Chapter 295: A Spirit (2/2)

“We were looking for survivors when we came across an underground dungeon,” one of the guards said, his body suddenly trembling. “We were of the impression that this underground dungeon was the same as the one where Master Xue was held captive, but when we entered, we found that it was different.”

“How so?” Xue Wei was the one asking now, his eyes sparkling with interest.

“There was one large cell, another room with a strange inscription on the ground, and blood everywhere. It is a gruesome sight! And there are ten living beings within the cell, but all of them are sleeping!”

“Ten people?” Xue Wei was reminded of the problem with ten people disappearing each day. Could this have something to do with the Baili family? But if it was the Baili family, then what about the Soul Tower? What about the bloody scratches on the walls?

Xue Wei was unsure of what was going on, but knowing that it could help him understand what exactly was going on in Yan Dalu, he immediately ordered the guards to lead him to the room.

Luoluo was sleeping in his embrace, but the rest of his friends were alert as they followed behind him. All of them were quite curious as to what was going on, and what they might find out.

When they entered, they found that things were exactly as they had been described. As soon as they went down the stairs, they found a large cell where ten people of varying ages and varying backgrounds were laying in a line.

Some seemed rich, and others seemed poor. Some were young, while others were older. There was no children and no very old people—they all seemed to be between fifteen and fifty years old.

Xue Wei went over and examined them. They were all breathing but as to why they were sleeping, he at first did not know, but after a short while, his nose picked up a scent he was familiar with.

This was the scent of Night Vine, a herb that induced a coma-like state.

“They have been fed Night Vine,” he said as he observed them a little closer. “They should wake up on their own in a day or two at the latest if they were fed today. If it was before, then they should wake up even sooner.”

Having determined that they were not in any danger, Xue Wei left the cell and walked towards the room that had been described as having an inscription on the floor and blood splattered everywhere.

As he entered, he saw the description wasn’t wrong. The floor had a massive round inscription which he had never seen before, and half of it was impossible to see as dried blood had covered the lines. The walls were also painted with crusty, dried up old blood, and the smell was beyond foul.

It was a gruesome scene. It was clear that people had died in here, but as to what the inscription did, Xue Wei had no idea.

”This is a Soul Coagulating Inscription,” Bai Tianyi’s apathetic voice sounded next to Xue Wei. “It is an inscription which not only takes one’s soul power away, it also steals your spiritual energy cultivation base and moves it into another person.

“I think we have an answer as to what happens with the daily ten missing people, and also an answer as to why the Baili family managed to do as well as they did. Their direct descendants were likely boosted by this Soul Coagulating Inscription.”

Xue Wei pondered on what Bai Tianyi had said and nodded his head, “Well that was one question solved,” he said with a sigh as he looked around and then went out. He did not want the rotten bloody smell to wake up Luoluo.

”But why does it feel like every time we solve one problem, a new one crops up?” he could not help but complain as he thought about how there were now even more mysterious things at the academy waiting for them.

“I think we need to return to the forbidden area and get some understanding of what exactly is happening at the academy. Since we got no answers at the Soul Tower, that would be where the best guess for finding answers is.”

As Xue Wei and the others returned to their courtyard at the academy, rumors about the battle rapidly spread through the entire capital and soon to the whole continent.

At first many were condemning the Gu and Yuan families for taking up arms against the Baili family and murdering them, but Gu Bing’er would not stand idly by.

She quickly released the news about the fates of all the missing people, and all the misdeeds that the Baili family had done throughout the years, rightfully painting herself, her family and the Yuan family as the heroes who fought for justice.

The people were easily swayed when they saw the evidence, and soon every member of the Baili family who had not been home at that point were hunted like wild dogs.

Xue Wei did not care about the rumors that were running wild outside; all he cared about was his trip back to the forbidden area. He had to find some answers soon—not just more questions and uncertainties.

When they returned, Xue Wei looked at Luoluo worriedly as he placed her in her bed. From the moment she had fallen asleep, she had not opened her eyes at all, and he was worried that she had overexerted herself.

Bai Tianyi had come into the room silently, and when he saw the worried expression on Xue Wei’s face, he spoke up, “Don’t worry.

“She is not like us,” he continued, “Although she looks human, she is actually not. She is a spirit.”

“A spirit?” Xue Wei was confused. What were spirits? He felt that he vaguely had heard about them before in myths when he was a child, but he could not remember it at all.

Bai Tianyi answered, “Yes, she is a spirit, a being that is not so different from me, to be honest, but while I am an artificial spirit, she is a natural one.”