Chapter 530: Chapter 523: Astonishing Harvest

Du Youqian surmised that the black streak of light was a Gu Insect with an incredible escape speed, used for transmitting information.

Based on the style of his Cultivation Techniques, the Demon Sect Divinity Transformation cultivator he had just fought was likely from the Third-class Sect, the Cyan Wood Sect.

This Sect wasn’t known for its Gu Techniques; instead, it specialized in using poisons and Alchemy. Within the Demon Sect Camp, they weren’t considered particularly aggressive or fanatical.

’The man must have had his own fortuitous encounter to learn Gu Techniques.’

’I wonder if that escaped Gu Insect is going to notify his Sect or his close friends.’

Most Sects in the Demon Sect Camp wouldn’t launch a major retaliation over the death of a single disciple, unless being killed in such a way brought great shame upon them.

So, Du Youqian was somewhat concerned, but not overly so.

The Cyan Wood Sect was a Third-class Sect, so the strongest cultivator within it was likely at the Divinity Transformation Perfection Realm.

If they had a Void Step True Monarch, they would be a Second-class Sect.

Du Youqian certainly couldn’t win a protracted battle against a Divinity Transformation Perfection cultivator, but he was capable of killing one.

With that, he could relax a little.

He took his spoils, brought out his Flying Boat, and let it continue on its way—after adjusting its course.

Then, he performed a divination. The reading indicated that he would encounter a powerful enemy in the near future.

However, it was not an omen of great disaster, so Du Youqian was able to put his mind completely at ease.

’Let them come. As long as it’s not a situation of certain death, I have nothing to fear.’

After meditating for a day to fully recover, Du Youqian began to take stock of his spoils.

The most precious prize was, naturally, the Nascent Soul of the Demon Sect Divinity Transformation cultivator.

Its value, however, lay mainly in the cultivator’s lifetime of experience and the Secret Techniques he had mastered.

Squeezing out its full value, however, would be extremely difficult. With Du Youqian’s current strength, it wasn’t realistic to think he could perform a complete Soul Search on a Demon Sect Divinity Transformation True Monarch.

Even a Void Step True Monarch might not be able to succeed.

A Qi Cultivation Cultivator could easily Soul Search another of their realm, and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could easily Soul Search a Qi Cultivation Cultivator. But the higher the realm, the more difficult a Soul Search becomes, as everyone learns secret techniques to protect their soul.

Du Youqian had been able to forcibly Soul Search the Golden Core Late Stage cultivator from the Holy Blood Sect because the strength of his Divine Sense was simply overwhelming in comparison.

Now, while his Divine Sense was stronger than that of the Divinity Transformation True Monarch from the Cyan Wood Sect, the difference wasn’t great enough to be considered overwhelming.

He pondered his options. ’Perhaps I could separate the soul from the Nascent Soul. Using the Nascent Soul of this Divinity Transformation True Monarch for Artifact Refining, along with some suitable materials, I could easily forge a Tier Five Treasure. Alternatively, it could be used for Alchemy; several elixirs required by Demon Cultivators use a Nascent Soul as an ingredient.’

’The soul itself could be refined into the Hundred Ghosts Banner, elevating it to a true Tier Five item.’

As for the Tier Five Flying Sword, its crafting was decent and its materials were good, but there was nothing particularly remarkable about it. Its Spirituality was also unremarkable, inferior to his Fake Celestial Measuring Ruler.

Since it was a Flying Sword, it was slightly more valuable than an ordinary Tier Five Treasure, but not by much. It was probably worth about four or five million Spiritual Jade.

Du Youqian didn’t care for such a sinister-looking Flying Sword and would never use it himself. However, selling a Treasure of this grade for mere Spiritual Jade would be a waste. He decided he would find a trading circle later to barter it for something more useful.

His other gains included some Tier Four and Tier Five materials, Spiritual Jade, Spiritual Diamonds, some notes on cultivation and Gu Techniques, and a Gu Technique Inheritance that covered everything from Tier One to Tier Six.

