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墨書 Inktalez
Gravekeeper
Seeing that arm, I was truly terrified. What was going on? How could an arm be reaching out from this ancient site?
I swallowed hard, and at that moment, Zhou Ping and Zhou Dafu also noticed it. Both of them looked at the arm in horror.
Fortunately, we were all wearing gas masks; otherwise, Zhou Ping would have likely screamed.
I felt confused and scared, but amidst the fear, there was a hint of anticipation. I knew these people had been my kin in life, and I didn't believe they would harm me. So, I decided to go in.
"Let's go," I signaled to Zhou Dafu and Zhou Ping.
"Are you crazy?" Zhou Dafu shouted through his gas mask, his voice muffled. "Don't go in there! That's a corpse! Look at that arm!"
The arm reaching out from the window was still waving at us, beckoning us to enter.
"It's fine; they mean no harm," I reassured them.
Zhou Ping clutched my shirt, afraid that I might actually step inside.
At that moment, the surrounding black mist thickened. Within the darkness, it seemed as if countless armored soldiers were charging toward us.
Suddenly, distant screams echoed—Li Chao and his companions.
I realized we were in trouble; if we stayed outside any longer, we might be killed too. If that happened, it would be the end for us.
I quickly grabbed Zhou Ping and Zhou Dafu and pulled them toward the house.
As we circled around the round building, we reached the entrance. The door was already half open. I hurriedly ushered them inside and closed the door behind us.
In the room, a bony figure sat at the table, its hollow eyes staring at us.
Zhou Ping had been hiding behind her father, while Zhou Dafu was visibly agitated. He looked at the figure in front of him and nearly fell to his knees. Trembling, he said, "You... you are still alive? Ah! You really are from the Divine Clan!"
The Corpse did not speak, merely fixating its gaze on me. Of course, it had no eyes, so I couldn't tell if it could see.
A chilling wind howled outside, carrying with it the sounds of many Soldiers and Horses rushing past.
I swallowed hard and stepped closer to the Corpse. "Um... hello," I said.
The Corpse ignored me, remaining seated in a natural posture.
I moved closer and waved my hand in front of the Corpse's face, but it did not budge or react.
I slowly reached out to touch the Corpse, yet there was still no response.
I felt a bit puzzled.
At that moment, Zhou Dafu approached as well. After examining it closely, he remarked, "It seems... it seems to have no consciousness. It's a living dead."
I nodded in agreement.
Outside, darkness had already enveloped everything. Our doors and windows were tightly shut; the windows were covered with animal hides instead of glass, so we couldn't see what was happening outside.
After waiting for a few minutes, the sounds of battle gradually faded until almost nothing could be heard.
The Corpse sitting there remained completely still.
I walked to the door and quietly opened it. The black mist outside had dissipated. I shone my flashlight outside and confirmed that there was indeed nothing unusual.
I opened the door and said, "It seems safe now. Let's go out and take a look."
Zhou Ping immediately agreed, probably thinking that living with a moving Corpse was the most terrifying thing.
We stepped outside, shining the flashlight ahead. On the ground lay four people in a row; as I approached, I realized they were Li Chao and his companions.
The four of them had completely turned into Corpses, lying on the ground with the Bronze Tripod they once held now vanished.
"We... we should leave quickly!" Zhou Ping exclaimed. "It's too dangerous; we need to get out of here."
I glanced back at the Witch Tower, watching the woman dancing atop it, feeling a twinge of sadness in my heart.
"Let's go," Zhou Dafu urged, pulling me along.
The three of us headed back down the path we had come from. Suddenly, from the ground, a massive black snake burst forth, as if it had emerged directly from the earth. It was a gigantic Python, grotesque in appearance, with a triangular head that spread out like a human face.
The giant snake flicked its tongue, and clusters of black mist swirled around its dark body.
"Ah!" Zhou Ping screamed and pulled us back.
The giant snake fixed its gaze on us, its eyes seemingly burning with flames.
"Hiss..."
The snake flicked its tongue again and lunged toward me. Its size was overwhelming, like a black chimney swirling with dark smoke as it charged at me.
" Song Fei!" Zhou Dafu shouted.
I wanted to resist, but I simply couldn't escape. The Black Serpent was enormous and moved with an unsettling speed, suddenly lunging toward my face.
At that moment, I felt a sudden heat in my chest, and the Cosmic Pendant flew out from it.
The Cosmic Pendant radiated a sphere of black and gold light.
The giant serpent abruptly halted, bowing down before the black and gold light. As the light grew brighter and more intense, the entire ruins of the Witch's Abandoned Ancient City were enveloped in its glow.
In the distance, the Witch Tower flickered momentarily before a massive burst of black and gold light erupted forth.
I stared blankly at the spectacle.
From within the light emerged numerous Soldiers and Horses, clad in azure armor with gleaming weapons. They rode on magnificent steeds, galloping through the desert.
A woman appeared.
