"Shua!"
Lin Zhao instantly ignited the second Zhaojian Talisman, shouting, "Shu Zhi!"
As he spoke, the second Zhaojian Talisman transformed into a golden sword energy that shot towards the elder carrying the coffin. This time, the sword energy was orange, a sword strike from Lin Wanhua, the Lord of Fusung Great Wall!
"A meager trick, and you dare to show off before a master?!"
The elder carrying the coffin laughed heartily, igniting a talisman in his hand. With a "snap," he struck an ancient zombie in official robes beside him. The zombie instantly soared into the wind, its corpse qi erupting continuously, forming a cloud of miasma. Lin Wanhua's strand of sword energy plunged into the miasma, only managing to leave a sword wound on the zombie's chest, unable to suppress it completely.
Across the vast northern lands, streaks of bloody fireflies flickered. The next moment, ten Demon Soul Swords, like ten stars in a line, shot from behind, rapidly attacking the eleventh-realm coffin bearer.
"Sir, be careful."
Simultaneously, Shu Zhi spoke to Lin Zhao in his mind, "The zombie refined by this eleventh-realm cultivator is a Flying Zombie, capable of using magic to kill people!"
"Eleventh-realm Sword Cultivator?!"
The elder carrying the coffin let out a loud laugh, turned, and flicked his finger. An eleventh-realm fierce ghost lunged out, its maw wide open, as if intending to devour all eleven Demon Soul Swords: "Hahahaha, my Heaven Swallowing Ghost will feast today!"
From the Xueyu Tianchi, Shu Zhi's delicate brows furrowed, realizing how troublesome this eleventh-realm coffin bearer was. With a flip of her fingertips, the ten Demon Soul Swords scattered, transforming into meteors that struck the opponent. The elder carrying the coffin raised his coffin behind him, continuously repelling the flying swords. Thus, Shu Zhi was occupied, leaving only the other opponent, the Star River realm coffin-bearing girl named Tan Xin.
"Attack!"
Tan Xin's face contorted with malice. With a lift of her finger, the Corpse Zombie she had refined leaped up, charging towards Chen Ben in mid-air. Chen Ben met it with his fists, his heavy iron punches landing on the Corpse Zombie. However, the Corpse Zombie had long refined its body to be as hard as bronze and iron. Despite the physical damage, it wouldn't be destroyed so quickly.
"Send two more people!"
Tan Xin shouted, and two more coffin bearers arrived on the night wind. One was at the Nascent Soul realm, and the other at the Golden Core realm. They summoned their respective zombies and fierce ghosts, surrounding Chen Ben and attacking him. Chen Ben, relying on his formidable fist energy, pushed his opponents back with every punch, showing no fear.
"It's your turn now~~~"
Tan Xin chuckled softly, leaping up. Her right hand transformed into bloody claws, directly pouncing at Lin Zhao.
"???"
Lin Zhao retreated several steps, throwing a cage of sword energy towards the sky, but it didn't trap the opponent. He then directly used a Sword Break style to defend himself. Immediately, the sound of "peng peng peng" sword energy collisions echoed. Streaks of sword energy attacked, but since the opponent was in the Star River realm, the damage was not significant. In the blink of an eye, Tan Xin's claws were upon him.
"Shua!"
Suddenly, Lin Zhao's figure disappeared, entering a small dimension carved out by the Hao Ran Flying Sword. Outside, Tan Xin's pounce missed. Enraged, she turned and ruthlessly slashed with her claw, bisecting a fourth-realm Xueyu cavalryman. She roared, "Is your leader too cowardly? It's fine if you don't come out, I'll kill your subordinates!"
Lin Zhao emerged from the small dimension. A rising flame appeared at the tip of his Resplendent Sword. The next moment, he sent Tan Xin flying into the air. Her qipao skirt fluttered, revealing her slender, long legs. Lin Zhao then unleashed a series of attacks: "Sweep the Thousand Armies," "Throw the Universe," and "Qi Chong Dou Niu." Following that, a blast of sword energy stunned Tan Xin in place.
A Star River realm ghost cultivator, subjected to such humiliation, was furious. Tan Xin's beautiful face became even more ferocious as she roared, "I will tear you… to pieces!"
She suddenly thrust out a palm, and the fierce ghost behind her burst forth, coiling around Lin Zhao.
"Drip!"
Battle Notification: Please note, you have been hit by coffin bearer Tan Xin's skill [Fierce Ghost Entanglement]. You are immobilized, unable to use skills or defensive actions, for 7 seconds!
...
This is bad!
Lin Zhao's brow furrowed. In his surprise, he found that although he was immobilized, the coffin-bearing girl didn't seem eager to kill him. Instead, a smile curved her lips.
"Brother Lin Zhao!"
Not far away, Chen Ben's fist erupted with power, pushing back the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realm coffin bearers. He then broke free from the Corpse Zombie's entanglement, transforming into a blur and charging towards Lin Zhao, shouting, "You demoness, take this punch!"
Not good!
Lin Zhao's heart pounded. He hurriedly shouted, "Chen Ben, be careful!"
The next moment, the coffin bearer Tan Xin turned, a smile on her lips. A blood-red talisman drifted with the wind. The talisman's core hummed, and the talisman, like a shroud, extended and lengthened, wrapping around Chen Ben's body with a gentle force. No matter how Chen Ben punched, it was useless. His fierce fist energy couldn't break the profound power contained within the talisman.
Lin Zhao's heart turned cold. The coffin bearer lineage could not only refine zombies but also raise ghosts. Furthermore, they were descendants of the Daoist sect, capable of using talisman arts. This was truly terrifying. At this moment, Lin Zhao's heart was in his mouth, but he was powerless. He couldn't move, all his skills, including the two flying swords in the Sword Reservoir Lake, were sealed.
