A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu Transmigrates into a Book, the Dao Ancestor of Rein

Chapter 89 A Triumphant Return: Three Years of Careful Planning
After much thought, he decided to do it himself.

One reason is that, in his view, now is not the time to expose the person from the Spirit Control Sect. It's too early, and it might ruin some of his plans.

Compared to the interests of a group of strangers, he valued his own gains and losses more.

Secondly, he knew very well that any demon beast that had recognized a master and had been driven and tamed by a cultivator for a long time, especially those below level six or seven that had not yet developed much intelligence, was unlikely to be taken by others.

This level-four golden-backed demon mantis had followed the Core Formation stage cultivator of the Spirit Control Sect for one or two hundred years, and they had long since established a deep master-servant relationship. Moreover, it wasn't one of those high-level spirit beasts that had gained intelligence; its mind was still single-minded, and it was far more loyal than a human.

In this situation, he can forget about subduing them.

It would be more appropriate to replace it with a high-level monster of level six or seven.

They have brains and are easily swayed.

This kind of person is brainless and stubborn.

The reason why the sixth black dragon was willing to listen to him was twofold: the torment of the restriction and the fact that he had been fed a Foundation Establishment Pill. It was a case of giving a sweet treat after a harsh punishment, just right. If either of these factors were missing, the sixth dragon might not have both respected and feared him, and therefore wouldn't have been so cooperative.

In other words, this golden-backed mantis definitely cannot be tamed.

and so…

"Try to capture it alive. If you can, take it back to Master Hongfu to tame it, and it will only serve as a breeding mother in the future. If it resists strongly and you can't capture it alive, then you'll have to... kill it."

"The materials are quite good for refining top-tier flying magical artifacts."

...

It was on a spacious grassy area behind the cave.

Han Li began setting up his formation.

He had set up the second upgraded and improved version of the Inverted Five Elements Formation.

He spent a whole day setting up the formation.

The formation is now more complete, more thoroughly arranged, and far more powerful. It's significantly stronger than the one outside his Spirit Spring Cave.

Then, he took out the primordial spirit of the Yuling Sect cultivator and inquired about the method of using the spiritual energy of the Golden Core to activate the magic weapon Green Radiance Sword.

Perhaps out of a glimmer of hope for the demonic invasion, or perhaps out of fear of the Soul Refining Technique, and besides, with other Core Formation cultivators to teach them, this Core Formation cultivator didn't hold back and told them everything.

Having obtained the secret technique, Han Li naturally wanted to try it out.

Then, he began to lure the golden-backed mantis inside the cave, using wild animals captured from afar as bait to try to lure it out of the cave.

"Squeak..."

Strange cries came from inside the cave.

The next moment, a dark shadow about ten feet long darted out of the cave entrance with incredible speed. Looking closely, a gigantic mantis, its body entirely grayish-black, had appeared in mid-air. It was the Golden-backed Demon Mantis. This creature wasn't particularly large among the various demonic beasts, only about ten feet tall, with a thin neck and a small, triangular head. Its eyes were fist-sized, emerald green, radiating a chilling aura as it stared down.

What needs to be noted is the eerie gray aura surrounding its entire body, which is similar to the black clouds protecting the body of a black dragon.

Judging from the aura, it's likely that once a top-tier magical artifact breaks through that layer of gray aura, it will be difficult to inflict any real damage on it.

"Come this way."

Han Li launched a ranged attack on it to provoke it.

Enraged, the golden-backed mantis quickly locked onto him, immediately flapping its two pairs of thin, cicada-wing-like wings and shooting towards him at a speed far exceeding that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator's flying sword. The two hundred zhang distance was covered in the blink of an eye.

Just as the giant praying mantis, wielding its massive, blade-like legs, thought it was about to slay its prey, it crashed headfirst into a transparent light barrier. Suddenly, its vision blurred, and it was trapped in an illusion created by a magical array.

With their limited intelligence, the monsters were unable to distinguish between truth and falsehood and were quickly manipulated by the illusion array.

Outside the formation, Han Li, watching this scene, seemed lost in thought:
He clearly remembered that after the original owner killed this monster, he obtained more than a dozen eggs, but at that time, the eggs he obtained were all dead eggs with depleted spiritual energy.

The reasons for this are twofold: First, it is indeed difficult for demonic beasts to reproduce, and it is common for a dozen or so eggs to be dead. Second, demonic beasts that have not yet developed intelligence do not deliberately reserve spiritual energy to protect the eggs and offspring within their bodies when facing life and death. Once a demonic beast has consumed too much spiritual energy in battle, it will even instinctively draw the life force of the eggs within its body to replenish its own losses in order to protect itself.

