Chapter 169

Didn't even mention any intention to invite?

Having taken back the Heavenly Capital Corpse Insect, Yunhe, hiding in the dark, had an expression that was somewhat changeable.

Earlier, the Heavenly Capital Corpse Insect, under his control, entered the other side's base, and repeatedly expressed the desire to purchase a large batch of puppets, among which there were plenty that could rival Foundation Establishment cultivators and were not cheap in price.

But Ning Manrou, however, did not take this opportunity to mention even a bit of the intention to exchange this for the Heavenly Capital Corpse Insect's action.

Moreover, she happily said that the order placed by the Heavenly Capital Corpse Insect was not small, so she hoped to be given more time for them to make the puppets, at most three months to complete the order.

To this end, in order to make the act more convincing, Yunhe endured the pain and took out a considerable sum of Spirit Stones as a deposit.

Of course, besides Ning Manrou, who calls herself the sect master of the Mi'ou Sect, the Heavenly Capital Corpse Insect also successfully met that guest elder of the Mi'ou Sect, a person wearing a wide robe, who rarely speaks, a Jie Dan cultivator.

This result caused Yunhe's already existing slight vigilance to rise again.

If the other side truly wanted to retrieve the sect's wealth that was stolen, they would logically invite more Jie Dan cultivators; that is a normal person's thinking.

After all, Yunhe had already thought up the conditions for exchanging the Heavenly Capital Corpse Insect's action for her.

If it truly is as Ning Manrou said, the other side only has one early-stage Jie Dan cultivator, while her side, counting the guest elder and Yunhe, already has two early-stage Jie Dan cultivators; adding one more for safety wouldn't make things go more smoothly?

'Could it be that they're worried that relying solely on that 'guest elder' cannot protect her under the covetous eyes of two early-stage Jie Dan cultivators?'

Yunhe shook his head.

'Or maybe another thought: they're worried that too many Jie Dan cultivators intervening would prevent that 'guest elder' from subduing her easily?!'

That's the thought.

Yunhe's heart gave a jolt.

This method is somewhat familiar.

A tense, gathered thought, hair disheveled.

'No, cannot be completely certain, but also cannot completely rule out this possibility.'

Yunhe, walking out from the dark, took a deep look at the direction of the Mi'ou Sect's base, then turned and left.

In the following days.

Yunhe increased the frequency of visiting Jie Dan cultivators around the cave dwellings, indirectly trying to learn some news about the Mi'ou Sect from them.

As a result, he indeed got some information, more or less.

The Mi'ou Sect, a sect specializing in making and selling puppets, is not very large, but most cultivators gave good or even high evaluations of the puppets they sell.

In fact.

The two puppets Yunhe bought, comparable to late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, likewise made him feel that both quality and ability were not bad.

Although he knows nothing about puppets, he can still tell whether the workmanship is good or bad.

At the same time, he also learned that the sect master of the Mi'ou Sect is a Jie Dan cultivator, and among some small groups of Jie Dan cultivators, her reputation is also not bad, but regarding other cultivators within the Mi'ou Sect, or say the guest elders, he knows very little.

"Looks like we really need to intervene and try to find out."

There might be danger, but Yunhe now has sufficient confidence in his self-protection ability.

For the sake of the rare 'blood crystal wood,' he feels it's worth investigating.

Soon.

Three days later, Ning Manrou again found Yunhe and said she had located the sect traitor's position, hoping Yunhe would lend a hand; then the 'blood crystal wood' would surely be presented with both hands.

In response, Yunhe merely followed Ning Manrou out of the city with a blank expression.

"Elder Jiang, this is Yunhe, our senior."

"Senior Yunhe, this is our sect's guest elder, Elder Jiang."

Ning Manrou naturally introduced to Yunhe the cultivator wearing the wide robe.

"Please forgive, Senior, Elder Jiang once had a facial injury when young; although it healed, his habit of dressing didn't change, and, ahem, Elder Jiang prefers tranquility, rarely going out."

Put nicely, he likes tranquility; put bluntly, he's aloof.

"Brother Jiang."

Yunhe smiled and made a bow.

Although the robe covered him, one could still see his somewhat aged face beneath.

In the whole cultivation world, cultivators with various odd habits and customs are countless, and often the higher the cultivation base, the stranger their temperament.

This is closely related to spending years in closed-door cultivation, accompanying solitude, competing for lifespan, and coexisting with cultivation base.

