Chapter 111: The Powerful and Mysterious Profound Corpse Sect (Please Subscribe)

Wanzu Island.

The sky above the center of the island was shrouded in a mass of black fog, the rolling vapors seemingly containing the hideous shadows of ghosts and demons. From time to time, sharp, jarring screeches echoed from within the mist.

Between the gusts of black wind and the eerie wails, the Profound Corpse Sect finally looked like a proper demonic cult. Beneath the black fog, circling the island, stood dense forests of tombstones and layered rows of tomb-houses. Along the perimeter, one could see scenes of people burning paper money outside the graves—descendants coming to pay respects to their ancestors.

The Profound Corpse Sect was quite considerate; at the island's landing points, they had established specialized shops for spirit paper and offerings. Paper replicas of fairy palaces and celestial beasts were available in all price ranges. There was the "Luxury Heavenly Palace" package for two thousand spirit stones, and simple paper money blessed with seal imprints for three spirit stones a bundle. If one lacked spirit stones, that was fine too; one could simply find a spot and kowtow. As long as one felt their ancestor could "make a living" within the island's ancestral circle, it was enough.

Furthermore, there were professional funeral bands on standby, along with services for proxy ancestral worship and "playing the grandson" to wail and mourn. The entire process could be recorded with projection spheres, guaranteeing quality and quantity—the crying would be heartfelt enough to move the heavens, and the kowtowing vigorous enough to split the earth and draw blood from the forehead.

Unlike the bustling scene outside, the mountain ranges deep within the island were veiled in thick black fog, impenetrable to outsiders. In the center of these mountains, a massive complex of black palaces hung suspended, supported by four mountain peaks, with black waterfalls cascading down from all sides.

"Qingming." A cold voice rang out within the palace.

In a side hall, a girl in a black dress with a face as pale as death flew up and landed outside the main hall.

"The residual restrictions on that mineral island in the east are fluctuating. Go and take a look."

"Yes, Master."

The girl clapped her hands. With a thunderous sound from the side hall, a black giant ape, six meters tall, stepped out. The girl rose into the air and landed on its left shoulder.

"Take the teleportation array. Be careful; do not be careless."

"This disciple understands."

Inside the main hall, black curtains floated, moving without wind. In the center, surrounded by these curtains, was a circular bed several meters wide, imbued with dense spiritual energy. Sitting cross-legged on the bed was a beautiful person with a jade-like face, wearing a jade crown, their beauty comparable to the stars. The eyebrows between their eyes were long, drooping down and drifting gently. This was the renowned Sect Master of the Profound Corpse Sect in the Myriad Star Sea: True Person Yinmei.

"May our ancestors protect us."

True Person Yinmei’s brows knit slightly, a flicker of sorrow appearing on their face, enough to stir pity in any observer. Then, they rose gently and stood on the bed. Tapping their fair, white feet against the surface, a black halo immediately lit up, weaving into an arcane rune that swallowed them whole.

Beneath the bed lay a hidden grotto-heaven. A thick, fragrant scent filled the air, with three massive sandalwood incense sticks burning in a censer, smoke curling upwards. As True Person Yinmei descended, their face underwent a strange transformation: a hint of heroic vigor appeared between their brows, and their delicate, pale cheeks became angular. They had transformed from a female cultivator into the likeness of a man.

"May our ancestors protect us."

The cold voice became husky and majestic at this moment, radiating authority. Kneeling on the cushion before the censer, True Person Yinmei performed the ritual of three prostrations and nine kowtows. Only after lighting shorter incense sticks did they look up at the spirit tablets above.

This space was packed densely with tablets. The one at the very top was several meters tall, shaped like a palace, and unlike the others, it was shrouded in a faint blood-red light, pulsating with spiritual sentience. This was not a spirit tablet, but a "salary tablet"—for cultivators who have passed away, spirit tablets are used, but for those still alive, salary tablets are placed.

On this highest tablet, written in ancient immortal script, were the words: *Position of the Founding Ancestor of the Corpse Immortal Sect, the Transformation-God Level Corpse-Evil Spirit Venerable.*

In the world of cultivation, Golden Core cultivators are called True Persons, Nascent Soul cultivators are called True Monarchs, and Transformation-God cultivators are called Spirit Venerables.

Beneath the highest tablet, all other tablets, large or small, were shrouded in an aura of death.

Below the Founder:
*Spirit Tablet of the Transformation-God Ancestor, the Lushi Spirit Venerable.*
*Spirit Tablet of the Transformation-God Ancestor, the Yuanshi Spirit Venerable.*
*Spirit Tablet of the Transformation-God Ancestor, the Huajiang Spirit Venerable.*

Beneath the three Transformation-God ancestors, the tablets were a size smaller, belonging to the Nascent Soul True Monarchs:
*Spirit Tablet of the Late-Stage Nascent Soul Ancestor, True Monarch Blood Pupa.*
...Late-stage Nascent Soul...
...Mid-stage Nascent Soul...

