The Yann Family ancestral home.
Dozens of people sat cross-legged within an Array, their eyes closed as they regulated their breathing and nourished their spirits.
A gloomy atmosphere filled the area.
Once the number one family in the Yunjing Commerce Association, the Yann Family had numbered in the thousands. Now, only these few dozen people remained to hold the line.
And their auras were all unstable. Most of them were injured, and they would cough from time to time, a testament to how difficult the situation had been for the Yann Family lately.
"Patriarch."
One person spoke, his voice weak:
"We can’t go on like this. The Fang Family and the Sunx Family have the island’s resources to support them. Even with the help of the Array, there will come a day when we are the ones who can no longer hold on."
A family cannot be without a leader for a single day.
Since Yann Weiran’s failed attempt to break through to the Golden Core realm, Yann Yu had become the Patriarch of this generation of the Yann Family, leading everyone in resisting the siege from the other families.
"Indeed," an elder chimed in with a nod.
"The Fang Family, the Sunx Family, the Ouyang Family, and those South Sea Cave Ghosts Tribulation Cultivators who landed on the island at some unknown time—they have the numbers and the power. We’re simply no match for them."
"Perhaps..."
"It’s time to talk with them."
"Talk?" Yann Yu’s eyes snapped open, bloodshot.
"You think I don’t want to? But their determination to see the Yann Family destroyed is absolute. Talking now would only be asking for humiliation."
"Tribulation Cultivators..."
"I never imagined they would actually invite Tribulation Cultivators onto the island!"
If it weren’t for the sudden appearance of the South Sea Cave Ghosts, the Yann Family, though at a disadvantage, could still manage the situation.
After a period of fighting, they could have negotiated with the other families.
At worst, they would have had to give up some of their interests.
And now.
The Yann Family’s situation was worsening by the day. There was no turnaround in sight, and the hope of negotiation was exceedingly slim.
"If it comes to it, we’ll just fight them to the death!"
Someone growled.
"Kill one and we break even, kill two and we’re ahead! With the Yann Family’s resources, taking two of their families down with us won’t be a problem."
"I’d like to see who’s first to come and get themselves killed!"
"Brother Ming, don’t be impulsive." Yann Nanshuang spoke, her voice clear and steady as she said slowly:
"Patriarch."
"I propose we activate the Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array. It might give us a chance."
As she spoke, the others looked on with solemn expressions, not underestimating her in the slightest despite her junior status.
During this time.
Yann Nanshuang had successfully advanced to the Mid-Stage Dao Foundation and wielded a Flying Sword of unknown origin to devastating effect.
She had mastered the art of the Sword Control Array. With just herself and her sword, she formed an array capable of holding her own against a Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivator without being defeated.
One must remember.
Yann Nanshuang was not yet a hundred years old!
Based on the resources and Talent she had displayed, it was certain that, given time, she would become the Yann Family’s top expert.
Perhaps even the top expert on all of Yunjing Island.
The next Patriarch of the Yann Family would surely be her.
Of course.
The precondition was that the Yann Family had to survive this crisis.
"The Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array?"
Yann Yu’s expression was complicated. He turned to the other, more bewildered family members and explained:
"This is a Transformation Array of a Tier Three Grand Array that only our Yann Family has mastered. Once activated, Yunjing Island will be divided into ninety-nine separate regions, and each region will constantly shift its position. No one will know where they will end up next."
"This way, we can indeed avoid the combined siege of the other families and potentially break through their forces one by one."
The eyes of the Yann Family members lit up.
However, if it had such benefits, there must be a reason it hadn’t been activated yet. It surely had its downsides.
And just as they expected.
"But!"
Yann Yu’s tone shifted.
"Once the Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array is activated, all other arrays on the island will cease to function. We will be exposed to the other families."
The area fell silent.
The choice had its pros and cons.
The pro:
They would no longer have to suffer the combined siege from the other families.
The con:
The array at the Yann ancestral home would disappear, leaving everyone without its protection. They would have to rely on their own strength to resist any subsequent attacks. Since most of the Yann Family’s techniques were related to arrays, it was a terrible irony that the arrays would be rendered useless.
