Chapter 1299: Going to Great Lengths to Please

Translator: CinderTL

"Relying solely on these lowly insects, they wouldn’t be able to mine even a thousand catties of Netherworld Sand in three months, let alone a hundred thousand," Ke Feng said contemptuously.

"Then why did the three of you guarantee so confidently that you could gather enough Netherworld Sand within three months?" Song Wen asked.

Ke Feng replied, "Young Master Guan Liang, what you’re seeing now is just one of the many mine shafts along the entire Nether Sand Vein. There are fifty such shafts in total. Furthermore, over the years, the three of us have accumulated a considerable stockpile of Netherworld Sand that we haven’t sold yet. Rest assured, young master, in three months, you’ll have far more than a hundred thousand catties of Netherworld Sand before you."

"Ah—"

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air, interrupting their conversation.

Song Wen turned to see a mine slave who had accidentally lost his footing and fallen from the platform.

Two golden core stage supervisors had been within reach to save him, but they had stood by and watched as the mine slave plummeted to the bottom of the vertical shaft, his body shattering into a bloody pulp.

Not far from Song Wen and Ke Feng stood an old woman in the late Divine Transformation stage.

Her face was gaunt, and her body exuded a chilling ghost qi.

She had been standing there for some time. When Song Wen and Ke Feng appeared, she had flown out from a cave in the vertical shaft’s stone wall and landed nearby. Seeing them in conversation, she hadn’t dared to interrupt.

The old woman waved her hand, sending a stream of spiritual power to gather the mine slave’s corpse and deposit it into a storage pouch.

Then, she flew before Song Wen and Ke Feng, bowing deeply with clasped fists.

"Greetings, Master Ke Feng."

As she spoke, two storage pouches flew from her body and floated toward Ke Feng.

"Master, one of these pouches contains the mine slave’s corpse. The other holds all the Netherworld Sand mined from the tunnels over the past month."

Ke Feng accepted the pouches, examined them, and nodded.

"Well done. You may leave."

"Yes, Master." The old woman withdrew.

"Young Master Guan Liang, I’ll show you something interesting," Ke Feng said mysteriously.

With that, he turned and flew back into the mountain tunnel they had emerged from.

Ke Feng led Song Wen out of Yin Misfortune Valley and arrived above a mountain gully a thousand miles away.

On the slopes flanking the gully, numerous cave entrances of varying sizes dotted the landscape.

These entrances were remarkably smooth, clearly indicating frequent passage by something.

Ke Feng retrieved a storage pouch from his sleeve—the very one the old woman had given him to store corpses.

The pouch floated above his head, its mouth wide open, and one after another, the mangled remains of hundreds of bodies spilled out.

Like a rain of flesh, the corpses plummeted into the gully, each impact producing a dull thud.

This sound seemed to serve as a signal. From the cave entrances, a pack of vicious dogs suddenly emerged.

Each dog was no more than three feet long, emaciated and skeletal.

Upon seeing the corpses, their eyes flared with crimson light. They lunged at the bodies, tearing into the flesh with savage ferocity.

The sounds of chewing, tearing, and low growls mingled, transforming the gully into a scene of pure carnage.

"Young Master Guan Liang, you’ve spent your life within the Spirit Jade Palace, so you’ve likely rarely witnessed such a spectacle, haven’t you? These dogs are merely common beasts, yet their ferocity surpasses that of most demon beasts. They were once few in number, but since the discovery of the Nether Sand Vein, the corpses of mine slaves have been discarded here, providing them with an endless feast. As a result, their pack has grown exponentially."

At this point, a gleam of excitement flashed in Ke Feng’s eyes.

"I love watching them tear into corpses. The sound of fangs ripping through flesh is the most delightful thing. But I wasn’t quite prepared this time. Next time, I’ll catch a few old, weak, and young women. Their screams as they die will be even more intoxicating."

"No need," Song Wen said coldly. "I have no interest in such bloody matters."

"Ah, so Young Master dislikes bloodshed. My apologies for not considering that. But I know another excellent place," Ke Feng said with a lecherous grin. "The Drunken Moon Pavilion in Pingxi City. The women there are all exquisitely beautiful, their skin as tender as water. Would Young Master care to appreciate them?"

"Thank you for the kind offer, fellow daoist. But My Master taught me that cultivators must maintain a pure heart and upright conduct. I’ll pass on the pleasure of visiting brothels," Song Wen replied calmly.

Ke Feng showed no sign of displeasure at being rejected again.

"The Spirit Jade Palace truly lives up to its reputation as a noble and righteous sect, with such strict rules. If that’s the case, shall I first escort Young Master back to Pingxi City for a rest?"

"That suits me perfectly," Song Wen said.

Following Ke Feng’s lead, the two of them hurried back to Pingxi City.

"Young Master, please come with me to rest at my humble abode," Ke Feng invited again.

"No need. Just find a decent inn," Song Wen replied.

Ke Feng’s face turned awkward.

"Young Master, Pingxi City is remote and lacks Spiritual Qi. The inns here are all quite crude. You are a distinguished guest of our trio. How could I neglect you by letting you stay in such a dilapidated inn?"

Song Wen immediately understood why Ke Feng had repeatedly invited him—it was all about self-interest.

"No need. I have no habit of lodging in others’ cultivation caves," Song Wen said coldly.

Ke Feng looked disappointed.

"Very well, as you wish, Young Master. I will take you to the Yiyun Pavilion. It’s the only inn in Pingxi City that’s even remotely presentable."

With that, he plunged toward the city.

"Fellow Daoist, wait! Where is your residence? In case of an emergency, I’ll know where to find you," Song Wen called out.

Ke Feng stopped and pointed to a large mansion in the city below.

"That’s where I live."

"Then where are Fellow Daoists Wen Hua and Di Cang’s residences?" Song Wen asked again.

Ke Feng immediately answered, pointing out the locations one by one.

Song Wen gazed at the three residences Ke Feng had indicated, silently calculating.

When he first arrived in Pingxi City, he had found Ke Feng and Di Cang exactly where Ke Feng had said they would be—in their respective residences.

This suggested that Ke Feng’s words were likely genuine.

Therefore, Wen Hua’s residence should also be real.

While Song Wen was pondering this, he followed Ke Feng to the so-called Yiyun Pavilion.

Ke Feng arranged a private courtyard for Song Wen, escorted him there, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then took his leave.

Sitting on a low couch in the courtyard’s main room, Song Wen spoke in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Shadow Void, monitor the cultivation caves of these three individuals. See what they’re up to."

After a few breaths, Shadow Void replied.

"Master, Di Cang is not in his residence. Wen Hua is also absent. Ke Feng has returned to his own residence."

"Continue monitoring them. Inform me immediately of any unusual activity," Song Wen instructed.

(End of the Chapter)

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