Chapter 294: Chapter Thirty-Seven: Yin Wind Refines the Body, Rebuilding the Foundation, General General Xuehe Burial

"Weaken the resentful yin demons here by seventy percent—that's enough! The remaining thirty percent of resentment can forge your hearts. If you can withstand these ten million yin demons, ordinary demonic thoughts will never shake your will again!"

Brother Qian Chen believed his actions here were unquestionably good deeds.

When heaven bestows a great mission upon a man, it must first afflict his mind, tire his bones, starve his flesh... As long as these people survive the trials Brother Qian Chen has set, won't they hone their will and strengthen their magic power? Even without material gains, they've gained invaluable experience!

These trials are their future blessings!

If they endure, their hearts will become immensely strong, their insight will grow, and this near-death ordeal will become their lifelong treasure—the origin of their rising fortune.

If a cultivator skilled in reading aura were to examine them, they'd find that anyone who survives and leaves the demon cave gains an invisible boost of fortune, allowing them to progress farther on their cultivation path than before.

Xiao Yu's body was studded with incense sticks; he and the old Daoist, Big Guy, together raised an incense burner. The deity in their hearts emitted a circular halo behind its head, slowly rotating, reinforcing the burner. Ashes within the burner rose, their latent vows activated by divine power, transforming into specks of golden sand that enveloped the three of them.

Ashes continuously rose from the incense burner, mingling with the thick smoke around Xiao Yu, piercing through layers of Yu Jiuyou yin winds as they struggled forward over the bone trees.

Behind them, Ma Laohei, Guo Lao, and others jointly activated a magic treasure. The Tao family followed behind the green ox, gripping its tail to feel their way forward—easier than the lone cultivators.

Further back, the ancient monsters of the Xin and Lei families, unbothered by resentful yin demons, could even withstand the yin winds directly through their cultivation, without relying on artifacts... One Lei family elder strode boldly through the yin wind; the wind brushed his protective true qi, unable to penetrate even the outermost layer of primordial energy.

"The Yu Jiuyou yin winds here are nothing special. The wind disperses the Yu Jiuyou demonic qi, lowering its concentration—and thus reducing its danger."

The ancient monster opened his eyes: "The chill within the yin wind refines our spiritual soul and true qi. Just a moment exposed has purified my primordial energy immensely—immensely beneficial to cultivation!"

Lei Yu even released his protective Gang qi, letting the yin wind refine his flesh.

Lightning wove across his body; faint thunder rumbled within his bones. Merely through his flesh, he withstood the yin wind's assault.

After adapting for half a moment, Lei Yu even found the yin wind's power too weak. He suddenly opened his mouth and swallowed a stream of Yu Jiuyou yin wind, refining it within his lungs and organs. His chest swelled like a small rat, a current surging inside, refining his body from within and without.

The deity in Xiao Yu's heart stirred, halting his steps: "The Master left us the Yu Jiuyou yin wind as a trial—not so we could rely on artifacts to pass through."

He glanced back at Lei Yu, whose lungs and bone marrow roared with thunderous wind and lightning, astonished that the Lei family patriarch's flesh was so extraordinarily strong—comparable to a magic treasure.

"The Lei patriarch seems to practice a body-refining art, using the yin wind to forge his flesh. Though our cultivation is low, we can still let a thread of yin wind in—just try it!"

"The chill of these yin winds stems from the deepest yin energy beneath the earth, possessing the same effect as the Bì Wind of the third Core Formation tribulation—it purifies true qi and refines one's foundation," the old Daoist nodded. "Only by directly resisting the yin wind with your cultivation can you truly refine yourself."

"No need for much—I'll let in just a thread! Remember to activate the Taiyin Body Refining Method..."

The three released their protective artifacts and drew in a stream of yin wind, feeling its chill erode their spiritual souls. Xiao Yu visualized the immortal's true form from the Taiyin Body Refining Method, vibrating his spiritual soul to resist the cold.

Soon, Xiao Yu felt his mind had been purified, his spiritual soul thoughts becoming purer, his spiritual sense clearer and brighter—as if shedding countless layers of dust, feeling utterly renewed.

Though slightly weary, he felt lighter.

Big Guy was struck by the yin wind; his body cracked with sharp sounds. A massive pressure struck him head-on, forcing him to stoop a full head lower.

The yin wind entered through Big Guy's crown, coursing through his limbs and bones. The old Daoist watched as Big Guy swelled and deflated like a balloon, heart pounding—fearing he'd burst apart.

Big Guy shed the corpse-like dead skin, retaining only the parts rich with life force—capable of constant growth, repair, and even further refinement.

