Chapter 161: Dispersing Cultivation to Rebuild

Under the repeated tempering of the Nether Capital Ghostfire, the heavenly materials were smelted and purified one after another, breaking down into specks of spiritual light. Like night rain flowing into a river, they slowly drifted toward the Nether Capital Gate.

The dark light pulsing on the gate grew denser by the day. As spiritual light poured in, the gate's somewhat illusory outline turned increasingly solid. The circulating radiance bathed the entire cave dwelling in alternating shades of black and cyan. Chilling energy surged like a tide, blooming into a fine layer of frost across the stone walls.

Time flowed on. In a flash, eight years passed.

When the final piece of Yin-cold spiritual material was refined and integrated into it, the Nether Capital Gate trembled slightly. A deep spiritual light flowed across the doorframe. The gate finally solidified completely, no longer just a phantom projection of a supernatural ability, but a magic treasure with a true physical form.

Layers of restriction runes emerged on the doorframe, crisscrossing densely like a spiderweb. A massive cyan skull was embedded in the center of the door, its eyes deeply sunken. Ghostfire danced within its empty sockets, as if it might come to life at any moment.

However, Jiuyou did not stop there.

Spiritual light flashed in his sleeve, and the Nine Nether Soul-Chaining Chains flew out silently. They were his Natal Magic Treasure, refined over many years. Connected to his soul, he could control them as the arm moves the finger.

At this moment, he focused his mind and abruptly severed his soul connection to the Soul-Locking Chains. The chains trembled in the void, their spiritual light suddenly dimming, as if more than half their vitality had been drained away.

Jiuyou let out a muffled groan, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. But he was prepared. He smoothly swallowed a healing pill to stabilize his churning vitality, then channeled his spiritual power to push the masterless Soul-Locking Chains toward the Nether Capital Gate.

The two shared the same origin, so fusing them was not too difficult. However, because their quality was so exceptional, it would still take time for them to merge completely.

Jiuyou did not rush the process. He simply watched quietly as their energies slowly intertwined. The Heavenly Spirit Ring on his wrist spun rapidly, drawing in spiritual energy that surged into his body like a tide, supporting his continuous efforts.

This wait lasted another five years.

Driven by Jiuyou's final thread of will, the two treasures finally merged completely.

The Soul-Locking Chains transformed into Cyan Chains, coiling around the doorframe. Burning cyan flames clung to the metal, echoing the skull on the door. The aura of the chains was no longer that of an isolated magic treasure; they had become one with the Nether Capital Gate, as if its bones and sinews had finally grown in. The entire doorframe was wrapped in layers of spiritual light, and a terrifying pressure suddenly exploded from the point of fusion.

Jiuyou raised his hand to block the aftershock, his gaze landing steadily on the gate suspended in midair.

"It's done."

He beckoned with his hand. The Nether Capital Gate shrank to the size of a palm and hovered quietly above it. Iron chains coiled around the doorframe, dark fire flickered, and runes flowed. The ghostfire danced in the empty sockets of the cyan skull at the center of the door, its ferocity deeply concealed.

With a mere thought, this treasure would fly from his hand and expand to several zhang in height. When the door opened, the Nether Capital purgatory would open with it—Yin winds, Cold Fire, the Soul-Locking Chains, and Nether Soul Puppets, all readily available and controlled as the arm moves the finger, its might even greater than before.

The cost was also apparent. With those supernatural abilities and his Natal Magic Treasure entirely sealed into this new treasure, his own aura had plummeted significantly. But he didn't regret it. As he transitioned to cultivating a new art, he couldn't just throw all these things away. Refining them into a single treasured artifact was the best outcome.

As for a new Natal Magic Treasure, he already had a plan in mind.

The Golden Li Ember Moon Swords possessed impressive might and a sufficient grade. However, he was still a demonic cultivator, which clashed with the Righteous Path attributes of the sword array. Forcing the matter would only yield half the result for twice the effort.

Thinking of this, Jiuyou sat up straight with his legs crossed and let out a long breath.

He had been waiting for this day for a very long time.

He looked down at his hands, as if making a final confirmation, then slowly closed his eyes and formed a hand seal. Deep within his dantian, waves of Nether Capital spiritual power began to peel away, receding layer by layer like floodwaters from an open gate.

Middle Nascent Soul Stage, Nascent Soul Early Stage, Late Golden Core...

His aura steadily plummeted. The spiritual light around him flickered, growing darker and thinner. Silence reigned in the cave dwelling, save for the Nether Capital Gate hovering quietly in the air, the dark fire on its chains slowly dancing as if watching him in silence.

Time slipped away. Spring left and autumn arrived; the sun and moon cycled. The leaves on Spirit Pavilion Peak turned from green to yellow, fell, and grew back once more.

