Chapter 243 – The Grave Lord's Inheritance

Mu Lin is too strong.

These words resonated with and stirred emotions in many people.

“Indeed, Mu Lin’s strength has progressed far too quickly!”

“The Yan Family’s luck is truly remarkable. To find such a prodigy while they were still weak…”

“The Chu Family’s luck isn’t bad either, but what a pity—such a fine talent, and they failed to grasp it themselves…”

As the situation within the Secret Realm gradually became clear, many people set aside their worries and began discussing other matters lightly.

Some marveled at Mu Lin’s formidable strength, while others secretly resolved:

‘No matter what, I must master the Clone Cultivation Method. Its enhancement to cultivation is simply too great.’

While some were sighing with emotion, the mastermind behind it all—the one who had orchestrated everything and sent Mu Lin and the others inside—was equally unprepared for the current situation.

“To think it would turn out like this…”

The leader was somewhat stunned, and the subordinates beneath him/her wore even more peculiar expressions.

Sensing the subordinates’ disdain, the mysterious shadow finally snapped out of his surprise.

And now, he understood why his subordinates looked so strange.

Ever since foreseeing the future, he had been gathering followers while preaching to them about the power and terror of the Evil God’s Cultists. He made stopping the Cultists’ chaos in the world his primary, non-negotiable goal, one to be pursued at all costs.

Under his indoctrination, many had come to view the Evil God as a crisis capable of ending the world.

Because they acknowledged the Evil God’s might, this time they allied with the Foreign Races to send Mu Lin and the other Disciples into the Secret Realm inhabited by the Evil God’s Divine Servants. Their plan was never for Mu Lin and the others to eradicate the Evil God’s followers.

They wanted the Aristocratic Families of the present world to understand that the Evil God’s faction was cruel and tyrannical, looking down upon humanity, enslaving and slaughtering those without faith like cattle and sheep.

Even those who considered themselves of noble blood would not be spared by the Cultists—they would be scorned all the same.

This was something the Aristocratic Families could never tolerate.

Thus, the mysterious shadow hoped that by demonstrating the brutality of the Evil God’s followers, those Aristocratic Families would realize that aligning with the Evil God was never a viable path—it was a dead end.

Resolute resistance was the only way to survive.

To this end, he did not mind sacrificing some talented Disciples.

Yet no matter what, he never expected that this time, what appeared before everyone was not the ruthless slaughter of humans by the Evil God’s followers, but rather Mu Lin butchering and devouring the Divine Servants of the Evil God as if they were cattle, sheep, and food.

This extraordinary scene inevitably led his subordinates to look down upon the Evil God somewhat, and even feel that their previous resolve was somewhat—ridiculous.

Seeing this, the mysterious shadow hurriedly warned his subordinates.

“Do not harbor feelings of contempt.”

“These so-called Divine Servants before us are merely the Evil God’s scouts. The Evil God has as many of these as it desires. Moreover, the Evil God’s followers here are currently suppressed by the world—their strength is not fully unleashed.”

“When the main body of the Evil God enters the fray and the world’s suppression weakens, that is when the real trouble begins.”

“And remember, our enemies are not limited to the Evil God alone…”

Thinking of the despair he had foreseen, the mysterious shadow closed his eyes. It was a long while before he managed to soothe his own emotions.

His words still carried some weight. Relying on his past prestige, his subordinates once again believed in him and asked what they should do now.

“Leader, our plan has failed…”

“No, we have already succeeded. Forcing the aristocratic families to take sides by having the cultists kill their descendants is one path.”

“But torturing and killing those cultists is another path, and a better one at that.”

At this point, the mysterious shadow sighed somewhat self-mockingly:

“No matter which aristocratic family it is, they may be cruel, arrogant, or greedy. But their decision-makers are never foolish, nor will they side with the weak—they will only think of dismembering and devouring the latter.”

“If the cultists cannot demonstrate their strength, what they will receive next will not be probing or allegiance from the aristocratic families, but a full-scale extermination.”

“Now, what we need to consider is how to ease our relationship with Mu Lin.”

Although this mysterious shadow believed that what he had done was for the greater good of humanity and felt no guilt, he was well aware that Mu Lin, who had been deceived, would not see it that way.

If Mu Lin were weak, it would be one thing.

‘My heart and intentions are as clear as a mirror; all my actions are for justice. Sacrificing a few of you to save all of humanity—I have no regrets.’

But Mu Lin was not weak. Given the strength and potential he had displayed, the mysterious shadow had to take him seriously and find a way to placate him.

Otherwise, if Mu Lin were to oppose them, it would bring them countless troubles.

After some discussion and contemplation, he finally came up with a solution.

“I remember the Grave Lord’s Secret Realm is about to open. He was a ruler who briefly unified the Yin Eight Gates faction, an expert in several paths of the Yin Eight Gates, and he integrated these paths to forge his own way. He also served as the lord of Sky Burial City for a time and once attempted to expand the city further. The ghost money drifting through the sky in the city is his legacy… We can inform Mu Lin of the time and location of the Grave Lord’s opening and let him receive the Grave Lord Inheritance.”

“Since we cannot control it, there’s no harm in handing it over to Mu Lin. The leader is wise.”

…

While the mysterious mastermind behind the scenes pondered how to ease his relationship with Mu Lin, within the Secret Realm, the Servants of the Gods continued their probing relentlessly.

Under their orders, even though the cultists were unwilling, they had no choice but to suppress their fear and step into the Sky Burial Domain.

Unsurprisingly, all these cultists died.

Such an outcome was not enough to sadden the Divine Servants. What troubled them was that the deaths of so many subordinates brought them little information and failed to reveal a safe passage.

They had not even caught a glimpse of Mu Lin.

