Chapter 739: Trading souls (National Day monthly ticket bonus completed!)

At the bottom of the well were narrow stone steps. The two followed the stone steps to an underground karst cave.

The underground karst cave was not large, with many stalactites hanging from the top, and some moss emitting faint light hanging upside down, making it even more gloomy.

There were a few sparse figures, either standing in the shadows of the corners or sitting on stone stools placed at will, far apart from each other, whispering, their voices sounding particularly blurred in this underground.

The karst cave was dim, light and shadow flickered, casting shadows on the craggy stone walls, like ghosts in a shadow play.

Yu Heyue led Sun Lingtong straight to a corner of the karst cave.

There, a figure wearing a wide gray robe, with a hood almost covering his entire face, sat cross-legged on a flat giant rock. There was no stall in front of him, sitting withered, like a stone statue.

Yu Heyue and Sun Lingtong stood still in front of him.

Yu Heyue whispered: "Do you have goods?"

The gray-robed cultivator did not nod, the space around him twisted slightly, revealing several floating gray-white pottery jars.

"The goods are all here," he said.

Yu Heyue turned his head slightly and glanced at Sun Lingtong beside him.

Sun Lingtong had naturally disguised himself, his height and body shape no different from an adult.

He immediately urged his spiritual sense to probe into the gray jars.

There was at least one soul in each gray jar.

The souls at the Qi Refining level were hundreds, gathered in a gray jar with the smallest volume. These souls were mostly blurred humanoid light clusters, dull in color, like gray mist, squirming and colliding unconsciously in the container, making silent screams, their faces distorted, filled with instinctive fear and pain.

In most of the gray jars, souls at the Foundation Establishment stage were sealed.

Their forms were much more solid than those at the Qi Refining level, and their facial contours and even the characteristics of their clothing before death could be clearly identified.

The colors were mostly pale white or light blue, and their expressions were either angry, desperate, or numb.

They hit the container walls more frequently, their soul bodies fluctuated violently, leaving afterimages in the container. Some seemed to retain a weak consciousness, looking at the outside of the container with empty eyes.

There was only one soul at the Jin Dan stage.

It was sealed in the largest gray jar, its soul body almost solid, emitting a weak but clear spiritual pressure. It was as red as fire, obviously having practiced some kind of fire-attribute cultivation technique before death.

The resentment contained in the eyes of the Jin Dan-level soul body was extremely intense, which made Sun Lingtong secretly startled.

It was almost motionless, secretly accumulating strength, obviously also trying to break through the cage and regain freedom. It was just more strategic and more patient than the souls at the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining levels.

Sun Lingtong observed for a moment and nodded with satisfaction: "Good, I want all of these."

The gray-robed cultivator was slightly stunned.

Yu Heyue beside him was also surprised, not expecting this transaction to be much larger than he imagined.

Gray-robed cultivator: "Are you sure?"

Sun Lingtong directly took out a Ghost Dao Jin Dan and handed it to the other party: "You verify it, more will be returned and less will be made up."

Sun Lingtong put on a posture of being rich and imposing.

The gray-robed cultivator took a cold breath in his heart, suspicious and uncertain: "What kind of background is this? I only sell the souls of Jin Dan cultivators. As a result, this person actually took out a Jin Dan directly!"

He slowly reached out, took the Ghost Dao Jin Dan, checked it, confirmed it was correct, and when he looked at Sun Lingtong again, his attitude had changed greatly compared to before.

He cupped his fists: "May I ask your honorable name?"

Sun Lingtong smiled slightly: "You can just call me Sun Lao."

The appearance Sun Lingtong disguised was that of a middle-aged man, even if someone saw through his theft disguise and saw his true body was a child, they would still mutter. After all, this image was very different from the title "Sun Lao".

This was Sun Lingtong's cunning style—false and true, making people unable to figure out his path.

The gray-robed cultivator then respectfully called: "Sun Lao."

Sun Lingtong nodded slightly, his brows furrowed, and asked directly: "These souls... are they really all people who are extremely evil and deserve to die?"

The gray-robed cultivator laughed: "Sun Lao is overthinking. If they weren't characters who deserved to be killed and whose souls should be scattered, we wouldn't dare to collect or sell them."

"The Wanxiang Sect is a righteous sect. If we sell innocent souls here, it's simply seeking our own death!"

"To do this kind of business, getting only this little profit, yet having to bear the risk of being beheaded—only a fool would do it!"

Sun Lingtong was silent for a while, accepted this statement, and his gaze wandered over the containers of struggling souls. He suddenly asked: "Are there... souls of Confucian cultivators?"

"Confucian cultivators?" The eyebrows under the gray-robed cultivator's hood seemed to twitch, and his gaze stayed on Sun Lingtong for a moment again. He was silent for a few breaths, as if recalling his inventory.

He hesitated, but finally spat out a word: "Yes."

Then he said: "And... the quality is excellent."

"Oh?" Sun Lingtong's eyes lit up.

