I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

However, unlike the Purple-Faced Hermit, the three "life-severing tribulations" he needed to overcome to achieve the "Hidden Fate Realm," although the last one had reached the Mahayana level in terms of power... were actually far weaker than the Purple-Faced Hermit's "Life-Extinction Tribulation," which extended his life by tens of thousands of years...

In other words, the requirements for setting up this formation can be significantly reduced for him.

There's no need to insist on meeting the demanding requirement of 'setting up an array in the lower realm'.

"However, this formation consists of two parts: an inner formation and an outer formation. The conditions for the outer formation can be appropriately lowered, and it is not necessary to place it in a lower realm like the human realm where the power of heaven and earth is relatively weak. But the conditions for the inner formation must be met no matter what."

Wei Tu rubbed his temples, looking at the cultivation technique attached to the end of the jade slip with a headache—"The Corpse Stiffness Secret Technique".

This skill, as the main cultivation method of the Purple-Faced Hermit, is of the same origin as the "Spiritual Zombie Secret Scripture" hidden in the underground palace of the "Corpse-Sinking Evil Land"—or rather, the "Corpse Zombie Secret Skill" is the advanced version of the "Spiritual Zombie Secret Scripture" above the Integration Realm.

Therefore, having already studied the "Secret Scripture of the Spirit Corpse," it was not difficult for him to begin practicing this "Secret Technique of Corpse Corpse," and he could master it in at most three or four years.

However... to cultivate this technique to the point where it meets the requirement of inscribing the inner array runes of the 'Corpse Sealing Array' within the body, it is not something that can be easily accomplished with just a few years or even decades of hard work.

It requires cultivating this skill to the point where the primordial spirit and dharma form become the 'Scorched Earth Drought Demon' level.

'Scorched Earth Drought Demon' is the highest realm reached when this skill is perfected—with one thought, the world is parched; with another, a realm of corpses is born.

Then, by relying on one's mastery of this skill, one can absorb the "ultimate spiritual energy" between heaven and earth, seek opportunities, and break through to the Mahayana realm.

Excellent! To reach the highest level of the Corpse-Stemming Secret Scripture, 'Red Earth Drought Demon', one must not only meet the aptitude requirements for cultivating this technique, but also reach the late stage of the Integration Realm!
However, breaking through to the late stage of the Fusion Realm is not something that can be achieved overnight.

Even for those with extraordinary talent, without any extraordinary opportunities, it is common to spend tens of thousands of years.

From this perspective, the reason why the higher-ups of the human race in the spirit realm chose the Purple-Faced Hermit and then used him as the foundation of the human race to seal him for tens of thousands of years is most likely not because this cultivator was a direct disciple of a Mahayana immortal and was highly valued by Iron Head Monk, but because he just happened to meet the conditions to be sealed by the 'Corpse Sealing Array'.

In other words, it is highly likely that the advanced cultivation technique "Corpse Zombie Secret Technique" existed first, and then the "chosen" Spirit Zombie and Purple-Faced Hermit, a human cultivator who combined their powers, came into being...

"...Even if it's just the sealed 'life extension,' this single characteristic alone makes this technique incredibly valuable. It's enough to make it one of the top rare and extraordinary scriptures among the human race in the Spirit Realm." Thinking of this, Wei Tu's gaze became slightly fervent.

Coincidentally, after breaking through to the Integration stage, he was just missing a cultivation technique that was sufficient to reach the Mahayana level.

In this respect, they are utterly 'illiterate'.

Otherwise, decades ago, when the Fire-Haired Taoist mentioned the "Supreme Spiritual Qi," he wouldn't have been completely clueless about it or even had never heard of it.

Therefore—regardless of whether this merit will help him overcome the three life-threatening tribulations within the Integration Realm, its ability to guide him on the path to Integration and break through to the Mahayana Realm... is already a great merit.

"But if this skill is so good, why didn't the Purple-Faced Hermit destroy this jade slip before he died?"

Suddenly, Wei Tu thought of this. He narrowed his eyes and focused his gaze on the remaining two jade slips.

Unlike the jade slip containing the 'Demon Sealing Array' and the 'Corpse-Stiffening Secret Technique', these two jade slips were the Purple-Faced Hermit's blatant scheme against him.

These two jade slips—

Firstly, it was the specific information about the Purple-Faced Hermit that the Ming family had given to him.

Secondly, it was part of the plan to encourage the human race in the spirit realm to produce a second Mahayana cultivator.

The plan was vague, only stating that seven hundred years later, at the Ancient Emperor Peak in the Holy Emperor Domain, the secret medicine treasured by the human race—the Immortal Lotus Root—would be used to help a half-step Mahayana cultivator chosen by the human race advance to the Mahayana realm.

Regardless of whether he is Wei Tu or not, once he is 'moved' by these two jade slips, he will inevitably go to the 'Holy Emperor Domain' of the human race... At that time, facing the spirit world human race of the Ten Spirit Races, his chances of survival are probably very, very small.

The Purple-Faced Hermit's plan was that he would take the risk for this matter, after all, the opportunity to attain the Great Ascension is extremely rare in the world, and even among the three great hegemonic clans, it is extremely precious, and once it is used, there will be one less.

