For a mont, his throat felt a little dry.
“I… understand. When the third-rank ice-attribute demonic core is delivered two and a half months from now, there will be news in return.”
“Then take care.”
Rising to see Ye Qing off, Wang Yu weighed the storage pouch in his hand. Inside were a thousand stalks of the rare soul-path spirit herb, Ghost Cry Flower.
“As expected of a major power. Their ability to gather such things truly cannot be underestimated. Still… I should also pay attention to any intelligence regarding the ruins of the ancient Heavenly Soul Sect.”
While checking the materials, Wang Yu placed the pill recipe for the Soul Essence Pill into his Idle Slot, temporarily replacing the Corpse Demon Secret Technique.
Although a second-rank pill recipe, it was not easy to refine. Wang Yu, always seeking perfection, had never managed to gather the required materials before. His Idle Slots had always been filled to capacity.
Thus, the pill recipe was still in the beginner’s state.
[Idle Slot 5: Soul Essence Pill (Second-Rank / Soul)]
“Soul Essence Pill (0/100): One furnace every 10 days. 5 years to master.”
This information made Wang Yu pause slightly.
“Ten days?”
The Ice Spirit Pill, also a second-rank recipe, took only one year and produced one furnace per day, not one every ten days.
“Is the Soul Essence Pill special in so way?”
He could not tell the exact difference. The Idle Slots themselves contained many hidden mysteries. Even after using them for so many years, Wang Yu could not claim to have fully understood them.
From the summary, it was clear that refining one furnace of Soul Essence Pills required ten days.
Ten days later, as the insights from the Idle Slot flowed into his mind, Wang Yu finally understood the peculiarity.
As it turned out, refining the Soul Essence Pill not only required the listed ingredients but also a unique technique—infusing one’s divine sense into the pill continuously during refinent.
It was slow, ticulous work, and that was why it took longer than the Ice Spirit Pill.
“Five years isn’t that long. Compared to others, I should be content.”
By then, it would also be nearly ti for the second Treasure Exchange Gathering. He was counting on that event to help him gather rarer spiritual materials and equipnt.
Two and a half months later.
When the third-rank ice-attribute demonic core arrived, Wang Yu did not speak much with Tower Master Ye. He learned that Jin Miaoshan could not reply for now, as she was in secluded cultivation, dealing with a very troubleso matter.
Once she erged, she would imdiately see the ssage he had sent.
Wang Yu’s expression beca sowhat complicated.
He did not want such a convenient channel of contact to break down, but given the distance between them, there was little he could do but wait for her to reach out.
Whether Jin Miaoshan could seize the chance to comprehend the Prajna Heart Sutra would depend on fate.
A period of ti later.
In the City Lord’s Mansion of Jade Spirit City, inside a sealed chamber.
A torrent of cold flas erupted violently, filling the formation-protected space almost entirely with ice.
By theory, Wang Yu should refine a Third-Rank Cold Chi Pill, consu and refine it, and then use it to assist his cold fla in advancing.
However—
He did not yet have a third-rank pill furnace (still being custom-made), nor had he mastered the third-rank Cold Chi Alchemy Technique. So he used another thod to elevate the fla—letting it evolve on its own.
All the materials were prepared. Using his pill-refining techniques, he released the fla’s full power. Imdiately, the cold fla displayed its primal instincts—burning, flaring, and freezing.
These were manifestations of its strength. Its instinct, however, was evolution.
The pre-treated dicinal liquid was guided by Wang Yu’s alchemical control to envelop the cold fla’s core. Then, activating the Twelve Fla Spirit Seals, he made it refine itself.
This was, in fact, a recorded technique in the Cold Chi Alchemy Technique—a thod of elevating a fla’s grade.
Wang Yu wished to master it early, unwilling to wait a hundred and twenty years to perfect the art. Thus, he took this shortcut.
Once the pill furnace was ready, he could then attempt to refine a third-rank spiritual pill. Even if it was only of lower grade, it would still provide him a new trump card.
The chamber was perilous.
Yet the cold fla had been cultivated by Wang Yu himself. Even when allowed to act freely, it remained strongly bound to him. His resilient body also allowed him to withstand both the extre cold and the scorching heat.
Under the vigilant monitoring of his divine sense, he occasionally infused true essence to assist the process.
Everything was moving in the right direction.
Several days later.
As the advancent reached its conclusion, the fla transford completely into an icy-blue fire. It beca thicker and more viscous, clinging to Wang Yu’s seated figure like maggots to bone.
“Hiss…”
Even with their innate connection, Wang Yu still felt the piercing chill and the scent of his own flesh searing. He involuntarily drew a sharp breath.
At last, the cold fla’s evolution was complete. It had gained a form resembling an ice chi—a serpent-like creature close to a dragon—due to the repeated absorption of demonic core essences.
It had instinctively taken this shape.
Most importantly, it had developed a trace of spiritual intelligence.
Wang Yu used the Fire-Gathering Technique from the Cold Chi Alchemy Technique to subdue it once more. The process went smoothly; the fla did not resist at all.
“From now on, I shall call you… Ice Chi Pill Fla.”
Reaching the third rank was already the limit that Wang Yu could achieve. It was also the upper limit of the Cold Chi Alchemy Technique. Without further opportunities in the future, the Ice Chi Pill Fla would no longer evolve.
However, Wang Yu still had a backup thod. Once the Cold Chi Alchemy Technique was completely repaired, he could use the deduction ability of the Idle Slot to elevate it to the fourth rank. By then, there would naturally be ways to further improve it.
That, however, would be many years later. At present, the Ice Chi Pill Fla was not only the fla he used for Alchemy but also one of his trump cards for combat.