The old Daoist glanced back at Lei Yu and whispered: "This Lei patriarch hides his depth well."

Xiao Yu, catching his breath, asked: "What do you mean?"

"Big Guy's corpse body, though accidental, is already as strong as a Core Formation cultivator's. Yet under the yin wind, he can barely refine himself—far inferior to the Lei patriarch. This man's flesh is even stronger than many martial cultivators of equal realm!"

Xiao Yu's inner deity opened its divine eyes, glancing back. He nodded: "He breathes in and out lightning. His chest is already a sea of lightning—this flesh, even if we stood still and beat it, couldn't harm him."

The old Daoist inhaled a thread of yin wind, refining his true qi, feeling his damaged Dao foundation ache faintly. He activated the Taiyin Body Refining Method and noticed the thirty-year-old wound had begun to heal.

The old Daoist was elated. He forgot all about the Lei and Jin patriarchs, drew back half the incense ash from the burner, and drew in a massive stream of yin wind.

Xiao Yu's eyes widened. He cursed: "Old Daoist, are you mad!"—then the yin wind struck, shaking his spiritual soul, nearly freezing him solid. Big Guy turned in horror, seeing the old Daoist's face set in grim determination—a look Big Guy had never seen before.

The old Daoist's white hair and beard fluttered wildly in the yin wind, making him look utterly broken and destitute.

Yet amid the chaotic strands, his gaze burned with resolve—eager, nostalgic, furious, yearning, enlightened after unbearable pain, a sliver of hope from despair.

"Old Daoist!" Big Guy cried out, worried.

"I'm fine!" the old Daoist replied. "Big Guy, can you still hold on?"

"I can still endure!" Big Guy slowly nodded.

Xiao Yu's eyes bulged. He forced out a stream of true qi to temporarily repel the cold, trembling: "I can't hold on! We've gone too deep—this yin wind is stronger than before... Let me adapt first before we go further!"

The old Daoist didn't wait. He drew in a massive stream of yin wind, sweeping over all three.

Big Guy threw himself in front of Xiao Yu. The yin wind passed through his flesh unimpeded, coursing through his body. His tendons and bones trembled like a dilapidated straw shed in a storm, creaking—his flesh rapidly undergoing refinement, his corpse body stronger than before by more than a hundredfold.

Xiao Yu looked at Big Guy with gratitude, then turned furious eyes on the old Daoist, fighting desperately against the cold rising from his spiritual soul.

The halo behind his inner deity blazed brightly, spinning ceaselessly, resisting the yin wind from all directions, stabilizing his spiritual soul's refinement while absorbing vows to grow stronger.

The old Daoist murmured: "Xiao Yu, your foundation is unstable. When you established your Foundation, you relied on yin spirits—your Dao base was only seventh rank. Though you switched to the superior Incense Dao and rebuilt your foundation, remnants of that inferior base remain—they'll hinder your future achievements."

"Only a drastic remedy can utterly destroy these lingering remnants."

Xiao Yu paled: "I understand the logic—but can't we do it slowly?"

"Xiao Yu!" the old Daoist shook his head. "You're clever—but clever people's greatest flaw is instinctively seeking easier, safer paths. You look down on brute-force methods, unaware that sometimes, the brute-force method is the best."

"Before Big Guy came, our relationship was distant—we had barriers. You thought I pretended to be profound, hiding much. I thought you were sneaky, lacking conviction. Even after many trials and near-death moments, we grew closer, forged a life-and-death bond. Yet I never told you my past."

"Because though I knew you carried an untainted purity within, I still believed you lacked the courage to bear it all. Until you risked your life to save Big Guy—I realized behind your petty cleverness lies a fearless courage and unwavering resolve."

Xiao Yu clung tightly to Big Guy's neck, tears nearly streaming.

"Xiao Yu, remember... be brave!"

The old Daoist pinched a soft patch of flesh at the back of Xiao Yu's neck, lifting him up. He pulled out a broken stupa relic, stared at it deeply, then shoved it into Xiao Yu's mouth.

"Old Daoist, I hate you!"

Xiao Yu screamed as the relic entered his mouth—his inner deity immediately activated its vast vows. His mind rang like a bell, plunging him into endless chanting, drowning in countless sentient beings' thoughts.

Then a stronger yin wind struck his spiritual soul.

Instantly, countless complex thoughts were laid bare. Under the yin wind's refinement, Xiao Yu held fast to his true self, slowly grinding away the impurities within the vows, the original thoughts of the high monk's relic.

