Senior Brother Xu's Request
Song Wen walked through the market stalls, preparing to return to his cave abode.
Xu's voice suddenly came from behind.
"Extreme Yin Brother Jiyin, wait!"
Song Wen stopped and a smile appeared on his face. He was able to enter the Underground Ghost Market thanks to this Senior Brother Xu's introduction. In that sense, he was able to obtain the Sky Cicada Wood successfully because he owed the other party a favor.
"Senior Brother Xu, is something the matter?"
Senior Brother Xu said, "Aren't you going to buy Corpse-Baleful Qi today? I have two bottles of the best here, don't you want to take a look?"
Song Wen shook his head. He hadn't yet resolved the issue of corpse transformation, so he couldn't use the Corpse-Baleful Qi for the time being.
"Senior Brother Xu, farewell."
Song Wen turned to leave, but to his surprise, Senior Brother Xu walked straight out of the stall and stuffed two bottles of Corpse-Baleful Qi into Song Wen's hands.
Song Wen looked at the other person with a puzzled expression and said.
"Senior Brother Xu, what do you mean by this?"
"These two bottles of Corpse-Baleful Qi are for you, Junior Brother," Senior Brother Xu said.
"I cannot accept rewards without merit!" With that, Song Wen was about to put the two jade bottles back on the stall.
"Extreme Yin Brother Jiyin, wait a moment. I have a small favor to ask of you," Senior Brother Xu said hurriedly.
After hesitating for a moment, Song Wen put the jade bottle back on the stall before speaking.
"What is it? Tell me, Senior Brother. You introduced me to the Ghost Market before, which is a favor to me. If it's not anything difficult, I can certainly help you," Song Wen said.
What Song Wen meant was that, considering the other party's previous introduction to the Underground Ghost Market, he could help with a small matter; however, if it was too troublesome or dangerous, then he should refrain from asking.
Upon hearing Song Wen's words, Senior Brother Xu smiled.
"Don't worry, junior brother, it's not a difficult matter at all. I just need you to make a trip to the mortal realm for me. Of course, you don't need to make a special trip right away. Just go when you have some free time or when you Dao Path by."
Song Wen asked in confusion, "What does Senior Brother want me to do in the mortal realm?"
Senior Brother Xu's expression suddenly turned serious. He stopped speaking and instead transmitted his voice.
"In any case, I hope you won't spread what I'm about to say."
"I want my junior brother to visit my hometown, to see if my elderly parents are still alive, and to see how my little sister, who was so young back then, is doing now?"
Song Wen was even more puzzled and transmitted his voice, "Since you're going back to your hometown to visit relatives, why don't you go by yourself, Senior Brother?"
Senior Brother Xu's eyes turned somewhat melancholy as he continued to transmit his voice.
"Since we've chosen the path of immortality and also entered the demonic path, we must sever our worldly ties. It's for the good of both of us. Making my junior brother make this trip is simply to ease their long-standing worries."
Xu Shixiong's aura suddenly changed, his melancholy turning into resolute determination.
"Moreover, I have something even more important to do, and this trip may be the Celestial Person."
Song Wen's expression hardened as he recalled that Senior Brother Xu had once revealed that he had already Qi Refining Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.
Senior Brother Xu's journey is most likely related to Foundation Establishment.
Therefore, before his departure, he entrusted Song Wen, who had no vested interests or grudges with him but owed him a favor, to make a trip to his hometown.
His family members were all ordinary people with nothing to their name, and he wasn't afraid that Song Wen, with whom he had no grudge, would travel a long distance to cause trouble for his family.
A moment later, Song Wen, having accepted the two bottles of Corpse-Baleful Qi, left the market.
He couldn't help but feel a little sad. Those who cultivate immortality, especially those on the demonic path, really must be ruthless and heartless.
Once you enter the path of immortality, you part forever from the mortal realm.
Even the closest family members must be severed. If one cannot sever kinship ties, family members will become obstacles on the path of cultivation, and cultivators may even bring annihilation upon their families.
Xu asked Song Wen to make this trip when he had some free time, simply to inform Song Wen's family that he was still alive and doing well, despite having been out of contact for years, thus easing their worries.
This incident also shows that there is no loyalty or camaraderie among demonic cultivators. Senior Brother Xu, who has cultivated in the Corpse Demon Sect for twenty or thirty years and knows hundreds or even thousands of disciples in the sect, sought help from Song Wen, who was not closely related to him.
Song Wen returned to his cave abode to prepare for refining the Sky Cicada Wood.
After meditating for an hour with a calm and focused mind, Song Wen's energy and spirit were adjusted to their best state, and only then did he take out the Sky Cicada Wood.
He placed the Sky Cicada Wood on his hands, closed his eyes, and began to practice his internal energy cultivation Cultivation Method.
Driven by spiritual power, the unique ethereal energy of the Sky Cicada Wood entered Song Wen's body, flowing through his limbs and meridians, and finally entering his Dantian.
According to Zhang Xiaofan's master, the Void Qi has the effect of harmonizing the turbid Qi of heaven and earth. By taking its essence and discarding its dross, it can cure Song Wen's corpse-like symptoms without affecting his cultivation.
Song Wen cultivated for seven days.
When he opened his eyes again, he felt refreshed and invigorated. The Corpse-Baleful Qi within his body had been harmonized, and the crisis of becoming a zombie was naturally resolved.
The Sky Cicada Wood in his hand was no longer as jade-like as before, but had turned into a white-gray color. With a slight squeeze of his hand, it turned into a pile of small fragments.
Just as Song Wen was about to stand up and stretch his body, he felt a strange movement within his body.
It's Beetle Gu.
Before refining the Corpse-Baleful Qi, Song Wen forgot to release it from his body. These little things had been trapped inside Song Wen's body for several days and were getting impatient, crawling around inside Song Wen abdominal cavity.
Song Wen opened his mouth and released all the beetle Gu Worm.
Thirty-four beetle Gu Worm immediately began to swarm and dance within the cave abode.
Song Wen suddenly remembered something: back in the cave, the Beetle Gu had eaten the tiny crystals inside the White Bone Worm.
He had originally thought that the crystals would help improve the Beetle Gu's cultivation, but it seems that the Beetle Gu's aura has not become significantly stronger.
"Could it be that I'm thinking wrong? The crystals of the White Bone Worm can't enhance the strength of the Beetle Gu. To the Beetle Gu, they're just food?"
"Impossible. I have never lacked the spiritual essence and Essence Blood of the Beetle Gu. There must be a reason why they actively devoured the crystal."
"Could it be that they haven't eaten enough? Not enough to strengthen them?"
Song Wen's gaze fell on the Storage Bag at his waist.
While he was in the underground cave, he collected a large number of White Bone Worm corpses, no less than a hundred.
Song Wen took out a crystal from the corpse of the White Bone Worm and examined it closely.
The aura emanating from the crystal was extremely complex, containing Spiritual Qi, Demon Qi, corpse energy, and ghostly energy, like a collection of turbid energy from heaven and earth.
Unable to figure it out, Song Wen decided to experiment directly on a Beetle Gu.
Among the many Beetle Gu, Song Wen identified the strongest one.
He fed the crystal in his hand to the Black-Bellied Beetle Gu.
The moment the Black-Bellied Beetle Gu saw the crystal, it became eager and wanted to devour it without hesitation.