Chapter 556: Wei Tu’s Battle Record, Lǘqiū Qingfeng’s Shock

"Then… during this period, I’ll stay in the Corpse Refining Cave, using Profound Nether Yin Fire to nourish the two demon corpses, so the Yin-Yang Demon Corpses can finish their nurturing sooner."

Hearing this, Cao Mi lightly nodded, agreeing without hesitation.

Since she had already refined the Yin corpse, strengthening the Yin-Yang Demon Corpses meant strengthening herself. For such a small matter, she naturally wouldn’t refuse.

"Thank you for your hard work, Junior Sister Cao."

Wei Tu smiled and praised her.

The spiritual energy inside the Corpse Refining Cave was about the same as that in Cao Mi’s cave-dwelling, so staying there wouldn’t greatly affect her cultivation.

Only, compared to her own cave-dwelling, the environment here was clearly much worse.

At this point, something crossed Wei Tu’s mind. He paused briefly, then said,

"Over a hundred years ago, I once told Junior Sister Cao that this Yin corpse of the Yin-Yang Demon Corpses was only temporarily lent to you…"

"Today, I can promise you this—unless some unforeseen accident occurs, the Yin corpse will forever belong to you, and I won’t change its ownership again!"

Wei Tu gave his word.

Times had changed.

Back then, he and Cao Mi were just casual acquaintances, united only briefly over the plot against Shen Yunqiu, forming a shallow bond.

Later, when Cao Mi asked him to protect her during her breakthrough…

That was nothing more than a one-sided request.

Their relationship was not deep—little more than passing allies.

But now, Cao Mi had fought through life-and-death battles with him several times overseas, then joined the Righteous Society, and even safeguarded many of his secrets…

She was now one of the very few people he could truly trust at his side.

So, by now, the old spirit contract they had signed regarding the Yin-Yang Demon Corpses naturally had to be changed.

Cao Mi also understood. She knew this gesture meant Wei Tu recognized her and trusted her.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wei." Cao Mi’s clear eyes shimmered with gratitude as she looked at him.

Even though she understood this was a way for Wei Tu to draw her closer and extend favor, being cared for so attentively by someone as powerful as him already left her deeply satisfied.

…

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, the day of Wei Tu’s meeting with Lǘqiū Qingfeng arrived.

The meeting place was in a private room at the "Flying Luan Immortal Inn" on Yunyang Island.

As the host, Wei Tu and the Second Mountain Lord arrived half an hour early to wait for Lǘqiū Qingfeng.

'This person… for the Talisman Daoist to treat her with such seriousness, her status must be extraordinary. But who exactly could it be?'

The Second Mountain Lord glanced at Wei Tu, who was sitting beside him with eyes closed, silently resting, and pondered in his heart.

Now, although Wei Tu’s fame wasn’t widespread, he had a battle record of single-handedly killing the Fireburn Sect Patriarch.

Because of this, his position within the entire Red Algae Sea was enough to rank among the top thirty, just beneath late Nascent Soul experts and certain high-ranked leaders of the major factions.

In other words, for him to treat someone this carefully, that person’s status must also be within that same top thirty.

'Her? The Ninth Princess of the Donghua Demon Kingdom?'

Shortly after, while the Second Mountain Lord was still lost in thought, the door to the room finally opened.

A breathtakingly beautiful woman, graceful and radiant, walked in.

At the sight of her, the Second Mountain Lord’s eyes widened, his face showing disbelief.

Yunyang Island, along with Ghost Spirit Island under the Yin Ghost Sect and Yuangjun Island, the capital of the Donghua Demon Kingdom, were known as the three great fifth-rank spirit islands of the Red Algae Sea.

But a spirit island was still just a spirit island…

Only the Donghua Demon Kingdom, ruling from Yuangjun Island and commanding vast territories, was the undisputed number one overlord of the Red Algae Sea.

Compared to the Donghua Demon Kingdom, Five Elder Mountain was hardly different from a minor sect.

Naturally, as the Ninth Princess of the Donghua Demon Kingdom—and one of the only two candidates for the throne—Lǘqiū Qingfeng’s position and status were far from ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

Her standing was equal to most late Nascent Soul experts, perhaps even higher. She was nearly among the top ten in the entire Red Algae Sea.

'But the Talisman Daoist isn’t even from the Southern Yan Sea. How did he manage to make a connection with Lǘqiū Qingfeng?'

The Second Mountain Lord was deeply puzzled.

But he also knew that in front of Lǘqiū Qingfeng and Wei Tu, his own words carried little weight. So even though questions filled his mind, he dared not ask aloud.

"Fellow Daoist Fu."

Lǘqiū Qingfeng sat down gracefully, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders, adding a touch of exotic allure to her beauty. With a smile on her lips, she greeted Wei Tu.

Before coming, Lǘqiū Qingfeng had already gathered intelligence about Wei Tu, his alias as the "Ghost of Kang Mountain Cave," and his connection to Five Elder Mountain. She also knew the Second Mountain Lord’s identity, aware that he too was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

So, upon this first meeting, her impression of Wei Tu was already favorable. After all, who could resist having two Nascent Soul mid-stage experts assisting her in the struggle for the throne?

"This time, for the Ninth Princess to personally come to Yunyang Island to meet me, it must mean she has come with sincerity."

