"Ah—"
Wang Yu was momentarily stunned. He had assumed the earlier negotiations covered everything.
"Don't tell me…"
"Indeed. This is the private compensation I specifically demanded for you."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yu spoke without hesitation.
"This junior desires [The Netherfinger Technique]!"
"Oh?"
Elder Xuan Yan stroked his beard, genuinely surprised that Wang Yu would ask for the transmission of a second-grade, high-tier technique.
While the technique was good, without fusion with the Mysterious Yin Hand, it was actually rather ordinary. Could it be…?
Guessing part of the truth, Elder Xuan Yan nodded. "Very well, this old man will demand [The Netherfinger Technique] for you. If it does not meet your expectations later, do not regret your choice."
"This junior understands."
Seeing the elder seemed to have more to say, Wang Yu didn't pay it much mind. After the Thunder Hound Lord took the Lightning Spirit Corpse, Elder Xuan Yan's attitude towards him had cooled considerably.
He had a vague feeling it was related to that token. Compared to receiving many spiritual rewards, Elder Xuan Yan seemed to covet the token Wang Yu had obtained even more.
Personal favors were more valuable than spiritual objects—that was only true for a major figure like the Thunder Hound Lord.
If the other hadn't rushed to Guiding Spirit City to retrieve the corpse so eagerly, Wang Yu might not have received any benefit at all. And Elder Xuan Yan's coolness wasn't due to any ill will towards him, but rather a kind of… envy?
Wang Yu couldn't be entirely sure.
However, since there was a chance to complete [The Yellow Springs Great Hand Seal], he certainly had to try. This divine ability was one of the Yellow Springs Temple's most famous techniques within the Scarlet Kite continent!
To have such a great reputation, there had to be a reason.
As for the life-bound divine ability he would learn after forming his Golden Core, Wang Yu hadn't decided yet. He still had plenty of time to ponder; there was no need to rush.
Regardless, the fact that the other was willing to personally demand [The Netherfinger Technique] for him settled the debt of the "gifted corpse." Besides… he wasn't in a position to settle accounts anyway.
Being a single major realm higher was enough to crush a person, let alone two. His personal opinion wasn't important.
Now that negotiations were nearing their end, he only hoped they would conclude quickly.
A Guiding Spirit City under his sole authority suited him far better.
"In half a month, there will be a final negotiation. You should come and observe. Consider it this old man repaying the favor of the gifted corpse."
"This junior dares not disobey your command, Senior."
With that, Wang Yu withdrew from the Xuan Yan Hall, his face betraying no emotion.
...
...
Within the City Lord's Manor cultivation chamber, in the Insect Room.
This was a second room Wang Yu had opened adjacent to the underground meditation chamber. The Immaculate Jade Toad eggs he had obtained from the Yama Ghost Market were currently being carefully soaked in a poison pool.
He had specifically purchased a secret insect-taming art from Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's Han Jia and had already imprinted the eggs. After several years of nurturing, they were about to hatch.
It was quite a coincidence. Strictly speaking, the Immaculate Jade Toad was the first real "bargain" he had stumbled upon in his many years in the cultivation world. Nurturing it carefully now would be of great use when he eventually entered the Sky Demon Bone Forest.
At the very least, it would allow him to avoid the greatest danger in that land of ten thousand poisons—the poison itself!
This single function alone was enough to make him devote full effort to its cultivation.
It was certainly more useful than the Three-Tailed Snow Fox~
"Little one, time to come out."
As soon as he finished speaking, the rice-grain-sized egg sac pushed outward. Immediately afterward, a tadpole-like creature wriggled out.
It was only as thick as a strand of hair and two millimeters long.
Soaking in the poison pool Wang Yu had meticulously prepared, it seemed perfectly at home. After wriggling around for a while, it opened its tiny mouth and began to ingest the toxins.
Its jade-white body was quickly stained purple, but within one or two breaths, it returned to normal. Like an insatiable glutton, it voraciously sucked in more poison.
