Chapter 312: Refusing Exploitation, The Invitation of the Blood Abyss

After all that, the conversation finally reached the main point.

However, Wang Yu didn't have a great need for alchemy inheritances. No other alchemy technique suited him better than the Cold Dragon Alchemy. He couldn't possibly give it up, especially given its ability to boost the effects of ice-attribute elixirs by fifty percent. Starting to cultivate another alchemy technique from scratch would be too time-consuming. Moreover, the Cold Dragon Alchemy technique was already complete, and with the deduction function of the placement bar, it could be upgraded to a perfect fourth-tier alchemy. By then, he would surely be a Nascent Soul cultivator. A fifth-tier alchemy inheritance would be impossible to obtain at that point, but wouldn't acquiring another fourth-tier alchemy technique be simple?

He thought this to himself, but he couldn't say it aloud.

Wang Yu's silence, however, led Chixin and the other two to believe he was intrigued, and they eagerly spoke up.

"What do you think, Fellow Daoist Wang?"

After a moment's thought, Wang Yu didn't refuse directly but said, "What are the obligations of joining the Alchemy Hall? There can't be only benefits, can there?"

"Of course there are obligations," Elder Chixin said, breathing a sigh of relief. He had almost thought he would fail, but now it seemed no one could refuse such advanced inheritance!

"It's like this. The obligations of the Alchemy Hall are both simple and complex. Essentially, you need to complete the alchemy tasks assigned by the elders each year, and then 30 percent of your earnings will be taken as operational funds for the Alchemy Hall."

Seeing Elder Chixin's confident expression, Wang Yu almost couldn't resist slapping him. What a garbage exploitative contract. A 30 percent commission meant he couldn't choose the spiritual items he desired as payment; ninety-nine percent would still be spirit stones, which made calculating the split easier. He already had tens of millions of spirit stones, including a significant amount of high-grade ones. He lacked high-end consumption channels, and now they were offering him this? Wang Yu completely dismissed the idea.

On another note, completing the assigned alchemy tasks annually seemed like a good condition, resolving many inconveniences for alchemists. However, if the Alchemy Hall decided to target someone, it could drain all their time.

Thinking this, Wang Yu narrowed his eyes and asked, "Does joining the Alchemy Hall require signing a contract?"

Elder Chixin was overjoyed. "Naturally. Otherwise, neither the Hall nor the alchemists who join would feel at ease. This is a Styx Contract, Fellow Daoist Wang Yu, you may take a look."

Upon seeing the 300-year term written on it, Wang Yu's expression turned completely cold, and a chill wind instantly swept through the reception hall.

"Do the three of you take Wang Yu for a fool? Get out!"

Shivering from the cold, they were then unceremoniously thrown out of Wang Yu's cave dwelling by a suddenly activated protective formation, like garbage. Chixin, Qingsong, and Ziyun immediately turned red-faced and were panting heavily. This was a monumental humiliation! With their status as third-tier alchemists, they were always courteously received wherever they went. They never imagined Wang Yu would turn hostile so abruptly.

Outside the formation barrier, Qingsong angrily complained, "This is outrageous! This brat is so arrogant; he must be punished!"

Ziyun also chimed in. "Brother Qingsong is right. It's been so many years since someone this brazen appeared in the Sacred Sect. We must teach him a lesson, or our fellow disciples will think our Alchemy Hall has lost its edge!"

To their surprise, Chixin, their leader, remained silent, and as they wondered what he was thinking, their angry voices gradually subsided. The two couldn't help but exchange glances: "What's going on?"

Chixin, meanwhile, was thinking that the power struggles among the higher-ups were indeed not something he could casually get involved in. Not long ago, the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon visited the Master of the Alchemy Hall. What exactly was discussed was unknown, but after that day, Wang Yu, who had been a hot topic of discussion within the Hall, became a forbidden subject. He suspected that the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon was likely behind Wang Yu. However, the Master of the Alchemy Hall was himself a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and a top-grade fourth-tier alchemist, wielding more influence within the sect than many late-stage Nascent Soul Grand Cultivators! Therefore, he had taken it upon himself to come and test Wang Yu. Yes, he had come on his own initiative. He hadn't expected that the young man would see through the loopholes in the contract at a glance and mercilessly kick them out.

At this thought, Chixin's spiritual sense swept around. He found no one around except for a faint cultivator's aura next door, and only then did he quietly sigh in relief.

"Stop talking, all of you. Since no one saw us, keep this matter to yourselves. Don't mention it to anyone."

"Uh..."

"Yes!"

He wanted to let the matter go and pretend it never happened, but he didn't know that Wang Yu was not a magnanimous person. After chasing them away, Wang Yu, stepping back, grew angrier the more he thought about it. He immediately recorded the situation and the contract terms into a spiritual jade slip. Then, using his authority as a candidate elder, he dispatched an Ice-Winged Bird, a messenger demonic beast bred on Cold Blood Peak, to deliver the message for him. He had become the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon's personal alchemist, and yet they were poaching him and setting contract traps for him. If he were the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon, he absolutely wouldn't tolerate it!

After handling this matter, the pent-up frustration in Wang Yu's heart finally eased considerably. In any case, it was highly likely that the troubles regarding alchemy would end here. As long as he didn't expand his business beyond Cold Blood Peak and didn't actively seek to infringe upon the Alchemy Hall's interests, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

He continued to ponder the Minor Asura Killing Fist. Ever since encountering the special demonic derivative in the Burial Pit Secret Realm, his Asura Killing Intent hadn't played a significant role, and he had to rely on the Prajna Heart Sutra to conclude the fight. This left him somewhat disgruntled. What he wanted wasn't an occasional burst of power but a stable and powerful sustained mental force. Perhaps by cultivating the Minor Asura Killing Intent to perfection, his Asura Killing Intent would evolve once more. He wanted to completely eliminate the possibility of being affected by illusions or mind illusions again. Such abilities were too deadly! He dedicated himself to his enlightenment even more diligently.

