The corpse of the Gu Sculpture lay before Yu Ci's eyes. It was only now that he truly discerned the visage of the Great Demon. Indeed, the creature resembled a giant eagle, yet few birds of prey ever grew to such a massive size, and none would bear horns upon their heads.

The Gu Sculpture had expended most of its Eagle Feathers during the earlier release of its Lifebound Divine Ability, leaving its vast body exposed in many places with wrinkled, dark grey skin. It was evident that no vestige of life remained beneath. Nonetheless, Yu Ci could still feel an intense chill emanating from its lifeless form.

Tie Lan had been dispatched on a pursuit mission, to confirm that the two Great Demons had fled far off, but unexpectedly encountered the Gu Sculpture's corpse along the way and brought it back, presenting Yu Ci with a conundrum: "How could a Great Demon of the Vacuum Walking Tiers perish so easily?"

"Heh, easily?"

Shadow Ghost let out a cold laugh and, without further ado, instructed Tie Lan through Yu Ci to turn the corpse over, revealing the wound where the Supreme Blood-Transforming Blade had penetrated. Ripping it further, blood gushed forth. Even under the dim light beneath the earth, Yu Ci noticed that the blood was transparent!

"Do you see? That's the power of the Supreme Blood-Transforming Blade! Once it pierces the flesh, it immediately harnesses the flow of the target's blood, voraciously sapping the life force and releasing a deadly toxin or curse that eradicates the vitality of the blood—this is the result."

Yu Ci gasped in shock: "That poisonous?"

"How else would it be ranked as an Evil Weapon by the Demonic Sect? I had thought it was merely a replica, but now it seems undoubtedly genuine."

Shadow Ghost, puzzled and reflective, added: "Qiongqi was lucky and quick to react, disengaging in time. Thus, the toxin or curse generated by the blood stimulation mostly impacted the Gu Sculpture. And yet, this fool used its Innate Vital Energy to unleash its Lifebound Divine Ability, as if eager to hasten its own demise..."

Yu Ci rummaged through the corpse while listening to it speak, "I've heard that to neutralize the poison that afflicts living beings, one often requires something from the living beings themselves. Is there anything on this body that could serve as an antidote?"

Before an answer could be given, Lu Qing's presence drew near from a distance and quickly arrived. Upon seeing the carcass of the Gu sculpture, the female cultivator paused for a moment, then said, "This is good. We can extract the Inner Elixir, which may aid in detoxification."

"It's also thanks to Market Master Lu's methods."

Without any pretense, Yu Ci instructed Tie Lan to proceed. The latter began to search the Gu sculpture's corpse for the source of the still-potent chill. In a moment, Tie Lan's sword rose and fell, cleaving open the skull of the corpse, releasing a wave of intense coldness so stimulating that Yu Ci sneezed on the spot.

"Why is it in the Brain Palace?" He was somewhat puzzled. It wasn't that there were no similar methods in the world, but they were generally practiced by cultivators specializing in Yang Spirit. Great Demons were known for their formidable physical bodies, focusing on refining their True Form and Physical Body, which gave them an innate advantage. To concentrate on cultivating the Yang Spirit seemed to be neglecting the fundamental for the trivial.

Tie Lan, however, was unconcerned with these matters and reached out to extract it directly.

"It was just moved there." Observing the cold light radiating from it and the traces inside the corpse, Shadow Ghost came to a conclusion, "Originally, it must have realized that its efforts were futile and intended to flee with its half-formed Yang Spirit clutching the Inner Elixir. But it either ran out of strength at the critical moment of breaking through the top or the curse toxin acted faster than anticipated, resulting in a failure so close to success. Tsk, what a precious treasure."

Only something truly exceptional could elicit praise from Yingxiang.

Yu Ci saw in Tie Lan's palm a spherical bead about the size of two fen, deep blue in color with a smooth surface, resembling a glazed pearl. Around it, a ring of dark light ebbed and flowed, expanding to envelop his entire hand at its fullest extent.

Is this the inner elixir of a gu carving?

"Let's just say it is, though it looks different from the usual ones." Shadow Ghost scrutinized it for a while before discerning some of its secrets. "Certainly, the Supreme Blood-Transforming Blade has played a part here. After the gu carving was struck by the blade, the essence of vitality in its bloodline began to dissipate. Instinctively, the remaining life force contracted around the inner elixir as a core, concentrating it to a degree far beyond the norm... Tsk, this object is precious, but not very practical!"

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Shadow Ghost asked Yu Ci to hold the inner elixir before his eyes, to observe the tide-like dark light: "All the residual essence of vitality is contained within, including the toxins carried by its lifebound divine ability. This very aspect negates its original detoxifying effect. But what's truly formidable is the yang spirit that couldn't escape. Now devoid of spiritual intelligence, it has transformed into a dense, grievous aura that lingers tenaciously, making it an exceptional material for a magical instrument. In the hands of a connoisseur, it's an invaluable treasure. But if one were to use it for detoxification, well, it would only hasten their demise."

