Demon Cultivator's Methods

"Demon Cultivator?"

The opponent's expression immediately darkened. He slowly took out a bronze bell from his robes and chuckled sinisterly, "Soon, you will become a toy for me, a Demon Cultivator."

Ding-a-ling!

As he spoke, he rang the bronze bell in his hand.

Seeing this, Shen Lin frowned. Just as he was about to rush forward to deal with the opponent, he suddenly sensed some strange movements around him.

The surrounding grave mounds began to tremble, as if something was awakening.

Thud!

Rotten arms of flesh and blood stretched out from the mounds, and figures slowly rose, staggering, from the graves.

Including the previous four, there were now over a dozen zombies on the field.

Among them were not only humans but also demonic beasts in their original forms.

A massive Tiger Demon, a python whose flesh had rotted away, revealing rows of white bones…

All in all, judging by their forms alone, these creatures were at least great demons who had cultivated demonic energy in life.

Furthermore, this Demon Cultivator had modified each zombie, embedding steel plates in critical areas.

Each zombie, if faced by a single human Martial Artist alone, would be difficult to defeat easily.

Compared to his creations, the Demon Cultivator seemed more interested in Shen Lin.

"The existence of the Opening Meridians Realm is rare enough, but someone like you, so suitable for being made into a Corpse Puppet, is even rarer. You are a rare find, young bones, a strong body…"

He looked at Shen Lin with fervent eyes and, unable to wait, waved his hand. The zombies surged forward, charging at Shen Lin.

If it were an ordinary Opening Meridians Realm cultivator, even someone like Hu Dongxing, the county lieutenant of Qiulin County, would likely flee at the sight of this.

It was unavoidable; although the Opening Meridians Realm cultivator possessed a strong Qi and Blood Force, they were still mortal. Being surrounded and attacked by so many zombies, each equivalent to a Martial Artist, could lead to trouble if one wasn't careful.

Moreover, the Demon Cultivator, positioned at the rear of the zombies, had vanished from his spot at some unknown time.

Sinister laughter continuously emanated from within the zombie horde.

The opponent was using the zombies as cover, and could emerge from the shadows at any moment to deliver a fatal blow.

But Shen Lin showed no sign of retreat. Instead, he leveled his long sword and charged directly forward.

He wielded his sword like a saber, fully unleashing the Blood Battle Saber Technique.

Screech!

With a piercing sound, his long sword sliced through the steel plate on a zombie, cleaving its upper body diagonally.

Simultaneously, Shen Lin shifted his stance, ducking under a strike from a Constable zombie. He twisted his body, his long sword carving a semicircle that bisected the creature at the waist.

The Blood Battle Saber Technique was originally a martial art used by border troops for battlefield combat, and the current situation was perfectly suited for its full power.

In the blink of an eye, Shen Lin had already slain two zombies.

But just as he was about to swing his sword again, a dark shadow shot out from his side without a sound, black claws aimed directly at his heart.

The Demon Cultivator had finally made his move.

And his first move was a killing blow.

Shen Lin's vision was elsewhere at the moment, and his sword momentum was spent, leaving his chest exposed – a moment of weakness.

The Demon Cultivator, having experienced many battles, seized this opportunity.

With that claw strike, Shen Lin, unable to defend himself in time, would have his heart ripped out.

The Demon Cultivator seemed to already envision himself commanding Shen Lin, after being refined into a Corpse Puppet, to wreak havoc.

But the next moment, the black claw landed on Shen Lin's chest, tearing through his clothes, but not breaking through flesh and blood as the Demon Cultivator had imagined.

Upon contact with Shen Lin's skin, the black claw sparked as if scraping against hardened, refined steel.

Qingqiu Body Tempering Technique!

"Got you…"

Shen Lin chuckled and flipped his long sword, slashing down.

The Demon Cultivator, momentarily dazed by this unexpected resistance, had no time to react.

Slish!

The long sword landed on his shoulder, cutting through the skin and revealing a grayish-white steel plate.

This guy had even modified his own body.

But Shen Lin's sword was not without effect.

Blood slowly dripped down the blade, and the pained expression on the Demon Cultivator's face indicated that the sword had indeed struck his flesh.

"Damn it!"

The Demon Cultivator retracted his black claw, batted away Shen Lin's long sword, and rapidly retreated.

But how could Shen Lin, who had finally lured him out into the open, let him escape so easily?

Almost at the same time, Shen Lin also rushed out.

His long sword whistled as it aimed straight for the opponent's face.

Even if the Demon Cultivator's head had been modified, this sword strike would still pierce through it.

Concurrently, several zombies, brandishing fangs and claws, seemed to try and block Shen Lin's path as he charged forward.

However, with their Martial Artist realm cultivation, how could they possibly stop Shen Lin?

At most, they could only leave a few minor injuries on Shen Lin.

Exchanging a few superficial wounds for the Demon Cultivator's life was quite worth it.

Shen Lin merely glanced at the zombies before turning his attention back to the Demon Cultivator.

But at that moment, he saw the Demon Cultivator's lips curl into a sinister smile.

A sense of inexplicable crisis surged in his heart.

"Cloud Rolling Meteor!!!"

Shen Lin decisively changed his move, stopping his charge and immediately shifting tactics. He spun around, unleashing countless sword strikes in all directions.

Clang, clang, clang...

With crisp ringing sounds, the zombies were repelled, and Shen Lin remained unharmed.

He slowly turned his head, looking at the nearest zombie.

It was a zombie made from a human, its teeth and fingernails all modified by the Demon Cultivator into iron weapons.

Under the moonlight, those fangs and claws now gleamed with a strange blue hue.

"Although you are young, your combat experience is quite good?"

The Demon Cultivator looked at Shen Lin with some surprise, lamenting, "Poison?" Shen Lin asked in a deep voice.

"That's right!" The Demon Cultivator nodded, a cruel smile appearing on his lips. "The innate profound poison of the Qing Snake Saint Clan, it's fatal upon contact with blood!"

Shen Lin felt a surge of relief. Fortunately, he had played it safe and hadn't tried to trade injuries for a life. Otherwise, even a slight scratch from these zombies would have been a major problem.

"You are not the only Opening Meridians Realm cultivator I have encountered. I have killed three or four others with your level of strength before."

"Those people were all arrogant, relying on their formidable strength, believing themselves to be almost unrivaled in the Opening Meridians Realm."

"But they weren't Xiantian realm Martial Artists, lacking the protective aura. As soon as they sustained even a small wound from my little pets, they would succumb to the poison."

"It's laughable! They were already old and decrepit, yet they didn't break through immediately. They were all still thinking of opening another meridian, pursuing the elusive supreme realm of martial arts."

"What a pity. If their bones weren't already aged and unable to withstand my modifications, I could have had a few more excellent toys."

"And you..."

"Are the most perfect material I have ever seen!"

The cold autumn wind carried his icy whispers, which were gradually drowned out by the roars of the zombies.