Crow Immortal: I Can Duplicate Infinite Resources

Chapter 218: Myriad Phenomena Disciple

“A Foundation Establishment realm Heavenly Mechanism Spindle?”

Han Yu weighed the proposition carefully.

He had been refining his technique for some time now. If he could assimilate a Heavenly Mechanism Spindle at the Foundation Establishment level, it would indeed provide the power necessary to completely condense the ninth Star Luo Thread.

With that, the Star Luo Traction Technique would reach its absolute limit—Perfection within the Qi Refining realm.

“Sect Leader, if such a spindle truly exists, it would certainly suffice,” Han Yu said. “But where would we find one?”

“Naturally, right here around Wanchun Valley.”

Sect Leader Qi explained, “The Little Sky Net Sect acts as the loyal lapdog of the Myriad Phenomena Sect. Now that the great sects of the Central Heaven Domain have dispatched Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators, their lackeys won’t sit idle. As long as we search the Green Grain Market and Qiuxian Town thoroughly, we are bound to catch something.”

Hearing this, Elder Lü’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go search as well—”

“You cannot. Today is not like the past,” Sect Leader Qi interjected, vetoing the proposal immediately. “The lands outside Wanchun Valley are fraught with peril. If you were to encounter Qin Ting, Xiao Wen, or Wang Jian—those three Golden Core cultivators—or any experts from the great sects, you would be hard-pressed to escape with your life.”

Elder Lü pondered for a moment before replying, “In that case, I will accompany you, Sect Leader.”

“After all, it is only right to have a helping hand.”

With the plan settled, Elder Lü turned to Han Yu with a smile. “Rest assured, disciple. One way or another, we will find a spy or two from the Little Sky Net Sect. Your ninth Star Luo Thread will be formed.”

Han Yu bowed, offering his sincere gratitude to his Master and the Sect Leader. “This disciple will hone his skills with all haste. I aim to achieve Foundation Establishment soon, so that I may repay the Sect’s kindness!”

“Silly child, we are family; there is no need for such formalities.” Sect Leader Qi smiled warmly. “The future of Wanchun Valley will one day rest on your shoulders, after all.”

That very day, Sect Leader Qi, Elder Lü, Elder Mu, and Elder Mou divided into two teams to comb the areas surrounding Wanchun Valley, specifically the Green Grain Market and Qiuxian Town.

On the first day, they found no disciples from the Little Sky Net Sect, only a solitary Demonic Cultivator. To avoid alerting their true targets, Sect Leader Qi and the others held back and took no action.

On the second day, after a meticulous search, they finally detected a faint trail, though it was not entirely definitive.

They spent the next few days observing and verifying. Finally, Sect Leader Qi and his team struck. In a coordinated sweep of the Green Grain Market and Qiuxian Town, they captured three Demonic Cultivators, three disciples of the Little Sky Net Sect, and one Foundation Establishment disciple from the Myriad Phenomena Sect.

The prisoners were separated for processing.

Of the three Demonic Cultivators, one was a Foundation Establishment disciple from a demonic sect in the Central Heaven Domain. Coincidentally, this was the same man who had put on a show of chasing Qi Feiyan back when Hua Qi brought Ji Qingling to the valley.

Whether due to a flaw in his cultivation technique or a twisted nature, this Demonic Cultivator was nothing like Qi Feiyan or Ji Qingling, who would do anything to survive. Instead, he was arrogant and foul-mouthed, cursing endlessly.

When Sect Leader Qi attempted Soul Searching, the man’s head detonated instantly.

The great sects of the Central Heaven Domain placed comprehensive restrictions on their disciples’ minds. Unless a captive actively cooperated—like Ji Qingling, who was willing to circumvent the restrictions to save her own skin—it was nearly impossible to pry secrets from them.

The second Demonic Cultivator was a “resource”—a person raised by the first cultivator specifically to be consumed. A Soul Search revealed he knew nothing, but as he had already consumed human essence and blood, tasting the forbidden fruit of the demonic path, he could not be spared. He was executed to atone for his victims.

The third Demonic Cultivator was a local of the Nanli Kingdom, serving unknown masters.

After performing a Soul Search on this third man, Sect Leader Qi frowned. “This man is a subordinate within the Nanli Royal Court… Why are there Demonic Cultivators infiltrating the Nanli government again?”

