novelapdf Chapter 67 Corpse Puppet Sect
Chapter 67 Corpse Puppet Sect
Half a month may only be a few sunrises and sunsets for ordinary people in the mortal world, but in the Soul-Severing Valley, this meat grinder, it is enough to replace the list of casualties with three batches of bloody new names.
Inside the C-class camp in the special protected area.
Gu An sat cross-legged on the old, worn-out stool, slowly exhaling a breath of stale air. This breath had a faint grayish-green hue, and upon contact with the air, it emitted a nauseating, sweet-smelling odor.
He looked down at his palm.
The skin, which originally had a dark cyan jade-like texture after being refined by the "Copper Skin" technique, now had spiderweb-like black lines appearing on the fingertips and palms.
"Indeed, too much of a good thing is bad."
Gu An frowned slightly, thinking to himself.
During this time, he was like a mouse that had fallen into a rice jar, working day and night to cultivate the "Life Forest Wood Technique" by extracting the poisonous blood from Shen Wan's body. His cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, and the thrill of that explosive increase in power was simply addictive.
However, this "Poison of Wood" is not spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Even after being transformed by cultivation techniques, a small portion of the corrosive impurities it contains still remain in his body. If it is not cleansed and neutralized soon, his physical body will probably rot due to the accumulation of toxins before he even reaches the Foundation Establishment stage.
"I need to buy some Qingling Grass and Detoxifying Powder" to prepare a neutralizing agent.
Gu An stood up and moved his stiff joints, his bones making a popping sound.
Besides addressing his health concerns, he has more important things to do.
Now that we've decided to find the "Nine Dragons Demon-Suppressing Cauldron," we need to figure out the exact location of the abandoned mine and the surrounding defenses. Although this special protected area allows access to some high-ranking officials, it's all just snippets of information. For a detailed map, we'll have to go to places where all sorts of people gather.
black market.
In this chaotic wartime logistics base, anything can be bought with spirit stones. And those things dug out of piles of corpses and illicit goods also need a channel for distribution.
Gu An glanced at Shen Wan, who was still unconscious on the cold jade bed.
The girl's complexion has improved a lot in the past few days. Although she is still a potential source of poison that could explode at any time, at least the pain of impending death has lessened considerably.
"I'm leaving. You should rest well these next few days and don't cause me any trouble."
Gu An muttered something under his breath, as if talking to himself, or perhaps giving instructions.
He skillfully hung a sign at the entrance of the tent that read, "Cleaning poison spots in progress, no unauthorized personnel allowed." Then he activated the Concealing Breath Pendant, and with a flicker, disappeared into the night.
……
On the west side of Broken Soul Valley, what was originally an abandoned air-raid shelter has now been transformed into a temporary black market by a few daring logistics managers in conjunction with the underground forces that originally occupied the area.
Normally, these things would not be allowed, but right now the sect is too busy with many affairs to supervise them.
Although it was temporary, it was quite large in scale.
The entrance was extremely well hidden, concealed behind a mountain of broken magical artifacts and scraps.
Gu An had already changed his clothes.
He wore a large gray cloak, which he had stripped from the body of a dead rogue cultivator. It still carried the indelible smell of mildew and blood, which he used to mask his own odor. He wore a tattered bamboo hat pulled low over his head, and his face was covered by a black cloth, revealing only a pair of cloudy and wary eyes.
"stop."
Just as I reached the pile of waste, a hand reached out from the shadows and blocked my way.
He was a disciple dressed in the outer sect robes of the Green Wood Sect, but his collar was open, revealing a roguish air about him. He glanced at Gu An sideways, his fingers twirling together with practiced ease.
"Do you know the rules?"
Gu An didn't speak. He hunched over, took out two broken spirit stones from his sleeve, and stuffed them into the man's hand.
The disciple weighed the spirit stone, grinned with satisfaction, and cleared the path behind him.
"Go inside, behave yourself, and don't cause trouble."
Gu An lowered his head and squeezed into the dark hole.
As soon as you enter, a wave of noisy heat hits you, mixed with the smells of sweat, cheap cosmetics, and various herbal ingredients.
The air-raid shelter had a very large interior space, and at intervals along the rock walls on both sides, there was a fluorite stone embedded in it, emitting a dim light.
The ground was covered with rags or animal hides, and filled with a dazzling array of goods.
Damaged magical artifacts, bloodstained storage bags, unknown ores, and even low-level demonic beasts sealed in cages...
There is no such thing as order here; the only rules are strength and spirit stones.
Gu An tightened his cloak, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone, and slowly moved forward with the flow of people.
He didn't rush to buy anything; instead, he first strolled around several stalls selling raw materials to get a feel for the market.
Finally, he stopped in front of a stall located in a corner.
