Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 495

Compared to two hundred years ago, Spider Mountain had barely changed. However, the number of stationed cultivators had dropped sharply. Nowadays, almost no cultivators remained in the entire Crimson Kite cultivation world.

Everyone had surged toward Taihu. Even those who did not join the front lines could still reap plenty of benefits from the territories captured after the demonic path’s assaults. The casualties from direct, hard-fought battles were actually far smaller than imagined.

The real source of disaster was this wave of demonic cultivators sweeping the battlefield afterward. They had no bottom line or morals whatsoever, delivering a heavy blow to Taihu’s population.

They swept through like a sieve, leaving behind incalculable casualties.

The meeting place Wang Yu had arranged with Yan Ling was Spider Mountain.

After arriving, he did not find her immediately. Instead, he located only the divine-sense imprint she had left inside the Spider Cave. Once triggered, Yan Ling’s main body would know.

He waited like this for a full month.

A streak of blue escape light filled with frost suddenly descended into Spider Mountain. She wore a floor-length flowing skirt embroidered with flying birds and flowers. Her three thousand black strands cascaded down, adorned with a silver-patterned cicada-gauze headdress.

Two pieces of ice-clear azure jade hung at her waist, and a white jade ribbon embroidered with frost flowers gently cinched her slender, graspable waist. Her perky rear swayed left and right with each step, drawing the eye.

Her clear, water-bright eyes were pure and free of any color. Compared to the ice-mountain beauty of the past, she now carried an added feminine charm.

Her figure seemed to have grown slightly as well.

Wang Yu stood at the edge of the cliff, smiling as he looked over.

“Not bad.

“Second layer of Nascent Soul, and on the verge of breaking through. It seems the Blood Reversal Sect gained quite a few benefits from attacking Taihu these past years. How have you been, Fellow Daoist Yan Ling?”

For some unknown reason, hearing Wang Yu’s words made Yan Ling’s eyes suddenly sting. Time was the most terrifying enemy of living beings, yet past memories were the best anchor for emotion.

Recalling the past.

It was a necessary step after achieving success and fame.

The thousands of words in her heart finally condensed into her mouth, leaving only two light words.

“…I’ve been fine.”

Their batch of direct disciples had encountered good timing. Aside from Xie Xie’an, whose whereabouts were unknown, the continuous victories in the righteous-demonic war had allowed the sect to seize vast resources.

With the support of their respective families, they had broken through to Nascent Soul one after another. Except for the Gu Poison Peak’s Lu surname direct disciple, who had failed, everyone else had succeeded.

They were currently serving on the Thunderfire Temple battlefield in the southern part of the Horned Dragon Mountain Range. According to Yan Ling, Zhou Lingjun of Barbarian Ghost Peak had been struck dead by Heavenly Capital Thunder Lord.

He was the first young-generation Nascent Soul to die on that battlefield.

The speed at which the world changed was truly unpredictable.

Their casual chat lasted a long time. They spoke about everything—from young heavenly geniuses to Cold Blood Peak, the Southern Demon Race, the battlefield situation, and so on.

Only after chatting for half a day did they finally get to the main topic.

Wang Yu said, “The journey into the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm is extremely dangerous. I will enter together with the Northern Demon Race’s team. I’ll entrust this Holy Token to you to hand over to Yu Tangtang. You two can go to the Endless Ice Plains together.”

Yan Ling nodded, then asked with some doubt.

“Should I disguise myself?”

“Depends on the situation. The Ice Race will definitely send a large number of experts. You can hide among the rogue cultivator teams and help me gather intelligence on the powerhouses. The specific plan will have to be adjusted according to actual circumstances.”

The Heavenly Palace Secret Realm was extremely important. Wang Yu had set his sights on the opportunity to break through to Spirit Transformation there, so he would not act without purpose. He already had a clear idea of the preparations and preliminary plans he needed.

Following the Northern Demon Race’s team was not only because of their overwhelming power.

