Ghost Immortal

Lei Jian's words made several of the younger Taoist priests shake their heads repeatedly.

Everyone present had heard of coffin fungus, but very few had actually seen it.

As for picking them by hand, that's something I wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Master Simei argued forcefully: "Coffin fungus can only grow in the coffins of zombies that are over a hundred years old, and it must be the most ferocious of all zombies. Zombies that don't have enough resentment can't grow coffin fungus."

"There probably isn't a single zombie of this level within a hundred miles of Qingyan City."

Lei Jian, however, was unreasonable: "If you can't find it, then find a way to find it. The thirty-seven ghost Gu puppets in Gu Zhenren's hands are all fed with the soul cores of living people. Every day you delay, one ghost may be completely wiped out."

"The underworld has only given us one month. If we can't find the ghosts, the blame for the thirty-four escaped ghosts will fall entirely on the Maoshan Sect. Can you bear that responsibility?"

The Taoist priest with four eyebrows was left speechless after being rebuked.

The zombies and coffin fungus reminded Li Feng of the one-eyed old man.

This guy is a tomb raider, specifically a "Mountain Moving Taoist".

He, along with the woman with the shovel, the copper seal, and the beads, were all seasoned tomb raiders.

He has descended into no fewer than a hundred large tombs and seen more zombies than he has ever eaten meat.

If we were to ask who knows best where the centuries-old zombies are within a hundred miles of Qingyan City, it would undoubtedly be these three tomb raiders.

As Li Feng was thinking, Qiu Sheng suddenly leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Junior brother, I do know a place where there might be coffin fungus."

Li Feng looked at him in surprise: "Where?"

"Thirty miles west of the mass grave in the north of the city, there is a place called Tengteng Town."

"That place has been plagued by zombies for decades. The whole town is deserted, and even the government doesn't dare to send anyone in to collect the corpses. It's said that there's a zombie village in the town, full of zombies that dare to come out and move around even during the day. If there really is a century-old coffin fungus, it must have come out there."

Li Feng frowned and asked, "How did you know?"

Qiu Sheng laughed and said, "I went there with my master to perform a ritual before. I saw it from afar and my master said that the place was too yin and even he didn't dare to go in."

"What are you two whispering about?"

Lei Jian's voice suddenly rang out, like a knife piercing into their conversation.

Qiu Sheng immediately shut up and shrank back.

Li Feng raised his head and addressed Lei Jian neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Senior Uncle, I do have a way that might lead to the discovery of coffin fungus."

Lei Jian said coldly, "Speak your mind."

Li Feng explained in detail: "I know a few tomb raiders who spend their lives roaming underground tombs. They know the nearby ancient tombs and zombie dens like the back of their hand. If we ask them for help, we should be able to find the whereabouts of the century-old zombie."

Lei Jian pondered for a moment: "Those who raid tombs certainly know these things best. Where are the tomb raiders you know now?"

Li Feng answered truthfully, "They're locked up in the yamen jail. In the quarry case last time, Constable Zhao arrested all three of them."

Lei Jianguo said decisively, "Go find Zhao Tiezhu now and demand the person. The coffin fungus matter must be resolved within three days."

"Junior Brother Si Mei, leave this matter to your disciple. You stay here and work with your fellow disciples to set up the city defenses. The Ghost Festival is not over yet, and Master Gu may make another move at any time tonight."

"Yes, Senior Brother," the Four-Eyebrowed Daoist replied, bowing.

After Lei Jian left, the Taoist priest in green robes walked to the Taoist priest with four eyebrows and comforted him:

"Junior Brother Si Mei, you know Senior Brother's temper. He's not targeting you on purpose, but this matter is indeed troublesome. The Soul-Devouring Gu in Gu Zhenren's hands is an evil technique that has been lost in the Southern Frontier for a hundred years. Even the Underworld is wary of it. If our Maoshan Sect doesn't handle this well, we'll lose face for the entire sect."

Master Si Mei smiled wryly and said, "I know my senior brother's temperament; he won't take it to heart. But the matter of the coffin fungus really needs to be addressed. Li Feng, come in with me."

Li Feng followed the Taoist priest with four eyebrows into the side room.

Master Si Mei closed the door, rummaged through the cabinet and took out a small wooden box. Inside was a palm-sized copper talisman.

The bronze talisman was engraved with "[Thirty-sixth Generation of Maoshan]" on the surface and had intricate runes on the back, just like the disciple token in Li Feng's hand, but even more exquisite.

"This is my disciple's talisman. With this talisman, you can take someone out of the jail."

The Taoist priest with four eyebrows handed the bronze talisman to Li Feng and instructed him, "Go find Constable Zhao and use this talisman to bring out the one-eyed old man."

"Remember, just mention him. Keep the other two locked up. The one-eyed old man is a Taoist priest who moves mountains. The mountain-moving lineage is best at finding auspicious burial sites and ancient tombs. Finding zombies is his specialty."

Li Feng respectfully accepted the bronze talisman.

Master Si Mei gave a few more instructions and then asked Li Feng to go find Zhao Tiezhu.

Li Feng left the mortuary and headed straight for the government office.

In the duty room in the back hall of the yamen, Zhao Tiezhu was still dozing off at the table.

He patrolled the north of the city all night, guarding against Gu Zhenren taking the opportunity to cause trouble, and only returned to the yamen to rest at dawn.

Li Feng pushed open the door and saw that his eyes were bloodshot and he was staring at him.

Zhao Tiezhu rubbed his eyes and sat up straight, saying irritably, "It's you again, kid. Every time you come to the yamen, it's never good news. What's wrong this time?"

Li Feng placed the disciple talisman of the Four-Eyebrowed Taoist on the table and briefly explained the matter of the coffin fungus.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tiezhu immediately regained his senses.

"Are you Maoshan Sect members insane? That thing grows on the Zombie King's coffin lid. Forget about picking it, just getting close to the zombie coffin can shorten an ordinary person's lifespan by three years. You, a mere night watchman, and Qiu Sheng, this hothead, you two are going to pick coffin fungus? Are you sure you're not just sending yourselves to your deaths?"

Li Feng helplessly shrugged: "Master Uncle said that the matter of the coffin fungus must be resolved within three days. Only the coffin fungus can restrain the ghost Gu puppet in the hands of Gu Zhenren."

Zhao Tiezhu sighed: "You've got guts, kid. You can bring up the one-eyed old man, but according to the rules, he must be escorted by officials. How about this, I'll go with you myself. I also want to know what useful clues this old man can still spit out."

The two went to the yamen jail.

The prison cells in Qingyan City were underground, emitting a damp and musty stench.

The prison cell was built of bluestone, with iron bars as thick as an arm, and several talismans for warding off evil spirits were pasted on the bars.

The one-eyed old man was locked in the innermost cell, wearing prison clothes and shackles on his feet, and he looked much thinner than before.

Upon seeing Li Feng, he immediately stood up excitedly.

"Young watchman! You've come to let me out, haven't you? I, this old man, have never mistreated you. If you get me out of here, I'll reward you handsomely!"

The one-eyed old man lunged at the fence, the shackles rattling loudly.

Li Feng squatted down and asked him through the fence, "You can go out, but you have to answer my question first. Within a hundred miles of Qingyan City, do you know where there are zombies that are over a hundred years old? The fiercer the better, preferably ones with coffin fungus growing on their coffin lids."

The one-eyed old man asked curiously, "What does your Maoshan Sect need that thing for? This thing is extremely yin; even a little bit of it can shorten a living person's lifespan."