Chu Xuan retrieved a large barrel from his storage bag and poured various concoctions into it. He then tossed Tang Hu, who was tightly bound, into the barrel, submerging him completely, including his head.
Tang Hu's voice gradually quieted. Following this, Chu Xuan solemnly slit his palm, squeezing out two drops of his essence blood, and let them fall into the barrel.
His complexion was noticeably paler. Essence blood was not like ordinary blood. Even though his cultivation of the Blood Spirit Technique accelerated the condensation of essence blood, it was not something that could be replenished overnight.
"Now, we just need to wait," Chu Xuan murmured. "According to the 'Vajra Corpse Refining Method,' results should be visible within three days at most."
Chu Xuan reclined on a nearby lounge chair, voraciously devouring cans of tuna he had found while hunting zombies. The cans were still within their expiration date.
"Damn, modern industrial food is delicious," he exclaimed. "What have I been eating at the Infinite Sect? It was so bland I could cry." He sighed deeply, grateful to finally taste something befitting a human after so many years.
Three Days Later
Chu Xuan stood before the large barrel with a look of anticipation. He observed the figure inside—now pitch black and rigid all over, its physique noticeably bulkier than before. Bone armor had sprouted densely at the chest, joints, and back, providing formidable defense.
Chu Xuan tested it with a thrown dagger, which left only a superficial mark. Joy surged in his heart, knowing he had succeeded. The corpse puppet before him had attained the rank of corpse soldier, equivalent to a Qi Refining stage cultivator.
"I wonder about the quality of this corpse puppet," Chu Xuan pondered. The quality of corpse puppets was classified into four grades: superior, high, middle, and low. The better the concoction used in the refining process, the higher the quality of the resulting corpse puppet. A superior quality corpse puppet could master four spells upon creation, a high quality three, a middle quality two, and a low quality only one.
Back when Chu Xuan was still with the Infinite Sect, he had heard of a Golden Core elder who, during his Qi Refining stage, had fortuitously refined a superior quality corpse puppet that knew four spells from birth. It was with this corpse puppet's aid that the elder gradually ascended the path of cultivation and eventually reached the Golden Core stage.
Chu Xuan retrieved a small, dark tower known as the Corpse Nurturing Tower. This magic tool was specifically designed for capturing and cultivating corpses. Each Corpse Nurturing Tower came equipped with a spell to assess the quality and level of a corpse.
Chu Xuan's tower, acquired at a low price from a disheartened middle-aged disciple, was merely a low-grade magic tool. It possessed no offensive or defensive capabilities, serving solely to nurture corpses. He had always carried it with him, prepared for any eventuality. Now was the time to use it.
At the thought, Chu Xuan absorbed the newly formed corpse soldier into the Corpse Nurturing Tower. Inside, the abundant Yin Qi invigorated the corpse, which eagerly absorbed it in deep gulps.
Chu Xuan infused a thread of Spiritual Qi to activate the appraisal technique. A beam of black light illuminated the corpse, and a flicker of golden light emerged from its crown.
Chu Xuan was surprised, "A middle-grade second-level corpse soldier? Not bad at all!"
For his first attempt at corpse refining, using rather ordinary concoctions, he had managed to create a middle-grade corpse—a stroke of luck indeed.
He continued using the appraisal technique and quickly learned the two spells the corpse puppet possessed: Bloodthirst Technique and Golden Light Spell.
The Bloodthirst Technique allowed it to enter a berserk state, significantly boosting its combat capabilities but only for a quarter of an hour. Afterward, it would fall into a state of weakness for ten hours. The Golden Light Spell, as its name suggested, coated the user in a protective golden light, enhancing its defenses.
Together, these spells made the zombie a perfect tank. Though it was only a second-level corpse soldier, equivalent to a Qi Refining second stage cultivator, the combined effects of its spells could likely allow it to contend with a fourth-stage Qi Refining cultivator for a short time. Whether used as a decoy to attract enemy fire or as a protective measure in dangerous situations, it was exceedingly useful.
Chu Xuan felt a rush of satisfaction. This apocalyptic planet truly was a splendid place. In just three days, he had already acquired a corpse soldier as his trump card, effectively doubling his strength compared to three days ago.
"Pity the materials for refining corpse puppets are rare, otherwise I would definitely refine another one," Chu Xuan mused, smacking his lips. With a casual wave of his hand, the obedient corpse soldier approached and awaited his commands.
This was the benefit of the two drops of essence blood he had added to the concoction. As long as the corpse puppet was well-fed, it would faithfully follow his commands without turning against him.
"A second-level corpse soldier should have no trouble sweeping through this mall," Chu Xuan declared. "It's all yours."
With a dismissive wave, he reclined comfortably back on the lounge chair. The corpse soldier growled and dashed out. Almost immediately, the mall echoed with terrifying roars and the sound of flesh being torn apart, followed by the clanging of objects being smashed.
Chu Xuan, unfazed, continued enjoying his canned food while leisurely flipping through ancient texts. After all, isn't the essence of being a demonic cultivator to live freely and at ease?
