Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 316 The Art of Immortality? The Demon is the Way!
Hepu County.

This group of Miao experts arrived near Meichuan, roughly half a day behind the teenagers. The coordinates are probably Beihai City in Guangxi Province in later years. There was a dedicated management agency called "Zhuchangsi" and a pearl-collecting office called "Meichuanguan".

The young woman at the head of the group glanced at the notice board outside the city and couldn't help but sneer, "These men are really willing to give up anything to become officials!"

The 'self-castration edict' issued by Liu Chang a year ago after he ascended the throne is still posted on it.

The entire Southern Han Dynasty had a small population, but the number of eunuchs had skyrocketed to over ten thousand.

This "self-castration edict" required all newly appointed officials and existing officials to castrate themselves before being promoted. Those who had not castrated themselves were called "outsiders" and were not allowed to hold important positions, while those who had castrated themselves were called "insiders" and were eligible for important appointments.

This even affected some religious figures; monks and Taoist priests who wished to become abbots of temples or Taoist monasteries were required to castrate themselves beforehand.

If this measure were implemented in modern times, some monks would probably not be able to have multiple wives and concubines.

In order to more efficiently castrate the entire officialdom of the Southern Han Dynasty, Liu Chang also set up a special department called "Yusanfang" (Imperial Castration Office), which was equipped with more than 500 professional castrators to be responsible for castration surgery. At its peak, the daily workload was so huge that people had to queue up to be castrated.

Beside the young girl, a middle-aged woman dressed as an older woman sneered, "Many unfaithful men are scholars."

"The Holy Maiden is new to the world, so don't be fooled."

If the Holy Maiden hadn't been deceived by that scumbag back then, she wouldn't have changed so drastically in temperament and become so strict and harsh on everyone.

The young woman smiled and said, "Don't worry, Auntie."

"I'm very clever!"

As they were talking, a group of martial arts practitioners hurried past, exchanged glances, each with their own thoughts, and soon went in different directions.

"That old man looks a bit like a sorcerer from the Wu and Yue regions," a Miao village chief whispered to the girl.

The Wu-Yue he referred to was the Wu Dynasty in Vietnam. Vietnamese general Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han army in the Battle of Bach Dang River and established the Wu Dynasty, marking the beginning of Vietnam's separation from China's direct jurisdiction.

Throughout Southeast Asia, shamanism still had a foundation, and Buddhism gradually replaced it later.

Black magic?
There are two theories about this kind of secret art: one is that it was introduced to Southeast Asia during the Tang Dynasty, and the other is that it is a branch of Maoshan magic in Yunnan, which later merged with local witchcraft to form its own system.

The Miao girl surrounded by these people glanced at them and chuckled, "That person's head looks strange."

"Could he have mastered the flying head technique?"

The auntie standing nearby whispered, "Many martial arts masters have come here. Be careful later."

"Don't make things complicated."

As they were talking, a troop of soldiers rushed over. They looked like the Jingjiang Army of the Southern Han Dynasty. A portion of them had been transferred to form an 8,000-strong force to garrison Meichuan.

"Step aside!"

"Get out of my way, all of you!"

A man dressed as a military officer galloped away on horseback, his whip sweeping across the scene. Nearby martial arts practitioners scattered in fear, while ordinary people cowered in terror.

The people do not fight with the officials.

Even those who are involved in the martial arts world will not easily make enemies with the government unless necessary.

But the officer was still quite perceptive. Upon seeing these Miao ethnic minorities, he immediately put down his whip. The Five Immortals Sect members were easy to identify, and they were extremely vengeful and petty. If you offended them too much, you might get bitten to death by poisonous insects one day.

The Holy Maiden of the Five Immortals Sect is renowned in the martial arts world for her beauty, pettiness, ruthlessness, and protectiveness of her own.

If you offend the Holy Maiden, don't even think about escaping.

"quick!"

"Quickly, fetch a doctor!"

A group of soldiers rushed over, escorting the carriages. The carriages in front were not clearly visible, but on the carriages behind them were about a dozen corpses—no, they were half-dead, barely showing any signs of life.

