Chapter 17: Corpse-driving and the “ghost axe”

Wang Sandong was becoming more and more experienced at killing.

But his experience in disposing of bodies was nonexistent.

After thinking it over, Wang Sandong sent Wang Tong out of the mansion to visit Fengyue Tower.

Yuan Di seemed very skilled at handling corpses.

Soon, Yuan Di arrived.

Glancing at Mr. Yi’s corpse on the ground, Yuan Di’s elegant brows furrowed as she sighed.

“A legendary physician, dead just like that. Truly… sigh, it’s a pity. His medical skills have been lost to the world.”

After saying that, she crouched down, raised her palm, and pressed it against the crown of the corpse’s head.

Wisps of Demonic Qi seeped from between her fair, slender fingers, drifting away like green smoke.

Wang Sandong’s heart tightened as he watched, assuming she was using the Demonic Qi to destroy the evidence.

But in the next instant, the limbs of the corpse on the ground jerked violently.

Caught off guard, Wang Sandong recoiled so hard he nearly fell on his backside.

“Whoa! What the hell is that!”

His face turned deathly pale.

Yuan Di said, “For the newly dead, the brain isn’t completely gone yet. It can be used a little.”

As she spoke, she withdrew her hand.

A cloud of black energy hovered over the corpse’s head.

The black energy lingered for a moment before finding the corpse’s closed eyes and seeping in through the corners.

Once the Demonic Qi vanished from the forehead, those eyes suddenly snapped open.

Then, the corpse sat straight up.

Wang Sandong’s eyes widened in shock, and he scrambled backward.

‘This… is this… Corpse Driving?’

It was said that long ago, there was a demonic monster who particularly enjoyed using corpses to refine demonic artifacts.

Because he was notorious and constantly hunted, he had to hide everywhere.

To make transporting his “raw materials” easier, he had a stroke of genius and created the “Corpse Driving” method.

The technique Yuan Di was currently using was clearly Corpse Driving.

‘It’s actually real.’

Wang Sandong had originally thought such ridiculous rumors were fake.

“Want to learn?”

Yuan Di asked.

At that moment, the corpse stood up on its own, picked up the medical chest from the ground, and slung it over its shoulder.

It walked out without looking left or right, looking almost as if it were alive.

Wang Tong, who had just hurried back from outside, was completely stunned when he saw the “living” Mr. Yi.

“M-M-Mr. Yi, you… you…”

Mr. Yi didn’t stop.

He turned his head to look at Wang Tong, and the corners of his mouth curled into a stiff, eerie smile.

Wang Tong watched Mr. Yi walk away, standing there like a wooden chicken.

He then ran to Wang Sandong and asked, “Young Master, Mr. Yi… he’s not dead?”

Wang Sandong glanced at Wang Tong but ignored him.

He looked back at Yuan Di, swallowed hard, and said, “As they say, you can never have too many skills. In case I kill someone else in the future and need to move the body, I won’t have to trouble you again.”

Yuan Di smiled.

“True.”

The method of Corpse Driving was not complicated.

Yuan Di recited the mantra, and Wang Sandong memorized it silently.

Once he fully understood the technique, he was actually a bit disappointed.

As it turned out, Corpse Driving had major limitations.

It required a fresh corpse, could only be used for a very short duration over a short distance, and the corpse could not be manipulated as freely as a living person.

What bothered Wang Sandong the most was that after being subjected to Corpse Driving, the corpse’s brains would be turned into mush by the “churning” of the Demonic Qi.

It was very cruel.

But…

‘I’ll learn it first and see.’

‘Just in case I kill someone else in the future…’

‘Moving the body would be convenient.’

Wang Sandong comforted himself inwardly, then remembered something else.

“Even if your cultivation is peak-level, sneaking in every time is quite a hassle. It will be even harder once my grandfather returns.”

Yuan Di pursed her lips and smiled.

“And?”

“How about this? Next time, you can pretend to be a girl from Fengyue Tower. Just say the Young Master wants to hear some music…”

As Wang Sandong spoke, he narrowed his eyes, putting on a lecherous, mischievous expression.

A flash of disdain crossed Yuan Di’s eyes.

She clearly looked down on Wang Sandong’s vulgarity—even though he might have been using that tone and attitude to calm his turbulent emotions.

After a brief hesitation, Yuan Di said, “That is also an option.”

The mischief on Wang Sandong’s face immediately turned into disappointment.

The fact that Yuan Di calmly accepted his “bad idea” made it feel boring.

He dazed for a moment, shaking his leg as he tried to find a topic of conversation.

“Oh, right. The matter regarding the Disciple of the Demon Emperor—is it resolved?”

Yuan Di shook her head.

“That isn’t something you should worry about.”

