Immortal Refiner

”Senior Limitless, the small Spirit Gathering Formation is now complete. While it doesn’t lock in spiritual energy, it will draw all the spiritual energy from around the spirit peak into your cave abode.”

”Additionally, as you requested, this formation includes a Formation Core for dissolving spirit stones, located here.”

Inside Li Qing’s cave abode on Hundred Refinements Peak, a young-looking foundation establishment cultivator pointed respectfully to a specific area of the formation array etched into the ground.

Indeed, to enhance the spiritual energy within his cave abode, Li Qing had hired a Second-Tier Formation Master to set up a small Spirit Gathering Formation.

This wasn’t one of those expansive Spirit Gathering Grand Formations, nor was it the kind found in the Great Wilderness Southern Region that could lock in heaven and earth spiritual energy.

He simply needed the formation to cover his cave abode, making a Second-Tier Formation Master more than sufficient for the task.

Li Qing surveyed his cave abode, noting the formation flags planted in each corner and the spirit materials buried beneath the ground.

”The effect is satisfactory,” he remarked. ”I can already feel the external spiritual energy being drawn in and gathering.”

Li Qing nodded in satisfaction. He casually retrieved two spirit stones and tossed them into one of the Formation Cores.

Buzz!

Under the formation’s activation, the spiritual energy within the stones was rapidly extracted and dispersed into the air, enriching the cave abode’s spiritual energy.

”Senior Limitless is pleased, then I shall take my leave!” The young formation master was remarkably perceptive, not even mentioning payment for setting up the formation.

But Li Qing was not the type to owe favors. His brow furrowed slightly as he said, ”Wait. How many spirit stones does this formation cost? I’ll pay you now.”

The young formation master immediately replied, his voice filled with apprehension, ”How could I dare accept spirit stones from Senior? It’s just a small Spirit Gathering Formation. I barely exerted any effort at all. No payment is necessary.”

Far from being pleased, Li Qing’s expression darkened slightly.

Having lived two lifetimes, he understood a fundamental truth: free things are always the most expensive.

This man’s refusal to accept payment could only mean he had ulterior motives, perhaps planning to ask for even greater favors in the future.

Li Qing had no desire to see such a situation unfold. Having just acquired a substantial quantity of spirit stones from Crimson Hair Immortal’s storage pouch, he was far from lacking in resources.

Resolving the matter with spirit stones was the ideal solution, sparing him from feeling indebted to the young man.

”Keep these spirit stones,” Li Qing said. ”It would be unseemly for Limitless True Lord to appear to be bullying the weak.”

”Cultivation in the foundation establishment realm is arduous. You need spirit stones not only for mana-enhancing pills but also for core formation spiritual materials later on. How could you possibly not need them?”

”Moreover, as a formation master, your future cultivation in this path will only require even greater expenditures of spirit stones.”

”Take these six mid-grade spirit stones. No more false modesty.”

Li Qing’s reasoning was sound and persuasive. With just a few words, he convinced the young formation master to stop refusing.

The latter had also grasped the unspoken meaning behind Li Qing’s words: the Limitless True Lord wished to avoid owing him any favors and insisted on settling accounts fairly.

”Then this humble one will respectfully accept your command. Many thanks, Senior Limitless!” The man forced a wry smile as he finally accepted the spirit stones.

A reward of six hundred spirit stones was exceptionally generous. In the past, even when providing all the formation materials himself, his fees for setting up formations rarely exceeded four or five hundred spirit stones.

For merely setting up a small Spirit Gathering Formation, he had received six hundred spirit stones—an undeniably profitable deal.

”Senior Limitless, I’ll take my leave now. If the formation requires any maintenance in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me!”

”Within the next five years, I’ll maintain the formation for you at no additional cost, regardless of any issues that may arise.”

With these words, the young formation master departed, carrying the six mid-grade spirit stones Li Qing had given him.

This was the nature of formation masters, unlike pill refiners or artifact refiners, whose work was typically a one-time transaction.

