novel bin Chapter 111 Ghost Ship Corpse Soldiers
Chapter 111 Ghost Ship Corpse Soldiers
Chapter 111 Ghost Ship and Corpse Soldiers (4K)
The Zhenyuan hovered ten feet below the surface of the sea.
A pale blue halo expanded the water-repelling shield, forcibly pushing aside the surrounding turbid, iron-gray seawater.
Xu Hao rested one hand on the gunwale, his gaze piercing through the deep water.
A hundred feet ahead, a huge shadow was slowly drifting with the undercurrent.
As the distance closes, the outline becomes clear.
The main mast was broken in half, and half of a faded and rotten flag was wrapped around the wood stumps.
The water tugged at the tattered cloth, and the patterns embroidered with gold thread could still be vaguely discerned.
"The dragon-patterned flag of the Hengshui Naval Army."
66
"How did this thing end up sunk on the Minnesota border?"
The hull was not covered with barnacles or seaweed, but rather with a thick layer of black frost.
Even through the water-repelling protective barrier, a chilling, malevolent aura seeped straight into one's bones.
The deck was littered with dead bodies.
They were all wearing standard armor of the Hengshui Navy, with swords and spears drawn and held in their hands.
The soldier's face was serene, showing no sign of struggling before his death.
They didn't even lose their formation, falling neatly and uniformly in their respective positions.
Xu Hao's dark cyan aura pierced through the protective barrier, silently swept across the seawater, and landed on the nearest corpse.
The feedback from Qi and blood is incorrect.
The dead should have long since rotted into bones or been devoured by sea monsters.
But the corpse's skin and flesh were intact, and even the blood and qi in its body were still there.
However, this vital energy and blood completely stagnated and were forcibly sealed inside the body.
The vital energy traveled along the meridians and eventually stopped at the corpse's heart.
A three-inch-long black iron nail is driven into this spot.
The nail heads are flush with the armor plates, fitting together perfectly.
The sea of consciousness was churning violently.
Ever since the Zhenyuan Blessed Land was upgraded to the Cave Heaven level, this painting has not only become more appealing, but its temperament has also changed.
The originally docile scroll suddenly unfurled violently in his sea of consciousness, its edges radiating a dazzling crimson halo.
Lines of fine seal characters emerged.
[High-risk alert: Remnants of an ancient formation detected.]
[Key point locked: Bottom of the ship's hull.]
[Abnormal Status: Contains an extremely high concentration of malevolent energy, extremely dangerous.]
The warnings are more accurate than before, and are no longer just simple danger alerts.
Before Xu Hao could take a closer look, the dark golden compass in the center of his mind also joined in the fun.
The compass needle was originally fixed in the due north-southwest direction, which was the location of Yanzhou Juejing City.
Now, the golden light representing the incomplete scroll of the Martial Ancestor's Divine Skill begins to flicker frequently.
The originally fixed coordinates have shifted by an extremely slight amount.
It was moved one centimeter to the northwest.
Xu Hao narrowed his eyes, his mind racing.
Ok?
The incomplete scrolls of divine skills left behind by the Martial Ancestor are not inanimate objects buried in the ground.
It's moving.
Or rather, it is carried by a carrier that is moving.
Xu Hao gave a hand signal, and the Zhenyuan submerged and hovered at a safe depth, ready to proceed.
He carried the Sea-Devouring Blade, his dark blue aura parting the water, and with a burst of power from his legs, he leaped out of the water and landed steadily on the deck of the dilapidated warship.
The soles of my boots were covered in black frost.
The cold air rushed up from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.
This coldness was even more domineering than that of the Cold Iron Ore, and even the breath exhaled condensed into white residue.
The Devouring Sea Blade in his hand reacted.
The dark blue patterns on the blade glowed faintly, greedily absorbing the surrounding cold air, and the blade emitted a soft hum.
"Eat slowly, don't stuff yourself," Xu Hao thought to himself, flicking the back of the knife with his finger.
He looked down at the corpses lying haphazardly at his feet.
The standard armor of the Daheng Navy had green rust on the edges of the iron plates.
Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that each of these corpses had a three-inch-long black iron nail driven into its chest.
The Devouring Sea pierced the corpse, and with a flick of the blade, pulled out a single rune covered in densely packed markings. The corpse shattered instantly.
The black nail exuded a cold, sinister aura.
