Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Saint’s Dojo
"What is that?"
After walking a few more miles, the two stopped again.
Looking ahead, they saw a corpse pinned to an ancient tree by a sword.
The corpse had long since decayed, leaving only a skeleton, dead for an unknown number of years.
"It should be an explorer from when the ancient ruins were last opened, got into a conflict, and died here," Ji Chen spoke.
But he felt something was strange.
Normally, when encountering such a thing, most people would indeed only take a distant look before leaving.
But the chest of this skeleton was pierced by an ancient sword, pinned to the tree, some brave people would come forward to investigate and take the sword.
Yet this person had died here for many years, during which the ancient ruins had been opened multiple times, and many people must have passed by, yet no one took the sword, which itself was abnormal.
With this doubt, he finally approached the skeleton with Qu Luoning.
"Creak, creak, creak..."
However, a horrifying scene unfolded.
When Ji Chen and Qu Luoning were within two zhang of the skeleton, a crisp sound reached their ears.
The skeleton pinned to the tree began to move.
Its skeletal hands slowly reached towards the ancient sword in front of its chest, as if trying to pull it out.
This scene immediately shocked Ji Chen and Qu Luoning, who quickly retreated.
Until they were three zhang away from the skeleton, its hands dropped again, motionless, as if the previous event had never happened.
"What happened?"
Qu Luoning exclaimed, her face still with an expression of fear.
Ji Chen frowned, and after a moment said, "This place is more complicated than we imagined."
"But it can be confirmed that if someone approaches within three zhang of this skeleton, what happened just now will occur, no wonder no one has attempted to take the sword all these years."
"A skeleton dead for unknown years can actually move... doesn’t that seem absurd to you?" Qu Luoning said.
This completely overturned her understanding.
"Be careful, if I’m not mistaken..."
Ji Chen squinted his eyes, relying on past life knowledge, he seemed to have figured out what this place was, "This is likely a kind of dojo, a Saint’s burial ground."
"Anyone who dies in the dojo will be tainted with Saint karma and transform into a Holy Puppet, that’s why they can move years after death!"
"Holy Puppet?" Qu Luoning was puzzled.
Ji Chen explained again, "They are the so-called Holy Tomb Guardians, they are indeed dead, but because they’ve been tainted by the Saint’s karma, they become puppets. These puppets represent the will of the Saint and will repel anyone who trespasses the dojo."
"Where did you learn this?" Qu Luoning was surprised.
She deemed herself as the Eldest Princess of the Chu Kingdom, with experience richer than most people of her age.
But regarding the Saint, she had no prior contact or understanding.
In fact, perhaps in the entire Profound Domain, very few people would know these things.
What kind of existence is a Saint?
They are legends invincible in ancient epochs.
Such figures, throughout countless millennia, only Emperor Ye was born in the whole Profound Domain.
It illustrates how difficult that realm is to reach.
Faced with Qu Luoning’s curiosity, Ji Chen chose not to explain further.
Soon, he took Qu Luoning deeper into the dense woods.
Now, Ji Chen was completely certain this was Emperor Ye’s burial site.
His bones laid here for ten thousand years.
No wonder for so many years, various factions have always been exploring this place, but no one could truly understand it.
A Saint’s Dojo is their resting place after death.
In such places, countless unknown dangers often lurk.
Moreover, they are just at the outskirts of the dojo now, Ji Chen didn’t dare to assure, if they truly delve into it, what unexpected things might happen.
After advancing several more miles.
They encountered more skeletons ahead.
These skeletons sat cross-legged under a sturdy ancient tree, seemingly without any pain, as if they died peacefully in their sleep.
"There are no signs of a fight. Why did these people die here?" Qu Luoning frowned.
Now, everything encountered in this Saint’s Dojo has evidently completely exceeded her understanding.
Ji Chen’s gaze swept past the front, finally fixating on the ancient tree behind the skeletons, he said, "This is a Bodhi Tree, said to only grow in the resting places of Saints. In the future, if encountered, remember not to get too close, for it can let people fall asleep unknowingly, and die in their dreams."
These skeletons, most likely, intended to rest under the tree when passing by and ended up staying here forever.
"Let’s go, don’t get too close to those skeletons. They died in the dojo, also tainted with the Saint’s karma, becoming Holy Puppets, and the deeper into the dojo, the stronger their senses become. The Holy Puppet we first encountered would awaken within two to three zhang. For these, there seems to be danger within ten zhang."
After several such encounters, Ji Chen and Qu Luoning became much more cautious.
Along the way, they encountered many strange things.
Fortunately, with Ji Chen’s rich past life experience, led by him, they smoothly ventured about twenty miles into the dojo.
But just like the saying, ’often walking by the river, you can’t avoid getting your shoes wet.’
Amidst a forest of withered trees, they arrived here.
When Ji Chen reacted, he suddenly realized with surprise, that he and Qu Luoning might have accidentally stumbled into a kind of Residual Array in this dojo.
"Should we return the way we came?" Upon learning this, Qu Luoning’s eyebrows immediately furrowed.
The Residual Arrays in the Saint’s Dojo are no trivial matter. Even after ten thousand years, if the array is unintentionally activated, no one knows what will happen.
"It seems we have no other choice..."
Ji Chen nodded but still had a furrowed brow.
Because from his knowledge, the arrays in the Saint’s Dojo are full of variables. Even retracing their steps, following their exact footprints, could accidentally trigger the array.
But that was their best option for now.
I just hope this Residual Array is completely inactive due to its age.