Peach wood sword
[Crafted from a century-old peach wood heartwood and nurtured for sixty years with lightning energy... it was corroded by corpse energy and its lightning essence destroyed!]
[Low-grade Magical Artifacts] (Magic artifacts can be divided into the following categories from low to high: mortal artifacts, magical artifacts, spiritual artifacts, immortal artifacts... and are further divided into upper, middle, and lower grades)
[Evil-dispelling, sharp, and sturdy!]
Peach wood, also known as "dragon-taming wood" or "ghost-fearing wood," is believed to have the effect of warding off disasters and evil spirits, and is also an extremely important material for ritual implements.
Not to mention that this sword was forged from a hundred-year-old peach heartwood that was on the verge of becoming a demon!
An ancient text says: "The peach is the essence of the five woods. It was used to suppress evil spirits in ancient times. This is a sacred wood. The essence of peach wood resides at the Ghost Gate and can subdue all ghosts!"
Since it could display information about magical artifacts, Jiang Liu naturally wanted to see if it could display information about people. He calmed his mind, focused his spiritual sense, and saw another passage of text:
Jiang Liu (Qi Cultivator)
[Cultivation Level: First Stage of Refining Essence into Qi]
[Taoist Method: Nine Heavens Thunder Orthodox Method (Beginner's Guide); Purification Mantra (Advanced): Cleanse the body with the sun and refine the form with the moon, until the physical body reaches the acquired stage of a martial artist] (The realms can be divided into twelve levels from low to high: Beginner's Guide, First Glimpse, Advanced, Comprehensive Understanding, Minor Success, Mastery, Great Success, Grandmaster, Divine Transformation, Unity of Heaven and Man, Return to Simplicity, Attainment of the Tao.)
[Martial Arts: Lacking mastery of the methods for circulating qi and blood, and generating power]
[Equipment: Peach wood sword, two Profound Essence Pills, three Blood Qi Pills, one Soul Nourishing Pill, one mid-grade spirit stone, and three low-grade spirit stones]
Jiang Liu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had carried with him the pills left by his master. Although there weren't many, they were still lifesavers.
[Mysterious Origin Pill]
[First Grade] (There are nine grades of elixirs, with those above the ninth grade being immortal elixirs)
[Restore vitality]
Blood Qi Pill
[First-class]
[Restores blood and energy, and has a mild healing effect.]
As for the "Soul Nourishing Pill" that the Azure Netherworld Evil Path took out, it was a second-grade pill that could repair the soul and was more than ten times more valuable than the "Mysterious Origin Pill" and the "Blood Qi Pill".
"Heh, I really didn't expect that evil cultivator would actually take out a second-grade pill. He must be feeling the pinch now!"
Just then, Jiang Liu twitched his nose, quickly put the "Soul Nourishing Pill" into the jade bottle, stuffed it into his robes, and then frowned while holding the peach wood sword, saying, "Hmm, there's demonic energy! It seems to be the aura of a zombie, but... it's really barely perceptible!"
Jiang Liu rushed towards the direction of the corpse energy, moving at an incredible speed, almost creating a gust of wind. He had never practiced martial arts, but because he had cultivated to the level of refining essence into qi, and because he had also practiced the Cleansing Body Mantra, he had spent over a decade cleansing his body daily and refining his form monthly, making his physical strength almost equivalent to that of a post-natal martial artist. However, in a real hand-to-hand combat situation, Jiang Liu didn't have much fighting power, because his martial arts skills were practically nonexistent.
The night was dark and the desolate wilderness was eerily quiet. A dozen or so figures emerged from the overgrown path. Jiang Liu focused his gaze, gathering his vital energy in his eyes, and the scene in the darkness became clearly visible, as if he had gained night vision.
"A Qing Dynasty zombie?!"
Eight zombies dressed in Qing Dynasty court attire hopped towards them on the mountain path. Each had a yellow paper talisman with bright red symbols drawn on it, and their limbs were stiff. They hopped and skipped forward in an orderly fashion, seemingly controlled by someone. But Jiang Liu looked around and couldn't find anyone controlling the zombies.