"May our ancestors protect us, that the sect may continue to be passed down."

True Person Yinmei gazed at these tablets, their eyes somewhat dazed. Once upon a time, the Corpse Immortal Sect had ancestors who ascended and possessed three generations of Transformation-God Spirit Venerables, shaking the entire cultivation world. Now, they could only linger on in a corner of the world, suffering from constant outside pressure.

"If not for that ancestor..." Yinmei looked at the blood-red, shimmering salary tablet at the top.

As long as the "Needle of the Sea" remained, the Corpse Immortal Sect could not be destroyed. They dared not gamble. Yinmei let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. Cause and effect, retribution is swift. The Corpse Immortal Sect of the past had been too arrogant, too overbearing. *Cough, cough*—they had dug up too many ancestral graves. Otherwise, they would not have suffered this catastrophe. Such is fate.

After finishing the incense, the angular features on True Person Yinmei's face gradually rounded out, and the feminine aura returned. "Ancestors above, this disciple will carve a new path to restore the glory of the Immortal Sect."

Returning to the palace, True Person Yinmei breathed a slow sigh of relief. The two peaks on their chest swelled again, and their voice returned to its cold, feminine tone.

...

Haiyuan Island.

Oh, Shen Lian was no longer on Haiyuan Island. After discovering the blood-red runes beneath the water, he had run off. Not only did he flee, but he also tossed the minerals he had dredged up into a pond on a small island along his route.

By now, he had escaped two thousand miles away. Before him appeared an island called "Stone Mountain," which even had a small marketplace for cultivators. In the waters near Haiyuan Island, the level of cultivation was extremely low—a seventh-layer Qi Refiner was considered an expert—so the marketplace was naturally modest.

After observing the island from afar and circling it twice, he found a suitable place to hide. Having run two thousand miles, Shen Lian wondered if he was merely frightening himself. Being cautious was fine, but one shouldn't be like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. The Haiyuan Island mine was contested by the Profound Corpse Sect and the Black Shark Tribe; it was perfectly normal to set up formations in the mines. The Profound Corpse Sect were experts in corpse puppets; it made perfect sense for them to set up equipment for refining them there.

This Stone Mountain Island lay directly on the route to Haiyuan Island. If there were any trouble, the Profound Corpse Sect cultivators would surely pass by here. He would verify the situation again here; if there was no movement after half a year or a year, he could still return to retrieve his minerals.

Half a month later, in the open sea off Stone Mountain Island.

A small spirit boat sped like lightning, its speed creating a streak of light across the sea. On the boat, Qingming floated in her black dress, a small black ape perched on her shoulder, constantly letting out roars.

"It was hard on you to accompany me in seclusion for several years. If there's nothing wrong at Haiyuan Island, I'll take you to hunt some sea beasts to relax after we return."

"Roar!" Hearing this, the black ape immediately grew to two meters tall, beating its chest with its hands and letting out a roar that shook the heavens.

"Put it away, we must make haste."

The spirit boat disappeared in the distance. Beneath the water, a fish flickered. In a trance, the fish transformed into a human shape. Shen Lian did not surface, but he clearly saw the departing figure.

"Judging by the direction, they are indeed heading to Haiyuan Island."

"A Tier 2 High-Grade Spirit Beast, the Black Nether Demon Ape!"

Through the roar of the demon beast, Shen Lian knew who had arrived. While traveling through the territory of the Profound Corpse Sect, he had heard plenty of news. For instance, True Person Yinmei’s direct disciple, Qingming, had a high-grade Water Spirit Root and was already at the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment at just sixty years old; she was considered a "True Person-in-waiting."

"They came fast, only half a month." Shen Lian sighed. His discarded minerals—well, the other ores were nothing special, but those two pieces of Profound Spirit Jade Marrow raw stone... But then, thinking they were ores used for refining corpse puppets and might have been inscribed with some forbidden technique, his heart settled.

He took out a sea chart and glanced at it. Since he was no longer in seclusion, he would head north. The Northern Sea Corner Immortal City was the transit hub from the Myriad Star Sea to the Southern Sea Region. After carefully studying the chart, Shen Lian decided on his route north: he would avoid the major immortal cities, stick to remote island regions and small markets, and sell some "Happy Pills" on the side to recoup his spirit stones.

But before that, he needed to find a place to settle down. The insight points he had accumulated over the past few years were sufficient; it was time to level up his side profession.

...

Wanzu Island, Profound Corpse Main Hall.

"Master, this disciple has returned from investigating Haiyuan Island."