This is blatant scheming, and a blatant conspiracy!
"As expected, this jade slip is indestructible."

Thinking of this, after using other jade slips to make imprints of the contents of the 'Demon Sealing Array' and the 'Corpse Stiffness Secret Technique', Wei Tu's eyes flashed, and he immediately squeezed the jade slip in his hand tightly, attempting to destroy it with his magic power.

The next moment, just as he had expected.

Although this jade slip may seem ordinary, it proved as hard as metal and stone when the 'Combined Magic Power' attempted to destroy it, proving indestructible by any magic.

Even the writing within it, when he tried to erase it with his divine sense, remained as resilient as a reed, exceptionally tenacious.

"So... it was created by immortals." Wei Tu felt a sudden sense of relief and was secretly delighted.

Only immortals at the Mahayana realm or above can create things without fear of the destructive power of these powerful beings at the Fusion stage.

In other words, it wasn't that the Purple-Faced Hermit was unwilling to destroy the jade slip, but rather that, on his deathbed, he was no longer capable of destroying this 'inheritance' that could be considered a supreme technique within the human race.

……

"However, if there are seven-tier 'Five Extraordinary Corpses' assisting in forming the array, even if one is slightly inferior and one's primordial spirit and dharma form are only cultivated to the level of 'Azure-Eyed Flying Zombie,' one can still set up the 'Corpse Sealing Array' before the late stage of the Integration Realm..."

After a short while, having confirmed that the technique was working without any problems, Wei Tu once again pondered the contents of the 'Corpse Sealing Formation'.

Then, after seeing the secret technique mentioned inside, he had a sudden thought and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The Red Earth Drought Demon is a 'Primordial Spirit Dharma Form' that can only be cultivated by those in the late stage of the Integration Realm.

The initial and middle stages of the fusion process below it can respectively cultivate the two major primordial spirit forms: 'Suspended Yang Yin Jiang' and 'Blue-Eyed Flying Jiang'.

This means that as long as he can obtain the seventh-tier 'Five Wonder Corpses', he can successfully set up the 'Corpse Sealing Array' and break through to the Hidden Fate Realm when he reaches the 'Mid-stage Integration' realm.

As for the Five Strange Corpses, a thousand years ago, when he broke into the 'Underground Palace', a place of evil corpses, he had plundered one of them deep inside the palace.

Its name is 'Toad Water Corpse'.

However, it was destroyed by the white-haired evil cultivator when they were 'ambushing' him outside Dingyuan Immortal City.

But he remembered that there should still be four remaining "Five Strange Corpses" within the "Land of Sinking Corpses"...

In this battle, it seems that the Purple-Faced Hermit did not bring these 'Five Strange Corpses' to fight the enemy?
"Could it be that the remaining four Five Strange Corpses have been nurtured again by the Purple-Faced Hermit? After all, the Five Strange Corpses are not only a powerful tool for setting up the inner formation of the 'Corpse Sealing Formation,' but also a formidable means of combat in the 'Corpse-Stiffening Secret Technique'..." Wei Tu's eyes flashed slightly, and he instantly guessed what the 'treasures' that the Purple-Faced Hermit had sealed in the underground spiritual veins of the Great Snow Mountain, Sword Fire Palace, and other sects were.

As a high-ranking member of the human race, the Purple-Faced Hermit was not a 'villain' who killed indiscriminately. Only by refining and nurturing treasures like the 'Five Wonder Corpses' could he disregard public opinion and resolutely slaughter factions.

“Even if the spiritual veins do not nurture the Five Extraordinary Corpses, there should still be traces of the Five Extraordinary Corpses in the underground palace of the Corpse-Sinking Evil Land… Although the Five Extraordinary Corpses have a low realm, it is probably the realm that has been worn down by the power of heaven and earth in the human world.”

"Moreover, with the Corpse-Stiffing Secret Technique, it's not difficult to refine these seventh-tier Five Wonder Corpses... At most, it will only require some hard work. And this is much easier than me searching for tribulation-crossing treasures or breaking through to the late stage of the Integration Realm."

After clarifying this point, Wei Tu suddenly felt that his 'path forward to integration' had become much clearer, and he was no longer as lost and confused as before.

In the cultivation of realms, there are three primordial spirit dharma forms of the "Corpse Stiffness Secret Technique" that advance layer by layer.

The methods of protecting the Dao and prolonging life are also aided by the "Five Extraordinary Corpses" and the "Corpse Sealing Formation".

With the 'Indestructible Demon Body' and the Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure in his possession, no matter how vast the world is, this cultivator at the Integration Realm can go anywhere.

"Next up is this treasure..."

Wei Tu looked up at the battlefield, at the 'azure giant blade' wrapped in dense blood light and with blood-purple runes floating on its surface.

Previously, the sword marks released by this treasure under the blood sacrifice of the Purple-Faced Hermit almost killed his Blood Demon Soul on the spot.

Its power, when fully unleashed, is already close to that of a Mahayana practitioner.

