After taking over Chenwei Village, Shi Feiyang paused for several days, waiting for those three young men to fully zombify Zhang Qijie and Qu Bamei before also handing Xiang Jiugu over to them.

They were all practicing the Heavenly Corpse Great Technique, each of them leading a Flying Corpse. Shi Feiyang dubbed them the "Three Corpse Gods of the Heavenly Corpse Sect."

During this time, Shi Feiyang sent Gongye Huang to deliver a message to the Pima Sect.

The main altar of the Pima Sect was located on Bado Mountain. Rather than launching a direct attack, it made more sense to draw them out for battle. Gongye Huang was also from an offshoot sect and had never been in direct conflict with the Four Evils of the Border Mountains. He was able to converse with them, and his mana was strong enough that even if they turned hostile, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

Gongye Huang went up Bado Mountain and found the sect hierarch of the Pima Sect, Ms. Cangbao—a silver-haired, dark-skinned, green-faced old lady with sharp, protruding teeth. He told her, "Your two elders from the Pima Sect have transformed the entire population of Chenwei Village into zombies, angering the Great Ming National Master, Master Yuan Yang. Now he intends to level your Pima Sect and sent me to warn you beforehand."

The sect hierarch of the Pima Sect had been cultivating in a coffin on the mountain for many years, using Corpse Qi to nourish her body, and was not fully aware of Shi Feiyang's "great achievements": "Is this about the one who came from overseas and settled near the capital, opening the Immortal Market?"

After receiving confirmation from Gongye Huang, the old lady sneered, "He's in the North, and we're in the South. If even the well water doesn't interfere with the river water, why would we, especially when we're separated by the Yellow River and the Yangtze River? He runs such a vast business in the North. Now he wants to snatch business in the South, using the Chenwei Village incident as nothing more than an excuse!"

Seeing her tone, Gongye Huang knew it was useless to say more: "Anyway, I've delivered the message. Now he has gathered a group of young men to zombify the three elders of your sect. Once they're done, they will come to destroy Bado Mountain."

Ms. Cangbao, with her black and purple withered fingers, caressed the Corpse Stick. "It's been many years since anyone dared treat our disciples this way, and it's been a long time since the Ten Thousand Corpses Formation was deployed!"

Gongye Huang sighed internally. The old lady's response had all been anticipated by Shi Feiyang. Saying no more, he took his leave.

At this time, Shi Feiyang instructed Dai Hengyu to organize manpower, bringing a large amount of Dragon Coins to take over the Pima Sect's businesses, with the three young Corpse Gods accompanying him.

The Pima Sect's businesses in the Human World were all related to death. Dai Hengyu first went to Changsha City, declaring all coffin shops, shroud stores, paper effigy shops, stretcher bearers, and charity morgues, and so on, all under the ownership of the "Heavenly Corpse Sect."

If they were willing to change their signage and accept a few Dragon Coins—a low-cost acquisition. If they resisted, they would face death without exception!

Many followers of the Pima Sect retaliated with their casting, some bringing paper effigies to life with their blood to attack, others summoning zombies from the underground of back yards, and some gathered groups of knighthood wielding swords and spears. Still, others used blood-stained clothes for curses... A plethora of demon techniques and evil magic was employed against Dai Hengyu and his party.

However, in terms of martial arts, Bai Qi and Li Zhenchuan were already top-notch experts in Jianghu. As for spells, the three young Corpse Gods' Heavenly Corpse Great Technique was just taking shape, and they were eager to use this opportunity to duel and improve themselves. If things got tough, they could get help from other young men, deploying the Heavenly Thunder Sword Formation. The followers of the Pima Sect, who mingled in the Human World, were no match. They either knelt and surrendered, or they were chopped up like melons and vegetables. Some were even chosen by the three young men, who turned these hard-hearted followers of the evil sect into zombies.

They quickly took over all of Changsha City's "white business" and then expanded to surrounding cities and towns. As the influence of the "Heavenly Corpse Sect" grew, more and more surrendered, with fewer and fewer resisting. Many places simply changed their signs and shifted their allegiances from the Pima Sect to the Heavenly Corpse Sect.

During this process, they also dealt with Ge Liuniang, Lu Sigu, and Bai Sanniang; these three elders died in succession at the hands of the Heavenly Thunder Sword Formation, with their bodies being "sent" back to Chenwei Village to be turned into zombies.

Finally, the old lady from Bado Mountain couldn't sit idly by any longer. She took her remaining three disciples and lit the "Holy Fire" on the mountain, drawing out Earth Core Evil Qi mixed with Corpse Oil to fuel the bonfire. She set up a Dharma Platform in front of the flames and started casting on her enemies from a distance.

