Chapter 82: Master of the Board (VII)

Outside of the Form-Transformation Sect, everyone else saw only the dissipating thunderous beams, after which the sinister old Daoist, who was condensing his Nascent Soul, suddenly launched a furious attack at the empty air around him, as if his mind were not quite right. Only the Corpse Master and the Great Derivation Master high above in the heavens saw what truly happened: as the old Daoist was forming his Nascent Soul, a crimson lightning serpent suddenly descended from the shadowy clouds, striking his nascent soul. While it did not injure the soul itself, it plunged him into an illusion.

The Great Derivation Master murmured, “The Tribulation of Heart’s Demon. It seems this fellow has taken many lives, just like that Free Master—indeed, they are from the same sect. But it looks like he's barely holding on; after all, how many ghost cultivators like Free Master can there be?”

As the old Daoist was about to succumb, a soul-devouring insect in his sea of consciousness was suppressed by a vast will. The soul fluctuations belonging to Zhou Xuanhong appeared, forming a phantom of will before the old Daoist. Zhou pointed a finger at his brow, drawing forth the crimson lightning that had entered his nascent soul, and swallowed it whole, vanishing afterward. Instantly, the illusion shattered, and the old Daoist’s consciousness was freed. Recalling what had just transpired, he inhaled sharply and bowed deeply toward Zhou Xuanhong within the fusion array.

Had Zhou not intervened, he would have been doomed, utterly lost within the tribulation of heart’s demon, and even if he survived, he would become a puppet controlled by slaughter, his will dissipated—the same as if he had perished and his Dao destroyed.

Only when the tribulation clouds overhead dispersed completely, symbolizing the old Daoist’s successful advancement to the Nascent Soul stage, did he become the second Nascent Soul Patriarch of the Ghostly Sect!

At that moment, the Corpse Master acted, seizing the opportunity now that the lightning tribulation had passed and the old Daoist’s cultivation was unstable. He launched a fierce attack—though the old Daoist posed little threat, the remaining Ghostly Sect disciples might harbor other ambitions, and he had to forestall them.

But the Great Derivation Master moved simultaneously, establishing the Path of Derivation with the Corpse Master. Without the Seal of Derivation, his power was somewhat diminished, but his breakthrough compensated for previous losses. The Great Derivation Master was confident he could match the Corpse Master evenly.

The Corpse Master fixed his gaze on the Great Derivation Master and asked, “Why do you interfere? The Form-Transformation Sect is no more—what meaning is there in your intervention?” The Great Derivation Master shook his head. “I owe that junior an immense debt. The grace of reconstitution is greater than the heavens!”

The old Daoist laughed wickedly, withdrawing to the Great Derivation Master’s side and rapidly absorbing the refined spiritual energy from heaven and earth to recover from his injuries. Now, having advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, he wielded the Thousand Ghosts Yin Fiend Array with greater mastery, manipulating the peak fourth-grade trapping formation with ease.

With a gesture, he summoned the souls scattered across the battlefield, refining them into the array to compensate for the losses incurred during the tribulation.

“Corpse... Fellow Daoist, why don’t we sit down and talk? Rest assured, I will not split the Yin Corpse Sect and the Ghostly Sect. In fact, I fully support their merger. But I think the name should be changed—the Yin Corpse Sect sounds unpleasant. Why not call it the Soul Refining Sect? What do you think?”

The Corpse Master gazed calmly at the old Daoist, then suddenly burst into thunderous laughter that rolled across the skies like a storm. “You wish to provoke me? I thought this sect war was merely a chance to destroy the Form-Transformation Sect and seize this blessed land. My greatest opponent was merely that old wretch. Who would have expected this blessed land to be utterly ruined, the old wretch dead, yet I am left with two Nascent Soul rivals, and... hmm... a frightening little fellow. If I’m not mistaken, killing me is also part of his plan, isn’t it?”

The old Daoist only smiled, saying nothing. The Great Derivation Master’s expression remained calm. Within the fusion array, Zhou Xuanhong’s will gathered, forming his likeness.

Zhou Xuanhong met the Corpse Master’s gaze, facing a mid-stage Nascent Soul powerhouse with equanimity. “Senior, you may wish your juniors to withdraw, lest the coming battle spill over and endanger them.”

The Corpse Master looked down at Zhou Xuanhong, his voice cold. “Do you truly think you have the upper hand? Don’t forget—the small world belonged to the Supreme Yin Corpse Sect. They never gave it to us, merely placed it here temporarily. Now that you have destroyed it, the one who should be worried is not me, but you!”

[Page 1/3]

Yet the Corpse Master sensed his words had little effect. The Great Derivation Master said nothing but seemed to have some inkling. The old Daoist merely appeared contemplative, recalling what Zhou Xuanhong had told him in Free City.

Zhou Xuanhong shook his head. “That was within my calculations. For the Supreme Yin Corpse Sect, a small world is a precious cultivation resource—they would never give it away for nothing. From the beginning to now, everything has been under their watch, isn’t that right, Fellow Daoist Bai?”

In the distant sky, two figures appeared out of nowhere: a middle-aged Daoist and a stunning woman. The Daoist’s cultivation had reached the late Nascent Soul stage, and Bai Youxuan had astonishingly advanced to the mid-Golden Core stage. In just ten years, she had leapt from Foundation Establishment Level Two to mid-Golden Core—a speed unmatched even by disciples of great clans like Luo Tuan.

