Chapter 110: Return to the Sect, Advancement of Cultivation Method

The next day, Wang Yu packed his bags early. Apart from the Blood Mist Concealing Spirit Array flags, there wasn't much else to pack, just a few small pieces of furniture.

Just before dawn, as day transitioned into night, a third of the disciples were gone. Nearly half of them were gathering in the square at the edge of the spiritual fields. When they first arrived, there had been over eight hundred people; now, there were just over five hundred. Most of them had died in the Ghost Eye Cave, becoming a delicious treat for the small spiders, while a smaller portion had gone missing, vanishing along the road to Soul-Corroding City.

“Junior Brother Wang.”

“Senior Brother Situ.”

After the two greeted each other, they began to chat, though it was perhaps more accurate to describe their conversation as a mix of flattery and probing.

“It hasn’t been long, Junior Brother Wang, but your cultivation has progressed remarkably fast. When I went to Xuan Bone Mountain years ago, it took me nearly six years after returning to break through to the ninth level of Qi Condensation.”

Wang Yu’s expression soured. “Senior Brother, there’s no need for that. You have a three-spirit root aptitude, while I have an inferior one. You have prospects for Foundation Establishment, but my lifespan is limited. Forget Foundation Establishment; it’s questionable if I’ll even live to fifty. How can we compare?”

Situ Hong gave an awkward laugh and immediately changed the topic. “Is there any word on why we’re returning early this time? Do you want me to help you find another suitable mission?”

“That won’t be necessary. How could I trouble Senior Brother every time?”

“Helping once is helping, and helping twice or thrice is also helping; there’s no need to be polite. Didn’t you also help me? You’re quick and decisive in action. There will be many more times Senior Brother will need your assistance in the future.”

Wang Yu still shook his head. “Let’s first repay the favor I owe, then we can talk. There are many people here now, Senior Brother, so it’s best not to stand too close to me.”

After saying that, he turned and walked to the edge of the crowd, becoming inconspicuous. Situ Hong was somewhat stunned by this. He only realized why when his peripheral vision caught sight of True Master Hongxia’s grand-disciple. It turned out Wang Yu had seen that fellow arrive.

Ever since Situ Hong had given him a severe beating while he was blindfolded, the grand-disciple had become somewhat paranoid, constantly suspecting those around him. He knew Situ Hong was behind the incident. But the other person, whose cultivation was profound and whose methods were ruthless, had almost become a nightmare. Every time he thought of it, he felt a pain as if his body were shattering; his will had been completely shattered.

At the start of the Mao hour, when a medium-sized Dharma artifact flying boat appeared on the horizon, the female cultivator in light gauze from Cold Blood Peak finally appeared. The third-rank low-grade terrestrial traveling boat she released precisely proved her identity as Yan Ling. Such an item was not even possessed by ordinary Core Formation elders; her status was clearly either extremely wealthy or noble. Among the dignitaries of Cold Blood Peak, Yan Ling was the most likely candidate.

To be honest, Wang Yu was a little envious of her Water Spirit Root. If he could devour it with the Demonic Embryo Profound Origin Secret Incantation, the benefits would be immense. Alas, they were not blood relatives.

“Everyone, board the traveling boat. We will depart for the sect after the handover.”

“Yes!”

Yan Ling’s voice remained aloof, but Wang Yu detected a hint of youthful exuberance in it.

A month later.

“Inverse Spirit Blood Sect, I’m back!”

On his first day back, after submitting the mission at the Halls Quarter, the bounty, reduced by forty percent, was issued. Without lingering, Wang Yu first went to the Alchemy Hall and exchanged contribution points for a pill recipe that enhances spirit beasts’ strength. It was a first-tier Beast-Feeding Pill recipe, which could be mastered in three months if left in the slot. To refine a top-grade version, Wang Yu removed the Profound Yin Hand and replaced it with the pill recipe. The fourth slot now accepted anything; if there was nothing else to put in, the Profound Yin Hand was always the right choice.

The reason he was cultivating the Snow Jade Fox was, firstly, because it also possessed ice attributes, allowing it to cooperate with Wang Yu and achieve effects greater than the sum of their parts. Secondly, the Snow Jade Fox’s bloodline seemed to have some special properties; even in its infancy, it could use a bloodline secret art called “Ice Snow Art,” which could cause an area to snow. Once it matured, it would certainly awaken more bloodline secret arts, and he planned to check the Sutra-Preaching Hall when he had time.

