Chapter 76: Lan Ji

He didn't understand.

Gu Zhengshun claimed the underground palace was a trap set by a Core Formation demonic cultivator, designed for seizing a new body and rebirth, and that it wouldn't have been set up more than eight hundred years ago.

However, the Primordial Infant inheritance, the 'Yin Nether Pupils,' in his possession could not be fake. He had reaped clear and undeniable benefits from it, so how could it be a trap? There must have been some other unforeseen variable.

It seemed they weren't planning a second exploration.

After all, the first expedition yielded too little, completely failing to match the supposed legacy of an ancient sect's ruins. Only Liu Jinxian had obtained a Tier 2 seal-type magic tool.

The returns didn't justify the effort, and without having invested too much, coupled with significant casualties, it was natural for them to abandon thoughts of a second exploration, as there was nothing lucrative left.

Since that was the case, Wang Yu had nothing more to say.

He secretly decided that once his cultivation progressed, he would return there alone. The stone tablet covered in blood talismans surely held other secrets.

Three months passed.

Nine magnificent, twisted, spiral mountain peaks came into view. After five long years, he had finally returned to the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's mountain gate. A dense spiritual aura washed over him.

It was exhilarating, prompting exclamations about this blessed land of immortals. Yet, the figures flying overhead were all exceedingly sinister: blood light, white bones, paper figures, flying coffins, evil swords...

Beneath the beautiful scenery lay a demonic den, a terrifying sea of blood.

“You're finally back, Wang Yu. Let's meet five days from now, under the large locust tree at the edge of the corpse-raising ground.”

“No, let's go to the Eight Treasures Pavilion in Evil God's Market this time.”

“Alright.”

Gu Zhengshun smiled indifferently, dropping him off at Cold Blood Market in the Ten Reverse Blood Markets before eagerly returning to Heavenly Corpse Peak. His trip had been largely in vain, a classic case of 'trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice,' as he had only gained the benefits of the Profound Essence Flower and little else.

He was, moreover, quite eager for the Foundation Establishment corpse in Wang Yu's possession and hurried back to prepare his bargaining chips for a trade.

The two bid each other farewell.

Located at the center of the Nine Peaks, directly beneath the Blood Demon Hall, the Ten Reverse Blood Markets housed over a hundred thousand outer and inner disciples. All supply and demand were met internally, making it surprisingly prosperous.

As long as one avoided dark corners and deserted alleys, there was generally no mortal danger.

Gu Zhengshun would handle the Black Bone Mountain mission for him; the required bone wood had already been handed over. All that remained was to collect the mission rewards after their trade in five days.

Now, he needed to go to the Ice Snow Pavilion.

Zhao Shang was both an enemy and a business partner. The large quantity of magic tools, miscellaneous items, corpses, and other spoils from this expedition needed to be handled by him, converting them into spirit stones.

Therefore, they could remain at peace for a while longer.

The premise was that Zhao Shang wouldn't venture out. If Wang Yu caught him alone, he would kill him without hesitation, especially since he had sent Su Qingshan to Black Bone Mountain. If Su Qingshan's methods hadn't been exceptional...

...he might very well have died. Such a person, of course, had to be eliminated quickly. Both held leverage over the other, so one of them was bound to die eventually.

Wang Yu calculated as he walked.

Zhao Shang, Duan Ping, and Steward Liu were the few remaining enemies on his list. Steward Liu had severed his arm, a debt that absolutely had to be repaid, but the man had been missing for a long time.

He had been declared a renegade, and a mission to hunt him down was listed at the Mission Hall, taken up by someone long ago, but there had been no news since.

As for Duan Ping, he had repeatedly set traps for Wang Yu, breaking promises and nearly causing his death. He certainly deserved to die!

However, it wasn't convenient to deal with him yet; there was no rush.

Calculating carefully, Wang Yu was surprised to realize he had practically no enemies left. He had done a good job of eliminating his grudges, and he couldn't help but encourage himself to continue the good work.

He pushed open the main door of the Ice Snow Pavilion.

