Underground Street, Xu Qing carried large bags and small bags of specialty goods from the Capital City, looking no different from a common folk who had just returned from a trade journey.
Although he spent quite a bit on incense candles during this trip, almost losing money, at least he managed to bounce back with the Hidden Corpse.
Seeing Xu Qing return, a tall woman suddenly rushed out from the shop, heading straight for him.
"Hey hey! You still think you're a cat, huh? I'm still carrying stuff in my hands!"
Xuan Yu, who was always managing the shop, was currently embodied in Sun Erniang. The Female Zombie was tall and, as she dashed towards him, her head inadvertently rammed into Xu Qing's chin.
It didn't hurt, just sparks flew outward!
The silver-armored Female Zombie was already impervious to knives and bullets. When she hit Xu Qing, who's wearing corpse armor, it was like a hammer striking an anvil.
In the Incense and Candle Shop, Cheng Caiyun heard the commotion and came to the door with her rice bowl.
The shop owner stood at the entrance, took a glance; under broad daylight, at the door of the Funeral Shop, there was an indecent couple clinging to each other, heedless of their surroundings.
Taking another look at the pair of swallows chirping and flitting under the eaves of the Funeral Shop, Cheng Caiyun found her breakfast less appetizing.
"Sigh..."
She sighed softly, the widow reminiscing about her lost youth.
...
Inside the Funeral Shop, a zombie and a cat are living together.
Xu Qing brewed a pot of fish soup, and the cat, hissing at the heat, wanted to eat but was afraid to burn its mouth.
Ordinarily, hot soup reaches a limit, but Xu Qing's Spirit Fish broth, for some reason, was exceptionally scalding.
Being an expert in eating fish, Xuan Yu quickly identified the problem's source.
Usually, clear fish broth is milky white, but today's fish soup was golden yellow.
The taste also differed from typical Spirit Fish.
Xuan Yu questioned, and Xu Qing casually fished out a bowl-sized scale from the pot.
"What is this?" Feeling the intense blood energy wafting from the blue-gold scale, Xuan Yu's eyes widened.
"No idea, perhaps a shed scale from some demon fish, judging by its appearance it should be a big demon..."
As he spoke, Xu Qing's fingertip sprouted a segment of nail tinged with a dark-golden matte finish.
The nail extended just half an inch long, followed by a bizarre Yin-Burning Fire flaring up, instantly enveloping the corpse armor.
The scalding heat, paired with sharp nails, swept across the blue-gold scale, quickly slicing the tough scale into several pieces.
Xu Qing's graceful action resembled slicing steak, as Xuan Yu watched the fish scales already cut, she for the first time doubted whether her teeth could withstand the challenge.
Then she looked at Xu Qing, chomping away like eating pebbles.
Ever since breaking through with the Hidden Corpse, Xu Qing gained two exceedingly convenient abilities: one was after subduing the mountain tiger lord, his nails could freely extend and retract, extending over a foot long or retracting entirely under the skin.
The other ability was Corpse Teeth.
Now, even if Xu Qing ate Copper Pills and Iron Pills, it was like eating beans, just casually chewing them would render them into mush.
The inch-long Corpse Teeth could also freely retract.
Xu Qing guessed that those cultivators with copper heads and iron bones, perhaps too could chew Copper Pills.
But truly comparing, in the same realm, no person or demon's biting power could rival a zombie's.
"If Xuan Yu can't bite through, I can help chew first."
"..."
Though Xuan Yu's teeth weren't as strong as Xu Qing's, being a cat demon with centuries of cultivation, it was improbable she'd resort to eating processed food.
Although ordinary cats sometimes indeed need humans to chew and feed them...
But she was not one of those useless little cats that solely depend on humans!
After finishing the morning meal for worn-out teeth, Xuan Yu eagerly took Xu Qing to the side room.
Seeing Xuan Yu's mysterious demeanor, Xu Qing was thoroughly puzzled.
Until he pushed open the door, Xu Qing froze on the spot!
Only to see, in the frost-filled side room, piles of various corpses.
Men and women, young and old, some with heads, some headless, some with wide eyes, others with closed eyes, plus some wearing prison uniforms.
Xu Qing took a rough count, at least eighty corpses.
To prevent decay, many Ice Soul Talismans were pasted in the room, and the bodies were coated with aloe powder for moisture and anti-decay.
"These corpses..." Xu Qing eyed Xuan Yu with suspicion.
She leapt onto the coffin lid, raised her neck, proudly showcasing her masterpiece.
"These were collected by the shop during your absence."
"Some are from the Government Office, some were sent by Li Si, and a few were thieves who sneaked into Shuimen Bridge Villa, trying to steal, yet were scared to death."
Xuan Yu listed them thoroughly.
Xu Qing identified them one by one, indeed as described by Xuan Yu, all matching.
Even those scared-to-death thieves still maintained a look of horror.
Xu Qing looked at the sensible and well-behaved Xuan Yu, speechless for a long time.
Such a home-managing virtuous cat, he must have accumulated considerable merit to wed it home.
...
At noon, Xu Qing digested his meal and took the opportunity to visit some acquaintances.
Yizhen Daozhang returned recently, Xu Qing didn't have much to gift, so he simply offered some self-made rouge and powder. As a frequenter in corpse maquillage, he was practically a top-tier makeup artisan, thus the aromatics were naturally high-quality, suitable for the Corpse Consort.
As for acquaintances in the Government Office, like Counselor Tang Zhou, Gatekeeper Qin Grandpa, and a few familiar Government Officials, Xu Qing brushed off much more casually. He dunked the Wine Worm in a water jar, had each person carry one jar, and settled the matter.
Yet even the 'fake wine' Xu Qing casually gifted far exceeded any good wines by several streets, even compared to Drunken Immortal Pavillion's famed Drunken Immortal Brew, which might not be on par with his wine.