That day, Hua Min'er and Ling Tian were getting ready to visit Qingquan Peak. With its many waterfalls and flowing springs, the peak was a picturesque place, perfect for an outing. They had made the plan the day before and were just about to leave when Yun Ying stopped them.
"Junior Sister Min'er, wait a moment. Master sent me to call for you." Yun Ying glanced at Ling Tian standing beside Hua Min'er, then lowered her head with a smile.
"Senior Sister Yun Ying, what does Master want me for?" Hua Min'er asked in surprise. Lately, her master had rarely asked about her outings.
"I'm not sure." Yun Ying shook her head.
Hua Min'er furrowed her brows slightly and looked apologetically at Ling Tian.
Ling Tian smiled faintly, not minding in the least. "It's fine, Min'er. Go ahead. Your master probably has something to tell you. We can visit Qingquan Peak another time."
Ling Tian was now sixteen. Under Lingyun's subtle influence, he had learned to carry himself with the same unruffled ease. Combined with his handsome looks and tall, straight bearing, he had a dashing, jade-like elegance. The senior sisters of Qingdie Peak often teased him about it. Every time, his face would turn bright red, and his carefree composure would vanish in an instant, making the women giggle until Hua Min'er helped him escape in disarray.
"Oh, all right, Brother Ling Tian." Hua Min'er pouted, gazing at him reluctantly. She said she understood, but showed no sign of leaving.
Hua Min'er was fifteen now, and had grown ever more graceful and lovely. Since the Qing Ling Sword Canon she cultivated was of the Wood Attribute, a rich aura of life seemed to radiate from her every movement. She was light and lovely, blessed with the beauty of nature itself. Her bright eyes, pearly teeth, glossy black hair, and delicate brows, along with her unintentional smiles, made her even more charming. Every pout, every flash of anger, every frown and smile left Ling Tian staring in a daze, marveling that the little beauty had begun to blossom.
"Hehe, silly girl, go on. Don't keep your master waiting," Ling Tian said with a faint smile.
"Hmph, you're the silly one, silly brother. Wait here for me. I'll be right back." Hua Min'er gave him a playful, bashful glare, her sweet expression enough to make countless butterflies envious.
"Mm, all right. I'm the silly one, happy now? Go on, I'll wait for you." Ling Tian smiled helplessly and gave in once again.
"Um, could you two stop acting out a tearful farewell right in front of me? I can't take it." Yun Ying rolled her eyes. After a pause, she suddenly grinned mischievously. "Hehe, Master said Ling Tian could come in and listen too. She said you could take part in this matter."
"Uh, all right. Senior Sister Yun Ying, you were deliberately messing with us." Ling Tian shook his head helplessly. He had long since experienced Yun Ying's talent for mischief.
"Senior Sister Yun Ying, you..." Hua Min'er pouted, clearly vexed.
"Hehe, all right, all right. Come on, Master is waiting for us." Yun Ying smiled triumphantly and set off first.
Ling Tian and Hua Min'er had no choice but to follow.
Inside the Great Hall of Qingdie Peak.
"Greetings, Master." Yun Ying and Hua Min'er hurriedly bowed when they saw Ye Feidie.
"Greetings, Peak Master Ye." Ling Tian gave a slight bow as well.
Ye Feidie smiled and raised her hands to excuse them from the formalities. She was quite pleased with Hua Min'er and Ling Tian.
"May I ask what you summoned your disciple for, dear Master?" Hua Min'er took Ye Feidie by the wrist and spoke in a coquettish voice.
"You little thing, am I really that old? Why call me 'dear Master'?" Ye Feidie gazed at Hua Min'er fondly, her jade-like face feigning annoyance.
"Hehe, you're not old at all. Master will be eighteen forever." Hua Min'er smiled sweetly, light as a swallow darting through the forest.
"Get out of here. Wouldn't that make me an old demon?" Ye Feidie chided, pretending to be angry.
Hua Min'er wasn't the least bit afraid. She just giggled, and even Yun Ying covered her mouth, laughing.
"Ahem. Peak Master Ye, what did you call us here for?" Ling Tian couldn't help clearing his throat and asking while the master and her disciples joked as if no one else were there.
"Ah, forgive me, Ling Tian." Ye Feidie's face reddened slightly, then her expression turned serious. "Here's the situation. Zombies have been sighted in a small village near the Qingyun Mountain Range. I'd like Min'er to go gain some experience. I wonder if you..."
"Oh, I'll go," Ling Tian cut in without hesitation.
"Mm, I knew you'd go too. You've never gone out to gain experience before, so it'll be good for you to see the outside world." Ye Feidie smiled. She naturally hoped Ling Tian would go along. It would bring him and Hua Min'er closer, and she was happy to help that happen. Besides, it would also strengthen her relationship with Senior Lingyun. Why would she pass up such an opportunity?
