In the depths of a harsh winter, the road construction did not halt due to the bitter weather. During the day, the village provided labor, and at night, the zombies and minor demons of Guantian Court continued the work. Fearing they might get distracted by play or be captured by wandering Taoists, Qiao’er kept watch over the stone-paved road every night. With her level of cultivation, she no longer feared the cold, yet the green-eyed zombie still worried. He would always wrap her up as tightly as a rice dumpling.
The red-eyed zombie acted as the overseer, strutting back and forth among the busy crowd with a small leather whip, putting on airs. He was desperately looking for a slacker to give a couple of lashes to, but unfortunately, everyone found the work quite fun. They worked with such fervor that he couldn't find a single one rolling around in idleness.
The village had professional stonemasons who came to polish the stone slabs whenever they were free. After a few days, all the zombies had learned how to hew stone, and their craftsmanship was surprisingly decent.
Such a massive commotion naturally could not be hidden from Fan Shaojing. However, building bridges and paving roads were great acts of merit. Although he did not wish to see Guantian Court grow stronger, he was even less willing to delay the progress of such a project. Consequently, he only sent a few Taoists to monitor them in secret without interfering.
Rumors that Perfected Gongxi of Guantian Court could command "yin soldiers" began to spread quietly among the common folk. Guantian Court started to receive a few scattered offerings of incense, though those who came were mostly people in desperate trouble, turning to any doctor they could find in their extremity. The average commoner was still reluctant to associate with them. When people cannot distinguish between a ghost and a god, most choose to keep a respectful distance.
Snow was rare in this coastal town, but the climate was peculiar this year, and a heavy snowfall arrived in the dead of winter. The zombies of Guantian Court were delighted, rolling in the snow and building snowmen at night. Seeing them so happy, Qiao’er gave them a night off. Classes were canceled, and the Taoists of the Hao family accompanied them as they played freely on the beach.
The green-eyed zombie held Qiao’er as they sat on a rock on the mountain behind Guantian Court. The snow fell heavily; looking down from a distance, the entire beach shimmered with the reflected light of the accumulation.
Qiao’er huddled in his arms and spoke to him. "Do you remember the first winter we spent together?"
He took her hand, which she had reached out of her wrappings, and tucked it against his chest. It took him a long moment to translate her words, and after another period of thought, he asked, "Winter?"
Qiao’er took the opportunity to educate him. "Yes. A year is divided into four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In spring, plants sprout and the weather is warm. In summer, the weather is hot and plants begin to bear fruit. In autumn, the weather turns cool and the fruit ripens. And winter is what we have now..."
The green-eyed zombie reached out and caught a handful of snow. He was trying to get used to perceiving the world so tangibly. Qiao’er tilted her head up to nibble on his chin. "Hou, do you like it?"
The snow in his hand melted into water from his body heat, dripping through the gaps in his fingers. He looked at his hand; the cracks in his skin showed no signs of healing, but beneath that ice-shattered skin, his blood was flowing. He could hear his own heartbeat; he could feel his own pulse.
He was alive, finally fulfilling the long-cherished wish of several millennia. He could perceive the world's heat and cold, taste the bitter, spicy, sour, and sweet, and use human language.
"I like it." He lowered his head, letting Qiao’er nibble his chin. The words "I like it" melted into the cold winter night, carrying a heavy, metallic resonance amidst the rustling snow. "It is just that... this appearance is truly hideous."
At those words, Qiao’er grew indignant. "Who says you aren't good-looking?"
The green-eyed zombie said gloomily, "The crabs said so."
"Don't listen to them, they're just gossips! Tomorrow, I'll stew them all in a pot!"
"Gui Che said it too!"
"Fine! Tomorrow's breakfast will be stir-fried Gui Che with crab!"
Just then, Gui Che poked its heads out from behind a rock, all nine of them wearing expressions of fury. "Too despicable! Boss, you were actually eavesdropping on us?!"
The following day was the end of the month. Guantian Court organized a meeting for all the zombies, shrimps, and crabs to criticize and punish any violations of discipline that occurred during the month, while also commending those who had been law-abiding.
The two zombies from the ancient cave had consistently performed well. Having spent so much time in a cave, cultivation had become their primary way to pass the time, so they were diligent and hardworking. Furthermore, they were always proactive, rushing to do the dirty and heavy work during the road construction. Qiao’er gave each of them a small bag of incense and two sets of clothes. The two of them held the clothes up to themselves, bubbling with joy.
