Corpse Wall Blood Curse

Wang Quan left the city alone, following the system's vague guidance, and stealthily moved in the direction where he had previously detected abnormal spiritual fluctuations. The further he went, the more desolate the surroundings became. Even the usual chirping of insects disappeared, and the air was filled with an indescribable chill and decay, more unsettling than ordinary corpse stench. The killing intent was so dense it almost condensed into a tangible substance, making it hard to breathe.

A piercing caw suddenly came from above. Wang Quan looked up and saw a flock of crows circling at low altitude, a dense black mass. Their eyes glowed with an ominous red light, and their sharp beaks were stained with dark red congealed blood. Occasionally, viscous drops of blood fell from the sky, landing on withered leaves with a soft splat.

His internal alarm bells rang, and he instinctively wanted to turn back. But he suddenly discovered that the path he had come from had, at some unknown time, been swallowed by a sudden, nauseatingly dense scarlet mist. This red mist was thick as blood, churning and rolling, obscuring his vision and retreat. He was like a fly caught in a spider's web, trapped in this desperate situation by an invisible force.

Deep within the red mist, the outline of a house vaguely appeared, standing alone in the desolation. Its dark windows were like the empty eye sockets of a demon. With no other choice, Wang Quan gripped the Blood Drinking Saber and approached step by step. The house door was ajar; a gentle push made it creak with a teeth-grinding sound. A mixture of extreme rot and an indescribable stench assailed him, making his stomach churn.

The moment he stepped into the house, Wang Quan's hair stood on end! A fear originating from his very life essence gripped his heart, his limbs inexplicably stiffened, as if something terrifying in the darkness was watching him. He forcefully suppressed his racing heart and fully drew the Blood Drinking Saber with a clang. The cold hilt in his hand brought a faint sense of security.

The house was empty, filled only with years of dust and cobwebs. But that strong stench clearly emanated from the mottled walls! The wall surfaces appeared ordinary, but upon closer inspection, their color was dark, with subtle, irregular undulations.

Wang Quan held his breath and approached the nearest wall step by step. He reached out, his fingertips touching the cold, rough wall surface... the texture was wrong! It was definitely not brick or stone, but rather like... some kind of hardened, inelastic skin? It felt slightly sticky.

Something was wrong!

The moment the thought flashed, Wang Quan's eyes sharpened, and he didn't hesitate! He took half a step back, and the Blood Drinking Saber transformed into a dark red arc of light, slashing at the wall with all his might!

"Screeeech--!"

A bizarre sound, like tearing thick cowhide, exploded! Where the blade passed, the wall was easily sliced open with a huge gash, as if it wasn't a brick wall but a fragile disguise! Dark red, black, viscous liquid gurgled from the edges of the opening. Then, a more terrifying scene unfolded:

A naked, contorted corpse, its skin an unnatural grayish-blue, rolled out of the opening and fell to the ground with a dull thud. The corpse's face was twisted, its eyes wide open, pupils shrunk to pinpricks, its mouth stretched to its limit, frozen in the ultimate terror of its final moments, as if it had seen an incomprehensible nightmare. What made it even more chilling was that the entire surface of the corpse's skin was covered in a dense, twisted, and bizarre array of symbols drawn with some kind of dark red pigment, like an evil incantation!

Wang Quan froze in place. As a transmigator, his soul was deeply shaken, and his stomach contracted violently. But he endured the discomfort, flicked the tip of his saber, and pushed the corpse aside. Behind the opening, the sight made his blood run cold: dense, layered, all the same naked corpses, stuffed into the entire wall! Old people, children, even pregnant women with bulging bellies... without exception, their bodies were covered in symbols, their faces frozen in terror! A palpable resentment emanated from the wall of corpses, almost suffocating!

"Urgh..." Wang Quan let out a suppressed growl from his throat, and an unnamable rage erupted in his chest! These... were these the missing people from Anping County?! His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and he no longer hesitated, hacking wildly with his saber!

"Boom! Crack!" Saber light flashed, and large sections of the wall peeled away, more corpses pouring out like a bursting dam. Finding his saber too slow, he used his bare hands, his fingernails breaking, his hands bleeding profusely, as he madly tore at the stuffing, ripping open all three walls!

When he stopped, he was surrounded by a mountain of naked corpses. Corpse fluid and dark red blood splattered all over him, warm and viscous on his face. The fingers gripping the saber hilt were bone-white from excessive force, veins bulging, his chest heaving violently. The rage burned him to the point of losing his reason.

He suddenly pulled out a fire starter, lit it, and threw it at the piled-up corpses. The dry wooden structure and the corpses soaked in corpse oil ignited instantly, and fierce flames surged, engulfing the hellish scene.

However, the moment the flames rose, a change occurred!

The corpses writhing in the flames seemed to awaken, their stiff, grayish-blue arms suddenly lifting, pointing at Wang Quan. Countless twisted mouths opened simultaneously, emitting silent yet soul-piercing shrieks and roars! Countless negative emotions filled with pain, despair, and resentment surged into Wang Quan's consciousness like a tidal wave!

[Warning! High-intensity mental pollution encountered! Multiple resentment aggregate attacks detected!] The system's prompt sounded sharply.

