C16 Blood Contract

In the expansive clearing of the forest, three ferocious beasts launched into a frenzied assault. Ding Yue, though slightly disheveled, maintained a serene demeanor, his eyes betraying no sign of distress. He was still the puppet, crafted through a mystique after enduring a soul-draining slap from the old ghost. Now, however, the creatures' bodies were coated in a thick layer of black, oily mud.

A strike would not only be met with a rebounding force but also dissipate some of the impact. If the punch was even slightly misaligned, it would be as futile as trying to catch a slippery loach in the mud, rendering one's strength useless.

Initially, Ding Yue endured great hardship; his body was riddled with wounds. Although the medicinal concoction could swiftly heal these injuries, the agonizing sensation of countless ants gnawing at his flesh was enough to send shivers down his spine and fill his heart with dread.

After a month, Ding Yue had mastered the control of his punch, enabling him to spar on equal terms with the three ferocious beasts. According to Liu Wuya, it was at this point that Ding Yue finally met the prerequisites to learn the "Air Shattering Fist."

The art of talismans is ancient and revered. Common talismans include the Sound Transmission and Message Talismans, while more advanced ones, like the Spirit Subjugation Talismans, seal powerful demon spirits within. These can be used to assail an enemy or to possess the user, transforming them into a half-human, half-beast entity, significantly augmenting their strength and providing additional means of survival.

For Ding Yue at this stage, skillfully crafting a talisman with a brush made from low-grade beast fur on plain yellow paper dipped in cinnabar was the goal. Successfully inscribing the intricate and arcane runes in one fluid motion was a triumph, demanding intense concentration. The daily hour spent crafting talismans was as taxing as engaging in combat with three Fellbeasts.

The study of formations is deep and complex. One must first become adept in the deductive methods of the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams, using the natural terrain and climate to lay out formations that can confine or annihilate an enemy. Yet, this is merely the threshold of the vast domain of formations.

Having delved into this discipline for over a century, I consider myself only at the elementary level. Ding Yue could recall the look of regret tinged with resignation on Liu Wuya's face as he spoke these words.

A master of formations could conjure wonders from the void, using a mere fragment of the universe to create their own realm. In the Cultivation World, it's not uncommon for a Golden Core Formation Master to employ a mystical array to severely wound a Nascent Infant True Person.

Liu Wuya's prowess in alchemy was just shy of Grandmaster status. Consequently, after only a few months of studying alchemy, Ding Yue had managed to independently concoct the first-level Primordial Energy Pill known as Qi Gathering Powder.

At present, Ding Yue was limited to using special Primal Stones containing fire, such as Yellow Rock and Earth Fire Crystal, for his pill refining. The process harnessed Primordial Energy to ignite the furnace, honing his precision in manipulating this vital force.

Moreover, Ding Yue had committed to memory a hundred pill recipes. With Liu Wuya's instruction, he grasped that most recipes comprised four key components: the Sovereign, the Official, the Assistant, and the Envoy. Take the Qi Gathering Powder, for instance, where Spirit Gathering Grass served as the Sovereign herb, playing the pivotal role in the concoction.

The Official herb, Yellow Medicinal Root, not only enhanced the effects of the Spirit Gathering Grass but also facilitated the user's absorption of Heaven Earth Yuan Qi. The Assistant herb, Snake-shaped Fruit, worked to broaden the body's meridians, enabling the absorption of more Yuan Qi. Lastly, the Envoy herb, Sweet Spirit Grass, was crucial for harmonizing the other ingredients and tempering the potent nature of the Spirit Gathering Grass.

Before mastering these recipes, Ding Yue had thoroughly familiarized himself with the characteristics, medicinal uses, and alternative names of several hundred herbs. He learned that the same herb could yield vastly different effects depending on whether it was brewed, stewed, or prepared with vinegar. Liu Wuya's generous mentorship spared Ding Yue from many potential missteps.

In the dim twilight of the forest, a network of silken threads crisscrossed among the branches, seemingly chaotic yet hinting at an underlying arcane order. A silhouette darted through the trees, occasionally striking the threads and sparking bursts of fire.

After over three months of rigorous training, Ding Yue's body had been singed all over by what the old ghost called "lightning threads," causing him to shed a layer of skin. The results, however, were undeniably profound.

The "Ghost Possession Steps" had reached a level of minor accomplishment, with a marked increase in his body's sensitivity. Without the aid of Divine Sense, he could distinctly feel the flapping frequency of insects' wings several meters away.

As he diligently practiced, time quietly passed, and another spring arrived, dressing the earth in a cloak of green, with grasses growing tall and birds taking flight.

One day, the old ghost rushed back from beyond the valley with news for Liu Wuya: the Drifting Space was showing signs of impending fracture. Based on historical records and past experiences with spatial ruptures, the collapse was projected to occur in six months.

