Qiao’er was already hauling her fourth bucket of water. The drought was growing more severe by the day; the earth was parched and cracked, and the crops had long since withered away. The remaining livestock—cattle and sheep that had yet to be slaughtered—lay listlessly in their pens, so emaciated they were little more than bags of bones.
The demand for fresh water was increasing. For now, by relying on the zombies and the shrimp and crab spirits, they could still guarantee drinking water for the residents, but if this continued, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Large numbers of refugees began fleeing to other regions. The Green-Eyed Zombie was still sulking in his coffin, acting like a spoiled child, and Qiao’er was at her wit's end.
When Tusu, the King of the Underworld, visited again, the Green-Eyed Zombie was in the small log cabin practicing his calligraphy. He wrote a beautiful hand of *Zanhua* small regular script, identical to Qiao’er’s own handwriting.
“I wonder how the Progenitor of Zombies has considered my proposal?”
The Green-Eyed Zombie looked up at him. “I must draw a clear line between myself and Guantian Court.”
He had thought it through carefully. If he broke ties with Guantian Court now, the sect would naturally remain safe if he succeeded in the future. Even if he unfortunately failed, Guantian Court would not be affected in the slightest.
Tusu was a clever man and naturally understood his meaning. “That should be easy enough to achieve. Women are most prone to jealousy. You need only find a lovely creature to lie in bed with, and then...”
***
That night, the Green-Eyed Zombie spent a long time whispering into the ear of a certain skeleton.
As a result, when Qiao’er returned to the cabin in the latter half of the night, she found the Red-Eyed Zombie and the Green-Eyed Zombie lying together in the coffin. Qiao’er couldn't quite process the scene; after all, she couldn't figure out if two zombies—especially two male zombies—were even capable of having an affair.
Seeing her return, the Green-Eyed Zombie pulled the Red-Eyed Zombie even closer. “From now on, I’m staying with him. He is my own kind!”
The Red-Eyed Zombie allowed himself to be held, his red eyes darting here and there. Qiao’er narrowed her eyes at them. “What kind of madness are you up to now?”
Seeing that she didn't seem particularly angry, the Green-Eyed Zombie hastily took a "bite" out of the Red-Eyed Zombie’s face. “You’re not allowed to sleep in here! I’m sleeping with him tonight! I like him, I don’t like you!”
Qiao’er stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him for a long while. Finally, she snatched a piece of yellow paper from the table, used her finger as a brush to dip into the cinnabar, and drew a Demon-Trapping Talisman. She then flipped the coffin lid up, slapped the talisman onto it, and slammed it shut with a resounding *thud*, sealing it tight.
She turned and headed for the rear hall. A moment later, the Taoists of the Hao family came rushing over. When they pried open the coffin lid and saw the two zombies lying side-by-side, their faces turned green with rage.
Hao Ren was especially incensed, his hair practically standing on end. “You bold zombie! How dare you defile my innocent and pure ancestor?!” Before his voice even faded, the Taoist talisman in his hand transformed into a fireball, slamming squarely into the Green-Eyed Zombie.
Mere Taoist arts naturally couldn't harm the Green-Eyed Zombie, but they did leave his clothes in tatters and his hair scorched black. After Hao Ren had coaxed and tricked his ancestor into leaving, Qiao’er finally sat down beside the Green-Eyed Zombie.
“What are you trying to do?” For the first time, she bravely looked him straight in the eye. That pool of emerald green swirled with varying depths, like an endless dream. “Tell me, what is it you want to do? If you want to leave me, you can just go. You run fast anyway; I wouldn't be able to catch you.”
The Green-Eyed Zombie lowered his head, bashfully fiddling with the hem of his robe. After a long silence, he finally said, “I’m planning to leave here for a while. You want me gone anyway.”
Qiao’er leaned her head against his chest. His heartbeat was strong and powerful, yet he acted like a timid young bride. It took a long time before Qiao’er spoke again. “Where do you want to go?”
