Mixed in the apocalypse, become a fairy alone. 50

Chapter 50: First Intimate Contact with a Blade Beast

Experienced cultivators all know that spirit-gathering arrays are primarily divided into two types: converging spirit and releasing spirit.

Wang Jixuan currently needed a releasing spirit array, one that releases and purifies the spiritual energy within spirit stones, allowing cultivators to absorb this energy to strengthen themselves or restore their magical power.

He first took out three bone-piercing nails, disassembled them piece by piece, carefully erased the inscribed restrictions, and reworked them into array runes.

In a short while, Wang Jixuan had a series of discontinuous black circles before him. He took three rhombus-shaped “crystals” from his pocket, enveloped them with his breath to make them float above the circles, and then gently pressed down.

A barely audible “click” sound followed.

The runes on the sixteen segments of blade beast exoskeleton fragments simultaneously lit up, and wisps of spiritual energy released from the runes, transforming into a hazy, colorless aura.

Usable!

Wang Jixuan clenched his fist tightly, almost letting out a roar of triumph.

But he had to restrain himself.

This was his dorm room, and since it was non-working hours, it was quite lively outside, with passersby occasionally walking by.

Wang Jixuan immediately calmed his mind and body, actively circulating his internal energy, and wisps of colorless spiritual energy rapidly gathered towards his palm.

Finally, he briefly regained the joy and exhilaration of his past life’s cultivation!

Ninety to ninety-two percent of the spiritual energy here was directly absorbed by him; some unavoidable loss occurred due to array depletion and dissipation into the air.

He didn’t dare to enter a meditative state, but instead focused on absorbing the spiritual energy to enhance his cultivation, trying to empty his mind of other thoughts.

He was rapidly approaching the state of energy fullness.

Although he wasn’t lacking in comprehension due to reincarnation, the foundation of this body wasn’t very good, and he hadn’t started cultivating from childhood. He had to find a way to solidify and strengthen his foundation at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The Black Fire Gang matter had temporarily come to a close.

However, the problems stemming from the Black Fire Gang were even more troublesome and uncontrollable: the Spirit Energy Metropolis, the front lines of the war zone… and so on.

Wang Jixuan’s eagerness to absorb the spiritual energy within the crystals was also due to his consideration of “making a run for it.”

If Captain Zhou couldn’t hold out, then he would have no choice but to leave the fortress and try to survive in the gap between human technological civilization and blade beasts.

‘Ideally, I could cultivate peacefully for a while longer.’

Gradually, Wang Jixuan felt a fullness in his limbs and body.

His Dao heart leaped with joy, and his five senses became sharp.

He could clearly feel a faint spiritual light appearing in his Purple Mansion (a term in Daoist cultivation referring to a spiritual space within the body), and a simple vortex forming in his dantian (the energy center in the lower abdomen).

Energy full!

Spiritual light flashed!

The first small step of cultivation had finally been taken!

Now he finally… no, he should still be an E-level Spirit Energy user based on his biological energy response…

The Qi Condensation stage focuses on cultivating Qi, using spiritual energy to transform into magical power to nourish the body, and using the body’s essence and energy to cultivate the soul, thereby enabling advancement to the Spirit Gathering stage.

The hallmark of perfect Qi Condensation is a Qi sea like clouds.

The mark of entering the Spirit Gathering stage is the generation of the first wisp of spiritual consciousness.

Daoist Wang still lacked a little.

After he enters the Spirit Gathering stage, there will be a relatively long cultivation period; cultivators need to cultivate Qi and forge their bodies, gather spirit and forge their souls, gradually transforming their bodies, and upon returning to their innate state and the body becoming initially pure, they can then enter the Returning to Truth stage.

The Returning to Truth stage focuses on nourishing Dao bones and interacting with heaven and earth to condense one’s own divine nature.

Qi Condensation, Spirit Gathering, Returning to Truth, Returning to Void – the completion of these four stages constitutes Foundation Establishment and the beginning of preparation for condensing the Golden Core.

‘My Dao foundation from my previous life was perfect, but not thick enough.’

Wang Jixuan thought to himself.

If the environment permitted, he actually wanted to spend more years in the Foundation Establishment stage.

Unfortunately, the cultivation environment in this world was extremely poor, and he hadn’t yet found a safe cave abode.

About three hours passed.

Wang Jixuan felt the amount of spiritual energy he could absorb begin to decrease rapidly. He was about to open his eyes when one of the three crystals made a “ping” sound, and cracks appeared on its surface.

Shattered?

It truly lived up to its reputation as a crystal from the lowest-order blade beast. A trace of spiritual energy remained in the other two…

—The infusion instrument in the fortress’s Spirit Energy Home is equivalent to a miniature instrument component, only allowing one person to enter at a time and using only the lowest-order blade beast crystals.

Hmm?

Wang Jixuan opened his eyes a crack, staring at the shattered crystal with an extremely serious expression.

A faint wisp of black energy was being drawn from the crystal and rapidly gathering.

