"What’s the price?" Sun Lingtong immediately inquired.
He had already made up his mind. Even if the other party asked for a high price, he was determined to get it.
Sun Lingtong was extremely familiar with Ning Zhuo’s cultivation situation. The two of them never hid anything from each other in this aspect. So, Sun Lingtong was very clear that the soul of a Confucian Cultivator was of immense significance and help to Ning Zhuo!
The gray-robed cultivator was silent for a moment before speaking: "This person... is somewhat special. I’m not yet sure if I can get hold of this person’s soul and then sell it to you."
Sun Lingtong furrowed his brow: "For what reason?"
At this point, he added: "The price is negotiable."
The gray-robed cultivator did not immediately respond with a price but cast his gaze towards Yu Heye on the side: "Actually, to tell the truth, many compatriots of the Myriad Images Sect know. This person has quite a reputation. He is called... Qin De."
"Qin De?!" Yu Heye clearly recognized the name, revealing a look of realization and a hint of dread, "It’s him! The shame of Confucianism."
However, Sun Lingtong was full of confusion this time.
Yu Heye explained in a low voice: "This person committed taboos, causing quite a stir back then, but the upper echelons have always suppressed it with all their might. Information that normal people procure has naturally been vetted and will not record this person."
Sun Lingtong became curious and carefully inquired about the person’s origin.
"The ’Saint Thief Scripture’?" He had heard it for the first time, and especially upon hearing the cultivation technique name of a Demon Path Confucian Cultivator, his heart raced a few beats faster, triggering his spiritual mechanism, making him shudder involuntarily.
Sun Lingtong inexplicably realized: "This cultivation technique seems extremely important to me?!"
He hid his strange expression and quickly reviewed the information on Qin De in his mind.
Qin De was originally a young Confucian Cultivator with a vast future ahead, exceptionally well-versed in various Confucian classics, very knowledgeable, and exceptionally talented.
But perhaps it was precisely because he had perused too many classics that he created a cultivation technique called the "Saint Thief Scripture."
This cultivation technique links sages and thieves, the higher the cultivator’s personal conduct and merit, the more formidable their stealing technique becomes, gaining massive amplification!
This cultivation technique was too sinister, practically guiding all Confucian Cultivators towards becoming thieves.
And the ideology that emanated from the "Saint Thief Scripture" concerning Qin De further convinced the Confucian group led by Duanmu Zhang that Qin De had already fallen, his thoughts distorted, reading too many books had driven him into madness!
Therefore, after persuasion, coercion, and various other means failed, Duanmu Zhang and others could only explain the situation to the sect and then defeat Qin De, imprisoning him.
Qin De had been imprisoned in the Cloud Prison for over thirty years now.
The gray-robed cultivator recounted how after Qin De created the cultivation technique, he committed several major theft cases. This person indeed bore heavy guilt.
But Sun Lingtong had a new concern: "There are many Confucian Cultivators within the Myriad Images Sect who are very united. What is their opinion of Qin De?"
The gray-robed cultivator chuckled: "Rest assured about this. Qin De has fallen too deeply, beyond redemption. The Confucian Cultivator group had abandoned him completely more than a decade ago."
"They have even proposed multiple times to destroy Qin De, to kill such evil thoughts at the source, preventing pollution of Confucian orthodoxy."
"If you can eliminate Qin De, I think it would actually garner the gratitude of the Confucian Cultivators."
At this point, the gray-robed cultivator had pondered thoroughly and offered a formal price: "According to the market price, the soul of a peak Golden Core would sell for three hundred thousand Mid Grade Spirit Stones."
"The unique trait of a Confucian Cultivator is rare, seldom seen in the market, adding a hundred thousand Mid Grade Spirit Stones."
"Plus, this cultivator is imprisoned in the Cloud Prison, and sorting through before and after isn’t cheap. I will charge you a total of four hundred thousand Mid Grade Spirit Stones."
Yu Heye’s pupils narrowed.
As a Golden Core Cultivator himself, this amount was undoubtedly too much for him.
If it were him, he would definitely not spend such a large amount of spirit stones just to buy a Golden Core Level soul.
Yet Sun Lingtong merely smiled lightly: "I’ll buy it. This is the deposit."
He then produced a Ghost Dao Golden Core.
The gray-robed cultivator suddenly felt a sense of awe, silently considering: "Two Golden Cores in a row, this person is reminding me that he’s not someone to be trifled with! Do business properly, or the consequence will be like that of the Golden Core master..."
