Seeing that his Master proposed a retreat and relocation, the male thief’s eyes immediately showed a trace of anxiety.
“Ah? Master… you’re leaving? But… what about my daughter? You promised me that as long as I helped you gather the Children with the Four Yin Bodies, and used their fates to modify the Yangzhou ley lines, you would use the Corpse Gathering Soul Array to bring her back to life…”
“Rest assured.”
The woman interrupted him, then casually pointed upward toward the altar, where thick, almost dripping, pitch-black corpse aura swirled.
“I have already gathered enough corpse aura here. Even without the Ghost Bone Escape Shuttle present, the corpse aura here is sufficient to evolve your daughter from a living corpse into an Undying Bone.”
“At that time, she will regain her consciousness and, in her zombie form, step onto the Corpse Immortal Path.”
“Oh… right. Once your daughter is revived, you can release those Children you captured earlier~”
“After all, those kids are the unsung heroes of this plan!”
Hearing this, the man nodded slightly.
“Naturally. No matter what, Zhao considers himself a Parents’ Official. If not for the calamity that befell my daughter, I wouldn’t have done something that tore apart the families within this city…”
“Sigh… I didn’t expect you to be so genuine after all. It’s always the hemp rope that snaps at its thinnest point, and misfortune that chooses the unfortunate~”
After saying this, the woman’s tone shifted, carrying a subtle warning:
“The people from the Xu Ling Sect will soon find this place. To be safe, I suggest you hurry and relocate with your daughter. Otherwise… all your previous efforts will be for nothing.”
“After all, although Master Lu Feng is kind-hearted, he is still a righteous cultivator with integrity. If he learns you desecrate the dead like this, stealing corpses of the city’s residents and turning your deceased daughter into a zombie, he definitely won’t stand idly by…”
At these words, the man’s facial muscles twitched, revealing bitterness and helplessness.
“Master. It’s not that I don’t want to leave, but all my roots, my family’s business, are in Yangzhou City.”
“Besides, I have already exhausted everything for my little daughter. If I leave Yangzhou, where else can I go?”
“Fine, fine. As long as my little girl can live again, this old life of mine… I’m willing to throw it away.”
Having said that, the man lifted his head, his eyes resolute.
“Don’t worry, sir. You can leave without concern.”
“I swear here and now, I will never reveal even a word about you!”
When the man said this, the woman glanced at him.
No one could tell what expression hid beneath her mask.
She merely responded with a faint
“Hmm,”
then turned her gaze back to the Ghost Bone Escape Shuttle, which was about to be fully forged, and said no more.
The secret chamber fell silent except for the whimpering corpse aura and the faint humming of the shifting array.
After the man departed, carrying the unconscious Gu Qingying, he headed toward the distant dungeon where the missing Children were held.
The woman only watched from afar, her thoughts drifting far away, toward a man she once thought she would never approach again—familiar yet strange.
“Sigh… who would have thought, Master… that in this life, you and I would stand on opposing sides…”
“Fate truly… is detestable! Is this some cruel twist of destiny?”
“I only wanted to save you…”
“Forget it… even if you hate me, even if you despise me, it doesn’t matter anymore…”
“Because I have already chosen the right path!”
“The path that will allow you to survive!”
“I will create a world where you live!”
Almost simultaneously, the male thief arrived at the dungeon with the unconscious Gu Qingying.
Inside, the light was soft; a few luminous Night Pearls were embedded in the walls, emitting a gentle warm glow.
A faint sweet scent of herbal medicine drifted through the air, surprisingly calming.
This place was less like a prison and more like a carefully arranged sanctuary.
Of course, that was ignoring the strange runes engraved on the walls and floor.
In one corner, thick and soft grass mats were laid out.
The missing Children were either sitting or lying down, some whispering quietly, others huddled together playing simple games.
A few younger children were curled up together, sleeping soundly.
Most of the children had rosy faces and relaxed expressions, though occasionally one would mutter softly.
“We’ve been out playing for so many days… will our parents worry about us…”
Suddenly, the heavy stone door opened and closed again, drawing the children’s attention.
The little girl with horn-shaped braids at the dungeon’s entrance was the first to look up, her eyes lighting up.
Seeing the male thief, she cried out clearly.
“Ah! Uncle Zhao!”
“Oh! Yay! Uncle Zhao is here!”
Upon this, the other children quickly gathered around, their innocent faces full of anticipation.
A clever little girl, quick-eyed, immediately noticed Gu Qingying in the man’s arms and curiously asked.
“Uncle Zhao, is this sister a new friend?”
The man looked at these innocent children; his expression flickered with complexity for a moment, but soon he forced a broad and gentle smile.
Covering his bleeding hand, his voice was soft, warm, and even tinged with nostalgia.
“Yes, she… is a little tired. Let her rest here for a while…”
He then walked among the children and took out an oil-paper bundle from his bosom, filled with assorted pastries and sweet osmanthus candies.
Upon seeing this, the children cheered immediately, obediently lining up to receive the sweets, their faces brimming with joy.
“Uncle Zhao, when will we be able to go home?”
Suddenly, a little boy who had just received candy asked while licking it and looking up,
“Uncle, it’s fun here, but I miss home a little…”
The man’s smile stiffened briefly, but he quickly returned it to normal.
He reached out to ruffle the boy’s hair, speaking in an exceptionally gentle tone.
“Hehe… soon! Very soon! After you all help Sister Yin Yin here get better, Uncle Zhao will surely send you home…”
Hearing this, the children nodded in understanding, then were soon distracted by the sweet candies.
The man carefully laid the still-unconscious Gu Qingying on a clean grass mat.
Only after confirming her breathing was steady did he finally relax.
At that moment, the little girl who had spoken earlier noticed the man’s injury and quietly asked.
“Uncle Zhao, your arm is bleeding… does it hurt?”
The man paused, touched by the girl’s concerned gaze.
His nose suddenly tingled sharply, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.
He quickly turned his head away to hide his fleeting weakness, whispering,
“It doesn’t hurt. Uncle is fine.”
He then looked around at these unguarded Children he had brought here by force, a surge of indescribable guilt rising in his heart.
Sigh…
These kids… all as good as Yin Yin…
But I… I have used their innocence…
The man closed his eyes, suppressing the rising emotions.
Then he quietly instructed the children.
“Be good and stay here, don’t run around. Tomorrow I’ll bring you new snacks~”
“And Uncle promises, once you help Sister Yin Yin get better, Uncle will personally send you home and apologize to your parents…”
Hearing this, the children obediently nodded, some even waving cheerfully,
“Goodbye, Uncle Zhao!”
The man forced a smile and turned to leave.
As the stone door shut, the warmth faded entirely from the black-clad man’s face, leaving only deep exhaustion and inner struggle.
Sigh, such good children…
But I… I have exploited their purity…
As these thoughts crossed his mind, his heart felt like it was being cut apart.
Then, as he glanced toward the pitch-black dungeon opposite the Children’s cell, where his daughter was tightly chained, green-faced and snarling like a beast without reason, roaring wildly—
The black-clad man’s heart of guilt hardened instantly:
“Huff… At this point, I can only grit my teeth and push forward…”
“After all, there’s no turning back now!”
“Even for Yin Yin, I will walk this path with unwavering resolve!”
“Xu Ling Sect! Master Lu Feng! If you want to stop me, then come and try!”
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