Chapter 1365: Sudden Death

Chapter 1364: Sudden Death

“Ancestral blood reversion… the White Dragon returning to heaven…”

“This is… a True Dragon core manifestation?”

“That boy from the Bai Clan? He actually…”

The Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord of Myriad Demon Mountains and the Silver Corpse Elder of Yin Corpse Valley exchanged glances. Amid the shock in their hearts, a trace of astonishment surfaced in their eyes.

So that’s how it is…

This… was the Huá clan’s real scheme.

The Golden Core elders of both righteous and demonic factions, upon witnessing the majestic True Dragon phenomenon, felt stormy waves surge within their hearts.

Yet moments later, they all fell silent. Not a single person spoke.

The entire hall grew deathly quiet.

But everyone’s eyes shifted subtly, each harboring unknown thoughts.

Ambition sprouted in many hearts, yet all remained silent, patiently waiting.

Above the sky, Core Formation phenomena continued to appear, flickering into existence.

This meant one prodigy after another had completed Core Formation, transforming their Dao foundations and becoming Golden Core cultivators.

But compared to the manifestation of a True Dragon, they were ultimately inferior.

Each prodigy’s Core Formation devoured a portion of the Great Wilderness’s dragon qi.

Every phenomenon appearing in the sky meant the Great Wilderness’s destiny shortened by another fraction.

As more prodigies formed their cores and phenomena appeared more frequently, the depletion of dragon qi grew increasingly severe.

And with Bai Zisheng—a prodigy whose True Dragon bloodline had reverted to its ancestral form—present, the True Dragon qi within the Dragon Pool swirled like a vortex, pouring into his body.

The destiny of the Great Wilderness was being rapidly overdrawn, gradually running dry.

Allowing the prodigies of both righteous and demonic paths to form cores in the Dragon Pool, draining the dragon qi and completely exhausting the Great Wilderness’s destiny… this had been tacitly approved by the great powers behind the scenes.

Without Foundation Establishment, one could not enter the Dragon bone Path.
Without Great Wilderness Royal blood, one could not enter the Dragon Pool.
Without numerous prodigies forming cores together, the Dragon Pool’s dragon qi could not be exhausted in a short time.

Once the dragon qi was depleted, the destiny of the Great Wilderness would truly be severed.

And once that destiny was severed and the dragon qi exhausted, the restrictions within the Dragon Pool would lose their support and completely fail.

Sure enough, not long after, as the phenomena faded and the prodigies completed Core Formation one after another, the dragon qi of the Great Wilderness was utterly exhausted.

And the ancient restrictions that had long permeated the Dragon Pool, sealing something within… were completely broken.

The instant the restrictions shattered, demonic qi surged violently.

The Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord, who had been poised for this moment, twisted his face into a ferocious grin and was the first to charge into the Dragon-bone Path.

The rest of the demonic cultivators followed without a word, sneering as they rushed forward.

“Quick! Stop them!” the righteous Golden Core elders shouted.

Many righteous Golden Core cultivators flew on swords or unleashed water and fire spells to intercept them.

The demonic Golden Core cultivators merely deflected the attacks and did not counterattack, focusing solely on rushing toward the Dragon-bone Path, and the Dragon Pool beyond.

“Quick! Let’s go too!” Elder Xuanyuan ordered.

The righteous Golden Core cultivators immediately followed.

Inside the Dragon-bone Path, Golden Core cultivators of both sides collided. While unleashing corpse arts, ghost techniques, demonic swords, skeletal constructs, sword light, and magic treasures in battle, they transformed into streaks of light and raced toward the Dragon Pool.

Golden Core escape speeds were astonishing.

Soon, both sides passed through the Dragon-bone Path and surged into the Dragon Pool.

The Dragon Pool remained vast and majestic.

The ancient corpse of the True Dragon was awe-inspiring.

But the dense dragon qi that once filled the pool had vanished, leaving it like a dried basin, silent and lifeless.

At that moment, righteous prodigies emerged from secret chambers after completing Core Formation.

Without hesitation, mid-stage and even late-stage demonic elders launched lethal attacks.

