Corpse Field

The spirit tree had been the very anchor of the palace; the moment it was uprooted, the entire structure began to collapse. Only then did the three realize that the whole palace was nothing more than an illusion! Qin Sang had shouted for her to stop almost the instant the destruction began, but it was already too late to reverse. The place collapsing fastest was the main hall itself. Ripples surged outward from its doors like waves disturbed upon water, abruptly spreading in all directions. Thunder flashed along Qin Sang's spine, but before he could summon his Azure Luan Phoenix Wings, the ripples swept over him, carrying a strange power that swallowed him whole. A matching scene played out at the other main hall. In that hairsbreadth moment, Master Boxian blanched with shock and snapped his wrist with all his might. The golden ring upon it let out a sharp metallic chime. Upon Qingdan Yuanjun's wrist, an identical jade ring rang out in clear response at the exact same instant. The two treasures flared with a brilliance of gold and jade, seemingly bound to one another. Their lights resonated, and between them materialized a slender thread of light connecting the two cultivators. By then, Qingdan Yuanjun had also realized something was amiss, and the jade ring on her fair wrist vibrated violently. The thread snapped taut. Hauled by immense force, Master Boxian wrenched himself free of the ripples. Still shaken, terror clear in his eyes, he could only watch helplessly as Qin Sang was swallowed by the ripples on the other side. Yet their own situation was hardly any better. It was not just the main halls, but the entire palace that was collapsing. The ripples were everywhere, spreading outward from every quarter. The last glimpse Qin Sang caught was of the two retreating figures enveloped by the ripples, driven into a desperate plight. *Whoosh!* A deafening wind howled in his ears. Like a helpless bird trapped inside a hurricane, Qin Sang hastily called upon his protective treasures and divine abilities in a desperate bid to shield himself. His phoenix wings flapped furiously, bolts of lightning flashing repeatedly as he barely managed to steady his form, but the violent current still hurled him violently toward the earth. *Crack!* A brittle snap sounded beneath his feet. Qin Sang realized that without knowing when, he had already touched solid ground. "That sound wasn't right..." With the situation unclear, Qin Sang did not rashly extend his divine sense, but the Heavenly Eye Butterfly promptly transmitted its awareness to him. Qin Sang's expression changed instantly. Beneath his feet lay a white skeleton; the sound had come from its broken ribs. Decayed with age, the bones had snapped into several pieces under his weight. Worst of all, it was far from the only one. Within the vision shared between him and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, the entire ground was paved with ghastly white corpses and bones. There were no gaps between them—layer upon layer of bones piled atop one another, countless and impossibly deep. Even in the dim light, the bones gleamed with an eye-stinging whiteness that sent chills down his spine. It was unimaginable what manner of gruesome slaughter had taken place here. Qin Sang also noticed that the bones were not solely humanoid; there were also all kinds of beast skeletons, though within the area he could see, human bones accounted for more than half. *Is this an ancient battlefield where humans and demons slaughtered each other?* Recalling the various rumors regarding the Jushan Diocesan Altar, a guess surfaced in his mind. Another possibility was that, just like the palace, everything before his eyes was yet another layer of impenetrable illusion. Amidst the heaps of bones grew patches of flowers and grass. They thrived luxuriantly, growing with astonishing vigor, as if the soil composed of bones was exceptionally fertile, providing them with abundant nourishment. Every stalk and blade was as thick as a tree. Having landed on the ground, Qin Sang could see their roots and leaves, and a strange sense of familiarity struck him. *Could it be...