Chapter 126: Entering the Tomb

The dissipation of the malevolent, sinister energy from the tomb of the first-rank martial artist, Shen Zhenxing, was news that reached not only Su Yang, but every fifth-rank martial artist in Yanggu County.

News had firmly reached Hulao County, Bailiu County, and Heiyan County. Any martial artist coveting the treasures of Shen Zhenxing's tomb flocked to the site, hoping to seize the opportunity for themselves.

The demons near Jilong Mountain also began to stir. Even the bald-tailed pig demon, who had once rampaged through Yanggu County, arrived. Since the malevolent energy would not fully dissipate for another two hours, it went off to patronize the white-furred rabbit demon's business. Business for the white-furred rabbit demon had been exceptionally good lately.

By the time Su Yang arrived, the tomb entrance was already swarming with demons and human martial artists. Su Yang had disguised himself slightly to avoid revealing his true face, a precaution taken by many of the humans present.

"Get lost."

A tiger demon, its face full of displeasure, swung a sharp claw at a wolf demon in front of it. In an instant, the wolf was disemboweled, its intestines and organs spilling out as the air grew thick with the smell of blood. The surrounding wolf demons bared their fangs in resentment, but upon seeing it was a tiger demon, they shrank back, not daring to engage in a direct confrontation.

This tiger demon was a fourth-rank wild demon. It was likely the same one that had set its eyes on Jingxin. Clad in garments made from thick bear hide over its striped, muscular frame, the black bear demon who had worn that hide must have been a formidable wild beast in its own right. With a human body and a tiger’s head, its face was a mix of man and beast, clearly defined human features buried under thick tiger fur. It was a terrifying, bloodthirsty creature, reeking of carnage. Wherever it went, the other demons scattered, not even daring to meet its gaze. Most of those present were of the sixth or fifth rank; seventh-rankers naturally dared not show their faces. Facing a fourth-rank tiger demon, they were filled with trepidation, fearing to provoke it.

The tiger demon claimed the spot closest to the tomb entrance.

"As expected, this tiger demon came too."
"I heard that two days ago, it had its eye on a nun in a local convent. When it went to demand her, it found the convent empty—the nuns had all disappeared, seemingly having gone to Yanggu County. The tiger demon has been in a foul mood since, and any demon or human it encountered nearby met a miserable end."
"Hiss... we had better be careful. We must not provoke this tiger demon."

The surrounding demons and martial artists moved slightly further away, their eyes filled with panic.

An hour later, a sedan chair arrived from the distance. A man in a dark green robe stepped out. He possessed an inherent, imposing authority, with a thick black beard and a weathered, murderous face that made him look like a god of war. On his back hung a pitch-black staff that emitted a metallic sheen. His qi and blood surged like a pump—he was the magistrate of Hulao County, also a fourth-rank martial artist. Upon arrival, he, like the tiger demon, chose a position closest to the tomb entrance.

"Move aside! Clear the way!"

A shrill, piercing voice rang out. A massive procession appeared in the distance, where human-bodied, snake-headed demons carried a wooden platform. The scales on their bodies emitted an eerie green glow. Sitting cross-legged on the platform was a creature of deep, ghostly green—a python demon, also a fourth-rank wild demon. It flicked its forked tongue, its cold, mung-bean-sized eyes scanning the surrounding demons, who all averted their gaze, not daring to look back.

As it passed a female wild dog demon, the python's tail lashed out and coiled around her. Before the creature could even beg for mercy, the python demon tightened its grip, crushing the female dog into a pulp of flesh. Her head was launched into the air, falling perfectly into the python demon’s gaping maw. The giant snake seemed to only care for eating heads; after releasing its coil, it swept its tail, dumping the mangled, flesh-covered carcass onto the ground like trash.

Its cold, serpentine eyes continued to sweep across the martial artists and demons, eventually landing on Su Yang. The snake tail lashed out toward him, intending to ensnare him. Following that, its steel-like body would constrict, crushing anyone regardless of their capability.

Seeing the tail closing in, Su Yang frowned. He dodged backward with incredible speed, narrowly avoiding the python demon's tail. The surrounding martial artists and demons were astonished. They had not expected this martial artist to be so capable, dodging the strike with such ease. Surely he must be a fifth-rank martial artist, though his masked identity remained a mystery.

"Heh heh heh, interesting... interesting!"

The python demon did not pursue the matter further, but it had already committed Su Yang’s scent to memory. It took up a prime position at the front, waiting for the malevolent energy to dissipate completely.

In Yanggu County, Magistrate Ma had not come, nor had the Zhao family. However, the fifth-rank martial artists from the Chen, Wei, and Lin families had all arrived. They made no attempt to disguise themselves; if they were to act, they would be recognized anyway, so they saw no point in the wasted effort.

