For the Southeast Thoroughfare, the Shushan Immortal Sect was the king that loomed over them in the divine continent. Not even the core sects in the Southeast Thoroughfare would dare to deal with Shushan disciples with incaution, let alone those of Cloudy Palace.
This also explained why everyone took a few steps back upon hearing that Wu Yu was a Shushan disciple, an equal mix of frowns and reverence.
"I reckon these two are not yet past 20 years old, although they're already at the Jindan Dao Realm. Only Shushan has this caliber of disciple."
"I hear that's the norm at Shushan. Those who grew up on the Clear Sky of Shushan are even more fearsome."
"That's true. The Clear Sky of Shushan is like heaven to us."
Wu Yu knew that his status outside was indeed useful in accomplishing many things. When so many knew his status, no one would dare to treat him lightly.
Even that Huang Feiyun was more guarded now. "Have all of you heard? These two are esteemed disciples of Shushan. Open your eyes, and don't be as stupid as Huang Lingyun, who angered the Shushan disciples. Even if they don't punish you, I will make you feel my wrath. Are the likes of Shushan disciples to be crossed by you bunch of naive louts?"
"Yes, you're right!" Everyone laughed a little sheepishly.
Even Zhu Zixing said, "Who would have thought that the ancient battlefield would also attract Shushan disciples. If I had known, I would not have blustered like that just now. Your seniors should also be nearby, right?"
In truth, they were not afraid of the pair, but rather the sect and experts that backed them at Shushan.
Zhu Zixing was testing the waters.
Wu Yu waved dismissively. "We came out alone to train. The sect seniors did not follow us. There is little to fear in the Southeast Thoroughfare."
Actually, the more he feigned strength, the more he would assuage suspicion. Conversely, if he said that his seniors were nearby, they might guess that Wu Yu was blustering.
"That's true. A casual talisman or two could destroy Huang Lingyun. Shushan disciples have such power!" Huang Feiyun said admiringly.
"Alright, stop crowding. Back to treasure hunting. We're just here for a turn, and for some new experiences. We won't hold everyone up." Wu Yu's lofy and superior expression cowed them.
Of course, some of them were still unhappy with him.
But at least the tense times were crossed.
"Huang Lingyun gambled with his life and ended up helping me discover the use of the Soul Devourer Talisman. Zhang Futu, the remaining one will be for you, I'm afraid." That he had obtained a talisman with such prodigious deadly powers gladdened Wu Yu's heart.
This was a treasure that not even 500 merits could buy.
Although the crowd had dispersed, they were still watching them from a distance. Wu Yu was shielded by the status of Shushan disciple, but he did not dare to roam alone anymore. Otherwise, if he met another person like Huang Lingyun, then he would be in danger.
And so he searched for treasures while maintaining a high level of alertness.
After a couple of hours, they still had no other loot. There were too many people here - a full 2,000 had turned up. Many things had already been taken by others.
And at some point, the Paranormal Pillar of Blood in his Sumeru Pouch quivered. Wu Yu took it out. At its smallest, the Paranormal Pillar of Blood was the size of a brush in his hand, and this spiritual immortal treasure seemed almost sentient as it was attracted to something.
The Paranormal Pillar of Blood pointed towards a place.
A deeper place.
As the saying went: No risk, no reward. Since there was some sign, Wu Yu would not pass it up. He followed where the Paranormal Pillar of Blood tugged him, leading Nangong Wei deeper in.
"Big Brother." Their surroundings seemed sinister, and Nangong Wei was a little afraid. She hid behind Wu Yu.
The grey soil beneath their feet was very soft, almost as though it were a sea of ash.
Wu Yu's hand lit up with flames, illuminating their surroundings. The deeper he walked, the more excited the Paranormal Pillar of Blood seemed to become, as though it had met its kind.
"The Paranormal Pillar of Blood is a ghostly cultivator object." Wu Yu remembered this well, and so he took extra care. At a certain point, he flung the fireball in his hand out, lighting up the place before him.
Unexpectedly!
The grey soil before him churned like the sea itself. With a snapping sound, the soft soil splattered aside. A figure rose to the surface and then opened!
It was a huge flower of black and red. The petals were inky black, while the stamen and pistil were a fresh red. The petals continued to open and close like a mouth, while the pistils seemed to be gnashing together as though it had teeth and saliva. That was where the snapping sound had come from!
A flower had emerged from the ground!
The flower looked extremely sinister. Its appearance was heralded by a deathly stench that made one retch.
They weird part was that although it was a plant, it continued to wave and wriggle. Thorny vines twined around the flower, as though part of its limbs.
Seeing this, Wu Yu hurried backwards.
Looking down, he saw that the flower was resting on a mound of thousands of corpses, and the flower's roots were basically buried on this mountain of corpses. It was as though this flower had grown from the corpses.
