Chapter 96: Beyond The Reach Of Mortal Power (I)

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

A cold wind swept through, carrying a heavy smell of blood into the air. Wisps of black qi lingered over the torn flesh scattered across the ground, and every spot touched by the living corpse's claws was charred black.

Two middle-aged men emerged from the forest, their boots crunching on fallen leaves with soft rustling sounds. They surveyed the blood-soaked scene without a hint of emotion.

"These people must be from the Nine Nether Sect that just appeared in Lion Valley. Could they be the ones who killed Fourth Uncle?" said the man on the left, frowning as he stared at the living corpse that had been lured away.

"Unlikely. My father's strength had reached the Blood Qi Realm, and with Zhao Hai's toxic arts supporting him, no one short of a cultivator above the second transformation of blood qi could have been their match. Besides, we've never had any conflict with the Nine Nether Sect. They shouldn't have targeted my father," said Zhao Weichuan calmly.

He was Zhao Ziyan's father. After several days without any word from either his father or his son, he had come to investigate in person. Unfortunately, days had passed with no clues, and he couldn't even find their bodies.

"To kill Fourth Uncle and the others without a trace, the attacker must be a true expert. Fourth Uncle was always cautious, but he made plenty of enemies in his younger days. Perhaps he ran into someone seeking revenge," said Zhao Weikun with a sigh.

"Let's go. Once we finish collecting the corpse poison, we'll follow and take a look. The Nine Nether Sect is certainly bold, daring to attack a living corpse. I can't tell if they're too confident or just overestimating themselves," said Zhao Weichuan as he began gathering the corpse poison.

Seeing this, Zhao Weikun walked over and took out a jade bottle to collect it as well. Corpse poison was a rare toxin used to create many potent poisons, and even the Zhao Family had great difficulty obtaining it.

The amount produced after erosion by the Baleful Yin force was extremely limited. The charred black powder scraped from the flesh and trees amounted to only a tiny pinch.

***

Outside Beast Roar Mountain, the living corpse charged after the galloping steed in a frenzy, and everyone nearby fled in panic. Two men stood at a distance and watched the scene unfold.

"The power of that living corpse is terrifying!" said a middle-aged man with a grave expression, his brows furrowed.

Beside him, Xing Penghai clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly as he stared in the direction the living corpse had gone. His heart was a swirl of conflicting emotions; it was filled with excitement, exhilaration, and fear all at once.

"Father, is this the fate of those who cultivate immortal arts?" asked Xing Penghai.

"Yes. Our ancestral records mention that the path to immortality lies beyond mortal reach. Any who recklessly attempts to grasp it will suffer divine punishment and fall into demonhood," said Xing Zhicheng.

His gaze burned with intensity as he watched the direction in which the living corpse had vanished. The aura surrounding him was stronger than Xing Penghai's, with faint fluctuations of blood qi emanating from his body, clearly marking him as someone who had stepped into the Blood Qi Realm.

However, those fluctuations were weak, revealing that he was only at the initial stage of the realm. The strands of blood qi within his body would be exhausted after just two full-force bursts.

"Can we really trust what the Nine Nether Sect said?" Xing Penghai couldn't help but ask. "If those who seek immortality are doomed to fall into demonhood, then where does the Nine Nether Sect get their confidence from?"

"I'm not sure. The family elder must know some hidden truth, or he wouldn't have chosen to work with them. But their methods are extraordinary. They can even craft talisman tokens. Perhaps they really do have some alternative means of pursuing immortality," said Xing Zhicheng.

"With such terrifying power, why would the Nine Nether Sect provoke a living corpse at all?" Xing Penghai frowned in puzzlement as he asked, "Surely no one in the Nine Nether Sect is capable of dealing with it?"

"The Nine Nether Sect has its eyes on the iron mine in Baishi Mountain. I suspect they intend to drive the living corpse there and launch their assault amidst the chaos," said Xing Zhicheng after a moment of thought.

"Will that even work?" asked Xing Penghai doubtfully.

"It won't be easy, but the priests of the Nine Nether Sect possess some strange methods. They might just succeed. Come on, our task is done. The living corpse has been drawn out. Now we'll see how capable the Nine Nether Sect truly is. Let's go back and make arrangements. When the Nine Nether Sect takes action, we'll seize the chance to fish in troubled waters and snatch some benefits," said Xing Zhicheng.

"Yes, Father."

Xing Penghai nodded in acknowledgment. He needed to return and inform Xing Jing'an to make preparations. During the ensuing chaos, they would try to capture Lin Zheyu and see if they could extract clues about Xing Jinglong's death.

