Feeling the wisps of Yin energy from the Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs emanating from the Nine Netherworld Azure Python Demon Core in his hand, Hun Changqing smiled with satisfaction, randomly storing it in his storage ring before turning to head towards the Nine Netherworld Python's cave abode.
This Nine Netherworld Python had been reigning supreme in this strange forest for who knows how long.
This strange forest was transformed by the Nine Netherworld Python's daily cultivation of its clan's Yin energy through its ingestion of its clan's techniques.
Its cave abode must contain some of its accumulated wealth over the years; Hun Changqing was now practically penniless, his resources and treasures completely depleted.
Although this Nine Netherworld Python was only a seventh-tier magical beast, even a small mosquito is still meat, and Hun Changqing had no reason to let it go.
Just the refinement of Taiyin True Qi alone consumed terrifying resources, not to mention the refining of the three divine waters within his body.
And then there was the Origin True Water—Taiyin True Water—for cultivating combat techniques; each consumed even more terrifying resources than the last.
Hun Changqing was completely overwhelmed. If he continued to be picky and not frugal, he would really go bankrupt!
Soon, Hun Changqing arrived at the cave of the Nine Netherworld Python, built from countless strange rocks. He strode into the cave.
He quickly reached the deepest part of the cave and was startled by the sight before him.
A small, pitch-black pool stretched out before him, surrounded by strangely colored flowers and herbs.
"Holy crap, the Nine Netherworld Cold Pool!"
"Extinction Yin Grass!"
"Netherworld Yellow Treasure Flower!"
"Hiss, the Great Netherworld Tree!"
The scene before him almost made Hun Changqing's eyes pop out of his head. He never expected that this Nine Netherworld Python was such a wealthy snake!
While these flowers and herbs weren't some unparalleled rare treasures, they were still extremely precious, and for Hun Changqing, they were the perfect treasures to improve his current strength.
These herbs, all nurtured by the Nine Nether Cold Pool, possess extremely pure Yin-cold attributes, making them rare treasures for Hun Changqing and perfectly suited to his current state.
However, Hun Changqing didn't immediately begin a massive looting of these materials. Instead, he took out the demonic core of the Nine Nether Azure Python from earlier. His immediate priority was to absorb this demonic core in conjunction with the Nine Nether Cold Pool.
Originally, he wasn't confident that he could advance to the Nine-Star Dou Huang realm solely with this demonic core, but now, with the energy of the Nine Nether Cold Pool, he was absolutely certain.
For others, this demonic core should be given to an alchemist to refine into pills to maximize its utilization.
However, pills are refined by alchemists using flames, resulting in pills filled with the violent, scorching energy of the fire attribute. Absorbing such pills wouldn't be beneficial for Hun Changqing's Taiyin True Body.
Therefore, direct refinement was the best choice for Hun Changqing. Although it was unfortunate, Hun Changqing had no better option.
Stripping off his clothes and clutching the demonic core of the Nine Netherworld Azure Python, Hun Changqing leaped into the pool.
Once fully submerged, he channeled his Yin True Qi to envelop the demonic core.
Terrifying Yin True Qi erupted from his body, drawing energy from the demonic core and the pool water, transforming the entire pool into a whirlpool. A chilling, terrifying aura surged into Hun Changqing's body, relentlessly washing over him.
After an unknown amount of time, the once-black water became clear and transparent, and the chilling atmosphere that had permeated the cave vanished.
Suddenly, a figure leaped from the pool. Upon reaching the shore, he formed a sword with two fingers, a water blade condensing at his fingertips. With a flick of his wrist, the blade shot out, slicing through the entire cave and cleaving all the trees within a hundred meters in half. Hun Changqing felt quite satisfied with the increased power of his water blade and stretched.
"The power is pretty good. I didn't expect that the Nine Nether Cold Pool, combined with the Nine Nether Earth Python's demonic core, would directly elevate me from an eight-star Dou Huang to the peak of a nine-star Dou Huang. I'll be advancing to a Dou Zong soon."
Hun Changqing was in a very good mood; his current gains alone made the trip worthwhile. After dressing, he collected the materials from the pool.
Looking at these materials, Hun Changqing felt a little regretful.
If these materials could be refined into pills, the effect would be more than twice as good as if he absorbed them directly.
However, these materials, after being refined into pills by the violent fire attribute, would be rejected by the Taiyin True Qi.
He could only absorb them after using Weak Water to decompose most of the violent medicinal power, which was worse than refining the materials directly.
It was a vicious cycle. If only pill refining didn't require fire, water and fire are incompatible.
"Huh! Alchemy? Flames!"
As if struck by a sudden thought, Hun Changqing's eyes lit up. He suddenly remembered someone, someone he felt was the most suitable person to refine pills for him!
"Yao Chen!"
Hun Changqing suddenly realized that Yao Chen was not only a pharmacist with a talent that was rare even in a thousand years,
but also possessed the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, which was extremely yin and cold, making him the perfect candidate to refine yin-attribute pills for Hun Changqing.
Hun Changqing revealed a strange expression. Originally, he planned to kill Yao Chen and take the Bone Spirit Cold Flame after leaving the clan.
Unexpectedly, he now had a use for him, and a great need at that. Truly, life is unpredictable!
After a moment of reflection, Hun Changqing was about to leave when his soul sensed a slight fluctuation in a corner.
He frowned and walked to a pile of bones in the corner. These should be some remains of the Nine Netherworld Python after it had eaten.
The slight fluctuation he had just felt came from here. Hun Changqing searched through these remains and found a piece of black wood about one meter long and half a meter thick.
After sensing the area, he found nothing unusual; there was no energy within the wood.
However, the only strange thing among the corpses was this piece of wood.
Hun Changqing didn't think much of it and simply put it away. Whether it was valuable or not, it wasn't very big, and it wouldn't take up much space in his storage ring. He figured mysterious things usually had some use.
Then, Hun Changqing unfurled his true energy wings, soared into the sky, and left the cave to search for points.