Chapter 446: Underground Dark River, Sudden Surge in Strength

His teammates were so frustratingly incompetent; it certainly wasn't due to his own carelessness.

In fact, if all three had entered the Immortal Official's medicine treasury simultaneously, even if they had been scorched by the purple divine fire, they could have aided each other, and their chances of survival would have been quite high.

If Demon Lord Bishui hadn't been severely wounded by Wang Yu first, destroying his physical body, with his ability to control abyssal water, he would never have fallen for such a simple trap.

—It was too late for regrets!

While the two were discussing how to address the impending questions from the temple, Wang Yu had already appeared in the sprawling underground waterways of Dongji Capital. This place was dark, devoid of light, and completely sealed.

Though called underground waterways, 'subterranean dark river' would be a more accurate description. They were only referred to as waterways because their flow had been artificially altered.

Under the perception of his spiritual sense, the width appeared to exceed one hundred zhang, and the depth was over a thousand zhang. The walls on both sides, constructed from Yin Blood Stone, were adorned with various bas-reliefs that Wang Yu could not identify. The ceiling, however, was composed of normal irregular rock, from which numerous bat-like exotic beasts hung upside down.

Wang Yu stood above the dark river, his brows furrowing for an instant before relaxing.

"Nightveil Blood Bats..."

These creatures were quite rare, found only in dark places. Their structure resembled a swarm; individually, their power was negligible, but in groups, their deterrent force was enough to intimidate even Nascent Soul cultivators.

"This is truly Dongji Capital; even its subterranean dark rivers harbor all kinds of dangers."

The most pressing task, in fact, was to find a place to recover his state. He also needed to continue processing the gains from the Immortal Official's medicine treasury. The supreme-grade spiritual elixir that could break through the spiritual sense bottleneck was merely one acquisition; there were other elixirs capable of enhancing his strength.

Furthermore, after devouring the Extreme Yin Dragon Infant through the Heavenly Demonic Myriad Transformations, besides his physical strength surging, his demonic essence also saw a significant increase. It was the perfect opportunity to meticulously examine it and, while he was at it, test out his new abilities.

This was the art of transformation: Innate Demonic Embryo: Heavenly Demonic Myriad Transformations! He hadn't employed it previously against Demon Lord Bishui due to concerns about controlling the new power. To avoid missing a crucial battle opportunity, he had refrained from using it.

Now, however, was an excellent time to experiment. Aside from the Water Ancestor Token, which allowed him to teleport directly in, it was difficult for others to enter the subterranean dark river, making it perfectly suited for him to lie low for a period and quietly cultivate to enhance his strength.

Above the dark river...

Eerie black demonic patterns crawled across Wang Yu's body. The aura of the Extreme Yin Dragon King manifested upon him, and two dragon horns swiftly grew from his temples. Dragon scales, like a second skin, appeared to grow from his body, and even his feet and hands transformed into sharp dragon claws, with a dragon tail extending from his coccyx. In a mere instant, his physical form underwent a radical transformation.

The sparse frozen demonic essence within him seemed to have a wondrous combined reaction with the Extreme Yin Dragon Body state. Wang Yu's silver hair transformed into icy blue strands. His eyes became vertical-pupiled dragon eyes, and a faint oppressive aura spread outwards.

"—Whoosh~"

As he exhaled a breath of turbid air, the surging dark river visibly froze into frost, and a massive ice floe rapidly formed on its surface. This sensation of perfectly integrated power made Wang Yu truly comprehend the might of his spirit body-level aptitude. Previously, it was as if he possessed a mountain of treasure but was ignorant of its true purpose. What a waste!

Given that the Extreme Yin Dragon King was renowned for its formidable physical body, Wang Yu's body-tempering cultivation received a massive boost in this state, definitively reaching the mid-fourth tier level. If combined with the Fiend Demon Dragon Armor, his innate true artifact, the Extreme Yin Dragon Body form would undoubtedly unleash the most brutal aspect of a body refiner. Moreover, it perfectly utilized his frozen demonic essence. Each punch and kick far exceeded his previous capabilities.

