Chapter 50: The Golden Mace

The old man’s words stirred my curiosity—who exactly was he? Why did he suddenly insist on sparing my life?

Perhaps feeling slighted by this old man, Chen Hongyi’s expression darkened.

“My friend, I advise you not to meddle. The affairs of our Corpse Immortal Pavilion are not for just anyone to interfere with!”

“Today, my killing of Chen Huangpi is not a personal grudge. And those within the Corpse Immortal Pavilion are not people you can afford to provoke. I strongly suggest you stay out of this mess!”

Chen Hongyi’s face turned increasingly unpleasant; she had never before been so coldly dismissed.

The old man glanced at me, confirmed I was unharmed, then turned to Chen Hongyi with a chill in his voice:

“What did you say? Who is it that I cannot afford to provoke?”

Chen Hongyi was clearly taken aback by the old man’s icy retort; she had not expected to encounter someone even more aloof than herself.

“That’s right, sir. Given your profound mastery of the Dao, you must know that Chen Qiyue should not be allowed to live. You surely understand the consequences if he survives.”

Chen Hongyi restrained her temper, softening her tone as much as possible.

She knew the old man was far more powerful than she was.

If she acted rashly, her chances of victory were slim.

However, hearing Chen Hongyi claim that my survival would bring dire consequences to them piqued my curiosity.

I wanted to know what severe outcomes awaited if I remained alive.

At this, the old man waved his hand dismissively, as if to say she was overthinking things:

“You may be mistaken. I am here solely to protect Chen Qiyue’s life. As for anything else, I do not care at all.”

Chen Hongyi’s entire face flushed red with anger; this was the first time she had met someone more arrogant than herself.

“What exactly do you want? I advise you not to push your luck!”

Her anger flared, and she shouted fiercely at the old man.

“Don’t be impatient. Didn’t I just say I’m here to protect Chen Qiyue’s life? Don’t you understand?”

“How dare you!”

Chen Hongyi’s right hand flipped, and a jade coffin no larger than a fingertip slid out from her crimson embroidered robe.

The coffin gleamed like white jade, its four corners sharp as spikes, exuding an eerie aura.

Judging by its appearance, it must be a unique treasure of the Corpse Immortal Pavilion.

This time, Chen Hongyi was truly enraged; she absolutely would not allow anyone to save my life!

“If you insist on protecting him, you’re opposing the Corpse Immortal Pavilion. Are you prepared to face our wrath?”

Clutching the strange jade coffin tightly, Chen Hongyi glared at the old man with a fierce expression.

The old man glanced at the jade coffin in her hand, somewhat surprised:

“I’ve heard the Corpse Immortal Pavilion possesses many secret treasures. Seeing this today, I admit you have some tricks. Very well, let us begin. I have matters to discuss with Chen Qiyue.”

At his words, Chen Hongyi’s expression immediately darkened.

She had yet to decide whether to attack me.

The old man’s aura instilled a hint of fear in her.

Facing him in combat, Chen Hongyi sensed her chances of victory were slim.

“If you won’t dare strike, then get lost quickly—don’t waste my time. Your skills are truly insufficient in my presence.”

“Even if Li Hanyi, the head of your Corpse Immortal Pavilion, cast his spells before me, it wouldn’t be enough to impress me! Now leave, don’t block my sight!”

The old man glanced dismissively at Chen Hongyi and then ignored her, speaking to me instead:

“Chen Qiyue, come with me. I have something to tell you.”

He strode ahead while I carefully followed, my mind swirling with strange thoughts.

Was this old man a friend of my grandfather’s?

Or did he have some other reason to protect me?

All of this remained a mystery.

We had only taken a few steps when Chen Hongyi’s furious shout rang out behind me:

“Stop right there, Chen Qiyue! You cannot leave!”

No sooner had she spoken than she charged forward.

The jade coffin in her hand instantly transformed into a massive casket, floating in midair.

Her attack filled me with dread.

Something inside that jade coffin seemed eager to emerge, making my whole body tremble with unease.

Chen Hongyi’s methods were far stronger than I had imagined.

