In the Haotai Hotel, Chu Xuan returned as dusk had already settled. He fetched a bucket of instant noodles and two cans of beef, preparing his evening meal.
As cultivators advance in their cultivation, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage allows them to subsist on ethereal nourishment—consuming the mist and dew, severing earthly ties to mundane sustenance.
However, Chu Xuan had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Besides, having not indulged in instant noodles for over twenty years, what harm was there in enjoying them now?
Zhao Hong's little storehouse was piled high with instant noodles, alongside a variety of chocolates and biscuits, all long-lasting food supplies. Enough for Chu Xuan to feast heartily.
The bathtubs were now silent. Chu Xuan sent Hu and Bao, along with two spirit hounds, out to hunt independently, instructing them to bring back a few lively zombies to serve as spiritual plant furnaces.
He commanded Hu and Bao not to prey on living humans at random, prioritizing zombies instead. Should they slaughter innocent mortals, the sin would inevitably fall upon him.
He was not prepared to see the merits he had just gained vanish in the blink of an eye. After issuing his orders, Hu and Bao howled in unison, signifying their understanding.
Beside them, Daho and Erho remained silent until Hu kicked them, sending them flying with a yelp. The two spirit hounds whined but quickly nodded in agreement.
Watching them leave, Chu Xuan sat down cross-legged to absorb the great blood orb. The fist-sized orb hovered before him, strands of bloody qi entering his nostrils, circulating within his body according to the pathways of the Blood Spirit Technique.
With each complete circulation, Chu Xuan's spiritual qi grew stronger. Two days later, his aura suddenly broke through a bottleneck. It was as if a fish had entered the sea, freely swimming.
His eyes snapped open, a look of joy spreading across his face. "The Seventh Level of Qi Refining!"
At this level, he was considered to be in the late stages of Qi Refining.
"The seventh level of the Blood Spirit Technique, and a new spell to try."
His repertoire of spells, minus those lacking defensive capabilities, included only the "Spirit Blood Shield" from the fourth level of the Blood Spirit Technique—a mid-tier defensive spell of the Qi Refining stage.
Most of the time, he relied on undead soldiers and Gu insects for defense. Now, having mastered the seventh level of the Blood Spirit Technique, he possessed a powerful superior spell.
Chu Xuan stood abruptly, his palms gathering spiritual qi. Gradually, a chilling green flame coalesced in his palm. At a certain moment, when the green flame had swelled to its limit, Chu Xuan fiercely thrust it forward.
With a loud bang, the wall was suddenly blasted open, sending debris scattering everywhere. Around the edges of the hole, the eerie green flames continued to burn for over ten minutes before gradually subsiding.
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. True to its reputation as a superior spell of the Qi Refining stage, its power was formidable. This spell was named "Nether Fire Orb."
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The Infinite Sect boasted four Qi Refining stage techniques, each with corresponding superior attack spells—nine in total. Among them, Nether Fire Orb was undoubtedly the most powerful.
However, it had a critical flaw: the charging time was too long, and it consumed a great deal of spiritual qi.
With his current reserves, Chu Xuan could only cast it three times. During the charging period, he was vulnerable to attack. If the spell failed to hit the target, the consequences would be dire, likely leaving him in a defensive position.
Nevertheless, Chu Xuan was not overly concerned about missing his target. With many undead soldiers under his command, he could effectively restrict the enemy's movements.
The Blood Steel Wire also possessed the innate spell of Blood Binding, making it easier to control foes. "Excellent, I should practice more and master the Nether Fire Orb," he mused.
As Chu Xuan prepared to continue practicing the Nether Fire Orb, a noise came from the direction of the bathtub. Growling, a corpse puppet climbed out and respectfully approached Chu Xuan.
Soon, the other corpse puppets also awakened and gathered around him. Chu Xuan had earlier mixed his blood into their corpse refining elixir. Although it was not his essence blood, it had preemptively bound them to him, and that explained their respectful behavior.
Chu Xuan took them back into the Corpse Nurturing Tower and performed an identification technique. The results were somewhat disappointing. All six Yin corpses possessed inferior qualities, and their spells were lackluster.
The Leap Technique, allowing them to pounce forward over distances, and the Jump Technique, enhancing their jumping abilities, were the more useful ones.
Other corpse puppets possessed such spells as the Rapid Eating Technique, which accelerated their eating speed; the Water Storage Technique, which allowed them to store water in their stomachs; and the Purification Technique, which could purify wastewater.
Chu Xuan even discovered a Self-Destruct Technique in one, which would rush into battle and self-detonate. He resignedly issued an order, forbidding this particular corpse from ever using its spell.
"I've painstakingly used refining elixirs and devoted effort to raise you, and you would explode at the slightest provocation in battle? How is that reasonable?"
"Has this one not awakened yet?" Chu Xuan approached the bathtub at the front. Inside it lay the body of Zhao Hong, yet only a thin layer of the corpse-refining elixir remained. While the other corpse puppets had already emerged, Zhao Hong had not.
Chu Xuan was actually pleased by this delay. It was a good sign, indicating that Zhao Hong's corpse was vigorously absorbing all the essences of the elixir without cessation.
After pondering for a moment, Chu Xuan prepared another bucket of the corpse-refining elixir and poured it into Zhao Hong's bathtub.
"At this rate, it might take another three to five days."
Chu Xuan then found an empty room and began to practice the Nether Fire Orb.
Meanwhile, at the Black Blade Security, which contrasted sharply with the spirit dog-occupied Haotai Hotel, the surroundings were much cleaner and tidier.
The company was enclosed by iron fencing topped with barbed wire, which was stained with blood and flecked with remnants of flesh—a clear testament to its effectiveness against zombies.
At that moment, a man stood at the gate. "Open up, it's Wang Yong."
The gate slowly swung open, and Wang Yong strode in.
Two gaunt men approached him, giggling, "Brother Yong, did you send those three away?"
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Wang Yong replied, "Sent them off, the Linjiang army will pick them up. I need to see my cousin, I have something important to tell him."
One of the gaunt men pointed to a three-story building and whispered, "The manager is busy there. It's best not to go now, Brother Yong; you wouldn't want to disturb his mood."
Wang Yong frowned deeply. "I must go, it's important." He quickened his pace towards the building.
A tall, burly man guarded the entrance of the small building. Wang Yong attempted to go upstairs but was stopped.
"I need to see my cousin!" he growled. The burly man remained expressionless, "The manager ordered not to be disturbed by anyone, including you."
Grinding his teeth, Wang Yong shouted, "Brother! It's me! I have something important to tell you!"
After a moment of silence inside the building, the sound of a desk being slammed echoed. A buzz-cut head emerged from a window, cursing, "Damn it, don't you know I'm busy!" After a pause, he grumbled, "Come up then."