Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 271

Dressed neatly, Zuo Qiuming sat listlessly with his head propped up. Wang Yu noticed that his ever-changing, multicolored hair had returned to black.

He knocked lightly on the table and said,

“Because of the matter in the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest, the Exalted Sect and the Yellow Springs Monastery have begun negotiations. The dispute over the Chasing Moon Prefecture has temporarily subsided, so I came back.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Qiuming yawned.

“So that’s how it is. Don’t think too much. They’ll fight again soon enough.”

“Oh? What makes you say that? Do you have inside information?”

Ever since leaving the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest, Wang Yu had been curious about the situation afterward. What he could gather from rumors outside was, of course, far less than what this direct descendant knew.

Zuo Qiuming’s expression turned slightly melancholic.

“The Spirit Transformation demonic beast in the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest has appeared.”

“What?”Wang Yu’s face showed genuine shock.

After all, that was one of the highest-tier existences in this realm. It was said that when Spirit Transformation experts fought, they could overturn entire regions. For many years, even the battles between the Sword Venerable and the Demon Venerable had never been fought in full force.

Zuo Qiuming sighed.

“It’s a long story. In short, after those Blood Demon Medicine Kings appeared, they fought the poisonous beasts to a draw.

“After that, that Spirit Transformation poison beast personally took away the super spiritual vein within the ruins. It’s likely been transferred beneath its own territory now.

“Also, traces of a dragon vein were discovered in the ruins. Unfortunately, it was triggered prematurely and escaped… no one managed to obtain it.”

By piecing things together, Wang Yu had already gained a rough understanding of the situation following the events in the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest.

As for whether another battle would erupt, Zuo Qiuming smirked.

“Did you know that a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Yellow Springs Monastery was captured alive by the Three Blood Demon Lords?”

“I heard a little about that.”

“He was forced to refine over three million high-grade spirit stones, and his cultivation fell back to the first level of Nascent Soul. When the Yellow Springs Monastery ransoms him back, do you think they’ll sit quietly?

“Since Nascent Soul cultivators rarely make a move, they’ll naturally vent their anger in Chasing Moon Prefecture.”

Wang Yu’s expression turned odd. The development oddly matched the temperament of the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain.

A Nascent Soul cultivator could really squeeze, huh…

That thought flashed through his mind.

Wang Yu quickly said, “All of that is minor. I came back early because I’m about to go into seclusion. I’ll have to trouble you to stay in Jade Spirit City for a while longer.”

Zuo Qiuming raised an eyebrow.

“For that long? Are you cultivating a new divine ability or…”

He stopped mid-sentence, swallowed hard, and said, “Fourth Brother, don’t tell me you’re preparing to form your Core.”

“Yes.”

Wang Yu did not intend to hide it. After all, once he formed his Core, he would return to the sect to receive his promotion and inheritances. They would find out sooner or later.

Previously, he had concealed his progress with the Foundation Seizing Method. This time, he could use the Demonic Embryo Mysterious Origin Curse to hide his breakthrough. If this secret were exposed, Fu Xiao would definitely start watching him closely.

But that was still better than being accused for no reason.

His Idle Slot was his greatest aid and also the deepest secret he had to keep.

Hearing Wang Yu confirm it personally, Zuo Qiuming could not help but grit his teeth in envy.

“It’s only been a short while, and you’re just…”

“Eighty-eight.”

“Right, only eighty-eight years old… You’re even faster than those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots.”

“It was just a bit of luck. I can’t compare with true Heavenly Roots. Besides, success won’t come overnight.”

Zuo Qiuming’s heart was full of envy. His already weary body felt even heavier, and a sense of confusion arose within him.

Zhuo Shouqing had a chance to restore his spiritual roots and was scheming against his own brother, Zhuo Shouyun.

Yu Xing had gone with his elder sister to their ancestral land, the Yu Clan’s Sacred Mountain.

Zuo Qiuming did not know exactly what they were doing there, but he had a feeling it would be a transformation as profound as being reborn. He, too, was a direct descendant of a great clan, yet he felt as if he had been left behind.

A wave of discouragement washed over him. He waved his hand.

“I understand. Go into seclusion with peace of mind. I’ll take care of Jade Spirit City for you.”

“Thank you.”

The next day.

Wang Yu met with Qingyang and the others and was surprised to find that Xu Ruzhou had reached Foundation Establishment. Considering his dual spiritual roots, the timing was normal—if anything, slightly slow.

As a native cultivator of Jade Spirit City, once he reached Foundation Establishment, he could take over the duties of the City Guard, allowing Wang Yu to handle fewer trivial affairs.

The instructions Wang Yu left were mostly the same as before: maintain stability above all else.

The vast quantity of military supplies he had acquired in Huangbai City could now be safely sold in Jade Spirit City’s market after being laundered. Thanks to years of development and the advantage brought by the Chasing Moon Prefecture war, the market’s total profits had increased by more than fifty percent compared to when he left.

By wartime standards, profits could have tripled or even quadrupled, but Wang Yu restrained himself. Just because one could earn more did not mean it was safe to take more. For now, the current amount was already enough to make others envious.

The cave-dwelling rental business was also booming. Jin Miaoshan had bought a third-rank cave residence near the City Lord’s Mansion—no one knew what she was planning.

After understanding the changes of the past few years, Wang Yu officially announced his seclusion. News of his return spread only among a few senior retainers.

Even his nominal disciples—the Guan sisters and the Jiang brothers—remained completely unaware.

…

…

The reassembled killing intent cultivation chamber.

