Walking corpse from the tomb

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Grave Walkers

At that moment, Chu Qiuran suddenly commanded, "Everyone, halt! We have reached our destination!"

Yang Fan's heart jolted. He noticed that the surrounding area was enveloped in a much denser aura of yin energy, far more potent than in the vicinity, and the terrain became increasingly treacherous. As his feet touched the ground, a chilling, malevolent energy coursed through him, causing an uncomfortable sensation throughout his body.

Though a sense of unease gnawed at him, Yang Fan had no intention of retreating. Following their previous encounter, he had healed three injured Qi Refining stage cultivators, enhancing his own cultivation level significantly. He was now teetering on the edge of achieving the pinnacle of Qi Refining.

High risks often entailed alluring rewards, and at this moment, Yang Fan stood on the brink of a breakthrough. It was far more advantageous than waiting idly in the pharmacy, hoping for an opportunity to arise. Once he reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining, with his advanced soul cultivation at the late stage of Spirit Condensation, advancing further to Spirit Condensation would be an effortless endeavor. At that point, within the confines of the Yang Family Fortress and the Rain Mist Manor, the number of individuals capable of causing him harm would dwindle to a mere handful. Ignoring the need for discretion, he could almost roam freely through the local realm of cultivation.

Chu Qiuran once again unfurled the tattered map, surveying the surroundings. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded slightly, stowed the map away, and addressed the crowd:

"Everyone, let's split up and search within a radius of one mile to see if we can uncover any clues about the tomb."

The disciples from the Rain Mist Manor responded eagerly, forming several small teams to begin their search.

Yang Fan, however, wore a pensive expression. As the invited physician, he had no obligation to involve himself in this matter, but it was evident that the Rain Mist Manor had devised a meticulous plan prior to this expedition.

This journey into Ghost Corpse Mountain had drawn a significant number of elite disciples from the Rain Mist Manor, including two talented individuals at the Spirit Condensation stage.

At a certain moment, Yang Fan felt an unusual sensation wash over him. He activated his Omniscient Mode, instantly gaining insight into the movements and disturbances within a radius of two hundred feet.

"Hmm?" he thought, momentarily surprised. However, he maintained a composed exterior, musing, "It seems that tonight, the Ghost Corpse Mountain is destined for turmoil. I hope to gain some benefits from it…"

Time passed slowly. Chu Qiuran dispatched four teams, each comprising five Qi Refining cultivators, to search within a one-mile radius.

Yet, after half an hour, all four teams returned empty-handed, without a single lead.

"Search! Search again with utmost diligence!" Chu Qiuran's eyes narrowed, his face etched with dissatisfaction as he swung his hand decisively and barked, "The team that uncovers any clues will receive a reward of fifty spirit stones and an upper-grade magic weapon!"

With the promise of substantial rewards, the teams became even more fervent in their searches, meticulously combing through every inch of land.

Yang Fan, along with Zheng the Apothecary and others, harbored curiosity and anticipation.

Could the Rain Mist Manor truly pinpoint the location of the millennia-old tomb?

Just then, a chilling scream echoed from the northwest, swiftly followed by a haunting cry for help that sent a shiver down everyone's spine. "Quick! There's trouble over there!" Chu Qiuran's expression changed dramatically as he led Hu Fei, Chu Yuyan, and others toward the source of the commotion.

"We should go take a look!" 

With a leap, Yang Fan followed suit. In truth, he was already acutely aware of the situation unfolding there.

"Ah!" A mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator from the Rain Mist Manor let out a harrowing scream, his body torn to shreds by a rotting corpse. The protective spirit energy surrounding him barely offered any resistance.

The corpse was a towering figure, its eyes flickering with a green flame. Its limbs were harder than iron, and its fingers were adorned with long, grayish claws, brimming with deadly corpse poison.

In an instant, the corpse leapt forward, covering two or three yards in a heartbeat, then extended a hand to plunge into the back of a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

"Ah!" The cultivator froze, his body paralyzed by the venom coursing through him, his face contorted with despair.

With a sickening squelch, the corpse's claws ripped through his flesh with terrifying force, scattering blood and internal organs everywhere.

Zing! 

Nearby, three Qi Refining cultivators unleashed their magic weapons, transforming them into streaks of radiant light that struck the corpse.

