Tracing the trail to find who had bitten Lu Ruiting was not difficult. Following one lead to the next, they found the person — not just anyone, but his secret lover: a scholar named Li Kui. And this Li Kui had been bitten by a fellow student at his academy.

That academy was none other than the Luning Academy where Xue Shi resided.

Lang Jiuchuan’s mind went somewhat numb.

Fortunately, when Li Kui had gone into his frenzy, Lu Ruiting had trussed him up hand and foot, which prevented him from running loose to cause harm to others. By the time Gong Qi’s people arrived, he had already become as ghastly as a stiff corpse — face cyanotic, eyes blazing red, corpse spots covering his body.

As for the situation at the academy, it was unknown. Lang Jiuchuan sent Fuqi with some life-saving talismans to go there in person. She shared a friendship with Xue Shi and felt obligated to see to his welfare.

In the meantime, despite her revulsion at Lu Ruiting, she forced herself to take his pulse. His pulse was rapid and erratic, with qi and blood surging turbulently — the more agitated his mental state became, the more violently his qi and blood churned, and the more frantic his pulse. She also made a cut on his finger to squeeze out blood — the blood that emerged was a viscous greenish-dark, with a nauseating stench of rot and decay.

The blood was imbued with a bone-chilling yin energy, not unlike the condition of Song Yuedie when she had been infected with the corpse-festering venom worm — though this was no parasitic worm, but rather direct infection from corpse poison.

When the medicinal decoction was forced down, Lu Ruiting’s manic agitation appeared to be somewhat suppressed, but his pulse remained rapid, his qi and blood no longer surging as violently — yet the poison could still not be expelled.

“Not particularly effective — the formula needs to be changed. Let me consider it further.” Lang Jiuchuan looked at Lu Ruiting, who was bound by immobilizing talismans, his eyes still blazing red, and said to Gong Si: “Try acupuncture to draw out the poison — see whether it’s feasible.”

Gong Si’s brow creased and he said: “The person-to-person transmission — no one knows how many it has already reached. The village of Guanjiang alone has the entire village infected, with surrounding villages affected as well. We still need medicinal decoctions and talismans — acupuncture to draw the poison out would not be nearly enough to save so many people.”

Even if acupuncture proved effective, they had only two hands between them. Even if many physicians were brought in to assist, how many could truly be saved?

Moreover, to draw out corpse poison by acupuncture — since those infected had already developed corpse-wraith energy, it would ideally need to be combined with Daoist invocation rites or incantation techniques alongside the needlework to drive out the evil. Not all physicians were versed in such methods. And even among those who were, spiritual power and vital energy were not inexhaustible.

Lang Jiuchuan said: “Try it first. And for the subject — use someone else. This one can be set aside.”

Gong Si: “…?”

“This thing brings nothing but ill fortune. They’re all test subjects in the end — switch to someone else. He can endure whatever comes; if he can’t, he can go and attend upon King Yama. Besides —” She paused, struck by a thought. “You’ve reminded me. Guanjiang Village is in far more critical condition. I need to go there first…”

“Little Jiu.” Shen Qinghe rushed in, his face ashen: “Do you have any means to save people? When I entered the palace, I learned that the imperial envoy tasked with suppressing this corpse plague has already gone to Guanjiang Village, with garrison troops from Yangchun Prefecture called up as well. All the villagers of Guanjiang are likely to perish in flames.”

Lang Jiuchuan’s expression immediately turned ugly. Gong Si frowned: “Without waiting to attempt a cure, they intend to burn the village — though their minds are fading, that doesn’t necessarily mean they cannot be treated.”

Shen Qinghe nodded: “His Majesty fears the transmission cannot be contained. By the time I left the palace, the imperial envoy had already departed three hours ago — they’re likely nearly there by now.”

“Damn it all!” Lang Jiuchuan immediately rose: “Gong Si, hold things here. I’m going to Guanjiang Village. Anyone infected with the corpse poison — immobilize them first and seal them with suppression talismans.”

“Understood.”

Lang Jiuchuan formed a seal and tore open the yin path, then swept Jiangche up and plunged inside.

