Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 53: Cooperation and Being Number One in the World (10,000 words)

As Gu Guanqi stepped out of the Tingchao Sword Sect's mountain gate, the river wind carrying a heavy stench of blood rushed towards him. He raised his hand to wipe away the blood splattered on his cheek, and then headed towards the encampment of the various sects' logistics teams.

but,

Just as he arrived at a mountain hollow, a figure appeared in the forest ahead, none other than Lu Lin, the commander of the Six Doors of Yunzhou.

Gu Guanqi stopped on a tree branch, feeling somewhat puzzled, because he didn't sense anyone else around him; Lu Lin was the only one there.

Logically speaking

Lu Lin must have witnessed his battle at the Tingchao Sword Sect; he wouldn't presume to think he could capture him single-handedly.

Therefore, Lu Lin's presence here alone at this moment should not be because he is here to arrest him.

Therefore, Gu Guanqi did not take immediate action, but instead said, "Commander Lu, are you preparing to arrest me?"

Lu Lin stood beside a large tree, bowed and clasped his hands, and said, "Master Gu is too kind. I am a man who knows my own limitations and dare not presume to be a match for Master Gu."

Gu Guanqi asked, "Then what brings Commander Lu here to wait for me?"

Lu Lin said in a deep voice, "I want to be friends with Master Gu. To show my sincerity, I can help Master Gu deal with the impact of killing Tie Jinglan in public today, so that Master Gu can still be a martial arts master, continue to travel the world, uphold justice, and not be wanted by the government."

Gu Guanqi chuckled lightly, "I don't believe in free lunches. Tell me, what's your purpose?"

Lu Lin looked up at Gu Guanqi and said, "Hero Gu, why don't you come down? Let's talk face to face. Rest assured, there are absolutely no ambushes around!"

Gu Guanqi lightly touched the ground and landed gracefully beside Lu Lin, saying, "Commander Lu, I can roughly guess who's behind you, so if you're trying to use this matter to get me to serve you, then there's no need to mention it."

I'm a carefree person by nature and can't stand being restrained. Since I dared to kill Zhang Donglou and Tie Jinglan, I have nothing to fear. At worst, I can go to the northern frontier or the southern regions and still live a carefree life. If all else fails, I can go to a foreign land, and the imperial court can't do anything to me. Believe me, if I want to leave, no one can catch me!

That was Gu Guanqi's plan.

Before killing Zhang Donglou and Tie Jinglan today, he had already thought that if things got out of control, he could simply leave. With his martial arts skills, he could go anywhere in the world.

At worst, I can drift around for a few years, find a way to go on more blind dates, and then come back strong, storm into the capital and take Zhang Jiexi's head, or even storm into the imperial city. Everything will be easy to solve then.

"Yes, yes, yes," Lu Lin quickly replied, "Of course I know. With Master Gu's strength, it would be no problem for him to evade the imperial court's pursuit and flee into the martial world. Therefore, I never even considered recruiting Master Gu."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "I can listen to that. What do you want to do?"

Lu Lin said, "I really just want to be friends with you, Master Gu, but you probably won't believe me. So, to put it another way, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Gu Guanqi gestured for Lu Lin to continue.

Lu Lin slowly said, "Master Gu should have guessed as well that I am backed by the Eastern Depot. I know that Master Gu has some conflicts with the Eastern Depot. You killed Wen Qiuchi, which ruined the Eastern Depot's plans in Qingzhou."

However, this whole affair was purely coincidental, so Governor Wei never held a grudge against you, nor did he ever seek revenge. On the contrary, it was the Left Chancellor's faction that wanted to kill you to smear Governor Wei.

Now, Master Gu, you've killed Zhang Donglou and Tie Jinglan, forging a blood feud with the Left Prime Minister's faction. This is unlike your killing of Wen Qiuchi; Zhang Donglou was the Left Prime Minister's most favored son, and Tie Jinglan was the leading figure of the Tie family in this generation. These two hatreds are impossible to let go of.

Gu Guanqi waved his hand and said, "Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point!"

"Alright," Lu Lin said, "The Eastern Depot faction and the Left Prime Minister faction have reached a point of irreconcilable conflict. To put it more bluntly, both sides are prepared to fight to the death."

What Governor Wei fears most is Zhang Jiexi's martial arts skills. Zhang Jiexi's skills are unfathomable, something Governor Wei cannot predict at all. Therefore, Master Gu, you are very important to us.

