117: Borrow your nephew's soul for a moment

The quality of the Cultivation Technique from Refining Corpse Peak found on Li Jin and Gu Yu was inferior, which made Fang Huai somewhat worried.

After all, the Corpse Fiend Sect had been destroyed for some time now, and it was highly likely that all the good Cultivation Techniques had already been scavenged.

When he arrived at the Cultivation Technique Hall, he heard noisy arguing coming from inside.

"Why are there so many Cultivators here?"

Sensing with his Divine Thought, there were at least four Cultivators in the practice room; one was at the Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, and the other three were at the Late Qi Condensation Stage.

He hurriedly sent a signal to Wang Teng, telling him to hide immediately if he sensed anything amiss.

"Fellow Daoist outside, won't you come in and have a chat?"

The Divine Thought of a Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator was truly formidable; Fang Huai had only just arrived when he was detected by the other party.

But Fang Huai was not nervous. He now completely resembled a Righteous Cultivator, and with Li Zhu's assistance, even if he couldn't win the fight, he could at least escape.

Controlling his cultivation base to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, he walked in openly. Upon seeing the Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he said, "Greetings, Immortal Master. Are you also here to hunt for treasures?"

Within his line of sight, the Cultivation Technique Hall had already been picked clean, with several broken Cultivation Technique Jade Tablets scattered on the ground.

And where the few Cultivators were standing, there was a hidden Formation.

【An Ling Array】

【Spirit-Absorbing Opening Array】

【Spirit-Absorbing Opening Array: Using a Cultivator's Three Ethereal Souls and Seven Corporeal Spirits as a guide, one can enter the hidden space within the Formation.】

"So it is a young friend from the Danxia Sect."

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator recognized the attire Fang Huai was wearing at a glance, and said with a kind gaze, "May I ask for the Fellow Daoist's name and cultivation level?"

Fang Huai immediately became alert. With such detailed questioning, could it be that the other party had a way to verify the true identity of those who entered the Great Array?

He then replied, "I am Shang Yang, from the Danxia Sect, at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer. May I ask for your names, Fellow Daoists?"

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator glanced at a fellow Sect member beside him, who nodded and said, "There is indeed a Guardian Disciple in the Danxia Sect named Shang Yang, which matches these few pieces of information."

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator smiled and said, "My name is Wu Yue, Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage. These few Junior Martial Nephews beside me are named Niu Xin, Ma Du, and She Cha, all at the Late Qi Condensation Stage, from the Ziyang Sect."

"Greetings, Immortal Master Wu. Fellow Daoists, rather than wasting time on this An Ling Array, you might as well go to other peaks to try your luck," Fang Huai sighed.

Niu Xin immediately frowned, "What do you mean? What is an An Ling Array?"

Wu Yue explained, "The An Ling Array is a concealment Formation that only a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator can set up. Once successfully set up, it can form a self-contained space, which often contains important items. It's just that the method to open this array is quite peculiar; some are opened with Spiritual Plants, some with spiritual power, and some with Magical Artifacts. It is elusive."

He then asked Fang Huai, "May I ask where Fellow Daoist Shang heard of this array?"

Fang Huai said, "My Junior Martial Uncle once encountered an An Ling Array on another peak and luckily managed to enter it once. Later, when I was talking with him, he mentioned the method of entry."

Ma Du hurriedly asked, "Then may I ask, Fellow Daoist Shang, what exactly was the method of entry your Junior Martial Uncle mentioned?"

Fang Huai remained silent.

She Cha said, "Are you looking for some benefits? We Cultivators of the Ziyang Sect are not stingy people. If there are truly good items hidden in the An Ling Array, we will definitely share a portion with you."

Fang Huai looked at Wu Yue with a difficult expression, then said, "Could we step aside to talk?"

Wu Yue looked at his three Junior Martial Nephews, who immediately understood and walked out of the Cultivation Technique Hall.

Afterward, he activated a Soundproofing Barrier talisman, enveloping himself and Fang Huai within it, and said, "Fellow Daoist Shang, speak. What benefits do you want? Or, is there some difficulty?"

