**Chapter 101: The Corpse Immortal Sect**
Within the magistrate's office, a deep voice mocked: "The Grand Tutor of Yankang uses the Emperor's name to command all sects. The great sects have suffered under him for far too long! The Dijiang County magistrate, Gao Juide, served as the Grand Tutor's lackey and spy—he deserved his death!"
At the inn, Qin Mu frowned. "The county magistrate died so quickly? My first time leaving the Great Ruins and I encounter this—what terrible luck! Grandma Si was right. People out here are far more dangerous than in the Ruins. Our folk are much more decent. By the way, what rank is a county magistrate, and how does his strength compare to a Second-Rank Provincial Governor?"
Yankang's official ranks were divided into nine grades and eighteen tiers, determined by both status and cultivation. Some sect leaders with exceptional strength were appointed to high positions, while those of lesser cultivation might be made regional lords or placed in charge of various counties and prefectures.
For instance, Mu Beifeng of the Li River Sect was among the Southern Borderlands' strongest cultivators, earning him appointment as a Second-Rank Provincial Governor—a position of great power.
Hu Ling'er finally woke, urgently summoning her magic. A gust of demon wind swirled through the window. Qin Mu grabbed the cushion pillow, tossed it into the air, and the wind carried it aloft. Hu Ling'er leaped onto it, puzzled. "Young Master, their rebellion shouldn't mean killing everyone in the city, right? We shouldn't be in danger."
Qin Mu leaped from the window. Before landing, a demon wind caught beneath his feet. The youth rode the wind, sprinting toward the city outskirts at breakneck speed. "My sword is the Shao Bao Sword—a ceremonial blade from a first-rank official. If these rebels discover it, I'm dead for certain! Besides, a wise man doesn't stand beneath a crumbling wall. These rebels won't allow anyone to leave. If we stay, we'll be trapped. When Yankang's army arrives to crush them, how many in this city will survive? The Corpse Immortal Cult—they cultivate using corpses."
Hu Ling'er shuddered.
Qin Mu's last words were truly terrifying.
The Corpse Immortal Cult cultivated using corpses—meaning if Yankang's forces came to suppress the rebellion, every citizen in the city, regardless of rank, would likely be refined into flying corpses by the sect.
Dijiang County was now in chaos, with battle cries echoing everywhere. The Corpse Immortal Sect had planned this meticulously—first casting their refined flying corpses upstream to block the county dam, then infiltrating the city in small groups.
When night fell, the sect's master had controlled the corpses to storm the magistrate's office, killing the magistrate.
Though the Dijiang County magistrate was a powerful cultivator with formidable abilities, the ambush left him no chance.
Simultaneously, other sect experts had rushed to the four city gates, cutting off the garrison troops. The sect master led his forces to eliminate the deputy magistrate, captain of guards, and other officials, leaving the soldiers leaderless.
Though Dijiang County still harbored powerful cultivators, without unified command, each fought alone. The Corpse Immortal Sect used their yellow memorial papers to create aerial formations, connecting the city in all directions for mutual support. This massacre was guaranteed to succeed.
"The sect master's order: seal the city! Let no one escape!" the cry rang out.
Qin Mu had anticipated the danger early. Hu Ling'er summoned the demon wind while he rode it. They were about to clear the county when a sword whistled behind him. Without turning, Qin Mu's fish dragon leaped up and spat the Shao Bao Sword—still sheathed—backward!
Ding! A crisp sound rang out. The flying sword attacking from behind split in two. The Shao Bao Sword's momentum continued, piercing through the opponent's vital energy threads and embedding in the attacker's chest, pinning the black-robed Daoist to a flagpole.
The Corpse Immortal Sect disciple had attacked from behind. Since childhood, Qin Mu had trained under the Blind One in sensing wind to locate opponents—the direction of incoming swords, the position of the attacker, none could escape his hearing.
The assassin had struck with lethal intent. Qin Mu's counter was instinctive, a reflex honed since childhood. The Shao Bao Sword pierced the enemy before the attacker could even reach him.
The demon wind carried them out of the city. A voice called from behind: "Senior Brother He Yin! Someone escaped and killed Junior Brother!"
"Junior Brother?"
From within the city came an enraged shout: "How could you let Junior Brother face danger himself? How am I to explain this to the sect master? Hold the city—I'll kill him myself!"
Qin Mu's foot planted, shattering the demon wind. Hu Ling'er abandoned the cushion, leaping from the air onto the bundle on his back before burrowing inside.
"Junior Brother? Could that be the Corpse Immortal Sect master's son?"
Qin Mu landed and immediately sprinted, thinking: "Or perhaps just an ordinary disciple..."
