Corpse Burier: I Can Nourish Corpse

The servant was quite sensible, after being turned down he didn’t dare to disturb Wen Jiu again and silently went to bother some other Qi Refining Cultivators.

As he continued forward, Wen Jiu found that the Heterodox Immortal City was not as he had imagined; instead of being filled with Heterodox Cultivators, they were quite rare, with only one out of every ten people.

After entering the city with the crowd, Wen Jiu intended to head straight to the Artifact Refining Tower that Feng Jue had mentioned.

Unlike Artifact Refining during the Qi Refining Stage, Tier Two Refiners only accepted old clients or those introduced by old clients, even for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Tier Two Refiners wouldn’t refine artifacts for strangers.

The reasoning is quite simple. Being at the Foundation Establishment stage and a Tier Two Refiner, having one’s own network is more important than simply earning Spirit Stones.

If one casually crafts Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts for others, which may be used to kill recklessly, wouldn’t that indirectly ruin his reputation? Except for some Evil Artifact Refiners who don’t care about such matters, but unfamiliar with the surroundings, Wen Jiu dared not ask them to craft.

What if he hands over the Spirit Stone, but the other party pockets it? Could he really kill them in Wind and Cloud Immortal City?

Soon enough.

Wen Jiu crossed from the outer city to the inner city.

Entering the inner city was not as casual as entering the outer city. Regardless of the purpose, one must pay a Middle-grade Spirit Stone to enter the inner city, which only allows a ten-day stay. After ten days, the token becomes invalid, and one will be directly transported out.

Wen Jiu understood this, as there were already Foundation Establishment Cultivators living in the inner city who could access Foundation Establishment resources.

After paying the Spirit Stone, Wen Jiu casually inquired and headed directly towards Master Zhuo Shan’s Artifact Refining Tower.

However, Wen Jiu didn’t believe everything Feng Jue said along the way, so he let the Three Evil Flying Corpses reveal their Foundation Establishment aura to question a few Cultivators who seemed to be strolling in the inner city or living there.

Zhuo Shan’s reputation was indeed not much different from what Feng Jue said. Although his refining skills weren’t top-notch among Tier Two Lower Grade Refiners, they were of a decent standard with only one or two people superior to him.

He had established his foundation in Wind and Cloud Immortal City thirty years ago and had been running his refining business there ever since, almost never heard of embezzling Spirit Stones or leaving any backdoor in the Magical Artifacts he crafted.

”Though I don’t know the truth, at least on the surface, it seems well done.” Although Wen Jiu had some trust in Zhuo Shan, he decided to only upgrade the Corpse Eye, as hearsay might not always be true.

Soon, Wen Jiu found Zhuo Shan’s refining site and reported the code agreed with Feng Jue. Shortly after, a disciple respectfully ushered Wen Jiu inside, not daring to show any disrespect.

”Senior, please wait a moment, my master needs some more time.” After serving Spirit Tea, Zhuo Shan’s disciple stood quietly beside, speaking little.

Wen Jiu nodded, assessed the other’s cultivation, surprisingly at the Qi Cultivation Perfection, and Body Refining Cultivation reached the late stage.

Indeed.

The world of Foundation Establishment Cultivators is completely different.

Half an hour later, Zhuo Shan finally appeared, though his attire was tidy, Wen Jiu could still smell the fire and Spirit Ore on him. Zhuo Shan was quite courteous, clasping his hands in greeting once they met.

”Forgive me for keeping you waiting so long, my apologies.”

Wen Jiu stood up and returned the greeting, ”Master Zhuo is too humble, the fact that I could request Master Zhuo’s assistance in Artifact Refining is already a great honor for me.”

”Please have a seat.” Being flattered by Wen Jiu, Zhuo Shan seemed quite pleased, ”Since it’s an appointment through an acquaintance, I’ll get straight to the point, Fellow Daoist can show me the object to be upgraded, and I’ll estimate the cost.”

Wen Jiu took out the emptied Corpse Eye and handed it over. Yet, despite the Corpse Blood being removed, Zhuo Shan couldn’t help but change his expression slightly at the rich blood aura left in the Corpse Eye.

Carefully receiving it, Zhuo Shan examined it closely, his face growing increasingly solemn as he fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

After a while, squeezing out a forced smile with some difficulty, Zhuo Shan wasn’t willing to refuse Wen Jiu’s request.

”I can upgrade this for you, Fellow Daoist... but, I have to say in advance, please do not disclose that it was crafted by me.”

