"This is the primary scene?"
"Yes, City Lord."
Wang Yu sat astride his increasingly massive three-tailed snow fox, unfurling a map. The location of the incident was… suspicious.
Under the jurisdiction of the Blood Reversal Sect, each of the four provinces submitted sacred tribute every five years. The tribute was first delivered to the provincial capital, then forwarded to the sect's mountain gate.
For city lords like Wang Yu, the task ended once the tribute reached the provincial capital.
Spiritridge's tribute route passed northeast through Wisteria Mountain, Siltgrass Meadow, and Thunderfall Abyss, then crossed a 300-li canyon to reach Yunling Provincial Capital.
The ambush occurred between Siltgrass Meadow and Thunderfall Abyss. The former was a flat, unobstructed plain. The latter—a legendary pit where the ancient beast Ji Meng once descended.
Ji Meng, said to appear during thunderstorms, had a dragon's head, human body, bird claws, and feathered arms. It punished the wicked with divine lightning. One tale claimed it struck down a Soul Formation demonic cultivator here—though the records were vague.
Now, the tribute team had vanished between these two landmarks. No signs of battle. No traces. It was as if they'd been erased.
Wang Yu suspected an inside job.
He'd ordered a search for the Bai Clan's ancestral home—partly to bait out enemies. Whether the Bai remnants were truly responsible remained uncertain. But they were the most likely suspects.
The tribute team had only three members:
One from Spiritridge: late-stage Qi Refining. One from Yunling Capital: peak Foundation. One from the Blood Reversal Sect: early Core Formation.
A lopsided team—but typical for newly appointed city lords. It would take decades to build proper infrastructure.
"From the terrain, Thunderfall Abyss is the better ambush site. Xu Ruozhou."
"Here."
"Has the abyss been searched?"
"Yes. No traces."
"Take me there."
Thunderfall Abyss was a colossal pit over 100 li wide. Its walls shimmered black, like sand vitrified by ancient heat and time.
It was bottomless. Drop a stone, and you'd never hear it land. During thunderstorms, lightning surged from its depths—easily lethal to Foundation cultivators.
Many had tried exploring it. Most vanished. Survivors offered conflicting stories: some said it was empty, others spoke of monsters or labyrinths.
Its legend drew adventurers even now.
The nearest city was Thunderstorm City.
With no clues nearby, Wang Yu sent Xu Ruozhou to investigate the city for suspicious arrivals.
He remained alone by the abyss—waiting.
Half a day passed.
Wang Yu's lips curled into a smile. His Profound Origin Demonic Fetus stirred. Since devouring Wang Wu, he'd planted only three demonic seeds:
Xu Ruozhou Bai Clan's Grand Elder Little Talisman Lord Luo Chen
Luo Chen's status was unknown. Xu was in Thunderstorm City. So the presence he sensed now… was obvious.
"No need to hide. Come out."
"Wang… Yu!"
From the mist near the abyss, the Bai Clan's Grand Elder emerged, cloaked in Nether Ghost Mist—a signature technique of Nether Spring Temple.
Wang Yu silently activated his soul-searching technique. Sensing only one opponent, he sent a message to Qingyang: hold position.
Aloud, he mocked:
"It's been years. I thought you'd return as a Core cultivator seeking revenge. But you're still stuck at peak Foundation?"
"Hmph—
"Young fool. You know nothing of the chasm between realms. Even with your Blood Reversal background, Core Formation isn't guaranteed.
"Today, I'll kill you and avenge my clan!"
Wang Yu sneered.
"You disappoint me. Your dual spiritual roots must be the weakest kind. Even with a sea of blood behind you, you couldn't break through. What's the point of living?
"Besides, your Bai Clan brought this on themselves. The Guan and Jiang clans are thriving—each has grown by 20% since."
"Silence!"
The Grand Elder's fury boiled over—twisted further by the demonic seed. He saw his younger self, shouting "I have a plan!"—a mockery.
He snapped.
Hundreds of fireballs the size of water vats rained down. Wang Yu had long known his opponent's fire-metal dual roots.
Snowjade struck first. Its three tails whipped up a freezing gale, weakening the fireballs before darting aside.
