Chapter 14: Pumping for Information

Under Jiang Huaining’s explanation, Yu Ruoyin learned the difference between a jade corpse and a jade puppet.

A jade corpse was a type of zombie, while a jade puppet was a type of puppet corpse.

Zombies generally arose from corpses where resentment gathered in the throat, baleful energy ran deep, or burial site feng shui issues caused a corpse transformation. Puppet corpses, on the other hand, were deliberately created by scheming individuals using arrays, corpse poison, or problematic gravesites to induce corpse transformations.

Both zombies and puppet corpses lacked consciousness, but zombies followed their bloodthirsty nature to hunt the living, while puppet corpses were generally under control.

Zombies were divided into seven levels based on cultivation. Those that had just undergone corpse transformation were called white hair zombies, their most obvious feature being white fur covering their entire bodies. They moved slowly and sluggishly, dull and stupid. Next came black zombies, which often needed to absorb at least a hundred years of heaven and earth essence to form. They possessed immense strength and mainly moved by hopping; top-tier black zombies even developed some self-awareness to avoid danger. After black zombies came purple zombies, which required at least a thousand years to form. They also hopped, but faster and more ferociously, with gradually complete self-awareness. They could select high-quality blood to devour and absorb moonlight essence to convert into their own power, greatly boosting their combat strength at night. Once purple zombies absorbed enough moonlight essence, they evolved into flying zombies. Flying zombies still hopped short distances but could fly, reaching speeds fast enough to cover a thousand li in a single night. They were extremely hard to catch and began developing new souls.

After flying zombies, they could no longer be called zombies; they gradually approached human-like forms, and the weakest among them were wandering corpses.

Wandering corpses already possessed complete three souls. They no longer craved only blood but also souls, using others’ souls to replenish their own. Their power condensed like that of demons, eventually forming a corpse pill. Once they had a corpse pill, wandering corpses no longer feared sunlight. Though they still could not fully live under it, the harm it caused was minimal. Their limbs were no longer rigid and could slowly walk like humans, though to move quickly they still relied on flying and hopping. Their faces remained deathly pale and terrifying, but at a glance, they resembled long-ill patients more than zombies.

After wandering corpses came jade corpses. Jade corpses grew complete three souls and seven apertures, looking little different from humans. They appeared crystalline like jade, smooth and snow-white with unique charm, possessing a hypnotic allure toward prey. Even those with profound cultivation easily fell victim. Their corpse pills could already absorb sunlight essence, allowing prolonged walks under the sun, and their power was terrifyingly immense.

However, advancing from white hair zombie to jade corpse required at least five thousand years of moonlight essence baptism.

Over four thousand years ago, jade corpses from various ancient tombs were forcibly awakened and nearly all slaughtered. Those not killed were sealed back in their tombs, doomed to never escape.

One could say jade corpses were extinct. For any to appear again would take at least another millennium, which explained why Jiang Huaining called it a jade puppet.

Finally, there were heavenly corpses, which only appeared in legends.

Legends described heavenly corpses as a form of resurrection: complete souls, soft skin, normal body temperature, immortal and indestructible. They no longer needed blood to survive and possessed immense power to summon wind and rain, kill without a trace, even cultivate. In another legend, they were called corpse immortals.

Puppet corpses had roughly the same levels as zombies and were also divided into seven kinds: puppet corpse, puppet zombie, purple puppet, silver puppet, spirit puppet, earth puppet, with jade puppet at the top.

Puppet corpses were far inferior to zombies. Only at the purple puppet realm did they match a century-old black zombie, and even jade puppets were merely at the lower end of wandering corpse level.

That said, this applied to normally raised puppet corpses.

Unlike the movies Yu Ruoyin had seen, the Netherworld permitted some people to raise corpses—those from the Corpse-Driving Sect. The reason traced back to the evil daoists wreaking havoc in the mortal world over four thousand years ago.

In the past, transportation was poor and carriages slow.

Many poor people could not afford a horse. Dying far from home made returning to their hometowns for burial extremely difficult, giving rise to corpse drivers.

Corpse drivers charged minimal fees and used special methods to make corpses move, slowly escorting them back home.

They were a group who fulfilled the wishes of the deceased to return to their hometowns. Though they dealt with corpses year-round, they lacked special means to control zombies. Four thousand years ago, during the evil daoists’ rampage, the Netherworld had to rally all forces against the powers created by those evil daoists, including zombies.

The Corpse-Driving Sect had many members but lacked power, so the Nether King specially permitted each to raise a zombie for self-protection.

The zombies they raised were mostly those who had voluntarily signed contracts in life. Most were their deceased relatives or people they had helped, who died but wished to protect those they cared for. Thus, their souls entered reincarnation while their corpses continued guarding.

