My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 281 - : The Mysterious and Unpredictable Corpse Driving Technique

Chapter 281: Chapter 281: The Mysterious and Unpredictable Corpse Driving Technique

North Field, Heavenly Water City.

Now that the fifty-thousand-strong army of Houjin had launched an attack, North Field, which had just fallen into the hands of Yan Country, suddenly erupted into fierce flames of war, and traces of battles between soldiers of Yan and Houjin could be found in every city.

The entire North Field seemed to have turned into multiple meat grinders, burying countless living lives, and the fresh red blood had stained this land scarlet.

Because these cities had just changed hands, Yan Country had not yet fully assimilated or absorbed them, and moreover, Wang Shiyi had adopted a pacifying policy towards the city residents, which resulted in a ready response from the cities when the Houjin army attacked, coupled with frequent appearances of masters from the Great Snow Mountain, leading to a lopsided battle situation in which the Yan army was forced to retreat again and again.

By now, most of the North Field had been reclaimed by Houjin, but as the pivotal city of the entire North Field, it remained in the hands of Wang Shiyi.

Wang Shiyi squatted on the chair, looking at the current sand table of North Field, with a trace of solemnity between his brow.

The massive, fifty-thousand-strong army of Houjin had now suffered a loss of more than ten thousand, and the fall of Ping City, which guarded Heavenly Water City, was only a matter of time. Once the Houjin army arrived from both sides, the Yan army in Heavenly Water City would find it hard to escape, even with wings.

Meanwhile, Li Qirong sat across from him with a pale face. A closer look revealed that one of his arms had been chopped off by a master from the Great Snow Mountain the day before. If not for Wang Shiyi and Wang Ningshui arriving on time, this top scholar with seventeen years in office might have been dead by yesterday.

This also made Wang Shiyi more vigilant, not only deploying a large number of masters to protect Li Qirong’s safety but also setting up a deception around the camp to prevent another attack from Houjin masters.

Wang Shiyi asked, “When will Qiu Lun’s reinforcements arrive?”

A general below clasped his fist and replied, “The scouts report that it will take fifteen more days.”

“Fifteen days is too long.”

Li Qirong, enduring the pain, said in a low voice, “With Grandmasters like Taiyin Kui appearing, we must be constantly vigilant. Plus, with our current disadvantage in terms of military strength, there’s a good chance we won’t be able to hold Heavenly Water City.”

Upon hearing Li Qirong’s words, everyone in the room felt a chill, and their faces turned very ugly.

Wang Ningshui gnashed her teeth and said, “Houjin has truly acted shamelessly this time.”

It is a common understanding and an unwritten rule that Grandmasters are not allowed to participate in ordinary wars, but Houjin never intended to abide by such an agreement, mixing Grandmaster-level masters within their army.

This signifies a determination to wage a national war, and even if Yan Country and Zhenyi Sect now dispatched masters, it would be too late.

Wang Shiyi took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “Once the White Tiger Banner and the Purple Banner attack from the north, we will have to face the encirclement of three Houjin armies…”

The Houjin army, not only far outnumbering Yan’s but mostly consisting of fierce cavalry, would mostly result in more losses than wins if they took the initiative to fight in the open. Defending the city meant facing the sieges of masters from the Great Snow Mountain.

Even if Qiu Lun’s hundred-thousand-strong army arrived as reinforcements, Yan’s forces would still be at a slight disadvantage.

In fact, the deployment of the White Tiger Banner and the Purple Banner left Houjin’s Royal Court nearly empty. If given another three hundred thousand troops, Wang Shiyi would even dare to attack the Houjin Royal Court. Alas, the remaining five hundred thousand Yan troops must guard against Zhao Country and the Southern Barbarians.

Li Qirong said, “Let’s retreat. Once the three armies surround us, Houjin will cut off support, and Qiu Lun’s hundred thousand reinforcements might be wiped out by Houjin’s cavalry on their way. Moreover, the Snow Mountain Tribe’s hundred-thousand-strong army is also rushing to North Field. By the time we are isolated and disaster looms, it will be too late to retreat.”

Wang Shiyi reluctantly said, “Are we truly to forsake the vast North Field? Since it’s winter, we could pour water on the walls to form an ice barrier to block Houjin.”

In this land, while many from Houjin had died or been wounded, so too had countless soldiers from Yan.

“Let’s go.”

