bookbashuk Chapter 11: Dead...Dead?
Chapter 11: Dead...Dead?
Time slowly slipped by in suffocating anxiety.
On the high platform, the jade beads hanging from the crown swayed slightly.
Seeing that Zou Yun remained motionless like a stone statue for a long time, Ying Zheng's patience was also exhausted.
He turned slightly to the side, his deep voice breaking the silence of the platform, "What time is it now?"
Zhao Gao, who had already sent men to keep a close watch on the solar corona readings, immediately bowed respectfully as if on cue, saying, "Your Majesty, there is only a quarter of an hour left until noon!"
"Yeah......"
Ying Zheng turned his gaze back to the altar, letting out a soft sigh that was hard to decipher, whether it was anticipation or confusion.
On the other side, as if sensing the emperor's urging, Zou Yun finally made a move.
At noon, the most intense and scorching sunlight shone down on his face without any obstruction.
Zou Yun opened his eyes, which had been closed for a long time, slowly raised his head, and gazed at the vast and boundless blue sky, unable to help but be lost in thought for a moment.
"This picturesque landscape, I wonder if I'll ever see it again after today."
Even though Zou Yun believed he had made thorough preparations and had rehearsed the process countless times in his mind, he still managed to succeed.
But since it was a matter of life and death, when the moment actually arrived, his heart was still filled with turmoil.
But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and there was no turning back.
After a moment of stunned silence, he finally took a deep breath and slowly stood up under everyone's gaze.
"Look, it moved."
"Ugh, I've been waiting for ages."
"I hope he dies spectacularly enough, so that all my time won't have been wasted."
On the high platform, everyone began to talk in hushed tones.
Zou Yun, completely ignoring external distractions, with an almost sacred solemnity, slowly lay down in the mysteriously shaped coffin with the help of Shi Gong.
The coffin was clearly custom-made, not the traditional fully enclosed style, but cleverly leaving Zou Yun's head and legs below exposed, while the main body was wrapped in dark wood.
The coffin was made entirely of bright cinnabar, densely covered with ancient and mysterious runes, which shimmered with an eerie red light under the midday sun.
"What are you doing?"
"Building your own coffin?!"
As expected, the spectators on the platform started making noise again, but some people frowned and remained silent.
On the altar, upon seeing Zou Yun lying down, the expression of the stone priest standing to the side instantly became extremely solemn.
He took a sudden step forward, his feet moving in the ancient and mysterious Yu Step.
His body twisted and turned, his clothes fluttering, each step precisely landing on invisible feng shui nodes, as if measuring the energy of heaven and earth.
At the same time, he began to mutter incantations in a low, hoarse, and rapid voice with an inhuman, eerie rhythm.
Unidentifiable syllables rolled from his throat, as if they were not coming from the mouth of an ordinary person, but rather communicating with indescribable spirits in the dark.
An old hand is an old hand.
Once he entered the professional field he had devoted his life to, Shi Gong's aura suddenly soared.
His fluid steps, his solemn and serious expression, and the powerful aura emanating from him instantly captivated thousands of eyes present.
Instantly, the entire venue fell silent!
Whether it was the princes and nobles holding their breath on the high platform, the guards and soldiers gripping their weapons below, or Emperor Ying Zheng sitting high on his throne.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on that small area in the center of the altar, as if afraid of missing even the slightest detail.
The air grew increasingly still, and even the sound of the wind vanished without a trace.
At this moment, Ying Zheng completely disregarded any imperial dignity and unconsciously leaned forward slightly.
Those deep eyes were fixed on the ground below, trying to see everything that was about to happen more clearly.
Just as the sun reaches its highest point and the shadow on the sundial shrinks to its shortest, the moment when the yang energy of heaven and earth is at its most intense arrives.
Unbeknownst to them, the elusive figure of the Stone Duke had already wandered to the very center of the coffin.
His continuous, incantation-like whispers suddenly rose in pitch, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, transforming into a deafening roar.
"open--!!!"
Before his shout had even faded, he channeled immense power into his arms, and the menacing longsword in his arms, accompanied by a piercing whistle, slashed down precisely at the center of the coffin with the force to split mountains and cleave peaks!
