Sect Rebel

With Shi Shou dead, the threat looming over Song Wen was lifted. He currently displayed a cultivation of the sixth layer of Qi Refining.

At the speed of a sixth-layer Qi Refining cultivator using a flight technique, it took Song Wen half a quarter-hour to reach the External Affairs Hall.

Seeing the doors of the External Affairs Hall still open, Song Wen's face lit up with delight, and he hurried inside.

An attendant remained inside the hall, tidying his desk as if preparing to end his shift.

This attendant was an elderly-looking male cultivator at the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

"Steward, I am outer sect disciple Ji Yin. This is my disciple token. I have come to receive this year's Sect external duty."

Song Wen respectfully handed his disciple token to the old man.

The old man did not take the token. He did not even look up. As if annoyed that someone had come to conduct business at the end of his shift, he spoke in an impatient tone.

"Go back. All external duties of the Sect have been canceled. There will be no external duties this year."

"All external duties canceled? How is that possible?"

Song Wen exclaimed softly, acting as if he did not believe the old man's words.

A hint of delighted surprise then surfaced on his face, and he continued.

"Then haven't those of us who have yet to perform our external duties this year picked up a massive advantage?"

The old man finally finished tidying his desk. He looked up at Song Wen, a faint smile spreading across his face.

"Not having to perform Sect external duties is indeed a good thing. I have not done my external duty for this year either. Leaving the Sect is always fraught with danger. It is safer to remain within."

Seeing the old man willing to chat, Song Wen seized the opportunity to ask further.

"Does Senior Brother know why the Sect suddenly canceled all external duties?"

The old man shook his head and curled his lip. "How could I possibly know? Such major Sect affairs require one to be at least a Foundation Establishment Elder to have the qualifications to participate."

After chatting for another moment, Song Wen bid his farewells and departed.

He was now certain that a major event was about to unfold within the Corpse Demon Sect.

The cancellation of Sect external duties perfectly corroborated Chen Feihe's words.

Song Wen descended the mountain, heading straight for the market.

Since he could not leave the Sect through official channels, Song Wen intended to see if he could slip away privately.

If Chen Feihe claimed that Rogue Cultivators still had a chance to leave the Corpse Demon Sect's territory, then mingling among them should allow him to escape.

Upon entering the market, Song Wen noticed that the number of patrolling guards had multiplied several times over. Furthermore, the figures of Foundation Establishment cultivators could be seen among them.

A massive number of Rogue Cultivators still bustled about the market. When these Rogue Cultivators left the market, they did not face any obstruction.

Song Wen stood a short distance from the market's exit, his expression shifting uncertainly.

He could not quite decide whether he should leave the Sect at this moment.

Just as he hesitated, he suddenly received a Sect transmission.

"From this day forth, all disciples are forbidden from leaving the Sect. Disciples currently outside must return immediately. Anyone who disobeys this command shall be deemed a Sect rebel and punished for the crime of treason."

Reading this transmission, Song Wen instantly discarded all thoughts of leaving.

Leaving would mark him as a Sect rebel. He had no intention of challenging the Sect's authority at a time like this.

Great chaos was imminent, and the Corpse Demon Sect was in dire need of establishing its dominance. He had no desire to become the chicken slaughtered to frighten the monkeys.

The moment Song Wen received this transmission, the rest of the Corpse Demon Sect disciples received it as well.

In an instant, the disciples walking through the market gathered in groups of three or five to discuss the matter.

A lingering trace of worry hung on the faces of the majority.

Meanwhile, the sharper individuals were already rushing toward the shops selling talismans, Pills, and Magical Artifacts.

Without missing a beat, Song Wen stepped into a shop that sold cultivation resources.

"Fellow Daoist, how much for the Yin Fiend Dew?"

"To answer Senior, nine hundred Spirit Stones per bottle!"

The shopkeeper was an incredibly shrewd-looking middle-aged cultivator at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Hearing Song Wen ask for the price, he immediately replied.

