C29 The Poison of the Corpse

"Old ghost, have you ever heard of the saying 'the pupil surpasses the master'?" I said with a cold snort.

The old ghost gave a chilling laugh but didn't respond. Clearly, he was quite knowledgeable, as summoning lightning was nearly an impossible feat for him.

The technique in question was the Five Thunder Magic, not some common practice, but a secret art of a prestigious sect. And not just any sect, but one that would shock many if its name were revealed.

For such a renowned sect to hold this art as their secret, an art that has ensured their prosperity for years, it's obviously not something one can learn easily. Even a Taoist master would need at least a decade of dedicated practice to successfully summon lightning. As for someone like me, who could merely gather storm clouds, I was merely scratching the surface of their foundational skills, far from the true art of lightning summoning.

Moreover, the Five Thunder Magic had numerous other incredible applications beyond just summoning lightning. Without a master's guidance, the subtleties of the art would remain elusive. If Zhou himself never mastered it, then it was even less likely for me.

Zhou hadn't managed to learn this magic before he passed away. His final wish was for me to master the Five Thunder Magic and explain its intricacies to him, saying that it would allow him to rest in peace, even in the deepest pits of hell. Remembering this ignited an unexplainable fire within me. Today, I was determined to summon that lightning, come what may.

"You don't believe me, huh? Well, we'll just have to see about that. If you dare, stay put and watch as I strike you down!"

The altar was set with all the necessary offerings and incense burners, yet it wasn't fully prepared. I had intended to arrange eighty-one magical instruments on it, which would harness the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth to sustain my magical power during the ritual. But in reality, I had only managed to place thirty-six, significantly increasing the difficulty of the spellcasting.

Difficult or not, I was resolved to give it a try, even if it meant resorting to the 'Extreme Method' today, which could expose me to grave peril.

I closed my eyes, turning away from the old ghost to focus on the thunderclouds above. Everything in the world has a magnetic field, including ghosts, which are essentially energy. I was working hard to align my own magnetic field with that of the thunderclouds.

The deeper my connection with the thunderclouds grew, the louder they rumbled. The muffled thunder within clashed, and the energy they contained swelled. I wasn't sure if this immense power could obliterate the old ghost, but stripping him of a layer was certainly within reach.

"I am the Thunder God, and the Thunder God is me! The Thunder God follows the mandate of heaven. Who dares to defy me?"

For a moment, I truly believed I had the power to command the thunderclouds. I resolved to give it a try. What if I had already mastered the spell and could cast it without any special techniques?

So, I synchronized my breathing with the rhythm of the thunderclouds, pointed my peach wood sword at the old ghost, and commanded:

"Swift!"

A tremendous boom echoed as a bolt of lightning cracked through the sky. This was no ordinary lightning; it was louder and more formidable than before, sending the old ghost into a shiver of fear.

The ghost soldiers, shaken by the thunder, scattered as their malevolent aura dissipated. Now, the old ghost was our sole adversary.

He stood there, eyes shut, shivering in place, likely not expecting my significant improvement. Though the thunder hadn't descended, the sound was undeniably more thunderous.

It took a full ten seconds for the old ghost to open his eyes and regain his composure, his face ashen.

Yet, despite this, he burst into loud laughter.

"Hahahaha, indeed, you've surpassed the master! Zhou never caused such a commotion in his lifetime. You're... far stronger than he was, hahahaha!"

Despite the rush of confidence, the thunder ultimately did not strike. The Five Thunder Magic had failed.

The old ghost mocked me mercilessly, while Wang Dali and Bai Xiaoxiao's faces betrayed their disappointment and anxiety. Without the Five Thunder Magic, defeating the old ghost seemed an insurmountable task.

At that moment, my heart was actually quite serene. I had no intention of relying solely on my own strength to draw down the thunder when I arrived; I had a few clever tricks up my sleeve.

I retrieved a box containing zombie meat from my pocket and discreetly placed it on the altar before opening it. The meat gave off a faint, repulsive odor that turned the stomachs of Wang Dali, Old Ghost, and Bai Xiaoxiao, all of whom couldn't help but wrinkle their noses in disgust.

"Kid, what's that you're holding?" Old Ghost inquired with suspicion.

I lifted the box to show Old Ghost. Whether it was the cover of the thunderclouds overhead or the provocation of Old Ghost's presence, the shriveled zombie meat began to wriggle slowly. But to no avail—it was, after all, just a piece of meat.

"Zombie meat," I stated.

Old Ghost chewed on his cheek, his face a picture of confusion. Clearly, he couldn't fathom why I would suddenly produce such an object amidst a perfectly good ritual.

This was a spur-of-the-moment idea of mine. It was so unexpected that I bet even Zhou, when he was alive, never considered that a small piece of zombie meat could lure the thunder. Of course, I wasn't sure if it would work, but I figured it might have some effect. If it failed, I'd simply make a run for it.

I vibrated the peach wood sword once more and recited the incantation:

"I am the Thunder God, and the Thunder God is me! The Thunder heeds the heavenly decree, but can it defy me?"

The thunderclouds roared louder in response to the presence of the zombie meat, sensing the malevolence and growing more tumultuous. Lightning had already begun to flicker.

Yet, it was only a flash of lightning that vanished as quickly as it appeared, showing no sign of striking down.

Old Ghost, who had been observing from across the way, was ready this time and didn't shake with fear. He burst into hearty laughter and said, "What a sly young devil, trying to exploit the Heavenly Thunder's tendency to strike at evil by using the tainted flesh of a zombie to draw it down. Impressive! Alas, your altar setup is flawed, and the zombie meat, dead for who knows how many years, has lost much of its sinister energy. It's not enough to provoke the Heavenly Thunder. Otherwise, you might have actually succeeded in calling it down."

"Such a pity, hehe..."

True to the old ghost's words, my altar was improperly arranged, and the zombie flesh had lost its reactivity. It was no longer potent enough to draw down the heavenly thunder. We had already lost the fight.

I let out a sigh and passed the peach wood sword to Wang Dali, asking him to hold it for me. The old ghost's laughter grew even louder; he seemed to believe I had surrendered.

But then, I pulled a small knife from my bag and sliced a deep cut into my left arm, blood gushing out profusely.

"Wang Xu, what are you doing?!" Wang Dali and Bai Xiaoxiao exclaimed in shock.

Yet, what surprised them even more was yet to come. Under the astonished eyes of Wang Dali, Bai Xiaoxiao, and the old ghost, I retrieved the zombie flesh from its case and pressed it into my freshly cut wound. As soon as the flesh made contact with my blood, it began to wriggle more vigorously, burrowing into my flesh in a frenzy. My entire arm trembled uncontrollably, my skin turning a ghastly shade of blue.

"Ah!!!"