Vol 5 Chapter 78: Corpse Beast Demon Venerable

"The Senluo Path has become so chaotic."

After entering Qingzhou from the Ancient Kingdom, Lin Jing first passed through the territory of the Senluo Path. He recalled that when he first came to Qingzhou, he had been forcibly teleported here by the Yin Household Sect. He had also interacted with the three major sects - the Myriad Beasts Sect, the Thousand Illusions Mountain, and the Flower Sect.

But returning after so many years, Lin Jing discovered this territory had become overrun with corrupted beasts, losing all semblance of civilization. Countless demonic beasts infected with corpse poison roamed everywhere, attacking any living creature they encountered. Those attacked would quickly become infected.

From atop his flying dragon, Lin Jing shot out a strand of spider silk to capture a corrupted wildcat for examination. He confirmed it was indeed the work of the Yin Household Sect's secret techniques, but the corpse poison was unprecedentedly potent. Only a sixth-grade pill could possibly neutralize it.

"Most of these beasts were originally from the Myriad Beasts Sect. It seems the sect has fallen."

Flying further, he found the Myriad Beasts Sect's headquarters in ruins. As a subordinate sect of the Beast Master Sect, which had connections to him, it was inevitable they'd suffer the Yin Corpse Sect's retaliation.

"At least the disciples seem to have escaped."

"Hmm? There's combat fluctuations at the Void Mystical Stage level."

"That direction... Thousand Illusions Mountain!"

The Dragon Carp sped forward. Meanwhile, outside Thousand Illusions Mountain, Qingzhou's newly advanced Void Mystical Stage cultivator - Thousand Illusions Mountain's founding ancestor Huan Li - stood facing off against a cultivator who appeared neither fully human nor ghost.

"Thousand Illusions Ancestor, I heard you've also pledged allegiance to the Demon Court. I'm giving you a chance to abandon righteousness for darkness. Just deactivate your mountain's protective array and join our Refining Dao Sect, and we'll spare Thousand Illusions Mountain."

This Void Mystical Stage cultivator from the Refining Dao Sect had surrounded the mountain completely with countless corpse beasts.

"Go to hell! You think this granny will surrender? Not a chance! Break through the array if you dare!" The golden-haired loli ancestor who appeared no older than a teenager snorted coldly, though inwardly she was extremely anxious.

[Senior Divine Pine, save me! Where did you run off to!]

Although this neither-human-nor-ghost cultivator shared her Void Mystical Stage cultivation, one was at the initial stage while the other had reached peak level. Moreover, this opponent had been granted the source of corpse poison by the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor, commanding billions of corpse beasts across the Senluo Domain. Her illusions were ineffective against these corpse beasts, making the situation nearly impossible to handle.

"Stubborn fool. How long do you think your protective array can last?" The Corpse Beast Demon Venerable sneered, sitting cross-legged in midair while countless corpse beasts eroded the mountain's protective array.

"Apologies for involving you, Master Platycodon."

"Don't worry. If the array falls, Thousand Illusions Mountain will do everything to ensure your safe departure!"

Ancestor Huan Li descended to address a graceful woman surrounded by pill attendants.

"Ancestor Huan Li needn't worry. Thousand Illusions Mountain's protective array is incredibly sturdy—it will surely hold against this Corpse Beast Demon Venerable. Just give me more time, and I'll refine an antidote for this corpse poison."

"Then the situation will surely reverse."

Master Platycodon nodded at Ancestor Huan Li before resuming her pill refinement with beast sacrifices. Huan Li sighed, recalling recent events.

Before the Refining Dao Sect's resurgence, the Divine Pine of Immortal Prison Mountain had sensed danger and decisively abandoned that Holy Son's territory to avoid entanglement.

The Divine Pine believed even seeking refuge with the Demon Emperor wasn't completely safe, especially since the Beast Master Sect had already gone there—one shouldn't put all eggs in one basket. So it took Gu Qianqiu, the Mosquito Girl and others into the Misty Forests to wait out the turmoil.

However, Huan Li, concerned about her Thousand Illusions Mountain, didn't follow. The Divine Pine simply reinforced her mountain's protective array before departing.

Now with the Senluo Path fallen, Thousand Illusions Mountain was inevitably affected. To combat the corpse beasts, she'd even invited a sixth-grade master from Tongtian Tower. But who knew a peak Void Mystical Stage cultivator was behind these creatures, continuously strengthening the corpse poison.

"That old Divine Pine's tree array has held against this Corpse Beast Demon Venerable for so long—his strength must exceed appearances. If he returned, he could surely handle this."

But after entering the Misty Forests, the Divine Pine had seemingly vanished...

BOOM!

Just as Huan Li considered requesting aid from the Demon Court, Master Platycodon's pill furnace erupted violently, forcing the pill master back several steps with a puzzled expression.

"Master Platycodon, are you alright? Another failure?" Huan Li rushed over concerned.

"Not quite." Master Platycodon turned slightly as a red-haired Nascent Soul stage pill attendant looked into the distance, saying: "A fire-aligned beast of terrifying bloodline approaches. The master's exotic fire is being affected..."

"As a postnatal Fire God Physique possessor, I can sense this terrifying flame bloodline... approaching. Just sensing it makes breathing difficult."

"Flame bloodline?" Huan Li studied the pill attendant named Xia Yan, deep in thought.

"Could it be reinforcements from the Demon Court?" she murmured. It seemed plausible—after all, she was a follower of the Demon Court's Holy Son Lin Jing. Though the Court had its own troubles, they wouldn't abandon her!

BOOM!!

Shortly after being detected, that formidable flame bloodline arrived near Thousand Illusions Mountain. The sky turned fiery red as an enormous dragon's form flickered among the clouds.

Atop the majestic dragon's head sat a figure. These unexpected visitors made the attacking Corpse Beast Demon Venerable look up sharply.

"Wait... this..." Huan Li stared incredulously at the familiar fire dragon and rider—apparently not Demon Court reinforcements after all.

She'd assumed it was one of the Demon Court's demon ancestors, but this person... could it be...

"That might be..." Both Master Platycodon from Tongtian Tower and prodigy Xia Yan recognized the figure instantly. In fact, they'd only accepted Huan Li's request to research an antidote because of this person.

"Holy Son?!?!" Huan Li shouted in shock. Shouldn't he still be in the Origin Realm? Why return now of all times?

"Who dares?!" The Corpse Beast Demon Venerable glared at the dragon and rider flying higher than himself. Sensing only a Nascent Soul Transformation beast and cultivator, he frowned in confusion.

"Insolent Nascent Soul brat, get down here!" His mana-infused shout went unanswered.

"You... don't recognize me?" After a pause, a voice echoed from the clouds.

"Understandable. This Holy Son doesn't recognize you either. You don't seem fully human—more like an artwork pieced together from remnant souls and corpses... quite impressive."

Lin Jing stood up, lightly stepping off the dragon's head to appear midair before the Corpse Beast Demon Venerable.

"You're... the Demon Court's Holy Son, Lin Jing?!"

Finally remembering, the Corpse Beast Demon Venerable's face twisted with manic joy.

Within the Refining Dao Sect existed three supreme-level bounty missions: capturing the Longevity Body Lin Jing... along with Longevity Body Gu Qianqiu and Yu Xun'er!

Dead or alive.