Chapter 63: The Inspector Master

With the formation in place, all the approaching yin corpses were blocked outside. They seemed to realize that brute force wouldn’t work and stopped their assault. Yet they weren’t willing to retreat either. Instead, they surrounded the small houses, staring in from every side as if settling in for a battle of endurance.

Blood-red eyes, set in faces half-rotted and grotesque, stared straight into the rooms. Greed filled their gazes, and now and then a wet, swallowing sound could be heard, making everyone’s scalp prickle.

“Now… what do we do?” No one had even had time to catch their breath before anxiety rose again. All eyes turned toward the four who had just returned from setting the formation, looking to them as their anchor. “If these things just stay out there, what then?” For now, they were safe, but no barrier lasted forever. And there was no food or water here—how long could they hold out?

“Everyone, don’t panic.” Tang Chen forced down his fear and said steadily, “The exam only lasts three days. Today is the second day. Once time is up, the Celestial Masters Hall will notice something is wrong and will definitely send people to rescue us.”

In other words, they only had to hold out until the morning after tomorrow. Now was not the time to lose their nerve.

At his words, people’s expressions improved a little, though worry lingered. “Will the formation… really hold until then?”

“It will!” Tang Chen said loudly, though his eyes instinctively darted toward Yun Jiao for confirmation.

Yun Jiao was silent for a moment, then gave a small, cooperative nod. “Mm.”

Only then did everyone relax slightly.

But Yun Jiao’s face stayed serious. She wasn’t as optimistic as they were. The formation lasting until the day after tomorrow wasn’t the issue. The real question was—would the yin corpses wait that long?

She glanced at the snarling horde outside. The memory of the suddenly disabled teleportation talismans gnawed at her. Something about this didn’t feel simple. Would the Celestial Masters Hall really make it in time?

Just then, a man’s voice, urgent but distant, suddenly sounded out.

“Daoist Yun… Daoist Yun? Can you hear me?”

“What’s that sound?” the old man next to her startled and looked around, as did everyone else. Finally, their gazes landed on Yun Jiao. “Girl, that voice… it seems to be coming from you.”

Yun Jiao blinked, searching herself for the source. After a moment, she pulled out her participation name token—the sound was coming from it.

“Your token… it’s purple!” Tang Chen’s eyes widened in shock as soon as he saw the color. “You—you’re the Celestial Masters Hall’s Inspector Master!” Only an Inspector Master’s token would be purple.

“…Huh?”

Everyone else realized it too, and their gazes snapped toward her in unison. Hope flared instantly in their eyes.

In the third trial of the Celestial Masters Hall, it was tradition to send an Inspector Master of at least seventh-grade cultivation to enter disguised as an examinee. No one knew who the Inspector Master was during the test. Their job was to secretly observe candidates’ conduct—both to prevent malicious schemes and to ensure safety. Though never formally stated, nearly every sect disciple knew this rule.

Usually, the Inspector Master would choose an inconspicuous ranking to blend in. But this time, the Inspector had taken the first place slot outright. Everyone’s look toward Yun Jiao grew a touch more respectful.

Yun Jiao, however, felt goosebumps under all the staring. “…What the heck?” This was her first time taking the Upper Volume exam—she had no idea about any of this.

Before she could speak, the voice from the token returned, more hurried than before.

“Daoist Yun… I’m Jiao Hengyi. Can you hear me?”

“It’s Elder Jiao! The Celestial Masters Hall’s Grandmaster of Formations!” a disciple exclaimed before Yun Jiao could answer, sounding even more certain of her identity.

Yun Jiao finally recalled who he was—one of the examiners from the second trial. She answered clearly, “I’m Yun Jiao.”

“Daoist Yun!” the man’s tone brightened with relief. “At last! The Celestial Masters Hall’s teleportation array has failed. I’ve been studying it for hours but can’t repair it. After much effort, I managed to connect to this communication token to reach you. Daoist Yun, if you are there…”

He rambled on for a while, saying plenty yet nothing crucial. Finally, another voice cut in—this one calm and authoritative.

“Daoist Yun, I am Xu Qingfeng. What exactly is happening over there? Are the disciples safe?”

“Everyone is safe for now.” Yun Jiao glanced around to confirm, then explained the entire situation in detail.

“Yin corpses!” Xu Qingfeng was stunned. He had never even heard of such a thing—souls forcibly sealed within dead bodies to mimic life. This was far beyond normal. Likely more dangerous than any of them had imagined.

Thinking of the examinees trapped there, Xu Qingfeng’s heart tightened. His tone grew firm. “Daoist Yun, please protect the disciples as best you can. The Hall’s elders are already on their way to Sishi Village. At the latest, they will arrive by tomorrow morning. Until then, whatever you do—do not let the disciples act recklessly.”

Relief swept through the room. Faces brightened with hope; with elders coming, safety finally seemed possible.

Yun Jiao was about to reply when a chilling, mocking voice suddenly echoed from outside.

“Unfortunately… you won’t live to see that.”

Everyone stiffened and instinctively turned toward the sound. Outside, the tightly packed mass of yin corpses suddenly split apart, forming a clear path. A man stepped slowly into view.

He wore a long green robe. Unlike the other villagers—rotted and monstrous—his body appeared mostly whole. He wasn’t like the village chief, who had merely disguised himself; his appearance was truly intact. From the neck down, he looked no different from an ordinary man. But his face…

The right side looked like that of a gentle scholar. The left was a nightmare—raw flesh torn away to reveal stark white bone, dripping with decay and stench.

He touched the bony half of his face and broke into a cold, eerie smile. His gaze swept over the room’s occupants with predatory hunger. “It took so much effort to lure you all here. Did you really think we’d let you walk away?”

A shiver ran through the disciples. Instinctively, they gathered closer around Yun Jiao, eyes wary. There was no doubt—this was their leader.

The man’s expression only grew hotter, almost feverish, as his gaze roved over their bodies. “It has been so long since we’ve tasted living flesh imbued with spiritual energy. Eating you will grant us another few hundred years of life.”

Faces drained of color. So that was their purpose all along—to devour them.

(End of Chapter)