C11 The Abnormality

Oh my god, are they coming back to life?!

Xia Yi stood at the foot of the stairs leading to the fourth floor, looking up in horror as four corpses transformed into black-haired zombies, snarling and clawing their way toward him. A shiver ran through his body, and with a grave expression, he quickly backed away.

Knowing his own strength was lacking, he prudently abandoned the thought of taking them on directly in the face of these four frightening creatures.

The zombies' joints were stiff, making their pursuit awkward and slow. As they reached the stairs, their inability to bend their joints caused them to misstep and tumble from the fourth floor down to the third with a thunderous crash.

"Boom!"

The impact of the black-haired zombies hitting the ground sent a loud echo through the third floor, startling Xia Yi and waking many of the teachers and students meditating there.

"Whoa! What on earth is that?!"

"Why is there an overt monster here?"

"Is that... a zombie?"

"..."

The corpses' muscles were contorted, and a shroud of black mist obscured their true forms, leaving the students unable to recognize who they once were.

A commotion arose as the group huddled together, cautiously inching towards the safety of their teachers.

Xia Yi blended silently into the crowd, watching in disbelief as the four black-haired zombies staggered to their feet. He was tempted to reveal their true identities, but he bit his tongue at the last moment.

Speaking up would surely lead to accusations that he was responsible for bringing the zombies down upon them, and he'd be saddled with yet another mess to deal with. Xia Yi, no stranger to life's harsh realities, had no doubt such a scenario would unfold. He wasn't afraid of trouble, but he certainly didn't welcome it.

The zombies regained their footing and lurched towards the crowd.

In that moment, a teacher with keen eyesight squinted in recognition, a frown creasing his brow.

"Isn't that Teacher Wang?"

The mention of 'Teacher Wang' sparked a wave of gasps among the onlookers.

Xia Yi didn't know this Teacher Wang, but judging by the surrounding murmurs, he surmised that the teacher was well-regarded and skilled. Once someone identified one of the zombies as a teacher, a flurry of speculation followed.

"This place is possessed by a ferocious spirit!"

Xia Yi steadied himself, preparing to gather more information about the 'ferocious spirit,' when suddenly his vision blurred, and a sharp aura surged towards him.

Startled, Xia Yi instinctively raised his hand to block the assault. He was met with a powerful force that sent him stumbling backward. As he struggled to regain his balance, his arm snapped straight, and he was abruptly caught by someone.

Regaining his composure, Xia Yi saw that he was being held by a man dressed in an exquisite water-blue silk robe, with a pale, handsome face and piercing eyes fixed on him.

The man's luxurious robe was adorned with an embroidered 'Teng Long' emblem on the chest, the distinctive mark of a Dragonflight Cloister teacher. Created from special spiritual energy, it served not only as a symbol of their status but also as a weapon.

The striking male teacher glared at Xia Yi, his voice gruff as he demanded, "Did you make it to the fifth floor of the Spirit Gathering Tower?!"

Teachers and students alike turned their attention towards the commotion, their expressions ranging from surprise to concern. The incident unfolded so abruptly that the presence of the black-haired zombie had momentarily slipped their minds.

Xia Yi's first impulse was to deny it, but meeting the resolute gaze of the handsome teacher, he realized the truth was already known—that he had reached the fourth floor and had retreated from there.

Knowing that lying was futile, Xia Yi confessed immediately.

"No! I only made it to the fourth floor. As soon as I arrived, I found the bodies of four people. Overwhelmed by the horrific Yin wind, I was knocked back down."

A female teacher with a concerned look chimed in, "Exactly, it's the 'Fierce Spirit' from the fifth floor. How did it get to the fourth floor?"

The handsome teacher released Xia Yi, shooting him one more stern look, clearly displeased with the situation.

He then turned to address the encroaching black-haired zombies, his brow furrowed. "All students must evacuate the Spirit Gathering Tower immediately. Teachers, stay behind!"

The students, observing the zombies' odd and sluggish movements, underestimated their threat and were eager to test their skills. A number of them stepped forward, their spirits high, volunteering to remain and assist the teachers in confronting the foe.

The dapper male teacher was pleased to see the students undaunted by the challenge, their vitality and spirits high. He nodded in approval.

"Good, you'll stay here and handle these four zombies for now. But once this is resolved, you must leave. The 'evil spirit' upstairs is beyond your capabilities!"

The students who had stepped forward were clever; hearing this, none volunteered to continue the fight. Instead, they nodded in agreement.

The teachers quickly chose six exceptional students to remain, while the rest were dismissed.

The four teachers stepped aside, leaving the six students to contend with the four black-haired zombies.

At that moment, the dapper male teacher noticed Xia Yi standing to the side and his brow furrowed.

"Why are you still here?"

Xia Yi looked at him quizzically and countered, "Didn't you say the teachers should stay? I am a teacher, too."

The handsome male teacher scoffed with disdain, "You're not even as good as those students. What's the point of you staying? Hurry up and... leave!"

He had intended to tell Xia Yi to scram, but upon seeing the 'dragon' emblem on Xia Yi's chest, he held back his harsh words.

The two other teachers nearby smirked but said nothing, their eyes teasing as they watched Xia Yi.

Xia Yi was annoyed. He didn't want to stay, but given the insult, he felt compelled to remain.

"Defending the Dragonflight Cloister and safeguarding the Spirit Gathering Tower is the duty of the academy's teachers," Xia Yi stated coolly, though he was seething inside.

"What a 'Verdant Lord'," the female teacher said with a slight smile.

Her words should have been complimentary, but the tone suggested otherwise.

Xia Yi quickly picked up on the female teacher's glance toward the handsome male teacher and realized her intent.

She was trying to ingratiate herself with the pretty boy by belittling Xia Yi.

With an internal scoff, Xia Yi was about to speak up when a loud noise suddenly erupted from the staircase leading to the fourth level.

The four individuals swiftly turned their attention to the staircase, so much so that even the students entangled in combat with the black-haired zombies disregarded their skirmish.

Everyone listened intently, while Xia Yi, with his acute perception, realized that he could no longer detect any Martial Spirits on the third floor. It was as though they had vanished into thin air.

The dashing male teacher made a sudden move, but instead of heading for the staircase to the fourth floor, he charged at the four black-haired zombies.