That sentence struck Jiao like a lightning. "Please, I will do anything!"
Jiao already lost all her hope. How could she not accept that offer?
"Good… I hope you won't regret your choice later on. Come inside."
The door creaked at the female expert invite and opened just enough for Jiao to enter. Her body was hit with stale air, but compared to the toxic fumes, it was like fresh mountain air. Jiao didn't hesitate and slipped inside just before the toxic liquids touched her feet.
Bang!
The golden door shut down immediately after and the whole crypt slowly sank.
"Come over," the female expert commanded, the voice coming directly from the coffin. "I can save both of us."
"Miss was alive this whole time?" Jiao questioned as she walked closer with no fear. That woman was her only chance of survival as she herself had no way of getting out.
Jiao was finally able to peek at the woman's features and her eyebrows raised in surprise. She thought the woman would be old while her body decomposed but it was the complete opposite.
The woman was young and beautiful with no signs of aging. It seemed too good to be true.
"I'm alive, yet I'm not. Even though my body is dead, my Soul is still alive," the lady replied casually before ordering again. "Place your hand on the coffin and don't resist."
"How did it happen? Your body seems fine. It is young and healthy," Jiao pointed out, realizing something didn't add up.
Once someone reached a high level of Cultivation, the body was just a vessel for the Soul. As long as her Soul was alive, the lady could find a new body for herself.
"It doesn't matter what happened. What matters now is getting out of here and I'm the only one who can help you. Didn't you say you will do anything?" the lady changed the subject. "Don't waste time and place your palm on top of the coffin. We need to hurry as the toxic liquid is burning through the crypt."
Jiao hesitated, finding the lady suspicious. If they were in such a hurry, why didn't she talked to her much earlier? They would have more time to discuss the issue.
"What are you planning to do?" Jiao questioned, taking a step back. Even though she was desperate, one should put full trust in another Cultivator, especially when it came to life and death situations.
Just as she thought, the lady snapped.
"Stop asking questions and listen to my orders! I'm your only chance of survival! Don't you want to meet your lover once again? If you don't follow what I say, you will never see his face again!"
Her explosion confirmed Jiao's theory. That lady was hiding something and it wasn't something good. If she genuinely wanted to help, she would tell her everything.
"I'm not going to listen unless you tell me the whole truth," Jiao replied calmly. "Your defending makes me even more suspicious. It is obvious you are hiding something from me."
"Are you out of your mind?! We are going to die in here if you stay this stubborn!" the lady cried out angrily but Jiao only shrugged.
"I guess we will. I was already prepared to die even before you let me inside."
Jiao wasn't dumb. If what the lady said is true and her body is dead, her only choice to survive was to find another body. Jiao's body was the only one in the surrounding area. In other words, the lady could only steal her own body to survive.
"Ugh! Fine! I want to possess your body so I can escape from this damn prison. I'm strong enough to kill that worm with one finger," the lady explained before suggesting, "How about this, we will share your body in peace for now. Once we get out of here and I get my revenge, I will find myself a new body. You will be then free to go wherever you want. You can find your lover and live happily ever after."
"And what do I get from this? It seems like you get more benefits from this deal," Jiao pointed out, causing another explosion.
"Are you for real?! You survive! Isn't that enough? It won't even take me a year to find the bastards who locked me in here. You will be free right after."
"I want something in return," Jiao demanded right away. "After all, it is my body we are talking about. Without me, you will never get your revenge."
It was a complete gamble but Jiao had nothing to lose. It was her only chance to become worthy of being Xuefeng's wife.
"You... Are you blackmailing me?" the lady questioned in disbelief. "I'm your only chance of survival and you dare to blackmail me?"
"I'm not, I'm simply proposing you a deal. You are free to reject it but then we will both die in here. It's your choice," Jiao explained, flipping the whole situation. Now she was the one placing demands.
To Jiao's surprise, the lady went quiet, no longer raging at her.
"You got balls," the lady finally commented, agreeing, "Fine, what do you want?"
"I want you to teach me," Jiao wished, already prepared with her answer.
"Huh, that what you made the whole fuss about? You just want me to teach you?" the lady questioned speechlessly.
"Yes, I want you to teach me everything you know and lead me to become a powerful expert," Jiao explained. "The person I love is currently the strongest expert in this realm. What's the point of lending you my body if you will later leave me as weak as I was before? I will waste one year for nothing and never catch up to him."
"No problem. I already planned to improve your body anyway. There is no way I can defeat my enemies with this weak body," the lady mocked. "Alright, since we came to an agreement, let me enter your body. Place your hand on the coffin."
This time Jiao didn't hesitate and listened. The Coffin immediately brightened as her fingers touched it and she felt another presence touching her.
"Don't resist. My Soul is too weak to take over if you fight back," the lady informed as she invaded inside Jiao.
Everything felt normal until Jiao suddenly felt weak and sleepy. She stumbled, slowly losing control over her body until only her mind worked properly. No matter how much she tried to move her body, it didn't react to her orders.
"It worked!" Jiao called out happily against her will. "Thank you for cooperating. Don't worry, I will keep my promise. For now, let's get out of here."