Chapter 398: The True Face of the Magic Sword, Nine Holy Grails, Zhao Xing Was Shocked

Given Zhao Xing's current cultivation level, breaking the third seal of the Thunder Sword wasn't particularly difficult. However, when the moment arrived, Zhao Xing changed his mind.

This was because Qing Yuzi had been struggling within the barrier, like a fierce tiger trying to escape its cage.

"What's wrong with Old Qing? He's so strong!" Zhao Xing's hand hovered in mid-air as he looked at Qing Yuzi with surprise and uncertainty.

In just a short while, powerful Yin-attribute elemental fluctuations unexpectedly emanated from Qing Yuzi's body, steadily increasing.

Observing him from the perspectives of life force and soul, Qing Yuzi was undoubtedly deceased.

Yet, in terms of spiritual energy elemental fluctuations, he was remarkably active and showed an increasing trend.

Zhao Xing immediately stopped reaching out and scrutinized Qing Yuzi from head to toe. "How strange, I've never seen anything like this before."

"What exactly is happening? Could it be a sacrificial spell? No, that doesn't seem right either."

Sacrifices still adhere to fundamental principles! Zhao Xing couldn't detect any signs of manipulation on Qing Yuzi. "The fluctuations aren't getting stronger anymore," Zhao Xing suddenly realized, and he moved a little further away from the Thunder Sword.

The Thunder Sword floated quietly. Zhao Xing retreated a bit more.

The Yin energy around Qing Yuzi stopped intensifying and began to decrease instead.

Zhao Xing thought for a moment, then extended his hand towards the ancient Thunder Sword again.

Qing Yuzi immediately went into a frenzy again, and his Yin energy intensified. "These fluctuations have reached the third realm! Is Prime Yin energy appearing out of thin air? Damn it, does this even follow any rules?"

Left with no choice, Zhao Xing backed away again.

Qing Yuzi's Yin energy decreased once more.

"Swish!"

Zhao Xing summoned the Myriad Illusions Tree to observe Qing Yuzi's condition.

After appearing and examining him, the Myriad Illusions Tree was also astonished.

"Emperor, what kind of monster is this?"

"No soul, no life force, yet it's filled with Prime Yin elemental energy and can still move?"

Zhao Xing didn't speak, implying, "If I knew, why would I ask you?"

Solitary Yin cannot generate life, and solitary Yang cannot sustain growth! This was a principle understood by every cultivator.

Even Qi Sect martial artists, who cultivated the most extreme Pure Yang Golden Body, would not be entirely devoid of Prime Yin energy within their bodies.

Similarly, even in the most extreme cases, priests who cultivated Prime Yin energy, their Yin spirits and Yin puppets would not be completely without Yang energy.

"Even the most powerful Prime Yin stars I've seen weren't completely without Prime Yang energy. This monster actually—" The Myriad Illusions Tree was suddenly terrified as it realized this.

"Emperor, this truly falls outside my scope of understanding."

"Indeed, I called you out precisely to broaden your horizons."

Zhao Xing waved his hand. "Alright, your task is done. You can go back in."

The Myriad Illusions Tree was filled with respect. "Emperor Qing Yuzi, who has undergone hundreds of reincarnations, is truly extraordinary. I simply cannot comprehend things at this level."

"Your task is done. Go back in."

"Yes," the Myriad Illusions Tree obediently complied and returned to its elemental space.

Zhao Xing, too, was troubled.

The Myriad Illusions Tree had been out for a while, but it hadn't even glanced at the Thunder Sword, completely ignoring the fact that Qing Yuzi had been staring at it.

While the Myriad Illusions Tree was a living being, the artifact spirit, the mechanical cat, which was an automaton beast, was similarly only curious about Qing Yuzi and didn't spare a glance for the Thunder Sword.