Who among those who have reached the Jie Dan Stage hasn't undergone over a decade, even several decades, of closed-door cultivation?

This is also one reason why some Yuan Ying cultivators are secretly called Yuan Ying old monsters, because Yuan Ying Stage cultivators have even stranger temperaments, and those with bad tempers often kill and wipe out families on a whim, entirely according to personal preference.

"Brother Yun."

Even if Elder Jiang's temperament is quirky, when facing Yunhe, who is also an early-stage Jie Dan cultivator, he still gave full respect and face, making a deep bow from afar.

"Friend Ning, just us three?"

Yunhe glanced around, half-narrowing his eyes as he spoke.

Upon hearing that, Ning Manrou solemnly nodded.

"I think, for this matter, numbers should be elite rather than many; that traitor hiding in one place is now extremely cautious; if we have too many people, we'd more easily attract attention. Anyway, at this point we rely entirely on Senior Yunhe and Elder Jiang; Foundation Establishment cultivators are merely icing on the cake and cannot sway the situation."

"Also." Yunhe didn't object, "Then please, Friend Ning, lead the way; as for that 'blood crystal wood,' I am in great need of it."

"Please rest assured, Senior Yunhe, with the two seniors again, it will succeed!"

Saying that, he then looked toward Elder Jiang.

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder."

Elder Jiang didn't say much more, just flicked his wide robe, sweeping up Ning Manrou and fleeing into the distance.

Yunhe watched that not-slow black streak of light, his eyes flickered, and then he also formed a hand seal, turning into a streak of light to follow.

Two streaks of light swiftly streaked across the sea of clouds.

Along the way, some cultivators they happened to meet, upon sensing the two's Jie Dan Stage aura, all changed expression and stepped aside, looking respectfully at these two Jie Dan seniors as they departed.

Only after they left did they each let out a long sigh; while feeling reverence, they also harbored a hint of longing and desire.

"Fellow Daoist Ning."

During the flight, Yunhe suddenly transmitted mentally.

"Senior Yun?"

Toward Yunhe, Ning Manrou always gave him sufficient respect from beginning to end.

She, swept along by Elder Jiang in the flowing light, glanced at Yunhe not far away, feeling a bit puzzled, not understanding what Yunhe wanted to say at this moment.

Then she saw Yunhe's face bearing a faint, meaningful smile: "Could it be that Fellow Daoist Ning isn't worried that after I bring you to the destination, I will exchange the blood-crystal wood from their hands on the condition of non-interference?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Manrou's lovely face instantly stiffened.

"What do you mean, Fellow Daoist Yun?"

Meanwhile, Elder Jiang, who had been restraining her, spoke at this moment, his expression toward Yunhe not particularly friendly.

Before Yunhe could speak, Ning Manrou recovered from his question, forcing out an awkward smile and said:

"Not to hide it from you, Senior, the blood-crystal wood is considered premium spirit wood for our sect; the former sect head placed a restriction on it, and without the sect leader's token to lift the seal, even if one took it and forcibly broke the restriction, it would only ruin the wood."

After a pause, she added: "Moreover, would Senior Yunhe believe the words of such a petty person who has betrayed the sect?"

Yunhe couldn't help but be speechless, then chuckled lowly: "I was just joking."

Having said that, he fell silent, focusing entirely on his flight.

Seeing this, Ning Manrou and Elder Jiang exchanged a subtle glance, each detecting a hint of wariness and vigilance in the other's eyes.

This leg of the journey then continued for another three days.

Before reaching their destination, the three landed on a barren cloud island with only a sparse grove, to recover their magical power.

Ning Manrou, under the gaze of Yunhe and Elder Jiang, looked into the distance, as if waiting for something.

Not long after.

A delicate puppet, small as a fish with two pairs of wings resembling a cloud beast, shot out from the cloud layer and landed in Ning Manrou's hand.

"Elder Jiang, Senior Yunhe, the traitors are still here and have not left."

Her face lit up with an excited smile, her joy evident.

"Good! Once we recover our power, we'll launch a sneak attack." Elder Jiang nodded.

"Really?"

Yunhe also walked to the edge of the cloud island and gazed into the distance.

Far off, he could faintly see the shadow of another cloud island.

Ning Manrou lightly bit her lip, as if making a decision; she tapped her storage pouch and carefully took out a small jade bottle, pouring out two snow-white, translucent pills that gave off a decent medicinal aroma, handing one each to Yunhe and Elder Jiang.

