Chapter 183: Physical Mutation, Visitor

Indeed.

When the Flood Dragon Strength broke through to the second stage, and he gained physical enhancements like "Dragon Power" and "Dragon Spine," it merged and mutated with the Corpse Demon Secret Art. This happened because Wang had only one body, and both the Corpse Demon Secret Art and the Lunar Ghoul Eyes were transformative secret arts that granted considerable power upon learning. After integrating into the body refining marvels again, they found a central anchor and mutated based on it. The eye features weren't obvious, and there was no interference between the powers. However, "Corpse Demon Bone," "Heavenly Yin Blood," and "Dragon Spine" all mutated, with the Netherworld Demonic Dragon Spine being a positive product of this process.

This time, the Corpse Demon Secret Art was completed, leading to a natural advancement. The outcome was truly hard to predict. This was the real reason Wang Yu insisted on deriving the Flood Dragon Strength cultivation method; it was the only path he could currently see, with no clues for an alternative.

Inside the secret chamber, Wang Yu felt his muscles twisting throughout his body, his limbs sprawled on the ground, and his bones creaked loudly.

If they integrated on their own, it would be too slow, and it would be difficult to distinguish primary from secondary. Previously, the "Dragon Spine" was at the second stage, so integrating the power from the first-stage Corpse Demon Secret Art was not difficult. Now that both were at the second stage, a competitive struggle emerged.

As he roared, Wang Yu caught a glimpse of starlight filtering down from a hole in the secret chamber, and immediately made a decision. He would draw in Lunar Yin Malice, use it to temper his body, and suppress the fusion of these several physical powers! He had been doing this for the past few months.

Brilliant moonlight, like two divine rays, shot three feet of divine light from Wang Yu's eyes. Lunar Essence and Lunar Yin Malice arrived simultaneously, and his body was once again tinged with transparent, light-gray Lunar Malice flames. His vital energy solidified, transforming into a Netherworld Demonic Dragon that began to continuously roar, twist, and deform, its size surging to 9.9 meters. Like a coiled dragon, it ascended, circling Wang Yu.

This manifestation of vital energy became increasingly real; its scales were covered in iron-plated corpse armor, and its four dragon claws became several times thicker, resembling a muscular, burly man. The two zombie traits of immense strength and copper skin/iron bones had actually integrated into his body refining marvels! The bone spurs protruding from the Netherworld Demonic Dragon's spine turned pure black, leaving black netherworld patterns along his body, as if the wails of ghosts echoed one after another. Two icy-blue lines, piercing through his body, grew even deeper. The Flood Dragon's eyes had transformed into the appearance of two crescent moons.

Wang Yu was struck by the changes. He couldn't help but clench his fists. Although he was still at the peak of the early second stage, his power was several times greater than before. He could now kill his former self with a single punch. If he were to face the divine sense cultivator who chased him in the Withered Leaf Marsh again, with this body and a set of Evil Armor, he could kill the opponent in three punches. His strength had surged by more than just one level.

After all this, and continuously receiving derivation feedback for the "Flood Dragon Strength" from his cultivation slot, he vaguely grasped a new path. Integrating certain profound aspects of the Corpse Demon Secret Art, particularly those involving body tempering with Lunar Yin Malice, into the Flood Dragon Strength might be the future of his body refining path. An epiphany, similar to his first sight of the 3,000-li Reed Marsh, quietly occurred. After an unknown period, a new cultivation method, evolved from but entirely different from the Flood Dragon Strength, appeared in his mind. All requirements for 15 or 16 years in the cultivation slot were bypassed by this single epiphany. This was the feeling of creating a new cultivation method.

Wang Yu felt that his success was due to a combination of opportune timing, favorable location, and harmonious circumstances. In particular, his continuously perfected spells had subtly increased his foundation. This time, with opportune timing and the favorable location providing Lunar Yin Malice, a near-miraculous moment occurred. It was the Netherworld Demonic Dragon Art!

