Wild Dog Cave

After a moment of thought, Man Xiongmu said, "I'll stay in the cave for a few more days and teach you the Law as well. I'd like to see who dares plot against my Qiyun Cave."

He looked at Wu Tian. "You don't need to worry either. My master is still cultivating inside the cave. As long as we keep the doors shut and don't come out, I doubt they'll dare force their way in."

"Settle your mind. I'll teach you the Silk Drawing Curse Technique."

"This Curse Technique is also the core of our Qiyun Cave lineage's artifact-refining methods. Once cultivated to an advanced level, it can draw the essence from plants and trees into threads, then temper them with wind and clouds and nourish them with Tongyou Qi, producing Yin Soul Silk."

"Whether used to weave banners, robes, or long whips, it's extremely useful. My own Curse Artifact was woven from Yin Soul Silk as well."

"Most of the materials I've needed for cultivation all these years were obtained by trading Yin Soul Silk."

"This is the true foundation of one's standing. You must not underestimate it."

Hearing this, Wu Tian immediately understood. Man Xiongmu trusted him even more and had increased his efforts to nurture him—he was even willing to pass on such a core Curse Technique.

As his thoughts turned, he was already prostrating himself on the ground. He dipped his head and transmitted his voice. "This disciple thanks Master."

Man Xiongmu was startled at first, then soon shook his head with an amused laugh. "You're quite clever. Very well, very well. Though I can't enter you into the register yet, I'm passing the Law on to you, so calling me Master isn't inappropriate."

"I only hope you can shed your beast form and take human shape soon. Then the Great Dao will truly be within reach."

He said no more and began carefully imparting the Silk Drawing Curse Technique.

The Curse Technique was indeed complicated. Though it was still a Secret Transmission Curse Technique and did not reach the High-grade Curse Technique level, in terms of complexity, it surpassed even High-grade Curse Techniques.

The incantation alone consisted of 145 symbols, more than the Thunder Sound Curse.

Once Man Xiongmu finished teaching it, the System Panel naturally changed.

Silk Drawing Curse Technique, Secret Transmission Curse Technique. Can extract the essence of plants and trees and transform it into fine threads, making it a Low-grade Spiritual Material. Upon perfect cultivation, it can draw clouds and rosy light and clear wind into threads. Combined with the corresponding diagram records, it can produce the Mid-grade Spiritual Material, Cloud Brocade Silk.

Wu Tian's eyes lit up when he saw the System Panel's description.

Low-grade Spiritual Materials were one thing. They could basically only be used to forge Curse Artifacts. Though they far surpassed mortal swords, blades, armor, and weapons, they were of little use once one reached the Cauldron Forging Realm and Law Refining Realm.

Wu Tian had heard a thing or two while attending lectures in the Law Transmission Hall. He knew that the Guardian Artifacts used by cultivators were divided into Curse Artifacts, magical artifacts, and Magic Treasures.

Those in the Foundation Building Qi Nourishing Realm mostly used Curse Artifacts.

Those in the Cauldron Forging Realm and Law Refining Realm began forging magical artifacts.

Only experts of the Dao Embryo Primordial Spirit Realm could wield Magic Treasures.

Forging Guardian Artifacts required Spiritual Materials. Low-grade Spiritual Materials could only forge Curse Artifacts, Mid-grade Spiritual Materials could forge magical artifacts, and High-grade Spiritual Materials could forge Magic Treasures.

In this world, both Curse Artifacts and magical artifacts were exceedingly rare. Even a Curse Artifact required the combined refinement of many Low-grade Spiritual Materials, making it extraordinarily precious.

Magical artifacts required dozens of years of tempering in cauldron fire while the cauldron was being forged. They were absolutely not as commonplace as the legends of the countryside claimed, where everyone supposedly had seven or eight of them.

The Law Transmission Hall had three stewards, but only one had successfully forged a magical artifact. It was called the Soul Severing Hook. Not only could it slice through iron like mud, it could also sever Yin souls—truly terrifying.

Relying on that Soul Severing Hook, he had become the chief among the three stewards. Whenever he occasionally lectured the disciples and brought out the magical artifact, it drew cries of surprise and envious admiration from the crowd.

"Qiyun Cave actually possesses a legacy capable of producing Mid-grade Spiritual Materials. Its foundations are truly substantial."

Wu Tian was also pleasantly surprised. The farther one advanced along the path of cultivation, the more materials one needed. Relying solely on traveling about and leaving things to luck, or fighting and killing, was improper. A legacy that could produce Spiritual Materials was the true foundation.

