“Though the entrance seems narrow, Huigu spans 900 li. Notice how the tree roots are more abundant towards the north? Most cultivators use this as a guide to avoid getting lost,” Zhan Xian explained enthusiastically as they walked.
Nan Yan feigned ignorance, always speaking up for Mu Zhanting. “We’re young and only heard about Yin Zhu ghosts in the inner area. What’s it really like in there?”
At the mention of Yin Zhu, even the experienced Zhan Xian paled. “You see, the cultivation world has seen many battles throughout history—like the Land-Splitting War with demons or the Feng River War with beasts. These life-or-death conflicts leave behind battlefields. Huigu is one such ancient battlefield. We Qi Condensation cultivators stick to the outer areas, hunting rare beasts and gathering herbs. But the real treasures lie in the inner battlefield, left behind by fallen cultivators.”
Another cultivator chimed in, “Indeed. Once, a Foundation Establishment cultivator snuck past the Yin Zhu into the inner area and found an ancient Nascent Soul cultivator’s remains. With just the armor and storage ring from that corpse, he established a sect that’s thrived for a century.”
Nan Yan, influenced by Qi Yang, cared less about treasures and more about ancient secrets. “But why was this ancient battlefield created in the first place?”
“It’s said to be a recent event—within the last few decades. Though the Upper State tried to suppress the information, rumors suggest it was to trap a world-threatening demonic cultivator. The big shots from the Upper State joined forces to seal the demon here. The seal has only weakened in recent years. A decade ago, even entering the outer area was restricted.”
As they discussed Huigu’s mysteries, the formation master’s compass suddenly reacted. “We’re here. The Crimson Velvet Flower is half a Li ahead.”
Nan Yan peered through the branches, using a spirit eye technique. She spotted a small island in a dark green swamp, with fiery red spirit grass gleaming brightly.
“It’s truly a mature Crimson Velvet Flower, a key ingredient for Foundation Establishment pills!” someone exclaimed.
The group’s excitement was palpable, but Zhan Xian suddenly pointed out, “Look at that nest near the flower!”
Nan Yan scanned the area, noticing a crude nest made of water weeds, clearly containing a clutch of white snake eggs.
“The Wuti Snake has just laid eggs. It’s a golden opportunity! Though more aggressive, it’ll be significantly weakened. Our chances of success have increased by 30%!” Zhan Xian declared.
The group’s confidence surged. Zhan Xian continued, “Wuti Snake eggs are also valuable. If raised properly, they could become third-rank spirit beasts. Even if we never reach Foundation Establishment, such a beast could make us formidable.”
Everyone grew eager. Zhan Xian added, “Still, the Wuti Snake is equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator. For safety, our formation master will set up a Five Elements Array. If things go south, we can retreat there.”
The group eyed the cloaked formation master with some doubt but agreed it was a prudent plan. Only Nan Yan felt uneasy about the formation master and his array plate, sensing something off with her sea of qi.
As Nan Yan’s control over her spiritual energy improved, the Seven Buddhas Karmic Cultivation technique rarely reacted uncontrollably to evil beings or objects before she reached the Foundation Establishment. Yet, eight out of ten cultivators still caused her some discomfort, with this formation master being particularly unsettling.
“Brother Mu’s fire attribute counters the Wuti Snake perfectly. He and I will take the lead, while the rest of you provide support. Agreed?” Zhan Xian suggested.
In the cultivation world, it was common for the strongest to act first. Mu Zhanting nodded, his external injuries mostly healed, though the lingering poison in his sea of qi limited him to 90% of his power.
“Let’s go,” Mu Zhanting said.
The two late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators entered the swamp, their feet glowing as they skimmed across the water toward the island. As Zhan Xian began chanting, Mu Zhanting suddenly shot forward like a meteor, startling hidden insects into flight.
“Brother Mu, you—” Zhan Xian’s words were cut short as a massive black snake rose from the swampy mist, its triangular head and amber eyes fixed on the intruders. With an angry hiss, it launched itself like black lightning from the water.
