Heaven’s Devourer

Chapter 0284: Longevity

If Wu Yu wanted to reach the fifth tier of the Jindan Dao Realm, there was still a long way to go. Thus, Wu Yu threw himself into spirit design training.

In this immersion, he discovered that his interest in this field was even more sustained than he had imagined.

This also made him realize that the life of dao cultivation was not just about arduous cultivation and battles. One could attain enlightenment and see great progress just about anywhere, even during one's rest.

"The path of cultivation abhors rashness. Although I am physically trapped in the Supreme Hunting Ground, I still must maintain my composure. This is the only way for me to return to Shushan as quickly as possible."

Wu Yu had arrived at this logic, and did not know if he was right or wrong. But he was firm in his belief and did not waver.

"Fireball Charm." His beginning forays into spirit design fashioned talismans that had virtually no killing power to Wu Yu. But it could at least defeat a martial expert at the 10th tier of the Body Refining realm.

"All things must begin somewhere. If one longs for a great path, one must start from the small roads."

Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain had left behind many pieces of blank talisman paper, and it was indeed a waste to spend a majority of them on drawing Fireball Charms.

However, Wu Yu had been made extravagant by his wealth, and did not care much. After familiarizing himself with the Glossary of Spirit Design and gaining some understanding of spirit designs, he began to fashion the Fireball Charm. Firstly, he researched the principles, details, and process of Fireball Charm so thoroughly that he could recite them backwards. He had even identified the places where he might be distracted and knew them as well as the back of his hand.

Only then did he begin to take out talisman paper. He formed a Design Brush by concentrating his Jindan essence on his finger, and then began to draw. The entire process of drawing was actually a ceaseless employment of dao technique, although it was not the usual offensive dao technique.

There were many dao techniques that, when arranged in a special, designated sequence and at a certain harmony, formed a spirit design.

Spirit designs were similar to mechanisms. There were even some similarities in their principles.

Wu Yu was completely focused, a dead stare on the Design Brush in his hand and the talisman paper. The level of concentration required to fashion spirit design was indeed very high, and it also demanded a high level of Jindan essence control, even more so than refining immortal medicines. That was why many new hands would experience the sensation of a splitting headache, and if they faltered, unable to bear the pain, then the unfinished spirit design would immediately crumble.

Wu Yu's first attempt was smooth sailing until the final third of the drawing. At that time, the mental fatigue caused him to sweat profusely. His eyes were burning, and in that instant, a headache sprung upon him. He resisted it, and his hand slowed just a fraction, but the talisman paper in his hand caught fire and the spirit design crumbled.

Failure!

"Again!"

He had not expected the second attempt to be even worse than the first. He had just begun to draw when he made a mistake that destroyed yet another piece of talisman paper.

"I was disgruntled during my second attempt because the first attempt failed. Rashness surfaced within me, anxious for a quick success. That is why I failed even faster. It is not just in fashioning spirit design, but all logic in the world is the same. It looks like I need to calm down. I shall think on this and rest for a day before I continue."

In this matter, Wu Yu was very rational. He understood the principle of cutting his losses while he could. He first chose to stop and relax himself. He turned his focus to other matters, such as continuing to refine his Jindan.

In the process of refining his Jindan, his Jindan refining speed surpassed that of others. However, Wu Yu still felt like this method of refining his Jindan was lacking something.

"Perhaps my Jindan lacks flair in the dao!"

In a short period of time, he had gained many revelations. This was closely tied to his personality and way of thinking.

"Killing one's opponents requires violence, a will that will not be quenched even by death. To defy the natural order in one's ways, to cultivate, and yet maintain a calm demeanor and be in harmony with the dao." After a series of conclusions, Wu Yu felt like he was a different person from before.

Before, he was like a cultivation machine, and now he had gradually come to feel the presence of dao. He had come to understand that the way of the dao was as deep as the sea, and not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

After more than 10 days, Wu Yu, who only tried once a day, was continually making progress. Finally, he fashioned his first Fireball Charm. As he held it in his hand, Wu Yu smiled. All within his calculations.

He knew that if he was anxious for results, he was destined for failure.

Seeing Jiu Ying still imbibing spiritual qi and the world's essences, he activated the Fireball Charm and hurled it at Jiu Ying. The Fireball Charm ignited into a fireball the size of a fist, hurtling towards Jiu Ying.

Jiu Ying knew that Wu Yu was beginning to learn spirit designs, and opened his eyes lazily. To a demon with such a terrifying bloodline, cultivation was just like sleeping, a very cozy process.

Pa!

The Fireball Charm crashed against Jiu Ying's scales and was extinguished.

"Like scratching an itch." They were already very close, and Jiu Ying taunted him.

"I'll make you take it seriously next time." Wu Yu smiled slightly, then returned to his research.

"First success. Although it is just a Fireball Charm, it is a substantial improvement. After succeeding, I have attained new revelations that make me feel at ease."

It was as though he had been through a baptism. Through his long periods of focus during his spirit design research, Wu Yu felt a vague sense of improvement. And now, looking at his Jindan, although it was still refined through the Great Way of Immortality Art, he felt that something was slightly different.

It was as though he had advanced his own way of thinking. It was no longer a mechanical accumulation. Instead, Wu Yu regarded his Jindan as a piece of talisman paper. When he refined his Jindan, he subconsciously began to follow the orbit of the Fireball Charm, branding the essence of natural spiritual qi onto his Jindan.

This way, the immortal fire from his Jindan became even fiercer.

"As expected, refining immortal medicines, making spirit designs, and cultivation are all linked in the mind."

Wu Yu had copious amounts of materials. Yet, after he had succeeded with his first spirit design, he was in no hurry. He used the materials taken from Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain to refine immortal medicines, until he was close to even refining Golden Essence Pills.

Of course, he had failed a few times previously, and had wasted quite a few resources.

He obtained nine Golden Essence Pills. Although their value was far below the many immortal essences used, he was still excited, and immediately consumed them to refine his Jindan. He felt that they gave a better result.

Refining immortal medicines, making spirit designs, and cultivation. All three moving together, and using a logical approach to understand the connection between the three. Although Wu Yu’s speed of Jindan refining was not comparable to him directly devouring a thousand Golden Essence Pills, he could feel true progress. This was not just an increase in physical power or Jindan essence, but instead a growth of his dao as a martial cultivator.

He deeply believed that this dao would be crucial in determining if he could reach immortalhood.

A Jindan essence's explosion could kill enemies. It could move mountains and fill seas. But only with dao could one become immortal and truly transcend the stages of life to reach sky palace and join the ranks of other immortals.

"Of all the ways of the world, only cultivating can allow one to reach immortality."

These words continued to ring within his heart.

Wu Yu always felt that someone must have asked this question before: can cultivation assure longevity?

This question had always been on his mind. He felt as though he was already acquainted with the question. The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal, the Victorious Fighting Buddha - did they ask the same question before?

He spent three months rapidly progressing along his dao. One day, Jiu Ying's entire body shuddered, and he shifted into his human form and floated into the cave. His hair streamed free behind him and he smiled. "Cultivating with you is one of the pleasures of life. I did not expect to reach the seventh tier of Yaodan so quickly! In the Supreme Hunting Ground, I'm afraid that not even those at the ninth tier of Yaodan are my match anymore."

Only then did Wu Yu realize that Jiu Ying had been at the sixth tier of Yaodan all along. His Natural Mystique was so powerful that he was able to fight Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain head-on, so Wu Yu thought that he was at the seventh tier of Yaodan.

But now that he had reached the seventh tier, then even those at the ninth tier were not his match. That was testament to how incredible Jiu Ying's bloodline was.

However, because his father was the foremost demon in the divine continent, this level of accomplishment was considered regular. Rather, it was Wu Yu possessing such fighting power as a fourth tier Jindan Dao cultivator that truly astonished Jiu Ying.

Wu Yu's Nanwu Treasured Moon Golden Vajra Body was extremely rare and unparalleled in this world.

"I will continue to grow stronger. I do not believe that I have no other way to leave the Supreme Hunting Ground just because they're pressuring me! Wu Yu, the best way is for me to personally escort you out of the Gloomy Dreams Sea."

It was still early, so Wu Yu did not contradict him. Both continued. Jiu Ying returned to his natural state, sprawled between heaven and earth as he continued to absorb natural spiritual qi to swell his blood vessels while Wu Yu refined immortal medicines, drew talismans, and refined his Jindan. After all of that, he would craft immortal treasures. However, he first had to learn how to use the Sky Quake Hammer and Crimson Flames Furnace.

It seemed the barren desert of fire that the Tianyi Race lived in was also called Crimson Flames Furnace. This furnace from Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain could have been created by the Tianyi Race.

Because immortal treasures required the smelting of materials, making them was more difficult than making talismans. Wu Yu was considered a beginner, so he started off by smelting a sword. It was ugly in appearance, and inky blank. However, because Immortal Treasure Spirit Designs required a longer time and were more complex, he failed the first few times. After wasting quite a lot of materials, Wu Yu decided to first learn to create Talisman Spirit Designs.

After he could fashion about 10 different types of Talisman Spirit Design, he returned to smelting immortal treasures. Finally, under extreme levels of concentration, he succeeded once. Of course, his first immortal treasure was not even at the level of the Demon Subduing Staff. It only had a very simple destruction design on it.

However, after many repeated attempts, he had actually made considerable progress in refining his Jindan. Wu Yu began to vaguely sense how people could become one with the dan.

Less than half a year had passed. While Wu Yu was completely engrossed, there was a day when a huge noise came from outside. He could sense a demonic aura, and Wu Yu quickly stood up. In the dark, he could see more than 10 Moon Chasing Hounds leaping towards them. The dark shadows in the night were extremely sinister. The Moon Chasing Hounds appeared before Jiu Ying, yipping. Jiu Ying was still in his demonic form, and opened an irritated eye to regard them.