Good Corpse Returns

The next morning, Yun Jingheng got up earlier than usual.

Ye Xinglan was still asleep, but Gu Yuena was startled and half-opened her eyes.

He didn't light a lamp, but whispered, "I'm going to the lake. You get some more sleep."

Gu Yuena hummed in agreement and closed her eyes again. Yun Jingheng kissed both women once each, then quietly got out of bed, put on his coat, and went out the door.

The sky outside was still overcast, not even a hint of dawn had appeared yet, and the lake breeze was cold and damp.

He walked through the dew to the east side of the lake. No one had ever been here before. The grass on the old embankment was covered with water droplets. The water birds were still asleep, and there wasn't a single boat on the lake.

Yun Jingheng walked to his usual spot and sat down cross-legged.

He could feel the wind blowing from the lake, and he could also feel the faint light within his body, like the moon before it set.

At first, his breathing was heavy, then it became lighter. Later, he seemed to be able to hear the sounds of the entire lakeshore.

He heard it all: the water flowing from a great distance, the roots slowly growing in the ground, the soft sound of dew rolling down the blades of grass.

Because of that tiny bit of divinity that is taking shape.

Three hours passed quickly. The sun rose above the lake. Yun Jingheng opened his eyes and felt that he was calmer today than yesterday.

He was so quiet it was almost unnatural. He didn't get up immediately, but just looked down at his palms, which were still warm.

The heat wasn't oppressive; light slowly seeped out from within. Yun Jingheng stood up. When he returned to his residence, Ye Xinglan and Gu Yuena were already up.

Ye Xinglan was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard, while Gu Yuena was watering the flowers.

Seeing him return, Ye Xinglan said, "You're back early today."

Yun Jingheng said, "If the files haven't been approved yet, of course it's early."

Gu Yuena put the watering can down and said, "Lan Muzi came by earlier and said you don't need to go to the Sea God Pavilion today."

Yun Jingheng responded with an "Oh".

Gu Yuena said, "He took the seal and approved it on behalf of others, saying that if the Pavilion Master continues to sit here, the Sea God Pavilion will become a mourning hall."

Yun Jingheng couldn't help but laugh. Lan Muzi's mouth was still the same, but he knew that Lan Muzi was afraid of distracting him.

As the God Trial progressed, he needed to calm his mind more and more. He could no longer do what he did at the beginning, where he would deal with a bunch of trivial matters after finishing his meditation each day.

That wasn't cultivation, that was energy expenditure. Lan Muzi took those things to help him, but Yun Jingheng didn't intend to reveal it.

He said, "Then I'll do whatever you say today."

Ye Xinglan sheathed her sword and said, "Let's eat breakfast first. Auntie said we can't skip it."

Yun Jingheng nodded, and the three of them walked towards the dining hall. There were many students along the way, and when they saw Yun Jingheng, they all stopped and bowed from a distance.

Yun Jingheng waved his hand, telling them to go about their business. A few of the new students, being bolder, followed behind them. One of them ran up, looked up, and asked, "Pavilion Master, they say you're cultivating to become a god, is that true?"

Yun Jingheng looked down at the child, who appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old. He said, "Really."

The child then asked, "If I become a god, does that mean I don't need to eat anymore?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment and said, "Yes. So I'm going to eat now."

The child said "Oh" and ran back. Ye Xinglan and Gu Yuena laughed beside him as Yun Jingheng walked into the dining hall.

Ya Li was already waiting at the door. When she saw them, she put on a stern face and said, "If you don't come soon, the food will get cold."

Yun Jingheng quickly took a few steps and sat down at the table. On the table were porridge, steamed buns, two small dishes of side dishes, and three bowls of steaming egg drop soup.

Ya Li sat opposite him, watching him eat. Yun Jingheng ate slowly, afraid that Ya Li would nag him again.

Ye Xinglan and Gu Yuena also sat down, and the four of them finished their meal quietly. Only then did Ya Li say, "If you're not busy today, go see your dad."

Yun Jingheng said, "Okay." He wiped his mouth and stood up.

Ye Xinglan and Gu Yuena both looked at him, and he said, "You two go ahead with your work. I'll go by myself."

Ye Xinglan nodded, Gu Yuena said, "Don't let someone drag you off to review files again halfway through."

Yun Jingheng smiled, "No, Lan Muzi will be in my place today."

Yun Jingheng walked towards the Sea God Pavilion. Yun Ming was still sitting outside as before, with a teapot warming the tea and a stack of papers beside him. There was no one else there.

Yun Jingheng walked over and sat down next to him. Yun Ming glanced at him and asked, "Have you finished your morning lessons?"

Yun Jingheng hummed in agreement, Yun Ming said, "It looks better than it did a few days ago."

Yun Jingheng said, "Perhaps it's because the files haven't been approved."

Yun Ming didn't respond to that, but only took a sip of tea. Yun Jingheng also poured himself a cup. The tea was very bitter. He took a sip and put it down.

