Chapter 217 : Slaughter

Chapter 217: Slaughter

“This aura!”

As the coffin landed, a stench of corpse qi swept out, shocking countless cultivators.

The cultivator who took out this item had a delicate voice, yet no one dared to underestimate him.

“A late second-rank Iron-armored Corpse. This is my treasure. With this Corpse-controlling Token refined, I can control it at will.

Its strength speaks for itself, does it not? Whether exploring the Yin Spirit gathering places within the Fog Sea of Tongtian or hunting demon beasts, it is an invaluable aid. More importantly, it fears neither life nor death—as long as it is nourished with fresh blood, it can…”

As this youthful-sounding cultivator revealed the power of the Iron-armored Corpse, even Lin Chang’an secretly nodded.

These words were no exaggeration. Having a powerful spirit pet as assistance—he had already tasted the benefits himself.

“I wish to exchange for the main ingredients of the Crystal Condensing Pill… or other auxiliary materials for Core Formation.”

As expected, once he voiced his desired trade, silence fell among the crowd.

They had anticipated it—if someone was willing to offer such a powerful helper, his demands would surely not be small.

A late second-rank Iron-armored Corpse, equivalent to a helper of late Foundation Establishment strength, greatly enhanced one’s combat power.

Naturally it tempted them, yet the requested items were far too precious.

Lin Chang’an, too, felt moved. Even the Spirit Beast Pouch containing his Wind-chirp Bird stirred—the Corpse Core clearly made it crave.

“Though this second-rank Iron-armored Corpse is strong, there is no need to exchange my Blackwater Liquid. Besides, I already raise two spirit pets. Any more and my resources will be drained.”

Lin Chang’an pondered in silence and finally chose to give up. His bit of Blackwater Liquid was far from enough for Core Formation. It was better saved for his own use.

For even if another late second-rank spirit pet could aid him, it was inferior to fully nurturing the Wind-chirp Bird’s evolution.

Quality far surpassed quantity.

“Fellow Daoist, your demand is too harsh.”

“Indeed, the core ingredients of Core Formation—we would never give them up even if we had them.”

The crowd shook their heads and sighed. The cultivator, however, seemed unwilling, and spoke in a deep voice: “I am willing to add one more spirit artifact.”

Yet though many were tempted, they still shook their heads.

Lin Chang’an, seeing this, pondered a moment before asking:

“Fellow Daoist, since you have this late second-rank Iron-armored Corpse, do you perhaps have Corpse Oil?”

“Yes, yes! Late second-rank Corpse Oil is a rare treasure. Applied to the body, it completely conceals the aura of the living.”

“Exactly! It is the perfect thing for exploring Yin Spirit gathering places.”

Eyes lit up all around. The cultivator helplessly produced three bottles of Corpse Oil.

“This Corpse Oil is extremely difficult to refine, consuming the corpse qi of the Iron-armored Corpse. I will exchange only for spirit items, not Spirit Stones.”

In the end, Lin Chang’an used pills to obtain a bottle of Corpse Oil. This could be used to refine a kind of spiritual liquid.

Once stained with this liquid, one’s aura would be completely masked, like that of a dead thing. Combined with the Breath Concealment of his cultivation method, in times of danger, he could completely suppress his presence.

He even felt confident that not even a Core Formation cultivator would detect him.

Since he intended to explore the Yin Spirit gathering place, where danger lurked, it was only wise to prepare thoroughly.

The trade fair concluded smoothly thereafter. Some shook their heads in disappointment, others left satisfied.

Leaving the secret chamber, Lin Chang’an disguised himself and blended into the crowd.

Yet his sharp senses soon picked up a tail. His brows furrowed—he truly had been targeted.

Secretly transmitting to Old Hu, the two agreed to depart Five Dragon Island separately, one ahead and one behind.

Since someone dared stalk them, they did not mind joining hands to play the role of cultivator robbers.

Together, he and Hu Jin could slay not only perfected Foundation Establishment but even False Core cultivators.

…

Out over the sea, after flying more than a hundred miles on his sword, Lin Chang’an sneered coldly:

“Fellow Daoist, such boldness—to follow me alone.”

Suddenly, two terrifying shadows surged out of the waters below: the late second-rank Iron-armored Corpse and its master from the trade fair.

“It’s you!”

Lin Chang’an’s face darkened. The cultivator emerged with the corpse, laughing loudly:

“Fellow Daoist, your Storage Pouch carries the aura of Blackwater Liquid. You may fool others, but not me. Hand over your Core Formation items!”

The Iron-armored Corpse spewed terrifying corpse qi. Lin Chang’an’s Yellow Dragon Bell emitted golden shadows, which corroded with a hiss.

Such terrifying corpse qi!

But Lin Chang’an’s eyes flared with killing intent. The other had discovered his secret of carrying Blackwater Liquid.

“Courting death!”