“Fine. Then… please do me a small favor.”

Wang Sandong thought of something serious.

“What?”

“Help me kill someone.”

“Kill them yourself,” Yuan Di refused flatly.

“Solve your own problems. Don’t always rely on others.”

Wang Sandong gave a bitter smile.

“I can’t beat him. It’s the Old Steward of my house, Chen Youde. That old boy’s strength doesn’t seem weak. But for you, it would be a piece of cake.”

“Don’t flatter me.”

A mocking smile played on Yuan Di’s face.

“I am not your hired thug.”

After saying that, she simply walked away.

“Hey, you—”

Wang Sandong called out, but he saw that Yuan Di was ignoring him completely.

“You’re going the wrong way! The door is to the right!”

Even though he knew Yuan Di wouldn’t use the front door, Wang Sandong still gave the redundant reminder and added a hypocritical pleasantry.

“Since you’re already here, why don’t you stay for dinner before you go?”

The sun was harsh and the sky was bright—blindingly so.

The playful expression on Wang Sandong’s face faded.

He closed his eyes and slumped into his chair, looking utterly exhausted.

His body was tired, and his heart was tired.

The kind, smiling face of the Old Steward, Chen Youde, appeared in his mind.

In a daze, it felt as if he had returned to yesterday.

This was a memory that originally belonged to Mr. Yi, but now belonged to Wang Sandong.

—

The fragrance of the Tianjue Flower permeated the steward’s courtyard.

Even with the door closed, one could still smell it.

Chen Youde personally served tea to “Wang Sandong.”

“Wang Sandong” ignored the tea and simply stared coldly at Chen Youde.

“Others may not know of your past deeds, Senior, but I have heard a thing or two.”

Chen Youde replied with a smile, “I heard you are a disciple of the ‘Rejuvenating Hand’.”

The Rejuvenating Hand of the Southern Border was the universally acknowledged number one physician in the world.

Before “Wang Sandong” could respond, Chen Youde gave a bitter smile.

“As the saying goes, a thief cannot hide from his neighbors. Heh, what does your master think of this old man?”

“Wang Sandong” frowned, hesitating slightly before replying, “Comparable to a Demonic Cultivator.”

“Ha!”

Chen Youde laughed.

“That master of yours loves to talk about a physician’s benevolent heart. Heh, completely pedantic! In my opinion, one should use any means necessary when dealing with Demonic Cultivators. You must be ruthless! Otherwise, how are you any different from the culprit?”

As he spoke, his previously kind and gentle expression vanished, replaced by a look of sinister cruelty.

In his view, indulgence or tolerance toward demons was equivalent to being the culprit himself.

“Wang Sandong” sighed softly.

“Talking is useless. I didn’t come here to discuss these things with you. I just want to know… what are your designs for the Third Young Master?”

Chen Youde didn’t reply immediately.

Instead, he picked up his teacup to taste the tea.

“Wang Sandong” frowned, his gaze falling on the cup.

Only then did “she” notice that the tea leaves in the cup appeared to be petals of the Tianjue Flower.

Putting down the cup, Chen Youde asked “Wang Sandong” in return, “In this world, what kind of person cannot be corroded by Demonic Qi?”

“Wang Sandong” hesitated for a moment.

“A Demonic Cultivator.”

“Can one be a Demonic Cultivator without a Spiritual Root?”

“No.”

“Then do you think…”

Chen Youde smiled.

“Is it possible that the Third Young Master has obtained some miraculous Demonic Arts that allow cultivation without a Spiritual Root?”

“Wang Sandong” shook his head and replied cautiously, “There should be no such technique in this world.”

“Not necessarily. The world is vast, and there are many wonders.”

“Wang Sandong” remained silent.

Chen Youde laughed loudly and added, “Or perhaps… the Third Young Master possesses a ‘Natural Demonic Body’.”

A Natural Demonic Body was a constitution that was naturally immune to the corrosion of Demonic Qi.

Legend had it that both the Demon Sovereign and Yuan Di possessed Natural Demonic Bodies.

“Wang Sandong” frowned and stared at Chen Youde.

The happier Chen Youde laughed, the more “she” felt a chill down her spine.

Chen Youde sighed with a smile, looking at “Wang Sandong.”

“Whether it is a Natural Demonic Body or a Demonic Art practiced without a Spiritual Root… the Third Young Master’s body is excellent raw material. If meticulously refined and supplemented with abundant Demonic Qi, it could be forged into a supreme divine weapon!”

“Wang Sandong” wasn’t particularly surprised.

It wasn’t strange for Chen Youde to have such thoughts.

Otherwise, his master wouldn’t have said, “‘Ghost Axe’ is a man comparable to a Demonic Cultivator.”

