Taking the Stronghold (Seeking Continued Reading, Seeking Votes)

Wang Yu could not help but feel curious. Had the previous round's team developed in this kind of environment? Spell duels actually brought great benefits to a cultivator's strength as well.

If they fought like this every day for five consecutive years, it would not be strange for every one of them to reach the Qi Refining Late Stage. The weak died early, while the strong naturally became ever more outstanding, their cultivation speed soaring.

The sect mission required each person to mine ten thousand jin of Bone Wood and bring it back to fulfill the assignment. If it was Second Tier Bone Wood, one hundred jin would suffice.

That was the quota for five years, so there was no need to rush.

After gathering intelligence, Wang Yu felt a headache coming on. Before next April, he would definitely need to clear several strongholds where Second Tier Bone Wood grew—and they had to contain Bone Sacs.

The higher they were, the better the trees grew. Second Tier Bone Wood was almost entirely concentrated within the top several dozen levels, becoming sparser the farther down one went. For instance, the entire two-hundredth level had only one Second Tier Bone Wood tree, and it had been occupied by a bee swarm.

When he returned to the surface, Gu Zheng Shun and the others were controlling twenty-one Bronze Armor Corpses, burying Formation Eyes at the locations they had chosen. As triangular Black Flags were planted one after another—

The bottom thirty levels of Profound Bone Mountain were enveloped in a layer of black mist, covering only the area where the Heavenly Corpse Peak disciples normally lived and cultivated.

"Is this to guard against Liu Jin Xian and Situ Hong?"

"Who else would it be?"

Gu Zheng Shun replied with a question, then sighed.

"We have few people, so we must be cautious. Gu has no desire to fight them for anything.

"With Junior Brother Wang included, we have only twenty-two people in total. These three hundred levels of Profound Bone Mountain are enough for every one of us to eat until our bellies are full and our pockets overflow. Why fight for even more?"

Insatiable greed was hardly a good thing; it was enough to guard this one-acre, three-fen plot of land well. Gu Zheng Shun's awareness made Wang Yu click his tongue in admiration, greatly improving his impression of the man.

It was good not to court trouble. Wang Yu did not want trouble either. Five years of quiet cultivation would be enough to let him transform and renew his bones, taking another step forward.

Clap, clap—

After clapping his hands and gathering everyone together, Gu Zheng Shun laid out the plans ahead. He said:

"For now, do not concern yourselves with mining Bone Wood.

"Before next April, you must capture ten locations with Bone Sacs and Second Tier Bone Wood. Whatever remains after that will be yours. Understand?"

Wang Yu could not help revealing a strange expression.

"Senior Brother Gu intends to...?"

"Hehe, Junior Brother Wang need not worry. You only need to handle your own matters; there is no need to concern yourself with your senior brother. They are all expendable materials sent by my Gu Family, specifically here to serve me. Even if they die, they still have their value.

"You and I were partners first. We... will keep our accounts separate."

"That works too." Wang Yu raised a brow, fairly satisfied with this arrangement. It was better to rely on himself.

"In that case, I'll be taking my leave first."

"Good—"

Wang Yu once more rode the Black Silk upward. He was alone; even if he captured the lower levels, the resources were too sparse. His sights were set on the topmost levels.

There, Second Tier Bone Wood grew densely, there were fewer bee swarms, and more Ferocious Bone Lions.

His abilities were better suited to dealing with Ferocious Bone Lions. Capturing two levels would be enough for his needs. As for whether Gu Zheng Shun would go back on his word later and bring people to pluck his peaches—

Based on what Wang Yu had observed during their recent interactions, he would not.

Gu Zheng Shun was someone who understood how to assess the situation exceptionally well. There was a high chance he had watched the battle between Wang Yu and Xu Jiao Jiao at the Corpse Raising Ground.

Unless he had absolute confidence in killing Wang Yu, this man would not make a move.

Not long after Wang Yu left.

A Talisman Letter flew in from beyond the newly established Formation. A disciple brought it over and handed it to Gu Zheng Shun, who muttered to himself.

"Situ Hong and Liu Jin Xian are inviting me to meet at the camp between the three Profound Bone Mountains?

