The drop of essence blood contained within it Liang Xiaoke’s cultivation method, along with the ranking system for zombies...

Even though he had now received his Master's bestowed blood, he was nothing more than an ordinary Iron Corpse, just one tier above those mindless ghouls who moved solely on instinct...

Above him were the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Corpses, followed by the Heavenly Corpse, the Corpse King, the Corpse Emperor, the Corpse Ancestor, and above even the Corpse Ancestor existed the legendary Corpse God...

His Master had cultivated to the peak of the Heavenly Corpse realm, equivalent to a Grandmaster at their zenith, but due to his immortal body, even an ordinary Great Grandmaster would surely be no match for him...

The thought that merely by sucking human blood and absorbing the Yin energy of heaven and earth he could slowly evolve to surpass his Master, or even reach heights far greater, sent a surge of excitement through him. After all, before this, he was just an ordinary warrior, possessing mediocre talent and average strength—the kind of person whose death would go unnoticed. Yet now, to have stumbled upon such an incredible fortune—how could he not be thrilled...

Liang Xiaoke observed Mu Fei’s barely contained excitement, a cold sneer touching his lips. He reached into his Qiankun Ring, pulled out a leaf-shaped spirit talisman, and tossed it to Mu Fei...

“Put this on. You’ve only reached the Iron Corpse realm now. If you encounter sunlight, that drop of my blood won't even save your soul; it will be utterly annihilated. You must not remove this talisman until you reach the Gold Corpse realm, do you understand?”

“Disciple understands. Thank you, Master, for your boundless mercy…” Mu Fei shivered and immediately bowed again...

“Go on, shoo. Stop bothering me and my brother while we drink…” Liang Xiaoke waved his hand dismissively...

Mu Fei dared not say another word and quickly departed the command tent...

He currently possessed only the strength of an Iron Corpse, his power less than a hundred catties. Even an average warrior could easily defeat him. His only advantage was the ability to withstand a few cuts without suffering lasting harm...

Therefore, diligent cultivation was essential...

As for drawing blood, he wouldn't dare target his comrades in arms; his Master would surely tear him apart for such an act. It seemed for the time being, he would have to subsist on the blood of beasts...

Neither Ye Jingyu nor Liang Xiaoke paid any mind to Mu Fei’s thoughts. They feasted and drank within the command tent all night. The pontoon bridge across the river was not yet fully constructed, so the army remained encamped along the banks of the Wei River. During this time, Ye Jingyu had secretly approached Zhuge Yi Shi, inquiring if he could assist in manufacturing some bullets...

Zhuge Yi Shi was initially taken aback, but after Ye Jingyu explained the underlying principles and presented a sample, he readily agreed...

However, Zhuge Yi Shi looked quite perplexed about the intended use of these metal projectiles. Ye Jingyu certainly couldn't disclose the methods for creating these instruments of fire and steel. If these things were mass-produced, wouldn't this world descend into utter chaos? Besides, keeping valuable secrets close was always prudent; this was, after all, another significant trump card in his hand...

With Zhuge Yi Shi’s commitment secured, the worry of running out of ammunition was gone, leaving Ye Jingyu in high spirits. By the time the sun was high in the sky, Chen Qi had already led the soldiers in their daily drills, yet General Ye remained tucked away in his command tent, embracing a corpse and sound asleep...

“Rumble…” Just then, the ground trembled violently, accompanied by a massive sound that jolted the sleeping man and the corpse awake simultaneously...

But as the two opened their eyes, they found themselves locked in an embrace, their faces instantly draining of color as they sprang apart...

Ye Jingyu quickly inspected himself from head to toe, confirmed his trousers were intact, and only then patted his chest with lingering relief...

Thank heavens, thank heavens he hadn't done anything disgusting during the night...

“Can you perhaps find another place to rest from now on?” Despite his own chastity remaining intact, the thought of sleeping clasped around a male zombie all night made Ye Jingyu break out in a cold sweat...

“Hmph, I wouldn't want to share a bed with you either! But you need to find me a coffin, don't you?” Liang Xiaoke also felt a rush of unease. He was a zombie, yes, and he was fond of humans, but he was fond of female humans...

“Alright, alright. You’re in charge of procuring one today. I’m going out to see what’s causing that commotion…” Ye Jingyu waved his hand, snatched his armor, threw it on, and bolted outside...

Liang Xiaoke’s eyes swept the tent, landing on a leftover pork hock on the table. He snatched it up, gnawing on it as he hurried toward the exit...

As Ye Jingyu burst from the tent, he saw Mu Fei, whom he had appointed as the herald, sprinting toward him. Mu Fei’s face was pale, cold sweat beading on his brow, as if terrified of the sunlight above. He started to speak upon seeing Ye Jingyu rush out...

But Ye Jingyu had already spotted the rising dust cloud not far off. Without waiting for Mu Fei to finish, he instantly accelerated, slammed into him, sending him flying, and continued charging toward the source of the disturbance...

Mu Fei, bewildered, was about to get up when he saw his Master bearing down on him. Before he could open his mouth, his Master’s foot stamped down, landing squarely on his face and driving him back to the ground...

Poor Mu Fei, forced to endure the agony of the sun, was then battered by these two inhuman monsters—one impact, one stomp. Even though he was a zombie, the sharp pain was intense, and he promptly fainted dead away...

Ye Jingyu moved with incredible speed, covering the distance in mere steps to reach the forefront. Chen Qi had already assembled a thousand-strong cavalry unit, arrayed shoulder-to-shoulder, watching the approaching clouds of dust with impassive eyes...

Seeing this scene, Ye Jingyu felt a wave of comfort. His Iron Army, under Chen Qi’s training, had clearly improved their reaction time. The calm and disciplined expressions of the soldiers showed they could certainly match the four great legions of the Shu Yun Kingdom; their only failing was their small number. Nevertheless, to forge a fighting force from such a rabble in such a short time filled Ye Jingyu with satisfaction...

Upon Ye Jingyu’s arrival, Chen Qi immediately stepped forward, executed a respectful salute, and stated solemnly, “General, an unknown army has been sighted ahead, within three li. Shall we launch a spear charge?”

Gazing at the vast dust cloud sweeping down from upstream of the Wei River, Ye Jingyu shook his head. A silver light flashed between his brows; with this ethereal sight, he could pierce the dust veil surrounding the approaching army. When the full formation of that host was revealed, Ye Jingyu’s expression shifted, transforming from surprise into one of sheer delight...