Chapter 233 – Despicable Outsider

The Assistant Priest could not believe that Mu Lin could control the power of a Domain, and even the Servants of the Gods were incredulous. Even it had only mastered such a great power through the grace of the Lord of Desolation.

But those stunned were far from just the Assistant Priest and the Servants of the Gods. Even the group of onlookers outside were stirred by Mu Lin’s words.

“Did I hear that right? Mu Lin said he controls a Domain?”

“Isn’t that a power only attainable through Gang Sha Unity?”

“Impossible. Mu Lin is only at the Spirit Pool stage. Even if he has burst capabilities that allow him to perform at the Spirit Sea level, he’s still a long way from a Domain…”

Cultivation also follows fundamental laws. Therefore, by common sense, Mu Lin should indeed be unable to access the power of a Domain at this point.

Unfortunately, Mu Lin was anything but ordinary.

“Celestial Rampart Citadel, open!”

“Sky Burial City, descend!”

“Hum…”

With Mu Lin’s shout, the Celestial Fortress Array was immediately pushed to its limit. An ethereal city was conjured by Mu Lin and his Netherworld Soldiers.

This city carried the weathered aura of enduring countless battles, giving off a sense of solidity and resilience at a glance.

Yet, even this was still worlds away from a true Domain.

But in the next moment, as Mu Lin willed it, a strange, silent, and dangerous forbidden land was connected to him through his spirit.

“Woo…”

As the two linked, countless eerie energies surged from another world, pouring violently into Mu Lin’s body.

This high-tier power corrupted Mu Lin’s body and, through his connection with the Netherworld Soldiers, contaminated them as well.

It was clear to see that as this Forbidden Power descended, both Mu Lin and his Netherworld Soldiers bore signs of decay, as if weathered by time.

At the same time, inexplicable bloodstains appeared on the bodies of Mu Lin and his Netherworld Soldiers.

This contamination made Mu Lin appear strange and ominous.

And this was only the beginning.

As the Forbidden Power of Sky Burial City continued to pour in, more bizarre changes manifested around Mu Lin.

First, Ghost Money inexplicably began to fall from the sky. Then, eerie weeping sounds, “Woo woo woo…”, gradually drifted from the distance.

The city he had conjured with the Celestial Fortress Array gradually shifted from ethereal to real.

However, as it materialized, some changes that even Mu Lin himself did not understand began to appear within the city.

First were the empty houses.

“Thump, thump, thump…”

Though no one was inside, violent knocking sounds echoed from within.

Next, shadowy figures inexplicably appeared in Mu Lin’s town.

Though they were still ethereal for now, it was foreseeable that over time, they would solidify into reality. And when that happened, true terror would descend.

…

The eerie Forbidden Power of Sky Burial City was completely beyond Mu Lin’s control and indiscriminately corroded everything around it.

Thus, after this Forbidden Power descended, Mu Lin was also quite uncomfortable.

However, if he was uncomfortable, the so-called Servants of the Gods were terrified.

A Domain was a formidable power, but unless under special circumstances, two tigers could not share one mountain.

The forbidden power of Sky Burial City descended, immediately delivering a violent impact to the Servants of the Gods’ Withered Domain.

“Woo woo…”

The drifting ghost money and the eerie weeping sounds, while polluting Mu Lin, also shattered the Servants of the Gods’ domain.

Then, without any instruction from Mu Lin, these anomalous forbidden powers actively began to corrode the Withered Wood Forest and the ninety-meter-tall Corpse Tree.

“No, you bastard, stop!”

The erosion of the forbidden power caused inexplicable filth and bloodstains, as well as some wounds, to appear on its body. Its spirit, affected by the mournful weeping, grew somewhat depressed, despondent, and even suicidal.

What terrified it even more was that these sudden corruptions completely ignored all its defenses.

“Bastard, I said stop!”

Realizing the situation was dire, it shouted angrily at Mu Lin. Of course, while shouting, it also launched its own attack.

“Hungry, so hungry…”

“Hehe, hehehe…”

“Tell me, do I look human…”

Its first wave of attack involved releasing its own suppression, allowing all the anomalous demonic monsters hanging from the Corpse Tree to awaken.

Somehow, it managed to direct all these awakened monsters toward Mu Lin.

“Hum…”

Over a hundred anomalous monsters did cause some trouble for Mu Lin. Gray mist appeared out of nowhere, enveloping the Netherworld Soldiers.

There were also bluish-black handprints that directly choked the necks of the Ghost Messengers.

Some Ghost Messengers would suddenly freeze, as if being eroded by something.

In addition to awakening the anomalies, the Corpse Tree also stirred its mana, unleashing a large number of spells.

“Wither!”

“Twisting Vines…”

Vines that blotted out the sky surged toward Mu Lin’s location like a tidal wave.

Moreover, the withering and decaying power continuously extinguished the life force within Mu Lin and his Netherworld Soldiers.

