Chapter 144: Winter Curse [PART 4]
Li Yao pushed open the massive doors, stepping into the tomb’s inner chamber. Behind her lay the carnage of her journey—thousands of monster corpses scattered across the stone floor. She moved cautiously through the entrance, her keen senses immediately noting the stark contrast between this chamber and the monster-infested corridors she had fought through.
The chamber stretched before her, surprisingly devoid of threats. Despite the dim lighting, her enhanced cultivation allowed her to clearly see every detail of the space.
[This place appears to be the main area of the tomb, so it’s understandable that it was well secured,] the Empress spoke.
Li Yao’s brow furrowed in thought. "The eastern continent isn’t all that rich in spiritual energy. How could it have produced a Tribulation realm expert?"
[They came here after reaching the Tribulation stage,] the Empress replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh, that makes sense," Li Yao nodded.
The Empress continued. [Jokes aside, it probably wasn’t always like this. This mortal world doesn’t seem like a low-level one, so it should support up to the Tribulation realm. If it can support up to the Tribulation realm, it should be able to apply globally, not just some continents.]
Li Yao’s eyes narrowed with sudden insight. "Are you saying someone is interfering?"
The Empress fell momentarily silent, genuinely surprised by this deduction. Her host often seemed simple-minded, yet occasionally displayed these flashes of unexpected intelligence. [Well, who knows,] she deflected.
Li Yao pouted, frustration evident on her face. Why couldn’t the Empress just speak like a normal person? Always so pretentious with her vague hints and half-answers.
As these thoughts swirled through her mind, Li Yao entered a broader section of the tomb—not quite an open clearing, but a more spacious hall. Unlike the previous chambers, this one was illuminated, revealing at its center a small pavilion-like structure sheltering an ornate coffin. Even to the most casual observer, it was clear they had reached the final resting place of the ancient expert.
[Be careful,] the Empress cautioned, her tone suddenly serious.
Li Yao withdrew her sword, her muscles tensing as she prepared to strike at any threat. She advanced slowly, her footsteps deliberate, ready to respond to any surprise.
"Little girl, no need to be so wary. There is no one else here," a voice echoed from the coffin—elderly but unmistakably masculine.
Li Yao showed no surprise, as if she had anticipated this development. "What about you?" she challenged.
A chuckle resonated through the chamber. "Hahaha, well, I guess there is someone," the voice conceded.
"So you were lying before?" Li Yao pressed, her expression unchanged.
The voice fell silent for a beat, clearly taken aback. What was wrong with this girl? Shouldn’t she be showing reverence, perhaps requesting treasures or knowledge? Why was she nitpicking his words with such literal-mindedness?
"Actually, I’m just a remnant soul, so I can’t really be considered as ’someone,’" the voice explained with forced patience.
"So you lied again just now," Li Yao observed flatly.
Another pause followed her words. Even the Empress couldn’t suppress a deep sigh at Li Yao’s words.
"Hahaha, no need to pay too much attention to the details. I was just flattered that someone referred to me as ’someone,’" the voice said with strained joviality. Recognizing this conversation was leading nowhere productive, he swiftly changed tactics. "Little girl, I see that you’ve reached the Golden Core realm at such a young age. You have great talent..."
Before he could continue his flattery, Li Yao cut him off bluntly: "I know that."
The tomb’s atmosphere chilled perceptibly as the remnant soul’s patience finally shattered.
"That’s it! I’m done playing! Give me your body!" the voice roared with undisguised fury. The coffin lid suddenly flew open, and a translucent, spectral figure lunged toward Li Yao.
Ready for the attack, Li Yao swung her sword with perfect precision—only to watch in shock as the blade passed harmlessly through the ghostly entity.
"What?" she exclaimed, genuine surprise crossing her features for the first time.
"Hahaha, physical attacks don’t work on me," the soul gloated, drawing closer. "Although your body is quite small for my liking, it’ll have to do for now." With those words, the ghostly figure crashed into Li Yao’s form, seemingly disappearing within her...
...
"Eh?"
Xiang Yu’s found himself completely immobilized within the massive ice cube. The crystalline prison had formed so suddenly around him that his mind still struggled to process what had happened.
He recalled hearing Xiuying’s voice behind him just before everything solidified. The pieces clicked into place—her Winter Curse Saint Body combined with her "Cursed" status must have triggered something when she touched him.
Had the curse transferred to him?
He was very frustrated at the outcome. How could his luck be so consistently terrible? Just when things had been going smoothly, this bizarre calamity struck.
Despite his predicament, Xiang Yu forced himself to remain calm. The fact that his mind still functioned clearly suggested the situation wasn’t completely hopeless. He mentally reviewed his options, considering the Yin-Yang Harmony divine ability as his most promising escape route. By inverting the overwhelming yin energy of the ice, he might be able to break out.
Yet as he prepared to activate this power, something unexpected caught his attention. He felt a flow of energy through the ice into his body. His Chaos Body and Transcendent Dao Physique, both with the ability to refine various energy types, had begun automatically processing the concentrated yin energy surrounding him.
The sensation was unlike anything he had previously experienced. This wasn’t merely spiritual energy—it was yin power in its purest, most concentrated form. Each molecule of ice contained energy so dense it would normally take months of meditation to accumulate an equivalent amount.
After brief deliberation, Xiang Yu decided against using his divine ability immediately. Why waste such a perfect cultivation opportunity? The ice represented free, concentrated energy being delivered directly to him. Besides, employing the Yin-Yang Harmony carried its own risks. The yin energy encasing him was so overwhelming that attempting to reverse it might deplete his reserves entirely. If he lost consciousness while still trapped, his situation would become truly dire.
A more prudent approach would be to absorb the energy first, lowering the yin energy concentration until it reached a critical threshold. At that point, he could activate his divine ability with greater confidence, freeing himself before his master and martial aunt grew too concerned.
...
Author’s Corner:
Ik y’all were about to murder me if I switched the pov for another two Chapters