Chapter 38: One-Year Deadline

After that day, Tantai Chan's herb garden no longer seemed to attract Yu Tangtang. Wang Yu only saw her once more, then never again, which actually made him relieved.

He constantly reminded himself to be "low-key," "cautious," and "introspective," repeating over and over that this was the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, not a place of benevolence. What appeared beautiful often concealed deadly poison.

Thus, a year passed in the blink of an eye. Today marked the second year and first day of his Outer Sect life!

After hiding in the herb garden for a year, Xu Jiaojiao might have either given up or resorted to more sinister methods, so he still needed to remain vigilant.

Over this time, the Ice Coffin Curse and Phantasm Steps were successively perfected. Given his current cultivation level, he could only cast each twice at full power, so he kept them as trump cards. The Cold Flood Dragon Alchemy and Cold Blood Pills were also successively mastered.

Two months ago, he personally refined two batches of Cold Blood Pills, yielding only three top-grade pills in total. His alchemy skill had reached the peak for the Qi Condensation stage. Technically, he was highly proficient, but his only weaknesses were significant deficiencies in his spiritual sense and cultivation. Otherwise, a perfect batch should have produced six top-grade Cold Blood Pills.

A single batch of top-grade pills would only produce three because they perfectly absorbed all the medicinal properties of a set of spiritual herbs, leaving no excess potency to create more Cold Blood Pills. Of course, this was only the case for Cold Blood Pills. He wasn't sure if other first-tier pills followed the same pattern but would find out by experimenting more in the future.

Regarding his cultivation, one year of training using two cultivation slots increased his spiritual power by seventy-two strands. Adding the effects of Cold Blood Pills and his own cultivation progress, his current spiritual power cultivation reached one hundred thirty strands. He had covered almost half the journey, with another half to go.

However, after consuming top-grade Cold Blood Pills, his cultivation speed accelerated further. He was certain to break through to the fifth level of Qi Condensation within another year, which was already a considerable pace. The cultivation slots' effectiveness depended on Wang Yu's aptitude. It was hard to imagine how fast he would cultivate if he possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root—truly a pity.

His current cultivation slots were configured as follows:Slot 1: Cold Blood ArtSlot 2: Cold Blood ArtSlot 3: Cold Flood Dragon Alchemy (Incomplete/Completion in Progress...)"Cold Flood Dragon Alchemy (100/100): Eighteen refinements per day, thirty years to complete."

After his alchemy skill reached perfection, the daily refinement rounds in the cultivation slot increased by two, and the "completion" suffix appeared. It would take a full thirty years, even longer than a Foundation Establishment cultivation method. This proved that the cultivation slots indeed had a 'completion' effect.

However, another problem arose: how long would it take to complete a Nascent Soul secret technique? Based on Wang Yu's current knowledge, it would take at least over a century. An incomplete secret technique that could be refined in three months meant he would have to be a "corpse" for over a century. His "second brother" also couldn't be used, so he had to be cautious.

But the feeling of missing an arm was truly unpleasant, and it also affected his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. Placing the Corpse Demon Secret Technique in the slot was almost a necessity!

It was difficult indeed.

Whenever he thought of this, he deeply loathed Manager Liu, who had caused him to lose an arm, harboring daily resentment! If Liu hadn't fled in fear of punishment, Wang Yu would now be capable of settling some old scores.

After his one-year mission term expired, he waited an additional seven days. Tantai Chan returned with a radiant face, evidently having gained many benefits. Upon seeing Wang Yu, she surprisingly offered a rare smile.

"Has anything happened during this time?" Wang Yu quickly stepped forward and nervously reported, "Senior Tantai, shortly after you left, the Moonlight Fruits ripened, but a small white-haired girl picked them all. Your disciple didn't even finish a sentence before she vanished..."

Tantai Chan's expression immediately turned cold upon hearing this. She narrowed her eyes and scrutinized him. "Did the other party say anything?"

"Nothing at all. It was as if... she was taking a stroll."

"It's fine. You're not responsible for this."

Wang Yu feigned a sigh of relief. He had deliberately concealed his interaction with Yu Tangtang. He feared that Tantai Chan, being sensitive about her reputation, might react with shame and fury upon learning that he knew of her identity as a "human slave and wet nurse," and killing him would be a reasonable consequence. Concealing the conversation was the correct approach.

"Here is your reward. You may leave. You are not allowed to accept any more missions from me in the future."

"...Your disciple obeys."

Four hundred contribution points and three stalks of Cold Ice Nine-Leaf Grass were his earnings for the year. It was a bit less than expected, but he personally attended every transaction at the Alchemist Guild, earning a substantial amount of spirit stones.

With money in his pocket, gathering ingredients for Cold Blood Pills was no longer difficult. He could even consider refining "Cold Flood Dragon Pills." The Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's treasury surely contained second-tier ice-attribute demon cores from python-like demonic beasts. If he could cultivate the "Cold Flood Dragon Pill Fire," it would not only provide him with an additional means of offense but also allow his alchemy skill to exert its most essential effects, greatly benefiting him.

He could first inquire about the situation, but his current contribution points were far from enough. Besides that, Wang Yu was also considering whether to leave the sect for missions.

Although everything seemed to be going smoothly for him, many of his past actions had planted hidden troubles, and there were still unresolved issues. He could hide for a while, but not forever. One of the better methods would be to find a Core Formation elder and become their disciple, solving everything once and for all. Unfortunately, that was unrealistic.

Undertaking missions outside the sect would at least help him safely pass a period of security. Moreover, it was freer outside the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, less stifling, and he wouldn't have to consider everyone's reactions for every little thing. Apart from slightly inferior resources and environment, all other aspects were better than within the sect.

Now, with plenty of spirit stones, he could prepare thoroughly, then find a suitable mission to leave the sect, stay for ten or twenty years, and then return. By then, both his cultivation realm and alchemy skills would have transitioned from hidden to apparent, effectively 'whitewashed.' Finding a plausible excuse for his progress would be easy. Staying within the sect since his time as a spirit slave and then exhibiting extraordinary characteristics was abnormal. In the demonic path, if a person with a waste spiritual root performed better than someone with a dual spiritual root, it was practically asking for trouble.

Pondering this, Wang Yu used the Night Concealment Spell to mask his aura. After leaving the herb garden, he went directly to the Ice Snow Tower to cooperate with Zhao Shang. This not only turned hostility into friendship but also allowed him to enjoy many privileges. Of course, he maintained his guard. If an opportunity arose to eliminate Zhao Shang completely, Wang Yu wouldn't hesitate, and he believed Zhao Shang felt the same way, as both thought the other knew too much.

Along the way, Wang Yu continuously calculated what he needed to prepare: various auxiliary pills like Spirit Recovery Pills, Healing Pills, Hemostasis Powder, and so on. He would prepare at least ten top-grade Cold Blood Pills, enough to consume until his body developed pill resistance, as spiritual herbs would be harder to gather outside. Most importantly, he needed magical artifacts! When traveling, magical artifacts were essential, and if he had extra money, he would also prepare a simple set of formation flags. Many such items required preparation.

A moment later, he arrived at the Ice Snow Tower.

"Zhao Shang, do me a favor."

After a year, Zhao Shang's aura had grown stronger, but upon seeing Wang Yu, that 'bringer of bad luck,' Zhao Shang was very reluctant. "Brother, I beg you, brother, please stop pulling rank like this."