Chapter 80: Bronze Corpse
An ordinary person's corpse, when buried, eventually turned to bones as the flesh was consumed by termites. However, modern society no longer permitted traditional burials, mandating cremation instead, which helped avoid many issues.
Corpses that absorbed resentment or were influenced by other special factors could gradually become aggressive entities known as "walking corpses." Different eras had different names for them. Some even said that corpses could absorb the essence of the sun and moon, eventually becoming "divine zombies," not much different from humans ascending to godhood.
Human cultivation was far simpler than that of other species. Whether it was walking corpses, ghosts, or animals gaining sentience, their path to cultivation was thousands of times harder than that of humans, with countless perishing along the way.
Zombies were generally categorized as follows: ordinary corpses, then walking corpses with rudimentary intelligence, followed by bronze corpses, silver corpses, gold corpses, then bronze zombies, silver zombies, gold zombies... Their cultivation progressed similarly to cultivators, step by step. A bronze corpse, like a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, was still at the entry level.
For human cultivators, Foundation Establishment represented a rebirth, a shedding of the mortal coil. But even with basic intelligence, these corpses still feared sunlight and preferred dark places.
"Can you deal with it?" Mu Lichuan asked, recalling some information.
Truthfully, the books in his spatial storage didn’t cover much about these things. Rumor had it that the cultivation world even had a "Corpse Driving Clan," though he wasn’t sure if that was true or if "Zombie Kings" really existed. Of course, these were just rumors, he’d need to see for himself to know for sure.
The Bloodvine gritted its teeth and said, "I’ll try... And the formation’s core is on it. That means if Master kills the bronze corpse, the formation will be completely broken." Its inherited knowledge came from its ancient, malevolent vine lineage, so its understanding of other species was limited.
Hearing this, Mu Lichuan’s forehead creased with frustration. "So unless we find and kill the bronze corpse, we might be trapped here forever?"
The horde of walking corpses stretched endlessly, a sight that made his scalp crawl. Fighting them was bad enough, but without targeting the right thing, any effort would be useless.
"Yes, Master," the Bloodvine replied in its childlike voice, tinged with excitement. If it absorbed the resentment and yin energy from these corpses, it could recover some of its damaged spiritual form.
"Why do I get the feeling you’re enjoying this?" Mu Lichuan muttered darkly, half-convinced the little thing would gorge itself until it was sick, then keep cultivating and eating endlessly.
The Bloodvine quickly reassured him, "Master, see that one? The one with the slightly different complexion, that’s the bronze corpse." It didn’t dare test its master’s patience. Its current life was comfortable enough.
"Those corpses are all blocking my view. How am I supposed to see anything?" He couldn’t fly or tunnel underground, he wasn’t some immortal. And even immortals didn’t live forever.
The Bloodvine’s red tendrils lashed out, draining the surrounding corpses of their energy until they shriveled into desiccated husks, leaving nothing but rotting skin. The bronze corpse was suddenly exposed.
"Gurgle… gurgle…" The bronze corpse let out a low growl before commanding the other corpses to shield it again, cutting off Mu Lichuan’s line of sight before the walking corpses swarmed him once more.
"It seems the bronze corpse is afraid of you," Mu Lichuan mused. He doubted it feared him, aside from the Bloodvine, he had nothing particularly threatening on him.
"Of course it fears me. I’m an ancient malevolent vine," the Bloodvine boasted, oozing pride.
"Then killing the bronze corpse is your job," Mu Lichuan decided. Time was running short. The bronze corpse likely only sensed the Bloodvine, he was still hidden. Otherwise, all the walking corpses would be attacking him instead.
The Bloodvine protested immediately. "Master, in my current state, I can’t drain a bronze corpse. That’s up to you. I’ll handle the other walking corpses."
Mu Lichuan nodded. Drawing his sword, he took advantage of the Bloodvine’s distraction and struck at the bronze corpse. He had no intention of fighting honorably—not against a mindless corpse.
