Mythical Scroll Artist: Starting with the God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming

Chapter 496 The Corpse Ancestor's Choice
"You can rest assured about this," Wu Xian said confidently, though tinged with sadness.

Chen Shilong's lingering resentment flickered slightly, as if expressing his inner relief, before slowly dissipating.

Although Mayor Chen himself was able to take it in stride, Wu Xian still couldn't help but feel extremely sad.

"By the way, if you have time later, you can pick up the Nine Radiant Sun Guardians," Chen Shilong left a message on his deathbed. "With the end of Radiant Sun City, the Nine Radiant Sun Guardians are no longer of any significance. Just consider them a memento."

Wu Xian was about to respond when he discovered that Chen Shilong's lingering resentment had completely dissipated.

All my words can be summed up in one sentence: Rest in peace.

"It's a pity that this world is not perfect yet," the God of Wealth said regretfully, "otherwise, someone with such great merit should not have died like this."

"Yes," Wu Xian sighed wistfully.

Looking at the turmoil in the surrounding evil realm, the demon god had clearly gone mad, looking like he was about to overturn the table.

The entire evil realm of flesh and blood was plunged into violent writhing and churning.

The hysterical voice of the demon god echoed in my ears.

Boom boom boom...

Above the sky, the flesh-and-blood sky began to tilt and collapse.

Countless fleshy monsters rapidly multiplied, scattering down like a rain of blood.

The flesh and blood beneath their feet began to tear and crack, with flesh and blood gushing out like lava. Countless giant tentacles swayed throughout the evil realm, frantically attacking all the outsiders.

The whole scene looked like the end of the world.

In the distance, even the blazing sun that Jin Mingjie had transformed into was dimmed and lost its light.

All around, endless flesh and blood monsters surrounded Wu Xian, but were blocked by the power of the Corpse Ancestor's remains.

Mayor Chen's matter has come to an end, so there's no need to linger here any longer.

As for that evil god, it certainly can't be killed in a short time.

Even if his current will is destroyed, as long as his vast amount of flesh and blood remains, it can still be reassembled.

Therefore, the task of eliminating the evil gods is destined to be a protracted war.

"Let's build Flower Fruit Mountain first!"

Wu Xian's mindset and thinking suddenly became much clearer.

Unfortunately, Mayor Chen has passed away and will never see all of this.

He then signaled to Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen to fight his way out and reunite with Jump Sister and Jin Mingjie.

At this moment, Sister Jump was still fighting a bloody battle with the evil army, and the mechanical scrolls were already stained red with blood.

Seeing Wu Xian return, Sister Tiao's eyes were full of anticipation: "How did it go? Did you find Mayor Chen?"

"Found it, but..."

Wu Xian looked somber and briefly explained the situation.

Upon learning of Mayor Chen's death, Sister Jump wept uncontrollably, venting her rage on the evil race, yelling, "Aaaaah—you damned evil god, I'll never forgive you!"

"Alright, let's get out of here first," Wu Xian calmly reassured him.

At this moment, the demon god has become desperate and is going berserk, so it is no longer safe for it to stay in the evil realm.

Jump Sister and the members of the Mechanical Dojo naturally understood this as well.

Soon after, Jin Mingjie and the other person also joined them.

"What's wrong with this demon god? Why has it suddenly become so frenzied?" Jin Mingjie was secretly alarmed. "Is it trying to take us all down with it?"

"Perhaps their hopes have been dashed?" Wu Xian chuckled to himself.

"What do you mean?" Jin Mingjie asked, puzzled.

Wu Xian smiled slightly and said nothing more.

From a certain perspective, the moment they rescued Chen Shilong's lingering remnant spirit, they had already declared the defeat of the evil god.

As long as he cannot obtain real power in Yaoyang City, he will be stuck in this awkward situation forever.

The only hope at present is to create a perfect physical body and integrate the power of the flesh and blood abyss.

Alternatively, by leveraging the power of the evil realm, they could win the [Flower Fruit Mountain] domain in the subsequent power struggle.

But this is obviously unlikely.

Putting aside the prestige and class of [Huaguo Mountain], the two sides have never been in a fair competitive relationship from the beginning, since the Evil Realm has only integrated a trace of the power of Yaoyang City.

In Chen Shilong's words, it's less than one-tenth of the total amount.

Therefore, the competition between Huaguo Mountain and the Evil Realm started with an innate gap of nine to one.

What the hell does he have to compare to?

In comparison, it's more reliable to conceive a perfect physical body.

At this moment, the Demon God clearly also pinned his hopes on this matter, and mobilized almost all available power to surround and intercept Wu Xian and his group, wanting to take down the physical body of Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen in one fell swoop.

Unfortunately, under the combined influence of favorable timing, location, and human factors, the Corpse Ancestor General Jiang Chen grew too quickly.