Li Qirong shook his head and sighed, “If not for Demon Sect delaying Houjin’s three hundred thousand troops and killing many from the Soul Seeker Mansion, it would have been delusional for us to think of invading North Field. This time, I have completely underestimated Houjin’s strength and resolve.”

After all, Houjin’s three hundred thousand troops and many Grandmasters are heading for Dongluo Pass. Otherwise, how could Yan Country have invaded Heavenly Water City in North Field and looked down upon Houjin’s hinterland?

Now having exterminated tens of thousands from the Shuiyun Banner and plundered Houjin’s supplies in North Field, they had already gained some advantage.

“Alas.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Shiyi let out a heavy sigh.

He knew that what Li Qirong said was correct, and that now retreating to meet up with Qiu Lun was the best choice.

The others remained silent, waiting for Wang Shiyi to give the order.

After a long while, Wang Shiyi clenched his fists, “Retreat.”

“Whew!”

Many sighed in relief upon hearing this, but soon after, they felt a sense of unwillingness.

A fierce light flickered in Li Qirong’s eyes, “Houjin has committed atrocities against our Great Yan, and naturally, we must repay them in full.”

Previously, because Wang Shiyi wanted to occupy North Field, he treated the cities there relatively restrainedly. This allowed many Houjin masters and soldiers to hide among the civilians, causing a lot of trouble for Yan’s soldiers.

Now that Yan Country was about to leave this place, given Li Qirong’s ruthless nature, naturally, he would not retreat from North Field so easily.

Afterward, in the cities of North Field that remained under Yan’s control, the civilians of Houjin suffered the consequences.

They themselves experienced the humiliation and pain that the residents of Northern Wilderness Dao had once suffered.

The brutality, slaughter, oppression, and ravaging, such as used in grassland pillaging, appeared in the cities of Houjin, especially since the Yan soldiers had been suppressed for far too long and now burst forth like a flood.

Heavenly Water City became a complete hell on earth.

And who was the butcher of all this?

…..

Outside You City, on the official road.

Two living puppets made by An Jing, after the Black Flood Dragon developed a sense of consciousness, had remained in You Mountain. The other living puppet was given to Li Fuzhou and Yi Daoyun.

The Black Flood Dragon was enormous and required concealment; moreover, it could draw the attention of others, so An Jing planned to walk to Yujing City.

Considering carefully, this was already his third time going to Yujing City. Each time his visit was hurried, and this time was no different.

As the celestial consecration ceremony of Yan Country was about to be held and Zhong Mountain called from all directions, after An Jing reached Yujing City, he needed to hurry to Donglin Dao’s Zhong Mountain.

This time heading to Yujing City, in addition to handling the matter of the Mountain Opening Order of Outer Heaven, I also planned to visit Wangjing Mountain and see what was there, as well as pay a visit to Lv Guoyong and Zhou Xianming.

Ever since the last time An Jing went to Wangjing Mountain and did not see the Wang, his heart had been filled with worry, and there had been no news for such a long period.

From the first time he met the Wang, there was a strange feeling about him, and now his unexplained disappearance added even more doubt and confusion to An Jing’s heart.

The reason for visiting Lv Guoyong was simple, although Lv appeared to be just an ordinary scholar, in his heart he encompassed the whole world and had his own unique understanding of the situation in Yan Country and the world at large.

As for Zhou Xianming, ever since his success in the Imperial Examinations, he had been idly staying at home, doing nothing, and An Jing’s visit this time was to see if he could also be drawn into the Demon Sect.

After all, the old fellow still hadn’t returned the silver he had borrowed…

If You Mountain is considered the last barrier of Capital Road, then Wangjing Mountain is the final barrier to the north of Yujing City. With An Jing’s speed, he could reach Wangjing Mountain in half a day’s time at full speed.

The trees of Wangjing Mountain were tall, and their shade sinister and unpredictable. Now, in the cold winter season, the atmosphere remained eerily frightening.

After a heavy snow, the world was uniform in color, everything seemed to be adorned with silver as though the entire world was decorated with it.

The green pines stood in the pure white snow, swaying their bodies with the piercing northwest wind, producing a sharp and piercing howl.

An Jing followed his memory and headed into the mountain.

Before long, he came to the hidden cave entrance. After achieving the rank of a Master Cultivation with Three Qi, An Jing’s sensitivity to Qi Mechanism had continuously improved. He hadn’t even entered the cave but could already feel the cold air emanating from it.

After entering the cave, the thick Corpse Qi slowly drifted over.

The last time An Jing approached the depths here, there was an indication of a black opportunity.

