CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 263 TESTING BIZARRE DEMONS! PROBING SECRET TECHNIQUES!_1

The Insect External Incarnation would be safe as long as it didn’t connect with the main body.

They wanted to find the main body to obtain the Insect External Incarnation Secret Art, not to kill and steal treasures.

The tracker thinks he hasn’t been discovered and might find an opportunity to escape.

No, once the Insect External Incarnation disappears, Star Pole Island will no longer be at peace, and the formations of Qingzhu Island won’t be able to deceive a Nascent Soul Cultivator...

Times had changed. Xu Yi’s vest business on Star Pole Island still had foundations; with a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s personal visit, the trouble would be endless.

He must reserve enough time to flee.

Act as if nothing has been discovered and continue to delay?

No, I’ve miscalculated something...

Why has the Nascent Soul Cultivator not shown up yet?

And why hasn’t he left the Demon-Sealing Tower?

If he coveted my secret technique, with the power of a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, both exchange and robbery would be incredibly easy.

Could it be... he can’t leave the Demon-Sealing Tower?

Jia Ren wasn’t very familiar with the Demon-Sealing Tower but knew it was vitally important. The guardians couldn’t leave easily.

Without the protection of a powerful cultivator, should any insane cultivators come and destroy the Demon-Sealing Tower, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Although he was targeted by a Nascent Soul Cultivator, this Nascent Soul Cultivator was like a wooden stake, unable to leave the tower.

Realizing this, Jia Ren couldn’t help but feel relieved.

Without the Nascent Soul Cultivator, the threat of the Golden Core Stage wasn’t enough; even at the Late Golden Core Stage, he would have the strength for battle.

Thinking of this, the previous tension was nowhere to be found.

No need to hurry!

Jia Ren sat cross-legged to restore the Spiritual Power he had exhausted and to cultivate the Star God Art and the Seven Revolutions Mysterious Primordial Secret Technique.

「Ten days later」

the Insect External Incarnation didn’t put in much effort to find out information about the guardians of the Demon-Sealing Tower.

This wasn’t a secret to the outside world; many were informed about it.

The cultivators guarding the Demon-Sealing Tower had a term of thirty years. For any reason, the guardians were not to leave the tower.

Those who violated this rule were executed directly, with their descendants also suffering the consequences.

A thousand years ago, theft and negligence of duty occurred within the Town Demon Alliance. Fortunately, it was discovered in time, though dozens of Bizarre Demons were stolen.

This was a shame for the Town Demon Alliance. Thereafter, the treatment of guardians greatly improved, and the punishment became extremely severe.

The guardians had to be cultivators with well-known backgrounds, of upright and virtuous lineage.

Guarding the Demon-Sealing Tower for thirty years didn’t affect cultivation. There were also hefty contributions from the Town Demon Alliance, making numerous cultivators break their heads trying to join.

Only twelve years had passed since the last change of guardians; there were still eighteen years left.

Within eighteen years, he needn’t worry about a Nascent Soul Cultivator paying a visit.

Who the rotation cultivator for the Demon-Sealing Tower was—this deep-level information was impossible to know.

Jia Ren felt a heavy stone lift from his heart and entered the Earth Fire room for alchemy.

The second alchemy session was much more skilled. With his control over fire elevated to the Extraordinary Saint Level, the alchemy time was successfully reduced.

The ingredients merged. At the Dragging Pill stage, he assessed the integration of the medicinal strength and used the Dragging Pill Technique.

Originally, three Qilong Pills were to be condensed, but under the effect of the Dragging Pill Technique, two more were separated out.

「A few days later」

the second batch of Qilong Pills was ready, emitting a strong medicinal fragrance.

The furnace lid flew open, revealing five Qilong Pills of uniform size.

Compared with the first three he made, these were slightly inferior but roughly matched the quality of Qilong Pills commonly found on the market.

Not bad! Others get three pills, I get five.

I’m one step closer to the goal.

The journey with Qilong Pills was just beginning, far from reaching its limit.

He closed his eyes to reflect, summarizing the last alchemy session and optimizing his alchemy technique.

The outcome of the next alchemy could be improved further, and the quality could be better.

With mastery of the Dragging Pill Technique, producing six Qilong Pills in one batch wouldn’t be an issue.

