Chapter 512: Mutiny
Chapter 512: Mutiny
Two days later, at dawn, when day and night intersected, the morning glow shone through the poisonous miasma and corpse qi, bathing the graveyard mountain in light, but it was tinged with a grayish hue, dark and desolate.
The Dao Court's forces launched their final assault, with everyone joining the battle to exterminate the undead threat once and for all.
Everything was set in motion.
First, several dozen highly destructive second-grade talismans were activated, unleashing a torrent of spiritual power. This power condensed into massive destructive forces, forming blade arrays, fiery orbs, and watery arrows that swept across the mountain, obliterating everything in their path.
The zombies on the mountain were immediately engulfed by the talismans' spiritual might.
Hordes of zombies were shredded by blades, incinerated by fire, and drowned by water, ultimately perishing under the might of the talismans.
Then, another wave of walking corpses shambled forth.
With a wave of Yang Jishan's hand, a group of cultivators stepped forward and performed intricate hand seals, unleashing various spiritual artifacts.
These artifacts transformed into hundreds of flying swords, countless silver needles, and a downpour of fiery rain, decimating the endless tide of walking corpses.
One by one, the corpses fell, pierced by the artifacts or turned into ashes.
Yet still, more corpses came, wave after wave.
The Dao Court forces responded with another onslaught of talismans and spiritual artifacts.
Countless walking corpses were annihilated...
Most of the Dao Court's forces came from influential families or sects, with long histories and deep roots, far surpassing Lu Chengyun, who had merely married into power.
When they truly unleashed their full strength, even these zombies couldn't stand against them.
Under the barrage of spiritual artifacts and talismans, the walking corpses had no choice but to perish.
Even a few Iron Corpses couldn't escape their fate and were slashed to pieces.
However, these trump cards were extremely precious and limited in number; they wouldn't last forever.
Half an hour later, after decimating a portion of the zombie forces and weakening their overall strength, it was time for a frontal assault.
Yang Jishan glanced at Mo Hua beside him, his eyes filled with concern.
Mo Hua nodded reassuringly, indicating that he didn't need to worry.
As long as he stayed close to his senior brothers and sisters, who would look after him, he would be fine as long as he was careful.
Yang Jishan sighed and then turned his gaze forward, his expression turning cold and his voice stern as he said, "Kill!"
The Dao soldiers behind him raised their blades and shouted in unison, "Kill!"
The arrays on their armor were activated, causing spiritual power to surge and resonate with one another.
Their battle cry shook the mountains and boosted their morale to the heavens.
The Dao soldiers charged forward in formation, engaging in a gruesome melee with the endless waves of zombies.
It was like pouring cold water into hot oil.
The mountain instantly erupted into a frenzy of violent motion...
Mo Hua, Bai Zisheng, and Bai Zixi stayed close to Yang Jishan, focusing on self-preservation and refraining from reckless attacks to avoid being engulfed by the tide of corpses.
They only intervened at crucial moments, casting spells to relieve pressure from the surrounding battles.
The fierce battle raged on for an entire day...
Cultivators sustained injuries or perished, some succumbing to the corpse poison and turning into walking corpses themselves.
Similarly, countless zombies fell, including a few Iron Corpses and a multitude of walking corpses.
Yet, the number of zombies remained formidable.
And still, there was no sign of Lu Chengyun.
Yang Jishan took the initiative, leading the charge deeper into the graveyard mountain, toward Lu Chengyun's hideout.
The other Foundation Establishment cultivators followed suit, joining the assault.
The further they ventured into the mountain, the more desolate and eerie it became.
The density of the corpse horde increased, with more Iron Corpses and heavier corpse poison.
However, their combined might proved too much for the zombies to withstand.
As evening approached, the various forces penetrated deep into the mountain and, amidst a chaotic burial ground, they finally confronted Lu Chengyun and the Corpse King he commanded.
Surrounded by dozens of Iron Corpses, Lu Chengyun stood with a pale face but a relatively calm demeanor.
