Time flew by like an arrow.
Over 200 years had passed, and Ancestor Ningyan, who had twice entered the Great Void Realm during her prime, was now nearing the end of her life, just like Bai Zhi.
âA generalâs success is built on ten thousand corpses. Wei Tuâs rise to the Nascent Soul realm was built on the backs of fellow cultivators like Ningyan.
But unlike Bai Zhi, who was in a coma awaiting her final breath, Ancestor Ningyan had, within the last 10 years, used demonic arts to extend her life.
"But itâs still not enough! Cultivating the âTen Thousand Yin Strategy for Female Practitionersâ needs the vital yin essence from 300 Foundation Establishment female cultivators. But the Male Gathering Event only attracted fewer than 100 Foundation Establishment female cultivators..."
"With just that little bit of yin essence, I can only live another 30 years at most."
Inside the Hehuan Sectâs branch in Jing Kingdomâ
In a secluded cave residence, Ancestor Ningyan sat in meditation. She looked like a shriveled old woman, her hair snow-white, face wrinkled, body emaciated. There wasnât a trace of her former beauty left.
Even the calm demeanor she once had in the Great Void Realm was now completely gone.
Moments later, after completing her breathing exercise, her face twisted with greed. She stared with crazed eyes at two mid-stage Foundation Establishment male devil cultivators tied to a pillar.
"Besides this âTen Thousand Yin Strategy,â if I devour your vital yang, I can still extend my life by a few more years."
She licked her lips, then instantly appeared beside them. Reaching out, she cupped the plump oneâs face gently and spoke in a soft tone.
"No! Stay away from me!" the chubby manâs eyes filled with terror as he desperately tried to shrink back.
A few days ago, when he was captured by the Hehuan Sect, he had mentally prepared himself. He figured dying under a beautiful womanâs embraceâ'to die beneath the peony flower is a blissful end'âwasnât so bad.
He never expected that the one to drain his yang essence would be this dried-up hag, Ancestor Ningyan.
This death⊠was far harder to accept.
But obviously, his resistance was pointless. In less than a moment, his body was drained into a mummified husk, all essence gone.
Half a day laterâ
Both male cultivators were dead.
Ancestor Ningyanâs appearance had also changedâshe now looked like a woman in her late forties or early fifties. Her features retained a trace of charm, like an aging beauty who still held a bit of allure.
She flicked her sleeve and opened the stone door to her cave.
Standing outside was a handsome young cultivator in white robes, tall and graceful.
"You did well this time. Those two yang cauldrons you found were top-quality."
Ancestor Ningyanâs eyes were full of praise.
"Itâs my duty to serve my master. Whatever you ask, your disciple will carry it out with full devotion," the white-robed man immediately bowed and replied obsequiously.
He hadnât been under her tutelage longânot even 50 years.
After Leng Yuyuan died and Ancestor Ningyan was left with no direct heir, he seized the opportunity to become her disciple.
Because of that, there wasnât much emotional bond between them.
So when facing his master, âQiao Gaoâ could only act with utmost respect, not daring to step out of line.
Ancestor Ningyan nodded slightly, seemingly pleased with his display of loyalty.
But what she said next made Qiao Gao instantly break into a cold sweat.
"Since youâre so capable, then within a year, find me another two high-quality yang cauldrons or yin cauldrons like the ones just now. That shouldnât be a problem, right?"
She spoke calmly.
"ThisâŠ" Qiao Gao froze, not knowing how to respond.
Foundation Establishment devil cultivators werenât like birds in the wild that you could trap with ease.
Even catching the two from earlier had taken him a massive amount of effort.
And now she wanted two more?
"If you fail, then youâll serve as my yang cauldron and dual cultivate with me."
Ancestor Ningyan raised her eyebrows and threatened coldly when he hesitated too long.
"Yes, Iâll get it done!" Qiao Gao could only grit his teeth and agree, even though he was extremely unwilling.
Even though Hehuan Sect had strict rules banning high-level cultivators from harvesting their fellow disciples, Qiao Gao didnât believe that a near-death Ancestor Ningyan would follow any rules when her life was on the line.
When the time came, even if she did something forbidden as a peak Golden Core elder, the Hehuan Sect leadership would most likely turn a blind eye.
All he could do was keep feeding her greed until she died, so he wouldnât be dragged down with her.
