Chapter 29: Corpse-Infant

Xu Yuan lay on the ground motionless, slowly gathering a bit of strength, then stiffly opened his mouth, and a golden pill flew out.

It swiftly transformed into a short sword.

Xu Yuan controlled the short sword, carving behind his back—and twisting!

The short sword sliced off all the skin and flesh around the wound!

The ghostly energy and flesh tore free from his body; the ghostly energy detached from the flesh and rushed back toward Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan rolled over, spat out a rolling fire dragon, and the ghostly energy flew straight into the flames, instantly reduced to ash.

But Xu Yuan was drenched in cold sweat from the pain, crying out several times, as his “Inner Fire” unraveled uncontrollably into flames scattered across the ground.

Suddenly, Xu Yuan sensed something wrong—he looked closer and saw the corpse-infant had crawled to his feet, its pale, swollen little hand gripping the short sword forged from his golden pill!

The short sword had no hilt, only twin blades; the corpse-infant gripped the edges without injury, and a black-gray substance was spreading from the point of contact across the blade’s surface.

The corpse-infant raised the short sword and stabbed toward itself!

Xu Yuan gasped, leaped backward to create distance—but the corpse-infant stabbed empty air, then vanished and reappeared instantly beneath Xu Yuan’s feet, as if distance meant nothing.

Xu Yuan spat another burst of “Inner Fire,” directly into the corpse-infant’s face.

The “Inner Fire,” which had always worked flawlessly against evil spirits, had no effect on the corpse-infant!

The corpse-infant marched forward, enduring the flames.

That ability to ignore distance appeared again—Xu Yuan shrieked and flew backward, while spitting out another golden pill.

This golden pill carried the properties of the explosive inner elixir!

BOOM!

The golden pill struck the corpse-infant dead-on, erupting into a fiery cloud.

Xu Yuan cautiously waited until the fire and smoke cleared, then saw the corpse-infant lying seven or eight zhang away, its belly torn open by the blast.

No blood or flesh spilled from the wound—instead, countless repulsive pale-white maggots squirmed out.

The corpse-infant writhed on the ground, its swollen, pale little hands slowly shoving the maggots back into its belly.

Xu Yuan’s scalp prickled—he muttered “Run!”—snatched up the fallen short sword with his fingers, and turned to sprint toward the distant lights.

The short sword had been tainted by the corpse-infant; Xu Yuan dared not retract it into his dantian, so he held it between his fingers.

After running several li, the sound of the stream faded behind him.

Xu Yuan exhaled in relief—the corpse-infant, wounded, could no longer maintain its ghost-wall-like ability.

The lights were now visible in the distance; Xu Yuan summoned his last strength and sped up further.

Just as he neared the town, the rushing sound of water suddenly returned beside his ears!

“Wuwa, wuwa, wuwa…” A strange, shrill infant wail pierced the night, stabbing into Xu Yuan’s eardrums.

“It’s caught up again!”

A chilling aura, like rising floodwater, engulfed Xu Yuan’s entire body—he dashed into the town, only to freeze in shock: the inn had been destroyed!

Windows and doors were shattered; the Holy Maiden, still bitter toward Master Qiao, had wrecked the place before leaving.

“Splish-splish…”

The river water surged into the town, flooding the streets in all directions.

Xu Yuan suddenly felt his legs grow unbearably heavy—even with the talisman’s aid, allowing him to float three chi above ground, the river’s malevolent force still weighed him down.

If his feet had touched the ground, he would already have been firmly stuck, unable to take another step.

The river water flowed along the streets, as if teeming with countless ghosts, suddenly surging toward the houses beside the road.

On the doors, the door gods glowed faintly golden; a vast, unseen power descended from the void, as if an invisible giant hand raised a golden iron whip and struck the malevolent river.

SPLASH!

SPLASH!

SPLASH!

The waves crashing against the doors shattered into fragments.

But in the center of the town, a larger wave rose, revealing the form of the corpse-infant within.

Five pale-blue ghostly flames burned fiercely—at its head, hands, and feet, the one atop its head the largest.

The wound on its belly had not fully healed; inside, the repulsive maggots continued to writhe.

The corpse-infant looked up, locked eyes with its enemy, its pale eyes filled with hatred!

So you’re here! Where will you run now?

Your “home” has been destroyed.

No one in this town will open their door for you at midnight. Who would dare? No one—opening the door means dying with you!

“Wuwa—” It let out a deafening wail; black, viscous river water surged through the inn’s shattered back door and flooded into the courtyard.

Xu Yuan’s mind raced—he had a slight hope that Old Ying would open the door for him.

But could Hua Hua hold off the corpse-infant? Xu Yuan had no certainty.

So he did not want to drag Old Ying into this.

Suddenly, Xu Yuan’s brows lifted—he turned and sprinted toward Zhao’s Fur Shop.

Splish-splish, splish-splish… the river water chased after him, and wave after wave surged close behind.

As the distance narrowed, the black water turned red—the entire river had become a river of blood!

Xu Yuan felt his legs grow heavier; his three-chi levitation slipped, sinking one chi lower.

The massive wound on his back continuously drained his strength, leaving him weak.

From the blood waves, tiny infant hands reached out, grasping relentlessly at his back.

The distance from the inn to Zhao’s Fur Shop was only fifty zhang—but Xu Yuan struggled with every step.

Cold, malevolent energy seeped into him through every pore and wound.

Xu Yuan had to repeatedly release his “Inner Fire” to dispel the surrounding darkness.

And because of the blood river beneath him, countless resentful energies rose invisibly, wrapping around his legs and slowing him to a crawl.

The slower he moved, the heavier he felt, the harder it became.

Zhao’s Fur Shop’s wooden building loomed ahead—behind him, an infant hand was nearly touching his back.

Xu Yuan bit his tongue hard, drew his short spear, and spat out “Inner Fire,” transforming the spear into a flaming lance.

HISS!

Xu Yuan hurled the flaming spear backward, striking true into the blood wave.

“Wuwa!” A piercing wail erupted—the blood wave recoiled violently; Xu Yuan seized the chance and lunged full force toward Zhao’s Fur Shop’s door.

CRASH! The door burst open; Xu Yuan tumbled inside, vision swimming, utterly drained.

He forced himself up, threw his body forward, and clamped both hands tightly shut on the door!

Zhao’s Fur Shop was indeed empty—the Holy Maiden had taken everyone into the mountains.

After Zhao Yong’s death, his former subordinates were in panic and had neglected the shop, so no one had locked the door—if they had, Xu Yuan would have had to break in, giving the corpse-infant an opening.

Waves of blood crashed violently against the door—CRASH!

On the door were two large door god paintings.

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(End of Chapter)