Chapter 264: Tempering

For a Yin Soul or Zombie to advance to the Fourth Grade, besides raising their own cultivation to the Third Grade High Stage, they must also absorb Evil Qi, and then undergo the Thunder Tribulation to fight for a glimmer of survival within the Heaven Dao.

Meng Yifan has a Game Panel and can consume Experience Value to raise both the Yin Soul and the Zombies to the Third Grade High Stage, which saves them a massive amount of time.

The Evil Qi between Heaven and Earth is divided into many types, and according to their rarity, they can be roughly categorized into the four grades of Heaven, Mysterious, Yellow, and Earth, with each grade further subdivided into upper, middle, and lower levels.

The Evil Qi within the Demon Cave suppressed by Zhang Sanfeng belongs to the Mysterious Grade Middle Quality, but when combined with the essence fluid of a Fourth Grade Demon, its efficacy increases greatly, becoming comparable to ordinary Mysterious Grade High Quality Evil Qi; using it to temper the bodies of the Yin Soul and Zombies can lay a solid foundation for them.

Just as a foundation determines how high a building can be constructed, the more solid the foundation laid by the Zombies and the Yin Soul, the greater the possibility of them surviving the Thunder Tribulation, and the greater the ultimate achievements they can reach in the future.

For the final, life-or-death Thunder Tribulation, Meng Yifan creates conditions for them, allowing them to feel the power of Thunder in advance, gradually changing their bodies, generating vitality within their bodies, and enhancing their bodies' resistance to electricity.

Everything that could be done, Meng Yifan has done for them; such conditions are definitely better than those for any other Yin Souls and Zombies in the Great Martial Heavenly Dynasty World to undergo their tribulation. If, in the end, Zhang Butou and the others still cannot survive the Thunder Tribulation, then they can only blame themselves for not being up to the task.

Man proposes, Heaven disposes.

Meng Yifan cannot guarantee that they will definitely be able to survive the Thunder Tribulation; likewise, Meng Yifan cannot guarantee that he himself will be able to survive the Thunder Tribulation and advance to a Fifth Grade powerhouse. The path of cultivation is inherently about defying Heaven to change one's fate; how could it ever be smooth sailing?

"How should I let the Yin Soul and Zombies absorb the Evil Qi?" Meng Yifan pondered for a moment and decided to use a method similar to alchemy to temper their bodies.

No sooner said than done, Meng Yifan brought people to renovate another secret chamber nearby, inscribing the Gathering Yin Array on the floor, walls, and ceiling of the chamber.

With the formation of the array, in an instant, gusts of Yin wind blew, and the Yin Qi around Luolong County gathered toward the secret chamber.

Yin-Yang Qi is originally shadowless and formless, drifting between Heaven and Earth; ordinary people living between Heaven and Earth are almost completely unable to perceive Yin-Yang Qi.

But now, Meng Yifan had set up the Gathering Yin Array, gathering all the Yin Qi within a ten-mile radius of Luolong County together. This caused the Yin Qi to gather more and more, turning from formless to tangible, becoming a massive funnel connecting Heaven and Earth. Such a spectacle could be seen by the common people of Luolong County.

"Lord Meng is truly an immortal among men. I wonder what secret technique he is practicing to be able to manifest such a phenomenon of Heaven and Earth."

"Lord Meng is becoming more and more powerful; this is truly wonderful. With Lord Meng protecting us, we can live and work in peace and contentment in Luolong County, no longer enduring the heavy taxes and levies of the government or the devouring of Demon Beasts."

"Indeed, Lord Meng is our guardian deity. As long as he is here, we can survive in this apocalyptic world."

The tens of thousands of common people in Luolong County looked at this strange sight and discussed it animatedly.

Lang Jiao had originally been in a deep sleep, but suddenly, she too was awakened by the gathered Yin Qi.

"A Gathering Yin Array? Why is Master condensing so much Yin Qi?" Lang Jiao's body flickered and she appeared outside the secret chamber. Meng Yifan's mind stirred, and Meng Yifan's words rang out in Lang Jiao's mind: "Guard the outside and protect me. Without my permission, no one is allowed to enter."