The yin wind and Xiao Yu's true thoughts became two grinding stones, crushing the mixed vows. His inner deity pressed down upon them, transforming them into pure spiritual power.

At this moment, a speck of black qi seeped into Xiao Yu's body.

The Wuhe Jian Wind Fiend instantly shattered Xiao Yu's primordial true qi. His true qi seed talisman shattered instantly. Even the purified true qi, still slightly impure, was obliterated under the fiend's corruption—the last remnants of his original Dao foundation vanished.

"Only total destruction can fully cleanse your old foundation," the old Daoist sighed. "The longer you delay, the deeper the old foundation merges with your new one—harder to distinguish. It seems to fix your base, but at the critical moment, you'll realize how much it dragged you down!"

After his cultivation collapsed, the last essence within Xiao Yu merged with the spiritual power of his inner deity, incorporating the fiendish qi into his newly formed true qi.

A new, divine-talismanned fundamental power suddenly formed.

"First-rank Dao foundation!"

Perfect spiritual light appeared behind Xiao Yu's head...

"The yin wind contains a pure fiendish qi—extremely precious. Only by refining this qi can you finally purify your magic power and rebuild a first-rank Dao foundation!" The old Daoist stared ahead, where the chaotic yin wind carried countless fine black threads.

He warned Xiao Yu and Big Guy to use their magic power to capture those precious fiendish qi.

Lei Yu's belly thundered louder. The Lei family cultivator who had been refining his true qi with fiendish qi was suddenly struck by a yin wind carrying a black thread—his protective true yuan shattered instantly. The yin wind, now carrying several black threads, struck his flesh directly.

Instantly, his flesh and blood dissolved. His body floated upward, light as air, hanging from a branch above the bone tree.

His body had been flattened entirely—leaving only a human skin.

"Beware the fiendish qi in the yin wind!" Lei Yu shouted, warning his disciples.

"Fiendish qi!"

Many lone cultivators and clan members gasped in alarm. Fiendish qi is among the most precious cultivation resources in this world—many spells and abilities require it to be cultivated. Not to mention, before Core Formation, the two crucial steps—condensing fiendish qi and refining Gang qi—can elevate your Core quality by one or two ranks.

Without completing this step, unless you're truly a heavenly talent, you'll never achieve a top-grade Core.

How many spend half their lives desperately seeking even a single impure, fringe fiendish qi?

Years ago, Master Pei of the Golden Sand Sect, who was said to have "unshakable Dao heart," provoked Brother Qian Chen—wasn't it for a single thread of Ice Soul Cold Light Gang qi? Brother Qian Chen challenged the Golden Sand Sect, nearly wiping out the Pei family—wasn't it for a single thread of Taiyin True Fiendish Qi?

Here, Wuhe Jian Wind Fiend—ranked among the Seventy-Two Earth Fiends—was blown up from the deepest yin depths by the Yu Jiuyou yin wind, nearly inexhaustible!

"Could this connect directly to Yu Jiuyou?" asked a Jin family elder, staring at the dense black threads in the yin wind, to Jin Zhong: "Wuhe Jian Wind Fiend ranks among the Seventy-Two Earth Fiends. Though inferior to Nine Yin, Nine Earth, Yu Jiuyou, it's still top-tier. If this fiendish qi truly connects to the earth's core, endless and boundless—it could establish a clan's foundation lasting ten thousand years!"

The Xin family's old fox greedily cried: "Children, seize the fiendish qi!"

"This much fiendish qi is enough to forge one magic treasure!"

"Too bad I've already formed my Core—if I'd had this chance earlier, I might have achieved a top-grade Core, with hope of immortality!"

"Indeed! Had I had this fortune in my youth, I might have formed a top-grade Core!"

Lei Yu also absorbed several threads of Wuhe Jian Wind Fiend, activating his strange body-refining art—gaining clear progress—but still frowned. He had already formed his Core; his true qi had become primordial energy, losing the ability to condense fiendish qi.

The fiendish qi here benefited those who hadn't formed their Core far more.

Being in a treasure trove yet gaining less than those without Core Formation—no wonder Lei Yu was dissatisfied.

Xiao Yu quickly used the fiendish qi to re-refine his foundation. Together with Big Guy, he condensed his thin magic power. Thin magic power had its advantages—everyone stopped advancing, staying here to greedily harvest fiendish qi. Some, overwhelmed by too much fiendish qi, had their flesh dissolved into skin, yet this did nothing to deter others' greed.

The old Daoist condensed the last thread of fiendish qi, slowly exhaled a foul breath, and opened his eyes. He glanced down casually—and froze.

