《Two Realms Shuttle Gate: Don t Call Me a Demon!》


 Chapter 1: Demon Cultivator

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Demon Cultivator


    In the deep autumn, twisted and bare old vines stood silently in the autumn wind, while the rugged mountain cliffs and valleys echoed with the chirping of autumn insects.


    Whoosh!


    A strong wind swept through, and within the thousands of mountains and ravines, it seemed as if countless moths were fluttering and jostling, turning the world into a grey and white haze.


    Upon closer inspection, these were thumb-sized insects with grotesque human-like facial features and plump flesh.


    Smack!


    A swooped down, trapping several human-faced bizarre insects, which pped their wings in a frenzied attempt to escape.


    The sharp proboscises spewed acidic fluid, corroding the rocks with sizzling sounds, forming honeb-like scars.


    p p p!


    A ss jar swiftly captured the human-faced bizarre insects; the lid was screwed on tightly.


    ¡°Three human-faced moths, I¡¯m really lucky.¡±@@novelbin@@


    A young man around twenty wiped the sweat from his brow.


    He was dressed in a thick rubber suit, wearing a protective beekeeper¡¯s hood; his features were regr and his eyes, bright and spirited.


    He tapped the ss jar, observing the furiously thrashing and saliva-spewing human-faced moths within.


    Su Jie set down the basket on his back at his feet, already filled with over a dozen simr human-faced moths.


    ¡°Twelve, plus these three, even if they¡¯re sold at a reduced price at the Ghost Market, should fetch me a Blood Marrow Crystal.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s face held the joy of a farmer reaping a bountiful harvest.


    On the ck Market, ten human-faced moths could usually be exchanged for one Blood Marrow Crystal.


    Human-faced moths, a gregarious and dangerous species, have a keen sense of hearing and an extreme thirst for blood.


    If too much noise is made, or even a small wound is carelessly exposed, it would attract a swarm to descend upon the unfortunate soul, devouring thempletely, leaving not even bones behind.


    Having been here for half a year, Su Jie had already seen too many clumsy fellow sect members meet their end, leaving no trace of their corpses.


    Capturing them required patient lurking, waiting for a gust of wind to stir them into motion, seizing the chance to grab one or two.


    Sometimes luck was poor and only a few could be caught in a day, but one still had to be wary of the risk of losing one¡¯s life.


    Because it was too troublesome, fully-fledged Demon Cultivators wouldn¡¯t bother with capturing them, but human-faced moths happen to be a favorite food for the poisonous insects cultivated by many Demon Cultivators.


    Therefore, this troublesome task fell to neers like Su Jie.


    He was an Outer Disciple of Ghost Ridge Pce and a specialized Insect Catcher.


    As the wind died down, the human-faced moths once again settled on treetops and rocks.


    Su Jie carefully ced his basket, slowly retreated, and left that part of Insect Valley.


    Outside the mountain, there was a narrow path, winding and deep. Su Jie took off the stifling rubber suit and beekeeper¡¯s hood, enjoying the crisp air.


    ¡°Brother Su, it looks like you¡¯ve had a good haul today.¡±


    Sounds from behind; several Insect Catchers, dressed just like Su Jie, greeted him.


    ¡°It¡¯s just enough to scrape by, after all, I still have to pay my dues to my Master.¡±


    Su Jie nodded slightly; these men were also Outer Disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Ghost Ridge Pce was renowned for its insect poison, by virtue of controlling this part of Insect Valley. This area was Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s forbidden ground, where other Demon Cultivation Sects dared not tread.


    While speaking, Su Jie quickened his steps, his gaze vignt.


    Although they were from the same sect, they were all Demon Cultivators, naturallycking muchradery, with thew of the jungle prevailing; snatching or even killing others wasmonce.


    ¡°Wait for us, Brother Su, it¡¯s getting dark soon, beware of Alien Ghosts on the prowl, and it¡¯s better to stick together.¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten, Brother Su, you¡¯re with Taoist Qiu, who demands ten Blood Marrow Crystals a month. You¡¯ve been here for half a year, so at least dozens of Blood Marrow Crystals are gone. They really don¡¯t treat you like a human being.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it, my Master only demands five Blood Marrow Crystals a month.¡±


    As the several Disciples continued talking about Taoist Qiu, their tone teasing, they sped up, approaching Su Jie with seemingly ill intentions.


    At Ghost Ridge Pce, Su Jie had always been an inconspicuous existence; robbing him came without any sense of guilt.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to speak nonsense. My Master likes to use insect poison, for all you know there could be one of his insect poisons on me. If he hears about this, he won¡¯t let it go easily.¡±


    Su Jie kept a calm face, but his words caused a slight change in the expressions of the Disciples opposite him.


    Offending an Elder with careless words, if Disciples like them were attacked or even killed, no one would bother to ask about it.


    The thoughts of robbery they had harbored faded, uncertain of the truth in Su Jie¡¯s words.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be going ahead then, brothers.¡±


    Su Jie no longer paid attention to the few men behind him and strode onto the narrow path.


    ¡­


    The sun was setting, and the dying light was as red as blood, tinting the sky.


    Su Jie walked briskly, the distant mountains shrouded in mist, willow trees stood silently by the roadside, their branches hanging down, casting shadows over the grassy path.


    After distancing himself from the few Disciples, Su Jie thought back to their words and mused internally: ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve been in this world for half a year, and to think I¡¯m still acting as a cheap Insect Catcher every day.¡±


    Reflecting on his past memories, Su Jie felt mncholic.


    Su Jie was not native to this world; he came from the modern civilization of Blue Star.


    Half a year ago, Su Jie had just graduated from an ordinary second-tier college and was struggling to find a job.


    These days, it wasn¡¯t just the graduates from ordinary colleges that had difficulty finding jobs; the situation was the same even for postgraduates, or else there wouldn¡¯t be so many opting for a steady government job.


    But instead of finding work, one night, an Ancient Mirror passed down in his family glowed brightly and in the blink of an eye, it drew him into it.


    By the time Su Jie came to his senses, he found himself in this cultivating world called Tianyuan.


    And his arrival was in none other than the deep forests of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s territory.


    Unable to leave this deep forest, Su Jie inadvertently joined Ghost Ridge Pce.

 Chapter 3 - 2: Traveling Between Two Realms

    Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Traveling Between Two Realms


    I¡¯m back.


    I¡¯m really back.


    Looking at the familiar furniture, appliances, air conditioning, water heater, and other products of modern civilization, Su Jie almost shed tears of joy.


    In the past six months, he had suffered a lot at Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Every day, he had to struggle for a living and watch out for the brutalpetition within the sect, living on thin ice.


    ¡°Six months, do you know how I¡¯ve spent these six months?¡±


    With aplex look in his eyes, Su Jie stared at the Ancient Mirror in his hands, a mixture of bitter feelings welling up in his heart.


    Fortunately, his six months of hardship had toughened his mentality; he calmed his emotions in just a few seconds.


    Facing the portal door again, Su Jie stepped through and sure enough, he was back in the Tianyuan World.


    After many trials, Su Jie confirmed his spection.


    The Ancient Mirror could take him freely between Blue Star and Tianyuan World, allowing him to shuttle between the two realms.


    ¡°Hiss, I admit I spoke a bit loudly just now, Magic Mirror, Magic Mirror, you really are a treasure.¡±


    A smile that Su Jie couldn¡¯t suppress hung on his lips.


    Having experienced the treacherous and mystical world of cultivation, he didn¡¯t want topletely escape back to the real world.


    Although the real world was safe, with no life-threatening dangers, and pleasures far exceeded that of the other world,


    Su Jie only wanted to use the resource advantages of Blue Star to aid his cultivation in Tianyuan World.


    Otherwise, relying solely on his poor cultivation talent, he would struggle to make a breakthrough even until death.


    He found his phone on the bed and charged it. There were several missed calls and texts, all from thendlord asking for the rent.


    Su Jie had paid half a year¡¯s rent upfront, and now it was almost due.


    He then checked his bank ount, the five-digit figure was clear at a nce.


    ¡°I need to make money.¡±


    Now, Su Jie immediately understood what he needed to do.


    Wanting to use modern resources, having no money was absolutely not going to work.


    ¡°The total is thirty thousand, six hundred and three dors, whether in Tianyuan World or on Blue Star, I¡¯m truly impoverished!¡±


    Su Jie said,ughing at himself.


    Su Jie¡¯s mother had lost contact with his father when he was a child, and his father had sold the house and car to pay for medical bills when Su Jie was in college but did not survive.


    By the time Su Jie graduated, that was all he had left.


    If it had been just after his college graduation, Su Jie would probably have been very anxious about his dwindling family assets.


    But now, possessing supernatural powers, making money wasn¡¯t a matter ofmitting crimes.


    With his own talent for Insect Control, putting on a show or appearing on a program to make money was easy.@@novelbin@@


    However, Su Jie had no thoughts of continuing to work a job.


    It was too troublesome to make money that way, and it wasn¡¯t much money either.


    The differences between the two worlds were vast; even a casual spector could strike it rich!


    Speaking of which, what products from Tianyuan World were valuable in modern society?


    ¡°Trading gold and silver, tsk, no, no, that might work for small amounts at first, but it bes a problem inrger volumes.¡±


    Su Jie quickly thought it over, immediately ruling out gold, silver, and gemstones.


    In either world, such hard currencies were valuable and not easy to obtain.


    Even with profit margins, such dealings could attract attention, especiallyrge transactions of precious metals which could draw governmental scrutiny.


    Before his power had increased substantially, Su Jie did not n to draw attention to himself.


    ¡°Antiques seem out of the question too; Tianyuan World¡¯s antiques aren¡¯t recognized on Blue Star!¡±


    Su Jie frowned deeply in thought. While Tianyuan World, being a feudal society, didn¡¯tck ancient artifacts,


    theck of shared cultural history meant these items couldn¡¯t fetch high prices.


    As he paced back and forth in his rented room, he inadvertently bumped into the corner of the table.


    A red mark appeared on his waist, but Su Jie didn¡¯t care; instead, he stood still, gazing at the wooden table, suddenly having an epiphany.


    ¡°Right, timber, I can sell timber! I can do a wood import business.¡±


    Su Jie pped his thigh,ing up with a very suitable idea.


    Around the mountains near Ghost Ridge Pce, ancient trees hundreds or thousands of years old weremon.


    Some of these trees were extremely rare and valuable species on Blue Star.


    Such as Golden Nan Wood, Rosewood, Yellow pear wood, and so on.


    These woods had be extremely endangered on Blue Star after thousands of years of logging.


    In the Tianyuan World, these trees were just ordinary, and no one engaged in their random felling.


    Su Jie only needed to set up apany with import-export qualifications or coborate with a licensed import-export business to legally sell the timber domestically.


    ¡°Wow, this n could really take off!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes lit up Hua Country had imported over 100 million cubic meters of wood annually, and timber trading was extremely popr.


    After searching the inte for more information, Su Jie had a clearer objective, nning to first cut down a type of tree called ¡°Zitan.¡±


    This type of tree had already be extinct in ancient Hua Country, only remaining in the form of old stock passed down through generations; currently, only India had simr trees in production.


    He couldpletely cut down the trees, then rapidly dry them with spiritual power, or age them directly to legitimately sell them.


    Since this type of tree was already extinct in Hua Country, there was no risk of illegal logging. Nowadays, most of the Zitan in the wood trading market were either handed down from ancestors or imported from India and were sold openly.


    Thinking of this, Su Jie could no longer contain his excitement. He took a step back into the Tianyuan World to search for rare trees to cut down.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Following his n, Su Jie first exchanged a small amount of precious metals for millions in funds, then started to establish shellpanies both domestically and internationally, paying people to negotiate rtionships and secure import-export qualifications.


    Once everything was ready, Su Jiemenced his n.


    Blue Star, Linping City, Leng Baihe Furniture Company.


    Su Jie stepped out of the taxi and looked up at the towering, multi-story building that housed Leng Baihe Furniture, pondering thepany¡¯s details as he walked inside.


    Leng Baihe Furniture was a well-known home furnishingspany in Hannan Province, specializing in high-end home furnishings, with its products distributed throughout Hua Country.


    ¡°Hello, sir, may I help you with something?¡±


    Two receptionists offered professional smiles as they inquired about Su Jie¡¯s purpose of visit.


    ¡°I represent Hengyuan Company and I¡¯m here to discuss a partnership. I contacted you by phone earlier, seeking your purchasing manager.¡±


    Su Jie went straight to the point; he was here to make money, and as for Hengyuan Company, it was a shellpany he had someone set up to facilitate the transaction.


    ¡°Sure sir, just a moment, I¡¯ll make a call to ask.¡±


    One of the receptionists made a call and soon told Su Jie, ¡°Sir, Manager Liang invites you to his office. I¡¯ll take you there now.¡±


    Minutester, Su Jie sessfully met Liang Lianjun, the purchasing department manager of Leng Baihe Furniture Company.


    ¡°May I ask your sirname, sir?¡±


    Liang Lianjun shifted his gaze from hisputer screen, remaining seated, his attitude neither warm nor cold.


    ¡°No need for formalities, my sirname is Su. I would like to know if Leng Baihe purchases raw wood materials?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, Leng Baihe has always had stable suppliers and overseas purchasing channels. Which timber factory are you representing?¡±


    Liang Lianjun¡¯s attitude cooled further, assuming that Su Jie was a salesperson from a timber factory trying to prate Leng Baihe¡¯s supply chain.


    Leng Baihe Furniture wasn¡¯t short of channel partners. Hua Country was currently Blue Star¡¯srgest importer of timber, with countless timber mills vying to hitch a ride on Leng Baihe¡¯s coattails.


    ¡°Manager Liang, just take a look at this first.¡±


    Su Jie did not respond immediately but instead took out his phone and opened the photo album.


    It contained photos of hisborious two-day efforts of cutting trees in the Tianyuan World, which he showed to Liang Lianjun.


    ¡°Mr. Su, we at Leng Baihe have stable channels for beech, pine, mahogany, oak, ck walnut, cherry wood, and the like. Cooperation might not be¡­¡±


    Liang Lianjun hadn¡¯t finished speaking when it seemed he saw something unbelievable.


    After rubbing his eyes, Liang Lianjun leaned in close, staring intently at the photos on Su Jie¡¯s phone screen.


    ¡°This is¡­ top-quality Zitan, at least eight hundred years old. Mr. Su, you¡¯re not joking with me, are you? Do you really have this? Do you truly have it?¡±


    Liang Lianjun¡¯s voice trembled, as excited and eager as seeing a dream lover, swiftly standing up.


    Such top-quality Zitan!


    This type of wood was called the king among woods, dense, hard in texture, and resistant to decay, able to withstand insects and moisture.


    Moreover, Zitan grew slowly, gaining only one growth ring every five years, barely maturing in a hundred years. Throughout history, Zitan furniture was predominantly reserved for royalty.


    Today, Zitan had been extinct for centuries in Hua Country, with very limited old stock remaining, let alone such top-quality material.


    Leng Baihe specialized in high-end home furnishings but also rarely obtained such quality raw materials.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one for jokes, Manager Liang. I have the stock ready, and you are wee to inspect it. However, I should mention that this batch of wood is ancestral, and yourpany will need to handle the formalities.¡±


    Su Jie pocketed his phone, seeing Liang Lianjun¡¯s expression, he knew his n hadrgely seeded.


    ¡°Of course, of course. Is it convenient to inspect the goods now? If the material is fine, all else is easy to handle, and we at Leng Baihe would buy it all.¡±


    Liang Lianjun didn¡¯t seem concerned, for capital dared to trample allws with enough incentive, especially arge corporation; regardless of whether it was ancestral, they could easilyunder it.


    ¡°I¡¯m avable for the transaction anytime.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not dy, I¡¯ll arrange for thepany car now.¡±


    Liang Lianjun was overjoyed, thoughtfully serving Su Jie tea and water. Any initial aloofness had disappeared, now he was the one eager for Su Jie to sell him the goods.


    This top-quality Zitan material was a seller¡¯s market, avable only to those quick enough.


    Failing to secure a deal due to negligence would be nothing short of criminal.

 Chapter 4 - 3: 62.4 Million

    Chapter 4: Chapter 3: 62.4 Million


    Outside Linping City.


    At the South Bridge Logistics Warehouse Center, a Mercedes-Benz seven-seater business van was leading, followed by a convoy of trucks and cranes that drove in and stopped in front of a small warehouse.


    Once the vehicles stopped, Su Jie and Liang Lianjun stepped out of the business van.


    Following them were several elite business professionals, including financial and legal experts, clearly indicating a major transaction was in the works.


    ¡°The goods are inside.¡±


    Su Jie took out the keys, opened the warehouse he had just rented by spending all his assets, and led several people inside.


    The warehouse wasn¡¯t veryrge and appeared quite empty, with only a few bare trees ced in the corners.


    ¡°It really is Pterocarpus santalinus.¡±


    Originally anxious, Liang Lianjun¡¯s heart was nowpletely settled ¨C Su Jie wasn¡¯t ying him for a fool.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯d like to take a look at the quality of these raw materials first, and I hope you don¡¯t mind if we cut into them a bit.¡±


    Liang Lianjun eager and impatient, brought his tools down from the vehicle.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re all professionals here, that¡¯s naturally possible.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand, and Liang Lianjun hurried over to the Pterocarpus santalinus trees.


    ¡°This guy¡¯s got some crazy connections, to have so much.¡±


    Upon first seeing the Pterocarpus santalinus, Liang Lianjun judged that these trees were ancient, vintage stock likely handed down from ancestors, andpletely eligible for free trade.


    Liang Lianjun didn¡¯t know that there was something in the world called Spiritual Power that could easily age wood.


    ¡°Diameter about 59 centimeters, length around 16 meters, weight estimated to be five to six tons, this one¡¯s diameter is 63 centimeters¡­¡±


    After measuring the data of five Pterocarpus santalinus trees, Liang Lianjun called a Master toe forward.


    The man picked up a chainsaw and started to make a cut at the base of a Pterocarpus santalinus.


    Buzz buzz!


    When a ring of thin wood was cut off and the sawdust was washed away, revealing the inner core.


    Everyone except Su Jie¡¯s eyes widened.


    Apanied by a faint scent, the Pterocarpus santalinus revealed a gradient of textures from shallow to deep, presenting an extremely fine ripple pattern.


    It was like a natural painting of West Lake, exceptionally dazzling and beautiful.


    ¡°Perfect, perfect-grade golden star pattern, this texture, this feel, this oil richness¡­ It¡¯s incredible.¡±


    Touching the beautiful cut surface as if caressing a lover in a dream, Liang Lianjun wished his eyes could bore into the wood.


    Such obsession for beloved objects is hard to understand for those not in the industry.


    For example, Su Jie didn¡¯t understand; although he found it attractive, he wasn¡¯t to the point of infatuation.


    However, Su Jie knew one thing: he would be getting more money in his hands.


    ¡°Manager Liang, take a look at the other goods as well. There are still four more.¡±


    After a few minutes, Su Jie reminded the still-enthralled Liang Lianjun.


    ¡°The other trees will definitely not disappoint. Master, bring over the chainsaw¡­ never mind, I¡¯ll do it myself, I¡¯ve never cut such high-quality Pterocarpus santalinus before.¡±


    Liang Lianjun, extremely excited, snatched the chainsaw to do it himself.


    As the chainsaw buzzed, one after another Pterocarpus santalinus tree was cut open.


    And with each cut, sounds of sharp intakes of breath could be heard on the site.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually the finest among the fish scale patterns, evolved into the Dragon Scale pattern, with clear and powerful textures, full and smooth.¡±


    ¡°Is it real? This level of golden star tumor scar pattern is simply perfect, too perfect.¡±


    ¡°This one too is¡­¡±


    Exmations of surprise rang out in the warehouse.


    The group of experts from Leng Baihe Company were like novices who had never seen the world,pletely conquered by the various beautiful patterns of the Pterocarpus santalinus.


    After all the Pterocarpus santalinus trees had been inspected, Liang Lianjun felt somewhat dizzy, his heart pounding with the huge unexpected surprise, more excited than when he first stayed in a hotel room with his girlfriend.


    ¡°So, the goods here haven¡¯t disappointed you, Manager Liang, have they?¡±


    Su Jie asked with a smile. Seeing Liang Lianjun so excited, it would be a waste not to make a hefty profit, considering the hardships he went through in the deep mountains and forests.


    ¡°Mr. Su, stop joking, how could I be disappointed? I¡¯m more than satisfied with these materials,¡±


    Liang Lianjun managed to calm his excitement and said earnestly, ¡°Mr. Su, what you have here is truly top-notch. We¡¯ve already weighed them just now, five Pterocarpus santalinus trees together weigh 31 tons and 200 kilograms, and now the market price for Pterocarpus santalinus is between 800,000 to 1.5 million yuan per ton. We at Leng Baihe are willing to pay the highest price for this purchase, that is, 1.5 million yuan per ton for this batch of Pterocarpus santalinus.¡±


    31.2¡Á1500000=46800000


    Quickly calcting the figures in his mind, Su Jie felt overjoyed, although he managed to remainposed on the outside.


    ¡°Manager Liang must be joking, this price reallycks sincerity! Even the cheapest genuine rosewood bead bracelets on Taobao go for over a thousand each, let alone this batch with such exceptional quality.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, that¡¯s not how pricing works. There¡¯s loss during the processing of the raw materials, and we have to bear the design and processing costs as well. You can¡¯t expect us to pay the retail price to our manufacturing nt, can you?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Manager Liang immediately started toin, exining his difficulties.


    ¡°It seems like Manager Liang doesn¡¯t want to do business with me after all. That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll find another buyer. With such high-quality goods, I¡¯m not worried about finding someone to take them off my hands.¡±


    Su Jie deliberately put on an unconcerned face, but he could see Liang Lianjun¡¯s expression change suddenly.


    Indeed, as Su Jie said, there was no worry about selling such premium goods.


    Once the news got out,panies from outside would swarm in, and Leng Baihe might not be able to get their hands on this batch of goods anymore.


    ¡°No, no, Mr. Su, we at Leng Baihe are very sincere. How about this, you name your price.¡±


    Liang Lianjun changed his expression, pleading earnestly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set a price then¡ª1,000 yuan per jin. If you agree, we can make the deal right now. If not, I¡¯ll look for another buyer.¡±


    Su Jie raised a finger, stating his asking price.


    This price meant that each ton of rosewood was being valued at 2 million yuan, which was a third more than Liang Lianjun¡¯s previous offer.


    ¡°That price, it¡¯s too much¡­ Mr. Su, we need to discuss the price on our side, please wait a moment.¡±


    Originally, Liang Lianjun nned to haggle, but seeing Su Jie¡¯s expression and fearing the young man might truly turn and walk away, he refrained and suggested discussing instead.


    ¡°Make it fast.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, sitting casually on a log of rosewood, looking utterly indifferent, a stance that only further convinced Liang Lianjun to finalize the deal.


    The man¡¯s attitude indicated he had leverage; if they at Leng Baihe missed this opportunity, there would be no other chances for them.


    A group of business elites rushed out of the warehouse for a secret meeting, returning only after more than ten minutes.


    Taking the opportunity, Su Jie turned off the video of a youngdy dancing on the short video tform and looked across.


    ¡°Well, have you reached a decision?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, as you said, we at Leng Baihe are willing to purchase this batch of raw materials at a price of 1,000 yuan per jin. Ah, we¡¯re not making any profit on this deal; it¡¯s mainly about making your acquaintance.¡±


    Liang Lianjun wore a look of great loss on his face, but what he was truly thinking inside, no one could tell; after all, a merchant¡¯s words are never fully trustworthy.


    Although Su Jie had been mentally prepared, hearing the high selling price still made his emotions surge like a pot of boiling water about to overflow with excitement.


    This price meant that this batch of rosewood could be sold for a huge sum of 62.4 million yuan, soon making Su Jie a multimillionaire.


    ¡°Mr. Su, let¡¯s not dy and sign the contract now. We will transfer the money to you immediately. We¡¯ll issue the invoice first and then coordinate with finance. Oh and Mr. Su, please remember to pay your taxes.¡±


    Liang Lianjun summoned finance and legal to bring out the pre-prepared contract temte. In a harsher scenario, they wouldn¡¯t even have to issue an invoice, which would even avoid taxes.


    After all, once the wood is made into furniture, it bes almost impossible to trace, and that¡¯s why Liang Lianjun didn¡¯t inquire about the specific origins of Su Jie¡¯s wood; some gray areas are tacitly understood by all.@@novelbin@@


    After reviewing the contracts, Su Jie wasn¡¯t afraid of any tricks from the other side.


    He was not willing tomit a crime, but that didn¡¯t mean hecked the capability to do so.


    If they dared to y word games in the contract, Su Jie wouldn¡¯t mind engaging in a real high-stakes game of business warfare with them¡ªyes, the kind that leaves no trace behind.


    Signatures were made, stamps were pressed.


    Once both parties confirmed everything was correct, Su Jie¡¯s shellpany also received the payment, and the money entered thepany¡¯s ount.


    [Ding! Your Hengyuan Company ount 1248 received a transfer of 62,400,000.00 yuan from Leng Baihe Furniture Company on October 23 at 12:21 via Industrial and Commercial Bank. Current ount bnce is 62,400,419.00 yuan¡­]


    A series of numbers covered up the previously sparse savings, filling Su Jie with euphoria. Even with some taxes to be paidter, this fortune was astonishing.


    ¡°Manager Liang, a pleasure doing business.¡±


    Su Jie took a deep breath and extended his hand, not showing any sign of weakness at thest moment.


    ¡°The pleasure is ours, Mr. Su. If you have any more good stock in the future, please contact me. Our demand for such materials at Leng Baihe is endless.¡±


    Liang Lianjun also reached out, satisfied with the deal. He had already perceived there was more to the wood than a simple inheritance and looked forward to more dealings in the future, aiming to secure this major client.


    ¡°Sure thing, sure thing, we will do this again next time.¡±


    Su Jie responded with a smile, not needing Liang Lianjun¡¯s reminder. With such an easy and safe way to make money, he naturally wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    Today he would effortlesslye into wealth of over sixty million, and with a bit more logging of precious trees, reaching a small financial goal would just be a matter of effort.


    He declined Liang Lianjun¡¯s invitation for drinks and further discussion and watched as the five logs of rosewood were hoisted onto a truck and left the warehouse, his smile no longer able to be contained.


    ¡°Sixty million, oh sixty million, with so much money, how could I possibly spend it all?¡±


    Su Jie kept looking at the bank messages on his phone; the excitement of his sudden wealth was hard to restrain.


    After all, the most money he had ever handled was just tens of thousands.


    Sixty million was a figure Su Jie never even dared to dream of before his transmigration.


    And with this huge sum of money, Su Jie could finally move forward with his n to use Blue Star resources to assist his cultivation.

 Chapter 5 - 4: Insect Farming

    Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Insect Farming


    After leaving the warehouse area, Su Jie treated himself to a hearty meal.


    With his belly full and satisfied, based on the information he found online, he took a cab to the outskirts to a farm specifically for breeding scorpions.


    The farm covered arge area, with several single-story factory buildings, and a wolf dog tied at the entry barked furiously upon seeing Su Jie approaching.


    Sizzle!


    From inside his sleeve, the Thousand-Handed Centipede poked out half its head and emitted a threatening sound.


    The terrifying appearance of the Thousand-Handed Centipede instantly scared the wolf dog to death, who tucked its tail and shrank back into its kennel, not daring toe out again.


    Su Jie nced at the sign hanging at the gate, Yaogang Scorpion Breeding Farm, and there wasn¡¯t even a security guard to watch the door.


    Just as he was thinking about calling the factory number posted beside the wall, footsteps came from inside the factory.@@novelbin@@


    Possibly alerted by the earlier barking, a dark-skinned, squarely built middle-aged man ran out.


    ¡°Hello, boss, are you here to buy scorpions? I¡¯m Chen Yaoguang, and I run this factory. I hope the dog¡¯s barking didn¡¯t scare you earlier. This damn dog, I¡¯m going to ughter it one of these days.¡±


    Upon first meeting, the man was exceedingly enthusiastic, and the way he looked at Su Jie was nearly glowing green.


    Su Jie warily gave him a look¡ªare you some kind of a special hobbyist?


    ¡°Somewhat, I¡¯ll go in and take a look around, see how the scorpions you¡¯re raising are faring.¡±


    Su Jie touched the Thousand-Handed Centipede hidden in his sleeve, felt reassured, and walked into the scorpion breeding farm with Chen Yaoguang apanying him.


    It was evident that Chen Yaoguang was a clean person. Although he was breeding scorpions, which don¡¯t require a clean environment, he kept both the inside and outside of the factory spotless.


    ¡°Boss, this is our breeding facility. A factory building like this one, three meters in height, usesrge-scale honeb-style breeding. We can house up to two hundred thousand scorpions.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang enthusiastically continued to exin and then personally led Su Jie inside the factory building.


    The scorpion breeding pools here were constructed from wooden board grates, arranged like rows of bookshelves.


    A vast number of gray-brown scorpions crawled in and out, their sheer quantity making one¡¯s scalp tingle at a nce.


    Upon entering, the Thousand-Handed Centipede in Su Jie¡¯s arms immediately became restless, eager to climb out from his sleeve.


    ¡°Mr. Chen, what mainly are the varieties of scorpions here?¡±


    Su Jie calmed the Thousand-Handed Centipede and continued to inquire.


    ¡°We primarily breed East Asia Pincers Scorpions here, sold to pharmacies for medicinal purposes. Male scorpions cost 0.8 yuan each, and females are a bit more expensive at 1.1 yuan each. We also breed some Rainforest Scorpions and Emperor Scorpions; these are sold to insect pet shops and are priced higher. I don¡¯t know which type you¡¯d want to purchase?¡±


    Chen Yaoguang answered immediately, carefully watching Su Jie, afraid that he might be dissatisfied with the prices and leave.


    His Yaogang Scorpion Breeding Farm was recently facing a crisis of survival as the usual stable traditional medicine channels had canceled their supply rtionships with him.


    A business like scorpion selling cannot take to the streets to peddle.


    Without downstream sales channels, his breeding farm suddenly became mired in difficulties.


    The farm¡¯s daily expenses for water, electricity, and feeding mealworms were a considerable expenditure.


    The immense pressure almost crushed him; he even sold his ancestral house to invest in it, struggling painfully to keep going, which was why he was so enthusiastic to see Su Jiee by.


    ¡°How many scorpions do you have in your farm?¡±


    ¡°The farm has a total of five buildings, with about a million scorpions being bred. Boss, I have been in the insect breeding industry for over a decade, and you can absolutely trust the quality of the scorpions I breed,¡±


    Hearing this, Chen Yaoguang grew even more excited¡ªthis person could be a major customer!


    However, Su Jie¡¯s appetite was bigger than he had anticipated. Nodding in satisfaction, he said, ¡°Are you selling this factory? I¡¯ll offer two million.¡±


    ¡°Buy¡­ the factory?¡±


    At this, Chen Yaoguang waspletely dumbfounded.


    He had thought Su Jie was a major customer, but it turned out he was interested not only in the scorpions but also in the factory itself.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, boss, but that¡¯s likely not possible. I have put too much effort into this factory, working here from my twenties into my forties¡ªit¡¯s not for sale.¡±


    After hesitating for a moment, Chen Yaoguang still turned down Su Jie¡¯s offer. He had worked at this breeding farm for many years and had deep feelings for it.


    ¡°2.5 million, are you selling?¡±


    Su Jie, without even blinking an eyelid, casually threw out an even higher number.


    Now holding over sixty million in cash, Su Jie really demonstrated his wealth without any signs of heartache when spending.


    Gulp!


    Swallowing hard, Chen Yaoguang breathed more heavily and struggled to say, ¡°Boss, I know you¡¯re rich, but breeding insects is my dream, not something to be insulted by money. Please respect my dream.¡±


    Though the number was very tempting, he had dreams about insect breeding; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have sold his house to invest in the breeding farm and stick with it.


    ¡°3 million, I respect other people¡¯s dreams very much. How about this, Mr. Chen, I¡¯ll buy the breeding farm and still let you manage it with a sry of fifty thousand a month. I will not interfere with any production aspects, only the sale and trading of the scorpions will be up to me,¡±


    Su Jie, wearing a smile, kept adding more to the price, eventuallypletely breaking down Chen Yaoguang¡¯s psychological defenses.


    ¡°That what¡­ Hahaha, boss, you read people so well, I agree. But it¡¯s not for the money; it¡¯s to continue managing this breeding farm.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang sumbed in front of the staggering three million. Dreams are important, but so is filling one¡¯s stomach.


    Moreover, Su Jie respected his dream and would still let him manage the factory; he really couldn¡¯t find a reason to refuse.


    After all, a monthly sry of fifty thousand was truly tempting.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then. We¡¯ll sign the contract shortly and I¡¯ll transfer the money to you after that.¡±


    Seeing Chen Yaoguang¡¯s face bloom into a big smile, Su Jie was highly satisfied as well.


    Having Chen Yaoguang there made things much easier for Su Jie, who didn¡¯t have the capacity to manage the breeding farm himself.


    And with more than a decade of experience in insect breeding, Chen Yaoguang was the kind of talent Su Jie needed to hire for his operations.


    As for the small amount of money paid, in the world of Tianyuan, it was as simple as chopping down a couple more trees.


    ¡°Mr. Chen, first fetch me a box of scorpions. Catch about ten thousand; I want to take them with me.¡±


    ¡°Understood, understood, I¡¯ll go catch them right away.¡±


    Instantly stepping into his role, Chen Yaoguang began treating Su Jie as his god, almost as if he wanted to show him his heart to demonstrate his loyalty.


    After getting the scorpions, Su Jie and Chen Yaoguang signed the transfer contract for the breeding farm, and with a payment of three million, the Yaogang Scorpion Breeding Farm was henceforth under Su¡¯s name.


    With this breeding farm as a cover, Su Jie could, in the future, buyrge quantities of venomous insects without raising any suspicion.

 Chapter 7 - 6: Liu Yingying

    Chapter 7: Chapter 6: Liu Yingying


    After several hours of cultivation practice, Su Jie opened his eyes again and looked at his own arm, which had undergone some changes.


    Compared to the skin on other parts of his body, his two arms were noticeably fairer, possessing a sickly pallor, much like¡­ the arm of a thousand-hand centipede.


    With a light press of his palm on the box, he expelled a burst of force, and a dark green handprint immediately appeared on the wooden box. If it had been pressed on a human body, the poison would have instantly invaded the flesh.


    ¡°As expected of the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture, now I can also inherit the special abilities of this lifebound poisonous insect.¡±


    Su Jie smiled at the corner of his mouth, urged his spiritual power, and then from his shoulders and ribs, his flesh split and eight pale arms took form and drilled out before detaching from the flesh and falling to the ground on their own.


    The fallen arms spread their fingers, resembling swiftly scuttling spiders, with the part beyond the wrists arching high, moving nimbly following Su Jie¡¯s will.


    Finally, the eight arms simultaneously grabbed a steel pipe and managed to bend it forcefully.


    This is the way of a demon cultivator, no wonder they are shunned and despised in the Tianyuan World¡ªsuch magic skills are indeed horrifying and chilling.@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie, satisfied, ceased the supply of spiritual power, watching the eight arms quickly wither and disintegrate, unable to contain the joy on his face. The new ability of the thousand-hand centipede had also been inherited.


    Today¡¯s gains were indeed too great, not only confirming the avenues for earning money in both worlds but also evolving the thousand-hand centipede to the stage of Low Grade First Refinement.


    He furthermore confirmed that his approach was correct, that he could use the resources of Blue Star to assist in the practice of his cultivation technique.


    ¡°Hey, upstairs, what¡¯s with the ghostlyughter in the middle of the night, can¡¯t people sleep?¡±


    Caught up in his excitedughter, Su Jie heard theints of other tenants from downstairs.


    Without realizing it, his cultivation had taken him deep into the night.


    ¡°It looks like I need to find a new environment; this ce isn¡¯t suitable for cultivation.¡±


    That thought crossed Su Jie¡¯s mind, noting that cultivating in a densely popted environment easily attracts unwanted attention.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    The next day!


    Su Jie got out of bed and dressed neatly before going to thendlord to terminate his lease.


    Ignoring the incessant chatter of the old man, Su Jie, with no luggage to pack, directly hailed a cab to the nearest 4S car dealership.


    In the 4S store, Su Jie immediately set his sights on his target, paying over two million in full for a top-of-the-line BMW M8 with a temporary license te, and driving off, all within less than twenty minutes.


    So much so, the salesperson serving him was still in a daze even after Su Jie had left.


    It was their first time seeing someone treat buying a car as nonchntly as buying vegetables.


    Having obtained his driver¡¯s license during university, Su Jie quickly got familiar with the vehicle and drove off swiftly.


    After driving around Linping City for a while, Su Jie arrived at a real estate sales center.


    Jingjiang Manor!


    This was a well-known high-end residentialplex in Lin¡¯an City, with an average price per square meter that exceeded twenty thousand, and it was built in less than three years.


    However, its fame didn¡¯te from high prices but rather the opposite; due to a decline in housing prices in the past two years, the sales center began to discount and sell properties.


    Early homebuyers were not pleased, gathering inrge crowds to cause uproar at the sales center, making repeated appearances on Hannan Province¡¯s television news.


    Nevertheless, no matter what, this residentialplex was indeed one of the few with the highest property prices in Linping City.


    Now that Su Jie wasn¡¯t short on money, naturally, he wouldn¡¯t shortchange himself; his first choice for buying a home would certainly be one of the finer options.


    The BMW M8, priced over two million, was quite conspicuous. Salespeople, who are known to be observant, were quick to notice. As soon as Su Jie parked the car, several enthusiastic sales representatives rushed out from the sales office.


    These sales representatives were polished in their appearance, both handsome men and beautiful women, dressed in high-end tailored suits, looking exceptionally professional.


    ¡°Sir, how may I help you?¡±


    The sales reps clearly saw the BMW that Su Jie was driving, and their attitude became even more enthusiastic, hoping to earn amission in the sluggish housing market.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to buy a house, of course. Introduce me to the properties you have here. Hmm, I see you have detached vis for sale; let¡¯s start with those.¡±


    Su Jie got straight to the point, emphasizing his wealthy and bold demeanor.


    Upon hearing this, the eyes of each sales rep lit up. That tone of voice was unmistakably that of a tycoon!


    ¡°Ahem, sir, let me take you to see them. I am very familiar with themunity nning, buildingyouts, and pricing. I guarantee I can choose the most satisfactory property for you.¡±


    ¡°What should I call you, sir? My name is Liu, you can just call me Xiao Liu. I¡¯m mainly responsible for the vi sales in the eastern district. We happen to have several promotional vis on sale. Are you interested in learning more?¡±


    The sales repspeted covertly, as Su Jie was a potential big deal. Themission from closing this deal could be enough to cover a year¡¯s sry.


    More sales representatives crowded around, with several women in suits appearing particrly attentive, sending flirty nces his way.


    Su Jie looked around and set his eyes on the most beautiful female sales rep in the ce.


    This sales representative was wearing a petite suit, tall and slender, standing at about 1.7 meters, with bright and attractive facial features, dignified and elegant, and with a beauty score above 90, was truly a rare beauty.


    As it happened, Su Jie knew this saleswoman; her name was Liu Yingying.


    During his college years at Linping City Finance and Economics University, Liu Yingying was a year ahead of Su Jie and was recognized as the prettiest girl in the finance department.


    Su Jie remembered her, but she didn¡¯t remember him.


    ¡°Youe and introduce it to me; the rest of you can disperse.¡±


    Pointing at Liu Yingying, Su Jie chose the eye-pleasing Liu Yingying.


    The other sales reps were visibly disappointed. Su Jie¡¯s attitude made him seem like someone who wasn¡¯t short on cash, and the female reps were even more envious and resentful toward Liu Yingying.


    ¡°Sir, I will definitely serve you with sincerity. Let¡¯s go and see the properties in person, so you can get a more direct understanding of the value of the properties.¡±


    Liu Yingying was pleasantly surprised and proudly nced back at the other female sales reps, smugly puffing out her chest, which annoyed them, internally cursing her as a seductive fox.


    Coming out of the sales office, Su Jie looked at Liu Yingying, who was walking ahead with a light step and swaying peach-like hips, and smiled, asking, ¡°Liu Yingying, no need to go to those ordinary vi areas. Where¡¯s the best vi you have here? Just take me straight there.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. Eh, how do you know my name?¡±


    Liu Yingying¡¯s beautiful eyes shone, and then she paused in confusion.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Su Jie pointed at her chest where two hefty pineapplesy, with her name tag hanging above them.


    ¡°Ahaha, I still don¡¯t know how to address you, sir. You seem to be about my age. My name is Liu Yingying; you can call me Xiao Liu, or Yingying if you like.¡±


    Liu Yingying brushed aside a strand of hair tousled by the wind, showing off her graceful figure and sweet smile.


    ¡°Su Jie. No need to be so formal with ¡®you.¡¯ If we¡¯re counting, I should probably be calling you ¡®Senior Sister Liu.''¡±


    Su Jie walked beside Liu Yingying, teasingly said.

 Chapter 9 - 8: Black Market

    Chapter 9: Chapter 8: ck Market


    After the huge sale, Su Jie did not stay at the bustling sales office but instead drove his BMW M8 to the outskirts, to the South Bridge Logistics Center where he had rented a new warehouse.


    Chen Yaoguang was already waiting there and wasn¡¯t surprised to see Su Jie driving up in the BMW.


    After all, anyone who didn¡¯t blink at spending three million to buy his venue, this young man about the same age as his daughter, clearly had a wealth that was anything but ordinary; driving a BMW was only to be expected.


    ¡°Old Chen, did you bring the goods I asked you to prepare?¡±


    Su Jie parked the car and walked toward Chen Yaoguang.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought them all, Boss Su. Take a look, this small truck is filled with scorpions that I captured with a few workers this morning, a total of thirty thousand.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang quickly opened the tailgate of the small truck, revealing several neatly arranged boxes.


    ¡°Hmm, unload the goods into the warehouse. From now on,e to the warehouse every day and deliver fifty thousand scorpions. I¡¯ll give you a key to the warehouse door, and you just send me a message on my phone after you¡¯re done loading and unloading.¡±


    Su Jie gestured with his hand. This remote location of the warehouse was suitable for the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s feeding.


    Chen Yaoguang unloaded all the scorpions from the truck into the warehouse, avoiding any unnecessary conversation throughout the process.


    Though he was curious about how Su Jie would manage to sell the scorpions,


    he wouldn¡¯t ask if Su Jie didn¡¯t mention it, lest Su Jie think he had ulterior motives.


    Once Chen Yaoguang had driven the small truck away, Su Jie locked up the warehouse door and released the exceptionally hungry thousand-hand centipede.


    In just an instant, the thirty thousand scorpions acted as if they had encountered a natural predator, frantically crawling wildly inside their boxes.


    After refining, the thousand-hand centipede had grown to a length of 1.2 meters and had developed a huge appetite. Seeing the scorpions excitedly shaking their antennae, it went into a frenzied killing spree, devouring the scorpions one by one.


    Su Jie stood quietly on the side, watching. The weight of the thirty thousand scorpions exceeded one hundred kilograms, which was enough to satisfy the appetite of the thousand-hand centipede.


    It was fortunate that he was on Blue Star. If it were in the Tianyuan World, no amount of effort could allow him to capture so many poisonous insects.


    Although the scorpions were of low quality, their sheer quantity provided plenty of sustenance¡ªeven the inner disciples and Elders of Ghost Ridge Pce cultivating poisonous insects might not be able to fill their bellies as well.


    The technology and productivity of modern society were undeniably evident at this moment.


    With a stable supply of poisonous insects, Su Jie spent the next several days immersed in cultivation.


    ¡­..


    Time flew by!


    A weekter.


    Tianyuan World, Ghost Ridge Pce.


    The autumn wind was getting harsher, the grass and trees were swaying, and many of the poisonous insects between the trees had entered hibernation, reducing their activity.


    Su Jie stepped out from the ancient mirror, looked at the room covered with dust, and let out a long breath of turbid air, saying, ¡°My strength has been consolidated. With the low-grade, first-refined thousand-hand centipede, now I have a bit of self-preservation ability among the outer disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±


    Thanks to the growth of the thousand-hand centipede, which had yielded cultivation benefits, Su Jie thoroughly consolidated the foundation of his recent breakthrough in one week.


    Sizzle.


    The thousand-hand centipede perched on Su Jie¡¯s shoulder raised its head and made a joyful noise.


    The abundant spiritual energy of the Tianyuan World made it feelfortable and at ease.


    ¡°Good, good, I¡¯ll take you to y in the forest in a while.¡±


    Su Jie stroked the head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede. Over the week, with his daily feeding of tens of thousands of scorpions, the centipede had also grown significantly, its body length breaking through to one and a half meters, looking extremely robust and fierce.


    He then coiled the Thousand-Handed Centipede around his waist and abdomen. This not only served as biological armor but also allowed it to attack immediately in battle.


    Dressed in the standardized ck robe of an Outer Disciple of the Ghost Ridge Pce, Su Jie pushed open the stone door of his cave dwelling that had been sealed for a week.


    ¡°Oh, Brother Su, you¡¯vee out of seclusion!¡±


    Just as he stepped out of the cave, his neighbor Peng Shiwen, hearing the movement, greeted Su Jie.


    ¡°Yes, after all, my strength is too weak. I must cultivate properly and can¡¯t always be busy catching insects.¡±


    Su Jie replied with a smile. Seclusions weremon, but Outer Disciples needed to keep busy with livelihoods and could not dedicate themselves entirely to cultivation.


    ¡°Catching insects is not bad, it¡¯s just that recently it has be difficult for me even to want to catch any.¡±


    Peng Shiwen chuckled bitterly and pointed to his left leg, exining, ¡°Yesterday, I was bitten by a Tuo Head Snake in Insect Valley. I can¡¯t engage in strenuous activities for some days; it¡¯s quite inconvenient to search for insects in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit of bad luck, aren¡¯t you going to find some medicine?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to take a trip to the ck Market to get some. Want to join me?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m also going to sell some Poisonous Insects.¡±


    Su Jie went back inside to get ready and soon came out carrying a bamboo basket on his back.


    The two left the Ghost Ridge Pce premises and walked along a narrow mountain path for some distance.


    Along the way, they asionally saw other Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples, all hurrying along with grim faces. Although they were from the same sect, they were colder than strangers.


    A momentter, Su Jie and Peng Shiwen arrived at a market deep in the mountains.


    The market was crudely made of trees right there, but it was crowded with people.


    Apart from the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples, there were also many merchants dressed in silk,ing and going with their caravans.


    This was the Ghost Ridge ck Market. The Ghost Ridge Pce was a notorious Demon Sect, but whether in the Tianyuan World or on Blue Star, as long as there were sufficient profits, merchants were willing to take risks, even risking their lives.


    For profit, merchants from outside continuously supplied various goods to the Ghost Ridge Pce and then bought its resources cheaply.


    This cycle of buying low and selling high was lucrative enough to turn heads.


    So, despite the explicit prohibition against dealing with Demon Sects, a continuous stream of merchants still came to trade.@@novelbin@@


    Upon entering the ck Market, Su Jie and Peng Shiwen temporarily separated.


    Peng Shiwen went to find a pharmacy to get medicine, while Su Jie hurried to sell the poison insects he had caught in Insect Valley some time ago.


    The ck Market was much busier than the outside world, with merchants loudly advertising their wares, and Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples lingering in front of Spirit Pills, Magic Artifacts, Spiritual Materials, and other cultivation items.


    Especially thoserge shops, which sold highly valuable items. The firms that could open such shops were famous even outside, guarded by cultivators from the Secret Realm.


    ¡°Nine-grade Tianji Spirit Gathering Pills, fifty Blood Marrow Crystals each, can regenerate flesh, stop bleeding, and heal injuries rapidly. Buying it is like having an extra life.¡±


    ¡°Snum Soil from Yun Province, ideal for digging-type Poisonous Insects, 15 Blood Marrow Crystals per pound.¡±


    ¡°Earth Melt Fruit, a Ninth-Grade Spirit Fruit, when consumed by Fire Attribute poisonous insects, can greatly enhance the foundation for breaking through Spirit Refining. Don¡¯t miss out as you pass by.¡±


    Servants distributed flyers at the roadside, calling out their wares, making one think they were in a bustling town rather than air crowded with cruel Evil Cultivators.


    Su Jie enviously nced at those treasures radiating spirit light, knowing that they were beyond his reach for now.

 Chapter 11 - 10: Alien Ghost

    Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Alien Ghost


    He had stayed in Insect Valley for a while, capturing a few inferior poison insects.


    There were low-grade poisonous insects in Insect Valley, but they required venturing deeper into its interior, which was far more dangerous than the outskirts.


    Without absolute certainty, Su Jie did not want to risk his life.


    As dusk approached, Su Jie gathered his basket and embarked on his return journey with today¡¯s earnings.


    Insect Valley was approximately ten kilometers away from Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s base, through a mountainous, densely forested environment with narrow, winding paths, making the return journey challenging.


    Rustle!


    Suddenly, Su Jie¡¯s ears twitched as he heard a strange sound.


    It resembled the wind blowing through the leaves, but was interspersed with faint, barely perceptible panting.


    Swiftly turning his head, Su Jie looked towards the dense forest behind him.


    The light was obscured by the dense trees, shrouding the surroundings in gloom. A pair of crimson eyes flickered in and out of view within the woods, rapidly approaching his position.


    ¡°Alien Ghost¡­ and it¡¯s not even dark yet.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression changed dramatically, and he quickened his pace, shifting from a walk to a sprint.


    A gust of wind blew behind him, apanied by a faint terrifying roar getting closer and closer.


    Su Jie sped up continuously. Fortunately, he was not far from the Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s base. After sprinting out of the dense forest and deep valley, the base was in sight, surrounded by a vast open area. As long as he could fight here, he could immediately attract the attention of the disciples, and he wouldn¡¯t have to worry too much about his safety.


    Still notpletely set, the sun¡¯s twilight illuminated the ground as Su Jie, gasping heavily with sweat pouring down like rain, leaned on his knees to catch his breath for quite a while, looking back towards the dense forest.


    Between the trees, a sinister figure with outstretched branches dark as storm clouds was staring intently at Su Jie with blood-red eyes, filled with malice and savagery that sent chills down one¡¯s spine.


    This figure was tall, its arms hung down to its knees, monkey-like; its skin was dry and pale as if it were a moving corpse, emitting a harsh, deep growl from its throat.


    The so-called Alien Ghost was a demon formed when a corpse was influenced by the turbid aura of the earth veins, then swayed by its bloodthirsty instincts. It was also known as Ghoul, Corpse Ghost, among other names.


    Alien Ghosts were nocturnal creatures that preyed on humans, fierce by nature, typically acting alone, but sometimes they hunted like wolves in packs.


    Each Alien Ghost possessed formidable physical strength, capable of effortlessly tearing apartrge trees that two people could barely embrace and moving swiftly as the wind, making them extremely difficult for ordinary disciples to handle.


    In the mountainous area where Ghost Ridge Pce was located, there happened to be an earth vein emitting turbid aura, which also led to arge number of Alien Ghosts.


    Fortunately, they did not venture out during daylight, and typically, Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples would intentionally avoid them.


    Looking at the Alien Ghost, which possessed no insignificant intelligence, it clearly knew that the area around Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s base was perilous. The creature stared at Su Jie for several seconds before reluctantly growling twice and slinking back into the dense forest.


    ¡°There must be a problem.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze grew stern. Alien Ghosts generally did not appear during the day; it was in their nature.


    In the past, Su Jie had never seen Alien Ghosts during the daytime. He had only heard of disciples and ck Market merchants who had missed their timing when returning from the mountains and were hunted by the Alien Ghosts at night.


    With unresolved thoughts, Su Jie did not dare stay outside any longer and quickly returned to Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s base.


    As soon as he returned to the stone caves, Su Jie saw many disciples gathered together, all of whom were disciples of Taoist Qiu, numbering over two hundred.


    In Ghost Ridge Pce, the rtionship between master and disciple was somewhat simr to the rtionship between a supervisor and a graduate student in Su Jie¡¯s understanding.


    The master taught the disciples, and the disciples served the master.


    However, Taoist Qiu was notoriously stingy and greedy. He did more taking than giving, and talented disciples often chose not to be his students, making his sect the smallest in Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Su Jie stepped forward to ask, not understanding why they were gathered there.


    ¡°The Master has summoned us for something. He wants us to go see him.¡±


    A disciple exined, and someone nearby whispered, ¡°I bet it¡¯s about the Alien Ghost¡¯s activity these past couple of days.¡±


    ¡°An Alien Ghost, but do they move around during the day?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s mind raced, immediately recalling his previous experiences.


    ¡°You encountered one? Then you¡¯re lucky to be alive.¡±


    The person looked at Su Jie somewhat unexpectedly.


    ¡°Friend, could you borate?¡±


    Su Jie looked at the speaking disciple who was over fifty years old¡ªa hopeless age for an Outer Disciple to make any breakthroughs.


    During the conversation, Su Jie casually passed a human-faced moth, a type of Poison Insect that was a hard currency among Outer Disciples.


    ¡°I remember you were called Su something¡­¡±


    The man hurriedly epted the human-faced moth, his face breaking into a smile.


    ¡°Su Jie, how may I address you?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, I¡¯m Gu Weonian. If you had asked other disciples, even inner disciples might not know about it, but you asked the right person.¡±


    Gu Weonian smiled smugly, then continued, ¡°These past couple of days, the Alien Ghosts changed their behavior of moving at night to appear during the day in the dense forest. Already, more than a dozen disciples have perished while venturing out, and some ck Market traders have suffered heavy losses.


    Twenty years ago, a simr situation urred, caused by a surge in the earth¡¯s foul qi, leading to a riot of Alien Ghosts with abnormal activity patterns, and many people died back then.¡±


    ¡°I see, thank you, Brother Gu, for clearing that up.¡±


    Su Jie grimaced. If things were as bad as described, venturing out during the day would be dangerous.


    ¡°Be careful if you go out in the future. Don¡¯t fall victim like those unfortunate souls, devoured by Alien Ghosts without leaving even a whole corpse behind.¡±


    Seeing as he had received the human-faced moth, Gu Weonian¡¯s attitude was quite friendly.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll avoid those things at all costs. I¡¯m certainly not going to tempt fate.¡±


    Gu Weonian nodded, his tone that of someone who had been through it all. ¡°Good that you know. Unlike some hotheads who think they¡¯re invincible after learning a few minor tricks, they foolishly challenge enemies far beyond their capabilities.¡±


    While they were talking, a man and a woman approached.


    The man was dressed in a blue robe, wearing a badge that marked him as an inner disciple, and his entire demeanor was as cold as ice, his facial muscles particrly stiff.


    The woman, on the other hand, was strikingly beautiful and scantily d in light gauze, her slender waist and long legs, and barely hidden fair skin were incredibly seductive.


    These two were the only two inner disciples among Taoist Qiu¡¯s students.


    The male¡¯s name was Pei Haibing. He had been promoted to inner disciple half a year ago with a Yunling Sixth Level Cultivation. He did not practice the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripturemonly cultivated by Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples, but another Taoist Skill known as the White Bone Transformation, which was extremely cruel and terrifying when executed.@@novelbin@@


    The female was Yu Wenxian, a name that suggested tranquility and elegance, but her attire and demeanorpletely contradicted that notion. She was even more ruthless and venomous than Pei Haibing, and she had been there longer.

 Chapter 14 - 13: Murder, Corpse Selling, House Raiding

    Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Murder, Corpse Selling, House Raiding


    The leader swept a nce over Su Jie and the already dead Peng Shiwen on the ground, pulled out a register, flipped to the page with their portraits, and said indifferently, ¡°Su Jie, for the brutal murder of a fellow sect member, you know the rules, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I understand. I will take care of the monthly fee that belonged to Peng Shiwen from Master¡¯s side.¡±


    Su Jie immediately responded. The higher-ups of Ghost Ridge Pce didn¡¯t care about Outer Disciples killing each other; after all, such disciples were seen merely as consumables by the higher-ups, as long as the monthly fees were not shorted, everything was negotiable.


    This was also the reason why Outer Disciples seldom killed each other, mostly opting for robbery instead.


    Even if they killed someone, it was done where no one else could see to destroy the body and remove all traces; otherwise, the cumtive monthly fees would pile up, and killing the person would mean having to pay their share of the fees, which was too costly a price to pay.


    ¡°Are you selling the body, the body of a Third Level of Yunling Realm, I¡¯ll pay thirty Blood Marrow Crystals.¡±


    Another member of the Law Enforcement Team spoke, asking for Peng Shiwen¡¯s body on the ground.


    The bodies of cultivators contain Spiritual Power, which is an extremely valuable resource for Demon Cultivators.


    As for trading the bodies of fellow sect members, for Demon Cultivators this was no issue at all; they valued only power, not any kind of moral righteousness.


    ¡°Sell, I sell,¡±


    Without hesitation, Su Jie responded. He had lost the monthly fee at Peng Shiwen¡¯s hands, and this was a good chance to recoup some of it.


    ¡°You are doing well,¡±


    The member of the Law Enforcement Team said with a smile, patted Su Jie on the shoulder, handed over thirty Blood Marrow Crystals, and then dragged the body away without looking back.


    Weighing the money bag containing the Blood Marrow Crystals in his hand, Su Jie was filled with many emotions.


    Alive, Peng Shiwen could not acquire twenty Blood Marrow Crystals, yet in death, his body sold for thirty. The irony was profound.


    Shaking his head to dispel the slight sadness in his mind, Su Jie turned and went to the neighboring stone cave, which was Peng Shiwen¡¯s house, nning to thoroughly loot it.


    If he didn¡¯t loot it, others woulde to do so; better that he benefit instead.


    In the very simrly arranged room with sparse furniture and cushions, likely because he had lost everything gamblingst time, Su Jie didn¡¯t find a single Blood Marrow Crystal in his house, only a few worthless poisonous insects.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡±


    Suddenly, Su Jie made an unexpected discovery under a cushion.


    A thin piece of golden paper, full of text.


    ¡°Gu Master¡¯s Secrets¡ªInsect Control Technique¡±


    Upon seeing the name of the scripture on the golden paper, Su Jie¡¯s eyes lit up; it was about cultivation techniques.


    Looking further down at the author, there was a line of small text.


    ¡®This scripture is avable only for inner disciples to read¡¯


    Seeing this line, Su Jie was stunned; it was a cultivation scripture for inner disciples.


    The scripture didn¡¯t have much text, totaling just over ten thousand words. Su Jie carefully examined it and quickly understood what the scripture was about.


    Just as the scripture¡¯s title suggested, this scripture allowed one to master sophisticated Insect Control techniques, includingmands for controlling, releasing, and applying poisons through insects¡ªall techniques that Su Jie had previously overlooked and never mastered.


    ¡°Where did Peng Shiwen get this good stuff; surely he didn¡¯t steal it from some inner disciple.¡±


    Su Jie muttered to himself, considering Peng Shiwen¡¯s miraculously skillful lock-picking techniques, it wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility.


    He stuffed the Insect Control Wild Taoist Scripture into his bosom, regardless of how Peng Shiwen came by it, the treasure now belonged to Su Jie.


    After rummaging through Peng Shiwen¡¯s house to make sure nothing was overlooked, Su Jie left and returned to his own house, impatiently sitting down on the cushion and pulling out the still-unwarmed Insect Control Wild Taoist Scripture.


    This volume of Insect Control Wild Taoist Scripture was very easy to understand, focusing on the minute control of poisonous insects which even someone with Su Jie¡¯s talents could master effortlessly.


    An hourter, having gained some insights, Su Jie caught a dragonfly, dripped a drop of fresh blood and mixed it with his own spiritual power before injecting it into the dragonfly¡¯s body.


    In just an instant, the previously struggling dragonfly calmed down, its small eyes dully staring at Su Jie.


    ¡°Connected by heart and blood, revealing the breach of ways!¡±


    With a soft chant of the spell, Su Jie¡¯s perspective shifted, seeing the ceiling, the walls, and nearly the entire cave¡¯s situation.


    It was Su Jie¡¯s sight shared with that of the dragonfly; everything the dragonfly saw was instantly transmitted to Su Jie.


    Given that a dragonfly¡¯s eyes have a specialpound eye structure, it could see clearly almost a 360-degree range of objects, providing an extremely wide field of view.


    Together with the dragonfly¡¯s small size which made it hard to detect, as well as its high-speed flying and hovering ability, it was a very useful scouting insect.


    Buzzing!


    Upon Su Jie¡¯smand, the dragonfly quickly took flight, swirling around the room and urately recognizing anymand from Su Jie.


    In the past, It had been very difficult for Su Jie to minutely control suchmon insects, as their brain capacity was too low to recognize many of hismands, let alone share a field of view.


    Now with the secret technique of Insect Control, he could maniptemon insects anytime and anywhere. Adding the shared vision, the scouting capabilities had achieved a qualitative leap.


    ¡°Not bad at all, having a scouting insect will grant a significant advantage in reconnaissance, and traveling through the Ancient Mirror will be safer as well,¡± Su Jie nodded in satisfaction. The interdimensional travel through the Ancient Mirror was his greatest secret, and one could never be too careful.


    Su Jie then turned his head and summoned the thousand-hand centipede, cing his right hand on its head cap, channeling most of his spiritual power into it.


    Hiss!


    The next moment, the thousand-hand centipede stood upright, its speed and strength greatly increased, transforming into a ck wind and striking a basin-sized hole into the cave wall.


    The pale human hands on its underside, like boneless snakes, suddenly stretched out a great length, filling half of the cave with terrifying shadows of human hands.


    This was the Secret Poison Release Technique within the Insect Control Methods, simr to what Peng Shiwen had previously used to enhance the golden toad.


    This technique allowed the maximum utilization of the host¡¯s spiritual power, activating the insect¡¯sbat instinct, making it fiercer and more powerful; however, post-application, the insect would be lethargic for several days. It was an indispensable choice for desperate situations.


    ¡°No wonder the inner disciples are so strong, their starting point is so much higher than ours.¡±


    Su Jie silentlymented, thankful that he possessed the low-grade first-refined thousand-hand centipede, and could shuttle between two worlds, leveraging the resources of Blue Star to catch up.


    Just consider today¡¯s battle; without the interdimensional travel provided by the Ancient Mirror, he would still be a minor practitioner at the Second Level of Yunling Realm, without any means to oppose Peng Shiwen, and Su Jie would have been the one to die today.


    ¡°I still have to rely on you!¡±


    Touching the Ancient Mirror, Su Jie then remembered what Taoist Qiu had mentioned today.


    Peng Shiwen was nothing much, but the Alien Ghosts were the real terror. Ordinary Outer Disciples when alone against one, only had the fate of being brutally killed by the Alien Ghost.


    ¡°Ten dayster, I¡¯ll have to patrol the mountains and confront the Alien Ghosts; a storm is brewing! I must rapidly strengthen myself and obtain more resources from Blue Star to hasten my cultivation progress.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Letting out a long breath, Su Jie looked towards the axe ced in the corner; it seemed he would have to work as a lumberjack for a while again.

 Chapter 16 - 15: Setbacks

    Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Setbacks


    ¡°Mr. Su, our preliminary estimate is 450 million yuan, but I can¡¯t make such a big transaction decision on my own. I need to consult the boss before making a decision,¡± said Manager Liang.


    After calcting the price, Liang Lianjun couldn¡¯t help but feel a pounding heart.


    Surprised by the high value of the wood, Su Jie wondered where he had managed to get it from.


    Such wood onlyes from Southeast Asia but is also highly protected; the amount of logging each year is regted, and even seeing one precious tree is not easy, let alone dozens at a time.


    Su Jie meanwhile, was calcting how his recently depleted capital pool would soon swell up again with this money at hand, no longer fearing the voracious appetite of the thousand-hand centipede.


    ¡°We still need to discuss the price, you first go and tell your boss,¡± he said.


    Su Jie nodded; the price was about what he had in mind.


    The price Liang Lianjun offered was sincere, but of course, it would be better if it could go higher.


    Liang Lianjun quickly excused himself to make a phone call, while Su Jie wasn¡¯t in a hurry, pondering how he was going to spend the money once it was in his ount.


    Even at its hungriest, the present thousand-hand centipede couldn¡¯t devour funds enough to purchase millions worth of poison insects.


    About fifteen minutester, Liang Lianjun came back.


    However, his face seemed a bit unnatural this time and chuckled nervously upon seeing Su Jie, exining, ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m really sorry, but the boss said your batch of goods is too valuable, and thepany can¡¯te up with so much working capital at the moment, hoping you can give a one-week extension.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯te up with the money?¡±


    Su Jie frowned slightly and looked at Liang Lianjun without speaking.


    The atmosphere became slightly awkward, and Liang Lianjun wiped sweat from his forehead, fearful of offending Su Jie, their major client, ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m truly sorry, I will continue to persuade the boss on my end, ??please don¡¯t be angry for now.¡±


    ¡°What do I have to be angry about? It¡¯s just business, and I never force a sale or a purchase,¡± Su Jie responded.


    Su Jie patted Liang Lianjun on the shoulder, his gaze intense, saying, ¡°I¡¯m in no rush to sell this batch of wood. If you want me to extend the time, you¡¯ll have to pay me a portion of the deposit, calcted at 10% just fine, so first transfer a 45 million yuan deposit.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ this probably can¡¯t be done, the boss on that end¡­¡±


    Liang Lianjun found himself in an awkward and difficult situation because Su Jie¡¯s request was quite reasonable.


    After all, not making contact with other buyers for such premium raw material was already a sign of trust in Leng Baihe, and requiring a deposit was a rightful gesture of sincerity.


    But his boss had specifically instructed him over the phone earlier not to agree to any payment of funds.


    To be honest, Liang Lianjun himself couldn¡¯t understand why his boss made such an unreasonable decision.


    Didn¡¯t he realize how rare this batch of premium raw material was?


    If it was purchased by another buyer, it would only serve to enhance apetitor¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°Heh, it seems this coboration isn¡¯t going smoothly, no worries, business does not affect friendship, you go back and discuss with your boss first,¡± Su Jie said calmly.


    From Liang Lianjun¡¯s difficulties, Su Jie had already sensed something amiss.


    Normally, such a batch of premium raw material would undoubtedly be something that furniturepanies would eagerly hope to procure.


    Even if genuinely short of working capital, they could arrange a loan from a bank or borrow corporate funds using this quality wood as coteral. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to secure the funds.


    Even if there were difficulties, to secure this batch of wood, it would be unimaginable to not even agree to use a deposit to secure it, suggesting an outright reluctance to trade.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin anymore, this isn¡¯t something you can decide¡ªjust go back,¡± Su Jie interrupted.


    With a shake of his head, Su Jie left Liang Lianjun with his words stuck in his throat and seeing Su Jie¡¯s resolute attitude, he could only leave the warehouse with a face full of gloom.


    As Su Jie stood at the warehouse door, watching the retreating convoy, he toyed with a small dragonfly in his hand: ¡°I hope it¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, otherwise¡­¡±


    Buzz!


    The dragonfly, having broken free from Su Jie¡¯s palm, pped its wings and flew to a hidden corner to quietly lie in wait.


    ¡­


    Leng Baihe Furniture headquarters in Linping City.


    Returning from the suburban warehouse, Liang Lianjun didn¡¯t even stop to drink water and hurriedly rushed into the chairman¡¯s office, knocking on the door.


    A sexy figure of a female secretary opened the door and let Liang Lianjun in.


    Behind the desk sat a man in his fifties, dressed in a neat suit, wearing gold-rimmed sses, and looking very schrly, as he was busy correcting documents.


    This man was none other than Cui Yunchun, the founder of Cold Lily Company and its current chairman and CEO. He single-handedly controlled this well-known furniture enterprise in Hannan Province, with a worth exceeding two billion yuan.


    The entrepreneurial journey of Cui Yunchun was quite legendary. In those turbulent times, he dropped his secure job to start a business. He had owned a popr disco and bar back in the day, and managed local civil contracting and river sand procurement.


    Reportedly, because of some murky background, he was arrested and spent several years in prison. After his release, he was practically penniless.


    Just when everyone thought Cui Yunchun was doomed to obscurity, he chose to start a business again, establishing Leng Baihe Furniture Company.


    Over ten years of management, hepleted a magnificenteback, bing a multi-billionaire and a well-known entrepreneur in Linping City.


    ¡°Chairman Cui, why cancel this deal? Our Leng Baihe could definitely procure this batch of rare materials and make a strong push in the high-end furniture market,¡± said Liang Lianjun, unable to contain his emotions as soon as they met.


    He truly loved wood, and it was evident how high the quality of those materials was and how important they were to the Cold Lily Company.


    This is why he could not understand Cui Yunchun¡¯s actions.


    ¡°Manager Liang, don¡¯t be hasty, sit down. Xiao Fei, please bring Manager Liang a cup of tea,¡± Cui Yunchun said, lifting his head and pushing up his sses with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Manager Liang, please,¡± said the executive secretary Ma Lanfei, handing over the tea, though Liang Lianjun showed no interest in enjoying it.


    ¡°Well, it seems that I must exin, or Manager Liang won¡¯t want to drink this cup of tea,¡± said Cui Yunchun with a helpless shake of his head, putting down his pen and slowly continuing, ¡°Manager Liang, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to purchase that batch of wood, but the price is indeed too steep; such a purchase would drain ourpany¡¯s working capital.¡±


    ¡°But making that batch into furniture would easily allow us to sell and collect the funds! This type of luxury furniture is always in high demand in the market,¡± Liang Lianjun argued, showing his deep understanding of the market despite working in procurement.


    ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t proceed with the purchase is that ourpany managed to open a new channel in Nanxiang Country through special rtionships, acquiring a batch of equally rare tree materials ofparable quality and quantity, and even at a lower price. I have already ordered the purchase, and it¡¯s currently being transshipped. You will see it in a few days,¡± exined Cui Yunchun patiently, seeming to highly value Liang Lianjun¡¯s talent and consoling him with good words.


    Liang Lianjun was stunned, as he, the manager of the procurement department, was unaware of this transaction.


    Moreover, what kind of channel was so powerful that, aside from Su Jie, he had not seen anyone who could bring in so many rare wood materials from abroad in one go.


    Cough, cough!


    Cui Yunchun seemed to have spoken too much all at once, starting to cough as his throat became ufortable.


    ¡°Chairman Cui, quickly take your medicine; your chronic issue is acting up again,¡± said Ma Lanfei, handing over a pill and warm water. Cui Yunchun swallowed it and hisplexion improved slightly, managing a bitter smile, ¡°It¡¯s the chronic pharyngitis ring up again. I can¡¯t talk too much.¡±


    ¡°Chairman Cui, I¡¯ll let you rest then,¡± Liang Lianjun said.@@novelbin@@


    Although Liang Lianjun still had his doubts, seeing Cui Yunchun like this, he felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate to stay any longer.

 Chapter 17 - 16: Wealth Moves the Heart

    Chapter 17: Chapter 16: Wealth Moves the Heart


    Once the office was left with only Cui Yunchun and Ma Lanfei, Cui Yunchun¡¯s previously gentle and refined demeanor gradually faded away as he spoke nonchntly,


    ¡°Xiao Fei, how is the preparation for the operationing along?¡±


    Ma Lanfei picked up her phone and said, ¡°Lei Zi and Brother Hu have the manpower and vehicles ready. The transfer location is set to an abandoned unfinished building in the east part of the city where no one passes by. We¡¯lly low there for a few days to avoid attention, then quietly move the goods to our processing factory below. There won¡¯t be any slip-ups.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that should be fine.¡±


    Cui Yunchun nodded slightly, then continued, ¡°What about Su Jie, have we found out anything about him?¡±


    ¡°I had someone look into him. He¡¯s just an ordinary university student, no traces of him in the past half year. I suspect he went abroad, made some good connections, and managed to get his hands on these precious wood materials through luck and some connections.¡±


    Ma Lanfei took out a stack of documents with information about Su Jie.


    For a big corporation, obtaining information about ordinary citizens is a matter of want, there is none that can¡¯t be found.


    ¡°Most likely he has overseas connections. The countries down south are quite chaotic. For him to have created opportunities for himself from there¡­ he must be quite capable.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Cui, are you suggesting¡­ we don¡¯t make a move?¡±


    Asking cautiously, Ma Lanfei couldn¡¯t guess what was on Cui Yunchun¡¯s mind.


    Cui Yunchun nced at the documents and then swept them aside, leisurely lighting a cigar and said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. If it were abroad, I might be worried, but this is Hua Country. Here the dragons coil and the tigers lie; everyone must abide by thew, including us. Does he really think he canpete with a local tough like us?¡±


    ¡°Chairman Cui is right; why don¡¯t we just go all out and¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you not to be obsessed with violence? Things have changed, we¡¯ve finally gone legit. If we give others something to hold against us, the loss would outweigh the gain. Just eat up his goods. We¡¯ll see what to do next,¡±


    Cui Yunchun smiled confidently and ordered, ¡°Have Lei Zi and Ah Hu take action this afternoon, lest the other party sells the goods to someone else and it bes toote.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    As Ma Lanfei was about to leave, she suddenly heard Cui Yunchun say, ¡°Help me blow off some steam first, as a pre-celebration for our sessful operation tonight.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Chairman Cui.¡±


    Ma Lanfei shed a seductive smile, ran her fingers through her hair, and slowly bent over as she crouched down.


    ¡­.


    South Bridge Logistics Center Warehouse Area.


    A convoy of vehicles entered in the afternoon, driving into the warehouse area.


    The security guards of the warehouse area saw them and let them through without any inspection.


    The fleet, mainly consisting of heavy trucks and cranes, had a very clear destination, stopping in front of a small warehouse.


    Following that, more than a dozen formidable men jumped off the vehicles and rapidly approached the warehouse. They pulled out their spare keys and unlocked the warehouse doors.


    It was a busy time for warehouse transfers, with loading and unloading taking ce in various warehouses. Their actions didn¡¯t raise any suspicions.


    ¡°Is everything ready?¡±


    ¡°All set, the warehouse district management has been informed, and the cameras here have been temporarily turned off.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get to work, and make it quick.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Hu, it¡¯s not our first time doing this kind of job. What could possibly go wrong?¡±


    The group chatted andughed as they worked at a steady pace.


    In the warehouse, logs weighing tons were hoisted onto the trucks. The entire process was quick and orderly, suggesting they knew what they were doing.


    The whole operation waspleted in less than half an hour.


    During that half hour, not a single security guard patrolled the area.


    ¡°`


    Apart from the noise of some timber being loaded onto trucks, there was nothing else.


    Once the precious timber had all been loaded, a few other heavy trucks arrived. They dumped a load of wood in the rearpartment, except it was only normal tree materials, cheap stuff worth a few hundred per ton.


    ¡°Lei Zi, is the fire set up ready?¡±


    ¡°All done, guaranteed no ws.¡±


    ¡°Alright, retreat.¡±


    With an order, the heavy vehicles started up again.


    Shortly after they left, mes suddenly red up inside the warehouse. Then the mes rapidly spread, engulfing the entire warehouse in a raging fire.


    Meanwhile, the convoy left the South Bridge Logistics Center amidst joyousughter.


    But they didn¡¯t notice that, on various parts of their trucks¡ªthe front, the carriage, the bottom¡ªa few dragonflies were quietly perched.


    ¡­


    Jingjiang No.1 Vi!


    In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Su Jie¡¯s gaze turned toward the warehouse area, where he seemed to see the fierce mes burning.


    ¡°Indeed, wealth stirs the human heart; the ancients never lied to me.¡±


    Although he had expected it, Su Jie hadn¡¯t thought that the others would act so decisively.


    This was modern society, yet they carried out daylight robbery naturally and with ease.


    ¡°However, I quite like this kind of irrational business warfare. It means I don¡¯t have to hold back. In doing evil deeds, we Demon Cultivators will not be outdone by anyone.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s mouth curved into a cold smile. If someone wanted to y dirty with a Demon Cultivator, Su Jie was very willing to oblige.


    Eating his stuff wouldn¡¯t be simply ended by throwing it back up.


    ¡­¡­..


    The next day, at the South Bridge Logistics Center.


    Su Jie stood in front of his own warehouse, now ruins. After yesterday¡¯s fire, all that was left were ashes and broken bricks and metal.


    ¡°This is the fire investigation report from the fire department. It states that the fire was caused by the illegal storage of electric scooters in the warehouse, which ignited the batteries. Combined with the timber inside, it ultimately started the fire and resulted in this disaster. You need topensate for our warehouse losses, totaling 950,000 yuan. Hmph, you should be grateful there were no casualties. Otherwise, with your actions, you would¡¯ve been arrested long ago.¡±


    A supervisor from the South Bridge Logistics Warehouse Center furiously waved the report, spitting as he used Su Jie of illegal operations that burned down their warehouse.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever storing electric scooters in the warehouse.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted to the supervisor as he said with a smiling face.


    The supervisor was startled, a flicker of unease passing over his face, and then roared: ¡°Who else but you? We rented this warehouse to you; everything stored was yours. It¡¯s pointless to y dumb now. You mustpensate for our loss, or wait to be sued.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s lips curled slightly as he said, ¡°I can give you the money, but¡­¡±


    Su Jie smiled, whispering menacingly in the supervisor¡¯s ear: ¡°Be careful, you might have the hands to take this money, but not the life to spend it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that, huh! Trying to scare and threaten me? Who do you think you are?¡±


    The supervisor sneered internally, ustomed to seeing plenty of people who were mentally unhinged after bankruptcy.@@novelbin@@


    This was a society ruled byw; he didn¡¯t take such threats seriously at all.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand and didn¡¯t bother to argue any further. He got into his BMW M8 and drove out of the South Bridge Warehouse. The real show was just beginning.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 18 - 17: Tea Art

    Chapter 18: Chapter 17: Tea Art


    Jingjiang Manor!


    In the sales office, a brand new Audi Q3 came to a smooth halt in the parking space.


    The door opened, and Liu Yingying, carrying her newly purchased Herm¨¨s bag and looking radiant, stepped out and confidently strode into the sales department.


    Inside the sales department, property sales agents who were chatting idly all turned their heads to look, and many were green with envy at such a sight.


    ¡°Yingying, you¡¯ve really made a fortune, haven¡¯t you? How muchmission did they give you yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk, a new Audi Q3 plus that Herm¨¨s bag, that¡¯s got to be at least five hundred thousand, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been here a little over a month, Yingying. Hitting it big with a wealthy tycoon this time was really striking it lucky.¡±


    One after another, they either ttered or made snide remarks, but Liu Yingying didn¡¯t take them to heart. Instead, she graciously said:


    ¡°I still rely on everyone¡¯s support, and besides, I haven¡¯t forgotten about all of you¡ªI¡¯ve even brought gifts especially. Come and have a taste.¡±


    Liu Yingying opened a box of high-end pastries she had brought and said with a beaming smile, ¡°These I bought from Lanxin Xuan, their most expensive selection, selling for 2,999 yuan. Xuan Miao, didn¡¯t you have their 1,300-yuan box of choctes justst week? Try this and see what it tastes like.¡±


    The pretty little beauty Zhao Xuanmiao, who had a solid eighty points for her looks and figure, didn¡¯t look too pleased.


    Becausest week she hade boasting with a box of choctes, and at that time, she distributed them to the other girls at the sales office, all except Liu Yingying.


    Before Liu Yingying arrived, she was the brightest flower in the sales department.


    And ever since Liu Yingying arrived, she had immediately stolen her limelight.


    ¡°I won¡¯t eat, I¡¯ve been having a toothachetely, not good for eating sweets. And not to speak out of turn, but Yingying, the money you make doesn¡¯te easy. You can¡¯t always be that lucky.¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao forced a smile, though her tone was dripping with sarcasm.


    Liu Yingying, holding her head high with confidence, retorted, ¡°Then don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll spend my money however I want.¡±


    ¡°Your money¡­ who knows if it¡¯s clean or not.¡±


    They say when women fight, there¡¯s no reasoning involved¡ªand now Zhao Xuanmiao and Liu Yingying were quietlypeting with each other.


    As they were speaking, someone walked into the sales office and eximed, ¡°Yo, it¡¯s quite lively in here today!¡±


    Everyone turned towards the voice, and then several female sales agents¡¯ eyes lit up.


    ¡°I came today to finalize some paperwork for a house. Who¡¯s free to help?¡±


    Su Jie nced around, and as soon as he spoke, there was silence for a few seconds, then several female sales agents squeezed forward.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m free right now, let me help you with that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in charge of handling these matters, Mr. Su, you just have a cup of tea and I¡¯ll take care of everything for you.¡±


    Several female sales agents crowded around Su Jie, their gazes fixed on him.


    They had all witnessed Liu Yingying¡¯s rise to fortune and knew in these times it was better to be rich and shameless¡ªif you can make money, you¡¯ve got skill.


    Zhao Xuanmiao was the quickest to act, quickly securing a favorable position, while Liu Yingying felt a bit ufortable upon seeing Su Jie, remembering what had happened that night. Then seeing a group of ¡°fox spirits¡± swarm around him, she inwardly cursed them for their shamelessness.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with this pretty youngdy here.¡±


    Su Jie casually chose Zhao Xuanmiao, immediately putting a beaming smile on her face.


    Liu Yingying watched, feeling an inexplicable surge of anger, gazing at Su Jie with eyes full of hurt.


    Su Jie seemed not to notice and, after everything was settled, turned to everyone with a smile, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, to celebrate theplete handover of my new house, I¡¯m throwing a party at my vi tonight. I¡¯ve invited a top chef from a high-end restaurant. It looks like it¡¯s about time for you all to get off work too. How abouting over and joining the fun?¡±


    ¡°Wow, Mr. Su, you¡¯re really generous. We¡¯d be d to ept your invitation.¡±


    With the opportunity for a free meal, nobody was going to turn down such good fortune.


    Especially some of the female property sales agents, who considered themselves quite attractive, each had their own ulterior motives, hoping to hook a wealthy husband.


    ¡­


    The night deepened.


    Lights shone brightly on thewn of Jingjiang No.1, where a culinary team from an advanced restaurant was bustling about.


    Steak, lobster, tuna sashimi, and other high-end ingredients flowed onto tables like water, leaving a group of people eating to their heart¡¯s content.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯d like to propose a toast to you.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, if you have friends who need to buy houses in the future, please make sure toe to me.¡±


    The central figure of the party was naturally Su Jie.


    At that moment, a flock of women surrounded Su Jie, casting coquettish nces that made Liu Yingying¡¯s eyes shoot mes.


    ¡°Brother Su, could you help me twist off this bottle cap? I¡¯m too clumsy.¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao clutched a c bottle, puffing her cheeks as she tried hard, then looked at Su Jie with eyes pleading for help.


    Su Jie raised an eyebrow, casually twisted open the c, his smile full of yfulness.


    ¡°Are you a bit drunk?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, my head feels a bit dizzy. Brother Su, can I rest on your couch for a while? My ce is too far, and you can trust me, I absolutely won¡¯t dirty it.¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao hung her head in feigned embarrassment, looking like she couldn¡¯t handle her liquor, almost burrowing into Su Jie¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°Of course, you can. Why sleep on the couch when there are plenty of rooms.¡±


    ¡°Brother Su, you are so nice, so gentle and considerate. If you weren¡¯t taken, I might have been moved.¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao covered her mouth, revealing an adoring and longing gaze.


    ¡°Xuan Miao, didn¡¯t you rent a small apartment nearby?¡±


    Just then, Liu Yingying walked over and said without mincing words, ¡°Also, at thestpany dinner, I seem to remember you drinking on the box. Howe you¡¯re drunk after just a few sips today, needing Mr. Su to hold you up?¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao¡¯s pretty face turned dark, almost to the point of fury, yet she put on a pitiful expression:


    ¡°Sorry, sister, I wasn¡¯t steady on my feet. Brother Su just gave me a hand. Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    The tension escted.


    Liu Yingying red fiercely, the saying goes that girls can spot whether someone¡¯s a green tea or not at a nce.


    And now, when Liu Yingying looked at Zhao Xuanmiao, it seemed as though the green tea was about to spill over.


    Suddenly, Liu Yingying staggered a bit, as if the alcohol had hit her, weakly wrapping an arm around Su Jie.


    ¡°Mr. Su, just now I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly felt a bit¡­ am I bothering you?


    I really have no other intentions. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t find anyone to talk to. I¡¯m not as outgoing as Xuan Miao, and I feel like such a failure.¡±


    Liu Yingying spoke softly, since her opponent had initiated with green tea tactics, she could only counteract magic with magic.


    It¡¯s just green tea tricks! As if she couldn¡¯t do the same.


    Now it was Zhao Xuanmiao¡¯s turn to feel irritated, looking at Liu Yingying, who hade out to stir up trouble, she felt extremely annoyed.


    ¡°By the way, Xuan Miao, Sister Zhang mentioned you have a doctoral student boyfriend who came to thepany¡¯s door to give you flowers. When can you bring him to meet our colleagues?¡±


    Before Zhao Xuanmiao could speak, Liu Yingying pressed her advantage with a killer blow.


    Zhao Xuanmiao¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, saying, ¡°You remembered wrong. He¡¯s just a suitor, and we haven¡¯t confirmed our rtionship. Don¡¯t spread rumors.¡±


    Liu Yingying feigned realization, saying, ¡°Oh, I see, my mistake. The one who gave flowers should be that college student from Medical University. I heard he¡¯s on the basketball team, quite a handsome young man.¡±


    ¡°Brother Su, I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell, so I¡¯ll head back first.¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao¡¯s face looked very unpleasant, and there she definitely knew she had been outmaneuvered. She could only re at Liu Yingying fiercely and leave in a huff.


    Whereas Liu Yingying stood like a triumphant general, her head held high with happiness written all over her face.

 Chapter 20 - 19: Tit for Tat

    Chapter 20: Chapter 19: Tit for Tat


    ¡°`


    ¡°Go, check it out outside.¡±


    With a ferocious look in his eye, Brother Hu shoved one of hisckeys, ignoring his resistance, and sent him outside to investigate.


    However, no sooner had theckey vanished under the glow of their shlights than a scream erupted.


    The group watched in horror as the man appeared to be dragged away by some creature in the darkness.


    The cellphone he had been clutching tumbled to the ground, followed by a few more shrieks that ended abruptly, and then silence fell once again.


    When Brother Hu quickly shone his shlight toward the spot, he saw a contorted figure lying on the ground.


    The man looked like a broken toy, with his head folded onto his backside, his limbs twisted into a pretzel shape, his eyes wide open, filled with intense fear.


    Gulp!


    A group of tattooed brutes turned pale with fear, some of them unable to hold onto their metal rods and knives, which ttered to the ground.


    They had cut people, been to jail; to ordinary folks, they were extremely violent thugs.


    But killing people was one thing¨Caside from Brother Hu, none of them had actual experience with it, let alone had seen such a spectacle!


    Even Brother Hu felt his hair standing on end; he had never seen anything this bizarre before.


    Now he began to believe that they had encountered a ghost.


    Otherwise, how could a living person be twisted into such a strange shape in just a few seconds?


    ¡°There really are ghosts, there really are ghosts, wuu, we¡¯re done for.¡±


    ¡°Call the police, quickly, call the damn police! Let theme save us.¡±


    The group of tattooed toughs was on the verge of a mental copse, and even Brother Hu stopped insisting. Getting caught for a minor offense like stealing some wood would havended him in jail for a few years at most, but staying here could mean death!


    ¡°Be careful, I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    Brother Hu turned cowardly and tried to dial 911 himself.


    But before the call could go through, something in the darkness was rapidly closing in.


    Whoosh!


    A nasty gust of wind blew in, and the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s grotesque body emerged from the darkness, biting down hard on Brother Hu.


    ¡°Monster¡­ Monster!¡±


    The thugs exploded into panic, scattering in terror.


    But what they didn¡¯t know was that escaping from this abandoned building was already an impossibility.


    Several pale human hands detached from the belly of the thousand-hand centipede and stealthily disappeared into the dark, and soon after, a few desperate screams echoed in the silent building, carrying far before everything turned quiet once more.


    The thousand-hand centipede made a sizzling noise twice, clutching Brother Hu, who was still struggling in terror.


    Behind it, the pale hands dragged the bodies, heading toward the ground floor.


    ¡­


    On the ground floor of the abandoned building, Su Jie stood in front of several heavy trucks, pulling back the tarpaulins to reveal loads of intact, precious small-leaved rosewood logs.


    ¡°Stealing from anyone but me, why do they all have to follow Peng Shiwen¡¯s example?¡±


    With a sigh, Su Jiemented that he genuinely wanted to be aw-abiding citizen, so why did they insist on forcing his hand?


    At that moment, the thousand-hand centipede came down from the building, bringing back fourteen bodies, neatly arranged in front of Su Jie. Lastly, it dropped Brother Hu, whom it had been carrying in its mouth, at Su Jie¡¯s feet like a prized offering.


    ¡°Good boy.¡±


    Su Jie scratched the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s chin.


    The bulky tail of the thousand-hand centipede wagged back and forth like that of a happy puppy.


    ¡°Are you human or ghost, human or ghost¡­¡±


    Brother Hu trembled uncontrobly, ncing at the corpses of his subordinates all around him, his insides quaking with fear.


    He had never before encountered such a ruthless individual, and the methods of this person were beyond anything he had heard of.


    ¡°Who I am¡­ didn¡¯t you investigate that thoroughly enough?¡±


    A hint of a smile yed on Su Jie¡¯s lips as he stepped out from the shadows into the moonlight, bending down to face him.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, you are the owner of those materials¡­¡±


    Upon recognizing Su Jie¡¯s face, Brother Hu felt his legs go numb, realizing why Su Jie hade after them, and it was indeed no injustice.


    ¡°Now that you know, it will be easier to deal with you. I¡¯m interested in some information about your boss. If you give it up¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t betray the boss. In the movies, that¡¯s how it always goes, say it and you¡¯ll kill me to silence me.¡±


    Brother Hu wore a determined expression, and it almost made Su Jieugh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you as the tough guy type. Good, I do have some expertise in making people talk. I hope you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    Trying to y the hero in front of Su Jie, Brother Hu clearly didn¡¯t know the punitive measures of a Demon Cultivator.


    Ten minutester¡­


    ¡°`


    ¡°I¡¯ve said everything I could, please, just give me a quick death.¡±


    The previously unyielding Brother Huy on the ground, consumed by despair and fear, wishing for nothing but death.


    ¡°Really, not even ten minutes endured. In the next life, remember to be a good person like me.¡±


    Su Jie snapped his fingers.


    You call yourself a good person, demons aren¡¯t as bad as you¡­


    This thought shed through Brother Hu¡¯s mind. Then his consciousness was engulfed as swarms of Yin Fire Blood Bees covered his entire body, burrowing into him from his mouth and nose.


    Su Jie then opened the ancient mirror he had brought with him, tossing the corpse and the small-leaved red sandalwood into it, effectively erasing all traces of the scene.


    Having put everything in order, Su Jie vanished into the night.


    He was off to find the real mastermind; the ones he¡¯d killed were merely pawns.


    ¡­


    ¡°What did you say, Ah Hu isn¡¯t answering his phone, what about Lei Zi and the others?¡±@@novelbin@@


    In a luxurious vi in Linping City, Cui Yunchun, dressed in pajamas and listening to Ma Lanfei¡¯s report, stood up abruptly.


    ¡°Chairman Cui, you told me to call Ah Hu every three hours. I did as you instructed, but half an hour ago, no one answered his phone, and nobody responded to Lei Zi and the others either.¡±


    Ma Lanfei spoke anxiously, as it wasn¡¯t yet midnight and her calls had gone unanswered, prompting her toe and report immediately.


    ¡°Could it be that Ah Hu and the rest got greedy and decided to keep the merchandise for themselves¡­¡±


    Ma Lanfei hesitated before venturing a guess.


    ¡°Impossible, I raised Ah Hu from an orphan, he¡¯s loyal to me. Something¡¯s definitely happened to them. Make inquiries immediately, and focus on this Su Jie fellow.¡±


    Cui Yunchun was livid, his eyes fierce as if to devour someone.


    Startled, Ma Lanfei was about to make a call when suddenly a voice echoed in the room.


    ¡°Boss Cui, so eager to find me, huh!¡±


    The voice came from outside the door, startling both upants of the bedroom.


    ¡°Who are you, wait, Mr. Su, you are Mr. Su, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Cui Yunchun was initially taken aback but then quickly came to a realization.


    ¡°I admit I was wrong in this matter, and I am willing to apologize. I¡¯ll pay one hundred million yuan for your losses, how about that? I can add more if it¡¯s not enough.¡±


    True to his experience in surviving many upheavals, Cui Yunchun was quick to concede.


    If Su Jie could enter his home silently, it meant his life was under threat.


    ¡°One hundred million yuan is a big sum, but it¡¯s toote to talk about this now.¡±


    With a cold chuckle, footsteps approached from outside the bedroom. As the door opened, a figure stood in the moonlight, sending chills down the spine.


    Cui Yunchun and Ma Lanfei peered closely, and simultaneously shouted, ¡°Ah Hu!¡±


    The man at the door was their associate, Ah Hu.


    ¡°How are you here, did you actually betray me? You¡¯ve got some nerve.¡±


    Cui Yunchun seemed to realize something, his mix of shock and anger fixed on Ah Hu.


    ¡°Brother Hu, how could you do this? Chairman Cui had been so good to you, yet you conspire with outsiders to betray us.¡±


    Ma Lanfei was equally furious, her heart also secretly relieved.


    After so many years ofpanionship, at least Brother Hu wouldn¡¯t kill her, she hoped.


    However, facing Cui Yunchun¡¯s rage, Ah Hu responded strangely, lifting his arms stiffly, his eyes filled with despair:


    ¡°Save me, Mr. Cui, save me¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his plea, Ah Hu¡¯s face contorted, his skin twitched as if something was wriggling underneath, and he spoke in a hoarse, stiff voice: ¡°Tch, still far from perfect, a mere human can¡¯t maintain control. Well then, Boss Cui, you seem to like setting fires, so I¡¯ll offer you a fire in return. An eye for an eye, fair, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    It was only then that the two realized something was very wrong with Ah Hu, as if he was under someone¡¯s control.


    Unaware of Gu Masters, Cui Yunchun and Ma Lanfei didn¡¯t understand that this was a technique resulting from the application of spiritual power by a Gu Master, a skill that Su Jie had recently mastered while practicing the Insect Control Technique.


    Due to Su Jie¡¯s insufficient strength, coupled with inherent ws in the technique, such as time and distance limits, simr to signal fluctuations, sometimes the victims would break free from control, just as had happened moments ago.


    ¡°Mr. Su, we can still talk, name your price.¡±


    Feeling utterly uneasy, Cui Yunchun shouted out in panic, but this time Ah Hu did not respond. His flesh split and Yin Fire Blood Bees emerged, swarming towards the two.


    The gory and terrifying scene nearly sent both into shock; pleas for mercy came toote.


    Inside the bedroom, tiny fires started to burn, igniting a massive ze courtesy of the Yin Fire Blood Bees from Tianyuan World.


    Standing hundreds of meters away atop a tree, Su Jie surveyed the fiery ze engulfing the building.


    ¡°Not bad at all, the mes are spectacr; no wonder viins love arson after murder, it really is quite satisfying.¡±


    A smile lingered on Su Jie¡¯s face as he cast onest look at the sky-high mes and then turned away from the ce.


    ¡°Out for two hours, it¡¯s time to rest, tonight I can finally get some good sleep.¡±

 Chapter 22 - 21: Recruitment

    Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Recruitment


    ¡°Really, they even suspected you, those police reallyck professionalism.¡±


    Inside the vi, Liu Yingying was still indignant on Su Jie¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°The police are just serving the people, and as citizens, cooperating with them is the right thing to do. After all, if you¡¯re innocent, you have nothing to fear.¡±


    Speaking with integrity, Su Jie was telling the truth.


    All night long, he hadn¡¯tid a finger on anyone; it was all the doing of the thousand-hand centipede.


    When animals kill people, it¡¯s the thousand-hand centipede they should be catching, right?


    Thousand-hand centipede: Squeak?


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, Yingying, are you interested in bing my secretary?¡±


    ¡°Ah! A secretary, me?¡±


    Taken aback by Su Jie¡¯s sudden change of subject, Liu Yingying was utterly bewildered.


    ¡°You heard just now, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m dealing with some wood materials, and I don¡¯t have any reliable help on this side. I was thinking, since you¡¯ve got some abilities, why not quit your job ande help me?¡±


    With his legs crossed, Su Jie pushed a drafted employment contract across the table.


    When Liu Yingying saw the sry figure on the contract, her mouth fell open in shock.


    ¡°Does this¡­ does this count as being kept by you?¡±


    Liu Yingying¡¯s heart raced, the number causing her mouth to go dry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak so crudely, I appreciate your abilities.¡±


    Su Jie poked Liu Yingying¡¯s forehead; he had limited time in Blue Star and needed someone to help watch over things.


    Liu Yingying was rtively close to him. Regardless of her abilities, ensuring a certain level of loyalty was all that mattered.


    Besides, Su Jie wasn¡¯t afraid of betrayal; just look at what happened with Cui Yunchun.


    ¡°Hehe, I don¡¯t see any reason not to agree. From now on, I¡¯ll rely on Mr. Su to take good care of me.¡±


    After considering for a few seconds, Liu Yingying readily agreed, believing that making the right choices was more important than trying hard.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t mind being kept at all. Being a golden canary wasn¡¯t so bad, especially since Su Jie was neither old nor ugly. He was in great shape, thrilling her to death in bed, and not to mention, Su Jie had given her a tform to showcase herself.


    Patting Liu Yingying on the head, Su Jie said with a smile, ¡°You little rascal, I¡¯ll discipline you tonight. Go tell the auntie to prepare some tea; a guest will be arriving shortly.¡±


    ¡°Already bossing me around, huh!¡±


    Liu Yingying gave Su Jie a peck on the face and then left with a happy spring in her step.


    ¡­


    Twenty minutester, the guest Su Jie mentioned arrived.


    At Jingjiang No.1 Vi, Liang Lianjun sat cautiously across from Su Jie, feeling very nervous.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Manager Liang? You¡¯ve grown distant after not seeing me for two days.¡±


    Serving Liang Lianjun a cup of tea personally, Su Jie said with a smile.


    ¡°No¡­ no, I just, I just didn¡¯t expect Mr. Su to invite me for tea.¡±


    Liang Lianjun hurriedly held the tea with both hands, yet what Su Jie said next made Liang Lianjun¡¯s heart tremble.


    ¡°Ah, what can I say? After that kind of incident, inviting you over for tea is just to understand the situation. Chairman Cui was a good man; how could he die so suddenly? I was even nning to sell him this batch of wood materials.¡±


    The cup ttered!


    His hand shaking, the scalding tea spilled, and Liang Lianjun almost jumped out of his seat.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the tea not to your liking?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just a little excited, haha, haha, I¡¯m really fine.¡±


    Liang Lianjun¡¯s smile was extremely stiff.


    When he heard about Cui Yunchun¡¯s death in a fire a couple of days ago, a terrifying hypothesis crossed his mind.


    He had also heard that Cui Yunchun came from a shady background, and at the time, he wondered why Cui would refuse to purchase Su Jie¡¯s batch of wood.


    Putting together the fact that Su Jie¡¯s warehouse burned down, followed by the night when Cui Yunchun was burned to death at home, even without evidence, one could surmise a lot from the motives.


    ¡°You seem very afraid of me?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s smile was amiable and sincere as he said, ¡°Let me make it clear! I¡¯m genuinely saddened by Chairman Cui¡¯s passing, but life must go on, right? You shouldn¡¯t dwell too much on it either.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I know you¡¯re a man of loyalty. I called you here because I value that loyalty. I¡¯m thinking of starting a furniturepany and you have many years of experience in the industry. I¡¯ll juste right out with it¡ªI want to poach you to work for me as the General Manager.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡±


    Choking on his tea, Liang Lianjun caught his breath.


    ¡°Su¡­ Mr. Su, wasn¡¯t your batch of wood burned? Howe you¡¯re still thinking of¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? I¡¯ve already purchased a new batch, identical to the previous one in quality. You can rest assured.¡±


    Liang Lianjun became even more suspicious when he heard this.


    In his view, the ¡®material¡¯ Su Jie mentioned might very well be something snatched back from Chairman Cui.


    ¡°This is the annual sry I¡¯m offering you. Perform well and there¡¯s a bonus too. You can think it over. I¡¯m the kind of person who never shortchanges those who work earnestly for me.¡±


    Su Jie knew that talk is cheap, so he used the power of cash to put forth a contract.


    Just like Liu Yingying¡¯s reaction before, Liang Lianjun, who had intended to refuse Su Jie¡¯s offer, found himself unable to utter his rejection upon seeing the sincerity of the contract before him.


    Simply because the figures on the contract were too dazzling.


    ¡°You know my strength. If youe work for me, I can¡¯t promise other things, but a constant supply of high-quality wood material is guaranteed. Coupled with your abilities and connections, our newpany will surely be able to quickly break into the high-end furniture market.¡±


    Recruiting Liang Lianjun was a move Su Jie had contemted.


    Merely selling raw materials would always attract attention. If that was the case, it might be better to process the wood material himself and sell directly to consumers.


    Liang Lianjun, with his years of industry experience, capability, and connections, would certainly be more than adequate as a General Manager.


    Swallowing hard, although he surmised that Su Jie might be involved in illegal activities, the contract was just too tempting.


    Even though he knew that working with Su Jie came with risks, Liang Lianjun couldn¡¯t resist the lure. After several minutes of hesitation, he finally picked up the contract from the table.


    ¡°Mr. Su¡­ Mr. Su, I don¡¯t have experience in managing apany¡¯s overall operations, but since you hold me in high regard, as long as I¡¯m still in the position, I will absolutely manage thepany with dedication and help sell our furniture all over the country.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, I believe in you.¡±


    Su Jie shook hands with Liang Lianjun, then called over Liu Yingying: ¡°This is my personal secretary, Liu Yingying. When I¡¯m not around, you can go to her with anything, and she¡¯ll pass it on to me.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Secretary Liu.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Manager Liang.¡±


    After the introductions, Su Jie continued, ¡°You guys start with thepany registration. Elder Liang, take a look at acquiring a processing nt. I¡¯m allocating thirty million in funds for you, that should be enough, right?¡±


    The thirty million was what Su Jie had mortgaged Jingjiang No.1 Vi for from the bank.


    ¡°That¡¯s plenty, that¡¯s plenty. But Mr. Su, what¡¯s the name of our newpany?¡±


    Liang Lianjun was even more excited now, with abundantpany funds providing him the confidence to work energetically.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it¡­ Tianyuan Home.¡±

 Chapter 24 - 23: Departure

    Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Departure


    Two dayster.


    In front of the Ghost Ridge Pce residence, numerous disciples gathered, all belonging to the lineage of Taoist Qiu.


    Atop the stairs, d in a purple robe, with snake-like vertical pupils and a thin face, Taoist Qiu held a ck python coiling around his left hand, hissing. His gaze towards the disciples was so chillingly cold that they dared not meet his eyes.


    Pei Haibing and Yu Wenxian, two inner disciples, served to the left and right of Taoist Qiu, as only inner disciples were qualified to stand beside him.


    ¡°Master, all the disciples from our branch above the Second Level of the Yunling Realm have arrived.¡±


    Yu Wenxian finished counting the numbers and turned to report to Taoist Qiu.


    Taoist Qiu¡¯s expression was indifferent as he slowly said, ¡°The task of patrolling the mountain has been distributed. All branch disciples will participate¡ªyou must not tarnish my reputation. Of course, whoever kills the most Alien Ghosts will also receive a corresponding reward from me.¡±


    While speaking, the python in Taoist Qiu¡¯s hand opened its massive mouth and spat out a White Bone Sky ying Sword.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword was about three feet long, the de translucent and pure white. As soon as it appeared, it immediately radiated a glowing spiritual charm, spinning and twirling in mid-air, slicing through the air with a whistling sound, effortlessly piercing through stones asrge as millstones.


    ¡°This is the White Bone Sky ying Sword, an excellent choice even among Low Grade Flying Swords. I give you one week, and whoever seeds will depend on your fate.¡±


    Listening to Taoist Qiu¡¯s exnation, all disciples, including the inner disciple Pei Haibing, were envious.


    The typically stingy Taoist Qiu actually offered such a grand reward. Such a fine Low Grade Flying Sword could fetch thousands of Blood Marrow Crystals on the ck Market.


    ¡°What a great item!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heartbeat quickened; who wouldn¡¯t covet such a Flying Sword?


    ¡°It¡¯s just a pity I don¡¯t know Sword Forms, otherwise I could havepeted for it.¡±


    Atop the stairs, Yu Wenxian pursed her lips and said somewhat regretfully.


    Next to her, Pei Haibing became excited, his eyes intensely fiery as he stared at the White Bone Sky ying Sword. He said, ¡°Master, your disciple will surely not disappoint you. I will y the Alien Ghosts to celebrate your uing seventieth birthday.¡±


    His cultivation of the White Bone Transformation Taoist Skill was particrly suited for this Magic Artifact. Once he obtained the White Bone Sky ying Sword, it would be akin to adding wings to a tiger.


    In Pei Haibing¡¯s view, this was a weapon Taoist Qiu had prepared especially for him, merely using a subtler method to give it to him.


    To avoid drawing criticism from other disciples, especially the envious looks from Yu Wenxian.


    ¡°If you oupete the other disciples, this Magic Artifact will be yours.¡±


    Taoist Qiu retrieved the White Bone Sky ying Sword, his tone calm.


    ¡°Master, I will not disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°Go arrange for the dispatch.¡±


    Taoist Qiu nodded slightly, then departed gracefully.


    ¡°It seems Junior Brother Pei is determined to obtain the White Bone Sky ying Sword!¡±


    Once Taoist Qiu had left, Yu Wenxian¡¯s eyes shifted, and she said with a gentle smile.


    Looking over, Pei Haibing was very grateful, ¡°Thanks to Senior Yu for giving me a hand.¡±


    If Yu Wenxian hadpeted with him, Pei Haibing would not have had any confidence of winning.


    Fortunately, from Yu Wenxian¡¯s tone just now, it seemed she was willing to step back and befriend him.


    Thinking this, Pei Haibing grew even more arrogant, thinking that if it weren¡¯t for Yu Wenxian¡¯s messy lifestyle, having a Taoist couple as beautiful and graceful as Senior Sister would indeed be wonderful.


    Yu Wenxian shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t really care, but Master has so many disciples, it¡¯s not certain you will get the White Bone Sky ying Sword.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Pei Haibing looked coldly at the numerous disciples below and arrogantly said, ¡°Senior Sister, you must be joking. Those insects below,cking in potential and talent, are destined for a lifetime of menial tasks and catching Poison Insects. What can they use topete with me?¡±


    These words sparked resentment among many disciples below.


    But what could they do when Pei Haibing was an inner disciple, and his strength was even at the Sixth Level of the Yunling Realm?


    Down below, Su Jie also heard this, but he was not as angry as the others.


    While Pei Haibing was indeed arrogant, Su Jie was more concerned with Yu Wenxian.


    This woman, was she intentionally setting Pei Haibing up as a target to alienate him from the other disciples?


    ¡°This woman is not simple!¡±


    Su Jie sighed inwardly, finding Yu Wenxian more noteworthypared to the simple Pei Haibing.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s congratte Junior Brother Pei in advance. The Master said to arrange for the dispatch, so let¡¯s take action quickly.¡±


    Yu Wenxian smiled, leaving Pei Haibing appearing very pleased with himself.


    Pei Haibing nodded, regaining his indifferent expression, and spoke, ¡°Those called by name,e forward to fetch your token, which marks your assigned defense area. Luo Ruxin, Cheng Jian, Yao Shouye, First Token, stationed southwest of Golden Sand Mountain. Fei Yinglong, Lu Yu, Qu Dong, stationed at the eastern cliff of Plum Blossom Valley¡­¡±


    One by one, those called stepped forward. Some were ted as they received their tokens, while others looked like they were mourning.


    Because the teammates and stationed areas varied in danger levels, the weaker the teammates, the more hazardous their duty stations, the different the risk factor.


    Taoist Qiu had entrusted the full responsibility of arranging the mundane task of mountain patrolling to Pei Haibing and Yu Wenxian, and the duo did not miss the opportunity to profit heavily from it.


    Desiring strong teammates and safe stationed areas meant having to bribe the two.


    ¡°Su Jie, Gu Weonian, Sun Zhihai, Ninth C Token, stationed at Niu Jiao Ridge.¡±


    Most people had alreadypleted forming their groups in pairs or trios, Su Jie looked at the token marked Nine C.


    On its front was his name, and on the back, the designated area where he would be stationed.


    Along with Su Jie who received the same token, there was also Gu Weonian, whom he had once met.


    There was also a disciple named Sun Zhihai, who suffered from a disability, missing a left hand, hisplexion pale and showing signs of illness.


    Su Jie knew this was because the other party could not provide enough poisonous insects to his Lifebound poisonous insect and had to resort to regr blood transfusions, resulting in physical weakness.


    When the three of them received their tokens, Pei Haibing did not even look them in the eye.


    It was clear that the three were grouped together because they hadn¡¯t offered Blood Marrow Crystals as bribes; thus, they ended up as teammates.


    Moreover, Niu Jiao Ridge, far from Ghost Ridge Pce, was surrounded by poisonous miasmas and deep valleys, notoriously frequented by Alien Ghosts.


    ¡°These three individuals, one old, one disabled, one insignificant junior disciple, are all headed to Niu Jiao Ridge. Tsk tsk, it¡¯s doubtful they will return.¡±


    As they descended, many disciples cast strange nces their way, discerning people could tell that Su Jie and hispanions were deliberately arranged by Pei Haibing.


    ¡°Brother Su, long time no see.¡±


    Gu Weonian greeted Su Jie with a sped hand, his face showing a bitter smile, ¡°You didn¡¯t bribe the Inner Sect either, huh!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m poor.¡±


    This concise statement left Gu Weonian speechless, as he was in the same boat.


    ¡°Ahem, it seems we are all in the same boat. My health is quite poor; I request you two look after me more when we are in Niu Jiao Ridge.¡±


    Sun Zhihai coughed twice, speaking with weak breath, his body extremely frail.


    ¡°Fellow Daoists, we are also assigned to station at Niu Jiao Ridge. My name is Chen Yun, this is my younger brother Chen Kouyan, and Xu Chaoxian, my husband.¡±


    A woman approached, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, quite beautiful and now sped hands toward Su Jie and the others.


    ¡°My name is Su Jie, this is Gu Weonian and Sun Zhihai.¡±


    Su Jie returned the greeting; the family in front of him seemed well prepped for Mountain Patrol.


    A light shone in Gu Weonian¡¯s eyes as he eagerly stepped forward, ¡°Haha, it looks like we are not alone after all. It¡¯s better to be in a team, much better!¡±


    Xu Chaoxian, a man of few words, did not join the conversation, seemingly letting his wife, Chen Yun, make all decisions.


    ¡°Hmph, one old, one cripple, sis, why waste words with them? Make sure they don¡¯t hold us backter.¡±


    Chen Kouyan crossed his arms with a look of disdain.


    Sun Zhihai¡¯s eyes dodged, too intimidated to speak.


    Gu Weonian¡¯s face also colored with embarrassment since his age was apparent.


    ¡°What breed are you to talk like this? We¡¯re all here because we couldn¡¯t afford to be anywhere but Niu Jiao Ridge. How high and mighty can you be?¡±


    Su Jie wasn¡¯t one to tolerate disrespect, and immediately retorted against the disdainful remarks.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Unexpected by Chen Kouyan¡¯s reaction, he became visibly embarrassed, and his clothes suddenly bursting open from the back.


    A swarm of finger-sized, fiery-red poisonous ants crazily emerged, covering half his body and started spreading toward Su Jie.


    ¡°Enough! Did I tell you to talk too much?¡±


    Chen Yun suddenly turned around, pping her brother Chen Kouyan on the head, dazing him.


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. This person did not hide the flow of Spiritual Power in her body while attacking, revealing her strength at the Fourth Level of the Yunling Realm.


    Or perhaps, was this intentionally done by her to set a dominating presence right from the start?


    When she acted, an ugly bat emerged from her sleeve, emitting a silent menace.


    The ants crawling on Chen Kouyan became rigid under the influence of the inaudible sound waves, their previously aggressive posture suddenly calming down.


    It must be Chen Yun¡¯s Lifebound poisonous insect, a very rare and unique type called Ming Sheng Bat.


    ¡°Sorry everyone, my younger brother is a bit unruly. I apologize on his behalf as his elder sister.¡±


    ¡°No worries, no worries, everyone¡¯s young once!¡±


    Gu Weonian, not wanting rtions to sour, could only try to smooth things over as best as he could.


    Although he too was at the Fourth Level of the Yunling Realm, due to his advanced age and previous hidden injuries from his youth, his flow of Spiritual Power was not even as strong as that of Sun Zhihai, who was at the Third Level.


    Su Jie noticed Chen Kouyan ring unhappily at him and touched his chest to soothe the restless Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    It wasn¡¯t to that extent yet; it wasn¡¯t necessary to kill anyone over a merement. He wasn¡¯t that heartless.


    ¡°Disciples who have received tokens must set out immediately without dy. Those who do not arrive at the designated station within the allotted time will face the Law Enforcement Team.¡±


    Meanwhile, Pei Haibing, having finished distributing the tokens, dropped a cold sentence and left Ghost Ridge Pce with two disciples.


    The disciples packed their bags and began their trek.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go as well.¡±


    Su Jie packed his hefty bag and followed the crowd heading toward the mountains far from the Sect.

 Chapter 25 - 24: Meng Dongge

    Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Meng Dongge


    So-called Mountain Patrol was not without its intricacies.


    The locations where the disciples were stationed were not randomly assigned; they were strategically ced concerning the key routes leading into Ghost Ridge Pce from the outside world.


    This arrangement was primarily to protect that trade route.


    Located within the mountains, most of the resources for Ghost Ridge Pce had to be brought in from the outside world.


    If external supplies were cut off, the ck market would cease to operate, causing extreme difficulties for Ghost Ridge Pce.


    The weakest disciples sent on Mountain Patrol had at least attained the Second Level of Yunling Realm, which made them much stronger on foot than ordinary people.


    Even as they traversed steep mountains and ridges, their speed was not slow.


    As time passed, more disciples reached their temporary stations and departed, and the long dragon-like line of disciples became shorter and shorter.


    By sunset, only less than ten groups remained in the line.


    ¡°There¡¯s Niu Jiao Ridge,¡± Su Jie said.


    After crossing a ravine-filled narrow canyon, two small hills positioned like horn tips appeared in view.


    ¡°We¡¯ve finally arrived,¡± said Sun Zhihai, panting and drenched in sweat, sitting down on the ground while supporting his knees; the journey had almost worn him out.


    ¡°ck mountains and white waters, twin peaks like horns, a heart-piercing de, precarious, truly a dangerous ce!¡±


    Looking at the terrain of Niu Jiao Ridge, Gu Weonian twisted a string of prayer beads in his left hand, murmuring under his breath.


    Curiously, Su Jie asked, ¡°Brother Gu, do you understand geomancy?¡±


    With a self-deprecating smile, Gu Weonian responded, ¡°A bit of this and that. I can¡¯t advance in my cultivation, so I have to pick up various other skills.¡±


    The two groups, totaling six people, headed toward Niu Jiao Ridge. As they reached the foot of the hill, they spotted wooden huts built every few hundred meters within the forest, though these ces were already manned.


    Six disciples waiting there kindly observed Su Jie and his group as they arrived.


    The leader among these disciples, an elegantly mannered middle-aged man, immediately approached them cheerfully, ¡°You are from Taoist Qiu¡¯s lineage, right? We received a letter from the Command Hall two days ago, we¡¯ve been waiting for you. My name is Meng Dongge. I¡¯ve been here twelve days, under Elder Zhong¡¯smand.¡±


    ¡°Meng Dongge, this man is a Fifth Level of Yunling Realm, I¡¯ve heard he offended an inner disciple, now it seems true. Otherwise, with his abilities, why would he be sent here?¡± Gu Weonian quietly said to Su Jie, who had been living in Ghost Ridge Pce for many years, and had ess to much gossip.


    ¡°Mr. Meng, hello, we are ordered to be stationed here,¡± Su Jie said, pulling out his token, speaking in formal terms.


    ¡°Mr. Meng, hello, we just arrived; sorry to trouble you.¡± Chen Yun spoke very politely, representing her party.


    Meng Dongge¡¯s expression shifted slightly, seemingly noticing that among the six people from Chen Yun¡¯s side, she had the highest cultivation, and his tone became considerably warmer.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll lead you to your station. Having more people increases our sense of security. You wouldn¡¯t believe, but I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep in half a month.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s head over together.¡±


    The group moved towards the temporary station and soon Su Jie and Chen Yun¡¯s teams were assigned to adjacent wooden huts on the left side of the peak at Niu Jiao Ridge, approximately two kilometers away from the huts on the right side of the peak where Meng Dongge and others were stationed.


    Meng Dongge distributed some supplies necessary for living and repeated a few points of caution before turning to leave.


    ¡°He¡¯s really a good man! Much more pleasant than that guy named Chen Koudang who we just met,¡± Sun Zhihai eximed as he watched Meng Dongge walk away. Sincere disciples like this were rare among the often indifferent and ruthless Ghost Ridge Pce disciples.


    Gu Weonian nodded and added, ¡°Earlier, Meng Dongge mentioned hoping we coulde over to share the burden and collectively face the threat of Alien Ghosts, amon human reaction, he¡¯s genuinely sincere.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    Finding agreement, Sun Zhihai then turned to Su Jie and asked, ¡°Brother Su, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Instead of discussing this, let¡¯s clean up the house first,¡± replied Su Jie, not delving too much into the conversation.


    After all, he felt that, in a Demon Cultivation Sect like Ghost Ridge Pce, finding a genuinely good person was extraordinarily difficult.


    As they talked, Su Jie stepped forward and pushed open the wooden door of the three-story wooden house in front of him.


    Such wooden huts were not temporarily built but had long been established.


    Disciples sometimes used them for short stays while on missions outside, and the houses contained dry food and simple bedding.


    However, as these instances were rtively rare and the houses were only used for temporary rest, no one cleaned them, leaving the houses generally very filthy.


    Creak!


    The grating sound of the heavy wooden door opening as Su Jie walked into the house first.


    The interior was not as disorderly as he had expected; rather, it was exceptionally well-kept.


    Running a finger across the surface of a table, Su Jie rolled his fingers together, finding no dust.


    Looking up, the ceiling also bore no cobwebs.


    It seemed that not long ago, someone had still been living and cleaning this ce.


    Turning to Gu Weonian and Sun Zhihai, who had just entered, Su Jie said, ¡°There must have been people stationed in this room before we arrived. Did they mention if anyone other than Meng Dongge¡¯s group had been stationed here at Niu Jiao Ridge?¡±


    Taken aback, Gu Weonian said, ¡°Who knows! You can only find out the details of the disciples¡¯ assignments at the Command Hall, but no one cares unless it¡¯s an inner disciple.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps some disciples cleaned it when they temporarily stationed here, saving us the trouble.¡±


    Sun Zhihai put down his bundle, opened all the doors and windows, and then picked out a room for himself.


    ¡°Brother Su, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Seeing Su Jie¡¯s slight frown, Gu Weonian was puzzled.


    ¡°Meng Dongge only mentioned fearing the threat of the Alien Ghost. I remember they hadn¡¯t encountered an Alien Ghost, had they?¡±


    ¡°No, he seems not to have mentioned that. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Did you notice? Meng Dongge¡¯s two teams were perfectly intact, six people exactly. If a team had been stationed here before we arrived and they encountered an Alien Ghost disaster, yet Meng Dongge¡¯s group remained unharmed with all members ounted for, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a problem?¡±


    Su Jie shared some of his suspicions, as now was not the time for riddles since everyone was in the same trench¡ªmore fighting power meant more security.


    Old and cunning, Gu Weonian was woken up by Su Jie¡¯s hint and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Are you suggesting we fell into a trap?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, but it¡¯s possible, considering the house was chosen by Meng Dongge.¡±


    As Su Jie¡¯s tightly knit brows rxed, he continued, ¡°I want to find another stationary spot. Whether it¡¯s true or not, it¡¯s safer to be cautious.¡±


    As they say, a wise man does not stand beneath a tottering wall. Su Jie was unwilling to take risks, especially those concerning life.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s change ces.¡±


    Surviving to such an old age in a ruthless sect like Ghost Ridge Pce, Gu Weonian might not have the best talent, but he knew that being cautious ensured longevity, albeit sounding either careful or cowardly.


    Hearing Su Jie¡¯s words and harboring suspicions, Gu Weonian wisely decided to follow.


    Just then, Sun Zhihai, who had chosen his room upstairs, came down and asked, ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you choosing rooms? I¡¯ve taken the one on the left upstairs. Pick another one.¡±


    ¡°Brother Sun, we n to change our stationing spot,¡± Gu Weonian said, immediately sharing Su Jie¡¯s suspicions with Sun.


    ¡°Ah! Could it be that you¡¯re overthinking it?¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Zhihai was reluctant, since cleaning another house would be required.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Su Jie nced at him, picked up his bundle, and walked out the door.


    ¡°Brother Sun, it¡¯d be best for you toe with us,¡± Gu Weonian kindly admonished, grabbing his bundle and quickly following Su Jie.


    ¡°Hey, you guys, I¡¯ming too, don¡¯t leave me behind!¡±


    Although somewhat reluctant, Sun Zhihai was more afraid of being left alone.


    Seeing the two walking away, he hurriedly packed his bundle and caught up with Su Jie and Gu Weonian.


    At Niu Jiao Ridge, simr wooden houses were numerous. Su Jie did not go far and stopped at one about seven to eight hundred meters away.


    ¡°This is the ce. Let¡¯s clean the house first.¡±


    As Su Jie pushed open the door of the chosen wooden house, a musty smell wafted out. The table and floor were covered with a thickyer of dust, indicating it had been uninhabited for a long time.


    ¡°Brother Su, about Chen Yun, should we go over and remind him¡­¡±


    Gu Weonian hesitated and then tentatively spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that petty. However, others might not believe it or want to move.¡±


    Su Jie was nomittal. Being a good person was not easy these days.


    Patting his chest, Gu Weonian said, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll just go and let him know.¡±


    ¡°Then go quickly ande back quickly.¡±


    Su Jie looked at the sky; the sun was already setting behind the mountains.


    Though the Alien Ghosts roamed day and night, nighttime remained their most active period, making it too dangerous to be out alone.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m heading there now.¡±


    Gu Weonian immediately set off, considering the distance wasn¡¯t too far.


    Meanwhile, Su Jie and Sun Zhihai started cleaning the house, not thoroughly but just removing the dust umted in the living areas.


    Su Jie also set up a few simple bell traps afterward, though these were hardly effective against Alien Ghosts.@@novelbin@@


    Alien Ghosts weren¡¯t mere beasts. They possessed high intelligence and knew how to avoidmon traps.


    The real security measure was the dozen dragonflies Su Jie released. Their panoramic vision greatly facilitated surveince the area.


    Besides the dragonflies, Su Jie also released a few small moths since dragonflies¡¯ vision at night was poor, and night-active moths couldpensate for thisck.

 Chapter 26 - 25: Tragic Scene

    Chapter 26: Chapter 25: Tragic Scene


    After cleaning the house, Su Jie heard crows cawing outside.


    Stepping out of the house, he saw a ck crow circling in the sky, making strange, hoarse cries that echoed far and wide, continually tormenting people¡¯s ears.


    Su Jie took out a ck feathered folding fan from his chest and vigorously waved it high.


    Soon, the ck crownded on Su Jie¡¯s shoulder, its beak gaping wide.


    Feeling around his body, Su Jie grabbed a Reconnaissance Dragonfly and fed it to the crow.


    Then he removed a piece of paper from its leg, picked up a pen, wrote down the day¡¯s itinerary, stamped it with his handprint, and tied it back onto the leg.


    Only then did he release the crow again, watching it disappear into the sky.


    This kind of crow was actually a Messenger Crow, cultivated by Ghost Ridge Pce to deliver messages.


    Divine Sense Thousand-Mile Transmission, a lofty magic skill, was not something disciples could learn.


    Messenger Crows traveled daily between Ghost Ridge Pce Mountain Gate and the various disciples¡¯ locations, with disciples required to report their daily activities and any situations encountered.


    If any actions were needed from the disciples, orders were also conveyed via Messenger Crow.


    Shortly after the crow flew off, Gu Weonian returned, but unfortunately, he brought back bad news.


    ¡°Not sessful?¡±


    Seeing a trace of embarrassment on Gu Weonian¡¯s face, Su Jie knew that things had probably not gone well.


    ¡°Good talk or bad talk, they just wouldn¡¯t believe it, and that Chen Koudang was even¡­¡±


    Gu Weonian shook his head without continuing, evidently having faced no shortage of ridicule.


    Sun Zhihai also expressed his opinion, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s not meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Since they don¡¯t want to, we just need to look after ourselves.¡±


    Su Jie consoled, ¡°Let it go, just consider their words as idle talk and don¡¯t take them to heart.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. We¡¯ll take turns on watch tonight, you go and rest well first.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Late at night, the third watch!


    The forest floor waspletely engulfed in darkness.


    Atop Niu Jiao Ridge, the noisy cicadas of the day fell silent, clouds obscured the full moon.


    In front of the cabin, an ancient tree stood quietly.


    Its age was at least a thousand years, its roots like coiled dragons, its bark like cracked rocks,den with scaly scars like a gaunt old man.


    Whoosh!


    A gust of night wind blew by, the branches swayed.


    The candlelight shining from the cabin cast patchy shadows amongst the withered branches and leaves, making it appear even more terrifying, like a fanged and wed demon.


    At this moment, Su Jie was sitting atop this ancient tree, sharing a view with several moths, constantly watching for any movements within a hundred meters.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Brother Su, it¡¯s my turn to take over.¡±


    From the cabin, yawning Gu Weonian walked out and waved toward Su Jie in the treetop.


    ¡°Brother Gu, be careful. If anything happens, call out immediately.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, despite my age, I still have my vignce. If¡­¡±


    Gu Weonian hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Su Jie suddenly eximed, ¡°Wait, what was that noise? Did you hear something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Before Gu Weonian could react, Su Jie¡¯s gaze pierced through the darkness outside.


    In the silent night, apart from a few indistinct bird cries, there was no other sound, as if he had just imagined it.


    ¡°Brother Su, this is your first night patrol. You might be too tense.¡±


    Having thought there was a misunderstanding, Gu Weonian shook his head, about to continue speaking when his voice suddenly halted. He and Su Jie exchanged nces, together hearing a faint sound.


    Squeak squeak!


    The continuous, fragmented cries entered their ears, sounding somewhat like rats squeaking.


    Right after, Su Jie and Gu Weonian saw a blood-soaked bat tumbling from the sky like a bird with broken wings.


    ¡°It¡¯s Chen Yun¡¯s lifebound poisonous insect, that Ming Sheng Bat.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he recognized the origin of the bat.


    This type of bat was a very rare Poison Insect that could produce infrasound waves undetectable to humans.


    Not only could it shatter and explode objects, but when used on living beings, it could also cause resonance in human organs, leading to fatal ruptures of internal blood vessels, making it a particrly vicious and sneaky Poison Insect.


    The insect was now falling from the sky, suffering some kind of injury, bleeding from its mouth and nose.


    Su Jie stepped forward and leaped high to catch the Ming Sheng Bat.


    The bat was two sizesrger than a palm and was now emitting bursts of mournful cries.


    ¡°Something must have happened to Chen Yun, it might be an Alien Ghost, go wake up Brother Sun.¡±


    Su Jie took a deep breath; the Ming Sheng Bat¡¯s appearance here was a signal from Chen Yun, a plea for help.


    Gu Weonian quickly summoned someone, and soon Sun Zhihai was awakened from his sleep.


    Gu Weonian¡¯s shivering legs immediately ran fast, not daring to dy.


    Hearing that an Alien Ghost might be lurking, Sun Zhihai, still somewhat sleepy, suddenly felt a chill and instantly no trace of sleep remained.


    ¡°Should we¡­ should we really go? If it¡¯s really an Alien Ghost¡­¡±


    At the critical moment, Sun Zhihai hesitated, a trace of fear appearing on his face.


    Su Jie, with a grave expression, said, ¡°Of course we can¡¯t be reckless; we¡¯ll first observe from the outskirts. If we indeed encounter a tough opponent, we can¡¯t be med for not rescuing them.¡±


    Sun Zhihai breathed a sigh of relief; this was much safer. Demon Cultivators didn¡¯t have the heart to sacrifice themselves for others.


    Gu Weonian said nothing more; through his interactions, he had realized that Su Jie was very cautious and felt confident in Su Jie¡¯s approach.


    The three of them headed toward Chen Yun¡¯s residence without any torches ornterns, fearing they might attract unknown enemies in the dim environment.


    Still some distance away, Su Jie¡¯s nose twitched, faintly smelling blood in the air. The silhouette of Chen Yun and his colleagues¡¯ cabin was now visible nearby.


    ¡°The battle seems to have already ended there.¡±


    Having observed secretly with a moth, Su Jie¡¯s gaze grewplex as he stood up, lit the torch he carried, and walked toward the cabin.


    About a hundred meters from the cabin, a gruesome battlefield appeared before them.


    The ground was covered with ayer of dead poisonous insects, numerous poison snakes and ants crushed to pulp.


    An ant queen, the size of a ser ball, was missing half of its body.


    Another, a desk-sized giant grasshopper, was bisected, green insect blood sttered everywhere.


    These were the lifebound poisonous insects of Chen Koudang and Xu Chaoxian.


    Since even the lifebound poisonous insects had met such a fate, needless to say about the owners themselves.


    During the day, the brash Chen Koudang¡¯s face was torn and hung on a branch, his body dismembered.


    Xu Chaoxian was left with only a head, his body nowhere to be found.


    At the edge of the battlefield, a blood-drenched ¡®corpse¡¯ leaned against the base of arge tree.


    If not for the chest that was still faintly heaving, almost no one would believe the person was still alive.


    It was Chen Yun, the only survivor still breathing at the scene.


    Unexpectedly, besides Su Jie¡¯s group who had just arrived, someone had reached the scene earlier¡ªit was Meng Dongge from the other side of Niu Jiao Ridge.


    He, holding a torch, seemed also surprised that Su Jie¡¯s group had arrived so quickly.

 Chapter 27 - 26: The Reason

    Chapter 27: Chapter 26: The Reason


    ¡°Brother Su, we¡¯rete!¡±


    As soon as they met, Meng Dongge sighed and pointed to the ground filled with dead insects, ¡°I heard the noise and sensed something wrong, so I came to support immediately. Still, I was a step behind the Alien Ghost and couldn¡¯t save Chen Yun¡¯s husband and brother. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s us who found out toote, after all, we were closer to Chen Yun and the others.¡±


    While speaking, Su Jie carefully observed his surroundings, staying on guard.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t necessarily the Alien Ghost who attacked Chen Yun and the others, it could very well have been Meng Dongge right in front of him.


    ¡°No one wants this kind of thing to happen. Since it really was the Alien Ghost, we can only me bad luck.¡±


    Gu Weonian nced at the situation on the scene and immediately figured out a rough scenario.


    Most likely, Chen Yun and the others encountered the Alien Ghost at night, lost due to an unfavorable defense, leading to the deaths of Chen Koudang and Xu Chaoxian.


    That Meng Dongge and his group coulde so quickly to support was considered very loyal among the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples.


    You know, even Gu Weonian, from the same lineage as Elder Qiu as Chen Yun, hesitated quite a bit abouting to support, let alone the disciples of other branches like Meng Dongge¡¯s group.


    ¡°This is just too tragic.¡±


    Sun Zhihai felt his scalp tingle. It¡¯s not that he hadn¡¯t seen dead people before, but Chen Yun and the others were part of his group to patrol and guard the mountains.


    To fall into such a situation on the first day made him empathize deeply.


    ¡°Chen Yun is still breathing¡­¡±


    After checking Chen Yun¡¯s condition, Su Jie turned to Meng Dongge and asked, ¡°Mr. Meng, why are you alone? Where are the other five members of your team?¡±


    ¡°They went to kill that beast. We can¡¯t let the leader of this disaster get away. I stayed here to protect Chen Yun,¡± Meng Dongge gritted his teeth in hatred as he exined.


    As they spoke, intense shouts reached their ears.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Quick, stop it!¡±


    ¡°Use the Nine Curves Net, block its escape route!¡±


    ¡°All together, we¡¯re about to get it!¡±


    Apanied by shouts, a three-meter tall creature darted past Su Jie and the others.


    Its skin was pale, it hunched its body, and moved on all fours; its ws were like steel des, creating a menacing sight.


    ¡°Alien Ghost¡­¡±


    Gu Weonian screamed in fear.


    The atmosphere was too eerie; any slight rustle could put one on edge. The sudden appearance of the Alien Ghost nearly scared him breathless.


    ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m overthinking?¡±


    Su Jie pondered inwardly. It was really an Alien Ghost. Had he misunderstood Meng Dongge?


    ¡°Run¡­ Run! We can¡¯t defeat the Alien Ghost.¡±


    With a trembling voice, Sun Zhihai constantly touched his chest, where a green lizard poked its head out. He even summoned his Lifebound poisonous insect.


    ¡°Watch closely, this Alien Ghost is nearly finished.¡±


    Su Jie raised his hand to stop the two. The pair calmed down and then realized the Alien Ghost was covered with wounds, suffering from corrosive and prating injuries, and its torn muscr tissues were widely exposed to the air, even its internal organs spilled out. Its movements were sluggish; it couldn¡¯t survive much longer without interference.


    After darting out not too many meters, the Alien Ghost eventually copsed due to severe injuries, its blood nearly drained, falling to the ground.


    Buzz, buzz!


    Following this, arge swarm of poisonous insects arrived.


    Hundreds of locusts, poisonous snakes, scorpions, killer bees, and venomous spiders engulfed the Alien Ghost.


    The massive influx of lethal toxins finished off the severely injured Alien Ghost, rendering it motionless and struggle-free.


    Five Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples emerged from the forest where the Alien Ghost had run through, holding various items such ass and ropes. These were the other five members of Meng Dongge¡¯s team.


    They quickly surrounded the corpse of the Alien Ghost, eyeing Su Jie and hispanions warily.


    This was due to the concern that Su Jie and the others might be tempted by the valuable corpse of the Alien Ghost, which had dramatically increased in price.


    ¡°What are you all doing? Our threerades aren¡¯t the type to act recklessly. There¡¯s no need for such precautions; how does it look to others?¡± Meng Dongge rebuked sharply, scolding the other five fiercely.


    Instead, this made Sun Zhihai and Gu Weonian quite embarrassed.


    Gu Weonian cleared his throat and said, ¡°Mr. Meng, since this Alien Ghost was hunted by you and also avenged Chen Yun, we harbor no inappropriate thoughts.¡±


    Sun Zhihai simrly smiled awkwardly, ¡°Yes, Mr. Meng, you worry too much, we do have our principles.¡±


    Although they were extremely eager for the body of the Alien Ghost, which once sold on the ck Market, would easily bring in several hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, morally and especially in terms of power, any attempt to seize it would be suicidal.


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes narrowed; this approach of retreating to advance was quite crafty!


    Looking at Gu Weonian and Sun Zhihai¡¯s reactions, it was clear both had fallen for it.


    Su Jie didn¡¯t immediately point it out, instead he appeared even more righteous than Sun Zhihai and Gu Weonian, saying, ¡°Mr. Meng, it¡¯s only human for them to think this way. After all, our reputation as Demon Cultivators isn¡¯t very good. But rest assured, I, Su Jie, always act upright and detest evil. If it¡¯s not mine, I definitely won¡¯t take it.¡±


    Gu Weonian was speechless; wasn¡¯t that statement a bit too much? Are you really a Demon Cultivator, kid?


    Meng Dongge smiled again and loudly said, ¡°My fellow Daoists, please don¡¯t take offense. We expended a lot of effort and resources such as talismans and Poison Insects to sessfully hunt this Alien Ghost. We have no choice but to sell it to recuperate our costs, otherwise we would have shared some with you. Ah, I do feel bad about this. Here, during this current battle, these dead poisonous insects will be left for you to handle, especially since they all belong to people from the same lineage as Elder Qiu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Gu Weonian and Sun Zhihai bowed together.


    The many dead poisonous insects in the surrounding area, when used for their own Lifebound poisonous insects, were quite beneficial, especially those belonging to Chen Koudang and Xu Chaoxian.


    ¡°Mr. Meng, you¡¯re too polite.¡±


    Su Jie moved quickly and before Gu Weonian and Sun Zhihai could see his actions, he had already grabbed the most valuable queen ant corpse from the ground.


    This move even stumped Meng Dongge, who gave Su Jie a strange look: Is that what you call not taking? So, you¡¯re only interested in the big ones?


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, we won¡¯t stay here any longer. Chen is severely injured now, why not leave her to us? I will see if I can try to heal her.¡±


    Meng Dongge kindly made this suggestion as he looked toward Chen Yun.


    Sun Zhihai and Gu Weonian were just about to agree, since the now helplessly injured Chen Yun was just a burden, and handing her over would be convenient.


    However, at that moment, Su Jie suddenly spoke up, ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble Mr. Meng with this. Chen Yun belongs to our branch, and we have a responsibility to take care of her current condition.¡±


    ¡°We still have some medicine for injuries that could be very helpful.¡±


    Meng Dongge was startled, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head to refuse; even Sun Zhihai and Gu Weonian were quite puzzled¡ªwas he really as upright as he imed?


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t force the issue then, I hope Daoist Chen Yun recovers soon.¡±


    Meng Dongge didn¡¯t insist further and smiled as he took his leave.


    ¡°We need to handle the Alien Ghost corpse as soon as possible, so we won¡¯t stay here any longer. The three of you, take care. If you encounter an Alien Ghost, be sure to ask for our help immediately. I don¡¯t want to see what happened to Daoist Chen Yun happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Take care.¡±


    ¡°Take care.¡±


    The two groups bowed to each other, and Meng Dongge and his group carried the Alien Ghost corpse away from the battlefield.


    Meanwhile, Sun Zhihai and Gu Weonian could hardly wait to start collecting various poisonous insect corpses from the ground.


    The freshly dead poisonous insects were particrly suitable as food for their Lifebound poisonous insects.


    Su Jie watched Meng Dongge and the others disappear into the woods, his fingers curling slightly.


    A moth, taking advantage of the cover of night, silently followed them with fluttering wings.


    This method of Insect Control,mon among the inner disciples, was hard to detect without specific defenses.


    ¡°Brother Su, we¡¯ve struck it big today!¡±


    After counting, Gu Weonian was quite excited.


    The poisonous insect corpses they collected from the battlefield filled a basket, a pretty fruitful loot indeed.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s haul isn¡¯t bad.¡±


    Su Jie nced over, butpared to Meng Dongge and his group¡¯s acquisition of the Alien Ghost corpse, these insect corpses were hardly impressive.


    ¡°But¡­did you really think you could deceive everyone?¡±


    Licking his lips, Su Jie nced at Chen Yun on the ground and then at Meng Dongge and the others disappearing from view, his lips curving into a chilling smile.

 Chapter 28 - 27: Gentiana

    Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Gentiana


    Niu Jiao Ridge!


    Inside a wooden house on the southern peak.


    The six men from Meng Dongge¡¯s group had just returned here, jubnt beside themy the corpse of an Alien Ghost.


    ¡°Dongge, it¡¯s your strategy that¡¯s formidable, another sessful hunt for an Alien Ghost tonight, without any effort.¡±


    A disciple, extremely excited, spoke while caressing the Alien Ghost¡¯s body, utterly fascinated.


    ¡°Following my lead can¡¯t be wrong, those disciples are just paupers, how much money can they have? They don¡¯tpare to the value of an Alien Ghost, it¡¯s perfect for making use of such waste.¡±


    Meng Dongge¡¯s demeanor was no longer friendly and amiable, his face bore a trace of a cold sneer.


    ¡°Indeed, indeed, all thanks to you, Dongge, for getting a batch of Gentiana, otherwise this n wouldn¡¯t have been so easily sessful.¡±


    ¡°These demon-like Alien Ghosts, before I couldn¡¯t have even dreamed of hunting them without paying a price.¡±


    The disciples nearby continuously echoed in agreement, full of admiration and ttery in their words towards Meng Dongge.


    ¡°Speaking of which, what¡¯s with Su Jie and his people? I went over to the cabin earlier and noticed they¡¯ve moved to another hut. Could they have discovered something?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    Meng Dongge immediately interjected, confidently iming: ¡°I buried the Gentiana under the roots in the soil; only an Alien Ghost can smell that unique scent, no one else could find it.


    They¡¯re probably just a bit suspicious, not fully trusting our arrangements.


    In that case, next time I pay a visit under the guise of benevolence, I¡¯ll take the opportunity to bury some Gentiana around their hut, let¡¯s see if they can still change their dwelling.¡±


    ¡°This will definitely work, when they lure the Alien Ghost over, we just have to wait for them to fight the Ghost to a standstill and reap the benefits like a fisherman.¡±@@novelbin@@


    The disciples¡¯ eyes shone brightly, as if seeing a torrent of wealth flowing into their pockets.


    Meng Dongge and his people discussed their schemes without any restraint, contemting how to set their trap.


    Little did they know, at the window, a moth quietly clung to the surface, hearing all their loud scheming loud and clear.


    ¡­..


    ¡°Heh, just as I thought, thest piece of the puzzle is in ce.¡±


    At the same time.


    On the northern peak of Niu Jiao Ridge, Su Jie slowly opened his eyes, ceasing the vision sharing with the moth.


    In the main hall of the wooden house, Chen Yun, who had just been rescued, was temporarily ced here.


    Her wounds were severe, her body was ripped open by the Alien Ghost¡¯s sharp ws, leaving several deep gashes that exposed her bones, even her intestines were out in the open air. Had her body not been far superior to an ordinary human¡¯s, she would have died already.


    ¡°The bleeding has stopped for now, but the Alien Ghost¡¯s attack, due to its ws carrying some Corrosive Poison, will depend on whether she can survive without her wounds festering.¡±


    Gu Weonian checked and found Chen Yun¡¯s condition to be pessimistic.


    ¡°I understand, let¡¯s set Chen Yun aside for now and discuss other matters.¡±


    Su Jie stood up from the cushion, called Gu Weonian and Sun Zhihai over, and said, ¡°Regarding tonight¡¯s events, what are your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Thoughts? Wasn¡¯t it just an ident? It¡¯s just that Chen Yun and the others were too unlucky. Ah, Brother Su, you don¡¯t think that they were attacked by Mr. Meng, do you? You saw the Alien Ghost corpse earlier, your previous suspicions weren¡¯t urate.¡±


    Gu Weonian was perplexed, recalling how not long ago, Su Jie had doubted Meng Dongge.


    But the facts proved Su Jie was wrong; instead, Meng Dongge heroically saved others, fully proving himself to be a good person.


    ¡°Yeah, Brother Su, isn¡¯t Mr. Meng good enough? Braving the threat of the Alien Ghost, he personally led the rescue. We can¡¯t falsely use someone.¡±


    Sun Zhihai also defended Meng Dongge.


    Both appeared to hold Meng Dongge in high regard, his helpful characterbined with the personal risk he took was indeed very convincing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it all too coincidental?¡±


    Su Jie knew they would question him, and he analyzed the night¡¯s events one by one: ¡°Chen Yun and I just arrived today, and her group was attacked by an Alien Ghost, which seems far too coincidental.


    Also, wasn¡¯t Meng Dongge¡¯s group¡¯s response too quick after the attack? They were even further from Chen Yun¡¯s hut, yet they arrived before us and even had a fierce battle with the Alien Ghost, as if¡­ they had been waiting there in advance.¡±


    Silence!


    The hall fell silent at Su Jie¡¯s words.


    Gu Weonian swallowed nervously, uneasy, and said, ¡°Su¡­ Brother Su, with no concrete evidence, this might just be overthinking on your part.¡±


    Though he said this, Gu Weonian pondered Su Jie¡¯s words and indeed found several questionable points.


    ¡°Brother Gu, think about it, when Meng Dongge¡¯s group appeared, the items they were carrying, the Nine Curves Net, the Earth Sinking Thunder Fire Mirror, the Heavenly Gang Rope¡­ do you remember? These items are all used for setting traps and ambushes. Do you think, if Meng Dongge really went on a rescue, would he bring all these items with him?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s voice was eerily calm, not angered by Gu Weonian¡¯s skepticism but insteadid out the facts for analysis.


    Gu Weonian turned pale with nothing to retort, as Su Jie¡¯s analysis was all based on facts.


    ¡°Brother Su, this is all just your spection, they don¡¯t count as evidence. I know you want to get your hands on that Alien Ghost¡¯s corpse, but we don¡¯t have the strength for it, and we can¡¯t just go and snatch it, please don¡¯t drag us down with you.¡±


    Sun Zhihai stood up angrily, feeling that Su Jie coveted the value of the Alien Ghost and hade up with these seemingly equivocal spections to drag himself and Gu Weonian into the mess.


    Yet he didn¡¯t consider theirbined strengths; all three of them together might not even match Meng Dongge, let alone the fact that they were outnumbered, as there were six disciples on Meng Dongge¡¯s side.

 Chapter 29 - 27: Gentiana_2

    Chapter 29: Chapter 27: Gentiana_2


    ¡°Do you all actually want evidence, or are you too afraid to admit the truth?¡±


    Su Jie looked over with a profound gaze that made Sun Zhihai feel somewhat guilty; he wasn¡¯t sure if Su Jie actually had any concrete evidence.


    ¡°You¡­ cough cough¡­ is everything you said really¡­ true?¡±


    Just then, a voice as weak as a mosquito¡¯s came through.


    It was Chen Yun, who had been unconscious until now, waking up just in time to hear Su Jie¡¯s analysis; her eyes ring fiercely, filled with intense rage that crowded her chest, so much so that she disregarded her own injuries, struggling to sit up and reopened her freshly closed wounds.


    Su Jie turned to look at Chen Yun and said indifferently, ¡°You should rest first. Even if this is true, you can¡¯t do anything about it. Right now, you¡¯re a cripple.¡±


    ¡°I want to kill them, kill them all.¡±


    Chen Yun bit her lips so hard they bled, unaware of the pain, her heart full of anger that had nowhere to be vented.


    That very night, the people closest to her, her husband, and brother, had both died, initially believed to be due to an Alien Ghost attack, a case of mere bad luck.


    However, listening to Su Jie¡¯s analysis, she realized there was more to the situation, seemingly a trap set up by Meng Dongge and his group.


    Su Jie no longer paid any attention to Chen Yun. When he had saved her, he had thought she might be treatable.


    Then he would have additional fighting power on his side, which would be convenient for a confrontation with Meng Dongge.


    But what he got back was just a cripple, which was disappointing.


    ¡°Brother Su, what evidence are you talking about?¡±


    Gu Weonian couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Ever heard of Gentiana? Meng Dongge nted this grass outside Chen Yun¡¯s hut. That¡¯s the biggest lure for tonight¡¯s Alien Ghost attack. Oh, and the hut Meng Dongge originally selected for us? He nted the same Gentiana there too.¡±


    ¡°What, Gentiana? Where did he get that from?¡±


    Gu Weonian broke out into a cold sweat.


    To Alien Ghosts, Gentiana is like catnip to cats.


    It emits a scent that Alien Ghosts love, easily attracting them.


    However, Gentiana is always rare and seldom found; many people have heard of it, but only a few have ever seen it.


    Patting his heart, relieved, Gu Weonian thankfully said, ¡°Lucky for us Brother Su, you made us move houses, otherwise tonight we probably would have ended up just like Chen Yun.¡±


    At this point, Gu Weonianpletely believed Su Jie¡¯s judgment; the tragic situation today was indeed a sinister plot by Meng Dongge.


    The man appeared upstanding on the surface but harbored ulterior motives in secret, actually setting up such a trap and directly dooming three people like Chen Yun.


    ¡°I must say, the opponent really has a good scheme. Just like fishing, Chen Yun and the others were the bait; not only to attract the Alien Ghosts but also to consume their strength in advance. Betting on a mutually destructive fight, Meng Dongge woulde out to ambush at the end and easily capture an Alien Ghost with the value of several hundred Blood Marrow Crystals¡ªhow utterly maddening!¡±


    Su Jie sighed, recalling the clean hut from the start; Chen Yun was probably not the first to be trapped this way.


    ¡°Gentiana¡­ if only I had listened to you and moved earlier, none of this would have happened¡­ I hate myself, I hate myself so much, Kou Dang, Chao Xian, it¡¯s my fault you died, all my fault¡­.¡±


    Hearing Su Jie¡¯s words, Chen Yun waspletely consumed by regret.


    If only she had heeded the advice, she wouldn¡¯t have lost her brother and husband that night.


    Gu Weonian didn¡¯t know how tofort her and finally let out a long sigh, looking toward Su Jie.


    ¡°Brother Su, what should we do now? Should we present our analysis to the Command Hall?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that would be useful?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ probably not.¡±


    Gu Weonian chuckled wryly; they were from a Demon Sect, where it wasmon for lower Disciples to kill each other, and even public murder could be let off if enough money was paid forpensation.


    Outer Disciples were just expendables to the high echelons of the Sect; one batch could easily be reced by another, so the higher-ups couldn¡¯t care less about such trivial matters.


    Su Jie spread his hands wide, his tone grave, ¡°Now we have no choice; either kill Meng Dongge and his people, or it¡¯s our death. Those are the only two oues.¡±


    As for running away, without the Command Hall¡¯s permission, whoever dared to leave the station had better be prepared to be a corpse.


    ¡°How could we possibly be a match for Meng Dongge and his group?¡±


    Sun Zhihai immediately protested, his face filled with fear.


    The gap in fighting power between them was too great; not to mention quality, just the number of people inbat was double, and such a fight would be nothing but suicide.


    ¡°Do you have a better option?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze pierced through him.


    ¡°I-I-I¡­¡±


    Sun Zhihai¡¯s lips moved, but he couldn¡¯t articte a reason.


