Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Fifty Thousand Mortals

"Elder!"

"Elder Gong!"

"Elder Gong, you are seriously injured now. If you don’t treat your injury immediately, I’m afraid it will continue to worsen."

Several Night Patrol Department disciples hurriedly spoke.

Gong Chi’s face hardened, gazing coldly at Mu Canglong and others who tried to stop him, "Do you not know what’s more important? Compared to the peak master’s death, what are my injuries worth? Quickly come in with me!"

Gong Chi’s words were filled with anger.

Had it not been for Wen Jiu knowing Gong Chi’s true nature, he would have definitely taken Gong Chi as a model and exemplary figure of Feixian Peak.

Such indeed is the case.

Gong Chi’s words earned much respect from Feixian Peak’s disciples.

Some even began to plead with the Inspection Hall’s people, requesting them to let Elder Gong heal first.

But the gazes of the three inspectors remained cold, glaring at the pleading disciple, frightening him into retreat.

However, the leader coldly spoke again, "If anyone dares to speak nonsense again, they will be punished as remnants of Blood Robe Tower!"

The inspector’s ruthlessness left the Feixian Peak disciples not daring to breathe, forcing the elders and stewards obediently into the main hall.

It also made many disciples feel uneasy; until now they had only heard of the main peak’s Inspection Hall but never seen them, didn’t expect their first encounter with such domineering inspectors.

And the subsequent words made the Feixian Peak disciples’ expressions change.

"From today onwards, no disciple of Feixian Peak may leave Feixian Peak. Anyone who leaves without permission will be treated as a traitor to the sect!"

As the words fell.

The three entered the main hall.

The thirty Golden-clothed Cultivators stood at the forefront, beginning to question the Feixian Peak disciples one by one.

And each held a golden beetle spirit beast.

Every time a Feixian Peak disciple answered, the Golden-clothed Cultivators would glance at the golden beetle spirit beast in their hands.

Clearly, this spirit beast had a function akin to determining the truth of words, though the principle was unknown.

Thinking of this, Wen Jiu quickly held his breath and focused.

Carefully observing the reactions of the golden beetle spirit beast when others answered, while preparing answers in his mind.

Soon.

A Golden-clothed Cultivator approached Wen Jiu.

Only one question.

"Where were you when Peak Master Ji had his accident?"

Wen Jiu answered truthfully, "When the peak master was hunting Blood Robe Tower remnants, I and the Night Patrol Department disciples were clearing out the Chen Family... After clearing out, I followed everyone inside, but then, out of fear, came out early. Shortly after coming out, the ground began to collapse."

"Afraid?"

The Golden-clothed Cultivator’s expression tightened, quickly looking at the golden beetle.

Seeing the golden beetle didn’t react, the Golden-clothed Cultivator’s eyes showed a trace of displeasure.

Clearly.

It was because Wen Jiu claimed to be afraid.

But Wen Jiu didn’t care.

Let him think whatever he likes.

As long as it doesn’t trigger a reaction from the golden beetle, it’s fine. Moreover, he was indeed truly afraid; hearing Gong Chi’s voice at that time made him really scared of being discovered. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have used the Blood Corpse Escape twice in a row.

The Golden-clothed Cultivator coldly said, "You may go, but do not leave Feixian Peak, be ready for questioning at any time."

"Thank you, senior."

Wen Jiu cupped his fist.

Then turned and slowly walked out of the crowd.

Before leaving, Wen Jiu glanced back at the main hall.

He hoped the inspectors from the main peak’s Inspection Hall would truly uncover something.

Even if nothing is uncovered.

It’s best if they stir things up for a while.

Since there’s still some time until the assessment for Feixian Peak’s apprentice disciples.

...

Upon returning home.

Wen Jiu truthfully informed Wang Nian, through the door, about the questioning at the main hall, so Wang Sao wouldn’t worry.

Discussing it inside was absolutely impossible.

Wen Jiu maintained suitable boundaries.

After informing, Wen Jiu returned to his place, throwing aside the matter just now, starting to draw talismans while waiting for midnight to arrive.

Very soon.

Midnight arrived.

The daily settlement began!

Upon the settlement panel’s emergence, Wen Jiu’s gaze immediately went towards the information about the essence blood collected by Corpse Eye.

[Through Corpse Eye, a large amount of cultivator’s essence blood, and the condensed essence blood of fifty thousand ordinary people were absorbed, panel experience +1, essence blood +173, +5000, death energy +2000.]

But what made Wen Jiu’s expression change greatly wasn’t the 5000 essence blood, nor the 2000 death energy, but those fifty thousand ordinary people.

The remnants of Blood Robe Tower killed over a hundred thousand ordinary people for that pool of essence blood!

What do they want?

A hundred thousand!

Perhaps a county in the mortals’ realm of this world has only a hundred thousand people.

In other words, the Blood Robe Tower’s people killed a county’s worth for blood.

"This..."

To be honest.

At this moment, Wen Jiu was truly shocked.

He remained speechless for a long time.

