8: Encounter the Black Wind Valley's small BOSS, the Hundred-Year Corpse Evil

About half an hour later, Lin Gou's figure appeared like a ghost, stealthily at the entrance of a gloomy valley.

Inside the valley, the Yin wind wailed like a lament, chilling to the bone.

The putrid smell carried by the wind was so thick it was like a tangible filth, capable of knocking a living person off their feet.

The scorching sun at high noon was completely blocked by the thick black mist above the valley, not a single ray of light could penetrate.

"Wonderful!"

Lin Gou, far from being afraid, had his eyes gleaming, and drool almost escaped his mouth.

"This Yin Fiend Qi is practically a rich broth simmered just for me!"

Isn't this kind of peerless deadly ground a geomantic treasure land tailor-made for him!

He immediately activated the Aura Concealment Technique to its Perfection, making him seem to merge with the surrounding shadows, and he silently sneaked into the depths of the valley.

The further he went, the more obvious the needle-like stinging sensation in the air became.

The Yin Fiend Qi even condensed into black threads visible to the naked eye, leaving shallow red marks on his skin.

Lin Gou relished this, his grin almost reaching his ears.

Risk means reward! High risk means high reward!

After another hundred meters of exploration, the view suddenly opened up.

A massive underground cave appeared before him.

A stench of Corpse Qi, a hundred times more potent, rushed towards him like a tsunami.

In the center of the cave was a huge mass grave.

Countless broken coffins were haphazardly piled up, and bleached bones were visible everywhere, forming a daunting Domain of death.

And at the highest point of that mass grave, a half-open ancient bronze coffin emanated an ancient and evil aura.

"Good heavens!"

"This setup, this location, this décor... it's definitely a VIP-level experience package!"

Lin Gou's breathing quickened.

He could clearly feel that the existence within the ancient coffin had power far exceeding any Yao Beast he had encountered before.

Just then.

"Creak—"

A grating sound, enough to set teeth on edge, emanated from the ancient bronze coffin.

The coffin lid was suddenly pushed open a crack by a withered, pale arm with jet-black fingernails.

Boom!

The next second, the heavy coffin lid was completely flung off by an immense force, crashing heavily against the distant rock wall, sending shattered stones flying!

A tall figure, clad in tattered ancient armor, slowly sat up.

Its skin was an eerie greenish-gray, its cheeks were sunken, and two clusters of eerie green ghost fire flickered in its eye sockets.

A terrifying aura of malevolence instantly froze the air in the entire cave.

"Cent... Centennial Corpse Fiend!"

Lin Gou's pupils suddenly contracted, but the ecstasy in his heart was already boiling, almost bursting through his skull.

Qi Refining Ninth Layer Perfection!

He even had one foot in the Foundation Establishment Stage!

"Perfect! This BOSS is too perfect!"

Lin Gou suppressed the urge to rush up and shout, "Dad, I'm here!" His eyes gleamed with calculation.

He began to think rapidly.

How should he die to get the highest evaluation from the System? Should he die heroically, or die aggrieved?

The Centennial Corpse Fiend seemed to sense the presence of a living person, and its two clusters of ghost fire suddenly locked onto Lin Gou.

"Hoo—!"

With a low growl that was not human, it transformed into a greenish-gray afterimage, rushing forward with a nauseating stench!

Its speed was astonishing!

"Good timing!"

Lin Gou yelled inwardly, but on the surface, he looked utterly terrified, turning to run, only to slip and "conveniently" fall flat on his face.

He even looked back in horror, extending a trembling arm, and let out a heart-wrenching, desperate scream:

"No, don't come over—!"

Bang!

The Centennial Corpse Fiend's sharp claws, gleaming with dark light, struck down without suspense.

Lin Gou only felt an irresistible immense force from his back, his entire chest instantly caved in, and the sound of bones shattering was clearly audible.

"Ding! Host died! Death method: Chest crushed by a direct blow from the Centennial Corpse Fiend, internal organs shattered. Comprehensive evaluation: C-grade (A plain and unremarkable frontal crush, lacking technical content). Reward: Small amount of Body Refining experience, Nine Revolutions Body Refining Art proficiency slightly increased. Resurrection countdown: 29:58."

In the darkness, Lin Gou's consciousness revealed strong dissatisfaction.

