novelraw Chapter 120
Chapter 120
That farewell back then became an eternal separation of life and death.
Wang Yu’s relationship with his father had never been truly harmonious. There was more politeness than intimacy. The root of this lay in the matter of “his birth mother’s death,” which had become a knot in his father’s heart.
He could understand it. Thus, their father-son relationship remained flat and unremarkable, never truly deep. Moreover, he was a reincarnator who carried memories from a past life.
Since he had already become independent, he did not feel lonely. On the contrary, he felt that maintaining a certain distance was a more comfortable way for both sides to interact.
Yet, people are not grass or trees, who can be without emotions? After years of living together, even if the affection seemed fragile, its foundation was still deeply rooted.
After learning the news of his father’s death, he still felt very sorrowful. Now, standing before the gravestone, countless words of longing welled up in his heart.
But when spoken, there was only silence.
Wang Yu knelt down, kowtowed three times, then turned and left.
It was time for revenge.
According to the address given by Old Ning, Wang Yu set out alone. In less than half a day, he arrived at the retirement place of the old City Lord of Stone Lake City.It was located on a small mountain over seven hundred meters tall outside the city. It seemed to contain an incomplete spirit vein, with faint spiritual energy in the environment. It could barely sustain cultivation at the early stage of Qi Refining.
This was also someone who had failed in his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment, just like Duan Ping. But unlike that fat man, he lacked sufficient foundation. After his failure, his cultivation fell back to the fifth level of Qi Refining, and his life had reached its end.
He had gambled his entire family fortune for that breakthrough, but he failed.
Just like most people in the cultivation world.
He had not even reached one hundred and twenty years of age, yet his body was already filled with deathly aura. He was dying, with at most two years of life left.
Creak.
“Who is it?”
The floorboards of the bamboo hut creaked under Wang Yu’s deliberate steps. The old City Lord, who was sitting on a stool winding fishing lines, suddenly turned his head.
He saw Wang Yu. Even at such close distance, he could not sense any aura at all. His face froze for a moment, then he relaxed.
“Fellow Daoist, do you have business with this old man?”
“Yes.”
Wang Yu pulled a stool over and sat opposite the old City Lord. He gazed at the elderly man, whose face looked kindly and benevolent. But it was he who had sold him to the Blood Reversal Sect.
“Please speak, Fellow Daoist. I am the previous City Lord of Stone Lake City. As long as it is within my knowledge, I will say everything without concealment.”
Wang Yu nodded without comment, then mocked him.
“You are about to die, but you seem to fear me. Why is that?”
The old City Lord chuckled.
“Your cultivation is unfathomable. To appear at my side without me noticing means I am no match for you. I may be dying… but I still have a few years of life left.”
“I see. That is good news indeed.”
Better a miserable life than an early death. With that, Wang Yu asked,
“I want to know, regarding the trade of Spirit Slaves, was it you who contacted the Blood Reversal Sect, or was it Old Ning who contacted you?”
The old City Lord was surprised, then gave a careless smile.
“So that is what this is about. This matter is hardly a secret at higher levels. Among the three great Nascent Soul forces near the Severed Boundary Mountain Range, all of them take part. They send many seedlings without cultivation potential into the demonic domain.
“They also profit in spirit stones. At first, it was only Core Formation cultivators involved. But as the scale grew, even Nascent Soul Patriarchs were drawn in. It even led to the righteous-demonic war three hundred years ago.
“After that war, the trade still continued. Stone Lake City is small and only joined late. It was just over ten years ago that we became involved. Since you know Old Ning, you should also know his style of conduct.
“I am only a Qi Refining cultivator. How could I have the qualifications to contact him? It was he who approached me. During the first transaction, even the lists of names were all prepared by them.
“At that time, I did not even know about this matter and was unprepared.”
Wang Yu’s brows tightened.
“Sixteen years ago, was that the first batch?”
“Sixteen years ago… yes, that is correct.”
The old City Lord was somewhat surprised. Before he could think deeply, Wang Yu’s second question came again.
“Why does the Spirit Vulture Sect need so many young mortal girls? And all of them are ordinary mortals, with very few cultivation seeds.”
This question made the old City Lord fall silent. His expression showed difficulty as he opened his mouth but then placed a hand on his chest.
“This matter… Fellow Daoist had better not investigate. I have been placed under a restriction. If I speak, I will die without doubt. I still wish to live two more years and fish two more years.”
“Heh.”
Wang Yu’s expression turned cold.
“Speak, and you live. Refuse, and you die now.”
His sudden change of face caught the old City Lord off guard. He had thought his cooperation was enough, yet Wang Yu still intended to kill him. It seemed there was an old grudge, and Wang Yu had come specifically for him, not merely for information regarding the former City Lord’s position.
Not good.
A bad premonition flashed through his heart. The old City Lord forced a smile and retreated a few steps, saying:
“Fellow Daoist, it is not that I am unwilling, but the waters run too deep. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators are nothing but pawns. I know little. All these years I merely sent mortal women to the Spirit Vulture Sect.
“If you insist on investigating, not only will I die, but you will not escape either. This is a calamity.”
Boom.
Suddenly, a talisman exploded behind Wang Yu. A crimson molten fireball ignited the entire bamboo house. The old City Lord escaped from the sea of flames.
He quickly took out a flying artifact and was about to rise into the sky when a gloomy voice echoed in his ear.
“Where do you think you are going?”
Wang Yu, clad in black armor, stood unharmed at his side. His hand had already grasped the back of the old City Lord’s neck. That icy, irresistible force nearly froze the blood in his body.
The old City Lord’s face twisted with misery. In a pleading tone he said: “Fellow Daoist, it is not that I am unwilling. I truly cannot say it.”
“Then I will borrow your soul.”
As the soul-devouring effect activated, the old City Lord’s face changed drastically.
“I will speak! I will speak!”
“It is Yu—”
Pop.
Just as he uttered a single word, the old City Lord’s head suddenly exploded before Wang Yu’s eyes, leaving only a few remnants of his soul, which were absorbed by the Black Fiend Armor.
“Yu? Yu what…”
Wang Yu sighed with regret. It was true that the old City Lord was under a restriction, and it was enforced extremely strictly. Unfortunately, Wang Yu was not a Core Formation cultivator and did not know the Soul Search secret technique.
Looking at the new ghostly face that appeared on the Black Fiend Armor, his thoughts drifted.
“I wonder if such remnants of a soul can still be extracted for a soul search.”
But now it was too late.
No matter what, the old City Lord had to die. What lay behind this matter was far greater than he had imagined. Clearly, it was not wise to entangle himself too deeply.
This matter, Wang Wu must also know.
After all, it was he who first proposed offering young women, even contributing his own younger sister. Over five years, Stone Lake City had suffered greatly.
It was just unclear whether Old Man Ning’s mission was related to this matter.
“Yu… perhaps it is a name.”
Resolving himself, Wang Yu confiscated all the old City Lord’s belongings. In truth, there were not many spirit stones. Most of his wealth had been spent on purchasing that Blood Reversal Pill.
It was far inferior to Wang Yu’s fortune as the richest man in the Qi Refining stage.