Night Raid on Bamboo Heart Courtyard

Su Hao couldn't possibly keep that vicious woman around.

He had no foolproof way to guarantee Zhang Jiaojiao's loyalty, nor did he want to waste his time and energy on someone like her.

Killing her was the best option.

However, considering Zhang Jiaojiao had been relatively cooperative, Su Hao's method of killing was somewhat gentler.

In the hall, the woman's corpse lay sprawled on the ground, her gauze dress disheveled, devoid of life.

"Absorbing talent power [Fire Spirit Body]."

Su Hao's spiritual energy increased by a sliver, but he was deeply dissatisfied. "Just this much effect..."

Zhou Cui Feng, also at Qi Refining Level 5, had saved Su Hao months of hard work.

Zhang Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was far inferior, equivalent to only five days of arduous cultivation.

Su Hao was very disappointed and began searching through her storage bag.

Her inheritance was slightly more than Chen Yifeng's.

About thirty spirit stones, a long sword magic artifact, a cultivation method, and the rest were women's clothing, rouge, and perfume.

"Soaring Cloud Technique? An aerial maneuver spell." Su Hao's eyes lit up. "Low-grade magic artifact, Spirit Snake Sword. It's more suited for feminine, graceful cultivation methods. When activated, it can transform into a spirit snake to assist in attacks, at least better than the Golden Rock Sword."

The spiritual light that Chen Yifeng and Zhang Jiaojiao had transformed into earlier was the Soaring Cloud Technique.

These types of spells generally had average speed and consumed a lot of energy, making them inferior to flying magic artifacts.

However, they also had their advantages, offering higher flexibility.

"Right, the Soul Refining Banner..."

Just as Su Hao was about to deal with the corpse, he remembered the Soul Refining Banner.

He then activated the soul refining method, extracting the soul from the corpse.

Normally, upon death, a human's three souls and seven spirits scatter throughout the body and then return to heaven and earth within a certain period.

The soul refining method was quite cruel; the souls were refined into malevolent spirits and absorbed into the Soul Refining Banner, becoming its puppets. They would then be unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation.

If these malevolent spirits were lucky, they might be freed if the Soul Refining Banner was destroyed.

If they were unlucky, they would be annihilated in battle or perish along with the banner, never to be reborn.

Su Hao didn't care about any of that.

In a short while, a wisp of black mist appeared in his hand, occasionally taking on Zhang Jiaojiao's form.

Then, the soul entered the space within the Soul Refining Banner.

Zhang Jiaojiao became one of the malevolent spirits, devoid of consciousness, wandering aimlessly within the space.

After a while, she would be completely under the control of the Soul Refining Banner.

"Next is transferring the souls from Chen Yifeng's Soul Refining Banner."

Su Hao spent more than half the night selecting souls from it.

He transferred the malevolent spirits at Qi Refining Level 3 and above. The remaining sixteen malevolent spirits, at Qi Refining Level 1 or 2, returned to heaven and earth as the Soul Refining Banner disintegrated.

Su Hao only saw wisps of black mist gradually turn into white smoke and dissipate, likely re-entering the cycle of reincarnation, he presumed.

He didn't really believe that, though.

The corpse of Zhang Jiaojiao on the ground had already stiffened.

The bodies of cultivators could remain preserved for a long time, and this corpse had not yet begun to emit a foul odor.

Dealing with this corpse was even simpler.

Su Hao had recently found a potion called Corpse Dissolving Water in Lin Zhi Shan's medicine storage, specifically designed for handling dead flesh and blood.

It was just his first time witnessing its effects firsthand.

A corpse that still held some beauty dissolved into a pool of blood in mere moments.

This was much more convenient than disposing of bodies at Tiger Fall Cliff.

The true fear, for both him and people like Zhang Jiaojiao, wasn't about how to cleanly dispose of a body, but rather the deceased's background, connections, and whether powerful cultivators existed behind them.

If some powerful figures were determined to investigate and seek revenge, they wouldn't lack spells or secret treasures to pinpoint the killer.

Next, after studying the Soul Refining Banner for a while, Su Hao planned to refine the remaining spiritual medicines into Pure Qi Pills and Spirit Gathering Powder.

These two pills, even at top quality, had limited effect on him, and their cost-effectiveness was low.

Exchanging them for spirit stones to acquire better spiritual medicines and craft more advanced cultivation pills was the most sensible choice.

However, Pure Qi Pills and Spirit Gathering Powder were hot commodities in the Outer Sect.