In at most half a year, he could meet the requirements.

After completing his alchemy, Jia Ren left the Cave and headed to Eastern Forest Market City.

Eastern Forest Market City was much better than the market in the Barren Extreme Land, with a larger number and variety of Spiritual Medicines for sale in the stores.

He would change his face daily and visit various shops to purchase a large amount of Spiritual Medicines.

There were many Three-Hundred-Year Spiritual Medicines. The number of Five-Hundred-Year Spiritual Medicines diminished greatly; in just a few visits to Eastern Forest Market City, he had seen only about ten of them.

In less than two months, he bought a total of three hundred and twenty Three-Hundred-Year Spiritual Medicines and one hundred and twenty-three Five-Hundred-Year Spiritual Medicines, cleaning out the stock of Spiritual Medicines in Eastern Forest Market City.

Jia Ren had to thank the Corpse Demon Sect for their ’selfless dedication’; without them, he wouldn’t have had the abundance of Spirit Stones to squander.

It’s time to leave!

After Jia Ren finished purchasing Spiritual Medicines, he didn’t get far when he faintly heard the conversation of a familiar woman.

"Such bad luck, not a single Three-Hundred-Year Spiritual Medicine to be bought! I wonder which abominable fellow bought them all."

Is she slandering me?

Jia Ren turned his head. A figure in yellow robes with a slight baby-fat on her face caught his attention.

Luo Yuzhu?!

Her appearance hadn’t changed from before; her face seemed to be frozen at that very moment.

A Preserving Youth Pill?

The Preserving Youth Pill that required several Thousand-Year Spiritual Medicines to concoct—this girl really was burning through Spirit Stones.

The person accompanying Luo Yuzhu wasn’t her master but a stunning beauty in bright red palace attire, with willow-leaf eyebrows and an extraordinary air.

The two walked hand in hand, clearly close.

Jia Ren had met this woman once: a Five Elements Sect Cultivator, Xue Feng’e!

When did she arrive in the Western Wasteland Domain?

Was she now under the control of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre?

Jia Ren owed Luo Yuzhu a favor for giving him the Jiejindan Formula, so he decided to lend a hand when it was within his power to do so.

Moreover, he wanted to confirm a piece of information with Xue Feng’e.

Sensing something, the two women glanced over at Jia Ren, who had altered his appearance and looked towards them with a ’foolish’ expression, before they quickened their pace to leave.

"Good thing he didn’t follow us! Sister’s peerless beauty truly brings disaster, attracting bees and butterflies wherever she goes."

Luo Yuzhu covered her mouth and giggled, a dimple forming at the corner of her mouth.

"What nonsense are you babbling about..." Xue Feng’e reached out to pinch Luo Yuzhu’s soft waist, but Luo Yuzhu dodged in time.

"That’s right, sister will soon become the Sword Washing Pavilion’s Young Master’s Daoist companion. Things will no longer be the same."

Xue Feng’e was naturally talented and had achieved Foundation Establishment at a young age. She was so beautiful that she caught the eye of the itinerant Sword Washing Pavilion’s Young Master, who would settle for no other but her.

After failing to gain power within the Five Elements Sect, she fled from the Barren Extreme Land and sought refuge elsewhere.

Had she remained in the Barren Extreme Land, her limited exposure would have left her believing that the Sword Washing Pavilion’s Young Master was a fine catch for the young and talented.

Once she left that ’fish pond’ and after witnessing the geniuses of powerful forces in the Western Wasteland Domain, the Sword Washing Pavilion, guarded by five Golden Core Cultivators, no longer seemed like the best choice in her heart.

Beauty and grace may be a shortcut for a female cultivator’s rapid ascension, but without the support of a Sect or power, the options are limited.

The possibility of meeting a Nascent Soul Cultivator was out of the question.

If there was truly a chance right before her eyes, the final outcome would only be to serve as a concubine, not a Daoist companion.

Her heart was unwilling to accept it, but she could only resign herself to fate.

"Have you found your ideal gentleman?"

Luo Yuzhu took out a steamed bun from nowhere, stuffed it into her mouth, and murmured, "Buns are still the best."

As the two spoke, they entered a dimly lit alley and returned to the courtyard they rented.