These people were covered in blood. On the cart in front, which was covered with straw, lay a pale-faced, beardless man with two teeth marks on his neck.

Eunuch!

He should be the military supervisor of Meichuan.

Each of these eunuchs had their own carriage, while the soldiers behind them were piled up haphazardly, totaling about a dozen people, mostly mid- to high-ranking officers in the army.

Meichuan only had 8,000 garrison troops, and with so many wounded at once, they were almost wiped out in one fell swoop.

Until these people left.

The Miao girl turned her head and asked in confusion, "Auntie?"

"Was that wound from a zombie bite?"

The middle-aged woman beside him frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "I'm afraid they're not ordinary walking corpses. There might really be a drought demon active here."

Those eunuchs were all quite skilled; ordinary zombies couldn't possibly take them down.

The old man who looked like the Miao village chief said, "At least it's a flying corpse."

"These eunuchs are incredibly skilled in light-footed martial arts."

He had once fought against the eunuchs of the Southern Han Dynasty. Their strange movements and swift energy gathering made them impossible for ordinary martial artists to handle.

The Miao girl nodded, her expression gradually becoming serious. Her gaze swept around, and suddenly her eyes lit up with joy. She called out crisply towards the second floor of the inn across the street, "Little brother!"

"You're here too!"

As she spoke, she leaped up, lightly touched the eaves, and landed opposite the handsome young man by the window.

"What a coincidence."

The boy smiled and nodded, glanced at the Miao woman below who was furious, and then asked the smiling Holy Maiden of the Five Immortals Sect, "Have you found that person yet?"

The Miao girl shook her head, about to say something, when the Miao village elder came up.

I'll talk to you again tonight.

The Five Immortals Sect's holy maiden revealed a charming smile, and under the stern gaze of the aunt beside her, she quickly left. Before going downstairs, she turned back and gave him a sweet smile, blinking her beautiful eyes.

The boy watched her leave, and after the figure of the Five Immortals Sect's Holy Maiden disappeared, he gently pinched his fingers, and an almost invisible flying insect was crushed to death with lightning speed.

"The Holy Maiden must not act recklessly."

The middle-aged woman said with a grim expression, "If the Holy Maiden finds out, we will all be punished."

The Miao girl chuckled, and a small black snake slithered onto her fair shoulder, its tongue flicking out and hissing. She frowned and whispered, "Did you feel anything?"

The little black snake shook its head slightly, hissed, and disappeared back into her clothes.

"The tracking Gu I cast has been broken."

The Five Immortals Sect's holy maiden had a serious expression and said softly, "Let's go."

"There are too many experts here."

"The Holy Maiden should arrive tomorrow."

The middle-aged woman beside her seemed to understand something and transmitted her voice, "Does the Holy Maiden suspect that he knows Fu Jianhan?"

The Miao girl smiled without saying a word, but turned her head and waved to the second floor behind her. She still looked pretty and charming, like a girl who was unaware of the ways of the world.

The Miao village chief was not surprised at all; the holy maiden of the Five Immortals Sect was not so easily deceived.

Both groups are looking for Fu Jianhan.

"There's going to be a good show tonight!"

Duncan watched the Five Immortals Sect experts leave, his gaze drifting towards the medical clinic. All the corpses brought in that evening bore a special mark: 'Corpse Poison Attacks the Heart'!
It must be a zombie.

Just as he poured himself a cup of tea, the young man suddenly looked up towards the city gate and saw several pale-faced, beardless men escorting two alluring women. They headed directly towards the county government office.

——Charming Dog (Top Ten Charming Women) (Five-Star Whiteboard)

——Charming Cow (Top Ten Charming Women) (Four-Star Silver Gray)

One woman was tall and slender with full breasts and a plump bottom; this must be Mei Niu. The other woman wore a ring around her neck and was petite and delicate; this must be Mei Quan, who was by Liu Chang's side.

"Did only two of the Ten Beauties show up?"

"Where's Meizhu?"

Duncan has gradually figured out the background of the ten seductive women. The most difficult one to deal with is the seductive pig, whose strength is no less than that of the Jade-Faced Lady. The other seductive women are top-notch martial arts masters.

