Cultivation Starts from Killing Pigs

Zhang Kui was stunned. He looked at the others who were equally dumbfounded and couldn't help scratching his head.

"Damn it!"

He had just shouted, and the opponent turned to dust.

"Don't panic..."

Helian Boxiong furrowed his thick eyebrows, turned his head, and examined the still suspended and glowing National Guardian Divine Artifacts.

"I've heard a theory that using the National Guardian Divine Artifacts comes at a significant cost. The artifact hasn't moved, but the body is likely destroyed, while the divine soul remains."

Having said this, Zhang Kui also noticed something was amiss. His eyes flashed ghostly light as he examined a few of the artifacts closely.

To be honest, apart from the Blood Weng Zhong, it was his first time seeing the true form of other divine artifacts.

The Nine Heavens Profound Fire Mirror was a black stone mirror engraved with cloud patterns. Its material was unknown, rough around the edges, but the mirror surface was exceptionally smooth, faintly flowing with golden flames.

True Sun Fire?

Zhang Kui squinted slightly. Pure and bright, vast and luminous, it should be right. He didn't expect the Nine Heavens Profound Fire Mirror to seal such a thing.

Of course, like his Red Lotus Karmic Fire, at most it's pure but not the Source Fire; otherwise, it can't seal anything.

As for the Thunder Sword, it was a bronze sword with crackling lightning within its cracks, with "Thunder Twenty-Seven" inscribed on the hilt.

The Yellow Springs Palace Lamp was a stone lantern held by a headless female statue, emitting a dim yellow light that made one dizzy at a glance.

The Soul-Devouring Silk was a blood-stained white silk. The Wordless Stele suppressed the statue of a Three-Eyed Evil Ghost's head, and the Demon Bone Gourd's bone texture was delicate like jade, vaguely blood-tinted.

The seven divine artifacts each had their phenomena, but Zhang Kui didn't have time to look closely and hurriedly examined the array on the ground.

His Array Formation Skill was level five, already stepping into the category of an Array Master. Although the array on this Bronze Altar was ancient, it didn't deviate from the basic framework, following the path of the Star Constellation Soul-Sealing prohibition.

But something's wrong, the artifacts have spirits, where are the artifact spirits?

The others were also looking around in confusion, frowning, not knowing how to assist the State Preceptor effectively.

Meanwhile, the surroundings were rumbling continuously with huge vibrations. The surrounding mountains and rocks of the cave collapsed, revealing the Bronze Rune Wall behind the stone wall, and the Bronze Altar they were on began to tilt slowly.

"No way..."

Zhang Kui's eyelids twitched as he looked around. "This Grand Array is complicated and intricate; I need to go down to see clearly."

Helian Boxiong and Gu Ziqing immediately nodded,

"Alright, we'll go with you."

Huo Yu with Double Pupils also had a determined look in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Taoist Puyang looked at the deep cave and the tentacles continuously probing out, his neck shrinking, face bitter, not daring to speak.

Just then, on the Bronze Altar, the seven National Guardian Divine Artifacts suddenly burst into bright light, and following that, everyone had empty eyes, collapsed softly onto the ground.

Silence returned within the Sealed Demon Cave...

...

Blurred and hazy, everything was dark before their eyes.

Zhang Kui was startled, looking around to find no one was there. Just as he was about to explore further, a light appeared in front, followed by a drastic change in surroundings.

In front was an ancient mottled Bronze Altar floating in darkness, shrouded by a colorful light film.

He was floating in the air, surrounded by seven state preceptors, with the shadows of the National Guardian Divine Artifacts floating behind them, and Helian Boxiong and the others were also present.

"Everyone..."

Before they could inquire, True Man Lu, with gray hair, said, "Do not panic. This is the Divine Corpse Divine Sea. You haven't entered the Divine Travel; we used the divine artifacts to pull you in."

Zhang Kui nodded and then looked at the Bronze Altar.

On top of it was a Bronze Throne, where a tall middle-aged man in Crown and Mysterious Robe sat, face green-purple, eyes white, with tendrils dancing on his face.

No need to say, it's clearly Emperor Qianyuan.

In front of the throne, Qin Yi knelt on the ground, body engulfed in green flames, staring at the throne with madness in his eyes, crawling slowly.

Everyone looked shocked. Zhang Kui's mouth twitched, "State Preceptor, what's the situation now?"

True Man Lu sighed, "During the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Square Immortal Road assisted the world, its Puppetry Skill and Ghost Sacrifice Skill were unprecedented. In order to contend with the evil spirits of the Forbidden Land, the national power was assembled to refine the Divine Corpse found by the Great Qi Dynasty into a puppet."

"Unfortunately, the day it was refined was also the day of calamity. The controllers all went mad, city-states were destroyed one by one, compounded by years of harsh policies, leading to the downfall of the millennia-old Great Zhou Dynasty."

"During the collapse of Great Yu, Emperor Qianyuan found the Divine Corpse asleep underground. He first led people to establish the Soul Sealing Array, suppressing the chaotic soul of the Divine Corpse, then blood-sacrificed himself to control the Divine Corpse."

"Although it could only remain lucid temporarily, it maintained the thousand-year national fortune of Qian, but now it has completely gone mad, able only to keep the Divine Corpse asleep, no longer able to deter the surrounding evil spirits."

