Chapter 105 — The Prefect of Lizhou

"An expert of the Corpse Immortal Cult!

Stronger than that divine-power wielder called He Yin just now — at least a whole realm above him! " Shen Mu was shaken to the core. These corpse beetles must have been reared by an expert of the Corpse Immortal Cult; to steer so many corpse beetles at once from afar, to use them to command the countless skeletons and bones of the Mound of Jumbled Graves, and on top of that the wild beasts of the wasteland — the depth of this one's cultivation was beyond imagining. This was far harder than commanding flying zombies.

The corpse beetles entered the skeletons and the wild beasts, working strange changes in them: the skeletons' bones took on a red gleam, while the wild beasts simply became red-haired beast corpses, charging madly in pursuit of Shen Mu.

Such arts were far beyond He Yin. "He is using these corpse beetles to command the skeletons and bones and the beasts — not to kill me, but to hold me back! " Shen Mu drove his sword with primal essence; the Chu Bao sword flew out, and he executed the Cloud Sword Style.

The treasure sword circled his body without cease, tracing ring after ring, and as he raced forward the Chu Bao sword kept cutting ahead of him, slicing the skeletons and red-haired beast corpses that lunged from before and behind into powder!

Yet for every skeleton shattered, for every red-haired beast corpse cut apart, red corpse beetles flew out of the bones, either burrowing into the earth or flying off toward the distant mountain forests; and from the soil bones kept emerging, and from the forests red-haired beast corpses kept charging forth.

Shen Mu's scalp went numb. These beast corpses and skeletons had still slowed his steps, and the expert tracking him would surely catch up before long! Just then Snow Fox was startled awake.

Alarmed at the sight, she hastily worked her magic and summoned a demon wind; the wind grew stronger and stronger until it became a tornado, sweeping the red-haired beast corpses and skeletons blocking the way into its vortex. The pressure on Shen Mu eased greatly, his speed soared, and he raced forward. At that very moment a red corpse beetle flew over and alighted on Shen Mu's bundle, then crawled toward Snow Fox's nose and mouth.

Snow Fox shrieked and sprang hastily out of the bundle, scrambling onto Shen Mu's shoulder. More beetles came buzzing in — plainly the Corpse Immortal Cult expert pursuing them had discovered Snow Fox's wind-summoning and so had loosed corpse beetles at her, meaning to turn her into a red-haired beast corpse.

"The sun shines; the yang spirit is refined in the air! " Shen Mu's primal essence shifted, blazing like fire; a seal stamped down in the sky, and the Vermilion Bird's primal essence became a proud blazing sun. Light poured forth; the corpse beetles gave shrill squeaks, wisps of green smoke rose from their bodies, and they dropped to the ground one after another, motionless.

"The Thunder Peal Eight Formula works — it can destroy the souls within the corpse beetles!

" Shen Mu was astonished and delighted.

Running on, he executed the Sun Shines, the Yang Spirit Refined in the Air; the beast corpses and skeletons that came charging to kill him, bathed in the blazing sun, gave off wisp after wisp of green smoke. The skeletons clattered to the ground, and the beast corpses fell flat as well. And now the skeletons and beast corpses no longer blocked his way, but ran alongside him.

Mid-stride, one skeleton after another abruptly reached up and tore out its own ribs, and using the ribs as curved blades, hurled them at Shen Mu!

Hundreds of ribs whistled through the air, thick as rain, spinning as they flew and tracing arc after arc; and even when they missed, they returned to the skeletons' hands. Shen Mu's head ached; he had no choice but to execute the Cloud Sword Style again to fend off the rib-blades that might come from any direction, and his speed was checked once more. The Corpse Immortal Cult's means of attack were truly uncanny — flying zombies, yellow paper charms, corpse beetles, skeletons, red-haired beast corpses, and skeletons that tore out their own bones to use as throwing blades; a thousand strange and monstrous kinds.

Suddenly Shen Mu saw farmland ahead, with farmers at their plowing; it was the season of the spring harvest, and many peasants were up early in the fields reaping the grain.

"Get out of the way! " Shen Mu waved his hand and shouted, "Good people, get out of the way, quickly! " The farmers all looked up, and could not help but start with fright: skeletons and red-haired beast corpses were surging toward them like a tide, truly terrifying.

They flung down their sickles and fled in panic. But their speed was far below Shen Mu's and the red-haired beast corpses'; at this rate they were bound to be overtaken. Shen Mu hastily veered aside to avoid them — but beside the paddy fields ran the official road, and there were travelers on the road too.

At the head was a carriage, with guards riding tall horses beside it. From within the carriage came a woman's voice: "What is all this clamor outside?

" A guard bowed in the saddle and said, "Reporting to Your Honor, there is a plague of skeletons, pursuing a youth in brocade. Fearing to harm the farmers in the fields, the youth has drawn the skeletons onto the official road.

There are red-haired beast corpses as well, very strange in form, likely commanded by corpse beetles — most probably the Corpse Immortal Cult of Xiangxi. " "The realm has only just been pacified, and always there are demons and monsters leaping out to plague the common folk.

" The woman in the carriage said, "Guard Shi, go and dispose of the skeletons and the red-haired beast corpses. Do not let the common people be harmed.

" "Yes, Your Honor.

" That Guard Shi did not dismount.

Instead he took out a silver sword pellet and flicked it with his finger; the sword pellet flew up into the air and spun, and with every turn a brilliant bolt of sword-light shot out. The pellet spun with incredible speed, and bolt after bolt of sword-light fell like lines of rain. As Shen Mu ran he heard all around him a clatter and clang: skeleton after skeleton shattered into dust! And the red-haired beast corpses were parted from their heads one after another.

In less than a breath, the hundreds of skeletons and red-haired beast corpses pursuing him had been swept away. Red corpse beetles flew out of those skeletons and beast corpses, but before they could rise they were annihilated by bolt after bolt of sword-light. "Orthodox swordsmanship!

" Shen Mu hastily halted and looked toward the carriage ahead. The guard beside it was using orthodox swordsmanship; he had once seen similar swordsmanship among the Lanjiang Sword Sect — upright and honorable. This art refined many swords into a single sword pellet; in battle it was formidable, and it could also be set into a sword formation. Of course, only experts could wield a sword pellet, for a sword pellet was truly heavy; whoever could levitate it with primal essence must possess immense cultivation.

If the guard beside this carriage was so formidable, the person within must be truly remarkable.

In the distance, that Uncle-Master Qiao came flying all the way, and suddenly sensed that his corpse beetles had all died in an instant.

Startled, he did not advance, but stood atop a treetop to watch.

"The carriage of the Assistant Governor of Lizhou Prefecture! " His face changed greatly.

He turned at once to go: "The Assistant Governor of Lizhou is a ruthless one; I am no match for him. Best to withdraw first! " He flashed away and vanished without a trace.

Guard Shi, on horseback, said to the carriage, "Your Honor, the Corpse Immortal Cult has withdrawn. " The woman in the carriage said, "Summon that youth here.

" "Yes.

" Guard Shi dismounted and bowed.

"Young sir, my lady asks for you. " Shen Mu stepped forward to the side of the carriage.