I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 82: 82 The Origin of Devouring Heaven

"The vast expanse of Cloud Continent, with a population in the hundreds of millions, having one or two similar individuals is quite normal."

Zhou Yi consoled himself with this thought. According to the routines in storybooks, the peaceful and serene Cultivation World would become chaotic with the emergence of the main character.

After over twenty years of managing Little Dan Mountain, Zhou Yi could now be said to be safe and worry-free, with wealth, cultivation technique, and land all at hand; he simply needed to bide his time to improve his cultivation.

Change identities every hundred to ten years, and after three to five iterations, he was sure to achieve the perfection of Qi Refinement.

With that in mind, Zhou Yi put back the Spirit Rice and earnestly advised, "Your cultivation is too low; you shouldn't mine for now. At least wait until the later stages of Qi Refinement."

"I'll never forget this great kindness, senior!"

Xiao Tiezhu, with tear-filled eyes, felt that there were truly many good people in the Cultivation World, contrary to the harrowing and dangerous world his master had described.

Zhou Yi repeatedly reminded Xiao Tiezhu to patiently cultivate. Seeing him nod in agreement time after time, Zhou Yi finally set his mind at ease.

He returned to his cave dwelling.

There was a figure standing at the entrance, none other than Liu Heng, who had come to seek instruction in the Array Dao.

"Greetings, Master Zhu!"

"I've said before, do not be so formal. We can either address each other as fellow disciples or as uncle and nephew."

Zhou Yi smiled and waved his hand, forming a spell to open the cave dwelling's formation.

The medicinal herbs inside the cave dwelling were thriving. While Zhou Yi tended to the herb garden, he explained the ways of formation to Liu Heng.

About two hours later.

Having listened to the lesson beside the herb garden, Liu Heng couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Master, with your profound understanding of the Array Dao, you should be focused on studying it. Why do you still take such pleasure in farming?"

"It's to remind myself never to forget my original aspiration."

Zhou Yi believed that farming was no less important than the four arts of cultivation, a heritage tracing back to ancient times, one that would not vanish in thousands or even tens of thousands of years to come.

Even if the world underwent drastic changes, farming would remain unchanged, only the seeds might be different.

...

The next day.

Zhou Yi was on duty at the office when he noticed someone waiting at the counter.

Devoted to corpse refining, Leng Yun!

"Greetings, Senior Brother Leng."

Zhou Yi wore an indifferent expression, unwilling to have much interaction with Leng Yun.

Although Leng Yun's deep affection for his wife was admirable, strange and eccentric individuals often spelled trouble, which did not align with Zhou Yi's desire for stability.

Leng Yun did not leverage his strength to be domineering, instead, he bowed deeply and said, "I apologize for startling Master Zhu yesterday, Leng has come to apologize first."

Zhou Yi turned to the side and said, "Those who give courtesy to others often have a request in mind. Senior Brother Leng, just speak directly."

Leng Yun said, "I heard from Daoist Pang that Master Zhu can set up a Minor Five Elements Formation, whose defensive power is astounding both inside and out?"

"That is indeed the case."

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "I've only thoroughly comprehended it, but due to the expensive materials needed for the formation, I have not yet set one up."

Leng Yun said, "I will purchase the materials for the formation. Could I prepare three sets and request Master Zhu to take action?"

Zhou Yi silently calculated; three sets of materials should be manageable, and even if all failed, he could compensate with Spirit Stones, and obtaining the experience in setting up formations would be worthwhile.

"It is possible, with an additional fee of five hundred Spirit Stones!"

Leng Yun hesitated for a moment and then said, "Recently, my wife has advanced to the stage of Copper Corpse, requiring a large purchase of Monster Beast Flesh. Buying materials for the formation has left me short on Spirit Stones. Could I use a spell to cover the debt?"

"Let's have a look first."

Zhou Yi was quite curious; what level of spell could be worth five hundred Spirit Stones.

Leng Yun said, "The Xuanyin Corpse Refinement Technique, as well as my insights into refining corpses."

"..."

Zhou Yi was momentarily speechless, shaking his head repeatedly in refusal, "I am wholeheartedly committed to righteousness and will never cultivate demonic techniques. Not to mention refining corpses, when I see the corpses of fellow practitioners, I always perform rites to liberate them!"

Leng Yun's practice of the Corpse Refining Technique was understandable, and moreover, he was not afraid of death.

Zhou Yi cherished life very much; within the territories ruled by the orthodox sects, he would never dabble in any demonic or heretical paths.

The orthodox sects were not lacking in cultivators who despised evil and vowed to eradicate all demonic heretics; upon encountering someone practicing the Corpse Refining Technique, they would send them into reincarnation without listening to any explanations to cleanse their sins!

