Chapter 279: Cold Sword True Lord

Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk is a kind of earth core milk, but its formation conditions are more stringent than those of other earth core milks.

Because it must undergo three cycles of erosion and three cycles of accumulation before forming, it has the effects of increasing cultivation base and tempering the mind.

But its greatest use is for refining magic treasures!

If a cultivator gradually blends this milk into a magic treasure while refining it, not only can it speed up the treasure's refinement and make it more condensed, but it can also enhance the treasure's power, material, hardness, and so on.

It is an important treasure for assisting the advancement of magic treasures.

One could say this special earth core milk's effects are not singular; it has notable benefits for cultivation base, state of mind, and magic treasures.

It is one of the extremely rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

In fact, Yunhe roughly guessed that this place should have such a treasure as earth core milk; otherwise, a mere patch of shattered stone blade forest could not support the birth of several third‑rank demon beasts by the Giant Rock Stone Monster clan.

But he did not expect that the earth core milk underground here is not ordinary earth core milk, but Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk.

But when he noticed the metal flakes floating in the Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk and the hard blade forest of this place, he roughly understood the reason.

As he drew nearer, he could clearly feel that the pervasive sharp intent in this place originated from those metal flakes.

Although he did not know how long this object had existed in the Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk, its emitted sharp intent remained overpowering; even with Yunhe's current bodily strength, upon approaching within a certain distance he felt the incoming sharpness.

It seemed as if this place were filled with invisible blades; the closer he got, the stronger the intensity, and even Yunhe felt his body being pricked, causing a faint pain.

On his black mystic scale armor, bright white scratches continually appeared.

Moreover, this sharp intent not only harms the body, it also affects the demon sense.

With Yunhe's current demon sense strength, as he approached the Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk, he felt as if blades were slicing across his demon sense, attacking it.

This left Yunhe greatly alarmed.

'What on earth is this? It can even damage the demon sense.'

The birth conditions of Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk are harsh, and the existence of something capable of wearing down earth core milk essence is itself extremely rare.

It is likely because that metal flake constantly wears down the earth core milk, and with the accumulation over time, it fortuitously satisfied the conditions for Three Lives Three Extinction.

It can be foreseen that this milk is the essence among essences of earth core milk.

No wonder it enables the Giant Rock Stone Monster clan to give birth to so many third‑rank demon beasts.

This item is undoubtedly a treasure.

Whether it is the Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk or that metal flake, both are certainly rare and valuable things.

But how to obtain it is a major problem.

When the distance to this milk was less than three zhang, Yunhe could clearly feel that if he came any closer, his scale armor would not withstand that sharp intent.

Yet if he gave up, he would be reluctant to do so.

He could be certain that if he left now, at most three days later the Land Mountain Turtle would surely come.

By then, it would become the Land Mountain Turtle's pocketed prize.

His thoughts reached this point.

Yunhe shrank into his tortoise shell.

He still wanted to try again.

There is no doubt about the strength of Yunhe's black mystic scale armor's defense; even a mid‑third‑rank magic treasure might not break his scales, but his strongest defense is still his tortoise shell!

Although he has not tried it, Yunhe estimates that the hardness of his tortoise shell is such that even an upper‑third‑rank magic treasure would likely be unable to shatter it.

If his tortoise shell cannot withstand it, then the only recourse would be to try summoning a Nascent Soul corpse refinement.

Yunhe, curled inside his tortoise shell, narrowed his eyes, using demon power to support himself as he slowly approached the Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Although he could see nothing, Yunhe could clearly feel an invisible force repeatedly scraping across his tortoise shell.

'This is "intent," a kind of sharp intent—how could it have been left behind?'

Artistic conception is a profoundly mysterious thing.

But there is no doubt that whatever entity left behind such an artistic conception, persisting for who knows how many ages while retaining this intensity, the original owner of that metal flake must be a master of profound magic power.

'Fortunately, after long ages of sedimentation, this "intent" is not so strong, and the tortoise shell can withstand it.'

Although his black mystic tortoise shell was already covered with white scratches, and even when he approached the Three Lives Slaughter Extinction Bitter Heart Milk, his tortoise shell showed gullies, yet fortunately such damage was barely within Yunhe's tolerance.

Finally.

He arrived before a small pool of Three Lives Three Extinction Bitter Heart Milk.

This milk appeared not much.

Yet it allowed Yunhe to fill two small jade bottles completely.

Roughly estimated, it was no less than about thirty drops.

Of course, due to its viscosity, each drop is at least the size of a mung bean.

'I just don't know how effective it will be.'

He did not take it all, but left two drops behind.

