Jiang Yin was currently in a semi-demonic state, with both demonic energy and spiritual energy within his body, which was not conducive to breaking through.
Therefore, the first step to building his foundation was to find a place rich in demonic and ghostly energy to nourish his withered ghostly root, then slowly expel the spiritual energy from his body and absorb the demonic energy.
Fortunately, due to Yin Li, a demonic vein had formed at the bottom of the Demon Suppression Tower.
Although it wasn’t as large and abundant as a spiritual vein and could only radiate through the desert area, cultivating directly at the center of the demonic vein was still quite sufficient.
Jiang Yin had the Demon Imprisoning Sword carve out a passage to the center of the demonic vein, where he secluded himself for cultivation.
At the same time, she used soul jade to nourish her soul and absorbed the hidden ghostly energy to repair her spiritual root.
While Jiang Yin was in seclusion, Tang Muxi was not idle either.
She began searching for cold pools with Bai Ling.
The formation set up by the Red Ghost had not been broken, and now that the Demon Suppression Tower was destroyed, the formation used to impact the seal was left unused.
The two of them decided to follow the formation’s runes and take away the unused cold pool water to avoid waste.
There were a total of five cold pools.
Except for the one in the desert where the power had been exhausted, the other pools still had plenty of power left.
Tang Muxi used the storage ring she had taken from the Nascent Soul demon clan member to drain them all.
The storage ring was quite impressive, a high-grade Xuan-level item, with more space than Tang Muxi’s two rings combined.
Even after filling it with all the cold pool water, it only took up a portion of the space.
Along the way, she encountered many spiritual plants, though most were of low grade, with only a few being Xuan-level.
But Tang Muxi didn’t mind at all, uprooting each one and storing them in her ring.
The places she passed were cleaner than if they had been licked clean.
Not only did she take the spiritual plants, but also any valuable-looking ores, leaving Bai Ling speechless.
“Leave those broken stones alone,” Bai Ling said, seeing Tang Muxi using the Demon Imprisoning Sword to dig through a pile of rocks.
It was quite an eyesore.
That was a divine weapon!
There were only nine in the world!
And she was using it to chisel rocks?
And the blade itself seemed to enjoy it, not showing any anger at being used this way.
Bai Ling felt that its admiration for divine weapons was being destroyed by these two fools.
If anyone mentioned the pride of divine weapons again, it would smash their heads to make them see reality.
Tang Muxi, hearing this, looked disdainfully at Bai Ling’s lack of knowledge.
“Broken stones? These are top-quality spiritual jades! What do you know?”
Spiritual cultivators often used jade stones, but they used spiritual jades for refining artifacts, drawing runes, and creating formations.
Although not very expensive, every little bit counts!
These natural jade mines, nourished by abundant spiritual energy over the years, were all good stuff.
With such a large quantity, it would be useful for personal use or selling for money.
Tang Muxi continued digging, determined to take all the spiritual jades with her.
As she was sweating and digging, the Demon Imprisoning Sword in her hand suddenly trembled.
Tang Muxi was surprised.
“It’s Senior Sister. She seems about to break through.”
Under her threat, the Demon Imprisoning Sword had already recognized Jiang Yin as its master.
It was now in her hands temporarily.
The big demon had specifically instructed before going into seclusion that they would contact her when they were about to break through, and they must return quickly.
“So soon?”
Bai Ling was surprised.
Although it knew Jiang Yin was close to breaking through, it didn’t expect that healing and enlightenment would only take five days.
At this rate, these two sisters might catch up to it soon.
Bai Ling felt a bit sour and unhappily swished its tail.
“So, are we going back now? Leaving the jades behind?”
Tang Muxi smiled.
“Of course not.”
She swung the Demon Imprisoning Sword forcefully, and the powerful spiritual energy instantly cut through the mountain rocks.
A large portion of the jade mine was easily severed.
Tang Muxi didn’t bother to slowly remove the impurities, directly storing the large chunk of the mountain in her storage ring.
