Chapter 231: Ghost Puppet Sect, High-Level Auction

Gong Shulan, that is—Hu Yao, possessed the Ghost Spirit Body, one soul in two forms. She was the first cultivator Wei Tu had encountered upon entering the cultivation world.

If not for all that had happened afterward, he and this woman might have even counted as friends.

Back then, when he was targeted by robbers, it was this woman who provided him intel and saved him from disaster.

Later, he repaid the favor by supplying her with talisman business, giving her the capital she needed before reaching Foundation Establishment.

There had been mutual exchanges between them.

But everything changed the day he accidentally discovered that “Hu Yao” was merely Gong Shulan’s spare flesh body while she was being hunted down by the Shuyun Alliance…

That past friendship? It ended then and there.

After all, the robbers who ambushed him back then were under the command of Geng Wen, disciple of Shudan from the Shuyun Alliance—an alliance Gong Shulan had a known grudge with.

From that alone, Wei Tu could easily infer—

Back then, Hu Yao befriending him was likely just to use him as bait to divert the Shuyun Alliance’s attention.

“To think I’d run into her here, of all places,” Wei Tu’s face darkened. He began to consider striking first and eliminating this formidable threat.

A hundred years ago, when dealing with Gong Shulan, who was already a demonic cultivator, Kou Hongying crushed her sect command token and summoned Gong True Lord from Mirror Water Pavilion for aid.

But what neither he nor Kou Hongying had expected—

Was that Gong Shulan was far too cunning. Using a human puppet to deceive both of them, she managed to slip away even before Gong True Lord arrived, disappearing into the Demon Wolf Mountains right before their eyes.

As for why Gong Shulan would suddenly show up here, stealing the remains of Master Shentu, Wei Tu wasn’t particularly surprised.

The Ghost Puppet Sect was infamous across both orthodox and demonic paths for their human puppet techniques.

Their puppet materials came from three primary sources:

First, battlefield corpses.

Second, purchased corpses.

Third, grave robbing.

The third method alone had earned the Ghost Puppet Sect its terrible reputation—everyone hated them.

…

At present, Gong Shulan’s cultivation was only at the peak of Foundation Establishment. She had yet to form her Golden Core.

It was the perfect opportunity for Wei Tu to act.

“A Golden Core-level puppet?” But just as he prepared to strike and assassinate her, he suddenly noticed a figure hidden a few hundred steps from Gong Shulan, crouching within a patch of grass—a black-robed cultivator wearing a cloak.

With divine sense sharper than a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, Wei Tu immediately discerned the man’s realm exceeded Foundation Establishment.

But his entire body emanated death qi, devoid of any vitality.

This trick hidden by Gong Shulan made Wei Tu immediately cautious.

“Could it be… Gong Shulan has already broken through to the Golden Core Realm?” Wei Tu frowned.

The Ghost Spirit Body was similar to Qingmei Shangren’s Profound Wood Spirit Body—both were spirit bodies.

But unlike Qingmei Shangren’s incomplete body, Gong Shulan’s Ghost Spirit Body was whole.

Meaning, with her talent, once she reached peak Foundation Establishment, breaking through to Golden Core was only a matter of time.

So by that logic—

Her current realm might not be her actual cultivation level. What appeared to be “peak Foundation Establishment” could be just a decoy.

It was even possible that the woman in front of him was just a puppet.

And the black-robed man hidden in the grass—was her true self, her true realm.

“This Ghost Spirit Body is going to be a pain.” Wei Tu rubbed his forehead.

Gong Shulan not only had a dual-form spirit body, she was also a Ghost Puppet Sect cultivator, skilled in making human puppets.

Fighting her might be even more difficult than fighting Bai Zhi from the Heavenly Maiden Sect.

Now she was trying to use the remains of Master Shentu, a Nascent Soul cultivator, to forge a human puppet.

And before this?

Wei Tu couldn’t be sure whether she already had other Nascent Soul remains for her puppets.

After much deliberation—

Wei Tu decided to hold back for now. He’d wait for another chance to deal with her in the future.

After all, this was demonic territory—the Jing Kingdom, now controlled by the demonic path. Gong Shulan’s identity made her particularly tricky to handle. He likely wouldn’t be able to finish her off with a single blow.

