Chapter 469: Changxi Follow-up, Refining Blood Infant Pill Again

The other individual held the position of Town Guardian. He had reached the fourth level of the Nascent Soul stage and was a gaunt, robed old man who always carried a whisk, with eyelids drooping as if he hadn't fully woken up.

Outwardly, both welcomed Wang Yu with smiles, but inwardly, they were cursing him vehemently. They were also puzzled, wondering if Shuiyun Immortal Capital had been secretly harboring a Nascent Soul Grand Perfection cultivator, and whether this indicated some hidden agenda.

This was especially true with the escalating conflict at Ice River Pass. They needed to be extra cautious about powerful demonic cultivators infiltrating Taihu. Ordinarily, they would employ methods to detect such infiltrations, but Gu Yanping had mentioned that Wang Yu previously displayed divine sense at the Grand Perfection level. If he truly were a demonic cultivator, they would be in a bind. Thus, testing him was out of the question.

A simple cheerful welcome would suffice. Letting the Dou family off was not difficult; given the size of Shuiyun Immortal Capital, there were plenty of prominent Golden Core clans. With the Dou family spared, the Gu family could take their place. It was a mere formality to save face for Wang Yu, this formidable newcomer, and they could also secretly investigate the relationship between the two.

As for the possibility that Wang Yu was truly a powerful cultivator dispatched by the demonic path to infiltrate them, any future impact on the Ice River Pass conflict would not significantly concern them. When the sky falls, taller men bear the brunt; unless the Jade Cloud Sect suffered a complete defeat, Shuiyun Immortal Capital, located squarely in the rear, faced no threat of war. This possibility was, in fact, quite small. Who, upon infiltrating, would still meddle in trivial matters?

It was with this mindset, and for various other reasons, that both the City Lord and the old Taoist, two Nascent Soul old monsters, preferred to let the matter rest, treating it as if it had never happened.

A moment later, after the matter was settled, Wang Yu left the City Lord's mansion. He wouldn't stay long, as a Tier 4 formation was present there. Interacting with the local rulers was also beneficial, especially the City Lord. Being in charge of a prosperous place like Shuiyun Immortal Capital meant his standing in the Jade Cloud Sect was undoubtedly significant. This initial, relatively positive interaction was advantageous. Even if Mr. Wang's identity were to be exposed, it wouldn't be a major issue. Mutual non-interference was the unspoken understanding among powerful cultivators.

After that day, the calamity that could have destroyed the Xishan Dou clan was effortlessly resolved by Wang Yu, as if it had never occurred. Although Wang Yu returned to a mortal's life, things were irrevocably different after this experience.

Dou Zhao's visits became slightly less frequent, and each time she carefully disguised her identity, afraid of others discovering Wang Yu's presence and exposing him. In reality, with her Qi Condensation stage abilities, she couldn't hide from anyone with discerning eyes. Those who needed to know were aware that a Nascent Soul Grand Perfection cultivator resided secretly in Shuiyun Immortal Capital. Wang Yu had considered leaving because of this, but then he reconsidered and found it acceptable. Maintaining this unspoken understanding was most comfortable, offering both freedom from trouble and peace for his cultivation. Therefore, Wang Yu stayed.

He then continued with his next alchemy plan. His Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda contained six Nascent Souls—four early-stage and two mid-stage—all securely sealed. Additionally, there was a Golden Core cultivator: Chang Xi.

During the battle for Black Mountain Pass that year, she was a member of the support team and was captured alive by Wang Yu. The original plan was to use her to gain more benefits in subsequent wars. However, plans often don't keep up with changes. The Demon King's Feast, the ambush of Jin Lin, the Eastern Capital Ruins—Wang Yu experienced several events in a short period and did not participate in any further wars until he left Chiyuan. The matter was thus shelved. With a Golden Core cultivator's foundation, she wouldn't starve to death, but her Qi Sea had been empty for so many years, leaving her in a very poor state. She was extremely weak and at risk of her cultivation level declining.

Before entering seclusion to mass-produce the Longevity Blood Infant Pills, he decided to deal with Chang Xi's situation first. She actually had few choices left.

That day, inside the Glazed Pagoda, the slender immortal suspended by ice chains looked utterly weary, her face etched with exhaustion, long past any shame or desire to hide herself. Her listless, almost dead eyes glanced at Wang Yu. She spoke feebly, noting that after all these years, it was his first time visiting her.

Wang Yu replied that he had been busy with affairs and had little leisure time. He slowly approached and, extending a finger, stated that he offered her two choices: death, or becoming his demonic slave.

The term 'demonic slave' was uttered by Wang Yu for the first time. Essentially, it involved using the Demonic Seed technique to place Chang Xi in a state where she could be absorbed at any time; with a mere thought, he could completely drain her into a dried corpse. She held a respectable position within the Sword Sect, ranking high among the thousand or so disciples. While vying for the Sword Son position would be difficult, she had a chance to become the master of one of the seventy-two Sword Peaks. At minimum, she would be a Nascent Soul Sword Master, making her of considerable value. Especially in times of war, transmitting a single piece of critical information could be decisive. Deploying spies was an instinct for demonic cultivators, and it was Chang Xi's only way to survive. Otherwise, Wang Yu would have had to try the Demonic Transformation ability to see if he could mimic a human female and personally infiltrate the Sword Sect's heritage.