The Bone Maiden, draped in a black cloak and revealing only her purple eyes, exuded this aura on the sea off Shengzhou.
This was no ordinary shipwreck; it was clearly a site used for blood sacrifices.
Xu Hao ignored the dead bodies and walked down the ship's cabin with his knife in hand.
The further down you go, the dimmer the light becomes. With a single slash, you open the bottom hatch, revealing a deep, aged crimson glow.
In the very center of the cabin, the ground is sunken to form a circular altar.
In the very center of the altar, there was a small black iron box, about the size of a palm.
The patterns on the surface of the box were identical to the patterns on the iron nails on the chest of the corpse.
Xu Hao stepped forward and used the tip of his knife to probe the edge of the box.
Just as the tip of the knife touched the edge of the black iron box.
A rhythmic rustling sound came from the upper deck.
Hundreds of corpses that were originally dead suddenly opened their eyes.
Their deathly gray pupils, unfocused, all turned toward the lower deck.
Skin and flesh rub against nail plate.
The zombie soldiers stood up stiffly and in unison.
They held their rusty weapons level, took steps, and converged on the entrance to the lower deck.
It's not a strange resurgence.
These bodies have long lost their souls, clinging to a sliver of resentment only by the black iron nails in their hearts, and are used as puppets.
Xu Hao heard the sound of heavy footsteps overhead. "These soldiers are still so obedient even after they're dead. The Daheng court should really give them double the compensation."
He gripped the Devouring Sea Blade tightly in his other hand, dark blue energy flowing along the blade, its sharpness slicing through the surrounding chill.
Xu Hao raised his sword and slashed down at the three corpse soldiers charging at the front.
The blade sliced into the armor plates, the piercing metallic scraping sound echoing in the lower compartment.
Not right.
The standard armor of the Daheng Navy should not be this stiff.
The recoil from the blade made my hand go numb.
The death energy sealed by the black iron nails formed a tough barrier on the surface of the corpse, which withstood the Qi of the Qi Refining Realm cultivator.
Ordinary methods simply cannot cut it.
"The men of the Hengshui Naval Force are more formidable when they're dead than when they're alive."
Xu Hao flipped his wrist, no longer engaging in a direct confrontation.
He pushed the extreme cold and yin energy of the Devouring Sea Blade to its limit.
The dark blue blade light, mixed with frost, struck the black iron nail in the corpse soldier's heart with pinpoint accuracy.
Click.
The nail broke instantly.
The undead soldiers, stripped of their life force, along with their sturdy armor, turned to ashes in the blink of an eye and were swept away by the water flow in the lower deck.
Once the Achilles' heel is found, all that remains is a one-sided massacre.
Xu Hao moved swiftly through the narrow iron chamber, his blade flashing like the wind, always aiming for the heart.
Chop, stab, pick.
The movements were clean and efficient; the water grew increasingly murky, and the corpses were almost invisible.
Just as the last corpse soldier fell, the black iron box in the center of the altar popped open on its own with a "snap".
There was no gold or silver, no peerless weapon.
Inside lay a yellowed bone fragment.
Xu Hao picked up the bone fragment, on which was engraved a line of fine, blood-red characters.
"We will sacrifice three thousand armored soldiers, open the gate of the returning phoenix, and welcome our lord back to his throne."
Xu Hao stared at the words, his breath catching in his throat.
Three thousand elite naval corpsmen, along with their ships, were forged into keys to open a certain door.
This level of skill far surpasses that of the pirates of Shengzhou who only know how to rob and plunder.
The deck beneath our feet tilted violently.
The ghost ship's array core was broken, and the entire ship was plummeting to the seabed at an extremely high speed.
Xu Hao stuffed the bone fragments into the Sumeru Chamber, touched the ground with his toes, and smashed through the rotten wooden plank above his head.
Rushing off the deck and using the momentum to rise, the Zhenyuan, which was hovering in the sea, picked up Xu Hao and immediately rose to the surface, leaping out of the water.
The ghost ship's massive body was swallowed by the whirlpool and completely disappeared into the deep sea.
Not long after, a thick cloud of black gas began to rise and churn on the sea.
Instead of being blown away by the sea breeze, it gathered together to form the outline of a huge human face.
His facial features were indistinct, but his eyes shone with an eerie purple light.
Bone Girl.
