Chapter 682: Encountering the Coffin Carrier, Changsheng Comes Out of Seclusion

“What is that?!”

Song Qingyun’s eyes narrowed as he said in a low voice, “It looks like a person.”

“Could he be the one who set up this Barrier?”

“It’s highly likely. The aura he’s giving off is very strong. Everyone, be extremely careful.” Song Qingyun tightened his grip on his Long Spear, his jet-black eyes filled with vigilance.

SWOOSH—

A stream of light, like a river of stars, poured onto the ground. Waves of brilliance lit up the once pitch-black night sky, forcing the three of them to instinctively shut their eyes.

After a few moments, the light gradually dissipated, revealing a formidable figure.

Song Qingyun looked over and saw a young man in a blue-green long robe. It must have been washed for many years, as many parts had faded to white, and the cuffs and hem were even a little tattered.

His jaw was covered in coarse stubble and his eyes were bound by a jet-black silk ribbon. Beneath his bronze skin, bulging muscles rippled with explosive power.

The man just stood there silently, like a majestic mountain.

He completely ignored Song Qingyun and the others, instead bending down and plunging an arm thicker than a bowl into the fissure before him. Then, as the three cultivators watched, he pulled out a translucent, crystalline Ice Coffin.

Wisps of white mist emanated from the surface of the Ice Coffin. Raindrops turned to ice pellets before they even drew near, clattering to the ground. In no time, a thick layer of ice had formed at the mysterious man’s feet.

This frigid qi was identical to the white mist from before, but many times more terrifying. Even from dozens of yards away, Song Qingyun and the others could feel a chill that seeped into their very Bone Marrow.

A cold of this intensity was enough to freeze a person into an ice sculpture.

But the mysterious man was completely unaffected. He lifted it directly onto his back, then took out a jet-black chain and bound the Ice Coffin securely.

The iron chain rattled, and both Song Qingyuan and Song Qinghong felt their hearts go cold.

“A Foundation Establishment Cultivator… It’s over. We’re finished…”

Song Qingyuan had lost his wits, his voice trembling uncontrollably. The color drained from Song Qinghong’s face as well, leaving her deathly pale.

There was a vast gulf between Qi Cultivators and Foundation Establishment Cultivators—a gap that could not be easily overcome.

“He… He’s walking toward us! Qingyun, what should we do now?” Song Qinghong asked, her voice trembling.

At her words, even Song Qingyuan instinctively looked toward Song Qingyun. Without realizing it, Qingyun had become the pillar of their small group.

Song Qingyun said nothing, his lips pressed into a thin line. His left hand merely tightened its grip on a black pouch hanging at his waist.

TAP… TAP… TAP…

Carrying the Ice Coffin, the mysterious man trod through the muddy rainwater, approaching the trio one step at a time. The ground froze solid in his wake, consumed by the frigid air.

An overwhelming pressure washed over them, striking fear into their hearts.

Just as panic set in, a brilliant Sword Light whistled in from the horizon and shattered the Barrier enveloping Daliu Village.

A clear voice traveled from the horizon, growing closer: “Fellow Daoist, my clan’s juniors are ignorant. Please forgive them for any offense they may have caused.”

Hearing the voice, the mysterious man stopped abruptly. He turned his head toward the village entrance, where a slender figure stood atop the great willow tree, a sword in hand, wreathed in sharp Sword Qi.

The moment they saw the figure, the eyes of Song Qinghong and Song Qingyuan lit up with joy.

“Brother Qingqian!”

Song Qingqian gave them a slight nod, signaling them to remain calm. He then descended on his sword, landing before the mysterious man. Cupping his hands, he said, “I am Song Qingqian of the Moon Viewing Song Clan. Might I ask for this fellow Daoist’s name?”

The mysterious man tilted his head stiffly but did not answer.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Song Qingqian’s face, but he quickly recovered. Pointing to the headless corpse of a Silkworm Soul not far away, he asked, “Fellow Daoist, do you recognize this person?”

The mysterious man gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

“Then are the events that transpired here related to you?” Song Qingqian asked, gesturing toward the bodies of the “villagers.”

The mysterious man shook his head again.

At this, Song Qingqian’s expression eased slightly. “Then, was it my younger clan members who offended you? If so, I apologize on their behalf.”

The mysterious man glanced over at them, then shook his head once more.

Song Qingyun wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but he felt the mysterious man’s gaze linger on him for a moment, making his skin crawl.

Song Qingqian’s eyes narrowed. After several rounds of questioning, the mysterious man had only shaken his head, giving him no useful information whatsoever.

It left him unable to tell, for the moment, whether this man was friend or foe.

As Song Qingqian was deliberating, the mysterious man suddenly turned and began walking toward the village entrance. His steps were slow and steady, each one pressing a deep indent into the muddy ground, which was then instantly frozen by the frigid qi from the Ice Coffin.

Just like that, as if no one else were present, the mysterious man departed from Daliu Village. Song Qingqian’s expression shifted several times, but in the end, he did not intervene, allowing the man to leave.

“How are you all? Are you alright?” Song Qingqian asked with concern as he approached Song Qingyun’s group.

“Brother, why didn’t you take him down? That Ice Coffin on his back is clearly no Mortal Grade item,” Song Qingyuan, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly asked.

Song Qingqian glanced at him and explained patiently, “Even though we didn’t trade blows, his strength is definitely greater than mine. If a fight had broken out, I would have struggled just to protect myself. All of you would have been in grave danger.”