In the main army's vanguard, within General Ye Jingyu's command tent, the lamps burned as brightly as day. Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke sat opposite each other, two low tables between them laden with provisions. Naturally, this was wartime campaign fare, far from the extravagance of a tavern; several large cuts of beef dominated the space. Alongside them stood two jars of potent liquor, hidden away by Ye Jingyu without Zhuge Yi'shi’s knowledge...

Drinking while on active campaign was strictly forbidden. A general who dared to openly flout military regulations like this could only be Ye Jingyu. Moreover, without his Qiankun Bracelet, there would have been no way to conceal two such large jars of fine spirits...

At this moment, Liang Xiaoke held one jar, pouring the liquor down his throat as if it were water, while in the other hand, he ripped chunks from a roasted beef leg, tearing at it piece by piece without the slightest regard for propriety. Then again, what use was propriety to a Jiangshi?

Watching Liang Xiaoke devour his meal with such gusto, Ye Jingyu felt considerable confusion. Was this fellow truly a Jiangshi? Did zombies enjoy roast meat? Did they fancy fine wine? Wasn't he supposed to crave human blood?

“Brother, would you like me to fetch some fresh blood for you?” Ye Jingyu inquired softly as Liang Xiaoke ate and drank heartily...

“No need. I just finished draining one fellow a moment ago; no point in feeding again now,” Liang Xiaoke replied, waving the beef leg in his hand...

“Then, that last person—can you bring him back to life?” Ye Jingyu hesitated, recalling that the man had been one of his own soldiers. Being killed in battle was one thing, but to be drained to death by his ‘Big Brother’ left a knot in his stomach...

“You mean, turn him into a Jiangshi?” Liang Xiaoke’s eyebrow arched as he looked up at Ye Jingyu...

“Precisely. Don't you need a retainer?” Ye Jingyu’s eyes were fixed on Liang Xiaoke...

“Hmph. If I needed a retainer, I’d certainly seek out some beautiful women, not that wretch... But since you mention it, I suppose I’ll let him be my first descendant in this world. It gets rather lonely being the only Jiangshi around,” Liang Xiaoke shook his head, displaying a sudden air of melancholy...

“Heh heh. Then I too can observe how Big Brother propagates his lineage,” Ye Jingyu smiled slightly and clapped his hands...

Immediately, a shadow flashed, and Bing Ming entered from outside, gripping the corpse of the man Liang Xiaoke had drained. He tossed the body onto the ground and swiftly retreated from the tent...

Liang Xiaoke watched Bing Ming until he disappeared, then leaped from his seat and bounded over to the soldier named Mu Fei...

After closely examining Mu Fei lying on the ground, he suddenly looked up at Ye Jingyu: “Brother, you’re not thinking of asking me to help you build a Jiangshi army, are you?”

“Uh... how could that be? I have no desire to see this world overrun by hopping zombies. It’s just that this fellow was ultimately my soldier, and dying by your hand sits poorly with me,” Ye Jingyu shook his head. Just thinking of assembling a zombie legion using his own troops for experimentation was ridiculous!

“That’s better. If you truly wanted a Jiangshi army, I’d be worked to death—unless you only wanted to create mindless ghouls?” Liang Xiaoke theatrically patted his chest, feigning relief...

“Oh? Why is that?” Ye Jingyu asked, puzzled...

“To create one descendant requires a single drop of essence blood. That substance is more precious than your human bone marrow. Making one or two is fine, but mass production? I’d be completely bled dry!” As Liang Xiaoke spoke, he began chanting an incantation, then extended a finger to touch the forehead of the desiccated corpse...

Ye Jingyu nearby nodded thoughtfully. No wonder Jiangshi weren't numerous; if they were easy to create, wouldn't the entire world soon be occupied by them?

His gaze fixed intently on Liang Xiaoke, he observed a faint yellow light appear at the tip of the Jiangshi’s finger. Then, a droplet of liquid, the color of pale yellow oil, formed and sank directly into Mu Fei’s brow...

A halo of pale yellow light instantly erupted, spreading outward before completely merging into Mu Fei’s body. The withered frame slowly began to plump up...

Moments later, his body had regained a fullness close to that of a normal person, though his complexion remained deathly pale...

Witnessing this, Ye Jingyu was filled with amazement. Draining a man’s blood, only to grant life with a single drop of essence blood—the effect was miraculous. Jiangshi were truly peculiar creatures...

At that moment, Mu Fei, who had been dead for several hours, suddenly opened his eyes. He immediately saw Liang Xiaoke standing before him and instantly rose to kneel before the Jiangshi...

His mouth moved, but he could not find the proper form of address...

He retained his past memories and knew this man before him had killed him. Yet, that single drop of Jiangshi essence blood made him understand that his second life had been granted by this man. Furthermore, because of that drop, he felt an intense affinity for the man before him, as if he were his father, and his mind now contained memories he had never possessed before...

“You are my first descendant in this world. From now on, you shall call me Master,” Having bestowed the essence blood, Liang Xiaoke naturally perceived what stirred within Mu Fei’s heart...

He spoke in a low voice...

“Greetings, Master,” Mu Fei responded without expression, yet he kowtowed deeply to Liang Xiaoke three times...

“Rise,” Liang Xiaoke waved his hand dismissively and turned back toward his own table...

Mu Fei dared not speak further. He stood up and was startled to see Ye Jingyu still present in the command tent. Having inherited that drop of blood, he understood the nature of Liang Xiaoke—this was a being beyond human. How was his General completely unafraid? “Mu Fei, what happened today must be buried deep within you. If anyone asks how you recovered, you will say that I, your General, expended great effort to revive you, understood?” Ye Jingyu stated calmly as he noticed Mu Fei’s look of confusion...

“Yes, General,” Seeing that his Master said nothing more, Mu Fei vaguely understood the relationship between the two and dared not question further. He clearly knew this moment might also represent an opportunity for him...

Of course, had he not died, he would never have wished to become a monster like a Jiangshi. But after accepting Liang Xiaoke’s inheritance, his thought processes were profoundly influenced, especially after surviving death. He found himself quite content with his current form...