Chapter 185

“Eleven primary banesouls absorbed; now it’s time for auxiliary souls. The spiritual energy consumption is only a third of what it used to be—this banner feels even more manageable.”

With this soul banner, Chen Luo would no longer struggle as much against mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators. Previously, when facing off against Lin Feng and others, he’d nearly depleted his spiritual energy reserves. Even after killing them both, he’d been left with serious injuries. His subsequent battle with Han Lin had been similarly taxing—a win, but far from easy.

This time, to acquire Core Formation knowledge, he’d have to ally with Lady Bai Gu and others, facing enemies at least at the mid-Foundation Establishment level. In such circumstances, having additional tools up his sleeve was undoubtedly wise.

Chen Luo could have waited until reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection before attempting such maneuvers, but advancing one’s cultivation base within that realm wasn’t something achieved overnight. Moreover, the Demonic Heart Art’s effectiveness in refining qi was waning, leaving him uncertain if relying solely on this technique could propel him to late Foundation Establishment stages.

Thus, sometimes, one must seize opportunities when they present themselves.

Opportunity was a fickle thing; once missed, it might never come again. With his mummy brain augmentation, the sooner he acquired knowledge, the greater the advantage he could gain. By developing a tailored Core Formation method ahead of time, he could avoid countless pitfalls.

Time slipped away like water through cupped hands, and before Chen Luo knew it, a month had passed.

The heavy stone door creaked open once more.

Chen Luo emerged from his immortal’s cave, his entire aura having undergone a remarkable transformation. The cultivation chamber linked to third-rank spiritual veins proved far superior to those at the Sacred Lake Immortal Sect. If not for receiving messages from Lady Bai Gu and her group, Chen Luo would have readily extended his stay further.

“Crafting soul banners is utterly draining,” Chen Luo mused, “and the issues with the Demonic Heart Art only become more apparent. Practicing this technique always leaves me feeling unsatisfied.”

Recalling the problems with the Demonic Heart Art, Chen Luo frowned deeply, lost in thought.

Void Sage wouldn’t deceive me, he pondered. After all, that’s the very technique he cultivates himself. Alas, even Void Sage had failed to master the later stages of the art.

The second half of the Demonic Heart Art had a ‘gap’ compared to the chapters before Foundation Establishment, as if a配套心法 (matching mental technique) was missing. It was precisely because this set of techniques was missing that the effect of the Demonic Heart Art became so poor. The conclusion that there was a ‘missing heart method’ came from the mummy’s brain; neither Chen Luo nor even his master, Daoist Wuwei, could see it.

“Let’s take a look first. If it’s dangerous, we’ll refuse.”

Chen Luo looked at the weather outside. Sunlight was streaming down, making people feel lazy and relaxed. Some cultivators from Blackstone Mountain were practicing nearby.

Blackstone Mountain’s cultivation rooms charged everyone equally. Even Blackstone Mountain’s disciples had to pay spirit stones to practice here. Patriarch Blackstone wasn’t known for being merciful. His disciples were tools he raised, and those who couldn’t serve him had long been driven off the mountain.

Closing the immortal’s cave, Chen Luo followed the path downhill.

Blackstone Mountain had an array formation guarding it, strictly prohibiting aerial travel.

After descending the mountain,

Chen Luo hadn’t taken more than two steps when he saw Su Linlin again. This sight made him unconsciously narrow his eyes.

Once or twice is acceptable, but not thrice!

The first two times could be explained away, but this third appearance was undeniably strange—like she’d been specifically waiting for him here.

“Senior, this is a gift for you,” Su Linlin said, seemingly oblivious to Chen Luo’s wariness. Her face still bore that faint smile as she held out a small wooden box adorned with a fox’s mark.

“Who sent you here? And… who exactly are you?” Chen Luo refused to take the proffered item, his spiritual energy beginning to circulate around him.

“Foxy Lady Su Linlin.”

“You know I’m not asking about your name.” A strand of spiritual energy materialized in Chen Luo’s right hand.

What mountain rules?

If it came down to threatening him, they’d be better off killing him outright, extracting his brain, and making their escape.

“I am a friend of Senior Zhu Chungan,” Su Linlin replied, her gaze fixed on Chen Luo.

Zhu Chungan?

Chen Luo recalled the pig monster from Five Creek Mountain; its impression upon him had been profound. Had the creature not suddenly departed, he would have sought further clarification regarding the ‘Demon Bone Array Sigil Art’.

This technique was incredibly difficult to master, and he hadn’t yet managed to formally enter its practice.

Without Blood Jade Marrow, he couldn’t obtain the Yu Bone Pill, which remained unattainable thus far. Without the aid of such medicinal pills, even he found himself stuck at the entry level of cultivation.