She first targeted the three hierarchs of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, using special grass soaked in blood and ritualistically refined for a hundred days, then air-dried and fashioned into effigies. The three effigies, suspended by hair strands, started with coffin nails hammered into the effigies' heads... Those three kids were attending classes on the other side of the Earth, preparing for college entrance exams. No matter how powerful the old lady was, she couldn't curse someone across the world. Regardless of her wielding the Corpse Stick and spewing Corpse Qi, fueling the bonfire to leap vigorously, there was no reaction on the other side. The three effigies floated up and down in the green flames, unchanging.

"Impossible! Could it be that Yuan Yang has such divine skills, able to nullify my magic from afar?" The old lady frowned, staring at the effigies in the bonfire. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to use an even more powerful spell.

Having cultivated for hundreds of years, her body had already been refined into a Flying Corpse, her blood green in color.

She filled her mouth with blood, first spitting it onto a pregnant woman then onto the bonfire, swinging the Corpse Stick and casting incessantly.

This time, her magic was extremely malicious. Even an average Earth Immortal would struggle to withstand it. If the Primordial Spirit was the slightest bit lax, it would be captured from afar, entering the pregnant woman's belly, becoming sealed within a wildcat. Once it emerged from the birth canal, it would be as if it were utterly cast into the Beast Path. The contaminated Nascent Soul would be unable to perform any spells, left entirely at her mercy.

However, this spell couldn't curse targets residing in the worlds among the heavens across time and space. The old lady used up three bowls of green blood, almost biting through her sharp teeth in frustration—yet the magic remained utterly ineffective.

"I'm furious!" This Pima Sect Hierarch, unable to contain her anger, swung her Corpse Stick through the air, shattering a huge boulder on a distant cliff into dust, which cascaded down the gorge. The sound echoed through the mountains shrouded by night, chilling to those who heard it.

The old lady huffed and puffed to regain her breath, then continued with her casting... She was busy for the better part of the day without any effect.

"Has the mana of Yuan Yang truly reached such heights? Rendering all my spells ineffective?" A wave of unease rose in the old lady's heart.

She was still uncertain when Shi Feiyang ordered Dai Hengyu and their group to continue seizing the Pima Sect's business, systematically replacing the Pima Sect with the Heavenly Corpse Sect. First, he reestablished the Sect rules to restrain the behavior of his followers; second, he removed the old and brought in the new. Dai Family Field and Lv Family Manor were filled with clever minds skilled in accounting and business, all pulled out to serve as the backbone and support the whole trade's framework.

The Pima Sect Hierarch could no longer stand it. However, she couldn't grasp the actual strength of her enemies and didn't dare to leave her base rashly. Instead, she went to seek help from another of the Four Evils of the Mountain, the Black Evil Sect.

The Black Evil Sect's business involved thieves, swindlers, robbers, tomb raiders, traveling entertainers, medicine peddlers, and various kinds of fraud.

The two Sects had some interactions in the business of grave robbing, sometimes competing and sometimes cooperating. They often exhumed graves in Changsha City to steal burial goods and had even fought each other fiercely over them.

The elderly Mrs. Cangbao rushed to Shenpo Mountain to find the Black Evil Sect Hierarch, Elder Hao.

Elder Hao was somewhat better informed. "That Great Ming National Master is by no means an ordinary person. In recent years, he joined forces with Wutai Sect's Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor, White Bone God, and Netherworld Saint Xu Wan to forge the twelve Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Swords in the Star Constellations Sea. The Emei Sect issued invitations to fellow practitioners to join them in slaying demons and exterminating evil. Still, they returned with heavy casualties and utterly defeated."

After listening, Mrs. Cangbao paused for a moment, then coldly said, "Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, huh. It's always been a legend, claimed to be so formidable. But how formidable is it, really? Who's seen it? I've lived for several centuries and haven't had the fortune to see it. If I could just witness it this time, it would be good to broaden my horizons."

Elder Hao pondered for a moment, "He also killed One Light Master. Above the Yuan River, he fought the Sect Hierarchs from the Eastern, Western, and Southern Demon Sects into a frantic retreat..."

Listening, Mrs. Cangbao's heart was in turmoil. "So what? He's clearly targeting our Four Sects this time. Our Pima Sect's business has all been snapped up by him, and our people killed. Do you think you'll be spared? Just a few days ago, I heard one of your docks at the Hukou Port was taken over, and your disciple Mang Head Daoist was killed, pierced by a flurry of swords."

Elder Hao's eyes showed a ferocious look. It was unclear whether it was directed at Shi Feiyang or Mrs. Cangbao.

