Yun Ting entered the library for the fifth time, but this time, he stood still, hesitant. He was unsure of what technique to choose.
He could take an easy route, selecting a simple technique just to clear this step quickly. Or, he could seek a technique that might prove useful in the future.
The truth was, he had no certainty about obtaining the main inheritance. And even if he did, he doubted he could keep it. This wasn't just any inheritance—it belonged to a Divine Throne Cultivator, an existence only second to true Immortals.
If word got out that he had obtained the inheritance, countless cultivators would come hunting for him. So, he should stop thinking about the main inheritance and maximize his benefit in the Nine Stairs Trail.
He couldn't afford to waste any opportunity—he needed to maximize his gains from the last five steps.
The technique that would benefit him the most would be one related to Vitality Rules. However, the Dead River Sect's inheritance revolved around the Rules of Death, Water, and Soul, along with the energies derived from them. Techniques related to Vitality Energy would be rare, if not nonexistent, in this place.
Closing his eyes, Yun Ting searched his memory. While exploring the library's vast shelves, he noticed a section dedicated to Vitality Energy Techniques. He recalled that it was tucked away in a far corner of the library.
Without hesitation, he quickly walked toward it.
Upon reaching the Vitality Energy Techniques section, he began scanning the available techniques. However, most of them were forbidden arts—methods that burned the body's vitality in exchange for short-term power boosts. These techniques were useless to him; he already possessed a far superior vitality-based technique, created by Gleen, derived from the Thunder Sword Technique.
But among the countless forbidden techniques, three stood out—techniques that focused not on sacrificing vitality, but on understanding it:
1. Vitality Cloud Technique
2. Snake Molding Technique
3. Dead Seed Technique
These techniques were different.
- The Vitality Cloud Technique was a farming technique designed to form a raincloud of vitality energy, allowing it to revitalize barren land and make it fertile. However, this technique was completely useless to him—he didn't own land, nor did he intend to waste his opportunity on something with no immediate benefit.
The snake Molding Technique was a healing technique that stored excess vitality energy and allowed for instant recovery during emergencies. It was an appealing option, but Yun Ting felt confident that he could develop a similar technique himself, making it unnecessary to waste this chance.
That left only the Dead Seed Technique.
Though also a farming technique, this one was different—it focused on reviving valuable spiritual plant seeds that had withered and lost their vitality. It had been discarded in a neglected section of the library because it did not fully transform Death Energy. The seeds it worked on were not completely dead but still held a trace of life energy within them.
The technique functioned by identifying that hidden life force, then gradually consuming the surrounding Death Energy, converting it into strength to nurture and restore the seed to life.
Intrigued, Yun Ting chose the Dead Seed Technique.
The moment he did, his surroundings shifted once more. He now stood in the middle of a barren wasteland, with a single dead seed lying in front of him.
Finding the trace of life energy within the seed was easy for him. The real challenge, however, lies in the environment. The land was lifeless, completely devoid of spiritual energy, and on top of that, his own energy was sealed—only his spiritual sense remained unsealed.
With no other choice, Yun Ting patiently worked for years, slowly guiding the dead energy to feed and strengthen the hidden life energy within the seed.
At long last, the seed transformed into a living seed, and in that instant, the illusion shattered.
He found himself standing on the fifth staircase.
Glancing around, he quickly assessed his ranking. He had climbed to seventh place. Liang Ji had already reached the eighth step, while the leader of the Earth Devil Palace stood at the very top—the ninth and final staircase.
Yun Ting then climbed up the sixth staircase and once again found himself inside the library. This time, he headed straight to the Earth Energy section, carefully browsing through the collection of books.
A smile appeared on his face as he pulled out a particular technique—it was a method to turn normal soil into spiritual soil. He chose this technique because he had selected spiritual soil to refine his stomach. By understanding this technique, he could also deepen his comprehension of the spiritual object, Spiritual Soil.
The scene shifted, and he found himself standing in a vast field. Without hesitation, he began practicing. After a few months of diligent effort, he successfully transformed a small patch of ordinary land into a spiritual field, making it suitable for growing spiritual plants and trees.
The illusion shattered, and Yun Ting stepped onto the seventh staircase. Wasting no time, he rushed to the Gold Energy section, searching for a technique. Soon, he found one—Bronze Body.
He chose this technique because it utilized Bronze Essence, the spiritual material he had selected to refine his lungs. After making his choice, he was transported to a training ground where he spent the next few years mastering the technique. When he completed it, he found himself back on the seventh staircase.
He climbed to the eighth staircase and immediately headed to the Water-Energy section—one of the largest sections in the library. The sheer number of techniques excited him, and he eagerly began searching for one that could help him understand Illusion Tears, the spiritual material he had chosen.
After careful selection, he found five techniques related to Illusion Tears but ultimately chose Illusion Eye. This technique utilized Illusion Tears to transform one's eyes, granting the ability to cast illusions with a mere thought.
The moment he selected it, the illusion shifted, and he found himself inside a pavilion, facing a jar of Illusion Tears. Over a year, he successfully transformed his eyes, gaining Illusion Eyes.
The illusion shattered once more. Before ascending the final ninth staircase, Yun Ting glanced around. Only two people stood on the ninth step—one from Earth Devil Palace and another from his team. However, Lu Yan, Liang Ji, the leader of the Earth Devil Palace, and another Earth Devil Palace member—all of whom had been ahead of him—were now missing.
"They must have already entered the palace," he thought, feeling a growing sense of urgency.
Without hesitation, he stepped onto the ninth staircase and was once again transported into the illusion library. This time, he headed toward the Wood Energy section. It was small, much like the Vitality Energy section, but luck was on his side—he found a technique called Hunyuan Wooden Energy Whip.
This technique focused on five different wooden energy whips, which, when mastered, could be fused into a single, ultimate energy whip—the Hunyuan Wooden Energy Whip.
The five foundational techniques were:
1. Sunflower Energy Whip – A fusion of Fire Energy and Wood Energy
2. Deep Vine Energy Whip – A fusion of Earth Energy and Wood Energy
3. Ice Lotus Energy Whip – A fusion of Water Energy and Wood Energy
4. Golden Bamboo Energy Whip – A fusion of Metal Energy and Wood Energy
5. Ancient Tree Energy Whip – Pure refined Wood Energy
Yun Ting was already familiar with all these energy types, but the real challenge lay in combining two different energies.
Through three years of intense effort, he succeeded in mastering each individual whip technique. Then came the most difficult task—merging all five energies to create the Hunyuan Wooden Energy Whip. By using Wood Energy as the base, he finally succeeded after five years.
As soon as he completed the technique, the illusion shattered, and Yun Ting found himself ascending the final staircase.
At last, he stood before the massive black palace doors.
A thought crossed his mind—was it truly worth risking his life for the main inheritance?
He had already gained nine invaluable inheritances, each providing immense benefits. Soon, he would create his Immortal Cultivator Clone, which meant he had no reason to throw his life away recklessly for an inheritance that may bring danger to his life.
With this in mind, he cautiously pushed open the palace doors.
But instead of seeing the interior, his vision was blocked by a black screen. He extended his hand and felt it pierce through the darkness.
Taking a deep breath, Yun Ting stepped forward—and entered the palace.