Although with your current martial arts skills you are definitely no match for Zhang Jiexi, your youth and potential are your greatest advantages. Given time, you will surely be able to surpass Zhang Jiexi.

Therefore, this is why I want to be friends with you, or more precisely, why Governor Wei wants to be friends with you. Although Governor Wei is unaware of what is happening here, once he does, he will surely share my thoughts.

Gu Guanqi said, "So, in other words, you help me deal with the killing of officials, and afterwards, I will join forces with your Eastern Depot faction to deal with Zhang Jiexi."

"That's right," Lu Lin said. "Master Gu, the conflict between you and Zhang Jiexi is irreconcilable, and we have a natural basis for cooperation."

Of course, I know that the Eastern Depot has a bad reputation, and everyone curses Eunuch Wei as a treacherous man who has brought chaos to the court. However, at least one thing is certain: Eunuch Wei is a eunuch, and he entered the palace at a young age. He has no descendants, so it is impossible for him to plot against the throne!

However, the Left Chancellor is said to be a man of integrity, yet he still wields immense power in the court. He is supposed to be assisting His Majesty, but now that His Majesty is getting older, he is slow to relinquish power and has even married his daughter to His Majesty as Empress. His Majesty is now twenty years old, yet he still refuses to return power!

Zhang Jiexi's wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious. If the Empress Dowager hadn't noticed something amiss in time and supported Eunuch Wei to oppose Zhang Jiexi, how many people in the court today would even know who His Majesty the Emperor is, and how many would truly obey imperial authority?

Looking at Lu Lin's indignant expression, Gu Guanqi slowly said, "Well... Commander Lu, actually, I'm not interested in court affairs. As for your two factions, I don't care who is righteous and who is evil."

"What I care about is whoever crosses me; I'll make sure they suffer. Right now, my feud with Zhang Jiexi and the Tie family is indeed difficult to resolve. Therefore, I don't care about the reputation of your Eastern Depot faction. If we can cooperate, then so be it. Tell me, how do you plan to cover it up? After all, I killed Tie Jinglan in broad daylight!"

Lu Lin took a deep breath, calming his hatred for Zhang Jiexi, and slowly said, "Master Gu, I have just made a deal with Governor Kou, and he will cooperate with me."

Afterwards, we will announce to the public that you did not kill Tie Jinglan, but that you discovered that the Four Extremes Hall assassin was disguised as Tie Jinglan, which is why you killed him. The real Tie Jinglan had already been killed.

Therefore, Master Gu, by not killing the official, you not only did not kill an official, but actually performed a meritorious service.

Gu Guanqi frowned and said, "Commander Lu, this is in full view of everyone!"

Lu Lin chuckled and said, "The collusion between the Tingchao Sword Sect and the Four Extremes Hall is obvious to everyone, isn't it? But can't it still be defined as Wang Qingzhi's personal behavior? Black and white, right and wrong, aren't so clear-cut."

Gu Guanqi said, "But Tie Jinglan is backed by the Tie family and Zhang Jiexi. Do you think the Tie family and Zhang Jiexi can remain indifferent to what you're doing?"

"But this is Yunzhou!" Lu Lin said. "With Governor Kou's help, this matter can be accomplished. As for the conditions that need to be met with Governor Kou's help, you don't need to worry about that, Hero Gu."

"Can it really work?" Gu Guanqi was somewhat skeptical.

Lu Lin said, "It really works. The so-called governor is someone who governs the people on behalf of Heaven, a powerful official in charge of a region. Don't be fooled by Governor Kou's always smiling face; in reality, he has a very strong grip on Yunzhou."

My struggle with Tie Jinglan stemmed from his slight bias. Even though I had the backing of the Eastern Depot and was the rightful head of the Six Doors, Tie Jinglan easily stripped me of my power.

Gu Guanqi frowned and said, "To be honest, Commander Lu only asked me to help him take action, and against my enemy. With just this one condition, he helped me resolve the impact of killing the official. I am very tempted."

However, there's no affection between us, so I don't trust you. I can't be sure if you're setting a trap for me.

Lu Lin nodded slightly and said, "I understand. If I were in Gu Daxia's current situation, I wouldn't be able to trust anyone either, let alone a complete stranger!"

After all,

He hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Hero Gu, since you are on good terms with Medicine King Valley, you can ask Valley Master Su for a Medicine King Valley's secret poison pill, Forget-River Return. It is a rare poison in the world; if the poisoned person does not have an antidote within seven days, they will surely die!"

