"Hmm—"
While swiftly skimming this person's memories, Wang Yu couldn't help but let out a sound of surprise. This person's name was Xiong Huan, barely over three hundred years old—still quite young.
Yet, he was actually a spy planted by the Nether Mountain Sect within the Netherworld Spring Monastery. His mission was to investigate the whereabouts of the Netherworld Spring Monastery's top-grade spirit stones.
The Lifeless Desert was indeed the Netherworld Spring Monastery's creation. However, top-grade spirit stones could not be manufactured through formations or manual crafting; they could only be naturally conceived by heaven and earth.
"Investigate the whereabouts of top-grade spirit stones..."
Frankly, with such a severe lack of context, it was difficult for him to understand the meaning of such a mission. Moreover, it was a long-term task; one simply had to wait while lying low.
Besides this piece of intelligence, there was also the matter of where Yellow-White City's experts had gone.
"Earth Spirit Fruit Tree!"
Wang Yu's attention was almost entirely captured by this news.
This ancient spiritual root produced a fruit called **[Earth Spirit Fruit]**. A Core Formation cultivator consuming it could greatly increase their magic power capacity, earning it the nickname "Natural Law Pill."
It was undoubtedly a third-rank spiritual material. But if used by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the boost would be even more exaggerated.
If he could seize one, it would greatly shorten the time until his Core Formation.
The Earth Spirit Fruit Tree had long been extinct in this world, a product of ancient times. Following the memories further down, sure enough, it was a treasure tree unearthed from the **[Ancient Ruins: Eastern Extremity Capital]**.
"This really is a land of fortune."
According to the intelligence in the memory, Yellow-White City alone had dispatched three peak Core Formation cultivators. The Earth Spirit Fruit Tree was initially discovered by a loose cultivator.
It had been completely stripped clean by this person at the time, who even impatiently consumed one on the spot. However, while refining it, he encountered a team of treasure-hunting cultivators.
Thus, the news spread.
Wave after wave of people died inside. Finally, it was confirmed there were a total of sixteen mature Earth Spirit Fruits. The nine cities of Chasing Moon Prefecture secretly dispatched experts to contend for them.
Besides the Earth Spirit Fruits, the Earth Spirit Fruit Tree itself was also a key focus of their struggle.
Understanding the reason,
Wang Yu couldn't help but feel tempted. Scanning his surroundings, he collected all the spoils. Then, using these two fellows' command tokens, he thoroughly ransacked the Yellow-White City Lord's Manor.
To be honest,
as a troop-garrisoning location on the Chasing Moon Prefecture frontlines, the spiritual materials prepared here were truly abundant. Unfortunately, many were first-rank consumables, primarily talismans and pills.
Stored in crates of spatial containers—and since spatial equipment cannot contain other spatial equipment—he transferred them all into his own Sea Heart Ring.
As a top-tier Qiankun Ring, it had more than enough capacity.
Higher-grade spiritual materials had almost all been taken by those Core Formation experts. Conversely, spirit stones were in ample supply—a full five million-plus, piled up like a small mountain, all of which he scooped up.
The most precious item in Yellow-White City's treasury was undoubtedly the consumable magic tools, comparable in rank to Heavenly Tribulation Pills, but they released a type of spiritual sense impact.
Called **[Yellow Spring Shriek]**, they resembled spike snails in shape and could be used in stacked combination. Wang Yu harvested a small box, about twenty pieces, feeling they would be quite useful.
These were typical military supplies, definitely not allowed to be taken out of Yellow-White City individually.
They were different from those high-grade, rare spiritual materials.
"Even a small-scale operation can yield so much. Truly worthy of a hegemon faction; they really know how to play the game."
Muttering to himself,
Wang Yu was about to leave when he suddenly paused, looking down at the token in his hand. This was the City Lord's Token retrieved from Elder Li's Qiankun Ring.
Its function was similar to the one from Gui Ling.
If he were to do it alone, there would definitely be survivors slipping through the net, easily leaking news. But if done by the formation, it would inevitably have nothing to do with him.
