Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 223

The Soul-Shattering Finger fired continuously like a machine gun.

This secret art was only a second-rank technique. It was not particularly effective against the Thunder Spirit Corpse, but every time it hit, it could still make the creature stagger slightly, preventing it from catching up to Wang Yu.

In contrast, Wang Yu’s divine sense was depleting rapidly.

Earlier, when he had been moving through the cave passage, the Mountain Searching and Demon Hunting Secret technique had already consumed a lot of energy. Now, after using his divine sense repeatedly, his reserves were nearly empty in less than fifteen minutes.

Fortunately, his robust physique gradually dispelled the paralysis and restored his agility.

“Lunar Yin Demonic Corpse, Control of Demonic Qi Technique!”

With his mind command, rolling streams of lunar demonic energy interwove, enveloping both Wang Yu and the Thunder Spirit Corpse. Lightning flared constantly, ice crystals scattered in bursts, and the two figures clashed in the thick of battle. The rumbling and metallic clanging sounds mixed with the tearing of cloth, the noise fierce and violent.

Before long, Wang Yu was blasted out of the demonic mist like a sandbag, smashing straight into a rock wall and embedding into it. His entire body was tattered, covered with claw marks.

The corpse poison had entered his body but was suppressed by his powerful constitution, preventing further harm.

Pulling himself from the rock, Wang Yu glanced at the weakened Demonic Corpse and put it back into its coffin. The creature was already drained and severely damaged by lightning. A few more hits, and it would be scrapped entirely—something he could not afford.As for the Thunder Spirit Corpse—

As the saying goes, “In the pursuit of the Dao, there are those who are first, and each has their own mastery.”

He had already come up with a plan. The earlier close combat had been deliberate, a setup for what came next. The Corpse Refining Technique was not merely a means for cultivators to refine corpses—it could also restrain wild zombies.

After all, not all rare beings were created by cultivators. Heaven and Earth themselves were the true source of wondrous creation, capable of producing countless miraculous existences.

At that moment, the Thunder Spirit Corpse dispelled the lunar demonic field with its thunderous might once more. Having fought for so long, its rage burned even fiercer. A purple thunder rune lit up on its chest.

A terrifying thunder aura gathered rapidly. In this Thunderfall Abyss, any thunder-based ability received a massive boost. The sense of danger transmitted through Wang Yu’s divine sense grew stronger, making his hair stand on end.

He immediately formed a hand seal, slashed his fingertip with his nail, forcing out a drop of heart’s blood. His divine sense resonated with the Corpse Suppression Seal he had recently imprinted on the Thunder Spirit Corpse.

Amid the rolling thunder, the movements of the Thunder Spirit Corpse began to slow.

Wang Yu spat out a mouthful of blood and muttered incantations:

“Yin and Yang Blood, fix the spirit of the corpse!”

“The Taiyin has spirit, the corpse has essence.”

“Three Souls and Seven Spirits, Body-Immobalization Technique!”

This was the most profound and difficult Corpse immobilization Secret Art within the Yin Fiend Corpse Refining Technique. Normally, heart’s blood was the pure yang blood of the living, yet Wang Yu possessed the special trait of Heavenly Yin Blood, perfectly balancing the mysteries of yin and yang.

Even though the technique was not yet perfected, it still unleashed remarkable power.

The Thunder Spirit Corpse halted its movement, the thunder energy dissipated, and the oppressive sense of danger vanished.

Wang Yu exhaled in relief and spat out another mouthful of bloody foam.

“A wild zombie is still a wild zombie. Even with a spark of spiritual awareness, it can’t match human intelligence. Once I subdue you, you will be my first corpse general!”

He laughed heartily.

The Thunder Spirit Corpse was an exceedingly rare treasure, one of the top opportunities in the entire Corpse Dao. Wang Yu even suspected it might be the corpse of a Spirit Transformation cultivator, said to be the one struck down by Ji Meng in ancient times.