The most unique aspect of this poison is that the antidote and the poison are one-to-one. That is, each Forget-River Elixir can only be countered by one antidote. "To show my sincerity, I can take the Forget-River Elixir in front of you, and you will hold the antidote. If I fail to resolve the matter within seven days, or if I intend to harm you, you may destroy the antidote!"

Gu Guanqi knew about the Forget-River Returning Poison from Medicine King Valley, but he didn't know whether Su Qingxing carried it with him.

just,

What surprised Gu Guanqi was that Lu Lin was so ruthless to himself.

"Commander Lu, aren't you afraid that once the task is accomplished, I won't give you the antidote?" Gu Guanqi asked.

Lu Lin said, "It seems that everyone in the martial arts world only questions Master Gu's lifestyle, but no one has ever questioned your character."

Gu Guanqi: "..."

I'll take that as a compliment!

"Besides, I'm the one seeking cooperation, so naturally I should show sincerity." Lu Lin smiled slightly, looked at Gu Guanqi, and asked, "So, Master Gu, are you interested in cooperating?"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "I don't think I have any reason to disagree."

Lu Lin smiled and said, "Then it's settled. I'll go with you to the camps of the various factions' logistics teams to wait for Valley Master Su's return. I'll take the poison pill before I leave!"

If Valley Master Su did not carry it with him, I imagine that with his abilities, he would have other ways to reassure you, Hero Gu, to cooperate with me without hesitation.

"Master Gu, from now on, we're on the same side. If you ever need anything, just come find me!"

Subsequently,

Gu Guanqi and Lu Lin then left and headed towards the encampments of the various logistics teams.

Before long, the two arrived at the camp.

With their martial arts skills, and by concealing themselves, no one could detect them, and they easily entered the camp.

Gu Guanqi led Lu Lin straight to the tent where Han Youniang was staying.

At this moment, Han Youniang was hurriedly packing her bundle. When she saw light coming in, she suddenly looked up and saw that it was Gu Guanqi. Her eyes lit up instantly, and a timid surprise appeared on her face. Just as she was about to call out "Brother Gu", her gaze swept over Lu Lin behind Gu Guanqi, and she immediately felt anxious.

Han Youniang quickly said, "Brother Gu... Brother Gu, you're back?"

While speaking,

She quietly put down the bundle she had packed, pretending nothing had happened.

Gu Guanqi and Lu Lin were both puzzled by Han Youniang's actions, but neither of them asked. After all, it was normal for a young woman to have some little tricks that men wouldn't understand.

Gu Guanqi said, "Youniang, this is Commander Lu Lin of the Six Doors. Go and make Commander Lu a cup of tea. We'll be staying here for a while, but remember, don't tell anyone else that I'm back."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Han Youniang walked out with her head down, but neither Gu Guanqi nor Lu Lin noticed that a faint mist of blood was spreading in Han Youniang's crimson eyes.

Just as Han Youniang reached the tent entrance,

She suddenly slapped Lu Lin with her palm.

Lu Lin was, after all, a grandmaster, so his reaction was naturally very quick. He reacted the moment Han Youniang came at him, then quickly turned around and struck out with his own palm.

When the two palms touch,

Han Youniang hurriedly said, "Brother Gu, you go quickly, I'll stop him!"

At that very moment, a terrifying chill emanated from Han Youniang's arm, instantly engulfing the entire tent. The surrounding temperature plummeted, the cold was biting, and even the air seemed to freeze solid.

Then, the bone-chilling cold force spread upwards, instantly climbing up Lu Lin's palms and wrists, and rapidly spreading throughout his entire arm along the meridians!

"Crack—!"

Lu Lin channeled his inner energy to try and shatter the ice, but Han Youniang struck again with her palm. Lu Lin immediately countered with his own palm, and layers of crystal-clear ice condensed, hard and heavy, covering Lu Lin's arm.

"Stop, Youniang!"

Gu Guanqi quickly spoke up, then flashed over, grabbed Han Youniang's shoulder with one hand and Lu Lin's shoulder with the other, and forcefully separated the two by using his internal energy.

Then he said to Han Youniang, "Commander Lu is my guest."

The icy mist in Han Youniang's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by confusion. She stammered, "Brother Gu... Brother Gu, he... he wasn't arresting you, was he?"

Gu Guanqi asked疑惑地问道, "Are you misunderstanding something?"

At this time,

Lu Lin shook the ice off his arm and chuckled, "I'm afraid this little girl knows about the Listening Tide Sword Sect! But little girl, you've really misunderstood. I don't have the ability to capture Hero Gu."