She wore colorful garments and had a stern expression. In front of her stood a handsome middle-aged man, his features striking and exuding an aura of heroism. He was dressed in Azure Armor, with a golden dragon weaving through the plates.
"We have been married for three years; is this all you have given me?" The woman looked at the man, her voice filled with endless sorrow.
The man's expression remained unchanged as he gazed at her. "Qingyun, I'm sorry."
The sound of hooves echoed continuously as the soldiers raised their chilling long swords, striking toward the figures ahead.
"Dad, don't kill my dad."
"Why do you want to kill us?"
"Chief, what happened?"
The sounds of crying and shouting mingled together.
Qingyun's face showed a look of pain. "Jifa, stop killing them. They are all innocent; they are just ordinary members of the Witch Clan."
The man's expression remained unchanged as he gazed at the distant mountains, extending his arm to point far away. "This mountain, this land, this sky belongs to me! Qingyun, do you see? The Shang King is unworthy; under his slaughter, how can he sit securely on my Yan Huang territory? What he relies on is nothing but his royal authority, granted by divine right. But what gives the Gods above the right to dictate the fate of my Descendants of Yan and Huang? We do not want bloody rule; we do not want divine power. What we seek is a clear and just world!"
Tears streamed down the woman's cheeks. "So you deceived me. For three years as husband and wife, all your kindness and promises were mere empty words, just a means to get close to me, to understand the Gods, to find my clan, to locate the Witch Tower, right?"
The man finally lowered his head but soon lifted it again. He looked at her and said, "Yes! Qingyun, I admit it. I used you. I pursued you; I married you because I wanted to find the Witch Tower and the Crystal Sphere. I aim to sever the connection between the Gods and this world. I cannot defeat the Gods, but I can blind them so they can never interfere in human affairs again! You Witch Clan are descendants of the union between humans and Gods; you are their eyes, mouth, and ears in this world. Qingyun, although I deceived you and today intend to slaughter all your kin, I love you. From the moment I saw you, I truly fell in love with you. But Qingyun, I have my responsibilities. The Shang King is unworthy, and I must take his place!"
The sound of hooves and clashing swords accompanied endless cries and angry shouts.
But it was useless; before the massive army and under countless cold blades, no amount of resistance mattered!
Thus, blood stained the yellow sand, turning kin into scattered souls.
In the air, even the gentle breeze carried a thick scent of blood.
In the distance, the Witch Tower began to sway.
A soldier raised a golden sphere high above his head, shouting excitedly, "I got the Crystal Sphere! I got the Crystal Sphere! Now it belongs to our Zhou Dynasty!"
Jifa smiled as well; his golden armor gleamed even brighter.
"Is this what you wanted?" Qingyun turned to look at Jifa, her eyes filled with endless sorrow and regret. The blood-soaked ground and the sight of her fallen kin made it impossible for her to remain calm.
"I'm sorry... but yes," he replied firmly as he turned to face her.
The woman smiled bitterly as she began to dance. Her movements were beautiful yet eerie, graceful yet desolate.
Her enchanting and strange dance was accompanied by her mournful voice: "In your eyes, there is darkness, while in mine, there is only you..."
"I was wrong, but you may not be right either."
Her voice echoed like a haunting melody, intertwining with her dance. In that moment, it felt as if the entire earth began to change color.
Dark clouds rolled in the sky, endless black mist seeping from the ground.
The horses above the desert began to whinny and scream, while the soldiers turned pale and retreated in fear.
The man looked at Qingyun. "Qingyun, what are you planning to do? Do you really want to turn all fifty thousand of my people into ghosts? I know you have that power, but you must stop. This is between us!"
The woman laughed, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as she gazed at him. "At this moment, are you still deceiving me? You poisoned me, didn't you? Right now, you are not afraid of me at all. Jifa, you know I carry your child."
Jifa stood there, a hint of affection and sorrow flickering in his eyes, but it quickly faded away.
"Yes, I administered the poison. The child... I can forsake the child; I can forsake you too. But this time, I cannot forsake myself." His gaze turned fervent.
"In that case, let us part forever." The woman's dance continued as blood flowed from her mouth; soon after, blood began to trickle from her eyes, ears, mouth, and nostrils.
She laughed again, and then with a thunderous crash, the earth suddenly collapsed. All her people were buried beneath the yellow sand and mud. The black mist finally dissipated, and everything became eerily calm.
The woman slowly fell to the ground, behind her lay an enormous pit!
"For the sake of my love for you, I beg you... do not disturb my people's rest." With that, she closed her eyes forever.
"Qingyun!" The man fell to his knees beside her and finally broke down in tears.
"The king, the east wind has arrived. We can launch a fire attack on Zhaoge now," a general approached the man from behind.
The man stood up and picked up the woman. "Give her a grand burial..."
"Yes, my king!" The general bowed. Then he added, "But, my king, she... she is a witch, a messenger of the gods. She..."
The man waved his hand. "Bury her grandly, but let Lady Jiang announce the Yin Yao Formation, just in case."
"Understood..."
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