Zombie Life Begins in Hongxi Village

Zhang Dadan lifted the yellow cloth, revealing the true face of the altar under the moonlight.

On the altar were an incense burner, incense sticks, a bronze Bagua plate, a cinnabar inkstone, a rice jar, and six cloth figurines of deities, with fine stitches and expressive eyes.

Two roosters, meant to ward off disaster, hung in front of the altar, their wings flapping restlessly.

Master Xu ascended the altar and gestured for Zhang Dadan to begin activating the mechanism beneath it.

Zhang Dadan gripped the crank and turned it several times. The wooden gears meshed with the iron chain, creaking and groaning as they lifted the entire altar section by section.

The altar was raised to a height of 6.6 meters before stopping, a height that was just enough to overlook the walls of the Marshal's Mansion and take in most of the scenery inside the courtyard.

Master Xu looked down into the corridor, where lamps illuminated the general layout.

Apart from the fact that no one was walking around, the house looked no different from any other general's mansion.

He took out two jade talismans from his bag and then stuck them on his eyes.

Then he saw the spiritual light of the Six Ding Six Jia Breath-Separating Array enveloping the entire Marshal's Mansion, which was within his expectations.

However, inside the Breath-Separating Formation was actually a Reverse Five Elements Yin-Locking Formation, with the two formations overlapping each other.

"Great! One Liu Ding Liu Jia isn't enough, let's add an Anti-Five Elements Formation too."

Master Xu gritted his teeth, "Senior brother, you've turned someone's house into a demon-suppressing tower! Is this some kind of demon's lair inside?"

He dared not delay any longer, lit a candle, lit some incense and placed it in the incense burner, picked up the puppet of the Monkey King, and began to chant the incantation to invite the gods.

"The sky is clear, the earth is sacred, please descend to illuminate the azure sky. Great Sage Equal to Heaven, quickly manifest your power, remain before the altar and transform yourself. Transform yourself, transform into the sun and moon to shine clearly. Great Sage Equal to Heaven, open the gate, divine soldiers, hurry as the law commands!"

As Zhang Dadan chanted the incantation beneath the altar, his eyelids grew heavier and his body began to sway.

Suddenly he opened his eyes wide, his usually innocent-looking eyes darting around twice, his lips curling into a grin, and he squatted down in a monkey-like manner, his hands hanging down in front of him, making squeaking monkey noises in his throat.

The incense and divine power of the Monkey King had already possessed his body. Zhang Dadan, who was possessed, squeaked a few times, and then somersaulted over the more than two-meter-high wall of the Marshal's Mansion with light and agile movements.

Then there is no more.

Uncle Shou was already waiting below the wall, unaware that he had been there all along.

As soon as Zhang Dadan landed, Shou Bo's hand gripped the back of his neck, the force just enough to immobilize him.

With his other hand, he casually patted Zhang Dadan's chest, and the incense and divine thoughts of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven were shaken out from Zhang Dadan's body.

The golden monkey's phantom had no time to escape before it was caught by Uncle Shou.

Shoubo glanced down at the monkey phantom, then looked up at the towering altar outside the wall. He then opened his mouth several times wider and stuffed the golden monkey phantom into his mouth.

At the same time, on the high altar outside the wall, Master Xu, who was maintaining the spell, suddenly felt a jolt in his heart, and the Monkey King puppet he was holding exploded with a "bang".

"What!" Master Xu's pupils contracted sharply, his face filled with disbelief, and his voice changed tone, "So fast?"

From the moment Zhang Dadan scaled the wall to the moment his divine sense was extinguished, only a few breaths had passed.

That was the divine thought of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. Although it was just an incarnation of incense and vows, it was more than enough to deal with ordinary evil spirits and black zombies. How could it be silently destroyed in such a short time?

He suddenly looked up into the Marshal's Mansion, which had been brightly lit just moments before, but was now completely dark, all the lights swallowed up by a thick black fog.

The entire house was like a gaping maw of an abyss, coldly watching him.

"What happened? Everything was fine just now, how did it suddenly become like this!"

Master Xu cried out in alarm.

He can't retreat; Zhang Dadan is still inside.

Master Xu grabbed a handful of glutinous rice and chanted the Rice Thunderfire Incantation.

After reciting the incantation, he raised his hand and scattered the rice grains towards the direction where the black mist was thickest.

