The raging fire on Mount Dayin burned for two full days and nights.
The sounds of fighting, screams, and clashes of weapons inside also lasted for two full days and nights.
It wasn't until dawn on the third day, when a thunderstorm arrived, that the raging fire, which had engulfed an area of more than ten li within the mountain hollow, was finally extinguished. Because the mountains and fields were covered with corpses, the rivers in the hollow were dyed red.
The dense, bloody stench permeated the entire mountain hollow, making one want to vomit.
Countless houses were burned through, ancient pagodas collapsed, and it was almost impossible to find a complete building. Everywhere one looked, there were only ruins and bloodstains.
Yamen runners and soldiers from the garrison were collecting corpses in the rain.
These yamen runners were not the same ones who had surrounded the stronghold, but were newly arrived.
The reason for this was simply that the previous batch of soldiers and yamen runners… had all died.
Not a single one was left.
"How tragic. I've been working in the county yamen for less than half a year, and I took leave recently, so I didn't catch up with the operation. Luckily… so fortunate," a yamen runner said as he used a shovel to dig through the mud bricks of a collapsed house, unearthing a bloody corpse.
The corpse looked as if it had been bitten by dogs, with not a single patch of intact skin left. Only by the tattered clothes could one vaguely identify it as a yamen constable.
Another yamen runner brought a stretcher and urged, "Don't say such things. If Master Wen hears you, you'll be sure to get a beating with a board."
"I misspoke. Master Wen is said to have fought bravely and fiercely, and was seriously injured in the end. Let's go, let's go, quickly carry the body away. After confirming its identity, we need to notify the family and issue a grant. We'll be busy for a while."
Just then, several soldiers in armor walked over, "What are you two dawdling about? Hurry up. The higher-ups have spoken, we need to confirm the identities of all the dead within three days. Get to work."
The two yamen runners nodded in agreement and quickly carried the body away.
The soldiers took out shovels and began to dig up the corpses, unable to help but mutter to themselves.
"It's too tragic. I've been in the military for over ten years, and I've never seen such a tragic battle. More than a thousand elite soldiers from the garrison were all killed. Six centurions were killed, and even the chiliarch was seriously injured, losing an arm, they say."
"That's right… but this time it was a satisfying victory. In the past, our garrison sent troops to the mountains to encircle and suppress the demonic practitioners many times, but they all ended in failure, with countless casualties. Over the past hundred years, how many thousands of soldiers have died here? And such sacrifices were meaningless. This time is different, although there were sacrifices, we wiped out the Corpse Refinement Hall's demonic practitioners. It's truly gratifying."
Such a massive operation resulted in countless casualties, and the aftermath work could not be taken lightly. The dead Demon Suppression Guards, leaders, soldiers, yamen runners… all needed to have their identities verified, their merits determined, grants issued, and their families comforted, and so on.
And some of the remaining forces of Mount Dayin who had fled also needed to be continuously pursued and suppressed.
The one in charge of the aftermath was Chen Tie. Zhao Qing'er and Wei Haoran were in principle responsible for assisting, while Xie Mingfeng, Wen Zaiqing, and Liu Chun were responsible for the specific execution.
However, Zhao Qing'er and Wei Haoran were both rough men, and they were careless and full of loopholes when doing detailed work, so they were sent out early to pursue and suppress the remaining forces. Most of the counting and recording work was still done by Wen Zaiqing.
"Lord Chen, the number of casualties has been roughly compiled," Wen Zaiqing said, handing a roster to Chen Tie. "One hundred and eight yamen runners died, one thousand and twenty-six garrison soldiers died. Of the Demon Suppression Guards from Nanyang Demon Suppression Division… ninety-three died."
Chen Tie had just taken the roster, and before he could open it, his hand trembled slightly, and his face turned pale.
This time, Li Chaosheng had transferred a hundred elite Demon Suppression Guards from the Nanyang Demon Suppression Division to Chen Tie. He brought them to Qingwu County to assist the eldest princess, but as a result… almost all of them died.
It was extremely tragic.
Chen Tie was reluctant to open the roster and look at the familiar names one by one. "Have the identities of the dead been verified?"
Wen Zaiqing, who was covered in bandages, cupped his hands and said, "Most of them have been identified, but the corpses of more than seventy people are completely disfigured and cannot be identified. More than thirty bodies cannot be found."