Across the gorge, the blood river had suddenly filled with countless black shadows—gatherings of Yu Jiuyou qi, resentful thoughts bound to demonic qi, naturally born demons.

"There's... one more offering!" the old Daoist trembled. "Of course—how could this fengshui formation have nothing to do with such a glaring blood river?"

"The final formation—General General Xuehe Burial!"

"Xiao Yu... run!" the old Daoist shouted, sprinting toward the opposite gorge. He raised the incense burner, spewing golden ash to shield the three. The black shadows—the demonic resentments—rode the yin wind upward from the blood river, instinctively surging toward the people above the gorge.

Even those who had awakened couldn't stop it.

Instantly, the demons, riding resentment a hundred times stronger than the yin wind, surged into the crowd. Dozens instantly lost their minds; unprepared, fiendish qi clung to their flesh.

Dozens of human skins were lifted by the wind, hanging from tree branches.

The rest were paralyzed with dread. The chaotic yin wind churned, countless Wuhe Jian fiendish qi darting through it. Amid boundless resentment and demonic interference, direction vanished. Some took wrong paths, screaming as they tumbled into the gorge, falling into the blood river.

Just a splash—and they dissolved.

Even protective artifacts rusted in the blood river, leaving no trace of bones. The survivors grew even more terrified. Resentment, demons, fiendish qi, yin wind, blood river—five forces intertwined. Even the green ox struggled, dragging the Tao family clinging to its tail as it bolted forward.

Lei Yu roared in fury, lightning surging across his body. He struck out—a four-trigram pattern appeared, then merged into wind, earth, water, fire—forming a primordial lightning bolt that shattered hundreds of demons ahead.

But soon, more demons rode the blood river's waters, manifesting miniature blood rivers in midair.

The blood river transformed into a demonic body. A divine demon drew a crimson blade of light, slashing Lei Yu into frantic leaps and bounds, shattering all his lightning, nearly cutting him in half.

The green ox gasped: "Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Sword!"

"Run fast, or this knife will be slicing beef!" Old Ox quickened his pace; the flat horns on his head emitted a green divine light that swept forward, carving a path.

But apart from a handful who seized the chance to dash through the stretch teeming with demons, everyone else fell behind, as countless demons rode the river of blood, driving a larger blade of light to trap them all here.

Their bodies surged with blood qi, their blood nearly bursting from their pores; boundless resentment battered their minds, demonic Sha qi corroded their true qi, and icy winds obscured the path ahead…

Someone broke into desperate sobs.

Even Lei Yu had no choice but to abandon the remaining clan members, clutching his son under his ribs as he broke through this stretch alone, racing toward the opposite side of the gorge.

Jin Zhong was grazed by the crimson blade-light; threads of blood seeped from his pores. He roared in fury, fighting desperately alongside the two remaining Elders of the Jin Clan, while the old fox of the Xin family abandoned his burdens and led a small group of elites in a breakout.

Just as all of them were about to be swallowed by despair, the white bone tree trembled with divine light; at the nine spots where bone dragons coiled, a bronze coffin suddenly opened, and a white, graceful figure flew out, slicing through the icy winds.

Wherever she passed, the river of blood calmed, and the demons retreated.

The graceful figure drifted onto a branch of white bone, shook her right arm, and a clear, melodious tinkling of silver bells dispelled the boundless resentment clinging to them all.

Amid the chime of the bells, the demonic tide receded, and the others finally broke free from their entanglements and escaped.

"A woman?" the old Daoist murmured in surprise.

"Thousands of ghost skins buried as offerings, three spiritual veins as grand sacrificial tributes, corpses bowing in unison, a river of blood as funeral procession—this terrifying grand tomb was built for… a woman? And she just saved us?"

Xiao Yu found it impossible to believe that the Ghost King was such a gentle female ghost.

"The river of blood is formed by the demon sealed deepest in this demonic Xue. If it stirs even slightly, I cannot protect you—hurry and leave!"

For the first time facing the immortal tomb-master of the White Bone Grove, each of them fell into private thoughts.

………………

Far away, Brother Qian Chen stood beneath the White Bone Pagoda, looking up and sighing: "No wonder Zhong Kui was so worried about his sister. Zhong Ling is too kind, too peaceful—she simply isn't suited for this cruel cultivation world."

"How can someone so gentle control those ambitious fools?"

"I hope they don't do anything stupid!"

"Ordinary people don't need me to act—but Zhong Ling is different…" Brother Qian Chen paused, then sighed: "Who else would I have promised her brother?"