Chapter 604: Qingsi

No one knows if Fang Yue survived and left the Heiqing Shanmai.

That overwhelming, sky-blocking Night Rain, along with the countless, vast army resembling a strange ocean, forced everyone to avoid it entirely, becoming every survivor of Qingsi County's nightmare.

Even now, some still wake screaming from nightmares, recalling that night's terror.

Fang Yue may have left the Heiqing Shanmai, or he may have died on the way.

No one can verify this.

Captain Wu wanted to depart quickly for Chunuan City—first, to rescue An Dong'er'er as soon as possible, since according to the Black Crow's intelligence, Chunuan City was merely a transit point for the Phoenix Organization.

A transit point is like a relay station; whenever a city needed goods, An Dong'er'er might be transferred elsewhere.

She might already have been sold to someone—or fallen into the Phoenix Organization's hands—before they even reached Chunuan City.

Even if we assume the best—that An Dong'er'er was merely transferred—the situation remains grim.

No one knows where she was transferred to.

Once she leaves that transit station, the sprawling transport network stretching in all directions will cover the entire Qing Guo!

Qing Guo is so vast; without any leads, finding An Dong'er'er among the sea of people is a chance so slim it left Captain Wu feeling Zhenjiu.

So he desperately wanted to abandon all his duties at once, let Qingsi County perish on its own, and flee immediately.

But he couldn't flee—his heart was simply too soft.

Looking at the ruined Qingsi County after battle, he couldn't help but recall the destroyed Mo Cun.

At that time, Mo Cun had been beyond repair, utterly reduced to ruins.

But Qingsi County still had a chance—it could still limp along and slowly recover.

The past Mo Cun and present Qingsi County seemed to slowly overlap in his mind, making it impossible for Captain Wu to harden his heart.

Though he spent every day fretting over matters in Chunuan City, he never left.

Until one day, Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu came to him.

"Captain Wu, you can go to Chunuan City now."

"What?"

"I've been with you these days—I've learned how to roughly maintain and advance the Qingsi County reconstruction plan. So you can go help Ye Ge."

"Captain Ye?! Do you have news of Captain Ye?!"

"Yes. Ye Ge safely left the Heiqing Shanmai and is now on his way to Chunuan City. He's traveling alone into Chunuan City—I think you should go help him."

Captain Wu was thrilled—this was the first good news in many days.

Captain Wu exhaled heavily, glancing at Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu: "Then I'm entrusting the Qingsi County reconstruction plan to you. Can you handle it?"

Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu grinned: "If I can't, I'll make myself able—there are still so many corpses left uneaten, and my strength hasn't grown yet. Without Ye Ge's protection, I'm just a burden out in the wilds; even if I reached Chunuan City, I couldn't help Ye Ge at all. Better to stay here and develop first."

"When my strength finally helps Ye Ge a little, and I can survive alone in the wilds, I'll come to Chunuan City to find you."

Captain Wu looked at Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu with complex emotions—he felt this girl had truly grown up suddenly, yet in growing, she'd lost her former liveliness, becoming far more reserved. He didn't know if it was good or bad.

Sighing, Captain Wu left her one Heart Method scripture—though only a handwritten copy, not a true lineage scripture that could be learned instantly by reading it.

One had to start from the basics, understand the explanations within the Heart Method scripture, gather Qi sensation, and then, through relentless day-and-night cultivation, stand a chance of mastering it.

Even so, this scripture's value was immense.

Because it was an Xiantian Third-rate Realm scripture.

It could guide cultivation from Hou Tian Third-rate Realm all the way to Xiantian Realm—essentially a complete service.

Captain Wu himself cultivated this scripture, so he'd long ago written numerous notes and annotations inside.

This… was originally meant for An Dong'er'er.

But now, Captain Wu gave it to Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu.

"Lin Ling has regained consciousness, but she's been dragged around by those two for endless experiments—no time to teach you Martial Arts. And her own Heart Method is only Hou Tian Third-rate—it tops out at entering the Martial Dao. So, if you don't mind, you can learn my Heart Method."

Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu froze, then eagerly accepted the scripture.

Realm is the root; Martial Technique is the branch.

Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu could eat Strange corpses to increase her cultivation, but without Martial Arts, her strength was severely diminished.

Added to that, she had no tools or wealth—her Martial Technique was completely stagnant in the Hou Tian Realm.

Now, with Captain Wu's scripture, her strength could advance further!

"Thank you, Captain Wu! I'll catch up to you as soon as possible, strengthen my power, and reach Chunuan City to support you!"

Captain Wu nodded, packed lightly, mounted a Qingsi Horse, and headed toward the Heiqing Xiagu—the only exit from the Heiqing Shanmai—before beginning his journey to Chunuan City.

After Captain Wu left, Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu truly shouldered the burden, taking over his duties and directing Qingsi County's reconstruction.

At first, everyone was dissatisfied with Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu; some even passively resisted.

But as time passed, her diligence, relentless cultivation, and daily consumption of Strange corpses—her exhausting, packed schedule, her determined way of living—finally moved the people of Qingsi County.

They began accepting her command and recognizing her leadership.

Even among villagers, a nickname for Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu spread—【Corpse Eater】.

Some saw her as a monster; others admired her deeply. Her reputation among villagers was polarized, but most leaned toward her. After all, everyone else's contributions and efforts toward Qingsi County's reconstruction were like sweat, spilled across its soil.

While Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu was busy with everything, Chen Qing and others weren't idle.

At first, Chen Qing and Jing Yan's Lord Han revival plan used Jing Yan as the experimental subject.

But after Lin Ling awoke, her body—modified to simulate the 【Strange Spirit Root】—unexpectedly matched Lord Han's eyeball perfectly.

Chen Qing speculated it might be because both Lord Han and Lin Ling had undergone 【Strange Spirit Root】 experiments.

This was a modification touching the Origin—the Phoenix Organization's most core technological fortress. Even Chen Qing understood only the barest surface, possessing only partial theoretical knowledge.

Yet this didn't prevent him from noticing the high compatibility between Lin Ling's body and Lord Han's eyeball.

(End of Chapter)