"That man followed us..."

As cultivators, their senses were extraordinary.

The person approaching hadn’t concealed himself, and the two women became aware of him almost immediately.

"Daoist friend, you’ve followed us all this way. May I ask why?"

The aura of Foundation Establishment Completion was daunting, not something two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators could contend with. Had they been in the wilderness, they would have fled at the first opportunity.

In Eastern Forest Market City, safety wasn’t an issue.

"Daoist Luo Yuzhu, it has been a long time since I’ve seen you. I have yet to thank you for the Jiejindan Formula you gave me."

Jia Ren’s face changed, transforming into that of Shi Bai, as he approached with a smile.

Luo Yuzhu looked astonished, her expression shifted rapidly, and she quickly hid the Jade Hairpin Magic Artifact that she had almost activated behind her back.

"Daoist Shi, you’ve come to the Western Wasteland Domain as well?"

Jia Ren observed Luo Yuzhu, unable to be sure she hadn’t been infested by a Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre.

"I mean no harm to the two Daoist friends. I just wish to confirm something."

A Banishing Evil Talisman was activated, and red flames appeared in his palm, slowly looming closer.

"Daoist friends, you must be aware of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre. This is a small method to test for infestation by it."

"This flame is harmless. Would you be willing to try it?"

Jia Ren stepped closer, his handsome face not resembling that of a bad person at all.

The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre was notorious; it was one of the most dreadful Bizarre Demons in the Barren Extreme Land.

Both women came from the Barren Extreme Land; how could they not know of it?

In the past few years, they had received news that the Tianxing Sect, which had Nascent Soul Cultivators in residence, had mysteriously vanished due to the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre.

Could it be that Shi Bai was suspecting that she had been infested by it?

Luo Yuzhu felt Jia Ren’s lack of malice. As the approaching flame exhibited no heat, she nodded. "I trust Daoist Shi."

"You’re too naive! How many more times do you need to be deceived!"

Just as the flame was about to reach Luo Yuzhu, a black flying shield swooped in to protect her.

Jia Ren’s palm shimmered with hidden dark golden scales. With an effortless smack, he sent the circling flying shield away like a toy.

"He’s not a bad person."

Luo Yuzhu offered no resistance, letting the red fire fall upon her. Her clothing remained intact, and she did not feel the heat of the flames.

It seemed to be an illusionary fire, not truly existing at all.

No contamination?

The Wicked Flame burned only Bizarre Demons and evil creatures. If Luo Yuzhu harbored any evil Qi dormant from the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, it would have nowhere to hide from the Wicked Flame.

"Now it’s your turn."

Having been tested and found clean, it was now Xue Feng’e’s turn.

Even though Xue Feng’e saw that the Wicked Flame did no harm, she still did not trust a stranger.

As if awoken from a dream, Luo Yuzhu hurriedly introduced Jia Ren’s alias, "Sister, let me introduce him. This is Daoist Shi Bai, the Alchemy Grandmaster from the Great Wilderness Market that I told you about before."

"He once saved my life and Master’s life."

"This is Xue..."

Before she could continue, Jia Ren smiled and said, "You must be Daoist Xue Feng’e, am I right?"

"Do you know me?" Xue Feng’e’s beautiful eyes carefully scanned Daoist Shi Bai. She had a good memory and would have a strong impression if she had met this person before.

She was certain she had never seen Shi Bai.

"We’ve met once before."

As an Alchemy Grandmaster who had saved Luo Yuzhu and bore her no ill will, there was no need for him to harm her.

After hesitating for a moment, Xue Feng’e allowed the Wicked Flame to fall on her.

The situation was the same as before; no Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre appeared.

"I have confirmed that both Daoist friends are safe."

Jia Ren took out a palm-sized dark red Token. An invisible suction pulled the Wicked Flame into it, making it disappear.

The Wicked Flame wouldn’t be wasted; a Spirit Absorbing Talisman could be used recurrently.

"I intended to catch up with Daoist Luo, but since I’ve encountered Daoist Xue, I’ll be bold enough to ask."

"Do you know if the news about the Five Elements Sect using Superior Grade Spirit Stones to increase the success rate of Nascent Soul formation is true or false?"