Chapter 395: Mysterious Organization

"Since you've harbored thoughts of killing me, there's no need for me to hold back against you."

With these words, Zhong Shan initiated his attack.

Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique, Fifth Level! Heaven's Slash! Wind Splitter!

"Hmph!" Sekong snorted coldly.

Sekong had seen Zhong Shan's previous attacks and estimated his strength to be at most the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. Though Zhong Shan's methods were extremely violent, the gap in their realms was insurmountable.

Sekong's senior brother, Sejie, stepped forward to meet Zhong Shan, his eyes fierce, and their blades clashed.

"Boom!"

Zhong Shan's powerful strike instantly cut Sejie and his blade in half, the force of the blow even slicing off a chunk of a nearby mountain.

"Boom!"

Turning his blade, Zhong Shan struck the barrier confining Mr. Corpse, but the barrier was too strong. Though the impact created a ripple, it did not break.

"You weren't giving it your all before?" Sekong exclaimed in shock.

Zhong Shan turned his head, a fierce look in his eyes. "Kill them all!" Sekong shouted.

About three hundred monks from the temple rushed towards Zhong Shan from all directions.

Each monk had a '幺' character on their forehead, emitting a faint black aura. Their eyes bulged with ferocity as they wielded their blades.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Zhong Shan, relentless in his fury, slashed through the monks. In his full power, these monks were no match for him. He had previously defeated true Integration stage experts, even those who had used secret techniques to enhance their strength. Now, Zhong Shan was even more powerful.

Unless faced with an Emperor Extreme expert, few could challenge Zhong Shan. Exceptionally talented individuals like Jian Ao or Jian Hong, despite being in the same realm, could not be judged by ordinary standards.

As Zhong Shan clashed with the three hundred monks, Sekong began to retreat rapidly. He had witnessed Zhong Shan's ferocity a few days earlier and felt an underlying fear. Though he relied on the divine imprint on his forehead, which boosted his strength to the Integration stage, to confront Zhong Shan, he had also used the sleeping incense and rallied all the monks.

But now it was clear things were not as they seemed. Zhong Shan hadn't been fighting at full strength before. Just now, Sejie, though slightly weaker than Sekong, was still at the early Integration stage with the divine imprint activated, yet he was cut down with a single stroke by Zhong Shan.

"Boom!"

As Zhong Shan killed the last monk, the mountain trembled from his destructive force. With a final powerful slash, the mountain collapsed, and the barrier around Mr. Corpse's Zen courtyard shattered, freeing both of them.

Kongfeng Temple lay in ruins. Sekong had escaped, hovering outside the temple's grand formation.

Zhong Shan stood, his blade resting on his shoulder, eyes cold as he watched Sekong, who appeared uncertain and fearful. The grand formation surrounding the mountain gave Sekong a sense of security.

Such situations had occurred before, but never had anyone faced someone like Zhong Shan. His hidden strength was terrifying.

Kongfeng Temple, now a pile of rubble, had its protective cloud formation dissipated, leaving only a golden barrier covering the original area.

Heaven's Slash! Wind Splitter!

Zhong Shan, undeterred, prepared to unleash another powerful attack against Sekong and the barrier, determined to break through and end the threat once and for all.

Sekong, seeing Zhong Shan's relentless approach, felt a chill of fear run down his spine. He realized that Zhong Shan's strength and determination were far beyond what he had anticipated. As the golden barrier trembled under the might of Zhong Shan's attack, Sekong's confidence wavered.

Realizing he was outmatched, Sekong decided to change tactics. "Zhong Shan, wait!" he shouted, hoping to stall for time. "There's more to this than you understand. We are part of a greater organization, one that spans across realms. If you kill me, you will incur the wrath of powers far beyond your comprehension."

Zhong Shan paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "Speak quickly. Your life depends on it."