Liu Wuya, with his hands clasped behind his back, watched Ding Yue effortlessly refine second-level pills nearby. After a moment of reflection, he spoke, "Ding, you've been in the valley for fifteen months now, and you've made commendable progress in every aspect."

"Hmm, for the next two or three months, concentrate on the foundational practices of the five elements."

"The time has come to teach the young master the 'Space Shattering Palm,'" interjected the old ghost.

"In three months, I'll take the young master to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. If there's any change in the Drifting Space, send a message immediately," the old ghost stated with a grave expression.

"Rest assured, I'll be there on time," Liu Wuya responded confidently.

Beside Bright Moon Lake, where the waterfall cascaded into the pool, Ding Yue stood on a rock jutting out from the water, squatting in a horse stance and punching the cascading water curtain. Occasionally, the vigorous current would sweep him off the rock and into the lake. Thankfully, the lake's waters, though murky by day, were free of predatory fish.

Emerging with his head above the surface, Ding Yue spat out a mouthful of muddy water, wiped his face, and swam back to shore. He resumed his position on the rock, sinking into a horse stance, and continued to throw punches.

It wasn't until the moon hung brightly overhead that Ding Yue, weary to the bone, dragged himself back to land.

Liu Wuya had told him that once his punches could penetrate the waterfall and break the rocks behind it, he would have achieved minor success with the Space Shattering Fist.

The sky was dim, with the first light of dawn breaking in the east.

Ding Yue rose from bed, and as had become his years-long habit, he began with the Thirteen Moves of Air Explosion.

He completed a cycle of the Yin Yang Qi Holding Technique.

After breakfast, he spent the entire morning practicing the Five Elements Foundation Dao Art. Ding Yue possessed all five elemental attributes, giving him an innate advantage.

Liu Wuya's true form was a thousand-year-old willow tree that had gained sentience, and the vine was a dragon tendon vine that grew beside him.

As a result, Ding Yue quickly became adept in both the wood and earth attributes.

With a single stomp, he raised a wall of earth in front of him. His figure darted forward, snapping off a branch, which he then caused to grow at a visible rate by channeling Qi from his dantian through his meridians.

With a "thud," the branch struck the earthen wall, which crumbled along with the branch. Through repetition, Ding Yue honed the precision with which he wielded his Yuan Qi, mastering its application.

Three months whisked by in an instant.

Inside the pavilion, next to the stone table, Monkey Little Mountain sat still on a stone stool, while Ding Yue, seated opposite, also had his eyes closed.

Old Ghost, looking grave, danced his fingers through the air, tracing intricate patterns. He whispered complex incantations, then with a sudden flick, touched Ding Yue's forehead.

Shortly afterward, he drew a thumb-sized globule of blood from Ding Yue, which hovered and tumbled in the air. From Little Mountain's forehead, he extracted a bean-sized blood droplet.

The two blood droplets met, merging together before splitting again after a few moments of swirling. They then re-entered Ding Yue and Little Mountain's foreheads, respectively.

Old Ghost settled back, sipped his fragrant tea, and upon seeing both the monkey and the man open their eyes, he announced, "The blood pact is complete. You can now communicate telepathically. Of course, once the monkey is able to speak human language, you'll be able to converse directly."

"You can give it a try now," he urged, noticing their bewildered expressions.

"I just tried it out," Ding Yue said with a grin. The little monkey scratched his head, baring his teeth in a joyful grin.

"This mystique allows for telepathic communication, but more importantly, given your current level of cultivation, you can sense each other's location within a hundred miles, including any potential danger."

"Of course, the range of this sense will extend as your power grows," the old ghost added.

"Where have Master and Uncle Teng gone?" Ding Yue inquired.

"The old man has expended a century's worth of wood spiritual energy for you and needs to seclude himself to concoct some pills to prevent his cultivation from declining," the old ghost explained, cracking melon seeds. "As for the vine, he's returned to the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion in Sunset City. So, it looks like I'll be the one accompanying you both to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range."

"Oh, right!" the old ghost exclaimed, as if suddenly remembering something. He flipped his hand, and three small storage bags of different colors appeared on the stone table.

"Storage bags," Ding Yue said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"The yellow one is for you, the green one is for medicinal herbs, and the black one is for spirit animals; Xiao Shan, you can even sleep inside."

Before the old ghost could finish, the monkey leaped up, "Ding, you're not going to stuff me in there, are you? It's so claustrophobic." Ding Yue heard Xiao Shan's pleading voice in his mind.

"If you don't want to, of course I won't. But if you misbehave..." Ding Yue's voice echoed with mischievous laughter in the monkey's head.

In an instant, Xiao Shan rolled his eyes back, flopped onto the ground, and stuck out his tongue, feigning death.

"Enough now, I won't tease you anymore," Ding Yue said with a chuckle.

The monkey flipped back onto his feet, snatched a peach, and darted out of the pavilion, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

The old ghost chuckled and shook his head, then turned to Ding Yue, "We'll rest tonight and embark on our journey tomorrow."