Chapter 91: The Dual-Horned Outsider

As Lin Qian followed Nan Xin deeper underground, the sloping tunnel gradually widened, eventually opening up into a vast space. The further they descended, the more spacious it became, until finally, the path leveled out and a faint light appeared ahead, growing brighter with each step.

After a while, the space ahead became fully illuminated, revealing the source of the light. Ye Xin, walking beside Lin Qian, gasped in surprise as she took in the scene.

They found themselves at the entrance of an expansive underground chamber, so large that its boundaries were beyond sight. The ground was paved with polished white jade, and grand halls stood in the distance, their doors tightly sealed and covered with intricate formations that locked them shut.

The spiritual energy in this chamber was exceptionally dense, drawn into the formations on the halls, which kept them operational. The light illuminating the space came from the glowing formations themselves.

Looking up, Lin Qian noticed that the ceiling of the chamber was also covered by a complex formation, within which dark energy swirled ominously, seemingly suppressed by the powerful array.

"This is the Dangyuan Sect's treasury," Nan Xin explained, pointing to the halls that dotted the jade-paved ground. "Every hall you see here is filled with unimaginable wealth. Whether it's Yuan artifacts, Soul artifacts, pills, cultivation techniques, or Soul Crystals—they're all here."

"In fact, most of the Dangyuan Sect's wealth lies before your eyes!"

Lin Qian laughed arrogantly, slapping Nan Xin on the shoulder as he exclaimed, "You're my lucky star, senior! With this wealth, I could dominate all of Linhai Province!"

To Nan Xin, Lin Qian seemed overwhelmed by greed, his mind consumed by the treasures before him.

"Excellent," Nan Xin thought, smirking inwardly. "It's easier to manipulate someone who's blinded by ambition."

Lin Qian, noticing Nan Xin's sly intentions, withdrew his hand from the old corpse's shoulder and asked with a playful smile, "But senior, how do we unlock these halls when they're all sealed by formations? And even if we could, how am I supposed to carry all these treasures out by myself?"

Nan Xin, expecting such concerns, responded calmly, "Don't worry. Once we disable the formation that sustains the Soul Binding technique, the seals on these halls will naturally collapse."

"As for how to transport the wealth, don't forget that the Dangyuan Sect's treasury surely contains large storage-type Soul Artifacts. With them, collecting these treasures will be a breeze."

Lin Qian nodded approvingly. "Makes sense, senior."

Then, rushing over to Ye Xin, he grabbed her hands excitedly. "Xin'er, we're going to be rich!"

Ye Xin's eyes fluttered as she looked at Lin Qian, and then she smiled warmly. "Of course."

After releasing her hands, Lin Qian turned to Nan Xin. "Senior, lead the way! Let's break the formation and give you your freedom."

"Ha! Freedom, huh? You just want the treasures," Nan Xin scoffed internally, though his face showed nothing but gratitude as he led them forward.

As Nan Xin walked ahead, Lin Qian followed behind, smiling all the while.

Ye Xin lagged a few steps behind, glancing at her palm. In her hand, she held a small, strange mirror.

To her surprise, words appeared on the mirror's surface, forming a clear message: "Empress, place the mirror face-up on the ground!"

Her heart tightened as she looked ahead, noticing that Lin Qian was chatting casually with Nan Xin, clearly keeping the undead occupied.

Looking back, she saw that the walking corpses were staring blankly ahead.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Xin discreetly let the small mirror slip from her hand, allowing it to fall silently to the ground, hidden by the folds of her starry white dress.

As she stepped forward, the skirt of her dress nudged the mirror into place on the ground. Immediately, the mirror's surface began to shimmer with an eerie light, slowly becoming transparent until it vanished completely from sight, blending seamlessly with the white jade floor.

Awed by the mirror's strange properties, Ye Xin quickly caught up with Lin Qian, who was still conversing with Nan Xin about the history of the Dangyuan Sect.

"We're here," Nan Xin said, pointing ahead.

Ye Xin gasped in shock as she saw what lay before them.

In the center of the chamber stood a high platform, upon which sat a peculiar corpse.

The body was a deep purple, with long silver hair and two horns protruding from its head. Its bare upper torso was covered in strange, gold-etched patterns, and though it was clearly a corpse, it showed no signs of decay—appearing almost as if it were merely asleep.

Lin Qian's eyes widened as he examined the body. This was clearly not human, but some sort of otherworldly creature.

"Is this the leader of the force that attacked the Dangyuan Sect?" Lin Qian asked, circling the platform and pointing at the horned creature.

Nan Xin nodded slightly. "Yes, this is the leader who led the assault on our sect."

"And the formation you want me to destroy—is it this one?" Lin Qian gestured to the creature's chest, where chains made of formation runes and symbols extended from the ceiling, binding the creature's heart and anchoring it to the platform.

"Correct. Once this formation is destroyed, not only will the treasury be unlocked, but the Soul Binding technique that torments us will also be lifted," Nan Xin urged, his voice filled with pleading. "Please, just a small favor, and you'll be rewarded with unimaginable riches."

Lin Qian glanced at the undead who dared not approach, then back at Nan Xin with a smirk. "And if I refuse?"