Although it would take longer, it would greatly help his current situation. The circumstances for outer disciples were more severe than he had anticipated.
Mainly because being inside the Ice Snow Pavilion would bring him foreseeable trouble. Jealousy is a universal trait; how to deal with it was crucial, and the Night Concealment Curse was key.
On the other hand, after switching to the "Coldblood Art", comprehending the technique was essentially starting from scratch. However, it could cleanse the Bloodburn spiritual power from Wang Yu's body and replace it with new, ice-attribute spiritual power.
Cultivating the Coldblood Art felt like immersing his body in ice water—a penetrating cold sensation from the skin to the blood, and then into the marrow.
During this process, Wang Yu's body was tempered and would grow stronger daily.
He firmly remembered the impact of missing an arm on Foundation Establishment. The blood and energy barrier was closely related to physical strength. Starting cultivation and compensation early would minimize the impact on his path.
Moreover, the "Coldblood Art" and Ice Sword Art were originally a set. Consumption was greatly reduced while power surged! The spiritual power intensity was also much higher than that of a quick-fix demonic technique like the Bloodburn Art.
With all these factors combined, switching earlier meant benefiting sooner.
After personally experiencing this stage of cultivation, the feedback from the Placement Rack also changed.
If Wang Yu's own cultivation involved separating the hundred strands of spiritual power in his body into groups of ten, during major cycle circulation, ten strands would simultaneously enter the meridians.
During the cycle circulation, they were continuously compressed and forced to merge into one, transforming from "strands" into "flows," thereby improving the quality of spiritual power.
This often required persistence. If once wasn't enough, then ten times; if ten times weren't enough, then a hundred, a thousand times!
For someone with a Waste Spiritual Root aptitude, thoroughly refining them into ten flows of spiritual power to break through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining was fraught with difficulties.
The feedback from the Placement Rack directly reflected the continuously condensed spiritual power into Wang Yu's dantian, just like when he placed the Ice Sword Art, directly granting him the reflex of muscle memory.
Only this time, the feedback was conditioning the spiritual power.
No increase, no sudden appearance.
Instead, it constantly tamed and solidified it. At this point, when Wang Yu circulated the technique again, it felt thoroughly tempered, and everything went very smoothly.
It felt as natural as water flowing into a channel!
According to this progress, it would take at most half a year to transform the "hundred strands of spiritual power" into "ten flows of spiritual power," successfully breaking through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining and completing the first spiritual refinement!
This calculation was based on the efficiency of only one Placement Slot, and the timing was fully sufficient.
It was just right for him to "place" the supporting spells later.
Over the next few days, Wang Yu was mostly busy running around, learning about the situation in the Ten Reverse Blood Markets, especially the [Coldblood Market], which was the top priority for investigation.
**Fifth day of outer disciple life.**
First-floor hall of the Ice Snow Pavilion. Over the past few days, he discovered that the cultivators living in the pavilion were mostly inner disciples, with cultivation levels generally hovering around the late Qi Refining stage.
Seeing each other frequently every day, although they didn't treat him, a promoted spirit slave disciple, favorably, they never actually attacked him. At most, it was verbal digs and mockery.
As long as he avoided them, it wasn't a big problem. The real trouble came from the outer disciples outside the pavilion who also served the true disciple. They coveted Wang Yu's [Essence-Qi Chamber] in the Ice Snow Pavilion and were truly daring enough to take action!
Their cultivation levels were mostly mid Qi Refining stage and below. The number of outer disciples with Black Blood Orders inside the pavilion was extremely small. Besides him, there was only one other person, whose situation was similar to his.
"Junior Brother Wang, sitting here so early. Are you waiting for me?"
While he was pondering, Zhao Shang leisurely walked down from upstairs. Despite being only at the eighth layer of Qi Refining, within this Ice Snow Pavilion, the true disciple had granted him very high authority.
At critical moments, he could even command those few Foundation Establishment cultivators. Simultaneously, the perks of this position were incredibly substantial. From what he knew, Zhao Shang was not yet thirty this year, and his future Foundation Establishment was almost guaranteed.
"Senior Brother Zhao, I indeed have something to discuss."
Standing up and pouring a cup of tea, Wang Yu inquired, "I've heard there are many tasks in the Ice Snow Pavilion with little work and high spirit stone rewards. I wonder about the specific procedures."
"Easy to explain."
Zhao Shang didn't sit down but took out a large number of scrolls from his waist storage pouch and placed them on the table.
"Junior Brother Wang, take your time looking. If you find a task you like, I'll explain the details to you."
"Alright—"
Unrolling the scrolls, Wang Yu privately compared them with the information he had gathered at the Mission Hall over the past few days. Indeed, they were much more lucrative.
**[1. Second Peak 〈Heavenly Corpse Peak〉 needs three Qi Refining disciples skilled in 「Corpse Refining Art」 to care for thirty Black Zombies for one year. Reward: 800 contribution points.]**
For example, this commission. He had seen a similar one at the Mission Hall, but the reward was only 300 spirit stones, not contribution points.
Contribution points could be used in the sect's treasure vault to exchange for desired spiritual herbs, materials, even magical instruments, spells, techniques, the four cultivation arts... etc.
Many rare items could only be exchanged with contribution points. This aspect alone made the task commissions in the Ice Snow Pavilion far exceed those issued by the Mission Hall.
The only difference was that most tasks in the Ice Snow Pavilion were privately issued, with many Foundation Establishment stewards and Golden Core elders participating. The number of tasks also indirectly indicated the strength of the backing true disciple and the faction members.
The Mission Hall tasks were more public, often related to maintaining sect assets.
After browsing through them, Wang Yu preferred short-term tasks that didn't require combat.
**[12. Responsible for maintaining Steward Tantai's private herb garden for six months. Requires proficiency in nurturing spiritual herbs and identifying hundreds of plants. Reward: 500 contribution points.]**
The Ice Snow Pavilion took a fifty percent cut, meaning over six months, only two hundred and fifty would end up in his pocket. This peculiar number made Wang Yu hesitate for a moment.
During his sixteen years in Stone Lake City, since he couldn't access cultivation techniques, he had placed various miscellaneous books, becoming quite proficient in the path of herbs.
But this level certainly wasn't enough to maintain a spiritual herb garden. He needed to intensively study for a few days. Placing purely knowledge-based content in the Placement Rack usually allowed him to memorize it forcefully within a few days.
He had verified this with the "Thousand Character Classic" and "Ten Thousand Character Classic", so he wasn't worried.
"Senior Brother Zhao, I've made my choice."
"Steward Tantai's task, huh~" Zhao Shang glanced sideways and immediately recognized the source of the scroll in Wang Yu's hand. He said, "Steward Tantai offers relatively high rewards, but her requirements are also high. Are you sure you can complete it?"
"I should be able to."
Hearing this, Zhao Shang viewed Wang Yu more highly. There were many cultivators in the demonic path who could fight, but those engaged in production were somewhat unsatisfactory; technical talent was sorely lacking.
"Alright then—"
"According to the rules, fifty percent goes to True Disciple Su as tribute. Additionally, you need to pay ten percent—half to the Foundation Establishment cultivators upstairs, half to me. Any objections?"
Wang Yu was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, muttering, "No objections."
"Good. Then this task is yours. Report to Steward Tantai within seven days."
"Understood, Senior Brother."
(End of Chapter)