But this time, there was no such indication in the Earth Book.

An Jing slowly walked deeper into the cave.

The surging Corpse Qi assaulted him. Corpse Qi was a Qi Mechanism produced after human death, different from Yin Energy, it had less impact on the human Qi Sea but was more troublesome than Yin Energy. Once it invaded the body, getting rid of it was very difficult.

Even if Corpse Qi remained in the body for too long, it could lead to a corpse transformation.

In the Southern Barbarians, besides Gu Technique, another famed skill was the Corpse Driving Technique.

It was rumored that the Southern Barbarians could refine a body into a chased corpse not long after death, which worked similarly to the Living Puppet Technique, but was superior to it.

The Living Puppet Technique required constant control by a human, but the Corpse Driving Technique still retained a sliver of the person’s will, capable of fulfilling a complete intention.

The Corpse Qi here grew even denser, to the point where it felt extremely cold.

Just as An Jing was about to run the Nameless Heart Scripture to resist the Corpse Qi, at that moment, the Imperial Jade Seal of the Great Zhou Royal Family in his bosom released golden rays of light, forming a protective Light Shield.

The surrounding Corpse Qi rolled and crashed against the golden Light Shield, letting out thunderous impacts.

After dozens of steps further, An Jing’s heart thumped wildly, and the space in front of him suddenly opened up.

This hall was filled with multicolored Night Light Stones just like the cave where he encountered the Wang last time, under their bright illumination, one could clearly see the space filled with exquisitely made coffins, from which the intense Corpse Qi was emanating.

“Such dense Corpse Qi around these coffins!?”

An Jing’s heart was shaken, and he was slightly astonished.

Could it be that there was something terrifying inside these coffins?

As An Jing was deep in thought, a familiar figure appeared ahead, it was the Wang.

At this moment, he was still dressed in the robe of the Xuanyi Guard of the Great Heavenly Gang, seated atop a coffin, with the Corpse Qi almost forming whirlpools as they surged towards him.

It was too dense!

The sheer density of the Corpse Qi was enough to make An Jing feel a hint of fear.

An Jing frowned intently, standing at a distance and watching, his mind weighing his options.

The next moment!

Suddenly, the situation changed wildly, and the surrounding Corpse Qi surged like a tidal wave.

“Not good!”

Seeing this, An Jing hurriedly retreated, but it was already too late.

In front of him, the Corpse Qi engulfed everything like a vast ocean, heavily crashing into the golden Light Shield, causing An Jing to feel a shock in his organs.

The savage assault continued, assaulting An Jing incessantly, but fortunately, he had the Imperial Jade Seal of the Great Zhou for protection, which formed an impenetrable Light Shield, blocking the surging and overwhelming Corpse Qi.

After what seemed like dozens of breaths, the Corpse Qi grew more and more violent.

At that moment, the Wang abruptly opened his eyes, as if a sharp light emerged from them, he simply extended his palm and all the Corpse Qi that was like a vast ocean dispersed.

Peace was restored once again.

An Jing moved his limbs a bit and looked at the Wang in front of him, “Wang?”

“Jing’an, we meet again,” replied the Wang, a faint smile appearing on his pale face.

Seeing the Wang calling him by his former alias, An Jing’s heart slightly relaxed, then he couldn’t help but say, “What’s going on here?”

The Wang glanced at An Jing and then slowly said, “It’s a long story, let’s sit down and talk about it.”

An Jing nodded slightly, and the two of them sat down cross-legged.

Because of the accumulation of a massive amount of Corpse Qi, an almost imperceptible chill incessantly eroded his body. The “Nameless Heart Scripture” began to circulate, driving away the coldness within him.

It’s not just the average masters who would find this place unbearable, even the average grandmasters would probably suffer immensely if they entered this location.

Xuwang spoke in a deep voice, “It was you who saved me back then, so you should know that there is no memory in my mind, only the thought of coming to Xuwang Mountain.”

“After I arrived at this cave on Xuwang Mountain, deep within my memory, I felt that only by delving deeper into this place could I find the memories I’ve lost. So, after hesitating for a long time, I finally entered here.”

An Jing asked, “Did you find them?”

Inside, he was also curious about Xuwang’s identity and origin.

Xuwang did not answer An Jing’s question but instead asked, “Do you know what’s inside these coffins?”

An Jing shook his head, “I’m not sure.”