"If this were the beginning, we shouldn’t have activated the Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array. But now... do we have any other choice?"
Yann Nanshuang lowered her gaze.
"Yann Ying and the others are bringing back fewer and fewer supplies. The Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array is our only chance now. At the very least, we might have an opportunity to send our descendants away."
The Yann Family members looked at each other in dismay.
......
「The Quiet Chamber.」
Yann Nanshuang slowly stepped inside.
VMMMM...
With a low hum, the two heavy stone doors slowly closed behind her.
’The Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array?’
’Heh...’
’This day has finally come.’
A strange, cold smile appeared on Yann Nanshuang’s frosty and beautiful face, and her entire aura changed abruptly.
Yin cold!
Dark!
Profound!
...
Devoid of any trace of the living.
"Come out!"
As her voice fell, the stone floor at her feet quietly bulged, and a figure slowly emerged from within.
If any other members of the Yann Family had been present, they would have been utterly astonished.
Because the person emerging from the ground was none other than the previous Patriarch of the Yann Family, Yann Weiran, who had been missing for a long time.
At this moment, Yann Weiran’s eyes were dull and his skin was stiff. He had no aura at all, like a piece of rotten wood.
In other words,
He was now a corpse!
"The opportunity has come."
Yann Nanshuang spoke slowly.
"Yunjing Island is about to be divided into ninety-nine regions. No one can control the situation anymore. It’s time for you all to make your move."
With a flick of her hand, a wisp of tangible Yin Qi emerged from Yann Weiran’s body and was swallowed into her mouth.
"Although one cannot practice the Silent Extinction Path of Evil Death, the Yin Corpse Evil Qi condensed from it is a top-tier treasure for aiding Cultivation."
"If you all hadn’t provided enough Yin Corpse Evil Qi, I couldn’t have advanced to the Mid-Stage Dao Foundation in such a short time. If we can completely occupy Yunjing Island, I might even be able to use this opportunity to advance to the Golden Core realm."
"Hee hee..."
Yann Nanshuang giggled, her expression shifting constantly, as if she were a completely different person from before.
*
*
*
「The Fang Family estate.」
The change in the array enveloping Yunjing Island naturally could not be hidden from the other families who also held a degree of control over it.
"The Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array?"
Patriarch Fang Wang stood atop a high platform, gazing at the shifting dense fog over Yunjing Island, a Spiritual Light flickering in his eyes.
"It seems the Yann Family has been driven into a corner."
"Correct!" an elderly Cultivator nodded.
"Once the Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array is out, no array below Tier Three can be used. Most of the Yann Family’s techniques will become useless."
The Yann Family built its foundation on arrays. With the arrays disabled, the strength of the Yann Family members will naturally be sharply reduced.
Activating the Hundred-Change Prison Cage Array proves that the Yann Family has no other choice.
"However, with this Transformation Array active, Yunjing Island is also split into ninety-nine constantly shifting regions. We will no longer be able to gather our forces to attack the Yann Family."
"True."
Fang Wang nodded, his eyes narrowing.
"With this move, I fear the Yann Family intends to escape Yunjing Island. After all, it’s now impossible to keep them trapped in their ancestral home."
"That doesn’t matter!" someone spoke up.
"As long as we take care of the Yann Family’s core Dao Foundation members, even if the other descendants escape, they won’t be able to accomplish much."
"That may be so, but we cannot be careless," said the old Cultivator.
"I still remember the Zhang Family from several hundred years ago. Two of their descendants escaped, achieved great things in their Cultivation, and returned to successfully take their revenge."
"We cannot let such a thing happen to us!"
"Right," Fang Wang nodded.
"The array is now active. Leaving Yunjing Island will not be easy. Tier Three Forbidden-Breaking Talismans and Spirit Destruction Talismans are incredibly valuable. Even the Yann Family can’t have more than a few. Even if some escape, it won’t be many."
AHH!
A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the distance.
"What’s going on?"
The Fang Family members looked at each other in confusion.
"Go check it out!"
