Chapter 378: Silver Blood Demon Bone, Early Stage of Fourth Level Body Refinement

The power of the Nine-Stage Lightning Tribulation was significantly higher than he had anticipated, yet it remained within his tolerance.

As he endured the lightning tribulation's tempering, his spiritual marrow completely transformed into silver blood, initiating a widespread blood exchange throughout his body, especially in his dragon spine, which had been condensed much earlier.

Amidst the constantly flashing lightning, runes imbued with an immortal aura emerged. The power of the third-tier divine Vajra physique truly began to flow, continuously pouring into his dragon spine.

As the Dark Dragon Demonic Art circulated continuously, the "Heavenly Yin Blood" rune particles in Wang Yu's blood also gathered towards his dragon spine. The same applied to the "Corpse Demon Bone" particles.

However, as products of a third-tier Corpse Demon secret art, they inherently had imperfections. The benefits of this realm breakthrough caused all of Wang Yu's physical enhancements to trend towards integration.

The core of this integration was his dragon spine, the first immortal bone about to be condensed.

Breaking through to a major realm carried both significant risks and great opportunities.

This leap in his life essence revealed numerous profound mysteries of the human body to him.

Seizing this opportunity to integrate them, the future difficulty of merging his cultivation techniques with the secrets of the Corpse Demon art, and deducing advancements, would be significantly reduced. It would be like walking at night with streetlights guiding the way, naturally removing the worry of falling into a ditch.

While the transformation within his body progressed, external pressure rapidly intensified. Starting from the fourth lightning tribulation, the blue and white lightning bolts became tinged with purple light.

Like water pouring from the sky, a thunderous pillar of lightning, resembling a waterfall, crashed down. It struck Wang Yu, causing him intense pain all over his body and making his hair stand on end.

His fair, tender young body developed large patches of blood-red lightning marks, resembling both blood vessels and spiderwebs, making him appear ferocious and terrifying.

As his bodily functions operated, these injuries rapidly receded. The immense energy contained within the Demonic Dragon Tree Heart allowed him to gain astonishing regenerative capabilities in a short period.

The lightning tribulation refined his body, repeatedly cycling through destruction and repair. This rapidly increased his physical strength and even developed his resistance to lightning, a forced adaptation.

"—Splendid!"

After the fifth and sixth lightning tribulations, the surging lightning transformed completely into a pale purple hue. This type of lightning was incredibly fast and possessed penetrative power.

Immersed in this tribulation, Wang Yu felt a needle-like pain and intense itching throughout his bones and internal organs, truly aching to the marrow.

During the eighth lightning tribulation, Wang Yu's small face was contorted, and he could no longer cry out. He could only sit cross-legged on the ground, awaiting the judgment of the final lightning tribulation.

"Boom—"

The sky thundered, and the heavy dark clouds began to dissipate. A golden light projected from the clouds fell upon Wang Yu's coiled body, and the scorch marks on his skin started to peel off.

The Heaven-bestowed mystical light rapidly strengthened his origin.

The force field generated by his silver blood divine power slowly propelled him upward. His dragon spine transformed into his first immortal bone, which, depending on individual cultivation techniques, could also be called the Nether Demonic Bone!

His realm had dramatically broken through to the early stage of Body Refinement Tier 4. All aspects saw significant improvement, making it no exaggeration to say he was reborn. Most importantly, his life origin surged instantaneously.

His lifespan instantly increased from 800 to 1,600 years!

He had entered a completely new world, so to speak. However, the Dark Dragon Demonic Art was currently only at the third-tier upper grade, allowing him to cultivate only to the peak of the early fourth tier. He could not break through to the mid-tier.

He would need to work on this himself, as a breakthrough to the mid-fourth tier was not possible in the short term. Once he formed a Demonic Nascent Soul and his fundamental qualities greatly improved, completing the Corpse Demon secret art would clarify his path.

As for the Body Refinement Tier 4 cultivation method, it would still primarily involve refining malevolent energy. However, this process would particularly focus on the bones, centered on the dragon spine. The goal was to continuously increase the total volume of silver blood transformed from the spiritual marrow within it, then extend this to all parts of his body. Wang Yu's second target was his skull.

Pure tempering would show progress, but at an exceptionally slow pace. It would be best to supplement this with valuable medicinal herbs beneficial for strengthening bones. These were cultivation resources he would need to accumulate gradually over time, and could not be rushed.

"Given the rarity of Tier 4 resources, one must be at the table to acquire them; conventional channels make them very difficult to obtain."

He pondered this inwardly.

In fact, Wang Yu had a significant advantage in resource acquisition: alchemy. Elixirs were always more cost-effective than using raw medicinal herbs. A single primary herb, combined with several auxiliary herbs, could yield nine pills. Was this not a greater benefit than consuming the raw herbs directly?

The trust of Vermilion Phoenix cultivators was a major issue. Those without backing would rather consume the herbs directly than risk exposure and greater trouble. This was a consequence of the cultivation environment in Vermilion Phoenix.