If she managed to summon fellow sect members—or worse, a Nascent Soul elder from the Ghost Puppet Sect—he’d be the one in real danger.

While not one of the Five Major Demonic Sects, the Ghost Puppet Sect still ranked high among the demonic sects and had Nascent Soul elders in their ranks.

As a spirit body cultivator, Gong Shulan would definitely be valued highly within the sect… She wasn’t that helpless target from a hundred years ago anymore.

“Fellow Daoist, please cease your actions. The corpse in this grave belonged to a senior of mine.” Moments later, Wei Tu stepped out from the clouds and stopped Gong Shulan’s looting.

With a flick of his sleeve, the shattered formation around the grave glowed once more and reformed to its original state.

Though Wei Tu had decided not to kill Gong Shulan yet, that didn’t mean he would hide from her.

With her current strength, she still couldn’t threaten a Golden Core cultivator like him.

“A third-rank body cultivator?” Seeing Wei Tu appear, Gong Shulan was briefly startled. Then her eyes lit up with a hint of greed.

Compared to ordinary cultivators—

Body cultivators were among the best raw materials for crafting human puppets.

Wei Tu frowned slightly at Gong Shulan’s expression. He let out a cold snort of discontent and released his pressure, bearing down on her Foundation Establishment peak cultivation.

“As I suspected, Gong Shulan definitely has Golden Core strength. Otherwise, how could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator show such disrespect toward me?” Wei Tu thought to himself.

Just as he anticipated, Gong Shulan waved her jade sleeve and effortlessly dispersed Wei Tu’s pressure.

She gave a light laugh and said, “This humble woman didn’t know this grave belonged to Fellow Daoist. I was rash… May I ask your name, and who this Nascent Soul senior buried here might be?”

Among cultivators, asking for a name upon meeting was standard custom.

Everyone feared accidentally provoking someone they couldn’t afford to offend.

Although the Nascent Soul corpse before her had clearly been dead for centuries based on its appearance, Gong Shulan was still cautious—it could have belonged to someone with powerful backing, whose sect or lineage still held sway.

“Cultivators from the Ghost Puppet Sect are becoming more brazen. Now that I, Xu, have shown myself, not only do you show no remorse, but you even attempt to probe my background?” Wei Tu didn't answer her directly. Instead, he coldly rebuked her.

Golden Core cultivators were already prominent figures in the cultivation world.

And Nascent Soul cultivators? Even if they’d been dead for centuries, their names still held weight.

If he randomly made up a name, not only would he fail to intimidate Gong Shulan, he might instead arouse suspicion and greed from her and the Ghost Puppet Sect.

As for why he didn’t just reveal the corpse as that of Venerable Master Shentu—that was for good reason.

Venerable Master Shentu had been a righteous cultivator from a thousand years ago. Mentioning his name in the heart of the demonic domain of the Jing Kingdom would only bring trouble.

After delivering his lines, Wei Tu shook his head and muttered to himself, “If it weren’t for Uncle-Master Ye’s wish to return to his roots in peace, free of disturbances, I would’ve reported this to my sect to deal with your Ghost Puppet Sect.”

Thanks to his prior interrogation of Bai Zhi, he had gleaned quite a bit about the upper ranks of the demonic sects.

So, the fabricated name “Uncle-Master Ye” and the alias “Xu” were chosen to align closely with known figures from the demonic path.

—With the corpse laced in ghost qi, Gong Shulan would never guess it belonged to a righteous cultivator like Venerable Master Shentu.

Hearing all this, Gong Shulan looked uncertain.

But limited by her own knowledge, she couldn’t be sure her doubts were valid. After all, in the cultivation world, even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of offending a Nascent Soul elder from a major sect was too risky to test.

If her guess was wrong—

She’d be making an enemy of a powerful sect and its backing Nascent Soul patriarch.

Of course, if no one caught her, that’d be another story entirely.

“It was presumptuous of me.” Gong Shulan finally apologized again after some thought.

“This is ten high-grade spirit stones. Take it as a token of my apology.” Gong Shulan turned over her palm, revealing a pouch of spirit stones and tossed it to Wei Tu.