Hu Ling'er's demon wind was convenient but couldn't match Qin Mu's running speed. Moreover, it left them exposed in the air. On the ground, they could use the forest to conceal their movements, making pursuit far more difficult.
Suddenly, fireballs rose like rising suns, transforming into firebirds that illuminated the sky—divine abilities launched by cultivators.
Qin Mu looked up to see firebirds circling, followed by yellow memorial papers fluttering through the air behind them.
The papers were rectangular strips, roughly the size of a human foot, capable of supporting a person's weight.
"Divine Sky Eye, open!"
Qin Mu's pupils spun with energy patterns as his Divine Sky Eye activated. Looking back, he saw flying corpses hopping along the airborne yellow papers.
The papers split into two lanes, and the flying corpses divided to match. More papers appeared, forming four lanes, with corpses spreading out to search in all directions. Behind the papers, a young Daoist carried a long sword casket on his back. Its lid was open, and yellow papers streamed forth, laying pathways ahead of him—presumably the Senior Brother He Yin the sect disciple had mentioned.
He walked upon the papers through the air. When he lifted his foot, the used paper flew back into the casket while new papers emerged ahead, catching his next step perfectly.
Each paper needed to return to the casket because after single use, its vital energy was depleted and required recharging.
He advanced, though not particularly quickly.
Qin Mu's heart sank. This opponent had opened his Sixfold Divine Treasury—a cultivator far beyond his reach. Evading such a foe would be nearly impossible.
Between the Sixfold Realm and the Spirit Womb Realm lay the Five Luminaries Realm and its corresponding treasury.
Over the past three years, Qin Mu had trained diligently. Following his fourth awakening of the Spirit Womb, he had reached the pinnacle of that realm but still hadn't touched the Five Luminaries Treasury.
Between himself and He Yin in the air, there were two entire realms—a gulf that seemed insurmountable.
From He Yin's displayed abilities, he appeared to possess a Vermilion Bird spirit body, cultivating flame-based divine abilities. The sword casket on his back indicated sword arts training, though the fact that yellow memorial papers emerged rather than swords suggested he used sword techniques to control the papers.
The orderly launch and retrieval of these papers—maintaining over a dozen flying corpses in the air while supporting the young Daoist's aerial movement—demonstrated exceptional sword mastery.
Moreover, the papers likely did far more than support flight. They bore talismans drawn in cinnabar and blood—each paper's power was probably considerable.
"If only I had Old Ma's Tathagata seal, or Grandpa Blind One's Nine-Layer Heaven Eye Art, I'd have the confidence to fight him. But I don't..."
Suddenly, a flying corpse dove toward him at frightening speed. Qin Mu sprinted forward as more corpses pursued. These flying corpses didn't truly fly—He Yin's papers constantly appeared beneath their feet, enabling them to walk, run, and fight in the air, giving the appearance of flying zombies.
When these corpses landed, they charged with terrifying speed, faster than any martial artist!
Hu Ling'er poked her head from the bundle and blew, summoning a fierce wind carrying invisible wind-blade crescents at the pursuing corpses.
Clang clang clang clang—a series of impacts rang out. Hu Ling'er was startled. The corpses' bodies were extraordinarily hard, rendering her magic useless.
Qin Mu frowned. The flying corpses' bodies were incredibly tough—even stronger than his own, nearly equivalent to humanoid spiritual weapons!
He immediately activated the Rain-Making Art. Clouds gathered overhead, and rain began to fall.
"Ling'er, boost the wind!"
Hu Ling'er understood and cast her spell. Qin Mu turned, waving his hand as raindrops shot backward, transforming into water swords. Simultaneously, gale winds blew, amplifying the rain's power as water swords pierced at the charging corpses.
Ding ding ding—the combined assault dramatically increased their power. Water swords pierced the corpses' impenetrable skin, turning five of the pursuing flying corpses into sieges!
Yet the corpses, seemingly unfelt, continued their charge. Nothing deterred them—trees and boulders alike shattered upon impact.
"If turning you into sieges won't kill you, I'll tear you apart!"
Qin Mu continuously drove the Rain-Making Art while Hu Ling'er maintained the gale, further shredding the pursuing corpses. Limbs began to break away.
Just then, a firebird wreathed in raging flames burst from behind the corpses. Flames erupted, engulfing a radius of over ten yards with intense heat. In an instant, both their techniques were utterly destroyed.
Qin Mu and Hu Ling'er grunted as their magic shattered, the recoil sending waves of vital energy that sent their blood churning.
"You dare kill the son of my Corpse Immortal Sect's master? Has your ancestral grave been smoking with black omens?"
He Yin strode through the air, corpses diving at Qin Mu from above while the five mangled corpses on the ground surged forward.