Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 281

The third item was the [Guanghan Palace], a rarely seen palace-type treasure. Its functions were complex and varied. It could even be used as a flying treasure, but it lacked specialization.

Moreover, almost no one in the cultivation world used a palace as their life-bound treasure. The reason was that the treasure was far too large. As one’s cultivation increased, its grade would need to rise as well.

This required refining enormous quantities of rare materials into it. Otherwise, it would turn into a glass cannon, able to unleash one strike before suffering severe self-damage.

To raise an entire palace to a higher grade, only a great sect could afford to support the cost. A lone cultivator might as well go to sleep and enjoy it in dreams.

After reviewing the first three items, Wang Yu felt somewhat disappointed.

He actually wanted a cauldron-type treasure. A diagram-type treasure would also be acceptable. Simple offensive killing tools would not boost him much. His target was a functional treasure that could serve as a base for bearing the Dao.

The fourth treasure was the [Glazed Iceheart Tower].

With just one glance, Wang Yu made his decision. It would be this one.

The tower and the cauldron were similar in that both could serve as vessels for the Dao. Both possessed sealing and suppressing powers. In addition to its compatible shape, the reason he favored it was that one of its forging requirements was the infusion of Heart-Force, the invisible strength cultivated through the Heart-Mind Dao. It fit him perfectly.

This treasure could suppress mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas. It could lock all living beings and evil spirits. Most importantly, it could suppress his own heart-lake and keep his Dao-heart free of dust. When paired with the Prajna Heart Sutra, it would surely make his Heart-Force even stronger.The stronger his Heart-Force, the stronger his Asura Killing Heart and the more powerful his Dao-Heart Shattering Fist. Although its growth potential was inferior to treasures like the Ice Soul Divine Light and Guanghan Twelve Phases, it could still slowly improve along with his Heart-Force realm.

After entering the Heart Dao, the first realm Wang Yu would face was the [Pure Serenity Realm], followed by the [Empty Self Realm], [Flawless Realm], and [Glazed Realm]!

Mastering these four layers of heart realms to perfection means one has made initial achievements in the Heart Dao, earning a Pure Glazed Heart that greatly enhances comprehension and remains unaffected by external influences.

A Dao Heart endures through myriad tribulations undestroyed, conquering all hardships and perils. The heart and will are intimately linked;

those who achieve something in this path will ultimately attain no meager accomplishments.

Back to the main topic.

The [Glazed Ice Heart Tower] is an ice-attribute treasure that incorporates heart power, primarily granting it the effect of salvation. Living beings sealed within the tower will be subject to Wang Yu's salvation.

How he “salvage” them depended entirely on how he chose to use his Heart-Force.

If used during interrogation, it might be even more effective than the Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse.

After examining everything, there was no need to think further about the choice of life-bound treasure.

As for his life-bound divine ability, after a moment of hesitation, he ultimately gave up on the Ice Soul Divine Light. He planned to engrave the Guanghan Twelve Phases into his Golden Core as his life-bound divine ability, allowing it to grow alongside him in the future.

Of course, the Ice Soul Divine Light and Aurora Escape Technique still needed to be cultivated. It was time for an upgrade to enhance his combat strength.

Regarding third-rank techniques, he selected several to compensate for his deficiencies.

The high-grade Ice Chain Binding Curse was a binding spell with both spirit sealing and soul-locking effects. Once activated, it could release hundreds or thousands of ice chains that automatically locked onto the enemy. When paired with his life-bound treasure, the effect was exceptional.

The high-grade Phantom Mist Ice Mirror was a defensive technique that could absorb pure mana power–based spells and return them with double force. When used well, it produced miraculous results.

The high-grade Ice Dragon Technique could attack, carry, or defend. Its uses were vast. It condensed an ice dragon from mana. Though it appeared ordinary, it possessed endless variations once mastered.

It could combine with Wang Yu’s other spells and secret arts.

After that were two secret arts that also caught Wang Yu’s attention. They were the Ice Transformation Secret Art and the Heaven Frost Secret Art.

The former was used to conceal one’s aura. The latter enhanced the quality of one’s ice-attribute mana power and required absorbing the cold power of heaven and earth.

Aside from the Endless Icefield, only at Cold Blood Peak would his cultivation efficiency be highest. The peak was arranged like a land of eternal ice and snow, filled with cold force.

Inside the peak master’s training ground, the temperature was extremely low and the air was dry. Small ice storms often swept through, clearly influenced by the presence of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Within the peak there was also the Extreme Ice Cavern, a cultivation sanctuary similar to a Spirit Refining Chamber, except that it gathered cold qi energy instead of spiritual qi. The principle was the same.

Once Wang Yu registered his status at the Merit Hall, he would be allowed to claim a cave dwelling on Cold Blood Peak. The spiritual qi environment reached high-grade third-rank, close to a fourth-rank spirit vein.

Occasionally, he could even enjoy higher-grade pure spiritual qi.

After sensing everything and waking from his comprehension, three days had passed. He reluctantly glanced at the stone-skin book representing the Ten Directions Frozen Demon Path.

As he walked toward the exit of the ground, his mind was thinking of a new third-rank pill recipe, the Guanghan Pill.

This pill increased one’s mana power cultivation. Its main ingredients were laurel leaves and third-rank Cold Marrow. The latter was common enough, but the laurel leaves were extremely rare.

Only the hegemonic sect Moon Gazing Palace in the Taihu Spiritual Domain produced them steadily. Obtaining them in the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain depended mostly on luck.

Wang Yu felt a headache coming on.

When he reached the entrance, a slightly familiar figure ascended the icy steps. Her face was bright and alluring, with a delicate nose and cherry lips. Between her brows was a blue lotus-petal ornament.

