Chapter 1757: Soul Painter

"Very well, I'll take you to see my father now," Wang Neishi said, rising. He felt a surge of eagerness, almost wishing he could fast-forward to the moment when they were in mortal peril, he would appear as a savior, and they, out of gratitude, would offer themselves to him.

The thought of Miss Xie, delicate and lovely, nestled in his arms, sent a thrill through him.

As for Miss Yun, though her gaze was a little fierce, she was undeniably beautiful with an exceptional figure; he certainly wouldn't object…

Along the way, Xie Daoyun couldn't help but ask, "By the way, I heard that if your esteemed father isn't satisfied, he extracts the souls of his visitors. What does he use souls for?"

Wang Neishi explained, "Miss Xie might perceive soul extraction as malevolent, yet the Wang family has never been condemned for it. Do you know why?"

Seeing the two women shake their heads, Wang Neishi continued, "In recent years, my father has accumulated immense merit by exorcising demons and ghosts and saving countless lives. However, his talismans have become overloaded from this work, so they require the power of souls to nourish them. This enables them to save even more people in the future."

"Furthermore, those whose souls were taken entered into a fair transaction; no one coerced them."

"I see," Xie Daoyun replied, then fell silent.

Saving some people while sacrificing others—which path is truly more justifiable?

Meanwhile, Yun Jianyue secretly pondered what kind of talismans required souls for nourishment, sensing an insidious evil permeating the entire explanation.

Noticing their silence, Wang Neishi assumed they were frightened and chuckled, "There's no need to worry. With me here, I will certainly protect both of you."

"We appreciate it, Young Master," the two women said, nodding slightly.

Soon, the group arrived before a tall building. Wang Neishi entered first to report and quickly reappeared. "My father hasn't been receiving external guests lately, but he agreed to see you out of respect for me."

"Thank you, Young Master," the two women said, exchanging a glance. Yun Jianyue secretly conveyed a message to Xie Daoyun, urging her not to be nervous and assuring her that she would handle everything.

Xie Daoyun's anxious heart finally settled slightly, realizing that this was indeed the Demon Sect Master, accustomed to weathering great storms.

Soon, the group entered the tall building. Though its exterior appeared magnificent, the interior was quite dimly lit, and the corridors felt somewhat cramped.

Suddenly, Xie Daoyun noticed a series of paintings hanging on the walls. The figures within them were strikingly lifelike, rendered with exquisite detail. Having practiced painting for a period herself due to her need to draw talismans, she immediately recognized the remarkable skill involved.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Are these paintings by your esteemed father? Such artistic skill is truly exceptional, almost divine."

Among her acquaintances, perhaps only Yu Yanluo possessed comparable artistic skill. In some respects, Yu Yanluo's painting might even fall slightly short of what was before her, as these images didn't resemble paintings at all; they looked uncannily like real people.

The only somewhat unsettling aspect was that every painting depicted only human figures, with no landscapes, flora, or fauna, making the collection rather monotonous.

Wang Neishi's expression was peculiar, and after a moment, he replied, "These are the unfortunate souls who failed their transactions with my father over the past few decades. Their spirits are eternally trapped here."

Xie Daoyun was utterly stunned.

Yun Jianyue, however, remained unfazed. As the Demon Sect Master, she had been responsible for many deaths over the years; otherwise, she would not have been able to manifest her unique domain.

Soon, the group reached the top floor. Wang Neishi knocked on the door. "Father, I've brought them."

"Let them in. You may leave," an aged voice responded from within.

Wang Neishi paused, having intended to enter with them, but he dared not defy his father. He conceded, "Father, these are good friends of mine. I hope you will be lenient with them later."

"Understood," came the unemotional reply from within.

Helplessly, Wang Neishi discreetly gestured to the two women. "Don't be afraid, ladies. I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

With that, he descended the stairs, looking back repeatedly. He genuinely feared his father might, on a whim, take their souls, and it would be an immense pity for two such beautiful and captivating women to perish.

Once he had left, the door opened automatically, revealing a remarkably spacious room. Directly ahead, an old man sat on a raised platform, clearly Wang Youjun, the head of the Wang family. He lifted his eyelids and cast a glance at the two women. "Come in."

Yun Jianyue stepped in first, subtly shielding Xie Daoyun behind her, while simultaneously scrutinizing the old man.

Perhaps from years spent indoors, the old man's skin was exceptionally pale, and his hair was sparse and gray. Yet, his well-defined facial features were still discernible, suggesting he had been a handsome man in his youth.

Yun Jianyue quietly mused that the old man's cultivation seemed slightly inferior to her own, but a significant portion of combat power in this world relied on talismans. She was uncertain who would prevail if a real fight broke out.

