Chapter 58: Deep Within the Forest

The Fire Phoenix orchard lay quiet and still, its shadows under the moonlight lending it an eerie, sinister air. Fang Mu and his companions arrived before the orchard, gazing at the pitch-black thicket ahead, feeling as though they were on the verge of uncovering some profound truth.

“Are we looking for those withered trees?” Iron Calculation Immortal took out his compass, scrutinized it carefully, and then asked.

Fang Mu smiled, neither confirming nor denying, and countered, “What do the auguries say?”

“They haven’t changed.” Iron Calculation Immortal’s face grew grave. “Still an omen of dire calamity.”

“I’d like to see what tricks he’s trying to pull.” Fang Mu drew his butcher’s knife and strode toward the Fire Phoenix orchard.

Qing Ruowu and the others hesitated not, following Fang Mu into the grove. None of them were fools; naturally, they would not make the mistake of splitting up and becoming easy prey, one by one.

The orchard was chillingly silent, devoid even of the smallest animal. White, perched on Fang Mu’s shoulder, tensed all four limbs.

Fang Mu patted White gently. “This place is not simple. Stay alert.”

Even the beast that feeds on specters was nervous; who knew what secrets the orchard concealed.

Their goal was to find the withered Fire Phoenix fruit trees. Though the orchard was vast, all three possessed extraordinary skills, and their search was astonishingly swift.

In less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the trio stopped in a small clearing. Here, the trees were less dense; a dozen stood not far away, arranged in a protective circle.

At the center were two Fire Phoenix fruit trees, surrounded as if guarded by the others. Unlike the rest, all of these—center and circle alike—were withered, their branches bare of fruit or leaf.

These desiccated trees were precisely what Fang Mu and his companions sought.

Iron Calculation Immortal plunged his banner into the earth, took out his compass and surveyed the area, the shadow of a bagua flickering behind him. After a moment, he put away the brass compass and took out a tortoiseshell, divining six times in succession, his demeanor growing ever more oppressive.

“What is it?” Fang Mu frowned.

Iron Calculation Immortal pointed toward the two trees at the center, puzzled. “Very strange. There’s something eerie beneath them, but it’s weak.”

Qing Ruowu, hearing this, drew his talisman sword.

“Wait.” Fang Mu pressed Qing Ruowu’s hand down. “Let him finish.”

Qing Ruowu nodded, but kept his guard up, eyes fixed on the withered trees.

“Brother Fang, that’s precisely the oddity.” Iron Calculation Immortal explained, gesturing at the two trees: “The anomaly is weak, easily dealt with, but the augury hasn’t changed—it remains a portent of disaster.”

His divination had been clear, unchanged, contradicting the omen. Most unreasonable.

Fang Mu rubbed his chin, pondering Iron Calculation Immortal’s words, but found nothing to analyze—no clues at all.

There was no other choice now: though danger lurked, they would press on.

Two options: retreat or advance. Given the meticulous arrangements of the mastermind behind previous incidents, both likely led to further traps.

Since that was so, there was nothing left to consider. They would forge ahead.

If before Fang Mu might have hesitated, Iron Calculation Immortal’s words settled it for him. The trees concealed something; corpse-touching techniques would be useful. The decision was clear.

Retreat, and they might face the mastermind’s contingencies. Advance, and perhaps the same. Yet, advancing brought the possibility of the corpse-touching technique changing their fate.

Fang Mu gripped his butcher’s knife tightly and stepped toward the withered trees.

Qing Ruowu followed without hesitation.

Iron Calculation Immortal opened his mouth as if to speak, then sighed deeply and joined them.

The closer they drew to the withered trees, the weaker the moonlight became.

Fang Mu looked up—above the trees, a mass of dark clouds gathered, blocking the moon’s rays.

Through the clouds, only scant moonlight trickled down.

The dried branches of the trees stretched out grotesquely, like shriveled hands in the darkness, all the more unnerving.

Fang Mu passed through the outer ring of withered trees and entered the inner circle.

Here, the two central trees were peculiar; their placement was off. The other Fire Phoenix fruit trees were spaced apart, for reasons unknown, but these two stood less than a meter apart, their branches tangled together as if embracing.

“It’s right below,” Iron Calculation Immortal crouched, staring at the soil beneath the trees. “The burial site of something uncanny.”

Fang Mu thought for a moment. “Dig it up. Let’s see what’s hidden there.”

At his side, Qing Ruowu nodded, and his talisman sword transformed into a dark red glow, piercing the ground.

The two entwined withered trees were quickly pried aside, revealing what lay beneath.

“Coffins?”

Below, they found not something else, but two coffins.

As the coffins emerged, the clouds overhead suddenly parted.

Moonlight poured down, illuminating the coffins directly.

The lid of the uppermost coffin, struck by the moonbeam, instantly turned to ash.

Inside lay two perfectly preserved desiccated corpses, one tall, one short—likely an adult and a child.

With the lid gone, the moonlight shone directly on the two bodies.

Under its rays, the corpses stirred, their hands trembling in a strange rhythm.

“Is this corpse transformation?” Fang Mu mused, rubbing his chin.

The moon is also known as the ‘Taiyin’; legend holds its light carries immense Yin energy. If a corpse lies exposed beneath the moon, it absorbs this energy and transforms.

“Still weak,” Iron Calculation Immortal shook his head. “Even if they transform, they’ll remain feeble.”

As they spoke, the corpses’ trembling intensified.

Abruptly, they stood upright, bodies rigid, eyes tightly shut.

“Qing Ruowu…” Fang Mu gestured at the two corpses. “These should be Yin corpses, yes?”

“Dead but uncorrupted, transformed into zombies beneath the moon,” Qing Ruowu replied. “Indeed, they belong to the Yin corpse class.”

That made things easier.

Fang Mu waited patiently. The moonlight grew brighter.

The two corpses sprouted fangs at their lips; their eyes snapped open, filled with savage ferocity.

“Roar!”

A hoarse growl erupted from their mouths, and they lunged at Fang Mu.

Fang Mu channeled his true energy into his arms, seizing each corpse by the throat and slamming them hard to the ground.

Boom!

The earth shook, and at the same time, Fang Mu successfully triggered the corpse-touching technique. What he obtained brought a smile to his lips.