Han Youniang's eyes were filled with panic. She lowered her head and dared not look at Gu Guanqi. She whispered, "Brother Gu, I...I'm sorry, I...Just before you came back, Valley Master Su sent a letter by carrier pigeon, saying that you killed the Chief Constable of the Six Doors at the Tingchao Sword Sect. He asked the disciples of Medicine King Valley to be prepared and to help cover your escape if they found your whereabouts."

So, when I saw... when I saw the Six Doors people with you, I thought you had been captured by them. I... I was worried about you. I'm... I'm sorry, Brother Gu, I did something wrong. I shouldn't have been so reckless. I... I was wrong..."

Han Youniang was terrified; her small body trembled slightly, and her voice was choked with sobs.

Gu Guanqi said softly, "Do you know that attacking the Commander of the Six Doors is a capital offense? Moreover, Commander Lu is a Grandmaster. If you dared to attack him and he were to fight you seriously, you would have lost your life just now!"

Han Youniang lowered her head and said, "I...I know, but...but, I'm afraid you'll get arrested, Brother Gu, I...can't worry about that..."

Gu Guanqi said helplessly, "Think about it, it's impossible. If Commander Lu arrested me, why would he come here with me? Shouldn't he have just thrown me into the Six Doors prison?"

"I'm sorry, Brother Gu," Han Youniang said, "I...I'm not very bright, I didn't think of that. I'm sorry, Brother Gu, I've caused you trouble!"

As she spoke, she looked at Lu Lin and stammered, "Commander Lu, I'm sorry, it's my fault. Please don't blame Brother Gu. You...you threw me in jail. I attacked you. It has nothing to do with Brother Gu..."

Lu Lin waved his hand and laughed, "It's alright, it's alright, just don't do it again next time. I didn't realize you were so skilled."

It's a pity you don't know how to use it effectively; you lack any killing intent. If you had used a more lethal move just now, I would have been in serious trouble.

"I...I won't kill anyone..."

Han Youniang replied, still with her head down, stammering, "Thank you, Commander Lu, you're such a kind person!"

Lu Lin chuckled and said, "So, you were packing your things just now, were you getting ready to go find Master Gu?"

"Mm." Han Youniang nodded slightly.

Lu Lin clicked his tongue and sighed, "It's so good to be young! Even on the run, people are willing to follow you!"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said to Han Youniang, "Youniang, you may leave now!"

Han Youniang trembled, slightly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and gently tugged at Gu Guanqi's sleeve, whispering, "Brother Gu, I know I was wrong, please don't send me away, okay?"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly, gently patted Han Youniang's head, and said, "I'm not trying to send you away. I'm asking you to go out and make a cup of tea for Commander Lu, and also keep an eye on things outside. If you see Valley Master Su return, go and invite her over."

Han Youniang's eyes lit up instantly, and she quickly said, "I'll go right away." As she spoke, she was about to leave, but she stopped as soon as she turned around. Then she turned back and whispered, "Brother Gu, if... if you have to leave, no matter where you go, please let me go with you, okay?"

As she spoke, she raised her head, her eyes resolute, and said, "You...you can rest assured, I will absolutely not be a burden to you. If...if I really encounter a situation where I have nowhere to turn, I will end my own life, and I will never implicate you!"

She clung to Gu Guanqi's sleeves with both hands, her eyes full of pleading. She was terrified of hearing Gu Guanqi say that she didn't want him to come along.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely take you with me when I leave."

"Um."

Han Youniang turned around.

Lu Lin said, "No need for tea, young lady. Just wait for Valley Master Su."

Han Youniang looked at Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, and then she left the tent.

About half an hour later,

Outside the camp, a commotion began to rise, with the sound of horses' hooves echoing through the air.

After a while,

Han Youniang then led Su Qingxing into the tent.

When Su Qingxing saw Gu Guanqi and Lu Lin together, his eyes were filled with shock.

Gu Guanqi then recounted how Lu Lin and he were about to cooperate.

After listening,

Su Qingxing decisively took out the Forget-River Poison-Returning Pill.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Lin swallowed the Forgotten River Return.

after that,

Gu Guanqi then left with Han Youniang and Lu Lin.

Because the matter of killing Tie Jinglan has not been resolved yet, it is inconvenient for him to show his face.

……

Night falls, at the Listening Tide Sword Sect.

