Slot Three

After leaving Tantai Chan's medicine garden, Wang Yu found himself somewhat lost. In truth, he could choose to leave the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect now, but between the Red Kite Demon Domain and the Great Lake Spirit Domain lay natural perils and formidable passes. As a mere Qi Refining Cultivator, how could he speak of crossing them?

In fact, only by leaning against a great sect could a cultivator of his aptitude continue improving along the Cultivation Path. Qi Refining Stage cultivators lived One Hundred Fifty years at most; ideally, one had to break through to Foundation Establishment before reaching a hundred.

Back then, he had burned ten years of his lifespan. According to the theory of vitality and blood, the younger one was, the more abundant it was; those years had not been deducted from the end, but from the beginning.

For Wang Yu, that meant before the age of ninety. He still had seventy-three years to prepare. That should have been enough.

"Cold Blood Pill..."

On the road away from Evil God Ward, Wang Yu slipped into the stream of passing disciples and headed toward Cold Blood Ward.

His mind stirred slightly, for he discovered that the Placement Slot had Changed.

[Placement Slot 3: None]

This change delighted him immensely. Following that logic, Slot Four would emerge when he broke through to Qi Refining Late Stage. By that estimate, Foundation Establishment seemed very close, and even Core Formation was no longer beyond his gaze!

He selected a cultivation art for placement.

[Placement Slot 3: Cold Blood Art]

"Cold Blood Art (51/100): Fifty-six cycles per day; complete in half a year."

Compared to half a year ago, the progress bar had risen by half, while his daily cultivation cycles had increased significantly. These were all hidden benefits brought by Wang Yu's breakthrough in realm and the widening of his meridians.

The icy yin spiritual power within his body flowed through his entire frame, making his bones and flesh increasingly robust. His blood in particular grew thicker by the day, while its temperature steadily fell, making it especially compatible with the "Heavenly Yin Blood" required by the [Corpse Demon Secret Art].

Even with two Placement Slots exerting force at once, the time before his next breakthrough had been pushed back to eight years later. He needed external assistance; the Placement Slots alone were no longer enough.

After pondering for a moment, he decided to place something else first.

[Placement Slot 3: Cold Blood Pill]

"Cold Blood Pill (0/100): Twelve refinements per day; complete in half a year."

This action was, in truth, strengthening Wang Yu's mastery over a single alchemy recipe, and it was closely tied to alchemy itself.

Once a year had passed, when the Cold Dragon Alchemy reached completion and his mastery of the Cold Blood Pill was supernatural, he would personally refine pills. The failure rate would likely approach zero infinitely closely.

As the exclusive alchemy recipe attached to the cultivation art, its effects in assisting cultivation were bound to be astonishing. It was worth investing more into.

His next goal was to spend one year gathering two complete sets of medicinal ingredients and resolving matters such as an alchemy furnace and an Earth Fire Room.

Upon arriving at Cold Blood Ward, Wang Yu went straight into Ice Snow Tower.

Zhao Shang was indeed seated in that familiar spot, and his voice carried over from afar.

"Junior Brother Wang, half a year without seeing you, and your appearance has been completely renewed. Congratulations."

"I merely recuperated properly and eased the state of depleted vitality and blood. Senior Brother Zhao, I trust you have been well?"

The two exchanged surface pleasantries, but Zhao Shang said with evident interest.

"Junior Brother, you left for half a year. A spot in Ice Snow Tower is extremely valuable, and this senior brother could not bear to let it go to waste.

"So I temporarily rented it to an Inner Disciple at Qi Refining Late Stage. You will not blame me, will you?"

Wang Yu: "..."

Qi Refining Late Stage, Inner Disciple!

With those two conditions laid out, could he possibly take it back? He was thoroughly disgusted. Thinking of how this man had secretly sold No. 29 Essence Qi Chamber half a year ago, several vicious schemes rose in his mind.

"Senior Brother Zhao, Wang went out to carry out a mission. For you to act like this, I fear it is inappropriate."

Zhao Shang narrowed his eyes. He had dared to do this for two reasons.

First, he was bullying Wang Yu for his insufficient cultivation and abysmal aptitude. Wang Yu basically had no chance to turn his life around on his own and could only rely on external forces.

