Chapter 203: Soul Core Pill, Third-Grade Cold Flame

His throat felt dry for a moment.

“I… understand. In two and a half months, when the Rank 3 ice-attribute demon core arrives, there will certainly be a response.”

“Then I won't see you out.”

Standing up to see Ye Qing off, Wang Yu weighed the storage bag in his hand. Inside were a thousand stalks of Ghost Weep, a rare soul-path spiritual herb.

“Major powers are truly formidable; their ability to gather resources cannot be underestimated. However… I should also keep an eye out for information regarding the ruins of the ancient Heavenly Soul Sect in the future.”

While checking the materials, Wang Yu also placed the Soul Essence Pill formula, temporarily replacing the Corpse Demon Secret Art.

A Rank 2 pill formula still presented some difficulty, and since he liked to pursue perfection, and hadn't acquired the materials before, his placement slots had always been full.

Therefore, this pill formula was still in a beginner state.

Placement Slot 5: Soul Essence Pill (Rank 2/Soul)

「Soul Essence Pill (0/100): One furnace every ten days, complete in five years.」

This information made Wang Yu slightly thoughtful.

“Ten days?”

Both being Rank 2 pill formulas, the Ice Spirit Pill only took one year to complete, and it was one furnace per day, not a description like 'one furnace every ten days.'

“Is the Soul Essence Pill type special?”

Wang Yu couldn't quite figure out the specific difference. The placement slots themselves held many secrets just in their usage, and even after using them for so many years, he couldn't claim to fully understand them.

This overview also indirectly indicated the time required to refine one furnace of Soul Essence Pills.

Ten days later.

When the refining insights from the placement slot arrived as scheduled and fed back into Wang Yu's mind, he finally understood its unique nature.

It turned out that refining the Soul Essence Pill not only required the materials listed in the formula but also a special technique of integrating one's thoughts into the pill, continuously permeating it with one's spiritual sense.

This was a slow process, which was why it took longer than the Ice Spirit Pill.

“It's only five years. Compared to others' efficiency, I should be more satisfied.”

Moreover, by then, it would almost be time to hold the second treasure exchange convention. He was counting on it to help him gather even rarer spiritual items and equipment.

Two and a half months later.

After the Rank 3 ice-attribute demon core arrived, Wang Yu didn't speak much with Pavilion Master Ye. He learned that Jin Miaoshan was temporarily unable to respond as she was in seclusion dealing with a very thorny matter.

Upon emerging from seclusion, she would see the message he had sent immediately.

Wang Yu's expression was subtle about this.

He certainly didn't want such a convenient channel to have problems, but given the great distance between them, he was temporarily helpless and could only wait for her to contact him proactively.

Whether Jin Miaoshan could seize this opportunity and grasp the Prajna Heart Sutra was entirely up to fate!

Some time later.

Guiling City Lord's Mansion, secret chamber.

Turbulent, surging Cold Flame was emitting extremely violent fluctuations. This small, array-protected space was almost completely filled with ice.

Theoretically, Wang Yu should have refined a Rank 3 Cold Dragon Pill, consumed and assimilated it, and then used it to aid the Cold Flame in advancing.

However—

He neither had a Rank 3 cauldron (currently being customized~).

Nor did he possess Rank 3 Cold Dragon Alchemy. So, he used another method to raise the Cold Flame's level: he let it advance on its own!

He had all the materials ready. After completely releasing the flame using his alchemy techniques, the Cold Flame immediately displayed its most primal instincts—burning, blossoming, and freezing!

These were manifestations of its power, while its instinct was to evolve.

Under Wang Yu's alchemical control, the pre-processed medicinal liquid quickly covered the Cold Flame's origin. Then, he activated the Twelve Flame Spirit Seals, allowing it to refine itself.

This was a technique for sublimating alchemical flames, already recorded in the Cold Dragon Alchemy.

Wang Yu wanted to possess it early and didn't want to wait 120 years to fully master Rank 3 Cold Dragon Alchemy, so he could only take a shortcut.

Once the cauldron was in place, he could also attempt to refine Rank 3 spirit pills. They might only be of low-grade quality, but it would still be an opportunity to gain new trump cards.

The situation in the secret chamber was quite perilous.

However, the Cold Flame was Wang Yu's self-cultivated alchemical fire. Even if left free, it had a strong dependence on him, and his robust physique was unafraid of this cold and high temperature.

Under strict spiritual sense monitoring, he occasionally injected True Essence to assist it.

Everything was developing in a positive direction.

Several days later.

The advancement neared its end, and the flame completely transformed into an icy-blue color, becoming much more viscous, clinging to Wang Yu's cross-legged figure like a maggot to bone.

“Hiss—”

Despite the inherent connection, he felt a bone-chilling cold and the scent of burning flesh, causing him to involuntarily draw a sharp breath.

At this point, the Cold Flame had successfully advanced, acquiring a near-dragon appearance similar to an Ice Dragon. This was due to the successive infusions of demon core essences.

It instinctively transformed into this shape.

Most importantly, it had gained a hint of sentience.

Wang Yu performed the Flame-Gathering Art from the Cold Dragon Alchemy to reclaim it. The process was smooth, with not the slightest resistance from the flame.

“From now on, I shall call you—Ice Dragon Alchemical Flame!”

Reaching Rank 3 was the limit of what Wang Yu could achieve and also the upper limit of the Cold Dragon Alchemy, assuming no further opportunities arose.

The Ice Dragon Alchemical Flame… would no longer evolve.

However, Wang Yu had a fallback method: once the Cold Dragon Alchemy was successfully repaired, he could use the placement slot's deduction ability to elevate it to Rank 4. At that point, there would naturally be a way to further enhance it.