Shen Qinghe looked at the people locked in the prison, his temples pounding relentlessly. He pressed hard on the tiger’s mouth acupoint between his thumb and forefinger. How had the world come to this so suddenly?

Guanjiang Village.

The entire settlement had been surrounded. All the villagers had been herded together in the center of the village. Outside, Daoist Zhishang led more than a dozen fellow Daoist companions in a standoff against an armored general with a face cold as iron. Beside the general, a pale, beardless eunuch stood frowning as he watched the Daoist before him.

“Daoist Zhishang, His Majesty has issued an imperial edict ordering the burning and destruction of these living dead corpse-evil beings — this too is for the sake of all the common people of our Great Dhan. If you resist the edict, are you intending to bring harm upon the people?” The eunuch cried out in his shrill voice: “Once these corpse-evil beings escape and begin biting other living people, spreading ever further — can you bear the karmic consequences?”

Zhishang suppressed his anger: “They have only been poisoned — they are still human beings. There are also villagers who have not been infected. How can they all be burned without distinction? What difference does that make from treating lives as worthless? Furthermore, we have already laid a talisman formation over Guanjiang Village. Those beings dare not leave the formation. As long as there is medicine to counteract the corpse poison plague, they can all be saved.”

“Daoist, look back for a moment — can these beings still be called human? They are corpse-evil, they are the dead!”

Zhishang looked back. The villagers had become utterly unrecognizable — corpse spots bloomed across their faces, their eyes were a searing red, their mouths gaped open, and they writhed in frenzied agitation. Were it not for the talisman formation surrounding them, they would have charged forward long ago.

But he also knew the formation was barely holding. Everyone was continuously pouring spiritual power into it to maintain it. Their cultivation levels were not particularly high, and it could not be sustained indefinitely. Without medicine, those villagers would eventually break through the formation.

Zhishang looked at the circular formation woven from red cord, dharma bells, and talismans, and felt a wave of deep sorrow wash over his heart.

When the people face calamity, the Daoist descends from the mountain.

Yet — could they save even a single one? Look at that smallest child — no more than two or three years old. These were the most honest and simple of villagers. Why had they been struck by this terrible calamity?

“This has already been sent to those with the knowledge to help — they will surely devise a cure for this corpse poison plague. Let us wait just a little longer…”

“Wait — wait for them to break through the formation, and then fall upon the living people and bite them? Daoist Zhishang, you speak of compassion for all beings — yet you have no thought for others. Look at the soldiers standing behind us: every one of them is someone’s son, or husband, or father. For the sake of these corpse-evil beings, you are willing to place them in mortal danger without a second thought? ” The eunuch’s shrill voice rose: “Stand aside quickly! If the fire spreads and injures you, we will not be responsible — after all, we are only following imperial orders. Or does the Daoist intend to defy the imperial edict?”

Shing!

The cold-faced general drew his sword in one swift motion, leveling it at Zhishang and his companions: “Let’s see who dares interfere! Pour all the tung oil! Light the torches! Anyone who obstructs this will be treated as a corpse-evil being and executed on the spot without question!”

“Yes, sir!” A thunderous chorus of assent shook the heavens.

Snow began to fall from the sky, unhurried and scattered, making this village nestled amid the mountains feel even colder and more desolate.

The smell of tung oil spread through the air. Not all of the corpse-evil beings had lost their reason entirely. The smell struck them like a further agitation, and their eyes grew so red they seemed ready to bleed.

“They’re going to burn us alive! Charge through — break out! If we’re going to die, we die together!” Someone bellowed out suddenly, and in an instant the villagers erupted in a frenzy. Heedless of the orthodox energy within the talisman formation searing them like fire, they surged forward.

The eunuch’s face changed drastically: “Quickly — release the arrows! Kill them — kill them all! Don’t let them break through!”

Whoosh.

Fire-tipped arrows were loosed, striking those charging at the front, knocking them flying back among the living dead. Flames erupted in an instant. Screams rang out without end.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

“Everyone stand down!” Lang Jiuchuan erupted from the void, the Dizhong bell in her hand swinging outward with a thunderous, earth-shaking impact.