In South Yue City, various clans and sect cultivators related to the Heaven Shu Pavilion gathered, each with their means and powers.
It wasn't only the gaunt old man who could see this.
Above the mine, corpse qi pervaded the air.
Within it, countless types of corpses were bred.
Although those present were from prominent powers and had seen much of the world, they all inhaled sharply in the face of the soaring corpse qi.
With the Taoist Court united, the Demon Path gradually declined.
Where today could one find such intense corpse qi, let alone so many zombies?
For a time, everyone was frightened and appalled.
"Audacious to the extreme!"
"Who is refining corpses?"
"… How many people have been killed?"
"Defying the Taoist Court, disregarding Taoist Law, this is outrageous!"
"… Which Demon Sect's handiwork is this?"
…
The crowd was abuzz with discussion, and eventually, someone asked:
"What should we do?"
At this question, everyone fell somewhat silent.
A cultivator said, "With an evil demon present, we cannot sit idly by. We must annihilate it!"
"There are too many…"
"We can't handle this…"
"Don't forget our main task. We came here not to meddle in unnecessary matters."
"How can this be called meddling in unnecessary matters?"
"Exterminating demons and protecting the way is just and righteous!"
"Hmph, putting on a righteous appearance, who are you trying to impress…"
"You motherfucker…"
Voices of argument rose within the inn.
But it remained within the inn only.
The entire Nanyue Inn had been booked by these cultivators, who set up measures to conceal sight and sound, keeping outsiders away. If one wasn't of their ilk, they couldn't enter this inn.
After a long dispute, the gaunt old man, who practiced Three Talents Divination with Copper Coins, suddenly frowned and slowly asked:
"Do you know where that person is?"
There was a moment of silence among the crowd, and then they all shook their heads.
The gaunt old man continued:
"He let us calculate his location, drawing us here, but once here, his trace is nowhere found. Instead, we encounter a mountain permeated with corpse qi. Do you think this is a coincidence?"
"What are you implying?"
The gaunt old man said, "Perhaps it is because of this Corpse Mountain that he led us here."
Everyone exchanged glances, and someone else spoke:
"And then what?"
"Did he have a moment of compassion, hoping we would lend a hand?"
"No, he's dragging us here to do the heavy lifting…"
"Or perhaps, is it a test for us? Whoever can solve this problem, he'll meet with them?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Our intentions aren't pure… he is not some benevolent old man bestowing opportunities upon others."
"Indeed… That person is arrogant, a genius with exceptional talents, thinking of no one as his equal. Why would he play such a boring game with us?"
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
The crowd looked at each other, each with their own ulterior motives, and remained silent.
They eventually dispersed unhappily, leaving the matter unresolved.
After the gaunt old man and two others returned to their room, they set up a Sound Isolation Formation and began a secret discussion.
The middle-aged cultivator said, "The corpse qi is too intense, and in a short while, it is likely to evolve into a Corpse Tide. This South Yue City is no place to linger."
The gaunt old man asked, "What do you mean?"
"What else could I mean? Let's hurry and leave. If we don't go now and get caught in the Corpse Tide, we might not be able to get out."