He wasn't in a hurry either.

He would drink tea near the inn at the city gate in Hepu County, and he could spot anyone who wanted to enter the city at a glance.

—Lu Qiongxian (Five-star Gold)!

Finally, a formidable opponent has arrived.

Duncan glanced to the side and saw a plump woman in white with a veil over her face. Even in a fleeting glance, he could see that her skin was so white it seemed to glow, the kind of porcelain-like, cold white skin. Lu Qiongxian was a female official by Liu Chang's side, and she was much older than this Empress of Southern Han.

She was said to have been a maidservant to Liu Chang's father, and he kept her by his side after he ascended the throne.

This woman has a reserved aura; if one didn't have an omniscient perspective, one would never notice her. She is not on the same side as Mei Zhu and Fan Hu Zi; she belongs to the faction that gradually fell out of favor. After Mei Zhu came to power, only Fan Hu Zi could compete with her for influence over Liu Chang.

The night is getting darker.

The sound of pebbles hitting the window came from outside the inn where the boy was staying. He seemed unsurprised, gently pushed open the window, and immediately a pretty figure swaggered in.

"Little brother."

"I thought you were asleep."

The Five Immortals Sect's Holy Maiden sat down with a smile. She was only fifteen or sixteen years old, and her body hadn't even fully developed yet. She glanced around the room and asked, "Want to come with me to watch the excitement tonight?"

Her gaze drifted toward the clinic.

Duncan wasn't surprised that the other person could see through it, because he had been monitoring the actions of the people nearby. He said calmly, "Fine."

"I have nothing to do tonight."

The two figures darted across the rooftops, clearly wanting to test Duncan's agility.

The Five Immortals Sect's holy maiden sat on the roof, turned her head to look at him, and said with a grin, "Little brother, do you know Fu Jianhan?"

Duncan nodded slightly and said, "Yes."

"He is my good friend."

The Five Immortals Sect's saintess looked slightly puzzled and asked curiously, "Then why did you tell me he would come here?"

Duncan calmly replied, "Because I'm looking for him too."

If Fu Jianhan doesn't come to join the fun, it will draw people away; if he does come, it will be easier to find him.

As the two were talking, a shrill scream came from the direction of the clinic.

The corpse has turned into a corpse!
It should be said that it came back to life.

boom!
The clinic door shattered instantly, and a pale-faced figure with a mouthful of blood flew out. Unlike the jumping zombies that Duncan knew, he was very fast, no different from an ordinary person, and could even use movement techniques.

Behind it, a dozen or so corpses all stood up straight.

A bloody smell filled the air.

The screams alerted many people. Several figures appeared from the direction of the county government office. Among them, a pale-faced man held a sharp sword. He unleashed a sword strike that resembled the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, instantly splitting a walking corpse in two.

"These zombies must have been bait planted by someone!"

The Five Immortals Sect's holy maiden said with a grin, "We also need to use bait when we catch poisonous insects and venomous creatures."

Duncan nodded slightly, and as he looked up, several figures appeared on the rooftops of the opposite street.

The other party seemed to be a master from Dali, Yunnan.

There was a slight awkwardness when they met.

The man clasped his hands in greeting to the two from a distance, which was considered a way of saying hello.

The medical staff were still working on the case, but a dozen or so people had already sat in rows on the nearby streets, all just watching the spectacle, and not a single one of them went down to help.

The true secrets of immortality from the pre-Qin period have not yet been revealed, so there's no need to rush into action.

A whooshing sound came from the air. Just as the zombies in the infirmary attracted a large group of soldiers from Meichuan, several figures rushed in from the direction of the city gate. One of them was imposing, carrying a long sword on his back and a crimson gourd at his waist. He saw Duncan's figure in the distance and immediately exclaimed with joy, "Brother, save me!"

Fu Jianhan rushed towards Duncan's direction, but before he got close, his expression changed, and he exclaimed in surprise, "How come there are still people from the Five Immortals Sect?"

Thief!

I've finally caught you.

