Chapter 1143

In a remote mountain area, Mo Hua, moving like a streak of water with his Flowing Water Steps, desperately fled ahead. Behind him, Elder Xu and three other elders from Yin Corpse Valley, shrouded in an eerie corpse aura, pursued.

After pursuing for another moment, they passed through a valley dotted with scattered villages, where rogue cultivators resided. Elder Ma was about to proceed and slaughter the villages. Just then, Mo Hua, fleeing ahead, seemed to sense something. He desperately channeled his spiritual power, increasing his escape speed even further. Elder Ma paused slightly. Elder Xu sneered, "This kid is afraid we'll massacre the villages, so he's anxious and wants to lure us away quickly. But if he pushes his movement technique like this, his spiritual power won't last long." All along, they had noticed that Mo Hua's spiritual power foundation was quite shallow. Previously, his ability to escape relied entirely on his bizarre stealth and movement techniques to survive. Now, fleeing at full speed, his spiritual power consumption accelerated, and he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer; he would likely exhaust himself soon. This was the difference between the righteous and demonic paths. Demonic cultivators acted unscrupulously, making many things relatively easier for them. Righteous cultivators, however, could not. They had to maintain righteous thoughts, consider the common people, and avoid harming the innocent, which led to too many constraints in their actions. In this world, walking the righteous path was much harder than walking the demonic path. One misstep, and they could lose their lives because of a few insignificant, humble cultivators. Elder Ma glanced at Elder Xu, "Should we still kill the rogue cultivators?" Elder Xu, sensing Mo Hua's desperate flight with his divine sense, gave a grim smile. "Let's give this kid some face for now; we won't kill them." Elder Ma nodded, "At this kid's escape speed, his spiritual power will be exhausted in less than an hour." Elder Xu's eyes were venomous. He remembered all the mockery and humiliation he had endured along the way. If he caught the kid, he would make sure to "torture" him thoroughly. "Chase him!" The four Yin Corpse Valley elders began to quicken their pace, pursuing Mo Hua.

After another half an hour of pursuit, Mo Hua's escape speed gradually slowed. Clearly, without resorting to tricks and fleeing at full throttle, his spiritual power consumption was too great, and he was struggling to keep up. Elder Xu and the others rejoiced, their eyes turning fierce. But just then, Mo Hua, who had been fleeing along the edge of a second-tier mountain range, suddenly turned and headed towards an unknown third-tier region nearby. Elder Xu and the others were startled, perplexed. "Does this kid want to die? How dare he go to a third-tier state border?" The reason Mo Hua had been able to evade Elder Xu and the other three Golden Core cultivators for so long, besides his own bizarre and inscrutable daoist techniques, was a crucial external factor: he had only fled within the second-tier state borders. The second-tier state border was his "shield." Under the restrictions of the Heavenly Dao, the four Golden Core elders of Yin Corpse Valley dared not use their full cultivation. But once he entered a third-tier state border, without the protection of the Heavenly Dao's restrictions, what could a Foundation Establishment cultivator surrounded by four Golden Cores do but die? Elder Xu frowned. Had this kid gone mad? But it shouldn't be... All along, though arrogant, this kid's mind and methods had been cunning enough. He would never do something meaningless. Elder Ma said gravely, "Is someone meeting him in the third-tier state border ahead? Or is there another ambush?" Elder Xu's expression grew solemn. None of these possibilities could be ruled out. This kid's cultivation was so bizarre; his background must be significant. There must be an expert in his sect. "We can't drag this out any longer!" Elder Xu's eyes flashed. "We'll stick close. The moment this kid enters the third-tier state border, we'll immediately unleash our Golden Core power and strike with full force to capture him in the shortest possible time. No delays; hesitation will lead to complications!" Elder Ma and the others nodded, "Yes!"

After that, in less than half an hour, Mo Hua already showed signs of "exhaustion." Elder Xu's eyes gleamed fiercely, but a moment later, Mo Hua's figure flickered, turning into a mist and disappearing. The Yin Corpse Valley elders froze. Mo Hua was gone again. Elder Xu could only grit his teeth, resorting to his old trick: summoning the "Earth Store Corpse" and feeding it with his blood. But this time, he fed it an exceptionally large amount of blood. This Earth Store Corpse was not easily summoned. Along the way, to track Mo Hua, Elder Xu had already over-summoned it multiple times. The "docile" Earth Store Corpse had drunk his blood so much that it was becoming greedy. A few more summons, and the Earth Store Corpse might "lose control" and retaliate against him, its "master." After all, all "unique corpses" that had signed a corpse contract wished for their corpse master to die. This way, they could devour their master and further grow and transform. Seeing the greedy eyes of the Earth Store Corpse, Elder Xu knew he could not delay any longer. He immediately used a cryptic corpse language to ascertain Mo Hua's whereabouts, then pointed to his right front and angrily declared: "This kid has entered the third-tier region. Kill him!" The four Yin Corpse Valley elders immediately burst forth with full power, crossing the mountain boundary and charging into the third-tier state border.

