Chapter 229: Chapter 182: Shared Lethal Strike

Re-entering the Corpse Bone Forest, the trees outside were all bare, the ground covered in decaying leaves. If the previous impression of the Corpse Bone Forest was eerie, now it was just desolation.

Traversing through the front hall and the central courtyard, they came to the back forest, surrounded by withered trees, where they could see the immense and terrifying figure of the Corpse King Dragon Roaming from afar.

But when they finally stood before it, Pharmacist’s Wish couldn’t help but be overwhelmed.

So big!

Roughly estimating, the Corpse King was about two zhang tall. If they were to attack it closely, they would have to look up to see its head. The hands and feet of the Corpse King were as thick as multiple stacked corpses. This was not a metaphor but a straightforward description: its entire body was composed of countless corpses.

From a distance, it wasn’t evident, but up close, its surface was covered with dried corpses. However, it didn’t look horrifying, as most of the dried corpses were integrated into it, like a tombstone built with many corpses.

Indeed, rather than seeing it as a living being, it was more like a tombstone.

But such a physique...

"Actually, two days ago, we were making significant progress," Prajna said. "Such a massive Demon King is obviously cumbersome in movement and attack. In fact, it was as expected; it could launch wide-range sweeping attacks or even ground-shaking attacks, but all within our dodging capabilities. We could even leave the back forest, and it wouldn’t pursue us."

"Though its injuries gradually healed, according to our experience in other Third-Turn Secret Realms, with just one more day of effort, we could completely defeat it. As we expected, the Corpse King was continuously weakened by us, with bones dropping bit by bit until it became what you see now—it was about twice as robust before."

Though Prajna said this effortlessly, the Corpse King, after all, was a Third-Turn Demon King. If it were so simple, the Third-Turn Secret Realm wouldn’t be a notorious challenge causing Military Town to suffer losses.

But Prajna, Beiyou, Blood Phase were top warriors among the Third-Turn Messengers. Each could independently lead strikes on Third-Turn Secret Realms in Military Town. When the three teamed up against the Corpse King, consuming Spiritual Jade without care, they made it look easy.

"But after a certain threshold, the Corpse King began to use its killer move," Prajna showed a gloomy expression. "For the next three days, we focused solely on studying how to counter the Corpse King’s killer move."

The knowledge that Demon Kings had killer moves was well-known. Even Zhen San Mountain’s Zheng Shan, from the First-Turn Secret Realm, had a move called Moon Ring Slash. How could the Corpse King of the Third-Turn Secret Realm not have one?

Pharmacist’s Wish couldn’t help but become serious upon hearing this. A killer move that could leave the three Great Guardians at their wits’ end must be extraordinarily unpredictable or unimaginably powerful.

"Saying more can’t compare to seeing once," Blood Phase suddenly said. "You all stay here, I’ll give you a look. Prajna."

Upon hearing this, Prajna handed his Marvelous Zen Staff to Blood Phase, who took it, not intending to use it, but carried it on his back.

Saying this, Blood Phase turned into a shadow, stepping into the back forest. At the moment he crossed the boundary, the head of the Corpse King Dragon Roaming erupted with eerie blue-green flames. Though it was a head, it was also composed of countless withered skulls, faintly resembling a middle-aged man’s visage.

"Traitor... traitor!" the Corpse King roared, reaching out with a massive, misty black hand to grab Blood Phase. Compared to the Corpse King’s palm, Blood Phase was akin to a cockroach crawling on the ground!

But the thing cockroaches excel at is running away. Blood Phase almost instantly reached the Corpse King’s feet, slicing its feet continually with his hands like razors. The Corpse King roared in fury, but could not catch him. In no time, its legs were covered with numerous wounds, oozing filthy liquid. Judging by Blood Phase’s furrowed brows, this liquid was decidedly not the fragrant Jade Dew.

Suddenly, the Corpse King looked up and roared, "Traitor, today I, Dragon Roaming, will rid Jianghu of a great scourge, take my Dragon-Slaying Seal!"

Though it was called the Dragon-Slaying Seal, the Corpse King’s right hand gathered murky, deep black mist. The sky resounded with thunder, dark black lightning entwining its hand, like a dragon being outlined. Indeed, a ferocious black dragon’s thunder appeared within the mist!

It bellowed, casting the Dragon-Slaying Seal upon Blood Phase. It was imaginable that once unleashed, it would have an earth-shattering lethality, beyond what any Third-Turn Messenger could withstand!

Yet the scene that unfolded left Pharmacist’s Wish incredulous.

The Corpse King’s speed was too slow. Even disregarding a Messenger like Blood Phase, who excelled in unpredictable movement, even she could easily evade the Dragon-Slaying Seal’s range.

Before the Dragon-Slaying Seal descended, Blood Phase had already returned to their side.

Boom! The entire estate trembled, the ground cracked from the Corpse King’s strike, sending dust as high as four or five zhang, the sand-laden storm blowing through the back forest. Pharmacist’s Wish squinted, suddenly feeling there was no point in bathing—now covered in grime once again.