“Only this much? Are you toying with me?” Wei Tu weighed the pouch in his hand and scoffed.

As he spoke, he activated the True Demonic Refinement Art, summoning the “Demonic Armor” around him, clearly showing his readiness for a fight.

Seeing this, Gong Shulan no longer had any doubts—she was now convinced that both Wei Tu and the Nascent Soul corpse were tied to a demonic sect powerhouse, and that he was emboldened by this connection to extort her.

“When I found this tomb, I thought the Nascent Soul corpse had been long forgotten and unguarded… That’s why I considered relocating the remains…” Gong Shulan explained, then pulled out another pouch and tossed it over.

This one had twenty high-grade spirit stones.

Wei Tu’s expression softened slightly after catching it. He waved his sleeve, reabsorbing Venerable Master Shentu’s corpse into his storage bag, then blurred into motion, preparing to leave.

Times had changed.

The current environment of the Jing Kingdom wasn’t suitable for burying Venerable Master Shentu’s remains. He’d find a better opportunity to lay them to rest once the righteous sects reclaimed the territory.

Otherwise, he’d just be digging a hole for Gong Shulan and others to rob again.

“Wait.” Gong Shulan called out as Wei Tu turned to leave.

“May I ask your name, Fellow Daoist? I am Gong Shulan, a cultivator from the Ghost Puppet Sect,” she said with a respectful bow.

“I… My surname is Xu. Given name, Xing. A mere rogue cultivator, not worth mentioning,” Wei Tu made up the alias “Xu Xing” on the spot and replied plainly.

“In a few days, a high-grade auction will be held in Changshan Commandery of the Jing Kingdom. Only Foundation Establishment and higher cultivators can attend. Golden Core cultivators like us will be plentiful.”

“If Fellow Daoist Xu has time, you’re welcome to join. I’d be honored to introduce you.” Gong Shulan’s smile held a hint of charm as she extended the invitation.

To a cultivator at the right level, a high-spec auction was nothing short of an opportunity.

—Under normal circumstances, how would a rogue cultivator get a chance to trade spirit stones and unused resources for treasures they truly needed?

Hearing this, a trace of interest flickered across Wei Tu’s face.

This time, his visit to the Zheng Kingdom wasn’t solely for burying Master Shentu. Another objective was to obtain a high-grade soul-searching secret art to interrogate Bai Zhi.

This high-level auction was exactly what he needed.

“When does the auction begin? Where is it held? What does Daoist Friend Gong gain from introducing someone like me, Xu?”

Wei Tu opened his mouth and asked three questions in a row.

“As for the time and place, I’ll explain it to Fellow Daoist Xu in more detail shortly.” Though Gong Shulan was mildly critical of Wei Tu’s caution, her face still wore a pleasant smile.

She addressed the last question first.

“First, the auction organizers offer a reward to those who invite high-realm cultivators. For example, I would receive 500 spirit stones for inviting a Foundation Establishment cultivator and 1,500 for a Golden Core cultivator.”

“Second, Fellow Daoist Xu’s background is extraordinary. I also hope to befriend someone of your caliber.”

As she spoke, Gong Shulan smiled, “A wide network of cultivator connections can help avoid many troubles—and bring many benefits.”

Once she finished speaking.

Wei Tu nodded slightly, indicating his agreement.

The fortune he enjoyed today was indeed inseparable from the people he had met.

In the Foundation Establishment stage—

Fu Lin had sent him messages twice with warnings. After entering the Cloud Ze Secret Realm, he was protected by Kou Hongying and her master…

In the Golden Core stage—

Zhao Jiangwu had informed him of the righteous and demonic Dao landscape and provided a secret route into the Kang Kingdom.

Without those connections, even if he had managed to reach the Golden Core stage today, it wouldn’t have been such a smooth and effortless journey over the past century.

“Liking to build connections—this really does suit Gong Shulan’s character,” Wei Tu thought.

Back in the Danqiu Mountain shantytown, under the alias “Hu Yao,” Gong Shulan’s network had spread throughout the area. Whether big or small, she knew everything happening there.

Seeing that Wei Tu didn’t object,

Gong Shulan smiled faintly, took a jade token from her sleeve, and tossed it to Wei Tu. “The auction will be held in a month. At that time, I’ll use this jade token to contact Fellow Daoist Xu.”