Zhao Xing sat down cross-legged, quietly observing Qing Yuzi. After multiple tests, he began to form bold hypotheses based on his knowledge from his previous life:

"To defy logic and violate fundamental principles, only the profession of a Starry Sky Historian and their artifacts can achieve it. 'With a historian's word, even the dead can come alive.'"

"However, to imbue Old Qing with the ability to move, it involves the Way of Sacrifice. Pure Prime Yin elemental energy is supporting Old Qing's corpse to 'act'."

"And for Old Qing to traverse vast territories, remain unharmed all the way, and miraculously avoid all dangers, this involves the Way of Destiny."

"This way, he could safely navigate the many dangers of the Moonfall Mausoleum and reach Luo Yi Boundary Star directly."

"A Starry Sky Historian, a Priest, and a Fate Official—the combination of these three created a living dead man, Qing Yuzi."

"But why Qing Yuzi?"

Zhao Xing continued his deduction:

"Initially, I used 'Qing Yuzi's' name to create a set of Qingyu cards, hoping to draw out the Eastern Yan Ancient Clan."

"Even the subsequent causal oath was made in his name."

"I used Emperor Qing Yuzi's revered name, and also had the Qingyu cards as a medium. Is it possible that the Eastern Yan Ancient Clan's scheme mistakenly targeted 'Qing Yuzi' through his revered name, instead of me, Zhao Xing?"

"Assuming I shouldn't have appeared in the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, could the Starry Sky Historian have confused me with Qing Yuzi when blurring the past and future?"

"Or are there other factors involved, such as the Eastern Yan Clan's sacred artifact?"

"Wait, it can't be that Old Qing is truly an experienced Reincarnation Realm expert, and he's trying to hitch a ride with the Eastern Yan Ancient Clan's resurrection plan, can he?"

The thought sent chills down Zhao Xing's spine again.

Now, everything seemed amiss to him. Even Qing Yuzi's corpse appeared to grow taller in his eyes.

"Old Qing is only at the minor Second Realm, yet he's so highly valued by the Purple Moon Prefect. And you managed to obtain the Eastern Yan Ancient Clan's sacred artifact, delaying their grand resurrection plan by an epoch."

"How could you, a mere Second Realm cultivator, achieve this? Even in a place like the Sunken Luo Desolate Domain, where everyone's demonstrated abilities are limited, this whole situation is highly suspicious."

Zhao Xing involuntarily swallowed, and his hand, holding the money for burning, trembled.

"If the Eastern Yan Ancient Clan's resurrection is taboo and forbidden, but Qing Yuzi is merely a 'victim'—assuming Qing Yuzi stole some power from the Reincarnation Altar during the resurrection ceremony to achieve his own revival."

"Then it's highly probable he wouldn't be punished, thus achieving the 'resurrection by leveraging others' intent."

"Oh, my heavens."

"There's no lack of successful precedents for this!" A hint of fear crept into Zhao Xing's heart.

After constantly boasting about Qing Yuzi, not only had Qing Yuzi now come to find him, but he might also be a reincarnated mighty figure. This was utterly terrifying!

Zhao Xing tremblingly pulled a stack of 'Taoming Ghost Money' from his pocket.

These paper offerings were quite valuable, with each sheet costing 100 million Yuanhai coins.

Master Zhao had originally intended them for opening tombs, as they had the effect of appeasing ghosts and spirits and dispelling grievances (a type of Yin energy essence mixed with pre-death intentions).

"Poof." Flames ignited, and Zhao Xing began to pay respects to Qing Yuzi. "Old Qing, no, Senior Qing Yuzi!"

"If you truly are a reincarnated mighty figure, please, I beg of you, give me some hint."

"I am, after all, your disciple in this life. Although we've never met, I've always held you in high esteem."

"You see, I've always been promoting your prestige—"

For a moment, Master Zhao was truly at a loss for ideas and began to put faith in metaphysics.

He muttered to himself as he burned a large pile of ghost money, then took out a set of 'divining blocks'.

