Chapter 310: War Spoils

Inside the sealed cave dwelling, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the ice bed, carefully examining his inner self. The injuries he sustained in Qiuhong Market City had largely healed and would not affect his cultivation.

His Qi Sea was still the same. He had long confirmed that his damaged foundation had no hope of self-healing, hoping only that the Profound Rune Harmony Pill could resolve this underlying issue. By the way, he wondered if the Nine-Splendor Azure Frost Grass could heal Yun Youzi's soul.

Qin Sang awoke from his meditation, looked up at the rough stone ceiling, and pondered distractedly for a moment. He then reached into his robe and took out Luo Xingnan's mustard seed pouch.

Among Ge Yuan's belongings, apart from the Blue Dew Ephemeral flower, the two best magical artifacts had been given to Shangguan Lifeng. The other miscellaneous items were not very valuable. The bulk of the valuable items were found with Luo Xingnan.

First and foremost was the Silver Blade Talisman Treasure. Qin Sang observed the cracks on the talisman treasure, carefully picked it up, and sensed its remaining power. Luo Xingnan had been decisive, fully activating the talisman treasure in his desperate final stand, which led to a significant depletion of its power. If the battle wasn't intense, he could conserve its power and use it twice. However, if the opponent was too strong and the situation became a stalemate, it would likely be rendered useless after a single use. His Jade Ruyi had been destroyed, but acquiring this Silver Blade Talisman Treasure, even severely damaged, somewhat compensated for his losses; it was better than nothing.

Comparatively, Qin Sang found the Yin-Yang Compass to be the most useful. Undoubtedly, the Yin-Yang Compass was a top-grade magical artifact, but its function was very unique. While its Yin-Yang magnetic light offered some defensive capabilities, it wasn't solely a weapon for killing or defense. The compass was made from a peculiar magnetic stone. As the Yin-Yang magnetic light shifted, attraction and repulsion alternated: black magnetic light exerted repulsion, while white magnetic light possessed attraction. Both were incredibly powerful, as evident from Ge Yuan's fate. The Yin-Yang magnetic light moved according to one's will, allowing for free manipulation and endless wondrous uses. Especially in complex battle situations, it could constantly disrupt enemy formations and achieve unexpected effects.

Naturally, Qin Sang wouldn't miss out on such an artifact. After a brief refining process, he claimed the Yin-Yang Compass for his own use. Then, with a flick of his finger, he dislodged a small stone fragment from the stone wall. The Yin-Yang Compass's light alternated, and the stone fragment flipped up and down in mid-air. Initially, he was a bit clumsy, but he gradually became more proficient. After playing with it for a while, Qin Sang stored the Yin-Yang Compass within his body for constant nourishment.

Besides these, Luo Xingnan had several other magical artifacts, none as good as the Yin-Yang Compass. The jade fork was not found, likely destroyed during the Hooked Serpent siege. However, the other artifacts also had unique uses, and Qin Sang, who was suffering from a scarcity of magical artifacts, sorted them and put them away. Luo Xingnan didn't have many spirit stones, only a little over a thousand low-grade ones. After all, he was a rogue cultivator, and most of his assets were spent on buying magical artifacts, pills, and talismans to enhance his strength. Unless he had a lucky encounter and made a fortune, he wouldn't be able to accumulate more.

Finally, Qin Sang took out two jade boxes and placed them before him. One jade box contained the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom, and the other held the Blue Dew Ephemeral. Qin Sang had already consulted Yun Youzi and learned about the effects of these two spiritual herbs.

Though both were millennium-old spiritual herbs, purely in terms of value, the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom certainly surpassed the Blue Dew Ephemeral. However, for Ge Yuan, the Blue Dew Ephemeral was an ultimate treasure that he would absolutely not exchange. This was because the Blue Dew Ephemeral, when combined with several other spiritual herbs, could be refined into a spiritual pill called the Dew-Cleansing Pill. The other spiritual herbs required for the Dew-Cleansing Pill were also valuable, but unlike the Blue Dew Ephemeral, they weren't as rare and could eventually be found with patient searching.

