The Reticent Blade

The Grand Elder knew he had made a grave mistake due to his complacency. This secret passage was precisely where the sect's treasure, the Soul Locking Sunflower, was hidden. If that infiltrator were to take it, he feared that even forfeiting his life in apology wouldn't make up for this colossal blunder.

The Grand Elder didn’t dare to think further and quickly bent down to enter the secret passage, pursuing Rao Shuang.

Meanwhile, Rao Shuang, although unaware of where this secret passage led, couldn’t afford to stop with the Grand Elder relentlessly pursuing her. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue down the passage.

As she went further down, the secret passage gradually became brighter. After a while, she could vaguely see a yellowish firelight flickering at the exit.

She could hear hurried footsteps behind her. It seemed the Grand Elder was catching up. Rao Shuang gritted her teeth and dashed toward the exit.

Whoosh.

A wave of heat hit her face, and Rao Shuang widened her eyes in astonishment. The firelight turned her face red and made it feel quite hot.

"What is this...?"

Flames danced in her eyes.

What caught her eye was a gigantic cauldron so large that it nearly filled the entire space. The cauldron was suspended in the air, secured by chains as thick as a child's arm. A blazing fire roared beneath it, continuously licking the bottom of the cauldron with its flames.

From Flowerless Butterfly's perspective, she could not see what was being brewed within the cauldron, but she could see a delicate, small glass box hanging above it. The box was transparent and had intricate patterns carved into it. From time to time, an unknown liquid flowed through the gaps and dripped into the cauldron's open mouth.

A vaguely familiar fragrance filled the air and Rao Shuang took a few more sniffs. Soon enough, she finally remembered... wasn’t this the same scent she had smelled on the two animated corpses in the Third Elder's room?

Then what could be inside this glass box?

As she focused her gaze, a thought flashed through Rao Shuang’s mind. She could vaguely see a peculiar purple-black flower inside the box, its petals and stems shimmering with a precious glow. It looked just like the stone flower the statue in the main hall had been holding.

Flowerless Butterfly felt certain she had found the right place, and now the only thing left was to figure out how to escape after obtaining what she came all this way for.

Just as she was thinking this, the rhythm of the footsteps behind her grew more urgent. Rao Shuang turned back and saw the Grand Elder bursting out of the secret passage, looking frantic.

At this moment, the Grand Elder finally blocked Rao Shuang, his brows furrowing with anger. He shouted, "Intruder, prepare to die!"

Rao Shuang was on guard, fearing another animated corpse might suddenly stealthily emerge. Then she saw the Grand Elder leap forward.

Has the Five Gods Summit finally changed its underhanded tactics? Rao Shuang felt puzzled and then saw the exit of the secret passage. She suddenly realized that the tall and mighty stature of the animated corpse controlled by the Grand Elder was working against it. Even if it turned sideways, it would barely be able to squeeze through this passage.

At this moment, the Elder also had his difficulties. This secret chamber was originally a place for the Five Gods Summit to refine the corpses they obtained. The refined corpses were always carried out.

While alive, his animated corpse was incredibly tall and muscular. Carrying it back then took a lot of effort. Did he really have to carry it back in again? If his animated corpse was with him, why would he need to act personally?

After understanding the situation, Rao Shuang couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. The Five Gods Summit's corpse-controlling techniques were formidable, but they also had flaws.

With a strong enemy before her, she calmed her mind and didn’t dare to be complacent. Facing the rapidly approaching Grand Elder, she lightly leapt backward onto the cauldron's edge.

However, as soon as she stepped onto the edge, an intense burning sensation radiated from her feet. Rao Shuang couldn’t help but cry out in shock, hopping about on the spot. When she looked down, her soul nearly left her body!

Inside the gigantic cauldron lay bodies sprawled haphazardly, men and women of all ages. Some were so decomposed that their internal organs were visible. These corpses floated in a pale purple liquid, and their body fluids mixed together.

Bubbles occasionally surfaced, bursting and releasing wisps of green smoke, indicating a high temperature. The strangest thing was that instead of a putrefying odor, a captivating fragrance wafted through the air.

"Intruder! Get down here!" The incensed Grand Elder exclaimed when he saw Rao Shuang jump onto the lip of the cauldron. However, he didn’t follow her for once, harboring reservations about something.

Rao Shuang carefully observed the changes in the Grand Elder's behavior and expression. Ignoring the searing heat of the cauldron, she pointed at the glass box right above her head and smiled mischievously. "What? Are you afraid I’ll touch this?"

"Don't move!" the Grand Elder shouted as he saw Rao Shuang reach for the glass box. Cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.

