136: Ancient Corpse

The magnificent and grand palace had vanished, replaced by a scene of ruins.

Bones and blood were scattered everywhere, and thick blood plasma covered the ground; stepping on it felt like sinking into a swamp.

Inside the dilapidated palace were numerous corpses. These corpses had already decayed, and every single one bore deep wounds and weapons that had pierced through them.

The way these beings had died was extremely terrifying; their mummified faces wore expressions of unwillingness, pain, and distortion.

The fairy-like maidens who had seemed so celestial before had turned into nothing but stark white bones.

The celestial nectar had also turned into cups of thick, fresh blood, and the filthy tables were covered in the organs of living beings.

Where was this some celestial palace? It was clearly Hell!

The man who had appeared like an Immortal Emperor before them had also vanished.

Upon the broken throne sat a corpse, dressed in a blackened imperial robe, its head lowered so that one could not see its face.

A weapon resembling a staff had pierced through its chest.

The blood flowing out was black, and this black blood was constantly corroding the staff weapon and the ground.

It had been forcibly nailed to this throne by someone.

Being pierced by a long staff, and killed in a single strike—one could see how much pain it must have been in at the moment of death.

"This..."

Even with Xiang Tiange's stout heart, he was somewhat dazed at this moment.

He even felt a sense of relief; fortunately, fortunately, he hadn't lost himself in the illusion earlier. If he had been made to drink a cup of that blood plasma, he would rather be killed outright!

At the same time, a sense of exhaustion and powerlessness washed over the two of them.

After all, they had just touched upon the Emperor Realm, seemingly having truly become ancient Great Emperors who ruled the world and suppressed the ages.

Now that they had returned to the Soul Transformation Stage, it would be strange if they didn't feel powerless.

"Why do you not kneel when you see this Emperor?!"

The hoarse voice resounded through the palace.

Click, click, click, click...

The surrounding corpses seemed to have received some kind of command; they all stood up shakily, then walked to the center of the palace and began to prostrate themselves before the throne.

Their appearance was terrifying.

Yet, when they knelt, they were full of piety.

Lin Ye and Xiang Tiange also felt a pressure descend upon them, a pressure as if they were carrying a mountain, causing the bones throughout their bodies to groan.

Their legs, in particular, were constantly buckling.

"Damn it! You want me to kneel?! Keep dreaming!!!"

Xiang Tiange roared, his purple Qi and blood erupting instantly. As the spiritual power in his Qi Sea burned, his Physique became increasingly formidable, resisting the opponent's pressure.

Lin Ye did not struggle as much; he had realized something earlier.

The blood-colored rosary seemed to have a resistive effect against this eerie power, so he had gripped the blood-colored rosary in his hand at the very first moment.

His body emitted a faint red light, and the opponent's pressure was completely ineffective against him.

And it was also at this time that he had the Opportunity to carefully observe the corpse opposite them.

Not to mention the legendary Immortal Emperor; even if a corpse of a Supreme powerhouse were to give birth to a corpse spirit, the mere residual might left by the body would be enough to instantly turn the two of them into blood mist.

A powerhouse is a powerhouse; even after death, their corpse is not something just anyone can approach.

Yet, the corpse before them lacked that aura of a powerful being.

It had only used its inherent corpse Qi to suppress the two of them just now.

Even though one could clearly feel a powerful Dao law from the black blood flowing out, there was absolutely no pressure on the corpse itself, as if an ordinary person had died.

That's it!

He understood.

The reason for this was the long staff that had pierced through the corpse!

That long staff was suppressing the corpse, preventing it from reviving!

After long-term suppression by the corpse Qi, the two before it showed no signs of submitting or kneeling, which slightly surprised the corpse.

"It seems you possess great Opportunity."

After saying this, the corpse Qi in the palace completely vanished. Once everything had quieted down,

the hoarse voice sounded again: "How about we make a deal? You help me remove this thing stuck in my chest, and I will give you an unimaginable Opportunity!"

"..."

Lin Ye and Xiang Tiange exchanged a glance.

Help him pull that thing out?

Are you kidding? If they really did that, wouldn't the fate awaiting them both be to become mere nutrients?

Even if there was a Heaven-Defying Opportunity, one had to be alive to enjoy it.

"Hehe..."

The corpse seemed to have guessed their thoughts and did not continue to entice them, but instead spoke: "The boy in white over there, you must be of the Absolute King Body, right? But do you know about the curse of the Absolute King Body that prevents one from becoming an Immortal Emperor?"

"And do you understand why the Absolute King Body disappears in their later years?"

"..."

Hearing the Ancient Corpse's words, Xiang Tiange's pupils constricted.

Indeed.

The Absolute King Body was extremely powerful; calling it a Heaven-Defying Physique was not an exaggeration, but this Physique had a problem: it could not become an Immortal Emperor!

Moreover, the Absolute King Body would vanish after reaching their later years. Even though they possessed the ability to go toe-to-toe with an Immortal Emperor, they still could not break that curse.

Many eras had passed, and several Absolute King Bodies had been born in this world, but all had ended in disappearance.

"If you get me out, I will tell you why. And the boy in red..."

Speaking of this, the Ancient Corpse's tone held a hint of surprise: "If I'm not mistaken, you are a member of that clan, right? A clan with monstrous sins, tsk tsk tsk... As a descendant of that clan, you will never be able to cross over in this life!"

"There will even be countless ancient beings who will not allow your existence!"

"You haven't even had your Bloodline Awakening; either your clan has been wiped out, or you have been abandoned."

"Regardless of which it is, with no one behind you to protect you, you will sooner or later meet an unnatural death. If you get me out, I can protect you!"

"You two should be able to accept a deal like this, right?"

"..."

This time, the two still did not speak, but the expressions on their faces had changed.

The previous firmness had vanished, replaced by suspicion and doubt.

The curse of the Absolute King Body, the Bloodline of a sinner.

It seemed that both were things the two of them desperately wanted to figure out.

This Ancient Corpse had no idea how long it had stood here; it surely wasn't speaking aimlessly.

"How about this?"

The Ancient Corpse seemed to think they didn't believe it and quickly struck while the iron was hot: "I can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao; you release me, and I guarantee I won't do anything to you!"

"And I will tell you everything I mentioned earlier, completely and truthfully!"

"With this, you should believe me, right?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Tiange was still somewhat conflicted, but Lin Ye stepped forward.

"Hey, Lin Ye, don't be impulsive!"