Stone Warrior and Bone Maiden

Fangsu dismissed Bai Xue before they entered the next room which they reunited with the rest of the group and seeing that they were all alive and well which relieved Fangsu. After she examined the other groups injuries that were just a few scratches, nothing too serious. But, they all discussed with each other about the rewards they obtained. Sim Siu received a new whip that was of purple grade and had an unusual property which would inflict damage continuously like poison. Her uncle received a blessing for strengthen his physical body, healing old wounds. Ang Siu received paper talismans which could be applied on a weapon or person to increase its power tenfold temporarily for a short amount of time and a second rank martial art tablets which complimented his own fighting style.

Fangsu discreetly materialised her red jade staff which appear in her hand but it was of a golden with a faint purplish hue which meant it was of peak purplish golden rank, "Oh! Fangsu, are you going to refine it and turn it to a gold rank?" Refinement of the weapon and turned into a golden rank in the hands of a blacksmith that could refine it properly or else it cause the weapon to be either broken or have a recession in its grade.

They soon reached an area that had a completely different atmosphere where the ground was covered in a thick layer of fog which reached about thigh height. Instead of the dimly light area like the other rooms it was completely bright from the floating contraptions that shone brightly filling the entirety of the room with light. There was a doorway that was blocked by barrier that had indistinguishable language embedded. People tried to go through only to stopped by the barrier; some even tried to break the barrier with sheer force only in vain as there was no breakage. Sim Siu walked up to the barrier curious of the barrier that blocked them yet there was no method to open it. As she went to touch the barrier; her finger stopped the barrier.

At the sight of this more people tried to go through to no avail. So, assuming there was a barrier someone would at least be able to enter which meant that someone had to fit the conditions to be able to enter. Unexpectedly, Fangsu walked through the barrier with ease, leaving behind the crowd that could only wait behind. As she continued their walk past the barrier they soon entered a domain; an obstacle of sorts which emulated a trial. A slight breeze gently passed Fangsu, "Wow! How long has it been since someone last came here?" A strange voice echoed in the domain, a spirit. Fangsu immediately raised her guard, "This is interesting; young one you are able to get this stubborn Qilin jade staff to recognise you as its master," holding the jade staff in a defensive stance looking for the source of the voice.

The voice seem to come from all sorts of direction and it made it difficult to located the source, "Who are you?" Fangsu's own voice bounced off the walls doing the exact same at the weirdly playfully voice.

A giggle erupted causing Fangsu to shiver as the eerie sensation crept up her back, "Oh! Silly Old Me! Just an old spirit who wants some sort of entertainment," The voice echoed it hummed back seemingly like a jester. An indescribable melody echoed and Fangsu recognised immediately.

Without any intention to do so, Fangsu lowered her guard at the familiar melody, "How do you know that song?" Realising that only her mother, sisters and herself knew.

The voice continued to giggle, "Well, I read your mind," the voice as if it was common sense but such an ability was unheard of, "It's not like I have any other method that I can physically use to know that song; well not like I have a body to use." The voice seemingly had a playful nature but the thing that confused Fangsu was that this spirit was stuck in this dungeon.

Fangsu looked around the area it was completely misty and she couldn't see what was in front of her. But, all of a sudden a roar erupted disturbing the conversation between the two, "That boring stiff guardian sure likes to ruin to only talking being that is at least somewhat interesting." A pixiu emerged from the fog appearing before Fangsu who felt the oppressive aura trying to push her down to the ground.

The Pixiu that stood proudly in front of Fangsu had a coppery colouration with a ferocious looking expression, "Human, what are your intention?" Pointing at her forehead the blessing that was given to her glowed brightly, "Descendant with the Unending Suffering Illness blessed by the Ancestor that reigns supreme in this dungeon heed my warning and leave," The Pixiu stare bore right through Fangsu who stared at the Pixiu fearlessly. But, Fangsu stared right back at the Pixiu fearless but contrary to her fearless she was actually scared shitless since she could feel the heavy pressure that the pixiu was placing on her, forcing her to kneel. A peachy mound of hair appeared in front of Fangsu standing protectively infront of Fangsu, confronting the massive Pixiu.