The paternal love and filial piety of monsters are completely different from the moral values ​​of humans.

"It seems we need to act swiftly and decisively, ending the life of this golden-backed mantis as soon as possible, and see if two of the monster eggs inside its body can survive."

If one or two live eggs can be preserved inside, they can be sold for a good price later.

These rare insects, ranked in the top 100, are far superior to the Jade Mantis, which is ranked outside the top 1000. Their live eggs, once they appear on the market, are worth at least a thousand spirit stones each.

Of course, you can also hatch them using the Fountain of Spirit Eyes and then sell them.

The price could probably be even higher.

For the next two days, Han Li used the illusionary effects of the Reversed Five Elements Array to wear down the Golden-backed Demon Mantis's stamina, forcing it to launch various random attacks to deplete its own strength. The demon beast's spiritual power, however, was well preserved, and the protective gray aura around its body did not diminish in the slightest.

Two days later, the Golden-backed Mantis stopped its rampaging attacks and gradually calmed down. Han Li knew that the time had come for him to make his move.

His figure darted inside.

The Azure Dragon Chains suddenly attacked the giant mantis from the left and right, passing through the colorful light curtain. Just as the golden-backed mantis instinctively swung its incredibly sharp blades, the chains withstood the attack with their hardest parts, then tightly wrapped around the two blades.

Not only that, Han Li also used the intermediate-level Golden Thread Talisman that he had already activated in advance.

Immediately, countless golden threads shot out from the talisman towards the giant mantis, quickly binding its entire body.

This binding force normally had little effect on the Golden-Backed Demon Mantis at the peak of level four; its resilient silk threads couldn't even withstand a casual slash from its two sharp blade-like legs. But things were different now. With its blade-like legs bound by the Azure Dragon Chains, which incorporated many magical artifacts and metals, and with most of its strength depleted and its reactions somewhat sluggish, the Golden-Backed Demon Mantis simply couldn't shake off the binding golden threads.

Once entangled in golden threads, it could no longer spread its wings and fly.

Its short legs caused it to stumble and fall to the ground.

"It's now."

Han Li held a green golden core in his left hand, absorbing its energy. After absorbing the unique energy of the core, he immediately used it all on the Green Radiance Sword in his left hand.

"go with!"

Driven by the same Golden Core Qi, the Green Radiance Sword instantly transformed into a green stream of light, piercing through the Golden-backed Demon Mantis's protective gray aura from top to bottom, and then stabbing squarely into that slender blade arm.

One section of the blade arm was severed in a flash, and the other was cut off in the blink of an eye.

If it were in a state of agility and good condition, even magical artifacts would struggle to exploit its weaknesses. Unfortunately, at this moment, the Golden-backed Mantis was simply easy prey.

"Without your sword, let's see how fierce you can be."

The steel bracelet was unleashed, spinning rapidly as it flew towards the mantis, striking its triangular head with a thud, leaving the giant man dazed and disoriented.

After knocking several times, Han Li saw that the giant mantis had little will to resist. Taking advantage of the still effective control provided by the Golden Thread Talisman and the Azure Dragon Chains, he quickly stepped forward and affixed a mid-level Soul-Suppressing Talisman to its head. He also fed it a large amount of healing pills.

It also contains pills that allow demonic beasts to quietly hibernate.

Once this was over, the Golden-backed Mantis, having lost its pair of bladed legs and thus its formidable power, quickly fell into a deep sleep.

"receive."

After silently reciting an incantation, numerous golden threads began to converge into the golden talisman. However, before the golden threads could fully penetrate, the talisman began to burn, turning into a ball of golden ash.

"Pity."

Last time in the Crimson Forbidden Land, he used this golden thread talisman to forcibly control the Ink Dragon, which was about to enter the level 2 demon beast sequence but was comparable to a level 3 demon beast. It consumed half of its energy, and now, when he tried to activate it again, it was completely exhausted and had reached the end of its lifespan.

After dismantling the magic array and taking his spoils, Han Li went straight back to Yellow Maple Valley.

...

"Meet the Master."

Inside the cave at Hongying Mountain, Han Li met with Fairy Hong Fu.

"What happened on this trip?"

She was extremely pleased that her disciple had reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage so quickly.

On the side, Dong Xuan'er, Xiu Ting, Xiu Lan, and the other girls felt jealous after realizing Han Li's cultivation level.