Upon hearing this, Leng Yun's expression darkened as he said, "After my wife advanced to a bronze corpse, she developed quite a fierce nature. I dare not leave the cave dwelling; it's impossible to gather five hundred Spirit Stones in a short time."

Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "Why don't you keep it by your side?"

"That True Person Xuan Lin could tolerate my practice of refining corpses is already a great kindness."

Leng Yun explained, "To avoid tarnishing the reputation of Little Dan Mountain, I cannot leave the range of the cave dwelling until my wife develops consciousness."

Zhou Yi, seeing his bitter expression, couldn't help but feel admiration.

Rumors had it that Leng Yun possessed an excellent Innate Spirit Root and, having cultivated for over twenty years, had already achieved Qi Refinement completion. If not for his practice of the Corpse Refining Technique, he could have directly joined the Dan Ding Sect.

He was willing to give up a bright future to revive his deceased wife and, furthermore, he abided by rules, never forcing Zhou Yi to set up a formation from the start.

Such factors made it difficult not to feel a sense of fondness towards him.

Zhou Yi asked, "Brother Leng, do you have any other spells?"

Leng Yun replied helplessly, "Over the years, I have relied solely on meditation for cultivation. The Spirit Stones earned from farming near the cave dwelling have all been invested in my wife. This Xuanyin Corpse Refinement Technique scroll is already the most precious thing I have."

Zhou Yi was momentarily unsure whether Leng Yun was mocking him or not.

Having cultivated from innate martial skill to the present, it took him nearly a hundred and ten years of arduous cultivation to reach merely the fourth level of Qi Refinement.

"Where did the Xuanyin Corpse Refinement Technique come from?"

"It was searched from a true disciple of the Xuanyin Sect."

Leng Yun took out four jade slips from his storage bag, saying, "The person left behind mostly Spiritual Objects for refining corpses, which have already been used on my wife, and the remaining few spells are not of much use."

Zhou Yi accepted the jade slips and checked them one by one.

The fee of five hundred Spirit Stones for setting up the formation could be settled later; with Leng Yun's abilities and temperament, he likely wouldn't renege on the debt.

"To think that at nearly one hundred and fifty years old, I could still be moved. This time only, after which I shall become strangers with Leng Yun."

With thoughts racing, Zhou Yi had already reviewed the jade slips.

They were respectively the Yin Wind Curse, Blood Spirit Net, Soldier Refining Art, Jade Dew Art...

The first two, judging by their names, were passed over immediately. Practicing demonic cultivation techniques isn't something you can just hide and get away with. Like Leng Yun, who has practiced the Corpse Refining Technique for so long that he is imbued with yin energy, it's impossible to hide no matter how much one tries to disguise themselves.

Upon seeing the third technique, the Soldier Refining Art, Zhou Yi's expression changed slightly.

"Isn't this the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique?"

The opening content of the Soldier Refining Art was extremely similar to the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique or, to be more precise, a complete version because it could absorb more than just Inner Qi.

Zhou Yi continued reading, suppressing his shock. It turned out that the Soldier Refining Art was a secret technique for sacrificially refining magical weapons, allowing ordinary people to devour various acquired energies like Inner Qi, evil Qi, Yin Qi, and more.

After accumulating a certain amount, one could forcibly draw in Spiritual Energy into the body, breaking through the first level of Qi Refinement.

Many demonic secret techniques and Magic Artifacts required the essence, energy, and spirit of cultivators to be refined, hence the creation of the Soldier Refining Art.

What came next wasn't hard to surmise.

After the Soldier Refining Art spread to the common world, whether it was due to gradual loss in succession or compiled by martial geniuses, it slowly transformed into the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique.

"The Cultivation World may seem to be disconnected from the mundane, but its influence is profound; the spread of just one Cultivation Technique can affect the rise and fall of dynasties."

Zhou Yi looked at the final jade slip, unable to discern from its name whether it was righteous or evil.

The Jade Dew Art, which, upon execution, would consume Mana and lifespan to condense Creation Dew, had a miraculous effect on accelerating the growth of wood attribute Spiritual Medicine.

"Accelerate! Could it be..."

Zhou Yi kept a composed face, but a tidal wave surged in his heart as he hurriedly reviewed the subsequent content.

Indeed, as suspected, the so-called acceleration was the hastening of Spiritual Medicine growth. For the lifespan consumed by performing the Jade Dew Art, the Spiritual Medicine could roughly transform ten years for every hundred years of lifespan.

"A hundred years of lifespan converted into ten years of medicinal age?"

"This spell is just... amazing!"