After that day, it seemed there was nothing left within Tantai Chen's medicine garden to capture Yu Tangtang's interest. Wang Yu had only seen her that one time and never again.
This, in fact, allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
He constantly admonished himself with the three words "Low-Key," "Cautious," and "Self-Reflecting," repeating over and over that this was the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, a place far from benevolent or good.
Things that appeared beautiful on the surface often concealed deadly poison within.
And so, in the blink of an eye, a full year passed.
Today marked the first day of his second year as an outer sect disciple—Year 2, Month 1, Day 1!
Having hidden away in the medicine garden for a year, either Xu Jiaojiao had given up on her pursuits, or she had transitioned to even more insidious methods. He still needed to remain vigilant.
During this period.
His [Ice Coffin Curse] and [Illusory Form Step] had both reached the Perfection stage one after the other. At his current level of cultivation, going all out, he could only execute the Ice Coffin Curse twice; he had reserved it as a hidden trump card.
The [Frost Python Alchemy Art] and the [Coldblooded Pill] had also been sequentially 'placed' to perfection through his system.
Two months prior, he had taken the initiative to refine two batches of Coldblooded Pills, managing to produce only three top-grade pills in total. His alchemy skill had reached the absolute limit possible for the Qi Refining stage.
His technique was now exceptionally pure and skilled; his only remaining disadvantages lay in his spiritual sense and cultivation base, both of which were still significantly lacking. Otherwise, under perfect conditions, he should have been able to produce six top-grade Coldblooded Pills.
A single batch of alchemy would only ever yield three top-grade pills. A top-grade pill perfectly absorbed all the medicinal efficacy of a single set of spiritual herbs, leaving no excess medicinal power to produce more Coldblooded Pills.
Of course, this was only the case for the Coldblooded Pill. Whether other first-grade pills followed the same principle, he wasn't sure. He would have to experiment more in the future to find out.
Regarding his cultivation, using two placement slots for cultivation over the course of a year had netted him seventy-two strands of spiritual power. Combined with the effects of the Coldblooded Pills and the gains from his own active cultivation…
His current spiritual power amounted to one hundred and thirty strands. He was almost halfway there, with just over half remaining.
However, after consuming the top-grade Coldblooded Pills, his cultivation speed had accelerated further. Given another year, he was certain to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining. This speed was already not slow.
The placement slots' effectiveness was based on Wang Yu's own innate talent. It was difficult to imagine how fast his cultivation speed would be if he possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root. A truly regrettable thought.
His current placement slots were configured as follows:
**[Placement Slot 1: Coldblooded Art]**
**[Placement Slot 2: Coldblooded Art]**
**[Placement Slot 3: Frost Python Alchemy Art (Incomplete Method / Repairing in Progress…)]**
`Frost Python Alchemy Art (100/100): Eighteen refinements per day. Completion estimated in thirty years.`
After the Alchemy Art reached perfection, the number of daily placement cycles for alchemy increased by two, and it had gained the "Repairing…" suffix. The time required for repair was even longer than for a Foundation Establishment level technique—a full thirty years.
This proved that the placement slots indeed possessed the ability to repair and complete techniques.
But this brought another problem to light: just how long would it take to repair a Nascent Soul level secret art? Based on Wang Yu's current understanding, it would likely take a century or more.
An incomplete secret art that took only three months to 'place' to mastery meant he would have to remain a 'corpse' for over a hundred years, unable to use his 'second brother' all the while. He had to be extremely cautious.
Yet, the feeling of lacking an arm was truly unpleasant, and it would undoubtedly impact his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment. Placing the [Corpse Demon Secret Art] was almost an inevitability!
How difficult!
Whenever his thoughts reached this point, his hatred for Manager Liu, the one who had cost him his arm, deepened, a daily entry in his mental ledger of grudges! If the man hadn't fled for fear of punishment, Wang Yu now had the ability to exact a measure of revenge for that old debt.
His one-year task period ended, and he waited an additional seven days.
Tantai Chen returned, her face radiant, clearly having gained many benefits. Seeing Wang Yu, she surprisingly revealed a smile.
"Did anything happen during this period?"
Wang Yu hurried forward, feigning nervousness.