Sekong, seeing a glimmer of hope, began to explain, "We are part of the Divine Shadow Sect, a clandestine organization that operates within the shadows of various realms. Our mission is to gather powerful artifacts and souls to fuel our ultimate goal—dominion over the realms. The Soul Search Stone and the Bat Pouch you possess are crucial to our plans."

Zhong Shan's grip tightened on his blade. "And why should I care about your organization's goals? You've attacked me, and now you expect mercy?"

Sekong desperately continued, "If you join us, you will gain access to unparalleled power and resources. The Divine Shadow Sect can make you stronger than you ever imagined. Think about it, Zhong Shan. With your strength and our backing, you could become invincible."

Zhong Shan's eyes flashed with anger. "I do not seek power through deceit and treachery. Your sect's goals mean nothing to me."

With that, Zhong Shan unleashed his final attack.

Heaven's Slash! Wind Splitter!

The immense power of the strike shattered the golden barrier, and Sekong's screams echoed as he was obliterated by the overwhelming force.

As the dust settled, Mr. Corpse joined Zhong Shan, both of them surveying the ruins of Kongfeng Temple.

"This Divine Shadow Sect sounds like a significant threat," Mr. Corpse remarked.

"Indeed," Zhong Shan replied. "We need to remain vigilant. This may just be the beginning."

With their enemies vanquished and the temple in ruins, Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse prepared to continue their journey, now with the added knowledge of a mysterious and powerful organization lurking in the shadows.

Zhong Shan raised his blade toward the heavens and slashed.

"Boom~~~~~~"

The Mountain Guardian Array merely rippled slightly before stabilizing, effectively isolating the inside from the outside. Zhong Shan's powerful strike had no effect whatsoever.

"Sekong, open the Mountain Guardian Array. I won't pursue today's matter further," Zhong Shan said in a deep voice.

Seeing that Zhong Shan couldn't break the array, Sekong regained his composure, standing a short distance away from the array. With a cold expression, he looked at the two people inside and said, "Not pursue further? You killed so many of us, and you think a simple 'won't pursue further' will suffice? Hmph, my master will be back soon. You can just wait for your doom!"

As he spoke, the '幺' character divine mark on Sekong's forehead gradually dimmed until it disappeared.

From afar, Nian Youyou, holding a whip, stood midway up a mountain, looking at Zhong Shan with slight amusement.

"This is a Twenty-Four Mountain Array. To break it, you need to attack the Shen, Zi, Wei, and Kun positions in sequence!" Mr. Corpse suddenly advised Zhong Shan.

"Oh?" Zhong Shan glanced at Mr. Corpse, then coldly looked at Sekong.

Sekong didn't hear Mr. Corpse's words. Seeing Zhong Shan's gaze, he sneered coldly.

Zhong Shan raised his blade, and four massive blade auras shot toward four different positions in succession.

"Boom~~~~~~ Boom~~~~~~ Boom~~~~~~ Boom~~~~~~"

With four tremendous explosions, the yellow barrier shattered like broken glass and then dissipated into a cloud of smoke in midair.

The moment Zhong Shan broke the Mountain Guardian Array, Sekong's eyes widened in terror. Was Zhong Shan his nemesis? How could he be so lucky to even know the secret of this array?

"Run?" Zhong Shan's figure blurred, appearing in front of Sekong with the fastest speed, and slashed down fiercely.

"Boom~~~~~~"

Sekong met the blow with his own blade, but Zhong Shan's strength was overwhelming. With one strike, Sekong was blasted into the ground like a cannonball, creating a huge crater upon impact.

Even when he activated his divine mark again, Sekong was still no match for Zhong Shan. He was too terrifying.

Hovering in midair, Zhong Shan coldly glanced at Sekong in the pit and slashed down again.

Heavenly Rule! Wind Tear!

Thunder Foundation! Ten Thousand Thunder Chase!

"Boom~~~~~~"

Endless lightning followed this Wind Tear, fiercely slashing at Sekong.

