Chapter 173: In the Northern Que Mountains

The two low peaks posed no difficulty for Zhou Qing; his crimson figure darted abruptly through the gray forest at breakneck speed. In less than half an hour, he arrived at the foot of North Que Mountain, which soared into the clouds.

Standing at the mountain’s base, he looked around and noticed that the little zombies who had been chasing him had not followed. Previously, whenever he stopped, small zombies would surge in from all directions, but now, as he paused at the foot of this towering peak, not a single zombie appeared. It was easy to surmise that something on North Que Mountain itself kept those little zombies at bay.

After resting briefly on a large stone at the base, Zhou Qing stepped into the forested slopes of North Que Mountain.

The woods were silent. As he climbed upward, the only sound was his own footsteps—nothing else disturbed the stillness. Suddenly, a strange rustling shattered the quiet, and moments later, a massive gray python burst from the undergrowth, its gaping maw lunging straight at Zhou Qing.

Reacting instantly, Zhou Qing dodged aside and conjured his Phantom Unrivaled into the shape of a great blade, slashing at the serpent. He had expected one blow would suffice to kill the beast, but when the blade met the gray python’s body, it was abruptly stopped—immovably so.

This feeling reminded him of two years ago, when he fought the dragon by Ghost King Lake. Yet this was only a python; how could its body be quite so tough?

His failed strike filled him with doubt, but before he could ponder further, the python’s massive tail swept out, sending Zhou Qing’s slight figure hurtling down the slope toward the mountain’s base.

As he tumbled, he saw the gray python writhing after him with its huge bulk. In its eyes, he caught something strange: sightless, each orb was a solid blood-red, eerily reminiscent of the Corpse Lord’s gaze.

Only now did Zhou Qing realize why Phantom Unrivaled had failed to cut through—it was no ordinary python, but a corpse-serpent.

Animals could become corpse-creatures—this was something Zhou Qing had never even heard of, let alone seen. Yet witnessing this corpse-serpent changed his understanding of such beings forever.

After rolling some distance down the slope, he used a protruding stone to regain his feet.

No sooner had he stood than the corpse-serpent lunged at him from midair, jaws agape. Zhou Qing darted aside, just in time to avoid the strike. The serpent smashed into the stone, shattering it into pieces.

As the python crashed into the rock, Zhou Qing drew a Talisman of Commanded Fire from his treasure pouch, intending to incinerate the creature. But just as he was about to act, a whistle echoed from the distant woods. At the sound, the great serpent immediately dove into the forest and disappeared.

The corpse-serpent slipped away. Zhou Qing paused, Talisman still in hand, and turned his gaze toward the source of the whistle. The forest rustled loudly as the python made its way through, finally pausing at the edge of a dense thicket before slipping deeper into the shadows.

From the noise the serpent made crashing through the undergrowth, Zhou Qing realized a powerful corpse was heading his way. Unconsciously, he retreated a few steps, watching the direction the serpent had vanished.

“Is that a Disaster-Averting Robe you’re wearing?”

Instead of a corpse emerging from the direction the serpent had taken, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.

He spun around to see a young woman in crimson standing there, appearing about his own age. Her robe was identical in color and texture to his own, as if cut from the same cloth.

“Do you know the one called Wuchang?” Zhou Qing countered, his question indirectly answering hers.

As he studied her, he noticed her face was cold and strikingly beautiful, and her eyes were a pure, unnatural violet. From this, Zhou Qing recognized she was of the same rank as Wuchang, the corpse he had once encountered in the ancient tomb at Litang Village—a demon-corpse.

Zhou Qing knew well the power of a demon-corpse. With his current abilities, even facing a flying corpse would be daunting, let alone one of this rank.

After a pause, the crimson-clad woman replied, “Why did Wuchang gift you the Disaster-Averting Robe?”

From her question and her attire, Zhou Qing could guess her identity was likely much like Wuchang’s. He didn’t answer her directly, but clasped his hands behind his back and took two steps aside, saying, “I am here to retrieve the Five Spirit Pearls of the World Beyond.”

He chose to say this because when he acquired the Water Spirit Pearl in the ancient tomb at Litang Village, Wuchang treated him with utmost respect. He reasoned that mentioning his quest for the Five Spirit Pearls would evoke a similar reaction from this woman.

As he spoke, the woman in red stared at him in surprise, then, just as he had anticipated, a look of doubt mixed with reverence appeared in her eyes.

“You’re here to obtain the Five Spirit Pearls? Has the Water Spirit Pearl that Wuchang guarded already…” She broke off, puzzled.

“That’s right. The Water Spirit Pearl that Wuchang guarded has already merged with me. Now I’ve come to North Que Mountain for the second Spirit Pearl.” Zhou Qing replied, observing her closely.

“Hongyun greets the Dao Master,” she said, bowing respectfully and repeating the title.

Dao Master? Zhou Qing found the form of address baffling, but now was not the time to ask questions. With his current strength, should this demon-corpse wish him harm, she could kill him with a mere snap of her fingers. As long as she remained in awe of him, it was best to let her continue.

Best not to ask or say too much—after all, as the old saying goes: ‘The more one speaks, the more likely one is to err.’

“What is your relation to Wuchang?” he asked, waving his hand to indicate she needn’t be so formal, and changing the subject.