“This is… the soul of a Blood Sea Shark?”
“The demon core is the essence of a demon king’s entire being. It is also where the soul resides. Demon cores of third rank and above are also known as ‘Essence Soul Great Cores’ precisely because of this.”
“The Blood Fiend Shark’s soul should have long since perished. What remains now is merely residual essence soul power taking shape.”
Fang Qing carefully sensed the changes and gradually arrived at a conclusion.
“[Devouring Sea Art] slaughters souls and devours essences. It can even absorb essence soul power, forming a ring of baleful aura around my body, something akin to an enhanced version of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.”
“And if I encounter the Blood Sea Shark clan again in the future, the existence of this trace of essence soul baleful qi means my attacks will naturally possess special effectiveness against them?”
“Wait… perhaps this is the true essence of the [Devouring Sea Art]. Its core is not merely its ability to contain all rivers and seas, but rather, compatibility and tolerance?”
He pinched his fingers and calculated, a thought suddenly stirring within him.
“My mana now not only possesses enhanced lethality against Blood Sea Sharks, but the demonic qi of Blood Sea Sharks is also naturally weakened against me by several degrees, as though I possess a certain resistance to it?”
“And these resistances can probably continue stacking?”
“In other words, I may not currently be a match for Ice Heaven True Personage. But if I were to devour that Frost Sword Zhang Xueyue, it would effectively strengthen my resistance against the dao arts of Ice Heaven True Personage’s lineage while also increasing my offensive power against them.”
“If I continued long enough, perhaps after reaching late Core Formation I could even fight Ice Heaven True Personage at peak Core Formation?”
“And if one day I devoured every famous cultivation lineage in the Eastern Sea cultivation world.”
“Would that not make me, to a certain extent… immune to ten thousand techniques?”
“This cultivation method truly is a complete demonic art!”
“Not only does it progress at terrifying speed, it also grows more monstrous over time. No wonder the Zhoutian Star Palace feared it.”
Even Fang Qing himself felt somewhat alarmed as he touched his own dantian.
That mid-third-rank Blood Sea Shark demon core had only been preliminarily suppressed. It still required long-term refinement afterward.
Yet during this period alone, his cultivation efficiency already surpassed consuming third-rank spirit pills every day.
“Perhaps, with another eight or ten such demon cores, I could completely accumulate the mana required for early Core Formation and attempt a breakthrough into mid-stage Core Formation?”
“As expected, the cultivation speed is absurdly fast.”
“Still, the next priority should be refining my natal dharma artifact, the Devouring Sea Bottle.”
Without realizing it, more than a year passed.
Ice Heaven Market remained bustling as ever.
What the cultivators discussed most enthusiastically was still the news of Ice Heaven True Personage slaying Raging Shark True Personage and eliminating a great scourge from the nearby seas.
Naturally, this also inevitably involved the shadow of that Void Spiritual Root cultivator.
Only, no one dared discuss the matter openly anymore. By now, it had silently become a forbidden topic within the market.
Merchant Clan Eight-Corner Tower.
“Strange, Fairy Bixin claimed to be in secluded cultivation, and still has not responded. Even this tower’s custom array order has been delayed.”
Shang Yuanxin held a transmission talisman, his brows tightly furrowed. “Uncle Fu?”
“Young Master.”
Uncle Fu’s expression was equally grave. “Chixin, Tianzhu, and the other Core Formation cultivators invited by Ice Heaven True Personage… likewise have not sent out even the slightest news.”
The inner three palace layers of Ice Heaven Market had always been reserved for Ice Heaven True Personage’s personal use and sealed by formations.
This time, despite numerous Core Formation True Personages entering those palaces, not a single piece of information had emerged.
“What exactly is Ice Heaven True Personage trying to do? Does he intend to sever himself from the entire world?”
Shang Yuanxin immediately became restless, though excitement also flickered in his eyes.
“A great upheaval! A tremendous upheaval is coming!”
“If the Shang Clan plays this correctly, what benefits might we gain from it?”
At that moment, a clear cry suddenly rang out from his waist.
Uncle Fu’s expression changed instantly. Mid-stage Core Formation true power immediately sealed the surrounding area.
Shang Yuanxin removed a jade command token from his waist, his expression solemn beyond compare.
“The family’s Ten Thousand Mile Transmission Talisman has been activated.”
“When I left Merchant Clan Island to take up duties outside, the ancestor personally bestowed this upon me. Unless it concerns a matter of utmost urgency or a life-and-death crisis, it absolutely cannot be used.”