"A body with innate divine strength, rare indeed!"
Tan Xin suddenly opened her right hand, her fingers transforming into bloody claws, rich corpse poison flowing. She plunged them into Chen Ben's chest. With a "chuff," Chen Ben was heavily wounded, blood splattered everywhere. Within seconds, his initially bright red blood turned purple. The poison in that claw was likely not a small amount!
...
"You scoundrel!"
A thunderous roar echoed, and Mu Gua descended the mountain on the wind.
"Peng!"
The Heaven Yuan realm martial artist's dazzling punch landed on Tan Xin's Corpse Zombie, instantly turning half of its body into dust. Then, with a kick, he hooked Tan Xin's coffin, sending both her and the coffin flying. Seizing the opportunity, he embraced Chen Ben. By the time he tore the talisman, Chen Ben's face was ashen, and he had fainted.
On the other side, Shu Zhi drew her Chengxin Sword and unleashed a strike, cooperating with the attack of the ten Demon Soul Swords. The eleventh-realm coffin bearer's leg was pierced through, creating a bloody hole, and he retreated with his wounds. To the south, fist energy erupted, and the wounded Chu Yu unleashed punches, killing fifth-realm coffin bearers. In an instant, all the coffin bearers on the entire mountainside, except for the eleventh and tenth realm ones, were almost annihilated.
"Return to Xueyu Tianchi, quickly!"
Lin Zhao looked at Chen Ben and said gravely, "Mu Gua, quickly take Chen Ben back and find a physician!"
"Yes, sir!"
Mu Gua flew away. Lin Zhao, concerned about Chen Ben, was also sent back by a wisp of Shu Zhi's sword intent. Chu Yu, along with the slightly damaged Xueyu cavalry, returned to Xueyu Tianchi.
...
At the Mountain Peak Villa, in the study of Tianranju.
Chen Ben lay on the bed, unconscious, his face pale. The poison in his chest had begun to spread. The physician of the Xueyu Army stood by, shaking his head repeatedly, helpless.
"This is not good, it's corpse poison..."
Shu Zhi's delicate brows furrowed. "That Star River realm coffin bearer was too ruthless. That strike almost pierced Chen Ben's heart. The wound is too close to his heart, and the corpse poison is constantly attacking his heart. This move..."
Lin Zhao frowned. "How is this move?"
Shu Zhi stood up and said, "Sir, this move is used by the coffin bearer lineage to turn enemies into zombies. It is a forbidden technique. Our Xueyu Tianchi physicians have no way to cure such an injury."
"Then what do we do?"
Lin Zhao was frantic. When he brought Chen Ben and his mother to Xueyu Tianchi, he never expected this outcome. Moreover... Chen Ben had fallen into this predicament saving him.
"Aunt..."
He gritted his teeth and called out in his mind.
Soon after, the thirteenth-realm Lin Xingchu, enveloped in a torrent of water, descended upon Tianranju. She entered Tianranju and immediately raised her hand, gently touching Chen Ben's wound. A stream of clear water spiritual energy seeped into his flesh, and the entire wound turned luminous. However, Lin Xingchu's expression was not right. "I can only help seal his heart meridian, preventing the corpse poison from attacking his heart for a short period. But this is not a long-term solution. Perhaps soon, the corpse poison will still infect his entire body."
"Aunt, is there no other way?"
Lin Zhao frowned. "Is there no spiritual medicine that can cure all poisons? No matter the cost, I am willing to pay it."
"No."
Lin Xingchu replied helplessly. "Where are there so many peerless spiritual medicines in the world? If there were, wouldn't the emperors of the mortal dynasties who didn't want to die all live to be a hundred years old?"
Shu Zhi gnashed her silver teeth. "If the Medical Saint, Physician Zhang, were still alive, he would surely have a way to save him."
"Difficult."
Lin Xingchu said, "The Medical Saint is currently in the upper realm. The price of descending to the lower realm once is too great. Moreover, for the entire upper realm, the price for a fourteenth-realm Medical Saint to descend once is far greater than the life of this young martial artist. Unless he were truly a Rebirth realm martial artist, but he is not."
"I understand."
Lin Zhao pursed his lips. "Thank you for your trouble, Aunt."
"Mmm."
Lin Xingchu departed with the receding tide of water.
...
Under the starlight, Lin Zhao sat on the steps outside Tianranju, looking dejected.
From the study, the sounds of Chen Ben's mother's crying could be heard.
At this moment, Lin Zhao felt even more guilty. If he hadn't brought Chen Ben to Xueyu Tianchi, perhaps he wouldn't be in this desperate situation today.
...
In the distance, at Jiuzhangyuan.
The eleventh-realm elder carrying the coffin sat on a green rock, gazing at Xueyu Tianchi. Beside him was the coffin-bearing girl Tan Xin. Tan Xin showed a playful expression to her master, saying, "Master, don't worry. Even an immortal would find it hard to save from my claw. That Chen Ben is only nine realms at such a young age, and he has a body of innate divine strength. Hmph… We don't need to attack the mountain at all. We can just wait for Xueyu Tianchi to hold their funeral, then sneak up the mountain and dig up Chen Ben's corpse. By then… if Master refines him into a zombie, perhaps this zombie Chen Ben will become the first twelfth-realm Wandering Corpse in existence, and it will be an opportunity for Master to attain the Dao and become a twelfth-realm cultivator!"
The elder carrying the coffin smiled, gently stroking the girl's head. "Little girl, I really haven't doted on you in vain all these years~~~"
The girl narrowed her eyes, her beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons.