Chapter Fifty-Five: Ninth Layer of Vein Opening

These were two jade coffins. If one had an abundance of spiritual herbs, keeping them inside would indeed preserve them well. Yet, spiritual herbs were meant to be consumed; to store them in coffins—was that truly appropriate?

Wang Changsheng imagined himself, one day craving spiritual herbs, reaching into a coffin for them, and swallowing them whole... The mere thought of that picturesque scene sent chills down his spine!

“Don’t want them? Then they’re gone!” The gray-robed cultivator said in a low voice. “If these spiritual herbs weren’t destined for the Corpse Refining Sect anyway, do you think you’d get these jade coffins? Dream on!”

Wang Changsheng retorted, “Are all your Corpse Refining Sect’s tools coffin-shaped?”

“What did you say?” The gray-robed cultivator’s tone was icy. “If you’ve got the guts, say it again!”

As he spoke, a powerful aura emanated from him, pressing down so heavily that Wang Changsheng couldn’t even open his mouth.

“Damn, at least let me speak!” Wang Changsheng nearly wept. These experts always liked to suppress others with their aura—did they find it amusing?

Last time, it was that chilling coffin; now, this gray-robed cultivator again. If only he had the strength, Wang Changsheng would love to beat this man senseless.

Soon after, the gray-robed cultivator withdrew his aura and said in a deep voice, “Though you’re under Old Mou’s protection, you’d best not wander around the Corpse Refining Sect. If you run into an ignorant junior, they’ll devour you in a blink—you won’t even have time to escape!”

With a cold snort, the gray-robed cultivator vanished from Wang Changsheng’s sight.

“Hmph!” Wang Changsheng snorted back.

He didn’t believe the gray-robed cultivator was kindly warning him. With Old Mou shielding him, though he wasn’t sure exactly what the Corpse Refining Sect’s experts feared about Old Mou, he was certain that if something happened to him, Old Mou would erupt in fury.

The gray-robed cultivator’s concern was that some ignorant member of the Sect might harm him, and then Old Mou would be very difficult to deal with.

“Right, I forgot to ask him what Old Mou’s story really is...”

But thinking it over, this man likely didn’t know. Last time, the coffin that appeared was far stronger than this gray-robed cultivator, obviously of higher status within the Sect, and even he didn’t know much about Old Mou. This one would know even less.

Wang Changsheng packed the two jade coffins into his storage ring and hurried back to the small courtyard.

Upon his return, he immediately saw Old Mou standing in the courtyard.

“Old Mou!” Wang Changsheng greeted him politely.

After all, Old Mou was his lifeline, his protector; Wang Changsheng wouldn’t dare be impolite.

Old Mou acted as if he hadn’t heard Wang Changsheng, ignoring him completely.

“Old Mou, what’s wrong?” Wang Changsheng approached, keeping a respectful distance. Who knew what state Old Mou was in—if he suddenly lashed out, Wang Changsheng wouldn’t even have a place to cry.

“Oh, Old Wang, you’re back?” After a while, Old Mou came to himself and greeted Wang Changsheng as well.

“Yes, I went out for a stroll,” Wang Changsheng replied.

Old Mou nodded and sank back into deep thought, saying nothing more.

“With Old Mou’s mind, is he even capable of thinking?” Wang Changsheng mused, sensible enough to return to his own room, where he took out the jade coffins and stored the remaining spiritual herbs in them.

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These two jade coffins were enormous. By Wang Changsheng’s estimate, if used for storing spiritual herbs, they could hold several thousand plants at least.

“Storing them all together like this will surely affect their efficacy...” Wang Changsheng said in a low voice after finishing.

But aside from these coffins, he had no other jade boxes to use for storage.

“I’ll just have to make do—it’s better than nothing!” Wang Changsheng said.

Special circumstances called for special measures; that was all he could think.

From then on, except for the monthly trips with Old Mou to collect spirit stones and herbs, Wang Changsheng spent all his time cultivating.

So passed more than two years. Counting the days, it had been three years since Wang Changsheng was abducted to the Corpse Refining Sect.

“I’ve finally broken through!”

Wang Changsheng opened his eyes, satisfaction shining in them.

Three years—from the fifth to the ninth level of the Vein Opening Realm—he was more than pleased.

He believed that had he not been in the Corpse Refining Sect, reaching the ninth level would have taken thirty years, not three.

The most important factor was the cultivation resources he received in the Sect.

Wang Changsheng still remembered: breaking through from the seventh to the eighth level required thirty mid-grade spirit stones; the breakthrough to the ninth took nearly a hundred!

