"It really is a complete mess." Slowing Suicune's pace, Chu Lian looked at the withered trees and dried grass around her, then at the abandoned mansion ahead that resembled a haunted house. She could sense countless resentful spirits gathering inside, along with several presences at Earth-rank or above, radiating an aura that inspired fear.
"Yes. I never expected that such a mighty Wang family would end up like this. Just like the royal families of ancient times—no matter how powerful they once were, in the end they were replaced. Though in this case... they're even more miserable." Chu Chu sighed softly. The fall of the Wang family made her realize just how abrupt and unpredictable the tides of the world could be.
Just half a month ago, they had been a dominant clan in Su Province, renowned across the nation. Yet they collapsed at the hands of an internal traitor, nearly dragging their entire family down with them. How could one not lament that there is no absolute prosperity, only temporary flourishing?
"I wonder what the future holds for our Chu family. Compared to the others, we're still too small." The Wang family's fate made her think of her own clan.
On the surface, the Chu family's influence appeared far weaker than that of the other great families. But when her mother Li Mingxue's strength and her father Chu Xiao's authority were taken into account, the Chu family stood at the very peak among them.
Moreover, in this generation, all four children of the Chu family were outstanding talents, each the pride of their peers. Big sister was even the reincarnation of the Overlord from a thousand years ago, blessed with heaven-defying talent and brilliance. In the future, she would undoubtedly become one of the most dazzling figures in the world. By that measure, the Chu family was far more prosperous than the others.
Though not a large clan, every member was a remarkable talent. Few of the so-called great families could claim the same. How could she not feel proud?
"Shh~" Chu Lian stopped the girl from continuing. She raised a hand to her ear and listened carefully before speaking to them. "Our hosts are coming to greet us."
The girls were already prepared and immediately became vigilant.
Rustle, rustle. The grass trembled as several large dogs with glowing red eyes emerged. Their bodies were rotting, their bellies eaten away to nothing, yet they somehow still retained a twisted vitality. Creatures like these often appeared in films and television—old acquaintances of Chu Lian.
"Undead again. Why do they cause trouble wherever they go?" Chu Lian pressed a hand to her forehead. These zombie dogs had clearly once belonged to the Wang family. After disaster struck, they too had suffered, turning into these grotesque abominations.
"Tch. Zombie dogs, huh? We didn't even run into these during the last zombie tide, but now they show up." Chu Chu was visibly disgusted. As soon as she finished speaking, lightning crackled in her hand, and in an instant she reduced them all to charred debris.
Seeing Chu Chu's brutal method, Chu Lian frowned. Before the foul stench could drift toward them, she cast a spell and summoned a strong gust of wind, sweeping the smell away before it could approach.
"They may be weak, but to ordinary people they're still a significant threat... Be careful!" Chu Lian had barely begun voicing her thoughts when several agile black shadows burst from the darkness like a black hurricane, all lunging toward Chu Chu.
"Honestly." Under the bright moonlight, Chu Chu quickly saw what they were—four mid-Spirit-rank zombie bulldogs, swift and nimble.
"Lightning Cage." Compared to engaging them in close combat one by one, Chu Chu's method was far simpler. Purple lightning coiled around her and formed a dense, circular cage. The four zombie bulldogs, unable to dodge in time, crashed straight into it.
"Awooo..." They snarled and struggled, but Kurosaki Satsuki's twin blades flashed. With only a few swift strikes, she severed them into several pieces, sending their remains crashing to the ground. As they attempted to twitch and regenerate, the white-haired girl delivered a final slash to each of their heads, ending their existence.
Frowning at the pitch-black ground, Kurosaki Satsuki had always wrapped spiritual power around her bare feet to avoid stepping in filth. But in an environment like this, that was no longer sufficient. She needed shoes.
As she was thinking this, a hand appeared beside her, holding a pair of silver-white high heels. Looking up, she saw Chu Lian smiling warmly. She knew Chu Lian had prepared them in advance, but said nothing. She simply accepted them and slipped them on. They fit perfectly...
How does she know my size? Did she ever pay attention to me? Probably not... But now I really want to know how she knew.
"Alright. Next time we head out, remember to wear shoes—especially if there might be fighting," Chu Lian said with a light clap of her hands once she saw them on. Then her expression sharpened as she stared at the gate ahead. "Something big is coming."
The trembling ground already warned them that a massive presence was approaching. The girls focused even more intently on the gate, waiting.
"Moo~" It sounded like the lowing of a bull, yet also like some monstrous creature growling. A "bull" at least three meters tall emerged, its flesh churning grotesquely, its basin-sized eyes fixed eerily upon them. It paid no heed to the iron gate and smashed straight through it, charging forward.
