CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37: GREEN-SCALED SNAKE BLOOD

Ding Yijin’s successful Foundation Establishment was like a strong stimulant for the Ding Family.

The Foundation Establishment Elders of the Cyan Cloud Sect personally attended the Foundation Establishment ceremony, and the Zhao, He, and Tao cultivation clans all took residence in Cyan Dragon Bay.

This also means that the Ding Family has overcome its most difficult period.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, if you hunt a water attribute demon beast, you should share the demon beast’s fresh blood."

As Zhao Chunsheng was leaving, Shen Xuan reminded him.

"Alright!"

He agreed wholeheartedly.

At this moment, the relationship between Shen Xuan and the new Elder of the Cyan Cloud Sect, Qin Yuehan, was a hot topic in the Cyan Dragon Bay Market.

With such connections, the Ding Family was particularly warm towards Shen Xuan.

Ding Yijin personally called Ding Yuyao his little sister.

Because of this, Zhao Chunsheng’s status in the Demon Hunters rose significantly.

After all, his entire family was co-renting with Shen the Talisman Master.

Now, Shen Xuan’s confidence had slightly increased.

It turned out many cultivators needed demon beast essence blood for cultivation, not just him.

Alchemy, artifact refining, array formation, and talisman making all required demon beast essence blood.

Even improving spirit root talents was not such a rare thing.

Many heavenly and earthly treasures could enhance spirit root talents.

There were even spirit pills specifically for enhancing spirit root talents.

However, if the spirit root talent was too low, the cost of enhancement was too high.

Moreover, the harder it was to enhance as time went on.

Sect tests were akin to talent recruitment in his previous life.

All were undergraduates.

But only those from 985 and 211 were targeted for recruitment.

Ordinary undergraduates didn’t even have a chance to get shortlisted.

The better the spirit root talent, the easier it was to cultivate.

There were certainly exceptional talents, but no sect would invest heavily to discover them.

With a relatively fixed number of spirit veins, the cultivators on the Profound Origin Continent were headed towards oversaturation.

Shen Xuan focused on cultivating his talisman-making skills.

Occasionally, he would give pointers to Ding Yuyao on her whip technique.

Reducing complexity to simplicity, achieving goals with the simplest moves.

He advised Ding Yuyao not to easily trigger the Purple Jade Sword Heart Bracelet on her wrist.

Inside it nurtured nine strands of Qin Yuehan’s sword intent.

Shen Xuan guessed it should be Qin Yuehan’s sword intent from the Qi Cultivation Stage.

Foundation Establishment sword intent couldn’t be triggered with just True Qi.

A month later, Zhao Chunsheng returned home with a bucket of demon beast blood, beaming with joy.

Shen Xuan asked, "What’s this?"

"Green-Scaled Snake Blood, try it, Talisman Master Shen!"

"Okay!"

Shen Xuan took the green-scaled snake blood and went into the practice room.

He filled a quarter into a blood basin.

Before this, he had repeatedly studied "Master Qingxu’s Essays."

He had a bold hypothesis.

That the essence blood of an adult water attribute demon beast could also have its talent stolen.

The talent was hidden in the bloodline.

As long as there was enough demon beast fresh blood, the attempt could be made.

And this amount of fresh blood needed to be at least the entire amount from a single adult demon beast.

The Green-Scaled Snake, a Tier One middle-grade water attribute demon beast, was several yards long, amphibious, and non-toxic.

Shen Xuan silently recalled the introduction of the Green-Scaled Snake from the Barbaric Wilderness Demon Beast Atlas.

Suddenly, he chuckled to himself.

Why think so much?

He, a mere Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer cultivator, had finally activated his golden finger, able to steal demon beast bloodline talents and enhance his spirit root talent, so there was no need to be picky!

The Green-Scaled Snake was a Tier One middle-grade demon beast, surely possessing a bloodline talent worth stealing!

The Mysterious Jade Talisman emitted a beam of golden light.

[Stealable Talent: Insight, Spiritual, Devour]

Shen Xuan chose the [Insight] talent.

[Talent: Insight (28/100)]

[Dao Rhyme: 28]

"Indeed, the essence blood of an adult demon beast can also have its bloodline talent stolen. The Green-Scaled Snake’s talent is decent, with considerable Dao Rhyme."

The entire blood of a single Green-Scaled Snake was enough for entry level.

He exited the practice room.

"Eighty Spirit Stones!"

