The sword light that had pierced through the Flame Ape Demon spun rapidly in the air before returning to Wei Tu’s hand as he emerged from underground.

“Slightly damaged, but compared to the harvest, this loss is negligible.”

Wei Tu glanced at the Ice Jiao Sword, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

The Flame Ape Demon had a high bloodline ranking among Tier-2 demon beasts, boasting formidable combat strength.

Moreover, this particular Flame Ape Demon had cultivation at the pinnacle of early Foundation Establishment. If not for their combined efforts, slaying it without sustaining injuries would have been no easy feat.

“The reason the Ice Jiao Sword managed to penetrate its defenses and kill it in one strike isn’t just because of the sword’s power. My Geomagnetic Yuan Light also played a crucial role.”

Wei Tu analyzed the battle.

Unlike most cultivators, when he controlled the Ice Jiao Sword, he didn’t rely solely on divine sense—he also infused it with Geomagnetic Yuan Light.

By merging these two forces, the intensity of his divine sense reached the level of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.

With this enhanced control, his sneak attack became overwhelmingly lethal, catching the Flame Ape Demon completely off guard.

Of course—

The battle’s success was also due to the efforts of Kou Hongying and Fu Zhizhou. Their relentless assaults had worn down the demon beast, setting up the perfect moment for his finishing strike.

“If I can refine Yuan Gravity Seals, the Ice Jiao Sword’s lethality will increase even further.”

Wei Tu made a mental note.

After storing the Flame Ape Demon’s corpse in a storage bag, the three of them quickly left the area, masking their presence before stopping twenty miles away.

Only then did they begin distributing the loot.

“Uncle Wei, while Fu Zhizhou and I did our part in wearing the beast down, the true deciding factor in this battle was your Ice Jiao Sword.”

Kou Hongying analyzed the battle, attributing the majority of the credit to Wei Tu.

This wasn’t out of favoritism—it was simply the truth.

Raw effort did not equate to contribution.

Many Foundation Establishment cultivators could have played their role, but few could have replicated Wei Tu’s decisive killing blow.

Moreover, they had used several of Wei Tu’s talismans during the fight.

Without them, both she and Fu Zhizhou would have been seriously injured.

Wei Tu nodded in agreement.

A brotherhood that thrived on blind loyalty never lasted.

Precise distribution of benefits was the key to keeping an alliance stable.

While he hadn’t been at the front lines, the fact remained—the Ice Jiao Sword’s strike was what secured their victory.

It was only fair that he claimed the major share of the loot.

After fifteen minutes, the division of spoils was complete.

Wei Tu took the most valuable parts—the Flame Ape Demon’s hide and demon blood.

Kou Hongying claimed the beast’s demon core and a portion of its flesh.

Fu Zhizhou took the remaining demon flesh.

The Flame Ape Demon’s core had been damaged, significantly reducing its value—hence, it was worth less than the hide.

No one had any objections to the split.

“Fu Zhizhou, while your Lingwu Unity served you well in Qi Refinement, at Foundation Establishment, its limitations are showing. Once you join the Qiyue Zhao Clan, you should consider training in a Tier-2 body refinement technique.”

“That way, you’ll be able to fully utilize the benefits of this demon flesh.”

After finalizing the split, Kou Hongying turned to Fu Zhizhou, offering a strategic suggestion.

At first glance, demon flesh seemed less valuable than demon cores or hides.

However, with the right cultivation method, it could be extremely beneficial.

“Body refinement techniques?”

Fu Zhizhou fell into thought.

Among the four members of Righteous Society, Kou Hongying had the broadest knowledge, having trained in an immortal sect.

Wei Tu’s smooth cultivation progress was largely due to her advice—it was she who had once recommended that he switch to the Lesser Spring and Autumn Art.

Back then, Fu Zhizhou had ignored her advice.

As a result, he had wasted years overcoming bottlenecks.

Now, she was offering him new guidance.

Fu Zhizhou felt it was worth serious consideration.

Training in body refinement was expensive, time-consuming, and required immense effort.

But—it might be his only chance to survive the impending war between the two great Golden Core clans.

After dividing the spoils, the three took a brief rest before continuing their journey toward Lihuo Lake.

Lihuo Lake was located deep within the inner region of Demon Wolf Mountain Range, a highly dangerous area.

Thus, along the way, even when encountering lone Tier-2 demon beasts similar to the Flame Ape Demon, the three chose not to engage, prioritizing safety.

“Is that the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood?”

Upon reaching the lakeside, Wei Tu spotted several towering ancient trees with a deep black hue.

Their appearance was identical to the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood he had seen in cultivation manuals.

To verify, he guided a wisp of grayish Geomagnetic Yuan Light from his dantian and sent it toward the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood.

The finger-sized Geomagnetic Yuan Light was immediately absorbed upon contact, merging seamlessly into the trees.

“Looks like this is indeed the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood. Yu Kui wasn’t lying.”

Wei Tu’s expression lit up with joy.

“Fourth Brother, Hongying, I’ll need you both to guard me while I harvest these Iron Magnetic Spirit Woods.”

Wei Tu transmitted a message to Kou Hongying and Fu Zhizhou as he approached the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood.

Although this material was not a valuable treasure and had no use for most demon beasts, the process of harvesting it could still attract unwanted interference.

Thus, Kou Hongying and Fu Zhizhou would stand guard.

Sitting cross-legged near the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood, Wei Tu used his Talisman Sword to slice off a section of the tree trunk.

Then, channeling his innate energy, he exhaled a stream of orange-red flame.

This flame was none other than Innate True Fire, a fundamental skill that all Foundation Establishment cultivators possessed.

It was a simple technique, requiring only Fireball Art and liquidized spiritual energy to activate.

A few years back, Wei Tu had purchased a pill furnace to refine pills.

Although he had yet to succeed in creating a single pill, he had mastered the Flame Manipulation Technique used to control Innate True Fire.

The Iron Magnetic Spirit Woods were massive trees, far too large to fit inside a storage pouch.

Thus, Wei Tu had no choice but to burn them down with Innate True Fire, refining them into their essence.

Extracting spiritual materials was also a basic alchemical skill.

Under the intense heat of orange-red flames, the ten-foot-long trunk gradually shrank, eventually condensing into a thumb-sized black droplet of spiritual liquid.

Wei Tu named it “Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid.”

Storing the Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid into his storage pouch, Wei Tu repeated the process, using Innate True Fire to refine the remaining Iron Magnetic Spirit Woods.

Time passed slowly.

Days went by.

After fully refining one Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood, Wei Tu had gathered an entire jade box of Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid.

Taking out a mid-grade spirit stone, he replenished his spiritual energy before moving on to the next two trees.

During these days, the demon beasts around Lihuo Lake began noticing their presence, occasionally harassing them.

However, these were merely Tier-1 demon beasts, incapable of posing a real threat to them.

In the Demon Wolf Mountain Range, Tier-2 demon beasts were rare.

Most were tribal rulers, difficult to encounter under normal circumstances.

Half a month later.

Wei Tu completed the refining of the remaining two Iron Magnetic Spirit Woods.

With their objective achieved, the three left Lihuo Lake.

Days later, the group arrived at another spiritual land known to contain Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood.

However, Wei Tu was disappointed—someone had already harvested the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood from this location years ago.

The intelligence wasn’t false; he had simply been beaten to it.

Nonetheless, Wei Tu remained undeterred, continuing his search for more Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood throughout the Demon Wolf Mountain Range.

The more Yuan Gravity Seals, the better.

With his current supply, he could only generate a force of 500 Jun using the Yuan Gravity Seal.

(The Yuan Gravity Seal controlled gravity, and its strength was measured in units of force.)

One month later.

Wei Tu finally located the last site referenced in his leads.

However, unlike Lihuo Lake, this location held an additional treasure—a rare Xuan You Grass growing near the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood.

Its rich spiritual energy had attracted a Tier-2 Scarlet-Eyed Python, which now acted as its guardian.

“This Scarlet-Eyed Python is slightly stronger than the Flame Ape Demon, but not by much.”

Wei Tu assessed the beast’s aura and made a judgment.

Unlike human cultivators, demon beasts never concealed their presence—on the contrary, they deliberately emitted their aura to intimidate rivals.

This beastly aura was known as “Demonic Qi.”

The stronger the Demonic Qi, the stronger the beast.

“First, let’s eliminate all the Tier-1 demon beasts within a 20-mile radius.”

“We can’t risk them being mobilized by the Scarlet-Eyed Python to swarm us.”

Wei Tu took out two jade slips and recorded the movements of the surrounding demon beasts he had detected before handing them to Fu Zhizhou and Kou Hongying.

Two days later.

The three of them slaughtered all the nearby demon beasts and regrouped at their original location.

Wei Tu patted his beast pouch, releasing the Wind-Cleaving Eagle to survey the area. Then, he retrieved a Shattering Stone Talisman, channeling Geomagnetic Yuan Light into it before sending it into the Scarlet-Eyed Python’s lair and detonating it.

Boom!

The ground trembled violently.

A blood-soaked, scale-shattered Scarlet-Eyed Python burst from the cave, its scarlet pupils radiating fury as it charged toward Wei Tu.

Water Prison Art! Water Arrow Art!

