As Cultivators, traveling by foot has been manageable for both Xiang Ya and Nee Chen. It is disappointing that they don't have any horses, but their endurance would make do.
From the Desolate Mountain, Butterberry Forest, and the empty plains, their party safely traversed a path filled with danger and Exp points.
"Nee Chen, do you know where the Flowing Blade Sect is?"
"I don't know, we could just ask on the way. But first, if you don't mind, let's visit the village first."
The village, the One Well Village, is a place they used to call home. Xiang Ya was reluctant at first, but in the end, she nodded and accepted Nee Chen's suggestion.
"I... Sure, let's go."
It didn't take them long as they arrive at the familiar village, lacking any semblance of its former self. There wasn't any life, as the village was left too desolate for a long time.
Nee Chen gritted his teeth in guilt as he imagines what could have happened to the dead they left that day. Infested with rot, worms, and rats feasting on them… Nee Chen exuded his bloodlust at the thought of his irresponsibility.
"T-they sh-should have at least a proper burial, right?" There was panic in Nee Chen's eyes.
Xiang Ya as calm as she was gives a more rational explanation. "Don't worry. Surely, the orthodox sects would have taken notice of it. The Biron Kingdom's military isn't for show either... They definitely would have taken care of it... Let's go inside the village and pay respects!"
Nee Chen should have at least returned so much earlier, even just to bury the dead. He has been selfish, ignoring the dead villager's carcasses just for the sake of preventing himself from being hurt by the painful memories.
"But..."
Nee Chen felt the turmoil in his heart growing… His heart filled with self-remorse.
"Chen," Xiang Ya affectionately called. "It is not your fault. We are too out of our minds after what… happened…"
"I… I.. am sorry."
Xiang Ya walked forward, not showing her face to Nee Chen, she gazed at the village's empty paths filled with footsteps of different sizes and depths.
"There is something wrong."
"I-I… know… We should at least see to those that we can."
"No, get your wits together, Nee Chen! As I said, there is something wrong!"
Xiang Ya's unusual assertiveness made Nee Chen wake up at the gravity of their situation. Empty village… without the smell of rot, too messy of a road, and a silence that would even make the quietest nights noisy, this is severely peculiar.
If someone from the orthodox sect came, then they would've definitely reported it to the government. And if the government was really informed of this, then they would have definitely sent the military. If the military has been truly here, then they would have definitely left a sentry or a small militia here!
Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk.
"Do you hear that?"
"Get behind me, Xiang Ya." Nee Chen said with a low voice, he oozed a chilling killing intent that could freeze even the fiercest beast.
But it was no beast that greeted them.
It was Undead.
"Urk.. gruh!"
"Raaaagh!"
"Wuoooha~ raah!"
An undead horde made of the remains of One Well's Villagers.
"…" Nee Chen and Xiang Ya were silent as their hatred reach an all-time high.
BOOST! With a single movement, Nee Chen slashed a zombie in half, his sadness and rage in a chaotic tug-of-war, contesting which is more evident. Poison mist scattered from the undead he slashed in half. Xiang Ya reacted on time as she cast a BARRIER over Nee Chen, saving him from the deadly poison.
A zombie puppet was cleaned of its innards and then stuffed with poisonous substances. Xiang Ya can smell the scent of herbs in the air. She's angry and beyond furious.
"It's a demonic cultivator, right?" Though already certain, Xiang Ya still asked with a hopeful voice that maybe it wasn't.
"Yes, it sure is…" Nee Chen dully replied, contemplating his choices of either flaying or skinning. "Xiang Ya, can you give me this bastard? I'll make sure he beg for my mercy..."
…
Ju Guowei is a 3rd stage cultivator, the Will Reinforcement realm. It is a big deal considering that within the Biron Kingdom with the average cultivation of 1st stage, Ju Guowei has the strength to become a Sect leader of a small sect.
But what use is there? Ju Guowei prefers being a tail of a tiger to the head of a dog. This is why he decided to join the Bones Devouring Sect, to begin with.
His current mission is to investigate the death of one of their elders.
"Elder my ass, that Zha Dong has that coming for him. He is damn so arrogant even though he is younger than me. Still, how did that guy die? He is quite cautious and most of all, strong. The mission he was given wasn't even hard."
After arriving at his destination, he finally realized why.
"A 3rd stage at this village? No wonder, Zha Dong must've let his guard down. Not so cautious at all, that bastard." He scoffed, recognizing the dead remains of an old man, not even bothering of searching Zha Dong's traces.
The old man's corpse he saw was about the 4th stage and degraded into the 3rd stage. It is strong and on par with elder Zha Dong, but it still doesn't make sense. To Ju Guowei's eyes, the old man's cultivation base was damaged. He didn't bother much about how Zha Dong was actually defeated as excitement takes over his reason.
"I am in luck. There are so many corpses here, he he he he… I will make good use of them! It is not so bad to delay my mission for a while. This particular old man's corpse is definitely a huge win to me!"
It has been about a month or two since then. Ju Guowei's corpse refinement technique has reached another level as he retains the original strength of the 3rd stage corpse in front of him. He will certainly be yelled at for getting late, but he could just say that there is a hidden expert that forced him to be cautious.
Ju Guowei isn't wrong either as according to the rumors, a hidden expert is actually residing in the Desolate Mountain just near One Well Village.
"What is this? Intruders? Heh, they must be from a righteous Sect. Too bad for them, it is just a 1st stage and a 2nd stage. They are just materials to me." Through the Dead's Spying Eye, Ju Guowei was warned of the intruders' arrival.
What he doesn't know is that these intruders will be his downfall.
…
Facing the horde of familiar faces, Nee Chen swung his sword unhesitantly, convincing himself that what he is doing is just. In front of him stood a 3rd stage corpse, it has a vile aura and a menacing amount of qi. Despite the difference in strength, Nee Chen is undeterred and determined to slay the mindless undead before him.
"Xiang Ya, you could just leave it to me."
"No," She firmly said. "I will do it."
Xiang Ya will do it. It has to be her especially since it is her grandfather.