The reason is simple: although Senior Sisters Xiuting and Xiulan have made some progress in their cultivation, it is only a very limited improvement.

Although Dong Xuan'er has reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, she still has a long way to go to reach the middle stage. In other words, she has truly been surpassed by her junior brother with a pseudo-spiritual root. This echoes a certain statement she made back in the Qi Refining stage.

The more Dong Xuan'er thought about it, the more upset she became.

Over the years, she has harvested half of the medicinal herbs suitable for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from several medicinal fields on Red Tassel Mountain. Her master also refined the medicinal herbs harvested during the two forbidden area trials, those suitable for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, into pills for her. She has already consumed six bottles of these cultivation-enhancing pills, so her cultivation resources are "definitely" more than her junior brother's.

With nearly ten years of rigorous practice, his attitude towards spiritual cultivation is no worse than others.

Furthermore, his spiritual root aptitude is even higher than that of his junior brother Han Li.

But she was still overtaken.

This completely destroyed her initial pride, burying it under the title of "the one with the lowest cultivation level in Hongying Mountain".

In less than ten years, he reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage. In the outside world, this would definitely be considered a genius among geniuses. Even a genius who's always taking medicine is still a genius. But compared to his junior brother…

Never mind, I won't think about it anymore.

Han Li could understand that feeling of dejection and helplessness. But now, inside the main hall, this wasn't the place or the time for him to expend his energy comforting his senior sister. Besides, he had more important matters to attend to.

"Master, I encountered a level four demonic beast on my recent journey, it's this golden-backed mantis..."

As he spoke, he took out the golden-backed mantis that had lost its bladed legs and was still asleep from the spirit beast bag.

After examining it, Master Hongfu's eyes showed surprise:

"It was indeed a level four demonic beast, and a peak level four golden-backed demonic mantis at that. These strange insect-like demonic beasts are extremely ferocious, with two indestructible blade-like legs, and their flight speed can rival that of us Core Formation cultivators. Han Li, how did you defeat it?"

A Foundation Establishment cultivator, comparable to a Level 3 demon beast, facing a Level 4 peak demon beast—no matter how you look at it, it seems the cultivators have no chance of winning.

"A level 4 demonic beast? Junior brother actually captured a level 4 peak demonic beast alive?"

The two senior sisters looked at the Golden-backed Demon Mantis with surprise and doubt, while also glancing at Han Li with disbelief.

Honestly, even if the two of them went together, they might not fare well; they would more likely be hunted down by this level 4 peak golden-backed mantis.

How did my junior brother do that?
Are their methods really that sophisticated?

"This disciple has used the power of the formation."

"Array?"

"Master, do you still remember the great formation outside my cave? That's what I bought at a high price. I also have a simplified version with me. It only takes some time to set it up, and then we can lure the demonic beasts into the formation to trap and weaken them," Han Li said truthfully.

"I see."

Hong Fu nodded, understanding the technique.

The other three women had different expressions.

"Master, can you tame this golden-backed mantis?"

“Difficult. I see a lot of blood pact restrictions inside it, so it must have once recognized a master. It’s impossible to tame such a beast in less than a hundred years. I don’t have that much time and energy. Besides, you’ve already crippled this golden-backed mantis’s pair of bladed legs, so it’s no longer of much use. Why waste energy trying to tame it?”

"Master, it can lay eggs."

As he spoke, he pointed to the mantis's abdomen.

After a moment's thought, Fairy Hongfu understood. She nodded and examined the condition of the Golden-backed Demon Mantis's abdomen, then took out seventeen larvae from it.

After sensing the eggs with their spiritual senses, they discovered that eleven of them were dead, showing no signs of life. However, the other six were alive, being live eggs, which could be attempted to be hatched.

As expected, the mantis must be subdued before its spiritual energy is exhausted. This way, the golden-backed mantis won't drain the life force of the eggs to replenish itself. And the eggs, whose life force hasn't been extensively drained, naturally have a higher chance of survival.

"So many live eggs? You're lucky."

"Master, what did you say?"

"The Golden-backed Demon Mantis's first egg-laying period requires a hundred years to gestate, and the next one will be hundreds of years later. Moreover, the number of eggs laid will be limited, decreasing over time, and there might only be a few surviving. Yet you've happened to stumble upon this beast's first egg-laying period, and with so many surviving eggs..."

The timing was perfect.

A year or two earlier, they probably wouldn't have even started laying eggs yet.

Two years later, the number of live eggs might not be this high.

