Chapter 306: Refining the Body Third Stage Mid and Late Period Spiritual Awareness

Mid-stage of Body Refinement Tier 3 achieved!

Feeling his physique surge, as if he had broken through a layer of shackles, Wang Yu couldn't help but let out a long howl heavenward.

The resources he had left were sufficient for him to break through and continue cultivating to the late-stage of Body Refinement Tier 3, and even advance further towards the peak.

Abundant resources, perfect training, and exceptional talent.

This remarkable achievement was the result of these three factors combined.

After spending several days adapting to his newly enhanced physique, and with the various phenomena caused by the surge in power having subsided, Wang Yu moved to a different location.

After setting up a basic protective array, he consumed the top-grade Soul Dream Origin Pill he had prepared and began his breakthrough in the realm of divine sense.

This particular advancement was far smoother than his physical body's promotion.

It felt like a grand dream, or the fleeting life of a mayfly, born at dawn and dying at dusk, leaving no trace, as if it had never truly existed in this world.

Emptiness...

Ten full days passed. Wang Yu touched the sweat beading at the corners of his eyes, feeling bewildered and wordless. His memory held no anomalies; it was simply a matter of taking the pill, refining it, and advancing.

Feeling the pressure from the two corpses in his mind abruptly lessen, Wang Yu instinctively stretched, feeling utterly refreshed.

The subsequent tasks were straightforward.

With both his physique and divine sense having advanced, Wang Yu now commanded even greater power. In the absence of external threats, he entered a 'sweep mode'.

During this process, his mastery of Feng Shui Mystic Arts continuously deepened. Even without the feedback from the placement feature, his talent could still be considered genius-level.

He quickly mastered a series of Feng Shui secret techniques.

However, cultivating them to perfection would not be an overnight endeavor.

The acquisition of materials yielded a significant bounty.

He acquired 18 Yellow Spring Crystals, 5 Azure Nether Crystals, 6 Yin-attributed items, and 2 Ice-attributed items. Additionally, he unexpectedly discovered two Corpse Dao spiritual herbs and one Ghost Dao spiritual herb.

Without exception, all these acquisitions were Tier 3.

There were also numerous rare varieties. If one were to add the Yellow Spring Demonic Bone, Three-Foot Snow, and four storage rings belonging to Core Formation cultivators...

The proceeds from this single exploration alone already surpassed the net worth of most Core Formation cultivators, particularly in terms of high-level resources.

With these assets as capital, he could exchange for any spiritual items he needed.

—A smooth path!

The future he envisioned was one of unimpeded progress.

The Anti-Spirit Blood Sect.

Blood Nether Peak, Blood Pavilion.

This is the cultivation ground for descendants of the Holy Sect's many Nascent Soul ancestors, specifically those whose innate Blood Spirit Root aptitude was shaped by the sinister Blood Spring Art.

While the Holy Sect ostensibly possesses over thirty Nascent Soul cultivators, the true number has actually reached between fifty and sixty, with two-thirds of them hailing from various clans.

The remaining third consists of Nascent Soul cultivators from the master-disciple lineage.

In each generation, among the descendants of every Nascent Soul cultivator, there are individuals born with weak aptitudes who must rely on the nefarious Blood Spring Art to alter their destiny.

Because the method is challenging and requires natural childbirth, only three descendants from each Nascent Soul generation can be chosen. Many among them fail due to insufficient mental fortitude.

Nevertheless, over the years, the number of Blood Dao geniuses produced by this secret method has become astronomical.

Blood Nether Peak was established for these individuals; initially, it was merely a branch hall under the Blood Demon Palace.

Once the number of individuals with innate Blood Spirit Roots reached a certain threshold,

exceptionally talented individuals refined the Blood Spring Art, enabling those who develop Blood Spirit Roots to devour one another, provided their metamorphosis and cocooning occur on the same day.

This mutual consumption yields better results the closer the bloodline. If more than three individuals are involved, a spiritual physique known as the Blood Demon Body can be formed.

This physique is naturally suited for cultivating the Ancient Blood Demon Scripture.

Individuals with this physique are destined to form a Nascent Soul and possess the potential to reach Spirit Transformation and even higher realms!

However, potential is merely theoretical; realizing it proves to be quite challenging.

The current Blood Demon Palace Master, who is also the head of the Anti-Spirit Blood Sect, is the most accomplished Blood Demon Body practitioner in history, standing just one step away from Spirit Transformation.

