Chapter 506: The Corpse Soldiers
Chapter 506: The Corpse Soldiers
"The divine consciousness of the Zhang family's ancestor is so strong. If I consume and refine it, I should definitely be able to surpass the bottleneck and reach the thirteenth level of divine consciousness..."
Mo Huaxin muttered to himself.
The thirteenth level of divine consciousness... For a Qi Refining cultivator, the peak of divine consciousness was indeed the thirteenth level.
Once he reached that level, he would be just a step away from the requirement for establishing a Foundation in divine consciousness, as his master had explained.
Mo Huaxin's heart stirred with anticipation.
However, he hesitated momentarily.
"Should I consume it now?"
The residual soul of the Zhang family's ancestor was exceptionally powerful. If he were to consume it directly, he would likely feel overwhelmed and need a long time to "digest" it...
Moreover, Mo Huaxin was still unclear about the current situation outside.
He had managed to send out news about the Corpse Mine.
But within Nan Yue City, there seemed to be no force that could rival the Lu family.
Now that Zhang Quan was dead, Lu Chengyun had sole control over the Corpse King, and with the continuous operation of the Myriad Corpse Restoration Formation, refining corpses and controlling them, their power would only continue to grow. In the entire Second-Rank State, there was practically no one who could stop them...
"This is troublesome..."
After some thought, Mo Huaxin decided to go ahead and refine the ancestor of the Zhang family.
It was best to consume this opportunity while it was still available.
By "eating" the Zhang family's ancestor, his strength would also increase, and even if something unexpected happened, he would have more confidence to face it.
Furthermore, the ancestor of the Zhang family was quite cunning.
Although Mo Huaxin had blasted him into ashes, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't have some trick up his sleeve to resurrect and recover his divine consciousness.
These old devils were always treacherous.
It was imperative to act with caution, to cut off all potential troubles at the root! Leave no room for them to recover!
Mo Huaxin immediately took action, transforming his divine consciousness into an array to refine the residual thoughts of the Zhang family's ancestor.
As a precaution, he first used the Golden Lock Array to seal the ancestor's remains, which had turned into a wisp of blue smoke. Then, he manifested the Melting Fire Array, slowly roasting it with crimson flames.
After roasting for a while, Mo Huaxin suddenly remembered something.
The Zhang family didn't just have their ancestor; there were also those Iron Corpse elders.
Originally, there were eleven Iron Corpses, but now six of them were on the brink of death, reduced to mere shadows.
Out of the remaining five Iron Corpses, four had been crippled by the Zhang family's ancestor in the final battle of attrition, leaving only one—the Great Elder of the Zhang family—but even he was barely breathing...
Mo Huaxin felt a sense of relief.
The ancestor of the Zhang family had strong divine consciousness and a bag of tricks.
Fortunately, he was a bit of a coward...
No, he was being prudent!
Using these Iron Corpses, he had forced out the ancestor's tricks, depleted his strength, and endured his vicious beatings...
Then, he had sneak-attacked that old zombie.
In the end, he had ground him down to death.
Otherwise, the outcome would have been truly uncertain...
Controlling the Iron Corpses and turning them against their own, using their weapons against them.
"The Spirit Pivot Array is indeed handy!"
Mo Huaxin couldn't help but admire its usefulness.
He couldn't afford to waste the Iron Corpses, either...
So, Mo Huaxin gathered these Iron Corpses together with the ancestor of the Zhang family and tossed them all into the Melting Fire Array.
From the top down, from disciples to ancestors, including generations of ancestors, the entire Zhang family was stewed together by Mo Huaxin...
He continued roasting until the blue smoke turned into white smoke, and then he inhaled it all at once, slowly refining it...
This process took a considerable amount of time.
From the moment Mo Huaxin defeated and controlled Zhang Quan and the two elders, "Song" and "Si," to setting up the ambush, hunting down the other Iron Corpse elders of the Zhang family, and eventually dominating the Iron Corpses to hunt and successfully kill their ancestor...
Five or six days had already passed.
Mo Huaxin, hiding in the sealed small white coffin, remained oblivious to the outside world.
And at that moment, a great battle had already erupted outside...
Foundation Establishment cultivators clashed with the Iron Corpses, shaking the mountains and rending the earth.
The mine was ravaged by spells and mighty forces, crushing rocks and leaving the slopes pitted and scarred.
Below the Foundation Establishment cultivators were the Dao soldiers, formed into long arrays, slaughtering the endless tide of corpses.
The Dao soldiers maintained strict discipline, with orders carried out without question. Their killing formations were decisive, and the undead soldiers, hideous and fearless, covered the mountains and plains.
