The earth-shattering tremor clearly indicated an enormous entity had arrived.
Even more terrifying, everyone present, possessing cultivation, sensed a potent aura of deathly miasma!
Longhu Mountain immediately entered a state of alert, disciples brandishing their cherished magical artifacts, ready to face the threat. Guests, too, wore solemn expressions, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Such heavy deathly miasma, it must be more than one zombie. Could someone be raising corpses within Longhu Mountain?"
"Is it possible the Zombie King has awakened?"
"Could it be a Han Ba?"
"Impossible, a Han Ba's appearance brings drought. If it were a Han Ba, none of us would survive!"
"What kind of monster is it!!"
Everyone was filled with apprehension.
Suddenly, a roar erupted from the depths of the mountain forest, and a figure as large as a small mountain leaped out!
Its speed unabated, it charged forward over a hundred meters, then executed a triple jump. The final leap carried it directly over the heads of the onlookers, landing with perfect steadiness on the Myriad Laws Altar!
Only then did everyone clearly discern its appearance.
It was a giant, standing a full five meters tall, with three heads and six arms. Its skin was a deep grey, like poured concrete, its muscles bulging, veins and arteries incredibly prominent!
"Is that a zombie?!"
"That's clearly a monster!"
"Everyone look closely, that monster is carrying a corpse. It must have just killed someone!"
Just as everyone was about to take action against this monster, Luo Ning suddenly appeared beside it.
Zhang Shanli quickly shouted, "Young lady, be careful! This monster is not to be trifled with!"
Everyone expected Luo Ning to be torn to shreds by the monster, but reality unfolded differently than they imagined.
Luo Ning extended her hand, and the monster knelt before her, allowing Luo Ning to stroke its head as if it were a harmless pet dog.
"This..."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, speechless.
Luo Ning reassured them, "I am a corpse handler and have learned the art of corpse stitching. This is a zombie puppet I created, named Nezha."
Upon realizing this monster was summoned by Luo Ning, the crowd erupted in discussion.
"Raising corpses is an unholy art, unfit for respectable gatherings. How could such a person be allowed to participate in the Luotian Grand Ceremony..."
"Looking at the monster's hideous appearance, it must have suffered greatly in its past life. It truly deserves to be burnt to ashes!"
"How can such a monster be named after the Third Prince of the Central Altar? It's a disgrace to ancestral traditions!"
Perhaps still shaken by Luo Ning's earlier display, everyone grew angry and indignant. They began to berate Luo Ning, some even demanding she leave Longhu Mountain.
Luo Ning's personality differed greatly from Lin Zitong and Zhao Yiyao.
Lin Zitong was a pampered daughter of wealth, exuding confidence and aura.
Zhao Yiyao was simpler, a tomboy from Northeast China, rough-spoken and impetuous.
Luo Ning, however, had journeyed through the jianghu with her uncle Zhong Qi. Her concerns were vastly different from ordinary people.
Therefore, Luo Ning paid no mind to their taunts. She even declared, "Three heads and six arms are precisely Nezha. If Nezha were angry, he wouldn't have spared me even if I asked him to stab me with his fire-tipped spear. What are you all shouting about, you bunch of lackeys."
To their surprise, Luo Ning dared to retort, leaving the sharp-tongued girl's words to silence the assembly.
Old Celestial Master laughed heartily, finding Luo Ning quite amusing.
No, it was the inheritors of folk sects who were amusing, far more so than the geniuses of established sects.
Those sect geniuses were pampered, sheltered, and uninteresting, incomparable to Yan Shouyi and others.
Zhang Shanli, on the other hand, did not reject Luo Ning's identity. He was relieved that the zombie was on their side.
He inquired, "What is the matter with the corpse it's holding?"
Luo Ning looked down and only then noticed the corpse, her expression turning perplexed.
After a brief, quiet exchange with Nezha, Luo Ning's expression grew serious as she replied:
"I knew it would be inconvenient for Nezha to come up to Longhu Mountain, so I've had it hiding down the mountain these past few days. When I summoned it just now, it found this corpse halfway up the mountain and brought it here."