Outside, thousands upon thousands of walking corpses continued to surge forward, seemingly intent on protecting their "king."
The Dao soldiers raised their shields, forming a human wall to hold back the onslaught of walking corpses.
Yang Jishan and his group directly engaged Lu Chengyun, preparing for the final encirclement and kill.
Lu Chengyun's face was slightly pale, but he maintained a steady gaze.
He glanced at Yang Jishan, his eyes turning cold, and then swept his gaze across the crowd, sighing, "As expected of the Dao Court's soldiers. Even with so many zombies, you still managed to reach me..."
Yang Jishan's voice turned grave as he said, "Lu Chengyun, your end is near. Surrender the Corpse King and yield now."
Lu Chengyun shook his head. "As long as I have the Corpse King, I have a chance to survive. If I hand him over, death is certain."
Yang Jishan coldly smiled. "Are you determined to fight to the bitter end?"
"If I don't fight, what choice do I have? Neither the Dao Court nor you will show me mercy," Lu Chengyun replied.
Lu Chengyun raised his eyebrows, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "But before our final battle, there's something I don't understand."
His eyes turned cold as he scrutinized each person present. "I want to know which one of you here spied on the secret of the corpse mine, saw through the array I laid out, and pushed me to this desperate situation?"
The cultivators exchanged glances, remaining silent.
Yang Jishan's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his mind.
Did Lu Chengyun have no idea what Mo Hua had done? Yang Jishan glanced around and noticed that Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were by his side, but Mo Hua had disappeared without a trace.
Had he hidden himself?
"This concealment is so good that even I'm being kept in the dark?" Yang Jishan thought with a hint of surprise.
Seeing that no one admitted to it, Lu Chengyun let out a mocking laugh. "I thought it was a master strategist, but it turns out to be a cowardly rat!"
Hidden among the crowd, Mo Hua scoffed at Lu Chengyun's attempt to goad them. Such tactics were too juvenile to stir even a ripple in his heart.
He had heard far more insulting words than that.
Yang Jishan's eyes narrowed, and he coldly replied, "Lu Chengyun, you're grasping at straws, trying to find solace in words. This is all you amount to."
Lu Chengyun released his spiritual sense, scanning the crowd once more but still finding nothing.
Among the cultivators present, some had profound cultivation, impressive spiritual sense, and a few who were clearly adept at array formations.
Yet, none of them gave him the same eerie and pressing feeling as the cultivator who had woven the net around him.
Lu Chengyun shook his head.
It didn't matter anymore. At this point, whether he knew or not made no difference.
"Today, you all will perish here!"
"Your flesh and blood will become sacrifices to the Corpse King."
"Let this Corpse King undergo a true metamorphosis, becoming the true master of sin and the king of corpses!"
Lu Chengyun's expression was fervent, his eyes gleaming with madness.
A frown creased Yang Jishan's forehead, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.
Just then, the Corpse King behind Lu Chengyun underwent a sudden change. Its exposed skin, originally iron-blue, began to lighten, transforming into a deep, ancient bronze hue...
A Bronze Corpse!
Yang Jishan's heart skipped a beat.
Lu Chengyun intended to refine this Corpse King into a Bronze Corpse!
'Bronze Corpse' referred to its rank, while 'Corpse King' denoted its status.
Should the Corpse King fully transform into a Bronze Corpse, its strength would skyrocket, and it would gain the ability to command an army of corpses. Yang Jishan and his companions would be utterly helpless against it.
With the protection of a Bronze Corpse Corpse King, they wouldn't be able to kill Lu Chengyun either!
Yang Jishan unsheathed the Sunset Spear, his voice carrying a commanding tone as he shouted, "Give it your all! Slaughter every last zombie, and make sure Lu Chengyun doesn't escape!"
