The magnificent temple stood in the middle of this underground area.
It was built in jade, marble and bones, in the shape of a giant human skull.
Farek led them inside. Passing through the entrance you could see a pond of translucent living substance in the center, surrounded by four white jade statues.
Farek lit an incense stick and paid his respects to them, so Dracs did the same.
After a couple seconds, a deep voice resounded.
"Welcome to the White Ghost Temple, honored guest."
Dracs knew what he had to do so he executed a respectful bow and said.
"Junior pays his respects!"
Suddenly, his Guardian left his side and jumped inside the pond, disappearing from their view, followed by the one accompanying Farek.
"Disciple pays his respects to Master!" The guard shouted with a bow.
'What is this place?' Dracs thought.
Dracs subconsciously called the Ancestor but it seemed that he was unable to do it since he was in that Mausoleum. He was slightly bewildered because it was the first time the link with the seed of corruption was broken.
He tried again but this time toward the captain but he couldn't reach him either, it was really troublesome because the captain was his knight and the link established with him was very strong, unfortunately he just couldn't contact him.
So he asked the system in a hurry, anxious.
'System, why can't I use telepathy with the Ancestor and the Captain here?'
[A dense and unknown energy compile with magic formations and arrays are probably interfering with the process. Can be forcefully activated with 1,000 energy's unit per second.]
*Cough*
Of course Dracs was on the verge of coughing blood! But at least he was still able to contact the captain or the Ancestor in case of emergency… At least for a short lapse.
Meanwhile, a ghostly presence appeared before them. The appearance resembled an old man in a hood, he was translucent and emitted an extremely strong aura.
The old man looked intently at the two newcomers and said in a simple but authoritative voice.
"Welcome to the temple, Young Master. Disciple, this old man needs to talk to Young Master Taidian in private. Wait in a meditation chamber, I will talk to you later.
"Disciple understands."
Farek replied, bowed respectfully then walked to one of the interior doors.
"Follow me, ghosts have ears too, and other curious disciples are in this place."
"Of course." Dracs said, nodding his head.
The old ghost led him upstairs where they entered a room in which a basin filled with white fire illuminated the surrounding space.
This small room was filled with shelves full of books, which caught Dracs' attention.
When the door was closed, the old ghost waved his hand and formation lines lit briefly, he then nodded and said.
"Well, we'll be quiet. Let me introduce myself, my name was long forgotten by the Clan but I used to be called Yaikian Akran, I was here when this temple was built and I had been fated to become its Master."
Dracs wasn't able to see through his realm, that ghost was most likely a unique existence and seemed truly unfathomable.
The ghost continued.
"Don't mistake me, I can see clearly that you are an abomination, as a being that had transcended long ago, your small tricks are nothing in my eyes."
Dracs couldn't help but shiver, he couldn't even hide with his perfect camouflage that even the old Ancestor had failed to pierce! So, Dracs could only act with utmost care and respect, then he said.
"Senior, I had no bad intentions. It was fate, you should already have heard it from the Ancestor by now."
The old ghost looked at him intently before saying.
"If not for your promise that you'll help Jikoudian, I would have destroyed you the moment you entered the Mausoleum. So, do you really have the ability to help him or was it just another trick?"
*gulp*
"Senior, my instincts tell me that there should be a solution as long as I can study his condition and more techniques. I felt the corruption emanating from him, corroding his life, but it's also linked in a way that if this corruption is abruptly removed he will die."
The ghost seemed to think about something before he said coldly.
"What are you? And what have you done to Jikoudian?"
Dracs wasn't sure if he could tell his story to this ghost but he knew that if say too much, the wrath of heaven and earth would fall on them. So he said he replied with a question.
"Have you the power to hold against the wrath of heaven and earth? Are you confident, senior?
The eyes of the old ghost flickered in red light for a moment before they returned to their ghostly color, he then said.
"My existence itself is defying the laws of heaven and earth, so i'm naturally confident, in this temple, heaven and earth are banished."
Dracs was hesitant, he wanted to share a part of his story with someone and this old ghost seemed a powerful existence. Before he could answer, the old man added.
"I have been nice to you only because of the words of Jikoudian, but my patience is at his limit. Quick, tell me what you are and what have you done! Or else, don't blame me for being ruthless and search this information directly inside you, whatever you are!"
Dracs hurriedly replied.
"Wait, senior, I can tell you that I was once human, I'm not a devil nor a demonic cultivator. Old man Jikoudian Akran would certainly tell you everything, I use a bit of my power that has taken roots in his heart, it will help study corruption, I can also use the link to kill him with a thought."
Dracs seemed to have understood that the Ancestor was really important to the old ghost so he threatened him just a bit to make him understand that he also had his own power.
The old ghost then smiled. It was a creepy smile that would send chills down your spine!
"Hahaha! What a good seed we have here. You passed my test greatly, the man named Dracs!"
he then turned toward the white fire and said.
"I'm very pleased with you Jikoudian, what an interesting man you bring us."
Dracs felt like a blade had been removed from his neck, he had almost spit out the truth about him and that would have been a huge mistake!
At this moment the fire brighted intently and the voice of the old Ancestor could be heard.
"Master, you're overpraising me, it was just my luck to meet him, also I am ashamed to have been tricked by him."
The ghost's eyes flashed and he said.
"Your choice was talkable but the result is the same, don't worry I will take care of him."
"Thank you master."
After that the Ancestor left, the old ghost turned his gaze again toward Dracs and said.
"You should have many questions and they will all be answered but now is not the time for that. As you probably know, the patriarch of my Akran Clan has invited many sects in our land, that's not for courtesy. Do you know why?"
Dracs was not surprised about the question so he answered honestly.
"It should be related to the Mausoleum, if I'm not wrong, this place is a kind of holy ground."
The old ghost smiled and said.
"Correct. It's precisely because of this. The Mausoleum holds many secrets, one of them is an inheritance ground hidden in another dimension. Every hundred years this dimension opens."
When Dracs heard about the other dimension he couldn't help being excited, but then a question appeared in his mind so he asked.
"In that case why did the patriarch invite other sects? If this inheritance ground is yours, it doesn't make sense."
The old ghost pondered for a moment before replied.
"The last time, we only sent people from the Clan. Unfortunately, this generation was unable to get something useful from it and many died. It only increases the pressure on the present generation. So the patriarch decided to invite other sects and share benefits."
"Do you agree with that?"
Dracs said with doubts.
"We can't interfere with the decision of the patriarch or we would be exposed."
"And you think I can be of any help? But, well, even if I agree to help your Clan, what do I gain? You must know that I'm greatly limited with this body. Also, I'm cruelly in need of knowledge and resources. What do you propose, senior Yaikian?"
Even though the old ghost tried to sound righteous, Dracs understood that he really needed him for dangerous work.
The old ghost continued.
"The sects will send two disciples each, so my Clan will. The inheritance ground is limited to Profound Realm cultivators because the founders needed youth like blank pages to be cultivated at their will."
Dracs was starting to be annoyed because he felt that the ghost didn't tell him anything useful at this point.
"What is the purpose of all of this, you are beating around the bush, senior."
"Well. We want you to retrieve as much of the ghost essence as you can, it's a primordial ressource for us. The rest is up to you, it would be based on your own luck if you obtain something else."
The old ghost Yaikian was impossible to read, he didn't have any expression at this moment, but of course Dracs was not dupe. However he was thirsty for the potential reward and the ghost essence too.
That's why he said.
"I'll do it. But I have my conditions."
Yaikian stared at him intently and said.
"What are those conditions?"
At this moment Dracs grinned internally.