This chapter has been brought to you by me and WanderingGummiOfDoom.

 

Chapter Four Hundred and Sixteen – Strange Corpse

When the grey mark on the Black Butterfly exuded a strong rotten smell, Zuo Mo knew the situation was not well!

Without hesitating, the Midday Blade in his hand sliced towards the strange corpse!

The golden flame that shrouded the blade burst out along with this blow. It turned to a blinding crescent that leapt towards the strange corpse!

Midday Blade Strike!

Zuo Mo knew that the opponent was immeasurably powerful, so he did not hold any power back with this blow.

The golden flame blade energy was peerlessly domineering. The air howled around the explosive presence!

A different look flashed through the strange corpse’s eyes. The raised finger was not lowered, but pointed lightly at the Midday Blade Strike.

Boom!

The domineering and powerful Midday Blade Strike exploded, as it was released,  right in front of Zuo Mo!

Zuo Mo’s vision became white. He was unable to see anything. He was extremely shocked. The other was so terrifyingly powerful! At this time, a feeling of danger rose. Without thinking, the Light Void Wings on his back moved, and his body suddenly disappeared from his spot.

On the spot he had just been standing at, a grey light flashed by!

Zuo Mo’s heart suddenly contracted!

When the light disappeared, everything in his vision became clear again. The strange corpse was still standing at his original spot, as though he had never moved. Even the raised finger had returned to its original place. It was like a statue, one that had no life.

There was nothing between him and Zuo Mo. The Black Butterfly had disappeared.

The strange corpse looked unaffectedly at Zuo Mo. There was no emotion in its empty and grey eyes. It still did not show any signs of life. Even in such a fierce battle, it did not show any vitality!

Coldness sprouted from Zuo Mo’s heart!

What monster was this guy?

“Pu, do you recognize it?” Zuo Mo stared at the other as he remained motionless and asked Pu Yao.

“No.” Pu Yao shook his head. He gave a rare warning. “Be careful. I cannot see its power!”

Zuo Mo’s heart suddenly sank. A level of power that even Pu Yao could not measure, then … …

Wei suddenly spoke, “Try to talk to him, he may have cognition.”

Have cognition? Zuo Mo’s mind shifted and he said, “Sir, who are you?”

The statue like strange corpse’s neck cracked as it moved. The grey pupils stared at Zuo Mo, and its throat sent out dry sounds, “Hiss hiss … …”

The strange hisses caused Zuo Mo’s hairs to stand up.

“Hiss hiss … … person … …”

The strange corpse’s voice was very indistinct as though it had been a long time since it had spoken.

But Zuo Mo heard that “person.” As Wei had suspected, it had cognition! For them, this was both good and bad. If the strange corpse was intelligent, then that meant there was the possibility of communicating with them. That was good. But the this also meant that if the communication failed, then they were faced with an even more dangerous enemy. Intelligent enemies were undoubtedly harder to fight.

“Do you understand my words?” Zuo Mo probed.

“Hiss hiss … … crawk crawk … …” Blurry sounds like those from a wild beast’s throat came. The strange corpse’s expression finally changed slightly. He seemed to be trying to remember something. But the change in expression on his already ugly face made it even more terrible.

Zuo Mo jumped in fright. If they enraged the strange corpse, then it really wasn’t a joke. Power that even Pu Yao could not measure, they definitely were not a match!

“Hiss hiss, human … … you are human … …”

The strange corpse’s eyes held strong emotion but his voice was still cracking.

But Zuo Mo understood. He hurriedly nodded as  his hands moved, “Right right right. I’m human, I’m human.”

The subordinates behind Zuo Mo were stunned by the scene in front of them. Their mouths were gaping as their faces were still. Some of the braver ones couldn’t help but laugh lightly. This kind of communication was really weird, especially Daren’s reply, it was too funny to hear.

Listening to the light laughter behind him, Zuo Mo instantly knew what those people were thinking. But in order not to provoke the strange corpse, he filled his face with a friendly and harmless smile.

He thought inside, just wait for me to sort you fools out later!

The strange corpse’s twisted expression calmed, and his words became smoother. “You … … how did you get in?”

Zuo Mo’s hairs rose at being the focus of the strange corpse’s grey eyes. He said, “Our transportation formation was altered by someone so we were transported here.”

“Transportation formation?” The strange corpse perceptively caught the crux of the information.

“Yes, transportation formation.” Zuo Mo nodded.

“What is this transportation formation?” The strange corpse asked.

“Uh, this is complicated to explain … …” Zuo Mo motioned.

“No matter. What is least lacking here is time.” The strange corpse smiled at him but Zuo Mo’s bones shivered at that smile. When he finished speaking, the strange corpse suddenly flicked out a bolt of light. After a while, the five other monsters appeared next to him. Of the five, only the sand puppet looked slightly disheveled, it had a black spear thrust into its body. But compared to its enormous shape, the black spear was like a toothpick. The sand where the black spear was abruptly caved inward, and then swallowed the black spear.

Zuo Mo inhaled sharply.

At the same time, several figures appeared like lightning beside Zuo Mo. Each person did not have a good expression. The other’s powers were too fantastical. The strange corpse looked at the black sword in Wei Sheng’s hands and nodded his head, “Didn’t think that this sword would end up in your possession.”