Though this move was indeed formidable, if that was all, it couldn’t stop the three Great Guardians, could it? Pharmacist’s Wish alone could think of many solutions, and Blood Phase just demonstrated one—provoke it to use its move, then evade it, and continue to besiege it.

However, there were obviously no people inside, yet the Corpse King’s roaring showed no signs of abating, its attacks even more ferocious!

Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!

No one could see what happened inside; everyone just heard a dozen earthquake-like crashing sounds, and felt the earth dragon rolling underfoot, forcing them to crouch down as standing up required immense courage!

When the dust settled, the Corpse King returned to its tombstone-like silent state, but the churned land around it indicated a disaster capable of easily crushing a Third-Turn Messenger had just unfolded.

"... Is it restored?" Pharmacist’s Wish, with sharp eyes, noticed the Corpse King’s injury created by Blood Phase had already healed.

Prajna nodded: "That’s right, if we attack it again, it will use this deadly move once more."

"I haven’t heard that a Third-Turn Demon King possesses such power."

"Indeed, other Third-Turn Demon Kings do not have this ability, like the Wind Wolf King in Wolf’s Den. Although it also has an invisible wind blade attack, that’s all there is," Prajna said. "Most Demon King’s deadly moves are instantaneous, not with continuous follow-ups like the Corpse King’s. This change is likely arranged by Si Wuxie, did you see the golden glow above its head?"

Pharmacist’s Wish nodded, noticing a dazzling golden light scar on the Corpse King’s head upon its awakening. However, compared to its massive body, the golden glow was inconspicuous.

"In our tests over these days, as long as someone on site is equipped with a Buddhist sect token, the Corpse King will undoubtedly unleash the Dragon-Slaying Seal."

"What if no one carries a token?" Pharmacist’s Wish asked.

"The Corpse King will skip the Dragon-Slaying Seal and directly pound the ground, without giving you any response time," Blood Phase recalled something, looking very unpleasant: "Trust me, you definitely don’t want to taste that, even running away becomes a luxury."

"So, the Dragon-Slaying Seal must occur, whereas avoiding triggers ground pounding," a brief contemplation later, Pharmacist’s Wish quickly saw the crux: "Didn’t you try sending someone to take the hit?"

Not to mention such a Demon Path Evil Land like Shu Dao Mountain, even when military towns attack the Secret Realm, they draw lots for life and death in unavoidable casualties, sometimes hiring outside substitutes for low-demand sacrifices. There are plenty of people; even a little resource from the Secret Realm can sustain an ordinary family indefinitely.

To conquer the Secret Realm, a Messenger may place many things on the altar, with human lives being the most insignificant cost.

"Tried, but it didn’t work," Prajna said. "Even after his death, the Corpse King still pounds the ground, the only relief being my Zen Staff wasn’t completely destroyed."

Prajna’s indifference shows in the subtle details; unlike Beiyou’s chaotic nature or Blood Phase’s cruelty, he is merely an ordinary Demonic Messenger, valuing his Zen Staff far more than the person he found. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Cannot lack the Dragon-Slaying Seal; without it, ground pounding occurs;

Cannot avoid it; avoiding it triggers ground pounding;

Receiving it is useless; the Corpse King still pounds the ground.

No wonder the three Great Guardians were helpless, ultimately seeking to share Si Wuxie’s legacy with her group. Even the well-informed Pharmacist’s Wish momentarily didn’t know how to overcome this obstacle.

"The little girl has been silent since earlier," Blood Phase raised a brow mockingly, "too scared to speak? Quickly find your good sister for a hug, don’t cry, I hate kids crying the most."

"I’m different, I enjoy seeing old men cry," Rabbit Heroine retorted unabashedly: "Could you perform crying while eating bitter melon later? It would surely be unimaginably ugly."

"Donor Rabbit, hearing your words, do you have a solution?" Prajna asked.

"Isn’t it simple? You guys spent three days and didn’t realize?" Rabbit Heroine wore an incredulous expression: "Without a Buddhist sect token isn’t possible, dodging isn’t possible, receiving it isn’t possible, so the answer is obvious—just withstand the Dragon-Slaying Seal."

"How to withstand it?" Blood Phase thought she was simply insane: "Do you think Dragon-Slaying Seal is an attack one person can withstand?"

"Oh? You’re amazing, noticing the key at once." Rabbit Heroine’s tone resembled coaxing a three-year-old, then she addressed the others: "One person can’t withstand it, so we need to stand together to share the damage."

Off-screen, Yan Qing was slurping noodles—the breakfast Beef Xianke had just bought from Zhusheng Noodle House. The noodles were chewy, and the soup was delicious.

Yes, Yan Qing hadn’t read their lengthy analysis; he had logged onto Beef Xianke’s account to buy breakfast. Earlier, when the Dragon-Slaying Seal was triggered, he saw a golden cross focus indicator above Blood Phase’s head, instantly recognizing this as one of the familiar MMORPG game mechanics:

Sharing the doom.