The female zombie in red was also doing well. Although she was only a "leaping zombie," she had not been a zombie for long, and achieving such a level was rare. Moreover, she was usually sensible and never caused trouble with the red-eyed zombie. Qiao’er liked her quite a bit and made her another set of red clothes.
She was not particularly overjoyed. She was a very proud zombie who only worshipped power; previously, she wouldn't even get close to the green-eyed zombie. Even now, she only submitted to him; toward Qiao’er, she remained distant and cold.
After the commendations were finished, most of the zombies were very happy, except for the red-eyed zombie, who looked as miserable as if his parents had died—he had received a basket of eggs.
When the meeting concluded, the green-eyed zombie suddenly appeared. Using the zombie tongue, he summoned the two cave zombies and the red-clothed female zombie before him, bestowing a single drop of zombie blood upon each.
The crimson droplets, radiating a dark, eerie light, sank into the bodies of the three zombies. The wind and snow abruptly stopped as clouds converged and the sky changed color.
That single drop of primordial zombie blood instantly elevated the cultivation of the three zombies to the level of "Flying Zombies" and beyond. People who had never seen the Zombie Ancestor called zombies of this caliber "Ba."
They once believed this was the strongest a zombie could become.
The next day, Hao Ren, the patriarch of the Hao family, sought out Qiao’er. After hesitating for a long time, Qiao’er finally set down her book. "Daoist Hao, if you have something to say, please speak freely."
Only then did Hao Ren speak, his face flushing. "Perfected Gongxi, you see... although our ancestor is a bit playful, he is still quite... quite..." He racked his brain for a long time but couldn't find a single merit for the red-eyed zombie. In his desperation, he blurted out, "He's quite cute, isn't he?"
Qiao’er burst out laughing. "Mhm, he's alright."
Hao Ren finally gathered his courage. "Perfected Gongxi, regarding Hou's zombie blood... could you help ask for a drop for our ancestor? He is currently... well, you've seen him. There's no telling when he might be captured by a Taoist. In short, if you can help, the descendants of the Hao family will be eternally grateful for your kindness."
The Hao family were honest people. As soon as he finished speaking, he prepared to kneel before Qiao’er. She quickly stopped him. "This isn't a difficult matter. I shall agree to it."
Sure enough, that evening, while Hao Ren was teaching the zombies, the green-eyed zombie arrived. He pricked his index finger, intending to give the red-eyed zombie a drop of blood. Unexpectedly, the red-eyed zombie shrieked and ran away—he thought that receiving the blood would make him as ugly as a Ba or Hou.
Upon learning the truth, the green-eyed zombie was furious. "Zombies, catch that red-eyed one for me and disfigure him!!"
The strange phenomena in the sky over Guantian Court alarmed many within the Taoist sects. Fan Shaojing soon learned the details from Fan Shaohuang. Despite his usual composure, a look of astonishment appeared on his face. "What is he trying to do, directly elevating four Ba?"
Fan Shaohuang, however, was indifferent. "What's there to be surprised about with four Ba? It wouldn't matter if he elevated forty."
Fan Shaojing threw another small pebble at him. "Junior Brother, what time do you think it is to be joking? A catastrophe for all living beings is approaching; the Taoist sects are in peril."
"Hypocrite," Fan Shaohuang snorted coldly. "You know perfectly well that four Ba are nothing to worry about."
Fan Shaojing couldn't help but throw another pebble. "Nothing to worry about? My dear Junior Brother, do you still think you are the ancient War God, Yinglong? You are now nothing more than a soul that has lost its body! But then again, you're right; to you, they truly are nothing to worry about." He then smiled. "If the time comes when Hou wishes to destroy heaven and earth, I will simply hide inside this formation and squeeze in with you. Though it isn't as free as the outside, it is a safe haven."
Thinking this way, the new Great Sect Leader of Cuiwei Mountain was no longer in a hurry. He brushed off his robes and left. Within the formation, Fan Shaohuang remained silent for a long while before murmuring, "Hypocrite... truly a total hypocrite..."
***
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Lover's Tears: The End of Time | Chapter 40 | The Ancestor's Gift | Novela.app | Novela.app