Wei Sheng’s eyebrow raised.

Zuo Mo reacted the quickest and hurriedly asked, “Elder, what is the origin of this sword?”

“Haa, haa, he will know when the time comes.” The strange corpse’s speech became increasingly smooth and his expressions more varied. But this caused him to look even weirder. The strange corpse turned his face to ask Zuo Mo, “Speak about the transformation formation.”

“The transformation formation is a formation method to move from one place to another … …”

“Formation method?”

Didn’t even know what a formation method was? Were these guys really survivors of the Battle of Sealed Extinction? His heart couldn’t help but beat wildly.

The strange corpse seemed to know what Zuo Mo was thinking inside. The grey pupils were amused.

Zuo Mo focused and carved out a transportation formation on the ground. “This is a transportation formation. We use it to travel.”

The strange corpse swept a look and understood. “This method is clever, but there are many limitations.”

“Yes. We don’t know the general location of this place. One minor difference in the transportation formation, and it creates  thousands of li of error.” Thinking about it, Zuo Mo could only shake his head.

But the strange corpse looked at Zuo Mo. “I know you have a another way of leaving.”

Not waiting for Zuo Mo to argue, he said faintly, “I have followed you for many days. You want to reach the center of the battlefield.”

The expressions of those beside Zuo Mo were ugly. Someone had followed behind them for so many days yet none of them had detected it. Zuo Mo wasn’t too shocked. The other’s strength was much greater than theirs. He had a guess. This strange corpse might possibly be an old monster that survived the Battle of Sealed Extinction.

In comparison, the strongest of his group was just jindan. The other could destroy them with a flick of the finger.

“With your strength, you cannot go into the center of the battlefield,” the strange corpse said faintly. “Those that died here are the strongest of the world. Their lingering presences are not something you can resist against even after so many years.”

Having it baldly stated that that their power wasn’t enough left everyone with black faces. But the other’s immeasurable power made them not dare to rebuke the statement.

Zuo Mo reacted the quickest, or rather, of everyone, he had the best understanding of the strange corpse and his group’s power. Since he understood their present situation the best, his mentality was the most appropriate.

“Please, Elder, teach us!” Zuo Mo said with a bow.

The strange corpse showed a satisfied expression, even though the half multicolored face caused him to look horrifying. He did not drag it out. “I can take you in, but I will leave with you.”

Zuo Mo released a breath and said, “It is our honor!”

No one had an opinion for the addition of the strange corpse’s group.

Reality quickly proved that this decision was correct. The addition of the strange corpse caused all the other monsters along the road to disappear. Their speed increased greatly. The strange corpse was not silent, but talkative. He was very interested in talking with Zuo Mo. Zuo Mo might not have proven his speculations on the identity of the strange corpse, but he received a great deal of information. For example, out of the group of six only the strange corpse had intelligence. The other five were vicious beings that were born in this patch of fiendish ground.

Whenever he conversed with the strange corpse, Pu Yao and Wei would remain silent. They were very wary of the strange corpse.

Just how perceptive of expression was Zuo Mo? Seeing the strange corpse held no ill will towards them, he took out the totem fragments they had obtained and asked for guidance from the strange corpse.

“Ha, you guys want even this?” The strange corpse laughed, his tone disinterested. “These are too fragmented, there is nothing very useful.”

“Elder recognizes this?” Zuo Mo hurriedly asked.

“Very normal stuff. Every tribe will have them, used for sacrificial offerings.”

“How to use them?”

“The totem itself has shen power.”

“Shen power?”

“Belief creates shen power, shen power nurtures the totem, so the totem can form.”

Zuo Mo did not understand. As expected, the stuff of ancient times and the present were two different things! He could only change his question. “Elder, how can this thread of intelligence in the fragment be forged?”

“What is the use of this bit of intelligence?” The strange corpse did not think much of the fragment.

Zuo Mo didn’t know what to say. If this fragment was on the outside world, there would be countless people that would want this.

“Filled men do not know the hunger of hungry men!” Zuo Mo muttered. Now that they were familiar, Zuo Mo had generally gotten a grasp on the strange corpse’s temper. He knew the other would not get angry over this.

The strange corpse glanced at him. “Don’t’ worry. There are many things better than this along the way. I will help you get some.”

Zuo Mo was overjoyed. “Many thanks, Elder!”

“Don’t thank me. Without you, I cannot leave.” The strange corpse taught, “Your methods are too gentle. If you want to forge the intelligence of this fragment, you have to use force.”

“Force?” Zuo Mo was dumbstruck. It was the first time he heard of doing that.

“Submit or die,” the strange corpse said faintly.

Seeing the shock on Zuo Mo’s face, the strange corpse said, “Totems are born to protect the tribe, their intelligence is not high, about the same as wild beasts. As long as they know they will die if they do not submit, they will naturally be tamed.”

Before Zuo Mo could react, the strange corpse raised his head and looked into the distance.

“Careful. We are going to enter the core area now.”

Zuo Mo felt as though he walked out of the fiendish mist. Everything was open in front of him!

 

Translator Ramblings: Don’t ask me how they can communicate in the same language with such a great gap between them. Language just stayed unchanging in this world.

Shen being divine, immortal, god, sounds all mighty but Fang Xiang really sucks at terminology so … … this is used in different ways through the story.