She explained: "Senior Yunhe, this is a third-rank Return Origin Elixir; it can swiftly restore magical power, and is even greatly useful to Golden Core cultivators."

"Oh?"

Yunhe was somewhat surprised.

"He really is willing to part with it."

Seeing Elder Jiang swallow the elixir without hesitation and immediately begin cultivating, Yunhe lightly rolled the small pill between his fingers and also swallowed it whole.

"The elixir poses no problem."

As an alchemist, Yunhe still possesses this confidence.

Immediately thereafter, he sat cross-legged by the shore, facing the vast cloud sea, and entered cultivation.

Seeing Yunhe also focused on restoring his power, Ning Manrou softly exhaled, sat not far from Elder Jiang, summoned a few seemingly ordinary puppets, kept them vigilant, and closed her eyes.

But while the two were inattentive, Yunhe lightly tossed a spirit insect pouch from the edge of the cloud island.

Elder Jiang was cultivating, and given Yunhe's current cultivation base and spiritual sense, deceiving merely a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Ning Manrou seemed too easy to him.

Time seemed to swiftly slip away in the tranquility.

Midnight.

The cultivating Elder Jiang and Ning Manrou almost simultaneously opened their eyes.

The two silently exchanged glances, then looked toward Yunhe, who sat motionless by the shore.

Elder Jiang's expression relaxed slightly, and he nodded at Ning Manrou.

Immediately thereafter, a seemingly ordinary wooden plaque appeared in Ning Manrou's hand; after she pinched a bit between her palms, it silently turned to ash.

At the same time, on that island farther away, several black shadows leapt into the cloud sea in the night.

"This person's vigilance is too high; we cannot make full preparations. But if we just wait a moment longer..."

Elder Jiang once again looked at Yunhe seated by the shore, confirmed he still showed no movement, his seemingly murky eyes cleared, a flash of cold light passing.

But the next moment.

A light, floating voice suddenly sounded from behind him, nearly making him jump up in fright.

"'I was wondering where the problem lay. The elixir is fine, the island is fine, the trees are fine, the puppets are fine, but the elixir together with the special spirit wood inlaid in those few puppets is problematic.'"

Ning Manrou's bright eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at the unknown figure that had appeared behind Elder Jiang at some point, terror filling her pupils.

"How is that possible?!"

In the corner of her eye, she looked toward the 'Yunhe' seated by the shore.

But she saw that 'Yunhe' actually, like foam, gradually turned into golden threads that dissipated.

"An illusion?"

Elder Jiang, worthy of being a Golden Core cultivator, reacted quickly enough; he hastily slapped a talisman onto himself, then hurriedly turned while trying to distance himself from the figure behind him.

"An ancient treasure?!"

But when he saw Yunhe holding the ancient bronze brick that emitted a brilliant golden light, he couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

A tremendous roar echoed, shaking the entire cloud island.

The shield formed by Elder Jiang's talisman shattered instantly under a single blow of the ancient copper gold brick; if not for his strangely patterned robes, Yunhe's strike just now would have been enough to kill him.

Even so, Elder Jiang's face was just as pale, and he kept spitting blood.

While continuously flying backward, he glared viciously at Yunhe.

He didn't understand how Yunhe sensed the problem with the elixir.

That elixir, together with the 'Confusion Wood' embedded in the few puppets summoned by Ning Manrou, complemented each other; even the spiritual sense of a mid‑Golden Core cultivator could be paralyzed silently, let alone that of an early‑Golden Core cultivator.

"Formation!"

Seeing Yunhe flash in position, Elder Jiang hastily flung out a pair of hook‑shaped magic treasures and shouted ferociously.

Ning Manrou then snapped out of her astonishment and quickly formed hand seals.

Beneath Cloud Island, puppet after puppet rose up.

Hum—

Suddenly.

A fleeting crimson‑gold cloud‑like mass flashed by, leaving her stare dazed.

Because she discovered.

After that crimson‑gold cloud‑like thing passed, the few puppets she had hidden beneath the island with a seal in advance hadn't even had time to move before they vanished completely.

"No, no… gone?"

That feeling was as if something had wiped him out from head to toe, or as if he had been eaten.

Eaten?!

Because some fellow cultivators might misunderstand the previous title, after discussion with the editor the book has been renamed; this does not affect reading, and thanks to all fellow cultivators for their support.

(End of Chapter)