The Five Immortals Sect's holy maiden's face lit up with joy. Her long whip flicked out like a snake's tongue, but before she could draw it, it was caught by the young man beside her with his bare hands. The whip struck his palm with a metallic clang. Duncan, expressionless, flicked his wrist, unleashing a terrifying burst of strength. The girl couldn't hold onto the whip at all, and he snatched her weapon away.

Even a master of innate level would die within three feet of him.

I haven't learned this whip technique yet. I'd like to visit the Five Immortals Sect sometime; I've heard their Heavenly Serpent Whip is extremely powerful.

A surge of malevolent energy appeared at the city gate.

Fu Jianhan wasn't the only expert being chased; there were also skilled fighters from other sects in Lingnan. Those who were a little slower were caught by a black shadow, whose sharp claws pierced through their protective aura, capturing them on the spot. Then, the hairy black shadow bit down, piercing their carotid artery, causing them to spurt blood and be sucked into a dried-up corpse.

The dark figure was extremely burly, surrounded by a fierce aura, with skin that was dark black and purplish. However, its head was somewhat strange, covered with blood-soaked gauze, as if it had undergone craniotomy.

"This monster looks kind of familiar," the boy asked, puzzled.

Fu Jianhan gathered his breath and landed beside him, panting heavily. He glanced at the Holy Maiden of the Five Immortals Sect not far away, his expression extremely vigilant, and whispered, "That monster is Zhu Jie's corpse!"

The master of the Valley of Villains?

wrong!

Didn't Lu Shanjun smash his head with one palm?
How can you sew it up like that?
Duncan looked surprised. Upon closer inspection, the monster's body was indeed Zhu Jie's, but the head didn't look quite like it. It looked like a human head that had been pieced together from various parts.

——Iron Corpse (Flying Zombie) (罡煞) (Five-Star Gold)!
These can all be recycled.

Next time, will I have to grind people to dust again?
wrong.

If I kill it again, will my cultivation level increase?
Jingle Bell.

Just as several figures were fleeing for their lives, a bell rang out from the darkness outside. The sound was extremely penetrating, and Zhu Jie's corpse immediately stopped. After draining the corpse from his hands, it quickly disappeared in the direction of the city gate.

Some people realized something was wrong and tried to escape, but before they even left the city, a scream rang out.

A cold wind swept into the city.

A black snake was coiled around the neck of the Five Immortals Sect's holy maiden, its tongue flicking out as if it were a spirit, gazing into the distant darkness.

She glared fiercely at Fu Jianhan, then leaped down and headed towards the Miao experts.

Something is wrong!
"Little brother!"

"Give me back the Five Poison Whip!"

Duncan casually flung the whip he had snatched back; he had no use for it and could only use it as a belt.

Fu Jianhan leaned closer and whispered, "There's someone even more ruthless outside!"

Duncan nodded slightly; he had actually seen the red dot from God's perspective.

So many zombies!

They were all dressed as officers and soldiers, indicating that Liu Chang's Meichuan garrison had suffered heavy losses.

"Where did the master come from?"

"They can actually control so many walking corpses!"

On a rooftop not far away, a young man dressed like a nobleman looked shocked, followed by a powerful-looking monk.

"It's probably either a Taoist master or a demon or ghost."

Jingle Bell!
Another bell rang.

In the direction of the city gate, figures shrouded in a fierce aura appeared. The one in front had a face full of scars and was dressed as a butcher. His body was black and purple. Beside him was a woman with pale skin and a strange appearance, like a beautiful corpse. There was an arrow wound in her heart, and blood had soaked through her bright red dress.

——Peeling Yama - Hu Sandao (Corpse Refiner) (Four-Star Silver Gray)

——The Enchanting Lady-Tu Meiniang (Corpse Refiner) (Four-Star Silver Gray).

Behind the two corpses, a foreign monk wearing a skull pendant appeared, looking neither human nor ghost, with murky pupils that glowed with a ghostly green light, and his whole being resembled a dried corpse.

came back!
The ten villains of Evil Valley have all returned!
This bizarre situation surprised Duncan, because the real mastermind had not yet appeared, and all that could be heard was the tinkling of bells.

Hundreds of zombies nearly surrounded the county town, seemingly intending to massacre the entire place.

