Chapter 264: Ice Corpse

As the figure turned and our eyes met, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cavern that chilled heaven and earth. What kind of eyes were those? I couldn't describe them; I could only say I saw a pair of eyes glowing white, exuding a cold aura. In that instant of eye contact, an indescribable cold seeped into my body and soul.

What is this thing? Why have I never heard of it? My whole body shivered; after that brief eye contact, I was certain this person was not human—most likely a walking corpse from ancient legend.

Just as I was about to ask Han Duo, she leapt up, whipping her fierce long lash with all her strength at the figure. When the whip touched the corpse, friction sent a shower of bright sparks flying through the air.

The whip technique Han Duo used was likely a school of ancient martial arts, combined with Daoist power, making her appear as dazzling as a fairy. Yet even under such fierce attack, the heavy figure didn't budge an inch. Instead, Han Duo, after just a few minutes, was panting and her face turned pale.

Han Duo's body is weak, but that doesn't mean she can't handle ordinary wandering souls; it's just that this corpse is too strange and too strong, so her brief burst of power was like a bull entering the sea—unable to raise even a ripple.

"Let me help you..." I shouted, grabbing and charging at the corpse. The corpse stood like a log; even when my palm struck its chest, it didn't move an inch.

The moment my palm touched his chest, a chill ran up my arm and invaded my whole body, making me shudder involuntarily; I hastily stepped back.

After stepping back, I looked down and saw a layer of white frost already forming on my hands.

"Come... remove this layer of frost." Han Duo snapped her fingers, igniting a talisman with her sword finger, then threw it onto a stick on the ground, which burst into fierce flames. She picked up the stick and handed it to me; I took it without hesitation and rubbed it hard with both hands. It's hard to believe, but as soon as I rubbed the stick, the fire on it seemed to meet its nemesis, dying out at an astonishing speed.

By the time I wiped the frost from my hands, the stick was coated with a layer of white granules that looked terrifying.

"Mi Li, what is this thing? How can it freeze so absurdly?" I shivered, chattering, and asked Han Duo: "Even if it's a legendary zombie, I've never heard of an ice corpse!"

Han Duo shook her head solemnly, biting her lip, her tone resolute: "No matter what he is, we must take him down; only then can we avenge the several brothers and sisters who died at the orphanage."

As soon as she finished, she prepared to charge at the corpse again, but I timely stopped her, anxiously shouting: "Don't rush; even if we want to take him down, we need to plan carefully."

This corpse's intelligence seems low; it stands there dazed. Even if I and Han Duo take turns hitting it, it neither fights back nor resists, just standing stiff. Yet its strength is eerily formidable, not to be underestimated.

"Got it, Mi Li—we'll attack its neck; the corpse's weak point is there. I'll hit from front, you from rear, seizing the chance to first rescue the child in its hands..."

No sooner had I spoken than Han Duo transformed her Wushen Whip into a halberd, pointing her sword finger straight and thrusting it at the ice corpse's neck. Her halberd lodged in its neck, locking in a stalemate; meanwhile I slipped behind, blew on my fist, gathered all my strength, and struck fiercely.

With a crack, damn it, my hand dislocated—but the ice corpse finally twitched twice. Under our combined assault, it shook off two shards of frost, and its clenched right hand finally loosened, dropping the child it had been holding by the neck.

Almost instantly, seeing the child fall, I immediately crouched, arms outstretched, and hurried to catch it. As I caught the child, the previously stiff corpse finally moved—just as I lowered my head, it raised a hand and swept it sideways.

It was fate—if I hadn't crouched to save the child, that sweeping blow would have hit me, and the result would surely be like a broken kite's string. I escaped disaster, but Han Duo was not so lucky.

As the corpse's hand swept back like thunder, its neck also shifted rightward. Han Duo's halberd, already piercing the center of its neck, caused her body to lurch forward as the neck twisted; the halberd scraped a string of sparks along the neck, and in that instant she lunged forward to confront the soldier corpse.

I saw Han Duo's eyes flash with shock, then she shot backward like a broken kite.

At the critical moment, Han Duo raised her halberd to block the soldier corpse's palm strike; otherwise that blow wouldn't have just sent her flying—it could have pierced her heart.

