Chapter 1003 The Fall
Ji An put away the urn and saw Wu Yue Sanren and the others looking at him expectantly. He asked:
"What's wrong with you all? I told you to monitor the situation outside the magic circle, not to focus your attention on me."
The Hermit of Five Mountains scratched his head and said:
"Your Majesty, the burning thing had a special fragrance. My instincts tell me that if I could ingest some, it would be beneficial for purifying my blood."
Reason told him he absolutely could not touch anything belonging to demonic cultivators; no one knew what hidden tricks might be involved, but the temptation was real.
Yue Ling'er subconsciously smoothed her hair back, "That fragrance does have a special appeal."
Dahuang swallowed hard and wiped his mouth. The aroma wasn't strong, but it was enough to arouse the desire in his heart.
Ji An nodded slightly and explained:
"According to my understanding of cultivation, the so-called demonic cultivation and Buddhist cultivation are also a kind of path. The final destination may be slightly different, but in essence, they all lead to the same goal."
No matter which path you take, the purer your cultivation, the better. The blood soul that was just burned will eventually end up like this.
However, the very aroma indicates impurities in the blood, making consumption risky.
In his understanding, blood soul should be an application of the way of qi and blood. When blood soul becomes pure, all energy will be contained and will not leak even after burning.
If any living being were to consume the remnants of blood and soul in his hand, it would most likely lose consciousness and become a mindless, instinct-driven zombie.
Wu Yue Sanren scratched his head. "I see. However, not many low-level cultivators can resist such temptations."
He handed out a storage bag and continued:
"These are collected bone fragments. Some parts were broken into powder, but they were all collected as soon as they were discovered."
"Your Majesty, has the skeletal monster reached the late stage of the Three Flowers Realm?"
The skeletal monster appeared for only a moment, but one could sense how powerful the energy it emitted was.
Ji An took the bag, grabbed a handful of fragments to examine them, and then a happy smile spread across his face:
"Yes."
The skeletal monster's level must have reached the fifth-tier top-grade level, otherwise its bone spikes would not have pierced so deeply into the 'solid ice' created by the Solid Metal Technique.
Although the monster was shattered into large and small bone fragments, it did not affect the fertility of the ashes after being burned. This was a more valuable trophy than the fragments of the Blood Soul.
With today's gains, we can greatly accelerate the upgrading of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root.
He emptied all the bone fragments from his storage bag and sorted them, then began to burn them with the Yin-Yang Spirit Fire, starting with the fragments that turned into powder.
The reason for not burning in the small world is to prevent the presence of tiny, dust-like particles.
These are all belonging to demonic cultivators at the peak of the Three Flowers Realm. Necessary caution is necessary; otherwise, it will be difficult to deal with if they pollute the soil.
Ji An switched to a different mine shaft to continue supervising the puppets as they dug for spiritual objects. Luckily, they made a harvest every now and then.
The demonic cultivator who escaped never reappeared; it's unknown whether he left the Primordial Ancient Mine.
During the excavation, he also encountered monsters living there, each with a strange and ferocious appearance. Among them were many monsters of the fifth rank and above, but he killed them all and turned them into fertilizer.
Not only did they unearth a lot of Yin Metal items, but they also found a Yuan Crystal.
The Yuan Crystals excavated from here contain many Yin Qi impurities and need to be cleansed by consuming spiritual energy multiple times before they can truly become qualified Yuan Crystals.
Three years passed peacefully. On this day, Ji An entered the gourd world to rest as usual and saw Yue Ling'er guarding the shadow of the Gathering Yuan Tree.
It was daytime in the small world at this moment, and normally she would be deep underground.
"What's up?"
Yue Ling'er hurriedly stepped forward and said happily:
"Your Majesty, I have already honed my cultivation to the perfect Nascent Soul stage."
I had a realization during my practice today: a breakthrough is just around the corner.
Back then, her cultivation level was stronger than that of the Five Mountains Hermit, but he gradually caught up with her, and eventually she fell behind.
Now that her opponent has been at the Three Flowers Realm for hundreds of years, she is finally about to take this crucial step, and her joy is beyond compare.
Ji An raised an eyebrow, and a hearty laugh echoed through the woods:
"Alright! Let me rest for a while and have a pot of spiritual tea before we leave this place."
There were still more than three months until his original departure time. Since the other party was going to break through, he might as well leave directly and return to Haixing City after Yue Ling'er broke through.
The stone tortoise hadn't absorbed any Daoist essence for a long time, and it was finally able to reap some rewards.
Ayun brewed a pot of Phoenix Dance Danxia Tea, which Ji An drank with great relish. The tea tasted exceptionally good today.
The Phoenix Perching Wood has been upgraded to the fifth tier, adding a decent new product to the small world.
After finishing his tea, he closed his eyes to rest for a moment before leaving the small world. The Five Mountains Hermit, who was watching over him outside, asked in surprise:
"Your Majesty, what has happened?"