Qingming stood outside the floating curtains, bowing to True Person Yinmei. The black ape on her shoulder also jumped down and kowtowed respectfully.

"I received your message, but explain it in more detail."

Yinmei asked; she needed to be sure.

"Master, after investigation, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Sea-race cultivators were on the island, and I found traces of cultivators building dwellings. It is likely just some cultivators collecting poison gas on the island. As for the residual restrictions at the bottom of the mine, after years of erosion by corpse aura and poison, it is normal for them to fluctuate."

Yinmei nodded, saying nothing. Normal was good. What she feared was the abnormal.

When the Corpse Immortal Sect was besieged by various factions years ago, the sect elders died in battle, and she had escaped to the Myriad Star Sea with a remnant of disciples, hiding their strength, changing their name, and developing cautiously. Yet, they still couldn't hide from their old enemies. Those enemies didn't dare to truly exterminate the sect's lineage, but they could secretly trip them up and block the sect's path to development.

The mine beneath Haiyuan Island had been an excellent Gold-Water ley line, capable of nourishing a Five-Elements Water Spirit Corpse—a supreme immortal technique obtained by a previous elder from the Five Elements Immortal Palace. Originally, everything had gone smoothly; the talismans needed in the depths of the ley line were ready, and even the water-attribute spirit corpse had been found. Just as everything was about to begin, the sea-race tribes had attacked. She had initially thought they were greedy for the Tier 3 mine, but after clashing for a while, she realized the Black Shark Tribe was acting on secret orders from a major sea-race power to prevent the nourishing of the Water Spirit Corpse.

Thus, after a hundred-year stalemate, she had been forced to destroy the arrangements in the mine to end the constant drain. That was why she had sent Qingming to investigate. The influence of those powers was omnipresent; one word from them, and the various factions and alien races of the Myriad Star Sea would be eager to prove their loyalty.

"Ancestors, the mess you left behind is too big."

The cause of the past was the fruit of today. It was the fault of the Corpse Immortal Sect for being too arrogant. They hadn't quite reached the point of being universally despised or causing chaos across the entire cultivation world, but the Corpse Immortal Sect of that era had played a "high-end game," only targeting Nascent Soul cultivators and ignoring the common sects. Furthermore, they hadn't been discreet about the Five Elements Immortal Corpse technique, letting many factions know they possessed it.

Once they had any momentum for development, they would be subjected to invisible suppression. With the tacit approval of the major powers, the Profound Corpse Sect could keep its inheritance, but development was unnecessary. The Myriad Star Sea was not small; the Profound Corpse Sect could just hop around in this big bathtub.

"Sigh..." True Person Yinmei sighed. A Nascent Soul cultivator has a lifespan of three thousand years. She was already twenty-four hundred years old and stuck at the early Nascent Soul stage; progress was harder than ascending to heaven. If she didn't advance, she had at most a thousand years left.

Once they had roamed the cultivation world, now they were playing house in a bathtub with a group of juniors, not daring to show their strength, always claiming to be a "True Person," and even having faked their own death once to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Coming back to her senses, Yinmei saw Qingming still standing outside. "If there is no movement, that is fine. Go and cultivate."

"Master, this disciple wishes to visit the Sea King Sect’s secret realm."

"The Sea King Sect? What is there to see in such a small secret realm? Let them play." The Sea King Sect was famous in the Myriad Star Sea, but they had only produced one early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator; True Person Yinmei didn't look down on them—she simply didn't care.

Suddenly, Yinmei thought of something. "Go, then. And summon the Elder of Affairs."

Before long, an old man in black robes entered the main hall.

"Sect Master."

"Elder Yin, how many Foundation Establishment corpses have entered the sect in these past few years?"

"Sect Master, in the last decade, only three Foundation Establishment cultivators have passed away and been brought into the sect."

"Too slow." Yinmei frowned.

A five-colored jade slip flashed in her hand, revealing five illusory spirit corpses, each covered in dense runes and accompanied by detailed refining methods. The five spirit corpses could be merged into one: the Immortal Corpse. The current Great Guardian Formation of the Profound Corpse Sect was derived from this jade slip. The "Ten Thousand" in the "Ten Thousand Foundations" formation was an abstract number; the actual requirement exceeded ten thousand, perhaps tens of thousands.

Refining ten thousand corpses to turn corpses into gods.

The Five Elements Immortal Palace had left behind many techniques related to the five elements, covering every aspect. After years of inheritance and evolution, many new methods had branched out and spread widely through the cultivation world.

...

Dongsheng Immortal City.

Lingchen Rice Shop.

"Shopkeeper, do you have any spiritual rice with slightly weaker spiritual energy?"

A middle-aged cultivator with a weathered face walked into the shop, hands tucked into his sleeves, and asked the shopkeeper. "Spiritual potatoes will do, too."