Had he not been in the Corpse Refining Sect, he wouldn’t have known where to find so many stones.

Now, Wang Changsheng’s appearance was so changed that even his second uncle, let alone Fang Qing, who had spent more time with him, would not recognize him.

After reaching the ninth level, Wang Changsheng looked as he did in middle age; his white hair had vanished, and except for a few wrinkles on his forehead, his skin was much smoother.

The biggest change was his figure.

Previously, his white hair gave him something of an immortal’s bearing, but now, he had become a thoroughgoing fat man!

Li Fusheng was considered quite plump, but compared to Wang Changsheng now, two Li Fushengs wouldn’t equal his girth.

Because of this, Wang Changsheng had widened the door to his room several times.

“Ninth level—feels powerful!” Wang Changsheng’s eyes glowed with excitement.

The ninth level was the peak of the Vein Opening Realm.

Once a cultivator reached this point, the next step was to transform their true qi into true essence and strive for the Essence Transformation Realm.

Of course, Wang Changsheng had only just broken through, so there was no rush. Besides, he only had the second diagram of the Longevity Technique; his accumulation hadn’t reached its peak, and he wasn’t sure if the second diagram would allow him to reach the Essence Transformation Realm.

He left his room—it was the day to collect supplements again, and Wang Changsheng began waiting early for Old Mou.

“Huh?”

He had already waited several hours. Based on Old Mou’s usual schedule, he should have appeared long ago, but Wang Changsheng grew puzzled.

“Did Old Mou fall asleep today?”

Curious, he walked to Old Mou’s door and listened—there was no sound from within.

“Old Mou! Are you there?”

Knock knock knock...

He knocked, but the room remained silent.

“Huh?”

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“Could Old Mou have gone off alone?” Wang Changsheng wondered.

He waited a bit longer, but finally, unable to sit still, he nervously pushed Old Mou’s door open.

“Cough, cough, cough...”

As soon as the door swung open, a pungent musty odor made Wang Changsheng cough uncontrollably.

“This Old Mou—does he have any standards at all? How does he live in a place like this?” Wang Changsheng grumbled.

This was only the second time he’d entered Old Mou’s room in three years—the first was when he’d just arrived, but he hadn’t seen much before Old Mou kicked him out.

He looked around carefully; there was no sign of Old Mou, nor any clutter. Aside from a slightly cleaner corner, the whole room was covered in dust.

What was key, the room wasn’t damp, and there was nothing visibly moldy. Wang Changsheng was baffled as to where the stench came from.

“Could Old Mou really have gone off alone?” he said quietly.

But then he remembered—he had waited quite a while; by Old Mou’s usual timing, he should’ve returned by now.

“Better go have a look!”

Wang Changsheng decided to check. Mostly, if Old Mou had gone alone, he’d probably come back with low-grade spirit stones, and Wang Changsheng, used to mid-grade ones, had little interest in the lower kind.

Don’t be fooled—Wang Changsheng had squirreled away more than two thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Who would ever complain about having too many?

“And as for spiritual herbs, I could use fewer. Both jade coffins are nearly full!” he muttered.

With that, he shut the door and headed toward the Corpse Refining Sect.

Passing through the sect’s plaza, he saw many disciples loitering, not cultivating, and he wondered what they were up to.

But Wang Changsheng was used to it by now and paid no mind.

Instead, he spotted several familiar cultivators and greeted them cheerfully: “Hey, Old Xian, you look even thinner!”

“Old Quan, morning!”

“Little Hui, back so early? Looks like you didn’t catch anyone again!”

...

After three years here—especially the last year, when Wang Changsheng often walked about the Sect—he’d grown familiar with many disciples, especially those who guarded the spirit stone hall or wandered the plaza.

The disciples knew him well, too.

“Old Wang, you’re still alive? Here to steal spirit stones and herbs again?”

“How are you getting bolder every day?”

“Old Wang, you’re a walking medicine cabinet now—better watch out, or someone will grab you for pill refinement!”

...

The disciples greeted him in turn.

Most of their voices were hoarse, even grating. If a newcomer saw these wandering disciples and heard them, they’d likely think they’d run into ghosts!

“Can’t you say something nice?” Wang Changsheng cursed playfully. “I’m alive and well—if you all die, I still won’t!”

“And besides, can cultivation really be called stealing?” He rolled his eyes. “It’s borrowing, got it? When I make it big, I’ll pay you all back double!”

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