Cultivation: Starting from a Mortal Bone

Qin Yu gazed at the array enveloping the City Lord’s Mansion, his eyes fixed on the roiling black-red malice within. It churned and entwined, like a crazed prelude to the apocalypse, exuding a violent aura capable of annihilating everything.

Let alone entering—it could affect one’s mind even from the outside.

If one’s will was not resolute, it was all too easy to fall and become a puppet intent only on slaughter.

Yet, there was not a trace of fear on Qin Yu’s face; indeed, there was even a fervor in his eyes so strong that even the Empress herself could not comprehend it... Was it eagerness?!

This fellow is rather strange.

The Empress did not use the Bright Moon Pearl refined by the Empress Dowager.

She merely stood there, and those negative emotions that could disturb the mind were simply unable to approach her.

This was also the reason why Qin Yu was able to stand here unscathed.

And Yan Lin could not help but shoot Qin Yu several more glances.

As a Flame Guard, she naturally understood some of the abilities of this new royal Tributor.

However, Yan Lin herself had experienced this. For it, even the Bright Moon Pearl had been used up by over a dozen pieces.

Even if Qin Yu is special, after all, he’s only a Golden Core Cultivator—could he truly purify this out-of-control malice?!

Of course, this doubt was only in Yan Lin’s heart; she showed nothing outwardly.

”Take action.”

The Empress nodded, indicating for him to begin.

At these words, Qin Yu stepped forward, lifting his hands slightly. As his True Essence surged, he slowly traced lines of profound array patterns.

”That’s... the Star Prison Array?!”

Yan Lin’s pupils contracted. Fortunately, as a Flame Guard her self-control far exceeded the average, yet a flash of astonishment still crossed her eyes.

On this strength alone, Qin Yu could at least attain the Guest Minister treatment.

Moreover, in Yan Lin’s observation, Qin Yu’s Spiritual Power was peculiar—it was not pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

No wonder—he was able to become a Tributor!

”Buzz——!”

As the final array line was drawn, a magnificent Star Prison Array took form in midair, rippling with boundless might.

”Go!”

Qin Yu gave a low shout, slowly pushing both hands forward as though moving something of enormous weight.

”Swish!”

In the next instant, the Star Prison Array pierced the array before him, plunging into the boundless black-red aura.

”Ssssss...”

Almost simultaneously, the black-red aura surged wildly. Within the array, wisps of green smoke appeared, only to vanish in an instant.

The malice that had filled the array’s space began to dissolve before the naked eye, clearing an area dozens of feet across; though the light of the Star Prison Array dimmed slightly, it continued to drive forcefully deeper within.

The black-red aura churned, and the just-cleared space was once again covered by the endless malice.

[Purify Malice +500]

[Purify Malice +500]

[...]

Rows of numbers floated before Qin Yu’s eyes, but at this moment, he had no time to pay attention, his hands already condensing another array.

Now, Yan Lin finally understood why the Empress would return to the Imperial Capital and bring Qin Yu along.

Though the currently laid arrays could temporarily trap the malice and Malice Spirits, the cost was enormous.

At the slightest lapse, the Malice Spirits would break free from confinement.

Thankfully, Qin Yu had comprehended the Star Prison Array!

A trace of incredulity still flickered in Yan Lin’s eyes.

For amidst the black-red aura, one could faintly see the existence of that array.

Star Prison Array.

An ancient array created by the sages of old—able to suppress malice and Malice Spirits!

Yet, even as a Flame Guard, Yan Lin had never heard that this ancient array could purify malice?!

If it could, then things would never have spiraled towards the brink of disaster everywhere.

Could this be a unique ability only Qin Yu possessed?

A glimmer of divine light flashed in the Empress’s eyes as if mulling over deeper thoughts.

Perhaps, all of it traced back to Qin Yu’s special Spiritual Power.

How he obtained it remained a mystery.

But its Supreme Yang and Firm quality seemed the nemesis of all evil influences.

”Wuaah!...”

The Malice Spirits inside seemed to sense a tremendous threat, screaming miserably, their howls piercing through all the arrays from within the billowing mists.

”Hmph!”

The Empress merely snorted coldly, and all returned to formlessness.

With only a glance, the Malice Spirit lurking in the shadows was seized by an unseen force. No matter how it struggled, it could not escape the restraint.

It could only watch, wide-eyed, as Qin Yu outside the array began to condense a Star Prison Array once more.

”Wuaah!...”

When the next Star Prison Array hovered over the Malice Spirit’s head, its entire form began to smoke, as if ablaze, and its screams grew all the more wretched.

[Purify Malice Spirit +500]

[Purify Malice +500]

[...]

Qin Yu looked on in delight as his Flame Point soared wildly.

Next would be much simpler.

With everything under control, all he needed was to continuously condense the arrays.

In just half a day, Qin Yu conjured dozens of arrays; the malice initially so dense it seemed almost liquid had visibly thinned.

But dozens of arrays had also completely exhausted the True Essence within him.

Qin Yu sat down cross-legged at once, took out the Top Grade Spirit Stones rewarded by the Empress, and began absorbing them to recover.

At this, the Empress merely cast a glance his way and said nothing, though surprise still flashed in her gaze.

”He refines Spirit Stones this quickly?!”

Qin Yu only possessed Middle Grade Dao Bone, yet now his speed at refining Spirit Stones was far beyond that of a Golden Core Realm cultivator with such a constitution.

Could it be...

Had his Root Bone risen once more?!

Any further, and it would be Upper Grade Dao Bone.

At this level of aptitude, even among the entire Immortal Country, it would rank far from low.

The Empress probed the fluctuations around Qin Yu but found his affinity with the surrounding Heaven and Earth remained unchanged.

A subtle disappointment welled in her heart.

Still, the matter of Qin Yu’s Root Bone was altogether too astounding to be allowed to leak in the slightest!

It seemed Duanmu Hong would have to handle this matter personally.

It was not about killing to silence witnesses, merely erasing the memories of those below the Lotus Platform Realm—not a difficult feat.

After another hour, Qin Yu finally stood up under the curious gaze of the Empress.

Truly bizarre.

This little Golden Core Cultivator actually refined so many Top Grade Spirit Stones and took a full hour to recover?!

Is his Dantian really that vast?

At the same time, the Empress realized something else.

She feared that when Qin Yu broke through to the Lotus Platform Realm, the Spirit Stones she had prepared would likely be insufficient.

The Empress could hardly know that Qin Yu’s slow recovery was entirely due to the slow restoration of his Spiritual Power.

And that was with both a Life Rune and the Free Creation Divine Technique!

Soon, Qin Yu began condensing Star Prison Arrays once more, continuing to purify Malice Spirits and malice.

In no time, seven days had passed.