Chapter 118: Corpse-Seducing Blood

Shen Mu Daoist, are you a Golden Core cultivator?

Yunhe still asked this question.

"Eh? Daoist, you actually noticed?" Shen Xingrui looked surprised.

You know, they'd been in this market for more than a day or two; although they hadn't seen many Foundation Establishment cultivators, it wasn't few either. Possibly noticing that Shen Mu had reached Golden Core cultivation, Yunhe was the first to do so.

"My divine sense is not bad." Yunhe casually explained.

"No wonder." Shen Xingrui showed realization.

Then she explained: "My brother and I are somewhat special. Although my brother has Golden Core cultivation, you, Daoist, also noticed that he is rather simple-minded."

He is more than just simple-minded.

Yunhe looked at Shen Mu, seeing him just give a simple-minded smile and wipe the oil stain from his mouth.

"However, it's precisely because of this simplicity that Shen Mu has a childlike heart."

He had observed for so long, and could still see some clues.

"My brother's cultivation method is rather special; he needs a lot of demon beast meat, so Daoist, if you have any demon beast meat, we siblings want it all!"

Yunhe pondered for a moment.

The other party had said this much to him; among unfamiliar cultivators, this already counted as being completely frank.

It showed sufficient sincerity.

"Since Shen Daoist has said this, how could I not comply?"

Yunhe took out two storage bags.

Facing Shen Xingrui, Yunhe never put on the airs of a Foundation Establishment senior from the start.

One reason is that her brother is right there; although he's simple-minded, he is at least a Golden Core cultivator, so giving him that respect is still possible.

Secondly, as they got to know each other, he gradually realized that Shen Xingrui, whose cultivation base was only Qi Refining Eighth Layer, was actually a Second Stage formation master; this status was enough for him to treat her as an equal.

And Shen Xingrui seemed to have understood from the beginning that Yunhe was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, still addressing him as Daoist; besides her brother, she naturally had her own confidence.

The three of them had a kind of tacit understanding.

After a quick scan of the storage bags, Shen Xingrui showed a look of surprise; she hadn't expected Yunhe to have so much demon beast meat.

He pondered briefly.

"In that case, Daoist, just give another three thousand spirit stones." Shen Xingrui said.

The price was indeed much cheaper.

Yunhe naturally would not refuse.

"Good."

He then took out another storage bag containing exactly three thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Money and goods were both settled.

After putting away the storage bags, Shen Xingrui took out a small formation device and said:

"Daoist, this is a message-transmitting formation device; if you can obtain more demon beast meat later, you can contact us siblings, whether to exchange for spirit stones or formation methods."

After receiving the device, Yunhe scanned it with his divine sense, confirmed there was no problem, and stored it in his storage ring.

This was also a good thing for him.

The demon beast body side produces plenty of demon beast meat; he was just worried about finding a way to consume it.

Moreover, the formation methods Shen Xingrui excels at happen to be exactly what he needs.

Perhaps later there will be a chance to exchange with Shen Xingrui for a formation Dao book; however, given his current understanding of formations, even if he got it he might not be able to study it thoroughly.

Of course.

The most important point is.

Although Shen Mu is a Golden Core cultivator, he is overly simple-minded; compared to those old monsters who have lived hundreds of years with countless schemes, Yunhe has more confidence in self-defense when the other party harbors ill intent.

Moreover, even if Shen Mu is formidable in combat, Shen Xingrui is only at Qi Refining Eighth Layer, which for him constitutes a fatal weakness.

Probably for this reason, even though Shen Mu is a Golden Core cultivator, the Shen siblings never flaunt themselves in the market.

However, although Yunhe still has some demon beast meat in hand, he does not intend to take it all out at once.

Wealth moves hearts; not harboring ill intent is merely because the profit is insufficient.

Especially in the cruel world of cultivation.

He has always firmly believed this.

After putting away the two sets of formations, Yunhe still harbored some doubts in his heart.

"Shen Daoist, why don't you put your Second Stage formation up for auction?"

Selling a First Stage formation in the market is somewhat inconsistent with her status as a Second Stage formation master.

"There is."

However, Shen Xingrui blinked playfully, her voice clear: "Perhaps you have already seen my formation at an auction before, Daoist."

"Well, okay, I guess I overthought it."

However, given their special circumstances, they likely have some reservations and dare not, nor will they, widely sell Second Stage formations.

"Since that's the case, I still have matters to attend to; I'll take my leave." Yunhe said with a clasped-hand salute.

"Good." Shen Xingrui also returned the salute, "May I ask your esteemed name?"

"I am Qian Dajiang of the Qingzong Sect!"

After saying that, Yunhe turned and left.

"Qian Daoist, if you have demon beast meat in the future, please come find us again!"

Watching Yunhe depart, Shen Xingrui shouted again in a crisp voice.

Only after Yunhe disappeared at the doorway did Shen Xingrui smile contentedly and run toward Shen Mu.

Brother, we have demon beast meat to eat again!

Hehe—hehe—

Shen Mu gave a foolish smile, scratching the back of his head, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"This Fellow Daoist Qian is not bad; I hope we can have demon beast meat again in the future." Shen Xingrui looked at her foolish older brother, wiped his saliva, and muttered while wrinkling her little Qiong nose.