“Lu Chenzhou, I need your help.”

In a corner of the Blood Pavilion, Zhuo Shouyun, dressed in lavish black robes and with blood-red hair, spoke in a low voice to the red-skinned fiend before him.

Lu Chenzhou was a disciple personally selected by the Blood Demon Palace Master.

He was rumored to possess a naturally occurring Blood-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root, and ever since he began cultivating the Ancient Blood Demon Scripture, his body had been progressively mutating.

He had red skin, blood-red hair, a slender and well-muscled physique, somewhat large fingers and feet, and sharp, pointed nails. Most notably, he possessed a pair of bright yellow vertical pupils.

Like a wild beast, he constantly exuded terrifying killing intent.

Within the Blood Pavilion, he was one of only two cultivators at the peak Core Formation stage. The other was also a disciple of the Sect Master, the current generation's Blood Demon Body, who held the widely recognized title of 'Young Sect Master'.

Lu Chenzhou's status was somewhat awkward. He was an orphan adopted by the Sect Master, and despite also cultivating the Ancient Blood Demon Scripture,

due to the presence of the Young Sect Master, he felt like a backup. He was not only ostracized by the Young Sect Master but also consistently looked down upon by the other second-generation disciples.

Hence,

while seemingly second only to one and above thousands, he was frequently regarded as an 'experimental subject' or a product of whimsy, possessing high status but wielding no real power.

Zhuo Shouyun, by contrast, was the strongest among his generation of the Guifang Zhuo clan who had risen from obscurity. Though he couldn't rival the Zhuo clan's foremost genius,

the authority he commanded was significantly greater than Lu Chenzhou's.

For Zhuo Shouyun to humble himself before Lu Chenzhou was quite unlike the typical behavior of those who flaunted their family's honor and constantly gave orders.

Lu Chenzhou crossed his arms, his fingertips lightly tapping his forearm.

He said, with a half-smile,

“Help… and what’s in it for me?”

“Because both of us clawed our way up from nothing through sheer ability, and I'm sure you can't stand those arrogant good-for-nothings either, can you?”

“Empty words. Are you joking?”

Lu Chenzhou shook his head, unwilling to engage further with the man, but Zhuo Shouyun stated in a solemn voice,

“I know you don't want to become nourishment for that person, which is why you've been hesitant to attempt forming your Nascent Soul. You…”

“Bang—!” Before the words were fully out, Lu Chenzhou erupted with brutal killing intent, striking Zhuo Shouyun's upper body with a single punch, pulverizing it into a spray of blood.

The opponent's lower body, severed at the navel, swayed precariously before collapsing to its knees.

Lu Chenzhou roared furiously, “What nonsense are you spouting?!”

Silence immediately descended.

After a long wait, sensing no lingering gaze, Lu Chenzhou gradually relaxed.

At that moment, Zhuo Shouyun's splattered blood began to gather, as if time were rewinding, slowly reforming his upper body. Only his ordinary clothing was ruined.

This was the formidable nature of Blood Dao cultivators: an almost indestructible vitality!

Once a Blood Core is formed, all internal organs, bones, muscles, meridians, and the brain within a Blood Dao cultivator's body transform entirely into blood.

There are no fatal weaknesses.

If one were to insist on a weakness, it would be the Blood Dao Golden Core itself.

Hence,

to prevent Zhuo Shouyun from uttering anything provocative, Lu Chenzhou had directly blown apart his upper body.

Fully restored, the two men gazed at each other for a long moment.

Under Lu Chenzhou's murderous gaze, Zhuo Shouyun changed his approach to speaking.

“Tonight, come to my place. The decisive battle between Zhuo Shouqing and me is about to begin, and there's an arrangement there that even the Fiery Ancestor cannot probe."

“See you tonight…”

Zhuo Shouyun didn't elaborate further. He knew Lu Chenzhou would come, as apart from the rumor of Lu Chenzhou being an 'experimental subject' in the Blood Pavilion,

another widely circulated conjecture also existed.

This theory suggested that the Sect Master was waiting for him to form his Nascent Soul. It proposed that a Blood Spirit Root shaped by the Blood Spring Art, when compared to a naturally occurring one,

lacked a certain profound natural endowment. Devouring Lu Chenzhou's Blood Dao Nascent Soul could potentially rectify this deficiency, leading to a smooth Spirit Transformation. Otherwise, it would be impossible for so many Holy Sect predecessors to have failed.

