Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms: Sunflower Lord

At the bottom of the dry well, Ji Ruchang finished her meditation.

The improvement brought by 0.9 units of daily essence is clearly perceptible. Five strands of light golden true essence flow fully in the dantian, and the physical condition is also adjusted to the peak.

He gripped the Fire Copper Sword tightly, his gaze fixed on another direction beyond the light barrier.

"If I take care of those five, today's harvest will be enough," Ji Ruchang thought to herself.

He was about to switch to the sunflower's perspective to confirm the exact location of the zombies when suddenly—

The golden sunflower conveyed a strong emotional fluctuation.

It's neither satisfaction nor hunger.

Instead... fear!

Like a young beast being targeted by its natural enemy, that instinctive sense of dread, through the connection between the human and the flower, crashed into Ji Ruchang's consciousness.

"What happened?"

Ji Ruchang's heart tightened, and she immediately switched to the sunflower's perspective.

The three-foot-long flower pot was raised and "looked" towards the alleyway on the south side of the courtyard.

Then, he saw it.

Five chilling auras were slowly approaching from the south.

Four of the groups, similar to the zombies killed earlier, were grayish and exuded a putrid stench and chill.

But the Fifth Regiment...

Different.

That aura became more solid and "heavy".

It was not a drifting gray mist, but a moving piece of "black ice," emanating a malevolent aura several times stronger than that of ordinary zombies.

What's even more unsettling is that at the "edge" of this aura, there's a faint metallic sheen flowing, like an invisible armor.

"An armored zombie?!"

Ji Ruchang instantly recalled the records in the "Illustrated Compendium of Evil Spirits":

"Ironclad Corpse, a seed for advancing from a walking corpse."

Most of them were warriors or soldiers in life, and after death, their bodies were soaked in yin energy for a long time, making their skin and flesh like leather and their bones like iron.

They are difficult to harm with ordinary swords and knives, their photophobia is reduced, they possess immense strength, and they move more swiftly than ordinary zombies.

A mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator should proceed with caution and avoid direct confrontation.

Next to the illustration is a small note: "This item is often found in ancient battlefields, mass graves, or deep courtyards of ancient houses with strong yin energy."

Ji Ruchang gasped.

This place... truly is an ancient, secluded mansion!

The perspective shifts back to the human figure; Ji Ruchang is pressed against the edge of the dry well, cautiously peeking half her head upwards.

He saw it through the pale golden light.

Five figures slowly emerged from the gray fog in the alleyway to the south.

The first four were the familiar low-level zombies—dark bluish-black and festering, their steps faltering.

But the fifth one...

Ji Ruchang's pupils contracted.

It was an unusually tall figure, at least a head taller than an ordinary zombie, with a burly build like a bear.

It was covered in a tattered black armor, the plates rusted and mottled, stained with dark red dirt, like dried blood.

The armor was badly damaged, revealing the bluish-black skin underneath.

Unlike the rotting skin of ordinary zombies, their skin had a leathery texture, taut over their thick bones.

What is most disturbing is its head—it is not rotten, but shriveled and blackened, like a dried-out head.

Two eerie green flames burned in his eye sockets, like will-o'-the-wisps, flickering uncertainly in the gray mist.

With each step it took, the ground trembled slightly.

Ordinary zombies would retreat in agony upon stepping into the edge of the light barrier, but this armored zombie…

It walked straight into the pale golden light curtain.

There was no pause, no pain, and no rising black smoke.

It simply walked in, as if it were entering its own backyard.

Ji Ruchang's heart skipped a beat.

The light of the Golden Sunflower is absolutely effective against evil spirits.

Ordinary zombies would feel as if they were being burned alive upon touching it, and dared not linger for even a moment.

But this armored corpse ignored it!

No, it's not that we completely ignore it.

Ji Ruchang keenly noticed that the faint metallic luster on the surface of the armored corpse was constantly fluctuating and dimming under the light.

Even between the gaps in the armor plates, extremely fine black mist was escaping.

But it held on.

It's like walking in a light rain; you might get wet, but you won't stop.

"The Yin energy within its body is too intense, and the Sunflower Light cannot purify it in a short time... or rather, the purification speed cannot keep up with the recovery speed of its own Yin energy," Ji Ruchang quickly judged.

This means that within the range of the light curtain, he lost his greatest geographical advantage!

The armored corpse slowly paced within the light curtain.

It didn't wander aimlessly like a normal zombie; instead, it was... "searching."

The eerie green gaze swept across the corner of the wall beside the dry well, across the blue brick floor, and across the decaying leaves and broken tiles.

Its movements were precise and mechanical, like a seasoned hunting dog tracking a scent.

What weighed heavily on Ji Ruchang's mind was that the armored corpse's path was gradually approaching the dry well.

As they drew closer, the sense of fear emanating from the golden sunflower grew stronger.

The flower head even drooped slightly, as if trying to conceal its presence and avoid being discovered.

"What is it looking for?" Ji Ruchang's mind raced.

There are two possibilities.

