Chapter 3115: Stone Spirit Crystal Core

Ten Thousand Swords Island, the headquarters of the Seven Swords Palace, is a place where numerous peaks vie in splendor and spiritual energy is abundant.

In the southeastern corner of the island, a towering peak ascends into the clouds. At its summit is a massive bluestone plaza, where a resplendent palace stands. On its plaque, three large silver characters, "Seven Swords Hall," shimmer with spiritual light.

The main hall is spacious and bright. Seated on the principal chair is a slender old man in a blue robe, his face fair, his eyes exuding an innate authority.

True Lord Seven Swords, a cultivator at the Mid-Grand Ascension stage, has already survived four Great Heavenly Tribulations. Within the next seven millennia, he will have to face his fifth. True Lord Seven Swords is an established Grand Ascension cultivator among the human race in the Azure Glaze Sea Region, having ascended to the Grand Ascension stage earlier than both True Monarch Ten Thousand Seas and True Monarch Ganjin.

A graceful young woman in a white dress is currently reporting to True Lord Seven Swords. This woman is Qin Shuang, the Palace Master of the Seven Swords Palace, a Late Body Fusion cultivator who has also survived four Great Heavenly Tribulations.

"Only a single mid-tier seventh-rank Nine-Colored Worm," True Lord Seven Swords said with disdain. "I thought there were four or five."

It is not easy to make a seventh-rank Nine-Colored Worm excrete Nine-Light Divine Mud. The worm must consume vast amounts of metallic ores or treasures to produce even a small quantity. If it can be refined into a mid-grade Profound Heaven Spirit Treasure, that's already considered good, and it can be somewhat useful for a Grand Ascension cultivator's first Great Heavenly Tribulation. It would be different if there were enough Nine-Light Divine Mud to refine a high-grade Profound Heaven Spirit Treasure, but the amount excreted by a single mid-tier seventh-rank Nine-Colored Worm is insufficient for that. Nevertheless, it can significantly ease the tribulation for a Body Fusion cultivator.

"Master," Qin Shuang said with some concern, "the Witch Race is proficient in the art of controlling insects and beasts. Perhaps they could cultivate the Nine-Colored Worm to eighth-rank."

"Hmph," True Lord Seven Swords scoffed. "Do you think an eighth-rank spirit insect is so easy to cultivate? The Witch Race has existed for so long, yet only two generations of Supreme Elders have managed to cultivate an eighth-rank spirit insect. Even if she possesses an eighth-rank spirit insect, it's not easy to be hit by a curse when facing an enemy directly. Remote casting spells have very high additional conditions. Do they intend to use my direct relatives for a spell? My son died long ago; remote casting cannot kill me."

If a Witch Race cultivator wishes to eliminate an enemy of the same rank, they require a spirit insect of that corresponding rank as a medium for their spell. For instance, a Body Fusion cultivator cursing another Body Fusion cultivator to death needs a seventh-rank spirit insect as a medium, while if Wu Li intends to curse a Grand Ascension cultivator to death, an eighth-rank spirit insect is required. In all such cases, regardless of whether the enemy is successfully cursed, the medium is certain to perish.

Different curses also have varying additional requirements. Some demand the target's essence blood or hair, others a piece of their split soul, and certain curses even necessitate the essence blood of the target's direct descendants. The latter constitutes remote casting, where regardless of whether the enemy is cursed to death, the caster will suffer some damage—it's a case of hurting oneself while harming the enemy. The more potent the curse, the greater the backlash, which prevents Witch Race cultivators from frequently casting curses against enemies, as it can easily damage their cultivation foundation.

Furthermore, the Witch Race can cast curses directly to kill enemies face-to-face, though opponents often have a chance to evade them. What is most dreaded, however, is that when Witch Race cultivators cannot defeat an enemy, they will often use themselves as a medium to curse the enemy, resulting in mutual destruction.

Witch Race curses are not omnipotent. Some secret talismans, rare treasures, and formations can weaken their power. Furthermore, some particularly powerful treasures can not only diminish the curse's strength but also cause the caster to suffer severe backlash. Such treasures are even rarer than those used for soul attacks, though secret talismans are relatively easier to acquire.