This time, even with the large space of the storage ring, most of it was occupied by the mountain.
Tang Muxi frowned, thinking that even a Xuan-level ring was not enough.
She needed to find a Di-level one.
Ideally, she could find a small world like Xumi Jiezi, where she could store as many belongings as she wanted.
Seeing her take away the mountain, Bai Ling was stunned.
It nervously looked around and asked, “Isn’t this a bit too much?”
Stealing a few spiritual plants and digging a few stones was one thing, but taking away an entire mountain?
If it were Chen Qing, he would skin Tang Muxi alive.
Tang Muxi didn’t mind at all.
In fact, she wished she could take the entire Tianji Secret Realm with her and explore it slowly.
Unfortunately, there was no place to store it!
No, she needed to find a small world quickly.
“Let’s go, we need to hurry back to find Senior Sister. We shouldn’t keep her waiting.”
Bai Ling, feeling pressured, reluctantly suppressed her guilt and used a spell to return to the main camp of the Demon Suppression Tower in an instant.
At this moment, Jiang Yin had been waiting outside for a long time.
The dark clouds in the sky were gathering thickly, ready to unleash a thunder tribulation at any moment.
Tang Muxi glanced up.
The clouds were not as turbulent as last time, which reassured her.
She quickly ran over and smiled, “Senior Sister, congratulations on your breakthrough.”
As she spoke, she returned the Demon Imprisoning Blade.
The blade seemed reluctant to part, rubbing against Tang Muxi’s hand.
Tang Muxi, who was the type to forget favors once they were done, didn’t think twice about the blade’s hard work and immediately handed it over.
Blade: Humble.jpg
Jiang Yin gave her a lukewarm glance, acknowledged with a hum, and took the blade.
The sound of thunder rumbled faintly.
Jiang Yin wasted no time, sitting down on the spot with the Demon Imprisoning Blade as her protector, ready to face the thunder tribulation.
Tang Muxi and Bai Ling moved far away to avoid disturbing the tribulation.
When a cultivator undergoes a tribulation, the worst thing is to receive help from others.
If someone assists in resisting the thunder tribulation, the thunderclouds will become enraged and unleash a power far beyond the combined strength of the two.
Of course, if anyone dares to intentionally disrupt, they will be punished by heavenly retribution.
Jiang Yin’s internal injuries were now healed.
Although her ghostly root was not fully nourished, it was no longer withered, making her a complete demonic cultivator.
The surrounding demonic energy gathered, and the thunderclouds in the sky began to stir.
Suddenly, at a delicate balance point, the foundation-building thunder tribulation descended.
Compared to the grand spectacle of transforming her spiritual root last time, this thunder tribulation was almost meager.
There were only nine strikes, each increasing in power, but the person undergoing the tribulation showed no fear.
This time, the demonic energy indeed came again, intending to seize Jiang Yin’s body during the tribulation.
However, with the Demon Imprisoning Blade as her protector, it was discovered immediately.
Before it could infiltrate her sea of consciousness, the blade, with a thunderous protective force, completely severed it.
Tang Muxi watched from the side, seeing the Demon Imprisoning Blade suddenly transform into a spiritual light and enter Jiang Yin’s body.
When it emerged again, the familiar aura still lingered on its pitch-black blade.
Her expression changed instantly.
This was… the force that had bound her?!
But before she could confirm, the aura completely dissipated.
It was so faint and subtle that it was almost undetectable.
Surrounded by demonic energy, Bai Ling didn’t notice any difference in the blade’s aura, only exclaiming in surprise, “So the blade can be stored in the sea of consciousness? How convenient.”
The Demon Imprisoning Blade seemed to hear the praise, once again standing tall and proud.
It looked as proud as could be, and if it had a tail, it might have been wagging it up to the sky.
The nine strikes of the thunder tribulation dissipated, and the dense demonic energy all merged into Jiang Yin’s body.