After some effort, Wang Yu gradually familiarized himself with the power of this form, then reverted to his original appearance. The Extreme Yin Dragon Body state could not be maintained indefinitely. It consumed Heavenly Demonic Malevolence. According to the secret technique's records, this power could only be absorbed from the Heavenly Demonic Realm and stored within the Profound Essence Demonic Embryo by chanting spells at specific hours each day.

His demonic embryo had long since merged with his Nascent Soul. Thus, it was actually his Nascent Soul that stored this power. Ever since the Innate Demonic Embryo Body was forged, the Heavenly Demonic Malevolence had transformed from a rootless wanderer into a power he could truly command. Through the demonic seed secret technique, he could absorb malevolent thoughts from other cultivators, which, after purification and refinement, would become the Heavenly Demonic Malevolence power under his control. The specific manifestation of this was the demonic patterns on his Nascent Soul. The deeper the color, the more Heavenly Demonic Malevolence was stored. The current storage capacity allowed him to maintain the form for one *shichen* (two hours), and as for combat consumption, it was virtually negligible.

Its core strength lay in the transformation of its form, which also accounted for the bulk of its energy consumption. This was the power of a Heavenly Demon!

Naturally, if Wang Yu could dedicate a slot to temporarily holding the "Demonic Embryo Profound Essence Secret Incantation," allowing him to absorb while using without needing to constantly monitor it, then he could maintain the state indefinitely.

After a long while, Wang Yu mused with emotion.

"What an astonishing amplification," he thought. "Using the Heavenly Yin Dragon Pearl this way isn't a loss. This form's amplification will only gradually diminish when I reach the Spirit Transformation stage, which is more than enough for me to dominate for a period."

With a new trump card added to his arsenal, Wang Yu was in excellent spirits.

While contemplating, he plunged into the dark river. Compared to the blood bats clinging to the ceiling of the waterway, the riverbed also concealed numerous dangers, among them a creature named the Benthic Demonfish! They typically adhered to the rocks on the riverbed, blending in perfectly, possessing extremely strong camouflage. Their appearance resembled a giant leech with a sharp spike, and they were highly venomous. Their strength was generally at the third tier, though occasional fourth-tier individuals were found. They were the blood bats' most formidable food chain opponents, and this was merely one of the underwater hazards. From this, it was evident that the subterranean dark river's ecosystem was entirely a slaughterhouse. Perhaps it was intentionally arranged this way, as only abundant death could generate the potent Yin, Baleful, Death, and other energies cherished by demonic cultivators.

Wang Yu had no desire to clash with the 'natives' of this place. He chose a relatively secluded spot, quickly carved out a temporary underwater cave dwelling, and immediately began meditating and circulating his energy to recover his state.

Regarding the Extreme Yin Dragon Body state, he also had a more common application: maintaining this form while cultivating the "Yin Nether Demonic Dragon Art." These two were highly compatible and could undoubtedly significantly improve his body-tempering efficiency. Furthermore, the subterranean dark river was rich in baleful aura; even the most common Profound Yin Baleful Aura could serve as an excellent aid for honing his physical body.

Consequently, Wang Yu temporarily cultivated within the subterranean dark river.

Several days later, he had recovered to his peak state. A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes. He had only broken through to the third layer of the Nascent Soul realm approximately three years prior. Based on the conversion rate of one drop of demonic essence per hundred strands, his demonic essence should have increased by around 540 drops. However, after completing the devouring process of Heavenly Demonic Myriad Transformations, his demonic essence surged again by nearly two thousand drops. Currently, the amount of demonic essence in his Qi Sea stood at an impressive 8,860 drops. It was only because he had been constantly on the move during this period, with no time to settle down and cultivate properly; otherwise, reaching nine thousand drops would not have been impossible.

The limit for the third layer of the Nascent Soul realm was twelve thousand drops. A breakthrough was, in fact, not far off. Even if he only relied on the passive cultivation from his slot, he could reach the threshold of the mid-Nascent Soul stage in at most twenty years. His cultivation speed was indeed unparalleled in the world.

He also possessed supreme-grade spiritual elixirs found in the medicine treasury. Among them, only one had the effect of increasing demonic essence; its specific name was unknown. It would require approximately three years to fully refine after consumption. The increase amounted to around 1,000 drops, proving highly efficient. Additionally, there were also two special spiritual elixirs for enhancing the physical body, capable of increasing bodily potential and aiding in the tempering of Immortal Spirit Bones. Wang Yu felt that if he could calm down and thoroughly refine himself for a period, he might well be able to advance his body-tempering cultivation to the mid-fourth tier ahead of schedule. After all, in these past few adventures, his physical body had reaped the greatest benefits. It had saved him at least several decades of arduous effort.

