Translator: CinderTL
Meng Lengyu's expression was disdainful. She completely scoffed at Cui Gu's offer.
"Cui Gu, you haven't even reached the Nascent Soul stage yourself, yet you claim to be giving me a Primordial Nascent Soul Pill? Do you think I'll believe that?"
Cui Gu's expression turned slightly dejected and helpless.
"Fellow Daoist Meng, I've tried to form my Nascent Soul, but unfortunately, I failed. As everyone knows, a cultivator can only take one Primordial Nascent Soul Pill in their lifetime; a second one is useless. For me, the pill is already useless. And in the Zhou Clan, besides me, there are no other cultivators at the peak of the Golden Core Stage."
Upon hearing this, Meng Lengyu's heart skipped a beat.
Her ambition to form her Nascent Soul was instantly ignited, spreading through her chest like wildfire, burning uncontrollably.
The opportunity to advance to the Nascent Soul stage was something no Golden Core cultivator could resist.
Since the Demon Race invaded the Chaotic Sea's Inner Sea and occupied the Eastern and Northern Regions, some spiritual objects originally unique to those regions had gradually disappeared.
Among them was the Phoenix Spirit Grass, one of the main ingredients for the Primordial Nascent Soul Pill.
In recent decades, the entire Wu Ji Sect had been unable to gather all the Spirit Herbs needed to refine a single batch of the pill.
Perhaps sensing Meng Lengyu's wavering resolve, Cui Gu's lips curled into a smile as he said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Meng, what do you say?"
To Cui Gu's surprise, after a moment of silence, Meng Lengyu shook her head.
"Thank you for the kind offer, Fellow Daoist Cui Gu, but I must decline your invitation to join the Cui Clan."
Cui Gu pressed on, "Fellow Daoist Meng, are you worried about retaliation from the Wu Ji Sect? Rest assured, since the Cui Clan dared to recruit you, we can certainly protect you. Moreover, once you advance to the Nascent Soul stage, even if the Demon Lord himself were to attack, killing you wouldn't be so easy."
Meng Lengyu replied, "I will never betray the Wu Ji Sect. Whether in life or death, I am a member of the Wu Ji Sect."
Cui Gu frowned slightly, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Just moments ago, Meng Lengyu had clearly been tempted. Why was she now rejecting his offer so decisively?
He clasped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Meng, I admire your loyalty to the Wu Ji Sect. However, I'm curious: What exactly is it about the Wu Ji Sect that you find so difficult to abandon?"
Meng Lengyu ignored Cui Gu's question, instead fixing him with a cold gaze and changing the subject.
"Fellow Daoist Cui Gu, what do you plan to do with Fellow Daoist Gou Jun and me?"
Meng Lengyu could ask this because she knew they had no chance of escaping the Cui Clan alive.
Cui Gu smiled and replied, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoists. You are honored guests of the Cui Clan. As long as you do not harm any members of my clan, we will not harm you in the slightest."
After speaking, Cui Gu turned to Cui Xinyi.
"Xinyi, escort these two Fellow Daoists back to Guest Glow Peak."
"Yes, Grandfather," Cui Xinyi replied, then turned to Song Wen and Meng Lengyu. "Fellow Daoists, please follow me to the guest quarters?"
Song Wen and Meng Lengyu cooperated fully, following Cui Xinyi to Guest Glow Peak.
As they left the Eastern Peng Peak Great Hall, Song Wen even bid Cui Gu farewell.
Song Wen wasn't at all worried about his safety.
Since the Cui Clan had chosen not to kill him and Meng Lengyu, it meant they had never intended to truly become enemies of the Wu Ji Sect.
As long as he and Meng Lengyu survived, the Cui Clan could still salvage the situation. They could always find a way to repay the Wu Ji Sect for the treasures they owed.
Song Wen's certainty stemmed from another crucial reason: Cui Gu hadn't taken back the two Storage Rings Meng Lengyu held. These rings contained the many treasures the Cui Clan had prepared for the trade, lacking only the Corpse Fiend Essence.
Under Cui Xinyi's guidance, the three soon reached Guest Glow Peak.
The peak looked no different from usual, except for the increased number of guards stationed around it.
Of course, these guards weren't there to protect Song Wen and Meng Lengyu; they were there to keep them under house arrest.
"Fellow Daoists, please cultivate in peace here. As long as you don't attempt to leave Guest Glow Peak, no one will interfere with you."
After saying this, Cui Xinyi turned to leave, but Song Wen suddenly called out to her.
"Fellow Daoist Cui, wait. I'm curious—why did the trade ultimately fail?"
Cui Xinyi didn't answer, instead turning her gaze to Meng Lengyu.
After a moment of consideration, Meng Lengyu seemed to realize there was no point in further concealment. She spoke plainly:
"Corpse Fiend Essence! The most crucial part of Senior Cui Xuanjing's and Demon Sovereign Ye Hua's agreement was to exchange countless living souls—hundreds of millions of them—for ten strands of Corpse Fiend Essence. The Wu Ji Sect expended countless two-legged sheep and spiritual materials to refine these living souls. However, the Cui Clan reneged on their promise. They couldn't produce the Corpse Fiend Essence and tried to get something for nothing."
Hearing this, Cui Xinyi couldn't help but defend her clan.
"It wasn't intentional. The Cui Clan had already located the source of the Corpse Fiend Essence, but a minor mishap occurred during its extraction."
Song Wen raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Fellow Daoist Cui, may I ask where this source is located?"
Cui Xinyi frowned, her expression darkening. She glared coldly at Song Wen.
"Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, I'm afraid I can't reveal that information."
Song Wen smiled apologetically.
"It was this one who overstepped!"
Cui Xinyi snorted coldly and soared away.
After Cui Xinyi had vanished, Meng Lengyu asked, "Gou Jun, you seem quite interested in the Corpse Fiend Essence?"
Song Wen replied, "As Corpse Dao Cultivators, how could we not be interested in such a rare treasure? I possess a Third-Tier Mid-Stage Corpse Puppet. If I could obtain even a wisp of Corpse Fiend Essence, it would be enough to elevate it to Third-Tier Peak, or even Pseudo-Fourth-Tier."
"Fellow Daoist, don't you think it's a waste to use Corpse Fiend Essence to refine a Third-Tier Corpse Puppet?" Meng Lengyu said.
"Fellow Daoist Meng, making the most of resources is certainly ideal. However, the path of cultivation is fraught with danger. Sometimes, overthinking can be more harmful than helpful. Only by rapidly increasing our own strength can we truly increase our chances of survival," Song Wen said with genuine sincerity.
Meng Lengyu glanced at Song Wen and didn't pursue the matter further. She changed the subject.
"Gou Jun, I've dragged you into this mess. You've suffered this unwarranted disaster."
Song Wen waved it off dismissively. "The Cui Clan hasn't attacked us because they're waiting for Demon Sovereign Ye Hua to arrive. Once the Demon Sovereign appears, we'll naturally regain our freedom."
Song Wen suspected that luring Ye Hua was the Cui Clan's true objective.
Meng Lengyu sighed softly. "I hope it's as you say."
As it turned out, Song Wen's prediction was accurate. Just ten days later, Ye Hua's figure appeared above Yaotai City, holding two soul lamps in his hands.
"Meng Lengyu, Gou Jun, come out immediately and meet me!"
Ye Hua's voice boomed, echoing throughout the entire city.
On Biluo Mountain, Song Wen, Meng Lengyu, and the Cui Clan members all heard the call.
(End of the Chapter)
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