From a high vantage point, the Divine Servants clearly saw that as soon as anyone entered the city, they would face relentless attacks.

Although the cultists tried to resist, the anomalies within the Sky Burial Domain were too terrifying.

Some young people would suddenly and inexplicably collapse to the ground, falling asleep instantly.

Others would burst into tears while walking… and then, another new enslaved anomaly would appear within the Sky Burial Domain.

Some would suddenly enter empty houses, only for the doors to slam shut and everything to lock tight.

Still others would simply vanish without a trace…

The numerous dangers and countless anomalies sent shivers down the spines of the three Servants of the Gods.

“What kind of hellish place is this!”

If possible, they would never have wanted to enter this place. However, Mu Lin’s curse hung over their heads like the Sword of Damocles, forcing them to venture inside even against their will.

“Damn it!”

Amidst their irritation and anger, they killed a few Cultists who tried to flee and sent another group to their deaths, yet gained nothing. Tie Xun, Shu Rong, and the Black Mountain Devotee all understood that they could no longer afford to delay.

Especially after another “thud” echoed as another Coffin Nail was driven into their bodies, making the Servants of the Gods acutely aware of the urgency of the situation.

“It’s time for us to act. If we delay any longer, we’ll all be cursed to death!”

“I agree, but I suggest we go all out and use our trump cards. This is not the time to hold each other back.”

“I concur.”

Once they resolved to give it their all, the three gritted their teeth and stepped into the Sky Burial Domain together.

The moment they entered, their expressions changed drastically.

Erosion, corruption, and the eerie sound of sorrowful weeping relentlessly assaulted their bodies and Divine Souls.

The erosion and corruption caused bloodstains to appear on their bodies, while their hearts and souls were overwhelmed with grief.

In an extremely short time, they began to undergo strange transformations.

—Generally speaking, given their formidable strength, they should have been able to endure for a long time.

Unfortunately, they had arrived far too late.

Prolonged erosion had caused the concentration of Forbidden Power in this place to rise significantly compared to when Mu Lin dealt with the Corpse Tree.

This alone was enough to cause a headache.

Moreover, Mu Lin had already nailed their Corpse Dog, Ambush Arrow, and Devouring Thief soul positions.

With three crucial soul positions sealed, their Divine Soul defenses and physical immune systems were severely compromised.

Cursed and trapped in the Sky Burial Domain, filled with erosion and corruption, it was no wonder they were experiencing abnormalities.

“Woo woo woo…”

“Damn it, I can’t take it anymore! We have to kill him. If that human doesn’t die, we’ll all perish. Let’s charge together!”

Already half-mad, Tie Xun was driven to complete insanity by the stimulation of the Sky Burial Domain.

What Mu Lin, deep within the domain, found both amusing and exasperating was that even in his madness, Tie Xun did not head straight for him. Instead, his gaze remained fixed firmly on his two “teammates.”

Such unwavering loyalty moved Mu Lin deeply.

As for the Pleasure Maiden Shu Rong and the Black Mountain Devotee, they felt an urge to cry.

“Brother Tie Xun, this is a trap the enemy specifically set for us. We must proceed with caution…”

“Swish!”

Before the Pleasure Maiden could finish her words of caution, Tie Xun conjured a Meat Cleaver out of thin air and swung it directly at Shu Rong.

Clearly, Tie Xun had no interest in listening to Shu Rong’s advice. He only wanted to charge forward with the two of them.

Naturally, the blade did not strike the Pleasure Maiden.

With a flicker of an illusion, she reappeared beside Tie Xun.

Unfazed, Tie Xun stared intently at Shu Rong, his tone icy and menacing:

“If we don’t charge, we’ll all die together!”

Such unreasonable and obstinate behavior left the Pleasure Maiden utterly helpless.

“Brother Tie Xun, it was Mu Lin who cursed you, not this humble servant. If you seek revenge, go after Mu Lin. Why are you fixating on me?”

This made perfect sense, but Tie Xun’s response was: “Are you really trying to reason with a devoted follower of an Evil God who commits every imaginable evil?”

At this moment, Tie Xun had truly gone mad. Otherwise, he would never have dared utter the words “Evil God,” instead referring to the God of Wild Hunt as “Master” or “My Lord.” But precisely because he was mad, his malevolent side was now fully exposed.

The principle of harming others without benefiting oneself was being taken to its extreme by him.

This scene left Mu Lin, at the center of the Sky Burial Domain, utterly speechless.

“They’re actually fighting among themselves. Could it be that I’ll win just by sitting here?”

Just as Mu Lin was shaking his head in disbelief at Tie Xun’s behavior, what happened next was something he never expected, leaving him utterly stunned.

While the Pleasure Maiden had drawn all of Tie Xun’s attention, the Black Mountain Devotee had, unnoticed, appeared behind Tie Xun.

Then, with an unremarkable Blacklight Dagger, the Black Mountain Devotee plunged it into Tie Xun’s back, right through his heart.

“Thud!”

The strike immediately froze Tie Xun in place.

From the positions of the Black Mountain Devotee and the Pleasure Maiden, Mu Lin easily deduced that their collaboration was not a spur-of-the-moment decision but a premeditated plan.

“Huh?!”

“So Tie Xun’s chaotic ramblings were actually right—he had sensed the danger all along.”

“Indeed, I was too naive.”

After this realization, Mu Lin’s expression turned grave.

His powerful sixth sense told him that the Pleasure Maiden and the Black Mountain Devotee joining forces to kill Tie Xun was not merely about eliminating a madman.

And as Mu Lin suspected, the truth soon revealed itself.

At the periphery of the Sky Burial Domain, the two used Tie Xun as a sacrificial offering, performing a Ritual to their respective Deities.

“Great Master… we beseech you… unseal… the Divinity…”

“Boom!”

(End of Chapter)