The white zombie was still struggling, not yet dead.

  Han held back, not killing it immediately, as it presented a clue.

  “Someone's behind this?”

  Cloud muttered, "It's so frustrating. I couldn't even deal with a white zombie properly."

  With the peach wood sword suppressing the zombie, Han carefully examined it. After a while, he said, somewhat surprised, "There’s no corpse control mark inside this white zombie."

  "Could it be another special kind of zombie?"

  Cloud and Yun Yun were also a bit taken aback. Special types of undead were rare, and Han seemed to be encountering them one after another.

  Han shook his head. "It’s just an ordinary zombie. Though there’s no corpse control mark, there’s something else strange about it…"

  The corpse control mark is a technique used by corpse path cultivators to control zombies. Generally, any zombie crafted by a cultivator would have this kind of mark, though it could appear in various forms. Its function, however, was always the same.

  Only in very rare cases could a cultivator create a zombie without using this mark and still manage to command it.

  But such a special case could never happen with a white zombie.

  Finally, Han found a corpse demon seed inside the white zombie.

  The seed, wrapped in faint gray corpse energy, was hidden deep inside the zombie’s already-dead heart. When the white zombie was subdued, it was using the seed’s power to fight back.

  Han informed Cloud and Yun Yun about his discovery, but neither of them knew much about this situation.

  A snail was sent to contact Lu Qingmo.

  “Corpse heart hiding a corpse seed?” Lu Qingmo’s voice carried some surprise.

  “You were right. This white zombie is under control, but the one controlling it isn't a cultivator. It's another zombie.”

  “A zombie controlling a zombie?” Han was astonished.

  “Is it a spiritually awakened zombie?”

  “Highly possible,” Lu Qingmo confirmed.

  Han couldn’t help but exclaim, “A spiritually awakened zombie, that’s terrifying.”

  When something that shouldn't have consciousness gains it, it usually means immense power.

  “Well, it’s not that simple. Some zombies do awaken spontaneously,” Lu Qingmo’s voice continued.

  “Bring the white zombie back here so I can take a look.”

  Han’s strength had certainly grown, but his knowledge and experience couldn’t compare to Lu Qingmo's. Such wisdom and depth took time, experience, and systematic teachings to accumulate.

  Their backgrounds were different, and in this area, Han had a long way to go.

  “Alright.”

  Han directly stored the white zombie in his corpse storage bag.

  Zombie control, like corpse crafting by cultivators, wasn’t as complete as that of a full-fledged crafted zombie. It was more like gathering subordinates.

  In some ways, it could even be seen as ‘leaderless,’ which allowed the zombie to be easily stored in someone else’s storage bag.

  After checking the copper mine and ensuring there were no further hidden dangers, the three of them left.

  However, Yun Yun specifically warned the Yun family members responsible for the mine to halt mining operations and evacuate.

  Perhaps the mysterious zombie controlling the white zombie would make a move once it realized its creation had been captured. If the workers stayed, they could face great danger.

  Until the situation was fully resolved, the copper mine had to be suspended for some time.

  “A spiritually awakened zombie, who knows how terrifying it is,” Cloud said anxiously.

  “Why did it target our mine? We only have a few small ones. It’s not easy to run such a small business.”

  “…”

  Couldn’t she say something more straightforward? What does ‘a few small ones’ even mean?

  Han, someone with no mines of his own, felt deeply offended.

  Cloud raised another concern. “What if a zombie catastrophe happens?”

  Yun Yun patted her sister’s head and said, “Stop overthinking.”

  “Don’t worry, if the sky falls, there will be someone taller to hold it up,” Han reassured Cloud.

  “And besides, the sky won’t fall.”

  In the lands of the three human kingdoms, no matter how powerful the monster, it couldn’t overturn everything.

  Peach Grove.

  “There is indeed another zombie controlling this one. Based on the corpse demon seed, the controlling zombie is likely a green zombie.”

  This was Lu Qingmo’s conclusion after investigating.

  “A green zombie, in the organ realm…” Han said, puzzled. “But for a green zombie to awaken its spirit, that’s rare, right?”

  Its strength was still insufficient for such an outcome.

  “The green zombie’s strength isn't enough to awaken its intelligence. There must be another reason.”

  Lu Qingmo then used a special method to extract the corpse seed from the white zombie’s heart.

  Once removed, the seed’s gray energy was still connected to the zombie’s body, like a thread that hadn’t fully snapped. It even caused the zombie to go into a frenzy, almost as though it wanted to attack.

