Chapter 379 |
The power of the Ninefold Lightning Tribulation was noticeably higher than he had anticipated.
However, it was still within his capacity to endure.
As he endured the tempering of the lightning tribulation, his divine marrow completely transformed into silver blood, triggering a large-scale blood replacement throughout his entire body, especially within the dragon spine that he had refined long ago.
Amid the constantly flashing lightning, rune after rune bearing an aura of undying emerged. The power of the third-rank Divine Vajra Body, once merely manifested as a marvel, now truly began to circulate.
It continuously poured into the dragon spine along his back.
At the same time, as the Yin Nether Demonic Dragon Art circulated unceasingly, the rune-like particles of “Heavenly Yin Blood” within Wang Yu’s blood began to converge toward the dragon spine. The Corpse Demon Bones followed the same pattern.
However, as products of the third-rank Corpse Demon Secret Technique, they also possessed inherent imperfections. The benefits brought by this major realm breakthrough caused all of Wang Yu’s body-focused enhancements to show a clear tendency toward fusion.
The core was the dragon spine, the first undying bone that was about to be fully refined.
A major realm breakthrough carried great danger, but also great opportunity.
By taking advantage of this moment to merge everything into one, future efforts to fuse his cultivation methods with the Corpse Demon Secret Technique would become far less difficult. Using this opportunity to deduce future advancements was like walking at night with streetlights guiding the way.
There was no need to worry about falling into a ditch.
The transformation within his body continued, while the pressure from the outside world rose sharply. Starting from the fourth lightning tribulation, the blue-white lightning became tinged with a layer of purple light.
Like water pouring down from the heavens, thunder pillars descended like waterfalls, smashing into Wang Yu and sending waves of pain through his body. Even his hair stood on end.
His pale, tender body became covered in large blood-red lightning scars, resembling veins or spiderwebs. The sight was savage and terrifying.
Yet as his bodily functions operated, these injuries rapidly faded. The immense energy contained within the Demonic Dragon Tree Heart granted him an exaggerated recovery ability over short periods of time.
Lightning Tribulation Body Refinement was a constant cycle of destruction and restoration.
This rapidly increased the strength of his physical body and even forced the emergence of resistance to lightning. It was something hammered out through sheer brutality.
“So satisfying!”
After the fifth and sixth lightning tribulations passed, the surging lightning fully turned a faint purple. This type of lightning was extremely fast and highly penetrative.
Bathed in it, Wang Yu felt needle-like pain piercing his bones and internal organs, accompanied by intense itching. It was pain that truly reached the marrow.
By the eighth lightning tribulation, Wang Yu’s small face was twisted in agony. He could no longer cry out.
He could only sit cross-legged on the ground, waiting for the judgment of the final lightning tribulation.
Thunder roared.
The sky exploded as the thick black clouds began to disperse. A beam of golden light shone down from the clouds, landing on Wang Yu’s curled-up body. The scorched marks on his skin began to peel away.
Heaven-bestowed Profound Light rapidly strengthened his origin.
The force domain generated by silver-blood divine power pushed him slowly upward. The dragon spine transformed into his first undying bone. Depending on one’s cultivation method,
it could also be called the Yin Nether Demonic Bone.
His realm surged directly into early fourth-rank Body Refinement. Every aspect experienced a marked improvement. Calling it a complete rebirth was no exaggeration. Most importantly, his life origin skyrocketed.
His lifespan leapt from eight hundred years to one thousand six hundred years in a single step.
It could be said that he had entered an entirely new world. However, the Yin Nether Demonic Dragon Art was currently only third-rank supreme-grade, and at most could help him cultivate up to the peak of early fourth-rank.
Breaking through to mid-stage was not possible.
That would depend entirely on his own efforts. In any case, breaking through to mid fourth-rank was impossible in the short term. Once he condensed a demonic Nascent Soul and his foundational qualities received a massive boost, completing the Corpse Demon Secret Technique would naturally clarify the path forward.
