22: Blood Demon Mystery

After seeing off the Law Enforcement Team, Courtyard Jia 16 returned to tranquility.

Zhou Wannian stood in the center of the courtyard, looking at the devastated ruins of Courtyard Jia 15 next door, his gaze deep.

A crisis had been averted just like that.

Although three Robber Cultivators died and a courtyard was destroyed, for Zhou Wannian, this was merely a small test in his long Gu Dao career.

"Handled very cleanly, leaving no clues pointing to me."

Zhou Wannian reviewed the entire process. From detonating the Talismans to framing the Demonic Cultivators, every step was perfect. No matter how Chen Li investigated, he would only conclude it was "demonic Cultivator infighting."

"Now, time to look at the spoils."

Zhou Wannian returned to his secret room and activated all the defensive Formations.

He first took out the three Robber Cultivators' Storage Pouches.

It had to be said, Robber Cultivators were truly wealthy. In the three pouches, there were over two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones alone! There were also several Medium Grade Magical Artifacts, and some miscellaneous Medicinal Pills and Talismans.

"Killing and arson bring a golden belt indeed."

Zhou Wannian sighed with emotion as he sorted and stored these items. For those Magical Artifacts with obvious "Black Wind Stockade" markings, he planned to "wash" them with Cleaning Talismans later, then fence them through the Ghost Market or the Old Black Junk Shop (if it still existed).

Finally, his gaze fell upon the core of the Formation Plate he had taken from Gu Fan.

This was the source of all the trouble.

This Formation Plate core looked ordinary, just a piece of star-patterned copper engraved with complex Formation patterns. When Zhou Wannian helped Gu Fan repair it before, he had used a Cleaning Talisman to absorb the earth fiend energy inside.

"The people from the Black Wind Stockade said a 'demonic path map' is hidden inside."

Zhou Wannian examined it for a long time, but aside from the normal Spirit Gathering Array patterns, he found no hidden compartments or secret slots.

"Could it be hidden using a special technique?"

Zhou Wannian thought for a moment and summoned the Heavenly Secret Dao Disk again.

The midnight had passed, and today's divination had already been used on the "killing tribulation" earlier. Now, he could only rely on himself.

"No, if it were a conventional hiding method, Gu Fan would have discovered it long ago as a Formation Master."

"Since this thing is related to the Demonic Path and Black Wind Ridge..."

A flash of inspiration struck Zhou Wannian's mind.

He took out that piece of yin chen wood and the jade box sealing the Devilish Qi.

"Items of the Demonic Path naturally need Devilish Qi to be activated."

Zhou Wannian carefully opened the jade box, drew out a thin wisp of Devilish Qi, and slowly injected it into the Formation Plate core.

Buzz!

The moment the Devilish Qi touched the Formation Plate, a sudden change occurred.

The originally dull surface of the star-patterned copper suddenly glowed with an eerie red light. The Formation patterns originally used to gather Spiritual Qi actually began to move and reorganize on their own, finally transforming into a 3D projection composed of blood-colored light spots!

"This is..."

Zhou Wannian's pupils constricted slightly.

The projection was actually a topographical map!

Although the lines were somewhat crude, he recognized at a glance that this was exactly the terrain deep within Black Wind Ridge!

In the center of the map, there was a striking blood-red skull mark, with a line of twisted demonic script annotated beside it. Although Zhou Wannian didn't understand the demonic script, through Divine Sense perception, he could actually read its meaning:

[Blood Fiend Corpse-Nurturing Ground · Auxiliary Formation Eye]

"Corpse-Nurturing Ground? Auxiliary Formation Eye?"

Zhou Wannian's heart pounded wildly.

He remembered what Wang Dachui had said before—in that Ancient Cultivators Cave Mansion at Black Wind Ridge, there was a massive blood pool absorbing the flesh and blood of living people to resurrect something.

If that blood pool was the main Formation eye, then what was this "Auxiliary Formation Eye" all about?

He carefully observed the map.

He discovered that the location of this "Auxiliary Formation Eye" was not in the Ancient Cultivators Cave Mansion strictly guarded by the Chen Family, but in an inconspicuous valley on the outskirts of Black Wind Ridge!