"C-grade? That's it? Whose death method are you looking down on! It seems I didn't die creatively enough."

"Its strength is too great, and its defense is ridiculously high. Going head-to-head is a reckless act."

Twenty-nine minutes later, not far outside the cave, Lin Gou's figure coalesced again in a faint glow.

He touched his chest, where phantom pain still lingered.

"Again!"

This time, relying on Swift Wind Steps, he began to move around the Centennial Corpse Fiend at high speed.

Although the Centennial Corpse Fiend was powerful, it was clearly slow to turn and stiff in its movements.

"There's a chance!"

Lin Gou seized an opening, and a low-grade "Blazing Fire Talisman" appeared in his hand.

"Prodigy, behold my divine fire descending from the heavens, executing the Dao on behalf of heaven!"

While shouting chuunibyou lines, he slammed the Blazing Fire Talisman onto the Centennial Corpse Fiend's back.

Whoosh!

Flames erupted, but the Corpse Fiend merely roared, and its surrounding Corpse Qi violently vibrated, extinguishing all the flames, leaving only a tiny, insignificant scorched mark.

"Roar!"

The enraged Corpse Fiend's speed surged, and several fierce claw winds instantly sealed off all of Lin Gou's escape routes.

A perfectly timed "horror" flashed in Lin Gou's eyes, and he tried to dodge with an extremely clumsy somersault.

Pfft!

His body was instantly torn into several pieces by the furious claw winds.

"Ding! Host died! Death method: Dismembered by the enraged Centennial Corpse Fiend. Comprehensive evaluation: C+ grade (Attempted elemental counter, but the idea was too simple and angered the target, an ineffective operation). Reward: Yin Qi resistance slightly increased, Fire Spell comprehension fragment x1. Resurrection countdown: 29:45."

"Still no good!"

Lin Gou summarized again.

"Ordinary flames are too weak; they can't break its indestructible body. And after angering it, it goes berserk, dying faster and making it hard to control."

Over the next few hours, this place became Lin Gou's exclusive playground and laboratory.

He tried digging traps, but ended up slipping into one himself, getting impaled by the Centennial Corpse Fiend's claw from above, dying like an idiot.

He tried climbing to the top of the cave to throw rocks, but the rocks hit the Corpse Fiend's head without causing any harm, while he himself was accurately smashed into meat paste by the Corpse Fiend using an even larger rock.

He even tried hiding in an empty coffin, intending to ambush the Corpse Fiend as it passed by.

But the Corpse Fiend simply stepped directly on the coffin, crushing him and the coffin into smithereens.

"Ding! Host died! Death method: Trampled to death by the Centennial Corpse Fiend (inside a coffin). Comprehensive evaluation: B- grade (The death method had a certain black humor and utilized environmental props, showing some thought). Reward: Aura Concealment Technique proficiency increased, obtained a small amount of Yin Qi Pearl x3."

"Oh?"

Lin Gou's consciousness brightened in the darkness.

"The more bizarre the death, the higher the evaluation? So the System likes this kind of thing!"

His mind instantly opened up to a new world.

Each death deepened his understanding of the Centennial Corpse Fiend.

Each resurrection, he would make slight adjustments at the anchor point, then eagerly rush into that terrifying cave again for his next "death charge."

During this time, a team of Outer Sect Disciples who had come to the outskirts of Blackwind Valley to gather herbs were being chased frantically by several Demon Wolves.

In their panic, one sharp-eyed Disciple accidentally caught a glimpse of a humanoid light figure appearing out of thin air in a distant mountain hollow, dazzling and fleeting.

"Senior Brother! Look over there! It's a treasure glow! It's definitely the glow of a rare treasure appearing!"

The Senior Brother quickly looked back, only to see an empty mountain hollow and a faint spiritual energy fluctuation lingering in the air.

"Treasure glow my ass! You're seeing things!"

He slapped the Junior Brother on the back of his head.

"Run! The Demon Wolves are catching up! Even if you want treasure, you need to be alive to get it!"

Little did they know, that was Lin Gou having just refreshed his resurrection record, excitedly preparing for his twelfth "death charge."

This incident, like a small stone dropped into a lake, only caused insignificant ripples.

But the rumor of "a rare treasure appearing deep in Blackwind Valley" had quietly taken root.