C554 Gavanas!

Inside the cauldron, Yu Yuan sat as still as a pine tree, his skin aglow with psionic power that coursed like electricity.

In his chest, at the middle elixir field acupoint, a point of bloody light burst into brilliance.

With a ripping sound, strands of blood as fine as hair sprang from his middle elixir field, piercing the body of the fifth-level Lunarphite.

The Lunarphite, whose demon soul had been shattered by the cold, towered over Yu Yuan. Yet, as the blood threads penetrated its form, it visibly shrank at an alarming rate.

Streams of pure vitality essence were siphoned through these threads.

Within his internal little world, the Blood Altar, crimson as blood itself, radiated a shimmering, blood-colored glow. Deep within the lustrous blood crystals, specks of light twinkled like stars.

These twinkling points were the essence of the Lunarphite's vitality, now being refined and purified by the Blood Altar.

Hours passed.

The once formidable Lunarphite had withered to a husk, resembling a grey wolf starved for years. It had shrunk significantly, devoid of any remaining life force.

Had the Lunarphite not been within the cauldron, its vitality drained, the desiccated Fellbeast would have swiftly decayed.

Yu Yuan, with his eyes tightly shut, growled lowly as he channeled the turbulent psionic power within the Crucible of Evil to scour his meridians and organs, intent on obliterating his physical soul in short order.

Unseen, within the depths of his flesh and organs, blood vessels ruptured and bones showed hairline fractures.

"Hey!"

It was then that he began drawing the Lunarphite's vitality essence from the Blood Altar in his little world.

Dots of crimson light, like stars from a distant red Star River, burst forth and infused his limbs and body. This life-renewing force fortified his bones, retempered his meridians, and bolstered his flesh.

In this manner, he simultaneously wielded the psionic power of the Crucible of Evil to break down his physical soul while using the Lunarphite's vitality essence, refined by the Blood Altar, to swiftly heal and nurture his wounds, resulting in even more robust and resilient flesh and organs.

Two days later.

With a powerful roar, Yu Yuan emerged from the dark cauldron, feeling invigorated and brimming with vitality. The blood coursing through the veins in his arms pulsed with the unstoppable force of a mighty river.

"Congratulations, Young Master!"

Qin Yun, clad in the garb of a scholar, beamed with a radiant smile as he offered his felicitations.

With his advanced cultivation at the late Lunar Spirit Stage, he could discern the subtle shifts in Yu Yuan's movements as he entered and exited the Crucible of Evil.

"It shouldn't be long before you advance to the middle period of the Veil Breaking Stage, should it?" Qin Yun mused to himself, his surprise evident. "The concentration of vitality in the Young Master's body far surpasses that of cultivators at the same level. The Evil Body Refining technique of the Terror Claws Sect truly lives up to its reputation."

He attributed Yu Yuan's robust and surging vitality to the practice of Evil Body Refining.

"Just three more creatures on par with the Lunarphite, and I should be able to progress smoothly," Yu Yuan said with a smile, opting not to clarify that his potent vitality was not solely the result of Evil Body Refining. Perhaps the Blood Altar, concealed within the little world of vitality, was the true hero of the hour.

"Tong Laoqian, what brings you back here?"

He gave a cursory glance at the portly official, whose smile was strained, and remarked, "Once Yu Zhu returns, a simple greeting from me will legitimize your cultivation at the original site of the Forgotten Ruins. If you head there sooner, you should have no trouble at all re-forging the Jade Tower on Ochre Mountain."

"Ochre Mountain has been claimed by another," Qin Yun interjected.

"By whom?" Yu Yuan's brow furrowed.

"Liang Jingyin," Tong Laoqian replied with a hint of bitterness. "He's the mentor of that young man, Su Che, whom we encountered in the city. He's at the same cultivation level as I am, both of us in the late Spirit Walk Stage. Had my Jade Tower not been severely damaged in the Sundering Isles, I might have been able to challenge him."

"But now..."

Tong Laoqian sighed heavily.

"An independent cultivator, Liang Jingyin," Qin Yun added, familiar with his history. "Young Master, Liang Jingyin made a name for himself in the Forgotten Ruins a century ago. He left the area early on after sensing something amiss when the Ethereal Void Sect planned to construct a teleportation circle there."

"Liang Jingyin has a history of fierce confrontations in the Godsblight Marsh and has ventured to the Land of Quiescence. He once served the royal family in the Stormcrown Empire before vanishing without a trace."

"I never imagined that after the resurgence of spiritual energy in the Lost Lands, he would return and forcefully take over Ochre Mountain."

