Eighth Layer of Body Tempering

Li Ye carried roast chicken and fine wine into the corpse incineration room, eating and drinking while heating the furnace.

Once he had eaten his fill, the sky had completely darkened.

Two corpse incinerators delivered a bleeding corpse, then hurriedly left.

Immediately after, the Black-Clad Academicians, led by Wu Qing, surged in like water, each with a cold expression and a face full of vigilance.

The door was quickly shut.

A silver plate hung among the clouds, sprinkling down specks of divine radiance.

Li Ye turned back and noticed that the corpse on the stretcher seemed to have moved.

It had already undergone corpse transformation.

He could not help but feel a jolt of alarm.

Crack!

A cold Black-Clad Academician stepped forward, locking Li Ye and the corpse in the room together.

Huh?

Li Ye turned his head and found that the blood-soaked corpse wrapping cloth had fallen to the ground at some point, and the corpse on the stretcher had vanished.

This scene made Li Ye's scalp tingle.

He had been a corpse incinerator for so long, yet this was the first time he had encountered such a cunning corpse.

No wonder it was the corpse of a rebel general.

Li Ye's gaze swept the surroundings and every corner of the room.

Yet he could not find any trace of the corpse.

Nothing?

How could there be nothing!

Could it be that the other party was moving so fast it surpassed his vision, creating a blind spot?

But that would require an impossible speed.

Li Ye thought to himself.

Suddenly, a flash of red streaked past his eyes—a blood thread dripping down from above.

Li Ye jerked his head up, and in his sight appeared a corpse wearing a bloodstained, tattered armor, gripping the roof beam, its gray pupils staring at him eerily.

The corpse was tall, with disheveled hair, and blood threads dripped endlessly from wounds on its chest and forehead, thousands upon thousands.

Li Ye had mentally prepared himself beforehand, but he still couldn't help exclaiming in surprise, "You really have undergone corpse transformation."

He noticed that under the blood covering the fierce corpse's skin, many red hairs had grown.

About eight centimeters long.

These red hairs, influenced by the moon's yin qi, were still growing.

The longer the red hairs, the stronger the fierce corpse's power.

"Heh heh!"

The fierce corpse's throat emitted a hoarse voice, and frost mixed with blood fell from its face.

It seemed to sense that its power had mostly finished transforming, and it lunged down like a bolt of lightning.

Extremely fast.

Dense corpse qi pressed down in waves.

If it had been a few days ago, he would never have been able to dodge such speed.

Li Ye thought, and muttered under his breath, "Swift Wind Leg!"

Boom!

The Night Roaming God's skill activated. Li Ye's leg muscles bulged like iron blocks, swelling a full circle in an instant. Big tendons emerged, divine power surged, wind rose beneath his feet, and his whole body leaped into mid-air trailing afterimages.

Then he immediately spun around and kicked back. Terrifying force stirred up a gale, the air exploded, tearing through the thick corpse qi. Finally, it struck the fierce corpse's chest with precision.

And then... a metallic clash rang out from under Li Ye's foot with a 'clang'.

Followed by a snapping, cracking sound. The fierce corpse's chest collapsed, and it flew like a cannonball into the corpse incineration furnace, kicked in by Li Ye.

Iron Corpse!

Li Ye stared at the fierce corpse flying into the incineration furnace, a word surfacing in his mind, and he couldn't help widening his eyes.

An Iron Corpse meant that the power within the corpse had transformed to a certain level, making it as hard as iron, invulnerable to blades and spears.

This level of fierce corpse far exceeded the scope of ordinary fierce corpses.

Li Ye had clearly felt as if he had kicked an iron block just now. This fierce corpse, transformed from the rebel general's body, was nothing like flesh and blood.

It was undoubtedly an Iron Corpse.

Unfortunately, it encountered Li Ye.

The Night Roaming God's divine legs could easily shatter even steel blades. Li Ye had acquired that talent, and the strength in his legs was far more than a thousand jin.

A mere Iron Corpse was not enough to block his power.

Inside the Corpse Incineration Furnace, the Rebel Army General's body gradually merged with the flames.

Though it still possessed some combat capability, once it entered the furnace, it was bound by the invisible rules within.

Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he wouldn't escape.

The Lieutenant General's Life Imprint began to disintegrate, and scenes from his life bloomed forth one after another.

He was born into a Martial General Family, with a mid-ranking official title. He trained in martial arts from childhood, showed exceptional talent, and had already achieved some success before the age of twenty.

One year, on a certain day, his father called him to the main hall and spoke to him gravely about something.

When the Lieutenant General walked out of the room, his expression was somewhat dazed.