"Are you sure this person wasn't killed by your monster?" someone questioned.
Luo Ning smiled slightly, "Zombies don't kill like that. Zombies either drink blood or devour people, leaving no complete corpse."
The questioner below shuddered, daring not to speak further, lest Luo Ning command Nezha to devour him that night.
Zhang Shanli had the corpse taken away for investigation and discussed the matter with Old Celestial Master.
He then announced, "The victim's face has been disfigured, making identification impossible for now. Longhu Mountain will conduct a thorough investigation. If anyone has any clues, please inform us promptly. As for the Luotian Grand Ceremony, it shall continue!"
This sudden appearance of a corpse cast an ominous premonition, especially for Yan Shouyi.
He knew that the current Luotian Grand Ceremony was not only outwardly competitive but also seething with undercurrents. The Xin Xuan Sect intended to assassinate Old Celestial Master, and a group of people waited halfway up the mountain to kill him.
Whose side did this corpse belong to?
The competition resumed, with Yan Nanfei slowly walking onto the Myriad Laws Altar.
Facing Luo Ning's terrifying monster, Yan Nanfei felt a significant apprehension. He was skilled only in Feng Shui, and Feng Shui was useless against zombies.
Especially such a fearsome zombie!
Thus, Yan Nanfei couldn't hold out for long and voluntarily conceded. Fortunately, his family did not blame him.
After all, Yan Nanchao, the top seed, hadn't progressed as far as Yan Nanfei. Yan Nanfei's reaching this stage was already a source of pride for the Yan family.
As a result, Luo Ning easily won the match, advancing to the quarterfinals!
As he stepped down, Yan Nanfei offered a wry smile, lamenting that while studying Feng Shui could save others, it couldn't save himself.
The match between Luo Ning and Yan Nanfei continued to be a topic of much discussion, with many noteworthy aspects. The only drawback was that Nezha's presence made many feel uneasy.
The fourth match finally introduced some unfamiliar faces.
In this bout, both participants were disciples of Longhu Mountain, one male and one female. Due to their masks, their identities were uncertain.
However, it was clear that the male disciple was not "Kun Ding," who had defeated Chang Shan.
The female disciple held a jade sword, appearing somewhat unnatural.
Yan Shouyi observed her physique and posture, feeling as though he had seen her somewhere before.
He then noticed Luo Ning about to issue another warning and quickly averted his gaze, offering a sheepish chuckle.
Luo Ning, now with Nezha as her bodyguard, was even more formidable than before.
On the Myriad Laws Altar, as the gong for the match sounded, another unexpected event transpired.
The male disciple suddenly removed his mask!
Upon unmasking, someone immediately recognized him: it was Zhang Wuma, a disciple of Longhu Mountain!
Zhang Wuma was also a familiar face at the Luotian Grand Ceremony; it was he who had defeated Yuan Jianxin last time.
This Zhang Wuma was a direct disciple of the Third Elder of Longhu Mountain, but he also frequently visited the Celestial Master Hall alone. It was rumored that he had received guidance from Old Celestial Master, and some even claimed Zhang Wuma swept fallen leaves outside the Celestial Master Hall upon his initial entry!
Therefore, based on everyone's understanding of Zhang Wuma, he was the most likely individual to possess the Dragon Tiger Secret Script!
At once, discussions erupted from below the stage, everyone wondering why Zhang Wuma had removed his mask at this particular moment.
Zhang Wuma, after discarding his mask, let out a long sigh. He then sheathed his sword and, from a distance, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the female disciple opposite him.
He declared, "In this match, I concede!"
Conceded?!
Zhang Wuma conceded?!
Upon hearing this news, even the expressionless Yuan Jianxin showed a flicker of surprise.
Zhang Wuma was young and powerful, a strong contender for the championship, and one of the few individuals Yuan Jianxin held in esteem!
He had been looking forward to facing Zhang Wuma in a later round, hoping to avenge his previous defeat.
Yet, Zhang Wuma had directly conceded!
