Chapter 157

Rogue cultivators are never in short supply anywhere.

On the way back from Silver Horn Market to Jiao Tian Island by flight, Yunhe felt many divine senses sweeping over him, intentionally or not; how many were hostile is unknown.

On the way back from Silver Horn Market to Jiao Tian Island by flight, Yunhe felt many divine senses sweeping over him, intentionally or not; how many were hostile is unknown.

Wearing a plain gray hemp robe, hands clasped behind his back, simply standing there caused many whose divine sense swept over him to be instantly frightened and flee.

The cultivator who frightened away many is naturally the Heavenly Capital Gu Corpse.

Although the current Corpse Soul Gu still falls short of disguising the Heavenly Capital Gu Corpse as a true cultivator, a simple sweep of distant divine sense is enough to scare off most ill‑intentioned people, given its cultivation comparable to Golden Core.

One thing can be certain.

Whether in the Eastern Realm or the Cloud Realm, Golden Core cultivators count as top‑tier; the existence of the Heavenly Capital Gu Corpse can help him avoid many unnecessary troubles.

Indeed.

With the Heavenly Capital Gu Corpse holding the fort, Yunhe encountered no obstruction along the way and didn't even see a trace of rogue cultivators.

He smoothly returned to the cave dwelling on Jiao Tian Island.

Inside the cave dwelling.

Yunhe sorted and stored the purchased supplies one by one.

Except for a small segment of the Firewood Wutong root.

What concerned him most were the Melted Snow Spiritual Liquid and the Condensed Yuan Liquid, two Golden Core spiritual items.

Each could slightly increase the Golden Core success rate, but the increase wasn't large; not even half, estimating an increase of three tenths would already be good.

Thus, the price of these two Golden Core spiritual items was not small.

However, the process of buying these two Golden Core spiritual items went smoothly, exceeding his expectations somewhat.

They were not selected from the auction items, but were the 'regular' spiritual items of the Yun Merchant Pavilion.

In other words, as long as one had Spirit Stones, they could purchase them anytime from the Yun Merchant Pavilion.

"No matter from which angle, the resources of the Yun Outer Realm seem somewhat more abundant than those of the Eastern Realm. Perhaps I previously didn't properly tap into the Eastern Realm's resources and market; otherwise, the Qingzong Sect, Ling Beast Sect, and Guiyuan Sect wouldn't have so many Golden Core cultivators."

Through the Golden Core insights given by Huaxin, Yunhe already had a rough understanding of the entire Golden Core process.

Although no one has officially statistics, it is said that an ordinary cultivator, without any external aid, has a probability of forming a Golden Core far below one percent.

It is much lower than the probability of a cultivator forming a Foundation Establishment on their own.

However, compared to Foundation Establishment, the damage from failing to form a Golden Core is relatively much smaller.

It won't directly kill the failed cultivator, but it may permanently regress their cultivation base and magical power.

In other words, the magical power painstakingly cultivated to Foundation Establishment perfection may need to be retrained before one can continue pushing for Golden Core; the time consumed in between is something every Foundation Establishment cultivator cannot afford.

Thus, spiritual items that can increase the Golden Core success rate become especially important.

"Breaking through Golden Core, after all, is essentially the three gates of essence, energy, and spirit."

He also possesses a top‑tier Golden Core spiritual item, the Ice Crystal Green Lotus, which aids Golden Core far more than the Melted Snow Spiritual Liquid and Condensed Yuan Liquid, at least adding one tenth.

"My divine sense, magical power, and spiritual body are all top‑tier; they will give me a naturally much higher Golden Core success rate than ordinary cultivators."

Of course, these so‑called probabilities, odds, and success rates are merely Yunhe's estimates; when the actual breakthrough occurs, it's not a matter of playing with numbers— a slight deviation or oversight could lead to total loss, rendering even a high success rate useless.

"In short, the current primary goal is still to raise the cultivation base to Foundation Establishment perfection; everything else is secondary, and Golden Core matters can be postponed."

Without even reaching Foundation Establishment perfection, how can one talk about Golden Core?

He gathered his scattered thoughts.

Yunhe flipped his palm, sending the Firewood Wutong root segment together with its wooden box 'transmitted' to the Thus line: Yao Shou Shijie.

Merely that small root segment, he truly didn't know how much effect it could have in artifact refining, but he still harbored a tiny fantasy.

This root segment is hard to replant in the cultivation world; if placed in the relatively more spiritually rich Thus line: Yao Shou Shijie, would it fare better?

The soil of Huanhu Dao where the Demon Beast Body resides, after his continuous watering and fertilizing, is absolutely more fertile than here; perhaps there is a chance to make it grow?

"If it really doesn't work, consider mixing it with other spiritual woods; even a little bit of Firewood Wutong in the blend would certainly be far better than using only ordinary spiritual woods."

The thought ends here.

Yunhe took a sip from the red gourd, then entered meditation again, beginning his long cultivation.

Thus line: Yao Shou Shijie.

Yunhe, the little fox, and the White Ape King—two large demon beasts, three Second‑tier Beasts—lay together on the ground, staring at a patch of extremely fertile soil.

The White Ape King carefully took out a small bottle of scarlet essence blood and cautiously poured it into the soil.

After waiting silently for a long time with no result, Yunhe gestured again to the White Ape King.

"Monkey."

"Yes." The White Ape King swallowed, then took out another bottle of emerald‑green liquid, pouring it even more carefully into the soil.

