Gu Zhengshun shook his head, a wry smile touching his lips. "Brother Wang, I won't deceive you either. My master is only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage and simply isn't qualified to possess a third-grade refined corpse. As for my grandmaster, Earth Yinzi, he has more than one third-grade refined corpse in his possession, but they are all intact and complete specimens. Even if one were to be damaged, the prevailing tendency would be to invest resources into its repair rather than selling it off as mere scrap material."
"I understand." Wang Yu, of course, knew the underlying reasons; it all boiled down to the immense preciousness of any third-grade artifact. For a Core Formation expert, spending a significant sum to repair such a treasure was far preferable to the decades, even centuries, required to cultivate a new one from scratch.
"But you are a disciple of the Celestial Corpse Peak," Wang Yu pressed. "Your mountain specializes in the corpse path. Surely, many there possess third-grade refined corpses, correct? It doesn't necessarily have to be sourced from your direct lineage."
"I know." As he spoke, Gu Zhengshun's expression grew increasingly troubled, the lines on his face deepening with worry. He downed half a pot of strong liquor in several large, hurried gulps, the liquid seeming to fuel his resolve to continue. "Don't think the True Disciples on your Cold Blood Peak are the only ones fighting bloody, clandestine battles for that Nascent Soul Seed nomination. The competition among the True Disciples on my Celestial Corpse Peak is even more intense and open. Have you heard of the [Corpse Duel Grand Conference]?"
"Corpse Duel Grand Conference? I've heard the name mentioned in passing," Wang Yu admitted, his interest piqued. "But I'm not familiar with the specifics." His studies had been more focused on the legacies of the Five Yin Peaks, particularly a certain demonic奇术 (qíshù - extraordinary art) he possessed called the [Ghost Transformation Malignant Curse]. He knew that if paired with a properly forged Thousand Soul Banner, it would absolutely become a top-tier artifact at the Foundation Establishment stage. The thought of ten thousand living souls, all twisted to his will, was a profoundly dark and alluring prospect—a superior art for nurturing ghosts and feeding evil. As for the intricacies of Celestial Corpse Peak's traditions... he truly wasn't that familiar.
Gu Zhengshun offered a bitter smile, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. "Corpse duel, corpse duel—the name speaks for itself. It naturally compares whose Lifebound Corpse is stronger, more vicious, more potent. Celestial Corpse Peak holds a secret ritual ceremony known as the—[Corpse Chief Ritual]! The so-called Corpse Duel Grand Conference is the arena where the Lifebound Corpses of ten True Disciples are pitted against one another to fight and devour each other, all to complete this gruesome Corpse Chief Ritual. The final survivor gains the condensed power of a nascent Corpse King, with a high probability of undergoing a fearsome mutation. Not to mention awakening innate Corpse Path supernatural powers, it will possess raw strength and future potential far surpassing its current realm, proving of immeasurable aid in future breakthroughs to the Nascent Soul stage. The Corpse Duel for this current cohort of True Disciples has already concluded."
"Oh?" Wang Yu leaned forward slightly, his curiosity fully engaged. "Who emerged victorious?"
"What do you think?" Gu Zhengshun's反问 was heavy with implication. "Anyway, the True Disciple I had aligned myself with lost, and lost catastrophically. To re-refine his shattered Lifebound Corpse and recover from his foundational injuries, we subordinates have been having a miserable time of it lately. Old accounts from many years ago are being dug up and settled with extreme prejudice. They are疯狂 (frenziedly/crazily) squeezing us for every last spirit stone we have. Many people have already died, Brother Wang... if... if you could possibly help..."
*Bad.* Hearing things had reached this point, it was clear Gu Zhengshun was not only incapable of completing a trade with him but was himself mired in dire trouble. Knowing this, why did he still arrange to meet? Help? This was precisely the kind of entanglement Wang Yu needed to avoid at all costs!
