I only reached the Foundation Establishment stage at eighty years old, and then the system appeared.

Time flies, and another three years have passed. Yang Hongbo has advanced to the Furnace Realm, but he is still a few hundred points short of the cultivation technique he wants to exchange for. This technique costs five thousand points and can be directly cultivated to the early stage of the Grandmaster level.

In recent years, Yang Hongbo has been making moves everywhere. People who don't know him say he's a workaholic, but actually he just wants to find valuable treasures from monsters and ghosts as quickly as possible to accumulate system points.

However, as a result, the area around the prefectural city has been free of many strange and treacherous occurrences.

That day, Yang Hongbo received another mission: to investigate Yechuan County, which was right next to Lan Ye Prefecture. There was a secret report that a high-level zombie had appeared, between the Furnace Realm and the early stage of the Innate Realm.

If it's at the Furnace Realm, then this zombie can only hop around, but if it's at the early stage of the Innate Realm, then it can fly at low altitudes.

Yang Hongbo immediately gathered his men and prepared to head to Yechuan County. He said solemnly, "This mission is no small matter. That high-level zombie is incredibly powerful. If it truly is at the early stage of the Innate Realm, we cannot underestimate it. Everyone must proceed with caution and follow my commands."

The men nodded in agreement, and one of the junior officers, Zhao Yong, said, "Rest assured, sir, we will do our utmost to follow you and eliminate that zombie!"

The group rode at full speed and soon arrived in Yechuan County. Yechuan County was deathly silent, a suffocating atmosphere permeating the air. Yang Hongbo led his men to the county government office and met the magistrate. The magistrate, a haggard-looking middle-aged man, greeted Yang Hongbo and his companions as if they were his saviors, rushing to their aid.

"My lord, you've finally arrived! The people of Nogawa County are in a state of panic. That zombie comes out every night to harm people, and many have already suffered. You must find a way to get rid of this zombie!" the magistrate said anxiously.

Yang Hongbo reassured him, "Magistrate, don't panic. Now that we're here, we'll definitely resolve this matter. Tell me the details first: when did this zombie appear? Where has it been causing trouble?"

The magistrate nodded, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "This zombie appeared about a month ago. At first, only occasional people went missing, and everyone thought it was just a normal missing persons case. However, after a few days, someone discovered traces of the zombie. The zombie is incredibly strong and impervious to weapons; ordinary people are helpless against it. It comes out every night to hunt prey, and most of the missing people have been abducted by it. Moreover, this zombie seems to only operate around the county town; it hasn't been seen inside the town itself yet."

After listening, Yang Hongbo pondered for a moment and asked, "Are there any special signs about this zombie? For example, are there any patterns in the time and place it appears?"

The magistrate thought for a moment and said, "If we're talking about patterns, there really is one. The zombies seem to appear more frequently on the night of the full moon, and they often appear in remote villages or abandoned houses."

Yang Hongbo nodded, having gained some insight. He said, "Your Excellency, rest assured, we will begin a secret investigation tonight. We must find the zombie's trail and eliminate it."

The magistrate was moved to tears and quickly said, "Thank you, Your Honor! Thank you, Your Honor! I will have someone prepare some dry food and water for you to take with you."

As night fell, Yang Hongbo and his men quietly left the county government office and began a secret investigation around the county town. They walked along small paths, visited village after village, and questioned the local people, but they did not obtain many useful clues.

"Sir, the zombies' movements are so mysterious. Searching blindly like this is probably not a good idea," Zhao Yong said.

Yang Hongbo frowned and said, "That's right. We have to think of a way to lure the zombie out."

Just then, a subordinate rushed over and said, "Sir, we've discovered an abandoned mansion, and there seems to be the aura of zombies inside."

Upon hearing this, Yang Hongbo perked up and said, "Okay! Let's go take a look."

They arrived at the abandoned mansion, overgrown with weeds and in a state of disrepair. Yang Hongbo activated his Purple Cloud Skill, emanating a faint purple light, and cautiously entered the mansion.

Suddenly, a deep roar came from the depths of the mansion, the sound so loud that the ground trembled slightly.

"Everyone be careful, the zombie might be inside," Yang Hongbo said softly, while gripping his weapon tightly.

They followed the sound and soon saw a tall figure slowly emerge from the darkness. The figure was burly, with skin as pale as paper and eyes that gleamed with an eerie red light—it was the high-ranking zombie.

"Are you... here to die?" the zombie asked, its voice hoarse and deep, as if it came from hell.

It can actually speak, which shows that it has advanced to the early stage of the Innate Realm.

Yang Hongbo frowned and said, "We're not here to die, but to eliminate you. You've wreaked havoc on this region and harmed the people; today is your death day!"

The zombie sneered and said, "You mortals? You're too naive!"

As he spoke, the zombie flashed, transforming into a black shadow and charging towards Yang Hongbo and the others. Yang Hongbo quickly activated his Purple Cloud Technique, concentrating his power in front of him to form a purple barrier that blocked the zombie's attack.

However, the zombie's strength exceeded their expectations. Not only was it incredibly strong, but it was also extremely fast, and each attack was almost unbearable for them.

"Sir, this zombie is too powerful; we are no match for it!" Zhao Yong said anxiously.

Yang Hongbo was also finding it difficult; he knew this couldn't go on. He had to come up with a plan to defeat the zombie.

During the fierce exchange, Yang Hongbo suddenly noticed that although the zombie attacked fiercely, it seemed to have some reservations about a certain direction, always slowing down its attacks when it reached that direction. A thought struck Yang Hongbo: that direction might be related to the zombie's weakness or something it was concerned about.

