Chapter 97: The Corpse Driver of Western Hunan [Fifth Update]

“Besides, he already mastered the ‘Movement’ secret technique. Learning the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes’ afterwards would be such a waste, wouldn’t it? After all, mastering it means three different body techniques, and he’s already near his limit.”

Luffy hesitated, then decided to consult the system. “Is there any way to learn the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Illusions’ without going through the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes’ first?”

“Ding! This system is all-powerful, of course there is. As long as the host pays ten million crystal cores, the host will instantly master the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes’ to completion and receive the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Illusions’ technique as a bonus.”

“What the hell! Your ‘Three Thousand Thunder Illusions’ only cost four million crystal cores, and ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes’ only two million. Why don’t you just steal them yourself? You’re trying to drain all my crystal cores at once?”

Luffy was speechless. This system was so greedy, trying to devour all his crystal cores.

“Ding! If no response, offer ends in ten seconds. 10, 9, 8…”

“Damn it, exchange! Exchange!”

Luffy had no choice but to accept. Being able to leave a clone here, as strong as himself, was exactly what he wanted. Otherwise, if zombies and wild beasts attacked, it would be troublesome.

“Ding! Congratulations, host, you have mastered ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes.’ The ‘Three Thousand Thunder Illusions’ have been sent to your temporary storage.”

“Ding! Ten million crystal cores successfully deducted.”

“Holy crap…”

Luffy felt dizzy as a torrent of information flooded his mind.

In an instant,

he sensed he had truly mastered the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes’—and to perfection. The system was incredible. Living with cheats was just awesome and exhilarating.

But ten million crystal cores—that was rare indeed.

He sat silently on his bed, concentrating. A holographic screen appeared before his eyes. He clicked on the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Illusions’ technique, and a prompt asked if he wished to learn it.

Luffy immediately clicked ‘Learn.’

A wave of cryptic, incomprehensible information surged into his mind, causing a sharp headache, as if countless things were crowding into his consciousness.

It was painful,

but after a short while, the information was assimilated.

He had learned the ‘Three Thousand Thunder Illusions.’ Though it was only an entry-level mastery, not complete perfection, it was enough to fully conjure a clone.

“Crackle!”

Beside him, a phantom of lightning flickered, gradually taking human form.

Step by step, it solidified, its hair matching Luffy’s, the face forming identically, limbs and body the same.

A clone, indistinguishable from Luffy, appeared beside him,

sitting cross-legged on the bed.

Luffy opened his eyes, glanced at the clone, and it returned the gaze. The clone was under his control, a construct of lightning.

“Change your clothes. From now on, you’ll guard this place for three years.”

Luffy said, then leapt toward the window, entrusting the clone with protection. He was not worried about the clone acting out; with a single thought, he could destroy it and conjure a new one.

He landed lightly on the roof, then turned and walked out toward the safety zone’s barrier—a formation he had laid down. Entry and exit were free for him, but no one else could detect him.

He stepped out of the safe zone, heading for the Kunlun Mountains.

The Kunlun Mountain Range—also called Kunlun Void, China’s foremost sacred mountain, the Mountain of Ten Thousand Ancestors, Kunlun Hill or Jade Mountain—is a vast mountain system in Central Asia and the backbone of the western Chinese mountain chain. It stretches from the eastern Pamir Plateau, crossing Xinjiang and Tibet, extending into Qinghai, spanning about 2,500 kilometers, with an average elevation of 5,500 to 6,000 meters, and an average width of 130 to 200 kilometers, narrowing westward and widening eastward, covering over 500,000 square kilometers.

Ancient mythology holds that the Kunlun Mountains are home to the immortal “Queen Mother of the West,” with a human head and leopard body, attended by two azure birds. She is a principal Taoist deity, sharing the domain of male and female cultivation with the East King.

Many ancient Chinese myths trace back to the Kunlun Mountains, considered the birthplace of the descendants of Yan and Huang—the legendary ancestors of Chinese civilization.

Luffy, clad in a blue robe, sped forward like lightning. The ‘Three Thousand Thunder Strikes’ allowed him to fly for an hour at a time—though only one hour per day.

He arrived in the forest to rest, exhausted after a day’s travel. He pitched a tent, sprinkled realgar around, and entered to sleep.

This place was likely in western Hunan, still far from Kunlun.

Western Hunan was rich with legends.

The corpse-driving custom was said to originate in the ancient four counties of Chenzhou’s jurisdiction: Yuanling, Luxi, Chenxi, and Xupu. To this day, the truth remains a mystery.

In an article, Shen Congwen wrote: “Passing through Chenzhou (now Yuanling), the place produces cinnabar and has corpse drivers. If one is lucky, they might see a group of corpses walking along the highway, which would even avoid cars by stepping aside—just like living people.”

Luffy did not expect to encounter corpse drivers tonight.

There were no zombies in the forest, only wild beasts—but he was unafraid.

The night was hazy, life like a dream.

He never imagined he’d spend the night here.

Meanwhile, within the safe zone, his clone was dining with his parents, mirroring every movement. The clone possessed Luffy’s memories, so naturally, his parents could not tell this son was only a clone.

…

…

In the forests of western Hunan,

a Taoist priest held a floating dust talisman in one hand and a soul-capturing bell in the other, shaking the bell intermittently to make the corpses beside him move forward.

It was a strange sight.

—

The sky was heavy with dark clouds, pouring rain.

The middle-aged Taoist hurriedly shepherded the corpses into a dilapidated temple for shelter.

Upon entering, he was startled to see an idol of an evil god with four heads and six arms. Was he in a place of unimaginable evil? But since he was here, he resolved to stay calm.

At that moment, a young man burst in, drenched, rushing inside. The youth wore blue clothes, had blue hair, a bit unconventional, and carried a finely crafted iron hammer at his waist, making him stand out.

“Uncle, hello. I never thought I’d have the honor to see corpse drivers,” the youth, named Gong Juechen, smiled warmly at the middle-aged man, showing no fear despite the corpses.

“It’s bad luck for a young man to encounter corpse drivers, yet you seem so happy,” the man shook his head. His name was Zhang Tianling, the thirty-eighth-generation disciple of the corpse-driving sect.

“You look worn out, like you’re fleeing from a chase,” Zhang Tianling said, his sharp eyes discerning the youth’s situation.

Luffy, inside his tent, unaware of the pouring rain, had to pack up. He took an umbrella and walked toward the nearby broken temple.

Thunder rumbled.

Lightning flashed.

Gong Juechen frowned when he saw a boy enter holding an umbrella.

He couldn’t sense the boy’s cultivation level—it was unfathomable, yet he looked ordinary.

Zhang Tianling was equally surprised; neither could gauge the boy’s true strength.

—

Author’s note:

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The fifth update is complete today.

(End of chapter)