Chapter 288

Zizziz—

The crackling firewood bonfire dyed the surrounding snow a sheet of orange‑red.

Above that orange flame, a large chunk of meat scorched bright red was 'zizzing' as oil dripped out, and the fragrant aroma lingered all around.

A snow‑white flood dragon opened its lantern‑like eyes, stared fixedly at the fragrant roasted meat, and kept gulping.

Yunhe wore a rarely seen white long robe, holding a brush, and leisurely spread a special spirit honey over the roasted meat, adding a touch more fragrance to the already tempting meat.

"Master, is it, is it ready?"

Han Yin Jiao asked somewhat impatiently.

Hearing this, Yunhe gave a slight smile, casually picked up a red‑jade gourd beside him, took a sip, and the spirit‑filled liquid inside also made Han Yin Jiao's eyes burn with desire.

Seeing this, he was not stingy; with a point and a bend of his finger, he drew a thread of spirit liquid from the gourd, and under Han Yin Jiao's eager gaze, it flowed into its mouth.

Upon swallowing the spirit liquid, Han Yin Jiao's body instantly gave off a chill frost aura.

"Done."

Yunhe turned his finger into a sword, sliced off a piece of the roasted meat, then tossed the remaining bulk to Han Yin Jiao.

This meat is also the flesh of a third‑level early‑stage demon beast, and the fire, firewood, and spirit honey are likewise extraordinary; if other cultivators obtained them, they'd surely treat them as treasures.

But in Yunhe's hands, it merely became an apparently ordinary piece of roasted meat.

Nevertheless, this roasted meat's allure for Han Yin Jiao was no less than that of the spirit liquid just now.

"I haven't eaten this in ages; I'm almost forgetting the flavor." Yunhe took a bite of the roasted meat, drank a mouthful of spirit liquid, and couldn't help sighing.

Since reaching the Jie Dan Stage, he has rarely eaten anything else; what goes into his mouth is either Elixir or spirit liquid, and even demon beast meat has become a rare treat.

Now his cultivation base has already reached the perfected Jie Dan Stage, and the only great barrier before him is the Nascent Soul breakthrough!

A barrier that has caused countless cultivators to meet their ruin.

Once he successfully forms a Nascent Soul.

Then he would truly become a top‑tier existence in this realm of cultivation, one of the rare few like phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

"If I wanted to try to assault the Nascent Soul barrier now, it wouldn't be impossible."

While eating the roasted meat, Yunhe thought to himself.

If Foundation Establishment and forming a golden core still await some supposed opportunity, then upon reaching the Nascent Soul barrier, such an opportunity would simply not appear.

Cultivation is fundamentally about defying heaven to seek the way of immortality.

For Foundation Establishment and forming a golden core, the Heavenly Dao pays no attention or regard, but once one reaches the Nascent Soul stage, even the Heavenly Dao takes notice and gives weight.

Therefore, only after successfully forming a Nascent Soul will the Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation descend.

"But if one wants to be steadier, it's best to cultivate the Fourth Level of the Myriad Insects Secret Art to perfection, and if possible strengthen the fleshly body to the third‑level late stage; that would be the surest path."

However, his fleshly body has only just broken through to the third‑level mid stage; to reach the third‑level late stage would require a great accumulation of time, and it's unknown when he'll amass enough for that breakthrough.

But achieving perfection in the Fourth Level of the Myriad Insects Secret Art is quite possible.

Because he has already been immersed in the Fourth Level of the Myriad Insects Secret Art for decades, the distance to perfection is not far.

Although his spiritual sense now exceeds a hundred li, allowing him to roughly compare to an early Nascent Soul cultivator, after perusing the Nascent Soul insights dozens of times, Yunhe clearly understands what the process of breaking the golden core to form a Nascent Soul entails.

A crucial link in the process of breaking the golden core to form a Nascent Soul is to fuse the soul with the golden core, thereby shattering it; the stronger the spiritual sense and soul, the naturally higher the success rate of breaking the golden core to form a Nascent Soul.

