Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit-Chapter 91 - 70: If He’s Already Dead, Can I Have the Body?

Chapter 91: Chapter 70: If He’s Already Dead, Can I Have the Body?

After inspecting the corpse, Cao Zheng continued staring at Hel Mingli’s body. His face showed no sadness or anger—instead, a fervent glint appeared in his eyes.

The hall was steeped in silence as everyone watched.

Cao Zheng raised his head and looked at Wuu Guangquan. "Sect Leader, it’s rare to find the body of an Innate Grandmaster—can you give this corpse to me?"

As soon as he spoke.

The hall fell silent.

"..."

Fourth Elder Shi Zhen momentarily forgot his mourning, his eyes blankly fixed on Cao Zheng.

After a while.

Shi Zhen finally came to his senses, his face flushed with rage. "Fuck!! Old Man Cao, what do you mean by this?!"

He roared.

"Get lost!"

Charging forward, he forcefully shoved Cao Zheng backward, trembling with fury. "Hel Senior Brother was murdered, and his body isn’t even cold. Rather than finding the killer, you have the audacity to ask for his body?! What kind of rotten motives do you harbor?!"

Shi Zhen was quaking, drenched in cold sweat despite the sweltering heat of the day; his hands and feet turned icy.

"Wait until the body turns cold, and it will be too late."

Cao Zheng remained unperturbed. Steadying himself, he turned to Wuu Guangquan and said, "Hel Vice Sect Leader is already dead. The investigation, the revenge—they must be done. But to bury such a precious corpse would be a grievous waste. If given to me, I could raise its level to the Seventh Grade of Refining Corpses."

Third Elder Cao Zheng was nicknamed "Ghost Face" for the stark divide between Yin and Yang on his face.

But this Yin-Yang facial deformation was not congenital—it appeared six years ago during the Great Chu’s Heaven Shift, when he suddenly awakened an abnormal skill. His ability allowed him to manipulate corpses: the stronger the corpse had been during its lifetime, the greater its capabilities under his control.

Cao Zheng dubbed this ability "Corpse Control."

Six years had passed.

From initially controlling three corpses, this skill progressed to six.

However, lack of truly formidable corpses to manipulate meant that even after nurturing six refined corpses underground, absorbing malevolent energies for years, each corpse barely matched the average Sixth Grade fighter.

An elusive breakthrough to the Seventh Grade haunted him.

Now, faced with Hel Mingli’s corpse—a rare Innate Grandmaster—he knew that with careful cultivation over a year or two, it could transform into a Seventh Grade corpse.

Cao Zheng was naturally tempted.

But—

"Mingli was, after all, our Wusheng Sect’s Vice Sect Leader. He sacrificed his life for the sect. If he’s not laid to rest with dignity, it would chill the hearts of many."

Great Elder Chuu Sanyang frowned, rebuking Cao Zheng.

"The Great Elder is correct."

Second Elder Lvu Qing chimed in to support.

Upon hearing this, Cao Zheng chuckled faintly. "Hel Vice Sect Leader’s dedication and achievements are plain for all to see. Even in death, I imagine he would willingly continue contributing to Wusheng Sect. Giving me his body—it would be another form of life, continuing his devotion to the sect."

Cao Zheng’s words sent a chill down everyone’s spine.

While his reasoning seemed coherent, none present were naive enough to buy into such lofty ideals. Such talk was hollow; anyone who believed it would be a fool.

"Old Man Cao!"

"Don’t spout your twisted reasoning at me. Let me make myself clear—any bastard who dares lay hands on Hel Senior Brother’s corpse will first have to trample over mine!"

Shi Zhen, seething with rage, jabbed his finger at Cao Zheng’s nose, grinding his teeth in hatred.

Mu Junxiong remained silent, enjoying how Cao Zheng had diverted the momentum of the hall.

In the room.

Wuu Guangquan saw Shi Zhen’s fiery temper and waved at Cao Zheng. "Elder Cao’s intentions are good; perhaps Hel Junior Brother shares the same thoughts. But in his lifetime, Hel Junior Brother gave his all for Wusheng Sect. Let him rest peacefully now."

The Sect Leader’s word carried weight.

It effectively settled the matter.

"We heed the Sect Leader."

