Translator: CinderTL
"Gui Ni, you actually dare to covet my Storage Ring! Don't forget, I saved you during the great battle between good and evil over a hundred years ago. Thirty years ago, in the Flame Earth Cave, it was also my intervention that allowed you to escape. Yet, you repay kindness with betrayal. If there's still a shred of humanity left in you, save me now."
The voice of Xue Cangqiong echoed from within the blood sphere.
Gui Ni turned his gaze toward the blood sphere, his sharp eyes seemingly piercing through the blood waves to directly observe Xue Cangqiong's Nascent Soul, which was tightly entangled by countless tiny tentacles inside.
A cold smile gradually curled at the corners of his lips.
Gui Ni shifted his gaze back to Song Wen.
"The Refined Tribulation Evil Qi within Xue Cangqiong and that top-grade soul defense Mystic Treasure belong to me. The other items in his Storage Ring will be divided equally among the three of us."
The Refined Tribulation Evil Qi Gui Ni mentioned referred to the blood-colored evil spirit within Xue Cangqiong's body.
Hearing this, Song Wen was slightly taken aback.
Earlier, Xue Cangqiong had demanded all of his own belongings.
Now, because of Xue Cangqiong's words, Gui Ni had changed his mind.
"I... I agree, fellow Daoist."
Song Wen knew that Gui Ni would not relent unless he gained some benefits. Engaging in a fight with Gui Ni at this moment was unwise. Thus, Song Wen simply agreed.
"Gui Ni, you ungrateful wretch, you'll die a miserable death..." Xue Cangqiong's curses rang out.
"Fellow Daoist Yin Shuo, such filthy words are unbearable to hear. It would be best to silence him quickly," Gui Ni said indifferently.
Song Wen smiled and replied, "Exactly my thoughts."
As soon as he finished speaking, the tentacles inside the blood sphere suddenly began to contract.
Xue Cangqiong's Nascent Soul immediately felt an overwhelming crushing force.
"Gui Ni, I beg you... save me. I'll give you whatever you want, please... save me..."
"Yin Shuo, I beg you, spare me..."
"Xue Mei, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have targeted you..."
Unable to withstand the crushing force of the tentacles, the Nascent Soul suddenly exploded.
A violent surge of energy erupted, causing the surface of the blood sphere to churn violently.
As agreed, the three of them divided Xue Cangqiong's belongings.
Notably, Song Wen obtained Xue Cangqiong's Scarlet Flying Sword, a top-grade Mystic Treasure.
As for the Corpse Infant and the shield, they fell into Xue Mei's hands.
The shield was a top-grade Mystic Treasure, but Song Wen already had the Dark Scale Shield, and Gui Ni had no interest in it.
The Corpse Infant was Xue Cangqiong's life-bound Mystic Treasure, which was useless to both Song Wen and Gui Ni.
Xue Mei obtained these two treasures at the cost of receiving fewer Spirit Stones and medicinal herbs.
Having secured what he wanted, Gui Ni was in a good mood and took the initiative to ask, "Fellow Daoist Yin Shuo, what are your plans next?"
Song Wen shook his head. "No immediate plans. I'll first explore the Small Secret Realm we're currently in before deciding. What about you, Fellow Daoist Gui Ni?"
Gui Ni replied, "The spiritual energy here is quite rich, making it a good place for cultivation. I plan to recuperate here until my injuries heal, then decide what to do next."
After exchanging a few more words, Gui Ni's gaze lingered on Xue Mei for a moment before he bid farewell and left, disappearing to an unknown location.
Shortly after Gui Ni left, Xue Mei finished refining the medicinal pills.
"Ji Yin, has Gui Ni really left?" Xue Mei sent a Divine Sense message, asking.
"He should have," Song Wen replied via Divine Sense.
With the assistance of the Shadow Gu, Song Wen's Divine Sense perception range surpassed that of a peak Nascent Soul cultivator.
Within his perception, Gui Ni had indeed left.
"If I'm not mistaken, this place should be the 'Dark Orchid Realm,' a site where the Divine Blood Gate cultivates rare treasures," Xue Mei transmitted via Divine Sense.
"The Dark Orchid Realm?"
Song Wen looked puzzled, glancing around.
Although the spiritual energy here was dense, Song Wen couldn't see any traces of rare treasures.