Furthermore, even after successfully forming a Nascent Soul, a stronger spiritual sense likewise brings great benefit against the heart‑demon tribulation.

"Having waited so many years already, there's no need to rush."

Sometimes, the more hurried one is, the more likely problems arise; even if he succeeds in forming a Nascent Soul, a change in his state of mind could make the heart‑demon tribulation far more difficult.

Thus, Yunhe's mindset at this moment is very tranquil.

Having cultivated for so many years already, he still has such a vast lifespan—what's the rush?

"At most three or five years' time, and the Fourth Level of the Myriad Insects Secret Art can be brought to perfection."

"During this period, it would be wise to start properly preparing the defensive measures for the Nascent Soul assault."

Once he begins the assault on the Nascent Soul, the commotion will inevitably be enormous—not to mention a radius of a hundred li; even within a thousand‑li or several‑thousand‑li range, any cultivator whose strength is not weak will surely sense it.

By then, no one can guarantee whether someone will harbor ill intentions.

If he lacks the ability to protect himself, he will then find himself in a very passive situation.

"Actually, attempting the Nascent Soul assault in the Ice Immortal Pavilion is a fairly good choice."

After all, the spirit veins of the Ice Immortal Pavilion are not weak; the Ice Heart Cave he occupies is already a place of the richest spirit energy, and adding the congealed‑fat ice‑pure lotus he placed in this cave dwelling, one could say the spirit energy density in his cultivation chamber is comparable to that of a fourth‑level inferior spirit vein.

More importantly, the quasi‑fourth‑level Nine Palaces Congealing Ice Formation he has restored in the Ice Immortal Pavilion, whether used to resist external foes or to withstand the heavenly tribulation, should be able to exert a notable effect.

Moreover, the disciples of the Ice Immortal Pavilion can also serve as Dharma protectors, providing him with a certain amount of aid.

"Although Nascent Soul corpse refinement is the strongest in ability, its power would be greatly diminished when the heavenly tribulation descends; Han Yin Jiao is still not bad, and together with the Crimson Shadow Golden Wing Bee Swarm that has evolved over these years, plus a few Jie Dan Stage refined corpses..."

When all is tallied, his self‑defense capability is actually not weak.

Boundless Sea, He Yun Island.

At a glance, the vast sea's ripples sway, a few waves slap the shore, rolling up lines of white foam.

And He Yun Island, situated in the sea, at this moment has its central lotus pond full of blossoming lotuses, presenting a scene of vibrant vitality.

Merely, though the island appears calm and windless, the scene above it actually hides undercurrents.

Giant treasure ships hover in the air, bustling with many cultivators—Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and even Jie Dan Stage cultivators.

Yet at this time and place, Jie Dan Stage cultivators cannot hold the authority to make decisions.

Because in the air above this location there are several extremely domineering auras; even if they simply emanate freely, they make cultivators below the Jie Dan Stage feel breathless, the ambient spirit energy fluctuates abnormally preventing cultivation, and even aboard the treasure ships one can do nothing more than merely move about.

Yet among those several auras, they are not particularly harmonious; each bears a hint of mutual opposition, making those below the Jie Dan Stage suffer even more.

"If we delay any longer, the sea tribes will all come. Friends, why not we temporarily cease hostilities and first figure out how to seize the treasures of this place?"

An old Daoist wearing a light‑gray robe and holding a whisk chuckled as he spoke.

But his gaze swept over a middle‑aged cultivator standing on a sword not far away, and another cultivator cloaked in black robes.

Since Old Daoist Huang has spoken, I naturally have no objection. A hoarse voice came from within the black robes.

Everyone's gaze fell upon Cold Sword True Lord.

Then I saw his feet surrounded by icy sword aura, his face like frost falling, his hair flying, sword qi radiating.

He raised his hands behind his back, and the flying sword beneath his feet immediately fell into his grasp.

In a moment, dark clouds gathered over the bright land, and the temperature plummeted.

But before Cold Sword True Lord could respond, the people standing in the air here all changed expression and looked toward the distant sea.

All that could be seen was.

A figure stepped on the waves, walking upon the surf.

