Chapter 49: Cowering (Please keep reading, please vote)

"Burying corpses..."

After much thought, if there were no other secret actions, this step alone might involve some other arrangement.

However, for a disciple of Corpse Burial Peak, burying corpses was actually quite normal.

After all, this place contained a second-tier Yin Vein. Carrying it on one's back was far less beneficial than burying it in the earth; absorbing more Earthly Yin Qi was conducive to the growth of refined corpses.

"Could there be a secret beneath Mysterious Bone Mountain?"

After all, the formation laid out by Gu Zhengshun only covered the bottom thirty layers, which was the complete opposite of the actions taken by Liu Jinxian and Situ Hong, whose formation shrouded the top fifty layers.

"That dog—"

"He's still plotting against me!"

He didn't believe Gu Zhengshun had no other arrangements. Facing a crisis without any reaction, and even being willing to yield the Mysterious Bone Essence Flower—the greatest interest of Mysterious Bone Mountain—meant there had to be an even greater profit entangling him.

With this premise in mind, it was only natural to feel that something was wrong with Gu Zhengshun.

However...

Was he really going to defect to Liu Jinxian?

For Wang Yu, this choice was the worst of the worst. But who could blame him? Liu Jinxian held all the power. As a mere fifth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, how could he expect to receive the same importance and fair treatment as those on Gu Zhengshun's side?

Forget more profits; the two layers he currently held and the third layer he was about to occupy might even be snatched away. After all, many of the Liu clan's subordinates were in the late stages of Qi Refinement.

He couldn't fight them!

At this thought, Wang Yu felt a deep headache. He immediately abandoned the plan to conquer the third layer and decided to merely defend his existing two layers. Especially those nine second-tier Bone Wood trees that were about to bloom—whoever dared to seize them would be his mortal enemy!

"Time to play dirty—"

And so, three days later.

Nearly three hundred cultivators, led by Liu Jinxian and accompanied by twenty late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, arrived together. Among them, one person made Wang Yu's eyelids twitch as he observed from the shadows.

It was none other than Su Qingshan, who held a personal grudge against him. When they had set out, there were too many eyes and ears, and most attention was focused on the two Mountain Lords, so he hadn't noticed him.

Discovering him now was a bit of a surprise, and Wang Yu immediately realized that if this man said a few bad words to Liu Jinxian, his situation would become even worse.

"Trouble—"

Outside the black mist, Liu Jinxian fully released her aura and shouted loudly, "Junior Brother Gu, this Senior Sister has come to help you clear the troubles of Mysterious Bone Mountain as agreed. Why do you not come out to meet me?"

From within the black mist, Gu Zhengshun's voice rang out, sounding utterly cowardly and pathetic: "Senior Sister Liu is so magnanimous. I, Gu, am not a stingy man either. Aside from these bottom thirty layers, the remaining empty spaces are yours to do with as you please. Whoever occupies them, owns them."

With such permission, Liu Jinxian's behavior wouldn't look too unsightly. What second-tier Bone Wood could there be in the bottom thirty layers? A look of disdainful amusement crossed her fearsome face.

Yet, on the surface, she remained very polite.

"As fellow Mountain Lords, there is no need for such formality. My subordinates are indeed a bit numerous, but they are risking their lives to help you clear Mysterious Bone Mountain; they expect compensation.

"It just so happens that the territory they conquer will be returned to you after four years. How does that sound?"

Four years? By the time four years passed, the flowering period would have ended, and the five-year garrison mission would be nearing its conclusion. This was a ruthless person; he wasn't planning to share a single hair of profit.

"I said, Senior Sister Liu may do as she pleases. Even if you occupied it for ten years, I would have no objection. It is only right."

His intent to cower was obvious. Now, not only Liu Jinxian but even her followers felt that Gu Zhengshun was a failure. As the grand-disciple of a Core Formation Elder, he was nothing but a weakling.

Su Qingshan's heart was also burning with desire. Following Zhao Shang's advice and learning about the many benefits of Mysterious Bone Mountain, he was already deeply tempted.

