Rebirth as a Demonic Cultivator: Starting with a Zombie Planet

Chapter 26: Back to Taiping Market, Trouble Knocks Again

Baleful aura—the fierce, impure, and malignant energy released at the exact moment of a living being’s death.

Righteous cultivators avoided it like the plague. Demonic Cultivators, however, savored it.

To a Demonic Cultivator like Chu Xuan, this death energy was a highly versatile resource. It could be forged into Magical Artifacts, weaponized for offense and defense, or simply devoured to accelerate cultivation.

He had established a Gathering Baleful Aura Formation at the Haotai Hotel for two pragmatic reasons: first, to harvest the ambient death energy for his own use, and second, to weaponize it as an automated defense system against anything foolish enough to wander into his Mist Formation.

It took until midnight to perfectly calibrate both Formations. With the Gathering Baleful Aura Formation active and his Yin Corpses standing guard, breaching the Haotai Hotel would be a nightmare for any intruder.

His base of operations was officially secure.

*Can this place even be considered a cave dwelling?* Chu Xuan chuckled softly. *No one in the Cangxuan Continent could ever imagine that my sanctum isn’t hidden in some mystic mountain, but sitting in the middle of a doomsday planet.*

Returning to the rooftop, he recalled Xiao Long and Xiao Bao into the Corpse Nurturing Tower.

“Xiao Hu,” Chu Xuan commanded. “I’m leaving the six Yin Corpses and the two Spirit Hounds under your control. Guard the hotel while I’m gone. If you get hungry, go hunt Zombies. Just don’t cause any unnecessary trouble. Nod if you understand.”

*Roar.*

Xiao Hu rumbled low in its throat, nodding its massive, rotting head.

Thanks to its recent advancements, the beast’s intellect had evolved significantly, now rivaling that of a seven- or eight-year-old human child. It understood every word.

Chu Xuan felt entirely at ease leaving Xiao Hu in charge. It was his first Yin Corpse, and by far his most reliable.

After a final sweep of the perimeter, Chu Xuan retrieved the Blood Mirror from his Storage Bag. It had been fully charged for days, ready to transport him back at a moment’s notice, but he had delayed his departure to ensure his stronghold was airtight.

He tapped the glass. The Blood Mirror flared, instantly swallowing him whole.

His figure vanished from the desolate rooftop.

Left behind, Xiao Hu let out a mournful whine, a strange sense of emptiness washing over its undead mind.

*Master is gone. Gone far away. Master’s home relies on Xiao Hu now. I will tear apart any bad guys who come close!*

…

Cangxuan Continent. Deep within a secluded mountain cave, Chu Xuan materialized without a sound.

He scanned the darkness. It was the exact same bear den he had commandeered before his departure. Nothing had been disturbed.

Expanding his senses, he confirmed there were no cultivator auras lingering outside. He swiftly retrieved his hidden formation flags and shoved aside the heavy boulder sealing the entrance.

Brilliant sunlight flooded the gloom. The sky was a pristine azure, the air crisp and clean. He took a deep breath, letting the rich, intoxicating Spiritual Qi fill his lungs. It was a stark, refreshing contrast to the rotting stench of the apocalypse.

*Three objectives for this trip,* he calculated internally. *First, acquire an alchemy furnace to refine the Foundation Building Blood Pill. Second, procure the necessary spiritual herbs for the recipe. Third, buy a flying Magical Artifact—preferably High Grade.*

Shifting his facial structure with a disguise technique, Chu Xuan took to the skies, heading straight for Taiping Market.

It was a calculated risk. The Shenggang Sect had already scoured the surrounding area and raided the Wu Family Manor. By all logical metrics, they wouldn’t waste resources sweeping Taiping Market a second time. It was the safest place to be.

He arrived shortly after. The market was exactly as he had left it.

No matter what bloody wars the five righteous sects waged above, this humble gathering of Qi Condensation cultivators remained a stagnant pond, barely rippling. At most, the sect wars were just fresh gossip to chew on over tea.