    ¡°Although they outnumber us, we¡¯re not without chances,¡±


    Withdrawing his gaze, Su Jie nced at Chen Yun on the ground and said, ¡°As the saying goes, fight fire with fire. If Meng Dongge uses Gentiana to set a trap, we can use it against them too.¡±


    ¡°You mean, take out the Gentiana we had near our wooden hut and ce it near where Meng Dongge and his people are staying to attract the Alien Ghost to deal with them?¡±


    Gu Weonian quickly grasped Su Jie¡¯s idea, and his eyes suddenly brightened with understanding.


    Because this n had a good chance of seeding.


    ¡°The Alien Ghost is quite useful. If it can¡¯tpletely eliminate them, we¡¯ll go up and finish the job.¡±


    Su Jie set the tone for the n and then said to Gu Weonian, ¡°You go there tonight. The Gentiana is buried under the roots around our hut; they probably haven¡¯t had a chance to take it out yet. Dig it up and bury it near Meng Dongge¡¯s hut, and be careful not to get caught.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go right now.¡±


    Gu Weonian quickly agreed, now fully prepared to follow Su Jie through thick and thin.


    Besides dealing with the threat of Meng Dongge, there was no other choice.


    Su Jie watched Gu Weonian leave, with moths secretly following him.


    He wasn¡¯t one to easily trust others; if Gu Weonian had any ulterior motives, he would know immediately.


    Among the Outer Disciples, none had learned the Insect Control Technique, and they had no defense against ordinary insects, giving Su Jie a significant advantage in surveince.


    ¡°Mr. Su, let me join in the battle too. I can still be of help,¡±


    As Gu Weonian left, Chen Yun struggled to hold herself up. Her eyes were unwavering with determination, and her resolve for revenge didn¡¯t waver in the slightest despite her injuries.


    Su Jie took a hard look at Chen Yun and then seemed to think of something, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but you could die.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d be afraid of death in my current state?¡±


    Chen Yun gave a wry smile. Having lost her brother and husband, she preferred to die rather than let Meng Dongge off easy.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Su Jie said no more. Chen Yun¡¯s wounds could actually be healed; it was just that she couldn¡¯t afford the Healing Pills needed.


    Carrying Chen Yun back to the bedroom, Su Jie prepared to perform surgery on her.


    Without much preparation, Su Jie released the thousand-hand centipede. Using the dexterous pale arms of the thousand-hand centipede, he cut off several strands of Chen Yun¡¯s hair and used the hair to stitch her wounds.


    Su Jie had never stitched wounds before; his technique was poor, the stitches ugly and awkward, with some skin not even aligned properly.


    With no anesthesia, Chen Yun bit down and endured the pain throughout the procedure, her sweat and blood soaking the bed.


    After the stitching was done, Chen Yun waspletely drained, her body covered in centipede-like sewn wounds, including on her face.


    Su Jie poured some healing medicine on Chen Yun¡¯s wounds and gave her a Hemostatic Elixir to take. It wasn¡¯t even a low-grade elixir, but the hemostatic effect was still there, and because it was cheap, it was widely recognized among the Outer Disciples as a sacred healing medicine.


    ¡°Can you move now?¡±


    Su Jie asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Chen Yun grit her teeth and forced her body up off the bed. It had to be said that the physical resilience of Cultivators was much higher than that of normal people. A normal person with such injuries wouldn¡¯t think of leaving bed for at least half a year, yet Chen Yun was able to force herself to move slowly.


    Seeing this, Su Jie shook his head and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s still too forced.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s enough. I can still control the poisonous insects. Even if I have to sacrifice my Lifebound poisonous insect and my own life, I can manage a few more attacks. Let me join the battle.¡±


    Yet Chen Yun looked at Su Jie with determination and called over the Ming Sheng Bat.


    But now, her Lifebound poisonous insect was also severely injured, unable even to fly, merely lying weakly in Chen Yun¡¯s hand, emitting a faint squeak.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Su Jie saw Chen Yun in a new light; her fortitude was indeedmendable, at least she was harsh enough on herself.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°When do we leave?¡±


    Chen Yun stroked the Ming Sheng Bat, the deep hatred in her nearly consuming her body. She sought vengeance for her brother and husband.


    ¡°We still need to wait for the good news from Brother Gu. And¡­¡±


    Su Jie opened the window and looked toward the east where the dawn¡¯s red sky was emerging. He chuckled lightly, ¡°And there¡¯s one more hidden danger to clear up. After all that¡¯s done, we¡¯ll be about ready.¡±

 Chapter 31 - 29: Alien Ghost Night Attack

    Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Alien Ghost Night Attack


    Night!


    The silvery moonlight bathed the earth, and besides a few insect chirps, the forest was silent.


    Drip!


    Suddenly, a sound so faint it was almost undetectable reached the ear.


    A creature with a terrifying form hunched its body, stealthily prowling through the night.


    With the appearance of this creature, a sinister aura began to spread through the nocturnal forest.


    It was an Alien Ghost, a robust and muscr one, over three meters tall.


    Its nostrils red slightly as if catching a whiff of something special. It became incredibly excited and ran swiftly toward the south side of Niu Jiao Ridge, its heavy body hitting the ground nearly silently.


    After covering several thousand meters, the Alien Ghost raised its head, its crimson gaze confirming something through the darkness.


    A few hundred meters away stood a wooden house, its faint light barely piercing the gloom.


    The Alien Ghost slowly opened its mouth, scenting the air for the living; its primal hunting instinct, encoded in its gics, activated.


    It crouched lower, approaching the wooden house in a bizarre posture.


    ¡­


    Atop the roof of the wooden house, a Ghost Ridge Pce Disciple was on lookout duty ¨C one of Meng Dongge¡¯s followers.


    The night wind blew, prompting a yawn. He tightened his clothes around him, cursing under his breath, ¡°Damn this ghostly weather, not even winter yet and it¡¯s already this cold.¡±


    The Disciple failed to notice that as heined, a grotesque and eerie Alien Ghost had silently climbed up the exterior wall of the wooden house and was now behind him.


    Its huge mouth, split to the ear, opened wide, each sharp tooth like a small dagger, drool dripping steadily.


    The Disciple touched his head and grumbled to himself, ¡°Is it raining? Just my luck.¡±


    But the next moment, as he instinctively looked up, all he saw was a gaping maw swiftly closing in on him.


    With a single bite, the Disciple¡¯s head vanished, chewed up and swallowed by the Alien Ghost.


    The headless corpse spurted blood meters into the air, like a blood-red firework blooming in the night, adding anotheryer of horror to the already terrifying scene.


    The smell of fresh blood was distinct. Within the wooden house, some sleeping Disciples were sensitive to blood because of their poisonous insects, which were already alerting their hosts.


    ¡°There¡¯s a disturbance.¡±


    ¡°Such a strong scent of blood.¡±


    ¡°Not good, something¡¯s happened.¡±


    Voices of rm rose from within the wooden house asmps were lit, weapons in hand, and Meng Dongge, apanied by four Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples, rushed out.


    No sooner had they exited the wooden house than a massive figure leaped down from the rooftop.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Alien Ghost.¡±


    The Disciples were utterly terrified, their cries of fright piercing the sky.


    Meng Dongge¡¯s face darkened, and he clenched his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, there are five of us, enough to kill this beast.¡±


    A few Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples called forth swarms of poisonous insects, knowing they had no choice but to face the threat head-on.


    ¡°Attack.¡±


    With a loud shout, Meng Dongge knew the night would likely not end well.


    This wasn¡¯t like the previous times, setting ambushes for Alien Ghosts; the one in their presence was in peak condition.


    shing head-on, who knew how many would perish.


    Meng Dongge was irritated by his bad luck tonight, having actually encountered a roaming Alien Ghost.


    From beginning to end, Meng Dongge had never imagined that the Alien Ghost had been lured there by someone.


    ¡­


    At the southern foot of Niu Jiao Ridge.


    With the tree tops swaying slightly in the night breeze, Su Jie sat cross-legged among them, watching the mes and explosions light up from the distant wooden house, listening to the furious roars of the Alien Ghost, the wails of humans in theirst moments before death, and clicked his tongue, ¡°Impressive! Even Fire Poison Cockroaches self-detonate, it¡¯s an all-in fighting style.¡±


    Standing under the tree, Gu Weonian rubbed his arms, which were prickling with nervous goosebumps, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Brother Su, when do we make our move?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, with an Alien Ghost, I believe Meng Dongge and his team can handle it. It¡¯s not yet time for both sides to suffer.¡±


    Su Jie was in no hurry at all, letting the Alien Ghost wear itself out a little more.


    ¡°Good riddance, let them taste what it¡¯s like to be ughtered by an Alien Ghost.¡±


    Compared to Gu Weonian¡¯s anxiousness, Chen Yun was exceptionally excited, her face bearing a crazed smile that never ceased.


    The battle was longer than imagined, almost twenty minutes passed before the distant conflict finally ceased, returning to tranquility.


    ¡°It¡¯s our turn to enter the scene.¡±


    Su Jie jumped down from the treetops, unhurriedly leading Gu Weonian and the other person forward.


    Merely seven or eight hundred meters ahead, the burning wooden house, fallen bodies, and countless dead insects were scattered everywhere.


    What was once a team of six from Meng Dongge, now only four remained, and they all bore injuries.


    One disciple was critically injured; his lower body was severed at the waist, blood and entrails flowing freely, his upper body still struggling and crawling on the ground, not yet having sumbed.


    This disciple also knew his fate was sealed, casting a pleading look towards Meng Dongge.


    ¡°End his suffering quickly.¡±


    Meng Dongge shook his head, about to put an end to the disciple¡¯s agony, when he suddenly heard abnormal sounds and abruptly turned his head shouting, ¡°Who¡¯s over there, show yourself!¡±


    Rustling crawling sounds emerged from the forest, several pale corpse hands wriggled out of the darkness, their bases raised high, fingers spread to crawl like spiders, entering Meng Dongge¡¯s field of view.


    The half-severed disciple was closest and was immediately caught by several pale corpse hands that twisted his head around, rotating it a full 360 degrees on the spot.


    The sound of breaking bones was particrly distinct in the dark and silent surroundings, bringing an end to his suffering.


    ¡°Enemy attack.¡±


    Meng Dongge¡¯s expression turned vignt, and using the moonlight that pierced the dark sky, he witnessed a hair-raising scene.


    Su Jie, Gu Weonian, and Chen Yun emerged from the darkness, surrounding them in an encircling manner.


    ¡°Mr. Meng, we came here to kill you, no need to be nervous.¡±


    Su Jie wore a friendly smile as several pale corpse hands moved swiftly, climbing up his trouser leg, eventually disappearing into the wide sleeves of his robe.


    ¡°Mr. Su, what is the meaning of this? What have I done to offend you to warrant such a ruthless attack?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Meng Dongge¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment, seeminglypletely unaware of any grievance.


    ¡°Stop pretending, Meng Dongge, you caused the death of my brother and husband, and today I demand that you go down and apany them.¡±


    Chen Yun stared at Meng Dongge with an intense venomous hatred, her disheveled hair wild and with a hideous scar stitched across her face, like a terrifying female ghost wing her way back from Hell.


    ¡°The one who killed your brother and husband was the Alien Ghost, what does that have to do with us? I even tried to save you yesterday.¡±


    Meng Dongge hastily defended himself, unwilling to admit to the usations, and even called out to Gu Weonian, ¡°Mr. Gu, don¡¯t you believe me either?¡±


    Gu Weonian¡¯s eyes held aplex look as he said, ¡°Mr. Meng, we have already discovered something about the Gentiana. The reason you encountered the Alien Ghost tonight is that I buried the Gentiana near your location.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Meng Dongge fell silent for several seconds, then his expression calmed down as he countered, ¡°When did you find out?¡±


    Meng Dongge no longer feigned innocence, for his secrets had beenid bare, continuing the charade was pointless.

 Chapter 34 - 32: Shell Company

    Chapter 34: Chapter 32: Shell Company


    An hour of cultivation hade to an end, and Su Jie slowly opened his eyes, the orbs glowing brilliantly¡ªan almost tangible manifestation of his spiritual power.


    He swung his arms gently and walked over to his BMW M8. Crouching down, he exerted himself to lift the car.


    A scene that would astonish any Blue Star human unfolded: the 1.9-ton car was hoisted above Su Jie¡¯s head with his bare hands.


    ¡°The quality of spiritual power from this reverse nourishment is quite high.¡±


    Su Jie let out a long breath, extremely satisfied with the gains from his recent advancement.


    Beyond the changes in his body and spiritual power, Su Jie looked down at his own body.


    Then, with his right hand shaped like a de, he fiercely chopped down on his left arm.


    Amidst the sound of breaking bones, Su Jie¡¯s left arm was viciously torn off at the shoulder with his fingers shaped like eagle ws.


    Without the agony he¡¯d imagined, at the severed shoulder stump, buds of flesh began to grow wildly outwards.


    Within a minute, a brand-new arm had regrown.


    The detached arm that Su Jie had thrown to the ground, as if possessing a will of its own, struggled unconsciously, its flesh eerily writhing, its arm resembling a vigorous Poison Insect refusing to die.


    The division and super self-healing traits of the thousand-hand centipede were manifesting in Su Jie.


    The body parts separated bore the influence of Su Jie¡¯s will, allowing them to act like living things.


    Of course, if left unattended, the severed arm would soon diepletely, for creating life was not something he could do at his current level.


    Su Jie bent down to pick up the severed arm, ced it against his left shoulder, and the arm immediately sprouted buds of flesh, beginning to merge and adhere to the newly grown arm, quickly integratingpletely, leaving no trace.


    ¡°Now, even with a pierced heart, I should be able to survive, heh, mere mortal wounds.¡±


    Su Jie thought to himself that if his cultivation kept improving, one day he could even manage to resurrect from a drop of blood.


    Afterpleting his cultivation, Su Jie let the thousand-hand centipede feed abundantly in the rearing field, then cleaned up any traces and left the breeding farm, driving back to Jingjiang No.1 Vi.


    ¡­


    ¡°Su Jie, you¡¯re back.¡±


    As soon as he returned to the vi, Liu Yingying, dressed in a hip-hugging skirt uniform, brightened up and hurried over to greet him.


    ¡°How did things go while I was away?¡±


    Su Jie sat on the sofa, legs crossed, sipping the fragrant tea the housekeeper had brought him.


    Liu Yingying approached proactively, her delicate hands gently massaging Su Jie¡¯s shoulders, a hint of pride in her voice, ¡°I just got back from Hong Kong Ind yesterday. I¡¯ve straightened out the fewpanies you had before, and I¡¯ve also registered three new shellpanies. They are back-channeled to the Cayman Inds. I¡¯ve also cleared the checkpoints from Country Shan in Southeast Asia, sessfully registering several cross-holding raw materialpanies, which makes our business even more legitimate.¡±


    ¡°So capable? Seems I made the right choice making you my secretary.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did study finance, after all. These moves are no big deal.¡±


    ¡°No difficulties encountered?¡±


    ¡°None. Money paves the way through anything; it works wonders. Especially in Chan Country, from customs to the forestry department and others, all the way up, they are tantly taking bribes. Any document or procedure can be sorted out for you, as long as the price is right.¡±


    Liu Yingying went back to her room and brought out a stack of documents, cing them in front of Su Jie.


    Su Jie picked them up and saw things like Fuju Trading Co., Ltd, Jinde Di Wood Import Company, Jie Xin Furniture, followed by some paperwork.


    There were a series of rted timber import and export documents including Chan Country¡¯s logging permits, fumigation certificates, nt inspection certificates, endangered species certificates, and the bill ofding.


    With these ¡®legal¡¯ certificates from Chan Country, the origin wood could pass through customs using legitimate procedures, allowing the shellpanies to operate smoothly, importing from Chan Country to Hua Country, and finallynding in the hands of Tianyuan Home Furnishing Company.


    The reason Su Jie had taken such measures was that the mountains near Ghost Ridge Pce in the Tianyuan World had suffered from his actions; the Small-leaf Rosewood had been over-harvested and was increasingly hard to find.


    In desperation, Su Jie nned to harvest other precious woods, like Golden Nan Wood, yellow pear wood, and Golden Camphor.


    However, his previous low-profile activity under the guise of a family legacy no longer suited these operations.


    Those woods had to go through legal channels for domestic trading, especially now that he had established Tianyuan Home Furnishing Company.


    It was imusible for apany to only sell furniture made from one type of wood, so enriching the product line was necessary. Thus, this deceiving mechanism came into being,undering the cherished wood of the Tianyuan Family onto the market.


    For this, Su Jie nned to take a trip to Chan Country when time permitted, not just to prepare wood raw materials, but also to verify an even crazier idea in Chan Country.


    As Su Jie was looking through these documents, Liang Lianjun, who had received news, hurried into the vi.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m sorry for myte arrival.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    Su Jie gestured for Liang Lianjun to sit down before asking, ¡°Did you manage to buy the factory?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve secured the purchase, but¡­¡±


    Liang Lianjun hesitated, looking somewhat embarrassed, ¡°It¡¯s just that, with the incident involving Leng Baihe, Chairman Cui¡¯s children are fiercely contesting the inheritance, scrambling to liquidate Leng Baihe¡¯s assets. I¡¯ve managed to buy a wood processing factory and some talent from the design department formerly under Leng Baihe, setting up the framework for Tianyuan Home Furnishing Company.¡±


    Su Jieughed heartily and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Poaching the corner of our old employer is only smart if the opportunity presents itself; I certainly won¡¯t mind such a thing. As long as you can get the factory up and running as quickly as possible, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    I have to say, this Liang Lianjun is quite talented.


    ¡°So Tianyuan Home can operate normally now, can¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Su, now that the processing nt has all the necessary equipment and workers, we just need the raw wood to start making furniture.¡±


    ¡°Getting the wood isn¡¯t an issue. Look here, I¡¯ve even prepared various lists and data for you. Just ce an order with Jinde Di Company on behalf of Tianyuan Home, and the wood can be shipped from Chan Country.¡±


    Su Jie said with a smile as he handed over a stack of documents. Liang Lianjun saw all the import and export documents for various types of wood on it and a smile immediately appeared on his face.


    After taking a sip of tea, Su Jie continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got the wood ready for you, but as for the actual sales, I won¡¯t get involved. That will depend on your ability.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Su. There¡¯s no shortage of buyers for these high-end and rare furniture pieces. The only thing weck is sufficient supply. Our marketpetitiveness is too strong; selling them is not a problem at all.¡±


    Liang Lianjun patted his chest confidently, believing that even as a new brand, Tianyuan Furniture could rise to prominence with its variety of high-end wood materials.


    ¡°That¡¯s best.¡±


    After chatting for a while longer, Liang Lianjun noticed Liu Yingying¡¯s nces drifting towards him every now and then. Understanding the implication, he timely suggested taking his leave.


    ¡°Su Jie, you¡¯re not going out tonight, are you?¡±


    Once Liang Lianjun left, Liu Yingying sat next to Su Jie, swinging her arm and exhaling a fragrant breath, her eyes enchantingly alluring.


    ¡°I still have things to deal with on my end, but¡­¡±


    Liu Yingying had just shown a look of disappointment when Su Jie¡¯s tone changed, and he continued, ¡°We still have a bit of time. Seeing as you¡¯ve been running around so tirelessly both at home and abroad recently, as your boss, I should reward you properly and loosen those stiff muscles for you.¡±


    With his words barely finished and amidst Liu Yingying¡¯s shrieks, Su Jie scooped her up in his arms and carried her towards the bedroom.


    ¡­


    After a bout of passion!


    A spent Liu Yingyingy in bed, watching Su Jie, who had redressed tidily, her tone full of reluctance.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you stay a few more days? I don¡¯t want you to leave.¡±


    Her voice was soft and coquettish like a kitten¡¯s purr. If initially Liu Yingying was with Su Jie for money,


    then after these days of being together, especially with the work Su Jie had arranged for her that allowed her financial expertise to shine, she was incredibly happy with the sense of fulfilment. She became more and more dependent on and infatuated with Su Jie.


    ¡°You little glutton, I¡¯ll be heading to Chan Country in a few days, and I¡¯ll have you apany me. Then you won¡¯t have to worry about not having enough time together.¡±


    He flicked Liu Yingying¡¯s forehead and walked out of the bedroom amidst her cries of ¡®ouch,¡¯ then went to a secluded ce to open the Ancient Mirror and return to the Tianyuan World.


    ¡­


    Tianyuan World, Niu Jiao Ridge.


    Su Jie had just returned when he heard some good news.


    In the wooden cabin, Gu Weonian, holding a letter, said excitedly, ¡°Brother Su, we¡¯ve received a letter from the Command Hall. It permits us to return to the Sect to rest. Other disciples wille to guard Niu Jiao Ridge, and we can head back.¡±


    ¡°It took four or five days just to wait for a reply, could it be any slower?¡±


    Although Su Jiemented wryly, the news still brought joy. Any chance to escape the threat of Alien Ghosts was wee.


    ¡°The Command Hall has always been like this; it¡¯s not the first day we¡¯ve dealt with their slow responses,¡± Gu Weonian remarked.


    Chen Yun, caressing the now mostly healed ugly wounds on her face, shared the sentimentmon among the Outer Disciples: theck of fondness for the Command Hall.


    ¡°At least the letter came. If they didn¡¯t let me return, I¡¯m afraid my leg would have goneme,¡± said Gu Weonian, who was the most eager to leave. His right leg had been corroded by a Fire Poison Cockroach explosionst time and was still not healed, revealing the ghastly white bones with most of the muscles in his lower leg corroded away.


    ¡°Your injury can be mostly healed with a Low Grade Regeneration Pill from the ck Market, don¡¯t worry,¡± Su Jie reassured him, then went inside the cabin to drag out two Alien Ghost corpses, stacking them on a tbed cart and covering them with thick tarpaulin.


    This was the most precious spoils of war, and Su Jie had to escort them personally.


    Gu Weonian and Chen Yun shouldered their bags. One was limping with a severely injured leg, and the other was slow-moving from serious injuries. Along with Su Jie, who was pushing the cart, the trio set off under the sun, leaving Niu Jiao Ridge and heading back to Ghost Ridge Pce Mountain Gate.


    They had hoped the journey back would go smoothly, all of them eager to get back to the Mountain Gate quickly.


    Things often don¡¯t go as wished, however. As Su Jie and the others made their way along a mountain path, they suddenly heard some screams and cries for help.@@novelbin@@


    The screams echoed off the imposing mountains. Su Jie, Gu Weonian, and Chen Yun exchanged a nce, opting not to act rashly.


    ¡°You both stay here; I¡¯ll go check out the situation.¡±


    Su Jie told Gu Weonian and Chen Yun to stay put due to their limited ability to move and proceeded into the dense forest, sending the Reconnaissance Dragonfly ahead to scout.


    Soon, with the dragonfly¡¯s field of vision, Su Jie discovered the source of the screams.


    A small merchant convoy of about a dozen peopley scattered on the ground, their carts with heavy loads overturned, with human limbs and body parts strewn all around.


    A three-meter-long Alien Ghost was chewing on a human thigh, its blood-red, ferocious eyes fixated on a few survivors desperately trying to flee.

 Chapter 35 - 33: Liuyun Manor

    Chapter 35: Chapter 33: Liuyun Manor


    The situation was already very clear.


    It must have been this merchant caravan that encountered an Alien Ghost while on the move.


    Although Ghost Ridge Pce had arranged for disciples to be stationed around the trade routes, most Alien Ghosts would be intercepted by the disciples.


    But there were always some Alien Ghosts that would breach the defenses and wander into the trade route, attacking the caravans.


    This caravan was just such an unlucky one.


    At that moment, the Alien Ghost that had killed dozens of people was in hot pursuit, and the three fleeing individuals were a portly merchant and two martial master guards.


    Using the vision of the Reconnaissance Dragonfly, Su Jie noticed the portly merchant pulling out a deep blue talisman from his chest, wincing with pain as he threw it at the Alien Ghost.


    Boom!


    The talisman ignited in mid-air and transformed into an Octagonal Spirit Pir Cage, trapping the Alien Ghost inside.


    A talisman capable of trapping an Alien Ghost must be at least of Lower Grade Intermediate level, costing dozens of Blood Marrow Crystals.


    Seeing the Alien Ghost temporarily trapped, the portly merchant continued to flee with the help of the two martial master guards, stumbling toward Su Jie¡¯s direction.


    The distance was too short in a straight line, and soon they ran into each other.


    On seeing Su Jie and hispanions, the merchant shouted loudly, ¡°Thank goodness, the people from Ghost Ridge Pce over there, I have an Alien Ghost behind me, please help me stop it.¡±


    The merchant¡¯s shoes had fallen off during his run, and his chubby face was scratched and bloody from branches and bushes.


    Upon seeing Su Jie, he didn¡¯t think twice before asking for Su Jie¡¯s help to fend off the Alien Ghost.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? We came all this way through countless hardships to support your business, do you dare not to help us in peril? Believe it or not, I can report you to the Command Hall, and the consequences will be beyond what you can bear.¡±


    The merchant pointed at Su Jie, his attitude was very aggressive.


    Being ck market traders, they supported the resources for Ghost Ridge Pce, so even a Demon Cultivation Sect like Ghost Ridge Pce wouldn¡¯t harm the merchants but instead would try to woo and protect them.


    While speaking, the merchant fumbled over his body, intending to pull out a Pass Token issued by the Command Hall.


    However, he found nothing, the token was lost amidst the chaos.


    ¡°Fatso, you are really morous!¡±


    Su Jie frowned and his piercing eyes filled with a cold light made the merchant shiver.


    Enraged and embarrassed, the merchant bellowed, ¡°Do you know who I am? My uncle is Jia Geng, the manor master of Liuyun Manor and one of the five special authorized merchants of Ghost Ridge Pce! Do you believe I can make the Elder y your skin?¡±


    ¡°Brother Su, this fat man indeedes from a formidable background, a merchant from Liuyun Manor, let¡¯s not provoke trouble.¡±


    Gu Weonian seemed to recognize the man and cautioned Su Jie not to anger him.


    The so-called five special authorized merchants was a coboration mechanism established by Ghost Ridge Pce with five major families.


    Ghost Ridge Pce would open up resources to them, and the five merchants must fulfill Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s special resource demands.


    And what special resources meant, of course, was people.


    Demon cultivation couldn¡¯t do without it.


    It could be said, these five authorized merchants were notoriouslyrge ve masters, and practically all the human trafficking in the ck market was monopolized by these five families.


    Because they could provide the scarce human resources that Ghost Ridge Pce needed, the five merchants held a high position within the Sect, no wonder he was so arrogant.


    ¡°Now that you know the consequences of offending me, be sensible and help me stop the Alien Ghost. There¡¯ll be plenty of Blood Marrow Crystals as a reward afterward, or else I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t afford the consequences.¡±


    Jia Xin looked triumphantly at Su Jie, about to continue his rant when he suddenly heard the roar of the Alien Ghost behind him.


    Following that, the terrifying hunched figure of the Alien Ghost appeared in their sight, having already broken free from the talisman¡¯s restraint.


    ¡°This is bad, Brother Su, we need to get out of here.¡±


    Gu Weonian involuntarily took a step back, his heart trembling, not everyone had the courage to face an Alien Ghost head-on.


    Not to mention he was injured, and Chen Yun was seriously hurt as well.


    Even if their team was at full strength, facing such an Alien Ghost, their chances of winning were less than thirty percent.


    Chen Yun took a deep breath, a determined look in her eyes as if making a decision, she stepped in front of Su Jie and said, ¡°Mr. Su, you go first, I¡¯ll hold off the Alien Ghost.¡±


    This act alone made it clear that Chen Yun was prepared to die, willing to buy Su Jie time by holding off the Alien Ghost.


    Su Jie paid no attention to Jia Xin¡¯s shouting on the side, just assessing the gap between himself and the Alien Ghost, then he patted Chen Yun¡¯s shoulder in front of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯ll handle this Alien Ghost myself. You won¡¯t be able to hold it back.¡±


    Su Jie locked eyes with the Alien Ghost, inwardly concerned about not being able to test the fight capabilities of the Second Spiritual Refining of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, now seeming like a perfect opportunity.


    Whirring!


    A swarm of Yin Fire Blood Bees flew out, their tails lifted, streaks of fire rained down.


    The Alien Ghost, incredibly agile, dodged most of the fire streaks with several swift movements. The asional streak thatnded only scorched ayer of its pale skin, hardly impacting its mobility.


    Several Silver Winged Golden Line Cicadas also returned unsessfully, unable to breach the Alien Ghost¡¯s defenses.


    ¡°Quite formidable.¡±


    Su Jie took a step forward and suddenly dashed into the nearby forest.


    Alien Ghost was drawn by the offensive, and instantaneously, its attention shifted to Su Jie as it roared furiously in pursuit.


    Perhaps, in the Alien Ghost¡¯s perspective, others were merely prey to be toyed with, but Su Jie not only didn¡¯t flee but also dared to counterattack, so he had to be dealt with first.


    Su Jie¡¯s speed was no match for the Alien Ghost, and it wasn¡¯t long before he was caught up.


    As the heavy footsteps and panting sounds neared him, Su Jie also summoned his trump card.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede climbed out from his sleeve, its body rapidly expanding and erging, transforming in the blink of an eye into a monstrous creature six meters long¡ªdouble the length of the Alien Ghost. Its terrifying, upright form forced the swiftly pouncing Alien Ghost to screech to a halt, carving two long trenches into the ground.


    Roar!


    The Alien Ghost let out a menacing roar, its sharp fangs still strung with flesh, overwhelmingly bloody.


    Hiss!


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede responded with a screech, a strong fishy wind sweeping forth, making the Alien Ghost¡¯s facial skin tremble like the surface of water, instantly deciding the oue in terms of momentum.


    ¡°Kill it, Xiao Qian.¡±


    Su Jie rubbed the monstrous body of the Thousand-Handed Centipede while issuing the attackmand.


    The next moment, the Thousand-Handed Centipede did not hesitate to carry out Su Jie¡¯s order.


    Its enormous body crushed arge swath of bushes, sweeping through like a ck wind.


    With no fanfare, the Alien Ghost, unwilling to show weakness, lunged forward, using both ws and teeth.


    The ability to easily slice through steel with its sharp ws and teeth, coupled with its formidable physique, was the capital that the Alien Ghost relied on to dominate.


    Ordinary Outer Disciples couldn¡¯t kill an Alien Ghost with a single strike; they could only use poisonous insects to continuously inject poison and wear it down.


    This was also the reason why an Outer Disciple encountering an Alien Ghost alone almost certainly meant death.


    Unfortunately, today the Alien Ghost met an existence with a corporeal body even stronger than its own.


    In a melee battle of simr sizes, insects¡¯ perception, agility, and capturing abilities often surpass those of wild beasts, let alone the fact that the Thousand-Handed Centipede was muchrger than the Alien Ghost.


    Mere contact was like being hit by a speeding train, with the Thousand-Handed Centipede blowing the Alien Ghost away.


    Then, the Thousand-Handed Centipede held the Alien Ghost tightly between its mandibles, smashing its way through several towering trees along its path.


    Roar, roar!


    The Alien Ghost struggled furiously; rocks and ancient trees touched by its ws, as soft as tofu, were easily torn apart.


    But when the target was switched to the Thousand-Handed Centipede, it was a different story altogether.


    The seemingly sharp ws of the Alien Ghost struck the chitin shell of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, merely etching deep grooves and scratches.


    asionally, some vulnerable joints where the chitin connected were injured, sttering green insect blood, but these injuries quickly healed.


    Even the wounded parts split directly, turning into smaller centipedes that fell and burrowed into the Alien Ghost¡¯s flesh.


    Hiss, hiss.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede, more excited in battle, was like having obtained arge toy, stretching numerous pale corpse hands to wrap the Alien Ghost around an ancient tree trunk, twisting both the ghost and the tree together until they snapped.


    In an instant, the two massive figures were buried by the fallen branches.


    Secondster, only the Thousand-Handed Centipede could be seen standing upright; the Alien Ghost on the ground had all its bones broken, and its colorful organs squeezed out of its belly,ying silent.


    Hiss, hiss!


    Holding the corpse of the Alien Ghost aloft, the Thousand-Handed Centipede continued to shake its head vigorously, seemingly not yet having its fill of fun.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then.¡±


    Watching this scene, even Su Jie was somewhat astonished.


    Although Su Jie knew the Thousand-Handed Centipede enhanced a lot having evolved to Low Grade Second Refinement, the current situation still far exceeded his expectations.


    Such a formidable Alien Ghost, capable of wiping out a three-person squad, was dealt with by the Thousand-Handed Centipede in less than two minutes.


    Having had its fill of fun, the Thousand-Handed Centipede ced the battered corpse of the Alien Ghost in front of Su Jie.


    ¡°So this is the power of a Low Grade Second Refinement poisonous insect, indeed, my path is the correct one.¡±


    Su Jie looked at the Alien Ghost¡¯s corpse brought by the Thousand-Handed Centipede, a smile appearing on his face as this was a valuable addition of several hundred Blood Marrow Crystals to his ount.@@novelbin@@


    After hanging the corpse of the Alien Ghost on a tree, Su Jie didn¡¯t rush to return, especially since he was near the site where the merchant convoy had been attacked by the Alien Ghost.


    Adhering to the principle of taking advantage of any opportunity, Su Jie, ignoring the bloodshed, sifted through each corpse on the ground.


    Some of these bodies held pieces of Blood Marrow Crystals, one or two per body, which Su Jie also didn¡¯t mind taking, gathering them all into his pockets.


    After a thorough search, Su Jie managed to collect twenty-three Blood Marrow Crystals in total.


    Finally, Su Jie turned his gaze to several overturned carts, those the merchants had intended to transport to Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s ck Market.


    A chill seeped out from the carts; pulling back the canvas, Su Jie gasped at the shocking scene it revealed.


    The carts held cubical blocks of ice, each enclosing the frozen corpse of a child.


    The eldest corpse was no more than five or six years old, the youngest perhaps not even a year old. The deceased were clearly strangled to death, evidenced by the purple strangtion marks around their necks.


    He turned over a few more carts, and all were the same.

 Chapter 36 - 34: Dead Men Dont Talk

    Chapter 36: Chapter 34: Dead Men Don¡¯t Talk


    ¡°Outrageous!¡±


    Su Jie was disturbed by the thought that these children were mostly used to cultivate some special Demon Technique.


    This was the impression Demon Cultivators gave: brutal, bloodthirsty, indiscriminate killers.


    Even though Su Jie himself was a Demon Cultivator, it didn¡¯t mean he could understand or ept such acts.


    As Su Jie frowned in contemtion, Chen Yun ignored the admonitions and insisted on checking the site of the battle, worrying about Su Jie¡¯s safety.@@novelbin@@


    But just as she arrived, both Chen Yun and Gu Weonian were shocked by the sight of the Alien Ghost¡¯s corpse hanging from a tree.


    ¡°Brother Su, did you kill this Alien Ghost?¡±


    Gu Weonian was initially scared, then realized the Alien Ghost was already dead.


    Then, Gu Weonian swallowed hard, looking incredulously at Su Jie.


    The Alien Ghost had be a corpse, which meant, had Su Jie fought and killed an Alien Ghost alone?


    At this thought, Gu Weian¡¯s heart pounded wildly.


    This was an Alien Ghost!


    He had never heard of any Outer Disciple who could confidently take on an Alien Ghost alone, let alone those who dared to face one.


    Chen Yun was equally shocked by Su Jie¡¯s formidablebat abilities.


    If he could single-handedly defeat an Alien Ghost, it meant that among the Outer Disciples, probably no one could match him in strength.


    ¡°The Alien Ghost was not in good condition, and by a stroke of luck, I found an opportunity,¡±


    Su Jie nced at the two, not minding whether they believed him or not, and said, ¡°When we return to the Sect, say that the Alien Ghost was fought over by Meng Dongge and others, don¡¯t involve me.¡±


    Gu Weonian and Chen Yun knew Su Jie was concealing his skills, and nodded, ¡°Understood.¡±


    As Su Jie was speaking with Gu Weonian and Chen Yun, suddenly amanding voice erupted.


    ¡°Hey, you three, get my goods packed right away. Don¡¯t let the ice melt, or you can¡¯t afford the losses.¡±


    Jia Xin had returned with two martial masters as his guard, evidently still concerned about his goods, or perhaps thinking that Su Jie had lured the Alien Ghost away, and he could sneak back to take his goods.


    Su Jie looked over, only to see Jia Xin staring intently at the Alien Ghost¡¯s corpse hanging from the tree, his eyes filled with greed.


    ¡°Also, this Alien Ghost attacked our caravan earlier. We inflicted severe wounds that nearly killed it, which gave you the chance to finish it off. So, it¡¯s my prey. Hand it over to me to deal with, which willpensate for part of my losses.¡±


    An Alien Ghost was worth several hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, and Jia Xin could not suppress the fiery greed in his heart, shamelessly wanting to im the Alien Ghost¡¯s corpse.


    With this, he could not only break even but also make a small profit.


    If it was an Inner Disciple, Jia Xin wouldn¡¯t dare to meddle, but his confidence was high since they were just Outer Disciples.


    Hearing Jia Xin¡¯s ludicrous remark, Su Jie was amused toughter, though his smile was rather cold.


    ¡°You still want my Alien Ghost?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze was teasing, daring Jia Xin to make such a greedy request, as if he was incapable of drawing a sword anymore.


    ¡°What ¡®your Alien Ghost¡¯? It¡¯s my property now. My uncle is the Manor Master of Liuyun Manor, and people don¡¯t even get the chance to curry favor with me, so don¡¯t fail to appreciate what is good for you,¡±


    Jia Xin said brazenly, his words carrying a threat.


    Relying on the support of Liuyun Manor, he didn¡¯t take Su Jie seriously at all.


    ¡°Then I should thank you!¡±


    Lifting his right hand slowly, Su Jie was in a very bad mood and if he was upset, someone had to pay the price.


    A swarm of Yin Fire Blood Bees flew out and under Jia Xin¡¯s stunned gaze, a trail of fire targeted the carriages, turning the ice blocks and child corpses into ashes, eradicating these crimes.


    ¡°Brother Su, don¡¯t be rash.¡±


    Gu Weonian¡¯s eyelids twitched, sensing that things might turn bad.


    While he wasn¡¯t particrly affected by the sight of the child corpses, having spent many years at Ghost Ridge Pce, he had seen plenty of brutal scenes.


    Gu Weonian was merely worried that Su Jie¡¯s actions would bring trouble.


    After all, Jia Xin¡¯s background was significant, andpared to an Outer Disciple, the high echelons of Ghost Ridge Pce would definitely value Liuyun Manor more, which consistently contributed a steady stream of people.


    ¡°Rash?


    No, no, no, don¡¯t you think, Brother Gu, that these goods are too eyecatching, and burning them away for peace of mind is much better?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze was sharp as a knife, making Gu Weonian feel inexplicably chilled, and he dared not say another word.


    At that moment, Jia Xin finally reacted, watching his cargo being consumed by the mes.


    The child corpses he had collected with great effort turned into charred remains in the fire, and this scene made his heart bleed and his rage uncontroble.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane, you¡¯re insane! Have you lost your mind, daring to burn my goods? Do you know how much they were worth? It¡¯s more money than you, an Outer Disciple, could ever earn in your lifetime. I will go to the Command Hall and sue you to ensure you spend your lifepensating for my losses.¡±


    Seeing his precious goods being destroyed, Jia Xin wished he could devour Su Jie alive.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have that chance anymore.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze was cold, as if he was looking at a dead man.


    ¡°What did you say¡­¡±


    Before Jia Xin could grasp the meaning of Su Jie¡¯s words, he suddenly saw a streak of gold and silver sh through the air.


    Snap!


    The heads of two guards standing next to Jia Xin rolled off their necks, blood spraying all over Jia Xin.


    These guards, being martial masters, knew some basic techniques, could shatter bluestone bs with their fists, and could leap onto roofs several meters high, making them experts tomon folks. But in front of a demon cultivator like Su Jie, they were merely slightly stronger mortals.


    ¡°How dare you, how dare you do this, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll go to the Command Hall¡­ My uncle is the Manor Master of Liuyun Manor.¡±


    The sudden murder, which left the previously furious Jia Xin as if doused with cold water, made his whole body tremble, and he involuntarily stepped back.


    ¡°If you had a pass token I would have given you some face, but now, what do you think this is?¡±


    Su Jie sneered, tossing a ck token with his left hand.


    This was a pass specifically issued by the Command Hall for ck Market merchants.


    It was because Ghost Ridge Pce knew the nature of its Sect disciples.


    Without some measures, these merchants would probably be robbed clean before they even reached the ck Market.


    Once this token was activated, as long as it was near the mountains of Ghost Ridge Pce, it could send the surrounding imagery back to the Command Hall through divine sense.


    If the disciples attacked and plundered the merchant caravans, in order to maintain credibility, the Command Hall, upon catching the offending disciples, would severely punish them.


    Now that the token had fallen to the ground and was picked up by Su Jie, Jia Xin¡¯s biggest threat was gone.


    ¡°I know Elder Situ from your Ghost Ridge Pce, my uncle is the Manor Master of Liuyun Manor, if you dare to touch me¡­¡±


    Fear surfaced on Jia Xin¡¯s face.


    The demon cultivator in front of him was utterlywless, and he had no means to check him.


    ¡°I dared to kill an Alien Ghost, do you think I wouldn¡¯t dare to kill a merchant? Dead men don¡¯t talk.¡±


    Su Jie pointed at the corpse of the Alien Ghost beside him, his eyes full of unrestraint.


    Jia Xin turned a livid shade of blue and fiercely addressed the other two, ¡°Did you hear what he said, you two? Are you really going to conspire with him? Capture him now, and I¡¯ll report this to the Command Hallter. Wealth and Blood Marrow Crystals will be at your fingertips.¡±


    Desperate, Jia Xin tried to get Gu Weonian and Chen Yun to side with him.


    ¡°Brother Su, if the Command Hall finds out about this, we¡­¡±


    Gu Weonian hesitated; the older one gets, the more timid one bes, and if this matter were discovered, it would pose a great trouble.


    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s why we must stick together.¡±


    Su Jie picked up a long knife from the ground and without saying another word, plunged it into Jia Xin¡¯s ribs.


    As Jia Xin screamed in agony, Su Jie, smiling cheerily, handed the long knife to Gu Weonian and said, ¡°Brother Gu, it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Gu Weonian shuddered, understanding the clear intent behind Su Jie¡¯s cheerful demeanor.


    Bymitting this deed together, none would dare betray the others.


    Chen Yun remained silent, standing behind Gu Weonian as a Ming Sheng Bat peeked out of his robe, its gaze menacingly fixed on Gu Weonian.


    Gu Weonian then realized he was in a no-win situation. Su Jie, capable of killing an Alien Ghost, was not someone he could contend with.


    Now the only route was to follow Su Jie through thick and thin, otherwise, he had no doubt that Su Jie would ensure that he, a witness, wouldn¡¯t see tomorrow¡¯s sun.


    ¡°me yourself for being blind.¡±


    With a grimace, Gu Weonian took a few deep breaths, took the long knife, and stabbed it into Jia Xin¡¯s belly, brutally stirring it around.


    Without needing Su Jie¡¯s instruction, Chen Yun took the knife and swiftly chopped off all of Jia Xin¡¯s limbs, turning him into a human stick.


    ¡°Ah, the thing about people! Always aiming too high, not everyone fears your background.¡±


    Su Jie squatted in front of Jia Xin, patted his chubby face, then decisively chopped off his head, forever ending his life.


    Having searched the corpse, Jia Xin turned out to be quite wealthy.


    Su Jie found over two hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, truly a fat sheep, easy to ughter, which exined why Ghost Ridge Pce had set rules; otherwise, these merchants wouldn¡¯t suffice to satiate the disciples¡¯ ughter.


    After cleaning up the traces, the three continued their journey along the rugged mountainous path.


    The journey back proceeded without further incidents, and by afternoon, they saw the Mountain Gate of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    The atmosphere at the Sect was even more austere than when Su Jie had left, and there were noticeably fewer people.


    Clearly, the recent Alien Ghost menace had put a great strain on the disciples, with many being reassigned for guard duty.

 Chapter 37 - 35: Manager Wu

    Chapter 37: Chapter 35: Manager Wu


    Ghost Ridge Pce, Command Hall.


    Su Jie and his twopanions entered the Mountain Gate and went directly to the Command Hall for task handover.


    This was a high tower a hundred meters tall, topped with swirling ck smoke, like a dark behemoth swallowing clouds and spewing mist.


    At the entrance of the tower hung a que carved from blood, bearing the words ¡°Command Hall¡± in bold. The bright blood on the que seemed to flow continuously.


    ¡°You two watch the goods here; I¡¯ll go in to hand over the task.¡±


    Su Jie instructed Gu Weonian and Chen Yun, then walked into the Command Hall.


    Stepping inside, he entered a deep, dimly lit hall, where the temperature had dropped several degrees.


    There were very few disciples inside the hall, apart from those at the counter handling task handovers and assignments; ordinary disciples wouldn¡¯te here to wander without reason.


    Su Jie approached a counter.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Behind the counter, a man in a ck uniform, about thirty years old, looked over.


    This was Manager Wu of the Command Hall. Su Jie had been here before, and knew his cultivation was only at the Third Level of Yunling Realm, but one shouldn¡¯t underestimate him.


    The Command Hall specifically managed task allocations for the inner and outer disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce. Those who could be a manager here might not be powerful in strength, but they must be confidants of the Sect Master.


    For instance, Manager Wu here had a distant blood rtion with the Sect Master of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°Outer Disciple Su Jie, here to submit a rest task.¡±


    Su Jie handed over his Task Token, along with the envelope allowing him to return for rest.@@novelbin@@


    Manager Wu took them and looked through the files briefly, then said indifferently,


    ¡°Howe you lost so many people?¡±


    ¡°We were attacked by Alien Ghosts; out of twelve, only the three of us survived. We were lucky.¡±


    Su Jie reported truthfully. All traces of evidence had been erased, and since they were just Outer Disciples, the Command Hall wouldn¡¯t go to great lengths to investigate.


    Sure enough, Manager Wu had no further questions.


    After a brief inspection, he had Su Jie and his friends press their handprints to confirm the task handover.


    ¡°By the way, did you kill any Alien Ghosts?¡±


    Manager Wu seemed to recall something and asked another question.


    ¡°Yes, we brought back the bodies of the Alien Ghosts.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, since he couldn¡¯t hide that fact anyway; the bodies were indeed to be sold off.


    ¡°Do you have a buyer lined up? I know a few reliable merchants who offer fair prices.¡±


    Manager Wu suddenly became enthusiastic, his attitude changing by 360 degrees.


    ¡°We appreciate your help, Manager Wu. We were just on our way to auction in the ck Market. If it¡¯s convenient for you, could you lead the way and help us with the certification?¡±


    Su Jie seized the opportunity to say, knowing that these managers stationed in the Command Hall, being well-informed and well-acquainted, liked getting involved in business deals.


    Ordinary Outer Disciples would also engage a manager to act as a notary duringrge transactions to ensure that the dealings went smoothly.


    While talking, Su Jie also took out some Blood Marrow Crystals from his pocket and handed them over: ¡°Manager Wu, have these for tea.¡±


    Manager Wu quickly pocketed the Blood Marrow Crystals, smiling broadly, ¡°Well said, well said. The price of Alien Ghosts in the ck Market has gone up recently¡ªno less than six hundred fifty Blood Marrow Crystals per head. Make sure you don¡¯t sell them cheap. I know many merchants in the ck Market, and I absolutely won¡¯t let you suffer a loss.¡±


    Manager Wu promised earnestly, then stood up and left his post.


    The other managers acted as if they saw nothing; after all, they were all insiders, and a little cking off was nothing.


    The two walked out of the Command Hall together and soon reconvened with Chen Yun and Gu Weonian, who had been watching the goods outside.


    ¡°This is Manager Wu of the Command Hall, and these are the friends I mentioned before, Mr. Gu Weonian and Ms. Chen Yun.¡±


    Su Jie made introductions for both sides.


    ¡°My real name is Wu Bin; no need to be so formal. Mr. Su, let¡¯s first check the quality of the bodies, as the prices of Alien Ghost bodies differ slightly depending on their size.¡±


    Wu Bin¡¯s gaze shifted toward the tbed cart that Gu Weonian and Chen Yun were guarding, asking, ¡°Are they kept up there?¡±


    Su Jie gave a signal; Chen Yun stepped forward, grabbing the cover tarp and lifting a corner to reveal the true form of the Alien Ghosts underneath.


    ¡°You caught a good time. Previously, an Alien Ghost was only worth about three hundred Blood Marrow Crystals. They have surged in price recently. You were lucky to catch one at all, so you should capitalize on¡­¡±


    Wu Bin was still enticingly murmuring, but his words suddenly faltered, his eyes widening in astonishment as he stared at the three Alien Ghost bodies stacked on the tbed cart.


    It wasn¡¯t just one body as he had expected, but three Alien Ghost bodies piled together, which left Wu Binpletely stunned.


    ¡°Three bodies, did you kill three Alien Ghosts?¡±


    His voice filled with disbelief, Wu Bin had seen more valuable goods handled before.


    But just a few Outer Disciplesing up with three Alien Ghosts? That he had never seen.


    ¡°It was just luck; we simply seized a good opportunity.¡±


    Su Jie narrated his past encounter very ¡®honestly,¡¯ with only a slight revision that altered Meng Dongge¡¯s death to being killed by an Alien Ghost, which made the story more usible.


    Upon hearing that it was Meng Dongge who led the team to achieve most of the aplishments, Wu Bin reluctantly epted this reality.


    ¡°Meng Dongge, I¡¯ve heard of him, at the Fifth Level of Yunling Realm, a formidable figure among the Outer Disciples, even with the potential to be promoted to Inner Sect Disciple. Such a pity.¡±


    Wu Bin sighed, then couldn¡¯t help but gaze at Su Jie from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Seeing that you, Mr. Su, are so young and yet achieved such great results, I had no idea but was quite startled upon finding out, truly a case of a hero being a youth!¡±


    No matter whether Su Jie had just picked up an easy opportunity, managing to acquire three Alien Ghosts definitely showed his exceptional abilities, and he might rise to prominence in the future, Wu Bin instantly thought about fostering a good rtionship with him.


    ¡°Manager Wu, you tter me, this is nothing really.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hands continuously, but Wu Bin grabbed him by the arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Manager Wu, I¡¯m just a few years older than you; just call me Brother Wu.¡±


    ¡°Brother Wu.¡±


    ¡°Ah, young brother.¡±


    The two thus nauseatingly addressed each other, showing no signs of the awkwardness typical of new acquaintances.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Central Street of the ck Market.


    Juxian Tower, where two men with extraordinary demeanors were sitting, having been engaged in a game of chess for a long time.


    One of the elders, dressed in a purple robe, with a ck python coiled around his arm, had a gaunt face and piercingly deep eyes, emanating a cold aura that discouraged direct eye contact.


    Across from him sat a short, middle-aged man with an ordinary face and a string of ck prayer beads around his neck, from which faint wails and cries could be heard, as if someone were being tortured inside them, sending shivers down the spine.


    Both individuals were Hidden Realm Elders of the Ghost Ridge Pce, namely Taoist Qiu and Elder Yi.


    Next to them, a maid was serving them tea, who was none other than the inner disciple Yu Wenxian.


    ¡°It¡¯s a stalemate, shall we continue?¡±


    Pinching a white piece and cing it on the board, Taoist Qiu slowly spoke.


    Elder Yi tossed down his chess piece, his gaze cold and fierce as he turned to look out the window, ¡°I lost the game today, but when ites to our wager, it¡¯s still unclear who between us will win or lose.¡±


    As his voice faded, Elder Yi pulled off a ck prayer bead from around his neck and threw it out the window. The bead flew on its own towards a particr location.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see whose disciple catches more Alien Ghosts.¡±


    Taoist Qiu plucked a hair from his head, which transformed into a colourful little snake, flicking its tongue and quickly disappearing from sight.


    Soon, the disciples from both sides who received the message headed straight for Juxian Tower.


    Pei Haibing rode on a tall horse, followed closely by two disciples.


    Behind them, a high tform drawn by four horses carried two pale corpses of Alien Ghosts suspended from a pole.


    This eye-catching scene immediately caused an uproar in the ck Market as soon as it appeared.


    Merchants from half the street crowded around Pei Haibing, eagerly bidding for them.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, one thousand two, twelve hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, our Bright Moon Hall is willing to buy these two Alien Ghosts.¡±


    ¡°I represent Zhang¡¯s Trading Team offering one thousand three hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, and also a piece of Blood God Wood for Mr. Pei¡¯s cultivation, just for these two Alien Ghosts¡¯ bodies.¡±


    ¡°Our Taixu Pavilion¡­¡±


    Among these merchants, a plump young woman also joined the bidding, who was none other than Manager Cai from the Taixu Pavilion.


    Meanwhile, at the front, with arms crossed and a frosty expression, Pei Haibing seemed to think that the crowd was too noisy, saying coldly, ¡°All of you shut up, after the Master has reviewed them, the auction for these Alien Ghosts will begin.¡±


    ¡°Junior Brother Pei, having caught two Alien Ghosts at once, it seems the White Bone Sky ying Sword is destined for you.¡±


    Yu Wenxian stood waiting below Juxian Tower, now looking up at the two Alien Ghost bodies, she opened her mouth in a sweet smile.


    ¡°It took some effort, but fortunately, I didn¡¯t embarrass Master. Senior Yu, what did Master say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Elder Yi seems pretty confident as well.¡±


    Yu Wenxian was speaking when from the other end of the street came anothermotion.


    A few disciples from the Ghost Ridge Pce were pushing arge vehicle, on which two Alien Ghosts¡¯ bodies were ced.


    The leader, a man in a blue robe with a handsome face, gracefully greeted the group, it was Feng Wenjin, an Inner Sect Disciple from Elder Yi¡¯s lineage.


    ¡°They also have two Alien Ghosts.¡±


    Yu Wenxian covered her mouth in shock.


    ¡°He¡¯s just lucky. If it weren¡¯t for the difficulty in finding Alien Ghosts that flee at the first sign of trouble, I could kill even ten of them.¡±


    Pei Haibing scoffed, attributing his results purely to bad luck, as Alien Ghosts were not something that the Outer Disciples feared, it was just bad luck that they didn¡¯t encounter many.


    Fortunately, he could somewhat ept this oue since at least no one surpassed him, otherwise Taoist Qiu might be so furious he wouldn¡¯t even offer up the White Bone Sky ying Sword.

 Chapter 38 - 36: Astonishment

    Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Astonishment


    ¡°It seems we have reached a draw today.¡±


    At the same time, Taoist Qiu walked over from Juxian Tower, stepping through the air as if on an invisible bridge.


    Where he passed, a group of merchants bowed and lowered their gaze, and the previously noisy scene suddenly became much quieter.


    An Elder from the Secret Realm, in terms of both strength and influence, was not someone thesemon ck Market merchants could afford to offend.


    While some people dared to shout and holler in front of Pei Haibing, in the presence of Taoist Qiu, not a single person raised their voice.


    ¡°Hmph, Taoist Qiu, why don¡¯t wepare the number of Alien Ghosts our disciples have killed? This would be a better reflection of our ability to teach.¡±


    Yi Jingu, with a dragon¡¯s stride and a tiger¡¯s bearing, leaped down and, seeing such a result, his eyes turned particrly ferocious.


    He and Taoist Qiu had a long-standing feud, and since Taoist Qiu was always harsh on his disciples, Yi Jingu had been looking for a way to suppress him in this respect, seizing what opportunity he could.


    In terms of the number and quality of disciples, Yi Jingu believed he far exceeded Taoist Qiu and could not possibly lose.


    Taoist Qiu turned around, his narrow and long vertical pupils narrowed slightly; his gaze was like that of a venomous snake, chilly and slippery, sending shivers down the spine.


    Before he could speak, amotion suddenly rose again in the crowd.


    One could faintly hear merchants shouting something about ¡®Alien Ghost corpses,¡¯ ¡®three heads,¡¯ ¡®hurry and grab¡¯ and such.


    The merchants who were originally gathered around Juxian Tower turned around to look, and saw a in tbed cart being pushed forward, on which were neatly ced three Alien Ghost corpses.


    Seeing this scene, the merchants were in uproar all at once, taking wide strides eagerly toward it, vying to grab the best spot for the auction.


    ¡°Which family¡¯s inner disciple is this, showing up right now.¡±


    Pei Haibing felt his limelight was being stolen and grumbled discontentedly.


    Yu Wenxian, who stood beside him, also cast a curious nce, but unlike Pei Haibing¡¯s cursory nce, she looked more carefully and quickly noticed something was amiss.


    ¡°Wait a minute, something¡¯s not right, aren¡¯t they our disciples?¡±


    Yu Wenxian spoke with surprise and uncertainty, recognizing the identities of disciples Su Jie, Gu Weonian, and Chen Yun from her own sect.


    ¡°What are you talking about? How could it be¡­ be¡­¡±


    Pei Haibing almost couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing; which outer disciples could hunt down three Alien Ghosts?


    However, when he turned his head for a closer look, the three disciples around the tbed cart were dressed in Outer Disciple uniforms, and he vaguely remembered they seemed to be indeed from his own sect.


    Taoist Qiu also heard themotion and looked over, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking smile as he sinisterly said to Yi Jingu, ¡°Elder Yi, ourpetition is not over yet.¡±


    Yi Jingu¡¯splexion darkened slightly, his voice hoarse, ¡°Taoist Qiu, don¡¯t tell me you yed some trick, even meddling in thepetition between the disciples, have you no sense of honor?¡±


    ¡°What a joke, I, Taoist Qiu, need no deceit to beat you. Wen Xian, go over there and call them here. Let Elder Yi lose heart.¡±


    Taoist Qiu snorted coldly, although he didn¡¯t know where Su Jie and the other Outer Disciples got these three Alien Ghosts from, he didn¡¯t care as long as it could put Yi Jingu down a notch.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Yu Wenxian took the order and quickly headed towards the tbed cart.


    ¡­


    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t rush, all of our Alien Ghosts are for sale to the highest bidder.¡±


    Su Jie stood on the tbed cart, stepping on the head of one of the Alien Ghosts, looking at the merchants who were attracted over with excitement.


    The more people, the fiercer thepetition, the more he could earn!


    ¡°Fifteen hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, I¡¯ll buy these three Alien Ghost corpses.¡±


    A merchant squeezed to the front, but his words had barely left his mouth when Wu Bin, visibly annoyed, interrupted him.


    ¡°Scram to the side, thinking we don¡¯t know the value? If you don¡¯t have the money, go home and ask your mom for it, don¡¯t make a fool of yourself here.¡±


    As Wu Bin spoke, he even raised his foot to kick. As a Manager of the Command Hall, he was not an Outer Disciple, and regr merchants needed to greet him with smiles and ttery.


    ¡°This young master, our Zhang¡¯s Chamber of Commerce bids one thousand eight hundred Blood Marrow Crystals.¡±


    ¡°Biyue Mansion bids one thousand five hundred Blood Marrow Crystals plus one Low Grade Magic Tool and two Low Grade High-level Talismans.¡±


    ¡°You Dan Valley bids one bottle of Refining Pills, and an additional five hundred Blood Marrow Crystals on top.¡±


    A group of merchants surrounded Su Jie, spouting numbers that made his heart surge with excitement.


    Gu Weonian, standing to the side, was equally exhrated, his face flushed with emotion. Although he only had a small share of the profit, it was still a substantial fortune for an Outer Disciple.


    Only Chen Yun remained cold as ice; the shadows of losing her brother and husband had not yet dissipated.


    ¡°Mr. Su, Mr. Su, it¡¯s me! Our Taixu Pavilion is willing to buy all three Alien Ghosts at a negotiable price,¡±


    Just then, Su Jie heard a somewhat familiar voice.


    Looking down, he saw that the manager of the Taixu Pavilion, the charming young widow Cai Chun¡¯e, had somehow made her way over, breathlessly calling out to him.


    While speaking, Cai Chun¡¯e unconsciously thrust out her ample, round bosom, causing the buttons on her chest to nearly burst apart, and her pair of phoenix eyes were incredibly seductive; she truly oozed charm from every pore.


    The surrounding merchants watched, and many cursed inwardly, using her of using seduction tactics, disregarding martial integrity.


    ¡°Sister Cai, howe you¡¯re here too.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as he nodded with a smile, without agreeing to her proposition.


    Though the woman in front of him was like a ripe peach begging to be bitten into.


    But when faced with sufficient value, Su Jie was not about to sell out his interests for a little allure.


    ¡°If not because Mr. Su you didn¡¯t visit me when you returned, I had toe over personally,¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e coquettishly rolled her eyes at Su Jie, then said, ¡°Consider our Taixu Pavilion seriously for the three Alien Ghost corpses, our offer will definitely not be lower than others.¡±


    In her words, Cai Chun¡¯e¡¯s voice carried a tone of humility.


    Indeed, when Cai Chun¡¯e first saw Su Jie earlier, she could scarcely believe her eyes.


    An Outer Disciple managing to hunt down three Alien Ghosts seemed asughable as a sow climbing a tree.


    Yet, against all odds, it had happened, and itpletely shocked her for the whole year.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thister.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head and noticed a young woman in light gauze approaching; it was the Inner Sect Disciple Yu Wenxian, Su Jie¡¯s senior sister.


    ¡°Giggle, Junior Brother Su, it really is you! I knew I wouldn¡¯t recognize the wrong person.¡±


    Yu Wenxian¡¯sughter preceded her words, and perhaps due to her formidable reputation, the merchants immediately cleared space for her as she neared.


    ¡°Senior Yu, you¡¯re here for¡­?¡±


    Su Jie grew inwardly vignt, wondering if she was eyeing the fortune he had stumbled upon.


    ¡°Master is ahead; he wants you toe over,¡±


    Yu Wenxian extended her delicate fingers and poked at the Alien Ghost corpses on the cart, her tone cheerful, ¡°This time, Junior Brother Su, you might be quite famous with our master, hurry over.¡±


    After saying that, she lead the way gracefully.


    Su Jie was still pondering Yu Wenxian¡¯s intentions when Wu Bin, standing nearby, seized the chance to whisper and ask:


    ¡°Are you a disciple of Taoist Qiu?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t really looked closely at Su Jie¡¯s background before, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have asked this question.


    ¡°Yes, what about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Taoist Qiu and Elder Yi Jingu have had another re-up in their feud. They privately bet on whose disciples could kill more Alien Ghosts, and even put up handsome rewards to motivate their disciples. The whole Ghost Ridge Pce has been abuzz with it. It¡¯s probably for this reason they¡¯re calling you over,¡±


    Wu Bin, being the manager of Command Hall, was well-informed and knew all the gossip among the elders.


    ¡°Oh, no wonder our master was willing to put up such a big bounty, offering the White Bone Sky ying Sword as a reward,¡±


    Gu Weonian suddenly realized and understood some things from before.


    ¡°The deadline set by master was a week, right? We¡¯ve already exceeded the time; could the reward still count?¡±


    Su Jie licked his lips; he hadn¡¯t really considered this before. First, the time had already exceeded the agreed week, and besides, that White Bone Sky ying Sword seemed intended for Pei Haibing, who practiced the White Bone Transformation Skill. It seemed out of reach for them Outer Disciples.


    ¡°That¡¯s because Elder Yi had some idents with his alchemy, causing some dys,¡±


    Wu Bin exined the reasons as Su Jie¡¯s heart began to heat up. He might actually get a chance at that White Bone Sky ying Sword. Opportunity was never handed to you freely. You had to fight for it in the Righteous sects, even more so in the Demon Path.

 Chapter 40 - 38: Green Rainbow Sword Technique

    Chapter 40: Chapter 38: Green Rainbow Sword Technique


    ¡°Mr. Su, our Zhang¡¯s Trading Team will add another 120 Blood Marrow Crystals, as well as a Low Grade Basic Magic Artifact.¡±Consider it carefully.¡±


    ¡°Our manager said that, if Mr. Su is willing to make a deal with us, we can arrange for good farnd and beautiful concubines whenever you like.¡±


    ¡°This is a top-tier seat Token from the Cui Lan Pavilion. Simply by collecting the rent yearly, you can earn over a hundred Blood Marrow Crystals. Mr. Su, if you¡­¡±


    As Su Jie announced the auction, the merchants started raising their hands and calling out their bids, and the scene heated up once again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t crowd, speak one by one, you¡¯re making so much noise that we can¡¯t hear anything clearly.¡±


    Wu Bin was maintaining order at the scene, while Gu Weonian and Chen Yun also stepped forward to help.


    Su Jie was constantlyparing the bid prices from each merchant. This was the greatest wealth he could earn at his current stage, and he certainly aimed to maximize his profits.


    After about fifteen minutes, the highest bid was called out at two thousand Blood Marrow Crystals.


    Above this price, the merchants were no longer willing to bid higher, worried that any further increase wouldn¡¯t be easily recovered through resale.


    There were some merchants who offered items other than Blood Marrow Crystals, ranging from Magic Artifacts and elixirs to promises of mansions and beautiful concubines. They threw out all sorts of temptations.


    The former was fine, but thetter left Su Jie speechless. Did he look like hecked that kind of thing?


    When the bidding reached the psychological price limit of the merchants, the scene gradually quieted down.


    Just then, a melodious voice rang out.


    ¡°Mr. Su, our Taixu Pavilion has bid 1500 Blood Marrow Crystals, plus this scroll of Scriptures.¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e gracefully stepped forward, her beautiful and charming face smiling, holding out a Jade Scroll with both hands.


    The words ¡®Green Rainbow¡¯ were inscribed on the Jade Scroll in clerical script. The entire scroll was pristine white and translucent, with countless small, tadpole-like characters flowing within the jade.


    Only very precious spells, Scriptures, and Secret Texts are recorded on Jade Scrolls, as the value of the Jade Scroll alone amounts to fifty Blood Marrow Crystals.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Su Jie was a bit curious. Seeing Cai Chun¡¯e¡¯s confident demeanor, what was recorded on the Jade Scroll was certainly not trivial.


    Cai Chun¡¯e pointed to the White Bone Sky ying Sword on Su Jie¡¯s back and said, ¡°Mr. Su holds such a divine weapon, but without the corresponding Sword Technique, it might be difficult to fully utilize its power. The Green Rainbow Sword Technique recorded on this Jade Scroll is a Sword Control Skill that epasses the essence of sword maniption, body sword, and refining sword. It will enable you to learn advanced Sword Control Techniques at the fastest speed.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the nearby merchants turned their heads in surprise.


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes lit up slightly.


    Since ancient times, Scriptures rted to cultivation were the true n treasures and fundamental practices.


    Spirit Pills and Magic Artifacts may run out one day, and Pocket Worlds might wane and no longer flourish due to the ever-changing world, but Scriptures can be passed down forever.


    Although the previous merchants seemed aggressive in bidding, none of them brought out cultivation Scriptures.


    Did they not have any?


    Of course not. Behind these merchants stood major families, almost all of whom had cultivation Scriptures, they were just unwilling to trade them, that¡¯s all.


    ¡°It seems you are truly sincere. I¡¯ll verify it first.¡±


    Su Jie stretched out his hand to take the Jade Scroll, intending to check it.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Please feel free, Mr. Su.¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e spoke withposure, clearly well-prepared and targeting Su Jie¡¯s newly acquired White Bone Sky ying Sword with her strategy, which could be considered hitting the nail on the head, quickly piquing Su Jie¡¯s interest.


    The Jade Scroll was cool to the touch as Su Jie examined it, pressing it against his forehead¡¯s sea of consciousness.


    The next moment, a flood of sword-shaped Scriptures poured into Su Jie¡¯s mind.


    Within the sea of consciousness, swords and rainbow lights flickered at times like thunder and lightning ¨C swift and fierce, and at other times like the wind blowing through catkins ¨C elusive and hard to trace.


    After checking, Su Jie verified that the Jade Scroll indeed contained a Flying Sword Maniption Skill as Cai Chun¡¯e had said.


    Perhaps in the outside world, such Sword Control Skills might not be considered much, and a few hundred Blood Marrow Crystals could possibly buy them, but Cai Chun¡¯e¡¯s gesture was clearly more sincere than the other merchants, and this Green Rainbow Sword Technique was precisely what Su Jie needed.


    ¡°How about it, Mr. Su, are you satisfied with this sword technique?¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e asked, seeing Su Jie¡¯s smile, she felt that he was satisfied.


    ¡°One thousand five hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, plus this Green Rainbow Sword Technique, and the three Alien Ghost bodies are yours.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, since Cai Chun¡¯e was so sincere, he didn¡¯t continue to haggle.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Su, for your generosity.¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e jumped excitedly on the spot, her ample bosom trembling fiercely, quite intimidating.


    As for this trade, Gu Weonian and Chen Yun both refrained frommenting, knowing their ce, leaving all decisions up to Su Jie.


    Su Jie did not shortchange them either, promising to share arger portion of the Blood Marrow Crystals, since he took the Green Rainbow Sword Technique for himself.


    Cai Chun¡¯e did not carry so many Blood Marrow Crystals on her, so the group returned to Taixu Pavilion¡¯s location in the ck Market.


    Soon, under Wu Bin¡¯s witness, Su Jie and Cai Chun¡¯e sessfullypleted the transaction.


    Both parties were very satisfied with the oue of the trade.


    Cai Chun¡¯e presented a small gift, a few Low Grade Basic Talismans, and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Su, do visit Taixu Pavilion more often in the future, and remember toe to me if you have such good deals!¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯re running a matchmaking service, but speaking of which, Sister Cai, does that thing you told mest time still count?¡±


    Su Jie spoke teasingly, recalling the promise this charming woman had made him before.


    Cai Chun¡¯e¡¯s pretty face flushed with intoxicating redness, and she spat lightly, ¡°I was just jesting with you, brother, why did you take it seriously?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a straightforward person; I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a joke or for real, so¡­¡±


    Su Jie reached out, feeling her waist that was slender as a snake, then slid his hand further down, before he could marvel at the suddenly dramatic curve, he squeezed a handful of that peachy roundness.


    Yah!


    Cai Chun¡¯e cried out in rm, her body going soft, as she red over with sultry eyes.


    ¡°How could you, young master! That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s indecent, utterly indecent!¡±


    ¡°Haha, I am a Demon Cultivator, after all! Isn¡¯t it only natural for me to be indecent?¡±


    Su Jie winked at Cai Chun¡¯e, then, ignoring the scorned woman behind him, he left Taixu Pavilion.


    ¡°Brother Wu, I really troubled you today.¡±


    Su Jie handed over another twenty-some Blood Marrow Crystals to Wu Bin as a reward for today¡¯s help.


    ¡°Heh, as your junior, I only got to see such an exciting duel because of you. I¡¯d wee such troubles any time!¡±


    Wu Bin had intended to gather for a meal together, but seeing Gu Weonian and Chen Yun with their injured legs, he knew it wasn¡¯t a good time, so he simply sped his hands, exchanged contact details, and left.


    Su Jie personally apanied Gu Weonian and Chen Yun to Ning Dan Hall to have a doctor look at their injuries and purchased Healing Pills for them to use.


    When they finally parted ways, Su Jie gave them their share of the Blood Marrow Crystals and cautioned them, ¡°Be extra careful these days, heal well, but also stay alert for the wild wolves outside, so you don¡¯t end up stripped clean.¡±


    ¡°I will take good care of myself.¡±


    Chen Yun nodded, understanding that in her current state, holding onto such arge sum of Blood Marrow Crystals was like a child walking through a bustling market with gold, a moment¡¯s inattention could mean it¡¯d be snatched away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared a way out, Brother Su need not worry.¡±


    Gu Weonian said so, an old hand at such matters, having spent so many years in Ghost Ridge Pce, he certainly had his ways to hide.


    Seeing this, Su Jie didn¡¯t say much, becausepared to the two of them, he was the one in the greatest danger.


    What others coveted wasn¡¯t just the Blood Marrow Crystals, but that White Bone Sky ying Sword as well.

 Chapter 41 - 39: Return to Blue Star (Please Follow)

    Chapter 41: Chapter 39: Return to Blue Star (Please Follow)


    Watching Gu Weonian and Chen Yun leave, Su Jie stood in ce for a while.


    Noticing some restless nces, he turned around and went back to the center of the ck Market.


    ¡°So impatient already?¡±


    As Su Jie walked, he pondered in his heart.


    He had already sensed several groups of people secretly watching him, many groups were eyeing him.


    Clearly, the wealth he held now had tempted far too many people.


    Moreover, being an Outer Disciple, they had even fewer scruples about making a move.


    Turning around, he once again entered the central area of the ck Market and went straight to a building.


    Spiritual Pill Association!


    On the que hung threerge gilded characters; Su Jie strode inside.


    As the name suggested, the Spiritual Pill Association was a shop specialized in selling various kinds of elixirs.


    The store not only bloomed all over the Qingzhou region but also had a branch in the ck Market of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°Mr. Su, pleasee in, pleasee in. Your presence truly brings light to our humble shop!¡±


    The shopkeeper, seeing Su Jie, immediately shone with excitement, and greeted him with great enthusiasm.


    Today, Su Jie had made quite a stir in the ck Market. Many merchants recognized him and knew very well that he was extraordinarily wealthy and had money to spend.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, take me to the second floor.¡±


    Su Jie nced around; the first floor mainly sold wed and low-grade low-level elixirs, mostly crude products crafted by apprentices, which no longer interested him.


    The real treasures were on the second floor, where even mid-grade elixirs were sold.


    ¡°Absolutely, Mr. Su, this way, please.¡±


    The shopkeeper¡¯s face bloomed into a chrysanthemum, eagerly bowing to lead the way.


    Upstairs, as soon as Su Jie entered, he smelled the intoxicating faint scent of medicine, which made the spiritual power in his body circte faster.


    Wherever he looked,rge sparkling ss dishes disyed each glittering, colorful elixir.


    Even standing at a distance, he could feel the powerful spiritual charm fluctuations emitted by these elixirs.


    With a massive umtion of elixirs, the spiritual energy half-liquefied in the air, forming mists of swirling spiritual power.


    The elixirs disyed here were at least Lower Grade Intermediate, and there were even several Mid-grade Elixirs.


    ¡°How many Nine Yang Pills are left?¡±


    After scanning around, Su Jie spoke up.


    Nine Yang Pills were a Lower Grade Intermediate elixir, crafted with nine types of yang attribute nts as the main ingredients and arge amount of yin attribute nts as secondary, refined by a Lower Grade Alchemist.


    After consumption, it could regte the cirction of spiritual energy in the body, nourish spiritual power, and elerate cultivation.


    ¡°Responding to Mr. Su, our shop has a total of 15 Nine Yang Pills left. Are you¡­¡±


    The shopkeeper¡¯s heart stirred the moment he saw Su Jie wave his hand grandly.


    ¡°Fifteen, not many. Wrap them all up for me; I¡¯m buying them all.¡±


    Hearing such a generous offer, the shopkeeper¡¯s smile grew even brighter, and even his back teeth showed.


    One Nine Yang Pill was worth twenty blood Marrow Crystals, fifteen equaled three hundred Blood Marrow Crystals¡ªa truly big customer indeed!


    ¡°Mr. Su, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll wrap them up for you right away.¡±


    Responding, the shopkeeper hurriedly went to pack the elixirs for Su Jie.


    Some ten minutester, Su Jie left the Spiritual Pill Association under the enthusiastic farewell of the shopkeeper.


    ¡°Blood Marrow Crystals that I couldn¡¯t earn in a year, now exchanged for elixirs, something I wouldn¡¯t dare think about in the past.¡±


    Looking at the jade bottle he was holding, Su Jie secretly felt moved, enjoying the thrill of being wealthy.


    Such Nine Yang Pills, if it were the Su Jie of the past, would have taken a month of saved Blood Marrow Crystals, living without eating or drinking, just to barely afford one.


    Now, he bought fifteen in one go, and at the rate of consuming one every three days, it would be enough for Su Jie for a month and a half, probably making him the most extravagant among the Outer Disciples.


    After leaving the Spiritual Pill Association, Su Jie headed straight to a building not far away that bore therge sign of the Tiangong Pavilion, which primarily sold various special Magic Artifacts.@@novelbin@@


    Upon entering the store, Su Jie was also warmly greeted by the shopkeeper.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, get me a Storage Bag, the smallest size will do.¡±


    ¡°Our Tiangong Pavilion Storage Bags, the smallest storage area one sells for 99 Blood Marrow Crystals.¡±


    ¡°Bought it.¡±


    One minuteter, Su Jie had a small blue Storage Bag in his hand.


    The Storage Bag was crafted from a rare Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure called the Nine Heavens Crystal Stone, which could only be refined by a Mid-grade Refiner or above and was always pricey.


    Even the smallest Storage Bag Su Jie had, measuring just one cubic meter, was valued at 99 Blood Marrow Crystals.


    Therefore, Storage Bags were typically unaffordable for Outer Disciples, only Inner Disciples would choose to wear one.


    After opening the Storage Bag with Spiritual Power, Su Jie stuffed in his Blood Marrow Crystals, White Bone Sky ying Sword, elixirs, and other such items.


    Yet, Su Jie did not stop his steps; he continued on a major shopping spree.


    In a few hours, he sessively bought various objects rted to cultivation.


    For instance, cushions that could calm the mind, sandalwood that elerated meditation, and misceneous items like Spirit Grain and spirit water that could condition the body and slightly enhance physical strength.


    After a round of shopping, most ck market merchants knew that a rich client had arrived; they greeted Su Jie with extraordinary enthusiasm as soon as they saw him.


    Even the beautifully dressed updies from Wan Hua Building, who enticed guests in the brothel to listen to songs, came out to the streets, pulling Su Jie to enjoy their pleasures.


    Fortunately, Su Jie was upright andpletely opposed to gambling and drugs, ultimately managing to refuse them on the grounds of not having much money left, though it was extremely difficult.


    While Su Jie happily shopped, this scene made those secretly watching him grow anxious.


    A few Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples lowered their hoods, pretending to be passersby, and quietly discussed.


    ¡°Howe he keeps shopping? He must have spent all his Blood Marrow Crystals.¡±


    ¡°No matter, we¡¯ll get those items anyway, and besides, he still has the White Bone Sky ying Sword.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take action immediately once he leaves the ck market, to avoid others beating us to it.¡±


    Unfortunately, these insidious Disciples didn¡¯t know that Su Jie had no intention of confronting them directly.


    Walking on the ck market streets, Su Jie, having spent over a thousand Blood Marrow Crystals, looked at his full Storage Bag and nodded satisfactorily.


    These supplies were enough for him tofortably cultivate for a couple of months without worrying about external disturbances.


    ¡°Tsk, over twenty people, wow, there are actually more than thirty waiting for me, do they think I¡¯m some kind of essential giblet?¡±


    Noticing this from his Reconnaissance Dragonfly secretly, Su Jie muttered to himself.


    With Su Jie¡¯s current strength, he was definitely unable to handle so many greedy jackals and hyenas.


    But Su Jie had no intention of tangling with them; it¡¯s better to avoid what you can¡¯t oppose.


    ¡°Once my Divine Skill is fully developed, I¡¯lle back and ughter you all one by one.¡±


    With a cold snort, Su Jie turned into a deserted alley, entered an abandoned courtyard, then closed the door, opened the Ancient Mirror, and stepped through, returning to the Blue Star World.


    Long after Su Jie had left, those Disciples realized something was wrong and hurriedly blocked the alley.


    Wave after wave of Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples from different groups, but with the same purpose, met each other and felt a bit awkward.


    Awkward as it was, knowing what the others were there for, the Disciples started searching in the alley.


    Unfortunately, these Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples turned the alley upside down but couldn¡¯t find a single hair from Su Jie.


    That was expected, unless they could chase him to the Blue Star, finding him would be impossible.


    Unable to find the person, these Disciples naturally became agitated and even suspected someone had secretly killed Su Jie.


    No one knew who started it, but these Disciples began using each other and eventually even fought amongst themselves, ending in aplete mess.

 Chapter 43 - 41: I Want This Land to Take the Surname Su

    Chapter 43: Chapter 41: I Want This Land to Take the Surname Su


    Chan Country, East Qin State, Mande City, Sh Airport.


    After ayover, Su Jie and his group had just disembarked from the airne when a wave of heat swept over them.


    Situated in the tropics, Chan Country still experienced quite high temperatures, even though it was already autumn.


    ¡°So this is Chan Country!¡±


    Su Jie looked around the airport, which wasn¡¯t very crowded; the locals, both men and women, wore rather simple clothing.


    Most men wore a type of skirt, with slippers on their feet, while most women wore colorful scarves and had their hair done up in high, sleek buns.


    As they exited the airport, many drivers immediately surrounded them to offer their services.


    Many even recognized that Su Jie and his group were from Hua Country and switched to speaking Huanguage, albeit with a heavy ent which was mostly understandable.


    Because Chan Country bordered Hua Country, it had been culturally influenced since ancient times.


    Many locals in Chan Country could speak and write the Huanguage, and Hua Yuan could even be used directly here and was especially stablepared to the local currency, which suffered from severe exchange rate fluctuations.


    ¡°Arrange for the staff to go to the hotel first; Yingying and Elder Liang can apany me to the office,¡± Mr. Su instructed.


    Everyone got into the cars, and the vehicles started up, heading toward thepany on the outskirts of the city.


    The driver, who was a talkative man, asked, ¡°Are you going to Lamao District to do the wood business as well?¡±


    ¡°How could you tell?¡±


    ¡°Haha, there are many wood merchants from Hua Country like you. I¡¯ve driven quite a few around.¡±


    The driver chuckled and then cautioned, ¡°However, while doing business, don¡¯t go too far into remote areas. It¡¯s safer to stay around the city; otherwise, there might be danger.¡±


    ¡°Is it very chaotic around here?¡±


    ¡°Very chaotic, very poor, nowhere near your Hua Country people; the average wage here is only equivalent to four or five hundred Hua Yuan. With no money, people often resort to dishonest means,¡± exined the driver.


    His words made Liang Lianjun fidget nervously, thinking of the various legends of opium nting, scam operations, and kidney harvesting in Chan Country.


    ¡°Do local officials not do anything?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they do something all right¡ªthey sit on top and collect benefits. What else can they do? Look at this road we¡¯re driving on, full of potholes. It hasn¡¯t been repaired for many years, the money all embezzled.¡±


    A few exchanges with the driver revealed his evident bitterness.


    At that moment, the car passed a checkpoint where several soldiers, armed with AKs and dressed in green military uniforms, were stopping cars and collecting fees.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything for a minute.¡±


    He advised and then stopped the car, handing 500 Zen Coins to one of the soldiers while speaking in the localnguage; they were then allowed to proceed.


    As the vehicle started moving again, Liang Lianjun curiously asked, ¡°Who are those people, and why are they collecting money?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our military here, the Mande United Army. They charge a vehicle operation fee, applicable to all vehicles including motorcycles and bicycles,¡± exined the driver.


    The driver gave a wryugh, and fearing that Liang Lianjun might not understand, added, ¡°It¡¯s not a government army, but a local militia.¡±


    Liang Lianjun responded, exasperated, ¡°Setting up roadblocks everywhere to charge fees, they really dare to do all sorts of things.¡±


    Liu Yingying chimed in, ¡°Chan Country is very chaotic. It¡¯s a multi-ethnic nation with over a hundred ethnic groups, leading to manyrge and small local warlords; their rtionships are veryplex, continually in a semi-independent state, much like our Tang Dynasty in itster stages.¡±


    She had been to Chan Country before and had some impressions of the severe chaos and fragmentation in the country.


    As they chatted, the car gradually left the city area and arrived at a vast expanse of warehouses.


    This area was filled with numerous logs, some stored outdoors, others stacked in warehouse buildings, and vehicles carrying logs frequently passed by, kicking up clouds of dust.


    This was Lamao District, a center for wood storage and trading.


    Chan Country was a major exporter of wood, shipping out millions of tons annually; this was a pir industry for Chan Country, with numerous such wood trading centers scattered across the nation.


    The car continued driving and eventually stopped in front of a three-story building.


    The building bore the sign of Jinde Di Company, with a row of warehouses behind it.


    This was the shellpany that Liu Yingying had registered in Chan Country as per Su Jie¡¯s instructions.


    The office inside the building was not heavily staffed¡ªjust six local employees, who greeted Liu Yingying in slightly awkward Huanguage as soon as they saw her.


    ¡°This building and the warehouses behind have been purchased; the building is for office use, and the warehouses are for storing and transferring wood,¡± Liu Yingying briefly exined and then said to Su Jie, ¡°All the procedures have beenpleted; I am waiting for yourmands.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else; just follow me to pick up the goods,¡± he responded.


    Su Jie smiled and immediately energized Liang Lianjun at his side, who had been waiting a long time for the timber Su Jie had promised.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    In an empty area, Su Jie took out the Ancient Mirror and stealthily returned to Tianyuan World. He found the timber he had initially cut near the ck Market, then transported it through the Ancient Mirror to Blue Star for the truck team to haul away. Su Jiepleted the whole process quickly, as he discovered that some disciples were tracking him again. He could only swiftly blend into the crowd at the ck Market and then enter a room to shake off the pursuers.


    The quantity of timber was even greater than before as Su Jie, having nothing to do in Tianyuan World, had indulged in excessive logging.


    When all the timber entered Jinde Di¡¯s warehouse, Liang Lianjun was almost moved to tears in excitement.


    ¡°Small-leaf rosewood, Golden Nan Wood, Yellow pear wood, Golden Camphor¡­¡±


    Mouth clearly naming each kind of timber, Liang Lianjun touched the piled wood in the warehouse, his fingers trembling slightly.


    Because just the value of these timbers alone was already worth several billion. If turned into furniture, the prices would double even further.


    ¡°Mr. Su, when do we start shipping? With this batch of timber, Tianyuan Furniture can make an immediate name for itself domestically.¡±


    Liang Lianjun¡¯s face flushed with excitement, foreseeing the huge sess of Tianyuan Home once this batch of timber was back in the country.


    Su Jie turned his head to Liu Yingying and said, ¡°Yingying, have Jinde Di Company contact an international air freightpany and ship all this timber back to the country.¡±


    ¡°Are we going for air freight? That¡¯s quite expensive.¡±


    ¡°No worries, we can afford the freight fee, time is more important.¡±


    Generally speaking, timber transportation mostly uses sea andnd routes due to the high cost of air freight, but these timbers had no original cost for Su Jie, so a few million or a hundred million in freight charges was nothing.


    Liu Yingying nodded her acknowledgment and immediately went to make arrangements.


    In the following days, the entire Jinde Di Company operated at full capacity.


    Contacting international air freight, dering goods with Hua Country customs, and pre-disinfecting and segmenting the timber, and more.


    Only when each piece of timber was loaded onto five cargo nes flying to Hua Country, could the matter be considered concluded.


    Meanwhile, Liang Lianjun returned to the country, overseeing the manufacture and sale of furniture made from this precious wood, working overtime.


    Su Jie did not return but rather registered a newpany locally, named Jieke Biology Development Company.


    ¡°How much money is left in thepany ounts?¡±


    In the office, Su Jie asked his personal secretary.


    ¡°We still have 5.5 million Hua Yuan.¡±


    Liu Yingying replied without hesitation.


    That was all the liquid funds they had until that batch of timber was sold.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit low, but it¡¯s almost enough for the initial phase.¡±


    Su Jie stroked his chin and turned around.


    On the wall behind him, there hung a map of Mande City and its surrounding towns, home to three different ethnic groups, with a poption of about 700,000.


    Mande City was part of East Qin State, which had an approximate poption of 3.5 million.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with this, Yingying. Have the employees of Jieke Biology go out to the viges for promotion, start the first n, and let Jieke Company buy various poisonous insects in bulk from the locals without a limit, telling them to go up into the mountains to catch insects.¡±


    Liu Yingying nodded, then, unable to restrain herself while looking at Su Jie¡¯s back, asked, ¡°Su Jie, what exactly are we doing this for?¡±


    She knew that Su Jie owned an insect farm, but she did not understand why he needed to start a new insect farmingpany in Chan Country.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°You think I¡¯m really just doing this for raising insects?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only one aspect.¡±


    Su Jie chuckled softly, drew a circle on Mande City with a pen, and said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning right now. Next, I¡¯m only doing one thing. I want the Mande City region to henceforth carry thest name ¡®Su¡¯ and be my personal kingdom.¡±


    Oh!


    Liu Yingying¡¯s heart nearly stopped, her eyes wide open, speechless for a long time as she didn¡¯t know whether to say Su Jie was fantasizing or simply too ambitious.


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze did not waver; he simply waved his hand and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, just go on and work.¡±


    After Liu Yingying left, Su Jie touched the thousand-hand centipede that was crawling out of his cor and muttered to himself, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, very soon, very soon, this will be your paradise, the opening of our Kingdom of Poisonous Insects will be grand on thisnd.¡±

 Chapter 45 - 43: Funds in Place

    Chapter 45: Chapter 43: Funds in ce


    The purchasing n for the insects proceeded smoothly and in an orderly fashion.


    Within a warehouse in Lamao District, various Poison Insects and snakes that had been acquired from the outside world were brought to this ce.


    At this moment, the thousand-hand centipedey on the ground, its body now stretching over nine meters in length.


    The copious amount of food it consumed during this period allowed it to grow crazily in size; if anyone were to discover the centipede in this state, they would probably faint from fright.@@novelbin@@


    Not far from the thousand-hand centipede, Su Jie sat cross-legged on a purple cushion, with the invigorating scent of sandalwood burning beside him. He took out a Nine Yang Pill from the Jade Bottle and swallowed it.


    Overwhelming Spiritual Energy navigated through his limbs and marrow before being absorbed and stored in the meridians.


    During cultivation, the thousand-hand centipede shrank its body,ying on Su Jie¡¯s waist and abdomen, attaching its pale corpse hands one by one.


    Time moved on, and several hours went by.


    Su Jie¡¯s Spirit Essence grew stronger and stronger, like a lotus breaking through the mud and surfacing from the water. Eventually, the umted Spiritual Power reached its peak, breaking through a clogged meridian pathway.


    Bang!


    Spiritual Power shimmered around Su Jie¡¯s body, and as naturally as water flows along a channel, he advanced to the Fifth Level of the Yunling Realm.


    The resources bought with the thousands of Blood Marrow Crystal prepared in the Tianyuan World allowed Su Jie¡¯s cultivation to skyrocket in just two weeks. He had now reached the Fifth Level of the Yunling Realm, something he hadn¡¯t dared to dream of in the past.


    The thousand-hand centipede climbed up Su Jie¡¯s neck, happily rubbing back and forth, sharing in the joy of Su Jie¡¯s advancement.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to level up too, huh?¡±


    Touching the cold body of the thousand-hand centipede, Su Jie could feel the abundant vitality and vigor within it.


    Sizzle.


    The thousand-hand centipede responded with a hissing sound.


    It was steadily progressing toward its third evolution of Spirit Refining.


    With an abundant supply of poisonous insects, it would face almost no obstacles before advancing to a Mid-grade poisonous insect.


    But Su Jie had even more considerations.


    Because ording to the records in the books, after advancing to a Mid-grade poisonous insect, to continue evolving, apart from relying on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and the passage of time, swallowing ordinary Poison Insects would be of no effect; it would require Grade-Entry Poison Insects, and at that point, the insects from Blue Star would no longer serve a purpose.


    Su Jie hade to Chan Country to n ahead and make preparations.


    Once the thousand-hand centipede advanced to Mid-grade, Su Jie would bring some of the Tianyuan World¡¯s poisonous insects over at that time.


    For instance, he would feed arge number of Poison Insects to a non-Grade human-faced moth in order to advance it to Low Grade, and then have the thousand-hand centipede devour it.


    In this way, small fish would eat shrimp, and big fish would eat small fish,pleting a new evolutionary process.


    To achieve this, Su Jie must gainplete control over a region.


    After all, if the Poison Insects from the Tianyuan World were brought to Blue Star and discovered, Su Jie would inevitably be the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, ced under scrutiny by various powers and countries.


    In Hua Country, such undertakings by Su Jie would certainly not be feasible. The number of poisonous insects he dealt with was too great, making it very easy to arouse curiosity and investigation from others.


    If a checkup urred, the truth would be uncovered.


    However, Chan Country was entirely different; the national machinery here was weak. Controlling one region meant it was essentially independent, allowing for far greater secrecy.


    Leaving the thousand-hand centipede in the warehouse to continue feeding, Su Jie left and drove back to Jieke Company¡¯s residence.


    Just as he entered, he saw Liu Yingying walking towards him, brimming with joy.


    ¡°Su Jie, we¡¯ve seeded.¡±


    She wrapped her arms around Su Jie¡¯s neck, jumping and shouting happily.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Su Jie patted the girl¡¯s buttocks, signaling her to be mindful of her image.


    ¡°Hehe, Manager Liang is back, and he brings good news.¡±


    Liu Yingying¡¯s pretty face turned red with a hint of guilt, she looked around and sighed in relief when she noticed that no employees were paying attention.


    As soon as Su Jie heard this, he knew what it was about.


    Walking into thepany¡¯s office, indeed, he saw Liang Lianjun¡¯s figure.


    ¡°Mission aplished, Mr. Su, our furniture has sessfully prated the market.¡±


    The moment he saw Su Jie, Liang Lianjun immediately stood up to report, his eyes brimming with joy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear the details.¡±


    Su Jie asked Liu Yingying to pour some tea, and he sat opposite Liang Lianjun.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Liang Lianjun cleared his throat and began, ¡°After we transported the batch of timber back to the factory, I immediately arranged for staff to work overtime on the design and construction. We rushed the production of a batch of furniture, then I contacted some wealthy businessmen I knew from before and organized a small furniture sale.


    Our furniture was an instant hit as soon as it was showcased, with many pieces being bought on the spot by those businessmen.


    Most of their friends are also wealthy, and the remaining furniture was sold the next day.


    And as the news spread by word of mouth, many other wealthy people came to ce deposits for custom-made high-end furniture at Tianyuan Home.


    The first batch of payments and deposits we received totaled up to 500 million yuan. We estimate that once all the timber is sold, we can recover funds between 4.5 and 5 billion yuan.¡±


    Suppressing his excitement, Liang Lianjun went through Tianyuan Home¡¯s progress one by one.


    The high-end furniture market in Hua Country has always been in short supply, and Tianyuan Home easily carved out the most delicious slice of the market pie for itself with those top-quality timbers.


    Given the nature of wealthy people in Hua Country, faced with high-end furniture that can demonstrate their taste and wealth, they couldn¡¯t help but be tempted.


    That¡¯s why the discovery of Tianyuan Home¡¯s high-end furniture sparked such a frenzy of purchasing.


    Su Jie¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard the number 500 million.


    It¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s ovee with emotion. Just a year ago, he was an ordinary person who had just graduated and couldn¡¯t even find a job, and now he controls a cash flow of hundreds of millions and has goods worth tens of billions under hismand.


    Even with mental preparation, Su Jie still felt excited.


    ¡°Haha, Manager Liang, I really didn¡¯t misjudge you. I won¡¯t say anything else, but tonight, you must stay for a good drink, and rest assured, you won¡¯t be shortchanged on your bonus either.¡±


    ¡°I dare not, I dare not, it¡¯s all thanks to Mr. Su¡¯s batch of timber; otherwise, with all the ability in the world, I couldn¡¯t have sold it for that price.¡±


    Liang Lianjun humbly waved his hands in declination, speaking the truth.


    The great sess of Tianyuan Home lies in the extremely high quality of the timber. Su Jie¡¯s words made him blush with modesty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be humble, Manager Liang. With such great news, how can we not celebrate with a drink?¡±


    ¡°Then I shall apany Mr. Su for a couple of drinks.¡±


    Liang Lianjun, feeling valued by Su Jie, was filled with the sentiment that one would die for a confidante.


    After talking with Liang Lianjun for a while and noticing that he was somewhat tired from catching a ride over, Su Jie told him to go and rest.


    ¡°Yingying, notify Jieke Biology to start the second n. It¡¯s time for our Jieke Company to expand.¡±


    Su Jie instructed Liu Yingying. Previously, due to a shortage of funds, their insect-catching n was only carried out in a dozen viges and towns.


    Now that the funds were in ce, Su Jie naturally didn¡¯t want to y small anymore; he nned topletely cover the entire surrounding area of Mande City.

 Chapter 46 - 44: Accident (Vote for monthly ticket, ask for follow-up reading)

    Chapter 46: Chapter 44: ident (Vote for monthly ticket, ask for follow-up reading)


    ¡°`


    Following Su Jie¡¯s order, Jieke Company received its directives, and one after another, Jieke employees headed in all directions, expanding the insect catching n to the entire Mande City region.


    Especially in over a hundred rural townships and viges, those farmers with meager ies celebrated with their families, joining the bug-catching team with great enthusiasm.


    For a time, streams of people could be seen wandering through the mountains and fields everywhere in the Mande City region.


    All of these people were out to catch poisonous insects and snakes to sell to Jieke Company.


    At each sales station set up by Jieke Company, long lines formed at the door, with a steady flow of people from morning till night, bringing newly captured Poison Insects to sell.


    The sudden surge in the number of insects was too much for the thousand-hand centipede to handle at once, so huge plots ofnd and warehouses were purchased.


    Su Jie specifically called for Chen Yaoguang from Hua Country, along with a group of breeding experts, to transform these warehouses into insect breeding farms, allowing more people to work for Jieke Company.


    It wasn¡¯t just the countryside, even arge number of city residents in Mande City joined the bug-catching team.


    Because the ie from catching insects was far more than the paltry wages earned from their jobs.


    On the Jieke Company¡¯s side, the insect catching n was unfolding with great fanfare, while the local rent-seeking ss merely saw it as a joke.


    In their view, Jieke Company was simply squandering money and would soon run out of resources and quiet down.


    But they waited, and ten days went by, Jieke Company was still thriving.


    Twenty days passed, and Jieke Company¡¯s purchasing stations were still bustling with people every day.


    A month went by, and Jieke Company¡¯s expansion continued, with the number of employees recruited even breaking through to two thousand five hundred. Hundreds of thousands of people from the Mande Region were working for Jieke Company, catching insects for it.


    Even facing an overwhelming number of people, and to protect the local insect resources due to the decrease in the number of Poison Insects brought about by the catching, Jieke Company thoughtfully proposed a measure of breeding insects with people¡¯s help.


    They distributed Poison Insects to the local popce for free and taught them artificial breeding, shouting powerful slogans like ¡°Prosper through insect breeding,¡± ¡°Stride toward well-being, start with insects,¡± ¡°Want to get rich, let Jieke lead the way,¡± and so on.


    Under this sky-high propaganda and wealth offensive, almost everystbor force in the Mande City region was swept into the insect-catching craze triggered by Jieke.


    Now, the rent-seeking elites in the Mande City region couldn¡¯t sit still anymore.


    Because people no longer wanted to work for them and only wanted to run to Jieke Company.


    ¡­


    In front of the Jieke Company headquarters building, a jeep drove up, followed by two military vehicles from which a group of soldiers in green military uniforms, holding AKs, jumped out swiftly.


    A well-dressed officer in a crisp military uniform and shiny leather shoes stepped out of the jeep, surrounded by a group of soldiers, and strutted into Jieke Company.


    The employees inside the building were astonished, unclear what was happening.


    It was not until they saw the identity of the leading officer that many employees¡¯plexions changed, recognizing who he was.


    Because this face was all too famous in the Mande Region.


    This man was Lu Wenbo, the actual ruler of Mande United Army. To many, he was known as General Lu.


    Born into one of the three major families, the Lu Family, hemanded a force of over a thousand in the Mande United Army, armed with arge stockpile of firearms and ammunition, light and heavy machine guns, mortars, rocketunchers, and managed businesses such as taxation, casinos, brothels, entertainmentplexes, opium, fraud, and organ trading. He was the undisputed local warlord of the Mande Region.


    In the Mande Region, the most sensational thing Lu Wenbo did was that when arge-scale escape incident urred in a phone scam park under his name, he dispatched troops to surround and suppress the escapees, killing and injuring countless people, with half a street drenched in blood.


    Wu Wenbo pointed to an employee and said, ¡°Where¡¯s the manager here?¡±


    ¡°The boss¡­ The boss has gone out to the countryside to inspect the insect breeding farms.¡±


    The employee pointed out shivered, exining in a trembling voice.


    ¡°Are you ying me?¡±


    ¡°`


    Wu Wenbo¡¯s mouth twisted into a sinister smile, and without a word, he pulled out his pistol from his waist and pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    The employee who was questioned was shot in the stomach, blood gushing out and staining his clothes red as he fell to the ground writhing in pain.


    ¡°You tell me, where is your boss?¡±


    Pointing at another employee, Wu Wenbo continued to inquire with an arrogant air,pletely indifferent to the fact that he had just fired a gun in public.


    ¡°He really went down to the countryside, I don¡¯t know where the boss is!¡±


    Seeing the fate of the previous unlucky one, the second employee was almost in tears.


    The other employees didn¡¯t dare to back him up, all of them trembling, as the AKs of the other soldiers were also aimed at them.


    Wu Wenbo snorted coldly, knowing that his timing wasn¡¯t the best, and that the employees didn¡¯t have the guts to lie to him.


    ¡°Tell your boss that when hees back, he must visit my barracks. From now on, your Jieke Company must pay an 80% special business tax, and if you don¡¯t pay, tell him the consequences of offending me here as a Chinese.¡±


    After saying that, Wu Wenbo aimed the gun at the ceiling and emptied a whole clip of bullets.


    Then, with a grand wave, he turned and left with his men.


    It wasn¡¯t until Wu Wenbo was far away that the employees frantically helped the wounded man up and rushed him to the hospital for treatment.


    As for calling the police, no one did such a thing.


    After all, the police station was just Wu Wenbo¡¯spdog, and what dog would dare manage its owner?


    ¡­@@novelbin@@


    Lazhi Vige!


    Su Jie was inspecting a local breeding farm and Chen Yaoguang was by his side.


    ¡°Mr. Su, we have helped the vigers rebuild the centipede and scorpion farms ording to local conditions. The tropical climate and temperature here are ideal for the growth of these poisonous insects. As long as no serious diseases ur, breeding can be carried out with ease,¡±


    Chen Yaoguang pointed to a small-scale farm, which was transformed from an abandoned mud house. Between the cracks of the bricks and broken tiles, centipedes were seen crawling in and out.


    A dark-skinned young man wasboring, scattering mealworms inside as food for the centipedes.


    Su Jie nodded and stepped closer, asking the dark-skinned young man, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°This is our boss from Jieke Company, Mr. Su.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang reminded the young man, as he often went down to the countryside to teach vigers breeding techniques and many recognized him.


    ¡°My name is Miao Lun, are you the big boss of Jieke Company?¡±


    Hearing Chen Yaoguang¡¯s words, Miao Lun trembled all over, excited toe forward and shake hands but was too wary to do so.


    ¡°Genuine as can be. May I ask, are you satisfied with your current life?¡±


    Su Jie took the initiative to move closer, pat him on the shoulder, and asked with a kind smile.


    ¡°Satisfied, I am of course satisfied. Ever since Jieke Company came here, the money I earn from catching insects has cured my mother¡¯s illness, and I was able to send my sister back to school. Now my family also has shares in the local poisonous insect farm. This is the life I¡¯ve dreamed of day and night,¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s voice was filled with passion as he recounted the events that had taken ce in his life. Nearby, vigers who were working and heard that the boss of Jieke Company came over crowded around, expressing their profound gratitude all at once.


    Mr. Su responded with a smile to each of their thanks when Liu Yingying rushed over in a panic and shouted to him, ¡°Mr. Su, something has happened.¡±

 Chapter 49 - 47: Mande United Army

    Chapter 49: Chapter 47: Mande United Army


    Fifty kilometers southwest of Mande City, there was a military camp dotted with watchtowers,bat readiness warehouses, barracks, and drill grounds, where soldiers patrolled back and forth.


    This was the headquarters of the Mande United Army, with thousands of soldiers stationed here.


    These troops, cultivated with financial support from drug trafficking, casinos, scam parks, brothels, and such, were Lu Wenbo¡¯s greatest asset and the capital that allowed him to dominate the Mande region.


    At this moment, inside avishly decorated vi in the military camp, Lu Wenbo clenched the phone tightly and roared, ¡°You can¡¯t even handle a bunch of farmers, useless, all of you are useless, what¡¯s the point of having you.¡±


    On the other end of the phone was the Mande City Mayor, who was frantically reporting the unrest that had urred in Mande City to him.


    Finding out hisrge swathes of industry had been upied and destroyed by Jieke Company¡¯s Security Department, the warlord leader was beyond furious and ignored the calls for help on the phone, abruptly smashing the handset down.


    ¡°Bring me someone, immediately order a full military mobilization, prepare the weapons and ammunition, and follow me into the city to suppress the unrest. Whoever sees Jieke Company¡¯s people, show no mercy and kill them all.¡±


    Lu Wenbo summoned his aide-de-camp and issued the murderousmand.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Yes, General, I will mobilize the troops right now.¡±


    Seeing that Lu Wenbo was in a bad mood, the aide-de-camp dared not irritate him further and hastily left to carry out the orders.


    Soon, the entire camp was filled with rallying calls and assembly shouts as squads of soldiers ran out of the barracks and gathered on the drill ground.


    Lu Wenbo donned a general¡¯s uniform adorned with medals, strapped amand saber to his waist, and stepped onto themand tform at the front of the drill ground. Standing in front of the microphone, he shouted loudly, ¡°My children, today Mande City has experienced a premeditated, vicious unrest. Hired thugs from Jieke Company have attacked Mande City, taking over and destroying our casinos, brothels, and scam parks, and they have even imed they will wipe out our Mande United Army.¡±


    His voice echoed across the field through the microphone, and the soldiers in green uniforms changed their expressions slightly, their gazes bing particrly fierce.


    ¡°You joined the Mande United Army, the funds that let you livefortably all came from my industries in Mande City; Jieke Company is cutting off our roots, can we let them go?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    A roar like a mountain tsunami came back as thousands of soldiers, holding their guns, responded to Lu Wenbo with fury against Jieke Company.


    As soldiers of the Mande United Army, they clearly knew what they were doing, and never hesitated to follow the warlord inmitting crimes. As long as they could make money and grow rich, they were more than willing, even if it meant murder and evil deeds.


    ¡°Jieke Company, a despicable and shameless corporation, daring to unite with those mud-legged farmers to overthrow my rule. Today we will tell them that no matter how capable Jieke Company is, only we, the Mande United Army, rule in Mande City. My children, take up your Long Spears and steel knives, follow me into Mande City, and exterminate everyone from Jieke Company.¡±


    Lu Wenbo revealed a cruel smile as he loudly announced the mobilizationmand for war.


    ¡°Kill, kill, kill them all!¡±


    The soldiers stood up thunderously, slung their steel guns over their shoulders, and headed orderly towards the military trucks.


    A few armored fighting vehicles started to move, and overhead a military helicopter hovered¡ªthese were all of Lu Wenbo¡¯s assets.


    ¡°Jieke Company, really think it¡¯s still ancient times, eh? Wanting to get by with just a bunch of mud-legged farmers.¡±


    Looking at the mighty exodus of his own army, Lu Wenbo felt a surge of pride.


    What nonsense Jieke Company was, it was just relying on a group of mud-legged farmers, and they hardly had any decent guns.


    Once his army arrived, they would be able to crush them effortlessly.


    Just as the vanguard of the army had left the camp, heading towards Mande City, the leading military truck suddenly slowed down and stopped, causing the following convoy toe to a halt as well.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter.¡±


    Sitting in the jeep, Lu Wenbo asked dissatisfiedly as the staff officer hung up themunicator and said in astonishment, ¡°General, there¡¯s someone blocking the way ahead, who also ims to be the boss of Jieke Company and wants toe see you.¡±


    ¡°What, you heard that right?¡±


    Lu Wenbo was equally stunned when he heard this and almost thought he had heard wrong.


    He hadn¡¯t gone looking for trouble with Jieke Company, yet their boss dared toe and find him alone. Was he not afraid of death?


    ¡°General, the person ims to be Su Jie, which is indeed the name of Jieke Company¡¯s boss.¡±


    The staff officer affirmed, his face filled with surprise.


    If they could capture the big boss of Jieke Company first, then they would have won more than half of this battle.


    ¡°Ha ha, such a fool. Have him brought to me; I want to see what he looks like, daring to provoke our Mande United Army.¡±


    Lu Wenbo¡¯s lips curled into an icy smile. If not for Jieke Company, he wouldn¡¯t have faced such heavy losses, and behind it all, the mastermind Su Jie, he wished nothing more than to tear him limb from limb.


    ¡­


    At this moment, in front of the army, Su Jie stood alone with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on this military force.


    Most of the soldiers were marching on foot, with nothing more than an AK for their personal equipment. The entire force¡¯s firepower consisted of just a few dozen vehicles, including several armored infantry vehicles, and one armed helicopter.


    ¡°Quite shabby! They earn so much money but don¡¯t even bother to equip the troops with better gear, spending it all on their own pleasures.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head, thinking about the news he had heard.


    It was said that Lu Wenbo enjoyed his luxuries, having not only a private ne but also many mansions and luxurious cars around the world. Most of the money he earned through illegal means was spent on his own pleasures.


    While Su Jie was observing the troops, a dozen armed soldiers surrounded him, their eyes mocking and indifferent as they looked at Su Jie.


    ¡°He¡¯s the boss of Jieke Company, so young. It¡¯s going to be so much fun to torture him; I want to see him kneeling and begging for mercy.¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s Chinese. He mustn¡¯t think we¡¯d reason with him, daring toe here all by himself.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, I love killing Chinese the most. When I was dispatched to guard the scam zone, those Chinese were so much fun. When they first arrived, they all mored to go home, but after we chopped their hands, cut their feet and threw them into watery dungeons, they all became as meek andpliant as could be.¡±


    The soldiers talked about Su Jie without any restraint,ughing mockingly from time to time.


    ¡°The General said to capture him and bring him over.¡±


    A toon leader put down the walkie-talkie. Having received the order, he waved his hand and the soldiers immediately rushed forward to apprehend Su Jie and take him to Lu Wenbo.


    Su Jie loosened his shoulders and said with a light chuckle, ¡°No need for you to bother. I will go see him myself.¡±


    As soon as his voice fell, the soldiers caught a glimpse of a sh of silver light out of the corners of their eyes, followed by a pain in their necks, their vision spinning, and they lost consciousness.


    The soldiers who had surrounded Su Jie, in just an instant, had their necks sliced through, their heads rolling to the feet of Su Jie.

 Chapter 52 - 50: Reaction

    Chapter 52: Chapter 50: Reaction


    Yang City.


    Nine hundred kilometers south of Mande Region, within a manor in Chan Country¡¯s capital, Yang City.


    A group of men and women dressed in traditional Chan Country attire, with serious expressions, sat around a conference table, discussing the recent changes in the Mande Region.


    They were members of the Wu Family and held key positions within it.


    The Wu Family had migrated to Chan Country from a powerful nation in the north during the war years. They were descendants of a defeated army and had initially conquered a territory with formidable military force. Later, they settled, reproduced, and gradually infiltrated and merged into Chan society. Nowadays, the Wu Family controlled five warlord forces, and Lu Wenbo was just one of the smaller ones.


    ¡°ording to intelligence from our informants, Wen Bo is dead, and his army has been annihted. Now the Mande Region is controlled by a power called Jieke Company,¡± one reported.


    Wu Qingjie, the head of the Wu Family, sat at the head of the table. He was about fifty years old, with a decent appearance, and looked like a kind and amiable old man.


    ¡°Jieke Company? What¡¯s their background? They were actually able to defeat Wen Bo¡¯s army.¡±


    Someone asked incredulously. Wars were frequent in Chan Country, and the Wu Family had rivals. Mutual attacks weremon, and there had been instances of family warlords being annihted before.


    ¡°Their exact origin is unknown, but what is known is that thepany is financially strong and has great mobilization capabilities; they easily armed nearly ten thousand warriors.¡±


    Wu Qingjie passed the documents over, then ryed the most crucial piece of information, ¡°Additionally, the owner of Jieke Company is ostensibly a woman named Liu Yingying.¡±


    At these words, the meeting room fell silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop.


    After a long while, someone spoke up with a parched voice, ¡°Chinese¡­ Could it be that the great northern nation wants to make a move on us?¡±


    Many furrowed their brows, and some felt a nervous urge to urinate, their whole bodies ufortable.


    Nobody feared retaliation from the great northern nation more than they did. They were deserters themselves, and although they had fled to a foreignnd and bullied their way into power using military strength, they knew the power of the northern nation that had caused them to flee in the first ce, and that was even more true today.


    ¡°You all take a look for yourselves, the way Jieke Company started up; they united the lower-ss poor to rise up, enticing with profit and influencing with power. First stirring up public resentment in the Mande Region, then sweeping away the Mande United Army with a thunderous force, and executing Wen Bo publicly to win over the poor, winning the hearts of the Mande Region¡¯s people. These methods, don¡¯t they seem familiar?¡± Wu Qingjie said gravely as he disyed some documents on a projector.


    Gulp!


    Someone nervously swallowed their saliva. The more they considered these tactics, the more they resembled the shadow of that great nation.


    ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s still unknown how exactly the Mande United Army was annihted. Our local informants asked the civilians near the barracks. They heard dense gunfire and explosions from the mountains, which stopped after less than half an hour. All sounds disappeared.@@novelbin@@


    We don¡¯t know which military force annihted the Mande United Army, but looking at the strength of our Chan Country¡¯s warlord forces, even mobilizing an army of ten thousand for a battle thatsts days and nights wouldn¡¯t be strange. Such a clean and decisive fight could only mean it was a one-sided crushing.¡±


    With an expressionless face, Wu Qingjie pulled out a photo. It was thest photo of Liu Yingying giving a speech in Mande City Square.


    ¡°This person, there¡¯s definitely a powerful armed force behind her. With her Chinese identity, do I need to say more?¡±


    The meeting room fell into silence again, filled only with the sound of heavy breathing.


    Someone bit their teeth in shock and fear, whispering, ¡°How can this be, how can this be? After so many years, why would they stilly hands on us?¡±


    ¡°Have you really thought others were unaware of the business you¡¯ve been doingtely? Aren¡¯t the piglets that mainlye from the north, the ones used in your scam operations? Even I¡¯ve heard about your infamous practice of harvesting kidneys countless times.¡±


    Wu Qingjie pped the conference table and huffed, ¡°They¡¯re probably warning us now, can¡¯t you see? Stop the business in the scam parks for now.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Patriarch, the scam parks are our most profitable venture at the moment. If we don¡¯t have those piglets, how are we going to maintain the army?¡±


    ¡°Fools, what¡¯s more important, money or life? Let¡¯s wait for this storm to pass. If there is no reaction from the north, we¡¯ll resume work. We have the piglets in our possession, anyways; we can make money anytime.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Patriarch. I¡¯ll let them shift and avoid the limelight for now. As for the Mande Region¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, act as if you haven¡¯t seen anything. As long as the other party makes no further moves, we must not provoke them.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    The power shifts urring in the Mande Region didn¡¯t attract much attention.


    In a country like Chan Country, teeming with warlords, it wasn¡¯t unusual for powers to fight one another, with the newly risen being ousted in no time. The people had grown so ustomed to the changing gs that nobody took it seriously anymore.


    With theplete annihtion of the Mande United Army, nothing further hindered the rapid growth of Jieke Company, which steered into the fastne.


    In the Mande Region, with its several hundred thousand inhabitants and over a hundred thousand households, the majority chose to enter into insect breeding agreements with Jieke Company.


    Jieke Company supplied the insect species and feed, while the vigers bred Poison Insects, which Jieke Company would buy back upon maturity.


    Such amercial model blossomed everywhere in the Mande Region, simply because it was profitable.


    In the past, farming barely earned a few hundred Hua Yuan a month, but after coborating with Jieke Company, ie easily broke through the thousand yuan mark monthly. That was the real reason why vigers eagerly sought partnership with Jieke Company.


    Before long, the entire Mande Region was teeming with Insect Breeders.


    The Poison Insects and snakes they bred would, in turn, be food for the Thousand-Hand Centipede.


    Every day, Poison Insects and snakes were delivered continuously by the ton, to the extent that the Thousand-Hand Centipede, even after gorging until its belly rounded, could only gaze longingly at the mountainous pile of Poison Insects and snakes, unable to finish them, simply unable to consume them all.


    Amidst this binge-eating spree, the growth of the Thousand-Hand Centipede was naturally swift.


    Especially now that it consumed a variety of Poison Insects, it benefitted from a more bnced diet, allowing the strength of the Thousand-Hand Centipede to surge dramatically, once again entering a Spirit Refining state.


    This was the Third Spirit Refining for the Thousand-Hand Centipede. Su Jie, worried about the disturbance it might cause, took the Thousand-Hand Centipede deep into the mountains, silently observing its transformation.


    The Spirit Refining evolution took even longer this time. After about ten hours, Su Jie finally saw the solid Insect Cocoon showing signs of reaction.


    The giant Insect Cocoon, several meters high and over ten meters long, lit up with a purple glow. Light burst through fissures, the vigorous Spiritual Power fluctuations also surged, sweeping in all directions, forcing Su Jie to retreat a few steps to avoid the intense storm of Spiritual Power.

 Chapter 53 - 51: Low-Grade Three-Refining Poisonous Insect

    Chapter 53: Chapter 51: Low-Grade Three-Refining Poisonous Insect


    ¡°`


    Crack!


    Crack!


    The top of the Insect Cocoon was drilled open, and the tender body of the Thousand-Handed Centipede crawled out of the cocoon.


    The freshly molted body was a pinkish color, but as it came into contact with the air, the insect shell quickly turned ck and thickened, turning into a heavy chitin shell.


    By now, the fully transformed Thousand-Handed Centipede had reached an astonishing length of 12 meters,parable to the size of a bus.


    Sizzle!


    The new insect shell was somewhat itchy, and the Thousand-Handed Centipede stood up straight and rubbed against arge tree to scratch the itch.


    However, this action unexpectedly caused the tree, tens of meters high, to copse, and the falling branches and leavesnded on the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s head. It looked very confused, still not quite adapted to the sudden increase in its immense power.


    ¡°A low-grade poisonous insect that has undergone Three Refinements in Spirit Refining. Even among the inner disciples, I¡¯m afraid not many could achieve this,¡± Su Jie thought happily, turning his gaze to the head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    The most significant change in this round of Spirit Refining evolution was not the increase in size, but the growth of ayer of hard carapace on its head, presenting a ghastly white color simr to the pale Corpse Hands, as if made from pale bones.


    The surface of the mask was filled with cracks, and a purple glow seeped and flowed underneath, eerie beyond words.


    In the eyeholes of the mask, there were a pair of deep grooves, and at the dark centery a pair of cold, merciless insect eyes, staring at any living being that came close.


    The appearance of this Bone Mask made the Thousand-Handed Centipede even more bizarre and sinister.


    Just one look at it sent shivers down the spine, invoking an instinctual fear that warned not to touch, not toe close, not to attemptmunication, for despair was all that awaited.


    Thud thud!


    Su Jie knocked on the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s mask, cing his hand upon it.


    The mask felt cold and hard to the touch, with a deep purple glow flickering as if warm currents were surging within it.


    The stroked Thousand-Handed Centipede lowered its head, happily arching forward seeking affection.


    ¡°Xiao Qian, try the new ability,¡± Su Jie said as he patted the massive head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede and took several steps back to stand firm.


    Sizzle!


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede rose halfway up and upon hearing Su Jie¡¯smand, a gloomy blue-purple light shed on its bone mask.


    Boom boom boom!


    The next moment, dozens of purple light rays burst forth from the cracks in the mask¡¯s cheeks, like beams of high-temperaturesers. Whatever the purple light touched, trees snapped, rocks melted, the super high temperature distorted the very air.


    Each Purple Light Ray was extremely powerful, sting through and severing at least a dozenrge trees before their energy dissipated into nothing, leaving hot wind in their wake that caused the surrounding temperature to rapidly rise by more than twenty degrees.


    Immediately after, the Thousand-Handed Centipede slightly shifted its head, and with it the Purple Light Rays shifted, cutting through the lush trees as if they were slicing through butter. In the blink of an eye, the trees were severed and toppled, with smoke and dust filling the air.


    It sounds like a lengthy process, but actually, it happened incredibly fast.


    In just a few seconds, arge swath of forest in front wasid to waste, with the ground covered in scorched earth and burning trees.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede then closed the cracks on its bone cheeks, appearing somewhatnguid as ity down.


    It was clear that this move took a great toll on it and could only be used as a trump card, not as a normal attack.


    ¡°Purple Light Rays akin to high-temperaturesers, this move is suitable as a trump card,¡± Su Jie marveled at the new ability the Thousand-Handed Centipede had mastered after its third Spirit Refining.


    ¡°`


    Such high-temperature beams could melt through solid steel, let alone the flesh of ordinary humans.


    Following this, Su Jie summoned the thousand-hand centipede to shrink its body and began operating the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture.


    The surging life force and spiritual power within the thousand-hand centipede continuously poured back into Su Jie¡¯s limbs and bones through reverse nourishment. After circting through thirty-six Grand Circtions, Su Jie finally digested and absorbed them, synchronizing his aurapletely with that of the thousand-hand centipede.


    Several hourster, Su Jie lifted his head, rubbed his eyes, and mobilized his spiritual power.


    In an instant, Su Jie¡¯s pupils turned a deep purple, and two beams of purple light burst forth, snapping severalrge trees before burning a hole several meters deep and one meter wide into the ground. The soil and rocks at the edge of the hole melted into flowing magma.


    Whew!


    Seeing the power of this strike, Su Jie was satisfied, but hisplexion turned somewhat pale as over half of his spiritual power was depleted.


    Although this move was sudden and possessed astonishing power and style, it consumed a huge amount of spiritual energy indeed.


    Su Jie tried to minimize the supply of spiritual power while increasing the number of times he could fire the beam, but the power of the Purple Light Ray also dropped significantly.


    As Su Jie was happily testing his abilities, the thousand-hand centipede was not so pleased.


    Hiss!


    The thousand-hand centipede cried out, looking at Su Jie with a grievance and signaling its hunger.@@novelbin@@


    Having just advanced and burned through its energy reserves, its stomach was very hungry.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll take you back,¡± Su Jie chuckled, cleaned up the scene, and drove the thousand-hand centipede to an insect warehouse.


    This ce stored arge number of various poisonous insects and snakes, all prepared as food for the thousand-hand centipede.


    Upon entering the warehouse, the thousand-hand centipede resumed its original size and began to eat and drinkvishly.


    Being asrge as a bus, its appetite was incredibly vast.


    The thousand-hand centipede grasped a box full of poisonous insects, opened it, and with a wide-open maw, the waterfall of insects cascaded into its mouth, swallowed directly.


    Although the thousand-hand centipede ate quickly, the warehouse held such a vast quantity of poison insects, they filled more than half the space.


    The thousand-hand centipede had eaten less than one-tenth of the warehouse¡¯s insects before its belly became round and tight.


    And this was just one of the many insect warehouses of Jieke Company. In addition, there were severalrge-scale poisonous insect breeding farms; after all, the tens of thousands of citizens in the Mande Region were almost all rearing and catching insects. Daily, a massive quantity of poisonous insects was purchased by Jieke Company, which was already far beyond the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s dietary needs.


    ¡°Its size is growing slower.¡± Su Jie watched the thousand-hand centipede eat and frowned slightly.


    His concern was not with the amount the thousand-hand centipede consumed but the fact that after eating so many poisonous insects and snakes, there were hardly any signs of evolution.


    In the past, the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s size could almost always be seen increasing after devouring arge amount of poisonous insects.


    The current situation further confirmed one thing: regr poison insects and snakes were bing less and less effective for the thousand-hand centipede, almost approaching zero.


    Fortunately, Su Jie had anticipated this. His upation of the Mande Region was preparation for this very challenge.


    Only by capturing poisonous insects from the Tianyuan World and breeding them on Blue Star, using Blue Star¡¯s insect resources to enable their rapid evolution and quality enhancement, and then feeding them to the thousand-hand centipede, could he maintain its growth speed.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time to go back and catch some poisonous insects from Insect Valley,¡± Su Jie¡¯s eyes shed with a fierce light. He had initially fled from the ck Market under duress, but now, with greatly increased strength, cultivation at the Fifth Level of Yunling Realm, the thousand-hand centipede advanced to Low Grade Three Refinements, and mastery of the White Bone Sky ying Sword, Su Jie now had the confidence to face everything in Tianyuan World once again.

 Chapter 56 - 54: Fortune Turns with Time (Seeking Continued Reading)

    Chapter 56: Chapter 54: Fortune Turns with Time (Seeking Continued Reading)


    Insect Valley!


    Deep and boundless, the true core of Insect Valleyy within a natural basin in the dense and verdant forest.


    Here, the deep veins of thend leaked Spiritual Energy onto the surface, and coupled with the suitable environment, it formed a paradise for various Poison Insects.


    Within Insect Valley, there weren¡¯t only countless inferior poisonous insects, but also Low Grade and Mid-grade poisonous insects made their appearances. Yet, ordinary Outer Disciples dared not capture them, for they were no match.


    At this moment on the perimeter of Insect Valley, Su Jie stood atop a tall tree, gazing at the vast expanse of the valley basin which had no visible end.


    The sounds of various insects crawling and chirping filled his ears. One could see spiders weaving webs everywhere, venomous bees hidden in the grass and shrubs, and ants marching in groups,


    Most of which were inferior poisonous insects that Outer Disciples could capture, but they also posed a certain threat.


    However, Su Jie was not worried at the moment. Instead of intending to capture any, he quietly stayed in ce, silently calcting the time in his mind.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted slightly as he slowly turned around.


    Behind him, figures were rapidly darting through the forest. In just a matter of ten-odd seconds, they had moved hundreds of meters toe close to Su Jie.


    A total of eight Disciples, wearing the garb of Outer Disciples from Ghost Ridge Pce, their identities were self-exnatory; it was just unknown which Elder they served under.


    ¡°Who are you? What do you want to do?¡±


    Su Jie shook his body, feigning an expression of great rm and looking anxiously at the approaching Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples.


    ¡°Mr. Su, you sure made us search for you. A whole two months, you¡¯ve wasted two months of our time, and now you¡¯re asking us what we want to do?¡±


    The leader of the group of Outer Disciples was a man with a Fifth Level of Yunling Realm cultivation. His face was sinister, with sunken eyes, and within one of his eye sockets was not a human eyeball but instead a rounded ck beetle.


    At this moment, he was ring fiercely at Su Jie, his malevolence not at all concealed in his gaze.


    The other Disciples mostly had a cultivation around the Third Level of Yunling Realm and were cooperating with the Insect Eye man to block Su Jie¡¯s path.


    ¡°So what exactly do you want to do? If you have no business with me, I¡¯ll be leaving!¡±


    Su Jie took a couple of steps back, his gaze shifting towards the forest beyond.


    More Disciples were on their way. The enemies were clearly stalling for time with their conversation, not aware that this also aligned perfectly with Su Jie¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Want to leave? Hand over the White Bone Sky ying Sword first and we can let you go.¡±


    The Insect Eye man exuded a chilling aura. As he spoke, his eyes remained fixated on Su Jie, ready to react to any movement instantly.


    Shoo, shoo, shoo!


    Several more Disciples hurried over; they were a separate group from the Insect Eye man and not part of his faction.


    The arrival of the new Disciples changed the confrontation, with each group warily guarding against the other, fearing the others would reap the benefits of their conflict.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯vee for the White Bone Sky ying Sword. You should have said so sooner. If you want it, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    Su Jie seemed to rx and took out the White Bone Sky ying Sword from his Storage Bag.


    Whoosh!


    In an instant, unknowable greed was firmly captivated.


    However, the Disciples did not rx their vignce; on the contrary, they became even more alert, conjuring hordes of poisonous insects from their sleeves, prepared for Su Jie to take advantage of the situation.


    Yet none of them took the initiative to attack, as the threat of the White Bone Sky ying Sword was too great. Although reports indicated that Su Jie¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t formidable, only at the Fourth Level of Yunling Realm Cultivation, and acquiring Alien Ghost was merely good luck,


    Even the Insect Eye man felt intimidation in his heart; had it not been for the numerical advantage, he would certainly have turned tail and fled.


    Hearing Su Jie¡¯s words, the man with insect eyes could not help but say, ¡°Throw the White Bone Sky ying Sword over here, and I¡¯ll let you go.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Shut up, hand over the White Bone Sky ying Sword to us, and I guarantee your safety.¡±


    Another group of disciples likewise spoke up, their gaze vignt and fixed on the White Bone Sky ying Sword.


    Su Jie looked back and forth with a wry smile and said, ¡°This puts me in a difficult spot, whom should I give it to? Why don¡¯t you fight it out among yourselves? I¡¯ll hand it over to whoever wins.¡±


    Both groups exchanged nces, and the man with insect eyes sneered, ¡°Trying to sow discord among us? Gentlemen, why don¡¯t we join forces to kill him first, then decide how to divide this White Bone Sky ying Sword?¡±


    The man with insect eyes seemed quite confident, and while he spoke, he even nced back a few times inadvertently.


    The other group didn¡¯t speak, only quietly blocking Su Jie¡¯s retreat.


    At the same time, two other groups of disciples rushed over hurriedly. They were not on the same side either. In this way, with four groupsbined, a total of twenty disciples surrounded Su Jie, each bearing an encircling stance.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s here now! I¡¯ll just toss the White Bone Sky ying Sword randomly; whoever grabs it can have it.¡±


    Su Jie narrowed his eyes slightly and, having confirmed with his Reconnaissance Dragonfly that everyone had arrived, flung the White Bone Sky ying Sword out,


    By some twist of fate, the White Bone Sky ying Sword was thrown in the direction of the man with insect eyes, drawing the rapt attention of countless disciples towards this supreme Flying Sword.


    The man with insect eyes felt a chill in his heart, thinking that Su Jie intended to frame him and shouted angrily, ¡°Want to frame me? Kill him first.¡±


    It was precisely at this moment that the ground beneath Su Jie suddenly churned and shook.


    Following that, streams of purple light rays burst forth from underground. While the disciples were distracted, the rays instantly shone upon their bodies.


    Dozens of high-temperature beams struck the bodies of the disciples. They didn¡¯t even have a chance to cry out. The poisonous insects didn¡¯t have time to react before their bodies were ignited by the beams. Bones and flesh melted like ice and snow under the rays, leaving no intact corpses behind.


    In the blink of an eye, over twenty disciples met their untimely deaths. Only the man with insect eyes and three other disciples, all at the Fifth Level of Yunling Realm, reacted quickly enough to narrowly avoid the rays, lucky to survive.


    ¡°Sorry, I might have gone a bit overboard. Next time, I will restrain myself a bit and try to leave you with aplete body.¡±


    Su Jie looked at the three men with a grin.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the ground beneath Su Jie roared and shook, followed by a thunderous rumble as the thousand-hand centipede burst out from below.


    The previous attack had been unleashed by the thousand-hand centipede lying in wait underground, with exceedingly good effect. It truly lived up to its reputation as a skill honed through thrice-refined Spirit Refining, annihting the majority of the enemies in one blow.


    ¡°Three times Spirit Refining a poisonous insect, how could it be, I must be seeing things.¡±


    ¡°This is bad, we¡¯ve been deceived, he set a trap for us.¡±


    ¡°This person is incredibly tricky, we¡­¡±


    The man with insect eyes, who was among the survivors, looked at Su Jie in terror. Before thest person could finish speaking, his pupils dted dramatically, and his head fell from his neck; the White Bone Sky ying Sword didn¡¯t let him utter hisst words before severing his head.


    ¡°Your turn now, don¡¯t make the brothers down below wait; they get lonely.¡±


    Su Jie smiled as he turned his gaze towards the remaining two men with insect eyes.


    Run! Run! Run!


    With their souls nearly fleeing their bodies, the two men were utterly terror-stricken and scrambled away without looking back.


    ¡°Go, bring them back.¡±


    Su Jie patted the head of the thousand-hand centipede he was riding, controlling the poisonous insect and the White Bone Sky ying Sword, intending to utterly obliterate his enemies.


    The thousand-hand centipede let out an excited hiss, charging through the forest like a war chariot, booming as it pursued its prey.


    The man with insect eyes and his fellows could probably never have imagined that Su Jie, whom they once chased to the point of forcing him to retreat to Blue Star, was, just two short monthster, now hunting them down relentlessly, leaving them with no escape to the heavens and no doors to the earth, such are the vicissitudes of life.

 Chapter 59 - 57: Body Worm Focusing Method

    Chapter 59: Chapter 57: Body Worm Focusing Method


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what good stuff there is.¡±


    Su Jie bent down, happily collecting the loot.


    A roughly thirty-centimeter-tall ck Nineyered Pagoda.


    This was a Low Grade Middle Level Magical Artifact that continuously released invisible des with just the supply of Spiritual Energy, easily worth hundreds of Blood Marrow Crystals.


    ¡°Void Light Nine-de Tower, nice name, it¡¯s my treasure now.¡±


    Su Jie saw the seal script engraved at the base of the tower, which also bore the stamp of an Artifact Refiner, serving as a kind of advertisement.


    Beyond this artifact, Su Jie found a palm-sized blue pouch, which was an Insect Control Bag.


    An Insect Control Bag is a special branch of a Storage Bag; it has a unique space inside where poisonous insects can survive.


    It cannot store items like a Storage Bag, its sole function is to carry poisonous insects and toxins. Once inside, the insects enter a semi-hibernation state where their metabolism nearly halts.


    Since Gu Masters primarily rely on poisonous insects forbat, and often can carry only a limited amount, especially in the case of arge quantity of tiny insects, the Insect Control Bag is essential for transportation.


    Like the swarm of mosquitoes and flies that Feng Wenjin had summoned, they would normally be kept in an Insect Control Bag and summoned for battle, because it would be impossible for an individual to carry such arge swarm otherwise.


    Su Jie checked it and quickly covered it with his own blood, then used Spiritual Energy to refine away the prohibitions left by Feng Wenjin. He found that this Beast Control Bag had about several dozen cubic meters of space, quite substantial. It would cost at least two to three hundred Blood Marrow Crystals on the ck Market.


    ¡°This guy is loaded.¡±


    Su Jie clicked his tongue twice, he hadn¡¯t been willing to buy an Insect Control Bag himself, but this unexpected find had saved him an expense.


    Next to the Storage Bag was another small bag, a three cubic meter mini Storage Bag.


    Within the Storage Bag, there were a good number of Blood Marrow Crystals, as well as some Low Grade Talismans and elixirs, along with many auxiliary Cultivation Materials. Their value also added up to hundreds of Blood Marrow Crystals.@@novelbin@@


    Adding up the previous findings, Feng Wenjin had provided Su Jie with loot worth over a thousand Blood Marrow Crystals.


    ¡°Eh, what¡¯s this?¡±


    As Su Jie was digging through the Storage Bag, his gaze suddenly sharpened when he saw three pale golden Scriptures.


    The Scriptures were made from the same material as the Insect Control Technique he had previously obtained, which made Su Jie¡¯s heart leap with joy.


    He concentrated and saw that each of the three books had a line written in seal script on the cover.


    ¡°Gu Master¡¯s Secret ¨C Insect Control Technique¡±


    ¡°Gu Master¡¯s Secret ¨C Body Worm Focusing Method¡±


    ¡°Gu Master¡¯s Secret ¨C Human Worm Refining Technique¡±


    Besides the Insect Control Technique that Su Jie had previously acquired, the other two Scriptures were unknown to him.


    Based on the material, these three Scriptures should be texts only avable to inner disciples for cultivation, considered an advanced version of the Hundred Poison Refining Insect Scripture.


    Su Jie opened the Scriptures and read carefully.


    He discovered that the Body Worm Focusing Method was the technique Feng Wenjin had used tomand the mosquito and fly Insect Cloud.


    This method, in essence, was about controlling swarms of insects.


    The specific process involved finding a type of insect that lived in amunity, then continuously bathing them in Spiritual Power to gradually blend one¡¯s own essence with the swarm¡¯s.


    Many insectmunities have social structures with strict hierarchies and clear divisions ofbor.


    For example, in ant colonies, the queen ant is the core of the entire colony, and bee swarms have a queen bee.


    The Body Worm Focusing Method is about disguising oneself as the leader of an insect swarm and thereby controlling the entire swarm.


    Otherwise, like regr Gu Masters that connect through heart and blood, facing tens of thousands of insects, trying to control each one individually would be toilsome to the point of death!


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a magic skill for controlling insect swarms.¡±


    As Su Jie read more about the Body Worm Focusing Method, the more he liked it, feeling very tempted.


    Then, Su Jie couldn¡¯t wait to flip through thest scripture, the Human Worm Refining Technique.


    However, the more Su Jie read the scripture, the more somber his expression became.


    Because the cultivation method recorded in this scripture was too horrifying to contemte.


    The so-called Human Worm Refining Technique involved using living humans for cultivation feeding insects with humans, merging humans with insects, and finally transforming oneself into a human-like poisonous insect.


    The whole process was incredibly bloody and terrifying. Even though the scripture stated that once mastered, this technique was mighty, Su Jie had no intention of practicing it.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid those Elders bought so many living people from the ck Market precisely to cultivate this kind of magic skill.¡±


    Su Jie murmured to himself, relegating the Human Worm Refining Technique to an untouched shelf, unable to ovee the psychological barrier it presented.


    After acquiring the three scriptures, Su Jie found no other spoils that caught his eye.


    Looking around, the thousand-hand centipede had already cleaned up all the scattered insect corpses on the battlefield, its insect armor bing even more lustrously shining.


    Cleaning up some of the traces at the scene, Su Jie collected all the corpses and burned them thoroughly, destroying the evidence, leaving no bodies behind for identification.


    An inner disciple was different from an Outer Disciple, whose status was expendable killing an Inner Sect disciple would definitely lead to an investigation by their respective Elders, and Su Jie certainly didn¡¯t want to provoke an Elder at this time.


    After making sure he left no personal information behind, Su Jie put away the Void Light Nine-de Tower, called back the thousand-hand centipede, and swiftly left the area.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Two dayster!


    On the periphery of Insect Valley, in a deste mountain cliff valley, thumb-sized insects with facial features akin to humansy on rocks and trees. The noise created when they fluttered their wings sounded like the wind blowing through a sea of trees, and their number was astonishinglyrge.


    This was the territory of the human-faced moth, and the human-faced moths living here would devour any enemy bold enough to intrude and disturb them.


    On a cliff within the terrain of the human-faced moths, a figure stood.


    It was Su Jie, who had just learned the Body Worm Focusing Method and wanted to test his newly acquired skills.


    Facing the swarm of insects at the bottom of the cliff, Su Jie took a deep breath and took out a small bottle from his Storage Bag, filled with shimmering red blood.


    The human-faced moths were extremely sensitive to blood. As soon as Su Jie opened the bottle, the human-faced moths within several kilometers were immediately rmed. pping their wings and lifting their rotund bodies quickly into the air, they formed a dark, towering sandstorm that furiously surged towards Su Jie.


    Su Jie had just positioned the thousand-hand centipede to coil itself properly, with him sheltering inside it.


    Then he saw the masses of human-faced moths, drawn by the scent of blood, dive-bombing from the sky, hitting the thousand-hand centipede like rain, their ferocious mouthparts tearing and spitting corrosive acid.


    The thousand-hand centipede, already at Low Grade Three Refinements, should not have feared the human-faced moth, which was considered an inferior poison insect.


    But as the saying goes, quantity can cause a qualitative change¡ªants can bite an elephant to death.


    The coiled-up thousand-hand centipede waspletely enveloped by the human-faced moths, resembling an onion ring covered in breadcrumbs, with countless moths viciously biting and spitting acid, the insect shell hissing as it corroded.


    If this continued, not even a Mid Grade Three Refinements could withstand it. This demonstrated the terrifying nature of the group-living human-faced moths.


    Su Jie dared not dy. He decisively grew numerous pale corpse hands that reached out from between the coiled segments of the thousand-hand centipede, grabbingrge numbers of human-faced moths. Without time to count them, he immediately made the thousand-hand centipede take off.


    The thousand-hand centipede twisted its body, managed to swallow a few human-faced moths, then raised its head. The Bone Mask split open, and dozens of Purple Light Rays cleared a path. Its dense underside full of pale Corpse Hands crawled rapidly, breaking out of the territory of the human-faced moths.

 Chapter 61 - 59: Fumen Breeding Farm

    Chapter 61: Chapter 59: Fumen Breeding Farm


    Mr. Su spent nearly ten days in the wild.


    Every day, besides practicing the Body Worm Focusing Method, he would enter Insect Valley to capture various types of poison insects and snakes, all of which were of the lowest grade.


    Beyond these two activities, Mr. Su also wreaked havoc on the trees in the forests near Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Whenever he found some valuable trees, he would use the White Bone Sky ying Sword to chop down these ancient trees that were unremarkable in the Tianyuan World but highly valued on Blue Star, some of which had grown for hundreds or thousands of years.


    It was not until ten days had passed that Mr. Su, with a good number of poison insects in his Insect Control Bag, finally ended this busy lifestyle and headed back to the ck Market.


    ¡­.


    Taixu Pavilion.


    Cai Chun¡¯e looked at the weary Mr. Su as he took out a pile of misceneous materials¡ªincluding raw materials rted to cultivation such as Shattered Purple Silver, Ghost Spring Grass, golden crown flowers, and various minerals and medicinal herbs, as well as some finished low-grade elixirs and talismans.


    On some of the materials, Cai Chun¡¯e even noticed traces of blood, which sent a silent shock through her heart, guessing the origin of these materials.


    Given that Mr. Su had returned here unharmed, those who were pursuing him had likely be the Dead Souls under this man¡¯s sword, and the spoils of battle must be these traded materials.


    ¡°You want to sell them all?¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e asked Mr. Su. Taixu Pavilion conducted business in talismans and Magic Artifacts and naturally epted disciples¡¯ sales.


    ¡°Sell them all, I want to buy your Qiankun Xuanbing Formation Diagram, but I¡¯m a little short on funds.¡±


    Mr. Su piled these spoils in front of Cai Chun¡¯e and stated with certainty.


    ¡°The Qiankun Xuanbing Formation Diagram, you want to buy this?¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e was slightly taken aback. The Qiankun Xuanbing Formation Diagram was a type of one-time, portable array that Artifact Refiners and Array Masters cooperated to infuse into a Magic Artifact.


    These Array Maps are generally used in ces like caves, spirit fields, and mines, crucial locations where, as long as Blood Marrow Crystals are provided, the Array Map can exert its enemy-repelling and defensive capabilities.


    Since this product is for one-time use and cannot be moved once it¡¯s been deployed,


    and considering the high cost, very few disciples would purchase it.


    After all, there is no need for such things in Ghost Ridge Pce, and typically, only certain cultivation powers would buy such items.


    Mr. Su raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°What, do you have business you don¡¯t do? Then I¡¯ll go to another ce to buy the Array Map.¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e quickly grasped Mr. Su¡¯s arm and said with a coy smile, ¡°Not at all, Missy is just a little surprised. Mr. Su, please wait a moment; I will give you an estimate right away.¡±


    Ten minutester, Mr. Su and Cai Chun¡¯e struck a deal. The battle spoils were sold for a total of 635 Blood Marrow Crystals. Adding to the Blood Marrow Crystals Mr. Su already had, he spent them all, expending over a thousand to sessfully purchase aplete set of Qiankun Xuanbing Formation Diagrams.


    Afterpleting the transaction, Mr. Su turned and left Taixu Pavilion, vanishing into the forest.


    In a deserted area, he quietly opened the Ancient Mirror and returned to the Blue Star World, also bringing back with him therge quantity of timber he had chopped down.


    ¡­.


    Blue Star, Chan Country, Mande City.


    In the suburbs of the city, a gigantic insect breeding farm with dozens of breeding factories and over a thousand employees covered a vast area.


    At the entrance of the farm, the glittering words ¡°Jieke Fumen Breeding Farm¡± shone brightly.


    The employees who worked in and out of the breeding farm all beamed with ruddyplexions, brimming with vitality.


    Simply because they had joined Jieke Company, as official staff members, their monthly sry and status were the envy of others.


    Beep beep!


    A fleet of several luxury cars drove up the newly built tar road, and the standing guard carrying an AK courteously stopped the convoy.


    Jieke Security was responsible for this superrge insect breeding farm, and besides the stationed guards and patrolling security, the entire factory also implemented strict ess control measures, with many areas requiring credentials and fingerprints for entry.


    To defend this insect breeding farm, there was also a Jieke Security barracks located three kilometers away.@@novelbin@@


    More than two thousand members of Jieke Security were stationed at the barracks, ready to assist the factory at a moment¡¯s notice should any situation arise.


    The leading vehicle rolled down its window, and the pretty face of Liu Yingying was seen by the guards, who immediately became serious, recognizing her as the president of Jieke Company, and saluted her with utmost respect. However, they still checked her credentials ording to protocol before letting the convoy through.


    The vehicles entered the factory and came to a stop, and suit-d individuals began to step out one after another.


    Aside from the senior executives of Jieke Company, the cars also carried many high-ranking officials from Mande City, including Mayor An Sangshen.


    Arge group revolved around a young man as they toured the newly builtrgest insect breeding nt in Chan Country.


    ¡°Mr. Su, the Fumen Breeding Farm was justpletedst week, built entirely to your specifications. It can amodate hundreds of millions of poison insects and snakes for breeding and haspletedprehensive firefighting and virus protection systems. We owe much to the assistance provided by the municipal government departments; otherwise, our construction wouldn¡¯t have been so swift,¡± Liu Yingying reported in detail while apanying Su Jie, holding a folder in her hands, and referred to him with honorifics before the outsiders.


    Su Jie strolled along the green walkways of the breeding farm, observing the surrounding breeding workshops.


    Poison insects and snakes purchased from outside farmers were carefully bred here through specialized disinfection, disease prevention, and waste cleaning processes to ensure the creatures thrived.


    The scene before him pleased Su Jie, and he said to An Sangshen with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Mayor An. I hear you¡¯ve set up a special channel just for Jieke Company, ensuring that matters concerning us are expedited as a priority.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Jieke Company is one of Mande Region¡¯s major taxpayers and a model corporation. Without Jieke, without your wise leadership, Mr. Su, our Mande Region wouldn¡¯t be thriving as it is now. Of course, it¡¯s only right that our municipal government makes an effort to show support,¡± responded An Sangshen with an ingratiating smile, looking more like a fawningckey than the Mande City Mayor in front of Su Jie.


    ¡°I must say, Mayor An is performing quite well! Perhaps we can entrust him with more responsibilities in the future. It¡¯s important for Mande City to have such talented individuals for it to prosper and develop,¡± Su Jiemented to Liu Yingying, who nodded and made a note of it.


    ¡°Mr. Su, you tter me. My small contributions are nothingpared to yours; I am not even worthy to carry your shoes. Should you have any instructions in the future, our municipal government will definitely cooperate with full dedication,¡± said An Sangshen, his face brightening. With Su Jie¡¯s words, his position as the newly appointed Mande City Mayor seemed secured.


    Nobody knew better than him the influence that Su Jie wielded, as the young man who single-handedly established Jieke Company was the real power behind the scenes in the Mande Region.


    Especially recently, there were frequent reports about Jieke Company ¨C from recruiting retired soldiers for security training to tying up economically with a vast number of farmers viamercial channels, to gargantuan public infrastructure development such as schools, hospitals, and roads, advancing their cause through both military and economic influence.


    It could be bluntly stated that the entire Mande Region was Jieke Company¡¯s backyard, and whether he remained as mayor was just a matter of a word from the man before him.


    Other officials, upon hearing Su Jie¡¯s remarks, couldn¡¯t help but show a trace of envy on their faces.


    ttering was not something just anyone had the opportunity to do.


    Many officials, full of ambition, were extremely jealous of An Sangshen. Even if it meant being a puppet, it was a position atop Mande City¡¯s power hierarchy, second only to one person. Who wouldn¡¯t want that?

 Chapter 63 - 61: Current Development Status

    Chapter 63: Chapter 61: Current Development Status


    Having left the Fumen Breeding Farm Laboratory, Su Jie arrived at a meeting room.


    At that time, Liu Yingying, Chen Yaoguang, and Liang Lianjun, who were the core of Su Jie¡¯s team, were already waiting.


    Among the three, Liang Lianjun was responsible for the lumber business of Tianyuan Furniture, Chen Yaoguang handled the breeding, production, and acquisition of Poison Insects, and Liu Yingying managed all the affairs, big and small, of the Jieke Company in the Mande Region.


    ¡°Mr. Su.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su.¡±


    Liang Lianjun and Chen Yaoguang quickly stood up when they saw Su Jie.


    Especially the former, Liang Lianjun hadn¡¯t expected Su Jie to cause such amotion in Chan Country, bing akin to a local overlord in the Mande Region.


    Su Jie nodded and spoke, ¡°Everyone, please sit, let¡¯s first discuss what has been going on recently.¡±


    Liang Lianjun stood up first and said, ¡°Mr. Su, thest shipment of lumber returned to Hua Country has been sold out. Tianyuan Home Furnishing has sent back a payment of 4.3 billion yuan, which is the ie after tax deduction. Aside from holding back three billion forpany development, the remaining funds have all been transferred to Jieke Company.¡±


    Su Jie tapped the table and praised, ¡°Very good, do not worry about resources. I have prepared another batch of precious lumber in the warehouse. It can continue to be shipped back to Hua Country for sale after clearing customs.¡±


    Liang Lianjun¡¯s eyes lit up, and with Su Jie¡¯s words, he felt reassured.


    As long as the supply of precious lumber was ensured, he was confident that he could make Tianyuan Home Furnishing the number one high-end furniture brand in Hua Country.


    After Liang Lianjun had reported, Chen Yaoguang promptly stood up.


    ¡°Mr. Su, the Poison Insect Breeding Outreach campaign I was managing is nearlyplete. Now, families throughout the Mande Region have taken up Poison Insect breeding. Our industry is very prosperous, only the funds for buying Poison Insects are being spent too quickly.¡±


    ¡°Money matters, Yingying will sort it out for you.¡±


    Su Jie was nomittal and looked at Liu Yingying.


    Liu Yingying took out some documents and reported, ¡°Currently, Jieke Company¡¯s ounts still hold 800 million Hua Yuan. Besides the payment from Tianyuan Home Furnishing, after taking over the Mande Region, we have cleared out Lu Wenbo and his officials¡¯ assets. They had squeezed the locals of the Mande Region for years, amassing substantial riches including luxury cars, shops, and gold, which significantly supported our building efforts in the Mande Region.