The immense power and overwhelming momentum left Sekong with no chance to escape.

"No~~~~~~" Sekong screamed in terror.

"Boom~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan's powerful strike exploded in midair.

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse quickly assumed a defensive stance. Suddenly, beside Sekong, appeared another man in a yellow robe. His yellow eyebrows and the same black '幺' character on his forehead revealed his identity. It was he who had blocked Zhong Shan's powerful strike.

"Master, Master, you're finally back!" Sekong shouted in joy.

"What happened?" the man in the yellow robe asked in a deep voice.

"It's him. He is Zhong Shan. He killed the master's ten thousand Demon Phantom Army, took the Soul Searching Stone and Bat Bag. I lured him to this stronghold to ambush him, but, but he killed all of us," Sekong said in fear.

"Oh?" the yellow-browed man responded coldly.

"Master, you must be cautious. This Zhong Shan is incredibly sinister!" Sekong said with lingering fear.

The yellow-browed man cast a cold glance at Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse.

Seeing this sudden arrival, Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse realized the situation had become even more grave. To so effortlessly block Zhong Shan's attack, this man's strength was undoubtedly formidable.

"Just these two at the Nascent Soul stage? They killed all of our people?" The yellow-browed man looked at Sekong in disbelief.

"Yes, Master, please be careful. Do not underestimate him," Sekong said fearfully.

Zhong Shan's heart tightened. 'Just these two at the Nascent Soul stage.' The yellow-browed man had instantly seen through his and Mr. Corpse's cultivation levels, which meant he was at least two realms higher—Imperial Extremity Realm?

What should he do? The Red Lotus of Affection had not changed color, indicating that he was safe, likely because of the Black Jade Talisman. But what about Mr. Corpse? The Black Jade Talisman required a sealed environment to be effective. In this open space, it could protect him but not Mr. Corpse. He had gone through so much trouble to enlist Mr. Corpse's help; he couldn't let him die here.

Zhong Shan looked at the yellow-browed man opposite him with extreme solemnity. This was a serious problem.

Mr. Corpse narrowed his eyes, a hint of coldness in them. Inside his long sleeve, his right hand's index and middle fingers were bent, seemingly preparing some sort of spell.

Zhong Shan positioned himself in front of Mr. Corpse, certain that he would be safe. His plan was to engage the yellow-browed man himself.

Seeing Zhong Shan's unchanged expression and unwavering battle intent, the yellow-browed man smirked coldly. Sekong, however, shivered, his eyes filled with uncertainty as if he were making some critical decision.

"Master, they are too sinister. I will go fetch Uncle-Master for help," Sekong quickly said.

"Rubbish! Just two at the Nascent Soul stage, and you think I can't handle them?" the yellow-browed man retorted angrily.

"Master, the master's great plan is of utmost importance. There can't be any more mishaps. The Soul Searching Stone and Bat Bag are with Zhong Shan. To ensure the master's plan goes smoothly, I must defy you this once. Please forgive me," Sekong said.

Without waiting for a response, Sekong took off into the sky. He no longer wanted to stay here, even with his master's power. The memory of Zhong Shan's massacre a few days ago haunted him, filling him with a dreadful premonition. He would rather defy his master than stay. After all, to Sekong, this master was merely a superior who had taught him some cultivation techniques, not someone he felt any deep respect or affection for.

Seeing Sekong's panicked flight, the yellow-browed man looked on coldly.

"Hmph," he snorted disdainfully before turning his gaze back to the two Nascent Soul cultivators before him.

"You go. I'll hold him off!" Zhong Shan said in a deep voice.

"Go? After killing so many of my subordinates, no one is leaving! Hmph!" the yellow-browed man said coldly.

"Boom~~~~"

With a cold snort, the surrounding ruins erupted as countless fragments of stone shot into the sky, quickly floating around the three of them. The floating stones formed a swirling barrier, blocking Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse's escape routes.

(To be continued)