Yet, after less than a moment of travel, there was no one in sight, and his divine sense detected no trace of Mo Hua. Elder Xu frowned, contemplating, when suddenly the whispering corpse language sounded in his ear again. For some reason, the Earth Store Corpse "kindly" told him Mo Hua's location, without even demanding his blood. As the corpse master, Elder Xu didn't think much of it for a moment. Following the Earth Store Corpse's guidance, he immediately focused his divine sense and discovered the hidden Mo Hua in a gorge. Elder Xu waved his hand, activating green corpse aura that enveloped the gorge. In the third-tier state border, his Golden Core cultivation could be fully unleashed, making his corpse path evil techniques wider in range and stronger in power. Mo Hua, having no choice, had to reveal himself and continued his desperate escape. The instant Mo Hua revealed himself, the other three experienced Yin Corpse Valley elders fixed their eyes on him, their gazes fierce, and fully activated their Golden Core power. Crystallized scarlet evil power covered their bodies. One of the three Golden Core corpse cultivators underwent full corporeal transformation, another summoned a bronze corpse, and the third wielded a blood-sword etched with corpse patterns, all lunging towards Mo Hua. Elder Xu also followed closely, charging into the mountain gorge. Four Golden Core demonic cultivators, laying siege with full power, exuded murderous intent. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was an almost certain death situation.

But just as the four of them charged into the gorge, a five-colored light suddenly flashed. All around the canyon walls, countless mottled formations lit up, one after another. The expressions of the four Yin Corpse Valley elders changed drastically. Formations! And so many of them... The traces were very new. Were all these drawn on temporarily? Was this truly a technique a formation master could possess? While the four elders were still stunned, the formations had already exploded. However, due to time constraints, Mo Hua had quickly set up only low-tier second-grade formations, so their power wasn't great. The threat to Golden Core cultivators was negligible. Nevertheless, a long stretch of the gorge collapsed significantly, and the rocks on both sides of the canyon began to crumble, burying the Yin Corpse Valley elders. The four Yin Corpse Valley elders, compelled by the situation, had to temporarily split up and dodge the falling rocks. Amidst rumbling sounds, dust billowed, the mountain collapsed, and the surroundings were littered with rubble. Moments later, from a corner piled with rocks, the boulders were blasted away by evil power, and the dust cleared. Elder Xu emerged from the rubble, his face icy cold. "He blew up the valley to block us... Only capable of such petty tricks." Having been made to lose face repeatedly by a Foundation Establishment kid, Elder Xu, an elder of Yin Corpse Valley, completely lost his patience, his gaze filled with ferocity. But he looked around; it was all rocks. A sweep of his divine sense revealed no trace of Mo Hua. Just as he hesitated, the whispering corpse language sounded in his ear again: "Go west..." Elder Xu took a step, and a hint of vigilance suddenly rose in his heart. Something felt off. Why was this Earth Store Corpse suddenly so obedient, even guiding him without demanding blood? Was it... had it drunk enough blood and finally been completely subdued by him? For a moment, Elder Xu felt a surge of elation, but rationality suppressed his joy. Elder Xu gradually calmed down, then looked to the west. To the west was a narrow mountain path, piled with rubble, leading to a dark, unknown valley entrance. A vague unease inexplicably rose in Elder Xu's heart, making him feel he shouldn't go there. But after careful consideration, he couldn't help but sneer inwardly: "I'm really living backwards... I, a dignified elder of Yin Corpse Valley, a great demonic sect practicing the bizarre corpse path, am I actually wary of a Foundation Establishment cultivator? What am I afraid of him for? That he'll kill me?" Elder Xu snorted coldly, his gaze fierce, and walked towards the path the Earth Store Corpse had indicated. He hadn't walked long before he sensed the aura of a living person. After walking another several dozen feet, nearing the valley entrance, he saw a young man standing on a large rock ahead. The young man's eyes were closed, his fingers pressed together between his brows. Elder Xu felt it was strange, and also found the young man somewhat ridiculous. But for some reason, the hair on his entire body stood on end almost instinctively. His meridians and bones trembled, and an inexplicable chill of fear rose in his heart. Elder Xu suddenly realized something was wrong, his pupils constricting. Then, in the next instant, he saw Mo Hua open his eyes. These were incredibly beautiful eyes. Clear and bright like a spring, deep and introverted like amber, with interwoven golden, black, and white currents flowing within, exuding an ancient and profound mystique. These were also terrifying eyes. Containing the majesty of a ruler over all beings, the indifference that severs all ties, and a killing intent as profound as an abyss. An extremely handsome face, extremely terrifying eyes. Between his majestic, god-like eyes, an endless sharpness, seemingly capable of slaying all existence in the world, condensed. And this was the last scene Elder Xu ever witnessed in his life. Mo Hua swept a finger, and an invisible, brilliant sword light pierced through the air. The time was extremely short, almost instantaneous. Elder Xu had just appeared and only glanced at Mo Hua when the long-charged God-Slaying Sword sliced into his eyes, shattered his sea of consciousness, strangled his divine sense, and extinguished his soul. A look of unknown terror lingered on Elder Xu's face, his eyes unfocused, then vacant, as he collapsed to his knees, his soul annihilated. With one sword strike, life and death were instantly decided. Almost simultaneously, the moment his divine sense transformed into a sword and shot out, Mo Hua had already turned into a streak of water, rapidly approaching Elder Xu. With a wind-like speed, he snatched away his storage bag, then transformed into a mist and vanished in an instant. All that remained at the scene was Elder Xu's corpse.