Though named the Ten Thousand Mile Transmission Talisman, the distance it could transmit across far exceeded merely ten thousand miles.
More importantly, it could penetrate the overwhelming majority of array barriers. Its wonders were truly extraordinary.
The only issue was that the refining materials were incredibly rare. Even the Merchant Alliance possessed very few. Such treasures were reserved exclusively for direct descendants of the Shang clan.
Shang Yuanxin took out the transmission talisman and solemnly bowed before forcing out a drop of essence blood from his fingertip onto it.
By the time he completed these actions, Uncle Fu had already withdrawn outside to stand guard.
“The family reports that the true identity of Ice Heaven True Personage is Xue Tianhong, a discarded disciple of Blood Fiend Island.”
“Back then, he stole a secret treasure known as the ‘Ghost Infant Root’ along with a forbidden secret art before disappearing without a trace.”
“Only decades later did Ice Heaven True Personage appear, occupying Ice Heaven Island and establishing Ice Heaven Market.”
“Ghost Infant Root.”
As Shang Yuanxin continued reading, his breathing gradually grew heavier.
“This item is a disposable demonic treasure refined through blood sacrifice methods!”
“Its purpose is to devour the essence blood and True Cores of large numbers of Core Formation cultivators in order to nurture a Resentful Infant Fruit.”
“The name of this ‘Resentful Infant Fruit’ resembles the ‘Heavenly Infant Fruit.’ Both are spirit objects used for Nascent Soul breakthrough.”
“However, its effects are far inferior to the Heavenly Infant Fruit. Consuming it directly grants only a fifty percent chance of success. If paired with specific demonic arts, the probability of breaking through to Nascent Soul rises to roughly ten percent.”
“And because this spiritual object is ultimately created through demonic methods, severe hidden dangers remain after consumption.”
“If the Nascent Soul breakthrough fails, there is naturally nothing more to say. But even upon success, the cultivator may remain trapped forever at early-stage Nascent Soul.”
“Furthermore, their mana, cultivation, and divine sense would all be weaker than Nascent Soul old monsters of the same realm.”
Even so, Shang Yuanxin’s breathing remained heavy.
After all, this was a Nascent Soul opportunity capable of extending one’s lifespan to a thousand years!
Even as the young master of the Shang Clan, he would still have to compete with countless clansmen in the future for the clan’s Nascent Soul resources.
And now, a Nascent Soul spiritual object was lying right before his eyes!
Unfortunately, the information that followed quickly extinguished the greed in his heart.
“A Nascent Soul old monster from Talisman Sword Island, ‘Master Heavenly Talisman’, has already rushed over and will soon eliminate the demonic evil and uphold the righteous path. Such a coincidence?”
Shang Yuanxin sighed softly. “I’m afraid, it isn’t a coincidence at all.”
That Ghost Infant Root was only a one-time-use treasure. The fact that Xue Tianhong had managed to steal it back then was already highly suspicious.
‘Perhaps this was a transaction between Blood Fiend Island and Talisman Sword Island? Blood Fiend Island provided the Ghost Infant Root, then allowed a discarded disciple to occupy a territory and cultivate the Resentful Infant Fruit. Once the fruit matured, a righteous-path Nascent Soul cultivator would naturally arrive to exterminate the evil, conveniently taking the fruit while gaining a righteous reputation as well. They truly squeezed every last bit of value from Ice Heaven True Personage.’
‘Of course, it may genuinely just be a coincidence. But once news of Xue Tianhong leaked out, no righteous cultivator would mind coming to pluck the fruit.’
“No wonder Xue Tianhong suddenly went to war with a Core Formation-level bandit cultivator faction after advancing to peak Core Formation, and even imprisoned so many Core Formation seniors. Their fates are probably grim indeed.”
A trace of fanaticism flashed through Shang Yuanxin’s eyes as he walked out of the secret chamber.
“Uncle Fu!”
“Young Master, this old servant is here.”
Uncle Fu immediately bowed.
“I’ve received top-secret intelligence from the clan. Ice Heaven True Personage’s faction is certain to be purged. The prices of all the shops in Ice Heaven Market will definitely collapse soon. Before that happens, sell off every one of our stores!”
Shang Yuanxin ordered decisively. “Convert everything into third-rank spiritual materials, spirit artifacts, even spirit stones if necessary! Just do not keep any shop assets!”