Yun Ming said, "You're right not to go to the western front recently."

Yun Jingheng remained silent, while Yun Ming said, "Those people on the western front are afraid of you. They'll be even more afraid if you don't step in."

Yun Jingheng asked, "Are you afraid, or do you want to force me?"

Yun Ming said, "It's all the same. If you don't go, they won't understand." Yun Jingheng nodded.

He looked up at the sky, which was a clear, bright blue. He said, "Yesterday I was wondering whether I was just enduring the God Trial or going through Shrek Academy all over again."

Yun Ming said, "It's all the same."

Yun Jingheng smiled and said, "That's what I think too." The father and son sat for a while longer.

The wind blew in from the direction of the city gate, carrying the metallic smell of the workshop. Yun Jingheng didn't say anything more. He just felt that sometimes things in this world really don't need to be distinguished so clearly.

Cultivation is also about living life, and living life is also about cultivation. He didn't understand this before, but he does now. Meanwhile, Yun Ming had been watching quietly from the sidelines for a long time.

Watching him gradually calm himself down, by the time Yun Jingheng got up, the sun was already high in the sky.

He slowly walked down the steps of the Sea God Pavilion. Behind him, Yun Ming was still sitting there, like a mountain that no longer needed to speak. Yun Jingheng did not turn around.

He only walked towards the east of the lake, and sat there for a while each night. Days passed like this, one after another, as he approached the moon.

Meanwhile, in the west, the Holy Spirit Cult remained hidden in the shadows. They wouldn't wait long, but Yun Jingheng wasn't afraid of them waiting.

He was gradually transforming himself into the very light they feared most, so that when they returned, they might not even see his face, because Shrek would have already woken up.

The whole city was glowing, and that light shone first, illuminating the dark figures hidden in the woods and ravines, one by one.

Then, Ye Xinglan's sword, the Shrek members, the Tang Sect, and the Spirit Pagoda's net were used to slowly clean things up.

Yun Jingheng had to do was sit here, sit until the very end, and wait for it all to pass.

Wait for them to return, wait for the sky to truly brighten.

He looked up and saw flocks of birds flying by in the east. The wind was gentle, and the lake shimmered. Yun Jingheng closed his eyes and began to wait for the next moon. The night was still far away, but he was already on his way.

In the days that followed, no more major fires broke out on the western front.

The Holy Spirit Cult tempted them several more times, sometimes at night, sometimes at dusk.

They emerged from the depths of the forest, releasing plumes of black smoke towards Shrek from afar, or shattering the Soul Guidance Lamp of several small villages along the way.

They didn't linger in battle, nor did they confront the patrols directly; they would fire a shot and then leave.

They were testing Shrek's reaction and waiting for Yun Jingheng to come out of the city, but Yun Jingheng never came out. He sat on the east side of the lake for three hours each morning and evening, without fail.

What truly troubled the Holy Spirit Cult was Shrek's counterattack.

Wu Zhangkong divided the western line into seven sections, with one visible sentry post and two hidden checkpoints in each section. The visible sentry post lit up the lights, while the hidden checkpoints planted the intelligence.

The Tang Sect members were responsible for the rear, while the Soul Master of the Spirit Pagoda had set up an extremely thin sensory membrane outside the forest. The membrane was harmless, but if anyone carrying the scent of blood and fluctuations of Soul Power passed through it, the membrane would tremble slightly.

Lan Muzi organized these vibrations into lines, and then handed them over to the Star Pavilion Half-Sweet Coffee comparison. After a few days, all of the Holy Spirit Cult's deployment routes were marked out without their knowledge.

At night, the western route is brighter than other places, and the Blue Light Tower patrols further and further each day.

As soon as night fell, the entire edge of the forest seemed to be submerged in white water, and the Holy Spirit Cult members could no longer reach the edge of the town, because once it got dark, the road was so bright that even shadows could not be hidden.

They could only detour through the darkest part of the North Slope of the forest, but the south side of the North Slope had already been covered by Perception Array for the Spirit Pagoda.

The moment they step inside, Tang Sect spies will receive a signal.

Several nights, just as they reached the outskirts of the village, Wu Zhangkong's patrol team surrounded them.

The Holy Spirit Cult didn't kill anyone; they burned down two empty houses and then retreated, but people died among them.

The first group of Evil Soul Master who appeared outside the Gray Forest were cornered on the hillside by Ye Xinglan during their third attempt. Yun Jingheng didn't ask Ye Xinglan how she did it.

All he knew was that when Ye Xinglan returned to the lakeside very late that day, there were several very thin black marks on her cuffs, as if they had been stained with very dirty blood. She didn't say anything, and he didn't ask anything either. That night, he was still attending evening classes, and she sat down on the old embankment and sat with him for a long time.

On the fifth day, news came from the western front that the southern side of Gray Forest had been cleared.