The moment the rice grains touched the black mist, they burst into bursts of lightning and fire. Amidst the crackling sounds, the black mist was dispersed a little by the lightning and fire, revealing the bluestone pavement and half of the corridor railing below.

However, after only a moment, the dispelled black mist surged back, thicker, heavier, and more like a living thing than before.

Master Xu's "Peck of Rice Thunderfire Spell" is his most treasured skill.

But at this moment, the lightning and fire that were powerful enough to shatter the evil spirits were like a few pebbles thrown into an inkwell in front of the black mist, leaving no trace except for a few ripples.

Just as he was at his wit's end, a familiar voice suddenly came from under the altar: "Junior brother, why are you setting up an altar and performing rituals here so late at night instead of sleeping? Do you have a death wish?"

Master Xu looked down and saw Master Qian, dressed in a patchwork Taoist robe, standing there with his hands behind his back, looking up at him.

Master Xu, his face grim, questioned, "Senior brother, I'm asking you, did you set up the formation in this Marshal's Mansion?"

"That's right, I set it up."

Qian Youcai nodded, speaking slowly and deliberately, "I forgot to tell you, a few months ago I was hired by Marshal Lin as an advisor, responsible for the array protection of the Marshal's Mansion."

"By the way, the commander-in-chief is currently recruiting many talented individuals; I can recommend you."

Qian Youcai's words were sincere.

Although he was greedy and mercenary, he was always good to his own people.

His residence was right next to the Marshal's Mansion. He was so excited that he hadn't slept. When he heard the noise, he came out to check, only to find that it was his junior brother setting up an altar there.

He was deified and wanted to help his junior brother, but he couldn't directly talk about the deification, since he couldn't make decisions for Lin Yi. He could only introduce him as an advisor first.

In the original drama, after receiving the order from Master Tan to murder Zhang Dadan, he immediately called Master Xu over to prepare to do it together.

However, Master Xu, being a man of justice, not only refused his invitation but also turned around and went to help Zhang Dadan.

"Shut up!" Master Xu pointed at the billowing black mist inside the house, his voice stern. "Can't you see the black mist swirling around here, and the eerie atmosphere?"

This is no ordinary protective formation; it's clearly a demonic lair for raising ghosts and monsters!

Have you forgotten the precepts of our sect? What did our master say before he passed away? "Fight good against evil for life; I would rather die than associate with demons!"

"Are you crazy? Don't talk nonsense!" Qian Youcai's face changed drastically, and he wished he could fly up to the altar and cover his mouth.

If these words were to reach the ears of Hades, he would be in deep trouble, let alone introducing Xu Zhenren to him.

"I was kindly introducing you to someone important, and this is how you treat me?"

"Hmph, I, Xu, will never associate with evil spirits!" Master Xu flicked his sleeve, his tone resolute.

"Senior brother, I advise you to pull back from the brink in time, otherwise you won't be able to face Master when you get down there!"

Master Xu spoke sternly, but unexpectedly Master Qian laughed triumphantly.

"I can't wait to see my master right now, so he can see what I, his good-for-nothing disciple, have accomplished."

"You're so stubborn, I'm going to teach you a lesson on behalf of your master today!"

He thought Zhang Dadan was probably dead, the man he had finally found to carry on his legacy, and now he had perished in this man-eating house.

He couldn't deal with what was inside, but his anger needed an outlet.

My senior brother is the exit.

He made a hand seal, and a beam of green light shot out from his fingertips, heading straight for Qian Youcai's chest.

Qian Youcai never expected that Master Xu would actually attack him so ruthlessly, and was caught off guard and seriously injured.

"Why...?" Qian Youcai clutched his chest with one hand and pointed at Master Xu with the other, his eyes filled with anger and confusion.

He kindly introduced his junior brother to a powerful figure, but the junior brother not only didn't appreciate it, he also beat him up severely. Where the hell can he go to seek justice?

"Why? Because you aided and abetted the wicked and disgraced our sect!" Master Xu stood on the altar, looking down at him with no remorse in his voice.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" Qian Youcai finally couldn't hold back and cursed, "Which eye of yours saw me aiding and abetting evil?"

Marshal Lin was a well-regarded official in Yun County. If you went out on the street and asked any ordinary person, they would all say that he was Lin Qingtian (a paragon of justice).

