Chapter 743: The Terror of the Xiantian Spiritual Corpse
Boom!
An devastating roar ripped through the air as a bronze coffin erupted from the storage ring on Qin Yuan's right hand. It shot forth and hovered in mid-air, instantly unleashing an aura so terrifying that even a Land Immortal would feel utterly insignificant before it.
The ancient bronze was etched with a dense network of mysterious runes. They swirled across its surface, seeming to bloom and fade like a field of spectral white lotuses.
The moment the coffin appeared, the world changed. Dark clouds swarmed in from nowhere, swallowing the bright moon whole. The very air grew thick and heavy, becoming stagnant and difficult to breathe. The wind died in its tracks, and a deep, unnatural silence fell over the Shaman God Cult's altar.
The fervent, triumphant expressions on the faces of the cult's experts froze into masks of sheer terror. Their eyes, wide with disbelief, were fixed on the bronze coffin suspended above.
"W-what is that thing?"
"By the heavens, a coffin just… appeared in the sky?"
"Such a horrifying aura… What kind of monster is sealed inside?"
"Don't panic! We have the Venerable Master!"
Only moments ago, the situation had been entirely in their favor. The Venerable Master had effortlessly suppressed all the invading experts. But the sudden appearance of this bronze coffin cast a deep, ominous shadow over their hearts, filling them with a dreadful premonition.
Even Wu Shenyun's delicate brows furrowed. Her phoenix eyes, sharp and grave, stared intently at the coffin. A primal warning screamed through her instincts. Goosebumps prickled across her fair skin, and an involuntary shudder wracked her powerful frame.
It felt as if a cataclysmic power was contained within that bronze prison, an unimaginably vast energy waiting to be unleashed. If it were to detonate, she had no doubt it would scour the land for ten li in every direction, razing the Shaman God Cult's main altar to dust.
'The Yun Slave's perception is quite keen.'
Through the Divine-Grade Master-Servant Contract, Shen An sensed the deep unease gripping Wu Shenyun's heart. He felt no worry, however. Instead, a faint, interested smile touched his handsome face as he observed the hovering coffin.
Wu Shenyun's intuition was not wrong. The energy contained within that bronze shell was indeed unimaginable, perhaps even greater than that of a three-megaton nuclear warhead.
Sealed inside was Qin Yuan's greatest trump card, the ultimate treasure of the reborn Jing River Corpse Fisher: the Xiantian Spiritual Corpse, a being nurtured for over a thousand years by the legendary Ancient Corpse Refining Sect.
The Xiantian Spiritual Corpse was a miracle, a being blessed by the very creation of heaven and earth. The Corpse Refining Sect had then sealed it within this bronze coffin, feeding it countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures for a millennium. The energy condensed within its body was easily a hundred times greater than that of a cultivator at the Fake Core Formation Stage.
The Fake Core Formation Stage was a transitional realm, a bridge between the peak of Foundation Establishment and the true Golden Core. A cultivator at this level possessed a nascent Golden Core, but one that had not yet been tempered by the fires of a heavenly lightning tribulation and had not undergone the essential transformation.
If this Xiantian Spiritual Corpse could successfully pass its tribulation, it would forge a true Golden Core. At that point, it would likely be able to sweep through all other cultivators in the same realm, an almost invincible existence.
However, a being so favored by creation was also envied by the heavens. The difficulty of its lightning tribulation was ten, or even a hundred times greater than that of an ordinary cultivator.
In his previous life, Qin Yuan had never dared to let the Xiantian Spiritual Corpse attempt its tribulation. His plan had been to first break through to the Golden Core realm himself, then refine her into a Xiantian Lifebound Corpse Puppet. Only then, with his power protecting her, would he help her face the heavenly wrath. The thought of her being damaged by the lightning was something he couldn't bear.
Qin Yuan already considered this Xiantian Spiritual Corpse, Yaoyao, to be his wife. His obsession was like that of a shut-in with his favorite figurine; he was simply waiting for her to pass the tribulation and gain sentience so they could be married on the spot.
Had he succeeded, Qin Yuan would have become a titan even among Golden Core cultivators, an invincible peer who could dominate the mortal world as a global leader.
But in his previous life, Shen An had cut him down while he was still in the Fake Core Formation Stage. And in this life, he wouldn't even have the chance to reach Foundation Establishment.
A cold, mocking arc formed on Shen An's lips. His eyes burned with a covetous fire as he stared at the bronze coffin. He had waited so long, played such a patient game, all for this one prize: the Xiantian Spiritual Corpse.
