rú 。 dà shī yán ！ yǒu lǐ ， bù tǎo jù tǐ yīng gāi rú hé ， wǒ mài xū bǐng 。 yǔ tā shāng yì yǐ hòu zài zuò dìng duó ， dà jiā xiān sàn le 。” bái páo lǎo zhě rú cǐ zhè bān de shuō 。
儒。大师言！有理，不讨具体应该如何，我迈需禀。与他商议以后再做定夺，大家先散了。”白袍老者如此这般的说。
Master Rú spoke, "There's reason in this. I need to report it and consult with him before making a decision. Let everyone disperse first."
qí tā rén zì wú yì yì ， zhèng yào lí zuò ér qǐ ， tū rán yī zhèn yǒu xiē jí cù de jiǎo bù shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ ：“ qǐ bǐng zhǎng lǎo ， jù dà zhèn jiān cè ， zài běn chéng xī nán yuē qī qiān lǐ zhī chù yǒu jù dà de líng lì bō dòng ， yīng gāi shì liǎng gè yuán yīng jí bié de cún zài zài jiāo shǒu ， yīng gāi rú hé ， qǐng zhǎng lǎo dìng yú ，
其他人自无异议，正要离座而起，突然一阵有些急促的脚步声传入耳朵里：“启禀长老，据大阵监测，在本城西南约七千里之处有巨大的灵力波动，应该是两个元婴级别的存在在交手，应该如何，请长老定余，
The others had no objections and were about to rise from their seats when suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps reached their ears: "Elder, according to the array monitoring, there is a huge fluctuation of spiritual energy approximately seven thousand miles southwest of this city. It should be two Core Formation Realm beings engaging in battle. How should we proceed? Please instruct, Elder."
hào shí chéng de jìn zhì dà zhèn ， yě shì shàng gǔ shí qī chuán xià lái de ， bù jǐn wēi lì wú bǐ ， hái kě yǐ duì chéng shì zhōu wéi fāng yuán wàn lǐ de líng qì ， zuò chū dà gài jiān cè dì 。
浩石城的禁制大阵，也是上古时期传下来的，不仅威力无比，还可以对城市周围方圆万里的灵气，做出大概监测地。
The禁制大阵 of Hào Shí City was passed down from ancient times and not only had immense power but could also roughly monitor the spiritual energy within a ten-thousand-mile radius around the city.
dāng rán ， jù lí yuè yuǎn ， dé dào de jié guǒ yě yuè mó hú ， dàn yuán yīng qī xiū shì ， suī bù néng kòng zhì tiān dì yuán qì ， què yě yǒu zhe yí shān dǎo hǎi de dà wēi lì ， jí shǐ xiāng gé shù qiān lǐ ， fǎn yìng dé yě fēi cháng qīng xī 。
当然，距离越远，得到的结果也越模糊，但元婴期修士，虽不能控制天地元气，却也有着移山倒海的大威力，即使相隔数千里，反应得也非常清晰。
Of course, the farther away, the more vague the results. However, Core Formation Realm cultivators, though unable to control the primordial qi of heaven and earth, possessed tremendous strength like moving mountains and overturning seas. Even from several thousand miles away, their reactions were very clear.
rú guǒ píng shí ， tā men dāng rán bú huì qù guǎn zhè yàng de xián shì ， kě jiù zài bù jiǔ yǐ qián ， běn chéng cái fā shēng le shā rén duǒ bǎo zhī shì ……
如果平时，他们当然不会去管这样的闲事，可就在不久以前，本城才发生了杀人朵宝之事……
Normally, they wouldn't bother with such trivial matters, but just recently, a murder had occurred in this city...
dòng shǒu de ， qià hǎo shì yī yuán yīng qī lǎo guài wù ， fù zé dà zhèn de xiū shì bù gǎn dān gē ， lián máng jiāng cǐ shì huì bào gěi zhǎng lǎo men le 。
动手的，恰好是一元婴期老怪物，负责大阵的修士不敢耽搁，连忙将此事汇报给长老们了。
The动手者 was exactly a Core Formation Realm old monster. The cultivator responsible for the array didn't dare delay and immediately reported the matter to the elders.