Under the forging of the heavenly thunder, her mortal body had shed its impurities, her skin becoming more delicate and fair, looking polished and translucent from a distance, very beautiful.
Jiang Yin was already beautiful, but now, after being “personally beautified by the Heavenly Dao,” her looks have surpassed the limit, reaching a perfect score of twelve out of ten.
With Tang Muxi’s exclusive sycophantic filter, her beauty skyrocketed to twenty out of ten.
Seeing Jiang Yin’s solidified aura, Tang Muxi immediately approached, grinning foolishly as she praised, “Senior Sister, you’re amazing! You’ve reached the Foundation Establishment stage in no time. You’re beautiful and kind-hearted, just like a celestial being descended to the mortal world.”
Jiang Yin glanced at her lightly, with a faint smile, nodding in a good mood.
Though she knew it was flattery, it was indeed pleasant to hear.
Her beauty was undeniable, but her kindness was questionable.
Those who died by her hand were considered lucky if their souls were merely scattered.
Seeing her nod, Tang Muxi boldly hugged the arm of the great demon, throwing out compliments as if they cost nothing.
Bai Ling, on the side, listened with a headache, poking the Demon Imprisoning Blade with her tail, “Learn from her, see how well she speaks.”
Demon Imprisoning Blade: …
After enough compliments were given, Tang Muxi asked, “Senior Sister, what do we do now?”
They had almost stolen everything they needed, and Jiang Yin had now reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
It was time to consider leaving.
But thinking about Chen Qing and a group of elders waiting outside gave her a headache.
Now that the divine artifact had recognized its master, they would not let it go easily.
Moreover, Jiang Yin had already fallen into the demonic path, and they would never allow a demon to take the divine artifact.
They couldn’t stay in the Tianji Sect any longer and needed to find a way to leave.
What she thought of, Jiang Yin had already considered, and she was not in a hurry.
Standing on the Demon Suppressing Tower, looking at the strands of demonic energy seeping out, she smiled mysteriously.
“Senior Sister?”
Tang Muxi saw her lost in thought and was puzzled.
The three-month period was almost over, and even if they didn’t want to, they would be thrown out of the secret realm by then.
Facing a group of Nascent Soul and even Divine Transformation stage elders, there was no way out.
Even with the divine artifact in hand, their cultivation was too low to fully utilize its power and force their way out.
Jiang Yin saw that Tang Muxi’s intelligence was touching and didn’t understand her meaning, so she stopped being cryptic: “Do you know that the Tianji Secret Realm is the most important part of the Tianji Sect, and even the sect’s protective formation is built around it?”
Tang Muxi, having lived for so many lifetimes, naturally understood the significance of the Tianji Secret Realm to the Tianji Sect, but she didn’t understand why Jiang Yin suddenly mentioned this.
“Um… and then?”
Jiang Yin sighed deeply, “The secret realm is connected to the center of the protective formation. If we can destroy the secret realm, the protective formation will inevitably collapse, and we can escape in the chaos.”
“Destroy the secret realm?!”
Tang Muxi was stunned, never having thought of destroying the secret realm.
If they really did that, they would be completely severed from the Tianji Sect in the future.
Jiang Yin saw her thoughts at a glance and sneered, “Do you think if we don’t destroy the secret realm, they will let us go?”
People are always selfish.
Even if the spiritual cultivation world prides itself on being righteous and loving all beings, they would never allow anyone to covet the divine artifact, especially a demon.
“But… the living beings here…”
Tang Muxi was worried, her heart aching at the thought of countless lives possibly perishing because of this.
She didn’t want it, subconsciously resisting such things from happening.
Jiang Yin’s expression was grim.
“What does it have to do with me? The cultivation world is all about the survival of the fittest. If I don’t kill them, they will eventually be hunted down by the Tianji Sect. Being kept here, regardless of their cultivation, they are ultimately just livestock, their lives no longer their own.”
Tang Muxi remained silent, but anyone could see her silent resistance.
This discussion ended on a sour note due to differing opinions.
