Western Hunan, in the southwest.
Inside a vast underground cavern, countless stalactites hung from the stone ceiling.
Coffins stood in rows throughout the cavern. A sinister wind howled through it, and the ground was blanketed in thick layers of dry bones. If an ordinary person entered this cavern, they would likely faint from fright in an instant.
More than a dozen strange Daoists dressed in black robes, their faces obscured by wide hoods, sat atop coffin lids and spoke in low voices.
"Have any of you received news from Zhang Mu lately?"
The Daoist at the head of the group spoke.
"No. Ever since Zhang Mu contacted us a year ago, there has been no news from him."
Another man beneath him replied.
The leading strange Daoist fell silent for a moment before asking indifferently, "Where was Zhang Mu when he last contacted us?"
"Near Ren Family Town!"
The man promptly replied.
"Ren Family Town."
The leading black-robed Daoist narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Zhang Mu had been the weakest among them, which was why he had spent all these years running about in search of an opportunity to advance.
Twenty years ago, he had heard Zhang Mu mention that Ren Family Town possessed an excellent Corpse Nurturing Ground. Its old master, Ren Weiyong, also had some connection with him, so Zhang Mu had planned to place Ren Weiyong in the Corpse Nurturing Ground to refine him into a corpse. Once he drank deeply of his blood relatives' blood, he would become a Flying Zombie in one stroke.
This plan had spanned twenty years. If it succeeded, Zhang Mu would reach the Golden Core Realm after twenty years.
"Ren Weiyong."
The leading Daoist murmured the name, lightly tapping his fingers against the coffin lid as though deep in thought.
The other