An Unexpected Enemy
After leaving Fang Pengyi's cave abode, Song Wen returned to Human-Snake Cavern, where he saw Zhou Siyi and Rong Jingyun.
Fang Pengyi was worried that the Human-Snake Cavern would be short-handed, so he sent two people to assist.
Zhou Siyi and Rong Jingyun had both worked at the Human-Snake Cavern and were familiar with the situation there. Rong Jingyun had even been the manager of the Human-Snake Cavern before. Their arrival would greatly relieve Song Wen of some of the pressure.
After exchanging pleasantries, Song Wen began assigning tasks to everyone.
The refining of the Man-Snake Profound Corpse began in an orderly manner.
Ten days later.
When Song Wen arrived at the Human-Snake Cavern from his cave abode, Zhou Siyi mysteriously summoned him into the No. 10 Corpse Refining Cave.
She spoke only after she closed the restrictions on the Corpse Refining Cave.
"Junior Brother Wu, news has come from the Immortal Herb Pavilion in the Ghost Market. They have two Heart-Congealing Herbs and are asking if you still want them?"
Song Wen possesses a total of four Yin-Yang Blood-Weeping Branch, which can be used to refine four Golden Core Pills.
Each batch of Golden Core Pill requires one Heart-Congealing Herb, and he only has three Heart-Congealing Herbs, which is not enough.
Song Wen nodded in agreement, "Of course I will."
Zhou Siyi said, "Then I'll go to the Ghost Market tonight and buy the Heart-Congealing Herb."
Song Wen pondered for a moment, then replied.
"This time, there's no need for Senior Sister Zhou to do it for me; I'll make the trip myself."
Zhou Siyi asked curiously, "Didn't you say it was inconvenient to go to East Birch Market and Mountain Ravine Ghost Market?"
Song Wen said, "That happened nine years ago. Now that the matter has been resolved, I can go to the market and the Ghost Market."
Ten days ago, Yang Yu said that he and Lan Chen were going to handle an urgent matter together.
By this time, the two had already left the vicinity of the Beast Taming Sect.
Song Wen no longer needs to worry about running into Lan Chen when he goes out.
Song Wen wanted to take this opportunity to find out about the Corpse Demon Sect's pursuit of the traitor in the Ghost Market.
Zhou Siyi said, "Is it really resolved? Don't be stubborn. Or should I go run the errand for you?"
"No need, thank you, Senior Sister."
"All right."
Zhou Siyi handed Song Wen a black wooden token, which was her proof of transaction with the Immortal Herb Pavilion.
That night, at midnight.
Wearing a ghost mask and altering his cultivation aura, Song Wen entered the Immortal Herb Pavilion.
The Heart-Congealing Herb is relatively rare among third-tier spirit medicine and is quite expensive.
After paying 20,000 Spirit Stone, he received two Heart-Congealing Herbs.
After leaving the Immortal Herb Pavilion, Song Wen entered a shop that sold information.
He spent two thousand Spirit Stone to obtain information about the Corpse Demon Sect's pursuit of traitors.
About three or four years ago, apart from a very few who escaped the net like Song Wen and hid in places inaccessible to certain demonic cultivators, most of the traitors had been completely wiped out by the Corpse Demon Sect.
As time went by, the Corpse Demon Sect gradually withdrew its members who had been hunting down the traitor.
Nowadays, within the sphere of influence of righteous forces, it is rare to see the Corpse Demon Sect hunting down traitors.
This was undoubtedly good news for Song Wen.
The Corpse Demon Sect's purge of traitors had always been a sword hanging over his head, but now that sword seemed to have been slowly lowered.
After leaving the intelligence shop, Song Wen strolled around the Ghost Market but didn't encounter anything of interest.
Leaving the Ghost Market, Song Wen headed towards the Beast Taming Sect.
When they were less than 500 miles from the Beast Taming Sect, Song Wen removed his mask, reverting to his appearance as 'Wu Sheng', and continued towards the Beast Taming Sect.
