Chapter 513

Two days later, at the Mao hour, night and day met as dawn broke through the clouds.

The rosy light pierced through the toxic miasma and corpse vapors, falling upon the Grave Hill, yet tinged with a grayish hue—gloomy and lifeless.

The Dao Court launched a full-scale assault, beginning the final campaign of suppression and annihilation.

Everything had been arranged.

First, dozens of highly destructive second-grade talismans were activated.

Surge after surge of spiritual energy coalesced into immense destructive force—forming blade arrays, gathering into fireballs, or transforming into water arrows, sweeping toward the Grave Hill.

The zombies on the Grave Hill were instantly obliterated by the talismans' spiritual might.

Vast numbers of zombies were shredded by blades, burned by fire, soaked by water, and ultimately erased by the talismans' power.

Then came another wave of corpses surging forward.

Yang Jishan waved his hand, and a line of cultivators stepped forward, chanting incantations to activate various spiritual artifacts.

These artifacts transformed into hundreds of flying swords, condensed into countless silver needles, or unleashed torrents of fire rain, charging toward the tide-like corpses.

The corpses fell one by one, pierced through by spiritual artifacts or reduced to ash.

Yet still they surged forward like an unceasing tide.

Again, the Dao Court deployed talismans and spiritual artifacts in tandem.

Vast numbers of corpses were wiped out…

The Dao Court's forces were mostly from ancient families or sects, with long-standing lineages and profound foundations—nothing like Lu Chengyun, who had risen through marriage and flattery.

When they truly deployed their hidden cards, these zombies could not possibly withstand them.

Under the overwhelming firepower of spiritual artifacts and talismans, the masses of corpses had only one fate: annihilation.

Even the few iron zombies could not escape being cut down.

But these hidden cards were extremely precious and limited in number—they would inevitably run out.

After half an hour, once part of the zombies had been wiped out and the enemy's strength weakened, the frontal assault began.

Yang Jishan glanced at Mo Hua beside him, his eyes filled with concern.

Mo Hua nodded to him, signaling not to worry.

He was just tagging along, with his senior brothers and sisters watching over him—he'd be fine if he stayed careful.

Yang Jishan sighed, then turned his gaze forward, his expression grim, his voice solemn:

"Kill!"

The Dao soldiers behind him raised their blades in unison, shouting:

"Kill!"

The arrays on the Dao soldiers' armor activated, spiritual energy surging, resonating in unison across the ranks.

The roar shook Lin Yue, morale soaring to the heavens.

The Dao soldiers charged in formation, locking into brutal combat with waves upon waves of zombies.

Like cold water poured into hot oil.

The Grave Hill erupted into violent turmoil…

Mo Hua, Bai Zisheng, and Bai Zi Xi remained close to Yang Jishan, prioritizing self-preservation and refraining from reckless attacks, lest they be swallowed by the corpse tide and unable to withdraw.

They only cast spells at critical moments to relieve pressure on the surrounding battlefield.

This fierce battle lasted an entire day…

Cultivators continuously suffered injuries or died, or were overcome by corpse poison and turned into corpses.

Likewise, vast numbers of zombies fell—some iron zombies, but mostly regular corpses.

Yet the number of zombies remained immense.

And Lu Chengyun remained nowhere to be seen.

Yang Jishan led from the front, charging deep into the Grave Hill—toward Lu Chengyun's hiding place.

Other Foundation Establishment cultivators followed Yang Jishan into the fray.

The deeper into the Grave Hill, the more desolate and sinister it became.

The corpse clusters grew denser.

More iron zombies appeared, and the corpse poison grew heavier.

Yet the group unleashed all their methods—nothing the corpse horde could withstand.

By evening, the various factions broke through to the Grave Hill's depths, arriving at a chaotic burial ground where they found Lu Chengyun—and behind him, the Corpse King.

Dozens of iron zombies guarded him on all sides.

Outside, tens of thousands of corpses continued surging inward, as if defending their "king."

The Dao soldiers raised shields, forming a human wall to hold back the outer corpses.

Yang Jishan and the others faced Lu Chengyun directly, preparing for the final encirclement and annihilation.

Lu Chengyun's face was slightly pale, yet his expression remained calm.

He glanced at Yang Jishan, his gaze cold, then swept through the crowd and sighed:

"No wonder you're Dao Court soldiers—so many zombies couldn't stop you…"

Yang Jishan spoke in a low, steady voice:

"Lu Chengyun, your end has come. Hand over the Corpse King and surrender now."

Lu Chengyun shook his head. "With the Corpse King, I still have a chance to live. Hand him over, and I'm dead for sure."

Yang Jishan sneered. "You'll fight to the death, then?"

"If I don't fight to the death, where's my path to survival? The Dao Court won't spare me. Neither will you."

