Late at night.
The sky above Bloodthorn Yao Mountain remained blood-red.
In the void, Su Yi's figure leaped through the air, delivering a palm strike.
Thunk!
The head of a ten-zhang tall white giant ape soared into the air.
Blood cascaded like a waterfall.
Its body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Meanwhile, Su Yi landed steadily, the aura of Dao force lingering around him gradually dissipating.
White Bronze Demon Ape.
A ninth-grade demonic beast on par with a Grandmaster at the fifth stage, with bronze skin and iron bones, impervious to blades and spears, possessing boundless strength, and naturally commanding the power of the Wind and Evil. It was unquestionably a dominant presence among demonic beasts.
However, now, in less than three breaths, Su Yi effortlessly beheaded such a formidable ninth-grade demonic beast!
Or rather, within those three breaths, Su Yi didn't use any killer moves and fought the White Bronze Demon Ape in a fierce battle for half an incense stick's time.
One man and one ape clashed their fists against each other, both ferocious and unyielding, seemingly determined to compete in refining their bodies.
In the end, Su Yi gained a slight advantage and suppressed the White Bronze Demon Ape with his imposing aura.
Only then did the scene of him beheading the White Bronze Demon Ape unfold.
Not far away, Ning Xi and Shen Jiu Song exchanged a glance, their expressions calm, unperturbed by the sight.
Since parting ways with Wang Chun Du from Luyang Academy, five hours had passed.
During this period, they had encountered five eighth-grade demonic beasts and three ninth-grade demonic beasts.
Su Yi, delighted at the hunt, took the initiative to attack and easily slain these immensely powerful demonic beasts that could make most Grandmasters despair.
Each time, they engaged in a fierce battle, fighting until their opponents tried to flee before delivering the fatal blow.
According to Su Yi, opponents of this level who could serve as sparring partners were too few, so he cherished every opportunity to encounter them...
At first, Ning Xi and Shen Jiu Song were shocked and amazed by this.
But now, it was hard for them to be surprised anymore.
They could see that Su Yi regarded those eighth and ninth-grade demonic beasts as whetstones.
Every time he encountered them, he was afraid of accidentally killing them instantly, which made him appear particularly precious...
This was both amusing and exasperating, but upon closer reflection, it was enough to make any Grandmaster in the world tremble with fear.
After all, using ninth-grade demonic beasts to temper one's strength was already shocking and unconventional. How many Grandmasters in Da Zhou could accomplish such a feat?
Yet now, ninth-grade demonic beasts could only serve as Su Yi's sparring partners...
The implications behind this were truly chilling.
Not far away, Su Yi held the Xuan Sword in his hand and skillfully dissected the massive body of the White Bronze Demon Ape, like a master butcher expertly carving up a cow.
Soon, a fist-sized, bright red demonic core appeared in Su Yi's hand.
"Not bad, it's comparable to a fourth-grade spiritual herb."
A satisfied smile appeared on Su Yi's lips.
He then turned to Ning Xi and Shen Jiu Song and said, "You can start now. Remember to leave me two fangs, the rest of the spiritual materials are yours."
As he spoke, he went to a nearby rock, sat cross-legged, and lightly opened a small opening in the bright red demonic core with his fingertip.
Bringing it to his mouth, he sucked, and a scorching hot surge of essence blood flowed into his throat, spreading to every part of his body.
As Su Yi activated his qi, a thunderous roar erupted within his body, and the pure and majestic true essence surged like the mighty Yangtze River, circulating through his limbs and bones.
Soon, Su Yi's seated figure was enveloped in a brilliant and radiant aura of Dao force, akin to colorful light and mist.
Like the tides, it carried a unique and profound sense of Dao rhythm.
Ning Xi Hua and Shen Jiu Song went straight to the corpse of the White Bronze Demon Ape and began collecting spiritual materials together.
In the world of demonic beasts, every part of their bodies was a treasure—scales, claws, tendons, bones, fangs, flesh...
Some could be used as medicine, while others could be refined into weapons.
On the bodies of demonic beasts above the seventh grade, one could find rare spiritual materials.
Like the White Bronze Demon Ape in front of them, it was a treasure trove in the eyes of Martial Masters.
Its fur was excellent material for refining spiritual armor, its bones and fangs could be used to forge weapons, and its flesh contained essence power comparable to a third-grade spiritual herb...
Even its eyes and internal organs had their own uses.
If such a complete corpse were brought to the secular world of Da Zhou for sale, it would surely attract the attention of many Martial Masters, causing a commotion.
After a moment, Ning Xi Hua and Shen Jiu Song divided the spoils evenly.
Of course, they didn't forget to leave a pair of fangs for Su Yi.
"Ning Palace Master, Su Young Master has shared the spoils of the five eighth-grade demonic beasts and three ninth-grade demonic beasts he hunted on this journey with us. How... how can I repay him in the future?" Shen Jiu Song forced a smile, feeling unworthy.
"Ordinary people don't even have the opportunity to owe others a favor," Ning Xi Hua smiled faintly. "Besides, you can slowly repay him in the future. Weren't you hoping to embark on the path of the Yuan Dao? This is a precious opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Shen Jiu Song was startled.
Then, he seemed to understand and nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, Ning Palace Master, for your guidance. Shen has learned."
By owing Su Yi a favor, he could take it as an opportunity to get closer to him. Given enough time, he had no doubt that he could truly stand by Su Yi's side.
With this in mind, Shen Jiu Song couldn't help but feel excited.
This trip to Bloodthorn Yao Mountain had truly allowed him to witness what it meant to be a true cultivator.
Compared to power and status in the secular world, they seemed laughable in the face of the mighty strength of cultivators.
All of this made Shen Jiu Song uncontrollably have the idea of challenging the path of Yuan Dao cultivation.
And through Ning Xi Hua's "guidance," he realized that if he could gain Su Yi's approval, it would be equivalent to getting a chance to be guided by a "immortal"!
Half an hour later.
Su Yi woke up from his meditation, stood up, and said, "Let's go."
Afterwards, he walked towards a distant place.
Although they had only been in Bloodthorn Yao Mountain for less than a day, the battles and training they had experienced had greatly accelerated Su Yi's condensing of the "Dao Gang."
By now, he had condensed forty percent of the "Dao Gang" within his true essence!
In other words, he only needed another sixty percent to fully refine the "Hua Gang" at the later stage of the Qi Gathering Realm.
At that time, with all his true essence transformed into "Dao Gang," his foundation in martial arts would be much stronger than in his previous life at the same cultivation realm!
Ning Xi Hua and Shen Jiu Song followed behind him, continuing on their way.
However, along the way, both of them seemed idle and unoccupied.
As they ventured deeper into the heart of Bloodthorn Yao Mountain, it became increasingly rare to encounter demonic beasts below the seventh rank. However, whenever they came across beasts of the seventh rank or higher, Su Yi would swiftly take care of them. This unwavering resolve further solidified Shen Jiu Song's belief in the danger that Bloodthorn Yao Mountain posed.
And indeed, it was an extreme peril!
But as long as one followed the right person, even the most treacherous terrain could become as familiar as flat ground. And at this moment, under Su Yi's guidance, they effortlessly pressed forward, crushing everything in their path.
Another two hours passed by. Along their journey, Su Yi had only encountered two eighth rank demonic beasts. As they delved deeper, the atmosphere in the heavens and earth grew increasingly chaotic.
The blood-red sky hung ominously, like undispersed ink, while the polluted and murky aura of bloodthirst howled through the mountains and valleys, leaving people feeling oppressed and restless.
"Hm?" Suddenly, Su Yi came to a halt.
Almost simultaneously, a whisper-like sound reverberated throughout the heavens and earth. It was reminiscent of murmurs from otherworldly creatures, yet also carried the haunting tones of souls from the depths of hell.
Upon hearing this familiar and eerie sound, Ning Xi Hu and Shen Jiu Song immediately cast aside all distractions and fortified their souls. However, despite their efforts, Ning Xi Hu still furrowed her brows, and a trace of discomfort appeared on her youthful face. Her soul was incredibly sensitive, and this peculiar power only served to amplify the impact she experienced.
Shen Jiu Song grimaced in pain, his cheek twitching and cold sweat forming on his forehead. But Su Yi, on the other hand, remained composed, seemingly oblivious to the disturbance.
With the Nine Purgatory Sword guarding his spiritual sea and his cultivation of the transcendent "Heavenly Transformation Scripture," Su Yi was impervious to any influence. In fact, he was able to discern numerous secrets within these whispers, using his soul's power of perception.
"It appears to be a forbidden formation centered around the underground mountain range of Bloodthorn Yao Mountain, possessing the abilities to capture souls, defend, manipulate malevolent energies, and shatter spirits," Su Yi mused. "Based on the fluctuations of this power, we should reach the area covered by this formation within half a day."
"Hmm, intriguing. It seems someone is utilizing the power of this formation," Su Yi remarked, his gaze flickering with curiosity.
Just then, a faint and distant sound of battle reached their ears. Although indistinct due to the distance, for Su Yi, it was as if he had stumbled upon something fascinating. He asked, "Can the two of you endure a little longer?"
Ning Xi Hu and Shen Jiu Song nodded in agreement.
"Then let's go and witness the spectacle," Su Yi said as he continued moving forward.
Witness a spectacle?
Although perplexed, Ning Xi Hu and Shen Jiu Song suppressed the discomfort in their souls and followed along.
After half an incense stick's worth of time, a colossal bowl-shaped gorge came into view. The mist of malevolent energy rolled violently above the gorge. Within the gorge, a fierce battle was unfolding.
In the center of the gorge, a group of grotesque zombies had trapped two figures within their midst. These zombies, both male and female, young and old, numbered more than ten and appeared no different from ordinary people.
The only difference was their pallid and translucent skin, lifeless expressions, and the pervasive aura of black malevolence emanating from their bodies.
What surprised onlookers was that each of these zombies possessed strength no weaker than a grandmaster's! Moreover, they were impervious to slashes and strikes, seemingly unaware of life and death, which made them incredibly dangerous.
"These are the 'Hundred Refinement Corpse' of the Yin Sha Sect. It's a form of puppetry technique, and the process of refinement is incredibly cruel. It begins by cultivating parasites inside the bodies of grandmasters, consuming their flesh and taking over their physical forms," Ning Xi Hu's pupils slightly narrowed as she spoke softly. "Afterward, through secret techniques, the grandmasters' souls are sealed and imprisoned, and then subjected to numerous malicious rituals to finally produce a corpse like this."
Shen Jiu Song's face darkened. "I have also heard that centuries ago, the reason why the Yin Sha Sect was known as the foremost evil force in the world was because they possessed a vast number of Hundred Refinement Corpses."
"These corpses possess strength equivalent to grandmasters and contain potent malevolent toxins. They can be regarded as humanoid killing machines!"