Things in Licheng City quickly spread to the surrounding area.
Was the courtesan Yun Yue of Yihongyuan actually a Great Snake?
Countless men had their hearts broken.
People were abuzz about the battle with the Snake Demon.
And naturally, the most talked-about figure was Jiang Ming, the Divine Concealment Sect's New Holy Son.
"If the Holy Son hadn't stepped in, who knows how many people would have died at that beast's hands."
"As expected of the Divine Concealment Sect's Holy Son. The moment he brought out the Heaven Severing Sword, the Snake Demon died on the spot."
"I heard the Holy Son shattered its Demon Core with a single sword strike."
"Heh, I was fortunate enough to be there and witness the Holy Son's magnificent apparition. His heavenly might was awe-inspiring, his power peerless—he was like an immortal."
That was what people said.
In this battle, the Divine Concealment Sect's New Holy Son made a name for himself across the land. Whenever people spoke of him, they praised and admired him.
Their desire to make a pilgrimage to him was plain to see.
Corpse Refining Courtyard:
Li Ye paced back and forth. The Snake Demon he had long dreamed of was finally dead.
But would a Great Snake like that be sent to Corpse Refining Courtyard?
And if it was, would it be given to him?
If he refined it, how much would his strength increase?
Li Ye was terribly excited, yet terribly anxious.
A Great Demon of this scale was exceedingly rare. Though dead, every part of it was a treasure.
Its Snake Skin, Snake Blood, Snake Bone, and Demon Core could all be put to great use.
Li Ye was worried the Divine Concealment Sect would deal with it internally.
If so, this great fortune would have nothing to do with him.
"Give it to me. It has to be me."
"They should give it to me, right?"
Li Ye kept muttering to himself. Like an ant on a hot pan, he paced circles around the courtyard, unable to sleep.
By afternoon, at Corpse Refining Courtyard:
The Esteemed Deacon in a yellow robe said coolly, "Draw lots."
Someone then brought over a teacup containing several slips of paper.
The heads of the twelve Corpse Incineration Halls didn't dare hesitate. The head of Courtyard No. 1 stepped forward first, lifted the lid, and pinched out a slip with two fingers.
He slowly unfolded it, then let out a sigh of relief.
Next came the head of Courtyard No. 2, but after taking half a step, he stopped. Turning back with a mocking smile, he said, "Old Wu, why don't you go first?"
The whole place burst into laughter.
Wu Qing, the head of Courtyard No. 3, flushed red. "You dare look down on my luck?"
The head of Courtyard No. 4 teased, "Old Wu, listen to yourself. You've drawn the lot so many times already. Who'd dare look down on your luck?"
The other heads joined in:
"Exactly! If the Corpse Incinerators in your Courtyard No. 3 weren't made of tough stuff, who knows how many times they'd have died by now."
"Old Wu, do you have some grudge against that young fellow? Are you using this chance to get him killed? That's too cruel."
"If that kid knew you were doing this to him, he'd probably undergo Corpse Transformation the moment he died, then come to your room at night and squeeze your neck."
"Heh, I can't even imagine how bitter he'd be. He might become a Corpse Cultivator on the spot."
"Old Wu, you haven't been cheating, have you? How do you manage to draw the lot every time?"
Cheat your own damn self!
The others' teasing made Wu Qing lose face. His expression turned red, then purple.
He strode forward, passing the head of Courtyard No. 2. "Fine, fine. This time I'll show you all who draws the lot."
You say I'm abusing my power to get revenge, deliberately sending my Corpse Incinerator to his death?
And now you're saying I cheat?
What nonsense!
Could you even cheat at something like this? And even if you could, would this be how you did it?
Wu Qing was furious. He lifted the lid and fished out slip after slip with two fingers.
After swapping them around, he finally picked the one that felt best in his hand.
The Esteemed Deacon in the yellow robe stood to one side. Not only did he make no move to stop Wu Qing, he watched with a beaming smile.
Wu Qing pulled out the slip and unfolded one corner. The others stared at him curiously, but he quickly folded it shut again.
"Open it. Why'd you stop?"
"Old Wu, are you feeling guilty?"
"Too scared to look?"
They all spoke up.
"Y-you draw them. We'll open them together."
"Ah, Old Wu, you're no fun. I'll draw mine and open it right away. Nothing."
