Translator: CinderTL

Song Wen’s divine sense rapidly extended from the pavilion, reaching outward.

In an instant, every detail within the canyon became vividly clear in his mind, down to the finest minutiae.

He finally understood why the Gu had died.

The fifth-tier Gu, its sharp mandibles agape, moved in a blur as it lunged toward a fourth-tier Gu.

Song Wen’s expression turned icy. The problem originated from within their own ranks.

This little thing had only recently advanced to the fifth tier, yet it had already begun slaughtering its own kind.

With a flick of his finger, a strand of spiritual power shot forth, knocking the fifth-tier Gu away like a dog snatching at food.

The Gu flew for several miles before crashing into a canyon wall at an angle.

The impact pierced the solid rock, and the Gu burrowed over ten miles deep before coming to a stop.

Enraged, the Gu bared its fangs, flapped its wings, and swiftly flew back through the narrow, straight tunnel it had created.

As soon as it emerged from the cave entrance, it found itself face-to-face with a massive, looming shadow.

The Gu beetle’s mandibles snapped wide open, its forelimbs raised high as it lunged at the dark shadow.

Song Wen watched the ferocious Gu beetle approach, his brow furrowing slightly.

This beast not only attacked its own kind but dared to attack its master.

It’s trying to devour its master!

A cyan mist surged from Song Wen’s body, engulfing the charging Gu beetle.

Instantly, the mist unleashed an extreme cold, freezing into a translucent cyan ice block, encasing the Gu beetle within.

Staring at the motionless Gu beetle trapped in the ice, Song Wen fell into deep thought.

There was nothing wrong with the contract between him and the Gu beetle.

Therefore, the Gu beetle’s sudden loss of control must be related to its advancement to the fifth-tier.

Song Wen retrieved the Witch Gu Dao Methods he had obtained from Xiao Ying and began meticulously reviewing it, hoping to find a solution.

The Witch Gu Dao Methods was the only secret art in Song Wen’s possession that documented fifth-tier Gu beetles, so he had no choice but to place his hopes on it.

However, after thoroughly examining the Witch Gu Dao Methods, Song Wen found no solution, likely because the Gu beetle’s species differed from those described in the text.

He then reviewed Xiao Ying’s Gu Rearing Manual, but again found nothing useful.

Without any existing methods to draw upon, Song Wen had no choice but to experiment on his own.

He withdrew the Nine Nether Fiend Qi, causing the ice to instantly become brittle and shatter easily under the Gu’s vibrations.

But at that moment, two withered, pitch-black fingers reached out and pinched the sesame-seed-sized Gu between them.

Perhaps sensing Song Wen’s superior strength, the Gu quieted down somewhat, though it still bared its fangs, clearly unwilling to submit.

A drop of crimson blood welled up from the center of Song Wen’s brow, floated in mid-air, and dripped onto the Gu.

He hoped to regain control through a blood sacrifice.

The Gu devoured the blood essence without hesitation, but its attitude toward Song Wen remained unchanged, still radiating intense malice.

Song Wen shook his head, admitting defeat.

He retrieved the small cauldron Daoist Qingming had used to imprison the Gu and temporarily sealed the fifth-tier Gu inside.

With that done, Song Wen resumed his secluded cultivation.

Ten years later.

Moonlight cascaded down, painting the mountains in inky shadows.

A silver streak flashed across the night sky, resembling a fallen star.

Song Wen’s figure materialized atop a towering peak, wisps of lightning still crackling around him.

He had just executed the Profound Thunder Nine Heavens Art, an escape technique he had obtained from Xuan Qu of the Profound Sky Sect.

However, this art demanded an exceptionally high aptitude for thunder magic. Xuan Qu himself had never mastered it. In contrast, Song Wen, despite only occasionally studying the secret art during his twenty years of possession, had managed to master it.

The Profound Thunder Nine Heavens Art granted astonishing escape speed, allowing him to traverse tens of thousands of miles in an instant. Yet it possessed a critical flaw: its exorbitant consumption of spiritual power. A single use drained thirty percent of Song Wen’s reserves.

Perhaps after advancing to the Body Integration Stage, I’ll be able to wield this secret art with ease, Song Wen mused inwardly as he flew back to Cloudstream Valley.

After spending the night in the valley, he set out for Great Tan City at dawn.

Over the past decade, he had not only stabilized his cultivation but also elevated his divine sense to the peak of the Void Refinement Stage.

Now, he was preparing to advance to the Body Integration Stage. It was time to retrieve the Heavenly Astral Body Integration Pill from Bai Wei.

Upon entering Great Tan City, Song Wen found an inexpensive inn, rented a private room, and immediately contacted Bai Wei.

Senior Bai Wei, it has been ten years since we last spoke. I hope you are well.

Bai Wei quickly replied.

Gou Jun, you haven’t shown your face in a decade. Contacting me today must mean you have urgent business.

Song Wen replied, [ As a Body Integration Stage cultivator and a seventh-rank alchemist of the Spirit Jade Palace, how could I dare disturb you without good reason, Senior? ]

[ Get to the point. What do you want? ] Bai Wei demanded.

Song Wen asked, [ How is the Heavenly Astral Body Integration Pill progressing? ]

[ Not so fast! Do you think the Heavenly Astral Body Integration Pill is some roadside weed that can be casually refined? ] Bai Wei snapped back, clearly annoyed.

Song Wen replied, [ This junior is well aware of the pill’s rarity. However, I urgently need it. Could Senior please prioritize its refinement? ]

Bai Wei countered, [ You’re only at the late-stage of Void Refinement. Why the rush for the Heavenly Astral Body Integration Pill? Could it be... you’ve already advanced to Peak Void Refinement? ]

Song Wen replied, [ I was fortunate enough to break through a few years ago. ]

Bai Wei said, "Breaking through the bottleneck at the Peak Void Refinement Stage isn’t something that can be achieved by mere luck. In just ten years since we last met, you’ve advanced from late-stage Void Refinement to Peak Void Refinement. Your cultivation talent must be extraordinary. However, I’m afraid I can’t refine the Heavenly Astral Body Integration Pill for you at the moment. To be frank, I’m still missing two spirit herbs."

"May I ask which two spirit herbs are needed?" Song Wen inquired.

Bai Wei replied, "The Nirvana God Grass and the Heaven Soul Mushroom. Don’t even bother trying to find them. In the entire Southern Nether Region, the secret realms where these herbs grow are controlled by the three great sects. As a rogue cultivator, you have no access to them. You’d be better off focusing on other preparations for advancing to the Body Integration Stage."

"Other preparations?" Song Wen asked, puzzled.

Bai Wei chuckled, her tone slightly mocking. "You didn’t actually think that a single Heavenly Astral Body Integration Pill would be enough to help you advance to the Body Integration Stage, did you?"

"Senior, please enlighten me. What other preparations are required?" Song Wen asked earnestly.

"Heh." Bai Wei laughed softly. "These are the Body Integration Stage breakthrough insights, accumulated over generations by the Spirit Jade Palace’s predecessors. They represent the palace’s most closely guarded secrets. I wouldn’t dare reveal them to you so casually."

"My apologies for my impudence, Senior," Song Wen said. "Is there anything I can do to earn your favor?"

Bai Wei replied, "I can’t help you with this matter. You’ll have to find another way."

(End of the Chapter)

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