“ xī nán qī qiān lǐ ， nà bú shì huāng wú rén yān de suì shí huāng dì ？” dà zhǎng lǎo mō le mō hú xū ， yǎn zhōng liú lù chū jǐ fēn chà yì 。
“西南七千里，那不是荒芜人烟的碎石荒地？”大长老摸了摸胡须，眼中流露出几分诧异。
"Seven thousand miles southwest, isn't that the desolate wasteland of scattered stones?" asked the Great Elder, stroking his beard with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
yín bú huì shì nà mào pái huò bèi rén gěi jié zhù ？” jiāo róu de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà hóng yī nǚ xiū liǎn shàng mǎn shì xīng fèn zhī sè 。
吟不会是那冒牌货被人给截住？”娇柔的声音传入耳朵，那红衣女修脸上满是兴奋之色。
"Could it be that fake one was intercepted by someone else?" A soft voice echoed, with the red-robed female cultivator's face filled with excitement.
“ yīng gāi bú huì zhè me qiǎo de 。” dà zhǎng lǎo yáo le yáo tóu ， dàn yǎn zhōng què yòu shǎn guò jué rán zhī sè ：“ bù guǎn rú hé ， rú jīn zhè zhǒng qíng xíng ， wǒ men yī sī yī háo de xiàn suǒ dōu bù néng fàng guò ， rú guǒ zhēn néng zhǎo dào nà xīng fēng zuò làng de jiā huo ， běn chéng de wēi jú yě yíng rèn ér jiě le ， cōng huì dà shī ， zhè cì jiù láo fán nǐ pǎo yī cì 。”
“应该不会这么巧的。”大长老摇了摇头，但眼中却又闪过决然之色：“不管如何，如今这种情形，我们一丝一毫的线索都不能放过，如果真能找到那兴风作浪的家伙，本城的危局也迎刃而解了，聪慧大师，这次就劳烦你跑一次。”
"It shouldn't be so coincidental," the Great Elder shook his head but then showed a determined look: "Regardless, under such circumstances, we cannot afford to miss any trace. If we can truly find that troublemaker, the crisis of our city will be resolved. Wise Master, please take this trip for us."
“ ē mí tuó fó ， wèi le wǒ wù shí chéng jì xù fán róng xià qù ， lǎo nà yì bù róng cí 。” hé shàng bìng bù tuī tuō ， liǎn shàng xiàn chū cí bēi zhī sè 。
“阿弥陀佛，为了我晤石城继续繁荣下去，老衲义不容辞。”和尚并不推托，脸上现出慈悲之色。
"Namaste, in order for my Hào Shí City to continue prospering, I am willing to do so," the monk did not hesitate and showed a compassionate expression.
“ dà shī xiū wèi gāo shēn wú bǐ ， dàn yí gè rén ， shí lì hái shì dān bó le xiē ， wǒ péi nǐ yì qǐ qù 。” hóng yī nǚ xiū zì gào fèn yǒng de kāi kǒu 。
“大师修为高深无比，但一个人，实力还是单薄了些，我陪你一起去。”红衣女修自告奋勇的开口。
"Your Highness has profound cultivation, but you are still somewhat weak on your own. Let me accompany you," the red-robed female cultivator volunteered.
“ duō xiè mò shī zhǔ 。”
“多谢墨施主。”
"Thank you, Master Mò."
“ hē hē ， mò xiān zi de hēi cán jué pǒ yǒu dú dào zhī chù ， yǒu mí hé dà shī lián shǒu ， xiǎng bì jiù suàn shì pèng jiàn hòu qī lǎo guài wù ， yě néng yǔ qí zhōu xuán yī duàn shí jiān de ， lǎo fū jiù fàng xīn le 。” dà zhǎng lǎo de liǎn shàng mǎn shì xǐ sè 。
“呵呵，墨仙子的黑蚕诀颇有独到之处，有弥和大师联手，想必就算是碰见后期老怪物，也能与其周旋一段时间的，老夫就放心了。”大长老的脸上满是喜色。
"Haha, Lady Mò's Black Silkworm Art is unique. With Wise Master joining forces, we should be able to handle even late-stage old monsters for a while. I am at ease with this," the Great Elder's face was filled with joy.
