Chapter 51: Earth Yin Corpse Puppet Formation

The skin was grayish-white and covered in black veins, bearing the distinct ridge-like corpse armor characteristic of an Iron Armored Corpse. It stood in stark contrast to Wang Yu's own right hand.

"What is this?"

Wang Yu spoke freely and without hesitation:

"This is the arm of a second-tier armored corpse. Gu Zhengshun asked for my help because of this item and the secret technique for reattaching it. However, he proved unprincipled and betrayed me first, so naturally, I will no longer assist him. Senior Sister Liu, are you now interested in the secrets he has hidden?"

Lying presented no difficulty for Wang Yu. In the current situation, presenting the facts this way would secure him a more advantageous position, as Gu Zhengshun would be unable to provide a clear explanation.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jinxian lowered her gaze, then suddenly smiled again.

"With the assistance of a talent like Junior Brother Wang, I am certain to achieve my goals and find everything progressing smoothly over the next five years, wouldn't you agree?"

"Naturally."

Wang Yu, seeing an opening, accepted the concession. An appropriate display of toughness was a show of strength, but excessive arrogance would be seen as taking advantage. If Liu turned around and rallied a large force to attack him, even if he survived, he would also miss out on the opportunity related to the Profound Essence Flower. While he could choose opportunities to kill within the sect, the dangers outside were significantly greater, and he could not afford to be careless or underestimate anyone.

Seeing Wang Yu adopt a submissive posture, Liu Jinxian also breathed a sigh of relief, then spoke with feigned magnanimity:

"Since Junior Brother Wang has already secured this area, it shall be yours from now on. Do you possess any further intelligence regarding Gu Zhengshun's activities below?"

"I do not know," Wang Yu replied, shaking his head and stating plainly, "Gu Zhengshun was wary of me and wouldn't even let me enter the formation. Senior Sister can easily confirm this."

That's true. Everyone from Heavenly Corpse Peak was hidden within the formation, leaving Wang Yu alone outside like a lone wolf. All signs pointed to their disagreement, which in turn put Liu Jinxian more at ease.

"In that case, Junior Brother Wang, would you be willing to assist me in breaking this wretched formation of his?"

"Please, Senior Sister."

Having successfully diffused the dangerous situation, Wang Yu followed Liu Jinxian, flying up from level 290. He spotted Su Qingshan standing at the edge of level 294, gazing down. Su Qingshan's expression subtly shifted in surprise. However, observing Liu Jinxian's amicable demeanor, he said nothing, simply bowing from a distance without approaching. This display of shrewdness confirmed Wang Yu's assessment of Su Qingshan: merely a cunning opportunist skilled at ingratiation, someone to be kept at a cautious distance.

A moment later.

At the bottom of Profound Bone Mountain, as Liu Jinxian observed the swirling black mist, she produced a wooden seal. Under the influence of spiritual power, it instantly expanded, revealing itself to be a high-grade magical artifact! The seal, resembling a miniature mountain, slammed down forcefully. The black mist rapidly condensed and gathered, only to be dispersed by the seal's single impact. With the second strike, a whooshing sound rent the air as three copper-armored corpses simultaneously leaped out, using their bodies to forcibly repel the artifact before vanishing back into the black mist without a trace.

Liu Jinxian was visibly startled, exclaiming aloud, "Earth Yin Corpse Puppet Formation!"

Wang Yu's thoughts stirred, and he inquired, "Senior Sister, are you well-versed in this formation?"

"Yes." Opting not to conceal anything, Liu Jinxian now fully endorsed the suspicion that Gu Zhengshun was harboring an even greater secret. Her greed surged as she spoke:

"Gu Zhengshun's grandmaster, who called himself 'Earth Yin Master,' once acquired the legacy of an Earth Array Master. Among those teachings was a formation considered superior even among Foundation Establishment realm formations—this very one!"

Top-tier even among second-tier formations? Wang Yu mused, Gu Zhengshun's willingness to go to such lengths indicated the immense value of the secret he harbored, and Wang Yu now desired it as well.