Xue Mei said, "No need to search. We're still outside the Dark Orchid Realm."
Song Wen asked, "What is inside the Dark Orchid Realm?"
He was concerned that the Dark Orchid Realm might be fraught with dangers, and if the so-called 'rare treasures' inside were of no use to him, it wouldn't be worth the risk.
"From what I know, the Dark Orchid Realm contains Withered Corpse Bamboo," Xue Mei replied.
"Withered Corpse Bamboo?"
This was a spiritual material Song Wen had never heard of before.
"What is its use?" Song Wen inquired.
"Withered Corpse Bamboo grows in dark places, nourished by Corpse Qi, and its color resembles withered bones. For cultivators of the Corpse Path, this treasure is a holy item that aids in cultivation. Practicing Corpse Path techniques requires continuously absorbing Corpse Qi. Withered Corpse Bamboo can accelerate the refinement of Corpse Qi, enhancing the cultivation speed of Corpse Path practitioners," Xue Mei explained.
Hearing this, Song Wen became somewhat interested.
Cultivating the Corpse King's Rebirth Art required simultaneously absorbing and refining both spiritual energy and Corpse Qi within oneself.
The Blood Demon Pill he had refined could greatly enhance the speed of refining spiritual energy. If he could also increase the speed of refining Corpse Qi, his cultivation progress would undoubtedly reach a new level.
"If Withered Corpse Bamboo is so miraculous, why have I never heard of it before?" Song Wen asked.
"The origin of this item has always been a mystery. During the time when I was the master of the Blood Cloud Cave, there were no records of Withered Corpse Bamboo in the ancient texts, not even anything similar. It wasn't until the Divine Blood Gate was established and swept through the Immortal Cultivation World with overwhelming force that Withered Corpse Bamboo appeared. It was as if it had materialized out of thin air, as if it didn't belong to this world. Then, with the fall of the Divine Blood Gate, this item vanished once again," Xue Mei explained.
"Where is the Dark Orchid Realm located?" Song Wen asked.
"The Dark Orchid Realm is located within an underground cavern, and its entrance is a cold spring," Xue Mei replied.
"How is your Spiritual Power recovery? When should we set out?" Song Wen asked.
"I need to meditate for a few days to fully recover my Spiritual Power," Xue Mei said.
After a series of battles, Song Wen also needed to rest and recover his Spiritual Power, so he replied, "Gui Ni could return at any moment. This isn't a safe place to stay. We should find a secluded spot to cultivate."
Fearing that Gui Ni might be secretly watching, the entire conversation was conducted through Divine Sense transmission.
After ending the conversation, the two descended into the dense forest below, using the thick foliage to conceal their movements.
After traveling several hundred miles, Song Wen found a beast's den within the forest. After expanding its interior, the two hid inside.
Each of them set up a concealment array, and Song Wen released two Shadow Gu to stand guard. Only then did they begin to meditate and recover.
Five days later.
With their Spiritual Power mostly restored, the two emerged from the beast's den.
After confirming that no one was around, Xue Mei led the way. The two traveled another hundred miles through the dense forest, arriving at the base of a steep cliff.
At the bottom of the cliff, a small stream flowed gently.
At the end of the stream was a pool of water, ten zhang in size.
The pool was unfathomably deep, with an underground current evidently draining the stream water.
"Follow me!"
Without hesitation, Xue Mei plunged into the deep pool.
Song Wen followed closely behind.
The deep pool twisted and turned, extending downward like a winding underwater passage.
After descending for dozens of miles, they still couldn't see the bottom of the pool.
However, on the underwater stone wall, there appeared a cave entrance several meters high.
The two entered one after the other.
After advancing another mile or so, a barrier appeared before them.
This barrier seemed to only block the water flow, as Xue Mei, who was in the lead, passed through it without any hindrance.
Seeing this, Song Wen also stepped into the barrier.
In an instant, Song Wen's vision suddenly opened up.
What he saw was a cavern that was over a mile wide.
On the ground and walls of the cavern, scattered small plants grew.
These plants were mostly no more than a foot tall, and most of them emitted a faint white light, casting a hazy illumination on the cavern's features.
However, the barrier they had entered through had disappeared, leaving only thick rock.
This meant they had no way back.
(End of the Chapter)
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