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Chapter 1762: Soul Painter

"Alright then, I'll take you two to see my father," Wang Neishi said, standing up. He felt a surge of eagerness, wishing he could fast-forward to the moment when they were in mortal danger, and he would descend like a divine savior, leading them to offer themselves to him out of gratitude.

The thought of Miss Xie, delicate and lovely, lying in his arms sent a thrill through him.

As for Miss Yun, although her eyes were a bit fierce, she was truly beautiful with a top-notch figure, and he certainly wouldn't mind...

On the way, Xie Daoyun couldn't help but ask, "By the way, I heard that if your father is displeased, he extracts the souls of visitors? What does he need souls for?"

Wang Neishi explained, "Miss Xie might find soul extraction evil, but the world has never condemned the Wang family for it. Do you know why?"

Seeing the two women shake their heads, Wang Neishi continued, "Over the years, my father has exorcised demons and ghosts, saving countless lives and accumulating immense merit. However, his various talismans have become overloaded. They require the power of souls to nourish them, which enables them to save even more people in the future."

"Moreover, those whose souls are absorbed are part of a fair transaction; no one forces them."

"I see," Xie Daoyun replied, then fell silent.

Saving some people, yet sacrificing others—which is truly more worthwhile?

Yun Jianyue, on the other hand, secretly pondered what kind of talismans would require souls for nourishment. She couldn't shake the feeling that something evil permeated the entire situation.

Seeing the two women silent, Wang Neishi assumed they were frightened and chuckled, "You two needn't worry. With me here, I will certainly protect you when the time comes."

"We are indebted to you, Young Master," the two women said, nodding slightly.

Soon, the group arrived before a tall building. Wang Neishi went in first to report and emerged shortly after. "My father hasn't been seeing outside guests recently," he said, "but he agreed to see you on my account."

"Thank you, Young Master," the two women said, exchanging a glance. Yun Jianyue secretly transmitted a message to Xie Daoyun, telling her not to be nervous and that she had everything under control.

Xie Daoyun's anxious heart then settled down slightly, as she thought, *As expected of a Demonic Sect Leader who has seen many storms.*

Soon, the group entered the tall building. While the exterior appeared magnificent, the interior was quite dim, and the corridors felt somewhat cramped.

Suddenly, Xie Daoyun noticed paintings hanging on the walls. The figures in them were remarkably lifelike, with every detail meticulously rendered. Having practiced painting herself for a time due to her talisman work, she naturally recognized the extraordinary skill involved.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Are these paintings by your father? Such artistic skill is truly otherworldly."

Among everyone she knew, perhaps only Yu Yanluo possessed such painting skill. To some extent, Yu Yanluo's art even fell slightly short of what she saw before her, as these didn't look like paintings at all, but rather like real people.

The only slightly eerie thing was that all the paintings depicted only people; there were no landscapes, flowers, plants, or trees, which made them a bit too monotonous.

Wang Neishi's expression was peculiar. After a long pause, he replied, "These are the poor souls who failed in their transactions with my father over the past few decades. Their souls are forever trapped here."

Xie Daoyun was utterly stunned.

Yun Jianyue's expression, however, remained normal. As a Demonic Sect Leader, she had taken many lives over the years; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to condense such a domain.

Soon, the group reached the top floor. Wang Neishi knocked on the door and said, "Father, I've brought the people."

"Let them in, you may go," an old voice came from inside.

Wang Neishi was startled. He had intended to follow them in but dared not refute his father. He could only say, "Father, they are my good friends. I hope you will be lenient with them."

"Understood," came the emotionless voice from inside.

Helpless, Wang Neishi discreetly gave the two women a meaningful look. "Don't be afraid, ladies," he mouthed, "I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

After speaking, he walked downstairs, looking back every few steps. He was genuinely afraid his father might, on a whim, take their souls; it would be a tragic waste for two such beautiful and captivating women to die.

After he left, the door opened automatically, revealing a remarkably spacious interior. Directly ahead was a raised platform where an old man sat. This was clearly Wang Youjun, the head of the Wang family. He lifted his eyelids, glanced at the two women, and said, "Come in."

Yun Jianyue stepped in first, subtly shielding Xie Daoyun behind her, while also observing the old man.

Perhaps because he had stayed indoors for many years, the old man's skin was exceptionally pale, and his hair was gray and sparse. However, his well-defined facial features suggested he had been quite handsome in his youth.

Yun Jianyue secretly pondered that while the old man's cultivation seemed slightly inferior to hers, a significant portion of the combat power in this world relied on talismans. She wasn't confident who would prevail if they actually fought.