The Green-Eyed Zombie stroked her hair. “To a friend’s place. It’s very far from here. If I take the four *Ba* with me, it will be able to rain here.”
Qiao’er didn't look up at him. After a long pause, she asked in a muffled voice, “Did you deliberately try to make me angry because you were leaving?”
The Green-Eyed Zombie didn't answer her, and Qiao’er didn't press him. She tilted her head up and lightly kissed his chin. “Go then.”
That night, the Green-Eyed Zombie left Guantian Court with the four *Ba*. Qiao’er saw them down the mountain, having packed a few changes of clothes for each of them. The Hao family Taoists were originally reluctant to let their "pure" ancestor leave with the Green-Eyed Zombie, but with the drought as it was, everyone knew what had to be done.
No matter how far one escorts a departing friend, there must eventually be a farewell. Qiao’er stopped her pace at the edge of Guantian Court. “Take good care of yourself. If you ever get a craving, come back, and I’ll make you something delicious.”
The Green-Eyed Zombie looked at her very seriously for a long time before touching her face. “Don’t be sad.”
Qiao’er shook her head with a smile. “I’m not sad. I’ll wait for you here.”
And so, the Green-Eyed Zombie turned and departed.
The *Ba* were all very fast, and in the blink of an eye, they had vanished into the night sky. A farewell is often nothing more than an added weight of sorrow. Taoist Hao Ren stood behind Qiao’er, and seeing her still staring blankly into the distance, he couldn't help but sigh. “Cry if you want to.”
Qiao’er turned to look at him, still wearing a faint smile. “I won’t cry. Because if I cry, he will think I’m not happy.”
After the four *Ba* and the Green-Eyed Zombie left, Qiao’er began setting up an altar to pray for rain. The local spiritual energy desperately needed replenishment. She borrowed spiritual energy from a distant sacred mountain and sent the shrimp and crab spirits to the sea to plead with the Dragon King.
Rain began to fall around Guantian Court the very next morning. The heavy downpour moistened the earth and irrigated the fields. Qiao’er took a *hu* of pearls to exchange for money, then rode the Ghost Carriage to fertile regions to buy grain seeds, preventing the great drought from affecting the spring planting.
Without the Green-Eyed Zombie and the four *Ba*, the surrounding spiritual energy was replenished and gradually became abundant again. The zombies of Guantian Court continued their daily lessons. They now understood much about human habits and could communicate in human speech, though they still frequently made mistakes when writing.
These days, they no longer had to haul water. Though they had free time, Guantian Court felt much lonelier. It was only five zombies missing, yet it felt as though the entire group was no longer whole.
Qiao’er stayed in the small log cabin for a while. Without the Green-Eyed Zombie, the room was exceptionally quiet; she had never known that one could hear the sound of the tides rising and falling from within the cabin. She lay in the empty coffin for a bit, and after she had finished reminiscing about the Green-Eyed Zombie’s past, she started wondering what he was doing now.
Seeing that she really couldn't sleep, Qiao’er took some wine to visit Fan Shaohuang. He was in good spirits within the array, his soul gradually becoming a solid entity. Seeing Qiao’er arrive, he sat upright on his prayer mat and spoke after a long silence. “What do you wish to ask?”
Qiao’er poured the wine onto the ground, her voice laced with resentment. “There was something wrong with that zombie-mending recipe you gave last time.”
Fan Shaohuang was not surprised to hear this. “It was originally intended to fuse his blood with that of a *Ba*. Since he inherited the power of a *Ba*, he naturally has to bear the turbid energy within her.”
Qiao’er threw the wine jug aside, truly angry. “But you didn't mention that at the start!”
The corners of Fan Shaohuang’s mouth curled slightly. “*Immeasurable Life and Fortune*. This humble Taoist thought you all knew.”
