The aura of a Ninth Stage, instantly unleashed.
The power of the Illusory Sect, known for illusion.
A presence as vast as the sea surged into the place filled with dense corpse energy, the sound like thunder, echoing through the ruins.
This was a distant, ancient battlefield, where the Corpse King had died, and where he had resurrected.
The Forbidden Ruins, where no one dared to tread.
But today, someone had come.
Two Ninth Stages, arriving together.
And not far behind, the figure of the Evil Lord flickered in and out of sight, observing the corpse energy-shrouded land without a ripple.
The corpse energy was at odds with the Evil Lord’s Dao.
Boom.
Within the ruins, the corpse energy began to churn.
A pair of pale, vacant pupils opened, devoid of any emotion.
The gaze, radiating immense death intent, fell upon the Illusory Sect and the Lord of Light.
Then, a voice that sent shivers down one's spine rang out, “Illusory Sect, you are still alive?”
The Illusory Sect had disappeared for too long; many had presumed him dead.
“Heh.”
The Illusory Sect cupped his fists and chuckled, “Of course, I’m alive. If you could find yourself again after death, why should I die?”
As sarcastic as ever.
Even the heavily injured Illusory Sect remained so.
This was the dignity of a Ninth Stage.
The Corpse King’s pale pupils showed no trace of fluctuation, “Returning heavily injured, speak, what do you want with me?”
They were old acquaintances. Although the Illusory Sect had returned severely wounded, the Corpse King had no intention of attacking.
His expression was too calm, as if nothing in this world could stir him.
The Illusory Sect smiled, “Old friend, won’t you let me in for a moment?”
“Do you dare to come in?”
The Corpse King spoke, his voice still devoid of emotion.
Illusory Sect: “……”
He indeed dared not enter.
A heavily injured Ninth Stage was a succulent meal.
If he remained outside, it was one thing, but if he entered the Corpse King’s territory, it was hard to guarantee the other party wouldn’t make a move.
“Haha.”
The Illusory Sect forced a laugh, “Old friend, I have something to discuss with you today.”
“Speak.”
The Illusory Sect unreservedly recounted what was happening in the Seventh Land.
Under the Corpse King’s timeless gaze, he spoke solemnly, “I want to join forces with you to patrol the Sixth Land and see which Ninth Stage has left it. If no one is there, then it must be someone from the Upper Nine Heavens.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
The Corpse King retorted, “I have no ambition to conquer the world.”
The Illusory Sect frowned, “That is someone from the Upper Nine Heavens, an enemy to everyone. The great tribulation is approaching, and you still intend to remain aloof?”
“It has nothing to do with me.” He repeated the same words.
Having been reborn from death, the Corpse King had lost all seven emotions and six desires.
Not only that, but he had also lost the expressions he should have possessed.
This Corpse King appeared like a walking dead man without any emotions.
And indeed, he was.
He was a walking dead man, a fact even the Corpse King himself acknowledged.
However, since the Illusory Sect had come, he had a trump card. He spoke, “My esteemed Corpse King, do you wish to regain human emotions?”
“Hm?”
The Corpse King’s tone finally showed a hint of change.
Though it was faint, the Illusory Sect still perceived it. “Lord Chen, who is currently fighting in the Seventh Land, possesses the Dao of Life and Death, Yin and Yang, Light and Darkness, Wind and Thunder, and the Five Elements. If you are willing to lend a hand, I believe… Lord Chen would be very willing to help you retrace your steps through life and death and reclaim what you have lost.”
“You jest.”
The Corpse King’s emotions remained as still as a placid pool, “No one can master so many Great Daos.”
His words were like the statement of a fact.
Neither his expression nor his voice carried any fluctuation.
“My esteemed Evil Lord.” The Illusory Sect suddenly called out.
Buzz.
The Evil Lord emerged from his concealment.
“Qian Si.”
As soon as the Evil Lord appeared, the Corpse King recognized his identity.
Then he added, “You are not Qian Si; your aura is wrong.”
Evil Lord: “……”
He didn’t want to speak.
“My esteemed Corpse King.”
At this moment, only the Illusory Sect could speak.
As for the Lord of Light, he was not well acquainted with the Corpse King.
The Illusory Sect spoke again, “This person is indeed not Qian Si; Qian Si is dead. This is the Evil Lord, the second avatar that our friend Qian Si refined in the past. Now, he has retraced his steps through life and death and become an independent being.”
As fellow Ninth Stages, not much needed to be said.
A few words were enough.
Although the Corpse King had lost his natural seven emotions and six desires, his intellect remained intact.
The calm voice once again echoed from the churning ruins, “You are not lying to me?”
This time, he used “I.”
Using “I” instead of “this Lord” was to leverage their past friendship to confirm this.
“It is absolutely true.”
The Illusory Sect remained calm, “If you are willing, after this battle, Lord Chen will surely help you reclaim everything that belongs to you. Not just you, but myself and this esteemed Lord of Light also need to retrace our steps through life and death and recover our peak.”
Boom.
The corpse energy encircling the ruins began to churn.
Within the churning corpse energy, countless white bones were shattering, and all chaotic energy was assimilated into corpse energy.
At one point… with a ‘buzz,’ the corpse energy began to recede, converging in one direction.
A powerful fluctuation spread throughout the Sixth Land.
The phenomenon of the corpse energy flowing upward lasted for a full quarter of an hour.
The corpse energy nurtured for over a million years was immense.
Even for the Ninth Stage Corpse King, it took a quarter of an hour to absorb all of it.
Then, a figure slowly emerged from the ruins.
Tattered sackcloth clothes hung on his body, his pale skin like that of the walking dead.
His timeless, unblinking pupils gazed forward.
The figure walked step by step out of the ruins.
A smile appeared on the Illusory Sect’s face, and he cupped his fists, “Your cultivation has improved again, my friend.”
The Lord of Light’s expression was somewhat solemn, his nerves taut.
Facing this being who had been reborn from death, the Lord of Light felt immense pressure.
Only the Evil Lord remained unfazed.
A glint of battle intent even flashed in his eyes.
Thump.
The Corpse King walked out of the ruins.
His pale pupils looked at the Illusory Sect and said, “If you deceive me, I will kill you.”
“Good.”
The Illusory Sect nodded confidently.
Then, the Corpse King’s gaze fell upon the Lord of Light, and he said, “I know you. The weakest Ninth Stage in the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, the one who was always beaten by Lord Lei.”
Lord of Light: “???”
In that instant, the Lord of Light was utterly mortified.
The Corpse King had directly ripped open old wounds.
“You…”
The Lord of Light’s face darkened.
He was on the verge of attacking.
Don’t hit someone when they’re down, don’t bring up their past mistakes, don’t you know that?
The Corpse King sensed his rising aura and said, “You are no match for me.”
Lord of Light: “……”
It was truly disheartening.
“Pfft.”
The Illusory Sect couldn’t help it and burst out laughing.
Then, he realized it wasn’t appropriate, as he and the Lord of Light were now in the same boat. He quickly suppressed his laughter and explained, “My esteemed Corpse King is just like this; he likes to speak the truth.”
Lord of Light: “???”
Is this what you call comfort?
Aren’t you just trying to stir up trouble?
The Lord of Light’s mood worsened. If the situation hadn’t been so dire, he would have definitely attacked.
Ouch, that stings.