In an instant.

Above the sea, fish leapt, stirring up hundred‑zhang waves that blotted out the sky.

And upon that great wave appeared a middle‑aged man wearing clothing as splendid as golden‑scale robes; his ears, nose, mouth, limbs and build were no different from a human's, yet on each side of his ears was inlaid a piece of seven‑colored fish scale that glittered brightly in the sunlight and the rippling water.

"Sea Clan!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, everyone's faces darkened.

"Hahaha—with so many fellow Daoists gathered, how could I, Qilin Qian Gong, be missing?"

And upon hearing the name spoken by this Sea Clan, the faces of the several Yuan Ying Cultivators present changed repeatedly.

One of the five great clans of the Sea Clan, the Gorgeous Scale Clan!

More importantly, from this person they sensed an aura comparable to that of a mid‑stage Yuan Ying Cultivator!

This is a mid‑stage Fourth Level Sea Clan member!

Cold Sword True Lord and the several Yuan Ying Cultivators present exchanged glances, their auras instantly retracting as they stood side by side, facing that Sea Clan member.

Clang!!

A frost sword traced out, leaving an ice path upon the sea surface.

Then Cold Sword True Lord shouted aloud: "This is the near sea, not your Sea Clan's territory!"

Upon hearing these words, Qilin Qian Gong's eyes gradually narrowed.

What happens on the Endless Sea will have no effect on Yunhe whatsoever.

He was even unable to hear of it, being in seclusion refining his divine sense and practicing the fourth layer of the Thousand Gu Myriad Insects Art.

At this moment, nothing was more important to him than cultivation.

In such focus, time flew by, and another three years passed.

During this period.

Actually, the Ice Immortal Pavilion also experienced something neither major nor minor.

That was the Sword Son Fifth Xuan of the Formless Sword Sect, who indeed heard the rumors and came knocking, hoping to spar with Yunhe, the "Bee Old Demon."

But Yunhe simply couldn't be bothered with him, sitting in his cave and cultivating without giving any response.

Ice Osmanthus Fairy, not knowing Yunhe's thoughts, seeing that he had no intention of leaving his cave, activated the Nine Palaces Congealing Ice Formation to keep Fifth Xuan outside.

Of course, she herself still went to greet that imposing Sword Son, simply explaining that the Bee Elder was in seclusion and hoping he could wait until the Bee Elder emerged.

Yet that Sword Son stubbornly stood outside the Nine Palaces Congealing Ice Formation, sword in hand, waiting for three months!

Some Ice Immortal Pavilion disciples began to swoon from waiting, yet Yunhe remained unmoved.

Helpless, finally that Sword Son left a line saying "I'll visit another day," then departed on his sword.

One must admit, though his sharpness was evident, he still observed propriety and did not force his way in; otherwise, even if Yunhe didn't want to deal with him, he'd likely have to come out and fight.

Aside from this, the Ice Immortal Pavilion as a whole remained rather peaceful.

That day.

Yunhe, sitting in meditation in his cave, suddenly opened his eyes.

A surge of immensely powerful divine sense instantly swept across a radius of several hundred li, then coalesced into one.

He sent only a single message to Ice Osmanthus Fairy.

"Effective immediately, the Ice Immortal Pavilion is sealed; all grand formations are activated; anyone who oversteps shall be slain by this seat!"

This left Ice Osmanthus Fairy somewhat startled, but soon her heart filled with great alarm as she thought of something seemingly incredible, her expression turning grave.

"The fourth layer of the Thousand Gu Myriad Insects Art is complete; there is no further method for now, but the time has come."

Yunhe, seated upon the Congealed Fat Ice Clear Lotus, let out a long sigh, filled with some emotion.

"Who could have imagined that an insignificant Spirit Bee Farmer from the River Stream Market would now have reached this point?"

He had waited long enough; though his heart held turbulence, it would not affect him in any way.

"No opportunity for Nascent Soul?"

"But I say today is the opportunity—so it is!"

In his pair of determined eyes, five‑colored light swirled upward!

(End of chapter)