Chen Youde’s title was Ghost Axe.

“Wang Sandong” took a deep breath.

“It seems you are somewhat lacking in strength and need an assistant.”

Otherwise, he would never have revealed these thoughts.

Hearing this, Chen Youde stopped smiling and looked at “Wang Sandong” solemnly.

“Mr. Yi is correct. 18 years ago, I met with an accident and suffered injuries that I have yet to recover from. To create a divine weapon, I need your help.”

“Treating a living person as raw material for forging, causing his soul to never perish while being eternally imprisoned in purgatory…”

“Wang Sandong’s” hands were trembling, and “her” voice shook.

“She” glared at Chen Youde and questioned, “Senior, how is your behavior any different from a Demonic Cultivator’s?”

Chen Youde replied loudly, “I intend to use the way of the demon to return the body of a demon!”

“The Demonic Cultivators are already wiped out! The few remnants will eventually vanish! Why go so far…”

“Naive!”

Chen Youde interrupted “Wang Sandong.”

“The plague of the Demonic Cultivators…”

—

A blanket was draped over his body, interrupting Wang Sandong’s “memory.”

Opening his eyes, he saw Wang Tong.

Wang Tong thought Wang Sandong had fallen asleep and was worried he would catch a cold, so he had carefully brought a blanket, yet he still “woke” him.

“Young Master,” Wang Tong said softly.

“Go back to your room and rest.”

Wang Sandong didn’t reply.

He just stared blankly at the bright, dazzling sky outside the door.

After a long time, he whispered, “Mr. Yi…”

He hesitated.

Only two lines of clear tears slid down his cheeks.

***

That night.

The Old Capital heard the grim news.

The famous physician, Mr. Yi, had passed away.

The body would lie in state for 7 days before the funeral.

On that day, all the celebrities of the Old Capital were present.

The terminally ill Third Young Master of the Wang Mansion, Wang Sandong, performed the rites of a “disciple” to see Mr. Yi off.

Rumors circulated in the streets that the Third Young Master had spent many years with Mr. Yi and had received much of his true teachings, so it was only proper for him to see him off as a disciple.

Others said that Wang Sandong was a man of great loyalty and felt indebted to Mr. Yi for caring for him for 16 years, viewing him as a second father.

Because the Wang Family’s status was too high, it would have been improper for him to perform the rites of a “son,” so he performed those of a “disciple” instead.

Praised by the commoners as “loyal and righteous,” Wang Sandong immediately went to Fengyue Tower for entertainment after Mr. Yi’s funeral.

With a face full of contempt, Yuan Di mocked him.

“Killing someone and then going to their funeral to mourn. You really are… a true role model for our kind.”

Wang Sandong was in a bad mood and had no interest in idle chatter with Yuan Di.

He had even less interest in explaining why he went to mourn after killing Mr. Yi.

He had come to Yuan Di to ask a serious question.

“I am now at Grade 3 cultivation. What are my chances of success against ‘Ghost Axe’?”

“Already Grade 3? That’s quite fast.”

Yuan Di smiled, though her face didn’t look as surprised as her voice suggested.

“From here on out, your cultivation progress will slow down significantly.”

Wang Sandong’s brows slumped as he pressed, “So, no chance?”

“None.”

“Ghost Axe shouldn’t be in his peak state right now.”

“Even then, there is absolutely no chance.”

Yuan Di chuckled and added, “Even if ‘Ghost Axe’ is like Mr. Yi and only excels at his craft rather than combat.”

After saying that, she tossed the book in her hand over.

“One should avoid arrogance and impetuousness in cultivation; do not let your state of mind be disturbed. Reading more books is good for the body and soul.”

Wang Sandong frowned and glanced at the book on the table.

*A Collection of Graceful Lyrics*?

Ha!

What refined tastes she had.

” I’m quite curious.”

Yuan Di arched an eyebrow and asked, “How did that Old Steward of yours offend you? Is it absolutely necessary to kill him? If you really can’t do it, let your father handle it. Your father may be mediocre, but he’s just barely enough to deal with ‘Ghost Axe’.”

Wang Sandong was stumped by the question.

After a brief thought, Wang Sandong replied, “That old geezer is bad news! I had my eye on a maidservant, and before I could make my move, he beat me to it. Tell me, doesn’t that Old Bogey deserve to die?”

“Old Bogey?”

“It’s shorthand for ‘Old’ and ‘First to get there’.”

Yuan Di gave a forced smile, though it was unclear if she believed his nonsense.

She waved him away dismissively.

“Get out of here. Don’t bother me unless you have something important.”

“Help me kill ‘Ghost Axe,’ and I’ll—”

“Handle your own business. You need to develop good habits.”