The others also realized the gravity of the situation and stopped holding back, directing their full force toward Lu Chengyun.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators clashed with the Iron Corpses, their spiritual power overwhelming, the zombie aura thick and heavy. Even the residual waves of energy were enough to shake the mountains and crack the rocks.
As Yang Jishan charged toward Lu Chengyun, the semi-bronze-corpse-transformed Corpse King stood in his way.
Its eyes were bloodshot, its body a fusion of bronze and iron, its fangs long and sharp, and the zombie poison on its fingertips a deep, murky green.
Each of its moves carried a putrid gust of wind.
Despite Yang Jishan's all-out assault, he was still suppressed by the Corpse King.
Noticing this, several other Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby sprang into action to assist him.
Among them was the austere, gaunt elder, as well as the reluctant middle-aged cultivator.
Even with multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators working together, they could only barely hold their ground against the semi-bronze-corpse-transformed Corpse King.
For a moment, everyone was stunned.
If the Corpse King were to fully transform into a Bronze Corpse, they might all perish here.
After another dozen or so exchanges, Yang Jishan's heart sank as he realized that this stalemate couldn't continue. With a grim resolve, he ordered, "Take down Lu Chengyun first!"
Hearing this, Lu Chengyun let out a cold laugh.
With the Walking Corpses keeping the Qi Refining cultivators busy and the Iron Corpses holding off the Foundation Establishment cultivators, Yang Jishan's most powerful fighters were tied down by the Corpse King.
How could they possibly kill him?
Yang Jishan's eyes narrowed, and the Sunset Spear in his hand glowed with a crimson light, fiery flames erupting from it in an awe-inspiring display of power.
Lu Chengyun's expression shifted slightly, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes.
"Hold them off!" Yang Jishan shouted.
He took a few steps back, moving out of the Corpse King's attack range to a safer position. He then channeled his spiritual power from his dantian, infusing it into the Sunset Spear.
The spiritual power transformed into blazing flames that enveloped the spear.
Behind Yang Jishan, the flames converged, forming what appeared to be a miniature sun.
Lu Chengyun was startled and immediately commanded the Iron Corpses, "Stop him!"
The surrounding Iron Corpses lunged at Yang Jishan, their claws and fangs bared.
The Corpse King also roared and rushed toward Yang Jishan.
The gaunt elder shouted, "Protect Commander Yang!"
He then took out several copper coins, wedging them between his fingers and infusing them with spiritual power before flinging them at the Corpse King's joints.
The coins transformed into ropes, binding the Corpse King in place.
The middle-aged cultivator sighed and reluctantly produced a folding fan adorned with jade and gold. He channeled his spiritual power into it, fanning it a few times to create a wall of wind that shielded Yang Jishan.
With each fan, a rib of the fan broke.
The advancing Iron Corpses were unable to breach the wall of wind.
At the same time, the other Foundation Establishment cultivators also leaped into action, some using spiritual artifacts to repel the Iron Corpses, while others employed spells to restrain the Corpse King.
After a few breaths, the Sunset Spear trembled.
All the surrounding flames suddenly retracted, compressing back into the spear.
Yang Jishan's face was pale, but his eyes blazed with determination.
The gaunt elder quickly instructed, "Keep the Corpse King restrained! Everyone else, stand back!"
The cultivators near the Corpse King immediately retreated.
The other Foundation Establishment cultivators used various spiritual artifacts, such as golden locks, wooden cages, and water nets, to immobilize the Corpse King, while several spiritual cultivators employed their spells to further restrict its movements.
Yang Jishan held the spear horizontally in front of him, merging his spirit with the weapon. With a mighty surge of spiritual power, he thrust the spear forward, aiming directly at the Corpse King's chest.
As the spear tip made contact, a torrent of fiery spiritual power exploded forth.
A thunderous boom echoed through the air, and a deep pit formed in the ground.
The cracks in the mountain rocks extended far into the distance.
The aftershock of the attack sent all the nearby cultivators and Iron Corpses flying.
Fire and smoke shrouded the area.
