Chapter 109: It’s Not Personal

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: It’s Not Personal

"Draw me a map of Fire Dragon Valley, and I’ll grant you release."

Liu Chen burned the ancient tome that recorded the Soul Control Technique. He had already memorized it, so there was no point in keeping it. The female ghost was also of no further use, so it was best to purify her directly. Even if he wanted to practice the Soul Control Technique, Liu Chen would choose a Wandering Soul without Spiritual Wisdom.

According to the technique’s records, once the Soul Control Technique was cultivated to the Perfection realm, it was possible to refine a Spirit Ghost. However, Liu Chen possessed his own unique transformation that went beyond Perfection.

"Yes, my lord."

The female ghost retrieved a blank scroll from her Storage Ring. She had already given up hope for her freedom. ’The Evil Cultivators of the past were the same,’ she thought. ’Once they had a spare moment, they would bind the Soul Ring to themselves and use a soul imprint to refine me into a Puppet that suited their desires.’

The female ghost diligently drew the map while Liu Chen continued his cultivation nearby. At some point, the refining of Nangong Mu’s Soul Ring was completed. Nangong Mu floated out from within it, staring at the female ghost drawing in the distance as memories from the recent past flooded his mind.

She was identical to the last Furnace Cauldron he had used for Yin Yang Replenishment, a realization that sent a chill of horror down his spine.

’His cultivation was perfectly preserved,’ the female ghost mused, glancing at Nangong Mu. ’This lord’s Talent is truly terrifying. He’s easily accomplished something that took those Evil Cultivators years, or even decades, to do.’ She then returned to recalling the terrain of Fire Dragon Valley and continued drawing.

"What in the world is going on?"

Nangong Mu was stunned for a moment, then looked down at his current state. He vaguely remembered being ambushed, but he had no idea what happened afterward. ’Why have I become like this? Who are these two people in front of me?’

Liu Chen, who was in the middle of cultivating his magic, glanced over. With a wave of his hand, he sent Nangong Mu back into the Soul Ring to prevent him from being a distraction.

Nightfall descended upon Fire Dragon Valley once more, kicking off the nightly struggle for resources. When the pillars of light appeared, the fourth day of the ninth month was over, and the fifth had begun.

"My lord, the map is finished."

As Liu Chen finished a cycle of cultivation, the female ghost’s voice rang out. A scroll drifted toward him. Liu Chen glanced at its contents; the terrain of Fire Dragon Valley was laid out before him, with his approximate location even thoughtfully marked.

Several other important locations were marked as well.

"Then it’s time to grant you release."

Liu Chen put away the map and condensed the Soul Crossing Technique in his hand. A look of joyful surprise appeared on the female ghost’s face, and she eagerly flew into the technique’s golden light.

The Soul Crossing Technique began to take effect. Shadowy figures separated from the female ghost one by one and gradually dissipated. When the process was finished, the one who appeared before Liu Chen was a woman in a fiery red dress. The dress was embroidered with a fire dragon motif, which clearly linked her to Fire Dragon Valley in some way.

"Senior, there is a hidden grotto beneath the lava of the main peak."

Having regained more of her spiritual clarity, the woman left these parting words and dissipated completely. A Storage Ring, also marked with a fire dragon motif, slowly fell into Liu Chen’s hand.

’The main peak... does she mean the largest volcano?’

Liu Chen’s eyes narrowed. After a moment’s thought, he resumed his cultivation. There was no point investigating it now. He would be better off increasing his strength first and then going to see for himself.

Three hours later, Liu Chen slowly opened his eyes. Both his Divine Movement Technique and Escape Shadow Technique had advanced from Great Success to Perfection. The Divine Movement Technique now increased his speed tenfold, while the Escape Shadow Technique allowed him to hide in shadows for two hours, even permitting slight movements.

’Time to see which Prince is guarding that pillar of light.’

