Chapter 251: Undead Seals and Shattered Fate

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz!

The swirling Undead Curse Seal emerged from the bloodied corpse of You Liqing, its pale eyes and pair of jet-black seals radiating a tremendous, terrifying pressure!

The Cursed Jade Corpse Envoy, standing perilously close to You Liqing’s corpse, felt an unstoppable chill enshroud his heart.

“Undead God?!”

Horror and terror rapidly spread from his eyes!

Within the Corpse God Sect, the hierarchy among cultivators was incredibly strict.

A single rank difference could create an insurmountable chasm, an absolute suppression akin to the heavens and earth.

For instance, a Cursed Jade Corpse could completely dominate a Cursed Golden Corpse, leaving the latter unable to even resist.

Likewise, the suppression of a Cursed Silver Corpse by a Cursed Golden Corpse was equally absolute – the former wouldn’t even have the strength to flee.

All of this was due to the Undead Curse Seal!

It was a mysterious mark that bound a person’s soul by chaining together their three souls and seven essences – once stamped, it indelibly marked one’s rank.

Unless one could break through the ranks by cultivation, one would forever be oppressed by a superior existence.

It exerted an unparalleled pressure.

At that moment, even though the Cursed Jade Corpse possessed formidable cultivation, the mere aura from You Liqing’s corpse—merely at the level of a mid-rank Six Divisional Corpse Envoy—was utterly overwhelming.

Yet the oppressive force was so terrifyingly immense.

It was all because the seal in You Liqing’s eyes was none other than the Undead Curse Seal!

Within that seal…

The Cursed Jade Corpse sensed an irresistible, towering will of the Undead God!

The terrifying pressure forced the Cursed Jade Corpse—and even two other Cursed Jade Corpses in the distance—into cold, clammy sweats, overwhelmed by the immense force!

Even though these three Cursed Jade Corpses were on par with top-tier, Three-Flower Grandmasters, they lacked the nerve to even release their moribund and corpse energies.

Thump, thump, thump—

The three Cursed Jade Corpses fell to their knees, shattering the blue stone pavement of the dark alley beneath them!

Cracks, like spiderwebs, spread out in an instant!

Clad in a fluttering black robe, the Dragon Queen’s midnight hair danced wildly over her stunning features. Her gaze, momentarily dazed, fixed on the seal emerging from You Liqing’s eyes, as if a heavy hammer was striking her heart and making it tremble uncontrollably.

But in the next moment, an unrestrained madness flickered in her eyes!

“Ah—!!!”

Has You Liqing’s three souls and seven essences… been devoured?!

Consumed by the Undead God?!

Does this mean that You Liqing is truly dead—completely erased from this world?

Scattered to pieces!

Yet in this world… Ao Yuxin still remained.

But You Liqing was no more!

Boom—!!!

The Dragon Queen’s eyes erupted with a dazzling blue brilliance as she stepped forward; her vitality surged like flowing fire, with seemingly countless streams of blood, dragon aura, and Three-Flower Gang Qi roaring into a tidal wave!

In the depths of the dark alley, her power suppressed the moribund and corpse energies of the three Cursed Jade Corpses!

“Who are you?!”

“Who exactly are you?!”

In an instant, the Dragon Queen appeared before You Liqing’s corpse. Gazing into the eyes swirling with the Undead Curse Seal, her expression was filled with sorrow, despair, deep emotion, and regret!

Yet, as she stood before her, You Liqing’s corpse tightened its fist with a calm resignation.

The dead energy and corpse aura in the alley surged in a menacing vortex, as Three-Flower Gang Qi burst forth from You Liqing’s bloodied corpse, merging with the dying energies!

A fist shot straight toward the Dragon Queen!

Relentless and without emotion, it struck like an enemy on a doomed final path—more a farewell between life and death than anything else!