“Bring it on!” Mu Zhanting, recognizing the snake as perfect for his detoxification, conjured flames around his arms and charged in without hesitation.
The other cultivators, stunned by his recklessness, quickly recovered and began casting spells. A rainbow of spiritual lights bombarded the Wuti Snake.
Nan Yan tossed a small fireball before turning to watch the formation master, who seemed to be maintaining the array normally. She then refocused on the battle.
As spells rained down on the snake, its scales were scorched and scattered. Mu Zhanting seized an opening, slashing at the snake’s vital point with a flame blade. The Wuti Snake shrieked in pain and fury, its tail sweeping Mu Zhanting into the swamp.
“Careful! The snake’s gone berserk. Everyone, retreat to the array! I’ll hold it off!” Zhan Xian shouted, summoning an ice armor. The other Qi Condensation cultivators scrambled into the formation master’s array, fearing for their lives.
The Wuti Snake unleashed its Foundation Establishment-level demonic power. Within moments, Zhan Xian’s ice armor began to crumble. Struggling to hold on, he glanced back to see Nan Yan pulling Mu Zhanting from the swamp. “Brother Mu, quick! Take shelter in the array!” he yelled.
Mu Zhanting wiped his face, assessed the situation, and charged forward instead of retreating. “Brother Zhan, how noble! I can still fight. You go hide, I’ll take on this overgrown worm!”
Zhan Xian nearly fell from the sky in shock.
In the world of cultivation, self-preservation reigns supreme. Regardless of cosmic upheavals, protecting oneself is the ultimate truth. When Mu Zhanting charged forward, the cultivators who had already retreated into the formation circle were bewildered.
“Is he a fool?” someone whispered.
Meanwhile, Zhan Xian’s face reddened with embarrassment. “I can hold out for a while longer. The snake egg is nearby, and the Wuti Snake can’t have gone far. If we defend from within the formation, we can repel it!”
Nan Yan nodded, seeing the logic. “Brother, we should—”
Before she could finish, Mu Zhanting grabbed her and tossed her into the formation circle. He then rushed forward, shouting, “Fear not, friends! In my career, retreat has never been an option!”
As Zhan Xian pondered this odd idiom, chaos erupted within the formation.
Nan Yan felt a slight pain in her arm. At the edge of the formation, wisps of blood-like black mist rose slowly. Before anyone could react, it formed an inverted bowl, trapping eight people, including the formation master, inside.
“What is this?” The cultivators panicked, activating their spiritual tools for protection. However, as a foul stench permeated the air, their spiritual light weakened progressively.
“Demonic cultivation techniques,” Nan Yan muttered, turning to the formation master. To her horror, his head suddenly snapped backward unnaturally. His body contorted as he stood, his robe rotting away to reveal ugly, red, moss-like skin beneath.
“A demon corpse puppet! We’ve fallen into a trap!” Nan Yan realized. Corpse puppets were a hallmark of demonic cultivation—corpses of cultivators, refined through secret methods and imprinted with demonic consciousness, controlled to harm others. These puppets required constant nourishment from other cultivators’ flesh and blood to grow stronger. It was clear now that all the cultivators in the formation were intended as food for this monstrosity.
“Don’t panic! We outnumber it—attack!” A mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator slapped an enhancement talisman on himself and summoned a glowing green sword. He thrust it at the puppet, but it merely clanged off its iron-like skin. The puppet retaliated, its black claws instantly corrupting the sword’s spiritual light.
The cultivator’s connection to his weapon severed, leaving him defenseless. The puppet seized him effortlessly.
Nan Yan covered her mouth, fingers trembling, as she watched the puppet impale the cultivator’s chest. It then began devouring him finger by finger, gorging on blood, flesh, and bone in a horrifying display.
Though she should have been paralyzed with fear, the pearl on Nan Yan’s neck emitted a cooling sensation, calming her chaotic mind.
The other cultivators frantically attacked the puppet with their spiritual tools, but one by one, their weapons succumbed to its demonic energy and clattered to the ground.
“It’s over. This must be a peak Qi Condensation corpse puppet,” someone muttered.