This face, separated by a hundred feet of sea, gazed at Xu Hao from afar and smiled silently.
Then, the black mist dissipated, merging into the surrounding thick fog and disappearing completely.
The sea returned to calm.
Xu Hao stood at the bow of the ship, rubbing the remaining bone fragments on his fingertips, his face grim.
The woman made a brief appearance on the sea off Shengzhou, and then vanished without a trace.
It now seems that this small territory in Shengzhou is not even worth her attention.
Her scheme was extremely elaborate.
The Zhenyuan broke through the waves and headed north, crossing the sea boundary and sailing into the waters near Mingzhou.
The sea breeze cuts and scrapes, drastically changing the coastal landscape.
Towering beacon towers and watchtowers built of rough stone rise from the ground, standing every few miles along the coastline.
The rough linen banners fluttered in the wind, bearing the large character "镇" (zhen, meaning town/town).
This is the coastal defense line of the Zhenbei Army, the first gate for Mingzhou to resist foreign enemies.
The waterway ahead was forcibly cut off.
A row of thick iron chains, as thick as a large bowl, spans the sea, with both ends firmly gripping the heavy winch bases on the reefs.
Beneath the water's surface, sharpened black wooden stakes rise and fall with the waves, specifically designed to pierce heavy ships with deep drafts.
Behind the iron chains, seven warships painted with anti-corrosion black paint lined up in a row, blocking all paths.
The difference is that these ships no longer have conventional armor-piercing crossbows mounted on their bows; instead, they have all been fitted with short, thick iron pipes, the dark openings pointing directly into the waterway.
Xu Hao's gaze locked onto the front, where a speedboat emerged from the formation.
A young general, in his early twenties, stood at the bow of the ship. He wore standard armor and had an ordinary appearance, but exuded the fierce energy of someone who had led troops into battle for many years.
He gathered his strength and shouted, his voice echoing across the sea: "No one is forbidden from navigating the waters of Mingzhou! State your place of origin and place of origin, and hand over your travel documents. Violators will be killed without exception!"
Xu Hao stood at the bow of the turtle-shell ship, too lazy to argue.
Raise your hand, spread your five fingers.
Dark blue energy gathered in his palm, transforming into a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.
The surrounding air was split open, and a shallow crater was forced into the sea surface.
The pressure of a Grandmaster at the Tongqiao Realm swept over them directly.
Faced with such pressure, the young general's cheeks twitched.
But he was firmly rooted to the spot and didn't take a single step back.
He drew his standard-issue longsword from his waist and slammed the back of the blade against his armor.
when!
The clang of metal rang out.
Behind them, on the seven warships, the openings of the short, thick iron pipes glowed with a dark red light.
It was a fire weapon powered by Blood Fiend Crystal, exuding a violent energy capable of burning a person through.
The Zhenbei Army has actually developed this thing, stuffing martial arts resources into firearms as fuel. No wonder the Zhenbei King doesn't listen to the Emperor of Daheng; they have these things in their hands.
The young general said, enunciating each word clearly: "The rules of the Zhenbei Army must be followed even by grandmasters. Without the Zhenbei King's order, even the Heavenly King himself would have to stop his ship for inspection!"
Xu Hao touched the Devouring Sea Blade on his lower back.
Should we attack? It would be a bad deal to provoke the Zhenbei Army for no reason.
Not fight? The other side is impervious to reason; these military thugs only recognize the Prince of Zhenbei.
Just then, a deep horn sounded from deep within the water village.
A heavy flagship, far larger than any ordinary warship, slowly sailed out.
The sail is embroidered with a silver wolf treading on snow. A direct descendant of the Prince of Zhenbei.
An old general stepped out from the flagship's deck.
He had gray hair, a burly build, and his old armor was covered in marks from being chopped with knives and axes.
An old scar on his left cheek ran from his forehead to his jaw, dividing his features in two and giving him a fierce look.
The veteran general's surname was Zhao, given name Poyue, and he was the deputy commander of the coastal defense of the Zhenbei Army.
His qi and blood fluctuations were at the peak of the Inner Strength Realm, but the oppressive feeling that rolled out of the Hushan Blood Sea was even stronger than that of an ordinary Qi Opening Realm cultivator.
This man has guarded this route for twenty-seven years; he's seen all sorts of tough guys.
