Chapter 98: Chapter 88: [Chicken Cage] + [Spirit Field] = ? (Two in One)_4
Moreover, whenever I go into seclusion for cultivation, or even just take a trip, I still have to deal with these spirit fish and all that in advance.
Ji Yuan had indeed considered asking someone else, such as having Lin Hu look after things for him while he was away.
It’s doable... but unnecessary.
These buildings involve my greatest secret; Ji Yuan does not dare to relax his vigilance in the slightest.
But now, with this Corpse Puppet Technique, if I can refine a corpse puppet for myself, things will become much easier.
This corpse puppet can fully obey my commands and act as an extension of my will. Whether I’m in seclusion or out traveling, I can leave the house to it. When necessary, it can even serve as a guard.
Hmm... Once I’ve refined a corpse puppet, I definitely need to replace the spirit chickens in the backyard.
Otherwise, those Red-crowned Chickens are naturally the nemesis of any Yin entity.
What should I swap them for?
I recall the chicken cultivator mentioning that there’s a kind of Reed Chicken in Cloud Rain Marsh, also a first-rank demon beast, incredibly tender meat, but catching one alive is extremely difficult.
Ji Yuan put aside his stray thoughts and took a closer look at how to actually refine a corpse puppet.
First, the corpse must be preserved intact. If it’s too badly injured, or missing an arm or leg, it absolutely won’t do.
Corpses whose lifespan has been exhausted are also no good.
Those who died of old age are worthless.
Preferably, a corpse that died within the last twelve hours would be the best.
The next requirement is three Soul Control Talismans. This talisman is a first-rank middle grade talisman, with the drawing method provided in the Corpse Puppet Technique. That part’s not hard.
Then comes the corpse processing procedure.
First, wash the corpse clean with rootless water and thoroughly cleanse all remaining spiritual qi from its dantian.
Then, pierce the twelve main meridians with spirit needles, coat the entire body with Yinshani mud, and nourish it with one’s own spiritual power for twelve hours.
Finally, when it breaks out of the mud, stick the Soul Control Talisman to its back and paint the character "Puppet" on its chest in seal script.
Rather troublesome, but just thinking of how refining a corpse puppet would free up my own hands makes it worthwhile.
Ji Yuan felt this was a job worth doing—and one that must be done!
No way can I keep doing everything myself forever.
As for strength, corpse puppets are like Yin ghosts; they can never surpass their master’s cultivation.
And it also relates to the cultivation remaining at the moment of the corpse’s death.
But where is one to get such a corpse?
Don’t tell me I have to kill someone myself... It’s an option, but Ji Yuan can’t go through with that for now.
Mainly because there’s no suitable target.
Since that’s the case, the only option is to buy one.
The corpse of a cultivator is, in itself, immortal talent. If it’s immortal talent, then it can be traded.
It’s just that the channels for such trading are a little limited, but after mixing in Zengtou City for several years, Ji Yuan had picked up a few leads.
With that decided, he didn’t waste any more time. He changed into a traveler’s outfit and set off by boat to a butcher shop in Zengtou City.
There aren’t many butchers in Zengtou City—just two in total.
One is Luo Tong, who is on good terms with Ji Yuan. The other is the man before him now, from whom Ji Yuan once bought a spirit pig.
His name is Wang Yun, but because of his face full of pockmarks, everyone calls him Wang Mazi.
"What would you like, fellow Daoist?"
Wang Mazi looked at the unfamiliar man before him, unable to sense his cultivation—he’s probably late Qi Cultivation stage... That’s rare and not someone to provoke. So his face broke into an extra-pleasant smile as he spoke.
"I want a person."
Ji Yuan said coldly.
Wang Mazi was stunned at first, then realized what he meant. He picked up a rag and wiped his hands. "That’s no problem, fellow Daoist. Please, come inside."
After entering the house, Wang Mazi cautiously closed the door behind them, then grinned and said, "How did fellow Daoist come to hear about my... business? There aren’t many in Zengtou City who know."
"Blind Qin told me."
After Ji Yuan said this, Wang Mazi clearly froze, and his gaze grew even more respectful.
"Fellow Daoist, come with me."
With that, they went to the kitchen. Wang Mazi fiddled with something, causing a hidden trapdoor in the floor to open, revealing a passage down into the earth.
Even before going down, Ji Yuan could already sense the cold, gloomy air from below, not to mention the thick stench of corpses.
Wang Mazi pulled a torch from his storage bag, lit it, and after entering the underground chamber, lit several more inside.
Ji Yuan followed after him... This guy, with Qi Cultivation level six and in his prime, would make excellent material for a corpse puppet.
"Take a look, fellow Daoist—which quality are you after? We have all ages, men and women alike."
Wang Mazi gestured toward the wall on the right.
There, stacked full, were rows of ice coffins. Tacked to their surfaces were frost talismans. Inside the ice coffins: the so-called immortal talent... corpses.
Even with mental preparation, seeing such a sight with his own eyes still came as a shock.
This Cultivation Realm really is a goddamned world where people eat people, big fish eating little fish.
If you’re weak, you’re just prey for others.
Ji Yuan stepped forward slowly, scanning the lot. He immediately ruled out the old and the young, looking only for the young and strong. Yet these all seemed to have been frozen for a long while.
Some of the corpses were already caving in at the flesh.
And their cultivation was lacking, too. Judging from what spiritual aura lingered, they were all only early Qi Cultivation stage.
"Don’t you have any fresher ones?"
Ji Yuan turned and asked.
Even Wang Mazi was slightly intimidated by Ji Yuan’s shocking words... Damn, this one’s truly ruthless.
"How fresh do you need them?"
One as fresh as you would do... But Ji Yuan thought for a moment. "Within ten hours. Do you have that?"
"Yes. This business is all about collecting corpses from all over. As long as you have enough spirit stones, anything can be arranged."
Ji Yuan didn’t confirm or deny. "I need one with mid-stage Qi Cultivation, intact, and dead within ten hours. Has to be young, not old."
"Name your price."
Wang Mazi considered. "Any gender specification?"
"No."
"Fifteen spirit stones. Put down a deposit of five spirit stones, and we’ll arrange it immediately. At the latest, you can pick it up by tomorrow morning."
They can sell a corpse at mid-stage Qi Cultivation for fifteen spirit stones? Ji Yuan suddenly felt he’d watched a river of spirit stones flow by in vain.
But thinking carefully, compared to what you get for the corpse, what’s more important is destroying all evidence.
"There won’t be any trouble from buying from you, will there?"
Ji Yuan took out five spirit stones.
"Absolutely not. We’re good at what we do, and most of our goods are from out of town; corpses don’t circulate locally." Wang Mazi rubbed his hands with practiced ease, grinning.
"Heh, your local gangs really are conscientious."
"I’ll be here tomorrow morning for the goods."