Translator: CinderTL
"Master, are you satisfied with this cultivation cave?" the Novice Monk asked with a smile.
"The Spiritual Qi here is far less abundant than you claimed earlier," Song Wen replied.
The Spiritual Qi within the cave fell far short of the Novice Monk's claim that it could "meet the daily cultivation needs of a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator." It was only slightly higher than what one might find in a typical Nascent Soul cultivator's cave.
Undeterred, the Novice Monk chuckled sheepishly. "This junior may have exaggerated slightly. However, all cultivation caves in South City are guaranteed by the Dry Zen Temple. Every tenant enjoys the temple's protection, and no guest has ever met with misfortune within these caves."
Hearing this, Song Wen couldn't discern whether the monk spoke truthfully, but he couldn't help but be impressed by the young man.
Though backed by the Dry Zen Temple, the Novice Monk was merely a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, yet he dared to boast so boldly before a Nascent Soul cultivator like himself. Even when caught in a lie, he remained unflappable, his expression unchanged and his heart steady—a remarkable composure for one so young.
Song Wen suddenly felt that this man was wasting his talents as a mere servant at the Brahma Sound Pavilion. He clearly possessed the potential to become a shrewd merchant.
"What is your name, young friend?" Song Wen asked.
"This junior's dharma name is Mingcheng," the novice monk said.
"I'm renting this cultivation cave," Song Wen said, and a large pile of spirit stones suddenly appeared before him. "Here are seven hundred high-grade spirit stones. I'll reserve it for ten years."
Mingcheng's face immediately lit up with a smile. Clearly, facilitating this transaction would bring him some benefits.
"Thank you, Senior."
Mingcheng collected the spirit stones and then asked, "May I inquire about your esteemed dharma name? I need to record it in the register and report it to the sect."
"Mi Hai!" Song Wen replied.
"So you're Master Mi Hai. This humble monk offers his respects," Mingcheng said, performing a Buddhist bow. He then produced a palm-sized triangular token. "Master, this is the control token for the cultivation cave. Simply infuse it with a wisp of your aura to control all the cave's Restrictions."
Song Wen accepted the token, examined it briefly, and stored it away.
Mingcheng exchanged a few more polite but perfunctory greetings before taking his leave.
Song Wen thoroughly inspected the cave, both inside and out, confirming there were no hidden threats. He then deployed the Ten Directions Illusionary Domain Formation and the Stellar Cycle Formation before beginning his cultivation.
The Ten Directions Illusionary Domain Formation was sufficient to conceal his presence from the divine sense of Void Refinement Stage cultivators. Moreover, the Body Integration Stage expert from Dry Zen Temple likely wouldn't bother spying on the cultivation cave of a mere Nascent Soul Stage cultivator like himself.
Moreover, even if someone were to spy, they wouldn't discover anything. After all, he was merely cultivating normally.
Song Wen opened his mouth and spat out five Gu: the Shadow King Gu, Shadow Gu, and Blood Earthworm Gu. After feeding them separately, he retrieved a Blood Demon Pill. Just as he was about to swallow it, he glanced down at the Spirit Beast Pouch at his waist. With a mental command, he released the Nether Fox.
The Nether Fox, who had been confined in the Spirit Beast Pouch for thirty-six years, immediately took several deep breaths upon emerging. It surveyed the cultivation cave, then twitched its nose, sniffing the air.
"Master, is this the upper realm? Why does the Spiritual Qi here feel only slightly denser than in the Lower Realm?"
Song Wen replied, "If you're dissatisfied with the Spiritual Qi in this cave, you can return to the Spirit Beast Pouch."
"Master, no! I don't want to go back! I was suffocating in there," the Nether Fox said urgently. As it spoke, it lowered its head and nuzzled Song Wen's leg.
"Master, do you have any blood food? The Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Beast Pouch is too thin. My internal Spiritual Qi isn't being replenished, and I'm starving..."
With a flick of his hand, Song Wen produced the corpse of a massive spider—a fourth-tier five-colored spider he had slain in the Rotting Miasma Ridge.