Qiao’er sat on a rock outside the array with her arms around her knees. The mountain breeze blew past, lifting her black hair; she was as silent as a stone statue. Fan Shaohuang lightly flicked the stone wall beside him with his finger, and the wall emitted a crisp, pleasant sound in harmony with the sea breeze. Qiao’er was shocked by his level of cultivation; as a reincarnation of the God Race, his abilities were indeed extraordinary.
Fan Shaohuang naturally noticed her gaze, but his voice remained indifferent. “Any more questions? This humble Taoist is fated to be your teacher for several years; feel free to ask about anything you don't understand.”
Qiao’er had already stopped trusting him. “What’s the use of asking? If I ask, you won't say. If you say something, you don't say what needs to be said. If you say what needs to be said, you don't explain it clearly. If you explain it clearly, you lie to me. If you lie to me, you won't admit it. And if you don't admit it, you just keep lying. Until we are on the same side, I don't want to ask you anything else.”
Fan Shaohuang drank his wine while lightly flicking the stone wall. He was clearly in a good mood, and his voice carried a hint of a smile. “We can never be on the same side. What you and I seek are as different as heaven and earth, or clouds and mud.”
***
The Green-Eyed Zombie was at Tusu’s residence. It was located deep within a mountain, the entrance hidden beneath a very secret rock that was extremely difficult to detect. Tusu’s plan was simple: contact all the dark races in the mortal realm currently affected by turbid energy, then find a time to break the seal on the Demon Path to release all the imprisoned demons. Afterward, they would establish their own kingdom somewhere to gather strength and challenge the God Realm.
The Green-Eyed Zombie felt nothing toward these plans for the time being. His only goal was to avoid being sent to the Demon Path so he could stay in the mortal realm to accompany Qiao’er. Even if he only stayed until she achieved immortality and ascended, he would be able to leave with a peaceful mind. If he left now, there was no guarantee that Qiao’er wouldn't be bullied.
During the day, the Green-Eyed Zombie couldn't sleep even though he had a coffin. With the sun shining outside, he naturally couldn't go out. Fortunately, the depths of this mountain remained dark year-round, so dark one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face, allowing him to feel more at ease.
Because they had arrived in a hurry, Tusu only had time to have his subordinates prepare a coffin for the Green-Eyed Zombie. The coffins for the other four *Ba* would have to be bought at night. Thus, during the day, they had to share a communal bed. The four *Ba* hadn't had coffins when they were at the bottom of the sea near Guantian Court, but they were all tall and large. The Red-Eyed Zombie, in particular, was a restless sleeper; he kicked the two Ancient Cave Zombies off the platform four times in a single night. A zombie’s body is stiff and heavy, and every time one fell, a sound of cracking bones echoed from below.
The Red-Clad Zombie, sleeping at the other end of the platform, avoided the tragedy of being flung off. The Red-Eyed Zombie, however, slept soundly and comfortably. He was currently telling the two Ancient Cave Zombies about a dream he had where he was eating crunchy beans. The Red-Clad Zombie felt something was wrong and looked down, only to discover she was missing a pinky toe on her left foot.
...= =!
While the Red-Eyed Zombie was being chased and beaten by the Red-Clad Zombie, Tusu arrived. He had received a report from his skeleton soldiers stating that six or seven of them had met a tragic end last night, their bodies smashed to pieces, and he had come to investigate.
There were no signs of an enemy intrusion in the entire stone room. There were only piles of bone fragments beneath the stone bed. The Red-Eyed Zombie was still celebrating their luck. “Fortunately, the thief last night only killed some skeletons. To think they crept right up to our bed—how bold!”
The two Ancient Cave Zombies looked at him with grim expressions but said nothing. Tusu was also very puzzled. This was his secret grotto from before he was driven into the Demon Path, and he had placed restrictions outside; he would certainly know if an intruder entered.
He pondered for a long time, and finally, one day, he couldn't help but ask the Green-Eyed Zombie indirectly:
“Progenitor of Zombies... you zombies... don't gnaw on bones, do you?”
...= =!
***
