Refining the Mountains and Rivers

If he were to calculate things a little…tsk tsk, the Nightmare Clan’s ability to amass wealth was truly mouthwatering!

Qin Yu certainly didn’t know that it was for exactly this reason that the Nightmare Clan had argued for countless years but wasn’t able to change anything, and to this day the Nine Nether Pagoda still remained open to the outside world.

Demon crystals could move the hearts of people. If they didn’t, it was only because the number wasn’t high enough. After surpassing a certain limit, even Abyssal Demon Kings couldn’t disregard them.

Moreover, Qin Yu soon discovered that this soul tempering power had a drawback when it came to helping demons strengthen and temper their souls.

Soul tempering power was a flame. Using an incomparably crude method, it forcibly suppressed a demon’s potential in order to strengthen their soul.

The heat of the ‘fire’ would contaminate their soul during this process, causing their heart to speed up, and leading to a dry mouth and boiling blood.

Qin Yu finally understood why so many demons were willing to pay extra demon crystals to bring demon women with them into the training rooms.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t resist their beastly nature during cultivation, but because the cultivation itself was unendurable otherwise.

If he couldn’t figure out a way to drain the ‘fire’ within his body, then it would affect his mind, resulting in unstable cultivation. In worse cases, it would cause his mind to fall into illusion. Once he could no longer control the strength in his body, it would lead to disastrous consequences.

Ah…

Qin Yu rubbed his chin, suddenly thinking of a very impolite question. But the more he wanted to press down this thought, the more lively it became, as if it wanted to jump into the air and challenge Qin Yu’s conscience.

That is…what did female demons do after they entered Nine Nether Pagoda?

Thinking about it, Qin Yu hadn’t seen Nine Nether Pagoda provide any extra service packages to female demon cultivators…

Moreover, the female demons he saw were all alone.

Before, he had been paying attention to the men who led women into their rooms so he didn’t think much about it. Now that his thoughts had changed, he could feel his breath deepening and his heartbeat couldn’t help but become faster.

He would have to rely on himself!

Tsk tsk, he couldn’t think about this! The mental image it created was too explosive!

Qin Yu slapped his forehead, dispersing all these random thoughts.

Returning to the main topic!

The first floor of Nine Nether Pagoda didn’t give him any pleasant surprises. This soul tempering power didn’t hurt or cause any itches, so there was nothing to miss about it.

Staying here was only a waste of time. Qin Yu briefly apologized to Old Fox in his heart, because today’s demon crystal expenses would all come from his savings.

But wasting demon crystals was always better than wasting time. Qin Yu stood up and walked out.

By coincidence, the one who received Qin Yu was the same big-eyed and cute demon girl who helped him before. When she saw Qin Yu come out she stared at him in surprise. She didn’t think he would be unable to endure things so soon.

However, she had reminded him before that if he couldn’t endure it he could use the internal communication device to request extra services. There was no need for him to run all the way out from his room.

Could it be that this guest had taken a liking towards me? Uh…what do I do? I’ve never had a job like this before…

But this guest is very handsome and gives off an inexplicable feeling of safety. Being with him…doesn’t seem like it would be a loss…

As these thoughts raced through the demon girl’s mind, her cheeks flushed red and her eyes turned bright and limpid. Qin Yu’s lips twitched and he repeated the words he said again, “I want to open up a room!”

“Ah…open a room….no need, no need…you have access to your room for one day…it’s not over yet…I…I still have to think about it…please give me some time…” The demon girl incoherently babbled to herself, her heartbeat quickening.

Qin Yu’s face darkened, especially when he saw several surrounding demons looking at him with admiration…it was impossible to say that he didn’t feel cool right now. Men had an incorrigible nature of competition, and no one could deny it.

But who knew just what this demon girl was thinking. He hadn’t even had any thoughts he shouldn’t have.

When he repeated himself a third time, the cute demon girl finally understood what he was saying. After a brief moment of stunned shock, she started to process the matter for him. She glanced up at Qin Yu with a bit of bitterness, clearly unhappy with his confusing words and actions.

Qin Yu could only pretend that he didn’t know anything. He took the room card and left. A sigh of regret rang out from behind him, followed by suspicious eyes.

They were probably wondering why he didn’t take advantage of this beautiful woman when she tossed herself at him. There couldn’t be a problem with his body, right?

The soul tempering power on the second floor of Nine Nether Pagoda was twice as strong. Similarly, the demon crystal cost also doubled.

But what a pity, Qin Yu still wasn’t able to find any clues about the Nightmare Clan’s ancestral land through this soul tempering power.

Had he been wrong?

Thinking about things carefully, Adversity Peak City had already existed for countless years, and the various abyssal tribes had dispatched countless elites to enter Nine Nether Pagoda and seek out its secrets.

Yet even now no news had spread out. This alone proved that the Nightmare Clan had prepared for all possible contingencies.

