Chapter 341: Refining the Martial Dao

After obtaining Spiritual Material, Yan Buji began reviewing the Soul‑Restoring Pill formula.

This Soul‑Restoring Pill is actually a second‑stage pill formula, intended to repair injuries to the spiritual awareness and soul of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but its effect on cultivators beyond the Foundation Establishment Stage—such as those in the Core Formation Stage or Golden Core stage—is negligible.

However, if this Spiritual Pill is to be refined further, the formula must be altered to some extent.

It is not a matter of adding more Spiritual Material—the proportion of Spiritual Material in the formula is already perfect; the main issue lies in the division of steps.

Yan Buji racked his brain for half a month before finally beginning the refinement.

During this time, Yan Buji once again confirmed his hypothesis: the quality of the formula depends not on the Spiritual Material ratio but on the procedural differences.

The distinction between the second‑stage and third‑stage pill formulas is that the latter, to varying degrees, involves the mutual supplementation of soul and medicine; since Yan Buji has not yet cultivated to that level, he is not entirely clear and can only glean information from some of his own hidden books.

For example, the Resonance Chapter given to him by Lin Tianlin is quite powerful, focusing on the cultivation of spiritual awareness. It contains descriptions of the soul, spirit, and divine soul, which allows Yan Buji to improve his alchemical skills.

When the third‑stage Soul‑Restoring Pill was completed, Yan Buji handed it to Wang Man; seeing his trembling, excited demeanor, Yan Buji said calmly:

"With just this one, it probably won't heal your injury."

"At least it should improve things considerably," Wang Man exhaled in relief.

"If you can find another ingredient, I can help you refine it," Yan Buji said.

Wang Man looked at him: "Then what do you want me to do?"

"We'll discuss it after you regain your strength."

Wang Man gave Yan Buji a deep glance, nodded, clasped his fists, and left.

Afterwards, Yan Buji sat inside the room and began cultivating.

After such a long time, he had mapped out his future cultivation strategy.

Nowadays, even after ingesting a Human‑Origin Grand Pill, he can at most break through to the late Foundation Establishment Stage but cannot advance to the Core Formation Stage; in this resource‑scarce Boundless Abyssal Rift, that is clearly unlikely.

Thus, he can only pursue the path of Martial Dao.

Fortunately, Yan Buji has seen the Heavenly Demon King; perhaps it was not the true form, but that fierce, chilling demonic aura gave him great insight.

The core outline of Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng, the "Heaven‑Ascending as Demon Law," was created by Great Demon Wuji, and Yan Buji never obtained it, so his Blood Heaven Ascension Degree has always lacked a crucial component.

Although he has also supplemented the Mingwang State and Bo Ran State levels, his Blood Heaven Ascension Degree originates from the three elements of spirit, qi, and body; lacking the key outline of Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng—one of the three foundational techniques—together with Blood Essence Skill and the Supreme Holy Primordial Source Scripture, a unified configuration is hard to achieve, causing Yan Buji each time to be able to amplify only a single state, making simultaneous multi‑state use difficult.

It can be understood that, as a mortal martial art, Yan Buji can integrate three extremely potent techniques into a unified Martial Dao Profound Skill.

Beyond that advancement, having filled in the core outlines of Blood Essence Skill and the Supreme Holy Primordial Source Scripture, his realm breakthroughs accelerate, manifesting in his spiritual awareness and blood qi.

However, because one of the three required core outlines for foundational advancement is missing, his Martial Dao Profound Skill struggles to unify spirit, qi, and body, especially in the Mingwang and Bo Ran states, where each demands the utmost activation of spirit, qi, and body.

Without the Heaven‑Ascending as Demon Law, those two states remain incomplete.

Thus, although the ceiling of Martial Dao is set there and cannot be broken, Yan Buji currently has no means but to meticulously refine his Martial Dao.

With the impression of the Heavenly Demon King as a reference, Yan Buji began repeatedly studying Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng.

He took out the black cloth he had examined countless times for another read, and together with the image of the Heavenly Demon King, Yan Buji gradually derived a viable cultivation route in his mind.

"That's not right, that's not right; Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng is indeed just a mortal internal art. But why does it record three Youming Jie diagrams?"

So this Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng was truly created by Great Demon Wuji?

It probably isn't; Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng is definitely a relic of ancient warriors, and it is said that ancient warriors once breached Youming Jie, perhaps those internal‑art practitioners recorded the three divine‑ghost diagrams.

Yan Wang Shengui, Shura Blood Sea, Abyssal Hell...

Yan Buji has only seen the Shura Blood Sea of the Shura tribe in Youming Jie, which matches the descriptions above quite closely.

"If that's the case..."

Yan Buji furrowed his brows, studying the three divine‑ghost diagrams carefully.

Unconsciously, Yan Buji attempted to stimulate True Essence, operating along the artistic routes of the three divine‑ghost diagrams.

In no time, Yan Buji's whole body trembled!

"So that's it—the three divine‑ghost diagrams are actually route maps for three Martial Dao Profound Skills?!"

Using Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng as a basis to stimulate True Essence yields a certain reaction with the three diagrams, yet Yan Buji has already forged his own path; the diagrams' effect is not as great as imagined, though they have revealed their underlying meaning to him.

These three divine‑ghost diagrams also use spirit, qi, and body as routes, but relying solely on Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng; therefore, Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng itself can employ these three diagrams to forge a Martial Dao Profound Skill.

However, he originally thought Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng was purely internal‑qi based, and during his mortal phase, combined his original Blood Essence Skill with the Supreme Holy Primordial Source Scripture to create a new Martial Dao Profound Skill!

Is the path he walks different from Great Demon Wuji's?!

Yan Buji thought carefully and realized it was indeed so.

Perhaps Great Demon Wuji also knows of two other internal arts similar to Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng, but never used them as a foundation for cultivation.

He, however, integrated those three internal arts into one, and after finding the core outline, progressed step by step.

Thus, if he finds it troublesome, he could simply follow the Shura Blood Sea diagram's route to supplement the core outline of Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng, though that would further differentiate him from Great Demon Wuji.

Although Yan Buji does not understand why he used the Heavenly Demon Clan as a model to create the Heaven‑Ascending as Demon Law, a cultivator must possess personal judgment.

Whether it's the Shura Blood Sea diagram or using the Heavenly Demon King as a model, it ultimately amounts to borrowing external power.

"Why not use me as the power?!"

Yan Buji fell into contemplation.

Many martial techniques are derived from imitation—whether mimicking animals or sensing the rhythms of heaven and earth—these are merely references refined to achieve greatness.

The most direct example is Yan Buji's incorporation of the Mingwang Prison‑Sealing Technique into his Martial Dao Profound Skill, giving rise to the Mingwang State, under which his damage to evil spirits and monsters is maximized.

Because he imitates the Buddhist Mingwang who only kills and does not guide, such lethal power emerges.

Yet this is not his own power, but borrowed.

"I use myself as the power, seeking freedom and ease."

Yan Buji closed his eyes and entered a wondrous state.