In the Taihu region, alchemy masters were still trustworthy. While they might be corrupt, they wouldn't consume all the ingredients and then kill the person seeking the elixir. Regardless, one would still receive the finished pills, though the quantity might not be ideal.

Following this line of thought, if Wang Yu wished to avoid conflict and foster peaceful prosperity, the Taihu Spiritual Domain would actually be more suitable for his cultivation after forming his Nascent Soul.

"There's little point in thinking about these things now..."

Apart from the gains in his body refinement realm from this trip, the most important discovery was the ability of the Innate Demonic Embryo. If used well, its myriad transformations characteristic was perfect for him to wander the world freely. The only remaining problem was how to "replicate" it; it was impossible to enter a creature's womb every time he wished to increase the number of transformation forms. That would not only be perverse but also incredibly difficult.

There had to be a simpler method, which Wang Yu would need to discover himself. He happened to have the corpse of a half-Ice Tribe, half-human hybrid. Starting with this corpse might be a good idea.

After contemplating these matters,

Wang Yu finally turned his attention to the remains of the Demonic Dragonblood Tree. This thing was absurdly large, but it could be stored in the Seventh Elder's Cold Blood Ring. Although he had used the tree heart, the trunk of the Demonic Dragonblood Tree was still extremely valuable. As the remains of a mid-Tier 4 entity, it should be a top-grade material for artifact refining. How exactly to use it still required careful consideration.

Some of its tender branches also had medicinal value, and its vast quantity of dragon blood was exactly where blood pill alchemy could be utilized. Extracting some essence blood as the primary ingredient to refine a few Tier 4 body-refining blood pills that would benefit him should not be a problem.

It took him considerable time to collect all the spoils.

Thus, his trip to Dragonfall Valley concluded successfully.

His next destination was the Endless Ice Plain, where not only terrifying blizzards raged, but ice beasts and Ice Tribe members also posed dangers. Especially after learning the truth from the stone tablets left by the Grand Yin Sect, it was hard not to overthink things. Breaking through the Ice Prison Realm was a long-term goal he had set for himself.

This goal was still too distant for him; he needed to gradually accumulate the power to break the situation. Crucially, this high-level perspective helped him see many things clearly. For now, his top priority remained breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

"It's time to depart."

This breakthrough did not take long; less than half a month passed from the beginning until he survived the lightning tribulation and fully controlled his new body.

After leaving Dragonfall Valley, Wang Yu made one last stop at the agreed-upon pickup location with Wang Zhenghong. Upon learning that Black Heaven Talisman Lord and Old Demon Dim Barbarian had already departed, he felt a certain urgency. He then turned and fled towards the Endless Ice Plain, a place he had heard of long ago, now entering it himself with a degree of anticipation.

After all, theoretically, the Endless Ice Plain was most suitable for Ice Dao cultivators. The immense amount of extreme cold energy accumulated by the ancient, unmelting ice was vast. The Cold Absorption Art and Heavenly Frost Secret Art, two secret arts for improving spiritual power quality, would be highly effective. Moreover, the gathered extreme cold energy could also help him cultivate divine abilities and strengthen his innate magical artifacts. Resolving the issue of superficial spiritual power, common for human-pill cultivators, would be effortless. Compared to solidifying his body through combat during body refinement, the power of extreme cold would be much more stable and simpler to purify.

Meanwhile,

In Fengzhou Prefecture City.

In the grand assembly attended by thirty-six elders, Black Heaven Talisman Lord stood behind Old Demon Dim Barbarian, speaking with considerable respect. "Father-in-law, you should take the lead in Fengzhou." Dim Barbarian was an elder of the Zhuo clan, and Black Heaven Talisman Lord had married into the family, taking his second daughter as his wife. Both father-in-law and son-in-law were at the third layer of the Nascent Soul stage and bore missions from the Holy Sect. Thus, Black Heaven Talisman Lord willingly relinquished authority.

In response,

Dim Barbarian stroked his beard and nodded. Though old in appearance, his physique was far from weak. His muscular body was covered only by a ragged homespun shirt. His granite-like pectoral muscles showed visible striations, and he deliberately left a large portion exposed.

If a junior dressed this way, it would immediately be dismissed as showing off. For a Barbarian Ghost cultivator, a perfectly trained physique seemed to lose its meaning if not displayed to others, much like wearing fine clothes at night—pointless. However, since this attire was common for Old Demon Dim Barbarian, it naturally signified a great master's disregard for trivialities and a high state of mind.

His son-in-law's perceptiveness and respect satisfied Dim Barbarian's desire for prestige, and he now confidently took charge of the meeting.

"Ahem—" he began. "You are all pillars of our Holy Sect. Fengzhou's weak forces make it highly vulnerable to breakthroughs by hostile factions. From now on, this old man will be permanently stationed in Fengzhou, and all matters must be approved by me before being executed. Do you understand?"

