Translator: CinderTL
After a long while, the sky began to lighten. The person outside Xu Sanyan's door retreated, and Xu Sanyan returned to his bed to ponder in silence.
The figure had stood outside his door for half the night, their purpose unknown.
At first glance, the Wang Family seemed normal, but upon closer inspection, it was filled with unsettling oddities.
Especially that painting. Every time he recalled it, he felt deeply uneasy, as if his mind had been tainted.
"Sigh..."
Xu Sanyan sighed softly. It seemed the Wang Family was no benevolent place after all.
He felt like a delicate lamb who had strayed into a wolf's territory, his heart filled with unease.
Tap, tap, tap~
Footsteps approached the door, followed by a knock. Bang, bang, bang! "Brother Lin, the great elder and the others are ready to depart. I've come to guide you."
Xu Sanyan opened the door to find Wang Zixuan standing before him, her face beaming.
"Mm, let's go."
Xu Sanyan's expression remained neutral, betraying no hint of his unease. He made no mention of the previous night, acting as if nothing had happened.
The two walked in single file down the long corridor, through the garden, and toward the main gate.
As they passed a grand hall, Xu Sanyan's gaze swept over it. The hall was magnificently constructed, with a plaque bearing the bold characters "Wang Clan Ancestral Hall" above the entrance.
The massive doors were tightly shut, yet the scent of incense and candles drifted through the cracks, a testament to the ceaseless offerings within.
Creak—
Just then, a narrow gap opened in the ancestral hall's doors, and a figure emerged. Xu Sanyan seized the opportunity to glance inside, catching only a glimpse of neatly arranged ancestral tablets.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, a blurred shadow flashed through the doorway. Xu Sanyan's heart jolted, but before he could discern its nature, the doors slammed shut.
That shadow...
It had resembled a tentacle, its dark crimson surface covered in dense, fleshy nodules. The swollen lumps pressed against each other, sending a chill down his spine.
Unfortunately, the tentacle vanished in an instant, leaving him no time to observe it further before the doors closed.
The man who emerged from the ancestral hall was an old man with a pallid complexion. Three meticulously groomed strands of goatee framed his jaw, and his black robe hung without a single wrinkle, projecting an air of austere cleanliness.
Wang Zixuan noticed the elder and immediately bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Great Elder."
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. So this is the great elder?
The old man glanced at Xu Sanyan. "Hmm, the clan head has informed me. Follow me."
"Yes."
Xu Sanyan followed him out, while Wang Zixuan remained behind, watching them depart.
The great elder stood tall and stern, his expression unwavering, like an old-fashioned scholar. His gait was measured and precise, each step landing with perfect accuracy, as if measured by a ruler.
Xu Sanyan remained silent, observing him closely from behind.
As they walked toward the Wang Family estate's outer courtyard, they found a crowd had already gathered. Arriving last, Xu Sanyan spotted the Feng Clan Patriarch among the group.
"Great Elder..."
"Greetings, Great Elder."
The crowd bowed respectfully, none daring to show disrespect to the genuine void harmony realm expert.
Some glanced at Xu Sanyan, their eyes filled with curiosity, wondering about the young man accompanying the great elder.
Xu Sanyan surveyed the courtyard. Among the thirteen people present, even the weakest had a Soul Refining Realm cultivation level.
"Where are they now?" the great elder asked a middle-aged man.
"Based on their travel speed, they should be near White Dragon Temple by now."
The great elder nodded after a moment's thought. "Let's move out."
"Yes, sir."
The group activated their respective techniques and soared into the sky, streaking toward the horizon at breakneck speed.
The White Dragon Temple, located three thousand li south of Thousand Autumns City, was a Daoist temple perched precariously on a mountainside. Like the Chang and Feng families, it was a force allied with the Wang Family.
The group traveled day and night, arriving at the White Dragon Temple after a full day's journey, only to find it reduced to ruins.
The great elder's expression remained impassive as he strode into the temple. Xu Sanyan and the others followed closely, entering the main hall. There, they saw dozens of Daoist heads arranged in a head mound beneath the hall.
The heads ranged from young to old, with the head of an elderly man at the very top. His beard was stained crimson with blood, his eyes wide open, and two streaks of bloody tears streamed down from the corners of his eyes, his expression filled with resentment.
On a raised platform stood a stone statue of an unfamiliar Daoist, over six meters tall. Likely a Founding Ancestor of the White Dragon Temple, the statue held a treasured sword pointed diagonally toward the heavens, radiating solemn majesty.
But now, the statue was stained crimson with blood, and a Daoist corpse hung impaled on the sword's blade, giving the scene a sinister air.
Xu Sanyan frowned deeply. He couldn't understand why the Qian Kingdom forces had slaughtered the White Dragon Temple disciples. Weren't they here to find him?
His gaze swept across the hall, then suddenly stopped. In a room to the side, dozens of female corpses lay motionless on the floor, their attire suggesting they were ordinary mortals.
Xu Sanyan leaned closer to examine the corpse. He noticed stitching marks on her body, with needle and thread piercing her exposed neck, as if her head had been severed and then reattached.
"This is a secret technique of the White Dragon Temple, the Leather Armor Technique," the great elder's voice came from behind him. Xu Sanyan turned to look at the elder, who continued to explain,
"The Leather Armor Technique requires preserving the integrity of the body's skin. Therefore, only the head is severed, and the internal organs and bones are removed through the neck. These are then refined using medicinal herbs and secret methods. Once completed, the process yields high-quality leather armor that sells for a considerable price. The White Dragon Temple earns spirit stones through this practice."
"Earn a living? You mean this is a business?" Xu Sanyan asked, pressing lightly on the woman's body. The chest cavity immediately collapsed inward—it was truly just an empty shell, completely hollowed out of its internal organs and bones.
The great elder nodded. "Indeed. Leather armor has remarkable uses. When worn, it provides a degree of defense. More importantly, it can alter a person's physical appearance. Combined with disguise techniques, it can achieve near-perfect imitation."
"However, leather armor is ultimately just human skin. Even after refinement, it's not considered a magic artifact. With prolonged use, it tends to decay, so they frequently need to find 'materials.'"
Materials...
Xu Sanyan gazed at the female corpses on the ground. There was no doubt—these were the materials, and single-use ones at that.
"Why only women?" Xu Sanyan asked curiously. "Can't men be used?"
"Men can be used, but women yield better results."
Xu Sanyan nodded. The Leather Armor Technique was undoubtedly an evil art. Each suit of armor claimed the life of a young woman.
He suddenly recalled a saying: Without demand, there would be no killing.
Tsk...
They're so cruel.
The Feng Clan Patriarch said, "The White Dragon Temple often raids the Qian Kingdom for mortals. This calamity is hardly surprising. The corpses are still fresh, so they likely haven't gone far. We should..."
He glanced at the great elder.
The great elder nodded slightly. "Yes, let's pursue them."
Xu Sanyan looked at the row of tragically slain young women and shook his head with a hint of regret. Several of them were quite attractive, exactly his type. Too bad...
Sigh...
The White Dragon Temple deserves to die. How could they be so cruel to these soft, fragrant girls?
What a waste!
If it were me...
Hehehehe...
(End of the Chapter)
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