"Heh heh."
Inserting the token into the formation's central control, Wang Yu also poured over a hundred thousand spirit stones in as an energy supply.
Within Yellow-White City, a transparent curtain resembling diamond glass enveloped the city. Many cultivators waiting for news from Elders Li and Xiong gradually began to feel a sense of foreboding.
"Woo woo woo~~~"
The ghost flute played freely!
Since they were enemies, there was no need for mercy.
......
......
Several days later.
Having stepped into Chasing Moon Prefecture and approached Wanglong City, Wang Yu was somewhat troubled as he used his true essence to smooth out the Wailing Ghost Flute, this lower-grade magic treasure.
Due to the sudden incident at Yellow-White City, its Ghost Domain power was filled for the first time. The number of Soul-Devouring Nether Crows reached three thousand, already at its upper limit.
According to the original design, it had one more opportunity for advancement.
It depended on what materials Wang Yu refined into it. This step required a master artifact refiner's intervention.
At the moment.
Looking up, a nearly hundred-meter-tall city wall came into view.
"So this is Wanglong City."
This trip was for the Earth Spirit Fruit. Considering the disparity in strength and the multi-party struggle, the probability of obtaining one by contending alone was not great.
He could only borrow strength. He remembered the Wei Clan's scale was equivalent to a first-rate faction, with Nascent Soul existences within the clan. Although they couldn't possibly help Wei Hao garrison Wanglong City, they could provide considerable Core Formation-level assistance. If he truly wanted to contend, Wei Hao here might offer some possibility of getting involved.
Arriving at Wanglong City, Wang Yu did not wear the Earthly Nether Ghost Mask.
Instead, he traveled with his true appearance. This was Sacred Sect territory; there was no need to hide.
With his identity, a formal visit immediately granted him an audience.
Wanglong City Lord's Manor.
"Hahaha, City Lord Wang, what brings you to visit Wei today? I heard you handed Gui Ling over to a young master of the Zuoqiu Family."
"That is indeed the case."
Wei Hao displayed a welcoming attitude, inviting Wang Yu to sit, but his expression could not conceal weariness. Based on what Wang Yu saw and heard upon entering the city, the cultivators of Wanglong City were very uneasy.
The situation, deadlocked for nearly ten years, had, due to the upheaval in the Sky Demon Bone Forest, suffered deliberate retaliation from the Netherworld Spring Monastery. How could that not make one tremble with fear?
After all, six out of nine city lords were gone at once. The fact that Wei Hao and the others hadn't immediately retreated and abandoned their cities in Chasing Moon Prefecture already showed remarkable courage.
After the maids served tea and withdrew from the reception hall,
Wang Yu got straight to the point.
"Wang was originally mixing around in You Prefecture, preparing to head south to **[Peach Prefecture]** to find some Purple-Gold Peaches to enhance cultivation.
"But on the way, I heard the Eastern Extremity Capital has produced another treasure. I wanted to come ask Brother Wei if you have any interest in contending for it."
Hearing this, Wei Hao was somewhat taken aback.
He very much wanted to say that Earth Spirit Fruits were for Core Formation cultivators; Wang Yu was only at Foundation Establishment and simply had no need for such luxury.
Moreover, Wanglong City's future was uncertain, relying entirely on the negotiation deadlock to maintain the city's stability.
Even so, many fellow sect members had withdrawn, no longer following his "great wealth is found in great danger."
Therefore, even knowing the Earth Spirit Fruit could allow him to quickly gain a firm foothold in the Core Formation realm, he hadn't dispatched too many people to pursue it.
The forces he could mobilize from the Wei Family were almost all stationed on the You Prefecture border, monitoring the movements of the Netherworld Spring Monastery reinforcements.
"My apologies, City Lord Wang.
"Although the Earth Spirit Fruit is precious, Wei is currently struggling with self-preservation. How could I pursue such a spiritual material? I have already reported the news to the Corpse Peak.
"If Senior Disciple Jiang is interested, he will naturally come to contend."
