Chapter Sixty: The Appearance of the Old Strategist

After Lao Mou took a step forward, he stood suspended in midair, gazing at Elder Zhang’s coffin with a look of disdain. As for the coffins of the other elders atop the platform, Lao Mou paid them no attention whatsoever.

"Lao Mou, this is the Corpse Refining Sect. You will not be allowed to behave so wantonly!"

Elder Zhang’s coffin trembled, and a voice of reprimand echoed from within.

Immediately afterward, Wang Changsheng watched as the lid of Elder Zhang’s coffin flipped open and, with a forceful motion, pressed inexorably toward Lao Mou!

"Careful!"

Seeing Lao Mou unmoving, making no attempt to dodge, Wang Changsheng’s voice rang out in anxious warning.

Although it was rumored that Lao Mou had once slain a Corpse Refining Sect elder with a single blow, that was only hearsay. Lao Mou’s disregard seemed reckless, and Wang Changsheng’s tension was understandable.

Whether they would survive this day depended entirely on Lao Mou’s strength.

To Wang Changsheng, the oppressive aura emanating from the coffin lid was enough to crush him to pieces!

No sooner had Wang Changsheng finished speaking than the coffin lid bore down before Lao Mou.

Lao Mou simply extended his right hand, raising it before his chest.

A muffled thud resounded. All watched as Lao Mou caught Elder Zhang’s coffin lid squarely in his hand, holding it before him, stopping its advance completely.

"Such power… it far surpasses Elder Zhang!"

"Indeed! That coffin lid is a formidable magical artifact, yet he caught it bare-handed!"

"Good thing we didn’t rush forward. If we had, it would have been no different from seeking our own deaths!"

...

The disciples of the Corpse Refining Sect were all stunned by the spectacle.

Typically, Corpse Refining Sect disciples did not refine other magical artifacts; their only artifact was the coffin they carried. Of course, if their powerful physique counted, that would be another.

But Lao Mou had caught Elder Zhang’s artifact bare-handed—wasn’t his physique now considered stronger than the artifact itself?

Screeching noises echoed from the coffin as Lao Mou held the lid, and a pair of skin-and-bone hands stretched forth from inside.

A figure slowly stood up from the coffin.

"Is that Elder Zhang? Wait, no, it’s one of Elder Zhang’s refined corpses!"

"So Elder Zhang himself isn’t here after all!"

"And he tried to trick us into rushing up to die! Hmph, truly despicable!"

...

The disciples of the Corpse Refining Sect, seeing that only a corpse had emerged, were all surprised. Though they despised Elder Zhang’s actions, they had to admire his caution—the true Elder Zhang had not come in person.

More astonishing still was Elder Zhang’s willingness to let his refined corpse enjoy such a powerful coffin!

"Rat!"

Lao Mou uttered in disdain.

Before the refined corpse could react, Lao Mou seized the coffin lid and smashed it down upon the corpse with cruel force!

A thunderous explosion resounded as Elder Zhang’s refined corpse, barely risen from the coffin, had no chance to act and was obliterated by the blow, leaving nothing behind—not even bones. Elder Zhang’s coffin itself was shattered to pieces.

"This… this power is terrifying!"

---

"Terrifying? It’s downright monstrous!"

"That was an elder-level corpse, housed in an elder-level coffin, and it’s gone just like that…"

...

The gathered disciples could not help but gasp, glancing at their own coffins with helpless expressions.

Faced with someone as powerful as Lao Mou, who could destroy both elder-level corpses and coffins with a single blow, what chance did they have?

Ah, but there remained one thing: the coffin lid gripped in Lao Mou’s hand!

"Pah!"

Lao Mou spat upon the ruined coffin, his face full of disdain.

Such strength!

Wang Changsheng stood gaping, stunned by what he had witnessed.

"This… this is too overwhelming…"

When Wang Changsheng had faced Elder Zhang earlier, he had been utterly powerless; Elder Zhang could have toyed with him at will.

But before Lao Mou, there was no chance for resistance—obliterated in an instant!

Of course, Wang Changsheng did not realize that the figure emerging from the coffin was not Elder Zhang himself, but his refined corpse.

Even if he had known, Wang Changsheng would not have understood.

Take Lao Mou smashing the coffin with its own lid—since both were made of the same material, how could the lid destroy the coffin?

