Chapter Seventy-Four: The Art of Corpse Refinement

"What ambitions does he have?"

Perhaps I do not yet comprehend the true danger of these corpses, since nothing of the sort was ever mentioned in Chen Chuyi’s notes.

At this moment, Detective Tu poked his head out, frowning as he said, "These are nine Yin Corpses, and all the corpse energy has been completely expelled from their bodies. It seems that Master Wu Wang intends to forge the Nine Yin Grand Array—truly a ruthless and vicious character!"

"The Nine Yin Grand Array!"

I found myself with no recollection of such an array. All my knowledge comes from Chen Chuyi’s notes and a few ancient books, but nowhere in those notes is the Nine Yin Grand Array recorded, and I have only skimmed a small portion of those old texts.

"This Nine Yin Grand Array is an ancient formation of formidable power. Of course, it cannot be replicated as it was in ancient times. Back then, the creator was the King of the Nine Yin Laws, an unspeakably evil man from the demon clan. He was eventually caught for stealing a sacred relic from the Ear Demon Clan. They extracted the demonic root from his body and exiled him to the Void. In that place, the King began a new form of cultivation. He was a prodigy, mastering the arts of everyone he met in the Void—and each time he succeeded, he killed his teacher, capturing their soul in his palm. In the end, he developed the technique known as the Hand of Ten Thousand Souls."

"It was then that the King of the Nine Yin Laws attempted to establish his own kingdom in the Void. However, his plan was discovered, and a master of the demon clan was sent to annihilate all his gathered followers. Though the King managed to escape thanks to his profound power, he inadvertently stumbled into a mysterious space in his panic. The Void was a labyrinth of countless overlapping spaces, where it was all too easy to lose one's way."

"The King wandered that space for ten years before finally finding an exit. There, he encountered a Yin Corpse, and it was this meeting that gave birth to his desire for vengeance through the crafting of an array. By then, he was consumed by hatred; the demon clan had severed all his hopes. Ten years of reflection had given him unique insights into space and formation, but his understanding was one of slaughter. After subduing the Yin Corpse, he began madly collecting others—all chosen for their ultimate Yin and utmost evil. He forged nine Yin Corpses into a formation that later instilled terror among the demon clan’s greatest masters."

Hearing this, I finally understood why Xiyue had frowned with such deep worry upon seeing the nine female corpses earlier.

No wonder Master Wu Wang intended to transform the patriarch of the Zhou family into a zombie—it was all to aid him in forging the Nine Yin Corpses. There is an extreme method for crafting Yin Corpses, and the fastest: forcibly injecting corpse energy directly into the body of a woman, then slitting all the meridians with a knife. This drives the corpse energy out, but the body remains shrouded in Yin energy, and the corpse energy circulates within. Blood is drawn out as it flows from the veins, making the Yin Corpse ravenous for blood—perfect for murder.

Master Wu Wang had accomplished this flawlessly. He was merely awaiting the right moment for these Yin Corpses to transform together.

Looking at the nine corpses sprawled chaotically before me, I was filled with dread.

Xiyue took a step toward one of the female corpses, bending down to seize her.

"Xiyue, let me do it!"

Naturally, in such circumstances, I could not let Xiyue touch these defiled corpses.

I stepped in front of her, tore a strip from my clothes, wrapped it around my hand, and crouched down to grab the corpse.

"Xiaodong, did you bring your peachwood sword?"

I nodded; I usually kept such items in my backpack just in case.

"Use the peachwood sword to pierce the hearts of these Yin Corpses. That will destroy them, and prevent any further transformation."

I agreed, flipping the corpse over. The once prominent chest was now blackened and shriveled, the face scorched and hideous—terrifying even from a distance.

Yet, seeing her, I could not help but sigh. In life, this woman must have been strikingly beautiful, with a model’s figure.

I stood, took the peachwood sword from my bag, and drove it into her heart.

Sizzling black vapor rose instantly.

I quickly stepped aside and moved to the next body, repeating the act.

Again, the sword sizzled as the black energy escaped.

By the fourth, I switched swords; I only had two with me.

When I thrust the sword into the heart of the eighth Yin Corpse, the body suddenly shuddered violently. A vicious, cold wind howled into the cave.

"How dare you trespass in my domain and destroy my Yin Corpses! You court death!"

"Heaven and earth limitless—rise!"

As my sword touched the heart of the eighth corpse, the entire space began to tremble. The corpse beneath my blade suddenly opened its eyes wide. I shivered, about to thrust the sword home, but an overwhelming force seized me.

"Back off!"

In that instant, I heard Xiyue’s voice.

Suddenly, blood-red walls sprang up around me. I stepped onto the Yin Corpse’s abdomen, aimed my peachwood sword at its heart, and plunged it in.

A shrill, grating howl erupted—a sound only those with opened yin-yang eyes could hear.

"You!"

Seeing me forcefully dispatch even the eighth Yin Corpse, Master Wu Wang trembled with rage, his face flushing, ghostly energy swirling around him. He formed a spell with his hands and chanted furiously.

"Xiaodong, quickly—destroy the ninth Yin Corpse!"

I acknowledged, stepping onto the last corpse.

But at that moment, the corpse’s eyes snapped open, and it grabbed my peachwood sword. Though there was a faint sizzle, it was barely audible. My sword was now charred black—its power spent!

"Rise!"

With a roar, Master Wu Wang unleashed his power. Instantly, I felt my body lose all sense of gravity and was flung out of the cave...