Even though the aura Song Wen displayed was disguised at the seventh layer of Qi Refining-lower than the shopkeeper's own cultivation-Song Wen had immediately asked for Yin Fiend Dew, a resource used exclusively by Foundation Establishment cultivators. The shrewd shopkeeper concluded that Song Wen was likely a Foundation Establishment expert concealing his true aura.

Even if Song Wen was not hiding his aura, addressing him as 'Senior' cost nothing, as long as the deal went through.

"So expensive? Just yesterday it was only eight hundred Spirit Stones," Song Wen said with evident dissatisfaction.

"Heh heh!"

The shopkeeper gave a dry laugh.

"Senior, do not think it is too expensive. In less than an hour, the price will rise even further."

Song Wen cursed inwardly, 'Profiteer!'

It was obvious that this shopkeeper also knew about the Corpse Demon Sect forbidding its disciples from leaving and recalling those stationed outside.

A major event was certainly going to strike the Corpse Demon Sect soon. The shopkeeper was merely seizing the opportunity to hike up prices and amass large amounts of Spirit Stones.

"Give me three bottles!"

Hearing this, a knowing smile blossomed on the shopkeeper's face. Seeing it made Song Wen want nothing more than to smash a fist into it.

"You should have Gengjin Stones and Silver Brilliant Stones here. Give me five of each."

"I have them all. Please wait a moment, Senior."

Overjoyed, the shopkeeper turned and hurried into the back courtyard to fetch the spirit materials for Song Wen.

Exiting the shop, Song Wen entered another and sold five bottles of essence blood.

Afterward, he walked into a Pill shop, purchasing Upper Profound Pills for Foundation Establishment cultivators to consume, as well as healing Pills and spirit-replenishing Pills suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Following that, he visited a talisman shop...

Song Wen spent a full half-hour wandering through over twenty different shops. He purchased various Pills and spirit materials required for cultivation while selling off fifty bottles of essence blood.

Selling the essence blood brought in nearly seven thousand Spirit Stones, while purchasing the various spirit materials and Pills cost him over twenty thousand Spirit Stones. He had essentially spent all the Spirit Stones on his person.

The massive sum of Spirit Stones exchanged for spirit materials ensured that he would not lack cultivation resources for the coming year.

Song Wen noted that the various Spirit Weapon shops were also experiencing booming business. Remembering the assortment of Magical Artifacts he had obtained from the secret realm, he decided that this chaotic situation was the perfect cover to sell them off.

Returning to his cave dwelling, he retrieved the two Storage Rings from the wall niche in the Corpse Fiend Well.

The two Storage Rings contained thirty-five thousand Spirit Stones, one hundred and twenty bottles of essence blood, and an uncountable number of Pills, Magical Artifacts, talismans, and Spirit Grass suitable for Qi Refining cultivators.

Song Wen did not intend to sell any more essence blood for the time being. He had already sold quite a bit recently, and he worried that a massive influx of essence blood hitting the market all at once would draw the attention of those with ulterior motives.

He sorted the Pills, Magical Artifacts, and other items he could not use, dividing them into six different Storage Bags.

Carrying the Storage Bags, Song Wen returned to the market.

In the market, there were many cultivators purchasing Supplies, and just as many selling Supplies. After all, the majority of cultivators were strapped for wealth and normally lived frugally; they had to sell their Supplies to afford the things they desperately needed.

Blending into the crowd, Song Wen rotated between different shops and began to offload his various treasures.

After altering his aura nearly fifty times and entering no less than a hundred shops, he finally managed to convert all the resources in his possession into Spirit Stones.

The amount of Spirit Stones he took in exceeded his expectations, totaling nearly one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

One had to realize that this was the result of the shops desperately suppressing prices. Had someone tried to purchase these same treasures, it would have cost at least two hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Carrying his massive fortune, Song Wen returned to his cave dwelling.

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