As for the cultivation method of fourth-rank Body Refinement, it still revolved primarily around refining Baleful energy. However, this process required special emphasis on the bones, with the dragon spine as the core.
The silver blood derived from transformed divine marrow needed to continuously increase in total quantity, then extend throughout the entire skeletal structure. Wang Yu chose the skull as his secondary target.
Pure grinding would yield results, but progress would be exceptionally slow.
It was best supplemented with precious medicines that enhanced bone strength. These were cultivation resources that would need to be accumulated gradually in the future. There was no rushing such matters.
“With the rarity of fourth-rank resources, you have to be at the table to even get a bite. Conventional channels are already extremely limited.”
He pondered inwardly.
In truth, Wang Yu possessed a major advantage when it came to acquiring resources, namely his alchemy skills. Spirit pills were always more cost-effective than directly consuming precious medicines.
One main ingredient combined with several auxiliary ingredients could yield nine pills.
Was that not far better than consuming it outright?
The problem lay in trust among Crimson Kite cultivators. Those without backing would rather eat the medicine themselves than expose it and risk attracting even greater trouble.
That was determined by the cultivation environment of the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain.
Over by the Taihu region, alchemy grandmasters were still generally trustworthy. They might skim a bit for themselves, but they would not think about swallowing everything outright and killing the person who came seeking pills.
No matter what, one could still obtain finished pills.
Of course, the quantity would likely not be very ideal.
Following this line of thought, if Wang Yu wished to avoid conflict with others and pursue harmonious profit, then the Taihu Spiritual Domain would actually be more suitable for his cultivation after condensing a Nascent Soul.
“Thinking about that now is meaningless…”
This journey’s gains were not limited to advances in Body Refinement. More importantly, he had discovered the capabilities of the Innate Demonic Embryo. If used properly, the Myriad Transformations trait was extremely well suited for roaming the world freely.
The problem lay in how to “replicate” it.
It was impossible that every time he wanted to increase the number of Myriad Transformations forms, he would have to take a trip through a living being’s womb.
That was not only perverse, but absurdly difficult.
There had to be a simpler method. This would require Wang Yu to excavate it himself. Fortunately, he happened to have the corpse of a half Ice Clan, half human hybrid on hand.
Starting from this corpse might be a good approach.
After finishing these thoughts,
Wang Yu finally turned his gaze toward the remains of the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree. This thing was enormous in size, but it could still be stored using the Seventh Elder’s Cold Blood Ring.
He had already used the tree heart, but the trunk of the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree itself was of immense value. After all, it was the remains of a mid fourth-rank existence, and using it as a refining material would undoubtedly qualify as supreme-grade.
As for how exactly to use it, that would require careful consideration.
Some of the tender branches also had medicinal value, and the vast quantity of dragon blood was precisely where the Blood Pill Art could shine.
Extracting refined essence blood as the main ingredient to refine a few fourth-rank Body Refinement blood pills that were useful to him should not be much of a problem.
Tidying up all the spoils of battle also took quite some time.
Thus, the journey to Fallen Dragon Valley could be considered a complete success.
The next objective was the Endless Ice Plains. Not only did it harbor ice and snow storms of terrifying might, but ice beasts and Ice Clan beings were also sources of danger.
Especially after learning the truth from the stone tablet left behind by the Taiyin Sect, it was hard not to think further. Breaking through the Ice Prison Realm could be regarded as a long-term goal he had set for himself.
That goal was still far too distant. He would need to accumulate the power to break the deadlock step by step. However, this kind of high-level perspective was extremely helpful in allowing him to see many things clearly.
For now, the top priority remained breaking through to Nascent Soul.
“It is time to depart.”
This breakthrough had not taken very long. From the start, through surviving the lightning tribulation, to fully mastering this body, less than half a month had passed.
After leaving Fallen Dragon Valley, Wang Yu made one final trip to the pickup location he had agreed upon with Wang Zhenghong. Upon learning that Black Heaven Talisman Lord and the Earth Barbarian Old Demon had already set out, he could not help but feel a greater sense of urgency.
