Chapter 24

In the dimly lit cave, Zhao Yun sat cross-legged, the faint moonlight revealing his pale face, with fresh blood occasionally trickling from the corners of his mouth.

The most terrifying injury was from the kick by Yan Laogui.

The Earth Escape technique was not without its weaknesses. Being jolted out of the ground caused internal injuries, and the pain in his muscles and bones continued. If it weren't for the foundation he had built through body cultivation, his meridians would have been completely severed.

"Did I expect too much from you?"

The Moon Goddess spoke softly.

Upon reflection, it was her, as a deity, who had set her standards too high, often inadvertently overlooking Zhao Yun's minor cultivation, pushing him to face the Xuan Yang realm, where any moment could be a matter of life and death.

In reality, Zhao Yun had done well. Without mentioning other aspects, just the fact that he had escaped from a Xuan Yang realm expert was enough for him to be proud for the rest of his life.

Crack! Crack!

In the cave, the sound of bones colliding was incessant.

Zhao Yun was not foolish; he used body cultivation to treat his internal injuries. The damaged meridians and bones healed through the refining process, and the pain in his internal organs gradually subsided due to the soothing of his true essence. His pale face finally regained a hint of redness, and his breathing became steady.

By the second night, Zhao Yun left the cave, his injuries mostly healed, and he was lively again.

Taking advantage of the night, he returned to the place from the previous day. In the messy pile of grass, he found the old grave. The tombstone was still there, and the coffin without a lid was also present, but the body inside had turned into a red-eyed zombie due to necrosis.

"Xiu'er, will any corpse turn into a zombie?"

Zhao Yun asked subconsciously.

"It depends on who died and where they were buried."

The Moon Goddess replied calmly.

This deity had taken on the role of a master, answering many common questions.

For example, the feng shui of a grave site is crucial. The old corpse from yesterday was buried in an extremely yin location, where the body did not decompose and absorbed yin energy for hundreds of years. It would be strange if it didn't turn into a zombie.

As she spoke, she lightly waved her hand, and a series of illusory golden characters formed into an ancient book.

"The Xuanmen Heavenly Book."

Zhao Yun read it out, word by word.

Upon reading it, he realized it was not a cultivation technique or a combat skill, but mostly an introduction to feng shui and methods to ward off evil, such as astrology, geography, yin-yang, the five elements, and physiognomy. It also contained strategic theories, covering a wide range of topics, which made his head spin.

Originally, the Moon Goddess did not plan to pass it on, as too much knowledge could be overwhelming. However, seeing Zhao Yun's talent, she dismissed her concerns.

This kid was too extraordinary, learning everything quickly, so quickly that it caught her off guard.

Ultimately, it was for her own protection.

Zhao Yun had a point; they were like two fleas on the same string. If Zhao Yun died, she would be destroyed. Protecting Zhao Yun was protecting herself. Some survival techniques, like Earth Escape and wall penetration, and some principles of yin-yang, like the Xuanmen Heavenly Book, should be passed on. This long and distant journey would require them, and more knowledge was never a bad thing.

"Thank you, Senior."

Zhao Yun's eyes sparkled. This deity was too generous. The Xuanmen Heavenly Book opened up a new world for him. Only after seeing it did he realize how ignorant he was, and how little he knew about the world.

With this heavenly book, even if he didn't become a martial cultivator, he wouldn't starve. This book was too profound; even learning a fraction of it would allow him to make a living.

For example, reading fortunes and interpreting characters.

For example, helping people find grave sites.

After putting away the heavenly book, he looked at the old grave again. His talent was indeed extraordinary. After reading the Xuanmen Heavenly Book, he had quickly grasped the basics. Now, when he looked at the feng shui of this place, it was vastly different. It was not just an extremely yin location but also a place of great misfortune. A corpse that had been buried here for hundreds of years should have turned into a zombie; it would be against nature if it hadn't.

"Judging by the looks of it, the person who buried him knew nothing."

Zhao Yun muttered. Even a feng shui master with a little knowledge wouldn't choose this place for a grave.

Unless, they had ulterior motives.

Speaking of the old corpse, he still felt a chill. After the necrosis, it became extremely powerful. Even a Xuan Yang realm expert like Yan Laogui was repeatedly overpowered, and in the end, he was forced to use an explosive talisman.

Thinking of the explosive talisman, he rubbed his hands and glanced at the Moon Goddess, his eyes clearly indicating his desire to learn how to draw talismans.

He liked the power of the explosive talisman. In the future, if he couldn't defeat someone in a fight, he would just explode, and if the Liu family dared to argue with the Zhao family, he would throw a cartload of explosive talismans at them, making bricks and tiles fly everywhere.

"Northeast."

The Moon Goddess suddenly spoke.

