Advanced Stage Black Zombie

[Black Zombie -- Nurturing (Advanced Stage 0/2000)]

After reaching the Advanced Stage, Wen Jiu could clearly sense the Black Zombie's Corpse Qi steadily climbing through their bond, even from outside the Dead Corpse Land. The Yin Energy of the burial ground also surged along with it.

In an instant, the Yin Energy within a hundred-zhang radius of the Black Zombie's burial site reached its peak.

It was enough to rival the central area of the Dead Corpse Land.

One corpse was equivalent to a hundred or even a thousand dead corpses!

Fortunately, it was within the Dead Corpse Land, so no Night Patrol Division disciples were patrolling.

If this terrifying aura had spread elsewhere, it would have definitely startled Night Patrol Division cultivators into drawing their swords and casting spells.

Immediately after.

An unexpected situation suddenly occurred for Wen Jiu.

The terrifying Corpse Qi and Yin Energy that had been spreading like ripples were suddenly sucked back into the Black Zombie's body.

Within a hundred zhang.

The Black Zombie's aura vanished completely.

"Is this Qi Concealment?"

He had only heard of Qi Refining Cultivators concealing their Qi and breath.

Cultivators of the same realm, or those a minor realm higher, would be unable to locate a Qi Concealer or ascertain their true realm without careful probing with their Spiritual Sense.

He hadn't expected the Black Zombie to have autonomously learned this after reaching the Advanced Stage.

This was for the best.

It would allow for low-profile corpse nurturing.

And low-profile corpse hiding.

"Now that it's reached the Advanced Stage, the next step is to cultivate it into a Walking Corpse," Wen Jiu's mind quickly flashed through the Yin Province Corpse Raising Method.

The Black Zombie could be nurtured in a Corpse Nurturing Ground, but cultivating it into a Walking Corpse was no longer simple.

It was like a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator breaking through to the Fourth Layer. Though it seemed like only one layer's difference, it represented the gap between early and mid-stage. Breaking through this layer was far more difficult than all the cultivation of the previous three layers combined.

This was one of the reasons why the Night Patrol Division had over a dozen stewards but only three deacons.

The Yin Province Corpse Raising Method recorded that for a Black Zombie to be cultivated into a Walking Corpse, it first required a large amount of blood.

And a large amount of Earth Fiend Yin Energy.

Blood could nurture spirits.

Once a Corpse Spirit reached a certain level, it could generate a soul. However, unlike a soul, a Corpse Soul would not grant the Walking Corpse sentience. It would only allow the Walking Corpse to have a body that could move like a human, walk, run, and squat.

As for Earth Fiend Yin Energy, it served to solidify the spirit.

After all, a Corpse Soul was not comparable to a human soul. A Corpse Soul was born postnatally and lacked any intelligence.

Therefore, it needed Earth Fiend Yin Energy to stabilize it, otherwise, a casual Spiritual Sense attack from a cultivator could scatter the Corpse Soul.

Earth Fiend Yin Energy was easier to handle; the Corpse Nurturing Incantation could draw it.

If a large amount was needed, the realm of the Corpse Nurturing Incantation could be improved. Wen Jiu immediately glanced at the experience points for the Corpse Nurturing Incantation.

[Technique: Corpse Nurturing Incantation (Beginner 484/500)]

"It should be able to reach Minor Accomplishment in these two days."

After Minor Accomplishment, the Corpse Nurturing Incantation could draw more Earth Fiend Yin Energy.

However, obtaining blood was difficult. He was not a Wicked Heretic who would slaughter mortals. Furthermore, the central area of the Dead Corpse Land was currently sealed by formations. The only way to obtain blood was to cultivate Corpse Blood.

Wen Jiu certainly wouldn't touch his reserve of Cultivator's Essence Blood.

That was being saved for cultivating the Yin Sha Blood Curse Body.

"I'll first see how the experience gain is during tomorrow's settlement..." If the experience gain was satisfactory, he would put aside the matter of cultivating Corpse Blood for now.

After all, he didn't have enough Spirit Stones to buy Yao Beasts. He would use the Corpse Eyes to cultivate Corpse Blood from the flesh and blood of Yao Beasts and demonic beasts.

A single jin of a ranked Yao Beast or demonic beast meat cost one Low-grade Spirit Stone.

He couldn't afford that at the moment.

The next morning.

Wen Ya, who hadn't been seen for half a month, suddenly appeared, bustling in with a basket of food. It was rice balls wrapped in a special green leaf, filled with various meat and vegetable fillings, somewhat resembling zongzi.

Upon asking, she explained that it was a festival today.

Flying Immortal Peak didn't celebrate.

But mortals did.

Spring had passed, and summer was approaching. This day was called the Summer Solstice by mortals, and they ate green dumplings to welcome the new season.

It was for good luck.

for a good harvest.

"Sis, you should eat some too." Seeing his sister, who had been helping Wen Jiu clean the house as soon as she entered, Wen Jiu quickly stopped her.

Wen Ya ignored him. "Look at your room, you just throw things around... You don't even fold your blankets!"

