Night had fallen. The vast Western desert stretched endlessly under the darkened sky, as a silver moon quietly emerged, casting a blood-like glow upon the drifting sands. Deep within the desert, the ancient Silk Road echoed faintly with intermittent camel bells—near and far, as though teasing the senses.
Shen Qingyuan, Night Butterfly, and Bai Zhou walked along a desolate trail left behind by a long-gone caravan. Behind them, several camels carried special medicinal supplies and intelligence scrolls from the Tianji Pavilion. They had reached the western frontier of the desert, where Tianji Pavilion had issued a bounty: seek the fragments of the Soul Severing Blade. Rumors spoke of a "Golden Corpse" deep in the Western Regions—a forbidden relic of the Shadow Sect, its body plated entirely in gold. Though entombed for a thousand years, it could be awakened in an instant by ancient runes to reap souls from afar—inescapable, unstoppable.
As they walked side by side, Bai Zhou was the first to speak. "According to Tianji Pavilion records, this corpse once belonged to 'Golden Soul', the third-generation deputy leader of the Shadow Sect. Upon his death, his soul was sealed within his golden-plated corpse. Wherever it went, the desert ran red with blood. This is a crucial lead to retrieve the second and third fragments of the Soul Severing Blade."
Night Butterfly smiled lightly as her sleeve fluttered. "Only when all five fragments of the Soul Severing Blade are assembled can the Golden Corpse be suppressed. But unless its seal is broken first, mere martial force won't be enough to destroy it. It can retaliate with corpse-array formations that consume one's very soul—not something we mere mortals can withstand."
Shen Qingyuan replied grimly, "Since we've come to the Western Regions, there's no turning back. Let's locate the resting place of this Golden Corpse and probe its mysteries first."
I. The Deserted Road of Shifting Sands
After several days of battling sandstorms, the trio arrived at a shattered cliff surrounded by ruined stone walls, their surfaces cracked as though torn by primeval fires and blades. Night Butterfly drew her sword, its edge glowing a verdant hue under the moonlight. "This is the Soul Severing Cliff. Legend has it the Golden Corpse once appeared here and severed the soul of a soul-hunter, leaving blood marks on the cliff walls."
With a solemn expression, Shen Qingyuan stepped forward and lightly tapped the cliff with the tip of the Soul Severing Blade. A faint red gleam pulsed, and the cracks in the wall seemed to tremble in response. He said quietly, "The blade's intent is linked to spirits. Let me see if I can sense the direction of the Golden Corpse's seal."
Closing his eyes, he began circulating the "Breath Reversal Technique". His inner blade energy surged and turned into invisible threads, seeping into the cracks and flowing deep into the earth. After a long pause, he murmured, "There's a cavern below. I sense the stench of ancient metal. Hundreds of metallic remains tightly packed together... This must be the resting place of the Golden Corpse."
Bai Zhou and Night Butterfly exchanged glances, both eyes gleaming. Bai Zhou said, "Then beneath this cliff lies the Tomb Cavern of the Golden Corpse. Let's descend."
"I'll lead the way," Night Butterfly offered.
With a flick of her body, she transformed into a streak of light, leaping into the cliff mouth. As she descended, she carved footholds into the rock face with delicate precision, gliding down like a dragon in snowfall. Shen Qingyuan followed closely, while Bai Zhou used his wind chimes to scatter falling sand and debris behind them.
II. The Tomb Cavern of the Golden Corpse
Night Butterfly was the first to reach the bottom of the Soul Severing Cliff. The cavern was cloaked in darkness, its walls stained with golden mineral dust that gave off a faint glow. The passageways twisted and forked, covered in strange runes—likely relics of the Golden Corpse's ancient kingdom. Several enormous boulders hung from the ceiling, swaying ominously with the howling wind. Danger loomed at every step.
From behind, Bai Zhou shook his wind chimes. A warm breeze transformed into a fine mist, clearing the falling sand and preserving their line of sight. Shen Qingyuan unsheathed the Soul Severing Blade, its edge glimmering faintly with red light. He gently traced the wall with the blade, letting its spirit guide their path, advancing cautiously.
After descending for about a hundred feet, the path split into two. Each direction ended at a bronze door. On one was a carved skull with its mouth agape; the other bore a skull with closed eyes. Night Butterfly whispered, "These are the Golden Corpse's guardian seals. The left, with an open mouth, draws in living souls; the right, with closed eyes, binds the dead. Choose wrong, and one will be attacked by either life or death forces."
