As the zombie tide approached Qian Ji Pavilion, Rong Zhi heard distant screams, the clash of armor, and the guards’ panicked shouts. Some rushed to investigate, others to report. The once formidable security had become lax.
Chen An and Rong Zhi didn't get closer, instead leaping onto a tree to observe.
From afar, they saw guards running towards the zombies, weapons raised threateningly. Yet, amidst the crowd, there were panicked cries, unbefitting disciplined guards.
It was understandable; in the dead of night, facing such a terrifying scene, simply holding their weapons was commendable.
As guards of Qian Ji Pavilion, they quickly devised a strategy, splitting into groups to charge from the middle, scattering the zombie horde, and engaging them in battle.
Swords clashed against bone, making grating sounds. Though the guards were skilled, they were overwhelmed by the ever-increasing number of zombies.
Rong Zhi rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating. The ground seemed to crack open, revealing skeletal remains.
New corpses were crawling out of the earth, joining the zombie ranks.
As time passed, the guards began to tire. Cries for help echoed, and more guards emerged from Qian Ji Pavilion.
Rong Zhi was astonished by the sheer number of guards within the pavilion, suspecting even the imperial palace wasn't as heavily guarded.
In the darkness, near the main entrance of Qian Ji Pavilion, a figure stood out. Dressed in a drab, dusty robe, with messy hair, he was remarkably composed, unlike anyone else.
He seemed unaffected by the commotion, observing everything as if it were a mere spectacle.
Despite his beggar-like appearance, the words "immortal grace and ancient virtue" sprang to Rong Zhi's mind.
"Is that... the Grand Tutor?"
Rong Zhi pointed. Upon seeing the man, Chen An's expression darkened, his face a mask of complex emotions.
"Yes!" he replied, his voice low and devoid of its usual cheerfulness, tinged with a subtle, hidden hatred.
However, Rong Zhi was too focused on the Grand Tutor's movements to notice the change in Chen An's tone.
"He's coming. Quick, give me the medicine!"
Rong Zhi urged. Chen An handed her a small vial. Without a word, Rong Zhi smeared it all over her face, chest, and arms—any exposed skin.
The moment it touched her skin, a foul stench emanated from her, her complexion turning an unnatural dark red and deathly gray, resembling a corpse days from decay.
In the dead of night, the figure by Qian Ji Pavilion drifted closer.
He truly seemed to float. Though his gait was that of walking, each step landed on the ground as lightly as a dragonfly's touch, covering several yards in an instant.
His movement bore a strange resemblance to Rong Zhi's Qinggong, but hers was light and silent like a butterfly's flight, while the Grand Tutor's steps seemed to carry immense pressure.
As the Grand Tutor approached, Rong Zhi, using the moonlight, glimpsed his face. It was that of a young man in his early twenties, his face exuding a wild untamed spirit against the backdrop of his white hair.
Rong Zhi was amazed. The Grand Tutor had to be at least fifty, yet he looked so young. Did he possess the secret to eternal life?
The Grand Tutor reached the zombie horde, frowned, surveyed the scene, and then leaped into the air. With his toes tapping rhythmically on the ground, he traced a peculiar pattern. He then weaved through the zombies, each seemingly casual step laden with hidden intent.
He was drawing a formation! A vast formation capable of containing all the zombies.
The formation was large and intricate, yet he completed it within the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.
Then, he shouted, "Retreat!" All the Qian Ji Pavilion guards withdrew, leaving only the zombie horde trapped within the formation.
The Grand Tutor raised his hand, rapidly forming several hand seals, and slammed his palm onto the ground.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Rong Zhi saw a fleeting golden light appear in the Grand Tutor's palm.
In the next moment, the chaotic zombie tide fell silent, collapsing one after another.
A pale-faced guard exclaimed, "Grand Tutor, all these corpses look identical!"
The Grand Tutor waved his hand. "Drag them back and dispose of them as we did last time. Not a word of this must leak."
"Yes..." Even the leader of the Qian Ji Pavilion guards' voice trembled slightly.
The overwhelming zombie tide had piled up here, forming a mountain of corpses. Guards brought flatbed carts, beginning to load the bodies.
Just then, the Grand Tutor's gaze fell upon the tree where Rong Zhi was hiding.
Rong Zhi felt a gust of wind beside her. Chen An, who had been hiding with her moments before, had vanished.
She held her breath, closed her eyes, leaned back, and with a thud, fell to the ground.
Footsteps landed before her. Rong Zhi felt someone tugging at her clothes.
A remarkably young voice asked, "Is it zombie qi? How can someone infected with zombie qi climb a tree?"
The voice was filled with surprise. Then came rustling sounds. Rong Zhi caught the scent of medicine. Hands were prying her mouth open.
Seizing the opportunity, Rong Zhi pinpointed the attacker's location. With a flick of her finger, the hand at her mouth froze, followed by a muffled thud.
Opening her eyes, she saw the Grand Tutor, who had appeared so ethereal moments before, now lying on the ground.
The principle of simplicity—who would have thought the Grand Tutor, capable of controlling the entire zombie horde, could be knocked out by a single cup of Drunken Celestial?
She glanced around. The guards were still busy moving corpses, paying no attention to this corner. Without hesitation, she hoisted the Grand Tutor onto her shoulder and ran!