For this visit, Chu Xuan had molded his features into those of a pale, aristocratic young master. However, the sharp, slanted eyebrows and a slightly hooked nose gave him a predatory, unapproachable aura. He looked like a man who would kill over a spilled drink.

Following his usual protocol, he didn’t rush to the stalls. Instead, he secured a table at the local teahouse.

His seating choice was purely tactical—a window spot that offered an unobstructed view of both the northern and southern entrances. If a net was cast over the market, he would be the first to see it falling.

Sipping his tea, Chu Xuan activated the Truth-Listening Bug nestled in his ear, filtering through the chaotic hum of cultivator chatter. Within minutes, he had a complete summary of the local news.

*Ten days.*

A faint, cynical smile touched Chu Xuan’s lips. He had spent three months slaughtering his way across Hailan Planet, yet a mere ten days had passed in the Cangxuan Continent. A snap of the fingers.

From the perspective of anyone in this world, he had rocketed from the sixth to the ninth level of Qi Condensation in just over a week. It was a terrifying progression speed that would leave even a Peerless genius choking on his dust.

*Hmm?*

Chu Xuan’s brow twitched. His peripheral vision locked onto two cultivators huddled in a dim corner—one old, one young.

Their faces were strangers to him, but the subtle, unnatural stiffness of their features betrayed the use of a disguise technique.

More importantly, the Truth-Listening Bug picked up their hushed whispers.

“…Senior Brother Wei, is Zhang Cheng actually going to show? What if he defected to the Shenggang Sect? What if he’s a traitor?”

“That is exactly why we are wearing these faces and sitting in this corner,” the older one hissed back. “We don’t make direct contact. We observe the perimeter first. Are you really this dense?”

“Oh. Right.”

“It’s a quarter past noon. The rendezvous is at three quarters past. He’ll be here soon. Keep your mouth shut and follow my lead.”

“Understood.”

Chu Xuan instantly matched the voices to their true identities. Wuji Sect Qi Condensation disciples: Chen Ge and Wei Hua.

He also remembered Zhang Cheng. The man was a notorious black-market peddler among the outer disciples, making his living fencing second-hand Magical Artifacts discarded by seniors to naive newcomers. Chu Xuan’s own flying sword had been bought from Zhang Cheng at a twenty percent discount.

*So, they survived the Shenggang Sect’s raid on the Wu Family Manor,* Chu Xuan analyzed, his fingers lightly tapping the wooden table.

*And now they’re here in Taiping Market… I see. They must still be sheltering with the Wu Family. It seems the Wu Family hasn’t completely rolled over for the Shenggang Sect after all.*

*Trying to buy supplies from Zhang Cheng right now? Bold. And stupid.* Chu Xuan shook his head imperceptibly.

In times like these, loyalty was the first thing sold. Reaching out to scattered Wuji Sect disciples was a massive gamble. The man they were waiting for might not bring the goods they wanted—he might just bring a hit squad of righteous cultivators.

*I can’t stay here. I need to leave. Now.*

*Even if Zhang Cheng isn’t a rat, he could easily be carrying a tail. If their mess splashes onto me, it’s going to cost me.*

Chu Xuan stood up, his face an unreadable mask.

He felt zero obligation to warn Chen Ge and Wei Hua. They were fellow disciples in name only, mere acquaintances. They certainly weren’t worth risking his own neck. In a world where the strong ate the weak, his only priority was his own survival.

But just as he turned to leave, his gaze swept past the window one last time. A figure was striding briskly toward the northern entrance of Taiping Market.

The man held a dripping, blood-soaked bundle in one hand. The air around him was thick, practically suffocating with raw Killing Intent.

Yet, plastered across his handsome face was a warm, radiant smile. He looked like a friendly neighbor out for a morning stroll.

The juxtaposition of the amiable smile and the suffocating aura of murder was deeply unsettling.

Chu Xuan let out a quiet, inaudible sigh.

*He’s here.*

Trouble had finally knocked on his door. And much faster than he had calculated.