Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Midnight Inquiry

When he arrived at the Night Patrol Department on Feixian Peak, everything inside and outside was extremely quiet. In the absence of candlelight, one could barely make out some night watch disciples and the strange beast roars coming from somewhere in the darkness.

When Wen Jiu arrived, they merely glanced at him and then continued standing there like stone puppets.

Led by an unknown Night Patrol Department disciple, Wen Jiu passed through stone alleys and ancient towers to reach the highest point of the department.

In front of a stone hall that looked like a giant beast crouching on the mountainside in the night.

"Come in with me."

Mu Canglong, who had been waiting at the door, spoke in a deep voice, then walked into the stone hall.

Wen Jiu hurriedly followed.

Originally, Wen Jiu wanted to ask what this was all about, but just as he was about to speak, Mu Canglong raised his hand to interrupt him.

Soon.

Wen Jiu was taken to the third floor.

Then, after passing through a corridor on the third floor, he stopped at a room lit by flickering candlelight, "Go in, the Elder wants to see you."

The Elder!

Wen Jiu’s heart tightened.

The Elder who manages the Night Patrol Department?

Full of questions, Wen Jiu knocked on the door. He saw an old man with a head full of white hair standing in front of a square table, his face aged but his spirit vigorous. He was writing something under the candlelight and stopped abruptly when Wen Jiu entered the room.

Then he slowly walked out from the table and to Wen Jiu. His steps were slow, but his whole being exuded a strong pressure, making Wen Jiu feel like he was standing in front of a terrifying giant beast.

It also gave Wen Jiu an instinctive chilling feeling that the other could crush him with a finger!

"Elder!"

Wen Jiu took a step back to avoid that invisible pressure and then bowed in salutation.

The white-haired elder did not respond, still standing with hands behind his back, looking down at Wen Jiu. After a few breaths, he spoke coldly, "You’ve been nourishing corpses in the Land of Death for a long time; have you ever been to the central area?"

Before Wen Jiu could speak, the white-haired elder coldly said, "Answer truthfully. If your answer is satisfactory, you will become an official disciple... If not, you’ll be buried there with your Black Corpse."

With those words.

Wen Jiu’s heart skipped a beat.

He hurriedly replied with a respectful tone, "I have only been there once or twice, and just wandered around the edges, not daring to go deeper... because I was only at Qi Cultivation First Layer and couldn’t withstand the Yin Qi of the central area."

"Come closer!"

The white-haired elder suddenly commanded coldly.

Wen Jiu had just taken two steps forward when his wrist was grabbed suddenly, like being caught by the claws of a giant beast.

Immediately, Wen Jiu felt a Divine Sense scanning him from head to toe, leaving nothing unchecked.

At that moment.

Wen Jiu’s mind went into overdrive.

Thinking about what to do.

How to get out of this.

But thinking that the other was an Elder of the Night Patrol Department, even calling a Black Corpse wouldn’t help him fight back, Wen Jiu could only pretend to be calm.

This feeling of having one’s life in the palm of another’s hands, allowing them to crush it at will, was truly repulsive.

Truly detestable!

Fortunately, after a few breaths, the white-haired elder released him. Looking down, Wen Jiu saw that his hand was slightly blue from the grip.

And a bit painful.

"No wonder you reached Qi Cultivation Second Layer so quickly; it turns out the infiltration of Yin Qi into your body is already severe."

The white-haired elder coldly continued, "A Heterodox Cultivator practicing the Yinzhou Corpse Nourishing Technique, some have survived to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer... But you, still at Qi Cultivation Second Layer, with Yin Qi already affecting your organs and flesh to this extent, probably won’t survive to Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer!"

Hearing this, Wen Jiu realized that the other had mistaken his use of Earthly Evil Yin Qi for Body Refining as Yin Qi invasion.

With this in mind, Wen Jiu instantly came up with a plan, quickly following this topic and showing weakness.

"Please, Elder, save my life!"

Upon hearing this, the white-haired elder chuckled coldly, "You have some cleverness, but you’ll have to wait until you survive reaching Qi Cultivation Third Layer... Now tell me everything you know about the Land of Death!"

"Yes!"

Wen Jiu quickly nodded.

He recounted everything about the Land of Death and his Corpse Nourishing process in detail, but said nothing of the Three Thousand Blood Ink Corpses or the Black Corpse’s Blood Transformation Body.

But this Elder of the Night Patrol Department seemed more concerned about the central area and kept asking about it.

Wen Jiu answered truthfully.

Seeing that nothing more could be extracted, the white-haired elder finally gave up, but Wen Jiu could sense his slight dissatisfaction.

Even a bit of annoyance.

It was at this moment that Mu Canglong suddenly knocked on the door.

"Elder!"

Hearing Mu Canglong’s voice, the white-haired elder’s expression finally changed from annoyance. He waved to signal Wen Jiu to leave.