The battle between the two forces was both majestic and tragic.
On the lands of Nan Yue City, corpses were everywhere, with thousands of zombies surrounding the city.
The gates of Nan Yue City were tightly shut, and the miners gathered along the city walls, defending against the invading undead and those cultivators who had been bitten and infected, their minds clouded by the zombie poison, turning them into mindless shells.
Dark clouds hung over the city, and an air of gloom and killing intent permeated the atmosphere.
Everyone felt anxious and uncertain, not knowing if the sun would shine brightly tomorrow or if a torrential rain would drench the city.
If the Dao Court emerged victorious, suppressing the Corpse Mine and eradicating the zombies, then all would be well.
But if the Dao Court lost, the surging tide of corpses would instantly engulf Nan Yue City.
At that time, the cultivators within the city would become food for the zombies.
Some families and sects within the city, unwilling to share the city's fate, tried to escape secretly. However, most of them were intercepted by stray zombies along the way.
In the midst of battle, if someone was injured and bled, the scent of blood would attract the undead.
Soon, large groups of zombies would be drawn by the scent of blood.
There was even a possibility of attracting Iron Corpses.
Once an Iron Corpse appeared, the escaping cultivators had almost no chance of survival.
Amidst the endless sea of corpses, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator might perish at the hands of the countless ordinary zombies.
During the chaotic battle a few days ago, a Foundation Establishment Dao soldier commander had been injured by an Iron Corpse and separated from the Dao soldier formation. He was quickly overwhelmed and drowned by the tide of corpses, like a drowning man. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't reach the shore, and he was torn to pieces by the zombies...
Yang Jishan's heart twisted in agony.
These Dao soldiers were his brothers, sharing life and death together, yet he had never imagined that they would meet such a tragic end right before his eyes.
But he was powerless to do anything.
There were just too many zombies, and they were too strong.
Yang Jishan never expected that despite their thorough preparations, they would still suffer such a devastating loss.
Initially, everything had gone smoothly...
Three days ago, at the hour of the rabbit, they had struck the Lu family with lightning speed and overwhelming force.
The elders of the Lu family had their cultivation sealed, and the disciples were placed under house arrest, with arrays sealing the exits to prevent them from going out until their punishment could be decided later.
Later, when the zombies besieged the city, some Lu family disciples had a change of heart and wanted to secretly open the city gates to let the zombies in, so they could defect to Lu Chengyun as well.
But the zombies didn't recognize any kinship, and the first ones they devoured were these very Lu family disciples who had opened the gates.
Later, the Dao soldiers and the miners, along with the local Nan Yue Sect cultivators, managed to repel the zombies and reseal the gates at a considerable cost.
Enraged, Yang Jishan chose a few of the troublemaking Lu family disciples and elders and executed them in front of the Lu family cultivators, which finally intimidated the rest into submission.
The main branch of the Lu family became much more well-behaved after that.
The problem, however, lay with the Corpse Mine...
The battle at the Corpse Mine was far more difficult than they had imagined.
At the time, they had split their forces into two groups, one to suppress the Lu family and the other to wipe out the Corpse Mine.
Their intelligence and array diagrams were all accurate, and they knew the layout of the arrays, making it easy to break them.
With their twenty-plus Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with the Dao soldiers, they smashed the nearby stone walls, broke the array patterns, and shattered the mountain rocks, causing the massive natural stone door to tilt and reveal an opening.
The two Iron Corpse guards at the entrance, though powerful, were no match for the combined might of the group.
They continued to push forward, all the way to the stone palace entrance.
However, Yang Jishan discovered that the Corpse Cultivators were prepared and waiting for them.
Not only that, but in the pitch-black mine, corpse energy permeated the air, and countless red dots, the eyes of hungry zombies, glowed in the darkness.
This was within Yang Jishan's expectations.
Even though they were launching a surprise attack, direct conflict was inevitable.
Yang Jishan, who came from the Yang family and was the commander of the Dao soldiers, had experienced countless battles and was naturally unafraid of fighting.
The Foundation Establishment commanders charged at the front, with the Dao soldiers forming arrays behind them. Other clan and sect Foundation Establishment cultivators flanked them on both sides, while the ordinary Qi Refining cultivators followed to finish off any stragglers.
The Corpse Cultivators' techniques were insidious, but in a head-on group battle, their individual prowess was negligible, and they were easily overwhelmed.
The zombies they summoned mostly fought independently and couldn't stand up to the onslaught of the Dao soldiers.
However, once a Corpse Cultivator died, the zombies under their control would go berserk and attack indiscriminately, including their fellow Corpse Cultivators.
For a time, the Dao soldiers were unstoppable.
