It seemed to sense the displeasure in Wen Jiu's eyebrows, Wang Nian spoke again, "When it's time to endure, you must endure. I suppose I don't need to tell you that... and avoiding the Corpse Remains Death Land at night isn't just because of Li Ye."
"What else for?"
Wen Jiu was puzzled.
Wang Nian glanced around a few times, as if afraid of others overhearing, "Recently, the number of Night Patrol Department disciples being killed has been increasing. They are being ambushed and killed at night. Initially, the Night Patrol Department suspected there was something in the Corpse Remains Death Land. But now, with disciples being killed in all parts of the Side Peak, we suspect it's a long-planned revenge. If you act alone, you might get targeted."
"Revenge?" Wen Jiu was about to ask more, but Wang Nian interrupted.
"No need to ask more; there are too many grievances involved in this. The Deadman Peak has stood for a thousand years, too many things are unclear and inexplicable. In short, it's better to be cautious." Wang Nian let out a deep breath, sighing helplessly, "Hopefully it's not the dark clouds before a storm, we've only had a few months of peace..."
Wen Jiu asked no further.
But he could see quite a bit of information from the worry in Wang Nian's eyes.
After some thought.
Wen Jiu could only put the progress of cultivating the Black Corpse on hold, losing a bit of experience was better than risking his life.
Wang Nian suddenly patted Wen Jiu's shoulder, "Since you can't come to nourish corpses at night, arrange your schedule as you see fit during the day... If it really doesn't work, shorten the corpse moving time by an hour or two, I'll take responsibility!"
Hearing this, Wen Jiu was suddenly stunned, then quickly bowed in gratitude, feeling a warmth in his heart, "Brother Wang!"
Although Wang Nian's previous kindness was because of his display of extraordinary talent in the heterodox Dao.
But now it seems.
It's probably not just that.
Wang Nian truly treated him as one of his own.
Because the task of burying corpses was arranged by the Side Peak Master, even the Steward only had the right to supervise and manage. Letting it slide like this, if the Side Peak Steward finds out, Wang Nian might not benefit.
"Go on, get busy."
Saying that.
Wang Nian gave a smile, and walked away from the Corpse Remains Death Land.
Wen Jiu watched Wang Nian's back, feeling quietly grateful.
However, this thought only lasted a moment. After stepping into the Corpse Remains Death Land to move a corpse, a doubt quickly occupied Wen Jiu's mind.
Is it really a long-planned revenge?
If he hadn't obtained the Yin Evil Blood Curse Body, he would certainly believe Wang Nian's speculation.
But after obtaining the Yin Evil Blood Curse Body, Wen Jiu didn't believe it.
Such revenge.
Foolish behavior.
Clearly the drunken person only had their eyes on the scenery.
"The Corpse Remains Death Land, absolutely can't come at night."
Wen Jiu immediately made up his mind.
He couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
Fortunately, not coming to the Corpse Remains Death Land at night would slow down the progress of cultivating the Black Corpse, but it wouldn't greatly affect his preparation for Body Refining. Because it's not only in the Corpse Remains Death Land that the Earthly Evil Yin Qi can be invoked.
The Earthly Evil Yin Qi is actually everywhere, it's just more abundant in the Corpse Remains Death Land.
Soon.
A day passed.
Before going home, Wen Jiu found Wang Nian again, wanting to borrow some money to buy Spirit Rice or Demon Beast Flesh to aid in Body Refining.
Ordinary mortal food can no longer replenish the Earthly Evil Yin Qi needed for his Body Refining.
Wang Nian wasn't stingy, generously lent Wen Jiu one hundred taels, and upon learning that Wen Jiu wanted to buy Demon Beast Flesh for Body Refining, Wang Nian offered to help Wen Jiu buy it since Wen Jiu couldn't enter the Trading Market.
One hundred taels, twenty pounds of entry-level Demon Beast Flesh.
Enough for half a month.
...
In the following days.
Wen Jiu dug a pit where he lived, half a fathom deep, so he could better invoke the Earthly Evil Yin Qi when reciting the Corpse Nourishing Spell.
By supplementing with a pound of entry-level Demon Beast Flesh each day, Wen Jiu earned 20 points of Body Refining experience each day.
Incredibly fast.
