Reckless Assassination

This exploitation was a bit too ruthless—he had to hand over a full sixty percent of the profits. In other words, only 200 Contribution Points would ultimately end up in his hands.

Even so, there was still profit to be made. After all, this was only a short-term task lasting half a year. The Mission Hall's tasks started at a minimum of one year, with a standard reward of 300 Spirit Stones.

The more time a task took, the higher its reward, though the difficulty of the task also played a part.

What Wang Yu valued more was being able to hide away in peace for half a year. The Cold Blood Peak Outer Disciples he had encountered over the past few days had all been exceedingly hostile. As time fermented the matter, this "lucky Spirit Slave" of his would likely become a target for all.

The Cold Blood Peak Outer Disciples who had pledged themselves to True Inheritor Su would not let the matter rest. Their goal was nothing more than to replace Wang Yu and obtain the right to reside in the Ice Snow Tower.

Forcing him to withdraw voluntarily was one method. Killing him was another.

At the foot of the Nine Peaks lay the Inverse Blood Ten Wards, home to the Inner and Outer Disciples of the entire Inverse Spirit Blood Sect, as well as the many businesses owned by Foundation Establishment and Core Formation Cultivators, serving the disciples' needs.

The number of Inner Disciples across the various peaks alone exceeded ten thousand. Combined across all Nine Peaks, they numbered nearly a hundred thousand. Add the even more numerous Outer Disciples, and the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect had no fewer than several hundred thousand disciples.

On the surface, sect rules forbade disciples from killing one another. But if no one discovered it, no one cared whether a disciple had vanished.

If the deed was clean enough, even the disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall could not be bothered to investigate.

During this period, Wang Yu avoided secluded and quiet places as much as possible, lest some accident occur. After bidding Zhao Shang farewell, he headed straight out, intending to visit the Alchemy Hall and purchase manuals on the cultivation and care of spirit herbs.

Such manuals were relatively cheap, and there were also many demonic cultivators who resold them. Every ward affiliated with the Nine Peaks had specially designated trading streets for the sect's disciples.

Every few years, the Nine Peaks jointly held a—[True Inheritor Auction]!

There were quite a few good items there, and even high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills sometimes appeared.

But those things were still far from Wang Yu. He needed time to accumulate wealth and raise his cultivation realm.

After spending all the Spirit Sand he had, he only bought a manual describing various first-rank spirit herbs and methods of caring for them, titled Herbal Compendium · Qi Refining Chapter.

This item could greatly broaden Wang Yu's horizons, teaching him how to distinguish, cultivate, and recognize herbs. It would also be of great use in making a living in the future.

The four arts of cultivation: alchemy, artifact forging, talismans, and formations!

There was no particular ranking among them, but when it came to burning money, alchemy ranked first. Once one achieved even a little success, it was also the fastest way to make money.

He had also set his sights on this craft. The Placement Slot was simply too well-suited for a skill that required such technique.

Even if he had to grind it out, he could improve. Nor would he need to consume too many materials to practice—the Placement Slot would cultivate muscle memory, as though another version of himself were honing it in an unknown space.

[Placement Slot 2: Herbal Compendium · Qi Refining Chapter]

"Herbal Compendium (0/100): Record twelve shichen; completion in four days."

Sure enough, purely knowledge-based material could be forcefully memorized, and the speed was astonishing.

Knowledge flooded into his mind almost every moment. It felt as though knowledge itself was strengthening him—wonderful and delightful~

After accepting the "Care for the Medicine Garden" task, the scroll recording its detailed information arrived in his hands. Just as he was about to examine the specific location—

A cold wind swept over him.

Wang Yu abruptly raised his head, only to discover in shock that he had unknowingly walked into a dark alley.

Had his mind been bewitched?

One person emerged ahead of him and another behind him, openly revealing their true faces. They stood no more than three zhang away from him—ten meters—and a colorful butterfly perched on the shoulder of the cultivator in front.

"Wang Yu, how effective is my Bewildering Butterfly?"

