Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8493: Grandmaster (1)
Previously on Living In Another World With A Farm...
A massive palace rose before them, its architecture utterly bizarre. Eighteen towering pillars upheld its structure, each soaring to three hundred feet in height. These pillars bore an odd design, sculpted in the form of battle corpses with ghastly green faces and sharp fangs, exuding a savage and fearsome presence. Intricate runes adorned their forms. They stood rigidly, gazing far into the horizon.
What made them even more peculiar was that these three-hundred-foot battle corpses appeared truly alive. Astonishing as it seemed, they radiated the unmistakable aura of battle corpses. Rather than mere stone carvings, they resembled warriors primed for combat at any instant.
In the hall's center sat an elderly figure, the Sect Master of the Corpse Demon Sect known as the Corpse Demon Old Man. A modest altar occupied the middle of the hall, and atop it rested a coffin. Crafted from bronze and etched with runes, the coffin held a battle corpse within.
This battle corpse gleamed with a golden hue, yet it lacked the intimidating menace of its kin. It resembled an everyday individual, though forged entirely from gold. Clad in golden armor and a golden mask, it reclined peacefully, evoking the image of a general taking a brief respite.
Before the altar stood a large black cauldron. Inside it burned three thick incense sticks, each as wide as an arm. Black in shade, these incense emitted a subtle fragrance upon ignition, one that sharpened the mind and brought clarity.
The Corpse Demon Old Man knelt calmly before the cauldron. At this hour each day, he offered his respects to the Corpse Ancestor. This golden battle corpse earned the title of Corpse Master because it had been bequeathed by the founding ancestor of the Corpse Demon Sect. After ascending to the Immortal Realm, the founder left his battle corpse behind. He had two purposes for this act. First, to safeguard the Corpse Demon Sect with the battle corpse, which he had personally refined in his time. It had advanced to golden corpse level, boasting immense combat prowess. This made it akin to the Blood Slaughter Blade and God-Slaying Blade of the Blood Slaughter Sect, both revered as sect-guarding magic weapons.
The second purpose involved the battle corpse harboring a wisp of the founding ancestor's spiritual sense. Through it, he could reach the Sect Master of the Corpse Demon Sect and impart his Dao techniques. Though not a daily occurrence, transmissions every few years brought endless benefits to the sect's members. This played a key role in elevating the Corpse Demon Sect to lead the ten great sects. Unlike the Blood Slaughter Sect, which lacked a figure like the Blood Slaughter Patriarch yet rose swiftly, the Corpse Demon Sect avoided near-annihilation crises that plagued the Blood Slaughter Sect. From its founding, the Corpse Demon Sect grew steadily stronger, never facing direct assaults. The battle corpse and the founder's guidance fueled this unyielding rise.
Thanks to this battle corpse, the Corpse Demon Sect possessed deeper knowledge of the upper realm than rival sects. They uncovered secrets unknown to others. For instance, the Spiritual Array Sect's downfall stemmed from an upper realm Almighty who had ascended from the Cloud Sea Realm. Able to commune with the lower realm, he learned of the Spiritual Array Sect's victory over his own sect in the Millennium War. Enraged, that mighty entity obliterated the Spiritual Array Sect.
Thus, despite being the mightiest among the ten great sects, the Corpse Demon Sect refrained from rashly targeting the other nine. Its members understood that the founders of those sects lingered in the upper realm as formidable powers. Provoking them could invite devastating retaliation the Corpse Demon Sect could not withstand.
That said, upper realm mighty beings faced no trivial barriers when striking lower realm sects. Heavenly laws imposed restrictions, demanding a price for intervention. Yet, at times, that cost proved worthwhile to eliminate a foe.
This daily hour marked the Corpse Demon Old Man's tribute to the Corpse Ancestor, as it also aligned with potential communion from the sect's founder. Historically, the founder engaged the Sect Master at this time, establishing the tradition. Thus, the Sect Master honored the Corpse Ancestor daily without fail, barring extraordinary circumstances.
The routine held true today. The Corpse Demon Old Man sat in serene reverence toward the Corpse Ancestor. No contact had come from the ancestor in ages. He recognized the upper realm as no paradise free of strife; conflicts there raged fiercer than below. Thus, he harbored no grievances over the silence and persisted with his daily rites.
Suddenly, a soft golden glow emanated from the golden corpse. Joy surged through the Corpse Demon Old Man at the sight. He dropped to his knees at once, bowing deeply to the golden corpse. "Disciple Shi Mo greets the Ancestral Master and awaits your commands with utmost respect!" With that, he pressed his forehead to the ground.
