Chapter 108: Six Years of Changes and Progress in Cultivation (Part 1)

It made sense. Rogue cultivators usually wander from city to city, seeking opportunities. Since rented temporary cave dwellings aren't safe, they would naturally keep their valuables and possessions close.

"A Tier 2 High-Grade cultivation technique, the Beast Taming True Art, which includes the Spirit Control Seal, a beast control technique. The explosive secret technique, Demonic Spirit Berserker Art, and the Tier 2 Low-Grade spell, Golden Light Shield."

There were also several Tier 1 spells designed for use with spirit beasts. Wang Yu merely glanced at them, having no intention of practicing them.

"This is a complete inheritance of the Beast Taming path. I wonder whose cave dwelling he plundered. A Tier 2 High-Grade cultivation technique is enough to support cultivation all the way to the Core Formation stage."

Wang Yu had no intention of changing to the Beast Taming path, but he could separately learn the Spirit Control Seal, the beast control technique accompanying the main cultivation method.

In fact, there's no limit to the number of spirit pets a cultivator can raise. As long as one's spiritual sense is powerful enough, there's practically no upper limit to how many pets can be controlled. However, resources are finite, and for cultivators like Wang Yu, who don't specialize in beast taming, even one spirit pet is a significant burden.

With this thought, he quickly retrieved the person's corpse. A thorough re-examination indeed yielded new discoveries.

"A Tier 2 spirit beast pouch, capable of housing up to four Foundation Establishment spirit beasts. Aside from the space occupied by the Horned Blazing Leopard, there were indeed three other spirit beasts inside."

A Late-stage Tier 1 Shadow Wolf.A Late-stage Tier 1 Iron-Feathered Eagle.An Early-stage Tier 1 Snow Jade Fox.

The first two were clearly raised by the person during their Qi Condensation stage, lacking the resources to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. The third spirit beast, the Snow Jade Fox, must have been captured recently, as it was clearly still a young cub.

The potential of demonic beasts can be determined by the strength of their bloodline. Demonic beasts possessing bloodline secret techniques almost invariably have the potential to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. This Snow Jade Fox clearly required considerable effort.

"I'll try raising this one; the others can be sold. I recall that the inheritance of Fierce Gloom Peak is related to the Beast Taming path. Perhaps these cultivation techniques and knowledge could also be copied and sold."

His mind raced with thoughts. After some time, his brainstorming ceased. He sat in quiet contemplation for a while longer, then spent a good amount of time observing the flood dragon's inner core before finally sealing it within a jade box using a specialized sealing technique. Though a valuable treasure, he wouldn't need it anytime soon, so careful preservation was sufficient.

After sorting through his gains, Wang Yu finally had a long-overdue sleep.

The next day.

He resumed his routine as if the trip to Corroding Heart City had never occurred. The few individuals with ill intentions gradually vanished from his surroundings. After all, a group of people had already met their downfall. For others to try again would be sheer folly, and such individuals wouldn't last long in the Demonic Dao.

"Ah, it's still most comfortable staying here with you."

After some time, Situ Hong seemed to drop his guard around him, showing a tendency to become a candid friend, though that possibility was almost nil. Everyone knew the environment didn't permit such a friendship.

"Ah, sometimes I envy you, being able to ruthlessly burn so much lifespan. I see your looks are no worse than mine. Would your senior brother like me to introduce you to a shortcut?"

"Alright, just get to the point," Wang Yu said, speechless. Before they had become so familiar, this person had been quite serious, always speaking only of benefits. Now, however, he had revealed his true nature.

"This is a long story. The Foundation Establishment deacon who led the team from Five Yin Peak has gone missing. It's rumored he went to Corroding Heart City, but they claim he left there long ago. Some of his subordinates are concerned about their own interests and want to return to the sect early. What's your take on this?"

Their concern was natural. A Foundation Establishment elder would inevitably have a number of favored or close junior disciples under their command. When taking them on assignments, they would certainly provide various benefits and assistance. However, the total resources are fixed; if you take more, I get less. Five Yin Peak has hundreds of disciples, and they've lost their leader. Disgruntled individuals would certainly try to reclaim their own interests, or even seize more.

These were all normal developments, not worth dwelling on. Since Situ Hong brought it up, it certainly wasn't that simple. As he pondered, his brows furrowed.

"Someone's trying to cause you trouble? Who's backing them?"

"Cough, cough..." Situ Hong choked on Wang Yu's blunt words. "Don't say it so crudely," he grumbled. "It's just an old enemy. Mother Ghost Peach once seduced many Core Formation elders, some of whom were already partnered. The one causing me trouble this time is a grand-disciple of an old woman from the Artifact Forging Hall, known as True Person Hongxia. Here at Spider Mountain, there are about five or six Late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators."

"Ninth level?"

"Mostly eighth level, with only one at the ninth."

"Helping you this once counts as repaying one favor, leaving one more owed."

"Agreed," Situ Hong said through gritted teeth.

Such minor trouble was nothing in Wang Yu's eyes. Besides, he was ultimately responsible for triggering the issue, so repaying a favor now was acceptable.

Once their tea was almost finished, the two chose a dark and windy night and, working together, dealt with the group of people. True Person Hongxia's grand-disciple merely had her limbs broken and all her possessions confiscated as a lesson. The others were simply killed. Wang Yu never showed his face. Acting solely as Situ Hong's enforcer throughout, he didn't want to draw animosity upon himself. Naturally, the spoils that were to be divided still had to be split.

After earning a modest profit of several thousand spirit stones and various spiritual items, time seemed to hit the accelerator, flowing by rapidly like water.

After the death of that Foundation Establishment deacon, it wasn't until his fourth year stationed at Spider Mountain that Five Yin Peak dispatched a new Foundation Establishment deacon to oversee the area, and peace was restored. Wang Yu's life returned to normal, and he systematically continued to improve his cultivation.

Thus, ten years didn't seem like a long time; it would pass quickly.

However, ever since Wang Yu and Situ Hong collaborated on that operation, True Person Hongxia's grand-disciple was clearly terrified and constantly clamored to return. When the new Foundation Establishment cultivator arrived to take over, there appeared to be some connection between them. After actively negotiating with the veiled female cultivator from Cold Blood Peak, both sides decided that the mission could be concluded early. If staying for ten years was impossible, then six years would suffice.

This action clearly violated the sect's rules. While rules are sometimes crucial, at other times, they exist merely to be disregarded. It was an unusual decision, and Wang Yu was no fool. Coupled with the sect news he'd received from Situ Hong previously, the veiled female cultivator's demeanor had changed, with an almost overflowing joy. Based on this information, her identity became apparent.

—Yan Ling!

The rumored True Disciple with a Water Heavenly Spiritual Root. Tracing the events from beginning to end, her position was awkward from the outset. The Demonic Dao upholds the principle that the strong are revered. Even if she was younger and had cultivated for a shorter period, she was still considered a True Disciple of the same generation as Su Yulong and Wei Chong, making them competitors. When Su Yulong and Wei Chong clashed, other True Disciples could still involve themselves, but she could not. After all, at that time, she was only at the Mid Foundation Establishment stage, having just recently broken through to the Late Foundation Establishment stage. Therefore, her purpose in coming to Spider Mountain was clear: to avoid trouble, stay away from the center of the conflict, and await a change in circumstances. This aligned with the core principle of the advice Wang Yu had initially given Su Yulong.

(End of Chapter)