However, when the coffin lid was opened, it did not reveal an Elixir but a young corpse instead.
"Why is there a corpse?" Huang Shenyi's smile suddenly froze. After all that effort, it was just a corpse.
Why would a corpse emit such a strong scent of Elixir? Leng Wu Xue wondered, puzzled that a corpse could emit the scent of an Elixir.
He opened the other two coffins, and again, they contained two pale corpses.
Could these be Elixir Corpses? Huang Shenyi thought, a glint of shock flashing in his eyes as he seemed to realize something.
"What is an Elixir Corpse?" Ling Chen couldn't help but ask.
"This is a secret of Tienzong," Huang Shenyi explained. "Once upon a time, Tienzong's Alchemy was highly developed. It was said to be capable of bringing the dead back to life. Moreover, feeding corpses with Elixirs could greatly enhance their strength and even allow their every movement to be controlled. These are Elixir Corpses."
Huang Shenyi's face showed a hint of contemplation. It's just that Tienzong's experiments with Elixir Corpses supposedly failed, and the rumors about them eventually disappeared without a trace. Why would there be three Elixir Corpses here?
Since they're just Elixir Corpses, we should avoid disturbing them and leave as soon as possible, Ling Chen decided. He had felt an ominous premonition when he started opening the coffins, and it grew even stronger upon discovering three Elixir Corpses.
"Look, the Elixir Corpses are changing!" Suddenly, Leng Wu Xue's gaze fell upon the Elixir Corpses, and he noticed a startling change.
Before their eyes, the once extremely shriveled Elixir Corpses began to plump up at a visible rate. Their flesh and blood seemed to regenerate, rapidly suffusing them with a semblance of life.
"There's something wrong with these Elixir Corpses! We have to get out of here, now!" one of them exclaimed. All three felt a sense of dread and wanted to leave the secret chamber immediately.
WHOOSH!
An Elixir Corpse's eyes suddenly snapped open. They were green and devoid of any human emotion; only pure savagery, eeriness, bloodlust, and cruelty remained. It was as if all the evil in the world could be seen within them.
Before they could leave the chamber, the Elixir Corpse in the coffin let out a wolf-like howl. It lunged towards Ling Chen, Leng Wu Xue, and Huang Shenyi with lightning speed, its arms shooting out like swift blades.
The Elixir Corpse moved stiffly, yet its explosive speed was surprisingly fast. Ling Chen leaned to the side, instantly moving ten meters away.
Leng Wu Xue and Huang Shenyi also darted aside, evading the Elixir Corpse's attack.
The next moment, the solid wall where they had stood was pierced and torn apart. The Elixir Corpse tilted its head, its malevolent green eyes locking onto Ling Chen.
BANG! BANG!
At that exact moment, the lids of the other two coffins flew open. Two more Elixir Corpses shot out like cannonballs, heading straight for Leng Wu Xue and Huang Shenyi.
Facing one of the Elixir Corpses, Ling Chen showed no mercy. With continuous swings of his Cloud-hidden Sword, he unleashed two sharp streams of sword qi, one from the left and one from the right, aimed at the Elixir Corpse's eyes. Empowered by his Sword Intent, the sword qi was incredibly sharp, all-piercing and unstoppable.
This Elixir Corpse was quite formidable. It reacted in a split second, tilting its head back slightly to avoid the left stream of sword qi. The other stream, due to the target's movement, missed its eye and instead struck its cheek.
A few sparks flew. A shallow cut appeared on the Elixir Corpse's cheek, but no blood flowed out.
What are these Elixir Corpses made of? Even sword qi barely harms them! Ling Chen thought, taken aback. Normally, such a strike would have sliced off half a regular corpse's head, yet on this Elixir Corpse, it had merely left a shallow gash.
ROAR!
The Elixir Corpse, dazed by the sword qi, acted on instinct. It opened its mouth wide and suddenly spewed a ball of green light towards Ling Chen.
The wall corroded instantly where the light hit, and the green gas it emitted was nauseating.