Snowfall, Freezing Rain, Extreme Cold Domain—support spells layered the battlefield, dropping the temperature drastically.
Wang Yu's ice techniques surged in power.
With a flick of his hand, a massive ice sword slash swept the sky, freezing the incoming fireballs.
Then—two spinning ice wheels shot forth.
The Grand Elder gasped. "You've reached Foundation sixth layer in just twenty years? You must die!"
He summoned his tier-two high-grade artifact: Molten Gold Spear.
Despite his age, he moved with practiced precision. True essence surged as he unleashed two magma dragons spiraling from the spear.
They were instantly bisected by the ice wheels. Though weakened, the wheels pressed on.
The Grand Elder realized the truth.
Wang Yu's cultivation was formidable—but his mastery of perfected techniques was terrifying.
He parried one wheel with a spear strike, blocked the second with a sweeping motion. Sparks and frost clashed violently.
"CLANG CLANG CLANG—"
As he looked up, Wang Yu was already upon him.
With a grin, Wang Yu grabbed the spear and delivered a side kick.
A dragon's roar echoed. The Grand Elder's body nearly shattered. His inner armor cracked.
"Urgh…"
He collapsed, coughing blood. When he looked up, the spear was gone—stored in Wang Yu's Oceanheart Ring. Wang Yu's figure blurred and reappeared before him.
Terror replaced rage.
"I… I came to negotiate!"
"Now you want to talk? If you'd died for your clan, I'd respect you. But you're just a pawn of Nether Spring Temple."
"You—"
Defeated and humiliated, the Grand Elder's emotions fed the demonic seed. Eyes bloodshot, he growled:
"Nether Spring Temple knows you've cultivated their core technique: Dark Yin Palm.
"If you want the companion technique—Earth Nether Finger—join Nether Spring Temple. You'll become a true disciple. Combine the two, and you'll master their signature divine art: Yellow Spring Great Hand Seal!"
"Oh?"
Wang Yu smirked.
"So you came here to deliver Nether Spring's offer? Using the Bai Clan's extermination as bait?"
Outwardly, he mocked. Inwardly, he pondered.
Years ago, he'd received the Dark Yin Palm from Su Qingshan and wondered why he held a core Nether Spring technique.
He'd suspected infiltration.
Now it was clear: Nether Spring cast a wide net for talent. They spread the Dark Yin Palm, then approached promising cultivators near Core Formation with the Earth Nether Finger.
Together, they formed the Yellow Spring Great Hand Seal—a famed divine art among demonic sects.
Even Nascent Soul cultivators used it as a trump card. As a life-bound divine art, its power was immense.
For grassroots cultivators, this was a dream. Their own sects wouldn't grant such techniques post-breakthrough.
Had Nether Spring approached him after Su Qingshan's death, he might've accepted. He'd never felt loyalty to Blood Reversal.
But now… he was one of the Four Young Lords of Blood Reversal. No way he'd trade that for a divine art.
"I refuse.
"Old fool—you'll become my nourishment."
In an instant—
Wang Yu gripped the Grand Elder's skull. The Profound Origin Demonic Fetus activated. The elder's essence and cultivation drained away.
"No… Wang Yu… City Lord… spare the Bai Clan… it was my greed… the tribute… they weren't involved…"
His voice faded. The mature demonic seed devoured him. His life ended.
Wang Yu was unmoved.
"You must pay for your mistakes."
The elder's essence flowed into Wang Yu's spiritual roots.
The Profound Origin Demonic Fetus feasted, while Wang Yu's own roots surged in vitality.
His mutated water root—now ice and yin—had reached triple-root level.
His fire, wood, and metal roots climbed to dual-root level. Only earth remained weak.
These roots meant little before reaching heavenly root status.
His cultivation talent was tied to the demonic fetus. Any demonic technique he practiced would reach dual-root potential—based on his strongest root.
Even if he absorbed a heavenly earth root, his ice techniques would still progress at heavenly speed.
But—
The Grand Elder wasn't blood-related. Why was the absorption so complete?
Wang Yu stared at the faceless Demonic Fetus.
He couldn't understand it.
(End of Chapter)
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