"Haha, that's good news. Yue Ling'er said she has a premonition of a breakthrough. Let's leave immediately."
He used a magic spell to shut down the Nine-Bend Heavenly River Formation, then quickly put away the formation plates, formation flags, and the like, before flying away while remaining vigilant.
Ten days later, Ji An was in a certain starry sky. This place was located behind a desolate planet and could be used as a breakthrough point. There should be no one to disturb him.
He summoned Yue Ling'er and handed her two low-grade fifth-tier Yin Soul Fruits and two Earth Spirit Fruits, along with several plates of Soul Nourishing Incense.
"When we return to Starfish City, I will hold a celebration for you."
The other party has already consulted the Five Mountains Hermit on matters of breakthrough. In Ji An's view, with the experience of predecessors to draw upon, the other party's path should be much smoother.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Please wait for good news."
Yue Ling'er happily accepted the spirit fruit and said:
"I have already adjusted myself to my best condition, and I can start the breakthrough now."
One cannot linger in the starry sky for long at the Nascent Soul Perfection level; one must race against time to break through.
Ji An nodded slightly, giving him an encouraging look, and left with the Five Mountains Hermit.
Not long after they left, they saw purple thunderclouds begin to gather.
The next day, as the Chaos Divine Thunder was being conceived, Ji An's eyes suddenly narrowed.
This is the final tribulation lightning strike. Once you get past it, the world will be your oyster, but this tribulation lightning strike will be much more intense than usual.
He quickly turned his head and asked:
"Judging from the area where the tribulation clouds gathered, their intensity must be quite high, and they are clearly wider than what you experienced back then. Why is her tribulation lightning stronger than what you experienced back then?"
In the starry sky, the intensity of a lightning tribulation can be easily predicted based on the area of the tribulation clouds.
When Yue Ling'er first broke through, the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning seemed to be working normally, but for some reason the Yin Yang Divine Lightning was unusually strong.
He couldn't understand it. In terms of foundation, the Five-Colored Deer was stronger than Yue Ling'er. Normally, Yue Ling'er's tribulation should have been weaker.
Wu Yue Sanren was equally dumbfounded. He had no idea what was going on. After a moment, he speculated:
"I think it might be due to bloodline. Yue Ling'er's origin is that of a corpse that was born from the earth's yin energy. From the perspective of the heavens, such a being is not tolerated by heaven and earth."
Ji An frowned, placed his hand on his chest, and slowly exhaled, silently praying for Yue Ling'er.
Half an hour later, the black and white Yin-Yang divine lightning flashed, illuminating the dark starry sky.
When the thunderclouds dispersed, no spiritual petals fell from the void, nor did any ethereal and beautiful celestial music resound; all signs of a successful breakthrough appeared.
The stone turtle returned to his side, imprinting the final image into his mind.
Ji An let out a silent sigh. The lightning completely destroyed Yue Ling'er's body, leaving only a few specks of dust.
Wuyue Sanren felt his throat go dry and asked:
"Your Majesty, what is the situation?"
When the Yin-Yang Divine Lightning struck, it completely enveloped Yue Ling'er's body, and his gaze could not penetrate the lightning.
He already knew the outcome in his heart, but he was somewhat unwilling to believe it.
Ji An slowly shook his head. "Let's go. This starry sky is her home, and she will never have any more worries again."
The atmosphere was somber during the journey home. Ji An and his companion spoke very little and kept their heads down as they traveled. Four months later, they returned to Haixing City.
Ji An entered the small world, flew to the vicinity of the Panyun Tree, and communicated with the stone tortoise mentally:
"Refine all the Dao essence to upgrade the grade of the Gathering Yuan Tree."
This is the Daoist essence that Yue Ling'er exchanged for her life. Although the other party has died and her Dao has vanished, she will accompany him in another form.
The ashes of those of the fifth rank or higher obtained from the Primordial Ancient Mine were all scattered near those whose Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots were still at the fifth rank or middle level.
Apart from the Panyun Tree, all the other spiritual roots of heaven and earth have reached the fifth-order superior grade.
The stone tortoise appeared above the spirit tree, and countless black or white light threads wove into a cocoon. A Tai Chi diagram appeared below the spirit tree.
The Tai Chi diagram slowly began to rotate. An hour later, the stone tortoise left, and the cocoon of light shattered into streams of light.
Ji An smiled as he saw the spirit tree suddenly grow more than five feet taller. He extended his divine sense to sense the life force of the Panyun Tree, and the spirit tree had indeed made a breakthrough.
As the last spiritual root of heaven and earth was upgraded to the fifth-grade superior level, a harmonious rhythm began to circulate deep within the earth's veins.
He made a hand seal and released the Yin-Yang Spirit Transformation Technique. Amidst the thunderous roar, a torrential downpour occurred, and countless bright rain lines appeared between heaven and earth, with vibrant life spreading throughout the spirit field.