It seemed plausible, and in fact, it was truly plausible!

After all, Blood Spirit Roots created by the secret art were inherently obtained through devouring, and the subsequent Blood Demon Body advancements merely lacked the 'innate' prefix, meaning they were indeed missing natural creation.

However,

upon investigation,

Lu Chenzhou became convinced that this information had been deliberately spread by the Young Sect Master. Its original intent was to intimidate him and prevent him from posing a threat to the Young Sect Master's status.

However, it ironically took on the semblance of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Then, in retaliation, Lu Chenzhou deliberately circulated another piece of information.

The current Sect Master, still having a long lifespan, was not only waiting for Lu Chenzhou to form his Nascent Soul but also for the Young Sect Master to do so. After all, the latter possessed merely a Heavenly Blood Spirit Root, not a true Blood Demon Body.

The Young Sect Master, being the true Blood Demon Body, implied that when both formed their Nascent Souls, they would be devoured by their master—the Blood Demon Palace Master—to serve as resources for his advancement to Spirit Transformation.

And the outcome?

—Well!

It was a stroke of genius, as the rumor spread and gained traction, making the Young Sect Master increasingly hesitant to form his Nascent Soul. Ultimately, both he and Lu Chenzhou became 'squatters' in the Blood Pavilion.

Incidentally, they were also investigating the experiences and achievements of all previous top-grade Blood Spirit Root holders who had emerged from the Blood Pavilion.

Most of them had met tragic, unexplained deaths. The deeper they investigated, the heavier their hearts grew, as both realized there was an eighty percent chance their own rumors were true.

But there were exceptions.

The Three Demon Lords of Blood Nether Peak: Blood Axe, Blood Spring, and Blood Essence!

All three possessed top-grade Blood Spirit Roots (Heavenly Spirit Roots) created by the secret method, and now held the power of late-stage Nascent Soul grand cultivators.

Within the entire Holy Sect, their standing was second only to the Sect Master.

The notion of 'isolated evidence' doesn't apply here. There was also the Blood Nether Mountain Master, an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, as further proof, and a Blood Ghost Demon Lord reportedly cultivating in the Heaven-Refining Demonic Sect, not to mention the hundreds of individuals within the Blood Pavilion itself.

All of them served as living proof, offering a slight measure of relief to both. However, suspicion was simply in the nature of demonic cultivators.

Driven by fear, they had even lost the courage to attempt forming their Nascent Soul.

Attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in such a state, even with the aid of spiritual items, would most likely end in failure.

The Young Sect Master, possessing a Blood Demon Body, might be an exception, but whether he desired such an exception was unknown.

Within the Holy Sect, they could not contend with the Sect Master.

Thus, a probe was necessary.

That night, Lu Chenzhou arrived punctually to meet Zhuo Shouyun, who, as expected, presented an excellent plan.

The plan was to use the Zhuo clan's influence to pressure the Young Sect Master, forcing him to form his Nascent Soul as soon as possible. If he adamantly refused,

they would shift from the optimal strategy to a moderate one: relocating him away from the Holy Sect's main gates. This would also serve to gauge the Sect Master's reaction.

If neither of those worked, there was still a last resort.

Zhuo Shouyun would help Lu Chenzhou escape the Holy Sect's main gates—this was the *true* last resort!

Lu Chenzhou's lips twitched as he listened.

As a lone wolf, Lu Chenzhou couldn't achieve this himself, but Zhuo Shouyun had the backing of the Guifang Zhuo clan, which significantly increased the chances of success.

“State your terms.”

“Pretend to be consumed by killing intent and help me cripple Zhuo Shouqing. Don't kill him.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Chenzhou scoffed.

“You’re one person short; you can’t create a Blood Demon Body.”

“Don’t worry about that; I have my own strategy.”

“Very well. If you go back on your word…”

“Impossible. Let's sign a Styx Pact!”

Lu Chenzhou scratched his head, looking at Zhuo Shouyun with slight confusion. He hadn't rashly brought up the Styx Pact precisely because he was aware of its implications.

To help Lu Chenzhou achieve all this, Zhuo Shouyun would have to sacrifice a great deal. Even if he defeated Zhuo Shouqing and forged a pseudo-Blood Demon Body, he still wouldn't be able to become the Zhuo clan's heir.

“This is my sincerity; I expect yours in return.”

“Agreed!”