If not for the old man’s timely intervention, I might truly have died there.

At the moment Chen Hongyi struck, the old man sensed something unusual.

Yet his expression remained calm as he unfastened a worn nylon pouch on his back.

Though tattered, when the pouch’s bottom touched the ground, the earth trembled slightly.

I wondered what could be so heavy.

As the old man opened the pouch, an oddly shaped magical weapon appeared before me.

It was neither sword nor blade—more like a war hammer!

Resembling the golden hammer wielded by Qin Shubao, the Tang dynasty general!

Its body was jet black and shimmered faintly, while the sturdy handle seemed embedded with special runes.

Merely glimpsing it sent a chill down my spine.

If my guess was correct, this was the Demon-Subduing Golden Hammer my grandfather often told me about.

Many legends surrounded this weapon, the most famous being Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong guarding Emperor Taizong through the night.

Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin, had committed countless acts of warfare and slaughter, and numerous vengeful spirits sought to claim his life.

Despite being the supreme ruler, blessed by the Purple Star’s fortune, he was still tormented by malevolent ghosts in his sleep.

Desperate, he consulted the national sorcerer Yuan Tiangang for a solution.

Yuan Tiangang, a master of magic and feng shui, calculated the situation and understood it immediately.

Without casting spells or chanting incantations, he calmly told the emperor that the demon-subduing generals stood before him, protecting him—no demon, not even the Fiendish Ancestor of Corpses, dared approach.

Those two were Qin Shubao, wielding the Demon-Subduing Golden Hammer, and Yuchi Gong, with his demon-whipping divine whip.

Historical records rarely mention the Demon-Subduing Golden Hammer, but whenever it appeared, it caused a sensation.

How could such a divine weapon be in the hands of this old man?

Who exactly was he?

My curiosity toward him grew urgent.

Yet, upon seeing the golden hammer, Chen Hongyi clearly realized the situation had turned against her.

She did not recklessly fight back but immediately retracted the jade coffin she had released.

“I never expected such a divine weapon would protect Chen Qiyue. You are indeed powerful, and I am no match for you. However, no matter how skilled your Dao arts, if you offend the Corpse Immortal Pavilion, your fate will be miserable!”

After saying this, she fixed her gaze on me and snarled:

“Chen Qiyue, it seems you are not destined to die today. I underestimated you. But don’t relax too much—even if I cannot kill you, others will! Just wait and see.”

With that, Chen Hongyi leapt onto her coffin and vanished in an instant.

The old man raised the golden hammer high and then slammed it forcefully into the ground.

“Listen well, all fiendish creatures! No matter what kind of demon you are, or how powerful your cultivation, if you dare harm Chen Qiyue before his destined tribulation, I will seal you in the netherworld, never to rise again!”

“Dare to challenge me if you don’t believe it!”

His words were full of commanding authority.

Under his overwhelming pressure, the sinister aura that had gathered dissipated completely.

They clearly feared his intervention.

This made me realize one thing: this old man intended to protect my life until my tribulation came.

Though I did not know when that would be, judging by his tone, it would be soon.

The golden hammer radiated a majestic power that enveloped the entire Hu family estate.

For the time being, this would be my safest refuge in the provincial capital.

I was shaken by the old man’s aura. Though he stood alone, he exuded the might of a thousand troops.

This was precisely what those evil spirits plotting against me dreaded.

His divine power was so formidable that the dark sinister energy once looming overhead vanished entirely.

But his purpose was not only to repel the gloom above me.

He intended to warn the hidden masterminds not to strike before my tribulation, lest they suffer a terrible fate.

“Chen Qiyue, come with me. I have things to tell you.”

The old man withdrew the golden hammer from the ground, packed it back into the nylon pouch, and slung it over his shoulder.

I nodded without hesitation and obediently followed him.

I had never been one to trust easily, but in his presence, I felt no suspicion whatsoever.

Perhaps it was because killing me would be too simple for him—there was no need to make things so complicated.

We left the Hu family estate and walked straight toward a large lake ahead.

After some distance, the old man stopped.

He turned to study me, as if pondering how to begin our conversation.