When that liquid, exuding strong Spiritual Power fluctuations, had completely seeped and sunk into the soil, their Demon Sense still detected no hint.

"Indeed, still not working."

Yunhe let out a long sigh, sat up, and shook his head.

What was buried in the soil was naturally that Firewood Wutong root segment, while what was poured down was the essence blood of fire‑attribute and wood‑attribute demon beasts.

Although it was merely the essence blood of Second‑tier Beasts, it was also something Yunhe had spent considerable time obtaining.

Whooo—

"Isn't this a dead root?" the little fox also couldn't help but ask.

"What spiritual plant would survive after that operation?" This small root segment didn't even twitch.

"Just leave it; if it really can't be grown, there's nothing to do."

Yunhe also completely gave up.

He could feel a faint vitality hidden within that root segment, though extremely weak, yet it did not escape his Demon Sense perception; otherwise he wouldn't have bought it initially.

But now it's been a month since planting, with no movement, he has no other recourse.

The spirit field conditions on Huanhu Dao are already the best he has seen; planting them on Huanhu Dao yields no change, and he has no other recourse.

If placed here, and when he is about to begin refining his natal magic treasure, if it still hasn't changed, then he will have no choice but to reluctantly use it.

"Right, monkey, come with me."

Yunhe suddenly said, having just thought of something.

Speaking, he walked toward the outside of the spirit field.

The curious little fox didn't leave, but instead followed closely behind; seeing this, Yunhe didn't say anything more.

"King."

Arriving at the shore, the White Ape King, seeing Yunhe's solemn expression, couldn't help but speak out of curiosity.

Then they saw Yunhe raise his paw and lightly place it on the White Ape King's shoulder.

"Feel it well."

Immediately after, a strand of extremely pure demonic power entered the White Ape King's body along his claw.

In response, the White Ape King offered no resistance, merely feeling it silently.

After a while.

The doubt originally in the White Ape King's eyes was replaced by shock.

"King, this, this is."

It could clearly feel that, as Yunhe's demonic power entered its body and wandered along the meridians, its own demonic power also began to flow bit by bit along with Yunhe's demonic power.

This lack of movement doesn't matter; after completing a great circuit, the White Ape King discovered that its demonic power had actually increased!

Although the increase wasn't much, if not for its own sensing it would hardly be noticeable, but this was also a feeling it had never experienced before.

Can demonic beasts increase their demonic power through means other than eating?

The little fox beside him obviously guessed what Yunhe was doing; its pair of bright, watery eyes flickered, and looking at Yunhe, its eyes were full of admiration.

"This is a cultivation technique I hastily drafted; it's not yet complete, but for someone like you who hasn't cultivated any technique, it should be somewhat beneficial."

Exactly, the demonic power that just circulated in the White Ape King's body was the circulation of the technique he created.

Created as a simple technique, referencing many demon beast and cultivator techniques, with the 'Tuo Shan Jue' as a blueprint.

If one were to count, it's roughly equivalent to completing the early stage of Qi Refining.

"You first cultivate; I will continue to adjust the technique and keep creating more. After you have cultivated for a while and if there are no problems, I will then have you pass it on to the swallow and the viper."

The White Ape King nodded repeatedly, the shock in his eyes not yet fully faded.

That feeling just now was truly amazing for it!

Although it is merely an extremely simple technique, for the White Ape King, a demon beast that has never cultivated any technique, it is absolutely a tremendous help.

Of course, for Yunhe it actually means even more.

This is the first technique he created, representing his consolidation and summary of the path of cultivation.

It is a major breakthrough from nothing to something.

"Did he really create it?"

Only after the White Ape King left did the little fox finally couldn't help but speak.

It understood better than the White Ape King what creating a technique signified; it never expected that its offhand remark would actually let Yunhe accomplish it.

He patted its head, Yunhe said with a smile:

"It's just the simplest and most basic technique; there are still many places needing adjustment. Let the monkey practice it first; there shouldn't be any bad problems."

"A simple basic technique is also amazing, okay?" the little fox muttered quietly.

Demonic beasts are inherently low in intelligence; how could a second-tier demonic beast possibly create its own technique?

"What?"

Yunhe didn't catch what it was muttering.

"No." The little fox's head shook like a rattle-drum, and then it curiously asked: "What is the name of this technique?"

"Name?"

Yunhe was stunned, then speechless.

He really hadn't thought about it.

So he casually said:

"Let's just call it 'Line: Mysterious Beast Technique'."

After all, it's just a basic technique; any name will do.

Actually.

In the process of creating 'Line: Mysterious Beast Technique', he came up with an extremely bold idea.

If demon beast techniques and cultivator techniques were integrated, what would they become?

However, given his current abilities, it's just a thought.

But since the beginning is always the hardest, he has already begun to create a body of demon beast techniques; as he reviews more techniques and his understanding deepens, he might actually try it, though not necessarily.

"'Demonic beasts value the body, cultivators value mana, they're lacking something.'"

"Line: Mysterious Beast Technique"

The little fox also lowered its head, repeating the name of the technique.

Time trickled by.

As the saying goes, cultivation knows no years; in the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed.

This is the first time Yunhe has been completely immersed in cultivation for such a long time.

With the occasional consumption of 'Marrow Yuan Dan' and diligent cultivation, Yunhe finally raised his cultivation base to the point where Foundation Establishment could no longer be improved even a bit.

Foundation Establishment Perfected!

(End of Chapter)