Five Days Later
In the blink of an eye, five days had passed, and Chu Xuan was heartily devouring a steaming bowl of shrimp and fish cake noodles, thoroughly enjoying the indulgence.
Instant noodles could grow tiresome if eaten daily, yet their unique flavor was missed when not partaken of for a while. For Chu Xuan, who had spent decades in a world of cultivation, these flavors were sorely nostalgic.
At that moment, a fire burned vigorously in front of him. After quickly finishing his noodles, Chu Xuan used two sticks to retrieve an object from the dying embers—the blood mirror, which showed no signs of damage from the flames and seemed even brighter than before.
Chu Xuan glanced at the scene within the mirror—clear skies and beautiful landscapes, exactly where he had first crossed over. Now, the image was a fifth brighter. Once fully illuminated, he should be able to cross back.
He had discovered that the blood mirror could automatically absorb various forms of energy from its surroundings—Spiritual Qi, Evil Qi, Yin Qi, and even mundane energy like biological, thermal, light, and electrical energies. Throwing the mirror into the fire had been a way to harness thermal energy. At this rate, another month should suffice to fully charge it.
Meanwhile, an excited growl sounded nearby—it was the corpse soldier, now named Hu, returning with two gasoline cans. He had been out hunting zombies and had also been tasked with finding fuel. Initially struggling with the task, Hu had gradually come to understand and execute his instructions effectively.
Chu Xuan looked at Hu, now even more formidable and robust than before, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Hu, well done."
At his praise, the corpse puppet humbly lowered its head, allowing Chu Xuan to pat it. The name Hu was the result of deep contemplation by Chu Xuan, certainly not a hasty choice derived from any original name. Absolutely not.
In just two days, Hu had cleared all the zombies from the Walmart Mall. Those that looked healthy and spirited were captured and bled dry. The ones with good meat quality were used as feed for the Blood Steel Wire. The listless, less lively ones became nourishment for Hu himself. From the third day, Hu started clearing the zombies from the surrounding shops and residences, using the mall as his base. Over five days, he had progressed from a second-level to a third-level corpse soldier.
Although still only comparable to a third-stage Qi Refining cultivator in rank, Hu's sheer physical strength and overwhelming resentment meant that any low-level cultivator without many spells who got too close would likely end up dead or severely injured.
"What should I do with you? A bit early for you to be forming cocoons."
Chu Xuan smiled helplessly as he observed the Blood Steel Wire appearing lethargic, perhaps due to consuming too much zombie blood. Just this morning, he had awakened to find it showing signs of cocooning—a process indicating that the Blood Steel Wire was about to learn a natural spell and significantly increase in strength. This was excellent news for him.
The Blood Steel Wire was a type of gu insect relatively easy to obtain, which meant its potential was somewhat limited—it could cocoon only twice. Each cocooning was akin to rebirth, earning it the nickname "Twice-Reborn Gu," capable of learning two inherent spells.
Naturally, the potential of a gu insect wasn't fixed; given fortuitous encounters with certain rare natural treasures and consuming them could prompt further transformations.
Chu Xuan's frustration stemmed from not yet having started cultivating such rare natural treasures. "Go capture a couple of lively zombies," he commanded with a wave of his hand.
The corpse soldier roared enthusiastically and leapt away, vanishing from sight. In less than ten minutes, it reappeared, each of its robust arms clutching a fiercely struggling, spirited zombie.
Chu Xuan nodded approvingly. "Gag them, tie them up, and throw them in the corner." The corpse soldier clumsily followed the orders but soon had the zombies secured.
Striding over, Chu Xuan pulled out a small knife and began to carve blood holes into the limbs and torsos of the captured zombies. He then retrieved a cultivation pouch from his storage bag and filled it with tiny red seeds, which upon contacting the flesh, quickly took root.
Within the blink of an eye, they sprouted one-centimeter-long tender red shoots with sharp, triangular leaves, a sinister crimson that fluttered in the breeze like the fangs of a demonic beast—a chilling sight.
These mystical plants were known as "Bloodfiend Fangs." They thrived on flesh and blood rather than Spiritual Qi. It would take a month for them to bloom and bear fruit, the "Blood Fang Fruit," which was precisely what the Blood Steel Wire needed for its cocooning.
Consuming these fruits would significantly enhance its speed and strength, and potentially allow it to learn an exceptional natural spell. The more Blood Fang Fruits consumed, the higher the likelihood of acquiring a superior natural spell.
Armed with years of dedicated study of the Gu Scriptures, Chu Xuan was intimately familiar with these details and prepared to leverage this knowledge to its fullest.