Her rapid progress was partly due to her unique constitution and the richer resources of the Supreme Yin Corpse Sect compared to the Form-Transformation Sect. Still, such speed was enough to stir a storm in the nameless region.

The arrival of the middle-aged Daoist was expected, but what unsettled the Old Ancestor of the Corpse Mountain was Bai Youxuan. He was surprised Zhou Xuanhong knew her, but more so that neither he nor anyone else had detected their presence—yet Zhou had. What did that mean? Could Zhou, now fused with the array, surpass even himself in soul power?

Bai Youxuan beamed, eager to approach, but was stopped by the middle-aged Daoist, who formed a barrier before her.

The Daoist stood tall, his features weathered and bearded. He clasped hands to the Corpse Master and the Great Derivation Master. “The Supreme Yin Corpse Sect does not interfere in your affairs. I am here only to broaden my junior sister’s horizons. Please, continue.”

His words gave the Corpse Master a bad feeling. He asked, “The small world you placed in the Form-Transformation Sect has been destroyed—aren’t you going to respond?”

The Daoist chuckled and waved dismissively. “Corpse Fellow Daoist, the small world was a gift to the Form-Transformation Sect. Now, it seems this tragedy was indirectly caused by it, and since this young friend destroyed it, I suppose it’s karma.”

The Corpse Master gave a mirthless smile. “Such favoritism—aren’t you afraid your sect will be blamed? Don’t forget the relationship between the Yin Corpse Sect and yours. Bai Youxuan, are you siding with him? You’re a member of the Yin Corpse Sect—your roots are here!”

His words caused both Daoist and Bai Youxuan to hesitate, but the Daoist mainly looked to Bai Youxuan, waiting for her decision.

Bai Youxuan eyed Zhou Xuanhong’s will, speaking playfully, “Zhou, let him go, will you? This place isn’t fun. I’ll take you to the Supreme Yin Corpse Sect; there’s no place for you here anymore.”

Zhou Xuanhong looked calmly at Bai Youxuan, slowly raising a finger and pointing at the Corpse Master. Boundless spiritual energy surged from the fusion array, joined by all the energy within a hundred miles, gathering at his fingertip.

“Fellow Daoist Bai, our acquaintance is shallow. No need for familiarity; it will only cause my wife to misunderstand.”

Bai Youxuan pouted, retorting, “You speak of your wife, but she doesn’t care for you. Otherwise, she would have made time to see you. She’s already been—”

Before she could finish, the Daoist silenced her, preventing her from speaking further.

But Zhou Xuanhong’s mind was deep; he understood her implication. His gaze turned icy, and he spoke coldly, “You’d better pray things aren’t as you fear; otherwise, the Supreme Yin Corpse Sect will become the next Form-Transformation Sect.”

As he finished, the Great Derivation Master and the old Daoist acted in concert, restraining the Corpse Master, while Zhou Xuanhong’s annihilation finger gathered power.

[Page 2/3]

At that moment, far from the Form-Transformation Sect, Luo Tuan and Xu Yuan sensed the terrifying danger condensing at Zhou Xuanhong’s fingertip, and hurriedly fled with Xu Yuhan.

Behind the Corpse Master, the Yin Corpse Sect disciples had already retreated far away—this was a Nascent Soul-level battle, and even the Old Ghost of Corpse Mountain, a peak Golden Core expert, dared not approach.

Zhou Xuanhong’s words enraged the Daoist, prompting him to change his mind and prepare to aid the Corpse Master. But he did not realize—if Zhou Xuanhong feared him, would he have spoken so boldly?

“Path Arises: Great Derivation Technique!”

From Zhou Xuanhong’s will, a Path of Derivation formed, instantly connecting to the Daoist. A golden beam shot along the path, forcing him to use his soul treasure to defend.

This delay allowed Zhou Xuanhong to finish his technique. With a point of his finger, a fist-sized orb of compressed energy unleashed a destructive beam straight at the Corpse Master’s chest.

“Whoosh!”

The Corpse Master’s massive body could not evade, nor did he possess defensive treasures—his own body was his greatest pride, capable of withstanding all treasures at his level, save in matters of soul.

Yet the annihilation beam, imbued with fierce destructive power, pierced his body instantly, unleashing terrifying energy within his flesh.

“No!”

The Corpse Master’s soul was restrained by the Great Derivation Master, and the old Daoist had trapped him in the Thousand Ghosts Yin Fiend Array. Now, his sole hope was the Daoist from the Supreme Yin Corpse Sect, who himself was held by Zhou Xuanhong’s Path of Derivation.

The Corpse Master’s massive body swelled, becoming a ball of flesh in the blink of an eye, skin taut and splitting with countless tiny blood fissures. Within, violent spiritual energy was about to burst forth.

“Boom!”

A thunderous explosion erupted, and the Corpse Master’s body was blown apart, his vast flesh scattered into countless pieces, the aura of destruction spreading in all directions.

Yet each piece of flesh seemed to cling to life, writhing strangely as if trying to reconvene.

Moreover, the Great Derivation Master’s Path of Derivation had not dissipated, indicating that the Corpse Master had not yet been utterly slain by that terrifying finger.

[Page 3/3]