Several years ago, after the Yin-Yang Dao Seed was upgraded to the highest grade, the power of the spell increased by more than 30%.
With the rhythm of the five elements' cyclical power between the spiritual roots of heaven and earth, the spiritual vein grade of the small world has completely entered the fast lane.
Ji An once again connected his mind to the stone tortoise to check the consumption of Daoist energy, and was pleasantly surprised to find that both types of Daoist energy had more than 600 points left.
"There's still so much food left over, haha, that's great."
After resting for several days, Ji An visited the Recluse of the Crescent Moon. He took out all the fifth-grade high-quality metal-elemental spiritual items he had acquired on this trip and asked:
"Fellow Daoist, do you have any spiritual items to fill the gap in your ability to upgrade the Plain Cloud Banner?"
If the Plain Cloud Banner can be upgraded, he will explain to Yunmiao Sanren that he should ask the other party to postpone the departure.
Of the five flags he currently possesses, two are top-grade fifth-tier spiritual treasures, one is a high-grade fifth-tier treasure, and only the Wuji Apricot Yellow Flag and the Plain Cloud Flag are mid-grade fifth-tier treasures.
Upgrading the grade of any magical treasure is good news for the Calabash World, and its magical power will increase accordingly.
The Recluse of the Crescent Moon checked the proportion of the spiritual items and gently shook his head:
"We are short of the required quantities for four types of spiritual materials. Would you like my assistance in purchasing them?"
Ji An frowned slightly and said:
"Thank you for your help, fellow Daoist. By the way, if I could obtain a fifth-grade superior Seven Luminaries Golden Branch Spirit Fruit, would that be enough to upgrade the Plain-Colored Cloud Banner?"
He still possesses some Daoist essence, which he can use to accelerate the ripening of the Seven Luminaries Golden Branch's fruit.
The Daoist principles may not be enough, but how can one be content without trying?
"The spiritual fruit of the Seven Luminaries Golden Branch is not a panacea; there is only one spiritual material that can be replaced by the spiritual fruit."
Ji An scratched his head, sighed softly, and said:
"Fellow Daoist, please keep an eye out for the materials. I hope to hear good news when I return to Starfish City."
For him, as long as the grade of the spirit treasure is improved, the power of the spell will inevitably increase accordingly; it is a series of transmissions and feedbacks.
"Just wait for good news. Fellow Daoist Yunmiao is willing to go to the deep sea to participate in the hunt. I wish you all the best."
Crescent Moon Hermit pursed his lips and continued:
"I cannot guarantee that I will be able to obtain the relevant spiritual materials. Please do not blame me if I am unlucky."
He needs to make a statement in advance to avoid making the other party feel uncomfortable.
"Fellow Daoist, you are overthinking it. I am not that kind of person."
After answering, Ji An took out the White Bone Myriad Spirit Umbrella and handed it out, saying:
"Could you help me see if there's any way to sell this magical artifact?"
This is the treasure of the White Night Saint Lord. After the other party lost their body and informed him, he took the spiritual treasure.
The Crescent Moon Hermit took the magic treasure and examined it carefully, then let out a sigh:
"Judging from the patterns on it, this magical treasure is the natal treasure of a demonic cultivator. Even if one wanted to refine some materials from it, it would be impossible."
A demonic cultivator's natal treasure needs to be imprinted with their own bloodline mark. In this way, even if another cultivator obtains the natal treasure, it will be a complete waste.
If this magical treasure were to fall into the hands of other demonic cultivators, they might have a chance to obtain some materials.
Lacking experience in handling such matters, the Hermit of the Crescent Moon could only watch helplessly as this top-grade fifth-tier treasure decayed.
The two talked for half an hour before Ji An took his leave to visit Yunmiao Sanren and agreed to depart at the planned time.
While there was still time, he had to quickly clean out the impurities inside the excavated elemental crystal.
There are no islands in the vast deep sea, nor any landmarks to reflect the changing seasons. In the blink of an eye, three years have passed.
That day, after exchanging words with the beast tamers who had participated in the exploration, Yunmiao Sanren said with delight:
"Fellow Daoist, good news!"
Ji An maintained his smile and asked:
"What good news? Could it be that we've discovered traces of a sea beast of the fifth rank or higher?"
Hunting in the deep sea is no easy task, as most areas there are simply no living things.
In the past few years, they have only hunted two fifth-tier high-grade sea beasts, and none of them have reached a higher grade.
Fortunately, a complete hunting cycle takes about ten years, so he shouldn't be in a hurry; there will be other opportunities later.
"Haha, this is even more exciting than finding traces of high-level sea monsters!"
Yunmiao Sanren waved his fist, paused for a moment, and then continued:
"It's a mineral vein. Judging from the feedback images, it's very likely a medium-sized mineral vein of the fifth-tier high-grade level!"
(End of this chapter)
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