All told, including the Flying Sword and the potential upgrade to the Hundred Ghosts Banner, the haul was worth approximately 24 million Spiritual Jade.

’He wasn’t exactly a pauper, but this Divinity Transformation True Monarch was definitely not rich.’

In truth, the prize that intrigued Du Youqian the most was the body of the Nascent Soul Perfection Body Refining Cultivator.

’Well, it’s hard to say whether to call it a corpse or a body.’

The body originally had a heartbeat, breathed, and was robust and powerful, but there was no soul within it. Before, it had been sustained entirely by a Gu Insect.

After the Gu Insect perished, Du Youqian had decisively sealed the body to prevent it from truly dying.

After briefly reading the Gu Technique notes of the Demon Sect Divinity Transformation True Monarch (whose name he still didn’t know), Du Youqian learned the body’s origin. The Demon Sect cultivator had used a Divine Sense Secret Technique to kill a Nascent Soul Perfection Body Refining Cultivator, then prepared the body using a special method. He then used a Tier Six Gu Insect, the "Xielu Gu," to control it. Although not a true Outer Body Incarnation, it could fulfill some of the same functions.

The main difference from a true Outer Body Incarnation was that if its master died, he couldn’t use it to be reborn.

But when Du Youqian learned about the functions of the Xielu Gu, he felt as if he’d struck gold!

’If I die, I’ll just reincarnate immediately. I have no need to be reborn through an incarnation.’

On the contrary, it was the other properties of the Xielu Gu that he truly valued.

If he were to die, the Xielu Gu wouldn’t perish with him. It would continue to control the refined body, but without commands, it would simply lie dormant and motionless.

Then, once he reincarnated and cultivated back to the Foundation Establishment Realm, he could find the Xielu Gu, communicate with it via his Divine Sense, and regain control of both the Gu Insect and the refined body of the Nascent Soul Perfection Body Refining Cultivator.

’In other words, after I reincarnate, as long as I can cultivate back to the Foundation Establishment Realm, I’ll have a Nascent Soul Perfection Body Cultivator servant willing to die for me!’

Unfortunately, the original Xielu Gu in the body had, unsurprisingly, been destroyed by his "Annihilate" Sword Intent.

Although the Gu was powerful and a Tier Six Gu Insect, its physical form was extremely fragile; only its Divine Sense was strong.

Refining a Xielu Gu was incredibly difficult and required many precious materials. Du Youqian made a rough estimate: even if he succeeded on the first try, the cost would be at least ten million Spiritual Jade.

’So I just destroyed ten million Spiritual Jade with a single sword strike...’

’Expensive or not,’ Du Youqian thought, already decided. ’In this life, I can afford to neglect my other Cultivation Techniques, but I must master Gu Technique up to Tier Six.’

’I must refine a Tier Six Xielu Gu to continue controlling this Nascent Soul Perfection cultivator’s body.’

’And if I get the chance in the future, I need to find a way to acquire the body of a Divinity Transformation Cultivator...’

At this thought, Du Youqian felt a pang of regret. He shouldn’t have been so quick to kill that Demon Sect Divinity Transformation cultivator.

To prepare a body suitable for the Xielu Gu’s control, it was crucial not to damage the physical form. The soul had to be annihilated in an instant, leaving behind a body that was still biologically active.

The Demon Sect Divinity Transformation cultivator Du Youqian had killed lacked the ability to instantly kill a peer of the same realm, so he could only pick on Nascent Soul Body Refining Cultivators.

’But I have no shortage of deadly techniques!’

’My "Annihilate" Sword Intent, "Piercing" Sword Intent, and others... if I could study them for another century and raise their power to match my own cultivation realm, I should be able to instantly kill a Divinity Transformation True Monarch.’

In theory, a Tier Six Xielu Gu could control a body up to the level of a Void Step True Monarch.

Du Youqian wasn’t greedy; he wasn’t about to go searching for a Tier Six Path Guardian Bodyguard.

He would be satisfied just to get the body of a Divinity Transformation True Monarch.

But this would be no easy task.

