Black Mountain Pass.
Wang Yu had a very deep impression of this place. Back when he was escorted in a prison cart to the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain, he turned back for only one glance, yet this place branded itself into his heart like a searing mark, unforgettable for years.
Speaking of it, the Taihu Spiritual Domain was prosperous and flourishing. There were countless cities built on spirit veins, with spiritual mountains and flowing waters of endless beauty. Its territory was far larger than the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain, and its mortal population numbered in the tens of billions.
Unlike the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain, where mortals barely numbered over a dozen billion, scattered evenly under the control of each Nascent Soul demonic sect. It could truly be called vast lands with sparse people.
Every ti a power declined or was replaced, half the population would vanish, either slain, plundered, or seized as breeding stock, with special pills used to hasten reproduction.
As ti passed, even though the soil was rich and fertile, with mature farming thods, and even with cultivators to regulate wind and rain, the total population never rose.
From this one could see that cultivators of Taihu clearly knew how to manage their lands better than demonic cultivators, just as it was now.
“Please accept this.”
Old Ning stepped forward to negotiate with the cultivators of Black Mountain Pass, respectfully handing over a pouch of spirit stones. Seeing that the late Foundation Establishnt elder did not respond, he quickly offered another smaller pouch.
Only after the man tucked both away in his robes did he nod toward his colleagues at the pass. The formation below opened, revealing a safe passage.
“Go in. You only have two months.”
“Yes, yes… Move out.”
Wang Yu could not help but take a long look at the man. On his chest was an embroidered design, like a green pearl amid drifting white clouds.
This was a disciple of the Biyun Sect, one of the righteous Nascent Soul powers.
As for the exact toll charged, Wang Yu did not know, but it was certainly not low. Could this kind of fee be earned back? He greatly doubted it. From what he had seen in the past, even bringing in hundreds of people would not be enough.
Perhaps it was not even comparable to the toll fee. There must be hidden sches behind it, ones he was unaware of.
Once the group safely entered the Taihu Spiritual Domain, they imdiately changed into black robes that concealed their aura.
These were concealnt artifacts provided by the slave-catching squad, effective to half the degree of the Night Concealnt Mantra, and not considered cheap.
A few days later, five or six people in the group departed northward. Wang Yu saw but did not ask, for his goal was different from theirs.
For this journey, Tantai Chan had already arranged things for him. Using a covert mission as a pretext, he would remain long-term within the Taihu Spiritual Domain.
The slave-catching tasks were unrelated to him.
Before Foundation Establishnt he would not return. After Foundation Establishnt, he could not take the route of Black Mountain Pass again. He would instead have to risk crossing either Withered Leaf Swamp or the Black Monster Demonic Lands.
If he dared more, he could even attempt to cross directly through the Boundary Severing Mountains. It would be far more dangerous, but at that ti he would decide according to the situation.
As for identity, the difference between demonic and righteous cultivators, aside from their thods, was not obvious in the low stages.
It was difficult to distinguish based on the nature of spiritual power, unless one practiced very conspicuous heretical techniques.
To call them demonic cultivators, before they had contact with demonic qi, they were still wandering outside the true threshold, not having received the real power of demonic cultivation. This stage was easy to hide.
Therefore, there was no need to worry that revealing oneself as a cultivator would imdiately expose him.
After entering Black Mountain Pass, only half a month passed before the group arrived at Stone Lake City. As usual, the manpower was hidden beneath the lake outside the city.
Only Old Ning and Wang Yu went forward into the city.
“There are still a few days before the day of spiritual root testing. I will first accompany Daoist Wang to settle old matters.”
“The current steward of Stone Lake City is another young cultivator, also from the Spirit Vulture Sect. The old city lord lives in a place outside the city where the spiritual energy is thin. Should I take you there first”
“No need.”
Wang Yu shook his head and refused.
“Daoist Friend Ning, you go handle your sect task first. I want to go ho and take a look. The matter of the old city lord is not urgent.”
“This… very well.”
Watching Wang Yu walk away, Old Man Ning could not help muttering in his heart, unsure what exactly he wanted to do.
As the saying goes: a dragon does not dwell with snakes, an immortal does not walk with mortals.
Cultivators already belong to another class in this world. The divide between them and mortals is as vast as a heavenly chasm. In the demonic path, severing emotions and abandoning attachnts is the norm.
Why still bother with a mortal family from the past. At most they were just a wealthy household.
Shaking his head, Old Man Ning returned into the shadows and walked toward the City Lord’s Manor. He was busy, and before the spirit-root testing, he had to finalize the price and also deal with another matter.
……
……
On Wang Yu’s side, he had no plans to directly reveal himself to the Wang Clan. He chose instead to remain in the state of walking unseen in fine clothes. The spiritual vein of Stone Lake City was only first-rank high-grade, with thin spiritual energy and a very narrow radiation range.
It could not sustain a Foundation Establishnt cultivator, and even Qi Refining cultivators were limited in number, fewer than one hundred.
His strength here was basically at the peak, so he did not need to worry much about safety.
Another reason was his purpose in coming this ti. Besides visiting relatives, it centered on Wang Wu. The Demonic Embryo Mysterious Origin Curse still needed a little more than three years to reach completion. Considering that the only suitable target with bloodline connection was Wang Wu, he naturally needed to wait until it reached perfection before acting in order to maximize the benefits.
Choosing this person was not only because he was the sole suitable candidate but also because of past grudges. Once he took action, he would never be lenient.
He had already made the necessary preparations.
Stone Lake City. Willow Lane Street. The Wang Clan Estate.
After sixteen and a half years away from ho, when Wang Yu once again saw the familiar gates of the Wang Residence, he felt a mont of daze. He still rembered the night he was born.
He rembered the two jujube trees in the courtyard. He rembered the peaceful life of fishing with friends at Stone Lake. He rembered the turtle carving on the window lattice. He rembered pulling fruit up from the well.
It was the generation of his father that marked the rise of the Wang Clan. They spent their entire lives earning money to provide a prosperous environnt for their children.
Even with reincarnation and transmigration, he had never suffered hardship in life, at least not until the day of spiritual-root testing.
With more family property ca more disputes.
With more pampering ca more spoiled wastrels.
The eldest branch of the family was a typical case. The brothers quarreled endlessly, fighting over the apothecary business, even coming to blows that resulted in injuries and deaths among guards and servants.
His father ranked second. The Wang Clan still had a third uncle, fourth uncle, and fifth uncle. The sixth was his aunt, all children of the old patriarch.
Third and fourth uncles clamored for a family split. The eldest uncle wanted to hold power as head of the clan. He had two sons, Wang Wen and Wang Wu. Wang Wu tested as a dual spiritual root and went to the Spirit Vulture Sect. Wang Wen had no spiritual root aptitude and likely remained at ho.
That was the mory before he was abducted into the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain. He did not know what had beco of the Wang Clan since then.
If Wang Wu had used the backing of the Spirit Vulture Sect to raise up the third generation, perhaps the family had already beco a cultivation clan.
After all, he was a dual spiritual root. If the Spirit Vulture Sect provided full support, his cultivation would not be inferior to Wang Yu’s. But in terms of techniques, combat thods, and battle experience, he would be far behind.
This was a high-grade spiritual root, a talent one in a thousand.
At the Wang Residence gates, the old gatekeeper of the small side door was dozing inside.
Wang Yu recognized him at a glance.
“Grandpa Qin… you have aged so much.”
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