I, Yang He, Corpse Immortal, Pay Up

Daoist Priest Qingfeng's pupils dilated as he saw figures slowly approaching on the mountain path.

The figure appeared to be no older than eleven or twelve, holding a copper coin sword. Judging by their attire, they should be from a Daoist sect, but…

But the mountains were still a forbidden zone for mortals. How could a Daoist Initiate be here?

"Master, could it be…"

"Don't speak."

Daoist Priest Qingfeng interrupted Mingshan's words, took out a spirit talisman, and placed it on his forehead. Instantly, a faint glow appeared in his eyes, and the dense fog became clearly visible.

What followed was a shocking and awe-inspiring sight.

The Daoist Initiate walked as if no one else was there, humming an unknown nursery rhyme. At least two to three hundred Malevolent Spirits crawled around them, and they stepped on the Malevolent Spirits, with Head Ghosts hanging from the branches in front of them.

"He's not… human, he absolutely can't be alive!!"

Daoist Priest Qingfeng had been a disciple of Qianyuan Mountain for nearly forty years, and this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre and inexplicable situation. For a moment, he panicked.

The Daoist Initiate was already a hundred meters away.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng gasped. It wasn't a Daoist Initiate at all; it was a corpse!!

The Daoist Initiate had no yang energy on his body, his fangs protruded, his pale skin was dotted with corpse spots, and his hair was a reddish-brown color only seen on zombies.

No.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng peered closely. Three fiercely burning yin fires hovered above his head and on both shoulders. Could it be the legendary...

Hanba?!!

Could this be the Malevolent Spirit Madam Yin had attracted?

The Daoist Initiate stopped in front of the Five Lights Temple. Daoist Priest Qingfeng retreated repeatedly.

"Mingshan, Mingshui, I will use the Paper Horse Technique to try and send you to the foot of the mountain. Remember to protect Madam Yin. As for whether you can survive, alas, it will depend on fate."

Mingshui was too terrified to reply, while Mingshan sensed something was amiss.

"Master, could that person be a fellow disciple from Qianyuan Mountain?"

Daoist Priest Qingfeng's hand, which was about to perform the spell, froze. He thought of the rumors about Qianyuan Mountain. Although he didn't know the specific title of the True Disciple of Golden Light Cave, almost everyone knew of the Corpse Daoist's existence.

The Daoist Initiate's face showed a smile, and the corpse-like features on his body slowly disappeared. The three yin fires transformed into yang fire, and a vertical eye opened between his eyebrows.

In an instant, the surrounding ghosts smelled the sweet scent of yang energy and lunged towards the Daoist Initiate madly.

"I'll borrow your pupils for a moment!"

The Daoist Initiate chuckled, his ghost hand gripping the copper coin sword that emerged from his back. As he stepped forward, he accurately thrust the sword several times.

He then entered the range of the Five Lights Temple. The surrounding ghosts roared but dared not pursue him.

Pus and blood dripped from the gaps between the ghost hand's fingers.

Amidst the screams of the Malevolent Spirits, the Daoist Initiate took the eyeballs handed to him by the ghost hand. "Including the three I obtained earlier, the quantity is sufficient."

"If I don't succeed in advancing this time, there are plenty of eyeballs outside the temple anyway."

Daoist Priest Qingfeng observed the Daoist Initiate. After he stopped maintaining the corpse-severing immortal body, Yang He's appearance was that of a handsome, ordinary Daoist Initiate.

Mingshan swallowed, "Master, could that be the Corpse Daoist from Golden Light Cave?"

Yang He noticed the flayed corpse in front of the main hall and knew the situation was not optimistic. He immediately opened his mouth and spat out the Shoushan Stone Dharma Seal.

"This humble Daoist is Yang He, the True Disciple of Golden Light Cave, Qianyuan Mountain."

"I have come to the Five Lights Temple to escort my… Junior brother to Chaoge City."

Yang He felt that in terms of status, Nezha was definitely above him, and he might even need to rely on Nezha in the future, so he referred to himself as a junior brother.

As soon as he said this, the officials and nobles present wished they could immediately prostrate themselves before him.

When Yang He entered the Lore World, he was in the mountains and almost met an unfavorable end.

Fortunately, he had the corpse-severing immortal body. After undergoing corpse transformation, he only consumed a few years of his lifespan. Now, he wasn't even afraid of death and dissipation; at worst, he would waste his Spiritual Vision to revive.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng's expression was strange. After confirming that the inscription on the dharma seal was correct, he hurried to welcome him.