It was also because they had deep knowledge of the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm. Many hidden pieces of intelligence could be shared, giving him a far greater advantage than exploring alone.

“I understand.”

Yan Ling nodded and said no more. Together with Wang Yu, she stood at the edge of the cliff, watching the clouds roll and unfurl in the distant sky. Her heart felt incomparably relaxed.

Wang Yu was already used to this kind of quiet.

The two sat in silence until dusk.

Yan Ling suddenly spoke.

“Besides the Blood Abyss training trip, I have never explored a secret realm together with you, Daoist Brother. The Myriad Treasures Pool of Golden Abundance Tower will open soon. Why don’t we go together?”

The Heavenly Palace Secret Realm was still more than thirty years away. Waiting was waiting, and since Yan Ling had temporarily left the front lines, she would not be returning anytime soon.

She therefore invited Wang Yu to explore the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm together, taking the chance to build some rapport.

“The Myriad Treasures Secret Realm… that works too.”

This secret realm was also on Wang Yu’s list of preparations. He had accumulated quite a few fourth-rank supreme-grade treasure materials, but he lacked suitable refining methods.

Although the Demon Refining Artifact Art was simple and practical, it could not carefully craft the magic treasures he wanted. The finished products were too crude and could not be considered elegant.

The spiritual materials he had obtained from the Northern Demon Race had mostly been used for cultivating Yellow Springs divine abilities, nurturing the Glazed Iceheart Pagoda, and practicing frozen demonic essence.

He probably still had over a dozen supreme-grade treasure materials left.

Besides various magic treasures and rare items, the core opportunity in the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm was the Myriad Treasures Pool. It was said to have been left behind by the Myriad Treasures Sect of the ancient era.

The Myriad Treasures Pool was a supreme-grade spiritual treasure specialized in artifact refining.

It belonged to Golden Abundance Tower.

When it was in the hands of the Myriad Treasures Sect, renowned artifact-refining masters of each generation would often choose to sacrifice their own bodies to the artifact in their final moments. Only this way had the Myriad Treasures Pool been nurtured into a supreme-grade spiritual treasure.

The legendary Hundred Treasures Liquid, which could directly raise the grade of a magic treasure, was also produced by this secret realm.

As long as one could reach the final stage of the secret realm, they would receive a free refining opportunity from the pool’s artifact spirit. Even the minimum result would be a fourth-rank supreme-grade item.

With good luck, refining a fifth-tier spiritual treasure was also possible.

Therefore.

After a brief consideration, Wang Yu nodded in agreement.

“I was thinking the same thing. Golden Abundance Tower has opened the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm to all Nascent Soul cultivators. You only need to pay five supreme-grade spirit stones as an entry ticket. Are you confident you can reach the end?”

“Worth a try.”

Yan Ling lightly brushed the hair at her temple, the corners of her mouth curving upward.

Compared to the rewards, Wang Yu’s presence attracted her attention far more. After all, his past experiences were already the stuff of legends. In the entire Crimson Kite cultivation world, there was no more suitable Dao companion than him.

Yan Ling stroked the Universe Ring on her finger.

Inside it was an opportunity she had obtained on the battlefield this time—a dual cultivation yin-yang harmony secret art from the Joyous Union Demon Sect. She was still hesitating whether to invite Wang Yu to cultivate it together.

She worried it might damage her face and image, unaware that a certain someone had shamelessly invited Ice Soul Fairy to dual cultivate over nothing more than a single treasure pill.

He would not care about such minor details at all.

When nightfall shrouded the sky, two streaks of escape light—one black, one blue—crossed countless mountains and rivers, heading south. They passed straight through the territory of the Heaven-Refining Demonic Sect without the slightest fear.

Crimson Heaven could only eat their dust from behind. That threat had long since lost its weight in his heart. Sooner or later, he would completely resolve this trouble.

After traveling for more than a full month.