"You're up in the middle of the night, spying here—that's illegal!"

Master Xu sneered and pointed to the Marshal's Mansion behind him, where black mist was churning: "A good official? I have never seen such a gloomy and terrifying place. Even my Doumi Thunderfire can't do anything about it. I would believe it if you called it the Netherworld Hell!"

What kind of good official would let his house turn out like this? Moreover—"

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone now tinged with disdain, "He even hires someone like you, what kind of good person could he be?"

Qian Youcai was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood. What do you mean by "this kind of person"?

He looked down at the wound on his chest. Although it was severe, it could heal, but he didn't want to endure it any longer.

Anyway, I can return to my original body after death, so I don't need this physical form.

He simply stopped suppressing his injuries, forcefully gathered his magical power, made the Five Thunder Incantation with his left hand, and drew a Five Thunder Talisman in his palm with his right hand and a sword finger.

Lightning burst from between his fingers, illuminating the entire banyan tree in a ghastly white light.

"Five Thunder Palm? Are you out of your mind? Stop it!" Master Xu exclaimed in shock.

Although he dealt a heavy blow to Qian Youcai, he did not intend to take his life.

Forcibly activating the Five Thunder Palm while severely injured can result in either complete destruction of one's foundation or immediate death.

boom!

The first palm strike, carrying the power of thunder, aimed directly at Master Xu's face.

In his haste, Master Xu directed the lightning towards the rooster that was meant to avert disaster.

The Five Thunder Palm struck the rooster, and before it could even crow, it turned into a pile of charred remains.

The second palm strike followed immediately, turning another rooster that had been protecting the rooster from disaster into ashes. The third palm strike shattered the bronze Bagua mirror.

Master Xu had not expected him to be so fierce, and for a moment he was unable to defend himself.

The fourth palm strike was barely blocked by Master Xu using the Doumi Thunderfire Spell. The lightning and thunderfire collided in mid-air, exploding into a blinding white light.

When Master Xu had used up all his tools and closed his eyes to await death, he discovered that Master Qian's Five Thunder Palm had struck empty air.

"Why...?" Master Xu asked incredulously.

Based on his understanding of Qian Youcai, this senior brother was definitely not someone who would show mercy.

He's greedy, mercenary, and has no bottom line. If someone beats him up, he'll definitely retaliate tenfold. How could he possibly hold back at the last moment?

Qian Youcai leaned against the wall, his face ashen, his lips pale, and the bloodstains on his chest had soaked through his entire Taoist robe.

He struggled to lift his head and looked at his junior brother, who was still in shock on the altar. A bitter smile appeared on his lips: "I know you have always looked down on me, thinking that I am only after money and have a wicked heart."

You're right. After Master left, I did do a lot of bad things.

But ever since I started working for Commander Lin, I have never taken on any business that violates the rules and ethics of the sect.

The commander-in-chief... isn't the kind of person you think he is.

Fine, I'll just consider this as me paying off a debt I owed from before.

Junior brother, I didn't have a choice before, but now, I want to be a good person.

He looked deeply at Master Xu, then his hand slid from his chest, and he died.

"Senior Brother!" Master Xu felt a pang of pain in his heart, overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of guilt.

"Did I wrongly accuse him? Is there really something more to this? Did I kill my senior brother...?"

In his dazed state, he lost his footing and fell from the nearly seven-meter-high altar.

"Ah—Senior Brother!"

Master Xu fell heavily to the ground, critically injured and on the verge of death, but he still struggled to crawl toward Master Qian.

Just then, a faint light appeared above Qian Youcai's corpse.

Qian Youcai, with the mark of the Sun Wanderer between his brows and draped in the divine radiance of the underworld, floated out of the corpse, surrounded by the divine pressure unique to gods.

He looked down at Xu Zhenren, who was crawling with difficulty on the ground, and a very smug smile appeared on his face.

This smile was completely different from the deeply repentant senior brother just now; it was exactly the annoying signature expression that Qian Youcai remembered when he was alive.

"You, you..." Master Xu lay on the ground, looking up at the radiant deity in mid-air, his lips trembling violently.

He pointed at Qian Youcai, but couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time. Then his hand fell down, his eyes still open, his expression frozen between shock and confusion.

The two brothers died one after the other, just like in the original drama, exactly when their lifespans were about to end.