Or perhaps…Nine Nether Pagoda was only Nine Nether Pagoda. While it could release soul tempering power that came from the Nightmare Ancestral Land, it had no direct contact with the ancestral land.

If so, staying here would be meaningless.

Of course, it wasn’t that there was no meaning at all. But soul tempering power of this degree was just too limited.

Unless he went even deeper into Nine Nether Pagoda…mm, this was a possibility. Maybe it was because the soul tempering power here wasn’t strong? And that was the reason why he couldn’t sense anything through it?

Qin Yu’s eyes brightened. This was an undeniable possibility. Since he came here, he might as well give it a shot.

Qin Yu stood up and walked out. Since he had already wasted some demon crystals, he might as well waste some more. With this thought in mind, he felt much more at ease.

Sure enough, people were creatures of habit!

This time, his luck wasn’t poor enough for him to meet that cute demon girl from before again. He directly asked for a room on Nine Nether Pagoda’s eighth floor.

But obviously, he suffered from insufficient preparation and didn’t know some things about Nine Nether Pagoda.

However, this wasn’t uncommon. Many other demons who came from all over the abyss knew the name of Nine Nether Pagoda, but they only had a general idea of it.

The demon woman behind the counter smiled and explained, “Dear guest, how do you do? Because soul tempering power can cause injuries to the soul to a degree, those who wish to rent a room on the fifth level and above need to undergo confirmation first. This is to prevent any possible accidents from occurring.

“If you indeed hope to enter the eighth floor, then please pay confirmation expenses first. Only after passing will you obtain the qualifications to enter. Certainly, this confirmation only applies to your first time. Afterwards, you can directly open up a room.”

Nine Nether Pagoda’s so-called qualifications confirmation could be called simple and crude. After paying demon crystals, Qin Yu was brought to a finely designed courtyard not too far away from the pagoda.

Before entering, the Nine Nether Pagoda demon specifically reminded him that he had to be respectful. No matter what he felt, he couldn’t be surprised or make a big fuss about it.

Then, Qin Yu saw the method used by the Nightmare Clan to verify someone – sitting on a large seat in the small courtyard, there was an old demon with his eyes half-closed, as if he had fallen asleep.

He was indeed extremely old. Qin Yu could clearly feel the strong baptism of years coming from him.

Wrinkles were stacked up on his face, each one releasing a constrained feeling.

These were traces of being eroded by death!

It was clear that this demon’s life would be coming to an end soon. He was like a candle in the wind that could extinguish at any time, simply dying in the breeze.

His eyes sparkled and Qin Yu lowered his head. At this time, on the spacious and comfortable chair, the old demon suddenly opened his eyes.

His opaque eyes were almost lightless. But deep within them, there seemed to be a flicker of lightning.

When the demon looked at Qin Yu, he paused for a while. As the Nine Nether Pagoda demon who led the way was about to be drenched in a cold seat, the old demon slowly closed his eyes again.

“Hu…” The Nine Nether Pagoda demon let out a light breath. He respectfully said, “Thank you, my lord.”

He turned and pulled Qin Yu away. Once they left the courtyard he closed the door. Only then did the demon wipe the sweat from his forehead and say in a weary voice, “Congratulations guest, you have passed the test. Please take this sign and go to your room.”

As he spoke, he handed Qin Yu a thick crystal sign the size of a child’s palm and as thick as a knuckle. It was inscribed with delicate patterns all over.

To withstand the threatening eyes of a Demon Commander level character, anyone who accomplished that had to have considerable soul force…this was indeed a fast and convenient way!

Qin Yu smiled. The person who came up with such an examination method was a rare talent.

On the surface, he didn’t reveal anything at all. He cupped his hands across his chest and then received the jade sign.

This thing looked ordinary, but it clearly had ways of discriminating and couldn’t be borrowed at will. However, Qin Yu wasn’t in the mood to study these things. Since he had the qualifications to open a room he wanted to hurry and try it out.

When he turned and left, he glanced at the tightly shut courtyard doors. Thinking about what he sensed, waves rippled in his eyes.

The Nightmare Clan was worthy of being listed amongst the top ten royal families of the abyss; their strength was truly extraordinary. Even an old and dying Demon Commander had such tyrannical strength.

But what a pity, this old demon’s luck wasn’t good. He was just one step short of crossing the moat before him.

He could only helplessly watch as his life slowly exhausted itself and his bloodline gradually dried up, withering away until he perished.

The great path of cultivation was difficult and brutal. This was an unchanging principle, whether it was in the abyss world or the living world…and what did it matter if one became a Demon Commander? If they couldn’t continue marching forward, they would never be able to escape the fate of eventually turning to ashes and dust.

Qin Yu shook his head. He suppressed these thoughts and turned towards Nine Nether Pagoda.