Lang Jiao nodded, lay down outside the secret chamber, and watched the surroundings vigilantly.

Meng Yifan first called the twin-blade Zombie in. For the sake of convenience in addressing them, Meng Yifan gave these three Zombies names.

The twin-blade Zombie was called Meng Shuangdao, the Zombie using the Big Guan Blade was called Meng Da, and the Zombie using the Big Iron Hammer was called Meng Er.

Meng Da and Meng Er both belonged to the type with boundless strength, their offensive moves wide and open, which could be used to break formations, but their speed was relatively slow.

As for the twin-blade Zombie, he had been a formidable swordsman in his lifetime. His two long blades, one fast and one slow, coordinated with each other, and his combat power was extremely fierce. Meng Yifan taught him the Taiji Saber Technique, making his saber technique even more rigid and supple, combining the virtual and the real, and becoming even more formidable.

Meng Yifan's Experience Value was currently limited, so he prepared to prioritize cultivating the twin-blade Zombie, waiting until he cultivated him into a Fourth Grade Zombie.

In this way, Meng Yifan would have two Fourth Grade combatants under his command, and together with himself, he could lead an army out of the city to sweep away Demon Beasts, harvest Demon Beast flesh and blood, replenish the stock of monster cured meat in Luolong County, and also harvest a large amount of Experience Value to raise the strength of Zhang Butou and the others.

"Stand in the middle." At Meng Yifan's command, the twin-blade Zombie stood at the center of the Gathering Yin Array.

Meng Yifan waved his right hand, and the Yin Qi gathered in the Gathering Yin Array surged toward Meng Shuangdao.

Meng Shuangdao opened his mouth, greedily devouring the dense Yin Qi, and his body was also soaked in the Yin Qi, just like an ordinary person soaking in a hot spring, which made him feel very comfortable.

"Rotate!" Meng Yifan pointed his hand, and the Yin Qi within the great array rotated at high speed around Meng Shuangdao.

The funnel of Yin Qi connecting Heaven and Earth outside also rotated at high speed accordingly, as if a massive tornado had been added to the world.

The Yin Qi whirlwind spun faster and faster, and the wind force grew stronger and stronger, scraping Meng Shuangdao's skin and flesh open.

If Meng Shuangdao had felt like he was soaking in a hot spring when the Yin Qi was calm, now he felt like he was being sliced by small knives. It was only because he had a Zombie Body, thick-skinned and fleshy, that he could endure it; if it were an ordinary Third Grade human Martial Artist, they might have been cut into pieces directly under this whirlwind.

Meng Yifan stepped on the Taiji Bagua, continuously casting dharma seals around Meng Shuangdao. At the same time, precious materials such as Yin-sinking wood, Beast Bone Powder, and Mysterious Yin Iron were fused into Meng Shuangdao's body.

"Awoo! Awoo!" Meng Shuangdao let out bursts of miserable screams. The Yin Qi cut open Meng Shuangdao's body like a knife, and then these precious materials drilled into his flesh and blood.

This process was extremely painful, similar to an ordinary person being beaten until their skin was torn and flesh was mangled, and then having salt blocks forcibly stuffed into the flesh.

By the time Meng Yifan had rotated nine times, Meng Shuangdao's body had changed drastically; there was not a single piece of intact flesh on his entire body.

Meng Yifan felt the timing was about right. He took the Nine Nether Evil Qi out from his Space Ring, pinched a seal with his right hand, and pointed forward. The Nine Nether Evil Qi turned into a stream of air and drilled into Meng Shuangdao's nostrils.

"Whoosh!" Meng Shuangdao was like a balloon that had been blown up; his body instantly expanded. The Nine Nether Evil Qi was extremely tyrannical, rampaging within his body, smashing his internal organs to pieces.

Blood flowed from Meng Shuangdao's seven orifices, and dense cracks appeared on his body, as if he would explode completely in the next second.

The situation was extremely critical, and Meng Shuangdao let out bursts of miserable screams in pain.