Though Demon Valley was far from Spiritridge, it was a mid-tier force—stronger than sects like Inkveil, which had only one or two Core cultivators. With five to ten Core cultivators and ambitions toward Nascent Soul, Demon Valley stood on the cusp of becoming a first-rate power, akin to sects like Yingui Palace.
Even the five great demonic sects would offer them some respect.
Earth Puppet's spatial ring did not disappoint.
"One tier-three earth-type cultivation technique: Earth-Spirit Vein Suppression Art, with fourteen supporting spells, three secret techniques, three artifact crafting methods, five pill recipes…
"And—Earth-Grudge Puppet Master's Canon!"
The last item made Wang Yu's eyes light up. Puppet master legacies often mingled with artifact refinement, rarely offering pure puppet-crafting doctrine.
This canon detailed the creation of a rare puppet type: the Earth-Grudge Puppet, even rarer than the Moonfiend Corpse.
After reviewing it, Wang Yu sighed.
No wonder Earth Puppet never succeeded. Beyond the rare materials, the base requirement was a living corpse of a Nascent Soul cultivator—a body with the soul temporarily out-of-body.
In short: a Nascent Soul cultivator's physical vessel. What Core cultivator could possibly refine that?
The puppet canon was likely acquired through a stroke of luck. The Earth-Spirit Vein Suppression Art was Demon Valley's core legacy—Earth Puppet had the rank to hold it.
Unfortunately, no divine abilities were included.
The loot was split evenly with Qingyang. The total value was around 120,000 spirit stones—not bad.
No tier-three artifacts were found.
But the two tier-three puppets themselves were essentially artifacts.
After sorting everything, Wang Yu stored it away.
The core secret technique—Earth-Spirit Vein Binding Method—was especially rare. It allowed cultivators to draw spirit veins from thousands of li away to a chosen location. For sects, this was a priceless ability.
Wang Yu planned to study it. It might come in handy. He also needed to master Purple Dragon Mountain's Purple Dragon Earth-Walking Technique soon.
He had many techniques still awaiting perfection.
—
One month later—
As the Fragrance Gathering scandal settled, news of Rainflower Daoist and Windflower's deaths spread from Yunyan City. The situation worsened.
The Fragrance Gathering became a regional headline. Little Talisman Lord Luo Chen never appeared again—not even to explain.
The lingering battle traces outside the City Lord's Manor left a lasting impression.
That day—
After absorbing a round of midday solar essence, Wang Yu trembled. A warm current surged through his soul.
"This is—"
"Ancient Soul Technique perfected!"
His divine sense had long reached peak Foundation level. Years of consuming top-grade Soul Origin Pills had solidified it further.
Now, with the technique perfected, his soul began to manifest the Ancient Soul Phenomenon, granting strong resistance to soul-affecting powers.
His divine sense began its breakthrough.
In his brow's Niwan Palace, a gray mist parted. Countless icy-blue threads of divine sense swam freely, growing rapidly.
In just three days, the divine light in his eyes faded. No one noticed the change.
He had silently broken through.
The gains were solid—though not as dramatic as breakthroughs in core cultivation or body refinement. He found that curious.
"Divine sense at early tier-three. Soul Origin Pills should push me to the upper limit. After that… I'll need a stronger soul-refining technique. Perhaps from the Ancient Heavenly Soul Sect."
After acquiring the Prajñā Heart Sutra, he'd contacted Jin Miaoshan, hoping Goldfull Pavilion could help locate the sect's ruins.
But she remained in seclusion—perhaps overwhelmed by the Sutra's killing intent.
One path blocked—he'd try another.
He was about to visit Tianbao Pavilion to delegate the search when he paused.
His divine sense had reached tier-three. Though the gains weren't massive, he remembered—
Back in Black Mountain Demonlands, when his body refinement reached tier-two, he unlocked a new placement slot.
He focused.
[Placement Slot 6: Empty]
"Hahaha! Just as I thought!"
Five slots weren't the limit. New slots unlocked with major breakthroughs.
"One slot per major realm, huh?"
So—Nascent Soul unlocks Slot 7? Soul Formation unlocks Slot 8? A bit slow, but acceptable.
He placed Frostwyrm Alchemy Art into Slot 5.
The newly perfected Ancient Soul Technique was replaced by Nether Demon Flood Dragon Technique. He planned to seek the Heavenly Soul Sect's legacy himself.
The jade slip from Withered Leaf Marsh had clues—likely somewhere in Crimson Kite Territory. He might not need Tianbao or Goldfull's help. His own city's forces could search.
The destination pointed north of Yunling Province: Heavenly Demon Bone Forest.
This vast mountain range was filled with poisonous miasma.
Rumors spoke of Nascent Soul-level poison beasts cultivating deep within—creating a forest that spanned Yunling, Youzhou, and Yeqiong.