A top-tier second-stage body refining method, it could not only support his breakthrough to the third stage but was also judged by the cultivation slot as an entirely new cultivation method. The Flood Dragon Strength was now obsolete.

Cultivation Slot 4: Netherworld Demonic Dragon Art[Netherworld Demonic Dragon Art (0/100): 24 sessions per day, can be mastered in 30 years.]

"What a stroke of luck and good fortune!"

Currently, he had five cultivation slots. Slots one and two were for fundamental cultivation methods, slot three was now occupied by the Yin Malice Corpse Refining Art, slot four held the newly created Demonic Dragon Art, and slot five continued with the Corpse Demon Secret Art.

Cultivation Slot 5: Corpse Demon Secret Art (Second Stage/↑)[Corpse Demon Secret Art (0/100): 1440 sessions per day, can be mastered in 50 years.]

It could be mastered to the third stage in 50 years. He realized that nearly all third-stage cultivation methods required 50 years in the slot, which was relatively undemanding compared to the lifespan of Core Formation cultivators.

After a long rest, he finally escaped the boundless pain. Wang Yu looked at his empty left arm, just about to test whether the "Yin Blood Pill" could regenerate a severed limb, when ripples appeared on the soundproofing array outside his secret chamber. Guan Yingdong's voice came through.

"Master," she said, "we have a distinguished guest."

Wang Yu frowned. "I'm not seeing anyone," he replied.

"But the guest referred to you as… Fourth Brother?" Guan Yingdong asked.

With a rumble, the tightly sealed stone door opened. Wang Yu brushed past Guan Yingdong and hurried toward the main hall; indeed, a distinguished guest had arrived. It made sense. With the three Nascent Soul dominant forces—the Yellow Spring Temple, the Underworld Mountain Sect, and the Joyous Union Sect—all present, it was impossible for the Anti-Spirit Blood Sect not to come. Given the convenient location of his Guilong City, it wouldn't be surprising if the three young masters arrived together. At this point, the competition for the Dongji Capital ruins had reached a fierce stage. It was certain that Nascent Soul old monsters were hidden in the shadows, making him far from safe. The arrival of the three young masters of the Anti-Spirit Blood Sect was perfectly timed; he finally had powerful backing to rely on.

A moment later, in the City Lord's Mansion's main hall, a voice boomed, "Fourth Brother!"

Wang Yu laughed, "Hahahaha, I said magpies were at the door today, so good things must be happening! Please, sit!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Yu glanced around, puzzled. Only Zhuo Shouqing had come; Zuo Qiuming and Yu Xing were absent. Noticing Wang Yu's confusion, Zhuo Shouqing offered a wry smile.

"Many things have happened while you were away," he explained.

"Tell me slowly," Wang Yu said.

He summoned servants and instructed them to order a feast from the city's best spirit food restaurant and have it delivered to the City Lord's Mansion. Cultivators, upon reaching Foundation Establishment, could technically abstain from eating. They could subsist on spiritual energy, but cultivators were still human, unable to escape their emotions and desires; the desire for fine food was a significant indulgence, and Wang Yu had spent considerable effort on it.

"You seem to be doing well," Zhuo Shouqing remarked.

"Not really," Wang Yu replied, "the pressure from Jinman Tower still requires my brothers' help."

At times like these, Wang Yu was naturally generous with compliments, his words sweet, showering them with flattery. Zhuo Shouqing helplessly lifted his teacup and took a sip.

"Zuo Qiuming's father handled this matter," he said. "Otherwise, an old Nascent Soul expert from Jinman Tower would have already come to apprehend you. Luckily, you didn't actually massacre the tower; otherwise… even the sect wouldn't have been able to protect you."

Speaking of this, Wang Yu was a bit puzzled. The Anti-Spirit Blood Sect, to his knowledge, had over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators. It was rumored that previous Blood Devil Hall Masters—that is, the Sect Masters—were half-step Soul Transformation cultivators, so it was reasonable to assume there were Soul Transformation Venerables hidden in the shadows. He hadn't heard of Jinman Tower having any Soul Transformation cultivators. If they really tried to forcefully take something, weren't they afraid of a fight?

