Chapter 307: Effect of Transcendence, Mastering the Falling Moon

Within the Burial Pit Secret Realm, nestled in the North Duanjie Mountain Range.

Ripples spread through the air at a corner of an unnamed valley. Wang Yu emerged from them, swiftly rising up. After scanning the surroundings with his divine sense, he found no one. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

The Burial Pit Secret Realm was merely a small, high-quality spatial secret realm. Its area wasn't vast, and after several months of cultivation and exploration, he had essentially exhausted its resources. There might have been some overlooked spots, but they weren't particularly significant.

It was time to return to the sect and exchange information with Zhuo Shouqing. Preemptively clipping Zhuo Shouyun's wings might invite trouble, especially since Wang Yu had only heard about the man and never truly confronted him. Furthermore, he didn't fully trust Zhuo Shouqing's subordinates. Thus, after achieving his goal of dual advancement, Wang Yu chose to return to the sect without delay.

On his way back, using the Aurora Escape Technique, a portion of his mind was focused on the Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda within him. Zhuo Wenshi had been "converted" some time ago, kept subdued by the combined power of the magic treasure and the Ice Chain Soul Binding Spell. She hadn't caused any trouble.

On the lowest level of the Ice Heart Pagoda, Wang Yu's magic power and divine sense intertwined to create an illusory form. He walked towards the woman, who was bound by several ice chains. He spoke in a commanding tone, "Lift your head."

Dazed and having forgotten the passage of time, Zhuo Wenshi subconsciously lifted her head. Her eyes were empty, giving her the appearance of someone utterly broken. This caused Wang Yu to frown deeply. The effect of "conversion" was somewhat different from what he had imagined.

"What is your name?""Zhuo Wenshi.""Gender.""Female.""Age.""Four hundred thirteen.""Cultivation level.""Seventh layer of Core Formation.""Where are you from? How many people are in your family? Why are you here..."

Wang Yu probed her with questions one by one, ultimately discovering that Zhuo Wenshi had lost her sense of self. She was like a machine with a memory core, utterly devoid of subjective thought. She answered whatever was asked, without adding a single word. Even if ordered to commit suicide, she would unhesitatingly stab an ice sword into her own heart, without any pause. She had even lost the innate survival instinct of living beings. This made Wang Yu's scalp tingle even more. This wasn't "conversion"; it was formatting!

In this state, it seemed he had gained a mind-controlled servant, potentially even usable as a mole. In reality, that was almost impossible. Her abnormal state was far too obvious. She not only did exactly what Wang Yu told her but also responded the same way when others questioned her, which was chilling. Even if kept as a battle puppet, she was unqualified. The "converted" Zhuo Wenshi had completely lost her ability to fight independently, and her combat power had drastically decreased. Only her physical body still held value.

Wang Yu rubbed his chin, observing the doll-like Zhuo Wenshi. A complex mix of emotions filled his mind. Converting a late Core Formation cultivator in three months seemed incredibly powerful, but in reality, she had been heavily wounded and on the verge of death at the time, barely holding on and unable to resist. That was why the conversion had proceeded so smoothly. If he had been dealing with an individual with a firm dao heart and strong will, conversion would likely have been impossible; the greater probability would have been their complete death. There were pros and cons. The Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda's effect on the path of the mind was perhaps too strong, to some extent overshadowing its ice attribute, not to mention its secondary Yin attribute.

Just as he was about to give her the final send-off, Wang Yu paused. Perhaps handing her over to Zhuo Shouqing could yield unexpected benefits? After all, they were both from the Zhuo family; perhaps Zhuo Shouqing possessed some ability to bypass restrictions and delve into deeper memories. It was worth noting that even after being "converted," Zhuo Wenshi couldn't reveal any of the Zhuo family's inheritances. This showed that the path of the mind was not invincible.

Several days later, on a night after his return to Yeqiong Continent, Wang Yu suddenly felt his vision clear. The world in his eyes became more subtle; even the dust motes suspended in the air became more noticeable. This meant his Taiyin Dark Eyes had advanced to the third stage of their transformation. This secret eye technique was always transformative, with eye techniques of corresponding ranks feeding Taiyin power back, causing his eyes to undergo a unique mutation. Permanently possessing such special eyes was different from using the Gaze of Qi Golden Eyes temporarily through a secret method. These eyes could even suppress the physical mutation caused by the Corpse Demon secret technique.

His pupils became even more peculiar, and a faint, imperceptible connection, like a hair-thin channel, seemed to form with the Taiyin Star in the sky. Not only could it transfer energy more efficiently, but the whites of his eyes showed a tendency to turn silver, and the crescent moon mark in his pupils became a half-full shape. It was foreseeable that in the future, when cultivated to the fourth stage, they might fully transform into the Full Moon Eyes. There was only one possible reason for this change: the third stage of the Falling Moon Eye Technique had truly been mastered, and the connection with the Taiyin Star was proving crucial.

He quietly hovered, adapting for a moment. He could clearly perceive the starlight radiated by the heavenly constellations, whether by day or night, and he gained a greater affinity for and control over Taiyin power.

"An unexpected pleasant surprise."

The first stage of the Falling Moon Eye Technique could only expand his methods and attack range; it couldn't significantly raise his combat power limit unless cultivated to the third stage, to the point where he could summon a Falling Moon Star to attack enemies. The problem was that his 'slots' weren't quite enough.