Such zombies are utterly inferior, the most basic kind of zombie, not even worthy of being called zombies, but merely walking corpses. Although they possess some characteristics of zombies, even ordinary martial artists can subdue them.
Jiang Liu walked towards them, wanting to see who was controlling these walking corpses. He also wanted to find out what kind of world this was, and where it was located.
As they approached, the zombies seemed restless, even fearful. Then, after a brief pause, they scattered and fled.
Just then, a Taoist priest dressed in a bright yellow robe ran out of the darkness, pulling up his trousers, and shouted, "What's going on? What's happening? Come back quickly..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Taoist priest tripped over his still-undone trousers and fell flat on his face, even losing his Taoist hat in the process. By the time he got up again, the zombies had already fled some distance. At that moment, a melodious bell rang from his hand, accompanied by incantations. The zombies immediately froze, except for one stronger zombie that had already fled far away and disappeared into the night.
Chapter Five: The Four-Eyed Taoist
"Oh no! One is missing! Where am I supposed to find one in this desolate wilderness?"
"Brothers, why are you all so mischievous?"
The speaker was a middle-aged Taoist priest wearing glasses, with some gray hair, but he looked to be only in his forties. He was jumping up and down in a panic.
"Taoist Master!" Jiang Liu emerged from the darkness, startling the Taoist priest.
"Ah, so you're a human! This humble Taoist greets you!"
The Taoist bowed to Jiang Liu, then secretly wiped away a bead of cold sweat.
"Little Dao Jiangliu, you accidentally bumped into the Daoist's zombie just now. Is one missing? I'll catch one for you!"
With that, Jiang Liu rushed into the darkness, following the trail left by the zombie, and caught up with it in a moment. However, he didn't have the magic to control the zombie, so he could only bite his finger and put a drop of pure yang blood on the zombie's forehead to suppress its yin energy, and then drag it back.
Jiang Liu also withdrew his energy and wrapped the Thunder Tribulation Sword, which calmed the zombies down.
After resealing the zombie, the middle-aged Taoist priest said, "Thank you very much, young master. I am Si Mu, a disciple of Maoshan. Your cultivation is excellent, young master. Your pure Yang blood is far superior to mine, and it is comparable to my ninth senior brother! I never would have guessed that you would have such strong cultivation at such a young age!"
Four-Eyed Taoist? Ninth Senior Brother? Maoshan?
Is this the world of the movie "Mr. Vampire"?
It took Jiang Liu a while to come to his senses. The more he looked, the more he felt that this Taoist priest was the junior brother of Uncle Jiu, the Four-Eyed Taoist who drove corpses.
Jiang Liu is naturally familiar with the movie "Mr. Vampire," and it's safe to say that most Chinese people are as well. While not a household name, Uncle Nine's name is certainly close. It can be said that this is a pioneering work in the zombie film genre, a classic of Hong Kong cinema, and it firmly established Lam Ching-ying's pivotal position in this type of film.
The plot of "Mr. Vampire" is very simple; it's just a story about catching ghosts and subduing zombies in a small town.
Mr. Ren, a wealthy man from a small town, was instructed by a feng shui master at the time of his father's burial to exhume and relocate his remains twenty years later. Therefore, he sought out Master Jiu, a local Maoshan master, to handle the matter. On the day of the exhumation, Master Jiu discovered that the burial site of Old Master Ren's grave was a "dragonfly dot" (a type of gravesite), and the body showed no signs of decay in the past twenty years, which aroused Master Jiu's suspicion. Consequently, he transported the coffin to the mortuary for temporary storage.
Later, Old Master Ren's corpse turned into a zombie, which killed Old Master Ren and greatly increased its power. Uncle Nine's two apprentices, Wencai and Qiusheng, were infatuated with Old Master Ren's daughter, Tingting, which led to a conflict with Tingting's cousin. That night, Wencai was injured by the zombie while protecting Tingting and was infected with the zombie poison, causing him to slowly turn into a zombie. Fortunately, the zombie poison could be cured by glutinous rice, but the glutinous rice Wencai bought contained other types of rice, so it was ineffective.
