Chapter 47: The Wasteland Transforms Again

Half a month later, Li Ji’an flew out of Fallen Dragon Ridge in one breath, pausing only to look back once more.

“Is it human or something else?”

Recalling that final glimpse, Li Ji’an still felt a chill in his heart.

It was a humanoid creature, but its flesh was wrapped in a sinister aura and riddled with decay, yet faintly shimmering with golden light amid the rot.

From his years of experience, he knew that such entities were “weird,” a phenomenon distinct from mere ghosts.

They were believed to be remnants of ancient cultivators who had perished during the collapse of the Heavenly Dao long ago; when the laws shattered, fragments of these rules inadvertently influenced their remains, forming embodiments of certain principles. Within their own domains, these beings possessed powers beyond ordinary comprehension.

However, such “weird” creatures could only exist within their own peculiar realms, often found in ancient ruins.

“That underground culvert shows no signs of being sealed, appearing to match the descriptions of Yin Veins. Could it be a demonic cultivator?” Li Ji’an analyzed the details carefully.

Yin Veins condense Yin Sha energy and are favored by certain demonic cultivators who cultivate Yin Sha arts in this world.

Especially recalling the decayed figure’s gaze, which bore a strange emotional weight, Li Ji’an became more certain.

“Thousands of years ago, the Ten Thousand Laws Palace declared there were no demons left in the Celestial Azure Domain’s cultivation world. Yet here, there are still stragglers.”

After a moment of contemplation, Li Ji’an felt a pang of regret.

He had just befriended the Red Stone Hermit and was drawing ever closer to mastering that school of cultivation, but now unforeseen troubles had arisen.

Through Guagua’s sensory feedback, the aura emitted by the decayed corpse was nearly on par with that of the false elixir elder he had encountered during the Bi Yun Sect’s test; he was uncertain whether the Red Stone Hermit could escape this calamity.

Having finished regulating his breath and no longer dwelling on it, he returned to the gathering area.

—

Half a day later,

“Do you truly intend to annihilate them utterly?”

“We have already abandoned this place. Why do you persist in the pursuit?”

“Hmph! A bunch of petty scattered cultivators dare to covet the wilderness. If you escape into Fallen Dragon Ridge, how can I face our fallen clansmen?”

“Zheng Mosheng, when you, that old curmudgeon, took the initiative to ally with my elder brother back then, you weren’t so arrogant!”

…

Li Ji’an concealed himself beneath a slope, watching the scene through Guagua, his brow furrowing slightly.

Coupled with the corpse of a bandit who had unexpectedly discovered him beneath his feet, he understood the situation.

Half a month ago, the soul talismans of Yuan Zheng and Pan Lun left at Tiger’s Maw Ravine were shattered. The last Foundation Establishment scattered cultivator among the bandits decisively abandoned the spiritual vein territory and prepared to lead the remaining bandits into Fallen Dragon Ridge.

Before departing, he massacred the nearby Qi cultivation families to gather supplies for concealment within the ridge.

—

However, someone among them was bribed by the wilderness clans, and the news leaked out. The Zheng family to the northwest of the wilderness and the Four Families Alliance to the southeast formed a temporary pact to hunt down the bandits and divide their territory.

“Those two are dead. Could their deaths buy the Red Stone Hermit a slim chance of survival?” Li Ji’an harbored a glimmer of hope, then recalled Guagua and swiftly infiltrated the gathering area.

Once vibrant, the area was now a scene of ruin and death, evidently ravaged by the bandits’ bloodbath.

The one bright spot was that Chen Qingling, who had explored ruins alongside the Red Stone Hermit for years, had honed exceptional concealment instincts and escaped harm by hiding beneath a withered well in the courtyard.

Upon seeing Li Ji’an’s return, she wept tears of joy.

“Don’t worry. In a few days, we will head north.”

North of the gathering area lay the spiritual vein territories occupied by the bandits, now sealed off by the Zheng family and the Four Families Alliance. Li Ji’an wished to avoid pointless conflict and still held a faint hope for the Red Stone Hermit.

His physical body rivaled a second-tier corporeal cultivator, and with those two bandits backing him, a miracle might yet occur.

Activating two concealment talismans to isolate the courtyard’s energy, Li Ji’an returned alone to the guest room he had once occupied. Only after releasing a magical restriction did he release Guagua.

First, he retrieved the already lifeless Golden Armored Beast, extracting its demon core.

