Translator: CinderTL
"Precious medicine..."
The old man in white stroked his beard, furrowing his brow as he pondered. He had never heard of any treasure that could help someone break through using precious medicine.
But the world was full of countless wonders, so it wasn't surprising that there were things he hadn't heard of. Moreover, it was possible that this person truly possessed extraordinary talent.
Still, reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection in his early twenties was truly astonishing. Comparing himself, the old man had only reached Foundation Establishment Perfection in his seventies. The difference was stark.
"Is he really in his early twenties?" The old man doubted whether Cui Yousheng had made a mistake. How could someone with such talent have emerged from that spiritually barren land?
Cui Yousheng hesitated, his voice uncertain. "My junior family members said that when Xu Sanyan first gained recognition, he was only in the Initial Stage of the Celestial Being Realm. And in just a year, he's already reached Foundation Establishment Perfection..."
"Is that true?" The old man's eyebrows furrowed, then his eyes flickered. "Whether it's true or not, we must go see for ourselves."
Such rapid cultivation was far from normal. Rumor had it that some Heavenly Earth Treasures could help cultivators break through incredibly quickly. Perhaps this young man possessed one...
"Who else knows about this?"
"No one."
"Good. Take me to see him," the old man said softly.
Heavenly Earth Treasures were incredibly rare. Even a mere suspicion was enough to warrant a personal visit.
"Yes."
The two men descended the mountain and headed toward the city, unaware that Xu Sanyan had already left.
Under the inky night sky, Qin Manyang shifted her feet, slowly closing in on Xu Sanyan.
"What are you doing?" Xu Sanyan turned his head.
Qin Manyang lowered her voice, asking, "I still don't know your name."
"Xu Sanyan."
"How old are you?"
"Half a foot."
"Huh?"
Qin Manyang covered her mouth with her small hand, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"I meant your age."
She had seen the place before, proving Xu Sanyan hadn't lied.
"Forty-five."
Xu Sanyan didn't dare reveal he was still under twenty. Breaking through to Foundation Establishment Perfection at his age would be too shocking.
"Oh..."
Qin Manyang's gaze kept drifting downward, her mind lost in thought.
The two chatted idly as the sky gradually brightened, a golden ray of dawn illuminating the village ahead.
Xu Sanyan stopped, sniffing the air and frowning slightly. "Such a strong smell of blood..."
"I doubt there are any survivors left in that village," Qin Manyang agreed, having caught the scent as well.
"Let's go around," Xu Sanyan said, unwilling to stir up trouble.
"Aren't you curious?" Qin Manyang, on the other hand, seemed thrilled. She loved a good spectacle.
No matter what she experienced, whether good or bad, righteous or evil, it would all become a catalyst for her breakthrough into the Dao Seeking Realm.
"Just a bunch of dead people. What's so interesting about that?"
"You're new to the Central Region, so you might not know. The Source Worship Sect and two other righteous Great Sects, along with seventeen medium-sized sects and the two great dynasties, once jointly issued a decree. To maintain stability in the Central Region, they forbade the indiscriminate killing of innocents and the slaughter of entire villages or settlements. Violators would be severely punished."
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. So there was such a rule. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "Didn't you say the Crimson Heart Faction of the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect often committed acts of village slaughter and clan extermination?"
"That's right. That's why they became a Demonic Sect, and everyone is justified in hunting them down," Qin Manyang said, spreading her hands. She then pointed towards a distant village. "This village belongs to the Yu Dynasty and is within the territory of the Vast Origin Sect, a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Demonic Sect. It's unlikely the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect was involved."
Xu Sanyan shook his head. "Let's not get involved. Our priority is to reach the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect as quickly as possible. Besides, even if we get there, how will we even join them?"
"Simple. To join a demonic sect, you just need to offer a blood oath. Killing a righteous cultivator or wiping out a village would do the trick."
Xu Sanyan nodded. It was indeed not difficult.
Qin Manyang said, "You go ahead first. I'll take a look inside and catch up with you soon."
"Alright."
Xu Sanyan didn't press the matter. The two briefly parted ways. After a moment, Qin Manyang caught up, panting heavily. "Huff... the villagers are all dead. Their blood essence has been completely drained. Judging from the wounds, it was the work of a Corpse Walker."
"Corpse Walker?" Xu Sanyan had never heard of this term before and couldn't help but be curious.
"They're also practitioners of the Demonic Path, but they don't belong to the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect. They're solitary cultivators, wandering from place to place, causing chaos wherever they go," Qin Manyang said, her voice filled with disdain.
"Their methods are similar to your puppet's," she added, gesturing at the Ferocious Demon behind them.
"Then why would they slaughter an entire village?"
"Who knows? Maybe to feed zombies."
Xu Sanyan nodded, his mind racing. This Central Region was nothing like Great Qi. There, his cultivation allowed him to walk with impunity, but here, he had to tread carefully.
Just the Abbess Ci Sheng had forced him to use every trick in his arsenal to barely secure victory. And this girl before him remained an enigma.
Unaware of his thoughts, Qin Manyang continued to scan her surroundings, never staying still for a moment.
Suddenly, Qin Manyang stopped, her nose twitching slightly as she stared intently at the distance. Xu Sanyan, noticing this, asked, "What's wrong?"
Qin Manyang whispered, "I smell the Corpse Walker."
Xu Sanyan was surprised. He hadn't detected anything, which suggested that this woman's cultivation might be superior to his own.
"Corpse Walkers never bathe and spend all day with zombies. They always carry a foul, putrid stench," Qin Manyang said with a look of disgust.
"Let's go check it out," Qin Manyang said before Xu Sanyan could reply, quickly chasing after the figures ahead.
Xu Sanyan frowned slightly. He didn't want to stir up trouble, but he still needed Qin Manyang to lead the way. So he followed at a distance, close enough to react to any sudden developments.
However, since she dared to actively seek out the Corpse Walker, Qin Manyang must have some confidence. Though she seemed eccentric, she was far from foolish.
From afar, Xu Sanyan saw eight figures walking in a line, their steps stiff and unnatural. Qin Manyang was following them at a distance.
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes to get a better look. The eight figures were dressed identically in tattered brown-black robes, and their expressions were obscured by the angle.
"Which one is the Corpse Walker...?" Xu Sanyan murmured to himself.
According to Qin Manyang, one of the eight figures should be a living person, while the other seven were zombies. But now, they all looked exactly the same.
Did the Corpse Walker deliberately dress like the zombies, or was there something else going on?
Qin Manyang glanced back and saw Xu Sanyan. She waved him over.
Seeing no immediate danger, Xu Sanyan hurried forward. Qin Manyang whispered, "The third one is the Corpse Walker. The rest are zombies."
Xu Sanyan examined them closely but couldn't tell the difference. "How did you figure that out?"
"Hmph, young man, you still have much to learn," Qin Manyang said with a smug smile, offering no explanation.
Xu Sanyan didn't press the issue. It was likely a secret.
(End of the Chapter)
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