Latest Chapter
Chapter 12: Myriad Souls Banner
"Previously, a blood bead was priced at two small spiritual stones each, now they've risen to three. Tsk, looks like they have scant opportunities to hunt demonic beasts and mortals for refining blood beads."Chu Xuan's gaze then drifted to the side. The lesser storage bags of these three Divine Star Sect disciples piqued his anticipation even more, for they were akin to blind boxes that might contain treasures.He methodically opened each bag. A sparkle flashed in his eyes. The belongings in the bags of the two fifth-level Qi Refining disciples were mundane, containing only three to four hundred small spiritual stones and the standardized magic tools granted by the Divine Star Sect.However, the bag of the seventh-level Qi Refining disciple was far more promising, holding two medium spiritual stones and over eight hundred small spiritual stones, along with a set of the Qi Gathering Array and a Mystifying Array, both optimal for establishing a cave dwelling.Beyond these, Chu Xuan une
Chapter 9: Blood refining array
"Let's go," Xu Ming gestured broadly, and Chen Ge, Wei Hua, and two others quickly followed. They had all disguised themselves and deliberately donned the attire of loose cultivators to blend in.Not long after leaving the Wu family estate, the sounds of combat reached their ears from behind—clangs and clashes of magical tools in the sky.Clearly, Liu Zhenxiong had engaged the two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the Divine Star Sect.The battle sounded fierce."Move quickly, the sooner we leave, the sooner Uncle Master Liu can extricate himself," Wei Hua urged in a low shout.Xu Ming nodded, and the group hastened their pace. However, they had only gotten seven or eight miles away from the Wu estate when Xu Ming abruptly stopped and signaled for the others to do the same with a fist in the air."What's wrong?" Chen Ge asked, his voice tinged with nervous suspicion. They were like startled rabbits, already on edge.Xu Ming whispered, "My poison locusts saw that there ar
Chapter 10: Aftermath
Chu Xuan did not even need to make a move himself; Hu charged forward in a flash and sent the sword flying with a sharp clang.The corpse's claw, swift as lightning, slashed across the neck of the cultivator in an instant. Blood spurted dramatically as a head was severed cleanly, its eyes still wide with confusion.The middle-aged cultivator reacted more quickly, immediately summoning a small shield for protection.However, a streak of blood had already traced across Chu Xuan's palm. Sensing danger, the cultivator attempted to dodge, but his speed was no match for the Blood Steel Wire.With a crisp snap, his right arm was severed cleanly at the root. The shield clattered to the ground as blood gushed forth like a fountain.The middle-aged cultivator screamed in agony and staggered back in terror, but Chu Xuan gave him no chance for recovery. Once again, he manipulated the Blood Steel Wire, while Hu pounced fiercely from behind.Caught between attacks from front and back, he stood no c
Chapter 9: Intercept
Chu Xuan didn't linger at the original spot but immediately left, climbing up a nearby hill and hiding behind rocks. In such times, betrayal could come from anyone; the only person he could truly trust was himself.Soon after, Chen Ge briskly walked out of the Wu family residence and returned to the original spot under the trees. However, there was no sign of Chu Xuan, and he couldn't help but look puzzled.Chu Xuan did not reveal himself immediately but carefully observed his surroundings and listened for any slight sound.Growing anxious, Chen Ge called out in a low voice, "Senior brother Chu, where are you?"After waiting a while longer, Chu Xuan finally showed himself, causing Chen Ge to sigh in relief. He quickly understood why Chu Xuan had chosen to leave the original spot. Few demon cultivators who had survived the pursuit of the five orthodox sects were foolish enough to easily trust others.Without much ado, Chen Ge pulled a formation plate and flags from his storage bag and
Chapter 8
Hundred Herbs Pavilion, specializing in spiritual plants. After comparing several shops, Chu Xuan found this one to offer the best value for money. Before long, he walked out of Hundred Herbs Pavilion, satisfied with the variety of spiritual plant seeds he had purchased. He also mixed in some materials for corpse refining. The shopkeeper, seeing his substantial purchases, even threw in some extras.Chu Xuan wondered if the shopkeeper would have recoiled in horror and retracted the gifts had he known he was dealing with a demon cultivator.After acquiring various items, Chu Xuan made his way to a nondescript stall in the marketplace with practiced ease. Setting up a stall here was straightforward: just spread a cloth on the ground and lay out the wares. Those who were more particular might use a wooden sign to mark prices next to their items. The goods on this stall were nothing special, hardly worth a second glance, except for a withered white herb that caught Chu Xuan's eye.Bonegras
Chapter 7
"First, I need to ascertain whether the flow of time is consistent between the two realms," he mused. "The second task is to acquire materials for corpse refinement and seeds for numerous spiritual plants. The third matter is to locate the covert trading hubs of demonic cultivators from the Infinite Sect and the Corpse Puppet Sect, to purchase the Blood Refining Array."Having formulated his plan, Chu Xuan immediately donned a human-skin mask and transformed his appearance from a stern-looking young man to a formidable, bald-headed fellow.Although facial transformation was considered an unconventional art, Chu Xuan had escaped many perils using it. Now, disguising himself had become second nature."I recall that three hundred miles south of Green River City, there is a canyon rich in Spiritual Qi, where a marketplace is situated," Chu Xuan mused. He drew forth a flying sword and set off toward the south of Green River City.This flying sword, a lower-grade flying magical tool, travel
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