Wang Yu couldn't help but wonder: did the previous rotation develop in such an environment? Combat was actually highly beneficial for improving a cultivator's strength.
If they fought like this every day for five years, it was no surprise they all reached the late Qi Refining stage. The weak died early, while the strong naturally became more exceptional, their cultivation speed rapid.
The sect's task requirement was for each person to mine ten thousand *jin* of Bonewood to hand in. For second-grade Bonewood, a hundred *jin* would suffice.
This was the quota for five years; there was no immediate rush.
After gathering this intelligence, Wang Yu felt a headache coming on. Before next April, they absolutely had to clear out several strongholds with second-grade Bonewood trees that also had bone nodules.
The higher the level, the better the growth state. Second-grade Bonewood was almost entirely concentrated in the top few dozen levels, becoming sparser further down. For instance, the entire 200th level had only one second-grade Bonewood tree, and it was occupied by the wasp swarm.
By the time he returned to the ground, Gu Zhengshun and the others were controlling twenty-one Bronze Armored Corpses, burying formation nodes at pre-selected points. As triangular black flags were planted one after another,
the bottom thirty levels of the Profound Bone Mountain were enveloped in a layer of black mist, covering only the area where the Heavenly Corpse Peak disciples would live and cultivate daily.
"Is this defense against Liu Jinxian and Si Tu Hong?"
"What else?" Gu Zhengshun retorted, then sighed with feeling.
"There are so few of us; we must be cautious. I have no desire to contend with them.
"Including Junior Brother Wang, we only have twenty-two people. These three hundred levels of Profound Bone Mountain are enough for every one of us to fill our bowls to the brim. Why fight for more?"
Insatiable greed would only backfire. Guarding their own plot was enough. Wang Yu was impressed by Gu Zhengshun's awareness, and his impression of the man improved significantly.
Avoiding trouble was good. He didn't want trouble either. Five years of quiet cultivation were enough for him to be reborn and advance further.
*Clap, clap—*
After gathering everyone, Gu Zhengshun laid out the plan for the coming period. He said:
"The matter of mining the Bonewood can be set aside for now.
"Before next April, you must secure ten second-grade Bonewood sites that have bone nodules. Anything beyond that is your own to keep. Understood?"
Hearing this, Wang Yu couldn't help but show a strange expression.
"Senior Brother Gu, you intend to...?"
"Heh, Junior Brother Wang, don't worry. You are responsible for your own share; you needn't mind me. These others are expendables sent by my Gu family, specifically to serve me. Even their deaths have value.
"You and I had an agreement first. We'll... settle our accounts separately."
"That works too." Wang Yu raised an eyebrow, fairly satisfied with this arrangement. Relying on himself was better.
"In that case, I'll take my leave first."
"Very well—"
Wang Yu once again mounted his Black Silk and flew upward. He was alone. Even if he secured lower levels, they were too sparse. His target was the very top few levels.
There, the second-grade Bonewood grew densely, with fewer wasp swarms but more Direbone Lions.
His abilities were better suited for dealing with Direbone Lions. Securing two levels would be enough for him. As for whether Gu Zhengshun would renege later and send people to steal his harvest...
Based on his interactions so far, he judged he would not.
Gu Zhengshun was a man who knew how to assess situations very well. It was highly likely he had observed the battle with Xu Jiaojiao at the Corpse Nurturing Grounds.
Unless he was absolutely certain he could kill Wang Yu, this man would not make a move.
Not long after Wang Yu left,
a talisman message flew to the newly set-up formation. A disciple retrieved it and delivered it to Gu Zhengshun, who muttered to himself.
"Si Tu Hong and Liu Jinxian are inviting me to a meeting at the camp between the three Profound Bone Mountains?
"A gathering of Mountain Masters? Understandable, being new here.
"However... ah—I'm not going~"
With a flick of his finger, he reduced the talisman message to ash and continued with his work.
Meanwhile.
At the central camp, the elegant and quite handsome Si Tu Hong sat opposite Liu Jinxian. He said:
"It seems that pig Gu Zhengshun isn't coming out. What does Senior Sister Liu think?"
Liu Jinxian had green hair and a face that could be considered pretty, but her nose looked as if it had been gnawed by insects, leaving two dark, hollow holes that appeared both ridiculous and disgusting.
A few gray pill bugs crawled inside. She resembled a corpse, and when she opened her mouth, a cloyingly sweet scent emerged, causing hallucinations.
"He's not coming?
"If he won't come, then kill him. I want all the Rot-Poison Wasp swarms from all three Profound Bone Mountains!"
Hearing this, Si Tu Hong replied, somewhat speechless.
"He's set up a maze formation. Can you break it, Senior Sister?"
"Simple enough. Are you in or not?"
"I'll pass. I'm busy selecting suitable Bonewood trees."
"Hmph, coward."
Such a straightforward provocation was completely ineffective on Si Tu Hong. He even felt like laughing. They had just arrived, and it was far from the Profound Essence Flower blooming season. Why would he do something that offered no benefit?
"If Senior Sister Liu wishes to act, go ahead. This junior will take his leave first."
Failing to reach an agreement, the two parted ways平淡 (indifferently).
......
......
The 290th level of the third Profound Bone Mountain.
Wang Yu stood beneath a second-grade Bonewood tree, his left hand shimmering with icy-blue spiritual power, tightly gripping a Direbone Lion's throat.
*CRACK—*
He snapped its neck and casually tossed the corpse aside, finding the process surprisingly easy. An adult Direbone Lion's strength was comparable to a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator, a higher realm than Xu Jiaojiao.
But these wild demonic beasts had low intelligence, lacked varied spells and powerful magical instruments, and operated alone.
With Wang Yu's strength, applying his Perfected Night Concealment Charm, then restraining it with the Nether Spirit Iron Chains, and finally using his corpse arm for a single, powerful throat-crush, it was simply no match for him.
His formidable combat power and diverse methods were his fundamental reliance.
The newly acquired Strength Corpse arm, even without utilizing the Death Qi, provided him with immense assistance.
Judging by the Direbone Lion's displayed strength, an outer disciple of the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect at the sixth level of Qi Refining could kill one one-on-one. Its realm advantage was completely wasted.
This was the difference between having a sect's foundation and growing wild.
He really ought to thank the scoundrel who sold him into the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect. Otherwise, he wouldn't have grown to this point in just over three years.
This 290th level had about twenty-plus second-grade Profound Bonewood trees, four Direbone Lions, three Rot-Poison Wasp swarms, and only four second-grade Bonewood trees with flower buds. However, over a hundred first-grade Bonewood trees showed signs of growing Profound Essence Flowers.
Having temporarily secured one stronghold, Wang Yu began setting up a formation he had purchased from the sect. It was called the [Blood Mist Spirit Concealment Formation], a classic top-grade first-rank maze formation.
It could completely conceal spiritual energy fluctuations within a hundred meters, block external spying, and isolate internal and external noises, preventing disturbances from outside.
This set of formation flags was not cheap, costing a full two thousand spirit stones. Once activated, it consumed one spirit stone daily, and the consumption would double if faced with external enemies.
Wang Yu happened to have plenty of spirit stones and didn't mind the expense.
His cooperation with Zhao Shang had netted him at least ten thousand spirit stones in profit from the Ice Snow Pavilion. A few of them working together had embezzled over fifty thousand spirit stones from the Pavilion. For True Disciple Su, it was a small sum.
But if this continued, they would inevitably be discovered one day.
**(End of Chapter)**