Might of the Living Corpse, Bronze Skin and Iron Bones

"Ha!" Chen Mu roared, unleashing a wave of blood-drenched, slaughterous momentum that swept through the air. Like the fiercest of beasts locking onto prey, he lunged straight at Lin Zheyu. Lin Zheyu stood his ground, his muscles bulging as fist momentum swirled around him. Meeting Chen Mu's assault, his fists hammered out in a steady barrage. *Thud, thud, thud.* Muffled crashes echoed through the courtyard, drawing quite a few Chen clan juniors to watch. Dismayed by the ferocious momentum clashing between the two, they retreated to a distance, none daring to stand too close. The Mad Battle Art lacked set attack patterns; one's entire body served as a weapon, and any method capable of killing the enemy was fair game. Chen Mu's assault was wild and vicious. Holding nothing back against Lin Zheyu, he went all out, driving his momentum to its peak and steadily pushing it higher. Lin Zheyu remained utterly unperturbed. He refrained from using the Golden Goose Skill, relying purely on the Wild Bull Fist to counter him throughout. With every collision of their fists, their momentum clashed head-on. Sensing the gazes of the onlookers around them and the awe lingering in their eyes, Lin Zheyu felt an odd sense of enlightenment. *I am strong!* *I am invincible!* Lin Zheyu murmured to himself, and the momentum rolling off him condensed another degree. The fierce wind howled. Channeled through the Wild Bull Fist's breathing technique, his exhaled breath seemed to carry the faint, enraged roar of a wild bull. Chen Mu fed his momentum through combat, growing fiercer the longer he fought. Yet Lin Zheyu's momentum also mounted as the clash continued, holding a firm, constant advantage over Chen Mu. Before Lin Zheyu's far more domineering fist momentum, the blood-soaked, crazed aura of invincibility radiating from Chen Mu felt as though it were on the verge of being torn to shreds. *** "Well done!" Seeing Lin Zheyu repel Chen Mu with a single blow, someone suddenly cheered. Xu Qinyi and the others turned to look at Xu Yuxiang. Seeing her cheeks flush crimson, they all burst into laughter. Just then, two middle-aged men strolled along the corridor, followed by several subordinates who exuded formidable auras. Noticing the commotion in the detached courtyard, both men cast curious glances. "Are both of those youngsters from your Chen clan? How interesting," the man on the left said with a smile. "Only the one on the left. The one on the right must be a friend of Hong'er. Chen Cai, whose young master is the youth sparring with Chen Mu?" the man asked curiously, summoning a servant. He was Chen Xihong's father and the head of the Chen clan, Chen Yongnan. "Reporting to the master: that is Young Master Lin. He was brought into the Feihong Gang by Gang Leader Xu a few months ago, and he is also friends with Young Master Chen," Chen Cai replied. "I see. Brother Jingwu's eye for talent is as keen as ever, unearthing yet another fine sprout," Chen Yongnan said with a smile. "Both of them are exceptional seeds. To comprehend momentum at such a tender age—with proper nurturing, they might just have a shot at breaking through to the Marrow Tempering Realm," the other man remarked smilingly. After lingering to watch for a moment, they moved on. *Thud, thud, thud.* In the courtyard, the two clashed fiercely, the dull impacts of their fists and feet never ceasing. The Mad Battle Art had originated in the military; it was brutal and reckless, with every strike aimed to kill. Yet facing Chen Mu's assault, Lin Zheyu remained exceedingly composed. His Wild Bull Fist traded blow for blow. Bracing with both fists, he feinted toward Chen Mu's abdomen with one punch while driving the other upward from an oblique angle below. *Thud.* The fist struck Chen Mu squarely on the jaw with a faint crack. The tremendous force sent Chen Mu flying backward through the air. "Enough, enough! I give up! I can't beat you!" Chen Mu grimaced, a sharp throb shooting through his jaw with every word he spoke. Caught up in his bloodlust earlier, his reason had begun to slip away; his eyes had reddened, and his strikes had grown increasingly savage. Just as he was about to spiral into madness, Lin Zheyu's fist had knocked him back to his senses. "Thank you for the match!" Lin Zheyu cupped his hands with a smile. "How on earth did you train your momentum? It's so much stronger than mine. Is there a trick to it?" Chen Mu asked curiously, picking himself up. Back when he was stuck at a bottleneck in the Mad Battle Art, he had enlisted in the army and endured years of slaughter before finally comprehending momentum. Yet Lin Zheyu had been practicing for so little time, and had already cultivated such terrifying momentum. Chen Mu couldn't help wondering if there was a secret method involved. "Well..." Lin Zheyu paused in thought. "I just kept training, and it grew this strong. Does it need a trick?" Chen Mu: "..." Xu Qinyi: "..." Ren Qingfeng: "..." Chen Xihong: "..." The youngsters who had gathered around fell dead silent, the words on the tips of their tongues swallowed back down. "Aha! Today we speak only of pleasure, not martial arts! Come, let us go enjoy the