While formations generally operated smoothly with minimal issues under normal circumstances, the world was in constant flux. The changing seasons, enduring wind and rain, and the passage of time inevitably led to minor problems.

Thus, formation masters could earn a steady income by maintaining and repairing formations for others.

This also served as a way for them to build connections. By establishing themselves in a region and setting up numerous formations, they could eventually earn a substantial income solely from maintenance work.

After the Spirit Gathering Formation was completed, Li Qing’s cave abode was already brimming with a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy was even denser than usual!

Despite the abundant spiritual energy surrounding him, Li Qing remained unsatisfied. He retrieved several hundred low-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch and tossed them all into the Formation Core.

Buzz!

The spirit stones dissolved, releasing a massive surge of spiritual energy that further enriched the cave abode’s atmosphere.

While it still couldn’t compare to the Ghost Sword Sect’s spiritual vein, the gap had narrowed considerably, now more than sufficient for Li Qing’s daily cultivation needs.

”Not bad, though the only downside is the exorbitant cost in spirit stones.”

”If it weren’t for Fellow Daoist Crimson Hair’s generous donation of over thirty thousand spirit stones, I doubt I could afford such extravagant spending.”

Li Qing sighed.

There was no other choice. Although the Great Wilderness Domain boasted a thriving cultivation civilization and numerous Spirit Vein Lands, the truly superior spiritual veins were already claimed.

To cultivate in such places, one had to either join a powerful cultivation sect or seize territory from others.

Neither option appealed to Li Qing, leaving him with no alternative but to enhance his cave abode’s spiritual energy through this costly method.

”Now, it’s time to get down to business!”

Li Qing had made so many preparations because he still had much to do.

First, he needed to help Fan Tong advance!

Li Qing still possessed a third-tier crimson crystal, and Fan Tong had been waiting for quite some time since returning from the World of Eternal Night.

By his calculations, it was about time for Fan Tong to advance.

Without the crimson crystal’s assistance, they might have to wait until the year of the monkey and the month of the horse—an eternity—for the opportunity to arise naturally.

With this in mind, Li Qing released Fan Tong from his spirit beast pouch.

”Aowu!”

Though reduced in size, Fan Tong still radiated formidable power. From head to toe, he exuded the aura of a true ferocious beast, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Yet before Li Qing, he remained a remarkably obedient pet beast.

”I know you’ve been longing for this crimson crystal for a long time. I hope you’re prepared.”

Li Qing’s expression was grave. Demon beast advancement was never an easy matter.

The dangers involved were no less perilous than his own core formation, and perhaps even more challenging, given the paramount importance of bloodline for demon beasts.

Without a sufficiently strong bloodline, the chances of ascending to a higher-tier demonic beast were vanishingly slim.

Relying on the crimson crystal for advancement only amplified the risks, as Fan Tong would have to withstand the crystal’s concentrated, malevolent energy.

The malevolent energy contained within was overwhelmingly dense; even dousing it with blood couldn’t dissipate much of it. The only way forward was to endure it head-on.

Failure meant succumbing to madness, becoming no different from the strange beasts of the World of Eternal Night.

Success, however, meant a vast, boundless horizon—a brand new world would open up before Fan Tong!

”Awoo!” Fan Tong’s roar was resolute, shaking the entire spirit peak. It had no reason to retreat.

Hearing this powerful, resonant roar, Li Qing nodded slowly and retrieved the last crimson crystal from his storage pouch.

The dark red Crystal Core radiated an eerie aura; even a single glance could make one feel as if their mind was about to be lost.

”Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say any more.”

”I can’t help you much on this path. Everything depends on you. Once you move forward, there’s no turning back.”

With that, Li Qing placed the fist-sized crimson crystal on the ground before Fan Tong.

After repeated warnings, Fan Tong seemed to understand the severity of the trial it was about to face.

Its ferocious tiger eyes locked onto the crimson crystal on the ground. Without hesitation, it swallowed the crystal whole.