Turning around, he immediately fled toward the Endless Ice Plains. He had heard of this place long ago, but now he was entering it personally, carrying a trace of anticipation.
After all, in theory, the Endless Ice Plains were the most suitable environment for ice-path cultivators. The extreme cold qi accumulated within its eternal, unmelting ice was truly vast.
The Cold Absorption Art and the Heavenly Frost Secret Method, these two secret techniques that enhanced mana quality, would play major roles here. Moreover, the gathered extreme cold qi could also help him cultivate divine abilities and strengthen his life-bound magic treasures.
Resolving the issue of unstable human-pill mana after breakthrough was even less of a concern. Compared to stabilizing his foundation through combat during Body Refinement, extreme cold power was inherently steadier and far easier to purify.
…
…
At the same time.
Maple Prefecture City.
Within the grand assembly attended by all thirty-six elder seats, Black Heaven Talisman Lord stood behind the Earth Barbarian Old Demon, his words respectful in tone.
“Father-in-law, it would be better for you to serve as the one in charge of Maple Prefecture.”
Earth Barbarian was an elder of the Zhuo clan. Black Heaven Talisman Lord had married into the family, taking Earth Barbarian’s second daughter as his wife. This father-in-law and son-in-law pair were both at Nascent Soul third layer and were carrying out missions for the Exalted Sect.
Black Heaven Talisman Lord therefore took the initiative to yield authority.
In response, Earth Barbarian stroked his beard and nodded. Though his face looked aged, his physique was anything but weak. His entire body of sinewy muscle was covered only by a tattered coarse hemp robe.
Granite-like pectorals revealed clearly defined muscle striations.
And a large portion of them was deliberately exposed.
If a junior dressed like this, one glance would be enough to conclude he was posturing. But cultivators of the barbarian ghost path trained their bodies to perfection. If they did not show it off, it would almost feel meaningless.
Like wearing fine clothes at night, there was no point.
However, since this outfit was Earth Barbarian Old Demon’s usual attire, it naturally became a sign of a great expert unconcerned with trivialities, a reflection of lofty mental state.
His son-in-law’s tact and respect satisfied Earth Barbarian’s fondness for face. At this moment, he did not stand on ceremony and directly took charge of presiding over the meeting.
“Ahem.
“All of you are pillars of our Exalted Sect. Maple Prefecture is weak in overall strength and is extremely vulnerable as a breakthrough point for hostile forces from all sides. From this day onward, this old man will be permanently stationed in Maple Prefecture. All affairs must pass through me before they are carried out.
“Do you understand?”
“We will naturally obey your command. Please rest assured, my lords.”
Times change.
When there was no tiger in the mountains, monkeys ruled as kings. Now that the tiger had arrived, those elders who used to argue until their faces were red and necks thick displayed an unprecedented level of obedience.
Conservatives. Radicals. Fence-sitters.
In the face of absolute power, the only word left was compliance.
Under the pressure of a Nascent Soul ancestor, the efficiency of Maple Prefecture’s governing apparatus skyrocketed tenfold. One patrol team after another departed from the prefectural city.
There were also squads composed of formation masters and talisman masters.
They deployed early-warning measures at various critical locations. Because the border line was simply too long, it was impossible to block everything through patrols or formations alone.
However, resource sites could be fortified.
At the end of the day, the objective of war was still competition over resources. As long as these places were secured, territory could be taken freely. Once one side emerged victorious, the loser would naturally withdraw.
Earth Barbarian Old Demon’s main focus was on guarding against the Yellow Springs Monastery to the east. As for the Northern Severed Boundary Mountain Range to the west, due to historical legacy issues, it was filled not only with dangerous demonic beasts.
It was also riddled with possession caves, forbidden formations, and deadly traps left behind by predecessors. It was a natural defensive belt, so little effort was invested there.
