Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 219: Chapter 156: Return to the Sect

Li Shiming placed the six corpses in a storage bag. Had he not lost the ability to continue refining Corpse Refining, he would have considered refining Du Bingyan’s corpse into a zombie.

This was the body of a talented cultivator, and further, one at the Qi Refining Peak. Once successfully refined, it would essentially be a high-quality copper corpse.

However, he had no current plans to cultivate new zombies, mainly because zombies were no longer as urgent a need for his cultivation as they were before.

Moreover, he needed to report this matter. It was Elder Song from the Spirit Mechanism Pavilion who had assured him that the Holy Ice Sect would not make a move against him, and these six corpses were the evidence.

He first completed the Formation, and today he had no interest in constructing others. He took out the Flying Boat and returned to the sect.

On the Flying Boat, he began to inspect the loot from this battle.

The storage bags of the five ordinary cultivators contained nothing unexpected.

For such cultivators, possessing one or two top-grade magic tools of ordinary quality was quite good, but Li Shiming, with his current resources, had long ceased to regard ordinary-quality top-grade magic tools as valuable.

However, in Du Bingyan’s storage bag, he made an unexpected discovery.

“Another Foundation Establishment Pill!” Li Shiming took out a porcelain bottle, opened it, and confirmed it while muttering to himself.

He couldn’t understand why one would bring such precious Foundation Establishment Pills on a mission.

In fact, it was understandable. To a Qi Refining cultivator, Foundation Establishment Pills were extremely precious, and such important treasures were naturally safest when carried on one’s person.

Additionally, Du Bingyan, who was very self-confident, believed he could protect himself, and nowhere would be safer than his own storage bag.

“The fifth one!” He stored the Foundation Establishment Pill and joyfully said to himself.

The vast sect produced just over ten Foundation Establishment Pills in five years, and he alone now had nearly half of what the sect had produced in that time.

But he didn’t disdain having too many Foundation Establishment Pills, for Elder Yin had warned him to prepare more.

He intended to collect as many Foundation Establishment Pills as possible before his breakthrough to strengthen his chances of success.

If his spirit root seeds weren’t up to par, then he would stack Foundation Establishment Pills instead, as he could surely pile his way up to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Du Bingyan also brought him a new Jade Flying Boat, one of even better quality than the previous one. It was likely something the sect had prepared specifically for talented cultivators.

Also among the loot was a Super-grade Sword-shaped Magical Artifact. Unfortunately, being of the water and ice attribute, it was not suitable for Li Shiming.

The rest were some Spirit Stones and a few spare magic tools of good quality.

As he tallied his gains, the Flying Boat returned to the nine peaks of the sect.

He lowered the Flying Boat to the Spirit Mechanism Pavilion, stored it away, and walked inside.

“Li Shiming, surely the mission isn’t completed so soon?” Junior Master Song was somewhat surprised to see Li Shiming.

She had kept a close eye on Li Shiming’s task. His speed in constructing the Formations was unexpectedly fast, but there was still a fair amount left before completion.

“Greetings to Junior Master Song. I encountered an attack from the Holy Ice Sect, and their cultivators managed to find my exact location!” Li Shiming said as he handed over the storage bag.

Junior Master Song’s gaze turned sharp; she grabbed the storage bag, and her Spiritual Thought swept through it.

There was no need to confirm anything—upon seeing Du Bingyan’s corpse, she was convinced that what Li Shiming had said was true.

“It’s my mistake. I will report this to the sect. Furthermore, while you are setting up the Formations, I will request that the sect issue a protection mission!” Junior Master Song said with a troubled expression.

Truth be told, she was extremely shocked to see Du Bingyan’s corpse.

The sect’s talented cultivators were cultivated with great care.

Their combat abilities were amongst the strongest in their rank, so defeating them might be possible, but killing them was a different story unless a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would act.

Clearly, Li Shiming had killed Du Bingyan without the aid of any cultivator from the sect at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

“Junior Master Song, after the corpse has served as evidence, please return it to me, as I plan to refine it into a zombie!” Although Li Shiming had no plans for Corpse Refining, he didn’t want to hand over the body for nothing.

“Du Bingyan was a highly regarded cultivator of the Holy Ice Sect. It’s not a problem that you killed him in self-defense, but they will absolutely not agree to you using his body for Corpse Refining!” Junior Master Song glanced at Li Shiming and said coldly.

Li Shiming inexplicably felt that Junior Master Song seemed to hold some animosity towards him.

This feeling took shape after long conversations with Junior Master Song, who, as a High-level Array Master, possessed strong spirit and Spiritual Thought, making it difficult for him to discern her emotions.

Yet, the bit of information he could sense made him doubt whether Junior Master Song was intentionally targeting him.

The task to set up one hundred Formations seemed beneficial to him, helping him quickly obtain Foundation Establishment Pills, but it also exposed him to danger by taking him far from the sect’s protection.

Junior Master Song wouldn’t know that he had soul-splitting surveillance around him, allowing him to detect distant dangers while he worked on the Formations.

“Please, state my request when reporting to the sect, Junior Master Song!” Li Shiming persisted.

Junior Master Song’s explanation had not convinced him. What did she mean by “the Holy Ice Sect will absolutely not agree”? The Holy Ice Sect had attempted to kill him several times—was he not entitled to use the corpses he had slain to enhance his own power?

“I will report for you. Don’t continue with the task for now. In no more than two days, cultivators will take on the protection mission!” Junior Master Song instructed indifferently, gesturing.