Having grasped the crux of the matter, Han Li chuckled and then looked at the three women beside him: "Senior sisters, are you interested? The little mantis will be a formidable fighting force if raised properly. I can handle the hatching issue for you."

He possesses the Spirit Eye Spring, which is most suitable for hatching demonic beasts and spirit insects.

He then took out four jade boxes.

They put two pills in each of the two boxes and handed one to Master Hongfu and the other to Dong Xuan'er.

The other two jade boxes each contained one jade, which were then handed to Xiuting and Xiulan, the two senior sisters.

"You are very kind, but I don't need it."

Master Hongfu smiled and waved her hand, then nodded:

"Your three senior sisters, they're barely suitable..."

"This Golden-backed Demon Mantis is quite famous among demonic beasts and spirit insects. Given enough time and some spiritual herbs, it can smoothly grow to level four. After reaching level four, it can start laying eggs and reproducing. If it can reach level five, its combat power will be comparable to that of us Core Formation cultivators. If your three senior sisters can also form Cores in the future, having a level five spirit beast by their side as an assistant will be very different from ordinary Core Formation cultivators."

"Moreover, such a monster egg is worth at least one or two thousand spirit stones, not to mention."

Upon hearing this, Dong Xuan'er and the other two women's eyes lit up immediately.

Dong Xuan'er generously accepted the box and took two demon insect eggs.

Xiuting and Xiulan hesitated for a while, wanting the item but too embarrassed to ask. It wasn't until their master, Hongfu, waved her hand and placed the item in front of them that the two women thanked their master and Han Li.

Seeing that Master Hongfu was happy, Han Li quickly seized the opportunity and took out the pair of golden-backed mantis blades:
"Master, my skill in weapon crafting is truly lacking, and I fear I might waste these excellent materials. Master, could you perhaps help me with that... that..."

His awkwardness made the girls suppress their laughter, but they couldn't let their master actually laugh out loud in front of them.

"Alright, leave the items here. I'll forge a few top-tier magic artifacts that you'll find useful. However, if you want even higher quality, it's best to add some gold essence from the five metals of magic weapons. You don't need much, just two pigeon egg-sized amounts will suffice. Do you have any of that prepared?"

"There are some."

Han Li quickly took out his preparations.

There were three objects of different colors.

One, bright yellow, is the essence of gold, about the size of a fist.

One, green and translucent, is copper essence, about the size of two eggs.

There was also a white one, which was made of tin essence. It was only the size of a fingernail and a very small scrap.

With the demonic invasion just months away, the more high-quality, top-tier magical artifacts he had on hand, the better. Providing three types of metal items, with a surface value of approximately four to five thousand spirit stones, was a carefully considered decision.

"Gold essence, copper essence, tin essence, you actually managed to get your hands on three kinds of magical metal treasures?"

Not only were Dong Xuan'er, Xiu Ting, and Xiu Lan shocked, but even Master Hong Fu was greatly surprised.

It's true, even a single scrap of material is quite rare for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet my little disciple has three pieces right here:

"Huh? This quality is even better than the metals tempered by Junior Brother Li's Three Yang True Fire?"

Although the quantity of the three pieces of metal was not large, each portion was of exceptionally high quality. It was something that a Core Formation cultivator could not possibly refine.

This…

Could it be a precious item refined by a Nascent Soul cultivator using Infant Fire?

"You're so lucky! You even managed to get your hands on scraps of this quality?!"

Tsk tsk…

It's another level four peak golden-backed demon mantis that's been bound by a blood pact, and another magic weapon of five metals. This little disciple of mine is bound to have another extraordinary encounter on this trip.

Was it the discovery of an ancient cultivator's cave? Or was it a seriously injured Core Formation cultivator from one of the Seven Sects that wasn't part of our sect?

Wait, could this child have used Old Monster Qiong's Invisible Needle Talisman to kill a seriously injured person...?

Surely not?!
Ahem, I think too much.

"Han Li, if my natal magic weapon hadn't already been enhanced with enough metals, and I didn't need to add more to reinforce it and make it look bulky, I would definitely have bought some from you."

The Fairy Hong Fu didn't shy away from expressing her thoughts.

In truth, if it were any more, she would have actually gone to the trouble of bartering to ask for it. After all, even if she didn't need it, Xuan'er could. The small, fist-sized piece of iron essence she got from the Thousand Bamboo Sect and the large piece she got from Junior Brother Li were still... too little.

