Chapter 290: Evil Corpse Hunter

“Old Huang... is this man... a lunatic?”

Someone inside felt it was absurd and incomprehensible. On such a rainy night, dark, wet, slippery, and cold outside, he just took a bandit and left.

“Yes, why didn't you call him back?”

Huang Zhixian looked at the few people around him. They had also seen Ji Yuan leave just now. From their expressions, he knew he hadn't been mistaken.

“By the time we wanted to call him, he was already out of sight. In any case, let's be careful tonight.”

He had intended to put the yellow paper in his hand into his pocket, but realizing he was already wet and there were fires nearby, he found nowhere to put it and could only hold it.

The main door of the house was closed. Regardless of whether the gentleman at the door had been speaking nonsense, it at least succeeded in making everyone more cautious.

In the rainy night, Ji Yuan grabbed Bazi's collar and moved with incredible speed, as if shrinking the ground beneath him.

The bandit, who had initially been yelling and demanding to return, was now speechless.

Stepping from inside to outside, it was so dark he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. But amidst the “rumbling” thunder, lightning illuminated the earth.

In this brief flash of light, Bazi saw the surroundings rapidly receding. The desolate village had already been left far behind, even though they had only just come out. Logically, they should not have left the village yet.

Bazi then looked at the refined gentleman holding him and realized that the other person seemed to be merely strolling, not even running, yet Bazi himself was so buffeted by the wind he could barely speak.

Bazi shivered a few times, unsure if it was from shock or cold. However, this seemed to catch Ji Yuan's attention, as within a few breaths, Bazi clearly felt his clothes miraculously become dry.

Only then did he belatedly realize that although the strong wind was still blowing in his face, no more raindrops were hitting him.

“Watch the lightning to discern the path. We'll go to the place where you just fought. Is the direction correct?”

Ji Yuan's voice came from beside him. In this world enveloped by heavy rain, aside from the lack of color, everything was far clearer to him than on a clear day. Even the footprints left by the martial artists on the ground earlier were remarkably distinct.

Asking now was merely for confirmation.

“No, that's right. There's a dirt slope ahead; we'll need to turn a corner there.”

Bazi dared not fuss or make noise anymore. He suddenly felt that what this person had said earlier might all be true, and being with him might even be safer than staying in the desolate village.

The two moved with extreme speed. Soon, Ji Yuan had already crossed the dirt slope Bazi mentioned, then confirmed a direction and headed straight for it.

A moment later, they returned to the battlefield where the martial artists and bandits had fought, and they saw the bodies strewn across the ground.

“Looks like this is the place!”

Ji Yuan muttered to himself, took a breath, endured the foul smell, and approached the densest pile of bodies. Without needing to investigate much, he followed a particular aura and directly found the neck of one of the corpses.

“Rumble...”

Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky. In Bazi's sight, there was a gruesome bite mark on the corpse's neck, nearly a quarter of its neck gnawed off.

“Oh my...!”

Bazi cried out, trembling in fear.

“The bodies have no essence or blood left. Hmm, these are the same, but some over there still have blood, meaning they died in combat. This thing prefers to attack living people, sucking out their essence and blood along with their three souls and seven spirits.”

The more Ji Yuan spoke, the more terrified Bazi became. However, Ji Yuan was not concerned with the bandit's feelings at the moment; his gaze was fixed on the bodies of the bandits who had died in combat.

Several new souls, looking bewildered, lingered around the corpses, seemingly with no underworld emissaries coming to collect them, truly becoming lonely wandering spirits.

“Let's go. To your stronghold. Point the way.”

“Th-this way!”

Bazi suppressed his fear and pointed in the direction the bandits had left earlier. Ji Yuan listened quietly for a moment, discerning the trail of a large group of people.

“Alright, stay alert. Don't point us the wrong way. Let's go.”

Ji Yuan took a step, carrying Bazi, and pursued them at an even faster pace than before.

The bandits had clearly not returned directly to their stronghold; they would have detoured through places like riverbeds and other areas that could erase their tracks. But with a guide now, Ji Yuan naturally took the shortest route.

As they traveled, Ji Yuan also questioned Bazi about the size of the bandit stronghold and the total number of people there, among other basic information.

Judging by the remaining aura, it seemed that all the injured bandits had died from the same malevolent entity, which looked somewhat like a zombie.

This creature was extremely bloodthirsty, sucking out all the vital essence and blood from a person. Since the deceased had no blood or vitality, it was naturally impossible for them to become zombies. But this level of bloodthirst was excessive. Did it intend to drain a stronghold of hundreds of people by itself?

On Mount Ainanshan stood Nanwang Stronghold. When a few bandits first named it Nanwang Stronghold, it was an arrogant declaration, aiming to be recognized as local kings in the vast Nanyuan Province.

And they certainly had the right to be arrogant. They now commanded four to five hundred hardened bandits, many of whom were even army deserters. Even the second-in-command of the stronghold was a former military officer.

Although Mount Ainanshan, where the stronghold was located, had the character 'ai' (short/low) in its name, its paths were exceptionally rugged. The stronghold was built on a rocky ridge, surrounded by treacherous terrain, and the mountain pass leading to it was narrow and long, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The group of bandits who had attacked the dozen martial artists earlier were precisely these hardened bandits from Nanwang Stronghold.