Crunch!

In an instant, even Li Qing, who was merely observing, felt a chilling sensation. The faint traces of Red Moon Secret Power that leaked out nearly affected his mental state.

Boom!

A soul-stirring aura erupted from Fan Tong’s massive tiger frame, rapidly expanding outward.

The metamorphosis was about to begin!

Li Qing calmed his emotions and began layering his cave abode with strict restrictions.

These restrictions were meant to isolate the aura fluctuations generated during Fan Tong’s breakthrough. He didn’t want anyone outside to know a Demon beast was attempting to reach the third-tier.

Of course, if Fan Tong succeeded, the resulting commotion would be impossible to conceal.

But for now, he would conceal it for as long as possible.

Soon, the aura-isolating restrictions were complete. The cave abode’s presence became undetectable from the outside, unless one’s cultivation far surpassed Li Qing’s.

”Roar! Roar!”

After swallowing the crimson crystal, Fan Tong collapsed to the ground, emitting low, guttural roars.

The roars were filled with intense ferocity. The primal savagery and madness inherent in Demon beasts had been fully awakened by the third-tier crimson crystal.

Throughout this process, Li Qing remained fixed on Fan Tong, watching intently for any signs of trouble.

If anything went wrong, Li Qing wouldn’t stand by and watch Fan Tong descend into madness, losing its sanity.

The cave abode was now saturated with spiritual energy, creating the perfect environment for a Demon beast’s metamorphosis and breakthrough.

Li Qing added dozens more spirit stones to the Formation Core, ensuring the spiritual energy remained abundant.

Soon, an even more violent metamorphosis began.

The sound of bones cracking echoed from Fan Tong’s body, sending shivers down Li Qing’s spine.

But that wasn’t all. Fan Tong’s dark red fur completely transformed into black, not a trace of red remaining.

In that instant, it had become a true black tiger, its fur as dark as ink, as if merging with the shadows of the cave abode.

Yet even this wasn’t the end. Li Qing, observing closely, suddenly noticed wisps of yin energy seeping through Fan Tong’s black fur.

”This Crystal Core was extracted from a yin serpent,” he mused. ”Could this crimson crystal have retained some of its former master’s characteristics?”

If this continued, would Fan Tong transform into a Yin Tiger, its body radiating chilling yin energy?

Li Qing’s understanding of these metamorphoses was woefully inadequate. He had never had the opportunity to study them in depth.

At that moment, Li Qing couldn’t tell whether this metamorphosis would ultimately benefit or harm Fan Tong. The decision rested solely with the tiger itself.

As Li Qing had warned earlier, once Fan Tong embarked on this path, it would have to rely entirely on its own strength.

The yin energy radiating from Fan Tong’s body intensified, and its heterochromatic tiger eyes began to transform.

Previously, its eyes had been black and crimson, but now they reverted to a deep, abyssal darkness, as if each pupil contained an unfathomable abyss.

But that wasn’t all. Li Qing suddenly noticed a growing madness accumulating within Fan Tong’s tiger eyes.

Clearly, the third-tier crimson crystal was starting to affect Fan Tong’s sanity.

Seeing this, Li Qing clenched his fists.

Everything comes at a price. To gain power more easily through the crimson crystal, one must endure its immense negative side effects.

A Crystal Core extracted from a third-tier exotic beast was beyond the tolerance of ordinary Demon beasts. Without a sufficiently powerful bloodline, accidents could occur at any moment.

Swish!

Sharp, barbed claws suddenly extended from Fan Tong’s tiger paws.

The cave abode’s solid rock floor now seemed as fragile as tofu, easily pierced by Fan Tong’s claws.

Deep claw marks scarred the rocky floor, a testament to Fan Tong’s current lethal power.

”Roar!”

Fan Tong let out a low growl, its madness intensifying, its voice filled with pain.

