Chapter 991: The Perverse Utility of the Purple Coffin

It wasn't long before Mr. Corpse's zombie emerged from the ground, carrying the massive purple coffin with it.

"Holy King, are we really leaving the Creation Jade Disc behind?" Luo Xingchen still couldn't hide his reluctance.

"We can't," Mr. Corpse interjected, shaking his head.

"The Creation Jade Disc is surrounded by a powerful restriction. The zombie almost got incinerated when it got too close," Mr. Corpse explained.

"A restriction left by Sa?" Luo Xingchen finally accepted the reality.

"Even the depths of the earth are filled with sword qi. We'll need to use the Baji Tianwei to get out," Mr. Corpse added, turning to Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan nodded and, with a wave of his hand, summoned the Baji Tianwei once more. The creature grew larger, its tails wrapping around the group and the coffin as they began to tunnel back out.

As they moved, the Zhu Xian Sword Formation began to tremble, indicating that without Sa's direct control and without the true Zhu Xian Swords, the formation wouldn't be able to hold back the external forces for much longer.

Silently, Zhong Shan and his group emerged from the formation.

Meanwhile, the purple coffin continued to be carried further away by the zombie, still burrowing through the earth.

"Quick, the formation is about to break!"

"The Confucian disciples have already gone inside!"

"Everyone, keep pushing!"

"Brothers, follow me in!"

Chaos reigned outside the formation. More and more people were breaking through, and the formation around Holy Corpse Mountain was on the verge of collapse. Zhong Shan even noticed a Nascent Soul cultivator trying to sneak in, hoping to grab a share of the treasures.

Standing at the foot of the mountain, Zhong Shan surveyed the chaotic scene.

"Holy King, we should leave now," Mr. Corpse urged.

"No, let's throw some fuel on the fire," Zhong Shan replied with a mischievous grin.

"Uh?" Mr. Corpse was puzzled, but he watched as Zhong Shan's plan unfolded.

The formation had not yet completely broken, and although there was a lot of noise and commotion, many of the most powerful cultivators had yet to make their move. Among these were Patriarch Bodhi, who was standing quietly at the base of a mountain, as well as Ran Deng and Maitreya, who were observing from a distance.

As the crowd surged forward, a sudden shout erupted from within the Zhu Xian Sword Formation.

"Uncle Zilu has entered Biyou Palace! Hold them back! The Creation Jade Disc belongs to the Confucian Sect!" The shout was abrupt, not particularly loud, but it cut through the noise, catching everyone's attention.

The Creation Jade Disc?

For a moment, silence fell over the crowd. Breathless, they stared at the formation, their eyes gradually turning red with greed. The Creation Jade Disc? No wonder even Confucius was eager for it!

"Damn it, who shouted that?" another voice called out.

The person who had shouted earlier was nowhere to be found, but this second voice was clearly visible—a disciple of the Confucian Sect. This second voice only served to confirm the first.

The Creation Jade Disc?

The greatest treasure in the world?

"Everyone, charge!" a demon king roared.

"Disciples of the Myriad Swords Sect, attack the formation with everything you have!"

"Disciples of the Five Villages Temple, charge!"

"Don't let that bastard Zilu get it first!"

In truth, Zilu hadn't even come on this expedition, but the crowd didn't care. Both Ran Deng and Maitreya turned red with excitement, each summoning their treasures as they too rushed into the fray. The scene grew even more chaotic than before as the true powerhouses finally joined the struggle.

The Creation Jade Disc—whoever possessed it could become the next Hongjun!

Meanwhile, Zhong Shan and his group had already left the scene.

With the chaos intensifying behind them, they made their way far from the frenzied battle, knowing that they had successfully diverted the attention of the entire crowd away from themselves and onto the ultimate treasure hidden within Biyou Palace.

"Poison!" A thunderous roar echoed, and Zhong Shan turned his head to see a towering column of black smoke rising in the distance. The air was filled with the clamor of battle.

"The Immortal Execution Sword Formation has finally been broken!" Mr. Corpse sighed.

"The zombie that entered the Biyou Palace earlier, along with the one that was calling out within the Immortal Execution Sword Formation just now—deal with them using fire. Leave no trace behind!" Zhong Shan commanded.

"Understood!" Mr. Corpse nodded in agreement. The four of them shot towards the south like arrows.

Meanwhile, at the Sacred Corpse Mountain, chaos had erupted. With the formation broken, the way to Biyou Palace lay open.

The Biyou Palace had no further restrictions, and soon people caught sight of the Creation Jade Scrolls inside.

Upon seeing the Creation Jade Scrolls, tempers flared, and faces turned red with envy. What followed was an all-out brawl. Immortals are often said to be detached from worldly desires, but that's because such desires are usually too easily satisfied to pique their interest. However, the Creation Jade Scrolls were different—a treasure so coveted that even saints would yearn for it. How could these immortals remain indifferent? A fierce melee broke out! This battle at Sacred Corpse Mountain would surely be known throughout the world!

Above, the white and green stars in the sky clashed more and more intensely, clearly reflecting Sa's realization that the Biyou Palace formation had been breached.

Half a month later, Zhong Shan and his companions arrived at the so-called Yellow Springs Road at their fastest speed. Pidu! Pidu was located in a land of Yin Sha, under the jurisdiction of Haotian, but generally, no immortals wished to come here—the power of Yin Sha was too overwhelming, capable of corrupting their spiritual energy. Ghost cultivators, of course, were the exception.

Though Pidu was a place few desired to visit, it was widely known because every month, at midnight on the full moon, the Ghost Gate would open! At that time, one could walk on the Yellow Springs Road and enter the Netherworld.

As a result, many powerful beings who wished to traverse the realms of Yin and Yang would gather here to await the opening of the Ghost Gate. Wherever there were people, there was commerce, and so various merchants gathered here as well, selling goods from both the Yin and Yang realms.

Despite the heavy Yin energy, a large crowd still gathered. Even though Zhong Shan and his party entered with a coffin in tow, they did not attract much attention. They found an inn and patiently awaited the opening of the Ghost Gate at midnight. Luo Xingchen and Nangong Sheng went out to scout the area, while Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse stayed behind at the inn.

"Mr. Corpse, what exactly is this coffin for?" Zhong Shan asked.

Zhong Shan pondered that if the coffin's use was not significant, it might be better to feed it to the Eight Extremities Heavenly Tail. Perhaps his own cultivation could benefit, and he could compensate Mr. Corpse more later.

Mr. Corpse glanced at Zhong Shan and then reached into the coffin to pull out a heart—still beating and dripping with blood, a sight both eerie and unsettling.

"Does the Holy King still remember this?" Mr. Corpse asked.

"Yes, you've used it before in rituals, to set up formations, and even as a weapon to fend off enemies. Even the Black Jade Talisman I gave Nangong Sheng couldn't withstand this heart in your hands!" Zhong Shan nodded.

"It seems to be the heart of a Saint," Mr. Corpse said solemnly.

"What?" Zhong Shan exclaimed in surprise.

"This heart has a long and ancient history, though the details are unclear. It could be a Saint's heart, or perhaps an Ancestor Immortal's heart, but the latter is unlikely to have been preserved so well over time. So, I suspect it's the heart of a Saint," Mr. Corpse explained.

Zhong Shan regarded the heart with great seriousness.

"This coffin can absorb resentment. I plan to place this heart inside, letting it absorb an immense amount of resentment to rebuild a body for the heart," Mr. Corpse said, his voice tinged with excitement.

Zhong Shan nodded deeply. Rebuilding a Saint? Not just Mr. Corpse, but Zhong Shan himself felt a surge of excitement at the thought.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8