Nine Venoms Sect Founder

Chapter 101: Desolation Corpse Guard

"Mukri," Harun connected to his Karmic Tree and contacted Mukri, who leisurely patrolled the Birusk streets. Swathed by powers of a magnitude he couldn't fathom, Mukri left the Birusk clan—treading the void to appear beside Harun. 

"Master? Mooooray! The auspicious glow between your eyebrows has never shone brighter! Your light eclipses the sun and moon, outshines the starry sky, and brings salvation to the lost and bitchy. How have you been?" Mukri bootlicked. If there was a Mandate of Sycophancy, he'd probably be a Dao Emperor already. 

Approving many of the words, Harun patted Mukri's clever head, then aimed one finger at Birandar. "I have a job for you. Watch over this bitch, make sure he doesn't suffer any cultivation deviation, introduce yourself to him, and protect him across his journey. I need to dispel my avatar to focus on some work," Harun said, and Mukri nodded instantly—then realized he'd just signed up for babysitting duty. 

"Master, what about the headquarters? With Gulseni gone and me here, who will protect the homebase?"

"With my serpent totem there, how much work can you do? How much merit can you snatch?"

"True…"

"Complete this and after I destroy the Soul Refining Hall, I will help you switch paths." 

"Moooray! Assisting the junior generation is an elder's duty. Have no fear, master, I will handle this!" With no more hesitation, Mukri backflipped his massive body, then locked his Divine Sense on Birandar. Knowing that he left his first disciple in Mukri's competent hands, Harun dispelled the avatar, and returned 200% focus to his true body. 

At the same time, Birandar's two heads glanced at one another, two perfectly separate individuals sharing one body. Instantly, Mukri realized that one was destined to overpower the other to take full control of the body—a spiritual clash ensued. Birandar's two selves grasped at the Dual Soul Root, wrestling for dominion over their shared body. 

White rays shot out of their eyes, and at the end of this silent battle, Birandar's original self robbed the root and returned the extra persona to nothingness. The Dual Soul Root's awakening was thus complete, making Birandar's cultivation talent shoot through the sky, and slap Heaven's face. 

…

Meanwhile, in the underground dungeons of the royal palace, Harun received Mehran's haul: 600 blood thirsters that oozed rape and looting. With his attachment-stage of the Human Realm, Harun could effortlessly connect to their mind and figure out what type of person he faced. Those felons' brains had already sunk into vice and madness, utterly unredeemable.

Satisfied, Harun gave Mehran a thumbs up. As far as he was concerned, the more barbaric the targets were, the better the result. "I will need to be alone for this one," Harun warned the two, and while Jiyan had no interest in viewing the sinister work, Mehran felt slightly annoyed—just slightly. 

Gagged and bound in chains, the convicts challenged or beseeched Harun with their gazes alone. Ignoring it all, Harun passed through all the rows, tapping the clavicle of each man. Within five seconds, their nerves and muscles bulged to the limit. Shutting his eyes close, Harun spread out his hands and aimed his palms at the convicts. Dark-blue flame orbs poured out in the hundreds, each covering a butterfly in a halo of darkness. The eerie flames aside, the butterflies bore a striking resemblance to the Resurrection Butterfly Harun once used to awake Jiyan. Surrounded by hundreds of flaming butterflies, the convicts grew desperate and, driven by their hysterical fears, trashed against their bonds—to no avail. The burning butterflies became a rain of flame arrows as they pierced through the 600's chests—killing them instantly. josei

Mutated from Harun's Resurrection Butterflies through Life and Death Essence, his totem's blood, and a few experiments we will not describe, the Ferocious Corpse Butterfly represented Harun's hope to convert even lost cases into productive citizens. But after three minutes of observing the changes in the 600 corpses, Harun sighed and shook his head.

"Failure," he whispered. His enthusiasm vanished, and with slumped shoulders, he spun toward the exit. But as he took the first step, a cacophony of loud grunting sounds came from his back, filling his face with hope and expectations. Moved, Harun rushed back toward the corpses and was delighted to see 120 rise from the lot. Their muscles bulged to inhuman levels of perfection, making it look like a platoon of culturists had risen before the Plague Overlord. 

Their pulse, too fast for a human heart, conjured pictures of crawling wyverns about to sink their fangs in helpless prey. And from bronze, their skin became bright red, as if roasted by an internal fire only they knew of. The 120 successes stepped forward. With every breath, steam flowed out of their mouths and noses. Their eyes no longer had pupils, but limitless killing intent shone in those empty sockets. 

Harun tapped his chest, and a larger Ferocious Corpse Butterfly appeared before the platoon. In awe of its aura, 95% instantly stopped all moves. Six, however, fought against the mother butterfly's sovereignty, but could only resist for an instant—then surrendered like the rest. The 120 most barbaric killing machines the Heavenly Dream Land had ever seen, perfect tools of destruction fueled by the World Devouring and Golden Crow bloodlines—at the edge of life and death—assembled before Harun. In pure strength, they could tear down a Celestial Kin, comparable to the average result of the Myriad Poison Bridge's First Step. 

But though those soulless creatures relied on physical strength only, the strongest six could unleash and didn't fear the Golden Crows' Divine Power: Solar Desolation. Considering that he only reached middle-accomplishment in Life and Death, Harun was satisfied by these results. As his understanding of those mysteries improved, so would this platoon. However…

"It's a pity that I don't know anything about a pure Body Refining road," He lamented. Regardless of the path, at some point, the cultivators had to integrate mysteries, external forces and mystical abilities. Harun didn't know any purely physical bridge. 

"Well, there's no bridge in the proper sense, but some techniques and bridges allow you to branch into flesh cultivation. Unfortunately, the process involves getting battered by thunderbolts and other forms of Heavenly Tribulation. Since I still don't think you'll survive your first tribulation, I don't think you should worry about that," the system poured cold water on Harun's achievements. 

"Bah, with all my preparations, I refuse to believe I won't survive that shit." Harun stuck his chest out, challenging the system's pessimism. 

"Son, your scourge value just increased by 60 points. Your fate is grim, at best." Harun had nothing else to say, and like a bedraggled youth, lurched out of the underground. The 120 silent corpse guard followed with flawless discipline. Stifling the atmosphere with their oppressive killing intent and volcanic temperature. 

Mehran took a keen interest in the undead, but Jiyan stood as far away from them as she could. Believing that his first battalion needed a domineering label, Harun named them the Desolation Corpse Guard. 

After some considerations, he sent his new platoon into his Inner Cultivation Chamber and gave Mehran several orders. The two set up a Salvation Hall in the city's center, inviting thousands of hungry, thirsty and homeless citizens to receive Lord Revelation's blessings. There, the God-level expert performed outlandish miracles, 300 per day to be exact—and in a matter of several days built illustrious fame throughout the Dark Stone City. 

Meanwhile, Harun, the real one, hid in the system—focused on his cultivation. Life and Death Essence snaked around his form, with the 120 Desolate Corpses sitting crossed-legged and forming circles around him. The unnatural state of life and death they stood in echoed with Harun's soul—deepening his insight.