Then they heard Tao Xiangkong continue,
"They practiced that immortal technique, and within three days, people began dying one after another. By the fourth day, less than half were still alive. At first, I thought there was something wrong with the technique. I was preparing to bury the bodies when the ones who had died started coming back to life.
"Life following death—I assumed it was the technique taking effect. I tried asking my father for the manual, but he flatly refused. Around that time, he too had undergone death and resurrection. After coming back, he told me what it felt like. He said the technique had a fatal flaw—only he couldn't explain what it was.
"The ones who returned from the dead no longer had the habit of eating or drinking. I initially thought this was similar to the Daoist practice of 'grain abstinence,' but they didn't behave like that at all. By the end of the year, the aftereffects of their refusal to eat began to show. Their skin, fat, and muscles gradually shriveled, turning them into something like air-dried meat. It was revolting. And yet, they were still technically alive. They had heartbeats, pulses—weak, but still there. And then the flaw my father had warned about finally revealed itself. These desiccated followers began developing an insatiable thirst for blood."
Yang Xiao seemed uncomfortable with the topic of corpses. As Tao Xiangkong went on with increasing excitement, Yang finally cut him off.
"That's enough. I know more about dry corpses than you do. Just tell us about the girls' school."
Tao Xiangkong nodded and continued,
"This underground palace was here long before the school was built. When construction started on the academy, my father and his companions hadn't yet gone to Yunnan in search of you. One of my clan uncles infiltrated the planning committee. He was the one who drafted the school's architectural plans. He deliberately designed the layout so the foundations would avoid the palace's main chambers.
"Later, when the gymnasium was built, I used some tricks—and money—to bribe the engineers and contractors. I had the gym constructed directly above the palace's entrance. After that, everyone who learned of this was brought down here and offered as live sacrifices to the followers."
When he said this, his tone was utterly calm, as if those who died by his hands were nothing more than ants or pigs, not fellow human beings.
Tao Xiangkong went on,
"At first, the followers didn't need much blood—one or two living humans could sustain them for two years. But I didn't expect their 'appetites' would grow. Now it takes the fresh blood of ten or more people just to keep them fed for half a year.
"I never dared target the academy directly. I had been looking for people with the right bloodlines from the surrounding area. But it became harder and harder to find them, while the followers' hunger kept growing. They even attacked me once when I couldn't provide enough."
As he spoke, Tao Xiangkong tilted his head to reveal two rows of bite marks on his neck.
"I had no choice but to seize two female students in an emergency. I never imagined that would draw our founder here. I suppose one could call that a blessing in disguise."
Tao Xiangkong kept his head low. He didn't dare look Yang Xiao in the eye, only muttering submissively,
"When you entered the academy, I immediately saw your resemblance to the old statue of our Founder. Then I heard your name—it was exactly the same. When I saw your arcane spellwork at the old storage building, I recognized it as one of the Ghost Path Sect's divine techniques. And you were able to find the hidden mechanism to enter this place. Only then did I dare to confirm—it had to be you."
Yang Xiao snorted.
"You're something else. Even with all my skill, I still fell for your trap in the old building."
Tao Xiangkong quickly explained,
"That was sheer luck. At the time, I still wasn't sure it was really you. Besides, the Ghost Path Sect has only me left. If I die, the Sect dies with me. I had to act carefully. I beg your forgiveness, Founder."
Seeing the endless chatter between Yang Xiao and Tao Xiangkong, Xiong Wanyi finally ran out of patience.
"What about the girls who just went missing upstairs?"
Tao Xiangkong gave Xiong Wanyi a cold glance and said nothing. From the look in his eyes, it was clear—aside from Yang Xiao, he didn't see anyone else as worth speaking to.
"What about the people above?" This time, it was Yang Xiao asking. In the past, the disappearance of dozens of people wouldn't have meant much to him. But now that he was part of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation—especially under Wu Rendi's watchful eye—he'd clearly changed. I suspected Wu had something on him, besides his wife's reincarnation.
"They're down here," Tao Xiangkong replied, his tone shifting as he began chanting a strange string of syllables. As the chant echoed, the rear door of the chamber opened. A group of girls in pajamas began walking in. Within two minutes, the central altar was surrounded by over a hundred female students. Among them were Xu Miaomiao, Bai Anqi, and even the beautiful math teacher, who stood dazed near the edge of the crowd.
These girls—and a few female teachers—stared blankly, their eyes fixed solely on Yang Xiao.
Shao Yiyi scanned the crowd over and over but couldn't find her friend. In panic, she called out,
"Lin Sihan! Where's Lin Sihan? Why isn't she here?"
Yang Xiao, knowing Shao Yiyi's background and mindful of Wu Rendi's presence, turned to Tao Xiangkong.
"What about a girl named Lin Sihan?"
Tao Xiangkong replied,
"I captured her spirit, along with several others, and used Spirit Manipulation to send them to the Back Path. The others are fine, but just now, I sensed the little ghost within Lin Sihan being obliterated. Judging by the force involved, her physical body was destroyed as well. Once the body is gone, the soul soon follows. I thought you were the one who did it, Founder."
Upon hearing this, Shao Yiyi staggered and nearly fainted. Fortunately, Wu Rendi caught her in time. She had braved the entire underground journey with us, holding it together through sheer will. But now, learning her friend might be dead, she finally broke down in sobs.
"Yang Xiao… was it you!?" she cried through her tears, her voice trembling with rage.
Yang Xiao glanced at Wu Rendi, who merely looked at the ceiling without a word. Then he turned to Shao Yiyi with a bitter smile,
"You were with me the whole time we took the Back Path. If I did anything, wouldn't you know?"