As a Tier Two Lower Grade Refiner himself, Zhuo Shan could easily discern the issues within the Corpse Eye.

How couldn’t he detect the level of blood saturation within the Corpse Eye?

The person in front may have used this device to kill many people, the blood saturation is honestly rare, despite thirty years of crafting Tier Two devices, and having made devices for many Evil Cultivators, he’s never seen such a degree.

Such a fierce person, an Evil Cultivator, he dared not refuse, for if refused, he might hold a grudge, possibly making him unable to leave Wind and Cloud Immortal City.

Wen Jiu smiled wryly inside, feeling like this had shades of Wukong’s master’s cautious warnings, but these conditions were reasonable, as when crafting the Corpse Nurturing Coffin, the refiner Lu Shi from Feixian Peak said the same thing.

”Rest assured, Fellow Daoist.” Wen Jiu assured him, ”So far, no one has survived from it.”

Zhuo Shan’s face tensed as he squeezed out another forced smile, swallowing hard before beginning to estimate the cost of the Corpse Eye, ”Fellow Daoist, the materials for upgrading are quite readily available, with many Heterodox Cultivators around in Wind and Cloud Immortal City, but the price might not be low.”

Inwardly hesitating whether to demand a high price for a big profit, Zhuo Shan continued.

An ordinary cultivator wouldn’t be neglected for a harvest of four or five thousand Spirit Stones.

However, he dared not set a high price for the person in front of him.

”Feel free to tell.” Wen Jiu spoke.

Only then did Zhuo Shan continue, ”Just for purchasing the materials, it would cost nearly ten thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones, with some miscellaneous materials, the upgrade cost should be around thirteen thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones.”

Hearing this quote, Wen Jiu couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion; he had been mentally prepared for a shortage of Spirit Stones but didn’t expect them to be so insufficient.

When upgrading the Corpse Nurturing Coffin afterward, not only would it empty out his Spirit Stones, but his entire fortune would directly shrink by half.

This was what he painstakingly accumulated through body crafting.

Spending so much, indeed caused a touch of heartache.

However, pondering the unparalleled importance of the Corpse Eye, Wen Jiu quietly sighed before continuing, ”Please proceed with the modifications, I have no issue with the Spirit Stone cost, and your labor won’t be short-changed.”

Even though Wen Jiu said so, Zhuo Shan didn’t fully believe him.

”Fellow Daoist, give me a month, as for the processing fee, being among friends, twenty Middle-grade Spirit Stones would suffice.”

”A month... longer than expected.” Yet Wen Jiu didn’t bother over the time, immediately retrieving his Spirit Stones.

After receiving the Spirit Stone, Zhuo Shan immediately left a trace of Divine Sense on the receipt, serving merely as evidence, offering Wen Jiu a fair warranty.

Should Zhuo Shan truly embezzle spirit stones, this receipt could very well tarnish his reputation.

Yet, Wen Jiu cared little for such methods; if Zhuo Shan dared to pocket the stones, only a dead end awaited him.

After finalizing the transaction date, Wen Jiu bid farewell, then prepared to find a place to stay in the inner city.

During the month, he planned to explore around Wind and Cloud Immortal City, also figuring out some means to earn money.

Looting corpses always has its risks.

Stable income is indeed the way.

After departing, Wen Jiu lodged in a Hua Mansion within the inner city, costing three hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones a month, totaling three thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones per year, discounted by six hundred. For the ordinary late-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator, it’d equate to their entire fortune.

To be honest, although Wen Jiu found it not too expensive, he was still shocked by the rate at which Wind and Cloud Immortal City absorbed Spirit Stones.

With Wind and Cloud Immortal City being so vast, the sole Golden Core Cultivator overseeing it must earn an immense amount in a year.

Nevertheless, those stones were rightly earned by him.

He was after all the sole Golden Core of the Heterodox Dao.

Its value truly filled to the brim.

Yet, after settling down, Wen Jiu discovered constant surveillance towards his residence.

Including even Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Through detailed observation with Divine Sense, Wen Jiu finally uncovered the true identity of these watchers—they belonged to Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks.

Presumably, it makes sense; an unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Heterodox Cultivator appearing in Wind and Cloud Immortal City, despite not being governed by Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks, such a controlling power as them wouldn’t easily overlook him?

”Yet justified or not, being watched all the time is indeed uncomfortable.”

Uttering a sigh, Wen Jiu couldn’t be bothered further.

He tended to his own tasks.

Those people could follow if they wished.