Li Qing could only stand by helplessly, his sole contribution being to add more spirit stones to the Formation Core, maintaining the cave abode’s abundant spiritual energy.

In the blink of an eye, this metamorphosis had persisted for days. The yin energy radiating from Fan Tong grew increasingly dense, and the madness in its eyes burned even brighter.

Had anyone else stood before it, they would have been torn to shreds by Fan Tong’s claws.

Yet the transformation continued, pushing Fan Tong’s consciousness to its breaking point.

At this moment, Li Qing could even sense the Red Moon Secret Power overflowing from his cave abode.

Nearing its limit, Fan Tong’s gaze toward Li Qing shifted, becoming unsettlingly familiar.

Li Qing recognized this look instantly. He had slaughtered countless strange beasts in the World of Eternal Night, and their eyes held the same predatory glint.

A tremor ran through Li Qing’s heart, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his fists.

Memories of their shared journey flooded his mind—Fan Tong had been by his side through it all.

Was this truly the end?

Li Qing trembled as he reached out, desperate to halt Fan Tong’s continued metamorphosis. He couldn’t bear the thought of his companion losing all spiritual intelligence, transforming into a mindless beast driven only by slaughter.

Yet Fan Tong, still clinging to a sliver of clarity, sensed Li Qing’s intent. It shook its tiger head and let out a low, defiant growl:

”Aow-hoo! Aow-hoo!”

Its stubbornness ran deep. Having embarked on this path, it refused to turn back now.

To stop now would not only waste all its efforts but also inflict severe damage to its foundation, dimming its future prospects for advancement to near nonexistence.

The metamorphosis could not be interrupted!

Fan Tong’s message was clear.

Li Qing heard the refusal in its growls and ultimately withdrew his hand.

”Maybe we should just give up for now. When my cultivation advances, I’ll find rare treasures to help you overcome this hurdle.”

”The Red Moon Secret Power within the third-tier crimson crystal is still too potent. Your current bloodline can’t fully assimilate it.”

Li Qing murmured, his heart stirred by Fan Tong’s unwavering resolve.

Despite its mediocre innate talent and unremarkable bloodline, Fan Tong had clawed its way to this point through sheer stubbornness and ruthless determination.

”Come to think of it, you’re quite like me, aren’t you? Despite our ordinary gifts, we both refuse to stop climbing.”

”When I first brought you home, you were no bigger than a cat. Who could have imagined you’d reach this point?”

”A third-tier demonic beast... in this world, you’d be a force to be reckoned with, wouldn’t you?”

As Li Qing spoke, he patted Fan Tong’s massive body, then said in a deep voice:

”Break through this! I won’t let you fall so soon.”

”In the future, we’ll see even greater sights and experience the wonders of the cultivation world together!”

”This isn’t the end. One day, I’ll take you with me when I ascend to the Upper Realm. The journey is still long.”

”How could such a minor setback stop us?”

Li Qing’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke. He could sense Fan Tong was truly reaching its limit; its bloodline simply couldn’t sustain such a drastic metamorphosis.

Strictly speaking, a demon beast’s bloodline imposes far greater limitations than a human cultivator’s Spiritual Root.

For an ordinary demon beast bloodline to achieve a higher realm of power is truly harder than ascending to heaven itself.

If Fan Tong were to truly succumb to madness at this moment, Li Qing knew he couldn’t bring himself to kill it with his own hands.

That’s why he had been preparing. If Fan Tong completely lost control, he would find a way to knock it unconscious and seal it away.

Even so, Li Qing couldn’t predict the potential harm this might inflict on Fan Tong. The mere phrase ”failed metamorphosis” carried grave implications.

Finally, Li Qing witnessed the last vestige of clarity in Fan Tong’s eyes being swallowed by madness.

It was like a small sailboat on a stormy sea, overwhelmed by a colossal wave.

”ROAR!” A ferocious, earth-shattering roar erupted from the cave abode, shaking the entire Hundred Refinements Peak to its core!

(End of the Chapter)

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