Translator: CinderTL
Cui Xuanjing pointed at the valley and said, "Fellow Daoist Ye Hua, the Corpse Fiend Essence is located within this valley."
After carefully examining the valley, Ye Hua spoke, "Judging by the density of Corpse Qi here, it's indeed possible for a Corpse Fiend Essence to have formed. Fellow Daoist Cui, how do you plan to lure the Demon Corpse out of the valley?"
Cui Xuanjing waved his hand, and a fist-sized mass of blood-red flesh materialized out of thin air.
As it soaked in the seawater, the fresh blood within the flesh slowly seeped out, tinging the surrounding water with a faint metallic scent.
"Demon Corpses are extremely sensitive to living beings and Blood Qi. I've prepared a large quantity of fresh demon beast flesh, which I intend to scatter along the edge of the valley."
Ye Hua asked, "Why not simply toss the flesh outside the valley? Wouldn't it be easier to lure the Demon Corpse out that way?"
Cui Xuanjing replied, "Fellow Daoist, you don't understand. While other Demon Corpses are easily lured out, the Octopus Demon will never leave the valley willingly. I've tried several times, but all my attempts have failed. Otherwise, I wouldn't have needed to seek your assistance."
Ye Hua said, "Then let's proceed as you suggested, Fellow Daoist."
Cui Xuanjing said, "I'll have to trouble you, Fellow Daoist, to enter the valley and set up the Corpse Dao Formation. Remember to be cautious. Those Demon Corpses are lurking within the valley, concealed by the Corpse Qi. They're extremely difficult to detect and could strike at any moment."
Ye Hua frowned slightly.
Earlier, Cui Xuanjing had said he wouldn't need to enter the valley himself.
However, Ye Hua didn't object. After all, to set up the Corpse Dao Formation, he would inevitably have to enter the valley personally.
Cui Xuanjing instructed the Golden Core cultivators of the Cui Clan to wait at the original location before heading into the valley alone.
Ye Hua followed behind Cui Xuanjing with Song Wen and Meng Lengyu.
The four of them arrived at the summit of a stone mountain at the edge of the valley, overlooking the scene below.
The valley was pitch-black, and the Corpse Qi within seemed bound by some unseen force, rippling like waves in the ocean but never spilling over the valley's edge.
Ye Hua's expression was grim. His Spirit Sense could only penetrate the valley for a mere few dozen meters.
With such a limited range of perception, setting up a large-scale formation wouldn't be easy.
Cui Xuanjing raised his hand and pointed forward. A Fourth-Tier Ghost Emperor, at the late stage of cultivation, materialized before them.
The Ghost Emperor descended the stone mountain and entered the valley filled with the stench of Corpse Qi.
"Let's go, you three," Cui Xuanjing said, following behind the Ghost Emperor.
Ye Hua didn't hesitate. He called Song Wen and Meng Lengyu and followed closely behind.
The four humans and one ghost soon reached the valley floor.
The valley floor wasn't flat. Strange stone formations jutted out like inverted giant stone swords.
"Fellow Daoist Ye Hua, what kind of Formation do you plan to set up?" Cui Xuanjing asked.
Ye Hua replied, "I have a set of the Earthly Fiend Demon-Locking Formation. It's perfect for this place. This Formation requires nine Formation Flags, which need to be planted within a ten-mile radius. I'll need you to scout ahead, Fellow Daoist, and penetrate at least ten miles into the valley."
Spirit Sense was severely limited in this valley.
If Ye Hua wanted to plant the Formation Flags, he had to go himself.
"Very well," Cui Xuanjing agreed immediately. He urged the Ghost Emperor forward, deeper into the valley.
The four of them proceeded cautiously.
After traveling two miles, Ye Hua suddenly produced a foot-tall Formation Flag.
The flag was pitch-black, adorned with crimson mystic runes.
Ye Hua flicked his wrist, sending the Formation Flag shooting out like an arrow. It pierced into the jumbled rocks on the seabed and vanished from sight.