Chen An, observing from the shadows, was dumbfounded. "Wait for me! I haven't caught up yet!"
Along the way, Rong Zhi's heart pounded with excitement. She was getting closer. The questions that had puzzled her, the hidden truths, were about to be revealed!
With this thought, she felt the person on her shoulder was even more crucial. She couldn't let him escape; she needed to find a secure place.
Finally, Rong Zhi reached the outskirts of the city and tied the Grand Tutor to a tree.
Earlier, when Chen An had trapped the zombies here, he had used a lot of red rope. Now that the zombies had all gone to Qian Ji Pavilion, these ropes were no longer needed. Rong Zhi wound them around and around, binding the Grand Tutor like a zongzi.
She considered it insufficient and promptly sealed several of his vital acupoints, rendering him unable to use his internal energy or move.
Still not feeling secure, she pulled out a soft muscle powder from her embrace and administered it to him.
Having done all this, Rong Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't escape now, could he?
It was time for interrogation.
Rong Zhi took out the antidote for the Drunken Celestial and fed it to him.
Thus, when Chen An arrived, he saw a zongzi-like figure tied to a tree. The man, now limp, slowly came to. He looked at Rong Zhi with a look of horror.
"What do you want? Robbery or something worse?" His gaze fixed on Rong Zhi's face. "Oh my!" he exclaimed. "Young lady, I'm not one to say this, but I tried to help you, so why are you pretending to be like this to deceive me!"
Rong Zhi eyed him warily.
She had heard of this Grand Tutor in her previous life. Though they hadn't interacted much, she knew he wasn't to be trifled with.
However, judging by his current state, he didn't seem to be planning an escape.
She didn't hide her intentions. "If I didn't pretend to be sick, how could I have lured you out? I have something to ask you. Answer my questions, and I'll let you go."
Cheng Yichen shook his head. "I'm not talking about that, young lady. I mean your disguise. If you wanted my help, why didn't you show me your true face?"
"Disguise?" Chen An beside her was greatly surprised.
"Eh? You don't know? This face is clearly fake. Young lady, this is unfair. You can deceive me, but why deceive your friend?"
In the next moment, Chen An's displeased gaze fell upon Rong Zhi.
Rong Zhi thought, this old man is truly cunning, trying to sow discord right from the start.
She turned to Chen An. "Ignore him. Don't forget why we're here."
Chen An smacked his own head, almost having been led astray.
He approached Cheng Yichen. "Grand Tutor, do you know who I am?"
Cheng Yichen lifted his eyelids, his gaze falling on Chen An's face. A flicker of confusion appeared in his eyes, and he shook his head. "No."
As expected, Chen An cleared his throat and explained, "My father is the Grand Tutor Chen Qingyun."
"Chen Qingyun? Not familiar?" Cheng Yichen weakly shook his head.
Chen An's expression suddenly changed. "Not familiar? How is that possible? When you were at your peak, my father often visited Qian Ji Pavilion. I went too, and you even said I showed great talent."
Cheng Yichen's eyes showed a hint of thought upon hearing this, but he eventually shook his head.
"Forgot."
"You!" Chen An stopped himself from saying more. His eyes darted around, and he then said, "What about that major event 13 years ago? You must remember that, right?"
"What event?" Cheng Yichen asked, looking bewildered.
Rong Zhi listened from the side, feeling completely confused.
The major event 13 years ago...
13 years ago was the very day she had come back to life.
Could Chen An be referring to that?
But judging by Cheng Yichen's demeanor, he truly seemed to remember nothing.
Chen An was about to ask more when Cheng Yichen suddenly said weakly, "I can't hold on. I'm dizzy. Let me down quickly."
As he spoke, his head drooped, his white hair swaying in the night wind like dandelion seeds. He looked genuinely weak.
Rong Zhi remained still.
He was the Grand Tutor of Tian Que Kingdom. He wouldn't collapse after being tied up for just a while. He must be playing a trick.
Chen An thought the same.
In his memory, the Grand Tutor was a stern individual, completely unlike the childlike old man before him.
Cheng Yichen had tried to drive a wedge between them as soon as he met Rong Zhi, proving he was a cunning man. They couldn't let their guard down.
Neither of them moved to untie him. Unexpectedly, Cheng Yichen's breathing grew weaker, and he suddenly closed his eyes, becoming still.
Rong Zhi cautiously stepped forward to check his pulse. Her expression suddenly stiffened. She untied all the ropes binding him, laid him flat on the ground, released his acupoints, and administered an antidote.
After a while, Cheng Yichen slowly woke up.
Checking his pulse, he was weak, extremely weak.
Recalling the majestic figure who had dealt with the zombie horde just moments ago, Rong Zhi couldn't reconcile that image with the person before her.
Chen An tilted his head, looking at Cheng Yichen, equally perplexed.
"Aren't you the Grand Tutor? Why are you so weak?"
Cheng Yichen coughed a few times, his eyes filled with a weariness of life.
"The Grand Tutor is only skilled in Xuan arts, not martial arts. You tied me so tightly, I almost suffocated!"
He then began to gasp for air.
Rong Zhi squatted beside him, scratching her head.
This Grand Tutor... seemed rather different from her expectations.