With the current power of the Demon God, he cannot hold back the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen at all.

boom! boom! boom!
With the remnant body of an ancient god on his back, Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen swept through everything in his path, carving a bloody trail.

Thousands of corpse beetles roared all around, feeding on the corpse ancestor and absorbing the flesh and blood of the evil god, improving as they fought, their aura and power steadily increasing.

Strangely enough, even though he was no longer relying on Wu Xian's spiritual power, the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen still retained that golden divine light, and his body still faintly revealed those ancient golden patterns.

It seems that this power has been permanently imprinted on the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen.

He no longer looked so fierce and terrifying, but rather had an image that was both righteous and evil.

This left Wu Xian and the God of Wealth completely baffled.

"Corpse Ancestor, what's wrong with you now...?" Wu Xian asked tentatively.

The Corpse Ancestor turned his head indifferently and said calmly, "It was just a choice that was made."

"A choice?" Wu Xian was increasingly puzzled.

"Either be yourself, or continue down that path to the end," the Corpse Ancestor explained calmly.

Wu Xian and the God of Wealth were completely confused. "Is there a difference?"

"Either become a Hou, or become the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen," Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen pondered. "So, you two should understand now, right?"

Upon hearing this, the God of Wealth instantly realized the truth.

The four great zombie ancestors are all essentially related to the [Hou], and are essentially zombies "created" by the Hou in order to revive.

Therefore, the Four Corpse Ancestors fought against Heaven and Earth, but in the end, they only served to pave the way for the resurrection of Hou.

“I understand that you don’t want to be a stepping stone for the Hou,” the God of Wealth asked with a puzzled look, “Then what kind of spiritual path are you taking now?”

"The route of the drought demon," said Corpse Ancestor General Chen succinctly.

Wu Xian and the God of Wealth suddenly realized what was happening, feeling both surprised and delighted.

In other words, the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen himself chose to walk the righteous path, which was undoubtedly great news for them.

“Unlike the drought demon, it won’t be easy for me to take this path,” Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen continued. “I fell in the struggle with the Hou, but this world is rather peculiar, and it seems I have no other choice.”

After saying that, he gave Wu Xian a meaningful look.

This made Wu Xian slightly embarrassed.

After all, he holds the power to destroy the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen. If the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen were to transform into a Hou and embark on a path of harming all living beings, Wu Xian would definitely have to destroy him.

The newly formed consciousness of Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen clearly understood this as well.

So, the fact that he willingly wore the "red scarf" had a somewhat reluctant and forced feel to it. "Did you fight with the Hou for dominance back then?" Wu Xian changed the subject.

“Hmm,” Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen said noncommittally, “Although I was born from a Hou, I am not a Hou.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Xian and the God of Wealth understood.

To put it bluntly, the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen developed a true "self" and naturally refused to become a tool for the resurrection of Hou.

In short: I am who I am, a unique spark, not some so-called mythical beast.

"So... who won in the end?" Wu Xian couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Let's perish together." Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen's answer was simple and brutal.

Wu Xian and the God of Wealth were not surprised by this result.

If Hou had successfully resurrected in Jiang Chen's body, it would have inevitably sought revenge and continued to wreak havoc on the people. However, no Hou resurrected in later myths and legends.

If Jiang Chen had won, the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen would not have disappeared.

In conclusion, it is highly likely that both sides will perish together.

"So you actually chose this path voluntarily?" Wu Xian asked with a smile.

Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen frowned slightly, "It should have been voluntary, but the feeling of being controlled by you made me quite unhappy. I thought about using the power of Hou to break free from your control, but in the end I held back."

Upon hearing this, Wu Xian looked slightly embarrassed, and immediately stated his position in a righteous manner, "Don't worry, as long as you do a good job as a Corpse Ancestor, I will never point fingers at you."

The Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen remained silent and did not respond. Instead, he spoke softly, "Although I have made my decision in advance, the power of the Hou still exists. I hope you can understand."

Wu Xian and the God of Wealth fell into a solemn silence.

If the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen can reappear in this world, then the power of the Hou can also reappear in this world.

Then, a single sentence from the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen made their hearts pound even harder.

“I have a vague feeling that the power of this demon god seems to have the shadow of Hou,” Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen said worriedly. “It’s just that Hou’s power is still dormant and has not been fully awakened.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Xian suddenly realized what was going on.

Ultimately, the Hou is the essence of the unique existence of zombies.

As long as there are zombie-like creatures, the shadow of the Hou is inevitable.

The Flesh and Blood Demon God is like this, as is the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen, and all other zombie-themed scrolls are the same; in essence, they are all projections and derivatives of the Hou's power in this world.

"Zombies from other mythologies shouldn't count, right?" Wu Xian suddenly asked.

The Corpse Ancestor hesitated and looked at Jin Mingjie beside him. "I haven't had any contact with him, so I'm not sure. But as long as there is an obsession with life and an unwillingness to die, most of them cannot escape the shadow of Hou."

