What do you mean by saying that the corpses I sew are all ominous creatures?

"Hello, Senior Tiangong."

I greeted him gently, in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant.

I didn't ask him why he was there.

This is the General Administration compound. He's a big shot in the General Administration, so it's normal for him to be here anywhere.

But I knew very well that he definitely didn't just happen to run into me while sunbathing here.

Tiangong looked me up and down, sniffed, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

"It's been a month, and the menacing aura around you has changed."

Last month at the City God Temple in Jiangcheng, you were in a bloodthirsty frenzy. Although your murderous aura was fierce, it also revealed an uncontrollable madness.

Now...

Tian Gong stroked his sparse stubble and nodded.

"The murderous aura is contained within, and there is also a strong and domineering masculine energy hidden inside."

It seems your serious illness wasn't in vain; it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing you to firmly establish yourself.

"Your insight is truly remarkable; I was merely fortunate to have gained some understanding."

I responded gently.

Seeing my calm and composed demeanor, Tiangong smiled with satisfaction.

He turned his head, glanced at Zhao Mingxuan standing next to him, and casually waved.

"Xiao Zhao, you go ahead and do your work."

I need to talk to this kid alone for a bit.

I'll personally arrange where he goes later.

Yes, yes!

Senior engineer, Consultant Chen, I'll take my leave now.

Please feel free to contact me if you need anything.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mingxuan dared not linger.

He left the courtyard in a flash, not daring to look back, for fear of overhearing some secret he shouldn't have.

Once Zhao Mingxuan's figure disappeared around the corner of the office building, the surroundings became completely quiet.

Only the occasional gentle breeze brings the distant chirping of cicadas.

I stared quietly at the gaunt old man before me, but my thoughts involuntarily drifted back to half a year ago.

That was my first meeting with Tiangong.

That time, Lu Yan and I had just thwarted the sacrificial plot at Jiangcheng Reservoir, and I followed Lu Yan to the City God Temple as instructed by the General Administration.

By the time we arrived at the square, the battle was over.

The gaunt old man in front of them, along with the burly man codenamed "Greedy Wolf," effortlessly and completely suppressed the scheme set up by the guardian of the cauldron.

I remember clearly that night, Tiangong said a few seemingly random but extremely meaningful words to me.

He mentioned Lei Zhenshan, and also my missing father.

He also told me that some things are not yet ready for me, and that knowing them would only harm me.

He also warned me that the world was more chaotic than I had imagined, and that the crocodiles underwater were far more terrifying than the guardians of the cauldron.

What impressed me most was the look he gave me as he stopped and turned back to look at my chest before he left.

At that time, I had a black bone needle in my chest.

Before leaving, he said to me one last time:

"Kid, remember this... If one day you can hone that skill to the point of turning the rotten into the miraculous, feel free to come to the capital to find me."

I have something that perhaps only you can fix.

Although Jiangcheng was in chaos a month ago, with bloody battles breaking out in Jinxiuyuan and Chenghuang Temple, I vaguely saw Tiangong and Lei Zhenshan rushing to the rescue before I collapsed from exhaustion in the underground of Chenghuang Temple.

But I was so badly injured that time that I didn't have a chance to say a single word to him.

So, strictly speaking, today is our second real face-to-face exchange.

And this place is the capital city.

I have now formed my Demon Core, and my strength has undergone a tremendous change compared to when the reservoir case occurred.

Even more coincidentally, I had just come out of the Class A warehouse when he was waiting for me at the elevator entrance.

Does he think my skills have reached a point where I can "fix things" for him?

With that in mind, I decided not to try anything roundabout.

Last time I spoke to this old man, he left me completely confused. This time, I've decided to go straight to the point.

I looked at Tiangong and said, "Senior, you must have something to tell me to wait here for me."

I remember last time in Jiangcheng, you said there was something you needed me to fix.

I just happened to be in the capital this time, and you came all the way to intercept me.

Could it be because of this?

Upon hearing my direct question, Tiangong was clearly taken aback.

He probably didn't expect me to remember a casual promise I made a few months ago so clearly, and to ask it so directly.

After a brief moment of surprise, Tiangong reached down to take the pipe bowl from his waist, tapped it in his palm, and suddenly grinned.

"You have a good memory, kid."

He speaks very directly, unlike those old foxes who beat around the bush. I like that kind of personality.

Tiangong smiled and shook his head, then looked into my eyes and gave his answer very frankly.

"However, you're wrong."

I didn't come to see you today to fix that thing.

He pointed to my chest with his pipe bowl, his tone casual yet carrying an air of expert certainty:

"You have indeed formed your core, and your inner energy is more than ten times stronger than before."

Just now, with just a glance, I could sense that the malevolent energy within you was not only pure, but also carried the oppressive aura of a superior.

In terms of fighting and killing alone, an ordinary Dan Realm cultivator is no match for you.

"but,"

Tiangong changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious.

"The craftsmanship of the Corpse Stitcher lineage, especially in order to reach the level of 'turning decay into magic,' requires more than just profound internal energy."

That requires you to have absolute control over life and death, the soul, and the yin and yang energies.

You are like a newly sharpened, exquisite knife; it is sharp enough, but it lacks the tempering and polishing of time.

If I were to actually touch that thing now, not only would I fail to fix it, but I would also damage my own foundation.

After hearing Tiangong's frank evaluation, I did not feel discouraged or angry.

On the contrary, I felt very calm.

Compared to a seasoned veteran like Tiangong, who has been immersed in the craft for countless years, I am still quite inexperienced.

However, I am also confident that I can catch up and surpass them.

"You're right, senior."

I nodded and humbly accepted his explanation.

"The path of spiritual practice cannot be rushed; I had oversimplified things."

"It's good that you can listen to me. It's worth it for that stubborn donkey Lei Zhenshan to protect you so much."

Tiangong tucked the pipe back into his waistband, his smile gradually fading, and his expression becoming somewhat serious.

"Since it wasn't to repair that thing, then why did you come to see me today, senior...?"

I took the opportunity to ask the question that had been bothering me.

With his hands behind his back, Tian Gong looked at a gray building deep within the headquarters compound and said:

"I'm here to talk to you about something else entirely."

This isn't a big deal, but it has a strange, eerie feel to it.

I'm guessing that, throughout the entire bureau, only someone like you, a professional mortician, could figure out what's going on.