Liu Chen slowly rose to his feet. By now, he had nearly thirty Storage Rings on him, more than half of which were contributions from the Hundred Ghosts Elder. Many of those, however, were Storage Rings from the Nangong Family, which led him to believe they must have already withdrawn from this trial.

Even if any of them were still alive, they likely couldn’t stir up any trouble.

A cave wasn’t safe in the long run. What Liu Chen wanted now was to leverage the Black Feather Dynasty’s influence to cultivate openly in a secure area.

This wasn’t an impossible task. He just needed to kill the Prince he had observed earlier, along with all his subordinates. If Liu Chen then disguised himself as a Meridian Passage Cultivator from the Black Feather Dynasty and cultivated there, no one foolhardy enough to court death would dare to force their way in.

Empowered by the Divine Movement Technique, Liu Chen appeared at the ravine in just a few breaths.

Liu Chen glanced down. The pillar of light was still there, as was the tent. With his Spiritual Sense at the Meridian Passage Early Stage, he perceived everything inside the tent.

There were two personal Guards at the Meridian Passage Beginner realm, eleven Guards at the Body Tempering Late Stage, and a certain Prince inside the tent, drowning his sorrows in wine.

Standing on the edge of the ravine, Liu Chen conjured a Spirit Bow. The Spirit Arrow Technique was aimed with his Spiritual Sense; therefore, as far as his Spiritual Sense could reach, so too could his arrows. That was the absolute truth of it.

In the blink of an eye, he fired three Spirit Arrows. The three Body Tempering Late Stage Guards standing watch on the perimeter were struck in the throat, their heads sent flying.

"Who’s there?!"

A Meridian Passage Beginner guard burst out of the tent, only to be met by a Spirit Arrow aimed straight for his throat. A look of despair crossed the guard’s face as he struggled desperately, but before he could even mobilize his Spiritual Power, his head flew from his shoulders and landed on the Iron Eagle Banner atop the tent.

One after another, the remaining Body Tempering Late Stage Guards fell. Within a few breaths, the only ones left in the ravine were the other Meridian Passage Beginner personal guard hiding in the tent and the now somewhat sobered Prince.

"He can kill a Meridian Passage Beginner in a single blow... The attacker must be at the Meridian Passage Early Stage. Your Highness, I fear we’re going to die here."

The last remaining guard in the tent couldn’t help but speak. ’Weren’t those above the Meridian Passage Beginner realm already cleared out by the Three Immortal Sects? Who the hell is this person who just appeared out of nowhere?’

"Senior," the Second Prince, Yu Haoxi, called out, his mind clearing slightly. "I am Yu Haoxi. If you have any requests, Senior, you may come inside to discuss them."

He had originally only intended to pretend to be drowning his sorrows, but as he recalled the time he spent with his third brother, he had started drinking more and more. The wine was a semi-finished Spirit Wine from the Black Feather Dynasty; even he couldn’t recover from its effects in a short time.

As soon as Yu Haoxi finished speaking, the remaining guard took up a position by the tent’s entrance, hoping for a chance to launch a sneak attack. If he succeeded, they might still have a chance to turn the tables.

But a Spirit Arrow flew over the tent and struck the guard, slicing him in two at the waist. Blood and fragments of internal organs splattered across Yu Haoxi’s face, instantly scaring away the last vestiges of his drunken haze.

Yu Haoxi scrambled to his feet and grabbed a nearby Spirit Sword. Liu Chen slowly pushed aside the tent flap and walked in, studying the self-proclaimed Second Prince from behind his mask.

"Senior, why are you targeting me? If the Black Feather Dynasty has offended you in the past, please say so. I still hold some influence within the dynasty."

However, upon seeing the familiar mask Liu Chen wore, Yu Haoxi tossed his Spirit Sword to the ground. Since the man clearly wished to hide his identity, he naturally wouldn’t want to be marked by the Cyan Eagle Crying Blood.

"I’m not targeting you specifically," Liu Chen said. "I made a deal with a young friend from Purple Cloud Valley. One pillar of light in exchange for a Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine."