Wen Jiu stared intently.
There was a golden talisman on the chest, emitting a glow that prevented any trace of the male corpse's aura from leaking out.
Obviously.
It was quite extraordinary.
Invaluable.
But Wen Jiu dared not take it directly.
"Why did he do this?"
Wen Jiu fell into contemplation.
Why, even in death, did he not want his body to be found?
If it weren't for the White Zombie finding it through the emitted Yin energy, other Corpse Buriers would never have thought there was a corpse hidden in an untouched piece of earth. If a Corpse Burier couldn't find it, then it was even less likely for other cultivators.
Even Steward Wang Nian still detested the environment of the Corpse Remains Death Land, not daring to get too close, let alone other cultivators.
Thinking of this, Wen Jiu did not move the talisman, but began to explore the body, attempting to search for treasures.
The battlefield above had been cleared, but this corpse hidden underground perhaps not.
After a round of searching.
He found nothing.
Just when Wen Jiu was quite disappointed, the White Zombie was so anxious that it turned into a roly-poly, bending down to forcibly pry open the corpse's mouth. In the next moment, a blood-soaked, deathly dense Blood Pearl came into view.
In an instant, Wen Jiu felt the blood contained within—it was indeed the fresh blood of a cultivator.
The burial ground had been holding it for so long.
He knew all too well.
But if he meticulously sensed the amount within and the density of deathly energy, it was likely not just a few, or even dozens.
It must be from hundreds! More than that!
Its value.
Is immeasurable!
"Is this why he used the talisman to isolate the leaking aura?"
Wen Jiu held the Blood Pearl in his hand, then glanced at the excited White Zombie beside him, continued to scrutinize it carefully, and upon finding nothing unusual, simply stuffed it into the White Zombie's mouth.
Such a large amount of fresh cultivator blood, along with the deathly energy, was undoubtedly an unprecedented boost for the White Zombie.
But he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't that simple.
However, this was not the time for detailed study.
First, let the White Zombie digest it, then study it carefully later.
Next, Wen Jiu looked at the remains on the ground, thought for a moment, then decided to re-bury it.
He did not take the talisman.
Let it remain hidden underground.
Once he had a chance for a mutation slot, he'd come back to retrieve it.
Corpse Buriers would not dig the ground seeking corpses, cultivators would not come to the Land of Death; normally, it was impossible for anyone else to discover it.
...
As evening approached.
After burying the White Zombie, Wen Jiu prepared to return with the others.
While waiting for the other Corpse Buriers to bury corpses, Steward Wang Nian asked him about his findings, to which Wen Jiu shook his head, indicating he hadn't even found a fully formed Yin Soul.
"Don't rush, if seeking a Yin Soul were so easy, would I need your help? Also, do not venture too deep in your search."
Wang Nian advised earnestly.
He did not want such a good disciple in the Left-Handed Arts to run into problems due to impatience.
After all, if Wen Jiu encountered trouble.
He'd have to do everything himself.
"Thank you, senior." Wen Jiu cupped his fists in gratitude.
Wang Nian nodded.
He said no more.
Soon after.
Wen Jiu returned home.
Unexpectedly, this time his elder sister, Wen Ya, was waiting at the door.
She was holding a large bowl covered with lotus leaves, and before Wen Jiu could speak, Wen Ya hurriedly spoke, her brows slightly displeased, "I heard you didn't choose a proper Qi Cultivation Technique and instead chose the Left-Handed Arts Corpse Nourishing Technique?"
Wen Jiu nodded.
Seeing his sister's angry gaze, he felt a bit of fear rising inside him.
Yet, he was not afraid of zombies.
This was the suppression of bloodline?
Once inside, Wen Ya angrily continued, "Do you know that practicing Left-Handed Arts damages your lifespan and body, and even if you achieve small success, you won't live long...and it is also not respected."
"Smells delicious."
Wen Jiu did not respond to the topic, only focusing on the large bowl, as he really did not know how to respond, and could not tell the truth.
Wen Ya continued angrily, uncovering the lotus leaf, "You really make me worry. Do you realize that even if you achieve first in cultivation through these arts, chances are you won't even manage to become an apprentice?"
"I know, sister...don't worry, I have my own considerations." Wen Jiu said bravely.
Wen Ya sighed helplessly, then took out a book from her bosom, with the words Chang Chun Technique written on it.
Obviously.
A proper Qi Cultivation Technique.
But Wen Jiu was curious, why did his sister have it?
From what he knew, servants were not allowed to cultivate, and each person could only have one cultivation technique, which could not be passed on.
Those who passed it on privately.
Would die!
Those who practiced unlawfully.
Would also die!
"Sister? Where did you get this?" Wen Jiu asked hurriedly.
Wen Ya quickly replied, "Rest assured, this was rewarded by Mrs. Xu, it is the Xu Family's Qi Cultivation Technique, Xu Family members can freely teach it to family members, without sect restrictions."
"Sister, we cannot accept this." Wen Jiu knew all too well.
