Chapter 376: Crises Emerge One After Another

A guide? Who could it be?

Xin Yi fumbled toward his sleeve, where a silk pouch lay within the cuff.

Three years ago, after the Yuanqing incident, Shoucheng had sought him out one day and handed him a silk pouch, saying that Lingxiang had specifically instructed him to deliver it after the competition with the Taishang Sect.

On the rust-blue silk was a mantra embroidered in gold thread; Xin Yi did not know its purpose. Inside the pouch was a note, which read: "The day the phoenix cries, the return date is set."

Phoenix cries... return date...

It seems Lingxiang had calculated everything long ago, but how did she know?

Although he had doubts, Xin Yi had no time to dwell on them, because just as the Black and Bai Wuchang vanished, besides the voice of Hei Wuchang, he also heard the words of Bai Wuchang.

"Disaster at the foot of the mountain, return quickly, return quickly..."

What happened at the foot of the mountain? Could it be that the matter they had previously concealed had taken a turn?

At this thought, Xin Yi quickened his pace.

Although Zhao Wuyang and Caiwei were guarding the village, Caiwei was not skilled in Daoist arts, and while Zhao Wuyang had some experience, he was still young and inexperienced in the world, and having been under Xin Yi's protection all these years, he had not seen much of the world's malice; he feared that if something happened, he would panic and be unable to handle it properly.

And at this moment, Zhao Wuyang was indeed extremely panicked.

Three years ago, the Yuanqing calamity occurred, Lingxiang left, and since then, the Chenjian had changed drastically.

After that day, let alone humans, even birds and beasts, fish and insects, had not seen any new life, not to mention things as ephemeral as mayflies or cicadas.

Therefore, the recluses ordered to descend the mountain had to be accompanied by someone skilled in medicine, firstly to provide convenience for these practitioners, and secondly to provide treatment for the mortals in the Chenjian.

Listening to the wailing of the women in Manshan Hall and Caiwei's panicked soothing voice amidst it, Zhao Wuyang felt a bit lost for a moment.

When he first arrived at the village, he saw many women with big bellies and thought they had contracted some illness; only later did he learn that they were pregnant, and some were long past their due dates, yet they had been unable to give birth for two or three years.

The one at Chen Tang Pass who became a saint in the flesh back then was probably no more extraordinary than this!

However, strangely enough, just after a strange cry from the sky a moment ago, these pregnant women in the village began to cry out in abdominal pain one after another, as if they were all about to go into labor, which was why there was such a chaotic scene.

There was no midwife in the entire village, only Caiwei as a healer, but she had no experience with childbirth and did not know how to deliver a baby. In her panic, she could only force herself to stay calm just to put the women in labor at ease.

Fortunately, among this group of women, there were two who had given birth before; although they were about to go into labor, they knew what to do and noticed Caiwei's embarrassment. While enduring their discomfort, they told Caiwei what to do, and only then did Caiwei calm down a little.

Hot water was essential. Although Zhao Wuyang did not know why hot water was needed for childbirth, it was the only thing he could help with. After all, it was not convenient for him, a man, to enter the women's delivery room, especially when it was full of women.

Zhao Wuyang completely forgot about the Fire Formula. Just as he was fumbling for firestones in the woodshed, he heard a series of screams outside, but the screams were not from the women next door, but the voices of men.

A man's scream? Do men give birth too?

Zhao Wuyang shook his head, cursing himself for being muddled, and got up to go out and check. But as soon as he lifted the door curtain, he bumped into someone.

The person who came was Ade, the village guard, who had been sent out of the city due to illness two years ago and had only saved his life after meeting Xin Yi's group. The actions of the Imperial Court had left Ade disheartened, so he eventually stayed in the village.

Ade was quite large and had rushed in, causing Zhao Wuyang to see stars, but he understood that Ade would not be so panicked unless something urgent had happened, so before he could even stand steady, he hurriedly asked what had happened.

"Out... outside there are many... many Living Corpses! They want to eat people... we can't hold them off..." Ade said, terrified and panting.

Living Corpses?!

Could it be those people from before?

That shouldn't be...

The Living Corpses they had encountered before, although a bit clumsy in their speech and behavior, were very rational; how could they suddenly come to a village of living people to eat them?

Zhao Wuyang had no time to think and just instructed Ade to stay and help, then hurried toward the village entrance.

The village entrance was in chaos. Leading the defense was a man who had once been a Colonel in the army and a scout on the battlefield; everyone called him Colonel Gan.

Colonel Gan had been seriously injured back then, nearly dying, and was abandoned on the battlefield by the army. Just as he resigned himself to death, he met Caiwei, who was descending the mountain for training, and only managed to save his life through her careful treatment. Later, he followed Caiwei and traveled with her, never leaving until the current events occurred.

When the village was first established, Colonel Gan set about the village's defenses, but manpower was limited, so he could only make simple fences and wooden gates. Although they could not withstand a large army like city gates, they were more than enough to defend against the occasional Living Corpse.

However, the Living Corpses that came today were very different.

The Living Corpses had a foul odor that could be smelled from a zhang away, making them very easy to identify. But the Living Corpses encountered before were all able to speak properly, while today's ones bit everyone they saw, as if they were possessed by demons.

When Zhao Wuyang arrived, he felt as if he were in a hungry ghost hell—the wooden gate at the village entrance was nearly falling apart, and pairs of rotting, gray-white hands were constantly reaching in, scratching, and digging. The dead flesh between their fingers was festering, and the broken wooden gate was smeared with blood and flesh, a deep red, which was terrifying. And the men holding the gate had their clothes torn to shreds, with bloodstains all over their bodies and faces, which was shocking to behold.

Even being scratched like this by living people could easily cause spasms, let alone the fact that these Living Corpses might carry corpse poison.

Although he had heard Lingxiang say that corpse poison was just a type of epidemic and would not be fatal if treated promptly and properly, the symptoms of corpse poison were still agonizing! Moreover, with the vegetation withered at this time, who could guarantee that they could find all the medicinal ingredients?

Just as Zhao Wuyang was about to step forward to help, the wooden gate finally could not bear it and completely fell apart. The wooden pillars scattered, clattering, and the people blocking the gate were knocked to the ground.

One by one, the Living Corpses rushed in like vicious wolves in the mountains, roaring and climbing, including the batch the three of them had settled earlier.

Those who fell to the ground were the first to suffer; the Living Corpses opened their bloody mouths wide, tearing at their flesh, and the wails reached the heavens, with cries for help echoing one after another.

Being a former soldier, Colonel Gan made a prompt decision and swung his axe at the Living Corpses, but those Living Corpses seemed to feel no pain; even with broken hands and feet, they still twisted their bodies and crawled to bite the living.

Seeing this, Zhao Wuyang hurriedly stepped forward to help, but after raising his sword, he hesitated to strike.

Before him was a little girl with small buns in her hair; although he knew the shell was not the original owner of this body, Zhao Wuyang just couldn't bring himself to strike, and besides, he had spoken to her just a few days ago!

Just as Zhao Wuyang hesitated, two Living Corpses grabbed him tightly, their bloody mouths biting toward his neck.

Amidst the whistling, a black shadow suddenly appeared, flashing past. Without holding any weapon, in the blink of an eye, it cut the Living Corpses in half at the waist and attached Yellow Talismans to them.

This is...

"Lotus Heart Sword Intent!"