Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation Chapter 58

"Difficult? Senior Brother Yuan, you must be joking. Our factions are different. Why bother pretending? Do you really think I do not know about your relationship with Liu Jinxian?"

Wang Yu narrowed his eyes. From his sleeve, the Nether Spirit Iron Chain shot out, breaking through the air and quickly extending toward Yuan's waist.

This Senior Brother Yuan in a green robe and jade crown was one of Liu Jinxian's lovers. Back when Wang Yu followed Gu Zhengshun on the road to Blackbone Mountain, they almost chatted every day.

It was not only Liu Jinxian's side that he understood well; he also knew much about Situ Hong's side.

He would ask, and Gu Zhengshun would answer. This was originally another foundation of trust between their cooperation. However, the other side abandoned him first and even made him the target of everyone's attacks.

Betraying a companion—so be it.

Liu Jinxian's appearance was actually fine, except she had no nose. At first glance she did not resemble a beauty. This was likely a side effect from cultivating Gu techniques. Her temperament was violent and domineering, and she was self-conscious about her looks.

Thus, she used Gu insects to control many inner sect disciples of Gu Poison Peak, making them her male pets and enjoying them daily.

This much was beyond doubt, and this Senior Brother Yuan was one of her favored ones.

Just as the Nether Spirit Iron Chain was about to coil around Yuan's calf, Yuan's expression darkened. "I know I am no match for you, but you are too arrogant!"

He waved his sleeve, throwing out the pair of jade spheres he often played with. They flew toward the mysterious corpse by the door. Mid-flight, they exploded, releasing a pair of jade-green insects.

The insects entered the corpse's nostrils, one on the left and one on the right.

Yuan landed beside the corpse, his face showing delight.

"This is actually the corpse of a peak Golden Core cultivator. Hahaha! My fate is not over. My fate is not over! Male and Female Possession Gu, arise!"

Wang Yu held the Nether Spirit Iron Chain in his left hand, his expression solemn as he prepared for a fierce battle.

Yet, the air went completely still.

There was no reaction at all. Yuan immediately began to panic. "Brother Wang... I am willing to serve you as—"

Before he could finish, six ice crystal walls closed in from all sides. His expression turned to shock, and he hastily activated a high-grade magic weapon shaped like a whip-blade, striking around himself.

The leaf-shaped blades shot out numerous golden blade projectiles, striking into the ice crystal walls, but to no effect.

The ice coffin formed, ice spikes erupted.

At the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion, a bloody hedgehog-like ice sculpture appeared, its life force quickly dissipating.

These three were easier to deal with than expected. This was thanks to the advantage of a sneak attack at close range; otherwise it would not have been so simple.

He had made another fortune. Just as he gathered three storage bags, not yet having checked them—

Cough.

A light cough made Wang Yu retreat at once. The corpse lying on the recliner sneezed, and the Male and Female Possession Gu were expelled from its nostrils.

Falling to the ground, their crystal-clear limbs trembled twice before dying.

The corpse slowly stood up. Two clusters of gray-white flames ignited in its eye sockets. The aura of a Golden Core cultivator surged forth, the pressure so heavy it nearly forced Wang Yu to his knees.

Alive?

No… impossible. The body had already decayed to such a state. It could not possibly still be alive, but the Golden Core aura could not be faked.

In the next instant, the corpse vanished and appeared right in front of him, its withered hand striking toward Wang Yu.

He blocked with his left arm. The outermost Nether Spirit Iron Chain creaked and shattered with a bang, scattering in all directions.

However, the inner Mountain Ridge Iron Armor remained intact.

Wang Yu was knocked flying, his back slamming into a black stone stele. He spat out a mouthful of blood.

Though it looked like a serious injury, it was actually only a minor wound.

The corpse might have a Golden Core aura, but its true strength was likely around early Foundation Establishment. Otherwise, one palm would have been enough to kill him outright.

"So—it is a corpse demon."