Fangsu nodded her head as she stared at the mountainous Pixiu, "If you stand in my way to achieve my goal, " Taking out the red jade staff pointing at the Pixiu who only look at Fangsu with contempt, " I will force my way through if I have to," Fangsu quickly mounted Bai Xue knowing that they would have to fight their way through.

The Pixiu lifted up his massive paw ready to strike at Fangsu, "Then I will strike you down right here," A tornado ripped through the air at an astonishing speed zipping through the room. Bai Xue quickly jumped away from the dangerous tornado which hit the wall completely dispersing into nothingness and with the disappearance of the tornado a number of needles comprised of copper came speed towards their direction. As Bai Xue when to dodge them and Fangsu deflecting the needles that couldn't be avoided, rendering the deflected needles useless but they quickly went to chase around the two endlessly. The continuous chase of the needle caused the massive energy consumption of Bai Xue who was quickly losing stream and the needle soon came to injure them.

Fangsu being an inexperienced fighter was surely unable to keep up with the numerous needle suffered the most. Sharp pains of the needle piercing through her body and scratching her skin were tolerable but the Pixiu then went to stomp on both Fangsu and Bai Xue. But, with the continuous need to dodge the copper needles and the stomping paws of the Pixiu; Bai Xue was barely able to keep up anymore.

The Pixiu saw that Bai Xue speed had significant reduced so it surrounded the Qilin and the descendant with all the copper needles along with a tornado which could cause continuous pain. Both Fangsu and Bai Xue into tornado and the needles came flashing at them at very direction and it was difficult to find any bearings to continue finding. The tornado soon died down and both Fangsu and Bai Xue fell to the ground, horrendously injuried from the needles and unable to continue fighting, "Descendant, stand down you will only die at this rate," The Pixiu tried to offer Fangsu mercy, so, it stopped the onslaught of attacks, "If you continue to ignore my warning then I will forcibly have to end your life." But, Fangsu only had one thing on her mind, her family.

With this in mind, Fangsu struggled to stand but she utilised the jade staff as a cane to support herself as she continued to stand her ground, "If I die then my family will continue to live as spirits, " Blood began spurling out from her wounds as she weakly held herself up with the jade staff underneath her, "But, there is small chance I can bring them back then I'm willing to fight for that chance," She stood her ground as she pointed the staff at the Pixiu in defiance. Her blood stained the jade staff staining the beautiful vermillion coloration dyeing it with her own red.

The spirit that continued to watch a feeble human fight against an all powerful Pixiu was the most exciting turn of events in the past centuries that he stayed in this dungeon. As he floated towards Fangsu, "Little One do you want strength?" He began offering his help, "I can give you power for a small price of having some spiritual life energy," His word was like honey filling Fangsu's ear who perked up at the thought of more power, the power to at least somewhat contend against the Pixiu who stood in her way.

Fangsu stared at the mischievous looking man who could only float as he stared at her, "Fine, give me power," She stood up tall against the looming Pixiu who frowned at the two seeing the spirit as a nuisance, "Give it all to me," Fangsu allowed the spirit who giggled as he entered her body, possessing and utilising her body for his own use.

The spirit who possessed Fangsu stretched the body, cracking the bone in the neck, releasing the tension, "I, Ren MoSheng, have rise from the dead once more," He brandished the jade staff in his hand, twirling it in a theatrical way, "Let's say we finish this quickly," As he flashed towards the coppery Pixiu with speed that was abnormal for a human. Bringing the jade staff high in the air, glowing brightly with a red spiritual energy and smashing it down on the Pixiu's head with monstrous strength. One. Two. Three. Each swing brought out the strength of unimaginable power that was hidden within the girl's body even the spirit was surprised by the sheer amount of spiritual energy that he could ultilise from the girl's body. The amount of spiritual energy she possessed was like a sea with horizon that was endless.