As despair gripped the cultivators, someone pointed at Nan Yan in astonishment. “How is this girl’s spiritual power increasing instead of diminishing?!”
The blood-soaked puppet suddenly raised its head, fixing its gaze on Nan Yan. With a burst of malevolent energy, it charged towards her on all fours.
Meanwhile, outside the formation…
“Ah Yan?” Mu Zhanting finally realized the danger behind him. Unexpectedly, Zhan Xian launched an ice spike at him, shattering his protective spiritual light and forcing him to retreat.
“Tsk, consider it an honor to be food for my Ghost Coffin Sect,” Zhan Xian sneered, waving his hand toward the nearby islet. The red velvet flowers and the Wuti Snake egg disappeared—mere illusions.
It had all been a trap.
“You’re a demonic cultivator? And the snake is your accomplice?” Mu Zhanting steadied himself on a rock, noticing the Wuti Snake slithering behind him, blocking his escape. It no longer attacked Zhan Xian, instead hissing with its blood-red tongue.
Zhan Xian produced a black soul banner from his storage bag, channeling demonic energy into the sealed formation disk nearby.
“This Wuti Snake is a spirit beast I borrowed from my sect elders. Your body is exactly what it needs. Don’t worry, in less than a quarter-hour, all the cultivators in that formation will perish, and my corpse puppet will advance to a pseudo-foundation Establishment. Even with your valor, Daoist Mu, escape is impossible. Surrender now.”
“Dream on! I won’t submit—” Mu Zhanting’s Celestial Root cultivation suddenly surged. He paused, rephrasing, “I won’t stand idly by!”
At that moment, Nan Yan’s angry voice rang out from the formation:
“It’s ‘submit to fate,’ you idiot!”
Mu Zhanting: “…”
As the Wuti Snake lunged at him, Mu Zhanting fought back while shouting towards the formation, “What’s happening in there?”
Nan Yan’s irritated voice replied, “A zombie’s killing people! We can’t get out!”
Relieved to hear Nan Yan’s spirited response, Mu Zhanting asked, “Can you hold on?”
“I’m fine. I smacked the old zombie, and now it won’t come near me… Hey, you older folks, stop hiding behind me!”
Terrified voices echoed from within: “It fears you, so you take point! We’ll cover you!”
Nan Yan: “I don’t know how to fight it!”
“Only anti-demon techniques can truly kill a corpse puppet. Try that if you have any!”
Amidst the commotion, Zhan Xian, unable to see inside the formation, sneered at Nan Yan’s early Qi Condensation level. “Big words for a novice. My carefully nurtured corpse puppet has devoured over a hundred cultivators. How could a mere beginner subdue it? Wuti Snake, kill him first!”
At his command, the snake rose into the air, spewing a jet of dark purple venom at Mu Zhanting. The poison hissed ominously as it flew.
“Bring it on!” Mu Zhanting didn’t dodge. Instead, he conjured a foot-long flame blade, slicing through half the venom stream. As the weakened poison reached him, he caught it in an anti-poison bottle with a flick of his wrist.
His spiritual aura surged, far exceeding that of a typical late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator.
“So… you’re a Celestial Root cultivator!” Zhan Xian’s face paled. At the Qi Condensation stage, innate talent was paramount. Such Celestial Root disciples were treasured by their sects, usually accompanied by senior protectors.
After all, Celestial Root cultivators had the potential to reach the Nascent Soul realm—the highest cultivation level in the mortal realms.
Panicking, Zhan Xian looked around for Mu Zhanting’s sect elders but saw none. Still sweating profusely, he frantically rang a bell: “Wuti Snake! Kill him before his sect members arrive!”
Though not sentient, the snake had never encountered such prime cultivator flesh. Drooling venom, it swayed its tail, unleashing its full might as a third-grade demonic beast. Just as it was about to strike, it hesitated.
Suddenly, a golden light erupted from the distant formation, emanating an overwhelming Buddhist aura that instantly shattered the demonic array.
“Vairocana purifies the world, subduing… all evil delusions!”