Chen Tie said, "Then first transport the dead whose identities have been confirmed down the mountain, and issue grants according to the rules, doubling the amount. As for those whose bodies cannot be identified… I will report to the higher-ups for a decision. Also, those whose bodies cannot be found… continue searching."
It was actually easy to deal with those whose bodies could not be identified.
What was difficult to deal with were those whose bodies could not be found. It was possible that the bodies had been dismembered, or eaten by corpse people. It was also possible… that they had deserted.
In any battle, there would be deserters.
This was not a strange thing.
It was just that it might implicate those martyrs who died in battle and whose remains were not found.
"Yes."
Wen Zaiqing cupped his hands and left the tent.
Chen Tie supported his forehead with one hand and rubbed his temples with the other. After regaining some clarity, he left the tent and came to a tent nearby in the rain, cupping his hands, "Chen Tie has important matters to report."
"Enter."
A tired female voice came from inside.
Chen Tie received permission and lifted the curtain to enter. He saw Su Yuqing, wearing a light blue silk dress, sitting behind a desk, writing some important documents. As her arm moved and ink splashed, her hair was a little disheveled.
Chen Tie stopped three meters away from the desk and gave a detailed account of the casualties, finally saying, "Some of the remaining forces fled to the northwest, and I have already sent Zhao Qing'er and Wei Haoran to pursue and suppress them, so there should be no problem. It's just that some of the demonic practitioners continued to flee in the southeast direction, entering the depths of Mount Dayin. This part… I dare not make a decision without authorization."
Su Yuqing's hand, which was wielding the brush, suddenly stopped, "The demonic practitioners who entered the depths of Mount Dayin in the southeast… how many are there?"
"More than forty crystal corpses. We didn't have enough manpower at the time, so we couldn't block them."
Su Yuqing frowned for a long time, "Since this remnant of demonic practitioners has entered the depths of Mount Dayin, then let it be. Are there any other demonic practitioners who have escaped?"
Hearing Su Yuqing say to let it be, Chen Tie breathed a sigh of relief, "No."
"Hmm."
Su Yuqing nodded, "Have Yuhe and Xie An been found?"
Chen Tie shook his head, "I have already ordered people to search every inch of the ground, but they have not been found yet. Your Highness, rest assured, I have already dispatched manpower, and the spirit hounds will arrive soon. We will definitely be able to find them."
Su Yuqing said seriously, "This time, Xie An deserves the greatest credit for exterminating the Corpse Refinement Hall, and Yuhe is second. Nothing must happen to these two people!"
If others heard this, they would inevitably be shocked, or feel unhappy. After all, everyone fought desperately, with heavy casualties. But the greatest credit goes to someone else…
However, Chen Tie knew that Su Yuqing's words were true.
"Your Highness, rest assured, as soon as the spirit hounds arrive, I will personally lead them to search the mountain," Chen Tie cupped his hands and then left the tent.
As soon as Chen Tie left, Su Yuqing began to cough violently. When she raised her handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth, a few spots of scarlet could be seen on the light blue handkerchief. The exhaustion on her face was even more intense, and her face was even more sickly pale.
"Yuhe, Xie An…"
"And that old thing… why hasn't he been dug out either? Could it be that he's not in the Corpse Refinement Hall?"
…
It was said that when Xie An pulled Yuhe and rushed into the secret door tunnel, he had only walked a few steps when he felt a bone-chilling cold aura sweeping over his body.
Xie An looked back and saw seventy or eighty crystal corpses gathered outside the secret door, not daring to enter, only caring about making hoarse roars.
"Damn thieves, come out quickly."
"If you disturb the rest of the Holy Lord, you will not have a good death."
"Come out, we can let you go."
"Let you go, isn't that okay? Come out quickly!"
Hearing the crystal corpses say such things, Xie An was shocked.
In order not to disturb some Holy Lord, they are willing to take the initiative to let themselves go?
But Xie An was not a reckless fool, so naturally he would not choose to believe the crystal corpses. Once he ran out, then his life and death would really be handed over to the crystal corpses. How could the crystal corpses let him go?
Yuhe was obviously stunned by the words of the crystal corpses, but Xie An grabbed her hand tightly and continued to walk down the steps, "Don't believe them, let's go."
Yuhe then recovered and gave a heavy "Hmm" and followed Xie An forward.
Behind them came the crazy rage of the crystal corpses, but none dared to come down. Then, the crystal corpses frantically smashed the ancestral hall, and soon shook the beams, and the entire ancestral hall collapsed with a bang…
Boom!
A large amount of dust rushed in along the secret door, and even the passage at the entrance collapsed, with countless rubble falling. Xie An and Yuhe immediately ran forward wildly, and only after passing five or six corners did they escape.
Even so, the two of them were splashed with dust. Some of the original light was also completely dimmed.
The huge noise made Yuhe's heart jump wildly, "Master, the exit has collapsed, and judging from the distance of the collapse, it's probably more than a hundred meters…"
If the blockage isn't too far, Xie An and Yu He can still send out distress signals.
But blocked for a hundred meters, there's no way to transmit any message.
Xie An comforted her, "This isn't entirely a bad thing either, at least we don't have to worry about the crystal corpses going crazy and rushing in. Do you have a fire starter?"
"I do."
Yu He took out a fire starter and blew it alight, using the faint light to illuminate the surroundings.
Xie An exerted his eyesight to look around.
This is a very narrow passage, with only a single staircase winding downwards. The sides are damp stone walls, but the steps on the ground are cut very smoothly.
"Bring the fire starter over here."
Xie An squatted on the ground to examine it. Yu He didn't understand why, but she still squatted down and moved the fire starter in front of Xie An. "Master, what are you looking at?"
Xie An reached out to touch the dust on the ground. "Look at the dust on the ground, there are footprints. Looking at the direction of the footprints, someone has gone down before."
After Yu He looked closely, she said, "It really is. Looking at these footprints, it seems like three people have been here. One is of an adult woman, like embroidered shoes. One is of a child… also a woman's shoe print…"
Halfway through her sentence, Yu He suddenly thought of something and was shocked, "These two footprints… are the Great Priestess's."
Xie An was stunned, "The Great Priestess?"
Yu He said, "Yes. The Great Priestess used to be a hunched-over old woman, wearing embroidered shoes. Later, she cultivated the Bright Jade Skill with Li Changchun and rejuvenated. She turned into a little girl, also wearing embroidered shoes. These two shoe prints… match up."
Xie An's thoughts became clearer and clearer. He walked forward with his head down, carefully examining the shoe prints. He stopped to take a closer look at the more complete shoe prints. "Then what about the other shoe print?"
Yu He said, "It should be Li Changchun's. He is a tall young man who likes to wear boots. That also matches."
Xie An nodded slightly, summarizing the above information in his mind:
"In that case, Li Changchun and the Great Priestess have both been here. And the footprints are very messy, so they must have come here… quite a few times."
"That should be the case. But this is a forbidden area, I usually can't come in. I didn't know the Great Priestess and Li Changchun hid a secret door here, let alone what they came here to do."
Xie An wasn't surprised by this answer.
The Corpse Refining Hall disregards the path to survival, plotting a century-long secret. Naturally, they wouldn't let outsiders know. I'm afraid only Su Yuqing knows some of it.
Xie An didn't say anything more and continued to walk down.
Yu He obviously felt a little scared, but she still mustered her courage and walked in front of Xie An, repeatedly saying "Master, don't be afraid."
Looking at the little girl like this, Xie An felt very warm inside.
This was probably the only bit of warmth in such a strange place.
The two of them continued downwards, not knowing how many steps they had walked, but they still couldn't see the bottom. However, the stone walls on both sides became more and more damp, and some underground water flowed down the stone walls, dripping onto the ground and making "drip, drip" sounds.
Xie An estimated that they should be approaching the underground river soon, or an underground spring. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so much water.
After walking for hundreds of meters, the surrounding space clearly became much larger.
There was also a sound of flowing water ahead.
Walking and walking, the stairs came to an end.
Yu He raised the fire starter high, walking ahead to explore the way. "Master, look, there's light ahead."
Xie An turned around a corner and saw a blue-green light being released from a corner ahead.
Blue-green light… it looked very eerie.
But Xie An had no way out at the moment, so he could only bite the bullet and move forward, "Let's go, let's go take a look."
This time, Xie An refused to let Yu He walk in front to explore the way. Instead, he drew his knife and walked side by side with Yu He. He opened his extraordinary senses, vigilantly sensing any movement around him.
Knowing the strangeness of this blue-green light, Xie An even suppressed the momentum of the Heavy Mountain Blade, ready to strike at any time.
Yu He also realized that something was wrong, holding the fire starter in one hand and pinching the sword paper in the other, ready to strike at any time.
Da da da.
In the silent cave, only the slight footsteps of two people echoed.
