CHAPTER 921: CHAPTER 466:

Chen Xu’an stood at the front of the crowd, the scorching heat making beads of sweat break out on his forehead.

But he didn’t retreat; he merely squinted and stared at the coffin.

By now, the flames had completely engulfed the coffin.

The high-piled firewood burned bright red, looking from afar like a giant burning tomb.

The originally pitch-black nanmu coffin had long been burnt to charcoal, its surface cracking with dense patterns.

The air faintly emitted the unique scorched smell of charred wood, mixed with the pungent fumes of gasoline, causing occasional coughs in the watching crowd.

The tongues of fire continued to lick at the corpse inside the coffin.

Chen Hongye’s once pristine skin gradually turned a charred yellow, like over-roasted meat, then slowly darkened and wrinkled.

Even the hair clinging closely to his scalp was singed by the flames, first curling and withering, then quickly igniting into small flames that turned into falling ash bit by bit.

The crowd watched the changes in the pyre, their eyes reflecting the flickering firelight, and the tension on their faces gradually dissipating.

One person even whispered softly, "Finally, it’s going to burn away..."

Chen Xu’an also let out a breath of relief, raising his hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead, his gaze carrying a hint of solace.

As long as this eerie corpse was thoroughly burned, everything could end.

Beside him, Lin Chuqiao and Bai Ling didn’t relax; their fingers clenched unconsciously at their sides, their faces showing a mix of disappointment and a hint of anticipation.

Fang Cheng stood straight, his expression calm.

Yet the red glow in his eyes grew brighter, the "Scavenger’s Eye" never retracting.

He clearly sensed that some kind of anomaly was occurring with the corpse.

Especially in the heart area, originally a place of dense halo.

Now the energy density had increased, presenting an almost flowing dark red, as if life signs were swiftly reviving.

Thump, thump.

A faint sound came, like a heart beating inside.

"Crack!"

A burning dry pine suddenly exploded, sparks spraying upwards like fine rain.

In the pitch-black night, countless short and bright arcs were drawn, slowly drifting down and quickly extinguishing on the ground.

Fang Cheng’s pupils suddenly constricted, his gaze firmly locked onto the fire.

He clearly saw the red light emitted by the corpse’s skin, several times stronger than before.

It was almost solidifying, even the surrounding air tinged with pale red, starting to slightly twist.

This red energy kept slowly dispersing to the surroundings, when touching the flames, the fire seemed instinctively to shy away, as if avoiding.

Such abnormal happenings were soon noticed by Lin Chuqiao, Pan Wendi, and Bai Ling.

Even Chen Xu’an and other members of the Chen Family sensed the anomaly.

In the eyes of all in attendance, illuminated by the firelight.

The surface of the corpse, which had begun to char, suddenly displayed twisted red symbols.

These symbols slithered on the corpse’s chest and arms like living things, occasionally contracting and stretching.

Even with the blazing fire up close, it couldn’t mask the ominous chill emitted by the symbols.

Like they were etched onto the charred skin, exuding an unspeakable evil.

An extremely icy aura, accompanying the appearance of the symbols, silently spread from the fire, dispersing into the surroundings with the cold wind.

The few servants closest to the fire heap couldn’t help but shiver, instinctively stepping back two steps.

The air’s temperature seemed to abruptly drop, the previously scorching sensation suddenly reverting to a midwinter chill, each breath carrying a bit of white mist.

At the Dharma Platform, the monks’ chanting also became a bit tremulous.

The originally orderly rhythm became somewhat chaotic, some even beginning to slip with their hands holding the wooden fish.

Master Yuan Jue sat at the center of the Dharma Platform, his brows tightly furrowed, clearly sensing something amiss.

The speed at which he rotated the Buddha Beads in his hand increased severalfold, the amplitude of his lip movements also growing, as if hurriedly reciting exorcism sutras.

Everyone widened their eyes, staring unblinkingly at the eerie scene in the fire.

The difficultly gained relaxation of minds was once again tense, unease surging like a tide.

Just then.

"Hoo..."

From deep within the fire heap, a deep and distant sigh suddenly emerged.

Though the sound was not high, it carried a penetration, drilling straight into everyone’s ears.

Heavy and cold, it seemed to float from the depths of Hell, wrapped in inexhaustible resentment, tightening the heart.

Then, an old yet authoritative voice arose in the flickering firelight, each word bearing a heavy pressure:

"Three years... Soon, I will achieve complete merit, why do you insist on disturbing my rest?"