Planning to Travel

This day, Hua Min'er and Ling Tian were preparing to visit Qingquan Peak for sightseeing. Qingquan Peak, with its many waterfalls and clear springs, was a beautiful and scenic place, perfect for a outing. They had planned this the previous day and were just about to leave when Yun Ying called out to them.

"Junior Sister Min'er, wait a moment. Master wants to see you," Yun Ying said, glancing at Ling Tian beside Hua Min'er before lowering her head, nodding, and smiling.

"Senior Sister Yun Ying, why does Master want to see me?" Hua Min'er asked, quite surprised. Her Master rarely inquired about her outings lately.

"Uh, I don't know," Yun Ying replied, shaking her head.

Hua Min'er frowned slightly and looked apologetically at Ling Tian beside her.

Ling Tian smiled faintly, not particularly bothered. "It's fine, go ahead, Min'er. Your Master probably has something to tell you. We can go to Qingquan Peak another time," he said casually.

Ling Tian was now sixteen. Under Ling Yun's subtle influence, he had learned to carry himself with a calm detachment. Combined with his handsome features and tall, upright posture, he possessed an air of heroic spirit and refined elegance. This often led to him being teased by the senior sisters of Qingdie Peak, which would invariably leave him blushing furiously, his composed demeanor vanishing instantly. This would amuse the senior sisters, who would giggle until Hua Min'er intervened, allowing him to make a hasty escape.

"Oh, okay, Brother Ling Tian," Hua Min'er pouted slightly, looking at Ling Tian with reluctance. While she said she understood, she showed no sign of leaving.

Hua Min'er was now fifteen and had grown into a graceful young woman. Because she cultivated the Qing Ling Sword Canon, which was of the wood element, her every movement exuded a rich vitality, making her appear light, graceful, and imbued with the essence of heaven and earth. Coupled with her bright eyes, fair teeth, dark hair, and delicate eyebrows, her occasional gentle smile added to her charm. Her every pout, frown, and smile often left Ling Tian dumbfounded, making him sigh that the little beauty had truly blossomed.

"Heh heh, silly girl, go on. Don't keep your Master waiting," Ling Tian said with a slight smile.

"Hmph, you're the silly one, silly brother. Wait for me here, I'll be back soon," Hua Min'er said with a playful pout, her shy demeanor enchanting enough to draw countless butterflies.

"Mhm, mhm, alright, I'm silly, okay? Go on, I'll wait for you," Ling Tian said with a wry smile, having to concede once again.

"Um, can you two stop putting on a dramatic farewell right in front of me? I can't stand it," Yun Ying rolled her eyes. After a pause, she suddenly grinned mischievously. "Hehe, Master said you can come in and listen too, Ling Tian. She said you can be involved in this matter."

"Uh, okay, Senior Sister Yun Ying, you're deliberately messing with us," Ling Tian shook his head helplessly. He had long since experienced Yun Ying's talent for pranks.

"Senior Sister Yun Ying, you..." Hua Min'er pouted, chiding her.

"Heh heh, alright, alright, let's go, Master is waiting for us," Yun Ying said with a triumphant smile and led the way.

Ling Tian and Hua Min'er had no choice but to follow.

In the Great Hall of Qingdie Peak.

"Greetings, Master," Yun Ying and Hua Min'er said, bowing as they saw Ye Feidie.

"Greetings, Peak Master Ye," Ling Tian also offered a slight bow.

Ye Feidie smiled faintly and gestured for them to rise, looking pleased with both Hua Min'er and Ling Tian.

"May I ask why you summoned us, Master?" Hua Min'er asked, tugging on Ye Feidie's wrist with a hint of a pout.

"You, you, am I that old? Calling me 'old person'," Ye Feidie looked at Hua Min'er with affection, her jade-like face showing a hint of mock anger.

"Heh heh, you're not old, Master is forever eighteen," Hua Min'er said with a charming smile, as light and agile as a swallow in the forest.

"Get out of here! If that were true, wouldn't I be an old demon?" Ye Feidie lightly chided, feigning annoyance.

Hua Min'er was not afraid, merely giggling. Even Yun Ying beside them covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Ahem, um, may I ask why Peak Master Ye summoned us?" Ling Tian asked, clearing his throat as he saw the master and disciple playfully interacting without regard for others.

"Ah, forgive me for making you witness this, Ling Tian," Ye Feidie's face flushed slightly. Then, her expression turned serious. "It's like this: there have been reports of zombies appearing in a small village near the Qingyun Mountain Range. I want Min'er to gain some experience there. I wonder if you..."

"Oh, I'll go," Ling Tian interjected, speaking without thinking.