The daytime clamor and bloodshed have faded away, and the night, like a giant black curtain, has enveloped the entire mountain gate.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, obscuring the stars and moon. Only a few dilapidated lanterns in front of the mountain gate swayed in the night wind, casting dim, flickering shadows.

At this moment, many rooms within the Tingchao Sword Sect have become temporary morgues, containing more than two hundred corpses, all of whom were killed by Gu Guanqi today.

Without exception, these corpses were all originally elites of the Tingchao Sword Sect, including many elders and high-ranking members, as well as two grandmasters, Pei Ji and Deng Wufeng.

A team of constables from the Six Doors was responsible for guarding this place.

However, there were only corpses and nothing much to see, so the constables weren't very interested, and those on patrol just loitered around the entrance for a bit and that was it.

A young constable yawned, rubbed his eyes, and whispered to the older constable beside him, "Brother Li, do you think that Gu Guanqi today... was he even human? He killed hundreds of people, including so many experts, even grandmasters like Pei Ji and Deng Wufeng died by his sword..."

The old constable glared at him and lowered his voice, saying, "Shut up. How dare you talk about such things? We just listen to what the higher-ups say and mind our own business."

The young constable shrank back and stopped talking.

After walking a few more steps, the young constable suddenly clutched his lower abdomen, looking troubled. "Brother Li, I need to use the restroom. My stomach is a little upset."

The old constable waved his hand impatiently and said, "Go and come back quickly, don't go too far."

The young constable responded and jogged to the corner at the back of the courtyard. There, several broken vats and a pile of miscellaneous items were stacked, and the shadows were heavy—a convenient spot.

He loosened his belt and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him.

The sound was very soft and faint.

The young constable frowned, quickly fastened his belt, raised the lantern in his hand, and shone it in the direction from which the sound came.

A dim, yellowish light spread through the darkness, illuminating the window in the corner of the courtyard.

The window was half-open, its paper windowpanes torn in half, letting in a faint candlelight. It was a side hall where corpses were laid out, containing dozens of bodies of Tingchao Sword Sect disciples.

At that moment, by the dim light, the young constable saw a figure with its back to him, lying on a corpse, its head buried in the corpse's neck, its shoulders shrugging, and the eerie "plop" sound was coming from there.

"Who goes there!"

The young constable shouted and kicked open the half-closed door.

The man stopped abruptly upon hearing the shout.

Then, he slowly turned his head to the side.

The lantern light shone on the man's face, revealing a stiff, withered face with skin that was a deathly grayish-black, clinging tightly to the bones like dried leather.

His eyes were cloudy and lifeless, devoid of any vitality, but his mouth twisted into a strange arc, revealing two sharp, white fangs with dark red blood streaks hanging from them. His mouth was full of dripping blood. He suddenly stood up and charged at the young constable.

"Zombie...!"

The young constable felt a chill run from his feet to his head. He quickly drew his sword and slashed at the zombie with all his might.

"when--"

With a crisp, metallic clang, the blade struck the zombie's shoulder squarely, leaving only a shallow white mark without even breaking the skin.

The zombie let out a low growl, suddenly raised its arm, and slapped the young constable.

The young constable swiftly dodged, then kicked the zombie in the chest. The zombie was unmoved, and the constable used the momentum to send the zombie flying backward, shouting:

"Zombies! Help! There are zombies here!"

Immediately, several constables rushed in from outside, carrying knives, and stormed into the room.

"boom--"

At that moment, the zombie burst out of the window, its movements incredibly fast, like a ghostly shadow, leaping onto the courtyard wall and disappearing into the night in an instant.

At the same time, the sound of breaking windows came from several rooms nearby.

"Oh no! There's more than one!"

The head constable's expression changed, and he quickly led the group to investigate.

Then, the faces of all the constables turned very ugly.

Because almost all of the more than two hundred corpses had become shriveled and wrinkled, with their skin clinging tightly to their skeletons, as if they had been dried out by the wind. Without exception, each of them had two neat blood holes in their necks, and all the blood had been sucked out.

……

The back mountain of the Tingchao Sword Sect

The moonlight was dim, and the shadows of the trees swayed gently.

The night wind howled through the forest, sounding like the wailing of ghosts. Several old pine trees swayed in the wind, their needles falling in a rustling sound, carpeting the ground.

In a secluded mountain valley, moonlight peeked through gaps in the clouds, barely illuminating a small clearing.

The six zombies that had just escaped from the Listening Tide Sword Sect were kneeling neatly on the ground, their heads bowed and motionless.