Righteous elders roared in fury and moved to block them.

The newly formed righteous prodigies were no longer the same.

They were Golden Core cultivators now, no longer helpless Foundation Establishment disciples. Facing the aggressive demonic masters, they possessed the power to fight back.

The demonic side was the same.

Righteous elders began striking at prodigies from Myriad Demon Mountains, Yin Corpse Valley, the Joyous-Union Sect, and the Demonic Sword Sect.

Meanwhile, the demonic prodigies, having completed their transformation, unleashed sinister treasures and fought the righteous clan elders.

The Dragon Pool erupted into even greater chaos.

The pool was ruined, the restrictions broken, and the Great Wilderness’s destiny exhausted. The Golden Core elders had no further restraints and fought without reservation.

Now that the prodigies themselves had joined the battle, murderous intent filled the Dragon Pool.

Elders were wounded, and some fell.

Several prodigies were gravely injured under ruthless methods.

Some, having just formed their cores and manifested heavenly phenomena, died in the chaotic melee before they could pursue greater destiny.

Such is the cruelty of fate.

The brutal battle raged for half an hour.

Having slaughtered two Golden Core elders and devoured a righteous prodigy alive, the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord suddenly sniffed the air and looked toward a corner of the Dragon Pool.

There stood a white-clad youth, tall and upright, with the bearing of an azure dragon between his brows, his bloodline irresistibly enticing.

“Bai Zisheng!”

The Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord abandoned his current opponent and transformed into a gust of yin wind, lunging toward him.

Bai Zisheng’s face turned cold. Arrogant by nature, he feared no enemy.

As the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord attacked, Bai Zisheng—freshly advanced to Golden Core—thrust his spear to meet him.

The Dragon Returning Spear collided with the Demonic Flood Dragon claws.

The shockwave blasted Bai Zisheng backward.

Yet the Mountain Lord looked both stunned and delighted, from the force rebounding through his claws, he sensed Bai Zisheng’s power.

The bearing of a True Dragon… extraordinary indeed.

Bai Zisheng steadied himself with his spear, barely regaining footing. Though his coughed some blood, he suffered no major injury.

His physical strength was evident.

The Mountain Lord’s eyes gleamed with greed.

“You… are mine!”

If he devoured the flesh, drank the blood, and refined the bloodline, he would no longer be bound to his half-flood dragon form.

His demonic cultivation would advance further.

Once he shed the Flood-Dragon form and transformed into a dragon, he could step into the realm of Feathered Ascension.

The thought made his blood boil with excitement.

He strode forward, closing to within ten meters, demonic qi surging as his claw reached for Bai Zisheng.

Bai Zisheng steadied his spear to meet the attack…

Suddenly, a streak of golden sword light slashed toward the demonic claw.

Ancient and powerful, the strike forced the Mountain Lord back two steps.

He turned and sneered:

“Old man Xuanyuan… you want a share too?”

Elder Xuanyuan replied calmly, “This child is of a righteous clan. How could I allow a fiend like you to run rampant?”

The Mountain Lord grinned wickedly. “True Dragon blood, your Xuanyuan clan hasn’t seen that in ages. Don’t tell me you covet his bloodline too?”

“Wretched beast! Insolence!” Elder Xuanyuan roared and attacked.

They battled fiercely. Though Xuanyuan’s sword qi was exquisite, he lacked the Mountain Lord’s brutal ferocity. After a hundred exchanges, he was struck away by a claw and coughed blood.

The Mountain Lord once again turned toward Bai Zisheng.

But halfway there, a silver corpse suddenly leapt forward and blocked him.

The Mountain Lord glared at the Silver Corpse Elder.

“What is the meaning of this?”

The Silver Corpse Elder twirled a bronze bell in his fingers, controlling the corpse, and said calmly, “My Yin Corpse Valley would also like to test just how strong a True Dragon corpse truly is…”

The Mountain Lord’s expression darkened. “You want to snatch him from me?”

The Silver Corpse Elder neither confirmed nor denied it.

