26: Nine-refined true elixir, planting demon meat fields

“Nine refinements of Evil Qi... only then can one obtain a First-Grade True Core.”

Gu Changsheng murmured.

The Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique contained detailed records regarding the True Core Realm.

True Core grades were divided into nine ranks, with First-Grade being the highest and Ninth-Grade the lowest.

For each grade increase, one could engrave an additional Divine Ability onto the True Core, transforming it into a Natal Divine Ability.

Natal Divine Abilities, besides possessing immense power, often had incredible mystical uses, greatly impacting a Cultivator's combat prowess and cultivation potential.

To improve the True Core's grade, it needed to be refined with Evil Qi.

There were many types of Evil Qi.

For instance, Black Wind Qi, Dust Return Qi, and Profound Origin Qi, naturally born in treasure lands, were all renowned top-grade Evil Qi.

These Evil Qi were naturally formed and nurtured by heaven and earth, often taking decades or even centuries to condense a single wisp, making them exceptionally precious.

Therefore, many clever Cultivators set their sights on shortcuts.

The most common was Blood Evil Qi, refined from the vital essence of living beings mixed with resentment.

Battlefields and wars often had Cultivators secretly fanning the flames.

Of course, such 'harvesting' behavior provoked the wrath of heaven and resentment of the people.

After all, Cultivators also began their journey as Mortals.

Massacring Mortals on a large scale would inevitably lead to a shortage of talent in the cultivation world.

Moreover, there was also the external threat of demons.

Currently, the most mainstream method for refining Evil Qi was to raise Meat Fields, regularly harvest demon flesh, and extract Evil Qi from it.

The types of demon flesh grown in Meat Fields varied, and the types of Evil Qi refined also differed.

Some rare Meat Fields could even revert to their Origin, refining Natal Divine Abilities unique to great demons.

“There are three main ways to obtain Evil Qi.

Blood Evil Qi incurs the wrath of heaven and resentment of the people, making it easy to be targeted by major sects; who knows, one day Righteous Path Cultivators might just eliminate me as an evil demon.

Treasure lands that give birth to top-grade Evil Qi like Black Wind Qi and Return to Origin Qi have long been occupied by major sects, and are only allocated to their Core Disciples.

Furthermore, these top-grade Evil Qi often take decades to produce a single portion, which isn't even enough for the major sects internally, so for me to try and get a share is wishful thinking.

On the surface, the best method is still to cultivate demon Meat Fields and refine Evil Qi.”

Gu Changsheng took out the purplish-red bead.

He had already understood its use from the previous Black Mountain's perception vision.

“The Demon Origin Bead, when placed at a leyline node, can transform into a Meat Field, raising demon flesh.

Such treasures are usually kept hidden by major sects, and Loose Cultivators rarely hear of them.

Moreover, the demon flesh grown in this Meat Field is of the same Origin as Black Mountain, capable of refining a top-grade Evil Qi — Black Mountain Qi.

This is of great benefit to the cultivation of the Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique.

Of course, these are all mainstream methods for condensing Evil Qi.

For me, the best way to condense Evil Qi is... to melt famous mountains.”

Gu Changsheng caressed the Demon Origin Bead in his hand.

The greatest value of the Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique, which earned it the 'Heaven-Grade' designation, was its ability to melt famous mountains into one's body and extract the Origin of mountain Evil Qi.

“This trip yielded two gains.

First, the Heaven-Grade cultivation method, Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique, broadened my horizons, allowing me to view the Great Dao of Cultivation from a higher perspective.

Fortunately, I am only in the Foundation Building Realm; otherwise, if I had entered the True Core Realm with the Python Fox Technique, I would at most condense a Ninth-Grade trash True Core.

By then, it would be too late to regret.

The second major gain is Black Mountain's Demon Origin Bead.

The Demon Origin Bead of a top-grade great demon, when buried in a leyline to cultivate demon flesh, can be regularly harvested, simultaneously replenishing vital essence and refining Evil Qi.

With this, the Great Dao... is a smooth path ahead.”

After this battle, Gu Changsheng had made up for his cultivation shortcomings; his knowledge and foundation were no less than those of top-grade sect Disciples.

The next moment, he flashed and disappeared from his original spot.

Elsewhere, in the distant Third Heaven.

An Immortal Cave in an Immortal Palace.

Auspicious clouds lingered, and Immortal birds and cranes sang in harmony, emitting ethereal Immortal music.

Inside the Hall of Longevity.

A white-robed, long-browed elder slowly awoke.

His hair and beard were white, and his long brows extended to the ground, yet his face was utterly wrinkle-free; he exuded an aura of an Immortal.

The Long-Browed Immortal's gaze pierced through layers of the Void Realm, looking towards Black Mountain's location.

“Hmm? Black Mountain is being restless again, actually breaking through the blockade and escaping with a wisp of a Clone. He truly hasn't changed his ways.”

He performed a quick divination, and just as he was about to deduce the whereabouts of Black Mountain's Clone, he found that its Divine Soul had already been annihilated.