Later that day, he contacted Huang Kai. Years ago, Huang Kai had co-founded the Alchemist Society with him. Of the four original members, only Huang Kai and Wang Yu had survived. Now cultivating to the sixth level of Qi Condensation, Huang Kai’s progress was not slow. He judged that Huang Kai might have the potential for Foundation Establishment, and so began to deepen their connection. After entrusting him to help procure a batch of spiritual herbs for refining Beast-Feeding Pills, Wang Yu hurried back to his cave dwelling in the Heavenly Corpse Market.

An important matter needed to be addressed. Over ten years ago, the first-tier Cold Blood Art had reached perfection. Now, more than ten years later, this cultivation technique was about to advance.

In fact, this cultivation technique should have advanced more quickly, but its progress became slower the further it went. The initial assumption that two placement slots doubled efficiency was overturned. It was like creating an intricate Luban Lock: when preparing the parts, two people would be more efficient, but for the final assembly, one person would be faster. He had encountered this very problem.

Essentially, the placement slots were equivalent to another him cultivating the knowledge placed there; the basic conditions were the same, which gave him the short-term illusion of doubled efficiency. What ultimately determined the speed was his own comprehension, which set the upper limit. It was truly profound! Regarding the placement slots, he still needed more time to research and verify them, to fully develop the most efficient usage.

Now, the judgment he had made a month ago was perfectly confirmed at the end of the month. He didn’t have to wait long; the information in placement slots one and two changed simultaneously.

Placement Slot 1: Cold Blood Spirit Ascension Art (No further derivation possible)「Cold Blood Spirit Ascension Art (0/100): Forty-eight practices a day, achievable in ten years.」

Unexpectedly, after the cultivation technique advanced, there was no further information displayed. The four characters “No further derivation possible” indicated that the placement slot could no longer derive anything further. No, it should be said that this cultivation technique had reached its limit. There was no longer enough foundational theory to support its further advancement. As he closed his eyes to feel, there was almost no pause; the path of spiritual energy circulation in his meridians had changed! Everything flowed naturally, completely forming an instinct. It was as if he had continuously circulated this cultivation technique day and night for twenty years, completing the change in cultivation technique with ease.

Its rank also reached the second-tier high-grade, enough to support his cultivation throughout the entire Foundation Establishment stage. He wouldn’t even need to consider changing his cultivation technique until after breaking through to Core Formation. What did it feel like to cultivate at the Qi Condensation stage using a perfect-grade, second-tier high-grade cultivation technique? Wang Yu felt like he was flying!

A brief estimation revealed that where previously one placement slot produced “2 wisps/day,” he now produced “4 wisps/day.” With two placement slots working simultaneously, it was “8 wisps/day.” Efficiency had doubled, which was no less significant than improving one’s aptitude.

And with the cultivation of the new technique, the Cold Blood Spirit Ascension Art, when he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, the transformative change brought by the leap in life essence, combined with the cultivation technique’s own aptitude-enhancing effects, meant that even without the Demonic Embryo Profound Origin Secret Incantation, he could evolve his mutated Yin and Ice spirit roots from four inches to nine inches, reaching a level comparable to a three-spirit root aptitude. All roads lead to Rome, and he had now successfully traversed both paths, completely eliminating any future worries.

Encountering such good news immediately upon returning to the sect, he instantly felt refreshed, with a sense of triumph and exhilaration. With the increased efficiency of the placement slots, the breakthrough time would also need to be recalculated. The supreme-grade Cold Blood Pills could only be consumed up to the ninth level of Qi Condensation before causing pill obstructions; at that point, he would have to switch to Meditation Pills. However, it could also save him a lot of time.

“Ten years… or seven, maybe even six, with the pills,” he murmured to himself. “The breakthrough time has been halved. Excellent!” The changes brought by the cultivation technique’s advancement were immediate, and he wouldn’t likely experience such a benefit again in the short term.

Following this day, Wang Yu rested for three days. After Huang Kai delivered the spiritual herbs for the Beast-Feeding Pills, he began to go out and busy himself, primarily to inquire about suitable candidates for recommendation. He also needed to tie up loose ends with the Ice and Snow Pavilion, completely severing his ties with True Disciple Su.