hào shí chéng suī rán jǐn jǐn shì sōng sǎn lián méng ， dàn běn chéng de mìng yùn ， yǔ měi gè rén dōu xī xī xiāng guān ， gù ér yù jiàn wēi nàn ， rén rén chū móu huà cè ， níng jù lì bìng bù bǐ zōng mén jiā zú xùn sè 。
浩石城虽然仅仅是松散联盟，但本城的命运，与每个人都息息相关，故而遇见危难，人人出谋划策，凝聚力并不比宗门家族逊色。
Although Hào Shí City was merely a loose alliance, everyone's fate was closely tied to the city's well-being. Hence, in times of danger, everyone would offer advice and strategies, making their unity no less than that of sects or clans.
hé shàng yǔ hóng yī nǚ xiū diǎn le diǎn tóu ， gè shī shén tōng ， fēi chū le dà diàn zhī zhōng 。
和尚与红衣女修点了点头，各施神通，飞出了大殿之中。
The monk and red-robed female cultivator nodded and each used their abilities to fly out of the hall.
wàng zhe tā men de bèi yǐng xiāo shī ， dà zhǎng lǎo huí guò tóu ：“ gè wèi dào yǒu ， lǎo fū zhè jiù qù chéng zhǔ de bì guān zhī chù ， nǐ men yě jiǎn chá yī xià shǒu xià zhī rén ， kàn shì fǒu hái yǒu jiān xì hùn rù ， zhāng yán zhī shì bù néng zài fā shēng le 。”
望着他们的背影消失，大长老回过头：“各位道友，老夫这就去城主的闭关之处，你们也检查一下手下之人，看是否还有奸细混入，张炎之事不能再发生了。”
As they watched them disappear, the Great Elder turned back: "My fellow daoists, I will head to the Lord's seclusion place. Please check your subordinates to see if any spies have infiltrated. The incident with Young Master Zhāng cannot happen again."
“ jǐn zūn dà gē fēn fù 。”
“谨尊大哥吩咐。”
"Respectfully following your instructions."
zhǎng lǎo men bào le bào quán ， yě gè zì sàn qù ， ruò dà de tīng táng lǐ ， jiù zhǐ shèng xià bái páo lǎo zhě yī rén ér yǐ ， tā tàn le kǒu qì ， huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng ， xiàng chéng shì běi miàn de qún shān fēi qù ”
长老们抱了抱拳，也各自散去，若大的厅堂里，就只剩下白袍老者一人而已，他叹了口气，化为一道惊虹，像城市北面的群山飞去”
The elders bowed and dispersed. In the vast hall, only the white-robed elder remained. He sighed and transformed into a streak of light, flying towards the northern mountains of the city.
“ zhè shì shén me ？”
“这是什么？”
"What is this?"
kàn zhuó yǎn qián de guài wù ， jí biàn yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， yě bù yóu de dà jīng shī sè ， suī rán duì fāng gāng cái shuō chū nà fān hěn huà zhī hòu ， lín xuān jiù zhī dào tā yào shǐ yòng mǒu zhǒng guǐ yì mì shù 。
看着眼前的怪物，即便以林轩的城府，也不由得大惊失色，虽然对方刚才说出那番狠话之后，林轩就知道他要使用某种诡异秘术。
Seeing the monster before him, even Lin Xuan, known for his composure, could not help being shocked. Although he knew from what the other had said that he would use some strange secret technique, he did not expect it to turn into such a creature!
dàn yě méi xiǎng dào huì biàn chéng yǎn qián de guài wù ！
但也没想到会变成眼前的怪物！
At present, the Corpse Demon was over ten meters tall, exuding an overwhelming aura of ferocity. He hunched his back and bulging muscles could be seen in his arms. On his back were several bone spines of varying lengths, but even the smallest one was thicker than Lin Xuan's arm and measured over ten feet long, appearing terrifying.