Without answering, he had already begun circulating the spiritual power within his body. Judging from their auras, the cultivator behind him was at the Qi Refining Third Layer, while the one controlling the butterfly in front was at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. This was somewhat troublesome.

"What do you intend?"

"Heh—"

The other party moved in a flash, stepping with Ghost Shadow Step and arriving at Wang Yu's side in an instant. With two fingers held together like a sword, he slashed forward in a reverse arc.

The technique bore an uncanny resemblance to the hand-chop Steward Liu had used that day!

Wang Yu had originally intended to stall for time and seize the chance to launch a sneak attack. He had not expected the other party to act so decisively, nor to strike with lethal intent. Fortunately, he had long been prepared.

With the tip of his foot lightly touching the ground, he bent at the waist and slid backward as stiffly as an iron plate to evade. Forming a hand seal, he swiftly condensed a hiltless Ice Sword more than eight chi long.

Swoosh—

The Ice Sword collided with the blade of qi, and both dissipated.

The Qi Refining Mid Stage cultivator was surprised by Wang Yu's attainments in spellcasting. One seal, one spell—this was the mark of mastery in a spell. As far as he knew, this Spirit Slave had cultivated for less than half a year, yet he possessed such comprehension.

No wonder True Inheritor Su had taken a liking to him. Unfortunately, he had encountered him.

He shouted.

"Chen San Shi, attack!"

The one who answered was precisely the Qi Refining Third Layer Outer Disciple behind Wang Yu. Wang Yu's backward evasive movement was like throwing himself straight into the man's embrace.

"Perfect timing."

The man drew a longsword and, empowered by spiritual power, slashed down. Wang Yu kicked off the ground once more and flipped his entire body around, only to see densely packed Ice Swords, each no longer than an index finger, shooting out in a volley.

There were at least twenty or thirty of them. Chen San Shi's eyes widened. With danger pressing upon him, the strength behind his strike inevitably weakened. The sword blade struck Wang Yu's back, leaving behind a bloody wound.

But Chen San Shi himself was completely pierced through by the barrage of Ice Swords, dying with his eyes still open!

With his tactic successful, Wang Yu hooked out a hand and pulled Chen San Shi's Storage Bag into his robes. There was no longer any obstruction behind him—he could rush out of the dark alley and onto the main street at any moment.

That strike against a Qi Refining Mid Stage cultivator had merely been a feint.

His true target had always been the cultivator behind him, who was at the same realm as himself. Only by swiftly killing one of them could he secure an invincible position, able both to attack and retreat.

"You, a mere Spirit Slave, dare slaughter a fellow disciple?!"

"What a joke."

Wang Yu let out a disdainful sneer.

"Must Wang stretch out his neck and let you beasts butcher him?!!"

After mocking him, Wang Yu narrowed his eyes and studied the man's face, saying coldly, "I was personally selected by True Inheritor Su to enter Ice Snow Tower. Even if you kill me, what confidence do you have that you can enter the tower and obtain a room of your own?"

The man retreated several steps and glared viciously at him.

"However Su Qing Shan got in, that's how I'll get in. What business is it of yours?"

None of my business? Wang Yu nearly laughed from sheer anger.

As for Su Qing Shan, he was the other cultivator residing in Ice Snow Tower as an Outer Disciple.

The reason he had been able to enter was that, during the previous Nine Peaks Outer Sect Grand Competition, he had slain a Qi Refining Eighth Layer disciple with the cultivation of the Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

He had later caught True Inheritor Su's eye, been recruited, and moved into Ice Snow Tower.

The fundamental reason was combat strength that surpassed those of the same realm!

Wang Yu frowned. "You're at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, while I'm only at the Qi Refining Third Layer. What would killing me prove? You don't even know why True Inheritor Su took notice of Wang, yet you rashly came to attack. How do you know you aren't being used by someone?"

After thinking it over, Wang Yu felt there were not many people with reason to target him. Duan Ping, Fatty Duan, was one; the missing Steward Liu counted as another; and Zhao Shang was also a possibility, though his suspicion was relatively low.

Faced with Wang Yu's barrage of questions, the assassin's expression shifted between light and dark. Clearly, he was thinking as well.