If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

A sudden feeling of weightlessness gripped Zhou Yang.

The next moment, the world spun around.

He was like a leaf caught in a whirlwind, completely out of control. All he saw was pure darkness. The howling wind filled his ears. The powerful suction from the crack tore at his body and ripped at his soul.

Is this what it feels like to tear through space?

The moment Zhou Yang had that thought, his body suddenly sank.

Oh no, it's about to land!

boom--!

A deafening roar.

He felt as if he had smashed through something. Stone chips rained down on him, hitting him painfully. His downward momentum suddenly slowed, and he crashed solidly into a hard object.

Kara!

A crisp cracking sound rang out, like jade being struck by a giant hammer.

A wet, sticky sensation came from beneath him. An extremely stale smell, mixed with the odor of dust, assaulted his nostrils, making him feel nauseous.

Zhou Yang shook his head, still a little dizzy. He used the slippery ground beneath him to slowly get up, patting his dusty robes.

He glanced down at it.

He was standing inside a massive white jade coffin. Or rather, in what used to be a coffin. Now, this priceless white jade coffin was shattered into pieces. And in the very center of the coffin, a dried corpse dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe had been smashed into an unrecognizable pile of mud by his body, which had fallen from the sky.

The fabric of the dragon robe had decayed, but the five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with gold thread was still faintly visible, testifying to the noble status of the corpse's owner.

Zhou Yang frowned.

He looked up at the ceiling. A faint light was shining through the large hole that had just been smashed open. The light illuminated the surrounding environment.

This is an extremely spacious underground stone chamber. The surrounding walls are made of huge bluestones, carved with intricate murals. Due to its age, many parts are now faded and indistinct. The air is filled with a deathly stillness and the smell of decay.

He looked around. This didn't seem to be a natural cave.

rustling... rustling...

A soft sound came from all around the stone chamber, like the scraping of rusty armor.

Zhou Yang's pupils suddenly contracted.

Only then did he notice. Beneath the four walls of this underground palace stood rows of many figures. No, not people. They were corpses.

They were all clad in decaying, ancient-style armor. Some even carried broken weapons. Their helmets obscured their faces, revealing only the withered skin peeking out from the gaps in their armor.

They were densely packed, layer upon layer. A rough count revealed hundreds of bodies.

These corpses stand here like silent statues, having stood there for countless years.

Awakened by the noise of Zhou Yang smashing through the cave, the corpses began to move.

creak... creak...

Their joints creaked and groaned. Their necks turned stiffly. Pairs of cloudy, empty eyes peeked out from the shadows of their helmets. One by one, they all turned to Zhou Yang, the only living creature.

Hundreds of cold, lifeless gazes instantly converged on him.

A chilling murderous aura permeated the entire underground palace.

A sense of unease crossed Zhou Yang's mind. These corpses were no ordinary beings. They emanated a strange energy fluctuation. They were definitely not common zombies.

[Low-level intelligent puppet (Royal Tomb Corpse Soldier) detected]

Number of puppets: 476

[Status: Awakened, hostility assessed]

[Should I sacrifice my lifespan to use the "Corpse King's" oppressive power to suppress it?]

The system's cold notification sounded in my mind.

Zhou Yang's lips curled up slightly involuntarily.

The Corpse Emperor's oppressive aura?

He remembered this ability. It was a passive deterrent skill that the system had extracted after he devoured Fang Tian, ​​the leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect. It was remarkably effective against low-level walking corpses.

Unexpectedly, it came in handy again today.

Moreover, more than four hundred came at once.

It's a good opportunity to try them out, and consider them an appetizer.

"Yes."

Zhou Yang silently recited in his heart.

Without the slightest hesitation.

In any case, it's not his cultivation that's being consumed, just a bit of his lifespan. Being able to exchange his lifespan for an absolute army of suicide soldiers is a deal that's guaranteed to be profitable.

The instant the command is issued.

An indescribable pressure erupted from Zhou Yang's body!

