Chapter 624: Target Established, Zhao Mo's Defense Broken

Wang Yu's strength had advanced further. The profound artistic conception, which could only be fully mastered during the Void Refinement stage, had become even more mysterious. His Path of Slaughter and the Slaughter Sword Scripture perfectly complemented each other, like dry kindling meeting a raging fire, instantly igniting a blazing inferno.

Even without actively seeking comprehension, a continuous stream of insights flowed to Wang Yu from the ethereal. The talent of the blood beast Fei was truly formidable, and his innate aptitude had also evolved due to the Heaven Demon Dao Seizure. Even without activating the Heaven Demon Myriad Transformations, his cultivation speed was comparable to that of a True Spirit lineage, roughly on par with a mid-tier True Spirit bloodline—one level higher than the Ice Phoenix.

His potential ceiling had expanded to the Mahayana stage. This implied that, with regular cultivation, he would have the opportunity to overcome any difficult barrier and ascend to the rank of a Mahayana Venerable before his lifespan concluded.

Of course. The prerequisite, of course, was immense diligence. No matter how potent a True Spirit bloodline, it couldn't guarantee one's direct ascension to the Mahayana stage. Otherwise, to what extent would the heavens and earth favor them? If that were true, True Spirits wouldn't be increasingly rare and difficult to find; indeed, some species would have already gone extinct! Aptitude was merely an aid to cultivators. While possessing such potential, it didn't guarantee full realization. For Wang Yu, aptitude was never the limiting factor for his potential. He simply regarded this level of talent as a "spiritual energy multiplier." If it could save him years of arduous cultivation, he considered it well worth the value.

His body refinement cultivation had reached the perfected second stage. Once the Inner and Outer Time Great Furnace was forged, it would permanently reside within him, continuously nourishing and refining his physical body and spirit. This process both enhanced his potential and laid the groundwork for the future integration of spirit and flesh.

The third stage of the Heaven Devourer technique, however, still awaited the full cycle of the Yin Five Elements. While further enhancing his physical strength was difficult, he could continue to build his foundation. A drop of Primal Chaos Marrow had already formed in his dragon spine; he could slowly nurture it to gradually increase its volume, and there was no rush to break through until his dragon spine was completely filled. After all, the deeper the accumulation before a breakthrough, the more significant and formidable the improvement upon entering a new major realm.

The principle behind this was simple. A cultivator breaking through a major realm was akin to multiplication. For instance, if the multiplier for the sixth stage was ten, an ordinary cultivator might satisfy the breakthrough conditions with an accumulation of five. Those with a profound foundation might accumulate ten, while exceptional talents and prodigies could accumulate as much as twenty. Let's calculate the results: the strength of a normal cultivator after breaking through would be fifty. For a prodigy, it would be two hundred. How could their combat power possibly be the same?

This kind of accumulation was like a snowball: the more substantial the initial accumulation, the larger the snowball would grow, eventually becoming unstoppable. This explained Wang Yu's extraordinary combat prowess. This wasn't solely due to his perfected divine abilities, but also his incredibly profound foundation. The further he progressed into later major realm breakthroughs, the greater the disparity between his strength and that of ordinary cultivators became.

Consequently, sweeping aside opponents of the same cultivation level gradually became something he considered commonplace. Challenging across realms was the mark of a true prodigy. However, engaging in such challenges too frequently inevitably led to missteps. When he attempted to leap two major realms, he was severely imperiled and nearly perished. Reflecting now, it would be better to revert to the mindset he held when he first entered the cultivation world. He should feign weakness when appropriate, unless there was a truly worthwhile gain to pursue.

Walking along the covered walkway outside the quiet chamber, Wang Yu suddenly stopped. A grey rain had begun to fall from the sky at some unknown point, its downpour so thick with Yin Corpse Qi that it was almost tangible. He swept his gaze around, revealing a look of delight.

"The Yin Water position has advanced." Large-scale corpse refining not only benefited the Wei clan but also contributed to the growth of this unique grand formation. The Water element advancing first was certainly a good sign; with the Five Elements cycle now originating from Water, it would naturally stimulate the advancement of the other four elements. It was significantly faster than he had anticipated. If more corpse resources could be allocated, he was confident he could fully complete the Yin Five Elements here within half a jiazi (30 years), bringing him ever closer to his ascension.

