Han Bei stood in his cave-dwelling and carefully scanned through his belongings. There wasn't much he needed for the upcoming conflict with the good people of the Skeleton manor but if he forgot anything it might just spell out his doom.

After the umpteenth time, he decided it was finally time and exchanged his black cloak with a green robe. " It would be bad manners if they had to wait when I'm the one that invited them, " Han Bei silently reminded himself as he left the cave-dwelling. His mind was preoccupied with the weight of his own thoughts but a certain nuisance still managed to catch his attention.

" Ooooooooh my old back, " the old monk complained. " If only I didn't strain it carrying stuff from Last light all the way to here for a certain ungrateful someone. " Han Bei was quite willing to leave immediately, but the old thing had something in his hands that caught his attention. " Heavens damn it, " he softly cursed as he approached the old monk that gently shook a gourd of wine in one hand and held 2 cups in the other.

The moment he sat down all air of weariness disappeared from the old monk's face. The old thing filled up 2 cups and practically beamed at him, " Now little, corpse, how about you tell this grandpa what you have planned. " Han Bei snorted, " I thought you'd be the type that enjoys a surprise instead. " While Han Bei acted in a derisive manner he had no doubts that the old coot knew exactly what he wanted to do. " Perhaps, he just wants to see me squirm, " Han Bei thought before he shook his head.

While the old monk pouted Han Bei closed his eyes and emptied his cup in a single breath. Unlike last time Han Bei didn't savor the beverage but instead allowed it to burn his throat if only for a moment. He still had his eyes closed as he allowed that warmth to dissipate along with his worries, regrets, and doubts that uselessly clogged up his mind. " This will be just like any other battle. I will either return or I won't... "

When Han Bei opened his eyes his gaze was firmer than it was these last few days as if he had resigned to something. His green robe waved through the air as he abruptly stood up and left. " Oh? " a sound of surprise escaped the old monk. " Not gonna finish the bottle? " Han Bei waved his arm as he left. " Have to leave something for my triumphant return. " He was determined to walk through this path no matter if it led to the high heaven or hell.

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Deep inside the pale walls of the skeleton manor was situated a single unique chamber. Filled to the brim with spirit stones, pills, and bones of myriad creatures it was a cultivation chamber fit for the lord of scavenger planes. Who currently sat cross-legged in the middle of the chamber with a strained expression.

The lord of bones, Wei Lung, struggled to keep his eyes closed as his age rapidly changed. He struggled to keep himself under control as one moment his face was full of vigor and strength and next it turned ancient and desolate. The more time passed, the longer Wei Lung stayed a decrepit old skeleton. Yet his thoughts were preoccupied with a single thing, " I need my chalice, I need to regain grief holder. " He slowly became muddleheaded but a sudden knock on the doors of the chamber brought the state to an end.

He was enraged at the interruption and his face withered further, to that of ancient revenant. A sword made of solid bone flew out of the sleeve of his robe ready to cut down the fool that stood outside of his chamber, but the lord of bones restrained his temper a second later. Silent seconds passed as Wei Lung's face became younger and he resembled a middle-aged man once more. Finally, Wei Lung called out, " Come in. "

A servant in a light blue robe entered. He spoke in a nervous voice, " M.M.M-Master another mess...ssage just came in, one from Bo Fei. " The lord of bones calmly asked, " What does it say? " The servant didn't say a thing but handed over a talisman with a tremble in his hand. It was a Raven messenger talisman.

As the servant stepped back lord of bones inserted qi into the talisman. It briefly emitted a dark light and turned into a black raven. The bird-like construct flew a meter in the air and splattered. It turned into a wall of text that floated in the air.

While the lord of bones read the massage the servant covered in despair. Wei Lung's face quickly turned older and in the blink of an eye and by the time he was finished his face was as wrinkled as a dried fruit. The first word that left his trembling lips was simple. " Kill! " he shouted in a deranged manner. " Kill! Kill! Kill! I want that Corpse killed. " A blade of bone flew out his sleeve and cut open the chest of the poor servant that delivered the message killing him on the spot.

Wei Ling's enraged voice left the confines of his chamber and with the help of his spirit sense covered the entire manor. " I want him dead, and I want it now! If you miserable pieces of garbage aren't ready after 15 minutes I'm going to carve out bones from your still-living bodies and use them as furniture. " Like a beehive, skeleton manor buzzed with activity.

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A corpse pale youth that wore a green robe sat under a twisted and thin human-like tree with pitch-black bark. 3 spears were stabbed into the earth just in an arms reach of Han Bei. The tree stood out among its other brethren in the wailing forest, as it stood 2 meters higher than any other. The youth underneath sat into a meditative position but his face was twisted into a frown and he constantly looked over his shoulder at the forest. Han Bei silently complained to himself, " I swear to heavens that damn forest is actually whispering something."

Han Bei looked over his shoulder, something he had done numerous times in the last few hours, and for more reasons than the silent death-whispers of the wailing forest. " I hope enough of them come otherwise this won't be enough to deter the bastards and I doubt this stunt will work another time. " He let out a wry self-deprecating smile. " Hell, I don't know if this will even actually work this time. "

Han Bei didn't have much time left to ponder as he heard the thundering sound of a horn in the distance and a single rider entered his vision. The rider was several kilometers away and seemed as big as a grain of sand, but Han Bei didn't dare to be arrogant as the wind blew over a few more grains of sand and he now counted at least 8 opponents.

His vigilance greatly increased as he grabbed one of the spears and waited for the reaction of his enemies. As minutes passed Han Bei silently observed the number of his enemies double. He coldly calculated, " If I get rid of them skeleton manor probably won't have enough manpower to bother me and instead will have to deal with the pressure of other local forces. " Yet Han Bei had miscalculated just how much the skeleton wanted to see him gone, and his expression became truly ugly as the number of his foes quickly increased once again.

He counted at least 30, bloody 30, what he hoped all not to be cultivators, had gathered to snuff out his flame. One among them managed to even pressure him even across such a distance. But even as hopeless as the situation was a small part of his soul burned with passion. " Stand and fight, " it called out to him. " Fight with honor, die with glory. " And how glorious it would be. A lone figure that stood unshaken and defiant in the face of certain death. " No! " Han Bei chided himself. " I have to survive, I have to do it for them. "

The group of cultivators parted and formed up in rows, while a pale bone chariot rode down the middle pulled forward by 2 massive skeletons. Even from a distance, Han Bei felt a malicious gaze fall upon him. He stared at the figure and declared, " It's time to end this. "