Corpse Mutation

He took out a Spirit Stone and handed it to the Azure Skirt Girl together with the Spirit Egg and the Soaring Talisman.

Before Wang Changsheng had gone to take up his post in Peaceful County, Liu Qing'er had given him a Soaring Talisman and told him to use it to flee for his life if he encountered danger. However, in order to speed up his cultivation, Wang Changsheng had no choice but to use the Soaring Talisman in exchange.

A Soaring Talisman was worth more than thirty Spirit Stones. It was far faster than the Cloud Soaring Technique and was quite precious.

The Azure Skirt Girl smiled sweetly and handed the Water Gathering Pearl to Wang Changsheng. "Deal. This Water Gathering Pearl is yours, Fellow Daoist. Just inject a little spiritual power into it, and it will slowly gather Water Spirit Qi."

"Eh, Fairy, are you a disciple of the Red Leaf Ridge Lin Family?" As Wang Changsheng accepted the Water Gathering Pearl, he saw a pattern of a red leaf embroidered on the Azure Skirt Girl's sleeve and asked in surprise.

The Wang Family's residence was on Azure Lotus Mountain, and Wang Family disciples would introduce themselves as being from the Azure Lotus Wang Family.

The Red Leaf Ridge Lin Family was also an Immortal Cultivation Family, located in Guangling Prefecture, Ning Province.

The Lin Family was several times stronger than the Wang Family. They alone had more than five Foundation Establishment Cultivators and were the strongest Immortal Cultivation Family in Ning Province. It was said that the Lin Family had the support of the Purple Firmament Sect, and several of their clansmen had joined the Purple Firmament Sect.

"From the sound of it, Fellow Daoist, you must also come from an Immortal Cultivation Family, right?" Lin Yuyao smiled slightly and casually asked.

After hesitating briefly, Wang Changsheng cupped his hands and said solemnly, "I am Wang Changsheng of the Azure Lotus Wang Family."

Being able to meet a disciple of the Red Leaf Ridge Lin Family was no small gain. What puzzled Wang Changsheng was why a Lin Family disciple had come to Green Bamboo Market to set up a stall. Could she be an impostor?

He considered it carefully and quickly dismissed the thought. Of all people to impersonate, why impersonate a Lin Family disciple? Wasn't that courting death?

"So you are Fellow Daoist Wang. This little sister is Lin Yuyao. Do you have any more Spirit Eggs on you, Fellow Daoist Wang? This little sister can trade something for them; Spirit Stones are fine too," Lin Yuyao said sincerely.

"No more. I only had this one Spirit Egg."

Disappointment appeared on Lin Yuyao's face, but she quickly returned to normal and said warmly, "Fellow Daoist Wang, take another look at my other items. Is there anything else you would like to trade for?"

Wang Changsheng gave a bitter smile. "My purse is embarrassingly empty. I have nothing else to offer. I will not disturb Fairy Lin's business any longer."

With that, he rose to his feet.

Before he had gone far, an old man in a green robe approached him head-on.

The old man had grizzled hair and beard, a ruddy complexion, and an Azure Gourd tied at his waist. He reeked of alcohol; the smell could be detected from far away.

"Yuyao, have you not finished your transaction yet?" the green-robed old man asked with concern.

Lin Yuyao furrowed her delicate brows. "Father, why have you had so much to drink? Where is Mother?"

"I was happy today, so I had a few cups with your Uncle. You came to celebrate your maternal grandmother's birthday, not to do business. Making your uncle's family wait for you is terribly improper. Hurry and pack up your stall, then come back with me for dinner. Your mother is helping in the back kitchen and sent me to call you back."

Lin Yuyao nodded, packed up her stall, and left with the green-robed old man.

There were several inns in Green Bamboo Market, but lodging cost Spirit Stones. In order to save Spirit Stones, Wang Changsheng did not stay at an inn.

He wandered along the streets for a while before returning to the square.

More than a dozen Rogue Cultivators, all trying to save Spirit Stones, gathered in twos and threes in the corners of the square. Some flipped through books, while others chatted about heaven and earth.

Wang Changsheng found a corner, took out a book, and began reading it with great interest.

He read for the entire night.

The next morning, Wang Changsheng put away the book, stood up, stretched lazily, and headed out of the Market.

After leaving the bamboo forest, Wang Changsheng's lips moved a few times. A White Cloud appeared out of thin air beneath his feet, lifting him into the air. Once he had risen high enough, he flew into the distance.

At noon, Wang Changsheng returned to Lotus Island.

Without even stopping to rest, he took out the Water Gathering Pearl and began refining it.

He tossed the Water Gathering Pearl into the air before him, then flicked all ten fingers in succession, sending several hand seals into it.

The Water Gathering Pearl consisted of six Clam Pearls, and large numbers of Water-Gathering Spirit Patterns appeared on the surface of each one.

