Qingzhou, although expansive and rich in grain, truly is not a favorable land when viewed from the perspective of the Qian Dynasty's territory map.

To the northwest is Shazhou, long desolate, consisting of nothing but the Gobi and desert. Within is the Golden Light Cave and Stone Man Tomb, and further west lies the no man's land of the Fallen Immortal Mountain.

On the other side of the Fallen Immortal Mountain is the Peacock Buddha Country.

And in the southwest of Qingzhou, the terrain becomes increasingly mountainous, bordering the bizarrely shaped and rainforest-rich Dianzhou, where mosquitoes and ants breed, and poisonous creatures run wild, home to the famous Colorful Cloud Cave and the Chai Kingdom.

...

Pingkang County, Southwest Qingzhou.

Autumn rain had been falling for days, a chilly dampness permeating the air, lingering as if seeping from one's very marrow.

On this night of dark winds, several people, wearing straw raincoats, rushed through the slippery cobblestone alleys of the county seat, their footsteps hurried, while white paper lanterns swung back and forth like ghostly fires.

Arriving at a large courtyard, two government officials standing beneath the gate nodded promptly.

"Chief, you're here."

"Chief Guo, it's inside."

The leader, a middle-aged man with a bushy beard, led the group with large strides to the door of a large house.

The plaque above the door prominently read "Mortuary".

With a swift gesture, the middle-aged man yanked off his straw raincoat, pushed the door open, and stepped inside with a stern face.

Being the constable of Pingkang County, Guo Huai was really irked to be awakened from the warm embrace of Widow Li on such a cold and rainy night.

But there was no choice. Landlord Liu's entire family had been found dead by the night watch, and as close friends, the county magistrate insisted he investigate the case overnight in his grief.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered uncertainly; a row of corpses lay neatly on the beds—men and women, young and old—all with peaceful expressions and strange smiles, exuding an eerie sense.

The forensic doctor who had arrived earlier was preparing equipment while shaking his head, "The skin is cyanotic, and the lividity is normal, doesn't seem like poisoning..."

"Old Li, look carefully."

"Don't worry, Chief Guo, I know."

The forensic doctor, surnamed Li, with over twenty years in the business, was experienced and quickly focused on his task, his apprentice sitting by to record.

"Deceased, Liu Qiao, height five feet seven inches, no obvious wounds throughout the body, lividity..."

Old Li, the forensic doctor, did not rush the autopsy but first uncovered the clothes of the deceased and retrieved a slender-mouthed copper kettle.

Zhou Mu knew that the forensic doctor would first check for tiny lethal wounds.

Originally, scallion white would be pounded, and the scallion paste applied to the wound, then covered with vinegar-dipped paper for two hours, revealing the wound.

However, under time constraints, a simple method was used: pouring a small stream of water, which would show resistance upon hitting a wound.

"No findings..."

The forensic doctor shook his head, picked up a small knife, "Prepare for autopsy."

Guo Huai frowned, stepping forward to take a closer look.

As the tip of the knife cut through the skin, Old Li's eyes widened, "What... what is this thing?"

Focusing his gaze, Guo Huai saw tiny vines wriggling beneath the corpse's skin.

The vines were emerald green, the leaves stained with dirty blood, unfurling like living beings under the bright tallow candlelight.

Inside the mortuary, a strange atmosphere spread.

Guo Huai swallowed nervously, "Evil... evil spirit..."

Suddenly, the apprentice forensic doctor seemed to see something, his eyes widening, face turning pale, pointing fearfully behind Guo Huai.

"Guo, Guo..."

Guo Huai's hair stood on end, reflexively spinning around, drawing the long knife from his waist with a clang, and he was instantly horrified.

In the yellow candlelight, the corpses draped in white cloth were all twitching incessantly.

Several bodies creaked, joints twisting like marionettes, eerily rising to stand...

Before he could regain his senses, two screams suddenly echoed from behind him.

"Ah! Chief Guo, save us!"

Turning his head, Guo Huai saw the corpse dissected by Old Li also sitting up.

The twisted face seemed to silently scream in agony, its eyeballs bizarrely rolling left and right.

At its chest's incision, those vines erupted like strands of hair, entwining Old Li and his apprentice, with dozens penetrating the skin, twisting like snakes as they bored inward.

"Save... uh... uh..."

In the blink of an eye, the forensic doctor and his apprentice were left gasping, blood mixed with froth oozing from their lips, their frightened pupils gradually dilating.

No time to spare, amid the foul wind, a corpse lunged with a strange posture.

