Volume XI: The Serpent Spirit Chapter Five: The Ancient Resurrection Array of Immortality

Midnight, in the ghost market. Yaoguang sat across from Huang Quan, recounting what she knew and showing him the picture of the altar. Huang Quan studied it for a long time before finally speaking, “Is this an array for reincarnation and immortality?”

“Reincarnation? Could you explain in more detail?” Yaoguang asked.

“It’s a very ancient array. I can’t recall its exact name, but the gist is this: it uses the corpse of the deceased, and through a spell, merges another person’s soul into the body. However, the resurrected one has no heartbeat—essentially a living dead. They neither age nor die, don’t need food or drink. The ultimate human dream. I thought this method was long lost, but it seems someone can still use it,” Huang Quan replied.

“What about those gu insects? What are they for?” Yaoguang asked.

“They’re nutrients for the corpse. These insects keep the body from decaying. You mentioned the red liquid left by the bugs—most likely an ingredient used to cultivate that type of insect. I can’t say exactly what it is, but in short, you must be careful. Those gu are extremely poisonous—death on contact. The soul likely mutates into a vengeful spirit, and the body becomes a zombie,” Huang Quan sighed.

“Do you know how to break the array?” Yaoguang asked.

“I do. What will you offer in exchange?” Huang Quan looked at Yaoguang.

“What do you want?” Yaoguang retorted.

“I want the demon pearls from the fiercest spirits inside those corpses. Not many—just three, the oldest ones,” Huang Quan replied.

“I brought them all. Take your pick; the rest are mine,” Yaoguang shrugged.

“Deal. Wait here.” Huang Quan stood up, rummaged through a cabinet for quite some time, and finally returned with some items. “Those insects fear roosters the most, but only roosters that have been enchanted with talismans. I’ll show you how to do the spell. Bring several roosters—those bugs won’t be a threat. As for the evil spirits, what are ghosts who’ve cultivated for many years most afraid of? Sun energy, naturally. Use the Gathering Sun talisman to weaken their power. Once you collect the demon pearls, burn the place down. Those corpses are no longer ordinary bodies—they’ll bring disaster if left unchecked.”

“Thank you. I need to hurry back—next time I’ll visit again.” With that, Yaoguang gathered her things and hurried back to Dongshan.

Upon returning, she immediately sensed something was wrong. The place was too quiet. Where was everyone? Yaoguang hid her car in a dense grove, set up a barrier, and proceeded on foot toward the burial mound.

Before she could get there, Huo Mingkun emerged from behind her, pulling her beneath a large tree and pointing upward. Yaoguang nodded, followed him up, and found everyone perched in the tree.

“What’s going on?” Fenghuang asked.

“See for yourself.” Xuancheng pointed below.

Yaoguang looked down and saw the burial mound had been opened. Several men dressed as Daoist priests were going in and out, each carrying black bags.

“What are they bringing inside?” Yaoguang asked.

“No idea. They’ve been going back and forth ever since you left. Did you find out what that altar is?” Guishan asked.

“It’s a reincarnation and immortality array. Here’s a talisman to subdue the evil spirits.” Yaoguang briefly explained what she learned in the ghost market.

“So, we deal with the insects using roosters, then destroy the evil spirits, then burn the corpses?” Guixin confirmed.

“That’s the order,” Yaoguang nodded.

“There’s no human aura on those Daoists,” the serpent spirit coiled on the treetop suddenly said.

“No human aura? Living dead?” Yaoguang asked.

“Yes,” replied the serpent spirit.

“My god, these people are something else. Neither this place nor these Daoists can be left intact. Better to wipe them out completely—otherwise the consequences will be dire. If any trouble is left behind, the entire manor will suffer. Let’s prioritize the living. When they all go inside, we move,” Yaoguang said.

“Did you get the roosters?” Xuancheng asked.

“They’re in the car—already enchanted. Just wait to watch the roosters versus the bugs. But I can’t guarantee how well it’ll work; these gu are different from the ones I saw in Black Miao Village. Yitian, Xuancheng, Tianyou, Ayun, you handle the outside. The rest of you, come with me. Serpent spirit, stay outside to guard the area. I’ll take Little Green Snake inside—if anything happens, have her bring word.”

Yaoguang activated her spiritual sense: “Heavens, inside those black bags are pieces of bronze, apparently from a cauldron. What are they refining—elixirs? First, they turn people into zombies, then use pills to preserve the flesh, then cultivate vengeful spirits, and finally merge with evil ghosts for reincarnation and immortality. These heretical methods... in their pursuit of immortality, have they no scruples at all? There must be side effects to this kind of undying existence. And the cauldron is in pieces—must be stolen and welded together. Can it even be used? Their imagination truly knows no bounds.”

“Even immortals suffer five decays, let alone mortals,” Guishan shook his head. “They’ll stop at nothing for their goals.”

“Master, they’re sealing up the burial mound,” Jiang Yun said, pointing.

Everyone watched as two Daoists began bricking up the entrance again.

“All right, let’s go.” Yaoguang slid down from the tree, firing off two talismans—both Daoists collapsed limply. “So weak. The old man’s yours. This Daoist’s skin is odd—like dough. Looks like I guessed right.”

“No problem.” Guishan, who preferred dealing with aftermath, took out a jade gourd and, after uncorking it, held it over the Daoist’s crown and began reciting incantations. Soon, a wisp of black mist was drawn from the Daoist’s head into the gourd. He repeated the process for the second one. “These two only had evil spirits from the past decade—boring.” As he spoke, both Daoists’ bodies shriveled and decayed, soon becoming desiccated corpses.

The group exchanged uneasy glances—what kind of sorcery was this?

“A body kept from aging by evil arts—once its soul is drawn out, it becomes a mummy,” Guixin explained.