"What?"

"Yan Laogui." The Moon Goddess yawned. "Blind in both eyes, half-dead."

"Oh."

Zhao Yun responded casually, turned, and walked away, not heading northeast but toward the direction of the forgotten ancient city.

Even if Yan Laogui was blind and half-dead, he was still a Xuan Yang realm expert. Asking him, a Ning Yuan realm, to assassinate him? Was she joking?

"Destroy him, and I will teach you how to draw talismans." The Moon Goddess smiled.

"If you say so, I'll kill him."

Zhao Yun's face changed quickly. In a few steps, he turned around and headed northeast.

As the saying goes, wealth and honor come from taking risks. Destroying Yan Laogui would mean learning secret techniques, and anything from the Moon Goddess was sure to be excellent.

Under the moon, the forest was quiet.

Due to the heavy rain last night, the ground was muddy, and the leaves were still wet. Occasionally, the sound of a beast's roar could be heard.

Apart from that, the cold wind blew, making Zhao Yun feel chilly.

"Stop."

The Moon Goddess spoke, though it was unclear when.

Zhao Yun suddenly stopped.

"A hundred paces ahead, there is a cave." The Moon Goddess said. "Yan Laogui is inside."

Zhao Yun remained silent, first looking around, then entering the ground, holding his breath, and concealing his true essence, sneaking closer.

It took him the time of a joss stick to cover a hundred paces, not daring to be careless. The perception of a Xuan Yang realm expert was still very sharp.

When he reached the cave, he saw Yan Laogui. At first glance, he couldn't help but gasp.

Yan Laogui was in a terrible state, with disheveled hair, blood streaming from his eyes, tattered clothes, and numerous bloody gashes on his body. Each gash emitted a green smoke, the result of the zombie's necrotic fluid, now turned into a poison that had invaded his body. His face had no trace of color.

No wonder the Moon Goddess said he was half-dead. Now, seeing him, it was clear. If he were to suddenly stab him, he might not even be able to dodge.

Zhao Yun watched for a long time but did not attack. A dead camel is still bigger than a horse. Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back. He feared that even if he didn't kill Yan Laogui, he might be killed in return.

Puff!

As he watched, Yan Laogui's breath faltered, and a mouthful of blood spattered on the opposite rock wall. The blood, infected with the necrotic poison, was corrosive, and white foam appeared on the cave wall, indicating extreme toxicity.

The fact that even his blood was corrosive made it easy to imagine how much pain Yan Laogui was in.

This was why he was shocked. The zombie had been blown to ashes, yet the necrotic poison was still so strong, strong enough to be difficult for a Xuan Yang realm expert to expel. From Yan Laogui's expression, the pain was unbearable. Without even looking inside his body, it was clear that his limbs, internal organs, and meridians were all severely corroded, and he was barely holding on.

Perhaps all his focus was on fighting and neutralizing the necrotic poison, so the Xuan Yang realm expert Yan Laogui did not notice his presence.

"Should I give him a good blast?"

Zhao Yun whispered, a lecherous smile on his face, and he pulled out the Purple Void Sword. He was directly below Yan Laogui, and from this angle, a stab upward would feel very satisfying.

The Moon Goddess glanced at Zhao Yun.

***? Just thinking about it made her feel sick.

If she hadn't seen it, she wouldn't have known that this guy had some... not very honorable potential.

Zhao Yun ignored her, raised his head, gripped the sword with both hands, and aimed straight up, one eye closed to better gauge the position, like a sniper preparing to shoot.

This required precision.

Aiming to hit and kill with one strike.

Clang!

With a sword cry, Zhao Yun moved, gripping the sword tightly and thrusting it upward with great force.

Ah...!

Then came Yan Laogui's scream. Sitting cross-legged, he suddenly felt a piercing pain, a pain that drilled into his heart. He had no idea what had stabbed him from below, and the moment was not just painful but almost euphoric.

"Who?"

Yan Laogui roared, leaping up, but he didn't land steadily. Whether it was the necrotic poison or the pain, he spat out a mouthful of blood, looking very imposing.

At the same moment, Zhao Yun also emerged, the Purple Void Sword in his hand, still stained with blood. At this moment, true essence surged, and lightning surrounded the sword, making it his most powerful strike.

Puff!

A burst of blood, very striking.

Yan Laogui, who had not yet stabilized, was hit on the spot, with Zhao Yun's sword piercing his chest.

If it were a normal day, this strike would be negligible for a Xuan Yang realm expert, far from breaking his defenses.

But now, with his blindness and the necrotic poison in his body, plus the earlier stab, he was extremely weak. Even a Ning Yuan realm could have a chance to kill him.

"Zhao Yun."

Yan Laogui roared, though blind, he could sense the true essence and knew it was