Chapter 583: Balanced

Without the corpse energy’s disruption, Tiger Taoist’s physical body recovered quickly despite severe injuries. Daojun’s Hieroglyphic mentioned that Tiger Taoist had the strongest physical body among all of the Six Beast Taoists. For Daojun to say this, Tiger Taoist must be quite impressive. What’s more, the fact that he managed to survive centuries of torture by this corrosive energy proved that Tiger Taoist was a worthy man.

Lin Jin’s focus shifted back onto the headless zombie.

The Immortal-Corroding Corpse Refining Energy that had been forced out entered the headless zombie’s arm instead. The two different corpse energies were now duking it out, trying to devour the other.

Both of them were by no means weak, and the battle soon developed into a stalemate.

Lin Jin watched anxiously as he had to make sure everything went according to plan. Otherwise, the first to suffer would be Shu Xiaolou, if the clash of energies went out of control.

Just then, the headless zombie’s death aura spiked. As if it received stimulation from the Immortal-Corroding Corpse Refining Energy, its previously subdued strength was gradually unleashed as it continued fighting in a heated battle.

It was so strong that the headless zombie was now struggling to break free from the Demon Slayer’s restriction.

The situation was heading downhill quickly.

Lin Jin noticed that the headless zombie now had the upper hand, and he didn’t want to see that. If the Immortal-Corroding Corpse Refining Energy couldn’t subdue the headless zombie, and if the headless zombie were to break free from the Demon Slayer, they would be chest-deep in trouble.

Fortunately, Lin Jin came prepared.

He fired a few needles into the headless zombie’s acupoints, using the Body-Recast Psyche-Refining Needle to restrain him. He also kept an eye out for the timing before darting over to toss the monster-locking pill into the zombie’s gaping maw.

Whether or not it worked, it didn’t hurt to try.

Lin Jin wanted to increase his chances of success. He even hatched a plan to use this incident as an opportunity to completely bring the headless zombie under control.

With this, Shu Xiaolou’s painting realm would stop being eroded.

After receiving hits from various directions, the headless zombie’s rampaging death aura gradually weakened. As Lin Jin initially expected, the two corpse energies were quickly coming to equilibrium.

The Immortal-Corroding Corpse Refining Energy did try to take this opportunity to possess the zombie’s body, but Lin Jin moved his needles to release some of the zombie’s death aura so that it wouldn’t succeed.

A balance was achieved.

The process could be described using the analogy of building a tall tower. Each time a block was added on one side, another had to be placed on the other side to maintain balance.

This was what Lin Jin had done.

While it seemed easy, all this required phenomenal skill and time. By the time the headless zombie returned to his deep slumber and the corpse energy stopped spreading, several hours had passed. Lin Jin noticed that he was also drenched in sweat.

Acupuncture was a mentally exhausting task after all.

Fortunately, everything was under control for now.

This outcome was good enough as they had resolved the issues brought on by the Immortal-Corroding Corpse Refining Energy and even used it to restrain the headless zombie. The slow-spreading death aura was also contained now.

Still, Lin Jin was a little displeased.

The monster-locking pill he stuffed inside the headless zombie’s stomach didn’t seem to work.

Looks like the headless zombie wasn’t like normal monsters.

The murky corpse energy fluid stopped flowing as well, but it had already spread tens of thousands of feet away by now. This hazard was difficult to remove, and for now, Lin Jin had no idea how he would contain it. They would leave it here for now, and return should they stumble upon a new idea.

Tiger Taoist had the most to gain from this process.

After all, the corpse energy that had been torturing him for centuries was finally gone. His body loosened up, and the persistent pain that made him suffer all these years disappeared without a trace. This was the first in centuries that he felt so refreshed.

“Brother Lin!” Tiger Taoist came over and knelt before Lin Jin.

It had been a grand favor so it made sense for Tiger Taoist to show such a degree of gratitude. Lin Jin quickly helped him up and consoled him. This further impressed Tiger Taoist, deepening their friendship and his loyalty towards Lin Jin.

Lin Jin then glanced at Shu Xiaolou. The latter understood his intention she waved her hand, sealing up this layer of her painting realm before she brought them back to Peach Blossom House.

Lin Jin and Tiger Taoist thanked Shu Xiaolou and she openly accepted their gratitude.

She had sacrificed the most after all. For the malicious headless zombie to be sealed in her painting realm, it didn’t take a genius to figure out how much that would affect her space.

Even so, Shu Xiaolou never mentioned it.

Lin Jin understood her character well. For things that didn’t matter to her, she might make a scene and then come asking for rewards or throw uncontrollable tantrums.

However, when it came to serious matters, she would never speak a word of it. She would silently endure it all.

Lin Jin understood Shu Xiaolou, just like how Shu Xiaolou understood him.

Shu Xiaolou seemed angry for one second, but when she noticed something interesting, her anger went away without leaving so much as a trace.

“Lin Jin, what’s that hanging around your waist?” asked Shu Xiaolou while staring excitedly at the Clear Wind Sword around his waist.

Lin Jin removed the sword at once. He wanted to ask Shu Xiaolou about it as she was a painting spirit; she should know more about spirits than he did.

“This is a sword that has become a spirit. Here, take a look.” Lin Jin handed it to her. Shu Xiaolou grabbed it without an ounce of reservation.

“It really is a sword spirit. How rare! How rare indeed!” Shu Xiaolou beamed. Suddenly, it was as if they had returned to the carefree days at Peach Blossom House.

Tiger Taoist had wanted to interrupt their conversation several times now but he swallowed his words.

He felt a sense of familiarity from the sword. Once the realization set in, he mused, ‘Isn’t this Banner Master Clear Wind of Dark Wind Cave? Who knew that Brother Lin had already subdued him.’

Tiger Taoist was impressed because even he was unable to pull off such a feat.

Shu Xiaolou studied the sword up and down. She tried pulling it out, but no matter how she tugged, the sword wouldn’t budge from its sheathe. It felt as if it was soldered in.

“Forget it. This sword spirit has already recognized its master so I can’t pull it out. Judging by its rich spirit energy, it probably possesses a significant background. I say it’s probably even older than me.”

Lin Jin was shocked when he heard that.

Had it been anyone else, Lin Jin would have thought they were lying. Given that it was Shu Xiaolou who said this, he accepted her words as the truth.