That valley... Zhou Wannian recalled the maps around the market.

"That's... the Mass Grave?"

Over the years, Loose Cultivators who died in Qinghe Market and had no one to collect their bodies were mostly thrown into that valley and buried haphazardly.

"Is the Chen Family crazy?"

"Are they using the dead of the entire market to nurture corpses?"

Zhou Wannian felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head.

He finally understood why the people from Black Wind Stockade were desperately trying to seize this Formation Plate.

This wasn't some treasure map at all; this was evidence of the Chen Family's crimes!

Once this thing got out, the scandal of the Chen Family colluding with the Demonic Path and using the dead to refine corpses would be exposed. At that time, not only would the Loose Cultivators in the market riot, but even the superior Sect, "Qingyun Sect," would send people to investigate thoroughly!

The Chen Family would surely be destroyed!

"A hot potato indeed..."

Zhou Wannian looked at this blood-colored map, his expression flickering.

Keeping this in his hands was like holding a time bomb.

If the Chen Family found out, he would definitely be ground to dust.

"Destroy it?"

Zhou Wannian raised his hand, gathering spiritual power in his palm.

With just one strike, this Formation Plate would turn to powder, and the secret would be buried forever.

But he hesitated.

"The Chen Family is already like a startled bird, acting more and more crazily. The 'plague' (Devilish Qi erosion) in the Shantytown was a precursor. If they really manage to master some Demonic Technique, the entire market will become their feeding ground."

"When that time comes, how can any egg remain unbroken when the nest is overturned?"

"I'll have to die too."

Zhou Wannian lowered his hand.

This thing couldn't be destroyed. Keeping it meant holding the Chen Family's fatal weakness.

At a critical moment, this might be a trump card to turn the tables.

"Seal it up first."

Zhou Wannian made a box out of yin chen wood, locked the Formation Plate core inside, applied over a dozen Spirit Sealing Talismans, and finally buried it in the deepest part of his courtyard's "Lost Trace Formation."

"As long as I don't take it out, no one will ever find it."

...After dealing with the Formation Plate, Zhou Wannian didn't feel sleepy.

Too many things had happened tonight, giving him a deeper understanding of this world's cruelty.

"Strength, it's still about strength."

"Qi Refining Level Three is too weak. Facing the One-Eyed Dragon at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, although I won by relying on Talismans, what if the opponent is at the Late Stage of Qi Refining or even the Foundation Establishment Stage?"

"I must increase my cultivation as soon as possible."

He took stock of the resources in his hands.

Spirit Stones: Over three hundred (including those contributed by the Robber Cultivators).

Talismans: Most of the stock has been consumed; need to restock.

Formations: Just beginning to grasp the basics; with the yin chen wood Formation eye, safety has greatly increased.

Cultivation: Qi Refining Level Three is stable.

"Three hundred Spirit Stones are enough for me to buy Medicinal Pills to assist in breaking through to the Middle Stage of Qi Refining."

"And that 'Blood Fiend Corpse-Nurturing Ground'..."

Zhou Wannian's eyes flickered.

Since it's a corpse-nurturing ground, a large amount of yin fiend energy must be gathered there. For ordinary Cultivators, that's lethal poison, but for him, who possesses yin chen wood and practices the "Turtle Breathing Technique"... perhaps it's an excellent "leveling spot"?

Of course, going now is impossible; it's too dangerous.

But in the future... "Once I Breakthrough to Qi Refining Level Four or even level five and have stronger self-preservation capabilities, maybe I can go explore it."

"After all, not only is there danger, but there must also be treasures hidden by the Chen Family."

Zhou Wannian took a deep breath, calming his mind.

Dawn was approaching.

A new day was about to begin.

Although he had experienced a life-and-death struggle last night, to outsiders, Fellow Daoist Zhou of Courtyard Jia 16 was still just a frightened coward who only knew how to draw some low-level Talismans.

"This is life."

Zhou Wannian smiled slightly, walked into his bedroom, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Only by resting well can one live longer in this man-eating world.