"Everyone, fight and retreat for now, and lead it in that direction!" Yang Hongbo shouted.

Upon hearing this, Yang Hongbo's men followed his instructions, fending off the zombies' attacks while slowly retreating in that direction. The zombies, seemingly unaware of Yang Hongbo's intentions, continued their frenzied pursuit.

When they retreated to what appeared to be an ordinary house, the zombie suddenly stopped, a hint of hesitation flashing in its eyes.

Taking the opportunity, Yang Hongbo observed the house and discovered that although it was dilapidated, there was a strange symbol on the lintel that faintly exuded a mysterious aura.

"There's something strange about this house; it might be related to the zombie," Yang Hongbo thought to himself.

Just then, an elderly man with white hair came out of the house. He looked at the zombie with a complex expression in his eyes, a mixture of pain, helplessness, and a hint of lingering affection.

"Ancestor, please stop doing evil!" the old man pleaded. Upon hearing this, the zombie turned and flew away.

Yang Hongbo was startled and asked, "Is this zombie your ancestor? What exactly is going on?"

The old man sighed and said, "To be honest, this zombie is indeed my Li family's ancestor. Several months ago, our ancestor passed away unexpectedly. In order to preserve his body, our Li family found a Netherworld Stone and placed it beside him. Unexpectedly, our ancestor turned into a zombie, and he still has a trace of consciousness. However, when this consciousness is activated, it shows no mercy to anyone except its own family members."

Yang Hongbo frowned and said, "Even so, we cannot allow this zombie to continue harming innocent people. Moreover, your Netherworld Stone is an evil object and must be handed over."

The old man hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sir, this Netherworld Stone is a treasure of my Li family. If we hand it over, my ancestor will probably lose consciousness completely and become a true monster."

Yang Hongbo said sternly, "Your Li family has made a grave mistake by creating this situation for your own selfish reasons. If you don't hand over the Netherworld Stone and eliminate these zombies, even more people will suffer. Can your Li family bear that responsibility then?"

The old man remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded helplessly and said, "What you say is true, sir. Our Li family has been foolish. But this zombie is powerful. Even if you hand over the Netherworld Stone, you may not be its match."

Yang Hongbo's heart skipped a beat; he knew the system might contain a treasure that could subdue this zombie. He mentally asked, "System, do you have any talismans or magic items that can subdue a zombie at the early stage of the Innate Realm?"

"Dear host, according to the test, you can exchange for ten 'Corpse-Suppressing Talismans' and one 'Evil-Slaying Sword,' which have a significant restraining effect on early-stage innate zombies," the system replied.

Yang Hongbo quickly said, "System, I want to exchange for ten 'Corpse-Suppressing Talismans' and one 'Evil-Slaying Sword'!"

"Congratulations, host. You have successfully exchanged ten 'Corpse-Suppressing Talismans' and one 'Evil-Slaying Sword,' consuming a total of 1,500 points," the system notification announced.

Yang Hongbo accepted the items redeemed by the system, feeling more confident. He said to his subordinates, "Don't panic, everyone. I have a treasure that can subdue this zombie. When it goes out hunting again, we'll swarm it and surely wipe it out."

The old man said, "Sir, our ancestor goes out to hunt every night, and he should be going out tonight as well."

Yang Hongbo nodded and said, "Okay, then we'll wait here until it leaves before we take action."

As the old man had predicted, the zombies went out hunting that night. Yang Hongbo and his men, armed with "corpse-suppressing talismans" and "evil-slaying swords," quietly followed behind the zombies.

As the zombies arrived at a secluded spot, preparing to attack several innocent civilians, Yang Hongbo shouted, "Attack!"

His men threw "corpse-suppressing talismans" at the zombies, while Yang Hongbo, wielding the "Evil-Slaying Sword," flashed forward and charged towards the zombies. The "corpse-suppressing talismans" transformed into streaks of golden light in the air, instantly sticking to the zombies' bodies, causing their movements to slow down immediately.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yang Hongbo brandished the "Evil-Slaying Sword," its blade radiating a sharp sword aura as he slashed at the zombie. The zombie fought back fiercely, but under the barrage of numerous "Corpse-Suppressing Talismans" and the "Evil-Slaying Sword," it gradually found itself at a disadvantage.

After a fierce battle, the zombie finally collapsed. It let out a piercing scream and swayed. Yang Hongbo seized the opportunity, gathering all his strength, and thrust his sword into the zombie's heart. The zombie's eyes widened, and it slowly fell to the ground, turning into a pile of bones.

"Our lord is mighty! Our lord is mighty!" the men cheered.

Yang Hongbo breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Everyone, don't relax. We still need to raid the Li family's property and get that Netherworld Stone."

They arrived at the Li family's residence. Seeing that the zombies had been eliminated, the Li family members dared not resist and obediently handed over the Netherworld Stone. Yang Hongbo, holding the Netherworld Stone, was overjoyed, knowing that it could be exchanged for at least ten thousand points.

Upon returning to the prefectural city, Yang Hongbo exchanged the Netherworld Stones for 15,000 points. Looking at the steadily increasing points in the system, he smiled with satisfaction.

He immediately exchanged for the Turtle and Crane Divine Skill and also began cultivating it. Zixia also exchanged for the Turtle and Crane Divine Skill, striving to raise her cultivation to the early stage of Grandmaster as quickly as possible.

The remaining system points were also exchanged for various pills to enhance cultivation and bathing potions to aid in training; everything was developing in a positive direction.