Whether it was due to her radical personality from earlier years, or if she had truly been tormented into despair over the years, Chang Xi did not put forward any conditions or offer any resistance. She immediately agreed and addressed him as 'Master'.

With the Demonic Seed technique taking root and no resistance offered, Wang Yu acquired his first true servant, who happened to be the very righteous female cultivator who had once suppressed him. This sense of conquest was quite satisfying. After arranging the communication methods, Wang Yu took the Glazed Pagoda far from Shuiyun Immortal Capital, releasing her only after reaching the border of Shuiyun State.

He did not engage in any 'adult games' with Chang Xi, despite her beauty. In this regard, he always prioritized willingness; when in the mood, he could be quite lavish, but he never resorted to coercion. When his interest waned, even a celestial beauty would be useless to him. Many beauties had died by his hand.

After cleaning the Glazed Pagoda, Wang Yu immediately went to a secret cave dwelling he had set up outside Shuiyun Immortal Capital, where he summoned the Taihe Blood Cauldron and began refining the Longevity Blood Infant Pills. The effects of the Blood Infant Pills were determined by their raw materials. For instance, a Nascent Soul at the third level possessing less than twelve thousand drops of Demonic Essence would yield a Blood Infant Pill that, accounting for refinement loss, would be considered acceptable if it increased Demonic Essence by around two thousand drops. Wang Yu was experienced in this area and estimated the finished product would yield around three thousand drops, especially since the Nascent Soul from Zidian had produced an increase of one thousand drops, and that was from a first-level Nascent Soul cultivator. As for the two mid-stage Nascent Souls, they could provide an increase of over six thousand drops each. Conservatively, consuming all six Nascent Souls would boost his cultivation to beyond the mid-point of the fifth Nascent Soul level.

Such a massive surge in Demonic Essence would exceed his current total. He couldn't simply ingest Blood Path spiritual pills so rapidly, as it would severely destabilize his foundation. Therefore, even though Blood Infant Pills were simple to refine, he needed to exercise patience, extend the time taken to consume and assimilate them, and only take the next pill after thoroughly solidifying his foundation and fully mastering the increased Demonic Essence. Otherwise, it would significantly impact his future, and he could not afford to be careless.

Additionally, the Immortal Official's herbarium contained several top-grade Tier 4 spiritual pills, but these had no effect on increasing cultivation. They were specialized pills with niche effects, currently serving no purpose for him. From the Longevity herbarium, he had obtained three Tier 5 treasure pills. Wang Yu had already used two of them, and one had been given to Xue Yu. After consuming it, the little fox entered a deep sleep for bloodline transformation. Her bloodline rank would see a significant upgrade. In one go, it would ascend from low-grade Earth Rank to low-grade Heaven Rank. A beast with such a bloodline already possessed a slight possibility of reaching the Soul Transformation realm. The transformation would likely take several decades of sleep to complete, so there was no rush.

The pill refinement process went very smoothly. Blood Infant Pills used Nascent Souls as the main ingredient, supplemented by other blood-path spiritual herbs. Each batch required over three months to refine, and this was his efficiency after his cultivation had greatly advanced. Otherwise, even a year of refinement would barely be enough. Even if only one pill was produced per batch, it was still worthwhile!

Eighteen months quietly passed. In the height of summer, Wang Yu, slightly dazed, emerged from his cave dwelling back to the surface. By then, he had already consumed the first Blood Infant Pill. His Demonic Essence had surged by three thousand drops, reaching 16,080 drops with the accumulation from his idle cultivation slot over the years. This increase would require several years to fully stabilize. This was with his idle cultivation slot constantly running cultivation techniques, helping him solidify his foundation and control the sudden surge of pure Demonic Essence at all times; otherwise, stabilization would take even longer.

After leaving the underground cave dwelling, on his way back to Shuiyun Immortal Capital, Wang Yu suddenly noticed a disturbance in the Ice Cauldron artifact he had refined years ago. It meant the Ice Flame Butterflies were finally ready to emerge. The Ice Cauldron artifact had limited internal space, preventing the Ice Flame Butterflies from growing indefinitely. As a swarm of gu insects, their collective power had already reached Tier 4. Their destructive power was immense; even among Tier 4 creatures, they were not easily dealt with. Especially the Ice Flame Queen Butterfly, whose individual strength had reached the peak of early Tier 4. They were even more formidable than the group he encountered back in the Endless Ice Plain.

The awakening of the gu insects was a complete surprise and a pleasant one. It also gave Wang Yu a means to command. He had never revealed this hidden strength to outsiders, and it was entirely distinct from the methods of the Extreme Law Profound Pill Demon Lord. Displaying his power through divine sense and insect control, without using demonic essence, was quite effective.

After wiping his face and reverting to Mr. Wang's appearance, Wang Yu landed on the ox cart parked outside the city. Humming a tune, he happily cracked the whip, driving towards Shuiyun Immortal Capital.