He had a transaction to fulfill. Bai Zisheng had to be seized.

The Mountain Lord sneered and immediately clashed with the Silver Corpse Elder.

Seeing the two great fiends turning on each other like dogs fighting dogs, Bai Zisheng frowned. Yet before he could relax for even a moment, his heart tightened, a strand of killing intent shot toward the center of his back.

He spun aside instantly, narrowly evading it, but his shoulder was still sliced open, dragon-qi-tinged blood dripping down.

Many beast cultivators of Myriad Demon Mountains smelled the blood and began gnashing their teeth and swallowing saliva.

Bai Zisheng’s eyes turned cold. He looked back to see a Golden Core elder of the Yuwen Clan gripping a longsword, staring at him with sinister intent.

Seeing his ambush fail, the Yuwen elder spat in annoyance and charged again.

Strike while he is weak and take his life.

Now was the best chance to kill Bai Zisheng.

True Dragon blood must not remain in the Bai Clan.

Before he could strike again, a long sword wreathed in violet qi blocked his path.

The Yuwen elder shouted angrily, “What is the meaning of this, Jiang clan?!”

The Jiang elder’s gaze hardened. He did not answer, only said, “Bai Zisheng must not die.”

The Yuwen elder sneered. “Some things your Jiang clan should stop dreaming about.”

“That need not concern your Yuwen clan,” the Jiang elder replied coldly.

The Yuwen elder cursed and unleashed sword qi again toward Bai Zisheng.

The Jiang elder’s eyes turned cold. Violet qi swirled around his blade as the two clashed.

Bai Zisheng used his movement technique to distance himself. Just as he steadied his stance, a waft of heavy perfume drifted over, and a languid, syrupy voice whispered beside his ear:

“One is a supreme furnace for refining emotions.”

“One is a superior body for refining desire.”

“This trip to the Great Wilderness has truly not been in vain. I have yet to taste the flavor of a True Dragon body…”

Bai Zisheng’s face chilled. Turning, he saw Madam Rui of the Joyous-Union Sect gazing at him tenderly.

His spear flicked casually toward her throat.

Among drifting flower petals, Madam Rui swayed aside and smiled. “Such a fierce young man, truly ignorant of romance.”

She moved to plant a love-seed upon him, but at that moment ghostly wails rang out. Her expression changed.

“Skull-head, do you have a death wish? Ruining my fun.”

The Ghost-Child Wanderer, his neck strung with skulls, grinned. “You have your fun; I have mine. I want the boy’s skull.”

Madam Rui sneered.

The two demonic Golden Core cultivators soon began fighting each other.

Bai Zisheng could only evade them. Yet amid the chaos, two righteous-path elders also attempted to kill him.

Not only elders of both paths—even prodigies such as Xuanyuan Jing of the Xuanyuan clan, Yuwen Hua of the Yuwen clan, the Evil Dragon Young Lord of Myriad Demon Mountains, Yu Lian’er of the Joyous-Union Sect, and Young Master Shi of Yin Corpse Valley—anyone who found an opening struck at Bai Zisheng.

In an instant, he became the true target of all.

Some wanted to kill him. Others wanted to eat him.

Some wished to use him as a cultivation furnace. Others wanted him as a corpse slave.

Some sought to eliminate a rival. Others wanted to capture him for breeding.

A youth with True Dragon blood, wed to their clan’s direct daughter—even secretly—would surely produce gifted offspring.

For a time, Bai Zisheng seemed caught in a vortex of schemes, unable to tell friend from foe.

Righteous and demonic were indistinguishable. Good and evil indistinguishable. Friend and enemy indistinguishable.

Some tried to kill him, seize him, or snatch him away, while others shielded him, guarded him, and intercepted killing blows on his behalf.

The Dragon Pool descended into even greater chaos.

Amid the melee, the prodigies of both paths gradually began to shine.

Having just formed their Golden Cores, their Dao foundations transformed, granting them the qualification to participate in such battles.

Their Golden Cores were all Superior-grade or even Supreme-grade. After absorbing dragon qi, they had mutated, becoming extraordinarily powerful.

