"Does he dare? With several True Cultivators backing the Chen Clan Commerce Association, a powerful faction, would a Loose Cultivator like him really dare to oppose us?"

Qin Daolei shook his head, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes:

"If the benefits are sufficient and advantageous to his Core Formation, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, what we can offer is limited, merely some Core Formation Insights, and there's a high chance he won't be attracted."

Zhao Bailu still couldn't believe it, secretly speculating in his heart:

"Could it be that Uncle is worried that person will gain the Young Master's favor and threaten his position, so he's exaggerating on purpose?"

He didn't know that every word from Qin Daolei was from the heart.

In the guest hall, the Sword Intent he sensed from Chen Sheng was something that ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators could not possess. It was a razor-sharp brilliance, pure to the extreme, as if it could cut through all worldly shackles.

How could someone like that be content to be subservient to others?

Seeing Zhao Bailu's indifferent expression, Qin Daolei sighed softly and said no more.

Some things can only be understood through personal experience.

He only hoped that this young and impetuous junior wouldn't get himself into trouble in the future because of it.

The two turned and left, their figures gradually disappearing into the Market's crowd.

Meanwhile, atop the Celestial Capital Peak, Chen Sheng gazed into the distant horizon, eyes deep and contemplative. As his position in this life elevated, he would encounter more and more old acquaintances and even the descendants of those acquaintances.

...

Deep within the Thousand Peaks Mountain Range, an isolated woodland was shrouded by a faint Array Light.

Within the array was a cave dwelling, filled with a thick blood mist.

The entrance was concealed by layers of vines, the leaves of which were a bizarre purple-black, stained with a dark red viscous liquid, emitting a nauseating stench.

That was the scent of Cultivator Essence Blood mixed with poisonous miasma!

Inside the cave, hundreds of half-human tall black ceramic jars were neatly arranged, their mouths sealed with ominous Yellow Talismans, the edges of the Talisman Paper soaked in blood mist, turning a horrifying dark red.

Twisted Runes were carved into the jars, oozing green bubbles from the gaps, popping with a sizzling sound, accompanied by the faint noise of bones grinding.

Peering through the jar's cracks, an eerie human head protruded from each jar.

The owners of these heads were once profound Cultivators; judging by the lingering Spiritual Power fluctuations on their bodies, they included Late-stage Qi Refining and even those in Perfection.

But now, their limbs had been severed, and the remaining torsos were chained at the jar's bottom, all Mana sealed by multiple black Runes, even unable to self-destruct through Energy Introduction.

The dark green medicinal liquid in the poisonous cauldrons was slowly eroding their bodies, each inch of skin repeatedly oscillating between decay and regeneration.

Most had long lost the strength to struggle, their eyes hollow and faces numb, with only the occasional twitch at the corners of their mouths proving they were still alive.

In the deepest part of the cave, three larger jars emitted the aura of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Above their heads were driven three black Demon Nails as thick as an infant's arm, etched with God-devouring Runes, constantly absorbing the Cultivators' Divine Sense inside the jar.

The Cultivator in the jar on the left suddenly began to shake violently, the chains clanging loudly against the jar walls.

His name was Lu Dahai, once an elder of the Lu Family in Qingyuan, with Foundation Establishment Early-stage Cultivation.

At this moment, half of his face had been corroded by the medicinal liquid, exposing his stark white cheekbones, yet his eyes burned with intense rage:

"Yu Daoist! You beast! I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"

Seven years ago, a Cultivator claiming to be Yu Daoist approached, promising to teach him a Demon Technique to break through his cultivation bottleneck, on the condition that he helped collect Essence Blood from Qi Cultivators.

Lu Dahai was seduced and lost his judgment, personally delivering the Cultivators of seven small surrounding families to the other party to be refined into Human Pills.

He never anticipated that Yu Daoist was actually a Demon Cultivator at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Afterwards, the other party captured him and exterminated the Lu family, sparing not even the secular clan members.

Recalling this, Lu Dahai's heart felt like it was squeezed by an invisible hand, the venom of regret more painful than the medicinal liquid in the jar.

If not for his own greedy ambition, colluding with a tiger, how could the Lu family have met such a fate?

"Whoo——"

A gust of sinister wind rose suddenly, the blood mist in the cave boiling abruptly.

A flash of red light darted in from outside the cave, transforming into a pale-faced scholar upon landing.

He wore a long, moon-white robe, his face handsome, yet in his hand, he held a blood-colored Banner over a yard long, embroidered with countless human faces, the wind blowing through it releasing innumerable faint wails.

It was the Yu Daoist whom Lu Dahai had mentioned.

He walked past the array of jars, his elongated fingers gently brushing over the talisman paper on their mouths, a satisfied smile appearing on his face:

"Not bad, the vital essence of this batch of medicinal guides is nearly ready."

His voice was as gentle as jade, forming an eerie contrast with the blood scent in the cave:

"Especially these three Foundation Establishment friends; their divine senses are rich, perfect for refining the 'Blood God Banner' core."

Hearing this, Lu Dahai's head once again slammed fiercely against the jar wall:

"Yu Daoist! May you die a horrible death! The cycle of karma will catch up with you sooner than you think!"

Yu Daoist turned around, still wearing a gentle smile, though his tone was icy as frost:

"Why make such a fuss, Fellow Daoist Lu?"

He flicked his fingers, and a black Rune flew onto Lu Dahai's jar, instantly silencing the screams:

"The path of Cultivation is survival of the fittest. Didn't you find it perfectly justified when you reaped those small clans back then?"

With that, he waved his sleeve, conjuring a Sound Insulation Array, the cave falling silent at once, leaving only the gentle hum of Runes, which made it even gloomier.

Yu Daoist took out eight new jars from his Storage Pouch, each containing a pitch-black medicinal liquid, radiating a toxicity even stronger than before.

He placed the jars on the ground, his fingertips grazing over the Runes on their mouths, brows knitting slightly:

"Still too few hands."

Yu Daoist shook his head lightly, forced to handle many chores personally.

This recalled to his mind the two foolish disciples, the nearly swindled Elder Huang Feng, and the vast amount of family Essence Blood. Annoyance rose in his heart.

He caressed the human faces on the blood-colored Banner, a look of bitter resentment flashing in his eyes:

"If not for Master Tingyu's meddling, my Blood God Pill and Blood God Banner would have long achieved Great Success."

"Three Foundation Establishment Elixirs had delayed my path for over a decade. Sooner or later, this debt shall be settled!"

Just then, the Blood Jade hanging at his waist suddenly glowed red, emitting a suffocating pressure.

Yu Daoist's composed face changed instantly, his body trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

He bowed deeply towards the Blood Jade until the pressure subsided, then dared to breathe heavily, his voice carrying unmistakable fear:

"Disciple... disciple is here."

A hoarse voice came from the Blood Jade:

"Collect Tier Two Body Cultivator Essence Blood for me, preferably with special bloodlines..."

Yu Daoist listened intently, nodding frequently, until the transmission ended, then he dared to stand up straight, his face as pale as paper.

He secured the Blood Jade, gazing at the jars deep in the cave, a fierce determination sparking in his eyes.

He must refine the Blood God Pill and Blood God Banner as soon as possible.

Only with enough strength can he escape this fate of being at others' mercy.

The sinister wind swirled once more, Yu Daoist's figure transformed into blood light and vanished from the cave, leaving behind nothing but cries of anguish and despair.

Lu Dahai within the jar slowly closed his eyes, his remaining consciousness filled only with a longing for death—perhaps only through complete dissipation would he escape this endless hell.

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