Wu Xian's expression was strange.

If we follow this logic, then mummies will most likely be associated with the mythical beast Hou.

After all, mummies are essentially a product of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs' yearning for immortality.

Noticing the gaze of Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen, Jin Mingjie couldn't help but feel puzzled. "I wonder what advice this Death God has for me?"

“I am not the God of Death,” Jiang Chen, the Corpse Ancestor, shook his head indifferently, “but rather a special existence that exists between life and death.”

Jin Mingjie was completely confused.

"Your situation is somewhat similar to mine," said Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen meaningfully.

Upon hearing this, Jin Mingjie seemed somewhat embarrassed and avoided looking up, not saying anything more.

Seeing this, Wu Xian chuckled inwardly.

The body possessed by the true god is quite similar to that of the Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen.

The hysterical roar of the demon god still echoed in the surging world of flesh and blood, but Wu Xian and his group ignored him completely, focusing all their efforts on killing the light pillar that had penetrated the evil realm.

At this depth, reversing via the original route would be somewhat troublesome.

It would be better to take a shortcut back from the nearby Evil Realm infiltration point, and while we're at it, we can check out the situation there and maybe cause some damage.

As for the various groups of people, Wu Xian didn't bother to pay them any attention.

A bunch of guys obsessed with the ancient scroll heritage have long forgotten about the important matters.

With the demon god currently rampaging, all sides are certainly suffering, but with the guidance of the parasitic elders, a safe evacuation shouldn't be a problem.

After all, the main power of the evil god was concentrated on their side.

boom!
A sudden spatial tremor startled Wu Xian and the others, making them feel the entire Blood and Flesh Abyss violently turbulent.

The next second, the voice of the demon god cursing could be heard, "Damn it, it was like this back then, and now it's happening again—!"

In an instant, the demon god's power to besiege the group noticeably weakened.

"Looks like there's been progress on the other side," Jin Mingjie joked.

Jump Sister seemed to sense something as well, and excitedly said, "Haha, the great God of Mechanical Creation has already sealed the loophole, and the Demon God can't leave now even if he wants to."

"Tsk tsk, it seems our coordinated attack from the inside and outside went quite well." Wu Xian was overjoyed.

If the previous evil gods were unwilling to give up after finally squeezing in, then...

At this moment, the demon god is completely stuck in this loophole, unable to get in or out.

Like a big, fat, stupid dog stuck in a dog hole.

After the God of Mechanical Creation and "Heaven" succeeded, the pressure on everyone's side instantly eased, and they swept all the way to the vicinity of the light pillar at the infiltration point of the evil realm.

I could even vaguely sense the atmosphere from Yaoyang City.

"It seems that a portion of my power is still there to provide support?" said Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen.

Wu Xian and his companions were not surprised by this.

After all, Corpse Ancestor Jiang Chen still has a lot of dungeons and rubbings guarding Yaoyang City, and the Evil Realm Infiltration Point is a key defensive target, so naturally the club members are indispensable.

"You let the corpse beetles dig first, while I study this so-called evil realm infiltration point."

Wu Xian signaled the Corpse Ancestor to start devouring the passage, and Jin Mingjie also released a swarm of scarabs to assist.

After listening and sensing for a long time, Xiao Dizi analyzed: "It's similar to the previous flesh and blood protection. Both are powers rooted in the framework of the evil realm. Unless you can find the scroll of the evil realm, it will be difficult to damage it."

Moreover, this penetrating force is somewhat related to the remaining natural forces in Yaoyang City.

"What if we forcefully bombard this beam of light?" Wu Xian asked.

“That works, but the effect will be limited,” Xiao Dizi said.

"As long as it works, that's fine. Let's disgust him a little before we leave."

Having said that, he immediately released the seven star lords of the White Tiger Seven Mansions.

The Seven Mansions of the White Tiger are in their positions!

An ancient starry sky was opened up above the flesh and blood world. It was originally thought that it was impossible to communicate with the Holy Spirit Realm from here, so the original version of the [White Tiger Seven Mansions] could only be used.

But the next second, accompanied by the tremors of the Abyss of Flesh and Blood, the familiar projection of the Holy Spirit Realm tore through the void and appeared above the Dome of Flesh and Blood.

"Oh right, I almost forgot that the God of Mechanical Creation and the heavens have already succeeded."

Wu Xian was startled at first, then suddenly realized what was going on.

To put it bluntly, the new Abyss has now been integrated into the current world order through the vulnerability patch, so divine power and fallen gods can now be used normally here.

"Then wouldn't I be able to blast him with a world-destroying divine light?"

Tang Tiaotiao's eyes lit up, and he immediately began to communicate and summon the Mechanical God Realm.

Thus, projections of the Mechanical God Realm and the Holy Spirit God Realm appeared together in the sky above the Evil Realm.

(End of this chapter)