Over half an hour ago, these exhausted bandits had returned here. Many quickly filled their bellies and then fell asleep in their shelters.

While Ji Yuan carried Bazi and hurried along, inside a hall in Nanwang Stronghold, unlike the men outside who had gone to bed early, the six leaders and some minor chieftains of the stronghold were gathered, feasting and drinking heartily.

Mutton and stew, baked flatbreads and turbid wine—the group ate and drank with great merriment, their shouts and cheers ceaseless.

“Ah! If only we had captured those women, tonight would have been truly enjoyable. Damn bad luck, running into that evil creature!”

Hearing the Third Leader complain, the First Leader, seated at the head, couldn't help but ask.

“Third Brother, what kind of evil creature did you actually encounter?”

The Fifth Leader, who had gone with him, took a gulp of wine and quickly replied.

“Big Brother, you didn't see it. When Third Brother called me and Second Brother over, we checked the bodies of our comrades. Every single one had been bitten on the neck, and two of the marks were exceptionally deep, piercing directly through the jugular veins of those poor fellows.”

“That's right, and they all died silently, which was chilling to witness. I also examined some bodies; they all had claw marks, and around some, there were signs of struggle on the ground. In short, they were held down by something incredibly strong and gnawed to death.”

The Third Leader added.

“All the blood in the bodies was drained; they died from having their blood sucked dry.”

“Hiss...”

Many of the chieftains who hadn't participated in the ambush gasped, finding it extremely eerie.

“So we retreated, leaving those martial artists there. Though beauty and gold are good, one must be alive to enjoy them!”

The First Leader raised his wine bowl and clinked it with a few of his brothers.

“Well said! Come, come, drink up!”

“Drink, drink!” “Yes, drink up!”

Amidst the lively conversation, a minor chieftain, having drunk too much, needed to relieve himself and went outside to urinate.

It was still raining outside. Opening the hall door and stepping out, he shivered as the cold wind blew over him.

In such heavy rain, it wasn't convenient to go too far, so he bypassed the main entrance of the stronghold hall, walked along the eaves to the back, and then unfastened his trousers to relieve himself.

After a stream of water, his body suddenly shivered a few times, signaling he was done.

“Phew... March is still cold.”

At that moment, lightning flashed, accompanied by a roaring thunder.

“Rumble...”

The brief flash of lightning illuminated the stronghold, causing the minor chieftain, who was tying his pants, to suddenly see someone holding another person outside a distant shed.

The person being held was twitching, their feet off the ground, a chilling sight.

'What's happening over there?'

As he wondered, another “rumbling” flash of lightning lit up. When the minor chieftain turned, he suddenly saw a bulge in the ground rapidly moving towards him from the side.

“What is that?”

“Thump...”

Two clawed hands suddenly shot out of the ground and grabbed his feet.

“Ah... urgh...”

A sharp scream began but abruptly cut off, though it still managed to produce a sound.

Inside the stronghold hall, the chieftains drinking and eating all stopped their movements. Their martial arts skills were not low; while other minor chieftains might not have heard, they clearly distinguished the terrified scream.

“Quiet!”

At the First Leader's shout, the stronghold hall instantly became silent. For a moment, only the sound of wind and rain outside, and the occasional thunder, could be heard. This silence exuded an unsettling feeling.

“You, you, and you—go outside and check!”

The Third Leader immediately pointed at a few men near the door. They exchanged glances, grabbed their weapons, opened the door, and went out.

Watching them leave, it seemed there was no danger, but soon three brief sounds were heard.

“Ah...” “Ugh...” “Clang...”

“Bang...”

One side of the stronghold hall's wall was also heavily struck by something.

“No good! Danger! Brothers, prepare yourselves...”

“Boom...” “Boom...”

The main gate and a section of the hall's curtain wall were directly blown open, creating two large holes. Looking through the firelight, two or three ragged figures stood at each opening.

“Who's there!?”

“Watch the ground!” “Ah...”

Several chieftains employed their movement techniques to escape, while amidst the screams of their comrades, two holes burst open in the ground, and from them emerged two terrifying, brownish, monstrous figures.

One of them swung its hand, and with a “thud,” directly decapitated a minor chieftain.

Seeing blood spray wildly, the two monsters immediately darted to the headless body, embracing it and gnawing at the bloody neck.

The Third Leader, feeling a chill run through him, roared.

“Damn it, those filthy things followed us to the stronghold! If we don't fight to the death today, we're all doomed!”

The noise attracted the evil creatures from outside, and one by one, they darted in, reaching the bandits in a single, flying leap.

“Fight for your lives!” “Kill them...”

“Swoosh...” “Clang...”

The First Leader saw a monster rushing towards him, moving too fast to even discern clearly. Without time to think, he channeled all his inner energy and powerfully swung his ring-pommel saber forward.

“Clang...”

Sparks flew before his eyes, his hand went numb, yet he couldn't cut into the creature's body. And the monster didn't stop.

“Bang...”

The First Leader was directly slammed with immense force, and a pair of sharp claws dug into his back, while a large maw closed in on his shoulder and neck.

“Ahhhhhh!” “Crash...”

The monster, still holding the First Leader, crashed directly through the back wall of the stronghold hall and out, demonstrating its immense strength.