Translator: CinderTL
"What exactly happened in Yin Shuo Valley? Tell me everything in detail," Song Wen demanded.
Fang Xian replied, "Reporting to the Demon Lord, after arriving at the Cui Clan, I secretly bribed one of their Golden Core cultivators. He revealed that the Golden Spirit Seed grew atop a stone mountain deep within Yin Shuo Valley. As soon as the valley opened, I immediately set out for that mountain without delay."
"However, halfway there, I was ambushed by four Cui Clan Golden Core cultivators. They captured me but didn't kill me. After five days, they quietly withdrew."
"Once I broke free, I continued to the stone mountain and found it severely damaged, as if it had recently been the site of a major battle. The Fourth-Tier Ghost Beast the Cui Clan had mentioned was nowhere to be seen. At the summit, only two withered Golden Spirit Seed trees remained—the seeds had already been harvested."
Song Wen frowned slightly.
The Cui Clan's actions were indeed peculiar.
They had captured Fang Xian but spared his life, almost as if they wanted him to return and report their acquisition of the Golden Spirit Seed.
"Perhaps Cui Xuanjing never intended for my people to obtain the Golden Spirit Seed in the first place. He leaked its existence to inflate the price and maximize his profit. It's highly likely the Liangyi Sect has also learned of the Cui Clan's possession of the Golden Spirit Seed."
A cold glint flashed in Song Wen's eyes as this thought struck him.
He flipped his hand and produced five low-grade Spirit Stones, handing them to Fang Xian.
"Fang Xian, return to the Cui Clan. Offer these five low-grade Spirit Stones in exchange for a Golden Spirit Seed. If you successfully retrieve it, I, the Demon Lord, will still reward you with the Primordial Nascent Soul Pill."
Seeing that Song Wen didn't blame him, Fang Xian relaxed slightly, though disbelief remained etched on his face.
"Demon Lord, how could the Cui Clan possibly accept such a meager offer of five low-grade Spirit Stones?"
A sudden wave of murderous intent emanated from Song Wen.
"Tell Cui Xuanjing this: if he doesn't know what's good for him, this Demon Lord will personally visit Yaotai City."
Cui Xuanjing had dared to scheme against him. If he wisely surrendered the Golden Spirit Seed, all would be forgiven. But if he refused, the Cui Clan would face utter annihilation.
Fang Xian trembled involuntarily. Though Song Wen's killing intent was unintentional and not directed at him, it still sent an indescribable chill down his spine.
"This subordinate obeys!" Fang Xian clasped his hands in a salute and withdrew.
A month later, Fang Xian returned.
"Your subordinate has fulfilled his mission and successfully retrieved a Golden Spirit Seed," Fang Xian said respectfully, presenting a jade box with both hands.
At Song Wen's silent command, the jade box floated into the air and landed in his palm. He opened it to reveal a spirit fruit the size of a walnut. The milky-white fruit was streaked with golden veins—undoubtedly a Golden Spirit Seed.
"Well done. Was the journey smooth?" Song Wen stored the jade box away as he asked.
"Not entirely," Fang Xian replied. "When I arrived at the Cui Clan, Senior Zi Yun of the Liangyi Sect was already there. She had somehow learned of the Cui Clan's Golden Spirit Seeds and was eager to acquire both, offering an exorbitant price."
"Cui Xuanjing initially intended to have Senior Zi Yun and me bid against each other, with the highest bidder claiming the seeds. But when he saw I only offered five low-grade Spirit Stones, he flew into a rage."
"When I warned him that if the transaction failed, the Demon Lord himself would personally visit Yaotai City, Cui Xuanjing's expression became priceless—a mixture of seething fury and suppressed fear."
As Fang Xian spoke, a smile of pride spread across his face. "In the end," he continued, "Cui Xuanjing had no choice but to compromise. He accepted the five low-grade Spirit Stones and sold one of the Golden Spirit Seeds to me."
"Well done," Song Wen said casually, handing Fang Xian a jade bottle containing a Primordial Nascent Soul Pill.
Fang Xian appeared deeply moved, bowing respectfully. "Thank you, Demon Lord."
Time flowed like water, and four years passed in the blink of an eye.
Three Corpses Mountain.
Inside Song Wen's Cultivation Cave.
Two identical figures of Song Wen stood facing each other.
Song Wen had successfully mastered the Heaven and Earth Incarnation Technique and crafted an Incarnation Puppet.
After scrutinizing the puppet, Song Wen found no flaws. Its aura and appearance were indistinguishable from his own, and even its tactile feel was indistinguishable from that of a living person.
Suddenly, a sesame-seed-sized Gu insect darted from a corner of the cave, baring its fangs as it confronted the imposter posing as its master.
Bound by a contractual link to Song Wen, the Gu insect could sense the puppet's falseness, no matter how perfect its disguise.
Song Wen swiftly calmed the Gu.
This was his newly advanced Fourth-Tier Shadow Gu, which he had named the Shadow King Gu to distinguish it from its predecessor.
Compared to the Shadow Gu, the Shadow King Gu possessed two primary advantages:
First, it significantly enhanced his Spirit Sense perception range. With the Shadow King Gu, Song Wen could perceive an area spanning eight hundred li (about 250 miles) in all directions, twice the four hundred li (about 125 miles) range of a typical Peak Nascent Soul cultivator.
Second, the Shadow King Gu possessed vastly superior stealth capabilities. If Song Wen didn't rely on the mental connection between them and the Shadow King Gu remained motionless in the shadows, even his own Spirit Sense couldn't detect its presence.
Years of secluded cultivation had completely stabilized Song Wen's cultivation base.
He emerged from the Cultivation Cave that had confined him like a prison for so long.
As he reached the entrance, Shu Niang, his personally appointed maidservant who resided in a wooden hut at the foot of the mountain, soared up on her sword to meet him.
"Demon Lord, you've emerged from seclusion," Shu Niang greeted him with an obsequious smile.
"Has anything significant occurred within the sect recently?" Song Wen asked.
"With you overseeing things, Demon Lord, who would dare provoke our sect?" Shu Niang replied. "Everything remains peaceful."
Her answer was somewhat off-topic, but Song Wen paid it no mind. He handed her a jade slip and instructed, "Use this list of Spirit Herbs to retrieve a batch from Zhenbao Peak. Get as much as you can."
Shu Niang accepted the jade slip, bowed her farewell, and hurried off toward Zhenbao Peak.
The list of Spirit Herbs on the jade slip was for crafting Blood Demon Pills, but Song Wen had deliberately added several useless ingredients.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Shu Niang returned in a rush.
"Demon Lord, I've brought all the Spirit Herbs—four hundred portions in total," she announced, handing him a storage pouch.
After inspecting the herbs in the pouch, Song Wen nodded in satisfaction and stored it away. Four hundred portions of Spirit Herbs were enough to refine over a thousand Blood Demon Pills, sufficient for several years of use.
"Demon Lord, are you planning to enter secluded cultivation again?" Shu Niang asked.
Song Wen shook his head slightly. "Not seclusion. I have matters to attend to and will be away for some time."
"May I ask where the Demon Lord is headed? Do you require a subordinate to accompany you?" Shu Niang inquired.
Song Wen gazed into the vast, boundless sky, his voice tinged with an icy edge.
"You don't need to follow me. This Demon Lord has some old scores to settle."
(End of the Chapter)
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