Realm

Tonight's patrol, the air was no longer filled with the usual dead silence, but with a thick, unsettling restlessness. The stench of decay was stronger than ever, drifting in with the night wind.

As expected, they hadn't gone far when, behind the overgrown grass and collapsed earthen walls ahead, seven or eight stiff figures flickered into view. Their skin was dark and their movements sluggish – the lowest form of half-formed Corpse Tribe. But their numbers were clearly greater than in the previous few nights.

"Prepare to engage!" Wang Quan grunted, charging forward first. Shi Zhu and the others, though still nervous after several nights of training, could barely keep up, swinging their sabers at the Walking Corpses.

The fight wasn't difficult. These half-finished beings had limited strength and speed; it was just their numbers. Wang Quan's saber flashed, the Wind Slaying Saber Technique combined with his Minor Accomplishment Shadow Step, his figure darting unpredictably through the horde. Each strike precisely severed a neck or pierced a heart. Notifications sounded in his mind one after another:

[Killed low-level Walking Corpse, gained Skill Point: 1] [Killed low-level Walking Corpse, gained Skill Point: 1] [Killed low-level Walking Corpse, gained Skill Point: 1]

The battle ended, leaving six headless corpses on the ground. Wang Quan caught his breath, and a settlement notification appeared in his mind: [This patrol killed low-level Walking Corpses, total Skill Points gained: 6].

Just enough. He moved his thoughts: "Upgrade Shadow Step to Novice!"

[Consume 3 Skill Points to upgrade Shadow Step to "Novice" realm?]

"Yes!"

A light airflow rose from the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of his feet, quickly spreading through his legs, bringing a wondrous sense of flexibility. Techniques on how to exert force more effectively, how to use shadows to conceal his form, and how to achieve short-distance bursts of speed flooded his mind. He subconsciously shifted his feet, feeling as if his body had become lighter, his movements accompanied by a barely perceptible whisper of wind.

[Shadow Step upgraded to Novice. Remaining Skill Points: 3]

"Continue, upgrade Shape-Shifting Art to Great Accomplishment!"

[Consume 3 Skill Points to upgrade Shape-Shifting Art to "Great Accomplishment" realm?]

"Yes!"

His facial, neck, and even skeletal muscles gained a more subtle, precise sense of control. At this moment, he felt he could not only alter his appearance and physique to a greater extent but even mimic common postures and maintain them for longer periods.

[Shape-Shifting Art upgraded to Great Accomplishment. Remaining Skill Points: 0]

As he was sensing the changes in his body, Shi Zhu's voice, laced with surprise, came from beside him, "Boss, Boss... look at this..."

Wang Quan followed his gaze and saw Shi Zhu using the tip of his saber to lift the tattered collar of a recently felled Walking Corpse, his face filled with disbelief. "This... this looks like Old Third Liu who sold flatbreads on East Street! He, he said half a month ago he'd saved enough money to take his wife and kids to join relatives in the south, how... how did he end up like this?!"

Wang Quan's heart tightened. He walked over to examine it closely. The Walking Corpse's face was largely rotted, but a few contours were still discernible. The style of the coarse cloth clothing remaining on its body was indeed common in the area. Someone who should have left Anping County had quietly died outside the city and turned into the lowest form of Corpse Tribe...

He recalled the "coffin child" refined from a pregnant woman's fetus, and the noticeably increased numbers of the Corpse Tribe tonight. The unease in his heart grew heavier. This Anping County felt like an invisible net tightening, and they were all insects within it.

After clearing the battlefield, the team continued their patrol. In the latter half of the night, at a fork in the road, they encountered another patrol team led by Wei Dayong. The two teams nodded to each other, the atmosphere heavy.

"Master Wei," Wang Quan moved closer, lowering his voice, "tonight is not peaceful. The little corpses are getting more numerous. Just now, one of my men recognized a corpse; it was Liu Laosan, who said he was leaving half a month ago."

Wei Dayong's weathered face twitched upon hearing this. He sighed, "Isn't that the truth... Our team also ran into several groups just now. A kid in Old Wang's team also said he recognized someone, like that fellow who shared a prison cell with them before, and was later redeemed by his family... At first, we didn't pay it any mind, but hearing you say it, it does seem quite sinister." He paused, his voice deepening, "Coupled with that strange 'coffin child' incident a few days ago... this county town is probably truly targeted by something unclean. It feels like a pair of eyes are watching from the darkness, sending chills down one's spine."

Wang Quan nodded in silence. It seemed he wasn't being overly suspicious. He then asked, "Master Wei, I haven't been here long and my experience is limited. I've always had a question: how do Monsters, Nightmares, and Corpses cultivate? How are their realms divided? We can't just keep hacking away at them blindly."

Wei Dayong seemed a little surprised that Wang Quan would ask this, but he thought for a moment and replied, "I only know the general idea, all hearsay. As for the Demon Race, the first realm is called Spirit Awakening, where they gain sentience and can truly absorb the essence of the sun and moon to cultivate. Like the Pig Demon and Snake Demon we killed, they weren't Spirit Awakening, but they were lucky enough to have good families who awakened their intelligence for them. The second realm is Soul Shaping, where the demon soul is said to solidify, and their abilities become much greater. The third realm is Core Condensation, where they form a demon core within their bodies. Those are truly formidable Great Demons; even our Captain Chen would have to be cautious if he encountered one." "As for the Corpse Tribe," he continued, "they're easier to identify by their skin color. The lowest form are these half-finished ones we often kill; they don't count. True Corpses, the first realm is Shadow Purple Corpse, their skin and flesh are purple, and they move faster with greater strength. The second realm is Frost White Corpse, covered in white fur, with skin like bronze and bones like iron, making them difficult to wound with ordinary swords and sabers. The third realm is Azure Leap Corpse, said to be able to leap like flying and are extremely fierce! What we've encountered so far aren't true Corpses, just miscellaneous soldiers corrupted by Corpse Qi."

He paused, lowering his voice, "The most bizarre are the Nightmare tribe. These beings are formless and intangible, attacking only the human soul, making them impossible to guard against. The first realm is Echo, said to be able to create auditory and visual hallucinations in the human mind, provoking inner demons. The second realm is Delusion Scab, which is even more insidious; it's said to cause the flesh to rot and decay inexplicably from the inside out! The third realm, Void Devour, is even more mysterious; it's said to directly devour a person's soul and memories! Information about Nightmares is the least, and they are the most difficult to deal with. That 'coffin child' we encountered a few days ago was likely something created by a powerful Echo realm Nightmare. He suddenly changed the subject, asking seemingly casually, "Master Wei, what do you think... if the Demon Race behind that Pig Demon discovers it was us who acted and comes looking for us. Do you plan to fight to the death, or... seek another path?"

Wei Dayong's body visibly stiffened at this question. He opened his mouth, the muscles in his cheek twitching as if he wanted to say something impassioned, but in the end, it only turned into a very soft sigh filled with endless weariness. He shook his head, said nothing, merely patted Wang Quan's shoulder, gave him a look of complex emotion, and then, leading his men, silently headed towards another patrol route.

Wang Quan watched in the direction Wei Dayong disappeared. He ordered, "You all continue patrolling tonight. If you see any Corpse Tribe, blow your whistle directly. I'll come and kill them; you just need to keep them occupied. I'll go scout around by myself first."

"Your subordinates understand." Shi Zhu and the others responded.