...

After leaving the room.

Wen Jiu felt relieved.

He felt as if he’d just walked over a mountain of knives, and his heart urged him to quickly distance himself from the Night Patrol Department.

However, things did not go as planned. When Mu Canglong entered the room, he secretly used the Sound Transmission Technique to tell him not to leave yet.

A moment later.

Mu Canglong walked out from inside the hall.

His expression unchanged, revealing nothing, as if nothing had happened.

"What did the Elder ask you about? Don’t tell me." As soon as he came out, Mu Canglong immediately spoke, "I heard from the Elder that the Yin Qi within you is extremely severe, already invading your internal organs and blood?"

Saying this.

Mu Canglong took out a jade bottle from his storage bag, inside were over a dozen Elixir Pills.

"These are Body Nourishing Pills, which can nourish the body, dispel Yin and invigorate blood. They’re not considered excellent pills, but they’re extremely useful for you."

Wen Jiu respectfully accepted them.

"Thank you, Steward Mu."

As Mu Canglong walked, he said, "The Heterodox Dao may indeed promote rapid advancement, but it also greatly damages the body. In the future, slow down your speed a bit... Currently, the longest living practitioner of the Yinzhou Corpse Nourishing Technique reached only fifty-seven years and Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer. If you wish to live longer, slow down your cultivation speed."

"Understood."

Wen Jiu nodded.

Said no more.

Because if others knew that he was not afraid of Yin Qi and instead used Earthly Evil Yin Qi for Body Refining, he might be dissected for study.

"Alright, let’s go. Don’t bring today’s events up to anyone... otherwise, I won’t be able to protect you either."

Leaving a word behind, Mu Canglong turned and walked back into the hall.

Wen Jiu cast a deep glance at the Stone Hall, always feeling a bit eerie, and quickened his pace to leave at the thought of the face of that Night Patrol Department Elder.

Even upon returning home,

Wen Jiu felt a bit uneasy.

That Night Patrol Department Elder brought too much unease to him,

Also making him genuinely disgusted.

Disgusted at his own weakness.

The feeling of being in someone’s palm, able to be crushed at any time, was too distressing.

...

Inside the Stone Hall.

Mu Canglong returned once again.

As if nothing had happened just now, Mu Canglong opened respectfully, "Elder Gong, I have already received news that remnants of the Blood Robe Tower have united with some Heterodox Demons and Tribulation Cultivators, preparing to settle accounts with the vassal families under Feixian Peak... Should we take any action?"

"Didn’t you see the Peak Master today?"

The white-haired elder spoke deeply.

Mu Canglong nodded, "The peak is now forbidden to enter, only the trusted aides of the Peak Master can set foot."

"Clearly, the remnants of the Blood Robe Tower and Heterodox Demons are coming for the Three Thousand Blood Ink Corpses. The so-called settling of accounts with the vassal families is just a ploy to distract our attention and resources."

The white-haired elder stated bluntly, then slowly folded something he had written earlier and handed it to Mu Canglong.

Mu Canglong respectfully accepted it.

But did not open it to examine it closely.

Instead, he continued, "If we take no action, I fear in the future no Cultivation Clan would be willing to pay tribute."

The white-haired elder spoke with a gloomy expression, "Then act, likely the Peak Master is currently studying that corpse, attempting to find the secret technique of the Three Thousand Blood Inks... It’s indeed tempting, allowing one to reach Qi Cultivation Great Perfection at fifty-six."

Mu Canglong looked up at him but said nothing.

Until the white-haired elder waved his hand.

Mu Canglong immediately turned and left, then took the disciples of the Night Patrol Department out of Feixian Peak overnight.

...

Meanwhile.

Wen Jiu lay on his bed, quietly pondering.

Pondering on what exactly was happening on Feixian Peak.

But he couldn’t make any sense of it.

He simply turned his thoughts to the sales channels for the Soul-Seizing Talisman.

Selling them at Feixian Peak was clearly unrealistic; if he wanted to sell, he’d have to find a Trading Market where no one knew him.

Thinking of this, Wen Jiu took out a map of the area around Feixian Peak that he had obtained earlier and started looking at it. He saw the Independent Practitioner Market in Lianwu Mountain.

Li Ye is there.

If he went, perhaps he could kill him.

But it would also attract an investigation.

Forget it.

Better find another place.

Wen Jiu’s gaze fell on the other end of the map.

East of Feixian Peak, fifty miles away, there was a Trading Market for Loose Cultivators named Baihua Mountain Market.

According to the map’s information, there were three to five thousand cultivators gathered here year-round, including Loose Cultivators, Tribulation Cultivators, as well as Side Peak Disciples, and Sect’s Main Peak Disciples. Selling Soul-Seizing Talismans here shouldn’t lack for buyers.

[Fellow Daoists, see you tomorrow.]