However, making the trip just to sell a few talismans wouldn't be worth it. He needed to stock up more.

With that thought, Wen Jiu took a short nap before getting up to continue drawing talismans, determined to produce a batch of entry-level Soul-Seizing Talismans.

For the next few days, he repeated the same cycle—selling lower-tier Soul-Seizing Talismans to earn spirit stones, then using those spirit stones to buy higher-quality talisman paper.

Selling sixty lower-tier Soul-Seizing Talismans.

Buying thirty sheets of entry-level talisman paper.

Although it took longer to sell sixty talismans, as long as he could sell them, Wen Jiu didn't mind.

And so, after seven days of continuous effort, with a daily success rate of four completed talismans and around sixteen failures, he managed to accumulate thirty-seven entry-level Soul-Seizing Talismans. Unexpectedly, two of them were of exceptional quality—rare enough to be considered high-grade.

They were strong enough to injure a second-layer Qi Refinement cultivator.

If the target was not in peak condition, the talisman might even be lethal.

For Wen Jiu, they weren't of much personal use, but they could certainly fetch a good price.

At the same time, his proficiency with Soul-Seizing Talismans increased, advancing to the level of mastery.

[Soul-Seizing Talisman (Mastery 0/500)]

Just as Wen Jiu was preparing to visit the White Birch Mountain rogue cultivator marketplace, Wang Nian suddenly pushed open his door and stepped in.

He asked Wen Jiu if he wanted to join him in taking on a sect mission. With him there, they would definitely complete it smoothly.

Even the simplest sect mission could earn them at least a few lower-grade spirit stones.

Of course, Wang Nian's true intention was to get Wen Jiu out for some real-world experience.

After all, a sharpened blade must go through grinding.

Wen Jiu refused.

But he was curious—what had happened to make Wang Nian suddenly eager to take on missions outside the sect?

"Over the past few days, two more vassal families have been wiped out. One of them didn't have a single survivor—everyone was killed, even those who weren't at home at the time!" Wang Nian spoke grimly, then added, "Because of this, Feixian Peak has issued several missions to hunt down those responsible. The rewards are generous—even the simplest mission is worth two to three months of your night patrol earnings."

Wen Jiu's expression changed. He wasn't concerned about the rewards, but rather the cause behind the attacks. "Was it the remnants of the Blood-Clad Tower again?"

"How do you know?" Wang Nian was surprised.

Wen Jiu wasn't the type to step foot outside.

Wen Jiu answered honestly, "I overheard some veteran cultivators talking about it when I was selling talismans at the market."

Wang Nian nodded in understanding and continued, "Are you sure you don't want to come? With me there, I can cover for you."

"No, no."

Wen Jiu shook his head in firm refusal.

He suddenly felt that this wasn't the right time to leave Feixian Peak, so he put aside the thought of visiting the rogue cultivator market.

Might as well wait a little longer.

That way, he could sell everything in one go later.

Besides, with Three Rivers Ghost Concealment and Blood Corpse Escape, he wasn't afraid of being targeted by rogue cultivators.

Seeing Wen Jiu refuse again, Wang Nian didn't press the issue and simply left, leaving behind one final sentence: "If you don't take this step today, one day you will still have to face a fight. Without battle experience, you'll already be at a disadvantage before the fight even begins!"

…

Three days after Wen Jiu refused Wang Nian's offer and continued his peaceful cultivation at home, he suddenly sensed that people had entered the Forsaken Corpse Grounds.

And quite a few of them.

Because the black ghoul had detected the presence of a large number of living beings.

Just as Wen Jiu was feeling surprised, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the center of the Forsaken Corpse Grounds.

Boom—

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A purple-black fire lotus bloomed in an instant.

It dispersed the lingering yin energy, shattering the silence of the night.

In that moment, Feixian Peak, which had settled into the quiet of late night, was instantly awakened. The disciples of the Night Patrol Division sprang into action.

Wen Jiu quickly climbed up a tree to get a better view of the situation. What he saw made his heart tighten—the formation sealing the central area of the Forsaken Corpse Grounds had been forcibly broken apart by the massive fire lotus. The disciples of the Night Patrol Division who had rushed over were swallowed up by the spreading flames.

The scale of the devastation was immense.

Without hesitation, Wen Jiu summoned the black ghoul from underground. With a single Blood Corpse Escape, he immediately returned to his residence.

"Good thing I was prepared and left corpse aura markers all over Feixian Peak to deal with sudden situations like this."

Without delay, he swept all his valuable belongings into his storage pouch, grabbed the black ghoul, and pushed open the door.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Wang Nian's wife peeking outside from her doorway, her face full of worry.

Wen Jiu didn't think twice and immediately spoke, "Sister-in-law, come with me. We're too close to the Forsaken Corpse Grounds—we need to leave now."

Wang Nian had always treated him well. How could he just leave his wife behind in danger?

Hearing his words, Wang Nian's wife nodded without hesitation and stepped out.

Unlike Wen Jiu, who even took the time to pack his lower-tier talisman brush, she left without a second thought.

And just like that, Wen Jiu led her away, sprinting toward the heart of Feixian Peak.

As soon as Wen Jiu reached the foot of Feixian Peak, he finally felt at ease.

The next moment, the sounds of battle erupted around the Forsaken Corpse Grounds, with spells continuously exploding in the dark of night.

