshen saw in his memories.

However, the opponents and evil spirits that Wei Zhengdao faces are all very good at keeping secrets.

Chen Yunhai only kept private records in his notebook and did not publish them. Chen Zunfeng's ability to see them clearly broke the rules and violated taboos.

Entering the courtyard, we arrived at the hall, which had collapsed and was now only half intact.

Chen Zunfeng asked, "Tea or wine?"

On the side of the hall, there are wine jars and tea cakes.

Half of the wine jars and tea cakes were buried by the collapsed house, leaving only half intact.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm not thirsty."

Chen Zunfeng picked up a teacup from the ground, squatted down, pulled out the stopper, and poured himself a bowl of wine.

The wine has become thick and sticky.

He took a sip, and a bright red immediately appeared on the old woman's wrinkled face.

"I really didn't expect that I would actually run into him again, and that he was still alive."

He recognized me too. When I used the Cloud Sea technique, he asked me if I was a descendant of "Chen Yunhai."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Where did you meet him?"

Chen Zunfeng: "Under the tomb."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You should have been in your cell at that time."

Chen Zunfeng: "He suddenly appeared in my cell."

As he spoke, Chen Zunfeng pointed to the boy's feet:
“That day, I was in my cell, enduring the daily torment of the water, when suddenly a hole appeared in the floor, and he crawled out.”

This split perspective is not mentioned in Ye Dui's account.

Ye Dui believed that he was the only one who had met Wei Zhengdao, and that he had kept this matter a secret from the other three people.

"You haven't actually been to that place; it's hard to understand the despair there if you only hear other people's accounts."

"So, did he bring you any hope?"

"The first time I came, he only asked me if I was a descendant of an ancestor."

The second time he came, he brought wine.

Chen Zunfeng looked down at the cup in his hand:
"I really don't know how he got his hands on the wine there, and how he even had a whole set of exquisite wine utensils."

I originally thought that he, like me, was in prison, being tortured.

The moment I accepted the bowl of wine he offered with both hands, I realized that we weren't in the same cell.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and pushed the chair in front of him. After confirming that it was still stable, he sat down.

The boy's gaze swept around the room; behind the hall was the bedroom.

If Chen Zunfeng's younger siblings were to be buried after their deaths, they would likely be buried outside the courtyard. Of course, it is highly probable that they would leave on their own after waiting for their brother's return for an extended period.

If Chen Zunfeng wanted to reminisce about his younger siblings, he should have gone straight to their former bedroom, instead of lingering in the hall drinking.

His actions and his narrative both contain obvious gaps, implying that there was a deliberate concealment involved.

I calculated the time, and logically, my friends should have already stormed in by now, but there was no sign of them.

This shows that the "he" in the "Wordless Book" was indeed buying time for Chen Zunfeng.

"He drank with me and talked to me a lot, and I discovered an even more astonishing fact. Can you guess what it is?"

"You are dead, but he is still alive."

“That’s right. Although I still exist, I’m actually already dead. He’s different; he’s really still alive, and living a very healthy life.”

In the realm of metaphysics, the concept of "living" can be further subdivided. In short, the longer one lives beyond the limits of lifespan, the less human-like they tend to be.

Chen Zunfeng meant that at that time, Wei Zhengdao was still a living, breathing person in his eyes.

This point is also confirmed in Ye Dui's statement.

Because Wei Zhengdao raised the level of torture in his cell and the water wave torture to a terrifying level, he was injured, and after being injured, he was able to recover from his injuries.

"Recovery from injury" only exists in the concept of normal living people; from the perspective of evil spirits, there is only "repair."

“When I was with him, the pain from the water-wave torture around me seemed to lessen, so most of the time, he was the one drinking and listening to me talk.”

Don't laugh at me, but I'm genuinely afraid of awkward silences, afraid the party will end, afraid he'll leave, and afraid he won't come back next time.

So I kept looking for all sorts of stories to tell him.

