Chapter Two: The Water of Rebirth

Radel City-State is one of the largest major cities in the eastern part of the Ramesside Empire. Rows of sphinxes surround the city like the most loyal of sentinels, and the statue of Osiris, the Lord of the Underworld, is carved into the towering city gate. Pedestrians were queuing to enter the city when, suddenly, chaos erupted in the line. For some unknown reason, the camels in the vicinity all knelt, tucking their heads in and refusing to rise, no matter how hard their handlers pulled at them.

The surrounding guards shouted and urged the crowds to move, but the camels remained stubbornly grounded. In the midst of this confusion, a black figure quietly slipped past the guards and into the city. This was not the "Divine Foot Technique" of the Buddhist school, but rather a movement art known as the "Heavenly Demon Phantom." Ever since Zhang Xiao had turned from Buddha to Demon, the various supernatural powers of the Buddhist faith had vanished, replaced by those of the demonic path. The Heavenly Demon Phantom was one of them; while perhaps not as swift as the Divine Foot Technique, its eerie and unpredictable nature elevated Zhang Xiao’s combat prowess by more than a notch.

As Zhang Xiao strode through the city of Radel, every living creature he passed felt a sudden chill, as if a sharp blade had just grazed their throats, leaving them reflexively reaching up to touch their necks in lingering fear.

Zhang Xiao turned through several alleys until he reached a small, obscure lane. If the Prophet Kama hadn't lied to him, this was the place. Yet, looking at the dilapidated doors and windows before him, Zhang Xiao felt a sense of doubt. It was no wonder; according to Kama, a sage lived here—a disciple of Anubis, the god of death, who possessed the power to mend souls. If Zhang Xiao only wished to restore his artifact spirit, this person should be able to help.

He held onto a sliver of hope, but the ruinous state of the house made his heart sink. Could a sage capable of repairing souls truly live in such a hovel? Zhang Xiao did not know the customs of foreign lands, but in China, anyone with true ability resided in mansions and high towers.

Just as Zhang Xiao hesitated outside, an aged voice drifted from within: "You have stood outside for a long time; will you not enter?"

Zhang Xiao’s expression changed. Even though he had been standing there, he had masked his aura completely, and with his Heavenly Ring, no one passing by should have noticed his existence. The fact that his presence had been called out not only failed to anger him but instead brought him great joy.

He stepped forward and pushed open the wooden door, which seemed ready to crumble at any moment. A thick, pungent odor of decay wafted out. An old man in linen robes lay quietly on a wooden bed. Zhang Xiao frowned; his spiritual sense scanned the man, revealing only a flickering, weakening aura—the unmistakable sign of a dying man. There were no fluctuations of power whatsoever. Could such a decrepit old man really be the sage Kama had described? Had he been played for a fool?

His expression darkened, but having come this far, he steeled himself and approached. "I never expected to meet a powerful Easterner before I died," the old man wheezed. "Heh, my time is short. Ask your question, but you must do one thing for me in return once you have your answer."

Zhang Xiao, his face devoid of emotion, replied calmly: "A prophet calling himself Kama sent me to find you. He said you could repair an artifact spirit." With that, Zhang Xiao took out the damaged flying sword and held it out. He would not reveal the Heavenly Profound Token until he was certain of the old man’s abilities.

The old man took the sword, his fingers gently stroking the blade. "You are strange. This cannot be the object you truly wish to repair. No one destroys something only to fix it later. Do not be surprised; the soul within the sword told me so."

Zhang Xiao nodded inwardly. Although the old man was near death, he clearly possessed some skill. Zhang Xiao took the Heavenly Profound Token from his robes and handed it over. "Indeed, this is what I need to restore. Can you fix it?" His voice betrayed a hint of tension.

The old man held the token, his expression turning peculiar as he shook his head and then nodded. Zhang Xiao raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?" The old man handed it back. "You are too late. I no longer have the power to mend this. If you truly wish to repair it, seek the Temple of Anubis. The Waters of Rebirth there can mend any soul in the world."