Its body began to undergo metamorphosis, growing limbs and thickening.
It swam freely in the ocean of toxins, ingesting every poison it could reach.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the newly hatched Immaculate Jade Toad began to form a cocoon to reconstruct its body.
Wang Yu sat nearby, observing.
It was his first time raising an insect, and his curiosity was still strong.
One day later.
The insect that emerged from the cocoon had truly taken on the form of an Immaculate Jade Toad. This time, its speed of ingesting poison was astonishing. Soaking in the water, it simply opened its mouth and inhaled.
The toxins dissolved in the water were forcibly drawn into its belly. This process lasted a full three hours. After purifying the poison pool into clean water, it began its second cocooning.
"Fascinating. This growth speed is simply earth-shattering. If human cultivators possessed such an ability, I fear the entire world would be drained dry within a century."
While marveling, Wang Yu knew this metamorphosis and body reconstruction wouldn't be completed quickly. He waited while continuing his own cultivation.
Half a month later.
The final negotiation was about to begin, and the Immaculate Jade Toad also chose this moment to emerge from its cocoon. Compared to its newborn state, it had now grown to the size of a fingernail.
Its jade-white body bore no protruding venom sacs. Its two horizontal frog-like eyes were the color of blood jade. The moment it saw Wang Yu, it eagerly hopped over.
It emitted a croak towards him.
To an uninformed observer, it truly looked like a spiritual frog.
The Immaculate Jade Toad belonged to the functional category of exotic insects. It possessed no offensive capabilities and had no concept of cultivation realms. Compared to an exotic insect, it more closely resembled a spiritual herb that could detoxify poisons.
Used at a critical moment, it would be more useful than any secret art.
Even if it became unnecessary in the future, he could refine it to obtain a special constitution immune to all poisons, or use it to cultivate another type of spiritual insect.
After forming hand seals to fully establish the bond with the Immaculate Jade Toad, Wang Yu took out a smooth, brown earthenware jar. This was a second-grade magical artifact, the [Spiritual Insect Jar], specifically refined for containing exotic insects and gu insects. He had purchased this one as well.
After storing the jade toad inside, he shrank the jar, strung a cord through it, and hung it from his belt. With that settled, Wang Yu immediately left the chamber and headed for the large council hall specially built within the City Lord's Manor for the negotiations.
The hall was large enough to accommodate over a thousand people. In the center was a long table prepared for the representatives of both sides. Behind them were seating areas for their respective entourages to lend support.
They could consult historical records at any time to mount a counter-argument—citing how conflicts between such-and-such sects were resolved in the past, and how they should emulate that, and so on.
Involving the face of hegemon-level powers, neither side would yield an inch. In contrast, the compensation for a minor city lord like Wang Yu was a trivial matter. Not to mention a few million spirit stones, even tens of millions wouldn't be enough to cripple the Yellow Springs Temple.
The higher one's cultivation realm, the more one learned about the inner workings of hegemon-level powers. So-called spirit slaves were truly just small money pouches for the True Disciples of the various peaks.
Only now did Wang Yu realize how laughable his former thoughts and understanding had been.
A few spirit slaves, servile to the bone—how could they possibly truly affect the status of a True Disciple? His naive younger years had indeed been like a frog at the bottom of a well, utterly unaware of the vastness of the world!
The loss of that arm was truly due to his own mistake.
However, it was precisely that lesson that forged his current disposition. It was hard to say whether it was for better or worse.
In the large council hall.
Elder Xuan Yan remained silent. The other side's leader held the title **[Cursed Ghost Demon Lord]**. Wang Yu had seen him once or twice during this period. His cultivation was on par with Elder Xuan Yan's.
He was Elder Earth Treasury's senior and was fully responsible for these negotiations. At the moment, he also appeared composed, idly sipping spiritual tea he had brought himself.
