Immortal Delicacy

Spiritual energy flowed through the great hall. As Fang Huai swept his gaze across it, he discovered a formation:

[Sinking Sand Spirit-Hiding Array]

[Conceals Spiritual Sense]

[Conceals Spiritual Sense: A quicksand formation with an added concealment function. Those below the Golden Core Realm will have difficulty tracking anything inside.]

Fang Huai was genuinely surprised. This seemingly crude and unremarkable sand formation actually concealed hidden intricacies.

Beyond its teleportation function, it could also block cultivators' detection. Its concealment was far beyond what he had expected.

As he examined the place further, he sensed another sinister, icy formation fluctuation beneath the main array:

[Soul-Locking Sha-Condensing Array]

When he saw the hidden formation's labels, a chill ran down his spine.

[Corpses Piled High], [Resentment Surging Skyward], [Death Sha Surging Skyward], [Souls Imprisoned]...

The resentment in the Yellow Earth Society corpses was difficult to condense into baleful intent.

And since this formation was complete, there had to be a space beneath the earth.

That space was most likely like the place where the Nanze Zheng Family raised their Blood Jade Tree, used to stockpile corpses and forcibly cultivate baleful intent.

"Everyone, rise."

His voice held none of the air of a cultivator. Instead, it sounded like the ghostly whisper of a specter crawling out of the Nine Nether Cold Abyss, raising goosebumps all over.

Yet there was something familiar about that voice...

When he raised his head, Fang Huai made out the Hall Master's information through the black robe:

[Feng Wuwang]

[Qi Refining Perfection Realm]

[Blood Jade Body (Black)] [Gu Human (Black)]

[Blood Jade Body: Blood Jade Insects have fused with the body to the utmost degree. The process cannot be reversed.]

[Gu Human: Aside from his consciousness, he has transcended the bounds of humanity and become a living vessel for Gu.]

Was this the ultimate outcome of cultivating with Blood Jade Leaves?

In just a few years, Feng Wuwang had gone from the fourth level of Qi Refining to Qi Refining Perfection.

Even the sect's geniuses with Dual Spirit Roots couldn't match that rate of cultivation.

But the price was that his body had become a nest for Gu.

"I heard our Geng Hall has gained two new members—and one of them has no Spirit Root?"

Seeing Fang Huai frozen in place, Luo Heng hurriedly jabbed him in the waist. "He's talking about you. Answer him!"

Fang Huai rose and cupped his hands. "Greetings, Hall Master. Though I have no Spirit Root and my aptitude is mediocre, I possess a sincere heart devoted to seeking immortality and the Dao.

"I humbly ask the Hall Master to let me join the Ascension Society and serve the society!"

The other male cultivator also stood. "I have four Spirit Roots. The sect has always suppressed me, so I've come to seek the Ascension Society's protection."

Feng Wuwang nodded slightly. "Come forward. I've prepared an Immortal Delicacy for you."

Fang Huai could clearly feel Feng Wuwang's gaze linger on him longer—and burn more intensely—than it did on the others.

The male cultivator who had risen later hurried forward at the mention of Immortal Delicacy, afraid he'd miss a heaven-sent opportunity if he moved too slowly.

Feng Wuwang clapped his hands, and a Sha Corpse came up behind him.

The Sha Corpse had a swollen body and bluish-black skin. It held a small white jade bowl in each hand.

Though it looked clumsy, its movements were exceptionally agile. Clearly, it was a carefully refined combat puppet.

Feng Wuwang picked up one of the bowls and handed it to the male cultivator.

"This is made from Blood Jade Leaves that have been refined and purified. One bowl has the effect of more than a dozen Blood Jade Leaves. It can improve your constitution and send your cultivation soaring."

The male cultivator was overjoyed. He took the bowl and drained it in one gulp.

As the Immortal Delicacy entered his mouth, his face twisted in pain. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his cheeks, and then he seemed to fall into a hallucination.

One moment he was grinning foolishly, the next he was throwing back his head and roaring. Then he clenched his fists and bellowed at everyone in the hall, "Don't bully a poor young man!"

A hundred breaths later, the male cultivator came back to his senses. He tried absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and sure enough, his efficiency had greatly improved.