The stall owner was a thin, small man who was wrapped up tightly. In front of him were several jade bottles with seals on them, filled with colorful liquids, clearly indicating that he was selling drugs or medicine.
"Will you receive the goods?"
Gu An lowered his voice, which became hoarse and grating.
The skinny man looked up, his small, mouse-like eyes scanning Gu An. He chuckled, "That depends on what kind of stuff it is. We only accept the best quality here. Don't bring out those cheap sleeping pills that you can find at roadside stalls."
Without wasting words, Gu An took out a porcelain bottle no bigger than a thumb from his pocket, uncorked it, waved it in front of the stall owner, and then immediately put it back in.
In just a moment, a cloyingly sweet smell wafted out.
The skinny man's expression changed; his previously nonchalant gaze instantly turned serious, even showing a hint of greed.
"This is……"
He took a deep breath, seemingly savoring the lingering scent in the air. "What a potent wood-based venom! This smell... is somewhat like the venom of decaying bone wood, but purer, and it even seems to carry the scent of a living person's blood."
He's an expert.
Gu An thought to himself, this was the essence left after he squeezed the pus from Shen Wan's wound and purified it using the "Life-Generating Wood Technique." To righteous cultivators, this was a deadly poison, but to those evil cultivators who practiced poison techniques, it was practically a highly nourishing elixir.
"Three bottles of Tier 2 mutated wood venom."
Gu An held up three fingers, his voice cold. "In exchange for ten Qingling Grasses and five packets of Detoxifying Powder. Also, give me ten spirit stones."
"Ten spirit stones?" The skinny man's eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice, "Fellow Daoist, isn't that a bit too high? This poison is good, but its origin is unknown..."
"Fine, don't bother changing it."
Gu An made a move to put away the porcelain bottle and turned to leave.
"Hey, hey, hey! Change it, change it, change it!" The skinny man hurriedly grabbed Gu An's sleeve, afraid that the deal would fall through. This quality of venom, if resold to those madmen who practice the "Five Poisons Scripture," could fetch at least double the price.
The transaction was completed quickly.
Gu An got the neutralizing agent he wanted and had ten more spirit stones for self-defense, which put his mind at ease.
He didn't leave immediately, but mingled in the crowd and continued searching for his next target—a map.
In this wartime situation, maps are controlled items and cannot be bought through official channels. However, on the black market, as long as you can afford the price, you can even find out the color of a sect elder's underwear.
Soon, Gu An discovered a clue at a grocery stall.
The stall owner was a one-eyed man, and in front of him were a pile of tattered jade slips and several parchment scrolls. One of the parchment scrolls had only a corner showing, with contour lines and several red crosses faintly drawn on it.
Gu An walked over, picked up the parchment scroll, and looked at it.
This is a map showing the distribution of mining areas around Broken Soul Valley. Although it is somewhat old, the general terrain and landforms are still there.
"How much is this picture?" Gu An asked.
"Five spirit stones, no bargaining." The one-eyed dragon didn't even lift his eyelids. "This is an old map from half a year ago. It's long since been reduced to ruins. If you want to go treasure hunting, you'd better consider whether your life is tough enough."
"I want it."
Gu Angang was about to take out spirit stones.
Suddenly, a strong smell of blood came from behind.
"Get out of my way! All of you, get the hell out of my way!"
Several burly men dressed in blood-red prison uniforms and shackled on their feet were carrying several heavy wooden boxes, being escorted by several disciples of the Green Wood Sect, as they squeezed through the crowd.
These burly men all exuded a fierce aura and had ruthless eyes. Although their spiritual power was sealed, their murderous intent was impossible to conceal.
Prisoners of war from the Blood Blade Sect.
To alleviate logistical pressure, the sect organized these prisoners into a labor camp, assigning them dirty and tiring jobs such as moving heavy objects and cleaning up the battlefield.
Gu An instinctively wanted to avoid it, so he stepped aside.
However, just as those prisoners of war passed by Gu An...
One of the burly men, with a scar running from his forehead to his chin, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
His nose twitched violently twice, like a wolf that had smelled blood.
Then, those bloodshot eyes locked onto Gu An.
"This taste..."
Although the scarred, burly man's voice was hoarse, it sounded exceptionally clear in the noisy black market, "Bone-Rotting Poison! And the kind that can only be cultivated using living people... a high-level Bone-Rotting Poison!"
Gu An's heart skipped a beat.
broken!
Although he quickly sealed the bottle during the venom transaction, a very faint scent inevitably lingered on him. This scent might be undetectable to ordinary cultivators, but for the Blood Blade Sect disciples who were seasoned poison users and even renowned for their poisons, it was like a beacon in the darkness.
"Who are you?!"
The burly man with the scarred face suddenly dropped the wooden box on his shoulder with a loud crash, drawing the attention of everyone around him.