The earth veins here are special; it seems to be at the confluence of several earth veins, so over long years it can continuously produce earth core milk. Leaving a drop or two allows the special pulse formed here to remain intact, and eventually it can continue to accumulate.

However, without that metal flake, the output would be merely relatively ordinary earth core milk.

But how to take away that metal flake is also a problem for Yunhe.

Merely the sharp intent emanating from the metal flake makes it extremely difficult for Yunhe to approach.

'However, if one could grasp even a hint of artistic conception from this metal flake, it would also be a fine secret technique.'

The origin of this metal flake is already beyond investigation, but Yunhe can still recognize its value.

Its material itself is likely not inferior, but undoubtedly most important is the artistic conception remaining on it.

'Surely we can't just take it back, can we?'

Even before he had returned to Huanhu Dao, his claws would have rotted away.

Yunhe pondered, his mouth slightly opened, and he brought out a dark scroll.

Immortal-intercepting Scroll!

If something on Yunhe were harder than his turtle shell, it would only be this, his demon beast body's natal treasure, the Immortal-intercepting Scroll.

This is made from the skeleton of a fourth-level demon beast silver flood dragon, enhanced under Yunhe's Bone-seeding Secret, forged into the Immortal-intercepting Scroll, and continually refined by his demonic power day and night, making it extremely sturdy.

If even the Immortal-intercepting Scroll cannot bear it, then he can do nothing; he can only temporarily leave it here, and even if the Land Mountain Turtle takes it away, he would be helpless.

But fortunately.

This object no longer possesses its former power; although it still emitted a grating "creak-creak" screech when the Immortal-intercepting Scroll approached, it was still successfully placed into the scroll's pages.

It shouldn't be broken, right?

With a hint of apprehension, Yunhe once again placed the Immortal-intercepting Scroll into his dantian.

In short, hurry back to Huanhu Dao to retrieve and place it; that is the best plan.

After that metal sheet was accommodated, the place's sharp, fierce intent dissipated invisibly, but Yunhe did not linger long; he swiftly floated upward into the soil layer.

Without the Three Lives Three Deaths Bitter Heart Milk and without the metal sheet, moving through the soil layer here became much easier.

Soon he returned to the Shattered Stone Sword Forest.

A host of Giant Rock Stone Monsters still stood silently in place, waiting for him.

However, the Giant Rock Stone Monsters that had long dwelled here could still clearly sense the change in this place, each showing a bewildered expression.

Yunhe originally wanted to explain a couple of sentences, but seeing their appearance, he slapped his forehead, too lazy to explain, and merely said to the Giant Rock Stone Monster leader:

"Follow me."

Saying that, it headed outward from the Shattered Stone Sword Forest.

Boom—

Afterwards he heard, from behind, a tremendous rumbling like mountains and forests collapsing.

Yunhe:.

This commotion, he fears he hasn't even left the Ten Thousand Mile Great Mountain before being intercepted by the Land Mountain Turtle.

Finally, he expended considerable effort before finally making the Giant Rock Stone Monster leader understand that third-level demon beasts can now fly through the air.

Only then did it, together with several other third-level Giant Rock Stone Monsters, lead the remaining clansmen away from this place silently.

Return to Huanhu Dao!

These simpletons, better bring them back for Bai Ning and the White Ape King to properly train.

The cultivation world.

The forging chamber of the Ice Heart Cave in the Ice Immortal Pavilion.

Yunhe's eyes narrowed as he unleashed the final spell seal, simultaneously letting out a low shout.

"Condense!"

Accompanied by a humming vibration of the air, a gray-white banner exuding dense yin-slaughter qi completely solidified into form.

This is Yunhe's second beast soul banner forged.

Whether in materials used or in forging techniques and methods, it is considerably stronger than the first beast soul banner, and the power and potential of this banner are significantly improved over the previous one.

Even without infusing a single thread of beast soul, this banner is already stronger than many third-level upper-grade treasures; after infusing some third-level demon beast beast souls, advancing to a third-level supreme-grade treasure is a natural progression.

"This banner shall be used for the demon beast body."

Yunhe turned his wrist, and the beast soul banner lightly fell into his hand.

Immediately thereafter, an extremely mysterious and peculiar power spread, and the banner vanished into thin air from his hand.

The cultivator body already possesses the Five Elements Thunder Sword, the Subduing Demon Armor, and the beast soul banner—these three treasures.

Actually, a cultivator is not better off with more treasures, because refining treasures is also a very time- and labor-consuming endeavor.

Two is ideal; three begins to hinder the cultivator's cultivation progress.