* A grim possibility flashed through his mind. Qin Sang's heart tightened as he flew upward. Piercing through the canopy of leaves, he emerged into the upper air, only to behold a hair-raising scene. Across the expanse of earth, bones stretched endlessly. Spirit flowers bloomed in profusion among the bones, vibrant and dazzling beyond measure. Their heavy fragrance carried a peculiar sweetness, so thick it saturated this entire realm. This sight instantly reminded Qin Sang of the flower fields he had seen inside the fog banks. The flower fields within the fog banks were undoubtedly connected to this place; it was just that what they had taken for soil was in truth a bed of bones. Moreover, the spirit flowers here were relatively sparse, with an entire patch of bones nurturing only a single stalk, unlike the dense clusters inside the fog banks. Yet they were far taller and grander than those within the fog. It was as if a section of this bone flower field had been projected into the fog banks, inevitably distorted so that it differed from reality. The changes that followed quickly confirmed Qin Sang's suspicion. The spirit flowers swayed rhythmically, spraying filaments and pollen from their pistils, and flower cocoons drifted into the air above the bone field. The cocoons were airy and light, slightly larger than a normal human. Then, the bizarre spectacle played out before Qin Sang once more: the cocoons split open, and the flower spirits within sat up, hugging their knees. Male and female alike, all possessed delicate, lovely features. They wore only light gossamer seemingly woven from pollen, their forms slender and graceful, endowed with a natural poise akin to celestial maidens of the Heavenly Palace. Only, the flower spirits were neither gazing at the sky nor dancing. Instead, every single one turned in unison to look at Qin Sang—the sole anomaly in this field of bones! No matter the distance or direction, every flower spirit fixed its gaze upon him, twisting its head stiffly, some of their bodies contorting in eerie angles. Their eyes were hollow, their faces devoid of joy, sorrow, or any emotion at all. Qin Sang felt his scalp tingle. He could sense it—deep within those hollow eye sockets burned a profound resentment. Of course. Having fed on bones and corpse qi to mature, how could these flower spirits be free of malice? Any spirit born in such a place was bound to be an evil spirit! Gradually, the resentment in their eyes intensified, a towering hatred converging entirely on Qin Sang alone, radiating a bone-chilling cold. *Not good!* Even across the fog banks, Qin Sang had been deeply wary of the flower spirits; now that he had fallen into the field itself, he grew all the more vigilant. He swept his gaze across the area, finding no trace of Qingdan Yuanjun or Boxian Shanren. At the far end of the bone flower field, the faint silhouettes of mountains emerged. This appeared to be a valley nestled amidst peaks. Beyond the mountains seemed to lie a broader expanse. Recalling the numerous fog banks, this bone flower field was unlikely to be the only one. If Qingdan Yuanjun and Boxian Shanren had held out a moment longer, they might have landed somewhere else. Qin Sang had briefly wondered whether the two had plotted against him, but their panic at the end had not seemed feigned. Furthermore, he bore no grudge against them and had even saved Qingdan Yuanjun's disciple; what benefit would they gain from betraying him? That they had concealed the secret of their linked rings was entirely normal in Qin Sang's eyes. He kept plenty of secrets of his own and could never be completely unguarded around outsiders. Without knowing the whole truth, he could not jump to conclusions. The pressing matter was to escape this peril as quickly as possible. The heavy floral scent was laced with an exotic venom, and surrounded by it, there was nowhere to hide. The fragrance assailed him without pause. If he remained trapped here until his Poison Bead reached its capacity, his situation would turn perilous. *Among these bones, how many were cultivators who stumbled in by accident?* Even as these thoughts flashed through his mind, Qin Sang noticed the flower spirits' expressions turn strange. Immediately after, pollen danced across the sky above the field, streaming in vibrant colors toward his position. Before long, the pollen coalesced into a human silhouette nearly a hundred feet tall. It suddenly drew inward, finally shaping itself into a shapely, alluring woman. The woman looked sacred and pure, her skin smooth as curd, resembling a flower immortal descending to earth. Her soft gaze settled upon Qin Sang, devoid of the malice carried by the other flower spirits, her eyes shimmering with tender longing. With her arrival, the gazes of the other spirits grew tranquil, their resentment suppressed. "You have come." A gleam of joy lit her eyes, and her voice sounded like heavenly music, intoxicating to the senses. Qin