Xuwang took a deep breath and said, “Inside are corpses, or rather, corpses that have been refined with special techniques. These are the driven corpses, produced by the unique Corpse Driving Technique of the Southern Barbarians.”

An Jing’s eyes narrowed, looking at the coffins around him.

The Corpse Driving Technique of the Southern Barbarians may be mysterious, but it’s not as simple to refine as others imagine. It requires not just complete and intact corpses but also technique, materials, and often a martial art that has been lost to time.

The more powerful the dead were in life, the harder it is to refine their corpses into driven corpses, and most driven corpses are very weak. Moreover, those who refine driven corpses are gradually tainted with Corpse Qi due to their constant contact with the corpses, and most of them do not have long to live.

Therefore, over time, the Corpse Driving Technique also began to decline amongst the Southern Barbarians.

Seeing so many driven corpses now, An Jing naturally felt a degree of surprise, but what Xuwang said next was like a thunderclap that stirred up a storm in An Jing’s heart.

Xuwang said, “And I am one of these many driven corpses.”

Xuwang is a driven corpse!?

A grandmaster level expert is actually a driven corpse!? How absurd does that sound!?

An Jing was greatly shocked and then asked, “Aren’t driven corpses mindless…”

Like living puppets, driven corpses have neither divine souls nor consciousness. Aside from his strong Corpse Qi, Xuwang seemed just like any other person.

Xuwang looked at the coffin in front of him, let out a long breath, and said, “Yes, I am one of the driven corpses. I am, you could say, reborn with a new consciousness. As to why I was near Yu State City and who exactly refined me, I have no idea anymore.”

An Jing’s heart felt like a tumultuous sea.

Xuwang’s strength was incredibly high; he could gravely injure the Mu Jin Dharma King, who was a Second Qi Grandmaster, with a single punch. He must have at least the cultivation of a Four Qi Grandmaster or a Five Qi Grandmaster, yet he was a driven corpse refined by someone else.

With this in mind, his gaze once again swept through their surroundings.

There must be at least dozens of coffins in the vicinity. If each one contained a driven corpse with a cultivation similar to Xuwang’s, wouldn’t that be astonishing?

An Jing asked subconsciously, “Are these driven corpses not much different from you?”

Standing beside him, Xuwang said, “The strength of the driven corpses inside these coffins should not be as strong as mine.”

An Jing glanced at Xuwang and asked, “How do you know that?”

Xuwang pondered for a moment and then explained, “Based on the Corpse Qi, the richness of the Corpse Qi surrounding these coffins indicates their strength.”

An Jing nodded slightly upon hearing this and then walked over to the coffins.

The Corpse Qi was indeed varied around the coffins, some richer and some more diluted, each one different.

But who could have refined these driven corpses?

And how could Xuwang have developed a new divine soul?

Somewhat unaccountably, An Jing recalled the Black Python; he too had extracted essence from the Thousand-year-old Black Boa to refine it into a living puppet, but in Dragon Hidden Creek, the Black Python seemed to have developed a new intelligence.

Could there be some subtle connection between the two?

An Jing said, “Then what are your plans now?”

Xuwang looked at the coffins and replied, “I want to stay here a while longer to see if they will awaken. Moreover, I’ve been feeling a sense of weakness in my body lately, a feeling that has been getting stronger, even making me feel like death is drawing closer. It wasn’t until I came here and absorbed the surrounding Corpse Qi that I felt much better.”

“To sustain my life, I can only keep absorbing the Corpse Qi here.”

An Jing nodded slightly. Xuwang’s origin was too strange; a driven corpse had developed consciousness. If An Jing had not seen it with his own eyes, he would have found it hard to believe too.

After all, he is not an ordinary person, and if he went outside, the uncontrollable Corpse Qi around him would definitely cause upheaval.

After a long silence, An Jing finally exhaled and said with a firm voice, “Then the person who refined these driven corpses, do you know who it is?”

The fact that a top-tier grandmaster like Xuwang was turned into a driven corpse was enough to suggest that the refiner was also somebody of great significance.

Who exactly could it be?

Xuwang turned around, a glint flickering in his eyes, and then shook his head, “I don’t know either.”

An Jing exhaled and said, “Perhaps this person has already passed away long ago.”

The ancient coffins of these driven corpses hinted it might be a Southern Barbarians’s expert from long ago who had already turned to dust.

After exchanging a few more words, the thick Corpse Qi made An Jing extremely uncomfortable, so he stood up, ready to leave.

“Jing’an.”

