Grim Situation, Predicting Disaster

Dusk, the setting sun like blood.

Inside the Linyuan City yamen, long icicles hung from the eaves like short crystal swords.

The atmosphere inside the building was heavy, with many yamen runners gathered outside the door.

Inside, two of the most renowned physicians from Baolin Hall in the city were sweating anxiously. After a basin of black bloody water was replaced, they retreated from the room in terror.

"This is the corpse poison of a Flying Head Zombie. It can only be resolved by an expert in the Force Condensation Realm. There's no need to trouble yourselves further."

Inside the building, a brazier burned brightly. On the bed opposite the fire, Lin Hongtu lay on his back, his face pale and weak.

Tian Youji looked at the man who was once a burly and strong iron warrior. Now, his face was gaunt, his eye sockets sunken and dark, his lips cracked, and his skin even showed corpse spots. He looked utterly lifeless, filling Tian Youji with dread and a suffocating fear.

Hu Xuezhi, who had rushed over, was no better off. His face was grim, and his mind recalled various rumors about unorthodox paths like Corpse Drivers and sorcerers.

Tian Youji said unwillingly, "Lord Lin, you are skilled in the Demon Suppressing Division's secret technique, the Exotic Power of the One-Character Lightning Spear. This spear technique is said to be able to suppress evil and eliminate devils. Is that Flying Head Zombie truly that powerful? Even you are no match for it?"

Lin Hongtu spoke with difficulty, his breathing labored. "That Flying Head Zombie was likely the head of a Force Condensation Realm expert that was refined. It's no ordinary foe. If it were a common flying head... I, I wouldn't fear it.

But that Flying Head Zombie possesses nearly half the strength of a Force Condensation Realm expert. It's also my fault for not mastering my skills well enough. Relying solely on the Exotic Power secret technique, I am still no match for it."

As he spoke, the bloodshot veins in his eyes became more prominent, his breathing disordered. He reminded them with difficulty.

"You must be especially careful not to get entangled by the Flying Head Zombie's intestines. Otherwise, you'll suffer the same fate as me."

"Also... immediately report to the Division and request reinforcements from a Force Condensation Realm expert. Otherwise, Linyuan City might..."

Lin Hongtu's words trailed off, his voice growing weaker until he finally lost consciousness, his face ashen.

"Lord Lin!"

Tian Youji immediately stepped forward to check on him. Finding Lin Hongtu unconscious, he turned and met Hu Xuezhi's gaze, seeing the shared terror in each other's eyes.

The two lifted Lin Hongtu's clothes to examine him.

They only saw marks on his neck and arms, as if whipped or constricted by a rope.

However, they had already turned black and looked terrifyingly grim.

"I have already expedited the report to the Demon Suppressing Division, but it will take at least two days for the carrier hawk to deliver the message. And an expert in the Force Condensation Realm..."

Tian Youji's face was grim.

Many towns within the Great Zhou were in chaos. Linyuan City was not the only one experiencing problems. It was already difficult to send someone like Lin Hongtu; would a Force Condensation Realm expert come?

Would they arrive in time?

"We must impose a city-wide lockdown immediately and at the same time advise people not to leave the city, and await rescue."

Hu Xuezhi said, then looked at Tian Youji, hesitating to speak further.

Tian Youji's eyes flickered, understanding what his old friend wanted to say.

With their strength, in such a dangerous situation, if they abandoned the city, they would most likely be able to save themselves.

Tian Youji sighed, his gaze gradually firming. "Old Hu, you go. If I were to flee, I would turn from an official into a bandit, a wanted criminal of the Great Zhou. Since I've worn this uniform for over ten years, I cannot tear it off myself."

The Chu Family.

Chu Ge stared blankly at the scorched yellow paper talisman in his hand, then looked at the 'Auspicious Wishes' paper cuttings hanging under the eaves opposite, dancing in the windless air.

He never expected that after he made a set of 'Auspicious Wishes' paper cuttings and successfully infused them with Exotic Power, they would immediately react as if triggered.

Such a childish situation made Chu Ge suspect if his paper cuttings were made incorrectly, if there was some flaw.

But he soon dismissed this absurd notion.

Once paper cuttings could carry Exotic Power, it meant they were successfully made.

The 'Auspicious Wishes' paper cuttings had a certain function of predicting disaster.

The closer the user was to the danger, the stronger and more imminent the danger, and the more accurate the paper cuttings' disaster prediction function would be.

