Chapter 393: Ancient Beast Ancestral Divine Mountain

To gain sentience at a low cultivation level, demon beasts usually need the guidance and support of their clan, or they must possess a naturally high-grade bloodline. Even then, learning to speak is extremely difficult.

Driven by curiosity, Wang Yu leaned in closer.

Peering through the window lattice, he saw small cats sitting on cushions, each with a white paper in front of them, slowly reading the characters written on it.

There were cats of all colors—black, white, yellow, grey, blue—and various patterns, including tabby and tiger stripes, as well as solid colors. As Wang Yu glanced at them, some of the lively kittens looked back at him and immediately hopped off their cushions.

They cried out "Ah, ah, ah" at him.

At the front of the classroom, the teacher was a cat demon who had assumed human form, though a few demonic features still remained on its body.

After exchanging a glance, Wang Yu nodded and withdrew.

While curious about the legacy of enlightenment, it held little practical use for him. There was no need to delve deeper; a brief look was sufficient.

Leaving the cat demon school, Wang Yu wandered around for a while longer, familiarizing himself with the local terrain, before finally returning to his designated accommodation.

He would reside in the cat demon clan's territory for several years, awaiting the Demon King's Banquet. During this time, his main focus, besides secluded cultivation, would be on the Thunder Corpse.

The Yin Fiend Corpse Refinement Art was merely a third-tier corpse refining secret art.

He had already mastered it.

If he didn't learn a new one, he could only place it in his system for deduction and upgrading. However, given the current queue in his placement slot, learning a new corpse refining secret art would be more practical.

He couldn't get his hands on one immediately.

Using it to aid the Thunder Corpse's breakthrough would have a limited effect, but it was still usable. The world, and cultivation within it, was like a large, makeshift operation.

Barely usable was sufficient; he didn't need to consider further advancements in the short term. Wang Yu planned to set up a small geomantic array here that would be beneficial for corpse refining.

That night.

He sought out Lei Yao again to ask if there were any natural treasures within the Northern Broken Mountains that could enhance comprehension. And surprisingly, there truly were!

—Enlightenment Tea Leaves!

These were top-tier enlightenment treasures renowned in many places. Just one cup could resolve numerous complex problems accumulated in one's mind, and their price was exceptionally high.

They were sold by the leaf and were always in short supply.

Deep within the Northern Broken Mountains, there were a few Enlightenment Tea Trees, whose produce was tribute for Demon Kings. Any surplus was sold to the Sky Treasure Pavilion and the Golden Full Mansion.

The chances of an individual acquiring them were slim.

A Heavenly Enlightenment Platform would actually be more suitable for Wang Yu's secluded cultivation. After experiencing one at the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon's place, he had become somewhat addicted.

Furthermore, Lei Yao informed him:

The Dragon Python clan of the Northern Demon Race possessed several damaged Heavenly Enlightenment Platforms. Acquiring one would be quite beneficial, so Lei Yao helped him send a message the following day.

However, after several days of effort, the message disappeared like a stone sinking into the sea, with no response whatsoever, not even a rejection. They simply disregarded him.

This was incredibly frustrating.

With no clear prospect for comprehension-enhancing aids, Wang Yu still began his secluded cultivation. Before entering, he specifically gathered information from the cat demon clan, preparing to refine a batch of elixirs for trade.

The demon race generally had a broad need for elixirs; any spiritual pill with an effect was widely welcomed. This was related to the characteristics of their clans.

The output from the myriad arts of cultivation was extremely scarce, so they would take whatever they could get. However, to achieve satisfactory results at the Demon King's Banquet's treasure exchange,

Wang Yu had best refine spiritual pills that enhanced vitality and physique, or those that strengthened demonic essence, as there was always a strong market for such elixirs.

The higher the grade, the more expensive they were, and they would be eagerly snatched up even above average prices, being more popular than single spiritual items.

As an alchemy master, he also possessed the most ancient inheritance: the Demon Refining Art! Based on his existing spiritual materials, he would cooperate with the cat demon clan, purchasing some rare spiritual items from them.