Hong Fu never imagined that these three magical treasures weren't refined by a Nascent Soul ancestor, but rather by a legendary Deity Transformation master who specially refined them for destined individuals in later generations. Moreover, there were countless of them. If a suitable amount could be added to any magical treasure, its power would be greatly enhanced.

Han Li only took a tiny fraction of the forbidden area's profits, less than one-thousandth, demonstrating his extreme caution. As for how a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like him managed to extract even scraps from such large and intact pieces?

This was naturally achieved by borrowing the power of the Golden Core from that unlucky fellow of the Spirit Control Sect.

The five metals of magical artifacts can only be refined by those who have reached the Core Formation stage.

In other words, as long as one possesses the power of the Core Formation stage, it can be extracted. He tried it and succeeded, but it also consumed a significant amount of the Golden Core's energy.

Fortunately, it was all worth it.

Gold essence primarily enhances sharpness, significantly increasing it, especially for sword energy. Copper essence greatly increases strength and hardness, while also improving resistance to wear and corrosion. Tin essence primarily imparts restorative properties to magical artifacts, allowing damaged artifacts to gradually return to their original state. The more tin essence one possesses, the stronger the restorative power of the artifact.

Silver essence and iron essence each have their own main effects, but Han Li dared not take out even a single bit more.

Providing just these three items, which are only scraps, is already a huge test of one's heart and the character of Master Hongfu.

Thankfully, this wasn't Li Huayuan, Li Shishu; otherwise, we would have had to press him for answers.

"Disciple thanks Master."

Han Li breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his master, Hong Fu, had no other intentions.

Originally, he had considered cooperating with Qi Yunxiao to refine top-tier magic weapons using Foundation Establishment True Fire or Earth Fire. However, although Qi Yunxiao's weapon-refining skills were impressive, his cultivation level was somewhat lacking. He would probably only be able to refine rare or even top-grade magic weapons after reaching Foundation Establishment.

It's too much of a stretch for someone who's only at the Qi Refining stage.

He couldn't bear to let Qi Yunxiao practice with such precious and hard-to-find materials.

...

After discussing the crafting of magical artifacts, the disciples took their leave, and Han Li approached Dong Xuan'er to inquire about the events that had occurred in the outside world during his three years of seclusion.

The most interesting thing is nothing more than "the new waves of the Yangtze River push the old waves forward".

The Murong brothers, who possessed the Thunder Spirit Root, successfully established their Foundation Establishment more than two years ago, thanks to the two Foundation Establishment Pills he sold at a fair price of eight thousand spirit stones. Although he sold them at a fair price three years ago, the two brothers still owed him a favor, though not a small one.

Furthermore, Li Jin, the young prodigy of the Li family, achieved Foundation Establishment almost simultaneously with the Murong brothers, or rather, a month earlier. The Foundation Establishment Pill they used was also provided by him.

The three individuals who received angel investment were essentially laying the foundation for their future careers more than a year earlier than other young prodigies of the same generation.

Because all the young geniuses of the same generation have to wait until after the final Crimson Trial, wait for the relevant spiritual herbs to be refined into new Foundation Establishment Pills, and then wait for the refined Foundation Establishment Pills to be distributed. The whole process is so long that it makes people anxious and impatient.

In contrast, the young man from the Wang family who was born with divine eyes was more than a year late in successfully establishing his foundation.

It wasn't that he lacked talent; in fact, this young man's cultivation speed was no different from Li Jin's, who possessed spiritual roots and a special physique. The problem was that he lacked the necessary channels, indirectly wasting time.

If you're slow at this step, you'll be slow at every step.

The Murong brothers and Li Jin seized the advantage of establishing their foundation a year earlier, and they gained a great deal of benefits from it.

The most direct benefit was that the three of them, as Foundation Establishment managers, accompanied the Core Formation stage leader to participate in the final Crimson Trial!
These three, as disciples of a Core Formation stage elder, benefited from their master's influence and were successively bestowed with Foundation Establishment stage pills.

"Senior Sister, I heard that two years ago during the Blood Trial, Master Hong Fu, together with Uncle Lei and Uncle Li Huayuan, launched a major attack?" Han Li asked.

"That's what happened."

Dong Xuan'er nodded, confirming the authenticity of the information:
"Junior brother, as you know, according to the rules set by the Seven Sects a few years ago, the last Blood Trial was the last one to be opened in 60 years. After that, the Seven Sects will close the forbidden area for 60 years, allowing the various spiritual herbs inside to reproduce and complete a cycle..."

