Chapter 49: Turtle Retreat

"Burying corpses..."

Thinking it over, if there were no other hidden actions, then only this step might involve other arrangements. However, for disciples of Celestial Corpse Peak, burying corpses is quite normal. After all, this place has a Tier 2 Yin Vein. Carrying corpses on one's back is far less beneficial than burying them in the ground, as absorbing more terrestrial Yin energy is good for the growth of refined corpses.

"Could it be that there's a secret hidden beneath Mount Xuan Bone?" After all, the array Gu Zhengshun set up only concealed the bottom thirty layers of Mount Xuan Bone, which was completely opposite to Liu Jinxian and Situ Hong's actions of establishing arrays covering the upper fifty layers.

"That bastard—still scheming against me!" He didn't believe Gu Zhengshun had no other arrangements. Facing a dangerous situation now, he showed no reaction, even willing to give up the Profound Essence Flower, Mount Xuan Bone's greatest treasure. There could only be a greater interest captivating him. Given this premise, it was only natural to find Gu Zhengshun's behavior suspicious.

However... should he really defect to Liu Jinxian? For Wang Yu, this was the worst possible option. Liu Jinxian was too powerful! As a fifth-level Qi Condensation cultivator, how could he expect the same attention and equal treatment from Liu Jinxian that he received from Gu Zhengshun? Forget about more benefits; he might even lose the two layers he currently held and the third he was about to occupy, as Liu's subordinates included many late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators. He couldn't win!

Thinking of this, Wang Yu felt a severe headache. He immediately abandoned his plan to attack the third layer, deciding instead to only defend his existing two layers, especially the nine nearly blooming Tier 2 Bone Trees. Anyone who dared to seize them would become his sworn enemy!

"Time to play rough."

Thus, three days passed. Nearly three hundred cultivators arrived, led by Liu Jinxian, accompanied by twenty late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators. One of them made Wang Yu, who was secretly observing, twitch his eyelid. It was Su Qingshan, with whom he had a personal grudge. When they set off, there were too many people, so Wang Yu's attention had been primarily on the two mountain masters, and he hadn't noticed Su Qingshan. Discovering him now was a bit surprising. In an instant, Wang Yu realized that if Su Qingshan spoke ill of him to Liu Jinxian, his situation would become even worse.

"Trouble..."

Outside the black mist, Liu Jinxian fully displayed her aura and declared loudly, "Junior Brother Gu, I have come as agreed to help you clear the troubles from Mount Xuan Bone. Why don't you come out and meet me?"

From within the black mist, Gu Zhengshun's muffled, somewhat foolish voice immediately echoed, "Senior Sister Liu is generous, and I, Gu, am not a petty person. Besides these bottom thirty layers, Senior Sister is free to take any other unoccupied land; whoever claims it, it's theirs."

With such a concession, Liu Jinxian's actions wouldn't seem too greedy. What Tier 2 Bone Trees could possibly be in the bottom thirty layers? A disdainful smile involuntarily appeared on her dreadful face. But outwardly, she remained cordial.

"As fellow mountain masters, there's no need for such formality. While my subordinates are a bit numerous, they are risking their lives to help you clear Mount Xuan Bone, and they need compensation. Coincidentally, the territory they conquer, they'll occupy for four years and then return to you. How does that sound?"

Four years? The blooming period wouldn't be reached in four years, and the five-year garrison mission would be over by then. This person was also ruthless, not planning to share a single hair.

"I said, Senior Sister Liu, please make yourself at home. Even if you occupy it for ten years, I wouldn't object. That's how it should be."

His meaning of retreating was clear. Now, not only Liu Jinxian but also her followers believed Gu Zhengshun was finished. The grand-disciple of a Core Formation Elder was nothing but a coward. Su Qingshan's heart was also afire. After taking Zhao Shang's advice and learning about the many benefits of Mount Xuan Bone, he was already greatly tempted. Though he hadn't managed to scheme for a High-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, this Tier 2 Profound Essence Flower was also good. It could at least increase his chances by 20%, meaning there was a high probability of successful Foundation Establishment using a Reverse Blood Pill. All the Tier 2 Profound Essence Flowers on Liu Jinxian's Mount Xuan Bone belonged to her alone, but on Gu Zhengshun's Mount Xuan Bone, everyone would rely on their own abilities. Su Qingshan was very confident he could seize a layer through combat.

"Heh." With no pressure in her dominance over the mountain, Liu Jinxian turned to her subordinates, speaking in a stern tone. "What I promised will surely count. But you must also abide by the agreement: all bee colonies must be captured! If even one nest is missed, don't blame me for confiscating your gains."

Everyone trembled internally and bowed their heads, saying, "We will certainly capture all the Corrosive Poison Bee colonies for Senior Sister Liu."

"Very good, go."

Nearly three hundred Qi Condensation cultivators, riding black silks, entered Mount Xuan Bone, heading to different layers based on their own understanding. Almost all of those who went to the top twenty layers were late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators, indicating that they had already distributed assignments among themselves.

Wang Yu withdrew his downward gaze and instead fixed his eyes on the two disciples flying towards layers 290 and 291—both at Qi Condensation Level Seven! With a sweep of his sleeve, the High-grade magical artifact, the Nether Spirit Iron Chain, drilled into the ground, lying dormant, awaiting the opportune moment for Wang Yu's spiritual sense to activate it.

Soon after, the two cultivators arrived together. Since they were adjacent layers, they immediately noticed the anomaly: no bone lions, no bee colonies, looking as if they had already been thoroughly cleared out.

"Qi Condensation Level Five? A Celestial Corpse Peak disciple?"

Wang Yu had long since put away his outer disciple waist token from Cold Blood Peak, wearing only the outer disciple attire of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect. He wanted to conceal his identity, and there was no place to use contribution points while out.

"Yes, yes, yes," Wang Yu answered, then continued, "According to the agreement, whoever conquers a layer owns it. Senior Brothers, please find another layer."

Upon hearing this, the cultivator who had asked the question showed a strange smile. "You mean both these layers are yours?"

"Naturally."

"Heh—Presumptuous! Gu Zhengshun only spoke of the bottom thirty layers. These other two hundred seventy layers are not part of Senior Sister Liu's promise. If you leave now, I can spare your life."

Most of these nearly three hundred people were disciples of Gu Poison Peak, with only a few from other peaks. These two were demon cultivators specializing in Gu arts. The loophole in Gu Zhengshun's words was intentional. Wang Yu had long discerned his feigned weakness and foolishness. It was nothing more than an attempt to push him out and use Liu Jinxian's hand to eliminate him. After all, with both of them coming together, it would be hard for the other side to determine if he could deduce the truth from the clues. Killing with a borrowed knife was a brilliant scheme. He also concluded that Wang Yu would be reluctant to part with these soon-to-bloom Profound Essence Flowers.

But who was Wang Yu? Even as a spirit slave, he dared to take risky moves, publicly cutting off three hands and three legs of an enemy. Although he lost an arm afterward, proving the impulsiveness and folly of the act, that was because he lacked a higher-level perspective, unable to see the power struggles and shifts in circumstances among true disciples, not because of a lack of ability.

When it was time to retreat, he was more thorough than a tortoise. When it was time to be arrogant, he was more audacious than anyone!

"Boastful!" Wang Yu made the first move, his figure splitting into five as ice swords shot out across the sky. The two opponents were startled for a moment, then each employed their own techniques. One took out an alms bowl, placing it in front of him to defend against the ice sword attacks. The other's forehead skin inverted, from which a small golden snake emerged. With a surge of spiritual power, it instantly coalesced into the phantom of a large golden snake, coiling around his body, like a golden bell!