"This is the ancient treasure your Guan Clan obtained?"
Guan Yingdong and Guan Yingxue both wore bitter expressions.
"Master, I tried to persuade the patriarch, but it was like he was possessed. He absolutely refused to let it go."
Wang Yu frowned. "No amount of good advice can save someone courting death." Still, the way the patriarch had fallen into madness was beyond his expectations. What kind of cursed opportunity was this?
"What about Master Yellow Sand and Old Demon Earth Puppet? The ones who wanted the treasure?"
"They… gave up."
"They gave up?"
The sisters were just as confused. If those two Core Formation cultivators hadn't backed off, the Guan Clan would've tied up their patriarch and beaten him if necessary to get rid of the treasure.
But since the threat vanished, wishful thinking took over, and no one dared stop the treasure-obsessed patriarch.
Which led to his current deranged, near-demonic state.
At that moment, the second elder of the Guan Clan, who was maintaining the binding spell, spoke with a pained expression:
"Due to the pressure from those two Core Formation cultivators, we haven't been keeping up with events at Eastern Polaris. But… we've heard rumors of an ancient treasure there that can bewitch the mind."
He raised a finger, conjuring a glowing image of a blood-red shackle—identical to the ones binding the Guan patriarch.
Wang Yu: "…"
You people really know how to stir trouble.
"So what are you asking now?"
The second elder hesitated for a long moment before speaking.
"Could we imprison the patriarch in the City Lord's Manor? You have a tier-three formation… we can't restrain him much longer."
"Fine."
Wang Yu agreed after a brief thought. It wasn't a big deal. But—
"You can leave him here, but I won't guarantee his safety. If he goes berserk or causes trouble… don't blame me for acting in the city's best interest."
"Understood! Completely understood!"
The second elder nodded repeatedly, then signaled the twin sisters. Soon, only Wang Yu and the struggling patriarch remained.
"What a pity."
Wang Yu shook his head. He wouldn't touch that thing. He extended the formation's diamond chains and locked the patriarch in a holding cell.
The City Lord's Manor had such facilities, though they were fairly ordinary. What he regretted was losing a potentially useful, easily controlled asset.
He assigned a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Offering Hall to guard the cell, then returned to his usual routine—ignoring the outside world, never stepping beyond the manor.
But just a few days later—
Major news broke: Eastern Polaris had erupted in chaos.
A blood-colored specter wielding blood lightning ambushed and killed three renowned Core Formation cultivators.
A black demonic vine, hidden in the ruins, lured victims with flesh-fruit and slaughtered five Core Formation and over thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators in one battle.
A sixty-meter-tall six-eyed corpse infant killed eight Core Formation and over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators in a single rampage. Its power nearly surpassed the Core Formation realm.
This was one of the deadly monsters lurking within the ruins.
It was only subdued because it was accidentally bound by a blood-red shackle and then had its soul extracted by a Core Formation cultivator from Nether Spring Temple.
Yes—Nether Spring Temple had arrived. It was as if some seal had been broken. According to Yunmeng Pavilion's intelligence, even the Hehuan Sect had sent Core Formation cultivators.
Add to that Jin Miaoshan from Goldfull Pavilion, and a protector from the Underworld Mountain Sect in the Crimson Kite's southern pole—more and more hegemonic forces were eyeing Eastern Polaris.
The situation had escalated to the level of domain-dominating powers.
Wang Yu broke into a cold sweat. Thankfully, he hadn't gotten greedy.
This feast of blood and treasure was far from over.
…
Several months later
"City Lord, Senior Jin Miaoshan is here to visit."
Wang Yu's eyes lit up. The treasure delivery girl had arrived.
"Quick, let her in!"
It had been a while. Jin Miaoshan's sharp aura had dulled. She looked visibly exhausted. Her once radiant eyes were dim.
Her usual seductive, form-fitting golden robes had been replaced by a loose, concealing black cloak. Not generous at all.
"Lady Jin, such an honored guest. I fear the tea here may not suit your taste. Might I—"
Jin Miaoshan rolled her eyes.
"Trying to send me off already? Don't forget—my current state is all thanks to you."
"What kind of accusation is that?" Wang Yu frowned.
"If your subordinates hadn't lost control, none of this would've happened. This isn't my fault—it's yours."
This time, Jin Miaoshan didn't argue. After a pause, she took out the promised treasures.
"The two top-grade Core Formation items I promised. The contract is now fully fulfilled."
Wang Yu didn't respond. He simply examined the treasures.
Top-Grade Core Formation Treasure: Molten CorefruitTop-Grade Core Formation Treasure: Ten-Thousand-Year Treeheart
From the names alone, it was clear—fire and wood attributes. And not ordinary items.
Each was worth over two million spirit stones. Priceless. People would bankrupt themselves to obtain even one.
Wang Yu didn't care whether they matched his cultivation path.
Fire and wood were common elements. At a high-level treasure exchange, he could easily trade them for yin or ice-aligned Core Formation treasures.