That entire front was handed over to Black Heaven Talisman Lord.
At the same time, he brought in a batch of elite members from the Zhuo clan, inserting his own people throughout Maple Prefecture City and carrying out a sweeping purge and replacement.
This kind of action.
The local powers were naturally unwilling in their hearts, but arms could not twist thighs. No matter how extreme their resentment or opposition, on the surface they remained obedient and submissive.
As time passed.
One month after Earth Barbarian Old Demon took over Maple Prefecture.
Outside the prefectural city, in an unnamed mountain cave, seven or eight cultivators who were among the Thirty-Six Elders gathered here for a secret meeting.
Yet after the gathering began, the atmosphere was extremely stiff.
It was obvious that everyone had encountered various problems that were difficult to resolve. The foremost obstacle among them was Earth Barbarian Old Demon himself. A true roadblock.
In the silence, a black-robed cultivator who seemed to hold decision-making authority spoke first.
“Everyone, speak of the problems you have encountered recently. Let us deal with them one by one.”
After several breaths, someone spoke.
“The Blackbone Bandits have been completely wiped out. Judging from the traces left behind, the one who acted was very likely the Ice Demon Child. Should we…”
“No.”
The black-robed cultivator shook his head and rejected it outright.
“Since the Ice Demon Child appeared at Blackbone Mountain, his destination is already obvious. There is a ninety-nine percent chance he intends to enter the Endless Ice Plains. This aligns with his identity as a rogue cultivator.
“The reason he killed our people was simply because he did not dare provoke the Blood Reversal Sect. Now that he has reached Blackbone Mountain, he has most likely already entered the ice plains and will no longer affect us.”
The reasoning was sound, and the logic flowed smoothly.
The one who raised the issue withdrew, and a second person immediately followed up.
“To the west of Maple Prefecture, there is an organization known as the Moluo Horde. They delight in plundering mortals under the banner of salvation. Their methods resemble those of the Taihu cultivators.
“Now that the Blackbone Bandits are gone, should we try eliminating this group? It might also provoke anger from the Taihu side.”
After he finished speaking, the one presiding still shook his head.
“The essence of the matter is the hypocrites of Taihu. What they need is a righteous and legitimate reason to deploy troops. Since the Moluo Horde is hidden beneath the surface, wiping them out would accomplish nothing.
“Instead, it would expose our strength and current situation. Reasons for war are easy to find. If the Blackbone Bandits will not do, we can simply switch to another method. There is no need to take unnecessary risks.”
“Sound reasoning.”
“Fortunately, you are the one in charge.”
“Indeed, indeed.”
Two proposals were rejected in succession, each with ample justification. Flattery immediately followed, but the problems still needed solutions.
The one presiding continued.
“I will contact our pieces planted in Taihu. Under the name of the Joyous Union Demonic Sect, they will plunder women in Taihu. The loose end left last time has not yet been fully dealt with anyway.
“In addition, we will lure the two Nascent Soul cultivators transferred to Maple Prefecture into investigating the Moluo Horde, using the opportunity to force the Blood Reversal Sect and Taihu into direct conflict.”
This kind of maneuver.
First, it made the situation concrete. Second, it completely removed themselves from the affair.
If Wang Yu were present, he would immediately recognize the one presiding.
It was none other than Elder Dizang of the Yellow Springs Monastery. This man had not only orchestrated the early incidents of abducting women along the Taihu border, but had also masterminded the conflict over Chasing Moon Prefecture.
After years apart, his cultivation had already broken through from Core Formation peak to the first layer of Nascent Soul, fully realizing his potential and seizing real authority.
“We obey!”
“By the way, is the Young Sect Master of the Blood Reversal Sect currently in Maple Prefecture?”
“He is. That young master of the Yu clan in the prefectural city is his disguised identity. Sir, you intend to…”
“Have him find a way to draw Black Heaven Talisman Lord out and bring him to this location. I have a private matter I wish to discuss with him.”
“Understood.”