"I don’t ask for much. I only want the resources needed to push my body refinement realm to mid-stage fourth rank."

After the pleasantries, Wei Tu paused for a moment, then got straight to the point with Lǘqiū Qingfeng.

"The Ninth Princess should also be clear—only if my body refinement breaks through to mid-stage fourth rank will I have enough confidence to deal with Lǘqiū Jinyuan."

Wei Tu added calmly.

"What?"

"Deal with Lǘqiū Jinyuan?"

Hearing this, the Second Mountain Lord’s heart gave a jolt.

Compared to Lǘqiū Qingfeng, Lǘqiū Jinyuan’s status was without a doubt even higher.

But after the initial shock, the Second Mountain Lord quickly reined in his emotions and restored his calm.

Two months ago, when Wei Tu invited him to meet Lǘqiū Qingfeng, he already expected this trip wouldn’t be easy.

So even though Wei Tu conspiring with Lǘqiū Qingfeng to assassinate Lǘqiū Jinyuan shocked him greatly, it was still within his expectations.

After all, only by being involved in such a heaven-shaking matter could he earn enough reward.

As a man nearing the end of his life, being able to accompany Wei Tu on this job was fortune, not misfortune.

As for Wei Tu’s body refinement realm…

The Second Mountain Lord already knew from the intelligence about Wei Tu’s assassination of the Fireburn Sect Patriarch. So when he heard this, he wasn’t all that surprised.

"A dual cultivator of body and law at mid-stage Nascent Soul really does have a chance to assassinate my elder brother."

"But what I want is not a chance—it must be certain!"

"If certainty can be guaranteed, then Fellow Daoist Fu’s asking price is not unacceptable. But if it is only a chance… then before Lǘqiū Jinyuan is dead, the reward I give will be very limited."

Lǘqiū Qingfeng smiled slightly and shook her head.

She was eager to see Lǘqiū Jinyuan dead, but that didn’t mean Wei Tu could name any price he liked.

Resources like "Ancestor Blood" were something even she didn’t have much of. How could she give them away so easily?

If she agreed to Wei Tu’s terms too readily, she would have to accept the possibility of her cultivation stagnating for several hundred years.

In other words—

For such a major investment, the chips Wei Tu showed her so far were not enough to move her heart.

At this, Wei Tu didn’t hesitate. He drew a storage pouch from his sleeve and handed it over to Lǘqiū Qingfeng.

At first, she didn’t think much of it. But the moment she saw what was inside, her expression changed, becoming far more serious than before.

"These three… all killed by Fellow Daoist Fu himself?"

Lǘqiū Qingfeng swallowed hard. Her earlier composure was gone, and the hand holding the pouch trembled slightly.

Two years ago, in her letters, she had only seen record of Wei Tu killing Yan Gongcheng, the Holy Son Faguang, and other early Nascent Soul cultivators.

She had never heard he had slain any mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Killing those of lower realm and killing those of equal realm were two completely different matters.

And yet inside this pouch were clearly the corpses of three mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

One of them even had an aura that had reached the peak of mid-stage Nascent Soul, stronger than herself.

If all three had indeed fallen to Wei Tu, then his strength was far beyond what she had originally estimated—several times stronger at least.

With such power, even without breaking into mid-stage fourth rank body refinement, he already had the capability to assassinate Lǘqiū Jinyuan.

"Correct. These three were all killed by me. One of them is none other than the recently deceased Fireburn Sect Patriarch."

Wei Tu nodded calmly.

Months ago, the reason he infiltrated the Fireburn Sect and killed its Patriarch was not only to remove a major threat to Five Elder Mountain, uprooting the danger completely.

The other reason was precisely to lay the groundwork for this very day.

Saying something a hundred times was nothing compared to showing it once!

Only visible, undeniable strength could make Lǘqiū Qingfeng trust in him enough to invest her rare "Ancestor Blood" on him.

As for the three mid-stage Nascent Soul corpses…

Besides the Fireburn Sect Patriarch, the other two were the Six Desires Daoist and Zhang Nanqiu whom he had killed before.

"Go check!"

Lǘqiū Qingfeng didn’t delay. She clapped her hand, summoning Nangong Zhe from outside the door, and sent him to confirm the matter.

Though she knew Wei Tu had once fought the Fireburn Sect Patriarch and won, she had not known many details afterward.

She had no way of foreseeing that Wei Tu had gone back and killed the man outright.

Before long, Nangong Zhe returned to the room and handed Lǘqiū Qingfeng a jade slip containing intelligence.

After reading it, her gaze toward Wei Tu shifted several times more.

Two separate reports.

Two battles with the Fireburn Sect Patriarch.

The first, outside the gates of Five Elder Mountain, where he gravely injured the Fireburn Sect Patriarch—there he relied on immortal Dao techniques, not body refinement.

The second, within the Fireburn Sect itself, where he slew the Patriarch and his disciple Liang Xin—this time, it was almost entirely close combat, with little reliance on techniques.

She understood perfectly well what this meant.

It meant that Wei Tu was already capable of killing opponents of the same realm with ease.

"Ninth Princess, now… can I count on your full support?"

Wei Tu smiled faintly and cupped his hands in salute.

With battle records like these, if he still couldn’t earn Lǘqiū Qingfeng’s trust, then losing to Lǘqiū Jinyuan would indeed be the will of heaven.