Chapter 126: Lin Junting

Two second-tier puppet beasts were equipped with two mid-grade spirit stones each, but after casting several intermediate-level spells, their spiritual energy was heavily depleted. To escape, Wang Changsheng had no choice but to abandon the two second-tier puppet beasts. Had it been anyone else, they might have already perished at the hands of the ghostly creatures.

Wang Changsheng had encountered ghost generals before, but they didn't command such a large number of low-tier ghosts. He had managed to eliminate the previous ghost general by utilizing second-tier puppet beasts and second-tier spirit talismans.

Based on his estimate, the ghost general he had just faced was at least as strong as a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the seventh level. Even mid-grade magic tools would struggle to harm it, and second-tier spirit talismans likely wouldn't be enough to destroy it. Wang Changsheng could only choose to retreat.

The faces of Wang Changsheng and the other four were grim; their clansmen, who were alive moments ago, had died in an instant. Wang Changhui was still unconscious.

"Sixth Uncle, this is all my fault. If we hadn't chosen to fly through the Dark Yin Forest from the beginning, perhaps the outcome wouldn't be like this," Wang Changsheng said, his face filled with remorse.

Wang Mingzhan gently patted Wang Changsheng's shoulder, comforting him, "It's not your fault, Changsheng. The Dark Yin Forest's yin energy is so dense; if we had walked, even more people might have died. Things are unpredictable; who knows what the future holds? No matter what decision you make, Sixth Uncle will support you."

"That's right! Changsheng, this isn't your fault. The yin energy here is so thick that our spiritual sense is severely limited, making it extremely difficult to detect ghosts. Let's hurry to the designated location! Six Sunfire Pills won't last much longer," Wang Mingxiao suggested.

Wang Changsheng nodded. "Let's rest for half an hour and eat something before we set off again."

Half an hour later, a turtle puppet carried the six of them as it slowly crawled into the distance, disappearing into the vast mountains.

On a boundless black plain, a Qingyang Sect flag, over ten zhang high, stood tall. A green sun pattern shimmered on its surface. Below the flag were a dozen simple black stone huts and a two-story black stone building.

Outside one of the stone huts, several Qi Refining disciples from the Qingyang Sect were gathered, chatting idly.

"It's been almost half a month, and fewer than five immortal cultivation families have reached the designated location. They're truly useless," a young man in yellow robes complained in a low voice.

"Exactly. I think our sect alone could sweep away the ghosts in the Ghost Abyss without needing those cultivation families at all..."

"Are you all that idle? Gossiping during your watch?" A cold male voice suddenly cut in.

A young man in green robes had appeared behind them without them noticing.

"Martial Uncle Chen!" The Qi Refining cultivators quickly bowed.

The young man in yellow robes offered a fawning smile and explained, "Martial Uncle Chen, all the ghosts within a hundred-li radius have been cleared by Grandmaster Li. We can't cultivate here, and there's hardly anyone coming, so we gathered to chat."

"Aren't those people over there? Go and greet them, resupply their Sunfire Pills. Don't ruin Martial Uncle Li's important matters," the young man in green robes said, pointing into the distance.

Following his gaze, they saw a massive turtle rapidly crawling towards them. They could faintly discern several figures on its back.

"Yes, Martial Uncle Chen." The Qi Refining disciples responded and quickly went to meet them.

"We've finally arrived." Wang Changsheng let out a long sigh of relief, a look of comfort spreading across his pale face.

They had traveled day and night, fearing that the Qingyang Sect disciples might leave. After three days and three nights, they had finally reached the designated location.

Wang Changhui had woken up, but his face was still pale. The faces of Wang Mingzhan and the other four weren't much better.

Their six Sunfire Pills had long been used up; they had endured purely by willpower to reach the designated spot.

Seeing the Qingyang Sect disciples rushing towards them, Wang Changsheng controlled the turtle puppet to pick up speed.

Soon after, the turtle puppet arrived in front of the Qingyang Sect disciples.

The yellow-robed young man took out a register, verified the identities of the six Wang family members, and distributed Sunfire Pills: two bottles for Wang Changsheng and one bottle for each of the other five.

A Qi Refining cultivator led Wang Changsheng and his group to a stone hut and said, "You can rest here. We'll call you if anything happens."

Wang Changsheng let out a long breath and led Wang Mingzhan and the other five inside.

After three days and three nights of continuous travel, the spiritual energy and spiritual sense of all six were nearly depleted. They desperately needed rest.

The stone hut wasn't particularly large; its interior was divided into multiple areas by wooden boards, giving it a somewhat crude appearance.

After settling his clansmen, Wang Changsheng sat down cross-legged, took out a Sunfire Pill, and consumed it.

The pill melted upon entering his mouth, transforming into a warm current that circulated through his body.

After one complete cycle of cultivation, Wang Changsheng felt a pleasant warmth throughout his body.

An hour later, Wang Changsheng opened his eyes.

The yin energy here was abundant, making cultivation difficult. He took out a white storage bag and emptied its contents.

This was the white-robed elder's storage bag, three zhang in size.

It contained three mid-grade magic tools—two blue flying swords and a white jade ruler (a defensive magic tool)—along with over five hundred spirit stones and various materials.

