Possibility of Spiritual Root Mutation (Seeking Votes, Seeking Votes)

At most, Wang Yu had cultivated for less than two years, yet his progress had already surpassed that of those with Three Spiritual Roots. He raced down the Great Dao of Longevity at a speed comparable to someone with two spiritual roots.

However, Wang Yu planned to rethink exactly how he should use the three Placement Slots.

The benefits brought by a Perfected Cultivation Method were immense—enough to make him alter his original plans.

After giving it some thought, a new plan took shape.

[Placement Slot 1: Cold Blood Art]

[Placement Slot 2: Cold Blood Art]

[Placement Slot 3: Cold Dragon Alchemy (Incomplete Method)]

The reason he had originally placed the "Cold Blood Pill Formula" was that he had no money and intended to refine pills himself to aid his cultivation. After all, they were simply too expensive.

And the Placement Slots' effects were growing weaker and weaker. It would be better to replace them and use pills instead.

Now that his cultivation method was perfected, his aptitude had increased by half. The improvement was enormous. Restarting the Placement Slots would be more cost-effective for him than pills.

"At this rate, I'll break through to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer in three and a half years."

Not bad.

As for placing the alchemy art, it represented more than a skill. It also meant training Wang Yu's Divine Sense, as well as preparing for the effects that would come from refining Top Grade Cold Blood Pills in the future.

He had personally experienced the effects of high-grade pills. Naturally, having gained an inch, he wanted a mile. What was wrong with trying to see just how extraordinary Top Grade Pills could be?

On the other hand, most of this alchemy art's value lay in that special "Cold Dragon Pill." It could condense a special "Cold Flame Fire Seed" that could grow alongside a cultivator.

Its core material required, at minimum, the Demon Core of a second-tier cold-attribute serpent-type Demon Beast. That was still far beyond his reach, so there was no rush to place it.

At the latest, the Cold Dragon Alchemy would be perfected in three and a half months.

Once there was an empty slot, Wang Yu had two possible directions.

The first was to continue down the path of Spiritual Root Mutation and further improve his aptitude. The only thing in his possession that might work was—the [Corpse Demon Secret Art]!

He had possessed this secret art for some time. Yet because of its numerous Side Effects, he had always been somewhat hesitant, afraid to act.

But according to the secret art's description, both "Heavenly Yin Blood" and "Corpse Demon Bone" were special body-refining secret arts that could possibly enhance his aptitude.

The second was to keep placing pills, grinding the Cold Blood Pill, All Wonders Pill, and Cold Dragon Pill all the way to perfection, then using Spirit Stones to raise his cultivation. The risk on this path came from the outside world, where death was a real possibility.

The risk of the first path came from the secret art itself, and it was highly likely to induce his spiritual roots to mutate completely!

One could only say that it was half good, half bad.

Wang Yu decided to wait another three and a half months, until the alchemy art was perfected and he could confirm that the [Placement Slot] could complete incomplete secret arts.

At that point, if he placed the [Corpse Demon Secret Art], he would no longer need to worry about terrifying Side Effects such as "body like an ancient corpse," "unable to raise yang energy," and "without emotion or desire."

A complete secret art definitely would not have such Side Effects. He was certain of it and firmly believed it!

The next day.

Eight Treasures Pavilion.

Nearly Four Months had passed since his partnership with Zhao Shang. They had conducted three transactions in total, and this one was the fourth.

"Pleasure doing business."

After wine and food had filled them both, they conducted the exchange through Storage Bags. Zhao Shang checked the pills inside, then nodded.

"There's still a bit of profit in it. When are you planning to expand the scale?"

"Just a bit?"

Wang Yu looked at Zhao Shang with a half-smile. He had only charged the market price, while offering Zhou Tao and the other two bulk-purchase prices. As for the pills sold to Ice Snow Tower, he knew they were priced nearly thirty percent above market value.