Once refined into elixirs, he would prioritize selling a portion to them.

This was a win-win situation.

With all preparations complete, Wang Yu officially began his secluded cultivation. The amount of demonic essence in his body was growing at a decent pace, though it wouldn't increase dramatically in just a few years.

A few hundred drops would be good. Additionally, the secret art 'Chains of Heaven' was progressing, with spatial silver patterns forming and segments of spatial chains continuously growing.

As the spatial power fed back from his placement slot gradually grew, Wang Yu's strength was consistently and steadily improving!

Four years later.

On the side of a spiritual mountain in the cat demon territory, a rich fragrance of elixirs formed misty, colorful clouds of smoke, transforming into billowing pill clouds that drifted into the air. Just a whiff was enough to invigorate one's spirit.

Three cat demons in human form stood nearby, their faces filled with intoxicated delight. "Daoist Wang's alchemy skills are truly profound. He has been refining pills continuously for years without a single failure."

A male cat demon in the mid-fourth tier nodded in deep agreement, expressing profound emotion.

"Each time, such a rich elixir fragrance forms and gathers into clouds, indicating the quality of the pills is high, and there must be many top-grade ones. This time, we are truly indebted to Lei Yao and Daoist Wang."

The last cat demon was a captivating female with orange hair and cat ears, who also happened to be the head instructor of the school.

She said:

"I wonder if the Dragon Python clan will regret this when they find out. A fourth-tier alchemist, and they didn't even bother to reply. There's certainly going to be some drama at this Demon King's Banquet."

The demon race sorely lacked these auxiliary cultivation items.

While directly consuming spiritual herbs could yield benefits, it was clearly not as effective as refining them into elixirs. Elixirs offered a comprehensive increase in power and more targeted enhancements.

Given the extreme rarity of even fourth-tier resources, it was essential to perfectly utilize every bit of power. Directly consuming them would be a terrible waste.

Soon after, amidst the fragrant pill clouds, the door to Wang Yu's cultivation dwelling opened fully, and he strode out. The first thing he saw were the three human-form great demons waiting for him.

He bowed from a distance, brimming with confidence, and said:

"I am glad I did not fail in my mission."

"Daoist, you are too modest. Refining such grand elixirs must have been taxing. Please, come with us to the Fragrant Pavilion for a chat. Our demon race's specialty dishes are sure to make you linger and forget to return."

"Hahahaha, with Brother Hei's invitation, I must certainly experience it thoroughly."

"Let's go, let's go."

This warm reception, showering him with praise, was somewhat anticipated by Wang Yu, but when it truly happened, a sense of satisfaction still bloomed within him.

The four walked together towards the Fragrant Pavilion.

This pavilion was divided into two sections, front and back, one large and one small. Both were constructed from dried and ground Rhinoceros Mint, mixed into gold and iron ore, then molded into entire palace structures.

The four entered the smaller hall.

It was only suitable for human-form great demons and cat demon cubs. The moment he stepped in, Wang Yu felt a refreshing coolness in his mind. A clear fragrance assailed his nostrils, instantly revitalizing his spirit.

The few cat demons also displayed expressions of intoxication.

"This was built with the ingenious craftsmanship of your human artisans. Our clan's children love to play in this Fragrant Pavilion and often hide here overnight."

Wang Yu immediately nodded in understanding. It was a special kind of catnip, after all; its scent was indeed intoxicating.

Upon entering deeper into the hall, the banquet was already prepared.

Mountain and sea delicacies, spiritual foods, and rare delicacies—everything imaginable was present. Even spiritual wine was prepared. Seeing his gaze fall directly on the wine pot,

the cat demon instructor explained:

"This is a fruit wine made by the White-Furred Spirit Monkey clan, also known as 'Monkey Wine.' It's rich in spiritual energy and is considered a fine third-tier spiritual wine."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yu reached into his Sea Heart Ring and pulled out a wine gourd of his own, though his was blood-red. It was the Blood Fiend Primordial Gourd, an item he had few opportunities to use since leaving the Blood Abyss Sacred Land.