One year, two years, three years, and another three years.

More than a hundred years quietly passed.

On Spirit Pavilion Peak, inside the Jiuyou Cave Dwelling, waves of golden light flickered continuously. The four walls of the cave were illuminated in alternating bursts of brightness and shadow, as if repeatedly washed by a layer of flowing liquid gold.

On the stone platform, Jiuyou sat cross-legged. Golden spiritual power surged like a tide through his meridians, emitting low, resonant hums. Deep within his dantian, a radiant golden miniature figure could faintly be seen sitting cross-legged. Its facial features were identical to his own—it was his newly formed natal Nascent Soul.

Exactly thirty-two Golden Li Ember Moon Swords, points aimed downward, wrapped around him in overlapping layers, slowly rotating. Golden light flowed along their blades. Faint streams of sword qi linked them together, weaving an airtight net within the cave dwelling.

All over Jiuyou's body—his limbs, his lower abdomen, his dantian—clusters of golden radiance flickered faintly.

The light condensed without dispersing. If one looked closely, the faint outlines of palaces could be discerned. By now, eight palace halls had been opened up, each hovering over crucial acupoints in his body, echoing each other in an endless cycle. And at this moment, right at his heart, another beam of golden light was slowly coalescing, appearing to be the ninth palace taking shape.

A fine layer of sweat beaded on Jiuyou's forehead. The spiritual power between his palms abruptly shifted, fiercely urging that cluster of golden light to form. However, the golden light explosively shattered, turning into countless fragmented rays that scattered into his meridians.

He snapped his eyes open and clamped a hand over his chest. A coppery sweetness welled up in his throat, but he forcefully suppressed it. His aura weakened for a split second before swiftly returning to normal.

He looked down at his hands. Golden spiritual power was still flowing in his palms, solid and pure.

He took a moment to feel the Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivation within his body and fell silent.

"It still failed, huh. It seems that without undergoing that Mortal World Heart Tempering, this seat truly won't be allowed to proceed any further," he muttered.

He slowly stood up and stretched his limbs. Following his movements, the thirty-two Golden Li Ember Moon Swords surrounding him abruptly scattered, turning into streaks of golden light that darted around the cave dwelling like a startled school of fish.

Over the past hundred years, he had long since re-refined this sword array into his Natal Magic Treasure and recovered his cultivation to the Nascent Soul Early Stage. He had also cultivated the Heavenly Flame Body Tempering Art to the fifth layer, significantly boosting his physical strength compared to before.

But what truly surprised him was the Daoyang Ten Palaces Art itself. The profundity of this art far exceeded the Nether Capital Art he had previously practiced. The two were entirely on different levels.

Even with only a Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivation, the spiritual power inside his body was deep and pure, far surpassing many at the Middle Nascent Soul Stage and nearly brushing against the Nascent Soul Late Stage. His Divine Sense had skyrocketed by more than just a single margin. Fully unleashed now, it could blanket a radius of four hundred and fifty li—a full one hundred and fifty li further than an ordinary Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator.

The eight palace halls in his body operated automatically, generating endless spiritual power that nourished his meridians and physical body day and night. The baleful aura that had plagued him for years had also been worn away bit by bit as the art circulated. If he hadn't been dragged down by that baleful aura, he would have recovered to the Nascent Soul Early Stage twenty years ago.

Now that the baleful aura was gone, he would no longer need to hold himself back in his future endeavors.

Jiuyou closed his eyes and sensed his condition for a moment. He clenched his palm, gathering a cluster of golden spiritual power between his fingers before letting it slowly dissipate. Although he had only cultivated the Heavenly Flame Body Tempering Art to the Early Golden Core level, with the reinforcement of the Daoyang Ten Palaces Art, his true physical strength could likely rival the Late Golden Core.

Once he refined all the remaining Jinli Stones, assembled more Ember Moon Swords, and formed a stronger sword array, coupled with the Golden Sun Mountain, Heavenly Spirit Ring, Golden Luo Bowl, and Nether Capital Gate... With his current foundation, even at just the Nascent Soul Early Stage, he wouldn't necessarily lack the odds of winning against an ordinary Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator. And if he could go a step further and cultivate to the Middle Nascent Soul Stage, victory would be absolutely assured.

Jiuyou reined in his thoughts, his gaze turning calm once more. He looked up toward the vast sky outside the cave dwelling and remained silent for a long time.

"Mortal World Heart Tempering..." he repeated softly, as if weighing something, or perhaps confirming something.

After a long while, he withdrew his gaze and turned to walk deeper into the cave dwelling at a leisurely pace. The golden light in the cave gradually receded. Only those thirty-two swords were left roaming silently, their flowing sword light casting flickering shadows across his retreating back.