CHAPTER 343: FENGDU! SACRIFICIAL ARTS! CORPSE-HERDING! BRONZE DAGGER!

“Cut the crap! What, you think just because you’ve got that female corpse, you’ve grown a backbone?” Li Yanchu sneered coldly.

The old farmer’s mouth twitched, flames of anger flickering in his eyes. But he didn’t notice that the terrifying female corpse before him, who should have been nothing more than a mindless husk, had the faintest curve at the corner of her lips, which seemed almost like a smile. If the old farmer had seen it, he would have been scared out of his wits.

For this was no ordinary jiangshi, no mere corpse puppet; she absolutely should not and could not have awareness. Otherwise... something truly horrific would happen!

Unfortunately, from this angle, only Li Yanchu noticed, and his brows furrowed.

This corpse... has consciousness?

“I came here looking for someone,” Li Yanchu said in a deep voice. “Have you seen a woman carrying an iron sword?”

The old farmer’s eyes narrowed, his face instantly darkening. “You’re with that woman!?”

His fists clenched tight, fury practically shooting from his gaze.

“Hmm?” Li Yanchu blinked.

Why did this old thief sound like he had even more grievance against Fang Qinglan than he did?

The old farmer’s expression grew darker. Just as Li Yanchu thought he wouldn’t get any useful answers, the old farmer suddenly let out a cold laugh.

“That wretched woman! She went alone into Fengdu. If you want to find her, go to Fengdu. Well? Do you believe me?”

His eyes brimmed with mockery.

Fengdu was a forbidden land for the living. If the other really believed him and went there, he’d be walking to his own death. If he didn’t go, then his mind would crack, leaving a flaw in his heart; sooner or later, it would turn into a heart demon.

“Fengdu?” Li Yanchu frowned. “What place is that?”

Hearing this, the old farmer fell speechless, and he nearly cursed out loud! He almost forgot that this guy hadn’t even heard of Mount Youming, what a crude ignoramus!

“Daoism has its seventy Blissful Lands. Naturally, the Ghost Dao has its own as well. Fengdu is one such ghost domain, where ancient, terrifying beings dwell. That woman, she stole my Yinde Money[1]and went to Fengdu to seek some treasure,” the old farmer rasped out, his voice hoarse and low. “Well? If you want to go, I can show you the way. Or maybe you’d rather not believe me, and just let that woman rot on her own.”

His tone dripped with bewitchment, eyes gleaming with mockery as they locked on Li Yanchu. He delighted most in twisting human nature!

“Demonic scum, you think you can shake my Dao heart!? Even if what you say is true, I never bargain with heretics!”

Li Yanchu’s eyes blazed cold. Back when he watched TV dramas, what he hated most was when the villain grabbed the heroine and threatened the hero with her life, forcing him to drop his gun and give up resistance. The result was always some over-the-top cliché plot[2]. Every time he saw it, Li Yanchu wanted to smash the TV!

Now, his answer was simple.

Clang!

A dazzling saber-light tore through the air, and in the next instant, it was already before the old farmer.

Clang! The terrifying female corpse once again met the blade with her bare body.

“You’re insane! That woman truly entered the Fengdu secret realm, if you kill me, no one will be able to open its entrance!” The old farmer’s eyes flashed with shock.

“I despise bargaining most of all. Especially with people like you, tainted by heresy. You’re not qualified!”

Li Yanchu then summoned forth a blazing ancient seal, the Heaven-Illuminating Seal. A vast aura burst out from his body, and it was the aura of divine fire.

The old farmer’s face twisted in horror. This suffocating force... just what kind of person was this young Daoist!? Why did he wield such a terrifying artifact!?

Whoosh!

Heaven-filling divine fire surged out, swallowing the old farmer and the terrifying female corpse whole.

Blazing Inferno!

Even the deep, eerie green waters of the pool boiled away under the searing heat, and the very air was warped and twisted.

“Ahhh!”

With a shriek, the horrifying female corpse erupted with a torrent of icy cold corpse-qi, forming a strange, resilient barrier to shield the old farmer.

But it was useless, as the Heaven-Illuminating Seal’s divine flames were too tyrannical. In an instant, they shattered the corpse’s frigid aura.

Flames of heaven filled the world, still devouring the old farmer and the corpse together. Amid the blinding conflagration, the old farmer’s figure could faintly be seen scorched and wretched, howling in agony.

And yet, the terrifying female corpse remained unmoving, as though some hidden force within her body was halting even the world-burning flames.