Such formidable Golden Cores allowed them to move like fish in water amid the chaos.

No one knew how long the battle raged. Sensing time was running out, the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord’s expression shifted. With a slap he sent the silver corpse flying and roared, demonic qi sweeping the field:

“A pack of fools! Stop fighting! Seize this ‘True Dragon’ first. Whether we divide flesh, blood, or bones can be decided later!”

The Silver Corpse Elder narrowed his eyes and nodded silently.

Madam Rui, the Ghost-Child Wanderer, and the other demonic Golden Core elders exchanged glances, sneered, and ceased fighting.

“Strike together,” the Mountain Lord ordered. “Capture Bai Zisheng. Kill anyone who stands in the way.”

On the righteous side, Elder Xuanyuan’s face changed. “Join forces and slay these fiends!”

The Mountain Lord flashed forward toward Bai Zisheng.

Elder Xuanyuan thrust his sword to intercept, piercing the Mountain Lord’s arm, yet instead of relief, shock filled him.

The Mountain Lord’s flesh suddenly mutated and swelled grotesquely, transforming into a demonic flood dragon.

Its tail coiled around the Xuanyuan Sword.

Its jaws clamped onto Elder Xuanyuan’s shoulder, demonic qi seeping into his meridians.

“Flood Dragon Transformation demonic art?!”

Elder Xuanyuan’s face turned deathly pale. He abandoned his sword, retreated, drew a dagger, and cut away the corrupted flesh on his shoulder.

“You actually cultivated it to the fourth level?!”

The dragon head shifted back into the Mountain Lord’s face.

He now appeared half-dragon, half-human, radiating savage inhuman ferocity.

This power far surpassed ordinary Golden Core cultivators.

The Mountain Lord sneered. “At the fourth level, the flood dragon transformation can achieve Feathered Ascension.”

“If your Dao Court True-Person hadn’t wounded me back then, would I have remained trapped at Golden Core peak for so long?”

“Even your Feathered Ascension experts could not kill me. What are you, a mere Golden Core peak elder?”

“When I get serious, you trash are nothing but my rations!”

His words drained the color from the righteous Golden Cores’ faces.

He shed his human form completely, transforming into a demonic flood dragon and lunging to devour Bai Zisheng.

The righteous elders rushed to stop him.

But in this transformed state, the Mountain Lord was stronger, his flesh like iron and steel, impervious to blades and spears.

They were no match.

Knowing he could not win by force, Bai Zisheng fled.

Elders of the Dao Court clans also attacked the Mountain Lord.

Madam Rui, the Silver Corpse Elder, the Demonic Sword Sect elder, and the Ghost-Child Wanderer unleashed dark arts to block the righteous Golden Cores and create an opening.

With the Mountain Lord leading, the demonic Golden Cores joined forces, instantly suppressing the righteous side.

Soon, the Mountain Lord caught up to Bai Zisheng.

Bai Zisheng fought while retreating.

Only at early-stage Golden Core, the gap in cultivation was too great; engaging directly would mean death.

The Mountain Lord shifted forms repeatedly, constricting with brute force, spewing evil mist, condensing sinister light to press him.

Bai Zisheng continued evading.

His movement technique was superb, agile as a dragon. Amid the chaos, the Mountain Lord could not catch him immediately.

At that moment, the Mountain Lord tore through the air, sending five streaks of sinister light toward him.

Bai Zisheng had already dodged… but catching sight of one beam’s trajectory, he suddenly turned back and blocked it head-on.

Even a casual strike from a Golden Core peak expert nearly at Feathered Ascension was not easily endured.

His chest roiled with surging blood.

The Mountain Lord froze in confusion. Why return to take a blow he had already dodged?

Following the beam’s path, he noticed a hidden chamber behind Bai Zisheng.

Within it lingered a concealed aura.

“At a time like this… someone is still forming a Golden Core inside?”

“And clearly this person is important to Bai Zisheng, he would rather be injured than allow anyone to disturb the breakthrough…”

In an instant, the Mountain Lord understood.

