CHAPTER 47: 47. FIRST DAY

After killing Gu Rufeng, Song Yan immediately returned to the cave mansion.

The Soul-Searching Skill, after all, is a common magic at the Refining Profound Level. Once one reaches the third layer, they can practice it. By this principle, even if you devour a Divine Soul, you can only perceive "recent events, main thoughts in the heart, and a few impressive images." As for subconsciousness, cultivation techniques, or distant vague memories... those can’t be seen.

The principle is also easy to understand: If you want to see more, more details, then it’s not soul searching, but soul fusion. When you merge others’ subconsciousness, techniques, vague memories, you naturally also merge others’ joys, anger, sorrows and happiness, dislikes and likes, seven emotions and six desires, obsessions, etc...

In that case, you might go mad.

As for things like the Shadow Puppet Profound Artifact, in order to maintain the scene of Gu Rufeng’s death, he naturally did not take them.

To covet small profits and plant a root of disaster, that’s something he wouldn’t do.

At this time, the cave mansion was cold and empty.

Song Yan looked around and walked slowly.

Because he returned late today, it wasn’t suitable to do anything, so he decided to rest for the time being.

As for tomorrow... there were many things to be done.

First, he had to meet the new Peak Master of South Bamboo Peak.

Of course, from Gu Rufeng’s memories, Song Yan also learned that the current new Peak Master is actually Elder Shi.

Secondly, he had to seek the antidote to remove the poison placed by the Sect Leader five years ago.

Then he had to see if there were any "post adjustments" and what he needed to do.

Although he returned from the "recruitment" after sunset, Song Yan could still feel that South Bamboo Peak was rather desolate. Clearly... not many disciples had returned, and even the guards at the gate were replaced.

Back on that night when there was an ambush at Nanwu Sword Sect, many had already died. This time, even more were wiped out, leaving possibly only two or three disciples out of the sixty-two cave mansions in South Bamboo Peak whom he still recognized.

Incorporating the fact that the Peak Master of Shadow Puppet Peak himself was a Ghost Cultivator, and a large number of Skin Masters having been looted by Ghost Cultivators, "Shadow Puppet Peak" was actually nearly in a paralyzed state, which was also the reason Gu Rufeng could become an Elder.

Song Yan lifted the curtain while thinking and checked around the cave mansion, finding it unchanged, and then lay down on the stone bed with peace of mind.

An empty mountain, a solitary bed.

Outside the skylight, the wind and snow mixed with the night, like a cross of black and white dots.

Song Yan tossed and turned a few times, finding it difficult to sleep.

It wasn’t because there was no woman to warm the bed, but because returning to this dangerous environment naturally invoked some instinctual vigilance. Coupled with the excitement from killing Gu Rufeng and the uncertainty of tomorrow, it was hard to rest easy.

...

...

Gu Rufeng’s "lover-martial arts mistress" Bi Huayi was similarly uneasy.

This woman, under a pretext, went to the main peak of Shadow Puppet Peak to have a private meeting with her lover and to plot how to poison Stone Seat Elder, and how to force him to hand over his teachings.

But she waited until midnight and still didn’t see Gu Rufeng.

She went to check around and found that the disciples who went to the "recruitment" with Gu Rufeng had already returned.

She was restless and uneasy.

...

...

One night passed, and the news of Gu Rufeng’s disappearance spread completely.

Currently, Gu Rufeng’s grandfather, Gu Tianyang, is the acting Peak Master of Shadow Puppet Peak.

Without saying a word, Gu Tianyang suspended all activities, mobilizing all disciples to search everywhere. Seeing no news, he even set out himself.

Even Song Yan and Wang Susu, who had just returned, were all put into the queue for finding "Elder Gu."

Shadow puppets were flying in the sky, running on cliffs covered with white snow.

Disciples expanded their perception, searching the surrounding area.

But Song Yan and Wang Susu trudged bitterly through the snow.

Song Yan felt a bit speechless: He had just killed Gu Rufeng yesterday, and today the entire day had to be spent "looking for Elder Gu."

Unlike the disciples riding shadows in the sky, he frequently heard calls around him.

"Elder Gu, where are you?"

"Elder Gu~~~"

"Elder Gu, is that you? Elder Gu!"

"Ah! No! Be careful, everyone, it’s the two-headed wolf! It’s the two-headed wolf!!"

After a fierce battle, that two-headed wolf demon was finally killed by several disciples who had reached the first layer of Refining Profound together.

Song Yan put away his saber; Shadow Puppet Peak disciples generally didn’t carry weapons, but those who hadn’t yet mastered riding shadows usually carried sabers.

At this moment, he let out a long breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and sighed, "Demon beasts are really terrifying."

Wang Susu poked the wolf with her small boot, then showed a cruel look, raising her knife to stab into its skull again.

Clang!

The demon beast’s skull was very hard.

Wang Susu applied more force downwards.

Splash!

The skull cracked, brain matter flowing out.

Wang Susu curled her lips, kicked to the side with her boot, pushing the wolf’s head askew, and said, "Meaningless."

