Chapter 184: Number One Disciple

It was a glorious Sect, up atop a hill that gave it the most scenic view of all four directions. As the highest summit in the land, it has the most nostalgic panorama of the entire region. For many a time, I've used it as a place of teaching wherein I'll sit by the edge of the summit with my disciple, giving them all the life lessons they could ever glean from me.

They all died though, but that's beside the point. I'm trying to reminisce here, can't this trauma give me peace?

I did saw 'was' right? That's because this once magnificent Sect has now fallen into ruins, barely having any resemblance at all to how it once was. The once-revered pavilion that stood atop the summit had turned into a dilapidated scene, making it look like a broken vase— you can still see its former beauty, but the state it's in now is something more than unpleasant. 

And furthermore, it was ridden with rabid humans. The mountain was once was filled with lush forestry and a variety of herbs and trees that aid in cultivation. However, it has now turned into a rabid humans-infested galore. I don't know why they're surrounding the place nor how they survived all these years without dying off. It was just a mystery to me.

Yet, for some reason, they were there. It's just like the case of the Schrodinger Cat. You expect it to be there and not there at the same time, but when you open the box, it's there. I've always wondered what the ruins of the Tang Sect would appear but now that I saw it, it was as I half-expected. It was a Schrodinger type of situation indeed.

"Why are there so many of them, Ye Zhiyun? Did you make the Tang Sect a rabid human nest or something of the sort?" I asked out of the blue, making Ye Zhiyun stare at me in wonderment as if she just didn't believe what I said.

"No, Sect Master. Ever since we escaped the Tang Sect, it has become a gathering place to all nearby rabid humans. Because of that, our Shelter has never suffered a single zomb- er, in your words, rabid human attacks in so long. Because of our advantageous location, we only get attacked once a year during the Rush Hour Event. And now that the Rush Hour Event was stopped, courtesy of you, Sect Master, we now won't have to worry about another attack for another year." Ye Zhiyun informed me.

"It may seem a bit baffling, Sect Master, but a formidable rabid human stands at the summit. It is probably the most formidable rabid human all around the world. But somehow, it won't attack a living human being." Luo Zehn entered into the conversation, once again displaying his eloquence as part of the way of the samurai or something of the sort. "I had the rarest of opportunity to cross swords with that rabid human once. Not only did she adjust her strength so she won't hurt me, but she also does not attack unless I attack first. Ye Zhiyun may not have seen her but I have. And she looks oddly familiar."

"For someone or something feral, it sure lives by its code. That's why I utter that I cross swords with her. She lives by the samurai code."

"And as if that wasn't enough, she is sentient enough to attract all the nearby zombies by uttering a cry that releases a huge amount of Qi Energy pressure. Because the rabid humans, or rather, the virus in the rabid humans are dependent on the Virus Qi Energy for sustenance, they didn't have to go anywhere to feed off of humans, they just stay on the hill, getting stronger as the rabid human on the summit gives them all the Virus Qi Energy they need. Not only do they not have a need in hunting humans, they're also getting stronger without doing anything. It was a win-win situation for both parties. The strongest rabid humans surround the place with a horde so she could guard whatever it is is up there. And in return, the horde receives the energy they need so they won't die off."

"Also! She has a huge gaping hole in her stomach. There's no mistaking her." Xiao Liang pointed out, cutting off Luo Zehn who was probably still in the middle of his explanation. "And on top of that, even though she's a rabid human, she's really gorgeous! It's not like I'm into necrophilia but if someone were to turn her back into a human, I'll hit on her straight away. She looks oddly familiar though... as if I met her before."

"Furthermore, I've seen her shoot ice fragments from her hands. I think she has the Ice Element, very weird for a rabid human."

"No, you misquoted Xiao Liang. It is normal for a Stage-Eight or higher zombies to have an element. Some of the ones I fought even uses cultivation techniques or martial arts. With their enhanced evolution and their reckless way of fighting, it's a miracle I'm still alive after encountering them. Also, they have a bit of consciousness in them. You shouldn't underestimate them and label them feral, they can be as crafty as a snake when it comes down to it. I have one that lured me in a trap one time and it didn't bid we— "

"Did you say... a hole in her stomach?" I asked, surprised, interrupting Luo Zehn who was story-telling once again. "Like a gaping hole that if you were to look through it while kneeling down, you can see the horizon?"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at, Sect Master, but if you were in the right location, any gaping hole would provide a view to the other side." Luo Zehn answered.