That would be many years in the future. For now, the Ice Dragon Alchemical Flame was not only the fire he used for alchemy but also one of his offensive trump cards.

If cast using the Flame Form Art, its power would undoubtedly reach the level of a peak Rank 2 spell, surpassing the Profound Yin Hand by a notch.

“My trump cards have improved again. Excellent.”

With this advancement complete, Wang Yu would be free for a short period, which was a good opportunity to organize his personal cultivation system.

As the Guiling City Lord, he also needed time to consolidate his position.

“Brother Qingyang.”

“City Lord.”

After True Man Qingyang officially joined the City Lord's Mansion, he indeed gained a better cultivation environment than at the Ink Sect, but his resources, on the contrary, decreased.

After all, at the Ink Sect, he wielded great power and had the privilege of mobilizing items from the sect's treasure vault.

In Guiling City, Wang Yu held supreme authority, making it impossible to grant him such high privileges. As a result, the First Enshrined's various benefits and resource provisions were actually inferior to what he had during his time at the Ink Sect.

However, the direct disciples who followed him all exclaimed that the City Lord's Mansion offered much better conditions, far more promising than 'moving bricks' at the Ink Sect.

The unfortunate miners who had joined recently, on the other hand, entered the City Patrol Guard, essentially city management, and their treatment was much better than they had imagined.

This time, True Man Qingyang approached him and addressed him as 'City Lord,' not because of any displeasure caused by these minor issues.

Rather, it was due to the change in his status. Officially, he was a subordinate and could no longer address Wang Yu as 'Brother Wang'; he had to use his official title.

“Brother, do you have something to discuss with me?”

“That's right,” True Man Qingyang said after a moment of hesitation. “I wish to search for suitable materials to forge my Natal Artifact. After asking Pavilion Master Ye… he seemed unwilling to help me with this.”

Wang Yu mused: “…Hmm, the Guiling branch's rank is relatively low. One or two Rank 3 spiritual items are easy to acquire, but he doesn't have the authority for more.”

“Does the City Lord have a solution then? If not, I can only try my luck at the Yama Ghost Market.”

“A Natal Artifact should indeed be forged sooner rather than later.”

Wang Yu pondered quietly. With the financial support provided by two early Core Formation cultivators, True Man Qingyang had the means to acquire his Natal Artifact himself.

His problem, like that of countless rogue cultivators—and even Wang Yu himself had faced this issue before—was access to channels!

Since the First Enshrined had sought him out, Wang Yu indeed needed to help him resolve this, even if it was just offering advice. However, he suddenly recalled something, which he could use this opportunity to accomplish.

“Three methods!

“First, wait five years for the second Guiling Scent Convention. Many new guests should arrive then, and Brother, you can present your treasure exchange request at that time.

“Second, go to the Northern District and find the Purple Gold Merchant Guild. They are responsible for trade between Guiling and the Yama Ghost Market. With the City Lord's Mansion's channels, it won't be too late to go once you have news.

“As for the third…”

The first two methods could be pursued in parallel, as Qingyang needed quite a few materials. Rank 1 and Rank 2 auxiliary materials were easy to obtain, but Rank 3 equipment was hard to find.

Hearing this, he immediately said with some urgency.

“What is the third method? Is there a risk?”

“A little.”

Wang Yu spread out the map of Yunling Province and explained.

“When the Sacred Sect built Guiling City back then, its formations, spiritual veins, and scale were all constructed to the standards of a Rank 3 city.

“However, ever since the Tuoba family usurped control a century ago and lowered the city's tier to Foundation Establishment, the Guiling branch's specifications have also been gradually decreasing.

“The reason is that this city lacks consumers of a sufficiently high rank. If the City Lord's Mansion, as a major consumer, doesn't make purchases, the spiritual stones the branch can earn significantly decrease.

“And the three clans within the city are reluctant to invest their capital to contend for Core Formation opportunities.

“Over these years, your three Core Formation sects outside the city must have also noticed the contraction of the high-end spiritual item market, haven't you?”

Standing in different positions, one's considerations also differ.

Previously, Wang Yu primarily focused on individuals; now, he was focusing on Guiling City. Using True Man Qingyang's situation, he might be able to promote the development of the entire Guiling City.

“It seems so…” Qingyang murmured.

“For most of these years, I've been in seclusion, honing my cultivation. By the time I noticed, the Guiling branch had already dropped to the Foundation Establishment level.”

Wang Yu spread his hands, his tone unreadable.

“Merchants chase profit, and cultivator merchant guilds are no exception. Without sufficiently significant consumers and with an abundance of accumulated goods, the Guiling branch's rank would naturally be downgraded.

“However, I have arrived, and I have purchased quite a few things from them. Yet, they haven't upgraded the Guiling branch back. In that case, we'll just have to find another solution.”

True Man Qingyang immediately understood Wang Yu's meaning.

“Does the City Lord mean for me to seek out the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion?”

Wang Yu didn't answer directly, but pointed at the map of Yunling Province and said, “Look, this is Mo Mountain City, home to the main pavilion of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion in Yunling Province. Traveling there with Red Kite would be dangerous.

“Instead, you can invite Senior Jin, the Scent Sect Master, the Purple Dragon Mountain Lord, and the Ink Sect Master to travel there together to acquire what's needed. Then, in my name, pass them this treasure scroll.”

Recorded on the scroll were all Rank 3 treasures Wang Yu sought to purchase. He had too many low-grade spiritual stones on hand, and the amount increased annually, so he was eager to convert them into various precious spiritual items.

Keeping them would retain their value better than low-grade spiritual stones!