Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 1535: A Profitable Deal

As the three had feared, Zhu Mei's teachings proved utterly ineffective in the following days.

On the appointed day, Song Wen bid farewell to the two women and, carrying Jiang Ling'er in the Corpse Coffin, hurried to the meeting place he had arranged with Rong Shao.

Having no pressing matters, Rong Shao had already carved out a mountain cave at the designated location to serve as a temporary cultivation cave.

Thus, Song Wen found Rong Shao waiting upon his arrival.

After entrusting Jiang Ling'er to Rong Shao's care, Song Wen headed to Tianshan City.

He casually entered the first-class pavilion restaurant, but after a brief stay in Yellow Room Thirty-Five, he abruptly left and exited the city.

Finding a secluded spot outside the walls, Song Wen changed his appearance and re-entered Tianshan City, checking into a modest inn.

Then, he retrieved Kong Ling's Communication Jade Slip and began sending a message:

Fellow Daoist Kong Ling, are you satisfied with the grand gift I sent you last time?

A few moments later, Song Wen received a reply:

Very satisfied. Lao Jian is still alive, but his existence is worse than death. I must thank you for fulfilling a long-held wish of mine.

"As long as Fellow Daoist Kong is satisfied, that's all that matters. However, Jiang Ling'er is still in my hands. Have you prepared the four Purifying Fire Talismans?" Song Wen asked.

"As I said before, I must see her in person or view an image stone documenting her current condition to confirm she is unharmed before agreeing to the trade. I haven't seen either of those things yet," Kong Ling replied.

"Yellow Room Thirty-Five at the first-class pavilion restaurant contains what you're looking for," Song Wen said.

The First-Class Pavilion was the same restaurant Song Wen had visited before, and the image stone he had left in Yellow Room Thirty-Five contained a recording of Jiang Ling'er on the Giant Flying Ship, recorded by Zhu Mei. Since Song Wen wasn't present at the time, Jiang Ling'er appeared cool and detached in the recording.

Song Wen received Kong Ling's reply two hours later:

"It seems she has indeed fallen into your hands."

"Now that you've confirmed Jiang Ling'er is unharmed, shall we set a location and time for the trade?" Song Wen asked.

"Let's meet in Yellow Room Thirty-Five at the first-class pavilion restaurant in one hour. What do you say?" Kong Ling proposed.

"No! I won't conduct business within the city. Let's meet in one hour at Mirror Moon Lake, two hundred thousand li west of the city," Song Wen replied.

"Ha..." Kong Ling scoffed. "You fear I might harm you, and I just as much fear you might try to kill me in secret. Fellow Daoist, you single-handedly defeated Lao Jian and three other Body Integration Stage cultivators. With my Early Body Integration Stage cultivation, I'm no match for you."

"If neither of us trusts the other, how shall we proceed with this transaction?" Song Wen asked.

"Why not compromise? Let's meet at Yellowstone Mountain, five thousand li east of the city?" Kong Ling suggested.

"Agreed," Song Wen replied after a moment's consideration.

Kong Ling chose Yellowstone Mountain, only five thousand li from Tianshan City, precisely because he feared Song Wen might harm him. This distance was exactly within the range of a Body Integration Stage cultivator's divine sense.

During the transaction, Kong Ling could maintain contact with certain individuals in the city at any time.

If Song Wen were to make a move, Kong Ling only needed to hold on for a moment before reinforcements would arrive.

Of course, Kong Ling might also have malicious intentions. However, Song Wen wasn't worried about this. As long as he wasn't trapped within a formation, he was confident he could escape even if Kong Ling summoned a great ascension stage cultivator from the Lin Clan to intervene.

After ending his communication with Gu Huang, Song Wen immediately left the inn and set out for Yellowstone Mountain.

Yellowstone Mountain wasn't a single peak but rather a hundred-mile-long range of mountains. The name came from the yellowish-brown rock that formed their bodies and the complete absence of vegetation.

The spiritual qi in this mountain range was thin, and no cultivators resided there.

However, because the area was not far from Tianshan City, cultivators occasionally passed through.

After thoroughly investigating the mountains and finding no anomalies such as traces of formations, Song Wen secretly released the Shadow Gu, instructing it to burrow into the rock crevices. He then turned and left.

Next, Song Wen found Rong Shao, retrieved the Corpse Coffin containing Jiang Ling'er's body, and returned to Yellowstone Mountain once more.

This time, he didn't approach any closer, stopping over five thousand li away.

Song Wen secretly communicated with the Shadow Gu, confirming that no anomalies had occurred at Yellowstone Mountain during his absence. He then found a subterranean beast den, burrowed into it, and collapsed the entrance, burying himself alive.

Next, he controlled the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation, carrying the Corpse Coffin, and sent it to Yellowstone Mountain.

Upon arrival, the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation landed on the summit of a mountain peak and waited silently.

The Shadow Gu, hidden within the mountain, crawled out from a crevice and slipped into the pant leg of the Incarnation.

After about half an hour, Kong Ling finally arrived.

His gaze immediately fell upon the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation.

But after only a brief glance, he turned his attention to the Corpse Coffin beside it.

Realizing what this implied, he spoke bluntly:

"Where is Jiang Ling'er? Is she in the Corpse Coffin? Bring her out."

"Agreed."

As the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation's voice faded, the Corpse Coffin beside it suddenly uprighted itself.

Then, the lid flew open, revealing Jiang Ling'er.

Seeing Jiang Ling'er's eyes wide open but her body frozen within the Corpse Coffin, Kong Ling felt a surge of anger.

"Why did you imprison her in the Corpse Coffin?"

The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation replied, "Rest assured, this was merely to facilitate our journey. She is unharmed, only sealed within by my power."

After a brief pause, the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation continued, "Fellow Daoist Kong, you've seen the person. Where are the talismans I requested? Should you not show them to me now?"

Kong Ling was direct. He pulled out a storage pouch and tossed it to the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation.

The pouch bore no divine sense imprint, meaning it had never been refined by anyone. Song Wen's divine sense easily penetrated its depths.

Inside, aside from four emerald-green talismans, there was nothing else.

These were the Purifying Fire Talismans.

"You are indeed straightforward, Fellow Daoist. In that case, I must keep my word."

As the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation spoke, the Corpse Coffin lifted into the air and drifted slowly toward Kong Ling.

As the Corpse Coffin containing Jiang Ling'er glided past the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation, Song Wen, hidden in the shadows, suddenly had a thought:

Exchanging someone with such a clouded divine sense for four Purifying Fire Talismans. Hmm, quite the bargain. I wonder what Kong Ling will think when he learns the truth about Jiang Ling'er?

Though malice filled Song Wen's heart, the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation's face remained utterly sincere.

"Fellow Daoist Kong Ling, your beloved is returned to you. May you rekindle your bond, grow old together, and never part."

With these words, the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation swiftly ascended into the air and soared away.

Kong Ling paid no attention to the departing figure. His eyes were fixed solely on Jiang Ling'er, who was rapidly approaching.

Eagerly, he shot out a strand of spiritual power, pulling her into his embrace.

Channeling his power, Kong Ling infused Jiang Ling'er's body, clearing away the residual spiritual power Song Wen had left behind.

Immediately, Jiang Ling'er's eyes began to flutter open, their gaze gradually growing hot and infatuated.

"Master... this servant... I want..."