The aura inside the chamber felt familiar.

He grinned. “So… here you are.”

His face twisted as he slashed again, sending five more sinister beams toward the chamber.

Grinding his teeth, Bai Zisheng mobilized all his strength and blocked them again.

As his Golden Core aura fully erupted, everyone present froze.

“Heavenly-grade… Golden Core…”

The Mountain Lord’s face lit with wild delight. He realized he didn’t need to chase Bai Zisheng, just kill the person inside, and Bai Zisheng would follow.

He moved to strike again.

Elders of the Xiao, Ao, and Feng clan rushed to block him, but were stopped by the Ghost-Child Wanderer and Yin Corpse Valley cultivators controlling hordes of corpses.

Situ Jian recognized who was inside and shouted urgently, “Stop that fiend!”

The elders hesitated before the terrifying Mountain Lord.

Situ Jian tried to rush forward but was restrained.

Amid the chaos, five more sinister beams shot out.

Bai Zisheng refused to retreat, taking them head-on. His accumulated injuries worsened; blood spilled from his mouth.

A ferocious grin spread across the Mountain Lord’s face. Just as he was about to deliver a ruthless blow to cripple Bai Zisheng… his expression suddenly froze and he looked up.

From the chamber behind Bai Zisheng, a figure slowly stepped out.

The figure was slender, with delicate features, eyes closed in a faint frown.

Everyone present—whether righteous or demonic, elder or prodigy—was extremely familiar with that silhouette.

“Mo Hua!”

All hearts lurched at once.

The scene from earlier, when Mo Hua moved with effortless ease, suppressing and controlling the entire field of Golden Core cultivators, still lingered in their minds.

Nearly everyone present felt a faint, indescribable wariness toward him.

At this moment, upon seeing his figure, their expressions instinctively darkened.

But when they carefully sensed Mo Hua’s aura, every one of them frowned, revealing looks of surprise… and even ridicule.

“Am I seeing this wrong… Inferior grade?”

“He formed an Inferior-grade Golden Core?”

“Forming a core in the Dragon Pool, and he still produced an inferior-grade core?”

“How poor must his aptitude be? Even true dragon qi couldn’t lock in his core quality? As expected, if the spiritual roots are lacking, no matter how extraordinary the Foundation Establishment was, once it reaches Golden Core, it becomes trash…”

…

Many found it absurd; some even laughed aloud.

Mo Hua, however, showed no reaction at all.

It seemed something had gone wrong during his core formation. He clutched his head, eyes closed and brows tightly knit, looking dazed and muddled.

The demonic elders exchanged glances, vicious light flashing in their eyes.

The Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord bared his teeth in a grin and stepped forward; his figure vanished amidst surging evil qi.

Ghost-Child Wanderer glared at Mo Hua with hatred and turned into a wisp of ghostly aura, darting toward him.

The Silver Corpse Elder’s gaze flickered. Thinking of the Exotic Corpse Compendium, he manipulated his silver corpse to encircle Mo Hua.

In an instant, near-hopeless killing intent descended.

One peak-stage Golden Core cultivator, two late-stage Golden Core cultivators… three great demonic overlords attacked Mo Hua simultaneously, intent on taking his life.

“Mo Hua!”

Bai Zisheng’s face changed drastically, but his meridians were damaged, he had no time to save Mo Hua, nor the ability to do so.

“Little Senior Brother!”

Situ Jian was equally frantic, yet equally powerless.

Other elders and prodigies watched coldly, some gloating, some regretful, some smiling darkly.

At that moment, Bai Zisheng and Situ Jian’s shouts, along with the icy killing intent rushing toward him, seemed to rouse the dazed Mo Hua.

Mo Hua opened his eyes.

In that instant, it was as if heaven and earth were first divided.

Within his eyes, the savage Taotie pattern formed from black and gold flashed past, mixed with an unfathomable aura of Heavenly Dao might.

Like Taotie opening its eyes—like a ferocious beast awakening—an overwhelmingly violent divine sense swept outward in a nearly twisted surge.

