Before the Three Corpses Hall was completely destroyed, hidden within a secret compartment of the main hall lay five hundred books. Each book recorded the deeds of one immortal. Over the past hundred thousand years, these five hundred immortals might not have been the strongest in the Celestial Realm, but they were certainly the fastest to break through realms and possessed the greatest potential. Previously Mo Tianjun had considered many candidates, but in the end he chose to place Ye Yu’s book highest of all.
The reason was simple. The exact time Ye Yu had first entered the Celestial Realm was unknown. But ever since his recent emergence this year, his realm breakthroughs had been as effortless as slicing through melons, and his strength was so formidable he often killed beyond his own rank. It was impossible not to notice him.
Thus, when Ye Yu was still at the Immortal Lord Stage, Mo Tianjun had already begun courting him. He firmly believed this youth’s potential was immense and that only Ye Yu could accomplish the ambitions he held in his /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ heart. As prophecy had foretold, in barely a year Ye Yu had advanced from Immortal Lord Stage to a Half-Step Immortal Emperor. He was now only one step away from the fully realized Immortal Emperor, the supreme realm of the Celestial Realm.
This astonished Mo Tianjun greatly and led him to a new conjecture—one that brought him even greater joy. Soon, very soon, Ye Yu would stand beside him as they both entered the Divine Realm. This was what Mo Tianjun had long anticipated. Yet what he had never expected was that Ye Yu’s growth would outpace even his own projections to such an extent that Mo Tianjun found himself doubting his plans.
Even when facing the unfathomable power of a pseudo-god, Ye Yu had been resolute that he would not fall. If anyone were to perish, it would be Mo Tianjun himself, an Immortal Emperor. This meant that Ye Yu’s trump card was stronger than the Immortal Emperor Stage! In that instant, Mo Tianjun panicked and began to worry whether his schemes could truly succeed.
While he mulled this over, a figure emerged from the sea of flames. Unlike Mo Tianjun’s bedraggled state, Hua Jiuming still bore his usual composure, his sleeve flicking lightly. The celestial fire abruptly extinguished.
“Impressive that you can summon the power of Heaven and Earth, but you dared strike at me, and I am hardly pleased. You should know I had intended to let you go. Why must you seek death?”
Hua Jiuming’s smile vanished, replaced by an endless chill. Ye Yu glanced at Mo Tianjun, who immediately understood that he was being called upon to act. The message had been clear: escape was impossible, and their only option was a desperate fight.
Mo Tianjun wasted no time. He entered his full-strength state. Forming Dao seals with both hands, two distinct afterimages appeared behind him, solidifying into reality. From afar they looked like three bodies sharing one form. On the left stood an aged man with a ferocious countenance; on the right, a youth with a cunning, feminine air; and in the center was Mo Tianjun in his middle-aged scholar’s guise—a grotesque, uncanny trio.
Ye Yu stepped back a pace to observe this uncanny apparition. He had heard rumors of the Three Corpses Hall long ago and assumed Mo Tianjun had two companions—but he had never imagined the three would merge into one. Clearly, there was a story behind them.
“Brother Ye, let us attack together!” Mo Tianjun roared boldly and charged forward. Ye Yu retreated another half-step and called out, “Then let us fight!”
One spoke of a feigned assault; the other truly lunged. Mo Tianjun’s three forms shaped different Dao seals and roared in unison, “Corpse God Descend!”
In an instant, the once-bright sky turned pitch black, not even the blazing sun’s rays breaking through. All was swallowed by darkness as a mysterious, terrifying pressure descended. Hua Jiuming made no attempt to resist; he merely stood calmly, amusement dancing in his eyes, eager to see what waves Mo Tianjun could stir up.
Ye Yu, too, watched intently—not intending to flee, but curious to see Mo Tianjun’s card. As for Ye Yu’s own card, it was not something Mo Tianjun could easily discern.
Moments later, a purple light glimmered in the darkness, growing steadily brighter. A decayed wooden coffin seemed to descend from the horizon, its surface covered in countless faded yellow talismans. As Mo Tianjun and his two afterimages continued their Dao seals, each yellow talisman shattered one by one. When the last talisman dispersed, the coffin lid creaked open and a withered corpse emerged.
At the sight of that sunken face, Hua Jiuming’s eyes widened in shock as he whispered, “Corpse God Dongfang Po? How did you come here? Could it be you encountered a divine phenomenon?” His voice was barely audible, but Ye Yu caught it clearly.
Dongfang Po? Divine phenomenon? What did he mean?
The desiccated corpse slowly opened its eyes and fixed its gaze on Hua Jiuming. “Who are you? How do you know my name?”
Hua Jiuming’s right hand trembled and his face contorted—but then he burst into loud laughter. “How amusing! I thought the true Corpse God Dongfang Po had arrived, only to find a mere projection. Do immortals in the Celestial Realm enjoy such tricks these days?”
At this, the elder form on Mo Tianjun’s left sneered, “A projection or not, a projection of a true god can still slay a pseudo-god!” The youthful form on the right nodded lightly, “Strength will speak for itself.”
Mo Tianjun himself lifted his hands, summoning countless immortal souls into his palms. “Five thousand immortal souls presented—Corpse God, please slay our enemy!”
The grand move of the Three Corpses Hall this year was not a whim of Mo Tianjun’s, nor a bid to dominate the central Celestial Realm. What he truly sought had always been immortal souls. Fortunately, the battles between righteous and evil immortals had been fierce enough to collect exactly five thousand souls, and now they were ready for use.
The projection of Dongfang Po inhaled, drawing the five thousand souls in an instant. His withered form was nourished, regaining some semblance of normalcy, though a palpable aura of death still clung to him.
“Pseudo-god? An interesting title. I do sense a familiar aura within you, but it is tainted with impurities. That is not good. And you really plan to defeat me with a body formed from only a half-divine artifact?”
Listening to their exchange, Ye Yu felt a torrent of information flood his mind. Hua Jiuming’s eyes turned venomous as he snarled, “Whether you can win or not is not for you to decide! I despise your lofty disdain! Today I declare here and now: when I next return to the Divine Realm, the first I will slay is you, Dongfang Po!”