"When does Peak Master Ye plan to send Min'er out?" Ling Tian asked.
"The zombies are running rampant there, and I'm afraid they may spread farther. The villagers have been evacuated and are wandering without homes, so the sooner you go, the better. Leave first thing tomorrow morning." Ye Feidie's expression was solemn. Exterminating demons had always been the reason she cultivated.
"All right. I'll go back and prepare today, then leave with you tomorrow, Peak Master Ye." Seeing how seriously Ye Feidie took the matter, Ling Tian didn't waste any more time.
"Um, Ling Tian, I think you've misunderstood. They're just a few newly formed, low-level zombies with very little cultivation. Yun Ying and the others can lead the group." Seeing Ling Tian's misunderstanding, Ye Feidie calmly explained.
"Ah, I got ahead of myself. With your strength, Peak Master Ye, you wouldn't need to go yourself." Ling Tian scratched his head sheepishly.
"Hehe, Brother Ling Tian, you're so eager." Hua Min'er smiled sweetly. Yun Ying's eyes were full of teasing too.
"Not at all," Ling Tian said, even more embarrassed, but still stubbornly denying it.
"You're still teasing me?" Hua Min'er let go of Ye Feidie's hand, came over to Ling Tian, and made a face at him.
"Just you wait. You dared to tease me." Ling Tian reached out to tickle Hua Min'er.
"Hehe, Brother Ling Tian, let go! I can't take it!" Hua Min'er hurriedly begged for mercy.
Ling Tian kept at it. For a while, the Great Hall of Qingdie Peak rang with Hua Min'er's laughter.
"All right, all right. I can't take all this racket. Ah, I really am getting old. I envy you—you're young, and youth is wonderful." Unable to stand their noise any longer, Ye Feidie spoke up to stop them, sighing with feeling.
Ling Tian and the others stopped. Seeing Ye Feidie's wistful expression, Ling Tian didn't know what to do, so he simply stood aside without saying a word.
"Hehe, Master, you look only about twenty, and you're so beautiful. You're not old at all." Hua Min'er hurried to comfort her. Ye Feidie had cultivated for years without aging, and looked no older than twenty-four or twenty-five.
"Hehe, you and that sweet tongue of yours. I've lived for several hundred years; I know my own situation. All right, you don't have to comfort me. Go have fun, but don't forget you're heading out tomorrow." Ye Feidie smiled faintly. Hearing such praise from her most beloved disciple naturally made her happy.
"Hehe, Master, we'll go have fun, then. Don't worry, we won't forget about tomorrow." As she spoke, Hua Min'er tugged Ling Tian along, and the two bounced out of the Great Hall of Qingdie Peak.
Just like that, the two went ahead with their plans for the day, wandering the mountains and enjoying the scenery at Qingquan Peak. They stayed until nightfall, then parted reluctantly, promising to meet again the next day.
The small courtyard where Lingyun lived on Qingyou Peak.
"Father, I'm going out with the disciples from Qingdie Peak tomorrow. We may be gone for a few days." Ling Tian got straight to the point when he saw his father.
"Oh? Then go ahead." Ling Tian had often gone out with the disciples of Qingdie Peak over the past year, so Lingyun had long since gotten used to it. He replied casually.
"This time we're going to deal with zombies. Is there anything you'd like to warn me about?" Ling Tian had a vague feeling that this trip might not be so simple, so he asked his father.
"Zombies? What kind of zombies?" Lingyun asked, his expression growing slightly grave.
"Peak Master Ye said they're newly formed, low-level zombies." Seeing his father take the matter seriously, Ling Tian answered.
"Oh, then it's nothing. Low-level zombies have only just formed and don't really count as zombies yet. They're more accurately called Corpse Transformations. There are ten-year, hundred-year, and thousand-year Corpse Transformations, whose strength corresponds to the Qi Refining, Qi Condensation, and Qi Solidification stages of cultivation. With your strength, you can handle them." Only then did Lingyun relax. He began explaining some things about zombies to Ling Tian.
"Oh, I see. Then I'll leave tomorrow." After hearing his father's words, Ling Tian felt reassured.
"Mm, go ahead. Think of it as an opportunity to gain experience and see the world. But be careful, no matter what." Lingyun cautioned him.
"Yes, I understand, Father." Ling Tian hurriedly replied, but continued staring at his father.
"Mm? Is there something else you want to ask?" Seeing Ling Tian still looking at him, Lingyun asked curiously.
"Father, I want to know more details about zombies. Better safe than sorry, right? Come on, tell me about them." Ling Tian was very curious about what zombies were and naturally wanted to hear his father explain. It would be like listening to a story.
