Chapter 200: Understanding the Yangshi Coffin

Half a day later.

Louis, having learned the current state of factional developments, was eating steak and drinking soda.

He swallowed the last piece of steak, chewing slowly, savoring the creamy, delicate richness of the fat, and slightly closed his eyes in quiet pleasure.

After two and a half years of seclusion, with only a few days out, he hadn’t properly enjoyed food—now, finally, it was delicious.

In truth, he no longer needed food; that tiny amount of energy was negligible, but Louis still wanted to do this, to fully experience the pleasure of taste.

After all, eating isn’t just about filling the stomach—it brings joy.

Glug glug—

One bottle finished.

“Ha…”

“Jiali, any news from the Warrens?”

Louis finally asked about business, setting down his soda.

“No, they’ve been handling minor matters these two years, nothing to do with dolls.”

Not time yet?

Louis frowned.

“What about the Yaoguan Bureau?”

“Second Uncle and Michael have been getting along well; the Bureau now frequently cooperates with the family, though the family pays a substantial annual tribute.”

“Normal. He’s not asking for himself—it’s his backers. No one knows which U.S. congressman he answers to, but their status must be significant.”

“And Emilia, how is your cultivation progressing?”

In fact, Louis could tell at a glance.

Emilia was still meditating on the White Bone Bodhisattva Diagram, but her soul was already subtly stirring—she should succeed within half a year.

Mary was a bit behind, but a year should suffice.

Madison and Jiali were different.

After Madison fully awakened her bloodline, like Jiali, she could no longer cultivate the cultivation techniques; even her previous internal Qi had vanished, replaced by enhanced psychic power.

Now, no matter how she cultivated Qi arts, the only thing she could do was strengthen her awakened psychic power—she couldn’t even practice visualization diagrams.

This is the flaw of beings with such bloodlines—they require specific techniques.

Unfortunately, Louis had none of those.

At this moment, Mary reported her progress.

Emilia then added, slightly smug, “I’ll break through soon.”

“And this—take it.”

An obsidian silk pouch was handed out.

It flew automatically back into Louis’s hand.

Centipede Pouch.

A magic treasure already perfected two years ago, used to subjugate the Lip-Sucking Leech, the Parasite Queen Beth, and the Alien Queen, granting firmer control over these special insects.

After simple consecration to the third restriction, he gave it to Emilia so she could control the insects for the researchers’ experiments.

Also to nurture the Centipede Pouch.

Magic treasures require regular nurturing.

He lifted the pouch—he’d soon forge centipedes inside; a Centipede Pouch without centipedes was absurd!

“Emilia, well done.”

Though usually unreliable and mischievous, when given a task, she still completed it seriously—years of training had clearly paid off.

Emilia gave a restrained smile, but her eyes unconsciously flicked toward Jiali and the others.

Suddenly, Emilia’s eyes rolled, and she asked a question.

“By the way, Louis, have you broken through yet?”

Louis nodded, a hint of regret in his eyes. “Naturally—but only a minor realm. Who knows when I’ll reach Yang Shen?”

Yin Shen and Yang Shen are entirely different realms; a cultivator who reaches Yang Shen can be called a Daoist, and in ancient times, such a person was a famed True Cultivator in an entire province.

In major sects, they’d be Elders.

A world apart.

The difficulty of breaking through is immense.

Two major obstacles must be overcome.

One is the Demon Tribulation, the other the Yang Tribulation.

The Demon Tribulation involves using special methods to attract Outer Realm Demons to temper the Yin Shen, solidify the Dao heart, absorb power, and strengthen the foundation.

The Yang Tribulation arises when Yin reaches its extreme and gives birth to Yang—seeking a method or treasure that can imbue the Yin Shen with Yang essence, while carefully avoiding loss of control and being burned away by the Yang essence.

Whether Outer Realm Demons even exist here is uncertain, let alone any method or treasure for Yang essence—he had no clue.

Wait.

Outer Realm Demons… Demon… this place…

A flash of insight struck Louis—he almost grasped something, but couldn’t quite make sense of it.

Seeing Louis’s frown deepen, Emilia suddenly appeared behind him, one hand massaging his temples, the other pulling him up. “Come on, come on—you’ve broken through, now help me cultivate.”

She kicked Jiali as she spoke.

As if hinting.

Jiali froze, then quickly stepped forward.

Louis was thus escorted out of the meeting room by the two, heading toward his room.

Inside the meeting room, only Mary and Madison exchanged glances. “What’s going on?”

Madison reacted first, her face darkening. “That Emilia, bitch! Bitch!”

Mary realized too, her expression turning grim.

Madison grabbed Mary and pulled her away.

“Where are we going?”

“You know where.”

“But… isn’t this… too much? Four people?”

“No way we let that bitch get the advantage!” Madison growled, teeth clenched.

She dragged Mary away.

Soon after.

They arrived at Louis’s room.

After a startled cry.

Unmentionable sounds echoed from within.

At the door, Mei Qiu and Huangjin appeared out of nowhere, standing guard.

…

…

Long-suppressed cultivation calls for occasional indulgence—it helps liberate human nature, preventing one from becoming a true ascetic.

As for Jiali and Madison, they had already practiced dual-cultivation with Louis over the past two and a half years; otherwise, Louis couldn’t have reached Pure Yin Realm so quickly.

But four at once? That was new to him.

Hmm—exquisite, indescribable.

Three days later.

Louis stood outside a cell, looking down.

The cell was unusual—a subterranean prison, empty except for a coffin.

A coffin of total gray-black.

Emitting a chilling aura.

Frost coated the floor and walls, revealing how cold it was.

Louis activated his magic power, sensing the magic treasure’s operation.

Correct—this coffin was one of the magic treasures Louis perfected over the past two and a half years: the Yangshi Coffin.

Currently sealed with three restrictions.

Its effect was excellent: beyond imprinting the soul for supreme control, its greatest function was nurturing corpses, transforming them into zombies, rapidly bypassing the White Corpse stage and entering the Black Corpse stage, which corresponds to Qi Refinement cultivators.

They have combat ability, but aren’t strong.

But the next stage is different—the Jumping Corpse stage, which rivals Yin Shen cultivators; the strongest can match Pure Yin cultivators.

Of course, this is only rank—actual combat power must be tested.

Several demon corpses had already been tested; all were now in the Black Corpse stage, their bodies swollen and retaining their supernatural traits—another ability of the Yangshi Coffin.

But these were just bonuses.

Their original material was limited—they’d likely peak at Black Corpse climax, with near-zero chance of becoming Jumping Corpses. But the one inside this Yangshi Coffin was different.

Inside was Jason!

Yes—after imprisoning this immortal monster for so long, Louis finally had use for him; it had been a year since he was placed inside.

Louis held great expectations for Jason.

The original Jason had been too powerful—such an exceptional material made Louis entertain the hope that he might even become a Ba.

"It can be operated, but it's not fully mature yet, and the blood qi and yin qi have been completely drained? That's quite a drain indeed."

Louis sighed and waved his hand.

Several pitch-black Kong Dong emerged from the surrounding walls, and torrents of deep red blood gushed forth from them.

The blood flooded the underground prison space; the moment it touched the coffin, it reacted, rapidly losing its crimson hue and turning pale as water.

All of this is pure human blood.

(End of Chapter)