Just as An Jing walked towards the outside, Xuwang called out to him.

An Jing turned his head and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xu Wang sighed and said, “It seems I can’t help you anymore. I must stay here for a long time, or my flesh will continue to decay at any moment. If you urgently need my help, you can crush the remaining piece of broken jade anytime.”

An Jing smiled lightly and replied, “It’s okay. You’ve already repaid the favor of me saving you a long time ago.”

Xu Wang’s lips parted as he said, “My body needs the familiar yin energy to sustain itself. If you find such heavenly materials and earthly treasures, I hope you can give them to me, and I will surely repay this kindness.”

An Jing patted Xu Wang on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, if I have them, I will definitely bring them to you.”

“Then thank you very much.”

A smile emerged on Xu Wang’s lips.

“I’m leaving.”

An Jing waved his hand and headed out of the cave.

Watching the silhouette that vanished into the corpse qi, Xu Wang looked at his own hands, pale and withered, and his face couldn’t help but darken.

…….

After stepping out of the cave, An Jing’s brows were also deeply furrowed.

He couldn’t help but recall the two times he had encountered Xu Wang and vaguely felt that Xu Wang had been hiding something and had not told him everything.

A corpse chasing spirit gaining intelligence was too incredible to believe.

Just how dreadful was the corpse driving technique of the Southern Barbarians?

After pondering for a moment with no particular insight, An Jing stopped dwelling on it. Having seen Xu Wang, he felt he had resolved one issue on his mind. He then hurried in the direction of Yujing City.

The snowstorm grew heavier, and this winter seemed colder than usual, with the sun shrouded by somber clouds, making one feel suffocated.

Another day and night passed, and An Jing arrived outside Yujing City at Wangjing Mountain.

Wangjing Mountain was now covered in heavy snow, dressed in a blanket of white as far as the eye could see.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

An Jing, carrying two jars of wine, came to Jiang Sanjia’s gravestone.

Suddenly, he noticed two empty wine jars already placed in front of the gravestone.

“Has someone been here?”

An Jing’s brow lifted. Jiang Sanjia had a peculiar character and offended many; he had few friends in the court or Jianghu.

Who could the visitor be?

Nevertheless, An Jing did not dwell on it. Instead, he picked up the wine jars, sat down in the snow, and reminisced with Jiang Sanjia while drinking.

“Brother Sanjia, it’s another winter.”

“Xiao Qianqiu’s strength is at the level of Four Qi, and he has comprehended Heavenly Human Communication. If his strength is just as it appears on the surface, he might not be a match for me.”

“After I retrieve the Dulu Sword, it should be almost time to set foot on Zhenyi Mountain. But with Houjin and Yan Country at war, I don’t know the situation. This matter may have to be postponed a year or two.”

“Now that great chaos is looming, everyone wants this land and reign. Who does this land and reign truly belong to? You were proficient in prediction, I wonder if you could have foreseen it.”

“And the Mystical Sect, can it still rise? When the time comes, who will be the Daoist Master of the Mystical Sect?”

“Also, Mu Xiaowan is dead, and so is Mu Xiaoyun.”

….

He talked for a long time until the sky grew dim.

An Jing threw aside the now empty wine jars, “I should go. Next time I have a chance, I’ll chatter with you again.”

With that, An Jing stood up.

The howling wind and snow seemed like knives scraping against his face.

At that moment, a figure in black appeared in the distance, moving so lightly over the snow that he made barely any sound.

This man was Meng Zhaodou, the leader of the Heaven and Earth Net.

An Jing spoke with a smile, “Leader Meng, long time no see.”

As Meng Zhaodou observed the young man in white before him, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The once Ghost Swordsman standing behind Lou Xiangzhen had now become one of the top elites in Jianghu, no, in the entire world.

“I’ve come to tell you some information.”

“Please do.”

“The person from Lingnan Dao has been identified.”

“Oh? Who is it?”

An Jing’s eyes flickered with a sharp light upon hearing this.

It was no wonder that Heaven and Earth Net, ranked first in Yan Country for information, managed to identify the imposter.

Meng Zhaodou said indifferently, “One of the Black Ice Platform’s Eight Heavenly Slaughters, the Thousand-faced Asura, his strength should just be slightly above Qu Renlin’s, ranking third or fourth among the Eight Heavenly Slaughters.”

…….

PS: There will be another chapter tonight, around 12-1 AM. Wishing everyone a safe Dragon Boat Festival, and I am seeking a monthly ticket.