Panel upgrade!
Starting tomorrow, all experience gained would be doubled!
With double experience awarded in the daily settlement, wouldn't his Unorthodox Path cultivation speed surge all over again?
At present, without using the Corpse Nurturing Incantation to cultivate the Black Zombie and relying only on the Corpse Nurturing Bead, the Black Zombie could gain 18 experience points a day. Over the past ten days or so, including the Yin Souls it had captured, its experience had reached 250/500.
Under normal circumstances, the remaining 250 experience points would take about thirteen more days. But if experience was doubled—
It wouldn't even take seven days!
In less than seven days, the Black Zombie could advance from the initial stage to the middle stage.
And once it reached the middle stage, with its second level of Blood Transformation Body, it wouldn't fear even a Yin Soul Ghost Cultivator encountered at night.
Take today's spoils, for example.
At the height of his power in the dark, even the Black Zombie could be easily subdued.
Moreover, with double experience, the Blood Transformation Body could improve quickly as well. Its experience currently stood at 120/1000.
Without using Cultivator's Essence Blood, it would take roughly seventy-three days to reach the third level.
Once experience gains doubled, it would take only about thirty-six days!
Thirty-six days.
The Blood Transformation Body would reach the third level!
Just thinking about it gave Wen Jiu chills.
Judging by how it fared against Yin Souls so far, the second level of the Blood Transformation Body could definitely withstand ordinary Yin Souls comparable to Qi Refining Second Layer cultivators. Once it reached the third level, even ghost cultivators on par with Qi Refining Third Layer cultivators might be helpless against it.
To put it more broadly—
Qi Refining Third Layer cultivators like Li Ye and Wang Nian probably wouldn't be able to inflict any substantial harm on it.
Of course—
That was assuming they didn't use spells or talismans specifically meant to counter zombies.
Though he didn't yet know whether such spells and talismans would counter the Black Zombie's Blood Transformation Body, Wen Jiu would assume they could.
That way—
He wouldn't get carried away.
He wouldn't underestimate his opponents.
Cultivating immortality—
Required caution.
The Unorthodox Path—
Required even more caution!
Wen Jiu's gaze immediately fell on his personal panel. A new skill had appeared under the Black Zombie's skills.
[Black Zombie Skill: Blood Transformation Body Second Level (120/1000) + Ghost Law: Three Rivers Ghost Concealment Beginner (0/100) +]
An explanation followed.
[Three Rivers Ghost Concealment · Ghost Law] [Zombies and ghosts follow different paths, and their arts cannot be combined. But an aberrant Black Zombie is no ordinary Black Zombie, so it can transform corpse qi and Yin Qi into ghost qi and thereby use ghost arts. Three Rivers Ghost Concealment has three levels. Upon reaching the third level, it can conceal its body in darkness for extended periods. Even in daylight, it can hide its breath, change its qi, and silence its sound. Ordinary cultivators cannot detect it, and only spells or talismans that break concealment can expose it.]
"Ghost arts!"
Wen Jiu stared at the information panel, dazed.
He truly hadn't expected that devouring a Yin Soul Ghost Cultivator would bring him such a surprise.
It seemed his decision to seek out Yin Souls during the day while pretending to be weak had been exactly right. Otherwise, the creature might easily have escaped.
Then—
Wen Jiu looked at the plus sign beside it.
It could be upgraded!
Wen Jiu immediately tapped it.
Corpse qi -1
[Remaining corpse qi: 119]
"Good thing I've made a habit of saving up."
Wen Jiu immediately spent a hundred experience points to max out the beginner level.
Three Rivers Ghost Concealment instantly advanced to the first level.
[Black Zombie Skill: Blood Transformation Body Second Level (120/1000) + Ghost Law: Three Rivers Ghost Concealment First Level (0/500) +]
The next day.
Wen Jiu took the Black Zombie deep into the Dead Corpse Land, eager to test Three Rivers Ghost Concealment.
At a thought from Wen Jiu, the surging corpse qi instantly transformed into eerie black ghost qi, shrouding the Black Zombie and rendering it invisible.
Even from just inches away—
Unless he had a spiritual connection with it—
Wen Jiu couldn't sense its presence. Even when his Spiritual Sense swept over it, he felt nothing.
It was absurd.
Most terrifying of all, after the Black Zombie used the ghost art, the corpse qi throughout its body actually turned into ghost qi.
It completely enveloped it.
Its form became impossible to make out.
It was as if the figure standing before him wasn't a zombie at all, but a true Yin Soul Ghost Cultivator.
"Perhaps this move will come in handy at a critical moment." Wen Jiu resolved never to let anyone learn of it.
Then—
Wen Jiu tested how long Three Rivers Ghost Concealment lasted.