Kou Hongying’s pre-cast spells struck the python, attempting to halt its movement.

The Scarlet-Eyed Python lashed out with its massive tail, shattering the spells with ease before continuing its relentless pursuit of Wei Tu.

Just then, a sharp eagle cry echoed from the sky.

The Wind-Cleaving Eagle swooped down, heading straight for the Xuan You Grass growing near the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood.

Seeing its treasured plant about to be taken, the Scarlet-Eyed Python’s eyes widened in rage, and it immediately turned back, rushing toward its cave in a desperate attempt to protect its prize.

However, at that moment, Fu Zhizhou, who had been lying in wait, hurled multiple talismans at the serpent.

Heavy stone and earth rained down, crushing the python beneath a massive weight.

Tier-2 Talisman—Heavy Stone Talisman.

The Scarlet-Eyed Python let out a mournful hiss, its movements significantly hindered.

Seizing the opportunity, Kou Hongying and Fu Zhizhou immediately activated the talismans Wei Tu had given them, launching a barrage of attacks at the python.

Under the overwhelming talisman bombardment, the Scarlet-Eyed Python began to falter.

Finally, a sword light shot forward, aiming straight for the python’s head.

Unlike the Flame Ape Demon, the Scarlet-Eyed Python noticed the incoming Ice Jiao Sword and instinctively concentrated its spiritual energy into the scales on its head to block the lethal strike.

Rip!

The sword strike was successfully blocked by its reinforced scales.

The Ice Jiao Sword failed to instantly pierce the python’s skull.

“Explode!”

Wei Tu wasn’t surprised. He mouthed a silent command, activating the hidden talisman seal embedded in the sword.

The talisman energy erupted.

A foot-long ice dragon phantom surged from the sword’s blade, letting out a piercing cry as it charged directly at the python’s forehead.

Crack! Crack!

The python’s defensive scales shattered, and the sword pierced through its skull, ending its struggle.

The Scarlet-Eyed Python convulsed violently before finally falling limp.

Wei Tu glanced at his Ice Jiao Sword, feeling a pang of heartache.

“This loss is far greater than when we fought the Flame Ape Demon.”

Although the sword wasn’t completely destroyed, it was now seventy percent ruined, requiring significant time and effort to nurture and repair.

“Third Brother, hurry and refine the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood. We can’t afford to stay here for too long.”

Fu Zhizhou reminded Wei Tu.

The Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood was located right at the battle site. Staying too long might attract other Tier-2 demon beasts.

Wei Tu nodded, wasting no time as he began refining the materials.

Fortunately, this time, he was able to complete the entire refining process without any interruptions.

One month later.

The three of them left the inner region of the Demon Wolf Mountain Range and arrived at Yuquan Mountain Market, a trading hub near the mountain range.

After renting three guest rooms, they began dividing the spoils.

As before, since Wei Tu contributed the most, he had the first pick.

Wei Tu chose Xuan You Grass, the Scarlet-Eyed Python’s snake skin, and its essence blood.

Xuan You Grass was a Tier-2 spiritual herb capable of enhancing a demon beast’s bloodline.

His Wind-Cleaving Eagle had followed him for years and had already reached the peak of Tier-1. The Xuan You Grass would be key to its breakthrough.

As for the snake skin and essence blood, they were valuable materials for talisman crafting.

The remaining materials from the Scarlet-Eyed Python were divided between Kou Hongying and Fu Zhizhou.

After finishing their transactions, they did not linger at Yuquan Mountain Market.

A few days later.

After leaving Yuquan Mountain Market, the three had barely traveled a short distance when Wei Tu suddenly issued a cautionary warning.

“Fourth Brother, Hongying, we’re being followed. Stay alert!”

Through his Wind-Cleaving Eagle’s vision, Wei Tu spotted a group tailing them from the market.

“It’s Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang.”

Accessing his eagle’s memory, Wei Tu immediately identified the two stalkers.

“Bandit cultivators?”

“Or is this related to the Shuyun Alliance?”

Kou Hongying narrowed her eyes.

As a Foundation Establishment disciple from an immortal sect, she rarely encountered bandit cultivators—such rogue cultivators usually wouldn’t dare target someone of her background.

Besides, they were a group of three Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Even though Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang were both mid-stage Foundation Establishment, they still wouldn’t have an overwhelming advantage in a fight.

“No. They’re tracking someone else.”

After a brief pause, Wei Tu inhaled deeply, catching a faint fragrance lingering in the air a few miles behind them.

“Gong Shulan!”

“They’re after Gong Shulan!”

Wei Tu immediately recognized the scent—it belonged to Gong Shulan, whom he had encountered before.

However, what shocked him the most was that Gong Shulan had unknowingly reached Foundation Establishment.

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