Hearing these words.

A warmth spread through Wen Jiu's heart.

He thought he would never hear this nagging again, being alone in a foreign land.

"Sis, you're busy, I'll go deliver some to Brother Wang next door." After a small taste of a green dumpling, Wen Jiu immediately picked up ten or so and went out.

Just as Wen Jiu expected.

Cultivators were merely at the Summer Solstice.

That's right.

Why would cultivators need to seek good omens or a bountiful harvest like mortals?

When Wen Jiu returned after delivering the green dumplings, Wen Ya had already tidied up the room. Wen Jiu's clothes, which had been scattered on the bed, were now neatly put away in the wardrobe.

Seeing Wen Jiu enter, Wen Ya said, "It looks like I need to find you a wife. Otherwise, this place won't feel like a home!"

"Trying to marry me off?"

Wen Jiu chuckled wryly.

Immediately after, Wen Ya changed the subject, her expression shifting. "By the way, Old Madam Xu wants to invite you to the Xu family for a home-cooked meal. She probably wants to win you over. See if you want to go or not."

"No, I'll go later." Wen Jiu shook his head directly. "Just tell her that my duties at the Night Patrol Division and my cultivation recently require my full attention. Once I have some free time later, I will personally pay her a visit."

If he went now, he wouldn't have the standing for an equal conversation.

If he showed any intention of taking his sister away, he would undoubtedly offend the Xu family.

Therefore, he had to wait until he had the standing for an equal conversation.

At that time, using Steward Mu's influence, he might be able to bring his sister out of the Xu family.

"Okay, okay."

Wen Ya nodded.

She didn't say anything more.

She guessed what her brother meant by "later."

After sending his sister Wen Ya off, Wen Jiu began drawing low-grade Soul Seizing Talismans. After drawing thirty, he headed to the trading market.

This trip to the trading market surprised Wen Jiu, as it was unusually noisy and chaotic.

He sat down and listened, only to find out that a vassal cultivation family outside Flying Immortal Peak had been attacked last night. Out of over three hundred people, only three or five had miraculously survived. All the others had been bitten to death by gu worms.

Their deaths were extremely tragic.

"Could this have something to do with the Blood Robe Tower?"

"Most likely. Besides their remnants, who else would dare to attack the vassal families of Flying Immortal Peak?"

"Ordinary Wicked Heretics or some rogue cultivators would at most kill a few people. Who would wipe out an entire clan?"

"Flying Immortal Peak has already dispatched many disciples, but I suspect they've already fled. Going there would be useless."

Listening to the discussions, Wen Jiu's heart tightened.

Right.

Things were getting more chaotic.

How long had it only been a short period of peaceful days?

Fortunately, as an apprentice disciple, he wasn't required to go on missions. Otherwise, he might have been attacked.

"This is probably just the beginning," Wen Jiu lamented inwardly. After selling the Soul Seizing Talismans, he left.

Upon returning home, Wen Jiu began drawing high-grade Soul Seizing Talismans, preparing to draw more and save them for future needs.

Whether for selling.

Or for personal use.

He could make flexible choices.

He was just afraid of not having them when he needed them.

Soon.

Midnight arrived.

The settlement began.

Just as Wen Jiu had predicted, after the Black Zombie reached the Advanced Stage, even with a low-grade Corpse Nurturing Bead and a level 2 panel.

Raising it in the Corpse Nurturing Ground for twelve hours only yielded six experience points. If it continued like this.

Two thousand experience points would take nearly four hundred days to acquire.

This alone wouldn't be so bad. Compared to ordinary Qi Refining Cultivators, advancing from the third to the fourth layer of Qi Refining might take several years, or even over a decade. Four hundred days was truly a short time. However, the current situation at Flying Immortal Peak didn't allow him to be slow.

Being slow meant a lack of security.

What if some accident happened?

After all, a cultivation family with over three hundred people had just been nearly wiped out. Among them, there were undoubtedly cultivators like him at the Qi Refining Second Layer.

"It seems I need to find a way to sell some first-tier Soul Seizing Talismans," Wen Jiu pondered for a moment, then suddenly heard a knock at his door.

It was midnight.

Someone was knocking at this hour?

Knock, knock, knock!

Wen Jiu instinctively reached for his Corpse Eye.

The next moment.

A voice called out.

"Fellow Daoist Wen, Steward Mu has sent me to summon you to the Night Patrol Division."

Upon hearing it was Mu Canglong.

Wen Jiu put away his Corpse Eye and was about to get dressed to open the door. However, Wang Nian opened it first and greeted the person outside.

Seeing Wang Nian strike up a conversation with the visitor, Wen Jiu completely relaxed.

For this.

Wen Jiu was immensely grateful.

Wang Nian's action was likely to help him confirm if the visitor was indeed one of their own.

[Seeking monthly votes!

Seeking recommendation votes!

We're stable around 75th on the new book's overall ranking.

But I feel like we're just getting started, as this is only our second round of recommendations. Fellow Daoists, help me push forward!

Goal: Top Ten!

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