    Further, ording to your instructions, Mr. Su, aside from developing public facilities in the Mande Region, we have also increased our investment in Jieke Security.


    We have now recruited retired soldiers from other countries for relevant military training. After streamlining Jieke¡¯s security forces, we have a total of five thousandbat-ready personnel. Those who were let go are now working in logistics and production. As for weaponry, several arms dealers contacted us, and Jieke Company has purchased a batch of weapons. This has been ourrgest expenditure apart from the breeding factories.¡±


    ¡°Did buying the weapons go without a hitch?¡±


    Su Jie showed little reaction; Chan Country was a nation constantly disturbed by internal conflicts, where the presence of arms dealers was perpetual as long as there was war.


    After disturbances arose in the Mande Region, many arms dealers reached out, hoping to make a profit from arms trading. This aligned perfectly with Jieke Company¡¯s needs, and they have since purchased a batch of arms worth several billion Hua Yuan.


    ¡°No, we dealt in cash transactions within the Mande Region, so the arms dealers could not y any tricks. The weapons purchased, as advised by foreign retired officers, are primarily light weapons, which suit our current needs given the tropical, mountainous terrain in Chan Country,¡± Liu Yingying confidently stated. Herpany¡¯s unprecedented influence in the Mande Region meant ordinary arms dealers wouldn¡¯t dare cause trouble unless they wanted a harsh retaliation.


    ¡°You all worked hard; inform me if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle.¡±


    Su Jie nodded; with the development of the Mande Region now on track, he needed not worry too much.


    ¡°Working for Mr. Su, I am now filled with drive,¡± Liang Lianjun frankly stated, his mind set on expanding Tianyuan Furniture to be the leading timber furniture enterprise domestically.


    This professional advancement,bined with bonus rewards, kept Liang Lianjun highly motivated even in middle age, his vigor not falling short of younger men.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I feel the same way.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang scratched the back of his head and gave a silly smile.


    He was extremely satisfied with his current life. In the past, he had managed a small scorpion breeding farm, and now he was the actual controller of over a hundred thousand household small breeding farms in Mande Region. It was still the career he loved; he couldn¡¯t ask for too much more.


    After talking in the conference room for half an hour and instructing the next steps for development, Su Jie and Liu Yingying shared some affectionate time, then returned to Tianyuan World once again.


    ¡­@@novelbin@@


    Mountain Gate of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Su Jie returned here alone.


    As soon as he entered the gate, a disciple looked over skeptically, obviously recognizing Su Jie, the lucky one.


    Indeed, in the eyes of most disciples, Su Jie, who had obtained the White Bone Sky ying Sword, was seen as someone who had stumbled into good fortune, profiting from the capture of an Alien Ghost that someone else had hunted.


    Su Jie pretended not to notice, since, if anyone couldn¡¯t hold back and wanted to take action, Su Jie wouldn¡¯t mindying them to rest.


    Instead of returning to his own stone cave, Su Jie went straight to the Command Hall and stepped inside.


    ¡°Brother Wu.¡±


    In front of a counter, Su Jie found Wu Bin, the manager of the Command Hall.


    Wu Bin, who had been dozing off out of sheer boredom, lifted his head and showed a surprised look upon seeing Su Jie.


    ¡°Haha, dear brother, where have you been these past two months? I haven¡¯t seen youe by to visit even once,¡± Wu Bin warmly stood up, expressing slightly reproachfully.


    To Wu Bin, Su Jie was impressively memorable, not merely for hunting three Alien Ghosts, but also for being favored by Taoist Qiu who bestowed upon him the White Bone Sky ying Sword, likely marking him as a future inner disciple.


    Being a manager of Command Hall with moderate authority, Wu Bin was keen on building good rtions with Su Jie, a potential stock, gambling on Su Jie¡¯s future promotion to being an inner disciple. Bing friends with an inner disciple would highly benefit him.


    Su Jie sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, but recently too many people have been keeping tabs on me, and I couldn¡¯t find the time toe here.¡±


    Hearing this, Wu Bin nodded in understanding and said, ¡°I still have confidence in your strength, brother.¡±


    ¡°To avoid those troubles, I¡¯d like to ask for your help, Brother Wu.¡±


    Su Jie coughed twice, taking the opportunity to make his request.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to help me arrange a mission,¡± Su Jie stated his intentions. In Ghost Ridge Pce, any disciple movement had to go through the Command Hall.


    As the manager of Command Hall, though Wu Bin didn¡¯t have the authority to dispatch inner disciples, he could assign tasks to Outer Disciples.


    For instance, for a mission requiring herb collection or insect capture that Ghost Ridge Pce would announce, it specified which tier of disciples should take it.


    But with so many disciples in Ghost Ridge Pce, who specifically takes on the mission could be manipted.


    This was entirely dependent on the arrangements made by Command Hall, and since rules were set by humans, they were inevitably influenced by human factors.

 Chapter 66 - 64: Please Take Good Care of Me

    Chapter 66: Chapter 64: Please Take Good Care of Me


    Walking toward the Mountain Gate of Ghost Ridge Pce, from a distance, Su Jie could see a group of about a dozen disciples gathered there.


    There were roughly fifty to sixty people in the group, each with a bundle on their back, standing beside several dozen sturdy, tall horses.


    All of them were Outer Disciples, with strengths ranging from the Third Level to the Fifth Level of the Yunling Realm.


    Among these disciples, Su Jie also noticed two familiar figures, Gu Weonian and Chen Yun.


    Since theirst parting at the ck Market, the two had taken the Blood Marrow Crystal allocated by Su Jie and gone into hiding to evade assassins. He hadn¡¯t expected to see them both here at the same time.


    ¡°Mr. Su.¡±


    ¡°Brother Su.¡±


    Both of them also noticed Su Jie.


    ¡°Brother Gu, Chen, it¡¯s been more than two months, hasn¡¯t it? How have you beentely?¡±


    Su Jie also nodded and greeted them.


    Gu Weonian had a somewhat mncholy expression as he said, ¡°Ah, we were well hidden, but then a Messenger Crow suddenly brought a Task Token, and I truly did not wish to go out at my old age.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, I didn¡¯t expect to be so fortunate this time to be in a team with you.¡±


    Chen Yun showed goodwill towards Su Jie. Su Jie, who had helped her take revenge and deal with the murderer of her brother and husband, held a special ce in her heart.


    ¡°This may not be a matter of luck.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head and looked towards a slender figure slowly approaching.


    The blue long robe that signified the distinguished status of an Inner Sect disciple, the indifferent eyes, and the aura that warned others to keep their distance.


    This person was Pei Haibing, an inner disciple from Taoist Qiu¡¯s lineage.


    The moment he saw the other party, Su Jie understood everything.


    The modification of his task was most likely this person¡¯s doing. With the influence of an inner disciple, it wasn¡¯t hard to aplish with just some money.


    It wasn¡¯t just Su Jie; Gu Weonian and Chen Yun also thought of this. Otherwise, it was all too coincidental.


    Their already decent mood immediately cooled down. Offending an inner disciple was not something they were able to withstand, and the retaliation was too swift.


    ¡°Brother Pei.¡±


    ¡°Brother Pei.¡±


    Upon Pei Haibing¡¯s arrival, a group of disciples immediately spoke up.


    Regardless of whether they were disciples from Taoist Qiu¡¯s lineage or not, or whether they had joined the Sect earlier, calling an inner disciple ¡®Brother¡¯ was definitely correct.


    Pei Haibing looked around with a cold gaze, his eyes lingering on Su Jie, Chen Yun, and Gu Weonian for a few seconds. Especially with Su Jie, he could feel a concealed killing intent from the other¡¯s eyes.


    Pei Haibing slowly began speaking as he took out a Task Token, ¡°This time our mission is to escort a shipment, which requires leaving the domain of Ghost Ridge Pce and going to the territory of Qingzhou Shaojia Prefecture to transport back a batch of human ves for Liuyun Manor.¡±


    As these words were spoken, there was a slightmotion among the disciples.


    Because their Task Tokens had only mentioned a simple escort mission, they had not expected to actually leave the territory of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Demon Cultivators were reviled and persecuted everywhere outside; once they lost the protection of their Sect, being discovered while traveling in the outside world would be extremely dangerous.


    Especially those from reputable sects who prided themselves in eliminating demons and defending the Dao, they were most keen on causing trouble for them, the Demon Cultivators.


    ¡°Liuyun Manor, huh!¡±


    Su Jie immediately thought of the scene from two days earlier when Jia Changxun hade to visit.


    This mission was most likely an ad-hoc addition, due to the transportation needs for arge number of human ves after Jia Changxun¡¯s arrival.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Mount up and depart now.¡±


    Pei Haibing did not care about the astonishment of the disciples and led a tall horse over to mount and ride.


    Other disciples, even if they were extremely reluctant, could only grit their teeth and mount their horses to head out of the mountain gate.


    Su Jie also mounted a Horned Scale Horse. This breed of horse had hooves simr to those of a goat, and not only were they remarkably enduring, but they could also travel through mountains and steep trails.


    The Horned Scale Horse was specially bred by Ghost Ridge Pce, generally only provided to the disciples for long journeys.


    ¡°Mr. Su.¡±


    Gu Weonian, riding a Horned Scale Horse, caught up with Su Jie with a troubled look on his face, ¡°You¡¯re quick-witted, so think of a way quickly. Pei Haibing is clearly targeting us, it must be because we offended him at the ck Marketst time, causing him to be punished by our Master, and he has remembered that grudge.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying that now? It¡¯s quite obvious.¡±


    Chen Yun spoke coldly from the other side of Su Jie when she heard this.


    This woman, because of the scars from a previous wound, had centipede-like suture marks on her face and neck, which made her look very intimidating when she was stern.


    Su Jieughed, his gaze shifting toward Pei Haibing ahead, and said, ¡°If you want to know, why not just go and ask him?¡±


    After finishing his sentence, Su Jie tugged the reins, his horse neighed, and he dashed towards the front.


    Gu Weonian stared agape; he even trembled when talking to the inner disciples, yet Su Jie was not only unafraid but even dared to approach proactively, which truly astounded him.


    As the other disciples watched with amazement, Su Jie rode up beside Pei Haibing and smiled, ¡°Brother Pei, long time no see. This time heading out away from Ghost Ridge Pce territory, the mountains are high, and the roads are long, I must trouble you to take good care of us.¡±


    Pei Haibing nced over, not knowing if Su Jie was ying dumb or was genuinely foolish, and smirked, ¡°Rest assured, I will take very good care of you, in the most meticulous way possible.¡±


    While speaking, Pei Haibing touched his face, which still seemed to be faintly in pain.


    That was the aftereffect of being punished by their Master, Taoist Qiu, who had made snakes wriggle underneath the skin.


    Su Jie¡¯s face was radiant with a smile, and after hearing those words, he gestured with cupped hands atop his mount, ¡°Then I thank Brother Pei in advance. Brother Gu, Chen, aren¡¯t you going toe over and pay your respects? We are all disciples of the same Master, why be so estranged? Brother Pei has already said he will take care of us.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s voice was very loud, clearly audible to the entire line of riders, and an unknown number of disciples cast envious nces their way.


    If they could obtain Pei Haibing¡¯s care, this journey would undoubtedly be much safer.


    Gu Weonian and Chen Yun, having been called out by Su Jie, looked at each other and could only cautiously ride their horses over and exchange a few polite words with Pei Haibing. However, all they received in return was Pei Haibing¡¯s cold gaze.


    ¡°Brother Pei, we won¡¯t disturb you any further then.¡±


    After that, Su Jie took Gu Weonian and Chen Yun back to the rear of the column. It wasn¡¯t until then that Gu Weonian finally could not help but say:


    ¡°Brother Su, does doing this actually help? Just saying a few nice words won¡¯t really make him let us off, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I think it¡¯s not very likely.¡±


    Gu Weonian thought about it ¨C Pei Haibing did not seem like someone easy to talk to; otherwise, why would he intentionally assign the three of them to the task under hismand if not for retribution?


    ¡°With oppositiones resistance, with difficultye solutions; fear won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    Chen Yun had much more backbone than Gu Weonian, perhaps because she had once returned from the brink of death at Ghost Gate and thus had a more rxed view of death.


    ¡°Look at Chen Yun¡¯s resolve, Brother Gu, you should be moreposed.¡±


    Watching the silhouette of Pei Haibing ahead, Su Jie¡¯s face bore a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°You ask why I do this, of course, it¡¯s to tell the other disciples traveling with us that we have a great rtionship with Brother Pei.¡±


    There was something Su Jie left unsaid, which was that if Pei Haibing had any ¡®idental incidents¡¯, it couldn¡¯t be connected to him. After all, he and Brother Pei had a ¡®close as brothers¡¯ rtionship!


    Inner disciples having some mishaps, such as idental falls leading to death, wasn¡¯t that a normal urrence?


    Like what happened to Feng Wenjin; who says inner disciples can¡¯t have idents?


    Gu Weonian and Chen Yun beside him couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill in their hearts. Su Jie¡¯s seemingly humorous smile reminded them of a simr expression on his face when he had outwitted Meng Dongge in the past.

 Chapter 68 - 66: Coming Out of the Pass

    Chapter 68: Chapter 66: Coming Out of the Pass


    Pei Haibing¡¯s gaze was cold and indifferent. Hearing Su Jie¡¯s words, he slowly walked over to Su Jie.


    Swish, swish!


    As Pei Haibing passed by, the disciples made way for him, fearful of bing coteral damage.


    ¡°You have an opinion on the way I handle things?¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s eyes drooped, the two disciples he had previously killed werepletely unworthy of an apology in his eyes.


    ¡°Of course not, Brother Pei. I can only admire the way you handle matters,¡± said Su Jie with a bright smile, brushing the dirt off his hands as he stood up.


    Chen Yun and Gu Weonian watched the scene worriedly, afraid that Pei Haibing would, without a second word, kill Su Jie like he did the two other disciples.


    ¡°What about you all, does anyone else have an opinion?¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s sharp gaze swept over the surrounding area as each disciple promptly lowered their heads.


    Who would dare say a word? Only if they were tired of living.


    ¡°On this journey, without me, what could you all do? Once we¡¯re outside Ghost Ridge Pce, I am your greatest reliance. Today, I¡¯m going to teach you all a lesson: As long as you have strength, even if I kill you by mistake, you¡¯ll still have to beg me for protection. If you¡¯re going to be a dog, you¡¯d better understand your ce and not think you can stand on equal footing with your master.¡±


    With such arrogant words, Pei Haibing didn¡¯t even regard the Outer Disciples as human; they were merely tools to be used and easily disposed of.


    The disciples still dared not raise their heads, even if they were furious inside. Facing the power disparity with an Inner Sect disciple, they had no choice but to listen to Pei Haibing¡¯s demeaning speech.


    ¡°As for you.¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s gaze once again fell on Su Jie, suddenly he patted Su Jie on the shoulder and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you speak. You should learn more from me. As for these Outer Disciples, it doesn¡¯t matter how many of them die.¡±


    This abrupt change stunned all the disciples present.


    No one had expected the previously ruthless Pei Haibing to suddenly show Su Jie in such a different light.


    For a moment, many disciples looked at Su Jie differently, wondering if the two of them truly had a close and unbreakable bond, otherwise why would Pei Haibing speak to Su Jie, an Outer Disciple, like that.


    ¡°Brother Pei, I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I¡¯m a rather kind person by nature. I can¡¯t do such things.¡±


    Su Jieughed, and behind him, Gu Weonian¡¯s face twitched. How could you have the nerve to say such things! If Meng Dongge had known, he might have risen from his grave to protest.


    Pei Haibing¡¯s hand grew slightly heavier on Su Jie¡¯s shoulder, perhaps sensing the sarcasm in Su Jie¡¯s words about his malicious methods. He spoke indifferently, ¡°You will understand what I¡¯m saying in time.¡±


    Su Jie was also an Outer Disciple, and Pei Haibing¡¯s words, showing tant disregard for the life and death of Outer Disciples, meant that he could kill Su Jie at will.


    ¡°Thank you then, Brother Pei, for your guidance. I will seek your advice in the future,¡± said Su Jie, his smile undiminished, seemingly not understanding the veiled threat because he was certain that Pei Haibing wouldn¡¯t make a move at such an asion.


    Pei Haibing said nothing more, instead, he began storing the bodies of the Alien Ghosts in his waist Storage Bag.


    Although he had exerted no effort in the battle with the Alien Ghosts, Pei Haibing was at the forefront when it came to iming the spoils of war, with a face that said it was only natural. Each Alien Ghost was worth over a thousand Blood Marrow Crystals, causing the envy of countless disciples.


    Pei Haibing didn¡¯t care what the Outer Disciples thought, simply minded his own business and left.


    However, just as he entered his tent, Pei Haibing¡¯s expression suddenly changed.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Master valuing you so much¡­¡±


    With cold eyes, Pei Haibing remembered, it was only because Master Taoist Qiu highly regarded Su Jie that he dared not act against Su Jie to his face, instead maintaining an outwardly brotherly facade.


    Especially since not long ago, Su Jie had made Taoist Qiu proud. Taoist Qiu had personally bestowed the White Bone Sky ying Sword upon Su Jie and even said he would remember Su Jie¡¯s name, a great honor.@@novelbin@@


    If Pei Haibing were to kill Su Jie in the presence of others without restraint, and the news reached Taoist Qiu¡¯s ears, it would be like a p to Taoist Qiu¡¯s face, and Pei Haibing¡¯s fate would be very grim indeed.


    Therefore, after much deliberation, Pei Haibing would not move against Su Jie to his face.


    ¡°But not for much longer. As soon as we leave the domain of Ghost Ridge Pce, your fate will no longer be up to you.¡±


    Pei Haibing murmured coldly to himself that once he left Ghost Ridge Pce, he could easily arrange some ¡°idents¡± for Su Jie to die in, leaving no one the wiser.


    What a pity that Pei Haibing did not know he was not the only one with such thoughts.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    After a night of harrowing experiences, the team continued their journey the next day.


    For another two days, they traveled through the mountains, passing across treacherous terrains and checkpoints guarded by the Law Enforcement Team.


    Perhaps luck was on their side; ever since the encounter with the Alien Ghosts that night, the convoy had not run into a single one, unbelievably reaching the very edge of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s domain without incident.


    Sigh!


    Su Jie pulled at the reins and looked up.


    Blocking their path was thest checkpoint before leaving Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s domain.


    If one wished to leave Ghost Ridge Pce, this was the easiest route to take. The other exits involved treacherous locations teeming with demons and Alien Ghosts, ces even the Elders of Ghost Ridge Pce would avoid like the gue.


    At the checkpoint, three towering watchtowers stood imposingly beside the mountain path.


    On these hundred-meter-high stone towers, not only did the elite Law Enforcement Team stand guard, but three Elders also took turns overseeing the area.


    The towers themselves provided both living quarters and defensive capabilities. Once a battlemenced, the multiple formations carved into the towers would activate, repelling any invading forces.


    Beneath the towers, being the sole passageway between Ghost Ridge Pce and the outside world, traders weary from travel often made temporary stops to rest and prepare before embarking on their journey to the Ghost Ridge Pce ck Market.


    Over time, a small town camp formed nearby, modest in structure but fully equipped.


    Upon entering the town, Su Jie¡¯s convoy did not stop to rest but continued through the town to the checkpoint formed by the three high towers. They were quickly subjected to inspection.


    ¡°Another batch transporting ves for Liuyun Manor? How many has it been now?¡±


    Dressed in red uniforms that reeked of blood, several members of the Law Enforcement Team flipped through the Task Tokens, and upon verification, one of them picked up a snail.


    This snail¡¯s spiral shell featured a ghostly face that seemed to slowly revolve upon closer inspection, its faint crimson eyes nearly sucking one¡¯s soul into its vortex.


    Su Jie¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he dared not look any longer, suspecting this was a Mid-grade poisonous insect.


    ¡°Everyone, release any restrictions on your Spiritual Power, including you.¡±


    The Law Enforcement Team spoke in an icy tone, showing no courtesy even to an inner disciple like Pei Haibing.


    Answerable only to the Sect Master and possessing strengths starting from the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm and above, the team could easily disregard inner disciples, often holding even greater authority than those less-experienced ones.


    Once everyone deactivated the automatic cirction of Spiritual Energy within their bodies, the Law Enforcement Team member holding the snail smeared its secreted mucus onto the skin of the disciples.


    Su Jie felt a chill on his skin. Without the defense of Spiritual Power, an odd gas prated his body and quickly dispersed throughout his limbs and bones.


    ¡°This is a Red-eyed Ghost-faced Snail, a Mid-grade poisonous insect. Once it¡¯s mucus is applied, no matter the distance, it can track the scent. So don¡¯t think just because you¡¯ve left Ghost Ridge Pce, you¡¯re free as a bird and can think of escaping never to return. Our execution order is still valid outside the domain of Ghost Ridge Pce. There¡¯s only one path for traitors¡ªdeath.¡±


    After dropping the chilling warning, the Law Enforcement Team waved their hands, signaling the convoy to move along.


    Su Jie barely had time to contemte the strictness of Ghost Ridge Pce as he passed through thest checkpoint, and suddenly, his view became startlingly clear.


    No longer surrounded by towering mountains, the vast ins stretched before him beneath the brilliant blue sky. The grass was soft and lush, like a vast yet delicate green carpet extending to the horizon.


    ¡°Qingzhou, the Da Li Dynasty¡¯srgest grain-producing in, lives up to its reputation.¡±


    Seeing andscape never visible from within Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s domain, Su Jie looked back at the rugged mountain path wrapped in clouds, the continuous range of peaks, and realized Ghost Ridge Pce really was like a different world.


    For some reason, looking out at the vast in before him, Su Jie felt a surge of boldness within.


    In the half-year since his idental arrival at Ghost Ridge Pce, this was Su Jie¡¯s first time venturing out. Unknowingly, he had grown from someone who could only hide in cave dwellings at the Mountain Gate, constantly hunting insects and worrying about surviving the next day, to someone not bounded by the constraints of the Second Level of Yunling Realm.


    ¡°I wonder what the outside world will be like.¡±


    Breathing the exceptionally fresh air, Su Jie realized that book knowledge was shallow after all. Only by seeing with his own eyes could he truly understand the outside world.

 Chapter 69 - 67: Shaoshan Town

    Chapter 69: Chapter 67: Shaoshan Town


    Riding on Horned Scale Horses, a group of people stepped into the vast in.


    Looking around, the terrain was t and expansive. Although the weather was bone-chillingly cold, various wildflowers and wild grasses on the in still stood resilient, swaying uncertainly in the cold wind.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed much safer outside.¡±


    Having traveled a distance, Su Jie and the others hadn¡¯t encountered any dangers, unlike the perilous environments within the borders of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    This was also easy to understand. Good territories were always upied by the powerful; no one coveted poor and inhospitablends.


    In the history of Blue Star Hua Country, fertile and expansive ins were always upied by the Zhongyuan Dynasty, while ethnic minorities mostly lived in resource-poor areas of mountains, snowfields, and high altitudes.


    Was it because they didn¡¯t want to live in thefortable climate and resource-rich ins?


    Of course not, it was simply because they couldn¡¯t defeat the Zhongyuan Dynasty.


    The same logic applied to Ghost Ridge Pce. Nowadays, with the righteous sects flourishing and powerful, Ghost Ridge Pce could only reluctantly settle in the mountains, amidst pervasive crises, harsh environments, and scarce resources.


    In the past, during the prime of the Demon Path, various Demon Cultivation Sects had also upied the fertile ins. Few people preferred the environment of deep mountains and old forests.


    Even in cultivation, aside from some Spiritual Mountain Blessed Lands, people preferred staying in the ins.


    Walking on the in without the rugged mountain paths and steep cliffs, the disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce could finally let go of the reins and gallop across the grasnd on their horses, increasing their speed by more than tenfold.


    In half a day¡¯s effort, everyone crossed the grasnd in and could already see signs of human habitation.


    Smoke curled upward from cooking fires, and a small vige appeared in their view.


    Peasants were tending the fields, women spun and picked mulberry, children yed and frolicked, chickens crowed and dogs barked, neighbors heard each other.


    Su Jie and the others passed near the vige on their Horned Scale Horses.


    Thud, thud.


    The vige bell was rung as a peasant working in the field spotted the group of dozens of horsemen, immediately changed expression, ran back to the vige to give the rm, shouting about bandits and the like.


    It turned out that they mistook Su Jie and hispanions for marauding bandits.


    Young and strong vigers came running out with pitchforks and hoes, warily eyeing the passing group of dozens of horsemen.


    This road wasn¡¯t frequently traveled by the Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s ck market caravan. It was densely popted and congested with visitors, so typically, ck market caravans took detours, but this time, due to the task at hand, Su Jie and hispanions had to take this rtively unfamiliar shortcut.


    Looking at the small vige of over three hundred people before him, Pei Haibing¡¯s fingers twitched slightly, his eyes filled with bloodthirsty greed. Ultimately, he restrained the impulse to attack the vige.


    They still had a task toplete, and engaging in such an act would cause a hugemotion, quickly alerting the local government, and even leading to a siege by reputable sects¡ªa surefire way to court disaster.


    ¡°Try to avoid densely popted areas and choose less-traveled paths,¡± Pei Haibing issued a new order, perhaps noting that his group was attracting too much attention.


    Following the map¡¯s directions, the horsemen set off again, this time avoiding crowded areas and taking more secluded roads.


    Although they still encountered viges and travelers along the way, the frequency was significantly reduced.


    Su Jie rode on horseback, contemting the world outside as described in the books.


    The location where Su Jie and hispanions now found themselves was within the borders of Da Li Dynasty, Qingzhou, Jia Shao Prefecture.


    Qingzhou was thergest grain-producing area of the Da Li Dynasty, with a poption toorge to qualify as sparse.


    Especially in the backward Tianyuan World, arge poption was needed to maintain farm operations.


    Despite the cultivators possessing various Divine Powers and magic techniques, they never demeaned themselves by engaging in agricultural production.


    The lower ssmoners naturally couldn¡¯t rely on such conveniences; they could only depend on humanbor and water buffalo-driven mills.


    ¡°Ahead is Shaoshan Town. We¡¯re running low on supplies; we need to go there to purchase goods. Those who are called out by name will be responsible for the shopping,¡± Pei Haibing ordered as he pulled the troop to a halt for rest after three days, also arranging their tasks.


    This was indeed a fact; not every disciple had a Storage Bag equipped; almost all Outer Disciplescked this item, and supplies had to be carried by the team. The constant travel had already depleted most of it, and replenishment was indeed necessary.


    ¡°Su Jie, Xu Tu, Chen Qin¡¯an¡­¡± Pei Haibing called out seven or eight names, including coincidentally, Su Jie, Gu Weonian, and Chen Yun.


    ¡°Brother Pei, we¡¯re on our way.¡±


    Bowing, Su Jie didn¡¯t say anything else; he turned his horse toward Shaoshan Town, the named disciples following in suit.


    ¡­


    Half an hourter.


    Su Jie could see Shaoshan Town marked on the map from afar.


    It was a moderately sized town, mostly surrounded bynd cultivated by the townspeople, who were wearing rather thin clothes as they worked in the fields.


    ¡°Hmm, a glow of Spiritual Power.¡±


    Standing on a small dirt mound, Su Jie saw fluctuations of Spiritual Energy to the southeast of Shaoshan Town.


    Therey a faint spiritnd where the veins of the earth were permeating the surface with Spiritual Power, suitable for cultivating some ordinary Spirit Grain.


    Su Jie¡¯s vision was quite good; he could clearly see the nearby spirit field with towering buildings, flying eaves, and couplets hanging between them.


    Moreover, there were some Cultivators with Spiritual Power tending to the fields.


    Some were employing a rain-making technique, with small clusters of dark clouds forming above the spirit field, drizzling rain mixed with Spiritual Power onto thend.


    Others enved a kind of burrowing worm that easily turned over acres of soil to nt spirit nt seeds.


    Some were carefully protecting the fields, with a formation in ce above the spirit field that prevented insects and birds from pecking.


    The span of this spirit field was not veryrge, at most just over eighty acres, and there were only a few Cultivators managing it, which was starkly different from thebor-intensive ordinary fields.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there.¡±


    Su Jie led the way into Shaoshan Town.


    The town was primarily built of wooden structures, and families that could afford to live in bluestone brick houses were rtively wealthy locals.


    From what Su Jie could see, most of the townspeople weren¡¯t living well. It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t survive, but the paleness of their faces and their numb expressions said enough. Even in the dead of winter, they were still d in thin clothing, and most families were struggling to get by, barely subsisting above the poverty line.


    ¡°Time to pay the monthly fee, the autumn harvest ended a half a month ago. Anyone who hasn¡¯t paid up yet, make it snappy.¡±


    Just as they entered the town, Su Jie witnessed a bizarre scene. A group of arrogant individuals were going door to door, knocking and announcing.


    Su Jie didn¡¯t ask further and headed directly to the town¡¯s grain shop, only to see a long queue forming there.


    Arge number of townspeople had carts filled with sacks of grain, paying their dues to several men who looked like managers.


    ¡°Ah, the Chu Family¡¯s fee has gone up again this year.¡±


    ¡°What can we do, we¡¯ve still got to pay the fee!¡±


    ¡°Hopefully they¡¯ll weigh less on the scales.¡±


    ¡°Expecting the Chu Family to be charitable is like seeing a pink elephant in your dreams.¡±


    The townspeople discussed quietly among themselves, and the arrival of Su Jie and his group, as outsiders, attracted quite a few nces.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d have to pay a fee here too.¡±


    Gu Weonian seemed quite sentimental, reminded of the monthly fee he paid to Taoist Qiu every month.


    ¡°These townspeople aren¡¯t living any better, barely getting enough food and clothing. It¡¯s only on paper that everyone has plenty to eat and wear.¡±


    Chen Yun scoffed. Ghost Ridge Pce received many books from the outside world stored in the Book Collection Pavilion, which included non-Cultivation rted books essible to ordinary Disciples.


    Those books were mostly written by schrs of the Da Li Dynasty, depicting Da Li as a peaceful and prosperous kingdom where swords were sheathed, wars ceased, and the citizens livedfortably and contentedly.


    But taking Shaoshan Town as a microcosm, it was clear the people were barely clothed and fed, burdened with heavynd fees, far from livingfortably.


    ¡°Hey, where are you folks from? Do you know this is Chu Family territory? Keep spouting nonsense, and I¡¯ll smash that ugly face of yours.¡±


    A grain shop manager, who just happened to pass by, overheard Chen Yun¡¯sments and immediately red hostilely.


    Chen Yun¡¯s face darkened. Ever since Su Jie had saved her life, several centipede-like scars had marred her face. Being a woman, she was particrly sensitive toments about her appearance.


    ¡°What nonsense Chu Family, they¡¯re just a local tyrant of a small town.¡±


    Chen Yun suppressed her urge to kill and simply kicked the Chu Family manager, sending him flying.@@novelbin@@


    This action stirred up a ho¡¯s nest as several Chu Family managers began shouting around.


    Others tried to continue the trouble but were promptly sent scrambling by Chen Yun charging at them on horseback.


    ¡°Let¡¯s grab some supplies from the shop and prepare to leave.¡±


    Su Jie did not stop Chen Yun¡¯s impulsive action, and as he spoke, his eyes caught a glimpse of a honey bee flying across the street. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t engage in a big fight here, let¡¯s move quickly.¡±

 Chapter 70 - 68: Chu Family

    Chapter 70: Chapter 68: Chu Family


    Su Jie watched as Chen Yun and a few others entered the store to fetch supplies. That so-called Chu Family was clearly the owner of the spirit field; they were used to throwing their weight around in the town. Today, they hadn¡¯t expected to be beaten by neers, and surely they wouldn¡¯t let it go. If one wished to avoid trouble, it would be wise to leave as soon as possible.


    Su Jie did not participate in gathering supplies; instead, he strolled around the town.


    ¡°Uncle, may I know your name? I¡¯m a businessman from out of town. I¡¯m a bit thirsty after my travels. Could I trouble you for a bowl of water at your ce?¡±


    Su Jie stopped an old farmer who had just finished tilling thend and was carrying his hoe back to his house, his face crisscrossed with deep wrinkles.


    ¡°Everyone just calls me Old Man Chen. You look like youe from a wealthy family, as long as you don¡¯t mind our humble little home.¡±


    Old Man Chen was slightly taken aback, then he pushed open the door to his house and invited Su Jie inside.


    The interior of the house was simple, with a set of old and damaged furniture, and a corner rice bin piled with coarse grains, not many in quantity.


    There were other people in the house too, an old woman with white hair lying on a bed in an inner room, fast asleep.


    In addition, there were five children, the oldest about twelve or thirteen years old and the youngest three or four.


    Curious yet somewhat fearful, the children hid inside the house and took furtive nces at Su Jie, the unfamiliar guest, through a crack in the door.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much to offer. If you¡¯re really thirsty¡­¡±


    Old Man Chen was somewhat restrained as he brought over a bowl of water. The bowl was chipped in several ces; perhaps feeling embarrassed to present it, Old Man Chen¡¯s dark face flushed slightly.


    Su Jie took the bowl and drained it in one gulp. Wiping his mouth, he smiled and said, ¡°Uncle, what are you talking about? We who travel and trade in the wilderness drink from rivers when we¡¯re thirsty. Why should I be so finicky?¡±


    Old Man Chen sighed in relief. Seeing that Su Jie was easy to talk to, he rxed and called out to the inner room, ¡°Eng, mind your siblings and don¡¯t disturb the honored guest.¡±


    Su Jie pat himself down and, secretly from his storage bag, took out a bag of unwrapped candy, slipping it into the hands of the children and patting their heads, ¡°Take these candies to eat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, this isn¡¯t right.¡±


    The children¡¯s faces lit up with joy, but Old Man Chen repeatedly tried to refuse.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, we¡¯re fated to have met. Besides, I have to ask the uncle here some questions.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand, and Old Man Chen, unable to stop him, let the children go out to y.


    ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡±


    The children sweetly called out their thanks, delightedly running out the door. In the Tianyuan World, just like in ancient times on Blue Star, sugar was a preciousmodity; these children rarely had the chance to taste something sweet.


    Putting down the bowl, Su Jie started to ask, ¡°I¡¯d like to inquire about this Chu Family from you, uncle. I¡¯ve noticed many people in the town paying rent to them. Are your fields not your own?¡±


    Old Man Chen¡¯s face darkened as he said, ¡°Not to deceive you, young master, in our Shaoshan Town, those who still own their fields are few and far between. That ursed Chu Family hired experts from the big city to cast spells, diverting local underground water veins to the spirit field, forcing us to rent from them because we haven¡¯t water to irrigate ournds. Otherwise, we can only watch helplessly as our fields yield nothing.¡±


    Su Jie pondered in his heart. Major Sects generally look down on the trivial produce ofmoners, but it¡¯s different for the smaller households of cultivators.


    By consolidatingnd and making the popce tenants, they could amass arge output of grain.


    Grain could be exchanged for gold and silver, and gold and silver are rted to artifact refining materials. Although the value was low, for cultivators of small households, it was entirely possible to exchange gold and silver for cultivation resources, making it a very decent way to realize assets.


    After a moment of reflection, Su Jie asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the government care?¡±


    ¡°The Chu Family is a major local n. For generations, they produce schrs, and some of their people hold office in the city. Plus, with their reliance on the output of the spirit field to cultivate cultivators, the government turns a blind eye.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Su Jie nodded and continued to query Old Man Chen about the situation in Shaoshan Town.


    ¡°Child, why are there strangers at home? Could it be the government officials havee to collect the Demon Extermination Tax again, haven¡¯t we already paid it this year?¡±


    Just then, an elderly woman with white hair fumbled her way out from the inner room, awakened by the conversation between the two. She was Old Man Chen¡¯s mother.


    The olddy walked unsteadily, with a vacant look in her eyes¡ªit was clear she could no longer see clearly.


    ¡°Mother, it¡¯s not that, we have a guest at home.¡±


    Old Man Chen quickly helped his mother back to her bed, afraid that she would fall because she couldn¡¯t see the path.


    When Old Man Chen had returned, Su Jie curiously asked, ¡°Uncle, what is this Demon Extermination Tax that the elder mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know, young master?¡±


    Old Man Chen was taken aback and then smacked his forehead: ¡°I almost forgot, with your background, young master, surely the tax doesn¡¯t fall upon you.@@novelbin@@


    The Demon Extermination Tax is imposed by the Jia Shao Government. They im it¡¯s to guard against the havoc wrought by the Demon Ghost Ridge Pce on themon folk. They collect this tax to train armies, with the aim of securing peace for the realm and eradicating the cancer that is the Ghost Ridge Pce once and for all.


    The tax is especially burdensome, and each year we have to dish out quite a bit of our wealth to cover it. However, I¡¯ve heard that if a family has produced a cultivator, then they can be exempt from this tax. It¡¯s said that since cultivators contribute to the fight against the Ghost Ridge Pce, there¡¯s no need for them to pay taxes. I¡¯m sure someone from your family must have practiced cultivation, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, something like that.¡±


    Having heard this, Su Jie was speechless and, at the same time, a certain phrase came to mind involuntarily.


    We certainlyck the guts to wipe out the bandits, yet we have the audacity, and quite substantial at that, to amass wealth under the pretext of doing so.


    The Demon Ghost Ridge Pce has taken root in the mountains for so many years, and Su Jie had neither heard nor seen any government troops entering the mountains.


    On the contrary, the prosperity of the ck market at the Ghost Ridge Pce likely had much to do with the local government¡¯sissez-faire approach.


    As the topic of the Demon Extermination Tax grew somber, Old Man Chen¡¯s mood sank.


    Seeing his state, Su Jie did not continue to bother him, and suggested that he should take his leave.


    Before leaving, Su Jie discreetly ced a piece of broken silver beneath the water bowl, then departed from the ce.


    By the time Su Jie returned to the shop and grain store, Chen Yun and the others had already gathered the supplies, loading them onto the Horned Scale Horses.


    It was unexpected how quickly the Chu Family had mobilized; just as Su Jie and hispanions were about to mount their horses and leave, arge group of Chu Family members blocked their path.


    ¡°Esteemed Heavenly Masters, it was they who assaulted our Chu Family members.¡±


    Among this group of Chu Family members, several cultivators distinguished by their elegant clothing adorned with embroidered patterns and silk bandanas emerged, exuding an air of nobility.


    The one at the lead had the appearance of an ancient, with the poise of both a dragon and a tiger, and eyes that shone with vitality, creating the image of a venerable person.


    ¡°I am Lu Feng, the Sacrificial Elder of the Chu Family. Who might you young ones be apprenticed to, and what brings you here? Speak the truth promptly, or else do not me me for being discourteous.¡±


    With a cold snort, Lu Feng guessed that Su Jie and hispanions possessed cultivation, yet he did not fear them, instead he demonstrated his power, allowing his spiritual power to surge unabashedly within him.


    His cultivation was at the Yunling Realm Second Level; the fluctuation of spiritual power was not like a tidal wave but more like a refreshing breeze brushing against the face.


    The cultivators following Lu Feng did the same, proudly releasing their spiritual power fluctuations, and these individuals were even more formidable, each possessing the cultivation of the Yunling Realm First Level.


    The expressions of Su Jie and his group were peculiar, especially Chen Yun, who had previously engaged in the fight. She had thought that Lu Feng was a great hidden expert living discreetly in town, with cultivation no less than her Master, Taoist Qiu of the Secret Realm.


    Yet, after this introduction, such modest ability proved anticlimactic, and all of her fright had been for naught.

 Chapter 72 - 70: Slaughter

    Chapter 72: Chapter 70: ughter


    Shaoshan Town¡¯s Chu Family.


    As the town¡¯srgestndlord, in control of a miniature spirit field, the Chu family¡¯s ie was enough to crush the entire town.


    With wealth, naturally, the family¡¯s manor was notcking.


    Among the painted rafters and decorated ridgepoles of the veranda, a dark iron-colored Qilin was disyed, grand and stately.


    Stone steps paved a path leading to every corner of the courtyard, and the windowsills were filled with various green nts and flowers, their fragrance overwhelming.


    In the main hall of the main house, translucent Liuli tiles sparkled, and the walls were adorned with various calligraphies and exquisite porcin.


    In front of the door was arge que, with the words ¡®Chu Mansion¡¯ written in gold paint, as if to dere the family¡¯s name to the world.


    At this time, in the main hall of the Chu family, a middle-aged man wearing a crown and silk robes was slightly bowing his waist; he was Chu Xuntan, the current patriarch of the Chu family.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, I have already notified all the Chu family members toe and join the banquet,¡± he said.


    If the townsfolk saw this, they probably wouldn¡¯t believe their eyes: the domineering head of the Chu family in Shaoshan Town, speaking so respectfully and obsequiously.


    In front of Chu Xuntan, a tall figure slowly turned around, revealing an expressionless face¡ªit was Pei Haibing, an inner disciple of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°Have you taken care of the things I asked you to do?¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s gaze did not fall on Chu Xuntan but rather indifferently observed the Chu family¡¯s mansion, as though the air of haughty coldness had seeped into his bones.


    Chu Xuntan¡¯s body shuddered slightly, and he quickly said, ¡°Mr. Pei, we dare not neglect the tasks you have assigned. Upon receiving your notification, we sent a pigeon to deliver the message to Sang. He is an Outer Disciple at the Purple Mist Sect. Upon receiving the letter, he will surely return immediately.¡±


    When talking about Sang, pride surfaced on Chu Xuntan¡¯s face.


    This was his most promising child, who, due to exceptional talent, had been epted into the Purple Mist Sect at the age of fifteen, beginning as a servant and now already an Outer Disciple.


    The Purple Mist Sect was a mid-sized sect within the Jia Shao Prefecture, with thousands of disciples, and the Sect Master was a mighty figure of the Secret Realm. Having such a connection with the sect was a matter of pride for the entire Chu family.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯ve done well,¡± said Pei Haibing, his hands sped behind his back as he walked slowly toward the banquet.


    A look of joy appeared on Chu Xuntan¡¯s face. He had made an acquaintance with Mr. Pei half a year ago by chance. This man with a mysterious background was said to hail from a real family of great wealth and influence, possessing a demeanor that kept others at a significant distance, a quality hard to imitate.


    What amazed people even more was his strength. Having demonstrated a minor show of power, he had made several Sacrificial Elders of the family tremble with fear.


    At that moment, Chu Xuntan knew that by forming a good rtionship with Mr. Pei, the family would greatly benefit in the future.


    Perhaps they could rise to great heights, be true elites, and move into a great city.


    Not to remain in a rural town, mingling with barefooted paupers, looked down upon in secret by city families as country bumpkins.


    Jogging to keep up with Pei Haibing, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, Chu Xuntan continued, ¡°However, Mr. Pei, those people you mentioned, are they really Demon Cultivators?¡±


    In this meeting, Pei Haibing had brought a piece of news that he had encountered Demon Cultivator disciples and instructed Chu Xuntan to inform the Purple Mist Sect to prevent cmity from befalling Shaoshan Town.


    ¡°Do you not believe what I say?¡±


    Pei Haibing turned back indifferently, startling Chu Xuntan with a shiver, feeling that the gaze was far too terrifying, cold as if it could freeze a person solid.


    ¡°No, no, of course, I do not doubt what you say, Mr. Pei. It¡¯s just¡­ if they really are Demon Cultivators, aren¡¯t they too mild? The people we sent to test them were only injured, not a single one was killed,¡± Chu Xuntan said cautiously, which differed vastly from his impression of Demon Cultivators.


    His impression of Demon Cultivators was of bloodthirsty cruelty, prone to massacres, with rather excessive methods.


    ¡°Have you ever seen a real Demon Cultivator?¡±


    Pei Haibing spoke while continuing to the banquet venue.


    To host this mysterious Mr. Pei, the entire Chu family had been mobilized, with every member, young and old, participating in the banquet, amounting to over two hundred people.


    ¡°Well, no,¡± Chu Xuntan hesitated, then shook his head.


    ¡°Heh, take a look at me, do I seem like the demon cultivator you have in your memory?¡±


    Gazing at the over a hundred people gathered for the banquet, men, women, elderly, and children of all sorts, Pei Haibing let out a soft chuckle, hisughter filled with mockery and teasing.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡­ you shouldn¡¯t joke like this¡­¡±


    Chu Xuntan felt a surge of unease upon seeing Pei Haibing¡¯s sinister smile, premonitions of something very wrong emerging.


    ¡°A joke? Today I will show you just what sort of methods a demon cultivator employs.¡±


    Licking his lips, Pei Haibing reached out with arge hand, and the top of the skull of Chu Xuntan¡¯s wife, who hade up to offer her respects, was suddenly lifted off. Following that, her beautiful head was pulled out from the root, blood spurting over a meter high, showering both Pei Haibing and Chu Xuntan nearby.


    Silence!@@novelbin@@


    The Chu family members at the entire banquet were stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.


    Why had this mysterious Mr. Pei suddenly turned to murder?


    ¡°You you you, you really are¡­¡±


    Chu Xuntan¡¯s lips trembled, pointing at Pei Haibing, his face turning deathly pale.


    Piecing together what Pei Haibing just said, how could he not understand that the Mr. Pei he had invited into his home was an authentic demon cultivator?


    ¡°Now do you understand? Do our demon cultivator methods meet your standards?¡±


    Pei Haibing sneered sarcastically; amidst theughing, his clothes burst apart, and countless bone spikes protruded from his skin like a hedgehog suddenly bristling its quills. The bones branched out like tree limbs, piercing through the Chu family members one by one, stringing them together and hanging them in mid-air like skewered insects.


    Blood, screams, struggles, a scene ripe with gore unfolded in what should have been a celebratory banquet, as the entire Chu Mansion was enveloped by terror and death.


    ¡°Demon demon demon demon demon¡­¡±


    The Chu family members ran about in panic, but how could they possibly escape the ughter by Pei Haibing, an inner disciple?


    In less than half a minute, everyone in the Chu Mansion, whether family members or servants, was pierced by the white bones.


    From a distance, it looked like a coral giant tree made of bone grew into the sky above the mansion, every coral branch impaled with struggling human bodies, the blood pooling towards Pei Haibing¡¯s feet, forming a puddle of blood.


    ¡°My third son, my third son will take revenge for the Chu family¡­¡±


    Chu Xuntan was not yet dead, his eyes full of blood and regret, the sight of his family being ughtered filled him with indescribable rage and remorse.


    ¡°Revenge? Rest assured, once I¡¯m done using him, your third son wille to join you soon. We demon cultivators, when we say we will annihte an entire family, we mean it¡ªno one will be spared.¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s gaze was dark and deep as a still pond; as he spoke, his hands formed a spell, and he uttered a low shout:


    ¡°White Bone Transformation? White Bone Dao? No, all wrong, ha ha, it¡¯s the White Bone Immortal Path.¡±


    In his maniacalughter, the live bodies on the white bone coral branches violently shook, uttering screams of extreme agony, as their bones pierced through the skin, turning into bone fluid absorbed by the white bone coral.


    And the bodies, without bone support, slumped like mud, thumping down from mid-air, gathering into a small mound of corpses.


    ¡°Pleasurable, truly, the Demon Path requires murder for one to achieve Dao.¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s face was sickly flush, as the white bone coral withdrew back into his body, his cultivation soaring rapidly, fueled by the marrow of the bones he had absorbed from others.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for the Purple Mist Sect to perform, be good pawns for me.¡±


    Afterpletely ughtering every living soul in the Chu Mansion, regardless of age, Pei Haibing licked his lips and strolled towards the outside of the mansion.


    With each step he took, the bones in his face shifted, and the bones throughout his body changed as well, his height and features transforming, taking on the appearance of Su Jie.


    Stepping out of the Chu Mansion, Pei Haibing observed the rmed townspeople around him and sneered, ¡°I am the demon cultivator Su Jie. Everyone in the Chu Mansion, over two hundred people, have been ughtered by me. This is the fate of those who offend a demon cultivator.¡±


    The townspeople shuddered and their pupils dted at the mention of this and the sight of the carnage behind Pei Haibing. A scream erupted from someone in the crowd.


    In an instant, everyone turned and fled, wishing they had more than two legs with which to escape.


    However, Pei Haibing, who had nned everything, failed to notice a small dragonfly hiding on one of the fleeing townspeople. Due to the crowds and the chaos, and because he was caught in his proud and arrogant mood, he let down his guard and missed this detail.

 Chapter 74 - 72: Exposure

    Chapter 74: Chapter 72: Exposure


    In the afternoon, as the sky gradually darkened, apanied by shes of lightning and peals of thunder, a torrential downpour suddenly arrived, the fierce wind whipping huge raindrops that drenched the forests and mountains.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Seven or eightrge horses with high heads sped through the downpour, their hooves striking the ground and sshing huge amounts of muddy water, turning the ground into a quagmire.


    Whoa!


    Atop a mountain peak, Su Jie suddenly pulled on the reins to stop his horse.


    ¡°Brother Su, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Weonian and a few other disciples looked perplexed¡ªthey were still a long way from returning to their original group.


    ¡°What if I said that my stomach feels a bit off, possibly from something I ate back in Shaoshan Town, would you believe me?¡±


    Su Jie deliberately rubbed his stomach, and upon hearing this, everyone was speechless.<div>


    Due to their cultivation of the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture, disciples of the Ghost Ridge Pce were mostly immune to many poisons.


    It was quite rare for someone to get an upset stomach, let alone be affected by poison in their food.


    ¡°Haha, just kidding with you. I left something in Shaoshan Town and need to go back and retrieve it. You don¡¯t need to follow me,¡± Su Jie said with augh, and this reason seemed convincing enough.


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better hurry up and catch up with us.¡±


    The group didn¡¯t think too much about it and quickly moved on.


    After all, Shaoshan Town wasn¡¯t the kind of ce where one would encounter danger.


    Su Jie turned his horse around, heading back the way they hade.


    ¡°To drive out one wolf only to be devoured by a tiger, who exactly is the wolf and who is the tiger is yet to be determined.¡±


    Su Jie, looking up at the light rain falling from the sky, tied his Horned Scale Horse to a tree and casually broke off several branches.


    Swoosh, swoosh!


    With a flick of his fingers, the branches shot through the curtain of rain, pinning several small bees to the tree trunk.


    Then Su Jie chuckled and walked alone through the muddy mountain terrain.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere.


    Tracking the caravan¡¯s tracks, Zhang Changxin and his group of five moved through the forest as swiftly as monkeys, the raindrops shattering into pieces as they struck their iron clothes.


    Displeased with Lu Feng¡¯s slow pace, Qu Lingxuan simply picked him up and sped along with him in tow.


    ¡°I can feel it, we¡¯re about to catch up with that demon cultivator.¡±


    At a spot where the muddy hoofprints remained slightly intact, Lu Feng spoke out.


    ¡°Prepare for battle.¡±


    Zhang Changxin issued amand, and the other three nodded, their palms resting on the hilts of their swords and des.


    ¡°We¡¯ll proceed from here, they can¡¯t be more than five miles away from us, as long as we¡­¡±


    Lu Feng pointed in a direction, but in the midst of his sentence, his voice suddenly halted, and he instinctively rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°As long as what¡­¡±


    As Zhang Changxin turned his head to speak, unaware that two Low Grade Junior Fire Gathering Talismans had been buried by someone and were now suddenly detonated, huge mes shot up into the sky.


    Caught off guard, among the five, including Lu Feng, only Hou Yongqing and Chu Pu were far enough away to avoid the st.


    Zhang Changxin, Qu Lingxuan, and Lu Feng were all simultaneously scorched by the mes.


    ¡°`


    Fortunately, with their considerable cultivation, Zhang Changxin and Qu Lingxuan turned their iron hats, which deflected most of the fierce mes. The few that weren¡¯t deflected were blocked by their iron clothes.


    But it was different for Lu Feng.


    ¡°Hey, how are you doing?¡±


    Zhang Changxin immediately looked toward Lu Feng, worried that their guide had been burned to death.


    However, what happened next made his eyes widen in shock.


    In the midst of the fire, Lu Feng¡¯s body underwent a drastic transformation, his bones cracking loudly as his skin melted like wax, revealing a man with an indifferent gaze. It was Pei Haibing, an inner disciple of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Pei Haibing¡¯s cold eyes flickered, and his right hand shot out like lightning, snaking toward Qu Lingxuan, who was closest to him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Qu Lingxuan¡¯s heart pounded furiously, sensing a fatal threat. She quickly retreated, while her double swords hissed out of their sheaths and flew from her waist, turning into two silver crescents that crossed and spun, shing toward Pei Haibing.


    ¡°Trifling tricks.¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s outstretched fingers sprouted bones that pierced through the skin, growing wildly and expanding into a huge bony hand that spanned two zhang in diameter, firmly capturing the high-speed spinning crescent swords. Apanied by a grating cutting sound and a flurry of bone fragments, he ultimately managed to grab them by brute force, crushing them into deformed scrap metal.


    ¡°White Bone Transformation Skill, you are an inner disciple of Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±


    Seeing this, Zhang Changxin¡¯s voice suddenly changed.


    As a disciple of the Punishment Hall with an in-depth understanding of demon cultivators, he was naturally familiar with the infamous Ghost Ridge Pce within Jia Shao Prefecture.


    Famous cultivation techniques from Ghost Ridge Pce were also well-documented, and Pei Haibing¡¯s use of the White Bone Transformation Skill matched with the records.


    ¡°Hmph, not bad eyesight, but it¡¯s a pity. Seems there was a slip in the n, that kid noticed it, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Pei Haibing licked his lips; his reconnaissance insects had suddenly died all at once just before, and immediately afterward, he was attacked. The weak fire of the White Bone Transformation Skill, the detonation of the Fire Gathering Talisman, perfectly exposed his disguise.


    Otherwise, ording to Pei Haibing¡¯s n, he should have been the one leading Zhang Changxin and the others to catch up with Su Jie, letting Su Jie be killed by the disciples of the Purple Mist Sect, then he would emerge to clean up all traces and let one or two survivors escape to bring the news back, pinning the incident for certain.


    In this way, he could hide his involvement and attribute Su Jie¡¯s death to the Purple Mist Sect, for Su Jie¡¯s reckless actions had exposed his whereabouts, leading to a deadly disaster.


    That way, Taoist Qiu would also have an exnation, and the incident wouldn¡¯t trace back to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, what exactly is happening?¡±


    Chu Pu¡¯s eyes were filled with fear. The sudden turn of events hadpletely taken him by surprise.


    ¡°Idiot, don¡¯t you get it yet? It¡¯s likely this man staged the whole thing himself, and if things are as I suspect, your Chu Family people were killed by him.¡±


    Hou Yongqing pped Chu Pu, causing him to stagger. His gaze was severe as he stared at Pei Haibing, sensing a profound threat from this man.


    The Ghost Ridge Pce, a demon sect, was much stronger in both ranking and powerpared to their Purple Mist Sect.


    Every inner disciple from Ghost Ridge Pce was extremely difficult to deal with. One wrong move could mean total annihtion.


    ¡°Was it you who massacred my Chu Family?¡±


    Chu Pu¡¯s pupils dted as the realization finally hit him that this man was the mastermind behind everything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, soon I¡¯ll send you to reunite with your family.¡±


    Pei Haibing nced coldly at Chu Pu, paying little attention to this minor character, and instead looked toward the mountains shrouded by the rain, calling out loudly, ¡°Su Jie, I underestimated you. Heh, I know you¡¯re secretly watching. You think you can use these wastes to wear me down. You thought wrong; if I want to kill you, nobody can stop me.¡±


    As he spoke, Pei Haibing also made his move.@@novelbin@@


    His skin writhed unnaturally, and white bones burrowed out, growing and spreading rapidly into forks, and in the blink of an eye, a White Bone Coral Giant Tree tens of meters tall silently rose up.


    Chu Pu didn¡¯t have time to feel anger before he was frightened pale by this eerie and terrifying scene, instinctively looking for Zhang Changxin¡¯s protection.


    Too bad Zhang Changxin and the other two disciples from the Punishment Hall were just as terrified. Pei Haibing¡¯s power was far beyond their expectations.


    ¡°Attack together.¡±


    Zhang Changxin shouted fiercely, taking up a triangr position with Qu Lingxuan and Hou Yongqing, coordinating with each other to charge toward Pei Haibing¡¯s true form.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 76 - 74: Bone Forest

    Chapter 76: Chapter 74: Bone Forest


    Thwack, thwack, thwack!


    In the midst of the downpour, a round of apuse came through the rain.


    ¡°Brilliant, just brilliant. Worthy of Brother Pei, your strength is truly formidable. You dealt with those Purple Mist Sect disciples so easily.¡±


    Standing atop the head of the thousand-hand centipede, Su Jie narrowed his eyes and pped his hands.


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t dare to show yourself. Do you think you have a chance to defeat me because my spiritual power is greatly depleted? Haha, you overestimate those pieces of trash. The reason I engaged the Purple Mist Sect to act on my behalf is because I¡¯m confident I can handle them.¡±


    Pei Haibing turned around and showed some surprise in his eyes upon seeing Su Jie appear.


    He had thought that after witnessing the battle just now, Su Jie would most likely be scared off.


    However, as soon as he recognized the thousand-hand centipede beneath Su Jie, his gaze turned solemn, and he understood the source of Su Jie¡¯s confidence.


    With his insight, although he did not pursue the path of a Gu Master, in the Ghost Ridge Pce sect, who hasn¡¯t seen a pig run even if they haven¡¯t eaten pork?<div>


    The exaggerated size of the thousand-hand centipede made it immediately apparent that it was a powerful three refinement poisonous insect of Low Grade.


    Su Jie smiled and said, ¡°Who knows unless we try? No one can be on guard against a thief every day. Rather than living in constant fear, it¡¯s better to kill you here and pin the me on the Purple Mist Sect, wouldn¡¯t that be perfect?¡±


    As he spoke, Su Jie also took the White Bone Sky ying Sword out of his storage bag.


    ¡°You want this flying sword, don¡¯t you? Come on, let¡¯s see if it likes you.¡±


    With a smile on his lips, the flying sword in Su Jie¡¯s hand suddenly vanished, piercing through the clouds and breaking through the air. In the next moment, it approached right in front of Pei Haibing.


    Pei Haibing¡¯s hands pped together fiercely, trying to grab the flying sword, but the sharpness of the White Bone Sky ying Sword exceeded that of his bones.


    In the instant of contact, the flying sword ascended once again, while two of Pei Haibing¡¯s left fingers dropped to the ground, severed by the sword.


    The very bones that Hou Yongqing couldn¡¯t break no matter what were no match for the sharp edge of the White Bone Sky ying Sword.


    ¡°What a treasure, indeed a fine one.¡±


    Having lost two fingers, Pei Haibing did not care. His eyes greedily followed the White Bone Sky ying Sword as it attacked again, while numerous White Bone Tree Branches surged wildly in mid-air, like a horde of serpent-like poisonous snakes, chasing and entwining themselves around the sword as it grew.


    Under Su Jie¡¯s control, the White Bone Sky ying Sword moved like a nimble bird, threading through every gap and opening.


    Simultaneously, Su Jie patted the head of the thousand-hand centipede he was sitting on.


    The thousand-hand centipede raised its head, and its facial tes cracked open, revealing purple luminescence flowing within the crevices.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    A secondter, dozens of purple light rays scorched the air, sting arge area of White Bone Tree Branches, turning many to flying ash.


    Immediately after, several pale corpse hands crawled out from under the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s belly and rushed towards Pei Haibing at high speed.


    ¡°Skypiece!¡±


    Pei Haibing was somewhat fearful of the high temperature of the purple light ray, but he still retained his confidence in victory and coldly spat out two words.


    The rain in the sky began to pause, a strong sense of crisis swept over him, and Su Jie suddenly looked up.@@novelbin@@


    In the sky, the rain stopped, andrge snowkes began to fall in a dense flurry.


    ¡°`


    Upon closer inspection, these weren¡¯t snowkes at all but clearly bone powder.


    As the bone powdernded, dyeing the earth white, Su Jie wasted no time in having the thousand-hand centipede wrap around him for protection.


    Hiss hiss!


    The thousand-hand centipede let out two cries. Bone powder was ineffective against stones and trees, but its contact with living flesh was entirely different.


    The bone powder actually melted its chitinous insect shell, which even high-velocity machine gun fire struggled to damage.


    The insect shell on the surface of the thousand-hand centipede kept cracking and breaking into smaller centipedes, which then died off. It healed its wounds through super self-healing.


    Fortunately, Su Jie acted quickly, or else if he hade into contact with this bone powder, his end would have been miserable indeed.


    This was evident in Chu Pu¡¯s case, who had been touched by the falling bone powder, his bones dissolving into nothingness and, in the end, could not escape his demise.


    ¡°Earth Bones!¡±


    Pei Haibing pped his hands together and, suddenly, it was as if dragons and serpents churned beneath the ground. The soil heaved and white bones mixed with dirt and rocks, growing into white bone trees that branched out endlessly, shielding the curtain of the sky.


    Looking down from above, a dense White Bone Forest blossomed upon thend withyers uponyers of crisscrossing white bones, transforming the area into a White Bone Domain.


    No sooner had he charged into the White Bone Forest than both the White Bone Sky ying Sword and the pale corpse hands faced continuous and relentless assault by the white bones, with branches above and roots below, nearlypletely blocking all lines of attack.


    ¡°How would the Three Refinement Poisonous Insect fare in the White Bone Forest I created? Not a single insect shall fly in,¡± Pei Haibing dered, his voice emanating from the Bone Forest. This was his true strength, cultivation at the Yunling Realm Seventh Level. Inbat with Zhang Changxin and the others, he merely controlled a single giant White Bone Tree. Now, however, it was a White Bone Forest, with dozens of trees, which showed just how wary he was of Su Jie.


    ¡°If one insect isn¡¯t enough, what about a swarm of them?¡± Su Jie pped his Insect Control Bag at his waist as a ck smoke swiftly rose from the bag.


    Tens of thousands of human-faced moths pped their wings, resembling a thick ck cloud rushing toward the White Bone Forest.


    ¡°Body Worm Focusing Method? You¡¯re not an inner disciple, where did you learn that?¡± For the first time, Pei Haibing¡¯s voice was a bit troubled, obviously caught off guard by Su Jie¡¯s trump card.


    Directed by Su Jie, their Insect King, the human-faced moth swarm braved the bone powder falling from the sky, using the moths on the outeryer to shield those within. The entire swarm plunged straight into the White Bone Forest.


    Human-faced moths are insignificant poisonous insects with little more than a good bite and corrosive acid, but that¡¯s just a single moth. When ites to a flock of them, a human-faced moth swarm turns into a truly devastating weapon.


    Boom.


    The White Bone Forest began to copse in session. Wherever the human-faced moth swarm passed, it was like a surging torrent, corroding and devouring all vegetation and rocks in its path, leaving behind barren whitends.


    The White Bone Forest met the same fate. In ordinary Body Worm Focusing Methods, that might not be very powerful. Yet among Su Jie¡¯s well-cultivated swarm of human-faced moths, there were dozens shining with a golden light, having broken through to the Low Grade level. A single acidic vomit from them could dissolve arge swath of white bones. Leading the swarm through the forest, crashing and smashing, any White Bone Tree Branch that attempted an attack was instantly eaten clean by the moths.


    ¡°Found you.¡±


    Suddenly, the corner of Su Jie¡¯s mouth lifted into a smirk. Amidst the smashing and crashing of the swarm, vast sections of the White Bone Forest were destroyed, and Pei Haibing, hiding within, was now exposed in Su Jie¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Human Bones.¡±


    Pei Haibing¡¯s face turned ugly as he watched the approaches of the Supersonic White Bone Sky ughter Sword, the creepingly sinister pale corpse hands, and the engulfing swarm darkening the sky. In a desperate struggle, he bit off his tongue, using the blood on its tip to draw a twisted character of a human on his forehead.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 78 - 76: Relic of the White Bone Tree

    Chapter 78: Chapter 76: Relic of the White Bone Tree


    The touch of the White Bone Tree was icy cold, with a chill spreading from his palm.


    Su Jie was not afraid, he had killed Pei Haibing when he was alive, why would he fear his relic left after death!


    Trying to feel around, Su Jie channeled some Spiritual Power into it, and the little White Bone Tree suddenly began to tremble.


    The bones rapidly proliferated and expanded, and once it reached the ground, it took root in the soil. The bones continued to branch out and spread, transforming into a White Bone Tree over ten meters tall.


    ¡°Eh!¡±


    Su Jie stood up in front of this towering White Bone Tree, sensing the abundant Spiritual Energy diffusing from the tree.


    Looking up along the trunk, Su Jie discovered, to his surprise, that the canopy of the White Bone Tree was incessantly absorbing the Spiritual Energy drifting in the air.


    The roots that had anchored into the ground were also slowly absorbing the Spiritual Energy pervasive in the veins of the earth.


    In the Tianyuan World overall, the distribution of Spiritual Power is such that the Spiritual Energy floating in the air is often the most tenuous.<div>


    Beneath the earth veins, lies the most abundant and rich Spiritual Energy, which flows like underground currents. Over the years, this has led to the formation of Spirit Stone Mines and various rare mineral deposits.


    The Spiritual Energy that drifts to the surface can, in ces where it is abundant, create all kinds of Pocket Worlds, and in areas with less, it can make a region suitable for the growth of Spirit nts.


    For instance, the miniature spirit field that Su Jie saw in Shaoshan Town, belonging to the Chu Family, was actually formed by the Spiritual Energy escaping from the earth veins to the surface.


    Now, on this massive White Bone Tree, Su Jie could sense that it was not only absorbing the loose Spiritual Energy in the air, but it was even absorbing the Spiritual Energy from underground.


    ¡°Could it be that I have stumbled upon great fortune?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heart thumped rapidly, and he sat cross-legged with his palms pressed against therge White Bone Tree.


    Upon contact, a surge of abundant Spiritual Energy flowed into Su Jie¡¯s limbs and bones, making him sofortable he almost moaned with pleasure.


    The leaves of the White Bone Tree swayed in the wind, continuously absorbing the wandering Spiritual Energy. The roots reaching dozens of meters into the ground were also absorbing the stray Spiritual Energy in the soil, which cultivators found difficult to utilize.


    Tiny crystalline droplets began to emerge on the leaves of the White Bone Tree, like dewdrops in the early morning. Actually, these were the result of highly concentrated Spiritual Energy condensing into a misty and liquid form.


    The liquified Spiritual Energy slid down the trunk of the tree, halfway down it was captured by Su Jie, who then absorbed the pure Spiritual Power within it.


    Su Jie closed his eyes slightly and focused on absorbing this rare, pure Spiritual Power. Even the barrier that hindered his breakthrough to the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm felt like it was beginning to loosen.


    Whooshing!


    Torrential rain hit the White Bone Tree. The storm swept away leaves, and in the dim environment, Su Jie sat on the ground with the branches of the massive White Bone Tree swaying behind him, like the menacing ws of a demon.


    After absorbing the nutrients and Spiritual Energy from the rain, the White Bone Tree gradually grew rough bark resembling human skin. The top branches grew air roots that hung down like a woman¡¯s long hair, blown chaotically by the fierce wind, giving it a sinister and eerie appearance.


    If an ordinary person were to see such a strange tree, they would be considered brave if they weren¡¯t immediately frightened into fainting.


    Some fifteen minutester, Su Jie slowly opened his eyes and looked at therge White Bone Tree before him, involuntarily inhaling a breath of cold air.


    Because the contact just now had provided Spiritual Energy that was more than triple what Su Jie normally absorbed from the air.@@novelbin@@


    Such abundant Spiritual Energy was alreadyparable to some miniature Pocket Worlds.


    Even within Ghost Ridge Pce, if there were simr environments with the effects of a Pocket World, they wouldn¡¯t be something Su Jie could dare to covet. Yet this White Bone Tree could actually help Su Jie artificially create a cultivation environment akin to a Pocket World.


    Following that, Su Jie continued to experiment and discovered even more uses for the White Bone Tree.


    Besides absorbing Spiritual Energy, this White Bone Tree was also a living nt. It could switch between a dormant and a growing state through the maniption of Spiritual Power¡ªone state resembled a small tree in dormancy, like a seed.


    Another was the current growing state, which meant that the tree could continue to grow in the future, and the efficiency at which it absorbed Spiritual Energy would improve.


    ¡°Such a treasure, if people knew about it, even the Hidden Realm Elders would be unable to resist snatching it away,¡± Su Jie murmured to himself, looking at the White Bone Tree with a smile that he couldn¡¯t hide at the corner of his mouth.


    Today truly seemed to be his lucky day to have stumbled upon such an exotic relic.


    It could be said that with this miniature Pocket World he could carry around, Su Jie¡¯s cultivation speed would greatly increase from now on.


    He carefully returned the White Bone Tree to its original state and stored it away, then Su Jie proceeded to open Pei Haibing¡¯s Storage Bag.


    This was a sizable Storage Bag of five cubic meters. Inside, there were over 800 pieces of Blood Marrow Crystals and Low Grade Spirit Stones alone, not to mention the elixirs, talismans, materials, and various other misceneous items. Su Jie estimated their value to be at least a thousand or so. Additionally, there were two Alien Ghost corpses.


    Altogether, just this Storage Bag was worth more than three thousand Blood Marrow Crystals¡ªit was evident that Pei Haibing¡¯s wealth was significantly more substantial than Feng Wenjin¡¯s, whom Su Jie had hunted previously.


    But it made sense when he thought about it, as Su Jie had shed with both Feng Wenjin and Pei Haibing.


    One had the cultivation of the Sixth Level of the Yunling Realm, the other the Seventh Level of the Yunling Realm.


    Pei Haibing¡¯sbat power was much stronger than the former, and a cultivator¡¯s wealth was often tied to their strength.


    For an average Outer Disciple, the monthly ie was merely a dozen or so Blood Marrow Crystals, out of which they still had to pay the monthly fee to the Elder, and then buy some elixirs and talismans. They couldn¡¯t save much money by the end of the year.


    However, inner disciples didn¡¯t have this problem. Not to mention, Su Jie knew that during thest Alien Ghost incident, Pei Haibing had received no small amount of tribute from his own Outer Disciples just to arrange a better stationed location.


    And Su Jie¡¯s gains were not only limited to this. Besides Pei Haibing¡¯s spoils of victory, there were also the corpses of four Purple Mist Sect disciples at the scene.


    Quickly, Su Jie harvested three more Storage Bags. Only Chu Pu, the wretched one, didn¡¯t even have a Storage Bag.


    The three Storage Bags exploded with a hundred to several hundred Spirit Stones and materials, respectively. Although the iron clothes and iron hats on their bodies were somewhat damaged, Su Jie still collected them. As raw material recycling, they were quite valuable, and covering tracks while destroying evidence was a Demon Cultivator¡¯s specialty.


    Apart from these gains, Su Jie did not, however, obtain any Cultivation Techniques this time.


    It was understandable, as profound Cultivation Techniques were mostly in the form of Jade Scrolls. Besides when one¡¯s cultivation was insufficient and they needed to repeatedly study the technique, most people kept their Cultivation Techniques at home rather than carrying them around.


    Su Jie had even wanted to try and learn the Wanxiang Heavenly Power True Method of the Purple Mist Sect, but now it seemed he was thinking too much.


    Fortunately, Su Jie wasn¡¯t disappointed, as the harvest for the day was already substantial.


    ¡°You can rest in peace, knowing you¡¯ve met a fitting end. Rest assured, I¡¯ll inherit your legacy and strive to elevate it,¡± Su Jie said, ncing at Pei Haibing¡¯s skeletal remains on the ground. pping his hands, corpse hands, pale as death, crawled out from beneath the Thousand-Handed Centipede. They moved rapidly like nimble little sprites, quickly cleaning up the battlefield.


    Finally, he used the Purple Light Ray to destroy any potential traces of himself several times, leaving no blood, hair, or skin kes behind. Only after confirming that no traces were left did Su Jie leave the ce alone, fetching the Horned Scale Horse to catch up with Gu Weonian¡¯s group.

 Chapter 80 - 78: Young Girl

    Chapter 80: Chapter 78: Young Girl


    ¡°What¡¯s this, Junior Brother Su, you¡¯re also interested? These are human ves provided by Liuyun Manor for our amusement. You know, we demon cultivators are always killing and practicing all sorts of bizarre demon techniques. Many of us are under great psychological pressure and have special hobbies, enjoying some thrilling activities to invigorate the spirit and body.¡±


    Seeing Su Jie looking intently, Yu Wenxian offered an invitation, ¡°If you¡¯re truly interested, I can help you talk to them.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯d rather not go.¡±


    Su Jie immediately shook his head and then saw a group of fierce guards from Liuyun Manor capturing all the escaped human ves, ignoring their cries and screams, and sending them back to the ughterhouse-like building.


    ¡°I am truly sorry, we did not manage well. To show our apologies, we will offer another twenty people for your enjoyment,¡± a Liuyun Manor manager said with a smiling face, bowing to the inner disciples inside the house.


    The doors of the house closed again, and such amusements for inner disciples were not even essible for outer disciples to watch; they could only listen to the faint sound ofughter from killing inside the house.


    ¡°Miss Yu, I didn¡¯t notice you were also here. Would you need some malepanions?¡±


    The manager from Liuyun Manor saw Yu Wenxian and immediately stered a pleasing smile on his face.


    ¡°What malepanions? Are you trying to tarnish my reputation?¡±<div>


    Yu Wenxian¡¯s face turned cold, possibly because Su Jie was nearby.


    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s my fault for speaking carelessly. I¡¯ll p myself, I¡¯ll p myself.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the manager of Liuyun Manor knelt, his face panicking, and began pping himself harshly back and forth across his cheeks.


    It wasn¡¯t until both cheeks swelled like steamed buns that Yu Wenxian waved her hand dismissively.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    After all, it was Liuyun Manor, and Yu Wenxian still gave some face.


    The manager from Liuyun Manor quickly got up and left, then Yu Wenxian turned to Su Jie with a smile, ¡°Junior Brother Su, don¡¯t believe his nonsense! Actually, I¡¯m quite proper myself, I just y around with those men, my heart has yet not settled on anyone.¡±


    Hearing this, Su Jie¡¯s lips twitched, doubting whether Yu Wenxian understood the meaning of ¡®being proper.¡¯


    ¡°Senior Yu,e over for tea.¡±


    At the tea table where inner disciples sat, someone called Yu Wenxian back.


    ¡°Coming, what¡¯s the hurry.¡±


    Yu Wenxian turned back and gave a nce, then said to Su Jie, ¡°I¡¯ll leave first then. Come visit me if you¡¯re free; I hardly have friends here to talk to.¡±


    Yu Wenxian turned, twisting her snakelike waist, and returned to the midst of the inner disciples.@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie noticed that after Yu Wenxian took her seat, most of the inner disciples treated her with utmost respect, a reflection of her quite extraordinary status.


    ¡­¡­..


    Two dayster!


    Nighttime!


    Liuyun Manor, tonight was the day to escort the human ves back to the sect.


    Early in the morning, the entire Liuyun Manor was bustling.


    Batches of human ves, shackled by iron chains on their hands and feet, were driven by escorts from Liuyun Manor and pushed onto horse-drawn carriages.


    Su Jie stood by the roadside, counting the number of human ves. The overwhelming number of heads looked harrowing.


    ¡°I heard that a drought recently urred in Jingzhou, and some refugees fled to Qingzhou. Jia Shao Prefecture also has many unattended refugees who were captured by the government and left unhandled; some were driven out and died from hunger and cold, some were sent to dark mines never to see daylight again. Some, however, were sold into very by Liuyun Manor. Ha, this is the Da Li Dynasty, treating its own citizens this way; I think they are no better than us demon cultivators.¡±


    Chen Yun¡¯s tone was full of mockery toward the dynasty. Before, he had browsed through the books stored at the Mountain Gate, many of which hade from the Da Li Dynasty. These books were full of praise for the Da Li Dynasty, but now such first impressions were shattered and fragmented.


    Although Liuyun Manor had restricted the movement of Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples within its bounds, fearing that the Demon Cultivators might cause trouble, news still leaked out.


    ¡°Most human ves were captured by factions; it has be a lucrative business,¡± she said.


    Gu Weonian, having seen many such situations, disyed no mockery; he simply followed orders.


    ¡°Rise, and the people suffer; fall, and the people suffer,¡± he said.


    Su Jie sighed leisurely, watching as one human ve after another passed by the numerous disciples, reaching out their hands pleading for help.


    ¡°Please, let my child go, she is only five. If you must kill, kill me, but spare my child,¡± they pleaded.


    ¡°My family is in Qiren County, we are wealthy. Take me back, take me back, and I will give you money, I swear it¡¯s all true,¡± another begged.


    ¡°Guan Chao Pavilion, Taiching Mountain, Moonlight Society¡­ so many reputable sects in Qingzhou will not let you devils off easily; you¡¯ll have a dire end one day,¡± another threatened.


    These human ves included men and women, old and young, some begging for mercy and others boldly cursing.


    More of them felt desperate about their future, their faces numb, like living dead, clumsily moving about.


    Horse-drawn wagons held these human ves, while numerous Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples lined up on either side to escort them.


    Lit torches illuminated the night sky, resembling a fiery dragon snaking across thend.


    The convoy did not head towards the official roads; such arge-scale operation was far too conspicuous to transport them back to Ghost Ridge Pce this way.


    The wagons¡¯ destination was clear after two hours of travel under the cover of night.


    Su Jie¡¯s ears twitched, hearing the sound of the tide surging.


    Arge river flowed quietly under the night sky, its waters pping against the banks, embellished by the moonlight that lent a sparkling brilliance, like a ck jade belt rimmed with silver.


    About a dozenrge boats were docked there, with Liuyun Manor guards patroling back and forth along the shore with torches.


    Leading this group of Liuyun Manor guards was a portly middle-aged man handling a pair of Dragon Pattern walnuts, with sparse hair and a belly swollen as if he were nine months pregnant. He was currently directing the operations; it was Jia Changxun, who had once visited Ghost Ridge Pce and was one of the significant figures of Liuyun Manor.


    It was Jia Changxun¡¯s visit to Ghost Ridge Pce that initiated thisrge-scale transportation operation, with a significant number of disciples deployed to escort the human ves due to a shortage at Ghost Ridge Pce.


    By the riverbank, Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples followed the prior arrangement, escorting batch after batch of human ves onto the boats.


    Due to the sheer number of people, each boat¡¯s hold was packed like a sardine tin with human ves.


    The murky air, poor sanitation, and the jolting journey made the conditions not for humans, but rather like those for livestock.


    Su Jie boarded the seventhrge boat, which, aside from a few crew members provided by Liuyun Manor, was supervised by the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples.


    Thisrge boat also had an inner disciple from Ghost Ridge Pce, a burly man nearly two meters tall with a rare red beard, named Xu Yihu.


    ¡°Brother Xu, this is a gift specifically for our Sect Master. I hear you¡¯re skilled in Fire Technique, so you shouldn¡¯t be afraid. You must take good care of it,¡± he said.


    Jia Changxun arrived with a group, carrying a huge box onto the boat.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Xu Yihu asked, surprised, not knowing what was inside the box.


    ¡°Open it,¡± ordered Jia Changxun.


    With a nod, his guards quickly opened the box,boriously lifting out a man-sized crystal.


    Astonishingly, sealed within the crystal was a young woman wearing a light yellow long dress with a blue silk belt tied around her waist and fresh, tender flowers inserted in her hair. Her eyes were tightly shut, hands sped around her knees, curled up¡ªshe looked like amber frozen within resin, securely sealed inside.

 Chapter 82 - 80: Ning Xinyue (Please Follow)

    Chapter 82: Chapter 80: Ning Xinyue (Please Follow)


    After finishing all this, Su Jie continued his inspection, sparing no criticism for the disciples who were carelessly performing their duties.


    Soon, all the disciples stationed on the Third Level of the cabin knew there was a superior who liked to reprimand them.


    As Su Jie went on with his corrections, he reached the end of the cabin and saw a sealed single cabin.


    The door of the cabin was covered with ayer of frost that sealed it with ice, the cold air freezing the surrounding walls as the white frost made Su Jie tighten his clothes.


    ¡°That Amber Girl, huh!¡±


    Muttered Su Jie. Since the Third Level cabin was closest to the bottom of the ship and Xu Yihu lived in the upper level, he had thrown her into this most marginal cabin to imprison her in order to keep the chill emitted by the Ice Crystal Amber from disturbing his rest.


    ¡°I wonder what her story is.¡±


    Shaking his head, Su Jie turned to leave, nning to check if the other disciples had corrected their behavior ording to his rules.


    But as Su Jie had just taken a few steps away, an unusual sensation of being watched arose in his heart.<div>


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Su Jie quickly turned back, the ice-sealed door shed, and an icy crystal butterfly retreated back into the crack of the door.


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    After thinking for a moment, and seeing no one around, Su Jie left a Reconnaissance Dragonfly on guard and walked toward the ice-sealed door.


    The closer he got, the more a chill eroded his organs.


    Su Jie extended his right hand, and the Thousand-Handed Centipede wriggled out from his sleeve, with several pale corpse hands exerting force to smash theyer of ice.


    Pushing open the door, Su Jie went in alone.


    The room was only about one hundred square feet. In the center, a girl with bright eyes and white teeth was sealed within the Ice Crystal Amber, her body curled up, eyes closed, seeminglypletely dead.


    Even through the thick Ice Crystal Amber, Su Jie still felt a strong wave of Spiritual Radiance. The clothes, shoes, ne, and earrings she wore were all emitting this ripple, none of them ordinary items.


    Circling the Ice Crystal Amber, Su Jie tapped it with his finger, and the next moment his hand jerked back as if electrocuted. The Ice Crystal Amber had nearly frozen his blood solid.


    ¡°Tch, such a cold sleeping beauty. Is she alive or dead? She can¡¯t breathe in there, can she?¡±


    After studying for a moment, Su Jie breathed on the part of the Ice Crystal covering the girl¡¯s cheeks and used the Thousand-Handed Centipede as a hand warmer, rubbing it on the ice to get a clearer view, wanting to see if she was dead or alive.


    Sizzle!


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede shivered and curled up, clinging tightly to Su Jie¡¯s palm, squeaking in protest against Su Jie¡¯s inhumane act.


    Su Jie leaned closer, observing the girl in the Ice Crystal Amber who had her eyes tightly shut.


    Her facial features were delicate and her skin was as white as snow, with slightly curved eyshes and a hint of yfulness, yet also a faint shyness around her eyes and brow.


    The air was very quiet, and as Su Jie stared for several minutes, the girl did not even flutter her eyshes, apparentlypletely unconscious.


    ¡°Looks like she really is dead, how boring.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head and sighed as he pounded his knees. Two pale arms grew out from his waist, hit the ground, and mimicked the footsteps of a walking person as they stepped one by one toward the door.


    Atst, he walked out of the room, the two arms also conveniently closing the door behind him.


    Bang!


    The room fell into silence, with only the chill spreading through the air.


    Several more minutes passed, and inside the Ice Crystal Amber, the girl¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly, followed by her moist, bright eyes slowly opening.


    ¡°Yah!¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened, like a startled deer, thinking the room was empty when in reality, there was a man staring at her with a half-smile.


    ¡°Yo, I thought you were dead. Turns out you were just pretending to be asleep!¡±


    Su Jie stroked his chin and chuckled lightly, ¡°She¡¯s still too green, duped so easily.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s dead, tricking me like that.¡±


    The girl wrinkled her nose, her crisp voiceing through the Ice Crystal¡ªsurprisingly, she could still make gestures and facial expressions inside it.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    Su Jie sat on the ground, in no hurry to leave, as the girl before him clearly came from no ordinary background.


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±


    The girl had a fierce expression, but it didn¡¯t scare anyone. Instead, it seemed somewhat cute.


    Su Jie raised an eyebrow, pretending to stand up, ¡°Not telling, huh? Well then, I might just inform the others so we can figure out how to break your little ¡®turtle shell.''¡±


    At these words, the girl immediately became anxious and shouted, ¡°Wait, my name is Ning Xinyue, there, I told you, what do you really want?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie pointed to himself and asked, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°A viin, a thug, a filthy kidnapper!¡±


    Ning Xinyue blurted out a string of words that could infuriate anyone.


    ¡°Ha, ha, all you said is correct, but still not quite urate. My official title is a demon cultivator who has killed countless people. Now, do you understand what I want?¡±


    Su Jie sneered twice, unintentionally revealing a murderous aura that was enough to silence a crying child.


    ¡°You want to rob¡­ rob me of my¡­ my dignity¡­¡±


    It was clear that Ning Xinyue was truly frightened, her pale face tightly clutching her own cor.


    ¡°Wrong!¡±


    Su Jie shook his finger, correcting Ning Xinyue¡¯s mistaken assumption, and said, ¡°You muste from a major cultivation power, right? Share the Cultivation Techniques you know, and I will keep your awakening a secret. Otherwise¡­ right now, this ship is surrounded by demon cultivators. If they discover you¡¯re awake, they will use every means to capture you, and then you¡¯ll really be in trouble.¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s clothes and jewelry all sparkled with a spiritual charm, characteristics of someone from a significant power and likely of no ordinary status.


    ¡°You promise you¡¯ll keep your word?¡±


    Biting her tender lips, Ning Xinyue appeared visibly relieved upon hearing that Su Jie wasn¡¯t after her body, and showed little resistance to his request.


    ¡°Of course, I am very trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°A demon cultivator¡¯s trustworthiness?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a choice right now?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s remarks made Ning Xinyue realize the direness of her situation, reluctantly parting her lips slightly.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you, but don¡¯t me me if you can¡¯t remember it yourself. This is called the Mysterious Shadow Secret Technique, which is based on the principle of yin and yang, initiating the bright path, naturally flowing, hidden within the Heavenly Guardian Technique, requiring golden threads to weave veins, winding silk into wind¡­¡±


    Su Jie took out paper and pencil, jotting down everything Ning Xinyue said. Besides just the spoken words, he had Ning Xinyue exin the detailed pathways and rted nodes.


    After recording everything, which amounted to thousands of words, and listening to Ning Xinyue exin it once more, Su Jie released the Thousand-Handed Centipede for protection and said, ¡°I¡¯ll try it first. If something¡¯s wrong, see this? This Three Refinement Poisonous Insect, don¡¯t me me¡­¡±


    ¡°Humph, I¡¯m not like you, I have no interest in deceiving others.¡±


    Ning Xinyue was very haughty, clearly holding a grudge about the earlier deception by Su Jie.


    After checking the Reconnaissance Dragonfly and confirming no one was approaching, Su Jie sat cross-legged and attempted to cultivate the Mysterious Shadow Secret Technique Magic Skill Ning Xinyue had just taught him.


    No sooner had he begun than his shadow abruptly lengthened, his chest felt stifled, spiritual power within him became chaotic, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.


    Ning Xinyue was dumbfounded, staring bewilderedly at Su Jie, wondering if she had somehow ryed the Cultivation Technique incorrectly.


    A momentter, Ning Xinyue finally understood what was happening and couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter, tears streaming down her face:


    ¡°Hahaha, what kind of cultivation aptitude is this! You actually made yourself vomit blood, so silly, so silly!¡±

 Chapter 85 - 1: Fierce Power

    Chapter 85: Chapter 1: Fierce Power


    Su Jie was shocked.


    No wonder the journey back had been so calm, they were waiting to strike with force.


    Before one could speak, the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples, who were still feasting on the deck, were caught off guard and killed.


    Twenty meters away from Su Jie¡¯s ve Trading Ship was the attacking twin-sailed fast ship.


    On the opposing deck, seven or eight disciples d in white Sun Moon robes and wearing purple-gold crowns spat out a sword pill each, which transformed into sparkling cold three-foot Flying Swords.


    In a swooshing sound, several disciples were in on the spot, their bodies severed.


    They were disciples from the Golden Sword Sect, a sect skilled in controlling Flying Swords.


    There was also a group of disciples with blue facial paintings, who, while manipting spells, stepped on the bursting waves of the Golden Sand River, advancing step by step toward the ve Trading Ship.


    These were disciples of the Guan Chao Pavilion, practitioners of the Spirit Turtle Water Heart Method, making the Golden Sand River their advantageous home ground.<div>


    Besides these, there were Purple Mist Sect disciples Su Jie knew well, dressed in Purple Mist Cloud Cor shirts and iron clothes and hats.


    Charging with them were hordes of body cultivators from the Dragon and Tiger Sect, all above two meters tall, broad-shouldered, stout, powerfully built, and fighting bare-handed.


    The most ferocious were the disciples from Guan Chao Pavilion who, by joining forces, churned up the Golden Sand River, creating a massive tsunami aiming to topple and sink the ve Trading Ship, heedless of therge number of human ves on board.


    ¡°Kill these hypocritical bastards.¡±


    Xu Yihu¡¯s face was ashen, with rage he smashed the window with a palm and jumped out alone.


    In mid-air, a stream ofva me burst forth, consuming several Righteous Disciples who couldn¡¯t dodge in time, screaming as they burned to charcoal.


    Thereafter, his hands swelled, transforming into grotesque and sturdy insect-like arms, he swung his arms scatteringva everywhere, igniting the nearby river and forcing the Guan Chao Pavilion disciples to retreat.


    Seeing Xu Yihu take action, the morale of the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples surged, and they summoned arge number of poisonous insects.


    Ghost-faced spiders, giant horned centipedes, mystic ice poison bees, spotted venomous snakes, and various other types of poisonous insects formed a sky-covering swarm that immediately charged forward.


    Although most of the Outer Disciples¡¯ poisonous insects were of very low grade, with only a few low-grade poisonous insects,


    the sheer number was overwhelming; the insects relied on numbers and toxicity. Under the swarm¡¯s attack, Righteous Disciples were bitten if they weren¡¯t careful, the toxins eroding their internal organs, making their movements stiff and slow. A few consecutive bites could immediately result in death from poisoning.


    Whoosh!


    Su Jie turned his head, a Flying Sword grazed past his cheek, the wind it brought disheveled his hair.


    In front of him, a Guan Chao Pavilion disciple stood on sshing waves, the river water forming a giant water palm that struck down towards Su Jie.


    Behind him, a tall, sturdy disciple from the Dragon and Tiger Sect bellowed, charging towards Su Jie at high speed.


    ¡°Trouble.¡±


    Su Jie leaped aside, the water giant palm smashed the deck, sting into the inner part of the ship where human ves were detained.


    The closely packed crowd had nowhere to dodge; wherever the water giant palm passed, it left chaos, numerous objects and bodies were smashed, fresh blood turned the giant water palm bright red.


    The Guan Chao Pavilion disciple didn¡¯t hesitate, continuing to control the giant water palm in attacking Su Jie.


    Su Jie¡¯s brow furrowed, and flicking his fingers, the White Bone Sky ying Sword flew out with a howl.


    First, it chopped the giant water palm into two sections, pierced throughyers of water defenses, and pierced the forehead of the Guan Chao Pavilion disciple.


    The Flying Sword did not stop there, just as the Dragon and Tiger Sect¡¯s body cultivator got close, the White Bone Sky ying Sword, returning at supersonic speed, shed down from the air.


    The body cultivator just raised his head when a bloodline formed from his forehead to his groin.


    Then the bloodline cracked, his body split into two halves, with organs spilling out, as if his body, as strong as steel, was as soft as tofu in front of the White Bone Sky ying Sword.


    The previously returning Flying Sword attacked again, Su Jie remained unphased, and the White Bone Sky ying Sword faced it head-on.


    sh!


    In the sound of metal striking metal, the iing Flying Sword was directly broken in half. Not far away, a Golden Sword Sect disciple spat blood, having suffered a severe bacsh.


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes were icy cold; this was a sh of camps that allowed no mercy.


    ¡°sh!¡±


    With supersonic speed, the White Bone Sky ying Sword sttered blood, heads rolled on the ground.


    ¡°Senior Brother Zhang, you demon cultivator, give back my Senior Brother Zhang¡¯s life.¡±


    Several body cultivators from the Dragon and Tiger Sect roared furiously, seizing the moment when the White Bone Sky ying Sword was away, they surrounded and attacked Su Jie.


    Su Jie did not dodge. From his waist, pale human hands burst through the skin and after touching the ground, they rapidly crawled, then leaped onto a few body cultivators, covering them from head to toe. The terrifying force transmitted from the fingers tore their bodies apart, leaving a bloody mess on the ground.


    ¡°Great opportunity!¡±@@novelbin@@


    An Purple Mist Sect disciple¡¯s eyes brightened as dozens of silent, hidden steel needles shot at him at the speed of sound.


    ng, ng!


    Su Jie threw out a low-grade intermediate talisman, ensuring his own safety.


    He had obtained many talismans from Pei Haibing though their grade was not high, they were not very effective in intense battles, but were quite useful in lesser conflicts.


    Afterward, Su Jie moved his neck and looked towards the Purple Mist Sect disciple who had attempted the sneak attack.


    Seeing things go south, that person immediately hid below the deck.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The color in the depths of Su Jie¡¯s pupils changed, and they dted to a light purple. Subsequently, two beams of purple light rays burst forth, instantly melting severalyers of the deck and striking the hiding Purple Mist Sect disciple. His flesh and blood body melted like a candle in the high heat, without even a chance to scream.


    A few righteous disciples tried to rush in to fight but under the fierce might of the White Bone Sky ying Sword, they were either decapitated or their hearts pierced and they died.


    It could be said that, with its unstoppable sharpness, the White Bone Sky ying Sword was overwhelming against those below the sixth level of the Yunling Realm.


    Swoosh!


    Seeing how fierce Su Jie was, the surrounding area quickly cleared out.


    A group of righteous sect disciples were frightened by Su Jie¡¯s killing, surrounding him but not daring to advance, instead instinctively stepping back.


    Seeing Su Jie¡¯s divine might, the Ghost Ridge Pce disciples were incredibly emboldened, rallying around Su Jie to resist the attacks from the righteous disciples.


    ¡°Demon cultivator, let me meet you.¡±


    A cold snort apanied the sound of surging waves.


    An inner disciple at the seventh level of the Yunling Realm approached walking on water, from the Guan Chao Pavilion.


    He disyed the strong fluctuations of his spiritual power without any restraint. Su Jie thought it was aimed at him, but the opponent targeted Xu Yihu instead.


    Mainly because Xu Yihu had been very conspicuous with his fully unleashed power and the inner disciple¡¯s robes.


    ¡°Where did this water-ying brate from, get down from there.¡±


    Xu Yihu was annoyed by the other¡¯s arrogance, and without another word, he breathed out intense mes, which looked terrifying. However, the actual effect was profoundly different.


    Water conquers fire among the Five Elements, which holds some truth.


    Several dragon-sucking water tornadoes began to spin, with water currents mixed with a myriad of sharp rocks rotating at high speeds. They not only extinguished the mes but also mmed Xu Yihu back into the river, slicing his body to the point of bloody tatters, leaving him without a spot of intact skin.


    Soon after the fight began, the previously arrogant and imposing Xu Yihu was turned into a battered tiger.


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Xu Yihu roared as he leaped out of the water, his bodypletely transformed. He had grown over five meters tall, his cracked skin dripping with magma, and a triangr, bizarre head. A thick tail had grown, making him resemble a fiery red lizard standing on its hind legs, barely recognizable as human.


    Seeing this, the Guan Chao Pavilion inner disciple was not intimidated. He held a bell magic artifact in his left hand and a long spear made of condensed water in his right, stepping on the waves to meet Xu Yihu head-on.


    Meanwhile, the battle on the ve trading ship intensified, with severed limbs and blood staining every inch of the deck.


    Worse off than the sect disciples engaged inbat were the human ves imprisoned below deck.


    Neither the Ghost Ridge Pce disciples nor the righteous sect spared them as they fought.


    During thebat, some human ves were bitten to death by poisonous insects, others were severed in half by flying swords, or thrown into the roiling Golden Sand River, or grabbed by Dragon and Tiger Sect disciples and used as weapons to be thrown around chaotically.


    One ve trading ship, due to the fierce firefight, was severely damaged and began to slowly sink into the Golden Sand River.


    Apart from the various sects¡¯ disciples, the human ves on the ship were dropping into the river like dumplings, either struggling desperately or unable to escape before being pulled to the river¡¯s depths by the sinking ship.


    ¡°Scum of Ghost Ridge Pce, daring to move freely outside your confines. It seems the lesson we taught youst time wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    At the same moment, a tremendous booming sound filled the sky.


    An extraordinary elder, standing with his hands behind his back on a cliff overlooking the river, watched coldly below as he slowly raised his hand.


    ¡°I am Jiang Yanyi, the Supreme Elder of the Guan Chao Pavilion. Today I am here to subdue the demon.¡±


    Boom!


    In the center of the Golden Sand River, a colossal whirlpool slowly formed, and a water dragon,pletely made of solidified water and about seventy to eighty meters long, soared out of the whirlpool, its tail striking and splitting a huge ve trading ship in half.


    The formidable cultivation of the Secret Realm, entering the fray, waspletely a dimension-shifting assault.

 Chapter 86 - 2: Top Grade Talisman

    Chapter 86: Chapter 2: Top Grade Talisman


    ¡°`


    ¡°Secret Realm.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s face turned dark, foes from this realm were simply not something disciples could contend with.


    Usually, when disciples sparred, the Elders wouldn¡¯t interfere.


    Because an Elder takingrge-scale action against disciples would only prompt equivalent retaliation from the opposing sect.


    If both sides¡¯ Elders were determined to assassinate ordinary disciples, it would lead to heavy casualties among the sects¡¯ disciples, a loss no sect could bear.


    It could be said that within Jia Shao Prefecture, Secret Realm Elders are like nuclear weapons, not easily mobilized, merely an invisible deterrence.


    Even when Elders engaged inbat, it was mostly limited to shing among themselves.


    They wouldn¡¯t involve ordinary disciples on arge scale, unless it was a battle to exterminate a sect.<div>


    But for the Demon Path, such scruples were nonexistent.


    After all, the Demon Path was suppressed everywhere. Look at the Ghost Ridge Pce Elders, they were holed up in the Mountain Gate, not daring to venture out easily, without the expectation of delivering an equivalent retaliation to deter the Righteous Sects.


    If it were a few hundred years ago, it might have been possible, but now the Demon Path is in decline, such things can only be dreamt about.


    Jiang Yanyi¡¯s massacre did not stop; as a Secret Realm Elder, his arrivalpletely established the battle situation.


    The water dragon soared through the air, its body covered with iron-hard dragon scales that glittered with the luster of flowing water, its keen dragon eyes piercing, and its tail as sharp as an arrow, creating a powerful airstream that agitated the Golden Sand River, giving rise to waves and billows.


    Bang!


    A simple tail p was enough to break a ve trading ship in two.


    Under the dragon¡¯s ws, two more ve trading ships were crushed into the Golden Sand River, water pouring in frantically.


    Raising its head, the dragon¡¯s roar was soul-shaking, terrifying to the point of splitting hearts and shattering galldders.


    ¡°Heavenly Thunder aid me in expelling demons.¡±


    Jiang Yanyi stood atop the head of the water dragon, on those majestic dragon horns even more blinding thunder condensed, turning into lightning that struck around him.


    One after another, Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples screamed, those hit by the lightning were torn apart,pletely powerless to resist.


    ¡°Mountain and River Seal, crush these petty viins.¡±


    A Mid Grade Magical Artifact was thrown out; this was a Seal inscribed with the image of mountains and rivers, the surface of the Seal emitting golden mes, releasing rays of golden light in mid-air.


    The air around it instantly became heavy, and the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples caught in the light felt as though bearing the weight of mountains on their back, as if an invisible hand was slowly squeezing their bodies, bones emitting sounds of unbearable strain, until eventually, their skeletons shattered and their internal organs were squeezed into a pulp.


    ¡°By the Sect Master¡¯s order, today I shall ensure you all dissipate into ash and smoke, returning a bright and orderly world to thesends.¡±


    Bringing his hands together, in front of Jiang Yanyi a sudden tsunami rose, but in the blink of an eye, it was frozen, turning into an ice wall.


    Upon the ice wall, it was as if a paintbrush rapidly drew upon it, in between vigorous strokes and outlines, countless ice swords shattered the wall, separating out, and converged into a brilliant river of swords.


    Wherever the river of swords went, Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples were pierced through the heart by thousands of swords; there was simply no way to block it.


    Such a disy of power terrified the Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples, turning them as pale as death, shaking like chaff, feeling like a disaster was imminent.


    Who knows how many disciples, driven by fear, chose to leap into the Golden Sand River, hoping to find a way out to escape. Forcing through was absolutely impossible now.


    ¡°The dignified Supreme Elder of Guan Chao Pavilion actually bullying our junior members, truly shameless.¡±


    Suddenly, a voice came from a ve trading ship at the back end of the Golden Sand River.


    Su Jie recognized it, that seemed to be the voice of Jia Changxun.


    ¡°Hmm, is there still an expert present?¡±


    ¡°`


    Jiang Yanyi narrowed his eyes, looking at the ve trading ship, and then sneered, ¡°A mere practitioner of the Ninth Level of the Yunling Realm dares to bark so furiously.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t defeat you, but I can¡¯t let you destroy all of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s property.¡±


    As soon as his words fell, a palm-sized talisman was thrown out.


    Atop the talisman, the blood of demons etchedplex and intertwined patterns, each like wriggling earthworms, twisted and knotted, obscure and difficult to understand, imbued with intense spiritual power radiance between the lines.


    ¡°Top Grade Talisman.¡±


    Jiang Yanyi¡¯s face changed dramatically, he hurriedly tried to retreat, but it was already toote.


    The talisman burned to ashes, and with a thunderous boom, a golden sun appeared in the sky.


    Upon closer inspection, it was not any sun but a massive alchemy furnace constructed of spiritual power, over a hundred meters in size, engulfing Jiang Yanyi, with raging golden mes rising from the bottom of the furnace, as though attempting to refine Jiang Yanyi into an elixir.


    ¡°This talisman might not kill him, but while he¡¯s trapped, let¡¯s make our escape.¡±


    The voice of Jia Changxun came from the ve trading ship, relying on the talisman given by the Sect Master of Ghost Ridge Pce, they managed to make the terrifying man, Jiang Yan Yi, withdraw.


    However, the situation remained grim as Jiang Yanyi had inflicted heavy losses on many of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s forces, and their disciples suffered heavily.


    Now, being attacked by disciples from various sects, they could no longer hold out and started to turn their ships around, fleeing at full speed.


    On the water, Xu Yihu, looking utterly miserable, escaped back and shouted, ¡°Set sail quickly, we need to leave this ce.¡±


    The sails were hoisted, and the disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce, under the threat of life and death, fought with all their might, attacking the disciples of the Righteous Sects that charged them from all sides.


    Blood, screams, severed limbs, scattered weapons¡ªbodies floated on the river¡¯s surface. Flying swords crisscrossed, magic shed, poisonous insects swirled; the entire Golden Sand River had descended into chaos, the battle reaching its most brutal and feverish stage.


    Su Jie maneuvered the White Bone Sky ying Sword, and with every sword¡¯s hum, a life was lost beneath its edge.@@novelbin@@


    There were not many disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce still fighting on the deck, and aside from Xu Yihu, Su Jie was the most outstanding one.


    Countless disciples of Righteous Sects wished to kill Su Jie, the roadblock, but all eventually became the dead souls under Su Jie¡¯s sword.


    Chen Yun closely followed Su Jie, holding a Ming Sheng Bat in her arms, coordinating with Su Jie inbat.


    Under the resonance of the Ming Sheng Bat¡¯s sound waves, those slightly weaker disciples suffered internal bleeding, broken meridians, and slowed movements, making it even harder to block the fatal strikes of the White Bone Sky ying Sword.


    Heads were beheaded and sent flying; the White Bone Sky ying Sword remained as pristine as ever, with blood pooling into a small stream beneath Su Jie¡¯s feet.


    Su Jie stepped up to the ship¡¯s side, his White Bone Sky ying Sword shed swiftly, cutting off all the oars on both sides of the pursuing twin-sail speedboat and tearing the sails apart.


    Quickly, the speed of the twin-sail speedboat decreased sharply, and it could no longer keep up with the chase.


    ¡°Well done.¡±


    Xu Yihuughed heartily, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood with thisughter.


    His injuries were very severe, inflicted by that Guan Chao Pavilion inner disciple.


    ¡°Ruining my ns.¡±


    The Guan Chao Pavilion disciple looked over coldly, stepping on the water, ready to make a move on Su Jie.


    Su Jie¡¯s fingers moved, and the White Bone Sky ying Sword turned into a silvery-white bolt of lightning. Its sword qi was sharp, causing the inner disciple of Guan Chao Pavilion to be wary and stop in his tracks.


    ¡°Get lost back to where you came from.¡±


    Xu Yihu¡¯s cheeks bulged, and a mouthful of thick molten rock sprayed out, coordinating with the White Bone Sky ying Sword, igniting half the body of the follower, forcing him to dive into the river to escape, frantically looking for water to put out the fire.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword made several thrusts in the water, and the murky river no longer offered any visibility to pinpoint its position.


    However, having driven him off, their main goal had been achieved. Now it was important to flee. Who knew when the Hidden Realm Elder would break free.

 Chapter 91 - 7: Soul Summoning Banner (2nd Update)

    Chapter 91: Chapter 7: Soul Summoning Banner (2nd Update)


    Su Jie picked up the four Cultivation Techniques written by Ning Xinyue, and using the light from the campfire, he read the text on them.


    ¡°Seven Star Steps¡±


    ¡°White Crane Zen Dao¡±


    ¡°Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint¡±


    ¡°Soul Summoning Banner Secret Manual¡±


    There were four Cultivation Techniques in total, and Su Jie studied them in detail.


    The Seven Star Steps must have been the strange stepping pattern Ning Xinyue used to escape just now.


    After cultivating it, one could step on the Heavenly Gang Seven Stars, activating corresponding major acupoints in the body, and at a minimum, double one¡¯s speed. Those proficient in this method could increase their speed even more.


    The White Crane Zen Dao, on the other hand, was a Magic Skill for absorbing Spiritual Energy.<div>


    Just from reading the text, Su Jie could feel theplexity of this Cultivation Technique, and its efficiency in cultivation was much higher than that of the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture, suitable for daily cultivation to enhance one¡¯s absorption of Spiritual Energy.


    The Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint was purely an offensive Magic Skill, and its principle wasn¡¯t tooplicated, it was just that Su Jie didn¡¯t really like the name.


    After repeatedly observing this Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint, Su Jie tried to use it.


    The next moment, Su Jie¡¯s right palm struck out.


    A handprint formed from condensed Spiritual Power suddenly took shape, measuring a full ten feet in size, smashing a few towering ancient trees before dissipating into the air.


    ¡°Lacking the application of the Five Elements, this is merely a handprint constructed from pure Spiritual Power, and its power is much less.¡±


    Ning Xinyue flipped a beautiful eye-roll and ridiculed Su Jie¡¯s poor aptitude.


    Su Jie didn¡¯t retaliate. The simplicity of the Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint was rtive, and it wasn¡¯t possible to master it in one go. Su Jie wasn¡¯t discouraged.


    Finally, Su Jie picked up the Cultivation Technique that documented the Soul Summoning Banner Manual.


    Upon studying it, Su Jie realized that this wasn¡¯t a Cultivation Technique, but rather a Refining Device Scripture describing how to craft the Soul Summoning Banner Magic Artifact.


    ¡°Start with the heavy, then move to the soul cloth, and diverge to the Soul Banner¡­¡±


    The Artifact Refining Technique for the Soul Banner turned out to be simpler than expected, and he also had the necessary crafting materials in his Storage Bag.


    ording to this Soul Summoning Banner Manual, the Soul Summoning Banner could absorb living souls and gradually nurture them into Yin Souls.


    The Soul Summoning Banner Magic Artifact had no specific grade; it entirely depended on the quantity of Yin Souls it contained. With the current limit imposed by his own Spiritual Power, the more Yin Souls it contained, the stronger the power of the Soul Summoning Banner would be.


    ¡°Hey, where did you get this Soul Summoning Banner Manual? This doesn¡¯t seem like a Cultivation Technique you should be learning,¡± Su Jie said as he turned his gaze towards Ning Xinyue, wondering where this young girl had learned it from, since the Soul Summoning Banner was clearly something only Demon Cultivators would use.


    Ning Xinyue wiped her oily little mouth, saying, ¡°I got it in Jingzhou from a Demon Cultivation Sect known as the Heavenly Soul Sect. You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but their sect had a Soul Summoning Banner for nearly every member, and they liked to ughter themon people to nourish ghosts and y with souls. Because they were so cruel and unprincipled, they were jointly attacked by the Righteous sects of Jingzhou, and they should have been broken down by now.¡±


    ¡°You exchanged for it? Just a young girl like you daring to deal with Demon Cultivators, shouldn¡¯t you have been captured by the Heavenly Soul Sect for Soul Extraction?¡±


    Su Jie was quite skeptical, thinking that it was already lucky Ning Xinyue hadn¡¯t been captured, let alone managing a deal with the Demon Cultivators.


    At his words, Ning Xinyue puffed her cheeks, angrily said, ¡°My sister was there at the time, they didn¡¯t dare to touch me.¡±


    ¡°You have a sister too!¡±


    ¡°Of course, my sister is very powerful, she could crush you with a single finger. If you know what¡¯s good for you, let me leave immediately.¡±


    Ning Xinyue threatened, her confidence overflowing when she mentioned her sister.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough; just eat your food for now,¡± he said.


    Su Jie ignored Ning Xinyue and began to take out various materials for making the Soul Summoning Banner from the Storage Bag.


    Divine Gold Liquid, Dragon Bone Pine Bamboo, Silver Silk Grass, Empty Spirit Illusion Jade Powder¡­


    Su Jie took out the materials one by one and processed them in sequence through grinding, weaving, applying, and other steps.


    Since the Soul Summoning Banner is an item that every disciple of the Demon Cultivation Sect possesses, it indicates that its production is rtively simple, and the cost is not that high; otherwise, a Demon Cultivation Sect wouldn¡¯t have the resources or the number of Artifact Refiners necessary.


    Su Jie had never studied Artifact Refining, yet the process of making the Soul Summoning Banner was overly simplified; any cultivator could easily grasp it.


    More than an hourter, after failing twice, Su Jie sessfully made the rudimentary Soul Summoning Banner on his third attempt, which was worth a dozen Blood Marrow Crystals.


    A small white banner appeared in Su Jie¡¯s hand, and its body was nk as paper, looking utterly ordinary without any trace of the quality a Magic Artifact should have.


    Su Jie bit his fingertip and drew on the Soul Summoning Banner with his blood, sketching the image of a Yin Soul.


    It was a blurry humanoid silhouette; since it was drawn with blood, it also established that the Yin Soul inside the Soul Summoning Banner would obey Su Jie¡¯smands.


    ¡°Is this really a Magic Artifact?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Chen Yun curiously watched Su Jie¡¯s actions.


    The Magic Artifacts she had seen before, even the low-grade basic ones, would radiate a Spirit Charm, clearly distinguishing them from ordinary objects.


    Ning Xinyue, having finished eating and drinking, replied, ¡°There is no Yin Soul in the Soul Summoning Banner yet, so of course, it¡¯s different! I¡¯ve seen other people¡¯s Soul Summoning Banners; with a single wave, souls shriek and thousands of ghosts emerge, a terrifying sight indeed.¡±


    Su Jie sat down cross-legged, nted the Soul Summoning Banner into the ground, and then began to chant the Soul Summoning Spell.


    As the spell took effect, a cold breeze slowly swept through, and several invisible light points floated in from the air within a few hundred meters radius.


    These were souls, also known as spirits, which could only be seen with Spiritual Energy enhancement; but not visible to the ordinary eye.


    Su Jie stepped back and watched as these light points entered the Soul Summoning Banner.


    The Yin Soul image that Su Jie had drawn with his blood on the Soul Summoning Banner gained a light ckyer on its face, as if stained with ink, so small and slight that it was almost imperceptible.


    ¡°Where did these soulse from?¡±


    Su Jie himself was surprised; he had only been trying it out, yet he indeed summoned some souls.


    Chen Yun suddenly stood up and ran towards the direction from which a light point hade, soon returning with a struggling fox in her left hand and a rabbit in her right.


    ¡°When I got there, the fox had just caught the rabbit and had killed it.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying one of those souls was the rabbit¡¯s?¡±


    Su Jie became interested, having initially thought that only humans could provide souls; he hadn¡¯t expected animals could as well.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not just humans who have souls; animals have them too!¡±


    Ning Xinyue also curiously watched and thenmented.


    To verify Ning Xinyue¡¯s statement, Su Jie captured various animals and insects and experimented with them.


    Indeed, the souls that the Soul Summoning Banner could absorb happened to be from some animals.


    Some small reptiles and insects, however, their souls could not be absorbed by the Soul Summoning Banner.


    It wasn¡¯t that these insectscked souls, but their souls were too small and weak to be detected by the Soul Summoning Banner and quickly vanished into the environment.


    This is akin to fishing; the Soul Summoning Banner acts like a filtering souls in the air, capable of catching certain fish and shrimp but unable to capture the microorganisms in the water. In this sense, the souls of these small insects are like microorganisms, elusive to the Soul Summoning Banner.

 Chapter 94 - 10: Clearing Pests (50,000 words, please subscribe)

    Chapter 94: Chapter 10: Clearing Pests (50,000 words, please subscribe)


    ¡°Mayor Ma, I heard that Jieke Company is nning to construct a new road from Mande City to Qingguo City. Can you pull some strings at Jieke Company? Mypany wants to take on the construction.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Seeing Mayor Ma ept the gift, a smile spread across Pasha¡¯s face, and he found the right moment to make his request.


    ¡°After all, Jieke Company is just apany; it¡¯s our government that controls thend. You did the right thinging to me for this matter.¡±


    With a feigned casual tone, Mayor Ma exined that he was in charge of thend nning bureau and was acquainted with some people inside Jieke. As long as the bribes were in ce, there was a good chance it could work out. He was just worried Liu Yingying would block it, as Pasha¡¯s newly established constructionpany had no credentials whatsoever. Calling the roads they built substandard would be an overstatement.


    ¡°With Mayor Ma in Mande City, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be done.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pa, you¡¯ve just returned from abroad and might not know, but our Mayor Ma in Mande City, he¡¯s absolutely omnipotent.¡±


    A group of businessmen echoed in agreement, expressing their respect for Mayor Ma.


    In the midst of thisughter and chatter, several ring beams of light suddenly shot through the ss windows, dazzling many of the guests.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s messing around with the searchlights?¡±<div>


    Mayor Ma was a bit annoyed, then saw his own driver, along with a group of security guards, tumble and scramble into the room.


    ¡°What happened? Why are you all running?¡±


    Mayor Ma¡¯s face darkened. He felt it was inauspicious for this pleasant banquet party to be thrown into such chaos.


    ¡°Ma¡­ Mayor, a lot of military vehicles have arrived outside¡­ it¡¯s Jieke Security.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s driver was panic-stricken. As soon as these words came out, the entire vi fell silent.


    Mayor Ma shuddered, a hint of fear in his eyes, and hurriedly rushed to the vi¡¯s window to look down.


    The roar of engines filled the air as an armored vehicle led a convoy of military vehicles painted in camouge. Soldiers, branded with the words ¡®Jieke Security,¡¯ wearing bulletproof vests and helmets, and armed with guns, jumped down and quickly surrounded the vi.


    ¡°Jieke Security conducting an operation to arrest criminals. Everyone, put your hands on your head and squat down. Do it now!¡±


    A fierce group of Jieke Security personnel kicked open the doors of the vi, their gleaming gun barrels pointed at everyone.


    ¡°What are you trying to do, what are you trying to do? I am Mande City¡¯s Deputy Mayor Ma Manarin; you¡¯re barging into a private residence without any propriety.¡±


    Mayor Ma tried to maintain his dignity, attempting to use his official position to intimidate them.


    With a list in his hand, Miao Lun looked at the photos, then up at Mayor Ma, and sneered, ¡°Mayor Ma Manarin, right? You¡¯re the number one target. Take him down.¡±


    Two Jieke Security operatives, fierce as wolves, charged forward and pinned Mayor Ma to the ground.


    ¡°On what grounds are you arresting me? What evidence do you have to arrest me? I am the Deputy Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, do you understand? I¡¯ll file aint against you to Jieke Company.¡±


    Mayor Ma¡¯s face turned red with anger, and he spat out a frenzied protest at Miao Lun, attempting to resist arrest.


    ¡°We¡¯re not the police; we don¡¯t need evidence to arrest someone, just a list. Unfortunately for you, your name is right on it.¡±


    Miao Lun struck Mayor Ma in the stomach with the butt of his gun, instantly silencing his defiance.


    ¡°Proceed with the arrests ording to the list. Those who resist, are authorized to be shot on sight.¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s icy gaze swept over the others present, his sharp look making them feel the threat at their backs. One by one, they crouched down with their heads in their hands, like quails, watching as officials and businessmen were dragged away. They just prayed that they wouldn¡¯t be next, and no one dared say another word.


    Soon, a dozen officials and businessmen had been dragged out of the vi.


    Outside the vi, Su Jie leaned against an armored vehicle, as An Sangshen, the Mayor of Mande City, shamefacedly lowered his head, looking like a schoolboy who had done something wrong.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I failed to manage things well and let you down,¡± An Sangshen said hoarsely. He had always been cautious since being promoted to mayor by Su Jie, but he couldn¡¯t withstand the corruption flourishing among his subordinates.


    Hisck of authority as the newly appointed mayor meant that the corruption below him grew even more rampant.


    ¡°You definitely made a mistake, in not being decisive enough. If you had taken action sooner, I wouldn¡¯t have had to deploy Jieke Security.¡±


    Su Jie watched as one official after another was arrested, and he spoke without any courtesy.


    ¡°Mr. Su, you¡¯re right, perhaps I¡¯m not suited to sit in high positions,¡±


    With a bitter face, An Sangshen admitted his shorings. Although he was just a puppet, the police did listen to him, but hecked the decisiveness to cut off the rot clinging to the great tree of Mande City.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you didn¡¯t collude with them this time, do you think you would still be standing here talking to me?¡±


    Su Jie nced over, scaring An Sangshen into breaking out in a cold sweat on the spot.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance. You know what to do if something like this happens again, don¡¯t you? I won¡¯t need to teach you again.¡±


    Su Jie withdrew his gaze, ultimately deciding not to strip An Sangshen of his official title.


    From among the short, he was a tall man, and thoughcking in decisive decision-making, as a puppet, he was stillpetent. Su Jie couldn¡¯t find a better recement.


    An Sangshen breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    He had felt his soul almost leap out in fright, thinking that in a moment of anger, Su Jie would have him taken down as well.


    ¡°Sir, all the targets have been apprehended.¡±


    Miao Lun stood before Su Jie with a salute, behind him a line of officials and businessmen being dragged in.


    ¡°Hmm, thank you for your efforts.¡±


    Su Jie patted Miao Lun on the shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all to serve you, sir,¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s face showed a simple smile, his family¡¯s circumstances had changed dramatically thanks to Su Jie. Gone were the days of not knowing if they would make it to tomorrow. Compared to their currentfortable life, with his mother recovering from a serious illness, his sister able to study and learn culture, and meat in every meal at home.


    These dramatic improvements in life made him feel that evenying down his life for the man before him would be worth it.


    While some of the arrested businessmen did not recognize Su Jie ¡ª more familiar with Liu Yingying, the beautiful CEO of Jieke Company ¡ª


    it was different for the official Manarin. At the sight of Su Jie, his legs turned to jelly.


    He had personally experienced the previous regime change, well aware of Su Jie¡¯s iron-fisted methods.


    This man single-handedly instigated the people of the Mande Region to eradicate the Mande United Army and executed Lu Wenbo; afterwards, he conducted a major purge of Mande City¡¯s officials ¡ª Manarin himself had ascended to high rank riding on the coattails of that purge.


    In the Mande Region, neither An Sangshen nor Liu Yingying had a word that was worth more than this man¡¯s.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ll give back all the money I embezzled, everyst bit to you, just spare me this once,¡±


    Manarin, no longer caring for the mayor¡¯s decorum, pleaded in terror.


    ¡°Just because you tampered with my possessions, do you think a simple apology will turn the page? You¡¯re thinking too highly of yourself,¡±


    Su Jie, not bothering with further words, gestured for Jieke Security to load everyone onto the military trucks.


    ¡°Mayor An, Mayor An, please beg for mercy on my behalf!¡±


    Manarin frantically turned to An Sangshen, like a drowning man desperately clutching at anything within reach.


    ¡°Had you known this would happen, why did you do it in the first ce,¡±


    An Sangshen sighed, turned his head away, and no longer looked at his former colleague.


    One after another, the officials and businessmen were loaded onto military trucks. Such scenes were not only happening here; Jieke Security was in action all over Mande City.


    Officials, businessmen, senior executives within Jieke Company, and anyone else on the list was subject to house arrest by Jieke Security.


    Tonight, many people were destined to have a sleepless night.

 Chapter 96 - 12: Livestock Farm (2nd Update)

    Chapter 96: Chapter 12: Livestock Farm (2nd Update)


    He shook his head and had the Yin Soul continue attacking.


    As the attack went on, one of the Yin Souls weakened, its soul body bing ashen and insubstantial like smoke¡ªseemingly about to disperse into nothingness. It had been scorched by Su Jie¡¯s soul.


    ¡°Hmm, the quantity is too few,¡± he muttered. ¡°If there were dozens or hundreds more, perhaps they could truly disy their power.¡±


    Making his judgment, as a Cultivator, Su Jie¡¯s soul was unlike that of ordinary people¡ªit was as impervious as fortified gold, certainly not something a Yin Soul or two could tear apart.


    Yin Souls could be lethal to ordinary people, but achieving that effect on a Cultivator was not so simple, and one or two Yin Souls were not very effective.


    ¡°Human resources are limited, and the range of the Soul Summoning Banner is also limited. Even if ced in a hospital, the number of souls harvested each day wouldn¡¯t be substantial unless I decided to be a thug and kill people to generate souls.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze flickered. Although he was the only Cultivator on Blue Star, he had his own moral boundaries.


    And if he recklessly killed people to extract souls, he risked exposing himself to various governments.


    It¡¯s often said, ¡°If you often walk by the river, you are bound to get your shoes wet.¡±<div>


    With Su Jie¡¯s current strength, if he were to be discovered, facing modern weaponry, he would definitely be no match.


    ¡°Fortunately, killing to extract souls is not part of my n. There are plenty of other ways to cultivate Yin Souls,¡± he reflected.


    After storing the Soul Summoning Banner in the Storage Bag and acquiring valuable experimental data, Su Jie felt even more confident about his ns.


    He stood up, shot each corpse in the forehead to make sure they were dead, and then called Jieke Security to take care of the bodies. He was ready to proceed with the next experiment.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Two dayster.


    In the suburbs of Mande City, Su Jie stepped out of the car and looked at the farm before him, his lips twitching slightly.


    ¡°Why not buy arger farm? There¡¯s still so much cash in the ount,¡± he said.


    His tone somewhat helpless, the scale of the farm from the outside did not meet his needs.


    ¡°This farm outputs 1,500 pigs, 800 sheep, and over 300 cows annually. This is already thergest farm locally. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to buy a bigger one; we just can¡¯t spend all our money!¡± Liu Yingying exined, feeling aggrieved. After all, the Mande Region was still quite undeveloped. Although average ies had significantly increased after Jieke Company¡¯s arrival, they could notpare with those in developed countries, hence the low consumption of meat.


    ¡°It¡¯s a city with a poption of several hundred thousand, right? Is this little farming enough to feed them?¡± Su Jie asked, not knowing where to begin his criticism. This level of farming was barely on par with the township-level farms in Hua Country, and its annual output was just enough for arger town at most.


    ¡°Eating meat in every meal would definitely not be possible,¡± Liu Yingying added fearfully.


    Worried Su Jie wouldn¡¯t understand, Yingying even pulled out a stack of documents to exin.


    ¡°In Mande, as in the entirety of Chan Country, the livestock industry is very underdeveloped. Large-scale farming enterprises are rare, with most farming based around individual families, many of which raise a few livestock or poultry.


    ording to data officially released by Chan Country, there are currently about 1.2 million water buffalo, 1.6 million sheep, and 4.2 million pigs within the country. Compared to Chan Country¡¯s tens of millions of people, meat consumption is very limited.


    To give aparison, considering pigs¡ªwhich are raised the most¡ªHua Country consumes 900 million pigs a year, with an average person eating almost half a pig a year.


    In Chan Country, ten people together consume less than one pig per year,¡± Yingying exined,ying out the data.


    Presenting the statistics and documents, Su Jie looked over the surveys about Chan Country, and eventually had to acknowledge the facts.


    Limited by factors such as poption, demand, and price, it was extremely difficult to developrge-scale livestock farming in Chan Country.


    ¡°Alright, if it¡¯s smaller then it¡¯s smaller¡ªlet¡¯s just make do for now.¡±


    Su Jie knew this was a tough ask and instructed, ¡°Look for other farms, don¡¯t limit yourself to within Chan Country. Our domestic and international farms, especially those bigpanies specializing in livestock, we can negotiate with them too.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll have thepany start with the research first.¡±


    Liu Yingying agreed and then apanied Su Jie into the farm.


    There was a distinct smell on the farm, causing Liu Yingying to cover her nose and put on a mask.@@novelbin@@


    The manager had been waiting for a long time and hurriedly greeted them as they got out of the car.


    ¡°Mr. Liu, please follow me, the smell inside might be a bit strong.¡±


    The manager¡¯s face bore a ttering smile. Having received the acquisition proposal the day before, he couldn¡¯t resist the lure of Jieke Company¡¯s substantial offer for more than a few minutes.


    ¡°Lead the way, let¡¯s have a good look around the farm.¡±


    Su Jie gestured with his hand, and the manager bowed to invite them in.


    The farm was simr to what Su Jie had seen outside. Although it was thergest in the Mande Region, it was particrly crude on the inside.


    As for the environment and sanitation, let alone mentioning those. In Hua Country, it would be the kind where they would be fined heavily.


    ¡°Our country¡¯s livestock industry isn¡¯t doing well, especially ourrge-scale farming. We need to buy processed feed, unlike family farms that can use a bit of pig grass, leftover food to sustain themselves. If swine fever hits, losing many at once, the government doesn¡¯t provide subsidies. Before Jieke Company came along, the Mande United Army was still charging us all sorts of taxes¡­¡±


    While introducing the farm, the manager alsoined about past operational difficulties.


    As they walked and talked, they visited pigs, sheep, cattle, chicken cages and so on, with the manager quite proud that his was thergest farm in the Mande Region.


    However, in Su Jie¡¯s view, what the manager calledrge-scale farming was nothing more than township level, nowhere near therge-scalepanies he knew of that processed millions of animals annually.


    ¡°This here is our ughterhouse. The livestock that are led out daily are ughtered here, then transported by van to town to be sold to vendors.¡±


    As they walked, Su Jie and his group arrived at the ughterhouse.


    Several plump pigs were led into the ughter room. The butcher, sharpening his knife briskly, deftly inserted the ughtering knife into the vital parts of the plump pigs.


    Apanied by resounding squeals of pigs, as they struggled desperately, the butcher, with some assistants pressing down, efficientlypleted the ughter.


    The manager cheerfully described the process, while Liu Yingying disliked such scenes.


    Only Su Jie could see that a soul light point flew towards him, entering the Soul Summoning Banner in his embrace.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been back to thepany for a long time. Now that we have our farm, let¡¯s celebrate today. Manager, please have someone butcher the pigs and sheep, distribute some meat to the employees of Jieke Company.¡±


    Su Jie casually mentioned this to the manager while watching.


    ¡°Ah, right, right. I¡¯ll have the butcher get to it immediately.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the manager thought internally of the extravagant spending but dared not dy, quickly instructing the butcher to catch sheep and kill pigs.


    ¡°Yingying, go let the staff know to collect the meat soon. You don¡¯t need to stay here,¡±


    Noticing that Liu Yingying did not enjoy the bloody scene, Su Jie asked her to leave first, while he eagerly continued his visit, watching the ughtering and conducting his own Soul Banner experiment.

 Chapter 99 - 15: Dong Hongtian (50,000 words, please subscribe)

    Chapter 99: Chapter 15: Dong Hongtian (50,000 words, please subscribe)


    When all the Spiritual Power within the bodypressed from gas to liquid, it ultimately triggered a qualitative change.


    The Sixth Level of Yunling Realm was achieved.@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie slowly opened his eyes, and in a sh, the Spiritual Energy Divine Light shed through his eyes and shot meters into the void.


    Feeling the booming Life Force inside him, which was seven to eight times stronger than before, advancing from the Fifth to the Sixth Level of the Yunling Realm was the cultivator¡¯s first qualitative change.


    The next qualitative change would have to wait until the Ten Levels of Yunling Realm, when advancing to the Secret Realm.


    Reaching the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm also meant that Su Jie¡¯s cultivation had reached the entry standard for an inner disciple of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°Taking off now,¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s lips curved into a smile. He wasn¡¯t just saying it¡ªhis body actually took flight, quietly floating in the air.


    Flying without the aid of any external items is generally something only the Secret Realm Elders could achieve, but through sharing the abilities of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, Su Jie had also mastered flying.<div>


    However, Su Jie¡¯s flight should be called hovering or gliding¡ªhe could freely hover off the ground and also glide swiftly from high ces, controlling his posture in the air.


    It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t fly, but his flying speed was only a pitiful ten meters per second, whichpared to the soaring of the Thousand-Handed Centipede was virtually crawling.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s a flying ability,¡±


    Su Jieforted himself. Against enemies who couldn¡¯t fly, even though it was slow, he could still leave them staring.


    He was satisfied with the gains from this breakthrough.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede had advanced to Mid Grade Four Refinements, and he had sessfully broken through to the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm.


    Although his cultivation was just the entry standard for an inner disciple, in a real fight, there probably weren¡¯t many inner disciples at Ghost Ridge Pce who could defeat Su Jie.


    He got up, packed up the White Bone Tree, and walked back toward Zhenning City.


    ¡­


    ¡°Boss, bring on the good wine and dishes,¡±


    Inside an inn in Zhenning City.


    Having just broken through, Su Jie was somewhat hungry and it was a good time to eat something here.


    ¡°Right away, young master, please wait a moment,¡±


    The waiter hurriedly wiped clean the table and chairs, smiling as he went to the kitchen to pass the order.


    Because Su Jie had worn some makeup, and the wanted poster was not very urate, he was not afraid of being recognized.


    Soon, dishes and drinks were served.


    Su Jie sat by the window on the second floor, pouring and drinking by himself, when suddenly he heard several noisy shoutsing from the street.


    ¡°Catch him, don¡¯t let him escape,¡±


    A few beggars scrambled out from a street corner followed by a group of constables chasing to capture them.


    ¡°The beggars are being driven away¡­ Hmm, that¡¯s not right,¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, not noticing in his earlier rush, and now he realized that the migrants who had stopped in the city had vanished without a trace.


    Several days ago, there were arge number of refugees in the city.


    ¡°Waiter,e here.¡±


    Su Jie waved to call the waiter over, threw a few copper coins, and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been away for a few days. Why are there so few refugees in the city now? Could it be that some wealthy family has opened their granary to distribute food and porridge, and the refugees have all rushed over there?¡±


    The waiter¡¯s eyes lit up as he quickly collected the copper coins and replied, ¡°It¡¯s not as you think, young master. These days, who would distribute porridge? The rich families would rather hoard all the grain and wait for the prices to rise before selling.


    This follows the great victory at the Golden Sand River, where multiple Righteous Sects coborated to defeat the Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s ve trading fleet. Later, investigations revealed that those human ves were refugees.


    To prevent the refugees from being sold again, these Righteous Sects came forward together, pressing the local government to gather the refugees, so they wouldn¡¯t be captured by Ghost Ridge Pce again.¡±


    ¡°The government is involved in this?¡±


    Su Jie, incredulous, considering the current administrative level of the Da Li Dynasty, those officials didn¡¯t seem the type to manage refugees at all. If they wanted to manage, they would have done so long before now.


    ¡°Several Righteous Sects, especially the Guan Chao Pavilion, intervened. Even in Qingzhou, this sect is extremely prestigious, so the government has to give them face.¡±


    Su Jie furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°How does the government manage the refugees?¡±


    The waiter looked around cautiously, lowered his voice, and said, ¡°Jingzhou has been severely affected by disasters. The government has mobilized the army to send all the captured refugees back to Jingzhou. Once the refugees are in the Jingzhou area, Qingzhou no longer has jurisdiction over them. To prevent them froming back, the Qingzhou Army has set up quarantine walls at the state border. Anyone who dares to force their way through is shot with arrows.¡±


    ¡°So despicable.¡±


    Su Jie furrowed his brow again. Such measures were akin to treating human lives like grass, and it was hard to imagine that a dynasty would do such a thing to its own people.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡±


    The waiter also sounded indignant, ¡°I heard that because of this, Jingzhou has also started mobilizing its army, standing off against Qingzhou, unwilling to receive these refugees.¡±


    ¡°Truly shameless, acting like irresponsiblendlords.¡±


    A cold snort, not from Su Jie, but from a nearby dining table, broke the silence.


    A man in a blue long robe with a sword at his waist and a beard around his jaws mmed the table and stood up, his voice booming like thunder.


    The waiter was so startled he nearly fell to the ground.


    ¡°This brother, I identally overheard your conversation, and it¡¯s truly infuriating. The current court is utterly decadent and certainly not worthy of our allegiance as chivalrous warriors of Jianghu.¡±


    The bearded man looked at Su Jie, took the initiative to sp his fists, his face still flushed with anger.


    Su Jie also stood up and sped his hands in return, saying, ¡°It appears you are also a man of great generosity. The Da Li Dynasty has umted too many vices, five hundred years of reign fallen to this day, akin to the slowly setting sun heading towards its final descent, pitiful are themon people of this realm.¡±


    ¡°It seems there are still many perceptive people! Haha, how should I address you? I am Dong Hongtian, hailing from Lanzhou, passing through this ce in my journey.¡±


    Dong Hongtian, sensing a kindred spirit in Su Jie, took a seat at Su Jie¡¯s table and said to the waiter, ¡°Bring some good wine and dishes, it¡¯s rare to meet a confidante, today I shall treat you, and we must drink to our hearts¡¯ content.¡±


    ¡°Xu Changqing, also on a journey here, quite the coincidence.¡±


    Su Jie did not reveal his true name, as he was still wanted, and if his identity as a member of Ghost Ridge Pce ever leaked, at least he wouldn¡¯t be suspected.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s Brother Xu, pleased to meet you.¡±


    Dong Hongtian, clearly a straightforward man, sat down, clinked sses with Su Jie, and boisterously said, ¡°You must have also heard about the recent battle at the Golden Sand River and came here on purpose. It¡¯s a pity I missed that major event; even if I wasn¡¯t strong enough, I would have drawn my sword to y demons and exterminate those ve-trading Demon Cultivators.¡±


    Su Jie smiled, his expression full of longing, ¡°Yes! Recently, the biggest matter in Qingzhou is this event, the battle at the Golden Sand River where the Demon Cultivators fled in disarray, truly exhrating.¡±

 Chapter 101 - 17: Mu Hua Food Company (2nd Update)

    Chapter 101: Chapter 17: Mu Hua Food Company (2nd Update)


    Su Jie pondered briefly before smiling and saying, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll apany Brother Dong on a trip to Green Valley in to strike at the Demon Path and also take the opportunity to witness the elegance of the other chivalrous warriors.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s settled then, we¡¯ll depart atte afternoon tomorrow, along with three other brave men joining us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal, I¡¯ll bring someone along from my side as well.¡±


    Su Jie and Dong Hongtian pped each other¡¯s shoulders andughed heartily, a perfect opportunity to blend into the enemy¡¯s ranks and reduce the risk of being discovered.


    Now that Su Jie¡¯s strength had advanced to the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm, he necessarily had to make a trip back to Ghost Ridge Pce.


    On one hand, since the low-grade poisonous insects at the cultivation base had been devoured by the thousand-hand centipede, Su Jie had to restock and prepare for the fifth Spirit Refining.


    Moreover, with the increase in strength, Su Jie could continue to capture more human-faced moths to cultivate, enhancing the power of his Body Worm Focusing Method.


    Lastly, Su Jie nned to officially advance to inner disciple after returning this time, earning this respected status within Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡­<div>


    <div>


    Blue Star, Mande City.


    Inside a luxurious estate covering hundreds of acres,plete with fountains, a bowling alley, a private cinema, a revolving ballroom, a gym, a swimming pool, and a wine cer.


    This was once Lu Wenbo¡¯s residence, now owned by Jieke Company.


    Apanied by the slowly subsiding gasps of a woman, in the bedroom filled with hormones, Su Jie leaned against the headboard and said with a slightugh, ¡°You¡¯re too easily exhausted, you need to work on your fitness!¡±


    Liu Yingying punched Su Jie¡¯s arm with her small fist, her cheeks still flushed, ¡°Howe you never run out of strength, you¡¯re like a monster.¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°Who would like that.¡±


    Bashfully lowering her head, Liu Yingying was too embarrassed to express herself too clearly.


    Touching the tip of Yingying¡¯s delicate nose, Su Jie didn¡¯t call her out on her little fancy, and instead asked.


    ¡°The breeding enterprises you¡¯ve been looking into, do you have any results yet?¡±


    Before heading back to Ghost Ridge Pce, Su Jie had returned to Blue Star first to finalize the details regarding the Soul Summoning Banner.


    ¡°We have a target.¡±


    When they got onto serious business, Yingying propped up her weary body, took aptop from the bedside table, and set it on her long, straight legs.


    After powering it up, she clicked through the data she had collected over thest two days.


    ¡°We have preliminarily zeroed in on apany called Mu Hua, a domestic enterprise in Hua Country founded in the 1990s, starting from a small breeder and working its way up.


    Now, it¡¯s an industrialized, integrated pork breeding enterprise that includes feed processing, pig breeding, breeder pig extension,mercial pig raising, ughtering, and processing.¡±


    Currently, Mu Hua¡¯s pig farms collectively house over three million piglets, sows, andmercial pigs, and went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange fifteen years ago, with a current market value of 89 billion.


    The current power-holder of Mu Hua is named Song Chengde, who possesses 39% of thepany¡¯s shares. The remaining shares are partly in the hands of the introduced management team, partly controlled by the Song Family, partly mortgaged at the bank, and partly circting on the market¡­¡±


    Yingying detailed the information about Mu Hua Company for Su Jie, with numerous data points listed.


    Thepany, fully named Mu Hua Food, primarily engages in pig farming, with breeding revenues ounting for over 80% of its overall ie, while the remaining revenue from food production and livestock feed constitutes less than 20%.


    ¡°Mu Hua Company has faced operational difficulties in the past two years. Last year, they reported floating losses exceeding 800 million, and in the first and second quarters of this year, the losses have already surpassed 560 million. They even struggle with breeding sows, paying employee sries, and purchasing corn and soybean meal.¡±


    To bolster cash flow, the founder Song Chengde pledged arge amount of shares through the bank, up to 90 million shares, which is 30% of thepany¡¯s stock.


    As a result, thepany¡¯s stock market value continues to decline, with severe market pessimism. This is also why I¡¯ve targeted them for acquisition.¡±


    After listening to Liu Yingying¡¯s analysis, Su Jie got out of bed and poured a cup of tea for Liu Yingying to moisten her throat. Curiously, he asked, ¡°How can a pig farming enterprise lose so much money?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Liu Yingying shook her head and said with augh, ¡°On one hand, the losses are influenced by the pig cycle. On the other hand, it¡¯srgely because Song Chengde, the founder of Mu Hua Company, divertedpany funds to develop other industries and went on to manufacture new energy vehicles.


    The cars flopped on the market due to dismal sales, and because of ack of cash flow, it led to Mu Hua Company facing significant operational hardships, struggling every step of the way.¡±


    Su Jie, who was drinking water, nearly choked and said with wide eyes, ¡°Ha, a pig farmer venturing into car manufacturing, what was he thinking?¡±


    Liu Yingying pursed her lips, trying to hold backughter, ¡°In recent years, new energy vehicles have been very popr. Intepanies, appliance makers, smartphone manufacturers, and real estate firms have all jumped into car manufacturing. Song Chengde was convinced this was a new track to bet on and invested heavily in it, but the result¡­ building cars isn¡¯t as simple as just assembling four wheels and a few sofas. Not everyone can sessfully build cars, at least he couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perhaps too much confidence.¡±


    Su Jie was speechless, thinking of a pig farmer trying to make cars sounded too far-fetched.


    ¡°Now that Mu Hua Company¡¯s car manufacturing venture has failed, the losses are incredibly severe, and they¡¯ve even started to dy employee sries. We have the opportunity to acquire them, but I wonder if thispany meets your requirements.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with this one. I¡¯m delegating authority to you, negotiate the acquisition, and aim for as much stock as possible. We want to have a say.¡±


    Su Jie nodded his head. The scale of Mu Hua Company, with a live pig inventory of three million, could create one Yin Soul from every 300 pigs¡ªit added up to ten thousand Yin Souls.


    Modern pig farming is extremely efficient; it doesn¡¯t even take half a year for a pig to grow from birth to market weight.


    Increasing production capacity is entirely possible by purchasing piglets from other businesses and breeding them ourselves.


    As long as there¡¯s money, renting space can quickly expand breeding operations like a rolling snowball, enough to satisfy the needs of the Soul Summoning Banner.


    Three million pigs, inparison to the Tianyuan World, where pig farming is mostly free-ranging.


    Furthermore, as times grow ever harder, ordinary people struggle to merely survive, let alone rear pigs. They won¡¯t understand what modern intensive efficient farming is, or how a businessman¡¯spany can send so many pigs to market.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll fly to Hua Country another day and bring in some professional business negotiation teams to help with the acquisition.¡±


    Liu Yingying immediately said, knowing thatrge-scale business acquisitions are a lengthy andplex process. Jieke Company has a strong cash flow, and with continuous returns from Tianyuan Home, it¡¯s sufficient to meet the acquisition criteria.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Su Jie stroked Liu Yingying¡¯s hair and, watching her intently jotting down notes in her notebook, felt his desire stirring, gripping a soft handful.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing.¡±


    ¡°Before you leave, I have to feed you well, you little sprite.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m already so full.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room gradually filled with the sounds of a male and female duet, as an ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread.

 Chapter 102 - 18: Bizarre (3rd Update)

    Chapter 102: Chapter 18: Bizarre (3rd Update)


    ¡°`


    Tianyuan World!


    In thete afternoon, at the gates of Zhenning City, Su Jie and Chen Yun rode their swift horses to this ce.


    From afar, they could see Dong Hongtian, along with three other men wearing short tunics and armed with swords and des, withrge frames that clearly belonged to martial artists.


    ¡°Brother Dong.¡±


    ¡°Brother Xu.¡±


    Su Jie and Dong Hongtian greeted each other with a sped fist, and Dong Hongtian introduced his three friends beside him.


    ¡°These are friends who will join us on our journey to Green Valley in, Jade-faced Dragon Cui Bingyuan, White Tiger Iron w Xiao Chang, Butterfly Sword Gan Huren; all of them are first-ss fighters.¡±


    All these people had impressive titles, which sounded quite appealing.<div>


    <div>


    Su Jie looked over and greeted with a bow, ¡°I have seen all the brothers here.¡±


    ¡°Brother Xu is too courteous, we¡¯re all friends going to remove demons at Green Valley in, no need for such formalities.¡±


    After exchanging greetings and introducing Chen Yun briefly as his friend, the party of six horses left Zhenning City and proceeded along the official road.


    Chen Yun rode up next to Su Jie and whispered, ¡°Su Jie, these people seem rather average in strength!¡±


    From Chen Yun¡¯s perspective, aside from Dong Hongtian, who seemed somewhat capable, the other three didn¡¯t appear very strong, making her wonder if they even had the cultivation of the first level of the Yunling Realm.


    A resounding nickname doesn¡¯t guarantee fighting skill, and who knows if it¡¯s just self-proimed.


    Chen Yun couldn¡¯tprehend why people of such calibre would dare to set up a blockade at the mountain gate of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°If our strength were strong, we¡¯d be worried about exposing ourselves.¡±


    Su Jie smiled, as joining Dong Hongtian was merely a ruse to sneak into Ghost Ridge Pce; he didn¡¯t truly need the fighting power of others.


    Upon considering this, Chen Yun said no more.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we should hurry back to Ghost Ridge Pce, otherwise Taoist Qiu might think we¡¯ve died out here.¡±


    With a squeeze of his legs, Su Jie urged his horse to quicken its pace.


    ¡­¡­..


    Two dayster!


    The temperature dropped further, and the first snowfall dressed the earth and forests in a silver cloak.


    The howling cold wind blew, causing the dried leaves to dance through the air.


    The group of six fine horses moved along the long-neglected official road, their hooves treading on the snow and leaving behind clear prints.


    Whoa!


    Dong Hongtian reined in his horse, removed his bamboo hat, shook off the snow, and looking at the small vige ahead covered in white said while examining a map, ¡°I¡¯ve been to this vige before; Nanyang City isn¡¯t far ahead, and that¡¯s a big city. We should rest there; after running for two days, not only the people, but the horses too can¡¯t take much more.¡±


    After rushing for two days with little rest, Su Jie and the others were now less than half a day¡¯s journey from Green Valley in.


    ¡°As you say, Brother Dong, you have the experience, and I have no objections.¡±


    Su Jie shrugged, and Chen Yun followed his lead.


    The other three young heroes appeared visibly relieved; as the weakest among them, their rears were sore from the horseback ride, and they were eager for a break.


    ¡°I¡¯ve run out of water; I¡¯ll go ask for some in the vige, wait for me a moment.¡±


    Cui Bingyuan rubbed his neck and hurried off towards the vige.


    Dong Hongtian shook his head,ining, ¡°This guy doesn¡¯t even bring enough water for a long journey.¡±


    Xiao Changughed, ¡°He¡¯s not just going to ask for water; it¡¯s his old habit acting up, he needs to borrow someone¡¯s pit toilet.¡±


    Gan Huren grinned, ¡°Old Cui, he enjoys that one-time exhrating feeling, and while others trouble to recognize their beds, he troubles to recognize toilets.¡±


    Chen Yun pursed her lips, her face full of disdain.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop it; Miss Chen is here, let¡¯s refrain from such coarse talk.¡±


    Dong Hongtian interrupted the discussion between the two men. To continue would be impolite.


    Xiao Chang and Gan Huren nced at Chen Yun. Due to the terrifying centipede-like stitched scar on her face, which made her look fierce and ferocious, they subconsciously didn¡¯t regard her as a woman.


    Su Jie was idly chatting with Dong Hongtian. After a while, Su Jie frowned, ¡°Why is it taking him so long to return? Is he usually gone this long?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Xiao Chang was stunned, then scratched the back of his head and said, ¡°No, he¡¯s actually been gone longer than usual today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and bring him back.¡±


    Gan Huren volunteered, riding his horse towards the vige.


    Time passed, and now even Gan Huren¡¯s presence had faded. Su Jie and several others, including Dong Hongtian, immediately realized something was amiss.


    ¡°Something¡¯s happened.¡±


    Dong Hongtian¡¯s expression was grave as he drew the long sword from his waist, gazing towards the small vige.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look and be careful.¡±


    Mounted on his horse, Su Jie took the lead towards the small vige.


    Upon drawing closer, they found the entire vige deathly silent. Although it was midday, not a single soul could be seen.


    ¡°Gan Huren and Cui Bingyuan¡¯s horses.¡±


    Dong Hongtian saw two horses tied to a banyan tree at the entrance of the vige.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Without making a sound, Su Jie released a Reconnaissance Dragonfly. Following the footsteps on the ground with his gaze, he looked towards a house at the front of the vige and then back at Dong Hongtian.


    Dong Hongtian nodded, dismounted, and followed Su Jie step by step towards the house.


    The house was built with yellow mud with a stone mill at the entrance and firewood stacks and water jars on both sides.


    ¡°Brother Cui, Mr. Gan, reply immediately if you hear us.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Dong Hongtian filled his lungs with air and his voice thundered like a tidal wave, spreading throughout the entire vige.


    Silence!


    There was no echo throughout the vige, a silence that was chilling to the bone.


    Su Jie flicked a pebble from the ground to open the door to the house.


    The inside was just as quiet, but therey two familiar figures on the ground¡ªGan Huren and Cui Bingyuan.


    They were clearly still conscious but seemed as if poisoned, with their bodies extremely stiff.


    Trying to get up, their movements were like those of drunkards, their mouths open but unable to utter a sound.


    Dong Hongtian was shocked and immediately rushed into the house, where he saw a family of seven, old and young, all lying scattered on the ground, seemingly asleep, without any external injuries yet having ceased breathing and heartbeat.


    ¡°It¡¯s not poison.¡±


    Chen Yun squatted down, checked the two men¡¯s injuries, and shook her head at Su Jie.


    The disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce were experts in using poison, and could easily recognize if poisoning was the cause.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not poison¡ªthis is damage to the soul.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s voice turned cold as he looked at the corpses in the house. This familiar style of death was recognizable to him at first nce as being caused by soul destruction.


    Su Jie had conducted experiments and even possessed a Soul Summoning Banner, so he was well-versed in such matters.


    No wonder they had not smelled blood upon entering the vige; those killed by Yin Souls would not have any external injuries.


    ¡°Let me do it.¡±


    Seeing Dong Hongtian at a loss, Su Jie walked up to Gan Huren and Cui Bingyuan with a bottle of Soul Nourishing Pill in hand.


    This elixir was one of Su Jie¡¯s spoils of war; he had obtained a variety of elixirs from several inner disciples, including this one, which could nourish and calm the soul. It wasn¡¯t expensive and was typically used by disciples to elerate meditation.

 Chapter 104 - 20: City of Depression (50,000 words, please subscribe)

    Chapter 104: Chapter 20: City of Depression (50,000 words, please subscribe)


    Nanyang City.


    At sunset, Su Jie and hispanions finally arrived at Nanyang City.


    Nanyang City was arge city with a dense poption and bustlingmerce. ording to Dong Hongtian, there were bound to be many remarkable and unique individuals here who might be able to resolve the vige massacre.


    Yet, upon actually entering Nanyang City, things were a bit different from what Dong Hongtian had described.


    From the outside, Nanyang City had tall walls reaching up to six Zhang, towering and sturdy buildings, and a wide area. It indeed possessed the grandeur of a major city.<div>


    <div>


    But the city was not bustling at all. The deste streets had only sparse foot traffic, and the asional pedestrians hurried along without stopping.


