Without a doubt, Lian Feng was exceedingly wealthy. His attire alone cost no less than twenty thousand, and he even covered the cost of their plane tickets from Xi'an to Kunming. For those like them—cultivators detached from the mundane world—money held little meaning. During the few days spent together, Liu Lei learned that Lian Feng had already lived for seven hundred years—otherwise, his cultivation would not have granted him the status of an elder in the Sect—though he appeared to be no older than thirty. "Then, doesn't that mean he could sell any of the scrap metal, broken tiles, or porcelain pieces from his earlier days for a fortune? No wonder those who live so long are all rich beyond measure, spending lavishly on things like castles just to look cool." Liu Lei mused. Then, with a thought, "Will I one day be able to buy a castle like them? Oh, a medieval fortress, with a noble Bloodline aristocrat living inside... How wonderful..." In an instant, everything around him appeared to be piles of money.
Lian Feng guided Liu Lei from Kunming, winding through the roads to a small town at the foot of Mount Diancang. After getting out of the car, they found a small inn and checked in. Once their things were settled, Lian Feng said, "Rest for a while; we'll head up the mountain tonight."
Mount Diancang, named for its verdant peaks, was once known as Xiong Cang Mountain or Zhan Cang Mountain. It formed the main peak of the southernmost part of the Yunling mountain range, composed of nineteen summits stretching from north to south. Most of them stood at over 3,500 meters, with the highest peak reaching 4,122 meters, covered in snow year-round, earning it the name "Snow Unyielding Under the Scorching Sun." The main temple of the Western Yunnan Sect also resided here, though its thousand-year-old protective barriers made it nearly impossible for outsiders to access.
It was the height of summer, with long days and short nights. Darkness only fell at around eight in the evening, and after waiting for another hour, at about nine o'clock, Lian Feng nudged Liu Lei, who was in a state of heightened energy, both physically and mentally, and motioned toward the mountain. The town, being close to the mountain, was bustling with tourists, though it was still lively at night. Lian Feng, pulling Liu Lei along, made his way up the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, they encountered several groups of nighttime hikers. Lian Feng led Liu Lei along the lesser-known trails. Both of their physical capabilities far exceeded those of ordinary people, and within half an hour, they had reached the depths of the mountain, where human presence was sparse.
Lian Feng glanced around and said, "We're here." With that, he grabbed Liu Lei and, channeling his true essence, lifted off the ground, soaring through the air like a heavenly steed galloping across the vast darkness that enveloped the mountains.
Liu Lei, lifted in the air, felt the wind howl past his ears, shadows darting around him at lightning speed. As a newly turned vampire, he had never experienced such speed. His breath became strained, but the superior physical condition of a vampire soon allowed him to acclimate to the sensation, and he found himself enjoying the exhilarating rush.
After half an hour of frenzied flight, Lian Feng gently lowered Liu Lei into a valley and said, "We've arrived." Liu Lei stood firm and looked around. The surroundings were vast and desolate, the mountains rising and falling in the dark, seemingly devoid of life. "Where are we? There's nothing here."
Lian Feng didn't answer immediately. Instead, he spread his palm and a flash of green light shot out from his hand. The light enveloped the peaks on either side of the valley, causing them to slowly shift apart, revealing a new peak rising from the ground.
Liu Lei stared in amazement as the mountain before him steadily ascended, eventually piercing the clouds. In the world of cultivation, each sect would hide their mountain gates behind some form of restriction to avoid worldly interference—otherwise, sects claiming to be detached from the mundane would have been overwhelmed long ago. However, few sects used grand techniques like the "Moving Mountains and Filling Seas" formation, which concealed their gates in such a monumental manner. The greater the power of the formation, the more energy it required to maintain. The Western Yunnan Sect, with its immense strength, cared little for the energy expenditure required to sustain such an immense formation.
Lian Feng understood Liu Lei's astonishment, recalling his own first experience with the sect. He couldn't help but wonder how his master was faring in the Celestial Realm. After the green light dissipated, Lian Feng's suit transformed into a blue Daoist robe, and he tied his ponytail into a bun, securing it with a wooden hairpin. Then, he took Liu Lei's wrist and floated towards the newly revealed peak.
At the mountainside entrance, two young disciples in ancient robes bowed respectfully to Lian Feng. "Master's uncle returns to the mountain." Lian Feng nodded in acknowledgment and led Liu Lei through the gate.
Ahead, a spacious plaza lay before them, its ground paved with smooth, polished stones, worn by the passage of time. At the center was a raised platform, suspended in midair like a balloon, five meters above the ground. Looking beyond the plaza, Liu Lei saw rows of green-brick roofs stretching up the mountain, a continuous line that reached the very peak. Despite the dark night, the creatures of the mountain had no trouble seeing.
The Sect's main temple had been established over millennia, covering the entire mountain. The Elder's Hall, where the sect's elders resided, was at the summit. It was called a "hall," but in reality, it was a large courtyard with individual chambers for each elder. As an elder of the Sect, Lian Feng had his own quarters.
