Qiu Yunyan desperately wished for her grandfather, Qiu Zelang, to die on the spot.
However, having already expended all her strength killing Tan Mingjun, and having endured inhuman torture for so many days, Qiu Yunyan could no longer stand and had collapsed, losing consciousness.
In an instant, the entire Qiu family descended into chaos.
Yet, Ling Feng’s immense power suppressed everyone without much effort.
He then systematically arranged for them to carry out various tasks.
Ling Feng administered acupuncture and employed shamanistic methods to prolong Qiu Zelang’s life, while also implanting a Gu worm within him.
The Gu of Lost Mind!
A common Gu worm used by shamanistic practitioners, it could control a person’s consciousness and make them act according to one’s commands.
The degree of control varied based on the individual’s abilities.
With Ling Feng’s strength, controlling Qiu Zelang was an exceptionally easy matter.
Ling Feng did not trust this old man, Qiu Zelang. While his life could be spared for now, it was only his physical body. His consciousness was now under Ling Feng’s control!
This life was also something Ling Feng could reclaim at any moment!
It could be said that the moment Ling Feng grasped Qiu Zelang’s shoulder, Qiu Zelang had already truly died.
As the sun set, Qiu Zelang awoke again. His dislocated lumbar spine had been reset, his body felt much more agile than before, and even his gaze and facial expression were indistinguishable from his previous state.
But only Ling Feng knew that this Qiu Zelang was now completely under his control.
Unfortunately, the Gu of Lost Mind could only control a person, not probe their thoughts. If it could, Ling Feng would undoubtedly be able to obtain more detailed information and intelligence.
However, in the current situation, all he could do was wait for the auction to begin.
Knock, knock, knock!
The door was knocked upon. Yang Fei immediately stood up and asked in a deep voice, "Who is it?"
Ling Feng, however, had already emerged from the inner room, sat at the table, poured a cup of tea, and said in a deep voice, "It's Ba Yilan. Let her in."
Although Ba Yilan did not speak, her aura was something Ling Feng could not conceal.
Yang Fei immediately opened the door, and Ba Yilan was indeed standing outside.
"Brother Yang Fei, I have something to discuss with Ling Feng."
"Oh, come in."
Seeing Ba Yilan’s somewhat shy demeanor, Yang Fei didn't say much and stepped aside.
Indeed, it was almost dark now, and they had just eaten together. For Ba Yilan to quietly come looking for Ling Feng afterward, it was hard not to speculate about something special.
"Yang Fei, go and see if Shuai Nan and Xiu Xiu are comfortable in their accommodations."
Ling Feng subtly asked Yang Fei to leave.
Yang Fei was slightly taken aback. Could Tianzun really be about to have something happen with this Ba Yilan?
The thought only flashed for a moment before Yang Fei dismissed it from his mind. He then responded and left, closing the door behind him.
As the door closed, the room, with its somewhat ancient charm, became dimmer.
Coupled with the scent of incense, it always gave one a strange feeling.
It was Ba Yilan’s first time being alone in a room with Ling Feng. She lowered her head shyly and leaned closer.
"Sit. What is it?"
Ba Yilan sat down, picked up the cup of hot tea Ling Feng had poured for her, and brought it to her lips but did not take a sip.
"That auction, I… have heard of it."
"Oh?" Ling Feng showed no particular surprise upon hearing this.
Ba Yilan’s Ba family was one of the three major Gu families. It was normal for her to know about an auction that featured ancient corpses.
However, the previous occasions were not suitable for further inquiries.
Ling Feng was already satisfied with the clues he had gathered and had not pressed Ba Yilan for more information.
But now that Ba Yilan had come to him proactively and mentioned the auction, Ling Feng became more interested.
After all, Ling Feng was determined to attend this auction. Booth number three belonged to a member of the Shi family. By apprehending a member of the Shi family, he would be one step closer to the young master behind it all.
Although he was no longer worried about his elder brother Ling Yan’s corpse suffering further damage, Ling Feng did not want his elder brother Ling Yan’s remains to remain in others’ hands for too long.
Furthermore, the reversal of the Corpse Witchcraft was not impossible to break. Ling Feng himself knew how to break it.
However, the method of breaking it was rather complex, but complex did not mean impossible.
Therefore, Ling Feng had to retrieve the remains completely before the other party could decipher the Corpse Witchcraft! He could not give them even the slightest opportunity.
Ba Yilan nodded solemnly.
"I once heard from the elders of my family that many of our Ba clan members are still alive, but most have integrated into society. The saying 'greatly hidden in the city' is something we Ba people believe in."
"And the number of people who truly cultivate the Corpse Gu technique has become very few. Someone with talent like mine has not appeared for nearly sixty years."
Ling Feng did not lose patience due to Ba Yilan’s lengthy explanation but continued to listen.
Ba Yilan clearly cherished this opportunity to confide in someone for the first time.
"Precisely because there are few clan members with good talent, the Corpse Gu technique, which was originally sealed, actually caused a stir ten years ago!"
"At that time, the family wanted to acquire as many corpses as possible, especially ancient corpses with special physiques or those that had been preserved for a long time!"
"And ancient corpses were relatively easier to obtain. It was also at that time that I heard the family elders mention an auction called the Corpse Snatching Assembly! A name that would send shivers down one's spine upon hearing it."
Ling Feng nodded. "Indeed, it's not a pleasant name."
Behind her veil, Ba Yilan’s face was filled with bitterness, seemingly regretting the predicament and wrong choices her family had faced at that time.
"The Corpse Snatching Assembly at that time also auctioned some burial objects, but just as Qiu Zelang said today, it was only open to members. Our Ba clan spent a considerable amount of wealth to obtain the qualification to enter the Corpse Snatching Assembly."
"But it so happened that during that period, the crackdown on tomb raiding across various regions was very severe, making ancient corpses scarce."
"Although some sacrificed corpses that had undergone rituals or had Gu worms cultivated within them were also auctioned as lots, they clearly did not meet our requirements. Therefore, we withdrew from this Corpse Snatching Assembly at that time."
Having said this, Ba Yilan took a deep breath. "It was only today, when Qiu Zelang mentioned this matter, that I remembered that when our Ba clan withdrew, it was precisely when the Shi family entered this Corpse Snatching Assembly. However, I am not sure if it was the Shi family."
Ling Feng expressed understanding but with a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Why are you telling me this…"
"Oh, the point I'm making isn't about the Shi family. I know very little about them. What I want to say is about the organizer of this Corpse Snatching Assembly! They are… absolutely not to be offended!"