The three demonic figures met Mo Hua’s Taotie gaze for only a single glance.

In that fleeting moment, it felt as though an incomparably sharp sword light split open their Seas of Consciousness.

Immediately afterward, the law-force of a terrifying primordial ferocious beast devoured their divine senses.

Then everything returned to annihilation.

From Myriad Demon Mountains, the peak Golden Core Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord;
From Skull Cave, the late-stage Golden Core Ghost-Child Wanderer;
From Yin Corpse Valley, the late-stage Golden Core Silver Corpse Elder.

The three great demonic overlords died instantly… felled by a single glance from Mo Hua.

…

…

Translator Notes: Clarification regarding Core Grade

I think there has been a misunderstanding regarding Mo Hua’s Core grade.

Mo Hua has formed an Inferior-Upper grade core, a.k.a. a Low-grade Upper-tier core.

Since saying Mid-low, Low-low, or Low-high was confusing, I had changed the grades.

Grades:

High → Superior
Mid → Intermediate
Low → Inferior

Tiers:

Upper
Mid/Middle
Lower

So the Core grades and Spiritual Root grades are:

Superior-Upper grade

Superior-Mid grade

Superior-Lower grade

Intermediate-Upper grade

Intermediate-Mid grade

Intermediate-Lower grade

Inferior-Upper grade

Inferior-Mid grade

Inferior-Lower grade

Mo Hua has an Intermediate-Lower grade Spiritual Root, so he would have, at most, formed an Intermediate-Lower grade Core. Now he has dropped one tier to an Inferior-Upper grade core.

Grades (Superior, Intermediate, Inferior) are thresholds and have a world of difference.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi have Heavenly Grade Spiritual Root, Bai Zisheng’s core is Heavenly Grade.

…

Some References from Chapter 1293: Core Grade:

The peak geniuses—with the Superior-grade roots cultivating the Superior-grade arts—had to form the Superior-grade Golden Core. Failure was not an option.

If their core slipped even slightly, even by one tier, it was a nightmare for them.

A Superior-upper-grade core and an Superior-middle-grade core were worlds apart.

One was the absolute pinnacle among Golden Cores; the other was merely “mid-tier genius.”

Therefore, these apex prodigies bore immense pressure and even fear during Core Formation.

Not a single grade was allowed to fall!

And geniuses with Superior-lower grade spirit roots were equally anxious.

Because if Superior-lower dropped one rank, it would fall to Intermediate-upper.

This boundary marked the divide between Superior-grade and Intermediate-grade, a gulf like heaven and earth.

If someone was truly unlucky and slipped… then all the foundation of proudly being a “Superior-grade prodigy” would vanish completely.

This, too, was a dire prospect.

Thus, no prodigy forming their core ever approached the matter of core grade without racking their brains, exhausting every thought, and trembling with anxiety.

Ironically, it was only Mo Hua—with his lousy spiritual root—who didn’t worry nearly as much.

…

Mo Hua’s own Intermediate-Lower-grade roots meant his Celestial Evolution Art was also “Intermediate-Lower grade,” so at best his Golden Core could only reach “Intermediate-Lower grade.”

And that was the most ideal outcome.

Because that was the absolute “upper limit.”

If things went wrong, his Core Grade could slip, forming a Inferior-grade Golden Core wasn’t impossible.

Of course, Mo Hua didn’t think his luck was that bad.

(TN: 😂😂)

And honestly, he didn’t worry much about this issue.

His spiritual root already fixed the upper limit. There was no breakthrough to hope for.

As long as he avoided dropping into a Inferior-grade core, that was enough, he had no business dreaming of anything more.

Sure, he wanted to form a “Superior-grade” Golden Core, but his aptitude didn’t allow it. It was fundamentally impossible.

In ordinary cultivation, Mo Hua knew he could never keep pace with the true prodigies.

He couldn’t compete with even the regular talents with simple Superior-lower-grade or Intermediate-upper-grade roots.

So in terms of spiritual-power cultivation, he had long since adopted a “just let me pass” mindset.. As long as he could form the core, who cared if the quality was awful?

(The End)