Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 154

Gu Zhengshun shook his head.

"Brother Wang, I would not lie to you. My master is only mid Foundation Establishment in cultivation, and he is not qualified to possess a third-rank Refined Corpse."

"As for my Grandmaster Di Yinzi, he does have more than one third-rank Refined Corpse, but they are all intact. Even if they are damaged, they tend to be repaired rather than sold off as scrap."

"I can understand."

Wang Yu of course knew the background. The problem was simply that third-rank specimens were too rare. Even spending large sums to repair one was better than raising a new one from scratch.

"But you are a disciple of Heavenly Corpse Peak, and your mountain is known for playing with corpses. There should be many who possess third-rank Refined Corpses, no need to only rely on your Grandmaster."

"I know."

As he spoke, Gu Zhengshun's expression grew more troubled. He gulped down half a pot of strong wine, then said.

"Do not be fooled by your Cold Blood Peak True Disciples. They have fought bitterly for the title of Nascent Soul seed. Among Heavenly Corpse Peak True Disciples, the competition is even fiercer. Have you heard of the Corpse Fighting Tournament."

"Corpse Fighting Tournament? I have heard the name, but I do not know the details."Wang Yu was more interested in the Five Yin Peak inheritance. He also had a demonic technique called the Ghost Transformation Curse. If used with the Thousand Soul Banner, it would be one of the top artifacts in Foundation Establishment. All spirits and souls would be under his command, a supreme technique for raising and feeding ghosts.

He was not very familiar with Heavenly Corpse Peak.

Gu Zhengshun smiled bitterly.

"Corpse fighting is naturally about whose bounded corpse is stronger. Heavenly Corpse Peak has a secret ritual called the Corpse Overlord Ritual."

"The so called Corpse Fighting Tournament forces ten true disciples to let their bound corpses fight and devour each other to complete the Corpse Overlord Ritual. The final survivor gains the power of a Zombie King, and will likely mutate."

"Apart from awakening corpse path divine abilities, they will gain strength and potential surpassing their peers, which greatly helps future breakthroughs to Nascent Soul. This session of the true disciples has already held the Corpse Fighting Tournament."

"Oh."

Wang Yu asked curiously.

"Who won?"

"What do you think? Anyway, the True Disciple I served lost, and lost badly. To reforge their bound corpse and restore their foundational injuries, these days we underlings have suffered terribly."

"Old debts from many years were dug up, they crushed us for spirit stones, many died. Brother Wang, if you could help..."

Bad.

At this point, Gu Zhengshun had no ability to trade with him, and he himself had trouble. Knowing this, why arrange the meeting.

Help? Keep away.

Sensing trouble, Wang Yu wanted to leave and did not want to hear more.

Just then, the painted mountain and water screen beside them opened. A graceful and ostentatious old acquaintance stepped out with a lotus walk. She bowed and laughed.

"Brother Wang, long time no see."

The woman was Lan Ji, the stewardess who served under Zhao Shang of the Ice and Snow Pavilion, rumored to be Su Yulong's concubine. After the True Disciple was demoted and her house disbanded, she had disappeared.

It was strange that she had arranged to meet Gu Zhengshun today.

"So you wanted to see me."

"Indeed, I did."

Lan Ji sat naturally on an octagonal round stool. She did not speak to him, but took out a storage pouch and handed it to Gu Zhengshun, speaking coldly.

"There are thirty thousand spirit stones inside. With your status, that is enough to obtain a single high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill."

"If you succeed in Foundation Establishment, repay sixty thousand spirit stones. If you fail, your corpse, assets, and blood relatives will all belong to me."

"I understand, Lady Lan Ji, please rest assured."

Gu Zhengshun took the storage pouch and left. As he walked toward the door, he secretly signaled Wang Yu. His lips moved without sound, but the lip shape clearly said the words "Corpse Fighting."

So that was it. Wang Yu roughly understood Gu Zhengshun's meaning. Lan Ji was truly adept at manipulation.

When the room returned to silence, Lan Ji resumed her smile and leaned in without obvious movement. Her exposed bosom seemed to gleam as if oiled, almost about to burst forth.

"Hah, Sister Lan Ji, you went through so many indirect routes to see me, what is so important."

Seeing Wang Yu still unmoved, Lan Ji feigned anger.

"You men, how can you be so unromantic, even more than before. Can you even feel it."

Bang.

Wang Yu slammed the table into pieces. His eyes were full of killing intent. This involved his dignity and must not be revealed.

An invisible coldness began to spread. Lan Ji shivered and her eyes showed a deep strangeness. She had not expected a casual remark to touch a taboo.

She immediately returned to a serious expression. At the same time, an aura belonging to a Foundation Establishment cultivator surfaced.

First Foundation Establishment layer.

"Fellow Daoist, do not be angry. I was only joking."

"Besides, the Eight Treasures Inn does not care what guests do in their rooms, but if you act, I will have no way to stop myself from fleeing to the street. Then the authorities..."

As she spoke, Lan Ji choked. The man suddenly produced a Xiezhi crown and put it on his head, staring at her coldly.

"Authorities what? Continue speaking, fellow Daoist."

Lan Ji stiffly swallowed a mouthful of saliva. If she was not mistaken, that Xiezhi Crown was the accessory of an Law Enforcement Deacon. The Enforcement Hall in the Ten Markets region was a force of overwhelming authority. With a single word they could decide right and wrong. There was no one who did not fear them.

