"A Cult of the Corpse Immortal expert! Stronger than that Gavin Haines from before—at least a whole realm above him!"
Quinn Shepherd’s heart pounded. These corpse-biter beetles must belong to a master of the Cult of the Corpse Immortal. To control so many beetles remotely, using them to command countless skeletons from the grave mounds and wild beasts from the wilderness—just imagining the depth of this expert’s cultivation was terrifying.
This was much harder than controlling Flying Corpses.
The beetles burrowed into skeletons and wild beasts, triggering bizarre transformations: skeleton bones gleamed with red, while the beasts turned directly into red-furred corpse monsters, all stampeding madly after Quinn!
This technique was leagues above Gavin Haines.
"He’s using these corpse-biter beetles to control skeletons and beasts—not to kill me, but to slow me down!"
Quinn channeled his qi and sent out the Grand Guardian’s Sword. With a sweep of the Cloud-Piercing Sword Form, the blade circled him in shimmering rings as he sprinted ahead, slashing through the oncoming skeletons and red-furred corpse beasts, pulverizing them to dust!
But every time a skeleton shattered or a red-furred corpse beast was sliced apart, more corpse-biter beetles burst out, either burrowing into the ground or streaking toward the distant woods. From the earth, new skeletons clawed their way up; from the forest, more red-furred beasts charged in!
Quinn’s scalp tingled. These corpse beasts and skeletons were still slowing him down, and that expert tracking him would catch up any moment now!
At that moment, Lina the Spirit Fox was jolted awake by the chaos. Seeing what was happening, she quickly cast a spell, summoning a demon wind that grew into a tornado, sweeping the red-furred corpse beasts and skeletons out of Quinn’s path.
The pressure on Quinn eased, and his speed surged as he sprinted ahead.
Just then, a red corpse-biter beetle flew in, landing on Quinn’s bundle and trying to burrow into Lina’s nose and mouth.
Lina the Spirit Fox shrieked, leaping from the bundle onto Quinn’s shoulder. More beetles buzzed in—the Cult of the Corpse Immortal expert had spotted Lina riding the wind and was now targeting her, trying to turn her into a red-furred corpse beast.
"Sun-Bathing Soul Refining in Midair!"
Quinn’s qi blazed like fire. He stamped a seal in midair, Vermilion Bird fire-qi transforming into a scorching sun overhead. Light flooded out as the corpse-biter beetles shrieked, blue smoke curling from their bodies. They dropped to the ground, motionless.
"The Thunder Chant Eight-Form works—it can destroy the souls inside the corpse-biter beetles!"
Quinn was startled and delighted. As he ran, he kept casting Sun-Bathing Soul Refining in Midair. The blazing sun scorched the charging skeletons and beast corpses, burning out their soul wisps; skeletons collapsed in heaps, beast corpses toppled over.
But now, instead of blocking his path, the skeletons and beast corpses ran alongside him. Suddenly, skeletons reached out mid-stride, yanked out their own ribs, and hurled them like curved blades at Quinn!
Hundreds of rib bones whistled through the air, spinning along tight arcs. Even if they missed, they would boomerang back into the skeletons’ hands.
Quinn grimaced, forced to switch the Cloud-Piercing Sword Form to defense, parrying rib blades from every direction. His speed slowed again.
The Cult of the Corpse Immortal’s attack methods were truly bizarre—Flying Corpses, yellow talisman papers, corpse-biter beetles, skeletons, red-furred corpse beasts, and even skeletons ripping out their own bones to throw as knives. It was a grotesque parade of horrors.
Suddenly, Quinn spotted farmland up ahead. It was spring harvest season, and many farmers were already out, working the fields.
"Get out of the way!"
Quinn waved his arms and shouted loudly, "Everyone, run—get out of here!"
The farmers looked up, startled. A tide of skeletons and red-furred corpse beasts surged toward them, terrifying enough to make them drop their scythes and flee in panic. But they were much slower than Quinn or the beasts; at this rate, they’d be overtaken for sure.
Quinn quickly veered off, steering clear of the farmers. But right beside the rice fields lay the official road, and there were travelers there too. At the head was a carriage, flanked by guards on horseback. From inside, a woman’s voice called out, "What’s all that commotion outside?"
A mounted guard bowed and reported, "Madam, there’s a plague of skeletons chasing a well-dressed youth. He’s trying to draw them away from the farmers and onto the road. There are also some red-furred corpse beasts—strange creatures, likely animated by corpse-biter beetles. Most likely, it’s the Cult of the Corpse Immortal from Xiangxi."
"Even though the realm’s just been pacified, there are always monsters and demons popping up to plague the common folk."