"The Sect consists of five halls and eighteen sub-branches, with twenty-three branch leaders, all formidable cultivators. Below the Sect Leader, there are also four generals and ten underworld kings whose cultivation is no less than mine," Lian Feng explained as they walked. "There are seventeen elders in total, each of us as powerful as the next. As for the Sect Leader, Xuanyuan, he's probably reached the level of a semi-immortal. I'm no match for him. There are also some hidden powers in the Sect—our Sect has battled against the righteous path for ten thousand years, standing against the thirteen major sects. Without strength, how could we survive?" Lian Feng continued, giving Liu Lei an overview of the Sect.
"The two disciples at the mountain gate are from my younger generation," Lian Feng continued. "Let me think… Their strength is about that of a vampire Marquis, the third generation, which is relatively weak." Liu Lei was startled: Marquis? In a small family, they could become leaders, but here they could only guard the gate? What would the rank of a prince be in this place? He realized that even if he became a Zombie King, he would still be a rookie here, perhaps nothing more than a fledgling vampire, stripped of any real power. The thought of his earlier promise, "I'll help if the Sect is in danger," suddenly sent a cold sweat running down his spine.
Lian Feng led Liu Lei to his quarters, where two young Daoist disciples stood guard. These were the youngest of Lian Feng's seventeen disciples, while the other fifteen had already left to further their cultivation. They remained behind to look after their master. When they returned to the Sect, the Sect Leader, Xuanyuan, was out, so Liu Lei's formal introduction was postponed. Lian Feng instructed the disciples to prepare accommodations for Liu Lei and then ordered one of the Sect members to catch a few wild animals for his night meal.
"Rest for now. We'll take care of things tomorrow."
The disciple soon returned, having caught two wild deer, whose blood was far purer than any domestic livestock from the village.
The next day, a young Daoist came to wake Liu Lei. After washing up and drinking some unknown animal's blood prepared by the disciples, Liu Lei followed the young disciple to the central hall, where Lian Feng awaited him. Lian Feng gestured to a seat, instructing the disciple to leave before saying, "Starting today, we'll begin your cultivation as a Zombie King. But since you're a vampire, your meridians should be quite different from those of humans, so we'll need to study them further. I hope there won't be any issues."
Liu Lei responded casually, "Do as you see fit. Since I've come with you, I trust you to help me become a Zombie King."
Lian Feng nodded. "Good. The cultivation of a Zombie King involves both internal and external practices. I have a heart technique here, a secret art passed down through our Sect for a thousand years. This is for internal cultivation. For the next six months, you'll soak in medicinal fluids during the day, absorbing the energy of the moonlight at night. On each full moon, I will use golden needles to stimulate your acupoints and reverse your blood flow. This is the external cultivation."
Lian Feng taught Liu Lei the heart technique and then led him to the medicinal pool—a four-meter-square basin filled with swirling blue flames. The black medicinal liquid bubbled within, occasionally releasing mysterious herbs. Liu Lei looked at the scene with unease and asked, "Boss, you're going to make me soak in this?"
"Yes."
"Ah!" Liu Lei screamed in terror. "You want me to bathe in this boiling water?"
Lian Feng, unfazed, reassured him, "It's fine, it's fine. Don't forget, you're a vampire. This amount of heat is nothing for you…"
"But this isn't just hot water. It's boiling!" Liu Lei protested.
Lian Feng rolled his eyes, no longer bothering to explain. He grabbed Liu Lei by the neck and tossed him into the pool.
"Aaaah!" Liu Lei's scream echoed across the valley.
After soaking for a day, Lian Feng pulled Liu Lei out of the medicinal pool at dusk and tossed him onto a bed. Although his skin was burned, Liu Lei had continued cultivating the heart technique Lian Feng had taught him. He could already feel the power surging within him, though his body ached as if cut by knives. He dared not move, testing the effects of his immersion in the medicinal pool.
Vampires indeed had far superior physiques. The heart technique Lian Feng had given him allowed Liu Lei to run nineteen meridians, compared to the six meridians ordinary humans could cultivate. This made Liu Lei's energy absorption rate three times faster than normal.
As he lay in the bed, Liu Lei remembered he had promised to call his parents. He asked Lian Feng for a phone and made a call home. Phones had no signal in the area, and Lian Feng's phone, treated with special modifications, could only make calls but not receive them. Liu Lei explained to his parents that he was working in the wild and that he would only be able to call them from time to time, assuring them he would call whenever possible.
That evening, Liu Lei sat cross-legged atop the mountain, channeling his heart technique. The nineteen meridians activated simultaneously, drawing in the moon's cool energy. The energy, mingling with the power he had absorbed in the medicinal pool during the day, fused rapidly, growing exponentially. The silver light of the moon swirled around Liu Lei's body, and he sat like a lunar deity, his presence captivating.
Lian Feng, watching from a distance, couldn't help but sigh. "A vampire Zombie King, his future is limitless. Just seeing how effortlessly he can form a moon-based energy field while cultivating, the Sect might one day need his help."
Under the moonlight, Liu Lei suddenly felt a shift within him, and his demon wings unfurled. The moonlight poured over them, causing them to absorb energy like solar panels. The vast power surged back into his body. Liu Lei urged his heart technique to its maximum, rapidly refining the moon's energy.
Lian Feng, watching from afar, smiled wryly, thinking, "Clever boy, but I wonder if this will be dangerous. Looks like I'll need to keep a closer eye on him."