Chapter 244 - 242: Corpse Refining Sect Branch
In the thick fog, the overwhelming sense of oppression surged, making one’s heart race, as if they couldn’t resist the urge to turn and flee.
However, the three of them were not ordinary people. Their expressions remained calm, unaffected by the oppressive fog.
The horse snorted, not stopping, and continued trotting forward.
The spiritual power of the three spread out, sensing the surrounding environment.
Before long, the mist surged violently, with dozens of ghostly green eyes flickering in and out of view in the fog.
"Senior, let me." Song Changming, being the youngest among the three, spoke first.
"No need." Nan Wuji raised his hand, and soon there were eight Crimson Swords at his fingertips that Song Changming had seen before.
With just a thought, the Crimson Swords traced arcs of red light, instantly vanishing into the fog.
Moments later, the eight Crimson Swords returned, transforming back into Inner Qi and merging into Nan Wuji’s body.
Song Changming watched, and although it wasn’t his first time seeing it, he couldn’t help but silently marvel in his heart.
He wondered what level of Sword Formulas the Sword Venerable had mastered, as the application of Sword Qi was truly extraordinary and remarkable.
Previously, he had never seen released Inner Qi that could be retrieved and reused.
He had to admit, this technique was quite ’economical.’ Otherwise, controlling eight such concentrated Crimson Sword Qi would surely consume a vast amount of energy, unlike how Nan Wuji wielded it with such ease.
The horses they rode did not stop, continuing forward.
And the ghostly green beast eyes in the fog had vanished.
Upon sensing, only a multitude of wolf corpses remained.
This kind of fierce beast pack, residing near the Outer Realm’s borders, posed no real threat to them.
Only by venturing deep into the Outer Domain would genuine dangers appear.
Two days later.
In the fog, atop a barren mountain, dust and sand swirled in the air.
Buildings constructed from sand and stone stood on the barren mountain, numerous in count.
Many figures moved within.
On a massive boulder, a few ancient characters were carved.
Translated, it spelled out Corpse Refining Sect’s sub-altar!
The air was filled with the scent of blood and the stench of rotting flesh, making one nauseous.
The three arrived here, Song Changming looked around, noticing the sand shifting in the wind, many traces soaked in blood, dark red in appearance.
At the foot of the barren mountain, numerous dried corpses were stumbling back and forth.
Anyone unaware, sensing this desolate scene, might have thought they had entered the land of Rakshasa Hell.
Nan Wuji was about to summon the Crimson Swords again, but Su Yaoguang suddenly said, "This time, let me."
With that, Su Yaoguang waved ahead, and a vast silver Moonlight scattered the fog, spreading over the sandy barren land in front.
Those refined dried corpses had no resistance, all struck down by the Moonlight, their limbs shattered, unable to rise.
Song Changming’s eyes narrowed.
This was the first time in two days that Su Yaoguang had taken action.
It had to be said, the intensity of this Moonlight Inner Qi was truly high, even compared to Nan Wuji’s Inner Qi, it wasn’t much weaker!
"Enemies approaching!"
"Enemy attack!"
On the barren mountain, the massive commotion immediately alerted the Corpse Refining Sect members.
Soon, many members hurriedly drove their Corpse Puppets toward them.
"Who dares! Are you tired of living, daring to attack my Corpse Refining Sect!"
The sharp rebuke echoed from afar.
"Finish quickly, I’ll check the mountain." After saying this, Nan Wuji summoned a Crimson Sword and then astonishingly stepped onto it.
The Crimson Sword carried him over all the Corpse Puppets and Corpse Refining Sect members, heading toward the mountain.
"Sword Flight?!" Song Changming was momentarily stunned, not expecting that the Sword Qi in Nan Wuji’s hands could be used like this...
Moments later, from within the hall atop the barren mountain, an enraged shout echoed.
"Nan Wuji!!"
"Not good!" The Corpse Refining Sect members who had just rushed down the mountain hesitated, contemplating returning to reinforce the mountain.
However, a layer of Moonlight had already descended upon them, like an unbearable weight pressing on them.
Within it, all dried and decaying corpses crumbled, and even the Black-eyed Corpse Puppet could only hold out for a moment before being destroyed.
Only the White-eyed Corpse Puppets could withstand this moonlight, not being completely destroyed in one encounter.
"Kill!"
"Ah, ah, kill her!"