He fell to his knees and cried out in gratitude, "Thank you, Hall Master, for giving me a new life!"

Feng Wuwang helped him up, then beckoned Fang Huai over. "You, too. Come forward."

Fang Huai hurried up and took the small bowl from the Sha Corpse.

His gaze swept over the crimson liquid in the bowl. It was packed with labels reading [Insect-Leaf Body].

So it really was Blood Jade Insects!

He sighed inwardly. He had no idea how much spiritual energy it would take to force out this many Blood Jade Insects once they entered his body.

But in this situation, he could only steel himself and drink it down in one go.

Excruciating pain suddenly swept through his entire body.

It was as though Fang Huai had swallowed countless tiny, razor-sharp shards. They tore through his muscles and blood vessels, burrowed into his meridians, and kept cutting.

The unbearable agony nearly swallowed his consciousness. At the same time, bizarre visions appeared in his sea of consciousness:

He ascended to the summit of the clouds, looking down upon all beings and lording over billions of cultivators.

The cultivators knelt before him, crying out, "May our lord live forever!"

Then the Heavenly Dao spoke: "Fang Huai, you seek to ascend to the Upper Realm today? Then show me what you can really do!"

He threw back his head and laughed wildly, charging toward the Star Abyss. Spiritual light flickered around him as seventy-two magic treasures tore through space.

Just as he was about to battle the Heavenly Dao and ascend to the Upper Realm, the vision shattered, and he regained consciousness.

The Blood Jade Insects were truly formidable!

Even with the Corpse Meteor Insect's help, he had still fallen into a hallucination.

And the scene in that hallucination was the ultimate goal of his cultivation.

After experiencing it just once, he could barely suppress the urge to drink the Immortal Delicacy again and savor that feeling of reaching the pinnacle.

Terrifying... Blood Jade Insects not only increased the speed of cultivation, but also stirred up the deepest desires in a cultivator's heart.

If one hears the Dao in the morning, one can die content that evening.

Fang Huai sighed inwardly.

For low-level cultivators who could never glimpse the supreme realm in their lifetimes, a hallucination that fulfilled their wishes like this might truly be worth trading their lives for.

But the Blood Jade Insects' bites in his meridians were simply too painful.

He instinctively circulated his spiritual power, wanting to ward off at least some of the piercing pain.

The moment he moved, Feng Wuwang barked, "If you want to rise above mediocrity, don't use spiritual power to resist!

"With a weak Spirit Root, the flow of spiritual energy is slow. Over time, your meridians become much narrower than those of cultivators with better aptitude.

"The Immortal Delicacy can widen your meridians, fundamentally increasing the speed of your spiritual energy circulation and the power of your spells.

"From now on, you won't be left behind by the prodigies."

Fang Huai focused his mind on his body. He discovered that as the Blood Jade Insects gnawed at his meridians, they were widening them too.

It seemed these Gu did offer some benefits before they took effect.

The most sinister thing about Blood Jade Insects was their ability to deceive their hosts' senses and perception.

If Fang Huai hadn't had the Corpse Meteor Insect to break the illusion, he might have thought that some heavenly treasure was widening his meridians.

The reason Feng Wuwang had warned Fang Huai was that he valued his potential.

He had never seen a cultivator escape an illusion so quickly.

In his eyes, Fang Huai's physical aptitude was poor, but his spiritual sense was exceptional.

With even a little guidance, a man like that was sure to become a great talent.

At last, the pain faded. Fang Huai rose and thanked Feng Wuwang.

Feng Wuwang nodded in satisfaction, then motioned for him and the other man to step forward. After chanting an incantation, two streaks of black light appeared at his fingertips.

"This is Oath Sha, one of the Sha Arts. You know what it entails, don't you?"

Seeing the solemn looks on their faces, he continued, "Anyone bound by Oath Sha must keep their oath for life. If they break it, their soul will immediately scatter!"

He turned his wrist, and the black lights at his fingertips burrowed into Fang Huai and the other male cultivator's sea of consciousness.

"Now, repeat after me!

"Swear loyalty to the Ascension Society and never reveal any of its secrets. If you break this oath, may your soul scatter and may you never be reborn!"