The Pixiu sway side to side as he took each blow, completely astonished with the powerful blows of the staff in the descendant's hand, "How? This amount of power from a cultivator shouldn't be possible. " The Pixiu could only try to lessen the blow by blocking it but each blow outpower his defensive skin of copper.

Ren Mosheng who was in possession of the girl's body crackled as he rejoyous in the girl's body, "This is incredible! The amount of spiritual energy is amazing," Hugging the body as he relished in a physical body, turning the jade staff into a silver baton, "Since, I still have a job to do then I shall leave this horrid place for you," He waved off the Copper Pixiu before walking off to the next area. An incomprehensible expression was plastered on Fangsu's face which was controlled by Ren Mosheng as he stood at the entrance of the room which was a stark contrast from the rooms that this girl had entered through to get to this point.

At the epicentre of the room was a bone carcass of a dragon where a tree sprouted from the remains growing to a massive growth. The posture of the dragon circle around a statue of sorts, well more a beautiful burial. An immaculately carved stone statue of a man dressed in a suit of battle armour sat crossed legged holding the bony remains of woman, judging from the clothes. The warrior cheek was pressed against the forehead of the woman's bony remains. Ontop of the bony remains was a full head of hair that still remained silky smooth and black as if it hadn't been there for long. The intimate hold of the stone warrior and the bony female showed that there the two were in love with each other, sadly separated by unfortunate circumstances. Petals gently fell on the two gently serenading like a moving piece of artwork. The site of the Dragon Leaf Tree sprouting with flowery blooms, "Hwei-ru," His solemn eyes showed an emotion that was completely different to his first impression of being a playful and cheeky personality.

But, a sudden pulsating erupted from the body he was possessing and he was forcibly made to release Fangsu from his possession immediately turning into a hairpin that was placed in her hair. Thankfully, the blessing that was given to her by her ancenstor had taken the blunt of what would have been one of the worst relapse that would have costed her life. But, Fangsu staggered as her wounds were profusely pulsating blood out of the wound site. The wounds were proof of the power that she held and what it could have been used at its full potential. Fangsu tried to absorb the battle despite her body being controlled by Ren MoSheng. Bai Xue nudged Fangsu who easily toppled onto Bai Xue, easily smearing blood onto Bai Xue's pristine white scales. It was a gruesome sight. As they approached the tree, a stone male statue sat at the base of the tree holding the bony remains of a woman in his arm. Surrounding the massive Dragon Leaf Tree there were drawers that reached the ceiling overwhelming Fangsu's olfactory sense to the extreme. There were bound to a limitless amount of cultivated spiritual plants and other item that were of high value.

As Bai Xue was carrying Fangsu forward towards the Dragon Leaf Tree they were immediately restrained by the surrounding foliage of the Dragon Leaf Tree, accidently dropping Fangsu in the admits of struggling free. Fangsu breathlessly clutched her wound as she stared towards the direction of the tree, however, vines grasped her limb, immobilising her from moving to either Bai Xue or the Dragon Leaf Tree. "Ren Mosheng! Help me!" Fangsu shouted but there was no respond which was due to the abrupt relapse of her illness it had disrupted the safe procedure of spirits removing possession rendering Ren Mosheng's already spirit to be severely damaged.

Silence continued. Fangsu tried to cut away the vines that were tightening their grasp cutting off the circulation in her arms, legs and torso and as she attempted to continue cutting at them, "Please... help me," Fangsu had no energy left. Dropping her knife as her energy rapidly descended, the vines soon covered her body, no part of her was spared. Dragging her down into the deep bellow of the earth. Fangsu could see Bai Xue frantically tried to struggle against the vines while trying to dig the ground to save Fangsu. As Bai Xue continued to dig in vain as more vines continued to consume her fastening her towards an early grave. Fangsu's hand which was stained with an alerting amount of blood, come to view. Swiping her blood across Bai Xue who was embellished with the golden magnolia flower which symbolised their contract with each other, Fangsu tenderly caress the golden mark. Her body was soon swallowed by the earth.