Chapter 197: Ten Years

"Truly a Fourth Level beast!"

Although Yunhe did not see the beast and avoided Demon Sense by promptly using the Cloud Escape Talisman, his innate spiritual perception and some changes in the surrounding environment still let him sense a few clues.

Therefore, after running a certain distance, Yunhe only then, somewhat belatedly, discarded the Frost Shadow Snow Leopard's corpse together with its inner core.

These items, though valuable, could become traceable clues, and compared with his life, they are far too insignificant.

He kept running for a while; when the Cloud Escape Talisman expired, he hurriedly used another, then hid in a remote mountain hollow, straining to activate the Mysterious Demon Cutting Immortal Tactic's Mysterious Demon Illusion Body to conceal his aura and form.

That concealment lasted a full three months!

It wasn't until three months later that he, paranoid, tunneled out of the earth layers.

Carefully using Demon Sense to confirm there were truly no ambushes or powerful beasts nearby, he said nothing and swiftly fled toward Huanhu Dao.

This outing truly left him dusty and disheveled; had his Demon Sense not been strong enough to detect the abnormal activity of Third Level beasts on the snowfield in advance, his life might not have been spared!

He never imagined that a hunt already cautious enough would cause him to stumble into a Fourth Level beast's territory.

One must know that a Fourth Level beast can fully compare with a Yuan Ying Stage cultivator.

Moreover.

If beasts below Fourth Level, when facing top‑tier cultivators of the same stage, fall at a disadvantage due to lack of methods, artifacts, and even spiritual intelligence, then once a beast reaches Fourth Level, the situation reverses.

Because after a beast reaches Fourth Level, it faces transformation!

Having passed the transformation tribulation, the demon race can take human form; although some demonic traits remain, as Cultivation Base rises and further tribulations are endured, those traits gradually fade.

Most importantly, after transformation, the demon race's spiritual intelligence blossoms and will never be weaker than humans.

Moreover, a demon's lifespan is often several times, even more, that of an ordinary cultivator of the same stage, allowing high‑level beasts more time to refine their bodies and power, reaching a level that leaves same‑stage cultivators stunned.

Thus, before Fourth Level, cultivators could rely on wit and artifacts to slay beasts, but once a beast passes the transformation tribulation and its demonic body cultivation is complete, it can easily suppress human cultivators.

Of course, some beasts, even after passing the transformation tribulation, still retain demonic form; that depends on each beast's choice.

Nevertheless, Yunhe now might still manage a fight against a Late Third Level beast, but against a Fourth Level beast he has absolutely no chance.

He feels grateful.

He ran fast enough.

"After breaking through Third Level and slaying a few Third Level beasts, I grew conceited. This is the Beast World; Fourth Level beasts are bound to exist!"

While running toward Huanhu Dao, Yunhe silently warned himself in his heart.

He still must not be reckless; if he truly faced a Fourth Level beast, he would likely become the other's food.

This heart‑pounding experience gave him a good lesson.

The resources of the Beast World are not at his free disposal; they still come with many unknown dangers.

Yunhe decided that after returning to Huanhu Dao, he must honestly stay for a few years, fully confirming that the presence on the snowfield truly cannot track him, before he can finally be at ease.

Cultivation World.

Spring passes, autumn arrives.

In the blink of an eye, ten years passed.

"Lesser Five Elements Generating Array, activate!"

At the He family patriarch's residence, with a light shout, a formation radiating five‑colored light swirled up, enveloping the entire vast courtyard.

The formation, once formed, quickly faded and vanished, indistinguishable from when it was not set.

"Not bad, at least it can compare to a Second Stage superior formation."

Standing with his hands behind his back, Yunhe looked at the formation covering his dwelling and nodded with satisfaction.

Although formation arts are difficult, his divine sense is as strong as a Late Jie Dan Stage cultivator, giving him a considerable edge in studying formations; after ten uninterrupted years of learning, his formation skill surged, and now he can be considered a Second Stage intermediate formation master.

With the Great Five Elements True Secret of Great Longevity and his own Lesser Five Elements Spirit Body, he can barely cast this Lesser Five Elements Generating Array comparable to a Second Stage superior formation; other Second Stage superior formations would be beyond his power.