This was far smoother than his Qi Refining journey.
Goldfull Pavilion was indeed a stroke of fortune.
Seeing Wang Yu lost in the treasures' glow, Jin Miaoshan sighed.
"Here's your One-Stripe Essence Condensation Pill too. I brought it along."
"Hm?"
Wang Yu gave her a suspicious look, which only annoyed her more.
"Did you forget the contract? Why act like this?"
True. They had a hundred-year mutual non-aggression pact.
Signed in black and white, witnessed by the Nether River. Technically, Jin Miaoshan could be considered a cooperative partner. After enjoying Goldfull Pavilion's resources for so long—
Expecting Wang Yu to go back to scrounging for his own supplies would be unreasonable. It's easy to go from frugal to lavish, but hard to go back.
As a succession candidate for Goldfull Pavilion, her status surpassed even true disciples of Nascent Soul sects. Ignoring the fact that he'd fleeced her once, she was a golden thigh to cling to.
With hostility fading, Wang Yu reflected.
Face meant nothing compared to resources.
"Forgive me, Lady Jin. I've lived on the edge for most of my life. Years of pressure have made me overly cautious."
At that, Wang Yu offered her tea. Jin Miaoshan didn't bother drinking.
"You bought the One-Stripe Essence Condensation Pill—are you about to break through to mid-Foundation Establishment? According to the compiled intelligence, Eastern Polaris may hold a Soul Formation inheritance.
"If you break through, you might have a shot."
Are you kidding me?
Soul Formation is the pinnacle of this world. Even Nascent Soul overlords covet such inheritances. If Eastern Polaris truly held one, it would be deep within the imperial palace.
Right now, Core Formation cultivators were dying in droves—and she wanted him to go?
Then again, Jin Miaoshan had many treasures.
One of them could even hide her from his spiritual sense. He still didn't know her true cultivation level.
It seemed she wasn't just tempting him—she intended to go herself.
Wang Yu quickly calculated and smiled.
"If Lady Jin wishes to go, by all means. I'm quite content here in Spiritridge. The ruins aren't going anywhere. Why rush?"
Jin Miaoshan opened her mouth, then stopped.
"Heh—
"Still trying to fish for information? If you don't go, it's your loss. Oh, and here's the corpse-refining technique you wanted. With the pill, that'll be 360,000."
Three hundred sixty thousand… steep!
But for a tier-three corpse-refining technique, not unreasonable. Such methods, capable of producing Core Formation-level combat power, were tightly guarded by major factions—rarely passed to rogue cultivators.
The jade slip she gave could only be used once. It was oath-bound—non-transferable, for personal study only.
The title was clear: [Yinfiend Corpse Refinement Art]
She added:
"I know why you want this. But corpse refinement isn't something you master overnight. It requires deep technique, the right environment, and rare blood-based materials.
"If you're planning to rely on a tier-three corpse to storm Eastern Polaris, it'll be too late. Farewell."
Wang Yu didn't stop her. His plan to collaborate wasn't urgent. He hadn't revealed his strength—so she wouldn't truly cooperate.
In fact, a century from now, she might even send someone to kill him.
But corpse refinement was different from other arts.
It required terrain—specifically, a geomantic formation of extreme yin. Only then could the corpse grow quickly and well. It also needed blood imbued with mystical properties.
Yes, corpse refinement was hard. But he had the placement panel.
Let's give it a try.
[Placement Slot 5: Yinfiend Corpse Refinement Art (Tier Three)]
「Yinfiend Corpse Refinement Art (0/100): 1,440 refinement Per day]
This was a one-minute-per-refinement technique—normal for corpse refinement. Flooding the corpse with Yinfiend energy was the core process. And with the placement panel's power, Wang Yu had yet to encounter a technique it couldn't master.
Moreover, for a tier-three secret art, fifty years to perfection was remarkably fast. Core Formation cultivators lived up to eight hundred years. Many never perfected a single technique in their lifetime.
But Wang Yu's goal wasn't a peak-tier Fiend corpse. A basic tier-three product would suffice.
Refining while placing—like divine assistance.
After some thought, Wang Yu temporarily removed the [Ancient Soul Chant] from the panel. It still needed over a decade to reach perfection. The corpse refinement technique was more urgent.
Once he broke through next year, the Corpse Demon technique would also be perfected.
At that point, he could decide whether to resume the soul technique or continue with corpse refinement. He'd have a free slot to choose.
"For now, this will do."
He stored the materials. As for the extreme yin location required for corpse refinement—he'd already sent people to search.
Such geomantic formations were relatively common and easy to locate. But Wang Yu couldn't leave Spiritridge, which drastically reduced the odds of finding a suitable site.
—However!
He could create one.
For most cultivators, Lunar Essence was too refined to gather with spiritual sense. But Wang Yu had the [Lunar Nether Eyes], which naturally attracted and condensed lunar energy.
Perfect timing.
(End of Chapter)