Chapter 3: Cultivating in Seclusion to Form the Elixir

After Qingshe Niangniang accepted the cultivation method, the look in her eyes when she gazed at Fang Longye softened significantly; in her eyes, Fang Longye's strength was not strong, but this sentiment was very rare.

When she had originally enlightened Fang Longye's true form, she had only seen that he possessed a trace of dragon-turtle bloodline; even if he had no potential due to the nature of the enlightenment, he still counted as a face-saving asset. Coupled with her attachment to old ties, she had let him serve as a commander after opening her mansion.

As her confidant, she actually did not expect Crocodile Commander to make any progress; as long as he was loyal, his strength was not important. As a demon immortal whose great power was gathered in one body, having a loyal servant to borrow her prestige and help handle miscellaneous matters was enough.

"Just as I expected~" Fang Longye maintained a respectful posture on the surface, but after sensing Qingshe Niangniang's gaze, he pondered inwardly.

Qingshe Yao smiled slightly and said indifferently: "Crocodile Commander is indeed loyal. This cultivation method you offered is not bad; consider it a merit. In this way, I observe that although this method may not make up for your defects, it can at least help you step into the Chengdan Realm. From now on, your monthly stipend will triple, and you will enjoy Chengdan treatment in advance. I will also grant you a bottle of Ginseng King Pill to help you increase your Dharma power."

Having said that, the snake demon pointed a finger, and a bottle of medicinal pills flew into Fang Longye's arms.

The Ginseng King Pill was refined by Qingshe Niangniang using centuries-old spiritual ginseng as the main ingredient along with various spiritual herbs; it was considered a relatively precious pill. Consuming one Ginseng King Pill could increase the Dharma power of a Shape-Condensing stage demon cultivator by several decades. This bottle contained at least ten or more pills.

Fang Longye put away the pills, hurriedly bowed in thanks, and withdrew.

Returning to his own cave chamber, he let out a sigh of relief. No longer concealing himself, he transformed into his true form and coiled on the ground to practice the "Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture."

His true form was, after all, a Shape-Condensing stage demon, so he still had some foundation. With his current realm, there was no difficulty in practicing the first layer. A misty water-origin Qi surged from all directions and seeped into his crocodile body, each infiltration carrying pure vital energy.

Fang Longye felt as if his whole body was soaking in a hot spring. Looking inward, he noticed that the impurities within his blood and Qi were being continuously washed away and purified.

Half an hour later, his body gave a "Crack!" and tightened. He felt that his strength and speed had both increased by a quarter, and the Dharma power within his body was much purer, no longer as mixed as it had been before.

"Continue practicing!"

Fang Longye flicked his tail and continued to nest in the cave chamber to practice. With his current blood, Qi, and Dharma power, he could easily cultivate the "Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture" to the peak of the fourth level. Subsequent cultivation would require going out to find places with abundant water origin.

……

A thousand miles south of Green Snake Mansion lay a marsh connected to the Jinsha River. Black water flowed across the marsh, and small islands were scattered like stars across this black water.

Because this marsh was too barren and lacked spiritual materials or precious medicines, no monsters had ever occupied it.

The moon rose and the sun set.

Night fell, and the sound of insects made the night even quieter. On a nameless small island, a giant crocodile lay still, looking like an inconspicuous rock. The rock had a huge gap facing the direction of the moon; that was the giant crocodile's open mouth, clearly swallowing moonlight.

This was Fang Longye, who had transmigrated into the Crocodile Commander under Qingshe Niangniang. Since the day he saw Qingshe Niangniang, Fang Longye had asked for leave to go out and practice his Dharma.

Black Water Marsh was near the border of the Green Snake Mansion's direct jurisdiction and was too barren, so no demons ever came here, making it perfect for him to practice without being disturbed.

Actually, he had also thought about leaving the territory of Green Snake Mansion directly; Qingshe Niangniang had no restrictions in this regard.

The relationship between a Great Demon and a small demon was more like the symbiotic relationship between a shark and a pilot fish in his previous life. The small demon offered submission and worked diligently like a laborer in exchange for the Great Demon's protection.

The key was that his cultivation and strength were insufficient. In the territory directly under Green Snake Mansion, he at least had protection, and the demons all knew the figure of Crocodile Commander, so he did not have to worry about being attacked.

Once outside the direct jurisdiction of Green Snake Mansion, although it was seemingly still Qingshe Niangniang's territory, no demons knew him, so he would just be a small Shape-Condensing stage demon, which was too dangerous.

He had been in Black Water Marsh for over three months and had successfully cultivated the "Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture" to the sixth layer, greatly compensating for some of the defects in his physical body caused by the enlightenment.

He hadn't even used the Ginseng King Pill granted by Qingshe. After all, as a commander, his true form had privately embezzled quite a few heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Although he had failed to digest them before due to the nature of his true form's aptitude and intelligence, they had turned into a hidden foundation within his body.