Confucian cultivators who turned to the demonic path were relatively rare. Because the cultivation sect of Confucianism naturally carried the shaping of thoughts and values.

Confucian cultivators emphasize benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust, and the number of people who switch to the demonic path is far less than that of Taoism and Buddhism.

Sun Lingtong came for Unlike Ning Zhuo, carrying Unlike Ning Zhuo's wishes.

Unlike Ning Zhuo now diligently practices Confucian spells, and his learning power has skyrocketed. He knows deeply how important learning power is for him to learn from others and finally refine mechanism arts. Naturally, he had a stronger demand for the souls of Confucian cultivators.

But both Sun and Ning knew that demonic Confucian cultivators were indeed rare. Therefore, their expectations were very low.

So, after Sun Lingtong received the positive response from the gray-robed cultivator, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

"What is the price?" Sun Lingtong asked immediately.

He had already made up his mind that even if the other party's premium was quite high, he would take it down.

Sun Lingtong knew Unlike Ning Zhuo's cultivation status extremely well. The two never hid anything from each other in this regard. Therefore, Sun Lingtong knew very well that the soul of a Confucian cultivator was extremely significant and helpful to Unlike Ning Zhuo!

The gray-robed cultivator was silent for a while before speaking: "This person... is a bit special. I am not yet sure if I can get this person's soul and then take it out to sell to you."

Sun Lingtong's brows furrowed: "What is the reason?"

Speaking of this, he added another sentence: "The price is negotiable."

The gray-robed cultivator did not respond to the price immediately, but cast his gaze on Yu Heyue aside: "Actually, if I really have to say it, many fellow disciples of the Wanxiang Sect know. This person's name is not small. His name is... Qin De."

"Qin De?!" Yu Heyue obviously knew this name, his face showing realization and a trace of wariness, "It's him! That shame of Confucianism."

Sun Lingtong was full of doubts this time.

Yu Heyue whispered: "This person committed a taboo, which caused a big stir back then, but the upper levels have been suppressing it with all their might. The intelligence that normal people can buy has naturally been reviewed and will not record this person."

Sun Lingtong felt curious and carefully inquired about this person's background.

"《Sage's Great Thief Scripture》?" He heard it for the first time, especially when he heard the name of the demonic Confucian cultivation technique, his heart actually pounded a few times, triggering a spiritual opportunity, making him shiver. Sun Lingtong inexplicably realized: "This cultivation technique seems extremely important to me?!"

He covered up his strange expression and quickly reviewed Qin De's information in his mind.

Qin De was originally a young Confucian cultivator with a bright future, well-versed in all Confucian classics, very erudite, and talented.

But perhaps precisely because he read too many classics, he actually created a cultivation technique himself, named 《Sage's Great Thief Scripture》.

This cultivation technique linked sages and great thieves together; the higher the individual's character and merit, the more powerful their theft technique would be, and they could get massive amplification!

This cultivation technique was too evil, simply wanting to lead all Confucian cultivators to become thieves.

And the thoughts about Qin De projected from the 《Sage's Great Thief Scripture》 made the Confucian group led by Duanmu Zhang convinced—Qin De had already fallen, his thoughts were twisted, he read too many books, and read until he became demonic!

Therefore, after means such as admonition, persuasion, and coercion failed, Duanmu Zhang and others could only defeat Qin De after explaining to the sect and imprisoning him.

Qin De had been imprisoned in the Cloud Prison for more than thirty years.

The gray-robed cultivator recounted that after Qin De created the cultivation technique, he committed several major theft cases. This person was indeed sinful.

But Sun Lingtong had new worries: "Within the Wanxiang Sect, there are many Confucian cultivators who are very united. What is their view on Qin De?"

The gray-robed cultivator laughed: "You can rest assured about this. Qin De has fallen deep into the demonic path and is hopeless. The Confucian group gave up on him completely more than ten years ago."

"They even proposed many times to destroy Qin De to nip this evil thought in the bud from the source and prevent it from polluting Confucian orthodoxy."

"If you can eliminate Qin De, I think it will instead trigger the gratitude of the Confucian cultivators."

Speaking of this, the gray-robed cultivator had already considered it properly and officially quoted the price: "According to the market price, the soul of a Jin Dan peak cultivator sells for 300,000 mid-grade spirit stones."

"Confucian characteristics are rare and hard to come by, rarely seen in the market, so add 100,000 mid-grade spirit stones."

"Plus this cultivator is imprisoned in the Cloud Prison, and it will cost a lot to clear the way before and after. I will charge you a total of 400,000 mid-grade spirit stones."

Yu Heyue's pupils shrank.

He was also a Jin Dan cultivator, and this amount was undoubtedly too much for him.

If it were him, he would absolutely not take out such a large sum of spirit stones just to buy a Jin Dan-level soul.

But Sun Lingtong smiled lightly: "Bought. This is the deposit."

He took out another Ghost Dao Jin Dan.

