CHAPTER 496: CHAPTER 481: DANCE OF THE HORDE OF CORPSES!

The Li Huo Sect and the Haoyang Sect are both top sects of the Anti-Light Alliance, and both primarily cultivate fire element divine techniques, often clashing over fame and fortune.

Although Zhouyang and the other two were not Haoyang Sect cultivators, their status as registered disciples of Guo Jinhong linked them inseparably to the Haoyang Sect.

Therefore, when Red Eyebrow Old Monster, a Ninth-Layer Golden Core cultivator of the Li Huo Sect, discovered these three, his expression immediately turned grim.

With a twitch of his two long, red eyebrow hairs, he looked at the three with a mocking smile and sneered, "So it’s the three dogs raised by the Haoyang Sect. What? Just you three, and you think you can compete for Master Heisha’s relics?"

Upon hearing this, not to mention the two Golden Core Stage cultivators Liu Boyong and Yan An, even Zhouyang felt a surge of nameless anger.

The saying goes, don’t hit someone where it hurts; comparing the three to dogs for the Haoyang Sect was a great insult to them.

"Red Eyebrow Old Monster, your mouth is still that filthy. No wonder even your own woman couldn’t stand it and ran off with someone else!"

Liu Boyong’s eyes turned cold, and he mercilessly revealed an embarrassing situation of the Red Eyebrow Old Monster on the spot.

It turned out that when the Red Eyebrow Old Monster was still at the Purple Mansion Stage, he had a Dao companion. However, that female cultivator, for some unknown reason, turned against him and went with another cultivator from the Supreme Mysterious Sword Sect.

This matter was undoubtedly the most humiliating event in Red Eyebrow Old Monster’s life, something he least wanted anyone to bring up.

And because this happened hundreds of years ago, only cultivators of the same tier and age as Liu Boyong knew about this old affair.

Now, hearing Liu Boyong mention this matter in front of his two fellow sect members and Zhouyang, the anger in Red Eyebrow Old Monster’s heart was imaginable.

"Good, very good!"

"Liu Boyong, you really have guts!"

He pointed at Liu Boyong, his eyes blazing with fury, and the killing intent in his eyes surged.

From his appearance, if the location and timing were better, he would certainly charge at Liu Boyong for a showdown.

"Hahaha, what makes Fellow Daoist Red Eyebrow so angry? Is there anything where Elder Zhang can offer assistance?"

Just as Red Eyebrow Old Monster and Liu Boyong were engaging in a sharp verbal exchange, a loud laugh suddenly echoed from another area of the cave hall.

The gazes of Zhouyang and those involved in the confrontation followed the sound of laughter and saw a new team of cultivators entering through another passage entrance in the cave hall.

This team had five members, among them three Golden Core Stage cultivators, one "Fake Golden Core" cultivator, and one Ninth-Layer Purple Mansion cultivator.

The cultivator who laughed was the leader of the five—a middle-aged man in a white robe with a dignified appearance.

"Zhang Xuanzhi of the Celestial Spirit Sect, Seventh-Layer Golden Core cultivation, has mastered the Celestial Spirit Sect’s pinnacle divine technique, the Celestial Spirit Shield, which allows him to rival Ninth-Layer Golden Core cultivators undefeated!"

Upon looking at the white-robed middle-aged man, Zhouyang’s mind flashed with the man’s details without needing any introduction.

He had read about this person in several documents, where Zhang Xuanzhi was highly praised, which left a deep impression on Zhouyang and made him remember the man’s features and basic information clearly.

Zhouyang had long been aware of the power of the Celestial Spirit Shield from witnessing it in death duel battles.

At that time, a Ninth-Layer Purple Mansion cultivator from the Supreme Mysterious Sword Sect named Gao Jianli, relying on a treasure sealed with this divine technique, successfully blocked his opponent’s Golden Core divine techniques and Tier Five Spirit Talisman attacks, then showcased the stunning sword skill "Instant Sky Slash" to slice his opponent Nie Feng to pieces with one strike.

That Zhang Xuanzhi could master this divine technique was enough to signify his status within the Celestial Spirit Sect, making his Seventh-Layer Golden Core cultivation impressive in no one’s eyes.

Upon hearing Zhang Xuanzhi’s laughter, Liu Boyong narrowed his eyes and couldn’t help but speak, "What? Are the Celestial Spirit Sect and the Li Huo Sect going to collaborate? If that’s true, then Liu can only regretfully take his leave!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuanzhi hurriedly said, "What is Fellow Daoist Liu saying? In our Anti-Light Alliance, the sects are interrelated and have always united against external threats. Since you three represent Master Guo of the Haoyang Sect, we are of the same path, so there is no need to feel like outsiders!"

"Then what exactly does Fellow Daoist Zhang intend?"

Liu Boyong asked, staying with a steady gaze at him with eased tone.

Seeing this, Zhang Xuanzhi’s face instantly became solemn, and he said seriously, "Elder Zhang’s intention is naturally for our three groups to temporarily set aside personal grievances and unite to eradicate the demons here. Otherwise, if we start fighting internally before even seeing the treasure, wouldn’t that be a joke to others?"

"If it’s just like that, Liu has no objections, just afraid some may rely on their status and age and disappoint Fellow Daoist Zhang’s kind intentions!"

As Liu Boyong spoke, his gaze inadvertently landed on Red Eyebrow Old Monster, his eyes full of ridicule.