Ling Chen fought while retreating, slowly making his way towards the stone door of the secret chamber.
Meanwhile, Leng Wu Xue and Huang Shenyi were engaged with the other two Elixir Corpses. Their attacks seemed equally ineffective, failing to inflict any significant damage.
Huang Shenyi's expression turned grim. He shouted to Leng Wu Xue and Ling Chen, "Damn it! These Elixir Corpses are refined from the bodies of Great Master Level Powerhouses! I didn't expect Tienzong to have researched such malevolent things. No wonder they ultimately brought about their own destruction! Be careful! Don't let them injure you, or you'll be infected with Corpse Poison!"
As Huang Shenyi spoke, his clothes billowed though there was no wind. He unleashed a fierce kick, the powerful leg technique transforming into a meteor crashing down from the sky.
BANG!
His kick, swift as a meteor and immensely heavy, slammed the Elixir Corpse directly into the stone wall. The creature was pinned, roaring repeatedly.
"Bloodfall Without Equal!"
Leng Wu Xue's True Qi was focused and contained. His Blood-colored Sword drew a bloody arc through the air as he fiercely slashed at the neck of the other Elixir Corpse—this one appearing female.
The sword strike was exceedingly sharp and powerful, sending the Elixir Corpse flying into the opposite wall. A gaping wound appeared on its neck, revealing blackened, rotting flesh.
WHOOSH!
The young Elixir Corpse facing Ling Chen bent its knees and sprang up, lunging towards the motionless Ling Chen, who held his Cloud-hidden Sword ready.
"White Dragon Breath!"
Ling Chen raised the Cloud-hidden Sword in his right hand. Waves of True Qi poured into the blade. The intense Sword Intent caused the surrounding air to swirl violently, an unstoppable torrent.
"Slash!"
He swung the sword. An immensely thick beam of sword qi, like giant shears, sliced through the air and accurately struck the Elixir Corpse's face.
Shrapnel-like pieces of flesh flew. A deep, bone-reaching gash was carved into the Elixir Corpse's chest. Its resilient body was flung into the air, crashing heavily against a stone pillar.
The stone pillar collapsed, burying the Elixir Corpse's body beneath the heavy rubble.
However, despite all this, the three Elixir Corpses climbed to their feet again. Though they stumbled, their wounds healed at a visible rate. In the blink of an eye, they were restored to their previous state, as if they had never been injured at all.
Witnessing this, Leng Wu Xue shook his head with a bitter smile. "These Elixir Corpses are incredibly difficult to deal with. As long as Corpse Qi remains in their bodies, they can continuously regenerate their injuries. It's impossible to kill them unless one possesses power far exceeding theirs—enough to obliterate them in a single blow. Otherwise," he paused, "they'll just wear us down until we're dead."
"With our current strength, we can't achieve that," Huang Shenyi declared. "It's better to retreat for now! There's no need to get entangled with these things here. Gentlemen, I'll make the first move!"
Huang Shenyi tapped his foot and lightly leaped out of the stone door.
Ling Chen and Leng Wu Xue were no fools either. If they used their trump cards, they might be able to severely injure the Elixir Corpses. However, there was no need to do so at this moment. Even if they fought to the death and managed to kill these Elixir Corpses, there would be no benefit.
The two of them moved almost simultaneously, darting out of the stone door.
When they emerged outside the stone door, Xiao Muyu saw Ling Chen, Leng Wu Xue, and Huang Shenyi running out in a panic. She couldn't help but approach and ask, "What's happening?"
"Quick, follow me!"
With no time to explain, Ling Chen grabbed Xiao Muyu's jade-like hand and sprinted swiftly down the corridor.
"Everyone, run for your lives!" Ling Chen shouted as he fled. Before leaving, he glanced at the Disciples who hadn't reacted yet, warning them. However, some still ignored his advice, their curiosity compelling them to approach the stone door.
The next moment, a series of screams echoed out. Ling Chen could faintly hear sounds of flesh being chewed and devoured following the screams—a truly chilling sound.