When the sea of divine fire finally faded, the old farmer’s appearance was utterly miserable. He had burns and blisters all over his body, and his clothes were in tatters. In his hand, he clutched a single ancient coin with all his strength. If not for that coin, he would already have been reduced to ashes by the divine flames Li Yanchu unleashed!

The old farmer’s voice was shrill and ragged as he hurled his command toward the female corpse, “Kill him!”

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking echoed from within the old farmer’s body. Judging by the twisted pain etched across his face, the agony was beyond words.

But at the same time, the female corpse beside him suddenly lunged toward Li Yanchu. Her speed made her figure blur into afterimages, and she was at least twice as fast as before.

“Some kind of sacrificial art?” Li Yanchu frowned, clearly sensing the surge of terrifying power.

At once he urged forth a weapon. Five ferocious fire-dragons roared into being, spiraling outward to engulf the horrifying female corpse. It was the Five-Dragon Wheel, a pseudo-mythical artifact!

The five fire-dragons reappeared, weaving together in a profound formation and resonating with one another. The terrifying female corpse’s black hair whipped wildly, writhing like giant serpents while entangling the fire-dragons of the Five-Dragon Wheel in a ferocious struggle.

The clash shook heaven and earth. At this time, the old farmer’s face turned deathly pale as he formed seals with both hands. From his robe, he drew forth a bronze dagger gleaming with a chilling light.

The sword’s aura was frigid and razor-sharp. It was a genuine orthodox sword-controlling art.

Radiant divine light burst forth from the bronze dagger as it hovered silently at the old farmer’s side. The air and earth around him seemed to be sliced apart by its edge!

“Fast!” the old farmer barked coldly.

With that, the bronze dagger transformed into a streak of sword-light and hurtled straight for Li Yanchu’s throat.

The old farmer held his breath. As a cultivator of Mount Youming, his experience was vast. With a single glance, he recognized this young Daoist as ruthless in killing, and his arsenal of artifacts overwhelmingly domineering.

This was a man of extreme danger. One misstep could mean instant death at his hands.

And so, the old farmer unleashed the bronze dagger, hoping to pierce through Li Yanchu’s brutish physical strength.

But alas, a five-colored divine radiance flared around Li Yanchu’s body!

Clang!

The bronze dagger was knocked aside before clattering to the ground. In the very next instant, it was seized by a mysterious energy and vanished without a trace. He then took out the Radiant Gem Ruler!

Daoist Art: Telekinetic Retrieval!

Li Yanchu’s gaze turned icy cold as, in a single smooth motion, he directly seized the old farmer’s bronze dagger.

Seeing this, the old farmer from Mount Youming was utterly shocked. A technique specialized in robbing others of their artifacts!? He couldn’t help but curse inwardly!

That bronze dagger had been his most prized treasure with its icy and lethal sword-aura, crafted specifically to pierce even the most unbreakable, brutish bodies. Yet the moment he brought it out, before it had even tasted blood, it was swatted away and snatched.

He let out a heavy sigh, then clawed his hand into a fist.

Bang! He slammed a punch into his own chest acupoint. At once, a mouthful of blood burst from his lips and vanished into thin air.

That beautiful female corpse, with a face as fair as a living maiden’s, suddenly had lips that grew even redder into a ghastly, alluring crimson. The corpse aura around her swelled again, so forceful it actually drove the fire-dragons back.

“Petty, low-grade demonic sorcery!” Li Yanchu sneered. “I want to see just how much blood you can afford to bleed!”

The words cut to the heart. Shamed and mocked by a young Daoist, the old farmer’s face twisted in fury.

1. 阴德钱 “Yinde Money” (literally “Virtue Money”) is a type of underworld currency used in rituals and for “replenishing the treasury.” It symbolizes the accumulation of virtuous deeds to gain blessings, helping people overcome poor financial luck, business setbacks, and other misfortunes. These spirit money offerings are typically made to underworld deities such as Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva or the City God, seeking spiritual abundance and inner peace. ☜

2. The term “狗血剧情” (literally “dog-blood plot”) is a Chinese expression used to describe a storyline that is excessively dramatic, melodramatic, or clichéd. While the literal meaning refers to “dog’s blood,” its figurative sense conveys that the plot is absurdly exaggerated, often to provoke shock, suspense, or emotional reactions. It is commonly applied to soap operas, sensational TV dramas, or any story where events are over-the-top or implausible. The term carries a playful, derogatory tone, similar to English phrases like “melodramatic nonsense,” “soap-opera drama,” or “over-the-top plot,” emphasizing the ridiculous or exaggerated nature of the narrative. ☜