But with this array in place, cultivators below the Jie Dan Stage cannot enter his residence without his permission.

"The Lesser Five Elements Generating Array isn't fully refined yet; my formation skill limits it. Once my formation art reaches Third Stage, perhaps it will unleash its true power."

Yunhe clapped his mouth together and sighed.

Ten years of arduous cultivation, aided by Elixirs, didn't let him directly break through the Mid Jie Dan Stage, but it did considerably refine his Cultivation Base and magical power.

Of course, it also boosted his various abilities, including his duel‑method level, by a fair amount.

After all, during these ten years he scarcely stopped refining the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword.

Moreover, after ten years of nurturing, his Crimson Shadow Golden‑winged Bee and Corpse‑Soul Gu have both made notable progress.

Especially the Crimson Shadow Golden‑winged Bee.

Yunhe raised his hand.

Buzz—

A Crimson Shadow Golden‑winged Bee with three pairs of wings flew out from a corner and landed in his hand.

Upon close inspection, one can see on the bee's back of the chest, at the junction of the six wings and the torso, a pair of wings several times smaller, faintly visible.

In fact,

Honestly, this pair of smaller wings, due to incompatibility with the other three pairs, not only fails to increase the bee's speed but actually hampers its original agility.

Yunhe estimates that the wings must evolve to at least one‑third the size of the other three pairs before they cease being a hindrance, and at two‑thirds size they become a boost.

But one thing he is sure of is that the bee's next evolutionary path will focus primarily on those wings.

Thus, to ensure the bees' combat power, Yunhe cultivated the swarm in batches.

A portion retained the six‑wing form to improve physical quality, while a smaller portion was dedicated to metamorphosing toward eight wings.

Gently patting the bee's wing, Yunhe flipped his palm and took from his satchel a white, crystal‑clear fragment about half the size of a pinky nail.

At the sight of the fragment, the previously docile bee became restless, constantly transmitting its yearning to Yunhe.

With Yunhe loosening his control, the Crimson Shadow Golden‑winged Bee leapt onto the fragment and, in the blink of an eye, swallowed it.

Yunhe had already tested the fragment's effect; it can accelerate the bee's metamorphosis!

As for what this fragment is.

It is actually a kind of demon beast eggshell unknown to Yunhe.

It comes from the He family.

More accurately, it is something purchased from the He family's spirit herb shop in the market of Nan Su Island.

At that time, what was received were two palm-sized eggshell fragments; the steward managing that shop for the He family had some discernment, knowing this eggshell seemed somewhat extraordinary, so he accepted it, and after various transfers it eventually ended up in Yunhe's hands.

In fact.

Over the past ten years, he has gained many good things through the He family's channels.

Originally, the He family still had the shares of He Wen and He Yao, uncle and nephew, but now basically everything has gone into Yunhe's pocket, and there's no need to divide it with the so-called guest elders.

This also let Yunhe clearly realize how much convenience possessing a sizable family like the He family can bring.

"If we could obtain more of such eggshells, perhaps we could speed up the evolution speed of the Crimson Shadow Gold-Winged Bee."

He has already sent people from the He family to investigate.

"However, there's no need to rush; raising one's cultivation base remains the top priority."

Yunhe lightly waved his hand, and the Crimson Shadow Gold-Winged Bee flew to a corner of the courtyard and hid itself.

"Is this the ancestor's formation?"

"Hasn't the ancestor been trying to study formation arts all these years?"

"This formation has at least reached upper-grade Second Stage, right? I didn't expect the ancestor to have such formation ability."

"Yes. It's just a pity."

It's a pity the ancestor's lifespan is limited.

The He family cultivators who were originally quite interested, upon hearing about the ancestor's lifespan, all involuntarily closed their mouths, feeling heavy-hearted.

It can be said, how long the ancestor He Wen can still live concerns the future of the entire He family.

They must, during the time when ancestor He Wen is still active, cultivate a new Golden Core cultivator!

But this is easier said than done.

"Keep your mouths shut; the ancestor is not something you can casually discuss."

He Yuanlin, the head of the He family, who had walked over quickly, heard the discussion of several He family cultivators, his expression immediately turned stern, and he shouted a rebuke.

