Chapter 108: Unyielding Fury Amidst Cursed Shadows

The spring breeze howled as it swept through. Suddenly, it turned sharp and forceful, as if a violent gust had been unleashed, making every willow lining the street sway wildly.

Li Che donned his long-neglected Ogre Mask, and his entire body resounded with cracking joints. Nine thick tendons writhed and roared, as if a monstrous serpent were straining to break free from beneath his hardened skin.

Stepping out of the alley, Li Che raised his head, his eyes gleaming brilliantly beneath the mask.

“The Million Gambling House… The three major factions of Jingguang City, the forces under the Fisher Gang, and the Black Snake Gang tailing my family at the mouth of Tinghua Alley—all stem from the same source.”

Li Che unleashed his 【Dragon Elephant Vajra】, and his body grew even more hulking. Even at this first stage, his imposing figure radiated an overwhelming pressure.

His fierce qi and blood condensed around him like swirling mists, as elusive as drifting clouds.

Yet by using the ‘Sleeping Dragon Elephant’ technique to consolidate his aura, it vanished from mortal detection as if it had completely evaporated.

Even cultivators skilled in divine perception would find it nearly impossible to sense his presence.

It was as though he had utterly erased any trace of his existence.

“However, those with divine perception can sense something amiss—they scan repeatedly yet cannot pinpoint the error…”

“If anyone gets within ten zhang, my Breath Convergence will be unraveled in an instant.”

“It shows that my ‘Sleeping Dragon Elephant’ isn’t yet flawless…”

Wearing his Ogre Mask, Li Che fixed his steely gaze on the distant Million Gambling House, his eyes as calm as an untroubled ancient well—neither joyful nor sorrowful.

Long Street teemed with hurried pedestrians. Many gamblers emerged from the den while new ones, clutching hastily gathered funds from unknown sources, stepped through the barely there threshold with hopeful hearts.

“Corpse God Sect…”

A flash of ferocity crossed Li Che’s eyes.

He felt no fondness for this cult—for the Lingying Sect was merely a branch spawned from the Corpse God Sect.

The Thousand Infant Sacrifice was nothing more than their insidious ploy!

Cao Guang intended to sacrifice the entire Feilei City, spurred on by the subtle manipulations of the Corpse God Sect.

“Are there members of the Corpse God Sect in the Million Gambling House? Or could it be that the Fisher Gang in Jingguang City is essentially the Sect’s force?”

“Do the Temple Guardian Division know?”

“And what about the Jin Guang Mansion Divine Guard in the Capital?”

Li Che murmured to himself.

They probably knew but had their reasons for holding back—perhaps waiting to lure a big fish, or maybe fearful of alerting the enemy…

After all, according to the rumors Li Che had heard, the Corpse God Sect had already overrun several prefectural capitals and seized an entire province as their stronghold.

While dispatching elite warriors to assault the Dajing Divine Capital region, they scattered their minions throughout numerous prefectures under the Eleven Routes of Dajing.

Under the covert incitement of the Corpse God Sect, armed uprisings had erupted in many regions…

The Corpse God Sect was a true juggernaut—a threat of unimaginable scale.

Thus, with the Corpse God Sect’s presence in Jingguang City, the forces of the Capital could hardly remain oblivious.

It might simply be that they are biding their time, waiting to hook a big fish.

“But… what does this have to do with my Ogre?”

“Since all of you know the Corpse God Sect is amassing power within Jingguang City, why do nothing?”

“Let my daughter be targeted… even to the point of losing her life?”

“Alerting the enemy?”

But the Corpse God Sect was already setting its sights on his kin—on his own daughter.

Li Che couldn’t fathom what fate the adorable, lively XiXi might suffer if she fell into the hands of the Corpse God Sect.

He dared not imagine, nor wish to; as a father, he must shield his daughter from all harm.

As for killing… that old man will handle it.

A broader perspective…

Li Che was just an ordinary father.

Before his daughter, nothing mattered more than her life!

Li Che closed his eyes, and the next moment when he opened them, a torrent of ferocity burst forth. Behind the mask, his features were obscured—as if unleashing a darker second nature.

He exhaled with a thunderous roar.

Li Che strode down Long Street, his black robe billowing in the spring wind.

Pedestrians on either side hurried by, none noticing his imposing, mountain-like stature—as if his very presence went unseen.

Under the influence of Sleeping Dragon Elephant, he seemed detached from both heaven and earth.