"Liang Jingyin is cruel and adept at stealth and assassination. With his late Spirit Walk stage of cultivation, he's quite formidable."

Qin Yun, who once led the Midnightshields, couldn't help but feel a mix of dread and admiration when speaking of this man.

For a lone cultivator to achieve what Liang Jingyin has is no small feat.

Should he make further progress and succeed in condensing his Solar Spirit, Liang Jingyin could be accepted as a counselor by the upper sects, the Devil Palace, or Shadow's Keep, even as an independent cultivator.

This is a common path for rogue cultivators seeking status and recognition.

Becoming a counselor for a major sect, despite certain constraints, would grant him access to a generous supply of soulstones. He could also join the sect's elite in battles beyond this world, hunting Sky Fiends and Otherkin, gathering rare and valuable magic items, and continuously advancing in his path.

For rogue cultivators, achieving the Solar Spirit is a monumental milestone, akin to ascending to the heavens, and marks their entry into the orthodox ranks.

"Liang Jingyin's bold return and open claim over Ochre Mountain, aside from his knowledge of the Jade Tower's destruction, suggests he has someone backing him," Tong Laoqian observed with keen insight. "Knowing that the Jade Tower fell because of you and being aware of your ties to Yu Zhu, yet still daring to take my Ochre Mountain, he must have another source of confidence."

Qin Yun was taken aback. "What are you suggesting?"

"There's likely a powerful sect that has secretly struck a deal with him. They're waiting for him to condense his Solar Spirit before offering him a counselor's position," Tong Laoqian deduced. "The strength of this sect within the Forgotten Ruins must be remarkable. Should Liang Jingyin achieve Solar Spirit status, negotiations would go smoothly, and he'd be treated with great honor."

"I've been pondering over the last few days and have come to suspect that the Ethereal Void Sect is backing Liang Jingyin."

"With a teleportation circle in the Forgotten Ruins, the Ethereal Void Sect is quite unique and possesses ample confidence. Naturally, they would want to maintain good relations with their master, Yu Zhu, and abide by the established rules."

"At the same time, Yu Zhu, our master, must also rely heavily on the Ethereal Void Sect in many respects."

Tong Laoqian shared his thoughts.

"Ethereal Void Sect!" Yu Yuan exclaimed sharply.

"Young Master, Wang Jinlin was the hand-chosen disciple of Sage Chong Xiao," Qin Yun interjected, "His death..."

"The Ethereal Void Sect and Winter's Bite Sect have been quite conspicuous in their actions in the Lost Lands of late." Yu Yuan huffed, "I'm well aware of the situation."

Subsequently, Yu Yuan wielded the Crucible of Evil, hunting Fellbeasts near the mid-lake island to strengthen himself.

Simultaneously, he discreetly scattered the medicinal herb seeds he had acquired from the Skyreach Consortium across the spiritually rich swamps and lakes, tending to them in secret.

Then, one day.

While continuing his cultivation of medicinal herbs in the mountainous region south of the mid-lake island, Yu Yuan noticed three massive Cloud Cruisers approaching under the sun.

Adorned with the Skyreach Consortium's banners, the Cloud Cruisers flew in formation toward the burgeoning city.

The Cloud Cruisers, like the Sea Wanderers, were Sky Chariots of the Skyreach Consortium, designed for transporting magic items. Although smaller and with a more limited carrying capacity than the Sea Wanderers, the Cloud Cruisers were even more costly to construct.

The sight of the three Cloud Cruisers en route to the new city brought a realization to Yu Yuan.

The Skyreach Consortium was planning to establish a branch of the Chamber of Commerce there!

The teleportation circle could transport cultivators at the Veil Breaking level, but not all objects could be sent from Celestial Isle or the Chamber of Commerce Headquarters.

During teleportation, the spatial distortion and tearing forces could reduce many rare medicinal herbs to dust.

Likewise, many items, including fine gold and precious extraterrestrial minerals, could not be transported by the rune circle.

Thus, the Consortium relied on Sea Wanderers and Cloud Cruisers to navigate the seas and skies, delivering materials and magic items to its branches across the continent.

"Young Master, the new city has been officially named Gavanas!"

Qin Yun arrived swiftly, delivering the latest news, "Named after Miss Yu Zhu herself. Before the three Cloud Cruisers set off for Gavanas, the Consortium has tasked Zhu Peining with overseeing the construction of the new branch, coming directly from Celestial Isle."

"A familiar face," Yu Yuan remarked, taken aback.

...