When the smoke finally cleared, everyone present was shocked by what they saw.
The Corpse King was still alive.
In that critical moment, it had used its arm to block the spear strike.
The Sunset Spear had pierced its arm, the tip pressing against its chest, but it seemed that the spear had expended all its power and couldn't penetrate further, not even breaking the skin.
The Corpse King's body was charred with burn marks, indicating severe injuries.
Its aura had weakened significantly, but in the blink of an eye, the zombie aura began to recover...
Everyone was astonished by the Corpse King's resilience.
Yang Jishan's heart lurched, and he immediately ordered, "Quick, take advantage of this opportunity to kill Lu Chengyun!"
The Corpse King was wounded and temporarily immobilized. They had to seize this chance to finish off Lu Chengyun before the Corpse King recovered and they found themselves back in a stalemate.
The other cultivators also snapped out of their daze and frantically attacked Lu Chengyun with blades, spells, and swords, disregarding their own safety.
Lu Chengyun was taken aback by their sudden assault.
What kind of spear was that?
It could actually suppress the Corpse King?
As he saw the group bearing down on him, Lu Chengyun attempted to flee, but without the Corpse King by his side, his strength was greatly diminished. He hadn't gotten far when the gaunt elder bound him with copper coins, and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators closed in to engage him in close combat.
Yang Jishan tried to pull out the Sunset Spear, but it was firmly lodged in the Corpse King's arm, refusing to budge.
Gritting his teeth, he reluctantly let go of the spear and drew out a regular long spear, charging at Lu Chengyun.
Lu Chengyun's Mountain-Splitting Sword Technique was indeed formidable...
Just then, Yang Jishan arrived, brandishing the Sunset Spear, its power consuming a great deal of his energy.
Yang Jishan's face was pale, his aura slightly weakened, but he mustered his strength and swung his long spear, seizing an opportunity to break through Lu Chengyun's sword technique and kick him to the ground.
Yang Jishan then raised his spear high and thrust it towards Lu Chengyun's heart meridian.
He intended to pierce Lu Chengyun through with a single strike!
However, the spear failed to land.
Midway through its trajectory, several copper coins deflected the tip, causing it to graze Lu Chengyun's ribs and barely break the skin.
Seizing the opportunity, Lu Chengyun wriggled free and was once again protected by the Iron Corpses.
Enraged, Yang Jishan glared at the gaunt elder and demanded, "Old Man Wen, what do you mean by this?"
Without those copper coins, he would have impaled Lu Chengyun with his spear just now!
The gaunt elder's face was filled with terror as he exclaimed, "We can't kill him!"
Yang Jishan furrowed his brows and coldly asked, "Why?"
The gaunt elder pointed at the Corpse King, who was still impaled by the Sunset Spear in the pit, and his voice trembled as he replied, "Its blood... it has a faint golden hue now..."
Yang Jishan's heart skipped a beat as he turned to look.
He noticed that the Corpse King's arm, impaled by the long spear, was dripping blood that flowed down the spear and onto the ground.
The blood, originally a murky green, now had a faint, eerie golden tint.
A shiver ran down Yang Jishan's spine.
"A mutation?"
"How could it be so fast?"
The gaunt elder's voice shook with fear as he said,
"It has gained its own consciousness. Killing Lu Chengyun would be like removing the shackles that bind it, and that would be the most terrifying outcome..."
The image of the Corpse King's furious bellow amidst the annihilation of the entire army resurfaced in Yang Jishan's mind.
His face turned deathly pale, and he clenched his jaw, a chill running through his body.
"It was all planned!"
"The secret of the corpse mine remains hidden, allowing Lu Chengyun to continue refining corpses, deepening the grudge, and over the course of decades or even centuries, the Corpse King would evolve into a Dao abomination..."
"But if the secret of the corpse mine were exposed, the Dao Court would launch a crusade against Lu Chengyun."