As a Blood Reversal Sect disciple, Wang Yu knew more.
Normally, the Northern and Southern Severance Ranges divided Lakeheart and Crimson Kite. Between them were zones like Black Mountain Demonlands and Withered Leaf Marsh.
Major powers rarely had such wild zones within their borders.
Exceptions included places like Vermilion Divine Mountain, Savage Ancient Plains, Dead Silence Desert, and Wind-Sand Wastes—either ancient secrets or man-made disasters.
Heavenly Demon Bone Forest was different.
Though he hadn't asked a Nascent Soul elder directly, records from the Scripture Hall suggested a Soul Formation-level poison beast dwelled within.
That's why the Blood Reversal Sect hadn't cleared it. It served a purpose.
For gu cultivators, it was a paradise.
If he sought the Heavenly Soul Sect's ruins, Wang Yu might have to venture into the Bone Forest.
But that was for later—after he'd fully exploited his role as Spiritridge's City Lord.
—
With six placement slots, Wang Yu reorganized everything.
A fresh layout:
Slot 1: Coldblood Yin Essence Technique (Perfected) ↑Slot 2: Coldblood Yin Essence Technique (Perfected) ↑Slot 3: Nether Demon Flood Dragon Technique (Perfected) ↑Slot 4: Corpse Demon Secrets (Tier-Two / Incomplete)Slot 5: Frostwyrm Alchemy Art (Tier-Two / Incomplete)Slot 6: Ice Wheel Technique
Ice Wheel Technique (70/100): 48 practices per day, 3 years to perfection.
Slot 6 was now dedicated to spells and secret techniques: Earth-Spirit Vein Binding, Purple Dragon Earth-Walking, Wind-Thunder Spirit Pattern, Soul-Crushing Blade…
All ready for advancement.
As for Minor Asura Slaughter Fist, he had the killing intent stone slab to assist. It didn't need a slot—he could study it manually.
It was a divine technique. Without sufficient cultivation, using it across realms was dangerous. Core Formation marked a qualitative shift.
Overusing divine techniques could harm both target and caster—especially those affecting the mind.
Best to pair it with the Prajñā Heart Sutra. The Sword Sovereign who designed the legacy clearly had a reason.
But the Sutra required 300 years to perfect. That was… a bit much.
Wang Yu stopped thinking about placement slots.
The divine sense breakthrough had lifted his spirits after a month of gloom.
With the Fragrance Gathering derailed, his business strategy needed adjustment.
Either rebuild—or pivot entirely.
As he pondered, overlooking the city, Xu Ruozhou arrived.
"City Lord, the president of Purplegold Chamber of Commerce requests an audience."
"Let him in."
"Yes."
The Bloodblade Gang and Clouddream Pavilion had been sent to Three-Mao City. Purplegold Chamber remained one of his key forces.
They managed channels to the Yanluo Ghost Market, building networks and smuggling forbidden goods into Spiritridge.
Soon—
The chamber president arrived. A middle-aged man, Foundation sixth layer. With frequent spirit stone transactions, his cultivation was solid.
Wang Yu didn't mind a little greed—as long as orders were followed.
"What is it?"
The man bowed.
"The Yanluo Ghost Market Auction is about to begin. I came to ask if you'd like to attend."
"Ghost Market auction? What's the format?"
Wang Yu was intrigued. Ghost Market goods were mysterious—90% couldn't be openly sold. Only the market, run by a pair of Nascent Soul cultivators, could sustain it.
But the treasures were real.
His Void Escape Talisman came from there—origin unknown.
The man explained:
"There are four tiers. Qi Refining vendors can host casual auctions. Foundation cultivators need approval.
"From Core Formation onward, only the market itself can host. This time, Purplegold Chamber was invited.
"It's a Nascent Soul-tier auction, held once every 300 years. Yanluo and Yanfeng will personally preside."
Wang Yu's thoughts churned as he absorbed the implications of the upcoming auction.
A Nascent Soul-tier auction hosted by the infamous Yanluo Ghost Market—three centuries in the making. With the twin Nascent Soul cultivators Yanluo and Yanfeng presiding, it was bound to be a spectacle.
At minimum, three to five tier-four spiritual items would appear. Possibly more.
And while the provenance of these items was often murky—stolen, smuggled, or looted from forbidden zones—the prices were correspondingly lower than those at Tianbao Pavilion or Goldfull Pavilion.
Buyers assumed the risk.
But for someone like Wang Yu, who had the backing of the Blood Reversal Sect and a city's worth of resources, it was an opportunity too good to ignore.
Whether to expand his collection, acquire rare cultivation aids, or simply observe the flow of high-tier goods—he would be there.
"Three months," he murmured. "Plenty of time to prepare."
He summoned Qingyang.
There was much to discuss: security arrangements, travel logistics, potential allies to bring along, and—most importantly—what kind of items they might target.
(End of Chapter)