First, look for the Golden Sunflower itself—this kind of sun-loving spiritual plant, which is like a deadly poison to ordinary evil things, may be a kind of "tonic" for these strange creatures.

If it can devour it, perhaps it can allow the armored corpse to undergo further transformation?

Second, find him alive—the battle fluctuations just now, especially the explosion of the fireball spell, may have attracted its attention.

The vital energy and yang energy of a living person are also something that high-level evil spirits crave.

Either way, it would be a catastrophe for Ji Ruchang.

With his Qi Refining Level 4 cultivation, combined with the Fire Copper Sword and the Golden Sunflower's light, he could handle ordinary zombies. But facing this armored zombie, which was clearly beyond the norm…

"We cannot defeat them by force." Ji Ruchang made the judgment instantly.

The "Illustrated Compendium of Evil Spirits" clearly states: When a cultivator at the mid-stage of Qi Refining encounters one, they should proceed with caution and not attempt to fight it head-on.

He had only just entered the fourth level of Qi Refining, not even reaching the proper mid-stage, so a head-on confrontation would be tantamount to suicide.

We must retreat.

But how do we retreat?

Should I exit this space and return to my dormitory?

Ji Ruchang looked towards the bottom of the dry well.

The sunflowers are rooted here and cannot be moved.

If he leaves, the armored corpse will eventually discover the well and the sunflower at the bottom.

At that time, the natal spiritual plant that had just established a connection with him would probably not escape being devoured.

Staying here is just as dangerous as staying, but not leaving is also not an option.

The armored zombie's sensory range is unknown; what if it detects something unusual at the bottom of the well...?

"roar……"

A low growl came from the light screen.

The armored corpse stopped not far from the dry well.

It slowly turned around, its eerie green gaze sweeping across the wellhead.

Ji Ruchang held her breath, completely retracting her body into the well, even suppressing her true essence to the extreme, daring not to let it leak out in the slightest.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

The armored corpse did not approach any further.

But it didn't leave. Instead, it paced slowly in place, sometimes lowering its head to sniff the ground, and sometimes raising its head to look around.

It hesitated.

It seems like they're confirming something.

Time passes little by little.

Every breath felt like a year.

Ji Ruchang leaned against the well wall, his inner shirt soaked with cold sweat. His palms, gripping the Fire Copper Sword, were drenched in sweat, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest, almost bursting out of his throat.

The fear emanating from the golden sunflower had reached its peak; the light from its flower head flickered slightly, like a candle burning in the wind.

Can't wait any longer.

Ji Ruchang gritted her teeth and made a decision.

He can't take that risk.

The strength of the armored zombie is unknown, and there is no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.

The golden sunflower is important, but life is more important.

As long as a person is alive, there is a chance. If a person dies, everything is in vain.

"Let's step back and discuss this further."

He focused his mind and communicated with the gray mist in his sea of ​​consciousness.

"quit."

A familiar pulling sensation came over me, and my body began to feel unreal.

But before disappearing completely, Ji Ruchang took one last look at the golden sunflower at the bottom of the well.

The slender, three-foot-tall plant swayed gently in the pale golden light, its flower heads facing him as if bidding a silent farewell.

"Wait for me to come back."

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, everything went black.

On the dormitory bed, the distorted mist suddenly contracted and reformed into Ji Ruchang's figure.

He opened his eyes and found himself still sitting cross-legged in meditation. The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten; it was already dawn.

A feeling of exhaustion washed over me—not only from the depletion of my vital energy, but also from the fatigue resulting from intense mental strain.

The first thing to do is to visually observe the movements of the monster in your mind's eye.

Perhaps because Ji Ruchang left, the armored zombie, after failing to find anything, simply leaned against the well platform and remained motionless!

But this is not a bad result.

Ji Ruchang slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, only to realize that her back was completely soaked.

"Ironclad Corpse..." Ji Ruchang murmured these three words, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

He originally thought that with the Golden Sunflower and the secret space of the Misty Courtyard, his path to immortality would be smooth sailing.

But reality dealt him a heavy blow.

A cheat code isn't omnipotent. Adventures often come with risks. In that unknown, misty courtyard, there are too many dangers he cannot handle.

"Strength... I'm still not strong enough." Ji Ruchang clenched her fist.

If he were at the sixth level of Qi Refining, or even the late stage of Qi Refining, and with the light of the Golden Sunflower, plus a powerful offensive and defensive magic weapon, he might be able to fight the Ironclad Corpse.

But he is only at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

"I need to improve as soon as possible." He looked at the morning light outside the window. "My team won't arrive for another two days. I must make the most of these two days."

Practice.

Master the fireball technique.

Familiar with the Fire Copper Sword.

And... figuring out how to deal with the threat of the armored zombies.

Ji Ruchang stood up and walked to the window.

On the eastern horizon, the rising sun struggles to break through the clouds, casting its first rays of golden light.

He recalled the sunflower in the dry well, shining alone in the sea of ​​gray fog.

"I'll definitely go back as soon as possible!" he whispered, "with enough strength!"