With that, Gong Shulan flicked her jade sleeve, conjured light under her feet, and flew away from the graveyard.

…

Soon,

Only Wei Tu remained at the grave site.

He examined the jade token with his divine sense and, seeing it was just a simple “communication talisman,” felt reassured and stowed it in his storage pouch.

“Still can’t trust Gong Shulan too easily. Best to find a demonic cultivator and gather more information,” Wei Tu mused.

Though his instincts told him Gong Shulan wouldn’t lie to him about this matter, caution never hurt—at worst, it would just cost him a little time.

After re-burying the tomb and removing the restriction placed within, Wei Tu turned southeast toward Changshan Commandery and flew off.

The cultivation world of the Zheng Kingdom, like Zheng itself, once practiced “separation of the immortal and mundane.”

But with the demonic Dao’s invasion, the boundaries between mortal and cultivator realms had gradually blurred.

As a result, Changshan Commandery, a major mundane city, had become home to many demonic Dao cultivators.

Including quite a few Golden Core demonic cultivators.

Upon reaching the county seat of Changshan Commandery and making some inquiries, Wei Tu arrived at a large, secluded courtyard in the west of the city.

This residence once belonged to a wealthy mortal family surnamed Sun. But decades ago, it had been seized by a demonic rogue cultivator named Qian Hong.

Qian Hong had killed the Sun clan head, taken his wife Sun Zhaoshi, and when she aged and lost her beauty, he turned his attention to her daughter.

When Wei Tu heard this rumor in Changshan Commandery, he’d assumed Qian Hong was just a low-level rogue—only someone of that level would stoop to such depravity.

He never imagined that Qian Hong was actually a late-stage Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, infamous in the surrounding region.

…

That night, at the third watch.

A green shadow slipped over the courtyard wall and entered the residence in a flash.

Once inside the courtyard, the figure’s pace slowed, but oddly enough, the passing maidservants and servants paid him no mind at all, as if they hadn’t noticed anything strange.

“How odd…” Within the compound, a beautiful maid patrolled with a lantern. As she walked, she seemed to glimpse a figure passing in front of her.

But when she looked again,

The figure had turned into a patch of ancient trees growing beside the wall.

Greenwood Concealment Technique!

At this moment, the one sneaking into the “Sun Residence” was none other than Wei Tu, using the secret technique he had obtained from Bao Siyan—the Greenwood Concealment Technique.

Though he hadn’t yet mastered the technique well enough to fool a Golden Core cultivator, it was more than enough to deceive mortals and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

It couldn’t have been easier.

Crossing several courtyards, Wei Tu arrived at a more remote wing located at the edge of the Sun Residence.

Just as he reached the gate—

He heard licentious noises coming from within.

“Really knows how to enjoy himself,” Wei Tu muttered, sending his divine sense through the walls to see Qian Hong mid-act with one of his concubines.

With a wave of his hand, he released two Seven-Colored Phantom Moths, which slipped silently into the courtyard.

Once inside, the moths immediately released a cloud of multicolored mist into Qian Hong’s face.

A moment later—

Qian Hong swayed and collapsed onto the delicate body beneath him.

“Master? Master?” The concubine panicked when she saw Qian Hong lying motionless. She screamed, “Master had a sudden stroke! Master had a sudden stroke!”

The concubine was truly terrified.

She hadn’t expected that even a cultivator could collapse just like an ordinary man.

“Quiet!” At that moment, Wei Tu stepped into the courtyard. He swept a glance at the naked concubine and frowned.

The mist released by the Seven-Colored Phantom Moths wasn’t something a mortal could endure. To avoid hurting her, he had instructed the moths not to hypnotize her.

“Yes, immortal... immortal...” The concubine stammered in fear, completely stunned.

Seeing this, Wei Tu shook his head. He tapped a finger on her brow, causing her to fall into a deep sleep.

Of course, with his skill in disguise, he had no fear of her recognizing him. But what he was about to do next wasn’t something suitable for her eyes.

After using a Soul-Sealing Talisman to seal off Qian Hong’s cultivation, Wei Tu finally woke him up.