After all, the mining has been going on for too many years. If we don't stop and slow down, the outer and central areas of the Crimson Forbidden Land will be completely depleted.

"For the next 60 years, ordinary older disciples could no longer obtain Foundation Establishment Pills through the sect's main channels. For example, those who had previously obtained Foundation Establishment Pills through the competitions in the last ten-year competition or even the competitions twenty or thirty years ago could no longer win a second Foundation Establishment Pill through the competitions."

"Many people here have not yet been able to establish their foundation."

"With the Crimson Forbidden Land set to close for sixty years, and given their desire to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, they rushed to sign up."

Upon hearing this, Han Li deliberately paused for a moment:

"Why are those people so enthusiastic?"

Dong Xuan'er suppressed a smile.

Han Li was somewhat puzzled upon seeing this:
"What's wrong, senior sister?"

"Someone brought out dozens of spiritual herbs last time, a huge harvest. Several other people also obtained Foundation Establishment Pills, and four people even successfully established their foundations thanks to the benefits of the forbidden area. Junior brother, do you understand?" Dong Xuan'er said with a smile.

She still has the air of a big sister.

It's like she's regained her confidence.

Han Li immediately feigned realization:

"Oh~"

"I see."

It turned out that his gains that time were so great that they spurred on the elite Qi Refining stage disciples. After all, he and several others had done very well, so how could those more outstanding and confident elite disciples, who didn't feel inferior to others, not have some thoughts about it?

Immediately afterwards, Dong Xuan'er recounted other inside stories:
Because the forbidden area was to be closed by the seven factions for 60 years, each faction arranged for a very elite lineup to appear.

However, on the Yellow Maple Valley side, several elders from the sect who had tasted success last time, or indirectly benefited from it, or saw that there was profit to be made, joined forces.

Five Core Formation cultivators—Master Hong Fu, Li Huayuan, Huang Nie, Lei Wanhe, and Old Ancestor Chen—personally funded the enhancement of their respective chosen elites who were about to participate in the trial.

The five people chosen by Master Hongfu were each equipped with a top-tier magic weapon, a fine or even rare item typically used by Foundation Establishment cultivators, one for offense and one for defense.

Additionally: Each person receives three intermediate-level talismans, and each person receives ten beginner and advanced-level talismans!

Each person should have two level 1 top-tier spirit beasts!
The Spirit Fusion Talismans are also paired up, with the individual going out alone teaming up with someone chosen by another Core Formation Elder.

Furthermore, both of the most favored players have equipped themselves with talismanic treasures—the kind that can be activated at least three more times.

It largely replicates Han Li's success story.

This shows how much importance Master Hongfu attached to the final blood trial.

Those selected were already among the top ten in the sect competition back then, demonstrating their individual strength and making them the seeded generation for each edition. Moreover, most of them had accumulated considerable wealth over the years, and had also received strong support from Master Hongfu and several Core Formation elders of the sect. It's no exaggeration to say that their individual strength and foundation were no less than his own.

The purpose of the five elders at the Core Formation stage of the sect was also very clear.

These are high-quality spiritual herbs and rare medicinal plants that have been stored in the forbidden area for many years.

In other words, it was he who created the butterfly effect.

It was he who made those who had tasted success restless.

Since it concerned the journey, the group was extremely generous.

The saying goes, "You have to give to receive." The five elders, having joined forces to share the burden of training the trainees, were naturally full of confidence.

According to Dong Xuan'er, the plan was launched about a year before the forbidden area was opened, roughly shortly after the incident involving the young master of the Thousand Bamboo Sect and Huang Long and others, less than half a month after he returned from his trip to Bibo Cave.

At that time, five Core Formation stage elders stepped forward to screen and finalize the selection of twenty-five participants for the trial!
Subsequently, the twenty-five trainees underwent training, receiving not only upgraded equipment but also guidance from several elders every other month. It could be said that these cultivators were only missing the title of a nominal disciple.

As for the other factions?

Although they also valued the profits from the last forbidden area.

They also arranged for the elite of the elite to participate.

However, the number of top elites is really small.

Preparations in other areas were also insufficient; how could they compare to the excellent treatment received by Huangfeng Valley? When the trial participants from the six sects encountered Huangfeng Valley's teams of two, the outcome was predictable.

Ultimately, Huangfeng Valley achieved excellent results once again.

A total of 291 spiritual herbs were brought out, which is even more exaggerated than the 133 he brought out last time.

Among them are many excellent works.

There are even 6 rare specimens.

Fifty or sixty of the finest plants.