    The street-side shops were mostly closed, and many usually crowded ces like pubs, gambling dens, and brothels were eerily deserted.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? It wasn¡¯t like this when I was herest time!¡±


    Dong Hongtian was baffled, even wondering if he had mistaken the city.


    ¡°Could it be an epidemic? It might exin why everyone is afraid toe out on the streets. Have you seen that? Many houses have white mourning banners hanging in front of them, and some passersby are also dressed in in garments.¡±


    Gan Huren spoke, and his theory seemed quite usible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    Cui Bingyuan and Xiao Chang were a bit panicked. Epidemics didn¡¯t discriminate, and regardless of whether one was a martial artist, contagion was contagion. Their cultivation levels were also not very high as far as resistance to epidemics was concerned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just ask and find out.¡±<div>


    <div>


    Dong Hongtian saw a passerby and, without waiting for him to leave, rushed over and said, ¡°Excuse me, sir, we¡¯vee from outside and are passing through Nanyang City. Why is this city so deste? Could there be an epidemic here?¡±


    The intercepted passerby, a schr, looked up at Dong Hongtian and said, ¡°You still dare to enter the city? Here¡ªhere¡­ Anyway, I advise you to leave quickly and not stay in the city.¡±


    The schr seemed to have some unspeakable difficulty. He hesitated as he spoke, merely urging Su Jie and the others to leave Nanyang City.


    After talking, possibly wary of something, the schr looked around, then hurriedly dodged past Dong Hongtian and ran off.


    ¡°I hate it when people don¡¯t finish their sentences.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Xiao Chang was visibly annoyed. Was there anything that couldn¡¯t be said outright?


    ¡°I have a bad feeling.¡±


    A chill wind swept through, and Gan Huren shrank his neck. Perhaps due to the past experiences with Yin Souls, he felt a shadow over this somewhat deste and quiet city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the government office first, then find an inn to rest.¡±


    Dong Hongtian checked the sky, worried they wouldn¡¯t make it in time, and hurriedly set in motion.


    ¡°Stay alert.¡±


    Su Jie discreetly released the Reconnaissance Dragonflies and alerted Chen Yun.


    Dozens of Reconnaissance Dragonflies buzzed around, observing the tightly shut doors of every household in the city.


    The dragonflies flew through the cracks of doors and windows, and inside most of the houses, people were present, but many households had constructed mourning halls, clearly having had deaths in the family.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Su Jie also noticed that each household had a red stone hanging.


    These red stones appeared quite vibrant overall, with the red hue spreading over the surface of the stones, hung by people at their doors, rooms, and windows.


    Without much time to ponder, Su Jie and hispanions arrived at the government office area of Nanyang City.


    However, contrary to expectations, although the government office was notpletely closed off, there was no sign of any work being conducted. Instead, a group of officials in scarlet robes were devoutly kneeling on the ground, paying their respects to a statue of a deity with utmost reverence.


    The statue depicted a kindly old man with a benevolent and gentle appearance.


    Beside the statue, several men dressed in ck ceremonial robes embroidered with auspicious beasts of the four directions could be seen sitting cross-legged on the ground, chantingplicated and esoteric phrases.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    Wild Sword Dong Hongtian was taken aback but, remembering the incident in the vige, he steeled himself and stepped forward.


    ¡°Esteemed officials, I am Wild Sword Dong Hongtian. I have urgent matters to report. Today, as we passed through Tianjia Vige, we found that over three hundred vigers had died mysteriously, their bodies¡­¡±


    ¡°This matter isn¡¯t my responsibility, go find someone else.¡±


    An official interrupted Dong Hongtian¡¯s report, his expression full of impatience.


    ¡°May I ask where the local head of the Heavenly Patrol Department is?¡±


    Dong Hongtian paused. Unlike constables, the Heavenly Patrol Department, established by the Da Li Dynasty specifically for dealing with demons, cultivators, and demon cultivators, was crucial because ordinary constables surely perished trying to arrest cultivating criminals.


    For this reason, the Da Li Dynasty had set up the Heavenly Patrol Department, recruiting cultivators to handle incidents involving demons within the kingdom and crimesmitted by cultivators.


    In the past, the Heavenly Patrol Department had its glorious days, not only capturing demons outside but also arresting corrupt officials within. They even stormed into cultivating sects to apprehend individuals, holding a position akin to the Jinyiwei in the history of Hua Country.


    However, as the Da Li Dynasty decayed, the Heavenly Patrol Department underwent several weakening reforms and had significantly lost its power, with many top experts fleeing and itsbat ability severely depleted.


    Typically, most major cities would have a branch of the Heavenly Patrol Department stationed there.


    Thus, it was natural for Nanyang City of its size to have one, which led Dong Hongtian to his question.


    ¡°The Heavenly Patrol Department? Who knows where Lao Wu has gone? I can¡¯t find him; you¡¯ll have to search on your own.¡±


    ¡°Could I please¡­¡±


    ¡°No, can¡¯t you see I am worshiping the Miao Mo Venerate? Leave quickly and do not disturb me here.¡±


    The official red furiously at Dong Hongtian, extremely displeased with him for talking too much and interrupting.


    Dong Hongtian¡¯s forehead pulsed with veins as he choked out, ¡°That is the lives of hundreds of people. Are you truly indifferent?¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with me? Just a bunch of impoverished peasants; if they¡¯re dead, they¡¯re dead.¡±


    The official lifted his head disdainfully and scoffed, ¡°You rangers always like to meddle in affairs that aren¡¯t your concern. Our Da Li Dynasty has its ownws and national conditions. Meddle any further, and believe me, I will arrest you.¡±


    Dong Hongtian was embarrassed and even more furious, unable to restrain himself from cursing, ¡°You corrupt official! You dare to act so wantonly as the local parent official. Are you worthy of the ck gauze cap on your head, worthy of the clothes you wear?¡±


    ¡°Guards, guards! Seize this insolent man who dares to insult me. I shall punish him severely.¡±


    The official, not expecting Dong Hongtian to be so bold as to actually insult him, was momentarily furious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    Gan Huren and others turned pale and hurriedly dragged Dong Hongtian away.


    This offense against an official could be seen as either significant or trivial. Ranger knights, typically nomadic and fearless, still needed to behave in the city.


    The group of officials, including the one cursing, continued to kneel and pray on the ground, not taking it upon themselves to genuinely pursue the matter any further, instead turning back to continue worshiping the deity, as if Dong Hongtian was not worth the effort.


    Su Jie turned back to look and noticed among the men in ceremonial robes beside the statue, one of them followed them with his gaze, seemingly observing something attentively.


    Then the man turned his head briefly, his gaze slightly shifting toward the direction of the Reconnaissance Dragonfly, which sent a chill through Su Jie¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 106 - 22: Ghost City (Second Update)

    Chapter 106: Chapter 22: Ghost City (Second Update)


    ck ck!


    Xiao Chang had not died. He sped his throat tightly with both hands, eyes bulging to the point of nearly bursting out of their sockets.


    This action did not stop the violent retching; various items like fingernails, hair, dead fish, and rotten shrimp gushed out of his mouth, quickly gathering and forming a puddle on the ground.


    Dong Hongtian clenched his teeth, struggling to endure the nausea and fear, wanting to help Xiao Chang.


    Su Jie promptly pulled him back, shaking his head at him.<div>


    <div>


    St!


    The puddle beneath Xiao Chang seemed bottomless. His body iled as he gradually sank down until the waterpletely submerged him, and the surface became calm again, leaving only a clump of hair and fish and shrimp floating on the floor.


    On the street, the woman in white had vanished without a trace.


    If not for the missing Xiao Chang and the clump of hair and rotten fish and shrimp on the ground, it would seem as if everything that had just urred was only a dream.


    ¡°I told you not to speak, not to speak. Startling those things, how can there still be a reason to be alive,¡± Rong Shibao¡¯s voice trembled. A living person just disappeared right in front of him, and the chilling scene a moment ago nearly caused the old man, who was over fifty, to suffer a heart attack.


    ¡°You, you old undead, why didn¡¯t you exin things clearly earlier, that this ce is haunted¡­¡±


    Gan Huren flew into a rage, drawing the long saber at his waist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout so loudly. If you don¡¯t care about your life, that¡¯s fine, but if you attract them, it could endanger my entire family,¡± Rong Shibao said, as if oblivious to the de. Instead, he covered Gan Huren¡¯s mouth, extremely taboo about noise, which made him more frightened than facing the sword itself.


    Su Jie¡¯s brow furrowed. During the instant that the female ghost in white attacked, Su Jie felt only a strange and chilling breath drift by.<div>


    <div>


    It was different from mere Spiritual Energy, unlike any Spiritual Power Su Jie had encountered before.


    Although he did not know the specific details of the attack, Xiao Chang¡¯s miserable state just now was enough to understand how terrifying the female ghost was.


    ¡°I was wondering why Nanyang City felt so strange. So that¡¯s why, that¡¯s why,¡± Dong Hongtian expressed regret in his eyes. If he had understood earlier, Xiao Chang would not have died tonight.


    ¡°Shush, don¡¯t talk,¡± Rong Shibao suddenly became alert again. Seeing a red stone hanging in the room flicker a few times, emitting an enchanting red halo, he quickly gestured for everyone to be silent.


    At the same time, noises came from the street outside the door.@@novelbin@@


    Hiss hiss!


    In the courtyard, all the horses became extremely agitated, neighing wildly as if something was attacking them.


    Apanied by the stench of blood that wafted into the room and the sound of something heavy being dragged, everything eventually settled down to silence.


    When everything was quiet, Su Jie and others peeped outside through the crack of the door.


    All six horses that had been tied up in the yard had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a pool of blood on the ground.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than one here¡­¡±


    Chen Yun¡¯s face paled; this was her first encounter with a ghost.


    Fortunately, she had Su Jie by her side, whose formidablebat strength provided her with some reassurance.


    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t just one ghost that she encountered, but an unknown number.


    ¡°The weather is dry, be careful with candles and fire,¡± a nging gong sounded, and it was the voice of the night watchman.


    No one spoke this time; the eerie phenomena that had just urred were truly terrifying and fearsome.


    The voice of the night watchman on the street grew fainter and fainter, as if he had left the street.


    Just when everyone breathed a sigh of relief, an abrupt cold voice suddenly came from the doorway.


    ¡°Is anybody home?¡±


    The door was knocked, and it was the voice of the night watchman.


    Su Jie looked at the red stone; its red light was shing crazily, just like a warning light.


    Mr. Rong tightly covered his mouth, not daring to move an inch, his eyes filled with terror.


    The rest were the same, including Su Jie. Right now, no one knew what was happening outside. Faced with this kind of ghostly creature they had never seen before, Su Jie was also feeling uncertain.


    ¡°Is anybody home?¡±


    ¡°Is anybody home?¡±


    ¡°Is anybody home?¡±


    The night watchman¡¯s cold voice repeated the same words over and over again, creating a sinister and terrifying atmosphere in the room that made one¡¯s heart pound violently, and left them with a parched mouth and tongue. Many had their backs soaked with sweat.


    Along with the questioning voice, several pale, corpse-like fingers crept through the crack of the door.


    The fingers groped around for something, not touching the bolt or lock, and quickly retracted.


    The questioning voice disappeared at the same time, and the red stone inside the house stopped shing.


    After several ghostly disturbances, everyone¡¯s faces looked grim. Once the night watchman was gone, Su Jie immediately asked, ¡°Mr. Rong, what¡¯s really going on here? Why are there ghostly hauntings in this ce?¡±


    ¡°Half a month ago, the city has been restless from the evening onwards. Those filthy things wander the streets, and if one inadvertently makes a sound and attracts their attention, they will notice someone inside the house, and then what happened just now urs.¡±


    Mr. Rong bit his teeth, his eyes filled with pain: ¡°I used to have a grandson, just because he cried at night, the result, the result¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but everyone understood.


    ¡°Why not leave Nanyang City? If it¡¯s haunted here, wouldn¡¯t it be better to go to a safe ce?¡±


    Chen Yun was very puzzled. The few ghosts that just appeared had even made her, a Demon Cultivator at the Fifth Level of Yunling Realm, feel terrified, so she couldn¡¯t understand why these ordinary people still stayed in Nanyang City instead of leaving.


    Mr. Rong sighed deeply, his face full of bitter sadness, ¡°Leave? It¡¯s easier said than done! The city¡¯s top officials have already issued an order that anyone who wants to leave the city must forfeit their property and houses. We have struggled all our lives to secure a ce to live here in the city, who can bear to give it up? We can only stay here, hoping that these ghosts will leave someday.¡±


    Thinking of the scene where Dong Hongtian argued with the officials today, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s those damn officials again. Since the government doesn¡¯t care, why not turn to the Heavenly Patrol Department, or report it to the Righteous Sect. Surely, they can¡¯t ignore this as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any Heavenly Patrol Department, and as for the Righteous Sect, there¡¯s a Miao Yin Temple two hundred miles away from Nanyang City. Some of the more prestigious family elders had called on everyone to send for help, but, sadly, there has been no response till now, and no one hase back.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heart jumped at Mr. Rong¡¯s words, and he immediately had a bad premonition.


    ¡°What about the influential families in the city? They haven¡¯t left either?¡±


    Su Jie asked. Nanyang City was arge city, and apart from ordinarymoners, there were certainly aristocratic families and Cultivation Families.


    For instance, the merchants who conducted business with Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s ck Market werergely from these Cultivation Families.


    These families had long legacies and also possessed Cultivation Methods, controlled vast wealth, thereby nurturing the younger generations in their ns for cultivation, or recruiting Loose Cultivators to serve as Sacrifices.


    The prosperous and powerful Cultivation Families were sometimes not weaker than a Sect and could upy Spiritual Mountain Blessed Lands, cultivate Spirit Medicine Seedbeds, open Artifact Refining Workshops and Alchemy Pavilions,


    and talented individuals from these families were sometimes sent to Sects for training. Once they grew up, they formed intricate rtionships with their families, engaging in exchanges of interests.


    Furthermore, these families and aristocratic ns enjoyed forming marriages among themselves, intertwining rtionships intricately, sharing each other¡¯s fortunes and misfortunes, forming a massive interest group.


    These households had significant influence and were no ordinarymoners; they had some means to resist.

 Chapter 107 - 23: White Fog (3rd Update)

    Chapter 107: Chapter 23: White Fog (3rd Update)


    ¡°They have already left Nanyang City, having departed right from the beginning. The wagons for hauling goods blocked the road for quite a stretch, and those noble families wouldn¡¯t care about whether we live or die,¡±


    Rong Shibaomented sarcastically, harboring a considerable amount of resentment in his heart.


    ¡°They all ran away? So many ghosts entering the city at the same time, that¡¯s not normal in any way.¡±


    Dong Hongtian said with a look of helplessness. He thought about the grand ns and noble families; when these city cultivators were leading the way in fleeing, how could ordinary people counter the ghosts?


    Su Jie furrowed his brows in thought and pointed to a red stone hanging in the room, saying, ¡°Mr. Rong, I want to ask where this stonees from. I noticed just now that when those ghosts approached, the stone would emit a red light, it¡¯s like a warning signal, right?¡±<div>


    <div>


    ¡°You, the younger generation, do observe quite meticulously.¡±


    Rong Shibao gave Su Jie another look and exined, ¡°This is an amulet given to us by the Miao Mo Sect to peace and safety called the Primordial Spirit Pearl. It bears the blessing of Miao Mo Venerate; it will alert us whenever ghosts are near. Now, every household in Nanyang City is equipped with one.¡±


    ¡°May I have a look at this Primordial Spirit Pearl?¡±


    ¡°Be careful with it, don¡¯t break it.¡±


    Rong Shibao hesitated for a moment and stood by, watching Su Jie closely out of concern that he might damage it.


    When Su Jie took the Primordial Spirit Pearl in his hands, it felt smooth and warm, unlike ordinary Spirit Stones or Blood Marrow Crystals¡ªthere was no Spiritual Power in it.


    On the contrary, Su Jie felt an extremely unusual energy in the Primordial Spirit Pearl, one that was filled with a sense of malevolence.


    While holding the pearl, Su Jie used his own Spiritual Power to probe delicately and discovered that the energy within was slowly increasing.


    ording to thew of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created out of thin air¡­ Su Jie¡¯s gaze swept back and forth across the room, finally resting on Rong Shibao, Dong Hongtian, Chen Yun, and the others.<div>


    <div>


    He then saw strands of grayish-ck energy emanating from their bodies and flowing into the Primordial Spirit Pearl, including himself, although what drifted from him was much less.


    ¡°This is¡­ fear energy.¡±


    Su Jie felt a surge of realization deep inside.


    The Primordial Spirit Pearl was absorbing the energy of fear emitted from everyone¡¯s emotions.


    Thinking back to what Rong Shibao had said about every household possessing one of these pearls, a bold spection formed in Su Jie¡¯s mind.


    Su Jie suppressed his thoughts and ced the Primordial Spirit Pearl back in its original position.


    ¡°Try not to make too much noise while sleeping tonight, or the ghosts will be attracted, and we¡¯ll all die.¡±


    Rong Shibao picked up a broom, and while fighting back nausea, he swept the bunches of hair, fingernails, rotten fish, and shrimp vomited onto the floor to one side. If he had known that hosting Su Jie and the others would result in deaths, he might not have been willing to shelter them.


    After finishing these tasks, Rong Shibao continued to stay in the living room, apparently to stay awake through the night.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take turns to keep watch tonight.¡±


    Su Jie and the others exchanged nces and immediately made a decision.


    Given the situation with the ghosts outside, they would have to leave Nanyang City during daylight, so they had to spend the night.


    ¡­¡­.


    The night passed uneventfully.


    The next day, as dawn broke and the sun rose, many people got out of bed with dark circles under their eyes.


    Themotionst night was significant, with various noises of ghosts traversing the city streets being heard from time to time.


    More than a few were awakened repeatedly by the disturbances, and under the nervous and uneasy tension, few people really managed to sleep well.


    Exiting the house to the courtyard, all the horses were gone, with only the dried ck blood on the ground as proof of their ordeal from the night before.


    There were significantly more people on the streets in the city.


    Yesterday, when Su Jie and the others entered Nanyang City, it was already dusk. Perhaps because it was nearing night, and fearing the ghosts, there had been very few pedestrians on the streets.


    But now in the morning, there were street vendors setting up their stalls, children running and ying, and noodle shops, medicine stores, and restaurants all opening their doors to wee customers, with their sales pitches carrying far and wide.


    Just as Rong Shibao had said, for these ordinary families in Nanyang City, their entire livelihoods were here. Many had fields outside the city, and even with the presence of ghosts, they could only choose to endure in silence.


    ¡°To leave home and livelihood and go to a strange ce, one may encounter roving bandits and viins, all kinds of difficulties and humiliations; the danger might even be greater than staying in Nanyang City.¡±


    ¡°During the day, those who live in the Ghost City still have toe out to make a living. Fortunately, there are no disturbances from ghosts in daylight, or else you wouldn¡¯t see such scenes on the streets.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Rong, we will be taking our leave now.¡±


    ¡°Listen to my advice: leave the city as soon as you can and don¡¯te back.¡±


    Without even caring for breakfast, Su Jie and the others bid farewell to Rong Shibao, bought a few horses at the market, and then galloped out of the city gates, leaving behind the city gued by ghostly dangers.


    It was about a two-day journey from Nanyang City to Green Valley in. Su Jie and hispanions urged their horses to go faster, wishing to arrive as soon as possible.


    However, contrary to their wishes, a heavy fog enveloped the official road mere forty li outside the city.


    This dense fog was like smoke and waves, vast like water, severely limiting visibility.


    ¡°Such a massive fog.¡±


    Dong Hongtian slowed down to prevent the horses from misstepping or crashing into trees.


    ¡°This damn weather, we should¡¯ve leftter.¡±


    Gan Huren¡¯s clothes were soaked with the mist,ining about the terrible conditions.


    ¡°Stopining; it will get better once the sun rises high.¡±


    Dong Hongtian dismounted and led his horse by the reins as he walked on.


    ¡°Su Jie.¡±


    Chen Yun led her horse to Su Jie¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rm the enemy unnecessarily.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he calmly observed the unfolding events.


    To the untrained eye, the thick fog ahead seemed innocuous. But Su Jie and Chen Yun were Demon Cultivators, and they immediately recognized something was amiss¡ªit was a Formation.


    Whoosh!


    Right at that moment, something seemed to stir within the fog.


    Suddenly, Cui Bingyuan and Gan Huren in the team fell to the ground without so much as a groan.


    Their horses, also panicked, broke free and ran into the fog.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there, be careful.¡±


    Dong Hongtian was greatly startled and quickly drew his sword.


    Sounds of lightughter came through the mist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them; these martial artists have decent bodies. Bring them back to be turned into Iron Armor Corpses.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Tan, we¡¯ll just knock them out.¡±


    ¡°This sword-wielding one has some skill; I¡¯ll take him.¡±


    Dong Hongtian¡¯s expression turned grave, and he shouted angrily, ¡°Whoever you are, stop ying tricks and show yourself!¡±


    He then nced urgently at the unconscious Gan Huren and Cui Bingyuan on the ground and said to Su Jie, ¡°Brother Xu, our enemies mean us harm. You take Mr. Gan and Brother Cui and retreat first. I¡¯ll hold them back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Brother Dong, be very careful. I¡¯ll take them to a safe ce and thene back for you.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, signaled Chen Yun with a nce, and the two of them picked up Gan Huren and Cui Bingyuan. They mounted their horses and rode off swiftly.


    Dong Hongtian¡¯s face turned dark. Although he indeed intended to cover their retreat, Su Jie¡¯s departure was far too decisive. Without a hint of hesitation or struggle, he had just run off, leaving Dong Hongtian behind.


    ¡°Your friends sure run fast, but it¡¯s alright. With the Water Wave White Mist Formation, they don¡¯t even know where the Array Eye is. No matter how they run, it¡¯s futile.¡±


    With the mocking voice drifting through the fog, the white mist in front of Dong Hongtian surged like a tidal wave, and silhouettes loomed in and out of view, rushing toward him.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 109 - 25: Annihilation (Five updates of 10,000 words, please subscribe)

    Chapter 109: Chapter 25: Annihtion (Five updates of 10,000 words, please subscribe)


    As a Mid Grade Four Refinement poisonous insect, the Thousand-Handed Centipede was not afraid of any Fierce Ghost.


    For insects,cking the rich emotions of humans, they didn¡¯t grasp the concept and meaning of the word ¡°ghost.¡±


    With its monstrous insectoidal body leaning forward, its gaping maw opened wide, ready to swallow the female ghost whole.


    The female ghost wanted to retreat, but she was too slow, and the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s mouth had already mped shut.


    The disheveled female ghost couldn¡¯t withstand the horrific biting force of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, and was instantly crushed.@@novelbin@@<div>


    <div>


    Yet bizarrely, no blood flowed from the crushed woman; instead, her body transformed into a tangle of ck hair, from which a new female ghost grew from the ground.


    Not just one, but several female ghosts emerged, sharing amon, cold aura. Realizing the Thousand-Handed Centipede couldn¡¯t handle them, they slowly began to move towards Su Jie.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede became furiously angry; its facial armor cracked open, unleashing bursts of Purple Light Ray, the surging high-temperature beams prating the dense fog, melting earth and stone, and turning the sprawling ck hair into ash.


    The female ghosts¡¯ figures blurred momentarily, emitting a painful scream as several of them copsed.


    It turned out that the hair was the true body of the female ghosts.


    Tan Qing¡¯s smile disappeared, and his expression turned stiff.


    The appearance of the Thousand-Handed Centipede had caught him off guard; clearly, his female ghosts were no match for it.


    But Tan Qing still had a backup n. He tossed dozens of red stones onto the ck hair,


    The red stones dimmed, all their essence absorbed by the female ghosts. The ck hair rapidly grew and began to entangle the Thousand-Handed Centipede again.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°This is¡­ Primordial Spirit Pearl.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted to the stones, recognizing them as the Primordial Spirit Pearls he had seen in Nanyang City.


    He then looked to the female ghost, who, full of ferocious energy, engaged in a fierce battle with the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    ¡°Absorbing fear to enhance strength and heal, eh!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heart shook as he addressed Tan Qing, ¡°You¡¯ve taken over Nanyang City, turning it into a breeding ground to cultivate Fierce Ghosts by absorbing fear. Aren¡¯t you afraid that such audacity will provoke a siege by the Righteous sects?¡±


    This feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu helped Su Jie understand everything.


    Su Jie nned to use a pig farm to cultivate Yin Souls, while the Heavenly Soul Sect, more crazily, had turned an entire city into a breeding ground to cultivate Fierce Ghosts by absorbing fear.


    The ghosts wandering Nanyang City at night were clearly a ploy by the Heavenly Soul Sect, designed to instill fear in the citizens and absorb that fear into the Primordial Spirit Pearls.


    If they really wanted to kill people, the Heavenly Soul Sect could have ughtered the city long ago.


    Such a mad operation, Su Jie wondered where the Heavenly Soul Sect got its confidence from.


    ¡°As long as no one can leave, no one will know this secret.¡±


    Tan Jing was about tough, but then saw the Thousand-Handed Centipede erupt.


    The body of the Thousand-Handed Centipede bizarrely burstyer byyer, its massive form splitting into numerous small centipedes, each with a small slit on their forehead from which fine, short Purple Light Rays burst forth, chasing and burning the scattered ck hairs on the ground.


    Having evolved into a Mid-grade poisonous insect, its capabilities were significantly enhanced, thus enabling the Thousand-Handed Centipede to perform like this.


    Although each small centipede¡¯s Purple Light Rays were much weaker than the main body¡¯s, they were more than enough to handle those ck hairs of the female.


    As Tan Qing felt troubled, a silver light cut through the air, sting a long vacuum trail and suddenly arrived in front of him.


    In a critical moment, the ck hair under Tan Qing¡¯s feet dragged his body, shifting his position as the White Bone Sky ying Sword tore through the air, spilling a handful of fresh blood.


    Looking at Tan Qing again, half of his cheek along with his ear had been sheared off, his bone-white teeth and tongue exposed to the air, mirroring the torn scalp at the back of Su Jie¡¯s head ¡ª they looked almost like brothers in misfortune.


    But thanks to sharing abilities with the Thousand-Handed Centipede, Su Jie¡¯s scalp had already stopped bleeding and healed, with new skin and hair quickly regrowing. Though not as exaggerated as the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s self-healing power, limb regeneration was merely a trifle for Su Jie.


    ¡°Trying to make me go bald, your methods are truly wicked!¡±


    Su Jie touched the back of his head and beckoned to Tan Qing with his finger.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword surged like thunder, like a supersonic missile, chasing after Tan Qing.


    Tan Qing swallowed an elixir to stop the bleeding and heal, and hurriedly took out a Jade Bottle from his Storage Bag as he saw the White Bone Sky ying Sword flying towards him.


    The Jade Bottle exhaled a yellow, bizarre wind, apanied by the sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling.


    This strange wind blew past, turning stones and trees into specks of sand and dust.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword was struck by a strange wind, and its sword body erupted in brilliant spiritual radiance. Despite the odd wind, its course was still terrifying as it rushed towards Tan Qing.


    ¡°Capture it for me.¡±


    Tan Qing activated his spell, and the Jade Bottle switched from emitting wind to sucking air. Entire trees and rocks were uprooted, and even the White Bone Sky ying Sword was swallowed into the Jade Bottle.


    The Jade Bottle was a Low Grade Advanced Magical Artifact of extreme power and terror. Anything swallowed by it, including gold and silver, would dissolve into dust, but this did not include the White Bone Sky ying Sword.


    The Jade Bottle vibrated with a buzzing sound, a crack appearing at its base. The White Bone Sky ying Sword was about to break free.


    Tan Qing¡¯s face turned ashen, and he threw out several talismans, activating his spell.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Coffins hit the ground, and several zombies with green faces, sharp ck nails, and sinister expressions leaped out.


    These zombies had skin as hard as steel and possessed immense strength. Their movements were not clumsy like in movies but agile like leopards, slightly more powerful than even the Alien Ghosts.


    The swarm of Yin Souls in the sky stopped their struggle with the human-faced moths, charging rapidly at Su Jie.


    Afterwards, Tan Qing produced a blue Treasure Umbre, its surface etched with many ghostly figures.


    At that moment, the umbre opened, and ghostly figures on its surface came to life, ring angrily at Su Jie, freezing him in ce.


    Fortunately, Su Jie had grown significantly by then. The Thousand-Handed Centipede roared, tens of thousands of little centipedes took flight,yering around Su Jie, leaving no gaps for pration.


    Although Yin Souls could pass through solid bodies, they faced the Mid Grade Four Refinement Poisonous Insect ¨C tens of thousands of centipedes formed a swarm, annihting any daring Yin Souls that tried to prate, scattering their souls.


    ng ng!


    The White Bone Sky ying Swordpletely pierced through the Jade Bottle, light as a feather, its movements like a swallow piercing the clouds, turning into a streak of light.


    Several of the furiously rushing zombies paused, their heads rolling off their necks.


    Even though their bodies were harder than steel, in front of the White Bone Sky ying Sword, they were like made of paper.


    Having ascended to the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm, Su Jie could finally unleash the true power of the White Bone Sky ying Sword ¨C unstoppable against anything, piercing through allws with one sword strike.


    This is a Flying Sword, a Magic Artifact, renowned for its first rank attack power.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword continued its relentless advance, flying toward Tan Qing.


    Tan Qing raised the Ghost-faced Treasure Umbre to block, but the umbre, not primarily meant for defense, was easily pierced by the White Bone Sky ying Sword; the severalyers of spirit shields around him were pierced consecutively, and finally, the sword pierced through Tan Qing¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Uh! Uh!¡±


    Tan Qing¡¯s pupils constricted, his eyes staring in disbelief at the returning White Bone Sky ying Sword, vomiting blood heavily, ¡°A top grade Flying Sword, how is that possible.¡±


    He recognized the grade of the White Bone Sky ying Sword, a top grade among Low Grade Flying Swords, even more precious and powerful than a Low Grade Advanced Magical Artifact. It was no wonder all his defenses were futile.


    ¡°Why did it have to be this bloody? You just had to force me to stay.¡±


    By now, Su Jie stood on top of the thirty-meter-high head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, flying hundreds of meters above the ground, and coldly observing Tan Qing who had reached a dead end below.


    ¡°This is where it ends¡­¡±


    Tan Qing still vainly hoped for mercy.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what you said before.¡±


    Su Jie gave a cold smile, the White Bone Sky ying Sword swung, decapitating him, severing the life of this Inner Sect disciple of Heavenly Soul Sect, who had reached the Eighth Level of Yunling Realm.


    But the battle was not yetpletely over.


    With Tan Qing¡¯s death, the female ghost was still alive.


    Su Jie shifted his gaze to the female ghost, which was miserably chased by the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    Most of its ck hair had been burned by the Thousand-Handed Centipede, and after Tan Qing¡¯s death, the female ghost did not leave. Its eerie eyes still fixed on Su Jie.


    Sensing a sip of cold energy lingering, Su Jie patted the head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede and crisply said, ¡°Destroy it.¡±


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede screeched, coiling in the sky, lowering its head as its face armor parted.


    A blinding Purple Light Ray pierced the thick fog,pletely enveloping the female ghost¡¯s body, rendering it into ash under the extreme heat.

 Chapter 110 - 26: Arrival (First Update)

    Chapter 110: Chapter 26: Arrival (First Update)


    The mes died out.


    Su Jie alighted on the ground aboard the thousand-hand centipede, and on the scalding surface, there was actually a strand of ck hair twisting about.


    ¡°Hmm, a relic.¡±


    His eyes lit up immediately as Su Jie recognized the origin of this strand of ck hair.


    Like the White Bone Tree, it was a treasure that had burst forth from a coincidental opportunity after death.<div>


    <div>


    The ck hair twisted on the ground, resembling a tangled mess of lines, as well as a poisonous snake that was dead but not stiff.


    Out of caution, Su Jie didn¡¯t immediately pick it up; instead, he manipted several pale corpse hands to grab it.


    The strand of ck hair kept writhing, winding itself around the corpse hands autonomously, but it had no aggression¡ªmerely encircling, not strangling.@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie looked around. This wasn¡¯t the ce for experiments.


    Once he confirmed there wasn¡¯t too much danger, he stored the strand of ck hair in the storage bag.


    Then Su Jie began to clean up the battlefield, collecting everything that had burst forth from the three Heavenly Soul Sect disciples he had killed, including the clothes they were wearing and the bamboo hats they carried, which were clearly magic artifacts.


    Also, the Jade Bottle and Treasure Umbre that had been damaged by the White Bone Sky ying Sword could be sold for a good sum of money as materials, even in their broken state.


    Beyond that were the various strange and curious items in Tan Qing¡¯s storage bag. Upon opening it, the storage bag contained several zombies that had not yet been refined, stiff fingers, the teeth of some animal, moldy white funeral attire, makeup used on the dead stored in bottles, heart blood, and so on.


    These materials were all brimming with a sinister aura and were mostly likely used to practice some Demon Technique.<div>


    <div>


    Apart from these, there were as many as two thousand Blood Marrow Crystals and a hundred or so Primordial Spirit Pearls.


    After hastily going through the items in the storage bag, Su Jie didn¡¯t linger for long. He destroyed a few corpses and then rode away from the battlefield at high speed on the thousand-hand centipede, finding Chen Yun and the others, and carrying them all on the back of the centipede.


    As for this White Mist Formation, it wasn¡¯t particrly clever¡ªthe range and height of concealment were limited, and the thousand-hand centipede capable of flight couldn¡¯t possibly get lost.


    ¡°Your poisonous insect can fly?¡±


    Chen Yun sat on the broad back of the thousand-hand centipede, her long hair blowing about in the fierce wind, and looked at Su Jie with envy.


    Such a centipede that could fight, withstand damage, and fly, was what many Ghost Ridge Pce disciples dreamt of!


    ¡°Impressive, right? In case we encounter an enemy too strong to defeat, having this means makes escape convenient.¡±


    Su Jie stroked the head of the thousand-hand centipede, but as he was saying so, the centipede seemed to have discovered something and let out two cries.


    Su Jie looked down and saw on the official road below, hundreds to thousands of overturned carriages, and corpses were everywhere.


    ¡°So many corpses.¡±


    Chen Yun¡¯s face paled slightly; there must have been thousands of bodies.


    ¡°They must be the noble families that left Nanyang City.¡±


    Due to the luxurious carriages and the family crests, Su Jie recognized the identity of what was once a grand caravan.


    The noble families that were the first to leave Nanyang City after the ghost incident.


    However, it seems now that they hadn¡¯t managed to escape the clutches of the Heavenly Soul Sect, and were trapped and killed in the wilderness.


    No wonder Nanyang City was still under the firm control of the Heavenly Soul Sect; it was likely that the news hadn¡¯t spread.


    ¡°There¡¯s probably an Elder from the Secret Realm stationed in Nanyang City, and not just one. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to kill so many from the noble families.¡±


    Su Jie stroked his chin, inwardly expressing relief.


    The noble families had deep roots; the one capable of wiping them out here definitely involved an Elder from the Hidden Realm taking action.


    Fortunately, Su Jie had left early; otherwise, if he had truly provoked an Elder from the Hidden Realm, even fleeing would have been difficult.


    ¡°`


    ¡°The Heavenly Soul Sect is acting so domineering.¡±


    Chen Yun found it iprehensible. Although she too was a Demon Cultivator, Ghost Ridge Pce had always been ustomed to lurking within the mountains, seldom venturing out, relying mostly on the ck Market to transport resources.


    The battle at Golden Sand River only happened because Alien Ghosts caused the trade routes to be blocked and there was a shortage of human ves, which was an unlikely reason to mobilize so many disciples to go out.


    Yet the Heavenly Soul Sect conducted themselves with such arrogance, disying behavior more befitting of a Demon Sect, which was prone to incur the wrath of the major Righteous Sects and potentially lead to their annihtion.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not bother with this.¡±


    Su Jie no longer paid attention. Those noble families abandoned Nanyang City and its citizens to escape at the first sign of trouble, so it wouldn¡¯t be unjust if they died here.


    The thousand-hand centipede flew high, disappearing into the clouds, and sped toward the Green Valley in.


    Half a day after Su Jie left, a group of Heavenly Soul Sect disciples arrived at the scene.


    Seeing the traces of battle on the ground, the group was seething with rage but unable to find the perpetrator. Su Jie had already flown far away on the thousand-hand centipede.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡°Hmm, where am I?¡±


    When Dong Hongtian groggily regained consciousness, he found himself lying inside a carriage.


    Aside from himself, there were two other familiar figures in the carriage.


    ¡°Brother Dong, you¡¯re awake. You¡¯ve been unconscious for two whole days, we were so worried about you,¡± said Gan Huren and Cui Bingyuan, who had woken up before him, their spirits lifted immensely.


    ¡°Is this Brother Xu who saved me?¡±


    Dong Hongtian quickly realized that someone had obviously rescued him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we were both saved by Brother Xu and Miss Chen,¡± said Gan Huren and Cui Bingyuan, nodding continuously, filled with gratitude.


    ¡°Haha, at that time on the battlefield, Brother Dong, you were unconscious just as the fog lifted, and I took the opportunity to drag you back while the enemy was distracted,¡± Su Jie exined as he entered the carriage.


    ¡°I owe you my life, a debt I¡¯ll never forget. If there¡¯s anything I can help you with in the future, please be sure to let me know,¡± said Dong Hongtian, disregarding his physical weakness as he quickly got up and gave a deep bow of respect to Su Jie.


    Thinking back on how he had once misunderstood Su Jie and thought he had sold him out and run away, his face flushed with shame. What a selfless person Su Jie was!


    ¡°We, the people of Jianghu, need not be so coy and formal,¡± Su Jie shook his head and then pointed ahead of the carriage, saying, ¡°Up ahead is the Green Valley in, Brother Dong, you¡¯ve woken up just in time.¡±


    An expanse of lush green in stretched as far as the eye could see ¨C that was Green Valley in.


    Compared to when Su Jie left, the only difference was that there were now tents dotted across the in.


    Strong and formidable-looking martial artists, swords and knives in tow, had gathered here.


    ¡°Halt, who goes there?¡±


    The appearance of Su Jie and hispanions stirred many, and some martial artists called out with loud inquiries.


    Stepping down from the carriage, Dong Hongtian replied.


    ¡°I am Wild Sword Dong Hongtian. Hearing of the grand assembly here united against demons, I¡¯ve brought a group of friends to lend our assistance in this righteous endeavor,¡± said Dong Hongtian, whose name was not without its renown as his cultivation at the Third Level of Yunling Realm ced him among the first-ss masters of the Martial Arts world, and many recognized him.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 111 - 27: Return to the Sect

    Chapter 111: Chapter 27: Return to the Sect


    ¡°It seems Wild Sword hase to visit, pleasee in quickly.¡±


    A few martial arts veterans of seemingly high status stepped forward, expressing their wee to Dong Hongtian¡¯s arrival.


    Su Jie sized up the tent campsite, which wasn¡¯t veryrge and didn¡¯t have a proper blockade line. If one wanted to enter or exit the Green Valley in, they could simply take a slight detour and pass without anyone knowing, let alone talk about blocking Ghost Ridge Pce.


    However, once Su Jie saw the cultivation level of these martial artists in the campsite, he understood the reason.


    There were roughly a few hundred people from the Jianghu, with varying strengths, most of them at about the First Level of Yunling Realm¡ªperfect cannon fodder.<div>


    <div>


    Someone with Dong Hongtian¡¯s cultivation, ced among them, would stand out as top-notch.


    It was those few martial arts veterans, one or two of them, who gave Su Jie the impression of having the cultivation of the Fifth Level of Yunling Realm.


    With such power, how could they possibly be opponents of the Ghost Ridge Pce disciples?


    The so-called blockade was more form than substance.


    Probably these people from the martial artsmunity came here just to ride on the coattails of the Golden Sand River battle¡¯s hype, to announce their presence and advertise their renown; to truly fight against the demon cultivator disciples of the Ghost Ridge Pce was merely delivering themselves as easy targets.


    If he had known it would be like this, Su Jie would have just taken Chen Yun back with him in the first ce.


    Dong Hongtian, Gan Huren, and Cui Bingyuan were all familiar with this kind of situation, chatting in twos and threes, boasting about various deeds of eradicating evil, robbing the rich to aid the poor, and they quickly became acquainted, also introducing Su Jie and Chen Yun quite a bit.


    As for Su Jie and Chen Yun, even though they hadn¡¯t made a name for themselves in the Jianghu yet, these people of the martial arts world treated them as just greenhorns who had recently started wandering through the Jianghu¡ªit was normal not to have any reputation.


    Possibly out of gratitude for saving his life, Dong Hongtian kept introducing Su Jie to highly respected and powerful martial arts veterans.<div>


    <div>


    Su Jie just smiled on the surface, until a middle-aged man carrying two long swords on his back with a majestic aura appeared, which finally sparked some interest in Su Jie.


    ¡°This is Jinghong Sword God, Yuan Ying, Senior Yuan. On his way to the Green Valley in, Senior Yuan killed the inner disciple Xu Yihu of Ghost Ridge Pce with his sword, which truly gratified all of us. Brother Xu, look over there, that¡¯s Xu Yihu¡¯s head; even an inner disciple has been in, which is enough to prove the sess of our action.¡±


    Su Jie followed Dong Hongtian¡¯s pointing finger and saw Xu Yihu¡¯s head stuck on a bamboo pole.


    The head¡¯s face was swollen from being in the water, and eaten away by fish and shrimp, leaving it riddled with holes, but one could still make out that it was Xu Yihu¡¯s face.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to boast of. Killing that fiend was a matter of luck; he had been injured by various disciples of the righteous sects, otherwise I would have stood no chance. Fortunately, we removed this blight, venting the anger for the many taken captives, without tarnishing our reputation in the martial artsmunity.¡±


    Yuan Ying stood with his hands behind his back, appearing modest as he spoke.


    After speaking, with an appreciative expression towards the younger generation, Yuan Ying patted Su Jie¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I heard that you once saved Brother Dong¡¯s life. We need young heroes like you to join us; as long as we work together, those remnants of Ghost Ridge Pce will surely flee at the sight of us.¡±


    Chen Yun, who was next to Su Jie, bowed her head, shoulders shaking constantly, barely able to stop herself from pping this guy to death.


    What ¡®sword-ying Xu Yihu¡¯? If she hadn¡¯t seen with her own eyes the Thousand-Handed Centipede biting Xu Yihu to death, she really might have been fooled by him.


    This man must have fished Xu Yihu¡¯s body from somewhere and presented it as a trophy of his own, truly the epitome of shamelessness.


    ¡°Senior Yuan¡¯s bravery is remarkable. We martial artists can also y demon cultivators with our swords, even inner disciples. I wonder when I will be able to reach the profound and unfathomable realm that you have attained, Senior.¡±


    Su Jie sped his hands together, his smile somewhat yful.


    ¡°As long as you diligently practice and do not forget your initial resolve, you will eventually reach my level.¡±


    Yuan Ying spoke gracefully, advising the junior in front of him as if truly facing another one looking up to him.


    Afterward, Yuan Ying chatted with Dong Hongtian for a few more words before leaving with an easy-going manner.


    ¡°How about it? Senior Yuan is great, isn¡¯t he? Knowing him, when you travel the Qingzhou Martial World in the future, his reputation can solve many problems,¡± Dong Hongtian said with admiration, genuinely respecting him from the bottom of his heart.


    Su Jie just smiled without saying a word, instead he pressed down on Chen Yun¡¯s arm to keep her from really causing trouble; it wasn¡¯t worth killing anyone over such a trivial matter.


    ¡­¡­..


    Night.


    Around the Green Valley in, people from the martial artsmunity gathered together, lit fires, and drank freely from jars.


    Su Jie left behind a letter and, apanied by Chen Yun, quietly left the camp blending into the night.


    Hurrying along the way, this time there were no further troubles encountered on their return to Ghost Ridge Pce, as the Green Valley in was void of dangers.


    Thanks to the swift flying speed of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, Su Jie and Chen Yun arrived within the borders of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s territory byte night.


    From a distance, they could see three tower buildings with members of the Law Enforcement Team patrolling back and forth; this was the junction separating Ghost Ridge Pce from the outside world.


    ¡°Disciple Su Jie, returning from a mission, here is the token of proof,¡±


    As a member of the Law Enforcement Team just stopped them, Su Jie promptly presented his token to affirm his identity.


    ¡°Kid, ran back from Golden Sand River? Lucky you.¡±


    The Law Enforcement Team member checked the token andmented.


    ¡°I wonder how much we lost this time at Golden Sand River, and how many ships made it back.¡±


    Curious to learn more, Su Jie handed over two Blood Marrow Crystals as he inquired for news.


    Taking the Blood Marrow Crystals, the Law Enforcement Team member sighed and said, ¡°Following the battle at Golden Sand River, eight out of every ten disciples who went out haven¡¯t returned, and almost all the human ves have been wiped out. I heard the Elders are particrly furious.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the information.¡±


    Su Jie nodded; this was consistent with his own assessment.


    Having obtained the desired answers and without further dy, he continued up the mountain path with Chen Yun.


    After several days of traveling through mountains and ridges without even encountering an Alien Ghost, they sessfully returned to Ghost Ridge Pce Sect.


    ¡°Finally back, I¡¯m going to head home and clean up first.¡±


    Gazing at the familiar Mountain Gate, Chen Yun felt deeply moved, as the journey had been rather frightful and harrowing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Command Hall to submit the mission.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie parted ways with Chen Yun and headed towards the Command Hall.


    Although the ve trading trip from Liuyun Manor ultimately failed, it was still necessary to submit the task to at least let the Sect know he was still alive.


    Inside the Command Hall, Su Jie entered and noticed it was much emptier than usual.


    Due to the battle at Golden Sand River and the loss of arge group of disciples, those who had gone out on missions, even the Outer Disciples, were mostly third level or above in the Yunling Realm; they were the backbone of the Command Hall for epting tasks.


    Now with fewer disciples, it was natural for the Command Hall to be quieter.


    ¡°Su¡­ Brother Su, is it really you? I thought you must have¡­¡±


    Upon seeing Su Jie¡¯s return, Wu Bin¡¯s face was filled with surprise, likely thinking that Su Jie had perished at Golden Sand River.


    ¡°Brother Wu, long time no see, you probably thought I died out there, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Su Jie stepped forward, handing over the token.


    ¡°Hey, hey, I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin, Brother Wu. After all, too many disciples died this time, it¡¯s not strange for you to think so,¡±


    Su Jie shrugged his shoulders, and as he handed over the token again, he asked, ¡°Brother Wu, if I remember correctly, your Command Hall is also responsible for the promotion exams for inner disciples, right?¡±


    ¡°Correct, why do you ask? Could it be¡­¡±


    Wu Bin seemed to realize something, shuddering all over, his mouth agape and his eyes wide in astonishment as he looked at Su Jie.


    ¡°I¡¯vee for the promotion to inner disciple.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s voice was calm, and as his words fell, the Managers in the Command Hall turned their heads in shock, their expressions spelling disbelief.

 Chapter 113 - 29: A New Source of Wealth

    Chapter 113: Chapter 29: A New Source of Wealth


    Su Jie didn¡¯t return to his former residence in the cave dwelling; instead, he arrived in front of a grand manor with four courtyards.


    The mansion was quite imposing, with spacious grounds, intricately carved beams, and painted rafters adorned with various exotic flowers and rare herbs.


    This was the residence assigned to Su Jie by the Sect after his promotion to inner disciple, a stark contrast to his narrow cave dwelling from before.


    In front of the main gate, having been informed earlier, a dozen or so servants, maids, and chefs were waiting at the doorstep; as soon as Su Jie appeared, they all knelt down in unison.


    ¡°Greetings to Mr. Su.¡±<div>


    <div>


    They knelt on the ground without daring to move an inch until Su Jie spoke.


    They now belonged to Su Jie¡¯s personal possessions, given to him along with the mansion; Su Jie could kill them on a whim without any repercussions.


    ¡°Rise, go prepare dinner. I will be hosting friends tonight.¡±


    Waving his hand, Su Jie walked into the mansion.


    The group of servants breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed their new master was reasonably approachable.


    He pushed open the door to the mansion¡¯s practice room, which was simplyid out but indeed the most crucial part of the estate.


    ¡°As expected, the spiritual energy here is much denser than in the outside world.¡±


    After taking a few breaths, Su Jie felt the increase in spiritual energy and looked down at his feet.


    The earth¡¯s vein here constituted a minor blessednd, not veryrge¡ªonly a few dozen square meters¡ªbut sufficient to speed up cultivation.<div>


    <div>


    If Su Jie had such a blessed spot for cultivation in the past, he would have been ecstatic for days and nights.


    Unfortunately, now that Su Jie had the White Bone Tree, he looked down on this small blessednd. The White Bone Tree provided spiritual energy at a much higher efficiency.


    Not in a rush to cultivate, Su Jie took out a strand of ck hair, to be precise, Ghost Hair, from his storage bag.


    The Ghost Hair wrapped around Su Jie¡¯s arm. He hadn¡¯t experimented with it on the road, but now, settling down, Su Jie nned to see what effects this relic dropped by the female ghost might have.


    As he tried to infuse some spiritual power, Su Jie saw that the Ghost Hair merely writhed more actively yet showed nothing extraordinary.


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    Su Jie thought of something and tried to touch his scalp with the Ghost Hair.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.


    Like a shark sensing blood, the strand of Ghost Hair instantly burrowed into Su Jie¡¯s scalp and began to grow wildly.


    At a thought from Su Jie, the Ghost Hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swelling and expanding rapidly, overflowing with the intent to kill, shredding everything ahead ording to Su Jie¡¯s will.


    This was one of Tan Qing the female ghost¡¯s attack abilities, albeit a bit weakened.


    However, Su Jie¡¯s face showed little joy; the Ghost Hair was powerful, but uncontroble, growing wildly and falling to the floor, dragging at a length of three meters.


    Crack, crack.


    Using the White Bone Sky ying Sword, Su Jie cut off the Ghost Hair, but it continued to grow frenziedly until it reached three meters in length, simr to the original length of the female ghost.


    Looking at himself in the mirror, Su Jie¡¯s face was full of speechlessness; he had some trouble epting this appearance.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m notcking in attack power right now.¡±


    After giving it some serious thought, Su Jie decided to remove the Ghost Hair for the sake of his own majestic and valiant image.


    Not sure if it absorbed Su Jie¡¯s blood, but this strand of Ghost Hair became even more domineering. It wrapped around him on its own, as if seeking a host, emanating a strong aggression. The twisted hairs filled the practice room, intent on ripping and shredding everything.


    In addition, Su Jie¡¯s own hair began to grow wildly again, though without any offensive power this time¡ªmerely growth influenced by radiation from the Ghost Hair.


    Hmph.


    With a flutter of his eyes, Su Jie released a Purple Light Ray, instantly dissolving arge mass of Ghost Hair, which then slowly withered; however, it still possessed strong radiating abilities, causing Su Jie¡¯s hair to begin growing wildly as soon as it came near.


    ¡°Could it be that only a ghost can truly control this thing?¡±


    Su Jie was somewhat helpless; it was, after all, a product of the female ghost¡¯s body, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that as a human, he couldn¡¯t precisely control it.


    If Su Jie could sacrifice his personal image a bit, its power was indeed not bad, but unless absolutely necessary, Su Jie wouldn¡¯t really consider it.


    ¡°Go collect dust in my Storage Bag, I¡¯m not bald and don¡¯t need you.¡±


    The more he thought about it, the angrier Su Jie got, cursing and picking up the White Bone Sky ying Sword like a razor, once again cutting off the hair that had grown down to his legs, preparing to take this Ghost Hair back into the Storage Bag so it wouldn¡¯t keep radiating and making his hair grow.


    But it was this veryint that sparked a sh of spirit light in Su Jie¡¯s mind, and he suddenly turned to look at the strand of Ghost Hair in his hand.


    ¡°Right, I¡¯m not bald, but there are plenty of people who are!¡±


    Su Jie pped his thigh, having thought of a new use for it.


    This thing wasn¡¯t just forbat, it could also be used for hair growth!


    To verify this bold idea in his mind, Su Jie immediately began a new experiment.


    This time, Su Jie wasn¡¯t testing the attacking power of the clump of Ghost Hair, but the radiant ability of the Ghost Hair radiation to make human hair grow after radiation exposure.


    ¡­


    An hourter.


    Su Jie sat cross-legged on the floor, with a basin of clear water in front of him, in which floated the strand of Ghost Hair.


    Su Jie first shaved his own hair clean, revealing a shiny bald head, then dabbed a bit of the water from the basin onto his head.


    Whoosh whoosh.


    Strands of shiny ck hair sprouted from his scalp, quickly hanging down to his waist and continuing to grow to several meters before stopping.


    ¡°The effect is still too strong.¡±


    Su Jie stood up and shouted outside, ¡°Ah Fu, bring in more water.¡±


    On hearing the voice, the old steward named Ah Fu hurried in with several maids and servants, carrying arge tub of water inside.


    Su Jie put the Ghost Hair into the water tub, then called Ah Fu to halt.


    ¡°Does the young master need anything else?¡±


    Ah Fu asked, trembling.


    ¡°Help me with an experiment.¡±


    Su Jie looked at Ah Fu¡¯s thinning crown and nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    At this statement, remembering all sorts of terrifying rumors about Demon Cultivators eating people and conducting human experiments, Ah Fu turned pale with fright and his legs went weak.


    Su Jie had no idea what messy things Ah Fu was thinking about and, feeling that the soaking time was about right, he picked up adle of water and poured it over Ah Fu¡¯s head.


    At the same time, Su Jie put a hand on Ah Fu¡¯s shoulder to check for changes in his body.


    Ah Fu trembled all over, clenching his teeth, waiting for the cruel fate toe.


    However, the expected pain did not arrive, and instead, Ah Fu felt a bit of itchiness on his scalp.


    Then, through the mirror ced in front of him, Ah Fu saw something that shocked him beyond belief.


    His head, which had been balding for years, was suddenly covered with thick hair, and he instantly looked several years younger.


    ¡°Eh, is this, do I have hair now?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Ah Fu touched his head in disbelief, it wasn¡¯t bald anymore, this time he felt a handful of lush hair.


    ¡°No side effects, it worked.¡±


    Su Jie also finally showed a smile, withdrawing his hand. He had just used his Spiritual Power to probe, and the water flow only stimted hair growth without damaging any other part of the body.


    This meant that right after his timber business, Su Jie was about to master another code to wealth.


    The hair loss market on Blue Star, including wigs, hair transnts, maintenance, hair loss treatment, and more, was worth trillions of dors.

 Chapter 116 - 32: Acquisition (Third Update)

    Chapter 116: Chapter 32: Acquisition (Third Update)


    Linping City International Airport.


    At the entrance, a luxurious convoy of cars approached from a distance.


    BMWs, Bentleys, and various high-end business vehicles formed a long queue, driving grandly into the airport and drawing the gaze of many passersby.


    From the center of a Bentley, a woman full of feminine charm and grace stepped out.


    She was tall and shapely, wearing a ck body-hugging skirt, her long, pale legs captivating the gazes of many men, subtly sexy yet not vulgar, her demeanor exuding confidence and coolposure.<div>


    <div>


    One after another, individuals in suits and leather shoes got out of the cars, with a middle-aged man giving orders, ¡°Make sure you¡¯re all looking sharp! The big boss is back in the country, we need to show him the spirit and style of Tianyuan Home.¡±


    With that, Liang Lianjun turned his head and said to the tall woman with a smile, ¡°Secretary Liu, do you think this is appropriate?¡±


    ¡°Stop fussing, I doubt Mr. Su would even like this kind of showy disy.¡±


    Liu Yingying rolled her eyes, signaling her disapproval.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right, men all like this sort of thing, look, I even brought everyone.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go in.¡±


    Liu Yingying knew it was a done deal and waved her hand dismissively, walking toward the airport.


    Inside the airport, several attractive women were chatting andughing until they suddenly noticed a group of business elites entering the airport.


    ¡°Hey, look, that person looks familiar, it seems like, it seems like Yingying?¡±<div>


    <div>


    One woman rubbing her eyes in disbelief recognized the identity of the leading woman as Liu Yingying.


    The other women all turned to look, eximing aloud.


    ¡°Liu Yingying, it really is her.¡±


    ¡°How did she be like this? She looks so amazing, I almost didn¡¯t recognize her.¡±


    ¡°She seems to be the leader of those people; you see how a group is gathering around her.¡±


    The group of women were former colleagues of Liu Yingying, real estate salespeople at Jingjiang Manor, ready for a shared vacation during the holidays.


    Seeing their long-unseen colleague now so transformed, the group of women were taken aback.


    Among them, a petite woman with a cute face clenched her small fists.


    This was Zhao Xuanmiao, who used to sh with Liu Yingying at thepany.


    Now, seeing Liu Yingying at the airport, Zhao Xuanmiao¡¯s pupils dted, as the change in Liu Yingying was too greatpared to the past. From an ordinary real estate salesperson to a business elite, the style and aura she showed were not something ordinary people could have, leaving Zhao Xuanmiao feeling inferior and quite unbnced.


    The group of women hadplex expressions as they saw Liu Yingying¡¯s radiance, the powerful aura of a sessful woman discouraging them from even approaching to say hello.


    ¡°She must be with the boss of Jingjiang No.1.¡±


    Zhao Xuanmiao was both jealous and envious; if only she had been more resolute back then, maybe she too could have changed her ss and be someone superior.


    Liu Yingying didn¡¯t notice this little incident and quietly waited at the airport until a nended.


    At the passenger disembarkation aisle, Liu Yingying saw Su Jie appear and quickly went to greet him, linking her arm through his.


    ¡°Mr. Su, we¡¯vee to pick you up.¡±


    Led by Liang Lianjun, a group of core members from Tianyuan Home also greeted Su Jie with smiles.


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze passed over Liang Lianjun and then fell on the Tianyuan Home employees, with whom he shook hands.


    After exchanging pleasantries, they boarded the vehicles waiting outside the airport.


    ¡°Mr. Su, the banquet has been prepared; do we go to the wee dinner to freshen up or¡­¡±


    ¡°No rush for the meal, Yingying. How are things going with Mu Hua Company?¡±


    Su Jie sat in the back seat of a Bentley, with Liu Yingying beside him, her delicate legs crowned with a document bag. Hearing his question, she pulled out a document.


    ¡°We¡¯ve reached a preliminary deal with Mu Hua Company. Under the name of Tianyuan Home, we n to acquire all the shares of the founder, Song Chengde, as well as those of the other shareholders.


    Adding on the portion of circting shares we¡¯ve acquired from the secondary market, we expect to hold over 80% of the equity after the deal ispleted.


    Due to the current difficulties faced by Mu Hua and the pessimistic market sentiment, the shareholders are eager to cash out, so the purchase price for the shares is quite reasonable.


    The agreed price for all the shares is 6.85 billion yuan, with a 40% down payment and the remaining bnce to be paid within a year. We just need your signature now,¡± Liu Yingying exined, as Jieke Company wasn¡¯t suitable to make an appearance, the acquisition was being carried out in Tianyuan Home¡¯s name.


    Su Jie pinched Liu Yingying¡¯s cheek, surprised, ¡°To have gotten things done so quickly, you truly deserve your reputation as a finance prodigy.¡±


    These types ofrge-scale business acquisitions normally take a long time, often dragging on for several months to even a year and a half.


    That Liu Yingying could wrap it up in a month was really eye-opening for Su Jie.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do much, the negotiation was handled by a professional team, we just took advantage of Mu Hua¡¯s current predicament and our offer, which was fairly sincere, with both sides keen to close the deal as soon as possible,¡± Liu Yingying replied modestly. Negotiations like these couldn¡¯t have happened without her setting the bottom line and making final decisions.


    ¡°Have the negative assets of Mu Hua been stripped off? I¡¯m not nning on continuing with the production of new energy vehicles,¡± Su Jie asked further, not having forgotten how Mu Hua fell.


    ¡°Of course, the new energy automobiles are part of a subsidiary, which has been stripped away already, as per our agreement,¡± Liu Yingying responded promptly, worried Su Jie might impulsively want to join the car manufacturing industry.


    After all, the new energy car scene in Hua Country is booming, with every business magnate getting involved, but now it seems she worried unnecessarily.


    ¡°Hmm, is there a strain on our finances?¡±


    Su Jie looked toward Liang Lianjun, who was confidently driving upfront, and he said, ¡°Mr. Su, our Tianyuan Home products are in high demand, holding a significant market share in the high-end furniture segment.


    Moreover, with thepany in good financial health and ample cash flow reserves, we can easily handle this acquisition.


    If pushes to shove, we can always take out a loan from a bank; they are more than willing to lend to ourpany.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved. Yingying, start the process to acquire a shampoopany, one that has its own manufacturing facilities,¡± Su Jie instructed, giving Liu Yingying a new directive upon hearing this.


    ¡°A shampoopany?¡±


    Liu Yingying was taken aback, unable to see how the industries of their variouspanies were rted to shampoo.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Theboratories at Jieke have developed a new product using hair-growth cell factors extracted from Poison Insect, which can significantly elerate hair growth. It can treat any type of hair loss, show effects within a week, and is harmless to humans with no side effects,¡± Su Jie resumed his pitch, ncing at Liang Lianjun¡¯s somewhat sparse hair. He took a bottle of hair growth liquid from his backpack and handed it over, ¡°Give it a try, apply it regrly and wash your hair daily; you¡¯lle back thanking me.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Liang Lianjun was somewhat skeptical but epted it due to Su Jie¡¯s status.

 Chapter 118 - 34: Astonishing Effects (First Update)

    Chapter 118: Chapter 34: Astonishing Effects (First Update)


    A weekter.


    Jingjiang No.1 Vi, basement.


    A sealed zed ss Calming Dust Array Map quietly operated, the semi-transparent magic shield it upheld excluded all sounds and secr dust.


    Su Jie sat cross-legged on the ground, spiritual energy circted around his body, his energy channels surged with activity.


    The minimized chibi version of the White Bone Tree was ced on his knees, the spiritual energy stored within it was being summoned.<div>


    <div>


    It was like a spiritual energy version of a power bank, providing Su Jie with temporary cultivation energy.


    When the spiritual energy was insufficient, he would return to the Tianyuan World to let it take root and replenish by absorbing the earth¡¯s veins and the spiritual energy in the air.


    Hu!


    In the tranquil environment, as Su Jie gently exhaled, the room was instantly filled with a refreshing fragrance that warmed the heart and spleen, and the mysterious spiritual power emanating from his body faintly formed a white crane, its cries resounding through the universe.


    ¡°The White Crane Zen Dao is indeed powerful.¡±


    Golden divine radiance flowed over his body, Su Jie¡¯s cultivation had greatly improved, taking a big step toward the Yunling Realm Seventh Level.


    The key to this was the White Crane Zen Dao he had extorted from Ning Xinyue, which he had just sessfully practiced.


    This Cultivation Technique¡¯s efficiency in absorbing spiritual energy¡ªputting aside the reciprocal cultivation of the thousand-hand centipede¡ªwas significantly higher than the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture in terms of the use and absorption of spiritual energy.


    Standing up from the ground, Su Jie lifted his palm and shouted, ¡°Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint.¡±<div>


    <div>


    A handprint made of spiritual energy was struck out, twined with the energies of the metal, wood, water, fire, and earth elements, and it hit a thick steel te, instantly creating a handprint half a meter deep on the nearly one-meter-thick steel te, scattering sparks and iron filings around.


    If it weren¡¯t for the zed ss Calming Dust Array Map isting the sound and movement, the vibration would have affected a hundred meters radius.


    ¡°With this, the Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint can be considered sessfully cultivated.¡±


    A smile hung on Su Jie¡¯s lips. The Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint, which he had not grasped before, now had its essence understood by Su Jie, truly unleashing the power of this palm technique.


    ¡°Splitting Shadows.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s body swayed, and two shadowy figures, rapid illusions within the Array Map, darted chaotically¡ªmuch improved from before when he could only condense a single false body.


    The vast improvement was entirely due to the Enlightenment Returning Ruins Skill, which had enhanced hisprehension, markedly elevating Su Jie¡¯s talent, and made learning multiple Cultivation Techniques much more effective.


    Su Jie continued to experiment with the gains from his progress, and over an hourter, he walked out of the basement.


    The vi¡¯s living room was quite lively; Liang Lianjun was excitedly talking about something.


    Next to him, Liu Yingying was covering her mouth, staring back and forth at Liang Lianjun¡¯s forehead.


    Upon seeing Su Jie enter, Liang Lianjun, like a child with a new toy, excitedly showed his hair to Su Jie.


    ¡°Mr. Su, it¡¯s amazing, the hair growth liquid you gave me is just miraculous, my hair really grew back, look how thick and dense these are!¡±


    Only to see, on Liang Lianjun¡¯s formerly balding crown, ayer of short, fine hair had grown, covering the previously bare scalp.


    The growth rate of human hair is 0.27-0.4 millimeters per day, and now in just seven days, his hair had begun to sprout, enough to prove that his hair growth had returned to normal, and the symptoms of hair loss truly altered.


    ¡°What did I tell you? You¡¯de back in a week to thank me.¡±


    Su Jie stepped forward, looked at Liang Lianjun¡¯s hair for a few moments, and said, ¡°Now do you believe what I said? Isn¡¯t the effect of the hair growth liquid incredibly potent?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m convinced, this effectiveness is freaking amazing.¡±


    Unable to contain his excitement, Liang Lianjun eximed with extreme joy, ¡°Not only did I grow hair, but I also had several of my subordinates at Tianyuan Company, who suffer from the same hair loss issue, use it. They all experienced hair growth like I did, without any side effects.¡±


    ¡°A one hundred percent cure rate, isn¡¯t that a bit exaggerated?¡±


    Liu Yingying covered her mouth, though she had anticipated the results, seeing the effectiveness of the hair growth liquid still shocked her to no end.


    This was far superior to any hair loss product avable today, including hair transnts, and it perfectly solved the global issue of hair loss.


    ¡°This is thetest achievement of ourb. If it didn¡¯t have such miraculous effects, we wouldn¡¯t have put it on the market. Now all we need is the east wind, have we bought a shampoopany?¡±


    Su Jie sat on the sofa, looking at Liu Yingying as he inquired.


    ¡°We have acquired a local shampoopany in Linping City. Thepany has a factory with about two hundred employees.¡±


    Liu Yingying quickly reported, such a minor acquisition was no big deal for the financially powerful Tianyuan Company¡ªit could be settled simply by throwing money at it.


    ¡°Upgrade the production line as soon as possible, change the packaging, and rename the product Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid. At the same time, expand the factory to ensure we meet future demand. Regarding the raw materials, they will be transported from the Mande Regionter on; you¡¯ll be responsible for the coordination.¡±


    Su Jie immediately gave instructions, considering safety and confidentiality, Ghost Hair was not suitable to be brought into Hua Country.


    When the time came, they just needed to transport the raw materials regrly, dilute them, and package them into products.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have them speed it up; we¡¯ll get things sorted out soon.¡±


    Clutching her little fists, Liu Yingying, having witnessed the amazing effects of the hair growth liquid, was eager to see the product hit the market. Every night it wasn¡¯t avable was money lost!


    ¡°By the way, Mr. Su, we¡¯ve finished the final coordination with Mu Hua Company. They are urging us to finalize the deal as quickly as possible.¡±


    Liu Yingying continued, bringing up the matter regarding Mu Hua Company.


    ¡°Okay, I have time now, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Su Jie nodded. Once he acquired the livestock farm, his Soul Summoning Banner would have a use.


    ¡­¡­..


    That same afternoon, Su Jie led a team to Guangyi County.


    Not only was this the location of Mu Hua Company, but it was also home to thepany¡¯srgest pig farm.


    At the entrance to the biggest livestock farm in Guangyi County, owned by Mu Hua Company.


    Su Jie met with the founder of Mu Hua Company, Song Chengde.


    ¡°Young people nowadays are really something, Mr. Su. When I was your age, I was still struggling just to clothe and feed myself, yet you¡¯ve already created such arge enterprise. If my good-for-nothing son had even half of your talent, I¡¯d bepletely satisfied.¡±


    Song Chengde expressed goodwill. He was an ordinary middle-aged man wearing a ck suit, his hair meticulously groomed.


    Even though he was now mired in debt due to a failed venture into car manufacturing, resulting in a mixed reputation, he still maintained the air of apany CEO.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Mr. Song, you tter me. I still have much to learn in the field of animal husbandry.¡±


    Su Jie shook hands with Song Chengde, maintaining humility in his words.


    ¡°Indeed, animal husbandry is a field with significant risks and fluctuations, but I believe that since Mr. Su has decided to join in, you must have made thorough preparations. Young people have drive, and I¡¯m confident that you will seed.¡±


    Song Chengde kept praising, eager to sell off his assets to repay debts, he was somewhat ingratiating himself to Su Jie.

 Chapter 120 - 36: Massive Yin Souls

    Chapter 120: Chapter 36: Massive Yin Souls


    ¡°`


    After signing the contract, Song Chengde¡¯s smile was impossible to conceal.


    Because of the car manufacturing, he had umted a huge personal debt.


    Now, with this acquisition deal, he wouldn¡¯t just be able to repay the bank loan, but also start anew with a sum of capital, which naturally made him very happy.


    Otherwise, if it really came to the bank taking over and auctioning off Mu Hua Company, he figured he wouldn¡¯t be left with much at all.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Mr. Su, be wary of Yikang Company, the turmoil at the entrance of the breeding farm today might have been their doing.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Song Chengde reminded Su Jie before leaving.


    ¡°Oh, Yikang Company?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted to Liu Yingying, seeking an exnation.


    ¡°Yikang Company is also arge-scale breeding firm, currently valued at 12.5 billion. During our participation in the negotiations to acquire Mu Hua Company, they also stepped in with an offer, but their price showed little sincerity, and they were eliminated from contention right from the start.¡±


    Liu Yingying had done her homework; she had researched a lot about the breeding industry and was familiar with the majorpanies.


    ¡°Yikang Company¡¯s CEO, Yu Duanchong, has always beenpeting with me in this industry. Apart from my own reasons, I suspect that Yikang Company yed a part in the crisis of Mu Hua Company, kicking us when we were down and hoping to acquire mypany at a low price.¡±


    Song Chengde exined, emphasizing that he was not making unfounded usations.


    Liu Yingying felt somewhat guilty and said, ¡°Mr. Su, my background check wasn¡¯t thorough enough.¡±<div>


    <div>


    If they had known that Mu Hua Company was being targeted by a maliciouspetitor, then they would have had to think twice about the acquisition, as the opponent might very well consider Su Jie, whom they thought had taken their business, as a new rival.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡±


    Su Jie gestured dismissively and said to Song Chengde, ¡°Mr. Song, if you have any information on Yikang Company, send me a copy.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Yu Duanchong of Yikang Company tends to be quite aggressive; you¡¯d better be careful,¡±


    Song Chengde readily agreed and reiterated his warning.


    He hadn¡¯t mentioned Yikang Company earlier for fear that Su Jie would hesitate to take over. Now that the acquisition deal waspleted, he felt free to speak his mind.


    Su Jie chuckled nonchntly and said, ¡°Businesspetition is all it is, and we¡¯re quite skilled at that.¡±


    ¡°How old are you to be skilled at anything!¡±


    Hearing Su Jie¡¯s words, Song Chengde inwardly sneered, thinking that young people were just arrogant and might need to face some hardships.


    After all, as far as Song Chengde was aware, Su Jie was managing Tianyuan Home, and although it had been making a ssh in the home market recently, it was mainly due to their high-end materials overpoweringpetitors, with no cunning business battles involved, let alone any experience in the breeding industry. He had no idea how deep the waters were.


    ¡°Well, I wish Mr. Su prosperous business and to quickly be the leader in the breeding industry.¡±


    Song Chengde didn¡¯t say much more. He had decided to exit the industry anyway, and since he had so little attachment left to Mu Hua Company, he wouldn¡¯t have sold it so readily otherwise. Whatever happened afterward was none of his concern.


    As they watched Song Chengde leave, Liu Yingying voiced her concern, ¡°I¡¯ll have our people be more vignt immediately, just in case Yikang Company really causes some trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, go ahead and do that. And you needn¡¯t worry too much. Small tricks are fine, but if they go too far, I¡¯ll step in,¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression was deep as he spoke, startling Liu Yingying.


    ¡°Mr. Su, you wouldn¡¯t be thinking of¡­ this is domestic, if you resort to guns and violence, it could get too out of hand for us to manage.¡±


    Liu Yingying felt extremely uneasy, recalling what Su Jie had done in the Mande Region.


    Those who crossed Su Jie ended up miserably, so she couldn¡¯t help wondering if he nned to employ the same tactics in Hua Country.


    ¡°`


    But Hua Country is different from the Mande Region!


    In Chan Country, there was already division and chaos, so if you killed someone in Hua Country, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to get away with it, and you would be more likely to trap yourself.


    ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m aw-abiding businessman, so why would I do such a tasteless thing? I won¡¯t act rashly,¡± Mr. Su said with a smile, but he did not mention one thing, which is that to cause someone¡¯s death, you need not necessarily resort to knives and guns.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Guangyi County, Mu Hua No.1 Breeding Farm.


    When the acquisition waspleted, Su Jie immediately began his transformation work.


    It took several days to hire a construction team, which transformed the cepletely ording to his own vision.


    Inside the ughterhouse, several altar-like structures were built, enclosed by high-strength ss for protection.


    On the altars were enshrined several deities from Hua Country, such as the Jade Emperor, Guanyin, Lord Guan, and others.


    Hidden among these statues were Soul Summoning Banners, not just one, but quite a few.


    After all, Soul Summoning Banners were cheap and simple to make, so Su Jie made several more to cover the entire ughterhouse.


    ¡°Hmm, not bad, this looks veryfortable.¡±


    Standing in front of the altar, Su Jie lit the incense and ced it in the incense burner, nodding in satisfaction as he observed his masterpiece.


    There were some workers around, but actually many of them were stealing nces at this spot, incessantly gossiping behind the scenes, feeling that Su Jie was too superstitious, building altars in this ce when they weren¡¯t running a temple.


    ¡°Mr. Su, the altars have also been built in the other ughterhouses ording to your requirements,¡± reported the person in charge of the breeding farm, as Mu Hua Company owned multiple breeding and ughtering facilities, some not located in Guangyi County, and all had undergone simr transformations.


    ¡°What do you think, do these altars look good?¡± Su Jie asked as he wiped the statues, which were not ordinary¡ªfor the exterior was the likeness of the gods, but inside, besides Soul Summoning Banners, there were Spirit Stones and even some rudimentary prohibitions set up.


    In this way, even without Su Jie¡¯s control, the Soul Summoning Banners could automatically absorb souls.


    ¡°Um, I¡­ I think, the workers have some minorints, ughtering pigs all day and then looking at these statues, it seems a bit unnatural.¡±


    The person in charge chuckled awkwardly, carefully conveying the workers¡¯ sentiments.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. These statues are specially invited by me. It is exactly because the killing is too heavy that we need the altars for evil-suppressing and disaster-relief, to protect our safety.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head with a smile, but as he spoke, from the pigs that had just been ughtered in the facility, streams of Soul Light Balls flew like swallows returning to their nest, entering the statues, and eventually being absorbed into the Soul Summoning Banners.


    If a cultivator from Tianyuan World were here to hear Su Jie¡¯s words, they would surely curse loudly.


    For what Su Jie was doing was the terrifying method of Soul Extraction and Yin Refining, and far from being used for evil-suppressing and disaster-relief, these Soul Summoning Banners were the most evil objects of all.


    The person in charge twitched the corner of his mouth, treating this as the new boss¡¯s superstitious quirk and silently gazed at the statues atop the altar.


    Not sure if it was an illusion, but he felt that these statues really had some inexplicable aura, as if they were discreetly watching him, a sinister chill making him somewhat uneasy.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an illusion; I¡¯m not superstitious,¡± the person in charge shook his head and looked again, finding the statues appearedpletely ordinary.


    But what he didn¡¯t know was that, inside the statues, eerie shadows were wildly twisting on the face of the banners, and as the ck Soul Banners grew increasingly defined, more and more Yin Souls were taking shape, their weird and cold gazes chilling to the core.

 Chapter 121 - 37: Business Competition (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 121: Chapter 37: Business Competition (Fourth Update)


    Su Jie¡¯s mouth curled into a smile. At this farm that churns out two million pigs a year, an average of over five thousand pigs were ughtered every day, the Soul Summoning Banner alone could condense nearly twenty Yin Souls in a single day.


    Including the output from other farms, as well as the ughter of cattle, sheep, and meat chickens, that added up to thirty to forty Yin Souls a day, easily exceeding ten thousand Yin Souls over the course of a year.


    No need to kill a single person, one could effortlessly obtain arge number of Yin Souls.


    This was something the cultivators of Tianyuan World would find difficult to aplish, given their low productivity. To ughter five thousand pigs, they would have to scour several cities and surrounding towns, going door to door to redeem them.


    With that effort, it would be more efficient to just kill people.<div>


    <div>


    But in modern society, arge farm could easily achieve this, and that was just the ughter volume for one day.


    Even so, this wasn¡¯t the most impressive farm.


    In Hua Country, where nine hundred million pigs were consumed a year, the most powerful breedingpany had an annual turnover of sixty to seventy million pigs, with a market value of several hundred billion.


    And Su Jie¡¯s goal was precisely to be such apany, or even to surpass it.


    ¡°Starting from today, since we¡¯ve acquired Mu Hua Company, we must make some major moves. Let¡¯s start with raising sries. All Mu Hua Company employees will get a 10% raise,¡± Su Jie announced indifferently, pleased with the Soul Summoning Banner¡¯s absorption efficiency and even more eager for the employees to work diligently, providing more Yin Souls for him.


    Some financial expenditure was not that important, after all, money was meant to be spent.


    There was silence for a few seconds; the farm manager¡¯s mouth hung open, his body shuddered, and then he finally realized.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Su. You were so right just now. Our ughterhouse has too much killing, and the feng shui is bad. Now with the protection of the altar, we no longer need to fear sneaky demons.¡±


    The attitude of the farm manager changed drastically in the face of the irresistible force of a pay raise, sumbing without bottom line.<div>


    <div>


    What had seemed a somewhat eerie altar now felt dearer than his own ancestors¡¯ tombstones.


    Anyone daring to speak against it would be showing grave disrespect to Chairman Su.


    When this news spread throughout the farm, it caused a sensation.


    Stimted by money, employees no longer had any qualms about the establishment of the altar. Instead, they praised it extensively, asserting that it was a proper gesture of respect for folk traditions.


    ¡°Mr. Su, there¡¯s been a problem,¡±


    Just as the farm was buzzing with excitement, Liu Yingying hurried in and found Su Jie.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Su Jie closed the protective ss and turned around.


    ¡°A lot of negative news about ourpany has shown up online, take a look at this.¡±


    Liu Yingying took out her phone and showed Su Jie the messages.


    ¡°Explosive! Mu Hua Food Company has changed hands, Tianyuan Home has acquired Mu Hua Food for 6.8 billion Hua Yuan. What could be the intrigue behind a timber seller getting into farming? Please see our analysis below.¡±


    ¡°The actual controller of the new Mu Hua Company is under 25 years old. Such a leader is simply incapable of leading Mu Hua out of its loss-making trend. Thepany¡¯s future is worrisome.¡±


    ¡°Our news reporter received an anonymous tip iming that Mu Hua Company owes money to grain suppliers, has dyed payments for corn purchases, and faced suspension of pig feed supplies, leading to a tragic incidence of ¡®pigs eating pigs¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Mu Hua Company confronted with massive public protests. It is known that for many years, Mu Hua has been lenient in dealing with pollution, prompting concerns about the safety of the pork produced by such an enterprise.¡±


    ¡°ording to consumer reports, we have obtained a sample of pork from Mu Hua to conduct tests, and found that multiple hormones exceed the standard. It¡¯s suspected that during the breeding process, to maximize profits, hormones were massively misused.¡±


    One news story after another appeared in Su Jie¡¯s field of vision, all publishing negative information about Mu Hua Company, and it seemed they had also purchased a lot of poprity online, as many people were discussing it.


    ¡°Mr. Su, due to the impact of these news stories, our stock market value has been falling continuously, and now thepany¡¯s market value has already dropped by 18%, and it¡¯s still sliding down,¡±


    Liu Yingying said worriedly, as the adverse effects brought by these negative news pieces had begun to manifest in the stock market.


    ¡°The stock market, why fuss about that, we don¡¯t need to make money off the stock market anyway.¡±


    Su Jie didn¡¯t care about the stock market at all, nor was he afraid of how much his nominal wealth had shrunk.


    His game was about heavy asset cash flow; he couldn¡¯t care less about the stock market, especially since the circting shares outside were just about ten percent or so, rises and dips had no significant impact on the grand scheme of things.@@novelbin@@


    Signaling Liu Yingying to not be so anxious, Su Jie asked, ¡°Is it Yikang Company¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking into it.¡±


    Liu Yingying gave a wry smile and continued, ¡°Apart from these negative news stories, today there were vigers making trouble at thepany again, and we did find out that indeed someone spent money to get those elderly men and women to create a disturbance.¡±


    ¡°Merely some underhanded tricks that can¡¯t affect us in any way.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head, as Mu Hua Company was extremely important to Guangyi County, since thepany¡¯s operations affected the livelihood of thousands of people; such a heavy-asset enterprise would be somewhat protected by the government, which wouldn¡¯t allow it to fall into trouble easily.


    Seeing Su Jie soposed, Liu Yingying also calmed down quite a bit.


    Her experience was stillcking, after all, having followed Su Jie for just a few months, and upon returning to the country, she became somewhat flustered when suddenly faced with the suppression of argepany.


    Though Su Jie alsocked experience, he who was ustomed to life-and-death situations, found the businesspetition before him to be too mild byparison.


    You must understand, when Su Jiepetes with someone, it¡¯s always with a do-or-die attitude.


    Ring, ring!


    Liu Yingying¡¯s work phone suddenly rang. After she answered it, her face took on a somewhat peculiar expression.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Su Jie asked curiously.


    Liu Yingying handed the phone to Su Jie, with a strange look, ¡°It¡¯s the chairman of Yikang Company, Yu Duanchong.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that is interesting.¡±


    Su Jie took the phone and put it to his ear, and heard a voice from the other end of the call.


    ¡°Is this Mr. Su answering, haha, I am Yu Duanchong, the chairman of Yikang Company, your senior in the business. I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you with my call.


    Actually, I had some free time and saw quite a lot of negative news about Mu Hua Company on the inte, and thought, since we¡¯re in the same industry, as someone with experience I should give you a heads-up.


    Being in our line of business, one must act openly and honestly, not engage in fakery, producing things with pollution and hormones.


    Aquaculture is not just anything, if you ruin your reputation, it makes business hard for everyone, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Yu Duanchong¡¯s voice was somewhat rough, and while he seemed to be speaking politely, he ced himself in a high position, admonishing Su Jie in the tone of a senior and yet subtly using him of improper conduct.


    ¡°So it¡¯s Director Yikang Yu, I¡¯ve heard much about you. Before Mr. Song left, he told me he had an old friend. I hadn¡¯t expected Director Yu to reach out so soon.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s mouth curved slightly, the guy on the other end of the phone was really interesting, actually daring to call him, clearly a provocation.

 Chapter 122 - 38: Yu Duanchong (First Update)

    Chapter 122: Chapter 38: Yu Duanchong (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°Mr. Song, he¡¯s a good person, alright! Just not quite cut out for the breeding business, and the industry is tough nowadays.


    Mr. Su, even an old hand like Mr. Song has chosen to wisely disengage. While you are young and capable, breedinges with high risks, and you might not be able to develop Mu Hua Company well. It might be better to hand it over to us. Yikang can offer 5 billion to buy out Mu Hua Company.¡±


    Yu Duanchong said with a chuckle, revealing perhaps the true purpose behind the phone call.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about me having no intention of selling thepany, but this 5 billion offer, Mr. Yu, are you kidding me?¡±<div>


    <div>


    Su Jie couldn¡¯t help butugh sardonically. He had spent around 7 billion in total to acquire Mu Hua Company, and here the other party was, trying to knock down the price by 20 billion just like that¡ªan analogy less fitting than a snake trying to swallow an elephant.


    He also understood why Mu Hua Company hadn¡¯t taken Yikang Company¡¯s acquisition offer; it was merely a ploy to strip thepany down to its bones,cking any business sincerity.


    ¡°Mr. Su, you¡¯re still young, don¡¯t make the same mistake Mr. Song did. Sometimes, it¡¯s wiser to quit while you¡¯re ahead to prevent further losses.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m the type who knows the dangers yet still insists on heading towards Tiger Mountain. I¡¯m not happy without a bit of pressure.¡±


    The person on the other end of the call was caught off guard, and Yu Duanchong was clearly annoyed.


    ¡°A word of advice for you, young man, don¡¯t be too hot-headed. The current predicament of Mu Hua Company is probably just the beginning, and with your temperament, you¡¯re not fit to run apany.¡±


    ¡°If a young person isn¡¯t hot-headed, can he still be called young?¡±


    Su Jie snorted with disdain, unwilling to engage in any more hypocrisy with the other party, and bluntly stated into the phone, ¡°Mr. Yu, petty tricks are useless, and they can¡¯t harm the backbone of Mu Hua Company. But rest assured, all your actions are firmly etched in my memory, and I do wee you toe as a visitor. I¡¯ll be sure to extend a warm reception when you do.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ve given you an out, don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡±<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Ha, you might as well be bolder; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t even know what fear is.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, then just wait and see.¡±


    Beep beep!


    The call was abruptly ended.


    ¡°So quick to anger, huh!¡±


    Su Jie shook his head and said to Liu Yingying, ¡°It¡¯s alright, let¡¯s get back to work.¡±


    ¡­


    Meanwhile.


    In Xinzheng City, inside an office at Yikang Company¡¯s headquarters.


    Yu Duanchong mmed down the phone and cursed coldly, ¡°This brat, getting cocky just because he¡¯s got a bit of money, I¡¯ll show him.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, since the kid won¡¯t y ball, it¡¯s time to show him who¡¯s boss,¡± said Yu Runming, the head of Yikang Company¡¯s Public Rtions Department, who had been listening to the conversation on speakerphone along with others in the office.


    ¡°Dad, Runming is right; that little rat is even more arrogant than I am, acting all high and mighty just because he sells wood. What¡¯s so great about that?¡± eximed Yu Shichang, Vice President of Yikang Company.


    ¡°Yu, it¡¯s infuriating; we¡¯ve worked our butts off to bring Mu Hua Group to its knees, fully intending to snap it up for a song. Then, out of nowhere, Tianyuan Home barges in and steals the deal. We can¡¯t let them off the hook,¡± pped the table Wang Huilian, Yikang¡¯s Chief Financial Officer and Yu Duanchong¡¯s wife.@@novelbin@@


    The office was filled with directors and senior executives, who were also Yu Duanchong¡¯s rtives, and they were all cursing and swearing.


    Yikang Company is a typical family business, with the Yu Family controlling the majority of the senior management positions.


    ¡°Hmph, Runming, take your friends and make a trip to Guangyi County. Since they won¡ät drink a toast, let them drink a forfeit. Let¡¯s show them that not everyone can handle the breeding business,¡± snorted Yu Duanchong, opting for a more aggressive approach.


    ¡°`


    This was about a rivalry involving billions of interests, with bothpanies located in Xiping Province, at the top two positions in the breeding industry, they had beenpeting for many years.


    Now that Song Chengde had finally been pushed out and he was about to dominate the breeding industry in Xiping Province, soon he could form a semi-covert monopoly. Then he would be able to buy pigs at low prices from contract farmers, and sell piglets and feed at high prices.


    At this critical juncture, he, of course, didn¡¯t want Su Jieing in to stir up trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon, just you watch, Uncle.¡±


    Yu Runming got up, rubbing his hands together, decided to teach the ignorant neer a lesson.


    ¡­


    Guangyi City.


    In front of the Mu Hua Company building.


    A ck business car was parked there.


    Inside the car, Yu Runming, who came from Xinzheng City, smoked a cigarette. He rolled down the window, looking at the Mu Hua Headquarters Building with a look full of contempt and disdain.


    ¡°Brother Yu, we¡¯ve found out that the person in charge at Mu Hua Company is a woman named Liu Yingying, who parachuted over from Tianyuan Home to take over Mu Hua.


    She leaves thepany every night at nine o¡¯clock. We have figured out her driving route, but her ce of residence is not easy to get into, it¡¯s the most high-end buildingplex locally.¡±


    A short and sloppy-looking young man ran up to the car and reported.


    ¡°Hmm, not bad. Let¡¯s start by scaring the other side first, Mountain Mule, you know what to do.¡±


    Yu Runming snapped his fingers, giving the order.


    ¡°Heh heh, you don¡¯t have to tell us twice, Brother Yu. We¡¯ve done this kind of thing before, guaranteed not to slip up.¡±


    The young man known as Mountain Mule swung his head cockily. He was essentially a troublemaker, and such tasks were right up his alley.


    ¡°Brother Yu, how far should we go? There are more surveince cameras now, and if we make too much noise, it¡¯ll attract trouble.¡±


    There were several other people in the car, all cronies who usually hung out with Yu Runming. None of them were upstanding citizens, and they sometimes did dirty and tiring jobs for the Yu Family.


    ¡°Just give the other side a warning, don¡¯t make too much of a fuss. After the job is done, there will be benefits for you,¡± Yu Runming said casually as he stubbed out his cigarette.


    Time quietly passed, and soon it was nine o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Liu Yingying ended a day of busyness, having just taken over Mu Hua Company, and was in the midst of a slew of tasks.


    Leaving the Mu Hua Company, Liu Yingying got into a Maybach car in the underground garage and said to the driver, ¡°Lao Wu, let¡¯s head back to the vi.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Liu.¡±


    The driver started the car, followed by another vehicle that also moved along. Inside was a team from Jieke Security, who had obtained visas to enter the country.


    With a poption of one million, Guangyi County wasn¡¯trge in area. The distance from the Mu Hua Headquarters Building back to the residential vi wasn¡¯t far.


    However, it was at this moment that the unexpected urred.


    Bang!


    On a rather secluded street, a van burst from around the corner and scraped against the Maybach.


    The sound of brakes screeched, and Liu Yingying frowned, asking her driver, Lao Wu, ¡°Did we hit someone?¡±


    ¡°Miss Liu, they were the ones who vited the rules. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    Lao Wu unbuckled his seat belt, but just as he got out of the car, he saw seven or eight guys emerge from the van, reeking of alcohol, cursing at him. They were armed with baseball bats, steel pipes, and so on, and started to swing at him.

 Chapter 124 - 40: Poisoning (Third Update)

    Chapter 124: Chapter 40: Poisoning (Third Update)


    Two dayster.


    Nighttime.


    Mu Hua No.1 Breeding Farm in Guangyi County.


    Because pig farms inevitably have some odors drifting around, the No.1 Breeding Farm was located in a very remote suburb.


    Besides the breeding farm, the surrounding area was covered with uninhabited mountains and forests.<div>


    <div>


    At that moment, in the midst of the forest, Yu Runming appeared with seven or eight thugs.


    ¡°Brother Yu, do we really have to do this? This seems a bit too much,¡±


    one of the underlings nervously remarked, afraid of getting caught if something went wrong.@@novelbin@@


    If they went in, that would be at least ten years in prison to start with.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? Keep tight-lipped, and I will take the fall if anything happens,¡±


    Yu Runming coldly snorted, his eyes filled with malice, ¡°I have already discussed this with the uncle. Since we¡¯repletely at odds now, it¡¯s all or nothing. We aren¡¯t giving them any chance to turn things around.¡±


    Mountain Mule pped the underling across the face and cursed, ¡°What are you afraid of at this critical moment? Has Brother Yu ever treated us badly?¡±


    Yu Runming raised his hand to stop Mountain Mule and added, ¡°I know what you all are worried about. Our Yikang Company won¡¯t let you down. After this job, everyone will get a million each. How many years would it take you to earn that much money? Once it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the gang¡¯s eyes gleamed, and they breathed rapidly. Even the one who had been pped no longer cared about the pain, repeatedly saying, ¡°Brother Yu, we¡¯ll do whatever you say; we listen to you.¡±<div>


    <div>


    For these thugs, they had nothing to lose. A million was enough for them to take the risk.


    Yu Runming signaled to Mountain Mule with a nce, and the group unpacked several drones that had been modified from their backpacks.


    Then Yu Runming took out several ss bottles and carefully mounted them on the drones.


    The thugs, working in small groups, controlled a drone each and, under the faint moonlight, directed the drones towards the Mu Hua No.1 Breeding Farm.


    ¡°This time, I¡¯ll see if you die.¡±


    An excited smile spread across Yu Runming¡¯s face. The bottles carried by those drones contained the African swine fever virus.


    African swine fever is a major killer. It¡¯s an acutely febrile disease of pigs, highly infectious, with a short disease course and a mortality rate of up to 100%.


    If one pig in the farm contracted the virus, it could quickly spread throughout the whole breeding operation. Then, the entire farm would have to be scrapped.


    Even if there were any pigs left alive that hadn¡¯t contracted the disease, to prevent the spread of the swine fever virus, they would also have to be culled and buried.


    Yu Runming nned to use the drones to drop the swine fever virus into the breeding farm to facilitate rapid transmission of the virus.


    This way, all two million pigs inside would be doomed, resulting in a total loss.


    Calcting at a cost of 1800 yuan per pig, the death of two million pigs would result in a loss of at least 3.6 billion yuan, certainly enough to drive Mu Hua Company to the brink of bankruptcy.


    ¡°To think you couldpete with us at Yikang, clueless fool.¡±


    The more Yu Runming thought about it, the more excited he became. He already began to imagine Su Jie kneeling and crying, begging them to buy out Mu Hua Company.


    Though Mu Hua Company wouldn¡¯t have many pigs left by then, its equipment, factories,nd, and skilled workers were still valuable.


    A drone flew leisurely, but it hadn¡¯t even left the woods yet.


    In the night, a moth the size of a human fingertip, stubby and plump with pale human-like features, reached the drone and spat a precise stream of corrosive acid at its propeller, making it plummet down like a spearhead.


    Underneath where the drone fell, a swarm of ck clouds surged forward, engulfing it with densely packed moths of the same kind.


    ¡°My drone¡¯s controls are gone; it seems like something knocked it down,¡±


    ¡°Same here; it looks like the night vision camera captured a bug,¡±


    ¡°Damn, my drone is gone too,¡±


    Yu Runming, still immersed in his fantasies, suddenly heard a chorus of panic from the thugs.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? How could the drone just fall down, did they set up a jammer over there?¡±


    Yu Runming rushed over and looked at the remote control in one of the underlings¡¯ hands.


    He saw that the screen connected to the drone camera had gone ck, indicating it had obviously crashed.


    ¡°Go find the drone immediately and see what exactly happened!¡±


    Yu Runming was puzzled and hastily sent people to look for the reason.


    ¡°Crow, Wei Zi, Er Hu, you guyse with me.¡±


    Mountain Mule picked up a shlight and took several underlings, volunteering bravely to go out.


    But they¡¯d only taken a few steps when these guys suddenly turned pale. They scrambled back, crawling and rolling.


    ¡°What the hell happened now?¡±


    Yu Runming¡¯s anger rose at these useless underlings whom he wished could be more dependable.


    ¡°Brother Yu¡­ Brother Yu, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­ haunted, there are ghosts!¡±


    Mountain Mule¡¯s pants were soaking wet, he had pissed himself, screaming in utter terror.


    ¡°Ghosts? Your head! Are you brain-damaged? With such little courage, how can you survive in this life? Believe it or not, I could kick you to death.¡±


    Furious, Yu Runming could not understand how the usually dependable underlings had be such an embarrassment after arriving in Guangyi County.


    Grabbing the remote control in his hand, Yu Runming was about to smash it.


    But at that moment, he heard a strange rustling sounding from the woods.


    What followed made his heart stop, and his pupils dte in terror.


    Rows of pale corpse hands were crawling on the ground, their eerie pale skin and fingers moving in a disturbing and terrifying manner.


    ¡°Ghosts¡­ Ghosts!¡±


    Yu Runming let out a scream. He wanted to run, but his legs would not obey.


    The other gang members, seeing this, were so frightened that their souls were nearly shattered, their cries and screams could be heard nonstop.


    But when they tried to run, it was already toote. Rows of pale corpse hands covered them, seizing their arms and legs, rendering them immobile.


    ¡°Hehe, waited two days for you and this is what you came up with! I thought you were nning on murdering someone.¡±


    In the darkness, Su Jie slowly emerged, still holding the bottle containing the African swine fever.


    ¡°Are you human or ghost?¡±


    It was too dark for Yu Runming to recognize Su Jie.


    ¡°We just saw each other two days ago and you already forgot me? I told you, we¡¯d meet again soon.¡±


    As Su Jie approached, his face was also visible in the moonlight.


    For a moment, all the gangsters including Yu Runming were dumbfounded.


    They thought it was a ghostly urrence, but behind the scenes, it was a person manipting everything.


    ¡°How¡­ How could it be you?¡±


    Yu Runming¡¯s throat desperately swallowed saliva, and goosebumps covered his skin.


    What kind of enemy had he provoked? The enemy even possessed supernatural power.


    Instinctively, Yu Runming struggled fiercely, his hands iling, trying to escape from Su Jie¡¯s vicinity.


    ¡°Is it so strange that it¡¯s me? I am your number one enemy, it¡¯s really not appropriate to ignore me like this.¡±


    Smirking, Su Jie stepped down, crushing one of Yu Runming¡¯s palms into pulp.

 Chapter 127 - 43: Corpse Scale Worm (Second Update)

    Chapter 127: Chapter 43: Corpse Scale Worm (Second Update)


    ¡°They are all spoils from the battle at the Golden Sand River, at least it wasn¡¯t a wasted trip.¡±


    Su Jie said with a smile, these were all things he couldn¡¯t use, so it was better to exchange them for Blood Marrow Crystals.


    Cai Chun¡¯e took a quick look and indeed saw many Magic Artifacts unique to the Righteous Sects.


    Such as the Purple Mist Sect¡¯s Colorful Cloud Iron Armor, the standardized Flying Sword of the Golden Sword Sect, the Magic Bell and Water Stepping Boots of the Guan Chao Pavilion, all stained with spots of blood, indicating clearly how Su Jie hade by them.


    ¡°Mr. Su, please wait a moment, I will have someonee over to appraise the value immediately.¡±<div>


    <div>


    Cai Chun¡¯e didn¡¯t dare to dy, she immediately went to call someone over as this was unmistakably a big deal that warranted full attention.


    This appraisal alone took several hours toplete.


    ¡­¡­


    When Su Jie left the Taixu Pavilion, his Storage Bag contained fewer various materials but was richer by 4800 Blood Marrow Crystals.


    Adding to the Spirit Stones and Blood Marrow Crystals Su Jie already held, his wealth now broke through the ten thousand mark.


    It sounds like a lot, and it really was a lot.


    This wealth, calcted based on the hundred Blood Marrow Crystals monthly fee of an inner disciple, would take nearly ten years to umte.


    It was really difficult to save up, as inner disciples earned much but also spent much.


    It could only be said that looting was indeed a very lucrative business, by his own efforts alone, Su Jie would have taken ages to amass so much money.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Mr. Su, we wee you toe and have fun again!¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e personally saw Su Jie to the door, an honor reserved for valued clients only.


    Su Jie gave a mischievous smile and raised his eyebrow, ¡°Have fun with what, Sister Cai, speak inly!¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e ced her hands on her hips, saying, ¡°Mr. Su, how about I give you a massage and back rub personally?¡±


    ¡°Thatcks sincerity; Sister Cai, why don¡¯t you consider visiting my residence, it¡¯s where the real fun activities are.¡±


    Su Jie teased Cai Chun¡¯e for a couple of sentences, then turned and left the ck Market.


    This time, Su Jie left openly and legitimately, even though many disciples knew he was wealthy, no one dared to rob him.


    Incidents from the past where he was forced to rob before retreating back to Blue Star were not likely to be repeated for Su Jie now.


    After leaving the ck Market, Su Jie arrived at an active volcano.


    The surface of the mountain was bare, covered with sulfur and volcanic ash.


    But that was just the surface, Su Jie took out his inner disciple token, and after the Law Enforcement Team verified his identity, he sessfully entered the Refining Hall belonging to the Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Inside the volcano, pavilions soared amidst hot, searing waves of air that were segregated by Arrays, while various exotic flowers and nts thrived wildly, blooming into a dazzling sea of flowers.


    Numerous human ves bustled about, engaged in the most basic tasks of ore crushing and sorting.


    The ore produced by the Ghost Ridge Pce was brought here, the most toilsomebor always relegated to the human ves.


    It was said no human ve could endure this intensity of work for more than three years, and in the Demon Cultivators¡¯ hands, ves without work value were squeezed dry of theirst worth, used for cultivation in blood sacrifices for Demon Techniques.


    The management of these hardworking human ves was done by Outer Disciples who studied Artifact Refining. Although rewards here were meager, they could gain knowledge.


    Just like how Su Jie used to go to Insect Valley to catch insects every day, Outer Disciples always had to find ways to support themselves.


    Su Jie¡¯s arrival disrupted the peace, these Outer Disciples quickly sat upright, supervising the human ves with increased severity.


    ¡°Excuse me, brother, can I help you with something?¡±


    A disciple cautiously approached Su Jie and asked.


    ¡°Is Elder Tang here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, and under the guidance of the disciple, he arrived at an open Refining Room.


    There stood octagonal fire wells with a diameter of three meters, their interiors filled with ceaselessly churning moltenva.@@novelbin@@


    Now and then, pirs of magma would erupt up to several meters high, like a blooming flower of me.


    Along with the surging magma, some radiant, shining or subtly enchanting materials like Heavenly Jade Ore, Alien Ghost Demon Bone, zed Wood, and Nine Curves Sand were also thrust into the sky.


    In mid-air, as the Artifact Refining Array operated spontaneously, chains of lightning crisscrossed and struck the materials, removing impurities from them.


    This was the most basic step of tempering; only afterpleting this step could the materials officially be used for artifact refining.


    An old man with his hands behind his back was inspecting the fire well tempering site.


    His eyebrows and temples were white and hung down his cheeks, with exceptionally deep eye bags and profound eyes that seemed to have experienced the vicissitudes of time and could see through people¡¯s hearts.


    He was the Elder Su Jie was looking for, Tang Peiqing, a Secret Realm Elder proficient in both artifact refining and alchemy.


    He was also one of the most famous Gu Masters inside Ghost Ridge Pce, having cultivated many poisonous insects with various eerie abilities.


    Moreover, he was the oldest elder in Ghost Ridge Pce, reputed to be 280 years old, even more seasoned than Taoist Qiu.


    ¡°Disciple Su Jie, a student of Taoist Qiu¡¯s lineage, greets Elder Tang.¡±


    Su Jie quickly stepped forward and performed a bow.


    Tang Peiqing¡¯s eyebrows drooped slightly as he said indifferently, ¡°From Taoist Qiu¡¯s family, did your master send you to find me?¡±


    ¡°No, I wanted to buy a bottle of Corpse Scale Worms from Elder Tang.¡±


    Su Jie stated his purpose; he nned to use them on Blue Star.


    These Corpse Scale Worms were extremely tiny and could freely carry various types of viruses, possessing strong infective capabilities.


    The only disadvantage was that these Corpse Scale Worms had an exceedingly short lifespan, dying shortly after use, andcked reproductive abilities to prevent other Gu Masters from learning and cultivating them¡ªonly Tang Peiqing knew the breeding method.


    ¡°Did you bring enough money?¡±


    Tang Peiqing gave Su Jie a few more looks and directly asked the core question.


    He bred various kinds of poisonous insects, sometimes selling them to disciples to earn money. These Corpse Scale Worms were specially cultivated, originally just amon flea.


    ¡°The money is sufficient, Elder Tang, rest assured, I don¡¯t do things on credit.¡±


    Su Jie patted his chest, now financially robust and not short on cash.


    ¡°No, I am willing to give credit here.¡±


    Tang Peiqing stared at Su Jie and said indifferently, ¡°If you can¡¯t pay back, your body can also make the payment, many of my poisonous insectsck good cultivators to serve as breeding nests.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heart pounded¡ªindeed, few of these elders were normal.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll pay directly with cash.¡±


    Su Jie said without hesitation, not daring to test whether Taoist Qiu would protect him.


    Tang Peiqing seemed somewhat disappointed, flicked his sleeve, and a line of bottles appeared in front of him, varying in size and totaling dozens.


    ¡°What grade of poison do you n to buy?¡±


    Like a vendor, Tang Peiqing generously disyed the various deadly poisons he had produced.


    These toxins were allpatible with the use of Corpse Scale Worms, which acted like fighter jets, and these toxins were the various types of ammunition and weapons, customized for different enemies.

 Chapter 130 - 46: Formation of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner (First Update)

    Chapter 130: Chapter 46: Formation of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner (First Update)


    The entire Pu Gao Farm fell into unprecedented chaos, with the mass death of the pigs also allowing the Soul Summoning Banner to gain a vast number of Yin Souls.


    Half an hourter, there was not a single living pig left in the entire Pu Gao Farm.


    A full four million pigs had been annihted by the Mica Yin Vein Poison.


    At this time, several dozen centipedes also returned, carrying the Soul Summoning Banner back to Su Jie¡¯s side.


    Ominous and bizarre silhouettes of Yin Souls emerged on the Soul Summoning Banner brimming with a vast number of souls, their eerie and hollow gazes prating the fabric of the banner, watching over all living beings on the outside.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Over ten thousand Yin Souls, I¡¯ve struck it rich overnight!¡±


    Su Jie was overjoyed in his heart, as the Soul Summoning Banners now stored more than ten thousand Yin Souls.


    It was a number that would have taken Mu Hua Company a long time to umte, but now it had been aplished all at once by Yikang Company.


    Picking up the Soul Summoning Banners, he summoned all of the Yin Souls within.


    Whoosh whoosh.


    The space around Su Jie became oppressively heavy, as the howling apparitions of Yin Souls spontaneously gathered and took their positions, forming a Yin Soul Blood Nether Array.


    Within the Formation, an extremely gloomy mist drifted, with each Yin Soul linking and fitting together, transforming into myriad soul-killing des, their piercing screams and maniacalughter reverberating across the wild.


    At the same time, a vaguely visible Void Door cracked open in the sky, revealing an ancient world the size of hundreds of acres within.


    Vaguely visible inside was a sky filled with bloodlight, endless crimson fog swirling, waves of putrid air nauseating to the sense, and sanguine blood collected into a small river.<div>


    <div>


    Above the Blood River, an old wooden bridge spanned across.


    On the bridge railing, dozens of corpses hung, and in the river human remains¡ªtorso remnants, organs, limbs, heads¡ªbobbed and floated¡­


    This blood-veiled, ghastly domain of the Blood River was but the tip of the iceberg of the true might of the Yin Souls.


    When the number of Yin Souls reaches ten thousand, they automatically huddle together for warmth, forming various mysteries¡ªa natural instinct like ants building nests, no learning necessary.


    Arge congregation of Yin Souls, driven by their obsessions, created their own dwelling ce, the blood-colored world Su Jie had just seen, which essentially amounted to a horrifying Formation constructed by the Yin Souls.


    Yin Souls in essence are souls, and when there are enough of them, they can turn illusion into reality, creating various realistic and illusory terrifying Array Maps.


    Any living being caught within would have their soul scattered and reduced to ashes across the aeons.


    Currently, ten thousand Yin Souls represented one level, a hundred thousand another qualitative change, and a million another level of might.


    Legend has it that during ancient times, there was a coalition of Demon Cultivator sects that ughtered countless living beings, amassing hundreds of millions of Yin Souls, to construct the formidable eighteen levels of hell, intending to turn the entire Tianyuan World into a collecting ground for souls, to have every deceased being¡¯s soul collected and then transformed into Yin Souls.


    In battle, each level of the eighteen levels of hell was an extreme killing Formation, possessing the might to subdue gods and immortals.


    Of course, rumors are just rumors, and who knows whether they are true or not.@@novelbin@@


    Watching the Blood Nether Array constructed by the Yin Souls, Su Jie, as the controller, felt a chill over his whole body, and his soul trembled slightly.


    It should be noted that Su Jie¡¯s soul had been strengthened by cultivating the Enlightenment Returning Ruins Skill, yet even his spirit was inevitably affected.


    Even without trying to fight, Su Jie could sense the power of this great Formation.


    ¡°With this, the true power of the Yin Souls is revealed.¡±


    Su Jie could hardly hide his shock in his heart, no wonder each disciple of the Heavenly Soul Sect carries a Soul Summoning Banner.


    A small number of Yin Souls hold no advantage against Cultivators and can even be utterly defeated one-sidedly.


    But with numbers, even to the extent of gathering into a great Array like Su Jie had done, the power bes something else entirely.


    Ultimately, all Yin Souls were stored by Su Jie in a Soul Summoning Banner, no, it should now be called the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.


    The newly formed Ten Thousand Soul Banner looked even more eerie, its fabric soaked with the hue of blood, vaguely revealing a blood-colored river raging and roaring, its rich scent of blood wafting out as if the Blood River truly existed.


    ¡°All the Blood Marrow Crystal I spent was worth it.¡±


    A slight smile yed on the corners of Su Jie¡¯s mouth. The Corpse Scale Worms he had acquired at a high price from Tang Peiqing had not only bankrupted the most important asset of Yikang Company but also helped himplete the formation of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner¡ªa double victory indeed.


    ncing in the direction of Pu Gao Farm, Su Jie sneered, ¡°Yikang Company, I hope you will appreciate this return gift.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside a high-end private club in Xinzheng City.


    Yu Duanchong was entertaining a group of guests.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, then we have an agreement,¡± Yu Duanchong said, his face sporting a cordial smile as he held his drink.


    ¡°Haha, rest assured, Mr. Yu, since you are willing to take over the quota, I will halt the supply to Mu Hua Company for the time being,¡± replied the smiling Mr. Ding. He was a grain merchant from Xiping Province, dealing mainly inmon livestock feed materials like corn, soybean meal, and wheat bran, and he was a major supplier for both Mu Hua Company and Yikang Company.


    Because Mu Hua had its own pig feed processing factory, it would usually purchase raw materials and process them into feed for pigs.


    A disruption in supply would certainly make it difficult to find a new channel in the short term. Even if one were found, transportingrge quantities from other regions would push up the breeding costs, as would purchasing feed from otherpanies.


    Yu Duanchong then turned his attention to another man, whispering, ¡°The stocks your wife owns in the United States, I¡¯ve already taken care of that, take a look at this¡­¡±


    Lu Pinghu raised his ss and clinked it against Yu Duanchong¡¯s, then spoke slowly, ¡°Your points were valid earlier; our department has received a lot ofints, indicating Mu Hua Company¡¯s pollution is indeed serious! Later our environmental bureau will issue a document ¨C it¡¯s time for reforms and fines, we can¡¯t let these bigpanies recklessly pollute our green waters and hills.¡±


    The smile on Yu Duanchong¡¯s face deepened as his gaze shifted to the other guests, who were all important figures in sectors rted to Mu Hua Company.


    This was thebination punch he had prepared for Mu Hua Company. When they all struck together, Mu Hua Company would either be crippled or at least severely wounded.


    Just as Yu Duanchong was preparing to continue his persuasion, his mobile phone inconveniently rang.


    The phones of the other guests also rang one after another. After answering, their faces showed odd shifts in expression.


    Less than a minute into the call, Yu Duanchong¡¯s face turned forbiddingly dark. He hurriedly put down his phone, ¡°Gentlemen, mypany has had an emergency, and I must rush back immediately. I¡¯m really sorry. This meal is on me¡ªenjoy yourselves without holding back.¡±


    Mr. Ding cleared his throat and said, ¡°Mr. Yu, upon reflection, I believe in doing business with integrity. I fear I won¡¯t be able to help with Mu Hua Company anymore.¡±


    He had his own sources of information and was already aware of what had happened at Yikang¡¯s Pu Gao Farm.


    Lu Pinghu said coolly, ¡°Regarding the issuance of the document, our environmental bureau needs to conduct further investigation. We cannot simply take theint at face value, can we?¡±


    A bank chairman, looking very distressed, stood up, ¡°Chairman Yu, the loan policy has been tightened recently, and about the 2.2 billion Yikang borrowedst time¡­¡±


    ¡°Chairman Chen, we¡¯ll talk about thister. I need to go back to handlepany affairs right now,¡± Yu Duanchong said, before rushing out as if he were fleeing. On his way out, he stumbled and fell, gashing his forehead, but he barely paid attention to the injury, quickly getting up with the help of his secretary and leaving straight away.


    In the room, a group of people exchanged nces. Finally, someone whispered,


    ¡°Old Yu has suffered such a heavy loss this time, he may not make it through. We should all prepare ordingly.¡±


    For a moment, the thoughts of those present diverged.


    Even though they had been jovial just before, now that they witnessed Yu Duanchong¡¯s fall, they were all thinking about how to distance themselves and recoup their losses. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; it was no different in this case.

 Chapter 131 - 47: Evil Approaches the Gallbladder (Second Update)

    Chapter 131: Chapter 47: Evil Approaches the Galldder (Second Update)


    Pu Gang Farm.


    Yu Duanchong stood inside the pigsty, his eyes dull and lifeless as he stared at the corpses of pigs scattered all over the ground, looking like a walking corpse who had lost all vitality.


    Batch after batch of workers inspected each pig pen in an attempt to find any pigs that had miraculously survived, only to be met with disappointment time and again.


    There were also scientists in white coats, wearing masks, conducting autopsies on the bodies, searching for the cause of the swine fever outbreak.


    On the open ground of the farm, piles of pig carcasses formed small hills, a sight that was shocking to behold.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°It¡¯s all over, all gone.¡±


    Yu Duanchong muttered to himself, watching the pig farming empire he had built copse at an unimaginable speed. He struggled to breathe, his chest writhed with pain; he had severe heart disease, which was now triggered by the stress.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    The apanying secretary was shocked and quickly fed medicine to Yu Duanchong. After a while, Yu Duanchong finally recovered, but the pain on his face was even more sorrowful than during the angina attack.


    ¡°Dad, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Arge group of people rushed into the farm.


    The top executives of Yikang Company and other members of the Yu Family had received the news and rushed here.


    However, upon seeing the current state of Pu Gang Farm, everyone, without exception, was struck with horror, and panic quickly seized their hearts.


    Pu Gang Farm was the core of Yikang Company, ounting for 80% of thepany¡¯s revenue.<div>


    <div>


    Now, with four million pigs dead within the farm, just this alone amounted to a direct loss exceeding seven billion.


    The market value of Yikang Company was only around 12 billion or so.


    It could be said that the downfall of Pu Gang Farm was a disaster for Yikang Company.


    From the perspective of market value, Yikang Company seemed to have started with a loss, but pig farming is a capital-intensive operation, always indebted with bank loans and payment dues to raw material suppliers; they needed to sell the pigs to recoup funds for repayment.


    But with Yikang Company in its current state, what could they use to discuss repayments? Whether thepany could continue to operate was an unknown.


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t the swine fever detected earlier? What are the people at the farm even for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve signed agreements with Xun Commercial Supermarkets and several otherpanies to deliver 120,000 pigs the day after tomorrow as per the contract; what do we give them now?¡±


    ¡°Huasheng Bank still owes more than two billion in loans, and they will not let us off the hook¡­¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been neglecting your duties, engaging more in thepany instead of such matters, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Such a virulent contagious disease in pigs went undetected.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, you still have the nerve to say that about me, you were soaking in a bar all night yesterday, noting home, what right do you have to talk?¡±


    Arge group of the Yu Family felt as if the sky had copsed and began to me andin about each other.


    ¡°Old¡­ Old Yu, say something!¡±


    Wang Huilian looked at her husband, hoping that he, as the principal decision-maker, woulde up with an idea.


    The other Yu Family members also stopped arguing, all turning their eyes to Yu Duanchong, hoping he could stand up in this time of crisis.


    Yu Duanchong¡¯s face was pale, silent all along until his wife¡¯s call finally made hime back to his senses.


    ¡°Chen Shang, has the swine fever test resulte out yet?¡±


    Having regained someposure, Yu Duanchong immediately summoned thepany¡¯s chief swine disease expert to inquire about the exact type of swine fever they were dealing with.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Yu, this is a type of swine fever virus we have never seen before, and we still cannot detect the cause,¡±


    responded Chen Shang, who was questioned. As soon as the swine fever outbreak was identified, they conducted tests right away, performing various rted tests, but until now, they could not find the cause of the swine fever.


    ¡°Is someone poisoning them?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Yu Duanchong asked again, a bit suspicious whether it was Mu Hua Company¡¯s doing, since they had recently used the same tactic against Mu Hua Company.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible, this is an unprecedented swine fever virus, with no simr cases found anywhere in the world; we¡¯re just purely unlucky to have encountered it.¡±


    Chen Shang shook his head, giving a very certain judgment.


    ¡°Is there a risk of it being a zoonotic disease?¡±


    Thinking of something, Yu Duanchong¡¯s eyes flickered, with a palpable fear in his gaze.


    Startled, Chen Shang then shook his head and said, ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any risk. Although the pork is severely above standard levels, it won¡¯t transmit back to humans.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you, Old Chen, you may go now.¡±


    After dismissing Chen Shang, Yu Duanchong turned to his family members with fierce determination, gritting his teeth:


    ¡°From now on, no one enters or leaves Pugang Farm,pletely lock down this swine fever issue, collect all employees¡¯ phones, give them enough hush money, and make them all keep their mouths shut.


    Junior, with your brother-inw at the Epidemic Prevention Bureau, go back right now and have him issue a batch of animal health certificates for us. We won¡¯t let him down afterwards.


    Huili, you will personally oversee the ughterhouse, and we must process and send these diseased pigs to the market as soon as possible, and the price can be kept as low as possible.¡±


    Hearing Yu Duanchong¡¯s words, the Yu Family members were all shocked.


    ¡°Uncle, this is illegal!¡±


    A member of the Yu Family trembled, the thought of millions of diseased pigs flooding the market made his scalp tingle.


    ¡°So what if it¡¯s illegal? Do you want to go bankrupt?¡±


    Clenching his fists tightly, Yu Duanchong¡¯s face twisted fiercely, resembling a demon.


    The others thought about their own interests, realizing that if Yikang Company went bankrupt, they would have nothing left.


    In a moment, they all fell silent, no longer voicing any objections.


    Having lived in luxury, the thought of bankruptcy and having nothing was something most of them couldn¡¯t bear; the psychology of taking risks began to take over.


    ¡°Big brother, I understand. I¡¯ll go to my brother-inw¡¯s myself.¡±


    The Yu Family¡¯s junior immediately agreed, supporting his elder brother¡¯s decision.


    ¡°Go to the second floor safe, the Third Level, take those two boxes of cigarettes, they are all little yellow croakers, make sure he cooperates with us.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll look for channels to sell off the pork.¡±


    Yu Shichang also sprang into action, seeking out his connections.


    The other Yu Family members also offered their advice in turn, as after all, the diseased pigs didn¡¯t kill people; Yikang Company was far more important, it absolutely must not go bankrupt.


    After giving his orders, Yu Duanchong had everyone assigned tasks.


    After everyone left, Yu Duanchong smoked, his gaze cold: ¡°No one can bring down my Yikang Group, no one.¡±


    Stamping out the cigarette, Yu Duanchong quickly got in his car and left; he had to personally handle matters.


    With such important assets in Yikang Company, linked to so many people¡¯s livelihoods, just by persuading with reason and appealing to feelings, Yikang Company wouldn¡¯t fall.


    Meanwhile, none of them noticed that not far away, several tiny flying insects hovered over the trees, with pinhole cameras attached, quietly recording this entire conversation.


    And inside the farm, more pinhole cameras silently operated, recording scenes of the swine from falling ill to death.

 Chapter 133 - 49: Collapse (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 133: Chapter 49: Copse (Fourth Update)


    Yikang Company headquarters building.


    Downstairs, a continuous stream of citizens who hade to demonstrate kept throwing rotten eggs.


    Media reporters also gathered around, dragging everyone who came out of the building into an interview.


    Even many inte celebrities came over to ride the wave of attention, as Yikang Company was now truly a hot topic, with rted news views skyrocketing.


    Above the building, Yu Duanchong seemed to have aged twenty years overnight.<div>


    <div>


    Watching the noisy crowd of debt collectors, his eyes were filled with immense pain and destion.


    ¡°Mr. Yu, when will you settle the final payment for the intelligent feeding system you owe ourpany? If you don¡¯t pay, I¡¯ll just stay here and not leave.¡±


    ¡°Yu, we¡¯ve been old friends for many years, you can¡¯t make this difficult for me, that¡¯s the bank¡¯s money, if I can¡¯t recover it, I can¡¯t exin it away.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Yu, I¡¯ve already returned all 80,000 pigs you deliveredst week. Give me back the money I paid for the pigs, andpensate for my losses too.¡±


    The creditors surrounded Yu Duanchong, their spittle flying so much that Yu Duanchong could hardly catch his breath.


    A few days ago, he was still gloriously the chairman of Xiping Province¡¯srgest livestock enterprise.


    Now, Yikang Company had fallen into a dire situation of impending bankruptcy and he had be like a street rat that everybody wanted to hit.


    Yu Duanchong finally seized an opportunity and scurried out of the encirclement in a disheveled state.


    At that moment, his suit was torn, his hair messy, and his face seemed to have been punched several times, looking very pitiful.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Everybody, please let me say a few words.¡±


    Seeing another group of creditors about to rush up and beat him, Yu Duanchong kept waving his hands and shouting.


    ¡°What nonsense, pay back the money!¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Right, pay back the money now.¡±


    ¡°Pay back the money!¡±


    ¡°Pay back the money!¡±


    ¡°Pay back the money!¡±


    The creditors were furiously indignant, everyone knew Yikang was tottering, liable to copse at any moment and then they might not retrieve their money, epting the loss for nothing.


    ¡°I know everyone wants their money back, and something like the swine fever is beyond my control, but please believe me, I have worked hard to build and develop Yikang until now, I definitely won¡¯t let it fall, even if I have to sell everything, I will pay back everyone¡¯s debts.


    I have already sent my wife and son to handle the properties and cars under our name, as soon as I gather the money I will immediately pay everyone back. Yikang has operated for many years, we still have quite a few assets, definitely enough to cover a huge deficit.


    I also ask for one more chance, Yikang will apply for debt restructuring, doing our utmost to weather this crisis and be ountable to the public and society.¡±


    Yu Duanchong gasped for air, bowing deeply with utter sincerity as he finally broached the topic of debt restructuring.


    nning to renegotiate with the creditors about the timing, amount, or method of debt repayment.


    Perhaps knowing that seizing Yu Duanchong now was useless, and that Yu Duanchong still possessed quite a few properties and shops under his name, these real estates, if converted into money, could indeed relieve a lot of Yikang¡¯s current distress.


    ¡°Are you serious, will you guarantee the repayment?¡±


    ¡°Truly, I founded Yikang with my own hands, I can¡¯t just watch it fall, please give me a little more time.¡±


    ¡°You must pay me back first when you return the money.¡±


    ¡°Definitely, I won¡¯t miss a single cent for everyone here.¡±


    Through repeated bowing and apologies, it took a long time for Yu Duanchong to eventually persuade all the creditors to leave.


    And on Yu Duanchong¡¯s face, there was no sign of joy; only endless exhaustion.


    After a long while, Yu Shichang managed to gather his energy and took a car back home.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°Yu.¡±


    Yu Shichang and his wife, Wang Huilian, looked at the disheveled Yu Duanchong and already guessed what had happened at thepany that day.


    Bang!


    Yu Duanchong mmed his hand on the table, and thinking about the recent events at Yikang Company, his face was filled with anger.


    ¡°Mu Hua Company, if I ever catch a chance, I¡¯ll make your life miserable.¡±


    With his intelligence, how could he not suspect there was a mastermind behind this?


    Combining this with those he had recently offended, he immediately targeted Mu Hua Company.


    ¡°Dad, did ourpany end up like this because of what Mu Hua Company did?¡±


    Yu Shichang was both shocked and furious, clenching his teeth so hard they squeaked.


    ¡°That Su guy is no good, Runming must have been discovered by him when he went to poison, and he¡¯s using the same tactics to retaliate against us.¡±


    Wang Huilian had also figured everything out, and her expression was dark and terrible.


    ¡°If we had just been a bit more ruthless back then¡­¡±


    Yu Duanchong felt helpless, now even if he understood everything, so what?


    Struggling to even protect himself, let alone deal with Mu Hua Company.


    Just as the family was engulfed in anger, a phone call came in.


    When Yu Duanchong saw the caller ID, his face immediately changed.


    After picking up the smartphone and talking for less than two minutes, Yu Duanchong¡¯s face turned ck as the bottom of a pot, and he slumped down on the couch.


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Yu Shichang didn¡¯t understand what could have changed so drastically just from receiving a phone call.


    ¡°The government is getting involved, they¡¯reing to investigate Yikang and hold us ountable.¡±


    Yu Duanchong¡¯s expression was grim, he had connections in the government who had given him insider information.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The news made Yu Shichang¡¯s body tremble, feeling like the sky had copsed.


    ¡°Huili, all those preparations you made, are they ready?¡±


    Yu Duanchong looked at his wife, having anticipated that this day mighte, he had started to prepare an escape route early.


    ¡°Everything is ready, I¡¯ve transferred whatever assets I could to the United States.¡±


    Wang Huilian spoke, as the financial director of Yikang Company, she was well versed in the practice of capital transfer.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s stick to the n and leave separately, Shichang, let¡¯s meet in the United States.¡±


    Yu Duanchong stood up, although he was reluctant to leave his family business, he was more averse to ending up behind bars.


    The crimes he hadmitted were too great, although due to time constraints, only a small part of the diseased pigs were sold, but now, given the huge uproar, his status as a businessman wouldn¡¯t help him anymore, so escaping abroad was the only option.


    ¡°What about your brother and sister-inw?¡±


    Wang Huilian asked, as the crimes weren¡¯t limited to just a few of them, the entire Yu family was involved.


    ¡°We have to leave some people behind to draw their fire, that way we can escape more safely from Hua Country.¡±


    Yu Duanchong did not hesitate at all, readily using the rest of the Yu family as stepping stones, sacrificing them for his own wellbeing.


    The three of them made a few disguises, then quickly left the house, each taking separate ways to flee.


    Not long after, Yikang Company faced its true downfall.


    Thepany¡¯s only remaining cash flow was embezzled, and with the core leaders fleeing, thisrge breeding enterprise copsed thunderously, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.


    The remaining Yu family members who didn¡¯t escape in time were arrested one by one, and at the time of their arrest, they still didn¡¯t know that their trusted elder brother and sister-inw had betrayed them.

 Chapter 134 - 50: The Final Strike (Fifth Update)

    Chapter 134: Chapter 50: The Final Strike (Fifth Update)


    On a road in Xiping Province.


    Disguised, Yu Shichang drove towards the border.


    Xiping Province bordered An Nan Country, with the provincial capital only a few hundred kilometers from the border.


    His parents had long since arranged for contacts to meet him, assuring that once he crossed the border into An Nan Country, he would bepletely free from the mess in Hua Country.


    At a gas station, Yu Shichang got out to refuel and bought some snacks.<div>


    <div>


    As his destination grew near, a glint of excitement appeared in his eyes.


    ¡°Still want to catch me? Wait till I get to the United States. With the millions of US Dors my parents left there, I can livefortably for the rest of my life.¡±


    Thinking about continuing his good life in the United States, his dejection at leaving his homnd gradually dissipated as he started to indulge in fantasies of a bright future.


    Lost in his daydreams, he drove onto arge bridge, beneath which turbulent waves surged.


    Thud!


    A noise sounded, as if the car had been struck by something.


    Yu Shichang looked back instinctively, but it was that one nce that brought an image he would never forget.


    A pale, eerie arm was resting on his car window, the distinct lines on the palm visible through the white skin mottled with livor mortis, the fingers slowly tapping, grinding the ss, trying to worm their way inside.


    In extreme fear, Yu Shichang¡¯s mind went nk, and he mmed on the brakes hard, veering off course.<div>


    <div>


    Subsequently, the car broke through the guardrail and plunged into the churning river below.


    The vehicles passing by stopped, attempting to rescue, but the car gradually sank into the water.


    Given the high drop between the river¡¯s surface and the bridge, jumping down would be fatal, so they could only watch as trails of white bubbles emerged from the river until both car and man were swallowed by the water.


    ¡­¡­.


    Inside a hotel suite.


    Pseudonymously registered, Wang Huilian was taking refuge here.


    She was about to leave Xiping Province tomorrow, preparing to take the ferry to Hong Kong Ind, her visa and paperwork already in order.


    Beep beep!


    Listening to the busy signaling from the phone, Wang Huilian hung up and frowned, saying, ¡°This child, why doesn¡¯t he answer the phone? I hope nothing has happened.¡±


    Feeling anxious, she had only this one son, and the escape route she had nned for him was very safe. But now she couldn¡¯t get through to him at all. She feared the police might have discovered him.


    ¡°No, no, my n can¡¯t be wrong.¡±


    The more Wang Huilian thought about it, the more anxious she became, and she got up to open a window for some air.


    Whoosh whoosh!


    The cold wind blew in from outside. Wang Huilian was just about to turn around when she noticed something wriggling on the left side of the window sill.


    Upon closer inspection, she saw a mass of hos gathered there, as if the swarm had split to form a new nest and was temporarily resting here.


    The movement of opening the window disturbed the bees. The aggressive hos took flight, as ifmanded by someone, and dive-bombed Wang Huilian with a clear target,pletely covering her before injecting their stingers into her skin.


    Wang Huilian, ustomed to a life of luxury, could not bear the agony. Her screams echoed far and wide as she frantically tried to swat at them and shut the window. But she lost her footing due to the frantic movement and tumbled out of the window.


    Thump!


    On the street below the hotel, a body fell from the sky, mming forcefully onto the pavement.


    Pools of bright red blood seeped out from under Wang Huilian¡¯s body as onlookers quickly gathered around.


    By the time the ambnce arrived, the body was already cold.


    ¡­¡­


    Xinzheng City, Kunyun International Airport!


    A man donning a baseball cap and d in thick clothes appeared here.


    It was none other than Yu Duanchong, who had gone through a transformation in his appearance.


    ¡°Attention passengers bound for Shanghai, your flight CY2926 is now open for check-in. Please proceed to counter 17 for¡­¡±


    As he listened to the airport¡¯s public address system, Yu Duanchong kept checking his watch.


    His flight would be boarding in half an hour, taking him directly to Japan; once there, he would be as free as a bird in the sky.


    ¡°Why does time pass so slowly?¡±


    Yu Duanchong took deep breaths continuously, feeling a nervous urge to urinate.


    Looking around, he lowered the brim of his cap and headed to the restroom.


    It was almost back-to-back.


    Just as Yu Duanchong had entered the restroom, a figure holding a ¡®Under Maintenance¡¯ sign ced it at the entrance and followed closely behind him.


    After relieving himself and giving his body a shake, Yu Duanchong zipped up and bent over the sink to wash his face thoroughly.


    It was at that moment that someone patted his shoulder, apanied by an unfamiliar voice.


    ¡°Mr. Yu, I believe this is our first meeting, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Yu Duanchong jerked his head up and found a strange young man standing behind him, who had appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°You are¡­ Mu Hua¡¯s Su Jie.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Yu Duanchong, of course, recognized hispetitor, having seen his photo before.


    ¡°Hehe, Mr. Yu, I hope you¡¯re in good health!¡±


    The smile on Su Jie¡¯s face was as refreshing as a spring breeze, but to Yu Duanchong, it was devilish.


    ¡°You, you, you¡ªit was all your doing behind the scenes, wasn¡¯t it? Mypany, my family, they were destroyed because of you¡­¡±


    Yu Duanchong¡¯s emotions red up suddenly; if looks could kill, Su Jie would already be riddled with holes.


    ¡°What goes aroundes around! When you said you wanted to show me your methods, Mr. Yu, I didn¡¯t expect Yikang Company to copse after just a little bit of business rivalry.¡±


    Su Jie shrugged his shoulders, then added, ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not one to kick someone when they¡¯re down. To spare you the heartbreak of seeing Yikang Company go bankrupt, I¡¯ve had Mu Hua¡¯s PR team head out, ready to take over Yikang Company. I wonder if this will ease your mind a bit.¡±


    This is what you call a stab to the heart. Su Jie was doing exactly that.


    First, he ruined yourpany, and then, right in front of you, he nned to acquire it, iming your life¡¯s work for his own.


    ¡°You, you, you¡­¡±


    Yu Duanchong red at Su Jie, and overwhelmed by fury, clutched his chest as his angina acted up again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so angry, look at you. And if I tell you that I preemptively sent your son and wife to reunite in hell, would you want to kill me even more?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s smile grew even brighter as the words he spokepletely shattered Yu Duanchong¡¯sst psychological defenses.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill¡­ kill you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, a Yin Soul passed through his body, eerily appearing behind him.


    Affected by the Yin Soul, his angina intensified; he copsed to the ground, trembling as he fished for medication in his pocket.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, if your heart is weak, you shouldn¡¯t be so greedy. Why bother?¡±


    As he knelt down, Su Jie took the medicine bottle from Yu Duanchong¡¯s desperate hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I¡¯ll soon send you down to join your son and wife, so they won¡¯t feel lonely. A family should be together after all.


    Of course, don¡¯t think you can get away so easily. This Yin Soul was cultivated at Pu Gang Farm, and it seems to really like you; it ns to apany you on this final journey.¡±


    Yu Duanchong¡¯s pupils dted continuously as he watched Su Jie turn and leave.


    Behind him, the Yin Soul revealed a sinister, eerie smile. As Yu Duanchong watched with immense horror, the soul drew closer little by little, tormenting and toying with his spirit.

 Chapter 135 - 51: Acquisition of Yikang Company (First Update)

    Chapter 135: Chapter 51: Acquisition of Yikang Company (First Update)


    Trending Topics:


    #1: Recently, the fugitive Yu Duanchong was found dead at Kunyun Airport, and after a police autopsy, it was determined that the cause of death was a myocardial infarction!


    #5: All involved with Yikang Yu Family have been captured, and their judgement day is set; they will face severe legal penalties.


    #13: Yikang Company is facing bankruptcy. It is known that Mu Hua Company has officiallyunched an acquisition bid, willing to negotiate on debts and assets.


    #25: The general manager of Mu Hua Company, Liu Yingying stated she will ensure the original employees¡¯ benefits remain unchanged and continue to expand the production of pig farming.<div>


    <div>


    In the vi in Xinzheng City, Su Jiey on the sofa, browsing through the news on his phone, with Yikang Company frequently appearing in trending searches.


    Click.


    The door was pushed open, and Liu Yingying, dressed in uniform, entered and sat down next to Su Jie, her face showing signs of fatigue from work.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation now?¡±


    Su Jie put down his phone and inquired about the progress of today¡¯s acquisition.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost confirmed that Yikang Company will be sold as a whole; we¡¯re still discussing the defaulted debt, initially nning to¡­¡±


    Liu Yingying reported the details of today¡¯s meeting.


    Given the size of Yikang Company, involving thousands of employees, Xinzheng City also does not want Yikang Company to go bankrupt, as it would lead to mass unemployment affecting their political performance.


    Therefore, when Mu Hua Company showed interest in the acquisition, the local area was even more enthusiastic than Mu Hua Company, proactively offering various incentives and credit support.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Borrow some more loans now, quickly take over Yikang Company, and restore the production capacity of Pu Gao Farm. Otherwise, waiting for bankruptcy and liquidation could take half a year to a year. By then, even though the assets acquired will be cheaper, the waiting time will be too long.¡±


    Su Jie stretchednguidly, adamant about acquiring Yikang Company.


    Although Yikang Company has a tarnished reputation now, the foundation of thepany¡¯snd, machinery, and skilled workers remains.


    Just by investing money and purchasing piglets and sows from other farms, they could quickly restore production capacity.


    Otherwise, if they were to expand capacity themselves by building factories, training employees, and installing equipment, it would take a lot more time, and the pace of expansion would be nowhere near as swift as that of an acquisition.


    If they could swallow Yikang Company and restore its production capacity, by then, Mu Hua Company¡¯s annual output of pigs could reach over ten million, enough to enter the top ten of Hua Country¡¯s pig farmingpanies.


    Su Jie was doing this because he valued the Yin Soul output from farming; martial power was the very foundation of Su Jie¡¯s status.


    Listening to Su Jie¡¯s ns, Liu Yingying brought up a problem: ¡°Relying solely on Tianyuan Home¡¯s finances is still very stressful, and Jieke Company also needs transfusions.¡±


    ¡°No worry, the local authorities will be eager to lend to us, and any financial issues will be resolved once the hair growth liquid hits the market.¡±


    Speaking of which, Su Jie asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the hair growth liquid, and when can it beunched?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already revamped the production line, currently stockpiled 5 million bottles, and n to officiallyunch it next week for sale, in coordination with supermarkets and other offline channels we¡¯ve opened up, as well as major emerce tforms, while also conducting advertising.¡±


    ¡°Keep ramping up the production pace, this amount of hair growth liquid definitely can¡¯t meet the demand; the market is too vast.¡±


    Su Jie said without hesitation, identifying this as arger cash flow source than the home market.


    With over two hundred million potential users in Hua Country alone, it¡¯s imperative to fully tap into this potential.


    ¡°The new production line is still being installed, but once it¡¯s in ce, our capacity will increase dramatically.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Once the product isunched, I¡¯ll apany you back to see our parents.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    Hearing Su Jie say this, Liu Yingying was overjoyed, hugged Su Jie¡¯s neck and kissed him, eager to dominate like a female knight.


    Su Jie naturally wouldn¡¯t indulge Liu Yingying and quickly left her disarmed and begging for mercy after a fierce bout.


    Another night of passions stirred under tumultuous skies.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Ghost Ridge Pce.


    In the manor, Su Jie was sitting on a recliner with a fire beside him radiating warmth, making it quite cozy.


    A few maids were nearby, busy preparing fresh juice as per Su Jie¡¯s orders, pressing fruits collected from the mountains into juice.


    ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s ready.¡±


    The maids cautiously presented the juice to Su Jie.


    ¡°Mmm, it tastes good.¡±


    Su Jie took a sip and nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Master, someone is waiting for you outside.¡±


    Uncle Fu hurried over, bowing as he reported.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Standing up from the recliner, stretchingzily, several maids quickly draped a fur coat over Su Jie.


    He walked slowly to the front hall, where it was still snowing outside, and several Outer Disciples were waiting, all belonging to the branch under Taoist Qiu.


    Next to them, freshly cut trees were piled up.


    ¡°Brother Su, do you think these trees are enough?¡±


    An Outer Disciple spoke up, his name Duan Guanghai, at the Fourth Level of Yunling Realm, like the other disciples at the Third Level of Yunling Realm, hade forward to serve after Su Jie became an inner disciple.


    Looking at the high piles of rare woods like Golden Nan Wood, small-leaf rosewood, and yellow pear wood, Su Jie no longer needed to personally go to the forest to cut wood ever since he had disciples to serve him.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, go ahead and use them.¡±


    Tossing a small bag that contained Blood Marrow Crystal, Su Jie was not letting them go unrewarded.


    ¡°Brother, how could we ept money for such a small favor¡­¡±


    Duan Guanghai hesitated, his motive to serve under Su Jie was primarily to find a protector in the Ghost Ridge Pce, having an Inner Sect Disciple as a backer was indeed a prestigious matter.


    ¡°Just take it if I tell you to, I don¡¯tck this bit of money.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand dismissively, Duan Guanghai nodded in agreement, and the other disciples also showed happy expressions.


    It seemed that Su Jie was an easy-going senior, unlike the typically haughty Inner Sect Disciples.


    ¡°I just came out of seclusion, has there been any important events inside the sect recently?¡±


    ¡°Well, these past few days have been quiet, but recently it¡¯s time for the sect¡¯s new disciple examination. Are you interested, Brother?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s that time already!¡±


    Su Jie was momentarily surprised, recalling that he had also entered Ghost Ridge Pce around this timest year.


    A year had passed, and he was already an Inner Sect Disciple, his promotion speed being notable among the disciples.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go have a look together.¡±


    Su Jie, having nothing else urgent, pulled his fur coat tighter, left the manor, and came to the open space outside the Mountain Gate of the Ghost Ridge Pce.


    The ce was now incredibly lively, with arge crowd of neers gathered here, young ones barely in their teens, and the older ones slightly over twenty, the right age for cultivation.


    The origins of these neers were also quite diverse, some were referred by the sect.


    For instance, if Su Jie had a family outside the Mountain Gate, he could rmend his rtives to the sect.


    Provided their aptitudes were sufficient, joining would be no issue within the set quota.

 Chapter 137 - 53: Competition (Third Update)

    Chapter 137: Chapter 53: Competition (Third Update)


    Su Jie¡¯s sudden and swift attacksted only about half a minute.


    The many new recruits undergoing assessment watched in shock, their eyes wide as they observed Su Jie¡¯s fierce killing methods.


    Still ordinary humans, they now fully experienced the visual and spiritual shock of martial cultivation.


    Their looks towards Su Jie were filled with immense admiration.


    Quite a few even began to fantasize about themselves, after cultivation, casually killing an Alien Ghost with a single palm strike.<div>


    <div>


    However, these novices, who had not yetprehended the difficulties of cultivation, mostly didn¡¯t know a cruel truth.


    Even if they exhausted all their resources, the vast majority would not be able to reach Su Jie¡¯s level and would have to spend their lives below the Sixth Level of the Yunling Realm.


    ¡°Whose disciple is that? So brave and fierce.¡±


    Elder Cai Shangbai looked on; it was no problem for an inner disciple to handle two or three Alien Ghosts, but to do so as cleanly and decisively as Su Jie was not simple.


    ¡°From Taoist Qiu¡¯s side, quite capable indeed.¡±


    Tang Peiqing nodded slightly, having some recollection of Su Jie.


    ¡°Indeed capable. I¡¯m very impressed with Taoist Qiu¡¯s female disciple. This young fellow also seems to have extraordinary potential. Sometimes I really envy him.¡±


    Another elder, Ruan Feng, could not help butment as well.


    When they assessed disciples, it was not just about the moves; the purity of the spiritual power demonstrated by Su Jie during the fight was definitely excellent among inner disciples.<div>


    <div>


    Su Jie, unaware that a few elders were discussing him, blissfully looked at his spoils of war.


    ¡°Brother Su, we¡¯vee to help¡­ to help¡­¡±


    Duan Guanghai, arriving with several others, hesitated, as it hardly looked like help was needed.


    Seeing the three Alien Ghost bodies, Duan Guanghai felt almost as shocked as those new recruits just entering.


    Recently, due to their patrolling and guard duties, they were certainly no strangers to Alien Ghosts.


    Just one of these demons could easily annihte a small team.


    Yet, in front of Su Jie, they were like rabbits, only knowing how to flee in an ignoble fashion, and quickly dealt with in a few moments.


    This also made it clear to them just how vast the gap was between themselves and an inner disciple.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Go pick up that Alien Ghost body over there.¡±


    With amand from Su Jie, Duan Guanghai quickly stood, ready to go.


    Just then, two inner disciples approached: a man and a woman. The man had a golden-red gourd hanging at his waist, and the woman had a graceful figure with skin white as snow.


    These two had started out at the same time as Su Jie but were just a bit slower, and the Alien Ghosts had already been disposed of by Su Jie.


    ¡°Fellow Daoist, what you see you share. I¡¯ll take a share.¡±


    The man with the gourd saw the dead Alien Ghosts, smiled, and reached out to take one.


    The woman did the same, perhaps thinking that with two against one, Su Jie wouldn¡¯t dare to oppose them.


    However, Su Jie¡¯s eyebrows raised, and the White Bone Sky ying Sword whooshed in; had the gourd carrier not quickly withdrawn his hand, his arm would have been directly severed.


    ¡°Did I say you could move?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s voice was calm, but the murderous intent it carried quieted the surrounding air.


    The smile disappeared from the gourd man¡¯s face, and he looked unfriendly.


    ¡°Not giving face like this, I, Cao Yuan, am just taking one Alien Ghost, a windfall that should be shared by all who see it.¡±


    As Cao Yuan spoke, the fluctuations of his cultivation, revealing a seventh level in the Yunling Realm, became apparent.


    ¡°Respect isn¡¯t earned by stealing from others.¡±


    Su Jie was not about to be polite with him. Being at the seventh level of Yunling Realm meant little; Su Jie had faced and defeated higher before, thinking he could be scared off was wishful thinking.


    ¡°I remember you just got promoted to inner disciple, called Su something. I¡¯m your senior sister, Nan Wenli. Leave this Alien Ghost to me, and in return, I¡¯ll spend a night with you.¡±


    The other inner disciple, Nan Wenli, smiled enchantingly, her delicate fingers tracing her red lips, her eyes seductive, as she made her exchange offer.


    ¡°Are you embedding Blood Marrow Crystals in there? I can¡¯t afford that, find some other sucker,¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s face was full of disdain. What a joke, an Alien Ghost was worth over six hundred Blood Marrow Crystals.


    With a monthly rate of a hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, it amounted to half a year¡¯s sry. He certainly wouldn¡¯t throw half a year¡¯s pay into just one operation.


    Upon hearing this, Nan Wenli¡¯s face immediately soured, as if Su Jie had just stopped short of saying she wasn¡¯t worthy.


    Duan Guanghai and the others twitched at the corners of their mouths, Su Jie¡¯s words made them want to burst outughing, but in front of the inner disciples, they had to hold it in.


    ¡°Is that funny?¡±


    Though Duan Guanghai and his group made small movements, Nan Wenli still noticed and a cold light swept towards them.


    ng!


    A metallic sh rang out as the White Bone Sky ying Sword sent a golden hairpin flying, a lower grade intermediate Magic Artifact, aiming for the lives of Duan Guanghai and the others.


    Duan Guanghai was terrified, he had merely moved his lips slightly, yet this woman had taken it to heart.


    ¡°Killing my people right before my eyes, how absurd.¡±


    Hitting a dog depends on the owner; Nan Wenli¡¯s behavior made Su Jie¡¯s face turn cold.


    Nan Wenliughed in extreme anger, ¡°A neer who was just promoted, you¡¯re at most at the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm, aren¡¯t you? The younger generation is indeed arrogant. You need to learn how to respect your seniors.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you also at the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm?¡±


    With a single sentence from Su Jie, Nan Wenli was seriously angered. Su Jie had seen through her level during their brief exchange.


    ¡°I¡¯ll spare you this time. Hand over three Alien Ghosts, and kowtow, then we¡¯ll let this go,¡±


    Cao Yuan approached Su Jie, his impressive aura making Duan Guanghai and the others shiver.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it once more, hand over the Alien Ghosts and I¡¯ll spare you.¡±


    Seeing Su Jie unresponsive, Cao Yuan continued to advance, confident that with his cultivation at the Seventh Level of Yunling Realm, defeating one at the sixth was absolutely achievable.


    ¡°You guys leave this ce.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand, his gaze never leaving Cao Yuan and Nan Wenli.


    Duan Guanghai and the others felt as if they had been granted amnesty, quickly distancing themselves from Su Jie, lest they be caught in the fray and die for unclear reasons.


    ¡°The youngsters are stirring things up again.¡±


    From a distance, Tang Peiqing watched the tense scene, showing no intention of intervening.


    Inner Sect disciples were also promoted from Outer Disciple; their strength improved, but their temperament would not change.


    Those capable of advancing to inner disciple were no easy opponents, and it was normal for them topete sharply with each other.


    However, disciples of this level wary of each other seldom took action.


    ¡°Who do you think will win? I¡¯m betting on the neers, Cao Yuan, and Nan Wenli,¡±


    Cai Shangbai was excited, favoring Cao Yuan and Nan Wenli.


    ¡°Two against one, I¡¯ll also bet on the neers,¡±


    Ruan Feng made the same choice. On paper, Su Jie really was no match for the two.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go for Su Jie, otherwise this betting won¡¯t take off,¡±


    Tang Peiqingughed and shook his head, his words also leaning towards Cao Yuan and Nan Wenli.


    Although Su Jie had performed well when killing the Alien Ghosts, the odds were against him in a two-on-one, not to mention an unequal fight. Winning would be highly difficult.


    Many neers and disciples also noticed the disturbance, casting their interested nces toward it.


    Many hadn¡¯t seen inner disciples spar before.


    ¡°Hurry up, help me give that bastard a good thrashing,¡±


    Among the crowd, Zhu Qingya clenched her teeth, muttering softly.

 Chapter 142 - 58: Innate Spiritual Object (Third Update)

    Chapter 142: Chapter 58: Innate Spiritual Object (Third Update)


    Su Jie¡¯s eyebrows drooped as he said, ¡°Hmm, are you still looking to trouble me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you still here?¡±


    Su Jie paused, looking Ning Xinyue up and down, thoughtfully saying, ¡°What exactly is your n ining to Ghost Ridge Pce? Lay it out clearly for me.¡±


    ¡°I just, I just came to get back at you.¡±<div>


    <div>


    Turning her head away, unable to meet Su Jie¡¯s eyes, Ning Xinyue¡¯s lying was too obvious to ignore.


    ¡°Not talking, huh? I¡¯ll call someone! Maybe handing you over to the elders for a tough interrogation will get the truth out, they are much harsher than I am.¡±


    Su Jie pretended to get up, judging from her reaction that this girl¡¯s visit to Ghost Ridge Pce was not as simple as seeking revenge.


    Ning Xinyue grabbed hold of Su Jie, saying, ¡°Wait, just wait, let me think.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? I didn¡¯t hesitate when I saved you.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Biting her tender lips, Ning Xinyue finally caved in, gritting her teeth, ¡°You swear to keep it secret, not to tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m famously trustworthy.¡±


    Seeing Ning Xinyue¡¯s expression, Su Jie realized, just as he had guessed, that this girl had another motive foring to Ghost Ridge Pce.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s face was incredulous as she almost scoffed at Su Jie¡¯s so-called trustworthiness.


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense, out with it.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s face grew stern, this was Ghost Ridge Pce territory after all, where his word wasw.


    ¡°I came here to hunt for treasure.¡±


    Ning Xinyue hesitated, revealing her true purpose foring to Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°Hunt for treasure, what treasure?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of treasure; he loved such things best.


    Ning Xinyue rolled her eyes, vigorously saying, ¡°How would I know what it is?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know and yet you came treasure hunting?¡±


    His lips twitched, this time it was Su Jie¡¯s turn to be speechless.


    ¡°I just know that here lies an exotic treasure about to emerge, but I don¡¯t know exactly what it is. The recent Alien Ghost riots in your Ghost Ridge Pce territory, I suspect it has something to do with that.¡±


    ¡°Exotic treasure!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s breath caught, the so-called exotic treasure, formally known as an Innate Spiritual Object.


    Innate Spiritual Objects are formed naturally by the influences of spiritual energy and other factors between heaven and earth. Unlike man-made Magic Artifacts, these objects are extremely powerful and possess various miraculous properties.


    An innate spiritual object in the outside world was something even the major sects¡¯ holynds coveted.


    ¡°Is your theory urate, could the Alien Ghost riots be rted to the innate spiritual object? Isn¡¯t it just turbulent earth energy, maic field changes causing it?¡±


    ¡°Have there been Alien Ghost riots at your Ghost Ridge Pce in the past thatsted this long?¡±


    Hearing Ning Xinyue¡¯s words, Su Jie couldn¡¯t help but ponder deeply.


    From the Alien Ghost riots to now, it had been half a year, while ording to some elder disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce, the riots in the past decades had ended in a month or two and never persisted for over half a year.


    That said, Ning Xinyue¡¯s analysis made some sense.


    Su Jie smacked his lips, then another thought urred to him.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right! Have the sect¡¯s elders not noticed?¡±


    ¡°Do you think exotic treasures are that easy to discover? Divine objects obscure themselves, don¡¯t you understand? If they were so easily detected, all the treasures in the world would have already been dug up.


    And no offense, but when ites to finding treasures, I¡¯m far better than those Ghost Ridge Pce elders who might excel in fighting off foes but not in treasure hunting.¡±


    Ning Xinyue held her head high with pride, staring intently at Su Jie as if he was the one to frighten her.


    Regarding Ning Xinyue¡¯s reasoning, Su Jie offered no counter; searching for treasures buried deep underground was not something his masters had taught him.


    ¡°When you were caught and put on the ve trading ship, you didn¡¯t intentionally try to infiltrate the Ghost Ridge Pce, did you? You already knew about the exotic treasure, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Seeing the girl¡¯s proud expression, Su Jie was somewhat doubtful. If that was the case, her scheming mind was not to be underestimated.


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s expression stiffened and she weakly said, ¡°That was really an ident.¡±


    Su Jie breathed a sigh of relief and muttered to himself, ¡°That makes sense. With your intellect, you probably wouldn¡¯t have the cunning to use yourself as bait. I was overthinking things.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what do you mean by that!¡±


    Ning Xinyue was angry. Were those even proper words?


    ¡°Can you find the location of the exotic treasure?¡±


    Su Jie ignored the girl¡¯s anger and continued to speak, focusing on the core issue.


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s expression weakened further, and she whispered, ¡°I need time to calcte.¡±


    ¡°So, you can¡¯t?¡±


    Su Jie stared at her, seeing Ning Xinyue¡¯s guilt.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I just need to perform calctions. Don¡¯t doubt my abilities.¡±


    Ning Xinyue puffed up her cheeks, displeased with Su Jie¡¯s underestimation of her.


    To prove herself, Ning Xinyue even took out a Jade Compass.


    Thepass was incredibly exquisite, with intricate patterns all over it like a sky full of stars, grabbing anyone¡¯s attention.


    Ning Xinyue took several spirit stones from her storage bag. As soon as the stones appeared, the air immediately became denser, and the concentration of spiritual energy greatly increased.


    These were Mid-grade Spirit Stones, containing extremely abundant and refined spiritual energy. They could almost be used for cultivation without filtration, transforming directly into one¡¯s spiritual power.


    The only downside was the high price.


    A single Mid-grade Spirit Stone was worth hundreds of Low-Grade Spirit Stones and was rarely seen used among disciples.


    Under Su Jie¡¯s pained gaze, Ning Xinyue ced the Mid-grade Spirit Stones above thepass. The spiritual energy within the stones was continuously absorbed by thepass, eventually turning them into ordinary stones.


    With the spirit stones providing energy, an illusory map appeared on the surface of thepass.


    It disyed the mountains, rivers, and streams surrounding the Ghost Ridge Pce, evolving on thepass.


    ¡°This is the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te. It can deduce geomantic formations of mountains and rivers.¡±


    Pointing at the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te, different colors and halos shined from the veins of the earth.


    ¡°Blue represents mineral veins, white represents underground rivers, ck represents lurking Yin Qi, gold represents branches of dragon veins, grey represents¡­¡±


    Ning Xinyue slowly exined before pointing at the geomantic map above.


    There, a light purple cloud was floating, unlike the stable mineral veins. This cloud moved back and forth,pletely without pattern.


    ¡°Do you understand? This is the target we are looking for. Once my Tianxi Eight Diagrams te locates the position of this cloud, we can find the exotic treasure.¡±


    ¡°I see, how long will it take to sessfully locate it?¡±


    Su Jie nodded, understanding that the purple haze was indeed the aura of a treasure, signifying supreme nobility.


    ¡°As little as a week, or as long as a year and a half. I need to supply energy with spirit stones every day, allowing the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te to calcte. I can¡¯t decide when it will be done.¡±


    ¡°That long.¡±


    ¡°Of course, deducing the secrets of geomancy is inherently fraught with difficulties. It¡¯s not something that can be deduced at will.¡±


    ¡°I mean, do you have enough spirit stones to sustain that daily investment?¡±


    Su Jie emphasized, this girl really doesn¡¯t treat spirit stones as money! With such an investment, it could run into a huge amount.


    Ning Xinyue ced her hands on her hips, finally finding something to tease Su Jie about, and retorted, ¡°That¡¯s just a poor person¡¯s mentality. You should know, even the Sect Holy Lands would be tempted by an Innate Spiritual Object. What does a little investment now count for? As the calctions advance, it will require moreputing power, so the investment in spirit stones will keep increasing. But once we find the exotic treasure, the current investment will return a hundredfold, a thousandfold.¡±


    Su Jie calmed down. That was right!


    The value of an Innate Treasure could incite bloody battles among sects. Every time an exotic treasure emerged, it caused a storm of bloodshed.


    Such a treasure, if a sect knew they could deduce its location, they wouldn¡¯t blink an eye at investing hundreds of thousands of spirit stones upfront.


    Su Jie was penniless, but for the sect, emitting such an amount was absolutely not a problem.


    However, Su Jie narrowed his eyes, looking at Ning Xinyue. This girl could bring out so many spirit stones without changing her expression; she was truly a walking treasury!

 Chapter 143 - 59: Yunling Realm Seventh Level (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 143: Chapter 59: Yunling Realm Seventh Level (Fourth Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°What for!¡±


    Feeling uneasy under Su Jie¡¯s stare, Ning Xinyue instantly formed ayer of ice crystals over her body, encasing herself inside like a vignt little squirrel with her big eyes blinking rapidly.


    ¡°Are you a turtle or something, always liking to seal yourself in ice?¡±


    Su Jie was amused andughed, finding the girl quite cautious.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t figured it out, you just tried to rob me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ning Xinyue puffed up her cheeks, clearly aware of the fable of the child who walks through a noisy market holding gold.


    ¡°Nothing of the sort. But speaking of which, how about we cooperate? I¡¯ll help you conceal your identity, and once you locate the exotic treasure, we can dig it up and sell it and split the money.¡±


    Su Je suddenly spoke up, proposing a n of cooperation.


    Ning Xinyue paused, pondering seriously.


    After a while, Ning Xinyue seemed to have thought it through and nodded, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do as you say.¡±


    But inside, Ning Xinyue was scoffing.


    Thinking of sharing the money with her? Once she got hold of the exotic treasure, she would make a quick escape, leaving you to work for nothing.


    Especially since the process of digging for the treasure might not go smoothly. With all sorts ofplex environments around Ghost Ridge Pce, demons, beasts, and perilous ces, it would be good to find a local to lead the way. Su Jie volunteering suited her perfectly.<div>


    <div>


    Little did she know, Su Jie held the same idea, nning to secretly take the exotic treasure and throw it back to Blue Star through the Ancient Mirror, making it impossible for her to track.


    Let¡¯s see you deduce the location of Blue Star. Even if the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te were ruined, you wouldn¡¯t be able to find it! What do you have topete with me, little girl?


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure working with you!¡±


    ¡°Pleasure working with you!¡±


    The two exchanged a smile, apparently burying the hatchet while secretly calcting their own schemes.


    ¡°I should be going back.¡±


    Ning Xinyue, thinking she¡¯d found a free fighter, didn¡¯t want to stay any longer.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back too; you¡¯ve disturbed my sleep all night.¡±


    Su Jie also stretchedzily and turned to walk back to his family mansion.


    But Su Jie hadn¡¯t gone far when Ning Xinyue, seemingly having a sudden realization, hurried back, grabbed Su Jie¡¯s arm.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    Ning Xinyue extended her right hand in front of Su Jie with a very assertive attitude.


    ¡°Back with what?¡±


    Su Jie looked down, feigning innocence.


    ¡°My Demolishing Demon Arrow, return it to me.¡±


    Ning Xinyue showed her cute little fangs, demanding her treasure with strong momentum.


    ¡°What Demolishing Demon Arrow? I haven¡¯t seen it!¡±


    Su Jie was genuinely perplexed, insisting he had neverid hands on the thing.


    ¡°You¡­ I clearly saw you take it and hide it in your Storage Bag.¡±


    Ning Xinyue stomped her feet angrily, finding this man extremely vexing.


    ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s justpensation for the mental distress you caused tonight. Who asked you to disturb my sleep? I should get some reparation, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Return it quickly, that treasure is very important to me.¡±


    Ning Xinyue red at Su Jie, cheeks puffed with anger. Although she was very wealthy, the Demolishing Demon Arrow was vital to her.


    Since she had run away from home, always searching ancientnds for treasures, she often encountered various Array Formation Restrictions, and without the Demolishing Demon Arrow, she would be at a loss.


    Seeing Ning Xinyue¡¯s anxious expression and not wanting their recent cooperative n to fall through, Su Jie reluctantly chose to give in a little.


    ¡°One hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s concession wasn¡¯t for nothing; he demanded a high price for the redemption.


    ¡°At most ten Mid-grade Spirit Stones.¡±


    Ning Xinyue immediately started to bargain.


    ¡°Ny-nine.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°20 pieces.¡±


    ¡°98 pieces.¡±


    ¡°30 pieces.¡±


    ¡°97.5 pieces.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ning Xinyue was on the verge of losing herposure, annoyed and angry as she pounded on Su Jie¡¯s chest and said through gritted teeth, ¡°What are you trying to do? Who haggles like this, one piece at a time? You think I picked up these Spirit Stones off the ground?


    ¡°Let me tell you, 50 pieces of Mid-grade Spirit Stone tops; don¡¯t think you can extort me¡­¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Su Jie suddenly agreed, and Ning Xinyue didn¡¯t even have time to react.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°No take-backs.¡±


    The next moment, Ning Xinyue took out fifty Mid-grade Spirit Stones and exchanged them for the Demolishing Demon Arrow from Su Jie.


    Looking at her smiling face without a hint of heartache, it was obvious that Su Jie¡¯s asking price was still too low.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you¡¯re a partner.¡±


    Su Jie felt a twinge of regret; he had considered the bigger picture. This youngdy was an outright wealthydy, and it was a shame to not extort more Spirit Stones when he had the chance.


    ¡°Hmph, you scoundrel.¡±


    Anxious that Su Jie might find another reason to extort her, Ning Xinyue gave him a cutting re and then ran off as if flying.


    Meanwhile, Su Jie looked at the Mid-grade Spirit Stones in his hand and a smile couldn¡¯t help but spread across his face.


    With this, he could advance his breakthrough to the Yunling Realm Seventh Level much sooner.


    ¡­¡­


    Five dayster.


    In the practice room of the Su Family Mansion at Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Surrounded by Mid-grade Spirit Stones and arge amount of Blood Marrow Crystals, Su Jie sat cross-legged, with the White Bone Tree behind him having grown into a small tree three meters tall.


    Most of the Spirit Stones had been drained of their inner Spiritual Energy and turned into ordinary rocks, and the White Bone Tree had nearly exhausted its reserve of Spiritual Energy as well.


    But the expenditure wasn¡¯t in vain. All of a sudden, Su Jie let out a long howl. Although the sound was isted by the Formation, it still shook the air and a surging Spiritual Radiance flowed around him.


    Within his meridians, torrents of Spiritual Power broke through various blockages, entering unfamiliar channels and also expanding the capacity for Spiritual Power.


    Above Su Jie¡¯s head, the phantom of a white crane circled in the air, emitting clear chirps as if to celebrate Su Jie¡¯s breakthrough.


    The Yunling Realm Seventh Level was attained.


    Su Jie exhaled deeply, his eyes filled with intense joy.


    This time, without relying on the enhancement from the thousand-hand centipede and by cultivating the White Crane Zen Dao, the Enlightenment Returning Ruins Skill, coupled with the Blood Marrow Crystals and the pure energy of the Mid-grade Spirit Stones, plus that little bit of umtion, Su Jie had made the breakthrough to the Yunling Realm Seventh Level all on his own.


    Thousand-Handed Centipede: So love does fade away, right?


    It was also the luck that the Thousand-Handed Centipede was in hibernation; otherwise, if it knew what Su Jie was thinking, it would surely rise to protest, fearing for its cherished status.


    After ascending to the Yunling Realm Seventh Level, the greatest change was the abundant Spiritual Power within his body, which was at least double that of the sixth level.


    His physical body had also been strengthened, his physique even more robust, with the power to throw an elephant with one arm.


    However, Su Jie seldom engaged in hand-to-handbat during fights, or rather, he almost never did.


    He preferred to smash people with Magic Artifacts, let bugs bite them, or useser eyes to burn them to a crisp.


    Stepping out with the Ancient Mirror, Su Jie returned to the Blue Star World, nning to check on the progress of his business ventures there.


    After arriving back at Jingjiang No.1 Vi, Su Jie didn¡¯t see Liu Yingying.


    Only after making a call did he learn that not long ago, she had justpleted Mu Hua¡¯s formal takeover of Yikang Company.


    She was currently overseeing the final preparations for the marketunch of the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, which would be fully introduced to the market tomorrow.


    ¡°Today really is a day of double happiness!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s lips curled into a smile, his confidence in the hair growth liquid absolute.


    Once this mysterious side product hit the market, all the other hair loss treatments and hair transnts could be dumped in the trash.


    ¡°I¡¯ll soon have a huge cash flow, and then it¡¯s time to continue expanding my breeding ventures. Whether it¡¯s bugs or livestock breeding, I want it all.¡±


    Su Jie was eager to proceed, especially with the Ten Thousand Soul Banner. He wanted to upgrade it to the level of 10,000 Yin Souls as soon as possible. When that happened, its might would increase exponentially, which would require a lot of livestock souls, all supported by money.

 Chapter 144 - 60: Hair Growth Liquid Hits the Market (First Update)

    Chapter 144: Chapter 60: Hair Growth Liquid Hits the Market (First Update)


    ¡°Xiao Xu! Send over the report tomorrow, we urgently need it here.¡±


    Inside Xiao Runfa Supermarket, as Xu Hong looked at the message from his boss on his phone, pushing the shopping cart with one hand and holding his phone with the other, he sighed softly andined, ¡°That idiotic boss, looks like I have to work overtime again tonight, who knows how much hair I¡¯m going to lose.¡±


    He tenderly touched his thinning hairline, where not much was left.


    Xu Hong was an inte industry programmer, not yet thirty years old, but prematurely balding.


    Back in university, he had been a dashing young man, but just a few years of work and relentless overtime had ravaged his good looks.<div>


    <div>


    Especially his once thick, ck hair, which was falling out relentlessly day and night, leaving him with a Mediterranean hairstyle.


    Looking at his graduation photo from university, it was like looking at apletely different person.


    ¡°I also need to buy some shampoo.¡±


    Xu Hong put his phone back in his pocket and pushed the cart toward the toiletries section.


    A young sales assistant dressed in the store¡¯s uniform eyed him for a while, as if spotting prey, and seamlessly appeared before Xu Hong.


    ¡°Handsome guy, we¡¯re having a promotion recently. Are you interested in this Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid? It¡¯s a new product with a powerful hair nourishing effect. The promotional price is only 119 yuan, and there are gifts with purchase right now¡­¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just¡­¡±


    Xu Hong intended to refuse loudly, but seeing the sales assistant was a good-looking youngdy, the words got stuck in his throat.


    In the end, after the sales assistant¡¯s persuasive talk, a dazed Xu Hong left Xiao Runfa Supermarket and only realized what had happened when he got home.<div>


    <div>


    Looking at the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid in the bag, he almost pped himself.


    ¡°Xu Hong, oh Xu Hong, what are you thinking, you single dog? Can¡¯t you show a little bit of willpower? Getting fooled into buying something again, and you didn¡¯t even dare to ask for her WeChat.¡±


    Xu Hong started to mock himself, then looked down again at the bottle of shampoo.


    ¡°Hair nourishment, visible results in one week, moisturizing the scalp, bringing back the thick ck hair of my youth? Shampoos these days are just full of hot air.¡±


    Seeing the product introduction on the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, Xu Hong was speechless.


    He had tried many things to save his hair, tried all sorts of methods, medication was ineffective, and hair transnts failed due to rejection.


    He had also been misled by shampoos, falling for tricks like ginger shampoo that imed to grow hair after washing but ended up beingpletely useless, harvesting nothing but his tax on gullibility.


    ¡°A price of 120 yuan, I could buy two or three bottles of regr shampoo instead, and it¡¯s such a small amount, enough for maybe a month¡¯s use.¡±


    Xu Hong shook his head, justifying his susceptibility to temptation, and now that he had bought it, he thought he might as well just use it. He was too shy to even consider returning it.


    He picked up the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid and went into the bathroom. As he washed his hair, it fell out in clumps in his hands, which deeply saddened Xu Hong. What fell wasn¡¯t just hair, it was his youth!


    After showering and using the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, Xu Hong felt a coolness on his scalp, as if something was prating deep into it.


    But Xu Hong didn¡¯t make much of it, he had already lost hope for his hair.


    Time passed just like that for several days.


    Xu Hong kept to his routine of working from nine to five, sometimes stayingte until nearly midnight, and upon returning home, he would take a shower and fall asleep as soon as he hit the bed.


    One day, Xu Hong arrived at the office for work as usual.


    Chen Jun, a colleague from the next workstation, passed by Xu Hong¡¯s desk and seemed to notice something, asking curiously, ¡°Ah Hong, did you go get a hair transnt?¡±


    Xu Hong, who was hunched over coding, lifted his head and said irritably, ¡°Why would I go for a hair transnt? One transnt costs twenty to thirty thousand, and I¡¯ve tried twice, both times were failures. The doctor said my scalp is no good, why would I waste that money?¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s that on your head, ayer of fuzz, or are my eyes ying tricks on me?¡±


    Chen Jun pointed to Xu Hong¡¯s forehead, where a fineyer of fuzz was growing.


    ¡°What fuzz, are you joking with me?¡±


    Xu Hong reached up to touch his head and then froze. He felt ayer of fine, prickly sensations.


    ¡°Damn, could it really be¡­¡±


    The sensation Xu Hong felt abruptly told him that something had changed on top of his head.


    Rushing to the bathroom, Xu Hong saw through the mirror his own scalp, which was previously sparse, was now covered in arge amount of new hair.


    This new growth was fine and dark, and although it was still just a shallowyer, it was visibly healthy and not at all like weak, fluffy hair.


    ¡°The hair growth liquid is actually real, my god, it hasn¡¯t been long at all! And the effects are so astonishing.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Xu Hong¡¯s pupils dted with shock. He had been so exhausted recently that washing his hair had been a hasty affair, neglecting any changes on his scalp.


    It was only now that he noticed the new growth.


    And this change was clearly due to the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid; it was the only hair growth product he had used recently.


    ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s amazing! This hair growth liquid actually works, the product description wasn¡¯t exaggerating!¡±


    Xu Hong was thrilled, looking at the new growth on his head with disbelief in his eyes.


    Heaven knows how much money he had spent trying to fix his hair, easily more than a hundred thousand, only to be met with disappointment time and again.


    But now, unexpectedly, there was light at the end of the tunnel. A simple shampoo had saved his hair.


    He had initially thought that the 119-yuan shampoo was a bit expensive, but now Xu Hong didn¡¯t think so at all. Such miraculous hair growth effects at this price were incredibly reasonable.


    When Xu Hong came out of the bathroom, many of his nearby colleagues had gathered around, curiously looking at his hair, clearly, Chen Jun had spread the word.


    ¡°Damn, you really grew hair.¡±


    ¡°Ah Hong, no, Brother Xu, how did you do it, tell your buddies, will you?¡±


    ¡°What anti-hair loss treatment did you use? The effect is quite strong, rmend it to us quickly.¡±


    A group of colleagues crowded around Xu Hong; they were all inte technicians well aware that most people in the industry have serious hairline worries, and they also had a need for hair growth.


    ¡°I used a shampoo, just a few days, and it¡¯s like this. I¡¯m not lying to you, it¡¯s called something¡­ Tian something, I¡¯ll go back and check, then tell you tomorrow.¡±


    Xu Hong was not stingy and started sharing with everyone right away.


    ¡°Shampoo?¡±


    The colleagues looked at each other, feeling skeptical about the product, but the result on Xu Hong¡¯s head was undeniable.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll buy a bottle to try outter.¡±


    After all, a bottle of shampoo wouldn¡¯t break the bank, so these colleagues all nned to buy and try it outter.

 Chapter 146 - 62: Malicious Competition (Third Update)

    Chapter 146: Chapter 62: Malicious Competition (Third Update)


    ¡°Cheers.¡±


    In a five-star hotel.


    Su Jie hosted a celebration banquet for the executives of Tianyuan Daily Company, apanied by Liu Yingying, to celebrate Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s sales breakthrough of 50 million units.


    Tianyuan Daily is simply the rebranded name after acquiring a shampoopany, and currently, they only have Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid on the market.


    However, it was exactly this single product that, within just a month, had thepany making a fortune daily, with monthly revenue exceeding 5 billion. Although this was not pure profit and various costs and taxes had yet to be deducted, it was more than enough to show the enormous market and cornucopia-like nature of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid now.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°To Mr. Su.¡±


    A group of Tianyuan Daily¡¯s senior executives promptly rose to clink sses. Many of them were veterans retained from the previouspany, who had witnessed the growth of Tianyuan Daily Company firsthand. They were well aware that with such an innovative product, Tianyuan Daily was bound to be world-famous, and therefore they were exceedingly respectful toward Su Jie.


    After dining and drinking with the group, Su Jie returned to Jingjiang No.1 Vi with Liu Yingying.


    ¡°Su Jie, we¡¯ve seeded.¡±


    In public, Liu Yingying couldn¡¯t let loose, but once alone, she was as happy as a child.


    ¡°Sess was inevitable, after all, the effect of the hair growth liquid is evident,¡± Su Jie said, flicking Liu Yingying¡¯s forehead, unimpressed by her surprise, ¡°Now, with enough cash flow in thepany¡¯s ount, we can expand the pig farming and insect breeding ording to our previous n.¡±


    ¡°Understood. However, Su Jie, there are a lot of onlinements smearing our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid now. Theye from domestic hair loss treatment enterprises, wig businesses, beauty salons, relevant industry doctors, and so on,¡± Liu Yingying reported, her expression turning serious as she brought up a different issue.


    ¡°They got anxious so quickly, huh,¡± Su Jie nodded, having anticipated this move.


    Theunch of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid had significantly eroded the market shares of these interest groups, causing their businesses to plummet.<div>


    <div>


    As the main culprit, it was expected that they would take action to retaliate.


    Su Jie opened his phone, browsed online, and sure enough, there were many sensational news stories smearing Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    ¡°Ma Tingkang, an expert in hair disease and gene therapy for hair disease, hair transntation, renowned dermatologist, professor, and doctoral supervisor, recently spoke up, iming the effectiveness of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid is unclear and it could produce some extremely severe side effects, such as skin cancer¡­¡±


    ¡°A hair loss patient suffered from severe allergic reactions all over the body, and persistent rash after using Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, and is still hospitalized to this day.¡±


    ¡°Multiple victims of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid havee forward, stating that the product has made their hair loss even worse.¡±


    All these news stories werepletely fabricated without any shred of truth.


    The sources and authenticity had virtually no value, and it was clear to any discerning person that they were the work of inte trolls.


    But not everyone is wise, and there were still many people online who were deceived, leaving likes andments below the posts.


    ¡°These can¡¯t hurt us. Are there any other tactics in y?¡± Su Jie continued to inquire, confident in the undeniable effectiveness of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, which these usations couldn¡¯t undermine.


    ¡°Besides these, thergest hair loss treatmentpany in the country, Linghui Pharmaceutical Company, has made a move.


    They¡¯ve introduced a health product aimed at hair loss treatment called Yafa Hair Growth Liquid, which also boasts impressive hair growth effects.


    We¡¯ve tested it, and indeed, it works very well; it¡¯s only slightly less effective than our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.¡±


    Liu Yingying raised another more serious issue, causing Su Jie to pause momentarily.


    ¡°They cracked the secret of our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid?¡±


    Su Jie looked at Liu Yingying with suspicion. Could Blue Star¡¯s technology be so advanced that they could decipher the effects of radiation from Ghost Hair?


    ¡°At first, I thought the same, but after we bought back their Yafa Hair Growth Liquid for testing, the result¡­¡±


    Liu Yingying shook her head, her face expressing annoyance as she exined, ¡°We found theponents of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid in their product. We suspect that they bought our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, diluted it, and then filled their own Yafa Hair Growth Liquid bottles with it.¡±


    ¡°That works for them? Aren¡¯t they losing money?¡±


    Su Jie rubbed his temples, shocked by the rogue moves of thesepetitors.


    Really, to make money, they¡¯ll resort to any means!


    ¡°They sell it at a much higher price, marketing it as a health product. Moreover, this brand is a bigpany, a well-known brand. The best-selling alopecia topical medication in our country used to be the foreign Asder Company¡¯s product represented by Linghui Company, a drug called Mino Hair Growth.


    So, many people trust the products produced by Linghui, and many are willing to pay a high price for this product, which is why they can make a profit.


    Additionally, in remote areas not covered by our sales, many people still don¡¯t know about the existence of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid. There, they sell their product at an even higher price.¡±


    Liu Yingying was also furious about this because the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid had just beenunched and was lesser-known; there would always be people who trust these so-called big brands and big manufacturers.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let them get away with this, disclose the information.¡±


    Su Jie was very upset; his painstakingly produced hair growth liquid was being sold by others as their own product.


    Although their sales don¡¯t significantly affect Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s market, it¡¯s just infuriating!@@novelbin@@


    ¡°I¡¯ve already asked thepany¡¯swyer to prepare thewsuit materials and issue a statement revealing the despicable actions of thispany.¡±


    Liu Yingying said, determined not to let Linghui Company take advantage of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid without consequences.


    ¡°Besides that, I¡¯ll help gather some evidence on my end.¡±


    Su Jie added. The effectiveness of awsuit is limited; such profit-drivenpanies would definitely dy as long as possible, and if it really came down to it, they¡¯d drag out thewsuit for years. By the time they¡¯d have to settle and pay a trivial sum, they would have made enough money, and by then, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s brand would be established, and they could retire on their sess.


    Thus, it was necessary to use public opinion to press them and let more people know about Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid so thatpanies like Linghui couldn¡¯t exploit loopholes.


    ¡°The main issue was that our production capacity was struggling to keep up, but once our hair growth liquid production increases, it¡¯ll be better. Right now, the construction of three new factories will soon bepleted, and the workers have all been trained. Then we¡¯ll be able to meet domestic demand and also expand to international sales.¡±


    ¡°Oh, going international, huh?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes brightened. The domestic demand for hair growth liquid would slowly decline; although there were over two hundred million potential users, not all patients with mild hair loss would buy it, and there was also the issue that patients are always anxious about new products, requiring time to cultivate brand trust.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯ve already started preparing for it. There is still one issue unresolved, though. We don¡¯t know how much to price it overseas?¡±


    Liu Yingying turned her gaze to Su Jie, looking to him to make a decision.


    Su Jie furrowed his brows and pondered for a while before saying, ¡°Considering taxes and shipping costs, let¡¯s sell it for 159.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds reasonable.¡±


    ¡°I meant in US dors.¡±


    ¡°US¡­ US dors?¡±


    Liu Yingying¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock.


    ¡°Of course, developed countries earn more, so naturally, we should charge a bit more.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s smile beamed, ready to reap a new harvest from the tender crops abroad.

 Chapter 147 - 63: Battle of Public Opinion (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 147: Chapter 63: Battle of Public Opinion (Fourth Update)


    Liu Yingying acted promptly and decisively after consulting with Su Jie.


    The following day, she served awsuit to Linghui Company and publicly condemned them online.


    ¡°Linghui Company, apletely hical forgery workshop.¡±


    Liu Yingying, aiming to spread the news further, purposefully registered ounts on multiple social media tforms for the announcement of her allegations.


    At this time, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid was a hot topic in the news, and the announcement of the usations immediately sparked widespread interest from onlookers.<div>


    <div>


    Milk Tea Don¡¯t Cry: What¡¯s with this Linghui Company, pouring Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid into their own health products and then selling them at such high prices, it¡¯s mind-blowing.


    Chirp Chirp Wobble: I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessarily the case, Linghui is a well-knownpany with a longstanding reputation, their Mino has always been effective, it¡¯s likely they¡¯ve developed a new product, and Tianyuan is just trying to suppress itspetitor because they see a threat.


    July¡¯s Naiko: To the person above, a neighbor of mine bought Linghui¡¯s hair growth health product, and it also takes effect within a week, but if one stops using it after a month, the hair falls out; how do you exin the striking simrity between the twopanies¡¯ products?


    Lychee Kitten Q: Exactly, why did Linghui have tounch a hair growth health product just after Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid was released, I don¡¯t believe in such coincidences.


    Sunken Starry Evening: Have you noticed how beautiful the CEO of Tianyuan Daily Company is?


    All I Think About is Roundness: +1, indeed beautiful!


    ZYLZYWY: I noticed too, this woman has appeared in Tianyuan Home, Tianyuan Daily, and Mu Hua Food; along with thest Mu Hua acquisition case and the Yikang merger case, this woman¡¯s background is really intriguing!


    Online public opinion quickly fermented, with most people siding with Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid since the simrity in products was easy to spot.


    Faced with the ferocious wave of public opinion, Linghui Company also promptly came forward to rify.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Regarding the baseless nder from Tianyuan Daily Company, we at Linghui Company have been established for twenty-three years, possess numerous world-ss patents and research institutes, and Yafa Hair Growth Liquid waspletely independently developed by ourpany, every drop and every bottle is produced and assembled in-house. Linghui Company solemnly deres once again that it will use legal measures to sue Tianyuan Daily for their nderous actions.¡±


    After issuing the statement, more healthcare rtedpanies and doctors came out in support of Linghui Company.


    Kangxun Pharmaceutical: Support Linghui Company in protecting its legitimate rights and interests, and fighting maliciouspetition.


    Qian Zhongxun (famous haircare medical expert): Linghui Company is arge maturepany with top-notch industry research and development standards. Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid is not the onlypany in the world that can develop good anti-hair loss products.


    Qingzhou Chain Beauty Salons: We have been partners with Linghui Company for many years, Linghui has always prioritized integrity, I believe in them.


    These statements were in stark contrast to most of the public opinion, as most ordinary people supported Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, while these experts and pharmaceuticalpanies backed Linghui Company.


    Both sides furiously argued online, each hurling insults at the other.


    Then, just a few dayster, a news piece broke thatpletely reversed the trend of the quarreling.


    ¡°Recently, our country has made significant breakthroughs in the field of haircare, with the revolutionary Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid emerging. This product not only breaks the foreign monopoly in the haircare sector but also demonstrates our country¡¯s ability and strength to ensure the healthcare of all its citizens.¡±


    This news might not have meant much on any other tform, buting from the CCAV-1 7 o¡¯clock news program, the impact and effect was sensational.


    This was essentially a national endorsement, something Linghui Company couldn¡¯t touch.


    But that wasn¡¯t all; that same evening, a video went viral online.


    The video was shot at the local contract manufacturer for Asder hair growth drugs, where production lines had been repurposed.


    In the video, it was clearly visible that bottles of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid were being unboxed and emptied, then mixed into Linghui¡¯s own Yafa Hair Growth Liquid.


    The video was shot in a wide-angle, capturing the factory setting, workers, andpany logo, making it tough to deny.


    Following these two major news items, public opinion online instantly experienced a drastic turnaround.


    Always My Fault: Ha, I told you so, now that the country has stepped in, what more can your Linghui Company argue?


    Steam Furious: It¡¯s just shameful, still a ¡®long-establishedpany¡¯? Mr. Liu was right, it¡¯s nothing but a forgery workshop.


    Iron Road as Vast: What can Linghui Company possibly say now? Hope everyone informs their rtives and friends not to be fooled by Linghui¡¯s disgusting tricks, if you want to treat hair loss, just trust Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, it has even been certified by the state.


    Just a Passerby: Personally, I think although Linghui Company¡¯s methods aren¡¯t great, they are considering the consumer. We don¡¯t want to see a monopoly by a single product in the market, do we? Then they¡¯ll just manipte us consumers arbitrarily, raising prices whenever they want.


    Yellow is a Serious Color: Get lost, stealing others¡¯ stuff and forging and you still have the guts to justify it, and it¡¯s pricier than others, I¡¯d rather Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid monopolize the market.


    A Fleeting Dream Too: Others monopolize with technology, if you¡¯re capable then research your own hair growth drug, stealing from others and still having the power to shout about it, get lost.


    ¡­


    Facing overwhelming denunciations, Linghui Company deleted their counterim articles and decisively shut down thement section, opting to lie low.


    The previously warring factions, those healthcarepanies and expert schrs who supported Linghui, were dragged out one by one for cyber lynching, receiving viciousshings online with swathes ofments celebrating the great victory of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    On the sales front, exposed for forgery, sales of Linghui¡¯s Yafa Hair Growth Liquid plummeted to rock bottom,pletely losing its ability topete with Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    Seizing the opportunity, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid advanced victoriously.@@novelbin@@


    New production lines were progressively put into operation, while advertising efforts were ramped up, capturing almost all markets rted to hair loss.


    Like a sweeping storm, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s market share climbed steadily, reaching well over 90%, leaving nopany capable ofpeting.


    Rtedpanies suffered greatly, with wigpanies, hair loss drugpanies, and beauty salons either shutting down or being forced to change industries or cut projects, as the market waspletely dominated by Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    Having aplished a full sweep of Hua Country, under the leadership of Liu Yingying, Tianyuan Daily Company then began its march overseas, aiming to extend its conquest abroad, using Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid to meticulously annihtepetition.

 Chapter 149 - 65: Changes in the Mande Region (First Update)

    Chapter 149: Chapter 65: Changes in the Mande Region (First Update)


    In the East Qin State of Chan Country, on the road towards Mande City.


    Two off-road vehicles trudged along a muddy, dpidated trail.


    Due to a torrential downpour the previous night, the cars had been stuck in mud pits multiple times, forcing the passengers to get out and push while filling the holes, dirtying themselves in the awkward process.


    In the leading off-road vehicle sat Wang Xiaotong, Liu Canlin, and Lu Yixin, with a local guide doubling as a trantor driving.


    The vehicle behind them carried the guard team they had hired to ensure their safety throughout the journey.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°What kind of crap road is this, it¡¯s just not meant for driving.¡±


    Wang Xiaotong said with a resigned expression, his trouser legs and sleeves still caked in mud from the recent ordeal of pushing the car.


    ¡°Boss, this is how it is around here! But once we get past this section and reach the Mande Region, it¡¯ll be much better,¡±


    the guide, Cai Geng, exined cheerfully, already ustomed to the bumpy, mucky roads.


    In the passenger seat, Lu Yixin, the weakest of the body, turned pale. Suddenly feeling nauseous again, he quickly stuck his head out the window and retched violently.@@novelbin@@


    Liu Canlin frowned, observing the tall, forest-covered mountains on either side of the road¡ªan untamed jungle yet to be developed.


    He was beginning to doubt whether the information he had collected was indeed urate.


    Could such a ce really have ¡°hair growth original fluid¡±?


    As he contemted, a road marker came into view, with the characters for ¡°Mande¡± written in Chan Country¡¯s script on it.<div>


    <div>


    The jolting sensation suddenly smoothed out as the car entered a concrete road, a two-way thoroughfare that extended further than the eye could see.


    Wang Xiaotong finally understood why Cai Geng had said it would be better once they entered the Mande Region.


    ¡°This is Mande. It¡¯s very different from other parts of our country, isn¡¯t it? Apart from the capital and otherrge cities, it¡¯s rare to see roads like this elsewhere,¡±


    Cai Geng spoke with pride as he slowed down upon seeing several military police on duty ahead, rolling down the window.


    Wang Xiaotong thought Cai Geng was going to hand over money to pass through, as they had encountered several checkpoints along the way that had required a bribe to cross.


    Unexpectedly, Cai Geng merely greeted the military police.


    The officers, apanied by German Shepherd police dogs and wielding scanning devices, waved them through after not detecting any contraband.


    Wang Xiaotong was surprised and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do the military police here really not take bribes?¡±


    Cai Geng smiled and replied, ¡°They used to, but since the new leader came to power, they stopped the random exaction of money. They¡¯ve switched to inspecting for contraband and prevent Opium from being transported here.¡±


    The three men looked at each other.


    In Chan Country, Opium was rampant and an important source of ie for many local warlords. To encounter a ce that actually enforced an Opium ban was unexpected.


    The two off-road vehicles continued along the concrete road, and Wang Xiaotong made a surprising discovery.


    This area was vastly different from what he had seen in other parts of Chan Country.


    In territories controlled by other warlords, one could see many human-pulled rickshaws, horse carts, ox carts, and other modes of transportation on the roads.


    But here, most of the vehicles were motorcycles and some inexpensive small cars¡ªreminiscent of Hua Country when its economy had just begun to take off.


    In some of the fields, Wang Xiaotong also noticed modern agricultural machinery at work, including harvesters and tractors.


    In other parts of Chan Country, water buffaloes were still the primary source ofbor for fields.


    The car entered the Mande Region around noon, right when students were getting out of school.


    Everywhere, students could be seen carrying backpacks, joking and ying around, or biking home, their numbers unprecedented.


    In Chan Country, the enrollment rate for schools was extremely low; the government hardly allocated any funds for education, with educational expenses ounting for less than 1% of fiscal revenue.


    Even the few students who did attend schools werergely concentrated in big cities under government control.


    Local warlords didn¡¯t bother to spend money on education, leaving most school-aged children without the opportunity to attend school.


    Yet in the Mande Region, Wang Xiaotong saw crowds of students, which he found utterly astonishing.


    Furthermore, Wang Xiaotong noticed that the people of the Mande Region had a spirit unlike that seen in other cities of Chan Country.


    It was an active and optimistic demeanor, unlike other ces which conveyed a sense of just getting by.


    Seeing the confusion on Wang Xiaotong and hispanions¡¯ faces, Cai Geng exined, ¡°The people in the Mande Region are now rich. Almost every household has made a good profit from selling insects, so the living environment has improved significantly.¡±


    ¡°Selling insects? Can such an industry really be the economic pir? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting stuck with unseble stock?¡±


    Liu Canlin couldn¡¯t grasp the concept. With a poption of seven or eight hundred thousand in the Mande Region, if every household raised insects, the output would be enormous!


    These weren¡¯t pigs, cows, sheep, or other livestock¡ª who could absorb such tremendous output?


    ¡°Jieke Company guarantees to purchase at a fixed price. Here, people are only worried that they don¡¯t raise enough insects; there¡¯s never been a case of surplus they couldn¡¯t sell. Up to now, Jieke Company is still increasing their monthly purchase amount,¡± said Cai Geng, his tone tinged with envy.


    Although his sry as a guide and trantor was not bad, some insect farmers in the Mande Region with a knack for breeding earned more than he did and could even afford to buy small cars. Unlike his off-road vehicle, he was still paying off its loan.


    ¡°Jieke Company?¡±


    Liu Canlin and Wang Xiaotong were both instantly energized.


    ording to the intelligence they had collected, the miraculous hair growth original fluid was transported from a farm owned by Jieke Company.


    However, thepany was shrouded in mystery, developing only within the Mande Region and with hardly any more information avable from the outside world.


    As they spoke, two off-road vehicles entered Mande City.


    The streets here were clean and tidy, filled with buildings of distinctive local architecture, bustling and lively in a way seldom seen in other warlord-controlled cities, with streams of vehicles and a constant flow of people.


    There were even sports stadiums, libraries, parks, schools, operas, and cinemas¡ªfacilities that were rare in other regions controlled by warlords.


    Apanied by Cai Geng, Wang Xiaotong took a tour of the city.


    The thing that impressed them the most was an insect collection station they found in the city.


    Truckloads of boxed insects were delivered, and Jieke Company employees, dressed inpany uniforms, skillfully weighed and sorted them before handing over money to the farmers and citizens who came to sell their insects¡ªand they paid in Hua Yuan, which the farmers epted with no resistance, but rather with joy.


    They also discovered that employees in Jieke Company uniforms could be seen everywhere in the city.


    Many of the restaurants in the city were Jieke Company employee canteens, offering very affordable prices.


    The shopping malls bearing the Jieke Company logo were selling a variety of scarce goods from the outside world.


    The hospitals were fully run by Jieke Company, providing affordable medical care to the local poption.


    All in all, one could see numerous connections to Jieke Company throughout the city, with thepany¡¯s influence permeating every aspect of Mande City.

 Chapter 150 - 66: Buying Off (Second Update)

    Chapter 150: Chapter 66: Buying Off (Second Update)


    After the visit, the few who had just returned to the hotel couldn¡¯t afford to rest.


    Wang Xiaotong, Liu Canlin, and Lu Yixin sat together to discuss the next n.


    ¡°Now we can confirm that the Fumen Insect Breeding Farm is indeed owned by Jieke Company, and the hair growth original fluid we want should be inside.¡±


    Liu Canlin said. He had made a special trip to Fumen Breeding Farm that day and had looked at it from a distance, shocked by the scale of the insect breeding farm and had also seen the strictly guarded Jieke Security at the entrance.


    Wang Xiaotong¡¯s brows were furrowed as he said, ¡°Our problem now is whether we can persuade Jieke Company to sell the hair growth original fluid to us.¡±<div>


    <div>


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Lu Yixin, who had always had a low presence, now raised his hand and said in a low voice, ¡°I suspect that Jieke Company¡¯srge-scale insect breeding might involve extracting some substance from the insects to manufacture the hair growth original fluid, which must be very important to Jieke Company. How much money do we need to spend to buy the form for the hair growth original fluid?¡±


    ¡°Since they¡¯re willing to sell the hair growth original fluid to Tianyuan Daily, that means as long as the value is sufficient, we can also purchase the form. However, I would prefer to acquire the form at a smaller cost.¡±


    Wang Xiaotong had his own schemes in mind. The people from Asder Company wouldn¡¯t arrive until the day after tomorrow, and at the moment, there was hardly any capital left on Linghui Company¡¯s books.


    He hoped to get the form in advance to take a leading position in the uing cooperation, so he wasn¡¯t nning to take the conventional route.


    Otherwise, if they really did make an offer for the form, his funds would definitely be insufficient,


    and if they let Asder Company underwrite it, he would be out of the picture by then.


    ¡°Shall we set off now?¡±


    Liu Canlin was also somewhat impatient.@@novelbin@@<div>


    <div>


    What these two didn¡¯t know was that, due to theirck of information, if they stayed a little longer, they could have found a photo of Liu Yingying from Jieke Company and thus understand the connection between Jieke Company and Tianyuan Daily.


    ¡­¡­.


    The group, apanied by the trantor Cai Geng, arrived at a house in Mande City, which belonged to a manager at Fumen Breeding Farm.


    After ringing the doorbell, a middle-aged man wearing traditional Chan Country clothing opened the door.


    After the necessary introductions and reporting, Wang Xiaotong exined their purpose.


    ¡°Manager Min Sen, this is a token of our goodwill and sincerity,¡± Wang Xiaotong said with an enthusiastic smile, as a case was pushed in front of Min Sen and opened, revealing a set of very exquisite and expensive gold ornaments.


    ¡°What do you gentlemen mean by this?¡±


    Min Sen nced at the gold ornaments on the table and immediately stopped pouring the tea.


    ¡°I hear that Fumen Breeding Farm has developed a very impressive product that can promote hair growth. If Manager Min Sen can help us get the form, we will give you ten million Hua Yuan once it¡¯s done,¡± Wang Xiaotong blurted out his astronomical offer, hoping to buy off insiders with money and obtain what he wanted.


    But while tranting this statement, even Cai Geng looked at them with quite the wrong expression.


    ¡°Trante it to him?¡±


    Wang Xiaotong red at Cai Geng, wondering why the trantor was so unreliable.


    ¡°Boss Wang, you are courting death,¡± Cai Geng said without tranting, instead looking at them with a face full of anger.


    He too grew up in the Mande Region and did not know the purpose of Wang Xiaotong and the others before, but now it was different.


    On the other hand, Min Sen had actually understood Wang Xiaotong¡¯s words. Chan Country is close to Hua Country, and many people can speak Chinese, a fact evident from their eptance of Hua Yuan as currency.


    Especially now that the boss is Chinese, leading by example, nearly everyone in thepany can speak Chinese.


    ¡°I do not wee you here, now get out immediately.¡±


    Min Sen¡¯s face turned ashen as he stood up abruptly to evict the visitors.


    Wang Xiaotong was dumbfounded, not understanding why Min Sen reacted so strongly.


    Beforeing here, he had researched the ie situation in the Chan Country Region. The average monthly ie was only equivalent to a few hundred Hua Yuan, and he thought his offer of ten million Hua Yuan was enough to dazzle and buy any executive.


    ¡°Twenty million. I am offering twenty million Hua Yuan aspensation. You just have to lift a finger to get twenty million Hua Yuan. If you refuse, you¡¯ll never earn this amount in your lifetime.¡±


    Wang Xiaotong¡¯s words were seductive; if money could solve the problem, there was indeed a good chance of sess.


    But it wasn¡¯t just about money. Min Sen¡¯s face turned utterly dark as he said coldly, ¡°I told you, I do not wee you here. It doesn¡¯t matter how much money you offer, I will not help you.¡±


    Having said that, Min Sen made his move to expel them.


    As for taking money to spy, of course the money tempted him, but he was even more afraid for his life.


    Not long ago, Jieke Company had purged arge number of officials and businessmen in the Mande Region, and even corrupt executives within Jieke Company were shown no mercy, with a shocking number of heads rolling.


    Having just lived through such events, Min Sen had no courage to undertake such actions.


    Moreover, only Su Jie had ess to the centralboratory at Fumen Breeding Farm; Min Sen didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to get near, and all the hair growth original fluid came from theb, protected by Jieke Security. He was risking his head if he tried to get his hands on it.


    Wang Xiaotong and his colleagues were unceremoniously thrown out the door, and with the door mming shut behind them, Min Sen¡¯s figure disappeared from view.


    ¡°Crap, this piece of crap, refusing money even when it¡¯s right in front of him.¡±


    Wang Xiaotong was both shocked and furious, unable to understand why his generous offer failed to buy even a single executive.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we try other executives? Surely someone will be tempted by the money.¡±


    Liu Canlin was equally puzzled, but he didn¡¯t believe everyone was so unyieldingly principled.


    ¡°We can lower our demands. Even if we can¡¯t get the form, just getting the hair growth original fluid might work, we can analyze it with machines.¡±


    Lu Yixin suggested, maybe it was the high secrecy of the form that made Min Sen refuse.


    ¡°Good idea, let¡¯s find someone else.¡±


    Wang Xiaotong also thought these suggestions were good, and then he turned to the guide, Cai Geng, with great annoyance and said, ¡°What are you still doing here, I dere you¡¯re fired.¡±


    Cai Geng didn¡¯t lose his temper, but looked at the three men with the eyes one reserves for the dead and turned to leave the ce.


    Clearly, the three of them still did not understand what it meant to offend Jieke Company in Mande.


    Not long after leaving, Cai Geng made an anonymous call to Jieke Company¡¯s Security Department.


    His and his family¡¯s life had improved because of Jieke Company, and he could not stand to see such scum damage thepany and seed.


    If Jieke Company were to close due to financial losses, who would build schools and hospitals for them, establish breeding farms, and hand out sries.


    Meanwhile, inside the house, Min Sen also immediately called his superior to report today¡¯s events.


    Unaware of any of this, Wang Xiaotong and his colleagues continued on to their next target, searching for an executive to bribe, oblivious to the impending disaster.

 Chapter 152 - 68: Hosting, Beheading, Subordinate Acting Like a Dog (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 152: Chapter 68: Hosting, Beheading, Subordinate Acting Like a Dog (Fourth Update)


    ¡°So¡­ what should we do?¡±


    Wang Xiaotong panicked, thinking he was dealing with thepany, where he had some confidence.


    But facing the unreasonable warlords, he had no idea how to handle the situation.


    With ayout map of Fumen Breeding Farm in hand, Rafael pointed to the two muscr men behind him and said, ¡°To get the hair growth original fluid form, we must rely on their strength. They are professionals. Dandy, Marco, can you do it?¡±


    ¡°Rafael, in the past we operated in the Middle East and the ck Continent dealing with vicious warlords and terrorists. It¡¯s not necessarily easier than here, especially since we brought two teams this time.¡±<div>


    <div>


    The Caucasian man, Marco, spoke calmly, filled with an indescribable persuasiveness.


    He then took the map handed over by Rafael, checked it against a tablet, and nodded, ¡°The map is correct, it matches theyout wepared with satellite.¡±


    ¡°Who are these people?¡±


    Liu Canlin sensed these two were not easy to deal with, their gaze chilling.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself. Marco, former Seal Assault Team member, now engaged in the mercenary business. Boys,e out and meet some people.¡±


    Marco shed a faint smile. As soon as his words ended, Wang Xiaotong and the other two were perplexed by what they saw.


    The bushes and branches around the dense forest moved, and then more than twenty soldiers emerged, wearing camouge, blended with weeds and branches, armed with various firearms, equipped with night vision goggles and bulletproof vests, their faces painted with colorful patterns.


    The closest of them was less than five meters from Wang Xiaotong and his group, yet they had remained undetected.


    Looking at his team, Marco confidently said, ¡°One squad consists of twelve people. Here we have two squads, 24 men, all retired elites from various international special forces. Assault and strong attacks are our specialties.¡±<div>


    <div>


    Amid a group of mercenaries, Wang Xiaotong, shocked at first, was immediately overjoyed afterward.


    The renowned reputation of the Seal Assault Team was familiar to him; to him, getting the form with such an elite group of mercenaries seemed easily achievable.


    ¡°Marco, split into two teams for the operation. One led by Dandy to capture the executives of Jieke Company, and the other to raid Fumen Breeding Farm. If we can find the hair growth original fluid form, great, if not, capture those executives and make them talk.¡±


    Rafael gave the instructions, then pulled out a photo of Su Jie.


    ¡°This man is our primary target. We must capture him at all costs.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Rafael, please trust our professionalism. I¡¯ve captured numerous terrorist leaders; this man Su Jie will be no exception.¡±


    Marco saluted militarily, looked at his team, and loudly announced, ¡°Boys, get ready. We¡¯re going to y nicely with the local warlords here, teach them what special operations are all about.¡±


    ¡°Cool, I love messing with these dumb donkeys.¡±


    ¡°Boss, load me up with more ammo, just so I have fun.¡±


    ¡°I hope they are not like Uncle ck, which would be too unchallenging.¡±


    The mercenaries showed excited smiles, ustomed to living on the edge, trivializing raid and abduction operations.


    With the sluggish response time and military proficiency of these local warlords, probably by the time weplete our raid and kidnapping, the warlord forces won¡¯t even have managed to leave their barracks.


    Rafael looked very satisfied with this spirited group of mercenaries, really owned and bred by Asder Pharmaceutical.


    In the past, when faced with tough nuts that couldn¡¯t be bought or refused pharmaceutical approvals, they would deploy this troop to make people disappear.


    ¡°So this is how big corporations work! Even rougher than us.¡±


    Lu Yixin shrank his neck as he watched the menacing troop.


    ¡°These are our methods¡ªhospitality, beheading, submission, and sometimes simple and brutal approaches are very effective in businesspetition. Since Jieke Company won¡¯t ept our good will and bribery is difficult, we¡¯ll use bullets to make themply.¡±


    Rafael chuckled softly,manding Marco, ¡°Proceed as nned, let¡¯s move out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss, just watch.¡±


    Marco nodded, his face breaking into a bloodthirsty smile.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Late at night.


    Fumen Breeding Farm.


    With the employees gradually going home, only a few staff members were left in the vast farm, in addition to the hundreds of members of Jieke Security stationed there.


    When the time reached two o¡¯clock in the morning, Marco led a squad of twelve mercenaries.


    Along with Lu Yixin, a specially invited pharmaceutical expert, they approached thergest insect farm in the Mande Region without making a sound.


    The team coordinated seamlessly, no one speaking in the darkness as they quietly neared the perimeter wall.


    A sniper and observer did not follow the team¡¯s movements but instead found a high spot to set up a sniper rifle and watch the movements of Jieke Security, ready to assist in the evacuation.


    ¡°Can we really do this?¡±


    Lu Yixin shivered, unable to believe that he had been chosen to infiltrate the heavily guarded Fumen Breeding Farm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are a professional team, leave the difficulties on the road to us, you just need to find the hair growth original fluid,¡±


    Marco patted Lu Yixin on the shoulder, then pulled on his mask and waved his hand.


    Seeing this, the team already at the base of the farm¡¯s wall immediately sprung into action.


    First, they used technological means to temporarily block the surveince cameras,


    then, helping each other to form a humandder, they cut the electrified wire mesh on the wall with insted pliers and one by one climbed over the wall into the interior of the breeding farm.@@novelbin@@


    Such infiltration had been performed many times by them, making their movements appear practiced and incredibly swift.


    ¡°Now do you believe in our capabilities? We cane and go as we please in this small Fumen Breeding Farm.¡±


    Marco was about to demonstrate the strength of his team to Lu Yixin, but an ident happened at that moment.


    Thest mercenary to climb over the wall had a small scorpion crawl up his pant leg.


    Immediately, the mercenary staggered as if something had bitten him, and due to the severe pain, he leaned against the electrified wire mesh beside him.


    Sizzle.


    In just a sh, sparks erupted, and the mercenary convulsed a couple of times before hanging lifelessly on the wire mesh.


    Faint electric arcs still flickered intermittently at the point of contact, and the man¡¯s body waspletely charred.


    The mercenaries who had already infiltrated stared dumbfounded, while Marco¡¯s face turned dark and sour as if he had swallowed a fly.


    Lu Yixin¡¯s face turned pale as he watched a living person being electrocuted into a charred corpse, feeling an overwhelming physiological shock.


    ¡°Havier is dead, we continue with the mission.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Marco was resolute, having witnessed too many such incidents, his heart had long since grown as cold as iron. After the ident, he first contacted the sniper team outside via earpiece.


    ¡°Evil Wolf, is there any movement from the farm¡¯s defense team?¡±


    ¡°Nothing so far, you can proceed safely,¡±


    ¡°Move quickly, head to the centralb.¡±


    At Marco¡¯smand, the team covered and observed each other as they ran towards their destination.

 Chapter 157 - 73: Each Makes Preparations (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 157: Chapter 73: Each Makes Preparations (Fourth Update)


    Across the ocean in the United States, New Mexico State, within the Averson Family estate.


    Jose Averson, over seventy years old, dressed in an old-fashioned suit, seemed quite spry as he hung up the phone, his face suddenly darkening,


    Sitting alone for a long time, Jose pulled out a document.


    All the data collected were rted to Su Jie, Jieke Company, Tianyuan Home, Tianyuan Daily, and Mu Hua Company, among others.


    After about fifteen minutes, Jose put away the documents and then called someone over.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Mr. Jose.¡±


    The man who entered the room was a blond man, shorter than five foot seven.


    This was Jose¡¯s personal assistant, who managed many of the Averson Family¡¯s secretive matters, serving only Jose.


    ¡°Contact Councilman Ivan for me, I want to invite him to dinner tomorrow evening. Also, get thepany¡¯s public rtions department moving, go and stir things up in Southeast Asia, I remember there are many warlord organizations in Chan Country, perhaps they could use our help.¡±


    Jose spoke unhurriedly as he gave his instructions, since some young upstarts wanted to monopolize the game, he naturally would teach them that the rules of this world were not so easily yed.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Jose.¡±


    The assistant nodded, taking note, then hesitated before speaking:


    ¡°Mr. Jose, regarding the information about Rafael, Miss Milissa Dogan has heard some rumors and is now making a fuss, demanding that you ¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, consider her son dead.¡±<div>


    <div>


    Jose interrupted his assistant in a cold tone, his face devoid of warmth, as if Rafael were not his son at all.


    The assistant bowed his head, daring not to say more, and hurriedly left the room.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Elsewhere.


    After being released from prison, Su Jie returned to the conference room at the Jieke Company headquarters.


    Liu Yingying and Chen Yaoguang were already waiting there.


    ¡°Listen to this recording first.¡±


    Su Jie inserted a USB drive into theputer and yed the conversation he had previously with Jose Averson.


    After listening to the entire conversation, Liu Yingying and Chen Yaoguang both looked worried.


    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡±


    Su Jie looked at them, asking for their opinions.


    ¡°Well, I think that Asder Pharmaceutical will definitely take action and hit our business, but I don¡¯t know from which angle they will approach.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang frowned, slightly embarrassed.


    He was skilled in raising insects, but when it came to businesspetition and scheming, that was where he struggled.


    ¡°Yingying, what about you?¡±


    Su Jie then turned his gaze to Liu Yingying.


    After a moment of contemtion, Liu Yingying spoke, ¡°Our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid is about tounch overseas soon, and the United States is an important market for us. The opponents might exploit this aspect.¡±


    ¡°Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s overseas sales, as that¡¯s not our stronghold, the opposition indeed might exploit that.¡±


    Chen Yaoguang nodded. Asder Pharmaceutical ranked seventh among global pharmaceuticalpanies and was a domesticpany in the United States. If they wanted to target Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, it would indeed be hard to handle.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Now our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid has already entered overseas markets, stored in major offline malls and tforms like Amazon. It¡¯s toote to pull back.¡±


    Liu Yingying was somewhat worried. Being targeted by such a renowned multinational pharmaceuticalpany was indeed a tremendous pressure.


    ¡°If enemies approach, we meet them in battle; if floodes, we build a dam¡ªthere¡¯s no reason to shrink back before the battle has even begun because of fear.¡±


    Su Jie remained nomittal before continuing, ¡°Aside from these issues, intensify the training for Jieke Security in theing period. Increase recruitment, and purchase more weapons and ammunition from the outside world as a precaution.¡±


    ¡°Su Jie, are you saying¡­¡±


    Liu Yingying and Chen Yaoguang were both suddenly startled. Su Jie¡¯s words had a very clear implication.


    ¡°The other party knows our real base is in the Mande region and ording to the usual behavior of the Anglo-Saxons, given substantial interests, they will not give up easily, and will surely target our Achilles heel.¡±


    Su Jie spoke calmly. The United States people often began by using political ck gold to bribe leaders of target countries, fostering democratic leaders to instigate peaceful evolution in those countries. If they couldn¡¯t buy them off, they¡¯d go for decapitation.


    Especially in chaotic regions, they dispatchedmando squads with precision-guided missiles to decapitate leaders. If a problem couldn¡¯t be solved, they would eliminate the person who pointed it out.


    If the peaceful change seeded smoothly, they would end up having a barking dog raising their g.


    If it failed, they either imed your home heldundry detergents, orbeled you a terrorist, and then, under the guise of peacekeeping and anti-terrorism, they stayed in your home and wouldn¡¯t leave.


    Fittingly, Chan Country, where Su Jie was located, was such a war-torn chaotic country, still in a semi-split state, giving outsiders plenty of opportunities to intervene.


    Although the Mande region, where Su Jie was located, had no oil, given Asder Pharmaceutical¡¯s financial capacity, orchestrating a proxy war was well within their means.


    Su Jie would not overestimate the moral limits of the United States people; they were entirely capable of engaging in such acts.


    ¡°We are still in contact with several arms dealers. Now that thepany is financially robust, we can afford a lot of military equipment.¡±


    Liu Yingying nodded in response. Given the perennial conflicts in Chan Country, it was naturally replete with arms dealers, and many kinds of weapons were avable.


    Su Jie continued, ¡°Besides purchasing arms, pay attention to distributing some intelligence operatives, or perhaps purchase some, to monitor the nearby forces. We must be the first to know about any changes.¡±


    Since Su Jie couldn¡¯t always stay on Blue Star, he would eventually return to the Tianyuan World, and thus would need to rely on the strength of Jieke Security.


    If a proxy war indeed erupted, the power of Jieke Company would also be crucial.


    The impending war wouldn¡¯t be minor, as quite a few satellites would likely be monitoring by then, along with the existence of variousmunications.


    Unless Su Jie wished to expose himself, he had to control his methods of action, necessitating the inherent strength of the Jieke Company.


    Once Jieke Company had purchased arge arsenal to bolster its capabilities, Su Jie might even opt for a preemptive strike to eliminate external threats.


    ¡°I will arrange for someone to handle it right away.¡±


    Liu Yingying was somewhat nervous. After hearing Su Jie¡¯s words, she felt like war could break out at any moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid; things might not be as bad as I envision.¡±


    Su Jie said this, but Liu Yingying didn¡¯t dare take it lightly.


    She understood the importance of the Mande region. In Liu Yingying¡¯s view, whether it was timber or hair growth original fluid produced here, without this territory, everything in Hua Country would be illusory, as this ce was the real foundation.


    ¡°Onest thing, send some people to gather as much information as possible about the Avelson Family.¡±


    Su Jie issued his finalmand. The enemy situation was unclear, and that side was still a foreignnd to him; he was not confident that he could annihte the people of the Avelson Family. Killing one or two members of such a family was inconsequential; even if a n leader were killed, they could quickly appoint someone else, which might alert the enemy prematurely.


    But gathering information beforehand was always good. When necessary, Su Jie didn¡¯t mind making a personal visit to the United States homnd.

 Chapter 159 - 75: Promotion (First Update)

    Chapter 159: Chapter 75: Promotion (First Update)


    As Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid was selling hot across the world, Fumen Breeding Farm, Underground Poisonous Insects Cultivation Base.


    A golden-lined viper several meters in length screamed in agony as a horrifying figure pinned it to the ground, unable to escape its fate as prey despite its struggles.


    Apanied by the sound of chewing, this powerful poisonous insect capable of easily wiping out a human elite squad vanished inside a gaping maw.


    Under the bright light illuminating the underground space, the assant¡¯s form gradually became visible.


    Like a train in its immense size, with pale arms thicker than human thighs protruding from both sides of its body, its head set with bony cheeks embedded in flesh, from which cracks emitted a scintiting purple fluorescence, giving off a scorching heat.<div>


    <div>


    Its eyes, characteristic of an insect, disyed a cold ruthlessness; its smooth, glossy insect shell was stained with various insect blood and flesh from its killings, mixed with the scent of death from the consumed creatures.


    Its appearance brought immense terror to this underground space, the somber and menacing atmosphere silencing all smaller life forms, which hid in their nests, shivering.


    The massacre continued, the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s segmented body twisted, each segment as heavy as metal, yet moving with incredible speed uncharacteristic of its massive form.


    As it advanced at an unbelievable speed, the segments rubbed against each other, sounding like countless bone joints knocking against a death knell, echoing a loud ¡°ng.¡±


    Su Jie stood in another open space, his gaze directed at the ceiling.


    There, tens of thousands of human-faced moths hung from the ceiling, densely packed like honebs, turning it a grayish-white.


    At the core of the human-faced moths, as many as a hundred had evolved into low-grade poisonous insects.


    Among them, even three human-faced moths, five meters in length, had remarkably evolved into mid-grade poisonous insects.


    For a colony-dwelling social poisonous insect like the human-faced moth, undergoing Spirit Refining transformation was difficult, limited by gic constraints, with only a few being capable of evolution.<div>


    <div>


    These three mid-grade human-faced moths were the ones that evolved the fastest and most fiercely in the past two months, fed by a vast amount of Blue Star Poison Insects.


    Of course, although they were mid-grade poisonous insects, because they had not undergone Spirit Refining, they were not at allparable to the Mid Grade Four Refinements Thousand-Handed Centipede; the two were not on the same level.


    ¡°Come back.¡±


    Pulling out the Insect Control Bag, Su Jie gestured to the swarm of human-faced moths.


    The moths hanging from the ceiling spread their wings, like a tornado storm, they whirled into the Insect Control Bag one by one, hiding and falling into a dormant state inside.


    Su Jie then turned his gaze to the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    The opponent had cornered thest low-grade poisonous insect in the underground space into a dead end.


    The lizard with two tails and six legs frantically attempted to escape, panicking into a pile of chaotic rocks.


    But it was to no avail. The Thousand-Handed Centipede lowered its head, resembling steel, the pale corpse hands emitted a piercing screeching noise, instantly crushed the chaotic rocks along with the low-grade poisonous insect inside and swallowed the flesh and broken stones, the powerful stomach acids easily dissolving even steel, rendering some stonespletely insignificant.


    Seeing this, Su Jie stood up, fetched a hose, and started hosing down the Thousand-Handed Centipede, washing away the blood stains and dirt on its body, revealing the sleek, dark shell.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede buzzed twice, squinting its eyes in enjoyment of its master¡¯s service.


    Once Su Jie had cleaned off all the pollutants, the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s 38-meter long, terrifying, and fierce body lost some of its ferocity and gained an air of majesty befitting a colossal creature.


    After consuming this batch of poisonous insects from the underground breeding farm, the Thousand-Handed Centipede had grown significantly.


    It was 30 meters long just after breaking through the four times Spirit Refining, but now it had grown another eight meters.


    Its width, height, weight, and various abilities all improved significantly.


    Although it had not yet reached the threshold for the fifth Spirit Refining, it was much closer to that breakthrough point, needing perhaps one or two more such feasts to break through and be a Mid Grade Five Refinement poisonous insect.


    Su Jie took out another Insect Control Bag and deposited a new batch of inferior poisonous insects brought from the Tianyuan World into the underground cultivation base, waiting for them to grow into low-grade poisonous insects before bringing the thousand-hand centipede to harvest them.


    Afterpleting all this, Su Jie put away the thousand-hand centipede, opened the Ancient Mirror, and returned to the Tianyuan World.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Tianyuan World, Ghost Ridge Pce.


    After handling all matters rted to Blue Star and sessfullyunching Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid overseas, Su Jie returned to Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Because Ning Xinyue had already sent news that there were clues to the location of the Exotic Treasure.


    In the study of Su Mansion, Su Jie and Ning Xinyue sat opposite each other.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s this location?¡±


    Looking at the location of the Exotic Treasure provided by Ning Xinyue, Su Jie¡¯s tone was somewhat conflicted.


    ¡°I¡¯ve painstakingly deduced for two months and invested a lot of spirit stones, it definitely won¡¯t be wrong,¡± Ning Xinyue assured, pointing to the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te which disyed a virtual image of mountains and rivers, above which a purple cloud floated over a mountain peak.


    ¡°The problem is, this ce isn¡¯t easy to get to!¡±


    Su Jie rubbed his forehead, exining the difficulties about this ce.


    ¡°This mountain is called Eagle Peak Mountain, and underneath it lies Bihe Pond, one of the notorious treacherous ces within the Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s territory. That¡¯s not all; there is also activity from other disciples there,¡±


    Having lived in Ghost Ridge Pce, Su Jie had of course heard about the dangers of this territory.


    Some of these dangerous ces posed a great threat to Ghost Ridge Pce and were difficult to clear.


    For example, Earth Shadow Cave, which is located on the trade route from Ghost Ridge Pce to the outside world. While it might not pose a threat to the Elders, it was different for disciples.


    And there were dangerous ces where even the Hidden Realm Elders had to steer clear of.


    Then there were those in between, where Ghost Ridge Pce could clear them but didn¡¯t need to. After all, the dangerous ces were not obstructing the trade route, so there was no need to exert much effort. These ces could still be used to train disciples, like Eagle Peak Mountain right now.


    Ning Xinyue nced sideways and curled her lips: ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to provoke me with that tactic, it won¡¯t work,¡±


    Su Jie took out a map, marked out the route, and said nonchntly, ¡°The two of us will act together. Just don¡¯t hold me back, and I¡¯m quite confident.¡±


    Ning Xinyue, not taking Su Jie¡¯s sarcasm well, retorted, ¡°What do you mean I hold you back? I found the location, and you should be thankful I¡¯m even willing to start this with you.¡±


    ¡°We leave tomorrow, and remember to listen to me on the way,¡±


    Su Jie did not argue with Ning Xinyue and after confirming the action route, he seriously instructed her.


    ¡°Got it, just make sure you lead the way properly, guide,¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes rolled around, perhaps thinking of something.


    Su Jie stood up, preparing to go to the ck Market to purchase some supplies for tomorrow¡¯s action.


    He still had quite a few Blood Marrow Crystals; keeping them now was meaningless, it was safer to convert them intobat power first, which would also increase the sess rate.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 160 - 76: Flying with Sister (Second Update)

    Chapter 160: Chapter 76: Flying with Sister (Second Update)


    Ghost Ridge Pce, Taixu Pavilion in the ck Market.


    When no fewer than twelve Flying Swords wereid out before him, Su Jie nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°Mr. Su, are you sure you want to buy them all?¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e asked again, these Flying Swords were all the stock they had in their store.


    Although these Flying Swords were all Low Grade Beginner Flying Swords, each worth over a hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, it was still the first time she had encountered someone buying more than a dozen at once.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°That¡¯s right, count them.¡±


    Su Jie tossed over a bag filled with Blood Marrow Crystals and then started cing the Flying Swords on the table into the Sword Nourishing Gourd at his waist one by one.


    At this moment, the number of Flying Swords inside the Sword Nourishing Gourd had reached seventy-two.


    Su Jie did not only buy from Taixu Pavilion; he also purchased Flying Swords from other shops, spending all the Blood Marrow Crystals he had to maximize the power of his Sword Nourishing Gourd to the greatest extent.


    ¡°The count is correct.¡±


    Cai Chun¡¯e nodded her head, a beautiful smile ying on her lips as she said, ¡°Mr. Su, you are wee toe again next time.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Su Jie replied.


    He stood up and, with time being of the essence; had it been any ordinary day, he might have taken the opportunity to flirt with the young woman, but right now, Su Jie waspletely preupied with thoughts of the Exotic Treasure.


    Leaving the ck Market, Su Jie returned to the Practice Room and meticulously consecrated all the Flying Swords he had bought.<div>


    <div>


    The room sparkled with the silver brilliance of dragons, filled with the radiant glow of sword light, and the fierce Sword Qi was so intimidating it made one feel as though they could be pierced by a thousand swords at any moment.


    If Cao Yuan¡¯s Sword Nourishing Gourd had contained this many Flying Swords back then, defeating him may have truly required much more effort.


    Havingpleted all this, Su Jie looked at the sky and left the Mountain Gate, stepping into the forest and heading towards the prearranged rendezvous point.


    When Su Jie saw Ning Xinyue again, she was squatting under a tree, idly counting ants out of sheer boredom.


    ¡°Why are you so slow?¡±


    Ning Xinyueined, ¡°I told Elder Tang I would be in closed-door cultivation for a week. Our time is precious. If we don¡¯t get it done in a week, we¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s disguised identity was that of a cultivation prodigy, an inner disciple in reserve, thus she enjoyed certain privileges. Not only was she personally taken as a disciple by Elder Tang, but he would also asionally inquire and instruct her cultivation, a luxury not afforded to ordinary Outer Disciples, whom the Elders would hardly bother to speak an extra word to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, traveling won¡¯t take up much time,¡± Su Jie assured her.


    He summoned the Thousand-Handed Centipede from his sleeve; they were already far from the Mountain Gate of Ghost Ridge Pce, beyond the detection of the Elders¡¯ Divine Sense.


    ¡°Why are you letting the centipede out?¡±


    Ning Xinyue instinctively took a step back; she was fine with most things, but the eerie appearance of the Thousand-Handed Centipede unnerved her.


    ¡°To speed up our travel. We¡¯re going to fly there,¡± exined Su Jie.


    Su Jie had the Thousand-Handed Centipede revert to its original form, dozens of meters long, and then sat on its broad, t back.


    ¡°Your centipede can fly?¡±


    Ning Xinyue was first taken aback, but then, seeing the enormous and fearsome form of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, herplexion grew pale, and she asked weakly, ¡°Is it possible not to sit on it?¡±


    Without a word, Su Jie just hooked his finger, motioning for her toe aboard.


    Ning Xinyue reluctantly moved her stiff legs, no longer mentioning the urgency of time.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede turned its head to look at Ning Xinyue and then, under Su Jie¡¯smand, nudged the girl with its head, as a pale corpse hand grabbed her and ced her on the back.


    ¡°Hold on tight,¡± Su Jie said.


    He patted the Thousand-Handed Centipede and the immense creature began to float and rise on the spot, gradually picking up speed as it flew over the forest, the green sea of the dense forest canopy bowing and copsing to either side from the wind pressure.


    ¡°So¡­ so fast¡­¡± Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes widened as she steadied her wind-blown hair, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.


    ¡°Xiao Qian brand express flying service, just joking with you,¡± said Su Jie.


    Su Jie said something Ning Xinyue couldn¡¯t understand, then he walked over to the head of the thousand-hand centipede, took out a map, andpared it as they flew towards Eagle Peak Mountain.


    ¡°What a huge bug.¡±


    She cautiously touched the cold, smooth insect shell, stuck out her tongue, and as she looked down at the dense forest below, Ning Xinyue also felt the convenience the thousand-hand centipede provided.


    Without this poisonous insect, it would take a whole day to reach Eagle Peak Mountain on foot.


    But flying there would take less than an hour.


    The thousand-hand centipede sped through the air, its massive size and the aura of a Mid Grade Four Refinement poisonous insect causing the animals below to panic.


    Even demons and spiritual beasts would mostly choose to retreat when they saw the thousand-hand centipede.


    Su Jie saw Alien Ghosts in the forest, and these fierce creatures were quickly avoiding them.@@novelbin@@


    However, the flight of the thousand-hand centipede was still too conspicuous, and there were always some powerful demons that did not fear its presence.


    In the middle of the flight, the thousand-hand centipede suddenly veered, tracing a C-shaped arc through the air.


    Ning Xinyue, caught off guard, nearly got thrown off its back and promptly tightened her grip on the centipede¡¯s segments to stabilize herself.


    Right where the thousand-hand centipede had been flying straight before, a huge demon was pping its enormous wings and chasing after them rapidly.


    This was a demon evenrger than the thousand-hand centipede, its rough skin covered in light green scales, with blood-red eyes harboring wildness and ferocity, and the thick aura of its murderous intent was chilling to the bone.


    ¡°A Yunling Realm ck Scale Blood Bat Demon, Xiao Qian, fly faster,¡± Su Jie said as he looked back at the pursuing demon. Such demons, when fully grown, possessed the peak cultivation of the Yunling Realm. There were cases within Ghost Ridge Pce where they had directly devoured disciples of the Ninth and even Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm. Su Jie felt that he might not necessarily lose in a fight, but now was clearly not the time to dy.


    The thousand-hand centipede sped up, and the ck Scale Blood Bat Demon behind them pped its wings tirelessly, pursuing them for tens of kilometers. When it realized it wasn¡¯t closing the gap, it let out a reluctant roar and plunged back into the forest.


    That¡¯s how demons were. There were many demons in the territory of Ghost Ridge Pce; demons and spiritual beasts were basically the same in that they absorbed the essence of the sun and moon and breathed in Spiritual Energy to cultivate.


    The difference was that demons preferred to absorb the turbid energy of the earth¡¯s veins for their cultivation, making them more aggressive and ferocious, while spiritual beasts preferred to absorb Spiritual Energy, and were somewhat more gentle in nature.


    ¡°That was close.¡±


    Ning Xinyue patted her chest, not sure if she meant her near fall or the encounter with the ck Scale Blood Bat Demon.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you can pinpoint the location of the Exotic Treasure, for behavior like what you just did, I¡¯d leave you here, to avoid bringing trouble along,¡± Su Jie said indifferently, which caused the young girl¡¯s pretty face to flush with anger.


    ¡°It¡¯s clearly your pet¡¯s fault for changing direction so abruptly. Now that I¡¯ve secured my grip, isn¡¯t everything fine?¡± Ning Xinyueined, not willing to admit defeat, indicating it was her ownck of attention.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course, don¡¯t underestimate my grip strength.¡±


    Ning Xinyue had just said this when the thousand-hand centipede suddenly did a 360-degree flip in mid-air. Apanied by the girl¡¯s scream, Ning Xinyue clung desperately to the centipede¡¯s joints, her body hanging upside down in the air, spinning around with it.


    ¡°It seems you are not holding on tight enough after all!¡±


    Su Jie sat on the head of the thousand-hand centipede, admiring Ning Xinyue¡¯s figure.


    ¡°You¡­ you insufferable rogue, bullying people,¡± Ning Xinyue said as she noticed the smile on Su Jie¡¯s lips, realizing he was up to mischief.


    ¡°But you were the one who said you were holding on tight. I was just checking your standard,¡± Su Jie shrugged as the thousand-hand centipede prepared to roll again. Frightened, Ning Xinyue quickly took out a rope from her Storage Bag, tied one end around her waist and the other to a protruding segment of the centipede¡¯s limb, and gritted her teeth, ¡°Now there¡¯s no way I could possibly fall off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    Su Jie snapped his fingers and continued to guide the thousand-hand centipede in flight.


    Meanwhile, Ning Xinyue shook her clenched fist behind him, secretly making up her mind.


    ¡°Letting you bully me; once we find the Exotic Treasure, I won¡¯t leave you a single hair of it.¡±

 Chapter 162 - 78: Lotus (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 162: Chapter 78: Lotus (Fourth Update)


    After the Feathered Sky Eagles had left, Su Jie came out again with Ning Xinyue.


    The nearby ground looked devastatingly chaotic. Upon failing to find their target, the Feathered Sky Eagles had recklessly unleashed their fury, carpet bombing the area where Su Jie had been located, in a vain attempt to vent their frustration.


    This time, Su Jie was smarter. He mined carefully, and by nightfall, he had gathered over a dozen pieces of Purple Dark Cold Iron Ore.


    Such days continued for several more.


    Until several dayster!<div>


    <div>


    In the dead of night, Su Jie and Ning Xinyue stealthily moved forward under the veil of darkness.


    In Ning Xinyue¡¯s hands, she held the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te. Under Su Jie¡¯s pained gaze, she kept inputting Mid-grade Spirit Stones into it to conduct deductions.


    The Tianxi Eight Diagrams te lit up with different colors before finally guiding the two to a specific direction, then stopped showing any further changes.


    In front of Su Jie and Ning Xinyuey a silent and deep pond.


    This was Bihe Pond, with cold air emanating from its water, and the edges were covered withrge patches of water lilies.


    The pond¡¯s icy water emitted an intense cold, so much so that when Su Jie got close, a thinyer of Ice Frost formed on his eyebrows and eyes.


    On the contrary, Ning Xinyue had a special constitution that made herpletely unaffected by the cold, leaving no trace on her whatsoever.


    ¡°Are you sure this is the ce? After fixing the position for so many days, there won¡¯t be any more mistakes, right?¡±


    Su Jie looked at Ning Xinyue, expecting that beneath Bihe Pondy the Exotic Treasure.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Confirmed, it¡¯s right here.¡±


    Ning Xinyue firmly nodded her head, guaranteeing with certainty that there were no mistakes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go down first to scout the path.¡±


    Rubbing his frozen hands, Su Jie said with an air of righteousness, ready to dive into Bihe Pond.


    ¡°No, let me go first. I¡¯m not afraid of the cold because of my constitution. It won¡¯t be good if you encounter any idents.¡±


    Ning Xinyue grabbed Su Jie, her face stern with a heroic expression as if ready to sacrifice herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m stronger, it¡¯s better if I go.¡±


    ¡°I have more treasures, I¡¯m confident I can find the Exotic Treasure first.¡±


    The two went back and forth with each other, but eventually, Su Jie looked at Ning Xinyue¡¯s puffed-up face and could only say, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go down together then.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll go down together.¡±


    Ning Xinyue nodded, and then they heard a ssh¡ªSu Jie had already jumped into the water.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°We agreed to go together, and you jumped the gun.¡±


    Without further ado, Ning Xinyue dived into Bihe Pond as well and quickly swam toward the depths.


    The pond water was bone-chillingly cold, carrying an icy sensation that seeped into the bones.


    Su Jie¡¯s limbs were numb from the cold, leaving him no choice but to summon the Thousand-Handed Centipede to carry him deeper into the pond.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s constitution was strong, with high strength and speed, and it had greater resistance to the cold, making it much faster than Su Jie in the water.


    Using the Xiao Qian brand submarine device, Su Jie quickly descended to the bottom of the pond.


    At this point, they were over three hundred meters from the surface, surrounded by unknown underground rivers that seemed like endless Demon Caves, which made one¡¯s heart tremble with fear.


    Ning Xinyue followed closely behind, swimming down. The Tianxi Eight Diagrams te in her hand no longer flickered, instead covered in dense purple clouds.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the location?¡±


    Using his Spiritual Power to transmit his voice through the water, Su Jie inquired about the exact position.


    Ning Xinyue shook her head andmunicated using the same method.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The Tianxi Eight Diagrams te can only locate this general area, maybe it¡¯s right beneath one of the underground rivers. Let¡¯s split up and search.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, casually pointed in a direction, and signaled that he would explore that way.


    Then, holding the thousand-hand centipede, he dived into the underground river.


    However, at this moment Ning Xinyue revealed a smile, like a little fox that had sneaked a chicken, carefully observing her surroundings. Once she was certain Su Jie had truly left, she quickly swam into action, heading toward the northeast direction of the underground river.


    ¡°Haha, such a fool. You believe whatever I say; the Exotic Treasure will be mine.¡±


    Ning Xinyue was extremely excited in her heart, with a smile on her face that she couldn¡¯t suppress, thinking about the Exotic Treasure soon to be in her hands.


    ¡°This temperature is way too abnormal.¡±


    Suddenly, Ning Xinyue felt the temperature of the nearby river water drop again. Within the river, wisps of silver-white halos emerged, resembling hidden ice crystals or congealed frost qi.


    ¡°Could this be the Qingliu Earth Spirit River?¡±


    Ning Xinyue appeared to have realized something, her expression subtly changing.


    The Qingliu Earth Spirit River is a river formed from the convergence of some kind of underground spirit veins.


    Beneath the veins, rich spiritual energy abounds; not only does this energy create many spiritual material mines, but sometimes it also gives rise to spirit rivers.


    ¡°Legend has it that the Qingliu Earth Spirit River possesses the Ten Thousand Cold Qi, originating from the Source Sky Vein, rising from the earth spirit, it is extremely rare, capable of elerating the cultivation speed of all Yin cold attribute cultivation techniques. I didn¡¯t expect to find it here, but it makes sense, that¡¯s why the Exotic Treasure appeared here, the environment is indeed very suitable.¡±


    With this revtion, Ning Xinyue understood that the Exotic Treasure might have formed under such unique conditions.


    The confirmation of the Qingliu Earth Spirit River made Ning Xinyue even more convinced that she was heading in the right direction.


    Therefore, Ning Xinyue kept feeding Mid-grade Spirit Stones into the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te to lock the position.


    In the deep and dim underground river, after swimming for about fifteen more minutes, Ning Xinyue finally sensed a vast and unparalleled spiritual energy.


    In an instant, Ning Xinyue narrowed her eyes and felt as though her field of vision had suddenly brightened.


    Ahead in the dark river, it was as if an immortal gem nourished and illuminated all things, emitting a glow a million times more dazzling than any jewel.


    ¡°How beautiful!¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s mouth hung open as she saw a green lotus swaying gently in the tranquil and shadowy river water, moving with the current.


    Its stem was straight, slender, and transparent, with eighteen lotus petals about to bloom, seemingly nurturing some kind of miraculous object from heaven and earth. Its light illuminated the entire dark river, like a deity showing off its splendor to the world.


    Surrounding the lotus, influenced by it, grew a multitude of wondrous spirit nts and medicinal herbs.


    There were lush grasses, sprawling vines, and many colorful flowers¡ªall of which had sprung to life because they had been nourished by the Exotic Treasure Lotus.


    As Ning Xinyue approached, she instantly felt a mysterious and profound aura permeating the space between heaven and earth, as if all the air was solidifying, and even the surging currents seemed to be subdued.


    This was not pure spiritual energy but more like a special change in space; stepping into it felt like one¡¯s body and soul were being cleansed.


    ¡°My body¡­¡±


    Ning Xinyue felt minor changes urring inside her body as if her flesh and blood were being purified.


    Although she was still hundreds of meters away from the Exotic Treasure Lotus, its immense and limitless power not only nourished all living beings but also further purified her physique.


    ¡°Indeed an Exotic Treasure.¡±


    ¡°Indeed an Innate Spiritual Object.¡±


    Two voices sounded one after the other; the first was uttered by Ning Xinyue, the second came from behind her.


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s expression froze on her face as she turned in shock and saw Su Jie appearing behind her, watching her with an almost smiling look.

 Chapter 163 - 79: The Emergence of an Exotic Treasure

    Chapter 163: Chapter 79: The Emergence of an Exotic Treasure


    ¡°You, you, you¡­how could you be here¡­¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s face was filled with disbelief; she hadn¡¯t expected Su Jie to show up here like a ghost.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known for a while that you were up to no good, nning to send me away so you could take the Exotic Treasure for yourself. I¡¯ve been on guard against this move of yours.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s smile was radiant, his gaze intently fixed on the Exotic Treasure Lotus in front of him.


    Even from a distance, Su Jie could clearly feel the thrilling power emanating from it, vast as the ocean, overwhelming as the sky, leaving one in awe and wonder.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°I discovered it first; the Exotic Treasure is mine.¡±


    Realizing her n had been exposed, Ning Xinyue panicked and quickened her pace, attempting to strike first.


    ¡°Exotic Treasures belong to those with true strength.¡±


    Su Jie grabbed Ning Xinyue¡¯s left leg, swung her behind him, and propelled himself upwards.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah, I¡¯m going to fight you to the end.¡±


    Furious, Ning Xinyue couldn¡¯t ept the reality of the Exotic Treasure being snatched away by Su Jie. She pulled out her Vajra Bracelet and swung it at the back of Su Jie¡¯s head, determined to knock him out and take the Exotic Treasure for herself.


    ¡°Darling, please turn around.¡±


    Patting the Sword Nourishing Gourd at his waist, Su Jie didn¡¯t slow down and with a swift motion, his Flying Swords shot out like silver dragons emerging from the depths, spewing out of the gourd and blocking Ning Xinyue¡¯s path.


    The power of the Sword Nourishing Gourd was now astounding. After absorbing dozens of Flying Swords with the White Bone Sky ying Sword at its core, it deflected the Vajra Bracelet upon collision and sent it flying away, forcing Ning Xinyue to retreat continuously.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Dragon Bone Sky Silkworm Rope, bind that scoundrel for me.¡±


    When one n failed, Ning Xinyue took out another treasure from her pockets¡ªa rope glittering with golden light that seemed to have its own consciousness as it swiftly coiled towards Su Jie.


    Well-prepared, Su Jie¡¯s hands formed spell gestures, activating the Mysterious Shadow Secret Technique.


    In an instant, Su Jie¡¯s form blurred, and then three Su Jies charged forward.


    ¡°Using a move I taught you against me, how despicable.¡±


    Initially startled, Ning Xinyue was a bit outraged¡ªafter all, she was the one who had taught him that technique.


    Watching the three Su Jies without blinking, Ning Xinyue tried to discern the real one. Because she also cultivated the same technique, it wasn¡¯t difficult for her to do so.


    But the problem was, Ning Xinyue had too little time. She had just identified the real one.


    And Su Jie had already reached the Exotic Treasure Lotus and was about to pluck it.


    However, just as his hand was about to touch the Lotus, Su Jie¡¯s motion suddenly paused, a great panic swept over him, threatening to push his internal organs out through his throat.


    ¡°Damn, this Exotic Treasure belongs to someone; it¡¯s being cultivated here.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heart raced as his hand was repelled, and he noticed that beneath the Lotus, a formation covered in mud¡ªwhose depth and breadth were unknown¡ªwas erupting in divine brilliance.


    It seemed that Su Jie¡¯s arrival had disturbed the formation, which copsed instantly. The Exotic Treasure Lotus, originally about to bloom, suddenly absorbed all the essence of the formation, its petals unfolding one by one as the Lotus bloomed.


    Boom!


    The ground shook violently as the overwhelming shockwave sent Su Jie and Ning Xinyue flying. A divine pir of light pierced through the thickyers of earth, shooting straight into the clouds.


    The vast expanse of the Ghost Ridge Pce realm was illuminated by this sky-reaching light pir, while powerful fluctuations of Spiritual Energy swept through the area like a raging tide.


    Above in the sky, clouds were tinged with the hue of Purple Mist.


    On the ground, countless flowers bloomed, and even the iron trees blossomed.


    A profound and terrifying energy burst forth from the lotus, so powerful that even thousands of miles away, one could feel this sacred and divine might.


    The lotus actively pulled out its roots and ced them in the river water.


    An odd reverse current appeared in the Qingliu Earth Spirit River, with countless frost energies madly converging towards the lotus.


    This lotus was absorbing the spiritual energy of the entire Qingliu Earth Spirit River to elerate its own maturity.


    ¡°Quick, depart, the Exotic Treasure has emerged.¡±


    Ning Xinyue was also greatly startled, seeing the situation with the Exotic Treasure Lotus and the formation below that was dissipating. She knew this signaled the emergence of an Innate Spiritual Object.


    This lotus had definitely not yet matured before; someone had ced it into this Qingliu Earth Spirit River to draw on the river¡¯s nutrients for growth.


    The one who ced the Exotic Treasure here likely intended for the Exotic Treasure Lotus to mature slowly and then inconspicuously take it away.


    However, her and Su Jie¡¯s arrival undoubtedly disrupted this quietude, forcing the Exotic Treasure Lotus to mature more swiftly and simultaneously causing a tremendous stir.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    When Su Jie saw the Exotic Treasure Lotus rise in the water, leaving the mud without the tangle of its roots, he noticed the extraordinariness of that mud.


    Within the mud, specks of five-colored luster revealed themselves.


    If Su Jie was not mistaken, this should be the legendary Five Elements Spiritual Soil.


    Instantly, Su Jie quickly scooped up handfuls of Five Elements Spiritual Soil into his Storage Bag, disregarding the internal bleeding caused by the energy burst from the lotus, as he deemed it a worthy sacrifice.


    After Su Jie collected all the Five Elements Spiritual Soil, the Exotic Treasure Lotus, drawing on the Qingliu Earth Spirit River¡¯s energy, unleashed increasingly formidable might. Su Jie followed Ning Xinyue and swiftly headed upstream on the river¡¯s surface.


    ¡­¡­.


    At the very moment the Exotic Treasure emerged, the disciples near Eagle Peak Mountain were the first to sense this immense energy.


    Each disciple awoke from slumber bewildered, gazing at the Sky-reaching Light Pir extending to the heavens, with clouds within dozens of miles tinted with purple mist.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Purple clouds vast and endless, this is the sign of an Exotic Treasure¡¯s birth.¡±


    Chu Zai Ming¡¯s eyes zed over with fixation upon seeing the Sky-reaching Light Pir, and he felt both his soul and body trembling with excitement. Such a treasure, if obtained¡­


    He was not the only one to think this way. Many disciples shared this thought, but after exchanging nces, their expressions turned somber.


    For the appearance of an Exotic Treasure would undoubtedly provoke not just them, but also the Hidden Realm Elders and even the Sect Master himself, who would find it hard to resist such an item.


    With the strength of these disciples, it was not about daring to touch the treasure, for even an extra nce could get them sted to smithereens by the true powerhouses who desired such treasures. This was beyond their reach.


    Just as these disciples thought.


    As the light pir rose to the skies with the birth of the Exotic Treasure, the Hidden Realm Elders at the Mountain Gate of the Ghost Ridge Pce abruptly stood.


    An unknown number of Elders cast their deep gazes toward the light pir, with ripples beginning to disturb their usually cid state of mind, and greed gradually emerged in their eyes.


    And in even more distantnds, far beyond Ghost Ridge Pce, other sects also felt the strong energy fluctuationsing from afar, signaling the legend of an Exotic Treasure¡¯s emergence.


    For a time, countless cultivators opened the doors of their meditation chambers, mounted their Flying Swords, and raced towards the direction of Ghost Ridge Pce, hoping to get a share of the spoils.

 Chapter 165 - 81: Attack on the Mountain Gate (Second Update)

    Chapter 165: Chapter 81: Attack on the Mountain Gate (Second Update)


    The collision between the two sides caused a disturbance that swept through like a tsunami, as if friction was generating heat, and under violent collision, a surging sea of mes burst forth suddenly.


    Like a sh flood, the sea of fire rolled on, and an Outer Disciple who was too slow to escape was directly engulfed by the sea of fire, screaming as his flesh melted away, dying by the hands of his own people.


    Su Jie ran ahead, looking back to see the heat wave from the sea of fire approaching, scorching his hair into curly, yellowed strands.


    This was the power of the Secret Realm, where merely the residual effects of an attack could kill and devour disciples one after another.


    ¡°Quick, back to the Mountain Gate.¡±<div>


    <div>


    Chu Zai Ming¡¯s right foot was burned, the skin gone, revealing charred muscles exposed outside, but he dared not stop, even for a moment, continuing to run through the pain.


    Although Ning Xinyue might not be good at fighting, she was quite skilled at running, using the Seven Star Steps, she almost kept up with Su Jie.


    The disciples exerted all their strength, driven by the terrifying fear of being burned alive, which made everyone¡¯s heart pound and flesh jump.


    As the disciples fled in panic, the Elders hardly spared them a nce, focusing on breaking through the defenses of the Exotic Treasure Lotus.


    At that moment, the Elders began using various means, summoning their Lifebound poisonous insects, wielding various magic artifacts, and employing different attack skills. The sound of booming was like a dense cluster of heavy artillery bombarding, the shockwaves sweeping continuously. Theke where the Exotic Treasure Lotus was located was artificially erged once again, its water mostly evaporated in the attack, and sunlight shining down mixed with the mist to form rainbows hanging in the sky.


    The defenses of the Exotic Treasure Lotus gradually began to falter, its vibrant Spiritual Radiance growing dim.


    ¡°A few more attacks, and it will break.¡±


    Seeing the effect of their attacks, Tang Peiqing¡¯s eyes burned with even greater fervor.


    The Elders spared no effort, and just as they were about to forcibly break open the Exotic Treasure Lotus¡¯s defenses, an unexpected event urred.<div>


    <div>


    Ding!@@novelbin@@


    Ding!


    Ding!


    Bell sounds from an unknown source resonated in all directions, surging like a tide, covering the entire territory of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    While running away, Su Jie felt his body and soul slightly tremble, the bell sounds directly invading his Divine Soul.


    Even disciples and Elders within istion chambers were alerted by these bell sounds.


    ¡°The Soul Suppressing Bell has been rung.¡±


    The Elders¡¯ faces tightened, their eyes turning toward the northwest.


    ¡°Run faster, something fierce ising.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression changed drastically, loudly addressing Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°What is this bell sound?¡±


    Ning Xinyue asked, puzzled; she had just entered Ghost Ridge Pce and had never heard such a bell sound before, not understanding its significance.


    Although it was also Su Jie¡¯s first time hearing it, having lived in Ghost Ridge Pce for a year longer than Ning Xinyue, he knew the meaning behind the bell sound.


    ¡°At the outermost perimeter of our sect¡¯s territory, there are three Elders stationed, overseeing a Top Grade Magical Artifact, the Soul Suppressing Bell. It not only acts as the Array Eye for the Mountain Protection Array but also serves to alert the sect of an enemy invasion, and is not rung unless it¡¯s a moment of crisis.¡±


    Su Jie exined without hesitating, instantly understanding why the Soul Suppressing Bell was rung upon hearing its sound.


    Attracted by the Exotic Treasure, it wasn¡¯t just Ghost Ridge Pce; other sects from outside couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and had attacked Ghost Ridge Pce.


    And the boldness to brazenly attack Ghost Ridge Pce meant that theing enemies were definitely Secret Realm powerhouses.


    Right then, Su Jie dared not dy and quickly sped towards the Mountain Gate of Ghost Ridge Pce, to avoid bing coteral damage on the battlefield.


    Ning Xinyue followed closely beside Su Jie, reluctantly ncing back at the Exotic Treasure Lotus as they ran, her eyes filled with reluctance, knowing they were so close, so close to making that Exotic Treasure her own.


    ¡°Stop looking; we can¡¯t get involved in this anymore,¡±


    Su Jie tapped Ning Xinyue¡¯s head, urging her to focus on escaping.


    ¡°Who is so despicable to have set up a formation under the Exotic Treasure? Otherwise, it would have been mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dreaming too much, even without the formation, the Exotic Treasure should belong to me.¡±


    Su Jie pursed his lips, thinking Ning Xinyue was still daydreaming at such a time.


    The two ran for over ten kilometers, when suddenly Su Jie felt a tremor in his body, and massive fluctuations descended from the sky like an ocean.


    It seemed as if thunder exploded in the sky, and Su Jie couldn¡¯t help but look up, only to see a Magic Boat coursing through the clouds, descending slowly with a tsunami-like divine radiance pressing down the trembling air.


    On the Magic Boat, figures in blue robes stood on the deck, their aura majestic as mountains, their eyes shining with divine light.


    These were the Elders from Qingzhou¡¯s number one Great Sect, Guan Chao Pavilion.


    At the same time, streaks of flying rainbows tore through the clouds, and figures merged with their swords, flying swiftly towards them.


    There were Goddesses gliding through the air, their dresses fluttering as they arrived.


    Strong figures riding Phoenix Blood Spiritual Beasts flew into the sky.


    The arrival of these Secret Realm strong figures made the faces of the Ghost Ridge Pce Elders turn grave.


    Su Jie inhaled sharply, d that he had run quickly; otherwise, had he still been at the scene, he might have been killed either by the Elders¡¯ waves of attacks or squashed by these strong figures.


    After all, these external Righteous Sects despise Demon Cultivators and wouldn¡¯t mind casually killing a little demon brat.


    In terms of numbers, the Ghost Ridge Pce Elders were at a disadvantage; the Righteous Sects had several times their numbers, all being Secret Realm strong figures.


    Tang Peiqing looked up, facing the many predatory Righteous Sects alone, his eyes dark and his voice as quiet as a deep pool, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen came uninvited. Ghost Ridge Pce does not wee you as guests, so it¡¯s wise to leave quickly.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    On the Magic Boat, a mountainous, overwhelmingly mighty man stood at the bow, arms behind his back, his cold eyes sharp and bearing the pressure of a superior, imposing and formidable.


    ¡°You bunch of dying Demon Cultivators dare to speak grandly here; eliminating your Ghost Ridge Pce is merely a matter of lifting a hand.¡±


    His voice thundered, scattering the clouds in the sky, putting immense pressure on the Ghost Ridge Pce Elders.


    ¡°Guan Chao Pavilion¡¯s Supreme Elder, Zhuang Liangru.¡±


    Tang Peiqing¡¯s expression darkened as he recognized this person¡¯s identity.


    The other was Guan Chao Pavilion¡¯s Supreme Elder, a status above the ordinary Elders, and likewise, his Cultivation was higher, at the Taoist tform Realm, well above the Secret Realm.


    ¡°Hahahaha, mere Ghost Ridge Pce, do you even dare to covet the Exotic Treasure? It is you who should leave this ce, otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t mind starting a demon ughter.¡±


    In the sky, a hearty voice rang out, a white-haired elder carrying Nine Dragon Swords stood in the air.


    Anyone who caught his gaze, even the Secret Realm Elders, felt as if they heard the swish of a sword being drawn. Every flicker of his eyes was like a sword¡¯s gleam, causing one¡¯s body and mind to shiver.


    This was also a well-known strong figure in Qingzhou, Lu Kefa, a top-tier strong figure within the Secret Realm.


    ¡°We didn¡¯te here wishing to harm wantonly. Ghost Ridge Pce folks, just step back and hand over the Exotic Treasure, and we can all live in peace.¡±


    A melodic voice like pearls falling on a jade te sounded.


    A woman, veiled and with a graceful figure, her skin like jade, exuding a mysterious air, slowly spoke.


    This was Master Si Xin Ying from Miao Yin Temple; the Sect Leader herself hade here, nked by several simrly dressed and powerful female cultivators.

 Chapter 167 - 83: Insect Valley Riot (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 167: Chapter 83: Insect Valley Riot (Fourth Update)


    In the struggle between life and death, the sh quickly escted to a fever pitch.


    Some cultivators were sted to dregs by magic artifacts, others were trampled into mud by gigantic insects; both sides had blood in their eyes.


    But ultimately, the numerical disadvantage was too great, and Ghost Ridge Pce began to fall behind. The experts from the righteous sects here were several times that of the Ghost Ridge Pce elders, leaving no equality in strength between the two sides.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the weakening of the righteous cultivators¡¯bat effectiveness by Tang Peiqing¡¯s poison, the battle would¡¯ve already been lost.


    ¡°You hypocrites of the righteous path, how dare you bully Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±<div>


    <div>


    It was at this moment that a thunderous roar of fury erupted from afar.


    At the mountain gate of Ghost Ridge Pce, billowing smoke and boiling blood surged up, filling half of the sky.


    A man in a ck robe walked out from his retreat, looking towards the scene at Eagle Peak Mountain; this was none other than Zhang Junwei, the Sect Master of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Boom!


    Zhang Junwei soared into the sky and arrived at the scene.


    His overwhelming spiritual power erupted, like the heavens copsing and the earth splitting, its divine radiance illuminating everything under the heavens.


    The boundless spiritual power seemed to boil this piece ofnd, and the faces of many righteous cultivators turned extremely grave.


    As the Sect Master of Ghost Ridge Pce, Zhang Junwei¡¯s strength was, without a doubt, formidable, his Cultivation in the Taoist tform Realm overpowering the whole field.


    Zhuang Liangru¡¯s Divine Eye sparkled as he rushed like a rainbow towards Zhang Junwei and sneered, ¡°You¡¯ve been holding back just for this moment, hiding in the shadows waiting for a chance to strike. Now you finally can¡¯t bear it any longer, let me measure just how much weight you, the Sect Master, carry.¡±<div>


    <div>


    ¡°Seeking death!¡±


    Zhang Junwei looked over coldly, and suddenly his body burst apart, transforming into countless tiny insects. In an instant, Zhuang Liangru was engulfed by the swarm and vanished from sight.


    However, at the core of the swarm, infinite divine radiance burst forth, as if a great sun was rising, igniting one insect after another.


    Zhuang Liangru was shing hard against the swarm, contending with Zhang Junwei.


    The swarm formed Zhang Junwei¡¯s face, and he proactively dragged Zhuang Liangru above the clouds. Then each insect pped its wings, emitting a tremendous demonic sound.


    ¡°Old Tang, take the Ten Thousand Insects Order, call upon Insect Valley. Let them witness the consequence of intruding on our Ghost Ridge Pce, as if we are to be trifled with.¡±


    As Zhang Junwei¡¯s voice transmitted, a Mo Jade Token flew out,nding in the hands of Tang Peiqing.


    Tang Peiqing¡¯s eyes were chilling, like a fierce ghost from theherworld iming lives.


    By now, several Ghost Ridge Pce elders had fallen. Even a y figure has a temper, let alone a Demon Cultivation Sect like Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°All of you righteous scum, none of you are leaving.¡±


    Tang Peiqing cut open his palm, and his blood rolled down onto the token.


    A pair of cold insect eyes emerged on the token, blinking like a living creature, it seemed to establish a connection with a certain region, and a special maic field began to transmit.


    In the distant Insect Valley, swarms of insects as if sensing something, emitted a frantic, piercing shriek.


    Netherworld Fire Ghost Snake, Dragon Evil Sky Sunflower Worm, Thunder Light Giant Bee, Blood Poison Frog, de-legged Demon Spider, Armored Demon Ant¡­


    Countless insects became restless, among them were inferior poisonous insects, as well as low-grade and mid-grade poisonous insects, and even top-grade poisonous insects that were hundreds of meters long.


    A few seconds after the disturbance, all the insects, regardless of size or strength, rolled towards Eagle Peak Mountain.


    Strong experts from various righteous sects looked over, their faces instantly covered with cold sweat.


    Su Jie, who was escaping, heard strange noises, a continuous rustling sound.


    He looked and saw an endless sea of insects rolling like tidal waves towards Eagle Peak Mountain, leaving in their wake barrennd where not a de of grass remained.@@novelbin@@


    The sky turned to gray-white, like a boundless fog, or like clouds continuously falling. The most numerous in Insect Valley, the human-faced moth swarm, veiled the sky, billions of insects threatening to engulf all living beings.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? That¡¯s way¡­ too¡­ too many.¡±


    Ning Xinyue clung tightly to Su Jie¡¯s arm, her body covered in goosebumps, nearly frightened to death by this terrifying spectacle.


    ¡°So this is the strongest trump card of Ghost Ridge Pce!¡±


    Even Su Jie gasped sharply, watching this stunning scene unfold before his eyes, his heart pounding fiercely.


    When discussing the most dangerous ces within the boundaries of Ghost Ridge Pce, no one ever mentioned Insect Valley.


    Because Insect Valley was a ce of opportunity for many disciples, where they captured poisonous insects to be stronger and improve. For Ghost Ridge Pce, it was a blessednd.


    But in fact, if one were to argue about the most dangerous ce in terms of strength, within the domain of Ghost Ridge Pce, Insect Valley was the true strongest.


    And now, as billions of poisonous insects were mobilized, it was the true outburst of Insect Valley.


    ¡°Ghost Ridge Pce, do you really seek your own death?¡±


    From above the clouds came Zhuang Liangru¡¯s voice, filled with anger and embarrassment, for he had not anticipated that Ghost Ridge Pce harbored such a trump card.


    ¡°It is you who have gone too far.¡±


    Zhang Junwei¡¯s voice was cold, for a Demon Cultivator was not someone to be trifled with.


    Among Insect Valley, those flying top-grade poisonous insects were the fastest and immediately rushed towards Eagle Peak Mountain at extreme speed.


    A fist-sized, golden flying mosquito darted like lightning, piercing through several Protection Magical Artifacts and talismans, and its relentless force punctured the heart of a Righteous Cultivator.


    This was a top-grade poisonous insect refined six times, making its debut by instantly killing a Righteous Cultivator.


    Roar!


    A centipede over a hundred meters long flew across the sky, its massive mouth wide open, turning into the eye of a storm, and several Righteous Cultivators were directly sucked into its belly.


    More poisonous insects appeared at the scene, and suddenly an Elder of Ghost Ridge Pce let out a horrifying scream.


    His body melted like wax, as he was sprayed with poison by a gigantic flying insect, his flesh gruesomely dissolved, and then the liquid was sipped up by the flying insect.


    ¡°Everyone, operate the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture and the Body Worm Focusing Method at full strength, and those Elders who haven¡¯t cultivated this Scripture should quickly stay away.¡±


    Tang Peiqing¡¯s lips twitched; after all, the poisonous insects from Insect Valley were wild, and they were lured here only by a special maic field and pheromones, not being able to distinguish friend from foe.


    However, there was this advantage in cultivating the Hundred Poison Refining Gu Scripture; it could deceive many poisonous insects into thinking you were one of their own, thereby reducing the risk of attack.


    More and more poisonous insects appeared at Eagle Peak Mountain, and finally, the sky-darkening human-faced moth swarm arrived, causing even the Elders of Ghost Ridge Pce to turn pale, as theserge moths were not very smart and attacked humans on sight.


    As expected, swathes of human-faced moths began their assault, tearing and biting every living creature on the field, including poisonous insects and Cultivators,


    Mainly the Righteous Cultivators suffered greatly, their bodies rich in Spiritual Energy particrly sweet in the eyes of the human-faced moths, which frantically chased them and enveloped each Cultivator into balls of moths hundreds of meters thick.


    Even though human-faced moths were just of inferior grade, the sheer number was simply overwhelming, and despite how the Cultivators fought and killed, they were but a drop in the oceanpared to the human-faced moth swarm.


    On normal days, human-faced moths were reluctant to leave their territory, but once they were on the move, even the Secret Realm and top-grade poisonous insects dared not sh with them directly, as no one could endure a war of attrition against billions of human-faced moths.


    Taoist Qiu, expressionless, plucked off a human-faced moth gnawing at his eyelid and, facing the dense moth-covered battlefield, couldn¡¯t help but turn to Tang Peiqing, ¡°What are you doing summoning these moths?¡±


    ¡°This is not something I can control.¡±


    Tang Peiqing, looking at the moths rushing towards him, unable to poison them quickly enough, quickly turned and flew away in escape.


    Just as the battlefield descended into chaos with the arrival of the human-faced moths, the Exotic Treasure Lotus suddenly vibrated violently, its divine light retracted, the Sky-reaching Light Pir disappeared, and a strange fragrance wafted in all directions.


    In an instant, countless eyes turned towards it, for the Exotic Treasure Lotus had finally ripened.


    ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±


    Zhuang Liangru¡¯s figure darted, appearing before the Exotic Treasure Lotus, and reached out to grasp the Lotus.


    ¡°This treasure belongs to my Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±


    Suddenly, an insect exploded, transforming into Zhang Junwei¡¯s form, who also reached for the Exotic Treasure Lotus.


    The two Taoist tform Realm powerhouses locked in a contest, each channeling their Spiritual Power, trying to push the other back.


    Crack!


    The Exotic Treasure Lotus emitted a crisp sound, and Zhuang Liangru and Zhang Junwei both looked down.


    The Lotus trembled and shook, the bud split open, and one by one, the lotus seeds turned into a myriad of divine lights scattering in all directions.


    The Exotic Treasure, sentient, sought its own path of escape.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Su Jie, hurrying on his way, saw a meteor shower fall from the sky, with one meteor striking precisely in the forest up ahead.


    Immediately after, a boundless surge of Spiritual Energy¡¯s vitality spread, reviving all life within thousands of kilometers nearby.


    In that moment, Su Jie, Ning Xinyue, Chu Zai Ming, and other Disciples all looked at each other in astonishment, then, as if by silent agreement, they dashed towards it.

 Chapter 168 - 84: Internal Strife (First Update)

    Chapter 168: Chapter 84: Internal Strife (First Update)


    The intense surge of Spiritual Power and life force erupted, causing the grass and trees nearby to grow wildly. Although it onlysted for a few seconds, the change captured the greedy and longing eyes of the disciples.


    Su Jie had run just two hundred meters when he saw a crystal-clear lotus seed embedded in the muddy ground. The strong fluctuations of Spiritual Energy gradually became restrained, yet it was still immediately apparent that it was no ordinary object.


    ¡°This Spiritual Energy, it has the same aura as the Exotic Treasure Lotus.¡±


    When Su Jie saw the shape of the lotus seed and felt the faint aura within, his heart was instantly stirred.


    Unexpectedly, behind the clouded hills, there was a new vige. Everyone had thought the Exotic Treasure Lotus was beyond their fate, yet now a lotus seed coincidentally flew to him, thrusting the opportunity right into his face.<div>


    <div>


    While Su Jie was contemting, someone had already made their move.


    Chu Zai Ming leaped forward in a few bounds and pounced towards the lotus seed, intent on seizing it.


    ¡°This is mine.¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Chu, you might be making a mistake.¡±


    A group of Demon Cultivators shouted angrily, and various attacks wereunched instantly, each person wanting to obtain the lotus seed for themselves.


    The rtionship among the disciples was not one of mutual trust to begin with, and it was superficial at best. Now, in the face of immense benefits, any semnce of rtions they had maintained shattered in an instant.


    With Chu Zai Ming being at the eighth level of the Yunling Realm, he had incited the wrath of the others by attempting to seize the loot first, causing the other disciples to attack him in a sorry state as he was forced to dodge.


    Pu!<div>


    <div>


    A Flying Sword pierced through Chu Zai Ming¡¯s shoulder, and as he observed the barrage of subsequent attacks, his scalp tingled with dread.


    While dodging, Chu Zai Ming caught sight of Su Jie at the side, and an idea suddenly struck him. He yelled, ¡°Gentlemen, fighting amongst ourselves here is just giving others the chance to reap the benefits. You must realize, there is a formidable man in our team. Do you really have the confidence to face him alone?¡±


    As Chu Zai Ming spoke, his gaze drifted towards Su Jie, slyly diverting trouble in Su Jie¡¯s direction, hoping to redirect everyone¡¯s attention onto him.


    The disciples snapped out of their fervor, noticing Su Jie¡¯s figure standing by the cliff¡¯s edge, immediately realizing whom Chu Zai Ming was referring to.


    Su Jie¡¯s record of defeating two by himself was undoubtedly the most exaggerated among them.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m sorry, but if you leave now, we won¡¯t make it difficult for you.¡±


    Chu Zai Ming bowed to Su Jie with apparent regret, a very discreet look of self-satisfaction in his eyes.


    By setting up Su Jie as the target, he had managed to avoid being ganged up on.


    ¡°Mr. Su, you are already so powerful; you might as well notpete for the lotus seed and give everyone else a chance.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let him get away, what if hees back for revenge?¡±


    ¡°Why talk nonsense with him. Let¡¯s just make him disappear first.¡±


    The group of disciples spoke out one after another, not because they couldn¡¯t see Chu Zai Ming¡¯s scheming, but because it was a tant scheme.


    Everyone understood the principle of ¡®when the snipe and the m grapple, it is the fisherman who profits.¡¯


    There were more than twenty disciples present, both from the outer and inner sectors. If Su Jie remained there, it would be difficult for them to have a chance to snatch the lotus seed.


    ¡°You seek your own death.¡±


    Faced with the exclusion from the crowd of disciples, Su Jie¡¯s voice was ice-cold as he pped his Sword Nourishing Gourd at his waist.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Darling, please turn around.¡±


    A white light shed as 72 Flying Swords spiraled in the sky, then with the White Bone Sky ying Sword at the core, they flew towards Chu Zai Ming at supersonic speed.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    The color drained from Chu Zai Ming¡¯s face as he threw out a Moon Wheel Magical Artifact, radiating purple light. He also controlled his Lifebound poisonous insect, a Mid-grade Two Refinement Silver-Horned Demon Bat, and several Low Grade poisonous insects.


    With the strength of the eighth level in the Yunling Realm, his power was definitely not weak either.


    Boom!


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword swept the Moon Wheel Magical Artifact into the Silver Dragon Sword Light, and with a screeching friction and sh, the Low Grade Magic Tool shatteredpletely.


    The Silver-Horned Demon Bat spread its wings wide, streaks of blood emerging and transforming into crimson de lights exuding ferocity, shing down wildly.


    Su Jie blinked, and two Purple Light Rays shot out, instantly striking the Silver-Horned Demon Bat, melting two gaping holes through its chest that went clean through from front to back. This not only caused the blood de lights to copse on their own but also brought the Silver-Horned Demon Bat crashing down from the sky, its body reeling.


    At the same time, the White Bone Sky ying Sword whizzed down, beheading the Silver-Horned Demon Bat with a single strike.


    As his Lifebound Poisonous Insect was killed, Chu Zai Ming instantly grew listless, vomiting fresh blood and suffering internal injuries from the bacsh.


    When he panicked and tried to flee, a stern look shed through Su Jie¡¯s eyes, and with a finger like a sword, 72 Flying Swords pierced down, making him resemble a human hedgehog, and nailed him to the ground.


    Su Jie nced at Chu Zai Ming¡¯s corpse and said indifferently, ¡°Sometimes, keeping your mouth shut could mean a longer life.¡±


    The scene fell instantly silent. If Chu Zai Ming, the strongest among them in terms of cultivation, wasn¡¯t a match for Su Jie, who was overpowered in just a few exchanges, it greatly deterred the disciples who were eager to move.


    If they were ordinary cultivators, they might have chosen to retreat by now, but this was a group of demon cultivators, more insane and cruel than the average person.


    Su Jie¡¯s disy of formidablebat power only strengthened the disciples¡¯ belief in what Chu Zai Ming had said earlier ¡ª that as long as Su Jie was here, no one else would have a chance at the Exotic Treasure Lotus Seed.


    ¡°If this man isn¡¯t eliminated, none of us will have a chance. Let¡¯s attack together.¡±


    Someone among the disciples was the first to speak up, and everyone made the same choice.


    One poisonous insect after another was summoned, one magic artifact after another was wielded.


    The surging killing intent swept over like a tide, threatening to drown one whole.


    Su Jie¡¯s expression remained unchanged as his cold gaze swept over the disciples present.


    ¡°Body Worm Focusing Method.¡±


    The next moment, Su Jie opened his Insect Control Bag and released his human-faced moth swarm.


    Body Worm Focusing Method!


    A swarm of inner disciples released their insect clouds in unison. The tiger spot locust swarm, Dragon Bee Swarm, Poison Snake Group, Sky Barbarian Ant Swarm, and others collided with Su Jie¡¯s human-faced moths.


    The sky rained an enormous downpour of insects, each insect falling from above.


    However, the swarm of human-faced moths Su Jie had summoned was not just any run-of-the-mill little bugs.


    Among them were over a hundred Low Grade and three Mid-grade Human-faced Moths.


    They were like the captains and generals among the human-faced moths, not only frighteningly fast but their acid spray could corrode arge area of space, managing to suppress the insect swarms of several inner disciples.


    Before these disciples could even react in shock, Su Jie waved his sleeve, and the Mid Grade Four Refinement Thousand-Handed Centipede made a stunning entrance.


    Bang bang bang!


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede coiled around, protecting Su Jie in the middle.


    One after another, Low Grade Magic Tools with Green Mist Golden Radiance¡ªFlying Swords, Jiao Scissors, Seals, Vajra Pestles, Magic Rulers, and more¡ªall struck the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    Some Low Grade High Level Magical Artifacts were able to break the defense and prate into the flesh, but other Low Grade Junior and Middle artifacts couldn¡¯t even damage the insect shell and posed no harm to the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    The expressions of the disciples stiffened, seeing such defense they opened their mouths wide enough to swallow an apple, and their entire beings went numb.


    ¡°What a joke, is this a Mid Grade Four Refinement Poisonous Insect?¡±


    ¡°How does he raise his insects?¡±


    ¡°Be careful, this guy is even more terrifying than the rumors.¡±


    The faces of the disciples changed drastically; wrapped in fear, they realized the power of such a grade of poisonous insect was incredibly strong. The man before them was far more powerful than anyone present.

 Chapter 170 - 86: Acquiring Divine Skills (Third Update)

    Chapter 170: Chapter 86: Acquiring Divine Skills (Third Update)


    Ning Xinyue felt she might cry out of frustration at Su Jie, ring at him as she angrily said, ¡°You jerk, this lotus seed is clearly ourbined battle loot.¡±


    With a shrug, Su Jie responded, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to share, but how can we split it when there¡¯s only one?¡±


    ¡°This Enlightenment Lotus Seed is not meant to be eaten. I know how to use it, and it can be used by two people.¡±


    If Ning Xinyue weren¡¯t unable to beat Su Jie, she would have given him a punch.


    Curiosity piqued, Su Jie asked, ¡°Do you know the origins of this exotic treasure?¡±<div>


    <div>


    ¡°I just remembered after flipping through a book.¡±


    Pointing to the Jade Heavenly Book, Ning Xinyue exined, ¡°That Exotic Treasure Lotus is called the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus. Thest time it appeared was eight hundred years ago. The treasure itself has infinite marvelous uses, and when it matures, it releases Enlightenment Lotus Seeds. Cultivators can use these seeds toprehend the profound Heavenly Dao and even obtain special constitutions.¡±


    ¡°Nine-grade Sacred Lotus, Enlightenment Lotus Seeds?¡±


    Touching his chin, Su Jie then turned and began to clean the battlefield.


    ¡°Hey, are you a man of your word or not?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the battlefield first; this ce is not suitable for a long stay.¡±


    Su Jie nced at Ning Xinyue and quickly proceeded with the battlefield cleanup and trace elimination.


    The corpses of the bugs were prime feed, perfect to add to the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s meals.


    As for the Magic Artifacts, good or bad alike, all could be sold for Blood Marrow Crystals, and he took them all.<div>


    <div>


    Not to mention the contents of those Storage Bags; there were still plenty of good things inside.


    Watching Su Jie pick up spoils happily, Ning Xinyue helped herself to several Storage Bags as well, but after seeing what was inside, the girl disdained and curled her lips in contempt.


    The items in these Storage Bags were of such low value that, together with the Blood Marrow Crystals, they were worth only a couple of thousand at most. When she was looking for the Exotic Treasure, she had spent more than that amount on Spirit Stones for the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te in a single day.


    After cleaning up the battlefield, Su Jie and Ning Xinyue didn¡¯t linger any longer and quickly left the area.


    Half an hourter, riding the Thousand-Handed Centipede, Su Jie found a cave and led Ning Xinyue inside.


    When the campfire lit up the dark cave, Su Jie also took out the Enlightenment Lotus Seed.


    The seed was the size of a peanut and was colored a pure white. It had countless dense patterns on its surface, vaguely forming the shape of a qilin.


    Fixing his gaze on the Enlightenment Lotus Seed, Su Jie turned to Ning Xinyue and asked, ¡°How should it be used?¡±


    ¡°Just activate it with Spiritual Power.¡±


    Su Jie attempted to channel a stream of Spiritual Power into it.


    Suddenly, the seed levitated, emitting divine brilliance, resembling a bright star.


    A qilin phantom emerged from the Enlightenment Lotus Seed, creating a ripple of visions, bringing an auspicious and divine presence to the world. Golden lotuses blossomed spontaneously in the empty cave surrounding Su Jie and Ning Xinyue, with pollen fluttering and filling the room with fragrance.


    Roar, roar.


    The qilin phantom opened its mouth in a roar, and the Enlightenment Lotus Seed shone brightly, copsing inward and releasing endless light and heat.


    Feeling as if he were in a pool of volcanicva, Su Jie¡¯s skin, muscles, bones, and organs heated to an unbearable temperature, engulfed by an intense burning sensation.


    In the midst of this fiery torment, ck impurities seeped out of his pores. Gradually, Su Jie¡¯s bones began to exhibit a jade-like coloration, and his flesh refined to perfection, radiating an aura ofpleteness.


    Within the channels of his body, as the lotus seed was ingested, the Spiritual Energy inside Su Jie boiled and rampaged.


    The originally white Spiritual Energy gradually turned purple, with a density several times greater than before.


    As his body underwent a transformative metamorphosis, Su Jie remained seated in the lotus position with his eyes closed.


    After the extreme heat, a cool breath entered Su Jie¡¯s body, and a mysterious Taoist chant arose from his sea of consciousness.


    This sound was filled with myriad mysteries, as if an Immortal was expounding the three thousand great Dao, and it seemed as though each bright Dao pattern was being branded into his mind.


    For Su Jie, hisprehension of cultivation and understanding of Taoist skills deepened unceasingly.


    Boom!


    An even more astonishing change urred within the sea of consciousness, where a Purple Cloud Qilin congealed into existence, causing waves and storms.


    Where the sea of consciousness was originally dim and murky, streaks of purple thunder now appeared as if heralding the beginning of the heavens and the earth, illuminating the nine heavens and tennds.@@novelbin@@


    Located in the sea of consciousness, the Divine Soul of Su Jie, which was originally only an orb of light, underwent a marvelous transformation with the appearance of the myriad thunderous Heavenly Thunders. The orb took on the form of a Divine Soul with arms, legs, facial features, and even showing signs of transforming from Fetal Light into a Primordial Spirit.


    Naturally and effortlessly, Su Jie¡¯s cultivation automatically broke through to the eighth level of the Yunling Realm without any obstruction.


    But this was not the end¡ªSu Jie had entered a mysterious state of Enlightenment, perceiving the changes in all things in heaven and earth.


    Time gradually passed.


    It was unclear whether ten days or half a month had passed.


    Suddenly, changes began to surface on Su Jie¡¯s body, subtle arcs of electricity danced across his skin, and crackling sounds echoed continuously in the cave.


    Opposite Su Jie, Ning Xinyue¡¯s body exuded frost, freezing half the cave into ice crystals. The purple electric currents on Su Jie¡¯s side reflected against it, shing and sparking continuously as ifpeting with each other.


    Several more days passed.


    One day, all of a sudden, Su Jie¡¯s eyes opened, bursting forth with a dazzling divine light that extended several meters.


    Purple thunders emerged from the void like the might of nature, their booming sounds causing the animals within hundreds of meters to shudder in fear.


    Su Jie felt the vast strength within his body and clenched his fist, delivering a punch into the air.


    Crack! Boom!


    The void trembled, and thunder revealed itself, sting a ten-meter-deep crater into the ground. Behind Su Jie, the phantom of a Purple Cloud Qilin appeared, with his physical body and Spiritual Power now at least four or five times stronger than before.


    ¡°All beings observe me, with the divine skill of great freedom.¡±


    Su Jie brought his hands together, and the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder spread from his body, turning the underground space into a world of rolling thunders, with streaks of purple lightning bursting into a sea of thunder.


    A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, then it grew wider and wider, until Su Jie clenched his fist firmly, feeling the boundless strength within, unable to stop smiling.


    ¡°So this is not just an Enlightenment Lotus Seed, but also a Divine Skills Lotus Seed. As expected from an Exotic Treasure, indeed extraordinary. To consume it nurtures divine skills.¡±


    Su Jie murmured to himself, realizing that from now on, he too was a wielder of divine skills.


    The so-called divine skills represent a special kind of innate gift, simr to an electric eel generating electricity or a bat using echolocation¡ªnatural gifts that typically appear only in special constitutions and are generally beyond the reach of cultivation.


    Such special constitutions are almost invariably powerful and beneficial for cultivation.


    For example, the famous innate constitutions in the Tianyuan World, like the Innate Taoist Body, Five Elements Immortal Body, Primordial Yin Xuan Demon Body, Radiant Sun Saint Body¡ªthe top ten constitutions in the Tianyuan World¡ªcan be said to reach the Taoist tform Realm before adulthood if nothing goes awry, and their emergence will cause a sensation in all directions.


    And the divine skills thate with these Divine Bodies and Immortal Bodies are nearly invincible among their peers, capable of crushing most enemies at the same level, or even achieving a level leap to challenge higher realms.


    Another advantage of divine skills is that they are not driven by Spiritual Power but by the power of the Divine Soul.


    The stronger the Divine Soul, the stronger the divine skills.


    Because even if Su Jie¡¯s Spiritual Power were to run out in a prolonged battle, or even if his physical body were destroyed, he could still invoke his divine skills to strike down enemies, as long as his Divine Soul persisted.


    ¡°This should now be called the Purple Cloud Thunder Body, I guess.¡±


    Su Jie was inwardly thrilled. Acquiring the divine skill of Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder was like adding brilliance to his arsenal of attacks, enriching his means to strike at enemies.


    What Su Jie valued even more was the increase in innate talent that this constitution brought to him.

 Chapter 172 - 88: Planting the Holy Lotus Sapling (First Update)

    Chapter 172: Chapter 88: nting the Holy Lotus Sapling (First Update)


    Picking up the cracked Enlightenment Lotus Seed from the ground, it had lost its Spiritual Charm and had be a mundane object.


    Su Jie fiddled with it for a moment and found a shriveled, pitch-ck hard object inside the seed.


    In fact, the lotus seed was aplete fruit, with the seed inside once the husk was peeled away.


    ¡°This Enlightenment Lotus Seed is useless now,¡±


    Ning Xinyue didn¡¯t understand Su Jie¡¯s actions and reminded him.<div>


    <div>


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case,¡±


    Su Jie took something out of his Storage Bag.


    It was a handful of pale yellow soil, with a luster more dazzling than pure gold; it shimmered with a soft glow, its Spiritual Radiance surging like the tide, with the principles of the Five Elements intertwining within, forming a Formation.


    This was the soil Su Jie had dug from beneath the Exotic Treasure, the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus, known as Five Elements Spiritual Soil.


    This type of soil possessed an incredible power of creation, not only promoting the rapid growth of Spirit nts but also possessing an extremely strong vitality and Spiritual Charm of its own.


    Legend had it that people who had died and were buried beneath the Five Elements Spiritual Soil had miraculouslye back to life.


    The amount of Five Elements Spiritual Soil in Su Jie¡¯s hands wasn¡¯t much, barely a bowlful.


    Yet in Su Jie¡¯s view, its preciousness was not much less than that of the Enlightenment Lotus Seed.


    This was the Five Elements Spiritual Soil, famed for the saying, ¡°Better to have a pinch of Five Elements soil than ten thousand treasures in a vault.¡±<div>


    <div>


    The handful of Five Elements Spiritual Soil that Su Jie had could definitely sell for a sky-high price if put on the market.


    Of course, it was more likely to attract robbery, even the Secret Realm Elders would be unable to resist their greed.


    After all, soil that could grow Exotic Treasures was obviously foreseeably valuable.


    ¡°Are you going to revive the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus? Can you do it?¡±


    Ning Xinyue also became interested and watched Su Jie¡¯s movements with wide eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely my intention,¡±


    Su Jie took out a zed Bottle and put the Five Elements Spiritual Soil into it.


    Then, holding the Nine-grade Holy Lotus Seed, he buried it into the Five Elements Spiritual Soil.


    Once the seed was buried, there was a change on the surface of the Five Elements Spiritual Soil.


    The interconnected Five Elements Formation within began to operate automatically, with shes of golden light bringing creation back to life, and waves of water rippling.


    The Qi of the Five Elements circted, nourishing everything that was gestating within.


    The Nine-grade Sacred Lotus seed, originally shriveled, began to show a slight change.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem a bit plumper?¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes widened, observing the half-exposed Nine-grade Sacred Lotus Seed sticking out of the Five Elements Spiritual Soil, much plumper than before.@@novelbin@@


    Could it really have been revived by Su Jie, promising the future harvest of an Innate Spiritual Object?


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s brow furrowed, sensing that something was still missing for the Holy Lotus Seed to trulye back to life.


    Suddenly, Su Jie thought of something and took out the White Bone Tree from his Storage Bag.


    The miniaturized White Bone Tree was only the size of a palm, this relic was also a living being capable of free growth.


    Su Jie tried burying the White Bone Tree into the Five Elements Spiritual Soil.


    In an instant, the luster of the Five Elements Spiritual Soil grew even more dazzling, and upon the White Bone Tree, Spiritual Power erupted like a volcano, resembling the great sun across the sky, releasing vast amounts of Spiritual Energy.


    Because the White Bone Tree possessed the ability to absorb a wide range of Spiritual Energy from the heavens and the earth¡¯s veins, it could transform and purify them for cultivation.


    When Su Jie ced the White Bone Tree into the Five Elements Spiritual Soil, a wondrous chemical reaction immediately urred.


    The Spiritual Charm within the Five Elements Spiritual Soil was ceaselessly absorbed, and after being transformed and purified by the White Bone Tree, it turned into drops of glittering and translucent Pure Spirit Water, which condensed into droplets on the branches and leaves of the tree and then fell,nding on the Holy Lotus Seed.


    Rustle rustle.


    This seed, long parched, quickly transformed upon being nourished by the Pure Spirit Water, as a hint of greenness surfaced and sprouted, growing a slender and clean sprout with two cotyledons.


    Boom!


    Outside the cave, the sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds. Purple Heavenly Thunder, golden Divine Thunder, and white Immortal Thunder shed, as the birth of an Innate Spiritual Object caused an extraordinary phenomenon between heaven and earth.


    The Nine-grade Sacred Lotus, nurtured in the Five Elements Spiritual Soil, also manifested endless marvels.


    It was as if the Tao Heavenly Sound was resonating, with visions of Qilins, True Spirits, and Phoenixes circling around, apanied by the sound of shing swords and the deep tolling of bells, like the sonorous nging of myriad divine soldiers and weapons.


    As the lush green sprout emerged, the room instantly entered early spring, filled with fragrance and a flowing of Spiritual Liquid, which made one feel vigorous just by smelling it, as if bathing in a hot spring, bringing an indescribablefort and rxation.


    ¡°It¡¯s really alive?¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s mouth gaped open in disbelief. Su Jie had actually done it, he had brought an Innate Spiritual Object, the Nine-grade Holy Lotus, back to life.


    ¡°I really am a genius.¡±


    A smile crept up on the corners of Su Jie¡¯s mouth as he looked at the germinated seed, his heart unable to contain the surging excitement.


    This was an Innate Spiritual Object; once he grew it himself, possessing the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus in hand and refining it into a Treasure would surely allow him to prevail tremendously.


    With just a single Enlightenment Lotus Seed from the Nine-grade Holy Lotus, he could obtain formidable Divine Skills.


    One could hardly imagine the might of aplete Nine-grade Sacred Lotus.


    And now the newly born Nine-grade Sacred Lotus was already showing extraordinary signs; just being close to it, one could feel a cleansing of body and soul. Under the roaring Tao Heavenly Sound, there was an enhancement in the understanding of all things.


    ¡°Hard work pays off! Heaven truly doesn¡¯t let down those who strive; although I didn¡¯t obtain a full-grown Nine-grade Sacred Lotus, acquiring a saplingpensates for my wounded heart.¡±


    Su Jie smiled very happily, this unexpected gain exciting him even more than obtaining the Enlightenment Lotus Seed.


    Standing nearby, Ning Xinyue couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°You¡¯re getting happy too soon. The maturity of such Innate Spiritual Objects is counted in hundreds or even thousands of years. It¡¯s possible that this Holy Lotus won¡¯t have matured even by the time you die of old age.¡±


    Hearing Ning Xinyue¡¯s sour tone, Su Jie flicked the girl¡¯s smooth forehead.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about that; I have the patience to wait. Little missy, if you stick with me, I may benevolently allow you to experience the mystery of this Exotic Treasure.¡±


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Ning Xinyue red with her big watery eyes and retorted in contest, ¡°As if! Who would want to follow you? I could get an Exotic Treasure like this any time I want.¡±


    As she spoke, she took out the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te, boasting, ¡°See this? I have the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te. Since we managed to find the Nine-grade Holy Lotus this time, who¡¯s to say we won¡¯t find other Innate Spiritual Objects next time?¡±


    ¡°You think Innate Spiritual Objects are cabbages, that you can just find them whenever you say so?¡±


    Su Jie scoffed, not taking her seriously.


    Indeed, the Tianxi Eight Diagrams te was powerful, but Exotic Treasures were exceedingly rare in the world, and even if they existed, it was unlikely to always be so fortunate as toe across them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you,¡± Ning Xinyue dered, puffing her cheeks out like a little chipmunk.


    Seeing Su Jie showing off with the Sacred Lotus sapling, she was determined not to tolerate it. She had to obtain an Exotic Treasure that was just as good, to make Su Jie envious and resentful.

 Chapter 173 - 89: Heavenly Thunder Annihilates the Enemy (Second Update)

    Chapter 173: Chapter 89: Heavenly Thunder Annihtes the Enemy (Second Update)


    In the deep forest, the lush great trees towered majestically, their dense branches and leaves obscuring the sky, preventing sunlight and rain from prating. Thick moss climbed over rocks and tree trunks, rendering the entire forest dark and damp.


    Su Jie and Ning Xinyue walked between the trees after leaving the cave, the duo chose to return to the mountain gate of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Due to the use of the Enlightenment Lotus Seed, they had already been out for a week and were unsure of the current situation at Ghost Ridge Pce, especially concerning the contest for the exotic treasure.


    Su Jie stepped on the soft ground, dry leaves rustling underfoot, asionally spotting some oddly shaped mushrooms and nts; strange roars echoed from a distance asionally.


    Walking in such a forest, one absolutely needed some guts.<div>


    <div>


    Suddenly, Su Jie, who was walking, stopped, his divine soul sending out an alert.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ning Xinyue turned her head, puzzled.


    Su Jie raised his right hand, and a dragonflynded on his fingertip, its tens of thousands ofpound eyes failing to detect any enemy.


    ¡°I have a bad feeling.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes shed, his divine sense spreading like water, conveying the nearby terrain and living creatures into his mind.


    The next moment, Su Jie turned his head towards the 11 o¡¯clock direction, where there were five human silhouettes made of spiritual power hiding.


    They were d in cloaks with special patterns; the reconnaissance dragonfly flew past nearby butpletely failed to detect them, as if it directly ignored their presence.


    ¡°Specifically aimed at the Insect Control Technique for reconnaissance, huh! Could these people be¡­¡±<div>


    <div>


    Su Jie¡¯s thoughts shifted, and then he reached out to stop Ning Xinyue, disappearing with her from the spot.


    Almost simultaneously, streaks of dark light suddenly shed by, passing through the position where Su Jie and Ning Xinyue had just stood.@@novelbin@@


    Thousands of fine dark lights left dozens of towering trees riddled with holes, the attacking very suddenly.


    Upon closer inspection, those dark lights were clearly numerous fine needles, yet they exhibited the power ofrge-caliber machine guns.


    Ning Xinyue, slightly slow to react, looked in the direction from which the dark light hade.


    There, the five people, failing in their sneak attack, actually stepped forward deliberately, blocking Su Jie and Ning Xinyue¡¯s path.


    The five people wore white robes and feathered crowns, appearing only in their early twenties. Their dress and temperament clearly differed from those of Ghost Ridge Pce, resembling disciples from some other righteous sect.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s voice was very displeased, her mood naturally not too good after being ambushed.


    ¡°Disciples of Qingluan Mountain, Zhuang Camp. We¡¯re lucky today, having discovered two demon cultivators from Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±


    The one who introduced himself as Zhuang Camp moved with the grace of a dragon and the strength of a tiger, his aura long and his spiritual power torrential, revealing seventh-level cultivation of the Yunling Realm; the other four had fourth-level and fifth-level cultivation of the Yunling Realm.


    As he spoke, Zhuang Camp stared intently at Su Jie, the robe of an inner disciple on Su Jie making him very wary.


    ¡°Qingluan Mountain.¡±


    Su Jie had heard of this sect, a righteous sect located in Qingzhou. However, due to its distance from Ghost Ridge Pce, there had been little interaction.


    Now that people from Qingluan Mountain appeared here, Su Jie vaguely understood something.


    ¡°Everyone attack, there¡¯s no need to talk about morals with these demon cultivators.¡±


    Zhuang Camp was not fond of idle talk. With a grand wave of his hand, he took out a Divine Light Treasure Seal and smashed it towards Su Jie¡¯s side.


    In mid-air, the Treasure Seal already erged to the size of thirty feet, as heavy as a mountain, rolling through the void with an imposing sound.


    The other four also charged forward, employing various Mystic Taoist Skills tounch their attacks.


    Disciples recited scriptures, each word adhering to their bodies like ink, enhancing their strength and defense as they charged forward.


    Othersmanded flying swords, the cold light gleaming as the swords aimed straight for Su Jie¡¯s neck.


    Facing attacks from all directions, Su Jie¡¯s eyes did not waver; he simply raised his hand calmly and coldly uttered a word, ¡°Thunderes.¡±


    Boom!


    Rolling heavenly thunders emerged from the void, with the majesty of the heavens, and the deafening sound of thunder exploded along with shes of lightning.


    Each thunderbolt, carrying unrivaled might, struck the descending Divine Light Treasure Seal, directly flipping the Low-Grade Advanced Magical Artifact and even causing a crack to appear.


    Ahhhhhh!


    The cultivator covered in Taoist scriptures was struck by the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder, howling miserably as his flesh turned to char under the high temperature, his organs cooked thoroughly as he fell forward onto the ground.


    The flying sword attacking Su Jie shattered inch by inch under the assault of the heavenly thunder, this Low-Grade Junior Flying Sword being too fragile to withstand even a single thunderbolt in the presence of Su Jie¡¯s Divine Skill, Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder.


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted as he made a sping motion with his right hand.


    In the void, a spherical lightning appeared, resembling an invisible cage, enveloping the disciple whomanded the flying sword, his entire body exploding into fragments, dying an extremely tragic death.


    ¡°What kind of move is this ¡­ you are a Ninth Level, no, Tenth Level disciple ¡­¡±


    Zhuang Camp¡¯s pupils shook violently because the spiritual power contained in Su Jie¡¯s Purple Cloud Thunder Body was several times that of his peers, misleading him into misjudging Su Jie¡¯s cultivation strength.


    ¡°This is a Great Divine Skill, Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder.¡±


    A smile curled at the corner of Su Jie¡¯s mouth. Having just obtained this Divine Skill, there were peopleing to him to practice, and after this test, Su Jie was even more satisfied with his Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder Divine Skill.


    ¡°Divine Skill, how is that possible ¡­¡±


    Zhuang Camp¡¯s face turned as white as paper, his whole body trembling slightly with fear.


    Those who possess Divine Skills have extremely special physiques, recognized as Divine Bodies, Immortal Bodies, or Sacred Bodies, and are genuine cultivation geniuses who are peerless among their peers.


    ¡°Not just him; I have Divine Skills too.¡±


    Ning Xinyue, unwilling to be outdone, blew a breath lightly. Two disciples from the Fifth Level of Yunling Realm who were backing away suddenly stiffened, then their bodies broke apart inch by inch, the severed parts emitting cold air, frozen from the inside out into icy fragments.


    Zhuang Camp¡¯s gaze turned dull, utterly dumbfounded, never expecting that he would kick an iron te and encounter two Divine Skill users at once.


    When he came to his senses, he no longer had any will to fight, but turned around and fled like a dog that had lost its home.


    Such enemies were simply not ones he could afford to provoke.


    ¡°Ever heard of Five Thunders Bombing?¡±


    Su Jie did not pursue but connected his Divine Soul with heaven and earth, directing the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder to give chase.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The sky seemed enveloped by ayer of dark clouds, then thunderbolts danced like dragons and snakes, as if the heavens decreed the thunder to descend onto the world, turning it upside down, the drums shaking the firmament.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Five consecutive heavenly thunders struck, and in an instant, the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunders crossing the skyline hit Zhuang Camp squarely, creating five deep pits on the ground, dirt flying up like waves several meters high, trees uprooted by the shockwave and lying t on the ground like straw, with rising dust and smoke lingering long afterward.


    And Zhuang Camp, struck by the thunders, gave off blue smoke, and a breeze blew by, his body turning to ash and scattering with the wind.


    The might of heavenly thunder was terrifying to this extent.


    Unbeknownst to others, Su Jie¡¯s strength had grown to the point where even disciples of the Seventh Level of Yunling Realm were no match for him in a fight.

 Chapter 174 - 90: Destroying Mountains and Temples (Third Update)

    Chapter 174: Chapter 90: Destroying Mountains and Temples (Third Update)


    After dealing with Zhuang Camp¡¯s group, Su Jie began to gather the spoils of battle while looking over at Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty ruthless yourself, actually freezing someone into ice shards.¡±


    Ning Xinyue pursed her lips and said, ¡°They tried to ambush me just now. Besides, what¡¯s going on here? Even disciples from the outer world¡¯s Righteous sects have invaded this ce.¡±


    ¡°Not sure, let¡¯s find out after we return to the sect.¡±


    Shaking his head, Su Jie finished collecting some of the spoils and then quickly left with Ning Xinyue.<div>


    <div>


    ¡­


    Half a dayter, Su Jie and Ning Xinyue encountered another attack.


    This time they met disciples from the Purple Mist Sect, whom Su Jie knew quite well. The group was led by a disciple with Sixth Level of Yunling Realm cultivation, apanied by three other disciples between the Fourth and Fifth Levels of Yunling Realm. Their strength was even weaker than Ning Mao¡¯s. Su Jie easily turned them into charred corpses and collected a wave of spoils.


    When they returned to their sect, Su Jie discovered that there had been drastic changes.


    The sect was now on high alert, with members of the Law Enforcement Team stationed and patrolling everywhere.


    Along the way, there were disciples who had returned wounded, resting and recuperating, their expressions sullen.


    Law Enforcement Team disciples were collecting various Magic Artifacts, elixirs, and talismans.


    There were disciples embedding Blood Marrow Crystals and materials into the ground, hurrying to set up formations, the atmosphere of war extremely heavy.


    ¡°Su Jie.¡±<div>


    <div>


    As Su Jie was observing, a shout came from behind him.


    Turning around, he saw it was Chen Yun, a former teammate of his.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Chen Yun.¡±


    Seeing the blood seeping from Chen Yun¡¯s left leg, he asked, ¡°Were you injured by those Righteous Disciples?¡±


    Chen Yun nodded and said, ¡°After taking some Healing Pills, I¡¯m more or less fine. I was fortunate to survive a fight with some Righteous Disciples not long ago.¡±


    The situation seemed even more severe than Su Jie had anticipated. He furrowed his brow and said, ¡°I just came back from the outside world, tell me in detail.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s what happened: The Elders and the Righteous Sects were both left injured during their struggle over the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus. Later, the Enlightenment Lotus Seeds released by the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus scattered across various locations. Unwilling to ept defeat, the Righteous Sects mobilized arge number of disciples to enter our Ghost Ridge Pce territory, aiming to destroy our sect.¡±


    ¡°Destroy our sect!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s heart trembled at the thought. This was a war aimed at breaking the gates of Ghost Ridge Pce and severing its lineage!


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes sparkled with glee, looking as if she enjoyed a good spectacle regardless of its gravity.


    Although she didn¡¯t belong to Ghost Ridge Pce and was here only to seek Exotic Treasures, the prospect of witnessing the destruction of a sect was particrly shocking to her.


    ¡°Where are the Elders now?¡±


    After taking a deep breath to steady himself, Su Jie asked.


    Touching the wound on his arm, Chen Yun said, ¡°The Elders are staying at the border to confront the Hidden Realm powerhouses of the Righteous Sects. They¡¯re afraid we¡¯ll call upon the power of Insect Valley again and dare not barge into our Ghost Ridge Pce territory. They just tie down our sect¡¯s Elders.


    Just a few days ago, these Righteous Sects opted to send out their elite disciples to harass us, infiltrating deep into Ghost Ridge Pce to scout for intelligence and map out routes.¡±


    This was akin to the scouting and reconnaissance before a major battle. Without a clear understanding of the situation within Ghost Ridge Pce, and learning from the incident at Insect Valley, the Elders of those Righteous Sects did not dare to enter lightly.


    While they were talking, a group of people from the Command Hall suddenly approached, evidently having just received the news of Su Jie¡¯s return and specifically came to inform him.


    ¡°Where is Su Jie?¡±


    The person asking the question was an old man dressed in a ck robe with golden edges. He was Zuo Xiping, the Hall Master of the Command Hall, with cultivation in the Secret Realm. Su Jie had once met him briefly.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°The disciple is here.¡±


    Su Jie performed a salutation, his mind quietly specting. It seemed that the sect was now short of manpower, for they had sought him out as soon as he returned.


    ¡°Inner disciple Su Jie, you are hereby ordered: outsiders have invaded our sect, led by disciples from Guan Chao Pavilion, Miao Yin Temple, Golden Sword Sect, Purple Mist Sect, and Qingluan Mountain. You aremanded to set out the day after tomorrow, eliminate any righteous disciples you encounter, and uphold the dignity of our sect.¡±


    Zuo Xiping handed over a token. Aside from bearing Su Jie¡¯s name, there was a line on the back authorizing him tomand five Outer Disciples.


    ¡°The disciple epts the order.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression was solemn as he reached out to take the token.


    The token represented not only his identity but was also a magic artifact, providing a decent magic defense skill.


    As Su Jie epted the order, many other disciples gathered around, discussing the scene among themselves.


    ¡°That must be Brother Su. Hisbat achievements are impressive; he will surely make the enemy tremble in fear.¡±


    ¡°If only I could join Brother Su¡¯s team.¡±


    ¡°Those righteous sects are powerful in numbers; I¡¯m afraid this battle¡­¡±


    These disciples, having heard of Su Jie¡¯s battle achievements and seeing him set out to face the enemy, couldn¡¯t help but show a look of admiration.


    Zuo Xiping patted Su Jie on the shoulder and said, ¡°Remember to bring back the bodies after killing them. For any disciple below the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm, kill one and you¡¯ll be rewarded with two hundred Blood Marrow Crystals. For those above the Sixth Level of Yunling Realm, each kill will you three thousand Blood Marrow Crystals. Your Master Taoist Qiu is already at the front lines in a standoff, and Yu Wenxian has gone out to meet the enemy. Your strength is considerable; don¡¯t disappoint everyone.¡±


    ¡°The disciple always bears in mind the sect¡¯s kindness. At this time of crisis, I will go through fire and water for the sect, ughtering all the invading enemies without hesitation, even if it costs my life.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s face was filled with resoluteness, and while his words carried righteous fervor, they also bore a hint of sincere intention.


    If Ghost Ridge Pce were to fall, Su Jie, as a Demon Cultivator, would be a rootless Loose Cultivator, the kind everyone would want to eliminate, like a wanted criminal, unsafe wherever he went.


    As long as Ghost Ridge Pce stood, it was Su Jie¡¯s biggest support.


    Being part of Ghost Ridge Pce, Su Jie naturally needed to protect the interests of the sect.


    Unless Ghost Ridge Pce truly couldn¡¯t hold on, defeated by the righteous sects at the mountain gate, no longer capable of turning the tide.


    However, by then, Su Jie could still hide back in the Blue Star World and wait until everything was over before reemerging, though he would then be forced to live in exile.


    ¡°Very good, worthy of being Taoist Qiu¡¯s disciple.¡±


    Zuo Xiping was very satisfied with Su Jie¡¯s deration and resolved,ughing heartily, ¡°Ghost Ridge Pce needs this kind of awareness now. Go back and get ready. Take this opportunity to select a group of disciples; you¡¯ll head out tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Hall Master Zuo. I won¡¯t let the sect down.¡±


    Su Jie bowed his hands in salute and watched as Zuo Xiping left.


