The Demonic Cultivator In Zombie World

Chapter 285 - Someone from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect

At dusk, within the grand hall of the Corpse Yin Sect, the massive doors thunderously closed, leaving only Chu Xuan and his four companions inside.

Outside the grand hall, the Golden Core disciples of the Corpse Yin Sect looked at each other in confusion.

"Hey? Why can that Golden Core cultivator enter the grand hall while we can't?"

"Yeah, is he special or something?"

"I remember that person is Lin Fan from the Myriad Souls Sect, he's only at the second layer of Golden Core."

"I don't know, I don't dare to ask..."

The three Corpse Yin Sect Golden Core disciples who had witnessed Chu Xuan's terrifying abilities just listened to their fellow brothers' discussions, practicing the art of keeping one's peace. They acted as if they heard nothing.

Inside the hall, Chu Xuan cut straight to the point, "Wei Ji, explain how you came from Central Continent to Northern Cold."

Wei Ji was taken aback by how easily Chu Xuan called out his name. All the explanations he had prepared along the way were stuck in his throat, unable to emerge.

Wei Ji?

Zheng Ji and Wan Hun murmured the name, pondering over it. It took them a moment to realize.

Isn't this a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace? What's he doing in Northern Cold?

Wei Ji managed a wry smile, "So, you knew my identity all along."

Liu Ruoshui spoke up in a low voice, "I am Liu Ruoshui, also a Nascent Soul cultivator from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace."

"Tell me how you ended up in Northern Cold," Chu Xuan said calmly, his voice firm, "and don't think about lying. Your lives are in my hands."

With a resigned sigh, Wei Ji had no choice but to recount the persecution they faced from Zhao Kai and their subsequent decision to flee to Northern Cold.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow after hearing the explanation.

The Realm Protection Array!

Such a thing indeed existed. However, Chu Xuan hadn't expected that Mystic Azure Realm would have a Realm Protection Array. It seemed the Reincarnation Divine Church placed great importance on Mystic Azure Star.

Like a sect's grand protective array, the Realm Protection Array was immense, meant to cover an entire world. Its creation required vast resources, including at least two Deity Transformation stage array masters and eight Nascent Soul stage array masters to set up properly.

Moreover, setting up the array was time-consuming and laborious—it was meant to encompass the whole cultivation star, and any flaw could lead to its failure.

Chu Xuan recalled a conversation he had with Ximen Qing at an outpost battlefront; not every cultivation star had a Realm Protection Array. Only those stars deemed crucial by the Reincarnation Divine Church were equipped with one.

For instance, the Majestic Sword Sect's Dawn Star did not have one because it was located in the core area of the Reincarnation Divine Church's territory, and there was no immediate need to establish such an array.

Considering this, it made sense that the Reincarnation Divine Church had invested heavily in setting up the Realm Protection Array on Mystic Azure Star, a resource-rich location that was also at the frontline of their conflict with the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect. Naturally, they couldn't allow the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect to capture it easily.

"...So, the locations you two occupied, Gold Thunder Mountain and Flying Thunder Valley, are where two of the major nodes of the Realm Protection Array are situated?" Chu Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Wei Ji nodded affirmatively. "Exactly. The Realm Protection Array is rarely activated; it is reserved for times of dire peril. Therefore, only the upper echelons of the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace are aware of the locations of these nodes. I only learned of them after I stole some classified information before leaving the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. Wei Ji and Liu Ruoshui's lives were in his hands, and he doubted they would dare to lie to him. Considering everything, it indeed seemed plausible.

For now, all that was left was to wait for the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect to make their move.

"You may all return to your previous duties. Everything remains as it was," Chu Xuan instructed with a wave of his hand. "When people from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect arrive, just send me a message."

Wei Ji and the others stood up and bowed. "Yes."

Moments later, Chu Xuan was on Wan Hun's flying magic treasure, heading back to the Yin Soul Mountain Range. As he looked down at the rivers and mountains below, a smile crept across his face. With this, he had Northern Cold—one-fifth of Mystic Azure Star—under his control.

...

Blue Star.

During the days waiting for the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect's cultivators to arrive, Chu Xuan was far from idle. The Ice Soul Crystals were now in place, and he couldn't afford to waste a single moment. Advancing to the fifth level of the Nascent Soul stage was urgent. Only with sufficient strength could he command from a position of authority.

Twelve years passed in the blink of an eye. The basket of Ice Soul Crystals before Chu Xuan, which had once been full, was now depleted, leaving only dull, shattered remnants on the ground. Around him, a vast expanse of frost had formed, turning the surrounding high-rise buildings into sculptures of ice.

Sunlight reflected off the ice, casting a spectrum of colors, yet it could not melt the frost by even a fraction. This was a local phenomenon created by cultivating the "Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll."

Suddenly, a chilling cold burst forth from within Chu Xuan, spreading in all directions with unprecedented intensity. Birds flying overhead, already burdened by the local cold, now fell heavily to the ground, turning into lifelike ice sculptures upon impact.

As Chu Xuan's aura surged to a new level, he opened his eyes, which had taken on an icy blue hue.

"Nascent Soul Fifth Layer!" he exclaimed joyfully. The augmentation from the Ice Soul Crystals had accelerated his cultivation rate significantly, making him realize that his treatment might even surpass that of a Holy Son of the Reincarnation Divine Church.

"It's time to return to Mystic Azure Star," Chu Xuan mused, "The Heaven Shaking Divine Sect has been biding its time for long enough; they must be ready to make their move by now."

Connecting his mind with the Mirror, Chu Xuan stepped back into his cultivation chamber at Black Devil Peak. Given the clear situation in Northern Cold, if the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect didn't approach him soon, he would consider them fools, unworthy of contending with the Reincarnation Divine Church. He might as well pledge allegiance to the Reincarnation Divine Church directly.

"Hmm? There's actually a message." Chu Xuan infused his spiritual qi into the transmission jade. Wan Hun's voice immediately emerged from it.

"Master, messages have come in from Wei Ji, Liu Ruoshui, and Zheng Ji. A black-robed cultivator claiming to be Shi Juntian from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect has visited, inviting them to join under the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect's banner. He bestowed numerous treasures upon them and promised divine items for transcending to the Deity Transformation phase."

"Shi Juntian has also approached the Myriad Souls Sect with the same request. However, he expressed a desire to meet the person behind me before discussing further about the treasures."

"Master, I think this person is rather formidable. Do you plan to meet him?"

After listening to Wan Hun's message, Chu Xuan frowned slightly but soon relaxed. This Shi Juntian was no ordinary figure. He had discerned that Wan Hun was under his control, though he surely hadn't guessed that Wei Ji, Liu Ruoshui, and Zheng Ji were also under Chu Xuan's influence.

"Arrange a meeting with him at the Corpse Yin Sect. I'll accompany you," Chu Xuan instructed calmly. "If he is apprehensive, let him bring Wei Ji and Liu Ruoshui along."

"Yes, I will relay the message right away," Wan Hun responded respectfully.