134: One hour early

The battle with the sword-wielding woman, Ikusa, the leader of the Mist Origin Sect, and his own sect leader was completely different from anything he had seen so far.

This battle actually reminded him of the half-dozen people fighting the tiger monster in the South Continent a long time ago.

However, he didn't think it was the same as that.

The woman's skin wasn't blue at all, so Ning wondered if she had already lost everything. She looked around with a hint of desperation in her eyes, then suddenly clasped her hands together and did something.

All the women and corpses below lost their Corpse Qi, and as it flew towards the woman, her skin became bluer than anything he had seen so far.

It was almost as if she had regained her full power again.

"Damn it."

* * * One hour earlier * * *

Ikusa and Kaezir rushed towards the City. They flew over the walls.

"Everyone, go down and help those people," Kaezir commanded those who were still staring blankly at the screams and flames.

They quickly nodded and then left.

"What is that?" Ikusa asked, seeing people being attacked by others. Kaezir looked at the attacker and took out his bow and arrow. He pierced the attacker's thigh with an arrow, pinning the attacker to the ground.

"Let's go ask him," Kaezir said, flying down.

"Let's go ask him," Kaezir said, flying down.

However, when they finally found the man, they realized how bad his condition was. Rotting skin, body parts that looked like they were decaying, almost no hair on the front—the man's condition was worse than any patient Kaezir had seen in the guild.

"Old man, what's wrong with him?" Ikusa asked.

"I don't know. This is the first time I've seen someone like this," Kaezir said.

Ikusa bent down and looked at the groaning man. "Old man, I don't think his heart is beating. I think he's already dead," he said, then grabbed his wrist to feel for a pulse.

"Yes, I was right. He has no heartbeat. He's basically a walking corpse," Ikusa said. Suddenly, a sharp pain appeared in his left hand. It began to rot, just like the man's skin.

However, he was not discouraged.

"Heal," Ikusa said, and suddenly, the Rainbow Phoenix spewed out a burst of fire, engulfing his entire left arm. Within seconds, his hand returned to normal.

"A walking corpse... could this person be affected by Corpse Qi?" Kaezir said.

"What is Corpse Qi?" Ikusa asked.

"One of the most heinous and evil forms of Qi.

According to records, Corpse Qi can only be created after a massive amount of death. Whoever is doing this must have killed a lot of people," Kaezir said.

Suddenly, a woman appeared before them. A person whose skin was always blue, she looked at the two with delight.

"Another corpse?" Ikusa asked.

"I don't think so. It looks like she's more like the culprit," Kaezir said as he watched. "Young lady, are you the one using Corpse Qi?" he asked.

"Oh, this Old man knows about Corpse Qi? I thought only our sect leader did," she said.

"Sect leader?" Only then did Kaezir focus on her robe. Its color was different from before, but the design and emblem were still there. "Hawk Sect? Since when did the Hawk Sect know how to use Corpse Qi?" Kaezir asked.

"Stop asking so many questions, Old man," the woman said, launching a sword attack.

Kaezir retaliated with only one hand, adopting a half-prayer stance and saying, "Amitabha." A golden ring started from his feet and spread upwards, cleansing everything. When it finally reached the woman, it suddenly pushed the Corpse Qi out of her as well, returning her skin to normal.

"Burn her," Ikusa said. Suddenly, the Rainbow Phoenix opened its mouth and unleashed flames, burning the woman alive.

In an instant, the woman turned into cinders.

Kaezir turned around and looked at the corpse. The man's corpse was also cleansed, now just an ordinary corpse.

"What was that, Old man? I don't think I've ever seen any of you use that technique," Ikusa asked.

"This is a technique written in our Buddhist scriptures. It is a perfect counter to all kinds of evil Qi and cultivators. We don't allow anyone to know about its existence, let alone teach them it. Even within our sect, only a dozen people know," Kaezir said.

"Well, I guess it's time for you guys to show your hand," Ikusa said. He looked at where the woman had stood and said, "What is Ulkai doing? Why is she attacking this City?"

"Old man, we must rely on your Buddhist techniques now. See how useful they are," Ikusa said.

"I'm afraid that's impossible. I could only get rid of the Corpse Qi on that lady because she was weak. If I happen to encounter someone at my level, or God forbid, above me. I would have a hard time defending myself," Kaezir said.

"Well, enough talk, let's go there. I've been feeling an ominous presence from that place for a while now," Ikusa said.

Kaezir looked to the side. He could feel it too. "Let's hurry. I think my son is fighting right now, and I doubt he can defeat them alone. Hopefully, the elders have gotten off their lazy asses and started helping everyone," Kaezir said.

They immediately flew up and went to the City center.

Along the way, Ikusa had his Rainbow Phoenix kill a bunch of zombies and blue-skinned women, but he couldn't waste time on these weaklings.

As a sect leader, he needed to find the most authoritative person behind these attacks, and that was Ulkai, the sect leader of the Hawk Sect.