novelraw Chapter 237
Chapter 237
This Listening Wind Pavilion seemed to have gathered information on every known Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivator, claiming to provide strong cultivator profiles, but in truth, it looked more like a list of those active in the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest region.
The intelligence on this man called Liu Yidao was extremely detailed. Although the spiritual imprint’s image had been altered with disguise techniques, those eyes—Wang Yu could never forget them for as long as he lived.
Bone structure, height, the time he arrived at Ten Thousand Poisons Town, his preferred spell arts, cultivation level—all matched perfectly. He was none other than Wang Yu’s old enemy from his weaker days.
Steward Liu!
In those years, this man had been Wei Zhong’s trusted aide, one of the three overseers of the Cold Blood Peak Spirit Slave Quarters, and the very one who had severed Wang Yu’s arm.
Looking back now, Wang Yu realized how naive and ignorant he had been.
Yet, even then, he had sensed the truth: the so-called “promotion to the Outer Sect” was nothing but an illusion, a flower in the mirror, a moon reflected on water.
If he hadn’t taken the desperate gamble that caught Su Yulong’s attention, he would have shared the same fate as the rest.
The last Spirit Slave to ever ascend to the Outer Sect was over six hundred years ago. Since Wang Yu’s own promotion, not one of the Nine Peaks’ Spirit Slaves had managed to rise again.
It was never about luck or skill—it was fate.Unless a noble benefactor extended a hand, it was impossible. His own survival had been pure fortune brought by the chaos of the times. Otherwise, he would already be a corpse among the Spirit Slaves.
He once believed Spirit Slaves could live twenty years, but later learned most barely survived three or four. They were driven to the brink, forced to burn away their lifespan, misled by “Qi Supplementing Decoctions.”
Their productivity far exceeded expectations. Those “exchangeable spell techniques” and “replenishing tonics” were nothing more than layers of temptation.
Now, aside from gratitude, Wang Yu held one firm resolve—he would never again fall into such a precarious existence!
To encounter Steward Liu in Ten Thousand Poisons Town—this, too, could be called good fortune.
For Liu to have reached Foundation Establishment meant that the Inner Sect disciple sent to kill him had been slain instead, perhaps even bringing Liu some gain.
After reading the jade slip, Wang Yu decisively purchased more intelligence from Listening Wind Pavilion.
“I want every piece of information you have on Liu Yidao.”
“Please wait… that will be five thousand spirit stones.”
This time, the data could be taken away. Once Wang Yu finished reading it, his figure vanished swiftly into the streets.
…
…
The sign read Butcher Wang’s Fragrant Meat & Wine.
It was a bustling tavern, every table on both floors filled to capacity—a clear testament to the owner’s skill and connections.
At one table, within a small soundproofing restriction, four men sat talking.
“Mmm, still, no one cooks monster hound meat like Butcher Wang. The aroma, ah!”
“You skinny bamboo, careful you don’t over-supplement and get consumed by inner fire tonight.”
“Hey, don’t talk nonsense. I could pull out my giant bird and scare you to death.”
“Go scare some little girl then, why me? That ‘bird’ of yours isn’t even good for brewing wine.”
“Hahaha!”
Three of the four, all wearing conical hats, burst into laughter, leaving the “skinny bamboo” man fuming.
“Enough jokes. Let’s discuss the target. Brother Liu?”
At once, the atmosphere grew heavy.
It was clear that the man called Brother Liu was their leader, the core of the group—with the highest cultivation, Foundation Establishment, second layer.
The other three were all late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
Such small bands were common across the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain. Rogue cultivators had to stick together to survive, though the moment true opportunity appeared, betrayal often followed.
“Half a month ago, Lady Ruan of Poison Scorpion City led a group into the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest to search for a second-rank spiritual herb known as the Black Hemp White Fruit,” said Liu.
“It’s said to be the main ingredient for a Poison Dao cultivator’s Foundation Establishment Pill. By now, they should be on their way out. Big Dog?”
This was the “business” they had their eyes on. Whether or not the Lady Ruan found the herb didn’t matter—her noble background alone meant wealth.
The Ruan Clan was a declining Foundation Establishment family with only two Foundation cultivators left. One had to guard the clan grounds, while the other accompanied the lady into the forest.
Such a chance was rare—perhaps even enough to make a fortune in Poison Scorpion City.
The cultivator nicknamed Big Dog formed a quick hand seal.
A palm-sized hummingbird flew in from outside, its wings vibrating so fast they blurred from sight. Big Dog closed his eyes and communicated with it. After several breaths, he opened them with delight.
“Brother Liu, they’re out! Within three hours they’ll clear the forest. And that old man in early Foundation stage seems injured!”
The three others brightened instantly.
“Let’s go!”
They tossed over a few hundred spirit stones as payment. Thin Bamboo even carried off the pot of braised meat, unwilling to leave it behind.
The butcher behind the counter gave the spirit stones a glance before retracting his killing intent. The other diners, seeing the glittering stones, quietly lowered their heads again.
At that moment, a stranger entered the tavern—a cultivator wearing a black mask, his eyes dark as voids, drawing the soul in.
It was Wang Yu.
According to the intel, Liu Yidao liked to rest in this very tavern. Wang Yu had come hoping for a fated encounter.
Seeing only one empty table, he took the seat, idly toying with a few spirit stones as he gestured for Butcher Wang.
Around him, the diners froze.
What an arrogant man.
Butcher Wang walked forward carrying his bone-cleaving knife, his entire body radiating a savage and violent aura. His massive build and the stench of blood on him were truly nauseating.