Everyone on the platform stared at Lao Mou, incredulous and deeply shaken.

"Incredible!"

Wang Changsheng jumped up in excitement.

But before he could celebrate, several more coffins appeared in midair.

Counting the one atop the high platform, there were ten in total.

These coffins differed from those of the ordinary disciples, resembling Elder Zhang’s, adorned with ancient talismans and exuding a chilling, formidable aura.

"Are these all Corpse Refining Sect elders?" Wang Changsheng wondered, uncertain.

If so, aside from the destroyed one, all ten remaining elders were present!

This was serious.

"Are they going to gang up on him?" Wang Changsheng murmured nervously.

Soon, Wang Changsheng sensed ten distinct auras emanating from the coffins, encircling Lao Mou until he was submerged within them.

Yet Lao Mou remained motionless, eyes closed, as if communing with the ten auras.

"What… what is happening?"

Wang Changsheng was baffled; so were the disciples of the Corpse Refining Sect.

With all the elders gathered, shouldn’t a battle ensue?

But the scene was one of harmonious exchange—a strange turn of events.

After some time, the ten auras dispersed and Lao Mou opened his eyes.

Wang Changsheng saw Lao Mou still looking bewildered.

"Well… it seems he’s forgotten everything, nothing to be learned here!" Wang Changsheng thought.

The elders showed no intent to fight. Wang Changsheng had assumed the Sect had negotiated with Lao Mou out of fear of his strength, but now it seemed impossible.

Who knew how the Sect had convinced Lao Mou, given his notorious disposition? Surely no agreement would have been reached!

---

Unless the Sect elders were equally muddleheaded!

The ten elders withdrew, leaving only one behind. Lao Mou now appeared beside Wang Changsheng.

"What happened?" Wang Changsheng immediately asked.

Lao Mou looked back with confusion. "What happened?"

Lao Mou was completely lost.

Wang Changsheng slapped his own forehead in exasperation.

It seemed Lao Mou’s condition was worsening—he’d already forgotten what had just transpired!

Luckily, Lao Mou hadn’t forgotten Wang Changsheng; otherwise, Wang Changsheng would have been doomed.

"Are you Wang Changsheng?"

Just then, a voice reached Wang Changsheng’s ears.

It was the remaining elder of the Corpse Refining Sect.

"What instructions does Elder have?" Wang Changsheng asked, cupping his hands in respect.

The coffin opened, and a cultivator stepped out. It was Elder Yun, whom Wang Changsheng had met upon first arriving at the Sect.

"Greetings, Elder Yun!"

Many disciples immediately saluted.

Elder Yun nodded, then turned to Wang Changsheng. "Would you be willing to join our Corpse Refining Sect?"

"Uh..."

Wang Changsheng was caught off guard.

What? Join the Corpse Refining Sect?

"Elder Yun… I… I..." Wang Changsheng hesitated awkwardly.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling; after so much time, he no longer felt resistant toward the Sect, especially given how much of its cultivation resources he had used.

But though Wang Changsheng had grown accustomed to the Sect, he truly didn’t want to become a disciple—neither fully human nor ghostlike.

"Speak freely," Elder Yun encouraged.

As if steeling himself, Wang Changsheng cupped his hands and replied, "Elder Yun, the thing is… I can’t get used to sleeping in a coffin..."

"Truly, I just can’t. The space inside feels too cramped, and I think it would be stifling..."

Wang Changsheng could picture himself, should he become a disciple: always carrying a coffin wherever he went, it would follow him everywhere. The image left him a bit embarrassed.

Finishing, Wang Changsheng ducked behind Lao Mou, who looked on in further confusion.

"Hmm?"

Thinking Wang Changsheng was being bullied, Lao Mou frowned at Elder Yun, causing Yun to feel uneasy.

Elder Zhang’s true body was still hiding with the sect master, and Elder Yun had no desire to end up like him. Moreover, Elder Yun was here in person; if he died, he would truly die.

He had never imagined that as an elder in the Sect’s headquarters, his life would one day be threatened within his own Sect.

"A misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!" Elder Yun hastily explained. "I meant, to join our Sect not as an ordinary disciple, but as a deacon!"

"A deacon?" Wang Changsheng asked, uncertain.

He patted Lao Mou’s shoulder and stepped out from behind him, looking puzzled. "The Corpse Refining Sect wants me to be a deacon?"

---