Blood Corpse True Person

Seeing the system prompt pop up, Lu Qingshan knew he had activated his first faction camp.

According to his memories, even before the game entered the Underworld Demonic Shadow version, there had already been quite a few players who had unlocked the Zhishou Tower camp.

Zhishou Tower was not only a camp with enormous potential for development, worthy of his investing some effort into building favor and raising his status within it.

More importantly, Zhishou Tower was, in most circumstances, an extremely trustworthy camp.

—During the war against the Underworld, many Zhishou Tower cultivators had sacrificed their lives without hesitation to protect humanity.

Lu Qingshan cupped his hands toward Jiang Rong and Tantai Qingrun, his voice cold. "My lords, then I shall take my leave first and pay a visit to that Blood Corpse True Person!"

He had done all he could. What came next was no longer something a mere Qi Refining cultivator like him could take part in.

Still, he believed that since Zhishou Tower had been able to shoulder the banner of humanity and stand against the Underworld for an entire version during the Underworld Demonic Shadow version, its capabilities would certainly not disappoint him.

Zhishou Tower had no useless mediocrities.

With such detailed intelligence provided by him, the Underworld would surely suffer no small loss this time.

Lu Qingshan took his leave and turned to depart. The moment he stepped out of the room and reached the first floor, a cultivator in a black robe was already standing by the staircase.

"The Deputy Tower Master instructed me to take you to the Prison Department to see Blood Corpse True Person." The black-robed cultivator spoke flatly, without a trace of emotion.

"Please lead the way." Lu Qingshan nodded.

Jiang Rong and Tantai Qingrun looked at each other. After several seconds of silence, Jiang Rong asked, "Should we contact Overseer Qi immediately?"

Tantai Qingrun shook her head. "No rush. There is still time. Uncle Rong, you are a Nether Cultivator, and your escape arts are exquisite. Go investigate the location of the blood pool Lu Qingshan mentioned first, and verify whether his words are true."

Jiang Rong agreed. "All right."

After hesitating for a few seconds, Jiang Rong asked, "What do you think Lu Qingshan's purpose is in asking us for this Blood Corpse True Person?"

Tantai Qingrun's gaze was clear as she slowly said, "Perhaps Lu Qingshan is the same kind of person as you, Uncle Rong. I can sense it. When Lu Qingshan mentioned Blood Corpse True Person, his killing intent was intense."

Sword Cultivators excelled most in slaughter and battle. As a Golden Core Sword Cultivator, Tantai Qingrun was especially keenly attuned to killing intent.

Since even Tantai Qingrun had said so, then the claim that Lu Qingshan wanted Blood Corpse True Person dead was surely beyond doubt.

"From his words, I could also sense his hatred for the Underworld. But... he is different from me." Jiang Rong fell silent for a moment before denying Tantai Qingrun's assessment. "He and I are not the same kind of person. The reason I hate the Underworld to the marrow of my bones is largely because of the beast uprising it instigated back then. The hatred of extermination cannot be shared beneath the same sky. Yet in Lu Qingshan, I did not sense that killing intent mixed with personal emotion.

His hatred toward the Underworld seemed instead to be a pure, simple loathing."

A hundred years ago, the Underworld had once stirred up a demonic beast uprising in Azure Province.

The demonic beasts controlled by Demon Cultivators had rampaged without restraint, assaulting human cities.

During that beast uprising, two prefectural cities had been directly wiped from humanity's map.

One of those prefectural cities had been Beishui City, where Jiang Rong had lived.

At the time, Jiang Rong had not been in Beishui City and had narrowly escaped the calamity of the city's massacre. Yet every member of his Lineage had perished in that great disaster, leaving not a single survivor.

That was also why Jiang Rong had chosen to join Zhishou Tower, dedicating himself heart and soul to avenging himself upon the Underworld.

Jiang Rong frowned. "There must be another reason for his killing intent toward the Underworld. Yet according to the information we uncovered, Lu Qingshan is only fifteen this year. Every experience of his life is crystal clear and traceable.

Throughout the course of his past fifteen years, we found no sign whatsoever that he had ever crossed paths with the Underworld. I cannot understand where his enmity toward the Underworld came from, much less where his intelligence came from."

Tantai Qingrun remained unhurried. "Uncle Rong, as far as I know, not every part of Lu Qingshan's life is traceable."