Yu Ci felt a tinge of disappointment, though it wasn't overwhelming; he hadn't expected the gu carving to perish midway and leave behind its inner elixir. However, hearing terms like 'blood-transforming blade' and 'magical instrument', his gaze inadvertently drifted towards Lu Qing. She appeared indifferent to the monster cultivator's inner elixir that Tie Lan had presented. Mistaking Yu Ci's glance for a solicitation of her opinion, she shook her head and said, "This item can be managed by our Daoist friend; it does not interest me."

Hearing her say this, Yu Ci also began to shake his head. The slaying of the Gu Sculpture was mainly due to Lu Qing's efforts. The Inner Elixir of a Vacuum Walking monster was already extraordinarily precious, let alone this concoction with added ingredients. Yu Ci estimated that all the money he had spent since arriving in the North Wilderness might not even amount to half the value of this item!

It is often said that manners are given away as a courtesy, and since Lu Qing could afford to be indifferent, he couldn't afford to be stingy: "This Inner Elixir can't detoxify, but it's excellent material for refining..."

Lu Qing still shook her head, seemingly without much interest, while Shadow Ghost nudged from behind: "Take it, take it, such a treasure is rare indeed! Have you forgotten the 'Bai Ling' method of the God Slaying Sting? This item is just perfect for it!"

Shadow Ghost's reason was clearly made up on the spot, but Yu Ci was moved, though he didn't pay it too much mind. It was rare to encounter someone who was not overly concerned with worldly possessions, and he found himself increasingly appreciative of Lu Qing's temperament. Thinking further, possessing such an item could be a hot potato for the time being, especially with the Qiongqi lurking with covetous eyes.

Shadow Ghost also felt the need for caution, but it added, "For the short term, the Qiongqi will definitely be in a tough spot too. You see, it didn't even have time to collect the corpses of its own kind. It suggests that even if the curse toxin of the Supreme Blood-Transforming Blade hasn't seeped in too deeply, there's certainly some. This is more insidious and enduring than any poison in the world, and to completely eliminate its influence..."

As it spoke, it suddenly stumbled—a clear misstep. After all, it was not the master of the Supreme Blood-Transforming Blade; how could it possibly calculate the time limit within?

Yu Ci had no choice but to ask Lu Qing, "Market Master Lu, how long will it take for Qiongqi to recover from that Blood-Transforming Blade strike?"

"Oh, that was Qiongqi?"

"Uh, I guess so."

Only then did Yu Ci remember that Lu Qing was not privy to his conversation with Shadow Ghost, and he hurriedly explained. After hearing his explanation, Lu Qing nodded, "No wonder. Given that Qiongqi is of the Ancient Four Dire Beasts' lineage, its resistance is likely extraordinary. To fully expel the 'Blood Curse,' perhaps a month?"

"A month."

Yu Ci's lips twitched involuntarily. In other words, in a month's time, he would have a vengeful enemy with bloodshot eyes hunting him down across the world. If his luck was particularly bad, it might even happen sooner.

Tapping on his left leg, which had lost all sensation, Yu Ci tasted bitterness in his mouth.

However, in the presence of a lady, he felt compelled to exhibit some bravado. Lu Qing had already tidied up a place for him to stay and invited him over. Yu Ci then said to Tie Lan, "Brother Tie Lan, lend me a hand, please."

Tie Lan stepped forward as asked, supporting Yu Ci by the crook of his arm and helping him to his feet. With this close contact, Yu Ci noticed that Tie Lan's ghostly form was no longer as solid as before; evidently, the fierce battle had not been easy for him, still recovering from serious injuries.

Shadow Ghost then suggested, "If you feel for its struggles, why not help gather some Yin energy?"

"Of course, what of the Lunar Banner?"

"A mere flag that has undergone a single tier of ritual refinement, what use could it possibly serve? Only those without discernment would treasure such an object."

Shadow Ghost spoke with disdain, and his words held truth. For someone like Tie Lan, a Ghost Cultivator of the Vacuum Walking Tiers, seeking to swiftly return to his prime condition meant either venturing to the Outer Realm of the Nine Heavens—risking evaporation by the True Solar Fire to draw upon the Quintessential Mysterious Truth—or starting from his inherent nature, voraciously absorbing yin energy.

But just how immense was the demand for yin energy by a Vacuum Walking cultivator? Despite the Lunar Banner having gathered thousands of yin souls from the Soul Capturing Orb, in practical use, they would scarcely suffice for two meals for Tie Lan. Moreover, Tie Lan, who diligently refined his Sword Way and strove for purity, might not even deign to regard those objects tainted with Malicious Qi.

"Then we have no choice but to wait for the completion of the Gang Geomancy Seven Stars Altar."

Yu Ci said to Tie Lan, "Brother Tie Lan, wait a little longer. Once the Altar is complete, I will embed the Iron Soul Resurrection Pearl into it. Not only will it be conducive to absorbing yin energy, but it will also allow Brother Tie Lan to act as my protector."

Tie Lan bowed his head in acknowledgment. Such an unusual relationship between a Golden Elixir cultivator and a Vacuum Walking ghost cultivator left Lu Qing, who stood nearby, somewhat perplexed, but she ultimately held her peace.

*******

I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e