He accepted the Golden Core: "Then I will trouble Elder Sun to wait for some time and hear the good news from our side."
Sun Lingtong nodded: "You must not deliberately delay. If it’s one or two months and there’s still no delivery, how will we settle accounts? After all, we’re anxious to use it."
The gray-robed cultivator confidently smiled: "Rest assured, Qin De has long been forgotten and has been imprisoned in Cloud Prison for so long that unexpectedly dying is very reasonable."
"I have been doing business here for so many years, and Yu Heye knows, I’ve never cheated anyone, reputation is the first!"
"Within at most a week’s time, I can get it for you."
Seeing the gray-robed cultivator so confident, Sun Lingtong felt a bit more assured: "Alright, since that’s the case, let’s sign a contract."
The gray-robed cultivator nodded without the slightest hesitation; it was his duty to do so. In this aspect, he was really confident. He’d done this type of business many times, adept at the practice.
The entrance to the Evil Slaying Hall.
Array space.
Central stone platform.
The elderly cultivator looked at Ning Zhuo with satisfaction: "I have one last question."
Ning Zhuo extended his hand: "Please ask, Elder, I will speak without reservation, sincerely from the depths of my heart."
On the Upper Dantian of his Divine Sea, the Buddha Heart Demon Seal shimmered brightly.
The elderly cultivator’s voice suddenly became heavy as if bearing immense weight, pressing down on Ning Zhuo: "The third question: The way contends, calamity is inevitable. If one day you must forsake this body’s flesh and blood, burning up the true essence of the divine soul to sever an overwhelming demonic calamity and save countless beings from impending doom..."
"And after this act, your name, your way, every trace of your existence might be tainted by demons, misunderstood and spat upon by the world, forever falling into the endless abyss, never to recover... Will you go forth?"
Silence.
After this question, it was as if the air on the stone platform solidified.
The high-level cultivators of the Evil Slaying Hall stared at Ning Zhuo expressionlessly, not missing the slightest change in his expression.
Ning Zhuo furrowed his brow, lowered his head, staring at the stone bricks beneath his feet, deeply lost in thought.
The cultivators of the Evil Slaying Hall had hidden expectations, and as time silently passed, they gradually began to feel tense.
The three inquiries of the Evil Slaying Hall were a hidden assessment segment, targeting only the top tier of people from the first round of the Xingyun Trial.
Among the group answering, the majority had passed the first two questions, with very few able to pass the third.
Because the third question was indeed too severe.
Sacrificing oneself was already heroic, let alone bearing the eternal infamy of history?
For the human world’s righteous path, should one really sacrifice oneself to such a degree?
For what do people pursue righteousness?
"It’s alright, just speak sincerely from the heart." The elderly cultivator, seeing Ning Zhuo not answering for a long time, couldn’t hold back and reminded softly.
He worried that Ning Zhuo would lie and be detected.
If so, Ning Zhuo would be directly and thoroughly eliminated, and henceforth, the entire Evil Slaying Hall would be permanently closed off to him with no chance of employment.
However, unbeknownst to them, Ning Zhuo wasn’t thinking about this matter but rather his situation.
Ning Zhuo already had a clear perception: "I have the Buddha Heart Demon Seal protecting me, it won’t detect my true heart."
"I naturally know how to answer to pass smoothly."
"But by doing so, I would likely take the top spot."
The top spot...
This would be the third top spot from the Xingyun Trial.
In this way, Ning Zhuo would be the first to gain qualifications, able to exchange his wooden token for a stone token before most others.
He would stand out from the first round of Xingyun Trial, becoming a rookie alongside Situ Xing and others!
Previously, though Ning Zhuo had also passed Che Zhuzi’s Xingyun Trial and achieved a good result, Che Zhuzi did not acknowledge Ning Zhuo’s top result.
Che Zhuzi was still thinking of using this reward to attract more people to his Xingyun Trial and naturally wouldn’t grant it prematurely.
The Xingyun Trial could be hosted multiple times, but the granting of the top honor was only once.
The Evil Slaying Hall had many entrances, but if this time Ning Zhuo was awarded the top spot, then related Xingyun Trials, while still continuing, could no longer bestow the head honor upon a second person.
Ning Zhuo stood at the crossroads of choice.
Should he be as restrained as in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City, keeping a low profile?
Or should he forfeit the current opportunity, but obtain the top spot later, just not as Situ Xing’s first round, following a moderate path?
Or seize the opportunity now, securing three top spots first, bearing honor, advancing confidently and triumphantly?