He had simply repurposed it as a wine gourd. The third-tier Blood-Brewing Wine Stone he had salvaged from Drunken Immortal Lake last time had been dropped into the Blood Fiend Gourd, which he then filled with plenty of pure wine extracted from spiritual grains.

He had acquired it after leaving the Blood Abyss, taking the time to arrange it.

Counting the time, it had been several decades, making it perfect to bring out and taste. The Blood-Brewed Wine also had a unique flavor, perhaps even more suited to the demon race's palate, because it genuinely carried a bloody scent.

"Come, let's taste it together."

"Daoist, please."

"Let's all drink together."

Amidst polite exchanges and toasts, the relationship between the Nascent Soul cultivators grew much closer.

The dishes were perfect in color, aroma, and taste, and the meat from several demon beast species particularly suited Wang Yu's palate, especially the meat of a creature called the Jade Chalice Bullfrog—it was incredibly fresh, smooth, and springy.

Its spicy, salty, and savory flavors made one want to swallow their tongue.

Furthermore, after consumption, it could cleanse impurities and whiten skin. An entire plate of Jade Chalice Red Moon Roast went into his stomach. It had been a long time since Wang Yu had eaten with such satisfaction.

The last time he had eaten so heartily was when he was the City Lord of Guiling.

He truly missed it.

After several rounds of wine and various dishes, they finally turned to serious matters.

The Black Cat was the first to speak. He had the highest cultivation among them, and Wang Yu referred to him as Brother Hei. Another white cat, his companion, was called Sister Cat. Lastly, there was Instructor Orange.

It had to be said that the names within the cat demon clan were quite interesting.

Their way of thinking was fundamentally different from humans; they didn't care if their names diminished the dignity of their Nascent Soul cultivators.

They had completely different attitudes toward their own juniors versus outsiders.

Wang Yu was currently an object of flattery. When the Black Cat spoke, he chose his words carefully, fearing to offend Wang Yu and sever this valuable connection.

Among the vast Northern Demon Race, there were almost no alchemists.

They relied entirely on a few relatives who served as overseers for major sects, occasionally selling some high-end resources to aid them. The cat demon clan placed great importance on such channels.

Perhaps this experience came from the Golden Full Mansion.

"Daoist Wang, how many types of elixirs did you refine during this secluded cultivation... and how many of them are top-grade?"

Speaking of this, Wang Yu grew even more energetic.

"Due to material limitations and my incomplete mastery of some pill formulas, only eighteen pills were successfully refined. Six of them can be traded to you."

Although some materials came from the cat demon treasury, Wang Yu had purchased them with real money; he couldn't just give them away for free, at most offering a small discount.

He was able to offer six because, for this batch of elixirs, the cat demon clan had, with an experimental mindset, sold him a rare fourth-tier main spiritual herb.

Now selling it back to them, the price would at least triple.

Yet, the three were overjoyed.

"There are two top-grade fourth-tier Saint Abyssal Demonic Essence Pills, and the remaining four are mid-grade. All increase demonic essence by over two hundred drops, with a refining time of about one year."

Pill consumption was inherently a form of cultivation, and a refining period of up to a year wouldn't lead to issues like unstable demonic essence. As for the effects of the remaining twelve elixirs, the three great demons in human form were tactful enough not to inquire further.

After completing the trade, Wang Yu had a considerable amount of top-grade spirit stones in his possession.

At this point, Instructor Orange said, "Daoist Wang, will you return to us after this Demon King's Banquet? Could we perhaps commission you for another batch of elixir refinement... the remuneration is negotiable!"

While six pills were not a small number, divided among them, they were far from enough.

Wang Yu considered this.

"I will be challenging the Ancient Beast Ancestral Divine Mountain. I'm not sure how long that will take, and I will likely only participate in the final treasure exchange at the Demon King's Banquet."

