Chapter 390: Void Dao Treasury, Southern Strange Situation

Purple Lightning's face turned from white to crimson, and several veins bulged on his temples. Even the wound, eroded by the power of Great Dark Heaven, split open further. Thick, dark pus and blood oozed out, emitting a strong foul odor—a truly miserable sight!

He hadn't expected Wang Yu to retort so directly and bluntly, giving no respect whatsoever, acting as if they were intimately familiar. Overwhelmed by fury, True Monarch Purple Lightning slammed the table and stood up, pointing a finger at Wang Yu. "What kind of nobody are you, daring to speak so brazenly here!"

Wang Yu, too, sneered repeatedly. "If you're not convinced, let's fight. If you can win, I'll hand over my position to you. If not... I'm not greedy, just thirty top-grade spirit stones. You braggart, do you dare?!"

These words, spoken by Wang Yu with his youthful face, maximized the irony and were, naturally, very effective at provoking anger.

"Good!"

Just as Purple Lightning agreed, True Monarch Yang Lei slammed the table, and red lightning crackled. "Enough!" He cast a cold glance at Purple Lightning, warning him. "Nephew, do not think that just because you've formed your Nascent Soul, you've reached the peak. Beyond every mountain, there is another; beyond every sky, there is another. One who is overly arrogant will invite disaster upon themselves."

He said this not just for Wang Yu's sake. He intended both to uphold his authority and to instruct Purple Lightning, the offspring of a friend. However, the effect seemed less than ideal. The other party didn't respond, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.

Fenzin listened for a while from the side, then carefully spoke. "Purple Lightning, you and Fellow Daoist Wang are both newly formed Nascent Souls, both at the first cultivation level. But this Old Ancestor Yunyan is an experienced powerful cultivator at the third level of Nascent Soul..." He stopped there. What he said was enough for Purple Lightning to grasp Fenzin's meaning: simply put... you are no match! Why invite humiliation?

The atmosphere became awkward and silent for a moment. Wang Yu, meanwhile, sat calmly in his chair, the scroll listing treasure names already unfurled in his hand. As a Nascent Soul cultivator, most of the treasures listed there were useful to him. Due to the special wartime period, many restricted resources that were normally unavailable were now accessible. The number of military merits required for exchange was astonishing, each item more demanding than the last.

After a quick glance around, Wang Yu's gaze quickly landed on the section listing secret techniques and divine abilities. He had long wanted to see what was different about the Taihu Marvelous Arts. The achievement of slaying a Nascent Soul body... one hundred thousand military merits. This was only enough to exchange for one secret technique. He could also exchange them for top-grade spirit stones, at ten thousand merits per stone, but there was a personal limit of ten stones, which seemed a bit stingy. However, a limit was necessary; otherwise, if everyone rushed to exchange for top-grade spirit stones, the war treasury funded by the Seven Orthodox Sects would surely be depleted by just this one item. After all, these could be used repeatedly, and in this era, who didn't have a fourth-tier spirit vein? Exchanging for top-grade spirit stones was considered the most cost-effective use. They added to one's foundation, and cultivators rarely took out top-grade spirit stones casually.

Wang Yu thought for a moment and decided not to rush to exchange for spirit stones. There would be plenty of opportunities later. He was more interested in a secret technique that could seal space. As long as he could block Nascent Soul teleportation arts, the possibility of slaying cultivators of the same realm would greatly increase. His cultivation base was too deceptive, easily causing others to become careless and harbor the illusion that they could win and he would surely die. *I am merely a frail Nascent Soul First Layer junior~*

After surveying the scroll, he quickly identified his target. "Fellow Daoist Yang Lei, I'll take this one."

The other party glanced at him, surprised. "Void Dao Canon?"

The others all looked over; they clearly knew the name. Wang Yu had never been active in Taihu, so he wasn't clear about its intricacies. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Bumpkin." Purple Lightning, as if he had just been vindicated, folded his arms across his chest with an air of composure and explained without turning his head. "The Void Dao Canon, a gift left by the first emperor of the Ancient Immortal Dynasty to his descendants, is reputed to be the closest inheritance to immortal arts in this world. Any technique bearing the name 'Dao Canon' is, without exception, an all-encompassing, top-tier marvelous art. Many of its inheritances are only accessible to Nascent Soul cultivators, and their difficulty is extremely high. Most of the supplementary resources needed for cultivation have long since become extinct. You won't be able to cultivate it." Purple Lightning's tone was resolute, as if he were absolutely certain that Wang Yu couldn't do it.

In response, Wang Yu remained unfazed, even returning a knowing smile. He preferred powerful, difficult-to-cultivate divine abilities and secret techniques. Simple ones weren't necessarily bad, but difficult ones were definitely impressive, and that's what he valued.