“Who made the move? It seems there's still a trace of Karma between them and me.”

The Long-Browed Immortal closed his eyes, and Gu Changsheng's image appeared before him.

“A mere Foundation Building Realm Cultivator, yet he can directly fight Black Mountain's Clone?

Even if that wisp of a Clone was weak, it was still from a great demon; few at the same level could contend with it.

This young man certainly has some Opportunity.

However, Black Mountain still needs to be disciplined.”

He stood up and pointed at a rosy-cheeked child beside him.

“Go, issue an order for the Heavenly Dao Palace to increase leyline extraction, give the Black Mountain Old Demon a taste of his own medicine, and reward the extracted Earth Evil Qi to the Disciples of our sect.”

“Yes, Old Ancestor.”

After the child transformed into a streak of light and departed, the Long-Browed Old Ancestor stood up.

Suddenly, countless compound eyes appeared in his pupils, and beneath his skin, countless insect eggs seemed to squirm.

The next moment, a dark, hideous proboscis burst through his mouth, and half of his face transformed into a bizarre insect-like visage.

“It's feeding time again...”

The Long-Browed Old Ancestor strode out of the Hall of Longevity.

With each step, the degree of his bodily mutation intensified.

By the time he walked out of the Hall of Longevity, he had completely transformed into a dark, nine-headed giant insect, its crimson eyes looking down at the mountain.

At this moment, the mountain below was filled with a pervasive scent of blood; two armies of Mortals were locked in battle, their spilled blood forming rivers, and their corpses piled up like mountains.

Under the scorching sun, a strong stench emanated.

The nine-headed giant insect drooled, its eyes revealing a look of ecstasy.

The next moment, the world turned dark; the terrifying proboscis, like a black hole, erupted with powerful suction, causing countless Mortal bodies to explode.

Blood mist drifted, refining wisps of vital essence, which condensed in the Void Realm, forming a great pill of flesh and blood.

It was swallowed whole by the giant insect.

Immediately after, visibly, the insect body rapidly receded, and its two antennae transformed into white, long brows.

“This taste... it's intoxicating...”

The Long-Browed Immortal's face was incomparably hideous, his eyes revealing a look of enjoyment.

It turned out that the Mortals in this Immortal Cave were all his cultivated blood food.

Several days later, an barren mountain outside Chenping County.

“This place holds its Origin, and the leyline Qi is rich, making it perfectly suitable for cultivating a Meat Field.

However, before that... I'll try the Mountain Refining Art.”

The Mountain Refining Art was a spell that emerged when the Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique was upgraded to the third stage.

It could greatly accelerate the efficiency of melting mountains.

Gu Changsheng came before a huge rock, touched it with his palm, and black Qi surged throughout his body, covering the mountain as Black Mountain did when melting famous mountains in the vision.

Gurgle gurgle —

The black Qi permeated the interior of the mountain, continuously devouring the rocks.

Within half an hour, the interior of the barren mountain was completely hollowed out, and a narrow passage extended to Gu Changsheng's feet.

This was intentional on his part.

After all, he still needed to cultivate a Meat Field here, and leaving a mountain shell also served as a form of concealment.

The black Qi retracted, thick as rolling black oil.

Within it contained wisps of silver Qi.

This was precisely the mountain Qi extracted from the barren mountain — a type of Evil Qi.

Gu Changsheng pointed a finger, and the Evil Qi converged into a silver mountain phantom, which he collected into his palm.

“Unfortunately, an unnamed barren mountain can only refine the most ordinary Evil Qi.

If it were a famous mountain, it would be at least high-quality Evil Qi.”

Recalling the Black Mountain Old Demon devouring numerous famous mountains along his way, Gu Changsheng felt a little tempted.

However, famous mountains were often occupied by major sects; devouring someone else's sect mountain would be tantamount to declaring war on a major sect, purely seeking death.

“There's always tomorrow; there will be plenty of opportunities in the future...”

Gu Changsheng consoled himself.

He stepped into the interior of the barren mountain, pulled out a compass, and walked and stopped.

After a while, he finally settled on a leyline node and planted the Demon Origin Bead.

Immediately, black oil churned on the ground, squirming like a living thing, spreading outwards until it covered an area the size of an acre.

“Time to feed...”

Gu Changsheng had already prepared millet, which he continuously poured into the Meat Field.

He watched as black mounds gradually grew from the Meat Field, shaped like black stones, and in not much time, they were the size of millstones.

“The texture is soft, and the elasticity is excellent; this is definitely edible.”

Gu Changsheng lightly tapped the demon flesh with his finger, and a small indentation immediately appeared on its surface.

What surprised him most was that his farming skill, which had long been upgraded to the fourth stage, actually had a slight boost on the growth of the demon.

“Indeed, all cultivation arts are derived from Mortal skills.

When studied to a profound level, they naturally give rise to mysteries.

It seems... I'll need to improve my farming level in the future as well.”