In front of them stood a zombie with bluish-gray skin.

The bluish-gray zombie slowly raised its hand, grabbed the neck of a zombie in front of it, and lifted it up.

The zombie did not resist.

The bluish-gray zombie opened its mouth and inhaled from a distance.

The zombie shriveled up at a visible speed, and in just a moment, it became a light, dried-up corpse, which was casually tossed on the ground.

Then, the bluish-gray zombie grabbed a second, a third...

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all six zombies were completely devoured, turning into withered corpses.

The bluish-gray zombie exhaled a breath of foul air, its eyes swirling with a wisp of blood mist.

Immediately afterwards, its skin shone with a luster, the deep wrinkles were slowly stretched open, and the shriveled flesh began to fill out.

Gradually, its skin became smooth and plump, then a light pink with a hint of blood, and finally gradually revealed a warm, fleshy luster like that of a living person.

"Congratulations, my good disciple! You are about to master your divine skill!"

At this moment, an old Taoist priest in a yellow robe emerged from the forest. He looked at the grayish-blue zombie with admiration and excitement in his eyes and said, "My good disciple, you are simply a genius! To be able to combine the Zombie Technique with the Blood-Sucking Divine Art, you will be the greatest existence in the history of our Corpse Refining Sect!"

The bluish-gray zombie said, "It's all thanks to Master's excellent teaching!"

The old Taoist priest clicked his tongue in amazement and exclaimed, "I never expected to stumble upon such a great opportunity today! Good disciple, you have become the first person in our Corpse Refining Sect in a hundred years to cultivate the Corpse Technique to a flawless state!"

The bluish-gray zombie slowly turned around and surprisingly spoke in human language: "Yes, I never expected that Gu Guanqi would become my benefactor."

The bluish-gray zombie said with a hint of delight, "The opportunity at Red Leaf Manor was so good, but because of his sudden appearance, I didn't dare to make any rash moves. That old woman Han Caiye was originally my best prey, but because of him, I couldn't get any."

Its voice grew smug, "I never expected he would give me such a good opportunity today. The lifeblood of almost the entire Listening Tide Sword Sect, more than two hundred martial artists, so many experts, all sacrificed themselves for me, allowing me to break through to this point in one fell swoop!"

The old Taoist chuckled and sighed, "I thought I had missed this opportunity. In Red Leaf Manor, you only absorbed Chen Changyun, which was not enough to break through to the Flawless Realm."

"Under normal circumstances, if the various factions were to besiege the Tingchao Sword Sect, each faction would inevitably suffer countless casualties, and they would certainly seek medical treatment on the spot. Since each faction is stationed at the Tingchao Sword Sect, the defenses would be extremely tight, and you wouldn't have a chance. If you wait until tomorrow or the day after, they'll all be dead and bleeding, and it will be too late."

"Yes," said the bluish-gray zombie, "it's truly torture to look at so much blood and food and not be able to enjoy it!"

The old Taoist priest said, "The key is that you've already drained that corpse-nurturing ground. The corpse energy in your body has reached a critical point. If you can't break through to the flawless realm in the near future, the balance will inevitably be broken, and your cultivation level will decline. You'll then have to find a new corpse-nurturing ground, which will take at least another ten years!"

The grayish-blue zombie said in a deep voice, "It's mainly Han Caiye's granddaughter's fault. That white-haired girl is acting strangely; she can accurately sense corpse energy. Otherwise, with so many experts gathered in Red Leaf Manor, I could absorb whoever I want without anyone noticing my presence!"

The old Taoist chuckled and said, "However, you are a blessed person, with Heaven's will assist you. Now that you have broken through to the flawless realm, you will surely win the championship at the martial arts tournament and take the position of martial arts alliance leader!"

The bluish-gray zombie spewed out a cloud of murky mist and said, "Yes, the leader of the martial arts alliance is mine!"

The old Taoist priest's eyes were filled with excitement as he said, "Good disciple, don't forget your promise to your master: to help me restore the Corpse Refining Sect!"

The bluish-gray zombie said, "Master, rest assured, I will definitely do what I promised you. However, Master, I have a better idea now, an even better idea than restoring the Corpse Refining Sect!"

"What is it?" the old Taoist priest asked hurriedly.

The bluish-gray zombie whispered, "I'm not satisfied with this anymore. What's a mere martial arts alliance leader? I want to be the number one in the world! Now that I've broken through to this realm, there's no one in the Yunzhou martial arts world who can rival me."

