NOVEL WEB Chapter 42 - The Mysterious Master in the Ninth Corridor!
Chapter 42: The Mysterious Master in the Ninth Corridor!
“A map that’s only half complete…”
“There really aren’t many clues on it.”
“It’ll be incredibly difficult to locate.”
After studying the parchment for a while, Yang Yi felt somewhat disheartened. Considering the time that had passed since the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, who could say how much the terrain had shifted? Place names had likely changed beyond recognition. Even with a complete map, locating the tomb would be no simple feat. “What a pity. If only that guy had kept the map on his person.”
“If I’d looted it directly off his body, the critical hit rate might’ve been triggered, and I could’ve gotten the full map.” Yang Yi sighed, still feeling a pang of regret. However, he did not let it bring him down for long. As long as the existence of Chiyou’s tomb had been confirmed, that alone was worth celebrating. Worst case scenario, once the chaos of the late Qin era broke out, he would conquer the realm himself. Then, he could form a dedicated tomb-seeking force to comb the mountains in search of Chiyou’s tomb, Xuanyuan’s burial site, and other such legendary graves. Exhaling deeply, he began to bury the corpses once more. With the pit sealed, the air in the corridor grew noticeably fresher.
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“Let’s go.”
“There are still three corridors left.”
After a simple meal to fill his stomach, Yang Yi stepped out. Seeing the two women waiting patiently for him, he didn’t say much. With a wave of his hand, he led them toward the seventh corridor. Neither Meng Jiangnü nor Qinglian voiced any objections. Yang Yi had provided them with more than enough food. If they grew hungry, they could eat whenever they liked. If they became tired, they could rest. After what they witnessed in the sixth corridor, they finally understood why Yang Yi had been so eager to cleanse the others. So much time had passed—any rations or water the trapped craftsmen had once carried would have long since run dry. Anyone still alive down there likely bore the weight of terrible sins. “Kill!!”
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As they neared the entrance to the seventh corridor, a wave of stench hit Yang Yi’s nostrils, mingled with lingering resentment. Without a second thought, Yang Yi raised his weapon and stepped into the hellish pit that lay beyond. Screams echoed soon after.
Outside the corridor, Meng Jiangnü heard the cries of pain, yet her heart remained steady. In her mind, anyone who had survived this long no longer deserved sympathy. She was grateful that she had encountered Yang Yi when she did. Back then, she had already prepared herself to wait quietly for death.
Death was merciless. In a place of no return, the more one longed to survive, the more despair consumed them. Eventually, the line between humanity and monstrosity would vanish. Qinglian’s face remained pale. She still could not understand what had possessed her to flee into the tomb back then. It was sheer madness. Thankfully, she had stumbled into Yang Yi’s corridor. Thankfully, she had met him. If she had stayed in the Inner Palace, at worst she would have been beaten or starved to death. But in these corridors… the evil lurking there could never be compared to anything human.
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No one knew how much time had passed. Eventually, Yang Yi emerged, his face somber and his aura heavy. “Let’s go,” he said quietly. With a deep breath, he turned to the two women. Thankfully, he had insisted they not follow him inside. What he had witnessed would have broken them. At the very least, it would have robbed them of the ability to eat for days. Even he, hardened as he was, had no desire to recall those memories. And he came from an era of peace.
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“Kill!!”
Without rest, without pause, Yang Yi charged into the eighth corridor. Another gruesome ordeal followed. More corpses, more burial, more silence. Eventually, he walked back out again.
“Whew—” Breathing in the fresh air, Yang Yi felt a wave of relief wash over him. “Two more corridors down, and still no special rewards…” He shook his head, mildly disappointed. Then, he turned his gaze to the final corridor. “Would you like to rest, my lord?” Meng Jiangnü asked gently, sensing his weariness. “No need,” Yang Yi replied with a smile. “Just one corridor left. I’ll finish this quickly, then push straight into the Inner Palace.”
He truly was tired. Digging pits constantly was no easy task. Still, for someone like him, such exhaustion posed no real threat. Soon, they arrived before the ninth corridor. As they approached, Yang Yi let out a long breath. This time, there was no foul stench.
“Hmm? Something’s different about this place.” Meng Jiangnü also noticed the change and tilted her head in curiosity. “Looks like someone special is stationed in this corridor.”
“Maybe that person stopped the tragedies from happening here.”
Yang Yi raised a brow, clearly intrigued. He summoned his war halberd once more. By now, its blade was dull and chipped. It had seen far too much blood. “You two wait outside again.” Out of caution, he instructed them as before, then stepped into the corridor alone.
Moments later, he froze. The corridor was quiet. But the stone floor bore visible signs—raised slabs, uneven terrain. Someone had dug here… and buried something. Based on what he had seen so far, the corpses were likely beneath. There was no trace of craftsmen in the area. No bodies, either. They must’ve all been buried beneath the stone.
“Other than me, who else would dig graves in the corridor?” His curiosity grew stronger. More strangely still, the raised stones showed no signs of tool marks. At least, not the kind that came from a shovel or pickaxe.
“No… this wasn’t dug with tools?”
“Could it have been done with magic?”
“Impossible… right?”
Yang Yi narrowed his eyes. For the first time, his expression grew truly serious. A true master? A hidden expert among the craftsmen? Unbelievable. And yet… they buried the corpses… costing me dearly.
Thinking this, Yang Yi felt a pang in his chest. All those unlooted corpses—lost cultivation time, lost years of life, lost resources. It hurt. But even if he wanted to dig them up again, he couldn’t. Who knew how long they had been buried? He wasn’t about to gamble with death for the sake of loot.