"A large-scale battle between cultivators and zombies would ensue, resulting in casualties on both sides, with the dead turning into zombies. The convergence of life force and corpse energy would inevitably give birth to a Corpse King..."
"And Lu Chengyun's death would be the final key!"
"It would unlock the shackles, freeing the Corpse King from its restraints and transforming it into a true abomination!"
"Once Lu Chengyun is dead, the Corpse King, free from its bonds, would instantly become the undisputed king of corpses, commanding an army of zombies and metamorphosing into a genuine Dao abomination!"
"Such a sinister scheme, such a profound plot!"
"The most alarming part is that there's no trace of any of this, and everything is happening as if it were the natural course of events..."
Both Lu Chengyun and the cultivators, including himself, were mere pawns...
It was a dead end!
Realization dawned on the gaunt elder as well, explaining his terrified expression.
Among the other cultivators, some had also figured it out, and their eyes held a hint of despair.
Yang Jishan felt both anxious and afraid, his mind in turmoil.
However, as the commander of the Dao soldiers, he had weathered countless battles and bore the responsibility for the lives of his comrades who fought alongside him.
In times of peril, he had to remain calm.
Forcing himself to calm down, Yang Jishan took a moment to gather his thoughts before gritting his teeth and saying,
"We've come too far to turn back now. Our only option is to capture Lu Chengyun alive."
"By capturing Lu Chengyun, we can control the Corpse King and then decide our next course of action."
This was their only hope.
The gaunt elder understood as well.
However, while killing Lu Chengyun seemed feasible, capturing him alive would be a daunting task...
Just then, a sinister, low growl echoed through the air.
Everyone turned towards the source of the sound and saw that the Corpse King's aura had recovered, and it slowly rose to its feet once more.
The mountain was filled with life force, corpse energy, filthy energy, and death energy.
Its wounds were healing at an astonishing rate.
The Corpse King's eyes were icy as it pulled the Sunset Spear from its arm and tossed it aside. With a few swift movements, it stood protectively behind Lu Chengyun once more.
The cultivators' hearts sank as despair etched itself deeper into their faces.
Feeling the unwavering loyalty of the Corpse King, Lu Chengyun's anxiety eased somewhat.
Furthermore, Lu Chengyun had also deduced what had transpired.
He looked at Yang Jishan and laughed triumphantly,
"You dare not kill me!"
"That's right, you don't dare!"
"If you kill me, the Corpse King will run amok."
"Its rampage would mean that every single walking corpse and Iron Corpse in South Peak City would go berserk."
"The Corpse King, as a Bronze Corpse, would lead the Iron Corpses and walking corpses, forming a terrifying tide of corpses, wreaking havoc in the city and devouring humans, turning the dead into zombies!"
"This tide of corpses would grow stronger, sweeping across the entire Xiaohuang State Domain and spreading to the surrounding secondary state domains..."
"This would be a catastrophic disaster!"
"Do you know why this hasn't happened yet?"
Lu Chengyun pointed to his chest and continued, "Because I'm still alive!"
"As long as I'm alive, the Corpse King obeys my commands, and the extent of the slaughter is contained."
"The cultivators of South Peak City are still clinging to their lives!"
"The entire Xiaohuang State Domain has not been plunged into chaos and destruction!"
Lu Chengyun's eyes gleamed with madness as he spoke with growing fervor,
"All of this is because I am still alive!"
"I am alive!"
"But if I die..."
Lu Chengyun's words trailed off as his smile faded, and he lowered his head to see sharp fingertips protruding from his chest.
The fingertips were coated with fresh blood and the murky green zombie poison.
Yang Jishan, the gaunt elder, and the other cultivators were all stunned by what they witnessed.
They saw a zombie silently sneak up behind Lu Chengyun and pierce his chest with its claw.
And this traitorous act was committed by none other than the "loyal" Corpse King, which had always stood by Lu Chengyun's side!
Had the Corpse King... "betrayed" him?!
(End of Chapter)
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