He rarely took the time to observe the world's scenery. When he arrived at the Yin Heaven Hall, as expected, Qing Qing was seated on his "throne," gracefully inviting him to partake in grapes.

Her soft bosom was like silver, her jade body pure as snow. Her elbows and arms were like painted rouge, her fragrant shoulders as if sculpted from powder. Her belly was soft and yielding, her back smooth and pristine. Her knees and wrists were softly curved, her tiny "golden lotuses" a mere three cun wide, and in between, a seductive allure, revealing a captivating opening.

"—How daring!"

The delighted Mr. Wang was, of course, happy to engage in role-playing with Lady Qing Qing. The latter, like a treacherous concubine, lightly stroked her long legs, striking a seductive pose and murmuring provocative words.

"Today, I, Wei, must subdue you, demoness."

"Come on~."

"Merely boasting with words isn't like you."

Wang Yu, greatly angered, suddenly lunged forward. He simply had to teach this young lady the true meaning of an Indestructible Vajra Body using the "Heaven and Earth Union of Yin and Yang Great Compassion Art."

In mere moments, the Yin Heaven Hall was enveloped by a veil that obscured all six senses, ensuring that no one could perceive any activity within, regardless of its intensity.

A short while later, Wang Yu, whose cultivation had further advanced, patted the beauty's shapely buttocks and chuckled, "Tell me about the situation in the Demonic Cultivation Realm, and about the Demonic Star Lineage."

Qing Qing's hazy eyes instantly sharpened, revealing genuine surprise and delight. In her view, with Wang Yu by her side and her status as his intimate companion, safely passing the Demonic Star assessment was now a certainty.

Yes. Although she had obtained provisional status as a core disciple of the Demonic Star Lineage before her ascension, the vast majority of this was due to her identity as a Drought Zombie.

Demonic Star, Demonic Star! This lineage not only required its members to be prodigies in demonic cultivation but also to possess some authority representing a natural disaster, aligning with one of the various manifestations of the demonic stars revealed by the celestial bodies. Hou Qing, one of the legendary Four Ancestors of Zombies, was considered a malevolent star presiding over slaughter and warfare. Hence, zombies born from living beings were the most compatible with the Demonic Star Lineage's inheritance.

The Four Ancestors of Zombies seemed to have quite a reputation. However, the name "Hou Qing" merely represents an evolutionary path specific to battlefield fiendish corpses. The Drought Zombie is also one of the Four Ancestors, which explains why Qing Qing has reached the culmination of the zombie evolutionary path, seeking rebirth through death. For a long time, the concept of the Four Ancestors had evolved from mere titles into the ultimate evolutionary culmination points of four distinct zombie paths.

Hou Qing, affiliated with Metal, commanded martial malevolence and was unparalleled in offense.Drought Zombie, affiliated with Fire, commanded heavenly fire and drought, embodying the essence of fire.Ying Gou, affiliated with Water, commanded dark waters and floods, capable of inundating lands.Jiang Chen, affiliated with Blood, commanded the blood path and all spirits, achieving immortality.

The Four Ancestors' naturally compatible attributes also included Earth, as they were, after all, malevolent beings nurtured by the earth.

In terms of their developmental paths, the Jiang Chen lineage was considered the orthodox progression from "Hou" to "Ba," while the other three ancestors were variations influenced by external forces. The bloodlines of the Four Ancestors were comparable to mid-tier ferocious beasts, with the Jiang Chen line barely reaching the upper-tier. They were the type that fell short of the very best but were more than adequate compared to those below them. This was particularly true for Corpse Dao cultivators, for whom Dao Integration often marked the end of their path. However, there was always a way, and certain methods could circumvent innate limitations. For example, the inheritance of the Demonic Star Lineage.

Qing Qing had never revealed her innate life-bound treasure. The wisp of fire Dao principle contained within it would naturally not be casually exposed to members of the Demonic Star Lineage. Even Wang Yu had only sensed it during their dual cultivation, and the same was true for Qing Qing. Both of them tacitly understood that the other had already comprehended a Dao principle, and neither had ever mentioned it.

Therefore, her identity as a Drought Zombie who had gained sentience made her exceedingly rare, prompting the Demonic Star Lineage to readily offer her a provisional spot. If she truly had the aptitude to become a Demonic Son-level figure within the Demonic Star Lineage, she wouldn't need to queue; a Dao Integration Grand Elder would have personally arrived to retrieve her long ago.

