CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 67: OPENING

"Something isn’t quite right. Let’s make our move together."

The sudden clamor within the town walls of Baohe County Town left the corpse-herders looking at each other in bewilderment, all sensing an eerie abnormality.

"Okay!"

Nodding together, the remaining four corpse-herders reached for their drums, bells, bone whistles, and many other tools for controlling the undead.

The next second, with the overlaid sounds of sinister intent, stiff and icy figures began to hop out from the dense woods.

In just a few breaths, nearly ninety grotesque and terrifying zombies appeared, their bodies rotting, with white maggots falling from them as they moved.

The quality of these zombies was clearly not as good as the ones summoned by the leading corpse-herder.

But they had the advantage in numbers.

Along with those dozen or so tall zombies, over a hundred zombies gathered outside Baohe County Town. Their thick zombie aura congealed into clusters of dark yellow fog, swirling and seething, exuding the scent of death.

"These vile Demonic Cultivators do have some skills."

Seeing that group of over a hundred zombies summoned by the corpse-herders from atop the city tower, Song Tingye suppressed the frustration in his heart and lifted his right hand slightly.

"The play has begun. Let the Armored Soldiers take the stage."

With those words, Song Tingye climbed onto the battlements, the howling night winds fluttering his clothes.

"You demons, attacking in the dead of night! You even wish to turn all my townspeople into zombies! Do you truly not recognize the king’s law!"

Song Tingye’s voice was booming and far-reaching. Amplified by some unknown power, it spread throughout the whole of Baohe County Town.

Citizens who had been woken up by the town’s bailiffs, now standing at a loss at the street corners, were startled and astonished upon hearing these words. The traumatic memories they had experienced instantly surfaced in their minds.

In a flash, the already noisy town was fully ignited. Panic, fear, anxiety, despair—the unforeseen disaster plunged everyone into an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

「Outside the town」

The corpse-herders looked at each other.

The leading corpse-herder scratched his head with a strange expression. "Did I just say that I was going to turn the entire town’s people into zombies?"

"No!" The four corpse-herders shook their heads in unison.

A madman?

With a frown, the leading corpse-herder’s eyes flickered and he stepped forward. "Listen, you up there! We are Sect Members from the fifteenth sub-branch of the Blood Covenant, and we have come here today in search of a Magic Artifact lost by our sect. If you’re wise, you’ll cooperate, and I guarantee not a single person in your town will be harmed."

Atop the city gate tower, Song Tingye paused upon hearing this, his face showing outrage. "How dare you, demon! To think you even wish to turn the women of my town into undead puppets for eternal playthings! You, you really are going too far!"

The leading corpse-herder: "..."

With a determined expression and a CLANG, Song Tingye drew the longsword from his waist and shouted sternly, "Tonight, with me, Song Tingye here, even if I am turned to ashes and shattered to pieces, I will not let you harm a single person in my town!"

His clear, firm call rang out throughout the town.

Stunned, they listened to the voice of the County Magistrate willing to protect them with his life. The elderly, women, children, and men gathered together to kowtow from afar to the figure standing tall on the city tower. The sound of sobbing echoed through the skies above the entire town and swirled along the streets. The citizens could not restrain the emotions surging from deep within their hearts, displaying through their tears their profound and genuine gratitude to the County Magistrate.

"I am already stricken in years, at the dusk of my life," an old man declared. "You demons, if you must kill, then kill me! If you dare to harm even a hair on Prefect Song, even as a Fierce Ghost I will not let you off!" Leaning on a cane, the white-haired old man with a resolute gaze headed towards the town gate.

"Right! Prefect Song spent all his wealth to feed us! Today is the day we repay our debt of gratitude!"

"Let’s go! I refuse to believe that with so many of us, we can’t take down these demons!"

"Prefect Song, we’re coming!"

"Whoever dares to injure my County Magistrate, I’ll skin you alive!"

In an instant, the citizens of Baohe County Town formed massive torrents, shouting, bellowing, and roaring. The unprecedented high morale even seemed to lighten the thick darkness of the night a few shades. The power of the frenzied crowd coalesced into strands of golden threads in the void, writhing and flowing, forming a golden vortex. And directly below this vortex stood Song Tingye on top of the city tower.