Shen Qingyuan pondered deeply, recalling the soul diagram's hidden message: the characters for "capture" and "lock" were connected—first capture the soul, then bind the spirit. He pointed to the left door. "Enter the Living Soul Gate first."
Bai Zhou pushed open the left bronze door, revealing a wooden plank bridge suspended over a bottomless abyss. Below, countless intertwined bronze chains formed a soul-attracting formation meant to summon the Golden Corpse's spirit. As Bai Zhou stepped forward, the chains suddenly writhed. Several golden threads shot from the depths, wrapping around him, pulling him toward the chasm.
With a cry, Night Butterfly slashed through the threads, catching Bai Zhou and pulling him back. Shen Qingyuan acted swiftly, pointing the Soul Severing Blade at the ground. With a strike of the "Soulquake" technique, a tremor shattered the plank bridge, revealing grotesque stones below. From among them emerged ancient skeletons, disintegrating into countless golden bone shards that surged toward Bai Zhou.
He summoned his wind chime, turning wind into a shield, slowing the assault. Night Butterfly shouted, stabbing her short blade three times, shattering the flying bone shards. They looked at one another, faces grim. "The Soul Formation has fallen," one said, "but the Spirit Formation lies ahead."
They retreated to the central hall and pushed open the right door—the Gate of Bound Spirits. Beyond lay a pool of golden water, crystal-clear yet marbled with black ripples. On the surface floated fragments of human souls, flickering like wisps and drawn to the formation's center.
Night Butterfly inhaled softly. "This is the Locking Spirit Pool. It aims to trap the souls within forever."
Shen Qingyuan raised his blade across his chest. The moment he moved, the golden water parted before his strike. Yet the scattered souls gave rise to a powerful suction that dragged him into the pool. Suspended upside down, he felt his own soul wrapped in dark mist. Alarmed, he hastily activated the "Breath Reversal Technique", drew in surrounding soul energy, and engraved a "Soul Capture Mark" upon his brow. With a finger dipped into the water, he transformed into a streak of crimson light, breaking free from the golden prison.
The three stood together and invoked the "Soul Binding Incantation" once more. The water's surface stilled into a mirror, reflecting their faces. Then, the Soul Severing Blade leapt into the mirrored image, revealing a page of ancient text:
"The Golden Corpse, plated in gold for a thousand years;The Five Elemental Spirits, deceived by all arts.To suppress it, one must wield all five segments of the Soul Severing Blade,Refine the soul of gold, reverse the flow with the blade,And return its spirit to the void."
Night Butterfly murmured, "So the Golden Corpse's seal can only be broken when all five segments of the blade are united. Deeper within this tomb must lie the true seal."
Shen Qingyuan nodded, retracted his blade energy, and the three descended further, shoulder to shoulder, down the stone steps.
III. First Appearance of the Golden Corpse
As they reached the depths of the tomb cavern, the path suddenly opened into a vast space. Several colossal sarcophagi stood in orderly rows, each engraved with golden reliefs—depicting skeletons in golden armor, still gripping their weapons as if ready to rise and fight once more. Atop each sarcophagus lay a golden corpse, clad in gilded robes and shimmering armor. Though their faces had long decayed, a chilling aura of menace still clung to them.
Shen Qingyuan stepped forward cautiously, drawing his blade and quietly activating the Soul-Breaking Technique to probe the threat. Beside him, Night Butterfly and Bai Zhou rolled up their sleeves and took formation, solemn and focused.
Suddenly, a golden coffin lid a thousand feet away slammed shut with a deafening clang. From within, a golden corpse slowly rose. Golden light surged as the corpse began to move. In its hand, an ancient spear—weathered by centuries—thrust forward with terrifying speed and power, aimed directly at the three.
Swish! The spear howled like thunder, slicing through the air with metallic fury, forcing the trio back several steps. The corpse's frame was massive, encased in seamless golden armor. Then it released a piercing cry—a trumpet blast of death—that echoed like a mountain collapsing and waves crashing, shaking stones from the cavern roof.
Shen Qingyuan shouted, raising the Soul Severing Blade. All five segments of the blade lit up. The first technique, Soul Severance, slashed down fiercely. The blade's gleam collided with the spear's thrust in an explosive clash. Though the golden corpse's spear retained some of its battle will, it couldn't deflect the second move, Soul Capture, which struck its chest and cracked its armor, from which dark soul mist erupted.