"Big Brother, look! Four spiritual marks!" Nangong Wei exclaimed excitedly.
Looking at where she pointed, Wu Yu saw that four of the huge petals had writhing, black marks. They were like coiled black snakes. But there was no denying that the four spiritual marks branded the flower as astoundingly valuable!
Definitely a precious treasure! However, it was a savage treasure indeed!
Wu Yu very quickly found notes of the flower in The Lore of the Divine Continent.
"Corpse Flower! After consuming the essence from thousands of corpses, it grows underground, thriving on the gloom and aura of death, until it reaches the maximum of four spiritual marks!
"The Corpse Flower is not useful for ordinary martial cultivators. Even if used to refine immortal medicine, it is used for poisons. But to ghostly cultivators, it is very useful! Shushan decrees that any Corpse Flower brought back to Shushan and handed to the elders is a great deed done, and worth many merits!
"After all, such an item cannot be allowed to fall into the ghostly cultivators' hands."
Wu Yu recalled. Immortal essences with four spiritual marks were indeed rare. Handed over to Shushan, it had to be worth more than 800 merits. That meant 800 golden essence pills, a stupendous haul!
However, other martial cultivators could not exchange it for merits, and therefore had no use for it.
At this time, many had detected the commotion over here, and had come over.
The Corpse Flower swayed and snapped, a disconcerting presence.
Wu Yu dragged Nangong Wei a little further.
"Big Brother, this thing is worth so many merits. But how are we to harvest it and take it back?"
After all, the Corpse Flower was huge. Even if it was an immortal essence, many immortal essences had their own special way of being harvested.
This was also a headache for Wu Yu.
Besides, he was still not sure if others would contest him for the Corpse Flower.
The majority of the 2,000 people on the ancient battlefield had gathered here.
"What immortal essence is this? It's so evil, it must be a ghostly cultivator's treasure!"
"Yes, if you sell it to the ghostly cultivators, you will definitely earn a lot. Look, one, two, three, four.... Four spiritual marks?! My God, it's a priceless treasure!"
"You can exchange it for more than 1,000 golden essence pills!"
"Shut your trap! Where do you find ghostly cultivators here? This is the foot of Shushan, not the East Sea! Besides, if you take it to the ghostly cultivators, as an orthodox dao practitioner, I'll have to destroy a betrayer like you first!"
At first, everyone was excited, but thinking thus, they were all dispirited.
"It's a Corpse Flower." Huang Feiyun had arrived to identify it.
"What Corpse Flower? Look at how evil it is, it must be something valuable. I'll go for a look!" A greedy young man rushed up before anyone else could stop him.
Whoosh!
He hovered above the Corpse Flower, curious.
Suddenly, tendrils exploded from the Corpse Flower at frightening speed, entangling the young disciple. Before he could react, he had been dragged into the flower and stuffed in.
"Argh!"
What followed were horrifying screams.
Completely unable to resist, the young disciple had been eaten by the Corpse Flower.
With a hack, the flower coughed up fragments of bone.
"The Corpse Flower's tendrils are poisonous. When the poison enters your system, you cannot react, and you will be eaten." Wu Yu recalled this from The Lore of the Divine Continent.
"So dangerous." Luckily, he had drawn a distance away after discovering the Corpse Flower. Otherwise, he would have been the one being eaten now.
It had happened too quickly, and no one could save him. Besides, he had rushed in so abruptly that no one could recognize what sect he had been from.
Very soon, everyone was present, except no one dared to go forth. It would also look badly on those who took the flower.
Zhu Zixing said, "The Corpse Flower, to us orthodox practitioners, is not useful. I suggest we destroy it so it can harm no more."
The crowd looked around, but offered no opinion. Many were terrified after seeing the swaying flower, and the corpses that littered the floor.
Just as Zhu Zixing was planning to destroy it, Huang Feiyun said, "Wait. Isn't it true that if Shushan disciples bring the Corpse Flower back, they can obtain many merits at Shushan? This means the Corpse Flower is of great use to the two of you, am I right?"
Wu Yu nodded. "Indeed."
"That's settled then. We'll leave these two to deal with the Corpse Flower. We definitely can trust the Shushan disciples. All the rest of you disperse now. This doesn't concern you. The Corpse Flower belongs to the two Shushan disciples. Disperse now!"
Here, Huang Feiyun still had quite a reputation.
Although not everyone was content, they left under his orders.
"This old creature will take his leave." Huang Feiyun did not linger either, leaving for other parts of the ancient battlefield.
Very quickly, only Wu Yu was left beside the Corpse Flower.
But how to harvest the Corpse Flower? That was still the question.
From afar, Huang Feiyun looked at the Corpse Flower and laughed coldly.