Without a doubt, the 'azure giant blade' and the 'golden statue' should be the Mahayana treasures given to this cultivator by his master, Iron-Headed Monk, for survival and cultivation.

The golden statue was in a state of disrepair after the great battle and was no longer usable.

But this treasure is still completely undamaged!

"Even the [Demon Dragon Scissors], a mid-grade seventh-tier magic treasure that combines offense and defense, was almost completely destroyed by this 'Azure Giant Blade'..." Wei Tu raised his hand, grabbing the [Corpse Binding Rope] and the 'Azure Giant Blade', and couldn't help but admire it in his heart amidst his surprise.

The Demon Dragon Scissors may seem to be of a lower rank than the Corpse Binding Rope in the hands of the Purple-Faced Hermit, but it is a 'body-refining magic treasure' that can be integrated into the body.

In terms of durability, it is comparable to a high-grade seventh-tier spiritual treasure.

“Its aura is similar to that of the Tongtian Lingbao, so it should be a fragment of an eighth-order treasure…” Wei Tu waved his sleeve, wiping away the bloodstains left on the 'cyan giant blade' by the purple-faced hermit, and then examined the treasure again, thinking to himself.

Eighth-tier spiritual treasures are what the cultivation world commonly refers to as 'heaven-reaching spiritual treasures'. What they contain are no longer ordinary supernatural abilities, but rather higher-level laws that rival the power of heaven and earth!

The Purple-Faced Hermit's 'Azure Giant Blade' is in no way inferior to the [Five Elements Demon-Slaying Ring] in his hand in terms of power.

However, compared to the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Ring, this treasure is inferior in that it is "unsustainable" and not perfect.

At this moment, he could clearly sense that the power of law contained within the 'Azure Giant Blade' was rapidly declining after it lacked the essence and blood of the Purple-Faced Wanderer for refinement.

The 'Azure Giant Blade' possesses its own inherent power, but to a certain extent, its divine might was amplified by the blood sacrifice power of the Purple-Faced Wanderer.

It should be noted that when he was in the Nascent Soul stage, he could barely unleash some of the divine power of the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Ring!

This high threshold for activation is different from his [Longevity Lamp].

The Longevity Lamp is used in conjunction with the Everlasting Demon Ointment as an auxiliary, and there is no high barrier to entry in terms of magical power activation.

"However, it's enough to serve as a supplementary method. Compared to the Purple-Faced Hermit, I, a Body Refiner, am not afraid of blood sacrifices..." Wei Tu smiled calmly, and with a flick of his sleeve, he put the 'Azure Giant Blade' and the [Corpse Binding Rope] into his storage artifact.

At least in ordinary combat, using an 'eighth-tier remnant treasure' to fight an enemy wouldn't be so conspicuous or so coveted.

Such decisive trump cards as the Longevity Lamp and the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Ring are not suitable to be revealed to the outside world except in life-or-death battles.

After doing all this.

He also sat cross-legged and began to silently absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish the magic power needed to control the blood demon's divided soul that controlled this 'demon body'.

About four days later.

Wei Tu, now much thinner and more frail than before, rode the Azure Rainbow and slowly made his way from the distant sea.

"It seems that this innate demonic body is indeed an excellent clone controlled by the 'Blood Demon Evil Law'... Its immortality is enough to deal with all enemies below the Mahayana level."

Wei Tu's main body, which flew over, examined the blood demon's divided soul within the demonic body, nodded slightly, and showed a hint of satisfaction on his face.

He secretly realized that this method could be used not only to deal with the Purple-Faced Hermit and the Xuanling Fairy whose fate was unknown, but also to deal with any combined enemy in the spirit world.

Similar to the Purple-Faced Hermit.

Whether in the Spirit Realm or the Ancient Demon Realm, the number of independent cultivators at the Integration Stage is decreasing. Most of the powerful cultivators at the Integration Stage have Mahayana Immortals behind them to some extent, and possess life-saving methods bestowed by the Mahayana Immortals.

"This place is still close to the Guixu Sea cultivation world..."

Half a month later, Wei Tu, who had recovered some of his magical power, looked up and gazed at the distant Guixu Sea Cultivation Realm, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

In his eyes, the Guixu Sea Cultivation Realm was his second hometown after embarking on the path of immortality. Its importance to him was no less than that of the Great Cang Cultivation Realm, and even surpassed it by a considerable margin.

Whether it's the Jishan Sect, or the descendants of the Wei family, or the descendants of old friends, they all take root and live in the Guixu Sea cultivation world.

Those whom Huangsha Sanren had previously “helped” were only his “distant relatives”, not his actual family members or descendants who were close to him.

"Right now, restoring our magical power and collecting the five strange corpses left behind by the Purple-Faced Hermit are more important. There's no need to rush into returning to the Guixu Sea cultivation world..."

"After the death of the Purple-Faced Hermit, who knows if the human race in the Spirit Realm has noticed? Of course, because the two realms are separated, it is difficult for powerful beings in the Spirit Realm to descend to the mortal realm, but we must still be wary of this."

After a moment's thought, Wei Tu sighed and shook his head, then, with a burst of light, flew away towards the distant Great Yan Cultivation Realm. (End of Chapter)