Her heart could no longer muster the mindset to scheme against this man. She quickly spoke out the reason honestly.

“The master of Corpse King Winner of Heavenly Corpse Peak for this cycle entrusted me to come see you.”

Lan Ji lightly waved her jade-like hand. A shriveled corpse arm floated in midair, and it happened to be the left hand.

Seeing this scene, Wang Yu understood. All his information had been told to this cycle’s victor of the Corpse Fighting Tournament by Gu Zhengshun. That person’s position was equal to a Nascent Soul seed of Cold Blood Peak.

After a brief silence, Wang Yu sat back down again.

“Daoist Lan Ji, you're very resourceful. Without Su Yulong, you were still able to find an even more capable support.”

“Support?”

Lan Ji laughed at herself but did not explain further. Instead she said, “Su Yulong was a useless waste. As for me, I am someone who uses any means. Whoever this body belongs to makes no difference. Asking for some return is only reasonable.”

Reasonable.

Wang Yu did not voice this out loud, simply waited quietly for her to continue.

After so much farcical tossing about, she finally grew honest and spoke of proper matters. “Today I came to find you on His Highness Jiang’s orders. He wishes to meet with His Highness Yan Ling.”

“If he wants to see True Disciple Yan Ling, what use is it to look for me? He can simply present a visiting card openly and righteously. I have no particular relation with the True Disciple.”

“Is that so? Then how did you enter the slave-catching squad?”

Wang Yu’s brows furrowed. For her to speak to this degree showed her investigation was even more detailed than he had thought. Perhaps she had even traced his ties with Tantai Chan.

But she definitely did not know about Yu Tangtang’s existence.

If she did, she would not regard him as Yan Ling’s man. After all, the two had never even met, not a single word had been spoken between them. They truly were strangers.

There was no need to keep denying. Better to go along with the flow, wrap himself in the tiger’s skin, and first clarify her intentions.

“Since you say so, why ask me to help? Under True Disciple Yan Ling there are plenty of talented people who can deliver a message. What is special about me?”

“Secrecy. You are secret enough.”

Lan Ji spoke fluently.

“Your relationship with Her Highness Yan Ling is hidden very deeply. Only someone of His Highness Jiang’s wisdom could discover it. He wants to meet in private. Naturally what he wishes to discuss concerns the matter of Nascent Soul.

“You only need to deliver this letter. Whether it succeeds or not, I can promise you one condition.”

Wang Yu almost laughed. What a so-called wise man. Truly filled with irony. It seemed this Jiang True Disciple was a person of extreme confidence, even to the point of arrogance.

His belief in his own wisdom had already blinded him into conceit. That actually made him easier to deal with.

But in a transaction, if he did not scrape off some fat, he would not be Wang Yu.

“Easily said. My condition is simple.

“I want one piece of third-rank bamboo treasure material of both Yin and Soul attributes. How about it? His Highness Jiang, being the Corpse King of this cycle and most likely a Core Formation cultivator, should be able to take out a single spiritual material.”

“You—”

Lan Ji nearly jumped up. Just delivering a letter, and he dared to open his lion’s mouth so wide. But the words of rebuke that surged to her lips were forcefully swallowed down.

Remembering the instructions she had been given before departing, she uncharacteristically took out a sound-transmission jade talisman and directly contacted the person in question.

This act truly surprised Wang Yu.

A transaction? Without bargaining? Since when were demonic cultivators so honest? Far too strange.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly realized the problem.

By secretly contacting Yan Ling through him, it showed the other party did not wish to be discovered. And Lan Ji’s strange attitude showed the other party had given a must-complete order.

Even at all costs.

Then, what matter within the Demonic Sect would require something to be done at all costs? Life and death.

From Lan Ji’s attitude, Wang Yu suddenly thought of this.

Considering recent events, could it be that after the Corpse Fighting Tournament some unexpected change occurred, and they now needed Yan Ling’s help to save a life? And the only special trait of Yan Ling was her Heavenly Water Spiritual Root.

Deducing this result, Wang Yu shook his head in secret.

No, no. Apart from matters of life, the inheritance of Nascent Soul was also worth staking one’s life upon.

On Cold Blood Peak, as Yan Ling challenged the other seven true disciples, her reputation grew greater and greater. She was almost regarded as the victor among this cycle’s True Disciples.

To some degree, she and this Jiang stood on the same rung.

With the information he had, there was clearly something he did not know. Therefore he could not make such an easy judgment.

As for why he asked for treasure and disdained the dried third-rank corpse arm before him.

That was a matter of trust.

Wang Yu only consumed pills he refined himself. How could he possibly place something deliberately prepared by another into his own body? Impossible.

Especially when the other party understood him so well, while he himself knew almost nothing about True Disciple Jiang. Such a corpse arm could not be accepted.

His prior transaction with Gu Zhengshun was different. The other man could not be sure what he would do with the item afterward. Even if he wanted to set up a hidden scheme, he had no way to choose how.

The third-rank corpse arm was a trump card he had meant to prepare for himself.

If it became a potential risk, then it was utterly meaningless.

After a long wait, no one knew what Lan Ji said to her superior. But when she spoke with Wang Yu again, she decisively agreed to his condition and put away the corpse arm as well.

“Within three days, the item will be delivered to the Law Enforcement Hall of Evil God Market. Daoist Wang may first take the payment, and then do the deed.”