Translator: CinderTL
Ye Bing said, "There are islands suitable for cultivation caves in this marsh, but they're small and frequently haunted by powerful demon beasts. My Ice Ling Island is the largest among the islands with decent Spiritual Qi. To claim it, I fought many battles against the marsh's demon beasts, slaying several fifth-tier demonic beasts to intimidate the rest. Even so, they still harass me regularly, making it difficult to focus on cultivation. That's why I invited you to stay—to have an extra hand."
Her words subtly urged Song Wen to remain on the island for cultivation.
Ye Bing had assumed her explanation would dissuade Song Wen from seeking his own cultivation cave.
However, Song Wen's eyes lit up at the news.
"There are many fifth-tier demonic beasts in this marsh?"
Ye Bing glanced at Song Wen with a puzzled expression, unable to understand his excitement at hearing about the abundance of fifth-tier demonic beasts.
"Indeed, there are quite a few," Ye Bing confirmed.
"What about sixth-tier demonic beasts?" Song Wen asked.
If the marsh harbored sixth-tier demonic beasts, it would be unsuitable for establishing a cultivation cave.
"I haven't encountered any sixth-tier demonic beasts so far," Ye Bing replied. "Moreover, before choosing this marsh for my cultivation cave, I gathered extensive intelligence in Cloudveil City. None of the records mentioned any sixth-tier demonic beast sightings here."
"It seems the Immortal Maiden has already thoroughly investigated this marsh," Song Wen said. "Would you be willing to share your findings with me?"
"Are you truly unwilling to cultivate on Ice Ling Island with me?" Ye Bing asked. "Together, we could easily fend off demon beast incursions."
"I appreciate the Immortal Maiden's offer, but I prefer to operate alone," Song Wen replied. "As for the Five Viscera Spirit Wood, shall we proceed with the terms I proposed earlier?"
Ye Bing fell silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Very well, let's proceed as you suggested."
With a flick of her wrist, she produced a jade slip and handed it to Song Wen.
"This jade slip contains a comprehensive summary of the intelligence I've gathered, along with my personal observations from exploring this marsh."
"Thank you, Immortal Maiden," Song Wen said as he accepted the jade slip, simultaneously producing a slender jade box. "Immortal Maiden, this is the Five Viscera Spirit Wood I obtained from Xiao Ying. I hope it will aid you in successfully refining the Void Convergence Primordial Essence Pill and advancing to the Void Refinement Stage soon."
Ye Bing accepted the jade box, opened it, and a flash of delight flickered in her eyes.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while longer, Song Wen rose to take his leave.
Before departing, he entrusted Ye Bing with one hundred Bodhi Spirit Cores for cultivation.
Song Wen had initially intended to bring three hundred Bodhi Spirit Cores for planting. However, he was accustomed to keeping some reserves and hesitated to place all his eggs in Ye Bing's basket. He neither fully trusted her nor had complete confidence in her subordinates' ability to cultivate spirit grass.
Leaving Ye Bing's Ice Ling Island, Song Wen perched atop a withered old tree, retrieved the jade slip she had given him, and began to examine it closely.
The marsh was named the Withered Desolation Marsh, a relatively small area spanning roughly several hundred thousand miles.
Ye Bing's Ice Ling Island was located at the southern edge of the marsh.
According to the jade slip, the other islands rich in Spiritual Qi were mostly quite distant, with the nearest one still over a hundred thousand miles away.
Song Wen put away the jade slip, soared into the air, and headed north.
According to the jade slip's records, a large island, roughly thirty to forty miles wide, lay at the northern edge of the marsh. Rich in Spiritual Qi, it was an ideal location for establishing a cultivation cave.
After traveling approximately two hundred thousand miles, Song Wen arrived at the island.
Strangely, despite the island's abundant Spiritual Qi, it was completely barren, devoid of any vegetation. Dark, bare rocks were exposed across its surface.
A wave of astonishment and suspicion washed over Song Wen.
Throughout his journey across the marsh, every piece of land he had seen protruding from the water, regardless of size, had been composed of mud. This was the first time he had encountered an island made entirely of rock.
Hovering high above, Song Wen surveyed the island while simultaneously extending his divine sense into the waters surrounding it.
The water was shallow, only about ten to twelve meters deep, with a bottom of silt and decaying branches and leaves.
The silt was remarkably deep. Even when Song Wen's divine sense penetrated over a hundred miles, it still couldn't reach the bottom.
Within the silt lurked numerous carrion-feeding demon beasts, sustaining themselves on Spiritual Qi and the marsh's putrid miasma. None of them were of high rank.
At least, Song Wen sensed no powerful demon beasts nearby.
After a moment's contemplation, he soared toward Cloudveil City.
To him, the demon beasts in this marsh were excellent cultivation resources.
Their Demon Souls could aid in refining his divine soul, their blood essence could fuel his blood essence absorption technique, and his Gu and Nether Fox also required blood food.
He decided to head to Cloudveil City to purchase recipes for Demon-Attracting Powder and trapping and killing formations.
In the Lower Realm, Song Wen had frequently concocted Demon-Attracting Powder, and he expected to find similar medicinal pills in the mystic realm.
As for formations, he lacked a fifth-tier trapping and killing formation.
Moreover, to trap and kill most of the marsh's demon beasts, he would need to acquire a fifth-tier high-grade trapping and killing formation.
Such formations were undoubtedly expensive, but clearing out these demon beasts would not only provide Song Wen with cultivation resources but also reduce future threats around his cultivation cave—a win-win situation.
Song Wen easily obtained the recipe for fifth-tier Demon-Attracting Powder and gathered the necessary Spirit Herbs.
However, acquiring a fifth-tier high-grade trapping and killing formation proved more challenging.
Both Cloudveil City and the Rotting Ghost Market only offered fifth-tier low-grade trapping and killing formations.
A fifth-tier low-grade trapping and killing formation clearly wouldn't meet Song Wen's needs. A fifth-tier mid-grade demon beast could likely break through the formation and escape unscathed.
Given Song Wen's current cultivation level, he couldn't fully unleash the power of a fifth-tier high-grade formation. However, as long as he could trap the demon beast and prevent its escape, his skills and the formation's inherent power would be sufficient to slay most fifth-tier demonic beasts.
Several days later.
Having failed to purchase his desired formation, Song Wen strode through the streets of Cloudveil City, his brow furrowed in frustration.
The only remaining avenue he could think of to acquire a fifth-tier high-grade trapping and killing formation was through Shi Man, by purchasing it from a cultivator at the Veiled Moon Hall.
However, Song Wen had only publicly revealed his cultivation level as peak nascent soul.
Purchasing a fifth-tier high-grade formation would inevitably raise suspicions.
Just as Song Wen was pondering what excuse to use, he suddenly felt the Communication Jade Slip from Shi Man in his Storage Ring vibrate faintly.
[Gou Jun, where are you? If you see this message, come to the Veiled Moon Hall immediately.]
Song Wen was immediately puzzled. Why was Shi Man summoning him to the Veiled Moon Hall?
The Veiled Moon Hall had strict rules against outsiders entering.
Could I have slipped up and Shi Man discovered my true identity? Is this a trap to lure me into their net?
Song Wen hurried into the nearest tavern and requested a private room.
If Shi Man had indeed uncovered his deception, he could no longer parade through Cloudveil City under the guise of "Gou Jun." He needed to change his appearance as soon as possible.
(End of the Chapter)
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