Until Lu Chengyun made his appearance.
Behind him was a gigantic zombie with long fangs and eyes that glowed crimson with a hint of dark gold.
"The Corpse King!"
Those cultivators who knew of the legend of the Dao Curse felt their hearts tremble at the sight.
Some had deduced its existence, some had heard rumors, and some had been secretly warned by their sects or clans.
This Corpse King was the embryo of the Dao Curse!
After the initial shock, Yang Jishan's eyes flashed with cold determination.
The embryo of the Dao Curse must be snuffed out in its cradle!
"Kill!"
Yang Jishan waved his hand, and the Dao soldiers, united in their hatred for the enemy, charged forward with their weapons and armor enhanced by arrays. Their auras intertwined, forming the illusion of a fierce tiger.
Lu Chengyun's expression remained calm as he raised his arms.
The Corpse King's chest glowed with bloody patterns as it roared towards the sky, its voice shaking the mountains.
Nearby, twenty iron coffins trembled, and the lids flew open as the Iron Corpse guards leaped out.
At the same time, tens of thousands of Walking Corpses in the mine joined in the roar, their voices merging into a terrifying wave that sent shivers down one's spine.
A fierce battle ensued.
Cultivators clashed with zombies, vital energy clashed with corpse energy, and spells clashed with corpse techniques...
This was the largest-scale battle between cultivators in the Xiao Huang State in nearly eight hundred years.
After the intense battle, the Dao soldiers failed to capture the Corpse Mine and instead suffered significant casualties.
Lu Chengyun still occupied the Corpse Mine, controlling the Corpse King and commanding dozens of Iron Corpse guards and tens of thousands of Walking Corpses. Despite the relentless assaults by the Dao soldiers, he remained unmoved.
Yang Jishan, unable to breach their defenses, watched as his forces suffered more and more losses.
Moreover, during the battle, some Corpse Cultivators were stealing the bodies of the fallen Dao soldiers and cultivators.
These corpses might soon be turned into zombies that would turn on their former comrades on the battlefield.
Helpless, Yang Jishan had no choice but to order a temporary retreat.
Most of Lu Chengyun's forces were zombies, so he could afford to drag out the battle.
But Yang Jishan's forces were all living people, and he couldn't afford heavy casualties.
Not to mention, the more cultivators died, the stronger Lu Chengyun would become.
Yang Jishan had no choice but to order a retreat, but he left the Dao soldiers outside to surround the Corpse Mine, hoping to starve Lu Chengyun out.
In response, Lu Chengyun sent out thousands of Walking Corpses to attack Nan Yue City, aiming to relieve the pressure on the Corpse Mine by besieging the city.
These thousands of Walking Corpses formed a tide of corpses, devouring or converting any living cultivators they encountered on their way into part of the tide.
Yang Jishan had no choice but to divert some forces to defend the city.
At the same time, he ordered all the miners, solitary cultivators, and clan and sect cultivators to stay in Nan Yue City and not venture out.
The matter of wiping out the Corpse Mine would have to be discussed later.
The Dao soldiers, reeling from their initial defeat, along with the various forces of the Dao Court, set up camp outside the mountain and took healing pills to recover from their injuries.
In the cave where they discussed their next move, the atmosphere was heavy.
Someone spoke up angrily, cursing, "That beast Lu Chengyun!"
"He's refined so many zombies and now he's using them to attack the city!"
"He's created so much slaughter for his own benefit. He deserves to die!"
"That's typical of the Demon Path. You're making a big deal out of nothing..."
"So because it's the Demon Path, committing evil deeds is normal, and we shouldn't criticize it?"
"Why are you getting angry with me...?"
"With a heart like yours, you'll end up on the Demon Path sooner or later..."
"Don't spout nonsense!"
"Alright, alright, stop arguing..."
"Sigh, to be honest, in my long life, I've never seen such a conscienceless method, nor have I seen anyone capable of refining so many zombies..."
"In this era, with the Dao Court's unity, it's rare for Demon Cultivators to dare to act so blatantly..."
"That's because the deeds of Demon Cultivators are usually hidden from sight. You just don't see them."
"Just like Lu Chengyun's case, who would've known if it wasn't exposed?"
"You're making baseless accusations!"
"Hmph, it's you who fails to understand..."
...
Loud voices filled the vast cave, echoing off the walls.
Yang Jishan called for silence and spoke in a solemn tone, "Let's set aside other matters for now. Our top priority is to join forces and come up with a strategy to capture the Corpse Mine!"
"The longer we delay, the greater the disaster it will bring!"
Yang Jishan's expression turned grave.
After all, this Corpse King was possibly related to the Dao Curse.