"You expect me to stop just because you said so?" Rao Shuang smirked, pretending to reach for the box again.

"Don't you dare!" The Elder took a step forward, aiming to grab Rao Shuang’s ankle.

Rao Shuang quickly pulled her foot back and spun around, changing her position on the edge of the cauldron.

The Elder missed his grab and looked up just in time to see Rao Shuang reaching for the glass box again. He didn’t have time to think and stepped onto the cauldron to propel himself up to the edge.

Just as Flowerless Butterfly was about to reach for the glass box, the Elder stomped heavily on the cauldron edge. The gigantic cauldron, suspended in mid-air, swayed violently from the impact and Rao Shuang hurriedly pulled back her hand to regain her balance.

The Elder finally managed to interrupt Rao Shuang this time. He dared not give this intruder another chance. Taking a deep breath, he lunged toward Rao Shuang once again.

Seeing the Grand Elder lunge at her, Rao Shuang realized she had no choice but to jump off the cauldron. However, she also knew that she wouldn’t stand a chance against him without the threat of the Soul Locking Sunflower grabbing his attention. What should she do now?

Rao Shuang glanced around and immediately had an idea. As the Elder lunged toward her, she stepped back as if she were about to jump down from the cauldron and a gleam of joy appeared on his face. However, before he could fully smile, Rao Shuang suddenly reached out, grabbing a chain that suspended the cauldron with her fair hand.

Hiss—

Smoke curled from where her hand gripped the chain, and Rao Shuang let out a muffled grunt from the sizzling pain but didn’t dare to let go. Using the chain for leverage, she swung around to the other side of the cauldron.

The smile on his face darkened as he watched Rao Shuang evade him again.

Rao Shuang gripped her left wrist tightly with her right hand, which had been burned and blistered from the searing chain.

"Useless determination," scoffed the Grand Elder. "You're only injuring yourself. It’s only a matter of time before I capture you. You might as well surrender and spare yourself some pain."

Rao Shuang gritted her teeth, her gaze sweeping past the glass box. "You’re quite chatty for an old man. I’m done with you..."

With that, Rao Shuang suddenly leaped up, ignoring the Elder beside her, and headed straight for the glass box!

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The Elder was startled, he thought this infiltrator would need to take a break to collect herself, but he never expected her to act so recklessly. There was no time to think further! He immediately jumped after her, wanting to pull her down.

The Elder's eyes bulged with rage. He leaped with all his might and surprisingly reached her first, his fingertips just barely grabbing onto Rao Shuang's clothes! "You are seeking death!"

"Come down for me!" the Elder shouted violently, ripping at Rao Shuang clothing, preparing to yank her down.

"Get down here... huh?" The Elder felt something was off as he pulled, but realized he couldn’t budge her at all. He looked up and saw...

It turned out that Rao Shuang's right hand was tightly gripping onto the iron chain that suspended the glass box, and her whole body was swaying in the air with the swinging chain.

Seeing the Grand Elder staring at her, Flowerless Butterfly lowered her head and smiled at him. "Mister, we really are not suitable for each other. Please let go."

Aware of the boiling cauldron beneath them, the Grand Elder knew he was doomed if he let go. Ignoring the infiltrator's words, he attempted to grab the iron chain by climbing over Rao Shuang.

"I said... let go."

A gentle sigh came from above the Grand Elder's head. He looked up and only saw a burst of colorful light, like a peacock spreading its tail or a colorful butterfly flapping its wings...

The Grand Elder widened his eyes in disbelief as he saw his wrist, which was holding the woman's clothing, get chopped off at the elbow. Warm blood splattered onto his face.

He saw the woman flying further and further out of reach... until he heard a splash, and the scalding water engulfed him.

"Ah ah ah—"

Rao Shuang hung in the air, quietly watching the Grand Elder flailing in the boiling cauldron below.

After a long time, the waves within the cauldron finally calmed down. It seemed like nothing had chnaged from before, except for the addition of a corpse that was missing a hand.

Rao Shuang slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, reaching out to take down the glass box. She shook it in the air, and gently leapt back down to the ground.

Reflecting carefully on what had happened, Flowerles Butterfly couldn't help but feel lucky.

First, the narrow corridor prevented the animated corpses from entering. Then, by holding the glass box hostage, she made the Grand Elder hesitant to act.

Finally, on the edge of the cauldron, her superior lightness arts allowed her to prevail in the perilous situations. It was a combination of all these conditions that allowed her to claim all the spoils.

Flowerless Butterfly chuckled softly, carefully putting the box into her bosom and walking briskly toward the main hall.