Array masters, even within the same tier, were ranked according to their lineage: Heavenly Array Masters were supreme, followed by Earth Array Masters, with ordinary Array Masters being the most common. The Earth Yin Corpse Puppet Formation utilizes refined corpses as its core, drawing on the Earth Yin for an endless supply of power. Nourished by the formation's energies, these corpses can grow and even potentially mutate over time. This formidable formation could not be breached without specialized magical artifacts or talismans designed for breaking arrays. This suggested he was prepared to remain inside indefinitely. A first-tier Profound Essence Flower would, in fact, be sufficient for Qi Cultivation cultivators' practice, provided it didn't involve the "True Essence Gate," one of the three Foundation Establishment hurdles. Considering this, it was highly probable that he was aiming for a breakthrough in his cultivation realm and awaiting a propitious moment.

What Wang Yu had surmised, Liu Jinxian had also considered. She looked at Wang Yu and stated, "I will contact Situ Hong to inquire if he possesses any treasures for breaking formations. Should you devise a method, you may come find me."

"Yes—"

Finally seeing Liu Jinxian off, he breathed a sigh of relief. Gazing at the silent black mist, he shook his head and sighed, then flew directly back to level 290. He had to guard the flower and had no time for further trivialities.

Back within the sanctuary of the Blood Mist Concealment Formation, Wang Yu retrieved the two storage bags he had acquired. The bags contained over two thousand spirit stones, eight carcasses of Ferocious Bone Lions, and various pills and miscellaneous items. As Wang Yu generally avoided consuming pills of unknown origin, these held little value for him. Only the bronze bell-shaped artifact was notable; it was a high-grade magical tool primarily for defense, with the added benefit of sonic wave area attacks, making it quite useful. Once refined, it would provide an additional valuable means.

"Unfortunately, the spells and secret incantations these sect disciples learn are acquired directly from spiritual jade slips and are never transmitted externally, unless they are opportunities obtained from outside the sect." Acquiring cultivation methods or secret arts was virtually impossible in the short term, with the probability being negligibly low. He actually held some interest in the Gu arts of Gu Poison Peak. Logically, the Nine Peaks and Ten Inheritances of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect, apart from the fundamental Nascent Soul inheritance, should be mutually transmissible. Yet, the sect rules inexplicably prohibited this, a fact he struggled to comprehend. Perhaps he would understand the crucial details later.

After the day's events, Wang Yu largely remained indoors, diligently guarding his small territory. He sustained himself solely on Bigu Pills, living like an ascetic, refining the medicinal properties of the supreme-grade Cold Blood Pills every day. Six months had passed since his breakthrough to Qi Cultivation Layer Five. His idle cultivation increased his spiritual power by seventy-two units, the supreme-grade Cold Blood Pills added fifty, and his personal cultivation contributed one unit. His spiritual power cultivation now totaled 423 units, a remarkable and significant improvement that far surpassed the typical speed for a waste spirit root, proving no less effective than a dual spirit root.

However, he was well aware of his own limitations. Even if he cultivated daily to the absolute limit his meridians could withstand, his progress was meager. His aptitude presented an insurmountable barrier that he was determined to overcome. The Cold Blood Art and Corpse Demon Secret Arts had limited effects; even if his cultivation technique advanced to the second tier, it would still be difficult to raise his aptitude to a mid-grade spirit root, unless he sought out demonic cultivation secret arts specifically for this purpose. Only demonic cultivators excelled at seizing others' foundations. The demonic path had a long history, and it was certain that powerful figures' descendants, hindered by aptitude issues, would struggle to cultivate for longevity. Since the demonic path bred heroes, there must be supreme secret arts capable of reversing one's aptitude. The Spirit Reversal Blood Sect presented his opportunity. He would eventually acquire the capital to ascend, but first, he needed to establish his Foundation to gain higher status and influence.

"Profound Essence Flower... I hope you can help me advance even further!"

After Liu Jinxian seized the majority of Profound Bone Mountain from Gu Zhengshun, and Situ Hong made no inquiries whatsoever, time, like shifting clouds, swiftly passed.

By late May of the following year, at the cusp of summer, the Profound Essence Flowers began to bloom sequentially, their fragrance drawing in increasing numbers of putrid poisonous bee swarms and ferocious bone lions. Wang Yu, who had prepared in advance, observed that most of these external demonic beasts and unusual insects emerged from the desolate caves.