Night Butterfly dashed forward, her Flower Shadow Sword casting icy blossoms that encircled the golden corpse, locking it within a narrow radius. Bai Zhou employed the Warm Wind breathing art, converting his inner energy into a rising thermal current that held the falling stones aloft, forming a natural shield over their heads. Their tactics synchronized perfectly, driving the golden corpse into a pit and wounding it severely.
Witnessing the fall of their leader, the remaining corpses in the other sarcophagi wailed in unison. Their armor shattered, and they crumbled to golden dust. The spear-wielding corpse, finally struck by the ninth technique of the Soul-Breaking Technique, disintegrated completely, turning into radiant fragments of golden light and vanishing into nothing.
As the dust settled, the remaining six sarcophagi opened—but all were empty, clearly decoys. Just then, a mechanical platform, etched with golden reliefs, descended from the cave ceiling. At its center sat a massive golden totem seal, matching the hidden markings on the hilt of the Soul Severing Blade.
Night Butterfly spoke, "This seal is the key to subduing the golden corpses. We must immediately insert the blade into the platform to activate the counterseal's power."
Shen Qingyuan pointed the blade at the totem, focusing his spirit and chanting softly. The five segments of the Soul Severing Blade surged with essence, and as they met the seal, crimson-golden flames ignited at the contact point. In an instant, the entire cavern was consumed in a blazing gold light, obliterating all lingering ash and darkness, as if returning the space to its primordial void.
IV. Seal Lifted
The crimson-golden radiance faded, and the cavern returned to silence. Glowing runes now shimmered on the hilt of the Soul Severing Blade, while the golden totem had fused with the weapon—completing the ultimate technique known as Golden Soul Unity.
Night Butterfly gasped, "You've gained the power of Golden Soul Fusion! From now on, you can summon the soul of the golden corpses through the blade—or suppress any entity tied to golden soul essence!"
Bai Zhou added, "This is the highest secret art left behind by the forebears for the wielder of the Soul Severing Blade. No one else in the martial world can wield this soul!"
Gripping the blade tightly, Shen Qingyuan felt no joy. Instead, his gaze turned toward the cavern entrance, and he murmured:
"The true test lies ahead."
V. Clue from the Deadman's Tavern
Emerging from the tomb, the sky had already darkened. The frigid western winds merged with the night, but the three walked on as if they'd passed through centuries—returning in spirit to that fateful place: the Deadman's Tavern. Bai Zhou took out a black jade bottle from his sleeve. Etched upon it was a totem resembling a tavern banner, the same one used by a Heaven's Secret Pavilion spy who once infiltrated the tavern.
"This item resembles the ancient pennant from the tavern," Bai Zhou said. "Drinking from it allows one to sense blood pacts buried in the past. Once we return, we should visit the Deadman's Tavern—only there can we dig deeper into the lost truths of the Shadow Sect."
Night Butterfly's brow arched. "The Deadman's Tavern is a forbidden place in the western region—few who enter ever return. Now that you possess Golden Soul Fusion, it's even more crucial to go there and unearth the final secrets behind the Soul Severing Blade and the Shadow Sect's downfall!"
Shen Qingyuan nodded. "Tomorrow, we ride for the Deadman's Tavern. Tonight, we rest at the ancient outpost."
VI. Soul Map: The Next Chapter
The desert night was bitterly cold. Distant camel bells echoed like mourning over the mountains. The three stood atop the outpost roof, bathed in blood-red moonlight. The Soul Severing Blade gleamed—its five segments now perfectly fused with the golden seal—radiating a dreadful aura like a weapon forged in the depths of hell.
Shen Qingyuan caressed the blade's surface. In his mind emerged two more locations from the "Soul Map": Soul Terrace of Xiling, and Falling Snow Valley of the Northern Frontier. Now, he had reclaimed the second, third, and fourth soul fragments. With the golden corpse's soul now residing in the blade, only the fifth and final fragment—Soul Break—remained.
There was no one else around, only the Soul Severing Blade humming softly under the moonlight, as if calling out:
"Break... Soul... Reunite..."
He drew in the cold desert air, eyes burning with resolve, his countless emotions condensed into a single whisper:
"See you at the Deadman's Tavern."
End of Chapter Eleven