Chapter 353: Chapter 189: Daoist Wei’s Kind Face and Benevolent Eyes, Challenge from a Late-Stage Ghost Cultivator

"Please sit." Daoist Wei smiled gently, inviting Wen Jiu to sit down, and drove Heihe away, not even allowing him to listen in.

This made Wen Jiu even more wary.

He was not a beautiful female cultivator.

What was the purpose of leaving him alone?

"How dare I, a mere junior, sit with Vice City Lord Wei." Wen Jiu raised his hand to politely decline, silently standing to the side, maintaining a respectful distance.

Daoist Wei gave a comforting smile, lightly coughed as he set up a sound insulation barrier around them, and thanked Wen Jiu with a cupped fist salute, "The person killed by Shen Tu was actually an apprentice I took in during my mundane travels from a poor old couple. His aptitude wasn’t remarkable, but his temperament and conduct were excellent. Alas, he died under Shen Tu’s axe because of a woman. Truly a tragic fate.

As both a master and someone who has achieved Foundation Establishment Perfection, I was unable to avenge him personally, which is quite lamentable. However, thanks to the help of a fellow daoist like you, Shen Tu was slain, and this has eased an old regret of mine."

In response to the sudden gratitude, Wen Jiu returned the courtesy and replied, but did not elaborate, "Elder Wei, you’re too kind."

True to expectations, Daoist Wei soon changed the subject, "However, during this journey, you and my junior brother killed a Yin Yang Cultivator, who was a Golden Core Zhenren of the Three Life Gates, adept in life arts, second only to the Master of the Three Gates. Due to matters related to Li Yue, we dare not impose upon Wind and Cloud Immortal City, but since you traveled with my junior brother, there’s no guarantee that the people of the Three Life Gates won’t act against you in the shadows."

"Thank you for the warning, Elder Wei. I will certainly be more cautious." Wen Jiu did not immediately continue on the topic that Daoist Wei raised.

Daoist Wei’s words seemed to show concern, but were actually putting pressure on him.

This was something Wen Jiu had anticipated.

After all, proving his worth by killing Shen Tu was equivalent to a decade’s spirit contract, which would inevitably attract interest from some people.

Since Heihe was of a different standing, bribery might work with him, but Daoist Wei, being at the perfection of Heterodox Foundation Establishment, naturally utilized both grace and power. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Seeing Wen Jiu not taking the bait, Daoist Wei did not press further and instead changed the subject, "Actually, I’m quite curious—where is Fellow Daoist Li from? What brings you to the Divine Fall Mountain Range?"

"Junior comes from the Eastern Outer Sea of the Celestial Demon Sea, a rootless person wandering among the islands of independent practitioners. I used to have a family long ago, but they were destroyed in a Siren Tide, so I’ve been drifting in the Eastern Outer Sea ever since. Ten years ago, I joined a Demon Hunting Ship, drifting on the sea with them, essentially becoming half a Sea Cultivator."

Wen Jiu spoke effortlessly, seemingly without hiding anything, though in reality, it was all from the Yin Yang Dust and Yin Yang Brain.

With the soul memories of two individuals, even if the people from the Three Life Gates arrived, he could still speak the local dialect without revealing any flaws.

"And why did you come to the Divine Fall Mountain Range after that?" Daoist Wei asked again.

Wen Jiu replied, with a bitter expression, "Later, the Demon Hunting Ship offended a powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from Blazing Fire Island in the Eastern Outer Sea. Many perished or fled; by pure chance, I was swept into the Divine Fall Mountain Range by the tides, and then I traveled from the mundane world all the way to the Far West, hoping to find a stable place to cultivate."

"I’ve heard the name Blazing Fire Island before; it’s indeed a rather domineering heterodox influence," Daoist Wei said, his doubts significantly dispelled. After all, with a cultivation level as early as the Foundation Establishment like that, it would be impossible to know so much about the Eastern Outer Sea of the Celestial Demon Sea.

Because the Divine Fall Mountain Range is not just separated from the Celestial Demon Sea by mere mundanity, but also an area full of roiling waves, with sea demons lurking in the depths and winged beasts in the sky. Venturing there below Foundation Establishment would be almost certain death.

Even an early-stage Loose Cultivator would have a nine-out-of-ten chance of perishing, and only someone like Li Mu, a Corpse Cultivator, would have a better chance of survival.

"It’s more than just domineering..." Wen Jiu sighed, his face still full of bitterness, as if reluctant to recall his tragic past.

Daoist Wei collected his smile and continued, "Everything will get better. With your foundation and strength, you have unlimited potential for the future."

"Thank you, Elder."

Wen Jiu cupped his fists in salute, managing a slight smile.

After that, Daoist Wei did not further probe into Wen Jiu’s identity or origins, but instead expressed considerable concern for him. However, he continued to casually mention the Yin Yang Cultivator and the Golden Core cultivators of the Three Life Gates.

But Wen Jiu completely avoided taking the bait.

Daoist Wei, naturally, did not easily give up and once again inquired, "No one dares to venture into the Little Demon Realm, which could provide a peaceful place for you to cultivate. However, I’ve recently heard that Yan Zhen, the teaching master of Fang Xiaolin from the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks and a late-stage Foundation Establishment Elder, is frantically searching for Corpse Cultivators, and is intent on killing the wrong person rather than letting anyone go.

I’m afraid, Fellow Daoist Li, that your involvement with Feng Jue in killing Ye Men and Fang Xiaolin might not be so simple. Our Wind and Cloud Immortal City is willing to shelter you, but we hope you will be honest with us and not deceive an old man like me.

After all, our Wind and Cloud Immortal City is a neutral force, and if Fellow Daoist Li has done anything too extreme, I personally might not care, but if my master finds out afterward, he would probably be very displeased!"

Having said this, Daoist Wei’s Divine Sense also sighed.

Wen Jiu felt quite helpless in his heart.

Here we go again.

It seemed they were determined to force his compliance and submission.

"Elder Wei, to be honest, that Tier Two Top Grade Twelve Spirit Control Array in Yan Zhen’s hand is actually in my possession." Wen Jiu continued, "If it weren’t for Shankui from the Three Life Gates, Fellow Daoist Feng Jue and I would have died in the Twelve Spirit Control Array, so in a fit of anger, not only did I kill Fang Xiaolin, but I also took the Twelve Spirit Control Array."

Since Yan Zhen hasn’t placed a bounty on him, and the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks haven’t sent multiple late-stage Foundation Establishment or even Perfection Cultivators, it was clear Daoist Wei, even with his suspicions, wouldn’t forget about the External Foundation Establishment.

Therefore, after explaining, Wen Jiu took out part of the Twelve Spirit Control Array components, but did not take out all of it.