Countless zombies roughly submerged Zhong Qi, who initially clung tightly to the coffin, but could not hold on for long.
He was truly only one step away from his so-called eternal life.
Within ten seconds, Zhong Qi was no longer left with a single piece of good flesh; even an arm had been gnawed off by force. The zombies tore at his flesh and blood, subjecting Zhong Qi to a true hellish torment.
At first, Zhong Qi could still scream. Later, perhaps numb, he watched the zombies he had raised devour his flesh and blood, his eyes holding a hint of bewilderment, but more so, a sense of relief.
Just as Zhong Qi thought he was about to die, Luo Ning shook her bell, causing all the zombies to stop their movements!
The zombies, furious a moment ago, became quiet the next second, standing rigidly still.
Zhong Qi lay in a pool of blood, his own flesh scattered on the ground around him. He said, in pain and weakness,
"Kill me... why don't you kill me..."
Luo Ning walked forward and said faintly, "Killing you is not my intention."
She pushed the coffin and turned to look at Lin Zitong.
Lin Zitong and Xia Zhi immediately rushed forward, using various methods to pry out the coffin nails, all while calling out Yan Shouyi's name.
But the coffin remained silent; Yan Shouyi did not respond to them.
This made Lin Zitong anxious to the point of distraction. She even injured her own hand while prying the nails, but she seemed oblivious, her entire focus on Yan Shouyi.
The coffin nails were soon pried out one by one. The three women worked together to push open the coffin lid. What met their eyes was Yan Shouyi's lifeless corpse.
"How can this be..." Xia Zhi couldn't help but cover her mouth, her pupils trembling.
Lin Zitong gazed at Yan Shouyi in the coffin, unwilling to accept this cruel reality.
She crawled into the coffin, knelt beside Yan Shouyi, and with trembling hands, gently tugged at his clothes: "Big idiot, big idiot... wake up, stop joking with me... this isn't funny at all..."
"We finally decided to be together, and you promised to come to my house to propose. How can you break your promise... Liar... Wake up!!"
Lin Zitong, who had never shed tears, was now weeping profusely, her purple pupils filled with grief.
Yan Shouyi's hand slipped powerlessly, and everyone finally noticed his severely sunken chest.
The punch from the red-eyed zombie had directly broken several of Yan Shouyi's ribs, and the fractured bones had pierced his heart.
Even in such agony, Yan Shouyi had tried his best to contend with Zhong Qi, buying time for Lin Zitong and Xia Zhi.
But not long after being sealed in the coffin, he couldn't hold on.
Even in his last moments, Yan Shouyi had not surrendered, hoping to persuade Zhong Qi...
"That brat... he's dead, right?"
Zhong Qi, lying in the blood, coughed out several mouthfuls of blood and chuckled, "It seems the Lu Ban descendant is not omnipotent after all. They are just mortal bodies. After taking a punch from my guardian, it's only natural they'd die... cough cough..."
"Shut up!"
Lin Zitong lashed out abruptly. Two golden blade talismans flew out like lightning, severing Zhong Qi's ears on the spot!
This made the already numb Zhong Qi experience pain once more!
Lin Zitong intended to attack Zhong Qi again, but was stopped by Luo Ning: "Zhong Qi is my master, after all. His life and death are my decision; it's not your place to interfere."
Lin Zitong snorted, "If I wanted to kill him, could you stop me?"
Seeing that the relationship between the two women was about to become tense again, Xia Zhi quickly intervened, "Arguing is pointless. Neither of you are ordinary people. Yan Shouyi just passed away. Is there any way to bring him back to life?"
Xia Zhi's words indeed reminded them.
Lin Zitong and Luo Ning immediately fell silent, lost in thought.
"The Lushang Sect excels at controlling ghosts. I can summon souls or lock onto Da Shazi's soul, but to bring him back to life..." Lin Zitong hesitated, ultimately unable to finish, because the Lushang Sect's techniques alone could not revive Yan Shouyi.
Unexpectedly, Luo Ning suddenly said, "I have a way."
"What way?"
