Chapter 84

"Evil creature, prepare to die!" A loud shout echoed through the dark night. A figure in a light yellow Taoist robe swiftly approached, raised his hand, and summoned a copper coin sword. Like an arrow released from a bow, it shot through the air and struck the zombie squarely in the chest.

*Boom*

Although the zombie had a body as tough as copper and iron, it could not withstand the sudden and fierce attack. Sparks flew from its chest, and its originally black skin turned a strange red, like a red-hot iron in a blacksmith's forge. The zombie let out a wild scream, and the foul qi around it burst forth, making it even more frenzied.

"Senior Brother, you're back." A familiar figure and a familiar voice. Without needing to look or guess, Jiang Chen knew it was Uncle Nine. He quickly reminded him, "This zombie has evolved; ordinary Taoist methods won't work. We need to find another way."

"Use the ink line." Uncle Nine retracted the copper coin sword, frowned at the frenzied zombie, and then formed a hand seal, snapping out an ink line. However, he did not aim it at the zombie but at Jiang Chen.

"Understood." Jiang Chen caught the ink line and, together with Uncle Nine, used their powers to stretch and release it, snapping it at the zombie.

*Crack* Sparks flew as the zombie, in pain, was thrown backward and landed in the courtyard of the mortuary. The glutinous rice on the ground, which had the power to repel evil, burst into flames, burning the zombie. Black smoke rose from its body, and it let out continuous screams of pain.

Jiang Chen and Uncle Nine quickly jumped into the courtyard, chasing after the zombie. Amidst the rolling black smoke, the zombie rolled to the door of the room where Qiu Sheng and the others were. With a loud *bang*, it crashed into the closed door. The talisman on the door burst into power, *crackling* and causing the zombie to scream and emit more black smoke. However, its eyes glowed even more fiercely, and it swung its arms like spears, smashing into the door.

Although the door was thick, it was made of wood and could not withstand the powerful blow of the zombie. With a loud *bang*, the door was shattered.

"Oh no!" Seeing the zombie break through the door, Uncle Nine and Jiang Chen both shouted in alarm and hurriedly sped up to chase after it.

"Ah, the zombie is coming in!" Inside the room, Qiu Sheng, Wen Cai, and Ren Tingting were all startled. Wen Cai instinctively turned to run, but Qiu Sheng snatched the peach wood sword from his hand, using blood as a guide, and thrust both swords into the zombie's eyes.

At the same time, Ren Tingting pulled the stopper from her bamboo tube and poured the magical ink inside all over the zombie's face.

*Crack* Sparks flew continuously from the zombie's body. Although it had a body as tough as copper and iron, it could not withstand the power of the exorcism. It let out a惨叫 and flew backward.

Just then, Jiang Chen and Uncle Nine arrived, and together they pulled the ink line, snapping it at the flying zombie.

*Bang*

A dull sound echoed, and sparks flew. Although it was just a thin ink line, the zombie was as if it had hit a solid wall of copper and iron, falling heavily onto the ground covered with glutinous rice. It rolled and screamed, emitting a foul-smelling black smoke that made Jiang Chen and Uncle Nine retreat.

*Roar*

The more pain it felt, the more ferocious it became. Despite the continuous injuries, the zombie, Ren Lao Taiye, grew even more courageous. As the power of the glutinous rice gradually dissipated, it rose again, roaring with fangs bared, gleaming with a strange, sharp light.

Under the tattered clothes, its body, like steel, was visible. Its hair, once white, had turned green and was scattered. Green fur quickly grew on its hands.

"Trouble, it's about to fully evolve into a green-haired zombie!" Uncle Nine shouted in alarm and tried to snap the ink line at the zombie, but the zombie retreated several steps before the ink line could reach it.

"Senior Brother, it can see!" Jiang Chen exclaimed, then quickly stepped forward, making the ink line straight as a pillar and piercing the zombie's eye.

Although the zombie was nearly immune to physical attacks, the ink line, empowered by magic, had a significant exorcism effect. Striking the relatively weakly defended eye, the force of the attack, combined with true qi and magic, caused sparks to fly.

Before the zombie could react from the pain, Jiang Chen struck again, the ink line like a sword, piercing the other eye. Another burst of sparks, and the zombie, blinded, let out a wild roar.

"Heaven and Earth rotate, the stars align, the universe reverses, the True Lord subdues demons!"

Seeing the zombie's eyes injured, Uncle Nine knew the time had come. He quickly took off his light yellow Taoist robe, spun it in his hands, and threw it into the air.

Stepping in the pattern of the Big Dipper, forming hand seals, and chanting incantations, Uncle Nine pushed his magic to the limit, channeling it all into the spinning robe. Yellow light shone in the night sky, the Taiji seal in the center swirling with yin and yang, emitting divine power to subdue demons. It descended like a net from the sky, enveloping the zombie.

If the zombie's eyes had been intact, it might have dodged, but with its eyes blinded, it could not react in time. It was completely covered by Uncle Nine's robe. The robe, not an ordinary item, and empowered by Uncle Nine's lifetime of magic, wrapped the zombie like a living thing.

*Crack* A more intense series of explosions and sparks erupted, black smoke rising from the zombie's body, covering it entirely.

"Qiu Sheng, peach wood swords!" Jiang Chen shouted. Inside, Qiu Sheng quickly ran out and threw the two peach wood swords to Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen kicked one of the swords, sending it flying straight into the zombie's chest.

*Puff*

Even with a body as tough as copper and iron, the zombie could not withstand the powerful attack. Jiang Chen's sword, empowered by magic, broke through the defense and pierced the zombie's chest, causing it to let out another roar of rage and pain.

Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Chen did not hesitate. He caught the other peach wood sword, leaped into the air, and struck the zombie's head with a powerful downward thrust. *Crack* The sword broke into several pieces, but the zombie suffered a fatal blow.

"Fire talisman, go!" Uncle Nine, catching his breath, formed another hand seal and activated a fire talisman. It ignited in the air, transforming into a fiery crow that flew and enveloped the zombie in a blazing inferno.

Jiang Chen landed nearby, took out a bamboo tube of magical ink, and poured it over the zombie. The fire burned even more fiercely, illuminating the night sky.

"Cycle participant Jiang Chen has defeated the character zombie Ren Lao Taiye. You currently possess the talents granted by the cycle. Do you wish to acquire its abilities?"

In his mind, the information from the cycle bracelet suddenly appeared. After the intense battle, Jiang Chen, still in a daze, subconsciously chose:

"Yes"

...