Why don't I go a step further? If all the grandmasters and renowned figures from various martial arts schools at the martial arts tournament were to offer themselves to me, I would break through to the realm of perfection. At that time, I would not only be the number one martial artist in the world.

"I'll completely transform from a zombie into a human, allowing me to unleash the power of zombie techniques without any need to transform or be detected. I can then become the most respected righteous hero in the world. Isn't that better than restoring the Corpse Refining Sect?"

The old Taoist priest's face immediately darkened, and he sternly rebuked, "What nonsense are you spouting? I trained you to restore the Corpse Refining Sect, not to become a righteous hero! If you dare to harbor such ungrateful thoughts again, don't blame me for being merciless and crippling you!"

The bluish-gray zombie lowered its head slightly to look at the old Taoist priest, without saying a word, but its eyes were full of bloodlust.

The old Taoist's heart sank, and he sneered, "You unfilial disciple, what do you think you're doing? Do you still want to betray your master and ancestors? Don't forget, I personally nurtured you. I have plenty of ways to cripple you. Even if you truly reach the realm of perfection, I can still cripple you!"

The night wind howled through the mountains and forests, and pine needles fell in a rustling sound.

Before the old Taoist priest could finish speaking, the grayish-blue zombie suddenly grinned, its eyes flashing with a cold, icy light.

There were no signs whatsoever.

Its speed was so fast that it didn't even leave an afterimage.

In the next instant, the bluish-gray body lunged at the old Taoist priest, its ten fingers like hooks, aiming straight for his throat.

however--

The old Taoist priest showed no sign of panic in his cloudy eyes, as if he had expected this scene long ago.

His right hand had somehow slipped into his sleeve, and when it reappeared, a golden coffin nail about seven inches long was between his fingers.

The coffin nails were entirely golden, gleaming eerily in the moonlight.

"boom--"

Just as the grayish-blue zombie's claws were no more than three inches from the old Taoist's throat, the old Taoist's hand shot out like a ghost, and the golden coffin nail was precisely driven into the center of the zombie's forehead.

At the same time, the old Taoist priest flicked his left hand, and a dark red rope shot out from his sleeve, coiling around the grayish-blue zombie's body like a serpent, binding it tightly in an instant.

The red rope was also permeated with special true energy, which instantly seeped into the zombie's skin upon contact.

The grayish-blue zombie froze instantly, as if it had been frozen in place by a spell, standing motionless.

The golden coffin nail between its eyebrows had only penetrated half an inch, but that special energy had already made its whole body stiff, and it couldn't even bend its fingers.

"Heh."

The old Taoist clapped his hands, took two steps back, and looked at the subdued zombie with disappointment and coldness in his eyes.

"As expected, you're rebellious by nature." The old Taoist said coldly, his tone revealing little anger, but rather an expected indifference. "I was thinking of letting you live a few more years, waiting for you to break through, because you're my best creation, the only one capable of achieving perfection in the Zombie Technique. Since you've disobeyed..."

He paused, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said:

"Then let's erase your mind and turn you into a puppet."

Although the grayish-blue zombie's body was restrained, its mouth and tongue could still move.

It did not struggle, but stared fixedly at the old Taoist priest, its two fangs gleaming white in the moonlight.

"Master," its voice was low but very calm, "you have erased my mind, so you will never be able to create a perfect zombie again."

The old Taoist priest gave a cold laugh and remained silent.

"I know," the grayish-blue zombie continued, "You never intended for me to retain my sanity from the beginning. You were just using my talent to make me master zombie techniques so you could control me. A compliant puppet is what you wanted most, isn't it?"

"So," it changed its tone, a hint of amusement even creeping into its voice, "now it's just one step away from perfection. Are you willing to let it go? The chance to become the most perfect zombie in the history of the Corpse Refining Sect is right before your eyes. Are you willing to ruin it?"

The old Taoist priest sneered and said, "You think you're the only path I have to take?"

An excited glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes as he said, "Good disciple, your master has found your replacement. No, to be precise, someone more suitable than you, someone who is naturally close to the aura of corpses, and who can cultivate the purest zombie technique."

As you know, the real zombie skill isn't called zombie skill; it's called the Supreme Bright King Skill. However, because it's too difficult to cultivate, it was modified and relies on blood-sucking as a shortcut, which is why it's classified as an evil skill. The person I've found can cultivate the purest version of the Supreme Bright King Skill!