As expected—
Not long.
Only a scant fifty breaths.
But that was enough.
Evening.
Red clouds tinged the horizon.
The Immortal Cranes cried out in the distant mountains, while strange beasts roared without end.
From time to time, cultivators flew past on swords or boats through the sea of clouds overhead.
If one looked only at all this, it was an immortal paradise everyone yearned for, a place of cultivation that everyone dreamed of.
On the dirt road, Wen Ya carried a large bowl, making her way carefully toward Wen Jiu's lodgings, her face full of anticipation and smiles.
She passed one wooden hut after another.
She walked down one path after another.
Just then, Fang Zheng and two others, on their way home, passed Wen Ya. After a few steps, they stopped in place. The three exchanged glances, recognizing her as Wen Jiu's older sister.
"Here's our chance."
Fang Zheng spoke.
The other two nodded.
One after another, they walked toward Wen Ya.
"Sister Wen Ya?"
Fang Zheng called out to her.
Wen Ya froze and glanced back at Fang Zheng. Seeing him walk toward her, she instinctively took a step back.
"So it really is you, Sister Wen Ya... Fellow Daoist Wen often tells us he has a wonderful older sister who brings him food every day. I never thought we'd run into you." Fang Zheng stopped a half-zhang away from Wen Ya, beaming.
Not too close.
But not too far, either.
That put Wen Ya at ease, and her wariness quickly ebbed.
"No, no," Wen Ya replied with a smile.
But before she could say more, Fang Zheng's expression turned serious. "Since you're Fellow Daoist Wen's own sister, there's something I don't know whether I should mention... It concerns him."
"Go on!" The moment she heard it concerned her younger brother, Wen Ya hurriedly asked.
Fang Zheng exchanged glances with the other two, then continued in a grave voice. "Fellow Daoist Wen wouldn't listen to our advice back then. He insisted on choosing the Unorthodox Path... A few days ago, I heard that Steward Xu loathes the Unorthodox Path, because his father was killed by someone from it!"
"Ah!"
Wen Ya's expression changed dramatically.
She suddenly recalled the utter hatred on Old Madam Xu's face whenever the Unorthodox Path came up.
Fang Zheng shook his head helplessly and continued, "However, I heard the Gathering Righteousness Hall seems quite interested in Fellow Daoist Wen, but he won't join them either... I really don't know what he's thinking. The Gathering Righteousness Hall was founded by a manager of the Night Patrol Division, and it has a steward backing it. If he joined, he'd have a powerful patron."
Wen Ya's expression shifted again. "That boy..."
But just as she was about to say something, a trace of suspicion crept into her heart.
Why were they telling her all this?
"I'll talk to him about it," Wen Ya said perfunctorily, then turned to leave.
Fang Zheng hurriedly stopped her and continued, "Sister Wen Ya, actually, I have an idea."
"What idea?"
Wen Ya didn't dare move forward.
She couldn't help taking two steps back.
"You could join the Gathering Righteousness Hall. I refuse to believe Fellow Daoist Wen would still turn them down after you joined."
After Fang Zheng finished speaking—
He smiled to himself.
He only needed to wait for Wen Ya to agree.
"I can't. I'm only a servant..."
Wen Ya hurriedly shook her head.
Fang Zheng insisted, "Sister Wen Ya, I have connections."
"Well..." Wen Ya was at a loss. But she didn't dare force her way past them, since, when all was said and done, she was only a servant.
The three men carried themselves with an air of distinction. They clearly came from important backgrounds.
Seeing her reaction, Fang Zheng stopped pressing and smiled. "It's fine, Sister Wen Ya. Take your time to think it over... But you'd better not tell Fellow Daoist Wen about this. Once he finds out, he'll definitely stop you."
"Okay."
Wen Ya nodded.
After giving Fang Zheng a few more perfunctory replies, she hurried away.
As soon as Wen Ya was gone—
Fang Zheng and the other two exchanged glances.
One of them seemed anxious to the point of desperation and hurriedly asked, "Brother Fang, I don't think she believes us. She'll probably turn around and tell him about this."
"Whether she believes us or not, whether she tells him or not, it doesn't matter. The Gathering Righteousness Hall and Steward Xu are enemies. As long as I spread the word that Wen Ya has been in contact with the Gathering Righteousness Hall, the Xu Family will almost certainly get angry over it... Do you think a servant like her can still keep her position as a concubine? That'll leave Wen Jiu with nowhere to turn, at our mercy!"
Fang Zheng grinned slyly.
Recruit Wen Jiu?
No!
Now, he only wanted to drive Wen Jiu into a dead end.
The Unorthodox Path.
Qi Refining Layer One?
You refused to join.
Well, I don't want you either!
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