The Abode of Ten Thousand Pills was a den of vipers, filled with ruthless bastards who would sell their own fathers for a few spirit stones.

  Chen Gensheng, carrying the heavy coffin, navigated the labyrinthine tunnels. He soon veered off the noisy main street and ducked into a secluded, dry, abandoned grotto. Setting the Corpse-Nurturing Coffin against the wall, he finally felt a sliver of security. He couldn't wait any longer; he immediately sank his consciousness into the black jade slip.

  《The Triple Yin Soul-Refining Manual》.

  The technique was sinister. It wasn't about controlling a puppet; it was about Shared Consciousness. The cultivator and the corpse were no longer master and servant, but two sides of the same coin. The cultivator’s thought became the corpse’s thought. What the corpse sensed, the master felt. If one's soul-force was strong enough, the puppet could even gain independent tactical thinking, coordinating with the master in silent, flawless synergy—a perfectly loyal, telepathic clone.

  And the 《Map of a Hundred Ethereal Apertures》 was even more eye-opening. It was a detailed anatomical map—not of a living human, but of a corpse. It marked 108 "Corpse Apertures" that didn't exist in the living. By striking these points with specific spiritual frequencies, one could forcibly unlock the body's latent potential.

  Unlocking one point strengthened the flesh. Unlocking ten allowed the corpse to breathe in worldly Qi. If all 108 were opened, the puppet would undergo a metamorphosis, gaining spellcasting abilities equal to a cultivator of the same rank!

  A puppet that could think, cast spells, and share a mind-link? For two thousand stones, this was an absolute steal. Gensheng stroked the cold coffin lid, a "paternal" smile creeping onto his face.

  But then, a voice—light, flirtatious, and unpleasantly oily—drifted in from the cave entrance.

  "Fellow Daoist, sitting alone in a withered cave... are you perhaps communing with the heavens to comprehend the Great Dao?"

  Gensheng’s smile vanished. His six arms tensed in silence.

  A man sauntered in. He wore a moon-white brocade robe of exquisite silk, looking blindingly clean in the soot-stained cavern. He was handsome, with delicate features and a white jade folding fan, carrying the air of a noble scion. However, his "peach-blossom" eyes held an inescapable greed as he scanned Gensheng like a prized antique about to be claimed.

  "This humble one is Bai Jingzi. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

  The man bowed politely, but his eyes wandered shamelessly over Gensheng’s overly handsome face. "Your appearance... it truly gathers the elegance of heaven and earth. In my hundred years of cultivation, I have seen many beauties—from delicate female cultivators to pitiable dual-cultivation 'furnaces'—but none have made my heart flutter like you."

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  The words made Gensheng’s stomach churn. This guy is a 'Cuts-Sleeve' (prefers men). Gensheng felt a faint, crushing pressure radiating from the man. Foundation Establishment.

  "Is there something you want?" Gensheng stood up, pulling the massive coffin in front of him like a shield.

  "Haha, don't be nervous." Bai Jingzi fanned himself, stepping closer. "This place is a mess of crude boors. For a celestial beauty like you to mingle with them is like a pearl covered in dust. I have some influence here in the Abode, and a refined cave-abode in the Inner City. Why not come with me? We could brew some wine and discuss the Dao. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

  The implication was as thick as mud.

  "Not interested," Gensheng refused without a second thought.

  The smile on Bai Jingzi’s face dimmed slightly. "Fellow Daoist, we are both travelers on the path. Why be so cold?" He paused, his gaze turning playful. "My cultivation technique is unique. I can harvest Yin to supplement Yang, but I can also harvest Yang to supplement Yang."

  "Over the years, I’ve played with eighty, maybe a hundred female cultivators. To be honest, I'm bored of them. It’s a lad with refined bones and a face like jade—like yours—that truly piques my interest." He pointed his fan at Gensheng. "Dual-cultivate with me, and I won't treat you poorly. I’ll ensure your cultivation leaps forward, and you’ll be able to walk tall in this Qingzhou territory."

  The gap between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment was the difference between heaven and earth. Gensheng felt as if two mountains were pressing on his shoulders; his spiritual power was suppressed until it barely circulated.

  "Well? What is your answer?" Bai Jingzi looked down at him, the mask of elegance slipping to reveal raw lust. "Will you come quietly as my 'honored guest'... or?"

  Snap! The jade fan folded shut.

  I have to run.

  Gensheng suddenly opened his mouth.

  BZZZZT!

  A dozen grey-blue shadows erupted from his maw—the Grey-Blue Ashen Butterflies he had been nurturing in his spatial casket. The moment they appeared, they disintegrated in mid-air, raining down a cloud of fine, grey-blue phosphorus powder directly toward Bai Jingzi!

  Bai Jingzi snorted and conjured a spiritual shield. But the moment the powder touched the barrier, it was like boiling oil hitting snow. The glowing shield instantly became mottled and dull, corroded by thousands of tiny pits. The spiritual light vanished at a visible rate.

  "What the hell is this?!" Bai Jingzi’s composure shattered into horror.

  In that split second of hesitation, Gensheng slapped a handful of Wind-Walking Talismans onto himself and the coffin. His six arms surged with power, hoisting the massive crate. He transformed into a cyan blur, trailing a dozen butterflies as he bolted out of the grotto without looking back.

  "You brat! You dare!" Bai Jingzi finally snapped out of it. "Our destiny is written in the stars, why the rush? We’ll have plenty of time later to share a bed and talk through the night!"

  He flicked a finger, sending a sharp gust of Qi accurately toward the coffin on Gensheng’s back. He didn't want to kill Gensheng, only to force him to stop.

  The coffin took the hit with a violent shudder. The force sent Gensheng stumbling forward, nearly face-planting. He scrambled back to his feet, his heart hammering, and lunged into the crossroads ahead.

  There was no other way. He had to run for his life.