Without hesitation, he erupted with full spiritual power. His meridians strained with pain, yet two terrifying sword beams condensed before him.

For a moment, his aura reached the False Core Realm.

“False Core cultivator!”

The robber cultivator’s face paled in terror.

Damn it—this man had disguised himself as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, only to bait them in the trade fair!

“Damn!”

Just as he turned to flee, the sword beams slashed forth, forcing him to resist in horror.

Even with perfected Foundation Establishment cultivation and a late second-rank Iron-armored Corpse, against a False Core cultivator he had only one path: escape.

“Senior, it was a misunderstanding! I admit defeat!”

He roared, decisively tossing out the Iron-armored Corpse while activating a demonic escape art.

But in that instant, golden light flashed—the Wind-chirp Bird arrived.

“A fire-attribute spirit pet!”

The sight of it made him cry out in pain, clutching at his pouch.

At once, a swarm of corpse beetles poured forth, headed by a rare quasi–third-rank insect king.

“Spare me, Senior!”

The robber panicked, fleeing frantically while begging for mercy.

But Lin Chang’an pursued with sword beams, and the Wind-chirp Bird was even faster.

“Impossible!”

With a piercing cry, the Wind-chirp Bird spat out a sea of fire that seemed alive, sweeping up the corpse beetles.

Then it inhaled them all.

Though some beetles still writhed, once swallowed, golden flames flickered within them and they instantly perished.

After devouring so many corpse beetles, the Wind-chirp Bird’s eyes glowed, eagerly lunging for the quasi–third-rank beetle.

Now that was a true feast!

“Fellow Daoist, time to rest in peace.”

Lin Chang’an’s False Core–realm sword beams crashed down. One destroyed the opponent’s defensive artifact, the other blocked his path.

“Senior, spare me! I am a man of Five Dragon Island!”

His cloak tore in the struggle, revealing a gaunt old man beneath the youthful voice—a wrinkled face twisted by demonic cultivation.

But Lin Chang’an showed no mercy. The moment his Wind-chirp Bird was exposed, he had already decided to leave no survivors.

“Fine! Since you give me no way out, I’ll fight to the death!”

Bloodshot eyes blazing, the robber roared, unleashing a sinister magic banner that spewed rolling black qi.

Yet Lin Chang’an’s baleful sword beams suppressed it effortlessly—his attacks not only restrained such yin qi but were empowered by his False Core cultivation.

The old man roared in agony, blood leaking from his eyes and nose—the backlash of overstraining his life force.

It did not take long before his borrowed strength faded. He finally realized the gulf between himself and a False Core cultivator.

Even burning his lifespan through forbidden arts was useless.

At last, he shrieked hoarsely: “Senior! Must you truly fight to mutual destruction?!”

“Fish may die, but the net will not necessarily break!”

Lin Chang’an sneered. Amid the other party’s desperate roar, the terrifying sword beams finally shattered the defensive artifact before him and pierced straight through his body.

At the same time, the Wind-chirp Bird also finished its battle, transforming into a streak of golden light that swooped over.

Under the robber cultivator’s gaze of despair, he died so miserably.

He was unwilling!

Even against a False Core cultivator, he might not have been able to win, but at least he could have fled. Yet fate made him encounter Lin Chang’an.

Whether it was the Iron-armored Corpse, the Corpse Beetles, or his other abilities, all were restrained—either by the Wind-chirp Bird or by Lin Chang’an’s sword beams brimming with baleful qi.

He had only managed to unleash seventy percent of his strength.

……

High above the sea.

By probing the robber cultivator’s memories, Lin Chang’an discovered an earth-shattering secret.

“So, Five Dragon Island runs deeper than I thought!”

He was shocked. This man truly was from Five Dragon Island—or rather, those on the island all followed the same practice of secretly raising robber cultivators for their own use.

This man had been a subordinate of Rong Qing, the patrol cultivator leader of Five Dragon Island.

He had always played the role of a robber cultivator, while Rong Qing was the official patrol and security cultivator on the surface. One in the open and one in the dark, working hand in hand.

It was simply ironic.

“So it was all just to gather Core Formation resources.”

Through his memories, Lin Chang’an learned that this man too was pitiful. In his youth, he had committed crimes in a moment of recklessness and had no choice but to become a robber cultivator.

But to avoid implicating his clan, he colluded with Rong Qing in disgrace.

“These Golden Core sects and great clans—pretending to be virtuous on the surface, yet secretly colluding with robber cultivators to eliminate rivals—they are all truly skilled in such things…”

Lin Chang’an sneered. He felt no sympathy for this man’s death.

He also learned that the man had discovered the Blackwater Liquid in his Storage Pouch thanks to the Corpse Beetles.

That quasi–third-rank Corpse Beetle had once swallowed a drop of Blackwater Liquid, and thus had evolved. For this reason, it was extraordinarily sensitive to its aura.