The Nether Fox bit into the spider's corpse, and a stream of dark green fluid erupted, splattering across its face.
The Nether Fox violently shook its head, splattering green juice everywhere and releasing a pungent, rancid stench.
"This stuff tastes awful and it's poisonous!" the Nether Fox said disdainfully.
At that moment, five Gu insects hidden throughout the cultivation cave rapidly emerged.
The first to arrive was the Shadow King Gu.
It immediately pounced on the wound the Nether Fox had torn open in the spider's corpse and began voraciously devouring the green juice.
"Master, is there any other blood food?" the Nether Fox asked, its eyes showing disgust as it watched the Shadow King Gu feed, and it retreated two steps.
Song Wen shook his head. "No, I only have a few of these spider corpses on me."
As they spoke, the other four Gu insects swarmed over the spider's corpse, joining the feeding frenzy.
Seeing the corpse shrinking rapidly under the Gu insects' relentless gnawing, the Nether Fox suddenly leaped forward, slamming its front paws down on the carcass.
In an instant, the corpse shattered into pieces.
Disturbed from their meal, the five Gu insects bared their fangs at the Nether Fox.
"Roar!"
Enraged that these tiny creatures dared to challenge it, the Nether Fox unleashed a thunderous roar.
Except for the Shadow King Gu, the other four Gu insects immediately retreated, scurrying back to the edges of the cultivation cave.
But the Shadow King Gu remained unfazed. It instantly transformed into a massive, millstone-sized form and lunged at the Nether Fox.
The Nether Fox refused to back down, raising its razor-sharp claws and slashing at the Shadow King Gu.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling aura emanated from Song Wen's body.
The Shadow King Gu and Nether Fox, who had been on the verge of a fierce battle, immediately fell silent, obediently prostrating themselves on the ground.
Song Wen tossed out the corpse of a five-colored spider, then retrieved a meditation cushion, sat cross-legged on the spot, and ignored the conflict between the Gu and the Nether Fox.
The Nether Fox and Shadow King Gu became much more docile.
The Nether Fox dragged the spider corpse Song Wen had given it to a corner of the cultivation cave and slowly began to devour it, no longer finding the spider distasteful.
The Shadow King Gu, meanwhile, gnawed on the scattered spider limbs on the ground.
Ten hours later, Song Wen had fully absorbed the Spiritual Qi activated by a Blood Demon Pill.
This was his last remaining Blood Demon Pill.
Forced to act, he retrieved his alchemy furnace and prepared to begin Pill Refinement.
Before reaching the Divine Transformation Stage, refining a single Blood Demon Pill had taken him approximately three to four days. After advancing to the Divine Transformation Stage, this time had been reduced severalfold.
With his cultivation level advanced, Song Wen's Pill Refinement time for the Blood Demon Pill had nearly halved. Moreover, the success rate and yield of each batch had also slightly improved.
Over the next ten days, Song Wen refined six batches, yielding a total of twenty-three pills.
Just as he was about to continue refining, he suddenly stopped.
He retrieved Shi Man's Communication Jade Slip and sent a message:
[Senior Shi Man, I trust you have successfully become an outer sect elder of Veiled Moon Hall. Is there anything this junior can assist you with?]
After waiting a moment without receiving a reply, Song Wen put away the jade slip and resumed Pill Refinement.
This time, he wasn't refining Blood Demon Pills, but rather the 'King Gu Pill' for the Shadow King Gu and the 'Earth Gu Pill' for the Shadow Gu.
The medicinal pills he had obtained from Xiao Ying had been completely consumed by the Gu, leaving Song Wen with no choice but to refine them himself.
The recipes for both pills were recorded in the Witch Gu Dao Methods, and Song Wen also possessed Xiao Ying's notes on Pill Refinement. Thus, refining these two medicinal pills posed no particular challenge for him.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (RDC) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c1282. [+2]
🔑Read upto Ch1098 for FREE visit the pinned post on my p@treon to learn how!
💥Translated (6) Series, (5.3K+) Chapters, (7.7M+) Words.