Lu Chengyun raised an eyebrow, then suddenly asked strangely:

"But before the final battle, there is one thing I don't understand."

His gaze turned slightly cold as he examined each person present:

"I very much want to know—who among you here has spied on the corpse mine's secret, seen through the array I set? And who has driven me to this desperate state?"

The cultivators exchanged glances but remained silent.

Yang Jishan's gaze darkened slightly, a flicker of surprise in his heart.

Could Lu Chengyun truly know nothing of what Mo Hua had done?

Yang Jishan glanced around again and noticed Bai Zisheng and Bai Zi Xi standing beside him, while Mo Hua had vanished.

Hidden?

"Can this concealment truly fool even me?"

Yang Jishan's heart stirred with alarm.

Seeing no one admit it, Lu Chengyun sneered:

"I thought I was facing a master of flawless strategy—turns out, you're just a coward hiding behind shadows!"

Mo Hua, concealed among the crowd, snorted in disdain.

This kind of provocation was child's play—it stirred not the slightest ripple in his heart.

His own insults were far more biting than this.

Yang Jishan's gaze sharpened as he sneered:

"Lu Chengyun, if you can't match me in skill, all you're good for is cheap words—you're nothing but this."

Lu Chengyun extended his spiritual sense, sweeping over the crowd once more—but still found nothing.

Among those present were high-level cultivators, those with exceptional spiritual senses, and several who clearly specialized in arrays.

Yet none of them gave him that strange, pressing sensation.

None of them resembled the cultivator who had woven the net and closed in on him step by step.

Lu Chengyun shook his head.

Enough. It no longer mattered whether he knew or not.

In a true life-or-death battle, strength speaks—tricks like these are meaningless.

Lu Chengyun stared at Yang Jishan, eyes glinting with cold light:

"You've underestimated this Corpse King..."

"This Corpse King is mine—no one can take it from me!"

"Today, all of you will die here!"

"Your flesh and blood will become offerings to the Corpse King."

"Let this Corpse King complete its true transformation—become the true Lord of Abominations, the King of Corpses!"

Lu Chengyun's expression glowed with fervor, his eyes wild with madness.

Yang Jishan frowned, a sense of dread stirring in his heart.

At that moment, the Corpse King behind Lu Chengyun suddenly shifted its aura—becoming bloodthirsty and furious; its exposed skin, once iron-blue, gradually lightened, turning into a deep, ancient bronze hue...

Bronze Corpse!

Yang Jishan's heart trembled.

Lu Chengyun intended to refine this Corpse King into a Bronze Corpse!

Bronze Corpse is a rank; Corpse King is a title.

Once the Corpse King fully becomes a Bronze Corpse, its power will surge—and it will command all other corpses. None of us will be able to stop it.

With a Bronze Corpse Corpse King guarding him, we can't even kill Lu Chengyun!

Yang Jishan drew his Sunset Spear and roared:

"All out! Kill every zombie and Lu Chengyun!"

The others, aware of the danger, no longer held back—they surged toward Lu Chengyun.

Foundation Establishment cultivators clashed with Iron Corpses; spiritual energy surged violently, corpse qi thick and heavy—mere ripples shattered the mountain rocks into cracks.

As Yang Jishan charged toward Lu Chengyun, the half-Bronze Corpse-transformed Corpse King blocked his path.

Its eyes burned crimson, its skin like bronze and bones like iron, its fangs long and thick, the corpse poison at its fingertips a dense, ink-green.

Every move carried a reeking, foul wind.

Even with all his strength, Yang Jishan was suppressed by the Corpse King.

Nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators, seeing this, rushed to aid him.

Among them were the gaunt, solemn old man and the middle-aged cultivator who looked reluctant.

Yet even multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators combined could barely hold their ground against the half-Bronze Corpse-transformed Corpse King.

For a moment, all hearts were shaken.

If this Corpse King fully became a Bronze Corpse, we might all perish here.

After dozens more exchanges, Yang Jishan's heart tightened—he knew this couldn't continue. He gritted his teeth: "Kill Lu Chengyun first!"

Lu Chengyun sneered at the words.

Qi cultivators were held back by walking corpses; Foundation Establishment cultivators were tied down by Iron Corpses; Yang Jishan and the other high-power Foundation Establishment cultivators were all suppressed by the Corpse King.

How could they kill him?

Yang Jishan's gaze turned icy; a flash of red light appeared in his hand—the Sunset Spear erupted in blazing flame, its power terrifying.

Lu Chengyun's expression changed slightly.

"Hold him off!" Yang Jishan shouted.

Then he stepped back, leaving the Corpse King's attack range, reaching a safe position—his dantian surged, all his spiritual energy flared and poured entirely into the Sunset Spear.

On the Sunset Spear, spiritual energy ignited into blazing fire, Xiong Xiong burning.

