Chapter 217: Decoding the Branch Source Stone

The finished demon‑refining gourd is a second‑stage Accumulation Device, which means it can only trap peak‑level minor demons, and not many of them—at most a few.

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Is it of any great use?

Seems not; even ignoring the time lag required for the spirit‑demon jade liquid to melt the demons, if it can only absorb a few demons, then for Yan Buji it's slower than simply eating raw spirit grass for recovery.

However, the biggest benefit is that Yan Buji has gained a new insight into Accumulation Device forging.

"Combining the Accumulation Device forging methods that the Departed Daoist gave me, I have finally roughly figured out the issues to watch when forging Accumulation Devices."

Yan Buji sighed.

He thinks his forging process had no real mistakes; the problem is that this demon‑refining gourd is a turbid Accumulation Device, which he cannot use!

Thus the demon‑refining gourd's actual effect is greatly reduced, and wasting so much time forging an Accumulation Device of little use is somewhat distressing for Yan Buji.

The accumulation of knowledge and experience is always like this: whether it's useful or only somewhat useful makes a big difference.

Putting that aside, Yan Buji used the time to forge the Gold‑splitting Blade and the Jade‑flawed Sword, two Accumulation Devices specialized for stone‑breaking, both of which are first‑stage products.

However, both of these Accumulation Devices can be upgraded by re‑forging their components to a higher tier, so they are better than the demon‑refining gourd.

But their function is singular; they can only be used for stone‑breaking.

The Gold‑splitting Blade and the Jade‑flawed Sword are colored gold and jade respectively; the Gold‑splitting Blade is much smaller than an ordinary dagger, its tip appears sharp yet cannot even scratch the skin a hair; the Jade‑flawed Sword is slightly larger, its hilt is covered with a stone membrane, looking as if it were carved straight from raw jade ore.

"Perfect, I'll cut those two branch source stones."

Yan Buji thought, took out the two branch source stones and began cutting.

Following the stone‑breaking secret technique, Yan Buji opened his left eye, and the crimson‑gold double‑pupil reappeared!

Now his left eye can not only perceive the flow of spiritual Qi, but also passively see the direction of Mutant Force flow. As for the effect after active activation, he has never had a chance to try.

Given Yan Buji's current magical strength, he is no longer afraid of Mutant Force.

As the two source stones were dissected, Yan Buji carefully wielded the two blades back and forth, and finally saw an egg‑sized object wrapped in a stone membrane.

"What is this?"

Yan Buji frowned; within the stone membrane there seemed a faint rhythm, and as the source stone was dissected it was actively absorbing his magical energy.

"Seems like some kind of egg..."

Yan Buji looked at the stone egg and first pocketed it.

Then, from the other branch source stone, he dissected out something even Yan Buji hadn't expected!

"This is..."

He saw that this branch source stone yielded another branch, only straighter, wider at the top and narrower at the base, which left Yan Buji a bit baffled.

"What a curious property... why does it feel like I'm not actually holding it?"

Yan Buji grasped the stick, and for a moment couldn't figure out its origin.

It is called a branch, yet clearly bears marks of human polishing, but it is not an Accumulation Device component forged from refinement; rather it seems like... some Spiritual Material that has been specially polished.

He also doesn't know how it ended up sealed together with that stone egg.

In any case, since it emerged from a large source stone, it's certainly a treasure; though its origin is unclear for now, it must be something good.

Yan Buji resealed it and placed it into a Storage Accumulation Device.

Immediately, Yan Buji cultivated in the Fire Vein for a while, absorbed some hostile Qi and condensed it into a Hostile Qi Armor, then left.

"After meeting the master, I'll leave Qingfeng Temple."

Yan Buji no longer has a reason to stay at Qingfeng Temple; after all, the Kan Dao realm is about to undergo a cataclysm, and staying here could mean death or life, uncertain.

But he guesses Ming Zhong may not let him go.

Thinking that, Yan Buji left the fire‑vein area and entered the Dao Cang Ge directly.

On the way, he saw a few acquaintances.

"Hey? Senior Brother Yuejin!"

"Senior Brother Yuejin, hasn't seen you in eight or nine years."

Yan Buji looked at them; they were the disciples he had taken to the market years ago, now grown, each at the mid‑stage of Qi Refinement.

"So you are my junior brothers, long time no see."

"Senior Brother Yuejin, you've been in seclusion so long; earlier I saw spiritual Qi plates at your dwelling—could it be that you've already broken through the Qi‑refining pinnacle?!"

"No, I'm only at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement," Yan Buji laughed.

"Huh?"

Yan Buji looked and said, "By the way, how's it been outside the temple lately?"

"Now the master orders us not to leave the mountain, so we all cultivate within the temple."

"But senior brother..." the disciples said with worried faces, "Many say a demon race has emerged, already occupying the Kan Dao Imperial Court; various factions are to answer the call of the Xuan Kan Dao and launch a campaign to subdue the demons!"

Yan Buji was stunned, looking at them.

Is it really that big of a commotion?

Since Xuan Kan Dao is one of the Eight Profound Paths, such news could only have been released intentionally by the temple's higher‑ups; otherwise they wouldn't have known.

On the contrary, the fact that they already know indicates the situation has long slipped out of control.

Sending troops to slay demons is only a matter of time; how many can Qingfeng Temple muster?

Damn, now we really can't leave.

Yan Buji squinted, also a bit worried about what would happen if they ran into General Ye Zhilong of the former Kan Dao Imperial Court.

Given his Martial Dao talent plus the ancient warrior's Martial Dao Golden Core he once abandoned to survive, he likely entered the Dao through martial means long ago; his current realm is unknown.

But the current situation isn't a human‑race internal conflict; even if they truly encounter him, Xuan Gen Dao won't just stand by.

Yan Buji went to the Dao Cang Ge and met Ming Zhong.

"Master, I have come to return the token."

Hmm, has the Demon‑Refining Gourd been refined?

It's already refined, Master, please take a look.

Ming Zhong put away the token, glanced at the gourd in Yan Buji's hand, and said with a smile: "You actually know that the Demon‑Refining Gourd cannot be refined to perfection; not bad, not bad."

Yan Buji smiled and said: "Thanks to Master letting me study the Daoist scriptures, I have understood the principle that excess is as bad as deficiency."

Ming Zhong's smile grew wider, then his expression gradually turned solemn as he said: "Do you know the situation outside the temple now?"

When I came, I heard the junior martial brothers say that, Master, are we also going to go on a demon‑subjugation expedition at Clearwind Temple?

It's unavoidable; karma cycles, retribution never fails. Back then we seized the demons' territory, and now they're striking back—it's only natural. Ming Zhong sighed.

Ah? Master, in the Eight Dao Lands, where did all these demons come from? What have we humans and the demons gone through?

Ming Zhong looked at Yan Buji and chuckled: "Right, you haven't been in the temple long, so I forgot to tell you. Clearwind Temple has been passed down for four or five thousand years; there are some things I just haven't had a chance to tell you."

Yan Buji widened his eyes.

Does Clearwind Temple really have such a long history?

Then why is the temple's master only at the Golden Core stage?

Is Clearwind Temple also a major power backed by the Myriad Dao Mountain Range?