The demeanor he had shown to the small demons earlier was not something he had acquired only after transmigrating. It was precisely to avoid attracting attention that he had imitated the actions of his true form. His current body was about seven zhang long from head to tail, more than three times larger than his previous body; on Blue Star, he would count as a prehistoric giant beast.

His steel armor was craggy, his sharp teeth gleamed coldly, and his crocodile feet were thick and sturdy. His claws were knotted and vigorous like eagle talons, with only four toes, ending in sharp black nails.

If he didn't transform into a human-standing form, his appearance was actually quite decent.

The moon was in the middle of the sky, and Fang Longye's practice was entering a state of perfection. Following the "Great Yin Spirit-Washing Method," he continuously adjusted his breathing, gradually entering a self-forgetful state of being neither asleep nor awake, half-conscious and half-unconscious.

A coolness fell from the high sky, sprinkling over every part of his body. This coolness falling from the high sky was the Great Yin Moon Essence often spoken of in cultivation.

What Fang Longye was doing now was inhaling and exhaling the Great Yin Moon Essence to wash his soul.

As the soul accepted the washing of the Great Yin Moon Essence, it would gradually reveal a human form. This step from formless to formed was the name of Fang Longye's current realm—Shape-Condensing.

Once the soul condensed into a clear image resembling a real person and underwent a qualitative sublimation, it could be called a Yin Spirit.

Before becoming a Yin Spirit, the soul still in the process of condensing its spirit was called a Yin Spirit Embryo.

As long as the formless soul condensed into a formed human image, one could consider advancing to the Chengdan Realm.

His true form, the Crocodile Commander, hadn't even truly completed Shape-Condensing, so how could he have broken through successfully?

Perhaps it was the fusion of the two souls that enhanced his comprehension, or perhaps it was that after these months of cultivation, the timing was right. At this moment, Fang Longye felt a palpitation and knew he had achieved the Yin Spirit Embryo, so he withdrew from his practice and woke up.

His thinking was exceptionally clear; at this moment, he felt that both his true form's memories and his own past memories were vivid and detailed.

Fang Longye looked inward and saw a bright, scorching bead appear above his sea of consciousness, illuminating all directions.

This bright pearl was not a physical entity, but a phantom form condensed from the soul combined with the Great Yin Moon Essence.

The Chengdan Realm was not the legendary nine-turn jade liquid, dual cultivation of nature and life, where once a Golden Elixir was formed, one could "my life is determined by me, not by heaven" and directly prove the Golden Elixir Great Dao of the Immortal Dao. Instead, it was similar to the formation of a core in the cultivation novels of his previous life, using one's own blood, Qi, and Dharma power to condense a physical Inner Pill to protect the Yin Spirit Embryo and thereby assist the Demon Clan in inhaling the essence of the sun and moon.

After all, even if one achieved a Yin Spirit, the soul would be very fragile once it left the physical body.

Carefully, he transferred the Yin Spirit Embryo from his sea of consciousness to his dantian energy sea, understanding the method of condensing the Inner Pill with divine clarity. Half of his vital essence and Dharma power were continuously absorbed, and the Inner Pill combined with the Yin Spirit Embryo to turn from virtual to real. His soul felt as if it had put on a protective garment, bringing a sense of inexplicable peace.

The Inner Pill was finally formed!

Then, the Inner Pill began to circulate throughout his body, repairing various small hidden injuries within his physique. His Dharma power became increasingly pure, his blood and Qi became purified, and even the speed at which he absorbed the heaven and earth's vital energy to condense Dharma power increased by two or three times. Fang Longye felt as if an engine had been added to his body.

"Hahaha!" His pent-up frustration greatly reduced, he could not stop his excitement. Unable to suppress the restlessness and desire within his body, his massive crocodile body plunged into the water, swimming wantonly and startling a host of fish and insects.

"I finally understand why the Demon Clan in novels would lose their strength and fight desperately to the death after their Inner Pill was taken!" When an Inner Pill is taken, the Demon Clan does not necessarily die. After all, once a Yin Spirit is achieved, the Inner Pill is only equivalent to a life-bound Dharma Treasure for the Demon Clan that can improve with their realm. Whether fighting an enemy or assisting in cultivation, the primordial spirit does not reside within it.

But as Sun Wukong said in *Journey to the West* when he took the Inner Pill spat out by Kui Mulang, "This object took I don't know how much meditation, how many years of grinding, and how many turns of male and female to refine into this Inner Pill Relic. Today, I have great affinity to meet you, Old Sun."

The Inner Pill still had many wonderful uses for demons.

With the improvement of strength, the primordial spirit interacts with heaven and earth, comprehending the mysteries of heaven and earth, and can obtain various magical powers and mysteries by borrowing the great power of heaven and earth and its own characteristics. In this process, the Inner Pill will also obtain various incredible abilities, just like refining a Dharma Treasure.

Now, Fang Longye had begun to feel the wonderful uses of the Inner Pill.

(End of chapter)