Wang Yu had just finished setting up the Immaculate Jade Toad, the Three-Tailed Snow Fox, and the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed. The Jade Toad had already completed its transformation into a perfect form. He thought about refining it after reaching the Core Formation stage.

Obtaining a body immune to all poisons might even create some unknown reaction with the Yin Nether Demonic Dragon Art. After all, this art had mutated more than once already, so he was long used to its peculiarities.

He had not yet consumed the Earth Spirit Fruit. Instead, he planned to first complete the forging of the Asura Killing Heart. When he first entered the Heart-Mind Dao, his Lesser Asura Killing Fist had already reached the stage of Small Achievement.

At that time, he sensed a mysterious force known as “Heart Power.”

The Asura Killing Heart needed to be shaped through Heart Power. It existed within Wang Yu’s body yet had no physical form, residing only within the realm of his heart-mind—a heart devoted to slaughter.

Forging the heart was both simple and difficult. With sufficient insight, one could accomplish it easily, for it required no particular spiritual energy environment.

The first step was to open a Heart Lake.

Wang Yu sat cross-legged upon the ancient stone platform that had once sealed the Asura Venerable. His divine sense spread naturally, touching each sword mark carved upon the stone.

He absorbed the purest killing intent from within them, merging it gradually with his own boiling murderous will. The stone slabs that had held that killing intent for countless years turned to ash one after another.

As the cultivation method of the Lesser Asura Killing Fist circulated continuously, Wang Yu faintly heard the tolling of a bell in the unseen depths.

Then... his Heart Lake opened.

It was a calm, boundless expanse of water. Scarlet mist churned all around, and in the center of the lake lay a small island about a hundred square meters wide, perfectly square and black as inkstone.

Wang Yu stepped onto the stone island with slight confusion.

“So this is... my heart image?”

He could not tell what it symbolized. Around him, the streams of scarlet mist gathered toward the island, condensing into a small blood-red tree.

The doctrines of the Lesser Asura Killing Fist were inscribed upon it. Nourished by Heart Power, the tree grew rapidly.

It soon became a towering tree, its branches thick and leaves abundant, though entirely crimson as if made of blood. It exuded an ominous aura. Within its trunk, a heart of blood, crystalline and translucent like glazed jade, began to form.

Wang Yu did nothing—merely watching had completed the process.

“It is said: restrain thought to nurture spirit, restrain speech to nurture energy, and restrain desire to nurture essence.

“This Heart-Mind Dao emphasizes inaction. When the time comes, advancement follows naturally. There is no need for me to overthink.”

In the chamber, the ashes of the killing-intent stones drifted lightly to the ground. Barely ten breaths had passed. Wang Yu smiled wryly, realizing how seriously he had treated the process.

Once the Asura Killing Heart was forged, the Lesser Asura Killing Fist truly entered the stage of Great Accomplishment. To reach Perfection, he would have to rely on his own enlightenment.

He faintly understood that his smooth progress was due to the transformation of his heart-mind that had begun back in the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest.

When the dust settled, his Heart Lake naturally opened.

From now on, he needed only to continue cultivating. The Prajna Heart Sutra could not be neglected either, for it would steadily strengthen his Heart Power. The stronger his Heart Power, the mightier his Asura Killing Heart would become.

Materializing killing intent was merely the most basic form of utilization. He had some insight into creating new techniques, and perhaps he could even develop his own secret arts that used killing intent.

After forging this heart, he did not feel any major change within himself. If anything, his emotions seemed calmer, more restrained, and easier to control.

When he viewed all things, his mind remained tranquil as an ancient well.

Simply put, his resistance to pressure had greatly improved.

Furthermore, the Asura Killing Heart had an active ability—he could choose to “let the heart command the body.”

By surrendering his body to his heart-mind, he could unleash his most primal killing instincts. Whether this state enhanced or weakened his combat power was yet unknown.

Once his Heart Power was exhausted, he would exit the state, which carried a certain level of danger.

After a brief look, he decided to permanently seal this ability until he could fully control it. He believed the Prajna Heart Sutra was the key to mastering it.

After calming his state, Wang Yu glanced regretfully at the ashes on the ground and returned through the passage to the cultivation chamber on the lower level. Sitting down once more, he called out softly:

“Earth Spirit Fruit.”

This third-rank spiritual fruit resembled a soil-colored earthworm, its body covered in ring-like bulges and coiled like mosquito incense. It looked most unappetizing.

Yet Wang Yu’s eyes burned with intensity. Without hesitation, he swallowed it whole, not even chewing once.

The fruit could increase one’s mana. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, it could raise True Essence as well, though with some waste.

But Wang Yu was different.

His Demonic Embryo constitution solved the problem of absorption efficiency. His third-rank perfected refinement speed perfectly matched the Earth Spirit Fruit, allowing him to absorb it at incredible pace.

Although it could not generate new mana, his True Essence grew rapidly. His divine sense entered his dantian.

There he saw a vast lake of dark-blue True Essence filling most of the Qi sea.

The Earth Spirit Fruit continued releasing medicinal power. Refined through his cultivation method, it condensed into a gentle drizzle over the True Essence Lake—each drop pure True Essence.

“So fast.”

Each falling raindrop represented the growth of hundreds of drops of True Essence, yet the fruit itself had only shrunk slightly.

Immersed in the bliss of rapid cultivation progress, time quietly passed.

To his perception, it seemed swift, but in reality, more than a year had gone by.

The first Earth Spirit Fruit had increased his True Essence by nearly two thousand five hundred drops. Only about three to four hundred remained before he reached the limit. Taking a second fruit now would be wasteful.

Better to wait until after breaking through to Core Formation to use it for enhancing mana.