Casting divining blocks was a common method of divination.

In the current Profound Spirit Starfield, the Way of Priests was prevalent, and casting divining blocks wasn't exclusively for priests; other professions could also use them.

Casting divining blocks was a way for humans to interact with spirits. The set Zhao Xing held was crafted from meteorite fragments of the Sun Star and Prime Yin Star.

Since Master Zhao himself wasn't skilled in sacrificial rites, he spent some money on the artifacts; the set of divining blocks cost over 800 million Red Star coins.

This was already exceedingly expensive.

The blocks were crescent-shaped, with two pieces in total, each having an outer convex side and an inner flat side, forming a pair.

The convex side was called "Yin," and the flat side was called "Yang."

If one Yin and one Yang side were cast, it was called a "Sacred Block," signifying agreement, approval, or "yes" to the matter being consulted.

If two Yang sides were cast, it was a "Laughing Block," indicating "pending," meaning further consideration or consultation was needed.

If two Yin sides were cast, it was a "Yin Block," indicating that the divine entity was displeased, the matter was unfeasible, forbidden, or portended ill fortune, requiring another consultation.

The divining blocks and Taoming Ghost Money were originally used to inquire about fortune or misfortune when encountering inexplicable situations during tomb openings.

Unexpectedly, he was using them now, which showed that Zhao Xing was indecisive and thoroughly flustered by the situation.

Flames reflected in Qing Yuzi's cloudy eyes, as if the effect of appeasing the Yin energy had appeared.

Qing Yuzi briefly quieted down.

Zhao Xing and the Thunder Sword were in a straight line, making it seem as though Qing Yuzi was looking at both the Thunder Sword and Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing took a deep breath and muttered, "Senior Qing Yuzi, if you want me to be involved, then give me a Sacred Block."

"If it's a Yin Block, I'll immediately throw the Thunder Sword to you and withdraw from the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom at once."

Zhao Xing clasped his hands together, held the blocks, and cast them onto the ground.

The flames from the Taoming Ghost Money suddenly flared up, echoing the divining blocks.

A flash of light passed before his eyes, and the blocks landed.

One Yin, one Yang—a Sacred Block!

"Coincidence, it must be a coincidence," Zhao Xing took a deep breath and picked them up.

To ensure caution and accuracy, divining blocks were usually cast for three consecutive Sacred Blocks. If three consecutive Sacred Blocks weren't obtained, the consultation would be rephrased and repeated until three consecutive ones appeared.

"Senior Qing Yuzi, if you want me to be involved, then give me a Sacred Block."

"If it's a Yin Block, I'll immediately throw the Thunder Sword to you and withdraw from the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom at once."

Each time a question was asked, the matter being consulted had to be repeated to avoid any errors in the consultation itself.

"Clack~"

Firelight flashed, and the blocks landed.

Zhao Xing looked down, his heart sinking.

One Yin, one Yang—still a Sacred Block!

He swore each throw was completely random. The divining blocks, crafted from fragments of the Prime Yin Star and Sun Star, couldn't possibly be influenced by his own casting.

"Senior Qing Yuzi—"

Zhao Xing, slightly trembling, made the third request.

"Clatter~"

For the third time, it was still a Sacred Block!

Zhao Xing's scalp tingled, and he felt utterly unwell.

In the quiet space, Qing Yuzi stood within the barrier, in front of the fire.

Zhao Xing stood behind the fire, in front of the magic sword.

The Sacred Block lay at his feet, and the Taoming Ghost Money slowly burned.

Quiet, too quiet.

Chaotic, too chaotic!

Zhao Xing's mind was in utter turmoil; no will or divine ability was effective at this moment.

"Meow~"

The mechanical cat ran over and rubbed against Zhao Xing's pant leg.

Time seemed to move forward at that moment, and Zhao Xing regained his composure.

He picked up the mechanical cat, walked to the side, set it down, and then slowly