“I know you don’t believe me, Senior,” Su Linlin said, “but this is a fang given to me by Senior Zhu Chungan.” As she spoke, she retrieved a fang from her storage pouch. Having witnessed the true form of the pig monster before, Chen Luo immediately recognized it at first glance.

“How did you know I’d be here? I didn’t tell anyone about my departure.”

“Our fox clan’s ancestors have certain unique methods,” Su Linlin explained with a smile, taking care to put away the fang in her hand. “I’m helping you, Senior, in the hope we can forge a good connection, just like how Senior Zhu Chungan gave me a token.”

“And if I refuse?”

Chen Luo looked at the wooden box in her hands, feeling that these foxes were up to something.

“Whether you accept or not is entirely up to you, Senior,” Su Linlin replied calmly. “Our fox race only seeks connections with humans, never conflicts.”

Blood Jade Marrow, no hidden tricks.

The mummy brain suddenly provided feedback. Even though the vixen hadn’t opened the box yet, it already knew what was inside.

No hidden tricks?

Chen Luo stepped forward and took the box. If benefits are offered on a silver platter, refusing would only leave one at a disadvantage.

“Consider this my token of intent.”

Seeing Su Linlin’s gaze upon him, Chen Luo retrieved his most frequently used deer-hide gloves from his storage pouch. He folded them neatly and handed them to her. Though not a magical artifact, these gloves had been with him for many years, making them suitable as a personal token.

“Many thanks, Senior,” Su Linlin said, accepting the gloves. With that, she turned and left, as if her sole purpose had indeed been to deliver the item to Chen Luo.

“Just wait until I’ve unearthed your ancestors’ graves. Then I’ll truly understand your schemes.”

Watching her receding figure, Chen Luo carefully stored the blood jade marrow away. He then headed towards the city outskirts.

Following the location provided by Lady Bai Gu, Chen Luo walked beyond the walls of Blackstone City. It wasn’t until he reached the icy mountain path leading down that he spotted Lady Bai Gu and the demonic Xue Qi cultivator.

Beside them stood two unfamiliar faces: a woman with snow-white hair and an old man carrying a coffin on his back. Both radiated powerful auras, but the white-haired woman’s presence was particularly striking, reminiscent of a ghostly cultivator. She carried herself with an air devoid of any living essence.

“So these are the helpers you invited? A mere Foundation Establishment novice?” The old man’s eyes swept over Chen Luo, his divine sense boldly probing into Chen Luo’s cultivation base without restraint.

Chen Luo’s gaze turned icy as his Foundation Establishment realm divine sense radiated out, not only crushing the old man’s divine sense but also thoroughly examining his cultivation base.

Mid-Foundation Establishment with corpse energy—likely a malevolent cultivator specializing in corpse refinement.

The thought of corpse-refining techniques made Chen Luo instinctively turn towards the coffin on the old man’s back.

“Hmph! You have some skill.”

A flicker of caution crossed the old man’s eyes, and he ceased any further probing.

“You’re not leaving?” Chen Luo’s gaze shifted to the Lady Bai Gu.

Four major Foundation Establishments, plus myself makes five. Inviting so many experts… Who exactly are they trying to kill?

“Let’s wait a bit longer,” said the Lady Bai Gu. “We’re still missing one person.”

Before she finished speaking, a lantern drifted into view amidst the wind and snow. A figure shrouded in white cloth approached slowly, carrying the lantern. Each step was deliberate, accompanied by shifting sounds that drew closer until the figure stood beside Chen Luo.

Tattered white cloth fluttered in the snowy breeze.

With a glance, Chen Luo realized that beneath the white fabric, the figure’s body was completely empty.

A puppet?

Sensing his scrutiny, the white-clothed figure turned its head—a stiff, 180-degree rotation—and forced an eerie smile onto its rigid face.

“I’ve never seen you before,” it intoned.

Chen Luo remained silent. This isn’t the person’s true form; no need to pay too much attention.

“Old Demon Fang, what you initially promised us was no mere puppet,” Chen Luo observed. It wasn’t just him; everyone present could see through this facade.

The puppet’s dismissive attitude instantly chilled their expressions.

“I’ve been here all along; it’s just that none of you noticed,” the puppet responded indifferently, turning its head back.

At these words, several faces shifted, but only the white-haired woman tilted her head towards the lantern in the puppet’s hand.

This drew everyone’s attention to the lantern.

A lamp?

As they watched, the pale-white lantern in the puppet’s grip began to distort unnaturally. Then, it slipped from the puppet’s grasp, twisting in mid-air before gradually transforming into a cold-faced young man.