Wang Yu expanded the sound-insulating restriction with his True Essence and asked,
“Did Liu Yidao come today?”
Bang!
The bone-cleaving knife slammed down, smashing the table to pieces. The butcher looked down at Wang Yu from above. The vibrant life aura of such a young man was precisely the reason for his arrogance.
“Where did this little bastard come from? Why should I tell you anything?”
Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer.
The opponent’s aura was released without restraint. In this Ten Thousand Poisons Town, he was indeed considered a notable figure. But Wang Yu had never been known for his good temper.
“You refuse to drink the toast wine and instead want the punishment wine? Then don’t blame me for seeing for myself.”
His Divine Sense, already at the peak of third-rank early stage, surged violently. One after another, Soul-Shattering Fingers nearly knocked the butcher unconscious.
Immediately after.
“Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse!”
From the void behind Wang Yu drifted out black paper boats, each two fingers long—over six hundred of them in total. They surged forward one after another, ramming straight into the butcher’s Niwan Palace.
The impact shredded his Divine Sense into fragments, each paper boat piercing deep into his soul hidden within the flesh. Every time one black boat passed through, it tore away a sliver of soul and memory.
After hundreds of collisions, the butcher’s soul became tattered and broken. His screams turned piercing and miserable. This was the true meaning of Soul-Gouging!
When the Evil Boats had taken all the memories they wanted, the butcher’s eyes rolled white. He collapsed on the ground, drooling like an idiot.
The nearby diners stared in shock at the sudden scene.
All their little sound-proofing restrictions were dispelled.
“It’s… it’s a Core Formation cultivator! Only a Core Formation cultivator can use the secret Soul-Searching Technique! Butcher Wang is finished!”
Rumble!
No one dared to stay and watch. Every single onlooker fled in panic—some crashed straight through walls, others escaped underground.
Within three breaths, everyone in sight had completely vanished.
Wang Yu was momentarily stunned.
After all, the cute rogue cultivators of Jade Spirit City loved nothing more than watching lively commotions. That was quite different from the cautious people here in Ten Thousand Poisons Town.
“Order…”
“Second Elder, please hold on a bit longer. Once we leave the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest, the poison in your body can be cured.”
While Wang Yu was examining the butcher’s stolen memories…
At the outer edge of the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest.
A group of eight or nine cultivators trudged weakly forward, all bearing wounds. Their lips were dark purple, their strength so depleted they could no longer control flying swords. They had to suppress the toxins in their bodies with all their might.
“Miss, do not enter Ten Thousand Poisons Town. Return to Poison Scorpion City…”
The old man at early Foundation Establishment was being carried on the back of a sturdy male cultivator. His consciousness was fading, and he kept muttering warnings not to go into Ten Thousand Poisons Town.
Beside him, the young girl following closely was already in tears.
“But your injuries cannot wait any longer. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have forced the march. Even the Detoxification Pill’s efficacy went wrong.”
The entire group belonged to the Ruan Clan. At this point, no one had the strength to blame anyone. They had come with over twenty people but now had only seven or eight left—heavy casualties.
“Miss, this is not your fault. The Detoxification Pills malfunctioned. It must be the person in charge of purchasing supplies in the clan. Maybe they even colluded with outsiders…”
“Cough… cough…”
“Ruan Wenlang, what’s the use of saying that now? Perhaps even the Fifth Elder was deceived. Hurry!”
The forest was deep, and the mist thick. Visibility was low.
But on the treetops nearby, small birds silently observed their slow advance, constantly transmitting their location to people outside.
Moments later.
Formation flags shot in from all directions, instantly activating a small concealment formation—a standard tactic of skilled rogue cultivators.
Every ambush used such an array to prevent the sounds of combat from drawing other opportunists.
Four figures descended from the air, surrounding the Ruan clan survivors tightly.
The young Lady’s Ruan heart sank. She immediately realized they had encountered bandit cultivators. She turned her gaze to the Second Elder at her side, only to find that he had already fainted from his injuries.
Not good!
She wanted to negotiate, but before she could speak, the four attackers charged forward, their magic tools gleaming with killing intent.
The one in the lead, wearing a straw hat and wielding a blade, exuded oppressive pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator—making her heart fill with despair.
Slash!
Slash!
The Ruan cultivators barely resisted for even ten breaths before they were completely slaughtered, including the Ruan clan’s young lady herself.
The thin bamboo-like man let out a breath of relief.
“Brother Liu, only this Foundation Establishment old man’s still alive. Should we save him?”
“Idiot. Feed him a Detoxification Pill, then use the Seven-Finger Meridian-Sealing Method I taught you to lock his Qi Sea meridians. Do I really need to tell you how valuable a living Foundation Establishment cultivator is?”
“Yes, yes—”
The skinny man chuckled awkwardly. Seeing the Ruan lady’s body with a gaping wound through her heart, he sighed with some regret.
“She was really pretty. What a waste. Big Dog, you’re too ruthless. You really destroyed a flower with such a heavy hand.”
Big Dog was rummaging through the corpses, even stripping the clothes.
He rolled his eyes.
“I was fighting for my life. How could I hold back? Even if she were a fairy, I’d still kill her first and talk later. You really didn’t listen to Brother Liu’s teachings.”
“Heh… of course I did. Then, can I have this corpse?”
“Suit yourself.”
Silence fell. The four began collecting their spoils.
At that moment.
A clear and ethereal voice echoed from within the forest.
“You do have quite an elegant pastime~”