Big Data Cultivation
Chapter 956 - Chapter 956 Chapter 956 On the Brink of Life and Death

Chapter 956: Chapter 956: On the Brink of Life and Death Chapter 956: Chapter 956: On the Brink of Life and Death Elder Liao Brother felt that Feng Jun’s accusations were somewhat unreasonable, “They’re all mortals.”

There was no helping it, this is how cultivators view mortals, as if dealing with different levels of creatures.

Feng Jun didn’t agree with his viewpoint but had no intention of going against the mainstream consciousness. He merely offered a cold smile, “I’m not talking about mortals with you. The caravans… they bring me wealth; the people in my territory… are under my protection.”

“Did you think about how I’d feel when you went against them? Did you consider my dignity? Do I really look that easy to bully?”

Elder Liao Brother finally came to the realization, his fundamental mistake had been treating this place like the Mortal Realm all along; Mount Zhige here was hardly different from the Cultivation World–except the spiritual energy was a bit lacking.

He cut off the master’s financial pathway and stirred up trouble on the master’s land. It’d be strange if the host let it go.

The most detestable part was, the master also kept a hired thug who brought his own supplies–the Immortal from Tianxin Platform!

In the Cultivation World, although Gu Cultivators aren’t well-received, ordinary Loose Cultivators and smaller Clans wouldn’t want to provoke them. After all, Gu Cultivators stand united when dealing with outsiders and are quite formidable when it comes to revenge.

But the Four Sects and Wutai have no qualms about killing Gu Cultivators–unprovoked murders are routine, not to mention deep-seated enmities.

Just before, Elder Liao Brother was thinking, if he could escape, he would certainly call for reinforcements. Even if they couldn’t finish off Feng Jun, at the very least, they could steal his Butterfly–the prime Gu for a Spirit Plant Herder?

But with the Immortal from Tianxin Platform making trouble with undivided attention, he couldn’t even consider revenge.

Elder Liao Brother wasn’t terribly afraid of death. To embark on the path of cultivation meant being ready to face death at any moment. But to die like this… truly wasn’t worth it.

While hesitating, Luo Shuchen voiced his thoughts, “In that case, leave these two fellows to me. I’ll cripple their cultivation first. After taking them back to the sect to confirm their identities, they will be publicly executed on the Immortal-Slaying Stake… Hmm, I don’t need the Storage Bag, but I’ll take the Spirit Beast Bag.”

The Spirit Beast Bags of Gu Cultivators surely contained Gu Insects. Although Tianxin Platform had no Gu Cultivators, obtaining some Gu Insects was not a bad idea.

“Immortal-Slaying Stake,” Elder Liao Brother’s face paled once more, his body starting to tremble uncontrollably.

All four Sects and Wutai had execution grounds, but the Immortal-Slaying Stake was the most premium, capable of executing Nascent Souls.

Typically, it’s not easy to kill a Nascent Soul. Even if you could destroy the physical body, the fleeing Nascent Soul might find a suitable Cauldron to possess and could soon revive its Cultivation Level and start anew.

The Immortal-Slaying Stake not only slashes the physical body of the Nascent Soul but also imprisons it, truly leaving no escape.

Of course, once a Nascent Soul is sent to the Immortal-Slaying Stake, escape is impossible. Capturing a Nascent Soul alive is immense, far more so than just killing one–poisoning a Nascent Soul before imprisoning it is possible, but exceedingly rare.

Thus, the ability of the Immortal-Slaying Stake to execute Nascent Souls is just a promotional tactic, to showcase the righteousness of one’s Sect.

Strictly speaking, it’s a tool for the outwardly propagated significant events, exemplifying just punishments.

For instance, Tianxin Platform executing a Dust-Eradication period Gu Cultivator could completely utilize the Immortal-Slaying Stake, but it’s inconvenient to use it for internal Sect punishment of Disciples.

However, to Elder Liao Brother, it’s not the execution that was terrifying, but the undeniable imprisonment of the soul in the Nascent Soul!

In other words, even in death, he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace; his soul would be confined to the Immortal-Slaying Stake, tormented for eighty-one days.

But Feng Jun didn’t agree with Luo the Immortal’s distribution method, “Spirit Beast Bag… I also want Gu Insects, high-rank Gu Insects…”

Elder Liao Brother was filled with inexplicable sorrow. We brothers aren’t even dead yet, and you’re already eager to divvy up our wealth?

Yet his sadness had only begun to surface when Feng Jun thought of something else, glancing sidelong at him, “I just remembered, your little brother set quite a few Gu in my place, what should we do about that?”

“Simple,” Luo Shuchen chuckled heartily, “Just kill the person, and the Gu poison will resolve itself.”

Feng Jun listened, the corner of his mouth twitching. The Tianxin Platform folks really do as they please, so casually changing their initial intent… What about going back to the Immortal-Slaying Stake?

The key point he was considering was that they couldn’t just kill them; Hua Hua was still waiting for experience points.

So he turned to look at Elder Liao Brother, asking indifferently, “The Gu Insects… which one of you set them?”

“My brother and I both had a hand in it,” Elder Liao Brother answered defiantly, his neck stiffening. Since it had come to this, whether he stretched out his neck or shrank back, it was the same fatal cut–he might as well not become a laughingstock by giving in, “I can detoxify, I only ask for a swift death and let my brother return to report to the Snake King.”

He knew Feng Jun would save those people, for a simple reason–although they were mortals, they were tied to the dignity of him as the Mountain Master.

Elder Liao Brother truly didn’t regard those mortals as human beings. If he had wronged Feng Jun’s close relatives, he might grit his teeth and accept one trip to the Immortal-Slaying Stake, but it was absolutely not worth it for a few dozen mortals.

However, Feng Jun’s protectiveness exceeded his imagination, “Let him return? Don’t even think about it… He dared to harm my Female Attendant’s kin, don’t expect to escape unscathed!”

Elder Liao was taken aback. “Feng Daoist, why the necessity? It’s just the breaking of a mortal’s arm.”

Feng Jun sneered coldly, “Why the necessity? It’s merely killing a Gu Cultivator… As superiors, you attack mortals without cause, and my killing you is completely justifiable.”

“Then I might as well take this one back,” Luo Shuchen snorted coldly, “We from the Heavenly Heart will send someone to report to the Snake King… This chap’s younger brother can stay with you, Feng Daoist. If you find it inconvenient, I can slay him on your behalf.”

Elder Liao’s face changed again, and after a moment of contemplation, he spoke with difficulty, “My brother and I are willing to become your Gu Slaves, what do you think about that?”

Feng Jun pondered for a moment, turning his head to glance at Luo Shuchen, only to find Luo Shuchen also turning to look at him.

The two exchanged a look, and instantly understood each other’s thoughts: Gu Slaves… that could work!

Generally, Cultivators who are not Gu Cultivators don’t make enemies of Gu Cultivators slaves after capturing them, because there’s a technical difficulty–unless voluntary, a slavery contract is virtually impossible to establish.

If the slavery contract is enforced, it’s highly likely to cause backlash–only higher-rank Gu Cultivators may enslave lower-rank Gu Cultivators, and even then, it’s merely a possibility.

“I from the Heavenly Heart could take one,” Luo Shuchen was indeed unyielding, “Feng Daoist, we split the brothers, one for each of our houses… It will also prevent them from causing trouble.”

Although he is known to be straightforward, Luo Shuchen understood the cause and effect here very clearly: It was fortunate that these Gu Cultivators are twin brothers who care deeply about each other; otherwise, it would be impossible to hope that they would willingly become slaves.

The Heavenly Heart’s Master Busheng’s lineage detested Gu Cultivators, but if someone voluntarily became a slave, they would happily accept–having these people, if disciples encountered Gu Cultivators again, the sect could gain some reasonable advice.

Had Master Busheng recognized the Qianji Shadow before his confrontation back then, and with suggestions from a Gu Cultivator, Liang Huan would not have suffered all these years.

Feng Jun was also greatly tempted: A Nascent Soul-stage servant, and a voluntary one at that… this was truly rare.

But with some regret, he admitted, “I really don’t understand the use of slavery contracts on people… nor have I pondered over it.”

“This is indeed troublesome,” Luo Shuchen couldn’t help but nod, “The Heavenly Heart is a reputable sect, we have sealing techniques, but we don’t possess slavery contracts. A Spirit-Binding Ring merely forces servitude.”

At this point, Bai Jiuzhou abruptly said, “Your Heavenly Heart does know how to refine living humans into Puppets!”

Luo Shuchen glanced at him disdainfully, “Nonsense stops with the wise. That’s just a rumor.”

Bai Jiuzhou retorted with a sneer, “Of course, you wouldn’t admit it. ‘My heart is the Heavenly Heart’… Even if you have such a Cultivation Technique, you can’t acknowledge it.”

Enraged, Luo Shuchen shot back, “Mister Bai, if you dare, say that once more!”

Bai Jiuzhou was simply venting his anger nowhere else, which led him to speak so recklessly. He was not only annoyed at Feng Jun but also at Luo Shuchen, “Heh, what if I say it again? Do you dare to engage in a battle to the death with me?”

Luo Shuchen laughed heartily, “Ha-ha, are you sick in the head? Or do you really think all disciples of the Heavenly Heart are madmen?”

“I’m not afraid to confront you, but I also know I might not be able to defeat you… If you dare to insult my Heavenly Heart again, I will petition Master Busheng to intervene, capturing you, the madcap. The Spirit-Binding Ring will come in handy then!”

Bai Jiuzhou had no comeback to that; he could express his frustrations to a point, but when his opponent was serious, he couldn’t continue to provoke death. So, he just gave a cold laugh and stayed silent.

Feng Jun didn’t want to squabble with Bai Jiuzhou either, so he spoke up, “Without a slavery contract… shall we just forget it?”

Elder Liao immediately assured, “My brother understands; you can rest assured.”

“How could I be at ease?” Leng Qionghua interjected coldly, “Mountain Master Feng, aren’t you in good terms with Tiantong?”

Feng Jun was surprised, “Tiantong also has… that kind of thing?”

“Heh heh,” Bai Jiuzhou and Leng Qionghua both laughed but offered no explanation–some things do exist objectively, but it’s inappropriate to publicize them… like the Soul Imprint Technique.

At this point in the conversation, the fate of the Liao brothers was decided, and the matter could come to a close.

Feng Jun approached the two trading caravans nearby, informing them that they could leave now.

In fact, they had already noticed the earth-shattering fight; they just dared not approach, and instead, retreated a distance, watching from afar.

Since the battle took place at night, they couldn’t see clearly, but they had a general understanding that there were more than four Nascent Soul-stage powerful individuals involved–this level and number of combatants was even more intense than the fall of the Hundred Flowers Tower.

The leaders of the two trading caravans expressed their trepidation, assuring they would not speak of this and even submitted a list of witnesses.

Feng Jun felt somewhat sorry for the member of the Mi Family whose arm was broken, so he tossed him a bottle of Bone Healing Pills, “It’s rare for you to say nothing; this is your reward.”

(As the month is drawing to a close, I am striving to surge into the top fifty on the monthly ticket leaderboard, as there are rumored benefits…)