Chapter 119: A Murderous Transaction
“No one knows what he’s carrying…”
“In any case, he may still be hunted by people from the Central Region.”
Song Yan frowned, thinking that this matter involved far too many things.
Because of something whose existence was uncertain, the entire cultivation world of Chu State had fallen into chaos.
After a moment of contemplation, Song Yan asked, “That person—is he in Changping now?”
Sheng Nian shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s only a possibility.”
“…”
Song Yan exhaled a long breath. “If he’s not here, aren’t you all just wasting your time?”
“Wasting time or not…” Sheng Nian grinned. “Aren’t the six great sects doing the same?”
“…”
Fair enough.
“As for the demonic cultivators, everyone else—including myself—can only be considered as filling numbers.”
“The core is still that group from the Yellow Spring Path, and of course, the demon cultivators from Corpse Bone Abyss.”
“They definitely have information about that person.”
Song Yan said, “You’re telling me all this—aren’t you afraid I’ll report it to the six great sects?”
“What do I care about whether those people live or die?”
Sheng Nian spread his hands. “I’d love nothing more than to see them dead.”
Song Yan was stunned.
He had almost forgotten that the person across from him was also a demonic cultivator.
Demonic cultivators actually came in many types.
For example, what Sheng Nian called the “Yellow Spring Path”—that sounded like it belonged to a demonic cultivation lineage with a complete heritage, well-established lineage transmission, and a comprehensive system of techniques.
Although he wasn’t clear on the differences between various demonic cultivation lineages, this category was like any orthodox sect cultivator.
In a place like Changping, the majority were those who knew some crude methods, or had, by some chance, obtained the barest scraps of a demonic cultivation lineage—rogue demonic cultivators, so to speak.
To this day, he still wasn’t sure which type Sheng Nian belonged to.
Judging solely from the formidable combat strength the other had displayed in the forest, he should be a demonic cultivator with a proper lineage.
“Besides, even if that person really is in Changping…”
“And is truly carrying some lost treasure from the Central Region…”
“Is that something people of our caliber can covet?”
Sheng Nian’s expression was somewhat mysterious.
“…I didn’t call you here to talk about these trivial matters.”
“The main thing is, I want you to help me kill someone.”
“…”
Song Yan was taken aback. Seeing the serious look in Sheng Nian’s eyes, he suddenly laughed.
“That’s quite a coincidence.”
“I happen to have someone I’d like you to help me eliminate.”
“He’s a disciple of one of the six great sects, so it’s rather inconvenient for me.”
“And, you probably want this person dead even more than I do.”
“You’re really getting a great deal.”
“…”
Sheng Nian froze in place.
He didn’t know why, but looking at Song Yan’s warm and pleasant smile…
He felt a sudden chill in his heart.
He had asked for help with a killing, yet Song Yan hadn’t even asked who or what cultivation level the target was—he was already considering the terms of exchange.
“…”
A voice whispered from the depths of his heart: “I told you this kid is more demonic than you.”
…
An hour later, Song Yan left the Yinyun Tower.
He wandered around the Cold Mountain Market for a while, purchasing some Yellow Springs Dark Pills, and after spending half a day, returned to Changping Prefecture City.
He first sought out his team leader, Dai Rui, and explained in detail the situation of encountering demonic cultivators.
“At the time, I was returning from the Cold Mountain Market and lost my way for a moment, unsure of my exact location.” Song Yan showed a look of recollection. “Based on what happened later, I should have been in the northern part of the prefecture city.”
He only said that he had accidentally stumbled upon a fight among these people, and after they weakened each other, he had taken the opportunity to claim the remaining demonic cultivators’ lives.
“Hey, Senior Brother Dai, how many merit points can these people’s lives fetch?”
Song Yan took out from the five demonic cultivators’ Cosmos Bags all items related to demonic cultivation and laid them out before Dai Rui.
His eyes gleamed, seemingly unconcerned about the demonic cultivators’ presence nearby.
He was exactly like the other disciples of the six sects—looking as though he only cared about accumulating enough merit points to return to his home sect as soon as possible.
Dai Rui pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, “Junior Brother Song, this matter isn’t that simple.”
“?”
Song Yan let out a soft sound of surprise. “Senior Brother Dai, what do you mean?”
Dai Rui picked up five identical pages of demonic cultivation scripture from among the demonic items.
“This technique… is a fragment of the Blood Sacrifice Seed Demon Scripture.”
His gaze was extremely grave, and his eyes held a trace of deep worry.
“These five people… are disciples of the Demon Seed Sect!”
“Ah?!”
Song Yan immediately put on an expression of extreme shock.
In truth…
This item had been dug out by Sheng Nian from his pile of demonic cultivation items and planted as fabricated evidence.
Dai Rui said in a deep voice, “Previously, the six great sects only possessed a small amount of information about Yellow Spring Path demonic cultivators. Who would have thought that the Demon Seed Sect would also have its shadow here…”
“This matter must be reported immediately!”
“Junior Brother Song, you’ve made a great contribution this time! Come with me to Lianheng Tower to report to the elders!”
“Yes.”
Song Yan’s expression gradually turned serious as well, as if he were shaken by the grave situation Senior Brother Dai had described.
The two left Yangwu Courtyard together and walked toward the building complex at the edge of the prefecture city.
“Senior Brother Dai, the six sects have been stationed here for over half a year now. Why have these demonic cultivators suddenly appeared here?”
“I’m not entirely sure either, but these demonic cultivators never rise early without profit…”
When it came to demonic cultivators, Dai Rui’s face showed no particular emotion.
“Anyone could guess—it’s nothing more than news of some heavenly treasure or precious spiritual item that has drawn them here like flies swarming to a scent…”
He wanted to continue, but seemed to recall something. “…Originally, that was indeed the case.”
“Now, it may not be so simple.”
“The Yellow Spring Path and the Demon Seed Sect—two demonic cultivation lineages—have not appeared simultaneously in Chu State for a very long time.”
“Sigh…”
“It’s not something we can intervene in. Let the elders make the decision.”
Lianheng Tower.
Several elders listened as Dai Rui and Song Yan reported every detail, and they all furrowed their brows.
Speaking of five Demon Seed Sect cultivators, it wasn’t actually a major matter.
The highest among them was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining—they couldn’t possibly cause any significant trouble.
But in the eyes of these elders, it was not as simple as it appeared.
Now, if a single disciple could encounter five such cultivators just by leaving the city casually, how many more demonic cultivators were hidden throughout Changping Prefecture? They dared not even think about it.
What was more worrying was why the Yellow Spring Path and the Demon Seed Sect—two demonic cultivation lineages—would be meeting here…
The six great sects’ methods for monitoring and detecting demonic cultivators were far too few.
To this day, they still didn’t even know the purpose of these people’s arrival here.
This was precisely what made demonic cultivators the most troublesome.
“Your strength is quite impressive.”
One of the elders suddenly said with a note of approval, “Although you said they were fighting among themselves, being able to slay a seventh-level Qi Refining demonic cultivator without a scratch is no easy feat.”
Song Yan’s expression remained unchanged, his tone neither humble nor arrogant. “That person was already exhausted at the time. It truly didn’t take much effort.”
The elder nodded and said nothing more.
Being able to eliminate five demonic cultivators without effort was, regardless, a good thing for the six great sects.