Chapter 1284: Suspicions regarding the artifact spirit

Everyone had left.

Gu Qing Shan stood still, pondering for a few moments before speaking: “It seems I will have to make a trip to the Wraith realm after all”

The Wraith artifact spirit replied: 「 Indeed, you must retrieve my main body, only then would I be able to thoroughly suppress those Apocalypses 」

Gu Qing Shan then said: “Shan Hai Qi Xia, please return to the Tomb of Myriad Beasts first, once I’ve retrieved the sword, I’ll come back to find you”

Shan Hai Qi Xia hesitated a bit.

Gu Qing Shan turned to the Wraith artifact spirit and asked: “How many of the traitor guardians are still alive?”

「 They’ve all been sent into powerful Apocalypses and killed 」the Wraith artifact spirit replied.

“Very well”

Gu Qing Shan turned around, took Shan Hai Qi Xia’s hand and pressed it tightly: “From this moment on, no one in the Tomb of Myriad Beasts will have their souls replaced ever again”

“And also, I’m an expert in both disguise and infiltration, you can simply return to the Tomb of Myriad Beasts and be assured waiting for my return”

Shan Hai Qi Xia was a bit surprised, then said: “I understand”

She took out her small bell and silently chanted the incantation.

Gu Qing Shan smiled: “You have my communication talisman; we can continuously maintain contact”

Shan Hai Qi Xia nodded and slowly faded away.

—–she had returned to the Tomb of Myriad Beasts.

Only Gu Qing Shan and the Wraith artifact spirit were left here.

“I’m going to head into the Wraith realm, do you have anything to help me?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

「 Take this 」the Wraith artifact spirit said.

A handful of fine black sand appeared, hovering in Gu Qing Shan’s hand.

「 This is the most advanced anti-sealing treasure tool in the great tomb. Just take it, don’t worry 」

「 When you find my real body, place this treasure tool on it, then you’ll be able to cut off all spells and techniques placed on my real body, allowing you to take it away 」

Gu Qing Shan glanced at it briefly and took it, answering: “Very well, I’ll be on my way”

「 Hm, for the time being, I’ll completely seal off the great tomb so that no one would be able to enter or exit, lest some sort of unexpected danger occurs 」the Wraith artifact spirit said.

Gu Qing Shan touched the Nine Serenity Yin Incantation Jade Tablet and sensed it——-

Sure enough, NEET Gu Qing Shan was no longer inside the great tomb as well.

“Then, how should I bring your real body back here?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

「 When that happens, I’ll naturally be able to sense it and open the great tomb 」 the Wraith artifact spirit answered.

“Alright, then I’m leaving” Gu Qing Shan said.

The Wraith artifact spirit then said: 「 You know what, let me send you ahead to a large world in the vicinity of the Wraith realm. It is a trading world with individuals from every cut of life, known as a trading market for many in the infinite worlds, even the Wraith realm humans can’t help but follow the rules while conducting trade in that place 」

“Then it couldn’t be better” Gu Qing Shan replied.

「 Hm, you are a very resourceful person, I don’t have anything else to add 」the Wraith artifact spirit said.

A black layer of fog enveloped Gu Qing Shan and took him away.

…

Shan Hai Qi Xia returned to the Western Sea Grotto.

Li Chun Dao and Wang Shun who had been awaiting her return arrived, then asked with shocked expressions: “Dean, where are the others?”

Shan Hai Qi Xia shook her head and said in a low voice: “Follow me”

She brought the two of them to the center of the sect, the Bookkeeping Ward.

In the main lobby of the Bookkeeping Ward, she lightly pressed a hidden switch.

A silent corridor opened.

“Do not say anything, follow me” Shan Hai Qi Xia curtly said.

The two of them exchanged glances, but she had already flown ahead into the passage.

Li Chun Dao and Wang Shun could only follow.

Clank——

The heavy entrance closed behind them.

The light of countless runes flashed briefly before vanishing.

At this point, it would be impossible to return this way even if they wanted to.

The three of them continued following the corridor, making their way through an underground river, passing through a winding and interconnected underground cave network, then finally arriving at a secret room.

Shan Hai Qi Xia made a slit on her finger and smeared her blood on the door.

A few moments later.

The doors opened to both sides, causing dust to fly.

Shan Hai Qi Xia brought the two of them inside and stopped in the simple garden.

There was only a long table covered with vines and dozens of empty seats in here.

There wasn’t anyone else at this place.

Li Chun Dao and Wang Shun were both still confused—– they had never known that there was such an incredibly long passage under the Bookkeeping Ward.

What kind of place is this?

“In a few moments, you only need to listen, do not speak up” Shan Hai Qi Xia said.

“Yes, Dean” the two of them answered.

Shan Hai Qi Xia took out a candle, lit it up, placed it on the table, then took her place on one of the seats.

A few moments later.

Figures started to appear on each of the empty seats.

“Among the 8 Grottoes, the Western Sea might not be the strongest, but since the summon was from Shan Hai Qi Xia, I have arrived” a solemn voice spoke.

Li Chun Dao and Wang Shun followed the voice, seeing a highly familiar figure.

Suddenly, they recalled a certain person.

The Ex-master of the Southern Cages, a peerless Combatant who became insane 300 years ago and went missing.

While they were surprised, another voice spoke up:

“So it is the Shan Hai girl, this one would naturally show up, after all… she was the only survivor…”

He didn’t finish his words.

An old man with an anxious expression appeared on one of the seats.

“Elderly Venerate!” Li Chun Dao exclaimed in shock.

Wang Shun’s expression also changed.

Elderly Venerate, one of the strongest men in this world, however, since he could not achieve the peak of his inheritance, he had always been short of becoming the strongest.

During a renowned battle, he was said to have been heavily injured and had still not been able to recover, some even said that he had already lost his life.

Never did they think he would still be alive, and even appear at such a place.

More and more people showed up one by one.

Almost every seat was filled by one person.

In just a few moments, the silent garden became full of presence.

Every seat was filled.

Li Chun Dao and Wang Shun stood behind Shan Hai Qi Xia, both completely stunned.

So many legendary figures, yet they all appeared in this place.

What exactly is going on?

They both turned to Shan Hai Qi Xia.

Her expression was completely calm as if not thinking of something at all.

“Very well, let’s all be quiet!”

An old voice called out.

The owner of this voice seems to be quite prestigious, as everyone instantly became silent.

The old voice asked: “Dean Shan Hai, the Apocalypses had been madly ravaging recently, although we have been in hiding, we’ve also been dousing the fire in places that we could. May I then question why have you suddenly summoned us?”

Complete silence.

All the Combatants present at the scene were staring at Shan Hai Qi Xia.

Shan Hai Qi Xia finally spoke up: “On behalf of our Tomb of Myriad Beasts as a whole, I have allied myself with a certain person”

The old voice remained firm and asked: “You were the only one of us to succeed, so you certainly have the qualifications to do such a thing. But I would like to know, for what reason did you do so? And who was that person?”

Shan Hai Qi Xia’s expression was a bit bitter.

She recalled everything Gu Qing Shan had done up to now.

Truly…

Even as I recall what happened, I still can’t believe it.

During the moment of their parting, he took the opportunity to silently give me a jade tag as he grabbed my hand.

——although this was a cultivator’s item, it wasn’t locked or restricted in any way, so Shan Hai Qi Xia didn’t find it very tough to know what it contained.

The jade tag contained a few especially powerful inheritances, as well as three statements:

“There should be no entities to replace your souls, for now, you can be assured of this”

“However, all things are treacherous, you cannot trust the Wraith artifact spirit, your Tomb of Myriad Beasts must be prepared to fight, as well as to fully evacuate at any moment”

“Remember well, wait for my contact”

Shan Hai Qi Xia pushed her inner anxiety down, regained her calm and replied: “The target of our alliance is the sword saint Gu Qing Shan, the reason for this was that…”

She slowly and clearly explained everything that happened recently.

The dim light of the candle illuminated Shan Hai Qi Xia’s beautiful but exhausted expression.

At this very moment, every Combatant of the Tomb of Myriad Beasts who had been hiding in the shadows so far was gathered here.

They sat in the darkness, surrounding the only source of light that was the candle while silently listening to everything that happened thus far.

…

At another location.

Gu Qing Shan appeared on a barren field.

He landed on the ground, released his inner sight to silently examine his surroundings, then quickly flew towards the large city in the distance.

Half-way there, he took out the Silent Dusk Cloak and draped it over himself again.

——-this cloak was able to suppress the Demon Dragon’s power, completely isolating all power and stopping it from seeping out, which he used to always wear after he had just killed the Demon Dragon.

However, after he fully converted the Demon Dragon’s power into his own and having killed three dragons, he no longer needed this cloak.

Right now, to obscure his physique and appearance, he donned it once again, then pulled the hood over his head to cover it as well.

“Gongzi, the Apocalypse issue should have already been resolved for now, so why do I feel like you’ve become even more concerned?” Shannu asked.

Gu Qing Shan smiled and replied: “I’ll be honest, I truly didn’t want to come into contact with the humans from the Wraith realm right now”

“But why?” Shannu asked.

Gu Qing Shan looked down at the handful of black sand in his hand.

This was a treasure tool the Wraith artifact spirit gave him, capable of destroying all sealing techniques for him to retrieve the divine sword’s main body.

However, a line of glowing text remained still on the War God UI:

[Reincarnation Spirit-eating Sand, spirit-killing precious treasure, unique to the Samsara]

[This sand can kill all artifact spirits, ensuring death on contact, be careful, be very careful!]

Gu Qing Shan cautiously put this handful of black sand away.

It has indeed helped me a lot and has exerted its power to prevent the Apocalypses from erupting, this sword spirit should have no issues.

Then… could it be that there were two sword spirits?

Gu Qing Shan thought to himself.