"Uncle-Master," Xue Zi Ning said.
Fan Min looked at her for a moment longer, "Why do you look so familiar?"
Xue Zi Ning froze. Did Fan Min see through her human skin mask?
Just then, Senior Brother stepped forward, blocking Fan Min's line of sight. "Uncle-Master, Junior Sister is timid."
Fan Min smiled and then said to Xue Chang An, "Your Majesty, since everyone is here, we can begin."
Xue Chang An stood up and pressed a button on the wall. A door suddenly appeared on the wall.
As the door opened, Xue Zi Ning felt the calling become even more intense.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" Feng Jiu whispered beside her.
Xue Zi Ning nodded and followed him inside. It was a secret chamber. No wonder she couldn't find the corpse; it was in a secret chamber.
After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, a door blocked their path. Xue Chang An opened it, and a gust of cold air hit them.
Xue Zi Ning saw an ice coffin in the center, containing a corpse.
"You're here, aren't you?" a voice drifted over.
"Yes," Xue Zi Ning replied.
"What are you talking about?" Fan Min, who was closer, suddenly asked.
Xue Zi Ning froze and looked at Feng Jiu. Feng Jiu shook his head. "Cold."
Fan Min didn't press further and walked into the inner chamber.
"You've arrived." The voice came again. Xue Zi Ning looked at Feng Jiu.
Feng Jiu shook his head.
This time, Xue Zi Ning understood. It seemed others couldn't hear it.
She used her internal energy to transmit her voice, "It's me, I am Xue Zi Ning."
"It's you, it's really you. I've waited for you..."
The voice was filled with excitement and eagerness.
So much so that the ice coffin made a cracking sound. Xue Chang An quickly stepped forward and saw a long crack in the ice coffin.
Fan Min placed his hands on the ice coffin, channeling his internal energy into it.
Soon, the ice coffin returned to a calm state.
"Fan Min, what's going on?" Xue Chang An asked.
Fan Min shook his head. "Although I don't know the reason, Your Majesty, rest assured. The corpse was somewhat agitated, but I have suppressed it."
Xue Chang An nodded and said, "Can we begin?"
Fan Min nodded and looked at Rong Bo. "Begin the formation."
Rong Bo nodded, his hands shifting through various hand seals. A blue light emanated from his palm.
Rong Bo looked at Xue Zi Ning. Xue Zi Ning mimicked his movements. Blue light shot out from her palm, followed by Feng Jiu's.
Fan Min gathered the blue light and struck the ice coffin with his palm. The corpse inside was enveloped by the blue light.
"It hurts so much, it hurts so much... Save me..." "She" cried out to her.
"Hold on," Xue Zi Ning said.
The ice coffin opened, and the body floated in mid-air. Fan Min looked at Xue Chang An. "Your Majesty, it's your turn."
Xue Chang An picked up a cup of wine and drank it. She began to struggle painfully, her expression contorting as if her soul was about to escape her body.
"Out..." Fan Min said.
Xue Chang An's soul rushed out of her body. Xue Chang An's body went limp and fell to the ground. Fan Min covered Xue Chang An's agitated soul with a layer of blue light and directed it towards the floating corpse.
Xue Zi Ning took a step back. The corpse in mid-air also retreated a step, following her movement.
Xue Zi Ning tried to maintain her surprise. She dodged to the side, and the corpse also moved to the side, following her actions.
Fan Min's hand, holding the soul, failed to enter the corpse accurately.
Fan Min was shocked. Why was the corpse moving erratically within the formation?
This shouldn't be happening.
He tried again, and it was the same result.
A soul could not leave the body for more than half an incense stick's worth of time, or it would dissipate.
Each attempt to merge the soul consumed a significant amount of his internal energy.
This time, Fan Min leaped forward and placed Xue Chang An's soul directly into the corpse.
The corpse's hand suddenly moved and struck the soul in Fan Min's hand with a palm strike.
The soul scattered, emitting a painful cry.
"Uncle-Master, the formation is about to end. Hurry," Senior Brother urged.
Fan Min gathered the soul again, channeling all his remaining internal energy into it and pushing it into the corpse.
Xue Zi Ning felt a powerful force suppressing her.
Unexpectedly, a mouthful of blood spurted out, splattering onto the formation. The formation vanished.
Fan Min looked at the corpse, which had only half of its soul inserted, and cursed, "Rong Bo, what are you doing?" He was so close to completing it.
Suddenly, he saw the disciple from Dao An Temple, clutching his abdomen and spitting blood. He saw the corpse doing the same.
His gaze sharpened, and he coldly asked, "Who are you?"
Xue Zi Ning slowly raised her head, a smile appearing on her face. "Fan Min, after all this time, you still haven't recognized me?"
"You..."
Fan Min saw the corpse push the soul out with its hand, and the female disciple from Dao An Temple below was doing the same.
Who else could make the corpse move in sync with her actions if not Xue Zi Ning?
Fan Min pushed the soul back into Xue Chang An's body and lunged towards Xue Zi Ning.
Feng Jiu leaped forward to resist, confronting Fan Min directly.
Although Fan Min's internal energy was depleted, his overall strength was still beyond Feng Jiu's ability to resist.
Soon, blood trickled from the corner of Feng Jiu's mouth.
If this continued, his meridians would be completely destroyed.
Xue Zi Ning gritted her teeth and stood up. With one hand, she quickly grabbed Feng Jiu's robe, and with the other, she struck towards Fan Min's head.
Fan Min dodged, and the palm strike he was preparing weakened considerably.
Feng Jiu escaped the danger.
"Retreat," Xue Zi Ning said.
Feng Jiu nodded and ran towards the door.
"Want to leave? Not a chance." Fan Min waved his hand, and the door to the inner chamber closed.
Xue Zi Ning and Feng Jiu turned to see Fan Min laughing. "Xue Zi Ning, since you've come to my doorstep, how can I let you go?"
Xue Zi Ning looked at the injured Feng Jiu. If this continued, they would both likely perish here.
She looked at Rong Bo beside her and said, "Come here."
Rong Bo was startled. "I already made an exception by bringing you in. Don't expect me to do anything else. I won't help anyone."
"And your junior siblings? You don't care about them?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Rong Bo froze. Xue Zi Ning continued, "My people have likely already taken control of them."
"You... you didn't keep your word." Rong Bo was so angry he almost cursed.
"Come here," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Rong Bo gritted his teeth and reluctantly walked over. Xue Zi Ning said, "You think you can't get out, but you can? You've already betrayed him. He won't let you go, including your master."
"You're forcing me," Rong Bo was on the verge of tears.
Xue Zi Ning chuckled upon hearing this. "Will he believe you?"
Rong Bo fell silent.
Xue Zi Ning struck while the iron was hot. "If you help me, once we get out, I will not only let you all go, but I will also help you rescue your master."
"How can I trust you?" Rong Bo asked.
"Because I am Xue Zi Ning, the ruler of Huang Ze. Huang Ze is my domain, and all its people are my subjects. I must protect them."
Rong Bo was stunned. If anyone else had said this, he would have scoffed. But the girl before him, with eyes as clear as water and a sincere expression devoid of any falsity, made him inexplicably want to believe her.