Chapter 83: Upper Cold Blood Peak

He was still a long way from achieving great perfection in Qi Condensation, expecting to attempt Foundation Establishment for the first time around the age of seventy. For a three-spirit root cultivator, this pace was considered below average.

He had initially spent a significant amount of time on alchemy, which had slowed his progress, but he was now gradually catching up.

Given that Wang Yu was not yet thirty and already possessed such cultivation, he was truly exceptional.

This thought bolstered Zhou Tao’s confidence in Wang Yu.

He, too, did not wish to die.

Therefore, his voice softened considerably as he whispered, “Brother Wang, I know you are capable. If you can save my life, I will give you fifty percent of the society’s profits from this period. How does that sound?”

“This is the most I can offer. The society members take the majority of the income; it doesn’t all go into my pockets.”

Taking a deep breath and suppressing the urge to kill the man on the spot, Wang Yu asked, “How many spirit stones does fifty percent amount to?”

Zhou Tao’s eyes lit up, sensing an opportunity.

“One hundred and twenty thousand spirit stones.”

Wang Yu gasped. He couldn’t help but inhale sharply. This bastard certainly made a fortune, and it was just his word. Such a person would never hand over all their earnings simply to save their life. If he were that desperate, he wouldn’t have been so greedy as to openly violate sect rules in the first place.

However, Wang Yu couldn't truly push for a fight to the death. The timing was simply not right. If there was a graceful way out, he would take it. He hadn't originally planned to get involved in the Alchemist Society's matters, but since Zhou Tao had dared to threaten him, he knew the man would not hesitate to do so again in the future. How could he tolerate such indignity?

He certainly wouldn't help him. The only option was to pass this matter to Zhuo Shouqing, who held more weight and whose direct lineage was the only one capable of handling such a situation.

“I will do my best, only attempting once or twice. If it proves impossible, I, Wang, will inform you.”

“Excellent, excellent.” Seeing his objective achieved, Zhou Tao placed the gift down and then took out a storage bag, setting it on the table.

Wang Yu continued, “Give me the names of those who were arrested, and I will get back to you within three days.”

Zhou Tao quickly pulled out a pen and began to write. Wang Yu’s demeanor indicated a genuine intention to help, instantly bolstering his confidence. As he bid farewell, Wang Yu did not forget to issue a warning.

“This is a one-time affair; there will be no next time.”

“The Alchemist Society should disband as soon as possible.”

To complete the act and cover all bases, his priority was to stabilize Zhou Tao.

And so, the trouble at his doorstep temporarily ceased. After seeing the person off, Wang Yu had barely sat down when he felt something was amiss and prepared to head to the Law Enforcement Hall to find Zhuo Shouqing.

However, the moment he stepped outside, he noticed several gazes secretly fixed on him, likely spies arranged by Zhou Tao. Ever since cultivating the Taiyin Nether Eyes, he had become highly sensitive to others' gazes, a clear sign of his powerful spiritual sense. The stronger his perception, the lower the probability of being ambushed.

He pondered for a moment. Wang Yu smiled indifferently. Since he was being watched, he would alter his plan and first go to Cold Blood Peak to find True Heir Su. If he had studied the Xu Clan Alchemy Shop case from several years ago, approaching Cold Blood Peak as his primary contact would seem more logical.

Find the True Heir, go to the Law Enforcement Hall to arrange the release, then inform Zhou Tao. This sequence of actions was very reasonable.

He was going to meet True Heir Su anyway. It had been some time since he informed Fatty Duan, so he should have been granted an audience by now. The delay either meant he wasn’t taken seriously, or they were preparing for more crucial matters, in which case waiting a bit longer was acceptable.

As it happened, soon after he arrived at the foot of Cold Blood Peak, while still contemplating how to address the disciples guarding the mountain, he spotted a plump figure rapidly descending. It was none other than Fatty Duan, who seemed equally surprised to see Wang Yu.

“Why are you here? Perfect timing. True Heir has agreed to see you and wants to hear your ideas.”

“Heh.”

Wang Yu said little, following Fatty Duan up the mountain. After being acknowledged once, this second meeting would be much easier, as a foundation of trust had already been established.

However, regarding solutions, he honestly had not yet devised a perfect strategy, only a few sinister schemes. These were schemes that, once set in motion, would lead to a bitter, unending conflict. He also operated within Cold Blood Peak, and given the respected status and exceptional talent of that elder, he preferred not to provoke a deadly enmity unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, before proposing any strategies, he needed to gather more information that was not apparent to him.

“Steward Duan, you and I are comrades in misfortune. Could you please tell me more about that elder?”

“That elder…” Duan Ping’s hurried steps abruptly slowed. Neither of them was in the mood to appreciate the surrounding scenery, their minds entirely consumed by plots and calculations.

After some thought, he concluded that they were all in the same boat. There was nothing to hide.

Duan Ping then began, “The True Heir who advanced to Core Formation, whose real name is Wei Zhong, hails from a Foundation Establishment family and possesses dual spirit roots of water and wood. He should have been unremarkable, but at the age of thirteen, he stumbled upon the corpse of a Core Formation cultivator floating downstream and acquired their lifelong collection. During the inner sect grand competition two generations ago, he secured a top-three position, successfully broke through to Foundation Establishment, and earned the chance to undertake the True Heir trial. He completed this trial within just three years, thereby obtaining the sect’s core inheritance. Currently under two hundred years old, he is already a Core Formation cultivator, and he also possesses the potential to break through to Nascent Soul in the future.”

After Duan Ping finished his explanation, seeing that Wang Yu remained silent, he continued to lead the way.

Wang Yu, meanwhile, was deep in thought. Foundation Establishment cultivators lived for three hundred years, and Core Formation cultivators for eight hundred. This True Heir Wei, despite possessing only "unremarkable" dual spirit roots, must have had fortuitous encounters, possibly more than one. Otherwise, it would be difficult to progress so rapidly. Dual spirit root aptitude, though seemingly ranked among the upper-grade spirit roots, was quite common in the cultivation world, appearing merely one in a hundred. Generally, only cultivators with Heavenly Spirit Root aptitudes or higher spiritual bodies were recognized as Nascent Soul candidates. If he were to approach the problem from this angle, it could also be feasible.

After much deliberation, Wang Yu suddenly recalled something. The reason all the True Heirs of Cold Blood Peak were hostile towards Wei Zhong was that, according to long-standing tradition, the first Core Formation cultivator from each peak in each generation was granted the Nascent Soul inheritance. Ultimately, however, this tradition was subject to the will of the Cold Blood Mountain Master. He could determine the outcome with a single word, and no conspiracy or scheme could sway him. This person was the true key. The sinister plans brewing in Wang Yu’s mind—to incite Wei Zhong’s family to rebel or frame his relatives for treason—quietly vanished.

He recalled that among the current generation of True Heirs at Cold Blood Peak, there was precisely one with a Water-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root. However, his cultivation period was still brief; he had reportedly only recently broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and was thus unable to compete with the other True Heirs. This situation was highly unfair to that individual. However, the demonic path had never been a place for fairness. Both Wei Zhong and this Water-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root came from ordinary backgrounds; it was rumored that the latter had been adopted as a baby. True Heir Su and the others had no grounds for refutation, but this particular person did. As long as he took action and convinced True Monarch Nine Evils to make a statement, the Nascent Soul True Monarch of Cold Blood Peak would likely grant them face and offer them a fair opportunity to compete. As long as the matter could be delayed, any number of variables might emerge.