  Then, all the gray energy threads suddenly snapped, and the white zombie immediately calmed down.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  The corpse seed started to shrink, then expanded again, the sinister aura increasing as if it might explode.

  But Lu Qingmo wasn’t concerned, continuing with her task.

  She sliced open the seed and condensed all its power into a solid the size of a soybean.

  And once again, the small wooden frog appeared. It swallowed the condensed seed without hesitation.

  Han looked at the frog with an odd expression. He had used it multiple times before, and the frog seemed to eat anything. Its appetite was truly impressive.

  As though sensing Han’s thoughts, Lu Qingmo explained, “This is a small artifact my master gave me. It’s used for tracking. Very useful.”

  Han understood. If it was given by her master, it had to be treated with care. After all, Lu Qingmo’s master had been in seclusion for eighteen years. Any item from that period held significant meaning.

  The wooden frog stuck out its tongue and pointed in a specific direction.

  Lu Qingmo handed the frog to Han.

  “Go ahead. It will lead you to the spiritually awakened green zombie.”

  She then cautioned, “There’s something strange about this spiritually awakened zombie. Don’t treat this as a simple zombie situation. Be careful.”

  “Take good care of the two of them.”

  “Don’t worry, Aunt Mo,” Han assured her.

  “I’ll make sure the Yun sisters are well taken care of.”

  Yun Yun listened to their conversation, her expression strange, as if she wanted to say something but stopped.

  Han noticed but didn’t bring it up.

  As the three of them left Black Cloud Town, Yun Yun finally couldn’t hold back and asked, “Han, are we going alone?”

  “That’s a spiritually awakened zombie. Its strength is extraordinary. The three of us…”

  “Can we handle it?”

  She had just entered the organ realm and still saw Han as someone with only limited experience in that regard.

  Dealing with a spiritually awakened zombie was a far more difficult task than handling ordinary undead.

  “It’s fine. We’ll be fine,” Han nodded. “Don’t worry, there’s no risk.”

  Yun Yun opened her mouth as if she were about to speak, but she stopped short.

  She had heard Han use the phrase "no risk" before. That time... there really wasn’t any risk.

  “Don’t worry, big sis, trust Han,” Cloud chimed in confidently.

  “Han will definitely handle it.”

  Since her little sister had sided with Han, Yun Yun couldn’t argue further.

  To Yun Yun, the three of them might stand a chance against the zombie, but it was still a risky endeavor, with many unknown variables.

  Given their backgrounds, there was no need to take such a risk.

  However, with the conversation reaching this point, Yun Yun steadied herself and felt a different kind of emotion rise within her.

  Perhaps Han’s ability to rise above challenges and face danger head-on was the reason he was becoming such a legend in Black Cloud. He must have faced countless risks and struggles to get here.

  Looking back, she realized she had never experienced such dangers herself.

  Perhaps that was one of the differences between her and Han.

  With this in mind, Yun Yun couldn’t help but admire Han. Behind his shining reputation, who knew how many efforts and dangers he had faced?

  “Han, do you often take the initiative to challenge danger and face hardships to temper yourself?”

  “Huh?”

  Han was taken aback. What kind of question was that?

  After thinking for a moment, he replied, “No, not really.”

  "I usually only do things I'm absolutely sure about. I value my life too much," Han said calmly.

  He had already experienced death once. After barely managing to gain a second chance at life, he wasn’t planning on dying again.

  Unexpected events, like the Black Mountain Bone-Slithering Snake, didn't count.

  "Life only comes once, and one's own life should always come first. You two are still young, don't take unnecessary risks," Han advised, turning to the others.

  "The future is long. Don't think shortcuts through life and death will make things easier. Just focus on your training."

  "..."

  Yun Yun's illusions were shattered.

  Following the guidance of the Wood Frog, the three of them traveled more than a hundred miles, reaching a desolate mountain.

  "Is it in this mountain?"

  Han's spiritual energy extended out, constantly scanning for movement nearby as they went deeper.

  The Wood Frog eventually pointed to a cave.

  Han's spiritual energy poured in, and then his expression shifted.

  "There is indeed a zombie inside, but it’s just a White Zombie," he said.

  "No, wait... there’s a passage deeper inside. I can sense a stronger death aura there."

  The passage was only about three feet wide and extended deep down into the earth, stretching far until it abruptly ended.

  At that moment, the Wood Frog flicked its tongue and pointed in another direction.

  "What’s going on?" Yun Yun asked in surprise.

  "That spirit zombie was here before, but it’s probably gone now," Han said thoughtfully.

  "It seems like it can move through the earth. Is it some kind of earth-based escape technique?"