The woman in the carriage ordered, "Guard Shi, go wipe out those skeletons and red-furred corpse beasts. Make sure no civilians get caught up."
"Yes, Madam."
Guard Shi didn’t even dismount. He flicked out a silver Sword Pill, sending it spinning into the air. With each rotation, a brilliant sword-light shot out.
The Sword Pill spun faster and faster, sword-lights raining down like silvery threads. As Quinn ran, he heard the crash and clatter all around—skeletons shattered mid-stride, turning to dust!
The red-furred corpse beasts were also decapitated and torn apart. In less than a breath, the hundreds of skeletons and beasts chasing Quinn were wiped out completely.
Some corpse-biter beetles tried to escape from the wreckage, but the sword-lights struck them down before they could even take flight.
"Orthodox sword art!"
Quinn stopped, looking toward the carriage. The guard’s sword technique was orthodox—just like what he’d seen from the River Lee Sword Sect, dignified and upright.
This kind of sword art refines many blades into a single Sword Pill. When facing enemies, it’s devastating—and can even be arranged into sword arrays.
Of course, only true experts can wield a Sword Pill. It’s so heavy that raising it with qi alone requires immense cultivation.
With a guard this strong, the person inside the carriage had to be someone extraordinary.
Far away, Uncle Joel Qiao was racing over when he suddenly sensed all his corpse-biter beetles die at once. Startled, he stopped and watched from a treetop.
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"That’s the carriage of the Deputy Prefect of Fairview!"
His face changed dramatically. He spun around and fled: "The Deputy Prefect of Fairview is a ruthless one—I’m no match. Better retreat for now!"
He vanished into the distance in a flash.
Guard Shi, still on horseback, reported to the carriage, "Madam, the Cult of the Corpse Immortal has retreated."
The woman inside the carriage said, "Summon that young man here."
"Yes, Madam."
Guard Shi dismounted, bowed, and said, "Young master, my lady requests your presence."
Quinn stepped forward to the carriage. The curtain lifted, revealing a beautiful woman with powdered cheeks and red lips. She turned to look him over, noting his fine clothes—clearly from a wealthy family. "Young master, where are you from?" she asked.
Quinn answered calmly, "I come from Embankton County."
The woman asked, "Has Embankton County already fallen? Is it occupied by the Cult of the Corpse Immortal?"
Quinn nodded, then grinned, "You’re sharp, sis."
"Sis? I’ve been Deputy Prefect of Fairview for years—this is the first time anyone’s called me that."
The woman shook her head, half laughing, half crying, and summoned Guard Shi: "Send orders to Huyang and Yukang counties—prepare to march on Embankton."
Guard Shi acknowledged and hurried off.
The woman studied Quinn and said, "With the Cult of the Corpse Immortal occupying Embankton, I fear the people there are doomed. It’s a miracle you escaped. Judging by your fine clothes, you must be from a noble house—what will you do now?"
Her gaze was tinged with pity—she clearly believed no one in Embankton could have survived. Since Quinn was from there, she assumed his family was lost too.
That’s why she asked what Quinn planned to do next.
Quinn hesitated, then said, "I plan to head for the capital."
The woman nodded. "That’s wise. Fairview is about to send troops to Embankton—bandits will be everywhere, and this is no place to settle. Do you have a travel permit for the capital?"
Quinn looked blank, then shook his head.
The woman paused, then said, "I am Deputy Prefect Claire Yu of Fairview. The rebellion in Embankton happened under my watch—that’s my failure. It’s no surprise you escaped without a travel permit; the county magistrate was likely killed too. Guard Qu, prepare ink and paper."
The guard quickly fetched writing materials and handed them into the carriage. The woman wrote a few lines in elegant script, then asked, "What’s your name?"
Quinn hurriedly gave his name.
Deputy Prefect Claire Yu wrote: ‘Quinn Shepherd, citizen of Fairview,’ stamped it with her seal, waited for the ink to dry, and sent the permit out to Quinn.
"This is your travel permit—a pass for the road. With it, you can enter any major city along the way and no one will give you trouble."
Claire Yu lowered the carriage curtain, her voice drifting out: "Don’t look back—there’s nothing left for you in Embankton. Head for the capital at once. My brother, Yu Yun, is an official there. When you arrive, tell them I sent you. I hope we meet again someday."
"Thank you, sis!" Quinn bowed and hurried off down the official road.
Claire Yu sighed, "Poor child—so young, and already orphaned. He’s probably the only survivor from Embankton…"
"Deputy Prefect Claire Yu is really kind."
Quinn tucked away the permit, thinking, "Now, if I’m questioned on the road, I can say I’m from Fairview—no one will suspect I’m from the Great Ruins. I haven’t slept all night; maybe I’ll rest a while in Huyang County."