Sang was taken aback. "You have finally come to keep me company. Do you know how lonely I have been here?" The flower immortal's gaze turned plaintive yet remained steeped in affection. Reaching out a jade hand, she murmured softly, "Unable to sleep through the long night, I wish only to share love's embrace with you..." At this moment, she seemed like an immortal maiden awaiting the return of her beloved, the affection in her beautiful eyes deep enough to make one's heart tremble. Qin Sang frowned. How could he permit someone of unknown origin to approach him? He instinctively stepped back, preparing to speak. Seeing his retreat, however, the flower immortal's expression shifted violently into sheer monstrosity. A shrill, piercing shriek tore from her throat: "You dare despise me!" Before Qin Sang could react, she had already descended into madness. Her fingers clawed viciously at her flawless jade face, instantly raking ten bloody gouges across it and tearing away a layer of human skin. Her body ballooned as she cast aside her divine form, transforming into a ghastly evil ghost with a swollen, jaundiced face, a mouth wide as a basin, inches-long fangs, and a bruised-cyan tongue. The evil ghost glared at Qin Sang, consumed by heaven-shaking fury. Along with its piercing shriek, the once-pacified flower spirits erupted with towering malice once more, two streams of bloody tears tracking down from their empty eye sockets. In an instant, the flower field turned into an earthly domain of ghosts. "An evil spirit after all!" Showing no fear, Qin Sang snorted coldly. The lightning wings at his back beat powerfully, instantly turning him into a streak of lightning that shattered the air. Unleashing his Thunder Escape without reservation, Qin Sang's speed was nothing short of astonishing. A bolt of lightning tore across the void. Yet no matter how fast he flew, he could not shake the evil ghost. Pollen permeated every inch of this space, and the ghost materialized directly in his path in the blink of an eye. Qin Sang felt a ferocious gale strike him head-on as the ghostly shadow lunged toward him. Seeing that he held no advantage in movement techniques, Qin Sang aborted his flight, shifting several paces sideways as a beam of sword light shot from his sleeve. *Swish!* The Grey Oriole Sword quivered, cleaving out a ray of sword light. Like thunder, the sword light slashed fiercely toward the evil ghost. The ghost showed no intention of dodging. Thrusting out a clawed hand, it clamped down directly onto the sword light. *Pfft!* The sword light pierced the ghostly hand, leaving a shocking wound, yet the gash knitted back together almost immediately. Qin Sang's gaze darkened; the evil ghost was even more formidable than he had anticipated. To make matters worse, the flower spirits across the entire field had been roused. Borne aloft by the pollen, they drifted lightly through the air toward Qin Sang. Tears of blood trailed down their cheeks, painting a tragic yet deeply resentful picture as their malice merged with the flower poison, surging forward like a tidal wave. Qin Sang keenly detected the shift in the poison, and his expression grew increasingly solemn. *Whoosh!* A foul wind struck his face. Qin Sang's brow twitched. Neither dodging nor retreating, he unleashed a punch like a charging dragon, laden with the force of the Demon-Crushing Seal. *Boom!* A ghostly hand materialized before him, colliding squarely with his heavy blow. The spikes on his fist wraps sank entirely into the ghostly hand. An eerie crimson glow pulsed along the thorns, flooding into the evil ghost's body through the wounds. Whether the ghost could truly feel pain or not, it shrieked shrilly, growing even more savage. Just then, the ring of a sword resonated from above. Heaven and earth grew dim as the constellations aligned in order. The Seven Mansions Division Sword Array manifested once more, enveloping not only the evil ghost, but also a vast expanse of the surrounding flower field and spirits. Buddhist seals emerged one after another. Instead of falling back, Qin Sang surged forward, taking the initiative to charge the evil ghost. At the same time, sword stars flared in succession, unleashing razor-sharp sword qi. Yet the target of these slashes was not the evil ghost, but the flower spirits. *Whir, whir, whir...