The Yin Corpse Sect is extremely strict in accepting disciples. Besides having corpse refinement abilities, one's cultivation must also not fall behind. Tian Baocheng is skilled in corpse refinement but lacks cultivation methods.
The sect does not turn away anyone; not only do they not reject Tian Baocheng, but they also teach him various cultivation methods and guide his practice.
However, when Tian Baocheng joined the Yin Corpse Sect, he was already over thirty, and his natural talent was insufficient. He could not cultivate deep into the Dao and remained at the beginner's stage without further progress.
Even after twenty years, Tian Baocheng only surpassed the first realm of the Xuan Sect's six realms, yet the second realm was beyond his reach for life.
If he wishes to become an inner sect disciple, he must find an alternative path.
The Yin Corpse Sect is based on corpse nurturing and refinement, and naturally lacks superior corpse sources. If Tian Baocheng can find someone with excellent bone structure and an extremely yin birth chart, and present them to the sect elders, his wish would undoubtedly be fulfilled.
Unfortunately, most individuals with extremely yin birth charts have weak bodies, and some even die young. The Yin Corpse Sect is not short of 'child corpses,' but only lacks individuals with strong bones and the extremely yin appearance.
Xu Qing's emergence happened to meet all the criteria.
Those who can walk the Ancient Yin River Dao, especially those in the Yin profession, are either extremely yang or possess a yin aspect.
The extremely yang have broad, ruddy faces and are mysterious in two colors. Xu Qing, a pale-faced young man with skin cold as frost, certainly isn't an extremely yang person.
Looking at his bone structure, his entire skeleton seems reborn. No matter which angle one looks from, even through skin and flesh, no flaws can be found!
Tian Baocheng doesn't dare to imagine the immense benefit he would receive if he were to offer Xu Qing's body to the sect.
He might even receive a longevity extension secret recipe from the sect's Benefactor of Fortune and Longevity.
After viewing the itinerant corpse driver's flickering life, Xu Qing fell into contemplation.
Is the Yin Corpse Sect truly so kind-hearted, willing to wholeheartedly teach cultivation techniques to every disciple, even if they've just joined...
If they were indeed so selfless, why did Liu Youdao's master, Yang Qiying, betray the sect, hiding in Xiangyin for a lifetime, refusing to return?
Xu Qing flipped Tian Baocheng's body and found a scorching brand mark on the back of his neck.
It appeared that some form of spell was triggered at the moment of the corpse driver's death, resulting in the current eerie markings on the skin.
Xu Qing suddenly realized.
This mark was likely some sort of trap set by the sect in Tian Baocheng after he cultivated the Yin Corpse Sect's technique.
"It's probably not true inheritance, but raising 'living corpses.'"
Xu Qing pondered. If this mark could be tracked by the Yin Corpse Sect, it implies that Yang Qiying's body might also have been extracted and retrieved by the sect to the Yin River...
Tsk, as a peer, Xu Qing was amazed.
This business model of widely accepting disciples, having them collect corpses, and then recycling the disciples' bodies after they die is truly advanced.
If only there were lamp posts, they'd surely be hung up!
Xu Qing counted his rewards: a Bloody Fiend Corpse Nourishing Technique, several Corpse Nourishing Pills, and a Corpse Armor Curse.
The Bloody Fiend Corpse Nourishing Technique, as the name implies, uses the blood of animals or living people to nourish and refine zombies.
Xu Qing has no interest in this sinister technique. For a zombie to become a Corpse Immortal, it has to follow the path of nurturing through breath; using bloody fiend will inevitably lead to the path of corpse demons, resulting in a loss of sanity sooner or later.
The Corpse Armor Curse, when cast, enables zombies to grow scales and armor. The duration depends on the amount of corpse energy in the walking corpse and enhances their ability to withstand sharp weapons.
Xu Qing's eyes lit up, "This technique is excellent!"
Although the Corpse Armor Curse is only of the Earth class, its effectiveness relates to the quality of the walking corpse. The higher the grade of the walking corpse, the stronger the corpse armor.
Xu Qing pinched his fingers and chanted:
"Taiyin Mystical Essence, Earth Sha surges and moves, forming a shielded body, Yin Sha blending, refining into mystic shield, a heavenly armor!"
As the incantation finished, Xu Qing felt a heavy energy rise from his sacrum, moving upwards, passing through the Mysterious Gate, circling the Jade Pillow once, and finally landing on his chest.
In the next moment, azure scales resembling those of a Cyan Dragon extended outward from Xu Qing's chest, quickly covering his entire body.
"The sacrum is the path of circulation, the shoulder blade a key of the Mystical Gate, the Jade Pillow, an undissolved spiritual hub..."
Xu Qing suddenly realized: this incantation is not for zombies alone but is used by corpse drivers to stimulate a zombie's bone veins and apertures, utilizing the heavy energy existing within the zombie to produce scales.
Similar to fingernails.
And the sacrum, being the longest bone in the human body, is grounded in heavenly roots and can bear the power of mountains and rivers.
This means any force applied to the corpse armor would spread through the sacrum to the earth vein, and as long as one stands on the ground, the protective ability of the corpse armor can be multiplied a hundredfold or more!
The inventor of the Corpse Armor Curse never expected that the incantation would allow a real zombie to deeply understand its principles, and that this zombie would not only grasp the workings of the curse but extrapolate further, comprehending a superior Corpse Armor Divine Technique!
Xu Qing also finally noticed something unusual: from observing the bone structure to the Corpse Armor Divine Technique, there were almost no obstacles while he practiced these techniques.
Thus, these techniques, which are supposedly very difficult to cultivate, seemed to Xu Qing as simple as eating and drinking water.
Effortlessly retracting the corpse armor, Xu Qing's eyes flickered.
This visit to the Yin Corpse Sect, he was certainly in the right place!
Behind him, the obviously young Silver Armored Corpse continued to give him a flattering look.
Xu Qing didn't understand how he could discern flattery from a walking corpse, but he could perceive all the emotions of these zombies.