Yan Hongxia’s eyes lit up, “Zombie?”
Daoist Mingzhang frowned, “Nine boys?”
Daoist Jiuzhen pondered, “That zombie was awakened before its divine powers were fully formed, its soul scattered. Is it preparing to use the essence blood of nine yang to temporarily suppress it?”
Guangyue blinked, momentarily stunned. How did so many experts suddenly appear around Lu Zheng?
“No wonder we couldn’t find any trace of him around Tonglin County. Turns out he went straight to Pingtan County,” Lu Zheng nodded. “But how did he know there was a secret realm at Jiming Temple?”
Guangyue shook his head, “I don’t know. I was doing my duties in the temple when suddenly dark clouds covered the sky, and corpse qi filled the air. As soon as I stepped out, I saw the zombie carrying nine boys, breaking the secret realm’s barrier with a single strike and entering it.
When I tried to follow, I found the entrance sealed by corpse qi. Even with the Bright Relic, I couldn’t get in, so I came to you for help.”
Daoist Jiuzhen narrowed his eyes, “The enemy is in a hurry, too pressed to kill Daoist Yuanjing or to engage with you. We must act quickly. We might still save those nine children!”
“What are you standing there for? Let’s go!” Lu Zheng urged.
“Go!” Guangyue snapped to attention, grabbed his staff, and dashed out the door.
Lu Zheng, Yan Hongxia, Daoist Jiuzhen, and Daoist Mingzhang followed one by one, instantly leaving the courtyard and heading toward the west gate.
Lu Zheng felt a gaze and turned to see Liu Qingyan standing on the wall. Their eyes met, Liu Qingyan waved, and Lu Zheng nodded back.
…
Rushing along, the five soon arrived at Jiming Temple.
Since the last incident at Jiming Temple, this was Lu Zheng’s first return. The temple had indeed been rebuilt. Though it lacked the dazzling golden splendour conjured by the Glazed Buddha, and its grounds were modest, it had all the essentials: the mountain gate, Heavenly Kings Hall, Bell and Drum Towers, Arhat Hall, Bodhisattva Hall, and the Great Hero Hall.
Guangyue had not placed the abbot’s room at the secret realm’s entrance but instead set the entrance in the temple’s back courtyard.
After all, half of this secret realm belonged to Baiyun Monastery.
Daoist Mingzhang, aware of this, asked, “The demonic qi in the secret realm hasn’t been fully purged yet, has it?”
“Not yet,” Guangyue shook his head. “I still need to use the Bright Relic and Pure Cloud Talisman to purge it for an hour each day. It’ll probably take another half year.”
Meanwhile, Daoist Jiuzhen sensed fluctuations nearby, pointed, and unleashed a palm thunder.
“Crack!”
“Buzz!”
“Such heavy corpse qi!” Daoist Jiuzhen’s eyes narrowed, his hands forming seals. “By the Heavenly Venerable’s command, nine heavens answer with thunder, break!”
“Boom!”
Thunder roared, purple light flashed, and corpse qi spread through the air. The spatial ripples flickered but vanished again. The portal to the secret realm still didn’t open.
“Let me lend you a hand.”
This was no time for courtesy. Daoist Mingzhang acted decisively, forming a seal with his fingers, chanting, “By the Three Pure Ones’ command, flying clouds break evil, swiftly!”
Daoist Jiuzhen cast another thunder spell. Together, they finally dispersed the zombie’s sealing corpse qi, opening the portal to the secret realm.
“I’ll go first!”
Before Yan Hongxia could speak, Guangyue stepped forward, his wooden staff held across his chest, glowing with golden light. A relic hovered above his head, emitting countless rays, illuminating him like a golden Arhat.
He stepped into the secret realm.
Daoist Mingzhang and Daoist Jiuzhen followed one by one.
Lu Zheng and Yan Hongxia quickly followed.
…
One step, and the world changed.
In the secret realm, atop a mountain, golden light shimmered on the left, white clouds drifted on the right, but in the centre…
The secret realm’s entrance sat halfway up the mountain. As Lu Zheng entered, he saw dark clouds blanketing the sky, thick corpse qi filling the air. At the mountaintop, a ferocious, terrifying aura brazenly unleashed its oppressive pressure.
The moment he entered, Lu Zheng felt his breathing falter slightly under the weight of this presence.
“It’s casting a spell. Up the mountain!” Daoist Jiuzhen shouted, darting forward toward the peak.
Lu Zheng and the others followed closely, reaching the top in moments.
At the mountaintop platform, nine boys, about four or five years old, sat cross-legged in a circle roughly a zhang wide. Their eyes were closed, faces twisted in pain.
In the centre stood a figure with dark, ashen skin, eyes also closed, exuding corpse qi. Nine chains of aura extended from it, binding the boys.
As the group arrived, a drop of essence blood seeped from each boy’s forehead, turning into a streak of bloodlight that merged into the central figure’s body.
In an instant, the zombie’s eyes snapped open.
Black smoke gathered, corpse qi surged to the heavens.
The next moment…
“By the Heavenly Venerable’s command, nine heavens answer with thunder, break!”
“By the Three Pure Ones’ command, flowing clouds slay demons, swiftly!”
“Great Sun Golden Light, descend!”
Yan Hongxia opened her mouth, and a half-inch sword pellet flew out, transforming into a white sword light that shot toward the zombie.
Lu Zheng flicked his fingers, sending three red jade swords not at the zombie but at the aura chains linking it to the nine boys.
“Boom!”
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!”
“Thud!”
“Clang!”
“Slash, slash, slash!”
…
Thunder, flowing clouds, Buddhist light, sword qi!
Various attacks landed, scattering the black smoke and corpse qi.
“Woo, woo, woo!!!”
As the zombie was struck, Lu Zheng seized the moment to sever the aura chains between it and the boys. Circling the zombie, he used a transportation technique, grabbing all nine boys and pulling them behind the group.
“Roar, roar, roar!!!”
The aura in the black smoke weakened sharply but then paused, suddenly surging stronger.
“What’s happening?”
As Lu Zheng thought this, a figure burst from the black smoke, instantly appearing before him.
Blood-red eyes nearly paralysed him with fear. An iron claw reached for his throat.
“Lu Zheng!”
“Brother Lu!”
“Swish!”
The zombie’s grab missed.
“Swoosh!”
The next moment, Lu Zheng emerged from the ground beside Daoist Mingzhang.
“Earth Travel Technique!” Everyone was astonished.
“Earth Travel Technique?” Daoist Mingzhang looked at Lu Zheng, baffled.
Earth Travel Technique was far harder to master than a binding spell, and its methods were rare. Even Baiyun Monastery lacked its teachings. Where had Lu Zheng learned it?
Lu Zheng had told Daoist Mingzhang about the cave demon, mentioning only that it gave him stalactite essence, not that they played chess or that it taught him the Earth Travel Technique.
It felt like boasting, so Lu Zheng hadn’t mentioned it.
“Such speed!” Lu Zheng exclaimed, shocked. This was no ordinary zombie from legend. No wonder Yuanjing was struck by a single blow, nearly killed before he could react.