Fang Huai feigned hesitation. Under Wu Yue's repeated urging, he finally sighed and said, "I do not dare to hope for any great Cultivation Techniques; I only ask that if the Immortal Master has meat to eat, you could spare me a sip of the soup. It is just that I fear the Immortal Master may find this method of opening it difficult to accept."

"What method? Stop beating around the bush," Wu Yue frowned.

Fang Huai whispered, "According to my Junior Martial Uncle, the An Ling Arrays at important locations of the Corpse Fiend Sect all require a Cultivator's Three Ethereal Souls and Seven Corporeal Spirits as a guide to be opened."

Seeing Wu Yue glance at him, he pretended to be afraid and said, "Immortal Master, please do not set your sights on me. I have a Karma curse placed on me by my Junior Martial Uncle; if I am killed, he will immediately know who the murderer is."

The Karma curse was something Fang Huai made up, but it did indeed bluff Wu Yue.

Wu Yue said, "Fellow Daoist Shang, do not be nervous. I will go and fetch some Demon Sect slaves and send their souls into the An Ling Array. When the time comes, your share of the benefits will not be lacking."

"I am afraid it is too late," Fang Huai said. "I came here under my Junior Martial Uncle's arrangements; it won't be long before he arrives here too."

Then, with flickering eyes, he said, "It is said that this An Ling Array hides top-grade Magical Artifacts and the inherited Fiend Arts of the Corpse Fiend Sect. Selling just one of them at the market could yield thousands of Spirit Stones. It is a pity that we lack the guide to open the An Ling Array."

Wu Yue looked at him and asked, "Fellow Daoist Shang, how do you think we can obtain the guide before your Junior Martial Uncle arrives?"

Fang Huai inwardly cursed the old thing. The other party had clearly already thought of the method but insisted on having him say it out loud. That way, if anything went wrong, he could push the responsibility onto him.

Looking Wu Yue straight in the eye, he said, "Immortal Master, don't you have three Junior Martial Nephews? Why not borrow their souls for use? With one less person, we can also share more of the benefits."

Wu Yue clenched his fists, hesitated, and then gritted his teeth, saying, "If you are lying to me, you know the consequences."

Fang Huai knew that Wu Yue had taken the bait, and said, "Immortal Master already knows my name and my Sect. You have ten thousand ways to kill me, so how would I dare to lie to you?"

Wu Yue waved his hand, signaling for Fang Huai to call Niu Xin and Ma Du in.

The three of them talked for a long time within the Soundproofing Barrier, and Niu Xin and Ma Du's expressions gradually shifted from shock and confusion to determination and ruthlessness.

"She Cha, how has this Junior Martial Uncle treated you?" Wu Yue beckoned, summoning She Cha in.

She Cha did not understand why, and a trace of panic inexplicably arose in his heart, "Junior Martial Uncle has naturally treated me extremely well. I am willing to follow you for the rest of my life and serve you forever."

Wu Yue's expression suddenly changed, and he angrily said, "Six years ago, I lost a bottle of Breakthrough Pills. I asked you at the time, and you said you didn't take it, but shortly after that incident, you broke through to the Late Qi Condensation Stage. Now I will ask you one more time: did you take that bottle of Breakthrough Pills or not?"

"I..."

She Cha's face turned panicked. Since Wu Yue brought this matter up, he must have already uncovered the truth. He said in terror, "At that time, Senior Brothers Niu Xin and Ma Du also participated..."

Niu Xin and Ma Du's expressions changed drastically, and they spoke in unison, "Junior Martial Uncle, do not listen to his nonsense. This guy is at death's door and wants to drag us down with him."

At death's door?

She Cha's face changed dramatically. He was not a fool; analyzing the situation, he seemed to understand the purpose of Wu Yue bringing up this matter.

He quietly took a step back, but Wu Yue let out a sharp shout, calling him to a halt: "I treated you like my own nephew, yet you betrayed me and even wanted to push the blame onto your two Senior Brothers. What is your intention? According to the Ziyang Sect's rules, for a disloyal, unfilial, unbenevolent, and unjust person like you, I can execute you on the spot!"