It had been a long time since he'd heard his father tell stories. He missed the days when his father used to tell him stories to lull him to sleep.
"Zombies are, as the name suggests, monsters that come from corpses undergoing a transformation." Seeing how earnestly Ling Tian listened, Lingyun straightened his robe and began.
"When a corpse lies in a dark, damp place, it can remain unrotted for a long time. It absorbs the yin energy of heaven and earth, nourishing its body, and eventually undergoes Corpse Transformation. During the transformation, the corpse spontaneously develops a trace of consciousness. Since its Three Souls have dispersed but its Seven Ethereal Souls remain, it can still form a complete system of cultivation." At this point, Lingyun paused, as if recalling something.
"Oh, it develops consciousness? Does that mean you can communicate with it?" Seeing his father pause, Ling Tian asked curiously.
"Hehe, it's not that easy. Their Life Souls have dispersed. Though low-level zombies develop consciousness, their intelligence remains unopened, and they can only act on instinct. They're much like most animals, except that zombies are even duller. Animals have Life Souls, and under the right conditions, their intelligence can awaken." Lingyun smiled faintly, then continued, "Higher-level zombies have a little intelligence, but not much. Most still act on instinct."
"Intelligence? All things possess a spirit. I suppose 'spirit' here means intelligence." Ling Tian's eyes lit up with delight.
"Mm, right, though that's not the whole story. Some unusual objects can develop a spiritual nature even without a Life Soul. Flying swords, for example, can have a certain spirituality. It's very close to intelligence. Divine weapons protect their masters because they possess a degree of spirituality." Lingyun was very pleased to see Ling Tian draw connections from one thing to another.
"Then how are zombies classified? You mentioned low- and high-level ones. What ranks are there, and how do they differ?" Ling Tian asked again.
"The longer a corpse absorbs yin energy, the greater its strength. There are ten-year, hundred-year, thousand-year, and even ten-thousand-year ones. Those are low-level zombies. A ten-thousand-year zombie develops a Corpse Core and becomes a true zombie, with cultivation equivalent to a Golden Core Realm cultivator. After that, they're no longer classified by years, but by the energy in their Corpse Core. The ranks after a thousand years are zombie, Iron Corpse, Bronze Corpse, Silver Corpse, and so on. You probably won't encounter anything beyond Silver Corpses yet, so I'll leave those for another time." Lingyun patiently explained.
"Oh, then what are zombies like?" Ling Tian asked.
"Zombies focus on cultivating the Seven Ethereal Souls within their bodies. Since the Seven Ethereal Souls govern the physical body, zombies naturally have powerful flesh. They're immensely strong and harder than refined iron, making them extremely difficult to destroy." Lingyun cleared his throat slightly, then continued, "Zombies also like to drink fresh blood, which lets them grow stronger quickly. And because of their Corpse Qi, creatures they bite will soon undergo Corpse Transformation too. It's troublesome, so be careful. Whatever you do, don't let one bite you."
"Mm, I understand, Father. What weaknesses do they have?" Ling Tian replied earnestly, then remembered that everything had its weaknesses and couldn't help asking.
"Mm, good. You're learning to analyze the traits of things." Lingyun nodded approvingly, then continued, "Though zombies specialize in cultivating the body, the word 'stiff' points to a weakness too. Their bodies are rigid, so they're relatively slow. They're also very vulnerable to fire and light because of their Corpse Qi and corpse poison."
"Slow, afraid of fire, afraid of light." Ling Tian murmured, carefully committing those points to memory.
"Of course, by fire, I don't mean ordinary flames. It has to be at least Spirit Fire condensed from spiritual energy." Lingyun reminded him.
"Oh, it seems I can't use fire to get rid of them, then. Does that mean I have no way to fight them?" Ling Tian said glumly.
"That's not necessarily so. Everything has its limits. If your physical attacks are strong enough, you can damage their bodies. Destroy their Seven Ethereal Souls and disperse their consciousness, and they'll be wiped out." Lingyun said.
"Oh, I see. Hehe." Ling Tian was overjoyed.
Now that he knew zombies could be dealt with, Ling Tian could protect Hua Min'er properly. Though many people from Qingdie Peak could protect her, he still wanted to do it himself.
"There's nothing else you need to know. Is there anything more you want to ask?" Seeing Ling Tian's excitement, Lingyun knew what was on his mind, but still interrupted him to ask.
"Um, well, when will I... the cultivation method..." Ling Tian stammered, unable to finish.
"Oh, soon. In a year or two, perhaps. For now, focus on learning formations." Lingyun knew what Ling Tian wanted to ask. After pondering for a moment, he replied.
"Oh, understood. I'll be going, then." Ling Tian bowed and left.
That night, Ling Tian continued immersing himself in the study of formations.
Before you continue