Within the Vast Immortal Palace, there were numerous Dao Children and Saintesses, all representative figures of their respective lineages, serving as their public face. Generally, anyone with the potential to reach Mahayana could assume such a role. However, for the Demonic Path, the Demonic Sons and Daughters they appointed were subtly half a step higher than those of the Righteous Path. Due to differing cultivation methods, every individual who achieved the rank of Demonic Son, provided they didn't perish midway, invariably became a Loose Immortal of the Tribulation Transcension stage. A hundred percent success rate. Meanwhile, countless Dao Children and Saintesses found themselves stuck at the peak of Dao Integration; only fifty percent managed to break through to Mahayana, and fewer than twenty percent attained the status of Tribulation Transcension Loose Immortals.

Naturally, this was also linked to their sheer numbers, which lowered the average. The main force of humanity still resided within the Righteous Path.

For a full half-day, Qing Qing spoke, starting with the hidden secrets of the zombie system, then moving on to the Demonic Star Lineage, the state of the Demonic Cultivation Realm, and the relationships and differences between righteous and demonic cultivators within the Immortal Palace. She held nothing back, speaking everything she knew. Even though Wang Yu had recently caught up on extensive knowledge and possessed Fei's inherited memories, his understanding of the Vast Immortal Realm and the myriad races across the Cosmic Sea had deepened considerably. Yet, it was not as comprehensive as her account.

In short, once she passed the Demonic Star assessment, she would become a core disciple and gain the authority to introduce talents to the lineage. He could then follow her and enter the lineage for cultivation.

Wang Yu didn't mind joining a faction. After all, the lineage was part of the Immortal Palace and ultimately belonged to Immortal Palace cultivators. Having cultivated for many years in the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, he already possessed a deep understanding of this. It was always better to rely on a faction if possible. A lone wolf has no future. If he had fled back then, he would never have encountered an opportunity like the Profound Origin Demonic Embryo Secret Art. Lingering among rogue cultivators, he would have been fortunate just to obtain the Foundation Seizing Art.

"What are the specific details of the assessment?"

"Simple. After ascending to the Demonic Cultivation Realm, I activate a token they gave me. That will mark the start of the assessment. Surviving for ten years means passing the trial."

Wang Yu: "..."

Such a seemingly simple task was clearly illogical, but considering the notorious reputation of the Demonic Cultivation Realm, perhaps it wasn't so surprising? It was said that the ascension channel of the Demonic Cultivation Realm was the most active among the nine realms. The flow of people there seemed to be constantly replenishing, an endless, inexhaustible supply. Most of the talents produced were sent to the Vast Frontline. If they remained to serve in the Immortal Palace, it could easily lead to bloody incidents. It couldn't be helped.

The True Spirit Realm hosted the Immortal Palace headquarters, and other Upper Realms naturally had Immortal Palace branches. It was rumored that these branches were structured around eight sub-artifacts of a single immortal weapon, a weapon of war. Wang Yu had witnessed the destructive power of this artifact. The Chaos Cavern Celestial Pivot Battleship — the Great Annihilation Chaos Cavern Realm-Slaying Celestial Light! A single shot annihilated a late-stage Void Refinement expert. And that was merely a replica; he dared not even imagine the might of the original. Its refining method differed fundamentally from ordinary artifact forging techniques, and the crafting methods for war artifacts were considered forbidden knowledge within the Immortal Palace. Comprehending it privately without permission would lead to execution at the Immortal Slaying Platform.

Back to the main topic. Going to cultivate in the Demonic Cultivation Realm was risky for him. However, True Immortal Xuande had never specified a time for him to enter the Grand Profound Heaven. So, perhaps it would be feasible for him to establish himself in the Demonic Cultivation Realm first, then return...? He believed that such grand figures couldn't possibly be monitoring him constantly. What was there to be afraid of?

As for joining the Demonic Star Lineage, he still needed to consider it carefully. This lineage was only considered upper-tier among the Demonic Cultivation Realm's orthodoxies, not a hegemon-level power. His primary concern was to fulfill the development of his Innate True Demonic Body. The path that could fully unleash the potential of this demonic physique was the one truly suitable for him.

