Xiaodan Mountain Marketplace
The gathering place for the Demon Slayer Alliance members consists of over ten large halls. In the rightmost side hall, a fifty-year-old man in black with a gold coin-shaped birthmark on his left cheek sat on a bed. In front of him, a bowl contained a snow silkworm, its antennae constantly twitching.
This man is Jin Shifeng, a member of the Demon Slayer Alliance who has just returned to Xiaodan Mountain from the mortal world. As a member of the Demon Slayer Alliance, the alliance provides him with accommodation.
"What? The treasure is not at Xiaodan Mountain?! It's in the direction of Cuiyun Mountain?"
Jin Shifeng frowned deeply as he looked at the snow silkworm. Last time, the tracking gu indicated that the Three Corpses Gu King Jar was at Xiaodan Mountain, but now it's in Cuiyun Mountain.
"It seems I must go quickly to avoid any complications."
"I'll prepare some things this afternoon."
Jin Shifeng took a deep breath and stood up, muttering to himself. With the Three Corpses Gu King Jar, he could cultivate a transformation gu, plant it in a target's body, and have it gradually absorb all the target's spiritual power. Eventually, the transformation gu would emerge from the target's body. Refining the transformation gu at that point would allow him to leverage its immense spiritual power to break through his cultivation level!
Jin Shifeng planned to set out for Cuiyun Mountain early the next morning.
Hut 88
In the afternoon, Qin Wang, sitting cross-legged on his couch, slowly opened his eyes, holding two spirit stones that turned to ashes.
[Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Stage Four (443/4000)]
His progress bar had reached 443. According to his usual routine, after absorbing two spirit stones, Qin Wang would take out all his treasures and touch each one, especially the broken sword, hoping to gain some insight into refining it.
"Hmm?"
When Qin Wang took out the Soul-Gathering Bowl, a thought occurred to him. He remembered the information stating that the Soul-Gathering Bowl could be refined using divine sense. Now that he was at Qi Refining Stage Four, he shouldn't have forgotten this.
This Soul-Gathering Bowl actively absorbs souls and contains the souls of Li Lao Cai, Zheng Kecheng, Ding Dian, Zhuo Qiuhang, Chen Kun, Zhuo Yijian, Old Lady Chen, and others. He had vowed to dig up Li Lao Cai's grave and flog his corpse eight hundred times, a promise yet to be fulfilled.
With this in mind, Qin Wang immediately held the Soul-Gathering Bowl and examined it closely. The bowl, half a foot in size, appeared dull and black, cold and heavy in his hand, exuding a chilling aura that made him shiver.
Overcoming the coldness, Qin Wang brought the bowl closer and began probing it with his divine sense. Instantly, he felt an extreme chill, as if touching ice in a winter pond. He endured the cold, pushing his divine sense further into the bowl. Soon, he "saw" a black altar, with a black bowl-shaped phantom above it, mirroring the Soul-Gathering Bowl.
As Qin Wang's divine sense approached, the bowl-shaped phantom dissipated, transforming into lines of black text. Delighted, Qin Wang realized these were the incantations for the first level of the Soul-Gathering Bowl's restrictions.
"Eighteen levels of restrictions, refining the first level!"
Immediately, Qin Wang's consciousness entered the bowl, beginning the refining process. Time flew by, and by morning, Qin Wang finally opened his eyes, pleased with his success. Refining the first level of the incantation allowed his soul to enter the bowl and control the fates of the souls within.
With a thought, Qin Wang's consciousness enveloped the Soul-Gathering Bowl, and the next moment, he found himself in a hundred-zhang-wide space surrounded by mist. In the space floated over three hundred ethereal figures, their anguished cries echoing.
Qin Wang's consciousness-formed figure was more solid and radiant than the others. Upon seeing this unique figure, the souls stopped wailing and stared at him, some even rushing forward with eyes full of hatred—Zheng Kecheng, Chen Kun, Ding Dian, Zhuo Qiuhang, among others.
"Hehe, all old acquaintances. Stay here; I assure you there's no reincarnation for you."
Qin Wang's figure chuckled at the furious souls, then noticed the trembling Li Lao Cai. "Old man, I said I'd dig up your grave and flog your corpse eight hundred times. Looks like I can do it in front of you now."
Li Lao Cai's soul, trembling with anger and fear, glared at Qin Wang. Smiling, Qin Wang surveyed his enemies' souls before exiting the Soul-Gathering Bowl's space.
"It's time to check the midnight intelligence reports."
With a thought, Qin Wang opened his status panel.
[Daily Intelligence Refreshed!]
[Today's Intelligence!]
Yesterday, you touched the Ice Profound Sword and obtained information: its previous owner was Bai Lingfeng.
Yesterday, you touched the Five Elements Divine Light Jar and obtained information: Jin Shifeng has returned to Xiaodan Mountain's Demon Slayer Alliance and used the tracking gu to sense that the Five Elements Divine Light Jar is at Cuiyun Mountain. He plans to leave for Cuiyun Mountain this morning.
Yesterday, you refined the first level of restrictions on the Soul-Gathering Bowl and obtained information: it is an ancient demonic treasure with its spirit eradicated.
You set a trap in Cuiyun Mountain and obtained information: a thousand zhang underground, a demonic arm from ten thousand years ago is buried.
You lost your spirit field and spirit grain to Zhao Haifeng, obtaining information: the External Affairs Hall Elder, Zhao Yulong, will transport resources to the Spirit Medicine Sect today and seek an audience with Zhang Panpan.
Yesterday, you observed the broken sword and obtained information: it was broken by the true disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Jin Wuming.
Yesterday, you observed the small green sword obtained from Old Lady Chen and obtained information: her grandson, Chen Yi, is advancing rapidly in the Taiyi Sword Sect and has been accepted as a direct disciple by Sect Master Wan Jianyi.
Yesterday, you opened the storage bag obtained from Qingyao Shiren and obtained information: Qingyao Shiren's unfulfilled love, Zhang Panpan, advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm in the Spirit Medicine Sect yesterday.
Yesterday, you touched the soul-lock jade obtained from Zheng Kecheng's hiding place and obtained information: the mysterious woman's soul inside is a prodigy of the Wu Family Sword Domain, betrayed and trapped by her closest sister.