What do you mean by saying that the corpses I sew are all ominous creatures?

"Mercury condenses, its veins flow like a river."

Your current state has reached the half-step Core Formation realm, which is something that ordinary cultivators dream of.

However, do you feel that no matter how much yin energy you absorb, or how much you widen your meridians, the evil energy within your body just can't completely condense into a pill, always falling short of that final step?

Zhang Xuanqing's words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through the fog in my mind.

I recalled that some time ago, I used the top-grade Xuan Yin Sha Crystal that Lei Zhenshan gave me to go into seclusion and break through to the Sha Dan.

At that time, the malevolent energy within me had become so dense that it was terrifying, even giving me the illusion that my body was about to burst.

But no matter how much I compressed it, the evil energy was like a pile of loose sand, and I could never condense it into a core.

In the end, I had no choice but to give up and stop at the half-step Demon Core stage.

I always thought it was because I hadn't accumulated enough knowledge or because my meridians had reached their limit.

But judging from Zhang Xuanqing's tone now, it seems that's not the case at all.

"Master Zhang has keen insight."

I stopped smiling casually, sat up straight, and became extremely serious.

"To be honest, I did try to condense the evil pill some time ago, but I failed in the end."

I wonder where the crux of the problem lies? I hope the Taoist master will kindly enlighten me.

Faced with such a rare opportunity to ask for advice, I naturally wouldn't let it pass.

Zhang Xuanqing nodded slightly, clearly pleased with my humble request for guidance.

"The key to understanding the problem is actually very simple, just eight words: 'Isolated yin cannot produce anything, isolated yang cannot grow.'"

He pointed at me, then at himself, and slowly explained:

"The evil energy cultivated by you corpse-stitchers is an extremely yin element in the world."

In the early stages of accumulation, the purer and more concentrated the Yin energy, the better.

However, the formation of the elixir is a process of quantitative change leading to qualitative change; it is a transformative experience on the path of cultivation.

"Taoism emphasizes the harmony of Yin and Yang, with all things carrying Yin and embracing Yang."

The malevolent energy within your body has reached its extreme of Yin. If you continue to increase Yin energy, you will not only fail to form the elixir.

On the contrary, excessive yin energy can cause the meridians to freeze, and even lead to qi deviation and demonic possession.

Hearing this, my heart sank.

"Therefore, what you lack now to condense the Fiend Core is no longer Yin energy."

Zhang Xuanqing's gaze fell on the small black box, and his tone became serious.

What you lack is a trace of yang energy that can be nurtured within extreme yin.

Only by using this wisp of yang energy as the core of the elixir, like the finishing touch on a painting, can the vast, yin energy within your body be activated, causing it to undergo a complete transformation and condense into a true demonic core!

Extreme Yin gives rise to Yang!

These four words resonated in my mind like the grand sound of a resounding bell.

The lineage of corpse stitchers, the inheritance my grandfather left me, is quite strange.

He taught me how to sew up a corpse, how to appease grievances, and how to draw the first wisp of evil energy into my body.

He taught me almost all of the association's methods.

He even secretly taught me the Heavenly Garment Strategy, which he hadn't passed down to my father.

But he never mentioned how to proceed on the path of cultivation, nor did he offer me any guidance whatsoever.

Therefore, I was completely clueless about the path to breakthroughs that followed.

If Zhang Xuanqing hadn't pointed this out today, I'm afraid I would have been groping my way on the path to Core Formation for a long time, and might even have paid an extremely heavy price.

The profound foundation of a major sect is indeed far beyond what a rogue cultivator like myself can compare to.

The profound principles of spiritual practice they have summarized over thousands of years can often save people from taking countless detours.

"A single conversation with you is worth more than ten years of study."

"Master Zhang's guidance is like a second life to me," I said sincerely.

Zhang Xuanqing waved his hand and smiled dismissively: "It's just a few words of common sense, nothing to be ashamed of."

Now that you understand the reasoning behind this, you should know why I brought this thing.

As he spoke, he reached out and gently grasped the edge of the small black box.

Then, with a soft "click," the box was opened.

The moment the box was opened, there was no cliché scene of dazzling gold or overwhelming treasures as one might have imagined.

Inside, there lay a piece of wood, no bigger than half a palm.

The piece of wood was jet black, with a rough texture covering its surface.

But within that darkness, there were strangely interwoven extremely fine dark gold patterns.

The patterns seemed to be alive, slowly flowing across the surface of the wood.

I could sense that, besides the extremely yin energy that I was so familiar with, there was also an extremely domineering and fierce power lurking within that piece of wood.

Although that power was weak, it was extremely pure.

"This item is called the Nine Netherworld Thunderstruck Wood Heart."

Zhang Xuanqing looked at the wood in the box, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes.

"This thing was found by chance by the 30th generation Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain in a forbidden place where corpses were raised."

In that desolate place grew a ten-thousand-year-old locust tree, which was about to mature into a powerful force, but it attracted a series of strikes from the Nine Heavens Mystic Thunder.

Logically speaking, under the extremely yang thunder, this extremely yin wood should have been reduced to ashes.

"But this piece of ebony withstood the lightning tribulation."

Although the main body was destroyed, the supreme yang power of thunder and fire was firmly locked within its core wood marrow.

Ultimately, this wondrous object, embodying the principle of extreme yin giving rise to yang, was born.

Zhang Xuanqing pushed the box towards me, looking at me intently:

"This thing is kept in the inner treasury of the Celestial Master's Mansion. For those of us who practice the Zhengyi Thunder Magic, it has too much yin energy and cannot be used directly."

For those evil cultivators, the thunder and fire yang energy inside was enough to reduce them to ashes.

But for someone like you, stuck at the half-step Demon Core stage and desperately needing extreme yin to generate yang as a catalyst for core formation, this is the most suitable option.

I looked at the Nine Nether Lightning-Struck Wood Heart in front of me, and my eyelids twitched slightly.

The value of this thing to me is simply immeasurable in monetary terms.

It seems that Longhu Mountain really went to great lengths to repay Zhou Ming's favor this time.

This time I didn't make excuses, but spoke directly:

"Since Master Zhang says so, then this junior will shamelessly accept this."

My quick agreement wasn't entirely due to being blinded by greed.

Firstly, this thing really suits me.

This was Zhang Xuanqing's way of thanking me for saving Zhou Ming, so it was perfectly reasonable for me to accept it.

Secondly, the folklore world is a place that emphasizes cause and effect.

I've already declined before, but now that they've gone this far, if I decline again, they'll think I'm trying to take advantage of their kindness.

Some things are better left unchecked.

Seeing that I was no longer being polite, Zhang Xuanqing's eyes showed even more admiration: "Not bad, Brother Chen's temper is becoming more and more to my liking."

After a pause, he continued, "Although this object is of the Yin nature, the power of thunder and fire within it is exceptionally domineering."

Brother Chen, please be extremely careful when using this, and do not be greedy for credit or act rashly.