If he cultivated this technique, it would not be easy to retreat cleanly in the future.
To receive a transmitted method.
Is to be indebted.
The cultivation of immortality emphasizes cause and effect.
If you wish to retreat unscathed, you must repay this debt of gratitude; otherwise, barriers will arise, hindering your cultivation in the future.
This kind of immense gratitude for being taught a technique is hard to repay.
It is not easily returned.
However, what Wen Ya considered was different. She only knew that this was her brother's only chance to obtain the Qi Cultivation Technique, "Take it, this is currently the only opportunity for you to obtain the Qi Cultivation Technique!"
Wen Jiu insisted, "Sis, I can't take it. I've already asked Steward Wang Nian; there are other avenues to become an apprentice disciple. I have confidence that I can become an apprentice through other channels... You have to trust me!"
As he finished speaking.
Wen Ya wanted to say more.
But Wen Jiu steadfastly returned it.
And he told Wen Ya, "Sis, you can't cultivate this Chang Chun Technique either, find an opportunity to return it."
"You..."
Wen Ya was speechless.
She understood her brother's intentions.
But residing on Deadman Peak, ordinary people like them had no choice.
To have a way out.
Was already a blessing.
When she wanted to speak again, Wen Jiu interrupted her, "Sis, when will Steward Xu return?"
Wen Ya replied, "Mrs. Xu said he's gone to perform an external mission for the sect... Short as a year, long as three to five years."
Short as a year.
Long as three to five years.
Then there's still time.
Wen Jiu calmed his thoughts, picked up a large bowl, and began to eat heartily.
Wen Ya watched this scene from the side and couldn't help but smile warmly. After thinking it over, she didn't continue the previous topic, but instead took out some silver pieces and placed them on the table.
"If it's not enough, go buy some food."
Regarding the silver pieces.
Wen Jiu did not refuse.
After all, a corpse burier earns only three taels a month, barely enough for an ordinary person's basic needs, but for him, it's far from enough.
...
Night fell.
After Wen Ya left.
Wen Jiu, as usual, practiced cultivation and recited the Corpse Nourishing Spell at 9:00 PM.
Unfortunately.
The Yin Soul did not appear again.
After returning home, the daily settlement panel appeared once more.
This time.
The gains were substantial!
[Daily Settlement Panel Lv1 (51/100)]
[Today's Settlement!]
[Recited the Corpse Nourishing Spell for an hour, practiced the Yinzhou Corpse Nourishing Technique for an hour, panel experience +1, Yinzhou Corpse Nourishing Spell experience +10, Yinzhou Corpse Nourishing Technique experience +1]
[Buried corpses in the Land of Death for three hours, sought Yin Soul for three hours, continuously absorbed corpse qi and death qi, panel experience +1, corpse qi +6, death qi +6]
[Attracted Earthly Evil Yin Qi, nurtured corpses with a large amount of cultivator's fresh blood at the corpse nurturing land for twelve hours, fed a Tier One High-grade Magical Artifact containing the essence blood of two hundred seventy-six cultivators—the Soul-devouring Treasure Pearl (damaged), panel experience +1, corpse mutation experience +6, +18, Corpse Nurturer experience +1, Blood Transformation Body experience +50 (reached daily absorption limit), cultivator's essence blood +1330, death qi +828]
[Used two bowls of inferior spirit rice, two pieces of non-tiered demon beast flesh, body refining experience +0.2]
The next moment.
The personal panel appeared.
Wen Jiu immediately noticed three pieces of information.
[Death Qi Balance: 834]
[Cultivator's Essence Blood Balance: 1330]
And one more.
That being—the Blood Pearl was actually a Tier One High-grade Magical Artifact.
Although damaged.
It is still Tier One High-grade.
Regarding the grades of magical artifacts, he had gathered some information from others, and although he didn't know if it was accurate, it could still serve as a reference.
Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, being able to afford a Tier One Lower Grade is not easy.
Someone like Steward Xu from a side peak, to buy a Tier One Mid-grade Spiritual Artifact would be quite difficult.
A Tier One High-grade Spiritual Artifact.
Even an ordinary late-stage Qi Cultivation practitioner might not be able to afford it.
Immensely valuable!
Although the Soul-devouring Treasure Pearl was damaged, it was still Tier One High-grade.
Wen Jiu was instantly overjoyed.
However, after the joy came fear.
A commoner is innocent.
To bear a jade is a crime!
If it's known he possesses a Tier One High-grade Spiritual Artifact, it might not even be others, but Steward Wang Nian would be the first to act against him.
"This is a hot potato... No, I must put it back in the corpse's mouth and use that talisman to cover its aura."
Thinking of this.
Wen Jiu left home overnight.
Rushing to the burial ground with the white stiffened corpse.
Creepy cold?
Yin Soul?
These were entirely out of his consideration.
After placing the now empty Soul-devouring Treasure Pearl back into the corpse's mouth, Wen Jiu finally returned home at ease.
However, after returning home.
He was still uneasy.
Unable to sleep for a long time.
And somewhat at a loss.