In the mountains and among the spirits, all things can become demons. The so-called Corpse Demon is the corpse of a powerful cultivator that one day suddenly gains sentience. It retains fragmentary memories from before death, yet is an entirely different being. It is closely related to zombies and is often mistaken for the same creature.

Once a Corpse Demon becomes self-aware, it possesses the intelligence of a three or four-year-old child and will gradually grow over time, eventually attaining strength comparable to that of its body before death.

The conditions for a corpse to gain sentience are extremely harsh, and it is unknown how such a thing is born. Judging by its strength, it has not existed for long. Otherwise, its cultivation would not be limited to the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Even so, its presence in this underground palace has turned the place into a perilous land.

It was best to leave as soon as possible. No opportunity or treasure was worth more than life itself.

Having lost his will to fight, Wang Yu took an supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pill and an supreme-grade Healing Pill. His figure flickered, instantly transforming into ten phantoms rushing in all directions.

These phantoms, normally indistinguishable from the real body, appeared entirely different to the Corpse Demon.

Its eyes burned with soul fire, and its vision was a world of black and white.

Although Wang Yu’s phantoms had physical form and carried his true aura, there was only one soul among them. In almost the blink of an eye, the Corpse Demon had located Wang Yu’s true body.

Its withered claws swept up five streaks of pitch-black claw light, striking horizontally.

Leaping into midair and stepping upon the black silk cloth, Wang Yu gritted his teeth and summoned a bronze bell for defense, but the claw light was too fierce, tearing the bronze bell apart.

Of the three superior-grade magic tools he had refined, two had now been destroyed.

The remaining force struck his chest, leaving three deep claw marks down to the bone. Flesh was torn back, blood flowed freely, yet he felt no pain at all.

The attempt to break out of the Scripture Pavilion had failed.

Wang Yu frowned in thought. The Death Qi he had cultivated from the Corpse Demon’s Secret Technique was meant to be his trump card, but it was effective only against elderly cultivators nearing their end.

Against a Corpse Demon, it had little effect.

In every other aspect—strength, speed, defense—he was completely outmatched. Even though his Divine Power Corpse Arm was second-rank, his cultivation was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, far inferior to the Corpse Demon.

After much thought, only one plan was feasible. He had to break out of the Scripture Pavilion, then use the Night Concealment Mantra to hide. Perhaps he could escape with his life.

As he pondered, the Foundation Establishment Corpse Demon slowly approached. On its hideous, withered face, he caught a trace of mocking amusement, like a cat toying with a mouse, enjoying the hunt.

Wang Yu’s eyes narrowed. As he observed, he noticed that among the almost weathered remains of clothing on the Corpse Demon’s chest was clutched a black jade slip, held close as if it were extremely precious.

A glance to the side showed that the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, apart from the stone tablet in the center, was nothing but dust. There was nothing left. He could not tell what might be on the second or third floors.

This meant he was basically returning empty-handed.

That was unacceptable.

Situ Hong and Gu Zhengshun had not yet appeared, and along with Liu Jinxian, the three of them were most likely going to meet at the Moon Condensation Palace at the top of the underground palace. If he could make it in time, it would be fine. If not, he would be in serious trouble.

"Corpse Demon, die!"

With a low shout, Wang Yu assumed a stance of resolve and charged at the Corpse Demon, his left fist raised early, aiming straight for its face.

The opponent, slightly angered by the prey’s resistance, also struck out with a claw, intending to meet him head-on.

The two passed by each other.

Illusory Step was, after all, a footwork technique for close combat maneuvering. Creating phantoms was not its only use. Feigning a direct clash, he slipped past at the critical moment.

In such perilous combat, retreating at the decisive moment came at a price.

Now, his relied-upon Divine Power Corpse Arm was twisted unnaturally, from fingers to forearm almost bent into three segments, completely crippled.

Yet his right hand remained unharmed, and in it he now clutched the black jade slip, upon which was written—Taiyin Nether Eyes.