Chapter 140: Returning To The City (I)

The sunlight was bright, and the wind carried a gentle warmth. It was a fine day. The scorching sun blazed overhead, and the temperature had risen by a degree or two. Lin Zheyu arrived at the same cave as before, where low, muffled growls echoed from within.

The beast he had sealed within the formation earlier now appeared shriveled, its pupils deep and faintly tinged with purple. For nearly ten days, Lin Zheyu had given it neither food nor water, yet it remained unnaturally spirited. When it saw him enter, its growls deepened, and its eyes gleamed with savage bloodlust. It was so terrifyingly feral that even the fiercest beasts paled in comparison.

Its intellect is almost gone. There's nothing left in its eyes but cruelty and killing intent,

thought Lin Zheyu.

He examined the creature carefully. Though its body looked more withered than before, the energy coursing within it had grown even more formidable. Over the past five days, its body had weakened, shriveling further by the day, but on the sixth, a strange reversal occurred. Its aura began to surge, growing stronger with each passing day. The sinister yin aura emanating from its body thickened, and the glimmer of sentience in its eyes gradually vanished. It was replaced entirely by unbridled savagery and bloodlust.

When corrupted by yin force, one doesn't die; they transform into a creature like a yao or demon. Could that be why cultivation was branded a forbidden art? Perhaps the world's spiritual qi itself has been tainted. Any cultivator who directly absorbs it would likewise be eroded by this yin force, turning into a mindless demon that knows only slaughter. Maybe that's the origin of the saying that cultivation leads to demonhood.

Lin Zheyu pondered the thought; it didn't seem impossible. Otherwise, how could a group as powerful as cultivators have fallen to such a state?

Whoosh.

A flash of blade light tore through the air, slicing apart the vines that bound the beast in an instant.

The beast let out a deep growl, its pupils turning pitch-black like ink. Its fur shimmered faintly with a purple hue, and its muscles bulging beneath its hide as its once-withered frame swelled, growing far more massive than before.

Interesting. This isn't like the living corpses recorded in the texts. Could this be the true form of most yao and demons?

Lin Zheyu mused silently to himself, then casually struck out with his palm, sending the demonized beast hurtling through the air.

The creature let out a pained howl as it crashed into the wall, bones cracking audibly. "Its strength increased by around ten percent, but its regeneration... at least severalfold," murmured Lin Zheyu as he looked at the beast, once again full of life and fury.

If this was what defined a demon, then its regenerative ability was far too terrifying. It had only spent a few days within the formation and had yet to fully transform—yet its recovery was already astounding. Once it fully transformed, it would surely become even more monstrous.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The beast lunged again, showing no sign of injury. Lin Zheyu's fist shot forward with a deafening thud, striking its forehead. A harsh cracking sound followed as its skull was driven deep into its torso. It crashed heavily to the ground, but even without a head, its body convulsed, struggling to rise before finally going still.

"Its vitality and regenerative power have both strengthened, and it's comparable now to an Organ Forging Realm beast. It was only at the Bone Forging Realm before, yet after this demonic transformation, its regeneration alone rivals beasts a realm higher. If it were to fully demonize, it might even match those of the Blood Qi Realm.

"This must be the standard power of ordinary yaos and demons, with strength on par with the Blood Qi Realm, but recovery that far exceeds it," muttered Lin Zheyu. The only question was whether their growth depended solely on absorbing enough yin force. If so, that was truly horrifying.

He walked to the fallen beast and swung his blade, slicing the carcass clean in two. A thick stream of purple-black fluid spurted from its veins.

Is this truly a yao or demon... or a living corpse?

Lin Zheyu turned toward the coffin. His blood qi surged violently as he released the restraints of the Tortoise Breath Grand Method, elevating his state to its peak.

Boom!

Lin Zheyu struck out with his palm, shattering the coffin lid into splinters. The wood had been ordinary, so it offered no resistance beneath his strength. A shriveled corpse lay within, exposed to view. At first glance, the corpse appeared ordinary. It was about 1.8 meters tall, and clad in plain hemp garments. Yet its skin was strange, faintly tinged with purple-black from head to toe.

Roar!

The instant the coffin lid was lifted, the corpse's eyes snapped open. Its pupils were ink-black, devoid of whites, and brimming with boundless killing intent.

With a thunderous boom, the coffin exploded apart as the living corpse sprang to life, lunging straight toward Lin Zheyu.

He had long been prepared. His long saber flashed, cleaving toward the creature's neck. A dull thud rang out, and his weapon, which had never failed him before, was halted by the corpse's flesh. Not even the outer layer of its skin could be cut.

Still, Lin Zheyu's raw strength was tremendous. Though the blade failed to sever its neck, the sheer impact sent the living corpse flying backward. It crashed into the wall with a heavy bang and staggered several steps before stopping.

Its strength isn't great. It's stronger than a martial artist at the first transformation of blood qi, but not by much. Yet its defense is unbelievable. My full-force strike couldn't even pierce its skin, and the blade's edge actually curled from the impact.

Lin Zheyu examined the nick along his saber and frowned in astonishment. Unlike the half-demonized beast from earlier, the living corpse's true terror lay not in its regeneration, but in its overwhelming defense.

Even with the strength of a martial artist of the third transformation of blood qi, his strike hadn't broken through. It was no wonder Senior Brother Han Mo had once warned that only those who reached the Blood Qi Realm could hope to escape a living corpse alive, and to face one head-on required at least the power of the third transformation.

Using the saber won't work. Looks like I'll have to rely on the Mountain Shattering Palm, but that yin force surrounding it is troublesome. I'm not sure if my third transformation of blood qi can fully resist its corruption,

thought Lin Zheyu.

Against a foe with such monstrous defense, weapons were almost useless. It was a pity he hadn't brought his black-silver gauntlets from last time; they would've been ideal for this fight.

Let's test it. If it fails, I'll retreat immediately,

Lin Zheyu thought, his expression hardening as his blood qi roared through his veins like a raging tiger. The living corpse let out a feral roar and lunged again.

He unleashed the Mountain Shattering Palm, channeling immense power into a single strike that crashed against the living corpse's chest. The impact felt like slamming into an ironwood pillar. A thunderous boom resounded through the cave as the living corpse was blasted off its feet and embedded deep into the wall.

At that moment, a chilling aura surged from the living corpse's body, coursing through Lin Zheyu's palm into his veins. His body froze for an instant before his Tiger Transformation blood qi raged forth, smothering the invading cold. This was the mark of the third transformation of blood qi, also called the Tiger Transformation. At this stage, one's qi became refined and imbued with a trace of sentient power.

A faint sizzling filled the air as his vast blood qi overwhelmed the invading chill. The yin force hissed like droplets of water hitting boiling oil, turning into wisps of purple-black vapor that leaked from his skin.

"So this is the so-called yin force?" he murmured, watching it dissipate before exhaling in relief. He was still fine.