Cheng Yu unexpectedly glanced at Lu Yan.
Lu Yan’s inquiry was probably related to the Bamboo Forest Marketplace incident.
This immediately reminded him of the incident at the Bamboo Forest Marketplace, where the owner of the Spirit Talisman Shop recruited a large number of ordinary people as staff, enticing them to practice Cultivation Techniques and refine the Soul Banner.
"Is the Hundred Soul Banner in his hands the very one that went missing from the Bamboo Forest Marketplace?
But how did he manage to refine the Soul Banner into a Hundred Soul Banner in such a short time? Could it be that refining Beast Souls isn’t just a baseless rumor?"
Cheng Yu’s pupils contracted sharply, as Lu Yan’s words suddenly brought many things to his mind.
But despite Lu Yan’s threat, Cheng Yu forcefully suppressed his doubts and spoke frankly, detailing:
"I’m not very clear on the specifics of the Bamboo Forest Marketplace incident, I just vaguely heard that demonic cultivators secretly refined Soul Banners in the marketplace, leading to a strange fire that killed the demonic cultivators and caused the Soul Banner to disappear.
At Bamboo Forest Marketplace, a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining named Li Zhaoheng seized the opportunity to cover things up by feigning concern over the Cyan Simurgh Sect’s investigation.
Originally, that was the extent of the matter, until Gongyang Xuanming unexpectedly died at the Bamboo Forest Marketplace."
"Gongyang Xuanming was the offspring of a Golden Core Elder from the Demon Refining Sect, possessing cultivation at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, and secretly hiding at Bamboo Forest Marketplace for several years.
But Gongyang Xuanming, whose identity was impeccably concealed, suddenly died, along with a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Demon Refining Sect and over a dozen Qi Cultivation outer disciples.
This numerous loss of cultivators immediately prompted an investigation by the Cyan Simurgh Sect, eventually revealing Gongyang Xuanming’s true identity, and the truth behind the Soul Banner refinement at the Bamboo Forest Marketplace."
"The Cyan Simurgh Sect Elder was furious, completely purging the upper echelons of Bamboo Forest Marketplace. The True Disciple originally responsible for Bamboo Forest Marketplace was also punished, losing the position of guarding the marketplace."
Lu Yan nodded slightly upon hearing this; the Xianxia version scarcely differed from the urban version.
In the urban version, Li Zhaoheng handled the underground factory fire case, suppressing the factory beneath the fire with Gongyang Xuanming’s indication.
Afterwards, Lu Yan killed Li Zhaoheng and Gongyang Xuanming, leading to the scrutiny of the higher echelons in Luo City, exposing quite a few matters, although none were manifest openly.
The sole difference is that in the Xianxia version, a True Disciple from the Cyan Simurgh Sect was implicated, undoubtedly Zuo Yu Fairy Ji Xingyao.
"Since Ji Xingyao was affected in the Xianxia version and even stripped of the Bamboo Forest Marketplace guardian position, even if not entirely corresponding in the urban version, there should be some feedback manifest.
She’s merely a down-and-out Internet celebrity in the urban version, so how does that tie into the bizarre death of Myanmar’s nobility? What impact will she suffer from?"
Thinking over and again, Lu Yan could only think of her concert.
The murder happened just a few hundred meters from the concert venue, even if not spread among civilians, those wealthy mall owners probably know something.
Even if Ji Xingyao has nothing to do with the murder, as long as there’s even a slight connection, those mall owners surely wouldn’t want to invite her for a concert again.
"The down-and-out Internet celebrity is likely to become even more down-and-out."
Lu Yan found it somewhat astonishing; he once forged goodwill with Ji Xingyao, hoping to stabilize his situation by riding on her influence.
Who’d have thought that soon after, he could easily suppress even Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators, whereas Ji Xingyao, the True Disciple, became increasingly downtrodden, losing her position at Bamboo Forest Marketplace.
She seemingly only had the Cyan Valley Marketplace left under her name, her final Independent Practitioner Marketplace, reaching this state as a True Disciple was unprecedented.
"Perhaps... the Internet celebrity identity is a reflection of Ji Xingyao being powerless in her true identity, far less glamorous than the surface-level True Disciple?"
Seeing Lu Yan lost in thought, Cheng Yu became more convinced of his suspicions.
"Do you have anything else to ask?"
Lu Yan raised his head and nodded at Cheng Yu:
"I am quite satisfied with your answer."
As he spoke, Lu Yan gently waved the Soul Banner, and Blood Mustache, half-melted in the ghostly realm, approached.
"In return, I’ll let him feed faster, sparing you as much pain as possible."
Cheng Yu’s face changed instantly, becoming panic-stricken as he exclaimed:
"You plan to let the Qi Refining Stage main soul eat me?"
"Among the three main souls of your Hundred Soul Banner, two are merely at the peak of Qi Refining, and I, a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator from the Red Lotus Demon Sect, to not be refined into a main soul?"
Lu Yan gave Cheng Yu an odd look.
"Why should I refine you as a main soul?
You clearly aren’t a disciplined person; even if made a main soul, you’d surely aim to stir trouble against the master. I won’t fall for your game."
Cheng Yu’s Divine Soul turned green; he answered Lu Yan’s questions so readily, hoping to cooperate and peacefully enter the Hundred Soul Banner to survive.
Any demonic cultivator who possesses a Soul Banner wouldn’t waste the opportunity to refine a main soul; only by continuously defeating and refining formidable enemies’ souls could they enhance the Soul Banner’s capacity.
Throughout history, every great demonic figure refining Soul Banners depended more on numerous formidable main souls rather than countless vengeful spirits and malicious ghosts.
When cultivation is low, the gap between vengeful spirits and malicious ghosts and their enemies isn’t wide; hundreds of these ghosts could suffice to crush a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.
Yet, if one reaches the Golden Core or Nascent Soul Realm, however many Qi Refining stage ghosts there are, they can barely form a threat; only two choices remain then.
One is to cultivate these low-grade ghosts to Foundation Establishment Stage, where even Golden Core cultivators would yield to thousands of such ghosts appearing.
However, cultivating thousands of Foundation Establishment ghosts consumes resources beyond imagination, requiring slaughtering millions upon millions of mortal souls.
No demon, no matter how wicked, dares to massacre such a vast number, so virtually no one chooses this path.
The other path relies on strong main souls, using vengeful spirits to assist forming ghostly realms, or slaughtering low-rank cultivators.
Strong main souls rival cultivators of the same rank; once deployed, they can crush formidable foes.
Thus, demonic cultivators wielding Soul Banners often refine defeated enemies into main souls rather than wasting their souls.
And defeated cultivators willingly accept this fate, at least gaining a chance to resist instead of dying at once.
But Cheng Yu never imagined encountering someone like Lu Yan who defies conventions, letting a precious Foundation Establishment Divine Soul be devoured by a mere Qi Refining stage ghost.
In panic, he shouted:
"I have the Red Lotus Demon Sect’s heritage techniques, and treasures and ancient relic clues!
Let me be a main soul for the Hundred Soul Banner, offering information and serving you!"
The dignified Sect Grand Cultivator became so humble, actively requesting entry into the Soul Banner, which amused Lu Yan, who lightly asked:
"You think you’re worthy of entering the Soul Banner?"
He harbors too many secrets; a main soul with intelligence and potential rebellion is an extremely unstable factor, which he wouldn’t tolerate.
Blood Mustache devoured Cheng Yu’s Divine Soul brutally, amidst piercing wails, completely consuming him.