Then, he tossed the carcass to Guagua, who had been eagerly watching.

When magical beasts ascend, it mostly involves bloodline evolution. This Golden Armored Beast had ascended to second-tier within Fallen Dragon Ridge, so its bloodline was likely of high quality, making it appealing to other magical beasts.

The blood pill Guagua had once consumed also contained the essence of a high-quality spiritual beast’s blood within its core.

Because Guagua’s bloodline was inferior, its potential was exhausted after advancing to the second tier. Li Ji’an had no expectation of further advancement and, given the rarity and expense of second-tier beast pills, had long since cut off its resources. Now, he was providing a small compensation.

After Guagua devoured the Golden Armored Beast’s corpse, Li Ji’an instructed it to guard while he began refining the demon core.

His cultivation method, the Hundred Forgings Golden Body Technique, could only trigger a transformation of energy and blood using demon cores from magical beasts with special attributes like the Golden Armored Beast, thereby nurturing the physical body.

This process was somewhat akin to magical beasts’ ascension.

The only difference was that magical beasts gained innate supernatural abilities, while human corporeal cultivators underwent physical transformation alone.

This led him to speculate that corporeal cultivation in this world might have been created by ancient masters contemplating magical beast evolution.

Boom—

The energy and blood that had been stable for many years surged dramatically the moment the demon core was refined.

Every cell in his body ravenously absorbed the unique energy the core emitted.

Three days later, the demon core was completely consumed.

Li Ji’an’s energy and blood were now wrapped in a faint golden glow. As this enriched the flesh, muscles, and bones, the golden radiance subtly infused into his body.

Half a month later, Li Ji’an slowly opened his eyes; a faint golden light flickered briefly within their depths.

He clenched his fist sharply, feeling the overwhelming power of his transformed body.

“Second-tier corporeal cultivation truly lives up to its reputation!” He sensed that with his current physical might, he could shatter his own Foundation Establishment early-stage magical shield with a single punch.

At the same time, he realized that the Red Stone Hermit’s display of physical prowess when hunting the Golden Armored Beast might not have represented true second-tier corporeal cultivation strength.

Comparing the two, Red Stone Hermit’s might was probably only about half of Li Ji’an’s own genuine second-tier power.

“Not a corporeal cultivator, yet possessing such close-combat strength?” This piqued Li Ji’an’s curiosity about the Red Stone Hermit even more. However, with no news so far, the outlook seemed bleak.

After gathering his energy and blood, Li Ji’an rose, unwilling to wait any longer.

That very night, he and Chen Qingling set off northward.

—

“Third uncle, is it really appropriate to cede both spiritual vein arenas to the Four Families Alliance this time?” Zheng Tianxiang frowned, addressing the current head of the Zheng family.

Zheng Mosheng smiled faintly. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Our patriarch is gravely wounded and nearing the end of his life. With only three Foundation Establishment cultivators left, we are no match for the Four Families Alliance. If we let them grow stronger, our Zheng family will have no choice but to bow in submission.

“If we throw them one of the spiritual vein arenas, it will surely incite strife within the Four Families, even causing their alliance to collapse,” Zheng Tianxiang voiced his concerns.

“The Four Families Alliance? Ha! Without the Yan family, they’re mere chickens and dogs,” Zheng Mosheng dismissed casually.

“Tianxiang, our Zheng family’s greatest rival in the wilderness has always been the Yan family. The others can be ignored. Remember, no alliance lasts forever, and now is not yet the time for their dissolution.

“Giving them both arenas is just to encourage them to focus their efforts against the Yan family,” he explained.

Hearing this, Zheng Tianxiang understood Zheng Mosheng’s strategy.

The Yan family’s three Foundation Establishment cultivators were still unstable and currently in a developmental phase; they must not be allowed to grow.

“But they probably won’t obediently target the Yan family,” Zheng Tianxiang added.

Zheng Mosheng nodded. “Exactly. That’s why you need to add fuel to the fire.”

“Me? How?”

“Make the Four Families Alliance believe the Yan family made the first move.”

“I attack the Four Families Alliance and frame the Yan family? The Four Families wouldn’t be that foolish. Right now, the Yan family needs stability; they wouldn’t act rashly,” Zheng Tianxiang shook his head, doubting the plan.

“Heh heh, I’m not asking you to frame the Yan family, but to make them think the Yan family is framing us, the Zheng family,” Zheng Mosheng said with a knowing smile.