Baptized by the Undead Curse Seal, You Liqing’s corpse surged with rising energy, almost surpassing the power of his living self. Charged by Three-Flower Gang Qi, his fist formed in a brutal gripping motion and descended forcefully!

Wanlong Fushen!

Dragon-strike!

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

Within the alley, a dreadful explosion of force roared, nearly evacuating all the air. The three Cursed Jade Corpses on the ground were left gasping for breath, almost suffocating!

Bear in mind, these three were upper-echelon Cursed Jade Corpses with powers comparable to flourishing top Three-Flower Grandmasters. Yet now, under the crushing influence of the Undead Curse Seal, all that remained was oppression and dread!

“Wanlong Fushen?!”

“How could a corpse even master Wanlong Fushen?!”

As the sudden fist from You Liqing struck, the Dragon Queen froze in shock, her entire body rippling with dragon-scale-like creases!

Facing the threat of that punch—with its precise angle and unstoppable force—even she dared not take it lightly!

But the proximity left her with no choice!

Desperately, the Dragon Queen braced herself, as if a massive, deep-blue dragon silhouette had coiled behind her!

Then—!

You Liqing’s corpse, cold and unfeeling, smashed his fist into the roaring dragon silhouette generated by the Dragon Queen!

It was like a gargantuan bronze bell being struck atop a towering peak—a violent impact that shattered the alley’s pavement into concentric shockwaves.

Walls crumbled and the blue stone bricks on the ground were flung apart!

Torrents of air, laden with morbid energy, mud, sand, and dust, soared high!

The entire alley was reduced to ruins. Had the Corpse God Sect’s experts not pre-set arrays early on, this spectacle might have completely exposed their positions and identities!

“Run!”

While the Dragon Queen and You Liqing’s corpse clashed,

the three Cursed Jade Corpses finally broke free of the Undead Curse Seal’s inescapable suppression!

Their leader soared upward on tiptoe, transforming into a dark, deathly aura resembling a colossal, slithering serpent.

With a snap of his fingers, a dark orb charged toward the Dragon Queen!

“Princess, regarding our plan to jointly subdue the Underworld – the Corpse God Sect has accepted! Consider our sincerity carefully!”

After hurling the dark orb brimming with morbid aura and corpse energy, the Cursed Jade Corpse leader immediately broke away with the other two.

Undead Curse Seal!

Within You Liqing’s corpse, the Undead Curse Seal mysteriously resided?

Could it be…

That a calamity significant enough to attract even the Undead God to intervene was about to occur in Daocheng?

Is it linked to the recent buzz about the mysterious appearance of the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff at the Bizarre Temple of the Six-Eared Yulian Divine Monkey Two-Hearted Sage on Shendiao Ridge?

Rumor had it that possessing this divine weapon would allow one to ascend the city towers of Qitian City and, atop them… locate the fabled Qi Tian Hun Yuan Ruyi Stick!

The Dragon Queen swept her blood aura, gathering the pearl before launching another fist at You Liqing’s corpse!

Each blow sent an endless ache through her heart!

Buzz—!!!

You Liqing’s bloodied corpse once again gripped its fist, its flesh crisscrossed with cracks, as though unable to contain the overwhelming force.

In the end, You Liqing was doomed. His corpse had long lost its vitality, and this sudden surge of power threatened to shatter him into oblivion.

Yet he did not hold back!

Howl—!!!

With resounding dragon roars, countless black lights and blood vessels emerged like a descending red moon. You Liqing’s corpse violently burst apart, its shattered radiance transmitted mysteriously through the Undead Curse Seal!

Wanlong Fushen! His fist came out like a raging dragon!

The Dragon Queen’s heart ached, her eyes already drowning in sorrow.

“You Liqing…”

She knew that from this day forward, even You Liqing’s corpse would vanish.

This meant that You Liqing would be completely erased from this world!

Two immensely powerful forces collided!

In that instant, dragon shadows and fist images intertwined like an inverted waterfall, shattering even the already-cracked blue bricks into dust.

Time lost all meaning as the chaos slowly subsided.

The storm in the alley finally died down. The Dragon Queen stood, her jet-black hair wildly swirling, her elegant form motionless and lost in thought.

All that remained where You Liqing’s corpse had been was a wisp of blood mist, dissolving slowly under a gentle breeze.

The blood mist drifted with the wind, dispersing into ash as it merged with the earth and sky.

It felt as though the last sliver of hope in the Dragon Queen’s heart had been drained away.

…

…

Snow fell quietly in the night breeze.

Qianyuan Divine Sect.

Disciples’ City, the Elders’ Hall.

In the Study, candlelight burned dimly.

The Undead Curse Seal detached from You Liqing’s Spiritual Confinement body and merged back into the Cosmic Chessboard, suppressed by the Pure Heart Divine Nature.

Although Li Che had already refined the Undead Curse Seal with the help of his loyal dog spirit, he continued to use his Pure Heart divine nature as a safeguard.

You Liqing’s Spiritual Confinement eyes cleared as complexity mixed in his expression.

“Thank you, my lord.”

You Liqing clasped his fists and bowed deeply.

Li Che waved his hand. “No regrets? To have sacrificed your flesh…”

“If that flesh were not destroyed and fell into the hands of the Corpse God Sect to be forged into a cursed corpse, it would have been better to obliterate it entirely,” You Liqing replied gravely.

“Moreover, after enduring the Undead Curse Seal this time, I’ve begun to adapt to its power. Perhaps I can eventually master it and attain its level of strength.”

You Liqing clasped his fists once more.

Li Che raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

This came as an unexpected delight.

To Li Che, the Undead Curse Seal wasn’t particularly significant—it was merely a means to detect and sense the nefarious agents of the Corpse God Sect.

If it could be transformed into battle power, that would indeed be an unexpected treat.

Li Che watched You Liqing as the knife he meticulously carved spun at his fingertip.

Could he refine You Liqing into an Undead God simply by utilizing this Undead Curse Seal?

It wasn’t unthinkable.

When facing the Corpse God Sect in the future, if the enemy unleashed an Undead God, our side would also summon one.

If he could assemble six Undead Curse Seals, he might even be able to forge six Undead Gods – and the Underworld might finally have what it truly deserved.

“In that case, this Undead Curse Seal… is yours.”

Li Che smiled faintly.

“Now that you hold the Undead Curse Seal, can you sense the surrounding state of the Corpse Curse Seals?”

Li Che pondered something and then asked.

You Liqing’s eyes glittered as he recalled his recent merging with the Undead Curse Seal – that clear, unyielding suppression over the three Cursed Jade Corpses of the Corpse God Sect made him nod in agreement.

“Very good.”

“Once you’ve refined this Undead Curse Seal, help me root out the hidden moles within the Qianyuan Divine Sect belonging to the Corpse God Sect.”

Li Che said in a calm tone.

In the next moment, with a snap of his fingers, the Undead Curse Seal transformed into a stream of light and shot into You Liqing’s Spiritual Confinement body.

This fusion was unlike any before.

You Liqing’s Spiritual Confinement body was wracked with an excruciating pain.

Li Che expanded the Cosmic Chessboard to block any prying, forcing You Liqing to painfully refine the Undead Curse Seal within him.

Meanwhile, in the Study, Li Che carved away in silence.

After finishing his daily sculpting and cultivation,

he spread out a sheet of Xuan Huang talisman paper across his desk.

Clenching his fingers, he grasped the wolf-hair brush, dipping it fully in vermillion Divine Ink.

Of course, Li Che wasn’t planning to draw a Locking Talisman – his divine nature wasn’t yet sufficient; creating one would be extremely challenging.

Although the path of talisman crafting resembled that of divine sculpture,

ultimately one was talismans and the other divine carvings.

While the cultivation of a talismanist’s martial path isn’t overly demanding, it requires exceptionally high divine nature.

To create a Fifth Elder tier divine talisman—even something like the lower Locking Talisman favored by the Sect Master’s Wife—one would need a perfected Primordial Transformation of divine nature, or even a higher celestial metamorphosis.

At present, Li Che’s divine nature was only at the Divine Vision stage. Even though his Seven Emotions of Divinity were extraordinary, his divine nature rank was similar to the Corpse Curse rank of the Corpse God Sect. If perfected, it might rival a Golden Body Transcendence.

Thus, though Li Che’s divine power was considerable, he still fell short of the requirements for a Fifth Elder tier talisman.

The main shortfall was that the 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit hadn’t yet sufficiently matured.

“Let’s try a lower-tier talisman from the Six Divisional array,”

Li Che opened the ‘Great Realm Qingyun Dao Xuan Talisman Book of the Divine Talisman Sect’ and selected a lower Six Divisional talisman.

【Xuan Lei She Shen Zhan Ling Talisman】

An offensive type talisman!

In truth, Li Che’s understanding of talisman crafting wasn’t profound, but with the 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit, his copying was straightforward.

Deep within his chest, the 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit thumped violently.

In the next moment, Li Che opened his eyes, his gaze heavy with ink as if trailing smoky darkness.

Gripping the wolf-hair brush and laden with vermillion Divine Ink, he began drawing the 【Xuan Lei She Shen Zhan Ling Talisman】.

Swish, swish, swish…

The brush caressed the rough talisman paper, and the vermillion ink was instantly absorbed.

The Mud Pellet at his brow tore open, revealing the Star Plucking Gaze.

An endless array of insights, peering into the void to return to truth!

Li Che lost track of how long he painted. With every stark brushstroke, his divine nature surged crazily into the talisman paper.

Fortunately, Li Che’s cultivation of the Seven Emotions of Divinity wasn’t lacking; he could handle any type of talisman.

Boom—!!!

The lower-tier Six Divisional talisman held together under the strain of Li Che’s Divine Vision.

If push came to shove, he could even summon the divine power of Fa Tian Xiang Di’s Luminous True Primate, renowned for its overwhelming might at the Three Pure tier.

Its divine force would rival even that of a Primordial Transformation!

Rumble, rumble—

As a deep, thunderous sound echoed through the Study,

Li Che’s jet-black hair flew wildly as he stepped back, his eyes gleaming brightly.

Thunder snakes seemed to slither across the Study, illuminating the dim room.

“It’s done!”

Li Che’s dark ink robe fluttered as he casually retrieved the wolf-hair brush.

It was his first formal attempt at drawing a talisman; the Xuan Huang talisman paper and Divine Ink were from his previous harvest, never personally mixed before.

In the end, Li Che was extremely satisfied.

Clutching the talisman with still-wet vermillion marks, he felt as if tiny electric currents were surging from it into his very being.

His Thunder Magnetic Conduit was involuntarily activated.

“This talisman… is perfect for cultivating the Thunder Magnetic Conduit!”

Li Che’s eyes brightened, as if he’d discovered a new path to cultivation.

Drawing the talisman was like channeling lightning upon oneself!

Achieving true self-sufficiency.

According to the records in the Divine Talisman Book of the Divine Talisman Sect, there were a total of eight types of Six Divisional talismans. Today’s 【Xuan Lei She Shen Zhan Ling Talisman】 was one of them.

As for the Fifth Elder tier talisman, there was one called 【Little Divine Thunder Shock Talisman】, though its detailed methodology was not disclosed.

It wasn’t meant for outsiders!

Suddenly…

Li Che sat in the Study, clutching the Xuan Lei Divine Talisman.

He felt as though the entire world had fallen silent, every sound stilled.

Absolute silence reigned; his mind and soul were at peace.

All that could be heard was the beating of the 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit in his chest—like a thunderclap growing ever louder, pulling at his heartbeat.