'You old hag⊠once youâre dead, I wonât just take all your inheritanceâIâll refine your corpse into a puppet and torment it day and night.'
Qiao Gao made a silent vow.
With that thought, Qiao Gao left the sect and flew toward the nearest immortal market near the Hehuan Sectâs branch.
As usual, he sent out some of his Qi Refining disciples to secretly monitor the rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators in the market. They would wait for those cultivators to isolate themselves in the wild before making a move.
What Qiao Gao didnât notice was that when he parted ways with his disciples, a green-robed cultivator nearby paused slightly, golden light flashing faintly in his eyes. The man flicked his finger, sending out a transparent moth that silently latched onto Qiao Gaoâs back and followed him closely.
Half a quarter-hour later.
As Qiao Gao entered a familiar private room in a restaurant and sat down to drink, his vision suddenly spun, and he collapsed onto the table, unconscious.
At that moment, the same green-robed cultivator who had stood beside him earlier suddenly appeared inside the room.
"Didnât expect things to go this smoothly. I just arrived at the Hehuan Sectâs branch and already ran into Ancestor Ningyanâs newest disciple." The green-robed man smiled faintly to himself.
This cultivator, of course, was Wei Tu. Having heard of Fu Linâs misfortune, heâd rushed here.
He had spent a full year refining the souls of Tuoshan Demon King and the Goldenback Demon King into "Curse Ghosts," then completed the contract with the [Curse Ghost Blood Escape Art]. Without delay, he headed straight for this location.
He hadnât wasted a single moment.
This time, however, Wei Tu didnât use a soul-searching technique on the captured Qiao Gao.
A soul-searched cultivator might pass unnoticed in a minor sect, but in a major power like Hehuan Sect, the chance of being detected was high.
Luckily, Wei Tu had the Seven-Colored Illusion Moth. Its natural illusion ability was strong enough to mimic the effects of a soul search.
And against a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like Qiao Gao, it was more than enough.
Half a day later.
Wei Tu had extracted all the key intel he needed.
After some thought, he waved his sleeve to dispel the illusion, allowing Qiao Gao to regain consciousness.
"This place has been sealed off with a barrier by me. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one outside will hear a thing."
"You also know full well that if I could knock you out without a sound, killing you would be just as easy."
Wei Tu snorted coldly.
"I understand, senior! I understand!" Qiao Gaoâs face turned pale as he quickly nodded.
He couldnât see through Wei Tuâs cultivation level, but he wasnât stupid. Anyone who could knock him out so effortlessly had to be at least late-stage Golden Core or higher.
Otherwise, such a thing wouldnât have been possible.
"Fu Lin and I go way back. I came here to rescue him. Tell meâwhatâs the best way to get him out?"
Wei Tu cut straight to the point.
There was a difference between getting information and actually planning a jailbreak. A job like that needed someone on the inside.
Among Hehuan Sectâs low-ranking disciples, only Qiao Gao, being Ancestor Ningyanâs personal disciple, had enough status to make that happen.
"This matterâŠ" Qiao Gao hesitated. His eyes flickered before he clenched his teeth, bowed, and said, "Itâs true that I can think of a way to rescue Fu Lin. But if I do this, my future in the sect will be ruined, and Iâll definitely be hunted down."
His meaning was simple.
He could do it, and he could make it happen.
But he needed a guarantee from Wei Tu.
Otherwise, he'd just end up deadâwhether at Wei Tuâs hands or the Hehuan Sectâs. There was no point in taking that risk for nothing.
"Fine. I promise youâonce you succeed, Iâll give you a Bi Yan Pill. And I swear I wonât lay a hand on you afterward."
Wei Tu paused, then flipped his hand, revealing a Bi Yan Pill and waved it a few times in front of Qiao Gao.
The Bi Yan Pillâa substitute for the Mortal Shedding Pillâwas nothing special to a Nascent Soul cultivator like Wei Tu.
But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Qiao Gao, it was incredibly tempting.
"Every three months, my master undergoes a âreverse cultivationâ session in her cave to extend her lifespan. During that time, sheâs at her weakest and usually doesnât maintain any contact with the outside."
"I can use her seal to transfer Fu Lin from the inner cauldron chambers to the outer sect area."
"Whether you can take him away will depend entirely on you, senior."
Qiao Gao swallowed hard and spoke slowly.
"Reverse cultivation?"