“The cultivation world has endless tricks—one can never be careless.”

As Lin Chang’an pondered, the Wind-chirp Bird happily flew back to his shoulder, making him feel a pang in his heart.

“You really are greedy. Eating the Corpse Core of the second-rank Iron-armored Corpse wasn’t enough—you even devoured that rare insect.”

Lin Chang’an glared at the bird helplessly. Its beak had been too quick.

What a pity—that strange insect was gone just like that.

“Not good! There was still another robber cultivator—Old Hu!”

Lin Chang’an suddenly recalled, his expression hardening. He quickly tidied the battlefield and rushed in the opposite direction.

That robber cultivator too had planned to strike, thinking that if one target tried to escape, they would trap him front and back.

Exactly the same tactic Lin Chang’an and Hu Jin had planned.

When Lin Chang’an arrived, Old Hu was already gasping for breath, his battle clearly just ended.

Beneath the waves floated half a corpse.

“This was a professional robber cultivator—one secretly raised by cultivators under Five Dragon Island. Let’s clean this up and leave quickly!”

Seeing Old Hu had finished off his opponent, Lin Chang’an let out a breath of relief, yet still revealed the truth.

He had to warn Hu Jin of the gravity of this matter. If even a trace leaked one day, he did not want to be targeted by the behemoth that was Five Dragon Island.

“Five Dragon Island!”

Hu Jin’s expression changed as well, realizing the seriousness. The two completely erased all traces at the scene.

In the Sea Abyss of Beasts, a few dead Foundation Establishment cultivators were nothing unusual.

As long as they left nothing behind, there would be no problems.

……

On Five Dragon Island, Rong Qing was smiling as he conversed with several fellow cultivators. Yet suddenly, as he went to fetch some spirit tea back in his cave abode, he noticed two soul lamps had gone out. A cold light flashed in his eyes.

“Trash. Two more gone!”

Of seven soul lamps, only two now flickered after these years.

“I have already gathered most of the Core Formation resources. In six years, it will be the Palace Masters’ birthday celebration. The island will surely host a grand event then!”

Rong Qing calculated his plans.

He had to prepare Spirit Stones in the meantime. At that event, he would certainly obtain what he needed.

Core Formation!

He had plotted for over twenty years, even secretly colluding with robber cultivators.

But he was cautious—he only chose cultivators with weaknesses as pawns.

“I cannot let those two meet another mishap. It seems I must have them contact other robber cultivators and pull off a few big strikes.”

The next moment, laughter rang outside his cave abode. Rong Qing’s face instantly returned to its usual refined smile. With a wave, he took the spirit tea from within and walked out, laughing and conversing as if nothing had changed.

Like a completely different person.

He had never worried about information being leaked. After all, those he chose had willingly planted restrictions upon themselves.

But Lin Chang’an’s method of reading memories through his Life-bound Spirit Plant rendered such restrictions useless.

Of this, Rong Qing remained unaware.

Lin Chang’an and Hu Jin had left no traces. To avoid suspicion, they even returned to Five Dragon Island, pretending to shop for supplies.

Only days later did the two leave openly together for Yuling Island.

On the surface, they had purchased cultivation resources. Afterward, they claimed to go into secluded cultivation. No one doubted them.

……

During his closed-door cultivation, Lin Chang’an had already entered the Fog Sea of Tongtian to search for Yin Spirit gathering places.

【Spirit Eye (Perfect 9892/10000)】

Seated on his flying gourd, Lin Chang’an smiled leisurely, using the Spirit Eye to pierce the ghostly mist that blocked divine sense, surveying one Yin Spirit gathering place after another.

“Chirp chirp!”

The Wind-chirp Bird on his shoulder called ingratiatingly, seemingly unaware of the peril it faced in its future evolution.

“Work hard during this time. This place is our cultivation holy land.”

Lin Chang’an smiled faintly. For him, it was not only about attribute restraint. More importantly, he was different from ordinary cultivators.

Normal cultivators exploring Yin Spirit gathering places would consume enormous amounts of pills and talismans.

And prolonged exposure to the dense yin qi and sinister energy here could disturb one’s mind.

But with his Regenerative Body, he feared neither depletion nor duration. Nor did he fear the sinister energy of Yin Spirit gathering places.

“It seems the wonders of this ancient cultivation art still have much potential to unearth.”

Lin Chang’an’s eyes gleamed. This time, he was fully prepared to remain here long-term, collecting Core Formation resources.

Meanwhile, in two or three years, the Wind-chirp Bird would likely evolve. For a third-rank spirit pet, he truly needed to prepare in advance.

“You had better not let me down. If you fail your evolution, I’ll suffer a great loss.”

Lin Chang’an glanced at the Wind-chirp Bird on his shoulder, smiling.

Once the Wind-chirp Bird succeeded in advancing to the third rank, returning to collect Core Formation resources in the Fog Sea of Tongtian would be far easier.