The gray-robed cultivator suddenly felt awe, thinking in his heart: "Two Jin Dans in a row, this person is reminding me that he is not easy to mess with! Trade well, otherwise the end will be the same as the owner of the Jin Dan..."

He took the Jin Dan: "Then I will trouble Sun Lao to wait for a period of time, and listen for good news from my side."

Sun Lingtong nodded: "You cannot deliberately delay. If a month or two pass and the goods are still not seen, how will we settle the account? After all, we are in a hurry to use it."

The gray-robed cultivator smiled confidently: "Rest assured, Qin De has long been forgotten, has been imprisoned in the Cloud Prison, and it is very reasonable for him to suddenly die because he couldn't hold on."

"I have been doing business here for so many years, and fellow Daoist Yu Heyue knows that I have always been honest and trustworthy, with reputation first!"

"At most one week, I can get it for you."

Seeing the gray-robed cultivator so confident, Sun Lingtong gained a few more points of certainty: "Good, since that's the case, sign the contract."

The gray-robed cultivator nodded without the slightest hesitation; this was originally a matter of course. He was truly confident in this regard. He had done such business too many times and was very familiar with it.

Evil-Slaying Hall hall.

Array space.

Central stone platform.

The old cultivator looked at Unlike Ning Zhuo with satisfaction: "I have one last question."

Unlike Ning Zhuo reached out: "Please ask, senior, the junior will say everything he knows, and it will definitely come from the depths of his heart."

In his upper dantian of the spiritual sea, the My Buddha Heart Demon Seal shone brightly.

The old cultivator's voice suddenly became low as if carrying the power of ten thousand jun, pressing toward Unlike Ning Zhuo: "Third question: The struggle of the Great Dao, the calamity is hard to escape. If one day, you need to sacrifice this body of flesh and blood, burn out your soul and true essence, only then can you cut off the monstrous demonic calamity and save billions of living beings from being overturned..."

"And after this act, your name, your Dao, and every trace of your existence may be tainted by demons, spat upon and misunderstood by the world, falling into the eternal dark abyss forever, never to be reincarnated... Are you willing to go?"

Silence.

After this question, the air on the stone platform seemed to freeze.

The high-level cultivators of the Evil-Slaying Hall stared at Unlike Ning Zhuo expressionlessly, not letting go of the slightest subtle change in the latter's expression.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's brows furrowed tightly, he lowered his head, looking at the stone bricks under his feet, falling into deep thought.

The cultivators of the Evil-Slaying Hall held expectations, and as time passed silently, they gradually became nervous.

The three questions of the Evil-Slaying Hall were a hidden assessment link, only targeting the most excellent batch of people in the first round of the Cloud-Raising Trial.

And among the group of people who answered, the vast majority could pass the first two questions, and very few could pass the third question.

Because this third question was indeed too harsh.

Sacrificing one's life is already heroic, let alone bearing the infamy of ten thousand generations?

For the sake of the righteous path in the human world, do you really have to sacrifice yourself to such an extent?

What do people pursue justice for?

"It doesn't matter, just come from the heart." The old cultivator saw Unlike Ning Zhuo not answering for a long time, and could not help but remind him.

He was worried that Unlike Ning Zhuo would lie and be detected.

Then, Unlike Ning Zhuo would be completely eliminated, and after that, the entire Evil-Slaying Hall would be permanently closed to him, and there would be no possibility of being hired.

They did not know that what Unlike Ning Zhuo was thinking about was not this matter, but his own situation.

Unlike Ning Zhuo already had a clear perception: "I have the My Buddha Heart Demon Seal to protect my body, so my true heart cannot be monitored."

"I naturally know how to answer to pass smoothly."

"But in this way, I will most likely win the top spot."

Top spot...

This will be the top spot of the third Cloud-Raising Trial.

In this way, Unlike Ning Zhuo will be the first to obtain the qualification to change his wooden tablet to a stone tablet ahead of most people.

He will stand out in this first round of the Cloud-Raising Trial and become a newcomer side-by-side with people like Situ Xing!

Before, although Unlike Ning Zhuo also passed Che Zhuzi's Cloud-Raising Trial and achieved good results. But Che Zhuzi did not acknowledge Unlike Ning Zhuo's top spot result.

Che Zhuzi still wanted to use this reward to attract more people to participate in his Cloud-Raising Trial, so naturally he would not announce it in advance.

The Cloud-Raising Trial can be held for multiple rounds, but the top spot is only awarded once.

There are many halls of the Evil-Slaying Hall, but if Unlike Ning Zhuo is awarded the top spot this time, then although such a Cloud-Raising Trial can still continue to be held, the honor of the top spot cannot be bestowed on a second person.

Unlike Ning Zhuo stood at the crossroads of choice.

Is it to endure like in Fire Persimmon Immortal City and keep a low profile?

Or to give up the opportunity in front of him, but win the top spot later, just not in Situ Xing's first round, and take the middle path?

Or to seize the opportunity in front of him, be the first to collect three top spots, be honored, walk with his head high, and move forward on a large scale? ===== CHAPTER 740 =====