"Mhm, I knew you'd say that. You haven't been out to gain experience before, so it's good for you to see the outside world," Ye Feidie smiled faintly. She naturally hoped Ling Tian would accompany Hua Min'er, believing it would further their relationship. She was happy to facilitate this. Moreover, it would also strengthen her relationship with Senior Ling Yun, so why wouldn't she?

"When does Peak Master Ye plan for Min'er to leave?" Ling Tian asked.

"The zombies are wreaking havoc there, and it might spread. The villagers have been evacuated and are displaced. The sooner you go, the better. Leave tomorrow morning," Ye Feidie said with a solemn expression. Exterminating demons and monsters had always been her original intention for cultivating.

"Mhm, alright. I'll prepare today and leave with you tomorrow, Peak Master Ye," Ling Tian said, seeing Ye Feidie's serious demeanor and not wanting to delay.

"Um, Ling Tian, I think you misunderstood. It's just a few low-level zombies that have just formed. Their cultivation is very low. Yun Ying and the others can lead the team," Ye Feidie explained calmly, seeing Ling Tian's misunderstanding.

"Uh, it was my haste, Peak Master. With your strength, you naturally wouldn't bother going," Ling Tian said, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Heh heh, Brother Ling Tian is so impatient," Hua Min'er said with a charming smile, while Yun Ying's eyes were also full of playful amusement.

"I'm not!" Ling Tian became even more embarrassed but still feigned stubbornness.

"Aren't you ashamed?" Hua Min'er let go of Ye Feidie's hand and came in front of Ling Tian, making a funny face at him.

"You, still teasing me," Ling Tian said, reaching out to tickle Hua Min'er.

"Heh heh, Brother Ling Tian, let go quickly, I can't stand it!" Hua Min'er hastily pleaded.

Ling Tian, however, did not stop. For a moment, the Great Hall of Qingdie Peak was filled with Hua Min'er's laughter.

"Alright, alright, I can't stand you two bickering like this. Alas, I'm getting old. I truly envy you; youth is wonderful," Ye Feidie said, unable to bear their commotion. She sighed, filled with emotion.

Ling Tian and Hua Min'er had to stop. Looking at the emotional Ye Feidie, Ling Tian didn't know what to do and simply stood aside in silence.

"Heh heh, Master, you look about twenty, so beautiful, not old at all," Hua Min'er quickly comforted her. Ye Feidie, having cultivated for years, maintained her youthful appearance, looking only around twenty-four or twenty-five.

"Heh heh, you have such a sweet tongue. Master has lived for hundreds of years; I know my own condition. Alright, you don't need to comfort me. Go out and play, and don't forget you have to go out tomorrow," Ye Feidie said with a smile. Hearing her most beloved disciple praise her made her feel quite happy.

"Heh heh, Master, then we're off to play. Don't worry, we won't forget about tomorrow's business," Hua Min'er said, pulling Ling Tian along as they hopped out of the Great Hall of Qingdie Peak.

And so, the two continued their plan for the day, going to Qingquan Peak to enjoy the scenery. They only left reluctantly as night fell, agreeing to meet again the next day.

Qingyou Peak, Ling Yun's small courtyard.

"Father, I'm going out with the disciples from Qingdie Peak tomorrow. It might take a few days," Ling Tian said directly upon seeing his father.

"Oh, then go ahead." Ling Tian often went out with Qingdie Peak disciples these days, so Lingyun was used to it and casually replied.

"We're going out to deal with zombies. Do you have any instructions for me, Father?" Ling Tian had a faint feeling that this trip wouldn't be simple, so he asked his father.

"Zombies? What kind of zombies?" Lingyun asked with a slight solemnity.

"Peak Master Ye said they are newly formed low-level zombies," Ling Tian said, seeing his father's slight concern.

"Oh, then it's fine. Low-level zombies are newly formed and not truly considered zombies yet. They can only be called Corpse Transformations, divided into ten-year, hundred-year, and thousand-year Corpse Transformations, with strengths corresponding to the Qi Refining, Qi Condensation, and Qi Solidification stages of cultivation, respectively. With your current strength, you can certainly handle them." Lingyun finally relaxed and began explaining some things about zombies to Ling Tian.

"Oh, I see. Then I'll head out tomorrow." Ling Tian was reassured after hearing his father's words.

"Mm, go. Consider it an opportunity to train and gain experience, but still be cautious and careful about everything," Lingyun instructed.

"Yes, I understand, Father," Ling Tian replied hastily, but he continued to gaze at his father.

"Mm, is there anything else you want to ask?" Seeing Ling Tian still looking at him, Lingyun asked curiously.

"Father, I want to know more detailed information about zombies. It's always good to be prepared, right? Please tell me about them." Ling Tian was very curious about what zombies were and naturally wanted to hear his father tell him, treating it like listening to a story.

He hadn't heard his father tell stories in a long time and fondly remembered how his father used to tell him stories to lull him to sleep when he was little.