A gaping hole.

A hug.

That fateful hug.

That fateful hug and a bite that stole five years of my life from me.

Just like what Xiao Liang said, there's no mistaking her... She's none other than her! Her!

That woman with the divine beauty and the talent to go with it. She was blessed by the heavens and the number one disciple of the Tang Sect. My pride and joy...

And also the cause of my death, but as I said before, that's beside the point. The point now is, I found her, still barely alive after all these years. And not only did she keep all my disciples safe, she also made the rabid humans work under her so other shelters would be less likely to attack Tang Shelter. I mean, if someone were to attack it, a huge horde is just next door, waiting for a disturbance to occur. It wouldn't bid well to both the plundered and the one being plundered. Ye Zhiyun, you did a good job. You chose the best spot to build the Tang Shelter and in my own biased opinion, I do think that this is the most formidable Shelter in this region.

"Ye Zhiyun, good job. You're well-versed when it comes to the terrain and now I get why you chose that spot as the Tang Shelter. I'm guessing you've never experienced an attack from another Shelter, am I right?"

Ye Zhiyun smiled as her eyes turned into slits. That's the first time I saw her smile like that, it was the sincerest smile I've ever seen to emerge from her face. Without a second thought, I patted her on the head. A talented disciple, that's what she is... that's what the three of them are.

"I've heard enough. I think the treasures I'm looking for are still in the Tang Sect, or rather, what's left of it. If there were people who managed to sneak in and steal some of the treasures I have, I'm now confident that they haven't touched a single portion of the treasure I was referring to. With a formidable rabid human guarding the treasure, I don't believe anyone would ever venture close to it. Even Shi Yanmei, my master, would probably not risk her life just to search the ruins of the Tang Sect." I explained.

"Wait, Sect Master, are you planning to go to the top? To visit the Tang Sect directly?" Ye Zhiyun asked with a bit of apprehensiveness in her voice. "Although I do believe that you can take her on, I don't think it'd be worth it if you go up there. There are just no merits and it might even endanger the whole of Tang Sect."

"I'll be back in two hours. By then, I would've defeated all of the rabid humans here and I would've subdued the one standing atop the summit." I continued. "You've seen me in action. Trust me, this rabid human would prove to be a pillar or the Tang Shelter if we allow her to. I have a way to turn her into the most harmless and gentlest of angels." I reassured them. "And I wasn't back in two hours, just know that I'm just having a little setback. You've seen my Astral Lion, my Rare Zombie Feng, and my Evolved Fanged Ice Wolf. All three of them could now rival someone in the realm of Beyond Transcendence Realm. Even a mere Stage-8 Rabid Human would be a bug waiting to be stepped on."

Ye Zhiyun glanced at Luo Zehn, then to Xiao Liang, then to everyone else in the group. "All right, Sect Master. We know that we'll just hold you back if we go with you so we'll be going first. See you in two hours." She said with a smile.

"White, if ever I fail, you know what to do... protect the Tang Shelter at all costs while I deal with the problem." I cupped my hands as I asked for a favor.

"You got me, Yongrui. If you ever need any help with that unfinished business of yours, I will help you whatsoever it is. After all, I need you to climb the Middle Plane with me in a week's time."

"Then, I'll be heading first."

As I looked at the mountainous horde, literally, in front of me, a grin appeared on my face as a panel appeared at the corner of my eyes. There, it read one of the most important skills I got when the System obtained its very first level up.

Skill: Zombie State Reversion (new skill!) 

— Required skills: Zombie Insight, Blood Control, Blood Transfer, Virus Control

— With the Insight you have on the Zombies, and the skills of manipulating both the blood and the virus, you now have the power to revert an infected back to being a human.

<Notice! This process is not guaranteed! Based on the control of the user, one could either bring back a zombie to human or kill it.>

Skill Conditions— can only be used once per Qi Core a day. 

Skill Qi Consumption—  Very High(Skill Consumption can either be very low, low, average, high, very high)