And the Dao Curse was the most terrifying of all...
The group fell into a somber silence, many of them feeling disheartened.
Some of those present were from small families and sects, and being involved in such a large-scale conflict was unfamiliar and unnerving. They dared not speak up.
Others were indeed from prominent sects and influential families, but even they had never encountered such a massive undertaking.
They, too, were at a loss for what to do.
Moreover, their opponent was an endless horde of zombies.
In the heat of battle, they realized that in such a chaotic melee, their individual cultivation levels could only do so much.
A cultivator asked, "Commander Yang, I have a question..."
Yang Jishan nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
The cultivator said, "Logically speaking, we have a considerable number of people, and with the Dao soldiers leading the charge, even if we can't capture the Corpse Mine, we should at least be able to inflict heavy damage on these Corpse Cultivators..."
"In group battles, Dao soldiers have always been invincible."
"Then why are we not only failing to make any progress but also falling into a disadvantageous position?"
Many cultivators in the room wore confused expressions, sharing the same doubt.
In the heat of battle, their blood boiled, and they simply followed orders, using their spiritual tools, martial arts, and spells without much thought.
They obeyed Commander Yang's commands and fought as a united force.
They fought when they could and retreated when necessary.
Beyond that, they didn't concern themselves with much else.
As to why they were at a disadvantage despite their apparent advantages, they were just as perplexed.
Yang Jishan sighed and furrowed his brows as he pondered, "If I'm not mistaken, this Corpse King can simultaneously control dozens of Iron Corpses and nearly ten thousand Walking Corpses."
The group exchanged glances, unsure of his point.
"So what? Isn't that something we already knew from the beginning?"
"No, it's different," Yang Jishan shook his head. "This isn't your typical corpse control."
He knew that the Dao Court prohibited the study of the Demonic Path, and most cultivators avoided any association with Demonic Cultivators.
Even some of the larger sects with extensive knowledge only had a superficial understanding of the Demonic Path.
They lacked a deep insight into its intricacies.
Yang Jishan continued his explanation, "Regular corpse control is rather crude, only allowing for simple commands like 'kill', 'eat', 'attack', or 'defend'."
"And when controlling a large number of corpses, although they may share a common goal, they fight independently, like headless flies."
Yang Jishan's expression turned grim, "But the zombies we're facing are entirely different..."
"They are still zombies, but the method of control is exceptionally unique and meticulous."
"All the zombies move in perfect unison, their offense and defense coordinated and disciplined. This is truly unbelievable..."
"Even if the zombies remain the same, their individual strength unchanged, the moment they gain discipline and unity in their actions, their collective strength becomes incomparable to before."
Yang Jishan sighed, "This kind of phenomenon is similar to the Dao soldiers, and we generally refer to it as the Demonic Path's 'Corpse Soldiers'..."
Corpse Soldiers...
The word sent shivers down everyone's spines.
...
On the other hand, Lu Chengyun gazed at the Corpse King before him and nodded slightly.
Zhang Quan was right; with the Corpse King, these zombies could indeed become 'Corpse Soldiers'.
In today's battle, the zombies had become an organized force, rivaling the Dao Court's Dao soldiers and even surpassing them due to their lack of pain and fear of death.
The Corpse Soldiers were superior to the Dao soldiers.
Lu Chengyun coldly smiled.
Although he didn't know why the Dao Court had received news and sent their Dao soldiers to eradicate him, he was confident that with the second-rank Corpse King and its command over the Iron Corpses and Walking Corpses, they wouldn't be able to capture the Corpse Mine anytime soon.
Even if the Corpse Mine was eventually taken, he had plenty of escape plans.
He could always find a scapegoat.
He could even get rid of the identity of Lu Chengyun and start anew, rising to power once more...
As long as he had the Corpse King.
As long as he possessed the Spirit Pivot Array...
After all, the array was the foundation of an array master.
Lu Chengyun smiled gently, his eyes cold and sharp.
Suddenly, his thoughts turned to Mo Huaxin...
Mo Huaxin had been offered as a sacrifice, fed to Zhang Quan's ancestor's soul map.
He wondered if he had been completely devoured yet...
Lu Chengyun had intended to check on him earlier, but the siege on the Corpse Mine had kept him occupied, and he hadn't found the time to do so.
Lu Chengyun thought to himself:
"After some time, when he's been thoroughly devoured, I'll go and take a look. I'll also turn that little cultivator's corpse into a little zombie to keep by my side and serve me..."
Lu Chengyun's eyes narrowed slightly.
However, what he didn't know was that Mo Huaxin hadn't been devoured; instead, he was about to 'devour' the entire Zhang family...
(End of Chapter)
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