There are also dozens of plants suitable for use during the foundation-building period.

Of the six rare plants, two were acquired by Master Hongfu, and the other two were acquired by Old Master Chen.

After all, the Chen family sent in five of their most outstanding Qi Refining stage elites this time, and they were all top-notch. More importantly, three of them managed to reunite, and together they managed to take down a level 2 monster's lair after exhausting all their talisman treasures, resulting in a huge harvest.

In the end, Patriarch Chen obtained two rare spiritual herbs and more than ten fine spiritual herbs. Not only did he break even, but he also cultivated elites in the clan, killing two birds with one stone.

Even if two junior members of the clan were lost, the outcome was still a huge profit.

The fifth rare plant was brought out by the Lei family members and thus obtained by Lei Wanhe.

That person also acquired more than ten exquisite medicinal herbs that were five or six hundred years old.

"You have no idea how happy Uncle Lei was at that time. Another batch of Enhancing Essence Pills was definitely in order."

A complete batch can yield a dozen or twenty pills.

If a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator were to refine all of these, it would be enough to increase their cultivation by more than ten years.

It is very effective for breaking through bottlenecks.

"The Lei family has put in a lot of effort," Han Li said. "It seems that our Yellow Maple Valley will soon have its second cultivator at the late Core Formation stage."

"That's what Master said too," Dong Xuan'er nodded.

The sixth rare specimen was acquired by Li Huayuan.

Originally, some people had objections because Li Huayuan had intercepted Huang Nie's senior uncle and used the lure of two Foundation Establishment Pills to accept Huang Nie's senior uncle's clansman who brought out the spiritual herb as a nominal disciple, thus obtaining that precious spiritual herb and three fine spiritual herbs.

As a result, Huang Nie almost went to Bibo Cave to confront Li Huayuan, nearly breaking off relations with him.

Finally, Master Hongfu stopped him, saying that Li Huayuan had presided over the Blood Trial for nearly thirty years, and even if he hadn't made any great contributions, he had certainly worked hard. Furthermore, he had also contributed this time, and the methods he used were within the sect's rules. Huang Nie didn't want to argue with Hongfu, so he tolerated it. Afterwards, Master Hongfu exchanged a rare spiritual herb that she herself didn't need for Huang Nie in exchange for a number of spiritual herbs and pills suitable for the Foundation Establishment stage, thus appeasing him and completely resolving the matter.

Li Huayuan also sent a lot of spiritual medicines suitable for the Foundation Establishment stage to express his gratitude.

He then went to apologize to Huang Nie and eased tensions.

This also shows how fragile the so-called brotherhood among fellow disciples is in the face of one's own path to immortality.

What does it matter if the benefits are sufficient and the rules are applied properly, even if it's just a facade for someone at the Core Formation stage?
Perhaps, only Master Hongfu's side is a little "cleaner".

"By the way, Senior Sister, how great were the losses to our sect?" Han Li suddenly asked.

"Fortunately, we lost twelve people, but thirteen survived," Dong Xuan'er said with regret.

Each person brought out more than twenty spiritual herbs.

The most impressive group produced about forty plants each.

He almost broke his junior brother's record.

Therefore, if those twelve unlucky guys also survive, the harvest of spiritual herbs in Huangfeng Valley will definitely be even more abundant, extremely abundant.

"That can't be right, how could this kind of lineup suffer such heavy losses?"

Han Li raised an eyebrow, quite surprised.

You have to understand, any one of the participants from the previous trial team would have been a high-level "Hunter," capable of challenging the eldest son of the Chen family. How could they have suffered such heavy losses?

Could it be because of...?
He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine for Mo Jiao Xiao Liu.

Did that guy get killed by this group?
If a team from Huangfeng Valley were to form a group of ten, Xiao Liu would also be in danger. A team of ten would mean several talismanic treasures, numerous top-tier magical artifacts, and mid-level talismans. Xiao Liu's defenses might not be able to withstand that.

Even if those talismans were only activated during the Qi Refining stage, they could still threaten level 2 or even level 3 demonic beasts.

Of course, if Huangfeng Valley were to confront Xiao Liu head-on, even if they won, the losses would be extremely heavy. This is because Xiao Liu, who has been confined within the forbidden area for five years, is definitely not just a level 3 ordinary demonic beast like when he first broke through; he is a dominant force among level 3 demonic beasts.

Those with the dragon bloodline, upon reaching level 8, can fight across a different realm.

Moreover, the earlier Level 2.

"Junior brother, there are many reasons why our side suffered heavy losses."