The frightened Corpse Refining Sect members looked from a distance at the gentle figure in white, commanding the White-eyed Corpse Puppets to charge forward.
At this moment, Song Changming wouldn’t just stand by and watch; he dismounted his horse.
As he looked at the oncoming White-eyed Corpse Puppets, he took a step forward.
Almost simultaneously, Thunder Light flashed across his body.
Crack...
Song Changming disappeared from the spot, turning into a shadow.
With two slashes of the Gale, the heads of two White-eyed Corpse Puppets were immediately severed, flung by the wind.
Once, Song Changming needed to activate the Blood Burst Secret Technique to slay the White-eyed Corpse Puppets.
Now encountering them again, he could instantly kill them in just one encounter with his normal strength!
They lacked the skill in sword forms to dissipate force like Nan Wuji, directly facing Song Changming’s long blade. No matter how tough their skin, muscles, and bones were, they couldn’t withstand it!
Song Changming’s speed did not decrease, rushing through the passage he opened, and wherever he passed, the corpse puppets were annihilated, swept up in the gale.
"Not good!"
The group of Corpse Refining Sect members’ faces changed drastically, wanting to escape now.
However, their strongest corpse puppets couldn’t stop Song Changming; how could they escape?
In just a moment, under the barren mountain, nothing stirred except the blowing wind, sand, and a ground full of wailing.
Facing the Corpse Refining Sect members, Song Changming spared some lives, severely injuring them for interrogation about information concerning the Outer Realm.
As outsiders entering the Outer Domain, they wandered around like headless flies, seeking a path to the Ancient Abyss Country, an almost impossible feat.
The best way was to consult the locals, who lived in this Outer Domain for years and naturally knew more about it.
Thus, after entering the thick fog, they came to this stronghold set by the Corpse Refining Sect as their first station for gathering information and intelligence.
"Hmph, kill or slash, do as you please, but don’t expect to learn anything from our mouths!"
After hearing Song Changming’s questioning, a Corpse Refining Sect member retorted fiercely, incredibly stubborn and unwilling to cooperate with Song Changming’s group.
Song Changming didn’t hesitate either; with a casual stroke of his long blade, he released a Fire Attribute Blade Qi, severing the head of that Corpse Refining Sect member, not giving him a chance to utter another word.
"Wash your necks clean. Committing such acts, the Sect will never forgive you!" threatened another, invoking the Corpse Refining Sect’s presence.
He naturally was also cut down by Song Changming with one swing.
For such hard bones, Song Changming didn’t want to waste words.
"Who else has lived long enough?" Song Changming glanced at the others.
The remaining dozens of people saw Song Changming’s decisive killing, and all temporarily silenced themselves.
"Does anyone know the Bottomless Abyss?" Song Changming started to interrogate as he carried his blade.
The crowd looked at each other, worried, yet none could answer.
Someone, afraid that Song Changming might start a slaughter, mentioned that perhaps many elders within the Corpse Refining Sect might know.
"Song Xiaodi, I’ll leave this here to you."
Seeing no valuable intelligence could be gathered from these people, Su Yaoguang shook her head, then leapt up, gliding onto the mountain.
"Where is the Corpse Refining Sect?" Song Changming continued to ask.
Whether for survival or simply being terrified by Song Changming, this time the Corpse Refining Sect members laid everything bare.
In the process, Song Changming gathered more related intelligence about the Corpse Refining Sect.
Those who could summon White-eyed Corpse Puppets weren’t small fry within the Corpse Refining Sect. They had a certain status and strength, and knew quite a bit about the sect’s matters.
"Do you recognize Ding Yanyun?" Song Changming suddenly changed the topic and asked.
This Ding Yanyun was the person he killed five or six years ago; it was from him that Song Changming learned it was he who took away his elder brother’s corpse.
Now that the person was dead, he left behind a clue, a lead to trace the whereabouts of his brother’s remains.
"I, I recognize him, but he disappeared years ago..." someone hesitated before speaking cautiously.
"I know. I killed him," Song Changming said slowly, his voice chilling.
Upon hearing this, the person’s expression froze instantly, turning ghastly pale and panicked, fearing Song Changming would turn his wrath on him because of Ding Yanyun.
"What was your relationship with him?" Song Changming asked further.
The person attempted to lie and conceal, his gaze avoided eye contact, only to be awakened when Song Changming cut off two of his fingers with a slash, truthfully confessing everything.
...