Second, when Fatty Duan had brought someone over last time, he had explicitly stated that Wang Yu had been personally chosen by True Inheritor Su. Yet Duan Ping's words, both openly and between the lines, had implied that he should make things difficult for Wang Yu.

Duan Ping was not afraid, so why should Zhao Shang be? Wang Yu had no way to directly contact True Inheritor Su. So what if he forcibly occupied the room? As long as it could be justified in name, that was enough. He released the aura of Qi Refining Late Stage, reminding Wang Yu to show more respect.

"Wang Yu, Zhao is helping you generate income. This inner sect senior brother is not occupying your room for nothing. This is the rental fee, and there will be more every year."

The next moment, a dark shadow came flying at him. Wang Yu hurriedly retreated several steps to dodge.

When he saw that it was One Token of Spirit Stone repeatedly bouncing across the ground, he was almost angered into laughter. Was he being dismissed like a beggar?!!

"Fine, fine, fine—

"Senior Brother Zhao's methods are truly superb. Wang accepts it."

He did not choose to make threats. Wang Yu did not even feel like going upstairs to negotiate, turning and leaving Ice Snow Tower instead.

Just wait.

True Inheritor Su had invested the Corpse Demon Secret Art in him, one thousand Contribution Points, the promised second-grade Frost Corpse arm, and an Outer Disciple Token.

To a True Disciple, all these things were merely minor benefits leaking through the gaps between their fingers. But their frequency was high, and the intention to cultivate him was obvious.

Zhao Shang did not know this information, and Fatty Duan would not tell him either.

The day True Inheritor Su came looking for him and could not find him, Zhao Shang would be in trouble. That greedy, insatiable fellow deserved this Calamity.

The [Essence Qi House] did not mean much to Wang Yu. His aptitude was terrifyingly poor. An ordinary Three Spiritual Roots cultivator could gain immense benefits from it, but he could only rise from "1" to "1.01"—more useless than chicken ribs.

Losing it was no great pity.

After calming himself and sorting through his thoughts, Wang Yu recalled all the information he had learned at Tantai Medicine Garden and began considering applying for work at Xu's Pill Shop.

The Cold Dragon Alchemy had currently been placed for around two months.

[Placement Slot 2: Cold Dragon Alchemy (Incomplete Art)]

"Cold Dragon Alchemy (16/100): Twelve refinements per day; complete in ten months."

At this level, he had already entered the door. He could try refining pills. He had learned both the Fire Control Hand Seal and the Pill Condensation Seal, and they were insights and experience gained through actual practice.

Setting aside applying to be an Alchemist, being an alchemy boy attendant who watched the furnace would not be a problem. Xu's Pill Shop still had two months before opening, and he could observe more in the meantime.

Casting one last look at Cold Blood Ward, Wang Yu drifted away leisurely, with no trace of his earlier anger.

Evil God Ward.

Fish and dragons were mixed together here, with disciples from all Nine Peaks present. Their backgrounds were tangled and complex, difficult to sort out clearly.

Wang Yu had the Black Blood Disciple Token, so he did not need to worry about where he stayed. Every ward had an area specifically set aside with ordinary Cave Abodes for lodging.

After all, this was within the sect. He could stay in any vacant room among the Inverse Blood Ten Wards. One night passed.

The following day.

Considering that he was not the only one on Cold Blood Peak cultivating the Cold Blood Art, he went out to inquire at various shops whether finished Cold Blood Pills were for sale, collecting the relevant medicinal ingredients along the way.

This investigation went exceptionally smoothly.

At the [Treasure Pill Pavilion] opened by the sect's Alchemy Hall, he successfully found a large quantity of medicinal ingredients, as well as Cold Blood Pills themselves.

"How much is this?"

The shop assistant behind the counter was likely a formal disciple of the Alchemy Hall. If Wang Yu wished, he too could join after passing the assessment. Joining this sort of department came with the concept of a "base salary," entirely different from ordinary disciples.

"Low-Grade Cold Blood Pill, three hundred Spirit Stones."

"Mid-Grade Cold Blood Pill, Four Million Spirit Stones."

"High-Grade Cold Blood Pill, five hundred Spirit Stones."