"For example, the powerful figures among the other six factions."

“Don’t underestimate the other sects. Several sects, such as the Hidden Moon Sect and the Spirit Beast Mountain, also have similar elites.” Dong Xuan’er sighed, “Although the high-level cultivators of the other sects do not spend money to specially train the elites in their sects to participate in the trials, there are still many ruthless people among them who are self-reliant. There are even those who can fight two opponents at once without being at a disadvantage.”

"In addition, our team encountered several level-two demonic beasts. In previous Blood Trials, the participants would have given up long ago. But last time was different. They were expected to succeed, and they were too skilled and daring. They actually challenged the nests of level-two demonic beasts in pairs before the main group. Several people were lost because of this."

"By the way, a few people encountered a group of demon beasts in the inner ring of the central area. On our side, that six-person team initially only noticed two level 2 demon beasts in the group, unaware of the level 2 demon beast that had molted at the bottom of the lake. They only realized the seriousness of the problem after someone stirred up a hornet's nest, but unfortunately it was too late."

This was similar to his previous encounter with the salamander tribe, yet also different.

He would never act recklessly if he discovered a level-three demonic beast.

The black dragon can sense general threats through its aura.

Therefore, he would never approach any monster's lair that could pose a threat to Xiao Liu; he would take a detour.

Unlike the other six-person group, although accompanied by spirit beasts, they couldn't perceive the true extent of the threat posed by the demon beast horde. Relying on their dozen or so top-tier level 1 spirit beasts and various hidden resources, the six recklessly charged forward. Only after stirring up trouble did they realize they had stirred up a hornet's nest, and the price they paid was naturally enormous.

"Only two members of that six-man team managed to escape."

In that one move, Huangfeng Valley lost four people.

Otherwise, the number of medicinal herbs brought out would definitely be more than 290.

Even so, it still stunned the other factions.

If Li Huayuan had been the only Core Formation cultivator leading Huangfeng Valley at the time, Huangfeng Valley's team would likely have faced considerable difficulties from the experts of the six sects. Fortunately, Lei Wanhe and the Chen family patriarch accompanied them to maintain order, which prevented the other sects from having to suffer in silence.

That's roughly the situation.

Dong Xuan'er didn't go with them, so she doesn't know the details.

In short, thanks to her master Hong Fu's effective investment, she indirectly obtained a large number of spiritual herbs suitable for the Foundation Establishment stage. This is equivalent to at least three Core Formation stage cultivators supporting her. Now, she just needs to gather the remaining matching auxiliary materials before she can start refining pills and produce three batches of decent pills. At that time, with a large number of pills to help her, she can catch up with or even surpass her junior brother.

"Junior brother, although you have the help of the spiritual spring, do not slack off. I will catch up with you and surpass you soon."

"Then you keep your word, Senior Sister."

Han Li touched the storage bag and said calmly.

The number of pills refined according to ancient formulas in his storage bag has not decreased but increased.

They were all crafted by him after he entered the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and mastered the first level of the Great Evolution Technique.

There were about ten bottles in total.

It was something he had prepared for the next few years.

Since his cultivation level improved further, reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and he also mastered the first level of the Great Evolution Technique, his success rate in refining various Foundation Establishment pills has also increased significantly, from about 50% to more than 70%.

It's likely that once he reaches the late Foundation Establishment stage or masters the second level of the Great Evolution Technique, his control over the details of alchemy will improve significantly, thus increasing his success rate.

Furthermore, he will only refine all the remaining forbidden spiritual herbs suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators into matching ancient pills once his cultivation and the Great Evolution Technique break through again.

After all, he can still improve.

Correspondingly, he should save money.

We should be frugal and save money wherever possible.

...

"So, the reason why Brother Murong and Junior Brother Li Jin's cultivation has improved so rapidly is because of the advantages brought by their dual identities as 'team leader of Foundation Establishment' and 'elder's disciple', right?"

"Of course, those three little ones are very popular with Uncle Lei and Uncle Chen."

Dong Xuan'er pouted.

As the saying goes, those who are near the water get the moon first.

The three followed their master to broaden their horizons. Several experts at the Core Formation stage were delighted to see such a great harvest and were sure to reward them generously.

Everyone who sees it gets a share.

The three of them essentially got several bottles of Foundation Establishment stage pills for free.

really.

Choice is greater than effort.

"By the way, Senior Sister, have there been any adjustments to the sect's rules regarding the distribution of Foundation Establishment Pills?"

(End of this chapter)