Even though the Wushen Halberd absorbed some of the force, Han Duo inevitably froze into an ice sculpture. No, she was becoming a block of ice.

Frost spread rapidly from her feet, nearly covering her hips. I dared not delay, quickly chanting the Three Flavors True Fire mantra and rubbing it over her body. Damn, this layer of ice—whatever it is—made me feel cold all over, and the Three Flavors True Fire had no effect at all.

Worse still, the ice corpse that had stood like a log began to move, stepping toward me after enduring all those blows.

I don't know whether my earlier attack angered it, or it approached for the child beside me. Now I can't think of any useful plan. With frost on Han Duo and an unconscious child nearby, how can I free my hands to deal with this eerie corpse?

How many times have I fallen into such danger? I've lost count, but this time I am the most anxious and desperate. I don't want an innocent child to die, nor do I want Han Duo to die because of this. Unlike me, she still bears many unfinished tasks and responsibilities she cannot shirk—she must not die.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the rocky slope. The cold corpse stepped closer, and when it was about three meters away, it leapt up; in midair I saw a frost-covered claw reaching for me.

Am I desperate? Have I given up? Shall I die here?

No, I haven't. At this moment I chose to push Han Duo and the unconscious child aside, clenched my fist with one hand, and fearlessly went forward.

Just as my two fists were about to collide, a black shadow flashed across the air, followed by a loud shout; a figure in gray robes blocked my path.

Speak of the devil—by the time I reacted, the gray-robed figure had already blocked my front, clashing with the corpse in an instant. What's more astonishing is that this gray-robed person fought the corpse to a standstill, evenly matched.

But why does that back look so familiar?

Before I could think, another person darted from the woods, ran to my side, and helped Han Duo up; when I came to and saw him, I couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

"Pangzi, how did you get here?" I exclaimed, nearly tearing up; the comer was Wang Da Pang, who had gone into seclusion with Master Yang Seven.

Wang Da Pang was dusty and travel-worn; aside from his prominent belly unchanged, he seemed to have slimmed a bit, his face angular, his eyes' light restrained, looking more mature and steady.

"You weren't supposed to be cultivating on the mountain with Master Seven—how did you end up here?" I wondered, then asked: "Where's Master Seven? Why didn't he come with you?"

Pangzi pointed at the gray-clad old man grappling with the ice corpse, indicating that was Master Seven, and gave me a glance: "Do you think now is the time to ask that?"

I also felt it wasn't the right moment, secretly breaking into a sweat, and hurriedly helped Han Duo, who was frostbitten. Pangzi merely touched her foot, frowned, and urged anxiously: "Hurry, help her up—this isn't ordinary cold; it's cold poison. Once it reaches the chest, it's as if it's hit the heart, and there's no saving her."

Pangzi's outburst made me panic; I kept asking him what to do while hastily helping Han Duo up.

Pangzi didn't answer me; after I helped Han Duo up, he immediately pulled a gourd of wine from his waist pouch, took a big swig, then chanted the Fire Technique. After a low roar, his palms burst into fierce flames.

His flaming hands roamed over her body, rubbing everywhere; under the fire's blaze, the frost on Han Duo gradually faded.

But fading doesn't mean it's over, because Han Duo's body has been invaded by cold poison; if the poison isn't expelled, the frost will keep spreading. To eradicate it completely, we need both internal and external treatment.

Pangzi produced thirteen needles, inserting the silver ones into five of Han Duo's acupoints, gently twisting the tips to dispel the cold poison.

Meanwhile, Master Seven and the ice corpse were fighting fiercely. Honestly, it's the first time I've seen Master Seven in action—this old guy is incredibly strong, like a fighting machine. He traded blows fist to fist with the corpse, knocked it down, then kept pounding it with his fists.

Over and over, the blows continued nonstop; Master Seven showed no sign of breathlessness, instead growing fiercer, spirited, his face displaying a look of great enjoyment and accomplishment.

I admit… that description is a bit off, but honestly, watching Master Seven pummel the ice corpse, I couldn't help picturing: a weird old man whipping a poor, pretty girl with a leather strap, laughing eerily, eyes glowing with frenzy—perverted, yet enjoying it…

But… which poor, pretty girl could this merciless ice corpse be? Comparing the two images, I involuntarily shivered.