Manhuang Realm – deep night in Man Hero Cemetery.
The burial grounds of Manhuang Sacred Ground experts lay at the very end of Man Hero Cemetery. Lan An, guided by the unlucky soul's memories, cautiously led the Man-Chicken and Wu San Niang deeper…
From the memories: the soul that tried to possess him had belonged to a subordinate faction of Manhuang Sacred Ground in that era, not qualified to be buried near core members.
The Manhuang Saintess had held supreme status, daughter of the Sacred Ground Lord. Her strength was unfathomable, heroic beyond measure. In the war against invaders from another world, she killed over ten experts above her realm before finally falling from exhaustion.
Such a female powerhouse, her skeleton would be perfect for Dan Mengji's new body. No doubt, the deeper they went, the more dangers appeared. Strange and bizarre things abounded.
Lan An even saw several empty graves, coffins gone, lids missing. Clearly, grave robbers existed in every world. They weren't the only ones.
"Many experts bury their entire wealth and inheritances with them, main reason grave robbers covet them! But this trade, the line between life and death is razor-thin," Wu San Niang said indifferently. At her feet, several decayed corpses in tattered black robes, covered in mud, clearly unlucky robbers who met their end here.
"To be a professional grave robber requires guts, mastery of feng shui and traps. We're not even amateur level!" Lan An said amusedly.
Since they weren't pros, they hadn't touched unrelated graves. Even lavish, noble-looking tombs, they ignored to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Their only goal: Manhuang Sacred Ground section, and that Saintess's bones.
But wanting no trouble didn't mean getting none.
"AAAH, Fellow Daoists, help me!"
Suddenly, a short man carrying a golden shovel shot toward them like a meteor. Seeing Lan An's group, eyes lit up like saviours, rushing over.
Behind him, endless zombie horde in mad pursuit. Among them, two colossal zombies at Early Eighth-Turn.
The short man's movement was incredibly slippery, like an eel. He reached Lan An's group…
"Heaven-sent saviours, help kill these zombies! I'll reward you richly later!" he shouted while running.
Seeing this, Man-Chicken crowed in fury. This short bastard clearly caused some outrage, now trying to drag them in? Unforgivable!
"Die!"
Man-Chicken charged, planning to kill the short man first, then deal with zombies.
"Fellow Daoist, why force me to death?" The short man paled, tears threatening. But his hands didn't slow.
Facing Man-Chicken's earth-shaking kick, he swung the golden shovel from his back, digging at empty space…
To Lan An's surprise, space was dug, creating a small black mouse-hole. The short man slipped in, reappearing elsewhere, dodging the kick. Man-Chicken's eyes bulged.
Truly bizarre, he hadn't reached Eighth-Turn, yet affected Manhuang's space, even travelling through it.
At that moment, the zombie horde arrived, ready to crush everything.
Seeing this, the short man panicked, then grinned wickedly, cupping fists at Lan An's group:
"Not good, green hills remain, clear waters flow. In future, this Tomb Raider Dragon Claw Hand, Golden Shovel will repay your life-saving grace. Farewell!"
He dug another hole, slipping in, reappearing hundreds of li away in a blink.
Golden Shovel exhaled in relief. He wasn't Eighth-Turn, couldn't stay long in space. That distance was his limit.
"But I escaped, pity those three unlucky fools, heh heh!" Golden Shovel smirked inwardly…
BOOM…
Suddenly, heaven-shaking explosion. Golden Shovel's smile froze. He turned stiffly.
His mouth gaped, could fit an egg. Eyes contracted.
One of the three black-cloaked figures calmly retracted his fist…
The zombie horde, unknown when, reduced to a mountain of ash. Even the two Eighth-Turn zombies, no exception.
"Gulp… my gods!"
Golden Shovel jumped, screaming. Then frantically dug again, desperately widening distance.
His heart pounded. One punch, annihilated tens of thousands of zombies, including Eighth-Turn ones. What monsters had he provoked?
Meanwhile, Lan An's eyes gleamed meaningfully at the short figure fading into thick mist, only the gleaming golden shovel visible.
Soul force surged. White Moon Soul Seizing Eyes activated. Hands forming seals, Lan An said leisurely:
"Emperor Soul Scripture, Third Soul Art, Soul Hook!"
In that moment, a transparent fishing rod formed from boundless soul force appeared in Lan An's hand, looking exactly like a fishing pole…
Lan An locked onto the distant short figure, lips curving amusedly.