If he used it with the Fla Manifestation Technique, its power would reach the level of a second-rank supre-grade spell, one tier stronger than the Mysterious Yin Hand.
“My trump card has improved again. Not bad.”
After this advancent ended, Wang Yu would have so free ti. It was just right for him to reorganize his cultivation system.
The City Lord of Jade Spirit City also needed ti to settle and accumulate strength.
…
…
“Daoist Brother Qingyang.”
“City Lord.”
After True Personage Qingyang officially joined the City Lord’s Mansion, he indeed obtained a cultivation environnt far superior to that of the Ink-Water Sect, yet his overall resources were actually reduced.
After all, back at the Ink-Water Sect, he held great authority and had the privilege to mobilize the sect’s treasury at will.
But here in Jade Spirit City, Wang Yu held the highest authority. Naturally, he would not grant Qingyang such rights. Therefore, the benefits and resources allocated to the First Consecrator were actually less than what he had during his Ink-Water Sect days.
However, the direct disciples who followed Qingyang all exclaid that the City Lord’s Mansion’s conditions were excellent, far better than working hard at the Ink-Water Sect with no future prospects.
So ti ago, those unlucky miners who joined had been placed into the City Patrol Guard. In simpler terms, they beca city enforcers, and their treatnt was far better than they had imagined.
This ti, when True Personage Qingyang ca and addressed him as City Lord, it was not due to so small dissatisfaction. It was simply a matter of identity. Now that he was officially a subordinate, it was no longer proper to call Wang Yu “Brother Wang.” He had to address him by title.
“Daoist Brother, did you co to see for sothing?”
“Yes.” Qingyang hesitated for a mont and said, “I wish to search for suitable materials to refine my Life-bound Treasure. I asked Master Ye from the Branch Tower, but he seed unwilling to help .”
Wang Yu pondered for a mont. “The Jade Spirit Branch Tower is of a lower grade. One or two third-rank spiritual items are fine, but anything more is beyond his authority.”
“Then, does the City Lord have any ideas? If not, I can only try my luck at the Yanluo Ghost Market.”
“The Life-bound Treasure should indeed be refined as soon as possible.”
Wang Yu thought quietly. With the wealth provided by two early Core Formation cultivators, Qingyang should have enough ans to handle his Life-bound Treasure by himself.
The real issue he faced was the sa as that of countless rogue cultivators, even one Wang Yu himself had experienced before—the problem of connections and channels.
Since the First Consecrator had co to him personally, Wang Yu naturally had to help by offering advice. But then he suddenly rembered sothing and decided to use this chance to accomplish another goal.
“There are three thods.
First, five years from now, during the second Jade Spirit Fragrance Gathering, many new guests will arrive. At that ti, Daoist Brother can propose a treasure exchange.
Second, you can visit the Violet-Golden Chamber of Comrce in the Northern District. They handle Jade Spirit City’s trade with the Yanluo Ghost Market. Through the City Lord’s Mansion, there are proper channels. You can wait for news from them before acting.
As for the third…”
The first two thods could proceed simultaneously, since Qingyang required quite a few materials. Secondary and first-rank auxiliary materials were easy to find, but third-rank components were difficult.
Upon hearing this, Qingyang beca slightly anxious. “What is the third thod? Is there a risk?”
“A little.”
Wang Yu unfolded the map of Cloud Ridge Prefecture and explained.
“When the Exalted Sect built Jade Spirit City back in the day, the formation, spiritual veins, and scale were all designed for a third-rank city.
“But ever since the Tuoba Clan seized control a hundred years ago and reduced the city’s tier to Foundation Establishnt level, the Jade Spirit Branch Tower’s standards have been gradually declining.
“The reason is simple. This city lacks enough cultivators of higher rank to serve as consurs. When the City Lord’s Mansion, the largest spender, stops purchasing, the branch tower’s profits naturally fall sharply.
“Moreover, the three great clans in the city are unwilling to risk their capital to fight for Core Formation opportunities.
“These past years, the three Core Formation sects outside the city should have noticed as well. The high-grade spiritual item market has been shrinking.”
From different perspectives co different concerns.
In the past, Wang Yu focused on individuals. Now, as the City Lord, his vision was set upon Jade Spirit City as a whole. Through Qingyang’s matter, he might even push forward the city’s overall developnt.
“It does seem that way,” Qingyang murmured. “Most of these years, I have been in seclusion refining my cultivation. By the ti I noticed, the Jade Spirit Branch Tower had already declined to the Foundation Establishnt level.”
Wang Yu spread his hands, speaking in a calm tone.
“rchants chase profit, and even the cultivators’ trade halls are no different. Without consurs of sufficient weight and with stockpiles piling up, they naturally downgrade the branch’s rank.
“But now that I have arrived, and since I have been purchasing many items from them, yet they still refuse to raise the branch’s level, we will have to find another path.”
True Personage Qingyang imdiately understood Wang Yu’s aning.
“The City Lord ans for to approach the Heaven Treasure Pavilion?”
Wang Yu did not answer directly. Instead, he pointed at the map of Cloud Ridge Prefecture and said, “Here is Ink Mountain City. The Heaven Treasure Pavilion’s main branch in Cloud Ridge Prefecture is there. The Crimson Kite region is dangerous to travel through.
“You can invite Senior Golden Flower, the Mistress of the Scent-Perceiving Sect, the Lord of Purple Dragon Mountain, and the Master of the Ink-Water Sect to accompany you for the purchase. Then, in my na, deliver this treasure scroll to them.”
The scroll contained a list of third-rank treasures Wang Yu sought to purchase. He possessed a vast amount of low-grade spirit stones, and his wealth was increasing each year. He urgently wanted to convert them into valuable spiritual items.
Keeping them stored was less worthwhile than investing in true treasures.
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