The blood mist in the grayish-blue zombie's eyes suddenly dissipated, and it asked, "Is it that white-haired little girl?"

"Indeed," the old Taoist nodded. "Why do you think that white-haired little girl could sense the corpse energy? Because she was born with an immaculate body. She only needed to absorb the corpse energy to naturally break through and reach the realm of immaculate perfection!"

He gazed at the bluish-gray zombie and said, "She is the most perfect, purest, and most flawless seed. From the moment she appeared, you were merely her protector, her test subject!"

The grayish-blue zombie's eyes once again swirled with blood mist as it said, "No wonder you wouldn't let me kill her. I thought you were afraid of alerting her and revealing my whereabouts. Turns out..."

The old Taoist said, "You are also a genius. You have combined the castrated version of the Supreme Bright King Skill with the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill to create the path to heaven you have today. You can take shortcuts by sucking blood and freely switch between being a human and a zombie."

Your talent is truly awe-inspiring!

It's a pity, geniuses can't be compared!

The old Taoist priest was deeply moved.

The grayish-blue zombie's fangs trembled slightly, as if in a smile, and it said, "Yes, comparisons are meaningless. It's such a waste for such a genius to fall into your hands. She's mine now, and I'm going to turn her into my puppet!"

The old Taoist priest was slightly taken aback and said, "Are you possessed? You..."

at this time,

"Buzz—"

A muffled tremor rang out from between the grayish-blue zombie's eyebrows, and the golden coffin nail, embedded half an inch deep, shot out from between the zombie's eyebrows like an arrow, flying out and embedding itself in a large tree.

At the same time, the red ropes binding the zombies broke off piece by piece.

The old Taoist's pupils constricted sharply, and he instinctively took a step back.

But it was too late.

The grayish-blue zombie disappeared again, and when it reappeared, it was already standing in front of the old Taoist, no more than an arm's length away.

A bluish-gray hand, like an iron clamp, gripped the old Taoist's neck tightly.

The old Taoist's feet left the ground, and he was lifted up and suspended in mid-air. He quickly took out a copper bell and shook it.

At the same time, a terrifying blood mist emanated from the bluish-gray zombie, instantly enveloping the old Taoist priest.

The blood mist carried a strong, sweet, and metallic scent. Inhaling even a single breath caused one's internal organs to churn, and one's inner energy to begin to spiral out of control.

The copper bell can no longer make a sound.

The old Taoist priest finally showed a look of horror on his face.

"You... how could you..." His voice was cut short and broken, his eyes bulging with bloodshot eyes. "The coffin nails... the corpse-binding rope, the corpse-suppressing bell... I made them all myself... specifically to suppress your corpse aura..."

The bluish-gray zombie tilted its head slightly, staring at the old Taoist's terrified face.

"Master," its voice was very soft, as if it were coaxing a child, "there's something I've never told you."

The old Taoist priest desperately tried to unleash his inner energy to break free, only to find that the blood mist was consuming the power within his body. His inner energy vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

"Do you still remember Han Caiye's Ice Soul?" the grayish-blue zombie said slowly. "I have refined it and condensed it into my Corpse Core!"

The old Taoist's pupils dilated to their maximum size instantly, his eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets.

The bluish-gray zombie said, "So, actually, what I just broke through to was not the realm of flawlessness."

Its mouth stretched into an even wider arc, and its two fangs gleamed with a chilling light in the blood mist.

"It is a realm of perfect purity and flawlessness; I am now the greatest in the world!"

The old Taoist priest's body trembled violently.

"Master, you keep saying you've achieved perfection, so you can cripple me too," it said with a hint of sarcasm. "Look at you, I've actually broken through, and you're unhappy again."

The old Taoist priest looked panicked.

The bluish-gray zombie whispered, "Once I've absorbed all the zombie energy from the martial arts tournament, my cultivation level will be completely stable. I can then abandon the Zombie Technique and retain only my flawless state. At that time, there will be no more zombies in the world, and no one will know that I ever practiced the Zombie Technique!"

The words fell.

It opened its mouth and inhaled, and the old Taoist's blood actually seeped out of his body.

In a short while, the old Taoist priest turned into a light, dry corpse.

The bluish-gray zombie opened its mouth, casually tossing the dried corpse to the ground. Then, it looked up in the direction of Red Leaf Manor and muttered, "A naturally pure body, tsk tsk tsk, Gu Guanqi, I hoped you left before, but now I really hope you didn't. Otherwise, finding you would be too much trouble!"