Not long after, footsteps sounded from afar, along with the sound of a bronze corpse smashing through rocks to clear a path. The other three Golden Core elders of Yin Corpse Valley reunited and walked over, each controlling a zombie, speaking as they approached: "Elder Xu, that damned kid, he escaped..." Before they finished speaking, the three suddenly froze. They saw Elder Xu kneeling on the ground, and were all somewhat confused. As they got closer, they saw Elder Xu's pale face and sensed his vital energy, their expressions instantly changing drastically. "Dea... dead?!" Dead?! How could he be... dead?! The three Yin Corpse Valley elders' eyes widened instantly, their pupils trembling in shock. Four Golden Core elders, chasing a Foundation Establishment cultivator. They had only been separated for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. In such a short time, Elder Xu, a cultivator of considerable strength, had just... died?! It was simply absurd! How was this possible?! But the reality was before their eyes. One Yin Corpse Valley elder's voice trembled slightly: "Elder Xu... how did he die..." Elder Ma immediately stepped forward and carefully examined Elder Xu's injuries. The more he looked, the colder he felt. "No wounds on the body, no traces of spells, no spiritual power damage, no traces at all..." Yet, Elder Xu had died so inexplicably. The only trace was his eyes, unfocused and vacant, as if his soul had been directly snatched away by a ghost or god, leaving only a dead shell. Elder Ma and the other two felt their hair stand on end, a chill running through them. Then, another question came to mind: "Who... killed Elder Xu?" Who could possess such bizarre methods to erase, without a trace and in such a short time, a demonic elder of Yin Corpse Valley who had orthodox corpse path inheritance and the protection of an Earth Store Corpse? Who... The ghostly figure of a young man suddenly appeared in everyone's minds. One Yin Corpse Valley elder's voice was a bit hoarse, "Could it be... that kid..." Elder Ma's expression changed, and he immediately retorted in a low voice: "Silence! A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator can kill Elder Xu, a Golden Core of my Yin Corpse Valley? What do you take our Yin Corpse Valley elders for? Chickens and dogs? Besides, what would he use to kill? From when we separated until Elder Xu's death, it was only a few blinks of an eye. Could he truly instantly kill a Golden Core in such a short time? Is he still at Foundation Establishment then? He'd be close to ascension." The other two Yin Corpse Valley elders nodded gravely. They also found the matter too incredible. "Then... who actually killed Elder Xu?" one person asked in a low voice. Elder Ma was silent, not speaking. "Elder Ma..." another Yin Corpse Valley Golden Core said with apprehension, "The question now is, that kid... should we continue to chase him?" The air fell silent. Elder Ma's eyes flickered, and he shook his head: "We can't chase him anymore. Elder Xu is dead, and without the Earth Store Corpse, we have no idea where that kid went, much less where he might flee..." The other two Yin Corpse Valley elders felt an inexplicable relief in their hearts upon hearing this. They all knew in their hearts that although Elder Xu shouldn't have died by that kid's hand, Elder Xu's death was certainly related to that kid. Otherwise, Elder Xu, a Golden Core cultivator, would never have suddenly "died" without injury or illness. Mo Hua's figure had already cast a strange shadow in the minds of Elder Ma and the other Golden Cores. Although they didn't know what secrets that kid held—whether it was some kind of supreme treasure protecting him, an unassailable karma, or perhaps an expert secretly guarding him—with Elder Xu as a cautionary tale, they absolutely could not pursue him recklessly again. Otherwise, they might very well suffer the same fate as Elder Xu, dying inexplicably in the blink of an eye. Moreover, Elder Ma was right. Without Elder Xu and the Earth Store Corpse, they couldn't possibly find that kid. "Oh, right, Elder Xu's storage bag..." an Yin Corpse Valley elder suddenly said. Elder Ma's heart involuntarily trembled. The storage bag! He remained outwardly calm, but his gaze swept around the valley like a flash of lightning, filled with longing, then moments later, filled with disappointment. It was gone... Elder Ma looked up and met the gazes of the other two elders. In an instant, they all understood each other's thoughts, but no one spoke it aloud. "It seems someone took it..." "Taken by that kid?" "Possibly..." The three's eyes flickered slightly. For a moment, Elder Ma even entertained the thought of continuing to pursue and kill Mo Hua, but fortunately, he managed to forcefully stop himself. At present, there were more pressing matters. "Without delay, we must quickly send Elder Xu's body back to Yin Corpse Valley." Elder Ma said, his expression somewhat grave, "Elder Xu nurtured an Earth Store Corpse and signed a corpse contract. After death, there will be a corpse path backlash, and he will be devoured by the Earth Store Corpse. If we don't send him back to Yin Corpse Valley soon, once his flesh and blood are gnawed away by the Earth Store Corpse and his body is incomplete, you and I will truly have no way to explain ourselves." Elder Xu was dead. The storage bag was gone. The corpse was incomplete. The patriarch of Elder Xu's lineage in Yin Corpse Valley would surely believe that the three of them had harmed a fellow disciple, stolen his inheritance, then lured the Earth Store Corpse to devour his body and destroy the evidence. They could not bear such an accusation. Just then, the ground subtly bulged. Something underground seemed to be stirring, and an originally docile aura was gradually turning violent. Elder Ma's face changed abruptly. "Not good, this beast has lost its restraint; it's going to 'devour its master'..." "Unique corpses" in the corpse path could not be judged by conventional ranks. If one followed the corpse path's rules, it was fine, but once defied, no one knew what these beasts would become. "Quick! Isolate the dirt and take Elder Xu's body!" Elder Ma said gravely. One Yin Corpse Valley Golden Core elder immediately took out an iron coffin and sealed Elder Xu's body inside, isolating it from the earth energy. Another elder summoned a bronze corpse and an iron corpse, lifted the coffin, and quickly retreated from the spot. Elder Ma walked last. Before leaving, he looked back, gazing deeply into the distance, seemingly searching for Mo Hua's figure. Finally, he sighed, unwillingly saying: "What a pity..." After that, he suppressed his greed, no longer tangled in thought, and together with the other two Yin Corpse Valley Golden Cores, escorted Elder Xu's body away from the area.