    Ignoring the eager gazes of the surrounding disciples, Su Jie spoke up, ¡°Chen Yun, do you want to join my team?¡±


    After all, Chen Yun was an old acquaintance he had worked with for a long time. She was quite skilled, and although she was not quite at the level of inner disciples, she was easy to work with.


    As for othermon disciples, Su Jie was not nning to recruit them. He was not in need of ordinary fighting power now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join.¡±


    Chen Yun didn¡¯t hesitate at all. She hade back injured to recuperate, and joining Su Jie¡¯s team was naturally the better option.


    Su Jie then turned his gaze to Ning Xinyue. The girl hesitated for a few seconds before saying, ¡°It seems quite interesting. I¡¯ve never seen a sect war before, so count me in.¡±


    Su Jie revealed a satisfied smile and said to the people around, ¡°The team is formed. I don¡¯t need anyone else to join. You can all disperse now.¡±


    With this teamposition, unless they encountered a Hidden Realm Elder, Su Jie was not afraid of any inner disciple.

 Chapter 175 - 91: Setting Out (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 175: Chapter 91: Setting Out (Fourth Update)


    The next day.


    In the morning.


    At the mountain gate of Ghost Ridge Pce, Su Jie rode a Horned Scale Horse, with a Sword Nourishing Gourd hanging at his waist, ascending the dim staircase that led outside Ghost Ridge Pce.


    On both sides of the staircase,rge numbers of Ghost Ridge Pce Disciples were watching.


    Most of these disciples were Outer Disciples with Cultivation below the Third Level of the Yunling Realm; they didn¡¯t qualify to join the fight against the Righteous Sects, cannon fodder needs to be used where it makes sense.


    By Su Jie¡¯s side, Chen Yun and Ning Xinyue were also riding horses.


    Although Ning Xinyue had only joined the sect for just over two months, she was considered a cultivation genius, so nobody thought much of it.


    In addition to Su Jie, there were several other teams heading out to face the enemy today, all led by Inner Disciples with Outer Disciples serving as support.


    ¡°That¡¯s Brother Su from our branch. With Brother Su taking action, we¡¯ll definitely be able to suppress those arrogant Righteous Disciples.¡±


    ¡°Brother Yan is also there, his Blood Copper Mace can shatter anything, those Righteous Disciples are going to be unlucky.¡±


    ¡°Brother Su is even stronger, for heaven¡¯s sake. Do you even know what the Soul Summoning Banner and White Bone Sky ying Sword are? Those are the truly powerful magical artifacts.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, it¡¯s Senior Sister Xu¡¯s Nether Water Heavenly Marrow Skill that¡¯s impressive. Senior Sister Xu has reached the Ninth Level of the Yunling Realm.¡±


    ¡°Stop arguing, if you ask me, Brother Xiao Fengyuan is the strongest. He¡¯s one of the top three disciples in our sect.¡±


    The disciples discussed with one another nonstop, unable to participate in battle; they could only join in the war atmosphere through such discussions.


    Among these disciples, Su Jie was quite popr, but even so, he wasn¡¯t the most famous one.


    Su Jie looked towards the other side¡ªabout twenty meters ahead¡ªwhere a tall, dark-skinned man with long hair was standing.


    His left hand was wrapped with a Multi-legged Centipede, and his right hand held a ck-patterned Long Spear. Beneath him wasn¡¯t an ordinary Horned Scale Horse, but a tamed spiritual beast, the Four-eyed Illusion Demon Fox.


    As he rode, his cold eyes swept around, sharp as a hawk¡¯s, emitting a chilling light.


    A powerful aura surrounded him, the majestic Spiritual Power like a vast river and the robust Qi like a signal fire soaring fiercely, all speaking of his terrifying strength.


    This man was named Xiao Fengyuan, with Cultivation at the Ten Levels of Yunling Realm and recognized as one of the top three fearsome beings among the many Inner Disciples.


    The other two ranked in the top three were Qi Shijian and Luo Jian, both also at the Ten Levels of Yunling Realm.


    Of course, in the vast Ghost Ridge Pce, there were naturally more than these three who had reached the Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm.


    It¡¯s not so easy to advance to the Secret Realm; many disciples are stuck at the Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm, their potential exhausted, unable to break through.


    But among the numerous disciples at the Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm, only these three are acknowledged as the strongest.


    Besides their Cultivation, their magical artifacts, cultivation techniques, talismans, and physique are equally astonishing, and each of them has made headlines with their deeds.


    For example, Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s famous battle urred during a mission where he single-handedly annihted over ten Inner Disciples from a Righteous Sect.


    Moreover, he sessfully escaped back to Ghost Ridge Pce under the pursuit of the enemy¡¯s Elder, creating a sensation at the time.


    Sensing Su Jie¡¯s gaze, Xiao Fengyuan suddenly turned his head from atop the fox.


    ¡°You¡¯re Su Jie from Taoist Qiu¡¯s branch, right? I heard you won against two Inner Disciples in a two-on-one fight.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s voice was calm, his expression devoid of any ripple;pared to his achievements, a two-on-one fight wasn¡¯t worth mentioning.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen Brother Xiao.¡±


    Su Jie met Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s gaze, unsure of what kind of person he was.


    ¡°Cao Yuan is my junior brother.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan looked at the Sword Nourishing Gourd at Su Jie¡¯s waist and suddenly made this remark.


    ¡°Uh!¡±


    Su Jie was taken aback, his Sword Nourishing Gourd had been snatched from the inner disciple Cao Yuan, so was the other party going to stand up for him?


    Subconsciously, Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted to the Multi-legged Centipede entwined around Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s left hand, a Top Grade Three Refinements poisonous insect, the ck-patterned long spear in his right hand was a Mid Grade Magical Artifact, the magic robe he wore was a Mid Grade Magical Artifact, and the mount, a Four-eyed Illusion Demon Fox, was a spiritual beast at the pinnacle of the Yunling Realm.


    Hisss!


    With such strength, it made sense that he was one of the recognized strongest disciples!


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Cao Yuan lost fair and square due to his own inferior skills, there¡¯s nothing much to say about it. I don¡¯t have the idle time to fight his battles,¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s mouth curved up in a smile, which seemed a bit awkward as if he seldom smiled.


    ¡°You have good potential, so don¡¯t get yourself killed out there. If you encounter danger, remember to send up a signal re. If I¡¯m nearby, I¡¯ll stop by.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan nodded to Su Jie and then, without waiting for a reply, sped up his Four-eyed Illusion Demon Fox and left the Mountain Gate steps, entering the dense forest with a few teammates.


    Su Jie was somewhat confused; having gotten used to the arrogance of the Ghost Ridge Pce inner disciples, the sudden appearance of a seemingly normal person, at least on the surface, made Su Jie somewhat ufortable.


    Riding alongside Su Jie, Chen Yun opened her mouth to say, ¡°I¡¯ve actually heard some things about Brother Xiao. This brother has always been easy to talk to, especially to us Ghost Ridge Pce disciples¡ªeven the Outer Disciples would receive patient help and answers to their questions from him. If there were any conflicts or disputes, he would mediate to help both sides shake hands and make peace.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re talking about a Demon Cultivator?¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s reaction was simr to Su Jie¡¯s, both were half skeptical.


    After all, from what was rumored, Xiao Fengyuan seemed more in line with the temperament of a Righteous Disciple.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished yet, there is a reason for it. He has a tragic background; his parents and family were once a minor local noble family who offended the Righteous Sect, Guan Chao Pavilion, over a minor matter. The entire n was eradicated by Guan Chao Pavilion¡¯s hand; only he happened to escape death while being out. Later on, he deliberately joined Ghost Ridge Pce to learn from their masters. After making a name for himself, he would specifically venture out to seek Righteous Disciples to improve his skills.¡±


    Chen Yun revealed all she knew.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Su Jie nodded slightly, that exined it.


    ¡°Sounds a bit fishy.¡±


    Ning Xinyue muttered under her breath.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing fishy about it. In the struggle between factions, there are bad people in the Righteous Sect and good people in the Demon Sect; for instance, I am one of the good ones.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ning Xinyue rolled her eyes, dismissive of Su Jie¡¯s self-praise.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we should also pick up the pace.¡±


    Su Jie nced at Ning Xinyue and, without further small talk, spurred his horse and galloped into the dense forest and mountains.


    ¡­


    Outside the territory of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    Above the clouds of the sky dome, severalrge Magic Boats were constantly sending down Skyfire Fury mes, bombarding the Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s Mountain Protection Array, and a long assault had opened a crack.


    On the deck, a special Magical Treasure, the Mystic Light Sky Mirror, was activated, forming a small Transmission Array connected to the interiors of the Ghost Ridge Pce.


    ¡°To eliminate demons and uphold the path of righteousness, today is the day. Follow me and y all Demon Cultivators, eradicating a major scourge from Qingzhou.¡±


    Batches of disciples, wearing different outfits and filled with righteous indignation, shouted their slogans, eager and confident as they stepped into the transmission array.


    As precious Spirit Stones were consumed one after another, an endless stream of disciples were sent into the territories within the Ghost Ridge Pce, with the intention of ttening this major Demon Sect in Qingzhou, destroying their legacy, and obliterating their Mountain Gate.

 Chapter 176 - 92: Sect War (First Update)

    Chapter 176: Chapter 92: Sect War (First Update)


    ¡°Insect Control Technique!¡±


    After leaving the mountain gate of Ghost Ridge Pce and entering the dense forest, Su Jie immediately initiated his reconnaissance vision, with dragonflies flying in all directions.


    Reconnaissance is a very important part of warfare; whoever grasps the enemy¡¯s movements first gains the initiative in the battle.


    In addition to the Insect Control Technique, Su Jie also constantly expanded his Divine Sense for double reconnaissance.


    Theyered peaks and the dense forest that blocked the sun created speckled patterns of light and shadow on the ground, where the sounds of insects and birds masked the traces of human presence.


    In such a ce, having the upper hand in an encounter was extremely important. I knew your location while you were still clueless, leaving you no choice but to passively take hits.


    ¡­


    Several hourster, after traversing mountains, streams, pine forests, and waterfalls, Su Jie suddenly stopped.


    ¡°To the southeast, 1500 meters away, six enemies: one at the Sixth Level of the Yunling Realm, one at the Ninth Level of the Yunling Realm, two at the Fifth Level, and two at the Fourth Level. Preliminary estimate, they are disciples from Guan Chao Pavilion.¡±


    Su Jie dismounted and calmly reported the enemy¡¯s information.


    Upon hearing Su Jie¡¯s precise report, Chen Yun immediately took action, releasing the low-grade poisonous insects and Ming Sheng Bats she was holding into the air.


    The bats¡¯ unique echolocation further pinned down the enemies¡¯ positions and numbers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ambush from the front, Chen Yun, you create a diversion.¡±


    As Su Jie spoke, he released the thousand-hand centipede from his robe, instructing it to conceal its presence and then lie in wait on the enemy¡¯s path.


    Seeing no role for herself, Ning Xinyue couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°You are responsible for covering any slips and protecting my main body. You¡¯re not needed right now.¡±


    Su Jie nced at Ning Xinyue, indicating the significance of bringing her along.


    ¡°Are you treating me as a human shield?¡±


    Ning Xinyue puffed her cheeks but still took out her Jade Heavenly Book, chanting Taoist scriptures and forming a protective barrier.


    Time quietly passed, and a few minutester, when Su Jie once again sensed the location with his Divine Sense, he hesitated no further and pped his Sword Nourishing Gourd at his waist.


    ¡°Darling, please turn around.¡±


    Streams of brilliant sword light burst forth from the mouth of the gourd.


    Boom!


    The thousand-hand centipede¡¯s body suddenly erged, its split bone cheeks emitting beams of purple light rays. The first wave of dozens of high-temperature beams covered the team of Guan Chao Pavilion disciples.


    These disciples of Guan Chao Pavilion were not slow to react. Being on alert already, they immediately took out Protective Talismans or used their movements to evade. But the high-temperature beams from the thousand-hand centipede were not only fast but also incredibly powerful, melting several disciples on the spot, including one at the Sixth Level of the Yunling Realm.


    Buzz, buzz!


    The Ming Sheng Bats opened their mouths, emitting an inaudible howl that, through resonance, affected the enemies¡¯ innards and movements.


    Immediately after, dozens of Flying Swords whizzed toward them, delivering a high-intensity barrage of firepower that decapitated several heads. In an instant, only one person was left alive.


    ¡°Nine Turns Crossing!¡±


    Thest disciple at the Ninth Level of the Yunling Realm was terrified and attempted to flee, darting onto tree branches, covering a hundred meters in a single leap.


    Boom!


    Crack!


    Suddenly, a bolt of Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder struck the disciple, immobilizing him.


    From below the woods, the massive body of the thousand-hand centipede leaped high, biting onto the disciple¡¯s torso and bringing him back to the ground.


    After two short screams, all was silent as the thousand-hand centipede chewed, leaving no further sound.


    ¡°So¡­ so powerful.¡±


    Chen Yun secretly stuck out her tongue, originally thinking there would be a drawn-out fight to the death, she had not expected the battle to be sopletely one-sided.


    The disciples of Guan Chao Pavilion didn¡¯t even see the shadows of those lying in ambush before they fell, one after another, to the relentless assault.


    This hardly seemed like a battle; it could almost be called a massacre.


    Ning Xinyue, bored, yawned and pouted, ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to do.¡±


    ¡°Su Jie, we should clean up the battlefield now and withdraw as soon as possible,¡±


    Chen Yun reminded him, having participated in such wars before, she knew too muchmotion could easily attract the righteous disciples.


    ¡°The battlefield needs to be cleaned, but we¡¯re not withdrawing yet.¡±


    Instead of going personally, Su Jiemanded the thousand-hand centipede to extend multiple pale corpse hands, gathering all the corpses and spoils of war.


    Afterpleting these tasks, Su Jie took a bamboo tube out of the enemy¡¯s storage bag.


    ¡°This should be the righteous disciples¡¯ call for reinforcements with a smoke signal, right?¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze turned towards Chen Yun.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re thinking of¡­¡±


    Chen Yun nodded and then her face suddenly showed surprise.


    ¡°Hunting down the righteous disciples one by one is too inefficient; better to have theme to us,¡±


    Twisting open the bamboo tube, a stream of yellow smoke spewed out, shooting straight up into the sky¡ªso visible that it could be seen even from afar.


    ¡°Prepare for the next battle.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie, with the thousand-hand centipede,y in ambush once more.


    ¡­¡­


    A dozen minutester.


    A team from the Golden Sword Sect, one from the Purple Mist Sect, and one from the Guan Chao Pavilion hurried from different directions, aiming to rescue the allies who had sent up the smoke signal.


    All three groups together numbered nearly twenty people, including five inner disciples¡ªfirepower enough to sweep through most of the defending teams of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    However, unfortunately for them, they ran into Su Jie, who happened not to be part of that ¡®most¡¯.


    ¡°We need to support the front, hurry up,¡±


    A disciple from the closest Golden Sword Sect shouted out, not knowing they were slowly stepping into the hunter¡¯s trap.


    The leading inner disciple, controlling a flying sword, was about to scout ahead when suddenly a thunderbolt as thick as a water barrel came crashing down from the heavens.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The disciple¡¯s face changed as he dodged byunching himself into an arc of light, but at that moment, a buzzing of pping wings came from the sky¡ªswarms of human-faced moths descended like a storm, form a dense insect cloud that devoured everything in its path.


    A few Golden Sword Sect disciples managed to defend themselves using flying swords only for a moment before hundreds of low-grade human-faced moths broke through the defense line, nting themselves on the disciples¡¯ bodies to feast on flesh and blood.


    The Golden Sword Sect inner disciple suffered the same fate, torn to pieces by three mid-grade human-faced moths, meeting his end on the spot.


    Meanwhile, several other sides found themselves surrounded by dozens of flying swords encircling the disciples of Guan Chao Pavilion, while the disciples of Purple Mist Sect were ensnared within the Ten Thousand Yin Blood Nether Array, with screams of agony unceasinglying forth.


    Amid the sounds of falling human remains, some were beheaded by flying swords, others had their souls swallowed by Yin Souls.


    Ten minutester!


    Su Jie once again cleaned up the battlefield, collecting a great number of spoils.


    Atop the Sword Nourishing Gourd, some damaged flying swords were reced with those from the Golden Sword Sect, bringing the number of Su Jie¡¯s flying swords to one hundred, reaching the current limit of the Sword Nourishing Gourd.


    He also selected some suitable elixirs and talismans from the spoils, and afterpleting all this, Su Jie carefully gathered the corpses and then, apanied by Ning Xinyue and Chen Yun, calmly left in search of the next location from which tounch a rescue smoke signal.

 Chapter 177 - 93: Influence (Second Update)

    Chapter 177: Chapter 93: Influence (Second Update)


    A weekter.


    Outside the territory of Ghost Ridge Pce, a floating magic boat was flying through the vast misty clouds.


    The shell of the magic boat shone with golden light, and the surface of the ze reflected thest remnants of the setting sun, casting a fairnd-like scenery amidst the elegant clouds.


    On the deck of the floating magic boat, there was a man-made miniature garden with waterfalls cascading down from artificial hills, and the sshing water droplets sparkled with rainbow-like light under the sun.


    A variety of delicate and exotic flowers and spirit nts bloomed around, emitting a fragrant aroma. With the small streams flowing and pavilions scattered around, the scene was graceful and refined.


    It was hard to imagine such scenery on top of a magic boat.


    Such a magic boat was extremely expensive, basically a floating miniature ecosystem that could rely on powerful formations to rapidly produce elixirs, magic artifacts, and talismans.


    It also hadplete defensive and offensive capabilities and could enhance the power of the cultivators¡¯ magic.


    The sects of medium size within Qingzhou could not afford one even if they pooled all their resources.


    And now, the three floating magic boats in the sky, all belonging to Guan Chao Pavilion, showed their immense wealth and power, worthy of being the number one sect in Qingzhou.


    Near the deck garden, a group of young people with extraordinary presence arrived at a leisurely pace, including both men and women, their attire and temperament far from ordinary. The men were handsome, and the women stunning, all iconic figures among the disciples of the great sects.


    The leaders were a young man and a woman, both with remarkable presence, with the others revolving around them like stars apanying the moon.


    This group came to the edge of the deck, gazing down at the vast mountains below the magic boat.


    ¡°Brother Du, when can we break into Ghost Ridge Pce? I¡¯m getting impatient.¡±


    Mo Shiyao parted her cherry lips slightly, her jet-ck hair dancing in the breeze, her slender body emitting a faint fragrance, dressed in a gorgeous brocade gown. Her beautiful face featured crystal-clear eyes, shining like brilliant stars.


    Mo Shiyao was a disciple from Miao Yin Temple, a sectprising only female cultivators.


    And because of her looks and talent, she was chosen by Si Xinying to serve at her side and be trained as the sessor.


    The young man she addressed was wearing a feathered robe and a cor on his head, his face like a piece of jade, and his body emitting an aura of wholeness and stability, like an ancient pine.


    This young man was the direct disciple of Elder Zhuang, named Du Shaochang, who at a young age not only attained the Ten Levels of Yunling Realm but also possessed the special constitution of the Jade Sun True Body, overwhelming his fellow cultivators by arge margin.


    ¡°The map of the inside of Ghost Ridge Pce is not yetplete; rushing in recklessly would leave us unfamiliar with the terrain and environment, making us vulnerable to an incident like the Insect Valley uprising. Hence, the elders have discussed that we must be fully prepared before we crush Ghost Ridge Pce entirely in one fell swoop,¡±


    replied Du Shaochang with an indifferent voice, his eyes shining like torches. Although he had yet to step into the Secret Realm, he already possessed a bit of the dignity of a superior being.


    With that, Du Shaochang¡¯s lips curled into a cold smirk as he slowly said, ¡°Ghost Ridge Pce is now merely struggling on its deathbed. Sooner orter, our united Five Sects will break in and tten the Mountain Gate.¡±


    ¡°I think so, too. Those bugyers are not capable of much. If it weren¡¯t for their geographical advantage and familiarity with the terrain, they would have been ttened by us a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°The day after tomorrow, I am going to enter the territory of Ghost Ridge Pce. Everyone, wait for my good news. I won¡¯te back unless I¡¯ve killed at least ten Ghost Ridge Pce disciples.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Actually, there are some formidable people in Ghost Ridge Pce. I heard from a friend that there¡¯s someone named Su Jie who has killed many of our disciples recently.¡±


    A group of junior brothers and sisters following behind discussed among themselves, with some agreeing and others disagreeing.


    ¡°What formidable people? They are just showing off because I haven¡¯t taken the stage yet,¡±


    ¡°I also want to see for myself these Ghost Ridge Pce disciples, but it¡¯s a pity Master won¡¯t let me go in,¡±


    Mo Shiyao shook her head, her smile as blooming as a flower, enchanting the male disciples and making their divine souls capsize.


    Just as the group of disciples was chatting merrily, the upper deck of the magic boat presented apletely different scene.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    With a stack of lists of the dead and missing in his hand, Zhuang Liangru¡¯s face turned iron blue as he heavily pped the table with a palm.


    As a cultivator of the Taoist tform Realm, his rare disy of anger with a pair of fierce, tiger-like eyes sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Tell me, why has the number of our sect¡¯s disciples killed in action increased so much this week.¡±


    Zhuang Liangru snorted coldly, his gaze turning toward Yang Xu, the person responsible for the disciples¡¯ battles.


    ¡°To report to Elder Zhuang, recently a demon cultivator from Ghost Ridge Pce named Su Jie has been using rescue smoke as bait, ambushing and stealth attacking our righteous sect disciples. Adding to that, his formidable strength has led to many disciples being caught off guard and killed in his ambushes.¡±


    Yang Xu¡¯s face was somewhat pale as he painstakingly ryed the situation to Zhuang Liangru.


    Since the righteous sects also capture disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce, getting such information was not difficult.


    ¡°Useless! If they resort to such methods, can¡¯t you also employ the same tactics in battle?¡±


    Zhuang Liangru was furious and wouldn¡¯t listen to any exnation.


    As the Supreme Elder of Guan Chao Pavilion and a cultivator of the Taoist tform Realm, he had been appointed as the chief person in charge of the attack on Ghost Ridge Pce. However, he did not have the energy to handle the affairs of the disciples but was responsible for keeping the elders of Ghost Ridge Pce in check.


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Yang Xu spoke in a low voice, ¡°We have tried it, but those demon cultivators mostly ignore their own rescue smoke, so our ambushes have had little effect. However, I¡¯ve already ordered the disciples to be cautious of the rescue smoke traps and to withdraw immediately upon spotting them to avoid further casualties.¡±


    For demon cultivators, it was every man for himself; many ignored their own distress signals, rendering the tactic quite ineffective.


    Zhuang Liangru suddenly stood up and said loudly, ¡°This cannot go on. Are we to be afraid of demon cultivators?¡±


    As he spoke, Zhuang Liangru rose and left the room, his gaze immediately falling upon Du Shaochang and the others on the deck.


    ¡°Shaochang,e here at once,¡± he called out.


    His voice, like Heavenly Thunder, echoed across the entire magic boat.


    A momentter, Du Shaochang saluted Zhuang Liangru and said, ¡°Master, what are your orders?¡±


    ¡°Go to Ghost Ridge Pce and capture this person for me,¡± Zhuang Liangru ordered as he pushed the information forward, continuing coldly, ¡°Within five days, I want to see this person¡¯s head disyed before me.¡±


    ¡°Master, leave everything to your disciple.¡±


    Du Shaochang¡¯s eyes lit up. He hade here to hone his skills but had yet to have a chance to take action. Now, atst, he could fully unleash his abilities.


    ¡°Elder Zhuang, perhaps I could go along as well. My strength could also be of help to Brother Du,¡± proposed Mo Shiyao as she gracefully approached, her gaze toward Du Shaochang especially gentle, conveying her wish to apany him.


    ¡°If your master has no objections,¡± Zhuang Liangru replied with a smile, immediately recognizing the affection between the two, a development he approved of.


    ¡°I will personally discuss it with my master,¡± Mo Shiyao replied joyfully in her heart, resolved to convince her master, Si Xinying, no matter how difficult it might be.

 Chapter 178 - 94: Corpse Hand Man Slaughter (Third Update)

    Chapter 178: Chapter 94: Corpse Hand Man ughter (Third Update)


    Ghost Ridge Pce!


    In the dark forest under the night sky, everything was pitch ck, with only the faint moonlight piercing through dense leaves to illuminate some areas.


    A gentle breeze blew, causing the leaves to rustle loudly, apanied by the sound of footsteps.


    A demon cultivator, his chest soaked in blood and already severely injured, was staggering as he fled.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to die here.¡±


    Yin Wenwen clutched her chest, where a through-and-through bullet wound was visible, faintly revealing the beating heart inside.


    If it weren¡¯t for her having seventh-level cultivation in the Yunling Realm and having swallowed a mid-grade elixir to hang onto a breath of life, she wouldn¡¯t have possibly made it here with such injuries.


    Suddenly, Yin Wenwen saw a faint flicker of firelight ahead, as if there was a bonfire burning.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s there, friend or foe¡­¡±


    Yin Wenwen was still hesitating when she suddenly heard noise from behind her.


    ¡°There¡¯s blood on the ground, she ran west.¡±


    ¡°Chase, don¡¯t let her get away.¡±


    ¡°She is an inner disciple, her head is worth two thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones.¡±


    The shouting was getting closer, Yin Wenwen knew it was a squad from the Purple Mist Sect, led by a strong individual at the ninth level of Yunling Realm.


    Yin Wenwen¡¯s squad had encountered the enemy group; after a dire battle, she was the only one who had barely managed to escape.


    ¡°All or nothing.¡±


    Clenching her teeth, Yin Wenwen recklessly ran toward the direction of the firelight.


    Hu hu!


    After taking a few hundred more steps, Yin Wenwen, panting heavily, finally appeared in the range illuminated by the bonfire.


    Upon seeing three figures in Ghost Ridge Pce robes in front of the bonfire, her tense heart finally rxed, and with herst breath, she gasped, ¡°Run, quick, there are Righteous Disciples chasing from behind¡­¡±


    She had not finished speaking when she copsed to the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, leave this to us.¡±


    A gentle female voice came through, followed by someone stuffing an elixir into Yin Wenwen¡¯s mouth, which immediately improved her chest wound significantly.


    ¡°Heh, I didn¡¯t expect to have such a fortuitous find in the dead of night. Could today be my lucky day?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you go handle the enemy quickly, don¡¯t steal my roast chicken.¡±


    Yin Wenwen then heard the voices of a man and a woman.


    After swallowing the elixir, her injuries improved slightly, and she barely managed to open her eyes. With the help of the bonfire light, she looked toward the three people.


    A woman with ugly, centipede-like scars on her face, a cute and beautiful young girl, and¡­


    Upon seeing the figure eating chicken legs in front of the bonfire, Yin Wenwen¡¯s pupils dted dramatically as she eximed, ¡°You, you, you¡­ you are Corpse Hand Man ughter.¡±


    It was a figure wearing an inner disciple¡¯s magic robe, with even features and bright eyes. Illuminated by the bonfire, his eyes shone like two flickering and burning sparks.


    The usually groggy Yin Wenwen was shocked the moment she saw this man, recognizing him as the infamous Corpse Hand Man ughter¡ªSu Jie.


    Because in the past week since Su Jie had entered the battlefield, he had ambushed various sect teams, striking them down one after another with rescue smokescreens.


    Nowadays, when teams from Righteous Sects saw their own rescue smoke signals, they thought not of rescue but of fleeing as far away as possible at the first chance, such was the awe-inspiring reputation Su Jie had carved out.


    And within Ghost Ridge Pce, with the current tense battle situation, Su Jie¡¯s achievements were naturally being heavily publicized to boost morale, hence Yin Wenwen¡¯s excitement upon seeing Su Jie.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me by that nickname, it sounds too unpleasant.¡±


    Su Jie meticulously chewed and swallowed a chicken bone before slowly rising from the ground.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!


    Almost at the same instant, four Purple Mist Sect disciples chased down to this location.


    ¡°Haha, I wonder where you can run to now. Oh, there are other Demon Cultivators here too, buy one get three, just what I need¡­¡±


    A ninth-level disciple of the Purple Mist Sect burst outughing, but as soon as he recognized Su Jie¡¯s face, the self-satisfied smile instantly froze, turning uglier than a cry.


    ¡°Corpse Hand Man ughter¡ªSu Jie.¡±


    The four Purple Mist Sect disciples broke out in cold sweat; they had heard of Su Jie¡¯s great reputation and had seen his portraits.


    Seeing Su Jie¡¯s appearance at this moment, the four felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave, and without a second thought, they turned and tried to flee.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said stop calling me by that nickname; it really doesn¡¯t suit my image.¡±


    Su Jie sighed lightly and snapped his fingers gently, ¡°However, since you¡¯ve gone to the trouble of delivering yourselves to me, I will give you a swift end.¡±


    As soon as these words fell, from the forest branches, ground¡¯s dead leaves, and crevices in the vines, numerous pale corpse hands swarmed. Their fingers rapidly crawled on the ground, pouncing towards these Purple Mist Sect disciples.


    Ah!


    One disciple was tackled by several corpse hands; his neck was twisted into a spiral, and his body was subsequently torn apart.


    Creak! Creak! Creak!


    More pale corpse hands ran on the ground, filling the surrounding forest, seeming to form barriers with their bodies, blocking all paths of retreat and plunging the Purple Mist Sect disciples into despair.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight him.¡±


    Someone, breaking down,unched a suicidal charge towards where Su Jie was.


    Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t taken more than two steps when his head, as big as a fist, thudded onto the ground.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword shed in the dark, forming a brilliant gxy with hundreds of Flying Swords, its Sword Qi like wind, its chill piercing, creating a vortex-like whirlwind.


    Wherever the Flying Sword Gxy passed, Sword Qi swept across all directions; whether it was rocks, trees, flowers, or animals, all trembled and shattered before its power.


    Su Jie stood quietly in his ce, his gaze calm and deep, appreciating the screams in the dark and the limbs strewn about.


    In less than three minutes, when the sword swarm returned into the gourd, Su Jie also turned around and walked back towards the campfire.


    Behind him, streams of pale corpse hands climbed up Su Jie¡¯s trouser legs, continuously burrowing into his robe and disappearing.


    Gulp!


    Yin Wenwen swallowed saliva hard, now understanding why Su Jie was called Corpse Hand Man ughter.


    This terrifyingly eerie demeanor, the scene of tormenting the enemy, was indeed striking.


    Returning to the front of the campfire, Su Jie opened one of the storage bags and rummaged inside to find a rescue smoke bamboo tube.


    ¡°This should be useless now, now that those Righteous Disciples dare note close to a rescue smoke plume.¡±


    While eating a chicken leg, Ning Xinyue mumbled a reminder.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, maybe someone who hasn¡¯t received the message will still take the bait.¡±


    Su Jie twisted open the rescue smoke bamboo tube, the orange-yellow smoke column gleaming and shing under the night sky.


    Because a special type of mineral powder was added to the smoke, it lit up the night sky like a re, so dazzling and eye-catching that it could be spotted from a great distance.


    ¡°Thank you, Brother Su, for saving my life.¡±


    Yin Wenwen struggled to stand up at this moment and bowed seriously to thank Su Jie.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing but a small favor.¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand, continuing to enjoy his food.


    Yin Wenwen sighed in relief but then noticed that Su Jie¡¯s food-eating hand paused.


    ¡°Huh, someone is actuallying! Haven¡¯t these guys learned their lesson yet!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted towards the dark forest, sensing two humans rapidly approaching from his three o¡¯clock direction with his Divine Sense.

 Chapter 179 - 95: Jade Sun True Body (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 179: Chapter 95: Jade Sun True Body (Fourth Update)


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right about them.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s Divine Sense swept over the area. As he sensed the two approaching at an rming speed, so too did they hasten their advance toward him.


    ¡°Be careful, we¡¯ve got a mastering. Chen Yun, you take her and get out of here first.¡±


    A serious expression crossed Su Jie¡¯s face. Judging solely by their speed, this enemy was no ordinary one, not at allparable to the previous Righteous Disciples.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Without asking more, Chen Yun decisively picked up Yin Wenwen and retreated deeper into the mountains.


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes rolled around, also thinking of slipping away.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°You stay and draw their fire for me, I don¡¯t want to be outnumbered.¡±


    At this moment, however, Su Jie called out to Ning Xinyue to stay.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Ning Xinyue pouted and said subconsciously, ¡°So I¡¯m your human shield again.¡±


    As they spoke, the silhouettes of the approaching enemies quickly closed in, appearing before Su Jie.


    The leader, dressed in a blue robe, had a face like fine jade and a straight figure that exuded an extraordinary bearing. His body seemed to scatter the essence of starlight, casting a glow over the night like a myriad of dawn¡¯s colors.


    Beside him was an extremely beautiful woman with a slender figure. With delicate eyebrows, bright teeth, and skin white as snow, she carried an ancient zither on her back. A shallow smile and light frown gave off an indescribable charm.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the one called Su Jie? We finally found you.¡±


    The man in blue took out a portrait of Su Jie,pared it, and then suddenly spoke with a chilled voice, ¡°By themand of our master, Zhuang Liangru, the one to take your head is Du Shaochang of Guan Chao Pavilion.¡±


    Mo Shiyao slightly parted her red lips, a radiant, tender smile on her face, yet the words she spoke were filled with murderous intent. ¡°Brother Du, don¡¯t waste words with them. Just kill this scum directly.¡±


    As she spoke, she floated more than a meter above the ground, taking the ancient zither off her back.


    Her slender jade fingers fluttered like dancing butterflies, ying the ethereal music of the great path beneath the moonlight.


    ¡°So they¡¯vee specifically for me.¡±


    Su Jie narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the impressive duo that had appeared, knowing this night would not end well.


    ¡°Hey, Su Jie, if we can¡¯t beat them, can we run?¡±


    Ning Xinyue clung to Su Jie¡¯s arm, asking cautiously.


    ¡°We can, but I don¡¯t think we necessarily can¡¯t fight them.¡±


    Su Jie nodded. However, his words were overheard by the other side.


    ¡°Still thinking of putting up a futile resistance? See the gap between us.¡±


    With his hands sped behind his back, Du Shaochang stepped toward Su Jie, his face filled withposure and the grandeur of a grandmaster, not taking Su Jie seriously at all.


    ¡°True Word¡ªThousand Sword Marvelous Sound!¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s fingers rapidly strummed, and the sound of sword chimes emanated from the ancient zither.


    In the void, a number of translucent long swords materialized, the moon¡¯s glow giving each sword ayer of cold light, transforming them into divine swords as sharp as mud-cutters, aiming for Su Jie and Ning Xinyue.


    Ning Xinyue pulled out the Jade Heavenly Book, its tadpole-like moving engravings forming a barrier that sshed ripples against the onught of the divine swords.


    ¡°True Word¡ªMoon Wheel sh.¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s hands gently stroked the ancient zither, the pleasant and wonderful music suddenly bing urgent.


    The moon¡¯s essence in the sky turned liquid, forming a silver-white moon wheel ten zhang in size. It spun at high speed, its cutting edge slicing through the air, leaving a deep gorge in the earth as it traveled.


    Zzzt!


    The Moon Wheel rubbed against the engraving barrier, causing ripples to continuously spread across it. Both parties poured their Spiritual Power into their confrontation, gazing intently at one another across the divide.


    ¡°What a fierce woman,¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s expression grew solemn, the strength of Mo Shiyao was not to be underestimated.


    ¡°Xiao Qian.¡±


    Su Jie released the thousand-hand centipede from his sleeve. As soon as it touched the ground, it transformed into its original form tens of meters long, its hideous and terrifying bug body thundering forward, lunging at Du Shaochang.


    ¡°Mid Grade Four Refinement poisonous insect¡­ no wonder you can act so violently for a moment. However, since you¡¯ve encountered me tonight, your massacre stops here.¡±


    Du Shaochang¡¯s face underwent a subtle change, but he still maintained a cool demeanor, leisurely extending his left hand and lightly rebuking, ¡°Vast and mighty sun, arise!¡±


    Around him erupted tens of thousands of treasure lights as if he had turned into the sun itself, the intense shockwave sweeping in all directions, creating a spiral pit tens of meters in diameter on the spot.


    Boom!


    The next moment, Du Shaochang¡¯s arms reached out, blocking the two massive pincers of the thousand-hand centipede, his body turning as clear and translucent as jade, while terrifying power exploded from 36,000 acupoints all over his body as if he had lit up countless brilliant stars within him.


    One was a colossal creature nearly forty meters in length, and the other was a mere two meters tall human.


    The collision of forces between the two should logically have had no chance of surprise, and yet, surprisingly, Du Shaochang really resisted the violent impact of the thousand-hand centipede with his physical body alone.


    ¡°Jade Sun True Body.¡±


    Ning Xinyue let out a startled cry, recognizing Du Shaochang¡¯s special physique.


    This was one kind of Sacred Body that was said to be able to grapple with Kunpengs when fully cultivated, with defensive strengthparable to mountains, possessing unpredictable divine might, and an unparalleled reputation in closebat.


    ¡°Just a poisonous insect, lie down for me.¡±


    Du Shaochang¡¯s face was cold, his arms exerting force, his body making strange sounds as if stars were shaking, Spiritual Power surging like enormous waves, his blood and Qi shooting up to the sky, attempting to flip the thousand-hand centipede onto the ground.


    Fizz!


    The thousand-hand centipede¡¯s cold bug eyes fixed dead on Du Shaochang, the bone armor on its head suddenly splitting open with fine cracks, purple light escaping from them.


    Du Shaochang¡¯s face changed abruptly as he quickly disengaged and retreated at high speed.


    Boom boom boom!


    Purple Light Rays prated tens of meters into the ground, turning the area into a honeb.


    Looking at Du Shaochang on the opposite side, his body was covered with fresh blood, his face, neck, and chest all bearing shocking wounds.


    ¡°I hate it most when people act tough in front of me.¡±


    Su Jie patted the head of the thousand-hand centipede, which was capable of much more than simply brute force.


    Du Shaochang wiped the blood from his body, his entire person shining with treasure light and rosy clouds, the wounds slowly healing.


    ¡°To actually inflict injury on me, you¡¯re pretty good.¡±


    At this time, Du Shaochang¡¯s hair was disheveled, the crown that had been fixed upon his head had fallen in the fight, and with the blood not yet dried on his body, he looked somewhat bedraggled, but he still spoke with an air of arrogance.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be injured even more in a moment.¡±


    Su Jie patted the Sword Nourishing Gourd, waved the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, and, holding Ning Xinyue by the waist, they rapidly fled into the Dark Forest. The guy across from them was clearly a closebat Cultivator, and Su Jie had no intention of engaging in close-quartersbat with his opponent.


    ¡°Thinking of escaping?¡±


    Mo Shiyao slightly lifted her ancient musical instrument, moonlight sprinkling upon her, making her snow-white skin even more translucent and jade-like, her dress floating around her, as if she were a Moon Goddess who had descended from the moon itself.


    Ding ding dong dong!


    Mo Shiyao stood the ancient instrument up, strumming a series of notes toward Su Jie¡¯s direction.


    Likes pearls and jade falling on a te, the crisp and beautiful sound of the music rang out, as if the moon above descended, the moonlight turning into a colossal Luan Bird, screeching as it dove to grab at Su Jie and Ning Xinyue.


    Meanwhile, Du Shaochang was crouching down, releasing a burst of power like a cannonball to catch up to Su Jie.

 Chapter 181 - 97: War of Attrition (Second Update)

    Chapter 181: Chapter 97: War of Attrition (Second Update)


    Insect Cloud, Flying Swords, Yin Souls, Corpse Hands, Heavenly Thunder¡ªallunched round after round of frenzied attacks on the battlefield.


    The swarm tore flesh and blood, the Flying Swords whistled past, Yin Souls coiled into rivers, and Corpse Hands climbed aboard.@@novelbin@@


    Add to that the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s own body, which also engaged in a bloody brawl with Du Shaochang.


    As they fought, blood and flesh flew everywhere. Relying on its massive size and superior self-healing ability, the thousand-hand centipede traded wound for wound with Du Shaochang.


    Under this relentless assault, the Star Light on Du Shaochang¡¯s body gradually dimmed.


    Dragged into a war of attrition, he was slowly worn down. No matter how divine his power, he, unable to fly, was at a loss against Su Jie.


    Conversely, Su Jie, despite feeling pained by his broken Flying Swords, scattered Yin Souls, and human-faced moths reduced to mince, found such lossespletely eptable.


    On another part of the battlefield, Mo Shiyao saw Du Shaochang get trapped and gradually fall into disadvantage. Her heart instantly tightened.


    She had not expected that with Du Shaochang¡¯s strength, he would actually be at a disadvantage in the fight.


    Seeing that the situation was unfavorable for her side, Mo Shiyao had no choice but to use her trump card.


    ¡°True Word¡ªStar River Sword!¡±


    Mo Shiyao paid a great price to forcibly wield the secret technique, spitting fresh blood onto the ancient zither, herplexion instantly turning as pale as paper.


    The ancient zither then echoed with haunting melodies, seemingly connecting with a certain star. The void shuddered, lights flooded the sky, and an aurora dragged a long tail of light, bringing a vast and terrifying presence from above the heavens.


    The area within ten miles was illuminated by the aurora. Birds and beasts fled in terror, and the old and strong trees were bent over, as if a natural disaster had struck.


    The aurora moved extremely quickly, one second still far in the horizon, the next instant it rushed close by, its powerful Spiritual Power turning into a light sword, carrying utmost beauty and endless lethal force.


    Su Jie looked up, his face serious, nning to summon the thousand-hand centipede to help defend.


    But at that moment, a sharp yell came from the dense forest.


    ¡°Hey, vicious woman, I haven¡¯t lost yet.¡±


    Ning Xinyue moved both her hands to cast spells,yer uponyer of ice pressed upward from the ground, forming a giant throne of ice. Atop the throne, the ice goddess sat in the void, extending a jade hand into the air.


    ¡°River Map Sky Void Skill.¡±


    Ning Xinyue called upon her cultivation of the River Map Sky Void Skill, her movements mirroring those of the ice goddess on the throne.


    Crack!


    The ice goddess¡¯s right hand,posed of frost and cold, expanded mid-journey, bing a sky-supporting giant hand that grabbed the radiant aurora.


    Boom!


    In an instant, the world seemed to turn upside down, as if to rip the Sky Dome apart. Two ultimate attacks collided with a roar, terrifying shockwaves spread in every direction.


    Finally, both the aurora and the ice goddess dissipated, and Ning Xinyue¡¯splexion also faded, suffering a significant bacsh.


    ¡°Thanks for that!¡±


    Su Jie nodded towards Ning Xinyue¡¯s direction and then redoubled his efforts against Du Shaochang.


    At this moment, Du Shaochang¡¯s body was drenched in blood, his arms weakly held as if bearing a mountain, and heavily plummeted downward.


    Boom!


    The thousand-hand centipede descended, numerous pale corpse hands broken, its body split in half from the middle.


    But soon, at the severed end of the thousand-hand centipede, tiny centipedes emerged from the flesh, sticking together and instantly recovering their wholeness, though their size was significantly reduced.


    ZZZ!


    The thousand-hand centipede¡¯s counterattack was fierce. It stood upright, mping onto Du Shaochang¡¯s waist with its deadly bite, and with its brutish insect body, it mmed him hard against a mountain peak. Rocks tumbled down, and the earth cracked open.


    Following that, the centipede¡¯s facial armor emitted streaks of purple light.


    The high temperature ignited the air, melted the mountains, and also struck Du Shaochang.


    By this time, Du Shaochang, worn out by the incessant battles, was severely sapped of his vitality and could scarcely dodge, being hit squarely by dozens of high-temperature beams.


    Holes opened all over Du Shaochang¡¯s body, his left arm waspletely melted, his liver was pierced by the high-temperature beams, and his intestines were exposed.


    Roar!


    Du Shaochang became even more frenzied, like a cornered beast fighting back in its death throes, his whole body¡¯s essence blood boiling and burning. He crouched on the ground and leaped high into the air.


    His body released star light like a bursting mountain torrent, using blood as the guide, the blood flowing from his body pooled beneath his feet into a bloody crystal tform, creating a staircase to ascend to heaven, heedlessly rushing towards Su Jie in the sky.


    Thousands of thunders!


    Seeing his opponent¡¯s attempt to take his own life, Su Jie continued to ascend, all the while releasing Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunders, bombarding Du Shaochang until his skin split and his flesh burst.


    Below, the less than ten thousand human-faced moths, a dozen or so Flying Swords, and several thousand Yin Souls stubbornly flew over, surrounding the sky-stepping Du Shaochang,unching frenzied attacks.


    Even if they would be blown to bits by Du Shaochang¡¯s punch or annihted by his palm, these moths and Yin Souls did not hesitate for a second, surging forward like moths to a me, bit by bit depleting Du Shaochang¡¯s physical strength, Spiritual Power, and Life Force.


    The thousand-hand centipede also soared into the sky, blocking Du Shaochang¡¯s path.


    This relentless barrage of attacks, unending and overwhelming, would have driven amon man to despair, but Du Shaochang was a man of immense perseverance.


    ¡°Even in death, I¡¯ll drag you to hell with me.¡±


    Du Shaochang was almost drained of his essence blood, his body like a great roc bird, his flesh and blood obscured by the thunder strike. His heart had been prated by the White Bone Sky ying Sword, and the human-faced moths crawled into his chest cavity through the wounds, feasting on his fragile organs while Yin Souls shredded his soul, leaving it fragmented.


    With hisst breath, Du Shaochang broke through the onught of thunder strikes, flying insects, Yin Souls, Flying Swords, and the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s defenses, finally reaching Su Jie, who stood on a cluster of small centipedes as his foothold.


    At this point, there was hardly an inch of intact flesh on his body, his Spiritual Power was depleted, his breath hanging by a thread, his eyes still filled with rage as he stared at Su Jie and swung hisst punch.


    This punch carried all his raging fury, with the brilliance of star light bursting forth like a long river, the sky trembled, the clouds were sted apart, delivering a supremely transcendent punch.


    Bang!


    The star light exploded all around, and Su Jie¡¯s body burst apart.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡±


    The sensation of the hit was off, and in the next moment, Du Shaochang¡¯s eyes widened in shock because Su Jie¡¯s body dissipated into smoke in front of him, and at the same time, a lightugh sounded from behind.


    ¡°Tch, tch, worthy of the Jade Sun True Body, truly terrifying. You almost killed me there.¡±


    The familiar voice made Du Shaochang twist his head in disbelief, only to see at the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s back, where the insect armor had shattered, turning into tiny centipedes the length of chopsticks, gushing out like a fountain.


    And the real body of Su Jie, amidst the swarm of tiny centipedes erupting, slowly revealed himself.


    Unbeknownst to him, Su Jie had already stealthily infiltrated within the thousand-hand centipede¡¯s body, and the figure left outside was nothing but a shadow remnant created by the Mysterious Shadow Secret Technique.


    Severely injured, with his soul torn apart, Du Shaochang had not discerned the false body and had wasted hisst attack in vain.

 Chapter 182 - 98: The Death of the Divine Body (Third Update)

    Chapter 182: Chapter 98: The Death of the Divine Body (Third Update)


    ¡°You¡­ despicable¡­¡±


    Pointing at Su Jie, Du Shaochang¡¯s pupils dted, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something more, but his body no longer allowed him to do so.


    Before he could finish aplete sentence, thest vestige of life in his body dissipated, his life force severed, like a wing-clipped eagle plummeting from the sky to the ground.


    ¡°Despicable, eh! For a demon cultivator, that should be considered apliment.¡±


    A slight curve formed on Su Jie¡¯s lips as the swarm of insects carried Du Shaochang¡¯s corpse towards him.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Having witnessed Du Shaochang¡¯s fall, Mo Shiyao¡¯s clear eyes stared nkly ahead, her bodypletely still, tears already blurring her vision.


    ¡°Return Brother Du to me.¡±


    After snapping back to reality, Mo Shiyao embraced her ancient zither and began strumming with both hands, sending out mysterious heavenly sounds that transformed into divine weapons, attempting to retrieve Du Shaochang¡¯s body.


    ¡°If you want to take back the body, first see if you can get past the swarm of insects.¡±


    Su Jie issued a challenge like a true viin, while swallowing an elixir to restore his depleted spiritual power and orchestrating the swarm to block the divine weapons of Miao Yin.


    Humm, humm!


    The human-faced moths formed a sparse swarm, the White Bone Sky ying Sword whistled through the air, and only a few thousand Yin Souls remained, unable to even conjure a Blood River.


    While Du Shaochang had been eliminated, Su Jie¡¯s forces had also suffered greatly; now, only the thousand-hand centipede retained its formidablebat strength.


    Decisively, Mo Shiyao attacked, sending one divine weapon after another flying towards her target.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword went to meet the assault, flying straight towards Mo Shiyao, while the Yin Souls enveloped each of the divine weapons.


    ng!


    The sound of the zither rose in waves, the reverberations forming a bell-shaped dome above Mo Shiyao¡¯s head.


    The White Bone Sky ying Sword plunged into the surface of the bell, half its tip piercing through, its sharp sword qi leaking out, causing a trickle of blood to appear in the center of Mo Shiyao¡¯s brow, almost prating her head.


    It was evident that from her earlier sh with Ning Xinyue, her body had been severely overdrawn; she had not yet recovered.


    ¡°Maid Ning, go!¡±


    Su Jie called out to Ning Xinyue, all the while dividing his attention to deal with the Miao Yin Divine Weapons.


    ¡°Always bossing me around.¡±


    Ning Xinyue puffed her cheeks in frustration, but despite her words, she still made her move.


    With one handprint, Ning Xinyue unleashed the Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint.


    A three-foot wide handprint, shining with the lustrous light of five-colored ze, struck the bell, causing several new cracks to appear on its surface.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s palms produced a rapid series of strikes, as spiritual power surged within her. This time, she didn¡¯t use the Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint but instead summoned the special frosty air from her Xuanyin Body, forming streams of cold frosty air that frozeyer uponyer of solid ice on the surface of the bell.


    Under the extreme cold, even as Mo Shiyao continued to strum her zither, strengthening the sonic bell, it did no good; more and more cracks appeared on it.


    At the same time, Su Jie, riding atop the Thousand-Handed Centipede, approached, ready to deal with thisst troublemaker.


    Boom!


    The immense body of the Thousand-Handed Centipede collided with the sonic bell, acting as the final straw that broke the camel¡¯s back; the bell shattered, and beams of light scattered all around.


    Mo Shiyao bit her lip fiercely, knowing that the situation was beyond recovery.


    If she had the capability, Du Shaochang wouldn¡¯t have died just moments earlier, and a two-on-two had already failed, now with only her alone, how could she possibly turn the tables against two?


    Whoosh! Clutching her ancient zither, Mo Shiyao¡¯s graceful body seemed to transform into a sonic rainbow light, fluttering among the descending pale corpse hands, making her escape.


    Crack!


    Su Jie turned his head to the side, dodging the flying sonic rainbow light. Numerous terrifying corpse hands, human-faced moths, and flying swords chased after the enemy, following his intent.


    Having failed to strike sessfully, Mo Shiyao still wanted to y another tune on her ancient stringed instrument.


    ¡°Who dares to act so recklessly here?¡±


    Suddenly, a roar came from a distance.


    They saw a Demon Fox stepping on the void, rushing over from the horizon.


    ¡°Su Jie, I, Mo Shiyao, will not let you go. Sooner orter, I will take your head to pay homage to Brother Du,¡± she vowed.


    Finally giving up, Mo Shiyao¡¯s exquisitely beautiful face was filled with sparkling teardrops in her eyes, as she looked at Su Jie with immense hatred and resentment. It seemed as though she wanted to deeply engrave his appearance in her memory.


    As her words ended, she suddenly broke the strings of the instrument, destroying it, and triggered a wave of light from within. Her body was then swept away by the light wave, drifting far into the distance, disappearing into the dense forest.


    ¡°Whew!¡±


    Having let out a sigh of relief after Mo Shiyao¡¯s departure, Su Jie copsed, sitting down on the back of the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    Waves of intense pain radiated through his mind, as if countless steel needles were jabbed into his head.


    Relying on the power of the Divine Soul, after unleashing so many bouts of Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder, Su Jie himself was nearing the end of his strength, on the brink of reaching his body¡¯s limit.


    In addition, due to the depleted Spiritual Power within his body, and the sparse swarm of insects and flying swords left, Mo Shiyao still retained herbat strength. It was impossible for Su Jie to catch up.


    Once the battle ended, the Thousand-Handed Centipedended on the ground with Su Jie and stood by his side vigntly.


    Ning Xinyue ran over and saw the Thousand-Handed Centipede baring its fangs and grimacing, its cold insect eyes staring at her.


    ¡°Xiao Qian, I¡¯m here to help with his healing,¡± she said.


    Ning Xinyue approached cautiously and finally gained the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s approval toe near Su Jie. She took the initiative to take out a Jade Bottle and poured out two elixirs.


    ¡°These two Thousand-year-old Jade Marrow Pills are Mid-grade Elixirs. They have excellent healing effects,¡± she exined.


    This was the first time Ning Xinyue saw Su Jie in such a weakened state. The pressure Du Shaochang had brought was too strong; his Divine Power was like a vast ocean, and his physique was incredibly powerful. Although Ning Xinyue had awakened her Xuanyin Body, herbat experience was too shallow. If she faced Du Shaochang, she wouldn¡¯t be able to talk about winning; escaping sessfully would be considered a sess.


    ¡°It¡¯s not poison, is it?¡± Su Jie said, sitting cross-legged on the ground, meditating to recover his chaotic inner breath.


    ¡°Hmph, if you don¡¯t want it, forget it,¡± Ning Xinyue said, arrogantly lifting her little head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this time,¡± he said.


    When Su Jie smelled the faint fragrance of the elixirs, his damaged meridians felt like drought-strickennd receiving timely rain, starting to heal.


    After making sure, Su Jie took the elixirs and swallowed them.


    The effect was quick; the pain in his brain eased a lot, and the damaged meridians were also continuously repairing.


    At this moment, there was a disturbance in the sky again, and a Demon Fox descended from above.@@novelbin@@


    Several figures jumped down from the back of the Demon Fox. The leader was Xiao Fengyuan, who Su Jie had met once before, along with several of hispanions.


    ¡°It¡¯s Corpse Hand Man ughter Su Jie.¡±


    ¡°How did he get into such a state?¡±


    ¡°This whole area looks like it¡¯s been bombarded. Just what kind of enemy was he fighting?!¡±


    The Demon Cultivators looked at the severely damaged surroundings. Every few dozen meters, there was arge pit, with smoldering charred earth inside¡ªas if the area had been bombarded by heavy artillery. These were caused by the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder.


    The dire state of the environment shocked them. What level of confrontation would cause such destruction to the environment?

 Chapter 183 - 99: Shocking (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 183: Chapter 99: Shocking (Fourth Update)


    Xiao Fengyuan nced at the thousand-hand centipede, his eyes showing surprise, and then he sped his hands and said, ¡°Junior Brother Su, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, eliminating a strong enemy is not a wasted trip.¡±


    Su Jie coughed dryly twice, discreetly remaining on alert as he observed Xiao Fengyuan.


    If the other party showed any sign of taking advantage of the situation, Su Jie would immediately have the thousand-hand centipede carry him away.


    Luckily, Su Jie was overcautious¡ªXiao Fengyuan seemed to guess Su Jie¡¯s thoughts, voluntarily stepped back a few steps, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand; I came to see the situation. The noise of the fight here was too loud, and I hurried over when I heard it. It¡¯s good that everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Brother Xiao.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie stood up from the ground, patted the thousand-hand centipede, and smiled, ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been overly aggressive. The Righteous sects specifically sent masters to target and assassinate me, but luckily, my poisonous insects are quite powerful, I¡¯ve killed one and let another escape.¡±


    The thousand-hand centipede shook its body, its ferocious and fierce appearance made several other Demon Cultivators, besides Xiao Fengyuan, pale; their movements became extremely gentle, afraid to stir up loud noises and be swallowed by this massive creature.


    Xiao Fengyuan had also heard of Su Jie¡¯s style and knew that he had killed many recently. It wasn¡¯t surprising that the Righteous sects would send a special team to target him.


    ¡°I wonder who initiated the attack.¡±


    With this thought, Xiao Fengyuan directly asked the question.


    ¡°Look over there.¡±


    Su Jie pointed at a corpse covered by human-faced moths. As the moths took flight, Du Shaochang¡¯s corpse was also exposed.


    ¡°A man named Du Shaochang, who imed to be a disciple of Zhuang Liangru, and a woman named Mo Shiyao, both are first-ss fierce fighters.¡±


    Su Jie rubbed his still aching head and said with lingering fear.


    ¡°Jade Sun True Body, Du Shaochang, Qingyin Fairy, Mo Shiyao.¡±


    At the sight of Du Shaochang¡¯s corpse, Xiao Fengyuan¡¯sposure was shaken, he was utterly astonished and even found it hard to believe.


    ¡°Are these two very famous?¡±


    Su Jie asked, having the human-faced moth bring over Du Shaochang¡¯s body.


    ¡°Both of them are well-known young talents amongst the Cultivators in Qingzhou, especially Du Shaochang, whose Jade Sun True Body is exceptionally domineering and divine power is unmatched, reputed to be invincible in closebat under the Qingzhou Secret Realm.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s spirit was shaken, and as he looked at Su Jie, shock mixed with a trace of admiration emerged in his eyes.


    ¡°This man indeed possesses divine valor in closebat.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, it was fortunate that he had not let his opponent close the distance; otherwise, the oue would still be uncertain.


    ¡°To speak the truth, even if I faced this man, the chances of victory would at most be fifty-fifty. I can¡¯t imagine that tonight you managed to strike him down, Junior Brother Su. Haha, those Righteous sects definitely couldn¡¯t have anticipated this; this act will greatly boost the morale of our Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±


    After oveing his shock, Xiao Fengyuan couldn¡¯t help but get excited.


    For the currently besieged Ghost Ridge Pce, the emergence of this news would be a strong tonic, boosting the spirit of the entire sect.


    The others, upon hearing Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s conversation, also came to understand that the person Su Jie had in was such an important figure.


    ¡°Brother Xiao, don¡¯t praise me too much. Look at me; I was almost killed by him. I managed to kill him only because he underestimated me and was careless. It was merely a stroke of luck.¡±


    Su Jie didn¡¯t show much happiness on his face.


    Having heard what Xiao Fengyuan said, Su Jie figured he was probably on the cklist of the Righteous sects now, which wasn¡¯t good news for him.


    However, things having reached this point, Su Jie had no regrets about killing Du Shaochang.


    The conflict between factions was indeed a matter of life and death; if Du Shaochang hadn¡¯t been killed earlier, it would have been Su Jie who died.


    ¡°Su Jie!¡±


    At this moment, Chen Yun, who had left earlier, also returned with Yin Wenwen to this ce. Seeing the chilling battlefield, her heart was stricken with fear.


    If she had stayed here just a moment ago and had been identally caught in the battle, she wouldn¡¯t even know how she died.


    ¡°This is not a ce for discussion. Junior Brother Su, seeing that you are seriously injured, you should return to the mountain gate to recuperate first.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan took the initiative to speak up. Themotion of the previous battle had been great, but whether it was the Righteous Disciples or the Demon Cultivators, those who saw the skirmish from afar didn¡¯t daree near. Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s boldness to approach was purely due to his exceptional skills and courage.


    Now that Su Jie had killed Du Shaochang and Mo Shiyao had fled, who knew if there would be any retaliatory actions. To prevent other Righteous Sect disciples from rushing here, it was wise to retreat first.


    Su Jie unleashed his Corpse Hands, numerous pale corpse hands emerged from his trouser legs, quickly crawling around to collect broken Flying Swords, dead insect remains, etc., and also took Du Shaochang¡¯s Storage Bag.


    As expected, there were no Magic Artifacts and talismans in this Storage Bag. Du Shaochang had not used them before, seemingly afraid that using these items would affect his cultivation mindset of proving his path through power.


    Although there were no Magic Artifacts, there were various elixirs and Spirit Stones, roughly estimated to be worth about twenty thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones, which could be considered a massive harvest.


    After collecting the spoils of battle, Su Jie, along with Chen Yun, Yin Wenwen, and Ning Xinyue, mounted the thousand-hand centipede and soared towards the mountain gate.


    With Xiao Fengyuan escorting nearby, riding the Four-eyed Illusion Demon Fox, he ensured no mishaps urred.


    In this manner, one leading and the other following, by the time Su Jie returned to Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s mountain gate, dawn had arrived, and a red sun was slowly rising on the horizon.


    Flying arbitrarily within the mountain gate was not allowed, as there were various lethal formations here. Su Jie quicklynded on the steps in front of the mountain gate.


    Dozens of stationed members of the Law Enforcement Team immediately surrounded them.


    In a short while, when Du Shaochang¡¯s body was disyed, almost half of the Ghost Ridge Pce was stirred.


    Disciples ran over one after another, crowding around to view the Jade Sun True Body and praising each other.


    ¡°That is Brother Su. He¡¯s the one who killed the Jade Sun True Body. This man was a grand cultivator of the Taoist tform Realm, a direct disciple of Zhuang Liangru, yet he still got bitten to death by the centipede controlled by Brother Su.¡±


    ¡°Mid Grade Four Refinement poisonous insect. How is it cultivated? My own poisonous insect can¡¯t even break through Low Grade. I can¡¯t imagine how strong such an insect is; no wonder it could kill Du Shaochang.¡±


    ¡°Brother Su is powerful!¡±


    ¡°Brother Su is powerful!¡±


    A chorus of noisy discussions echoed around, the disciples¡¯ expressions excited, eventually escting into chanting Su Jie¡¯s name in unison.


    ¡°Su Jie, you did very well this time, very well indeed!¡±


    Master Zuo, Zuo Xiping himself, stepped out of the mountain gate and weed Su Jie at the steps, his face beaming with a radiant smile.


    ¡°Master Zuo, fortunately, I havepleted the mission without any mishaps.¡±


    Su Jie felt Zuo Xiping¡¯s unprecedented warmth.


    Zuo Xipingughed heartily and said, ¡°Ha ha, you, you¡¯re still so humble at this time. Don¡¯t worry, after I report this victory to our Sect Master, he will definitely reward you generously. Now go and rest to heal your injuries.¡±


    ¡°Disciple obeys.¡±


    Su Jie nodded and returned to his own residence.


    Meanwhile, behind him, Ghost Ridge Pce had be buzzing with activity. Du Shaochang¡¯s body was paraded through the streets, and soon, Su Jie¡¯s name was known in every corner of Ghost Ridge Pce, truly known by everyone.

 Chapter 185 - 101: Friends (First Update)

    Chapter 185: Chapter 101: Friends (First Update)


    Five dayster!


    In the early morning, near Insect Valley, amidst the swirling white fog.


    Su Jie appeared here, with severals ced on the ground, each containing fresh human-faced moths that the thousand-hand centipede had just captured from Insect Valley, all lively and squirming.


    Whoosh whoosh!


    The sky was filled with the sound of whooshing as the thousand-hand centipede rapidly descended from mid-air, its belly¡¯s pale corpse hands clutching the special traits, each full of newly captured human-faced moths, furiously gnashing their teeth and spitting acid.


    ¡°Eat up.¡±


    Su Jie patted the shell of the thousand-hand centipede, which had been gnawed pitifully by the human-faced moths, and reluctantly took out a low-grade poisonous insect from the Insect Control Bag to feed the centipede.


    The thousand-hand centipede immediately opened its mouth and bit into the poisonous insect, chewing it thoroughly without waiting for it to struggle, savoring its meal.


    After polishing off its meal, the thousand-hand centipede, following Su Jie¡¯smand, soared into the sky once more and entered the human-faced moth¡¯s territory to continue collecting and capturing them.


    Su Jie then started to practice the Body Worm Focusing Method, transforming these wild human-faced moths into his own caged insects.


    This operation was something Su Jie did smoothly, and soon the human-faced moths recognized him as the Insect King.


    He removed thes, and one by one, the human-faced moths took flight, intimately circling around Su Jie.


    This work had been ongoing for several days. After returning to the mountain gate to recuperate from the forest, Su Jie came to Insect Valley to collect insects.


    By now, the number of human-faced moths in Su Jie¡¯s Insect Control Bag had just exceeded two hundred thousand.


    The Spiritual Power of the Purple Cloud Thunder Body was incredibly abundant, thus the number of human-faced moths under Su Jie¡¯s control also greatly increased.


    However, the current human-faced moths were only numerous in quantity, as the low-grade and mid-grade human-faced moths had almost all perished.


    In the battle with Du Shaochang, these leaders charged to the front, so their losses were the greatest.


    Therefore, although the number of Insect Cloud increased, the actualbat power had decreased significantly.


    Su Jie needed to return to the insect breeding base to properly cultivate them and evolve some low-grade and mid-grade human-faced moths to recover their strongbat strength.


    Moreover, the losses Su Jie suffered from that great battle were not limited to this. Now, his Sword Nourishing Gourd, including the White Bone Sky ying Sword, contained only a handful of flying swords left, and the number of Yin Souls in the Soul Summoning Banner had sharply decreased from over ten thousand to just four thousand.


    One could say that although Su Jie won the battle with Du Shaochang, the price he paid was extremely heavy, significantly depleting his assets.


    Even though he retrieved twenty thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones from Du Shaochang, after converting the real value, Su Jie might still be at a loss, as after all, these poisonous insects and Yin Souls are not easily replenished in Tianyuan World.


    Even something like flying swords was hard to resupply because Ghost Ridge Pce was caught in a sect war and the ck Market was at a standstill, with all sorts of supplies already sold out. Even if there were still goods, the prices had skyrocketed, making it difficult for Su Jie to replenish his flying swords.


    While Su Jie was busy refining insects, some movement urred nearby, a graceful figure leaping between ancient trees, and then Ning Xinyue appeared beside Su Jie.


    ¡°Hey, Su Jie, how long are you nning to catch these? Surely a few human-faced moths is enough.¡±


    Ning Xinyue passed through the Insect Cloud made up of human-faced moths. Having dealt with Su Jie for a long time, she had be quite immune to these insects.


    Su Jie, with a t expression, said, ¡°You don¡¯t realize how expensive firewood and rice are until you run a household. I lost so many human-faced moths in thest battle. If I don¡¯t replenish them, will youpensate for my decrease in strength?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Your strength decreasing has nothing to do with me. Find Du Shaochang if you need to find someone.¡±


    ¡°So what brings you to me?¡±


    Su Jie asked, getting to the heart of the matter. This Maid Ning hardly ever appeared without a reason, and he was curious about what she was busying herself with.


    ¡°I want to talk to you¡­ there¡¯s something I need to discuss.¡±


    Ning Xinyue suddenly began to speak hesitantly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? This isn¡¯t like you. Just spit it out.¡±


    Su Jie nced at Ning Xinyue and stopped the insect refining he was doing.


    ¡°How is that Holy Lotus of yours doing?¡±


    Ning Xinyue hesitated for a moment, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness.


    Su Jie was taken aback and looked at Ning Xinyue with suspicion, saying solemnly, ¡°What now, you¡¯re thinking of targeting my Holy Lotus again?¡±


    ¡°I want to borrow it for a few hours for my practice. I¡¯m cultivating a secret technique called Hundred Treasures Divine Light, which allows me to use the special Spiritual Charm of various treasures to confirm my own way and thereby improve my cultivation andbat abilities. The stronger the treasure, the better the effect.¡±


    Ning Xinyue was a bit embarrassed. With her pride, it was the first time she had asked someone to borrow something.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Su Jie agreed without a second thought.


    ¡°Eh.¡±


    Ning Xinyue had been expecting some kind of entanglement, or even an outright refusal from Su Jie, but she didn¡¯t expect him to agree so readily.


    ¡°I said you could borrow it, but you have to use it in front of me.¡±


    Su Jie turned his head to look at Ning Xinyue, who looked puzzled, andughed, ¡°What are you thinking? We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? I can definitely help with such a small request!¡±


    Ning Xinyue stared at Su Jie, as if seeing him for the first time.


    ¡°Friends, huh!¡±


    Ning Xinyue looked somewhat delighted, but then she seemed to recall something, blurting out subconsciously, ¡°You¡¯re suddenly being so nice to me, you don¡¯t have some kind of sinister plot, do you?¡±


    ¡°Me, have a sinister plot? As a favor to a friend, how about giving you a 20% discount and just charging you a hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones?¡±


    Su Jie smiled and finished his sentence.


    In an instant, Ning Xinyue¡¯s facial expression fell.


    ¡°Is this how you treat your friends?¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s bright eyes were wide with disbelief.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to understand, Maid Ning, this is an Exotic Treasure. Me being willing to let you borrow it is already incredibly generous. For an ordinary person, whether it be a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones, I wouldn¡¯t even bat an eyelid.¡±


    Su Jie asserted confidently, not even having asked Ning Xinyue for extra money.


    ¡°You¡¯re just dying for money.¡±


    Ning Xinyue felt an itching hatred. That bastard, and to think she had actually been moved for a second just now. She had clearly overestimated him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to make the exchange, then give me the secret technique, this Hundred Treasures Divine Light you¡¯re talking about, and I can consider charging you less.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, even if I taught you, you wouldn¡¯t be able to learn it. This Cultivation Technique can only be initiated under specific conditions.¡±


    ¡°Then pay up honestly.¡±


    Su Jie flicked the young girl¡¯s forehead,ughing, ¡°You¡¯re getting a bargain at this price. It¡¯s your own fault for not seizing the opportunity earlier or for not taking the chance to kill me while we were together outside participating in the Sect conflicts and then taking this Holy Lotus Exotic Treasure for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be that wicked.¡±


    Ning Xinyue was first taken aback, her pretty face flushed red, as she red at Su Jie, huffing angrily.

 Chapter 186 - 102: Another Windfall (Second Update)

    Chapter 186: Chapter 102: Another Windfall (Second Update)


    ¡°So opportunities should be cherished!¡±


    Su Jie took out the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus and extended his hand toward Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°Would fifty Spirit Stones work?¡±


    Ning Xinyue wanted to haggle, indicating that the price was too high.


    ¡°Exotic Treasures are priceless, just say whether you want to borrow it or not.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s tone was firm, and since Ning Xinyue was quite the little rich girl, he feltpletely at ease overcharging her; who knew when he¡¯d get the chance to take advantage of her again.


    ¡°60?¡±


    ¡°100.¡±


    ¡°75 at most.¡±


    ¡°Say another word and I won¡¯t lend it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ruthless.¡±


    Seeing that Su Jie¡¯s attitude showed absolutely no sign of relenting, Ning Xinyue had no choice but to take out a hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones and hand them over to Su Jie, getting extorted once again.


    Su Jie was satisfied as he epted the Spirit Stones and handed the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus sapling over to Ning Xinyue.


    In just a few hours, he made what amounted to tens of thousands of Low Grade Spirit Stones; money was just too easy to earn.


    The Nine-grade Sacred Lotus was nted in the Five Elements Spiritual Soil inside the zed Bottle. It had grown taller than when Su Jie first got it, with two leaves sprouting, and a new one emerging.


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes sparkled when she saw the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus. The heartache of spending a hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones was quickly forgotten, and she sat down joyfully on the ground, her fingertips touching the tiny leaves of the Sacred Lotus.


    Whoom!


    The next moment, Spiritual Power surged within Ning Xinyue like a tide, and her luminous skin shone with Treasure Light, dazzling and magical.


    Changes also urred on the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus; the sapling¡¯s leaves shimmered with Treasure Light, and both seemed to be engaged in some kind of mysterious causative connection.


    Gradually, a tiny Nine-grade Sacred Lotus phantom appeared behind Ning Xinyue.


    Beyond the Sacred Lotus phantom, Su Jie saw several other unique Treasure shadows, each extraordinary in its own way.


    Suddenly, a strange fluctuation burst forth from within Ning Xinyue.


    A rainbow bridge spanned between Ning Xinyue and the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus, and waves of powerful magical force brewed constantly, with the mysterious aura on Ning Xinyue climbing higher and higher.


    It was as if she had broken through some shackles; in an instant, her delicate body glowed brightly, wrapped in bands of Purple Mist divine light, looking like the most dazzling gem between heaven and earth, its beautiful colors unforgettable at a nce.


    ¡°This is¡­ a breakthrough¡­¡±


    Su Jie sensed the change in Ning Xinyue and could not help but twitch the corners of his mouth.


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t wish for Ning Xinyue to break through, but rather he felt that he had charged too little for the Spirit Stones.


    If he had known the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus would enable her to make a breakthrough in her cultivation, he would have been even tougher in his price, guessing she would have agreed.


    But it was toote for any regrets now; Su Jie could only watch as Ning Xinyue¡¯s Spiritual Power soared and, after crossing a certain threshold, powerful Spiritual Power burst forth from within her, entering a new realm.


    An hourter, Ning Xinyue had finished her cultivation, her bright ck eyes brimming with joy.


    ¡°Exotic Treasures are indeed powerful.¡±


    Ning Xinyue happily returned the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus. Her current cultivation was indeterminable, because, as someone with a Xuanyin Body, her Spiritual Power far exceeded that of a Cultivator of the same level; the normal way of estimating waspletely inurate.


    ¡°Tch, I¡¯ve taken a huge loss! Maid Ning, do you still need the Sacred Lotus? I could lend it to you again, for a cheaper price this time.¡±


    Su Jie sighed, feeling like he had lost a billion.


    Ning Xinyue made a yful face and proudly said, ¡°Still trying to extort me? The Hundred Treasures Divine Light Secret Technique can only be used once on each type of treasure, so don¡¯t think about extorting me again.¡±


    ¡°Well, well, a hundred Spirit Stones isn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    Su Jie consoled himself in his heart, took back the Nine-grade Sacred Lotus, and called back the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    ¡°You¡¯re not catching bugs anymore?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood, and it¡¯s just about mealtime. I¡¯ll head back to eat and soothe my feelings.¡±


    Su Jie mounted the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    Ning Xinyue was teased intoughter, her whole body trembling with merriment, and seeing Su Jie deted brought her even greater joy.


    However, as sheughed, Ning Xinyue soon found herself unable to continueughing.


    ¡°Hey, Su Jie, wait for me! I want a ride too.¡±


    ¡°I thought you detested bugs, so use your legs and walk back yourself.¡±


    ¡°Jerk, it¡¯s so far, I don¡¯t want to run anymore, just stop for me!¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    In front of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s Mountain Gate.


    The thousand-hand centipedended, and Su Jie and Ning Xinyue got off, after all Su Jie had relented and given Ning Xinyue a lift.


    ¡°Brother Su!¡±


    ¡°Brother Su!¡±


    ¡°Brother Su!¡±


    Upon seeing Su Jie, each disciple greeted him with a bow, his or her eyes filled with more than a little respect and admiration.


    Ever since he had killed Du Shaochang, Su Jie¡¯s status within Ghost Ridge Pce had soared, elevating him to a position second only to the Elders.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that woman?¡±


    ¡°Seems like she¡¯s called Zhu Qingya or something, heard she¡¯s a genius.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s just a vixen, unting her beauty and sticking to Brother Su.¡±


    ¡°So Brother Su likes the youthful type, huh? Maybe I should also try a change of style.¡±


    Besides the greetings, some disciples began gossiping out of curiosity.


    There were discussions about who between Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan was more powerful, as well as spections about when Su Jie would break through to the Secret Realm.


    Since Ning Xinyue was apanying Su Jie, a man and woman riding together, naturally there was no shortage of gossip about her as well.


    These disciples thought they could keep it from Ning Xinyue, not knowing she was very strong, keen of hearing and sharp-eyed, and she heard all their gossip.


    ¡°Keep talking nonsense, and see if I don¡¯t tear your mouths apart.¡±


    Angered, Ning Xinyueshed out at a few disciples with foulments with a palm strike.


    Boom!


    Pure and powerful Spiritual Power erupted, knocking those disciples to the ground.


    With just her Spiritual Power, she silenced the gossiping disciples.


    A few members of the Law Enforcement Team nced over, but seeing Su Jie standing nearby, they hesitated, withdrew their steps, and didn¡¯te over to intervene.


    At this critical juncture of strife within the Sect, the Sect had heavy punishments for conflicts among disciples, all in the effort to minimize infighting and focus their energies on fighting external enemies.


    However, with Su Jie standing by Ning Xinyue¡¯s side, even the members of the Law Enforcement Team lost their nerve, afraid of offending Su Jie, the man of the hour.


    ¡°If you talk nonsense again in the future, it won¡¯t be a simple lesson like this one.¡±


    Ning Xinyue withdrew her palm, pretending to be fierce as she scared the gossiping disciples into scrambling away.


    ¡°Hmph, what are youughing at?¡±


    Ning Xinyue shifted her gaze back to notice Su Jie¡¯s smiling face.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Maid Ning, give me a smile, and there¡¯s a reward for you,¡± Su Jie teased, yfully tormenting the young maid.


    ¡°Little Jie, what nonsense are you talking about? Do you really think I¡¯m a fox spirit that wants to seduce you? What would I gain from that? I¡¯m richer than you are,¡± Ning Xinyue countered, hands on her hips and chin up in pride, saying, ¡°Moreover, I was born with a natural grace, and in the future, I¡¯m destined to be immortal and sit with the founders. How could I possibly fancy a lowly Demon Cultivator like you?¡±


    Su Jie rolled his eyes, speechless, and said, ¡°I can see now, you¡¯re quite full of yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do as I say, you just wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll live for a thousand, ten thousand years, just waiting for that day to see you ascend to immortality,¡± Su Jie said sarcastically.

 Chapter 188 - 104: Return to Blue Star (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 188: Chapter 104: Return to Blue Star (Fourth Update)


    After saying goodbye to Zuo Xiping,


    Su Jie returned to his own mansion and released the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    The moment it emerged, the Thousand-Handed Centipede sensed something and immediately turned its insect eyes towards the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit that Su Jie held in his left hand.


    Szzz!


    In the next second, the Thousand-Handed Centipede excitedly stood upright, all its corpse hands waving, clinging tightly to Su Jie¡¯s arm, its open mouth fixated on the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit.


    Were it not for theck of an order from Su Jie, it would have already pounced to snatch the fruit and feast on it.


    Meanwhile, perhaps due to the presence of the poisonous insect, the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit underwent a change.


    The outer peel automatically shed, revealing the true core inside.


    Glorious radiance blossomed as the dense mesh of patterns on the core, resembling contorted insects, appeared to be crawling.


    ¡°Eat it, this is what I¡¯ve prepared for you,¡± Su Jie said.


    With a loosened hand, Su Jie dropped the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit into the gaping mouth of the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede didn¡¯t even chew, swallowing the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit whole.


    As the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit was ingested,yers of dark golden light illuminated the abdomen of the Thousand-Handed Centipede.


    Its insect shell grew increasingly glossy and shiny, and although its body size didn¡¯t expand, there were lines resembling insect veins spreading across the shell, like an innate ancient scripture, primitive and profound, mysterious and unfathomable.


    Under its influence, the gleam of sentience in the eyes of the Thousand-Handed Centipede grew more pronounced than before.


    ¡°Xiao Qian, whether I can continue to enjoy life¡¯s luxuries depends on you, so you better advance sooner rather thanter!¡± Su Jie said, touching the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s head, full of expectation and eagerness.


    Thinking all this, Su Jie took out the Ancient Mirror, opened the teleportation gate, and stepped through.@@novelbin@@


    ¡­¡­.


    Blue Star Zen Country!


    In the Underground Poisonous Insects Cultivation Base of Fumen Breeding Farm, with Su Jie¡¯s return, each of the poisonous insects there sensed the arrival of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, and they scurried about in a panic, trying to flee from this dangerous fellow.


    ¡°One, two¡­¡±


    Su Jie counted the inventory inside one by one.


    As the remittance from Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid came in, the breeding scale in the Mande Region further expanded.


    The quantity of Low-Grade Poisonous Insects here also increased as a result, many of them not merely Low Grade, but even having advanced to Low Grade One Refining, were not few in number.


    If not for the fact that Su Jie had previously reinforced the Formation here, using quite a few Array Maps, they really wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop these poisonous insects from breaking out and escaping, which would have been earth-shattering news.


    ¡°Go ahead, these low-grade poisonous insects are all yours,¡± Su Jie said.


    Having been impatiently waiting for this moment, the Thousand-Handed Centipede immediately set off at full speed, pouncing on one Low-Grade Poisonous Insect after another, indulging in a feast, enjoying an all-you-can-eat buffet of insects.


    At forty meters in size, the Thousand-Handed Centipede was enormously huge, and its appetite and digestive capacity were terrifying.


    Although there were many insects in the Underground Poisonous Insects Cultivation Base, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to satisfy it for more than a few days.


    Three dayster.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede, having devoured all the poisonous insects, grew to a length of 45 meters,


    ¡°Not much longer now, I wonder what two new abilities will emerge when the timees.¡±


    Being a Lifebound Poisonous Insect, Su Jie roughly estimated the time for the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s advancement in Spirit Refining wouldn¡¯t be far off.


    Given the production speed of Low-Grade Poisonous Insects here, in at most another month, the quantity of insects in this ce would be enough to satisfy the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s advancement.


    Su Jie was now looking forward to the fifth Spirit Refining with immense anticipation, feeling that time was passing far too slowly.


    However, since he had returned, there wasn¡¯t much happening at Ghost Ridge Pce for the time being.


    So, Su Jie nned to stay on Blue Star for a while to see how the development of the arms and ammunition wasing along.


    After leaving the Fumen Breeding Farm, Su Jie didn¡¯t return to his private luxury estate in Mande City, but instead went to a Jieke Security training base.


    This ce was originally a base for the Mande United Army. After the copse of the Mande United Army, it was requisitioned by Jieke Security and underwentrge-scale expansion.


    Now, this base was thergest of Jieke Security in the Mande Region, housing eight thousand members of Jieke Security.


    Before he even got close, the patrol sentries noticed the car driven by Su Jie.


    ¡°Commander.¡±


    Upon seeing Su Jie, those soldiers who were previously on high alert immediately straightened their bodies and saluted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t notify the people inside. I want to go in alone and take a look,¡± Su Jie said as he waved his hand, showed his credentials, then changed into a military uniform and entered the military camp alone for a secret inspection of Jieke Security¡¯s training achievements.


    After crossing two more lines of defense, when Su Jie entered the base, the training inside was in full swing.


    Some soldiers were engaged in physical training, taking off their shirts to reveal toned bodies, working in pairs carrying wooden logs.


    Some soldiers were fully equipped with weapons and ammunition, carrying plenty of ammo and rations, participating in armed cross-country training.


    Others were traversing various obstacles¡ªclimbing walls, crossing highs, crawling through mud under barbed wire.


    Some were involved in live-fire shooting training, with the sound of gunfire ringing nonstop.


    The instructors training these Jieke Security personnel were elite soldiers retired from various countries, attracted by high sries.


    Under excellent welfare and benefits, neither the instructors nor the soldiers had anyints; the former were able to earn satisfying pay.


    As for thetter, the arrival of Jieke Company changed their lives, and their training was undertaken with an even more diligent spirit.


    After touring the training facilities, some soldiers finally noticed Su Jie, and the military camp was instantly abuzz.


    In the Mande Region, Su Jie¡¯s reputation far exceeded that of Ghost Ridge Pce.


    While Ghost Ridge Pce had Elders and a Sect Master, in the Mande Region, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Su Jie was the unrivaled king.


    Upon receiving the news, Liu Yingying, who was working in Mande City, also hurried over.


    ¡°Yingying, you¡¯ve developed the troops quite well!¡± Su Jie was the first to speak, noting that even in his absence, Liu Yingying had not neglected the development of Jieke Security¡¯s strength.


    Liu Yingying shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m only responsible for providing the funds. The training is all managed by the instructors, even the purchase of weaponry.¡±


    ¡°Take me to the armory to see what you¡¯ve bought recently,¡± Su Jie said, surrounded by soldiers. He asked them to continue their training while he, apanied by a few officers and Liu Yingying, headed for the armory.


    As heavy doors were opened one after another, the cold machinery of war was revealed in Su Jie¡¯s view.


    Main battle tanks, armed helicopters, infantry fighting vehicles, military trucks,bat engineering vehicles, grenadeunchers, mortars, and self-propelled anti-aircraft gunsy quietly on high-strength reinforced concrete floors, exuding a deadly threat that only human beings from Blue Star could understand.


    Apart from these war vehicles and artillery, there was an even greater number of light weapons.


    Rifles, especially the cheap and abundant AKs, numbered over a hundred thousand alone, with rocketunchers, machine guns,nd mines, and the like in abundance.


    In another section of the warehouse was the ammunition depot, with shells of various calibers stored upright¡ªalmost too many to see the end at a nce.


    Modern warfare is a matter of logistics, so it was natural to have a surplus of weaponry and ammunition.


    Judging from the stock in the armory, even if a war involving tens of thousands erupted and persisted for years, these supplies would be sufficient to endure.

 Chapter 190 - 106: Fist is Power (Second Update)

    Chapter 190: Chapter 106: Fist is Power (Second Update)


    After understanding the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, Su Jie finally asked the question he was most concerned about.


    ¡°How is the investigation of the nearby warlords going? Have they made any strange moves?¡±


    Liu Yingying took out a document and said, ¡°Starting a month ago, three warlords from East Qin State, Guo Mindeng, Ang Yulun, and Suomin Tun, sessively increased their military forces to a certain extent and have hadrge quantities of arms supplied through external channels, the amounts of which are quite astonishing.¡±


    Su Jie frowned and looked at the information Liu Yingying handed over.


    The document detailed the statistics on several warlords.


    Among the three, the warlord with thergest poption and territory was Guo Mindeng, with a soldier count reaching 18,000, even more than Jieke Security¡¯s forces.


    Comparing the military strength of the three warlords, they had a total shocking number of 35,000 soldiers.


    Besides these military numbers, there were also maps of various military camps and defensive fortifications, as well as photos of the arms purchases.


    Transportingrge-caliber weapons like tanks in a ce like Chan Country is very difficult to conduct in secret.


    ¡°It seems they¡¯ve made up their minds, spending such massive amounts of money in a rush, eager to devour our interests,¡± Su Jie remarked.


    Su Jie tapped his fingers lightly on the table. With such grand actions from these warlords, if it¡¯s said to be a reflex to Jieke Security¡¯s own military expansion, in an arms race, they might recruit a lot of soldiers, but as for those heavy equipment and weaponry, Su Jie had only managed to build such an arsenal through aggressive profiteering with Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.@@novelbin@@


    These local ¡¯emperors¡¯ of their own small territories simply couldn¡¯t afford to buy so manyplete armored units.


    The entire Chan Country¡¯s military didn¡¯t even consist of more than a few hundred armored units. It was impossible for a single warlord to have such financial strength, unless there was external funding involved.


    Without any precious mines, such as those for oil, iron, or natural gas in the vicinity, investing so much money to support these warlord forces made the target quite obvious.


    Asder Pharmaceutical, one of the Fortune 500 multinational pharmaceuticalpanies, has always been coveting the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, or more urately, the Averson Family that controls Asder Pharmaceutical has been greedy for the profits from the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    Before Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid hit the market, they owned the biggest market share in the hair loss medication sector.


    Now, with Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s impact, rted products worldwide have been suffering defeats, causing significant losses to this renowned pharmaceuticalpany, which in turn set its sights on the lucrative Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    Previously, they had dispatched mercenaries to attack in an attempt to seize the form for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    After failing, it seems they n to settle the issue with military force, which is consistent with the Anglo-Saxons¡¯ customary way of conducting affairs.


    ¡°Keep a close eye on the situation with Guo Mindeng and the other two warlords. Inform me immediately of any troop movements. Also, have Jieke Security proceed with offensive drills and to draft war ns,¡± Su Jie instructed.


    Su Jie was ustomed to holding the initiative. Rather than waiting for others to adjust and attack, it¡¯s better to strike first.


    After all, war is apletely different beast when it breaks out on foreign soilpared to one¡¯s own territory in terms of the damage inflicted.


    Having managed the Mande Region for so long, Su Jie had no intention of reducing it to rubble and ruins.


    Liu Yingying felt a hint of concern and said, ¡°We are at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength. Wouldn¡¯t it be unfavorable to start a war now?¡±


    The three warlords bordered the Mande Region, with a poption of two to three million people in East Qin State, of which they controlled two million, with only seven to eight hundred thousand on the Mande side.


    No matter whether it¡¯s military strength or potential for war, the forces of the three warlords led by Guo Mindeng held the advantage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, although we are not ready, neither is the enemy, and the final victor will definitely be us.¡±


    Su Jie held Liu Yingying in his arms and said with a smile, ¡°As for the issue of numbers, we can enhance our individual soldiers¡¯bat effectiveness topensate for the numerical difference.¡±


    Feeling Su Jie¡¯s teasing hands, Liu Yingying¡¯s pretty face blushed. She suppressed her chaotic thoughts and asked, puzzled, ¡°Soldier training needs to progress step by step, can this be greatly improved in a short time?¡±


    ¡°Of course not by ordinary methods, but we don¡¯t take themon path. You¡¯ll know when the timees. Actually, what I¡¯m really worried about isn¡¯t these warlords; I¡¯m worried about the United States intervening.¡±


    Su Jie spoke calmly, pronouncing the name of Earth¡¯s number one hegemon.


    Liu Yingying began to feel insecure, questioning, ¡°The United States shouldn¡¯t personally get involved, right? After all, they are a country, and we don¡¯t have any conflicting interests with them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too highly of the United States¡¯ integrity. Now that the profits from the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid are sorge¡ªhundreds of billions of dors in profits per year, equivalent to one-tenth of the United States¡¯ annual military expenses¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they were tempted.¡±


    Su Jie had a look of disdain. The nature of Americans as troublemakers is well known, having inherited the fine traditions of the British Empire; wherever there is war, they are sure to be found.


    Look at the turmoil in the Middle East; oil brings profits, so the region can¡¯t escape the shadow of the United States.


    Jieke Company has considerable interests here as well, naturally, it will attract wolves.


    Especially since this time, the opposition to Jieke Security includes Asder Pharmaceutical¡ªa true-blue Americanpany. With the lobbying capabilities of those interest groups, it¡¯s hard to say whether they might intervene or not.


    Unless there¡¯s a major country to act as a shield, it¡¯s not easy to stay stable.


    Actually, Su Jie could also move all his businesses back to Hua Country, butpared to being constrained everywhere, Su Jie preferred freedom.


    Many things can only be effectively managed on one¡¯s own territory. Otherwise, ces like the Fumen Breeding Farm¡¯s underground poisonous insect breeding base would be difficult for Su Jie to establish.


    Eventer, as profits growrger, not knowing how to share the wealth will make it difficult to function in any country.


    So Su Jie had more faith in his own strength; the fist is the authority. Every relied-upon power may copse, so it¡¯s better to be self-reliant. It may be tougher, but it leads to a morefortable and free life.


    ¡°So, are we still going to war?¡±


    Liu Yingying was somewhat confused by Su Jie¡¯s words. Thinking about the possibility of conflict with the United States¡ªthe top military power of Blue Star¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help feeling tense.


    ¡°The fight must definitely happen,¡± Su Jie said. ¡°Better tond a punch now than take a hundredter. We can¡¯t be indecisive because we¡¯re worried about intervention from the United States.


    When facing hungry wolves and other wild beasts, feeding them pieces of your flesh will only make them greedier. You must pick up the stick and the gun to make them back down and bare their teeth less.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression was icy, not showing a shred of weakness.


    If he failed, at worst he could hide in Tianyuan World for a while before making aeback¡ªSu Jie had the confidence for that.


    Liu Yingying, looking up at Su Jie¡¯s resolute face, her eyes filled with admiration, couldn¡¯t help but wrap her arms around his neck proactively.


    Feeling the gradually rising temperature of the soft body in his arms, her flushed cheeks, Su Jie immediately understood Liu Yingying¡¯s intentions. He smiled, picked her up around the waist, and walked with big steps toward the bedroom.

 Chapter 191 - 107: Divine Sense Transmission (Third Update)

    Chapter 191: Chapter 107: Divine Sense Transmission (Third Update)


    Hua Country!


    Mu Hua Company¡¯s primary pig farming base.


    Su Jie appeared here to inspect, with Liang Lianjun and several other heads of Mu Hua Company by his side.


    After spending a few days in Chan Country, Su Jie had returned to Hua Country because his Ten Thousand Soul Banner¡¯s Yin Soul had suffered significant losses, and it was time to replenish them.


    ¡°Not bad, it seems you¡¯ve developed thepany quite well!¡±


    After inspecting the area, Su Jie eximed reflectively.


    Here,pared to Su Jie¡¯sst visit, the number of pigs being raised was noticeably higher, and a simple sensing revealed that the ughterhouse stored numerous Soul Summoning Banners, rich in Yin Soul reserves.


    The feeling of being wealthy was great; without doing anything, there was a continuous supply of Yin Souls to acquire.


    The professional manager of Mu Hua Company exined, ¡°We owe a lot to the financial support from Tianyuan Daily and Tianyuan Home. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to develop so rapidly.¡±


    Liang Lianjun chuckled bitterly, ¡°The funds provided by Tianyuan Home are limited; most of it relies on Tianyuan Daily.¡±


    In the past, Tianyuan Home supported the development of Chan Country¡¯s Mande Region and the acquisition of Mu Hua Company, always acting as the money bag.


    However, after theunch of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, the chief financial support shifted to Tianyuan Daily Company, leaving Tianyuan Home in second ce.


    Although Tianyuan Home still actively sold high-end furniture every month,pared to the profits from the hair growth liquid, it was entirely negligible due to the vast difference in market scale.


    Su Jie continued to ask, ¡°Tell me about the current situation at Mu Hua Company.¡±


    ¡°Nowadays, our pig farming is booming immensely; after acquiring Yikang Company¡¯s equipment and skilled workers, the number of pigs has already exceeded nine million, but many are still piglets and will need time to grow.


    In addition, ording to your ns, Mr. Su, more factories are continuously being built, and workers are constantly being recruited and trained. Through purchasing piglets from otherpanies and breeding our own sows, we hope to boost the pig count to thirty million by the end of the year.


    It¡¯s just that due to unskilled workers, high costs of purchased piglets, and the current downward phase of the pig market cycle, the more pigs we raise, the more profit we lose.¡±


    As the person in charge spoke, he carefully watched Su Jie¡¯s expression.


    Most bosses, when hearing aboutpany¡¯s profit losses, would not show a good face to these professional managers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, keep expanding production. I can afford this little loss,¡±


    Su Jie waved his hand, now financially robust.


    With Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid backing him, a slight financial loss waspletely negligible.


    What Su Jie cared about was the quantity of Yin Souls; as long as that was sufficient, everything else was negotiable.


    Saying this, Su Jie looked at the altars and statues ced within the farming and ughtering area.


    ¡°Right, these statues have been here for two or three months now. Have them removed, I¡¯ve got a new batch of statuesing in, which will better maintain the effects of exorcising evil and pacifying souls.¡±


    Su Jie instructed, causing several people present to be taken aback, not understanding what the issue was, as it was unusual for statues to be reced every few months.


    However, seeing Su Jie¡¯s expression, they dared not ask further and could only nod in agreement.


    After all, if the boss was wealthy enough to be whimsical, they might as wellply with his wishes.


    Under Su Jie¡¯smand, in the following days, workers moved the altars and statues from the ughterhouse, recing them with new ones.


    The employees in the ughterhouse were confused about why the perfectly good statues needed recing.


    However, as Mu Hua Company announced another raise, rewarding them for outstanding performance in pig farming, no one discussed the matter anymore. Everyone cheered happily, expressing profound gratitude to their generous new boss.


    And simr events urred not only in this farm but in every Mu Hua farming facility.


    ¡­¡­


    Linping City.


    Jingjiang No.1 Vi basement.


    Su Jie sat cross-legged on the cushion, surrounded by Purple Cloud Divine Thunder flickering and white cranes soaring with continous mystical phenomena.


    Whew!


    Above his head, Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul detached from his physical body.


    The tiny figure resembled a halo of cloud mist, its body radiating brilliant divine light,plete with arms and legs.


    On its face, the previously indistinct features had now formed a mouth.


    ¡°Xiao Qian.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s Divine Sense swept over, and the soul¡¯s mouth moved slightly, seemingly without making any sound.


    Yet the thousand-hand centipede dozing in Su Jie¡¯s sleeve heard it and immediately crawled out.


    Sizzle!


    Looking at the closed-eyed, meditating physical body, the thousand-hand centipede was somewhat puzzled because it had indeed heard Su Jie calling it.


    In the end, the thousand-hand centipede raised its head and looked at Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul.


    The small Divine Soul intrigued it, sensing its master¡¯s soul presence but looking different from the master, with only a mouth¡ªwhat was that about?


    Su Jie slightly smiled, his Divine Sense spreading like water, transferring the surrounding scenes one by one into the Divine Soul in a three-dimensional form.


    ¡°Aunt Chen, I¡¯d like sweet and sour fish tonight.¡±


    Transmitting via Divine Sense, a chef napping in the vi suddenly woke up, looked around instinctively, but saw no one.


    ¡°Am I dreaming of work? It¡¯s not even dinner time yet.¡±


    Aunt Chen murmured andy down again to continue her nap.


    ¡°Done.¡±


    Seeing this reaction, Su Jie knew his Divine Sense transmission had seeded.


    Now his Divine Soul was bing more perfect, already mastering soul transmission, and once all his facial features were formed, that would be the day his Divine Soul evolved into his Primordial Spirit. Su Jie felt he couldplete it before advancing to the Secret Realm.


    After testing his newly acquired ability, Su Jie looked towards the corner of the basement where several statues stood, blowing out a gentle breath.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!


    The statues shattered one after another, revealing the Soul Summoning Banners inside.


    From the banners, one after another eerie and twisted figure floated, turning the basement dark, filled with a suffocating, chilling aura, and faintly, one could hear the wailing of resentment¡ªthe entire scene was weird and terrifying, as if bing a den of ghosts.


    There were too many Yin Souls, and had they been corporeal, even the basement would not have sufficed to contain them.


    However crowded it might have been, these Yin Souls did note near Su Jie¡¯s soul.


    As Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul evolved towards the Primordial Spirit, it already possessed a hint of the Primordial Spirit¡¯s power. Further shielded by the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder inherent in his Divine Soul, it kept these Yin Souls instinctively away from him.


    ¡°Gather!¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie collected all the Yin Souls and then merged them all into the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.


    The number of Yin Souls in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner kept increasing, from a few thousand to climbing steadily until it returned to ten thousand.


    This number of Yin Souls enabled the use of the Ten Thousand Yin Blood Nether Array, restoring its power.


    Having aplished this, Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul returned to his body, ced the Ten Thousand Soul Banner into his Storage Bag,pleting his main purpose of returning to Hua Country.

 Chapter 192 - 108: Coercion and Bribery (4th Update)

    Chapter 192: Chapter 108: Coercion and Bribery (4th Update)


    ¡°Mr. Su, there¡¯s a visitor at the door iming to be from Asder Pharmaceutical,¡± the butler hurriedly reported after returning to the vi from the basement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been back for two days, and they¡¯ve already tracked me down. Their intelligence is indeed impressive! Go and have theme up, take them to the reception room,¡± Su Jie ordered after a sweep with his Divine Sense.


    Soon, Su Jie saw two figures.


    One was a blond-haired, blue-eyed man, around fifty or sixty, dressed in a sharp suit, with thick hair and an intelligent, shrewd look in his eyes.


    Following behind him was a beautiful female secretary, carrying a briefcase, very capable-looking.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I am Polo Ben, the president of Asder Pharmaceutical.¡±


    Polo smiled even before he spoke, and he greeted in Chinese as a sign of sincerity, although his ent was so thick that Su Jie almost couldn¡¯t understand him.


    The personal visit from the president of a Fortune 500pany certainly showed plenty of sincerity.


    ¡°Please take a seat, let¡¯smunicate in English,¡± Su Jie said, guessing the purpose of the visit. As the president of Asder Pharmaceutical and helmsman of a Fortune 500pany, he surely wasn¡¯t here for idle chatter.


    ¡°In English? That¡¯s perfect, Lisa, it seems you won¡¯t be needed here after all,¡± Polo chuckled, pointing to his female secretary: ¡°This is my secretary, Lisa.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Lisa said with a sweet smile, bending down to greet Su Jie.


    As she bent down, the low-cut V-neckline allowed a glimpse of her snowy white fullness, a highly annoying temptation.


    She was a wless beauty, a standard sweetheart in the eyes of Americans.


    In the aesthetic standards of Asians, she had a finely sculpted, three-dimensional face, and her skincked therge pores typical of Europeans and Americans, making her a top-tier beauty there, too.


    @@novelbin@@


    ¡°Lisa, you always admired Mr. Su for his business savviness starting from scratch. When you have the time, you could learn a lot about doing business from him,¡± Polo said with enthusiasm, not in a hurry to state his purpose, sounding more like a pimp.


    From the data he had collected, one attribute of Su Jie was indeedbeled as lecherous, along with a penchant for uniforms, a detail inferred entirely from Liu Yingying¡¯s side.


    Su Jie gave a casual smile; they had resorted to using a beauty trick.


    ¡°Mr. Polo, feel free to speak your mind. My time is quite precious,¡± Su Jie said, ncing at his phone: ¡°I have to take a nap soon. If you don¡¯t get to the point, I¡¯ll have to excuse myself.¡±


    It seemed that a nap was far more valuable to him than the opportunity to interact with an international pharmaceutical CEO.


    Polo¡¯s smile remained undiminished, but the warmth in his eyes faded noticeably.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯m here on behalf of Asder Pharmaceutical today, and you should know why. The market for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid isn¡¯t something you can take on alone, and even Asder Pharmaceutical can¡¯t handle it; we need to share the benefits with others. In this world, cooperation and mutual benefit are the true path, or as you Chinese say¡­ what is it again?¡±


    Polo turned his gaze to his secretary, Lisa.


    ¡°The tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be brought down by the wind,¡± Lisa pronounced fluently in Mandarin.


    ¡°Not bad, your Chinese is quite good, but your Chinese teacher didn¡¯t teach you another saying¡ª¡¯He who doesn¡¯t cross the river cannot get the dragon,''¡± Su Jie said, ncing at them both, indifferent: ¡°These days, the brave die of their courage, and the timid starve to death. With a monopolistic product like Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, you want to make a quick deal and expect me to give up profits just like that? You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    Polo¡¯s smile faded a bit more, and his tone carried a hint of threat, ¡°The consequences of a monopolistic product¡ªhow many businesses have gone bankrupt, and how many people have lost their jobs because of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid around the world¡ªdon¡¯t you ever consider the impact?¡±


    Su Jie scoffed with disdain, ¡°Cars reced horse carriages, machinery reced handicrafts¡ªit¡¯s the development of the times, necessary sacrifices.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s true, but it¡¯s predicated on power. You know, we in Europe and America havebor unions and industrial associations. I wouldn¡¯t dare to imagine what would happen when you do this.¡±


    Polo leaned forward slightly and said indifferently, ¡°Join us, and we can help you deal with the troublemakers, distribute your products to every customer through our salesworks worldwide, and further push your profits higher.


    Don¡¯t you want Tianyuan Daily to go public? With most of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s revenueing from overseas, maximizing market value means listing in the United States.


    This requires collective strength¡ªthe underwriters for going public, private financing, IPOs, etc., all of which we can help you n and manage, eventually helping you list in the United States and creating a trillion-dor market value legend.


    At that point, you could own a top ten globalpany, be the wealthiest person in the world, receiving the admiration and worship of thousands, enjoying endless flowers and apuse¡ªisn¡¯t that worth your temptation?¡±


    Polo, worthy of being a CEO, was likely used to making such promises to his employees. Such rhetoric could easily ignite passion and make people daydream about that kind of scenario.


    ¡°What¡¯s the loss to you? Although you¡¯ll share profits, the ¡®cake¡¯ will grow as everyone contributes, and so will your worth¡ªthat¡¯s the benefit of a win-win cooperation.¡±


    Polo continued, believing that a young man like Su Jie, who longed for fame and attention, couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of bing the center of the world¡¯s focus.


    ¡°Done talking? Then my response is very simple: I refuse.¡±


    Su Jie listened to Polo¡¯s spiel with a yful smile on his lips.


    Bing the world¡¯s richest man and every action taken scrutinized under the spotlight? What about all his secrets?


    Su Jie was more interested in bing immortal¡ªno matter how much money one has, you can¡¯t take it to hell when you die, can you?


    Besides, even if Su Jie really wanted to go public, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. Surely, the new stakeholders would want to know the real secret behind Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    How was he supposed to introduce the core technology of the product during the IPO¡ªGhost Hair from Tianyuan World? Expose the Mysterious Side¡¯s dimensionally transcending impact?


    Polo¡¯s expression became stiff; there were indeed people in the world who weren¡¯t interested in bing the richest person.


    Lisa, too, was taken aback, her eyes wide with incredulity.


    After a long while, Polo, who had been leaning forward, leaned back on the sofa, crossed his legs, raising three fingers up.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ve said all I had to say, and I¡¯ll give you three final options. First, sell the form for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid. Second, let Asder Pharmaceutical buy into Tianyuan Daily. And third¡­¡±


    Polo¡¯s attitude was exceptionally stern, staring at Su Jie for several seconds: ¡°Third, be defeated by Asder Pharmaceutical.¡±


    ¡°I prefer challenging jobs.¡±


    Su Jie smiled faintly, his demeanor unshaken by such posturing¡ªit was nothingpared to a Yin Soul.


    Polo frowned slightly, stood up from the sofa, and said, ¡°You¡¯ll soon regret what you said today. When you see ourpany¡¯s power, negotiating won¡¯te with such generous terms.¡±


    With that, Polo turned to leave the reception room with Lisa.


    ¡°Wait a moment, are you from the Averson Family?¡±


    Suddenly, Su Jie called out.


    ¡°I¡¯m a professional manager hired to serve Asder Pharmaceutical. Of course, if you like, you can lump me in with them, after all, our interests are aligned for now.¡±


    After saying this, Polo turned and left with Lisa.


    As Polo¡¯s figure disappeared out of sight, Su Jie chuckled quietly, ncing at a small beetle resting on the tip of his left finger, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±


    He was but a minor character pushed to the forefront, inconsequential to the grand scheme of things. It wouldn¡¯t do to scare off other key figures by acting now.


    As Polo left, he felt an inexplicable chill down his spine, unaware that he had just walked by the Ghost Gate.

 Chapter 193 - 109: Business Warfare Offensive (First Update)

    Chapter 193: Chapter 109: Business Warfare Offensive (First Update)


    ¡°Mr. Jose.¡±


    After leaving the Jingjiang No.1 Vi, Polo made a call in the car.


    ¡°How did the negotiation go?¡±


    On the other end of the phone was the current head of the Averson Family, Jose Averson, who was also the true controller of Asder Pharmaceutical.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t clinch the deal.¡±


    Polo briefly described the negotiation process; the other party was a major shareholder of Asder Pharmaceutical. He was just an employee, and the president in name couldn¡¯t decide anything.


    ¡°Understood, proceed with the n, and let¡¯s give him a taste of hardship first.¡±


    Jose Averson spoke calmly, and then he hung up the phone.


    Turning his head to nce at the vi once more, Polo shook his head and said, ¡°Honestly, what a hassle.¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    As Polo returned disheartened, Asder Pharmaceutical¡¯s retaliation came swiftly.


    In the United States, the trouble started first: groups of the unemployed, who had lost their jobs due to the listing of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid and the subsequent business closures, organized by unions and industry associations, formed massive protest marches.


    Carrying various banners and signs with messages like ¡°Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid Out,¡± ¡°Give Us Back Our Jobs,¡± and ¡°China-Made is Eroding Our Country,¡± they demonstrated and marched through busy streets.


    Thismotion began in the United States and soon spread to various parts of Europe and America, aided by those with ulterior motives.


    Past hair transntation doctors, wig industry workers, pharmaceuticalpany employees, and others protested that the appearance of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid had upended their livelihoods.


    If these protests seemed minor and more like a bit of media frenzy,


    then what came next was a piece of news that plunged Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid deeply into a whirlpool of public opinion.


    On March 15th, International Consumer Rights Day,


    Nuonan Pharmaceutical and Food Testing Laboratory, globally renowned and having undertaken national-level project testing and verification, suddenly issued a shocking announcement.


    ¡°After a series ofplex tests, we have discovered multiple harmful substances in Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, which may cause skin diseases, cardiovascr diseases, and respiratory diseases in humans.¡±


    Once this message was released, it immediately caught the attention of major news media.


    New York Times: A mysterious medical product from the Eastern Ancient Country, packaged as a hair treatment but in reality a dangerously limitless poison.


    Guardian: A shocking shampoo that is endangering the health of hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide.


    Daily Mail: How has Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid remained explosively popr to this day? The secret behind it is finally uncovered.


    One after another, well-known global news media fervently publicized the story, and over the next few days, more and more testing institutions joined in, releasing their own reports on Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    One day a report suggested the discovery of excessive heavy metals, another day the possibility of a high risk of cancer was raised, followed by advice for consumers to choose carefully.


    ¡­.


    CNN television, on a popr current news program.


    The host David held the microphone, smiling at the camera, ¡°Hello my friends, wee to ¡®David Speaks,¡¯ I¡¯m your boldest truth-teller, King David.


    The topic we¡¯re discussing today is serious. I¡¯m sure many viewers have used Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, but have you ever wondered if this product could harm our bodies?¡±


    ¡°In pursuit of the most authentic data, we invited a heavyweight guest, a renowned schr in the medical field and a Nobel Prize winner in Medicine, Terry Hades.¡±


    An elderly man with gold-rimmed sses and a kind face appeared on camera.


    ¡°Mr. Terry, what is your opinion on Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a product designed to make money without any regard for public health. The presence of such a product on the market is a shame for government agencies around the world.¡±


    Terry adjusted his sses and delivered his verdict.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quite a sharp statement. Mr. Terry, do you have detailed test data?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is the data I have tested: various harms significantly exceed the standards, and I am willing to be responsible for every word I have said.¡±


    Facing the camera, the medical authority directly addressed the issue: ¡°To safeguard the physical health of the people, I urge Tianyuan Daily to immediately disclose the detailed form and undergo more stringent testing. If it can be proved that Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid is harmless, I am personally willing to apologize.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    After being fanned by major news media, the ims about the dangers of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid to human health reached a climax.


    One by one, consumers who had purchased and used the product could not hold back,shing out on social media tforms like Twitter.


    ¡°The Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid I bought just doesn¡¯t seem appealing anymore, I¡¯m going to get a refund.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, I knew something was up with my skin breaking out in rashes recently, I can¡¯t believe such a product could brazenly be on shelves.¡±


    ¡°Hua Country products have always been predominantly low quality, I¡¯ve been telling you not to buy them, now you regret it, right?¡±


    ¡°I just bought a bottle of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid yesterday, this shittypany, Hua Country people are all a bunch of liars.¡±


    ¡°This is a monopolistic product, and they also practice price discrimination against us foreign users, selling it for twenty US dors in Hua Country and 159 US dors in our country. They should have been punished long ago.¡±


    ¡°The Hua Countrypany must pay the price,pensating us for our losses.¡±


    ¡°Things are still unclear, I¡¯ve been using Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid for two months without any difort!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, could it be a testing error? I really can¡¯t do without Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid now.¡±


    ¡°I believe Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid is fine, fake news in our country isn¡¯t new, only idiots believe them.¡±


    ¡°Just a bunch of anti-intellectual idiots. I work for a pharmaceuticalpany, and although there¡¯s one substance in Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid that can¡¯t be detected, there¡¯s absolutely no harm to the human body.¡±


    ¡°When a Nobel Prize winner has personallye forward, and you¡¯re still deceiving yourselves.¡±


    These negative attackingments flooded social media, apanied by a chorus of curses.


    Meanwhile, those seemingly rational voices defending Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid were quickly suppressed on these tforms¡ªvanished without a trace, and even their ounts were mercilessly banned.


    As the controversy intensified, even the United States Commerce Department stepped forward, with the spokesperson openly stating,@@novelbin@@


    ¡°After our investigation and evidence collection, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid does indeed pose a potential risk of causing illness to consumers. Considering the health of our citizens, we are now ordering all major supermarkets to temporarily remove this product from shelves.


    Furthermore, the Tianyuan Daily person in charge is required toe to our country within a fortnight to attend a businessmittee hearing, where issues such as consumer health, product hazard, price discrimination, and monopoly will be discussed for self-examination.


    If the safety hearing is not passed, we will fine the involved enterprise, with the expected amount exceeding three billion US dors.¡±


    Almost immediately after the United States issued the notice, Europe swiftly followed suit with a colossal fine of 34.68 billion euros and ordered aprehensive recall of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    Following the official intervention, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid went from being a product sought after by tens of thousands to one mired in constant skepticism, its sales plummeting, losing a vast market.

 Chapter 194 - 110: The Oldest Commercial Activity (Second Update)

    Chapter 194: Chapter 110: The Oldest Commercial Activity (Second Update)


    Chan Country, Mande City.


    Back at Jieke Company¡¯s headquarters building from Hua Country, Su Jie was convening a meeting with Chen Yaoguang and Liu Yingying, when he received a phone call from Polo, the president of Asder Pharmaceutical.


    No one knew how Su Jie¡¯s phone number had been leaked, but one should never underestimate the intelligence capabilities of these pharmaceuticalpanies.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I wonder if you¡¯ve seen our sincerity.¡±


    Over the phone, Polo¡¯s tone was somewhat elevated, exuding a confident assurance.


    ¡°Asder Pharmaceutical really lives up to its reputation as one of the world¡¯s top 500panies. Such lobbying groups have great capabilities, even mobilizing government departments of the United States. To wield such influence in both the political and business realms, you must have poured quite a lot of money into it.¡±


    Su Jie sat on the sofa, with theputer screen in front of him still disying the news from the United States Commerce Department announcing sanctions against Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.@@novelbin@@


    Polo¡¯s voice over the phone was hearty as he said, ¡°This is the result of sharing interests. We can leverage their power in the political, business, and media circles, and you¡¯ve seen the effects. I imagine, Mr. Su, you must be out of your wit¡¯s end right now. How does it feel to haverge quantities of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid in stock but unable to sell?¡±


    ¡°Then you are probably thinking too much. I¡¯m still eating well and sleeping well. Even if sales have dropped, that hasn¡¯t stopped me from making a lot of money every day. The Hua Country market alone is enough to keep me well-fed.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mr. Su, this is just the beginning. Our influence in Europe and America is not something you can imagine. Although you have money, you do not understand the importance of sharing interests. Eventually, you won¡¯t even be able to keep the Hua Country market. It¡¯s not toote to change your mind now. You should cherish the opportunity we¡¯re giving you.¡±


    ¡°My answer is still the same two words, ¡®I refuse¡¯.¡±


    Su Jie spoke without a moment¡¯s hesitation and continued, ¡°Also, don¡¯t call me again unless it¡¯s important. I¡¯m very busy.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, aren¡¯t you afraid that when weunchprehensive sanctions, not only will your overseas market vanish, but Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid will bepletely banned from customs, and you¡¯ll also have to deal with fines from our country¡­¡±


    Polo¡¯s voice on the phone was a bit exasperated, as he obviously hadn¡¯t expected Su Jie to be so unyielding.


    Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid had fallen into such dire straits, on the verge of being driven out of the European and American markets, and still, he refused to relent.


    This was a market worth trillions of dors, and yet someone was able to endure such a loss of interests and not bow their head. This was something profit-centric Polo just couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Is this what you Americans propound as free trade? Fine then, I wee your continued targeting.¡±


    Su Jie hung up the phone, no longer interested in entertaining Polo¡¯s jabber.


    ¡°Mr. Su, Asder Pharmaceutical admitted it was them?¡±


    Both Liu Yingying and Chen Yaoguang were deeply worried about this situation.


    ¡°Who else could it be, if not them? Their influence is just somewhat beyond imagination.¡±


    Su Jie nodded, acknowledging that Asder Pharmaceutical, one of the world¡¯s top 500panies, truly should not be underestimated.


    ¡°Given the current situation, Mr. Su, will attending the inquiry to prove our product is problem-free have any effect? Can we get Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid back on the shelves for sale in the Europe and America region?¡±


    Chen Yaoguang pointed at the news on theputer screen. The United States usually imposes sanctions on techpanies, and it was rare to see them target hair shampoo.


    ¡°If you went, it would be uncertain whether you coulde back or not. Besides, even if you think you are innocent, as long as others want to nder you, any exnation is futile.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head. He had no trust in the United States government, which followed a logic of banditry¡ªseeing something good belonging to others and wanting to seize it for themselves. For many years, this had not changed.


    The so-called free trade is free when it benefits them, but when it doesn¡¯t, they resort to sanctions and blockades.


    ¡°Then, about the penalty¡­¡±


    ¡°Fines? We don¡¯t have any assets within their jurisdiction, nor can they freeze our assets in Hua Country.¡±


    Su Jie didn¡¯t care at all about this. Other techpanies feared sanctions because they needed the industry support from their counterparts, like smartphones reliant on chips and other supplies, sometimes forcing them to pay fines.


    But the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid didn¡¯t need a cent from the United States for supply; let them fine as much as they wish¡ªif they could collect even a hair, consider them lucky.


    That was where Su Jie¡¯s confidence came from.


    Liu Yingying exined, ¡°Because we¡¯re in a seller¡¯s market, we require foreign vendors to pay in full before shipping, so there¡¯s no issue with outstanding payments, and they have nothing to withhold.


    The only thing I¡¯m worried about now is the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid being taken off the shelves in Europe and America. If this continues, our biggest source of revenue will be cut off, and we have to do something.¡±


    Su Jie stroked his chin. Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid could still operate in the Hua Country market and achieve annual revenues of a trillion Hua Yuan.


    Butpared to the global revenue of a trillion US Dors, there¡¯s a bit of a gap.


    Su Jie thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the current reaction from the citizens in Europe and America?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had people check. Because of the mass removal of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, many consumers who previously used it can¡¯t find a substitute, and their once lush hair has begun to fall out again.


    This has led to a situation where Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid is hard toe by in Europe and America, with the price continually rising. On the ck Market, it¡¯s even been sold for three hundred dors, five hundred dors, and sometimes a thousand dors a bottle.¡±


    Liu Yingying said with regret.


    Were it not for Asder Pharmaceutical¡¯s interference and the United States Commerce Department not ying fair, starting trade sanctions, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid could have been hugely sessful on the market.


    ¡°It seems there are still many who remain unswayed; as long as users have truly tried our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, they¡¯ll know our product is unproblematic.¡±


    Su Jie nodded. This aligned with his expectations.


    After the major supermarkets took Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid off their shelves, the demand for it didn¡¯t vanish.


    Anyone who had used Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid wasn¡¯t going to relinquish it so easily¡ªtheir hair would protest.


    ¡°But now they can¡¯t buy the product, even if they want to support us, they can¡¯t,¡±


    Chen Yaoguang sighed with disappointment, pained by the sight of all that potential profit just beyond reach.


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    As Su Jie pondered, an idea suddenly came to him.


    ¡°Do you have a n?¡±


    Liu Yingying asked anxiously, knowing Su Jie always had many ideas.


    Su Jie nodded and shared his thought, ¡°Since ancient times, wherever there is high profit, the more forbidden the trade, the more willing people are to take risks. In ancient times, there was a monopoly on salt and iron, which is why the smuggling of salt thrived. The United States once issued a Prohibition orderst century, which led to the rise of bootleggers and the mafia.


    For patients, our Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid has be a necessity they can¡¯t live without. Since the officials won¡¯t let us in, then we¡¯ll just sell it ourselves and don¡¯t even pay them taxes.¡±


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    Liu Yingying seemed to understand something, her mouth agape.


    Su Jie snapped his fingers and said with a smile, ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m going to engage in one of the oldest businesses in human history¡ªsmuggling. Yingying, go buy a ticket to fly to Mexico. Remember to disguise your identity so that those watching us won¡¯t notice.¡±

 Chapter 196 - 112: Business Partner (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 196: Chapter 112: Business Partner (Fourth Update)


    In Te Lu City, there was an extremely luxurious andrge mansion.


    Around the mansion, every five steps there was a guard, and every ten steps a sentry, all armed gang members on watch.


    This was because the mansion belonged to the head of the Tijuana drug trafficking group, Huarez Guzman, who had implemented the most extensive protective measures to guard against police arrest.


    Late at night, Huarez returned home, seething with anger. That day, yet another shipment had been intercepted by US police at the border, and a covert route for transporting goods had been discovered, causing him significant losses.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Fuck, those idiot minions, can¡¯t they give me a break?¡±


    Cursing under his breath, Huarez walked into his bedroom, intending to go to bed and rest. However, the moment he looked down, he noticed an envelope on the pillow.


    ¡°What¡­ Get over here, we¡¯ve got intruders!¡±


    The look on his face turned to shock, and Huarez immediately called for his men while drawing a pistol from his coat.


    As a notorious wanted criminal, there was no shortage of people after his life. Who knew if the room still harbored danger?


    Only after a horde of gang minions had rushed into the room and thoroughly searched every nook and cranny, ensuring there was no danger, did Huarez dare toe in.


    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    The number two man of Tijuana, Carter, who was in charge of strategizing, hurried over to inquire about the situation.


    Huarez¡¯s expression was grim as he shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, this envelope just appeared on my pillow.¡±


    Carter cursed the surrounding minions: ¡°What kind of protection is this? Someone sneaked into the boss¡¯s room, and you¡¯re clueless. What¡¯s the use of you? What if it was a bomb?¡±


    The minions, scolded until they were drenched in metaphorical blood, could only promise with shame, ¡°We really didn¡¯t notice any movement. This won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°You think there¡¯s going to be a next time?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s open the letter and see what it says.¡±


    Huarez interrupted and picked up the envelope, tearing it open.


    Dear Mr. Huarez, we are business partners from the Chan Country region and n to visit tomorrow morning before ten o¡¯clock.


    That was all that was written on the envelope, nothing more.


    Huarez and Carter looked at each other, eye to eye, for quite a while.


    ¡°Do you know anyone over there?¡±


    ¡°Not a single person.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s with this ¡®business partner¡¯?¡±


    As they spoke, it was Carter who first came to a realization, pping his thigh, ¡°I know who sent this letter.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Huarez quickly asked, as anyone capable of slipping an envelope into his bedroom undetected was certainly skilled.


    ¡°It must be a peer from the Golden Triangle.¡±


    Carter shared his guess.


    In Blue Star, there are two most famous Opium production regions, one is the Golden Triangle, the other the Silver Triangle.


    The Silver Triangle is located at the intersection of Mexico, Peru, and Colombia within the Andes Mountains and Amazon Region.


    The Golden Triangle is simrly situated at the confluence of three countries, with Chan Country being one of its origins, where there is a strong atmosphere for Opium production, and the local warlords all support the cultivation of Opium.


    ¡°Hiss, so that¡¯s how it is. No wonder they said ¡®business partner¡¯; it¡¯s all within the industry!¡±


    Huarez had an epiphany; it all made sense now.


    ¡°But, why are they looking for us? We¡¯ve never dealt with them before, right? Isn¡¯t their market mainly in East Asia?¡±


    Having understood where the letter came from, Huarez was filled with even more doubts, notprehending what these people could want with him.


    Even though they had not interacted before, he knew well that the drug lords from that region were extremely powerful and domineering.


    If one were to say that the primary business of Mexican drug lords was to engage in armed drug trafficking, then the primary business of the Golden Triangle drug lords was for warlords to engage in drug trafficking to fund their military expenditures.


    Their business philosophies also differed, with the Golden Triangle side being more militarily factionalized governments and military organizations with a strong military background.


    While the Mexican drug lords also shed with the government, they did not harbor ambitions to carve out their own independent territories and could be considered a more advanced criminal organization.


    Due to the difference in business philosophies, and the great distance between them, they had coexisted peacefully in the past, with one focusing on the East Asia market and the other on the United States market, neither stepping on the other¡¯s toes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ve heard that the Golden Triangle has been struggling recently. Aren¡¯t they mainly selling traditional opium products like flour? Besides marijuana, we mainly deal with newer synthetic opium substances, so maybe they want to coborate with us to get their flour into the United States market,¡±


    Carter frowned, as the military strategist of the Tijuana drug trafficking group, he tried hard toprehend the other party¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°If we can expand our business, it¡¯s good to have a win-win coboration!¡±


    Huarez¡¯s face brightened at the thought. Coborating with the Golden Triangle might allow his opium business to grow even further and reach new heights of sess.


    Thus, the two discussed, looking forward to the cooperation tomorrow with great anticipation.


    ¡­¡­.


    The following day.


    The sun rose in the east, and the morning fog cleared.


    Outside the manor, a taxi slowly approached.


    If the driver hadn¡¯t been held at gunpoint, he wouldn¡¯t daree anywhere near this ce¡ªeveryone in Te Lu City knew this was a drug traffickers¡¯ manor.


    At the manor gate, gang members notified earlier stood ready for the arrival.


    Seeing a taxi approach was somewhat unexpected, though.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    Su Jie asked the driver with a smile.


    ¡°No¡­ no charge,¡±


    The driver shivered, assuming Su Jie was some drug lord and dared not take his money.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to take advantage of free rides, keep the change,¡±


    Su Jie shook his head, tossed a few bills, and got out of the car.


    Liu Yingying, carrying a briefcase, also got out, following close behind Su Jie.


    As soon as they exited the taxi, fierce gazes scrutinized them. The tattoo-covered, scar-faced drug traffickers were unquestionably dangerous, brandishing their guns conspicuously.


    An ordinary person might indeed be intimidated by these drug traffickers, but Su Jie was no ordinary person; such pressure to him was merely like a gentle breeze.


    Liu Yingying maintained a calm demeanor, repeatedly envisioning the scenes of Jieke Security¡¯s forces in her mind, murmuring to herself: There¡¯s nothing to fuss about, we have an army on our side; it¡¯s these gangsters who should be afraid of us.


    Emboldening herself this way, Liu Yingying showed no fear.


    ¡°Take me to your boss, as we agreed upon yesterday,¡±


    Su Jie strode up to a few of the gang members, gesturedmandingly, and spoke fluently in Spanish as if he were issuing orders to his own subordinates.


    After a few days of practice, his Spanish no longer had any ent issues.


    ¡°Please follow me,¡±


    This Mexican drug trafficker, a towering man of two meters, dared not make any improper moves in front of Su Jie.


    Everyone had been strictly warned that the visitors were foreign warlords; they did not want to cause trouble for their organization.


    Su Jie and Liu Yingying entered the manor, and a few minutester, in a reception room, Su Jie met Huarez, the head of the Tijuana Organization, and Carter, the second-inmand.


    Upon seeing Su Jie, Huarez and Carter exchanged looks, and their hearts settled.


    An Asian; their guess was on target¡ªhe was indeed looking to coborate with them on the opium business.

 Chapter 199 - 115: Smuggling (Third Update)

    Chapter 199: Chapter 115: Smuggling (Third Update)


    Carter was indeed skilled. After Huarez met his sudden death, he swept away Huarez¡¯s followers with the speed of thunder and promoted his own people, already being the second-inmand of the Tijuana drug cartel.


    Thus, within mere three days, he had unified all factions, and the entire drug cartel was under his control.


    The numerous gang members were not particrly disturbed by this; after all, drug lords tend to have short lives, and it¡¯s normal for the upper echelons to engage in chaotic battles for profit. People just needed to follow the ultimate victor.


    As for everything that happened at Huarez Manor, no one had any clue.


    The gang subordinates below thought Carter had betrayed and killed Huarez, taking control of Tijuana, unaware that others were behind him.


    This wasn¡¯t considered a big deal¡ªjust a change of leadership. Weren¡¯t they all just normally growing and selling opium?


    But then, an order from the upper rankspletely baffled the numerous gang underlings.


    ¡­


    ¡°What, you want us to stop our current operations and sell this stuff?¡±


    In a poormunity in Te Lu City, Chiou Russell looked at a dozenrge boxes filled with bottles of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, his face expressionless.


    ¡°Yes, this is the new boss¡¯s order. You¡¯re to smuggle it into the United States and sell it there. A portion of the selling price is yourpensation.¡±


    The person responsible for the delivery was also from Tijuana, and he was just as confused about the order but had been instructed to pass it on like this.


    ¡°Can this stuff even sell? I remember it¡¯s just shampoo, right?¡±


    Chiou Russell showed a worried face, never having dealt with hair loss himself; he just recognized the name Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid without knowing much about it.


    ¡°Who knows? Anyway, the boss wants it this way. You have activities tomorrow, right? Just take it and test the waters. Honestly, none of us are sure.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give it a try, but don¡¯t me me if it doesn¡¯t sell.¡±


    Chiou Russell was helpless; he had no idea if the new boss, Carter, was out of his mind. Abandoning the lucrative opium trade to sell shampoo¡ªcould they still consider themselves drug dealers?


    But as a subordinate, regardless of his dissatisfaction, Chiou Russell could only obediently follow the orders. In a drug cartel like this, disobedient underlings faced extremely tragic fates.


    The next day, Chiou Russell got everything ready, found a familiar truck driver, and loaded up the truck with boxes of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    ¡°You¡¯re transporting so much this time?¡±


    The driver shuddered, looking at the dozen big boxes mixed in with fruit and vegetable crates, and felt his scalp tingle.


    If they were caught, he¡¯d be sitting in jail for a long time.


    ¡°Just drive your truck and don¡¯t ask questions you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Chiou Russell red at him and took the passenger seat.@@novelbin@@


    The driver, worried, turned his gaze away. If it weren¡¯t for his family that he needed to provide for and the brutality of these drug lords, he wouldn¡¯t want to take such private jobs.


    The truck soon started moving, heading in the direction of the US-Mexico Border.


    The driver kept pressing the gas pedal, hoping to deliver the goods quickly and without mishaps.


    But typically, the more one worries about something, the more likely it is to happen.


    On a road, a military police checkpoint appeared ahead, every officer armed and with dogs checking passing vehicles.


    In Mexico, where drug trafficking is rampant, the police could be quick to shoot if anything seemed amiss.


    Because they were just now climbing a hill, by the time the driver saw the checkpoint, it was already toote to turn around without being chased down and shot at.


    ¡°It¡¯s all over.¡±


    The driver looked at Chiou Russell next to him with a resentful expression. Generally, for such arge-scale opium transport, specialized armed forces would be dispatched for escort, led by elite troops from the group, armed and ready to match the police firepower.


    Why was it his unlucky day today? If the opium in the truck were found, even if he miraculously escaped the police¡¯s punishment, the drug lord would not let him, the driver, off the hook.


    Unfortunately, it was already toote for regrets. When the truck arrived at the checkpoint, several military police immediately started searching the vehicle with their dogs.


    Chiou Russell looked calm, as what they were transporting was not opium, so he had nothing to fear.


    However, the driver, due to his excessive nervousness, aroused the suspicion of the police, resulting in a more thorough inspection of the truck. Still, in the end, nothing was found, and the dogs didn¡¯t detect the scent of opium.


    Indeed, the police had found Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, but since it wasn¡¯t a dangerous substance, the police didn¡¯t take it seriously, allowing them to pass smoothly.


    After a rigorous searchsting over an hour, the truck was finally allowed to pass.


    The driver breathed a sigh of relief, his body already soaked with sweat.


    ¡°Look how scared you got, start driving.¡±


    Chiou Russell sneered, dismissing the driver¡¯sck of courage.


    After driving for another half hour, the truck arrived at a small town near the border, finally stopping in the yard of a house.


    Chiou Russell jumped down from the truck, called several aplices from the house, and together they unloaded the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    After sending the driver away, the group immediately moved everything inside the house. After lifting a carpet, there was a disguised underground tunnel.


    This tunnel stretched under the US-Mexico border and led directly into the United States.


    The tunnel was equipped with lightingmps, oxygen cylinders, and storage units, making it very secret and safe.


    The group used a cart to load all the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, traveling along the underground tunnel to reach inside the United States.


    ¡­


    Several hourster.


    United States, Arizona, Phoenix.


    Chiou Russell, wearing a trench coat, walked through thergest city in Arizona.


    Following the manual issued by his superiors, he targeted a neat, young white-cor worker with early baldness, approaching him step by step.


    ¡°Hey, buddy, looking for goods?¡±


    He tapped the man¡¯s shoulder and lowered his voice.


    The white-cor worker was startled, nced at Chiou Russell¡¯s attire, and thinking he was being offered opium, repeatedly shook his head, ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not an addict.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m selling shampoo, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.¡±


    Chiou Russell opened his trench coat, revealing small pockets sewn inside, filled with bottles of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    ¡°Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid?¡±


    The white-cor worker¡¯s tone immediately became excited, his eyes lit up, and he subconsciously touched his head.


    He had also used Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid before, but it was taken off the market leading to shortages. His lush, flowing hair had fallen out. His new girlfriend had dumped him for his baldness, a dilemma that had troubled him for a long time as he wished to regain his hair.

 Chapter 201 - 117: CIA (First Update)

    Chapter 201: Chapter 117: CIA (First Update)


    United States!


    Inside a certain government meeting room, the air was thick with smoke, and a group of people were puffing on cigars, their expressions exceedingly grim.


    The current head of the Avelson Family, Jose Avelson, sat in a chair, his demeanor cold and detached, as he slowly began:


    ¡°Gentlemen, it seems our n to force the other party intopliance has failed.¡±


    Facing Jose Avelson, an official from the tax bureau, visibly annoyed with a darkened face, said, ¡°Mr. Avelson, we could have been collecting taxes properly, but because of our cooperation with your operation, now there¡¯s a huge loss in the national treasury. Your way of doing things has made it difficult for everyone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, my chain of supermarkets has suffered severe losses. We used to earnmissions of over a hundred million US Dors monthly from Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, and now all the money¡¯s been made by the ck Market smugglers instead. Who¡¯s going topensate for our losses?¡±


    Another chairman of arge supermarket chain was also pounding the table, deeply regretting the failed operation of trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it.


    If only I hadn¡¯t cooperated with Asder Pharmaceutical, losing so much interest for nothing.


    The meeting room was filled with the privileged elite. A world top 500 and renowned multinational pharmaceuticalpany like Asder Pharmaceutical always preferred to interact with the influential and powerful.


    Now, facing the rampant smuggling of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, there was no doubt that their strict blockade policies had failed, which is why they had gathered together to discuss countermeasures.


    In response to the usations, Jose Avelson bowed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t anticipate this and it has resulted in losses for all of you. However, we¡¯re not without opportunities to recoup.


    Since smuggling is rampant, then we will crack down on these smugglers.


    The smuggled Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquides from Mexico; first, we¡¯ll have Mexico seal off the transportation channels at the border. Furthermore, we¡¯ll send special teams tobat criminal gangs involved in smuggling these items. For this, we need the strength of relevant personnel.¡±


    ¡°As long as we subdue the smuggling, Tianyuan Daily will have no choice but to ept our demands.¡±


    As he spoke, Jose Avelson looked towards a stern-faced middle-aged man in the room.


    ¡°Your Excellency Judith, Asder Pharmaceutical is willing to donate 50 million US Dors in cash to your department as funding for overseas activities. I believe with your methods, taking down those criminal gangs shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    The man named Judith was no other than a high-ranking official from the CIA, especially invited to the scene by Jose Avelson.


    ¡°After the sess of the operation, we at the CIA will take thirty percent of the revenue from Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid,¡± Judith said in a calm tone, stating his demand.


    As these words were spoken, numerous people¡¯s eyelids twitched in response, cursing inwardly.


    Jose Avelson furrowed his brows and thought for a long time. Considering that they needed to rely on the CIA¡¯s power, he finally had no choice but to nod, ¡°I can agree to that demand.¡±


    A hint of a smile appeared on Judith¡¯s indifferent face.


    Although the CIA is the United States¡¯ most important foreign intelligence agency, responsible for collecting intelligence on foreign governments,panies, terrorist organizations, individuals, political, cultural, and scientific developments, and also boasts formidable operational capabilities ¨C from bribery and assassination to sponsoring anti-government forces in enemy countries and facilitating arms trades and more.


    It can be said that the CIA has always had multiple roles, but toplete all these tasks, the CIA also needs funding!


    In order to rake in money, apart from government appropriations, the CIA takes quite an initiative.


    Not to mention, the shadow of the CIA looms behind many drug lords and organized crime figures.


    ¡°In addition tobating the smuggling in Mexico, we also need the CIA¡¯s power to help us deal with Jieke Company within Chan Country¡¯s territory ¨C that¡¯s Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid¡¯s stronghold. Only by taking them down can we truly gain the profits from Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.¡±


    Jose Avelson continued toy out his demands; he was also aware that Jieke Company had been aggressively expanding its military capabilities recently, which made him uneasy.


    If it weren¡¯t for the local warlords, whom they supported, not being ready, he would have already given the order to strike.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a regional warlord; we can help you with that,¡±


    Judith replied without hesitation. All they needed to do was tobel the other party as a terrorist; how could they not control him? The right to define was in the hands of the CIA after all.@@novelbin@@


    In the past, the CIA had done this kind of thing more than once. As long as the funding was in ce, they could even overthrow a nation, let alone a minor warlord.


    With Judith¡¯s assurance, Jose Avelson visibly rxed a great deal.


    Although promising a substantial part of the profits, gaining the friendship of the CIA was beneficial overall for Asder Pharmaceutical.


    With the CIA¡¯s vast influence overseas, Asder Pharmaceutical could go further and deeper.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, victory is in sight; we will undoubtedly be the final victors over a mere enterprise,¡±


    Jose Avelson stood up and bowed once again.


    Everyone exchanged smiles; with the CIA¡¯s involvement, they already saw the hope of victory.


    ¡­¡­


    Soon after the meeting ended, the United States Commerce Office held another press conference.


    The spokesperson angrily stated in front of the reporters, ¡°Recently, we discoveredrge-scale smuggling at the US-Mexico border. Criminals have brought Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, which our department has explicitly banned from selling, into our territory.


    Behind this must be the aiding and abetting of Tianyuan Daily, circting products through illegal channels and supplying criminals, thus endangering the public.


    We urge Mexico to immediately initiate the corresponding ban to prevent Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid from passing through customs and bing a weapon for criminals to earn ck Gold.


    Hereby, ourmerce department officially issues the final ultimatum.


    Tianyuan Daily has jeopardized the national security of the United States and must immediately stop this smuggling activity and pay a fine of 3.698 billion US dors, or we will initiateprehensive sanctions.¡±


    Reporters below, sensing big news, raised their microphones and asked, ¡°Are you saying Tianyuan Daily is involved in smuggling¡ªdo you have evidence?¡±


    ¡°Of course there is evidence, but it is not convenient to show it at the moment. Once we catch all the culprits, they will be punished byw.¡±


    The spokesperson from themerce office insisted, stating they would make Tianyuan Daily pay the price.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask, how exactly has Tianyuan Daily jeopardized our national security? Is there detailed medical validation and data to support the harm to health?¡±


    Another reporter stood up, the tone excited.


    ¡°It involves national security secrets, so it is not convenient for us to answer. Next.¡±


    The spokesperson¡¯s face turned darker, hurriedly looking for a friendly journalist.


    ¡°With such actions from Tianyuan Daily, should we consider directly freezing their funds?¡±


    A CNN reporter immediately made the suggestion to the spokesperson, ignoring the disdainful looks from fellow journalists.


    ¡°That¡¯s something we¡¯ll consider.¡±


    The spokesperson said dryly; had Tianyuan Daily¡¯s money been stored overseas, they would have frozen its assets long ago, letting them know what it means to be the world police. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have the opportunity.


    Seeing the eager eyes below, the spokesperson felt the press conference was a bit like being under siege and didn¡¯t dare to let the questioning continue. They hastily ended the conference and left somewhat awkwardly.

 Chapter 204 - 120: Peoples War (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 204: Chapter 120: People¡¯s War (Fourth Update)


    Facing such national conditions in Mexico, Nitel could only excitedly withdraw his team, but what he hadn¡¯t expected was the news he received three dayster.


    Not only were the port officials left unprocessed, but even the gang members they had caught were released by the police, and all the confiscated Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid had vanished without a trace.


    ¡°The gang members escaped? A fire broke out in the police warehouse, and the confiscated Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid was burned? Are they treating me like a three-year-old child?¡±


    In the office building in Mo City, Mikael Canto looked at the exnations given by the police, almostughing in anger.


    ¡°Nitel, do your country¡¯s officials have any bottom line at all?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Nitel was extremely embarrassed; he couldn¡¯t outright tell Mikael Canto that the bottom line of officials in his country was that there was no limit¡ªas long as it could make them money, they would dare to do what you could only dare to imagine.


    ¡°Forget it, arguing about this with you is pointless. I¡¯ve received information that there¡¯s a production line for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid in the Jimacan slums. I hope your police can work together with us to destroy it.¡±


    Mikael Canto then took out a stack of documents, speaking in a serious tone.


    ¡°Ah, going to Jimacan could be dangerous, maybe we shouldn¡¯t go in after all.¡±


    Nitel hesitated, showing his reluctance.


    ¡°I know, the security in the slums of Mexico is poor, so I requested the support of your police, and we have made preparations.¡±


    Mikael Canto asserted, dering that they were ready.


    ¡°Well, alright, I¡¯ll contact the police.¡±


    After thinking it over, Nitel realized it wasn¡¯t good to keep refusing, otherwise the higher authorities in the United States would send letters to their President again.@@novelbin@@


    ¡­


    Mo City is the capital of Mexico, and it is arge city with a poption exceeding twenty million.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine that a super metropolis like Mo City still has slums.


    Jimacan is thergest slum in Mo City, where the astonishing number of 1.5 million destitute people gather.


    When Mikael Canto led the team along with arge group of police officers into this area, they couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    In the slum, makeshift shelters made of wood and tin kept appearing, where people who came to Mo City looking for opportunities and work settled due to their dire economic situations, gradually forming this enormous and chaotic slum.


    There are also slums in the United States, but most of them were formed after the decline of industrial cities, still using brick and concrete housing, which ispletely different from those in Mexico.


    As they moved deeper, Mikael Canto gradually sensed that something was off, as the destitute gaze they met was not friendly at all.


    However, Mikael Canto soon had to ignore these concerns.


    He arrived in the central area of Jimacan, where he discovered dense small workshops, with workers numbering in the thousands.


    They saw batches of raw materials for hair growth liquid being brought in for simple production and manufacturing.


    For example, the simplest production of packaging bottles: numerous small earth workshops were busy, with piles of PET materials being purchased and then formed through injection molding machines toplete the simple packaging bottles.


    The text on the packaging was exactly from the batch of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid imported into the United States.


    Upon seeing these production workshops, Mikael Canto immediately fired into the air and shouted loudly, ¡°Everyone put your hands on your head and squat down, this is a police operation!¡±


    However, the expected scenario did not ur, and instead of obediently cing their hands on their head, the workers¡¯ eyes revealed a dangerous look.


    ¡°These police are going to destroy our factory.¡±


    ¡°If the factory is gone, we¡¯ll all starve,¡± he said.


    ¡°Kill them, kill them, kill them!¡±


    After a brief silence, workers fetched long and short guns from their rooms and fired through door cracks and window sills, their faces filled with a resolve to defend their homes at all costs.


    For these poor souls with nothing left but their lives, working in the production of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid was a hard-earned job with generous benefits that supported entire families.


    Now that someone was threatening this livelihood, they would not back down, not even from the police.


    Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!


    The slums erupted with gunfire in an instant.


    Mexico was awash with guns, and firearms circted widely among civilians.


    The factories themselves were well-stocked and now handed out weapons to workers, transforming them into merciless militias.


    What was even more terrifying was that as the battle erupted on this front, it rmed the vast majority of the slums. One by one, the poor grabbed guns and rushed to join the fight.


    Some were family members of the workers, others relied on the factory for food, and many more were spurred by the economic revitalization the hair growth liquid factory brought to the slums, voluntarilying forth to repel the attackers.


    Bang!


    A Mexican police officer fell heavily to the ground, his heart pierced through by a bullet.


    A gun barrel peeked out from a hidden gap in the wall, aimed and fired, felling several figures.


    A special agent from the United States crouched around a corner, exchanging fire with those up ahead.


    Suddenly, the door beside him was quietly pushed open, and a few impoverished individuals wielding machetes shouted incoherent curses as they shed down mercilessly, chopping him into an unrecognizable mess.


    A truck drove up, aimed at Mikael Canto¡¯s team, and rammed into them, flinging several people into the air. Arge group of poor jumped out of the back of the truck, firing and shing without a second word.


    Someone poured gasoline on the vehicles of Mikael Canto and others, igniting them in mes to vent their fury,pletely destroying the vehicles.


    Those without weapons picked up rocks, beer bottles, slippers, and more, hurling them through the air, a chaotic flurry of debris soaring everywhere.


    The local popce in Mexico was extraordinarily fierce, striking with brutal ferocity.


    In just a few short minutes, Mikael Canto and his team had plunged into a vast ocean of people¡¯s warfare, being sniped from all directions.


    Leveraging their numerical and geographical advantages, Mikael Canto and his troops were beaten back in disarray, fleeing in panic.


    The Mexican police were the first to copse, running faster than rabbits, wishing they had sprouted extra legs.


    ¡°Retreat, retreat quickly!¡±


    Mikael Canto, too, started to panic, having never experienced such a scenario. Faced with these rioting people, he felt as if he had stirred up a ho¡¯s nest.


    ¡°I told you not toe here, not toe here, but you just wouldn¡¯t believe it,¡± Nitel said, his face a mask of regret, his guts turning green.


    He never expected things to get this serious; he had only heard the slums were unruly, but this was no merewlessness¡ª it was like being on a battlefield!


    ¡°Stop talking, just run!¡±


    Although Mikael Canto was skilled with a gun and hand-to-handbat, and his team was indeed elite, they were embarrassingly outmatched.


    Despite being heavily outgunned, they managed tomandeer some vehicles and frantically charged out.


    However, once they cleared the slums and conducted a headcount, only a third of those who entered survived to escape; over two-thirds had left their lives behind forever.

 Chapter 205 - 121: Heavy Losses (First Update)

    Chapter 205: Chapter 121: Heavy Losses (First Update)


    ¡°`


    ¡°We¡­ we¡¯ve escaped.¡±


    Nitel sat down on the ground with the joy of a narrow escape, his body covered in both blood and sweat.


    The terrifying sensation of bullets whizzing past his scalp from moments ago still left his heart palpitating.


    ¡°Old Bill, David, Sarina¡­ they didn¡¯t make it out.¡±


    Mikael Canto¡¯s eyes were filled with self-reproach and regret, those were elite agents from various departments of the United States, and now they ally buried in the slums of Jimacan, not even their bodies could be recovered.


    Such devastating casualties were unprecedented for Mikael Canto.


    ¡°So you just run away, bastards? We help you destroy the smuggling factory, and this is how you betray us?¡±


    At this, other special agents who saw theirrades dead or wounded couldn¡¯t help but yell angrily at the police who had escaped first.


    ¡°It was you who insisted on going into the slums to provoke trouble, you insisted on dismantling people¡¯s factories, causing the death of many of our colleagues. You are the real cancer.¡±


    The Mexican police were also filled with grievances.


    Normally they wouldn¡¯t enter the slums, but today they had lost many men aiding these Americans, and they had nowhere to vent their anger.


    ¡°What did you say? If your police had done something, the slums wouldn¡¯t be in such chaos, allowing every thug to carry a gun.¡±


    ¡°Heh, as if you Americans are any better. Shootings happen every day, and those chaotic slums in Di Te City are also world-famous.¡±


    The argument between the two sides grew more heated, eventually escting into a fight, fists flying in a free-for-all.


    ¡°Enough, all of you stop it.¡±


    Mikael Canto bellowed, putting a stop to the conflict.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After a struggle to separate the fighters, Mikael Canto led his men to head back.


    In Mexico, they were always outsiders, any conflict with local police would only put them at a disadvantage.


    ¡°Mr. Mikael, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Nitel looked at Mikael Canto¡¯s grim face, not sure what else to say.


    ¡°The mistake was mine, I underestimated the risks of the slum. The waters here are too deep.¡±


    Mikael Canto let out a sigh, feeling the path to mission sess was long and arduous.


    ¡­


    At the US-Mexico border.


    A team of anti-smuggling patrol officers was driving towards a wastnd near the border, with no less than a dozen police cars on the road.


    They had received a tip-off about smuggling activities nearby, where traffickers of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid were moving goods in bulk.


    Patrol officer Charles, as he had done so many times before, drove on the rugged road, turning to his partner in the passenger seat with a smile, ¡°Get ready, our team is about to start the action soon. I hope we seize more contraband this time; the higher-ups are really focusing on this.¡±


    The passenger was a rookie named Lana Peters, who had recently joined the border patrol.


    With her looks, she had plenty of admirers, Charles included.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll shoot immediately if anything goes wrong.¡±


    Lana nodded, her hand resting on the holster at her waist, visible tension on her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, we¡¯re only going after the guys smuggling Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, not drug traffickers or illegal immigrants. They know their crimes are minor and they wouldn¡¯t dare to shoot back.¡±


    Charles, a seasoned veteran of many years, reassured the rookie, seizing the opportunity to endear himself.


    ¡°Hey, Charles, we¡¯re approaching the target area, but it¡¯s a bit close to the Mexican border. That¡¯s a disputed area between the two countries; we might be crossing the border here.¡±


    The voice of a colleague came through the radio.


    ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll make it quick ande right back, just grab the people and return.¡±


    Charles was unconcerned; they were the world¡¯s police. Arresting a criminal in a disputed area was no big deal, akin to American soldiers intervening in other countries¡¯ internal affairs under the pretext of anti-terrorism ¡ª not a rare urrence.


    Even if they did cross the border, it would be federalw that punished him, not Mexico.


    ¡°`


    The convoy continued on, entering an endless expanse of desert, canyons, and hills bristling with cacti.


    ¡°Once we get to the scene, we only need to make the arrest. Those smugglers have made a pretty penny, and there¡¯s a good amount to skim off them. As long as we¡­¡±


    Boom!


    Before Charles could finish, the lead police car exploded violently, as if something had blown it away.


    ¡°What happened, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Charles¡¯s face changed dramatically, and he bellowed into the walkie-talkie.


    As a response, an RPG fired from not far away hit another police car, sting it into a twisted wreck.@@novelbin@@


    On a hillside, dozens of peopley in ambush, each armed with a variety of weapons, and opened fire on the police convoy, their gunshots blending together in a relentless barrage.


    ¡°Enemy attack, enemy attack, we¡¯ve encountered armed assants, location¡­ request support, request support¡­¡±


    Charles mmed on the brakes and hurried out of the car with his Long Spear, using the police car as cover as he fired back at the enemy.