Across the entire Human World, with its hundreds of millions of inhabitants, the total number of Divinity Transformation True Monarchs was no more than three hundred.

This was the total accumulation over several thousand years.

Many Divinity Transformation True Monarchs rarely ventured out. The number of those who were active in the world was likely less than a hundred.

Moreover, if Du Youqian were to make a move, he’d have to consider the target’s connections: whether they had the protection of a First- or Second-class Sect, or if they had friends who were Void Step True Monarchs...

Looked at this way, acquiring the body of a Divinity Transformation True Monarch was truly difficult. An opportunity might not present itself for centuries.

’For now, I’ll have to make do with this Nascent Soul Perfection Body Refining Cultivator’s body.’

As he finished taking stock of his spoils, Du Youqian let out a curious "Huh?"

Mixed in with a pile of rather valuable items was a metal plate that looked completely worthless.

It bore ancient Inscriptions, and in the center was the single word "Yinghua."

Du Youqian held the metal plate, extended his Divine Sense to probe it, and began to extract faint traces of information, which he then combined with a divination.

He then put the plate down, a strange look on his face. It was an artifact belonging to a Void Step True Monarch named True Monarch Baohe Yinghua.

That True Monarch had achieved Enlightenment as a Loose Cultivator, and after his passing, none of his relics were ever found. It was presumed that his treasures and Inheritance remained in his grotto-mansion.

And this metal plate was likely the key to opening it.

Du Youqian wasn’t interested in the grotto-mansion of a Void Step True Monarch. Given the Inheritances and wealth he already possessed, the abode of a Void Step True Monarch held little appeal.

What truly piqued his interest were the grotto-mansions of ancient Immortals and Ghost Immortals, or the sacred grounds and Inheritances of Celestial, Earthly, and Human Immortals.

Tens of thousands of years ago, when the Ancient Celestial Court still existed, Immortals could use its power to preside over the Human World, observing the mortal realm’s ebbs and flows with their near-infinite lifespans.

But one day, the Human Race lost the favor of heaven, and the Human World was plunged into chaos.

The Demon Race rose up, the Ancient Celestial Court fell, and the Immortals of the Human Race could no longer linger in the Human World. From that moment, the connection between heaven and earth was severed.

Because this exodus was so abrupt, many Immortals fled the Human World in a hurry, failing to take all the treasures from their grotto-mansions with them.

Fairy Hengguan was one such example.

’The grotto-mansions of those ancient Immortals are where the real treasures are.’

As for the grotto-mansions of ordinary cultivators—be they at the Divinity Transformation, Void Step, or Harmonization realms—Du Youqian didn’t think much of them and couldn’t be bothered to go out of his way to explore them.

After putting the metal plate away, Du Youqian continued his journey.

The Flying Boat traveled at a leisurely pace. After more than half a month, it finally reached the border of the Ghost Kingdom. Du Youqian took out a Communication Spiritual Artifact and summoned Meng Xiao.

Meng Xiao and Xi Mengran arrived together. In this environment, thick with Yin energy, they didn’t need a Soul-Imbued Jade and could move about freely.

Upon seeing Du Youqian, they both froze, their faces involuntarily showing expressions of fear.

Of course, since Ghost Cultivators aren’t very good at controlling their facial expressions, the result was somewhat comical.

Meng Xiao was the first to recover. He bowed to Du Youqian and conveyed via Divine Sense, "Greetings, Master. Congratulations on successfully reaching Divinity Transformation. The Great Dao is now within your reach!"

Xi Mengran also cupped her hands in a salute, watching Du Youqian nervously. Her timid expression was rather cute.

Du Youqian smiled. "There’s no need for such formalities. For the time being, I still haven’t found the Successor Cultivation Technique for the Night Illuminating Nine Heavens Soul-Seeking Immortality Technique, so you’ll have to bear with things a little longer."

Xi Mengran pouted, but Meng Xiao said formally, "Master, you need not trouble yourself over this. We can leave it to fate. A Ghost Cultivation Technique of this caliber is exceptionally rare to begin with."

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