The old man handed him a piece of parchment and fell silent, lying back on the bed as his aura grew even weaker. Zhang Xiao unfolded the parchment to find a detailed map; a location marked with a jackal’s head presumably represented the Temple of Anubis. Zhang Xiao tucked the parchment away and turned to leave.

In a split second, a flash of brilliance erupted in Zhang Xiao’s eyes. His fingers became like blades, unleashing a surge of pure Yang energy that slashed toward the old man on the bed. Just as the strike reached a mere half-inch from the old man’s nose, Zhang Xiao flicked his finger, dissipating the energy. The old man on the bed remained serenely still, eyes closed, entirely unaware that he had just skirted the gates of death. Satisfied, Zhang Xiao vanished from the room like a streak of rainbow light.

The moment he was gone, the old man let out a long, shuddering breath, sweat beading on his forehead. He sat up and hissed, "Kama, that fellow's aura was terrifying! I nearly couldn't help but move."

As he spoke, a figure emerged from the corner. It was none other than the Prophet Kama, whom Zhang Xiao had met in the desert. Kama sneered, "If he weren't strong, how could he serve as the vanguard for our Council of Elders? That damned guard dog last time nearly wiped us all out; we need someone with real power."

The old man asked in confusion, "If that’s the case, why put on such a show? Didn't you see? I was almost killed by him!"

Kama realized his oversight and chuckled dryly. "This Easterner is far too strong; we had to let him lead the way. Besides, this way, the treasures in the Temple of Anubis will all be ours." Both men broke into nauseating, treacherous laughter. The old man scoffed, "I lied to him, saying the Waters of Rebirth could fix anything, and he actually believed it! Hahaha!"

Kama scolded, "You fool, I thought you knew! The Waters of Rebirth are indeed a treasure for healing souls; repairing an artifact spirit is trivial." The old man blushed in embarrassment.

Kama waved his hand impatiently. "Let's go. Gather the others; we depart in three days." With that, both figures vanished from the stone room.

They believed their scheme was flawless, unaware that Zhang Xiao, miles away, had heard every word. The sand beside him shifted, and a silver-armored corpse crawled out from the earth, standing loyally behind him. This was Zhang Xiao’s upgraded Copper-Armored Corpse—or rather, Silver-Armored Corpse.

Zhang Xiao put the corpse away and sneered, "Hmph, it is fortunate the Waters of Rebirth are real. I shall let you live a few days longer. Once I restore Ziyan, I will settle this debt with you slowly." He had never trusted the old man, so he had deployed the corpse to tunnel underground. Thanks to the corpse’s formidable power and earth-shaping talents, he had intercepted their entire conversation.

He would not be used. If anything, he would turn the tables on them. With a cold smile, Zhang Xiao mounted the Heavenly Yang Sword and transformed into a streak of silver light, flying toward the north.

The River of the Underworld existed only in ancient Egyptian mythology—a river that all souls had to cross to reach the afterlife. Now, this mythical river lay before him. Gazing at the expanse of black water stretching for miles, he smelled a sickening stench of putrefaction. Zhang Xiao tossed a branch into the water; it instantly ignited, consumed by ghostly blue flames until nothing remained but a wisp of smoke.

"Such dense Nine-Nether Hellfire," Zhang Xiao murmured, surprised. This river was not water at all, but a massive accumulation of Nine-Nether Hellfire. According to the parchment, one had to wait until nightfall for a wooden skiff to carry travelers across, but Zhang Xiao had no intention of waiting. Since he knew it was the Nine-Nether Hellfire, he had a way to counter it.

From his bone ring, he retrieved a translucent stone that emanated a divine, radiant aura. Known as the "Soul-Shaping Stone," it naturally gathered light and righteousness, typically used for sculpting or imbuing spirits. It was the perfect counter to the hellfire. Zhang Xiao spat out a ball of pure Yang fire, refining the stone into a large board. Stepping onto it, he needed no formations or mana—the board simply hovered over the infernal river, carrying him across.