On the other hand, Qiu Sheng was also bewitched by the female ghost Xiao Yu, but was rescued by Uncle Jiu. Uncle Jiu also discovered that there were mixed grains in the glutinous rice, so he selected the mixed grains and cooked them into glutinous rice porridge, saving Wen Cai. As the zombies killed people one after another, their strength increased dramatically. When Uncle Jiu was no match for them, the Taoist priest Four Eyes, who made a living by transporting corpses, arrived. The group worked together to eliminate the zombies.
Snapping out of his reverie about the plot of "Mr. Vampire," Jiang Liu immediately put on a sorrowful expression and quickly made up an identity for himself, saying, "Master Four Eyes, my master abandoned me here, saying that I must undergo a great tribulation in the mortal world to temper my Dao heart before I can return to the mountain! I don't know where this place is or what era it is now?"
Master Four Eyes paused for a moment, then looked at Jiang Liu and asked, "May I ask which immortal mountain you cultivate on, young master?"
"Kunlun Qianlong Temple!" Jiang Liu pointed to the west and said. He wasn't worried that the other man would see through his lie. Kunlun Mountain was vast. If this were truly the world of "Mr. Vampire," it would be during the Republic of China era, a time of war and chaos. There was no need to worry about being checked for ID or doxxed.
Master Four Eyes nodded, having no doubt about Jiang Liu's identity. Jiang Liu's pure magical power could not be faked. He said, "Only those reclusive masters could cultivate a disciple like Little Master... It's now the third year of the Republic of China... Well, the Qing Dynasty is over!"
Looking at Jiang Liu's neatly styled topknot, his blue Taoist robe, his fair complexion, and his upright posture, if it weren't for his young age and lack of a beard, he would truly have the air of a celestial being. Then, thinking of his own messy, short hair and bright yellow sorcerer's attire, he looked nothing like a fake Taoist wandering the world.
Master Four Eyes awkwardly put on his Taoist hat, picked up the bright yellow command banner from the ground, and continued, "This is Guangxi territory. We'll reach Guangdong in three more days. Why don't you come with me to my ninth senior brother's place for a rest? He runs a charitable institution. Since this is your first time coming down the mountain, it's best to find a place to stay first before making any further plans. After all, the world isn't very peaceful these days!"
Jiang Liu understood what Jiang Liu meant and immediately agreed, saying, "Then I must thank you for the introduction, Daoist!"
"Ring ring... Ring ring..."
Master Four Eyes shook the bell in his hand and said, "Brothers, let's set off!"
The zombies hopped along the mountain path in unison to the sound of bells. This was a corpse-driving technique from the Maoshan Taoist arts. In addition, there was the corpse-refining technique, which could create powerful zombies for one's own use.
So-called zombies are undead creatures born from the resentment, death, misfortune, and evil energy of heaven and earth. They are ageless, immortal, and indestructible, rejected by the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity from the six paths of sentient beings, wandering aimlessly and homeless. In the human world, they use resentment as their strength and blood as their food.
The strongest zombie Jiang Liu had ever seen was the corpse demon that killed his master. Reaching the Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation realm, its supernatural powers were enough to instantly turn a mortal city into a ghost town. It had transcended the limitations of a zombie body and become a Ba (a type of demon). After transforming into a Ba, the zombie can fly, also known as a flying zombie, capable of slaying dragons and swallowing clouds, moving like the wind. If it cultivates to a high level, it can leave a trail of scorched earth wherever it goes, making it the king of zombies.
The *Shenyi Jing* records: In the south there is a person who is two or three feet tall, naked, with eyes on the top of his head, and walks like the wind. His name is Ba. Wherever he appears, there is a great drought, and the land is red for thousands of miles.