cǐ shí de shī mó ， shēn gāo zú yǒu shí yú mǐ ， hún shēn mào chū chōng tiān de xiōng shà zhī qì ， wān yāo tuó bèi ， shuāng shǒu jī ròu bēn qǐ ， zài tā de bèi shàng ， hái zhǎng chū le shù gēn cháng duǎn bù yī de gǔ cì ， dàn jí biàn shì zuì xiǎo de ， yě bǐ zì jǐ gē bó hái cū ， zhǎng zhàng yú ， kàn shàng qù zhēng níng wú bǐ 。
此时的尸魔，身高足有十余米，浑身冒出冲天的凶煞之气，弯腰鸵背，双手肌肉贲起，在他的背上，还长出了数根长短不一的骨刺，但即便是最小的，也比自己胳膊还粗，长丈余，看上去狰狞无比。
Originally, a zombie might look scary due to its withered muscles, but his current form was truly chilling.
yuán běn jiāng shī suī rán zhǎng dé kě pà ， yě jiù shì jī ròu gān biě yī xiē ， kě tā xiàn zài de xíng xiàng ， què lìng rén bù hán ér lì 。
原本僵尸虽然长得可怕，也就是肌肉干瘪一些，可他现在的形象，却令人不寒而栗。
This wasn't just about the body size increasing; the sheer amount of Corpse Qi emanating from him had already surpassed Lin Xuan's spiritual energy.
zhè jiā huo ， bìng bù jǐn jǐn shì shēn tǐ biàn dà le yī xiē 。
这家伙，并不仅仅是身体变大了一些。
However, his realm remained at the early Core Formation stage.
hún shēn suǒ sàn fà chū lái de péng bó shī qì ， yǐ jīng chāo guò le lín xuān de líng lì 。
浑身所散发出来的蓬勃尸气，已经超过了林轩的灵力。
No need for curiosity. As cultivators advanced in their realms, the quantity of spiritual energy did indeed increase, but more importantly, it was about the quality and some understanding of certain principles.
dàn tā de jìng jiè ， yī jiù shì yuán yīng chū qī 。
但他的境界，依旧是元婴初期。
Of course, under normal circumstances, a mid-Core Formation Realm cultivator's spiritual energy would definitely exceed that of an early-stage one, but there were always exceptions. For instance, using some strange secret techniques, while the quality could not be enhanced, the quantity of spiritual energy might surpass those of higher realms.
bù yòng hào qí ， xiū shì jìng jiè tí shēng ， líng lì de liàng gù rán yào zēng jiā ， dàn gèng zhòng yào de ， hái shì zhì dì biāo zhǔn ， yǐ jí yī xiē fǎ zé de lǐng wù 。
不用好奇，修士境界提升，灵力的量固然要增加，但更重要的，还是质的标准，以及一些法则的领悟。
Even in the upper realm, there were some extraordinary methods where even the quality could temporarily change. Lin Xuan had once encountered a golden old monster's red powder skull talisman that forcibly elevated his realm to late Core Formation.
dāng rán ， zhèng cháng qíng kuàng ， yuán yīng zhōng qī xiū shì líng lì de liàng ， kěn dìng shì yào chāo guò chū qī cún zài de ， dàn yě bìng fēi méi yǒu yì wài 。
当然，正常情况，元婴中期修士灵力的量，肯定是要超过初期存在的，但也并非没有意外。
But it wasn't perfect; compared to the great cultivators who advanced, he still lacked certain insights, so he couldn't defeat the opponent. If not for Lin Xuan's help, the outcome of that battle would have been entirely different.
bǐ rú shuō yòng yī xiē guǐ yì mì fǎ ， zhì suī rán bù néng zēng qiáng 。 dàn líng lì de liàng què kě yǐ chāo guò bǐ zì jǐ gāo jiē de xiū shì 。
比如说用一些诡异秘法，质虽然不能增强。但灵力的量却可以超过比自己高阶的修士。
However, this monster was different. While the quality could not be increased, the quantity had reached a level that was astonishing and far beyond what Lin Xuan had heard about from魔道秘术 before.