An unfamiliar, graceful figure, who had apparently replaced Zhao Shang, stood behind the counter, examining a ledger.

Wang Yu's brows furrowed. Recalling the rumor he'd heard before leaving, he hesitated for a moment before approaching.

“Excuse me, is Zhao Shang here?”

The graceful woman cast a rather alluring glance at him, curtsied slightly, and said, “My name is Lan Ji. I took over as Steward of the Ice Snow Pavilion three years ago. And you are, sir...?”

“I am Wang Yu. I was personally inducted by True Disciple Su. I've been on a long journey recently and have just returned.”

“I've heard of you. You're probably here to ask about the Vital Qi Chamber, aren't you?”

Lan Ji held a round fan, gently fanning herself. Strands of her dark hair swayed, complementing her enchanting demeanor, which captivated attention. A faint, ethereal orchid scent drifted into his nostrils.

This sent a jolt through Wang Yu.

Even his body, affected by the Corpse Demon Secret Art, showed signs of arousal. What terrifying charm and evil art was this? After all, in some respects, he could be considered a corpse.

Yet Lan Ji could make a 'dragon raise its head' even from a corpse.

—Truly terrifying!

She truly was True Disciple Su's concubine; his careful selection clearly had its merits.

Wang Yu involuntarily took a few steps back. Seeing the luscious, pale form seemingly approaching him, he quickly interjected:

“Where did Zhao Shang, the former Steward of the Ice Snow Pavilion, go?”

“Zhao Shang? Oh, he's dead, of course.”

“Dead?” Wang Yu's pupils constricted, and he immediately thought of escaping. But then he heard Lan Ji's next words, and he dismissed the idea.

“Three years ago, an alchemist named Zhou Tao approached me, wanting me to expose Zhao Shang for illicitly profiting from the Ice Snow Pavilion. He even proactively handed over four thousand spirit stones in ill-gotten gains.”

“Tsk, tsk—

“Such individuals are rare in the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect.”

Four thousand spirit stones was no small sum. The amount Zhou Tao produced far exceeded what he had earned selling pills with Wang Yu, essentially amounting to his entire fortune.

Wang Yu speculated that after he left, Zhou Tao must have wanted to take over the alchemists' guild business. Zhao Shang was difficult to deal with, and it would have been nearly impossible for Zhou Tao to secure the same terms Wang Yu had.

Zhao Shang also wouldn't have admitted to privately disrupting the pill market's monopoly or illicitly taking resources from the Ice Snow Pavilion.

Most likely, their partnership ended in mutual dissolution.

The gossip about Lan Ji and True Disciple Su was not unfounded, and it had spread widely. If Zhou Tao had been determined enough, it was plausible he could have used Lan Ji to deal with Zhao Shang.

However, Wang Yu found it hard to believe that someone as shrewd as Zhao Shang would simply die like that. Such an event would implicate many people; at the very least, those Foundation Establishment cultivators sponsored by the Ice Snow Pavilion would be involved.

He couldn't fully trust her words; he needed to inquire through other channels.

“In that case, I will take my leave, Steward Lan Ji. I shall call upon you again another time.”

“Wait.”

Lan Ji extended a slender arm, using her round fan to block Wang Yu.

“Aren't you associated with the Ice Snow Pavilion? I've kept the Vital Qi Chamber reserved for you; why would you leave?”

“I come from a spirit slave background and am not highly regarded. The Vital Qi Chamber was already sold by Zhao Shang to an inner disciple. It would be improper for Steward Lan Ji to privately grant it to me again.”

With that, he quickly left the Ice Snow Pavilion, giving the woman no further opportunity to try and detain him.

Without a proper channel, all the miscellaneous and numerous low-grade magic tools, pills, corpses, and other items he possessed could only be sold at a low price.

If Zhao Shang were still here, he would surely have offered a high price, and they could have together 'fleeced the Ice Snow Pavilion.' It was truly a pity.

And those low-grade storage bags were too numerous; a single high-grade storage bag could hold more. He would have to consolidate them.

And so it was.

Five days later.