"Mine too. Nothing."
"Nothing here either."
"Nothing here..."
When all the Black-Clad Academicians' heads had spread out their slips, the atmosphere turned strange in an instant.
Every gaze swiveled toward Wu Qing.
Old Wu tremblingly opened his slip. A faint line was unmistakably drawn across it.
"Hahaha! It really is you again, Old Wu!"
"Old Wu, you're sending your Corpse Incinerator to his death!"
"No wonder the Corpse Incinerators in Courtyard No. 3 have died the most over the years. Old Wu, are you sure you're not cheating?"
Everyone roared with laughter, teasing him with all their might.
Cheat your own damn self!
Was I fucking bored enough to cheat at something like this?
Is that even how cheating works?
Old Wu cursed furiously to himself, then began to doubt himself.
What the hell?
Could I be the chosen one of fortune? How else could I draw the lot every single time?
Once the result was clear,
the Esteemed Deacon in the yellow robe stepped forward and announced, "Courtyard No. 3 gets the roast chicken."
Then he gave Wu Qing an approving look. "Old Wu, that's some luck you've got. Teach me sometime."
Wu Qing's mouth twitched.
The Esteemed Deacon comforted him. "Though we drew lots again this time, the odds of certain death aren't high. Don't worry."
"Chief, what happened? Why the long face?"
"Don't tell me you drew it again."
"Chief, you really did draw it?"
The Black-Clad Academicians of Courtyard No. 3 saw Wu Qing walk out with a deeply troubled expression and hurried over to ask.
"Get lost, get lost! You think I want to draw it?"
"What are you standing around for? Get ready!"
Wu Qing yelled.
Good heavens, he really drew it.
The chief's luck was downright cursed by the God of Misfortune.
But the Corpse Incinerators couldn't take this kind of punishment forever.
Quite a few Black-Clad Academicians mourned for Li Ye.
Who knew how many more times that kid could hold out?
After a long, grueling wait, night finally fell.
Dusk arrived.
A heavy pounding sounded at the door. The one bringing dinner had arrived.
Li Ye hurried out, his whole body suddenly alight with energy.
He'd waited all day for this very moment.
Creak!
The door swung open. Li Ye looked down and saw a roast chicken and a jug of Daughter's Red on the ground.
It really was roast chicken.
It really was roast chicken.
It should be the Great Snake Demon, right?
Li Ye thought.
Roast chicken meant the Corpse Incinerator's last meal. After eating, he would face the fate of being devoured by a Fierce Corpse.
And right now, there probably wasn't a Fierce Corpse more ferocious than the Snake Demon.
"But it might be a human corpse, too."
Li Ye thought.
After all, the Snake Demon was a treasure from head to toe. The Divine Concealment Sect would probably dismantle its corpse, so there wasn't much chance it would be sent here.
Forget it. He'd take things as they came.
A human Fierce Corpse would be fine, too.
Li Ye reassured himself, then poked around the roast chicken. Unfortunately, he found no information about the task. Sometimes there was a note stuffed inside the chicken's belly, sometimes there wasn't.
Li Ye sighed inwardly, then dug in.
He hadn't had a decent meal in half a month. He alternated between bites of roast chicken and swigs of Daughter's Red, eating until grease ran down his chin.
Once he was full, night had fallen completely.
Hurried footsteps sounded outside.
Li Ye's senses were sharp; he heard them at once.
He stepped out of his room and happened to see two Corpse Deliverers carrying a corpse on a stretcher.
The corpse was drenched in blood. The Corpse Wrapping Cloth was stained a deep red, blood pouring from its corners in streams.
It had left a trail all the way here.
Damn, this poor fellow had it rough.
Li Ye looked on in surprise.
Bang!
The Corpse Deliverers carried the body into the Corpse Incineration Hall. This time they didn't set it on the ground. Instead, they struggled to lift it onto the corpse rack, then hurried away.
Rustle!
Next, dozens of Black-Clad Academicians flooded into the courtyard like a rising tide. They shut the gates, took up positions on both sides, and surrounded all of Courtyard No. 3.
They were fully prepared for battle.
"Begin," Wu Qing said gravely to Li Ye, who was staring into space.
Perhaps his conscience had finally stirred. He spoke again, breaking with precedent to warn Li Ye, "Be quick!"
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