A Senior Disciple, meaning a disciple of a Nascent Soul, officially recognized by the sect—there were only ten.
Disciples like the "Little Talisman Lord" Luo Chen were privately taken by Nascent Soul Patriarchs. Their status was high, but they could not compete for positions like "Mountain Lord" or "Hall Lord," nor receive top-tier resource cultivation.
The Nascent Soul Patriarchs had to personally arrange resource exchanges.
—The Earth Spirit Fruit!
Was undoubtedly one of the most top-tier resources.
For the sect, the valuable part was the Earth Spirit Fruit Tree, not those dozen or so fruits, of which who knew how many had already been eaten.
The fruit tree was within the Eastern Extremity Capital, not within Chasing Moon Prefecture's scope. In this aspect, the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect had the advantage.
Wei Hao's decision not to contend showed he saw things clearly. But Wang Yu couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed.
If he couldn't borrow strength, should he dispatch those people from Gui Ling to contend?
Apart from Green Goat True Person being somewhat usable, he basically had no competent subordinates. For a moment, Wang Yu felt disheartened. He cupped his hands and said,
"Since that's the case, then Wang will take his leave."
Seeing this, Wei Hao quickly asked him to wait, summoning a few subordinates to deliver a batch of Earth Spirit Fruit intelligence to Wang Yu.
"Back then, the intelligence City Lord Wang provided was a great help to Wei. Although I cannot offer full assistance today, providing some intelligence is no problem."
"Thank you."
Accepting the intelligence scroll, Wang Yu left the City Lord's Manor.
Not long after he left, a figure slipped into the room.
Wei Hao immediately frowned. This was one of his scouts stationed on the You Prefecture border, a Foundation Establishment cultivator skilled in concealment and escape techniques, an elite trained by the Wei Family.
"Young Master, Yellow-White City, the closest city to Wanglong, was wiped out several days ago. Over 4,300 cultivators in the entire city perished completely. Their corpses and souls vanished without a trace.
"Based on the traces, this subordinate judges there were no obvious signs of combat. More... it was more like formation bombardment. They were crushed to death by Yellow-White City's **[Metal-Glass Wall Formation]**."
Wei Hao: "..."
The room's atmosphere remained silent for a long time before he asked,
"Any suspicious individuals appearing?"
"None discovered yet, however... City Lord Wang Yu also seems to have come from that direction.
"Just slightly off course by some distance. He could have come from within You Prefecture, or... from Yellow-White City."
"Wang Yu?"
Wei Hao thought for a moment, then denied it outright.
"You're overthinking it. Brother Wang hasn't even been at Foundation Establishment for a hundred years. How could he possibly do such a thing? Continue investigating."
"Yes!"
"Also, since Yellow-White City is destroyed, recall the personnel from there and have them investigate the Earth Spirit Fruit news."
"Yes!"
After the exchange, Wei Hao stroked his chin, feeling inwardly that the Yellow-White City incident was likely Wang Yu's doing. During their meeting just now,
the other had a strong scent of blood on him, and his eyes seemed to still carry undispersed killing intent, very much like someone who had recently experienced slaughter.
The reason he spoke that way to his subordinate was simply to prevent the news from leaking.
"If you truly have that capability, Wei might as well follow and gamble once."
"Someone! Quickly invite City Lord Wang Yu back."
A moment later.
Wang Yu wore a completely baffled expression.
"What is Brother Wei doing? Wang was just preparing to continue south to Peach Prefecture to seek opportunities."
"Hahaha, City Lord Wang, please don't mind.
"Just now, Wei thought it over carefully and felt the Earth Spirit Fruit is indeed rare. Such an ancient spiritual material—not contending for it would truly be a pity."
Wang Yu's expression turned strange.
"But you just said Wanglong City couldn't take such a big risk."
"Great wealth is found in great danger! If I feared death, Wei wouldn't have truly come to Chasing Moon Prefecture."
Wang Yu's eyes widened. Why was it this phrase again?
*(End of Chapter)*