Then, slowly, a ray of light appeared before him.

【Dao Fruit: Painted Immortal (Lv.4 0%)】

The 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit!

It had finally reached Lv.4!

Li Che held the talisman tightly as his dark robe fluttered; a subtle smile graced his lips, his spirits soaring.

He had always taken a patient approach to advancing this Dao Fruit.

Originally, its maturity was boosted through the actions of its 【Painted Immortal】 clones.

But as time passed, further maturing became increasingly difficult.

Now, encountering the path of talisman crafting, he had discovered a shortcut to rapidly enhance the maturity of the 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit.

Li Che’s eyes narrowed. In an instant, his gaze churned like thick, indelible ink, swirling into a vortex!

The vortex erupted with tremendous force, dragging him into the familiar, boundless, and austere realm of nature.

Amid the vast, untamed earth, a Dao Tree suddenly surged upward, its massive roots twisting like a dragon rearing up, spreading across the land powerfully!

The towering Dao Tree pierced the clouds as if tearing them apart, encircling the sky in a ring.

Its canopy spread wide like a net, engulfing the vast wilderness!

Its branches extended with crystal-clear, verdant leaves; each leaf’s vein was as distinct as crisscrossing streams in the fields.

Li Che exhaled deeply.

No matter how many times he felt his strength had significantly grown, staring into this boundless world always left him awestruck and humbled, as if he were a mayfly surveying the cosmos!

His eyes scanned the hanging Dao Fruits.

Those that had matured to Lv.5 shone high, radiant like the blazing sun.

In comparison, the newly Lv.4 matured 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit hardly shone as brightly.

Yet at this moment, the 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit was the star, capturing Li Che’s gaze in an instant!

Li Che raised his hand as if plucking the stars themselves, poised to harvest the Dao Fruit!

Boom—!!!

In a flash, everything before Li Che began to tremble violently.

It was as if the entire painting—the vast lands, the towering Dao Tree, the hanging Dao Fruits—started to shake uncontrollably.

Everything seemed unreal, trembling with wild intensity.

Li Che stared, his eyes streaming with dense, dark ink.

Looking up, he spotted a vague figure outside the frame—a shadow clutching a brush.

That familiar sensation was just like when the Chess Sage Dao Fruit reached Lv.4, and a vague figure appeared beyond the Cosmic Chessboard, exuding an ethereal, otherworldly aura!

At that moment, the figure outside seemed to be adding strokes to the masterpiece.

In an instant!

Countless ink splatters rained down.

The heavens and earth trembled as thunder roared!

A cascade of inky rain drenched the entire vast land.

Everything turned starkly black and white!

Li Che’s consciousness was nearly swallowed by the darkness, only to withdraw from that boundless realm.

Then, everything vanished without a trace.

Li Che’s breathing resumed, his heart quivering slightly.

Yet inside, he felt no disturbance.

Whether it was the blue-fingered figure from the Bizarre Temple, the mysterious strategist beyond the Cosmic Chessboard, or this very brushstroke of ink—all these enigmas were now too many for him.

He had long accepted the mystery.

He chose not to dwell on it or speculate.

For now, he wouldn’t trouble himself with uncertainties he couldn’t fathom.

Once his strength and insight soared to new heights, he would naturally grasp the true nature of mystery and power.

His eyes hardened.

Light flowed gently as dark ink swirled.

【Dao Fruit Lv.4, Second Transcendence, Nascent Divine Power (Ink Slaughter) Upgrade, gaining Divine Power (Painted Immortal · Bai Yu Jing)】

Second Transcendence of the Dao Fruit.

Nascent Divine Power.

Bai Yu Jing.

This chapter contained just over five thousand words. I’m exhausted from writing; although the next part is already planned, I need a break. For those with monthly tickets and recommendation votes, please support me so I can regain my energy. Goodnight, everyone.