Chapter 74: Spirit-Mind Stones, Secret Arts of the Holy Spirit Cult (Part 2)

"I've been wronged!" Nangong Wan shouted, "I didn't know you two were just fair-weather brothers."

Damn it, when you, Zhang Peng, came to sponge off me back then, that's not what you said.

You said Wuyun was your brother, and although he had this or that moral failing, you were all mistaken for Evil Soul Masters because of your martial souls.

So, seeing that you were so close.

He ran to my Xishui Alliance to ask me what you had been doing during this time.

As a mere Second Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, could I not tell him?

It wasn't a big deal anyway, and I figured you would eventually bring two people who control the Death Element to the Cult Leader, so it was just a matter of time; how was I to know you had full intentions of leaving the Holy Spirit Cult?

How could Nangong Wan not know now that the Medical Immortal Douluo and the girl with the Extreme Death Attribute he brought back were not some Saintess or future honored guest at all.

Combined with the girl who looked a bit like an elf, and the mention of soul-searching Zhang Peng just now.

How could he not know that Zhang Peng had likely fallen into a trap when he went out to the Star Luo Empire.

Perhaps he was even under some kind of restriction, just like him.

That's right, it was a restriction.

Nangong Wan had tried more than once to activate his martial soul and mobilize the soul power in his body.

The result was a distinct sense of stagnation; he was completely unable to move.

It was as if he had been fitted with Soul Guidance Handcuffs, and of a much sturdier kind at that.

"Lord Zhang Peng, can we talk about business now?" Xiadie covered her forehead, feeling a bit helpless.

The relationship between this Zhang Peng and this Nangong Wan.

Should one call it good, or bad?

However, Xiadie also deduced that the black-robed person who appeared in Jing Hongchen's ward was likely Wuyun; otherwise, it was unlikely he would have revealed such hatred toward Zhang Peng before leaving.

In other words, this trip to the Xiemo Senlin had inadvertently resolved an uncertain factor.

Of course, it also added a few more troublesome uncertain factors.

The true power-holders of the Holy Spirit Cult were even more troublesome than Wuyun, a 95th Level honored guest.

Zhang Peng also snapped back to reality at Xiadie's urging, no longer rambling.

He studied Nangong Wan for a long moment and said, "Do you know about Spirit-Mind Stones?"

"I want you to help us get a batch in a short time."

"You don't want to try the Holy Spirit Cult's torture, do you?"

"Get—get a batch!"

Nangong Wan seemed not to have heard the word "torture" at the end; he jumped three feet high.

"Zhang Peng, if you want to mess with me, just say so."

"You can't get them?" Zhang Peng frowned.

"I'm telling you, Lord Zhang Peng!" Nangong Wan's scalp went numb, but he still braced himself to explain, "Spirit-Mind Stones concern the three great secret arts of the Holy Spirit Cult; I know you don't involve yourself in cult affairs."

"Don't tell me you don't know about this!"

"I know, but I don't know much."

Zhang Peng was silent for a long time, then held up three fingers and said, "The first is Xiedu Qingshi, using a secret concoction of deadly poison to permeate the origin of the martial soul, thereby changing the martial soul's attribute."

"The second is the Soul Ring Tampering Technique, which seems to be able to increase the Junhuan Nianxian."

"The third is Memory Soul-Refining, to erase parts of one's emotions."

As one of the honored guests, Zhang Peng naturally knew about the secret arts of the Holy Spirit Cult, but he didn't know much; besides not involving himself in affairs, the only one he cared about was the first: changing the martial soul's attribute.

He did not want to become a true Evil Soul Master, and the specific, vague information he knew indicated that the second and third secret arts seemed very inhumane.

"That's right, it's just as you said." Nangong Wan breathed a sigh of relief, as if he were relieved not to have to explain the secret arts to the three of them.

"Actually, the first can change the martial soul, and the first secret art can also change the Junhuan Nianxian."

"I used the first secret art as my primary method to change the second soul ring of my martial soul from a hundred-year to a thousand-year one."

"But not many people can do it."

"Therefore, the cult usually uses the second method to increase the Junhuan Nianxian."

"Of course, whether it is the second secret art or the third secret art."

"They all require one thing." Nangong Wan's voice paused.

"Spirit-Mind Stones?" Xiadie took over the conversation.

"That's right." Nangong Wan nodded, "Spirit-Mind Stones have the effect of cleansing the mind and calming the soul; this is extremely important for Evil Soul Masters."

"So every time I collect Spirit-Mind Stones, I contact the Cult Leader immediately."

"Are Spirit-Mind Stones produced in the Xiemo Senlin?" Wang Xian'er asked in confusion.