But the Five Elements Thunder Sword is Yunhe's natal treasure; the materials used, "heavenly thunder gold essence" and "phoenix tree wood", are extremely precious throughout the cultivation world—even Nascent Soul old monsters would fight over them—and the upper limit of this treasure is such that Yunhe currently cannot see its end; not refining it day and night is indeed somewhat wasteful.

The Subduing Demon Armor originates from one of the seven great treasures of the demon race; although the "Four Spirits Four Sages" have not yet been gathered, Yunhe left it considerable room for improvement when forging it, and it is also a rare defensive supreme treasure, not to be abandoned.

As for the beast soul banner, relying on the vast demon beast resources of the demon beast world, this treasure can be said to be the easiest among Yunhe's treasures to advance; he even feels that if he successfully achieves Nascent Soul, this banner could be the quickest to advance to a fourth-level treasure, and thus naturally cannot be abandoned.

After successfully achieving Nascent Soul, Yunhe also plans to re-refine the beast soul banner to enhance its potential and upper limit.

"Actually, there's no need to wait until after Nascent Soul now."

After the brand-new beast soul banner in Yunhe's hand disappeared, it was replaced by a small jade bottle.

Naturally, the bottle contains the Three Lives Three Deaths Bitter Heart Milk.

"This milk actually integrates cultivation advancement, body-and-mind tempering, and treasure refining into one, neglecting none of these aspects; I just don't know how effective it is."

Just as Yunhe rose to return to the training chamber to give it a try, his expression suddenly shifted.

He flashed his body and arrived at the front hall of the cave dwelling.

Seated upon the primary seat, an exquisitely carved ice chair, with his chin resting, he pondered slightly; then he flicked his sleeve, and the cave dwelling's seal was undone.

"Come in."

Afterwards.

Then he saw a woman in an exquisitely made white gauze dress, stepping lightly with lotus steps, cautiously enter.

Indeed, the disciple of the Ice Cassia Immortal, Dong Ning Xuan.

"Disciple pays respects to the Grand Elder." Dong Ning Xuan gave a graceful salute, then hurriedly said: "My master ordered me to deliver a visitation notice; it is from the Cold Sword True Lord of the Snow Sword Sect."

Yunhe rubbed his temples, waved his hand to stop her words, let out a light sigh, and said:

"No need, the person has already arrived."

Upon hearing this, Dong Ning Xuan's bright eyes narrowed, she opened her mouth, and wore a look of astonishment.

Yet seeing Yunhe step forward, he arrived outside the cave dwelling.

In the splish-splash of the icy pond's flow, the Cold Chant Flood Dragon roared upward, and Yunhe, without any courtesy, stepped directly onto its head and leapt up; soon they hovered above the Ice Immortal Pavilion.

The disciples of the Ice Immortal Pavilion watched this scene, all showing expressions of surprise, awe, and admiration.

Yet Yunhe's expression remained unchanged; after a flick of his sleeve, he bowed toward a direction.

"Junior, I pay my respects to Lord Han Sword."

"Lord Han Sword?"

Amidst everyone's bewildered gazes, a hearty laugh rang out from afar.

"Hahaha——What a strong divine sense, fellow Daoist, why be so polite?"

Then appeared a middle-aged cultivator dressed in plain white, with a dignified appearance, sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, hands behind his back, treading a flying sword, arriving through the air.

He was none other than Lord Han Sword, one of the two Yuan Ying Cultivators of the Snow Sword Sect!

"This is a bona fide Yuan Ying True Lord!"

"And it is his true form descending."

"But fortunately, Yunhe has seen not a few Yuan Ying old monsters, so he didn't lose his composure."

He tugged at his cheeks, speaking in a calm tone:

"I dare not accept the senior's address of 'fellow Daoist'."

However, Lord Han Sword's attitude was far friendlier than Yunhe had imagined.

With a gentle smile across his face, he soon arrived outside the Ice Immortal Pavilion, gazing at Yunhe and asking:

"Bee Fellow Daoist, you are being overly modest."

Lord Han Sword's gaze swept over the entire Ice Immortal Pavilion, noticing the quasi-Fourth Level 'Nine Palaces Congealing Ice Formation'; his eyes narrowed slightly, and his smile widened.

"I suddenly intrude, fellow Daoist, because I have a matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

Yunhe startled, somewhat surprised.

But he still said, "I don't know what the senior refers to; if there is anything this junior can help with, I will certainly not refuse."

At the same time.

Likewise, Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, who had also noticed the situation, hurriedly flew over here.

Lord Han Sword let out a slight sigh.

"Having heard that fellow Daoist's formations are profound, I, Jiang, have come for this matter."

(End of chapter)