However, he quickly dismissed that thought. That had happened in the early ancient era. It was more likely this creature was once a special-bodied explorer who fell within the Thunderfall Abyss.

After taking several pills, Wang Yu walked toward the Thunder Spirit Corpse.

He noticed that the corpse occasionally trembled, and the blood mark between its brows was fading—signifying that it was struggling to break free. At this rate, in less than the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, it would completely escape the seal.

“Troublesome thing.”

Wang Yu checked his Sea Heart Ring, hoping to find a treasure that could restrain the Thunder Spirit Corpse, but suddenly froze.

“Wang Yu?”

A calm voice came from afar, yet its powerful aura was impossible to ignore. In less than half a second, that distant voice was already beside his ear.

“You are Wang Yu… City Lord of Jade Spirit City?”

“Yes, senior. Wang Yu greets you. May I know senior’s name?”

Before him stood an old man with black hair and a white beard. He held a dragon-headed cane shaped from stone, with small fragments of rock slowly revolving around it.

He wore a hawk-crowned, purple robe with golden silk sashes. Despite his age, his skin was smooth as a baby’s, and his bright, spirited eyes examined the trembling Thunder Spirit Corpse beside them.

“What a fine treasure. You truly have fortune, to have such an encounter even while being pursued by the Foundation Establishment disciples of Yellow Springs Monastery. Rare indeed.”

There was no doubt—this man was the reinforcements from Cloud Ridge Prefecture City. Although Wang Yu had guessed this, seeing him in person still made him uneasy.

This was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

His brief glimpse of one in the Yanluo Ghost Market could not compare. Now standing so close, the man’s mere presence exerted immense pressure on him, even without deliberate release.

Hearing the old man’s comment, Wang Yu forced a bitter smile.

The incident of the tribute offering being robbed had truly gone from misfortune to fortune, and back to misfortune again. He clearly had no chance to claim the Thunder Spirit Corpse now. Moreover, he lacked the means to truly subdue it.

If he tried to refine it on the spot, he would have to abandon control of his Taiyin Demonic Corpse, or else his divine sense would collapse. His mastery of the Yin Fiend Corpse Refining Technique was only at minor completion.

How could one possibly refine and subdue such a ferocious Thunder Spirit Corpse?

As countless thoughts flashed through his mind, Wang Yu spoke decisively without hesitation.

“Junior Wang Yu was fortunate enough to subdue this Thunder Spirit Corpse, but my fortune is still lacking. I would rather offer it to you, Senior. You managed to arrive from the Prefecture City within half a month, surely a tiring journey. You deserve this item as compensation.”

The Nascent Soul cultivator was stunned upon hearing those words.

“You said… it is a Thunder Spirit Corpse?”

“Indeed. When this junior fought it, its reactions were agile and intelligent, not inferior to that of a young child, and its body carried no corpse aura.

“I therefore concluded it must be a legendary Spirit Corpse capable of manipulating lightning, so I called it a Thunder Spirit Corpse.”

Such an existence as a Spirit Corpse was extremely rare, even in ancient records. Wang Yu had only come to understand it deeply after studying the Dao of Corpse Refinement, though his foundations in other aspects remained somewhat lacking.

Without direct combat, it was difficult to discern whether the Thunder Spirit Corpse possessed true intelligence. Thus, it was normal for this Nascent Soul cultivator to mistake it for an ordinary Thunder Corpse.

However, after hearing Wang Yu’s explanation, the Nascent Soul cultivator’s initial joy turned into hesitation. After a moment, he cautiously asked,

“Senior, may I ask… your honored name?”

“This old man’s name is Xuan Yan. You may address me as Senior Xuan Yan.”

“Yes, Senior Xuan Yan.”

Revealing his name showed that the elder was lowering himself to make acquaintance with Wang Yu. Naturally, Wang Yu would not refuse such goodwill.

“As for a Spirit Corpse… such a being is exceedingly rare. In ancient times, very few ever had the fortune to encounter one. All of them died miserable deaths afterward. It was said that Spirit Corpses possess the fortune of Heaven and Earth itself, and those who rashly enslave them would inevitably face a mysterious curse of misfortune.”

