“Zombies actually have ranks just like martial arts. The ordinary ones are called Black Corpses, then come Iron Corpses, Bronze Corpses, Silver Corpses, Gold Corpses, and something else I can’t recall at the moment. A remnant soul is just a remnant soul—memories are fragmented and chaotic. But perhaps it’s a good thing I’m only a remnant soul; if I had a complete soul and consciousness, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to hold on to my true self!”

“Hiss, the combat strength of a Bronze Corpse is actually comparable to a martial artist at the Strength Level. The curator is only at the Strength Level, and he’s already considered a renowned and respected expert in the county city. If I could control these three zombies, wouldn’t that be equivalent to having three martial artists under my command?” As William Carter recalled and pondered, he gradually pieced together some information in his mind, feeling both shocked and delighted, his heart pounding wildly.

“It seems that the other zombies in this corpse-rearing ring were all Silver or Gold Corpses. When Henry Clark was being hunted, he released them all to fend off attacks. I really wonder what cultivation level Henry Clark had, and what level those pursuing him were at, if these three Bronze Corpses weren’t even qualified to be sent out as help.”

“The powerhouses of this world are even stronger than I imagined. I must keep a low profile and improve my cultivation as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if I ever encounter a powerhouse like Henry Clark, I might not even know how I died.” As he continued to recall and reflect, William Carter felt a creeping sense of dread, a bone-chilling unease.

Thinking about the need to improve his cultivation quickly, William Carter soon looked at the three Bronze Corpses with burning anticipation.

To him at this moment, these three Bronze Corpses were peerless experts.

If he could control these three Bronze Corpses, it would be like having three Strength Level powerhouses working for him. Not only would his personal safety be temporarily secured in this chaotic world, but the problem of lacking meat and medicinal supplements could also be easily solved.

But the question was, how could he control these three Bronze Corpses?

William Carter fell into deep thought once again.

Images flashed through his mind of people in black, some holding bells, others holding banners, shaking the bells or banners while forming hand seals to control zombies.

William Carter was struck by a thought and searched around, but found no bells or banners. Instead, he discovered a small box tucked in the corner of a huge empty coffin.

When William Carter saw the small box, his head throbbed, as if he had forgotten something very important, but just couldn’t recall it.

William Carter couldn’t be bothered to rack his brains, so he took out the small box and opened it.

Inside the box was a palm-sized, ancient-looking triangular token made of some unknown material, and a scroll of scripture.

William Carter couldn’t recall any memories related to the ancient triangular token, but when he saw the scroll, his heart suddenly trembled. He hurriedly picked up the scroll and unrolled it.

The scripture was extremely thin, and when opened, it was densely packed with words. In the center of the scroll was a drawing of a star river.

At first glance, the star river seemed unremarkable, but when he focused on it, the star river expanded infinitely, as if it had become a truly vast and boundless universe, with one’s own existence so insignificant it wasn’t even a speck of dust.

Countless suns, moons, and stars revolved, converging together like an eternal, mighty river.

Chapter Four: The Undying Star River

“I remember now, I remember! This is the supreme secret manual for cultivating the divine soul, the ‘Undying Star River Visualization Method.’”

“As time passes, life and death, dynasties rise and fall, seas turn to mulberry fields, but the vast star river cycles endlessly. Amidst infinite change lies the eternal, unchanging truth. Heaven and earth are undying, the star river is eternal!”

“Henry Clark obtained this ‘Undying Star River Visualization Method’ by chance. It took him ten years just to get started, and as his divine soul gradually grew stronger, he figured out how to use soul condensation to form seals to control zombies, no longer needing external magical tools. Ordinary corpse refiners, however, usually need to use their own blood and magical tools as a medium to control zombies. Only those who have cultivated corpse power can use it to control zombies, but that method is extremely exhausting and limited by distance—far less convenient than using soul-condensed seals for easy and long-range control.”

“Right now, my vitality is weak. I don’t have any extra blood to control zombies, and even if I did, I couldn’t make magical tools. As for corpse power, that’s even more unrealistic. I walk the upright path of martial arts—how could I cultivate corpse power and turn myself into something neither human nor ghost, twisting my nature?”

“If I could use the soul condensation method to control zombies, that would be perfect. But Henry Clark spent ten years just to barely get started, and then another seventy years before he could barely split his mind to condense soul seals. I’m afraid I can’t even get started, let alone know when I’ll be able to condense soul seals.”

“However, I’ve fused with Henry Clark’s remnant soul and consciousness, so my divine soul should now share some origin with Henry Clark. These zombies were first refined by Henry Clark with his blood, and later further controlled with soul-condensed seals. I wonder if I can use a blood sacrifice on the zombies, just like with the corpse-rearing ring, to achieve some initial control?”

William Carter quickly shifted his gaze from the ‘Undying Star River Visualization Method’ scroll back to the three zombies.

According to Henry Clark’s remnant soul memories, this ‘Undying Star River Visualization Method’ is extremely difficult to get started with, and besides, being in the wilderness now is hardly the time to study it.