On the seventh day, the North Slope was stabilized, and the Tang Sect began transporting grain to the three towns to the west. The people of the Spirit Pagoda repaired the last gap in their perception.

Lan Muzi is already procuring timber for the burned-down houses, and refugees are beginning to migrate to the outer city in batches. Everything is slowly tilting in Shrek's favor, and the Holy Spirit Cult is making no further major moves.

They retreated deep into the forest and didn't come out even at night. Yun Jingheng listened to this and simply nodded.

It wasn't that he didn't care; he just knew that this battle wouldn't be won because of him.

It's because of Ye Xinglan, Wu Zhangkong, Lan Muzi, Tang Sect, the Spirit Pagoda, and those who are secretly planting seeds and lighting lamps in the shadows.

They're all here. Shrek can shine even without him. This is the most difficult and essential thing to understand in the Sixth Trial.

It wasn't that he couldn't take the lead; it was that he finally understood that he didn't have to be the one for every match, and he slowly began to believe.

The western front is entrusted to Ye Xinglan and Wu Zhangkong, the southern front to the Tang Sect, the refugees to Lan Muzi, and the Perception Array to Gu Yuena.

He left the entire covert battle to them, while he simply sat by the lake, like the lake itself, motionless, yet able to reflect everyone's positions.

On the eleventh day, Yun Jingheng attended evening classes as usual.

Near the end, he suddenly felt something move very, very faintly in the distance to the west.

It was a scent he hadn't felt in a long time, a scent so close to him. He opened his eyes; the moon had already risen.

Of the Three Corpses, one has already set off to return.

He slowly stood up. Ye Xinglan walked over from the old embankment. Yun Jingheng said, "We don't need to wait today."

Ye Xinglan looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Yun Jingheng glanced westward and said, "Someone is on their way back."

Ye Xinglan didn't ask, but said, "I'll wait with you."

Gu Yuena arrived at some point. She walked to the other side of Yun Jingheng and said, "I'm here too."

Yun Jingheng didn't speak. He looked westward, where it was still dark, and even the lights outside the city couldn't reach very far.

The three of them didn't leave; they stood by the lake, waiting for the first shadow to appear. Yun Jingheng suddenly felt like laughing.

He realized he wasn't in a hurry. In the past, if he knew a friend was coming back, he would go out to greet them, but now he just stood there.

This is probably part of the God Trial; it's not something you shout out, but something you wait for while standing still.

The night breeze was gentle, the lake was still, and the moon seemed a little rounder than it had been a few days ago.

They didn't have to wait too long.

Far to the west, there was first a very faint light, not bright at all, like someone had lit a tiny lamp in the darkness.

The light shimmered and drifted towards Shrek City, Gu Yuena squinted.

Yun Jingheng didn't move, he just stood there. He recognized it; it was the Good Corpse. The Good Corpse had returned, and he was walking very slowly.

He walked step by step along the path beside the official road to the west. His left arm was wrapped with a strip of cloth with faint traces of blood on it.

His clothes were torn in several places, and his shoes were worn out, but his eyes were clear, clearer than Yun Jingheng had ever seen before.

By the time he finally reached the east side of the lake, it was past midnight. Neither Ye Xinglan nor Gu Yuena went to greet him, and Yun Jingheng didn't move either. He just stood by the lake, watching his other self approach step by step.

The Good Corpse stopped five steps away from him, their eyes met, and neither of them spoke.

Finally, the Good Corpse smiled first. It was a soft, genuine smile. He said, "I'm back." Yun Jingheng nodded.

He hummed in response, his throat tightening slightly Good Corpse took a step forward, and the two figures merged together. Yun Jingheng closed his eyes, and the transmission of memories caused his body to sway very slightly.

Ye Xinglan wanted to step forward, but Gu Yuena pulled her back. Yun Jingheng slowly opened his eyes. On his left arm, there was a wound. It wasn't deep, but the pain was very real.

He looked down, pulled down his sleeve, put his hands inside, looked up, and said, "Two more to go."

Of the four moons, one has already truly been lit.

Yun Jingheng looked up at the moon in the sky; it was already quite full. He said, "Let's go back."

The three of them remained silent and slowly walked towards the house. The lake behind them was still, but the stillness was different from before.

Yun Jingheng walked very slowly. He didn't look back. A third of the God Trial had already passed since the Good Corpse returned that night.

There are still two-thirds left, and that's the hardest part. The Evil Corpse is still in the north, and the True Self Corpse is even further away.

The night breeze was gentle, and the moon shone a little brighter. He clenched his fist.

"Jing Heng," Ye Xinglan said softly.

"Hmm?" Yun Jingheng turned around.

"Well... I prepared a gift for you." Her voice was soft, even a little weak.

As soon as she said it, she tensed up for a moment. Gu Yuena glanced at her sideways, then looked away. She already knew.

Yun Jingheng stopped and looked at Ye Xinglan. "What?"

"Well... you'll see when you get back!"