Dao of The Demonic Cultivator

Within Li Xuanming's storage bag, the spirit stones were surprisingly scant, amounting to just over three thousand small spiritual stones and about twenty to thirty medium spiritual stones.

Chu Xuan surmised that Li Xuanming had likely spent the spirit stones before the war, exchanging them for magic tools and other forms of immediate combat power.

As for magic tools, Chu Xuan found several high-grade defensive magic tools. There was also one top-grade defensive magic tool, a personal undergarment armor, although it had been damaged during the battle between Li Xuanming and Duan Feipeng.

However, the three secret techniques hidden by Li Xuanming piqued Chu Xuan's interest:

"Turtle Breath Technique," a high-grade Foundation Establishment stage cultivation method with three levels. It could completely conceal one's aura, making one appear as a mere mortal. When cultivated to its highest level, one could freely intensify or weaken their aura.

"Venom Scripture," which recorded over a hundred poison formulas, covering both Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages, along with various methods of administering poisons.

Such esoteric and unorthodox methods were uniquely valuable to Chu Xuan. He had previously dabbled in the art of poison, but the poison techniques of the Infinite Sect were relatively mediocre. He had only explored them superficially and regretted not delving deeper. Now, a comprehensive manual on poisons was literally handed to him on a platter. There was no reason to let it slip away again.

"Complete Root Seizing Technique," which could extract another's spiritual root and transplant it into oneself. The more materials prepared, the more complete the extraction of the spiritual root. At its highest, it can fully seize another's spiritual root…"

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue. His own spiritual root was a mid-grade wood-leaning spiritual root. Hence, he had long prepared a secret technique to seize spiritual roots, although he had seldom had the chance to use it. Either there was no suitable target, or he lacked the necessary materials.

However, the technique he had only allowed for seizing up to fifty percent of another's spiritual root. For an ultimate thunder spiritual root like Duan Feipeng's, even if transplanted, it would likely degrade to a superior-grade thunder root.

But with this Complete Root Seizing Technique, he could potentially seize an ultimate thunder root in its entirety! Such an opportunity was monumental!

Chu Xuan carefully stored these items. Then, he opened Duan Feipeng's storage bag, and the contents left him astonished. Indeed, Duan was secretly regarded by many as the foremost among the "Three Scions of the Heavenly Seal." His wealth was astoundingly abundant! Chu had never seen such a well-stocked storage bag!

Small spiritual stones, six thousand!

Medium spiritual stones, two hundred!

Top-grade magic tools, two!

Foundation Establishment stage magic talismans, four!

Foundation Establishment stage beast spirit talismans produced by Imperial Spirit Mountain, eight!

Foundation Establishment stage demonic pills, one bottle!

Foundation Establishment stage healing pills, eight bottles!

Foundation Establishment stage killing arrays, defense arrays, and various special arrays, twelve in total!

Besides, there was an extensive collection of cultivation manuals. Heavenly Seal Sect, Thousand Insects Sect, Blood Fury Sect, and more… all included!

Clearly, these were the spoils of war Duan Feipeng had collected from slain enemies. Now, including Duan Feipeng himself, all these treasures had fallen into Chu Xuan's hands.

"Rich as Croesus," Chu Xuan marveled, clicking his tongue in wonder as he carefully stored away the treasures. He then began the process of seizing and transplanting spiritual roots.

The Complete Root Seizing Technique required three types of pills as mediators to excavate and hold the spiritual roots. Two of these pills were high-grade Foundation Establishment stage, and the third was even a top-grade Foundation Establishment stage pill. All of them possessed the properties to reinforce or even repair damaged spiritual roots, making them exceptionally expensive.

The high-grade Foundation Establishment stage pills each cost at least six hundred small spiritual stones, and the top-grade Foundation Establishment stage pill demanded a whopping eight hundred small spiritual stones—and even at that price, they were scarce. Ultimately, this was due to the rare ingredients required for their creation.

If Chu Xuan did not have the planet Blue Star as his backyard, with its abundance of zombies serving as furnaces to grow spiritual plants, he would have found it challenging to gather these essential pills.

"There are a few types of spiritual plant seeds I still need. I'll go buy them shortly. Let's plant these seeds now; in time, they will grow, and I can attempt to concoct the pills."

With that, Chu Xuan headed to the unnamed market to purchase the seeds.

...

In a tea house at the nameless market, Chu Xuan sat quietly on an armchair, eyes closed as if dozing.

The tea and snacks served by the female cultivator remained untouched. He was always cautious with anything not prepared under his watchful eye; if he could avoid eating, he would.

Moments later, a figure appeared on the third floor. Almost instantly as the footsteps sounded, Chu Xuan's eyes snapped open, his muscles tensing, nearly ready to trigger an attack spell.

The newcomer, seeing the fierce aura Chu Xuan exuded as if he was about to strike, seemed to recognize someone he had once fought!

In that instant, both recognized each other's true identity.

Tap, tap.

Han Liuyun's footsteps were steady and firm, yet he kept a distance from Chu Xuan. This time, he did not sit down in front of Chu Xuan but stayed quite far away.

Chu Xuan asked calmly, "Did you come here looking for me?"

Han Liuyun shook his head vigorously. "You think too much. I'm not interested in fighting you to the death. The cost-benefit ratio doesn't add up."

He glanced around and then asked, "What about that cultivator in need of spiritual plant seeds? Did you devour him?"

Chu Xuan, "…is it possible—I'm just saying possible—that the commission was posted by me?"

Han Liuyun looked astonished. "You don't seem like the type who enjoys farming. What do you need spiritual plant seeds for?"

Chu Xuan scoffed, "That's none of your business. Hand over the goods."

From a distance, Han Liuyun tossed a storage bag. Chu Xuan didn't catch it; instead, he let it fall to the ground.

After a moment, ensuring there were no traps, he used the Evil Soul Chain to lift it.

Chu Xuan nodded, "Good, everything I need is here. Name your price."

Han Liuyun smiled, "Spiritual plant seeds are cheap—thirty small spiritual stones per catty. There are a thousand cattys of various seeds in there. You mentioned you have blood beads; let's settle in those."

Chu Xuan nodded, counted out some large blood beads, and tossed them over.

Han Liuyun caught the blood beads and raised an eyebrow, "He Liang?"

Chu Xuan replied calmly, "Indeed."

Han Liuyun stared at Chu Xuan, shocked. He had been dealing with Chu Xuan all along without penetrating his disguise. Despite priding himself on having unmatched skills in disguise, here was someone truly celestial before him!

Han Liuyun clicked his tongue in admiration, "Your skill in disguise is strong. Could you teach me?"

Chu Xuan sneered, "Your hidden weapons are also impressive. Would you teach me those?"

After a moment's thought, Han Liuyun shook his head, "Forget it, I fear the day I teach you might be the day I drop dead."

Both men backed away and simultaneously made a swift exit, their movements exceptionally synchronized.

With his preparations complete, Chu Xuan headed to the zombie farm near the Haotai Hotel. The Zombie Matriarch diligently produced small flesh pods there, each serving as a nurturing bed for the spiritual plants.

Chu Xuan then began his cultivation practices.

He had to practice the Turtle Breath Technique, the Boiling Blood Scripture, the Body Protecting Golden Wheel Decree, and even glance through the Venom Scripture when he had the chance. Although he only intended to dabble lightly without going deep, it would still consume a considerable amount of time.

Days passed one after another, and within a year, various spiritual plants matured successfully.