shèn zhì zài shàng jiè ， hái yǒu yī xiē nì tiān zhī fǎ ， lián zhì dōu kě yǐ zàn qiě gǎi biàn ， bǐ rú shuō lín xuān jiù céng yù dào guò ， jīn lǎo guài cóng líng jiè chuán xià de hóng fěn kū lóu fú ， jiù qiáng xíng jiāng tā de jìng jiè tí shēng dào yuán yīng hòu qī le 。
甚至在上界，还有一些逆天之法，连质都可以暂且改变，比如说林轩就曾遇到过，金老怪从灵界传下的红粉骷髅符，就强行将他的境界提升到元婴后期了。
It was nearly on par with late-stage great cultivators.
dàn yě bú shì shí quán shí měi de ， xiāng bǐ zì jǐ jìn jí de dà xiū shì 。 hái shì chà le yī xiē gǎn wù ， yīn cǐ tā hái shì dǎ bù guò duì shǒu ， ruò bú shì yǒu lín xuān xiāng zhù ， nà chǎng zhàn dòu de jié guǒ jiù wán quán shì liǎng yàng le 。
但也不是十全十美的，相比自己晋级的大修士。还是差了一些感悟，因此他还是打不过对手，若不是有林轩相助，那场战斗的结果就完全是两样了。
If it were a human cultivator, he wouldn't need Lin Xuan to act; such madness would likely result in his spiritual energy exploding and causing him to die.
ér yǎn qián de guài wù yòu bù xiāng tóng ， zhì suī rán bù néng zēng jiā ， dàn liàng de tí shēng què lìng rén táng mù jié shé ， yuǎn bú shì lín xuān yǐ qián tīng shuō guò de nà xiē mó dào mì shù kě yǐ xiāng bǐ de 。
而眼前的怪物又不相同，质虽然不能增加，但量的提升却令人膛目结舌，远不是林轩以前听说过的那些魔道秘术可以相比的。
But the situation for a炼尸 was different.
shèn zhì yǐ jīng yǔ hòu qī de dà xiū shì fēi cháng jiē jìn le 。
甚至已经与后期的大修士非常接近了。
After all, zombies could be artificially created by ghost dao experts using certain conditions or through complex secret techniques along with array materials.
rú guǒ shì rén lèi xiū xiān zhě ， gēn běn bù yòng lín xuān dòng shǒu ， rú cǐ fēng kuáng ， tā zì jǐ dū huì bèi líng lì zhǎng dé bào tǐ ér wáng 。
如果是人类修仙者，根本不用林轩动手，如此疯狂，他自己都会被灵力涨得爆体而亡。
The term "炼尸" came from this practice.
dàn liàn shī de qíng kuàng què yòu bù yí yàng 。
但炼尸的情况却又不一样。
And due to differences in the original corpse, the rarity of materials used, and the expertise of the ghost dao expert, the power of such artificial zombies varied greatly.
xū zhī jiāng shī de chǎn shēng ， chú le shēn mái zài dì xià de shī tǐ ， yīn wèi mǒu xiē kē jiǎn tiáo jiàn ， zì jǐ tōng líng yǐ wài ， guǐ dào gāo shǒu ， yě kě yǐ lì yòng xuán miào mì shù ， fǔ yǐ zhèn fǎ cái liào ， rén wéi zhì zào chū jiāng shī lái de 。
须知僵尸的产生，除了深埋在地下的尸体，因为某些苛剪条件，自己通灵以外，鬼道高手，也可以利用玄妙秘术，辅以阵法材料，人为制造出僵尸来的。
Take this魔尸 for example; his back was a significant figure. Before being refined into a zombie, he had been a Core Formation Realm cultivator's physical body, and several rare materials were used in its creation. The quality of this炼尸 could not be doubted.
jiù xiàng liàn zhì fǎ bǎo yī yàng 。
就像炼制法宝一样。
Thus, despite the Corpse Qi quantity approaching that of great cultivators, there were no signs of collapse.
liàn shī zhī míng ， yě shì yóu cǐ ér lái 。
炼尸之名，也是由此而来。
Of course, it could only sustain for a few hours; after that, this炼尸 would inevitably fail.