From my childhood to my adulthood, from myself to my younger siblings, from the stories of the Chen family to the customs and traditions of Hainan.

"Did you explain your theory to him?"

"I did."

"Then him?"

"He approves of me."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Now it's confirmed that Wei Zhengdao was probably bored there, just like I am now sitting here...

Just teasing an idiot.

……

Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou moved around in positions according to the instructions left by the boy.

Soon, they discovered that the complex and fragmented environment was gradually returning to normal.

This means that they are about to break free from this predicament and emerge from it.

Downstairs at the staff building, the group of undead knights who had been riding around in circles suddenly reined in their horses and stopped.

They drew their sabers and held them to their necks.

"Thud!" Heads were sliced ​​off one by one, and the skulls rolled all over the ground.

The headless corpse began to melt, dissolving the warhorse beneath it as well, turning it into a black puddle.

In each puddle of black liquid, a black token floated.

Scarred hands reached out from below, grasped the token, and then their forms continued to rise upwards.

On the spot, the first, second, third... a total of eight figures appeared.

Their bodies were covered in hideous scars. They picked up the protective gear left behind by the knights and their horses, selectively putting it on themselves, and then picked up the knight heads that had been left behind.

The head, which had been cut off earlier, did not melt along with the skull, but it was quickly weathered into a flat skull. They stuck this skull to their writhing, festering faces, as if they were wearing a mask.

The eight masked men moved forward together, sensing each other's energy, and finally stopped circling around and went upstairs.

Tan Wenbin usually enjoys studying and pondering things like formations. Even if there are formulas to copy as answers, those with a foundation can copy them faster.

Therefore, Tan Wenbin was the first to step forward.

As soon as I came out, I saw eight masked men lined up in front of me.

Tan Wenbin: "..."

After a brief moment of surprise, Tan Wenbin waved his hand and said:
"Sorry, I went to the wrong place."

After speaking, Tan Wenbin took a step back and re-entered the game.

The next one to step forward is Lin Shuyou.

As soon as Ayou came out, he saw eight masked men standing in front of him. Without saying a word, he took out his double maces, stepped forward, and shouted:
"Evil spirits, only kill, never save!"

Ah You went straight for it!

Next, Runsheng came out.

As soon as he came out, he saw a group of masked men beating Ah You.

Runsheng raised the Yellow River shovel, opened the valve, and charged forward.

Tan Wenbin, who was the first to finish answering the questions, didn't rush to hand in his paper but checked it again before coming out.

Seeing that a fight had already broken out, Tan Wenbin flicked his hand, and a rusty sword appeared in his grasp:

"Listen to my command! Runsheng, front row! Ayou and I will guard Runsheng's flanks!"

……

Li Zhuiyuan: "Now, may I ask my question?"

Chen Zunfeng swirled the teacup in his hand and nodded: "Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Why did you go to that tomb?"

Chen Zunfeng: "Because I want to prove that I am right. That ancient tomb was built by a Goguryeo celestial master. It is said that it is the place closest to the will of Heaven."

Whenever evil spirits are born or chaos descends upon the martial world, a person emerges from that tomb, either to kill and eliminate them or to capture them and suppress them.

"That tomb, was it once the domain of a powerful force?"

"That's right, it has successors. Each generation of its successors is born in response to the times and rises in response to the calamity."

Li Zhuiyuan felt that this description sounded somewhat familiar.

Isn't the Chen family of Qiongya in this ecological niche today?
Chen Xiyuan is a darling of heaven, blessed with good fortune; this is perfectly exemplified in her.

When evil and treacherous figures appear in this world, the Chen family will also produce a genius who will travel the river with a lamp.

"Does it still have a successor?"

"Its legacy ended with the fall of Goguryeo."

"stop?"

"Its last successor has never been replaced and has survived to this day, which is what I was talking about to you, the one that is it."

It has been watching you all along. The fact that you were able to find me is because it was guided by something mysterious.

It will not let go of those of us who escaped. No, we didn't actually escape; we were released by it.