“The disciples stationed there have been too careless. How could they miss even a whisper of this?”

Elder Lü offered a grim smile. “We can dispatch a Foundation Establishment Deacon to purge these insignificant rats later.”

“The pressing matter is not these loose cultivators, but how to handle the other four.”

He referred to the three disciples from the Little Sky Net Sect and the single Foundation Establishment disciple from the Myriad Phenomena Sect.

Sect Leader Qi considered the options. “I will Soul Search the Little Sky Net Sect disciples. There is no need to keep them alive.”

“They have proven themselves enemies time and again; mercy is unnecessary.”

“As for the disciple from the Myriad Phenomena Sect, we will ask if he is willing to cooperate. If he is, we might spare his life to glean more intelligence.”

Sect Leader Qi proceeded to Soul Search and subsequently silence the three captives from the Little Sky Net Sect. His expression grew complex as he sifted through their memories.

The haul was significant: one Foundation Establishment Deacon and two Qi Refining disciples. That meant three Heavenly Mechanism Spindles—more than enough for Han Yu.

More importantly, the Foundation Establishment Deacon possessed high-level knowledge regarding the Little Sky Net Sect’s recent decisions. From these memories, Sect Leader Qi learned several truths he had not known before.

First, he learned that the Myriad Phenomena Sect and the Little Sky Net Sect referred to Han Yu as the “Unactivated Demon Star,” a threat equivalent to the “Giant Demon Star” of the Central Heaven Domain.

The Myriad Phenomena Sect planned to deal with the already active “Giant Demon Star” first, saving Wanchun Valley for later to avoid prematurely “activating” Han Yu.

This meant the thirty-year pact was genuine.

They truly did not intend to send Nascent Soul experts to wipe out Wanchun Valley in the short term, solely to prevent triggering the catastrophe they believed Han Yu represented.

In addition to this, there was another fascinating revelation. The Little Sky Net Sect believed that an unidentified disciple of the Myriad Phenomena Sect had already infiltrated Wanchun Valley and refined Qin Ting’s Heavenly Mechanism Spindle.

When the Little Sky Net Sect reported this to the Myriad Phenomena Sect representatives, even the representatives were confused. They did not know who this person was and were eager to establish contact with this “fellow disciple” who had infiltrated ahead of schedule.

Realizing this, Sect Leader Qi felt a sense of profound irony. Han Yu’s successful cultivation of the Star Luo Traction Technique had caused a misunderstanding so deep that even the Myriad Phenomena Sect couldn’t tell if one of their own was inside the valley.

A thought sparked in his mind. Should we simply play along with this mistake?

That Myriad Phenomena Sect disciple likely won’t cooperate with us natives. But if he were to meet a ‘fellow disciple’ from his own sect… he might be far more forthcoming.

Using this to gather intelligence is exactly the right move.

With a plan forming, Sect Leader Qi went personally to see the captured Myriad Phenomena Sect disciple.

“Esteemed disciple from the Central Heaven Domain,” Qi began, tone polite but firm. “You surely have a boundless future ahead of you back in your domain. Would it not be a pity to die here today? Perhaps you could cooperate with us and share some information?”

“If you are willing to talk, Wanchun Valley promises to spare your life.”

The Myriad Phenomena Sect disciple, a man with a furrowed brow, ignored the offer and muttered to himself, “I should have left last night. What a pity I wavered.”

“I knew it. I should have trusted the celestial omen.”

Sect Leader Qi was not surprised. In fact, it felt entirely expected.

The Little Sky Net Sect was obsessed with fate, and as their superior sect, the Myriad Phenomena Sect was naturally even more fixated on celestial phenomena and destiny. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have brought such disaster upon Wanchun Valley over a mere prophecy.

“Esteemed disciple, could we discuss this in more detail?” Qi pressed. “We have already identified your sect. There is no need for further concealment…”

The disciple shook his head, lost in his own fatalism. “Indeed… I never should have doubted the premonition.”

Seeing the man consumed by his own thoughts, Sect Leader Qi felt a vague sense of helplessness. He shook his head and ordered the prisoner taken to the main peak of Wanchun Valley for strict confinement.

Then, carrying the three harvested Heavenly Mechanism Spindles, he and Elder Lü went to find Han Yu.