ér zhè zhǒng rén wéi zhì zào chū lái de jiāng shī ， yīn wèi shī tǐ běn shēn de bù tóng ， shǐ yòng cái liào de zhēn xī chéng dù ， yǐ jí guǐ dào gāo shǒu de jì qiǎo chún shú ， wēi lì gèng shì tiān chà dì bié 。
而这种人为制造出来的僵尸，因为尸体本身的不同，使用材料的珍稀程度，以及鬼道高手的技巧纯熟，威力更是天差地别。
But what did it matter? They couldn't escape anyway. It was better to die together with previous enemies.
jiù ná yǎn qián zhè jù mó shī lái shuō ， tā de bèi hòu shì yī liǎo bù qǐ de dà rén wù ， ér mó shī zài bèi liàn zhì yǐ qián ， yě shì yī yuán yīng xiū shì de fǎ tǐ ， zài jiā shàng shǐ yòng le shù zhǒng zhēn xī cái liào ， zhè jù liàn shī de pǐn zhì ， zì rán bú huì huái yí 。
就拿眼前这具魔尸来说，他的背后是一了不起的大人物，而魔尸在被炼制以前，也是一元婴修士的法体，再加上使用了数种珍稀材料，这具炼尸的品质，自然不会怀疑。
Regarding the second元神 technique, while it paled in comparison to the second Core Formation Realm, there were still some advantages.
suǒ yǐ shī qì de liàng ， suī yǐ jiē jìn le dà xiū shì ， tā què sī háo méi yǒu bēng kuì de xiān zhào 。
所以尸气的量，虽已接近了大修士，他却丝毫没有崩溃的先兆。
A cultivator who had dual Core Formation Realm abilities, if their second Core Formation Realm was destroyed, the main body would not be greatly affected. However, recondensing a new one would be extremely difficult, almost impossible.
dāng rán ， yě jǐn shì xiàn zài kě yǐ jiān chí ， shù gè shí chén zhī hòu ， zhè jù liàn shī bì rán bào fèi diào 。
当然，也仅是现在可以坚持，数个时辰之后，这具炼尸必然报废掉。
On the other hand, destroying the second元神, while the main body would suffer some essence energy damage, could easily recover with proper cultivation and then attempt to cultivate another second元神, though it wouldn't be easy.
Master Rú spoke, "There's reason in this. I need to report it and consult with him before making a decision. Let everyone disperse first."
The others had no objections and were about to rise from their seats when suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps reached their ears: "Elder, according to the array monitoring, there is a huge fluctuation of spiritual energy approximately seven thousand miles southwest of this city. It should be two Core Formation Realm beings engaging in battle. How should we proceed? Please instruct, Elder."
The禁制大阵 of Hào Shí City was passed down from ancient times and not only had immense power but could also roughly monitor the spiritual energy within a ten-thousand-mile radius around the city.
Of course, the farther away, the more vague the results. However, Core Formation Realm cultivators, though unable to control the primordial qi of heaven and earth, possessed tremendous strength like moving mountains and overturning seas. Even from several thousand miles away, their reactions were very clear.
Normally, they wouldn't bother with such trivial matters, but just recently, a murder had occurred in this city...
The动手者 was exactly a Core Formation Realm old monster. The cultivator responsible for the array didn't dare delay and immediately reported the matter to the elders.
"Seven thousand miles southwest, isn't that the desolate wasteland of scattered stones?" asked the Great Elder, stroking his beard with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"Could it be that fake one was intercepted by someone else?" A soft voice echoed, with the red-robed female cultivator's face filled with excitement.
"It shouldn't be so coincidental," the Great Elder shook his head but then showed a determined look: "Regardless, under such circumstances, we cannot afford to miss any trace. If we can truly find that troublemaker, the crisis of our city will be resolved. Wise Master, please take this trip for us."
"Namaste, in order for my Hào Shí City to continue prospering, I am willing to do so," the monk did not hesitate and showed a compassionate expression.
"Your Highness has profound cultivation, but you are still somewhat weak on your own. Let me accompany you," the red-robed female cultivator volunteered.