Those three fools thought their efforts had finally paid off, and that their perseverance had finally paid off.

But I've always known that we were just bait it deliberately released to hook us and fish.

Beneath that ancient tomb, countless beings far more powerful and ferocious than the four of us were once suppressed. The others have all perished over time, but we have managed to survive.

I don't think it's because we were lucky or more resilient; I think it's because the four of us were the most suitable, which is why it left us in the fishpond to be kept alive.

Li Zhuiyuan: "So, the first time you cast your line, you caught Wei Zhengdao?"

Chen Zunfeng: "That's right, he told me this while he was drinking. I asked him why he came here, and he said that it cast out the bait, he caught it, took the bait, and came here."

Therefore, when we managed to escape this time, I suspected that it was casting a second cast.

I thought I would see him again.

As it turns out, it was you who found me.

You are not him, but you must have a very close relationship with him.

You may not even know it yourself, but your ancestor's surname was Wei, and you have his blood flowing through your veins.

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent; he had no interest in arguing with Chen Zunfeng about bloodline theory.

Chen Zunfeng took another sip of wine, as if he were eating a piece of jelly.

“You’ve taken the bait. I smelled your cellmate’s scent on the henchman you were talking to during the day.”

You ate the bait it threw at you.

You will be drawn to it, step by step, towards that ancient tomb, until you stand before it.

It is surely sitting on that throne now, quietly awaiting your arrival.

It's not on the throne now; it's right here in this building, right next door to you.

This time, it offered itself as bait.

If Chen Zunfeng knew this, he would definitely realize that he was still part of "its" plan.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "What is the bait on you? What can I get from you?"

Chen Zunfeng: "You can't get anything from me. It uses me as bait, but as bait, I can also break free from the hook on my own."

Li Zhuiyuan: "So, did you manage to break free?"

Chen Zunfeng: "Yes, I've broken free."

He tilted his head back, scraped his fingertips in the teacup, and swallowed the last bit of syrup. He even sucked on his finger.

He finished the glass of wine.

"Now, I'm going to the room where my younger siblings used to live, to reminisce about those days, and then I'll go to another place, you know where I'll go."

"Qiongya".

"That's right, I want to go home, to the Dragon King's palace, hahaha, once I'm back there, it won't be able to interfere with me anymore, it will be helpless against me!"

"I do not think so."

Even though the old master of the Chen family had tried to kill him, Li Zhuiyuan still didn't believe that the Dragon King Chen would stoop to such a low level.

Even if Old Master Chen really went mad, there are still three Dragon King spirits in the Chen family ancestral hall.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't believe that the Dragon King Chen family would really take in and protect such an evil ancestor.

Chen Zunfeng: "You don't understand the Chen family."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You don't understand the Dragon King."

Chen Zunfeng shook his head indifferently: "How about we make a bet?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "What are we betting on?"

Chen Zunfeng: "If I prove that the Chen family will accept me, then you can't go to that ancient tomb."

Li Zhuiyuan: "This bet seems unfair to me."

Chen Zunfeng: "Do you really think you can make it?"

The teacup in his hand was dropped and shattered with a crash.

Chen Zunfeng left the main hall and headed towards the back courtyard.

Li Zhuiyuan followed.

The rear courtyard has two rooms, one on the left and one on the right, separated by the central courtyard.

The right side has collapsed completely; that must have been where Chen Zunfeng once lived.

He is now walking towards the house next door that is still well-preserved, and he pushes open the door.

In an instant, Li Zhuiyuan felt a bone-chilling cold.

The array formation inside this bedroom is so elaborate that it surpasses the entire barrier and the house itself. It's as if all the structures here are merely there to complement the existence of this room.

There is a screen wall at the entrance of the room.

The purpose here is not to block the view or increase the depth, but to divide the bedroom in two.

Chen Zunfeng's younger brother and sister should have lived in this bedroom.

"I'm sorry, I broke my promise and made you wait here for so long. You must be very upset with me."