However, there was one thing Wen Jiu didn't expect.
After just a few days of using the Earthly Evil Yin Qi for Body Refining, he felt his body gradually becoming cold.
Even under the blazing sun, he could feel a coolness from within when he touched his skin.
Though not icy.
It was cool.
If others were to touch and feel his temperature now, he would immediately be branded as a heterodox Dao practitioner.
But on the fifth day of using the Earthly Evil Yin Qi for Body Refining, the change in the magical power within his Dantian both startled and delighted him. Not only did he accept the fact of his body getting colder, but he even started looking forward to truly cultivating the Yin Evil Blood Curse Body.
Sitting cross-legged in the pit, Wen Jiu recited the Corpse Nourishing Spell. The strands of magical power in his Dantian quickly softened after merging with the Earthly Evil Yin Qi, finally turning into a pool of silt, becoming unusually cold.
But increased by one-tenth!
The purity of magical power also greatly improved!
There was a significant change.
Immediately after, Wen Jiu tried using Magic Power Flick, flicking magical power from his fingers to attack objects.
The normal Magic Power Flick, magical power would burst on the soil like a water balloon.
But Wen Jiu's didn't.
His Yin Technique, when it hit a surface, directly erased it, and the spot where it landed would be corroded by spreading Yin Qi.
It couldn't be cleaned up.
It would continue to spread.
It would only disappear when Wen Jiu actively absorbed it.
"If I use Magic to fight enemies in the future, it would be even more terrifying." Wen Jiu couldn't help but feel secretly awed.
At the same time, it strengthened his resolve to rise higher.
If this Yin Technique were used outside as a Loose Cultivator or a Lone Ranger, it would surely be attacked by so-called "righteous" cultivators.
After all, my Magic Power Flick can only burst.
Why does yours have a special corrosive spreading effect?
You heterodox Daoist!
You're damned!
As for the fact that his body was getting colder, Wen Jiu didn't care. Perhaps this was the burden of practicing the heterodox Dao.
As long as he stayed at Deadman Peak, there would surely be others who have turned against each other over things like this.
If he could climb to higher positions.
Heh heh.
Then it would be called special.
It would be called unique.
It would be called the success of heterodox Dao cultivation.
And not some damned heterodox Dao!
However.
The climb up might face some resistance.
Like Li Ye.
...
The next day.
As day broke.
Wen Jiu, as usual, arrived at the Corpse Remains Death Land.
He found Wang Nian had arrived even earlier than them this time, and the place was crowded with disciples of the Night Patrol Department, along with Li Ye. In the sky above the Corpse Remains Death Land, cultivators could occasionally be seen flying with Sword Flight, seeming to search for something.
"Is it really as I guessed?"
A thought emerged unbidden.
Wen Jiu's heart tightened.
All the patrollers were also very tense.
Some were at a loss.
After all, if something else were to happen and they got caught in the middle, with their position, they wouldn't benefit at all.
Time slowly passed.
Sunlight already bathed the surroundings of the Corpse Remains Death Land; on any other day, they would have already started moving and burying corpses.
But today, they didn't act until an hour later.
Only then did Wang Nian walk over to them, looking serious, a hint of displeasure, glancing more than once at Wen Jiu.
"Last night, several more Night Patrol Department disciples died here. For the sake of everyone's safety, starting today, Night Patrol Department disciples and Steward Li Ye will manage this Corpse Remains Death Land alongside me."
Upon hearing this.
The three, led by Fang Zheng, couldn't hide their delight.
The corners of their mouths almost reached their cheeks.
The rest of the Corpse Buriers were worried, upon hearing more Night Patrol Department disciples had died, it's a serious matter.
Wen Jiu felt the same.
But his worries were more about Li Ye.
With Li Ye co-managing with Wang Nian.
Would the deals he painstakingly secured be taken away by Li Ye?
Or.
Would Li Ye deliberately make things difficult?
Though he didn't know what Li Ye would do, Wen Jiu felt uneasy — no wonder Wang Nian looked displeased and glanced at him twice before.
[Wishing all fellow Daoists a Happy New Year!
May everything go smoothly!
Apologies.
It's really too noisy during the day on New Year's Day, making it impossible to write.
Currently furiously typing...
The second chapter will definitely be out by midnight.]