Now that the paper cuttings had reacted, it clearly indicated that a disaster was about to occur.

However, despite receiving the warning from the paper cuttings, Chu Ge could not determine the source of this disaster, whether it was natural or man-made, only knowing of its existence in advance.

"Is it coming for me, or am I being implicated?"

He quickly calculated in his mind, considering all possibilities.

The greatest threat in his known surroundings was undoubtedly the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult.

"Did that Lord Lin from the Demon Suppressing Division fail? Have reinforcements arrived for the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult's stronghold?"

As Chu Ge was pondering, he suddenly heard knocking and conversation from outside the courtyard.

Steward Fu appeared from the front corridor, leading someone, and hurried over. Seeing Chu Ge standing in the hall, he immediately brought the person over.

"Young Master, Constable Qin says he has something important to remind you."

"Constable Qin! What is this..." Chu Ge exclaimed in surprise.

Constable Qin looked at Chu Ge, his expression full of admiration, and clasped his fists with a smile. "Young Master Chu, we met briefly outside the city last time, and I underestimated you. I heard you are about to break through to the Bone Training Realm?

You also repelled those two bandits who were chasing you last time, right?"

"Those two outside the city last time?" Chu Ge was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded in affirmation, politely returning the gesture. "Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to break through to Bone Training. I am currently in the nurturing stage."

"Already broke through?!"

Constable Qin was startled, then immediately congratulated him with envy and admiration, sighing inwardly that Young Master Chu's martial arts talent was truly formidable.

In just two and a half years, he had already broken through to the Bone Training Realm.

He, on the other hand, had been stuck at the peak of the Muscle Refining Realm for over a year. He had even eaten a Spirit Fish, but his Qi and Blood just wouldn't increase.

"It's perfect timing that you broke through now, Young Master Chu. These are troubled times. I came this time to inform you."

As Constable Qin spoke, his expression turned serious, and he informed Chu Ge about the Corpse Driver, an expert of the evil path, appearing outside the city, as instructed by Tian Youji.

At the end, he also handed Chu Ge a small booklet and said solemnly, "Young Master Chu, I've told you the specifics. I still need to notify other families, so I won't stay long. For safety's sake, please remain within the city during this period."

"Corpse Driver, Flying Head Zombie…"

Chu Ge was astonished. He took the booklet handed over by Constable Qin and instructed Steward Fu to give Constable Qin a silver ingot before seeing him off.

The fact that he had to notify many wealthy merchants and nobles showed how serious the situation was.

Chu Ge opened the booklet in his hand to examine it.

He saw that it contained information about the Corpse Driver, an expert of the evil path, written in small regular script.

The ink was quite fresh and carried a scent of ink, clearly written not long ago.

According to the introduction in the booklet, Corpse Driver was a title for experts of the evil path. Their martial arts strength varied, and they were further subdivided into different specializations like Corpse Raiser and Sorcerer.

The one who appeared outside the city this time was suspected to be a Corpse Driver specializing in sorcery.

Their exact strength was unknown, but they had driven a Flying Head Zombie to severely wound Lin Hongtu of the Demon Suppressing Division.

"Even Lord Lin was severely wounded?"

Chu Ge frowned and continued to browse the booklet for information on the Flying Head Zombie, discovering that the creation process of this evil creature was indeed sinister.

Often, when a Sorcerer refined a Flying Head Zombie, they would dig open a grave, take out the corpse, and make it stand upright.

Then, they would cut open its jaw with a small knife and use a candle made from human fat to roast the corpse's jaw.

This was done until the corpse's skin was scorched and cracked by the fire, exposing the fat layer. Then, the oil dripped from the melting fat layer would be collected in a coffin.

Combined with secret techniques, a corpse could be slowly burned until only the head and some intestines remained.

This head would then become a Flying Head Zombie, which was insidious and malicious, feeding on human Blood. The intestines would wrap around people like whips, suffocating them or even infecting them with corpse poison.

After completely reading the information in the booklet, Chu Ge looked at the auspicious hanging ornaments dancing under the eaves.

The Exotic Power within the hanging ornaments was still slowly being consumed, issuing a slow warning, filled with ill omen.

In the distance, the last ray of sunset disappeared, and the world plunged into a silent, deep twilight.

"A time of turmoil. The yamen's notice to stay within the city… could it be that the Flying Head Zombie is already hunting outside the city? Are they waiting for more powerful experts to come and help?"