Step by step, the hulking form of the Ogre crossed the threshold of the Million Gambling House.

Yet once inside, Li Che slightly lifted his conical hat, and his masked, menacing eyes swept over the scene as his powerful heart pounded mightily.

In an instant, as the 【Chess Sage Dao Fruit】 surged, the Cosmic Chessboard unfurled slowly within his eyes.

Then, his Ogre form melted into the darkness, silently slipping deeper into the gambling den.

……

……

Boom——!

Dull thunder roared as dark clouds clashed, electric serpents coiled, and fierce winds whipped around!

Million Gambling House.

The Back Courtyard.

In the spacious back courtyard, dozens of formidable warriors had gathered—all having entered the Qi Meridian stage, their meridians fully connected.

Their overwhelming qi and blood intertwined like the blaze of a furnace, raising the courtyard’s temperature several degrees.

At the forefront stood a burly middle-aged man with a tangle of braids, clad in a black long jacket with his arms folded. His rippling muscles strained the fabric, outlining every sinew.

His slender eyes exuded a venomous sharpness, reminiscent of a poisonous snake.

This man was none other than the second-in-command of the Million Gambling House, Lin Da.

His piercing gaze held a spark of liveliness; despite his robust build, he moved with the swift cunning of a striking cobra.

Lin Da was a warrior of the Divine Meridian—his divine nature confined to the Initial Divine Foundation. His talent was limited; the Initial Divine Foundation was as far as he could go.

In smaller towns, his strength would command respect, akin to a clan patriarch.

But in the cutthroat environment of Jingguang City, he was merely the second-in-command of a lower-tier faction within the Fisher Gang.

“Divine Envoy, the task you assigned has been successfully completed. Li Zhengran… has been branded with the Corpse Curse Seal. At the proper moment, if desired, it can be triggered to transform him into an obedient ‘Cursed Walking Corpse.'”

Beside Lin Da stood a figure shrouded entirely in a white robe and hood, wearing a mask.

It was a mask crafted from smooth white spirit wood, featuring only two dark eye holes.

Crimson ink inscribed a colossal ‘Ten’ upon it.

It was as if the mask was meant to be cleaved by a cross, splitting it into four.

Lin Da regarded the Corpse God Envoy with sincere respect—even awe!

“Well done,” said the Corpse God Envoy in a calm tone from beneath his white mask.

Lin Da beamed with joy as he rubbed his hands together. “It is an honor for us to serve the Divine Cult…”

“The plan our sect set in motion at the Feilei City branch… has failed.”

“Sacrificing the entire Feilei City to complete a ritual and harness the Temple Spirit’s power would have forged a ‘Cursed Bronze Corpse.’ Alas… it was ruined by a guy called ‘Ogre.'”

“This Ogre… his identity remains shrouded. Who on earth could he be?”

“But we’ve made some guesses…”

“In Feilei City, a coveted ‘Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal’ has gone missing… Lord Yuan speculates that this rare seal was originally intended by City Lord Cao Guang to mark the exceptional Prodigy, Li Nuǎnxi, but was intercepted.”

“The one who intercepted the Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal must be Ogre himself.”

“Unable to erase the seal, he had no choice but to suppress its aura.”

“This Ogre is outrageously audacious! To seize the Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal—he’s doomed sooner or later!”

“Zhang Xiangyang said that Ogre is likely Li Nuǎnxi’s master. If that’s the case… then begin by targeting Li Nuǎnxi.”

“Such an extraordinary Prodigy…”

A ghostly gleam flickered beneath the mask.

“Li Zhengran is my cousin. Once he comes into contact with Li Nuǎnxi, the Corpse Curse Seal will transfer onto the exceptional Prodigy…”

“If Li Nuǎnxi faces peril, Ogre… won’t be able to keep his secret hidden much longer.”

His voice carried a confident, controlled chuckle—as if everything was well within his grasp.

Lin Da’s hair stood on end as a chill ran through him—could the Corpse Curse Seal really transfer on mere contact?

The methods of the Corpse God Sect were indeed terrifying!

Moreover, their penetration of Jingguang City was far swifter than anyone had imagined.

That Corpse Curse Seal…

Lin Da’s heart sank as he felt the tiny mark embedded within his inner pellet, like gnarled roots sprouting from an ancient tree—relentlessly drawing out his divine essence and devouring his qi.

A numbing chill overwhelmed him.