Meanwhile, dozens of miles away, inside a mountain cave. Inside a cave protected by layers of concealment and defense, with illusion formations, divine mist formations, concealment formations, and Five Elements Gen Mountain defensive formations stacked upon one another, Mo Hua was sitting in meditation. He had forcibly used the Divine Sense Transformed into Sword technique to kill a Golden Core elder. Both precepts were violated. A double backlash of malevolent energy was imminent. Indeed, in less than a moment, Mo Hua's forcibly suppressed fate began to stir restlessly. Pitch-black malevolent energy began to flow backward from his fate, seeping into his sea of consciousness. The chilling death aura brought by the killing karma also slowly invaded his soul, assimilating his dao heart. Mo Hua's skin instantly turned unnervingly pale. The blackness on his glabella was terrifyingly dark, like a horrifying demon embryo, laden with monstrous sins, about to emerge into the world. A bone-chilling cold, as if from the Yellow Springs and Nine Hells, permeated his marrow, almost impossible to dispel, causing Mo Hua's entire body to tremble. This was merely physical pain. What was even harder for Mo Hua to accept was that his memories were beginning to blur. Every bit of his past seemed to be steeped in sewage condensed from malevolent energy, gradually fading, turning black and white, then beginning to vanish. Mo Hua was slowly forgetting the people and events of his past.