"All right, I've passed the Silk Drawing Curse Technique on to you. Cultivate it diligently." Man Xiongmu asked again, "How has your acupoint-opening practice gone these past few days? Has everything gone smoothly?"

Wu Tian answered honestly, "This disciple has already opened five acupoints."

"So quickly?" Man Xiongmu was somewhat surprised. "At this rate, you'll begin circulating Qi after opening all your acupoints in two or three months at most."

After pondering briefly, he said, "In that case, we'll have to prepare a Curse Artifact for you in advance."

"We cultivators must possess not only a method for seeking the Dao, but also a Guardian Artifact. Only then can we protect our lives."

"When you forge a Curse Artifact in the Qi Circulation Realm, you can nourish it while circulating Qi day and night. This will allow its aura to connect with your own, so you can wield it with ease."

"Moreover, when most people reach the Cauldron Forging Realm, they use their own Curse Artifact as the base, add Mid-grade Spiritual Materials, and continue forging and nourishing it until it becomes a magical artifact. This saves them a great deal of painstaking work."

"You were born in a beast's body, so you'll need to think carefully about what kind of Curse Artifact to forge."

While the master and disciple were teaching and receiving the Law inside the cave, Huang Ren was also making his way toward Wild Dog Cave, one of the Thirty-six Caves, after finishing the transport of food and goods.

When he reached Wild Dog Cave, he saw a stretch of woods outside the cave. The trees there were not ordinary plants, but Spiritual Roots called ironwood. Their trunks were hard as iron and were excellent Spiritual Materials for refining the shafts of banners.

Wild Dog Cave held a special position among the Thirty-six Caves. Its founding patriarch had been a personal disciple of the mountain-opening patriarch, yet he had taken a different path, combining the Hundred Beasts Yin Soul Path to forge a road of his own.

The inheritance of Wild Dog Cave was extraordinarily profound, second only to the Sect Leader's Direct Lineage's White Bone Demon God Path. Among the Thirty-six Caves, it stood alone at the top.

Although the later generations had been disappointing over the years, the current cave master had still reached the Law Refining Realm. His magical power was profound and his spells exquisite, and he had hope of achieving the Dao Embryo Realm.

However, the successive inheritors of Wild Dog Cave were eccentric and solitary. They rarely associated with the sect's members and were fiercely vengeful, making others even more afraid to approach them.

Huang Ren was already somewhat flustered when he arrived outside Wild Dog Cave. Just as he hesitated, he heard someone laughing mockingly. "Where did this fatso come from? He actually dares come to my Wild Dog Cave. Are you looking for a beating?"

Huang Ren jumped in fright and turned around. In the woods stood a five- or six-year-old child dressed in brocade clothes, a silver ring around his neck, and two buns tied atop his head. He was looking at Huang Ren with a beaming grin.

Behind the child were seven or eight others: teenage youths as well as grown men in their twenties and thirties.

One of the ugly young men sneered darkly. "Fatso, this isn't a place you should be. If you don't want a beating, lie down obediently and roll away."

Hearing this, the child at the head immediately clapped and laughed. "I've never seen a fatso roll before. You're so round and plump—you must roll really fast."

The others all began jeering.

"Fatso, roll!"

"Roll into a ball so my junior brother can see!"

"Roll, or we'll beat you up!"

Ashamed and furious, Huang Ren still did not dare lose his temper in front of Wild Dog Cave. His plump face flushed crimson, and he had already begun thinking of leaving.

But the child had no intention of letting him go. He was the biological son of Master of Wild Dog Cave, named Tong Jin, and only six years old. Spoiled rotten and further encouraged by his senior brothers and junior brothers, he had become arrogant and unruly at a tender age.

Now that he had taken the notion to torment Huang Ren, he insisted on making him roll.

Surrounded and humiliated by the crowd, Huang Ren nearly ground his teeth to pieces. Seeing that someone was about to make a move, he hurriedly shouted, "Wait, wait! I came here because I discovered a wild dog that had become a spirit. I came specifically to report it to the cave master."

At those words, Tong Jin's eyes immediately lit up. He hurriedly stopped the others and grabbed Huang Ren. "Speak! Where is that dog demon?"

Huang Ren, however, kept his mouth shut. The disciples of Wild Dog Cave acted so outrageously that if he told them, they might well force him to lead the way. As for Merit points, he could forget about those entirely.

He already regretted coming here, but at this point he could only brace himself and shout loudly, "I'm Huang Ren, a steward of the Meal Hall. I request an audience with Master of Wild Dog Cave. I have the whereabouts of a dog demon to report."

Hearing this, the child's face instantly turned vicious. "Damn fatso, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Before his voice had even faded, a voice came from inside the cave. "Jin'er, don't be rude."