CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 23: LOOTING AMIDST THE FLAMES (PART 2)

Ming Zhang!

Ming Zhang, with his eyes gouged out, his abdomen slashed open, his face covered in blood, was dead beyond doubt!

So it was Ming Zhang’s corpse inside the coffin, and the black fog in the shape of a coffin that she had seen around the courtyard during the soul summoning was because of this.

Yan Daozi was raising corpses!

The machete couldn’t be pulled out, so Ming Zhang raised his hand to grab Sang Que’s neck, but Sang Que threw a lamp at him, loosened the machete, and retreated.

The Daoist robe on Ming Zhang’s body was ignited by the lamp oil, and even as the fierce flames consumed him, he showed no reaction, lunging straight towards Sang Que.

Sang Que retreated to the side of the long table and suddenly noticed beneath Ming Zhang’s right shoulder, a noticeably smaller, thinner child’s arm, pale and shriveled.

Gui Chou’s right hand!

Yan Daozi’s book mentioned that yin objects could be used to nurture corpses.

If lucky, the corpse could inherit the abilities of the yin object; this would reduce the effectiveness of the yin object, but it would extend its usability, and the backlash from using it would be borne by the corpse.

There was even mention of using living humans to nurture yin objects, though the book offered no specific methods, only a general overview.

It’s only been five days since Ming Zhang died, so he couldn’t have merged with the yin object. He wouldn’t be that strong as a zombie, it could be fought.

Sang Que quickly calculated her options and made a decision. There wasn’t enough space indoors to fight properly, so she circled the table to avoid the lunging Ming Zhang and dashed towards the door.

A rustling noise came from behind. Sang Que tore down the blocking red string and kicked open the door.

She stepped out and was stunned.

She was still at the doorway, facing the same scarlet long table, scattered talisman paper, red strings with bells, and flickering candlelight.

This defied science!

Sang Que shouted "Gui Chou" in her mind, but Gui Chou didn’t respond. The room’s suppression on Gui Chou was too strong.

She could only rely on herself!

The shadows to the side surged towards her. Sang Que ducked to avoid Ming Zhang’s pounce and kicked at his knee.

It was like kicking an iron plate; Sang Que was thrown back, and Ming Zhang didn’t budge.

Ming Zhang’s short arm reached for her, and Sang Que jerked her head back to avoid contact.

Ming Zhang lunged again, and Sang Que circled the table, snatched a handful of red string from mid-air, and wrapped it around Ming Zhang’s reaching arm, pulling it tight from behind him.

Ming Zhang struggled with great strength; Sang Que couldn’t resist, the red string snapped, and she immediately hopped away to a distance.

The book Yan Daozi gave said that exorcism talismans were ineffective against Corpse Evil.

Sang Que made a quick decision, tore off the cloth belt at her waist, grabbed a handful of glutinous rice, and hurled it at Ming Zhang.

The glutinous rice scattered over Ming Zhang like a spray of fiery sparks, burning plumes of black smoke from his body.

The limited amount of glutinous rice couldn’t stop Ming Zhang, who lunged at her again with the red string bell wrapped in his hand, but Sang Que remained methodical, her demeanor calm.

The more dire the situation, the calmer and more focused she became.

A tube of black dog blood splashed accurately onto Ming Zhang’s hideous face, immediately scorching it with thick smoke.

Ming Zhang screamed and staggered back. Sang Que pulled out a pre-prepared red cloth, spread it open, and bundled it around the child arm beneath Ming Zhang’s right shoulder, pulling it up.

Then she drew out the red string soaked in black dog blood from the bamboo tube, quickly wrapping it nine times and twisting with all her strength.

Black dog blood was more effective than chicken blood and could temporarily seal yin objects.

Crack!

With a sound of breaking, the arm along with the machete stuck in Ming Zhang’s right shoulder fell off.

Sang Que staggered backwards by her own momentum, and before Ming Zhang could counterattack, she quickly picked up the machete from the ground, chopped through the surrounding red string, and snatched a handful of talisman paper from the wall.

Sang Que circled back to the long table and took a candle from the table.

Bang!

A ghostly hand materialized out of nowhere, clamping down hard on Sang Que’s wrist, preventing her from touching the candle.

Sang Que emptied the remaining black dog blood from the bamboo tube onto it.

The ghostly hand sizzled and smoked, disappearing temporarily. Sang Que yanked the candle from the long table, igniting the talisman papers, and threw them at the cabinet with the drum and lantern.

Bang!

A jug of wine followed, smashing beneath the cabinet, instantly igniting into raging flames.

Sang Que knew she couldn’t kill the current Ming Zhang; resolutely, she took the severed hand, grabbed a jug of wine, and rushed outside again.

The jug smashed at the doorway, the candle dropped, the flames surged, consuming all the red strings and talisman papers.

Sang Que leaped through the flames.

Feeling the scorching heat of the sun and hearing the frantic cicadas, Sang Que breathed a sigh of relief; she finally got out.

Ming Zhang’s screams continued, and the fire in the house blazed even stronger.

Sang Que decided to go all out and loot in the chaos!

This was initially part of the plan, the reward for passing unscathed and completing the hidden task.

Splitting the lock and storming into the room on the right, Sang Que saw an Eight Diagrams Mirror hanging on the wall of Yan Daozi’s bedroom, a copper coin sword, and an old peach wood sword on the case table.

On the desk were yellow paper, vermillion ink, a brush, scissors, a turtle shell, copper coins, an ink bucket, books, and notes.

There were also a few newly dried talismans and a small bag of glutinous rice in the cabinet by the bed.

Sang Que tore off the bed sheet and packed everything she could, leaving nothing behind.

Tying the bundle tightly at her chest, Sang Que wiped the hot sweat from her brow, grabbed the small bag of glutinous rice, and ran out.

The fire in the opposite house was blazing fiercely, reaching the hall, and the one-armed Ming Zhang, covered in flames, charged out. Sang Que flung the remaining half-bag of glutinous rice at him, forcing Ming Zhang back indoors, then scattered the rest at the doorway to prevent Ming Zhang from escaping.

Braving the scorching flames, Sang Que exited Yan Daozi’s house. Outside the courtyard, some villagers had gathered, drawn by the commotion, watching from afar, including He Shouhui.

Seeing Sang Que and the still-moving corpse engulfed in flames a moment ago, the villagers were shocked.

They never expected Yan Daozi was raising corpses inside, nor did they expect a weak woman like Sang Que to subdue a zombie and burn Yan Daozi’s house down.

"Yu Niang?" He Shouhui recognized Sang Que and pushed out from the crowd, concern in his eyes.

Sang Que’s gaze turned cold, lowering the cloth covering her face to wipe the sweat and ash, revealing her true appearance and shouted loudly, "Yao Yuniang was already slaughtered on the way here by me. I’m from the Divine Thief Sect, Mulan is my name!"

Let it be over-the-top then, it was a forced choice.

After speaking, Sang Que quickly ran out of the courtyard and intended to head towards the Deserted Forest when she suddenly saw Yan Daozi furiously charging over from there, wielding an iron sword.