"Snap! Pfft—!"
A chilling tearing sound suddenly rang out.
The sharp sword transformed into a golden lightning bolt, slicing through the heavy coffin without any resistance.
Immediately following was a dull thud as flesh and bones were severed in an instant, the sword cutting through Zou Yun's body along with it!
Fresh blood, like a fountain that had been suppressed for a long time, burst forth and splashed in the sunlight!
The crimson liquid instantly stained the coffin, spreading wildly across the altar and forming a shocking pool of blood!
The overwhelming, nauseating stench of blood instantly filled the air, penetrating everyone's nostrils.
"Dead...dead?!?"
Witnessing this horrific scene, some people in the crowd could no longer contain themselves and cried out in shock.
The warm blood gushing out like rain, the limbs hanging limply—it all felt so real and cruel.
It instantly shatters any assumptions about illusions, tricks, or forgeries.
"Master Fang... why did you go to such lengths... why did you go to such lengths!"
Fusu stared blankly at Zou Yun's mangled body, a strange bitterness welling up deep in his heart.
Even on the high platform, Emperor Ying Zheng, who was used to seeing mountains of corpses and seas of blood, had his deep pupils suddenly contract due to the violent impact.
His body leaned forward even more, the veins on the back of his hand supporting the imperial desk bulging, his gaze fixed on Zou Yun, who had been cut in half at the waist, inside the coffin.
It seems like they're expecting something!
However, one second, two seconds, three seconds...
Time passed by, bit by bit.
In the center of the altar, Zou Yun, lying in a pool of blood, seemed truly dead; his chest no longer rose and fell, just like a real corpse.
Contrary to his boastful promises, he did not rise from the dead and ascend to immortality.
That's it?!
A huge question mark exploded in the hearts of countless people.
Such a huge undertaking, such extensive preparations, ultimately turned into a ridiculous farce with much ado about nothing.
Is it really over just like that?
On the high platforms on both sides, the nobles and dignitaries who were watching could no longer contain themselves.
Whispers spread like wildfire, merging into a cacophony of sounds. Every face bore the marks of surprise, confusion, disappointment, and a hint of bewilderment at the impending end.
Of course, there were also those who had long been pessimistic about the matter, with mocking sneers on their lips, whispering sarcasm at those who had just been hopeful.
Of course, there were also those who had long been pessimistic and were now constantly mocking and ridiculing the people around them.
"It's over, it's all over...it's all over!"
Outside the altar, Feng Zhixue's face was ashen, his lips trembled, and even the last trace of color had faded from his skin.
He glanced despairingly at Zheng Ze beside him, whose eyes were still glazed over, seemingly still not recovered from the 'ritual'.
A tremendous sense of powerlessness instantly overwhelmed him.
"That damned Zou Yun, making such a big fuss, is it just to play a trick on His Majesty before he dies?"
"That madman!"
"Heaven has no eyes! I, Feng Zhixue, have lived a life of ignominy and trepidation for half my life, and in the end, I still have to die alongside this fool!"
The tall, thin Feng Zhixue sighed with difficulty as he thought of the huge pit he had just passed, and all hope in his heart vanished.
At this moment, not abandoning his ceremonial regalia was the last vestige of his professional conduct as a sorcerer!
On the high platform, the cacophony of sounds was like countless venomous bees buzzing in one's ears.
Only Ying Zheng, seated on his throne, remained silent, staring intently at Zou Yun's mangled body as if trying to see through it.
But with each passing second, the already faint light in his eyes dimmed a little more.
His dignified face showed no emotion whatsoever. Yet, beneath his chest, an unnamed rage of being fooled, deceived, and utterly betrayed was burning in his nerves.
"These charlatans...how dare they! Deceive me time and time again!!!"
A chilling killing intent, like a tangible cold current, silently spread around him.
Even Zhao Gao, who was serving as a close attendant, couldn't help but shiver. Fearing to incur the emperor's wrath, he lowered his head even further.
Just as Ying Zheng had completely lost interest and was about to wave his hand to order his men to bury these guys alive!
"BOOM—!!!"