"As for returning... that remains to be seen. By the way, when do we depart?"

Brother Hei replied:

"We'll depart once Miss Lei returns. Recently, the situation in Feng Prefecture has been escalating, and there are rumors of a mysterious force causing trouble."

The situation in Feng Prefecture was already in chaos.

After Glacier Pass was breached, cultivators from Taihu Lake launched a massive invasion, even disrupting the business of the two major trading houses. Conflicts erupted everywhere, causing countless casualties.

The latest news concerned the sect leader of the Spirit-Defying Blood Sect.

It was said that this individual had appeared on the Blood Abyss Province battlefield, engaging in a major battle with the Worldly Old Demon of the Joyful Union Demonic Sect, which had significantly stabilized the Blood Abyss Province battlefield. If this trend continued, soon, Grand Nascent Soul cultivators would head north to suppress the chaos in Feng Prefecture. To counter this, Taihu Lake would have to dispatch experts of the same level to meet the challenge.

Even at this level of conflict, it was merely an appetizer.

A full-scale war had not yet erupted, and conflicts remained at a minor skirmish level. Only when Heavenly Array Masters were deployed to capture dragons and shift ley lines would it truly become a meat grinder, devouring countless lives.

Wang Yu was more curious about the disappearance of the Young Sect Master.

Lu Chenzhou was ninety percent likely to have been devoured by the Sect Master. Had the Blood Demon Body coveted by Zhuo Shouyun been successfully reformed, and if so, had it also been devoured by the Sect Master?

This might be why the Sect Master was able to appear on the Blood Abyss Province battlefield.

All these were unknowns. There was also Xie Xie'an; after obtaining the complete "True Rakshasa Demonic Scripture," he had rapidly ascended to peak Core Formation cultivation upon leaving the Blood Abyss.

The last news of him was that he had gone to the Ancient Wilderness Plains.

He was clearly heading towards the sealed land of the Ancient Demonic Kill, intending to use the killing demonic energy to form his Nascent Soul. Information about this person was crucial to whether the path to Soul Transformation would be unobstructed.

Wang Yu was quite concerned about this. If all else failed, he would have to deduce the path to Soul Transformation himself, provided he could acquire a Nascent Soul-level primary cultivation technique.

In this regard, the "Ice Soul Sacred Demonic Scripture" could serve to some extent. After its deduction and advancement, it would be enough for him to cultivate to the peak of Nascent Soul. However, he hadn't yet grasped the method for Soul Transformation.

Nevertheless, even if it could sustain his Nascent Soul cultivation, from a long-term perspective, it would need to be updated. If the Soul Transformation inheritance given by the ancient demon was flawless, Wang Yu might even be able to deduce cultivation methods for the sixth tier from it.

The outcome here still required waiting.

He had no intention of deeply involving himself in the early stages of the war. He had three "nails" (informants/agents) left in Feng Prefecture, so he would surely know when a critical moment arrived.

Thus, he was not in a hurry.

Instead, he was keenly interested in the Ancient Beast Ancestral Divine Mountain. It would be a great pity not to seize this opportunity and give it a try.

In the evening, with Lei Yao's return, the four of them embarked on the cat demon clan's aerial war chariot. The Black Cat couple went to attend the Demon King's Banquet.

While they had no intention of vying for the positions of the Northern Demon Race's nine Demon Kings or the Sacred Lord, it didn't stop them from joining the festivities. They could also establish connections, perhaps recognizing a powerful figure as a 'big brother,' which would solidify their own position.

A new regime would bring new rules. Living in this territory meant they had to participate, or they risked alienating both sides.

Lei Yao accompanied Wang Yu, using her connections to help him obtain the qualifications to challenge the Ancient Beast Ancestral Divine Mountain.

Their journey lasted a full half-month.

On this day, towering and majestic mountains appeared before their eyes. Wang Yu understood; ahead lay—the Ancient Beast Ancestral Divine Mountain!