Just as Wang Yu resolved to enter seclusion and refine a Heavenly Yin Divine Pearl to enhance his strength, Dongji Capital was also rife with upheaval. Several fierce battles of Grand Cultivator caliber erupted consecutively, and many mansions belonging to royalty and nobles within the palace city were breached. Certain special buildings recorded in ancient texts—the Weapon Nurturing Hall, the Imperial Guard Training Grounds, the Twelve Military Bureaus' Residences, the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, the Pearl Jade Palace, and others—were all breached and thoroughly plundered. The 'well-known' opportunities within the palace city were dwindling.

With the imperial palace still closed, most individuals set their sights on more unique locations, such as the Heavenly Star Pagoda—a trial ground built by the ancient immortal dynasty for talent selection! It was a scene of rising winds and surging clouds, a fierce struggle between dragons and tigers. All eyes were on this moment!

In just half a year, an increasing number of Grand Cultivators converged upon the palace city of Dongji Capital. The count of Nascent Soul cultivators surpassed one hundred, with all major factions having entered the arena.

The Heavenly Star Pagoda, as it was known, appeared as a hexagonal stone pagoda, a thousand zhang tall, comprising three hundred levels. Beside it stood the Heavenly Star Stele, which recorded the names of prodigies from the era of the ancient immortal dynasty. Rankings were determined by the number of levels cleared and the time taken. The top position on the Heavenly Star List held even greater prestige than that of the top scholar in a feudal dynasty. Its status was not only esteemed but also granted immense power—for example, direct access to the imperial palace! The Heavenly Star List recorded a total of 1,200 prodigies. Reaching the top three hundred was akin to becoming a *Jinshi*, allowing one to join the ranks of prospective immortal officials.

Most importantly, the Heavenly Star Pagoda had no cultivation level restrictions. Whether at the Qi Condensation, Nascent Soul, or even Spirit Transformation Venerable stage, all could enter. For every ten levels cleared, one would receive benefits bestowed by the pagoda spirit, with no upper limit. For most cultivators, this place was well worth entering. There was also no risk of being plundered by others, making it ideal to remain inside, assimilate any gains, and then emerge.

At that moment...

Before the towering Heavenly Star Pagoda, a large number of Nascent Soul cultivators stood grouped by their affiliations. A small number of favored Core Formation juniors were also brought along, allowing them to partake in the Heavenly Star Pagoda's benefits.

The Spirit Reversal Blood Sect had seen an influx of more cultivators during this period. Ghostfiend Maiden, the Three-Corpse Daoist, Lord Thunderhowl, the Bloodnether Three Demons, Ice Soul Fairy, and Zhuo Shouqing's venerable great-grand-ancestor, the Grand Perfection Nascent Soul known as Old Demon Scorching Sun. A total of eight Grand Cultivators led the group, supported by eleven or twelve ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators. Among them were the Dark Demon Barbarian Lord and Nether Tiger Demon Lord, familiar to Wang Yu, both having collectively reached the fourth layer of the Nascent Soul realm, indicating significant gains from their recent seclusion. Most of the Nine Peaks' direct disciples were also present. The Barbarian Ghost direct disciple, Zhou Lingjun; the Five Yin direct disciple, Tong Du; the Gu Poison direct disciple, Lu Jue; the Evil Sword direct disciple, Yan Tianxing; and the Fierce Gloom direct disciple, Yin Jiuge, were all there. However, the Cold Blood true disciple, Yan Ling, was notably absent.

While the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect was formidable, Yellow Spring Monastery did not lag behind. With almost an equal number of Nascent Soul cultivators, they were the two most dominant parties among the many present, given that Yunling Province was their mutual battleground. They were essentially local powerhouses. Even though Blood Pill Master and the Yin-Yang Sect Master were from the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect, they wouldn't easily challenge their might and largely steered clear of them. If an all-out brawl erupted within the palace city, it would likely descend into chaos, and others would easily capitalize on the situation. Thus, both sides remained relatively restrained.

