The Invincible Supreme Medical God

"I'm not sure how much you know about the Crusaders," he began, shrugging his shoulders. Deng Wu shrugged as well. He only knew the general rumors— the Crusaders didn't speak, never revealed their skin, and were overwhelmingly powerful, yet an enigma. "We fought against them in the war. I saw what really lies beneath their cloaks," he continued. "The Crusaders are already dead." Hearing this, Deng Wu seemed puzzled. "They're dead," Yan Xiaobao repeated. "They are not your typical soul shadows. In fact, their bodies are merely their souls. Their physical forms exist in various stages of decay. Some are flesh-covered corpses, others are rotting, and some are mere bones— yet their bodies remain inexplicably bound together in some way. The only thing I'm certain of is that their individual will has utterly vanished."

"They know how to act. They understand what's expected of them and how to fight," he went on. "Although they lack personal will, they can still function. As a necromancer, how could such a thing be made possible?" Yan Xiaobao stared at Deng Wu with piercing eyes, scrutinizing the man before him. He saw the confusion on Deng Wu's face. After grumbling for a while, Deng Wu seemed to be pondering the matter. "Undead wizards generally deal with the soul of a person or a beast. We can store these souls within inscriptions and utilize their life force in combat. Dealing with physical remains is far more complex. We can't transform them into inscriptions because they are too large and tangible. I suspect I could control one or two bodies by infusing them with my Qi, but we're talking about countless Crusaders here. To control so many Crusaders, one would need an immense reserve of inner energy," Deng Wu explained. "But even if I could control two bodies, I would need to concentrate entirely on them to make them functional. Directing two bodies is difficult enough to start with, but it would be downright foolish during a battle. To control their inner energy, I'd have to focus on that body, leaving my own body vulnerable to attack. With my attention divided between the two, one of the bodies would revert to simply being a corpse. To control such a vast army while making them all move, you'd either need a group of necromancers or you'd need to fragment yourself into thousands of pieces. I can hardly imagine how such a thing is possible!" Deng Wu was visibly shocked. Although he believed it to be impossible, he knew his young friend wouldn't lie about something so crucial. He couldn't help but shudder at the notion. The technique to simultaneously control so many bodies— it was something he deeply desired to master. Seeing the gleam of interest in Deng Wu's eyes, Yan Xiaobao couldn't help but chuckle softly. He understood how tempting the idea must be— to discover a way to control multiple bodies at once without splitting one's attention. The concept of transforming those bodies into tools of war without having to micromanage them would be invaluable. For now, Deng Wu relied heavily on inscriptions, but skills derived from inscriptions were always weaker than the actual skills practiced by cultivators with corresponding elemental affinity. This handicap left spellcasters at a disadvantage in direct combat. While Deng Wu could record any skill, regardless of elemental affinity, these inscriptions always proved weaker than genuine attacks. For instance, metal affinity specialists almost always had inferior offensive capabilities, making them weaker than most cultivators.

As a result, many practitioners with metal affinities became craftsmen. They created inscriptions that enhanced a person's strength, martial arts skills, or other abilities, forging them into weapons, armor, and other items. Those rare metal affinity users who focused on cultivation after unlocking their middle dantian often specialized in necromancy or inscription-making. Engravers typically amassed a significant collection of inscriptions to compensate for their weaker attacks, using sheer volume to overwhelm and defeat their opponents. Deng Wu, however, was both a necromancer and a specialist in inscriptions. He spent considerable time perfecting his craft with both inscriptions and creating soul shadows.

Seeing Deng Wu's yearning, Yan Xiaobao snorted lightly. He knew the older man would do anything to gain power, so that he could become more reliable and get closer to avenging his family. Yan Xiaobao couldn't help but smile at the thought. If a necromancer could truly find a way to move bodies in the manner described, Deng Wu would eventually uncover how it was done. When he did, Deng Wu would undoubtedly inform Yan Xiaobao, especially if they discovered a method to track down the perpetrator of such techniques.

"Alright, if you uncover anything, make sure to let me know," Yan Xiaobao said with a smile, leaving Deng Wu to work out the problem on his own as he headed back to his room. He still had some time before moving into his new mansion, and until then, he was determined to keep training. He needed to gain as much strength as possible to face the Third Prince and An Hee.

....

The days passed by swiftly. Yan Xiaobao spent all his time cultivating, while Cai Jie would disappear intermittently. Some days, he'd be gone for just an hour, and others, he'd be gone all day, returning at dusk. Deng Wu locked himself in his room, where the occasional sound of spells exploding could be heard— other days, there was complete silence. Every evening, he'd leave the mansion, returning with various dead fish and small animals, obviously meant for consumption but instead used for Deng Wu's experiments.

Gao Yan had not visited the Rong Family either, spending much of his time with the black lion while scouring a Memory Stone almost desperately for any information on someone named An Hee. Unfortunately, despite his heightened efforts, the results were the same. Gao Yan could only wait patiently for the Tang twins to return with news, knowing their mission was no easy task. As one day blended into another, Gao Yan still had nothing to report to Yan Xiaobao.

Meanwhile, Gao Yan wasn't the only one busy. Ma Kong, too, was occupied with his family and the Black Market Auction House. The family was abuzz with preparations as they planned to switch factions, something no one else yet knew of. Given the secrecy required, Ma Kong was left responsible for much of the groundwork. Although it didn't sound like a lot of work on the surface, managing the practical aspects of their support transition was no small feat.

Unnoticed, two weeks had already passed. The time had come for Yan Xiaobao to end his secluded training and visit the Lord of the mansion. As he turned the doorknob and peered out, he didn't feel sentimental. Instead, he found himself overwhelmed. It had been just two weeks since his arrival and reunion with his friends. Reflecting on the current situation, Yan Xiaobao nodded resolutely. This was an experience he would never forget. Although fourteen days wasn't a long time, considering how he'd failed to do much for his friends in that span, it felt far too long. "I must not rush things," he gritted his teeth as he reminded himself. "I need to ensure victory. I can't let my friends suffer any longer! The only way to achieve my goals and protect those I care about is with strength! The heavens care nothing for weakness!"

Leaving his room, he waited for Cai Jie to exit his own. The golden-haired young man smiled as soon as he saw Yan Xiaobao, and the two descended the stairs together. In the hall, Ma Kong, Gao Yan, Deng Wu, the Rong twins, and Xu Biao were waiting. Sha Yun was nowhere to be found, but Yan Xiaobao had grown accustomed to his friends coming and going in the past few years. It didn't raise any alarm for him. Everyone seemed to have been awaiting Yan Xiaobao's arrival. In Ma Kong's hand was a bracelet embedded with a Memory Stone. Handing it to Yan Xiaobao, Ma Kong said, "This is your key. Today marks the official beginning of our new faction. We've invited every guest we could think of. The entire upper echelon of Muchuan City is waiting for you at the mansion to hear what you have to say." Ma Kong's words made Yan Xiaobao frown instinctively.

"Alright, let's not make them wait here any longer," he sighed, straightening his back. At his right stood Deng Wu, the young man who shared his body with Little Dragon, while on his left was Cai Jie, the enigmatic youth no one truly understood. With both friends flanking him, and Ma Kong and Gao Yan trailing behind, followed by Xu Biao, these were the companions who had sworn to aid Yan Xiaobao.

"Thank you so much for having us," Yan Xiaobao said, looking at the Rong twins with heartfelt gratitude. He gave them a light hug, feeling sorry that they'd had no choice in who to support. Wang Julong was nowhere to be seen, nor was Sha Yun. Ever since his return to the capital, both had gone to considerable lengths to avoid Yan Xiaobao at all costs.

...