“Do not worry. If you perform well, you can receive the ‘Ten Capitals Corpse God Statue’ crafted by our cult’s master sculptor. It will help you extract the corpse energy from the Corpse Curse Seal, preventing any chance of becoming a walking corpse.”

The Corpse God Envoy sensed Lin Da’s concerns and soothingly reassured him.

“In fact, the Corpse Curse Seal can even enhance your cultivation potential; you, stalled at the Initial Divine Foundation, could see your divine nature improve.”

“Moreover, your body will be nourished by the Seal, growing ever stronger. Breaking through your Divine Meridian to become a True Qi Master may not be out of reach.”

The Corpse God Envoy’s voice carried an almost hypnotic allure.

“Just look at them—they were merely blood-refresh cultivators. After acquiring the ‘Ten Capitals Corpse Curse Seal’, they’ve all ascended to the Qi Meridian stage. In time… they could even reach the Divine Meridian!”

“Aren’t you yearning for a power that could shatter your limits?”

Lin Da’s original concerns evaporated, replaced by a surge of fanatic zeal.

Below, every Qi Meridian warrior in the courtyard wore eyes alight with excitement.

Lin Da’s body trembled slightly.

For everything before him was undeniable proof.

The Corpse God Sect could spread like wildfire, leaving the vast Dajing Dynasty in disarray—a force not to be underestimated.

Rumor had it that even the extraordinarily powerful Vassal King Ji Mo Li had failed to subdue the Corpse God Sect.

If Lin Da could rise through the ranks of the Corpse God Sect…

“By the way, Divine Envoy, aren’t we afraid of retribution from the Divine Sect Branch for our actions?”

The Corpse God Envoy replied calmly, “This is a deep game—don’t ask any more.”

At those words, Lin Da’s eyes narrowed, and he dared not probe further.

Suddenly.

The Corpse God Envoy, still wearing his white mask, abruptly turned his head in one direction.

“What is that?”

Huh?!

Thud—

Suddenly, from behind a wall’s corner, a palm-sized black object arced in a parabolic curve and tumbled down.

The Envoy’s gaze locked onto it in an instant. With a hint of surprise, he realized it was a comically carved crow, chiseled from spirit wood.

“A crow?”

“This is bad!”

From the dark eye holes of the Corpse God Envoy’s mask suddenly burst forth dazzling, brilliant crimson beams!

Bang——!!!

With a resounding explosion and howling, turbulent gusts, the wooden crow shattered into pieces, sending thick dust billowing into the air.

The dust whipped wildly through the forceful gusts, enveloping the entire courtyard.

Visibility dropped to near zero in an instant.

The Corpse God Envoy pressed his toes to the ground; his white robe suddenly billowed as the inner mud pellet chamber beneath his mask began to glow, ready to summon his Divine Foundation!

However…

Where is his Divine Foundation?!

Not only the Corpse God Envoy—Lin Da, the second-in-command of the Million Gambling House, was similarly affected.

His face quivered violently, his expression turning a ghastly shade.

Damn…

Where the hell is my Divine Foundation?!

“This is…”

“Divine Crystal Powder?”

The Corpse God Envoy of the Corpse God Sect reacted swiftly; his entire being surged with qi and blood as he attempted to disperse the Divine Crystal Powder!

These lime-like Divine Crystal Powders hinder divine essence, stalling its flow and preventing its activation!

What a nefarious tactic!

Yet in the very next moment, he felt an oppressive force like a collapsing mountain—leaving him utterly suffocated, as if his throat had been cruelly choked!

Before long, a massive figure appeared at the courtyard entrance—a strangely ominous, cute Cow Mask looming amid the hazy Divine Crystal Powder.

Bang bang bang——

It was as if muffled thunder were exploding, accompanied by a resounding ‘wong bang’!

The Ogre’s body swelled continuously!

【Dragon Elephant Vajra】…

Angry Gaze Vajra!

The shackles shattered!

Thick, potent qi and blood seemed to spurt and coil around his body like a writhing serpent.

Beneath the mask, his eyes remained stoic—neither joyful nor sorrowful, utterly unmoved!

“Ogre——!”

The Corpse God Envoy’s eyes narrowed, and he bellowed fiercely!

“Stop him!”

He aimed to dispel the Divine Crystal Powder to restore his divine essence and unleash his full power!

Could Divine Crystal Powder really have such an effect?