Shen Mu nodded and also repeated:

"Not bad, good person, good person."

"Junior Brother Yun, how is it?"

Returning to the Exiled Immortal Pavilion, Liu Tianhong, who had unknowingly finished three jars of spiritual wine, hiccuped from drink and asked.

Yunhe's expression was solemn: "The Longkan Stone Beach has a Place of Fallen Corpses; perhaps we can find some clues."

"The Longkan Stone Beach?"

Liu Tianhong furrowed her brows slightly.

Yunhe knew why she made that expression.

"The Longkan Stone Beach is not within the Qingyu Domain; it is a Gobi beach located to the southeast of the Qingyu Domain."

Although it is ownerless and belongs to no sect, with no sect managing it, and due to scarce resources no clan wishes to garrison it, it represents chaos and is a gathering place for numerous rogue cultivators.

Outside the Qingyu Domain, do they still need to manage it?

"What do you mean, Junior Brother Yun?" Liu Tianhong asked, licking her red lips.

Yunhe thought for a moment, then said:

"Let's go take a look. Although it's just a clue, and the Gobi beach doesn't belong to our Qingzong Sect, if it truly is related to demonic cultivators, if they do something behind us later, we'll still be caught between a rock and a hard place."

He had already thought of this point when he came earlier.

"Then let's go have a look."

Liu Tianhong was never one to hesitate, and she also thought Yunhe's words made sense, so let's go take a look.

"We should inform Senior Brother Chi of this."

Gobi beach.

A gray lizard the size of a palm poked its head out, swiftly emerging from a half‑weathered rock, preparing to hunt well in the night as the temperature dropped.

But it had just left its nest, when it was about a zhang away from the stone, a black arm covered in spots suddenly shot out from the nearby sand, grabbed it, and easily twisted its body apart.

Immediately after, a pallid head surfaced; it first gulped a mouthful of blood, then stuffed the whole lizard into its mouth, producing a bone‑chilling "crack" sound.

"Heimu, can't you properly control your corpse‑refining? You'll eat anything."

Amidst the howling wind and sand, a woman cultivator stood tall on the sandy ground, her light black gauze half‑covering her fair long legs, her exquisite melon‑seed face flawless like soft jade and icy fragrance, her eyes glancing like peach blossoms akin to autumn water, barefoot on crystal‑clear jade feet; though her words were full of disdain, her tone sent a shiver of numbness through the listener.

Subsequently, a black mist swirled, and a gaunt cultivator bearing a huge stone coffin, his complexion deathly pale, also appeared here.

That alluring voice and her bewitching jade form seemed to him like a stubborn stone on the Gobi; he then made a hand seal, and the stiff corpse‑refining motion came before him.

As he looked at the corpse‑refining, Heimu's calm eyes finally rippled; he moved his lips and spoke in a hoarse voice:

"It needs blood; stop the chatter, I'll kill you."

"Tch."

Although she knew he wasn't just talking, the woman didn't care at all, lightly twirling her hair and letting out a soft hum.

"Wu Ying, you're saying this to a guy who only sees corpse‑refining; in his eyes, that corpse might look better than you—no, it's definitely far more attractive."

At that moment, strands of dark red blood seeped up from the ground, and a youth dressed in the guise of a scholar, handsome in appearance, also appeared here; if not for his blood‑red hair, one might mistake him for a talented young scholar.

Hearing his teasing, Wu Ying's face darkened; she gave him an annoyed glance.

But she still asked:

"Xue Fengxuan, have you found it?"

The scholar‑garbed Xue Fengxuan shrugged his shoulders.

"No. Back then, the elders of our three families all discovered this place, but since that thing wasn't fully mature yet, they covered it up. You know their methods—if you don't search carefully, you won't find it."

"Really a hassle."

Wu Ying stretched lazily, tracing a seductive curve, then after a long exhale said:

"Perhaps our whereabouts have already been discovered, and righteous cultivators are coming after us."

Hearing that, Xue Fengxuan was utterly unconcerned, and said lightly:

"Come on, I'm just bored."

"I need blood," the gaunt Heimu also declared.

Hehehe—

Wu Ying covered her mouth, laughing tumultuously, seeming also quite eager.

Seeing this, Xue Fengxuan averted his gaze, silently cursing "flirtatious".

On the other hand, Heimu remained unmoved, merely taking out a black pill and feeding it to the corpse‑refining beside him.

At the same time.

Likewise, at another spot on the Gobi beach.

Yunhe and Liu Tianhong landed their flying vessel, coming to rest in a place where jagged rocks rose from arid ground.

"According to what that brute said, this should be the place."

Crouching, Yunhe gently pinched up the sand on the ground, speaking in a calm tone.

Liu Tianhong's clear eyes scanned the surroundings; all around was endless sand, accompanied by wind and sand, visibility was average, but it did not hinder her spiritual sense.

"There is indeed a trace of corpse qi, though faint; the Place of Fallen Corpses is likely not here, but has spread outward."

(End of chapter)