Li Qing didn't directly deny the use of the glutinous rice. Li Mu borrowed some glutinous rice from the villagers of Zhang Village and sprinkled it around the ancestral hall of the Zhang family.
Regardless of whether the glutinous rice had a restraining effect on zombies, there was no harm in making an extra layer of preparation.
The villagers of Zhang Village dispersed, and Landlord Zhang's direct blood relatives were arranged to stay in the ancestral hall.
Although zombies didn't have intelligence and didn't pick humans or animals for blood, the blood essence of direct blood relatives could accelerate their evolution. If the one who killed Landlord Zhang was the ancestor of the Zhang family, as long as the bloodline of the Zhang family still existed, it would definitely come back.
This was their instinct, so Li Mu and the others only needed to wait in Zhang Village.
However, after the villagers of Zhang Village who went to check on the Zhang family's graveyard returned, Han Zhe began to doubt his earlier speculation.
According to the villagers, there was nothing unusual in the graveyard of the Zhang family's ancestor, which meant that none of them had become zombies. Landlord Zhang's death might just be a coincidence.
If that was the case, it wouldn't be so easy to find traces of the zombie.
Li Mu thought of the disappearance of Landlord Zhang's father's body and asked doubtfully, "Could it really be the Older Landlord Zhang?"
"Under normal circumstances, this is impossible." Li Qing denied Li Mu's guess and said, "A corpse needs a certain opportunity to become a zombie. First of all, Landlord Zhang's father's graveyard must be a place to raise corpses. Only then could it be possible for him to become a zombie. Secondly, even if he became a zombie, it would be the lowest level of white zombie. It would take at least twenty years to evolve into a jumping zombie, and the one who killed Landlord Zhang was obviously a jumping zombie."
Li Mu thought for a moment and asked, "Under normal circumstances, this is the case. What about abnormal circumstances?"
Li Qing said, "Corpses that have just died not long ago can absorb a large amount of Yin energy in a very short period of time and accelerate the evolution process. Perhaps someone has refined the corpses and forcibly helped them evolve. Or perhaps, Landlord Zhang's father was bitten to death by the Flying Stiff, but according to the yamen's investigation, he died of illness …"
Obviously, if he wanted to know the origin of the zombie that killed Landlord Zhang, he just had to see if it would come here tonight.
If nothing unexpected happened, Li Mu wouldn't be able to go home tonight. For the past two days, he didn't have time to go back and tell Wanwan. Li Mu felt guilty for taking Liu Hanyan's monthly food allowance.
Zhang Shan, Li Si, and the others returned to Zhang Village before dark.
They searched the cemeteries and mass graves near Zhang Village, but they didn't find anything.
Han Zhe's face was filled with doubt as he muttered, "That's strange. That zombie couldn't have flown over. That's impossible. If it was a flying zombie, the North County would have already been in chaos …"
Li Mu learned from the 'Encyclopedia of Monsters in the Ten Continents' that the strength of a Jumping Stiff was about the same as a cultivator in the Assembled Spirit Realm. Because they were like ghosts but not ghosts, and like demons but not demons, many spells that targeted demons and ghosts were ineffective against them. This made the Jumping Stiff more difficult to deal with than evil ghosts and shapeshifting demons.
However, no matter how difficult it was to deal with, no matter how strong the Jumping Stiff was, it didn't have any intelligence. Some relied on their instincts and their bodies were stiff. They could only jump and walk.
However, a Flying Stiff was different. Once a zombie evolved into a Flying Stiff, it could pose a threat to cultivators in the Middle Realm. Not only would it have basic intelligence, but it could also jump and move like a normal person. It could also suck a person's blood essence and soul without leaving any external injuries. It was said that a Flying Stiff appeared in the neighboring Zhou County a few days ago. Even the County Governor was alarmed. The chaos it caused had yet to subside.
That Flying Stiff had countless eyes on it. It couldn't have run from Zhou County to here. Below the Flying Stiff, Li Qing and Han Zhe were here, so it couldn't cause too much trouble.
The sky gradually darkened. Zhang Shan, Li Si, and the other four constables held weapons smeared with rune blood and stood guard around the ancestral hall. Li Mu sat in the ancestral hall with Baiyi in his arms, looking at the few direct descendants of the Zhang Clan.
Li Qing wasn't here. Although the zombie didn't have the seven spirits, its body was extremely strong and its senses were even sharper. Li Qing was already in the Assembled Spirit Realm. If she stayed here, the zombie might not dare to appear out of fear.
Li Mu didn't know if the zombie would come. As he waited, he silently recited the Heart Sutra to cultivate. Unknowingly, it was already past the fourth hour.
The Chou hour had passed. In other words, it was already past three in the morning. In the ancestral hall, the few direct descendants of the Zhang Clan had already fallen asleep. Only two people were still awake. They leaned against the pillars of the ancestral hall, drowsy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Just as Li Mu was about to fall asleep, there was suddenly a hurried knock on the door of the ancestral hall.
