Chapter 272: Chapter 271: Low-Grade Elemental Level! Snow Soul Vermilion Fruit

The silver-red light from the Purgatory Star Rod flared as it smashed down on the giant wolf’s hind leg.

"CRACK—"

The sound of bone shattering.

The giant wolf let out a pained howl and collapsed, the surging Demon Qi in its demon heart suppressed by Zhu Ge’s Blood Qi.

It struggled to stand, but its hind leg was broken, leaving it unable to find its footing.

"Jianjian!" Zhu Ge shouted.

"Coming!" Liu Jianjian leaped down from Mazhu’s back. Her hands formed a seal, and a strand of hair floated down, transforming into a fine needle that pierced the giant wolf’s forehead.

"Refine!"

Liu Jianjian sat down cross-legged as Demon Qi surged around her. The Demon Beasts within her hair began to channel their Demon Qi back into her.

Chains materialized from thin air, binding the giant wolf.

The giant wolf struggled desperately, its Demon Qi flaring, but with a broken leg, it was powerless to resist.

The fine needle took root in its mind, linking its Demon Qi with Liu Jianjian’s.

"Master, this wolf’s Demon Qi is so strong!" Liu Jianjian’s face turned pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "This is going to take a little longer."

Zhu Ge didn’t intervene, standing guard for Liu Jianjian.

The surrounding Snow Wolves had already scattered, leaving only the giant wolf still struggling.

Its eyes were filled with despair and indignation, but the needle had already taken control of its Divine Soul, rendering it unable to resist.

Time ticked by. The giant wolf’s struggles grew weaker, and the Demon Qi enveloping it grew thinner and thinner.

The color returned to Liu Jianjian’s pale face, turning it rosy, as the Demon Qi around her grew increasingly dense.

’Is she about to break through?’ A flicker of pleasant surprise crossed Zhu Ge’s eyes.

Liu Jianjian had been stuck at the late stage of the Transformation Realm for a long time, lacking the opportunity to break through.

If she could use the power of this Three Realms Snow Wolf to break through to the Essence-Devouring Realm, her Demon Hunting Divine Technique would reach a whole new level.

Suddenly, the giant wolf let out a final, pained cry before being absorbed into the strand of hair.

The refinement was a success!

At that exact moment, the Demon Qi in Liu Jianjian’s body erupted like a volcano. Her hair floated up strand by strand, the tips glowing with a dazzling light.

Propelled by the blast of Demon Qi, her body slowly rose into the air, completely enveloped in light.

’She broke through.’ Zhu Ge breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Jianjian floated down from the air and opened her eyes, which were brimming with excitement. "Master! I broke through! I’m at the Essence-Devouring Realm! The Third Realm!"

"Congratulations," Zhu Ge said with a smile.

Liu Jianjian descended from the air. The moment her feet touched solid ground, the earth beneath her cracked.

"Master, I... I’m so much stronger."

Liu Jianjian said joyfully, "This Cultivation Technique is amazing!"

"Now that you’re at the Essence-Devouring Realm, of course you’d be stronger." Zhu Ge chuckled. "Once the demon heart has formed, the Demon Qi nourishes the physical body, making you much more powerful than before. If you fought me now, you wouldn’t be sent flying with a single punch like last time."

Liu Jianjian clenched her fists, feeling the surging Demon Qi within her. Her cheeks flushed red with excitement.

The Demon Beasts in her hair also began to stir. The Sword Hero’s voice emerged from one strand:

"Master, you’re a badass! The Essence-Devouring Realm! Does this mean we can walk sideways from now on?"

"Crabs are the ones that walk sideways," Liu Jianjian said, rolling her eyes.

"Then we’ll walk straight, and no one will be able to stop us!" the Sword Hero replied, still excited.

The Strong Monkey King’s voice came from another strand of hair. "Master, let me out for some air! I’m about to die of boredom in here."

Liu Jianjian waved her hand, and the Strong Monkey King shot out from her hair. It landed next to Mazhu, stretched languidly, then squatted on the ground, staring intently at the mulberry leaf in Zhu Sisi’s hand.

"..." Zhu Sisi shot it an expressionless glance, stuffed the mulberry leaf further into her mouth, and started chewing faster.

"Pathetic," Liu Jianjian said, recalling the Strong Monkey King. She dusted off her hands. "Master, shall we continue on our way?"