The two arrived at the southern end of the Crimson Kite, in the territory of the Nether Mountain Sect. This was also the headquarters of Golden Abundance Tower—the location of the Heavenly Pool!

The Myriad Treasures Secret Realm lay inside Golden Toad City. Or rather, Golden Toad City had been built here precisely because of this top-tier secret realm.

After a journey of wind and dew, they finally reached their destination.

Wang Yu suddenly remembered his red confidante Jin Miaoshan. She should be close to breaking through to Nascent Soul as well. He wondered whether he would get to see her again this time.

Moreover, the results for Golden Abundance Tower’s four heir candidates would be out soon—most likely right after the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm.

With Jin Lin already dead, Jin Miaoshan now had no competitors left in the Crimson Kite region. Only Jin Xuanxuan and Jin Chixuan from the Taihu side still had the strength to compete.

Perhaps he could even use his connections to slip through the back door?

…

…

Golden Toad City.

This super spiritual city possessed the greatest number of spirit veins in the entire Crimson Kite. The cultivation environment was exceptionally good, with spiritual qi condensing into mist in the air, causing the whole of Golden Toad City to be shrouded in ethereal spiritual fog year-round.

As a major commercial hub and the private territory of the Heavenly Pool Jin Clan, Nascent Soul experts swarmed the city like carp crossing a river. There were simply too many to count. Even Wang Yu could not act freely here.

The architectural style was similar to that of Tianbao City.

Hundreds of floating mountains drifted in the sky around the city. Half of them belonged to Golden Abundance Tower’s Nascent Soul dao fields, while the rest were either functional buildings or leased out to outsiders.

Thanks to the superior spiritual vein environment, land prices in Golden Toad City were outrageously high. Every inch of ground was worth its weight in gold, and renting cave abodes was the most profitable business of all.

Nearby cultivators and clans loved to purchase properties here.

Qi Refining cultivators who stayed too long even risked “spirit intoxication.” Those who lived here long-term were at minimum Foundation Establishment cultivators. This alone showed how prosperous Golden Toad City was.

With the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm about to open, many Nascent Soul cultivators had also returned from the front lines to participate. This caused the number of experts to swell even further, filling the city with lively scenes everywhere.

There were also quite a few privately organized Nascent Soul treasure-exchange meetings. After a quick inquiry, Wang Yu learned of three different Nascent Soul circles. Participation required an introduction.

He was in no hurry about that.

He and Yan Ling settled into a Jin Clan-operated restaurant. Wang Yu ordered a huge table of spiritual delicacies and fine wine, indulging in a vengeful feast. His mouth had grown so tired of plain food that he was ready to enjoy himself.

The cuisine of the southern Crimson Kite was unique because of the Vermilion Bird Divine Mountain. Their preparation of avian delicacies was unmatched, and there was also a special dish supplied by the Nether Mountain Sect.

Yin Beast Meat Porridge. Despite the ordinary name, it was extremely beneficial for cultivators practicing yin, ice, water, or blood-attribute techniques. It strengthened yang and nourished the origin. Drinking a bowl before dual cultivation was especially potent.

The price was rather expensive.

But Wang Yu did not care at all. He had more spirit stones than he could ever spend, so he simply ordered the most expensive items. This made Yan Ling feel a slight pang of heartache.

She had only recently advanced and was currently spending down her savings. Such luxury was rare for her on ordinary days.

While eating, the two discussed serious matters.

“Brother, the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm will open in another month or so. Tomorrow we should first visit Golden Abundance Tower. With your reputation, joining the treasure-exchange meeting hosted by High Priest Youpeng should not be a problem.”

“No rush on that. First, let’s enjoy the local specialties.”

Wang Yu tapped the Yin Beast Meat Porridge with his jade chopsticks.

Yan Ling’s face flushed. She knew the many effects of this porridge and thought Wang Yu was hinting at something. Her small mouth opened slightly, but she hesitated and said nothing.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the side.