The glow from the golden corpse intensified steadily. At last, the golden corpse rose slowly to a sitting position. The eyes beneath the mask parted gradually, as if stirring from prolonged stillness. Yet upon opening, twin beams of golden light burst forth. He fixed his gaze on the Corpse Demon Old Man before him and spoke in a gravelly tone, "Corpse Demon, it's been ages since we've deployed battle corpses. Evidently, the Corpse Demon Sect thrives." His voice rasped low, akin to grinding metal, stirring unease in the listener.
"Yes, the Corpse Demon Sect remains the premier power in the Blood Sea Realm. For years, none have dared challenge us. Yet I prove unworthy; I sought alliance with other sects to eradicate the Blood Slaughter Sect but faltered. Fearing the Blood Slaughter Patriarch, I held back my full might. I beg your forgiveness, Ancestor." The Corpse Demon Old Man concealed nothing from the patriarch. He knew disclosure now might spare him blame, while external revelation could bring punishment. Secretly, he hoped the patriarch might intervene against the Blood Slaughter Sect.
"Hmph, Blood Slaughter Sect. These fools dare oppose my Corpse Demon Sect. Corpse Demon, rally the other sects and ready an assault on the Blood Slaughter Sect. This time, unleash everything. Hold nothing back." The Corpse Demon Patriarch's tone chilled instantly upon hearing the old man's words. The hall's air grew frigid, a tangible wave of murderous intent flooding the space. His killing aura stood unmatched save for Zhao Hai's, though Zhao Hai concealed his own.
"Yes, Ancestor," the Corpse Demon Old Man replied promptly. "But Ancestor, a prodigious talent has arisen in the Blood Slaughter Sect. He has revamped every defensive formation across their islands. Their barriers now possess tremendous strength. Even with the Corpse Ancestor's aid, breaching them swiftly seems unlikely. Ancestor, I implore your assistance!" The Corpse Demon Old Man acted shrewdly. He sensed turmoil in the upper realm; otherwise, the Grandmaster would not permit unchecked action against the Blood Slaughter Sect. The Blood Slaughter Patriarch ranked as an upper realm powerhouse, once inspiring dread in the Grandmaster. In former times, the Grandmaster would merely absolve and stay silent. Yet now, he urged attack, astonishing the old man. Clearly, the Grandmaster feared the Blood Slaughter Patriarch no longer. Events in the upper realm had shifted.
"Very well, I'll aid in slaying the Blood Slaughter Sect's leader. Show no mercy to the Blood Slaughter Sect. The Blood Slaughter Patriarch and his sect's members have all perished in combat. They pose no further threat, so strike without restraint. Annihilate the Blood Slaughter Sect utterly this time, demonstrating the Corpse Demon Sect's might to deter any sect from slighting us!" The Corpse Demon Patriarch's voice resounded.
Elation filled the Corpse Demon Old Man at the patriarch's declaration. He bowed hastily and responded, "Yes, my deepest gratitude, Ancestral Master. This disciple vows to exert every effort, ensuring the Corpse Demon Sect reigns supreme over the Blood Sea Realm!" The Corpse Demon Old Man was convinced that toppling the Blood Slaughter Sect would cow all others in the Blood Sea Realm. Even without full unification, their influence would dominate unchallenged.
"Excellent, such resolve pleases me," the Corpse Demon Patriarch intoned deeply. "The Millennium War approaches soon, does it not? If the Corpse Demon Sect seizes true dominion in the Blood Sea Realm before the thousand-year conflict, we shall reap vast rewards, securing our sect's eternal legacy. Proceed; you have one month to prepare. In one month's time, I shall strike the Blood Slaughter Sect. Once I cease, launch your assault. Obliterate the Blood Slaughter Sect completely. Heed this: do not advance before I halt, lest it hinder you. Remember!" With those words, the battle corpse eased back into the bronze coffin. Silence returned.
The Corpse Demon Old Man wasted no moment. He kowtowed thrice to the Corpse Ancestor, then rose and strode out swiftly. He summoned the sect's elders and relayed the ancestor's directive. The elders voiced no objections, affirming their compliance at once. Following that, envoys were dispatched to summon the Sect Masters of the other sects for consultation with the Corpse Demon Old Man. This round excluded the Giant Demon Sect and Rahu Sect, but included all remaining sects—even the Dark Ghost Sect.