...

A month later, an unexpected person arrived at Cold Blood Peak.

"Su Yulong!"

"Wang Yu, long time no see."

The visitor had already broken through to the Core Formation stage, even reaching the second level of Core Formation. He stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling, cupping his hands in greeting. While Wang Yu pondered, he opened the formation. The other party casually walked in, smiling as he said, "I've always known you were no ordinary person, but I didn't expect you to grow so quickly. Have you encountered any difficulties in your cultivation?"

This facade of concern made Wang Yu feel somewhat uncomfortable. He held no grudge against Su Yulong; in fact, the man had even been kind to him. If Su Yulong had come to him earlier and offered what help he could, Wang Yu might have considered him a friend. But to come now, and say such things... It was truly nauseating. That condescending attitude, presumptuous rhetoric, and false words of concern deeply repulsed Wang Yu.

After a moment of silence, he showed no intention of inviting him inside. The two then stood on the snowy ground and conversed.

"Brother Su is no longer a true disciple, is he? Why come to Cold Blood Peak to find me again?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of difficulty flickered in Su Yulong's eyes, feeling that Wang Yu was making fun of him. However, his excellent upbringing allowed him to quickly control his emotions. He feigned regret, saying, "Over the years, I've often thought that if I had listened to your strategy back then, I might not have ended up in this situation today."

"Princess Yan Ling's talent is extraordinary; she would still have ascended to this position, regardless of whether Brother Su listened to me or not."

"How could that be!" Su Yulong claimed it was impossible but didn't dwell on the topic. He said this merely to try and improve his relationship with Wang Yu. As he spoke, he began to vent his grievances again. "If I hadn't been confined by the Xiangshan Duan clan back then, I would have definitely sought out Fellow Daoist Wang immediately. With your wisdom, Brother Wang, you could certainly have saved me from my predicament."

Wang Yu stood with his arms crossed, silently watching his performance. In just a few words, he gained a deeper understanding of Su Yulong. This man was likely a typical advocate for family honor. Previously, he had only thought that Su Yulong's personality was extreme, insisting on a fight to the death with Wei Chong. Now, considering his character, it was possible that Su Yulong looked down on Wei Chong's background. For instance: trash becoming a direct disciple of Cold Blood Peak, disgracing the identity, and so on. Wei Chong, at least, had a Foundation Establishment family behind him, but Yan Ling was a complete orphan. Given Su Yulong's appearance now, Wang Yu couldn't think of any reason other than matters related to Zhuo Shouqing.

Sure enough. After much rambling, Su Yulong finally brought the conversation back on track, his eyes burning as he said, "Wang Yu, stay away from Zhuo Shouqing. He will be the death of you."

"Thank you for your concern, but I don't need your advice on this matter, Brother Su."

"You don't understand Zhuo Shouyun's strength at all, nor how utterly useless Zhuo Shouqing is. If you choose the wrong path, you'll end up like me in the past..."

Wang Yu still shook his head. He didn't want to discuss the Styx Contract. "You are you, and he is he. If there's nothing else, please leave. I'm going to cultivate."

"Wait!"

It was a long-established fact that both Su Yulong and the Xiangshan Duan clan had pledged allegiance to Zhuo Shouyun. Since they were on opposing sides, there was nothing more to discuss. As for the past favors... well, he decided not to repay them. Integrity was a bottom line he always maintained, even as a Crimson Kite disciple, but given the other party's disgusting behavior, his bottom line was quite flexible. Temporarily lowering it a notch was not a big deal.

As he turned to return to his cave dwelling, a single sentence from Su Yulong immediately made him stop.

"The Blood Abyss is about to open!"

The Blood Abyss! It was the Sacred Cultivation Ground of the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect. Although it was more effective for blood-path cultivators, it was equally a sacred place for cultivators of other paths to enhance their cultivation. Generally, it would open simultaneously with the conclusion of one True Disciple competition and the beginning of a new round of True Disciple selections. This allowed a batch of true disciples to enter, and also permitted the elders of the Nine Peaks to seek opportunities within.

The Blood Abyss seemed to open every two hundred years, just like the True Disciple selection. However, this was not the case. In reality, it was always open. This particular opening was to unseal the true gates of the Blood Abyss. Normally, smaller gates, side entrances, cracks, and other passages were always accessible. These could accommodate one or two people sneaking in. Wei Chong and Zhao Shang had both entered this way, but no news had returned from them. The latter, in particular, had long been presumed dead.

The Blood Abyss trial was also a tradition of the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect. Opportunities for forming a Nascent Soul existed within. Any Core Formation cultivator under the age of 300 could enter. Additionally, a certain status was required. As a candidate for the Twelve Elders of Cold Blood Peak, he possessed this qualification. Seeing Wang Yu stop, Su Yulong continued, "Zhuo Shouyun will be waiting for you in the Blood Abyss, and I will be entering too. Hundreds of prodigies from the Blood Pavilion will also enter. If you continue to help Zhuo Shouqing, you will surely die, unless you give up entering the Blood Abyss..."

Wang Yu didn't reply. As the formation's light barrier closed, he vanished. He had largely figured out Su Yulong's purpose.