Upon seeing this, Red Eyebrow Old Monster’s face immediately darkened, and a flash of oddity appeared in his eyes. Then, as if recalling something, he suddenly chuckled softly, "In terms of status, I indeed stand a notch above certain shamelessly fawning dogs!"

After laughing, he didn’t look at Liu Boyong’s immediately blackened face, instead turning with a smile to Zhang Xuanzhi and saying, "However, I have always enjoyed making friends with juniors. I’ve long wanted to befriend emerging talents like Fellow Daoist Zhang in our alliance. Given this chance to fight alongside Fellow Daoist Zhang today, I naturally won’t refuse."

"Being able to fight alongside Elder Red Eyebrow is also Elder Zhang’s honor!"

With a bow and a smile, Zhang Xuanzhi responded, caring not at all for being referred to as a junior by Red Eyebrow Old Monster.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort escaped his lips, Liu Boyong’s eyes flickered with emotion, but he said nothing more.

Thus, after the three parties reached a basic oral agreement, they immediately began their action.

Each side sent forth a cultivator to step forward and unleash their artifacts to attack the outermost stone sarcophagus, which instantly erupted with a loud "boom," and the lid flew off, smashing towards the attacking cultivators.

Then, with a flash of a shadow, three black-haired zombies covered in black-green corpse fur roared as they lunged at the three attacking cultivators.

Each of these zombies exuded an aura comparable to that of a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, meaning they were all high-tier demons.

With even the outermost sarcophagi containing high-tier demons, one could only imagine how formidable the demons within the other sarcophagi would be!

Realizing this, Zhouyang and the others’ expressions grew solemn.

"Slash!"

As the one to make a move on his side, Zhouyang flicked his sleeve, and several flying swords formed a sword array that slashed towards the black-haired zombie lunging at him.

Even without wielding the "Qianyang True Flame," a True Fire Divine Technique, he dispatched the black-haired zombie, whose strength was equivalent to an ordinary early-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, as effortlessly as reaching into a bag.

The sword light flickered, and the black-haired zombie’s head was instantly sliced off; its body, tough as a Tier Four Spiritual Artifact, couldn’t stop the sharp flying swords and was directly shredded into several pieces, dying beyond revival.

Boom, boom, boom!

Just like disturbing a hornet’s nest, after the first black-haired zombie had perished, the remaining sarcophagi suddenly exploded simultaneously, and hordes of powerful zombies emerged from within.

Among these zombies, the stronger ones emitted auras comparable to Golden Core Stage cultivators, even wielding artifacts such as long halberds, spears, and battle blades, skillfully using them to attack.

Even the weaker ones, like the black-haired zombie Zhouyang had just slain, possessed the strength of an early Purple Mansion Stage cultivator.

"Those who disturb the slumber of the King shall die!"

A hoarse voice rang out from a spear-wielding zombie clad in pitch-black battle armor.

Then it swung its three-zhang-long bronze battle halberd forward, and hundreds of zombies charged furiously towards Zhouyang and the others.

"Retreat, let us withdraw into the passage!"

Liu Boyong’s expression turned extremely grim when he heard the spear-wielding zombie speak, and with a low call, he attempted to retreat into the passage they came from.

However, at that moment, a rumbling sound ensued, and the passage they entered from collapsed and was sealed off.

"No way, this place restricts the escape technique, the earth escape technique simply doesn’t work!"

A startled shout arose from another side, actually uttered by the Ninth-Layer Purple Mansion cultivator brought by Zhang Xuanzhi.

As the weakest among them, upon witnessing the emergence of the zombie horde, he promptly attempted to flee the cave hall.

Yet he hadn’t anticipated that the collapsed passage was entirely inaccessible through earth escape technique; they were all trapped in this cave hall.

"If escaping is impossible, then cease attempting. Everyone gather here, I possess a Tier Five Lower Grade Array [Celestial Spirit Divine Thunder Array] capable of exterminating the zombie crowd. Fellow Daoists, please join me in array formation to annihilate the zombies!"

Zhang Xuanzhi’s call resonated amidst the zombies’ roars without any hindrance, reaching Zhouyang and the others’ ears.

Upon hearing his words, Zhouyang and the others hesitated briefly before heeding his suggestion and rushing towards his location.

Golden flames surged across Zhouyang’s body, the power of "Qianyang True Flame" deterring many weaker zombies from approaching him, forcing them to target other cultivators instead.

Consequently, his charge was faster than even those Golden Core Stage cultivators.

But such high-profile behavior also drew attention from some Golden Core Stage zombies, and immediately several artifacts were hurled towards him.

Even though these demonic spiritual artifacts were restrained by his "Qianyang True Flame," their power still exceeded Zhouyang’s realm, and being struck would be quite problematic.

Thus, he had no choice but to deploy the "Profound Turtle Shield" to intercept these artifacts while simultaneously unleashing magical power into the Tier Five artifact "C Fire Thunder Bottle," emitting purplish-red Binghuo Divine Thunder towards the zombies obstructing him.

Employing this dual approach, Zhouyang unexpectedly became the first cultivator to reach Zhang Xuanzhi’s side.

His remarkable display also made Zhang Xuanzhi glance at him with admiration; then, his eyes flashed with brilliance, and he suddenly transmitted his voice to Zhouyang: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, your [Qianyang True Flame] greatly suppresses demons; refrain from wasting magical power now, as there’s still need for your efforts during the forthcoming counterattack."

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang’s mind was aflame with thoughts, yet he appropriately displayed a grateful expression, cupping his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Elder Zhang, for your understanding. I am at the disposal of Elder’s command at any time."