Guo Huai's childhood training saved him; instinctively he stepped back, slashing with his long knife.

Swoosh!

The deadly blade flashed, candle shadows danced.

As the corpse's head was sliced off, Guo Huai twisted, side-kicking the lower half away.

Guarding his front with the knife, Guo Huai stood tense, veins bulging and trembling on the hand gripping the blade under the flickering candlelight.

Immediately, he widened his eyes in horror.

The headless corpse stood up again, twisting with a large number of vines sprouting from its neck.

The vines twisted and danced, their dark green spikes stained with filthy blood, resembling a bizarrely blossoming serpent tree.

This thing... can't die?!

At the same time, three more corpses lunged forward, forming a siege, pushing him into the corner of the wall.

All of this happened in an instant.

Hearing the screams just now, several constables happened to push the door and enter.

"Oh my god, the dead are coming back to life!"

"What is this!"

"Run!"

Several people were so terrified they ran out crying for their parents, with the last one stumbling over the doorframe and falling to the ground, promptly swarmed by two corpses.

Guo Huai felt a chill down his spine, turned around, took two steps towards the corner, leveraged himself twice off the walls, and then leapt more than four meters high, instantly grabbing hold of the beam with his left hand.

However, the crisis was not over.

The corpses were jumping around, almost grabbing his feet, and the vines on the headless corpse's neck grew longer and longer, reaching more than three meters high.

Guo Huai quickly flipped onto the beam, bent to protect his head, and leapt up, smashing through the roof and rushing out.

Crash...

Amidst the rooftop's rainwater and mud tiles, Guo Huai rolled and slid down to the ground, and as he neared the ground, he tucked his waist and head, rolled forward to lessen the impact, and stood firm in the courtyard.

"Chief Guo ran out!"

"What are those things?"

Although some had already run away, a few daring constables and White Servants were peeking from a distance, and upon seeing Guo Huai, they shouted loudly.

Ignoring the mud and water covering him, Guo Huai ran with his knife in hand, veins bulging out on his face, and yelled:

"Run, sound the gongs to warn, evil spirits have entered the city!"

The twisted corpses swarmed out of the mortuary...

......

After the rain, the sky was high and the day was long.

Beside the muddy road, wild grass flourished, as if soaked in autumn rain, appearing even greener as autumn set in.

Swish!

A figure leaped over the leaves, flashed by, and Zhang Kui landed steadily.

He looked up and saw a range of undulating mountains at the end of the road, shrouded in ethereal clouds and mist, appearing hazy. A large city was built against the mountain, layer upon layer, very peculiar.

Another white figure landed, and Zhu Sheng cupped his hands with a wry smile and said, "Brother Zhang, your footwork is astonishing; I concede."

Zhang Kui laughed heartily, "Say what you will, but if you're betting using our sect's wine recipe, Old Zhang has to win no matter what!"

After the banter, Zhang Kui frowned and looked into the distance,

"This Qu City is Qingzhou's southwesternmost Prefecture City, yet the records say there's no trace of demons. Could there be some mystery?"

"There's something Brother Zhang might not know..."

Zhu Sheng smiled slightly, "On the mountain behind Qu City, there is a Celestial Water Palace. My master took me to visit once, and the Palace Master Gu Ziqing is a True Cultivator of the Grain Avoidance Realm; protecting this area is no problem."

"No wonder."

Zhang Kui nodded, "Let's enter the city."

With their speed, they reached the city wall in no time.

Only to see a mass of people seated densely by the city wall, their clothes tattered, faces fearful and pale, some quietly sobbing, others wailing.

Beside the crowd, cloth shelters were set up, steaming with heat, and several women in white were distributing porridge.

Where are these refugees from?

Zhang Kui frowned, about to inquire, when a young and pretty girl in white joyfully ran over.

"Senior Brother Zhu Sheng!"

The girl arrived beside him, her clear eyes fixed on Zhu Sheng, her face slightly red.

"Oh, it's Junior Sister Kui Ling."

Zhu Sheng nodded with a smile, turned, and introduced:

"Brother Zhang, this is Gu Kuiling, the daughter of Palace Master Gu of Celestial Water Palace. Junior Sister Kui Ling, this is my friend Zhang Kui, a capable cultivator."

"Hmm..."

The young girl just hummed in response, her eyes glued to Zhu Sheng, as if Zhang Kui was air.

Zhang Kui shook his head, looked up at the sky, and sighed,

"This damn world that values appearances..."

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