He genuinely felt the reason why Qi Refining Cultivators despise Heterodox Demons.

Is the life of ordinary people really as insignificant as grass, to be harvested at will?

Then, Wen Jiu glanced at the remaining balance of essence blood and death energy on his personal panel.

[Death Energy Balance: 57+2000]

[Corpse Qi Balance: 341]

[Cultivator Essence Blood Balance: 2368+5173]

The death energy balance reached 2057, enough for him to step directly into the Qi Cultivation Third Layer.

The cultivator essence blood balance reached a terrifying 7541. If he wants to cultivate the Yin Sha Blood Curse Body, he might be able to directly elevate it to the Fourth Layer, allowing his physical body to directly resist the spell attacks of Third-Layer Qi Cultivation Cultivators.

Among the Qi Cultivation Third Layer Stewards of the entire Feixian Peak, there would be absolutely no one who could match him!

But Wen Jiu couldn’t feel delighted. Even though he never thought of himself as a good person, knowing that a balance of five thousand essence blood equates to the lives of fifty thousand ordinary people, he still found it hard to come to terms with.

He would draw from the essence blood of a cultivator, even if it were his own kind, as long as they were already dead, Wen Jiu would absorb it without hesitation.

Without any psychological burden.

But if it’s ordinary people.

Especially fifty thousand ordinary people.

Wen Jiu’s mindset was somewhat different.

After being silent for a long time, Wen Jiu finally calmed down, stopped thinking about it, but also made a secret resolution in his heart. Once he had enough power, he would kill every remnant of the Blood Robe Tower he encountered without mercy.

Following that.

Wen Jiu’s gaze fell on another balance, which was regarding the Blood Ghost Hand.

Before, he simply took a close look, not expecting the daily settlement panel to directly count it as his item.

Under the spell section, there was a new entry for Blood Ghost Hand.

[Spell: Blood Ghost Hand - Entry Level (0/100)]+

Essence blood could be directly used to enhance it.

However, looking at the plus sign, Wen Jiu hesitated for a few moments.

The Yin Sha Blood Curse Body, he definitely couldn’t cultivate it now, and cultivating the Black Corpse couldn’t possibly use the essence blood balance.

Rather than continuing to save these essence blood balances, perhaps he could use them to first cultivate a new trump card.

The Blood Ghost Hand might be a good choice.

After all, the Corpse Eye’s nurturing technique could only be released once, and his Soul-Seizing Talisman couldn’t currently be drawn to a top Tier One Lower Grade quality.

"If this Blood Ghost Hand is cultivated, it won’t matter even if it’s discovered. I can just say it’s a trophy from battle," Wen Jiu muttered to himself, then made up his mind to start adding experience directly.

In an instant.

Blood Ghost Hand entered the First Layer.

[Spell: Blood Ghost Hand First Layer (0/500)]+

Wen Jiu added more again.

Blood Ghost Hand advanced to the Second Layer.

[Spell: Blood Ghost Hand Second Layer (0/1000)]+

And then to the Third Layer.

[Spell: Blood Ghost Hand Third Layer (0/2000)]

After reaching the Third Layer, Wen Jiu did not choose to advance further. The three consecutive advancements had already consumed sixteen hundred essence blood balances. But even if Wen Jiu wanted to advance further, it wasn’t possible.

Because, although Blood Ghost Hand didn’t have high requirements for the Body Refining Realm, that was only before the Third Layer.

To step into the Fourth Layer, one must possess Body Refining cultivation; otherwise, one couldn’t withstand the backlash on the body from the Blood Ghost Hand. It’s strong, certainly strong, but everything has its pros and cons.

Wen Jiu glanced at his essence blood balance.

[Cultivator Essence Blood Balance: 5941]

"I’ll keep it for now and see whether to use it to enhance the Blood Ghost Hand or to cultivate the Yin Sha Blood Curse Body in the future."

As he finished speaking.

Wen Jiu’s gaze fell on the death energy balance.

If he wanted.

He could step into Qi Cultivation Third Layer at any time.

But stepping into the Qi Cultivation Third Layer at this critical moment is not a good choice.

"Forget it, I’ll think about it later. Anyway, I can step into the Qi Cultivation Third Layer anytime I want." Having made up his mind, Wen Jiu closed his personal information panel, then sat cross-legged on the bed and began using the Yin Technique to nurture Corpse Blood.

The Corpse Eye absorbed six Demon Corpses; it was unknown how much Corpse Blood could be nurtured.

Without immediately advancing Qi Cultivation, it was necessary to prioritize cultivating the Black Corpse, quickly nurturing it into a mobile corpse.

During this journey, he discovered that after the Black Corpse concealed its aura, even Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer Cultivators couldn’t discern its true realm.

This was undoubtedly extraordinarily good news.

From then on, he could quietly cultivate the Black Corpse.

The stronger the Black Corpse.

The lower profile it could keep.

The lower profile it remained.

The stronger he could become.

Perfect!

[Fellow Daoists, goodnight...]