Since he had failed to scheme for a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, these second-tier Mysterious Bone Essence Flowers were a good alternative. At the very least, they could increase his chances by twenty percent, giving him a high probability of success even if he used a Reverse Blood Pill for foundation establishment.

The second-tier Mysterious Bone Essence Flowers in Liu Jinxian's Mysterious Bone Mountain all belonged to her alone, but in Gu Zhengshun's mountain, it was a matter of individual capability. He had great confidence that he could seize another layer through combat.

"Heh."

Feeling no pressure from dominating a mountain, Liu Jinxian turned to her subordinates and said in a cold, sharp tone

"What I promise will certainly be honored.

"But you all must also abide by the agreement. You must catch every single swarm! If even one nest is missed, do not blame me for stripping you of your harvests."

The crowd shuddered in unison and bowed their heads.

"We shall surely catch all the Corrupt Poison Bee swarms for Senior Sister Liu."

"Very well. Go."

Nearly three hundred Qi Refinement cultivators, riding on black silks, entered the Mysterious Bone Mountain, heading toward different layers based on their own assessments.

Almost all those arriving at the top twenty layers were late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators; clearly, they had already been allocated internally.

Wang Yu withdrew his gaze from below and instead stared at two disciples flying toward the 290th and 291st layers. Both were at the seventh level of Qi Refinement!

With a wave of his sleeve, his high-grade Dharma Tool, the Nether Spirit Iron Chains, dove into the ground, lying in wait for the moment Wang Yu's divine sense would trigger them.

Shortly after.

The two cultivators arrived together. Because they were in adjacent layers, they happened to notice the abnormality of these two levels: no Bone Lions, no bee swarms—it looked as if they had already been thoroughly cleared.

"Fifth-level Qi Refinement? A disciple of Corpse Burial Peak?"

Wang Yu had long since put away his outer disciple token from Cold Blood Peak and was only wearing the outer disciple uniform of the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect. Even if he wanted to hide his identity, there was no place to use contribution points while out in the field.

"Yes, yes, yes."

As Wang Yu answered, he added

"According to the agreement, whoever conquers it owns it. Senior Brothers, please seek another layer."

Hearing this, the questioning cultivator revealed a strange smile.

"Are you saying these two layers belong to you?"

"Naturally."

"Heh—"

"Arrogant! Gu Zhengshun only mentioned the bottom thirty layers. These remaining two hundred and seventy layers are not part of Senior Sister Liu's promise. If you leave now, we might still spare your life."

Most of these nearly three hundred people were disciples of Gu Poison Peak, with only a few from other peaks. These two were specifically demonic cultivators who specialized in poison arts.

The loophole in Gu Zhengshun's words was intentional.

To feign weakness and play dumb—Wang Yu had seen through it long ago. It was nothing more than an attempt to push him forward and use Liu Jinxian's hand to eliminate him.

After all, since the two of them had come together, it would be difficult for the opponent to judge whether he could deduce the truth from the clues. Killing with a borrowed knife was a clever tactic.

They also assumed Wang Yu would be unwilling to part with these nearly blooming Mysterious Bone Essence Flowers.

But who was Wang Yu?

During his time as a Spirit Slave, he had dared to take extreme risks, slaying enemies with three hands and three legs in broad daylight. Although he had lost an arm afterward, proving the impulsiveness and foolishness of that move, it was only because he lacked a higher-level perspective and could not see the maneuvering and shifting dynamics between true disciples. It was not a lack of ability.

When it was time to shrink, he was more of a turtle than any other.

When it was time to be wild, he was more arrogant than anyone!

"How dare you speak so shamelessly!"

Wang Yu struck first. His figure split into five, and a barrage of ice swords shot out across the sky. The two cultivators were startled for a moment before each employing their own methods.

One produced a bowl, placing it in front of him to defend against the onslaught of ice swords.

The other's flesh rippled at the center of his brow, and a small golden snake emerged. Under the surge of spiritual power, a massive golden snake phantom instantly coalesced, coiling around his body like a golden bell!