"Guan Hai, put your sword away." Zhao Poyue spoke, his voice hoarse, revealing the weariness of a seasoned warrior. "Drawing your sword against a Grandmaster of the Qi Opening Realm, how many lives do you have to pay for it?"
The young general, known as Guan Hai, sheathed his sword, but his back remained ramrod straight.
Zhao Poyue's gaze fell on Xu Hao, then swept over the strange Xuanwu bone armor of the Zhenyuan, his single eye narrowing into a slit.
"Young man, are you from Shengzhou?" Zhao Poyue asked.
Xu Hao nodded: "Passing through Mingzhou, on the way to Yanzhou."
"Yanzhou is a bitter, cold wasteland, with nothing of value there," Zhao Poyue grinned, revealing his withered lips. "Mingzhou has its own rules. Your ship looks restless; the Zhenbei Army doesn't allow ships of unknown origin to pass through. However, we must give face to a Grandmaster."
"The rules of Mingzhou cannot be broken, but business can be negotiated." The old general went straight to the point, pointing his rough finger towards the northern sea. "Thirty miles northeast of the water fortress, there's an abandoned sea-viewing tower. Inside dwells a strange creature, something that only appeared in recent years. We've sent three groups of scouts there, all elite Bone Forging Realm warriors, and none of them have returned. The main force of the Zhenbei Army is entirely committed to the northern land defense line against the barbarians, and the water fortress can't spare any experts at the Qi Opening Realm."
He paused for a moment, then offered his terms: "You're a passing grandmaster; help me clear this stumbling block. I'll open the waterway for you, plus a military map of the North."
Xu Hao propped the Sea-Devouring Blade on the deck and didn't respond.
"Serving as a free henchman for the Zhenbei Army? Trading a broken map for a Qi Opening Realm cultivator to risk their life, that's a really shrewd calculation."
He turned to go back to the cabin.
It's better to avoid clashing with the Zhenbei Army's navy and just take a detour, which will only take a little longer.
"Young man, don't rush off." Zhao Poyue's scar twitched as his facial muscles moved. "Beneath the Wanghai Tower lies an ancient ruin, predating the founding of the Daheng Dynasty. We can't fathom its contents, and taking it would be useless. But for you martial artists, it might be a stroke of good fortune."
The veteran's words were insightful.
Using historical sites as bait is a calculated move.
Xu Hao stopped at the ancient ruins.
"Deal." Xu Hao turned his head. "The price needs to be raised. After it's done, issue me a military pass for overland travel from Mingzhou to the border of Yanzhou."
He stared at Xu Hao for a long time before nodding in agreement.
"The pass can be given. Let me make it clear beforehand, north of Yanzhou's Desolate City, the Zhenbei Army's sign is just a piece of scrap metal. That's the territory of barbarians and snowfield behemoths. The laws and regulations of Daheng are nothing but a fart in their land. You decide for yourself."
On the dock, Guan Hai watched the departing tortoise-shell ship and spoke in a low voice to Zhao Poyue beside him.
"Commander, this person's internal energy foundation is not right. He should not have such a thickness at the early stage of the Opening Aperture Realm."
Zhao Poyue coughed twice, interrupting Guan Hai.
"Mind your own business. As long as he doesn't bite the Zhenbei Army, let him be, he's a dragon who crawled out of the mud of Shengzhou."
As night fell, the sea became so dark that no light could penetrate.
The Zhenyuan approached the outer perimeter of Wanghailou.
The sea breeze had stopped, and the only sound was the lapping of the water against the hull.
The Wanghailou Pavilion stands on a small island covered with reefs, and a pale green flame shines on the top of the pavilion.
The firelight cast long shadows on the water, exuding an eerie aura.
Xu Hao stood at the bow of the ship, his gaze sweeping across the sea.
Pieces of broken ship planks floated on the water, mixed with tattered Zhenbei Army standard armor.
The armor was intact, but the inside was completely empty.
There was no body, not even a bone fragment was left.
Deep within the sea of consciousness, the Record of Blessed Lands and Grotto-Heavens suddenly became hot.
The picture unfolds in my mind, its edges gleaming.
Lines of seal script characters emerged.
A faint energy reverberation was detected.
[Source: Wanghailou Underground Ruins]
[Attribute: Shares the same origin as the Fragment of the Martial Ancestor's Preaching Platform.]