Corpse Dissector

Generally speaking, after cultivators reached the age of sixty, their vital energy and blood would gradually decline. Foundation Establishment required cultivators to raise their essence, qi, and spirit to the strongest state of the Human Race, then break through the limits of the human body, undergo a transformation, fundamentally complete the evolution of life, and thereby gain greater power and longevity.

In other words, after a person passed sixty, the possibility of Foundation Establishment became extremely low, and it would continue to decline with age.

Although Wu Sheng was only sixteen, for the sake of Foundation Establishment and a longer lifespan, he had no choice but to go all out at this age and accumulate more cultivation resources for himself.

Though Wu Sheng was proud, he had clear goals and plans for his cultivation.

Of course, most of this had been taught to him by his deceased father, and it was also one of the greatest legacies his father had left him.

After receiving the corpse-catcher's token, Wu Sheng respectfully withdrew to one side.

This scene greatly shocked the five people behind him, especially Song Wen, who had lived another life.

It seemed the Cultivation World was not merely about fighting and killing. Like the mortal world, it was still filled with the ways of people and society. Even the demonic path, renowned for its brutality and bloodlust, was no exception.

Next came the four newcomers' turn to choose their novice assignments.

Perhaps the four had discussed it beforehand, because without prior agreement, all four chose to become spirit herb cultivators at the Spirit Medicine Hall.

Corpse Demon Sect cultivators required vast quantities of pills for cultivation. Refining those pills required all kinds of spirit herbs and poisonous plants. Naturally, these herbs and poisonous plants could not all be obtained from secret realms and the wilderness; the overwhelming majority were cultivated by the Corpse Demon Sect's Spirit Medicine Hall.

The work of spirit herb cultivators was to cultivate spirit herbs and poisonous plants at the Spirit Medicine Hall. It was one of the least dangerous jobs within the Corpse Demon Sect. Aside from the occasional venomous insect appearing in the Spirit Medicine Garden, it was basically impossible to encounter any other danger.

Naturally, spirit herb cultivators received relatively poor treatment. But to these four, whose minds had yet to mature and who knew almost nothing about cultivation or the demonic sect's practices, it was undoubtedly a very good choice.

Finally, it was Song Wen's turn to choose.

"I choose to go to the Blood Refining Hall and become a corpse dissector."

Corpse Demon Sect members required large quantities of Human Race essence blood during cultivation to refine various pills and artifacts. This essence blood was basically supplied by the Blood Refining Hall.

Human Race essence blood was contained in every part of the body. In order to extract the essence blood from the human body to the utmost limit, the Corpse Demon Sect created the position of corpse dissector. It was actually much like a butcher who sold meat in the mortal world. Corpse dissectors had to separate the bones, flesh, organs, and other parts of human bodies, supplying them to the Blood Refining Hall for refining essence blood.

Upon hearing this, the old man gave Song Wen a strange look and asked in some surprise.

"Are you sure you want to become a corpse dissector?"

Corpse dissectors received extremely generous treatment, mainly because the Corpse Dissection Cave was located deep beneath Corpse Demon Mountain. Due to the year-round dissection of corpses, the cave was filled with an intense bloody aura, mixed with traces of corpse qi and resentful qi.

These turbid energies of heaven and earth were mixed together, causing the spiritual energy within the Corpse Dissection Cave to fall into severe disorder. It was no longer suitable for the Human Race to reside in for long periods. Even Corpse Demon Sect cultivators who specialized in the corpse path could easily have their spiritual power contaminated if they remained in the cave too long, resulting in cultivation deviation.

The Corpse Dissection Cave was generally a place of exile for Corpse Demon Sect disciples being punished for wrongdoing, or a place entered by late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators with little hope of Foundation Establishment, who sought to use the extreme environment to stimulate themselves.

For many years now, no newly initiated disciple had voluntarily applied to enter the Corpse Dissection Cave.

It was precisely for these reasons that the old man was somewhat surprised.