Jiang Rong seemed to recall something. "You mean the three months Lu Qingshan vanished after being attacked?"

Zhishou Tower did not know what exactly had happened during those three months when Lu Qingshan had disappeared.

"Since, throughout those fifteen traceable years, Lu Qingshan had always been nothing more than an ordinary mortal, then all the strange things about him now should stem from those three months after his disappearance. We simply do not know what happened during those three months that could change a person so drastically." Tantai Qingrun said calmly, "I even suspect whether he is still the same Lu Qingshan."

"Body Seizure?" Jiang Rong immediately understood what Tantai Qingrun meant.

Only Body Seizure could cause such a complete transformation in someone.

"Even the way he speaks does not resemble that of a fifteen-year-old youth in the slightest. Not to mention that he knows so much classified intelligence."

"Body Seizure is an art only Nascent Soul Cultivators can use. In other words, this Lu Qingshan may be a Nascent Soul Cultivator?"

Tantai Qingrun nodded. "Very likely. However, our most pressing matter is the Underworld's plot against Overseer Qi that Lu Qingshan mentioned. As for Lu Qingshan's identity, we can investigate it thoroughly after this matter is settled."

Naturally, Jiang Rong understood this as well. "All right. Then I shall act at once and investigate the location of the blood pool."

Having settled on their course of action, Jiang Rong delayed no longer. With the Smoke Luo Technique, he transformed into a wisp of light smoke and swiftly departed.

The Prison Department was where Zhishou Tower imprisoned Demon Cultivators.

Such an important location would not be displayed out in the open.

In truth, the Prison Department was hidden deep beneath Yuanshan Tower.

The black-robed cultivator led Lu Qingshan several steps farther inward before finally stopping before a wall.

The black-robed cultivator formed several hand seals with his fingers. Then, a square, pitch-black Spirit Seal made of spiritual power flew from his hand and sank into the space ahead.

A hazy shimmer spread across the wall before gradually becoming clear, revealing a long passage descending underground.

The black-robed cultivator stepped inside.

Lu Qingshan suspected nothing and closely followed in his footsteps.

The walls on both sides of the passage were built from bluestone and gave off a dim, faint glow.

After walking downward for some time, the originally dark surroundings suddenly brightened.

This was a vast underground base constructed through the power of cultivators.

The Yuanshan Tower above ground was like the tiny tip of an iceberg protruding from the water.

The true colossal entity had always been hidden beneath the earth.

This also suited Zhishou Tower's principle of keeping a low profile.

Lu Qingshan had long known of this, so he was not particularly surprised.

He also knew that the Prison Department should lie at the deepest part of this underground base.

"Follow me. Do not look around carelessly." The black-robed cultivator's voice was icy.

Led by the black-robed cultivator, Lu Qingshan proceeded straight into the depths of the underground base. Every so often, he would see one dark chamber after another, and along the way, they encountered quite a few cultivators likewise dressed in black robes.

Although the information he obtained by casting the Heavenly Eye Technique was all question marks, Lu Qingshan knew clearly that every one of these black-robed cultivators was at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

After who knew how long, the air had grown somewhat murky. At last, two iron doors forged from cold iron appeared in Lu Qingshan's field of vision.

"What business do you have?"

A Prison Department cultivator with slightly clouded eyes stopped the two of them.

The black-robed cultivator was extremely respectful toward the Prison Department cultivator before him. He handed over a jade pendant. "The Deputy Tower Master ordered me to bring this person to see the Demon Cultivator Blood Corpse True Person, who was captured today. He also instructed that Blood Corpse True Person be handed over to this person for him to deal with as he pleased."

The Prison Department cultivator accepted the jade pendant and sent his Spiritual Sense into it, verifying the message contained within.

Not long after, the Prison Department cultivator handed the jade pendant back to the black-robed cultivator. Shifting slightly aside, he made way for them. "Go in."

The two iron doors opened without a sound, entirely lacking the sinister grinding of iron common to mortal prisons.

Led by the black-robed cultivator, Lu Qingshan soon found the cell where Blood Corpse True Person was imprisoned.

Through the bars of the cell, Lu Qingshan looked at Blood Corpse True Person inside, his face pale.

Lu Qingshan sneered inwardly.

One day ago, he had been material for Blood Corpse True Person to refine into a Corpse Puppet.

One day later, Blood Corpse True Person's life was in his hands.

The fortunes of the world were ever so changeable.