...
'Yaoyao, I'll have to trouble you to make a move.'
As Qin Yuan gazed at the bronze coffin, his cold, venomous expression softened into a strange tenderness.
The moment he had first inherited the legacy of the Ancient Corpse Refining Sect and laid eyes upon the Xiantian Spiritual Corpse, Yaoyao, he had fallen in love. It was an instant, hopeless captivation. Betrayed by his ex-girlfriend, he had developed a deep-seated resentment for living women and had resigned himself to dying alone. But after seeing Yaoyao, a new, brilliant idea had taken root in his mind.
He would help her pass her tribulation. He would awaken her consciousness. Then, she would become his Dao Companion. Together, they would roam the cultivation world, collecting powerful corpse puppets, seeking out rare treasures, growing ever stronger, and chasing immortality.
But just as he had painstakingly reached the Fake Core Formation Stage, he had run into the terrifying existence known as Shen An. He had died, and all his dreams had turned to ash.
His crime? He had only dug up the ancestral graves of Yanxia's Shen Clan and An Clan. Was that truly so unforgivable? For that, Shen An had chased him for thirty thousand li, from Yanxia all the way to South America. It was utterly excessive! He had desecrated countless tombs in his life; it was just digging up a grave! Did he really need to go that far?
'In this life, I, Qin Yuan, will not repeat my mistakes! I will achieve the Golden Core! I will help Yaoyao achieve the Golden Core! And Shen An, He Peng, Tan Yan… all who have wronged me… their entire families and clans will become my corpse puppets, commanded by my will!'Qin Yuan's heart was a cold, black stone of vengeance. He had no intention of merely killing his great enemy Shen An, his treacherous former brother He Peng, or his backstabbing ex-girlfriend Tan Yan. No, their entire bloodlines would be forfeit. They would all become his puppets, his stepping stones to glory.'Wu Shenyun, you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. I originally wanted to form a fine alliance with you. Since you refuse to listen to reason, don't blame me for being ruthless. I will kill you and turn you into a fine corpse puppet.'
A chilling light flashed in Qin Yuan's eyes as he glanced in Wu Shenyun's direction. He then bit down hard on his thumb and, with a flick of his wrist, formed a complex hand seal.
"Go!"
With his soft cry, a blood-colored rune shot from his fingertip. It transformed into a streak of mystical light that instantly enveloped the bronze coffin.
The next moment.
Creeeak... scraaape...
The heavy lid of the bronze coffin began to slide open on its own, the sound of grinding metal echoing in the deathly silence. Within, the Xiantian Spiritual Corpse was revealed.
Her eyes were tightly closed. She wore ornate palace attire of an ancient style, making her look exceptionally gorgeous. Her face was a work of peerless beauty, seemingly no older than eighteen. Her skin was like flawless ice, her features like carved jade, without a single imperfection.
'What a magnificent face.'
Shen An couldn't help but feel a flicker of genuine astonishment. He had seen countless beauties in his life; every Destined Heroine was a goddess of the highest caliber. But upon seeing this Xiantian Spiritual Corpse, Yaoyao, even he was left searching for words.
Her face could only be described as a masterpiece. It was as if the wonder of heaven's creation, the very essence of beauty itself, had been poured into this one form.
In all his life, Shen An had never seen its equal. Only the mysterious Su Muyue and Huangfu Xian—whose soul was still recuperating—could possibly compare. The other Destined Heroines, as stunning as they were, seemed just a shade less divine.
Of course, it wasn't that the others were lacking. The difference was one of fundamental life level. This corpse was a being of innate spiritual perfection. If the other heroines reached the apex of their cultivation and underwent their own ultimate transformations, they might one day match this otherworldly charm.
'No wonder Qin Yuan, a man who hated women after his betrayal, fell for her at first sight. She is simply too beautiful. It's a beauty that transcends mortal desire and touches upon the divine.'
Shen An felt a wave of understanding. Though he had seen Yaoyao's face in Qin Yuan's memories, seeing her in person was a far more shocking experience.
If even his composed mind was stirred, the others were utterly lost.
The experts of the Shaman God Cult were completely mesmerized, their jaws slack and their eyes glazed over in a stupor.
Wu Shenyun was utterly astonished. Inside that dreadful coffin was… such a peerless, beautiful corpse?
But as her warrior's senses cut through the awe, a cold dread seized her heart.
"Not good..."
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]