Her small white earlobes wore sapphire jade earrings.

She wore a moon-white silkworm-silk robe with pipa sleeves. Beneath the robe was an inner garment with carved lace that lifted her chest, revealing half a round curve and a deep line that drew the eye and made one’s throat itch.

Even with his aesthetic somewhat desensitized by the three young masters of Blood Reversal, he could not help but praise her unparalleled beauty.

Searching his memory quickly, Wang Yu still could not remember where he had seen her. Yet she approached him, bowed gracefully, and said gently:

“Xue Ying greets the Daoist friend.”

Wang Yu was stunned for a moment, then remembered.

Last time he entered Cold Blood Peak to soak in the Cold Pool, he had encountered an elderly Core Formation elder on the verge of death, named Flying Snow. He had used a strand of death energy to help him.

He exhausted the elder’s remaining few years of lifespan within one hour.

When he had left the Cold Pool back then, he saw a figure with tear-streaked cheeks rushing up from the foot of the mountain. Thinking back now, it was this woman.

At that time, he had mistaken her for a man with feminine features.

And back then.

Her cultivation was only in the late Qi Refining stage. Seeing her now, she actually had the aura of Core Formation. In only fifty years, had she encountered some great fortune, or had she been taken over?

Curious, he responded.

"I am Wang Yu. Fellow Daoist Xue Ying, did you just form your Core and come to choose a cultivation method?"

"Correct. Fellow Daoist Wang Yu as well?"

"Naturally."

The two were not familiar enough to speak at length. After a polite exchange, they passed each other without lingering at the entrance of the training grounds.

Frost Moon Wings spread out, and Wang Yu flew toward the various halls and markets.

From time to time he glanced back.

"What kind of opportunity was that fierce..."

"Mm. It does not concern me for now. I should go receive the benefits allocated to an Inner Sect Elder."

Muttering inwardly, Wang Yu suddenly accelerated. In less than half a stick of incense, he landed before the Merit Hall. He had come here once before when he was promoted to Inner Sect Deacon.

The Merit Hall Master had some connection to Zhuo Shouqing. At that time, his aura had been concealed and seemed only like Foundation Establishment. Now that Wang Yu examined him with spiritual sense, he was clearly a Core Formation cultivator. He sat behind a long table, reading an ancient volume.

The moment Wang Yu arrived, the man recognized him.

"It is you."

"Wang Yu greets the Merit Hall Master. I am here to receive the allocation for a Cold Blood Peak Elder."

"Mm. Wait a moment."

The Merit Hall Master walked into the rear hall. He spent quite some time searching before returning to the front. Smiling, he said:

"My surname is Zhuo, courtesy name Yuanshen. You may address me as Senior Brother Yuanshen.

"Shouqing said you would come once you formed your Core. There were a few items he wanted delivered to you. I did not expect you to arrive so quickly."

Zhuo Yuanshen?

Wang Yu was slightly startled. He did not know much about the Zhuo Clan. Even after inquiring, the information he obtained was superficial.

From the looks of it now, Zhuo Shouqing trusted this Yuanshen greatly.

However, he did question Zhuo Shouqing's judgment. The items entrusted were a spiritual-sense jade slip, a letter of appointment, and a jade pendant.

After receiving them, Wang Yu examined them.

The jade slip mainly explained events of recent years, as well as a final deadline. Forty years. Whether he was prepared or not, by then he would have to launch a desperate counterattack.

The time left for him was short.

In addition, Zhuo Shouqing believed that the value of the Mystic Heaven Secret Realm entry token could not be exchanged for Zuo Qiuming helping him guard Jade Spirit City. The two conditions were not equivalent.

Wang Yu suffered a loss.

Therefore, the latter half of the spiritual-sense jade slip consisted of compensation clauses. The jade pendant was a key that opened an ancient burial pit where yin and ice-attribute materials were easily produced.

There were also various yin-cold spiritual items and treasures of the Corpse Dao.

All of it had been especially prepared for him. No one else knew of this for now. As long as he passed the dangers within the burial pit, all the treasures would belong to him.

As for the letter of appointment, it granted him the title of Elder Candidate of the Twelve Elders of Cold Blood Peak. This rank was higher than an Inner Sect Elder.

If he reached Core Formation Peak in the future, he could challenge one of the Twelve Elders. It was the largest interest group beneath Nascent Soul within Cold Blood Peak. In terms of authority, it was second only to one person and above all others.

This was a benefit that looked toward the future. The greatest benefit for the present was a fifty percent discount and priority rights to exchange items from the sect's treasury.

This privilege could be used only three times every fifty years.

However, it greatly reduced the difficulty of obtaining resources. He would also receive offerings from lower-ranked disciples and an annual salary of thirty thousand spirit stones.

Ten years would be three hundred thousand, which was enough to buy a fine unrefined third-rank spiritual material.

After reading everything, Wang Yu felt even more emotional.

The more compensation Zhuo Shouqing gave now, the more it showed how much he needed Wang Yu's strength. Since the Nether River Contract had already been signed, he had no regrets.

Even without Zhuo Shouqing, he would eventually face Fu Xiao. This only advanced the timing.

He glanced at his Idle Slot. The Demonic Embryo Mysterious Origin Curse had already been placed in the first position. Although this secret art was perfected, it still had room for improvement. The Idle Slot could evolve it to an even higher tier.

The time required for evolution was one hundred and fifty years.

For him after forming his Core, this was not easy. It took the place of the Corpse Demon Secret Technique in the fifth slot. Now that he had acquired so much inheritance, he would definitely need to reorganize everything later and rearrange it based on the forty year deadline.