Behind Yang Jishan, the flames coalesced, as if condensing a miniature sun.

Lu Chengyun gasped and immediately commanded the iron corpses to charge at Yang Jishan:

"Stop him!"

The surrounding iron corpses, claws bared, surged toward Lu Chengyun.

The Corpse King let out a roar and charged at Yang Jishan.

The emaciated elder shouted: "Protect Commander Yang!"

Then he pulled out several copper coins, pinching them between his fingers, infusing them with spiritual energy, and launched them all at the Corpse King's joints.

The coins transformed into ropes, binding the Corpse King.

The middle-aged cultivator sighed, reluctantly pulling out a jade-inlaid, gold-embroidered folding fan, activating it with spiritual energy; after a few swift fanning motions, a wind wall solidified around Yang Jishan.

Each time he fanned, one fan rib snapped.

The charging iron corpses were blocked by the wind wall, unable to get close.

Meanwhile, several other Foundation Establishment cultivators also acted—some used spiritual artifacts to repel the iron corpses, others used spells to restrain the Corpse King.

After a few breaths, the Sunset Spear trembled.

All surrounding flames suddenly retracted, compressing into the spear's shaft.

Yang Jishan's face was pale, but his gaze blazed fiercely.

The emaciated elder hurriedly said:

"Hold the Corpse King! Everyone else, move back!"

The cultivators near the Corpse King immediately withdrew.

The other Foundation Establishment cultivators used spiritual artifacts—golden chains, wooden prisons, water nets—to immobilize the Corpse King, while several spiritual spellcasters suppressed it with spells, locking it in place.

Yang Jishan leveled his spear, then merged with it, his spirit surging like a rainbow, launching with immense force straight into the Corpse King's chest.

The moment the spear tip touched the Corpse King, a torrent of flame spiritual energy exploded.

Boom—the ground was blasted into a deep crater.

Cracks in the rocks spread far into the distance.

The shockwave flung every cultivator and iron corpse nearby backward.

Firelight and smoke filled the air.

When the smoke cleared, all who looked were stunned.

The Corpse King was still alive.

At the last instant, it used its arm to block the spear.

The Sunset Spear pierced its arm, the tip pressed against its chest—but clearly, it had no strength left to pierce through, not even breaking the skin.

The Corpse King's body was covered in charred marks, suffered severe injury.

Its aura weakened considerably, yet in the blink of an eye, corpse energy began to slowly recover…

Everyone was alarmed.

Such a powerful Corpse King!

Yang Jishan's heart jolted, then he immediately shouted:

"Quick! Kill Lu Chengyun while you can!"

The Corpse King is injured and temporarily immobile—use this chance to kill Lu Chengyun!

Otherwise, once the Corpse King recovers, we'll be stuck again.

The cultivators snapped back to awareness and, without hesitation, unleashed blades, spells, and weapons toward Lu Chengyun.

Lu Chengyun was terrified.

What kind of spear is this?

Could it truly suppress the Corpse King?

Seeing them rush at him, Lu Chengyun tried to flee—but without the Corpse King, his power was drastically reduced; he hadn't run far before the emaciated elder pinned him with copper coins, and other Foundation Establishment cultivators closed in, grappling him.

Yang Jishan tried to pull out the Sunset Spear, but its tip was firmly lodged in the Corpse King's arm, impossible to withdraw.

He gritted his teeth, endured the pain, abandoned the Sunset Spear, and drew another ordinary long spear, charging at Lu Chengyun.

Lu Chengyun's Mountain Splitting Sword Art, though potent,

seemed inadequate against so many Dao Court cultivators.

Even with iron corpses aiding him, he could barely hold his ground.

Just then, Yang Jishan arrived.

Using the Sunset Spear had drained him severely.

Yang Jishan's face was pale, his aura diminished, yet he held his breath, swinging the spear, seizing Lu Chengyun's opening, breaking his sword technique, and kicking him to the ground.

Then he raised the spear high and drove it down hard toward Lu Chengyun's heart meridian.

Yang Jishan intended to kill Lu Chengyun with one thrust!

But the spear did not strike home.

Midway, it was deflected by several copper coins; the tip veered slightly, only piercing Lu Chengyun's rib and scraping off a layer of skin.

Lu Chengyun seized the chance to break free, shielded again by the iron corpses.

Yang Jishan flew into rage, his gaze like a sword, turning to demand of the emaciated elder:

"Old Man Wen, what are you doing?"

Without those copper coins, I would have just stabbed Lu Chengyun through!

The emaciated elder looked terrified, "Don't kill him!"

Yang Jishan frowned and coldly asked, "Why?"

The withered old man pointed at the corpse king, its arm pierced through by the Sunset Spear, motionless in the great pit, and trembled as he said, "Its blood… has turned faintly golden…"

Yang Jishan's heart jolted as he stared sharply.