Within the black energy, there seemed to be a pair of faint eyes.

Blade beast remnant soul?

Wang Jixuan didn’t dare to be careless. This was his first time using a blade beast crystal. He had previously learned that the process of using blade beast crystals for infusion to create spirit energy users had an extremely high mortality rate…

“Hiss—”

A sound like a lizard flicking its tongue suddenly came from within the black energy!

Wang Jixuan pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, gold and black lines appearing on his forehead.

He felt a threat from the unknown and was prepared to use his magical power to protect himself at any moment!

Suddenly!

A wisp of a shadowy figure darted out from the black energy!

This shadow was only two fingers long but had a head and tail. It was currently darting towards Wang Jixuan’s forehead at an extremely fast speed!

“Stop!”

Wang Jixuan’s voice boomed!

He suddenly clapped his hands together, his eyes shooting out two beams of golden light, his palms containing two masses of energy, narrowly managing to capture the shadow.

A sharp shriek pierced Wang Jixuan’s mind!

The thing held in Wang Jixuan’s palms struggled violently!

Wang Jixuan couldn’t immediately pull it away, so he opened his eyes and looked closely.

What kind of demonic creature was this!

This thing’s head had none of the features of any human, beast, or bird that Wang Jixuan knew; it only had a huge mouthpart, inside which were circles upon circles of sharp teeth, and a long tongue extending outward from the center!

Its mouthpart was connected to a thick neck, its body resembled a tiger but was covered with armor, it had six claws with finger blades, and sharp “blade limbs” behind its six knee joints; its back also had a raised blade.

Currently, the blade beast remnant soul was constantly changing its shape in its struggle.

When it curled its body, the “blades” on its back and limbs made it look like a tire studded with blades!

In fact, the blade beast got its name from this form of the most common basic combat blade beast.

Wang Jixuan pressed down on it with two masses of Qi in his palms, not daring to let it move forward even half an inch.

Fortunately, it was only the remnant soul of a lowest-order beast!

The struggling force of the blade beast remnant soul gradually decreased. Wang Jixuan, not daring to be careless, slowly pulled it away from his face, going through the talismans and spells he could use, and suddenly pushed it forward.

The blade beast remnant soul was pushed three feet away, spinning in the air, and hissing as it charged towards Wang Jixuan!

He only had three seconds to cast the spell!

Wang Jixuan’s hands moved rapidly, so fast they almost left afterimages, completing nine hand seals, and pointing his sword finger forward!

“Ling Bing Dou Zhe Jie Zhen Lie Qian Xing!” (A common incantation in Taoist practices)

Buzz!

A faint ripple bloomed from Wang Jixuan’s fingertips, and the charging blade beast remnant soul was hit by the ripple and quickly turned into a little ash.

It wasn’t over yet.

The ashes kept flickering, and a very faint vertical pupil appeared within them, with light flickering within the pupil, staring at Wang Jixuan.

What the hell?

Did an old demon among the blade beasts leave a restriction or something?

Wang Jixuan stared at it, his Dao heart not allowing him to show any fear towards such a demon, and that vertical pupil transmitted a clear emotion.

Um, if Wang Jixuan wasn’t mistaken, this emotion was…

[Disdain].

In an instant, the vertical pupil disappeared.

Wang Jixuan held his breath, watching the spiritual energy dissipate, then looked down at the two crystals that still had some unspent spiritual energy.

A cold breeze blew on his back.

This…

He frowned and focused, picking up a crystal and sensing it carefully.

The remaining spiritual energy in the crystal was not much.

He secretly rejoiced that he had used an array to extract the spiritual energy instead of absorbing it directly, as a precaution.

If he had absorbed it directly, he might have been ‘taken advantage of’ by the barely perceptible blade beast remnant soul, and even if he could protect his soul, he might still suffer serious injuries.

Good heavens, cultivation in this world was so dangerous even with acceleration?

However…

Curse words.

He had just been looked down upon by the owner of that big eye, that is, some high-level blade beast?

Very well, very well, very good.

Three hundred years of prosperity, three hundred years of decline—don’t bully the poor Daoist!

If he used a spirit-gathering array to extract spiritual energy, leaving a small amount of spiritual energy in the crystal each time, he wouldn’t have to worry about the blade beast remnant soul invading?

Then, Wang Jixuan suddenly thought of something.

The crystal Zheng Shiduo carried with him still had some faint spiritual energy.

In other words, there might also be a blade beast remnant soul inside?

He frowned and pondered, the image of the blade beast remnant soul constantly appearing in his mind, deciding to remind Ling Tong later.

Even the lowest-order blade beast was so terrifying, what about the higher-order ones…

‘I should still try to shamelessly stay in the fortress to cultivate for a while longer.’

Wang Jixuan clenched his fist slightly, the already quite obvious vortex in his dantian rotated slightly, and a flow of Qi rapidly traveled through his body, a thin layer of Qi armor appearing on his fist.