"Gurgle—!" The bronze corpse’s face split open, oozing a faint purple liquid but nothing else. Compared to the other walking corpses, this one was relatively clean, its skin not as deathly gray.
Mu Lichuan realized the bronze corpse’s strength likely surpassed his own. If not for the ambush, he’d be at a severe disadvantage. He pressed his assault, but each strike aimed at its heart fell just short.
"Master, hurry! Your hidden presence won’t last much longer," the Bloodvine urged, its voice growing agitated from absorbing too much yin energy.
The bronze corpse, though dim-witted, grew increasingly furious as it failed to locate its attacker. It lashed out indiscriminately, even slaughtering some of its own walking corpses in its rage.
"Gurgle…!" It issued another command, ordering the corpses to attack the unseen foe. But the high-level invisibility talisman made it nearly impossible to detect Mu Lichuan.
Seeing the bronze corpse shielded once more, Mu Lichuan smirked. Did it really think hiding would save it? "Feint east, strike west," he mouthed to the Bloodvine.
The Bloodvine immediately drew the walking corpses away, its surging yin energy making even the bronze corpse hesitate in fear. Seizing the moment, Mu Lichuan drove his sword straight into the creature’s chest. The blade struck something hard, and the walking corpses suddenly turned on each other in chaos.
"The formation is broken?" Outside, the two elders sensed the shift in spiritual energy, their faces lighting up with surprise. They had expected a much longer struggle, this was far quicker than anticipated.
"It must be." They led Mi Shen inside, waving a hand to disperse the remaining walking corpses into dust without a second glance.
Though Mi Shen’s expression remained neutral, the faint curl of his lips betrayed his satisfaction.
True enough, Mu Lichuan soon emerged from the formation’s core. With no more corpses pouring out of the morgue, their task was largely complete.
"Young friend, you surpass even us," Mi Yong praised without reservation. In all their years, they had never seen such a prodigious talent.
Mu Lichuan, his spiritual energy depleted and breathing ragged, shook his head. "You flatter me, Elder. I merely got lucky."
And he meant it. Without the Bloodvine’s help, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against the horde, let alone the bronze corpse. Being torn apart would’ve been the best outcome.
"Young friend, don’t you know? For cultivators, luck plays a significant role," Mi Yong chuckled before tidying up the morgue’s aftermath.
Mu Lichuan waved off Mi Shen’s offered hand. "I need to rest."
The elders didn’t stop him, instructing Mi Shen to escort him back.
"I doubt Young Master Mu will become the Mi family’s guardian," the silent elder in brown remarked.
Mi Yong nodded. "The young have their own paths. I’ve no time to meddle. But…" He paused. "Could the Corpse Driving Clan truly exist? Who else would know such formations, let alone enable ordinary corpses to cultivate?"
If not for the severity of the situation, these old recluses wouldn’t have emerged from their mountains. Left unchecked, it could’ve thrown the mortal world into chaos.
"Enough. The culprit didn’t escalate further. Let Young Master Mu handle the rest." The elder shrugged. Mortal affairs were beyond them.
Mi Yong agreed. In a flash of sword light, the two vanished as if they’d never been there.
Elsewhere, Mi Rong collapsed to the ground as the artifacts on the altar shattered violently, nearly injuring him.
"F-Failed?" he stammered. The master had gone into seclusion, he couldn’t summon him back now. But the bitterness gnawed at him.
Twenty years of meticulous planning, all progressing smoothly—until now. Were there other experts interfering?
"No… I can’t accept this. Not when I was so close to seizing the dragon’s energy!" His mind teetered on the edge of madness.
The vault door burst open as police stormed in. "Mi Rong! You’re under arrest!"
He had escaped custody before, but now, there was no running.
"I’m innocent! Innocent!" he roared, eyes bloodshot, dark energy writhing around him.
"Ugh..." The nearest officers clutched their heads in agony as Mi Rong seized the chance to sink his teeth into them, feasting with frenzied delight, his eyes glowing crimson.
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