The darkness was illuminated.

And more disciples of Feixian Peak were drawn toward the commotion.

Looking up and witnessing the scene, Wen Jiu said nothing—he simply watched in silence.

As more and more Feixian Peak disciples rushed to the site, the battle at the Forsaken Corpse Grounds grew fiercer. However, as the stewards and deacons arrived in large numbers, the sudden chaos seemed to be nearing its end.

Yet, at that very moment, a thunderous explosion erupted from the summit of Feixian Peak.

Then, a massive lotus, dark purple in color, bloomed abruptly.

The disturbance was even greater than at the Forsaken Corpse Grounds.

"Damn… Sis-in-law, we gotta go!"

Wen Jiu's expression tensed, and he immediately sprang into action.

He swiftly distanced himself from Feixian Peak.

By the time he had retreated four or five miles, he turned back and saw two figures locked in battle above Feixian Peak.

Even from a distance, he could feel the surging spiritual power—it was no longer at the level of an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

Qi Refining fourth stage?

Qi Refining fifth stage?

No.

Wen Jiu sensed that it had to be at least the Qi Refining sixth stage.

"This isn't good, I need to get even farther. When immortals fight, mortals suffer." Wen Jiu glanced at the panic-stricken Wang Sao beside him.

Retreat!

As Wen Jiu continued to back away, talismans and spells clashed repeatedly in the sky. However, the battle seemed to favor the black-clad cultivator whose spiritual power glowed dark purple. After a brief exchange, he struck his opponent down into the mountain forests with a single palm.

Immediately afterward, eerie laughter rang out across the night sky.

Yet, instead of pressing his advantage, the black-clad cultivator suddenly transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the Forsaken Corpse Grounds.

A hundred breaths later.

The Forsaken Corpse Grounds, which had begun to settle down, erupted once more with the deafening roars of spells and talismans.

The commotion lasted for nearly fifteen minutes before gradually fading.

But Wen Jiu remained where he was, watching from afar, unmoving.

Fifteen minutes.

Half an hour.

A full hour.

Only when he was sure that everything had returned to silence did Wen Jiu finally take Wang Sao home.

"Sis-in-law, if anything happens, just call for me." After escorting Wang Sao back, Wen Jiu quickly returned to his own place.

His black ghoul stood guard at the door.

He cultivated throughout the night.

Planning to wait until morning to check the situation.

To be honest, he still hadn't fully processed what had happened—everything at Feixian Peak had changed so suddenly in the dead of night.

What exactly had transpired?

...

The next morning.

Wen Jiu made his way to the Forsaken Corpse Grounds.

When he arrived, he saw many corpses laid out around the perimeter—some were ordinary Feixian Peak disciples, while others belonged to members of the Night Patrol Division and the Demon Slayers Division.

No fewer than a hundred bodies.

In addition, there were two or three hundred corpses of black-clad cultivators who had launched the night attack on the Forsaken Corpse Grounds.

Wen Jiu was used to seeing the Forsaken Corpse Grounds, but for new disciples, witnessing such a scene would likely leave them sleepless for several nights.

After all, knowing the cruelty of the cultivation world was one thing—seeing it with one's own eyes was another.

Liu Xiao saw Wen Jiu approaching and gave him a quick once-over. Seeing that he was unharmed, he said nothing.

After helping with the burial of the corpses, Wen Jiu went up Feixian Peak to take a look. He discovered that half the peak was now sealed under a formation.

Ordinary disciples were strictly forbidden from entering.

It was only two days later that he finally learned the truth—on that fateful night, the peak lord had fought a fierce battle against the remnants of the Bloodrobe Tower who had attacked Feixian Peak. Unfortunately, he had suffered serious injuries, and to make matters worse, the corpse of Xuemò Sānqiān had been stolen.

Because of this, the entire Feixian Peak was in low spirits. It felt as though their former pride had been mercilessly trampled underfoot.

But to Wen Jiu—

Something didn't add up.

Something was very wrong.

Because the corpse of Xuemò Sānqiān had been in his hands all along.

He had even stolen a quick glance at it while burying bodies earlier.

So, what exactly had the Bloodrobe Tower remnants stolen?

Had they taken nothing but thin air?

That same day, Wang Nian rushed back.

After hearing what had happened that night, he couldn't help but sigh. "I knew I wasn't wrong to trust you, kid!"

Wen Jiu nodded.

But he refused Wang Nian's invitation to drink in celebration.

Because he had a feeling that the Bloodrobe Tower's troubles were only just beginning.

And sure enough—

Four days later, the peak lord of Feixian Peak suddenly appeared again.

But his presence no longer carried the same imposing aura as before—just as the rumors suggested, he truly seemed to be seriously injured from that night.

With his arrival, two massive flying boats took to the skies.

And with them, an order was issued.

All Feixian Peak disciples at Qi Refining stage two or above—

Board the flying boats immediately!

We set off at once to exact revenge on the Bloodrobe Tower remnants!

At that moment, Wen Jiu saw the truth behind many things.

The stolen corpse was a lie.

The peak lord's injuries were likely also a lie.

But—

Why did they need even Qi Refining stage two disciples to join?

"Damn, there's no escaping this." Wen Jiu was utterly resigned.

Can't I just peacefully stay at the Forsaken Corpse Grounds? Is that too much to ask?