The people from the Alchemist Society had been recorded in Ice Snow Tower's files as alchemy masters—geniuses certain to become second-tier alchemists in the future, promising prospects. Their current high prices were meant as an investment for future recruitment.

He wondered what True Inheritor Su would think if he saw those records with his own eyes~

"I'm serious. You've earned about this much during this period, haven't you?"

Zhao Shang held up two fingers.

Wang Yu remained expressionless, neither confirming nor denying it. But Zhao Shang's estimate was fucking accurate—two thousand Spirit Stones in Four Months. It was no small sum, and it was even the profit Wang Yu had gained by squeezing both sides.

The Alchemist Society had received even more, but once divided among everyone, each person had only gotten around thirteen hundred.

That was pure profit after costs, an absolute windfall. Wang Yu had merely used the Law Enforcement Token once and gained this income, practically talking it into existence out of thin air.

Naturally, he was satisfied. But Zhao Shang had a target, so he did not feel content.

Wang Yu could not help warning him.

"Taking Spirit Stones from Ice Snow Tower may be satisfying, but you're feeding at home while selling out the home. You have to keep your movements small if you want the stream to run long.

"Or do you plan to stop staying in the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect once you trade for a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Zhao Shang fell silent. Wang Yu was taken aback; he had not expected to hit the mark. After thinking about it briefly—

That made sense. After all, this was not Zhao Shang's first time feeding at home while selling out the home. He had likely left behind quite a few traces. Even if he broke through to Foundation Establishment, he might still face a reckoning from True Inheritor Su.

"Found yourself a new patron? If there's something worthwhile there, how about taking me along?"

Zhao Shang said nothing. Only after a moment did he give an awkward laugh.

"How could that be? The Inverse Spirit Blood Sect treats me like a son, and True Inheritor Su is like Zhao's own elder brother. How could I possibly have such thoughts? Brother Wang must have misunderstood."

"Heh—

"Do as you please."

Wang Yu spread his hands in a helpless gesture, but more thoughts arose in his heart. Three feet of ice did not form in a single day. Zhao Shang could not have harbored such thoughts for merely a day or two. He could keep an eye on him in the future.

With such a backup path, it might prove useful in the future.

After the two parted ways, Wang Yu met with the three from the society again and distributed this batch of Spirit Stones.

Luo Ping Hu had already repaid his loan. Wang Yu had now accumulated over twenty-four hundred Spirit Stones, while his Contribution Points had not risen at all and remained at just over a hundred.

According to his original plan, now that he had money, he should buy a High-Grade Magical Artifact to improve his combat strength. It would last him until Foundation Establishment, making it a worthwhile investment.

But the Magical Artifacts released by the Inverse Blood Ten Wards were all worryingly poor in quality. Almost all of them were secondhand, and some were not even as powerful as the Ice Sword Technique.

In that case, the best option was to have a Magical Artifact custom-made at the Weapon Forging Hall.

On the other hand.

After the Cold Blood Art, Ice Sword Technique, and Ice Shield Technique had all reached perfection, Wang Yu vaguely felt that his comprehension had improved.

This improvement was not like taking some Miraculous Elixir. Rather, it was a reaction brought about by an elevated perspective. Like an elementary school student and a twelfth grader learning a foreign language at the same time, the latter would inevitably progress faster.

His cultivation mindset had become more mature. Whether it was drawing inferences from one instance to another or taking a High-level perspective, the practical feedback was that he felt his comprehension had improved.

And in The Unseen, he felt that mastering more perfected spells before Foundation Establishment would benefit his cultivation and his Future.

This Sudden Impulse-like insight was Mysterious and Profound.

It made Wang Yu want even more to invest these Spirit Stones into spells rather than High-Grade Magical Artifacts that would Sooner or later be phased out.

Spirit Stones could not be used to exchange for spells at the Scripture Pavilion; it only recognized Contribution Points. But he could trade for them through True Disciple forces like Ice Snow Tower.