9: The third level of Qi Refining, Corpse Ganoderma!

Li Meng was in an extremely foul mood, suppressing his anger and killing intent.

His younger brother had been missing for many days, his whereabouts unknown, and there was a high probability he was already dead.

Even after using the Soul-Returning Talisman provided by his Family, there was no effect; even the traces of his Divine Soul had been completely erased.

Li Meng thought of the people his brothers had feuds with, and the rival Families, but they had no reason to target a Utility Disciple.

Thus, the murderer of his Disciple was likely still one of the other Utility Disciples in the Corpse Refining Cave, or perhaps he was truly killed by an ownerless Corpse Puppet within the Corpse Refining Cave…

Li Meng drew a portrait of his brother, hoping to find some clues within this Corpse Refining Cave.

Unfortunately, half a day passed with no results.

Without clues, Li Meng could only return to the Gu Refining Hall first to ask Senior Brother Ge for help.

Senior Brother Ge's Soul-Tracking Gu worm had an excellent effect; if he could borrow it, it might be useful!

As he was about to leave the Corpse Refining Cave, Li Meng saw a young Utility Disciple with an impressive demeanor, and just like before, he went up to inquire.

“Have you ever encountered the person in the portrait within the Corpse Refining Cave?”

Li Meng spoke in a cold tone.

As his words fell.

Li Meng's neck was immediately bound by a huge force, as if an invisible iron hand had gripped him.

“You…”

Li Meng's expression changed drastically.

Puff!

A cluster of crimson flames pierced through Li Meng's head. Li Meng's eyes widened, his expression quickly lost its luster, becoming utterly lifeless.

“Soul Capture!”

The Profound Yin Banner was summoned, hovering in his hand.

A vortex about ten feet wide appeared, and from Li Meng's instantaneously killed corpse, a slightly solidified black-gray wandering soul flew out, being sucked into the Profound Yin Banner.

At the same time, Shi Chuan turned and flew away behind him. In just over ten breaths, two more unranked wandering souls appeared in the Profound Yin Banner.

After neatly and efficiently dealing with the scene, Shi Chuan then left the area.

A moment later.

Upon returning to his stone chamber in the Corpse Refining Cave, Shi Chuan began to enter a state of secluded Cultivation.

As an Outer Sect Disciple of Corpse Refining Peak, if Li Meng died in the Corpse Refining Cave, other Outer Sect Disciples from the Peak might come to investigate after a few days.

But in most cases, it would end up being unresolved.

Although the value of an Outer Sect Disciple existed, it was not very significant.

Unless the Family behind Li Meng mobilized some power.

…

【zi shi (11 pm - 1 am) has arrived】

【Received a white intelligence report】

【White Intelligence Report: Ge Chaoqun, a Disciple of the Gu Refining Hall on Corpse Refining Peak, was very lucky and acquired a first-tier high-grade Corpse Puppet in the Corpse Mound.】

…

【zi shi (11 pm - 1 am) has arrived】

【Received a green intelligence report】

【Green Intelligence Report: In Twin Serpent Bay of the Corpse Refining Cave, at the bottom of a corpse pit in the southeast corner, thirteen zhang down, there is a Corpse Spirit Mushroom that will soon develop sentience within the next month!】

…

【zi shi (11 pm - 1 am) has arrived】

【Received a white intelligence report】

【White Intelligence Report: Li Meng has been dead for many days. Ge Chaoqun, a Disciple of the Gu Refining Hall, reported to Manager Liu of the Hall. Manager Liu could not find Li Meng and dispatched Ge Chaoqun to investigate whether Li Meng had died.】

…

【zi shi (11 pm - 1 am) has arrived】

【Received a white intelligence report】

【White Intelligence Report: Ge Chaoqun searched for many days but found nothing, so he could only report that Li Meng had died in the Corpse Refining Cave. Manager Liu did not pay much attention to this minor matter; he was currently engaged in more important affairs.】

…

【zi shi (11 pm - 1 am) has arrived】

【Received a white intelligence report】

【White Intelligence Report: Tan Xinghuai, a Disciple of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, resented you for making him lose Face. When he was preparing to personally descend into the Corpse Refining Cave, a direct blood relative in his Family was severely injured and on the verge of death, so he could only put it aside for now and returned home to care for the younger generation.】

…

In a blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.

“Qi Refining Layer Three!”

“The effect of this bottle of Qi Enhancing Pill is indeed remarkable!”