* The sword qi streaked across the void like tragic, beautiful shooting stars. Sensing danger, the flower spirits fixed their bleeding eyes on the incoming sword beams and screamed. Their malice, blended with the flower poison, coalesced into tangible barriers between them and the sword qi. Unfortunately for them, the sword array fractured their ranks. Lacking any cohesion, they were cut down one after another by the falling blades. Though locked in combat with the evil ghost, Qin Sang kept most of his attention on the spirits. He observed that with each flower spirit slain, a corresponding spirit flower withered away. Yet almost immediately, tender sprouts pushed up where the plants had withered, giving rise to new spirit flowers. This place was much like that strange forest: the spirits could never be truly eradicated. Regrettably, Qin Sang could not sense even a shred of Wood Spirit Qi here. In the end, his gaze settled back on the evil ghost. This place was far too bizarre, and he had no idea what lay beyond the bone flower field. The flower spirits possessed no intelligence; this evil ghost was the only entity capable of communication. It would be best to capture it alive to pry loose the secrets of this land and the way out. With this thought, Qin Sang pressed his assault with even greater ferocity. Simultaneously, he cast the remaining flower spirits out of the sword array, leaving the sword stars suspended directly above himself and the evil ghost. Now, all seven mansions appeared within the array, locking their sights entirely on the evil ghost. Against any other foe, Qin Sang might have exercised restraint out of fear that they would decipher his techniques. But this evil ghost was completely mad, driven solely by a desire to devour Qin Sang's flesh and blood, paying no heed to the sword array. *Whoosh!* Like a phantom, Qin Sang dodged a strike, slipped beneath the ghost's arm, and circled behind it to deliver a crushing blow to the center of its back. This strike fused the three seals of Auspiciousness, Altar-Turning, and Demon-Crushing; its power was nothing ordinary. *Thud!* Taking the heavy blow, the evil ghost lurched violently forward, nearly tumbling to the ground. In that split second, sword qi rained down, instantly engulfing the creature. The evil ghost howled, gashes covering its body as it burst through the storm of swords, only to find Qin Sang already waiting ahead. Behind his layered defenses, the ghost stood little chance of truly injuring Qin Sang's body, save for one factor. As they exchanged blows, the surrounding flower poison grew increasingly thick. Every strike and swipe from the ghost was steeped in lethal toxin, placing immense pressure upon him. *I cannot drag this out!* Qin Sang's heart sank. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and his figure shifted, reappearing directly before the evil ghost in a near-frenzied assault. High above, the sword stars blazed with blinding brilliance. The stars shifted, and all seven mansions stirred in unison. Starlight converged, sword intent pouring forth like a torrent. This burst of starlight carried monumental might, far surpassing anything before. Midway through its descent, the starlight twisted, transforming into a white tiger that descended through the sky. The white tiger exuded peerless ferocity, descending like a celestial god of destruction, gathering the power of the stars to shake heaven and earth. The White Tiger Fierce Malevolence! The Western Seven Mansions were also known as the Seven Mansions of the White Tiger. This move was the ultimate killing technique of the Seven Mansions Division Sword Array. Only by comprehending the sword array to its utmost depth could one grasp this lethal art. This was Qin Sang's first time unleashing the White Tiger Fierce Malevolence, and he had yet to see its true power. "Roar!" A tiger's roar shook heaven and earth. Even before the malevolence struck, the evil ghost seemed terrified by the roar, its body stiffening, fear finally surfacing in its eyes. *Boom!* Qin Sang did not relent. A heavy punch slammed into the ghost's chest, sending it hurtling backward, only for him to suddenly sense something wrong with its aura. *Self-destruction?* Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He had not anticipated the creature would be this ruthless. Giving up all thought of capturing it alive, he drew back his fist and focused entirely on directing the White Tiger Fierce Malevolence. *Flash!* The white tiger tore through the void, descended from above, and passed straight through the evil ghost's body. The ghost, on the verge of detonating itself amidst chaotic energy, froze stiff in that very instant. In the next breath, its flesh and skin crumbled bit by bit into drifting ash.