The night was long, and the two of them, along with eight zombies, wandered through the desolate mountains and wilderness, creating an extremely eerie scene.
Seeing Jiang Liu's curiosity about the zombies, the Four-Eyed Taoist said, "What I learned at Maoshan was the art of corpse driving and corpse refining, my Ninth Senior Brother learned the way of talismans, my Eldest Senior Brother learned thunder magic... Everyone has different talents, so what they learn is different!"
Jiang Liu nodded and said, "I know about zombies. There was a flying zombie that attacked the mountain gate before, but it was killed by Master's lightning magic."
Master Four Eyes was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in shock, "It can fly? That's a flying zombie! Even if my master were alive, he wouldn't be a match for that zombie. Perhaps the entire Taoist sect would be able to defeat it! Your master was able to kill a flying zombie all by himself. He must have been a reclusive old immortal!"
Jiang Liu watched as the eight zombies moved in unison under the command of the Four-Eyed Taoist Priest. Intrigued by this art of controlling corpses, he said, "My master only tells me to focus on comprehending the Tao, and never teaches me the methods of subduing demons. Could you tell me about them, Taoist Priest? I'd like to broaden my horizons!"
"Let me tell you about zombies first! Zombies can be broadly divided into two categories. One is the armored zombie, which is created by cultivators using secret methods combined with the Yin energy of the earth. From low to high, they can be divided into iron armored zombies, bronze armored zombies, silver armored zombies, gold armored zombies, the gold armored zombie king, and the drought demon you just mentioned. The other is called the hairy zombie, which is a zombie that evolves over a long period of time after the corpse of the deceased is buried in an extremely Yin cave. It is further divided into white hair, green hair, red hair, purple hair, flying zombies, and Hou."
"But there is no doubt that both armored zombies and hairy zombies are extremely powerful, far beyond the capabilities of ordinary people. Only cultivators like you and me can defeat them... Of course, firearms are now widely used and can also kill zombies!"
Chapter Six: Maoshan Corpse Refining Technique
"Master Jiang Liu, are you saying you'll exchange this Cleansing Mantra for my Maoshan Corpse Refining Technique?"
Master Simu's hand, which was shaking the bell, suddenly stopped in mid-air. His face turned bright red, and it was hard to tell whether he was excited or furious.
Jiang Liu couldn't figure out what he was thinking for a moment, and then said, "If your sect forbids the transmission of Taoist magic and supernatural powers, then please pretend that I never said it. Consider this purification incantation as my apology to you!"
Master Four Eyes exhaled and quickly waved his hand to explain, "No, no, I'm just too excited. Little Master Jiang Liu, you know we are now in the Dharma-ending Age, spiritual energy is scarce, and cultivation is difficult. My cultivation method has almost reached its limit, and my magical power can hardly increase any further. This Cleansing Mantra, which cleanses the body by day and refines the form by month, is several levels stronger than the Maoshan techniques I cultivate. Only the lost Maoshan technique, 'Jade Maiden Joyful Spirit Technique,' can compare to it. If we were to exchange, I would be grateful beyond words, how could I blame you, Little Master!"
"So the Daoist Master agrees! Thank you for your kindness, Daoist Master!"
"Of course, of course. This is 'The Maoshan Corpse Refining Technique.' Little Master, please take a look. If you have any questions, you can ask me anytime." Master Simu took out an old thread-bound book from his bag. The pages were yellowed and filled with annotations and insights.
In Jiang Liu's opinion, this "corpse refining technique" is only a low-grade human-level supernatural power in the Journey to the West world. However, it's always good to have more skills, so Jiang Liu is not picky.
Master Four Eyes obtained the cultivation method of the "Purification Mantra" and continued to cultivate along the way. Under Jiang Liu's perception, the magical power in his body gradually became more and more powerful.
