CHAPTER 491

"Heh heh, I just finished some appetizers, and now another grand feast has arrived.

I was just feeling unsatisfied, and yet you little lambs suddenly appeared.

It seems my luck is finally turning for the better!"

A chilling voice echoed through the village, drifting unpredictably, making it impossible to pinpoint its exact location.

"Who’s there?!"

Mu Tian and the others were startled. The voice was eerie and carried a sinister spiritual force that sent chills down their spines.

"Heh heh, if you want to see my true form, then deal with my little darlings first."

The voice remained elusive, but as the words fell, a horrifying sight unfolded before Mu Tian and his group.

A wave of black mist swept through the village path, and the dried corpses that had been lying scattered about suddenly began to stir.

One by one, they slowly rose from the ground, their bodies exuding thick black energy as they encircled Mu Tian and the others.

Their faces were twisted into monstrous expressions, their arms dangling limply, and their long, claw-like fingernails gleamed with a sinister black hue—just like demons from the abyss.

"This is bad! It's a corpse-refining demonic technique!"

Mu Tian and his group were utterly shocked.

They were certain that these people had been completely dead, their bodies devoid of any life force.

Yet now, these lifeless corpses had been reanimated.

There was only one possible explanation.

They had encountered a demonic cultivator skilled in the art of corpse refinement!

Years ago, when demonic cultivators ran rampant, there was one particularly infamous practitioner who commanded an army of refined corpses, launching an assault on an entire town. The massacre of thousands of innocent civilians had shaken the world.

Although that demonic cultivator was eventually slain, his corpse-refining technique left a lasting impression on the sects that had participated in his execution.

This was because the corpse puppets under his command had been so formidable that they rivaled ordinary martial cultivators in strength.

"Everyone, be careful! These corpse puppets, refined by dark arts, possess immense strength and bodies as tough as iron. Their claws are coated with lethal poison—do not let them wound you!

Once the corpse poison enters your body, even spiritual power will struggle to purge it!"

Mu Tian immediately issued a warning.

Just as his words fell, the dried corpses, which had been moving sluggishly moments ago, suddenly erupted with terrifying speed.

In an instant, they lunged toward the group.

Their black claws sliced through the air with deadly force, aiming straight for Mu Tian and his companions.

They moved as fast as martial grandmasters at the peak of the Postnatal Realm!

"Attack with full force! Their weakness is their heads!"

Mu Tian roared, brandishing his sword and unleashing a barrage of sword energy, slashing at the advancing corpses.

The others also sprang into action.

In an instant, sword energy and powerful strikes filled the air, crashing toward the surrounding corpse puppets.

Following Mu Tian’s advice, most of their attacks targeted the heads of these abominations.

Only Lu Qing stood motionless, merely observing.

Among them, the weakest were still in the Initial Innate Realm, and their mastery of sword energy and force was beyond question.

Although the corpse puppets were swift, they remained mindless husks incapable of adapting to attacks.

As a result, none of the strikes missed. Every corpse was struck, forcing them back.

However, as a series of dull thuds resounded, Mu Tian and the others were horrified to discover—

Their sword energy, aimed at the corpses' skulls, failed to cleave them apart.

Instead, the attacks merely left deep, bone-revealing gashes, failing to completely destroy them.

"What?!"

Mu Tian and the others were stunned. They hadn't expected the skulls of these corpse puppets to be so unnaturally tough.

Even their sword energy couldn’t penetrate them!

The corpse puppets felt no pain. After being pushed back, they simply shook their heads, let out a guttural snarl, and pounced once more.

Mu Tian and the others had no time to dwell on their shock. They launched another volley of sword energy.

Once again, they forced the corpse puppets back, leaving even more wounds on their heads.

But what happened next filled them with even greater dread.

Dark mist seeped out from the corpses' bodies.

Wherever the mist passed, the deep wounds carved by sword energy rapidly regenerated.

"They can recover this quickly?!"

Mu Tian's heart sank.

These corpse puppets were far more troublesome than he had anticipated.

Although their cultivation remained at the Postnatal Realm, their near-indestructible bodies were terrifying.

Not to mention their overwhelming numbers and complete disregard for pain or death.

Even with the trump cards he had yet to play, he still found this battle incredibly difficult.

But what unsettled him the most was—if the one who refined these corpses was this powerful, then what level of cultivation had they reached?

At that thought, Mu Tian hesitated.

He immediately shouted, "Everyone, this demonic cultivator is too cunning and dangerous. We should retreat for now!"

"Agreed!"

Zhao Feng and the others were equally disturbed by the situation.

No matter how they attacked, the corpses refused to die. But if even one of them was scratched, the corpse poison would spell disaster.

And on top of that, the demonic cultivator remained hidden, lurking in the shadows.

The moment Mu Tian suggested retreating, they all agreed without hesitation.

Gathering their strength, they unleashed another round of sword energy, forcing the corpse puppets back once more before attempting to flee.

"You think you can escape? Did you ask for my permission?"

But the demonic cultivator had no intention of letting them go so easily.

With a cold snort, a dark light surged around Qiu Family Village, forming intricate symbols that sealed off the entire area.

"A formation!"

Mu Tian’s expression darkened.

Now, he finally understood why these corpses were so powerful.

They were being strengthened by a formation.

"You actually recognize a formation? Not bad." The eerie voice chuckled. "Since you understand what’s happening, surrender now, or I’ll turn you into one of them!"

"Everyone, we’re in real trouble now. Our opponent is likely in the Foundation Establishment Realm!"

Mu Tian’s face turned grim.

The ability to set up such a massive corpse-refining formation meant that this demonic cultivator was far beyond the Innate Realm.

They were at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Foundation Establishment!

Hearing this, Zhao Feng and the others shuddered in terror.

If their opponent had reached that stage, then they had no hope of victory.

They all knew what kind of power a Foundation Establishment cultivator wielded.

After all, their own sects had elders at that level.

And those elders were beings they couldn’t even begin to challenge.

"Oh? You actually guessed my cultivation level? That makes things even worse for you!"

The eerie voice carried a hint of surprise.

The demonic cultivator immediately realized that these young cultivators likely hailed from powerful sects.

His gaze darkened. He could not afford to let them escape.

If he toyed with them for too long, there was no telling whether their sect elders were nearby.

With a sinister chant, the dark light around the village intensified.

Thick black mist surged from the ground, pouring into the corpse puppets.

As the black mist infused their bodies, the corpse puppets let out deafening roars.

Their auras suddenly skyrocketed—doubling in strength!