If cultivators practicing Wood-attribute cultivation methods consumed this pill, they could use its power to purify their spiritual energy. It also had the effect of assisting in breaking through bottlenecks when encountered. This effect was most pronounced during the Foundation Establishment stage. It was said that the Dew-Cleansing Pill offered little help for Core Formation, but it was still enough to make cultivators eager to acquire it. The cultivation methods practiced by others were not like the 'Primordial Spirit Sword Nurturing Chapter', where one could break through simply by comprehending the killing runes. Every time a realm was elevated, significant effort was needed to break through bottlenecks. Some cultivators, if unlucky, could be trapped at a bottleneck for decades, like Yu Daiyue. Being able to cultivate to the False Core stage earlier would provide ample time to prepare for Core Formation, which was of no small significance.

Qin Sang's foundation was laid by the Water-attribute cultivation method, the 'Netherworld Sutra'. The 'Profound Female Jade Cauldron True Sutra' and 'Primordial Spirit Sword Nurturing Chapter' he later switched to were both un-attributed cultivation methods. He had always primarily used Water-attribute spiritual energy, and he didn't need the Dew-Cleansing Pill to help him break through. Therefore, the Blue Dew Ephemeral was not very useful to him. However, for other cultivators practicing Wood-attribute cultivation methods, the Blue Dew Ephemeral was a must-have. Ge Yuan himself practiced a Wood-attribute method, which was why he was so eager for the Blue Dew Ephemeral, but unfortunately, he didn't get to enjoy it. When the right opportunity arose, he could take it out and exchange it for something he needed.

Qin Sang nodded inwardly, shifting his gaze from the Blue Dew Ephemeral to the other jade box. The Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom was a palm-sized, Ganoderma-shaped spiritual mushroom. What made it special was its color: an extreme, vivid blood-red! Its mycelia intertwined like blood vessels, brimming with blood and exceptionally plump, as if fresh blood would overflow with the slightest touch. These mycelia also formed a ghost-face pattern on its surface. Combined with its color, it looked like a malevolent spirit about to emerge bathed in blood, appearing exceptionally eerie. The Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom earned its name from this.

The value of this herb was paramount among the seven spiritual herbs, simply because it could be directly refined and absorbed to help cultivators advance their cultivation! Furthermore, when combined with the Heartless Orchid and five other spiritual herbs, the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom could be refined into a spiritual pill called the Crying Blood Pill, which also had the effect of enhancing cultivation for Core Formation cultivators! However, each of the other spiritual herbs, like the Heartless Orchid, was no less valuable or rare than the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom. In the current cultivation world, gathering all the ingredients for the Crying Blood Pill was almost impossible. Only by encountering a Core Formation cultivator who was actively preparing to refine the Crying Blood Pill could it fetch a high price.

Qin Sang's best option was to directly refine it and advance his cultivation. According to Yun Youzi's analysis, directly refining the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom would inevitably result in a significant loss of medicinal power. Its effect would be slightly inferior to the Profound Rune Harmony Pill, but it should still save ten years of cultivation time.

Qin Sang looked at the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom, a thoughtful expression on his face. Ultimately, he decided not to refine this herb for now. Whether the Profound Rune Harmony Pill could repair his foundation was still unknown. If it had no effect, he would have to convert the medicinal power to improve his cultivation. His cultivation couldn't be elevated simply by wishing for it; it was also restricted by the killing runes. If he used the Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom to raise his cultivation without enough time to comprehend the killing runes, the medicinal power of the Profound Rune Harmony Pill would be wasted. The Blood-Dripping Ghost Mushroom could be refined at any time, so there was no rush.

With a wave of his hand, he put away both spiritual herbs. Qin Sang then took out Luo Xingnan's corpse, the Lesser Yin Magnetic Bottle, and the Five Elements Yin Objects, preparing to refine them into a Fiend Corpse. A corpse of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, once refined into a Fiend Corpse, could even contend with a cultivator in the early Foundation Establishment stage.