"Little kitty, I didn't expect you to arrive so early," the python demon said, looking at the tiger demon with malicious intent.
"Little loach, once we enter the tomb, I’ll make you my side dish," the tiger demon replied, its voice filled with irritable rage.

Qiu Tieying, like Magistrate Ma, was a newly appointed magistrate who was unfamiliar with the local power structure and did not know these two demons, so he remained silent.

Shen Zhenxing's tomb was situated between cliffs. A landslide had caused the high, smooth rock face to collapse, revealing a door of blue stone. Now, the door stood open, and streams of black, icy-cold, and malevolent energy poured out. No one knew exactly what this black fog was, only that the first few martial artists and demons who ventured inside had scrambled out shortly after, driven to madness and stripped of their sanity.

On the side of the cliff, the characters "Tomb of Shen Zhenxing" were inscribed. Although the late senior Shen had been gone for a long time, his reputation remained formidable in this region. After all, a first-rank martial artist was a major figure, even in the provincial capital. Wherever the black energy touched, the grass withered.

Finally, the malevolent energy within the tomb dissipated completely. The tiger demon, the snake demon, and the Hulao County magistrate were the first to charge in. Following them were the fifth-rank martial artists from the various counties and the local fifth-rank wild demons, with sixth-rankers following behind. Seventh-rankers naturally dared not enter.

Su Yang entered alone, not bringing any subordinates. In this place, even a sixth-ranker would likely struggle to protect themselves.

After passing through the blue stone gate, they were met with total darkness. Everyone had to navigate by feel.

"Heh heh heh!"

Suddenly, a shrill, mournful sound erupted in front of them, shocking everyone and making their hair stand on end.

"Heh heh heh!" "Heh heh heh!"

The piercing, cold sounds echoed repeatedly, sharp and ghostly. In this world, where there were martial artists and demons, there were naturally evil spirits. However, the conditions for their formation were harsh, so their numbers were few. Yet, judging by the sounds in this cave, there were many of them—though their strength was unknown.

"Heh heh heh, little tiger demon, give up your life!"

A tattered, ragged spirit, shrouded in dense yin energy, drifted toward the tiger demon. Its sharp, purplish-blue claws struck with great force—it was a fifth-rank evil spirit.

"Boom!"

The tiger demon’s aura surged as it threw a punch, instantly shattering the spirit’s body. It flew backward like a cannonball, slamming into the ground, its soul-form flickering unsteadily. Immediately after, another spirit rushed toward the tiger demon, followed by a continuous stream of white shadows—there was no telling how many spirits were inside this tomb.

In an instant, the interior of the tomb dissolved into a chaotic slaughter.

Su Yang hid in a corner, battling a sixth-rank evil spirit. He fell into a disadvantage from time to time, but no other spirits came to bother him. Sometimes, it was better to keep a low profile; who knew what might happen next?

Lin Lang’s long saber danced like a whirlwind, making it difficult for the surrounding spirits to get near him; his combat prowess was terrifying. As for the heads of the Chen and Wei families, their fighting styles were standard, but as fifth-rank martial artists, they had no trouble ensuring their own survival. Only the sixth-rank martial artists suffered injuries or fell in the fray.

"Whoosh!"

As a spirit nearby dissipated, a strange force emanated from Su Yang’s body. The dissipating soul fragments flowed directly into him. Su Yang could clearly feel them entering his status panel. The surrounding martial artists and demons showed no surprise, indicating that this phenomenon was likely only visible to him.

His opponent was only a sixth-rank spirit, and Su Yang handled it with ease, taking the opportunity to open his panel.

Name: Su Yang (Quasi-Immortal)
Incense Value: 206
Humanity Merit: 102
Soul Fragments: 0.3
Realm: Fourth Rank
Cultivation Arts: [Incense Department], [Qi-Gazing Technique], [Seventh-Rank Mind-Control Insect], [Root-Testing Technique]
Martial Manuals: [Savage Bull Longfist+], [Fire Dragon Overlord Triple Spear+]
Files: [Sacred Book of Gynecology+]
Lifespan: 959+
Family Offspring: 8
Daily Tip: Soul fragments are the primary material for condensing an Incense Body.

Indeed, a new change had appeared on the panel. The daily tip provided the answer he needed: the purpose of soul fragments. They could be used, along with incense and other materials, to condense an "Incense Body" for ordinary people or martial artists, turning them into Incense Deities. As long as the offerings continued, they could achieve immortality like Su Yang, becoming his subordinate deities under his command.

He was overjoyed. He had not expected such a harvest from this trip.

From then on, Su Yang began to slack off, roaming the battlefield. Whenever he saw an evil spirit dissipate, he would immediately move closer, allowing his panel to automatically absorb the soul power. However, he was puzzled—sometimes, when a spirit dissipated, the panel failed to absorb any fragments. In most cases, it didn't absorb anything at all.

How strange. Why would this happen? Could the panel be a picky eater?