He found that Yang He's exposed cultivation was only at the Acquired Realm. He, a cultivator of the Innate Realm, was helpless within the Five Lights Temple. What was the difference between the Acquired Realm and courting death?

Could he be mistaken?

The ghost hand that Yang He controlled was precisely the Three-Headed, Six-Armed Dharma Body. The method of transforming into a half-human, half-corpse was likely some kind of innate immortal body.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng dismissed his doubts. With Yang He's talent, he was destined to achieve immortality and enlightenment. If he didn't have some confidence, why would he come to take such a risk? Immortal Venerable Taiyi would not allow his disciples to act recklessly.

He truly is the Corpse Daoist!

"Junior brother Qingfeng greets senior brother. Mingshan, Mingshui, pay your respects to martial uncle."

Daoist Priest Qingfeng was merely a registered disciple. Regardless of his cultivation level or how long he had been a disciple, he had to address any True Disciple as junior brother.

Mingshan and Mingshui felt an unusual sense of closeness seeing Yang He, who was around their age.

"Martial Uncle!"

"Martial Uncle."

Yang He knew there was no time for pleasantries; otherwise, he truly wanted to display his elder's authority.

He turned to Li Feng. "General, what is your name?"

Li Feng said with slight awkwardness, "Immortal Master, this humble general Li Feng is from Chentang Pass. I once witnessed the divine might of Immortal Venerable Taiyi..."

Yang He hadn't expected Li Feng to be such a chatterbox in his youth. He quickly interrupted, "Li Feng, immediately organize everyone to go to the main hall, including the Temple Priest. And find the Temple Master, Miaoyin!"

"Yes, this humble general will go immediately."

As if they had found their anchor, the crowd flowed into the main hall in an orderly fashion.

"Junior Brother Qingfeng."

Yang He didn't stand on ceremony. "Can you set up a magic array in the main hall? The Living Immortal's true form is difficult to discern. For now, dealing with the Malevolent Spirits is the best course of action."

"Junior Brother carries array flags with him. Setting it up will only take a moment."

"Hurry it up."

Yang He narrowed his eyes. "I have a feeling it... is going to kill again."

Mingshan and Mingshui shivered. Corpses had died right before their eyes, their loved ones were nearby, yet no one could detect the Living Immortal's actions.

Yang He walked into the main hall. In the center was a blackened statue, and various altars were placed around it.

"Guards!"

Two deputy generals quickly approached.

"Throw all the objects in the main hall outside. Leave no blind spots."

Yang He then called for Mingshan and Mingshui. Just as he was about to have them convey the patterns of the Living Immortal's movements, he suddenly heard the sound of something heavy landing outside the door.

The smell of blood permeated the air.

Four corpses were piled on top of each other. Their skin had already been peeled off. Judging by their clothing, they should have been soldiers.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng had now finished setting up the twelve array flags. Curses appeared on the walls, and the main hall was enveloped in golden light, as if danger had been isolated.

He clearly also knew the patterns of the Living Immortal. Without Yang He needing to remind him, he gathered the pilgrims together, ensuring their line of sight covered the main hall as much as possible.

"Immortal Master, Miaoyin has been found. Damn it, Five Lights Temple worships nothing but Malevolent Spirits."

Li Feng strode into the hall carrying Miaoyin, with over a dozen soldiers behind him. The old Temple Priest pointed at the corpses by the door and shouted maniacally, "He's become immortal! He's become immortal!!"

The main doors closed, and silence fell outside the hall.

Li Feng slapped Miaoyin a few times before the latter regained some semblance of sanity.

"It's about to become immortal. We're all going to die..."

Yang He's expression turned grim. "Tell me, how many human skins does it need to peel to become immortal?"

"Forty-nine!"

"Seven at a time, it has already peeled fourteen human skins. There's no time! The Living Immortal will be annihilated if it doesn't become immortal within seven days. It won't let anyone go!!"

Daoist Priest Qingfeng breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, Senior Brother reminded me. Most people are gathered in the main hall, otherwise..."

Miaoyin repeatedly banged his head against the ground.

"I caused Five Lights Temple to be destroyed. Fifteen attendants are locked in the south side hall. It... has already gone to peel skins. The Living Immortal will only become more terrifying!"

Yang He secretly considered whether to seize the opportunity to advance to the Pupil Ghost realm.