"What's happening here?"

"Didn't they say someone stole the ancient Qin dynasty's secret method of immortality and then escaped?"

"Why did it turn into a siege of the county town?"

The martial arts masters who had rushed here could no longer sit still. Whether they were extraordinary people from the southern border, witch doctors, or experts from Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Guangdong, they all showed up. Judging from the posture of this large group of zombies, they wanted to wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

Jingle Bell!
The bells rang loudly, and a thick black mist filled the air. It didn't look like a scene from a martial arts novel; it looked more like the appearance of a demon from a tale of gods and monsters.

"That old monster is here!"

Fu Jianhan's voice was slightly tense. He had been chased all the way but hadn't seen anyone. His opponent's strength was terrifying.

The direction of the city gate.

Screaming through the sky!

A soul-summoning banner pierced the air, accompanied by the wailing of ghosts, and was planted at the city gate. The banner fluttered, and the evil aura raged, piercing through the bluestone slabs of the ground. Many zombies and walking corpses from the Valley of Evil gathered here, as well as some martial arts masters who had been killed and turned into zombies.

"Hehehe!..."

"It seems I'm quite lucky; so many experts have come."

“With you all as my food, I will surely be able to cultivate the Great Law.”

A hoarse voice came from behind.

In the darkness, a gaunt figure emerged, his exposed fingers black and sharp claws protruding. This person wore a Hunyuan scarf with a lotus crown, an indigo Taoist robe with pipa-shaped cuffs, a black and white yin-yang fish pattern tied at the waist, and the Big Dipper pattern embroidered on the front and back. His eyes were a strange, blood-red color. He carried a peach wood longsword on his back, a Bagua mirror hanging at his waist, and held a worn bronze bell in his hand, along with a stack of cinnabar talismans.

If you ignore his ferocious appearance and only look at his clothes, he is definitely a Taoist master.

But upon seeing his zombie-like appearance, Duncan immediately thought of Master Qianhe, who had been bitten by a zombie and turned into a zombie.

Jingle Bell.

The bells rang again, and the eyes of the walking corpses around them gleamed with bloodlust. A black mist enveloped the area, transforming it into a demonic realm.

"This person stole the secret technique, but he was probably bitten as well!"

Fu Jianhan stood with his back to the boy. This excitement was far more dangerous than the Dragon Pool of Dangshan. He even regretted coming to join in the fun.

He was actually lured there after seeing the people of Evil Valley come back to life.

The secret techniques from the pre-Qin period should be on that Taoist priest who turned into a corpse.

—Toad Taoist (Corpse Transformation) (Blood Refining Technique) (Blood Child Immortal Body) (Corpse Refining Technique) (True Transmission of Witchcraft) (Traitorous Elder) (Six-Star Silver Gray)!
This person's skills resembled both witchcraft and Taoism, seemingly having cultivated the secret methods used by witchcraft during the Qin and Han dynasties when it transformed into Taoism. At that time, Taoism was born, and the Five Pecks of Rice Sect and the Way of Great Peace merged with witchcraft. However, after the fusion of witchcraft and Taoism, one branch of the latter retreated into the demonic sect.

Witchcraft can also be called primitive Taoism.

There is a secret that many people are unaware of.

We can discuss this briefly.

Too much discussion leads to revisions.

During the Han Dynasty, the Five Pecks of Rice sect originated from the common people and adopted a combined military and political management system, registering and managing the followers under its rule as "seed people".

For ordinary people to become "citizens," they had to go through a ritual of sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, which is still preserved in the "Shangqing Huangshu Transition Ritual" in the "Zhengtong Daozang".

It contains extremely detailed and even strict regulations on the various positions, times, and techniques of male-female relations. The practice of yin-yang intercourse is called the "Eight Methods of Great Harmony of Heaven and Earth," symbolizing the harmony of yin and yang in the universe, and is used as an initiation ritual.

This is one of the sources of many of the secret techniques of the Yin-Yang School in this world.

The early lineage of the Celestial Masters sect, the Yellow and Red Way, did not originate from Longhu Mountain, and very few people know about these things.