"Not so fast." Zhu Ge glanced toward the slopes of Yulong Snow Mountain in the distance. The black specks were gone, leaving only pristine white snow. "If this pack of Snow Wolves was blocking the path here, their den must be nearby. There might be some good stuff inside."

Liu Jianjian’s eyes lit up. "Master, you mean..."

"Let’s go have a look." Zhu Ge vaulted onto his mount and galloped toward the mountain slope.

Liu Jianjian nodded and immediately summoned the giant wolf.

The moment it appeared, the giant wolf started acting like a husky, wagging its tail, lolling its tongue, and yipping softly. "Hello, Great Master! WOOF WOOF WOOF!"

"Any treasures in your den?" Zhu Ge asked with a smile.

"Yes!" the giant wolf wagged its tail. "I’ll lead the way, Great Master!"

Soon, Mazhu was pulling the carriage, leading them up the mountain.

Halfway up the mountain, tucked behind a snow-covered boulder, was a hidden cave.

The entrance was small, only allowing one person to stoop to enter, but the space inside was quite large.

Zhu Ge stooped and followed the giant wolf inside. Liu Jianjian came after him, holding up a piece of lightstone to illuminate the cave.

In the depths of the cave was a pile of a dozen or so Demon Beast skeletons. Some had weathered into white powder, while others still had dried flesh and blood clinging to them.

Scattered next to the skeletons were some gnawed-on fragments of Spiritual Artifacts and storage pouches.

"These must have been left behind by members of the Human Race that the Snow Wolves killed." Liu Jianjian crouched down and sifted through the storage pouches.

Most of the items inside had been destroyed; only a few bottles of Spirit Pills and several pieces of ore were still intact.

The Spirit Pills were of low quality—low-grade, Spirit Level healing potions.

The ore, however, had some value. It was low-grade, Elemental Level cold iron, which could be used to forge weapons.

’Better than nothing.’ Zhu Ge tucked the Spirit Pills and ore into his sleeve, his gaze falling upon a Spirit Grass in the deepest part of the cave.

The Spirit Grass was pure white and only three inches tall. It had thick leaves and was topped with a thumb-sized red fruit.

The fruit’s surface was covered in fine patterns, and a faint Spiritual Qi flowed around it.

’Low-grade Elemental Level.’ Zhu Ge’s eyes brightened. He carefully plucked the fruit and stored it, along with the entire Spirit Grass, in his Self Realm.

After carefully placing the Spirit Grass and its fruit into his Self Realm, a plan began to form in Zhu Ge’s mind.

This low-grade, Elemental Level fruit, combined with Witchcraft Power to tame a Gu Insect, could be the key to a breakthrough in his Witch Dao cultivation.

He recalled the method for cultivating Gu Insects he had inherited from the old man within his Bone Monster Avatar. It mentioned a Spiritual Object called the "Snow Soul Vermilion Fruit."

The description matched perfectly: pure white, thick-leaved, and red-fruited, growing in the dens of Demon Beasts in frigid lands.

The Spirit Grass before him was identical to the Snow Soul Vermilion Fruit from the records.

’Good stuff.’ The corners of Zhu Ge’s mouth curled up slightly.

Liu Jianjian sidled up to him, curious. "Master, what was that fruit? It was so red, it looked delicious."

"A Snow Soul Vermilion Fruit," Zhu Ge said with a smile. "It’s used to tame Gu Insects."

"Gu Insects?" Liu Jianjian drooled. "Master, you’re going to raise bugs?"

Hedgehogs, being omnivores, eat insects.

"I’m not raising them, it’s a part of the Witch Dao," Zhu Ge chuckled. "Gu Insects are a tool of the Witch Dao. If used correctly, they can be even more effective than Demon Beasts."

Liu Jianjian nodded, only half-understanding. ’In any case, whatever Master says is right.’

The giant wolf, still acting like a husky, wagged its tail and looked at Zhu Ge fawningly. "Great Master, are there any other treasures in the cave?"

"That’s it." Zhu Ge glanced around to make sure he hadn’t missed anything, then turned and walked out of the cave.

The sunlight reflecting off the snow was blinding. He squinted, gazing at the distant Yulong Snow Mountain while planning his next move.

’Perhaps I should give this Gu Insect cultivation method a try.’

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