Just then, Cui Xuanjing suddenly flipped his palm, revealing a two-inch-long iron needle.
He raised his hand and flicked it, sending the needle hurtling forward.
For this attack, Cui Xuanjing didn't use any Spiritual Power, relying solely on his physical strength.
Even so, the needle moved with the speed of a shooting star, instantly crossing a hundred-foot distance and striking a ferocious-looking monster fish.
The monster fish was thirty feet long, covered in pitch-black scales, with bloodthirsty red eyes and a body shrouded in Corpse Qi.
It wasn't a living creature but a Demon Corpse formed from a demon beast.
The scales on the monster fish seemed impenetrable, but before the iron needle, they were as fragile as paper.
The needle effortlessly pierced through the monster fish's skull.
The monster fish's body stiffened instantly, the red glow in its eyes fading, and the Corpse Qi around it rapidly dissipating. It then slumped lifelessly to the seabed.
"When killing Demon Corpses, try not to use Spiritual Power," Cui Xuanjing explained in a low voice. "Otherwise, you might attract more of them."
He then continued deeper into the valley.
The process of setting up the Formation went smoothly. Ye Hua quickly planted eight Formation Flags, leaving only one remaining.
At this moment, the four of them were heading back towards the entrance of the valley.
Song Wen's expression suddenly shifted slightly.
But he didn't make any immediate move.
After waiting for about two breaths, he suddenly leaped forward, lunging towards Ye Hua.
At the same time, a short blade materialized before him.
It wasn't the Soul Cleaving Blade, but the Void Breaking Blade, which he hadn't used in a long time.
"Demon Sovereign, watch out!"
With Song Wen's shout, the Void Breaking Blade transformed into a brilliant arc of light, slashing towards the underwater rocks a few dozen feet to their left.
Ye Hua had sensed Song Wen's leap the moment he jumped.
He instinctively assumed Song Wen was trying to ambush him and was about to retaliate. But then he saw the blade's light didn't target him, but instead aimed directly at the rocks to their left.
Ye Hua immediately realized what was happening. He opened his mouth and spewed out a stream of Corpse Qi, which coalesced into a massive shield, blocking the left side of him and Song Wen.
"Gou Jun, what did you discover?" Ye Hua asked.
Before Song Wen could answer, the Void Breaking Blade had already pierced into the rocks.
The rocks were pulverized by the blade's Qi, sending debris swirling through the water. A snake head, as large as a washbasin, emerged from the chaos.
It was the corpse of a snake Demon.
The snake corpse had been hiding beneath the scattered rocks, only a few yards from Ye Hua. Yet he hadn't noticed its approach at all.
The Void Breaking Blade struck the snake's head with a clear, resonant hum, then was knocked away.
In contrast, the snake's head showed no damage other than a chunk of rotting flesh falling off.
Though unharmed, the snake corpse was thoroughly enraged.
It suddenly surged from beneath the rocks, its head held high, its jaws wide open to reveal sharp, grotesque fangs as it lunged at Song Wen.
Pfft!
A streak of black light flashed.
It was a four-inch-long Ghost Head Blade.
Cui Xuanjing had struck!
The Ghost Head Blade struck the snake corpse's seven-inch point—its most vulnerable spot.
The snake corpse was instantly split in two, its head soaring into the air while its body slumped lifelessly.
More than half of its body hadn't even managed to emerge from the rocks before it was slain.
Ye Hua stared at the severed head, his gaze icy.
This was a Third-Tier Peak snake corpse. With his strength, even if ambushed, the corpse would have been unable to harm him in the slightest.
However, if Gou Jun had been bitten, his fate would have been uncertain.
Faced with danger, Gou Jun's first instinct had been to sacrifice himself to save Ye Hua, which greatly surprised him.
"Gou Jun, well done. Upon returning to the sect, you will be richly rewarded!" Ye Hua said.
(End of the Chapter)
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