The corpse infant had a massive head and a diminutive body, its head taking up half its height, equivalent to two normal adult heads. Sparse, chaotic hair grew like a bird’s nest, with a flat nose, wide mouth, black lips, and sharp fangs. Its large, bell-like eyes held a mix of innocence and ferocity, its skin a glossy, ashen green, truly a grotesque ghost corpse. Its body was thin and small, like that of a few-month-old infant, clad in tattered, blackened hemp clothing, likely from hiding in the woodshed.
…
After hearing the woman’s words, Lu Zheng understood why only Lin Zhidong had nearly been drained to death by the corpse infant. The woman had been hiding in the Lin household with the corpse infant, usually letting it feed on the essence of meat and vegetables to slowly recover its strength, avoiding attention. However, the previous day, Lu Zheng had cast a binding spell on Lin Zhidong. Though it was later lifted, faint traces of magical energy and true qi remained on him. The corpse infant, clearly lacking in intelligence, was drawn to Lin Zhidong and, while feeding on the essence of the provisions at night, drained him as well.
So, in a way, Lin Zhidong’s condition was somewhat related to Lu Zheng…
Nonsense! It had nothing to do with him. Lin Zhidong’s foul mouth brought it on himself!
…
“Ghost!”
“Ahhh!”
Seeing the grotesque corpse infant emerge, the Lin family and their retainers were utterly terrified, instinctively retreating and promptly leaving Lu Zheng and his companions at the forefront. Only Xiao Yuzhen stayed by Liu Qingyan’s side, trying to pull her back. But Liu Qingyan wouldn’t budge. Though trembling with fear, Xiao Yuzhen stayed by her side.
Liu Qingyan glanced at Xiao Yuzhen, gently patting her hand to comfort her. “It’s alright, don’t worry. Lu Lang, he…”
“Heh heh heh…”
The woman let out a sinister chuckle, casting a cold glance at Lu Zheng and his group. “Meddling youngsters, today you’ll meddle with your own lives…”
Lu Zheng remained silent, as did Liu Qingyan, and so Huangfu Ning followed suit.
Lin Kongzhu, trembling behind them, stammered, “Y-Young Master Lu, this ghost is terrifying, y-you…”
Lin Zhijing called for the retainers to move forward, but the seven or eight men only surrounded the Lin family, refusing to take another step.
“Woo!!”
The corpse infant let out a low roar.
“Ahhh!”
“Good heavens!”
The retainers, shielding the Lin family, retreated several more steps, nearly reaching the courtyard gate. If not for Lu Zheng, who knew magic, standing at the front, giving them a sliver of hope, they would have fled without looking back.
“Kill them!”
With the woman’s soft command, the corpse infant stomped its foot, lunged forward, and pounced at Lu Zheng. Its hands rose, claws sharp, mouth agape, fangs gleaming. A thick aura of corpse qi swirled around it, its momentum fierce and domineering.
The corpse infant was so ferocious that in two leaps, it was already in front of Lu Zheng, its gaping mouth aiming for his throat. Yet Lu Zheng seemed frozen in fear, not moving an inch.
The Lin family let out a shout, turning to flee.
Then…
“Bind!”
“Ga!”
*Thud!*
The corpse infant, mid-pounce, was suddenly frozen. Though it still had some forward momentum, its strength was gone. It arced through the air, crashing to the ground and rolling twice.
Lu Zheng sidestepped, avoiding contact with the corpse infant.
Simply put, it looked too filthy…
Lu Zheng had a slight aversion to dirt…
The hemp-clad woman: ∑(°Д°)
“Binding spell! It’s a binding spell! You know the binding spell! How could you know the binding spell!”
“Are you a broken record?” Lu Zheng sighed helplessly. “A mere corpse infant with fifty years of cultivation, where did you get the confidence to think you could wipe us all out?”
The woman was dumbfounded.
A mere fifty years of cultivation? What arrogance!
But…
She took a deep breath and turned to flee. Her cultivation was only slightly stronger than the corpse infant’s. With it defeated in one move, she had no confidence in facing Lu Zheng. The corpse infant had failed in close combat, but Lu Zheng was clearly a genius cultivator. Who knew how many more tricks he had? He couldn’t be judged by common standards.
The woman had survived this long by being cautious, never revealing herself while hiding in the Lin household. Today, assuming Lu Zheng was young and petty, casting spells for minor slights and likely weak in cultivation, she had thought to kill and silence them. She hadn’t expected to hit a brick wall!
Though she cherished the corpse infant, her own survival was paramount. She could always refine another one later.
“Think you can escape?”
Lu Zheng gave a faint smile, flipping his palm to reveal a red jade sword.
*Whoosh!*
The red jade sword elongated instantly, transforming into a three-foot slender blade, shooting forward.
“Sword cultivator?!”
The woman exclaimed, too shocked to ponder why a sword cultivator knew a binding spell. Seeing the red jade sword approach, her eyes narrowed, and she reached to flick its side.
*Ding!*
*Crack!*
The red jade sword was deflected, but one of the woman’s fingers turned to blood mist.
Then…
A tiny, nail-sized fragment fell from the deflected sword. In the woman’s horrified gaze, it transformed into a flying sword, piercing her chest.
“Ah!!!”
The sword qi entered her body, and her soul scattered.
…
The battle was over.
…
Lu Zheng beckoned, and the two red jade swords flew back to his hand. He glanced at the still-immobile corpse infant on the ground.
*Crack!*
With a swing of his right hand holding the red jade sword, he severed the corpse infant’s head.
*Buzz!*
A surge of karmic light flowed into his jade seal.
…
Xiao Yuzhen was stunned, the Lin family was stunned, and the retainers were stunned. The woman, so composed, and the corpse infant, so ferocious, couldn’t withstand a single move from Lu Zheng?
Binding spell? Sword cultivator?
Was this man truly so formidable?
Xiao Yuzhen looked at Liu Qingyan with complex emotions. “I… never surpassed you…”
At that moment, Lu Zheng’s expression shifted, and Liu Qingyan and Huangfu Ning simultaneously looked toward the wall.
A red shadow flashed, and a delicate figure appeared atop the wall.
“Sword cultivator?”
A clear, crisp voice rang out. “That’s the *Flying Feather Soaring霞 Sword Scripture*! How do you know this sword technique?”
Lu Zheng: (⊙o⊙)
Had he encountered the true master?
No, that wasn’t right. The sword qi on her wasn’t from the *Flying Feather Soaring霞 Sword Scripture*.
“Who might you be?”
“Dengyun Mountain, Yan Hongxia!”