Wang Quan grunted, and the scene before his eyes drastically changed! Countless fragmented, terrifying memories forcibly flooded his mind:

He seemed to become that old man, dragged into a dark room, watching a knife covered in symbols slit his grandson's throat; he became that pregnant woman, feeling the agonizing pain and despair as her fetus's life force was forcibly extracted by evil power; he became that child, watching his loved ones turn into cold corpses one by one in the darkness, their bodies painted with ghastly symbols... Every pain was incredibly real, every despair etched into his bones!

"Pfft--" Wang Quan could no longer suppress it, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, staining his chest. His eyes were blood-red, but amidst the chaos, a cold killing intent, bordering on madness, gradually coalesced.

[Purified a large number of resentment aggregates, interrupted the evil ritual process. Acquired Skill Points: 60.]

[Detected strong resentment residue resonating with the environment, conditions met, unlocked special auxiliary ability: Echo.]

[Echo: Consume 30 Skill Points and a drop of essence blood from the sensed target to trace their memories and perceive their strong emotions. Note: The process of tracing will incur corresponding mental shock and carries the risk of getting lost.]

Wang Quan stood in the center of the burning mansion, surrounded by corpses and flames. The 60 Skill Points had just been credited, bringing his total to 79, including previous accumulations. Without a moment's hesitation, his thoughts raced.

"Upgrade Myriad Monster Blood Devouring Art to perfection!"

[Consume 28 Skill Points to upgrade Myriad Monster Blood Devouring Art to perfection?]

"Yes!"

As the command was given, his blood and qi surged violently within him! A power far more ferocious than any previous upgrade surged through his meridians. His skin, flesh, and bones emitted a groaning sound as if unable to bear the strain, as if every inch of his flesh was being torn and reassembled. His bone density increased dramatically, emitting a metallic sheen. A wild, predatory power filled his entire body, and faint, dark patterns, similar to those of a Great Demon, even appeared on his skin.

[Myriad Monster Blood Devouring Art upgraded to perfection! Current physical strength assessment: Comparable to a Great Demon at the peak of the Soul Sculpting Realm!]

[Tip: This Cultivation Method has reached the current level's limit. Breakthrough to the Mortal Transformation Realm is required to deduce subsequent Cultivation Methods. Deduction requires Skill Points: 30.]

[Remaining Skill Points: 51.]

"Continue! Upgrade Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength until perfection!"

[Consume 8 Skill Points to upgrade Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength to the Great Accomplishment realm?]

"Yes!"

[Consume 16 Skill Points to upgrade Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength to the perfection realm?]

"Yes!"

Two consecutive upgrades! The dense and heavy strength of Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength surged within him like a breaching river, mingling with the violent qi and blood of Myriad Monster Blood Devouring Art, tempering his body. His internal organs received deeper nourishment, his breath became incredibly long and steady, the transition between movement and stillness became smooth and natural, and a contained yet powerful vitality lay dormant within him.

[Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength upgraded to perfection!]

[Tip: This Cultivation Method has reached the current level's limit. To enter the Mortal Transformation Realm, one must comprehend the true meaning of "seeing strength" and discern the essence of the force. Deducing the Mortal Transformation Realm Cultivation Method requires Skill Points: 15.]

"Upgrade Shadow Step until perfection!"

[Consume 5 Skill Points to upgrade Shadow Step to the Minor Accomplishment realm?]

"Yes!"

[Consume 6 Skill Points to upgrade Shadow Step to the Great Accomplishment realm?]

"Yes!"

[Consume 7 Skill Points to upgrade Shadow Step to the perfection realm?]

"Yes!"

Three consecutive upgrades! A total of 18 Skill Points were consumed! A flow of energy, far lighter and more agile than before, rose from the Yongquan acupoints on his feet and instantly spread throughout his body. This wasn't simply an increase in speed, but a new level of perception and control over the surrounding light, air currents, and shadows! As he moved his feet, his body seemed to lose some weight, becoming more coordinated and natural. His control over the burst and retraction of power became more refined and subtle. Most wondrously, he felt a peculiar affinity with the shadows of his surroundings. With a mere thought, he could use the slightest changes in light and shadow to perfectly conceal his aura and movements. When moving, he made almost no sound, truly embodying the meaning of "following like a shadow, merging with the darkness."

[Shadow Step has been upgraded to Perfect!]

[Remaining Skill Points: 9.]

In just a short moment, his strength had surged! Wang Quan clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within him, an unprecedented sense of strength welling up.

He unsheathed the Blood Drinking Saber and, amidst the burning ruins, began to practice the Wind Slaying Saber Technique. There were no flashy moves, just the simplest slashes, chops, lifts, and sweeps, combined with Shadow Step, adapting to his surging qi and blood and his suddenly strengthened physique. The saber whistled, kicking up ashes from the ground. Each strike contained terrifying power, and the air let out sharp sonic booms.

Several hours later, the fire gradually died down. The sky-high resentment seemed to dissipate along with the fading flames. The strange blood mist surrounding them had also quietly vanished at some point, revealing the scorched and ruined ground. Wang Quan sheathed his saber and stood still, his breathing steady.

He left the ruins that had turned to scorched earth. Relying on the Perfect level of Shadow Step and his enhanced senses, he began to actively search for signs of Demonic Creatures in areas further outside Anping County. However, the results were unexpected. The monsters seemed to have vanished overnight. He meticulously searched several areas where Demonic Creatures were usually active, but he couldn't detect even a trace of demonic energy or the stench of corpses. Sensing the unusual silence in the air, his brow furrowed, and a sense of unease inexplicably arose within him.