Yuan Jianxin shouted, "Zhang Wuma, what kind of joke are you playing?!"
Zhang Wuma turned and smiled at Yuan Jianxin, offering no explanation, and simply walked off the Myriad Laws Altar.
The crowd could no longer contain themselves, shouting about foul play.
They were curious about the identity of the other female disciple.
However, the discussion soon led to a conclusion: this mysterious female disciple was likely one of the possessors of the Dragon Tiger Secret Script!
Some even speculated that Old Celestial Master, wanting to support his own disciples in winning the championship, was using Zhang Wuma as a scapegoat to clear out opponents for those two Dragon Tiger Secret Script possessors. And when it came to facing his own people, he would simply concede, clearing their path!
This was undeniably a fix!
It was said that the Celestial Master position was for the fated. Now, two of the three Celestial Master inheritors came from Longhu Mountain, and yet Longhu Mountain was using its own disciples to clear the path for them. This was extremely unfair to the last inheritor!
The loudest protests from the audience came from Wudang Mountain.
They genuinely believed Zhao Chengxiang to be the last possessor of the Dragon Tiger Secret Script!
Observing the enraged crowd below, Old Celestial Master sighed softly.
Zhang Sishui gloated, "What should we do now? This public outrage will likely not subside easily."
"Wuma is not arguing with me, but with himself," Old Celestial Master murmured to himself. "He possesses extraordinary talent and has always been the pride of Longhu Mountain. Yet, despite this, he failed to obtain the Dragon Tiger Secret Script, thus missing out on the Celestial Master position. Wuma's voluntary concession today signifies his belief that his efforts are in vain."
"Since the Celestial Master position is for the fated, why even set up the Dragon Tiger Secret Script and raise the bar? Isn't this like lifting a stone only to drop it on one's own foot?" Zhang Sishui scoffed.
"The Dragon Tiger Secret Script is not an object, but a form of recognition. The Celestial Master position carries immense importance. If seniority is determined by strength alone, the Xuanmen will eventually be ruined by those with great power but corrupt intentions. Sishui, you should understand this principle," Old Celestial Master turned and smiled. "I know you have aspirations for the Celestial Master position but harbor resentment due to your inability to obtain the Dragon Tiger Secret Script. But have you ever considered that perhaps it is precisely because you desire the Celestial Master position too much that you cannot obtain the Dragon Tiger Secret Script?"
Zhang Sishui seemed to have been exposed, his anger flaring:
"When did I ever have aspirations for the Celestial Master position... Your disciple Yu Lumin also wants to be the Celestial Master, doesn't he? Why was he able to obtain the Dragon Tiger Secret Script?"
"You still do not understand."
Old Celestial Master sighed softly and turned away, no longer engaging with Zhang Sishui.
He summoned Zhang Shanli and instructed him to convey a message: after the Luotian Grand Ceremony concludes, Zhang Wuma would be permitted to enter the Spiritual Observation Platform once, as compensation from Longhu Mountain.
As for how to quell the audience's anger, Old Celestial Master had a plan.
He called over a few young Daoists and whispered, "You, go down there and quietly spread the word that I personally said Zhao Chengxiang is not a possessor of the Dragon Tiger Secret Script!"
The young Daoists paused, confused. "If Zhao Chengxiang doesn't have the Dragon Tiger Secret Script, why doesn't Old Celestial Master announce it directly?"
"It's precisely this kind of rumor I want," Old Celestial Master chuckled. "The loudest protests are currently coming from Wudang Mountain. But as soon as they hear this news, they will undoubtedly feel guilty and fall silent. Once Wudang Mountain is silent, the others, lacking a leader, will naturally have no reason to continue their disturbance."
Zhang Sishui, standing nearby, could only grit his teeth again.
The Celestial Master was truly a master manipulator. Whether it was Zhang Sishui or the guests, it seemed everyone was being played like chess pieces by this old rascal!
Zhang Sishui couldn't imagine when he would be able to casually navigate the world like Old Celestial Master. This pressure made Zhang Sishui feel immensely uncomfortable, yet also utterly powerless.