Cultivation starts from devouring the Dao fruits

Zhao Yu coordinated with the White Ghost Emperor to slay the demon beasts around Xiquan Ridge once again, killing two more Low-grade Second-Order demon beasts, which scared the beast horde into distancing itself from Xiquan Ridge. Only then did they escort the people of Xiquan Ridge safely to Xiaodan Ridge.

Between the seven Spiritual Lands, there was a pathway connecting each, making travel no longer as arduous as it was during the early days of pioneering the wilderness, and not many people from Xiquan Ridge lost their lives before they safely arrived at Xiaodan Ridge.

"Husband, Brother Cui Qing has sent someone to ask for help. His disciple, Nian Feizhang, is waiting down the mountain. Will you meet him?"

As soon as Zhao Yu returned to Xiaodan Ridge, Shangguan Lingxiu came forward to say.

Zhao Yu said, "Let him come see me!"

Shangguan Lingxiu gave the command, and before long, a handsome young man dressed in white, with the Seventh Level of Qi Refining cultivation level, came before Zhao Yu and directly kowtowed, "Uncle Master Zhao, Misty Maple Ridge is currently under fierce attack from a beast horde. I am here on Master's orders asking for help, I beseech Uncle Master to lend his aid."

Zhao Yu nodded slightly and said, "Since Brother Cui has asked, I naturally will help!"

Zhao Yu was not particularly close with Cui Qing, but since they were both from the Dan Ling Sect, he was willing to help within his capabilities.

From the trip to Xiquan Ridge, Zhao Yu gained three Mid-grade Second-Order Demon Cores, and the White Ghost Emperor had devoured a large number of demon beast souls, accumulating much that could evolve its soul talent.

Nian Feizhang said joyfully, "Thank you, Uncle Master!"

Zhao Yu flew towards Misty Maple Ridge on his magic artifact with the White Ghost Emperor and Nian Feizhang, turning into a streak of escape light.

Just as Zhao Yu and his party were nearing Misty Maple Ridge, dozens of First-Order demon beasts flew towards them.

"Perfect timing!"

Zhao Yu laughed, casting the Flying Dagger Technique, and daggers that were magic artifacts radiated brilliant spiritual light, shooting out instantly. They buried themselves in the skulls of the dozens of flying demon beasts, killing them on the spot.

Zhao Yu thought to himself, "My Flying Dagger Technique is only effective against weaker foes, it's no match for cultivators of the same cultivation level. After all, it's just a skill of the mortal Martial Path, not the immortal Dao!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

After easily dispatching the dozens of flying demon beasts, Zhao Yu looked ahead.

He saw nearly a thousand demon beasts attacking Misty Maple Ridge, which was surrounded by a Defense Barrier formed by the Spirit Wood Grand Formation.

From within the Spirit Wood Grand Formation, magic artifacts and talismans flew out from time to time, attacking the demon beasts outside the formation.

In a place like Canglong Mountain range with its dense spirit wood, the best formations to set up were naturally the Spirit Wood Grand Formation and the Thousand Trees Formation Array. If one were in regions such as a volcano, then formations like the Fiery Flame Grand Array would be preferred.

Among that horde of beasts, there were six Second-Order demon beasts, including a tiger that could spit fire with a body length of over three meters at Mid-grade Level Two, a ten-meter-long Low-grade Level Two demon snake, a monkey measuring about three meters tall at Low-grade Level Two, a Low-grade Level Two demon fox, a Mid-grade Level Two pangolin beast, and a five-meter-tall Mid-grade Level Two giant elephant demon beast.

These six Second-Order demon beasts joined forces in the attack, destroying one wooden flood dragon after another, breaking down the foundation of the Spirit Wood Grand Formation.

With those six Second-Order demon beasts collaborating, and the spirit wood forming the Spirit Wood Grand Formation being constantly destroyed, the cultivator in charge of the formation, not being adept at formations, was hard-pressed to maintain it; even with the continuous consumption of spirit stones, the formation would not last many days.

"Brother Zhao, come quickly into the formation!"

Cui Qing gave a faint shout, opening up the Spirit Wood Grand Formation, revealing a passage.

"Brother Cui, let's eliminate these demon beasts first, then entering the formation won't be too late!"

Zhao Yu smiled faintly and directly summoned a Ghost Banner taken from a disciple of the Yin Ghost Sect. Out of that Ghost Banner, a swath of pitch-black Ghost Fog gushed forth, sweeping down towards the horde of demon beasts below.