Feeling deeply uneasy, Wang Yu didn't even want to hear the rest of the plea. He was just about to formulate an excuse and take his leave when the intricately carved landscape screen beside them suddenly slid open with a whisper of polished wood. A graceful, generously endowed, and inherently flirtatious acquaintance stepped out with delicate, measured steps, bowing slightly while letting out a soft, coquettish laugh.
"Brother Wang, long time no see~"
The woman was none other than Lan Ji, the manager who had taken over the Ice Snow Pavilion after Zhao Shang's demise, and the rumored concubine of the disgraced Su Yulong. But ever since that True Disciple was demoted and his pavilion influence dissolved, she had vanished from public view. To encounter her here today, through Gu Zhengshun's arrangement, was indeed strange.
"So, it is you who wants to see me," Wang Yu stated, his voice flat, all previous intention to leave momentarily shelved.
"Indeed, it is this humble one," Lan Ji replied, her smile not faltering.
She moved with practiced ease, naturally settling onto an octagonal stool nearby. Without addressing him first, she instead took out a simple storage pouch and handed it to the anxious Gu Zhengshun, her tone turning cold and businesslike. "Inside are thirty thousand spirit stones. With your current status and connections, that should be enough to secure a single high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. If you succeed in establishing your foundation, you will repay sixty thousand spirit stones. If you fail..." her eyes glinted with a hard light, "...your corpse, all your remaining assets, and the lives of your blood relatives will all belong to me."
"Understood. Please rest assured, Lady Lan Ji." With that, Gu Zhengshun took the storage pouch as if it were a lifeline and hurriedly made for the door. As he passed Wang Yu, he secretly shot him a meaningful look, his lips moving silently, forming words without any sound. Judging by the shape, it clearly spelled out 'Corpse Duel'.
*So that's it.* Wang Yu roughly understood Gu Zhengshun's meaning. This Lan Ji was truly deft and resourceful, already weaving new webs so soon after her previous patron's fall.
Once the room was quiet again, the heavy door clicking shut, Lan Ji resumed her charming smile and subtly shifted her stool closer. The pale, plump flesh of her chest, seemingly glossed with oil and barely constrained by the fabric of her robe, looked ready to bounce out with her every movement.
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Lan Ji, going to such lengths to seek me out," Wang Yu began, his voice devoid of warmth. "What matter is so imperative?"
Seeing that Wang Yu was truly unmoved by her displayed charms, Lan Ji pretended to be annoyed, pouting her full lips. "You men, why are you all so unromantic, and you even more so than before? Tell me, is that thing of yours even working properly anymore?"
*BANG—*
Wang Yu's hand slammed onto the table, the force shattering the sturdy wood to splinters. His eyes, previously calm, now blazed with a cold, palpable killing intent. This matter concerned his deepest dignity and must not be leaked or mocked. An intangible, frigid aura began to spread from him, causing the temperature in the room to plummet. Lan Ji couldn't help but shiver, a deep strangeness flashing in her eyes. She truly hadn't expected an offhand, provocative comment to touch upon such a raw nerve, such a taboo. She immediately discarded her playful facade, her expression turning serious as an aura belonging to a Foundation Establishment cultivator—First Layer!—surfaced around her, a defensive response to the threat she felt.
"Don't be angry, Fellow Daoist. It was just a poor joke," she said, her voice now steady. "Besides, although the Eight Treasures Restaurant famously doesn't inquire what guests do within their private rooms, if you were to make a move here, you cannot prevent this humble one from escaping out onto the street. At that time, the enforcement patrols..."
As she spoke, Lan Ji suddenly choked on her words, the sentence dying in her throat because the man before her had, with a fluid motion, taken out a stark white Xie Zhi Crown and placed it upon his head. He stared at her coldly, the symbol of judicial authority unmistakable.
"Enforcement what?" Wang Yu's voice was like ice. "Fellow Daoist, please, continue."