As for the reason this person frequently opposed him, Lei Yao secretly sent him a telepathic message, explaining that Purple Lightning was also a direct descendant of the Thunderfire Temple, of extraordinary origin, and his own father was a Grand Cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage. He was a generation older than Lei Yao. For mortals, a generation is roughly twenty-five years, but for cultivators, it's not as fixed, especially in families with high cultivation realms, where the gap is even greater, with no standard measure. So, 'a generation older' here refers to the previous generation of prodigies in the Thunderfire Temple, typically spanning one hundred to two hundred years. Purple Lightning's ability to stand out meant he was among the top talents of that previous generation. Underlying his arrogant and complacent personality was both shame at being defeated by the Black Heaven Talisman Lord and dissatisfaction with Wang Yu's spectacular rise. The position of Demon Subduing General, moreover, was something he had considered his for the taking. Hence, the conflict.

In reality, no one cared whether he won or lost; being overly concerned with others' opinions would only lead to gradually losing one's true self. It was quite normal to be defeated by the Black Heaven Talisman Lord, and no one blamed him. But Purple Lightning's lifelong pride made him feel that others' gazes were strange, as if they were surprised by his defeat. Being a genius under the spotlight came with both advantages and disadvantages. Issues with one's dao heart were paramount; having been highly praised since childhood, suddenly encountering a crushing defeat could easily lead to utter demoralization.

Wang Yu shook his head inwardly and affirmed to True Monarch Yang Lei, "This is the one."

"Very well." Since Wang Yu insisted, True Monarch Yang Lei did not intend to dissuade him further. One hundred thousand military merits could not exchange for the entire Void Dao Canon, but obtaining one of its secret techniques was sufficient. "Come to me again in half a month at the latest, Fellow Daoist Wang. It takes time to bring the original secret technique scripture over."

"That's fine, no rush." With the matter settled, Wang Yu then departed.

Seeing this, Lei Yao excused herself to the others and also left early, hurrying after him. This situation made Yang Lei frown deeply; he always felt there was something off about Lei Yao's state. *Surely it wouldn't develop into a relationship between cultivation partners, would it?* If Wang Yu knew his thoughts, he would surely scoff. The friendship between gentlemen is as clear as water; he and Lei Yao had only met a few times in total. Their connection was more built on a certain appreciation. Lei Yao appreciated Wang Yu, and Wang Yu appreciated Lei Yao. The former appreciated certain qualities in him, while the latter appreciated her as an idealist. It was like Wang Yu not wanting to be a good person himself, yet it didn't prevent him from liking good people as friends.

"Brother Wang, wait." At the edge of the Cloud Heaven Warship's deck, just as Wang Yu was about to teleport away, he was stopped by a voice from behind. He couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry. If we really fight, I'll go easy on that little chick Purple Lightning." To his surprise, Lei Yao shook her head with a wry smile. "I wasn't talking about that. Could you perhaps help me consult on something?"

"Oh?" This was somewhat unexpected. Wang Yu pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "No problem. After all, I'm working under Miss Lei. The usual spot?"

"Okay."

At the scenic pavilion, as soon as they were seated, Lei Yao spoke. "It's about the Joyous Demon Sect."

Wang Yu understood immediately. To avenge a senior sister, she had made the Yin-Yang Demon Monarch of the Joyous Sect her lifelong target, inheriting her senior sister's last wish. She swore to rescue all suffering mortals from Chiyuan and settle them in the Taihu Spirit Realm. This ambition was somewhat abstract, and the idea of Chiyuan's mortals suffering was originally a narrative used by the Taihu higher-ups to indoctrinate the lower ranks, to prevent Chiyuan from growing too powerful. The cultivation world itself was built upon mortals; the larger the population, the more prosperous the cultivation world. As a result, this indoctrination had affected their own direct lineage. The infamous reputation of Chiyuan's demonic cultivators was enough to stop children from crying. Wang Yu didn't understand Lei Yao's ideals, but he respected them.

Speaking of this, Wang Yu actually had some doubts. Geographically, the Thunderfire Temple's territory was primarily in the Southern Fracture Mountain Range (Dragon Coil Mountain Range), and the corresponding area was also where the Joyous Sect resided. Yet, the Thunderfire Temple's cultivator army chose to head north to attack Qifeng Pass, opting for a detour. This was clearly unusual.

At this point, Lei Yao provided the reason, along with the problem on which she needed Wang Yu's advice. "At the edge of the Southern Fracture Mountain Range, within the Black Mountain Demonic Land, lay the sealed ground of the Ancient Demonic Desire. Many years ago, after inspections by high-ranking disciples of the Sword Sect, numerous hidden dangers had actually been cleared. However, residual problems persisted to this day, causing that area of the Black Mountain Demonic Land to become virtually a forbidden zone, where anyone who entered would have their most primitive desires awakened."

This situation was already quite serious. The overflow of ancient demonic power meant the seal was no longer stable. This was clearly a hidden danger caused by the Joyous Sect disciples' continuous, uninhibited demonic rituals, day and night. According to the black stone tablet's records, Wang Yu reasonably suspected that the Joyous Demon Sect also wanted to try to help the ancient demon break its seal, thereby triggering a chain reaction and destroying the Ice Prison Realm, this prison. Furthermore, they had connections with the Yellow Springs Temple. Back then, Wang Yu's casual mention of Elder Ksitigarbha had been enough to trick Lan Boting's sea of consciousness restriction, causing him to die a terrible death. The one surnamed Lan was a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Sword Sect. He had once led a Sword Sect mission to search for Joyous Sect disciples. If he had held back then, it would make sense. The Yellow Springs Temple and the Joyous Demon Sect joining forces, combined with their moles planted in the Sword Sect, had created the current situation through a coordinated inside-out effort. A centipede dies but never stiffens; they had even used feigned death as an opportunity to move from the open to the shadows. For those people, it might not have been a bad thing at all.