The Dou Manor.

After the scapegoat incident about a year and a half ago, the atmosphere within the Dou Manor immediately changed. In addition to stricter management of family members, they also began leveraging various connections to send outstanding young members of the Xishan Dou clan to the seven orthodox sects, having them participate in disciple assessments at forces other than the Jade Cloud Sect. The focus of the clan's development shifted from cultivating a single Nascent Soul cultivator to broadly casting their net, relying on luck, and decentralizing the burden of breakthrough to talented young disciples. Neither method was inherently superior or inferior; the latter simply offered multiple surviving 'seeds' should the clan face annihilation.

Inside the study at the Dou Manor, Dou Xiong and Dou Zhao were arguing. Dou Xiong told Zhao'er that she now had only two choices and he didn't want to argue with her anymore. “But Father, your daughter can’t do what you’re asking,” Dou Zhao retorted.

“Then you shouldn't fantasize about getting involved with such a senior cultivator,” Dou Xiong admonished. “He has lived more years than you've eaten meals; he could outwit you to death with his schemes.”

Dou Zhao countered, “I’m only a Qi Condensation cultivator, and the Dou family is merely a third-rate force. Why would a senior cultivator plot against me? Even if I narcissistically said he coveted my beauty, what could any of you do if he simply forced himself on me?”

Dou Xiong was speechless, his eyes widening. “Since you refuse to marry,” he began, “then return to Xishan and properly cultivate with your mother. What future is there in constantly pondering merchant affairs? You're not like Jin Xuanxuan. You need to have a focus, otherwise, when you grow old and die, your father will still have to send you to the mountains. What kind of situation is that?”

Dou Zhao was also enraged. “Alright, Dou Gouxiong,” she spat, using a derogatory name for her father, “always showing off in front of your daughter. I'm going to tell Mother, and then you’ll see what she does to you.”

“—Wait!” Seeing that Dou Zhao was serious, Dou Xiong spoke with a solemn expression. “Zhaozhao, Father is Father, Mother is Mother. How can you do something so despicable?”

“Then apologize,” she demanded.

“Delusional!” he retorted.

“I’m transmitting a message to Mother right now…”

“I'm sorry, Father was wrong,” he conceded.

Dou Zhao immediately smiled triumphantly. Having had a daughter late in life, her parents had doted on her since childhood, cherishing her as if she might melt if held in their mouths or break if held in their hands. Her mother, moreover, was a formidable woman who was not one to be reasoned with.

The atmosphere in the study returned to harmony. Dou Xiong earnestly explained, “Zhaozhao, it’s not that your father is being overbearing, but this matter is simply too mysterious. Our ancestor, Dou Chiying, whom you researched, was born a thousand years ago. Even if the blood token matter is true, haven’t you considered how old that senior cultivator must be? He is a contemporary of your ancestors. Could he possibly be interested in a… *cough*… little girl like you?”

These words struck a chord with Dou Zhao. The person she had met in her youth was too exceptional to ever forget, especially since Wang Yu did not look like an old man and had a very youthful demeanor. In this world, both men and women yearn for beautiful things. When it came to choosing a partner, initial attraction began with appearance, with personality and temperament coming into play after interaction. Lost in thought, she chose not to say anything more.

“—Hmph!” She declared, “I’m not talking to you anymore; I’m going out.”

“Hey, don’t go to the outer districts,” Dou Xiong called out. “It’s been quite chaotic there lately, and many mortals have died.”

“I know,” she replied.

The Dou Manor, as a clan, might not have fully understood the so-called chaos, but anyone with discernment knew it was the City Lord's office tying up loose ends from the winter tragedy. The excuse at the time was that powerful clans had secretly abducted people to trade with demonic cultivators, and the combination of natural disaster and human calamity led to heavy mortal casualties. The City Lord's office was busy fabricating evidence to confirm the accusations.

Shuiyun Immortal Capital had no Nascent Soul clans, a deliberate control by the Jade Cloud Sect, who did not allow Nascent Soul cultivators to share the city's wealth. However, there were countless prominent Golden Core clans. Many were affiliated with the Jade Cloud Sect, some of whom could be implicated, others not. Among those scapegoated were five Golden Core powers: the Gu, Liu (刘), Liu (柳), Niu, and Ximen families. Each was made to take responsibility for tens of thousands of mortal lives. Their entire clans had already been arrested and cast into the Jade Cloud Sect's dark prison. Once the cases concluded, they would be directly executed.

Driving his ox cart through a side gate into the city, Wang Yu unexpectedly witnessed an event. It was the little girl who had once begged him for food, and her father. The girl was now curled up in her father's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

A Jade Cloud Sect disciple, dressed in plain clothes, displayed a token and announced that the man was one of the criminals involved in human trafficking. He told the citizens that if they harbored resentment, they could take action to vent their anger and that there would be no repercussions if they beat the criminal to death on the spot.

“Good heavens,” Wang Yu thought, startled, his brows deeply furrowed upon hearing this. His divine sense transformed into a black paper boat and stealthily infiltrated, instantly boring into the man's body. He activated the 'Soul Extraction Evil Boat: Soul Search!'