This place was cold and damp, the temperature was frighteningly low.
Finally, the two of them passed through the corner of the passage and saw the scene in front of them:
This was a very large underground cave. Countless blue and green stalactites hung down from the stone walls above, shimmering with light. The light was emitted from these stones.
Directly below the stone wall was a very large cold pool, about four hundred meters in radius. The water temperature was very low, emitting a bone-chilling cold air. And on the opposite side of the cold pool, there was actually an ice-sculpted house.
It wasn't quite appropriate to call it a house, it should be a temple. Or similar to the tombs Xie An had seen in Xiangxi in his previous life: building a square pavilion, with the tomb placed under the pavilion, which could shield it from wind and rain, and also make it convenient to burn paper money and other things during Qingming Festival in case of rainy weather.
Xie An, with his excellent eyesight, saw a two-meter-high shrine placed inside the temple.
Moreover, the white Daoist talisman in Xie An's mind actually vibrated and emitted white light. This caused Xie An to sense that there were still seven thousand and several hundred strands of Undead Qi gathered in this shrine.
Although Xie An had expected it, he was still shocked when he actually saw this scene.
He roughly estimated that this place was at least three hundred meters deep below the ancestral hall on the surface. The Undead Qi in the ancestral hall was actually able to penetrate deep underground to supply this shrine.
The Great Priestess has such grand plans.
However, the scene here was different from what Xie An had deduced in his mind.
He originally thought that the Great Priestess was collecting such a large amount of Undead Qi to nourish some monster. Unexpectedly… it was just to supply the shrine?
The shrine is just a place to put memorial tablets. Can spiritual tablets, which are just inanimate objects, absorb Undead Qi?
It's just… this shrine is a bit too big, two meters high… Xie An had never seen such a big shrine.
Xie An vaguely felt that something was wrong with this shrine.
Just then, a gust of Yin wind blew, causing the fire starter to make a "lala" sound. Yu He quickly reached out to protect the flame, but it didn't work. The flame went out in a few moments.
Yu He was very annoyed, "Master, the temperature here is too low, and the air is thin. The fire starter went out."
Xie An was relatively calm and not too panicked, "There's light here, it's okay. We'll wait here next. Your lady has already taken action, and the people from the Nanyang Demon Suppression Division have also arrived. I believe they will soon clear out the Corpse Refining Hall's妖人. If they find the secret door, they will come down to find us."
Yu He happily agreed. She found a dry, flat stone nearby, swept away the dust on it with her sleeves, and let Xie An sit on it. Then she went to check around.
Although Xie An wanted to absorb the Undead Qi in the shrine, he gave up the idea of absorbing the Undead Qi because of the obstruction of the cold pool and the strangeness of the shrine. He planned to wait here for a day or two to see if he could wait for rescue.
Since there was no sun here and he couldn't tell the difference between day and night, Xie An sat down cross-legged and circulated the Bright Jade Skill.
He roughly knew that circulating the heat in his body for one cycle took about a quarter of an hour. Moreover, he could multitask. In this way, he could calculate the time by continuously circulating the Bright Jade Skill.
What's more, the temperature here was extremely low, and circulating the Bright Jade Skill was just right to keep out the cold.
A full day passed, and there was no movement.
He was cold and hungry.
Xie An's continuous circulation of the Bright Jade Skill consumed a lot of energy, and he knew that this was not a solution.
Yu He hadn't cultivated any health-preserving skills, and her endurance was not as good as Xie An's, making it even more difficult to resist the low-temperature environment here for a long time.
He saw Yu He squatting beside him, shivering.
Xie An couldn't bear to see this.
"Yu He, come over here, we'll sit back to back, this will make it easier to keep warm, and the body temperature won't be lost so quickly."
Yu He was a little shy at first, feeling embarrassed. After being glared at by Xie An, she became obedient. She sat back to back with Xie An, each circulating the heat and inner strength in their bodies.
The situation improved.
Another day passed.
There was still no movement.
This made Yu He feel very desperate, her eyes were red, "Master… I'm sorry for you, I shouldn't have dragged you into this."
Ever since she shattered the big bronze bell and was surrounded, Yu He had felt guilty.
Xie An comforted her, "Yu He, don't say that, this was my own decision. It's not your fault."
Yu He wiped the corner of her eye, "Then what do we do now?"
Xie An weighed it slightly, and a ruthless thought arose in his heart.
Since there was no way to go, he had no choice but to explore the shrine.