“A Transformation Spell? You’ve actually mastered it!” A hint of wariness flickered simultaneously in their eyes. The Transformation Spell might sound simple, but it was incredibly difficult to cultivate. Its potential was virtually limitless—ancient cultivators used this divine ability to create dharma idols, manipulating stars and moon as if plucking them from the sky, almost like something out of mythology.

While Old Demon Fang hadn’t reached such heights with his Transformation Spell, merely mastering it spoke volumes about his prowess.

“It’s but a minor technique. Nothing remarkable about it.” Old Demon Fang’s face remained impassive. “More importantly, tell me who exactly we’re after. Even Xue Daoist has been invited—it seems our target is quite formidable.”

The Xue Daoist Old Demon spoke of was none other than the white-haired woman; she had been the first to detect his transformation technique earlier.

“The Great Elder of the Hundred Monsters Country, the great demon Roshana.”

“What?!”

As soon as these words were uttered, everyone grew agitated, with the coffin-carrying old man exclaiming in shock. As experts from the Loose Cultivators Union in Blackstone City, they naturally knew who the great demon Roshana was and understood her power all too well.

Roshana was one of only a few individuals in Blackstone City who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment realm, her strength bordering on godly. Coupled with her innate demonic race, ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators stood no chance against her. Over the years, the majority of losses suffered by the Loose Cultivators Union could be attributed to this formidable opponent alone.

“Rest assured,” Lady Bai Gu said calmly, “aside from our group of six, I’ve also invited Khan Jiu the Gu Demon! Our role will simply be to support Senior Khan Jiu during the assault.”

Upon hearing this, the others’ expressions finally eased. The name Khan Jiu the Gu Demon carried significant weight, implying he possessed considerable strength. However, it remained unclear what relationship he shared with Han Lin.

Chen Luo stood off to the side, remaining silent.

None present bothered to inquire about him. Instead, their discussion shifted towards determining the optimal location for assassinating their target. For this very plan, Lady Bai Gu and the Xue Qi Xie Xiu had meticulously prepared for years. They had already pinpointed the great demon Roshana’s cave dwelling and even broken through its protective formation, awaiting only the final strike.

“Let’s go, I’ve got to get back and tend to my corpse after this,” the coffin-carrying old man said.

The others had no objections, and Chen Luo remained silent as well.

In an instant, the six-person group took flight, transforming into streaks of light that shot towards the distant horizon.

Days later,

the group appeared in an abandoned village overgrown with weeds. The once-standing houses were now mere wreckage, their walls pierced by branches and collapsed onto the ground. In a dilapidated corner, a nest of rats foraged for food outside.

A three-meter-long banded venomous snake coiled amidst the foliage, its forked tongue flickering incessantly. A field mouse scurried through a hole in one of the ruined houses, snatching up an acorn that lay on the ground. Before it could even bring the acorn to its mouth, the banded venomous snake struck with lightning speed.

Its jaws opened wide, swallowing the field mouse whole in a single gulp. The strike was swift as lightning; by the time the mouse realized what was happening, it was already being swallowed by the snake.

“This is how snakes work—fast as lightning. By the time you realize it’s there, it’s already attacked,” a raspy voice observed from the side.

The venomous snake sensed movement and instinctively tried to turn around.

But the figure behind it was faster still. Withered hands gripped the snake’s body like iron claws, lifting it off the ground while another hand seized the tail, stretching the snake out taut.

In that instant, the venomous snake swiftly turned and bit down on the man’s wrist. Its formidable fangs easily pierced through the skin.

Then…

The snake’s body began to convulse violently. The three-meter-long serpent writhed desperately, but within moments, it lay still. A white gu worm crawled out from within the snake’s body. The man casually lifted the snake and took a bite.

Blood trickled down his throat, and in just a few bites, the banded venomous snake had been devoured whole.

At that moment, six powerful presences broke through the air, instantly flattening the surrounding vegetation.

The snake-eating freak looked up at the six descending figures, a hint of dissatisfaction flickering in his eyes.

“Too slow,” he muttered.

The newcomers also caught sight of Han Jiusheng devouring the poisonous snake. This old fellow was covered with gu parasites; even snakes couldn’t escape their deadly effects. He was one of the most troublesome individuals in the Loose Cultivators Union.

“We encountered some issues along the way, causing a delay,” Lady Bai Gu improvised an excuse on the fly.

“We’ve missed the formation time again. Now we’ll have to wait another three days.”

Han Jiu pointed towards the house in the center of the abandoned village—the only structure left relatively intact. It marked the entrance to Roshana’s cave dwelling.

One month since being featured, he thought, and I’ve already written over five hundred thousand words.

Writer’s Assistant chimed in: You’re now surpassing 99.5% of all authors on the platform.

This time, when asking for votes, could the call be a little louder?