“Just take it and advance to Immortal Emperor realm quickly.”

Yang Zanqing tossed the Snow-Jade King Ginseng directly to Yang Bufan

“Many thanks, Master of Prefecture. Bufan will return to my seclusion now.”

Yang Bufan saluted Yang Zanqing once more, then took the spiritual herb and left. He could only repay Yang Zanqing’s kindness with his actions – to break through to the Immortal Emperor realm as soon as possible. In Genius Prefecture, each independent cultivation place had the best cultivation condition and resources. With these resources plus the Snow-Jade King Ginseng, he had confidence that he could advance to the Immortal Emperor realm very quickly, and with that, he would earn a place of his own in Genius Prefecture.

Although Yang Bufan was still a young king, he had the same status as King Ping and the Crown Prince, but in terms of strength, he was still inferior to the both of them. Only by advancing to the Immortal Emperor realm could he be qualified to compete with the Crown Prince and King Ping.

Yang Bufan understood this fact very well. Since Yang Zanqing valued him so highly, he could never disappoint Yang Zanqing.

He immediately went straight into seclusion after he returned to his residence, not welcoming any visitors. As such, he had no idea that Jiang Chen had been a.s.signed to the valley. As for Yang Zanqing, he has the highest authority and his name was nothing more than a representation of Genius Prefecture and prestige. He seldom asked about the matters of the prefecture.

In the lonesome and quiet valley, cold wind howled. Noon had pa.s.sed very quickly and night fell. In this valley, the night was really dark. One wouldn’t even be able to see his fingers even if one stretched out his own hands. There was no light at all, like a place of death. There was the Qi of stillness lingering everywhere.

*Swoos.h.!.+*

A cold wind appeared in the courtyard like a blade. Jiang Chen instantly opened his eyes. He only saw a flash of a white shadow, but when he went to catch it, he got nothing, like it was just an illusion.

Big Yellow, who was sleeping felt a s.h.i.+ver, then sprang up from the rock. Both of his eyes scanned the area. With the level of their cultivation base, darkness and daytime no longer had any difference to them.

“You also felt that.” Jiang Chen looked at Big Yellow.

“Yes. Seems like there’s really something here. Be careful,” warned Big Yellow.

Jiang Chen and Big Yellow were on the alert. Despite their extreme boldness, they, too, felt somewhat uncomfortable living in such a strange and spooky environment. After all, the rumours about this valley was just too evil.

*Swoos.h.!.+*

A few minutes later, another sound of cold blade broke through the void. A white shadow flashed past visibly with extreme speed, but was accurately captured by Jiang Chen and Big Yellow. The only pity was that the white shadow didn’t stay in their hands and disappeared once more.

Jiang Chen frowned. Just as he was frowning, a white shadow re-emerged and halted stealthily in front of him. Jiang Chen quickly lifted his head and saw a man standing before him. His face was ghastly pale, and was plastered with a ferocious smile. His hair was scattered. Both of his eyes were empty. And there was a large hole in his chest, indicating that his heart had been dug out.

*Hiss…*

Jiang Chen felt numbness over his scalp and gasped. Despite his composure, he couldn’t help being startled by such a sudden encounter.

Jiang Chen flashed and came to Big Yellow’s side. “What’s this thing? Where did it come from? My divine sense has enshrouded this valley, but discovered nothing of such.”

He was shocked. He was incomparably confident in his own senses, but he couldn’t determine where this white shadow had come beforehand.

“He’s wearing the uniform of Genius Prefecture. He should be a genius of Genius Prefecture who had died here, and his heart was dug out. No. He seems to have some vital force in his body, but he’s obviously dead. It might be due to some kind of powerful technique that created this living dead and was only supported by its last trace of vital force, however this man is already dead. All of his will has vanished, he’s now like a walking-corpse, similar to a puppet.”

Big Yellow spoke, then studied the origin of this white shadow and found out that he was a living corpse created by someone. It had a similar nature as a puppet.

“Sure enough, this is a strange place. There’s actually a walking corpse here.”

Jiang Chen’s eyes sparkled, but this dead man didn’t concern him. The combat strength of this living corpse was merely at the intermediate Immortal King realm.

*Ka Cha!*

The living corpse flashed, stretched out its withered hands which then turned into sharp claws and thrust at Jiang Chen. The corpse’s movement was very fast, as though it had been controlled by some kind of force, appearing before Jiang Chen in a blink. The target of the sharp claws was very obvious – Jiang Chen’s heart.

“Courting death.”

Jiang Chen’s Qi fluctuated. Instantly, he struck out a punch at an even faster speed, smas.h.i.+ng the corpse’s head. The skull of the corpse couldn’t resist the enormous force, and was crushed to pieces.

However, despite its head being smashed to pieces, it could still fight. Its sharp claws continued to advance towards Jiang Chen.

“Humph! A living corpse, I will now turn you into a real corpse.”

Jiang Chen harrumphed coldly, and immediately struck out another punch. The power of this punch was incomparably fierce. It ruthlessly ripped the living corpse to pieces. Then, he released his flames, burning the pieces of the corpse to ashes.

In the following time, Jiang Chen and Big Yellow were on heightened alert, waiting for the other living corpses to appear, but to their disappointment, the courtyard had remained silent for the entire night. There was no sign of a living corpse anymore. It made Jiang Chen wonder why there was only one living corpse here.

“For Heaven’s Sake! Was this living corpse the strange thing they had been talking about?” Big Yellow said in frustration.

“Impossible. As you can see, the living corpse yesterday was wearing the uniform of Genius Prefecture and was clearly refined by someone; it had already lost its heart. However, it still had some extent of power after its death. There must be some kind of mysterious force that is controlling all of these. Since the establishment of Genius Prefecture, there must be more than one disciple who died here. I’m sure there are other living corpse around. Last night was merely the beginning,” Jiang Chen said.

“If what you said is true, what is it that is controlling all of these? And why did that disciple lost his heart?” Big Yellow speculated with a frown.

“These has to be some kind of big secret in this valley. I would like to see what exactly is existing in this place. Stay alert at all times. I estimate that something will happen at any time. If there’s some kind of power controlling these things secretly, then we are now the target of that power,” Jiang Chen said.

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