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### **Chapter 62: Observing the Moon**
"What changes?"
"The wasp swarms." The Five Yin Peak cultivator spread his hands with a sigh. "A Rot-Poison Wasp swarm at the Foundation Establishment level. Their corrosive poison is potent enough to dissolve high-grade magical instruments. Only those highly proficient in spell techniques can enter."
His words plunged the group into silence.
It wasn't just the rot-poison; the Foundation Establishment Wasp Queen was also a problem.
After a long pause, someone finally lamented,
"No wonder Senior Sister Liu and the others haven't returned. They encountered Foundation Establishment level troubles. We're finished."
The leader of the Five Yin Peak cultivators spoke again:
"I heard Liu Jinxian started collecting poison wasps as soon as she arrived at Profound Bone Mountain, saying she wanted to refine gu insects. I wonder if any of you have a method to deal with these specific wasps."
The Gu Poison Peak disciples exchanged glances. After a moment of hesitation, someone finally gave in, gritting his teeth.
"I have a way."
"Junior Brother, you mustn't!"
The man, his eyes red, said, "It's death either way! Going down offers a sliver of hope. What if Senior Sister Liu is trapped? Rescuing her would be a great achievement, enough to offset our faults and save our lives!"
This argument silenced the other Gu Poison Peak disciples.
"Sigh... The gu insect was taken out mid-refinement. Who knows how effective it still is? And who will refine and control it?"
This special gu insect was one of the reasons Liu Jinxian had come all the way to Profound Bone Mountain. The main material used was the Rot-Poison Wasp, an insectoid beast.
Before descending into the underground palace, it was being refined in a gu vat, entrusted to the disciples for guarding. It required constant addition of new live poison wasps, hence the massive demand for swarms.
Whoever refined and controlled it would make an enemy of Liu Jinxian, with consequences不言而喻 (self-evident).
Seeing this, the new leader of the Five Yin Peak proposed,
"I have a secret technique from the [Nether Mountain Sect] that can temporarily control gu insects. Are you willing to try it?"
The [Nether Mountain Sect] was also one of the five Nascent Soul demonic sects of the Crimson Kite Demon Domain. Their sphere of influence was in the southeast corner of the demon domain, very close to the Chaotic Ancient Sea, but quite far from the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect.
With this proposal, the Gu Poison Peak disciples realized the other side had come prepared and had them completely cornered.
"Speak. What price must we pay?"
"Straight to the point."
"Help us clear Profound Bone Mountain. Of all the Profound Essence Flower profits, you can only take thirty percent, as payment for the secret technique and the use of the underground passage. How about that?"
The temporary leaders of the Five Yin Peak, all late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, revealed their true intentions, attempting to coerce the Gu Poison Peak disciples.
"All three Profound Bone Mountains?"
"Of course!"
This was completely a seller's market. They had no room for negotiation, given their lives were on the line. Any further delay, and people would start dying.
"Fine."
After a long hesitation, the two sides reached a cooperative agreement for the first time.
Pooling the strength of the eight newly promoted late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, they officially began clearing Profound Bone Mountain.
In the shadows, Wang Yu withdrew his gaze with keen interest.
Although he remained hidden, he often monitored these people's movements. While they seemed to have reached an agreement, it was merely a reluctant move under pressure.
Once freed from the immediate threat to their lives, they would quickly turn on each other, leading to an inevitable major conflict.
No wonder only about fifty or sixty disciples from the previous rotation at Profound Bone Mountain had returned. The Reverse Spirit Blood Sect was probably content to watch them fight, as those who returned were the elites, all with the potential to attempt Foundation Establishment.
Why not encourage it?
For Wang Yu, this was also a good opportunity to seize benefits. The Night Concealment Charm allowed him to move like a ghost, hidden in the shadows. He could take the chance to snatch a batch of Profound Essence Flowers.
As long as he hid well, in their view, the identity 'Wang Yu' was also trapped underground—the classic case of 'hiding in plain sight'.
......
......
**[Placement Slot 3: Lunar Nether Pupils (Perfected)]**
`Lunar Nether Pupils (100/100): Twenty-four cycles per day. Estimated completion in one year.`
It was now the 5th month of his fourth year as an outer disciple.