He then spent some tender moments with Qing Qing. Wang Yu's life returned to normal. When cultivating, he sought out Qing Qing. For practicing techniques and comprehending the Dao, he would seclude himself for a few days. As time passed, several years flew by.

When the Lesser Pole Palace reconvened its gathering, summoning the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Mountains and Seas to reorder their ascension ranks, a storm was simultaneously brewing.

Great Snow Mountain, Lesser Pole Palace. The familiar square, the familiar ice palace—yet, the group of casually conversing Nascent Soul cultivators gradually realized something was amiss.

"Huh, why don't I see Fellow Daoist Lan Feng?"

"Master Tianlong hasn't come either."

"Perhaps they were delayed and are still on their way?"

"No, something is definitely wrong, nine times out of ten."

"Does everyone recall? Last time, after the gathering concluded, over a dozen fellow Daoists remained behind, including the Ice Demon Wei Wuxian, who is also absent now."

"Brother Cheng, ranked sixth, isn't here either."

"Brother Wan, ranked seventh, and Fellow Daoist Zhao, ranked fourth, haven't come."

Everyone conversed animatedly, and the discussion quickly grew in intensity. This led to everyone engaging in the discussion. Soon, over a dozen individuals were precisely identified: all those ranked from second down to fifteenth, excluding Xuanhuang Dao Child Zhao Mo, who held the first position.

The cultivator ranked fifteenth first engaged in an eager discussion with others. Then, upon being reminded by someone, he was pleasantly surprised to realize he might very well be elevated to the second rank. What a stroke of heaven-sent luck! For a moment, he hummed contentedly, an irrepressible smile on his face. Few, however, noticed Zhao Mo, standing in a corner, whose expression was terribly grim. Perfectly embodying: "The emotional distress of a top student," "being excluded by a clique," "good things happening without me," "feeling discriminated against," "feeling disrespected"—and a hint of concealed grievance.

His cold gaze swept across the hall, quickly settling on the entrance of the ice palace. He swiftly concluded that Li Chunyi was also keeping things from him. Although he was ranked first, the next opening of the ascension channel was still nearly a jiazi (60 years) away. Having cultivated to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage early on, he had been utilizing the unique resources of the Xuanhuang Realm to cultivate a combat body technique. His aim was to raise his combat power ceiling within the same realm. It was also a method of mental refinement, honing his foundation, reining in his 'mind-ape' and taming his 'will-horse.' As the saying goes, patience brings success, and cultivation was no different. A hundred years of mental refinement was nothing. After all, he was very close to the Void Refinement stage, and given the 6,400-year lifespan of a Void Refinement cultivator, it was not a waste of time.

However, for a group of scoundrels to secretly ascend without him was utterly unbearable. That wretched dragon Lan Feng had approached him more than once, expressing envy for his status within the Kunlun Lineage that allowed the Emotionless Lineage to rank him first. Unlike his own situation in the Demonic Dragon Lineage, where his origins were shrouded in mystery and unknown threats lurked in the shadows, making his future path uncertain and fraught with countless hardships. He had pleaded for much assistance. And then this happened to him. Thinking now, what utter nonsense were they spouting? He wanted to strike them with a hammer! The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

Just then, Mr. Wei, Wang Yu's alias, arrived in a flash of light. The entire venue instantly fell silent, as if everyone was astonished that he had not yet ascended. Wang Yu smiled, quite pleased with the deference. He tossed out a recording orb. While replaying past images, he said, smiling brightly, "Welcome, all aspiring cultivators, to purchase Mr. Wei's ship tickets! The World-Splitting Divine Ark guarantees safety and a hundred percent ascension success rate, with only thirty spots available."

As soon as he finished speaking, instead of a clamorous rush of competition, what followed was a guttural, gritted-teeth rebuke.

"Wei... Wuxian!"

Wang Yu glanced sideways, his gaze gradually turning cold. "Dao Child Zhao Mo, do you have a problem with me, Wei?"

The latter stepped out of the crowd, standing in the void. He said coldly, "Why didn't you invite me? Are you looking down on me, Zhao Mo?"

"Looking down on you? Not necessarily. However, Fellow Daoist Zhao, your current demeanor reveals a state of mind rarely seen, indeed~"

Provocation! Naked provocation! The shrewd ones had already begun to retreat, expressions of eager anticipation on their faces, looking forward to the impending battle between these two.