Wu Sheng and the group of four newcomers also looked at Song Wen with astonishment. They had all learned the sect's general circumstances from its rules and regulations, and they had some understanding of the terror of the Corpse Dissection Cave.

Song Wen replied calmly, "Yes, I want to go to the Corpse Dissection Cave and become a corpse dissector."

The moment he heard that the Corpse Dissection Cave was short of people, he had immediately chosen the place.

A corpse dissector needed to personally dissect a great number of corpses, which was perfect for allowing his golden finger to devour essence blood. Presumably, the Corpse Dissection Cave, with its countless corpses, would not draw attention if some blood went missing.

Having witnessed the might of Foundation Establishment cultivators, Song Wen was filled with an intense desire for power. In this man-eating world, only by becoming strong enough could he truly control his own fate.

After receiving Song Wen's resolute answer, the old man said no more.

If someone wanted to seek death in the Corpse Dissection Cave, he would not dissuade him.

Perhaps one of the pills he consumed next month would contain the essence blood contributed by this boy. The Corpse Demon Sect scoured the world for cultivators' essence blood and corpses; naturally, it would not let the corpses of fellow disciples who died in vain go to waste.

The old man tossed Song Wen a token engraved with the two words "Corpse Dissection."

The six of them left the External Affairs Hall with their tokens.

Zhang Xiaofan opened his mouth toward Song Wen, but in the end said nothing. He merely let out a deep sigh.

In his view, Song Wen, this Rogue Cultivator, was like them—ordinary people with no cultivation who had been forcibly captured. All had been compelled to become Corpse Demon Sect disciples.

He had wanted to persuade Song Wen to choose a stable duty like theirs and cling to life within the Corpse Demon Sect. Perhaps one day, they might find an opportunity to escape the Corpse Demon Sect and live freely once more.

Yet Song Wen had chosen to become a corpse dissector, an occupation of immense danger. Zhang Xiaofan truly could not understand it.

Wu Sheng, who had mocked Song Wen several times before, unexpectedly gave him a proper look.

"I never expected you to be such a ruthless man. You actually dared join the Corpse Dissection Cave. I hope you can walk out alive from the Corpse Dissection Cave five years from now."

The Corpse Dissection Cave was extremely dangerous, but was the corpse-catcher assignment Wu Sheng had chosen any less so?

Song Wen's choice inevitably made Wu Sheng feel a sense of shared hardship. Both were chasing that illusory chance at longevity.

After the group parted ways, Song Wen held the Corpse Dissection Token and headed directly toward the foot of the mountain.

The entrance to the Corpse Dissection Cave was at the foot of the mountain.

At the northwestern foot of Corpse Demon Peak.

A huge cave entrance ten meters high appeared before Song Wen.

The cave was pitch-black inside, without the slightest glimmer of light. It was like a ferocious beast lying on the ground with its bloody maw wide open, ready to devour everything nearby.

From time to time, gusts of chilling wind blew out from the cave, making one shudder with cold.

Above the cave entrance were written three large characters: Corpse Dissection Cave.

Song Wen steadied himself, held the Corpse Dissection Token, and stepped into the cave.

The moment he crossed the entrance, he clearly sensed that he had passed through an array formation. This was the defensive array of the Corpse Dissection Cave. Anyone without a Corpse Dissection Token who rashly entered would not only be unable to enter the cave, but would also be attacked by the formation and draw the attention of Corpse Demon Sect cultivators.

The path inside sloped downward. Nor was the cave as completely dark as it appeared from outside. Faint points of fluorescence occasionally flickered along the cave walls, like clusters of ghostly fire emerging from a graveyard in the dead of night.

Song Wen went deeper and deeper, walking for a full thousand meters before everything before him suddenly opened up.

An enormous underground cavern a thousand meters in diameter appeared before him. An unbearably foul, nauseating stench rushed straight at his face.

Pale white flames burned all around the cavern, making this place, already thick with yin qi and corpse qi, appear even more sinister and terrifying.