His cultivation had advanced significantly again. Half of the top-grade Coldblooded Pill was refined, increasing his spiritual power by fifty strands. The placement slot contributed seventy-two strands, and his own cultivation added two strands.
His accumulated spiritual power reached 660 strands. He estimated it could reach around eight hundred in the second half of the year, bringing him closer to a breakthrough.
Of course, the most important thing was that after nearly a year of recuperation,
the Strength Corpse arm had fully recovered. Moreover, the first stage of the Lunar Nether Pupils was successfully completed. The legacy for the second stage required him to reach Foundation Establishment before he could access it from the legacy jade slip.
The first-grade Perfected Lunar Nether Pupils endowed his eyes with a mystical ability referred to in the legacy information as—[Observing the Moon]!
*The brilliant light separates its rays; the crimson flames distinguish their glow.*
*The moon's radiance is clear and pure; clouds gather and cluster densely.*
*The toad's essence is cool and cold; the wind scatters it, drifting in all directions.*
*Gather its light without cease, replenish essence and energy, giving rise to clarity.*
The so-called [Observing the Moon] allowed Wang Yu's eyes to attract Lunar Essence. By observing the moon and sensing its form within his heart—this was called visualization.
*Only by being like the spirit of the Great Yin, akin to the essence of the Jade Toad;*
*Spirit gathered, intent collected, energy moves, the heart becomes empty.*
*Borrowing the radiance of the crimson feathers, achieving the purity of the jade wheel.*
His eyes, originally eroded by the Corpse Demon Secret Art, returned to their original appearance, no longer幽绿 (ghostly green) and sinister.
Instead, they resembled a bright, full moon—elegant, flowing with light, solitary, cold, and serene!
A crescent moon phenomenon appeared within his black pupils.
They constantly absorbed the Lunar Essence scattered between heaven and earth. This spiritual energy entered directly through his eyes into the Muddy Pellet Palace between his eyebrows, forming a pool of milky-white lunar essence within the abode of his spirit.
It cleansed his spiritual sense and nourished his spirit.
Prolonged exposure would significantly enhance the essence of his soul. Moreover, his spiritual sense was constantly nourished, experiencing the pleasure of improvement every second.
In other words, the first stage of the Lunar Nether Pupils passively drew in Lunar Essence, increasing his spiritual sense. It functioned like an innate talent, always active.
It also granted him a special perspective when observing the moon.
It was as if he could see the 'negative' aspect of all things, a very peculiar sensation.
At the Qi Refining stage, this technique could only be considered an auxiliary secret art.
But its special effects of increasing spiritual sense and cleansing the soul made it worth pausing the placement of the Corpse Demon Secret Art. Now that it was successfully cultivated, and the third slot was vacant, he placed the Corpse Demon Secret Art back in it.
Continuing the repair of that art.
He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but after cultivating the Lunar Nether Pupils, he felt his body had also absorbed a portion of the Lunar Essence. The side effects of the Heavenly Yin Blood and Corpse Demon Bones seemed to have lessened slightly.
His physical sensations had recovered to a certain extent.
Ten days later.
The unnamed cave.
This was the same path Wang Yu and the others had taken to the underground palace a year ago, later destroyed by him.
Now, through the excavation and repair efforts of the Five Yin Peak disciples, a wider passage had been reopened.
Several late-stage Qi Refining cultivators from the Gu Poison Peak were peering down into the cave. Hundreds of people stood behind them. In front of them buzzed a wasp gu insect emitting black poisonous smoke.
This was Liu Jinxian's painstaking creation.
Unfortunately, it was taken out too early. Its aura was very unstable, its bird-skull-like head was crimson, and it was restless.
Above the wasp gu's head floated a mysterious character formed by condensed spiritual power.
Clearly, this was the Nether Mountain Sect's secret technique.
Without any further discussion, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Gu Poison Peak disciples jumped down into the cave one after another. After they had all entered,
the group waited for about thirty breaths. The Five Yin Peak disciples only sent three sixth-level Qi Refining cultivators skilled in movement techniques. None of their late-stage cultivators moved.
**(End of Chapter)**