The Qi sea had condensed.

The Qi Condensation stage was nearing completion!

Next was continuous cultivation, nourishing the soul, condensing spiritual consciousness, and entering the Spirit Gathering stage!

Wang Jixuan smiled, quickly putting away the three used-up crystals, sealing them with talismans, and considering how to obtain more crystals.

Just these three hours of spirit-gathering cultivation were equivalent to fifty days of cultivation in the Lower City Wanli Jin Gang’s shed area!

That was the importance of spirit stones!

Wang Jixuan planned to save the remaining three crystals for later use when he broke through to the Spirit Gathering stage, as condensing the first wisp of spiritual consciousness required a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

‘Don’t slack off, after working hard for so long, I’ve only seen a glimmer of hope on the path to immortality.’

Wang Jixuan chuckled lightly, continuing to contemplate methods of preventing blade beast remnant soul invasions.

He had many methods available.

But even the most skilled cook can’t make a meal without ingredients; each method required obtaining the corresponding resources.

He picked up the text communicator next to him, which had a message from Zhou Zhengde sent half an hour ago.

【01: It should be okay for now. An S-class old spirit energy user from the Spirit Energy Metropolis is negotiating with my grandfather. The spirit energy users want to enforce a law requiring all spirit energy users to undergo regular checks at the Spirit Energy Home, using this to bring you to the Spirit Energy Metropolis. My grandfather refused, saying you’re not a spirit energy user. According to grandfather’s assistant, my grandfather has a button in his hand, and the spirit energy users seem to be very wary of it. What should we eat to celebrate tonight?】

Wang Jixuan pondered for a moment, not feeling relieved yet.

He was considering whether to go into hiding in the Lower City…

‘Continue interrogating Kong Nu.’

Daoist Wang closed his eyes to sense, and the situation within a hundred meters appeared in his mind, and he could vaguely see some figures.

Wang Jixuan brought his sword fingers together and gently pulled, and the soul-snatching talisman slowly unfolded, with a three-inch-tall remnant soul appearing on it.

The lights were off in the room. Wang Jixuan slowly approached, his cold and stern face having a beauty reminiscent of a judge from the underworld.

He brought his sword fingers together and pointed out a trace of true fire.

Kong Nu’s remnant soul wailed incessantly in Wang Jixuan’s mind.

Daoist Wang silently cut off Kong Nu’s wails, simply continuing to release the true fire, feeling the enhanced stamina brought about by his improved cultivation.

He wasn’t a sadist; he wouldn’t feel any excitement from listening to the screams of a soul.

He simply wanted to make Kong Nu suffer as much as possible before his soul was destroyed.

After about ten minutes of burning.

Wang Jixuan, in the spirit of conserving magical power, stopped the burning, staring at Kong Nu’s trembling remnant soul, and said softly:

“The landlord’s eldest son, please tell me something you think I might be interested in.”

“When you finish talking, or when I find it uninteresting, I will completely burn you with true fire.”

“I can give you a hint, for example, your spirit energy infusion technology.”

Kong Nu shuddered, and said in a trembling voice: “We have monitoring chips in our brains… no, I don’t have a body… who… who are you! Who are you! What technology is this! My soul!”

Wang Jixuan smiled without speaking, a point of flame blooming from his fingertips.

…

Half an hour later.

Wang Jixuan lay on the bed, feeling a buzzing in his head. Even after mentally preparing himself, he was still shocked by those numbers.

He seemed to see countless bones and a sea of blood.

‘It really is a great demon of the world, harming at least tens of thousands of people.’

In addition, Wang Jixuan also carefully questioned Ye Zi and Kong Nu’s exchanges.

To Wang Jixuan’s surprise, Kong Nu, even in death, believed that Ye Zi was innocent, the last bit of kindness left to him by his mother, an unpolluted white lotus…

Ye Zi went to Fortress 82 with Kong Nu’s family, and they should be able to be apprehended later.

Wang Jixuan’s spiritual sense twitched slightly.

Zhou Zhengde and Doctor Wei Na were running towards him.

He immediately jumped up, tore up the soul-snatching talisman, quickly went to the toilet, lit the soul-snatching talisman fragments with a true fire, let the ashes fall into the toilet water, and pressed the flush button.

Wang Jixuan opened his left hand, and the blade beast bone fragments that made up the simple spirit-gathering array fell into his palm, and he casually stuffed them into his pocket and opened the alloy door.

Zhou Zhengde’s fist missed its target, almost hitting Wang Jixuan.

Zhou Zhengde glanced around and said in a low voice:

“Quick! Come with me! Ling Tong might be coming to arrest you! She hacked all my communication devices! I’ll take you to my grandfather!”

Wang Jixuan was stunned.

Wei Na had already opened a long windbreaker to put on Wang Jixuan.

Just as he was about to agree, his spiritual sense twitched slightly.

At the edge of his vision, Ling Tong’s tall and slender figure had appeared at the end of the capillary passage.

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