Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 22

Ever since that Foundation Establishment cultivator came to visit, Wang Yu had been moonlighting as a doorman, occasionally welcoming friends from Tantai Chan’s social circle.

Most of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators or juniors in the Qi Refining stage.

More importantly, Tantai Chan was a second-rank mid-grade alchemist, highly skilled and well-connected. As a result, Wang Yu also got to know many people within that circle.

Although none of them took him seriously, if he ever needed something in the future, at least he would know whom to approach to build connections.

Information is a rare resource in any social environment.

Moreover, as producers within the demonic cultivation world, their status was vaguely higher. Of course, they also attracted more covetous gazes. With wealth and resources, it was inevitable to draw attention.

Day 95 of Wang Yuʼs Outer Sect Life

”Night Concealment Mantra!”

As a high-grade spell, it corresponded to the late Qi Refining stage. Once mastered, it could even evade the divine sense of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The Night Concealment Mantra had two effects.
It concealed oneʼs cultivation level and hid one’s presence, merging with nature.

The latter was its primary function. The former was simply an extension of its concealment abilities. When cast at night, its effectiveness increased significantly.

Once Wang Yu had fully mastered it, a black talisman-like mark appeared on his chest. When infused with spiritual power, it would activate. Even when not in use, it allowed him to walk silently, breathe without sound, and move without rustling his clothes.

Its only flaw was that it consumed a large amount of spiritual energy. With his current cultivation, he could maintain it for half an incense stickʼs time at most. This issue would gradually disappear as his cultivation improved, so it was not a big concern.

[Idle Slot 2: Night Concealment Mantra (Mastered)]

”Night Concealment Mantra (100/100): 12 hours session per day. Master in 8 years.”

The newly appeared description hinted at a higher-level idle time investment. Compared to Ice Sword Technique, it required five more years. No need to rush it.

With the protection of this spell, Wang Yuʼs stealth capabilities had greatly improved. He then replaced Ice Shield Technique in the slot. This was only a mid-grade spell and was part of the Cold Blood Art, a cultivation method. The two complemented each other.

[Idle Slot 2: Ice Shield Technique]

”Ice Shield Technique (12/100): Practiced 144 times a day, Master in 26 days.”

That 12% progress was the result of his hard work over the past three months. At this rate, mastering it on his own might take ten years.

This is where the Idle Slot truly defied logic: it practiced continuously and made progress every time.

As Wang Yu came to understand it more deeply, he appreciated it even more.

”It’s time to redeem the alchemy inheritance.”

As for the Corpse Demon Secret Art, Wang Yu was still hesitant. Using the Idle Slot to train it would cause all kinds of physical abnormalities. He needed more time to consider.

Better to delve into alchemy first. He had a Cold Blood Pill recipe in hand. If he could successfully refine it, his cultivation would progress much faster. It was worth a try.

The Nine-Leaf Ice Grass in Tantai Chanʼs herb garden was the main ingredient for refining the Cold Blood Pill. He could discuss with her about buying some and slowly gather the full set of materials.

After completing his daily patrol of the fields, Wang Yu finally left for the various halls and markets.

Scripture Storage Hall

Alchemy, artifact crafting, talismans, and formations were the four most revered disciplines in cultivation. In these areas, the righteous path was generally more advanced.

Even within alchemy, there were different schools, such as fire refining and water refining.

Fire refining used intense flame to extract the essence from spiritual materials. With the principle of yin-yang harmony, it refined only the desired components into a pill. It was fast and effective.

Water refining used waterʼs gentle and penetrating qualities to seep into the materials, slowly extracting the medicinal essence. It was slower but highly effective, with an excellent pill formation rate.

The pills refined through the two alchemical methods held no difference in quality, only in speed.

As for pill formation rates, nine was the ultimate number.

From a single set of spirit herbs, the maximum yield from a furnace was nine pills.

The Water Method could stably produce seven to eight pills on average per batch, but refining a single furnace often took several years. The higher the grade of the pills, the longer the process, making large-scale supply impossible.

The Fire Method, on the other hand, had widely varying results. Poor batches yielded only one to three pills, decent ones could reach four to six, and only master-level alchemists could achieve nine.

Of course, this was also influenced by oneʼs proficiency with the pill recipe. Many factors affected a Fire Method alchemist: fire control techniques, divine sense strength, pill refinement skill, pharmacological knowledge, and more.

For Wang Yu, the most suitable method was undoubtedly the Fire Method. This was also the most common choice among alchemists. The cultivator base was large, and demand for low-grade pills was immense, far exceeding supply.

Water Method alchemists, being slower, produced high-quality pills. Their market leaned toward the high end, often offering custom-made services. One successful batch could feed them for three years.

He slowly walked past the bookshelves of the Scripture Hall.

”Fire Cauldron Alchemy,” ”Pearl-Spitting Alchemy,” ”Human Pill Method,” ”Ninefold Pill Refining Technique,” ”Flame Pill Technique”...

As he scanned through them, Wang Yu remained unimpressed.

Either the price was too high, or the descriptions were too fragmented and the inheritances incomplete.

A complete pill refinement inheritance must include a unique pill recipe, a fire control technique, and a pill condensation seal. Only then was its value truly realized.

”Coldflame Alchemy Technique.”

Wang Yu paused, took down the jade slip, examined it, and then, satisfied, proceeded to the Impartation Hall. The price was exactly one thousand contribution points.

What drew him to this technique was its rare cold-attributed fire method, which fit perfectly with the path Wang Yu was currently on. Moreover, it was a remnant of a third-rank alchemy inheritance.

Only one unique pill recipe remained: the Cold Chi Pill.

Effect: After consumption and refinement, one could gestate a Cold Chi Flame Seed within the body, gaining control over a type of cold flame power that advanced along with the cultivatorʼs realm.

This effect was no less than the life-bound magic treasure of a Core Formation cultivator.

The recipe alone was extremely valuable. The difficulty of refinement was certainly high, and it was this very challenge that Wang Yu found appealing.

In addition, the included fire control technique and pill condensation seal were only partial first-rank remnants, heavily incomplete, which was why the price was only one thousand contribution points.

Even so, it was more than sufficient for Wang Yuʼs needs. Plus, the Idle Slot allowed for breaking through technique limits. If it could fill in the gaps of the remnant technique, this would be a perfect opportunity to experiment with the Coldflame Alchemy Technique. If successful, he would no longer hesitate to place the Corpse Demon Secret Method in the Idle Slot as well.

Killing two birds with one stone, it also paired extremely well with the Cold Blood Art.

Once he exited the Impartation Hall, the most valuable token he had on him had already been exchanged. From here on out, he would have to earn spirit stones and contribution points on his own.

Returning to the medicinal garden in the Evil God Alley, Wang Yu began studying the Coldflame Alchemy Technique. His pace was slow, but he was diligent.

It was not until the 125th day of his Outer Sect life, a full month later—after perfecting the Ice Shield Technique, that he placed the alchemy technique into the slot.

[Idle Slot 2: Cold Chi Alchemy Technique (Remnant)]

”Cold Chi Alchemy Technique (0/100): 12 session per day, one year to master.”

This was the first time Wang Yu had seen a slotted technique limited to only twelve practices per day, meaning one session every two hours. It would take a full year to reach perfection.