The scream hadn’t come from far. When they arrived, they saw several Walking Corpses pouncing on a crowd, most of whom were descendants of the Fang Family.
"Insolent fiends!"
A Dao Foundation Cultivator roared, his Flying Sword flashing out like lightning and cleaving a Walking Corpse in two.
Even as two halves of a corpse, the Walking Corpse continued to struggle on the ground, not quite dead. It didn’t stop until it was burned to ashes by fierce flames.
The matter was resolved quickly.
But the expressions on the faces of the Fang Family members were extremely grim.
The Flying Sword had clearly hesitated for a moment as it cut through the Walking Corpse. A Physical Body that tough was no ordinary Walking Corpse; it was likely comparable to a Golden Armored Corpse.
Moreover.
The bodies of the few people who had been bitten by the Walking Corpses were also starting to change.
"Corpse Qi!"
"If the Corpse Qi isn’t purged from their bodies in time, those bitten by the Walking Corpses will also transform and attack everyone around them indiscriminately. The number of Walking Corpses will keep growing, until not a single living person is left on this island."
"These are the methods of a Demon Cultivator!"
......
「The Marketplace.」
After parting ways with Zhu Ju, Chen Tong and Huu Lishu disguised their identities and slipped into the Marketplace, finding an inn to stay in.
"Just in case, let’s hide here for the time being. We shouldn’t go out."
Upstairs in the tavern.
Chen Tong glanced around and sighed.
"Staying at an inn isn’t cheap, but at least it’s safe. We can worry about other things after the fighting on the island is over."
"Mm."
Huu Lishu nodded.
Her Cultivation had not yet recovered, and she was relying entirely on Chen Tong’s protection, so she naturally followed his arrangements.
Neither of them was a Cultivator who enjoyed conflict; they would naturally stay wherever it was safest.
"Huh?"
Just as she was about to pick up some food with her chopsticks, Huu Lishu’s eyebrows raised, and she pointed to the street below.
"Brother Chen, look, what’s that?"
Chen Tong turned his head to look.
In the dense fog, several staggering figures were walking down the street, and the passersby were all giving them a wide berth.
"What are those things?"
The dense fog was so thick that even a Cultivator’s Spiritual Eyes couldn’t see clearly.
The next moment.
AHH!
A shrill scream rang out.
A passerby was tackled to the ground by a figure that rushed out of the fog, its neck being frantically gnawed on.
It wasn’t just one!
Figure after figure rushed out of the fog. They were faster than galloping horses, strong enough to shatter walls with ease, and they attacked the pedestrians on the street.
"Monsters!"
"They’re Walking Corpses!"
"Where are the Marketplace patrols?"
"..."
In an instant.
The long street descended into chaos.
Although some people fought back, the Walking Corpses were extremely bizarre. They had tough skin and flesh, and astonishing strength. Ordinary Innate Qi Refiners were no match for them at all.
"Look!"
Huu Lishu exclaimed.
"Look at that corpse!"
The corpse that had just been gnawed on and had its blood drained by a Walking Corpse was now twitching its limbs and shakily getting to its feet.
In the blink of an eye.
It had become a Walking Corpse, just like the one that had killed it.
"Corpse Qi infection!"
Chen Tong’s eye twitched.
"The methods of the Demon Dao!"
"Why aren’t the Fang Family people doing anything?"
He didn’t know that the entire Yunjing Island had already been divided into a series of constantly moving, independent cages.
The Fang Family’s Dao Foundation Cultivators were not far from this place, but getting here was no easy task.
As time passed, more and more people were infected by the Corpse Qi, and more and more Walking Corpses appeared.
The entire Marketplace was plunged into chaos.
SWOOSH!
Chen Tong dispatched his Flying Sword to slay a charging Walking Corpse. His gaze swept the area, and his expression sank.
"We can’t stop them!"
"The Corpse Qi is spreading too fast, and the number of Walking Corpses is growing. Let’s break out of here first!"
"Okay." Huu Lishu’s pretty face was pale as she nodded in agreement.
"How did Yunjing Island become like this?"
Indeed!
How had Yunjing Island become like this?
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