They traveled another two hundred li or so.
Suddenly.
Under the hazy moonlight, three cold, sharp swords flashed forth.
Song Wen's expression turned cold. They were less than three hundred miles away from the Beast Taming Sect, yet someone dared to assassinate a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect.
He parted his lips slightly, and the Profound Yellow Pagoda emerged from his mouth.
The pagoda swelled upon seeing the wind, growing to a size of three zhang (approximately 10 meters) and standing atop Song Wen's head.
A burst of yellow light shone from the pagoda.
"Clang, clang, clang."
The three sword lights landed on the yellow light, but were all blocked.
However, it also caused Song Wen to stagger backward repeatedly.
The three who launched the sneak attack were extremely powerful, possessing cultivation levels at the Foundation Establishment Peak Stage.
"Huh!"
A surprised and doubtful woman's voice rang out.
Seemingly surprised, Song Wen was actually able to withstand the combined sneak attack of three Foundation Establishment Peak Stage cultivators.
Four figures rose from the dense forest ahead.
Three men and one woman, all dressed in black, close-fitting outfits.
The woman stood in the center, surrounded by three male cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Peak Stage, clearly indicating that she was the most respected among them.
This woman had a beautiful face and a graceful figure.
His bright eyes were filled with hatred and murderous intent, as if he wished he could tear Song Wen to pieces.
"Extreme Yin, in less than thirty years, you've advanced from the Early Qi Refinement Stage to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. From an outer disciple of the Corpse Demon Sect to Foundation Establishment elder of the Beast Taming Sect. And you even survived a sneak attack by three Foundation Establishment Peak Stage cultivators. It seems you have quite a few secrets."
The woman's tone revealed a deep-seated hatred.
"Back then, you caused the deaths of over 80,000 members of my Yan Family. Today, I will tear you apart, skin you alive, and refine your soul into a corpse, so that you will suffer endless torment forever."
The woman was none other than Yan Yiwen, the genius girl from the Yan Family.
Yan Yiwen was in no hurry to make a move. She had three Foundation Establishment Peak Stage cultivators under her command, so killing Song Wen, who was only at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, would be a piece of cake.
Although Song Wen's pagoda had considerable defensive capabilities, it couldn't withstand the repeated attacks of three Foundation Establishment Peak Stage cultivators for long.
She wanted Song Wen to personally experience fear and despair, and feel helplessness and anxiety.
Only by making Song Wen experience endless pain can the hatred buried deep in her heart for thirty years be vented.
However, to her great disappointment...
After seeing her face clearly, Song Wen only showed a brief expression of surprise.
Afterwards, Song Wen's face showed no trace of panic or fear, only calmness.
Song Wen was quite shocked when he recognized Yan Yiwen.
Unexpectedly, in less than thirty years, Yan Yiwen had already advanced to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, and even brought three Foundation Establishment Peak Stage cultivators to seek revenge.
All of this indicates that this woman must have a powerful backer.
What puzzled Song Wen the most was how Yan Yiwen recognized him.
"Could it be the wisp of soul energy left behind in the Corpse Demon Sect back then?"
Song Wen secretly pondered to himself.
Since the Righteous-Demonic War, the relationship between the Nine Palaces Sect and the Corpse Demon Sect has become increasingly close.
If Yan Yiwen has a powerful backer within the Nine Palaces Sect, then obtaining Song Wen's soul essence from the Corpse Demon Sect is not impossible.
Yan Yiwen wanted to slowly torment Song Wen, but Song Wen had no intention of wasting time with her.
Since she has come to us of her own accord, we should send her to meet her people.
A family should always be together.
This would also be a good opportunity to reclaim the wisp of soul energy that had fallen into their hands, thus eliminating any future trouble.
A flash of cold light, Soul-Splitting Blade slashed out from mid-air.
Yan Yiwen's face showed surprise. She did not expect that Song Wen, who was only at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, would not only not use the pagoda's defense to escape, but would actually dare to launch an attack.