“Who are you?! How dare you attack me! Once I report this to True Lord Yi, I’ll have you torn to pieces!” Qian Hong roared upon seeing Wei Tu, trying to sound fierce.

However, the moment he sensed Wei Tu’s aura, his expression changed drastically, his face turning pale with sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“Golden Core senior?” Qian Hong was startled, his mind racing as he tried to recall where he might have offended this elder.

But after thinking for a long while—

He still couldn’t figure it out.

“Senior, may I ask why you’ve come to see me?” Qian Hong asked nervously.

If Wei Tu had been a Foundation Establishment cultivator, ambushing and restraining him might’ve been something he could counter with the name of True Lord Yi. But now that it was clear Wei Tu was a genuine Golden Core True Lord, that kind of bluffing would only be seen as foolish.

“I’ve come to ask you something. If you answer well, not only will I let you go, I’ll reward you handsomely,” Wei Tu said with a smile, patting Qian Hong’s shoulder.

Hearing this, Qian Hong’s heart trembled, and a flash of delight appeared in his eyes.

—He could tell that Wei Tu hadn’t come to settle a score or take his life, but rather to seek information.

This sort of thing wasn’t uncommon in the cultivation world.

More often than not, as long as you pleased the elder, not only would you walk away unscathed, you might even earn a chance to rise up the ranks.

So, this wasn’t a crisis—it was a stroke of fortune.

“Please ask whatever you like, Senior. I’ll tell you everything I know!” Qian Hong patted his chest, swearing earnestly.

“I heard from a fellow cultivator that there’s a high-tier auction happening here soon, only open to cultivators above the Foundation Establishment Realm. Do you know about this?” Wei Tu asked.

Qian Hong had been carefully selected for this.

A rogue cultivator in the Foundation Establishment late stage, well-connected in the Chanshan Commandery.

If even he didn’t know about the auction, then what Gong Shulan had said would clearly be a lie.

“Senior, are you referring to the auction being held by the Yunyan Merchant Guild? I received an invitation from them just a few days ago,” Qian Hong replied without hesitation.

Yunyan Merchant Guild?

Wei Tu raised an eyebrow, wondering who this guild was to have the means to host such a high-level event.

He hadn’t heard of them before, not even in all his time wandering the lands of Jing Kingdom.

“Are you curious about the Yunyan Merchant Guild, Senior?” Qian Hong, a seasoned old fox, guessed what Wei Tu was thinking and cautiously asked.

“Oh? You know their background?” Wei Tu looked at him with interest.

“I once overheard True Lord Yi talking about them. The Yunyan Merchant Guild is an alliance formed by various merchant guilds from the borders of three righteous kingdoms. They’ve been taking advantage of the chaos between righteous and demonic sects to turn a hefty profit,” Qian Hong said eagerly, rubbing his hands.

“I see.” Wei Tu nodded, finally at ease.

Since ancient times, war had always been a golden opportunity for merchants. Even if the Yunyan Guild was made up of righteous factions, at the end of the day, profit came first. There was no way they’d ignore business opportunities with demonic cultivators.

After finishing his inquiry about the auction—

Wei Tu thought for a moment, then pulled a small bottle from Alchemist Shu’s personal stash and tossed it to Qian Hong.

“These are three Cloud-Containing Pills. Second-tier, high-grade. Consider them a gift,” Wei Tu said generously.

Back when he killed Alchemist Shu, he’d taken a large number of second-tier pills from her storage pouch.

However, due to concerns about them being poisoned, he’d never dared to consume or sell them. He’d simply left them untouched in his storage all this time.

Now that he was dealing with a demonic cultivator like Qian Hong, there was no need to hold back.

If Qian Hong died from poison—

He’d just find another lackey to replace him.

“Thank you, Senior Xu!” Qian Hong said with surprise and joy as he accepted the bottle.

“Do you have any other instructions, Senior?” Qian Hong asked, bowing low.

He didn’t believe the small bit of information he’d just provided was worth a second-tier high-grade pill bottle.

“I’m here on someone’s behalf to find the descendants of a certain elder in Chanshan Commandery. Could you look into this for me? If you find anything, I’ll reward you well,” Wei Tu promised.