Chapter Fifty-Five: Neither Dead Nor Alive

As they approached the side chamber, a chilling air seeped through the door’s cracks, mingled with the heavy stench of decay, sending shivers down their spines. When Wen Meng pushed open the door, it creaked ominously, as if heralding the start of a horror film.

Within the dim room, a ragged specter was bound to the central pillar by several iron chains, motionless, as though it were already dead. Its face was twisted and grotesque, unrecognizable from its former life, the skin tinged faintly green and covered in pustules; the aura it emitted was not strong, but dense and persistent.

The three men stood a dozen meters away, yet the creature sensed the presence of the living. Its eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing blood-red pupils that fixed on them, brimming with murderous intent.

“It is indeed a White Zombie, but…” Taoist Hou’s expression was grave, his right hand gripping his whisk tightly, his brows furrowed as if he could crush a mosquito between them.

“But what?” Wen Meng pressed, unfamiliar with zombies but sensing that this evil thing’s presence far exceeded ordinary vengeful ghosts.

Taoist Hou felt a cold chill rising from his spine. “Zombies usually only form after the soul dissipates post-mortem, and shouldn’t bear such heavy resentment. Yet this White Zombie is the exact opposite. Could it be that it turned after barely half a day since death?”

Wen Meng, whose impression was deepest, watched the zombie—though only an hour had passed since last seeing it, new changes had arisen, and the parts of its body characteristic of a Green Zombie were growing.

“It’s true. Dead for only two or three days, transformed from living to dead, then to a Purple Zombie; by the time I arrived at Panshan Temple, it was White, and now it’s not far from Green.”

He turned to Zhou Bai. “What do you think?”

“If left unchecked, chaos will surely erupt. Let us slay this monster first.”

Through Zhou Bai’s Yin-Yang eyes, he could see the zombie’s aura shifting every moment—indeed, it was close to becoming a Green Zombie. As soon as night fell, it would likely complete its transformation.

“Agreed, no time to delay.” Wen Meng nodded, pulling out his compass, as he had set an array in this side chamber.

However, during the day, the abundance of yang energy suppressed the zombie, so he had not activated the spirit array—only at night would it be used.

“Wait. Let me test it first,” Taoist Hou said, suddenly serious, blocking the other two.

Seeing Zhou Bai gripping his cleaver, Taoist Hou hurriedly pulled out a yellow pouch about the size of a fist.

“I have a feeling this isn’t a typical zombie. I’ve seen at least seven or eight of these creatures, but this one is entirely different.”

Zhou Bai and Wen Meng exchanged glances, then stood by Taoist Hou and advanced toward the zombie together.

As they drew closer, the zombie began to stir, its eyes locked on them. The chains rattled as it strained to break free.

“Even if it’s a Green Zombie, in the daylight its power is reduced by seventy or eighty percent,” Taoist Hou explained while opening the yellow pouch, revealing a handful of aged glutinous rice.

“Glutinous rice is the bane of zombies.”

He grabbed a handful and flung it at the creature, the grains pelting down like rain, but only a few actually landed on the zombie.

Taoist Hou looked embarrassed, his old face flushed. Zhou Bai quickly snatched the remaining rice from him.

“You’re quite a watered-down Taoist,” Zhou Bai remarked disdainfully, placing the rice in his palm and tossing it directly at the zombie’s face; most landed in its mouth.

The zombie’s expression remained unchanged, its aura growing denser. As its mouth opened and closed, the rice fell to the floor.

“That shouldn’t happen,” Taoist Hou muttered, scratching his head. “Could it be because the rice is aged?”

“Why not buy fresh rice?” Wen Meng asked, exasperated.

Taoist Hou coughed lightly. “I didn’t buy it—it was a gift.”

“If it’s free, it’s not worth much,” Zhou Bai said, gripping his cleaver in both hands, his gaze fixed on the zombie’s neck, aiming to sever its head in one blow.

Wen Meng asked, “Are you going to kill it now?”

“Let’s do it.”

With that, Zhou Bai charged forward, his blade scraping the floor with a menacing hiss.

He drew within half a meter of the zombie when a sudden change occurred.

First, a guttural moan: “Money… bring it…”

The zombie, as if provoked, flew into a frenzy, lowering its head and biting the chain binding it.

Teeth scraped against metal with a piercing screech, and in only a few breaths, the chains snapped.

Wen Meng jumped in fright, but recovered quickly, channeling yin energy into his compass, activating the spirit array within the room.

To better control the array, he retreated outside.

Lines glowing with yellow light appeared beneath their feet, and the temperature in the room surged.

The array, infused with yang fire, was deadly to zombies—just a touch would inflict massive wounds.

Yet, astonishingly, the zombie merely sizzled in the yang fire, the effect barely noticeable.

Breaking free from its chains, it lunged at Zhou Bai, its face contorted, saliva dripping from its jaws.

Zhou Bai was ready. His cleaver poised, he swung for the creature’s neck.

The blade struck the zombie’s tough skin, sinking only two fingers’ width before halting.

Zhou Bai frowned. Even lesser monsters had suffered grievous wounds beneath his blade, but this zombie’s flesh felt like solid stone.

He yanked the cleaver back, and a shriveled claw left a shallow mark across his chest.

Instead of retreating, Zhou Bai pressed forward, swinging at the zombie’s shoulder with greater force, reserving some strength to recover his blade.

The zombie, unfazed by his attack, lacking intelligence, opened its mouth and spat a cloud of corpse poison at Zhou Bai.

Forced onto the defensive, Zhou Bai leaned back to evade the poison, bracing his hands on the ground to kick the zombie away.

“Good heavens!”

Caught off guard, Taoist Hou watched as the zombie hurtled toward him. Seeing the decaying creature, he hastily produced a black donkey hoof and shoved it into its mouth.

The zombie began chewing instinctively, showing no discomfort, and soon reduced the hoof to fragments.

At this, Taoist Hou finally understood: this creature was not a normal zombie. Not only were glutinous rice and black donkey hoof ineffective, even yang fire barely harmed it.