To break the Hell of Skinning and recombine the tombs in the two realms, the origin of the tombs had to be found. Since the tombs hadn’t been completely separated, there must exist a point where they intersected—where the celestial master tomb originated from.
Once the separation was complete, it would be very difficult for Lu Yun to break the layouts. He would have to summon Xing Chen and simultaneously place his consciousness in both the yin and the yang tombs to even stand a chance of resolving the celestial master tomb.
More importantly, the Hell of Skinning would come into maturity in that case, and its power might very well kill Lu Yun.
……
“I want to stay here, Sect Head!” Yu Hengluo suddenly said with determination.
“Alright.” Lu Yun nodded. “Do as you wish. Senior Wayfarer’s body needs protecting as well.”
He gave Yu Hengluo’s bamboo staff a meaningful look. “But remember,” his tone turned serious, “You mustn’t let the body leave the coffin.”
“Thank you, Sect Head!” Yu Hengluo cheered when Lu Yun granted her request, then quieted down, seemingly remembering something.
“I’m leaving this lantern here. Do not, under any circumstances, move it.” Lu Yun manifested a bronze lantern with a flip of his hand and placed it before the sarcophagus. Within it burned a ball of green Emerald Mistfire, casting light over a circle eighteen meters in radius.
“No matter what happens, you are to stay within the circle of light and ensure that the lantern shines on the sarcophagus, understood?” Lu Yun’s tone made clear the gravity of the situation.
Yu Hengluo couldn’t help but tremble when she saw his expression and nodded gently.
The bronze lantern was no regular immortal treasure, but an arcane treasure that Lu Yun had created by combining equipment dao and feng shui. Where the light of the lantern reached, a feng shui layout would form to protect Yu Hengluo and the coffin. Moreover, the Emerald Mistfire fueling the lantern was no regular fire. The synergy between the fire and the treasure generated even greater power.
Lu Yun and the Scaled-Dragon King disappeared into the dark with the little nun.
The lantern created a small sanctuary of emerald light. When a gust of chilling wind came howling through the chamber, Yu Hengluo tightened her clothes around herself.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
The wind grew fierce, giving rise to eddies of black mist in the air. Under the force of the breeze, the Emerald Mistfire flickered and Yu Hengluo’s expression tightened.
“Luo’er—” she heard a voice softly call out.
“Master?” Yu Hengluo turned to the sarcophagus with wide eyes, a chill going down her spine.
The skinless corpse with no facial organs slowly sat up, its empty eye sockets staring straight at Yu Hengluo.
“That light is too bright. Put it out.”
Gurgle.
Sticky, wet noises came from the empty eye sockets, and a pair of pupiless eyes appeared to fill the void. Then, a pair of bloody ears grew out of its temples.
Yu Hengluo shuddered, taking an involuntary step back. She jerked her foot back in just before she stepped out of the light of the lantern, recalling what Lu Yun had said before leaving.
“That light is too bright, Luo’er,” repeated Wayfarer’s body. “Put it out.”
Yu Hengluo tightened her grip around the bamboo staff and stayed firmly within the light, her eyes fixed on the corpse that was regaining its vitality.
“Master is here, Luo’er,” said the body. “What are you afraid of?”
It had no lips or tongue, only an empty hole behind its sickly white teeth. But somehow, within the desiccated mouth emerged traces of blood.
“The coffin is too narrow, Luo’er. I am tired. Come and help your master stretch his legs.” It extended an arm, waving at Yu Hengluo.
The Skinning Spike! She noticed the strangely-shaped weapon in the body’s other hand.
Two dots of red slowly dyed the pale eyeballs, resembling pupils. Their unblinking gaze settled on Yu Hengluo, reflecting the crimson figure of a demonic fiend. It was similar to the one that she’d seen in the illusion created by Ghost Deceives God.
Yu Hengluo blanched, covered in cold sweat. It felt as if she’d returned to that realm of nightmare and illusions.
Clink!
The Skinning Spike shot out suddenly, stabbing at Yu Hengluo.
Swoosh!
Emerald Mistfire flared out of the bronze lantern before the coffin, blasting the strange weapon back.
“Grrrrawll!!” The skinless body threw its head back with a howl, radiating scarlet light and threatening to escape the coffin.
Another burst of emerald flame exploded from the lantern. This time, a stunning woman in white emerged from the fire. Her features were as delicate as a painting, and her beauty could topple cities. However, hers was a handsome grace with a powerful presence.
It was Yuying, or someone identical to her.
She wasn’t here in person. Rather, this was a manifestation of the feng shui layout in the bronze lantern. Emerald Mistfire belonged to Yuying, and with the residue of her power, the feng shui layout thus projected as her.
Bam!
‘Yuying’ hit the body with a palm strike, pushing it back into the coffin with the power of the Emerald Mistfire and the feng shui layout.
“It hurts, Luo’er. Help your master!” The body continued speaking, its compelling voice ringing in Yu Hengluo’s head. Gradually, her eyes grew unfocused. She took great strides toward the bronze lantern.
Hum.
Her bamboo staff suddenly surged with emerald light, hitting the corpse in the coffin square in the chest. It grunted, forced back down.
“Old thing—” snarled the body.
“Concentrate your mind and calm your heart, Luo’er,” Wayfarer said calmly through the bamboo staff. “Don’t let it bespell you.”
Yu Hengluo jerked out of her trance and called out with delight, “Master!”
“Quiet.” The green bamboo staff trembled and morphed into a flash of green light, landing on the bronze lantern. The light of the lantern turned into a barrier, firmly isolating the area it shone upon.
Bam!
An explosion rang out as something hit the barrier with great force.