Su Hao already knew the location of the black market from Zhang Jiaojiao. He would discreetly sell the goods there and convert them into spirit stones.

As for whether the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion would demand the remaining medicinal ingredients, Huang Shanyu hadn't mentioned it at the time.

Even if they came to demand the unused spiritual medicines now, he would simply shift all the blame onto Lin Zhi Shan.

Regarding the commissions, I've already handled some according to the instructions of my deceased Master, Lin Zhi Shan.

What do the other matters have to do with me, a novice cultivator who can only refine trashy Fragrant Treasure Pills?

Actually, Su Hao was just worried that the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion would hold a grudge against him, and he needed to fabricate a story about Lin Zhi Shan fleeing the sect with a high degree of credibility.

He had no choice but to hand over some of the commissions.

Otherwise, keeping it all for himself would be the most profitable!

While Su Hao continued to refine pills...

A graceful figure sneaked into Bamboo Heart Courtyard.

"As expected, Lin Zhi Shan's Medicine Slaves are still here!" Liu Mei rejoiced secretly in the courtyard.

Back then, she had spared them out of consideration for their relationship and hadn't gone too hard, only absorbing the essence of one Medicine Slave.

But now, with her hatred deepened, she had no need for any mercy.

"Tonight, I'll absorb the essence of three first," Liu Mei licked her lips, glancing in the direction of the mountain peak. "For the last one, I'll deal with Su Hao. Thinking about it now, that kid is quite suspicious. It seems I didn't completely bewitch him back then."

Liu Mei knocked on the door of one of the rooms in the courtyard.

"Damn it, who's knocking at this ungodly hour!"

The moment the young man opened the door, he immediately perked up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Fairy... Fairy, am I dreaming? Is there really such a beautiful woman in the world?"

He had been here for so many days and hadn't touched a woman.

Alchemist Lin had promised him that he would have fine food and clothing and beautiful women to serve him here.

Unfortunately, the so-called beautiful women to serve him had never materialized. It had been a month, and he hadn't even seen a woman, nor were they allowed to touch the maids.

"Could it be that Alchemist Lin sent you?" Seeing Liu Mei's charming smile, which hinted at seduction, the young man quickly pulled Liu Mei into the room. "Fairy, may I know your esteemed surname and given name?"

"Heh, the night is short, why ask so many questions, young master?"

"Right, right. The night is short, the night is short! Hurry and take off your clothes." The young man eagerly shed his inner robe.

As a fragrant mist enveloped him, his movements abruptly stiffened. He froze in place, trembling uncontrollably, and wisps of bloody mist began to dissipate from his body.

Liu Mei sat lazily on the bed, breathing in these wisps of bloody mist with a look of satisfaction. "A month has passed, and the medicinal potency is still so strong, not much has been lost. Lin Zhi Shan's secret method for these Medicine Slaves is indeed miraculous. It's almost as if it was prepared for me. With so many Medicine Slaves, it's enough for me to break through!"

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a shriveled corpse fell to the ground.

Liu Mei then headed to the next Medicine Slave's room.

As soon as dawn broke.

"Three people died in Bamboo Heart Courtyard, and all their bodies turned into mummified corpses."

Huang Jiao rushed to the cave dwelling to report the news.

Su Hao's expression changed drastically. Who else could have done this? It definitely had something to do with Joy Peak, right? Was it Liu Mei?

"Yes, the Medicine Slaves that Master painstakingly cultivated were killed just like that. I suspect they were drained dry. It's very likely the work of a Joy Peak disciple."

Huang Jiao was terrified. "This matter must be reported to Master!"

"Report to Master?" Su Hao raised an eyebrow. How should I report it? Report it in the underworld? "Don't panic, I'll take responsibility. If Master is capable of returning, I'll pay with my life!"

He rushed to Bamboo Heart Courtyard. Without even looking at the mummified corpses in the courtyard, he first began to absorb their innate talents.

"Absorbing innate talent [Medicine Person]. This series of talents is complete. [Medicine Person] has automatically turned into a gray fragment."

"Absorbing innate talent [Medicine Person]. This series of talents is complete. [Medicine Person] has automatically turned into a gray fragment."

"..."

"Gray fragment ×3. Talent fragments can be used to evolve any talent of the corresponding quality. Fragments cannot be synthesized."

If only these gray fragments could be synthesized further, it would be great. But alas, fragments and fragments cannot be combined.

Su Hao felt a little regretful.