"The Wang family really is strange—raising something like this." Chu Lian almost laughed in disbelief. Why would they keep a bull? Had they planned to slaughter it, only for the catastrophe to strike first, allowing it to survive in this twisted way? If so, that would explain it.
Regardless of its origin, this peak Spirit-rank "bull" clearly harbored hostility toward humans and had set its sights on them. The hundred-meter distance vanished in mere seconds, as if it had no fear of what they might do.
"Foolish." Chu Lian spoke lightly. She didn't even need to act. As the creature closed in, the white-haired girl stepped forward, her movements blurring as she circled its body several times in rapid succession. In the next instant, all four of its legs were cleanly sliced off at an angle, and the massive body crashed to the ground with a heavy boom.
After the rooftop incident, although the white-haired girl's strength had only just reached high Spirit-rank, her unique nature meant that unless she faced an enemy head-on or one that specifically countered her, anything below half-step Earth-rank was no match for her.
Especially not a brute that only knew how to charge. The moment it locked onto Chu Lian as its target, its tragic fate had already been sealed.
"Moo~" As if unwilling to accept its fate, thick, viscous blood slowly seeped from the severed limbs. Seeing its condition, Chu Lian knew her earlier guess had been correct. It still retained its hatred for humans. That was why it had rushed out the moment it sensed her presence.
"I imagine your hide was flayed off while you were still alive, wasn't it? I'm sorry you suffered such pain. But now you are my enemy. The only thing I can do... is send you on your way." Chu Lian shook her head gently, perhaps lamenting human cruelty, perhaps sighing at the bull's stubborn resentment.
She raised her hand. Magic gathered, and blazing flames coiled into the shape of a dragon, circling the bull and igniting the fat clinging to its body. The fire roared fiercely.
"Goodbye~"
For a peak Spirit-rank creature, mere flames were not fatal. The true issue was that it could no longer move. It could only lie there as the fire consumed it, unable to extinguish it.
How cruel was it, to wait bit by bit for death to arrive? Chu Lian saw the faint look in its eyes—something like relief, something like a plea—and understood that dragging this out was worse than granting it a swift end.
"Suicune, send it off," she said softly.
"Yes, my Lord." Suicune opened its mouth, releasing a sphere of water.
What should have extinguished the flames instead became a deadly missile. The water sphere slammed into the massive bull, blasting it into fragments. The debris scattered everywhere. If Chu Lian hadn't quickly raised a wall of wind, even she would have been splattered.
"Ah... that was a bit too violent." Though it achieved the desired result, the method was undeniably brutal. Still, since it was done, she said nothing more and urged everyone to continue forward.
"Big Sis, this place has truly become a genuine haunted ground. All sorts of demons and monsters are crawling around. Who knows what enemies we'll encounter next? We should be careful." Chu Chu hovered around Suicune, using her aerial advantage to see farther.
Even the crow perched on the rooftop—wearing an eerie grin as it stared at them—was perfectly clear in her sight.
"What the hell... that crow actually filled me with that much fear." Chu Chu withdrew her gaze, lingering dread in her heart. The crow was too strange, too terrifying. The way it stared at her felt like being marked by something. The ability to snatch away one's soul—it was enough to make anyone shudder.
"Never underestimate any race that carries the attribute of 'undead.' Over the course of their long evolution, who knows how many transformations they have undergone? They are contradictions incarnate, abnormal existences. Some of their abilities require even those above their rank to handle with extreme caution."
At that, Chu Lian sighed softly. "That's why I always hold my forehead whenever I see the undead. They're just too troublesome. Compared to dealing with them, I'd rather face several times more enemies."
"Yeah. I hate those things that want to die but can't. Last time was more than enough. If I have to go through that again, I'll go crazy. I hate them so much I never want to see them again." Chu Chu was referring to their previous battle in the valley, when they had been surrounded by a tide of zombies.
It had been endlessly frustrating and exhausting. She truly had no desire to relive such a fight. It was simply too irritating.
"So stay alert." The closer they drew to the Wang residence, the heavier the atmosphere of fear and eeriness became. If not for the special circumstances here, Chu Lian would have activated her "Depart, O Dead" aura directly.
But if she did, this place would erupt into chaos. She would undoubtedly be swarmed by countless undead, with no possibility of retreat.
More importantly, Inori and the others were with her. If she had been alone, she wouldn't have cared. The more that came, the better.
But this was meant to be training. There would be many battles ahead. If she handled everything personally every time, they would never grow stronger.
Thus, she rarely made a move herself, leaving matters to them instead. No matter what, they needed to first understand the situation clearly before deciding how to resolve it.