This Ogre… is truly as treacherous and venomous as the rumors claimed, devoid of any heroic bearing!

Bang——!!!

No sooner had he shouted than the courtyard trembled. With a single step from the Ogre, blue bricks shattered and the ground collapsed in chunks!

It was as if a blood-red, furious dragon had roared in, barreling down with such force that it crushed all the air in its path!

An overwhelming aura of brutality, madness, and unbridled killing intent filled the courtyard!

There was no concealment whatsoever!

Bang bang bang bang!

He was impossibly swift—his Ogre physique, towering at two meters with muscles like intertwined molten steel, harbored a devastating might!

Bursting blood mist and multiple bodies emerged like cannonballs from his onslaught.

These were the Qi Meridian warriors attempting to block him—they unleashed their martial arts with roaring defiance.

But they couldn’t keep up with the Ogre’s speed; a terrifying, stifling divine power left them unable to circulate their qi or even move their limbs.

Their blood froze under the oppressive weight of divine rank, and before they could react, the courtyard warriors were struck down!

The Ogre had slain several and then strode across the courtyard to confront Lin Da and the Corpse God Envoy face-to-face!

Even under the influence of Divine Crystal Powder, the Ogre could still harness divine energy—because his 【Unsullied Heart】 Dao Fruit erupted, its radiant white essence merging with his 【Three-Eyed Furious True Lord】 divine nature, effectively nullifying the powder’s suppression.

“Are you charging at me?”

The Corpse God Envoy’s eyes narrowed!

He prepared to activate his Qian Kun Jade and summon his weapon.

But the Ogre wasted no time—ruthlessly charging forward with the unstoppable fury of a tidal wave!

“Ogre——!!!”

The Corpse God Envoy roared, “This Ogre… how did he appear so quickly?!”

With a tremendous blast, a massive elbow slammed into the Envoy’s white mask. The spirit wood mask shattered into countless pieces, and the face beneath twisted into a grotesque, broken visage of ruined flesh and splintered bone!

But…

Li Che quickly noted—there was no blood!

Clenching his fingers, he unleashed the Liuxue Stun Spear from his Qiankun Space—a spear of vivid crimson, blooming like a gory flower from hell.

He violently discharged a spear thrust.

Ding——!

It struck the Corpse God Envoy’s flesh—the white robe exploded, revealing a dark, muscle-bound body beneath…

As if his flesh had been forged into gray-black iron, the spear’s impact resounded with the clang of colliding metal.

The tremendous force slammed into the Envoy, blasting him like a cannonball and hurling him against the courtyard ground.

“My body has been tempered into cursed iron flesh! If you’re not a Grandmaster… how do you expect to kill me?!”

A dense aura of corpse energy suddenly erupted from the Envoy—his mask shattered, revealing a face hollowed and broken in maddened disarray.

However…

The Ogre stared blankly at him. In the next moment, his eyes emitted a golden, shimmering mist that slowly wafted from deep within, while his jet-black hair billowed wildly, cascading down to his waist.

A terrifying oppressive force, like a collapsing mountain, brutally slammed into the Corpse God Envoy.

Then, his crimson spear suddenly soared upward; though it was a spear, it unleashed boundless, dazzling blade light!

It was as if a scarlet three-bladed saber vibrated with an eerie hum!

The Three-Eyed Furious True Lord Three-Blade Saber!

A perfected divine martial art!

A savage, sweeping slash erupted, as the terrifying power imbued in the spear’s blade burst forth like a roaring tsunami across the Envoy’s body!

It exploded from his head, shoulders, spine, and back—all at once, as if his very form was blown apart!

His body, forged into cursed iron flesh and impervious to anyone short of a Grandmaster…

Instantly, countless sprays of blood burst forth, flinging gore like ragdolls over tens of meters!

“Such power…”

“This… this is… the Temple Spirit’s power… of the gods…”

The Corpse God Envoy of the Sect, his sinews shattered and his cursed iron flesh reduced to rubble, clung to life by a single breath.

Pfft!

A blood-red long spear, like a venomous serpent, shot forth.

It pierced through his skull. In the spear’s recoil, its terrifying force shattered the Envoy’s head like a fragile watermelon, splintering into pieces as blood mist and qi sprayed across the courtyard.

Everything happened too quickly—from the Ogre’s strike to the Envoy’s demise—in merely a few breaths, with fewer than ten moves exchanged.

This Corpse God Sect’s Ten Capitals Corpse God Envoy…

…was crushed!