Yitian soon returned, dragging a large cage with several roosters inside. He grinned mischievously at Yaoguang and started releasing them into the passage.

The roosters, previously listless, grew lively as soon as they entered.

Chittering, the King of Golden Silkworm Gu fluttered out, its beady black eyes glancing at Yaoguang as if saying, “You have bugs to eat and didn’t call me?” With a flap of its wings, it flew into the passage—its feast awaited.

One by one, Yaoguang and her companions filed inside. They soon saw the King of Golden Silkworm Gu gleefully flying at the passage’s ceiling, sending the myriad poisonous insects raining down. The roosters below pecked away with great enthusiasm. Little Green Snake darted out and feasted on spiders and scorpions. Yaoguang was speechless—how revolting.

The ruckus finally alerted the Daoists inside the tomb chamber.

“Who’s there?” one called, stepping out.

“The one who came to kill you,” Yaoguang replied, tired of pointless talk.

“Just you?” the Daoist sneered. By torchlight, Yaoguang and her companions nearly gagged—their faces were stretched tight like wax figures. Corpse transformation? If immortality means this, I’d rather grow old, Yaoguang thought. Too bizarre.

“Yes, just me. Who would’ve thought Jingyuan Manor had such a place? You half-human, half-ghost freaks treating it as your base. If your evil spirit hadn’t grown greedy, I never would’ve found you,” Yaoguang said with a laugh.

“What did you do to Liu?” one Daoist demanded.

“Killed him, of course. Should I have kept that abomination as a pet for the New Year?” Yaoguang replied.

“Who are you, to be so bold?” the leader barked.

“I’ve always been bold—unafraid even of the gods themselves. What are a few scoundrels like you?” Yaoguang laughed and shook her head.

“Who are you, really?” the leader shouted, anger rising.

“Yaoguang, honored deity of Phoenix Spiritual Mountain.” She was done with words; her spiritual energy shot forth, and the leader howled in agony.

The rest charged forward.

“Kid, lately I feel like all I do is fight by your side,” Guishan said as he rushed ahead.

“I like to fight,” Guixin answered, leaping past the roosters to join the fray.

The immortals behind moved even faster, entering the main tomb. To subdue these abominations, they had to control the evil spirits inside.

This was less a tomb than a biological disaster lab. Yaoguang shook her head and strode in.

Inside, chaos reigned. The hidden evil spirits had already appeared, tangling with Guishan and Guixin, while the immortals began arranging their formation.

Yaoguang rolled her eyes—lately, all she seemed to do was fight. She flashed forward, joining the melee. She dispatched the monstrous Daoists swiftly, not bothering to dwell on what they truly were. Streaks of golden light from her hand unleashed the Infernal Fire of Karma, whose flames consumed all evil. In an instant, the Daoists were wreathed in blue fire.

“Akūn, Axu, keep watch. When the demon pearls appear, collect them—one pearl per bottle.” Yaoguang tossed a bag to Huo Mingkun, then turned to the corpses.

These were walking corpses—where did they even come from? They could not be allowed to revive.

Yaoguang chanted, sending talismans flying onto their foreheads. Then she turned—the formation was complete.

“Old man, fall back,” she called, and golden light flared around her. “By my divinity, I burn your souls—ignite!” Blue flames erupted in the center of the array, consuming the evil spirits.

“How can you do this?” one evil spirit wailed.

“You talk too much. When I killed Liu, I didn’t know what you were, but now I do—you fear the Gathering Sun talisman. Old man, what are you waiting for? The Infernal Fire can’t destroy it all,” Yaoguang said.

“Got it,” Guishan replied, producing the talisman and chanting. The Gathering Sun talisman blazed like a miniature sun, flying at the evil spirits.

Agonized screams echoed as the monstrous Daoists withered into dried husks.

“I thought they’d be tougher—turns out they’re just a bunch of weaklings,” Huo Mingkun remarked as he began collecting the new demon pearls. “Master, these pearls are rare—so many this time. Were they just resupplying you?”

“Hardly. Mishandled, these will bring disaster,” Yaoguang shook her head.

“Kid, look at this,” Guishan said, removing a wooden tag from one of the corpses. Turning it over, he read, “Bitianguan. These people are from Bitianguan?” he exclaimed. “Every one of them has one.”

“Bitianguan? That’s a centuries-old Daoist temple, a reputable orthodox sect. How could they be involved in such heresy?” Yaoguang was taken aback.

“Keep those waist tags safe. We’re done here—let’s move,” Guixin said.

“Alright, old man, deal with the walking corpses quickly. Once the evil spirits are gone, they’ll soon awaken,” Yaoguang said.

Guishan nodded, doused them with the fire oil they’d brought, and set them ablaze.

“Couldn’t you have waited for us to leave before lighting it up? Run! What are you all standing around for?” Yaoguang exclaimed, then turned and ran. She grabbed Little Green Snake in one hand and the King of Golden Silkworm Gu in the other, muttered a spell, and dashed out.

Clucking, the roosters, under the spell’s command, also fled.

Soon, the group tumbled out, faces smeared with soot.

“What happened to you all? Why do you look like a bunch of alley cats?” Xuancheng asked, amused.

“Ask him,” Yaoguang said, glaring at Guishan.

“You told me to handle it—I just followed orders,” Guishan protested innocently.

“Ugh…” Yaoguang groaned. Yitian, meanwhile, tossed something inside, recited a spell, and with a muffled boom, the burial mound began to collapse.

“Master, why do we always blow up every tomb we visit?” Huo Mingkun wondered.

“Should I leave these scourges to fester until the New Year? Should your reunion dinner be short one dish of braised evil spirit? Want me to serve it up for you?” Yaoguang retorted as she climbed into the car.