"Senior Tantai, not long after you left, the Moonlight Fruits ripened. But a little girl with white hair came and picked all the fruits… She disappeared before this disciple could even finish a single sentence…"
Upon hearing this, Tantai Chen's expression immediately turned cold. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. "Did she say anything?"
"Nothing at all. It was like… she was just taking a stroll."
"It's fine. You are not held responsible for this matter."
Wang Yu pretended to sigh in relief. He had intentionally concealed his actual interaction with Yu Tangtang.
He was precisely afraid that this Tantai Chen, concerned with face, might feel shame and resentment that he, a lowly disciple, had learned of her status as a "human slave and wet nurse." Such emotions could easily lead to murderous intent, and him being killed for knowing too much would be a perfectly logical outcome in this sect.
Concealing the details of their conversation was the correct course of action.
"This is your reward. Now go. You are forbidden from accepting any of my tasks in the future."
"… This disciple obeys."
Four hundred contribution points plus three stalks of Frost-Ice Nine Leaf Grass—that was the harvest for this year. It was a little meager, but through his transactions with the Alchemist Association, which he attended personally each time, he had certainly not lacked for spirit stone earnings.
With a well-lined purse, gathering the materials for the Coldblooded Pill became less difficult. He could even consider refining the "Frost Python Pill." The Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's treasure vault surely contained second-grade ice-attribute demon cores from python or serpent-type demonic beasts.
If he could cultivate the "Frost Python Pill Fire," he would not only gain another method for confronting enemies, but his alchemy art could also display its most fundamental efficacy. The benefits for him would be immense.
He could start by gathering information, though the contribution points in his hand were far from sufficient. Besides this, Wang Yu was also considering whether or not to take on missions outside the sect.
Despite his current smooth sailing, in reality, many of his past actions had planted hidden dangers, and there were still unresolved troubles lurking.
He could hide for a while, but not forever.
One of the better methods would be to find a Core Formation elder to take him as a disciple, solving the problem once and for all.
Unfortunately, that was unrealistic.
Carrying out missions outside the sect could, at the very least, help him safely pass through a period of relative safety. Moreover, the outside world offered more freedom than the oppressive atmosphere within the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, where every action required considering the reactions of various factions.
Aside from resources and cultivation environment being slightly inferior, all other aspects were better outside the sect.
Now that he held a large number of spirit stones, he could make preparations in all aspects, find a suitable mission to leave the sect, and stay out for ten or twenty years before returning.
By then, whether it was his cultivation realm or his alchemy skill, he could bring them from the shadows into the light, giving them a legitimate explanation.
Excuses for fortuitous encounters were easy to find. Having stayed in the sect since his time as a spirit slave and then suddenly displaying strange characteristics was abnormal.
In a demonic path sect, for a Waste Spiritual Root to outperform a Dual Spiritual Root in every aspect? That was just asking for a beating.
Contemplating this.
Using the Night Concealment Charm to shroud his aura, Wang Yu left the medicine garden and headed straight for the Ice Snow Pavilion. His cooperation with Zhao Shang had not only turned hostility into amity but also allowed him to enjoy certain privileges.
Of course, he maintained the necessary vigilance. If an opportunity arose to completely eliminate this person, Wang Yu would not hesitate. He believed Zhao Shang felt the same; they both knew too much about each other.
Along the way, Wang Yu continuously calculated the items he needed to prepare.
All kinds of auxiliary pills, such as Spirit Restoration Pills, Healing Pills, Blood-Staunching Powder, and so on.
He needed to prepare at least ten top-grade Coldblooded Pills, enough until his body developed pill resistance. After all, once outside, spiritual herbs wouldn't be so easy to gather.
And the most important item: magical instruments! Traveling outside, he must have magical instruments. If he had extra money, he should also prepare a set of simple formation flags.
And so on. There was much he needed to prepare.
Before long.
The Ice Snow Pavilion was in sight.
"Zhao Shang, I need a favor."
A year apart, the other party's aura had grown again. However, seeing Wang Yu, this harbinger of trouble, Zhao Shang was very reluctant.
"Brother, I call you brother, please, let's not do this privilege thing anymore."