Standing behind Zhao Yu, the White Ghost Emperor's eyes similarly revealed pitch-black Curse Seals. Massive amounts of Ghost Fog surged out of its body, blending with the fog from the Ghost Banner and swept down below.

The demon beasts caught in the Ghost Fog first appeared confused, but then a violent rage bubbled up in their eyes as they began to furiously slaughter each other.

The six Second-Order Demon Beasts, swept up by the Ghost Fog, also had a murderous look flare in their eyes and turned on each other.

An hour later, of the six Second-Order Demon Beasts, only the heavily injured gigantic elephant beast remained.

A brown Magic Sword suddenly flew into the midst of the Ghost Fog, twisting around the neck of the giant elephant beast before its head fell to the ground with a thud, blood gushing out.

The Ghost Fog continued to spread, enveloping a large number of demon beasts within it.

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Two more hours passed, and all the demon beasts that had been besieging the Spirit Wood Grand Formation were dead.

Only then did Zhao Yu perform a technique to retract the Ghost Fog back into the Ghost Banner, revealing the ground littered with demon beast carcasses.

A hint of shock flashed through Cui Qing's eyes. "How powerful! Elder Brother Zhao's martial skills are so formidable! I'm glad I never offended him before!"

Initially, the seven Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Dan Ling Sect had entered Canglong Mountain Range with high spirits, intending to establish seven Foundation families. Zhao Yu refused to join, and Cui Qing had inwardly ridiculed him for being a coward. Little did he know that Zhao Yu was in fact the strongest in martial skills among the seven.

Cui Qing opened the Spirit Wood Grand Formation and, together with several dozen cultivators, went forward to greet him, paying a grand homage. "Thank you, Elder Brother Zhao, for lending a hand in our rescue. Had it not been for your intervention, I fear Misty Maple Ridge would have been lost!"

Zhao Yu said, "Junior Brother Cui, if you truly wish to thank me, help me keep an eye out for the ingredients needed for Five Beasts Spirit Essence Pills, Tricolored Mist Spirit Pills, and Hundred-Refining Beast Spirit Pills. As long as you can buy them, I will spare no expense in Spirit Stones."

Cui Qing replied solemnly, "Rest assured, Elder Brother, I will keep this in mind!"

Before today, Cui Qing only maintained a cordial relationship with Zhao Yu, a nominal senior brother. But having witnessed Zhao Yu's abilities, he now harbored the desire to foster a deeper friendship.

Zhao Yu said, "Junior brother, once you've dealt with these demon beast corpses, send them to my Little Dan Ridge. I'm heading back to stand guard over Little Dan Ridge now!"

Cui Qing responded, "Yes, Elder Brother!"

Zhao Yu nodded slightly and rode a beam of Escape Light towards Little Dan Ridge.

Watching Zhao Yu's retreating figure, Cui Qing thought to himself, "It hasn't been five years since his Foundation Establishment, and he's already a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his martial skills are incredibly formidable, not inferior to the sect's true disciples of the same standing. No, I fear even the sect's true disciples may not be his match!

In the future, he could possibly advance to the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment Stage. I must be on good terms with him."

Foundation Establishment has ten levels, further divided into the Early, Middle, Late, and Great Perfection stages. Each stage is a bottleneck for many Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Even within Dan Ling Sect, the number of cultivators who have reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment Stage can be counted on one hand.

Aside from the Mystic True Scripture of the Primordial Dao and the Mountain Sutra, the rest of the cultivation techniques in Dan Ling Sect are unremarkable. Cultivators wishing to break through their bottlenecks must rely on the power of pills.

However, the ingredients for the Spirit Pills needed to break through the bottlenecks during the Foundation Establishment Stage are hard to find, and the Pill Masters capable of refining such pills are few, such as the Fairy of Colorful Spirits. These few Pill Masters all need to cultivate themselves and would not easily start refining pills.

Therefore, even the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of Dan Ling Sect have difficulty obtaining the crucial Spirit Pills for breakthroughs.

As soon as Zhao Yu returned to his cave mansion, Shangguan Lingxiu immediately came to him and said, "My Lord, representatives from White Peach Mountain, Linshan Cave, and Bilin Lake have come seeking assistance. Their envoys are all waiting at the foot of the mountain, shall we receive them?"