Nearby, Lin Da remained frozen, his divine essence sealed off as if a terrifying, waterfall-like force had been unleashed from the Ogre.

It left him with not even enough strength to move a finger!

Amidst drifting, grayish mists of Divine Crystal Powder…

Two strands of golden mist swirled, and in the next moment, Lin Da was struck by explosive pain before losing all sensation—as if the world were slipping away.

The head of the Million Gambling House’s second-in-command…

…was simply crushed to pieces!

In his Ascending Stance, Li Che possessed the rank of the Ten Capitals Temple Spirit, his combat power skyrocketing to an extraordinary level.

Lin Da, confined to the Initial Divine Foundation, could only rely on his Divine Meridian qi and blood—how could that compare to Li Che’s refined Ascending Stance?

Soft golden mists drifted from Li Che’s eyes as his gaze swept over the entire courtyard of Qi Meridian warriors.

His cold, steely eyes were filled with ruthless intent—void of emotion, as if all humanity had been snuffed out, leaving only the drive to annihilate.

His fingers twitched, and in an instant, the snapping of countless silver threads, accompanied by the explosive cracking of bones, rang out.

An upgraded version of Thousand Spider Silk…

The Thousand Spider Field!

Pfft pfft pfft!

These warriors, elevated to the Qi Meridian stage by the Corpse Curse Seal, erupted in agonized wails as they were sliced apart by Li Che’s terrifying field of divine Thousand Spider Silk, manipulated in his Ascending Stance.

Countless sprays of blood vaporized, spreading throughout the courtyard like blood-red blossoms swaying in the spring breeze!

Wearing his Ogre Mask, his massive, triangular-shouldered figure and cascading jet-black hair formed an imposing silhouette…

It was as if he stood in a hellish purgatory adorned with blooming mandalas.

Every warrior in the courtyard was slain!

His fingers, curved like hooks, slowly clenched into a fist.

Ascending Stance · Thousand Analysis Hand…

Threadlike strands of divine essence coalesced from the fallen, forming dark, chess-like pieces that floated around him—each devoured entirely.

After absorbing the divine essence, Li Che methodically scavenged the corpses; one by one, he retrieved Qian Kun Jade and stored them in his Qiankun Space.

Once done, the hulking Ogre stomped heavily—the courtyard, scattered with shredded flesh, caved in, the ground fracturing like radioactive spider-webs.

The Ogre’s body soared upward, landing on the rooftop!

……

……

Temple Guardian Division.

Zhang Lianhao, the chief clerk of the Temple Guardian Division, who had been leisurely sipping tea while reviewing documents, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

The documents and his teacup fell softly.

Yet the man had vanished—reappearing atop the Temple Guardian Division’s building.

Gazing at the fleeting flash of soaring blood carnage in the distance!

His eyes narrowed as he tapped his foot lightly; the surrounding scenery whizzed past like a speeding train, disappearing in an instant!

It was as though a high-speed train raced swiftly toward the source of surging energy.

Clad in his official uniform, Zhang Lianhao gripped a Liuxue-tinted Tiger-Head Long Spear, his qi and blood coalescing into a dense mist swirling about him.

His clerk’s robe flapped in the wind as he intently gazed at the figure standing atop the Million Gambling House’s rooftop.

That figure’s massive frame resembled a mountain, with wild, flowing jet-black hair like a cape.

Within that charming Cute Cow Mask glowed two eyes through which faint golden mists flowed—cold and ruthless as those of a deity!

It was Ogre!

Ogre… has appeared!

Is he purposely waiting for me?!

Zhang Lianhao squinted, a chill surging within him as his ethereal aura soared. His formidable, dominating divine perception rippled outward in concentric circles.

Yet Ogre paid him no heed.

In the moment a staggering figure toppled, he was instantly propelled away at a terrifying speed.

Then…

He vanished without a trace!

Even as Zhang Lianhao’s ethereal divine perception swept rapidly through the area, it could capture no trace of aura or movement—Ogre had seemingly evaporated from the mortal realm!

Zhang Lianhao’s face turned icy as he leaped onto the Million Gambling House’s rooftop.

Glancing down, he squinted at the gruesome sight of dismembered remains scattered across the courtyard—a scene straight out of a living hell.

The crisp spring breeze stirred his hair and uniform.

“Damn it…”

“This Ogre…”

“An outlaw, a madman!”

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