Shen Xuan immediately counted out eighty Spirit Stones and handed them to Zhao Chunsheng.

Zhao Chunsheng’s face lit up like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Still, Talisman Master Shen was generous!

The same Green-Scaled Snake blood would sell for at most sixty Spirit Stones in the market.

"Talisman Master Shen, if there are more water attribute demon beast fresh blood, would you still buy it?"

"Certainly! But it has to be from a different demon beast."

Shen Xuan replied firmly.

As long as he had Spirit Stones, he would invest in stealing demon beast talents.

With the improvement of his spirit root talent, cultivation became increasingly smoother.

He needed to enhance his strength as quickly as possible.

Over the next half month, he successfully stole the Green-Scaled Snake talent.

[Talent: Insight Entry Level (2/100)]

[Dao Rhyme: 106]

[Spirit Root: Water 22/100]

Shen Xuan first tested the [Insight] talent.

It was a perceptive ability akin to divine soul sensing, able to keenly perceive subtle movements, changes in expressions, and sound fluctuations of surrounding living beings.

This ability was like the forked tongue of a snake, sensing the finest vibrations in the air.

"A very practical talent. Insight into everything, understanding human hearts, discerning right from wrong."

This talent allowed Shen Xuan to avoid many unknown dangers.

Moreover, while practicing the [Insight Technique], his talent skill level could also increase accordingly.

Hence, he allocated Dao Rhyme to the self-healing talent.

[Talent: Self-Healing Mastery (83/400)]

In the following half-year, Zhao Chunsheng had a streak of bad luck.

The demon beasts he hunted were of other attributes.

This made him quite frustrated.

When it came to distribution, if he asked for demon beast fresh blood and sold it to Shen Xuan, he could earn more Spirit Stones.

Shen Xuan wasn’t anxious about this.

The 22-point water spirit root talent was enough to break through to the late stage of Qi Cultivation.

What he needed to do now was continue cultivating to improve his cultivation realm.

He focused on crafting [Rejuvenation Talismans] to earn Spirit Stones.

As for water attribute demon beast fresh blood, it would be great to have, but not urgent to get.

As long as he had Spirit Stones, he could purchase them anytime.

Ever since moving into the second-class mansion, without Shen Xuan accompanying her, Ding Yuyao never went out.

As an ordinary person living in the Inner City market, she stood out.

However, the Ding Family.

Occasionally, female cultivators of similar age would visit, claiming sisterhood with Ding Yuyao.

Shen Xuan understood their intentions.

The Ding Family was still unwilling to give up, wanting to bring him into their fold.

He could only pretend not to know.

Whenever the Ding Family female cultivators came, he would hide in the practice room or talisman making room.

Cultivating, practicing, and talisman making were strictly off-limits from any disturbance.

Ding Yuyao understood her husband’s intentions.

She wouldn’t let those women come near her husband.

Jiang Xueqi also helped her, keeping those women away from the practice and talisman making rooms.

After some time, the Ding Family seemed to understand Shen Xuan’s intentions.

The visits from the Ding Family female cultivators gradually decreased.

But occasionally, they would send servants to deliver gifts during festivals.

Shen Xuan reciprocated with meticulously crafted [Rejuvenation Talismans] of equivalent value.

The principle of not making an extra profit.

He didn’t want to be too entangled with the Ding Family.

In this area, the four great cultivation clans each had two Foundation Establishment cultivators, appearing evenly matched and harmonious.

But the Ding Family patriarch’s lifespan was nearing its end.

When the time comes, the Ding Family will still be the weakest.

Yet Cyan Dragon Bay is a Feng Shui treasure land.

Not only is it rich in Spiritual Qi, but it also occupies a port along the Longze River, where they collect taxes.

Ding Yijin’s successful Foundation Establishment might seem like everything is well.

But actually, their strength is hollow.

He’s aware of the inside story.

A large part of the Cyan Dragon Bay Market’s profits needs to be allocated to pay off Foundation Establishment Pill debts.

The Zhao, He, and Tao families took advantage, setting up shops in Cyan Dragon Bay Market.

It’s easy to invite gods, but hard to send them away!

In profit distribution, there are never eternal enemies or friends.

He didn’t want to be embroiled in the power struggles of the four major cultivation clans.

Unless the Ding Family’s strength continues to grow.

With a third Ding Family cultivator successfully establishing a foundation.

Otherwise, once the Ding Family patriarch passes away.

The future situation would be hard to predict!