Song Yan knew she was "commenting on an issue by discussing another," saying that the wolf was meaningless, but actually referring to the fact that "without obtaining the antidote, having to come out and search for Gu Rufeng" was very meaningless.

Gu Rufeng is an Elder after all, what could possibly happen to him?

For just one person, everyone stops what they’re doing to come out and look for him.

Does that make any sense?

Song Yan walked closer, glanced at the unfamiliar faces around, and said, "Senior Sister, I couldn’t tell last night, but today it seems like there are a lot more fellow disciples."

Wang Susu replied, "We left five years ago, but during these five years there has been a constant influx of new blood from outside, though the attrition is quite high. From our batch, it seems only you and I are left."

After saying that, she chuckled, leaned closer, and said, "Junior Brother, shall we get closer? To be honest, Senior Sister hasn’t tasted your flavor yet... how about trying tonight? Senior Sister promises to make you comfortable, more so than any of your Furnaces."

"Forget it."

"Shy, huh?"

"Yeah, a bit."

Wang Susu was startled, covering her mouth with a coquettish chuckle, then said, "Senior Sister is too," after which she walked playfully beside Song Yan, her eyes keenly observing the surroundings.

The crowd walked in groups of three or five, each in their own little circles.

Wang Susu and Song Yan, despite their high status, found themselves somewhat isolated without anyone calling them Senior Brother or Sister.

The group of disciples continued searching in the Cuique Forest.

Suddenly, the disciple at the front stopped abruptly.

With that halt, those behind also stopped in unison.

Wang Susu pushed through the crowd to the front, her eyes widening in shock as she stopped.

Even though it had snowed overnight, the terrifying depressions in the ground were still visible, marking a straight track spanning dozens of feet, several feet deep, with shattered rocks and cracked trees around it.

"What kind of Demon Beast is this?" a disciple muttered in fear.

Immediately after, someone replied, "It can’t be a two-headed wolf, at least... it’s at least an Intermediate Demon Beast."

Wang Susu’s pupils constricted, and she silently retreated as her thoughts raced.

Being meticulous, her years in the Tannery had equipped her with the ability to recognize Intermediate Demon Beasts clearly, and conversations with Senior Brother Zhang Yin and others had given her a rough idea of an Intermediate Demon Beast’s destructive power.

This level of destruction...

Was obviously the result of a simple leap.

This is not an Intermediate Demon Beast, but... an Advanced Demon Beast!!

She kept retreating, safeguarding the people in front of her, and then looked to the side to see Song Junior Brother there.

Wang Susu was surprised to see him.

Song Yan gave her a knowingly smile.

Wang Susu smiled in return, finally understanding why Junior Brother was still alive...

However, after Song Yan put away his smile, a strong sense of dissatisfaction arose in his heart.

Last night, to kill Gu Rufeng, he manifested the Hundred Forms Demon Body, but this "Hundred Forms Demon Body" was only the form of "eight low-level little Demon Beasts." If not for that... it wouldn’t have left such obvious marks during the action.

Despite heavy snowfall overnight, the marks were not fully covered!

Once things settle here, he needs to find a way to obtain some Advanced Demon Beast skins.

The "Hundred Forms Demon Body," a magic he had spent thousands of years refining, although self-invented, its power and growth were unparalleled.

The stronger the Shadow Puppet, the stronger he becomes.

He needs better Demon Beast skins!

...

...

After a day of searching, Gu Rufeng’s corpse was finally found.

At this moment, the corpse lay at the main peak of Shadow Puppet Peak, filled with flowing Evil Qi, with ghostly creatures hidden deep within its flesh.

Gu Tianyang angrily raised a finger, causing many ghosts to flee, but they weakened in the sunlight.

The strike to the chest was the fatal wound.

Gu Tianyang lowered his head, brushing over the wound, his eyes thoughtful.

"Any discoveries?"

Stone Seat Elder stood by, whether truly or feigned, his expression deeply pained, feeling the sorrow of an elder sending off a younger, as Gu Rufeng was his disciple...

Gu Tianyang said, "Stone Master, can’t you tell?"

Stone Seat Elder replied, "Though the body was attacked by Evil Qi, the fatal wound is on the chest, this is... a sword wound. Five years ago, I remember, Peak Master, you gave him a sword."

Gu Tianyang said, "That was a very good Flying Sword, a trophy I seized! This wound matches that sword’s width exactly!!"

Suddenly, flames surged in his eyes, and he said, "It can only be someone closest to Little Feng who killed him when his guard was down!!"

Stone Seat Elder was stunned.

Gu Tianyang said, "It wasn’t you!"

Stone Seat Elder was even more stunned: "Not me?"

Gu Tianyang patted his shoulder, saying, "Stone Master, some things need offending."

He clicked his tongue and then, with fierce eyes, said, "It’s your Dao companion — Bi Huayi. I suspect her, and I want to search her soul!!"

Stone Seat Elder was unsurprised, simply sighed and said, "I know about her and Little Feng. I owe her a lot... Peak Master Gu, could you spare her life? She would never harm Little Feng."

Gu Tianyang looked at him oddly, then shook his head, saying, "Sorry for this one, consider it me owing you a favor!"