"A gathering of Mountain Masters? It does make sense when we've only just arrived.

"But... ah—I'm not going~"

With a flick of his finger, he burned the Talisman Letter to ashes, then continued with his work.

Meanwhile.

At the central camp, Situ Hong, elegant and refined with a remarkably handsome face, sat opposite Liu Jin Xian. He said:

"Looks like that pig Gu Zheng Shun refuses to come out. What does Senior Sister Liu say?"

Liu Jin Xian had a head of green hair and reasonably pretty features. Unfortunately, her nose looked as though it had been gnawed away by insects, leaving behind two dark, hollow holes. The sight was both ridiculous and revolting.

Several gray woodlice crawled inside them, making her resemble a corpse. Whenever she opened her mouth, a sweet, cloying odor spilled out, causing waves of hallucinations to rise in others.

"He isn't coming?

"If he won't come, then kill him. I want all the Rotting Poison Bee Swarms on the three Profound Bone Mountains!"

Hearing this, Situ Hong said somewhat speechlessly,

"He has set up an illusion Formation. Can Senior Sister break it?"

"Of course it will be easy. Are you coming or not?"

"I'll pass. I still need to select suitable Bone Wood."

"Hmph, coward."

Such a blunt attempt at provocation was completely ineffective against Situ Hong. He even found it somewhat amusing. They had only just arrived, and it was still far from the flowering season of the Profound Essence Flower. Why would he do something with no benefit in it?

"If Senior Sister Liu wishes to do it, then do it. This junior brother will be leaving first."

The two failed to reach an agreement and parted peacefully.

Third Profound Bone Mountain, level two hundred and ninety.

Wang Yu stood beneath a Second Tier Bone Wood tree, icy-blue spirit qi emanating from his left hand as it tightly gripped a Ferocious Bone Lion by the throat.

Crack—

He snapped its neck and casually threw its body onto the ground. Wang Yu found it surprisingly easy. An adult Ferocious Bone Lion possessed strength comparable to a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator, making it stronger in realm than Xu Jiao Jiao.

Yet these Wild Demon Beasts of low intelligence had neither a multitude of spells nor powerful Magical Artifacts, and they traveled alone.

With Wang Yu's strength, he could cast the Night Concealment Spell at the perfected level, bind them with the Nether Spirit Iron Chain, then seize their throats with his left Corpse Arm. Under that immense strength, they were simply no match for him.

His formidable combat strength and diverse methods were his true reliance.

The Divine Strength Corpse Arm, his newly added trump card, could still provide him with immense assistance even without using that Death Qi.

Judging by the strength displayed by the Ferocious Bone Lions, an Outer Disciple of the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer could kill one in a one-on-one fight. What a waste of the advantage their realm gave them.

That was the difference between possessing a sect's foundation and growing wildly in the wilderness.

He truly ought to thank the scoundrel who had sold him to the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect. Otherwise, he would not have grown to his current level in merely a little over three years.

This two-hundred-and-ninetieth level had roughly twenty-odd Second Tier Profound Bone Wood trees, four Ferocious Bone Lions, and three Rotting Poison Bee Swarms. Only four Second Tier Bone Wood trees had flower buds, while over a hundred First Tier Bone Wood trees showed signs of growing Profound Essence Flowers.

Having temporarily captured one stronghold, Wang Yu began setting up a Formation he had purchased from within the sect. It was named the Blood Mist Spirit Concealment Formation, a typical First Tier Top Grade illusion Formation.

It could completely conceal spirit qi fluctuations within a hundred meters, block outside surveillance, and isolate all movement and sound within and without, preventing disturbances from affecting those inside.

This set of Formation Flags was quite expensive, costing a full two thousand Spirit Stones. Once activated, it required one Spirit Stone each day, and its spiritual power consumption would double when facing external enemies.

Wang Yu happened to have plenty of Spirit Stones, so he did not care about such expenditure.

His cooperation with Zhao Shang had earned him at least ten thousand Spirit Stones from Ice Snow Tower. Several of them together had swallowed no fewer than fifty thousand Spirit Stones from the tower. To True Inheritor Su, it was merely a small sum.

But if this continued, they would sooner or later be discovered.