"It's been a long time since I've seen such beautiful girls; no wonder my second son kept pleading on your behalf," Wang Youjun said with a smile. "Are you the ones who wish to make a transaction with me?"

"The Second Young Master is righteous and helpful, and we are deeply grateful," Xie Daoyun replied softly. "We wish to find our lost companions, which is why we specifically came to see you, esteemed elder."

"Righteous and helpful?" Wang Youjun sneered, naturally knowing what kind of person his son was but too lazy to expose him. "To seek my help just to find someone seems like making a mountain out of a molehill."

As he spoke, his brows gradually furrowed; he was clearly suspicious of their motives.

"The main reason is that those companions are very important to us," Xie Daoyun explained. "We don't know where they are in this world, have no clues, and wouldn't know where to begin searching on our own." She added that normally, they wouldn't need to take such a great risk to seek Wang Youjun's help for a simple search. However, they had been drawn into this vast world and scattered, making it impossible to find their companions on their own.

"I see," Wang Youjun said, the suspicion on his face gradually receding. "Then you should know my rules. What have you prepared for the transaction?"

Yun Jianyue took out an ancient, patterned knife from her storage bag. Its body was dark greenish-black, with only the blade shimmering with a cold light and faint wisps of blood-colored patterns.

As soon as the knife appeared, the entire room was immediately filled with a faint scent of blood.

She reached out and lifted the knife, which floated in mid-air, silently displaying the intricate details of its blade to Wang Youjun.

"Remarkable skill, a fine blade!" Wang Youjun couldn't help but praise. This woman looked delicate, yet her cultivation was quite profound.

Yun Jianyue introduced, "This blade is called 'Farewell.' It is a Heaven-grade divine weapon. I wonder if it meets your approval, esteemed sir."

She had discussed this with Xie Daoyun yesterday. According to the maid's previous information, many who were initially stingy didn't even get a chance to make another offer later.

In contrast, the three who succeeded had all presented extremely valuable gifts immediately.

A Heaven-grade weapon was roughly equivalent to the value of those gifts.

This blade was the personal weapon of a previous Demonic Sect Leader, and she was quite reluctant to part with it.

But there was no choice. She wasn't Yu Yanluo, who possessed immense wealth. The only truly valuable items she had were those for combat. With Zu An and the others' fates unknown, sacrificing a Heaven-grade divine weapon to find them was a small price to pay.

"I can feel that this blade has drunk the blood of countless people; 'Farewell' is truly a fitting name," Wang Youjun praised.

"So, esteemed sir, you agree to help us find them?" Yun Jianyue asked, a sense of relief washing over her.

Wang Youjun shook his head slightly and pushed the long blade back. "Though this blade is fine," he said, "I am not a wielder of blades, so it's of no use to me."

Yun Jianyue's heart sank. It would be difficult to find anything else on her of comparable value; she certainly couldn't give away the Crescent Wheel and the Changxin Palace Lamp.

At this, Wang Youjun looked towards Xie Daoyun. "I hear you are also skilled in the art of talismans?" he asked.

Xie Daoyun was startled. She subconsciously replied, "I wouldn't call myself skilled; I've only dabbled in it. Moreover, the runes I know seem quite different from your talismans."

"Oh, how are they different?" Wang Youjun asked, looking at her with interest.

Xie Daoyun thought for a moment and said, "Your talismans don't require any energy sources like elemental stones; they can directly communicate with spirits and gods to borrow their power. The runes I know, however, are used to outline and depict formations, using elemental stones and other sources as energy to communicate with the power of heaven and earth and achieve the desired effects..."

"Oh, so you're skilled in formations?" Wang Youjun's eyes lit up.

"Just a little," Xie Daoyun said with a shy smile.

"Then draw a defensive formation for me to see," Wang Youjun said, leaning slightly forward.

Xie Daoyun secretly glanced at Yun Jianyue, and feeling her encouragement, she quickly drew a formation in the air. As the last stroke fell, faint blue light shimmered and flowed along the lines of the formation.

This time, she had clearly sensed something, so she deliberately created a rather intricate and profound formation.

Looking at the faint blue formation before him, Wang Youjun seemed thoughtful. After a long while, he spoke: "How about this: I can help you find your companions, but I don't want your Heaven-grade divine weapon. I only need you to do one thing for me."

"What is it?" both women asked, their hearts simultaneously tightening.

"I need to go to a certain place, and your mastery of formations can assist me," Wang Youjun said, gazing deeply at Xie Daoyun. "You accompany me on this journey, and I will help you find your people, and perhaps even grant you unexpected benefits."

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