"Not necessarily, that's just the general area." Nangong Wan shook his head, "We don't know exactly how they are produced; perhaps it has to do with the Evil Eye Tyrant Sovereign of the Xiemo Senlin."

"The conditions for the formation of Spirit-Mind Stones are extremely harsh; they can appear in any forest in the Sun Moon Empire that is close to the Xiemo Senlin."

But they will absolutely never appear inside the Xiemo Senlin, because the conditions there cannot stably form Spirit-Mind Stones."

"Alliance Leader Nangong, tell me how many of these stones you have on hand."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Wan opened his mouth: "There are currently three pieces, about the size of a palm, under my bed."

When to be firm and when to be soft, he, Nangong Wan, knew clearly; those who understand the times are heroes, otherwise he could not have sat securely as the leader of the Xishui Alliance for so many years.

"According to custom, in five days, the Cult Leader will come to collect these three Spirit-Mind Stones."

"Everyone, please spare my life!"

Nangong Wan very straightforwardly kowtowed three times to Xiadie.

He could see that the one in charge was not Zhang Peng, nor was it the Medical Immortal Douluo beside him.

"My lord, your sincerity makes things very difficult for me!" Xiadie toyed with the bangs on her forehead, "I remember that as a Titled Douluo, even if you are sealed, you still possess an impressive physique."

"According to the script, shouldn't you be finding an opportunity to kidnap me and make some threats?"

"And then, seizing the right moment to make a clean getaway?"

"With you acting like this now, it's a bit hard for me to make a move on you!"

Nangong Wan: "————"

Damn, what a black-bellied loli.

"Miss Xiadie is joking; I am just a businessman without such grand ambitions. I only want to manage my own little plot of land and enjoy life."

"What do you all think?"

Xiadie did not respond, instead letting her gaze fall upon Wang Xian'er and Zhang Peng.

"This person is too slick; he may be fickle in the future."

Hearing this, Nangong Wan widened his eyes.

Damn it, who said the Angel Martial Soul is an angel, and who said the Medical Immortal Douluo is the greatest philanthropist on the continent, the number one good person who saves lives and heals the wounded?

Everyone has a body temperature of 36.5 degrees; how is the poison on your tongue countless times more terrifying than the poison of my Sky Centipede Douluo? Is this right?

"I think Nangong Wan is still useful." This time it was Zhang Peng who spoke, pondering, "We currently lack eyes and ears in both the Holy Spirit Cult and Mingdu."

"I believe Nangong Wan will not betray us."

"6"

"Wah."

Nangong Wan almost cried, tears swirling in the corners of his eyes.

"Zhang Peng, I, I didn't misjudge you."

"The money I spent on you before wasn't wasted. Right, you want dragon girls, don't you? I'll go to the Pingfan Alliance right now and find that old thing Shangguan Wei'er; I will definitely find you a pair of sisters—"

Before Nangong Wan could finish speaking, a footprint suddenly appeared on his face.

Zhang Peng had black lines on his face and said irritably, "If you keep blabbering, I'll kill you."

Daring to say anything.

The past is the past, and the present is the present.

Have you not seen that a prodigal who returns is worth more than gold?

He, Zhang Peng, is an upright gentleman; he was only tainted by a few bad habits of the Holy Spirit Cult before.

Xiadie nodded and pondered for a moment: "Zhang Peng has a friendship with Alliance Leader Nangong, so let him stay!"

"However, have him go back and bring the three Spirit-Mind Stones here."

Zhang Peng nodded, looked at Nangong Wan, who was wiping the footprint off his face, and said coldly, "Did you hear the Miss's words? Don't play any tricks."

"Yes, yes, yes." Nangong Wan felt as if he had been granted amnesty.

Watching Nangong Wan leave, the three of them—Xiadie and the others—fell into a long silence.

"Is this okay?" Zhang Peng spoke up, "I was inclined to kill him."

Xiadie shook her head: "I want to keep him; it is not appropriate for us to cause extra complications right now."

"Wang Lao should also speed up his learning of the restrictions; one day's worth of restrictions is not enough."

That's right, the reason Nangong Wan was able to live.

It was not because of Zhang Peng, but because Xiadie had signaled Zhang Peng to say it that way on purpose.

Not long after, the three Spirit-Mind Stones were delivered by Nangong Wan.

After reinforcing the restrictions on Nangong Wan for another day, he was allowed to leave.

Nangong Wan had just returned to his residence.

A black-robed figure appeared in the room.

"Y-you are————" Nangong Wan was startled.

"This old man is Long Xiaoyao."

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