Lan Ji stiffly swallowed a mouthful of saliva, her throat constricting. If she wasn't mistaken, that Xie Zhi Crown was the official accessory of an Enforcement Hall Steward. The Enforcement Hall held immense, terrifying power within the Ten Markets; a single word from them could determine right from wrong, life from death. No one, not even the most brazen demonic cultivator, wasn't afraid of them. No longer daring to believe she could manipulate or intimidate this person, she quickly and honestly explained the reason for her visit.
"The master of this term's Corpse King from Celestial Corpse Peak entrusted me to see you."
Lan Ji waved her delicate hand, and a shriveled, dark-gray corpse arm floated into view in the mid-air between them. It was, coincidentally, the left one.
Seeing this scene, Wang Yu understood immediately. All the information Gu Zhengshun had gathered about him had been passed along, straight to the victor of this Corpse Duel Conference—a person whose status was now equivalent to the Nascent Soul Seed of Cold Blood Peak.
After a moment of heavy silence, Wang Yu sat down again, the Xie Zhi Crown still upon his brow. "Fellow Daoist Lan Ji, what truly skillful methods you have. Having lost Su Yulong, you still managed to find a new, and undoubtedly more capable, patron so swiftly."
"Patron?" Lan Ji let out a short, self-deprecating laugh but didn't bother to explain or justify herself. Instead, she said, "Su Yulong was trash, defeated and discarded. As for this humble one, let's just say I'm someone who will stop at nothing to survive and advance. This body of mine, who I give it to doesn't truly matter, right? Getting some tangible return in exchange is quite reasonable, wouldn't you say?"
*Reasonable.* Wang Yu didn't say the word out loud, merely quieted his own thoughts and waited for her to continue, his expression unreadable.
After the farcical折腾 (fuss/trouble/mess), she finally settled down and got to the undeniable main point: "I sought you out today on Lord Jiang's behalf. He wishes to arrange a private meeting with Lord Yan Ling."
"Why seek me out to see True Disciple Yan Ling?" Wang Yu feigned ignorance. "He can formally send a visiting card to her residence. I have no direct relationship with the True Disciple."
"Is that so?" Lan Ji's smile was knowing. "Then how did you, a disciple of the Five Peaks, manage to get yourself assigned into the slave capture team operating out of the main sect?" Wang Yu frowned inwardly. The conversation reaching this point proved the other party's investigation had been more detailed and penetrating than he had imagined. They might have even uncovered his connection to Tantai Chan. But he was fairly certain they didn't know about Yu Tangtang's existence. If they did, they wouldn't mistakenly identify him as Yan Ling's person, as the two women had never formally met or exchanged a single word; they were truly and completely unfamiliar.
Continuing to deny was therefore unnecessary and would only make him appear foolish. It was better to go with the flow, use the tiger's skin as a banner for his own purposes, and first ascertain their true intentions.
"Since you say so," Wang Yu conceded, his tone shifting to one of pragmatic negotiation, "why entrust this task specifically to me? True Disciple Yan Ling has a multitude of talented and capable people under her command; plenty can deliver messages. What is so special about me, Wang Yu?"
"Secrecy," Lan Ji answered without hesitation, her confidence returning. "You are secretive enough. Your relationship with Lord Yan Ling is deeply hidden, a thread most would overlook. Only someone as perceptive and wise as Lord Jiang could have discovered it. He wishes for a strictly private meeting to discuss matters that naturally pertain to the Nascent Soul stage. You only need to deliver this single letter. Regardless of whether Lord Yan Ling agrees to the meeting or not, I am authorized to agree to one reasonable request of yours."
Wang Yu almost laughed aloud. *What a 'wise person,' truly utterly ironic.* It seemed this True Disciple Jiang was extremely confident, even arrogant to a fault. He had blind faith in his own intelligence and deductions to the point of conceit. Dealing with someone like that, however dangerous, might indeed be simpler in some ways.
But in any transaction, if he didn't scrape off some fat, some profit for himself, he wouldn't be Wang Yu.