"But we didn't expect the Square Immortal Path to have left a contingency. This arrogant demon underestimated himself by entering and also went mad."

Zhang Kui's heart sank, but he still asked, "Esteemed State Preceptors, is there no other way?"

True Man Lu shook his head, "The awakening of the Divine Corpse is inevitable. Now, both on the altar have gone mad. No matter who gains control, it's a catastrophe."

"We plan to gather the power of the divine artifacts to completely destroy the altar. Even if the Divine Corpse awakens, it will become a walking deadlike existence. As long as it's not provoked, there will be no harm."

Zhang Kui's mouth moved, but he said nothing.

Even without asking, he knew the seven state preceptors had decided to sacrifice their own divine souls.

He and Helian Boxiong exchanged glances with the others, sighed deeply, and all bowed with fists cupped before the state preceptors.

True Man Lu shook his head slightly,

"No matter, we are already old and close to the grave, bringing you in here to entrust two matters."

"Firstly, after our death, the National Guardian Divine Artifact will be damaged and will definitely scatter and conceal itself. It is imperative to find them and never let our human race's divine artifacts fall into the hands of evil spirits."

Zhang Kui's face was solemn, "Rest assured, even if the evil spirits snatch them, Old Zhang will snatch them back!"

True Man Lu nodded, his complexion growing increasingly weak,

"The second matter, although the Qian Dynasty is corrupt beyond repair, without it, I'm afraid our human race will fall into chaos again. In the future, it will depend on you all..."

With that said, without waiting for their reply, he waved his hand, "Go now, we can hold on for another two-hour time period, run, run as far as possible."

As soon as he finished speaking, everything spun around, and upon waking, they found themselves standing on a bronze platform, surrounded by constant collapse, with bronze pillars teetering precariously.

"Go!"

Without hesitation, the crowd shot out and quickly left the Sealed Demon Cave.

Outside, it was already an apocalyptic scene.

Huge cracks appeared on the ground, enormous trees uprooted and plunged into the abyss, the once shimmering Grand Profound Lake had turned into a turbid mire, and the water level continued to drop.

A few of them quickly approached the Grand Profound Lake, pulling up Elder Huayan who was holding Li Xuanji's corpse.

"Elder Huayan, hurry, the situation is beyond saving!"

"The Treasure Vault!"

Taoist Puyang suddenly exclaimed, pointing towards the Inner Treasury.

They saw a frog-like beast more than thirty meters tall emerging from the ground, its head adorned with fanged ghastly visage, its entire body covered in scale armor like mysterious iron. Seemingly frightened, it dug into the soil with its backside and disappeared.

Taoist Puyang wailed,

"The ancient artifacts inside!"

"We'll discuss it later!"

Zhang Kui shouted, leading the group to soar into the air, rushing out of the city.

In Haojing City, there were already cracks everywhere, with pavilions and towers collapsing, and dust rising everywhere.

Although several two-hour periods had passed, the city gates were still crowded with people, with cries and wails creating a chaotic scene.

Zhang Kui's eyes reddened, and he bellowed:

"Everyone get down!"

Then, he leaped into the air, golden sword light emanating from his body, transforming into a gigantic sword shadow over a hundred meters long.

Rumble!

The section of the city wall several dozen meters away from the city gate collapsed instantly, revealing a huge opening.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

Dissatisfied, he demolished the entire section of the city wall, sending flying stones scattering, creating a flat expanse.

As a newfound path emerged, the crowded throng quickly scattered.

"Run, to the eastern mountain!"

Zhang Kui shouted to the crowd, then soared into the sky, with the other National Guardian True Men urging mana to sweep up large groups of people, transporting them back and forth.

Fortunately, the State Preceptor had left enough time. It was unclear how long they had been working, but everyone was covered in dust. Although many people were undoubtedly lost, the eastern mountain was densely populated with people, stumbling and fleeing over the mountains without looking back.

Zhang Kui and the others couldn't afford to pay attention at the moment, standing atop the eastern summit, staring dead ahead.

On the plains at their feet, Haojing City was already completely collapsing, the ground sinking, the canal backflowing.

Boom!

Seven beams of light shot into the sky and disappeared in all directions.

No, there was still a scarlet beam of light spiraling downward, suddenly entering Helian Boxiong's body.

Helian Boxiong was stunned, furrowing his brows deeply.

Zhang Kui wasn't surprised; ancient artifacts choose their masters, divine artifacts possess spirits and thus exhibit more mysticism.

But there was no time to congratulate Helian Boxiong because the giant divine corpse's arm finally moved.

As the ground shook and the mountains trembled, the sun and moon were dimmed, a massive entity as tall as a mountain tore the earth and stood up, electric light flashing around it.

Zhang Kui finally witnessed the entire form of the divine corpse.

It was a beast resembling a monkey, its long arms dragging on the ground, headless, featureless, its entire body covered in bizarre, twisted appendages.

Yet just as the State Preceptor had said, this entity had already become a walking corpse, striding westward with bizarre steps.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With each step, the earth trembled.

As the divine corpse moved away, thousands of lightning bolts seemed to drape it as a robe, while the rolling dark clouds in the sky followed it...