Who would have thought that Master Pei and Vice City Lord Lin were actually from there. However, it makes sense. If Pei Wuxing really didn’t have some background, he probably wouldn’t be able to sustain the peace in Wind and Cloud Immortal City for hundreds of years on his own.

The fact that Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks has placed so many people in Wind and Cloud Immortal City shows how strong their desire for control is. They have tolerated Pei Wuxing for hundreds of years; is it really because his forces rival that of their ancestor?

To be honest, after learning this news, Wen Jiu found it hard to believe these claims. After all, Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks has three Golden Cores, and the Three Life Gates has even more, yet they all fear Wind and Cloud Immortal City.

The strength of Pei Wuxing might be just one aspect. Specifically, it is probably related to the Qi Guang Sect.

"How much more do you know about this information?" Wen Jiu asked again, wanting to see who exactly was behind Pei Wuxing.

After all, the Little Demon Realm is indeed a comfortable place. Although one cannot perform Heterodox Core Formation here, it is possible to cultivate the Five Ghosts, the Law-Devouring Yin Insect, and the Three Corpses to Tier Two Peak. Even if not a Golden Core, one could still contend with the Golden Core Zhenren of Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks.

However.

Lin Jianxia shook her head, "I only know that my adoptive mother wants to return to the Qi Guang Sect, but Master doesn’t want to. He wants to sever ties with the Qi Guang Sect completely, so my adoptive mother wants to bring more people to her side, control Wind and Cloud Immortal City, and collaborate with the Three Life Gates to plot against the Divine Fall Mountain Range, then seek an opportunity to return to the Qi Guang Sect."

"Is Daoist Wei one of those who firmly refuse to return and do not wish to cooperate with the Three Life Gates?"

"Yes. So when Feng Jue became a Golden Core True Inheritor, with Earth Yang Foundation Establishment and entered the Dark Evil God’s Cave Heaven with Master’s consent, my adoptive mother was very unhappy and decided to kill Feng Jue."

"Killing one Feng Jue wouldn’t change much, right?" In Wen Jiu’s view, such big matters couldn’t be changed just by killing ten or eight Earth Yang Foundation Establishment Feng Jue. His death would only mean one less Golden Core True Inheritor for Wind and Cloud Immortal City.

Lin Jianxia explained, "Drops of water form a lake. As long as there are fewer strong people under Daoist Wei, my adoptive mother can force Master to give her the crucial Heterodox Golden Core items. With people, my adoptive mother has bargaining chips."

"Why would your Master be coerced by something like this? Even if no more Golden Core Cultivators entered, logic would suggest replacements trickling in. Reconstructing Wind and Cloud Immortal City just wouldn’t be a problem." Wen Jiu grew even more curious but was well aware Vice City Lord Lin wouldn’t engage in such meaningless folly.

Lin Jianxia further explained, "Because of a gambling agreement—whoever has more late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators under them wins. Senior Brother Wei has Master behind him, but my adoptive mother’s father, a Golden Core Zhenren from Qi Guang Sect at the middle stage, stands behind her. Master had to agree to the gambling agreement to avoid offending her father."

"Such a reckless gamble?" Wen Jiu couldn’t help but be taken aback. Two Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators not fighting but competing over recruitment numbers? It sounded like something street thugs in the mundane world would do.

Yet the gambling agreement was set, leaving only one possibility: Master Pei wasn’t concerned with the people below. As long as Vice City Lord Lin and Daoist Wei were fine, others competing and even perishing didn’t matter at all, suggesting the entire gambling agreement existed just to buy time.

Thinking along those lines, the appearance of the gambling agreement made sense. As for any other reasons, Wen Jiu didn’t care to delve further since he would maintain the status quo and slip away if the Little Demon Realm went awry.

As for breaches to the decade-long spirit contract causing soul trauma, Wen Jiu had no fear, for he possessed the Four Souls and Three Spirits.

Originally having more spirit than the ordinary cultivator, what further harm could be done? Besides, as long as External Foundation Establishment Items were plentiful, the soul could only grow stronger, making remedying spirit contract injuries hardly difficult.

Spirit contracts could affect other cultivators.

But not him.

Especially after practicing the Three Souls Flawless, a Golden Core Spirit Soul Defense Secret Technique, Wen Jiu cared even less.

Then completing the questioning for other details, Lin Jianxia obligingly revealed everything she knew without hesitation.

This demonstrated the marvelous use of the Soul Control Technique.

Previously in the Traceless Mountain Range, Wen Jiu had already used the Five Ghosts to perform a Postnatal Ghost Technique Divine Techniques on a demonic being. Upon realizing it could entirely control its soul and consciousness, Wen Jiu dared to allow Lin Jianxia to enter the manor.

After exchanging Communication Stones, Wen Jiu respectfully escorted Lin Jianxia out of Lengxi Mountain, putting on all the necessary airs.

Of course.

Before Lin Jianxia left, Wen Jiu meticulously verified her soul with his Divine Sense multiple times. Ensuring no Fake Pill Cultivator could notice anything amiss, he allowed her to depart at ease. As for Pei Wuxing, on the verge of a breakthrough, he likely had no time to inspect Lin Jianxia’s soul either.

Moreover, not even a True Pill Cultivator would necessarily discern anything suspicious, since the technique belonged to Postnatal Ghost Skills. Even if discovered, only the ghost method would be noted—how would that relate to a Corpse Nurturer like him?

They couldn’t possibly suspect him as the orchestrator just because Lin Jianxia met him once, could they?

...

After sending off Lin Jianxia, Wen Jiu had neither intention of seeking Heihe nor completing the Honored Guest Elder task. His status as Honored Guest Elder, leaving Lengxi Mountain, or joining the Hidden Pavilion was irrelevant; the things he needed were no longer obtainable there, while other needs could be handed to Feng Jue for assistance.

Not entering the Hidden Pavilion didn’t mean he couldn’t have others purchase things for him. Perhaps someone like Chen Li dared not, but Feng Jue would. As a Golden Core True Inheritor, who would dare question who he bought Corpse Nourishing Essence Blood for?