"Head of the family."

"Head of the family!"

Seeing He Yuanlin, the He family cultivators all hurriedly performed a respectful salute.

"Don't linger at the ancestor's residence; withdraw at once!" He Yuanlin scolded again.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd let out a great sigh of relief and hurriedly dispersed.

Watching the crowd leave, He Yuanlin also secretly sighed; the heavy pressure on his mind was far greater than that of those He family cultivators.

But he quickly composed himself and walked to the front of the ancestor's residence.

Looking at the two puppets standing at the gate, comparable to Foundation Establishment cultivators, a faint glimmer appeared in his eyes.

Over these years, the ancestor has not only made achievements in formation arts, but also seems to have attained some accomplishment in the art of puppets.

But the more this is the case, the more He Yuanlin sighs in his heart.

The ancestor, knowing his time is short and that his cultivation base cannot break through further, has already shifted his focus to formation arts and the puppet way; although he has made some achievements, these two paths are fundamentally insufficient to reverse the He family's current decline, and he clearly realizes that now truly is the He family's last "glory".

He respectfully bowed to the two puppets and said, "Ancestor, Yuanlin seeks an audience."

Maintaining his bowed posture, he waited silently.

Soon.

The puppet standing stiffly at the gate seemed to come alive, stiffly moved its body, and then the ancestor's voice came from it.

"Come in."

The words fell.

An opening appeared in the formation.

"Yes."

He Yuanlin dared not delay, quickly stepped into the formation and entered the courtyard of the He family ancestor.

Passing through the gate and front hall, he arrived at a vast courtyard, stepping on a small path paved with unknown material stones, walked past corridors and pavilions over water, and reached the depths of the courtyard.

There he saw the He family ancestor, He Wen, leisurely sitting by the pond, scattering fish food into the water.

He quickly stepped forward to He Wen, performed another respectful salute, and called out, "Yuanlin pays respects to the ancestor; may the ancestor be healthy and long-lived."

Yunhe slightly nodded, pinched the fish food in his hand, and scattered a handful into the pond.

"What is it?"

'The taste of these spirit fish should be good, right?'

"Reporting to the ancestor, there are some leads on the matter of those two eggshell fragments from last time." He Yuanlin said, lowering his head.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Yunhe sat up a little straighter and put the fish food back into its container.

"Speak."

"Yes"

Afterward, He Yuanlin cleared his throat and then recounted the entire story in detail, from beginning to end.

It turned out that the one who previously sold the eggshells was a Qi Refining cultivator named Liu Yixin.

He additionally served as the island master of Liu Fang Island.

Liu Fang Island belongs to Liu Zhang Island, and Liu Zhang Island is under the jurisdiction of Yun Island, which is part of Nan Su Island.

Those two eggshells were purchased by Liu Yixin from a fisherman on Liu Fang Island; because he felt they were extraordinary, he kept them, then ran to the market on Nan Su Island to sell them, and they were acquired by the He Clan.

And that fisherman also, while out fishing one time, accidentally discovered those two pieces of eggshell in his net.

"I have already sent people to investigate; nearby, a Cloud Island recently saw Thunder Mountain erupt, but the clan cultivators I sent out found no clues. Ancestor, this is the approximate location where that fisherman was fishing at the time."

He Yuanlin stepped forward and placed a Jade Slip on the stone table.

Yunhe nodded, not looking at it, merely tapping his fingers lightly on the stone table, producing a "tok-tok-tok" sound.

Seeing Yunhe remain silent, He Yuanlin hesitated a bit, then still spoke:

"Ancestor, Yuanlin has something to say; I do not know whether it is appropriate to say."

Yunhe's hand motion paused, he looked at him, and gently smiled, saying: "Go ahead."

He Yuanlin organized his words and then said: "Yuanlin worries that this matter may perhaps be related to the Liu Clan and the Wang Clan."

According to Yunhe's knowledge, the Liu Clan and the Wang Clan are both cultivation families of Nan Su Island, and they have a competitive relationship with his He Clan; previously, He Yao was schemed against by these two clans.

Hearing this, Yunhe laughed and waved his hand to stop him from continuing.

"I have it figured out."

(End of chapter)