music and watch the plays!" Chen Xihong laughed, ushering everyone off to the performance. *** Following the banquet at the Chen Manor, Lin Zheyu set out as usual the next morning for Beast Roar Mountain to hunt and fight fierce beasts. Less than three days remained before his departure for Baishi Mountain, where he would have more than enough time to rest. Whenever he returned home with spare time, he brought out the Poison Canon to study. He drew up a list of poisons required for the first three stages of the Poison King Body. Inquiring around, he learned that most of the poisons needed for the late second stage couldn't be bought at ordinary medicine shops. The black market hadn't reopened yet, so he had no way of knowing whether they could even be found in Songyi City. Moreover, a rough calculation revealed that bringing the art to perfection in the third stage all at once would cost at least ten thousand taels of silver in medicinal ingredients. *Forget it. Upgrading the Poison King Body can't be rushed. I'll focus on raising my strength first. Once I'm stronger, earning money will be much easier, and this won't be an issue anymore.* Helpless, Lin Zheyu shelved his advancement plans for the Poison King Body until he had accumulated sufficient wealth. Cultivating this art didn't merely burn money; for ordinary people, it burned through their very lives. Three days flew by in the blink of an eye. Early morning, outside Songyi City. Lin Zheyu set out with the Feihong Gang's contingent bound for Baishi Mountain, a convoy totaling more than two hundred people. He had poured all his savings into purchasing thirty-one doses of the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction, grinding them all into powder to take along. Reduced to powder, the herbs occupied far less volume, making them extremely convenient to carry. Baishi Mountain lay not far from Lion Valley, at quite a distance from Songyi City. After nearly half a day of travel, they finally arrived. Looking up, Lin Zheyu saw that nearly half the mountain stood barren and desolate. Years of relentless mining had severely damaged the vegetation, kicking up clouds of dust that filled the air whenever the cold wind blew. Once inside Baishi Mountain, Lin Zheyu parted ways with Jia Yanyong and the others. Having received a promotion, his status was now equivalent to someone in the Viscera Tempering Realm, earning him sole responsibility over a designated zone. "From now on, Lord Lin Zheyu will oversee the southern sector adjacent to the White River. You men will follow Lord Lin and guard that sector together. Is that clear?!" Xu Chuanliang barked at the assembly. He served as the steward here, hailing from a collateral branch of the Xu clan. Standing at peak Viscera Tempering, he appeared to be around forty-five years old. "Understood, my lord!" the men answered in unison. The southern sector of Baishi Mountain, bordering the White River, had rugged terrain that made it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Guarding it was light duty. "Very well. Go on patrol," Xu Chuanliang waved them off, then turned to Lin Zheyu. "Lin Zheyu, stay behind." Lin Zheyu halted and turned to face him. "My lord, do you have instructions for me?" "Can I only look for you when something is wrong?" Xu Chuanliang patted his shoulder and smiled. "I heard you defeated that Chen Mu brat. A true hero among youth! Keep at it; in a few years, you'll be a pillar of the Feihong Gang. Come, I'll show you around Baishi Mountain's grounds." "Thank you, my lord," Lin Zheyu replied. "Baishi Mountain lies close to Lion Valley and has drawn the eye of the bandits there. They launch raids and harass us regularly," Xu Chuanliang explained as they walked. "Still, you needn't worry too much. The southern sector you're managing is naturally fortified and carries little danger. Your duties won't be heavy either. If powerful bandits strike, just lend a hand; on ordinary days, there's practically nothing to do." Listening to Xu Chuanliang's rundown, Lin Zheyu gained a clearer picture of Baishi Mountain. For the gang members, aside from the lack of entertainment and pervasive boredom, station duty here wasn't grueling in the least. On the contrary, because the pay and provisions surpassed those in the city, some even volunteered to be stationed here. *** Deep in Beast Roar Mountain. Here, ferocious beasts ran rampant, and predators roamed at every turn. *Roar—* Beast cries echoed continuously from the mountain depths. *Rustle, rustle, rustle.* A dozen burly men advanced cautiously with crossbows slung across their backs and broadswords drawn, their faces tense and their eyes tinged with fear. "Big Brother, the living corpse was spotted in the woods ahead last time," one of the men whispered. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Big Brother! I'm a deacon now—address me as Lord Deacon!" the leading man snapped. These underlings had only recently joined the Nine Nether Cult and hadn't broken their old habits yet. "Yes, Lord Deacon." "Keep moving. We must find the living corpse this time!" the self-proclaimed deacon commanded. The party split into smaller teams and began combing the surrounding area. More than half a shichen later, a bloodcurdling scream shattered the stillness from a distance. "Aargh! Help—" The cry cut off abruptly mid-sentence. Moments later, the sound of gnawing and wet chewing drifted over, followed by the sickening crunch of bone snapping beneath teeth. "Over there! Quick, shoot!" the deacon bellowed. Hearing the command, the burly men beside him raised their crossbows and loosed a volley toward the source of the noise. "Men in the rear, get ready to release the warhorses and lure the living corpse away!" the deacon shouted next. The living corpse possessed bronze skin and iron bones, impervious to ordinary blade and spear; arrows posed no threat to it at all. The shooting was merely meant to mark the creature. The arrowheads had been hollowed out to hold a special powder that would burst open on impact, coating the living corpse so they could track it down later if this attempt failed. *Awoo—!* A howl tore through the air, sounding completely unlike anything human. A figure clad in tattered rags burst from the forest. Its muscles were grotesquely engorged, its eye sockets hollow, its glare savagely ferocious. In its right hand, it clutched a severed human arm, chewing on it as it ran with wet, crunching noises, possessing terrifyingly sharp teeth. This was the living corpse they sought. With a ferocious leap, the creature vaulted high into the air, hurtling downward like a cannonball toward the men shooting in the distance. *Crash!* The living corpse slammed heavily into the ground with a dull boom, sending mud and stone flying in all directions. Tossing aside the gnawed arm, it seized the nearest man with one hand and plunged its left into his chest, ripping out a beating, fresh heart. The grisly, horrific spectacle sent the surrounding men fleeing in sheer panic. "M-Monster!" "Help! Save me—!" Screams and wails collided in chaos. Fighting down the terror constricting his chest, the deacon roared at the top of his lungs, "Now! Release the warhorses!" He bellowed toward the rear to turn the horses loose and draw the creature's attention. Living corpses craved flesh and blood, and the specially selected warhorses possessed abundant qi and blood that could easily divert its focus. *Neigh—!* Snapping out of their stupor, the men at the rear released the mounts, and four sturdy horses bolted through the woods. Seeing the objective fulfilled, the deacon turned on his heel and fled for his life. His heart hammered violently against his ribs, his body trembling with overwhelming dread. Yet it was already too late. His shouts had caught the living corpse's attention. *Roar!* The creature gave a guttural howl, discarded the gory corpse, and bounded toward the deacon with tremendous force. In his panic, the deacon slashed his saber at the oncoming monstrosity. But the blade struck as though hitting solid steel, unable to pierce it in the slightest. Instead, the violent recoil jarred his hand so hard the webbing of his thumb throbbed with agonizing pain. Tossing his weapon aside, the deacon dashed toward his fleeing subordinates. The living corpse was terrifyingly fast; there was no outrunning it alone. But as long as he could outrun his subordinates, he had a chance to survive. "Aargh!" A shrill, agonized shriek rang out. A blur of motion brought the living corpse instantly alongside the deacon. Its claw-like hands clamped onto his shoulders and tore outward with monstrous strength, ripping him in two. Flesh and gore splattered across the dirt, organs spilling across the forest floor in a sickening display. *Neigh—* Sensing mortal danger, the four steeds bolted desperately toward the perimeter of the mountains. Having slaughtered the deacon, the creature's bloodlust was fully unleashed, its eyes turning blood-red. It flicked a purplish-blue tongue over its lips, then broke into a sprint after the fleeing mounts. These four horses were Quarter Horses handpicked for their speed, capable of tremendous velocity when pushed to their limits. *Whoosh!* The living corpse wove through the forest with uncanny agility. Barely a shred of human reason remained in its form; its eyes were crimson without pupils, yet with a blink, the redness vanished entirely, replaced by a deep, pitch-black purple that looked endlessly abyssal. *Rip!* Suddenly, it leaped like a nimble ape, pouncing directly onto the trailing horse. Its razor-sharp nails thrust deep into the horse's flank, gouging out a massive, frantically beating heart. *Neigh—* The horse gave a pathetic whinny and collapsed heavily to the ground. The living corpse stretched its mouth wide, its lower jaw seemingly unhinging, opening wider and wider until it could cram the entire fresh horse heart inside. *Squelch—* It chewed a few times, dark blood spilling from the corners of its mouth, an expression of sheer bliss spreading across its face. Swallowing down the heart, the creature bared its teeth in a grin, locked its gaze onto the horses fleeing into the distance, and resumed its pursuit, surging straight out of Beast Roar Mountain. The four horses had been trained to flee toward the mountain's exit. Once the living corpse was lured out into the open, another team waiting outside would herd it along a designated path.