Over 200,000 years ago, the Witch Race boasted three Grand Ascension cultivators and enjoyed boundless prestige, while the human race had only two, led by True Monarch Azure Glaze. To contend for the 200,000-year-old Divine Wood of Eastern Yi, the Grand Ascension cultivators of the Witch Race clashed fiercely with True Monarch Azure Glaze, the human race's Grand Ascension cultivator. One Witch Race Grand Ascension cultivator deployed an eighth-rank spirit insect, attempting to curse True Monarch Azure Glaze to death. However, True Monarch Azure Glaze possessed an eighth-rank secret talisman that countered curse attacks. As a result, the Witch Race Grand Ascension cultivator not only wasted an eighth-rank spirit insect in vain but also suffered significant loss of vital energy before being slain by True Monarch Azure Glaze. From that point on, the Witch Race began its decline.

"However, if the Witch Race obtains the seventh-rank Nine-Colored Worm, it will significantly ease the Great Heavenly Tribulations for their Body Fusion cultivators," True Lord Seven Swords continued, his face filled with murderous intent. "If we humans could obtain the seventh-rank Nine-Colored Worm, it would indeed be beneficial for us. But if we cannot obtain it, we absolutely cannot allow the Witch Race to get it either. Send someone to contact True Monarch Ten Thousand Seas and True Monarch Ganjin, conveying my message. Invite them to Seven Swords Palace to discuss how to deal with the Witch Race. I fear I may not survive my fifth Great Heavenly Tribulation, so before I die, whoever revels the most, I will eradicate them. If the Grand Ascension cultivators of other races stay put, that's fine, but if they cause trouble, I wouldn't mind attacking their stronghold and perishing together."

"Yes, Master."

Qin Shuang agreed. She then remembered something and asked, "Master, have you found the lower half of the Ten Thousand Spirit Sword Scripture?"

"No," True Lord Seven Swords replied. "This cultivation method first appeared on the Qianyuan Continent. I stayed there for over ten millennia, but found no clues. A family named Zhang also obtained the upper half, but not the lower. Perhaps this cultivation method comes from another realm, or perhaps my destiny was insufficient, and I couldn't find the lower half. We can discuss these matters later; you should go and attend to your duties first."

True Lord Seven Swords waved his hand, dismissing Qin Shuang.

On Flying Cloud Island, there was a quiet small courtyard with blue tiles.

Wang Qingshan, Wang Qingfeng, and Dong Xueli were chatting in the stone pavilion, while Wang Xiangrong and the other four were out attending a gathering and had not yet returned.

"By the way, Qingfeng, did you find out?" Wang Qingshan remembered something and asked.

Wang Qingfeng nodded and said, "I found out. The Witch Race can remotely cast curses to kill enemies, but the additional conditions are very high. Generally, it requires the target's essence blood or hair, or the essence blood of their son, grandson, or great-grandson; beyond three generations, it won't work. Cursing a Body Fusion cultivator to death requires a seventh-rank spirit insect as a medium, while cursing a Void Refinement cultivator to death requires a sixth-rank spirit insect as a medium."

"If Witch Race cultivators want to use a target's descendants to cast a curse," Dong Xueli added, "using the son is best. Grandsons and great-grandsons can only injure the target, making it difficult to curse them to death."

Upon learning that Shang Li had snatched the seventh-rank Nine-Colored Worm from Han Yiqing, Wang Qingshan and the others became even more curious about the Witch Race. They realized it was essential to understand Witch Race curses, lest they fall victim without even knowing.

Wang Qingshan nodded. Just as he was about to say something, Duan Tongtian walked in, a broad smile on his face.

"Dad, did you get something good?" Dong Xueli asked with a smile, pouring Duan Tongtian a cup of spiritual tea.

Duan Tongtian took a sip of the spiritual tea. He then produced a yellow jade box, handed it to Wang Qingshan, and said, "Qingshan, this is a crystal core left behind by a Void Refinement stage Stone Spirit. I traded for it with a Body Fusion cultivator from Xuanguang Continent."

Stone Spirits are relatively rare. The Spirit Race uses formations and unique stones to transform them into clan members, a process somewhat different from natural Stone Spirits, each method having its own pros and cons.

"A crystal core left behind by a Void Refinement stage Stone Spirit?" Wang Qingshan was slightly surprised. He took the yellow jade box and opened it, revealing a translucent yellow crystal inside, which emitted a pure earth spiritual energy fluctuation.