Feeling the increasingly abundant and intense power within him, Song Tingye took a deep breath.

"Baoho County Magistrate, standing in the stead of the people. Heaven and Earth have sensed this, bestowing divine weapons to quell demons and monsters!"

In a trance, a grand shout seemed to emanate from within Heaven and Earth. One after another, figures clad in golden armor and wielding longswords, towering and majestic as if celestial soldiers descended from heaven, materialized atop the city wall.

"We await the County Magistrate’s commands with respect!" a hundred golden-armored celestial soldiers shouted loudly, their presence formidable.

"Slay the enemy! Protect the civilians!"

Song Tingye pointed with his sword, and the hundred golden-armored celestial soldiers leaped from the city wall, transforming into a golden torrent as they furiously charged forward.

"Very well, this is how you want to play," the leading corpse-herder said through gritted teeth, laughing madly out of rage as he watched Song Tingye make a fool out of him. "Since you enjoy this kind of scenario so much, then we shall indulge you in a good play! Form the formation!"

"Yes!"

Chanting ancient spells, the five corpse-herders formed Dharma Seals, their fingers emitting a dark green glow. As they continued their incantations, dark green, twisted, wriggling characters slowly merged into the ground from their arms, spreading and sweeping in all directions.

In front of the city gate, the golden-armored celestial soldiers violently clashed with the zombie horde. The battle erupted in an instant!

The celestial soldiers, endowed with the power of Armored Soldier Talismans, possessed boundless strength and the protection of armor, leaving the zombies incapable of breaking their defenses. At the outset of the battle, more than a dozen zombies were ruthlessly torn into pieces, scattering across the ground.

However, as the fight dragged on, the potency of the Armored Soldier Talismans began to wane gradually. When the first celestial soldier was brought down by a group of zombies, screaming as they feasted on him, the scales of victory began to tip.

Noticing the Armored Soldiers beginning to retreat from atop the city tower, Song Tingye’s brow furrowed slightly.

The number of zombies these corpse-herders command is more than I anticipated. Especially those dozen or so massive zombies. Three punches are enough to breach the defense of the Armored Soldier Talismans, making them quite a challenge.

If it really comes down to it, I will have to take action myself. Yet if I do so, maintaining the Hibernating Dragon Cultivation Skill will be impossible, delaying my entry into the Initiate Realm by at least one year.

Torn inside, Song Tingye turned to look back at the town. At this moment, nearly all the townsfolk of Baohe County Town had gathered at the city gate. Those eyes filled with hope, admiration, and anticipation softened his heart, unwittingly evoking an odd feeling.

One year...

Clenching his fists, Song Tingye hesitated.

If he truly were to delay by a year, he would almost certainly fall behind his companions forever, only able to watch their backs as they grew distant.

"Corpse Luo Sanyin Formation, rise!"

A loud shout came from outside the city. The leading corpse-herder had a ferocious smile on his face as he slammed his hand into the ground.

With a thunderous BOOM, serpentine Array Patterns on the earth lit up, like venomous snakes writhing through the dirt. An ancient Great Formation, eerie and exuding an intense chill, emerged, its faint dark green aura brazenly spreading through the air. It was as if a Ghost Fiend domain had broken through from the void and arrived in the mortal realm.

With the Corpse Luo Sanyin Formation activated, the zombies suddenly roared to the sky as if pumped with adrenaline. Their veins bulged on their skin, and thick, greenish blood spurted out. They entwined and overpowered the remaining celestial soldiers like an unstoppable force.

Not good!

Watching the Armored Soldiers quickly crumble, Song Tingye narrowed his eyes slightly, a resplendent golden light beginning to emerge in his pupils.

"Tonight, as you wish, I shall transform all the people of this city into zombies!" Chanting spells, the leading corpse-herder laughed wildly.

"Oh? Is that so?"

A calm and indifferent voice came from behind the corpse-herders.

Suddenly feeling an eerie sensation all over, the five corpse-herders turned in horror.

Atop a towering tree behind them stood a man in black, hands behind his back, with an indifferent gaze. His domineering purple hair, like a blazing flame, fluttered in the wind, exuding a suffocating pressure.