"The matter is easy to discuss. The condition is simple," he stated, his voice firm. "I want a single third-grade bamboo-type treasure material, one that possesses dual Yin and Soul attributes. How about it? Lord Jiang, honored as this term's Corpse King, is presumably a Core Formation cultivator. He should be able to produce one piece of such spirit material."
"You—!" Lan Ji nearly jumped to her feet, her composure cracking. Just for delivering a letter, and he dared to make such an exorbitant, sky-high demand? But the rude, incredulous words rushed to her lips, only to be forcefully suppressed by a visible effort of will. Remembering the strict, non-negotiable instructions given to her before her departure, she unusually took out a Voice Transmission Jade Talisman and directly contacted the person himself, her voice a low, hurried murmur.
This phenomenon genuinely surprised Wang Yu. *A transaction with no haggling? Since when are demonic cultivators this straightforward, this honest? It was too bizarre.*
After pondering for a moment, he suddenly realized the core of the problem. The fact that they were seeking to contact Yan Ling through him, and in secret, strongly indicated the other party didn't want this overture to be discovered by any other factions. Lan Ji's strange, acquiescent attitude suggested she had been given orders that *must* be fulfilled, seemingly at any cost.
So, in a ruthless demonic sect where betrayal was commonplace, what kind of matter requires action at any cost, without regard for the price? — *A matter of immediate life and death!*
Lan Ji's entire demeanor and the urgency behind this meeting suddenly made Wang Yu think of this. Considering the recent events on Celestial Corpse Peak, could it be that something critical had happened in the aftermath of the Corpse Duel Conference, forcing the victor himself to desperately seek Yan Ling's help to save his life, or his position? And the only truly special, unique thing about Yan Ling, the one thing that couldn't be easily replicated, was her legendary Heaven Water Spiritual Root.
Deducing this result, Wang Yu inwardly shook his head again. *No, no, no. That's too narrow. Besides mere survival, a Nascent Soul legacy, a definitive path to that supreme level of power, is also an interest worth risking one's life for.* On Cold Blood Peak, as Yan Ling successively challenged the other seven True Disciples, her fame and perceived strength had grown greater and greater, and she was almost universally regarded as the inevitable winner of this cohort's True Disciple competition. To some extent, she now stood on the same formidable level as this Jiang fellow.
With his current insufficient intelligence, there must be some crucial piece of the situation he was unaware of, so he couldn't afford to judge the motives so easily or conclusively.
As for why he had demanded a rare treasure and pointedly looked down upon the withered third-grade corpse arm Lan Ji had initially offered, it still came down to a fundamental lack of trust. Wang Yu only consumed pills he had refined himself. How could he possibly install a mysterious artifact, specially prepared by an unknown and potentially hostile other, onto his own body? It was utterly impossible! Especially when the other party clearly knew much about him, his habits, and his connections, while he knew almost nothing about the true nature, character, or intentions of this True Disciple Jiang. Under these dangerously asymmetrical circumstances, he wanted nothing to do with that corpse arm or any other pre-prepared 'gift'.
His previous transactions with Gu Zhengshun had worked precisely because the other party couldn't easily pinpoint the ultimate purpose behind the traded materials; even if they wanted to plant a hidden mechanism or curse, they had no way to know which specific component to target. The third-grade corpse arm was a trump card he wanted to prepare for himself, on his own terms. If it came pre-loaded with a potential risk, it would be rendered utterly meaningless, a liability instead of an asset.
He waited for a long time, the silence in the room stretching. Who knows what Lan Ji said to her superior over the jade talisman, her expressions shifting through urgency, deference, and finally, resignation. But when she finally spoke to Wang Yu again, her voice was drained of all previous negotiation, decisively agreeing to his condition. She also, with a swift motion, put away the floating corpse arm, storing it out of sight.
"Within three days, the item will be delivered to the Enforcement Hall in the Evil God Market. Fellow Daoist Wang may receive the reward first and handle the matter afterward."
(End of Chapter)