  It was no wonder that the spirit zombie had such a special ability—ordinary zombies couldn’t compare.

  "Run away? It’s too clever!" Yun Duo stomped her foot.

  "Take care of this White Zombie, then we’ll chase after it," Han said, quickly subduing the White Zombie and leading the two women in pursuit.

  "That spirit zombie is fast," Yun Duo exclaimed.

  They had already been chasing for quite a distance, but they hadn’t spotted the zombie. Instead, it was constantly changing directions, and the Wood Frog's tongue was wriggling so much that it nearly got tangled.

  "It seems to be traveling through the earth. It must be using an earth escape technique," Han answered.

  "Such techniques are quite rare," Yun Yun remarked.

  "Earth escape, fire escape, and other elemental escape techniques are incredibly mysterious. They allow one to move through water and fire, and even enter the earth with ease."

  Han himself had mastered a type of escape technique, but it was purely flight-based.

  Though fast, it lacked the magical qualities of the elemental escape techniques.

  Moving through the elements, such techniques were otherworldly and difficult to comprehend.

  They had already traveled over a hundred miles outside Black Cloud Town. After this chase, they had covered another three hundred miles, making all three of them a bit weary.

  Finally, the Wood Frog led them to a wild cemetery.

  Graves were scattered everywhere, and exposed bones lay under the sun.

  Han’s spiritual energy sensed the presence of the zombie. It was deep inside, unmoving, as though it no longer wished to run.

  "Be careful," Han warned. "This zombie is unusual. It’s definitely not simple."

  "Don’t worry. We all have protective treasures on us," Yun Duo nodded, reassuring him.

  As they entered the cemetery, the temperature immediately dropped. The three of them proceeded deeper, and the zombie soon came into view.

  But what shocked them was that there wasn’t just the Green Zombie they had expected. There was another, even larger and more menacing zombie, exuding a terrifying aura.

  The second zombie’s hair was black, not green.

  It was a Black Zombie!

  A Black Zombie was comparable to a Bone Refining martial artist, and far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary practitioner to handle.

  It was an ambush!

  Han immediately realized what was happening.

  The Black Zombie faced the three of them but did not charge at them immediately.

  Its eyes were filled with murderous intent, but there was intelligence in them. Its aura was not just that of a typical zombie—it was mixed with a ghostly energy.

  Han had encountered such beings before: Ghosts fused with zombie bodies, known as Ghost Zombies.

  The Black Zombie stared at the three of them, as though it were trying to identify something.

  "I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time."

  The Black Zombie didn’t speak, but a male voice suddenly emanated from within it.

  "You three should be grateful for being allowed to live another day. I’ll extract your souls, tormenting you day and night until you experience the most excruciating punishments."

  "I’ll turn your flesh into my personal army of zombies, and you will serve me for all eternity to repay your sins."

  After hearing this, Han slowly spoke a few words.

  "Tianwang County, Earth Zombie Sect, Dai Lin."

  The hatred directed at them, along with the connection to Bone Refining Ghost Zombies, immediately made him think of the Earth Zombie Sect.

  During the Dead Souls event, they had killed a disciple of the Earth Zombie Sect, whose father was a high-ranking elder in the sect. It seemed that the most likely person behind this was Elder Dai Lin.

  The voice of the Ghost Zombie stopped for a moment before it erupted in a sinister laugh.

  "Kid, you're quick to figure things out."

  "But it doesn’t matter. I never intended for you to die a peaceful death."

  "I’ll make sure you die in regret and agony!"

  A soul slowly emerged from the ground, drifting freely in the daylight, fearless.

  It was Dai Lin, the same person Han had seen before.

  Yun Yun and Yun Duo’s expressions immediately changed.

  Dai Lin, as mentioned by Dai Liu before, was an expert in the Daydream Realm. Now that Han saw this, it was clear that this level of power was real—and there was also a Bone Refining Ghost Zombie by his side.

  These weren’t enemies they could deal with. On top of that, they were far from Black Cloud Town, isolated and facing these terrifying foes.

  It was over.

  They would be turned into zombies.

  Both of them looked at Han, only to find his expression as calm as ever. There was no sign of panic or worry. Instead, he seemed unusually composed.

  It was as if... the enemies in front of them weren’t even a threat.

  As if... Dai Lin himself was the one who had fallen into their trap.

  "I did consider the possibility of someone hiding in the shadows," Han said, his gaze sharp.

  Now that it had been proven true, he was unfazed.

  "It doesn’t matter. I’ll make my move now."