Luo Ning pointed to the coffin and said, "The formation my master set up is called the Tian Sha Xuan Guan Yang Shi Zhen (Heavenly Fiend Suspended Coffin Corpse Raising Formation). He originally intended to refine Yan Shouyi into a corpse puppet and then have his own soul inhabit Yan Shouyi's body. Now, we can utilize this grand formation to continue refining corpses, turning Yan Shouyi's body into a corpse puppet. Then, you can use your Lushang Sect's supreme skills to retain Yan Shouyi's soul. In this way, Yan Shouyi can be brought back to life and possess a powerful body that is impervious to water and fire, and is immortal!"
In other words, all of Zhong Qi's efforts would ultimately serve as a stepping stone for Yan Shouyi!
Lin Zitong did not immediately agree. She repeatedly pondered the feasibility of Luo Ning's plan in her mind.
She did not fully trust Luo Ning. What if, at the last moment, Luo Ning suddenly switched sides, and Zhong Qi's soul occupied Yan Shouyi's body?
Also, refining Yan Shouyi's corpse into a puppet would surely have side effects, otherwise, someone would have done it long ago.
Just as Lin Zitong was undecided.
Inside the 44th floor, a sudden "ding" sounded.
It was the elevator.
Everyone couldn't help but look towards the elevator. How could someone still be arriving at the 44th floor at this time?
Was this uninvited guest friend or foe?
The elevator door slowly opened, and a bald man in a white tank top, appearing sloppy and lewd, stepped out.
The man was also surprised by the scene, but he did not flee. Instead, he shouted, "Where is Yan Shouyi!"
Lin Zitong frowned. Xia Zhi shone the flashlight at the man. The man squinted and said, "I am Lao Jin. Yan Shouyi knows me!"
"Lao Jin?"
Lin Zitong suddenly remembered that Yan Shouyi had mentioned this person to her before. At that time, Yan Shouyi had described Lao Jin as a "Qi Huang Sect ancient physician descendant who looks extremely lewd in a white tank top but has a kind heart."
Seeing Lao Jin's appearance now, Lin Zitong was certain he was the extremely lewd-looking man Yan Shouyi spoke of.
"Come here," Lin Zitong said.
Lao Jin, holding up his pant legs, walked through the corpses, tutting in amazement. He likely had never witnessed such a spectacle.
Soon, Lao Jin reached the coffin and, seeing Yan Shouyi's corpse within, sighed faintly, "I didn't expect it to be true."
"What do you mean?" Lin Zitong asked.
Lao Jin took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Lin Zitong: "This morning, I suddenly received a letter from Yan Shouyi's father. The letter predicted that Yan Shouyi would die today, but it asked me to bring the letter here to find you—you are Lin Zitong, right? Yan Shouyi often mentioned you."
Lin Zitong was quite surprised and shocked. She quickly took the envelope.
Yan Shouyi's father was named Yan Chou. He had been imprisoned ten years ago and had not yet been released. How did he know what was happening outside?
Moreover, from Lao Jin's words, it seemed Yan Chou had known all along that Yan Shouyi would face this calamity today!
As a father, he could not stand by and let his child die. Now, this letter must be meant to guide Lin Zitong and the others on how to bring Yan Shouyi back to life.
Lin Zitong opened the envelope and read the contents carefully no less than three times.
Her expression shifted repeatedly.
Finally, she regained her composure, folded the letter in half, and then burned it to ashes.
Xia Zhi asked confusedly, "What did the letter say?"
Lin Zitong said softly, "Uncle Yan asked us... to do as Luo Ning suggested!"
Lao Jin was taken aback: "I thought that letter was three or four pages long. Did it just say this one sentence??"
Clearly, the letter contained much more, but Lin Zitong seemed unwilling to tell everyone. However, the immediate problem now had a solution.
Refining Yan Shouyi into a corpse puppet was Yan Shouyi's father, Yan Chou's decision.
Since that was the case, Lin Zitong had no reason to hesitate.
She looked at Luo Ning: "Let's do it... start refining the corpse!"