Wang Yu stood among the crowd at the back, listening to a full half-hour of what amounted to a shouting match.
Then.
The Cursed Ghost Demon Lord spoke. "Xuan Yan, that's enough. You've already gained plenty of benefits from this. Any more… and certain people will become uneasy."
"Uneasy? You, Cursed Ghost, are always focused on people's hearts. This old man wants to ask what you're plotting!"
"Very well. According to the terms of the 281st negotiation, you will additionally impart [The Netherfinger Technique] to the Lord of Guiding Spirit City. Then this matter will be considered settled."
"This old man will forgo your Yellow Springs Temple's public, world-announced apology. How about that?"
Hearing this, the Cursed Ghost Demon Lord showed a hint of surprise.
His unnaturally sharp gaze fixed directly on Wang Yu, immediately locking onto his hands. "Interesting. His hands have been tempered with Profound Yin Marrow Liquid. It seems he has learned the Mysterious Yin Hand~"
Wang Yu felt a twinge of nervousness. Being stared at by an old Nascent Soul demon was truly uncomfortable.
After a moment of silence, the Cursed Ghost Demon Lord spoke. "Fine. It shall be as you say. But let me be clear: without cultivating the [Yellow Springs Azure Fall Sutra], it is almost impossible for him to master the divine ability, [The Yellow Springs Great Hand Seal]."
"You have delayed this venerable one for several years. This matter should indeed be concluded."
Elder Xuan Yan offered no comment on this.
Wang Yu, in his heart, was indifferent. Whatever special restrictions it had, the Placement Slot could fulfill any prerequisite.
The fact that the Yellow Springs Temple was willing to spread the Mysterious Yin Hand widely surely meant there were restrictions he wasn't aware of.
Otherwise, if the streets were filled with cultivators who had mastered [The Yellow Springs Great Hand Seal], wouldn't that be awkward?
Their purpose in disseminating the Mysterious Yin Hand was to recruit talented individuals from humble backgrounds. There had to be this safeguard in place. Wang Yu had long speculated about this.
The fact that Elder Xuan Yan hadn't told him was due to that tiny bit of personal agenda at play. It couldn't be considered great malice, but Wang Yu was still quite displeased with him for it.
The compensation wouldn't arrive immediately.
Therefore, after this negotiation concluded, the Cursed Ghost Demon Lord departed with his subordinates. Elder Xuan Yan also left with the people from Cloudveil Prefecture City, without speaking to Wang Yu again.
Instead, he dispatched a Foundation Establishment cultivator to brief Wang Yu on the general outcome.
The three cultivators who had caused trouble in the Lightning Descending Abyss were now reduced to high-level spirit slaves of the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect. They would be sent back to the sect to become machines for producing high-grade spirit stones.
Then there was the one million spirit stones of returned Sacred Tribute, to be sent to the mountain gate as usual. The monetary compensation was fifteen million spirit stones, of which thirteen million were divided among the group.
Two million would end up in Wang Yu's hands.
They also ceded some resource points in Netherflow Province. A single Foundation Establishment secret realm would permanently belong to the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect. They even ceded territory—the land of three townships and nine cities.
It could be said they lost both the lady and the soldiers, suffering no small loss.
The benefits Guiding Spirit City could obtain from this were limited. In a few years, a new batch of cultivators would arrive to take over its defense. Guiding Spirit would also no longer be the city closest to the 'Eastern Extreme Capital Ruins.'
Whether this was good or bad was hard to say, especially since City Lord Wang wouldn't share in those benefits. It was truly infuriating.
All these costs had to be borne by Elder Earth Treasury's faction. For now, only a portion had been paid. Wang Yu's hands were empty; he didn't know when anything would truly reach him.
It was the same for the Netherfinger Technique. Within the next five to ten years, the Yellow Springs Temple would send someone to impart the technique. At that time, he would need to sign a contract forbidding him from teaching it to anyone else.
**(End of Chapter)**