Volume Two, Chapter Seventy-Two: The Spirit Wager

The ghost servant wore the guise of a sly wolf in sheep’s clothing, instantly putting Yu Mu on high alert. Confronted with the enticing offer suddenly thrown before him, he forced himself to refuse, saying, “I have already made a year-long pact with my uncle. Besides, once I leave, there are many matters that await me; I won’t be staying here for long.”

The ghost servant smiled and replied, “In that case, how about we make a wager? What do you think?”

Yu Mu was taken aback. “What would we be wagering on?”

“It’s simple! You’re currently trapped by the formation here and cannot escape. If you can break free within a year, not only will I not keep you here, but your uncle won’t have to risk his life to rescue you—I’ll escort you out personally.”

“And if I lose?”

“If you lose, the outcome is equally simple. Since you won’t be able to break free, and your uncle won’t be able to save you, you may as well stay and become a spirit of this artifact. Either way, you won’t come out the loser. So, are you willing to take the bet?”

Yu Mu pondered for a long time before finally deciding, “Alright. But during this period, you must not deliberately make things difficult for me. And when I am cultivating, if I encounter any obstacles, you must do everything within your power to assist me. If you agree to these terms, I’ll accept the wager.”

The ghost servant was secretly delighted, his face betraying his successful scheming. “Of course. As long as it is within my abilities, I will help you wholeheartedly.”

“It’s a deal.”

“It’s a deal.”

Thus, the two, each harboring their own motives, sealed their wager.

Once their agreement was made, Yu Mu wasted no time. He summoned a scroll from the tree hollow and said, “Elder Ghost, do you think my body is suitable for cultivating this particular Daoist art?”

What Yu Mu produced was none other than the Ghost King Body.

This was indeed a wise move; after all, who could know more about a ghostly Daoist art than a saint-level ghost spirit? Moreover, Yu Mu had another question in mind. Though he shared the same ghostly constitution as the other spirits—who all feared him—why did the ghost servant instead view him as a precious resource?

Was the “supreme spiritual energy” the ghost servant spoke of the very energy he absorbed from the peaches?

But why would it have such a wondrous effect on ghost spirits?

Could it be something left behind by the King of the Underworld?

It was precisely these doubts that prompted Yu Mu to bring forth the Ghost King Body.

Upon seeing the scroll, the ghost servant was at first startled, then burst into hearty laughter. “This just happens to be the very technique I cultivate myself. I placed it in the wooden chest with my own hands, never expecting it to fall into your possession. What a coincidence! Hahaha…”

Hearing this, Yu Mu tasted bitterness on his tongue. He thought to himself, “Brother Meng’s spirit crystal flower was truly wasted. Who could have guessed that the owner of this technique would be standing right before me?”

The ghost servant seemed to discern Yu Mu’s thoughts and said deliberately, “If you wish to learn it, there’s absolutely no problem. Your constitution is indeed suitable for this art, and I can teach you personally—far more thoroughly than what’s written here.”

Yu Mu was at a loss for words. He could only change the subject. “Elder Ghost, why did you place those spiritual treasures in the chest and lure outsiders to fight over them?”

The ghost servant paused, then slowly explained, “That’s a bit complicated. It starts with the Daoist inscriptions of this Sacred King’s Tomb—you must have noticed that they form an energy circulation system.”

“I did,” Yu Mu replied. He had indeed been drawn to these mysterious inscriptions earlier.

The ghost servant continued, “The design of these inscriptions comes from a Daoist art cultivated by the tomb’s master. But this art has its flaws: it cannot generate energy on its own, nor can it directly absorb energy. It can only be infused by external means. So the energy needed for the tomb’s normal operation comes solely from the spiritual energy produced by all the living creatures within.”

Yu Mu had noticed this as well. The streams of energy that converged here indeed originated from the various beings inhabiting the tomb, eventually being channeled through four layers of plants and into the giant tree.

In fact, the entire circulation system of the Sacred King’s Tomb was divided into two parts. The first was the formation mentioned by Qingtian, which collected energy and transmitted it into the giant tree. The second part—the various auras transformed and released by the giant tree—was the actual Daoist method and inscriptions.

The flaw, as described by the ghost servant, lay in this process of collection and infusion, rendering the system incomplete.

“What does this have to do with the spiritual treasures placed in the tomb?” Yu Mu pressed further.

“The connection is this: the energy provided by the tomb’s inhabitants is only enough to maintain its basic operation. Moving the Sacred King’s Tomb, however, requires extra energy—energy that can only come from external sources.”

“Moving the Sacred King’s Tomb?” Yu Mu was astonished. “Why move it? And do you mean the external energy comes from people like us?”

“When the Sacred King’s Tomb emerges, it is no longer safe. Therefore, I must guide it away from here, which requires more energy. Every time the tomb is moved, it must be revealed to the world to attract tomb-seekers like you.”

No wonder the ghost spirits would absorb the spiritual energy of intruders—the tomb was amassing strength for its next departure!

“Every time? Does the tomb move frequently?” At this point, Yu Mu realized a crucial issue.

The ghost servant, understanding Yu Mu’s concern, reassured him. “Don’t worry. I won’t be leaving within a year. In fact, since the tomb was built, it has only moved once—when it arrived here.”

“The remains—are they from the last occasion?” Yu Mu thought of the bones used as markers and those found in the chambers.

The ghost servant nodded. “Exactly. Still, the tomb does offer explorers a chance. The treasures in the chests are rewards for those who dare. If you have the skill to seize a treasure and escape, you win; if not, you die here, and your spiritual energy becomes fuel for the tomb. Isn’t that fair?”

Yu Mu fell silent, recalling the bat and the rat spirit. Their deaths were the most unjust—killed before even glimpsing a treasure. But the pursuit of gain always comes with risk.

In the end, the Sacred King’s Tomb was forcibly broken into; those who perished had only themselves to blame. The ghost servant’s words were reasonable; Yu Mu was merely fortunate.

With a sneer, the ghost servant glanced at the now-empty sealed chamber, saying bitterly, “As for those insatiably greedy, who try to claim more treasures than they deserve, their deaths are hardly worth mourning.”

Yu Mu, eager to move on, asked about another matter weighing on his mind. “Elder Ghost, now that the tomb’s exit has repaired itself, what will become of those still trapped inside? Will they be confined here forever?”