Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Flaying
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"Are you really going to learn these divine abilities?"
Seeing Lu Yang's eager expression, Wang Bairong was also a little surprised. He couldn't help but say, "Junior Brother, the immortal path always prioritizes one's realm. You must distinguish between what's primary and what's secondary."
In his eyes, Lu Yang had earned so many contribution points at such a young age. Even if Foundation Establishment was a stretch, reaching the peak of Qi Refining was still very hopeful. Why bother practicing those divine abilities with such extreme side effects? So what if his combat power was sky-high? When his lifespan ran out, he would still be nothing but a handful of dust.
"Life is fleeting; don't throw it away."
Speaking of which, Wang Bairong wore a sorrowful expression. "You're still young, you don't understand this principle... Flowers may bloom again, but a person can never be young twice."
"You're in the prime of your life now, but what about in ten years? Or twenty?"
"Making this choice today might seem gratifying, but the drawbacks might not be apparent for decades. By then, there will be no medicine for regret."
Before he could finish, Wang Bairong seemed to fall into a memory. After a long moment, he lamented, "You don't know, this old man was quite a figure in the Primal Saint Sect in my youth. But I took one wrong step, and as a result, I've wasted my entire life. To this day, the memory brings me unbearable pain..."
As he spoke, Wang Bairong's eyes turned red.
Under the influence of the wine, he simply pulled Lu Yang over and began recounting his glorious past.
It wasn't much, really. It was just that in his youth, he didn't understand the importance of True Qi grade and happened upon a cultivation method below the seventh grade, which he then practiced.
As a result, his True Qi's grade was too low. He had no hope of ever reaching Foundation Establishment, and even perfecting his Qi Refining was difficult.
For decades, with one foot in the grave, he watched as his former senior and junior brothers, and the women he admired, all extended their lifespans, remaining youthful to this day...
How could that not fill a man with regret and heartache? But alas, who can start life over?
"What's that? I can start over? Well then, never mind."
Seeing Wang Bairong pass out drunk, Lu Yang finally stood up and, following Wang Bairong's description, found the book, "Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Divine Light."
Undeniably, this was indeed a demonic technique.
Lu Yang exchanged for it with a grave expression. "Fast results, major side effects, high risk. It has almost all the characteristics a demonic art should have."
To master this divine ability, one must first select a treasure, then use that treasure to flay one's own skin while still alive. The skin is then refined with a secret method for eighty-one days to create a ray of blood-transforming treasured light, which attaches to the treasure. For an ordinary cultivator, a mere graze would cause injury, and a direct touch would mean death.
"At the same time, I myself will become a blood shadow that exists by relying on the treasure."
"As long as the treasure is not destroyed, the blood shadow will not perish."
"The side effects are that my lifespan will be halved, and after transforming into a blood shadow, I will no longer have a human body, but merely a human form. Therefore, my cultivation will no longer progress."
"Good, it's perfect for me!"
Lu Yang's eyes shone brightly as he immediately decided to practice this divine ability.
In the process of studying it, he discovered that there was actually another version of this divine ability, seemingly revised and optimized by some great cultivator.
"After all, this divine ability is truly marvelous and extraordinary."
"The revised version doesn't require the cultivator to flay and blood-sacrifice themselves. Instead, it has the cultivator blood-sacrifice their own siblings or descendants."
"This way, one can still master the divine ability. However, since the resulting blood shadow is not the cultivator themself, it is difficult to control freely, and there is a risk of backlash... But I'm different. Whether in this life or the next, the blood shadow will only ever be me!"
Several days later, Lu Yang left the Scripture Repository Pavilion.
In addition, he purchased the "Divine Empyrean Sword Control True Art" again, paying in full. After all, this was the only way he could use it openly in the future.
The next day, the "cultivation method" was delivered.
"Demon!"
Looking at Yun Miaoqing, who was gripping the magic sword at her neck with an unyielding expression, Lu Yang suddenly felt as if a lifetime had passed.
But he quickly pushed the feeling to the back of his mind.
"Sorry, I need the method and experience for refining a Sword Pellet."
"What? How did you know... Mmph... Wait, you...!"
Familiarity breeds skill. Relying on his familiarity with Yun Miaoqing, Lu Yang went all out and quickly plundered the knowledge and experience he needed from her.
Pulling up his pants, Lu Yang turned and left.
This time, he went to Ten Thousand Treasures Peak, the mountain corresponding to the Outer Sect's Treasure Refining Hall and one of the Four Inner Sect Peaks. Most of the Primal Saint Sect's treasures came from here.
"I want to rent an earth-fire furnace."
Arriving at the front desk, Lu Yang stated his request directly. After paying a sufficient amount of contribution points, he was shown into the highest-grade furnace room a quarter of an hour later.
After making thorough preparations, he took out the materials.
Three taels of gold essence, three taels of jade marrow, two taels of cinnabar, and two taels of sword qi. Then, he formed a hand seal, drew fierce flames from the earth's core, and threw everything into the furnace!
"Although most of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion's Sword Pellets are refined by sect elders, that's the righteous path, where one doesn't have to worry about someone playing tricks behind the scenes. This is the Primal Saint Sect. Rather than pinning my hopes on the moral integrity of a refiner, I'd rather do it myself. At worst, I'll just have to try a few more times..."
One set of materials cost 2000 contribution points.
Lu Yang had earned a total of ten thousand contribution points. After purchasing the divine ability and cultivation method and repaying his loan, his entire fortune could only buy three sets of materials for refining the Sword Pellet.
"If I fail all three times, then I'll just try again in the next life!"
With this thought in mind, Lu Yang began to strictly follow the methods and experience he had plundered from Yun Miaoqing, controlling the earth-fire to slowly condense all the materials.
Gold essence fused with jade marrow, cinnabar combined with sword qi...
Gradually, a pellet appeared within Lu Yang's spiritual sense. However, before he could rejoice, the pellet suddenly trembled...
*BOOM!*
It exploded.
One set of materials was wasted. Lu Yang calmly waved his sleeve to sweep away the debris, silently summarizing the lesson: "...My steps should have been correct."
"The problem lies in the final step."
Lu Yang reviewed Yun Miaoqing's memories, and understanding gradually dawned in his eyes.
"To refine a Sword Pellet, the sword and heart must be one. I haven't been practicing the Divine Empyrean Sword Control True Art for long, so my realm in the way of the sword is clearly lacking..."
Normally, this is a strict requirement that can only be met through gradual practice.
However, that's from the perspective of the righteous path. After all, the righteous path emphasizes gradual progress and rarely uses shortcuts that are harmful to nature and harmony.
But the demonic path doesn't care about such things.
"Sword and heart as one... in the end, it's about controlling the Sword Pellet. In that case, if I simultaneously cultivate the Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Divine Light, the effect should be the same!"
"Even better, in fact!"
After all, the Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Divine Light uses one's own body to sacrifice to a treasure. Once mastered, one practically merges with the treasure. The degree of compatibility would surely far exceed the so-called "sword and heart as one."
"But to achieve this, I can't use the anesthetic I prepared beforehand..."
Refining a Sword Pellet is delicate work. If he took a drug to suppress the pain and his reaction time was even half a beat slow, he would most likely fail.
Therefore, he must remain fully conscious throughout the entire process.
"This is the demonic path. One has to be ruthless with oneself... Otherwise, how could one be considered a talent?"
At this thought, a ruthless glint appeared in Lu Yang's eyes.
A moment later, he sat cross-legged before the earth-fire furnace, stuffed a rag into his mouth, and waited for the Sword Pellet to take shape once more. Then, he directed the sword qi to descend upon himself...
(End of Chapter)