“Yes!”
Uncle Fu inwardly complained, ‘What is this? The main clan personally cheating to help the Young Master improve his performance?’
“Once the market declines, we’ll bring out our resources and buy everything up on a massive scale. Perhaps the entire Ice Heaven Market will have to change its name to Yuanxin Market!”
Shang Yuanxin’s eyes blazed brightly.
The Resentful Infant Fruit was being watched by Nascent Soul old monsters. He could not eat the meat, but drinking a bit of the soup was still possible.
This was the confidence granted to him by Merchant Clan Island!
…
Ice Heaven Market.
Within the inner third layer of palaces.
Deep beneath a heavily restricted underground chamber.
The stench of blood spread through the air.
Ice Heaven True Personage had changed into a blood-colored robe, while the white scar at the center of his forehead had transformed into a strange black mark. In his hands rested a bizarre iron book treasure.
The object was only palm-sized. On each side was a ghost head clamped onto the cover with jaws wide open.
The left ghost had green skin and protruding fangs, while the right had a crimson face and a single horn. Both radiated savage and sinister auras.
“Ice Heaven… you will die horribly!”
A weak voice echoed out.
The underground chamber itself was actually a blood pool. Thick black iron pillars stood throughout it, many impaling dried corpses.
Judging from the spirit-light radiating from their robes, every one of them had once been third-rank cultivators!
At this moment, the weak voice came from one of the pillars.
Bound there was a red-robed True Personage.
It was none other than Chixin True Personage!
Even now, he still did not understand why things had turned out this way.
After helping Ice Heaven True Personage destroy the bandit cultivator faction led by Raging Shark True Personage, Ice Heaven had suddenly turned against them without warning!
Chixin True Personage had originally intended to resist, only to discover that he too had signed a spiritual contract concerning payment and cooperation.
Back then, the compensation offered had been extremely generous. It even included a third-rank spirit land!
At the time, Chixin True Personage had praised Ice Heaven as an honest and trustworthy man.
Only after the betrayal did he realize the truth.
What third-rank spiritual contract?
It was fake!
The contract had actually been formed using the strange treasure known as the [Twin Ghost Book]. Once one left behind their divine sense and mana imprint upon it, they had effectively handed Ice Heaven True Personage a deadly weakness.
With only slight manipulation of the treasure in his hand, Ice Heaven True Personage could instantly heavily injure early Core Formation cultivators like Chixin.
Only a few mid-stage Core Formation cultivators had managed to resist briefly, but how could they possibly match a peak Core Formation cultivator like Ice Heaven True Personage?
Naturally, they were captured and imprisoned here, their essence blood drained dry while their True Cores were fed to that “Evil Object.”
Chixin True Personage lowered his head and saw his own shriveled body wrapped in strange black roots.
The roots had already burrowed deep into his flesh and bone marrow, greedily devouring his essence blood.
And along the edges of those roots were faint ghostly faces gnawing at something unseen.
At the center of the blood pool stood a bizarre black spiritual plant tightly connected to all those roots.
The plant stood only half a man tall. It possessed several palm-shaped leaves, and from its branches hung a single fruit.
The fruit was entirely black, covered in blood-red veins. Shockingly, it resembled a curled-up infant.
“The Resentful Infant Fruit… is nearly mature.”
Ice Heaven True Personage paid no attention whatsoever to the hatred radiating from Chixin and the others. His eyes remained fixed greedily upon the spirit root.
“What a pity… Xueyue died on the battlefield. Even her True Core was not preserved.”
Thinking of his female Core Formation disciple, Ice Heaven True Personage immediately thought of “Fang Shui.” A trace of hatred and fear appeared within his eyes.
His hands formed seals as streams of mana poured into the surrounding walls.
This place had already been layered with countless restrictions. Ever since offending Fang Shui, he had personally reinforced the spatial restrictions here every single day to ensure that man could never enter.
‘This place has been operated by me for several hundred years. It is absolutely impregnable. With both severing formations and spatial restrictions in place, that brat has no chance of breaking in.’
This was not some temporary battlefield.
It was the lair of a peak Core Formation cultivator.
The difficulty of spatial infiltration here was on a completely different level.
“Other than a Nascent Soul old monster launching a direct assault, who else could possibly kill me?”
Within the underground palace, Ice Heaven True Personage’s low voice slowly echoed out.
“The moment the Resentful Infant Fruit matures, this lord will immediately form a Nascent Soul.”
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