The most valuable item was a four-hundred-year-old black ganoderma. Besides that, there were also two three-hundred-year-old black herbs.

Wang Changsheng repeatedly tried to identify the black ganoderma and the black herbs but couldn't determine their names or effects.

Most regrettably, Wang Changge and the other four were killed by ghosts, and the two second-tier puppet beasts were also forced to be abandoned.

Wang Changsheng didn't know how long he would have to stay in the Ghost Abyss, but he knew that the stronger he was, the greater his chance of survival.

Since cultivation was impossible here, and refining a magic tool or a second-tier puppet beast was too time-consuming, refining an existing magic tool was the best option.

He didn't have a defensive magic tool yet. He tossed the white jade ruler forward, opened his mouth, and exhaled a stream of vital energy, enveloping the white jade ruler...

Three days later, a tall, slender elder in a green robe arrived in front of Wang Changsheng's stone hut. As the elder approached, Wang Mingzhan, who was sitting at the entrance, quickly stood up and asked with a smile, "May I help you, senior?"

The green-robed elder smiled faintly and politely said, "Is Fellow Daoist Wang of Green Lotus Mountain residing here? I am Lin Junting of Crimson Leaf Ridge, and I have specifically come to visit Fellow Daoist Wang."

"Lin family of Crimson Leaf Ridge?" Wang Mingzhan's smile instantly froze upon hearing this.

If it hadn't been for the Purple Cloud Sect disciple's order for the Wang family to send able-bodied members, Wang Changge might not have died. The Purple Cloud Sect disciple must have acted under the Lin family's instruction. It would be strange if Wang Mingzhan had a good expression on his face.

Just as Wang Mingzhan was about to reply, Wang Changsheng stepped out. He cupped his fist at Lin Junting and said with a smile, "So it's Senior Lin. Changsheng has heard of you for a long time. Please, come in."

Lin Junting saw the situation, smiled, and nodded, feeling a weight lift from his heart.

He had expected Wang Changsheng to be cold towards him. It seemed Wang Changsheng was still unaware of the Lin family's schemes against the Wang family.

"Still so young, after all!" Lin Junting felt a slight disdain when he saw Wang Changsheng's welcoming smile.

Wang Changsheng invited Lin Junting into the hut, and the two sat facing each other.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, I've heard that your Wang family has many puppet beasts for sale. Would you be willing to sell me two second-tier puppet beasts? If not second-tier, a first-tier high-grade puppet beast would also work. Once we leave the Ghost Abyss, I will certainly reward you handsomely," Lin Junting said with a smile. For this trip to the Ghost Abyss, the Lin family had sent a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the third level and ten Qi Refining clansmen.

Through Lin Yuxin's connections, the Lin family had purchased multiple second-tier spirit talismans from the Purple Cloud Sect disciples and brought some spiritual energy recovery pills.

However, they had underestimated the dangers of the Ghost Abyss, suffering heavy casualties. When the Lin family reached the designated location, besides Lin Junting, there were only four Qi Refining cultivators left. They didn't know how long they would have to stay in the Ghost Abyss, so the more life-saving means they had, the better. Puppet beasts consume spirit stones and are driven by spiritual sense. In places with sparse spiritual energy like the Ghost Abyss, puppet beasts were excellent life-saving tools.

Lin Junting initially tried to buy from the Qingyang Sect disciples, but the Qingyang Sect disciples in the Ghost Abyss were naturally not those skilled in artifact refining. They didn't have many puppet beasts on them, and second-tier puppet beasts were even scarcer, barely enough for their own survival, let alone for sale to others.

Left with no choice, Lin Junting had to seek help from Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly and said, "Puppet beasts? No problem at all. I have some puppet beasts with me. Fellow Daoist Lin, we are from the same region, so we should naturally help each other. For a second-tier low-grade puppet beast, this amount! Not too expensive, right?" As he finished speaking, he held up two fingers.

Lin Junting frowned and complained, "Two thousand? Fellow Daoist Wang, a second-tier low-grade puppet beast on the market only sells for a little over a thousand spirit stones. Your asking price of two thousand is a bit too expensive, isn't it?"

"Fellow Daoist Lin, you've misunderstood. I meant twenty thousand. A second-tier puppet beast, twenty thousand spirit stones each. I'll only sell one, and not a single spirit stone less," Wang Changsheng said, shaking his head, a harmless smile on his face.

"What? Twenty thousand? Fellow Daoist Wang, are you joking with me?" Lin Junting's face changed, his mouth twitched, and he was filled with anger.

It should be known that a second-tier low-grade puppet beast on the market only sold for a little over a thousand spirit stones. Wang Changsheng's asking price of twenty thousand was roughly a twenty-fold increase.

He finally understood: Wang Changsheng's smile earlier was fake; now he was showing his true colors.

Wang Changsheng smiled calmly and said earnestly, "I never joke. This hellhole of the Ghost Abyss is full of ghostly creatures. Senior Lin must be very clear about what having a second-tier low-grade puppet beast means here. Of course, if you can't afford a second-tier puppet beast, I also have first-tier ones. A first-tier high-grade puppet beast costs five thousand spirit stones, a mid-grade three thousand, and a low-grade one thousand. You don't have to buy; I'm not forcing you."