    Lana¡¯s hands trembled slightly as she gripped her gun and got out with the main force. Due to her nervousness and fear, her shots drifted skyward.


    Suddenly, the gunfire from the other side quieted down, as if the shooting had stopped.


    ¡°They ran away, huh?¡±


    Muttering to himself, Charles turned to Lana beside him and said, ¡°Looks like they were scared off. Those guys actually dared to resist. We can¡¯t let them go this time, no matter what.¡±


    Seeking to showcase his heroic spirit, Charles cautiously stood up to scout the situation.


    Lana didn¡¯t speak; she only stared at the right side of the convoy with her pupils shrinking violently. Her teeth chattered as she desperately clung to Charles¡¯s arm.


    Following Lana¡¯s gaze, the next moment forced Charles to widen his eyes in shock.


    An Infantry Fighting Vehicle with six wheels slowly ascended from the base of the hill, its dark 30mm machine gun aimed at their side of the police convoy.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    Charles cursed, and in the next instant, his body was blown apart, his blood sttering all over Lana¡¯s face and head.


    With the machine gun fire, the formidable weapon swept across the battlefield. The so-called cover of the police cars was like paper mach¨¦ before the 30mm machine gun, and body parts flew everywhere.


    The counterattack by the police officers was pathetically weak because their equipment simply couldn¡¯t prate the armor of the Infantry Fighting Vehicle.


    In just one minute, the machine gun turned the battlefield into a ughterhouse.


    After unleashing a barrage of fire, the Infantry Fighting Vehicle slowly retreated back into an underground tunnel, and the entire smuggling team vanished without a trace.


    By the time support police forces arrived, the scene was littered with limbs and body parts, and only Lana, who had lost an arm, was still alive.


    ¡°Those people are not human; they deployed an Infantry Fighting Vehicle. They are not ordinary smugglers,¡± Lana¡¯s recount made all the police officers gasp in shock, staring at the deep tunnel entrance with a chill crawling up their spines.


    To face an Infantry Fighting Vehicle inbat was something these officers had never encountered in their many years on the job; it felt exceptionally insane.


    ¡°We must chase them, we must bring those brutal smugglers to justice.¡±


    The police forces at the scene were enraged. While requesting military support, they sent officers into the underground tunnel to try and pursue the fleeing enemies.


    But the officers who entered the tunnel hadn¡¯t gone far when they saw a wide ymore mine on the ground with ¡°Front Toward Enemy¡± painted on it, and an infrared tripwire trigger device was active.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    A group of officers were terrified and tried to run, but by then it was toote.


    The activated ymore mine exploded in an instant, with hundreds of steel balls covering 60% of the arc in front, directly perforating the police officers in the tunnel into a honeb.


    Some steel balls even shot out of the entrance, hitting the unlucky ones observing from outside.


    The steel balls, with a range of tens of meters and designed as anti-personnel mines, were extremely powerful. The balls embedded into flesh and kept tearing through muscle, causing extreme damage and pain, filling the site with cries of agony for a moment.


    The remaining officers were stunned, a chill running from their feet to the top of their skulls, their minds filled with bewilderment and fear.


    Why were these smugglers of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid so ferocious, even more ruthless than the drug lords they had encountered in the past?


    Deploying Infantry Fighting Vehicles, ymore mines, rocketunchers¡ªwere they fighting a counter-terrorism war?

 Chapter 207 - 123: Declaration of Allegiance (Third Update)

    Chapter 207: Chapter 123: Deration of Allegiance (Third Update)


    ¡°Su Jie, Carter is here.¡±


    A pair of lotus-like arms reached from behind, wrapping around Su Jie¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll go have a chat with him.¡±


    Patting Liu Yingying¡¯s pert bottom, Su Jie stood up and walked into the living room.


    ¡°Mr. Su.¡±


    Carter was standing there, having been called by Su Jie.


    Step by step, Su Jie walked to the balcony, from where he could overlook the entirety of Te Lu City.


    ¡°Mr. Su, we¡¯ve achieved considerable sess in our operations this week.¡±


    Carter said with excitement. His drug traffickers, after training, utilized underground tunnels to significantly challenge the border patrol¡¯s spirit.


    This could not have been achieved by his drug lords alone since their training was stillcking. Many were elite soldiers from Jieke Security, drafted to operate various heavy weaponry.


    ¡°Carter, are you loyal to me?¡±


    Faced with Carter¡¯s excitement, Su Jie suddenly asked a seemingly unrted question.


    Carter was taken aback. He immediately knelt down andy prone on the floor, saying, ¡°Mr. Su, my loyalty to you is unwavering. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be in the position I am today.¡±


    ¡°Good, I need you to do something to prove this loyalty,¡± Su Jie said.


    Writing an address on a piece of paper, Su Jie spoke indifferently, ¡°Kill everyone at this ce. In our Hua Country, this is called ¡®submitting a name card.¡¯ With your loyalty, I trust you won¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    ¡°Third Community Fawendun Building?¡±


    Carter raised his head, not understanding what was special about this location.


    ¡°Inside, a group of CIA operatives and a United States Special Forces team have arrived. They n tounch a decapitation strike to eliminate the heads of Tijuana and eradicate the smugglingwork. You see how good I am to you, informing you in advance about the danger. Now, what you need to do is treat these people as prey. Understood?¡±


    ¡°CIA, we¡¯re to kill the CIA,¡± Carter said.


    Carter¡¯s pupils constricted sharply. This was the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the famous world¡¯s strongest military intelligence organization, backed by the global hegemon. If they touched their people, it was hard to imagine the kind of retaliation they would face.


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, you can just sit quietly and wait for them to take off your head. I won¡¯t force you,¡± Su Jie said, imposing psychological pressure with his words, to firm up the other¡¯s resolve.


    A fierce look shed across Carter¡¯s face. Born a drug lord, he had a ruthless heart. Grinding his teeth, he said, ¡°Mr. Su, I understand what to do. If those CIA agents daree here, I absolutely won¡¯t let them leave. This is my territory in Mexico, and I¡¯ll make them understand the consequences of encroaching on my turf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll await your good news, and also, the team isn¡¯t pure anymore. Eliminate a group,¡± Su Jie instructed, waving his hand and tossing out a piece of paper.


    Carter caught it reflexively and saw the names written on it. Several were his close aides. Cold sweat broke out instantly, and a vicious light flickered in his eyes.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I will hang all traitors,¡± Carter stated firmly.


    ¡°Go handle it.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After Carter left, Su Jie chuckled to himself.


    ¡°Things are getting more and more interesting.¡±


    The CIA¡¯s notoriety is known worldwide, and its presence is felt in the subversion of many hostile regimes.


    This time they even mobilized for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, who knows what interests Asder Pharmaceutical has promised them.


    Mr. Carter, having just walked out of the grand t, hadn¡¯t yet gotten into his car when two loud thuds of heavy objects hitting the ground were heard.


    Turning his head, he saw two bodies plummeting from the neighboring high-rise. Security guards went to check and found they were gang members, and discovered surveince equipment on the corpses.


    ¡°It was Mr. Su who helped me clear the trouble.¡±


    Mr. Carter raised his head, barely making out Mr. Su¡¯s solitary figure on the balcony, and immediately understood the situation, his face growing darker.


    It seems it was indeed CIA personnel who had already begun to monitor his movements.


    ¡°Drive back, tell the brothers in the gang to arm themselves, we¡¯re going on a killing spree.¡±


    With a coldmand, a murderous intent surged in Mr. Carter¡¯s eyes.


    ¡­


    The Third Community Fawendun Building!


    Located in the city center, it was one of the earliest constructed old houses, but with urban redevelopment, it had been neglected and was ordered to be evacuated and demolished to make way for new property sales.


    Dika was currently in one of the houses, scribbling on a map surrounded by the elite of the CIA¡¯s field operatives from Special Action Division Group A, consisting of 12 members all with richbat experience, either active duty or retired military.


    Unlike the office workforce specializing in intelligence gathering and political work, the field operatives were the CIA¡¯s sharp des, mainly engaged in assassination, sabotage, raids, ambushes and so on, asionally training foreign insurgents and leading them inbat.


    In addition to the field operatives, a Delta Special Team was also called in to coordinate with this operation, totaling 25 members of the elite forces of the United States military.


    ¡°Carter is a cautious man with as many as 12 residences, and the ce where he rests each night is a spur-of-the-moment decision. To strike, we must first determine his whereabouts.¡±


    Mikael Canto sat on the couch. For this operation, Mikael Canto had brought his subordinates to Te Lu City.


    At that moment, another man with a robust build and fierce demeanor, a ck man, slowly spoke, ¡°We¡¯re only responsible for eliminating the target. It¡¯s up to you to pinpoint the enemy¡¯s location.¡±


    His name was Jacquen James, captain of the Delta Force.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have informants in Tijuana, and they will provide the intel. Pinning down Carter¡¯s location won¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    Dika pointed to a residence on the map and chuckled lightly, ¡°He certainly won¡¯t expect that one of his loyal bodyguards is also on our payroll. What¡¯s the n for taking action?¡±


    ¡°Same as usual, we¡¯ll conduct a helicopter-borne raid, with support from fixed-wing tforms, drones, and satellites. The attack will take ce from midnight to early morning, taking advantage of the darkness. Our side has excellent night-vision equipment, allowing us to achieve unteral transparency on the battlefield, which is highly advantageous in capturing the target.¡±


    Jacquen James pounded the map with a heavy fist, his tone decisive.


    ¡°No problem, I will contact the Mexican officials and have the higher-ups authorize our operation so the aircraft can cross the border.¡±


    Mikael Canto spoke, noting that armed raids required coordination with Mexican officials, otherwise, helicopters would not be easily deployed.


    ¡°There¡¯s an even easier way, send a few missiles from a Predator drone to this man named Carter¡¯s residence, and everything would be solved.¡±


    Jacquen James expressed some regret, as such precise targeted decapitation would be much simpler.


    ¡°We need a live capture. The Tijuana crime syndicate has been provoking us through smuggling. We must capture a live suspect and bring them back for trial to have a sufficient deterrent effect.¡±


    Dika directly refuted; capturing Carter was not the primary reason, they needed to bring down the entire Tijuana Group.


    It was also a demonstration of power against the backers ofpanies like Jieke and Tianyuan Daily, and the local warlord of Chan Country, Su Jie.@@novelbin@@


    If they could force the adversary to hand over Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid directly, that would be ideal, but if not, they could still showcase the unparalleled strength of the United States, showing how foolish it was to think a crime syndicate could challenge the US.

 Chapter 209 - 125: The Entire Army is Wiped Out (First Update)

    Chapter 209: Chapter 125: The Entire Army is Wiped Out (First Update)


    Third Community Building, inside a severely damaged house, Jacquen¡¯s mangled bodyy on the ground, already devoid of warmth.


    Dika had a steel rebar piercing through his thigh, and his face was pale due to excessive blood loss.


    Across from him, Mikael still held a submachine gun, staying with thest few remaining survivors. Some were CIA agents, others were elite soldiers from the Delta Special Forces, but now they all looked as ragged as refugees.


    ¡°Everyone, I underestimated the enemy¡¯s ferocity,¡±


    Dika pulled painkillers from his pocket and swallowed them in one gulp, then injected his thigh with a needle.


    ¡°How could the enemy have so many armored units?¡±


    Mikael¡¯s voice was dull as he nced down at the tanks and self-propelled grenadeunchers continuously bombarding below, each st shaking their hearts like a heavy hammer, causing agitation and chaos.


    ¡°Cough, cough, I¡¯m afraid this can¡¯t be separated from that warlord in Chan Country. Our intelligence showed that they only deployed infantry fighting vehicles; we never expected them to bring tanks,¡±


    Dika coughed dryly. In Mexico, although drug lords were rampant, conflicts were generally gunfights focused, and utilizing heavy machine guns was considered significant firepower.


    Deploying tanks and grenadeunchers was practically unheard of, only that insane warlord named Su Jie would do such a thing.


    ¡°Mikael, try to break out with them,¡±


    Feeling the building shaking and on the verge of copse, even making creaking noises, Dika spoke again, ¡°The United States¡¯ aircraft will arrive in eight minutes, the helicopter rapid response team in thirty-one minutes, and the Mexican military ground forces won¡¯t arrive for another two hours. Leave now; I remember there¡¯s a manhole cover not far from the building, you guys can escape through the sewer.¡±


    ¡°Dika, what about you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. I misjudged the strength of the enemy, which is my due reward. Besides, with the condition of my body, I can¡¯t escape with you.¡±


    Mikael fell silent for a moment, then took the recorder and identity token that Dika handed him. He made eye contact with the other survivors, nodded, and said, ¡°Take care.¡±


    After speaking, Mikael left behind a handgun with a single bullet in it and then led the team charging out of the building.


    Meanwhile, Dika, hearing the ever-closer sound of tank treads and the dull bombardment, slowly took out the handgun and put it in his mouth. His mind was filled with vital intelligence; he wasn¡¯t sure if he could withstand torture if captured alive.


    ¡°I hope the boss takes this enemy seriously, to avoid repeating our mistakes.¡±


    Dika was about to pull the trigger when suddenly the floor beneath him shook, and a 155mm shell sted into the room.


    ¡°Dam¡­¡±


    Thest curse wasn¡¯t uttered as Dika, along with the floor, was engulfed by the blinding explosion.


    Boom!


    As Mikael hastily fled the Third Community Building, he turned back to see the building copsing under continuous bombardment, plumes of dust obscuring the view.


    ¡°Good opportunity.¡±


    Mikael put on a gas mask and, using the dust from the copsing building for cover, led the remaining few towards the manhole.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, one person in the group fell hard to the ground, his head bursting open.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Several gunshots rang out again, and three members of the team were shot in the head.


    Mikael couldn¡¯t believe it and looked up toward the direction from which the gunshots wereing.


    Despite the dust and ash obscuring the vision, how had the enemy sniper spotted him and his team? Thermal imaging perhaps?


    Before Mikael could figure out what was happening, his head too burst open like a balloon, and all his thoughts and consciousness faded away.


    ¡­


    From a distance, Su Jie dropped the Barrett sniper rifle in his hand and said to Carter beside him, ¡°It¡¯s done, notify everyone to retreat, unless you want to face retaliatory bombing by the United States.¡±


    Sitting upright with a serious demeanor, Carter immediately picked up the walkie-talkie, ¡°Operation sessful, everyone retreat from the scene.¡±


    Su Jie slowly walked downstairs and said, ¡°Go collect some identity tokens and take photos at the bodies, and then issue a statement in the name of the Tijuana Group, iming that we annihted a CIA and Delta Team this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Alright.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Carter was slightly taken aback, this act was practically provoking the United States, much like terrorists iming responsibility for a bombing attack. Now, it was impossible for the United States to cover this up and pretend ignorance.


    Su Jie walked downstairs, got into a ck sedan driven by a member of Jieke Security.


    On the battlefield, the Tijuana members loaded into pickups and trucks and departed.


    About a dozen armored units also started their tracks and turned to leave the streets.


    As they passed a street, police lined up on both sides, staring dumbfounded at the tanks and Infantry Fighting Vehicles passing by, too shocked to move, just dumbly watching the scene as if sending off the convoy.


    The retreat took just a few minutes, and the Tijuana Group members dispersed locally, while the armored units entered a warehouse.


    Not until the Tijuana Grouppletely left the area did the sirens, which had been sounding for a long time, approach the battlefield, and a group of Mexican police cautiously moved closer.


    In fact, they had arrived earlier, but faced with the ferocious Tijuana Group, and the terrifying bombardment from about a dozen armored vehicles, they, armed only with light weapons, were too scared to approach, merely watching the scenario unfold from a distance.


    Shortly after, the sound of fighter jets swooshed through the sky.


    These were jets from a certain United States Air Force base that had urgently armed and taken off, authorized to enter Mexican airspace.


    The Mexican police looked up to see several small ck dots detach from the belly of the aircraft.


    Several missiles dropped from high above, urately striking the warehouse where the armored units had entered.


    The intense explosion shattered the warehouse, lifting mes tens of meters high and producing shockwaves that swept in all directions.


    However, what the jets in the sky didn¡¯t know was that the warehouse had connected underground tunnels, and the armored units had already evacuated through the tunnels, rendering the missile attack futile.


    Soon, more and more support arrived, including Mexican military forces, air-dropped special forces sent by the United States, and specialized investigation teams, all arriving at the ruins of the Third Community within a few hours of the incident.


    As the remains of body after body were dug up, each bearing the identity of the CIA and Delta Force, the Mexican military at the scene were momentarily speechless, wondering if the Tijuana Group had gone mad tomit such an act.


    And as for the personnel from the United States, their expressions were even more grim.


    For many years, few organizations had dared to provoke the authority of the United States like this.


    This anger and humiliation engulfed every United States personnel present, and when they saw the recent announcement from the Tijuana Group iming responsibility for the incident, their suppressed rage finally erupted.


    Many dered their resolve to eradicate this dangerous criminal organization.

 Chapter 210 - 125: The Entire Army is Wiped Out (First Update)

    Chapter 209: Chapter 125: The Entire Army is Wiped Out (First Update)


    Third Community Building, inside a severely damaged house, Jacquen¡¯s mangled bodyy on the ground, already devoid of warmth.


    Dika had a steel rebar piercing through his thigh, and his face was pale due to excessive blood loss.


    Across from him, Mikael still held a submachine gun, staying with thest few remaining survivors. Some were CIA agents, others were elite soldiers from the Delta Special Forces, but now they all looked as ragged as refugees.


    ¡°Everyone, I underestimated the enemy¡¯s ferocity,¡±


    Dika pulled painkillers from his pocket and swallowed them in one gulp, then injected his thigh with a needle.


    ¡°How could the enemy have so many armored units?¡±


    Mikael¡¯s voice was dull as he nced down at the tanks and self-propelled grenadeunchers continuously bombarding below, each st shaking their hearts like a heavy hammer, causing agitation and chaos.


    ¡°Cough, cough, I¡¯m afraid this can¡¯t be separated from that warlord in Chan Country. Our intelligence showed that they only deployed infantry fighting vehicles; we never expected them to bring tanks,¡±


    Dika coughed dryly. In Mexico, although drug lords were rampant, conflicts were generally gunfights focused, and utilizing heavy machine guns was considered significant firepower.


    Deploying tanks and grenadeunchers was practically unheard of, only that insane warlord named Su Jie would do such a thing.


    ¡°Mikael, try to break out with them,¡±


    Feeling the building shaking and on the verge of copse, even making creaking noises, Dika spoke again, ¡°The United States¡¯ aircraft will arrive in eight minutes, the helicopter rapid response team in thirty-one minutes, and the Mexican military ground forces won¡¯t arrive for another two hours. Leave now; I remember there¡¯s a manhole cover not far from the building, you guys can escape through the sewer.¡±


    ¡°Dika, what about you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. I misjudged the strength of the enemy, which is my due reward. Besides, with the condition of my body, I can¡¯t escape with you.¡±


    Mikael fell silent for a moment, then took the recorder and identity token that Dika handed him. He made eye contact with the other survivors, nodded, and said, ¡°Take care.¡±


    After speaking, Mikael left behind a handgun with a single bullet in it and then led the team charging out of the building.


    Meanwhile, Dika, hearing the ever-closer sound of tank treads and the dull bombardment, slowly took out the handgun and put it in his mouth. His mind was filled with vital intelligence; he wasn¡¯t sure if he could withstand torture if captured alive.


    ¡°I hope the boss takes this enemy seriously, to avoid repeating our mistakes.¡±


    Dika was about to pull the trigger when suddenly the floor beneath him shook, and a 155mm shell sted into the room.


    ¡°Dam¡­¡±


    Thest curse wasn¡¯t uttered as Dika, along with the floor, was engulfed by the blinding explosion.


    Boom!


    As Mikael hastily fled the Third Community Building, he turned back to see the building copsing under continuous bombardment, plumes of dust obscuring the view.


    ¡°Good opportunity.¡±


    Mikael put on a gas mask and, using the dust from the copsing building for cover, led the remaining few towards the manhole.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, one person in the group fell hard to the ground, his head bursting open.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Several gunshots rang out again, and three members of the team were shot in the head.


    Mikael couldn¡¯t believe it and looked up toward the direction from which the gunshots wereing.


    Despite the dust and ash obscuring the vision, how had the enemy sniper spotted him and his team? Thermal imaging perhaps?


    Before Mikael could figure out what was happening, his head too burst open like a balloon, and all his thoughts and consciousness faded away.


    ¡­


    From a distance, Su Jie dropped the Barrett sniper rifle in his hand and said to Carter beside him, ¡°It¡¯s done, notify everyone to retreat, unless you want to face retaliatory bombing by the United States.¡±


    Sitting upright with a serious demeanor, Carter immediately picked up the walkie-talkie, ¡°Operation sessful, everyone retreat from the scene.¡±


    Su Jie slowly walked downstairs and said, ¡°Go collect some identity tokens and take photos at the bodies, and then issue a statement in the name of the Tijuana Group, iming that we annihted a CIA and Delta Team this afternoon.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°This¡­ Alright.¡±


    Carter was slightly taken aback, this act was practically provoking the United States, much like terrorists iming responsibility for a bombing attack. Now, it was impossible for the United States to cover this up and pretend ignorance.


    Su Jie walked downstairs, got into a ck sedan driven by a member of Jieke Security.


    On the battlefield, the Tijuana members loaded into pickups and trucks and departed.


    About a dozen armored units also started their tracks and turned to leave the streets.


    As they passed a street, police lined up on both sides, staring dumbfounded at the tanks and Infantry Fighting Vehicles passing by, too shocked to move, just dumbly watching the scene as if sending off the convoy.


    The retreat took just a few minutes, and the Tijuana Group members dispersed locally, while the armored units entered a warehouse.


    Not until the Tijuana Grouppletely left the area did the sirens, which had been sounding for a long time, approach the battlefield, and a group of Mexican police cautiously moved closer.


    In fact, they had arrived earlier, but faced with the ferocious Tijuana Group, and the terrifying bombardment from about a dozen armored vehicles, they, armed only with light weapons, were too scared to approach, merely watching the scenario unfold from a distance.


    Shortly after, the sound of fighter jets swooshed through the sky.


    These were jets from a certain United States Air Force base that had urgently armed and taken off, authorized to enter Mexican airspace.


    The Mexican police looked up to see several small ck dots detach from the belly of the aircraft.


    Several missiles dropped from high above, urately striking the warehouse where the armored units had entered.


    The intense explosion shattered the warehouse, lifting mes tens of meters high and producing shockwaves that swept in all directions.


    However, what the jets in the sky didn¡¯t know was that the warehouse had connected underground tunnels, and the armored units had already evacuated through the tunnels, rendering the missile attack futile.


    Soon, more and more support arrived, including Mexican military forces, air-dropped special forces sent by the United States, and specialized investigation teams, all arriving at the ruins of the Third Community within a few hours of the incident.


    As the remains of body after body were dug up, each bearing the identity of the CIA and Delta Force, the Mexican military at the scene were momentarily speechless, wondering if the Tijuana Group had gone mad tomit such an act.


    And as for the personnel from the United States, their expressions were even more grim.


    For many years, few organizations had dared to provoke the authority of the United States like this.


    This anger and humiliation engulfed every United States personnel present, and when they saw the recent announcement from the Tijuana Group iming responsibility for the incident, their suppressed rage finally erupted.


    Many dered their resolve to eradicate this dangerous criminal organization.

 Chapter 213 - 128: War (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 212: Chapter 128: War (Fourth Update)


    Tianyuan World, Ghost Ridge Pce!


    Su Jie had arrived at the Alchemy Hall of Ghost Ridge Pce, a ce where the pce¡¯s Pill Masters were nurtured. The elixirs produced here differed from those in the outer world, often peculiar and sinister in nature.


    ¡°Brother Su.¡±


    ¡°Brother Su.¡±


    The disciple guarding the Alchemy Hall was startled upon seeing Su Jie. After killing Du Shaochang, Su Jie had be quite famous within Ghost Ridge Pce, hailed as one of the strongest among the disciples of the Yunling Realm.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to buy some items. Do you still have any Blood ughter Pills for sale?¡±


    Su Jie didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose.


    The Blood ughter Pill was amon elixir, easy to produce. Its primary function was for ordinary people, extracting the body¡¯s potential and enhancing various bodily functions in a short period.


    It also had side effects; taking the Blood ughter Pill caused severe blood deficiency in the body.


    If no blood transfusion was administered afterward, it would consume the person¡¯s lifespan.@@novelbin@@


    In Ghost Ridge Pce, the production of Blood ughter Pills was cheap, requiring only somemon Spirit nts mixed with a small amount of Blood Marrow Crystal.


    In the past, Blood ughter Pills were used on human ves working in mines and herb fields of Ghost Ridge Pce. These human ves were often forced to consume the pills to increase their work intensity and efficiency.


    Under the influence of high-intensitybor and the aftereffects of the Blood ughter Pill, those human ves typically had less than a year to live.


    Since they were bound to be used by Demon Cultivators to feed insects at the brink of death, treated as consumables, their lives were of no concern; naturally, there was no need for blood transfusions or anything of the sort.


    ¡°Blood ughter Pills, yes, yes, Brother Su, how many would you like?¡±


    The disciple quickly spoke, mentioning that with the Righteous Sects surrounding Ghost Ridge Pce, some of the mines and herb fields had ceased operations, leaving arge quantity of Blood ughter Pills in storage.


    ¡°Start me off with two hundred thousand pills, and if that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll buy more.¡±


    Su Jie stated a number that left the disciple astonished.


    ¡°This¡­ so many.¡±


    Although Blood ughter Pills were inexpensive, buying so many at once would still cost thousands of Blood Marrow Crystals.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have any?¡±


    ¡°We do, we do.¡±


    If it were someone else, selling so many Blood ughter Pills at once would require reporting to the Elder for permission, but with Su Jie as the buyer, there were no suchplications.


    The disciple quickly left to prepare the Blood ughter Pills.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Three dayster.


    Chan Country, Mande Region, military camp.


    Su Jie, d in military uniform, appeared on the high tform of the parade ground.


    Below, tens of thousands of Jieke Security Soldiers formed a massive battalion, holding steel rifles, standing ramrod straight.


    Nearby, neatly parked tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery were all fully armed.


    The densely packed soldiers gathered here, creating a sea of heads that spread a solemn atmosphere throughout the area.


    From the sidelines, journalists with cameras were loyally recording everything, broadcasting it to television stations.


    In the Mande Region, every household was glued to the TV, watching a scene that would go down in the history of the Mande Region.


    The spring breeze fluttered as Su Jie surveyed his surroundings, receiving fervent gazes from the Jieke Security Soldiers, everyone aware of what was about to happen.


    Prior continuous military drills had already sent whispers through the winds of an impending action against other warlords of East Qin State.


    ¡°My soldiers, I am the founder of Jieke Company, Su Jie. Most of you should recognize me, so I won¡¯t bother introducing myself much.¡±


    Su Jie stood straight, his resonant and sonorous voice reaching all around.


    ¡°Today is April 18, an ordinary day, yet at this moment, the warlords of East Qin State are already stirring.¡±


    Yesterday, Guo Mindeng¡¯s troops breached Haiyan Mountain, crossing the alert lines in the Mande Region.


    Yesterday, Ang Yulun¡¯s forces initiated a military drill in Qi Wu, deploying nes and artillery.


    Yesterday, Suomin Tun personally made a speech, using our Mande Region of human rights abuses, enving the people through an economy reliant on insects.


    Yesterday, some so-called renowned international media ndered Jieke Company for engaging in illegal businesses, manufacturing raw materials for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, thereby poisoning people worldwide.


    Yesterday, someone suddenly contacted me. If we do not hand over the form for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, they threatened to shut down Jieke Company.


    This morning, a new batch of arms was delivered via sea to a region controlled by the warlords. Where did these armse from? Naturally, they came from the support of foreign powers.


    Why are they targeting us everywhere?


    Because we in the Mande Region are not in line with them, because we have lived better lives, and our lives have undergone radical changes.


    Because we possess the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, a product that sells well worldwide, which naturally these foreign powers do not want to see.


    They only allow us to live in poverty and hardship forever, doing the most menial jobs, being part of the global industrial chain with the least profit, subjected to their envement and scorn, and they will never allow us to challenge their authority, live the life they enjoy, or obtain high-profit margins in the industrial chain.


    We crave peace, but the hyenas and tigers will show their fangs, saying, ¡°You do not deserve to sit at the same table and share a meal with us, the dog bowl is where you belong.¡±


    Those noble capitalists will say, ¡°You only deserve the scraps we leave behind.¡±


    Those foreign powers wanting our submission only wish to see us wag our tails at them, hoping they throw us an extra bone or two.


    Do you say we should submit?¡±


    The voice traveled through the microphone throughout the venue, each soldier gripping their steel guns, responding with deafening roars.


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    Dust flew and thunderous voices echoed, the resolute iron-blooded sound dering their choice.


    Before the TV, citizens of the Mande Region also rose, shouting angrily.


    ¡°Damn it, we¡¯ve finally started to live well; whoever dares to touch Jieke Company, I will kill them.¡±


    ¡°Before Jieke Company came, my monthly sry was only three or four hundred Hua Yuan. After Jieke Company arrived, my sry is now fifteen hundred Hua Yuan. Who is good and who is bad, don¡¯t we, the wage earners, know?¡±


    ¡°Down with those who want to oppress us, Grandpa, where is that old gun you hid? Give it to me, I also want to join Jieke Security to fight the enemies.¡±


    A torrent of voices arose, and the whole Mande Region boiled over.


    Su Jie was very satisfied with everyone¡¯s response. The morale of the troops was usable!


    ¡°I heard everyone¡¯s response, but words are the weakest weapons. Bullets and corpses will show them our determination.


    I of course know what war means. The enemy has support from foreign powers, equipped with the most advanced weapons. It will be a tremendously harsh test, a prolonged struggle filled with suffering.


    As I have said before, all we can offer is our blood, sweat, tears, and toil.


    But are we afraid? We will fight those overconfident warlords onnd, sea, and air. With bullets and iron blood, we will tell them that for victory, for a hard-earned life, we will spare no expense, fear no terror, no matter how long or arduous the road ahead, we will seize this victory because without victory, we cannot survive.


    Now, as the highestmander of Jieke Security, I order you tounch a cleansing war against the three warlords Guo Mindeng, Ang Yulun, and Suomin Tun for the safety of the Mande Region.¡±


    ¡°War!¡±


    ¡°War!¡±


    ¡°War!¡±


    In a roar that shook the heavens, rows of armored vehicles started, and armed helicopters whirred overhead.


    Massive columns of soldiers, marching along the newly paved asphalt road, headed toward the border areas adjoining the three warlords.


    Since the enemy wants war, then I will give them war.


    Su Jie gazed into the distance with a profound look, as if seeing a pair of invisible giant hands named Capital maneuvering everything.


    Behind him, Liu Yingying looked up in admiration, her heart pounding, her gaze at Su Jie somewhat infatuated.

 Chapter 214 - 130: Rout (Second Update)

    Chapter 214: Chapter 130: Rout (Second Update)


    Situang moved extremely agilely, with a strength and speed far surpassing those of the past, coupled with enhanced neurological reactions, which made him asfortable as a fish in water on theplex and ever-changing jungle battlefield.


    After executing several soldiers with his bay, his figure was finally spotted by arge group of soldiers, and the warlord soldiers furiously shot at his area.


    Situang was not in a hurry; he had already opened a breakthrough, and a significant area showed an obvious vacuum of firepower.


    Behind him, Jieke Security Soldiers, informed by the inte about the gap in firepower, immediately rushed to seize the fire points.


    On the entire battlefield, there were dozens of soldiers like Situang who had ingested Strengthening Pills.


    Stimted by the Strengthening Pills, each one transformed into a relentless killing machine, embodying the might of Lamborgini gods of war.


    Incredibly enhanced stamina, speed, strength, and neurological reactions; they asionally felt little pain even when injured, paired with precise shooting skills, which were even more exaggerated than being fully pumped with adrenaline.


    In less than half an hour, the warlord soldiers, who originally had the high ground and the advantages of terrain and numbers, had been crushed.


    These warlord soldiers horrifyingly discovered that the enemy army contained supermen.


    These supermen had exceptionally urate shooting and extremely robust physiques, darting around the battlefield like wild cats, unbeknownst to many soldiers who fell to these supermen¡¯s gunfire.


    Being far from elite themselves, they were immediately petrified by the massacre of the Super Soldiers.


    Unsure who surrendered first, but on the entire battlefield, warlord soldiers began to emerge from their covers one after another, raising their guns, unwilling to endure the threats of the Super Soldiers anymore.


    ?¡ð¦ÍG¡ð.?¡ð


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Two hourster, after the effects of the Strengthening Pill had worn off, Situang felt very unwell.


    If previously he felt as if he had endless strength, he now felt like he had used a hand pump a dozen times, resulting in devastating weakness and debility hard to sustain.


    ¡°Situang,e for a blood transfusion.¡±


    Just then, the battalionmander called out his name.


    A modified logistics support vehicle drove over, around which gathered many soldiers just like Situang, who had ingested Strengthening Pills, and battlefield paramedics were performing blood transfusions on each one.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Situang.¡±


    ¡°Let me check, Situang, blood type B.¡±


    The paramedic expertly hung the blood bag and inserted the needle into the vein to administer a blood transfusion to Situang.


    As the continuous flow of blood entered his body, Situang immediately felt his body change.


    Like drought-strickennd blessed with timely rain, his bodily fatigue gradually decreased, moving towards a normal state.


    ¡°Brother, how many did you kill?¡±


    The Super Soldier next to him, also receiving a blood transfusion, greeted and inquired.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t count exactly, probably around thirty or so,¡±


    Situang mentioned a number that even he found surprising.


    Even though he had indeed excelled in military exercises and became a Super Soldier of Jieke Security, issued with Strengthening Pills,


    achieving such record still seemed incredible to him.


    In the past, it was not unheard of for soldiers to achieve such records; some soldiers were naturally born kings of soldiers, with records of killing over a hundred people in one battle, but those were achieved after fighting for several hours or even a day.


    In contrast, Situang¡¯s entire battlested less than half an hour. If it had continued, who knows how many more he could have killed.


    ¡°Are you a First-ss Super Soldier? I¡¯m third-ss, only killed twelve people. How do you train?¡±


    The Super Soldier who was asking questions spoke with evident envy.


    At Jieke Security, based on the screening andpatibility with the Strengthening Pill, Super Soldiers were divided into three levels: third-ss, second-ss, and first-ss.


    First-ss Super Soldiers like him could maximize the medicinal effects of the Strengthening Pill, gaining more enhancements than others. They possessed strengthparable to tigers or leopards and could easily break the human speed limit for a hundred meters. Also, the effectssted much longer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯m not first-ss, I¡¯m a second-ss Super Soldier. My training just includes some additional subjects.¡±


    Situang was not very talkative, typically responding only when asked.


    By this time, the captured warlord soldiers had been counted and, looking downcast, were being escorted out by Jieke Security.


    As they passed by the logistical support vehicles, these warlord soldiers tread lightly, some with faces pale from fright.


    Yet, these Super Soldiers were covered in blood, their eyes filled with a murderous aura.


    It was these battlefield Super Soldiers who had annihted many of theirrades, fighting like Transformed Persons, forcing them into retreat, which was the primary cause of their defeat.


    ¡°Form ranks, we continue moving. The captives will be handed over on the spot to the rear, as we must reach Hunei City by tonight.¡±


    The battalionmander continued to speak as the Jieke Security soldiers prepared to move forward, striding powerfully over mountains and ridges, heading towards Hunei City, the most important city within Ang Yulun Warlord¡¯s territory.


    ¡­¡­.


    Almost irresistibly, Jieke Security split into two groups, carrying out a two-pronged attack. The territories defended by Ang Yulun and Suomin Tun kept losing high-risk areas.


    In front of the Super Soldiers who had taken the Strengthening Pill, these warlord soldiers were no match, with about one tenth dying or wounded before the rest would copse and surrender.


    Often, the defense lines manned by thousands would rely on the dense forests for resistance, yet they would be riddled with holes under the breakthroughs of the Super Soldiers.


    Eventer, upon hearing about the existence of Super Soldiers within Jieke Security, these warlord soldiers would flee at the slightest wind, abandoning their positionspletely.


    Hunei City.


    This was the most important city in the territory of the Ang Yulun Warlords, with a poption of five hundred thousand.


    Facing the fierce attack by Jieke Security in the dense forests, Ang Yulun had no choice but to recall all his soldiers to defend Hunei City, hoping to dy time through street fighting and wait for reinforcements.


    ¡­@@novelbin@@


    At night, the Second and Fourth Regiments of Jieke Security¡¯s Mountain Brigade assembled here.


    The two light infantry mountain regiments had a total of four thousand people and had not suffered much loss on the way.


    After a brief rest, the battle kicked off the next day.


    Situang, as a Super Soldier, would lead the way with other Super Soldiers, acting as the spearhead.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    Situang saw several Super Soldiers different from himself; their shoulders bore an Arabic number one with a Centipede wrapped around on both sides, and they looked even more ferocious, causing even Situang some rm.


    Situang knew these men were first-ss Super Soldiers, under regiment-level control, not avable to basic battalion-level andpany-level units.


    ¡°Do we have the confidence to take down the battle in three hours?¡±


    ¡°Commander, leave it to us.¡±


    The dozen or so first-ss Super Soldiers appeared calm without the pre-battle jitters.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news. Get them outfitted.¡±


    Soon, a few armored transport vehicles drove over.


    Under the watchful eyes of Jieke Security soldiers, the armored transport vehicles opened and the logistics soldiersboriously moved out several heavy armor suits.

 Chapter 216 - 132: Occupation (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 216: Chapter 132: upation (Fourth Update)


    With the deployment of Super Soldiers, the territory of Hunei City was being gradually consumed.


    The lethality brought by the Super Soldiers was one thing, but more importantly, the presence of these Super Soldiers greatly defeated the morale of the warlord soldiers.


    Especially with the engagement of First-ss Super Soldiers, the warlord soldiers were filled with fear.


    Their 7.62 caliber rifles could not prate the defenses at all, it was like facing an indestructible monster.


    When armed helicopters and tanks with heavy firepower were deployed, those Steel Monsters would skillfully escape, taking advantage of theplex urban environment to dodge.


    Moreover, with the intelligence provided by drones from the sky, the attack was utterly elusive, specifically bullying those light infantry and making the warlord soldiers cry for their parents.


    If it were in the ins, these First-ss Super Soldiers would just be slightly tougher live targets¡ªvarious high-powered weapons could be fully leveraged, and no amount of armor would help.


    But in the city, heavy weaponry was difficult to utilize; the best method to handle First-ss Super Soldiers was to conductrge-scaleprehensive bombing.


    Several First-ss Super Soldiers were bombarded to death by artillery, even sted into pieces by tanks.


    Yet, the military achievements they brought were astounding. They transformed into the spearheads of two Mountain Brigades, pioneers clearing the path, stabbing directly into the crucial parts of Hunei City like sharp swords, significantly hindering the defense lines of the garrison forces and forcing the warlord soldiers to gather heavy firepower for suppression.


    Due to the disarray in the defense lines caused by the First-ss Super Soldiers, the front battlefields were left exposed, allowing the other Jieke Security soldiers to proceed with the upation methodically, sparing many dangers and sacrifices.


    In the brutalbat, facing the dominance of Jieke Security, especially the massacre conducted by those Super Soldiers.


    ?¡ð¦ÍG¡ð.?¡ð


    Many warlord soldiers, while fighting, snapped the tense string in their minds.


    These remaining forces in Hunei City were the elite troops of the warlords, and at this point, they began to surrender en masse.@@novelbin@@


    Eventually, above a government building in the city center, the g of Jieke Company was raised high.


    The entire battle for Hunei City, from start to finish, only took two hours.


    Nothing like those lengthy and bloody urban sieges that couldst for ten days, half a month, or even months.


    In Hunei City, Miao Lun, with the help of logistics soldiers, took off his Battle Armor.


    He seemed utterly exhausted, gasping heavily as if he were a bellows.


    The surrounding Jieke Security Soldiers cast admiring nces at him.


    They had witnessed thebat of these First-ss Super Soldiers and calling them little Supermen wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.


    Without these Super Soldiers, capturing Hunei City easily would have been unthinkable; it could have turned into a tug-of-war, with the entire city turning into a meat grinder, both sides incessantly pouring infantry into the city, which is the mostmon oue of city siege battles.


    The logistics support vehicle rushed over, and a medic started transfusing blood into Miao Lun, sustaining the lives of these powerful soldiers.


    Each First-ss Super Soldier was a precious asset to Jieke Security. Out of fifteen thousand personnel in Jieke Security, only a mere few dozen could perfectly adapt to the Strengthening Pill and needed immediate medical attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Miao Lun looked at Situang, who was also receiving a blood transfusion next to him. During the battle, he had noticed Situang, who was evidently a Super Soldier as well.


    ¡°Situang, from the Second Brigade, Third Battalion.¡±


    Situang scratched his head and curiously scrutinized Miao Lun, asking, ¡°We both take Strengthening Pills, but why are your changes so drastic? Does eating a few more really make such a difference?¡±


    Miao Lun cracked a slight smile and exined, ¡°Besides taking Strengthening Pills, a few days ago, Jieke Security also performed a round of enhancement modifications on us.


    At the Fumen Breeding Farm, Chief Su personally conducted surgery on us. It seemed like he imnted something into my body. I can¡¯t quite specify what it was, but afterward, our bodies became exceptionally strong.¡±


    Miao Lun was unaware that in the Tianyuan World, there existed something called a Symbiotic poisonous insect.


    A Symbiotic poisonous insect called Silver Scale Worm had been imnted in his body. This type of insect required the host¡¯s fresh blood for sustenance and greatly stimted the host¡¯s physical abilities duringbat, endowing the host with a powerful physique in return.


    If the host died, the Symbiotic poisonous insect would also perish simultaneously.


    Simrly, if the Symbiotic poisonous insect died, the host would die as well.


    However, because the enhancement effect of the poisonous insect was limited, Cultivators didn¡¯t value it highly and considered it an additional vulnerability.


    For a Gu Master, finding an insect hidden inside a human body was simple, and if the Symbiotic poisonous insect was targeted, it really was the end for the host.


    ¡°Is that so!¡±


    Situang felt envious; unfortunately, his body wasn¡¯t perfectlypatible with the Strengthening Pill to advance to a First-ss Super War and undergo the body enhancement modification.


    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on fighting for now. Drive those scrappy warlords out, and once Jieke Company grows stronger, more and more soldiers will surely receive enhancement modifications.¡±


    Miao Lunforted him this way. He hade from a poor family, and Jieke Company had changed his family¡¯s life. Thus, upon hearing the news of the war, he wasn¡¯t scared but rather, he was boiling with excitement to serve the Jieke Company.


    ¡°I will do my best to kill the enemy.¡±


    With a naive smile, Situang engaged warmly in the conversation about Jieke Company. Both firmly supported the cleansing war.


    ¡­


    As Hunei City on the eastern front fell, the most capable troops of the Ang Yulun Warlords surrendered, and the remaining forces could no longer withstand Jieke Security¡¯s assault. The warlord soldiers started surrendering to Jieke Security one after another.


    On the western front, the territory of the Suomin Tun Warlords was simrly pushed back by Jieke Security.


    To avoid having his city destroyed, Suomin Tun intentionally shifted the battle lines into the forest, causing both sides¡¯ soldiers to engage in jungle warfare in the densely forested and mountainous rainforest.


    However, he was unaware that this primitive jungle environment was naturally a battlefield for Super Soldiers.


    Under conditions of poor visibility, plentiful cover, andplex terrain, group after group of Super Soldiers leading the charge shattered Suomin Tun¡¯s forces in just a few rounds, causing many to surrender to Jieke Security.


    When the Mountain Brigadeter stationed in the core city under Suomin Tun¡¯s control, only some hastily assembled militia were present, with hardly any regr army troops.


    As Jieke Security prepared to attack the city, the troops inside promptly ran out to wave the white g and surrendered, capturing the city without shedding blood.


    After the first phase of the battle, Jieke Security had seized all territories from both the Suomin Tun and Ang Yulun Warlords.


    Over ten thousand warlord soldiers were mostly captured, extending Jieke Company¡¯s territory by 32,000 square kilometers.


    The entire first phase of the warsted just a mere week. Due to unforeseen heavy rain, the heavyposite brigade in Jieke Security¡¯s rear faced major issues with the old mud roads deteriorating severely.


    The tanks, armored vehicles, and self-propelled artillery were still struggling to move, while the Mountain Brigade had already ended the battle.


    But even in such conditions, relying on the powerful Super Soldiers to break through the defensive lines, Jieke Security¡¯s Mountain Brigade executed a blitzkrieg typically performed by armored floods, annihting nearly ten thousand soldiers from the two mercenary warlords in one fell swoop.

 Chapter 218 - 134: Expeditionary Fleet (First Update)

    Chapter 218: Chapter 134: Expeditionary Fleet (First Update)


    ¡°Recently, at the invitation of the Chan Country, our United States Navy is preparing to dispatch an Amphibious Assault Task Force to hold joint military exercises with Chan Country in parts of the Bay of Bengal¡¯s sea domain and onnd. The aim is to hone the interoperability of multi-brigade troop types in transoceanic warfare, to fully strengthen naval cooperation with Chan Country, and to jointly address global threats, ensuring the safety of civilian shipping in the Asia-Pacific region. The exercise begins on April 28, and the specific end date is to be determined.¡±


    On April 25, just as Jieke Security had fully taken control of the territories of two warlords and was aggressively advancing toward the area where Guo Mindeng was located, a piece of news suddenly appeared before the public eye.


    Many people were puzzled by the news, wondering why the United States would not conduct exercises with India but instead y around with Chan Country.


    Chan Country was so poor it clinked; all they could bring to the table were a few battered frigates. People saw little meaning in such exercises.


    Then, a news release by the Chan Country Government put things into perspective for many.


    ¡°Recently, within our country¡¯s Mande Region, a group known as the Jieke Group has wantonly stirred up violence and sparked intense conflicts, endangering innocent civilians, causing numerous casualties, and discing many civilians.


    In the spirit of our responsibility to protect the lives and property of our citizens, our country has decided to dispatch troops to mp down, to eradicate the cancer of Jieke Company that has entrenched itself in the Mande Region, and to restore stability and peace to the area.¡±


    Almost back-to-back announcements from the United States and Chan Country,bined with the recent outbreak of warlord conflicts in the East Qin State, led many to put two and two together.


    It was mostly believed that the United States, ever the meddler, couldn¡¯t stand being alone and had to mess around wherever there was a conflict.


    Several neighboring countries voiced their protests, but the United States didn¡¯t care at all and continued in its own way, hastily assembling a fleet to head to the Bay of Bengal.


    ¡­


    The Lion City!


    United States Zhangyi Naval Base.


    Early this morning, two Freedom-ss Coastal Combat Ships slowly sailed out of the naval base.


    This ss of Coastal Combat Ship has a length of 127.4 meters, a beam of 13.16 meters, a draft of 3.9 meters, and a full-load discement of over three thousand tons. They are capable of carrying helicopters and multiple missiles and possess formidable firepower, proving highly effective in coastal battles.


    The two Coastal Combat Ships set out to sea and merged with a fleetposed of over twenty other vessels.


    This was a military force summoned by the United States from the Middle East, where soldiers were stationed on high-speed troop transport ships; fifteen of these ships in total, each loaded with hundreds of soldiers from a battalion.


    In addition to that, there were specially designed roll-on/roll-off ships, tanknding ships, hospital ships, ammunition ships, and logistic support vessels, carrying arge amount of military supplies and equipment.


    The United States had named this force The Bay of Bengal Expeditionary Fleet, which had just been put together.


    On the transport ships, there were arge number of soldiers: an infantry regiment, a light armored vehicle battalion, a tank battalion equipped with M1A2 main battle tanks, an artillery battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, an engineer battalion, and a mixed squadron of short-range helicopters, with a service support group, totaling around eight thousand personnel.


    Within this fleet, the most eye-catching was the Amphibious Assault Ship, discing tens of thousands of tons.


    Onboard were several F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and various types of helicopters, as well as nearly two thousand Marine Corps special task force members.


    Escorting the Amphibious Assault Ship, there were two Aegis Destroyers on either nk.


    Beyond this fleet¡¯s paper strength, once the Marine Corps of The Bay of Bengal Expeditionary Fleetnded ashore, they would have satellite intelligence support, naval missile support, and the convenience of mobilizing troops from global bases.


    The appearance of such an expeditionary fleet in the Bay of Bengal put the neighboring countries on alert.


    Especially those with poor rtions with the United States, who were closely monitoring the movements of the fleet at all times.


    ¡­


    In the Amphibious Assault Ship¡¯smand room, CIA senior special agent Moritz was here, sitting across from a Major General who was the militarymander of the expeditionary fleet for this operation, David. The two were engaging in their final tactical discussion.


    ¡°We¡¯ll firstnd at the Dan Mian port controlled by the government army, then take thend route, following the Chan Country Government Army, joining forces and fighting our way through, to test the so-called strength of Jieke Security,¡±


    David said gravely. He had struggled through family connections to secure themand of this Marine expeditionary fleet.@@novelbin@@


    If the campaign went well, it would add a significant achievement to his resume. Another star on his epaulets and a promotion with a raise were within easy reach, so David took thisbat mission very seriously.


    ¡°I have no objections, you¡¯re the military experts, but could we at the CIA make use of the Seal Assault Team?¡±


    Moritz shrugged his shoulders, making a request.


    David adjusted his military cap, asking with surprise, ¡°What do you n to do with the Seal Assault Team?¡±


    The Seal Assault Team is under the Navy¡¯smand, managed by the United States Navy, Special Command. Considering theplex mountainous environment of Chan Country, they had also brought along a team from the Seal Assault Team.


    ¡°Our mission this time, aside from striking Jieke Security, is to capture a dangerous individual named Su Jie. He¡¯s the mastermind behind these challenges to the hegemony of the United States, and we need the power of the Seal Assault Team to bring him back to the United States for trial,¡±


    Moritz would not let go of a dangerous individual who dared challenge the hegemony of the United States.


    ¡°Su Jie? Did he create those Super Soldiers, too?¡±


    David showed an interested expression. He knew that Jieke Company had a group of special Super Soldiers, each highly agile, with exceptional marksmanship; some were even d in Heavy Armor, impervious to ordinary bullets.


    Moritz nodded, adding, ¡°The White House think tank suspects that Su Jie might have extracted a special enhancing drug from insects, a thing named ¡®Strengthening Pill¡¯ that warlord soldiers have gotten their hands on. We¡¯ve already sent it back for testing.¡±


    ¡°No wonder that guy started so many insect farms in the Mande Region; he¡¯s not to be underestimated. If we got hold of that stuff and spread it throughout the army¡­¡±


    The more David talked, the brighter his eyes shone. If he could get his hands on the method of making those Strengthening Pills, his status in the military would surely rise significantly.


    ¡°Those Super Soldiers are tough to deal with, we¡¯ve learned from the warlords and satellite reconnaissance that these Super Soldiers have extraordinary physical abilities.¡±


    ¡°No matter, we¡¯ve brought enough heavy firepower this time; flesh and blood can¡¯t withstand artillery shells, after all.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed the case.¡±


    Seeing David full of confidence, Moritz said no more.


    The fleet, at cruising speed, raced through the night, entering the Bay of Bengal and heading straight for Chan Country¡¯s Sea Domain.


    Midway, four small frigates of the Chan Country Navy, just over a thousand tons, also came alongside, forming a fleet formation to conduct naval exercises.


    The exercises were serious. They symbolically towed derelict vessels out to use as targets and even invited the media to watch and take photos, so they could write articles and prevent, anyone from thinking that we, the Eagles, were bullying others and causing trouble everywhere.


    After several days of sailing, the fleet reached the designated sea area, and from afar, they could see the coast and the docks on the horizon.


    This port named Dan Mian had excellent hydrological conditions and was deep enough for the Amphibious Assault Ships to berth.


    However, the Amphibious Assault Ships did not dock but remained adrift at sea, preparing for the uing air-to-ground assault.


    The other transports, loaded with soldiers, approached the dock slowly, intending to disembark the personnel and equipment first.


    Meanwhile, as the fleet was busy preparing to dock, Su Jie appeared on a hilltop in the Dan Mian military port.


    Because of those naval exercise press releases, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce the fleet¡¯s destination using a map. Plus, considering that this was the only dock in the vicinity suitable fornding, Su Jie had been waiting here for quite some time.

 Chapter 220 - 136: Miserable (Third Update)

    Chapter 220: Chapter 136: Miserable (Third Update)


    On the deck, Nadaya stood frozen like a petrified fowl.


    The high-speed transport ship that had just exploded and sunk was not far from him; he saw everything that happened on board.


    The soldiers that were thrown and torn apart, the broken hull, the propeller sticking out of the water at the stern, and the soldiers dropping into the ocean one after another, crying for help, all deeply impacted his fragile heart.


    ¡°Nadaya,e and put on a life jacket,¡±


    is pulled at the still dazed Nadaya. Because of underestimating the enemy andcency, the originally thought-to-be-safending had turned perilous. The US soldiers had made ns to go ashore to entertain themselves in the Chan Country and had not bothered to wear the cumbersome life jackets.


    The entire transport fleet was in disarray. Some soldiers were fighting over life jackets, some were lowering lifeboats, and some new recruits with poor psychological quality were breaking down and falling into chaos, running around like headless flies.


    Ssh! Ssh!


    The two Aegis Destroyers and two Coastal Combat Ships escorting the transport fleet also detected the positions of the underwater mines through sonar.


    Several warships sounded theirbat rms and beganunching deep bombs wildly into the sea from their sterns, attempting to detonate the mines in advance.


    They also deployed acoustic decoys, trying to make the mines mistake their targets and explode prematurely.


    The deep bombs were indeed effective; many mines were destroyed, and the pale corpse hands propelling the mines shattered, dissolving into Spiritual Power that dissipated into the air.


    But though the United States¡¯ defenses were tight, there were even more mines.


    ¡°I want to see how much you can defend.¡±


    From a distant hilltop, Su Jie sat with his legs crossed on arge tree branch, looking at the fleet in utter chaos below, a cold smile on his lips.


    Compared to the expensive cost of warships, which can reach over a hundred million US dors each, minesck the bright trajectory and sleek appearance. But due to their low cost and simple manufacturing, Su Jie had purchased arge batch. He even acquired the production methods from the Maozi, and the Mande Region¡¯s military factories had replicated a batch. After all, they weren¡¯t too high-tech; they were just simple contact mines.


    Even if they were traded for the warships, Su Jie would turn a profit if a hundred mines took down one transport ship, not to mention the additional casualties of personnel.


    His eyes narrowed, Su Jie looked toward the direction of the sea, where his waterborne poisonous insects were deployed to serve as eyes for scouting. Su Jie only needed tomand the pale corpse hands pushing the mines toward their targets as if he were ying a game.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The sea surface seemed to boil as the mines were detonated one after the other. The destroyers and escort ships fired rockets with deep bombs, creating rows of water columns.


    Above the sky, anti-submarine helicopters also dropped deep bombs, desperately trying to stop the mines from approaching the transport ships.


    But even under such intense blockade, some mines managed to get close to the transport ship and then exploded upon contact, overturning people and vessels alike.


    One by one, high-value military high-speed transport ships were torn apart by mine explosions. The crew located in the lower cabins were crushed against steel walls by the impact, turning into bloody mush.


    The soldiers who ran to the upper decks also could not escape their fate; some were crushed by heavy objects on the ship, burnt to death by the fiery cabins, and those who were lucky enough to survive ended up struggling in the sea water.


    A fierce naval battle thus erupted. On one side were the US expeditionary fleet, defending themselves on the sea surface like hedgehogs, and on the other side, seemingly insignificant biological energy mines hidden in the water.


    They attacked each other relentlessly, and under Su Jie¡¯s ruthless onught, another seven or eight transport ships slowly sank amid the explosions.


    Those transport ships had really bad luck, encountering someone as ruthless as Su Jie.


    Using mines holding seven or eight hundred kilograms of explosives to blow up transport ships, no transport ship could withstand such a powerful firecracker!


    Transport ships broke in half on the spot, with their bows and sterns tilting high up.


    Some transport ships had their entire bows blown away, plunging straight into the sea like a stick, dragging the soldiers who didn¡¯t have time to jump into the sea with them, sinking to the seabed to keep the fishpany.


    Some transport ships were directly blown to capsize, like fish with their white bellies up, showing off barnacle-, limpet-, and algae-covered bottoms; many soldiers were pressed under the overturned ships, their pounding and cries echoing in the cabins as they were dragged to the bottom of the sea.


    An ammunition transport ship was hit by a water mine and exploded into a small mushroom cloud on the spot, with various debris scattered hundreds of meters.


    Boom!


    A fleet oil tanker was hit, spilling a massive amount of fuel oil.


    Due to the difference in density between the fuel oil and water, the leaked fuel¨Cvarious types of aviation fuel, gasoline, diesel, and heavy oil used for ships¨Cfloated on the surface of the sea.


    is and Nadaya¡¯s transport ship was also hit by a water mine, but the two were lucky enough to jump into the sea and escape.


    Fortunately, this wasn¡¯t the cold Antic; they were in the water with life jackets, not drowning anytime soon, and were now searching for debris that could provide buoyancy.


    But at that moment, the leaked fuel from the oil tanker reached them.


    is raised his head and saw the various burning debris sted into the sky by the ammunition ship¡¯s explosion falling down, his eyes uncontrobly showing a thick fear.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Escape, fast!¡±


    Without any hesitation, is paddled with all his might, and they just managed to swim out of the range of the oil spill.


    The burning debris from the sky ignited the leaked fuel, creating moving patches of fiery oil slicks on the surface of the sea.


    One by one, soldiers who had jumped into the sea screamed as the fires on the surface engulfed and scorched them.


    Near the oil tanker, apart from a few soldiers at the edges who managed to escape, the rest were either burned alive or suffocated beneath the water.


    Su Jie was happily blowing things up on his end, with the supply of water mines in his Storage Bag steadily depleting.


    After twenty minutes of action and seeing the dwindling supply of water mines, Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted toward a few destroyers and frigates that were stillunching deep bombs.


    The Aegis Destroyer was a bit too far away, and Chan Country¡¯s tattered little frigates weren¡¯t worth the effort; finally, Su Jie targeted a Coastal Combat Ship, sending all the remaining water mines hurtling towards it.


    The 3,000-ton Coastal Combat Ship, running at a high speed of 45 knots, still couldn¡¯t escape the pursuit of the water mines.


    In the end, three water mines approached and exploded thunderously, dismembering the Coastal Combat Ship on the spot; the crew members plunged into the sea like dumplings, moving away from the doomed vessel.


    Having done all this, Su Jie casually put away the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, nced at the disturbed Chan Country Navy dock in the distance,ing to provide support, and then turned away to leave.


    When the Chan Country Navy arrivedte on the scene, they were met with a hair-raising sight.


    The burning sea, sunken ships, soldiers struggling and calling for help in the water, and the dense floating corpses on the surface, with the waves slowly pushing the bodies towards the beach, forming a small mountain of the dead.


    As time went on, more and more support arrived, and military bases from the United States sent out rescue forces as soon as possible.


    But with the distance being too great, by the time they arrived, those who were going to die had already perished, and those who were alive had been rescued.


    And this sea battle, as the information spread from all parties, set off an uproar on the inte.

 Chapter 222 - 138: Bombing (First Update)

    Chapter 222: Chapter 138: Bombing (First Update)


    April 30.


    Two days after the Dan Mian naval battle broke out.


    In the Mande Region, government buildings, power stations, signal towers, oil depots, military camps, bridges, roads, and various factories were bombed.


    As mes and smoke filled the air, Su Jie stood on the rooftop of his private estate, watching the fires erupting throughout Mande City.


    ¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures, huh!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression was indifferent as he watched the warnes buzzing thousands of meters above. The air-to-ground missiles, hanging beneath the fusges, detached and then ignited, plunging toward important facilities in the Mande Region.


    There were also Tomahawk cruise missilesunched from destroyers, fired from the sea using the ships as tforms, guided precisely by satellites, and bombing the Mande Region relentlessly.


    Whoosh!@@novelbin@@


    A missile suddenly headed towards Su Jie¡¯s private estate. His expression sharpened, and he spread his Divine Soul Power, damaging the delicate internalponents of the missile.


    The missile immediately veered off course, drunkenly crashing into a nearby hillside, causing an explosion that sent mud and rocks flying.


    But that was all; the range of Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul Power was limited, and he could not protect the entire Mande City.


    Smoke still rose in Mande City, where factoriesy in ruins, and fire trucks and ambnces shuttled back and forth on the streets, extinguishing mes and rescuing the injured.


    This bombingsted intermittently for an hour. Without air defense missiles and warnes, Jieke Security could only take the beating one-sidedly, watching the Beautiful Country¡¯s warnes wreak destruction, the loss of air superiority led to such a tragic oue.


    Buying high-end air defense missiles was not easy, and Jieke Security hadn¡¯t managed to acquire them.


    And even if they really had air defense missiles, it would be almost impossible to withstand this kind of beyond-visual-range bombardment.


    Modern warfare is about system confrontation; it¡¯s not something that can be solved with one or two types of weapons; this is not nuclear warfare.


    Luckily, Su Jie had anticipated retaliation from the Beautiful Country when he first acted against their fleet. He had arranged for personnel to be evacuated from these important facilities in advance, so there were only a few people present.


    When Su Jie received the damage report, these series of attacks had resulted in the deaths of over two hundred people and injuries to hundreds more.


    The bombing also caused many civilian and military facilities in the Mande Region to be paralyzed, with disruptions in water and electricity.


    ¡°What goes aroundes around, you¡¯ll all pay this back in spades,¡± Su Jie scoffed, opening his phone and flipping through the news.


    The Chan Country Government issued a statement, which read, ¡°We are carrying out fire strikes against anti-government armed groups and the Jieke Group in the Mande Region. Through integrated airnd bombardment, we have severely damaged Jieke Group¡¯s various important military facilities. Following this, our side will recruit instructors from the Beautiful Country to train our troops to help us better deal with these anti-human bandits andunch a military campaign against the Mande Region.¡±


    This was an official news announcement from the Chan Country Government, but anyone with clear eyes could see who was orchestrating all this.


    Given the old nes of the Chan Country Government that barely took off a few times a year and were lucky not to crash, they didn¡¯t have the capability to execute such sophisticated airnd bombardment.


    ¡°Thetest Dan Mian assault case, our preliminary conclusion is that it was the work of certain extremist organizations in Chan Country.¡±


    Another news piece popped up, followed by a video of the Beautiful Country President speaking.


    In the Congress Building, the Beautiful Country President waved an angry fist and dered loudly, ¡°Gentlemen of Congress, the day before yesterday, April 28, 2024, was a day of disgrace for our Navy.


    Our fleet, conducting joint exercises in Meng Bay, was subjected to a premeditated sudden attack by certain organizations.


    Before this, our side was in a friendly state with Chan Country and, at the request of the official Chan Country Government, aimed to reconcile the heavily conflicted disputes and restore regional security and stability.


    However, this appeal was shamefully sabotaged by certain organizations.


    These violent organizations, taking advantage of our rxed drills,unched a stealth attack on our warships with water mines and torpedoes, causing twelve ships to sink and thousands of casualties.


    This attack inflicted severe damage on our Beautiful Country Navy, and I regret to inform the public that many of our brave young men sacrificed their lives in this attack,


    We will forever remember the nature of this attack.


    To avoid repeating the same mistakes, at the invitation of Chan Country, we will provide Chan Country with all necessary equipment and ammunition support and will provide instructors to train the Chan Country Army to help Chan Country end its turmoil soon.


    At the end of this news report, a vote was conducted with hands raised, passing the support for Chan Country with 392 votes in favor and 29 against.


    It is evident that considering the influence, Beautiful Country has been restrained and has cloaked the Chan Country Government, letting it act as the mainbatant, while keeping itself hidden behind the scenes.


    As for who is operating the supplied weapons, that is known only to Beautiful Country, especially now that there are mercenaries involved!


    ¡­


    Just as Mande City was being bombed, Jieke Security Soldiers on the frontlines were also subject to simr artillery fire.


    On the battlefield, Miao Lun shook the dirt from his head and watched the dust fall in the underground tunnels until the shaking gradually subsided. He then crawled out of the tunnel and watched the warnes whiz away.


    At this time, the ground of the camp where his troops had originally been had severalrge craters.


    Scattered around were several dummy models dressed in camouge military uniforms. If it weren¡¯t for the underground tunnels, anyone in the camp would have certainly been a casualty.


    ¡°Is there ever going to be an end to this? It¡¯s been bombing for days.¡±


    Miao Lunined; originally, their Mountain Brigade was advancing smoothly, having taken over half of Guo Mindeng¡¯s territory and were on the verge of eliminating thest warlord, when in the past two days, the brigade had been subjected to various bombings, severely hindering Jieke Security¡¯s progress, and even killing many Super Soldiers.


    Even the First-ss Super Soldiers in heavy armor struggled to withstand the strikes from air-to-ground missiles if they were within the st radius.


    Having been bombed frequently, the Jieke Security Soldiers now had experience; they never left the mountainous forests, relying on the forest¡¯s cover to effectively block aircraft and satellite surveince and avoid artillery strikes.


    Especially in the mountains, an extensivework of narrow underground tunnels had been dug up by someone from the highermand at some point, serving as natural air raid shelters, which minimized casualties for Jieke Security after the surprise of the initial bombing.


    The battle line had thuse to a standstill while Jieke Security was methodically taking over the cities they had captured and restoring production and daily life.


    Without the advance of ground troops, mere bombing was unlikely to reim lost territories or capturend.


    ¡°Miao Lun,e here,¡±


    suddenly called the Jieke Securitymander.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on,mander?¡±


    ¡°The Chan Country Government Army hase to support the movement into the mountains; it looks like they are heading straight for us, and the group includes foreign mercenaries, likely those Beautiful Country soldiers. Be ready to strike at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I can hardly wait.¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s eyes lit up. He had spent thest few days being bombed, which was Beautiful Country¡¯s doing, and although they couldn¡¯t counteract the nes, if the enemy dared to enter the mountains and engage in guerri warfare with him, Miao Lun would personally use his bullets to show them who in these mountains was the hunter and who was the prey.

 Chapter 224 - 140: Carnage (Third Update)

    Chapter 224: Chapter 140: Carnage (Third Update)


    Fengpo Mountain Underground Tunnel.


    Miao Lun was d in heavy armor and carrying a 14.5mm caliber air-defense machine gun. Through the observation port at his cheek, his eyes shed coldly.


    ¡°One hundred and fifty meters to the southeast, there are about thirty warlord soldiers. Directly ahead is apany from Beautiful Country, equipped with heavy machine guns, anti-material sniper rifles, and rocketunchers. Make sure to be careful during the attack and prioritize neutralizing these firepower sources. Also, watch the 11 o¡¯clock direction, where there are armed helicopters¡­¡±


    An intelligence officer continuously ryed the external situation to Miao Lun via the headset, and due to the presence of the Insect Control Technique, the battlefield was almost transparent to Jieke Security.


    Miao Lun did not know how this information was obtained, but he trusted it was urate.


    He kept taking deep breaths, as just above his head was the enemy¡¯s main force entering the mountain.


    ¡°Ten seconds.¡±


    Miao Lun¡¯s hands gripped the steel alloydder, step by step, he climbed toward the ground above.@@novelbin@@


    The heavy battle armor stepped on the esctor, making a creaking sound as mud shook off.


    ¡°Three seconds, two seconds, attack now.¡±


    As themand to attack was transmitted through the headset, Miao Lun had also climbed to the top of the shaft, pushing aside the manhole cover buried under fallen leaves and dirt, and his entire body suddenly elerated as he leaped out.


    On the ground, a soldier after another turned their heads at the noise only to see a Steel Monster emerging from the ground that didn¡¯t belong to their side.


    ¡°Eat bullets.¡±


    Miao Lun grinned wickedly, pressed down the gun barrel, and unleashed a barrage of 14.5mm bullets, thicker than fingers. The soldiers, caught off-guard, were cleaved into two by the tens of thousands of joules from the bullets. The surrounding ground was instantaneously stained red with blood, filled with the sounds of agonizing screams.


    Miao Lun¡¯s first targets of attack were the soldiers from Beautiful Country directly in front of him.


    These soldiers were especially well-armed, carrying a lot of individual heavy firepower, which he needed to eliminate first.


    ¡°Oh God! Where did this guye from?¡±


    ¡°Fire quickly, retaliate, retaliate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use, my bullets can¡¯t prate, what kind of armor is that?¡±


    ¡°Fuck, David you piece of shit, stop cowering in the back, bring up the rocketuncher and st this monster.¡±


    The mercenaries from Beautiful Country were terrified. Although they had heard rumors about Super Soldiers, facing one directly and seeing such a violent side was utterly petrifying to them.


    Miao Lun did not choose to stay in one spot. His body, fortified by the Strengthening Pill, provided him with a robust physique and keen senses.


    While sprinting rapidly, the air-defense machine gun in his hands continued to spray fire, the long chain of ammunition wildly trembling.


    The first to fall to Miao Lun were the machine gunners and those carrying rocketunchers among the soldiers.


    asionally, some missed rocketunchers and snipers attempted to aim, but he made it difficult for the enemy to target him urately by moving at high speeds, and he would neutralize those fire points at the first opportunity.


    Even in heavy steel armor, he ran with superhuman speed, transforming the machine gun in his hands into the reaper¡¯s scythe to harvest row after row of living lives.


    At this moment, Miao Lun on the battlefield was almost conducting a unteral ughter. Ordinary bullets did not scare him at all. Soldiers carrying heavy machine guns, anti-material sniper rifles, and rocketunchers were his first targets to eliminate, and with exceptionally precise marksmanship, he left rivers of blood in his wake.


    ¡°Operation center, this is A3, we need close air support.¡±


    ¡°Received, arranging 23rd helicopter for support.¡±


    ¡°How long until arrival? Our position is marked with red smoke grenades. The enemy is at 185 degrees, 200 meters away, within a dangerous distance.¡±


    ¡°Received, I am at your six o¡¯clock, currently searching for the enemy, preparing to attack.¡±


    Whoosh whoosh!


    A fully armed helicopter rushed towards Miao Lun, a consistent practice of the Beautiful Country¡ªto call for air support whenever there¡¯s a disagreement.


    But Miao Lun was not alone. Having initiated the battlefield, other members of Jieke Security climbed out of the Fengpo Mountain Underground Tunnel, upying nearby shelters, andunched several man-portable air defense missiles straight into the sky.


    ¡°God, iing air defense missiles, quickly deploy re decoys.¡±


    The armed helicopter luckily avoided the air defense missiles and performed drastic low-altitude maneuvers, causing the missiles to miss their target.


    However, the helicopter¡¯s reduced altitude also provided Miao Lun with an opportunity.


    The next moment, Miao Lun aimed the anti-aircraft machine gun at the helicopter and opened fire, his tracers almost forming a continuous line of light.


    With precise control, the bullets hit the helicopter¡¯s vulnerable rotor linkage, causing it to spin uncontrobly and crash down out of control.


    Simr scenes urred everywhere in Fengpo Mountain, and not many armed helicopters providing low-altitude support were lucky enough to dodge the man-portable air defense missiles, most were directly shot down.


    Jieke Security had assembled almost all of their super soldiers in ambush here, who now surged out from underground, blooming amidst the enemy troops.


    And in the mountainous dense forests, the heavy vehicles of the Beautiful Country struggled to advance, their heavy firepower rendered ineffective.


    Facing this scenario, the soldiers of the Chan Country Government Army and the warlord soldiers were the first to copse, either surrendering on the spot or turning to flee, leaving the soldiers of the Beautiful Country behind.


    Beautiful Country soldiers continued to hold their ground as they had already called for reinforcements from the military airport at the rear, and those fighter jets were not as easily taken down by man-portable air defense missiles.


    The killing on the battlefield continued.


    Yet these engaged Beautiful Country soldiers didn¡¯t know that the air support they so desperately awaited might not arrive in time.


    ¡­


    Feike Airport.


    This used to be a military airport of Chan Country, which had now beenmandeered by the Beautiful Country, significantly expanded, hosting numerous jet fighters.


    When the battle in Fengpo Mountain kicked off, the airport received a report, and the control tower immediately organized for several jet fighters to enter the runway, preparing for take-off to support the front-line operations.


    But at the same time as the battle in Fengpo Mountain began, ten kilometers away from Feike Airport, a huge underground tunnel was being opened. Multiple rocketunchers began to roll out.


    ¡°All rocket units, pay attention, target number three, support point, vertical coordinates 83123, horizontal coordinates 62382, altitude¡­ finalize parameters, prepare tounch.¡±


    Following rehearsed procedures, the rocketunchers gradually raised their barrels, and with themand, a barrage was unleashed.


    Thick rockets ignited rapidly, ascending into the sky, creating a stunning meteor shower as they plummeted towards Feike Airport.


    After a brief flight, the rocketsnded on Feike Airport.


    The jet fighters, which were urgently preparing for take-off, were fully fueled and armed¡ªthe rocketsnded precisely.


    Like a volcanic eruption, rockets exploded one after another, turning the airport instantly into a charred wastnd, strewn with remains, with expensive fighters destroyed on the runway.


    The fully fueled and armed jet fighters exploded due to the rocket hits, greatly magnifying the destruction.


    From a distance, Feike Airport constantly experienced explosions, with burning fuel flowing everywhere, engulfing the entire airport in mes.


    Even more disastrously, due to the rush to arm and take off in support of the front line, the ammunition and fuel depots were not properly secured. The final two massive explosions sent up tworge mushroom clouds¡ªit was the ammunition and fuel depots hit by the rockets, igniting countless tons of fuel and ammunition stored inside,pletely devastating the airport, with hardly one in ten survivors.

 Chapter 226 - 142: Ceasefire (First Update)

    Chapter 226: Chapter 142: Ceasefire (First Update)


    Beautiful Country!


    On the day the battle at Fengpo Mountain ended, an urgent meeting was immediately convened.


    CIA representative Judith, military representative Sean Fernandes, and White House official Hameson Fofana once again sat together.


    Last time, they had gathered to deal with the Jieke Group.


    This time was no different, but the purpose was not quite the same; this time, they sought to eliminate the impact as much as possible.


    ¡°How do your military and the CIA operate? Such arge Bay of Bengal expeditionary fleet, and this is the record you achieve, sinking so many ships, and even being defeated on the ground by a warlord, do you want us to relive the Vietnam War? Ah! Speak up!¡±


    Hameson pounded the table, his anger making his face turn crimson red, like a baboon¡¯s butt, his saliva sprayed onto Judith and Sean.


    Judith and Sean both bowed their heads, obediently taking the scolding, as they had indeed embarrassed themselves in this battle.


    ¡°You, Judith, the CIA promised over and over again that the Jieke Group was nothing to worry about, saying that to eliminate the Tijuana Group in Mexico, we must first strike at the Jieke Group. What happened then? The Tijuana Group is now still smuggling Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid like mad, and the Jieke Group keeps losing battle after battle; how am I supposed to exin this to the President, the senators, and the entire nation? Are our tax dors just feeding these useless people?¡±


    In his rage, Hameson, nearly roaring, pointed at Judith, the deputy director of the CIA, and verbally sted her.


    ¡°And you, Sean, how does the military fight? Spending hundreds of billions of US dors on the military budget every year, and you can¡¯t even defeat a mere warlord, do you still have the face to ask for a rise in the military budget every year? I think the military is only getting more corrupt; might as well not fight at all, just go home and farm or raise pigs, to avoid losing face from another defeat in battle.¡±


    Hameson didn¡¯t spare the military representative Sean either, his verbal assault was relentless.


    Unlike Judith, Sean¡¯s face showed clear defiance as he defended himself, ¡°Chief of Staff, our enemy this time may not be as simple as just a warlord. The enemy used new naval weapons and mysterious digging machines; such equipment couldn¡¯t possibly belong to a mere warlord. We suspect that the big country to the north is secretly messing with us, providing these new weapons to the Jieke Group to test them in realbat against us.¡±


    ¡°When defeated, any excuse will do. Our Beautiful Country¡¯s technology is the most advanced. What new naval technology, digging machines are you talking about? It¡¯s because your military was negligent and underestimated the enemy that you were defeated.¡±


    ¡°The naval defeat was mainly due to the enemy employing a high-tech water mine. We suspect it included a new type of propeller, giving the mine a speed far exceeding that of a torpedo. As for the digging machines, the former Soviet Union once did research a submarine that could advance by drilling underground; perhaps the enemy has this kind of ck technology too.¡±


    Sean tried hard to exin, indicating that his military¡¯s loss was not due to their ipetency but rather the enemy¡¯s numerous tricks.


    ¡°Mr. Hameson, when we were dealing with the Tijuana Group in Mexico, we found that they indeed have many extensive underground tunnels. Considering the rtionship between the Tijuana Group and the Jieke Group, it¡¯s certain that both used the same kind of digging machines.¡±


    Judith also couldn¡¯t help but speak up, defending Sean a bit.


    Hameson¡¯s anger subsided slightly, and he snorted coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t care whether there are the new weapons you mentioned; the defeat is a fact, right? This matter has put the White House in a very passive position.¡±


    Sean eagerly persuaded, ¡°Your Excellency Hameson, if the enemy has these new weapons, it¡¯s mostly likely supported by that big country to the north, aiming to disrupt our military operations. It¡¯s not our fault that we were caught off guard and lost.¡±


    Hameson¡¯s face went dark, and he snapped, ¡°If not your fault, then whose? It was you who demanded to go to war, and now that you¡¯ve lost, you¡¯repletely absolving yourselves of responsibility, expecting the President to clean up after you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Sean chuckled nervously, his face flushing with embarrassment.


    ¡°In any case, stop the war immediately. Before the news of the defeat spreads, contact the Jieke Group right away to negotiate a peace. We¡¯ll pull out of Chan Country, and they must release the prisoners.¡±


    Hameson tapped on the table and dered the White House¡¯s decision, indicating they no longer wished to continue the conflict.


    ¡°Are we just giving up like this?¡±


    Judith spoke with aplex tone, feeling somewhat reluctant to abandon their preparations.


    ¡°What else do you want us to do when you yourselves said there¡¯s a shadow of that major nation in the north over this? Are we supposed to keep pouring military resources there!? Continue our chain of inds n, that¡¯s more important than anything, what our country needs now is stability.¡±


    Hameson red at Judith, and there was something else he didn¡¯t say. This year was the election year in the Beautiful Country, and both parties werepeting for votes.


    Ever since the loss at the Battle of Dan Mian, a wave of opposition had swept through the Beautiful Country.@@novelbin@@


    If the news broke out now that Chan Country had been defeated, losing troops and capturing thousands of prisoners, who knew how much the current support rate of the one sitting in the White House would drop, and whether he still wanted to be re-elected.


    And his position as the Chief of Staff was closely tied to the White House, with all his power originating from the President.


    If he couldn¡¯t be re-elected, he would lose all his power¡ªsomething absolutely impermissible.


    Judith was smart and quickly understood the underlying meaning of Hameson¡¯s talk on stability.


    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll handle the media side of things.¡±


    Judith said, despite the battle at Fengpo Mountain being monitored by many satellites, and the involved countries being aware, as long as the news wasn¡¯t leaked, there was still room for maniption.


    The voices of the Western media were in their hands, the so-called freedom of the press was just lip service.


    ¡°The military must also settle down immediately, those who need to be withdrawn should be withdrawn, and those who need to be removed from office should be removed from office.¡±


    ¡°I will take care of it.¡±


    Sean had no choice but toply earnestly. Having been defeated, they trulycked the confidence to talk tough.


    Hameson instructed many things here and only after saying it all did he stand up and leave.


    ¡°Ah, this time it¡¯s like losing even our underwear.¡±


    Sean chuckled bitterly. As a hawk previously supporting the war, he too would be greatly affected by this ordeal.


    ¡°Who could have expected the Jieke Group to be so formidable, we¡¯ll just have to look for another opportunity in the future.¡±


    Judith also shook her head, but hadn¡¯t truly given up.


    Whether it was the Super Soldier¡¯s Strengthening Pill or the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, these were the items they coveted. It was just that the situation had be too heated, forcing them to press the pause button for now.


    Thinking of the Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, Judith also thought of Asder Pharmaceutical.


    All the warlords funded by them had been wiped out, a huge sum of money had vanished into thin air, and they were probably having headaches now.

 Chapter 228 - 144: Steel Camp (Third Update)

    Chapter 228: Chapter 144: Steel Camp (Third Update)


    ¡°`


    Three dayster!


    Su Jie sat in a car heading to the military camp, with Liu Yingying seated in the back, reporting to Su Jie on the negotiation oues with the Beautiful Country from the past few days.


    ¡°ording to your wishes, we have settled most of the terms. We will release the prisoners, and the Beautiful Country will withdraw troops from Chan Country. It¡¯s just Asder Pharmaceutical¡ªthey refuse topromise,¡± Yingying reported.


    ¡°Hmm, what did they say?¡±


    Su Jie turned his head. Asder Pharmaceutical had been the spark that ignited this war. If it hadn¡¯t been for their blockade and ban, there wouldn¡¯t have been smuggling or the Beautiful Country¡¯s subsequent war.


    Besides, they supported the warlords against him, and Su Jie never forgot¡ªthat was one thing he held a grudge over.


    Therefore, during negotiations, Su Jie demanded that Asder Pharmaceuticalpensate Jieke Group for its losses.


    ¡°They say that Asder Pharmaceutical¡¯s actions aremercial decisions, independent of their government.¡±


    ¡°They managed to convince the Department of Commerce to delist Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, yet im it has nothing to do with them? That¡¯s utterly hypocritical.¡±


    Su Jie let out a coldugh, though he understood why the Beautiful Country wouldn¡¯t agree.


    As a highly developed capitalist country, the Beautiful Country is, to some extent, dominated by capitalists.


    Losing a war is one thing, taking responsibility for the loss is quite another.


    Even though it was they who had started the situation, the capitalists preferred that the nation pay reparations rather than taking money from their own pockets. After all, it wasn¡¯t their money being spent, but the taxpayers¡¯¡ªwhy would they pay for the damages themselves?


    ¡°Then let¡¯s keep pressing on. We still have the prisoners. They will eventuallypromise, right?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. The Beautiful Country may consider thatplying with our demands would cause dissatisfaction among other capitalists and capital flight.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie shook his head, ncing out the car window at the military camping into view and made another decision: ¡°If Asder Pharmaceutical is unwilling topensate and ims it¡¯s amercial activity, then I¡¯ll just repay them with amercial move and y the high-end business war game with them.¡±


    If others provoked him time and again and didn¡¯t face consequences, they¡¯d really believe he was powerless against them.


    ¡­


    In the Mande Region military camp, an awards ceremony was taking ce.


    Su Jie personally attended the event, with the Jieke Security Soldiers standing below.


    This war had resulted in over a thousand casualties for Jieke Security. In addition topensating the wounded and dead, it was necessary to reward those who had distinguished themselves in action. Clear rewards and punishments were the hallmark of the Righteous sect.


    ¡°Ge Yin, a First-ss Super Soldier at the time, killed 201 enemies, was at the forefront of his troops in numerous battles including the Hunei City siege and the Fengpo Mountain campaign, bravely fighting the enemy.


    Situang, a Second-ss Super Soldier, killed 86 enemies, undaunted by danger, and survived more than ten battles.


    Miao Lun, a First-ss Super Soldier, killed 340 enemies, was courageous and fearless in battle, once stormed into the enemy¡¯smand post alone and killed enemy generals. Throughout several battles, he destroyed three armed helicopters, eight armored vehicles, and demolished artillery positions¡­


    To severely acknowledge these 25bat heroes, Jieke Group has decided to bestow the First-ss Combat Pioneer Medal.


    I hope everyone will remember their initial mission and purpose, remain loyal to their duties, and continue to y a pioneering and exemry role, as well as the role of abat fortress.¡±


    One by one, the called Jieke Security Soldiers stepped forward, all standing tall and proud.


    ¡°Do a good job.¡±


    Standing on the stage, Su Jie personally adorned each with the gold medal and offered encouragement.


    After all the medals had been awarded, Su Jie looked at each soldier below and slowly began to speak:


    ¡°`


    ¡°We¡¯ve won this war, but the sacrifices were substantial, and I¡¯ve seen everyone¡¯s contributions,¡±


    ¡°So for those who participated in the battle, for soldiers who died or became disabled, in addition to the Jieke Group¡¯spensation, if they have parents, our Jieke Group will take care of them for the rest of their lives. If they have children, we will ensure their education and raise them into capable individuals.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, the rewards for killing enemies on the battlefield will be distributed by our Jieke Group immediately.¡±


    Besides medals, these soldiers were also given numerous financial and material rewards. The Jieke Group now had money, and Su Jie was not stingy with his meritorious soldiers who fought for him.


    ¡°Long live Chief Su.¡±


    The soldiers below showed joyful expressions and couldn¡¯t help but shout in unison at Su Jie¡¯s words.


    Aside from not wanting the Jieke Group to fall, they also sought to improve their impoverished living conditions, and these rewards hit the spot.


    Even for those who died in battle, with this promise from Jieke Security, they would fight without worries in the future and be even more fearless in death.


    Seeing the soldiers¡¯ fervor, Su Jie announced a new decision.


    ¡°Considering the existence of Super Soldiers, we will create a new unit to manage them. I¡¯ve heard that many enemies on the battlefield call our First-ss Super Soldiers ¡®Steel Monsters¡¯, so we¡¯ll name this new unit ¡®Steel Camp¡¯. The firstmander will be Miao Lun. From now on, all First-ss Super Soldiers will automatically join this unit.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s decision was well-considered; these First-ss Super Soldiers were the strongest special forces, their bodies transformed and adapted by the Symbiotic Gu. Ordinary military training was no longer suitable for them unless there was a war. Otherwise, assigning them to ordinary units would be a waste.


    Since other countries have their specialized forces, Jieke Security must also have its own Steel Camp to match.


    ¡°Chief, I will lead the team well.¡±


    Miao Lun, who had been informed in advance, stood out among his enviousrades and received this special position.


    And once everything settled down, Su Jie summoned Miao Lun in private.


    ¡°Chief.¡±


    Standing at attention, the newly appointed Miao Lun was not yet aware of why Su Jie summoned him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, have a seat first.¡±


    With a friendly smile, Su Jie chatted casually with Miao Lun to ease the atmosphere, and after a few minutes, he changed the subject.


    ¡°Miao Lun, I have a mission for you, and this one is very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Chief, I¡¯m not afraid of danger.¡±


    Miao Lun, who had just sat down, sprang to his feet resolutely at the statement.


    ¡°This man in the photo, I need you to lead a team to execute him. Don¡¯t be fooled by his appearance as an old man; he is the mastermind behind this war, supporting several warlords.¡±


    Su Jie took out a photo and slid it across to Miao Lun. The person in the photo was none other than the mastermind behind Asder Pharmaceutical, the contemporary patriarch of the Avelson Family, Jose Avelson.


    ¡°This is the first mission I¡¯m giving you since establishing Steel Camp. He is currently in the Beautiful Country, and once there, I will arrange your movements and exfiltration. What you need to do is kill him within a limited timeframe. Are you confident you can do it?¡±


    ¡°Confident.¡±


    Without hesitation, Miao Lun believed that a soldier¡¯s duty was to die for a worthy cause. No matter how difficult the mission, he would not frown.


    ¡°Very well, pick a few teammates, and you will depart the day after tomorrow, early in the morning.¡±


    Su Jie was satisfied with Miao Lun¡¯s response. With the Steel Camp special forces unit, he wouldn¡¯t need to handle everything personally anymore.

 Chapter 229 - 145: Retaliation (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 229: Chapter 145: Retaliation (Fourth Update)


    Beautiful Country.


    New Mexico State.


    As the state with the lowest poption density in the Beautiful Country, New Mexico State has only about two million people, less than some cities, a typical case of vastnd with sparse poption.


    Originally, this state was seized from Mexico, and because it borders Mexican territory and has a sparsely popted environment, it is one of the major disaster areas for smuggling of Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.


    In a secret underground tunnel, several average-looking East Asian men pushed aside a disguised carpet, each carrying two huge iron boxes, and appeared in a vi courtyard.


    By their side, there were also a few Mexicans following along.


    ¡°Miao Lun, brother, we¡¯ll go this way, the cars outside are already prepared,¡± said Chiou Russell carefully. These East Asian men were the bosses of his boss¡¯s boss; Cartel had personally ordered him to apany them. It was said they came from Southeast Asia and were persons of such importance that even Cartel¡¯s boss would have to receive them.


    ¡°Is the escape route all arranged?¡±


    Miao Lun scanned the surroundings to confirm once again.


    ¡°No problem, we¡¯ve made thorough preparations,¡± Chiou Russell reassured, nodding again and again, yet he couldn¡¯t help asking curiously, ¡°But brother Miao Lun, what exactly are you going to do, being so secretive?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask about things you shouldn¡¯t,¡± Miao Lun said indifferently, casting a nce that was fierce and bloodshot, an intimidating gaze. In that moment, Chiou Russell even felt as though he had seen the Grim Reaper, experiencing a suffocating sensation akin to being on the brink of death.


    ¡°What¡¯s the real story behind these guys?¡±


    Chiou Russell felt a bit of fear in his heart, but he dared not ask any more questions and hurried to call hispanions to drive up several cars.


    When Miao Lun and hispanions ced the iron boxes into the bed of the pickup truck, the vehicle slightly sank downward, indicating their heavy load.


    ¡­


    Two dayster.


    The cars arrived at a rather secluded manor town.


    The ce looked like a forest park, beautiful and serene, quiet and tidy, an image of tranquility and harmony.


    The wealthy in the Beautiful Country are fond of manor environments, maybe because of their cowboy culture. Despite their remote locations, these are undoubtedly affluent neighborhoods. Each manor is like a secluded kingdom for the wealthy, where they can raise cattle and horses, go fishing, admire the flowers, and enjoy their various leisure activities, making it an ideal retirement spot for the aged rich.


    In the southeastern part of the town, there is arge manor surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, with flowers in bloom and artistic statues scattered throughout. The interior is luxurious and grand, while the outside is so beautiful it seems like a paradise on earth, a hidden haven away from the world.


    As the cars came to a stop, Miao Lun and his group got out one by one, and after confirming their location with a map, they swiftly began their operation.


    Each person opened their heavy iron boxes; one contained thick battle armor, and the other was filled with high-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, Gatlings, rocketunchers, and other destructive weapons made by humans.


    Under Chiou Russell¡¯s stunned gaze, Miao Lun and the others quickly put on their battle armor, connected the ammunition belts to the machine guns, and without another word headed towards the manor.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, inside the manor, an unpleasant meeting was underway.


    ¡°Jose, why has the ban on Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid been lifted? Doesn¡¯t this mean all our previous preparations have been for nothing?¡±


    ¡°We invested billions of US dors in the warlords, and now it¡¯s all gone to waste, and you¡¯re fully responsible for it.¡±


    ¡°Our hair growth products have almostpletely lost the market under the pressure from Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid; Uncle Jose, you muste up with a solution!¡±


    Jose Avelson sat at the head of the long table, surrounded by the members of the Averson Family.


    Because of a series of decision-making errors, these family members today were here to confront him and put pressure on him.


    ¡°I indeed didn¡¯t give enough consideration to dealing with the Jieke Group and underestimated how difficult Jieke Group would be.¡±


    Jose¡¯s voice was heavy, the general public was still unaware of Chan Country¡¯s defeat at Fengpo Mountain, but as a capitalist from the Beautiful Country, he had his own channels of information and had already understood the truth of the matter.


    Looking around at the family members, who were either angry, secretly pleased or expressionless, Jose continued, ¡°It¡¯s okay to me me, and I know some of you want to take my ce. But as for Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid, I will not give it up. It concerns the entire family¡¯s interests. As long as I sit in this position, I can maintain the implementation of our established policies. If a new family heades in, it might not be the case.¡±


    ¡°Jose, what do you mean by that?¡±


    Someone immediately expressed their dissatisfaction upon hearing this.


    Jose said indifferently, ¡°Isn¡¯t my meaning clear enough? I¡¯m afraid that someone might betray our family¡¯s interests and seek apromise and pacification with the Jieke Group. There has been so much gossip in the familytely, suggesting that we pay off the Jieke Group as a goodwill gesture and obtain the rights to distribute Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, I think you¡¯re really senile, Jose. How could the family ever agree to that kind of thing?¡±


    ¡°Actually, this n might not be so bad. Making money is what counts the most. Do we really have to fight to the death to prevail?¡±


    ¡°What? Jamal, I¡¯m ashamed you¡¯re a member of the Avelson family. The Avelson family would neverpromise with a warlord.¡±


    The meeting room immediately erupted into arguments, some willing topromise, others insisted on fighting to the end.


    ¡°A disarrayed bunch, you vermin will never be able to strengthen the family!¡±


    Jose watched this scene, shaking his head inwardly with a sigh.


    It wasn¡¯t until everyone argued themselves out of energy that Jose finally continued to speak, ¡°Compromise is out of the question. Although Asder Pharmaceutical failed this time, we haven¡¯t lost. Sooner orter, Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid will be ours.¡±


    Although no one knew where Jose¡¯s confidence came from, they were too exhausted to argue any further and could only watch as Jose performed.


    A faint smile crossed Jose¡¯s mind as he was about to continue unveiling his n to seize Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid and demonstrate his ability to his family when he suddenly heard some noisy voices. It seemed like a lot of people were running and yelling outside, as if there were also fireworks going off.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡±


    Jose¡¯s face showed anger; he was a person who highly valued noble courtesy, and such shouting and yelling were behaviors he absolutely couldn¡¯t tolerate.


    Just as Jose was about to find someone to inquire about the situation, the meeting room¡¯s wall was riddled with row after row of holes the size of sea bowls.@@novelbin@@


    Large-caliber bullets prated the concrete walls and entered, severing several of the Avelson family members, who had just been in the meeting, in half; their blood even sttered onto Jose¡¯s face.


    Bang bang bang!


    Only then did the meeting room, which had excellent soundproofing, finally make out themotion¡ªit was the sound of gunfire and explosions.


    Jose¡¯s expression was stiff; gone was his previous nonchnce as he looked outside in fear.


    Through the bullet-ridden holes, it seemed a few creatures d in steel armor were slowly advancing toward the meeting room, leaving a river of blood in their wake.

 Chapter 231 - 147: Follow-up (Second Update)

    Chapter 231: Chapter 147: Follow-up (Second Update)


    CIA Headquarters.


    Judith¡¯s face turned ashen as she watched the news, the attack on Averson Manor this morning had already spread across the Beautiful Country.


    The entire estate was ughtered, with over seventy casualties. The head of the Avelson family, Jose Avelson, was also found dead in a secret room.


    Others might not know who did it, thinking it was some extremely vicious bandits.


    But Judith knew very well that the attackers must have been directed by Su Jie.


    Because only the Jieke Group possessed those inhuman steel soldiers.


    Given the feud between Jieke Group and Asder Pharmaceutical, it was not surprising that Su Jie did this; however, the fact that the other party dared to implement these actions was indeed unexpected.


    ¡°They¡¯re getting more and more arrogant.¡±


    Judith clenched her fists tight. Although Jose had died, the Avelson family would find someone else to take over the family.


    However, Jieke Group¡¯s actions were not just a warning to Asder Pharmaceutical but also a p in the face for the Beautiful Country.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    The office door was knocked on, and a man walked in who had just returned from Chan Country to report back to the CIA, Moritz, a high-ranked special agent.


    ¡°How goes the investigation?¡±


    ¡°There were five Super Soldiers. They initiated the attack at 8:45 this morning, carrying anti-aircraft machine guns, Gatlings, heavy sniper rifles, and rocketunchers. After killing Mr. Jose, they escaped through an underground tunnel and destroyed the tunnel midway, leaving no trace for the pursuers. We suspect they crossed over from Mexico, and we will intensify ndestine investigations there and enhance surveince in Tijuana to see if we can find any leads.¡±


    Moritz answered every question in a systematic way,ying out the facts as they stood.


    ¡°The headquarters have decided to set up a special task force specifically targeting Jieke Group. Congress has allocated funding. You will be in charge.¡±


    Judith nodded, assigning Moritz the new task.


    ¡°What level task force is it?¡±


    Moritz inquired, knowing it determined how much funding he would get and how much force he could mobilize.


    ¡°A-level. Start preparing from today. I need you to keep a close watch on Jieke Group.¡±


    Judith¡¯s words made Moritz¡¯s eyelids twitch. S-level corresponded to major countries, and A-level already signified extreme importance. Even Al-Qaeda was only A-level during its time.


    ¡°I will give it my all.¡±


    Moritz took the appointment letter with not much joy of promotion on his face, but solemnity.


    Because he knew that dealing with an extremely dangerous criminal organization like Jieke Group, led by a reckless madman, a slight misstep could mean losing his head.


    ¡°As for this attack case¡­¡±


    ¡°Have all the captives been returned?¡±


    ¡°This morning, Jieke Group sent back thest batch of people.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Judith felt extremely frustrated.


    The other party knew that the attack would upset the Beautiful Country, so they deliberately released the captives to make amends, delivering a p and then a sweet date, preventing the Beautiful Country from breaking off rtions now.


    ¡°Congress is preparing to implement trade sanctions against Jieke Group. As for other measures, the domestic elections are at a critical point. It¡¯s not appropriate to stir up more troubles, so those will have to wait untilter.¡±


    Shaking her head, Judith was angry, but now was not a good time to take action against Jieke Group.


    The recent devastating defeat was still fresh in memory; causing another debacle would reduce the support for the one in the White House, and she would be the first person on the chopping block.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and start preparing.¡±


    Moritz did not like discussing these high-level political maneuvers and immediately turned around to leave.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡°Mr. Su, Miao Lun and his fourpanions have already been arranged on board. They will take a fishing boat to Lizhi Country and then fly back,¡±@@novelbin@@


    In Mand City, Chan Country, Su Jie received a call from Carter.


    ¡°You did well this time, Carter.¡±


    ¡°Serving Mr. Su is what I should do.¡±


    Carter on the other end of the phone humbly denied any praise, havinge to understand the true strength of his boss.


    He was the hidden mastermind behind the Jieke Group, who dared to directly confront the Beautiful Country; he couldn¡¯t afford any ulterior motives.


    Su Jie talked with Carter for a few more sentences and instructed him to continue smuggling the promising Tianyuan Hair Growth Liquid before hanging up the phone.


    ¡°Why do you seem unhappy? Is it because of the sanction statement the Beautiful Country just released?¡±


    Liu Yingying asked, embracing Su Jie¡¯s arm, just shortly after the Beautiful Country had issued a statement.


    ¡°Recently, our nation discovered that an extremist organization is holed up in the East Qin State of Chan Country. To prevent this organization from growing and to maintain world peace and security, our country and its allies dere the implementation of sanctions against this region and will propose to the United Nations to prohibit any forces from sending military equipment, steel, food, and energy to this area.¡±


    This statement was clearly a retaliation by the Beautiful Country against the Jieke Group for attacking the Averson Family.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be happy about. Killing Jose did not shake the foundation of Asder Pharmaceutical. They will simply choose someone else from the family to take charge. It was just a matter of letting off steam for us.¡±


    Su Jie stroked Liu Yingying¡¯s ck hair and said softly, ¡°Moreover, after this incident, those capitalists will definitely be more vignt against us. Now they¡¯re imposing sanctions and embargoes. We will face even more difficulties in the future.


    So it¡¯s not time to becent. Our strength is still very weak. Jieke Group needs to continue cultivating its internal strength.


    We must take advantage of the current situation where the Beautiful Country is too busy to pay attention, urgently develop ourselves, continue purchasing military weapons from the outside, expand our insect breeding, and assimte the newly acquired territories into our stronghold.¡±


    Beyond that, increase grain purchases through international channels and encourage local farmers to initiate agriculture.


    This includes coal, steel, mechanical equipment, and all other living and energy resources, which we need to import and stockpile. Not everyone will heed the Beautiful Country¡¯s sanctions. If we offer a higher price, there will always be countries willing to make money.


    Also, be cautious of the surroundings. The Beautiful Country might not get involved directly in the future, but they will definitely support other warlords and government armies against us or exploit any shortage of supplies to stir up public sentiment on our turf and incite a colored revolution,¡± said Su Jie to Liu Yingying.


    Now, things were different from before. Jieke Group was managing nearly three million people, worrying about their life¡¯s every aspect, especially under external threats, necessitating extensive preparation and precautions.


    Fortunately, Chan Country has a good tropical ecological environment and a rich grain output, ranking as the fifthrgest rice exporter worldwide. With rice yielding two to three harvests a year, even harsh trade blockades could ensure basic food supply concerns are unfounded.


    ¡°Are you leaving again?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Liu Yingying knew that Su Jie was about to leave, her eyes filled with reluctance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be away for a while, but I will return often.¡±


    Su Jie said with a smile as he flicked Liu Yingying¡¯s forehead. The situation had changed in Ghost Ridge Pce, Tianyuan World, and Su Jie couldn¡¯t stay long in Blue Star.


    Thinking this, Su Jie took out a white ne from his bosom, cing it around Liu Yingying¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you this ne, and you must never take it off.¡±


    The ne was a Low Grade Advanced Magical Artifact with self-protection capabilities; even without spiritual power, it could safeguard her safety.


    Just in case, although it was unlikely that the Beautiful Country would target Liu Yingying¡ªgiven that, to outsiders, Su Jie was the real core of Jieke Group and others didn¡¯t matter much, rash actions could provoke Su Jie. However, it¡¯s better safe than sorry.


    With this ne and the two protective magical device bracelets Su Jie had given Liu Yingying before, even a rocketuncher explosion couldn¡¯t harm her life.


    ¡°I really like it.¡±


    Liu Yingying leaned in and offered a passionate kiss.


    She didn¡¯t understand the true purpose of the ne, but she could feel Su Jie¡¯s affection.


    What followed was naturally another night of passion, an endless loving embrace under the spring chamber¡¯s silken drapes.

 Chapter 233 - 149: Yunling Realm Ninth Level (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 233: Chapter 149: Yunling Realm Ninth Level (Fourth Update)


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s spirit refining this time not only garnered a new ability but also greatly enhanced its previous capabilities.


    Such as the Purple Light Ray, which now allows the Thousand-Handed Centipede to burst out hundreds of rays at once, densely packed, making it difficult for foes to dodge or evade.


    Feeling the changes in the Thousand-Handed Centipede, Su Jie was tremendously exhrated.


    If he had faced Du Shaochang, the bearer of the Jade Sun True Body, with the Thousand-Handed Centipede possessing the Death Decline Curse Cloud back then, perhaps the battle would not have been so arduous.


    Sizzle!


    After demonstrating its abilities, the Thousand-Handed Centipede automatically shrank its form, flew to Su Jie¡¯s chest, and coiled up, feeding back its evolved vigorous blood and spiritual power to Su Jie.


    Su Jie sat cross-legged on the ground, his body¡¯s meridians expanding continuously under the relentless wash of spiritual power, like a riverbed scoured by a mountain torrent.


    Besides relying on the feedback from the Thousand-Handed Centipede, Su Jie also took out a pile of spirit stones and a White Bone Tree, creating a spiritually rich environment for himself.


    Boom!


    The sound of Su Jie¡¯s circting blood reverberated into the outside world, resembling thousands of rivers raging, and his spiritual power, unable to be contained any longer, escaped from his pores and formed a cloud of spiritual energy above him.


    As time trickled by, Su Jie was continuously adapting to the changes in his body.


    The spiritual energy from the spirit stones and the White Bone Tree, along with the energy fed back from the Thousand-Handed Centipede, finally converged at the Mingtang Acupoint, transforming into a mighty river.


    The boundless river traversed every meridian and blood vessel in his body, causing every cell to tremble and roar, sweeping through his limbs and bones.


    In an instant!


    Su Jie¡¯s mind cleared.


    The spiritual power inside his body waspressed once again, his cultivation reached a new level, breaking through to the Ninth Level of the Yunling Realm.


    At the same time, due to the breakthrough in cultivation, Su Jie¡¯s divine soul also reaped great benefits.


    In the out-of-body divine soul, a pair of ears slowly took shape.


    The divine soul moved slightly, and various sounds began entering his ears¡ªthe movement of insects, the pping of flies, including sounds audible to humans as well as inaudible subsonic and ultrasonic waves, and variousplicated environmental noises.


    Su Jie heard the ground above, where the earthquake caused earlier by the centipede¡¯s blunder had led to many factories undergoing maintenance.


    He also heard many whispers¡ªemployees gossiping about someone else¡¯s love life, employees cking off to watch TV shows during work hours, employees¡­


    ¡°The middleboratory, is there a way to get in?¡±


    ¡°No, only Mr. Su can enter that ce.¡±


    ¡°Try to find a way¡­¡±


    Su Jie overheard this conversation, two employees, bribed by the CIA, were plotting to steal secrets.


    These employees were unaware that Su Jie was eavesdropping and also unaware of the secrets within theboratory¡ªall who entered the Underground Poisonous Insects Cultivation Base had never left alive.


    Su Jie smirked callously. He did not rush to address it but decided to bide his time and fish for a bigger catch, hoping to trace the vine to find the truly important figures behind the scenes.


    ¡°This Divine Soul¡¯s Ear, it¡¯s like having the wind at my ears,¡± Su Jie muttered to himself. This ability would be extremely beneficial for eavesdropping on intelligence, but unfortunately, Su Jie neither had the time nor the need to gather information himself.


    For dealing with these ordinary people, the Insect Control Technique provided sufficient intelligence convenience.


    ¡°I wonder what abilities the Divine Soul¡¯s Eye will have when it manifests, a Thousand-Mile Eye perhaps.¡±


    At present, Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul had essentially taken shape,plete with human limbs and facial features¡ªonly thest pair of eyes were yet to form.


    Once the eyes were alsopleted, Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul would then be able to transform into a Primordial Spirit.


    As the Divine Soul returned, Su Jie¡¯s physical body slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°The body has been strengthened again!¡±


    Su Jie immediately noticed that his skin was very dirty, covered with ayer of grime, as if smeared with ck mud.


    With a gentle wipe of his hand, he could see the jade-like skin underneath. When he activated his Spiritual Power, his skin shone brightly, more dazzling than a diamond, resembling a wless ss body, difficult to gaze upon directly.


    Su Jie took an AK rifle out of his Storage Bag and aimed it at his palm before pulling the trigger.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A string of bullets hit and were directly deflected off, not to mention causing his palm to bleed, they couldn¡¯t even break the skin.@@novelbin@@


    Seeing this, Su Jie took another weapon from his Storage Bag, an Anti-Material Sniper Rifle, and conducted the experiment again.


    This time, Su Jie¡¯s palm did feel pain, and a red mark appeared in the center, still unable to truly prate Su Jie¡¯s skin.


    It was clear that Su Jie had also inherited the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s defensive abilities. Now, firearms like these posed no threat to him. To truly threaten Su Jie¡¯s life, at the very least, artillery-level weapons would be needed.


    To an ordinary person, skin that even heavy sniper rifles couldn¡¯t prate was no different from that of a monster.


    This was just Su Jie inheriting a weakened defensive power of the Thousand-Handed Centipede; if it were the centipede itself, its defense would be even more terrifying.


    ¡°Death Decline Curse Cloud.¡±


    Su Jie looked at the sniper rifle in his hand, and suddenly pointed a finger.


    A dark glow shed at his fingertip, enveloping the sniper rifle.


    Visible to the naked eye, the sniper rifle rusted quickly, with rust kes falling off continually, until the entire rifle dposed into rust and was dispersed by the wind.


    As Su Jie moved his finger, the dark glow also moved smoothly, acting like a deathser sweeping across thend, creating a line of death on the ground.


    Thend within the line appeared deadly mute, and all the Poisonous Insects that had crossed were obliterated.


    Simrly inheriting the weakened Death Decline Curse Cloud from the Thousand-Handed Centipede, the effect was still quite astonishing.


    Rising from the ground, Su Jie touched the Thousand-Handed Centipede coiled around his arm, his face wearing a smile.


    With his current strength at the Yunling Realm Ninth Level, and his Divine Soul soon to transform into a Primordial Spirit, along with a Mid Grade Five Refinement Thousand-Handed Centipede, ordinary Yunling Realm Cultivators engaging inbat with Su Jie¡ªeven those at the Ten Levels of Yunling Realm¡ªwould be effortlessly defeated in seconds.


    Only individuals like Du Shaochang, who possessed a Divine Body and Holy Body, or the Saint Heirs and Divine Daughters of certain Sects, cultivated with high expectations and equally standing at the pinnacle of Yunling Realm, could contend with Su Jie to some extent.


    Even Su Jie felt he could challenge some Cultivators who had just broken through to the Secret Realm, bolstered by the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s support.


    ¡°No, I mustn¡¯t get too cocky. Why y with fire by challenging those beyond my level?¡±


    This suicidal idea only circted in his mind for a moment before Su Jie immediately dismissed it.


    Why court death when bullying lower-level Cultivators in the Yunling Realm was fruitful? He had nothing better to do than to challenge those in the Secret Realm. Even if he could indeed defeat Cultivators of the Secret Realm, it would surely result in mutual destruction. Su Jie liked to bully the weak; he didn¡¯t like being on the receiving end of such treatment.


    Considering all these factors, Su Jie cleaned up the Underground Poisonous Insects Cultivation Base and added a new batch of Poisonous Insects.


    Then he took out the Ancient Mirror and stepped into it, heading to the Tianyuan World.

 Chapter 235 - 151: Qi Shijian (Second Update)

    Chapter 235: Chapter 151: Qi Shijian (Second Update)


    Su Jie ultimately didn¡¯t let Ning Xinyue leave, and even had avish lunch imposed on him by her.


    With Su Jie¡¯s return, the news of his emergence spread mouth to mouth, and soon, many in the sect knew about it.


    ¡°Young master, there are quite a few people outside seeking an audience.¡±


    A servant came to report, informing Su Jie of the situation.


    ¡°An audience with me? Why?¡±


    Su Jie was puzzled as he had only a few friends within the sect.


    After some thought, Su Jie decided to go out.


    At the entrance of his residence, Su Jie saw many distinguished individuals gathered there, some were managers of mines and medicinal gardens, others were responsible for distributing rewards to disciples, and some were rted to certain Elders, all influential figures of Ghost Ridge Pce, with power only second to the Elders.


    ¡°Mr. Su, ha-ha, congrattions on your emergence. We¡¯ve recently harvested many spirit nts at Pan¡¯an Valley, and thought you might find them useful. Here are some for you to try.¡±


    A portly middle-aged man bowed slightly, his face adorned with a warm smile.


    ¡°Manager Ji, you are too kind.¡±


    The man in front of Su Jie was familiar, someone responsible for a certain Spirit Medicine Valley ntation at Ghost Ridge Pce, not a realm as secretive as the Secret Realm, but his brother was, which was why he got this lucrative position.


    ¡°Mr. Su, this is our Hundred Flower Garden¡¯s self-brewed Spiritual Wine, a token for you to taste.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, my master sends you 10 servants and 10 pounds of Bodhi Iron.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, my young daughter is 20, the perfect age for marriage¡­¡±


    A crowd of people eagerly pressed around, continuously ttering and offering gifts.


    ¡°Thank you all for your generosity, but why are you giving me so many gifts? Can someone tell me why?¡±


    Su Jie was baffled, not understanding why these people were so enthusiastic, both giving gifts and offering their daughters, why he had be so popr.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ There are rumors that Mr. Su, your recent cultivation retreat was tremendously rewarding, and that you¡¯ll soon break through to the Secret Realm.¡±


    Someone spoke up, exining the reason.


    Su Jie realized then that these people had heard a distorted rumor; they were eagerly trying to curry favor with him, hoping to get on his good side before his breakthrough to the Secret Realm.


    ¡°Who started that rumor? I¡¯m currently at the Ninth level of the Yunling Realm; I¡¯m still a good distance from breaking through. Please, take your gifts back.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head, unwilling to take advantage of these offerings.


    ¡°The rumors must be true then.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su was promoted to inner disciple less than half a year ago and has already reached the Ninth Level of the Yunling Realm. Within a year, he shouldn¡¯t need to break through to the Secret Realm.¡±


    ¡°Please ept these gifts, Mr. Su; let them be early congrattions for our sect having another Elder soon.¡±


    ¡°I also have a distant niece, gentle and virtuous, definitely a good match.¡±


    ¡°My daughter is exceptionally beautiful, even more suitable.¡±


    ¡°Stop it, my Wan¡¯er¡­¡±


    Contrary to his intentions, Su Jie¡¯s words made the influential figures at the door even more eager, warming up more than before.


    These people, recognizing Su Jie¡¯s progressive stages in prowess, were determined he would someday ascend to the Secret Realm and insisted on currying favor with him.


    Su Jie, helpless, faced the enthusiastic crowd, unable to chase them away, and was coerced into epting the gifts, though he dismissed any thoughts of a marriage alliance.


    When everyone had finally left, Su Jie wiped the sweat from his forehead, more worn out than after a great battle.


    ¡°Su Jie, with so many wanting to marry their daughters to you, why aren¡¯t you interested?¡±


    Ning Xinyue had been peeking from behind the door the whole time and immediately jumped out when she saw everyone leave.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be tied down in marriage.¡±


    Su Jie ced the gift into the storage bag, then turned to Ning Xinyue and said, ¡°You should probably go back now.¡±


    ¡°Someone else ising, I¡¯ll go in first.¡±


    Ning Xinyue swiftly made an excuse and disappeared back inside, vanishing from sight.


    ¡°This girl.¡±


    Su Jie turned around to see a man dressed in elegant white approaching.


    This person had a handsome and refined appearance, eyebrows as white as snow, eyes bright as stars, and emitted a warm smile, much like a refreshing breeze.


    Upon seeing this person, Su Jie¡¯s eyes slightly squinted.


    This person was not like the previous nobles; he was a genuine disciple, and moreover, he was a recognized master among the disciples.


    In Ghost Ridge Pce, there were three inner disciples at the Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm acknowledged as the strongest.


    The three were Xiao Fengyuan, Qi Shijian, and Luo Jian, but Su Jie had only previously dealt with Xiao Fengyuan.


    And now, the person before him was one of the three, Qi Shijian.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ve long admired your renowned name,¡± Qi greeted with a smile before he even spoke, his serene and radiant aura naturally drawing others in, creating a sense of warmth and familiarity.


    ¡°In front of Qi, I wouldn¡¯t dare mention any renowned name.¡±


    Su Jie sped his hands together; this person was among the older generation of strong disciples, and Su Jie, being newer to gaining renown, was somewhat inferior.


    ¡°Hehe, Mr. Su, you are being too modest. Your battle with Du Shaochang tremendously boosted the morale of numerous disciples within the sect, and now everyone in the sect knows your name.¡±


    ¡°May I know what brings Brother Qi here this time?¡±


    Su Jie didn¡¯t engage in much small talk, as he hadn¡¯t previously interacted with this person, and his sudden appearance felt somewhat strange.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, during my skirmishes with the Righteous Disciples, I identally discovered a vein of Vajra Tribtion Jade Ore, but there are many Green Sea Red Scorpions around, and my power alone is insufficient. Informing the sect would mean limited rewards, so I thought to find someone to coborate and conquer this ore vein together. I estimate that the site could produce over a hundred pieces of jade, and we could extract everything in about a week, then split the proceeds fifty-fifty afterward.¡±


    Qi Shijian exined his intentions, speaking very sincerely.


    Vajra Tribtion Jade Ore is an extremely precious mineral, primarily used to forge Mid Grade Magical Artifacts, and a single piece of Vajra Tribtion Jade can sell for over a thousand Blood Marrow Crystals.


    If things are as Qi Shijian described, then the hundred pieces of Vajra Tribtion Jade could amount to an astonishing total of one hundred thousand Blood Marrow Crystals. With an equal split, that would be a staggering fifty thousand Blood Marrow Crystals each.


    ¡°Is this true?¡±


    Su Jie was astounded; such a fortunate affair seemed rare.


    ¡°Absolutely true, this is one piece I mined before.¡±


    While speaking, Qi Shijian also took out a piece of Vajra Tribtion Jade, pure and wless, its surface smooth like a mirror, and under the sunlight, it reflected a dazzling radiance.


    Su Jie nodded firmly and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what are we waiting for? Qi, you should go find someone else.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Su, you aren¡¯t willing to coborate?¡±


    Qi Shijian¡¯s facial expression clearly exhibited great surprise at Su Jie¡¯s response.


    ¡°Indeed, I am not interested in this.¡±


    Su Jie responded without a second thought. For pies falling from the sky, Su Jie felt his luck wasn¡¯t that good.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll look for someone else to coborate with.¡±


    Qi Shijian seemed somewhat regretful but did not persist further.


    As he walked away, Qi Shijian¡¯s face suddenly darkened.


    Su Jie watched Qi Shijian disappear into the distance and muttered to himself, ¡°Considering the nature of a demon cultivator, finding a vein of Vajra Tribtion Jade Ore and kindly looking to share the profits seems highly suspicious.¡±


    That was also why Su Jie was unwilling to go. Although unclear about Qi Shijian¡¯s intentions, Su Jie was not about to take that risk.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 237 - 153: Leaving the Clan (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 237: Chapter 153: Leaving the n (Fourth Update)


    By the time everything had ended, Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan walked out of the house.


    ¡°Brother Su, this time we must fight side by side.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan looked at Su Jie and extended his hand.


    Su Jie reached out and gave Xiao Fengyuan a p on the hand, then asked, ¡°Brother Xiao, I don¡¯t know much about Qi Shijian. What kind of person is he, and do you know the reason why he defected?¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan thought for a moment before replying, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t talk about. Before this incident urred, I had a decent rtionship with him. He was more elegant and cultured than most Demon Cultivators, sometimes more like a schr than a fighter.


    As to why he betrayed us, I have some guesses. It might be rted to a woman he met on the outside.¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡±


    ¡°Mo Shiyao, you should know her.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan nodded and mentioned a name that was somewhat familiar to Su Jie.


    ¡°That woman from Miao Yin Temple, the one called Qingyin Fairy?¡±


    Su Jie was of course not unfamiliar with the name, the woman who was with Du Shaochang.


    ¡°Yes, that is her. She is known as the most beautiful woman in Qingzhou, and she has many admirers due to her great fame.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan sighed, continuing, ¡°During a mission outside, Qi Shijian interacted with this woman and developed feelings for her. After returning, he lost his appetite and couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her. He was too infatuated, and I¡¯m afraid he was used by others because of this and defected from the Sect.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just being a simp! There are such people among the Demon Cultivators too!¡±


    Su Jie scratched his head, finding the reason for betraying the Sect hard to believe. It seemed too oundish, betraying Ghost Ridge Pce for a woman as if it were a fairy tale like Cindere.


    But then Su Jie thought again, Qi Shijian hade to invite him a few days ago, probably at Mo Shiyao¡¯s instigation.


    After all, he had killed her beloved Du Shaochang, and she had always wanted to kill him in revenge.


    ¡°Simp suits the situation quite well.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan shook his head wryly and said, ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t want to think that way, but Qi Shijian had a history of hiding his Demon Cultivator identity to meet with Mo Shiyao secretly. Not many people knew about it, and I found out by chance.


    Before the Sect conflict broke out, I relented to his plea and didn¡¯t disclose it. I thought once the war started he would cut off that unrealistic fantasy, knowing the division between Right and Evil. But little did I expect, one wrong step led to another, and he ended up where he is now.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing else to say. Since he has betrayed the Sect, he must face the consequences. Once we capture him and bring him back to the Sect, everything wille to light.¡±


    Su Jie became serious. Qi Shijian was involved with Mo Shiyao and had once tried to plot against him, so Su Jie felt the need to capture him for interrogation.


    Xiao Fengyuan agreedpletely, saying, ¡°Indeed, we can¡¯t let him off easily.¡±


    ¡­.


    After parting with Xiao Fengyuan, Su Jie returned to his residence to prepare for the journey the next day.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re leaving? Take me with you, I¡¯m getting a bit bored being alone.¡±


    Ning Xinyue saw Su Jie packing various daily necessities into his Storage Bag and guessed that he was heading out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take you this time. I¡¯m going to capture a traitor, not to sightsee.¡±


    Su Jie rejected her without hesitation. Ning Xinyue¡¯s identity wasplicated. If Xiao Fengyuan recognized her, it wouldn¡¯t be good¡ªhe was someone who abhorred evil and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill someone who disguised their identity and infiltrated the Sect.


    Ning Xinyue blinked herrge eyes and asked, ¡°Are you going to capture Qi Shijian?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard too?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°The entire Sect knows Qi Shijian has betrayed the Sect. I¡¯m neither deaf nor blind.¡±


    Ning Xinyue pouted, shook Su Jie¡¯s arm, and coaxed, ¡°Take me with you, I really want to go out too.¡±


    Ever since she had entered Ghost Ridge Pce, and after the Exotic Treasure incident followed by the Sect wars, all routes out of the Sect¡¯s territory were guarded by Elders, making it impossible for her to leave unless she used an extremely precious talisman.


    ¡°No point discussing it, the Elder assigned just the two of us, it wasn¡¯t up to me to decide.¡±


    Being pestered, Su Jie said directly, ¡°If you¡¯re capable, go and persuade Master Zuo Xiping to let you join.¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s eyes rolled as she ced her hands on her hips, ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll go then.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Su Jie had thought Ning Xinyue was just talking big, but to his surprise, when he and Xiao Fengyuan met up the next day ready to set off, Ning Xinyue actually came with Zuo Xiping.


    ¡°This girl¡­¡±


    Su Jie watched Ning Xinyue with a speechless expression. Did this girl really make it happen?


    ¡°Su Jie, Xiao Fengyuan, one more person will be added to your capture team this time. Your Junior Sister Zhu Qingya will also go with you to helpplete the capture.¡±


    Zuo Xiping¡¯s words confirmed what Su Jie had thought.


    Ning Xinyue nced sideways at Su Jie, the triumph almost spilling from her face.


    ¡°Master Zuo, Junior Sister Zhu¡¯s strength¡­¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan was somewhat puzzled because as far as he knew, this Junior Sister was indeed talented but had only just started.


    ¡°I thought the same at first, then I found out she has been hiding her strength. What¡¯s more important is that she has a disguise technique that can help you with appearance and bodily transformations, which is very beneficial for hiding your identity and preventing mission failure due to exposure.¡±


    Zuo Xiping spoke cheerfully and emphasized the importance of Ning Xinyue.


    In reality, these reasons alone weren¡¯t enough to persuade Zuo Xiping. The main factor was that Elder Tang Peiqing hade to plead on her behalf, and considering Ning Xinyue had indeed teamed up with Su Jie in past Sect wars, it made sense to add another woman, who was better suited for action in certain special environments.


    ¡°Brother Su, Brother Xiao, please take good care of me in the future.¡±


    Ning Xinyue greeted the two with a smiling face and sneakily made a face at Su Jie.


    ¡°Junior Sister Zhu!¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.


    ¡°Little Zhu! Remember to hide behind me if there¡¯s danger, so I won¡¯t have to worry about you.¡±


    Su Jie coughed awkwardly; the nickname ¡®Little Zhu¡¯ almost caused Ning Xinyue to lose herposure as she bit down on her teeth.


    ¡°You are the little pig¡­¡±


    While inwardly fuming, Ning Xinyue maintained an elegant smile on her face, ¡°Then I thank Brother Su for his care, make sure to protect me when there¡¯s danger!¡±


    ¡°Enough talk, let¡¯s not waste any more words. I¡¯ll lead you out of the Sect.¡±


    Zuo Xiping cut off the pleasantries and led the way ahead. Given the current environment of the Sect, even the disciples of the Righteous Sect entering the territory of Ghost Ridge Pce didn¡¯t do so openly but were using some sort of Magical Treasure to teleport inside. Hence, to leave, they also needed an Elder from inside like Zuo Xiping to lead the way.


    The three followed closely behind, stepping towards the exit of the Sect.

 Chapter 240 - 156: The Han Family (Third Update)

    Chapter 240: Chapter 156: The Han Family (Third Update)


    Half a dayter!


    On the ground, the Thousand-Handed Centipede slowlynded.


    ¡°Atst, we¡¯ve escaped.¡±


    Feeling secure, Ning Xinyue patted her chest with lingering fear.


    ¡°You just muddled along without making any effort,¡± Su Jie said irritably, flicking Ning Xinyue¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°I was the one who spotted the Secret Realm Elder in advance. How can you say I didn¡¯t contribute?¡± Ning Xinyue protested, covering her forehead.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d provoke an Elder. Luckily, we had Brother Su and this Poisonous Centipede; otherwise, our escape wouldn¡¯t have been so simple,¡± Xiao Fengyuan said. He had also experienced sessful escapes from Secret Realm Elders in the past, but this time they had been deeply trapped within the encirclement of a Righteous Sect, and if they were dyed for long, there would have been more than one Elder appearingter.


    ¡°It was also luck, that Elder wasn¡¯t very fast at flying. If we had encountered one who excelled at it, we would have had to confront them head on.¡±


    Su Jie retracted the Thousand-Handed Centipede back into his robe. They needed to continue on foot; flying in the sky was too conspicuous, and the outside world belonged to the Righteous Sects. Caution was paramount.


    Fortunately, once they left the encirclement, there would be no more patrolling disciples, which would make things easier.


    ¡°Where are we now? How far is that Qi Shijian from us?¡±


    ¡°Let me check.¡±


    Checking the Identity Jade, Su Jie was pleasantly surprised to find that the glowing spot on it was brighter and blinking faster, indicating that Qi Shijian was within a few hundred miles from them.


    ¡°Southeast direction. There are many cities that way; we just don¡¯t know which city the other party will be in.¡±


    Ning Xinyue consulted the map, noting that Qi Shijian¡¯s location was indeed in a densely popted area.


    Su Jie took the map, gave it a quick nce, and to his surprise, came across a familiar name.


    ¡°Wait, Nanyang City?¡±


    Su Jie was startled to see the name Nanyang City.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ning Xinyue didn¡¯t understand Su Jie¡¯s strong reaction.


    ¡°Nanyang City is a haunted ce!¡± Su Jie¡¯s face darkened as he recalled the terrifying night he had spent in Nanyang City.


    Back in Nanyang City, Su Jie had stayed overnight with Dong Hongtian and other martial artists, and experienced a ghostly procession.


    ¡°Haunted, really?¡± Ning Xinyue blinked her eyes with curiosity.


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? That city was taken over by the Heavenly Soul Sect. They corralled the townspeople, using them as a source of fear to harvest¡­¡± Su Jie briefly recounted what he had witnessed in Nanyang City.


    ¡°The Heavenly Soul Sect, this Demon Sect has really gone too far,¡± Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s voice deepened. It¡¯s said that two tigers cannot share one mountain, and it is the same with Demon Cultivation Sects.@@novelbin@@


    Unless it¡¯s a region rich in resources, Demon Cultivation Sects rarely cluster together, usually avoiding each other.


    Then again, Demon Cultivation Sects wouldn¡¯t get the chance to upy resource-rich areas since those are generally under the control of Righteous Sects.


    ¡°Eh, the Heavenly Soul Sect has moved from Jingzhou to this ce!¡± Ning Xinyue mumbled to herself; she had traded the method to create the Soul Summoning Banner with the Heavenly Soul Sect in Jingzhou, but that was something she preferred not to mention in front of Xiao Fengyuan.


    ¡°We should try to avoid Nanyang City as much as possible, our mission is to capture Qi Shijian and bring him back to the Sect, not topete with the Heavenly Soul Sect.¡±


    Su Jie said, even though he knew that the Heavenly Soul Sect had overstepped its boundaries, given the current situation of Ghost Ridge Pce, they were already struggling to protect themselves and did not have the ability to defend their territory.


    Even if they wanted to settle ounts with the Heavenly Soul Sect, they would have to survive this round of Sect warfare before addressing it.


    Xiao Fengyuan fell silent for a moment and then nodded, ¡°Capturing Qi Shijian is more important, let¡¯s put this matter aside for now.¡±


    The three of them set off again, heading towards the densely popted area ahead.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Two dayster!


    In East Victory City, the bustling streets were filled with a wide, t pavement of bluestone, and a bustling crowd was shuttling back and forth, among whom were descendants of wealthy families dressed in luxurious clothes.


    On both sides of the street, tall shops stood in rows, disying a dazzling array of merchandise, while the streets swarmed with performers and small vendors, presenting a lively and prosperous scene.


    At the city gate entrance, Su Jie, Xiao Fengyuan, and Ning Xinyue arrived at the city.


    ¡°Three copper coins per person for the city entry fee.¡±


    A few soldiers at the city gate stood listlessly, collecting the entry tax.


    Su Jie tossed over a few copper coins, but his gaze drifted to the other side, to the wanted poster affixed at the city gate.


    At the top of the bounty list was Su Jie himself, with a reward of one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, an amount that could drive anyone mad.


    If it weren¡¯t for Ning Xinyue¡¯s disguise, Su Jie wouldn¡¯t dare to enter the city with such confidence.


    Below his wanted poster, there were many others sought for capture, mostly Jianghu bandits and viins of serious crimes, iparable to Su Jie.


    ¡°Hey, make way, please, make way.¡±


    Suddenly, a team of family servants came marching quickly, shoving through the crowd and posting a notice at the city gate.


    ¡°The Han Family is recruiting capable and righteous individuals. Anyone with real skills can collect a reward of three hundred taels of silver on the spot, and those who can solve the problems of the Han Family will be given ten thousand taels of silver,¡± one of the servants shouted, immediately drawing the nearbymoners to gather and watch.


    Su Jie took a quick nce and saw, indeed, a recruitment order.


    ¡°So it¡¯s the Han Family, it seems the rumors are true.¡±


    ¡°Who would dare to go? I heard even the Heavenly Patrol Department rushed to help and suffered casualties.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the skills to im that money anyway.¡±


    The onlookingmoners discussed among themselves, and Ning Xinyue, who had an impulsive nature, approached a schrly-looking man and asked,


    ¡°Excuse me, sir, we¡¯ve juste from outside the area. What is this Han Family you¡¯re all talking about?¡±


    The schr turned his head, initially not intending to respond, but upon seeing Ning Xinyue¡¯s appearance, even though she had altered her face, her figure and the aura of her cultivation greatly attracted the schr.


    ¡°That¡¯s a prestigious family in East Victory City. Five hundred years ago, an ancestor, Han Chong, led the frontier wolf cavalry and repelled the invaders from the Blood Moon Demon Country at Heavenly Peak Pass, thereby quelling the Revolt of the Ten Thousand Shadows. He was honored by the founding Emperor of the Da Li Dynasty as the National Guardian General and the Heavenly Strategy Supreme General, bestowed the title Lord Zhen¡¯an, and was once extremely illustrious.


    After Han Chong passed away, the Han Family began to decline slowly, but due to their foundation and the emergence of talented and virtuous descendants, who achieved great honors, there were still family members who became officials in the court.


    Forty-five years ago, the Han Family took the wrong side during the struggle for session after the change of thrones, which displeased Emperor Yonglong who ascended to power. In retaliation, he demoted and dismissed Han Family officials, confiscated their wealth for the state treasury, and executed many family members, leading to the Han Family¡¯s gradual decline to this day.¡±


    The schr spoke slowly, showing off his vast knowledge to Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°Recently, the Han Family has encountered strange urrences. People in their household began to die mysteriously, one per day at first, which escted to two per week, and as of today, three members of the Han Family die daily. Not only servants and maids but also rtives from both the branch and main lineage have perished. Because of this, the Han Family Master has issued a recruitment order, seeking the help of capable and righteous individuals. Whoever solves the Han Family¡¯s crisis will be rewarded ten thousand taels of silver.¡±


    As he spoke, the schr pointed at a towering mansion within the city.


    Despite the distance, one could see magnificent banners hanging there, iid with five-colored ze, standing out prominently in the city.


    ¡°Look, that is where the Han Family estate is located.¡±

 Chapter 241 - 157: Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body (First Update)

    Chapter 241: Chapter 157: Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body (First Update)


    ¡°Indeed, luxurious,¡± Ning Xinyue said, feigning a surprised expression.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°It looks like the Han Family has had some bad luck. They arranged a marriage alliance with the Nanjing King and sent off their youngdy, Han Ruyan, but then this happened recently. I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯ve sought help from many disciples of first-ss sects, including the Purple Mist Sect, Miao Yin Temple, and Guan Chao Pavilion,¡± the schr said.


    At these words, Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s eyes lit up immediately.


    The reason why Su Jie and hispanions hade to East Victory City was the directive of the Identity Jade, suggesting that Qi Shijian was likely residing within the city.


    Putting together what the schr said, things became progressively clearer.


    ¡°Thank you for the rification.¡±


    Ning Xinyue smiled sweetly and bid farewell to the schr.


    ¡°The Han Family, huh!¡±


    After entering the city, Su Jie checked the guidance of the Identity Jade, and as luck would have it, the direction it pointed to was right where the Han Mansion was located.


    ¡°It seems that the whereabouts of Qi Shijian indeed lie with the Han Family,¡± Su Jie thought to himself and shared the guidance of the Identity Jade with Ning Xinyue and Xiao Fengyuan.


    ¡°Are we going in directly?¡± Xiao Fengyuan asked, his voice low, contemting a swift and decisive strike to capture their target.


    ¡°I would like to do just that, but over at the Han Family¡­¡± Su Jie shook his head. The Han Family had many disciples from the reputable sects gathered there. With only Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan to fight, plus Ning Xinyue who doesn¡¯t exert much effort, they were outmatched by the numerous disciples of the righteous sects, and a head-on confrontation was too risky.


    ¡°Now, given that our identities are those of ordinary capable people set on doing good, isn¡¯t the Han Mansion seeking assistance? We could respond to their call, first seek an opportunity to scout, and then strike when the moment is right,¡± Su Jie suggested after some thought.


    Xiao Fengyuan nodded, ¡°I have no objections.¡±


    ¡°That sounds quite interesting,¡± Ning Xinyue chirped, her eyebrows raised in delight. The thrill of subterfuge appealed greatly to her.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The Han Mansion was located in the southwestern corner of East Victory City, sprawling over an extensive area.


    Tall and majestic courtyards with intricately carved beams and painted ridges, overwhelming eaves, deep gates and alleyways twisted and turned like abyrinth.


    This estate was like a small city in itself, with embroidered buildings, kitchens, family schools, academies, flower gardens, servant residences, and surrounded courtyards¡ªthere were thousands of rooms and hundreds of courtyards,rge and small.


    Everywhere was nted with a variety of flowers and trees, teeming with colorful blossoms, towering bamboos, picturesque ponds, and pavilions interspersed.


    They say even a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; even in decline, the Han Family¡¯s splendor was beyond whatmon people could even dare to dream about.


    At this moment, in the Han Family¡¯s rear garden, distinct with its seasons, with spring¡¯s purple hazes and summer¡¯s inviting cicada songs, autumn¡¯s gold and green trees, a group of young men and women were enjoying the scenery and ying. The men were graceful and extraordinary in appearance, while the women had bright teeth and beautiful brows, with hair piled high and elegant.


    Among these people, two were particrly striking. One had long hair over the shoulders, slender shoulders, a delicate waist, skin as smooth as ice and bones as fine as jade, an absolutely gorgeous appearance, eyes that captivated the soul, wearing dazzling silk clothes, adorned with gold and jade jewelry, sparkling with pearls, and footed in jade shoes, moving with dignified grace, shining bright as precious pearls and jades.


    This girl was none other than the darling of the Han Family, Han Ruyan.


    Another woman, with a countenance pale as snow and features like a painting, her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She was d in celestial clothes adorned with cloud patterns and tassels, holding a Phoenix Feather Fan in her hand. She seemed like a Goddess seated on high clouds, her gait surrounded by an enchanting melody, exuding an aura of spiritual energy that could sway one¡¯s soul.


    This was Fairy Mo from Miao Yin Temple, Mo Shiyao, widely known as the first beauty among the young generation in Qingzhou.


    ¡°Miss Han, do you truly not wish to join our Miao Yin Temple? With your talent, you could surely reach Taoist tform Realm in your cultivation journey, or even ascend to a higher realm, observing the world¡¯s transformation without being tainted by a speck of dust, enjoying a long andsting life.¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s voice was sweet,ced with an enchanting allure.


    Her gaze followed the dazzling girl beside her, and solely in terms of beauty, the two were evenly matched.


    But as for their aura, she was like a Goddess descending from the Ninth Heaven, while the other merely possessed a nobility from birth, distinguishing their ranks.


    ¡°Fairy Mo, I cannot defy my parents¡¯ orders. I am already betrothed to the Nanjing King and will be married in five days. There¡¯s no longer any opportunity for me to seek the path of cultivation and query the Dao.¡±


    Han Ruyan¡¯s voice was soft and mellow, like a rich wine that could intoxicate the listener.


    ¡°Miss Han, your Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body is such that you would progress at a rapid pace in your cultivation. If you are willing to join the Purple Mist Sect, I¡¯m sure our sect elders can help mediate the matter with the Nanjing King.¡±


    A young man clothed in white, with flowing hair and handsome features, exuded an extraordinary aura that seemed detached from worldly concerns spoke persuasively.


    He was the beloved grandson of the Sect Master of the Purple Cloud Sect, Xiao Guanglian, a Divine Son intensively nurtured by his sect.


    By Xiao Guanglian¡¯s side stood a man with a gentle smile. At the moment, he chimed in, saying, ¡°Miss Han, the Purple Mist Sect is one of Qingzhou¡¯s reputable sects. Your concerns about your family and the Nanjing King are trivial matters that we will handle for you.¡±


    If Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan were here, they would have recognized the man speaking. It was none other than Qi Shijian, whom they had been desperately seeking.


    He was now mingling with a group of people from reputable sects, his eyes asionally fixing on Mo Shiyao with a gaze filled with intense adoration.


    ¡°Miss Han, Guan Chao Pavilion has a certain rapport with the Imperial Family of the Da Li Dynasty. I imagine the Nanjing King would give us some face.¡±


    A man dressed in a wide, blue robe with a white jade belt tied around his waist, his ck hair fluttering in the wind, stood with an impressive andmanding air. His eyes and eyebrows reflected an untamed spirit, and he spoke with strong confidence and charm.


    He was Yu Wenjing from Guan Chao Pavilion, who possessed the Obsidian Scale Body, ranking fourteenth among Divine Bodies, and boasted of a Seventh-level cultivation within the Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm. His status and strength within his sect were even above what Du Shaochang once had.


    While speaking, he looked at Han Ruyan with admiration.


    This young woman, who bore the Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body ranked seventh among the Divine Bodies, was a first-ss cultivation physique in the world. Known as the Beichen Chui Xiang, orbited by all stars, it was deemed the Creation Mechanism, the master of gods and men,manding awe across the Three Realms, ruling All Spirits.


    This was the terrifying potential of the Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body, said to be capable of shaking the Three Realms and ruling All Spirits upon its growth.


    Being born in the Han Mansion and exposed to music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age, she had not rigorously cultivated, and solely through the natural growth of her spiritual power, she already possessed a Seventh-level cultivation in the Yunling Realm.


    If she embraced the path of cultivation and received nurturance and teachings from a sect, she was bound to be, at the very least, a powerful being in the Taoist tform Realm and possibly ascend to even higher realms, having the potential to protect her sect for a millennium.


    After Xiao Guanglian and Yu Wenjing had spoken, about a dozen other men and women also took turns to persuade her.


    They were all disciples from various sects in Qingzhou, drawn here because Han Ruyan¡¯s Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body had been discovered during a routine check-up before her marriage to the Nanjing King, which had caused a sensation throughout Qingzhou.


    This was, after all, a Divine Body ranked in the top ten¡ªShould she join any sect, it would greatly benefit from her growth.


    Consequently, these sects sprang into action, each in a hurry to invite Han Ruyan to join their ranks.

 Chapter 242 - 158: Persuasion (Second Update)

    Chapter 242: Chapter 158: Persuasion (Second Update)


    Mo Shiyao stepped onto the cobblestone path by the pond and looked at the mandarin ducks ying in the water, pointing with her hand.


    ¡°Miss Han, look at these mandarin ducks, forming pairs and casting shadows. You are entrusting your life to the Nanjing King without even meeting him once. Do you think you will be happy in the future?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for anyone to say more. Having been cared for by the Han Family since childhood, I¡¯ve long been prepared for this. Personal emotions are of little significance.¡±


    With the light shining on her profile, Han Ruyan appeared as wless as white jade, her beautiful face disying an indifferent calm like water, showing neither much sorrow nor much joy.


    For the Han Family, the Nanjing King, the real power-holder of Jingzhou, was the best marriage alliance prospect and key to their potential resurgence.


    To regain high positions in the court, the support of the Nanjing King was extremely important.


    Even if it meant sending away the treasured daughter of the family for marriage, it was unanimously approved by everyone in the Han Family.


    Han Ruyan was well aware of her fate. Born into a famous family like the Han Family, indulging in exotic delicacies and silk since childhood, her fate had been silentlybeled with a price, and now, it was time to repay through this arranged marriage.


    ¡°If you want to change the fate of the Han Family, once you achieve the Taoist tform Realm, only then can you truly help your n.¡±


    Yu Wenjing chuckled lightly, exuding an unstoppable domineering aura, and slowly said, ¡°Instead of relying on someone else as your support, why not be the support for your own family? The influence and pressure that a cultivator of the Taoist tform Realm can bring ¨C you must be quite aware of it, Miss Han.¡±


    Those words struck a chord in Han Ruyan¡¯s heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but look towards Yu Wenjing.


    The Han Family was also a cultivation family. Their ancestor had fought alongside the founding emperor of the Da Li Dynasty, leaving behind many cultivation scriptures, but as the family declined, much was sold or lost.


    Nowadays, few of the Han Mansion¡¯s family members who practice cultivation have reached the Secret Realm, with most of them either studying hard for official exams or engaging in business. The number of family members dedicated to cultivation is very small, and their cultivation levels are generally mediocre.


    Still, this didn¡¯t mean Han Ruyan was unaware of how formidable a Taoist tform Realm cultivator could be.


    In a Sect, that level corresponded to the Supreme Elder, the battle power of a Sect Master.


    In a cultivation family or a great n, it was a strength usually possessed only by patriarchs.


    Even in the Da Li Dynasty, where the current politics were in shambles and talent scarce, a Taoist tform Realm cultivator could easily assume a Second Grade or higher position in the court if they wished to serve the Da Li Dynasty.


    Seeing Han Ruyan wavering, Yu Wenjing continued, ¡°My Guan Chao Pavilion is the leading Great Sect in Qingzhou, with numerous strong cultivators. If Miss Han joins us, I dare say the Nanjing King wouldn¡¯t dare cause you trouble. Regarding the Han Family, our Sect is willing to take in a group of talented youth, encouraging them to join our Sect for cultivation. Even if the Han Familypletely falls apart one day, these n members within our Sect can still spread their branches and rebuild a more splendid cultivation family.¡±


    Yu Wenjing¡¯s words were undeniably tempting. With just a nod, she could soar into the Immortal Sect, be a disciple specially nurtured, and even benefit the younger members of her family.


    ¡°This matter carries the hopes of my parents. I¡¯m afraid I will disappoint you all; my mind is made up.¡±


    Ultimately, Han Ruyan still shook her head. Her wedding date with the Nanjing King was approaching, and calling it off now would be akin to pping the face of the powerful Prince, which would greatly offend him.


    She herself could enter the Immortal Sect and ignore the mortal world.


    But the Han Family would undoubtedly face oppression on all fronts, not to mention the impossibility of returning to high positions in the court ¨C that was her father¡¯s lifetime aspiration.


    The surrounding disciples from the Sect fell silent, not expecting this woman¡¯s resolve to be so firm.


    As the group wandered, they neared the front hall area, hearing the faintmotion.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on up ahead?¡±


    Han Ruyan asked a servant.


    ¡°To report to Miss, it¡¯s those able people who havee to answer the call for the examination, seeking to resolve the mysterious deaths urring in the mansion as ofte. The Master and the others are also in the front hall,¡± the servant replied, stealing nces at the breathtakingly beautiful daughter of the house who, regretfully, would soon marry the Nanjing King and would no longer be seen after a few more days.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, would anyone care to take a closer look?¡±


    Han Ruyan found an excuse to divert attention from the previous topic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all go together and see.¡±


    Mo Shiyao gave a faint smile, walking shoulder to shoulder with Han Ruyan.


    The group arrived at the front hall and found it crowded with many people.


    There were about a dozen individuals of various attire¡ªable people with unusual skills¡ªas well as the Han Family¡¯s servants and several of the n¡¯s elders.


    ¡°Ru Yan!¡±


    A middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe, with a jade pendant hanging at his waist and a folding fan in hand, looked over.


    His brows were furrowed, betraying a heavy heart, as he paced around the courtyard, seemingly lost in thought.


    He was Han Ruyan¡¯s father, the current master of the Han Family, Han Jinghuan.


    ¡°Father, I¡¯vee to take a look with these distinguished young cultivators from the Immortal Sects.¡±


    Han Ruyan approached with graceful steps, speaking cheerfully in front of Han Jinghuan.


    ¡°Uncle Han, I apologize for the intrusion.¡±


    Mo Shiyao walked over leisurely, nodding with a smile.


    Miao Yin Temple was not far from East Victory City, and Master Si Xinying had some familial connections with the Han Family.


    ¡°So it¡¯s Miss Mo, is your master well?¡±


    Han Jinghuan stroked his beard and spoke lightly, unfurling his fan.


    ¡°My master is currently engaged in the campaign against the Ghost Ridge Pce and is too upied to be present, so he instructed me toe and lend assistance with the crisis in Han Mansion.¡±


    Mo Shiyao spoke very politely, though her main reason foring here was for Han Ruyan, which naturally she did not say.


    ¡°Uncle Han, I fear that you won¡¯t get much hope from these applicants¡ªmost of them possess mere trivial skills.¡±


    Yu Wenjing looked toward the courtyard, where the so-called able people were energetically showcasing their skills¡ªmost were Loose Cultivators without any sect or school, performing minor tricks like Palm Thunder, Drawing a Prison, Earth Tunneling, Rain Summoning Technique, and Evil Avoidance and Fortune Telling.@@novelbin@@


    And that was the better lot; some weren¡¯t even Loose Cultivators, just martial artists with basic boxing, swordy, and other martial arts skills, and there were even swindlers from Jianghu who relied on sleight of hand to deceive others, none of whom caught his interest.


    ¡°Nephew Yu Wen, my family is not at peace, struck by some cmity, with mysterious deaths urring day and night. Regardless of the reason, I have to try something, and what I¡¯ve paid is just some Silver Coin, which amounts to little.¡±


    Han Jinghuan shook his head, responding nomittally to Yu Wenjing¡¯s remark.


    ¡°If Uncle Han doesn¡¯t mind, we¡¯re also willing to lend a hand. Without making any bold ims, whether it¡¯s the work of demons or the mischief of thieves, with so many of us from reputable sects here, we won¡¯t ignore the situation. We will help you get to the bottom of it.¡±


    Yu Wenjing sped his hands, speaking confidently, intending to first gain favor with the Han Family by resolving their crisis before making a move to persuade Han Ruyan, thus increasing his chances.


    ¡°That would be wonderful.¡±


    Han Jinghuan¡¯s face lit up with joy, confident that with the help of these upright sect disciples, the ominous cmity within the mansion would certainly be resolved.

 Chapter 243 - 159: Mysterious Child (Third Update)

    Chapter 243: Chapter 159: Mysterious Child (Third Update)


    ¡°Let the new batch in.¡±


    Selecting a few promising candidates, Han Jinghuan did not give up his own recruitment despite Yu Wenjing¡¯s promise, knowing very well that these Righteous Disciples may need to stay for an indeterminate amount of time. If the issue wasn¡¯t resolved by then, he would still need to rely on the people he had recruited himself.


    Shortly after, a new batch of able individuals entered the courtyard.


    Among them, Su Jie, Xiao Fengyuan, and Ning Xinyue were discreetly mixed in.@@novelbin@@


    As soon as he entered the courtyard, Su Jie¡¯s peripheral vision caught sight of two familiar figures.


    One was a woman with an ethereal presence and stunning beauty, Qingyin Fairy Mo Shiyao.


    The other was Su Jie¡¯s target for this mission, Qi Shijian, who stood behind a man dressed in the attire of the Purple Mist Sect, chatting andughing with others, showing no hint of the murderous intent of a Demon Cultivator.


    A sharp light burst from Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s eyes, and his blood surged.


    ¡°Stay calm,¡± Su Jie advised, putting a hand on Xiao Fengyuan and shaking his head slightly.


    Now was not the time to make a move. There were too many Righteous Disciples. These weren¡¯t merely Outer Disciples, nor were theymon inner disciples. To recruit Han Ruyan, the possessor of the Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body, each Great Sect had sent their elite disciples, aiming to showcase the teaching standard of their respective sects.


    Therefore, each Righteous Disciple present in the Han Mansion had robust vitality like dragons, towering spirit pressure, and a remarkable aura.


    Among them, a few exerted on Su Jie a pressure no less than Du Shaochang, perhaps even surpassing him.


    ¡°Gentlemen, please take turns to demonstrate your abilities. Once sessfully recruited, regardless of sess or failure, you will receive three hundred taels of silver. Moreover, should you help resolve the dire cmity of the Han Family, ten thousand taels of silver will be presented with both hands.¡±


    Han Jinghuan lightly waved his folding fan, his gaze sweeping over.


    ¡°Having long heard of the Han Family¡¯s great name, I am Ji Yingxuan, known in Jianghu as the Vast Divine Palm,¡± dered a confident man in a green shirt, stepping forward boldly. With a flick of his head, he leapt over ten meters into the air and thundered, ¡°Divine Power Sky Palm!¡±


    Boom!


    A loud explosion echoed from the void, shattering several cobblestones in the courtyard, and a small tree, as thick as a calf¡¯s leg, was snapped in two.


    The man in green exhaled deeply, pped his hands repeatedly, and palm prints fell in session, kicking up dust in the courtyard and leaving shallow pits in the ground.


    ¡°Good, not bad,¡±plimented Han Jinghuan with a satisfied nod and signaled discreetly. Immediately, a servant approached with a tray, containing ingots of silver.


    One by one, talented individuals took the stage, some being recruited, and others failing to catch Han Jinghuan¡¯s eye.