Before the Heavenly Star Pagoda, Zhuo's venerable great-grand-ancestor, Old Demon Scorching Sun, who was now fifteen hundred years old, spoke to Netherworld Master, the leader of Yellow Spring Monastery.

"For the Heavenly Star Pagoda contention, let us each rely on our own abilities. We can settle the accounts of Yunling Province after we leave Dongji Capital. What say you, Fellow Daoist Netherworld?"

"Agreed."

Yellow Spring Monastery adhered to a Daoist temple system, where Daoist titles often ended in '-zi'. Given his title 'Netherworld,' his exalted status was clear; he too was a Grand Perfection Nascent Soul cultivator. For them, only opportunities related to Spirit Transformation were worth contending for with such effort. And the ruins of Dongji Capital happened to be one such opportunity.

Half a year was sufficient for powerhouses from across Chiyuan to converge on Dongji Capital. Those who hadn't arrived were either concealed in the shadows or were at a critical juncture in their cultivation. Alternatively, they were entangled in other matters, much like the sect leader of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect, who was presumably lurking somewhere, lying in wait for Zhuo Shouyun—the individual who had developed the Blood Demon Body. Zhuo Shouyun was destined to confront the sect leader. Since Old Demon Scorching Sun was present here, he wouldn't easily intervene to prevent conflicts from escalating into internal strife. They shared this tacit understanding: the continued existence of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect benefited all of them. Otherwise, what was the purpose of managing the sect?

After a brief exchange, both sides were about to dispatch cultivators directly into the Heavenly Star Pagoda when Di Mingzi secretly transmitted a message to Netherworld Master, his gaze gradually fixing on an unfortunate individual within the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect's contingent. It was none other than that scoundrel, Yin Gui!

Half a year prior, he had been hounded by the Raven Snake Priest, leaving him no escape. Had it not been for that velvet antler bead, he would most likely have perished at the Raven Snake's hands. Fortunately, he remembered his affiliation with the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect and specifically sought out Ghostfiend Maiden and the Three-Corpse Daoist to save his life. Naturally, he also paid a considerable price. He had to surrender two-thirds of the fourth-tier supreme-grade spiritual elixirs acquired from the Immortal Official's medicine treasury. Though his heart ached, it was an unavoidable situation. He had since followed the contingent, venturing forth and gaining quite a few benefits, yet found it difficult to leave.

Upon realizing he was being targeted, Yin Gui felt a surge of unease. And indeed, as expected, Netherworld Master spoke once more.

"Young friend, might I ask where Demon Lord Extreme Law Profound Elixir is? He certainly accomplished a great deal without making a sound."

Old Demon Scorching Sun turned to look, a puzzled expression in his eyes. Ghostfiend Maiden quickly transmitted a message, explaining the entire sequence of events. Having personally rescued Yin Gui, she naturally understood the full picture. Information regarding Bishui's demise, however, was gleaned later during a visit to the medicine treasury to assess the situation (originally intended to rescue Wang Yu) and through a confrontation with Di Mingzi.

Upon hearing that Bishui had been entrapped and slain by Wang Yu, Old Demon Scorching Sun immediately broke into a hearty smile, praising without reservation.

"Truly worthy of my Zhuo clan! The foremost talent of Chiyuan's younger generation. That title is almost insufficient for him now, hahahaha!"

"From the Zhuo clan?" It was only fortunate Wang Yu wasn't present, or he would surely have demanded when Guiling City would be returned to him.

Old Demon Scorching Sun unhesitatingly stood up for Yin Gui, clearly doing so out of deference to Wang Yu. This greatly eased Yin Gui's mind, causing him to straighten his back. It was as if he were saying, "What can you possibly do to me now?"

Netherworld Master, however, stated, "To contend at this moment would be ill-advised. I merely wished to meet this rising star, Brother Scorching Sun; there's no need for such defensiveness."

"Meet me? Does this suit the Daoist's intentions?"

With a sudden sound, Wang Yu's figure emerged from a blue light, displaying an arrogant demeanor and unwavering composure as he met Netherworld Master's gaze directly, showing no trace of timidity.

"Hahahahaha, good!"