He pointed at Gu An, his eyes filled with shock, suspicion, and hatred. "Only the core disciples of my Blood Blade Sect know how to nurture this poison! How come you smell like this? Are you a spy? Or…"
"Or did you kill our people?!"
That shout instantly silenced the previously noisy black market.
The surrounding rogue cultivators quickly retreated, afraid of getting splattered with blood. Meanwhile, several law enforcement disciples maintaining order nearby also looked over upon hearing the commotion, their hands already on their sword hilts.
Trouble.
If he is labeled a spy or a murderer and robber, and is taken away by the Enforcement Hall for questioning, his secrets will definitely be exposed.
Gu An's face, hidden under his bamboo hat, instantly turned extremely gloomy.
Run? No, there's only one exit, and it's blocked.
Then the only thing to do is... shut him up.
Without uttering a single word, just as the scarred-faced burly man was about to shout his second sentence, Gu An's left hand, seemingly casually hanging at his side, subtly twitched his five fingers.
Several thin, completely transparent strands of mysterious yin energy, like invisible ghosts, moved rapidly along the ground.
"trip!"
Gu An thought to himself, "What do you mean?" Just as the scarred, burly man was about to step forward and grab Gu An, he suddenly felt a tremendous force on his ankle, causing him to lose his balance and stumble forward in a very awkward manner.
"Well--"
He instinctively opened his mouth wide, wanting to exclaim in surprise.
In that instant, Gu An slightly shifted his body, using the surrounding crowd as cover, and his right index finger shot out with lightning speed. A silver needle coated with anesthetic, held between his fingertips, pierced the "silent acupoint" on the back of the burly man's neck with unparalleled precision.
The entire sequence of movements was fluid, incredibly fast, and extremely stealthy. To an outsider, it looked as if the prisoner of war had tripped and fallen, while the gray-robed man had simply flinched aside in fright.
"Thump!"
The scarred, burly man fell heavily to the ground, landing face-first in the dirt.
He tried to get up, but found that half of his body was numb. He wanted to shout that there was something wrong with the gray-robed man, but when he opened his mouth, he could only make a wheezing sound like a bellows, and he couldn't utter a single word.
"What are you doing! Trying to rebel?"
At this moment, the Qingmu Sect disciples who were escorting them rushed over.
Seeing the prisoner of war fall to the ground and struggle, one of them lashed out with a whip without saying a word.
"Snapped!"
"Behave yourself! Don't think you can slack off by playing dead!"
The scene immediately descended into chaos.
Taking advantage of everyone's attention being drawn to the unfortunate prisoner of war, Gu An, without any hesitation, casually tossed five spirit stones onto the stall of the one-eyed stall owner, grabbed the sheepskin scroll map, and stuffed it into his pocket.
Then, like a slippery eel, he shrank back and quickly disappeared into the depths of the crowded throng.
When the scarred, burly man finally caught his breath and frantically pointed in the direction where Gu An had disappeared, the place was already empty, with only a few onlookers pointing and gesturing.
……
After an incense stick has burned.
Gu An has returned to the Bing-class camp.
He quickly took off the smelly cloak and clothes and threw them directly into the brazier to burn them clean. Then he took a bath with the prepared medicine and only changed back into his dirty servant's clothes after confirming that there was no more odor on his body.
"That was close."
Gu An sat on the small stool, his heart still beating a little fast.
If he had hesitated for even half a second just now, or if the poisoned needle had been slightly off-target, he would probably be in the interrogation room of the Enforcement Hall right now.
"I'll try to avoid going to places like this as much as possible in the future."
Gu An reflected on his actions for a while, then took out the sheepskin scroll map that he had gone to great lengths to buy.
In the dim light, he searched carefully on the map.
Finally, at the very edge of the map, thirty miles west of Broken Soul Valley, in a canyon near the source of the Yin Vein, he found a marker.
Abandoned Mine Pit No. 3
Next to the mark, someone drew a large skull with a vermilion pen, and next to it was a line of eye-catching small writing:
[Extremely Dangerous! The Corpse Puppet Sect's corpse-refining stronghold is frequently visited by armored corpses. Living beings are advised to stay away!]
"The Corpse Puppet Sect..."
Gu An stared at the words, his brows furrowing deeply.
Over the years, the territory of the Green Wood Sect has been shrinking inward, and now it has been divided between the Corpse Puppet Sect and the Blood Blade Sect.
What kind of sect is the Corpse Puppet Sect? It's a staunch ally of the Blood Blade Sect, a group of freaks who deal with corpses all day long. It's said that they are most skilled at refining cultivators' corpses into invulnerable corpse puppets, which are extremely powerful and fearless in battle.
"The Nine Dragons Demon-Suppressing Cauldron...it's hidden in this godforsaken place."
Gu An felt a toothache.
I originally thought we were just going to mine, but now it seems we're going to dig up someone's ancestral graves.