Chen Zunfeng walked towards the south room while sighing with emotion.

His pace was not slow, as if he were immersed in emotions or reminiscing about someone while looking at objects.

He went straight to the bedside.

Li Zhuiyuan also came in.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan saw a boy about his age lying on the bed.

The boy had a handsome face and lay there peacefully and serenely.

He is dead, long, long ago.

The bed contained an extremely sophisticated array that continuously released cold air to prevent the boy's body from decaying.

Chen Zunfeng sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes gentle, and reached out to gently stroke the boy's face.

"Brother, I'm back! Open your eyes and look at your brother!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Do you really wish he could open his eyes and look at you right now?"

Chen Zunfeng: "Of course, he will wake up, he will."

Although Li Zhuiyuan didn't go to the north room, it was just as cold as this room, indicating that there was a girl's corpse lying on the bed in the north room.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You left here and went to that ancient tomb, where you personally killed your younger brother and sister."

Chen Zunfeng did not refute, but said, "You don't know how excellent my younger brother and sister's bloodline is. They even surpass me."

It would be such a waste to let such a bloodline go to waste and fade away in the long river of time.

Sigh, I never imagined that I would be suppressed in that godforsaken place for so long, but thankfully, I had taken precautions long ago, and my younger brothers and sisters were all very well-behaved and obedient, waiting at home for their older brother to come back.

They're so well-behaved, aren't they?

Li Zhuiyuan: "You truly deserve to be called a traitor to the Chen family."

Chen Zun lowered his head, and the aura of the sea of ​​clouds emanated from the old woman's eyes.

The boy's corpse on the bed opened its eyes, and the sea of ​​clouds filled its eye sockets.

He is possessing his younger brother.

This is why he didn't return to Qiongya immediately, but came here instead, and it's also the reason why he's so stubborn about staying here for so long, just to reopen his former home.

"Hehehe... Tell me, when I return to the Chen family with my experience and knowledge, along with my younger brother's young and outstanding talent and bloodline, do you think the Chen family will not accept me, a family genius who has been living away from home?"

As Chen Zunfeng continued his possession, he slowly turned his head to face Li Zhuiyuan, who was standing below him:

"As for you, as the fish it wants to catch, I will not let you go to that ancient tomb, and I will not let it see you."

Now, you have two choices.

Alternatively, come back to the Chen family in Qiongya with me and enjoy a lifetime of luxury while imprisoned.

"Either die here!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Which one do you think I would choose?"

Chen Zunfeng: "You will choose to die here."

The expression on Li Zhuiyuan's face confirmed this.

Actually, Li Zhuiyuan really wanted to know why he went to the Goguryeo tomb at all costs.

The Chen Zunfeng before him knew, the Book Without Words knew, but... the boy himself did not know.

You at least have to tell me what Wei Zhengdao left there, only then will you be able to somewhat arouse your desire to go to that ancient tomb.

Now it seems that just because Wei Zhengdao once served time in prison there, one must go and pay respects.

“You have his blood in you, and when I interact with you, I can see his shadow in you.”

Then you and he must both have the same problem that needs to be solved.

Therefore, you will inevitably go to that ancient burial site.

Because when we were drinking together, he told me why he had to come here.

You're just like him...

Li Zhuiyuan calmed his mind and prepared to listen to the answer. This was not only Chen Zunfeng's understanding, but also "its" understanding.

In its eyes, once it learns of this "purpose," it will inevitably embark on the journey to the Goguryeo tombs without hesitation.

"Pfft!"

The old woman swayed and fell down.

The second half of the sentence was spoken by the boy who died in bed:
"You and he are the same; your souls should be pure and transparent, without any flaws, but you are both troubled by the erosion and pollution of yourselves by human emotions, regarding human emotions as inner demons that you must get rid of."

Only by going to that ancient burial site

Only then can you successfully and completely tear off this human skin that you find disgusting and repulsive!

Li Zhuiyuan: "..."

(End of this chapter)