Translator: CinderTL
Shi Chang naturally didn't believe Wu Yuan's words.
As a rogue cultivator in the mid-stage of Divine Transformation, his strength was far inferior to Wu Yuan, who had reached the late divine transformation stage and served as a duty disciple of the Veiled Moon Hall. Moreover, Shi Man stood beside Wu Yuan, watching him like a predator.
Once the formation was dispelled, Shi Chang would be like meat on a chopping block, his life and death entirely at the mercy of Wu Yuan and Shi Man.
"Please, the three of you, see clearly—I am truly not the person you seek," Shi Chang pleaded humbly.
"Hmph! Stubborn fool!"
Black Corpse Qi surged from Wu Yuan's body, rapidly spreading like dark clouds that blotted out the sun and moon.
In an instant, the entire mountain valley was plunged into pitch-black darkness, as if night had fallen.
A colossal black handprint materialized within the swirling Corpse Qi, descending with the force of a towering mountain.
Boom!
The black handprint slammed into the formation barrier, its impact reverberating like thunder.
The barrier trembled violently but remained intact.
Yet, from within the dark clouds, another black handprint materialized and crashed down with renewed force.
Shi Chang watched the second handprint fall, his expression turning fearful.
He had anticipated Wu Yuan's superior strength, but he hadn't imagined the gap would be so vast.
The defensive formation he had placed such high hopes on proved shockingly weak. Wu Yuan hadn't even used any treasures; a casual strike with his Corpse Qi shattered the formation, leaving it teetering on the brink of collapse.
Shi Chang hastily summoned an Array Disk, channeling a series of magic seals into it to stabilize the barrier.
Meanwhile, Shi Man watched Wu Yuan's display of divine might, a flicker of resentment and malice in her eyes. She had long sensed Wu Yuan's disrespect, but her inferior strength had forced her to suppress her anger.
"As an Outer Sect Elder, my resources far surpass those of a mere duty disciple," she vowed silently. "One day, my power will eclipse yours."
Song Wen, on the other hand, gazed at Wu Yuan with undisguised awe and admiration. His reaction wasn't entirely feigned; his genuine delight was undeniable.
Judging by the aura of Spiritual Power Wu Yuan exuded, his cultivation technique was the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art. Moreover, his method of manipulating Corpse Qi to form colossal hand seals bore a striking resemblance to the Fiendish Dao Ghost Tome Song Wen had once practiced. Both techniques involved channeling Corpse Fiend energy from within the body to manifest various forms for offense and defense.
However, Wu Yuan's methods were clearly far more powerful than the secret arts described in the Fiendish Dao Ghost Tome.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As a series of black handprints descended, the formation barrier finally shattered under the relentless assault.
"Veiled Moon Hall, you've gone too far!" Shi Chang spat, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, the backlash from the formation's destruction evident.
With a wave of his hand, the piles of white bones in the mountain valley crumbled, releasing countless streams of gray poison qi that coalesced into a massive serpent. The serpent lunged toward another descending palm.
Shi Chang's strike mobilized all the poison qi contained within the valley's corpses, forcing Wu Yuan to take it seriously.
"Insects! How dare you resist!" Wu Yuan roared.
The descending palm's power suddenly doubled, its descent accelerating dramatically.
The palm collided with the poison qi serpent, both dissolving upon impact.
Corpse Qi and poison qi mixed into a chaotic surge of energy that erupted in all directions.
Song Wen and Shi Man retreated rapidly to avoid the shockwave.
Wu Yuan remained unmoved, channeling his Spiritual Power to reinforce his Mana Shield, preparing to withstand the onslaught of energy.
The energy crashed against the shield, which stood firm as an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron. Yet the force of the impact drove Wu Yuan backward.
Suddenly, three slender needles glowing with green light pierced through the swirling Corpse Qi and poison qi, shooting toward Wu Yuan's face in quick succession.
Ding!
The first poison needle struck the Mana Shield, unleashing a blinding green flash.
Under the eerie glow, the shield seemed to be devoured by countless invisible poisonous insects, leaving behind a patchwork of mottled marks.
The second needle struck one of these weakened spots.
With a crisp crack, the Mana Shield shattered. The second needle, having expended its force, clattered to the ground.
But the third needle followed immediately.
Shi Chang had mobilized all the poison qi in the mountain valley. This seemingly desperate all-out attack was merely a feint; his true killing move lay hidden within the giant serpent of poison qi—the three poison needles.
As the third needle hurtled toward Wu Yuan's face, poised to pierce his forehead, Wu Yuan remained utterly composed.
Black scales, each the size of a fingernail, rapidly spread upward from Wu Yuan's collar, instantly covering his entire head.
From a distance, he resembled a humanoid sculpture of black metal.
A crisp "clang" rang out as the poison needle struck the armored scales.
The force of the impact jolted Wu Yuan's head backward, and the needle was immediately deflected away.
The black scales on Wu Yuan's face receded, revealing his features.
"Child's play," he sneered, his cold gaze fixed on Shi Chang below in the mountain valley.
Anticipating his defeat, Shi Chang had already transformed into a streak of light, fleeing toward the southern edge of the valley.
There, at the base of the towering cliffs, lay a network of caves.
Shi Chang clearly intended to use the caves' complex terrain to escape.
"Trying to run? Not so easy," Wu Yuan scoffed.
With a thought, the Corpse Qi that had been shrouding the valley suddenly surged downward like a black celestial river, sealing all the cave entrances before Shi Chang could reach them.
The Corpse Qi then crashed into the valley floor, roaring and surging like a tidal wave as it swept toward Shi Chang, forming a massive crest that crashed down upon him.
Shi Chang noticed that the Corpse Qi, which had been approaching the cave entrance, suddenly shifted direction and fled to the other side.
However, Corpse Qi was also descending from the sky on that side, blocking his escape route.
Shi Chang realized in horror that he had nowhere left to run.
The mountain valley was completely sealed off by waterfalls of Corpse Qi, and Wu Yuan loomed above. Unless he could burrow underground, his only chance of survival lay in forcibly breaking through the Corpse Qi blockade.
Shi Chang abruptly halted his escape light and cried out in panic, "I surrender!"
"Giving up now? Too late!" Wu Yuan sneered coldly.
"No... please... spare me... I'm not the person you're looking for..."
Amid Shi Chang's terrified cries, the Corpse Qi torrent engulfed him.
The Corpse Qi surged back and forth through the mountain valley.
Moments later, the Corpse Qi swirled into a massive vortex, shooting skyward and pouring into Wu Yuan's mouth.
When the Corpse Qi had completely dissipated from the valley, Shi Chang lay sprawled on the ground, barely clinging to life.
A tendril of Corpse Qi remained tightly coiled around his body, preventing his nascent soul from escaping through his Dantian.
(End of the Chapter)
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