Zhuo Shouqing saw his expression and knew Wang Yu was mistaken. He shook his head. "Yes," he affirmed, "I, Zuo Qiuming, and Yu Xing will all protect you, but the three of us don't represent the three clans, let alone the Sacred Sect. It's true that Jinman Tower is a merchant guild, but it possesses more powerful cultivators than any of the three clans. And it's a merchant guild! Do you know how much business it conducts with the Sacred Sect, and how many interests it shares with the three clans? What you did shook Jinman Tower to its core, which is worse than desecrating an ancestral grave. Even if you had a reason, it was too extreme. Fortunately, you managed to retrieve it and also gained Jin Miaoshan's help."

"Oh," Wang Yu said, "Jin Miaoshan spoke up for me?"

"Naturally," Zhuo Shouqing replied, unable to help but glance at him askance. "This Fourth Brother is truly a troublemaker; if he were thrown into the heartland of the Guifang Zhuo clan, he'd probably cause a massive uproar. I heard that Jin Miaoshan accused Jin Lin, pinning the blame on him, claiming he was willing to sell out the tower's interests just to see her fail, and even planting moles among her protectors. The conflict was shifted to the succession dispute between heirs, and you were naturally overlooked, just seen as an unlucky bystander caught in the crossfire, with Uncle Zuo Qiuming helping to mediate..."

"I see," Wang Yu said. He couldn't help but reflect: truly, the heroes of this world should not be underestimated; they couldn't simply be manipulated. Fortunately, he decisively latched onto powerful support, which was not only robust but also came in three forms. No wonder Jin Miaoshan harbored deep resentment towards him during their previous meeting, yet she couldn't bring herself to say it, leaving him indebted. The meaning of the same event changed depending on who told it. When Zhuo Shouqing told him, he felt only gratitude, not suspicion or doubt.

"Did you come here this time for the Dongji Capital ruins?" Wang Yu asked.

"That's partly why," Zhuo Shouqing replied, "but it's not my main concern. The Sacred Sect sent several true disciples, and I just hitched a ride. My main purpose is to inform you of some bad news."

Wang Yu frowned tightly. "What bad news?" he pressed.

"Do you still remember the matter of the Demonic Embryo Profound Origin Secret Incantation?" Zhuo Shouqing asked.

"Mmm," Wang Yu acknowledged.

"Although this incantation is profound, its cultivation difficulty is immense; failure means death," Zhuo Shouqing explained. "Zuo Qiuming and I knew little about it before, and we weren't aware when you sought it. Some time ago, we attended True Monarch Nine Evils' concubine acceptance banquet and only then learned a secret about this method."

Wang Yu felt a vague uneasiness in his heart, yet he heard Zhuo Shouqing continue. "Those who successfully cultivate this secret method can devour each other," Zhuo Shouqing said, "gaining all the spiritual root aptitude accumulated by the other… all of it!"

Wang Yu's pupils contracted. "In other words," Wang Yu said, "those who successfully cultivate this art are bound to hunt each other down."

"Exactly!" Zhuo Shouqing affirmed. He clapped his hand and whispered, "After learning about this, I immediately mobilized my clan's personnel to investigate. We eventually found that a mixed spiritual root cultivator had successfully cultivated it, and now he is already at..."

"Late Core Formation!" Wang Yu blurted.

"Core Formation… peak," Zhuo Shouqing corrected quietly.

The two looked at each other. Wang Yu had seen it in biographical stories, which had a time lag, while Zhuo Shouqing's investigation was recent, so his information was surely more accurate.

"So you already knew," Zhuo Shouqing noted.

"I've only read about it in ancient texts," Wang Yu replied. "I don't know his name, or where he is now, so I'll need your help, Brother Zhuo."

"This person is ruthless," Zhuo Shouqing said. "It's said he has already raised his own aptitude to the level of a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and he's not far from forming a Nascent Soul."

Wang Yu was speechless.