    ¡°My name is Zhu Ya, and I specialize in the Ice Control Technique.¡±


    When it was Ning Xinyue¡¯s turn, the girl gracefully lifted her skirt, and wisps of frost spread from her feet, the ground and the trees in the courtyard crystallized into ice, transforming the space into a world of frost and snow.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite interesting,¡± remarked Yu Wenjing with keen eyes. He snapped a piece of solid ice with his hand, quite proud of himself, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you practice the Ten Thousand Cold Skill. It¡¯s quite remarkable for a Loose Cultivator to master such a technique. Although the Ten Thousand Cold Skill is just a Low-level Technique and widely circted, it still speaks to your abilities.¡±


    Ning Xinyue lifted her head and smiled slightly, ¡°That¡¯s right, oh, I naturally cannotpare to your Righteous Disciples. However, with this skill, I¡¯ve been quite sessful among the Loose Cultivators.¡±


    Clearly, Ning Xinyue did not use her Xuanyin Body; otherwise, the severe cold would have made it impossible for Yu Wenjing to touch it with his bare hands without circting his Spiritual Power.


    ¡°Very well, Heroine Zhu, I hope you can help us resolve the disaster in the mansion soon,¡±ughed Han Jinghuan heartily, feeling that Ning Xinyue¡¯s participation made his recruitment worthwhile.


    ¡°My name is Storm Gun, Xia Xiusi.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan also took the stage, his spear thrusting like a fierce storm, performing a set of spear technique as a member of the martial artsmunity.


    Smoothly, Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s performance too received acknowledgment.


    ¡°Shadowless Sword, Xu Changqing.¡±


    Atst, Su Jie stepped forward and performed a set of sword techniques, aplementary sword maneuver of the Green Rainbow Sword Technique.


    In the past, Su Jie always used the Flying Sword, controlling the White Bone Sky ying Sword to kill enemies from a distance, never having the opportunity to fight up close with sword moves.


    However, the proficiency, physical strength, and sharpness of his eyes were apparent; Su Jie performed vigorously, filling the air withyers uponyers of sword shadows, easily gaining recognition.


    ¡°This pure martial artist must be at most at the Third Level of Yunling Realm in cultivation,¡±


    Xiao Guanglian looked on with disdain; such martial artists only practiced the basics of punches and kicks.


    In their Immortal Sect, even a disciple at the Second Level of the Yunling Realm could not be defeated.


    ¡°So-called people from the martial arts, with nicknames that sound grand and imposing,¡±


    Mo Shiyao pursed her lips with a lightugh, appearing somewhat indifferent. These able people weren¡¯t worth her special attention.


    ¡°Just some trivial tricks, not worth mentioning at all,¡±


    Qi Shijian echoed repeatedly, adding hisments, his gaze often drifting towards Mo Shiyao, his eyes warm, but Mo Shiyao hardly gave him a direct look.


    Han Ruyan listened to the words of these Righteous Disciples, her lustrous eyes ncing over, showing a hint of disappointment as well.


    After Han Jinghuan finished gathering all the necessary hands, he ordered his servants to make arrangements and treated them to good food and drinks.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    As night fell, Su Jie and the others were arranged to stay in the guest rooms.


    Under the moonlight, the three met on the rooftop to discuss their next ns.


    ¡°Brother Su, Brother Xiao, what shall we do?¡±


    Ning Xinyue was sitting on the ridge, swinging her delicate little legszily, asked.


    ¡°I have figured out the direction Qi Shijian lives, but it¡¯s also where that group of Righteous Disciples reside. Acting directly would surely attract a siege.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan drew up a map of Han Mansion and marked the location where Qi Shijian lived.


    ¡°It¡¯s not wise to act openly, we¡­¡±


    As Su Jie was speaking, he suddenly turned his head, his gaze shifted towards a dark, lightless corner.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    An object, round and plump like a ball, rolled over.


    Apanied by the sound of bells and running, a faint smell of blood wafted through the air; the ball was clearly a human head.


    From the darkness, a pair of pale arms reached out and suddenly embraced the head on the ground.


    Immediately after, a child in a red bellyband, with his head tilted, looked up at Su Jie and the other two on the rooftop.


    This child¡¯s skin was utterly bloodless, revealing a morbid pallor, a bell tied around his ankle, and his eyes void of sclera and pupils, deep ck in the night, which was extremely terrifying.


    ¡°Brother,e y with me!¡±


    The child let out gigglyughter; the eyes of the head he held snapped open, and it stared straight into Su Jie¡¯s eyes.


    Crack!


    A faint line of blood appeared on Su Jie¡¯s neck, and blood began to flow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look into the eyes of the head.¡±


    No sooner had Su Jie spoken than the wound on his neck closed up.


    Su Jie stepped forward in an instant, appearing before the child holding the head, looking down at him with a cold smirk, ¡°Little ghost, Brother will y with you, but you must not run away, okay?¡±

 Chapter 244 - 160: Human Skin (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 244: Chapter 160: Human Skin (Fourth Update)


    The child, who emitted a chilling and eerie aura, opened his mouth wide for a silent scream that seemed to shatter one¡¯s brains.


    Pale arms crawled out from Su Jie¡¯s nks, swiftly covering the child¡¯s entire body.


    Spiritual Power spread over the Corpse Hands, forcibly controlling the child and preventing his escape.


    The child kept opening his mouth, emitting howls unlike any human sound.


    Several pale corpse hands twisted into a braid, but more hands quickly covered them, the numbers and strength obviously mismatched.


    ¡°Let me take a look, just a small Fierce Ghost.¡±


    Su Jie squatted down and peered through the dense gaps between the corpse hands to see the struggling child inside.


    Su Jie was far from unfamiliar with such beings.


    Back in Nanyang City, when he was still weak, he had personally experienced the terror of such fierce ghosts.


    ¡°Is this a ghost monster?¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan appeared next to Su Jie, looking at the trapped child and feeling a very cold Spiritual Power.


    Generally speaking, Spiritual Power is warm, like the sun during daylight, and even Demon Cultivators prefer to absorb the purple qi and the early morning spiritual energy of the rising sun.


    Encountering the cold aura of Spiritual Energy like that from this child ghost was a first for Xiao Fengyuan.


    ¡°The strange and violent deaths at Han Mansion, were they caused by this child? Since there¡¯s a Fierce Ghost, does that mean the Heavenly Soul Sect is involved?¡±


    Ning Xinyue spected, making her guess.


    ¡°It probably can¡¯t be separated from the Heavenly Soul Sect, but this one Fierce Ghost isn¡¯t enough to influence the vast Han Family. There are likely other Fierce Ghosts lurking here.¡±


    Su Jie stood up, his left hand suddenly clenched into a fist.


    Hundreds of pale corpse hands pressured inward toward the center, instantly crushing the child Fierce Ghost into nothingness, his essence dissipating into the cold spiritual air.


    All that was left at the scene was a withered and tattered rag doll, the image of the child Fierce Ghost.


    Crack!


    With a stomp from Su Jie, the entire rag doll was crushed, disappearing into smoke and clouds.


    Although the Fierce Ghost possessed eerie abilities, which to ordinary people might seem an unkible horror, this principle didn¡¯t hold true for Cultivators. After all, strictly speaking, a Fierce Ghost is a product of Spiritual Energy. Since it¡¯s Spiritual Energy, a Cultivator¡¯s Spiritual Power can naturally harm and deal damage¡ªit¡¯s only a question of how much.


    Almost immediately after Su Jie had killed the child Fierce Ghost, they heard urgent footsteps from outside.


    ¡°Hero Xu, Hero Xia, Heroine Zhu, something¡¯s happened¡­ someone else¡­ someone else has died; you muste quickly to help.¡±


    Several servants ran over, panting and with faces filled with shock and fear, as if they had witnessed something terrifying.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    The three exchanged looks, and Su Jie took the lead in speaking.


    He still had to maintain his disguise, so for now, he had to follow and see.


    Exiting the guesthouse where they had been staying, the nearby area was already stirred up, and a number of able people, aroused from their slumbers, ran towards a certain courtyard.


    This courtyard housed the servants, but now, not a single living person remained.


    The bodies of the servants hung eerily, like bats, head down and feet up from clotheslines.


    Upon a closer look, each servant was actually a human skin, every bit of flesh, bones, and organs inside waspletely gone, and the skins were inted with air to retain a lively and full appearance. Their eyes sometimes moved, giving the impression that they were still alive, which was exceptionally horrifying and chilling.


    ¡°What is this, haunted¡­ haunted!¡±


    Some capable people and odd talents were pale as ghosts, this truly challenged their physiological limits.


    ¡°Not good, this Han Mansion was indeed strange and dangerous, if only I knew I wouldn¡¯t have been greedy for those few hundred pieces of silver.¡±


    There were also people filled with immense regret, originally thinking it was an easy job, but this first night was so horrifying, far beyond what the rumors suggested.


    ¡°Taking people¡¯s money to eliminate disasters for them, if you aren¡¯t going to do the work then step aside for me, the Chen brothers are not easily scared.¡±


    Some wanted to take the opportunity to show off, mustering their courage to walk into the side courtyard, intending to inspect those floating pieces of human skin.


    ¡°Hey, I advise you it¡¯s best not to touch those.¡±


    Su Jie watched their reckless behavior and spoke up to warn them.


    ¡°Hmph, even if there really are malevolent ghosts, the two of us brothers can cut it into pieces.¡±


    The two ungrateful men drew their steel pattern knives and cautiously approached, using the tip of the knife to lift a piece of human skin.


    The ident happened just then, this action seemed to have touched some taboo.


    The human skin suddenly billowed, enveloping the two brothers. In the instant they touched the human skin, their flesh dissolved in the blink of an eye, their clothes immediately caved in emptily, turning into two thin pieces of human skin.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Ghost, ghost!¡±


    ¡°Quick, use thunderbolts, use fire, ghosts are most afraid of these.¡±


    A group of capable people and odd talents was terrified by this hair-raising scene into chaos. Some began to retreat, while others started to use methods they had heard in rumors, like Palm Thunder and the Fire Control Technique to burn those pieces of human skin.


    However, these actionspletely ignited the human skins. All skins fluttered up and flew towards these able people.


    Any able person who came into contact with these pieces of human skin, whether they were martial arts experts or rtively powerful Loose Cultivators, would see their flesh obliterated, bing weird pieces of human skin.


    In an instant, hundreds of pieces of human skin filled the sky, like the doomsday of ghosts.@@novelbin@@


    The watching servants and maids of the Han Mansion were so frightened that they faltered and trembled, their screams and cries echoed through the night.


    Su Jie retreated with measured steps, avoiding a piece of skin that flew past.


    That piece of skin turned back halfway through and came flying at Su Jie again. Su Jie deftly dodged without a trace, always seeming to narrowly escape, but in fact everything was calcted.


    ¡°A bunch of rats, all of you back off, don¡¯t make a mess.¡±


    A thunderousmanding voice came from the sky. Yu Wenjing descended from the heavens, his eyes emitting divine light, with his overwhelming spiritual power bearing down like mountains, causing the air to congeal.


    With a single hand formed into a w and a press, five fiery dragon pirs descended from the sky, annihting many of the floating human skins.


    ¡°How dare such trivial ghosts be so presumptuous, take this.¡±


    Xiao Guanglian, riding a Spirit Feathered Phoenix, threw out a Golden Turtle Seal. One of the Four Directions Divine Beasts, the Xuanwu, materialized and immediately shook many skins to death, tearing them into myriad tiny pieces.


    One after another Righteous Disciple arrived, these human skins might have caused chaos among the able people, but facing these peak disciples of the Righteous sect, the tide of battle instantly turned.


    ¡°How could this be, this shouldn¡¯t be happening! There were only a few deaths each day before, howe so many died all at once today.¡±


    When all was settled, Han Jinghuan and other members of the Han Family finally arrivedte on the scene, witnessing what had happened, every single one of their faces turned pale.


    With quivering lips, Han Jinghuan was the first to sense that something was wrong; such arge number of deaths overnight had not happened in the Han Mansion before.

 Chapter 246 - 162: The Curse (First Update)

    Chapter 246: Chapter 162: The Curse (First Update)


    Mo Shiyao retreated two steps with Han Ruyan, sped her hands to form a spell, and chanted the mystic Immortal Sound.


    ¡°True Word¡ªNineyered Heavenly Firmament Tower!¡±


    The mystic sound transformed, and the silhouette of a towering building flickered into existence, suppressing the Painting Woman from above, squashing her into a pulp.


    St!


    However, almost as soon as the Painting Woman had died, on the other side of the room, within the mirror hanging on the wall, the Painting Woman appeared again, stepping out from the mirror ne into reality.


    Crash!


    Mo Shiyao unleashed a st of Spiritual Power, shattering the mirror, and the scattered fragments fell onto the ground.


    Yet an even more astonishing scene unfolded. From each mirror fragment, the figure of the Painting Woman emerged, stepping into reality little by little.


    In the room appeared hundreds of Painting Women, all wearing eerie smiles, looking at Su Jie, Han Ruyan, and Mo Shiyao.


    Especially Mo Shiyao, who had just made a move, felt as if struck by lightning when one of the Painting Women touched her. Her skin turned ayer of white ash, the remains of bone ash left after a corpse was burned.


    Thisyer of ash spread continuously, and Mo Shiyao¡¯s body ttened, as ifpressed into two-dimensional existence. The Painting Woman pressed Mo Shiyao into her body, attempting to engulf her within herself.


    ¡°Immortal Sound Seal!¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s hands worked non-stop casting spells, continuously summoning Spiritual Power, her body emanating Spiritual Radiance like sacred fire to resist the terrifyingpressive force, slowly regaining her normal three-dimensional form.


    Mo Shiyao, now utterly enraged by the Painting Woman, continuously chanted Miao Yin, shing the Painting Women into pieces with divine swords.


    But this action resulted in the chopped-up pieces of the Painting Women bloodily regenerating.


    A fingertip, a section of calf, each grew a new Painting Woman. Unless it was crushed into a powder, it was impossible topletely destroy a Painting Woman.


    ¡°What kind of principle is this Ghost based on?¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s expression changed slightly, finding this Ghost incredibly difficult to kill.


    Han Ruyan covered her mouth, watching as the Painting Woman approached her, instinctively moving to retreat.


    Su Jie looked around and suddenly spoke, ¡°Miss Han,e to my side.¡±


    Han Ruyan blinked her eyes, hesitated for a moment but still cautiously approached the direction where Su Jie was.


    Su Jie took Han Ruyan¡¯s delicate hand and quickly walked to a certain position, then stopped still.


    Han Ruyan¡¯s face flushed, allowing Su Jie to arrange her as he pleased.


    Soon, Han Ruyan was surprised to discover that the Painting Women suddenly stopped their approach. They seemed topletely ignore the two, turning instead to converge on Mo Shiyao.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Han Ruyan was astonished that the female ghosts were ignoring them.


    Su Jie smiled without speaking. These Painting Women only attacked humans identified by mirrors, or more precisely, any reflective surface that could show a person¡¯s shadow. The position Su Jie had chosen was one that avoided all reflective entities.


    While Su Jie was at ease, Mo Shiyao had to bear the attack of all the Painting Women.


    This female ghost was on a different level from the child Fierce Ghost encountered before, much stronger, and even with Mo Shiyao continuously employing the Miao Yin technique, she was still unable to kill them quickly enough.


    ¡°Keep it up, keep trying, you can do it.¡±


    Su Jie brought over a chair, sat down, and watched Mo Shiyao struggle in the intense battle as though he had no concern at all.@@novelbin@@


    Mo Shiyao was so angry that her chest heaved violently, ring at Su Jie.


    ¡°Miss Mo,e over to us quickly,¡± urged Han Ruyan, waving at Mo Shiyao.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, Miss Mo, a noble disciple from a reputable sect, couldn¡¯t possibly be unable to deal with a mere female ghost, needing instead to hide away with the people from the Martial Arts world.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s mocking tone was perfectly timed, agitating Mo Shiyao¡¯s heart and immediately causing her temper to re up.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t run your mouth, I will surely show you my strength.¡±


    Mo Shiyao clenched her teeth, unwilling to show weakness in front of someone from the Martial Arts world.


    ¡°Ah, is your name Xu Changqing? I got you wrong just now, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Realizing the two were sparring verbally, Han Ruyan, who had a good memory, remembered Su Jie¡¯s name even though they had met only once.


    ¡°Miss Han, your Han Mansion seems to be quite troubled tonight!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s gaze settled on Han Ruyan, whose tall figure, plump and slender waist, and especially her light veils that barely covered her body, revealing her soft and delicate skin in a tantalizing manner, were enchanting beyondpare.


    ¡°I am quite curious, these Fierce Ghosts seem to have a specific purpose, and their target might just be you.¡±


    Su Jie extended his finger, lifting Han Ruyan¡¯s chin, looking at her moist and alluring lips, truly a woman full of allure.


    ¡°Hold on, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Han Ruyan crossed her arms over her chest, her teeth gently biting her red lips, obviously a bit angry, yet even with that anger, her voice was still sweet and tingling.


    ¡°There¡¯s something on your body¡­¡±


    Su Jie brushed aside the hair at the temple of Han Ruyan¡¯s forehead, then grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around to face away from him, and pulled down ayer of light veil, speaking indifferently, ¡°Here, you¡¯ve been cursed. That might be the reason why your Han Mansion is so troubled.¡±


    But on Han Ruyan¡¯s wless white back, stimted by Su Jie¡¯s Spiritual Power, a strange ck and purple pattern began to emerge.


    ¡°What!¡±


    Han Ruyan instinctively reached for her own back but felt nothing.


    ¡°Hey, you little thief, get your dirty hands off her.¡±


    On the other side, seeing Su Jie¡¯s actions, Mo Shiyao was displeased; she was here fighting desperately, and he was flirting with a woman, which was intolerable.


    Then, Mo Shiyao took out a wooden fish with a pained expression. The wooden fish was covered in cracks and the surface was engraved with dense spell inscriptions, seemingly a part of some scripture.


    Thump!


    Mo Shiyao gently struck the wooden fish, and a profound sound as vast as the stars spread out.


    Wherever the ripples of the sound passed, the bodies of the Painting Women suddenly stiffened and then crumbled into dust, directly shattered by the vibration.


    One after another, the Painting Women turned to dust, leaving nothing behind in the room.


    Obviously, these Painting Women were not present in their true form.


    Su Jie looked thoughtfully at the fragments of the mirror on the ground. Perhaps the Fierce Ghost¡¯s real body was in the world within the mirror.


    ¡°Miss Han, are you alright?¡±


    Mo Shiyao tenderly put away the wooden fish, now with even more cracks, then marched over, barely able to restrain herself fromshing out at Su Jie.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just now, Young Master Xu was helping me.¡±


    Han Ruyan quickly held Mo Shiyao back from taking action, and then repeated Su Jie¡¯s earlier deduction.


    ¡°You were cursed?¡±


    Mo Shiyao eximed in shock as she lifted the veil from Han Ruyan¡¯s back.


    As expected, there were the eerie traces of a Spell, altogether resembling a vertical eye.


    The curse was invisible to Han Ruyan herself, and Mo Shiyao hadn¡¯t noticed it either; it had only revealed a hint of its mark when stimted with Spiritual Power.

 Chapter 250 - 165: Clash of Divine Souls (First Update)

    Chapter 250: Chapter 165: sh of Divine Souls (First Update)


    Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul broke into Zhong Shiguan¡¯s flesh, and the two Divine Souls began to make contact.


    In an instant, Su Jie only felt a brightness before his eyes and found himself in a world filled with ck seawater.


    There were no sun, moon, stars, or seasons here, just the icy seawater with no waves to be seen, its depth unknown.


    This was the Sea of Consciousness of mankind, also known as the Sea of Souls, where the soul resides and is nurtured.


    Within the Sea of Consciousness, Su Jie saw Zhong Shiguan¡¯s Divine Soul, one with legs and arms, but with nk features where its face should be.


    Compared to Su Jie, although Zhong Shiguan was of the Secret Realm, his Divine Soul cultivationgged behind Su Jie¡¯s by a significant level.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Get out of my body,¡±


    Zhong Shiguan shouted angrily. Within the Sea of Consciousness, his Divine Soul stretched into a long arc, like a crescent moon scimitar, and swung down at Su Jie¡¯s head.


    Underneath the de¡¯s edge, the Sea of Consciousness roiled like overturned seas; this was his flesh after all, his home ground where his Divine Soul could exert greater might, instinctively repelling the approach of Su Jie¡¯s foreign Divine Soul, much like a body¡¯s rejection response.


    ¡°Your Divine Soul is far too weak!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s lips curled into a cold arc; Divine Thunder surged within his Divine Soul, with countless thick bolts of Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder rampaging brutally, striking down Zhong Shiguan¡¯s Divine Soul, sting it into an unrecognizable form, riddling the de with cracks.


    Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul was not only on the verge of transforming into the Primordial Spirit, but he also possessed Divine Skills like the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder within his Divine Soul¡ªhisbat strength was simply too strong for Zhong Shiguan to contend with.


    ¡°How can a Yunling Realm have such a strong Divine Soul?¡±


    Zhong Shiguan retreated repeatedly and then gritted his teeth fiercely. Within the Sea of Consciousness, a sinister female figure appeared.


    d in a white dress with a pale and delicate face, it was the Painting Woman, the fifth-grade fierce ghost.


    Turns out Zhong Shiguan, knowing he was no match, had summoned the Painting Woman into the Sea of Consciousness to help in the fight, akin to a ghost possession.


    ¡°Even with a female ghost, it¡¯s useless.¡±


    Su Jie formed seals with his hands, and Thunder condensed, turning into a Thunder Spear in his right hand.


    As Su Jie pointed with the tip of the spear, myriad bolts of thunder struck down, illuminating the entire Sea of Consciousness.


    The Painting Woman¡¯s body was pierced through by bolts of thunder. The domineering Heavenly Thunder, lethal to the Divine Soul, even as the Painting Woman withstood it, her body sustained serious damage, flickering like a short-circuited bulb, her form blurring and distorting uncontrobly.


    ¡°Mirror!¡±


    The Painting Woman¡¯s body ttened and widened, transforming into an antique vanity with a brass mirror on top, reflecting the image of Su Jie.


    An eerie, chilling force transferred through, and as Su Jie looked down, he saw legions of Painting Women emerging below his legs, clutching tightly at him and dragging him towards the mirror, pulling half of Su Jie¡¯s body into the Mirror World.


    ¡°Child¡¯s y. You dare unt inferior skills at my door.¡±


    The Thunder Spear spun and pierced directly into the copper mirror; countless bolts of thunder erupted from the spear, forming a column of thunder that connected the Dome of the Sky with the Sea of Consciousness. Above, it punctured through the Sea of Souls; below, it evaporated countless ck seas, lighting up the entire Sea of Consciousness.


    Crack!


    The legion of Painting Women directly disintegrated under the thunder, and the vanity showed signs of electrical scorching.


    But Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul, too, showed many colorful cracks. Under the assault of the copper mirror, enduring the damage to his Divine Soul, he let out a loud cry.


    ¡°Thunder,e.¡±


    The thunderous trembling sound of thunder echoed throughout thend.


    Above the Sky Dome, rows of Thunder Dragons roamed, tearing apart this Sea of Consciousness.


    Zhong Shiguan fled in madness, but within the Sea of Consciousness, where could he possibly escape? Pierced by falling bolts of thunder, his entire Divine Soul shrank by more than half, his cries of agony unceasing.


    Facing Su Jie¡¯s dominance, all that remained for Zhong Shiguan was terror. His Divine Soul plunged into the Painting Woman¡¯s mirror, then vanished within the Sea of Consciousness.


    ¡­


    Outside.


    While Su Jie and Zhong Shiguan were battling, changes had already taken ce outside.


    Attacked by one fierce ghost after another, Su Jie¡¯s physical body was under constant assault. Yin souls fought and perished in the sky, and the thousand-hand centipede protected the vicinity of Su Jie¡¯s body, but still ghosts broke through the blockade. Many of the ghosts¡¯ abilities were extremely strange, and with Su Jie¡¯s bodycking a Divine Soul, it was nothing more than a target, only capable of taking hits without any means of resistance.


    Many wounds of various sizes appeared on Su Jie¡¯s body.


    On the other side, Zhong Shiguan¡¯s body trembled like a sieve, but suddenly, the shaking stopped, and a remnant soul was taken out by the Painting Woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of escaping.¡±


    It was at this moment that Zhong Shiguan suddenly opened his eyes, but the tone of his speech was distinctly Su Jie¡¯s.


    It turned out Su Jie had upied his sea of consciousness and his Divine Soul had seized control of this physical body.


    As Su Jie attempted to pursue, Zhong Shiguan¡¯s figure had already vanished from sight. With the help of the Painting Woman, his speed of escape was extraordinarily fast.


    In the blink of an eye, Zhong Shiguan appeared before a grave mound, swiftly rolling up a pair of scrolls.


    This was a ck and white scroll, and the pattern drawn inside was precisely the mountainous terrain of the grave mounds they were in.


    As the scroll was rolled up, the surroundings began to turn topsy-turvy, with space changing and gradually reverting to the original scene of Han Mansion.


    It was apparent that Zhong Shiguan¡¯s scroll was no trivial object.


    Seeing the changes in the scenery around him, Su Jie had no choice but to withdraw his Flying Sword, human-faced moth, and the thousand-hand centipede.


    This battle had cost Su Jie dearly; his Flying Sword, Yin Soul, and human-faced moth all incurred significant damage. Su Jie¡¯s own physical body and Divine Soul had also been seriously injured. While the wounds on the body could heal easily, the damaged Divine Soul would take several days to recover.


    Although he defeated Zhong Shiguan, this was far from a great victory for Su Jie.


    ¡°We¡¯re back.¡±


    Behind him came Han Ruyan¡¯s surprised voice. Su Jie turned around to see the girl holding Mo Shiyao, both shocked and overjoyed.


    Just as Su Jie looked their way, Han Ruyan abruptly stopped talking and cautiously asked, ¡°Are you Young Master Xu?¡±


    ¡°I am Zhong Shiguan, be my bride,¡± he said.


    A sinister smile appeared on Su Jie¡¯s face, scaring Han Ruyan into taking two steps back.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, you¡¯re clearly Young Master Xu.¡±


    However, Han Ruyan quickly came to her senses, recognizing the tone of voice as that of the Young Master Xu she knew.


    ¡°I am a Demon Cultivator, aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Xu, you didn¡¯te here for me, did you? If you wanted to harm me, you wouldn¡¯t have saved me just now.¡±


    ¡°Save you? I was only looking out for myself.¡±


    Su Jie raised his hands and grasped firmly around his neck, twisting his head off his shoulders.


    The next moment, Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul darted out, flying back into his own body.


    ¡°Sigh, my own body is morefortable after all; others¡¯ bodies always feel rejected.¡±


    Su Jie twisted his neck, uttering thisment.


    Although his Divine Soul had usurped Zhong Shiguan¡¯s body, that body was not his own, and it didn¡¯t match his Divine Soul, making it as awkward and stiff as a rusted, oil-starved machine.


    Forget using it for battle and cultivation; even everyday life was difficult to manage.

 Chapter 252 - 167: Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique (Third Update)

    Chapter 252: Chapter 167: Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique (Third Update)


    In addition to these items, Su Jie also saw quite a few Primordial Spirit Pearls, which are beads that absorb fear.


    Next to the Primordial Spirit Pearls, Su Jie found several coffins. Upon opening them, inside were some halfpleted Fierce Ghosts.


    ¡°Eh, this is¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Su Jie unexpectedly discovered a booklet titled ¡°Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique¡± inscribed inrge characters.


    After flipping through it, Su Jie quickly understood that it was a Magic Skill that taught one how to cultivate and control Fierce Ghosts, simr to how Ghost Ridge Pce was proficient in rearing poisonous insects, and Heavenly Soul Sect in nurturing ghosts and souls.


    The Cultivation Technique was not difficult to learn. Su Jie, with his current cultivation aptitude, was no longer the poor student of the past, but rather the possessor of the Purple Cloud Thunder Body.


    Several hourster, Su Jie looked towards the coffins in the room, bit his fingertip, and dropped his fresh blood onto several halfpleted Fierce Ghosts that were not yet fully nurtured.


    Out of the three coffins and three Fierce Ghosts, the bodies of two Fierce Ghosts trembled, yet they did not open their eyes, unable to truly awaken.


    Only one, standing two meters tall yet ghastly thin, opened its eyes and walked out of the coffin.


    This Fierce Ghost¡¯s body was entwined in iron chains, its eyes profoundly deep, and its hands so long they nearly touched the ground, with nails ck and sharp.


    As it moved, the iron chains collided and rubbed against each other, emitting a chilling oppressive aura.


    ¡°A First-grade fierce ghost.¡±


    Su Jie stroked his chin, examining the Fierce Ghost before him.


    Fierce Ghosts are ssified from First Grade to Ninth Grade, with First Grade being the weakest and Ninth Grade the strongest, like the Painting Woman from Zhong Shiguan¡¯s case which was a Fifth-grade Fierce Ghost.


    Fierce Ghost is a general term; they often are souls bearing grievances who died unjustly, their resentments fueled by special surrounding conditions, ultimately forming into a product of negative energy.


    Usually, wild Fierce Ghosts won¡¯t necessarily kill humans; they possess a certain killing mechanism that once triggered leads to an attack, conversely, if lucky not to have triggered it, one could potentially be unharmed.


    However, Fierce Ghosts under the control of a Demon Cultivator are different. Even without triggering the killing mechanism, one would still be attacked.


    But wild Fierce Ghosts are rare, given the stringent conditions for their formation, whereas Heavenly Soul Sect authored this ¡°Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique¡± specifically for this purpose.


    In the Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique, it discusses how to cultivate such Fierce Ghosts. Besides capturing and seeking wild Fierce Ghosts, it can also be artificially created, though the process is utterly bloody and brutal.


    For instance, one of the sections describes taking a pregnant woman carrying twins and, at the time of delivery, sealing her entire body with ck glue, cing her into a y pot, and burying it three and nine feet deep in a shadednd. Day and night, reciting scriptures with soul incense on an altar. After fifteen days, a type of Fierce Ghost called the Child and Mother Ghost can be cultivated.


    Beyond the initial level, a Fierce Ghost¡¯s grade can also be cultivated to increase.


    Fierce Ghosts require the emotion of fear to advance, the more intense the fear, the greater the aid it provides to the Fierce Ghost.


    Thus, originally in Nanyang City, Heavenly Soul Sect trapped this city without killing much, precisely to continuously harvest fear to cultivate Fierce Ghosts.


    Compared to poisonous insects, the methods of Fierce Ghosts are even more mysteriously unpredictable, such as walking through walls, teleporting, and casting curses, which for Fierce Ghosts are basic operations.


    ¡°Go, let me see your capabilities.¡±


    Su Jie crooked his finger, and the iron chain ghost before him slowly walked to the windowsill and opened the window.


    Under Su Jie¡¯s divine sense perception, less than two kilometers from here, a few drunken soldiers were beating a beggar sleeping on a street corner, asionally bursting into loudughter.


    It was already deep into the night, and there were virtually no pedestrians on the street. The Iron Chain Ghost leaped down and walked slowly on the street.


    Heavy iron chains hung to the ground, dragging along the bluestone pavement and leaving two long traces behind.


    With each step it took, the Iron Chain Ghost would appear tens of meters away; it did not walk in a regr manner. Within just a minute, it had reached those soldiers.


    ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡±


    One soldier, hearing the raspy whisper and the sound of chain friction, looked up from the beating, only to see a tall, thin figure standing in front with rusty chains coiled around it. On a twisted face, narrow and cold eyes shone with a sinister light in the darkness, piercing through to the marrow as if freezing the soul itself.


    In the darkness, when that soldier and the Iron Chain Ghost made eye contact, it instantly triggered its killing mechanism, and several chains bizarrely sprouted from the ground, swiftly entwining the soldier and lifting him into the air.


    The chains squeezed tighter around him, working like a meat grinder. Flesh and blood burst from between the chains, scattering his body in all directions like the Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers, turning him into a ground of flesh, sttering over a dozen meters around.


    ¡°A ghost, it¡¯s a ghost!¡±


    Several soldiers were terrified out of their wits. Some were so scared they lost control of their dder and bowels, some went weak in the legs and copsed on the spot without any strength left, some opened their mouths wide but could not make a sound, and some turned and fled immediately.


    The Iron Chain Ghost¡¯s eyes blinked, and with one step, it bizarrely appeared in front of the fleeing soldiers.


    This soldier could not dodge in time and mmed right into the Iron Chain Ghost.


    The next moment, the Iron Chain Ghost ced its nearly ground-touching long arms on the shoulders of this soldier.


    The soldier stiffened on the spot, chains broke through his skin, coiling from inside out, wrapping his body into an iron chain statue.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°This is the ghosting to im my life for what happened with Xu San, I truly was confused then, I didn¡¯t mean to kill her, I¡¯m willing to pay and repent.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, please spare my life, I will never dare to do it again!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all going to die here, might as well fight him..¡±


    These soldiers cut a pitiful figure, not that no one tried to resist, but their swords hacked at the Iron Chain Ghost only splintered sparks and slid into the chain gaps like stabbing into straw, not the usual sense of flesh and blood.


    Before these soldiers could run away, chains from the Iron Chain Ghost flew out in all directions, instantly wrapping around these soldiers and pulling them in front of it, binding them together with its own chains.


    The chains continued to tighten, and the painful screams of these soldiers could be heard, their struggles slowly fading.


    Under the wide-eyed and trembling gaze of that old beggar, the Iron Chain Ghost ignored him, slowly turning around and walking down the street, leaving a trail of blood dribbling with each step.


    In the end, there was no trace of the few soldiers left, only chains stained red, and some hair, skin, and bones mixed amongst the chains, hanging like decorations, exceptionally horrifying and chilling.


    Su Jie had been observing with his divine sense. The power of the Iron Chain Ghost was nothing extraordinary among cultivators; a cultivator of the third or fourth level of the Yunling Realm was enough to contend with it.


    But for ordinary people, even a first-grade fierce ghost was almost an unsolvable existence.


    ¡°The ability isn¡¯t bad, if the level of the Fierce Ghost could be raised.¡±


    An idea slowly formed in Su Jie¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 253 - 168: Getting Married (First Update)

    Chapter 253: Chapter 168: Getting Married (First Update)


    Su Jie stayedfortably at Han Mansion.


    He often took the opportunity to look for opportunities with Xiao Fengyuan and Ning Xinyue.


    However, Qi Shijian was indeed an expert sycophant, almost never leaving Mo Shiyao¡¯s side.


    Especially after Mo Shiyao had been injured, he was constantly circling around her.


    As Qingzhou¡¯s foremost beauty, Mo Shiyao always had numerous suitors, many Righteous Disciples often followed her, which left Su Jie without any chance.


    Su Jie could only wait patiently for an opportunity, temporarily residing in Han Mansion.


    Since that night, Han Mansion had not witnessed any more deaths, and everything was changing for the better.


    In the blink of an eye, several days passed, and Han Mansion became increasingly festive, decorated with red everywhere, because the date for Han Ruyan to marry the Nanjing King was approaching.


    Inside the bridal chamber, Han Ruyan sat in front of a mirror.


    Several maids responsible for her makeup and attire stared at the reflection of their young mistress, and even as women themselves, they felt genuinely amazed.


    Han Ruyan was dressed in a red wedding dress, wearing a gold-thread phoenix crown, the red-picked robe extending to the ground, and a red belt around her waist, the carved pleats disying intricate elegance. The brilliant red wedding dress and the sparkling gold phoenix crownplemented each other beautifully.


    Delicate bracelets adorned her wrists, a red cinnabar dot on her forehead, her small feet trembling slightly, wearing a pair of red embroidered shoes, emitting a faint fragrance.


    In her wedding dress and phoenix crown,bined with Han Ruyan¡¯s nation-overturning beautiful features, her face blooming like a peach blossom, her eyebrows resembling distant mountains, she looked like a lotus emerging from water, her elegance natural and poised.


    ¡°Miss, the Nanjing King hase to fetch the bride, hurry up and get ready.¡±


    Someone pushed the door open and entered, and immediately, the room descended into chaos as the maids finalized the makeup.


    ¡°My daughter! When you get to the Nanjing King¡¯s side, be sure to¡­¡±


    Han Mother touched her daughter¡¯s cheek, and as she spoke, tears of sorrow began to fall.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Han Ruyan¡¯s nose tingled, and her eyes teemed with reluctance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, tears will ruin the makeup, and you won¡¯t look beautiful. You should go there in grandeur, not frail like your mother.¡±


    Han Mother caressed her own daughter and personally covered her with the red bridal veil.


    Outside Han Mansion, the scene was even livelier as Han Jinghuan personally awaited the arrival of the Nanjing King.


    From afar, the dense sound of horse hooves could be heard.


    ¡°They¡¯re here! They¡¯re here!¡±


    At the entrance of Han Mansion, someone excitedly lowered their voice, causing a stir among the nearby friends and rtives.


    Han Jinghuan collected his scattered thoughts, gently smoothed his brocade robe, and looked towards the end of the street, where the bridegroom¡¯s procession appeared.


    At this moment, most of East Victory City was stirred, as people craned their necks, gathering on either side of the street, all because the bridal procession of the Nanjing King was exceptionally grand.


    Under the watchful eyes of countless people holding their breath, a group carrying red festive gs slowly advanced, followed by rows of stout horses, their hoofbeats particrly forceful. The riders, bearing ceremonial weapons, were followed by colorful chariots, ceremonial covers, whisk brooms, horse stools, and yoke chairs.


    Then there were the formidable armored soldiers, bearing lying melons, standing melons, Wu sticks, ceremonial knives, Deng staffs, Bone pieces, and Golden Festivals, followed by Jade Chariots, Golden Chariots, elephant carts, and leather carriages, each bearing one, ten treasure elephants, four quiet whips, and 300 parade horses.


    In the center, there was a giant royal bridal sedan from the Royal Family, more than ten feet tall, with redcquered pirs, cloud-shaped carvings, gilt floral leaves, gilded copper treasure beads on sedan tops, and crimson curtains shining brilliantly under May¡¯s sunlight, dazzling to behold, immensely majestic and noble.


    ¡°Wow, look at the grandeur.¡±


    A group of onlookers stood by the roadside, their exmations nonstop upon witnessing such a spectacle.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, Miss Han still made the wrong decision,¡±


    Yu Wenjing spoke with a calm tone. As a disciple of the Immortal Sect, he appeared unruffled by such worldly affairs.


    No matter howvish the splendor or overwhelming the power, after a hundred years, it all bes just a handful of yellow earth.


    Since ancient times, it has been said that a hundred-year dynasty, a thousand-year noble family, and a ten-thousand-year Immortal Sect exist. Compared to a dynasty that upies vast territories and governs countless people, the Immortal Sect stands high above all.


    Every few hundred years, dynasties change, unable to escape this cycle of fate, but the Immortal Sect, unconcerned with the secr world, resides high in heavenly towers and seems uninvolved in worldly affairs, yet its existence far ousts any dynasty.


    ¡°It truly is a pity for Miss Han,¡±


    Mo Shiyao was also shaking her head; she had ultimately failed to persuade Han Ruyan to join the Sect.


    ¡°As far as such individuals go, the Nanjing King does have cultivation resources, and a solid foundation too. That elder must be from the Secret Realm,¡±


    Xiao Guanglian¡¯s gaze flickered, having noticed in the wedding procession several Armored Soldiers from the Fourth or Fifth Level of the Yunling Realm. Obviously, these were guest elders and retainers recruited by the Nanjing King, including an old man whose depth even he could not discern¡ªlikely a Cultivator from the Secret Realm.@@novelbin@@


    Although the Royal Family of the Da Li Dynasty had declined, a rotten ship still has three pounds of nails, so it still had some backbone.


    ¡°Brother Su, I¡¯m afraid that after today, those Righteous Disciples will also leave. Then they will split up, and we can ambush and take action on Qi Shijian¡¯s intended route,¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan stood on both sides of the steps, his voice reaching Su Jie¡¯s ears.


    Su Jie nodded slightly, standing together with Ning Xinyue, witnessing a tall figure in the approaching wedding procession.


    This was a man on a Jade Liu Steed, distinct in features, and with a stable and dignified demeanor.


    He was dressed in golden silk brocade garments, wore a Jade Pendant at his waist, and held a Jade Ruyi in his hand, exuding an air of noble refinement.


    This person was the Nanjing King, Xie Wenyi.


    ¡°Grand Master Taishan, your son-inw offers his respects,¡±


    Xie Wenyi dismounted from his horse and bowed in greeting.


    ¡°Haha, Xie Wenyi, you are too polite. Our families are one from now on. There¡¯s no need for such formality,¡±


    Han Jinghuan hurriedly helped Xie Wenyi rise, his eyes growing increasingly satisfied with the Nanjing King.


    In the past, the Han Family was also a powerful noble family with great influence in the court; however, they had fallen into decline after choosing the wrong side when the new Emperor ascended. The Nanjing King would now be their greatest support for re-entering the temples of the court.


    For Xie Wenyi too, through this marriage alliance, he would gain an additional force to speak for him in the court.


    Although the Han Mansion was in decline, the connections from the past still remained, and they had blood and marital ties with many noble families in the capital, all of which would be his strength in the future.


    After they exchanged pleasantries, and Xie Wenyi, following the protocols, formally invited three times and rified four times,


    Han Ruyan was also helped out.


    ¡°This wedding dress is really beautiful,¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s lips parted slightly, as she saw Han Ruyan wearing a Phoenix Crown and Brocade Robe, the wedding dress with fine golden embroidery shimmering brightly, the phoenix-tail dress fluttering in the wind, her slim waist and exposed pale wrists and neck glowing like the tender sprouts in spring.


    The tranquil and graceful demeanor, as if stepping out of a painting, was unforgettable at first nce.


    ¡°Jealous, you little girl, are you even old enough to think about wearing a wedding dress?¡±


    Su Jie chuckled as he patted Ning Xinyue on the head.


    ¡°I¡¯m eighteen, alright?¡±


    Ning Xinyue puffed her cheeks and pped Su Jie¡¯s hand away.

 Chapter 255 - 170: Ghost Bride (Third Update)

    Chapter 255: Chapter 170: Ghost Bride (Third Update)


    ¡°This person, so fierce.¡±


    Qi Shijian couldn¡¯t help but turn back to look at Mo Shiyao. This Zhong Shiguan didn¡¯t seem like a watered-down opponent at all!


    But considering the goddess would surely not lie, Qi Shijian gritted his teeth, released arge swarm of poisonous insects, and attacked again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together, we have three from the Secret Realm on our side, we might not necessarily be unable to fight.¡±


    Yu Wenjing snorted coldly, he was very confident as he walked toward Zou Minzun, leading a group of Righteous Disciples to confront him.


    And with Tang Lie dealing with Gongyang Ji, Qi Shijian and Mo Shiyao cooperated to hold off the watered-down Zhong Shiguan.


    The battle seemed still fightable, but with the arrival of the ck fog came arge number of fierce ghosts, which had all thrown themselves into the fight as well.


    Pfft!


    A few minutester, Yu Wenjing spurted out a mouthful of fresh blood, looking at Zou Minzun across from him with a mix of shock and anger.


    To be exact, he was looking at the densely packed hundreds of fierce ghosts behind Zou Minzun. The grade of these ghosts was at least third-grade, not to mention fourth and fifth-grade, and even the presence of sixth-grade terrifying beings, which was really hair-raising.


    Already, several bodies of Righteous Disciples had fallen near Zou Minzun. These were all high disciples from the Immortal Sect, with cultivations of the Ninth Level or even Ten Levels of the Yunling Realm, but still, they were being killed and forced into retreat.


    ¡°Is this the legendary Heavenly Soul Formation? We can¡¯t confront it head-on, let¡¯s retreat first.¡±


    Yu Wenjing¡¯s face was extremely ugly, as Qingzhou and Jingzhou were adjacent, he had heard of this formation.


    It is said that this formation had the ability to summon souls and ghosts, usually set up in the wilderness to attract wild wandering spirits and fierce ghosts. It needs regr human sacrifices inside to feed the ghosts for ughtering, so as to foster fear and elevate their grade. When deployed in battle, it bes a Ten Thousand Ghost Array.


    He had only heard of it, but he didn¡¯t expect to witness it with his own eyes today, and it was such a massive Heavenly Soul Formation, covering the entire East Victory City.


    Under Yu Wenjing¡¯s leadership, a group of Righteous Disciples didn¡¯t even consider continuing the fight and fled in a very flustered manner.


    ¡°Run, if you¡¯re not scared, then how can you provide more fear?¡±


    Zou Minzun¡¯s lips curled up into a weird smile as he watched the Righteous Disciples flee, then turned to look at Han Ruyan.


    Whoosh!


    The curse mark on Han Ruyan¡¯s back turned red and hot; it turns out the real curser was not Zhong Shiguan, but Zou Minzun.


    ¡°It hurts so much.¡±


    Han Ruyan suddenly stiffened, the red wedding dress on her body tightened increasingly, making it impossible to breathe.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Ru Yan.¡±


    Han Mother and Han Jinghuan both cried out, wanting to rush over, but were firmly held back by the family retainers and fled back deep into the Han Mansion.


    ¡°Almost let that useless Zhong Shiguan ruin my ns. The Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body, plus dying wronged on her wedding day, the Ghost Bride that will be cultivated, I wonder how strong she will be!¡±


    Zou Minzun¡¯s hands constantly formed seals, and the resentment and fear that filled the city from those who had been killed was continuously absorbed by the ck fog and then poured into Han Ruyan¡¯s body.


    Gradually, Han Ruyan¡¯s figure began to change, with a faint glow shing in her eyes that were bottomless, seemingly hiding endless resentment and sorrow.


    As time went on, Han Ruyan, dressed in a luxurious red wedding dress, had aplexion as pale as paper, lips so faded they were nearly transparent, filled with a chilling aura, some death qi emerged on her body, and although she still looked beautiful on the outside, it was a chilling sort of beauty that made people feel uneasy.


    ¡­¡­.


    Inside the Han Mansion.


    Su Jie was also in action. In the midst of the ck fog, other people easily had their vision limited, and even Insect Control Technique couldn¡¯t work well, but thankfully, Su Jie still had Divine Sense, a form of exploration carried out through the Divine Soul, which the ck fog could not block.


    Su Jie trailed far behind the group of Righteous Disciples. After being scattered by Zou Minzun, these people fled in panic. Su Jie¡¯s gaze mainly locked onto Qi Shijian.


    Gurgle!


    At his side, a butcher ghost, wearing a blood-stained apron and holding a pig-killing knife, and with a corpulent build, appeared around the corner.


    The butcher ghost slowly raised the pig-killing knife in its hand and shed through the air, causing a shiver down Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s spine, who was walking next to Su Jie. A line of blood appeared from his brow to his groin, deep enough to show bone, nearly slicing him in two.


    ¡°Hmph, seeking death.¡±


    Wiping the fresh blood from his face, Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s right hand produced a Mid Grade Magical Artifact, the Blood Cang Spear, and hurled it directly at the ghost, impaling its chest and nailing it to the wall, rendering the fourth-grade fierce ghost incapable of moving.


    ¡°Quick battle, quick decision.¡±


    Leading the way, Su Jie with Ning Xinyue following closely with small steps, Xiao Fengyuan quickly dealt with the butcher ghost. This sort of battle had already happened no less than four times, with fierce ghosts of both third and fourth grades dying at their hands.


    Ten minutester, Su Jie¡¯s eyes twitched, and he finally saw the opportunity.


    It was the Righteous Disciples, anxious to leave East Victory City, who were now split up and looking for the weakness in the Heavenly Soul Formation, with Xiao Guanglian and Mo Shiyao leading one group, and naturally, the sycophant Qi Shijian was among them.


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡°Damn it, where is the way out of this Heavenly Soul Formation?¡±


    At the edge of the East Victory City walls, Xiao Guanglian once again found himself back at this location.


    As soon as they left the range of East Victory City and entered those deep ck mists, they would lose their direction and be disoriented.


    Walking and walking, they would find themselves back at the starting ce.


    For these top-notch disciples, if it were just a simple maze formation, they could break it with a wave of their hand.


    However, the maze effect that came with the Heavenly Soul Formation was so perplexing that even these disciples couldn¡¯t find any way to break it.


    ¡°True Word¡ªThousand Ranges Wind!¡±


    With the Heavenly Constitution in her mouth, Mo Shiyao unleashed dense moonlight des that sliced a suddenly appearing fierce ghost into a thousand cuts, sting it into oblivion.


    Whew!


    After catching her breath, Mo Shiyao said, ¡°Qi Shijian, have your insects found a way out?¡±


    ¡°No, the insects also get lost in the ck mist.¡±


    Qi Shijian shook his head repeatedly, indicating his helplessness.


    ¡°Useless, as one of Ghost Ridge Pce¡¯s strongest disciples, how can you not find an exit? It¡¯s bad enough that you lost to a watered-down Secret Realm like Zhong Shiguan.¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, her mood very displeased.


    ¡°Miss Mo, that Zhong Shiguan isn¡¯t weak¡­¡±


    Not wanting Mo Shiyao to underestimate him, Qi Shijian spoke up. In a previous fight with Zhong Shiguan, he had been beaten badly, and if not for the other disciplesing to his aid, he might have died at the hands of Zhong Shiguan.


    ¡°Still making excuses, when I and Xu Changqing, a mere mortal from the Martial Arts world, could force him back, how could he be so strong if he had to abandon his physical body?¡±


    Mo Shiyao¡¯s voice grew colder and more impatient, causing Qi Shijian to hesitate, feeling that something was off.


    ¡°Miss Mo, quick, save me!¡±


    As they were discussing with troubled minds, suddenly, a voice came through.


    Turning their heads, Mo Shiyao and others saw through the ck mist, Xu Changqing, whom Mo Shiyao had just mentioned, running towards them while asionally looking back as if being chased by some fierce ghost.

 Chapter 257 - 172: The Tycoons Method of Combat (First Update)

    Chapter 257: Chapter 172: The Tycoon¡¯s Method of Combat (First Update)


    The Vajra Bracelet shone brilliantly, emitting a terrifying suction force.


    Several Mid-Grade Magical Artifacts were caught in its pull, uncontrobly flying towards the Vajra Bracelet like iron to a ma.


    Xiao Guanglian¡¯s mount, the Spirit Feathered Phoenix, screeched and let out a hostile cry towards Ning Xinyue, its mouth and nose spewing violent ck water, which Ning Xinyue narrowly avoided.


    ¡°Wind, Fire, Thunder!¡±


    Xiao Guanglian rapidly formed spell gestures, and the Top Grade Magical Artifact, the Fire Tower, soared into the sky dome. Gale-force winds raged, apanied by sweeping mes and roaring heavenly thunder.


    In an instant, the area around Ning Xinyue became the eye of the storm, with wind feeding the mes, fire borrowing the wind¡¯s force, and continuous lightning strikes, the terrifying onught seemingly set to shatter heaven and earth.


    ¡°Su Jie,e help me quickly.¡±


    Ning Xinyue was desperate. She took out the Jade Heavenly Book, and as the tadpole-like characters on it shifted ceaselessly, they formed a faintyer of scripture light screen, protecting Ning Xinyue within it.


    However, Xiao Guanglian¡¯s Top Grade Magical Artifact, the Fire Tower was truly formidable; its terrifying assault forced Ning Xinyue to retreat repeatedly, and cracks began appearing on the light screen.


    Su Jie patted the head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede and said, ¡°Xiao Qian, take care of this woman.¡±


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede slithered forward, rumbling towards Mo Shiyao with an aggressive charge.


    As a Mid Grade Five Refinement poisonous insect, even in a one-on-one fight, itsbat instinct kicked in and did not require Su Jie¡¯s constantmand.


    ¡°Darling, please turn around.¡±


    Su Jie pointed his fingers like a sword, his gaze locked onto Xiao Guanglian.


    Flight upon flight of Flying Swords, led by the White Bone Sky ying Sword, transformed into a dazzling sword river and appeared before Xiao Guanglian.


    ¡°Hah, mere Low Grade Flying Swords.¡±


    Disdain appeared on Xiao Guanglian¡¯s face.


    He pressed his left hand downward, and three Mid-grade Flying Swords moved to meet the sword river, shing with Su Jie¡¯s swords.


    These Low Grade Flying Swords, even though enhanced by the Sword Nourishing Gourd, were still fundamentally inferior to the Mid-grade Flying Swords.


    Only the White Bone Sky ying Sword, an exceptional Low Grade Magical Artifact, could contend with a Mid-grade Flying Sword. The other Low Grade Swords broke upon contact with the Mid-grade Swords as easily as tofu.


    But the smug look on Xiao Guanglian¡¯s face didn¡¯tst more than a few seconds, as an overwhelming Human-faced Moth Cloud swept in.


    Su Jie, too, waved the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, and terrifying Yin Souls surged forth, forming the Ten Thousand Yin Blood Nether Array. A mighty Blood River descended from the sky, as if the river was falling from the ninth heaven, a sight to shock the soul.


    ¡°Demon Cultivators are just that, employing nothing but underhanded tactics unfit for the public eye.¡±


    Despite Xiao Guanglian¡¯s reproach, his eyes were filled with extreme gravity as he maneuvered several Mid-grade Magical Artifacts to confront both the Insect Cloud and the Blood River.


    Within the cloud, five to six Mid-grade Human-faced Moths and over a hundred Low-grade Human-faced Moths led the charge, backed by over three hundred thousand inferior Human-faced Moths, as they surged up en masse, shing against each artifact.


    There was a Five Elements Tripod that overturned, unleashing Five Elements Divine Light from within; gold, wood, water, fire, and earth transformed into a mixed elemental tornado, sweeping up Human-faced Moths and obliterating them on the spot.


    Purple Jade Heavenly Mace fell with earth-shattering tremors, turning numerous Human-faced Moths into pulp.


    The Star Wheel te presented zodiac patterns, with beams of Star Light falling from the sky dome as if connecting to distant constetions; amid the cascade of starlight, many Human-faced Moths evaporated into sparkling points of light disappearing into the void.


    ¡­


    Numerous Mid-grade Magical Artifactsunched their attacks, but the sheer number of Human-faced Moths made it impossible for these artifacts to deal with the terrifying swarm in a short time.


    The Blood River swept in as well, engulfing several Mid-grade Magical Artifacts within its raging currents.


    This river constructed of countless Yin Souls, not only tainted the Spiritual Radiance of these artifacts but also eroded the spiritual power Xiao Guanglian had attached to them.


    The next moment, the vast Insect Cloud surged, enveloping Xiao Guanglian and forming a massive cocoon of insects around him, as each Human-faced Moth spat acid, continuously biting and gnawing at him.


    ¡°`


    As the grandson of the Sect Master of the Purple Mist Sect, Xiao Guanglian was naturally under heavy protection.


    He wore a Top Grade Protection Vestment robe, and although the Insect Cloud could wear it down, it would take too much time.


    However, while Xiao Guanglian was protected, his mount, the Spirit Feathered Phoenix, wasn¡¯t so lucky. It was covered in countless human-faced moths, eating away at each inch of its flesh and blood furiously.


    Especially those low-grade and mid-grade human-faced moths, each squirt of their acidic saliva caused the beautiful Spirit Feathered Phoenix to let out tragic cries as feathers fell and it spiraled down from the sky.


    Before even hitting the ground, this spiritual beast with no small cultivation was gnawed down to a white-boned skeleton, its death was a pitiful sight.


    Xiao Guanglian¡¯s face was grim, as he stood on the Golden Turtle Seal to maintain flight while taking out arge number of talismans from his embrace, all of them mid-grade.


    ¡°Heavenly Fire Burning God Talisman, go.¡±


    Holding the talisman, Xiao Guanglian muttered under his breath, and the talisman transformed into a column of light that coalesced into a massive Fire Qilin that charged toward Su Jie.


    Su Jie¡¯s brow did not move; with a light wave of his right hand, the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder kept striking down from the sky, obliterating the Fire Qilin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how many you can block.¡±


    Xiao Guanglian¡¯s hands moved quickly, flinging talisman after talisman as if they cost him nothing.@@novelbin@@


    With the sounds of dragon roars echoing, the talismans turned into silver-white dragons tens of meters long, colliding head-on.


    Some talismans became tens of thousands of golden swords, piercing from all directions.


    Others turned into streaks of Divine Thunder, continuously countering Su Jie¡¯s Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder.


    Facing this tycoon-like battle method of throwing money around, Su Jie could only continue to use Purple Cloud Divine Thunder, and call upon the Human-faced Moths and the Blood River for defense.


    Having used Purple Cloud Divine Thunder repeatedly, even his head began to throb with pain.


    And the Human-faced Moths and the Blood River were also being depleted greatly.


    As one attacked and the other defended, Su Jie¡¯s side, with its greater number of insects, exhausted most of Xiao Guanglian¡¯s talismans.


    However, Su Jie¡¯s originallyrge swarm was also decimated by these rounds of talisman detonations, leaving very few remaining.


    After the offensive ended, both Su Jie and Xiao Guanglian were still flying in the air, but their auras werepletely different.


    Su Jie had a faintyer of sweat on his forehead, having overused the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder.


    While Xiao Guanglian appeared moreposed, as if he had not been through a battle at all.


    Finally, Xiao Guanglian spoke lightly, ¡°Your tricks are insufficient; once the insects are dead, I¡¯ll see what you can use to block me.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Jie¡¯s face revealed a cold smile, ¡°I still have the strength for one more fight, but whether your friend does is another matter.¡±


    At that moment, Mo Shiyao was also engaged in a tough fight.


    She was no match for the thousand-hand centipede, being chased around in disarray.


    The counterattack of the True Word Immortal Sound hardly bothered the thousand-hand centipede.


    The battle there was about to end, and if the thousand-hand centipede were to join this side, the situation could flip instantly.


    Xiao Guanglian was slightly distracted, as he also feared the presence of the thousand-hand centipede. The involvement of this mid-grade Five Refinement poisonous insect in the fight was terrifying. To prevent such a situation, he directly sent several Magical Artifacts flying to Mo Shiyao¡¯s location to help stabilize the situation.


    ¡°You dare to be distracted.¡±


    Su Jie had been waiting for this moment. As soon as he spoke, the Blood River stretched toward Xiao Guanglian.


    The onught of the Blood River caused Xiao Guanglian¡¯s Vestment robe to begin to quiver, and ripples spread across his Magic Shield.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 259 - 174: Battle Results (Third Update)

    Chapter 259: Chapter 174: Battle Results (Third Update)


    Xiao Guanglian¡¯s defeat meant the other Righteous Disciples could no longer hold it together.


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat.¡±


    Mo Shiyao clenched her silver teeth, her body covered in wounds inflicted by the thousand-hand centipede.


    She did not want to admit it, but she couldn¡¯t even defeat one of Su Jie¡¯s poisonous insects, and that was the fact.


    Recognizing the reality with thest two remaining Righteous Disciples, Mo Shiyao decisively chose to flee.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Should we chase them?¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan stood beside Su Jie, his Blood Cang Spear hanging with a corpse drained of blood, clothed in the garments of the Righteous Disciples.


    ¡°They must have run to meet with Yu Wenjing. If they get us wrapped up in their scheme, it would be difficult to fight them off. Besides, our main task is to capture Qi Shijian. It¡¯s best if we can kill some enemies along the way, but it doesn¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t, we shouldn¡¯t take risks.¡±


    Su Jie shook his head, Xiao Guanglian was not even the strongest among these Righteous Disciples, Yu Wenjing from Qingzhou¡¯s biggest sect, Guan Chao Pavilion, was.


    Even Xiao Guanglian was so difficult to deal with, possessing many Magic Artifacts and tricks, it took Su Jie a lot of effort just to defeat him.


    He didn¡¯t dare to imagine how formidable Yu Wenjing would be.


    Not to mention that Yu Wenjing had about a dozen Righteous Disciples with him, all skilled members from various sects.


    If a real fight broke out, the odds of Su Jie¡¯s side winning were extremely low.


    However, the battle was not without its gains. Xiao Guanglian had fled, but he hadn¡¯t managed to take all his Magic Artifacts with him; he only had time to grab those nearby. As for the Mid Grade Magical Artifacts that were swept up in the Blood River, several of them were left behind at the scene.


    The Heaven-breaking Trident, Five Elements Tripod, Purple Jade Sky Staff.


    Looking at the three Mid Grade Magical Artifacts they had acquired, a smile inevitably appeared on Su Jie¡¯s face.


    The price of one Mid Grade Magical Artifact typically ranged from five thousand to ten thousand Spirit Stones.


    Only the top-notch or specially effective Mid Grade Magical Artifacts would exceed the price of ten thousand Spirit Stones.


    Before this incident, the Sword Nourishing Gourd was the only Mid Grade Magical Artifact Su Jie possessed.


    This battle hadted him three more Mid Grade Magical Artifacts. Although these artifacts might not suit him, selling them would still represent a tremendous fortune.


    Thinking this, Su Jie turned his gaze to Ning Xinyue, who was currently eyeing the Fire Tower with great delight.


    Xiao Guanglian had fled in such a rush that he hadn¡¯t managed to reim the Fire Tower, and Ning Xinyue ended up snagging it.


    Feeling Su Jie¡¯s gaze, Ning Xinyue instantly became wary, stuffing the Fire Tower into her Storage Bag and said to Su Jie, ¡°What¡¯s up? This is my loot, I¡¯m not giving it to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re theziest in battle, yet the quickest to grab the loot.¡±


    Su Jie pinched Ning Xinyue¡¯s delicate cheek, speaking irritably.


    Even he had been injured in the fight, but this girl was spotless, clearly not exerting herself at all.


    ¡°You taught me to always consider the benefits, why should I exhaust myself to the point of getting hurt or even sacrificing myself? That would be too uneconomical.¡±


    Ning Xinyue rolled her eyes and argued, after all, she wasn¡¯t from Ghost Ridge Pce, there was no need for her to die for it.


    For Ning Xinyue, it wasn¡¯t so much about coveting a top grade Magical Artifact since she was indeed very wealthy. But since she had personally seized this artifact, especially under Su Jie¡¯s watchful eye,


    Being usually bullied by Su Jie and taken advantage of, having a chance to turn the tables and snag something from him was particrly joyful and worth celebrating for Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s retreat; we don¡¯t know if this battle has attracted other enemies.¡±


    Su Jie looked at Ning Xinyue¡¯s rascally demeanor, unsure of who she had learned it from, and shook his head before turning to lead the team away from the battlefield.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Su Jie and his twopanions carried Qi Shijian, feeding him a sleeping anesthetic to ensure he would not cause any trouble.


    Along the way, they dealt with several fierce ghosts, but they faced the same problem that Xiao Guanglian had encountered earlier.


    That was the inability to leave the formation that enveloped the entire East Victory City.


    Each time they walked not far from the city wall, they would lose their way in the ck fog and eerily return to their original location.


    ¡°This is the Heavenly Soul Formation, and it seems we can¡¯t get out,¡± Ning Xinyue said, blinking her eyes, her face not tense. She had a talisman that could teleport her away if necessary.


    ¡°This is troublesome, Brother Su, do you have any ideas?¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan was not as optimistic as Ning Xinyue; the number of fierce ghosts in East Victory City was increasing. If they stayed any longer, they would eventually be overwhelmed by the ghosts.


    Su Jie furrowed his brows in deep thought. He had initially thought that with his powerful Divine Soul Power, he could easily find a w in the formation and leave smoothly.


    However, Su Jie underestimated the power of the Heavenly Soul Formation. Even his Divine Soul could not find the correct way out. No matter how he explored with his Divine Sense, all he saw was a haze.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Su Jie¡¯s gaze turned toward the center of East Victory City, where the Han Mansion was located.


    Because he also practiced the Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique, Su Jie could now sense the intense fear and resentment in the ck fog, continuously flowing toward the city center.


    Combining this with the conversation he had overheard from Zhong Shiguan and Zou Minzun and other elders of the Heavenly Soul Sect, Su Jie spected.


    Those people nned to turn Han Ruyan, the body of the Heavenly Spinning Jade Light, into a ghost, using the whole city for a Blood Sacrifice to grant her extraordinary power upon birth.


    At this point, Han Ruyan was surely the Array Eye of the Heavenly Soul Formation; otherwise, the resentment would not be surging in that manner.


    ¡°To break the formation, we must first deal with the Array Eye,¡± Su Jie concluded, surprising Xiao Fengyuan and Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°Miss Han turned into a ghost?¡± Ning Xinyue felt a pang of regret, remembering the stunning sight of Han Ruyan in her wedding dress, saddened by her grim fate.


    ¡°Brother Su, you decide, I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Xiao Fengyuan said gravely. After their journey together, he had immense trust in Su Jie, who was superior in bothbat and intellect; he chose to follow the wise.


    ¡°We need to visit the Han Mansion, but not just yet,¡± Su Jie said, taking out a string of Qilin Crystal Silver Flower Fruits, which he had seized from Xiao Guanglian.


    As Xiao Guanglian fled, his arm was severed, and the Qilin Crystal Silver Flower Fruits he was clutching for healing his Divine Soul injuries fell, turning into Su Jie¡¯s spoils of war.


    ¡°Hopefully, I can take that final step!¡±


    With a slight smile on his lips, Su Jie thought that although Xiao Guanglian liked to burn through money inbat, having gold coins truly made him explode with riches, and he had too many good items on hand, each one desirable.


    Right now, this string of Qilin Crystal Silver Flower Fruits was incredibly important for Su Jie.


    Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul was onlycking eyes, and this string of Qilin Crystal Silver Flower Fruits might help him take the final step to achieve the Primordial Spirit Soul.

 Chapter 262: 177: Another Defeat (Second Update)

    Chapter 262: Chapter 177: Another Defeat (Second Update)


    Su Jie looked at the suddenly changing scenery; the gloomy and damp alley had disappeared, reced by bizarre, human-height standing mirrors. This space, only several hundred square meters, was densely packed with mirrors.


    Su Jie¡¯s figure appeared in each mirror, and behind each reflection of Su Jie stood a Painting Woman. At this moment, her arms were strangling Su Jie¡¯s neck, thighs, arms, and even directly piercing into Su Jie¡¯s internal organs.


    Su Jie¡¯s body burst with Spiritual Energy, instantly blowing the several-hundred-square-meters space into disarray.


    However, a strange scene urred¡ªSu Jie¡¯s vision blurred, and the same space appeared before him again.


    In front of him was a shattered mirror.


    It was as if his actions had only broken the space within a mirror.


    The Fierce Ghost is a rather idealistic existence. For example, in the Mirror World, no matter how one tries to break the mirrors, one will find that these mirrors are oneyer within another. Therge mirrors contain smaller ones, which in turn reflect you into even smaller ones, much like Russian nesting dolls; it is very difficult to escape by brute force.


    ¡°The Mirror World, huh!¡±


    Su Jie looked at his increasingly distorted figure in the mirror, standing still, his hands passing in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Divine Eye!¡±


    An indifferent voice of Su Jie sounded as his eyes shimmered with divine light. Wherever his gaze fell, the mirrors began to crumble as if affected by some unknown force.


    This was a power Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul had gained after enlightenment, capable of prating illusion.@@novelbin@@


    The mirrors in front of him were in fact mere falsehoods, existing only to trap Su Jie.


    Raising his head, Su Jie¡¯s footsteps lightly moved. With each step he took, more cracks formed in this space.


    Within Su Jie¡¯s sea of consciousness, his chibi Primordial Spirit shone with a myriad of golden rays, fundamentally shaking the Mirror World.


    When ites to the level of power, the Primordial Spirit is far superior to the Divine Soul.


    This is an existence that touches upon the Heavenly Dao; even if it¡¯s just a microscopic organism in the face of the Heavenly Dao, against such a Fierce Ghost, it¡¯s utterly overpowering.


    When ites to idealism, is there anything more abstract and pervasive, running through the historical river of the Tianyuan World, than the Heavenly Dao?


    ¡°Heavenly Dao, Heavenly Eye, Heavenly Might!¡±


    Su Jie brought his hands together, and a blood line slowly cracked open on his brow, borrowing power from the Heavenly Dao by temporarily linking with it.


    The Heavenly Dao and the real world are like two parallel rivers that never cross. Su Jie¡¯s physical body is a product of reality, but his Primordial Spirit can touch the Heavenly Dao.


    In doing so, he created a conduit between the two, allowing the boundless river of the Heavenly Dao to leak its power into the river of the real world.


    Using his Primordial Spirit as a guide and his physical body as the foundation, Su Jie sessfully channeled a trace of the Heavenly Dao¡¯s might.


    Just a whiff of the Heavenly Dao¡¯s aura was enough, and in an instant, the entire Mirror World was blown apart. Even the Primordial Spirit, which can¡¯t touch the majestic Heavenly Dao, would explode from a few more nces. The Painting Woman, an idealist existence, was even less resistant; against the destructive nature of the Heavenly Dao, she found it very difficult to resist.


    The Mirror Worldpletely shattered, and Su Jie once again appeared in the real world.


    Zhong Shiguan looked at Su Jie, who had suddenly appeared before him, his eyes filled with confusion, iprehension, and astonishment.


    He never imagined that he had only ced Su Jie into the Mirror World for a few seconds before thetter came out.


    ncing at the brass mirror in his hand, it was full of cracks; with a light touch, itpletely disintegrated.


    ¡°Thinking of trapping me, this thing of yours is not qualified.¡±


    With a wave of Su Jie¡¯s sleeve, the ferocious figure of the thousand-hand centipede emerged, crushing arge number of houses and attacking Zhong Shiguan.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Heavenly Ghost Map!¡±


    Zhong Shiguan¡¯s face looked awful as he knew the fierceness of Su Jie¡¯s Divine Soul and did not dare to approach rashly, only managing to throw out a scroll from afar.


    On the scroll, numerous burial mounds opened up with fierce ghosts crawling out.


    However,pared to the past, the number of ghosts on this scroll had greatly diminished; those Su Jie had killedst time had yet to be replenished.


    ¡°Five Elements Demon Suppressing Handprint!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression was calm as he pressed down with his palm, transforming Spiritual Energy into Five Elements Handprints that stamped directly onto the scroll.


    This time, Su Jie¡¯s handprints also carried the force of his Primordial Spirit.


    If one were to describe it using gaming terminology, it would be that Su Jie¡¯s attack included bonus damage.


    The Five Elements Palm Seal struck the scroll, causing the fierce ghosts to stiffen on the spot. Those who intended to crawl out were all deterred and forced to retreat.


    ¡°Heavenly Thunder, seal!¡±


    Su Jie snapped his fingers, and a series of Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunders spread across the scroll. Thunder itself is a force many ghostly beings fear, let alone the Heavenly Thunders released by Su Jie, which were further empowered by the force of his Primordial Spirit, making them an even greater restraint against ghosts.


    The ghostly beings within the scroll wouldn¡¯t be able to escape for quite some time.


    After that, Su Jie¡¯s gaze turned towards Zhong Shiguan, with rays of purple light shing in his eyes.


    Zhong Shiguan wanted to dodge, but the Thousand-Handed Centipede had already blocked his path, and the Purple Light Ray hit him precisely.


    In an instant, Zhong Shiguan let out a painful scream. Not only did his body make a sizzling noise as it was eroded, but the Divine Soul hidden within the Painting Woman also seemed like it had been sshed with hot oil, emitting puffs of green smoke and causing the luster of his soul to dim and shrink significantly.


    Why is it said that the Secret Realm Elders, who possess the Divine Soul, are among the best? It is because their attacks can deliver dual damage, injuring not only the flesh but also the soul simultaneously.


    ¡°You actually broke through¡­¡±


    Zhong Shiguan¡¯s pupils shrunk to the size of needle tips, revealing a look of terror as he realized the problem. Su Jie¡¯s soul had condensed into a Primordial Spirit, no wonder he could walk out of the Mirror World with ease.


    A Yunling Realm disciple condensing a Primordial Spirit is an ability not even many Hidden Realm Elders possess, leaving Zhong Shiguan speechless with shock.


    ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it? For us Demon Cultivators, rapid advancement in cultivation is quite normal!¡±


    As Su Jie spoke, he steadily approached Zhong Shiguan.


    The more fearful Zhong Shiguan¡¯s eyes became. Even with all his life¡¯s experience, Su Jie was an absolute top prodigy; a Yunling Realm disciple achieving a Primordial Spirit, he had only heard of such disciples in the long-standing Sects of the Capital.


    Such disciples are often called Immortal Seeds!


    He never expected to encounter one today. He might have been able to reverse defeat and beat Su Jie when he had not yet condensed his Primordial Spirit, but now that Su Jie has achieved it, Zhong Shiguan stood even less of a chance.


    Without a second thought, Zhong Shiguan turned and fled.


    ¡°You managed to escapest time, do you think you can sessfully escape from my hands every time?¡±


    A cold curve formed on Su Jie¡¯s lips as the Thousand-Handed Centipede roared, spewing forth the Death Decline Curse Cloud. The terrifying curse cloud enveloped the area, causing Zhong Shiguan¡¯s face to turn extremely ugly.


    He wanted to flee, but Su Jie had already reached behind him, uttering in a cold voice, ¡°Let Heavenly Might assist me.¡±


    Boom!


    A muffled sound echoed from the void as if a pathway to some vast and boundless world had been opened.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 263: 178: Counterattack the Elder (Third Update)

    Chapter 263: Chapter 178: Counterattack the Elder (Third Update)


    Su Jie¡¯s brow split open with blood, as if a third vertical pupil had opened.


    The Great Dao is the most essential force of heaven and earth.


    Su Jie, by harnessing the power of the Great Dao, was manipting nature itself, leveraging the power of the surrounding environment.


    With the strength of Su Jie¡¯s Primordial Spirit, he could only control this level of power for a few seconds, but that was enough.


    In a single breath, Spiritual Energy began to surge like a massive funnel, swirling around Su Jie as the center.


    At that moment, Su Jie was the master of this realm.


    With a flick of his finger, Spiritual Energy, under Su Jie¡¯s control, cascaded likeyers of giant tsunamis, engulfing Zhong Shiguan¡¯s body.


    His body uncontrobly rolled,pressed by the tsunami-like surge of Spiritual Power.


    The body of the Painting Woman,yer byyer, was eroded away until half of her body turned into nothingness; a single strike had severely injured Zhong Shiguan.


    Right at this moment, the Death Decline Curse Cloud spat out by the Thousand-Handed Centipede arrived, hitting the unavoidable Zhong Shiguan.


    The terrifying curse power of the Death Decline Curse Cloud could also affect the ghost.


    The remaining half of the body of the Painting Woman progressively aged, her skin bing wrinkled until she couldn¡¯t maintain her human form anymore, transforming into an old dressing table with a brass mirror atop it; this was the true form of the Painting Woman.


    A hazy orb of light flew out from it, within which a small human figure could be seen¡ªthat was Zhong Shiguan¡¯s soul.


    Su Jie appeared in a few shes in front of Zhong Shiguan¡¯s soul, reached out his hand, and grasped the battered soul in his palm.


    ¡°Spare¡­¡±


    Before Zhong Shiguan could finish his plea for mercy, Su Jie had already clenched his fingers, Palm Thunder erupting in his palm,pletely destroying the battered soul.


    In the sky, having lost Zhong Shiguan¡¯s control, the Heavenly Ghost Map also fell, carried in the mouth of the Thousand-Handed Centipede to Su Jie.


    Having observed the dozens of fierce ghosts in the Heavenly Ghost Map quieting down and burrowing back into the graveyard, Su Jie didn¡¯t immediately start studying it but looked towards the dressing table at his feet instead.


    Fierce ghosts are independent beings, and the death of Zhong Shiguan didn¡¯t mean that the fierce ghosts would also die.


    It simply meant that from having a master before, they had be masterless, wandering wild fierce ghosts.


    Watching the Painting Woman¡¯s figure slowly reappear in the brass mirror on the dressing table, Su Jie snorted coldly without bothering to be polite. He continuously struck down with Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder, then let the Thousand-Handed Centipede swallow her, temporarily imprisoning her.


    At this time, Su Jie turned to face another Fifth Grade Lantern Ghost.


    This Lantern Ghost was entangled with Xiao Fengyuan and Ning Xinyue. Together, they were suppressing the Lantern Ghost.


    Seeing this, Su Jie¡¯s Primordial Spirit left his body and directly controlled the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder, reinforcing it with the power of his Primordial Spirit to strike the Lantern Ghost, causing it to tremble violently.


    Swiftly, Su Jie appeared in front of the Lantern Ghost. The whitentern flickered, its blood-red eyes blinking, causing Su Jie¡¯s skin to slowly dissolve, as if transforming him into a candle wick.


    However, with a jolt of his Primordial Spirit, Su Jie removed all negative effects.


    Following this, Su Jie, while wielding the Heavenly Might, had the Thousand-Handed Centipede continuously emit Purple Light Rays to dissolve the body of the Lantern Ghost.


    Thentern shifted from white to red and floated mid-air, which was the true form of the Lantern Ghost.


    Looking at thentern before him, Su Jie bit his fingertip, letting a few drops of fresh blood drip out.


    The fresh blood trickled onto thentern, immediately soaking in as Su Jie channeled the Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique, starting to try taming the Lantern Ghost.


    ¡°Eh, still trying to struggle!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s palm pressed on thentern, which began to float unpredictably, trying to escape Su Jie¡¯s control.


    For these wild fierce ghosts, especially those that had stayed in the Heavenly Soul Formation for years, it was very difficult to control them. They were notpletely wild, at most semi-wild, and were somewhat controlled by Zou Minzun, which made it even harder for Su Jie to control them.


    In response, Su Jie had a simple method, which was to suppress them with his Primordial Spirit.


    Compared to the fifth-grade fierce ghost, Su Jie¡¯s Primordial Spirit was stronger. Seeing that the opponent was still not behaving, Su Jie took out the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, summoned arge number of Yin Souls, and began a frenzied attack, devouring and damaging them.


    Yin Souls were also condensed from souls, and were very effective against the consciousness-dependent existence of fierce ghosts. Although they would be eaten like snacks by the Lantern Ghost in a one-on-one fight, when attacked by thousands together and suppressed by Su Jie, the light inside thentern gradually dimmed, and one blood-red eye after another extinguished.@@novelbin@@


    After several minutes, thentern finally stopped struggling.


    At this time, inside the sea of consciousness in Su Jie¡¯s mind, he formed a slight connection with thentern.


    Su Jie understood that this was a sessful capture, and from now on, the Lantern Ghost would also have Su Jie as its host.


    However, because of the contract with the Lantern Ghost, it upied arge area in his sea of consciousness, which meant that the number of fierce ghosts Su Jie could sign and control was limited.


    Thinking about it, even Zhong Shiguan, a senior elder of the Heavenly Soul Sect, had to rely on the Heavenly Ghost Map; Zou Minzun also had to rely on the Heavenly Soul Formation to barely manage the fierce ghosts, otherwise they could not control too many of them.


    Su Jie was not disappointed, seeing that the Lantern Ghost had taken shape. He then had the Thousand-Handed Centipede spit out the dressing table, repeating the previous operation of capturing the Lantern Ghost, thus forming a contract with the Painting Woman as well.


    Thus, Su Jie now possessed two fifth-grade fierce ghosts simultaneously.


    Su Jie, with antern in his left hand and a brass mirror in his right, chuckled softly, ¡°Evil spirits, reveal yourselves.¡±


    The moment his words fell, a tall figure, with a chilling gaze, slowly emerged at his left side, taking thentern from Su Jie¡¯s hand.


    On his right, as the dressing table vanished, the falling brass mirror was embraced by a pair of pale hands, a woman with long hair down to her waist, pale face, and vacant eyes, standing at Su Jie¡¯s right side, holding the ancient mirror.


    These were the Lantern Ghost and Painting Woman, now quietly standing on both sides of Su Jie, much like protectors, devoid of their previous ferocity and eerie nature.


    To be precise, they were like this only in front of Su Jie, their master.


    Once Su Jie issued an attackmand, they would turn into murderous fierce ghosts, ughtering countless.


    ¡°You¡¯ve controlled them?¡±


    Xinyue had not disturbed Su Jie just now, but seeing this scene, she could no longer contain her curiosity.


    ¡°I am a Demon Cultivator, meddling with souls should be considered part of my day job, right?¡±


    Su Jie smiled and waved his hand, the Painting Woman appeared in front of Xinyue, taking Su Jie¡¯s ce to pat Xinyue¡¯s head.


    The cold touch, devoid of any warmth, made Xinyue react like a startled cat, quickly escaping and ring at Su Jie with irritation.


    ¡°Brother Su, your strength is progressing faster and faster.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan felt quite emotional, as he could barely manage a tie with one of the two fifth-grade fierce ghosts, and there was a high chance he would fail.


    After all, fierce ghosts were creatures with exceedingly strange abilities, many of which were hard tobat.


    ¡°You guys rest for a bit, heal your injuries, and then we will head to Han Mansion, it¡¯s time to leave this ce.¡±


    With the addition of both the Painting Woman and the Lantern Ghost to his forces, and the condensation of his Primordial Spirit, Su Jie felt more confident about the actions toe.

 Chapter 265: 180: Fierce Battle (First Update)

    Chapter 265: Chapter 180: Fierce Battle (First Update)


    ¡°The Ghost Bride isn¡¯t fully cultivated yet; I can¡¯t let you disrupt this great event.¡±


    The short-statured Gongyang Ji stood ahead, his voice echoing a chilling, mockingugh.


    Behind him was the silhouette of the Ghost Bride, Han Ruyan.


    The resentment and fear of the entire city also needed time to be absorbed and digested.


    ¡°Seeing this tactic, could it be from the Demon Cultivators of Ghost Ridge Pce who have actually mixed with these people from the Righteous sect?¡±


    Stroking his goatee, Zou Minzun¡¯s gaze lingered on the thousand-hand centipede wrapped around Su Jie¡¯s arm and the multi-legged centipede hanging from Xiao Fengyuan¡¯s neck for several seconds before he spoke, ¡°Why not join our Heavenly Soul Sect? With your talents, if you revere me as your master, I might spare your lives.¡±


    The Righteous Disciples on guard watched Su Jie and the other two with increasing wariness.


    ¡°We are all Demon Cultivators, let¡¯s not deceive ourselves and others; you really wouldn¡¯t believe such simple acts of instigation, would you?¡±


    With a calm voice, Su Jie knew this was nothing but Zou Minzun¡¯s deliberate attempt to sow discord.


    If he really agreed, what awaited Su Jie would be a betrayal after crossing the bridge, and Su Jie certainly wouldn¡¯t trust the promises of a Demon Cultivator.


    ¡°Get ready to engage.¡±


    Tall and straight like a pine, Yu Wenjing advanced towards Gongyang Ji, setting an example for the other Righteous Disciples.


    With elerating steps, a blue tide appeared under Yu Wenjing¡¯s feet, an illusion of spiritual power.


    He stood at the crest of the tidal wave, a two-meter long Dragon Bone Pearl Water g rustling vibrantly in his hand.


    Boom!


    The wave transformed into a tsunami over thirty feet high, copsing lush green bamboo trees.


    At the crest of the tsunami, images of various sea demons and spiritual beasts like crocodiles, poisonous insects, water horses, flood dragons, and Kunpeng appeared.


    Thousands of tides surged forth, hundreds of demonspeted in swimming, and the ground trembled violently.


    Gongyang Ji¡¯s expression suddenly turned solemn as he quickly tore off a ne around his neck.


    It was a string of skulls, each the size of a baby¡¯s fist. Now the skulls rose into the air, bing a gigantic specter, several yards across, emitting a glowing green light and biting towards the tidal wave.


    Blue tsunami and spectral head collided, then the crest of the wave crushed the skull specter.


    One by one, the sea demons and spiritual beasts roared and tore the skull heads to shreds.


    ¡°Brother Yu Wen is mighty!¡±


    Seeing this scene, the morale of the remaining Righteous Disciples surged.


    The thought of the Yunling Realm opposing the Secret Realm was exhrating.


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes also showed a hint of admiration; truly befitting a top disciple of Guan Chao Pavilion.


    Being the foremost major sect in Qingzhou was evident just from Yu Wenjing¡¯s performance.


    From the fundamental robustness of spiritual power, Yu Wenjing was a level above Xiao Guanglian and Mo Shiyao.


    In the heat of battle, even the Secret Realm seemed pale inparison before him.


    Being suppressed by a Yunling Realm disciple, Gongyang Ji¡¯s expression was quite unappealing.


    He quickly channeled the spiritual power in his body, and several fourth-grade fierce ghosts appeared around him, including a fiery phosphorous ghost, a disheveled female ghost with a sinister face.


    Thest one, adult-faced on one side and a woman¡¯s face on the back of its head, was a fifth-grade fierce ghost.


    ¡°Brother Yu Wen, we¡¯ll assist you.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, shoulder to shoulder; there¡¯s no need to talk about the ethics of Jianghu when dealing with these kinds of Demon Cultivators.¡±


    Righteous Disciples saw this scene and also joined the fight, attacking Gongyang Ji, surrounding him with a righteous thrashing.


    Gongyang Ji suddenly found himself in an awkward predicament as Divine Radiance Taoist Skills and Magic Artifacts suppressed him, and his talismans were thrown in disarray, covering him in dust and dirt.


    Several fierce ghosts could not possibly match the numbers of disciples, and in the blink of an eye, two fourth-grade fierce ghosts were annihted.


    Even as a person of the Secret Realm, Gongyang Ji couldn¡¯t ovee so many high-caliber Righteous Disciples.


    Particrly Yu Wenjing, who alone was enough to greatly pressure him. Fighting him one-on-one was challenging, let alone facing so many others who were ganging up on him.


    ¡°Useless!¡±


    Watching these righteous disciples act so arrogantly, Zou Minzun snorted coldly and pressed a single hand onto the ground.


    A strand of sinister power spread out. Inside Han Mansion, one door after another burst open with a loud bang, and from the dark houses, fierce ghosts began to emerge.


    These were the true reliance of Zou Minzun, ghosts drawn in by the Heavenly Soul Formation, and under Zou Minzun¡¯smand, each of them turned their heads, and after a brief moment of hesitation and confusion, they started moving toward the bamboo forest.


    He, himself, entered the fray personally, holding the Ten Thousand Soul Banner in his left hand and a Residual Soul Sword in his right, with a sixth-grade fierce ghost appearing behind him.


    This fierce ghost took the form of a pregnant woman with a translucent belly, through which could faintly be seen undeveloped fetuses squirming in struggle, their little hands and feet iling as if trying to burst out and devour people.


    ¡°Nine Sons Ghost Mother.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, recognizing it as a powerful type of fierce ghost documented in the ¡°Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique.¡±


    ¡°Kill!¡±


    Zou Minzun shook the Ten Thousand Soul Banner in his left hand, unleashing over a hundred thousand Yin Souls, their number so vast that they nketed the sky, forming a giant ck mountain range.


    The mountain made of Yin Souls was a hundred feet tall, with many caves and demon holes that looked like they were exhaling demonic qi from the gates of hell, a fearsome sight to behold.


    ¡°The Ten Thousand Soul Banner, with a hundred thousand Yin Souls.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s pupils constricted. This man was not on the same level as Gongyang Ji and Zhong Shiguan.


    The mountain range in the sky began to slowly descend, and the Yin Souls, like relief sculptures, remained motionless on the surface of the mountain.


    A terrifying scene unfolded as the mountain range lowered. The seemingly bottomless caves suddenly lit up with a bloody glow.


    Suddenly, several Righteous Disciples copsed on the ground, their souls sucked out of their bodies and directly pulled into the Demon Cave, bing nourishment for the growth of the mountain.


    ¡°Xiao Qian!¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression hardened, knowing this situation couldn¡¯t end well. He immediately released the thousand-hand centipede, directing it toward the Demon Cave Mountain, where beams of Purple Light Rays melted pits into the mountain.


    The bloody holes of the Demon Cave targeted the thousand-hand centipede, attempting to absorb its soul.


    However, the thousand-hand centipede was a mid-grade, five-refined poisonous insect and one of Su Jie¡¯s Lifebound poisonous insects. Its soul was somewhat connected to Su Jie, which was why the death of a Lifebound poisonous insect would severely injure its master.


    Now, Su Jie¡¯s soul was a Primordial Spirit, protecting it from any harm.


    ¡°Quite capable, no wonder you dared refuse me.¡±


    Zou Minzun tossed the Residual Soul Sword into the air, where it rapidly sliced through the air. It was an authentic top-grade Magical Artifact, especially powerful in the hands of an Elder like Zou Minzun.


    With one strike, the sky and earth cried and howled, while blood rained down as if even the heavens and earth were wounded, with the rain of blood pouring down.


    ¡°Junior Sister Zhu, Brother Xiao, let¡¯s act together now!¡±@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie tapped his Storage Bag at his waist, and three mid-grade Magical Artifacts¡ªthe Heaven-breaking Trident, Five Elements Tripod, and Purple Jade Sky Staff¡ªwhirled out.


    The Five Elements Tripod exhaled a storm, shing with Five Elements Spiritual Power.


    The Heaven-breaking Trident traveled through the void, densely covered with talisman inscriptions on its surface.


    The Purple Jade Sky Staff thunderously crashed down, blocking the Residual Soul Sword to the left and right along with the Heaven-breaking Trident.

 Chapter 267: 182: Are You My Husband? (Third Update)

    Chapter 267: Chapter 182: Are You My Husband? (Third Update)


    ¡°It¡¯s really troublesome.¡±


    Su Jie nced at the severed limbs, inheriting the self-healing ability of the Thousand-Hand Centipede; it elerated recovery from the injuries, with flesh buds crazily sprouting on the regenerating limbs, yet the process consumed an immense amount of Spiritual Power.


    For a Sixth-Grade Fierce Ghost, even Su Jie, who possessed a Primordial Spirit, found the fight extremely difficult.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite some endurance, but this is where it ends,¡± remarked Zou Minzun with a coldugh.


    It was because of the numerous ghosts within this Heavenly Soul Formation that he truly felt confident.


    Just at this moment, the ghosts that had walked out of the houses in the Han Mansion finally reached the battlefield.


    These ghosts ranged from First Grade to Sixth Grade, especially the three Sixth-Grade ghosts¡ªthe Sword Labor Ghost, the Headless Ghost, and the Starving Ghost¡ªtheir strength was not inferior to that of the Nine Sons Ghost Mother.


    As for the Fifth-Grade Fierce Ghosts, they numbered over a dozen, while the other Fourth-Grade, Third-Grade, down to Second-Grade and First-Grade Fierce Ghosts, totaled more than a thousand, forming a terrifying ghost army.


    Such a ghost army was something not even abined force of Su Jie and Yu Wenjing could handle.


    ¡°Now, do you understand the gap between us?¡±


    The voice of Zou Minzun was cold. The Heavenly Soul Formation actually wasn¡¯t his but belonged to the Heavenly Soul Sect, and he had merely borrowed it to influence these semi-wild ghosts inside the formation.


    In the Heavenly Soul Sect, the Heavenly Soul Formation was the Sect¡¯s ultimate asset; it was said that the most powerful Heavenly Soul Formation even housed a Ninth-Grade Fierce Ghost.


    Compared with Ghost Ridge Pce, the Heavenly Soul Formation was equivalent to Insect Valley, which could usually be used for disciple training and capturing fierce ghosts.


    During a fight, it could also be carried around for deployment, controlling the semi-wild fierce ghosts inside for attacks.


    The expressions of Xiao Fengyuan, Yu Wenjing, and Mo Shiyao all changed drastically at the scene.


    ¡°Indeed terrifying!¡±


    The voice of Su Jie fell, and the Painting Woman and the Lantern Ghost attacked Zou Minzun once again.


    As the Lantern Ghost and the Painting Woman were mobilized, Su Jie also made his move; his Primordial Spirit connecting with heaven and earth, tapping into the nearby Tao River, allowing a wisp of Taoist aura to descend upon the world.


    As a bloodline slit opened at the top of his skull, Su Jie soared high, shouting, ¡°Heavenly Might, aid me.¡±


    With a thunderous crash!


    Su Jie¡¯s entire aura surged, seemingly bing the center of this world.


    Zou Minzun was shocked to his core, finally understanding why Su Jie could control two Fifth-Grade ghosts.


    This man, clearly of the Yunling Realm in cultivation, possessed a Primordial Spirit¡ªthere was no mistake, that was the effect of the Primordial Spirit.


    Using the Heavenly Might for oneself, managing the flow of Spiritual Power of a small part of the world, was something only a Primordial Spirit could do.


    While Zou Minzun was shaken, a fissure at Su Jie¡¯s ber region wildly absorbed Spiritual Power, and eventually, Su Jie, like an air-to-ground missile, swiftly flew through the sky. As Zou Minzun watched with splitting eyes, Su Jie shed past one ghost after another,nding in front of a pavilion in the bamboo forest, and pped his palm on Han Ruyan¡¯s top of the skull.


    With that palm strike, the Spiritual Power of this world surged like a tide.


    Han Ruyan was the Array Eye of the Heavenly Soul Formation; when she was struck by Su Jie, it was as if the Array Eye was damaged.


    Sizzle!


    At that moment, in the sky dome above, the ck fog enveloping East Victory City gradually dissipated, revealing the long-unseen blue sky to the view.


    ¡°The formation has been broken.¡±


    ¡°Run quickly, those fierce ghosts are catching up.¡±


    ¡°Haha, we can finally leave.¡±


    The disciples were overjoyed, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds, seeing hope for survival continue.


    ¡°Brother Su¡¯s righteousness is acknowledged. I owe you a favor today; let¡¯s meet again another day.¡±


    Yu Wenjing smiled and sped his hands, disengaging from the battle with Gongyang Ji and rising to the high skies with a wave carrying many disciples.


    ¡°Su Jie, hurry up!¡±


    Ning Xinyue also cheered up, following Xiao Fengyuan as they climbed onto the back of the Thousand-Handed Centipede, ready to make their escape.


    However, to Ning Xinyue¡¯s surprise, Su Jie had been standing still ever since he struck that palm.@@novelbin@@


    Su Jie didn¡¯t want to stay; he simply couldn¡¯t move.


    As he struck Han Ruyan¡¯s body, his spiritual power erupted like a volcano.


    The woman¡¯s eyes, which had been tightly closed all along, slowly opened to reveal a pair of eerily vacant ones.


    Their gazes met, and Han Ruyan, with her arms on Su Jie¡¯s shoulders, unleashed a weirdly cold force that pervaded his body, making him stiff on the spot.


    ¡°Break free for me.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s primordial spirit emerged, shining brightly with golden light as the Purple Cloud Heavenly Thunder exploded, forcibly regaining control and breaking the stiffness.


    Just as he turned around, Zou Minzun, with a massive army of ghosts, charged crazily towards him.


    ¡°I swear to y you alive.¡±


    Zou Minzun was going mad; he had not expected Su Jie to possess a primordial spirit, let alone that Su Jie would head straight for Han Ruyan.


    The Ghost Bride, not yet fully cultivated, awoke. She was currently a fifth-grade fierce ghost. If things had gone as he nned, with a month of cultivation, he could have elevated the Ghost Bride to the sixth or even seventh grade.


    Before him was the sinister Ghost Bride, and behind him was the massive ghost army brought by Zou Minzun; Su Jie¡¯s chance for retreat had been lost.


    High above in the sky dome, the Thousand-Handed Centipede constantly sted Purple Light Rays and spit Death Decline Curse Clouds while Ning Xinyue and Xiao Fengyuan did their best to block them.


    The Lantern Ghost raised itsntern, and one by one, the Painting Women emerged, but against the massive ghost army, it was merely a drop in the bucket; their defense line was instantly torn apart.


    Su Jie furrowed his brows, with Zou Minzun right at his heels and Han Ruyan eerily blocking his path.


    Su Jie¡¯s divine sense kept spreading, searching for an escape, but suddenly discovered that the eye-shaped curse on Han Ruyan¡¯s jade-like back, due to the recent surge of spiritual energy, had be greatly blurred.


    That was the curse Zou Minzun used to control Han Ruyan, ensuring the sessful cultivation tied to their contract.


    With the Ghost Bride¡¯s cultivation process disrupted by Su Jie, the curse rune also withered simultaneously.


    An audacious idea suddenly sprang into Su Jie¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s risk it all!¡±


    Looking at the vacant-eyed Han Ruyan, Su Jie bit his fingertip and, as fast as lightning, smeared his blood on Han Ruyan¡¯s forehead while vigorously activating the ¡°Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique,¡± with his primordial spirit controlling the infiltration into Han Ruyan¡¯s body.


    Han Ruyan paused on the spot, affected by Su Jie¡¯s forceful contract, causing her already fragile connection with Zou Minzun to disintegrate instantly. Now, Han Ruyan, like a wild fierce ghost, was free from control.


    ¡°You dare!¡±


    Seeing this scene, Zou Minzun¡¯s veins bulged on his neck, his face turning red with anger.


    ¡°Are you my husband?¡±


    Suddenly, a chilling, ghostly voice emerged.


    Han Ruyan¡¯s gaze swept over the dried corpses hanging from the pavilion, including Han Jinghuan and Han Mother, and her lifeless eyes locked onto Su Jie with an iprehensible sound.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Just as Su Jie uttered the word, it instantly triggered the Ghost Bride¡¯s killing mechanism.


    Mysteriously, Su Jie¡¯s body began to transform from his legs, swiftly turning towards a y and wooden sculpture, even the light of Su Jie¡¯s primordial spirit trembled intensely, flickering like an unstable me.

 Chapter 270: 185: Husband, I Want It! (Second Update)

    Chapter 270: Chapter 185: Husband, I Want It! (Second Update)


    An hourter.


    In a mountain recess, Su Jie appeared with the Ghost Bride, the vast insect nket dissipated.


    As for Ning Xinyue, Xiao Fengyuan, and Qi Shijian, they were transported to another area by the insect nket. Su Jie wasn¡¯t worried about being separated; he already knew their approximate location and could find themter.


    The insect nket disappeared one by one until the Thousand-Handed Centipede¡¯s body, the size of a chopstick, crawled up Su Jie¡¯s arm.


    Sizzle!


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede gave two weak cries; using this technique meant it had discarded most of its body mass.


    Not even ¡°cutting off an arm to survive¡± would suffice to describe this¡ªit was tantamount to severing everything below the neck.


    With a heavy heart, Su Jie stroked the head of the Thousand-Handed Centipede and took out an Insect Control Bag, from which he fed it arge quantity of poisonous insects.


    He then pulled out Spirit Stones and Blood Marrow Crystals from his Storage Bag to feed the Thousand-Handed Centipede, helping it recover its body and replenish its nutrients.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede chewed with relish, its body slowly recovering, but it would take several days to return to its peak condition.


    Ghost Bride Han Ruyan stood quietly on the other side, seemingly watching Su Jie, or perhaps just lost in a daze.


    Su Jie turned around to look at Han Ruyan¡¯s pale figure.@@novelbin@@


    Sensing Su Jie¡¯s gaze, a profound stillness shone from Han Ruyan¡¯s eyes. She quietly met his gaze and slowly spoke, ¡°My husband.¡±


    Her voice was two cold tones as she extended her pale, bloodless fingers, elegant and hauntingly beautiful.


    Only her fingernails were painted a striking red, exceedingly enchanting.


    This meant she wanted Su Jie to take her hand.


    As Su Jie watched this scene, even with hisposure, his heart began to race.


    The presence of Han Ruyan in front of him made him feel a chill, even with his Primordial Spirit; she posed a threat to his safety.


    Su Jie did not act immediately but connected to the depths of his sea of consciousness to check the contract with the Ghost Bride, Han Ruyan.


    To his surprise, the contract within his sea of consciousness was quite unstable.


    The Wedding Dress inside the sea of consciousness showed faint signs of transparency, and once itpletely dissolved, it meant that the contract would break.


    Su Jie spected that the Ghost Bride, having transformed from the Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body, was a royal among ghosts, making her far more difficult to control than ordinary fierce ghosts.


    For Su Jie to control such an existence, even with his Primordial Spirit, the contract would be extremely challenging.


    With that thought, Su Jie took the hand of the Ghost Bride; it was still cold to the touch.


    Han Ruyan stood there in her exquisitely beautiful and majestic Wedding Dress, which floated gently around her. Although no emotions showed on her face,


    inside Su Jie¡¯s sea of consciousness, the translucent red Wedding Dress gradually stabilized and settled within.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just keep holding her hand forever,¡± Su Jie thought with a headache. It was clear that the Ghost Bride, while being contracted, had her consciousness and was not as obedient as the Lantern Ghost and the Painting Woman.


    After some thought, Su Jie took out a bunch of Primordial Spirit Pearls from his Storage Bag.


    Each pearl was ck, resembling a beautiful piece of ink jade, indicating they were filled with Fear Energy.


    This was one of the spoils obtained from Zhong Shiguan.


    Su Jie attempted to activate the Primordial Spirit Pearls and transferred the Fear Energy into the Ghost Bride.


    The Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique included methods for making and using Primordial Spirit Pearls, which Su Jie found very easy to use.


    Within the Heavenly Soul Sect, a Primordial Spirit Pearl filled with Fear Energy was a valuablemodity for the Demon Cultivators, able to fetch a high price in Spirit Stones. However, there were not many who practiced ghost cultivation in the outside world, hence there was little recognition for it.


    Ordinarily speaking, a general first-grade fierce ghost would need ten Primordial Spirit Pearls to be able to advance.


    The stronger and more ferocious the ghost is at the same grade, the more Primordial Spirit Pearls it would need, which is indeterminate.


    As Su Jie activated the Primordial Spirit Pearls, a faint, almost invisible wisp of ck qi emerged, swirling around the Ghost Bride.


    The originally ink-ck Primordial Spirit Pearls gradually lightened in color, eventually bing crystal clear.


    They could be used again in the future to store Fear Energy, as they were reusable.


    Looking at the Ghost Bride across from him, the dense death qi, resentment qi, and Yin Qi around her were all climbing, and her strength was also slowly increasing.


    For fierce ghosts, Fear Energy is like the rtionship between Cultivators and Spiritual Energy, the most critical thing for ghosts to upgrade their grade.


    Su Jie could distinctly sense that the connection between the Ghost Bride and himself was bing tighter.


    This confirmed Su Jie¡¯s spection that feeding the Ghost Bride could significantly improve their affinity.


    Soon, the hundreds of Primordial Spirit Pearls in Su Jie¡¯s hand were all consumed.


    This amount of Fear Energy was but a drop in the ocean for the Ghost Bride¡¯s advancement.


    A fifth-grade fierce ghost looking to advance to a sixth-grade fierce ghost would need an enormous amount of Fear Energy, let alone the Ghost Bride.


    A ghostly emperor transformed from a Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body, the Ghost Bride would need at least ten times the Fear Energy of other ghosts at the same grade.


    ¡°This strength is strong, but the Fear Energy needed seems way too much,¡± Su Jiemented in his heart, feeling like a weary father,pletely consumed with worry for his family.


    Already raising a Thousand-Handed Centipede and now with the Ghost Bride, another big eater, Su Jie¡¯s burden was undeniably heavier.


    The Ghost Bride, not understanding Su Jie¡¯s troubles, gazed at Su Jie with a longing look after absorbing hundreds of Primordial Spirit Pearls, clearly wanting to consume more Fear Energy.


    ¡°There¡¯s none left. You¡¯ve eaten it all. I haven¡¯t even fed the Painting Woman and the Lantern Ghost yet¡ªthey¡¯re still hungry.¡±


    Su Jie spread his hands; he had no stock left.


    The Primordial Spirit Pearl was something the Heavenly Soul Sect used; he had no idea where to find so much Fear Energy to feed the Ghost Bride.


    Thinking of the Painting Woman and the Lantern Ghost, Su Jie¡¯s gaze shifted to the big redntern carried in the Ghost Bride¡¯s left hand and the Double Phoenix Mirror worn on her chest.


    Su Jie coughed twice and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we let them out?¡±


    The Ghost Bride cocked her head to the side. Perhaps the recent feeding had had an effect, as she did not refuse.


    After thentern was released, it floated in mid-air, revealing the tall figure of the Lantern Ghost, and the color of thentern slowly turned white.


    The moment the Lantern Ghost appeared, it stepped back, keeping its distance from the Ghost Bride, its body even trembling slightly.


    The Double Phoenix Mirror also flew out from the chest of the Ghost Bride, revealing the figure of the Painting Woman, who likewise trembled and stayed away from the Ghost Bride.


    Both being fifth-grade fierce ghosts, the Lantern Ghost and the Painting Woman were clearly in fear of the Ghost Bride.


    The Ghost Bride said nothing, but with a nce, the retreating Lantern Ghost and the Painting Woman stiffened.


    After a moment¡¯s struggle, the Lantern Ghost obediently went to the Ghost Bride¡¯s side, taking the initiative to light the way with itsntern, acting like an attendant holding amp.


    The Painting Woman floated behind the Ghost Bride, dutifully fixing the long red wedding dress, like a little maid.


    ¡°She¡¯s more impressive than me, the master,¡± Su Jie said with a wry smile.


    Han Ruyan seemed to understand something and turned her head to look at Su Jie, slowly extending her hand toward him, ¡°Husband, I want.¡±

 Chapter 272: 187: As Long as Youre Brave, The Female Ghost Goes on Maternity Leave (First Update)

    Chapter 272: Chapter 187: As Long as You¡¯re Brave, The Female Ghost Goes on Maternity Leave (First Update)@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Could it be that today, I too must devote myself?¡±


    Su Jie swallowed, looking at Han Ruyan across from him.


    Although her figure and appearance were the same as before, her skin was pale, and her bodycked the warmth of a normal person.


    Han Ruyan took Su Jie¡¯s hand and walked towards the bedchamber.


    With each step she took, her red wedding dress became ever more brilliant, making her ghostly pale skin stand out even more.


    They sat on the bed, facing each other with their eyes locked.<div>


    Han Ruyan gently twisted her sleeves, slipped off her delicate embroidered shoes, and sat poised, her dead and still eyes staring intently.


    ¡°Husband, am I beautiful?¡±


    Han Ruyan suddenly spoke; her voice did not carry the usual shyness of a woman, but was indifferent, devoid of any fluctuation or emotion.


    ¡°Of course, you are my wife, the most beautiful of all, the number one beauty in the world,¡±


    Facing such a topic, even if the other person was a ghost, she presumably would like to hear words of admiration.


    After all, a female ghost should still count as a woman¡­ right?


    Su Jie was somewhat unconfident in his scattered thoughts.


    After he finished speaking, Han Ruyan, sitting calmly across from him, seemed to hook the corners of her mouth into an almost imperceptible smile. She was¡­ smiling.


    Ever since Han Ruyan had be the Ghost Bride, Su Jie had never seen her express such an emotion.


    ¡°Husband is considerate too.¡±


    Han Ruyan leaned against Su Jie, cing her hands on his shoulders, spreading a strange and chill aura. Su Jie couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    Lowering his head, he saw the distance between himself and Han Ruyan closing.


    Han Ruyan¡¯s lips slightly parted as she moved closer, her face devoid of blood, her eyes deep and dark, seemingly filled with disdain and animosity for the mortal world, emitting a strong sense of oppression.


    In the next moment, their lips touched and quickly separated.


    Before Su Jie could react, after their kiss, Han Ruyan¡¯s red wedding dress began to transform.


    Streams of Yin Qi infiltrated Su Jie¡¯s body and then flowed back onto the wedding dress, as ifpleting some kind of transformation ritual.


    The bodice of Han Ruyan¡¯s red wedding dress revealed dense, intricate patterns, with little plum blossom-shaped red veins bing visible.


    Su Jie rxed, seeing that things weren¡¯t as bad as he had feared.


    Just then, Su Jie felt a subtle change in his body.


    With Han Ruyan¡¯s kiss, his Primordial Spirit shone resplendently, as if it had received a kind of baptism, bing increasingly solidified.


    At the same time, Su Jie¡¯s physical body, countless cells actively evolving, became stronger and more robust.


    ¡°Is this dual cultivation?¡±


    Su Jie was somewhat surprised, thinking of Han Ruyan¡¯s Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body.


    Beichen Chui Xiang, surrounded by stars, is the Creation Mechanism.


    The emphasis was on thetter part of the phrase about Creation.


    This term signifies the act of creating and evolving, as well as nurturing life.


    Su Jie¡¯s Primordial Spirit seemed to have formed an unknown connection to certain stars in the heavens, and even his connection to the Dao of this world had be more intimate.


    Even as a fierce ghost, Han Ruyan still retained the characteristics of her past Heavenly Spinning Jade Light Body.


    This physique, ranked among the top ten in the Divine Bodies, inadvertently brought Su Jie numerous benefits.


    Just as Han Ruyan could transform the Lantern Ghost, the Painting Woman, and the Heavenly Ghost Map, Su Jie¡¯s body also underwent positive transformations during this intimate contact, his vitality growing longer, his physical strength increasingly formidable, and his Primordial Spirit shining like a constetion, bright and dazzling.


    ¡°Mydy, you are so beautiful, let¡¯s kiss again.¡±


    Su Jie cleared his throat and took the initiative to hug her, kissing Han Ruyan¡¯s cold lips.


    Although he previously said he didn¡¯t want to be Ning Cai Chen, times had changed, and Su Jie possessed a flexible moral baseline.


    Han Ruyan¡¯s body was very cold, with waves of Yin Qi eroding into Su Jie¡¯s flesh and blood. Through this contact, Su Jie baptized his physical body and Primordial Spirit.


    However, when Su Jie¡¯s arm embraced Han Ruyan, there was no sensation of a body inside the wedding dress, as if he was touching nothing but air.


    ¡°Hiss! Strange¡­ there¡¯s no body at all.¡±


    Su Jie was startled to realize this situation.


    It turned out that the Ghost Bride was indeed just a red wedding dress; the flesh inside the dress did not exist.


    ¡°Husband, aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡±


    Han Ruyan parted her lips, looking at Su Jie¡¯s shocked expression, her voice as cold and indifferent as ever.


    Based on her looks, Han Ruyan was extremely beautiful with a delicate and unparalleled face and a proud physique.


    Unfortunately, after death, Han Ruyan was no longer her past self.


    Pale skin, dead and cold eyes¡ªone nce was enough to feel an inner fear and trembling.


    It was difficult to ovee this psychologically; after all, the pressure Han Ruyan brought to someone was so intense that only the toughest of the tough could stand firm.


    ¡°You are my wife, what is there to be afraid of?¡±


    Su Jie said confidently, as the saying goes, with enough courage, a female ghost could be sent on maternity leave.


    ¡°Husband turns out to be soscivious, huh? My current body is still unable to do more. Wait until I ascend to Ninth Grade and my jade body solidifies, then I will be able to rock your world endlessly.¡±


    Han Ruyan quietly watched Su Jie, her Yin Qi growing increasingly fierce.


    After saying this, Han Ruyan pushed Su Jie away.


    It may have been Su Jie¡¯s misperception, but he seemed to see a hint of disdain in Han Ruyan¡¯s eyes.


    Perhaps it was Su Jie¡¯s presumptuous manner that made Han Ruyan, the powerful ghost entity, ufortable¡ªshe had never seen someone so shameless.


    Others would keep as far away from a female ghost as possible or be terrified out of their wits.


    Su Jie, on the other hand, was really going for it!


    ¡°A Ninth Grade Fierce Ghost, how much Fear Energy is that?¡±


    Su Jie wasn¡¯t truly driven by lust; he coveted the power and assistance of the Ghost Bride.


    Han Ruyan, as a fifth-grade fierce ghost, already possessed battle strength far above her peers.


    She also had the ability to control a horde of ghosts and enhance and transform the special abilities of fierce ghosts.


    Even individuals like Zhong Shiguan and Gongyang Ji from the Secret Realm, who were weaker, were no match for Han Ruyan in a one-on-one battle.


    If she were to advance to Ninth Grade, the thought of herbat power was unimaginable.


    But as much as he coveted it, Su Jie faced a difficult problem and dared not to unt himself like the Heavenly Soul Sect, imprisoning an entire city to provide Fear Energy as sustenance.


    ¡°Husband, killing is very easy.¡±


    Han Ruyan held up the red wedding dress; to a ghost of her level, killing an ordinary person was no different than crushing an insect.


    Su Jie shook his head, suppressing Han Ruyan¡¯s eagerness with his Divine Sense, secretlymenting in his heart.


    When she was alive, how kind Han Ruyan was!


    Even knowing Su Jie¡¯s Demon Cultivator identity, she never revealed the slightest hint.


    Now that she had be a fierce ghost, it seemed all human emotions had vanished; killing, in her words, had be a trivial matter.


    ¡°Killing is too crude a method; I will find you a better wayter on.¡±


    Su Jie wanted to pat Han Ruyan¡¯s head, but seeing her dead and sharp eyes like daggers, he could only sulkily pull back his hand.


    ¡°I believe in you, husband.¡±


    Han Ruyan tilted her head, like a young girl about to be married off.


    But Su Jie knew well that once he could no longer provide Fear Energy, and the contract broke, he would likely be the first to suffer.

 Chapter 275: 190: Control Your Wife (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 275: Chapter 190: Control Your Wife (Fourth Update)


    Ning Xinyue also breathed a sigh of relief, as the conflict ultimately dissipated into nothingness.


    Subsequently, the group cleaned up the battlefield and dug Qi Shijian out of the ground, who had been kept unconscious with drugs ever since being captured.


    Then, the trio no longer dyed and set off again, embarking on the road back to Ghost Ridge Pce.@@novelbin@@


    However, due to the rush, the choice of transportation became a problem.


    The Thousand-Handed Centipede was still recovering its body and unable to carry people in flight, making it difficult for Su Jie to overextend it.


    Thus, Han Ruyan¡¯s flower sedan chair was the only suitable option for the journey.<div>


    ¡°Come up here.¡±


    Su Jie took Han Ruyan¡¯s hand and nodded towards the flower sedan chair, signaling Xiao Fengyuan and Ning Xinyue to get inside.


    Ning Xinyue, observing Han Ruyan¡¯s expression and seeing no impatience, quickly boarded the sedan chair.


    Xiao Fengyuan followed, giving Han Ruyan a nod: ¡°Thank you for the inconvenience.¡±


    It was clear that Xiao Fengyuan did not regard Han Ruyan as a Fierce Ghost, but rather treated her as a living person with her own will.


    ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful.¡±


    Once inside, Ning Xinyue discovered a different realm altogether, looking enviously at Su Jie. Having such a sedan chair for travel, which inside resembled a luxurious house, and rode so smoothly that one could hardly feel any bumps or shakes.


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely amazing.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan also expressed his amazement, having personally witnessed how Su Jie had signed the contract with Han Ruyan. Such an aide was something Demon Cultivators could only dream of.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as great as you guys make it out to be.¡±


    Su Jie smiled, sitting on a carved chair embellished with phoenix designs. Everything inside the room was made of paper, as it essentially came from the Heavenly Ghost Map, which was constructed out of paper.


    Han Ruyan¡¯s long ck hair was pinned up, and her Wedding Dress had subtly changed into a more homely style.


    ¡°Please have some tea.¡±


    Picking up the teapot, Han Ruyan poured tea for the guests with impable manners, inheriting very well what she had learned as a youngdy before her death.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    However, Ning Xinyue almost lost herposure upon seeing the tea.


    Because it wasn¡¯t real tea. The Ghost Bride did not have the ability to create something from nothing; her prowess was in transformation.


    Thus, the tea was actually as dark as ink, entirely made of the most concentrated Fear Energy and resentment,pressed and condensed.


    For Ghosts, such tea could enhance strength and was nothing short of wonderful.


    But for normal people, it might not be so pleasant to consume.


    ¡°Drink, drink it!¡±


    Seeing their reactions, Su Jie gave the others a meaningful look, then picked up a cup of tea and drank it himself.


    As the Nine Nether Ghost Cultivation Technique operated, all the resentment and Fear Energy were transferred to Han Ruyan through the contract with her.


    Xiao Fengyuan, keeping his expression unchanged, lifted the teacup and took a sip.


    Ning Xinyue, looking for help from Su Jie and finding him intentionally ignoring her, and with Han Ruyan staring at her, had no choice but to bite her lip and gently sip the tea after kicking Su Jie under the table.


    As the tea entered her mouth, the resentment and Fear Energy within burst forth instantly.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ning Xinyue shivered, as with the tea going down her throat, the minds of many humans screaming in their dying moments resounded in her mind. Her body synchronized with this pain and fear, making Ning Xinyue involuntarily cry out.


    On the other hand, Xiao Fengyuan managed to barely maintain his facial expression. For him, who had experienced a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, even if it were a cup of magma, he could drink it without changing his face, let alone a cup of the Water of Resentment. He still restrained himself.


    The painful sensation came quickly and departed just as fast. Ning Xinyue, drenched in sweat, felt as if she had truly walked in front of the Ghost Gate. The Fear Energy that Han Ruyan absorbed and transformed came from the Righteous Disciples she had just killed. The fear and pain of death were also hidden in the tea.


    Han Ruyan looked at Ning Xinyue, then continued to pour tea, ¡°Please enjoy, there¡¯s not much else I can offer here.¡±


    As for Xiao Fengyuan on the other side, he waspletely ignored by the Ghost Bride.


    Even a fool could see that Han Ruyan was targeting Ning Xinyue, and she still hadn¡¯t truly let go of what had happened earlier.


    ¡°Hey, Su Jie, control your wife.¡±


    Ning Xinyue couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and suddenly stood up.


    Looking at the teapot in Han Ruyan¡¯s hand, she would rather confront Han Ruyan than keep drinking.


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m not a good host?¡±


    Han Ruyan put down the teapot and slowly stood up.


    The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold. Ghost faces materialized on the walls around them, the color of the Wedding Dress became even more vivid, and the pearls on the phoenix crown atop her head shone with a ghostly light. The wailing of ten thousand ghosts drifted through the air.


    Ning Xinyue was furious. People often lose their rationality in extreme anger.


    However, people are not all the same. Ning Xinyue, in her extreme anger, just reached the peak of her fury, well, she just got angry for a moment.


    ¡°The tea is good.¡±


    Ning Xinyue obediently sat back down on her chair, matching her furious expression from before¡ªit was as if she was saying, ¡®Mess with me, and you¡¯ll realize you¡¯ve picked on the soft persimmon.¡¯


    It must be said, Ning Xinyue was still very sincere, or one might say rational. After all, if it really came to a fight, she was no match for Han Ruyan.


    Han Ruyan nced at Ning Xinyue, then stood up and walked to the dressing table nearby, picking up ab and began grooming herself, losing interest in Ning Xinyue.


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    Su Jie let out an unkind smile, which caused Ning Xinyue to re at him, her cute little fangs showing. She wished she could bite Su Jie.


    ¡°Laugh,ugh, all you know isughter. Do you think I¡¯m stupid? You didn¡¯t even speak up for me just now.¡±


    Ning Xinyue¡¯s face puffed up like a blowfish, greatly dissatisfied with Su Jie¡¯s indifferent observation earlier.


    ¡°No, with the way things were just now, I thought you didn¡¯t need my help, that you wanted a fair fight.¡±


    Su Jie shrugged. Naturally, had Han Ruyan really made a move, Su Jie would have intervened, but the situation had not quite reached such a tense level yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. If I could fight, I would have fought long ago. How could such a nice sister in life be so fierce after death? It must be your fault; one takes on the color of one¡¯spany.¡±


    Ning Xinyue muttered, not daring to provoke Han Ruyan, and spoke resentfully to Su Jie.


    But her words were overheard by Han Ruyan.


    Ning Xinyue felt a chill run down her spine and turned her head to see Han Ruyan dressing up with her back to her. The brass mirror reflected her stunningly beautiful face, and a pair of dead, cold eyes locked onto her through the mirror.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak ill of my husband.¡±


    Han Ruyan¡¯s voice echoed, still very protective of her spouse.


    Ning Xinyue wanted to cry without tears, biting her silver teeth, ¡°I used to be bullied by you, now I¡¯m being bullied by her.¡±


    In the past deceived and coerced by Su Jie, and now threatened by Han Ruyan¡¯s martial force, Ning Xinyue suddenly felt a strong desire to be stronger.


    ¡°Hmph, wait till my Xuanyin Body is fully developed; I¡¯ll definitely take your husband¡­¡± Ning Xinyue stuck out her tongue at Han Ruyan, her mind entering a blissful realm of fantasies.

 Chapter 277: 192: Punishment (First Update)

    Chapter 277: Chapter 192: Punishment (First Update)


    Zhang Junwei¡¯s expression was somber, not a trace of warmth to be found in his eyes.


    ¡°Why did you betray the sect?¡±


    Gazing at Qi Shijian, Zhang Junwei¡¯s dark eyes flickered with cold light, bone-chilling like being in an ice cer.


    Qi Shijian opened his mouth but ultimately chose to remain silent.


    Seeing this, Su Jie added, ¡°Sect Master, this man, in pursuit of the so-called Qingyin Fairy, Mo Shiyao, from Miao Yin Temple, was bewitched by such a despicable woman, losing his senses and betraying the sect without a word, running off to tter and fawn. His actions have lost all face for our Demon Sect and wasted the cultivation the sect had invested in him.¡±


    Upon hearing Su Jie¡¯s words, the surrounding disciples looked at Qi Shijian with even more disdain.<div>


    Upon hearing Su Jie demeaning Mo Shiyao, Qi Shijian immediately became agitated, ¡°Fairy Mo is knowledgeable, graceful, gentle and virtuous, not something a blood-soaked demon cultivator like you could understand.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, if she¡¯s willing to be in contact with you, there must be another plot, and you¡¯re too foolish to notice it.¡±


    Xiao Fengyuan sneered coldly from the side, his gaze at Qi Shijian full of tragedy and hatred.


    ¡°You vile demon cultivators, Fairy Mo made me leave the Hell of the Demon Sect to prevent me from being trapped there, her thoughtful intentions are something you all cannot understand.¡±


    Qi Shijian was enraged, even at this moment, he still insisted on his view, clearly delusional, repeatedly calling demon cultivators ¡®vile,¡¯ seemingly forgetting his own origins.


    Ning Xinyue couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, and interjected with a sharp remark, ¡°You¡¯re so painstakingly protecting her, yet since we captured you, your so-called Fairy Mo hasn¡¯t even asked about you once.¡±


    Qi Shijian trembled, muttering to himself, ¡°Impossible, absolutely impossible, how could Fairy Mo forget about me, she cares about me¡­¡±


    By now, Zhang Tianjun, clearly understanding the situation, looked down at Qi Shijian on the ground, his deep, dark eyes filled with icy coldness.


    ¡°For a traitor to the sect, what should the punishment be, please tell me.¡±


    His voice was calm, yet it sent chills down one¡¯s spine with its sternness.


    The surrounding disciples began to suggest eagerly.


    ¡°Soul Extraction and skinning are best!¡±


    ¡°Boil him in hot oil, let thousands of insects devour his body, start with that first.¡±


    ¡°The execution by sword and axe suits him, have him slowly dismembered by ten thousand cuts, crushed into a pulp.¡±


    Voices poured out from the mouths of the disciples, and Qi Shijian¡¯s forehead beaded with cold sweat, hisplexion ashen.@@novelbin@@


    As a disciple of Ghost Ridge Pce, he certainly knew what he was about to face.


    ¡°Elder Guo Yuan, you are the elder of the Punishment Hall, did you hear what those disciples just said? Let this traitor understand the consequences of betraying the sect, don¡¯t let him die easily, let him feel the sins he hasmitted.¡±


    Zhang Junwei shouted to the elder watching from the side, calling out the name of the elder from the Punishment Hall.


    The called elder from the Punishment Hall, Elder Guo Yuan, stood up, his gaze venomous as a snake, cold and slippery, issuing a hair-raisingugh, ¡°Hehehe, Sect Master, rest assured, we at the Punishment Hall will take good care of him. He will be escorted back to the Mountain Gate, and the punishment will be administered daily for all to see.¡±


    By this time, Qi Shijian had nearly copsed; he stood up frantically, shouting, ¡°Haha, even if you kill me, what of it, you group of demon cultivators are doomed to fail. Fairy Mo will certainly triumph, Guan Chao Pavilion is already mobilizing more Righteous Sects to join this war, and soon they will break through Ghost Ridge Pce, and she will avenge me.¡±


    Upon hearing this, many disciples of Ghost Ridge Pce were suddenly startled.


    Now that Guan Chao Pavilion and other Five Sects had Ghost Ridge Pce trapped here, could they withstand if several more joined?


    ¡°You will never see the Ghost Ridge Pce broken in your lifetime,¡±


    Zhang Junwei snorted coldly, fury brimming in his eyes, his aura astonishing, the sand flying around him, and spiderweb-like cracks appearing on the ground.


    With the capabilities of the Taoist tform Realm, anger invokes Heavenly Might; human emotions simultaneously cause anomalies in heaven and earth.


    Looking at the surrounding disciples, Zhang Junwei continued, ¡°As Demon Cultivators, we rest and survive in these steep mountains. These Righteous Sects have gone too far, failing to snatch our Exotic Treasure and even wanting to destroy our temple and annihte our millennium-old heritage.


    Ever since our founding ancestor established the Ghost Ridge Pce, it has endured over three thousand springs and autumns, survived countless wars and tribtions¡ªeven thest great battle between Right and Evil five hundred years ago couldn¡¯t bring us down.


    All the sects in Qingzhou joining forces think they can achieve that? With me, Zhang Junwei, still here, along with many elders, and so many outstanding disciples like Su Jie and Xiao Fengyuan, the Ghost Ridge Pce has nothing to fear from a bunch of hypocritical men of the Righteous Path.


    Those elders don¡¯t even dare to enter our sect¡¯s territory; in this sect war, victory will surely be ours.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the disciples gradually rxed.


    Only the Secret Realm Elders did not show happiness, for they knew the current situation was difficult.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take him back to the Mountain Gate for punishment, start here,¡±


    Zhang Junweimanded again, his disdain for Qi Shijian making him choose to execute him publicly right here.


    Upon hearing this, Elder Guo Yuan decisively took arge cauldron from his Storage Bag, poured in hot oil, and raised a fierce fire.


    Qi Shijian¡¯s eyes showed uncontroble fear, but no matter how he struggled, he couldn¡¯t escape his fate of punishment.


    Soon, apanied by the crackling sound of the hot oil, waves of inhuman screams resounded.


    Elder Guo Yuan controlled the fire and also preserved Qi Shijian¡¯s life; he couldn¡¯t let him die too easily when there were hundreds of rounds of torture waiting for him.


    Even after death, his soul would still be extracted to light the skyntern.


    Many disciples witnessed all this and shouted with satisfaction, wishing for more rounds of punishment for such a traitor.


    Originally, due to the words of Qi Shijian, the morale had been somewhat chaotic, but now it began to rise steadily.


    After all, how could the words of a traitor thrown into a cauldron be trustworthy?


    Su Jie was indifferent to the scene, as a Demon Cultivator, he was long prepared for this.


    At this moment, Su Jie was standing from the perspective of Ghost Ridge Pce, having nothing to say about Qi Shijian.


    Zhang Tianjun nced at Qi Shijian, then lingered on Han Ruyan for a while, finally shifting his gaze to Su Jie and others, and spoke, ¡°Su Jie, isn¡¯t it? Since the time you killed Du Shaochang, I have heard your name. Taoist Qiu, you have nurtured a good disciple!


    This time, you, along with Xiao Fengyuan and Zhu Qingya, did well capturing the traitor Qi Shijian and preventing such a traitor from living freely outside, tarnishing our Demon Sect¡¯s reputation.


    Although the current situation is turbulent, our Ghost Ridge Pce clearly rewards and punishes. Qi Shijian betrayed the sect and has already been punished. As for those who have merited, our sect will not overlook them.¡±


    ¡°This is a disciple¡¯s duty!¡±


    Su Jie knew the main event wasing and felt a slight joy in his heart.


    Last time for killing Du Shaochang, the reward of the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit allowed the Thousand-Handed Centipede to undergo one Spirit Refining and obtain two abilities, the Death Decline Curse Cloud and Defense Scales. He wondered what reward the sect would offer this time.

 Chapter 280: 195: Competing for a Disciple (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 280: Chapter 195: Competing for a Disciple (Fourth Update)


    ¡°The Sect Master speaks the truth, without a base of operations, we may appear free, but in reality, the hearts of our sect members will be increasingly unstable, and the Sect¡¯s power will be dispersed. Over time, the entire Sect could dissipate.¡±


    Tang Peiqing made hisment, noting that a Sect without a piece of territory, constantly drifting about,cking resources like spirit fields and spiritual mines, can only scatter and flee when danger strikes. The Sect would be like bandits and marauders, capable only of short-lived triumphs.


    Without a territory, the Sect is like a body without a spine; few organizations can endure under such circumstances.


    Take Heavenly Soul Sect, for example; should danger arise and the troops scatter, those Hidden Realm Elders would be leading their teams alone.


    In time, each would inevitably foster ambitions of their own. Whether they would still heed the Heavenly Soul Sect¡¯smands, or even betray the Sect¡¯s interests for their own safety, that bes uncertain.¡±


    ¡°Sect Master, if needed, I can make a trip to the Heavenly Soul Sect.¡±<div>


    Tang Peiqing volunteered, as Zhang Junwei couldn¡¯t leave at such a critical time.


    His experience was deep enough to represent Ghost Ridge Pce in negotiations, an eminently suitable choice.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave this matter to you. We¡¯ll need you to take a trip once we¡¯ve devised our strategy.¡±


    ¡°Understood, though it seems we¡¯ll likely have to promise some of our Sect¡¯s interests.¡±


    ¡°Right now, what Ghost Ridge Pce needs is to survive. Minor losses of interest are, indeed, bearable.¡±


    Zhang Junwei¡¯s eyes gleamed with divine brilliance as he gazed upon the majestic mountains standing tall amidst the grey miasma.


    ¡°Fifty years ago, I received the position of Sect Master from my Master and have diligently maintained this legacy. Unfortunately, due to difficult times, I failed to protect Ghost Ridge Pce as my Master entrusted to me, letting the situation deteriorate to this extent.¡±


    Zhang Junwei fell into reminiscence, his voice filled with mncholy, ¡°When I first took over, I also dreamed of making Ghost Ridge Pce more glorious and powerful, but it seems Icked the talent. To this day, not only have I struggled to expand it, but even preventing its destruction is extremely difficult. I have let down my Master.


    Fortunately, our Ghost Ridge Pce has sessors, with disciples emerging in each generation, having disciples like Su Jie, as well as Zhu Qingya, who impressed from the moment they joined.¡±


    As Zhang Junwei spoke, he suddenly shifted the topic to Su Jie.


    Su Jie said nothing, listening to Zhang Junwei¡¯s narrative.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°I tell you this in hopes that you will grow quickly. This Sect is mine and also belongs to the younger disciples, but ultimately, it will be yours. With your talent, one day you may take over my position. Reaching the Taoist tform Realm is a very promising prospect for you.¡±


    Zhang Junwei suddenly changed his tone, his piercing gaze fixed on Su Jie, his eyes full of earnest affection.


    Taoist Qiu¡¯s expression was somewhat peculiar. His tea-making slowed down as if he sensed something, and his gaze flitted between Su Jie and Zhang Junwei.


    ¡°Disciple will adhere to his duties, take Ghost Ridge Pce as his own responsibility, and wholeheartedly strive to enhance Ghost Ridge Pce, not letting down the Sect Master¡¯s expectations.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Jie immediately showed excited agitation, his face flushing¡ªa perfect portrayal of a disciple who is impulsively excited to be valued.


    Yet in his heart, Su Jie was exceedingly cautious and calm. He did not take Zhang Junwei¡¯s grand promises seriously.


    The thought of one day bing Sect Master never crossed Su Jie¡¯s mind as something feasible.


    The words of a Demon Cultivator were just that, words, much like a boss promising shares and wealth upon apany¡¯s IPO in exchange for overtime and hard work ¡ª the goal being to make the workhorsebor more and endure more, resulting in an endless consumption of hardship.


    To Su Jie, these words from Zhang Junwei were all empty promises; tangible benefits would be more persuasive.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you think this way. The future of Ghost Ridge Pce will depend on you young people.¡±


    Zhang Junwei was very pleased with Su Jie¡¯s reaction, unaware of what Su Jie was truly thinking.


    ¡°Our Ghost Ridge Pcecks disciples with your level of awareness. Given your high talent, I would like you to be my Direct Disciple. What do you say?¡±


    At that moment, Zhang Junwei finally revealed his true purpose.


    He wanted to recruit Su Jie as a disciple, even as a direct disciple.


    ¡°Sect Master, this is not appropriate,¡±


    Taoist Qiu, sensing his suspicions confirmed, became anxious immediately.


    For many hard years, only Su Jie, a talent, had emerged from his branch; he was the face of their lineage.


    If Zhang Junwei were to recruit him, what would that make him?


    There was a way to poach people, but surely not like this!


    ¡°Sect Master, this does not quite conform to the rules,¡±


    Tang Peiqing did not stand by the Sect Master either, because this way of freeloading was somewhat excessive.


    Tang Peiqing had even more seniority than Zhang Junwei, and his words carried great weight.


    Zhang Junwei, looking at the two dissenters, said indifferently, ¡°Of course I know this is not quite suitable, but now the sect is in a time of crisis, and we need to quickly cultivate our lower-level fighting force. Su Jie is exceptionally talented, and under my guidance, he could grow faster.


    You are senior elders of the sect, why not first listen to what Su Jie thinks?¡±


    After Zhang Junwei finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Su Jie.


    Taoist Qiu and Tang Peiqing also looked over at the same time, putting a lot of pressure on Su Jie.


    Had it been any other disciple hearing such good fortune, they would have been overjoyed and eagerly agreed on the spot.


    Being the direct disciple of the Sect Master of Ghost Ridge Pce, what an honor it was!


    Walking out from there, one could look down upon others, and anyone who saw them would have to look up in admiration.


    But upon hearing this, Su Jie appeared to struggle internally, faced the gazes of the three, and then said, ¡°Well, Sect Master, forgive my disrespect, but I have no intention of changing allegiances for now. My master has been very kind to me; I want to continue learning from my master.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, good, you truly are my good disciple; your master has not treated you in vain,¡±


    Hearing this, Taoist Qiu immediately showed a smile on his face, his gaze even involuntarily nced at Zhang Junwei, as if to say: Kid,peting with me for a disciple, even if you are the Sect Master, it¡¯s useless.


    Su Jie quickly said, ¡°Master, you are too kind; I always remember your grace.¡±


    For Su Jie, agreeing to Zhang Junwei would definitely offend Taoist Qiu.


    Respecting the master and valuing teaching were also prized within demon cultivators; changing allegiances for Su Jie would be like pping Taoist Qiu in the face.


    Others would merely say Taoist Qiu was inept at teaching, unable to even keep his most talented disciple.


    And Taoist Qiu had been generous with Su Jie, who did not want to be the subject of gossip and dislike, and least of all to offend this senior and powerful elder.


    Furthermore, to speak frankly, Ghost Ridge Pce was indeed in danger now.


    If the Righteous Sects really did break through the Mountain Gate, the significance of being an inner disciple versus being a direct disciple of the Sect Master and targeted by those Righteous Sects was night and day.


    The former might even be spared, for after all, having killed an important figure like Du Shaochang and made an enemy of the Guan Chao Pavilion; thetter would be chased to the ends of the earth. Multiple sects would join forces to eradicate himpletely.


    After all, the temperament of demon cultivators for revenge was infamous; those who became direct disciples of the Sect Master undoubtedly had the highest talent in the sect and the deepest affection for it.


    If such a person escaped, once they grew stronger and sought revenge, the whole sect would suffer tremendous loss.

 Chapter 281: 196: 100,000 Spirit Stones (50,000 words in five updates, asking for monthly passes)

    Chapter 281: Chapter 196: 100,000 Spirit Stones (50,000 words in five updates, asking for monthly passes)


    Su Jie¡¯s choice surprised Zhang Junwei, who had just been so excited and now appeared so calm.


    ¡°Su Jie, make sure you think this through. My offer isn¡¯t always on the table. Once this opportunity is missed, there won¡¯t be another,¡± he emphasized, perhaps genuinely valuing Su Jie¡¯s talent.


    ¡°Thank you for your generous offer, Sect Master, but I prefer to remain with my Master,¡± Su Jie still chose to refuse, making Taoist Qiu very happy. His look became increasingly benevolent as he contentedly sipped his tea.


    Zhang Junwei fell silent for a few seconds, staring at Su Jie as if he could see through to a person¡¯s very soul. Suddenly, he added a new twist, ¡°Be my disciple, and I will give you thirty thousand Spirit Stones at once, and an additional one thousand Spirit Stones each month as a stipend.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s expression subtly changed as his heart began to beat faster.@@novelbin@@


    Pfft!<div>


    Taoist Qiu, who had been rxed until now, almost sprayed out a mouthful of tea, furiously staring at Zhang Junwei for shamelessly throwing money around topete for a disciple.


    ¡°Sect Master, aren¡¯t you afraid of being ridiculed for doing this?¡±


    Taoist Qiu was furious, and had the person in front of him not been the Sect Master, he would have pped him already.


    Tang Peiqing also felt speechless and said, ¡°Sect Master, what you are doing is really indecent.¡±


    Zhang Junwei¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he spoke somberly, ¡°I have been a Sect Master for so many years and have taken only two Direct Disciples. One died unexpectedly early, and the other disappeared after reaching the Secret Realm. In my lifetime, the knowledge I¡¯ve umted needs a disciple to carry on. Are you really willing to see me without even a sessor to inherit my mantle?¡±


    Taoist Qiu originally wanted to say he was indeed willing, but seeing Zhang Junwei¡¯s menacing look, he had to suppress his words, his dissatisfaction peaking as he resentfully regarded Zhang Junwei, a Sect Master who would stop at nothing to recruit a super-genius.


    If he had known it woulde to this, he wouldn¡¯t have let Su Jie perform so brilliantly.


    But Su Jie was a disciple he valued highly¡ªstrong, sensible, well-measured, and highly respectful of him, his Master. There was no way he could let him go.


    Right away, Taoist Qiu put down his teacup and stood up, saying, ¡°Sect Master, since you¡¯ve said as much, I, Taoist Qiu, am not without resources either.


    He is my disciple, and I care about him more than anyone else. It just so happens, Su Jie, didn¡¯t you suffer heavy losses on this mission? The Insect Cloud Moths were greatly reduced, and the Swords in your Sword Nourishing Gourd werepletely exhausted. I¡¯ll give you fifty thousand Spirit Stones. Go and replenish what you¡¯ve lost. Buy a few more Mid-Grade Flying Swords so in future battles your swords don¡¯t always get chopped up, tarnishing my face.¡±


    Su Jie¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly said, ¡°Disciple is grateful, Master. You needn¡¯t go to such lengths.¡±


    But in his heart, Su Jie was screaming for the bidding to be even more intense.


    Now, Su Jie finally realized what it was like to be a high-achieving student at Blue Star, vied for by top schools.


    Zhang Junwei¡¯s mouth twitched at Taoist Qiu¡¯s guts topete financially with him, the Sect Master.


    But indeed, Taoist Qiu¡¯s seniority was only slightly less than that of Tang Peiqing. He had been in the Secret Realm for many years and wasn¡¯t a newly promoted, impoverished practitioner without even a Mid Grade Magical Artifact.


    ¡°Seventy thousand Spirit Stones!¡±


    Zhang Junwei also put down his teacup. Although he was the Sect Master, in front of a senior Secret Realm practitioner like Taoist Qiu, he couldn¡¯t just forcibly take a disciple and assign him to his own name. He had to let Su Jie make his own choice, which meant others wouldn¡¯t have much to say on the matter.


    Su Jie felt parched, and his heart raced even faster.


    Such a price was already about the wealth of a Secret Realm practitioner, albeit one with weakerbat abilities.


    For instance, Zhong Shiguan. The value of various spirit stones and materials that Su Jie had acquired from Zhong Shiguan¡¯s Storage Bag amounted to seventy thousand Spirit Stones.


    ¡°Hey, you two are really overdoing it; what¡¯s the point of all this arguing? Give me some face.¡±


    Elder Tang couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, and suddenly spoke up, smiling amiably at Su Jie, ¡°Su Jie! I heard that the Guan Chao Pavilion outside offered you a reward of a hundred thousand spirit stones, and I¡¯m not one to be petty.


    As long as you agree to be my disciple, I¡¯ll give you that price.


    Otherwise, those from the Righteous Sect might think we at the Ghost Ridge Pce treat our disciples poorly.


    It would also save Taoist Qiu and the Sect Master the trouble of arguing back and forth, losing face for our Ghost Ridge Pce.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Taoist Qiu and Zhang Junwei both turned their gaze toward him, thinking he was the peak of shamelessness!


    ¡°Elder Tang, why are you getting involved too? Didn¡¯t you just recruit Zhu Qingya, who also has the talent of the Secret Realm? And now you¡¯repeting with me for a disciple.¡±


    Taoist Qiu was furious! It seems everyone is eyeing the good disciple he had finally found. If they were capable, they should cultivate their own!


    ¡°That¡¯s not right; who wouldin about having too many disciples?¡±


    Elder Tang shook his head, feeling no psychological burden about outbidding the others.


    A single Secret Realm talent represents a guaranteed value of over a hundred thousand spirit stones.


    Not to mention Su Jie, who clearly has the makings of a strong Secret Realm cultivator and might even advance to the Taoist tform Realm one day. Which master wouldn¡¯t be greedy for such a disciple?


    ¡°I¡¯ve offered a hundred thousand spirit stones. If youpete with me, let¡¯s just all stop ying around. I¡¯ll go issue a blood post andin to the ancestor.¡±


    Taoist Qiu¡¯s ps on the table made a loud bang, and his face turned beet red.


    The moment they heard the word ¡®ancestor,¡¯ Zhang Junwei and Elder Tang instantly calmed down, as if the term had a significant deterrent effect.


    Su Jie was curious about who this ancestor was, wondering if there was a presence in Ghost Ridge Pce stronger than the Sect Master.


    But given the situation, it wasn¡¯t his ce to ask questions.


    ¡°Fine, Taoist Qiu, you need to take good care of Su Jie in the future, and make sure you don¡¯t misguide such a talent of our sect. Su Jie, if you have any questions about cultivation, you cane to me for advice.¡±


    Zhang Junwei shook his head, ultimately giving up thepetition.


    ¡°Heh, Taoist Qiu, don¡¯t spoil the disciple. Be more attentive daily.¡±


    Elder Tang also felt a bit regretful, choosing to give up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need your nonsense; I can definitely teach my disciple well.¡±


    Taoist Qiu was still angry at these two fools, and his tone was unfriendly.


    ¡°Master, please don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ve always firmly chosen you as my master. The Sect Master and Elder Tang are just worried about me; please don¡¯t me them.¡±


    At that moment, Su Jie stepped forward. Even though he was overjoyed inside, his face showed a tragically earnest expression, giving a speech that could rival any cliche.


    If those disciples from Ghost Ridge Pce saw this scene, their jaws would probably drop.


    Usually, it is the disciples who are picked and chosen by the masters and elders, often facing disdain. Outer disciples even have to submit Blood Marrow Crystals to their masters monthly, and Inner Disciples receive limited guidance.


    For someone like Su Jie, beingpeted for by several elders and the Sect Master, others would probably think of it as nothing but a fanciful tale.

 Chapter 283: 198: Return to Blue Star (Second Update)

    Chapter 283: Chapter 198: Return to Blue Star (Second Update)@@novelbin@@


    Blue Star Zen Country, East Qin State, Mande Region.


    Fumen Breeding Farm¡¯s Underground Gu Insect Base.


    With the disappearance of the transfer portal, Su Jie and Han Ruyan found themselves here.


    As soon as they arrived, the red wedding dress that Han Ruyan wore suddenly became dull, as if covered with ayer of dust, no longer as eye-catching.


    ¡°Why is there no Spiritual Energy in this ce?¡±


    Han Ruyan felt somewhat ufortable; ghosts only emerged in the Tianyuan World because of the magical existence of Spiritual Energy.<div>


    For fierce ghosts, they do not have a physical existence; their bodies are also not entirely soul-like. Yin Souls can usually reside and dwell within the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, but fierce ghosts do not have this method.


    Su Jie had previously conducted experiments, after death, the souls of humans in the Tianyuan World could usually exist for half an hour.


    In the Blue Star, after a person dies, their soul generally dissipates into the air within a matter of seconds, and what¡¯s missing here is the participation of Spiritual Energy.


    In an environment like Blue Star with no Spiritual Energy, fierce ghosts, beings of pure yin, are like fish out of water, extremely ufortable and severely suppressed.


    If it were humans who went to a strange, if it wasn¡¯t a suitable for human life, they too would face all kinds of challenges.


    ¡°From your understanding, you can consider this ce as a separate realm. There¡¯s no Spiritual Energy here, unlike in the Tianyuan World. Can you adapt to it?¡±


    Su Jie looked at Han Ruyan with concern because his series of ns to follow would still require Han Ruyan¡¯s participation.


    If Han Ruyan was unable to act, then there would be a big problem.


    Han Ruyan observed the surroundings, with various poisonous insects living within the underground base.


    Her gaze fixed on a Low Grade Snow Frost Spider, activating her Curse Killing ability.


    The next moment, the Snow Frost Spider struggled for three seconds, then its body stiffened and lost life.


    However, Han Ruyan showed no reaction, and even Su Jie could see the problem.


    In the past, Han Ruyan could instantly kill such ordinary low-grade poisonous insects, but now it took her two seconds.


    Su Jie also sensed that the curse power spreading from Han Ruyan¡¯s body was much reduced, both in speed and lethality.


    In Su Jie¡¯s understanding, it was like a mecking the medium of oxygen, making it difficult to burn.


    The reason Han Ruyan could still use her ability relied purely on her own strength, without the involvement of Spiritual Power.


    This, in turn, led to a problem, Han Ruyan was weakened.


    Fortunately, judging by her condition, this weakening was still within a tolerable range.


    However, when Han Ruyan took out the Heavenly Ghost Map and released the fierce ghosts inside, things became different.


    More than thirty fierce ghosts appeared in the underground base. Except for the Painting Woman and the Lantern Ghost, these two Fifth-Grade fierce ghosts were still in good condition, the other First, Second, and Third-Grade fierce ghosts showed varying degrees of copse.


    Some fierce ghosts flickered in and out of visibility, some trembled all over, and some had difficulty moving.


    Without the influence of Spiritual Energy, those incorporeal fierce ghosts, the weaker they were in strength, the more severely affected they were in Blue Star.


    The reason is quite simple: without water (Spiritual Energy), strong fish can choose to go onnd, evolve to change from gill breathing to lung breathing, and adapt to environmental changes.


    But weaker creatures would be eliminated by nature, with natural selection favoring the survival of the fittest.


    Fierce ghosts could not naturally emerge in Blue Star; the same goes for the transfer of fierce ghosts from Tianyuan World, which would also lead to a series of symptoms.


    Compared to them, the Gu Insects were faring much better.


    After all, whether in Tianyuan World or Blue Star, insects and animals exist. It¡¯s just that their strength varies. Even without Spiritual Energy, their survival wouldn¡¯t be affected.


    Moreover, poisonous insects on Blue Star can transform by consuming Poison Insects, generating a unique type of Spiritual Energy that ensures theirbat power.


    ¡°How can it be so serious, we can¡¯t go on like this.¡±


    Witnessing this scene, Su Jie took out a Spirit Stone from his Storage Bag and stimted the Spiritual Energy within.


    This Spiritual Energy dispersed into the air, and some of the Fierce Ghosts¡¯ bodies improved slightly, but they were still disintegrating, just at a slower pace.


    ¡°Give it to me.¡±


    Han Ruyan took the Spirit Stone from Su Jie¡¯s hand, her fingers brushing against it.


    Immediately, Han Ruyan used her transformative ability to modifyrge quantities of Spirit Stones, ghostifying them to better suit the constitution of the Fierce Ghost Baby.


    Well¡­ For Han Ruyan, these ghosts below Third-grade were no different from babies, pitifully weak.


    The Spirit Stone gradually became dark and ck, eventually turning into beads that emitted a heavy Yin Qi.


    By embedding these beads into the bodies of the Fierce Ghosts, their condition soon improved, and at least they would not naturally disintegrate into the air.


    Of course, the weakening was still present. Even Han Ruyan couldn¡¯t avoid it, let alone these ghosts.


    ¡°Indeed, it is my wife who has the ability.¡±


    Seeing this scene, Su Jie breathed a sigh of relief and picked up Han Ruyan to give her a kiss.


    ¡°This is against propriety.¡±


    Han Ruyan stared expressionlessly at Su Jie, her cold and stern gaze making him feel a tingling on his scalp, so he decisively released his hold on Han Ruyan.


    ¡°Ghosts can only maintain their state for a while and need regr insertion of Spirit Stones.¡±


    Han Ruyan withdrew her gaze and looked at the ghosts she had brought, recalling them into the Heavenly Ghost Map to reduce the consumption of Spirit Stones.


    Meanwhile, Su Jie released the thousand-hand centipede to feast in this ce, while he took out a Jade Scroll.


    Su Jie¡¯s Primordial Spirit left his body, enveloped the Jade Scroll, and then imparted a section of knowledge into it, all in thenguages andmon knowledge of the various countries of Blue Star.


    The principle was the same as engraving spells, Scriptures, and Secret Texts on the Jade Scroll, and it was even easier and simpler. The only requirement was a Primordial Spirit to do the carving, which Su Jie had.


    In a short while, Su Jie handed the Jade Scroll to Han Ruyan, ¡°Study the things inside. They are the basic knowledge of this pocket world.¡±


    After Han Ruyan received the Jade Scroll and understood the basic knowledge of Blue Star, her numb and vacant eyes showed a ripple of emotion.


    ¡°Wife, can you change your aura a bit? Like this woman in the photo, change your clothes to match hers.¡±


    Su Jie then took out a photo, which was of Liu Yingying wearing a skirt.


    Han Ruyan slowly turned around, the red Wedding Dress changed to pure white, and the phoenix crown on her head gradually turned into a golden hairpin with her hair piled up.


    ¡°And then this one, there we go, all set.¡±


    Seeing this, Su Jie put sunsses on Han Ruyan to cover those lifeless, chilling eyes that could cause panic.


    With these changes, Han Ruyan had be a pretty woman with a slightly paleplexion, and no one would suspect that she was a terrifying Ghost Bride.


    ¡°Now, let me show you this world.¡±


    Su Jie took Han Ruyan by the hand, leading her away from the Underground Gu Insect Base, and rode the elevator up to the surface.


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