This oppressive aura originated from the superior's aura that had been extracted from the depths of the immortal envoy's will. It was filled with absolute control over "life" and "death," carrying a coldness and indifference that seemed to emanate from the deepest abyss.

It doesn't require any moves or actions.

It was simply a crushing force of will.

Om-!

The air seemed to freeze.

The underground palace, which had just been teeming with murderous intent, instantly fell into a deathly silence. Even the dust particles in the air seemed to hang suspended in mid-air.

The 476 newly awakened imperial tomb corpse soldiers, still carrying a hint of hostility, suddenly froze.

A flicker of human-like...fear flashed in their murky eyes.

It's like an ant seeing a dragon, or a firefly seeing the moon.

It is a form of absolute suppression originating from the level of life itself.

The next breath.

Click!

One of the corpse soldiers' legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud. The spear in his hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Once there's a first, there's a second, a third...

The domino effect occurred instantly.

In just a few breaths, the more than four hundred imperial tomb corpses that had just given Zhou Yang some trouble all knelt down in unison. Their heads were bowed, their armor hanging to the ground, making a dense clanging sound.

My body trembled uncontrollably. It was as if I had encountered the most terrifying being.

The hostility in their eyes had vanished. In its place was boundless submission and awe.

Zhou Yang stood still, without even moving an inch.

He simply stood there, feeling the faint connection in his mind to the oppressive aura of the "Corpse Emperor," as well as the absolute loyalty conveyed by the more than four hundred corpse soldiers.

He smiled.

This time, it fell from the sky; we're really lucky.

Not only did he not die from the fall, he also gained a considerable army for free.

Zhou Yang's gaze swept over the kneeling corpse soldiers. Although these guys were just low-level puppets, their decaying armor and weapons exuded an ancient aura. They were definitely not ordinary soldiers.

What exactly is this place?

He looked up again, towards the light above him.

That should be one of the royal villas in the capital. This area is a restricted zone beneath the villa.

A vast underground palace that buries royalty and a secret army.

The royal family actually kept this kind of thing.

Zhou Yang understood. He looked down at the muddy puddle at his feet. This unfortunate fellow in the dragon robe was probably a monarch from some dynasty. He had buried an army with him in life, and even in death, he dreamed of ruling the world.

Unfortunately, I never expected this.

Centuries later, a person will fall from the sky and take him and his precious army in one fell swoop.

Zhou Yang reached out and patted the helmet of the nearest zombie soldier.

The metal feels cold to the touch.

The corpse soldier trembled, but dared not offer any resistance.

"Get up, everyone."

Zhou Yang spoke calmly.

The sound echoed through the underground palace.

Upon hearing the command, the more than four hundred undead soldiers rose in perfect unison. Their movements were stiff, yet remarkably uniform. They rearranged themselves into a square formation, hands at their sides, awaiting their master's next order.

Zhou Yang nodded in satisfaction.

He walked up to a corpse soldier and reached out to grasp the tattered halberd in its hand. It was cold and heavy to the touch.

"Consuming one year of lifespan to perfect the Qingxuan Ge Technique."

He was silent.

The system panel flashed by.

The next second, countless methods, techniques, and moves for using the long spear flooded his mind like a tidal wave. From the most basic chopping, slashing, thrusting, and parrying to the most exquisite combos and movement techniques, he instantly mastered them all.

He casually swung the long spear in his hand.

A sharp gust of wind instantly sliced ​​through the air, leaving a half-foot-deep scratch on the distant stone wall.

Zhou Yang retrieved the long spear and returned it to the corpse soldier.

Now, he not only has soldiers, but he can also go into battle at any time. Although his strength and realm haven't improved, he can directly gain combat experience by sacrificing his lifespan.

He toured the newly recruited army like a general inspecting his troops.

Finally, he stopped in the center of the underground palace. His gaze returned to the opening leading to the surface.

It's time to get out.

A cold smile curled at the corners of Zhou Yang's mouth.

Beijing, it's been a long time.

This time, I'm back.

Moreover, they also brought a great gift.