"It seems it's not just cultivation... Divine abilities also need to catch up. Otherwise, without powerful offensive means, raising one's fundamental cultivation by one or two realms is actually far less effective than mastering a single profound divine ability." In this regard, the Minor Asura Killing Fist was the best target for improvement. Pondering this, Wang Yu continued his journey.

Another half month passed, and he returned to the sect from the back of Cold Blood Peak.

The Law Enforcement Hall of the Evil God Workshop.

"You're back?""Mm.""From the looks of it, things went quite smoothly for you."

Zhuo Shouqing gestured for Wang Yu to sit down, then snapped his fingers, and a thin barrier enveloped them. As the saying goes, "Success is born of secrecy, failure from disclosure." The other party seemed to know what he had obtained. In silence, Zhuo Wenshi was ejected from the Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda, landing on the ground in a somewhat disheveled heap. This caused Zhuo Shouqing to raise an eyebrow in surprise and exclaim, "Where's the formation master? Why is it her?"

"What formation master?" Only after Zhuo Shouqing explained did Wang Yu respond, speechless. "That middle-aged formation master was your man? He was quite foolish."

Wang Yu had definitely checked the tomb chamber that was used as a trap after the Yellow Spring Bone-Corroding Water receded. Unfortunately, everything inside had been completely corroded. Even the space within the formation master's storage ring had collapsed, greatly diminishing its value for reforging. He gained little, and found nothing to prove the man's identity. Thus, Wang Yu had been unaware of the middle-aged formation master's identity. Although he had used the Soul Searching Secret Technique on Zhuo Wenshi, the memories obtained were already fragmented. To avoid the restrictions within her mind, he had deliberately foregone searching many accessible memories. He was also wary of pushing too far, which might trigger the restrictions and lead to an uncontrollable situation. Furthermore, since the Soul-Carving Evil Boat Curse had not yet been perfected, he had only obtained fragmented memories. Consequently, there was little information about Zhuo Shouyun, let alone such minor figures. Now that he knew the formation master's identity, Wang Yu felt even more speechless, and his prejudice against Zhuo Shouqing's subordinates deepened.

"Forget it, there's nothing more to discuss about a dead man. But... what did you do to her? She feels like a slave from the Joyful Union Sect..."

"Just a minor function of a magic treasure," Wang Yu replied. "She's yours now. I'm going back to secluded cultivation; I gained quite a lot this time."

Wang Yu didn't explain much. As he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something and turned back. "Be careful lately," he said. "All of Zhuo Shouyun's people in the secret realm were killed by me, and there's also a very dangerous demon-related monster in there."

"I understand. Don't rush off yet." As Zhuo Shouqing nodded, he took out a scroll and tossed it to him. "This is a mission. If you're confident, it's yours."

The mission was concise: investigate whether the Duan family of Xiangshan had "rebellious" tendencies. This was a Schrödinger's rebellion; the power to determine its existence lay entirely in Wang Yu's hands. It felt incredibly familiar! Years ago, the Wei family of Poushan was exterminated because they "killed" members of the sect's Law Enforcement Hall and were forcibly labeled as rebels. This time, the target was the Duan family of Xiangshan. Wang Yu was momentarily puzzled. The Duan family was Su Yulong's maternal clan; his aunt was the Nine-Sword Evil Monarch's most favored concubine. Moreover, the Demonic Embryo Profound Origin Secret Curse had initially circulated within the Duan family of Xiangshan.

"Why attack them?" he asked. "I alone... can't completely destroy a prosperous Golden Core family. Just the grand formation of Xiangshan is beyond my capabilities."

Furthermore, acting against an entity of this magnitude would place immense pressure on Wang Yu himself. The higher-ups weren't stupid. A family that originally had no issues, if forcibly driven to rebellion by you, would be lucky not to be punished. How could you possibly expect rewards from the sect?!! This was different from the minor skirmishes in the secret realm. Once action began, it would mean Zhuo Shouqing and Zhuo Shouyun had truly gone to war!

Hearing Wang Yu's doubts, Zhuo Shouqing sat backlit on the mat, his entire face obscured by shadow, appearing somewhat indistinct. His voice was even deeper. "I thought we had many more years," he said, "but the other side seems to have lost patience. The Duan family of Xiangshan doesn't involve Nascent Soul cultivators, yet their status is high enough, making them very suitable for establishing authority."

This... Wang Yu's brow furrowed deeply. "You mean Zhuo Shouyun has been contacting many family powers, disregarding the rules?"

"More than just families." Zhuo Shouqing offered a bitter smile. "More people in the master-disciple faction have been swayed by him, especially from Blood Nether Peak; many blood path geniuses in the Blood Pavilion have shown hostility towards me. Lu Chenzhou, in particular... he's a big problem."

"Lu Chenzhou?"

Zhuo Shouqing then explained Lu Chenzhou's background before continuing. "Even if Patriarch Lie himself came, he wouldn't do anything to this person. I'm currently confined to the Law Enforcement Hall, so be careful when you leave."

Wang Yu: "..." Was it too late for him to back out now? Of course, this thought only flashed through his mind. The contract was already signed; though the Styx Contract was specifically to protect the lives of the three brothers, there was still some room for maneuver. However, the situation was more critical than he had estimated.

"Why the Duan family of Xiangshan?" Wang Yu pressed. "The reason of establishing authority... isn't enough!"