Wang Yu unconsciously swallowed his saliva.

That rumor sounded far too exaggerated. It seemed more believable that those corpse-refining cultivators had been hunted down by the Spirit Corpse’s relatives or acquaintances from its previous life. Many corpse cultivators died mysteriously due to unresolved grudges.

After all, if the corpse being refined still had kin or friends alive, they would surely seek revenge, reclaim the corpse, and give it a proper burial.

A Spirit Corpse, being so unique, might very well have had a special constitution when alive. With that in mind, it was likely that its social connections when alive were quite powerful.

If someone dared to enslave it and those connections discovered it, the tragic fates of those cultivators in ancient times would no longer seem mysterious.

Still, whether or not Senior Xuan Yan wished to accept it, Wang Yu would not try to persuade him otherwise. He was no fool who would force others to accept his gift. This was his chance, his opportunity.

After a long moment of silent thought, Xuan Yan suddenly laughed and muttered to himself,

“What am I worrying about? A Thunder Spirit Corpse so rare it’s almost unique. I can sell it to that old devil of the Heavenly Corpse. He would certainly pay a great number of spirit stones for it, hahaha!”

With that said, he extended his hand, and the Thunder Spirit Corpse instantly shrank and vanished into his palm. Wang Yu felt a pang of envy, though he kept his head respectfully lowered.

Seeing that, Xuan Yan looked even more satisfied.

“It was not in vain that I descended into the Thunder Abyss to find you. Come with me. Those Yellow Spring Monastery cultivators who stole the Sects Offerings have all been captured by me.

“Not only will the lost offerings be recovered, but I shall also petition the sect to reward you greatly. When you form your Core in the future, you will understand how valuable this merit is.”

Wang Yu quickly bowed and expressed his gratitude.

“This junior thanks Senior Xuan Yan!”

Evidently, this was the reward for giving up the Thunder Spirit Corpse, and it also allowed him to establish a valuable connection with this Nascent Soul cultivator. The greater the benefit Xuan Yan gained from the Thunder Spirit Corpse, the more he would remember Wang Yu’s name.

Perhaps one day, this connection would prove useful.

Thus, his sacrifice was not in vain.

Then, Xuan Yan placed his hand upon Wang Yu’s shoulder. In the blink of an eye, the world spun before his eyes, and within just a few breaths, they reappeared on the surface.

Outside, Xu Ruzhou and the others were anxiously waiting.

When they saw Wang Yu return safely, they exclaimed in delight.

“City Lord!”

“City Lord, it is wonderful that you are unharmed!”

“What is there to worry about? With Senior Xuan Yan present, what trouble could possibly arise?”

Beside them, the pale-faced True Personage Qingyang stepped forward and solemnly bowed to Wang Yu.

“Wang Yu, thank you for your help this time. Otherwise…”

“Hah, we are all one family. Jade Spirit City’s future still needs your strength. From now on, let us work together to make Jade Spirit prosper. That matters more than anything.”

With the crisis resolved, Wang Yu’s words were spoken with calm grandeur, deeply moving Qingyang.

After the greetings, Senior Xuan Yan finally said,

“Let us go to Jade Spirit City. I will personally confront Yellow Spring Monastery and demand an explanation. You may consider in advance what form of compensation you desire.”

Wang Yu’s heart stirred.

“Senior Xuan Yan, are you implying that Yellow Spring Monastery will not choose war?”

“Of course not. The Great War between Righteous and Demonic paths was only three hundred years ago. Even the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect has yet to recover its strength. How could Yellow Spring Monastery so easily initiate another war?

“In my view, some high-ranking figures must have discovered something and are stirring up trouble within Cloud Ridge Prefecture. This matter will require much negotiation.

“Come, with me leading the way, our speed will be faster.”

Half a day later, Wang Yu and the others returned to Jade Spirit City.