Connected by blood or deep bonds, these raised zombies needed no human blood, only incense and live chickens as offerings, so they had low killing intent. Even purple puppets could only contend with black zombies.

They rarely attacked humans proactively and would perish upon their master’s death.

They could also be trained with Corpse-Driving Sect methods against zombies. After the great war, the Netherworld continued to tacitly allow their existence.

The Corpse-Driving Sect raised corpses openly, but there were also secret practitioners.

Evil sorcerers raising corpses faced no such restrictions. They used any means necessary; to raise powerful puppet corpses, they sacrificed their own offspring or forcibly imprisoned souls. Such zombies were indeed extremely powerful but cost yin virtue, making them targets for all to slay.

Only such cruel methods could produce jade puppet-level puppet corpses. Normal raising made reaching that level far too difficult.

Jiang Huaining meant someone was maliciously refining corpses.

Lu Qingzhen jumped in fright.

Xia Yu’s expression also grew grave, but Yu Ruoyin wondered if her eyes played tricks—she suddenly saw Xia Yu smirk strangely.

Jiang Huaining seemed unaware of Xia Yu’s oddity.

She suddenly signaled to Xia Yu. “You, come upstairs with me.”

Jiang Huaining was about to take Xia Yu upstairs when her peripheral glance caught Lu Qingzhen, and she paused.

She looked at Lu Qingzhen, then at Yu Ruoyin, seemingly hesitating whether to leave them alone.

Xia Yu sneered. “If you’re worried, just lock her up.”

Yu Ruoyin shrank back, fearing Jiang Huaining might actually confine her.

Jiang Huaining had no intention of restricting Yu Ruoyin’s freedom. She lowered her voice to warn Lu Qingzhen. ‘A’Zhen, don’t say anything rash. You never liked Xia Yu—don’t poke at her sore spot this time.’

Lu Qingzhen looked baffled.

Yu Ruoyin understood, though. The reason Xia Yu had summoned Lu Qingzhen early was likely to have her pry more information from Yu Ruoyin.

She supposed she should thank Xia Yu, but whatever Lu Qingzhen was to reveal probably wasn’t good.

It might even affect her relationship with Jiang Huaining.

Malicious intent.

Yu Ruoyin edged away from Lu Qingzhen, but the ghost could not keep her mouth shut.

Her blood-red eyes swiveled, sneaking a glance at the quiet stairs before sidling up to Yu Ruoyin.

Lu Qingzhen stared intently at Yu Ruoyin, trying to find something unusual about her. “Tell me, what makes you so special that Boss Jiang would give half her spirit energy to you? Even if you’re her fated one, it shouldn’t be like this. What if the events of back then repeat—Asura Ghost Kings everywhere, Heavenly Corpse Kings, Immortal Demon Kings, arrays harming people all over…”

Lu Qingzhen stopped, suddenly realizing. “No wonder Boss Jiang called it a jade puppet. The jade corpses from four thousand years ago should all be dead.”

Yu Ruoyin missed Lu Qingzhen’s latter words; she fixated on “fated one.”

“What fated one?”

“You.”

Unlike Xia Yu or Jiang Huaining, Lu Qingzhen was different. Xia Yu rarely spoke to her, Jiang Huaining only shared what she wanted and misled on the rest, but Lu Qingzhen was like a sieve, spilling anything—sayable or not.

“That night, I went to the Four Spirits Shop for tea, but Boss Jiang said she’d divined her own fortune: she was about to meet her fated one and wasn’t opening shop. Of course I was curious, so I pressed her. She told me anomalies would appear on Grand Domain Street, and the first person to cross it to the boundary between yin and yang realms would be her destined fated one. How could I not get involved in something so fun? I told Boss Jiang that even a fated one needed a serendipitous encounter to avoid seeming too abrupt.

“I volunteered to help her. Boss Jiang probably thought my analysis spot-on, so she promised me a Purple Imperial Spirit Talisman if I handled it well. Then I found you. I planned to scare you over so Boss Jiang could save you—you’d be so touched you’d offer yourself, and she’d naturally accept. But you didn’t cooperate at all. For the talisman, I had to shove you through. Don’t blame me—Boss Jiang is such a beautiful, powerful wife; without me, you’d never find anyone better this lifetime.”

It was the truth, but something felt off.

Yu Ruoyin drew closer to Lu Qingzhen, cozying up earnestly. “Sister Qingzhen, what’s a Chun Immortal Fruit?”

“Chun Immortal Fruit? What Chun Immortal Fruit?”

Lu Qingzhen did not know about the Chun Immortal Fruit.

No wonder Jiang Huaining said she lied too much and suffered retribution.

From the moment they met, Jiang Huaining had not told her a single truth.

Yu Ruoyin had long prepared for Jiang Huaining being a liar. Learning the truth did not anger her much; she just found it odd. “Sister Qingzhen, why does Auntie Ning suffer retribution for lying?”