Clang, clang, clang! Despite the attacks from the magical weapons, only sparks flew off the corpse's body. A thick, grayish mist enveloped it, swirling menacingly toward the assailants.

"This is bad!" One cultivator's expression shifted dramatically as he quickly withdrew his weapon, warning his companions, "Beware of that corpse mist; it will corrode our treasures!"

Clang! Clang! 

Two magical weapons fell to the ground, their surfaces blackened and emitting thick smoke, having lost their connection with their owners and most of their spiritual essence.

"Roar!" The corpse, its visage grotesque, viciously tore apart a second mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

"Fall back!" Chu Qiuran yelled sternly upon arrival, and Hu Fei wasted no time shooting a silver needle that crackled with ominous lightning.

Swoosh! The silver needle sliced through the night, aiming straight for the corpse's head.

Bang! 

The corpse cast aside the body it held and clapped its hands together, generating a barrier of gray mist to shield itself while retreating.

Swoosh! 

The lightning struck true, piercing the mist. The corpse's hand bore the marks of burning, exuding smoke, and it let out a bone-chilling roar.

Yang Fan, following closely, wore an expression of intrigue. From where had this corpse emerged?

His gaze shifted to a nearby mound, where a jagged opening emitted a palpable chill, along with an aura he found strangely familiar.

Demonic energy… Yang Fan's mind stirred. In this place of ghostly and corpse-like beings, the emergence of demonic energy was unexpected.

While the realms of demonic and ghostly energies often intertwined, the appearance of demonic energy in Ghost Corpse Mountain after hundreds of years was certainly abnormal.

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

Chu Qiuran and the others rushed in, launching their assault on the corpse, engaging in fierce combat.

Clang, clang~~ Even with the initial-stage Spirit Condensation cultivators' attacks with their magic weapons, only faint sparks were generated upon impact.

Nevertheless, with each attack, the corpse momentarily staggered, clearly unable to ignore the level of their strikes, unable to advance.

Hu Fei's lightning strikes, each time they connected, left the corpse engulfed in smoke and furious roars, forcing it to exercise caution.

Yang Fan observed from a distance, noting that while the corpse was immensely powerful, its intelligence was notably low. Much of its behavior was instinctual, yet it possessed a keen awareness of threats.

Before long, other cultivators from the remaining teams also arrived, and with dozens of them joining the fray, they could swiftly vanquish the corpse.

Roar! Just then, another similar corpse erupted from the opening, its eyes ablaze with green fire, charging toward the group.

"This is not good!" Chu Qiuran exclaimed, as the second corpse surged into the crowd, quickly injuring several cultivators.

"This one is yours to deal with alongside Yuyan. Make it a swift resolution!" Chu Qiuran shouted, casting aside his words as he summoned a shimmering silver spear radiating an ethereal blue glow.

Whoosh! The silver spear soared through the air, tracing an arc of blue lightning as the sound of its passage filled the air with oppressive force.

A spirit weapon!

Yang Fan's eyes lit up; he immediately recognized it as a lower-grade spirit weapon. Although it was of the same rank as his own Qingfeng Sword, it bore greater potency, radiating a fierce destructive energy.

Swoosh! 

The silver spear struck the second corpse, a flash of blue light erupting as it made contact, producing a strange sound akin to metal scraping against metal.

The corpse expelled a cloud of mist, attempting to corrode the spirit weapon, but it was halted by the blue glow, thwarting its efforts for the time being. However, the spear penetrated three inches into the corpse, ripping through flesh.

Yet the corpse, impervious to blades, retaliated with a mighty blow, sending Chu Qiuran's spirit weapon flying.

Whoosh! 

Chu Qiuran deftly reclaimed the silver spear, his expression grave. "Those who are injured or affected by the corpse poison, retreat so that the Apothecary can assist you. Everyone else, focus on the corpse!"

It was clear he had recognized the significant threat posed by the corpse to ordinary Qi Refining cultivators.

"Help me…" 

Several Qi Refining cultivators staggered back, casting desperate glances toward Yang Fan, Zheng the Apothecary, and others.

Without hesitation, Yang Fan approached the most severely injured cultivator, kneeling beside him for a careful examination, while Zheng the Apothecary and Lin the Apothecary tended to other wounded individuals.

Before Yang Fan lay a Qi Refining cultivator whose right arm bore deep lacerations from the corpse, the arm almost broken. Waves of corpse poison were infiltr