“Pretending to be something you’re not. Do you really think just anyone can participate in the treasure-exchange meeting hosted by High Priest Youpeng?

“If this lady wishes to join, this young master can help you. Would you care to share a drink with me~”

Because of the recent influx of outside cultivators into Golden Toad City, Wang Yu and Yan Ling were seated on the third floor of the restaurant by the window. They had not taken a private room, partly because they had not revealed their cultivation.

The person provoking them was a young noble.

He had a rather handsome face and gently waved a sharp-edged black-iron ink fan, thinking himself elegant. In reality, he looked like a clown jumping on a stage.

Wang Yu could not even be bothered to raise an eyebrow.

This idiot was only at Foundation Establishment. The old man beside him was at late-stage Core Formation. With this setup, he was most likely the offspring of some Nascent Soul.

Wang Yu remained unmoved, but Yan Ling grew annoyed.

Her beautiful eyes turned cold as she rebuked,

“In terms of age, I could be your grandmother and would still look too young. Get lost!”

The young noble’s expression changed slightly. He signaled the old man beside him. The old man’s eyes immediately glowed with an inch of spiritual light, clearly using some spirit-pupil secret art to probe the two of them.

Wang Yu finally set his chopsticks down.

“Good advice is wasted on a ghost who deserves death. Hmph!”

Extreme cold spread outward. In an instant, the two were frozen into ice sculptures. The Soul-Gouging Evil Boat drifted over. Wang Yu quickly searched their souls and learned the truth behind the provocation.

“The only son of Heavenly Ghost Old Demon? Interesting…”

When Yan Ling heard this, her brows furrowed tightly.

“Jin Xuanxuan’s people? Why would they deliberately cause trouble for us? Is it because of what you did to Golden Abundance Tower back in your Foundation Establishment days?”

“It’s a long story, but that is not the reason.”

Wang Yu shook his head and quickly pondered in his mind.

Heavenly Ghost Old Demon was Jin Xuanxuan’s protector, an eighth-layer Nascent Soul expert. Just like Jin Xiyuan was to Jin Miaoshan, the two could be considered a single unit.

This person originally came from Yellow Springs Monastery. He had been hunted by the monastery after stealing one of their foundational treasures. On the verge of death from heavy injuries, he was rescued by Golden Abundance Tower and had since become one of the Jin Clan’s Nascent Soul retainers.

From the son’s memories, the incident had been instigated by one of Jin Chixuan’s subordinates. The young man had been driven by lust and had rushed over without thinking.

The whole matter was not meticulous at all. It looked like a deliberately exposed flaw.

If he was not mistaken, the moment the two of them entered Golden Toad City, they had already been marked by the Jin Clan. After all, he was the chief culprit who had personally slain Jin Lin. Although Jin Miaoshan had shouldered the blame afterward, it was not difficult for Nascent Soul-level cultivators to uncover the truth.

Wang Yu muttered,

“His methods are just as clumsy as Jin Lin’s. They really are cut from the same cloth. They want me to become the enemy of the other two heir candidates… The plan is decent, but their brains are a little stupid.”

Yan Ling looked confused.

“What do you mean, Brother?”

“This matter has nothing to do with you. I will handle it personally and take the chance to meet an old acquaintance. Stay here and wait for me for a few days.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Wang Yu’s rising figure paused. His expression remained unchanged as he said, “It’s not convenient. Next time, for sure!”

With that, he transformed into a streak of aurora light and vanished. He left the two ice sculptures on the stairs. Wang Yu had spared their lives for now. There was no need to make enemies recklessly.

On the other hand, he could use the opportunity to demand compensation for the offense.

He was quite skilled at seizing every opening to extract reparations and did not fear these petty, underhanded matters at all.

On a nearby street, the person secretly watching them realized things had gone wrong, but before they could slip away…

They saw Wang Yu leaning casually against the wall ahead.

He said indifferently, “Where do you think you’re going?”