"It's been a long time since I've seen such beautiful young women. No wonder my second son was so persistent in pleading your case," Wang Youjun chuckled. "Are you here to make a transaction with me?"

"The Second Young Master is truly righteous and eager to help; we are deeply grateful. We are searching for our lost companions, which is why we have specifically come to see you, esteemed elder," Xie Daoyun replied softly.

"Righteous and eager to help?" Wang Youjun scoffed, naturally aware of his son's true nature and disinclined to expose him. "To seek me out merely to find someone seems rather excessive."

As he spoke, his brows slowly furrowed, evidently growing suspicious of their true intentions.

"The primary reason is that those companions are incredibly important to us, and we have no idea where they might be in this world. We have no clues whatsoever and no means to begin a search on our own," Xie Daoyun explained. Normally, there would indeed be no need to take such a significant risk to seek Wang Youjun's help, but they had been drawn into this vast world and scattered, leaving them with no discernible starting point for a search.

"I see," the suspicion on Wang Youjun's face gradually receded. "In that case, you must be aware of my rules. What have you prepared for the transaction?"

From her storage pouch, Yun Jianyue produced an ancient, intricately patterned blade. Its hilt and sheath were a dark blue-black, yet the blade itself shimmered with a cold light, faintly revealing streaks of crimson.

The instant it emerged, a faint, metallic scent of blood permeated the entire room.

She extended her hand, and the blade floated suspended in mid-air, silently displaying its intricate details to Wang Youjun.

"Excellent skill, and an excellent blade!" Wang Youjun couldn't help but exclaim. This woman appeared delicate, yet her cultivation was remarkably profound.

Yun Jianyue introduced, "This blade is named 'Bieli,' or 'Separation,' and it is a divine weapon of the Celestial Grade. I wonder if it meets with your approval?"

She and Xie Daoyun had discussed this yesterday. According to the maid's earlier intelligence, many who were initially hesitant with their offers later found themselves with no further opportunities to bid.

In contrast, the three who succeeded had all presented exceptionally valuable gifts immediately.

A Celestial Grade weapon was roughly equivalent in value to those gifts.

This blade, the personal weapon of a former Demon Sect Master, was one she was quite reluctant to part with.

But she had no choice. She wasn't Yu Yanluo, possessing wealth equivalent to a nation; she only had these combat-related items that held significant value. With Zu An and the others' fates unknown, sacrificing a Celestial Grade divine weapon to find them was a small price to pay.

"I can sense that this blade has drunk the blood of countless individuals. 'Bieli'—Separation—is indeed a fitting name," Wang Youjun remarked admiringly.

"Then, have you agreed to help us find our companions?" Yun Jianyue felt a sense of relief.

Wang Youjun shook his head slightly, pushing the long blade back towards her. "Though this blade is fine, I am not a wielder of such weapons, so it would be of no use to me."

Yun Jianyue's heart sank. She possessed little else of comparable value to the blade. Surely, she couldn't offer the Crescent Wheel and the Eternal Trust Palace Lantern.

At this point, Wang Youjun turned his gaze to Xie Daoyun. "I hear you are also skilled in the art of talismans?"

Xie Daoyun was startled, and instinctively replied, "I wouldn't call myself skilled; I merely have some familiarity. Furthermore, the runes I know seem quite different from your talismans."

"Oh, how do they differ?" Wang Youjun asked, observing her with interest.

Xie Daoyun paused, then explained, "Your talismans require no elemental stones or other energy sources; they can directly commune with spirits and deities and borrow their power. The runes I employ, however, are drawn to form arrays that utilize elemental stones as energy to tap into the power of heaven and earth, achieving desired effects..."

"Oh, so you are proficient in array formations?" Wang Youjun's eyes lit up.

"A little," Xie Daoyun replied with a shy smile.

"Then draw a defensive array for me to see," Wang Youjun said, leaning slightly forward.

Xie Daoyun subtly glanced at Yun Jianyue, feeling her encouraging gaze. She then swiftly drew an array in the air, and as the final stroke was completed, a delicate blue light shimmered along the array's lines.

This time, she had clearly sensed something specific, and thus deliberately created a remarkably intricate and profound array.

Gazing at the faint blue array before him, Wang Youjun appeared thoughtful. After a moment, he spoke, "Very well, I can help you locate your companions, but I do not require your Celestial Grade divine weapon. I only need you to do one thing for me."

"What is it?" the two women asked in unison, their hearts tightening.

"I need to go to a certain place, and your mastery of array formations can assist me," Wang Youjun said, gazing intently at Xie Daoyun. "If you accompany me on this journey, I will help you find your companions, and perhaps even grant you unexpected benefits."