Though reluctant, Cao Zheng dared not incite public outrage. He begrudgingly agreed.

The affair was thus concluded.

Wuu Guangquan gazed at Hel Mingli’s lifeless body with a solemn expression. "With enemies at our gates, unity is what matters most. Whatever conflicts exist among you, do not let personal animosity corrupt public duty, or we risk ruin."

His address.

Clearly aimed at both Cao Zheng and Shi Zhen.

The latter snorted coldly without replying; the former flicked his eyelids without betraying his thoughts.

Vice Sect Leader Chen Shengji noticed the tense atmosphere and immediately said in his booming voice, "The enemy hides in shadows while we stand exposed. Everyone must remain vigilant in the days ahead. Elder Lvu Qing, please conduct an investigation to identify the culprit—not just for revenge, but also to secure against future threats."

This suggestion hit home.

Hel Mingli, an Innate Grandmaster, was killed with apparent ease. If such danger reached Wusheng Sect’s gates, who among them could claim guaranteed survival aside from Sect Leader Wuu Guangquan?

The unknown was terrifying.

With disaster looming, infighting was foolhardy.

"I’ll begin the investigation at once."

Second Elder Lvu Qing responded promptly, unwilling to linger longer in the hall, and swiftly departed.

...

The hall remained abuzz with discussion.

Eventually, Lvu Qing, Mu Junxiong, and others left; Shi Zhen also took Hel Mingli’s corpse away.

Only Wuu Guangquan, Chen Shengji, and Cao Zheng remained.

"Sect Leader—"

Cao Zheng, seeing everyone else gone, tried bringing up the matter again.

"Ah."

Wuu Guangquan sighed, addressing Cao Zheng. "Mingli’s murder has left Shi Zhen heartbroken. His excessive reaction is understandable; don’t hold it against him, Elder Cao."

"I understand."

Cao Zheng nodded. He had little sentiment toward Shi Zhen, that brute, and remained fixated on Hel Mingli’s corpse. "An Innate Grandmaster’s body is indeed precious—it would be a shame to bury it."

Wuu Guangquan and Chen Shengji exchanged glances.

The former said nothing.

He simply shook his head and left.

Cao Zheng stood puzzled, considering whether to call out, when Chen Shengji approached him and gave a bitter smile. "Elder Cao, your genuine intentions—I understand. But Hel Junior Brother’s merits and sacrifices call for respect; his corpse cannot be given to you."

"What a pity."

"Such a pity."

Cao Zheng repeated the sentiment several times, unable to mask his disappointment.

Turning to leave.

Suddenly.

He heard a faint whisper in his ear. "His body cannot be openly handed to you; a grand burial is necessary. However, once buried, no one will be permitted to open the coffin for inspection—"

Cao Zheng’s eyes gleamed instantly.

...

Wusheng City.

Mu Mansion.

Mu Junxiong, accompanied by several protectors and deacons, rushed overnight to deliver Hel Mingli and two other corpses back.

Initially shaken.

Then utterly exhausted from their journey.

After reporting the details of the previous night’s events to Wuu Guangquan and others, Mu Junxiong returned home, washed thoroughly, and fell into a deep sleep.

He did not awaken until sundown, as night descended once again.

Sitting upright on the clean, fragrant bed, Mu Junxiong appeared dazed, deep in thought.

"White Jade City."

"Five Cities and Twelve Towers."

"What sort of power is this?"

Mu Junxiong reflected on the strange events of the previous night.

His soul had been inexplicably seized, presenting him with a glimpse of the spectral realm—a terrifying vision of boiling oil underworlds and hellish landscapes. Fear filled him, yet his curiosity was insatiably piqued.

"If ghosts exist in this world, surely so do immortals."

"I’ve struggled within Wusheng Sect for decades, only to end beneath the dirt someday. Perhaps investigating White Jade City might lead to immortal cultivation, a path to transcendence. Free of worldly corruption, mingling with Immortal Officials and fairies—could anything be more delightful?!"

Mu Junxiong indulged in his yearning but grew cautious. "Still, what grudge exists between White Jade City and Wusheng Sect?"

His mind churned.

For quite some time.

"White Jade City."

"Let’s give it a try!"

Mu Junxiong murmured resolutely. His gaze hardened as he rose and stepped outside the room.

...