"Zombies, as the name suggests, are monsters that arise after a corpse undergoes a mutation," Lingyun said, seeing Ling Tian's serious expression. He adjusted his collar and began to speak.

"If a corpse is kept in a dark and damp place, it will not rot for a long time. It absorbs the Yin Qi of heaven and earth to nurture its physical body, and then a Corpse Transformation occurs. During the Corpse Transformation, the corpse will spontaneously develop a trace of consciousness. Because the Three Souls within the corpse have scattered while the Seven Ethereal Souls remain, it can still form a complete cultivation system." Lingyun paused slightly here, as if recalling something.

"Oh, it develops consciousness? Does that mean we can communicate with it?" Ling Tian asked curiously when his father stopped.

"Heh, it's not that easy. Their Life Souls have scattered. Although low-level zombies develop consciousness, their intelligence is still undeveloped, and they can only act on instinct. It's like most animals, except zombies are even worse than animals. Animals have Life Souls, and their intelligence can also develop under certain conditions," Lingyun said with a slight smile, adding, "However, high-level zombies will have a little bit of intelligence, but it's very low, and most of them still act on instinct."

"Intelligence? All things have spirit, and 'spirit' likely refers to intelligence," Ling Tian's eyes lit up, and he said joyfully.

"Mm, yes, but it's not entirely comprehensive. Some peculiar artifacts, even without a Life Soul, can develop spirituality, like Flying Swords, for example. They have a certain spirituality, which is very close to intelligence. Artifacts protecting their masters is also because they have developed a certain spirituality," Lingyun said, very pleased that Ling Tian could draw parallels.

"Then why do zombies have levels? What are the distinctions between the low-level and high-level ones you mentioned earlier, and what are their differences?" Ling Tian asked again.

"The strength of the corpse varies according to how long it has absorbed Yin Qi. There are ten-year, hundred-year, thousand-year, and even ten-thousand-year zombies. These are low-level zombies. A ten-thousand-year zombie will develop a Corpse Core, which means it is a true zombie, equivalent to a cultivator in the Golden Core Realm. After this, they are no longer classified by years but by the energy of their Corpse Core. The levels after thousand-year zombies are Zombie, Iron Corpse, Bronze Corpse, Silver Corpse, and so on. You probably won't be able to encounter levels beyond Silver Corpse yet, so I won't tell you about them for now," Lingyun explained patiently.

"Oh, what are the characteristics of zombies?" Ling Tian asked.

"Zombies primarily cultivate the Seven Ethereal Souls within their bodies. The Seven Ethereal Souls are related to the physical body, so zombies naturally have formidable bodies, immense strength, and hardness comparable to refined iron, making them very difficult to destroy," Lingyun said, with a slight cough, continuing, "Also, zombies crave fresh blood. Fresh blood can make them grow stronger rapidly. Furthermore, due to their corpse poison, creatures that are bitten will also undergo Corpse Transformation after a while, which is very troublesome. You must be careful about this and absolutely do not get bitten."

"Mm, I understand, Father. Do they have any weaknesses?" Ling Tian replied earnestly, then thought that everything has weaknesses and couldn't help but ask.

"Mm, good. You know how to analyze the characteristics of things," Lingyun nodded appreciatively. "Although zombies specialize in cultivating their physical bodies, the word 'stiff' also indicates a weakness. Their bodies are stiff, so their movement speed is relatively slow. Moreover, their corpse poison and Corpse Qi are very afraid of fire and light."

"Slow movement, afraid of fire, afraid of light," Ling Tian murmured, diligently memorizing these points.

"Of course, the fire here is not ordinary fire; it must be at least Spirit Fire condensed from Spiritual Energy," Lingyun reminded him.

"Oh, it seems I can't use fire effectively to deal with them. Does that mean I have no way to deal with them?" Ling Tian said dejectedly.

"That's not necessarily true. Everything has its limits. If their physical attacks are strong enough, they can still damage the zombies' bodies. If their Seven Ethereal Souls are destroyed and their consciousness is scattered, they will naturally perish," Lingyun said.

"Oh, I see. Heh heh," Ling Tian was overjoyed.

Knowing he could deal with zombies, Ling Tian could protect Hua Min'er well. Although many people from Qingdie Peak could protect Hua Min'er, he still hoped to protect her himself.

"There's nothing else to pay attention to. Do you have any more questions?" Lingyun saw Ling Tian's happiness and naturally knew his little thoughts, but he still interrupted him and asked.

"Mm, that, when will I... Cultivation Method..." Ling Tian stammered, hesitating.

"Oh, soon. It should be within the next year or two. Focus on learning Formations for now," Lingyun said, knowing what Ling Tian wanted to ask after a moment of thought.

"Oh, I understand. I'll be going now." Ling Tian bowed and left.

That night, Ling Tian continued to immerse himself in studying Formations.