It must be said that although the Servants of the Gods before them was arrogant, its strength was indeed formidable.

If ordinary cultivators were to come, just the all-suppressing Withered Domain alone could annihilate countless people.

Now, with its spells and the awakening of anomalies, it could single-handedly rival an entire army.

Unfortunately, it had bad luck and encountered Mu Lin.

Its attacks were indeed powerful, but the Celestial Fortress Array was most adept at defense.

Under Mu Lin’s full protection, the Corpse Tree’s attacks were all blocked.

Of course, prolonged defense inevitably leads to failure. If the Corpse Tree were allowed to attack continuously, Mu Lin would eventually be unable to defend and would be killed by it.

However, it had no chance.

“Woo woo…”

With Mu Lin’s guidance, the anomalous forbidden power of Sky Burial City grew increasingly abundant, and its influence on reality grew stronger and stronger.

Moreover, because it indiscriminately corroded and polluted everything, the result was that the Servants of the Gods’ attacks were corrupted by Sky Burial City’s anomalous forbidden power before they could even reach Mu Lin.

Standing at the very center of the Celestial Fortress Array, Mu Lin could clearly see that some of the anomalous malevolent ghosts, whose suppression had been released by the Corpse Tree, suddenly stopped on their way to attack or began wandering aimlessly.

Others would abruptly turn and attack the massive Corpse Tree.

As for the tidal wave of vines released by the latter, they too would be stained by filthy blood, transforming into anomalous and ominous entities.

In the end, Mu Lin remained seated and unmoving, as the anomalous power of Sky Burial City intercepted and destroyed all attacks from the Corpse Tree.

The Corpse Tree’s situation was also growing increasingly dire.

The eerie weeping was now close at hand.

Ghost Money from the sky had already blanketed its trunk.

Some of its branches, wrapped in Ghost Money, had even formed objects resembling Mourning Staffs.

Moreover, at some unknown time, the massive Corpse Tree had even begun to hang with anomalies it itself was unaware of.

All of this made the Corpse Tree increasingly dangerous, terrifying, and filled with ominous and forbidden elements.

Unfortunately, the rise in danger did not bring the Corpse Tree any joy.

Everything comes with a price, and the cost of its growing ominousness was the gradual loss of its own rationality.

“Bastard!”

The scene before it truly frightened the Corpse Tree.

The only thing it found solace in was that while its own situation was poor, Mu Lin’s condition was also far from favorable.

Prolonged channeling of the anomalous power from the Land of Sky Burial had caused Mu Lin to gradually lose control.

In his Sky Burial City, inexplicably appearing residents had already reached half the population.

Some houses had even had their doors breached.

Although Mu Lin did not see any monsters rushing out from the houses, the fact that he couldn’t sense them made it all the more dangerous.

Beyond these external dangers, Mu Lin’s foundation—the numerous Netherworld Soldiers—had also been half completely corrupted by the forbidden power of Sky Burial City, turning into Malevolent Ghosts that now roamed the city.

Mu Lin himself had also been infected by a cold, ominous force that had spread across most of his body.

Upon discovering all this, the Corpse Tree immediately proposed with great delight, “Human, stop what you’re doing, or we’ll both die!”

After speaking, and finding Mu Lin unmoved, it could only grit its teeth and continue, “If you stop, I promise not to attack you.”

“You still haven’t stopped—are you worried I’ll break my word? Don’t worry, this Divine Servant always values honesty.”

“Human, I swear by the great Lord of Desolation that I will never attack you. Can you stop now?”

To survive, the Corpse Tree used every possible means to assure Mu Lin that it would not attack him.

But what infuriated and terrified it was that no matter what it said, Mu Lin remained unmoved.

As the erosion and corruption of the anomalies grew heavier and its consciousness grew fainter, the Corpse Tree grew desperate and began to curse.

“Bastard, stop! Why won’t you stop!”

“You bastard, aren’t you afraid of death?!”

“Human, mutual destruction benefits neither of us. You’re a genius with such a bright future—you shouldn’t die here with me.”

“You look down on me, don’t you? Think I’m not even as good as your dog… You’re right, sir, I really am trash, a rat in the gutter. So, there’s no need for someone like you to drag yourself down for an ant like me…”

To survive, the Corpse Tree truly exhausted all its persuasive words, even admitting it was trash, an ant.

Such behavior made Mu Lin laugh.

Only, that laughter was filled with amusement and mockery.

Smiling lightly, Mu Lin softly spoke:

“Corpse Tree, your proposal is quite appealing. But tell me, is it possible that what stands here is not my Main Body, but merely a special Clone, and its death would have no effect on me whatsoever.”

“…”

These words left the Corpse Tree stunned, unable to utter a single syllable for a long while.

And when it finally regained its senses, boundless fury surged within its heart.

“You despicable bastard, may you die a wretched death!!”

(End of Chapter)