"Thank you, Master Mò."
"Haha, Lady Mò's Black Silkworm Art is unique. With Wise Master joining forces, we should be able to handle even late-stage old monsters for a while. I am at ease with this," the Great Elder's face was filled with joy.
Although Hào Shí City was merely a loose alliance, everyone's fate was closely tied to the city's well-being. Hence, in times of danger, everyone would offer advice and strategies, making their unity no less than that of sects or clans.
The monk and red-robed female cultivator nodded and each used their abilities to fly out of the hall.
As they watched them disappear, the Great Elder turned back: "My fellow daoists, I will head to the Lord's seclusion place. Please check your subordinates to see if any spies have infiltrated. The incident with Young Master Zhāng cannot happen again."
"Respectfully following your instructions."
The elders bowed and dispersed. In the vast hall, only the white-robed elder remained. He sighed and transformed into a streak of light, flying towards the northern mountains of the city.
"What is this?"
Seeing the monster before him, even Lin Xuan, known for his composure, could not help being shocked. Although he knew from what the other had said that he would use some strange secret technique, he did not expect it to turn into such a creature!
At present, the Corpse Demon was over ten meters tall, exuding an overwhelming aura of ferocity. He hunched his back and bulging muscles could be seen in his arms. On his back were several bone spines of varying lengths, but even the smallest one was thicker than Lin Xuan's arm and measured over ten feet long, appearing terrifying.
Originally, a zombie might look scary due to its withered muscles, but his current form was truly chilling.
This wasn't just about the body size increasing; the sheer amount of Corpse Qi emanating from him had already surpassed Lin Xuan's spiritual energy.
However, his realm remained at the early Core Formation stage.
No need for curiosity. As cultivators advanced in their realms, the quantity of spiritual energy did indeed increase, but more importantly, it was about the quality and some understanding of certain principles.
Of course, under normal circumstances, a mid-Core Formation Realm cultivator's spiritual energy would definitely exceed that of an early-stage one, but there were always exceptions. For instance, using some strange secret techniques, while the quality could not be enhanced, the quantity of spiritual energy might surpass those of higher realms.
Even in the upper realm, there were some extraordinary methods where even the quality could temporarily change. Lin Xuan had once encountered a golden old monster's red powder skull talisman that forcibly elevated his realm to late Core Formation.
But it wasn't perfect; compared to the great cultivators who advanced, he still lacked certain insights, so he couldn't defeat the opponent. If not for Lin Xuan's help, the outcome of that battle would have been entirely different.
However, this monster was different. While the quality could not be increased, the quantity had reached a level that was astonishing and far beyond what Lin Xuan had heard about from魔道秘术 before.
It was nearly on par with late-stage great cultivators.
If it were a human cultivator, he wouldn't need Lin Xuan to act; such madness would likely result in his spiritual energy exploding and causing him to die.
But the situation for a炼尸 was different.
After all, zombies could be artificially created by ghost dao experts using certain conditions or through complex secret techniques along with array materials.
The term "炼尸" came from this practice.
And due to differences in the original corpse, the rarity of materials used, and the expertise of the ghost dao expert, the power of such artificial zombies varied greatly.
Take this魔尸 for example; his back was a significant figure. Before being refined into a zombie, he had been a Core Formation Realm cultivator's physical body, and several rare materials were used in its creation. The quality of this炼尸 could not be doubted.
Thus, despite the Corpse Qi quantity approaching that of great cultivators, there were no signs of collapse.
Of course, it could only sustain for a few hours; after that, this炼尸 would inevitably fail.
But what did it matter? They couldn't escape anyway. It was better to die together with previous enemies.
Regarding the second元神 technique, while it paled in comparison to the second Core Formation Realm, there were still some advantages.
A cultivator who had dual Core Formation Realm abilities, if their second Core Formation Realm was destroyed, the main body would not be greatly affected. However, recondensing a new one would be extremely difficult, almost impossible.
On the other hand, destroying the second元神, while the main body would suffer some essence energy damage, could easily recover with proper cultivation and then attempt to cultivate another second元神, though it wouldn't be easy.