Wei Tu raised an eyebrow but quickly realized it must be a side effect of Ancestor Ningyanâs demonic techniquesâor perhaps a desperate measure as her lifespan neared its end.
After all, the balance of the Heavenly Dao dictated that demonic cultivation methods, though often faster than orthodox techniques, always came with drawbacks that couldnât be easily resolved.
These drawbacks might not be obvious in the early stages of cultivation, but the further one advanced, the more severe they became.
"Letâs go with that plan."
Wei Tu narrowed his eyes slightly and agreed.
As he spoke, he waved his hand and brought Qiao Gao in front of him. Then he pulled several poison pills from his sleeve and forcefully struck each one into Qiao Gaoâs body.
"Iâm a Nascent Soul cultivator. These poison pills can only be neutralized by someone at the patriarch level of your sect with great effort. Your master, Ancestor Ningyan, wonât even notice a thing."
"If you dare try anything funny, each of these pills will take your life one by one."
Wei Tuâs voice turned cold with threat.
At this moment, he didnât mind revealing his true cultivation level to intimidate Qiao Gao.
"What�"
"Nascent Soul Patriarch?"
Hearing that, Qiao Gaoâs expression changed. His gaze toward Wei Tu was suddenly filled with fear.
At this point, even without the poison pills, he wouldnât dare double-cross him.
Aside from the sheer terror brought by a Nascent Soul cultivator, he also knew his own value, and how brutal the power structure in demonic sects could be.
If he truly angered a Nascent Soul expert like Wei Tu, even if it were out of loyalty, thereâd be no guarantee the Hehuan Sect would protect himâŠ
Especially since he wasnât a direct disciple of any major elder, and his only support was Ancestor Ningyan, an elder whose life was nearing its end.
"This junior will give his full effort to help Patriarch Fu."
Qiao Gao raised his hand and swore.
âŠ
After finishing the talk with Qiao Gao, Wei Tu didnât stay in the private room any longer. He transformed into a streak of light and left, then rented a temporary cave residence within the market.
Based on Qiao Gaoâs memories, Ancestor Ningyan had just completed a reverse cultivation session half a day earlier.
That meant her next "weak period" wouldnât come for another three months.
Only after those three months passed could Wei Tu follow the plan, infiltrate the Hehuan Sectâs outer gate, and coordinate with Qiao Gao to extract the sealed Fu Lin.
Big things take time.
With years of experience in the cultivation world, Wei Tu naturally had patience. He wasnât in a rush.
But just as he stepped into the cave residence heâd rented, his expression suddenly turned strange.
Turned out, not long after parting ways with him, Qiao Gao had barely rested in the private room before he was knocked out and interrogated by another masked cultivator.
And all of that had been clearly seen by a sliver of divine sense Wei Tu had left on Qiao Gaoâs body.
"This guy⊠is also trying to rescue Fu Lin?"
After eavesdropping for a while, confusion surfaced on Wei Tuâs face.
From his observation, the masked cultivator interrogating Qiao Gao had to be at least mid-stage Golden Core.
But Wei Tu had never seen this personâs aura before. It didnât match Fu Linâs master, the eccentric Corpse Ancestor.
'That guyâs got all sorts of weird secret techniques. If he has one to mask his aura, it wouldnât be surprising. This masked one could very well be the Corpse Ancestor.'
Wei Tu silently speculated.
He hadnât spent much time with Fu Lin and didnât know if Fu Lin had any friends at the Golden Core level.
But as he figured it, there were only a few people in the entire cultivation world whoâd risk themselves to save Fu Lin.
The Corpse Ancestor was definitely one of them.
So, after thinking it over, Wei Tu didnât keep hiding. With a flash of light, he returned to the private room and suddenly appeared in front of both the masked cultivator and Qiao Gao.
"Hold on, fellow cultivator."
"Qiao Gao is already my inside man."
Wei Tu cupped his hands and spoke.
"Who are you?" The masked cultivator was startled, quickly stepping back, warily eyeing Wei Tu.
He was Golden Core stage. For someone to appear so suddenly without him sensing it could only mean this newcomer was far from ordinary.
"And who are you, fellow Daoist?"
Wei Tu didnât answer but instead asked in return.
If this person was truly the Corpse Ancestor, it wouldnât matter if he revealed himself. But if not, itâd be unwise to show his hand too early.