153: Infiltrate and investigate

Leaving the resource point, Su Ling parted ways with the Cultivators who had been gathered.

He preferred to act alone.

Moreover, his methods were not suitable to be exposed in front of others for the time being.

The reason he was so concerned about Lu Tao's point ranking was not because True Lord Lu Feng had pressured him.

It was true that he regarded the pure-hearted Lu Tao as a good friend and brother.

But at the same time, Su Ling had his own ulterior motives.

Through Lu Tao, Su Ling had learned many hidden rules behind the National War.

The top one thousand on the point rankings of each major faction would be admitted into the sects and become Outer Sect Disciples.

They would be taught collectively by Spirit Transformation Cultivators responsible for passing down techniques.

The top one hundred on the point rankings could become Inner Sect Disciples, taught collectively by Integration Stage Cultivators.

Only the top one hundred on the overall ranking could possibly be taken as Personal Disciples.

Like Lu Tao, they would be taught by a specialized Master.

If, while helping Lu Tao break into the top five of the overall point ranking, he could also squeeze his own ranking into the top one hundred, or even the top fifty...

In the future, when the National War ended, perhaps he would really be noticed by an Integration Stage Cultivator, or even a True Immortal, and taken as a Personal Disciple.

At that time, with the Bitao Sect as his backing.

His path of cultivation might be much smoother.

As for what Lu Tao said about helping him find a True Immortal Master through pleading...

Su Ling did not really approve of that in his heart.

The experiences of his past and present lives told him that only by proving one's own value could one have the capital to be valued by others.

Taking the back door, pulling strings...

Wasn't Liu Muyao a living example of that?

...

A month later, near a resource point on the border of the Yangquan Faction.

Su Ling's figure appeared from the branch of a large tree covered in frost, looking into the distance.

This resource point was called the Ice Prison Pain Forest, located in a frozen mountain range emitting biting cold air.

Unknown how many years had passed, countless demonic souls had been frozen within, turning into a kind of strange Ice Ghost wandering in the forest.

According to intelligence provided by Lu Tao, there should have been an Early Stage Ice Ghost here before.

However, the Yangquan Sect's pure Yang Cultivation Technique happened to be quite effective against it.

Not long after the first Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Yangquan Sect was born, they took this place.

The other Ice Ghosts in the Pain Forest were also wiped out, and a large batch of Ice Soul Crystals were harvested.

These Ice Soul Crystals were excellent Materials for refining ice-type Magic Treasures.

And the extreme cold marrow at the core of the forest, known as [Mysterious Underworld Ice Soul], had cold air that could even freeze the Divine Soul directly.

For the Bitao Sect, whose core Cultivation Technique was of water and ice attributes, these resources were even more suitable.

A crystal called [Pain Crystal] would also condense on the Pain Tree, which was a supreme grade medium for practicing curse-type Spells or refining related Talismans.

At the very center of the resource point, those Pain Mother Trees that had been frozen for countless years had tree cores with extremely powerful Yin attributes.

What Su Ling coveted the most was this tree core known as [Unmelting Yin Wood], which was absolutely the best carrier for making top-tier ten thousand souls banners and housing powerful ghosts.

Su Ling glimpsed from afar a Yangquan squad flying out of the Pain Forest, speeding toward the direction of Yangyuan Cave.

He couldn't help but secretly complain, "The high-level officials of the Seven Sects are indeed guiding the conflict..."

Fire-attribute resource points were assigned to the Bitao Faction.

Ice-attribute resource points were assigned to the Yangquan Faction.

It was clearly meant to intensify the conflict between the two sides.

This could be judged from the difference in points obtained from turning in Yangyuan Crystals and Soul Crystals.

One Yangyuan Crystal was worth twenty thousand points.

One Soul Crystal was only worth ten thousand points.

These points were distributed among all Cultivators guarding the resource point according to their contributions.

This was specifically reflected in the points Su Ling obtained from accepting external missions earlier.

"This Pain Forest is only twenty thousand miles away from Yangyuan Cave."

Scanning the surrounding environment, Su Ling thought to himself, "With the flight speed of a High Grade Flying Boat, assuming one is not discovered midway, it would take about three and a half hours..."

For the next period of time, Su Ling carefully avoided patrolling Yangquan Faction Cultivators, as well as various hidden Formations.

He conducted a detailed investigation around this resource point.

Half a month later, a seven-person Loose Cultivator squad out on patrol was suddenly controlled by Soul-Binding Silk.

One by one, they looked with horror at Su Ling, who was slowly revealing his form.

Su Ling examined them, casually sticking a large banner into the ground beside him, the soul body of the Soul-Devouring Spider Mother appearing on his shoulder, while invisible threads bound the Divine Souls of the few.

"ten thousand souls banner... Are you an Azure Thunder Demonic Cultivator?!"

The leader, a Peak Core Formation Stage Loose Cultivator, said with a trembling voice full of horror.

The other six also trembled all over, looking at Su Ling in disbelief.

The name of the Azure Thunder Demonic Cultivator had only circulated within the Five Aggregates and Wuji Sects for a long time.

It was only after the great battle at the Shadow Soul Crystal Mine resource point that it gradually spread among the major factions.

After all, a Core Formation Mid-stage Loose Cultivator with Nascent Soul-level combat power, carrying the legacy of nearly a thousand Qingming Faction Cultivators.

This was a fortune of considerable value.

Who knew how many people wanted to kill him and be done with it.

Yet this person had appeared directly in front of them, and had even used the infamous Soul-Binding Silk to control their Divine Souls...

The few had only one thought in their minds.

My life is over!

"Whatever I ask, you answer."

Su Ling's tone carried a faint killing intent, "If you answer well, I might be able to spare your lives... If you answer poorly, enter my ten thousand souls banner!"

"If we can save our lives, we will naturally tell you everything."

The leader swallowed, quickly expressing his stance.

The other six hesitated slightly, then nodded one after another.

They were all Loose Cultivators, not Yangquan Sect Disciples.

Falling into enemy hands, if they could save their lives, what was there that they couldn't say?

"Inside the Pain Forest resource point, how many Nascent Soul Cultivators are there?"

The six: "Two!"

The leader: "Three..."

"Hmm?"

Su Ling's eyes turned cold, "How many are there exactly?"

He actually felt that these people were quite cooperative.

Not bad, at least it saved him from having to use torture and saved a lot of time.

"There were only two before, but a month ago, another one came."

The leader smiled bitterly, "My cultivation is a bit higher, so I know a little bit about it."

"Does the Pain Forest resource point have any connection with the Demon Pattern Mine resource point, and have they dispatched troops between each other?"

Su Ling nodded slightly and continued to ask.

The Demon Pattern Mine resource point was located in another direction, forming a pincer shape with the Pain Forest.

They were only a few thousand miles apart.

However, the Demon Pattern Mine resource point was closer to Yangyuan Cave.

The Yangquan squads that had been wandering near Yangyuan Cave before mostly belonged to scouts sent from this resource point.

"There is a connection."

To this question, the seven nodded in unison.

The leader added, "A few days ago, the Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Pain Forest resource point once gathered a group of people to head to the Demon Pattern mining area. As for the specific reason, we really don't know."

Su Ling's eyes flickered, and he asked several more questions one after another.

The seven answered them one by one, describing them as detailed as possible.