The passage through the Southern Fracture Mountain Range connecting the two realms was blocked. Aside from opening new paths, a large number of exceptionally powerful cultivators had certainly gathered there. Even if war broke out, the ancient demon sealing ground was still the top priority, a major crisis awaiting resolution. It was even possible that the Sword Sect's Spirit Transformation Venerables would personally take action.

What Lei Yao meant by 'consulting' was asking Wang Yu for a strategy. How to lure out the Yin-Yang Demon Monarch under these circumstances was a tricky question, as he didn't know what the other party truly desired. The most important thing in fishing is the bait. Without chum, how can the fish bite?

"Can Black Mountain Pass be traversed normally?"

"Yes."

Raising his hand to sip some tea, Wang Yu thought for a moment and said, "The time isn't ripe yet. If you really manage to lure him out, how do you plan to deal with him?"

"Naturally, I would report to my father, the monarch, and have this fiend slain."

"The Yin-Yang Demon Monarch recently broke through to the late Nascent Soul stage. Unless a Sword Sect Spirit Transformation cultivator takes action, no one in this world can kill him." While the difference between early and mid-Nascent Soul might be understandable, a Grand Cultivator at the late stage, having cultivated a nascent Nascent Spirit and comprehended the profound meaning of divine abilities, could defeat a peak mid-Nascent Soul cultivator (sixth level of Nascent Soul) in at most three moves, not to mention instantly slaying another Nascent Soul cultivator. This is an absolute disparity in strength!

Upon hearing this, Lei Yao did not doubt the veracity of Wang Yu's information. She lowered her head and remained silent, only giving a disappointed smile after a long while. "Then forget it. I'll leave this vendetta for myself to avenge."

Wang Yu's expression was complex; he said nothing. Accompanying her was out of the question. No amount of reward would be worth making an enemy of a Grand Cultivator, as he already had a Grand Cultivator-level problem clinging to him. It was not appropriate to stir up more trouble.

After seeing Lei Yao off, Wang Yu returned to the temporary cave mansion True Monarch Yang Lei had arranged for him, which was a large palace-type magic treasure. When unfurled using the Size As Desired technique, it was large enough to temporarily house thousands of cultivators. As a Nascent Soul Ancestor, Wang Yu naturally had the right to use an entire palace magic treasure for himself. The spatial arrangement was decent, and he could set up a few more layers of array flags and formations. No major issues.

Having just experienced a great battle, Wang Yu needed rest to recover his state and also time to process the Nascent Souls of Qingyi and Yunyan. If his Human Alchemy Art wasn't only at the third-tier perfection level, he might even try the legendary 'Nascent Soul Grand Elixir'! This elixir was refined using a cultivator's Nascent Soul as the main ingredient, combined with a large amount of heaven-and-earth treasures. Once formed, the elixir resembled the legendary ginseng fruit.

The Nascent Soul Grand Elixir had three types, each with a different formula:The Nascent Soul Heaven Longevity Elixir: one pill could extend life by a hundred years.The Nascent Soul Heaven Law Elixir: one pill could increase demonic essence by a hundred years.The Nascent Soul Heaven-Born Elixir: one pill could reshape the physical body, turning the impossible into possible, reviving the dead and regenerating flesh from bones. Even if only a sliver of bone remained, it could fully restore a person, making it an absolute life-saving marvel.

These three elixir formulas were harmful to humanity and extremely prone to causing bloodshed. They had been destroyed many years ago, with only the Heaven-Refining Demonic Sect possessing them. The Heaven Longevity Elixir could only be consumed once, yet it was a top-tier treasure coveted by countless old demons.

Actually, Wang Yu could use placement to deduce the Human Alchemy Art to the fourth tier. As long as he found their third-tier lower-grade equivalent versions, he could deduce the three elixir formulas. It would just be a bit time-consuming, as his placement slots were always in short supply. He wasn't in a hurry for this; there was no point in rushing.

In the short term, Wang Yu wouldn't touch the two Nascent Souls. This situation would prevent the Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda from fully exerting its power, as suppressing Nascent Souls also required strength. It just so happened that he was currently the Demon Subduing Vanguard, Wang Manzi. His body cultivation and Demonic Dragon Armor were sufficient to handle most situations.

Inside the cultivation chamber, Wang Yu sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion, two top-grade storage rings floating before him. One by one, the treasures inside were taken out and then sorted and placed into his own Sea Heart Ring. He was in a very cheerful mood. The value of a Nascent Soul cultivator's fortune—those who know, know. He had newly acquired forty top-grade spirit stones alone, which was certainly a considerable amount. As for magic treasures, spiritual materials, and similar items, there were even more.