***

Garrison duty at Baishi Mountain was an exceptionally dull affair. However, it did not bother Lin Zheyu much. Ordinary members of the Feihong Gang lived in shared dormitories, while Lin Zheyu and his team had their own private courtyard residence.

He spent most of his time there studying the Toxicology Codex and practicing martial arts, and occasionally went out to patrol. As long as no enemy attacks occurred, he had little to do and lived quite leisurely.

"Lord Lin!"

The underlings greeted Lin Zheyu respectfully as soon as they saw him.

"Has anything unusual happened?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"My lord, everything is normal."

"Good. Keep patrolling and do not slack off. Report immediately if anything out of the ordinary occurs," instructed Lin Zheyu.

"Yes, my lord!" answered an underling before he continued his patrol.

Not far away, a burly man watched Lin Zheyu from a distance, resentment and disdain twisting his features. When Lin Zheyu's gaze turned toward him, his expression shifted instantly into one of fawning obsequiousness.

Only after Lin Zheyu left did he snort softly and curse under his breath, "Damn it, a brat who hasn't even reached the Organ Forging Realm can become a leader?"

Xu She sneered, his heart seething with indignation. He had been with the Feihong Gang for over a decade. His strength was at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, just a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the Organ Forging Realm. But that breakthrough continued to elude him.

Xu She believed his natural talent was exceptional. Unfortunately, though he shared the Xu surname, he was not part of the Xu Family and lacked the money to support his martial cultivation. With enough silver, he was certain he could advance into the Organ Forging Realm.

"Leader Xu is shameless. I've been loyal for decades, and not only does he refuse to promote me, but he promotes some snot-nosed Bone Forging Realm brat instead. To hell with my loyalty! The benefits those bandits promised are quite tempting. In no time, Songyi City might fall to the rebel army anyway. Building connections in advance could give me another way out," muttered Xu She to himself, finally coming to a decision.

Xu She had already made contact with the bandits in Lion Valley. Previously, he had thought the Feihong Gang treated him well, and since he planned to continue serving under them, he had no desire to join Lion Valley and live that damp, sticky, insect-infested, and miasma-filled life. But ever since Lin Zheyu arrived, his mindset had changed. People do not resent scarcity; they resent inequality.

I've worked hard and stayed loyal for over a decade, contributing so much to this gang. And what about that brat? He's only been with the Feihong Gang for a few months, yet he's already been promoted to the rank of an Organ Forging Realm leader. Just because he has good talent? To hell with talent!

Xu She seethed with unwillingness as the promises those bandits had made echoed in his mind.

If I had those resources and that much money, I could definitely advance to the Organ Forging Realm. I definitely could.

However, he didn't show any of this outwardly. Instead, he put on the same usual smile, made a round on patrol, and then gathered with a few Bone Forging Realm experts to chat and joke as if nothing were amiss.

After walking some distance, Lin Zheyu turned back and glanced at Xu She. Though that man's expression had shifted quickly, Lin Zheyu's perception was sharp enough to catch the flicker of hostility in Xu She's eyes.

It's been so many days, and he's still this hostile toward me.

Lin Zheyu pondered as he furrowed his brows slightly.

The low-ranking underlings had no complaints about his appointment as leader, but the Bone Forging Realm experts clearly did not accept it. How could a mere mid-stage Bone Forging cultivator become their superior?

Most of them were at the mid-stage or even the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, yet they were expected to follow the orders of a teenager whose strength was inferior to theirs. Naturally, they felt resentful. Still, they confined their complaints to whispered grumblings in private, never daring to show it openly.

Forget it. They're just Bone Forging cultivators. Once I return to Songyi City, I won't have much to do with them anyway.

Lin Zheyu shook his head and dismissed the matter from his thoughts. He would only be stationed at Baishi Mountain for a month before returning. He might as well treat this month as a change of scenery for focused martial training and deeper study of the Toxicology Codex.

Heading southward, Lin Zheyu passed through a stretch of barren land until a dense forest came into view ahead. Entering the woods, he found a secluded spot and began his martial practice. For the past two days, he had been coming to this forest to train, spending half the day immersed in practice.

Bang, bang, bang.

Deep within the forest, a series of heavy thuds echoed.

Lin Zheyu moved nimbly through the woods, darting and weaving as he unleashed the Barbaric Ox Fist again and again. Blood qi surged violently within his body, and each punch blasted through the air with a howling gust.

It had been 5 days since he arrived at Baishi Mountain. On the first day, he had already seized an opportunity to break through his limits once. Now, four more days had passed, so it was time to harvest Origin Force again.