The "Eight Methods of Heaven and Earth's Greatness" is a secret technique of the Yin-Yang School that is not passed down in this world.

Another secret method is the "Great Joyful Ode to the Union of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang" from the Tang Dynasty, which was later engraved in the stone chamber of Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang.

This originated from the ancient fertility worship of shamanism.

The evolution of Taoism cannot be explained in a few words. Taoism during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period differed somewhat from Taoism as we know it today.

This isn't the first or second time that Taoism has undergone reforms.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Lu Xiujing and Kou Qianzhi respectively began to rectify Taoism from the north and south, eliminating the three false doctrines. The study of male-female sexual relations was also completely removed from orthodox Taoism at this time.

Those sects that were kicked out of the Daoist sects became part of the six branches of the Demonic Sect.

There are reasons why the Quanzhen School advocated abstinence.

The concepts of Daoist and Demonic Sects became increasingly clear, leading to the emergence of Daoist branches within the Demonic Sects.

Lü Zu and others essentially corrected the Daoist school.

It eventually evolved into the internal alchemy technique of "cultivating both body and mind".

The original witchcraft is somewhat similar to the demonic sect because they practice the "path of ghosts," and this branch calls itself the "true lineage."

In other words, it is the supreme secret technique of the six branches of the Demonic Sect: 'The Demon is the Way'!
They are truly the true inheritors of Taoism.

But unfortunately, it's not from this era.

The Yellow Turban Secret Techniques of the Taiping Dao were later absorbed by the Demonic Sect and used to refine Blood Child Puppets, among other things.

At the city gate.

As if sensing something, the man looked towards Duncan's position, his expression becoming increasingly surprised and delighted.

"what?"

"There are actually well-trained Blood Child disciples here? Heaven is truly helping me!" The corpse-transformed Taoist was overjoyed.

What's going on with the Blood Refining Sect?

Why are all the elders of the Demonic Sect betraying their sect?
Duncan killed one in Dangshan, and today he actually encountered another one here.

The boy, however, was unaware of this.

Several years ago, the Blood Pool of the Demonic Sect suddenly dried up.

Demonic resonance.

The boy seemed to sense something, and the substitute death curse within his body trembled. The other party had also cultivated the Blood Refining Technique, and although his murderous aura was not as pure as his, it was still very powerful.

"If things get out of hand, get out of the way."

"That old monster is coming for me!"

The elders of the Demonic Sect practiced the Blood Refining True Scripture, not the incomplete version practiced by the Blood Child. That old monster's power was very strange, and there were even signs of his true qi going awry and becoming possessed by demons.

He remained conscious even after his corpse transformed, which must have been due to the use of the Heavenly Demon's secret technique.

Something incredible has definitely been unearthed here.

Just as Duncan was paying attention to the changing situation, a ghostly figure quietly appeared outside the city. Dressed in a blood-red robe, her beauty was stunning and alluring, even surpassing that of the Jade-Faced Lady.

Even if Daji and Bao Si were alive today, they wouldn't be any different.

——Ji Shaojiang (Daughter of Xia Ji) (Immortal Body of the Heavenly Demon) (Ancestor of the Demonic Sect) (Eternal Youth) (Immortal Life) (Body of the Yin Ghost) (Exhausted Essence) (Weak) (Curse) (Five-Star Gold)

hiss?
Is this woman a human or a ghost?
The other party also possessed a bloodthirsty aura, but the old monster's mark was 'Blood Child Undying Body,' while her mark was 'Heavenly Demon Undying Body.'

Xia Ji?

They seem to be from the Spring and Autumn Period?
She is remembered in history for "killing three husbands, a ruler, and a son, and causing the downfall of a state and two ministers," and is hailed as the "Number One Enchantress of the Spring and Autumn Period." It is said that she was skilled in the art of sexual cultivation, and was eternally youthful, possessing unparalleled beauty that drove men mad.

This even extended to the saying in Zuo Zhuan, "Where there is great beauty, there must be great evil."

This woman was actually a figure from the time of Lao Tzu and Confucius!
What exactly are you digging for?
………………

(End of this chapter)