Shao Yiyi paused, recalling that Yang Xiao had indeed never left her side. Then she turned toward Sun Fatty and the others, shouting,
"Which one of you did it? If you're a man, own up to it!"
Sun Fatty glanced at Shao Yiyi and said, "Whether we're men or not, that's not for you to decide. No offense, classmate, but I think you've got the wrong people. We're not the ones who took your girlfriend's soul. The person responsible is right in front of you. If you want revenge, take it up with him."
Shao Yiyi had been so overwhelmed with emotion that she'd gotten confused about Lin Sihan's case. Thanks to Sun Fatty's reminder, she snapped back to her senses. But when it came to facing Tao Xiangkong, she didn't have the same confidence she had with Yang Xiao and Sun Fatty.
Still, she had noticed something earlier—Tao Xiangkong had bowed down to Yang Xiao, clearly treating him as a superior. If she wanted to avenge Lin Sihan, she'd probably have to go through Yang Xiao.
On the way down to the underground palace, Shao Yiyi had felt that Yang Xiao seemed wary of her. If someone like him feared her, there was no reason not to use that to her advantage. So she turned around and said, "Yang Xiao, help me—"
She had only spoken half a sentence when Wu Rendie interrupted, "He can't help you." Then he turned to Yang Xiao and added, "Get back to what you were doing."
Tao Xiangkong paused, lifting his eyelids to glance at Wu Rendie. He hadn't expected someone here to be able to issue orders to Yang Xiao. His mind spun, trying to recall who this gray-haired man might be, but came up blank.
Yang Xiao acknowledged Wu Rendie with a quiet nod, then turned to Tao Xiangkong. "What are you planning to do with these people?"
"I've already extracted their souls," Tao Xiangkong replied. "I kept their bodies only to serve as blood offerings when our fellow believers awaken. But since the Patriarch is here now, I'll leave their fate to your judgment."
Yang Xiao was quite pleased with that answer. He said, "Then let's spare them. Are their souls still intact?"
"They are," Tao Xiangkong replied. "But if we let them go, in two days when the believers wake up and there's no blood offering, I fear I won't be able to suppress their wrath."
"That's not your concern," Yang Xiao said. "That so-called immortal technique you used back then was a sham. Your fellow believers have already entered the Ghost Path."
Tao Xiangkong froze and looked up at Yang Xiao, murmuring, "The Ghost Path... You mean they've become ghosts?"
Yang Xiao didn't answer him. His gaze was fixed on the rows of desiccated corpses in the chamber. "Living ghosts in the Ghost Path... damn it, this nightmare just won't end."
Tao Xiangkong began to panic. He no longer addressed Yang Xiao with reverence. "You're Yang Xiao! Founder of the Ghost Path Sect!" His voice trembled as he pointed toward the chamber filled with more than a hundred dried corpses. "They're all your disciples. Aren't you going to do something?"
That last sentence seemed to strike a chord. Yang Xiao turned to look at him and said, "Do something? Fine. I'll do something."
With that, he turned and strode toward the chamber. His movement made Wu Rendie's expression shift—he clearly wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
Yang Xiao moved swiftly. Before his voice had even faded, he was already among the group of soulless girls. A few steps more, and he'd reach the corpses. His eyes were fierce, and in his hand appeared a massive copper nail—one of the seven that had once been driven into Wu Rendie on the rooftop of the fifteen-story building.
Tao Xiangkong watched his back with a strange expression. Then, a chilling smile crept onto his lips. "Patriarch, do you remember Lin Huo? He invites you back to the Grand Altar."
The moment those words were spoken, not only Yang Xiao, but even Sun Fatty and I trembled. What did Tao Xiangkong mean by invoking Lin Huo? That man had been dead for months—killed by me, no less. But clearly, Tao Xiangkong didn't know that.
Still, his goal seemed to have been achieved. Yang Xiao froze in place. He didn't turn around, his eyes remained locked on the dried corpses several meters away. From behind, I could see them clearly—they were beginning to change. Their necks twitched, and hundreds of lifeless eyes were fixed on Yang Xiao.
Yang Xiao had realized something. He stared at the animated corpses and said, "This whole setup—was it all to lure me here?"
"It's just a coincidence," Tao Xiangkong replied flatly. "After they turned into corpses, I went to the Grand Altar in Yunnan, hoping to find a way to bring them back. I met Lin Huo at the pool outside the altar. He gave me a path: bring you back to the altar. As long as you entered it, he said he could restore our fellow believers."
"I searched for you for years and found nothing. And now, you've come on your own. The True Deity blesses us! Patriarch, you founded the Ghost Path Sect with your own hands. For the sake of your followers, go see Lin Huo in Yunnan."
"Lin Huo?" Yang Xiao sneered. "He's been dead for over six months. And even if he were still alive, do you really think he could restore the dead?"
Just as he said that, the corpses leapt from their stacked positions and lunged at him.
Yang Xiao remained calm. With a flick of his wrist, the copper nail flew out and pierced a corpse's skull with a dull thud—it collapsed instantly. With a twist of his hand, the nail hovered in midair, then flew back into his grasp.
He let out a cold laugh and prepared to repeat the move on the next corpse. But just then, something unexpected happened.
From within the crowd of dazed, soulless people, Teacher Zhao Minmin had somehow made her way to Yang Xiao's back without his notice. Just as he raised the nail to strike again, Zhao Minmin suddenly opened her mouth and spewed a jet of thick, black blood—like ink—directly onto Yang Xiao's head and face.