Only then did he notice: where the spear had pierced the corpse king's arm, blood dripped down, tracing the spear's length to the ground.

That blood had once been ink-green.

Now, it was stained with a faint, eerie golden hue.

Yang Jishan's heart shuddered violently.

"Corruption?"

"How could it happen so fast?"

The withered old man's voice quivered with terror:

"It has gained its own consciousness. Killing Lu Chengyun has removed its chains—that is the true horror…"

The bloody scene of total annihilation, the corpse king's roaring scream, flashed back into his mind.

Yang Jishan's face turned ashen; he clenched his teeth, cold dread surging through him:

"Everything was planned!"

"If the corpse mine had not been exposed, Lu Chengyun would have kept refining corpses, deepening the karmic debt—after decades or even centuries, the corpse king would have transformed into a Dao Corruption…"

"But if the corpse mine had been exposed, Lu Chengyun would have been besieged by the Dao Court."

"A large-scale battle between cultivators and zombies—cultivators die, zombies devour humans—amid life and death, blood qi and corpse qi converge, equally triggering the corpse king's evolution…"

"And Lu Chengyun's death… is the final key!"

"The key to unlocking the chains, turning the corpse king into a Dao Corruption!"

"Once Lu Chengyun is dead, the corpse king breaks free from its bonds and instantly becomes a true 'King' among corpses, commanding thousands of zombies, transforming into a genuine Dao Corruption!"

"What a vile scheme! What a deep, calculated plot!"

"The key is—there is not a single trace. Everything unfolded as if by natural law…"

And Lu Chengyun, and all of us… we were all pawns…

This is a dead end!

The withered old man had realized it too—that was why his expression was so terrified.

Among the other cultivators, some had also understood; their eyes now carried a glimmer of despair.

Yang Jishan felt both tension and terror, his mind in chaos.

But he was the Commander of the Dao Soldiers, battle-hardened—he bore responsibility for the lives of these brothers who fought beside him.

The greater the crisis, the more he must remain calm.

Yang Jishan forced himself to quiet his mind; after a moment of thought, he gritted his teeth and said:

"It's too late to turn back—we must capture Lu Chengyun alive."

"Capture Lu Chengyun, use him to control the corpse king, then plan our next move!"

This was the only way.

The withered old man knew it too.

But killing Lu Chengyun was one thing—capturing him alive? How could that be done?

At that moment, a vicious, guttural growl suddenly echoed.

All turned toward the sound—and saw the corpse king's aura revive, slowly rising to its feet again.

Within the tomb mountain, blood qi, corpse qi, filth qi, and death qi filled the air.

Its wounds healed with terrifying speed.

The corpse king's gaze was icy; it pulled the Sunset Spear from its arm and tossed it aside, then vanished in a blur of motion, reappearing behind Lu Chengyun.

For a moment, the cultivators' hearts turned bitter; their despair deepened.

Feeling the loyal corpse king standing silently behind him once more, Lu Chengyun felt a measure of relief.

And seeing what had just transpired, Lu Chengyun now understood.

He looked at Yang Jishan and smiled triumphantly:

"You dare not kill me!"

"That's right—you dare not kill me!!"

"If you kill me, the corpse king will lose control."

"If the corpse king loses control, every walking corpse and iron corpse in Nan Yue City will go mad."

"The corpse king will become a bronze corpse, commanding iron corpses and walking corpses, forming a terrifying corpse tide—to slaughter the city, devour its people, and turn the dead into zombies!"

"This corpse tide will grow, sweeping across the entire Xiao Huang Prefecture, then spreading to neighboring second-grade prefectures…"

"This is a great calamity!"

"Why has this disaster not yet occurred?"

Lu Chengyun pointed to his chest, "Because I am still alive!"

"Because I am still alive, the corpse king obeys my orders—and has not committed so many atrocities!"

"The cultivators of Nan Yue City have been allowed to cling to life!"

"The entire Xiao Huang Prefecture has not been turned into a wasteland of corpses!"

Lu Chengyun's eyes burned with madness; his voice rose with fervor:

"All of this is because I am still alive!"

"I am still alive!"

"But once I die…"

Lu Chengyun's words came to an abrupt halt; the smile on his face gradually faded, and when he lowered his head to look, he saw sharp fingertips piercing clean through his chest.

On the tips of those fingers were fresh blood, along with ink-green corpse poison.

Yang Jishan, the withered old man, and all the other cultivators stared in horror.

They saw a corpse, taking advantage of Lu Chengyun's carelessness, pierce a claw straight through Lu Chengyun's chest.

And the one who had silently struck this killing blow was none other than the "utterly loyal" Corpse King, who had been standing quietly behind Lu Chengyun all along!

The Corpse King had actually... "defected"?!

(End of chapter)