In just three days, Master Four Eyes' magical power had increased by a tenth. Such talent left Jiang Liu dumbfounded, and he felt extremely frustrated: "People who can still cultivate in the Dharma-ending Age are indeed geniuses! If such talent were in the Journey to the West world, wouldn't their strength skyrocket like a rocket? Alas! My talent is crushed in front of this supporting character. How extraordinary must Uncle Nine be!"
In just three days, the two became extremely familiar with each other, and their relationship was both that of teacher and friend. Jiang Liu also became immersed in Maoshan Taoist magic. He had access to Maoshan's precious corpse refining manuals and guidance from Master Si Mu, who had been practicing corpse driving and refining for more than 20 years. As a result, he made rapid progress in corpse refining and corpse driving.
According to the information detected by his divine sense, Jiang Liu had already reached the initial stage of his "Maoshan Corpse Refining Technique," and was only one step away from mastering it. What he lacked now was practice. As for the Nine Heavens Thunder Orthodox Method, Jiang Liu was cultivating it with all his heart, but it was indeed profound. He was only a beginner, and the lightning he released had grown from the thickness of a hair to the thickness of a thread. When it struck a person, it could make them feel numb all over.
"With my current strength, within the plot shown in the film, the only thing that can pose a threat to me is the zombie that Old Master Ren has transformed into, and it's even a later-stage armored zombie. The female ghost isn't much of a threat. If I can refine Old Master Ren and use him for my own purposes, I'll have a slight chance to protect myself when I return to the Journey to the West world." Jiang Liu had already thoroughly analyzed the plot in his mind, and then calculated his possible gains. He naturally couldn't miss out on Uncle Nine's Taoist magic, but apart from that, his main target was the zombie that Old Master Ren had transformed into.
At dawn three days later, the two men and eight zombies finally arrived at the town where Uncle Nine lived. Before them was a somewhat dilapidated courtyard made of blue bricks, which was none other than the mortuary where Uncle Nine lived.
Master Four Eyes chuckled awkwardly and said, “Jiang Liu, don’t be fooled by the dilapidated state of this mortuary. My Ninth Senior Brother is a master. If you want to learn the talismanic arts of Maoshan, my Ninth Senior Brother is the best choice!”
"A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals dwelling there. Water is not sacred for its depth, but for the dragons residing within. I, Jiang Liu, am but a vulgar person who judges by appearances!"
“What a fine saying: ‘A mountain is not famous because of its height, but because of the immortals dwelling there. Water is not sacred because of its depth, but because of the dragons residing within.’ I, Lin Jiu, am unworthy of such praise.” As soon as he finished speaking, the wooden door of the mortuary was opened with a creaking sound, and a middle-aged man with slightly gray hair and thick, straight eyebrows appeared before him.
Master Four Eyes introduced, “Ninth Senior Brother, come, come, let me introduce you. This is Master Jiang Liu from Qianlong Temple on Kunlun Mountain, whom I met in Guangxi. He is skilled in thunder magic, and... he is also proficient in corpse refining and corpse driving. This is the Ninth Senior Brother I've been talking about along the way, Master Lin Jiu…”
"Greetings, Daoist Lin Jiu! This humble Daoist is Jiang Liu!"
Uncle Nine returned the greeting, then carefully looked Jiang Liu up and down, exclaiming in astonishment, "You're so young, yet you possess such magical power! Unbelievable, truly unbelievable!"
It's truly hard to imagine. You have to understand that Uncle Nine's two disciples, Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai, are not young, but in the path of cultivation, they have only mastered six out of seven orifices and are completely ignorant of the others. They have only learned some martial arts and can use some magical artifacts!
"What's so hard to imagine? Senior brother, look at me!" Master Four Eyes was already smiling like a chrysanthemum.
"You? Impossible... impossible... In just a few months, your cultivation level is almost as high as mine. You haven't practiced some kind of evil cultivation technique, have you?" Uncle Nine frowned deeply.
"The saying goes, 'Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.' Senior brother, you've lived in this town for almost twenty years... Tsk tsk..." Master Four Eyes shook his head, his face full of disdain.
"Just say I'm a frog in a well... Come on in and we'll talk!"