Shi Chuan felt the spiritual power within his body increase several times, and his mood was incredibly pleasant.

To reach Qi Refining Layer Three, if he relied solely on the Corpse Raising Art, even with the Profound Yin Banner's augmentation, it would take at least three to four years or more.

His ability to advance in just over a month was greatly aided by the power of Medicinal Pills.

Moreover, Shi Chuan had performed a 'Poison Transfer Technique,' which allowed him to transfer the pill poison within the Medicinal Pills into the Profound Yin Banner. With the pill poison's augmentation, the Profound Yin Banner's power could even increase.

The 'Poison Transfer Technique' was a Medicinal Pill technique from the memory of Eternal Vine, a Golden Core old demon.

However, it only had the Poison Transfer Technique for first-tier Medicinal Pills.

During this month.

Shi Chuan paid attention to all the daily intelligence reports he received. The matter of Li Meng, if no opposing Family forces intervened later, could basically be considered concluded.

As for Tan Xinghuai, he was indeed a potential threat. If not for Family matters, he might have already descended into this Corpse Refining Cave.

He couldn't defeat the person surnamed Jiang from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, so he could only pick on himself, the so-called 'soft persimmon.'

However, Shi Chuan was happy to see this. After advancing to Qi Refining Layer Three, he would refine two more Crimson God Puppets. His own Crimson God Fire would have a great chance to slay a Mid-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator.

The corpse, Storage Pouch, and other items of a Mid-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator were all useful.

The corpse could be refined into a Corpse Puppet for battle, and the Divine Soul could also be captured and controlled.

“Among these, the most important should be the Corpse Spirit Mushroom mentioned in the green intelligence report.”

“A Corpse Spirit Mushroom that is about to develop sentience must be at least five hundred years old. For such a life form, which belongs to the Spirit Medicine category, it is extremely difficult to develop sentience!”

“If it truly succeeds in developing sentience, then trying to catch this Corpse Spirit Mushroom will not be an easy task.”

“I will set off now to capture that Corpse Spirit Mushroom.”

Shi Chuan got up and walked out of the stone chamber. As he left, he summoned the Profound Yin Banner to clear away his residual aura, and then stirred up the Evil Qi in the area.

…

Twin Serpent Bay.

This place was named because it once had two first-tier high-grade snake Corpse Puppets. These two Corpse Puppets had extraordinary combat power, even devouring ten Outer Sect Disciples and one Inner Sect Disciple from Corpse Refining Peak.

The death of the Inner Sect Disciple eventually alarmed a Hall Master, who emerged from seclusion and personally subdued the two snake Corpse Puppets. That Hall Master is now the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall.

Beneath Twin Serpent Bay, there was a winding black river several zhang wide and dozens of li long. The upper reaches of the black river were an underground spring, while the lower reaches branched into more than a dozen streams, eventually converging into an underground dark river.

At this moment, several large and small corpse pits in the southeast corner of Twin Serpent Bay had all been dug into giant pits.

Furthermore, in one huge corpse pit, there were three Corpse Puppets, each about ten feet tall with mysterious crimson Magic Power patterns on their foreheads, constantly swinging the hard bone shovels in their hands, tirelessly and frantically digging in the pit.

On the edge of the pit, a young man in gray robes stared at the situation at the bottom of the corpse pit, his attention highly focused.

“Found it!”

In Shi Chuan's Purple Fiend Eyes, at the bottom of this eleventh corpse pit, he saw a strong purple glow, which made him a little excited.

With this Corpse Spirit Mushroom, which could be worth ten bottles of Medicinal Pills, advancing to Mid-Stage Qi Refining would no longer be a difficult task!

As the three Crimson God Puppets, which Shi Chuan had recently refined, dug down another foot.

Shi Chuan saw the full appearance of the Corpse Spirit Mushroom; it was like a black-red mass of flesh the size of a washbasin, soft like jelly and very elastic.

After Shi Chuan approached, he immediately put it into his Storage Pouch.

Safe in the pouch!

The three Crimson God Puppets around him also stopped obediently, standing still as if petrified, awaiting orders.

These three Crimson God Puppets, in addition to Crimson God Magic Power, also had Strength Talismans and Jade Bone Talismans within them. Their strength and defense were top-tier among Corpse Puppets of the same grade!

Three Crimson God Puppets, when combined with the Small Three Talents Formation, could easily deal with first-tier middle-grade Corpse Puppets.