Time passed bit by bit. A thin layer of sweat seeped onto Wang Changsheng's forehead as his fingers continuously formed hand seals.

A quarter of an hour later, Wang Changsheng withdrew his hand seals. The Water Gathering Pearl's glow dimmed, and it fell into his hand.

"Finally refined!" Wang Changsheng let out a soft breath.

With a flick of his wrist, the Water Gathering Pearl flew from his hand and hovered in midair.

He lightly pointed at the Water Gathering Pearl, and it immediately blazed with blue light. Before long, specks of Blue Light began appearing in the surroundings.

Wang Changsheng nodded in satisfaction and began cultivating with the second-level incantation of the Cloud Rain Art.

Green Stone Town. Li Renjie and Li Renyi were notorious ruffians in Green Stone Town, idle loafers who did nothing all day and wandered about without a care.

Li Renjie and Li Renyi were blood brothers. Their family had once been fairly well-off, but after their father died of illness, the two brothers lost their entire fortune in business. They sold off their ancestral property and barely managed to get by. Yet they had no skills and were fond of food but lazy about work, so they soon spent all their money.

After discussing it, the two brothers set their sights on the dead.

Of course, they would not go so far as to dig up their own ancestors' graves. Instead, they turned their attention to the Wang Family, one of Green Stone Town's great clans.

The Wang Family had many clansmen. More than half the rice shops, cloth shops, and wine houses in town were run by Wang Family members. In Green Stone Town, there was a saying: Wang Half-Day.

The Wang Family had come from elsewhere, but their main family in the county seat was also influential. With the support of their main family, the Wang Family had swiftly gained a foothold in Green Stone Town. Wherever there was money to be made, Wang Family members could be found.

Green Stone Town produced marble, and the two largest quarries were both in the Wang Family's hands.

A month ago, the Old Master, the Wang Family's most senior elder, had celebrated his seventieth birthday. The banquet tables had stretched from one end of town to the other, and the feast had lasted a full three days. The Wang Family's wealth was plain to see.

Li Renjie and Li Renyi had also gone to mooch a meal. Seeing the Wang Family members draped in gold and silver while they themselves could barely afford three meals a day, they had long been bitterly resentful.

Several days ago, the Old Master's old illness had flared up, and he had passed away. He was buried in the Wang Family graveyard.

That night, at midnight, all was silent in the deep of night.

The brothers Li Renjie and Li Renyi arrived at the foot of a High Peak. A crude wooden hut stood not far away.

The Wang Family graveyard was on Green Stone Peak. To guard against grave robbers, the Wang Family had sent two clansmen to keep watch, and the Grave Keepers had built a crude wooden hut at the foot of the mountain.

At intervals, the Grave Keepers would go up the mountain to patrol.

Li Renjie and Li Renyi had observed the place for several days and had already figured out the Grave Keepers' routine.

After the Grave Keepers came down the mountain, the brothers took advantage of the darkness and quietly slipped up the mountain.

They had come thoroughly prepared, even bringing tools with them.

"Big Brother, there are so many graves here. Which one should we dig?" Li Renyi looked at the more than one hundred graves and did not know where to begin.

"Dig the Wang Family Old Master's grave first. His seniority was high, and his family was wealthy. There must be plenty of valuable burial goods with him. Find his grave."

The Old Master had only recently been buried, and his tombstone was brand-new and highly conspicuous.

Before long, they found the Old Master's grave.

Using their tools, the two easily dug open the Old Master's grave.

Just as Li Renjie had expected, there were many valuable burial goods in the coffin, and they did not leave behind a single item.

To make it easier to plunder the burial goods, they removed the Old Master's corpse from the coffin and carelessly tossed it onto the ground, face up. Moonlight happened to shine directly over the Old Master's body.

After Li Renjie and Li Renyi stripped away every last burial good, they dug up several more graves, but gained little from them.

Rumble!

A deafening peal of thunder rang out, as though Heaven itself were warning them not to commit such immoral deeds.

"It's about to rain. We've made quite a haul tonight, so let's go! When we run short of silver another day, we can come back and dig up a couple more graves."

Li Renjie and Li Renyi threw down their tools and left with the valuables.

An hour later, amid several tremendous claps of thunder, a torrential downpour began.

The Grave Keepers normally patrolled the mountain at intervals, but with the heavy rain falling, they felt that no one would brave such weather to rob graves and thus did not go up the mountain to inspect it.

The Old Master's corpse lay soaked in the rain, face up.

Time passed bit by bit. One of the Old Master's fingers twitched. Half an hour later, the Old Master's eyes suddenly flew open. With both arms held straight out, he hopped toward the foot of the mountain.

Before long, the Old Master disappeared into the curtain of night, hopping all the way.