Li Mu was jolted awake. He pulled out the Baiyi Sword and walked to the courtyard outside the ancestral hall. He asked loudly, "Who is it?"
"It's me. Open the door!" Zhang Shan's voice came from outside the door.
Li Mu heaved a sigh of relief. He walked over and opened the door. Looking at Zhang Shan outside, he asked, "What's wrong? Did you find anything?"
"I've been waiting for half the night, but I didn't find anything." Zhang Shan covered his buttocks and said anxiously, "I think I ate something bad today. Where's the outhouse? I can't hold it in any longer …"
Li Mu pointed to a corner in the courtyard. Zhang Shan covered his buttocks and immediately ran over.
Li Mu closed the door. Before he reached the ancestral hall, there was another knock on the door.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang! This time, the knocking was even more hurried than the previous one.
Li Mu was about to walk over when the two sturdy wooden doors collapsed with two muffled thuds.
A tall, dark figure appeared at the door.
The moonlight shone on the figure, revealing a pale face without a trace of blood. The face was full of wrinkles, and the eyes were sunken deep into their sockets. Two fangs protruded from the corners of his mouth. He stood at the door, and a gust of Yin Qi came from afar.
"It's here!"
Li Mu was shocked. He immediately took out a bamboo tube from his bosom and lit it without hesitation. A flame shot out from the bamboo tube and exploded in the night sky.
"Roar!"
The zombie made a muffled sound from its throat and pounced at Li Mu.
Its knees did not bend, but it was extremely fast. It almost left an afterimage. The inch-long nails on its ten fingers emitted a faint cold light as it stabbed at Li Mu's neck.
"So fast!"
Li Mu was shocked. He knew that although jumping zombies were not agile, their speed was much faster than ordinary people. However, he did not expect them to be so fast.
Fortunately, he was prepared. He immediately used the Leaping Rock Technique and jumped back several feet, dodging the zombie's attack.
Sizzle!
The zombie jumped to the ground, but a burst of black smoke suddenly rose from its feet. Its face revealed a hideous and painful expression. It instantly jumped back and did not dare to take another step forward.
Li Mu looked at the layer of glutinous rice on the ground and discovered that there was a charred footprint on it.
He heaved a sigh of relief and said in his heart, "Praise Uncle Ying!"
Zhang Shan came out of the outhouse in the corner of the ancestral hall and asked in confusion, "Li Mu, what's burnt …. Oh my god, what is that!"
Seeing the black figure at the door, Zhang Shan's body trembled. He was so scared that his legs went soft and he fell to the ground.
Sensing Zhang Shan's aura, the black figure turned around and pounced on Zhang Shan.
There was no glutinous rice scattered around the outhouse. Li Mu looked at Zhang Shan and shouted from afar, "Hold your breath!"
Zhang Shan suddenly pinched his nose. The zombie's figure paused and stood in place. Its movements immediately slowed down.
Seeing this scene, Li Mu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. The zombie could not see Zhang Shan in front of it, which meant that it could not see anything. At most, it was just a powerful jumping zombie. Li Qing and Han Zhe could easily deal with it.
He reached into the cloth bag in his arms and took out a handful of glutinous rice. He sprinkled it on the zombie's body.
Although the zombie couldn't see, it instinctively sensed danger and jumped away. The moment it landed on the ground, a talisman shot from the front and stuck to its forehead.
His body froze on the spot, unable to move at all.
Han Zhe's figure walked out from the darkness. He looked at the zombie with disdain and said, "It's just a jumping zombie. It's neither a demon nor a ghost. What can it do …"
"Be careful!"
Li Mu pushed his spiritual power to the extreme and almost instantly appeared beside Han Zhe. He kicked him away, making the ten sharp nails that stabbed at Han Zhe's neck miss.
The Fu-lu on the zombie's forehead spontaneously combusted and turned into ashes. After the attack aimed at Han Zhe missed, it changed the direction of its ten fingers and stabbed at Li Mu's chest.
Bang!
His attack still didn't hit. Not only that, but after his attack missed, his entire body was sent flying.
Li Qing pushed the zombie back with a palm. She stood in front of Li Mu and said, "Leave it to me. You go and protect the Zhang family."
"Boss, be careful."
Li Mu warned her and quickly retreated to the ancestral hall's door in case the zombie suddenly attacked.
After being knocked down by Li Qing, the zombie stood up in the air again. However, this time, it just stood there in the distance and was not in a hurry to attack.
Although it did not have intelligence, it could feel that the woman who had just pushed it back was very powerful.
Suddenly, the zombie's body rose into the air again. However, it did not attack Li Qing. Instead, it quickly retreated. After a few leaps, it disappeared into the boundless night …
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