A few days later, his father brought him to a magnificent mansion, where they met a noble, imposing Middle-aged Man.

From then on, the Lieutenant General's cultivation and status rose like a rising tide.

Gold, silver, resources, and beautiful concubines—he had everything.

Finally came scenes of the Lieutenant General galloping across the battlefield in rebellion.

"It seems that noble Middle-aged Man is the rebel King Liang."

Li Ye guessed.

He couldn't help but marvel at the power of authority, wealth, and beauty—enough to make a Martial General Family, loyal to the Imperial Court for generations, give rise to rebellious intent and ultimately turn their coats.

Whoosh!

A wisp of white mist flew out of the Corpse Incineration Furnace and drilled into Li Ye's body.

The next moment, a series of crackling pops rang out from his frame, as if he had undergone months of arduous training, and his aura surged.

After a short while, a powerful force erupted from within Li Ye, and with a boom, he broke through to the Seventh Layer of Body Tempering.

But that wasn't the end. Li Ye's aura continued to grow rapidly.

In a few instants, another crack sounded inside him, like an eggshell shattering.

He broke through again, his cultivation reaching the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering.

After that, it rose a bit more before finally stopping.

"Body Tempering cultivation, huh."

"No wonder he was a Rebel Army General. Not only did he let me break through to the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering, but on top of that, I've advanced nearly half a realm, not far from the Ninth Layer."

Li Ye was delighted, then sensed his current strength.

Without using Swift Wind Leg, his power was roughly over one thousand seven hundred jin.

"The chimney's gone out. That fast."

A Black-Clad Academician in the courtyard exclaimed in surprise.

Clang, clang, clang!

The others on alert also noticed, drawing their blades one after another. Their steel swords were half-drawn from their sheaths, and layers of chilling killing intent spread through the courtyard.

Because according to the rules, once the chimney's fire went out, the door had to be opened.

A Black-Clad Academician gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and opened the door.

He saw the familiar figure of the youth.

His eyes widened.

At that moment, everything in Courtyard No. 3 seemed to have solidified. It was a long while before the sounds of steel swords being sheathed echoed through the yard.

A Black-Clad Academician asked curiously, "No Corpse Transformation?"

Li Ye shook his head, indicating he wasn't sure.

He had sensed the danger from the corpse, thrown out an Ancient Family Talisman ahead of time, and then pushed the body into the furnace to burn.

"I see."

The Black-Clad Academician was slightly surprised, thinking to himself that this kid really did have some trump cards.

"Not bad!"

The leader, Wu Qing, gave Li Ye a deep look, then turned and left.

The other Black-Clad Academicians followed.

Though some of these people had shown a bit of approval toward Li Ye, that didn't change the fact that Corpse Incinerators were treated like weeds.

Perhaps in their eyes, lowly beings like Li Ye couldn't even be considered human.

Li Ye shrugged. He had long grown used to the cold attitude of the Black-Clad Academicians.

He paid it no mind.

In Li Ye's view, the more invisible he was right now, the better. If the Black-Clad Academicians overlooked him, he was all the happier.

No one would want the ashes of a Rebel Army Lieutenant General anyway.

Li Ye scooped them up, took them outside to bury, then returned and closed the door securely.

After that, he began cultivating the Nine Heavens Crimson Thunder Art. Gradually, faint thunder rumbled with each breath he took, and his body started emitting white smoke. He soon sank deep into the state.

Bang bang bang!

Half an hour later, a knock came at the door.

"Brother Li Bai, are you in?"

Zhou Bao shouted at the top of his lungs.

Li Ye was startled. He paused his cultivation of the Nine Heavens Crimson Thunder Art, got up, and opened the door. Standing outside was indeed Zhou Bao.

Zhou Bao cut straight to the chase: "Brother Li Bai, I'm leaving."

Leaving?

Li Ye showed a surprised expression. Last time he'd urged this fellow to go, but he refused.

Why the sudden change of heart now?

Zhou Bao explained that he'd encountered Fierce Corpses the past two nights and barely managed to subdue them with the Corpse Suppressing Incantation.

Last night, he'd nearly had an accident.

After careful consideration, Zhou Bao felt that if he stayed any longer, he might die. It was better to leave.

"But before I go, I want to invite you down the mountain for a good drink. I wonder if Brother Li Bai would do me the honor."

Zhou Bao said solemnly.

Licheng City, one of the cities at the foot of Divine Concealment Sect.

Yihongyuan was the premier brothel in Licheng City, a place where countless martial heroes and literary scholars lingered, reluctant to leave.