He cast the line, yanking hard…
WHOOSH…
Before Wu San Niang's interested eyes, a transparent line with hook shot out, all condensed from soul force. It pierced space layers, instantly reaching Golden Shovel hundreds of li away.
"What the—?!"
Golden Shovel hadn't recovered, sudden dread filled him.
A transparent hook pierced his flesh, latching directly onto his soul.
"AAAAAAA"
Golden Shovel clutched his head, screaming, rolling in agony. Eyes bloodshot, cunning face twisted in pain, struggling against soul-tearing torment…
"Reel!"
Lan An yanked, Golden Shovel's soul nearly torn from his body.
"NO NO…!"
Terrified of pissing himself, Golden Shovel went limp, letting soul stay attached, dangling like a caught fish.
Lan An yanked again, dragging Golden Shovel's entire body back. Eyes wicked, gazing at him.
This dwarf was smart. If he resisted, soul would've been hooked out, becoming Lan An's slave forever. No returning to body.
"What… kind of technique…?"
Man-Chicken and Dan Mengji, witnessing everything, stood stunned. Waves crashed in their hearts, first time seeing Lan An use such terrifying method.
Soul force formed a fishing rod, hook and line reaching hundreds of li, reeling enemy like fish. Simply unheard of. With such ghostly means, who could escape Lan An's pursuit?
Man-Chicken grew even more reverent toward its master. Dan Mengji struggled to calm herself.
"Kid, that fishing pose was perfect!" Wu San Niang's eyes shone, she wished she had a move like that.
Seeing their shock, even his powerful female master, Lan An smirked proudly, inwardly thrilled.
Soul Hook, as the name implied, used pure, powerful soul force to hook others' souls like fishing. Death god-like technique.
Third Soul Art of Emperor Soul Twelve Arts in Emperor Soul Scripture. Even when first learning it, Lan An had been shocked.
But Soul Hook wasn't invincible, couldn't hook souls far stronger than his own.
Now, Lan An grabbed Golden Shovel's golden shovel from the dazed dwarf on the ground, curiously asking:
"Jin'er, nice tool. Can actually dig tunnels in space?"
"True-Rank treasure, made from Space-Time Ore. Affects space. Attack power not great, but perfect for thieves and robbers!" Jin'er said lazily, unimpressed.
Lan An nodded, testing a few digs at space.
Sure enough, space easily dug into black holes.
"Ah, return my shovel!" Golden Shovel woke groggily, seeing his livelihood tool in another's hands, cried out.
"Hmph!"
Lan An sneered, another Soul Chain shot out. For someone threatening his life, no mercy.
Soul Chain seized Golden Shovel's soul, face paling, terrified like seeing a ghost.
He was Early Seventh-Turn Body Cultivator, grew up in Manhuang. How could he have seen Soul Cultivator's bizarre methods?
"Submit your Soul Origin, I'll spare your life!" Lan An tightened force, pain making Golden Shovel wish for death.
"Master, Master!" Small guts, small courage, Golden Shovel realised no resistance possible, knelt begging mercy.
This guy is monstrous, plus one who punched an entire zombie army to dust. What monsters did I provoke?
Lan An satisfied, took Golden Shovel's Soul Origin, fully controlling his life. Then nodded:
"Speak! Who are you? How long in the trade?"
Golden Shovel puffed chest proudly:
"Number one tomb robber, Tomb Raider Dragon Claw Hand, Golden Shovel, that's me!"
SMACK…
Lan An slapped his head, stars in eyes. Snorted: "Get to the point! What value do you have for me to spare you?"
Golden Shovel shuddered, carefully:
"My real name is Xiao Doubi. Golden Shovel is my self-given title. Family in tomb robbing for generations. I know all the most valuable tomb locations and layouts in Man Hero Cemetery. I can help Master reap rich harvest!"
Lan An smiled faintly: "If you know valuable tombs, why not rob them yourself? Waiting for me?"
"More valuable tombs, more dangerous. I'm alone, not enough strength! Just scouting an Eighth-Turn Late general's tomb, already chased by that massive zombie army." Golden Shovel sniffled.
Lan An found it reasonable, returned the golden shovel, ordering:
"Lead me to the deepest part of Man Hero Cemetery!"
That was where Manhuang Sacred Ground experts rested, current main goal.
Hearing Lan An's demand, Golden Shovel shuddered, asking shakily:
"Master… also wants the inheritances?"