“You figured it out so quickly?” Lu Qingzhen was shocked. “I’ve known Boss Jiang for over three thousand years before I found out.”

It was not Yu Ruoyin who discovered it; Jiang Huaining had told her.

Before Yu Ruoyin could explain, Lu Qingzhen continued on her own. “I don’t know why, but Boss Jiang can’t lie. Every time she speaks, she vomits blood; severely, her power drops. So she basically never lies. She’s a very honest person.”

Then she must have lied a lot.

Yu Ruoyin grumbled inwardly, growing a bit worried about Jiang Huaining’s condition. “Does it last long?”

“No idea.”

If Lu Qingzhen said no idea, then it truly was unknown.

After all, she loved talking and would say anything.

Yu Ruoyin did want someone to chat with openly, to voice her inner doubts—even without answers.

She forgot her grudge against Lu Qingzhen for scaring her and closed the distance. “Sister Qingzhen, why is Auntie Ning so good to me? Just because I’m her fated one?”

That seemed too much investment.

Risking vomiting blood to lie and keep her close, even sharing half her spirit power.

Did their kind believe in fate so much?

“No idea.” Lu Qingzhen shook her head, quite dejected.

“Maybe your constitution has something special that brings Boss Jiang endless benefits!” Her dejection did not last; excitement soon replaced it. “Want to know badly?”

“Yes.”

After Yu Ruoyin nodded firmly, Lu Qingzhen pulled out the black jade token again and grinned at her. “How about we check it out? See if your body has anything special or if your fate has unique traits.”

Yu Ruoyin felt tempted but was unsure of Lu Qingzhen’s abilities. “Sister Qingzhen, you… can you do it?”

“By myself, no—even if your constitution is special, all that spirit energy from Boss Jiang would mask it.” Lu Qingzhen waved the black jade token. “But I have this. It’s a Nether Token; every Yin Messenger has one, and Boss Jiang’s group too. First, contact Netherworld folk; second, check someone’s life history; third, alert in danger. Higher Yin Officials’ tokens have heaven-bestowed blessings. Mine’s different from theirs—I’m a key bridge between the Four Spirits Shop and Netherworld, so it has both Boss Jiang’s power and the Nether King’s. Might even glimpse Boss Jiang’s secrets.”

She chuckled slyly, full of mischief.

She seemed unreliable, but Yu Ruoyin had no one more trustworthy.

“Okay!”

Lu Qingzhen glanced hurriedly toward the stairs, then dragged Yu Ruoyin into a corner and sat down. She stuffed the Black Jade Token into Yu Ruoyin’s palm and pulled out a small sharp knife. “I’ll first try to dispel a bit of the spiritual energy Boss Jiang left in your palm. Then you cut a slit on your index finger and drip blood onto the Nether Token.”

True to her word, Lu Qingzhen immediately activated the Black Jade Token.

As she did, Yu Ruoyin suddenly felt a pang of pain in her palm.

Perhaps because the powers shared the same origin, the Red Jade Fruit showed no reaction.

An intense pain enveloped her. Yu Ruoyin gasped in agony, and Lu Qingzhen hurriedly stopped. “Maybe we should forget it.”

“No.”

Lu Qingzhen hesitated for a moment but continued activating the Black Jade Token.

She did not fully dispel the power Jiang Huaining had wrapped around Yu Ruoyin’s palm. When about a third of the spiritual energy remained, she called out, “That’s good enough.”

Yu Ruoyin bit her lip tightly and forcefully cut her finger.

She misjudged her strength, and the wound went deep. Unexpectedly, the moment her skin split open, no blood flowed out.

Fine white fragments mixed with bits of flesh squeezed into view. Lu Qingzhen and Yu Ruoyin both froze in shock. Lu Qingzhen reached out and pinched Yu Ruoyin’s palm—it was as if she had flattened it into a thin layer. Between her fingers was only two layers of thin human skin, with no flesh, no bones, not even any tendons to feel.

As Lu Qingzhen pressed down, more of the substance oozed from the wound. They finally made out that the white fragments were extremely finely cracked bones, with a few small severed blood vessels inside.

Yu Ruoyin was utterly dumbfounded, but Lu Qingzhen reacted faster.

She quickly withdrew the Black Jade Token, gripped Yu Ruoyin’s hand with one of hers, and covered the wound with the other.

Red light flickered in Lu Qingzhen’s palm. When she released it, Yu Ruoyin’s wound had vanished.

When she touched it again, everything felt normal.

Bones and flesh were all intact.

Lu Qingzhen let out a breath. “Though it cost a bit of soul power, at least it’s patched up.”

“Qingzhen-jie.” Yu Ruoyin’s fingers curled slightly. She tried to sound calm, but she couldn’t stop her lips from trembling. “Am I… dead?”