"To deal with such a person, just you and I won't be enough. We need to bring in the other two as well, only by combining the strength of all four of our Sects can we compete against him."

After hearing about Shi Feiyang's past exploits, Mrs. Cangbao felt uneasy inside. Especially since she tried all her techniques and failed to capture the Nascent Soul of the Three-Corpse Youth the other day. She found her opponent somewhat unfathomable and decided to split up with Elder Hao, with one of them seeking help from the rafters and the other from the Ghost Mother Sect.

Among the Four Evils of the Mountain, the rafters were the most domineering. Despite the name suggesting a mere alliance, they were exceptionally unified. Their primary business was transporting timber down the mountain by rafts, and they gradually monopolized transport, protection, vehicles, teeth trade, and other activities on both waterways and routes, including human trafficking and enforced begging.

The rafters were the wealthiest with the largest numbers and greatest influence. Mrs. Cangbao went to talk with the Raft Boss about joining forces against Shi Feiyang.

The Raft Boss was even better informed than Elder Hao. However, he didn't care for the major Sects and cared even less for Shi Feiyang. Still, he demanded a price to lend his help.

He wanted to marry Mrs. Cangbao's own daughter, Cang Nineteenth Sister.

Not only was Cang Nineteenth Sister extremely beautiful, but she also had excellent talent. As a child, she had a fortuitous encounter in an ancient tomb, finding a Jade Fruit from the Spring and Autumn period. After eating it, even though she cultivated the Heavenly Corpse Great Technique, her appearance didn't turn into black skin and withered flesh. Instead, she became even more fair-skinned and beautiful, with high mana, making her the only one in the Pima Sect who had cultivated into an "Enchanting Corpse" over the past few centuries.

The Raft Boss had wanted to marry Cang Nineteenth Sister for a long time. Mrs. Cangbao was willing, but her daughter was not. Mrs. Cangbao took the dowry and forced her daughter to marry. Outraged, her daughter ran away to cultivate in seclusion under Wushui, refusing to come back. The Raft Boss demanded the return of the dowry, but Mrs. Cangbao refused, saying her daughter was already married to him. Where she lived was none of her mother's concern. You couldn't keep your wife from running away, and now you want to return the dowry? Dream on, no way!

Because of this matter, the two families once engaged in a fierce battle that resulted in many casualties.

Now, the Raft Boss brought up the old issue again, pressing Mrs. Cangbao to bring her daughter to him. Otherwise, the rafters wouldn't lift a finger.

Mrs. Cangbao warned him that Shi Feiyang was set on eliminating the Four Sects, and without the other three Sects, the rafters wouldn't be safe.

The Raft Boss was unmoved, "I don't believe he can slaughter all hundred thousand of our raft brethren! Let him come and try to kill us. I want to see how this Great Ming National Master is going to do it! Isn't he afraid of divine retribution?"

Helpless, Mrs. Cangbao had no choice but to rush to Wushui to find and plead with her daughter to come out and marry into the rafters.

Elsewhere, Elder Hao went to Ghost Mother Mountain to find the Sect Hierarch of the Ghost Mother Sect.

The Red Flower Ghost Mother, Zhu Ying, among the Four Evils of the Mountain, had the highest Dao Level and spell abilities. According to the original story, she was supposed to die at the hands of the Jile Perfected, Li Jingxu. That year, because of Shi Feiyang's use of the Heaven and Earth Harmony Fragrance to facilitate the union between Lady Bao Xiang and Zhuge Jingwo, Li Jingxu's disciple Qin Yu escaped a calamity that should have ensnared him. Otherwise, Lady Bao Xiang was destined to bewitch Qin Yu.

Li Jingxu, upon later reflection, discovered that one of his disciple's fated tribulations had simply disappeared without a trace, which surprised and delighted him. Originally, Qin Yu would have been enchanted by a fox spirit, giving birth to two daughters and failing to cultivate the Mysterious Sect's True Skill. Li Jingxu would have made him endure tribulations for three more lifetimes before taking him back under his wing.

Having been spared this tribulation, his character lacked a great deal of tempering. Li Jingxu had to rearrange his disciple's fated path. Due to a shift in opportunities, he missed the encounter with Zhu Ying, allowing her to escape one calamity and continue as the Ghost Mother Sect Hierarch.

Zhu Ying, known as the Red Flower Ghost Mother, was an extremely formidable woman, not only for her spell prowess but also for her fierce and domineering nature. She was supposed to have died once at the hands of Li Jingxu, achieving enlightenment between life and death and reincarnating as Miao Chufang, completely turning from evil to good in her next life… Now, having escaped that tribulation, her nature remained ruthless and severe.

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