"We shall certainly obey, and please rest assured, both sirs."

Times had changed.

With no tiger in the mountain, monkeys might reign, but now the tiger had arrived. These elders, who often argued until their faces were red and necks strained, displayed unprecedented obedience. Regardless of whether they were conservatives, radicals, or opportunists, they became remarkably honest in the face of absolute power.

Under the immense pressure of a Nascent Soul Grandmaster, Fengzhou's governing body's efficiency soared by a thousand percent. Patrol teams departed from the prefectural city, accompanied by smaller teams of array masters and talisman masters.

They set up early warning systems at key locations. Due to the extensive border, neither patrols nor formations could completely block all incursions. However, they could be deployed near resource points. The ultimate goal of war was resource contention; as long as these areas were well-guarded, territories could be seized at will, for once one side achieved victory, the defeated party would withdraw.

Old Demon Dim Barbarian's energy was primarily focused on defending against the Yellow Springs Monastery to the east. As for the Northern Broken Realm Mountains to the west, due to historical issues, it was not only dangerous with demonic beasts but also filled with possession caves, restrictive traps, and other dangers left by predecessors. This made it a natural defensive zone, so less effort was allocated to the west. He fully entrusted its management to Black Heaven Talisman Lord.

Furthermore, he brought a contingent of Zhuo clan elites to infiltrate various positions within Fengzhou Prefecture City, carrying out a significant personnel overhaul.

Naturally, the local powers were unwilling to accept such actions, but an arm cannot outwrestle a thigh. Regardless of their internal extremism or opposition, outwardly they remained compliant and submissive.

As time passed, one month after Old Demon Dim Barbarian took over Fengzhou, seven or eight cultivators, all among the thirty-six elders, secretly gathered in an unnamed mountain cave outside Fengzhou Prefecture City.

After they met, the atmosphere was stiff. Clearly, they had all encountered various intractable problems, with Old Demon Dim Barbarian being the most significant obstacle.

Amidst the silence, a black-robed cultivator, who seemed to hold a leading position, was the first to speak: "Everyone, let's discuss the problems you've encountered recently, then we'll figure out how to solve them one by one."

A few breaths later, someone spoke.

"The Profound Bone Thieves are all dead. From the remaining traces, the perpetrator was likely the Ice Demon Child. Should we..."

"Unwise," the leader said, shaking his head in rejection. "Since the Ice Demon Child appeared at Profound Bone Mountain, his destination is clear: he's almost certainly headed for the Endless Ice Plain, which fits his identity as a rogue cultivator. The reason he attacked us was simply that he dared not provoke the Anti-Spirit Blood Sect. Now that he's reached Profound Bone Mountain, he should have entered the Ice Plain and will no longer affect us."

These words were reasonable and logically consistent. The person who had raised the question silently retreated, and a second person immediately took over, saying:

"In western Fengzhou, an organization called the Demonic Luo Cult is active. They particularly enjoy plundering mortals under the guise of 'salvation,' much like the style of Taihu cultivators. With the Profound Bone Thieves eliminated, should we try to deal with this organization? It might also provoke anger from the Taihu side."

After this was said, the leader again shook his head in refusal. "The essence of this matter is the hypocrites of Taihu, who require a just and legitimate reason to deploy troops. Since the Demonic Luo Cult operates in the shadows, even destroying them would be useless. Instead, it would expose our strength and circumstances. Reasons for war are easily found; if the Profound Bone Thieves aren't sufficient, we can simply find another method. There's no need to take risks."

"You're right." "Fortunately, you're in charge." "Indeed, indeed."

After rejecting two proposals in a row with solid reasons, flattery immediately followed, but the problems still needed to be addressed.

The leader continued.

"I will contact our operatives stationed in Taihu to abduct women there under the name of the Joyful Union Demonic Sect; the loose ends from last time haven't been dealt with yet. Additionally, we'll direct the two Nascent Soul cultivators transferred to Fengzhou to investigate the Demonic Luo Cult, using the opportunity to bring the Anti-Spirit Blood Sect and Taihu into direct conflict."

Such an operation would both solidify the situation and allow them to extricate themselves.

If Wang Yu were present, he would recognize this leader. It was none other than Elder Ksitigarbha of Yellow Springs Monastery, who had not only orchestrated the abduction of women along the Taihu border years ago but also spearheaded the contention over Zhuyue Prefecture. After years apart, his cultivation had already broken through from the peak of Core Formation to the first layer of Nascent Soul, truly fulfilling his potential and gaining real authority.

"We obey!"

"By the way, is the Young Sect Master of the Anti-Spirit Blood Sect in Fengzhou?"

"Yes, the young master of the Yu clan in the prefectural city is his disguised identity. Does Milord wish to..."

"Have him find a way to draw Black Heaven Talisman Lord out to this location. I have a private matter to discuss with him."

"Understood."