Chapter 211: Chapter 22: Part 2
Fang Cheng said, "It was just some Spirit Stones, medicinal pills, and Talismans. Nothing of any real value."
He had taken the Mad Daoist’s storage pouch that day but hadn’t been able to inspect its contents in front of Huang Shen and the others. He had originally planned to discuss it in detail with Madam Ye when he had a free moment, but who would have thought so much time would pass?
Upon hearing this, Madam Ye said directly, "As for me, I found two treasures in his Cave Mansion on Fallen Thunder Island."
As she spoke, she waved her delicate hand, and two items appeared on the floor.
One was half a tree root that had been struck by lightning. It was charred black all over, covered in crackling electric patterns, and possessed a strange, mystical quality.
Looking closely, one would discover tiny, faint characters hidden within the grain of the root. Upon careful inspection, they were revealed to be the original version of Qian Shaoning’s *Thunder Jade Scripture*!
’Qian Shaoning must have obtained this item back then. It was this fortuitous encounter that caused his strength to skyrocket.’
Later, Qian Shaoning must have given this item to the Mad Daoist in exchange for protection, keeping only a transcribed copy for himself.
Compared to the *Thunder Jade Scripture* recorded on a jade slip, the version on this tree root was much closer to the true inherited essence!
In other words, it was the version left behind by the very creator of the Cultivation Technique.
The other item resembled a dark inkstone, but it was covered in a tangible, almost solid Thunder Light. A dense wave of Thunder Spirit Qi washed over them.
Madam Ye pointed at the two items and said, "The Mad Daoist relied on these two things to master the *Thunder Jade Scripture* in such a short time. If he’d had a few more years to fully perfect this scripture, I’m afraid things would have gone very badly for us that day."
Fang Cheng nodded. "This Divine Technique is indeed fierce and powerful. Its might is no less than that of the Ye Family’s Clan’s Foundation Method."
Madam Ye said, "I want Yan’Er to cultivate this scripture. Although she has already reshaped her Dao Foundation with Celestial Dew and has the potential to reach the Life Soul realm in the future, the accumulation of Magical Power during the Life Talisman Stage is too slow. With such slow progress, it would be better for her to cultivate another Divine Technique as a protective measure. It will give her more options when facing enemies."
In truth, Ye Yan had little interest in cultivation itself. She had only made it this far step-by-step over the years under Madam Ye’s guidance.
She was far more enthusiastic about enjoying life.
Fang Cheng understood Madam Ye’s intentions and smiled. "Mother, rest assured. I will personally guide and supervise Yan’Er’s cultivation of this technique. With the help of this wondrous item, I believe she’ll achieve success quickly."
Ye Yan could only silently put away the *Thunder Jade Scripture* and the mysterious inkstone.
The *Thunder Jade Scripture* was a method of Dharma and Body Cultivation. It involved Body Refining, allowed one to cultivate the Immortal Capital Thunder God, and was supplemented by numerous Secret Techniques like refining Taiyi Thunder Pills and Thunder Spears. If Ye Yan could master this technique, Fang Cheng would have less to worry about when she traveled alone in the future.
By the time they finished talking, night had fallen.
Fang Cheng and Ye Yan rose to take their leave. Before they departed, Fang Cheng mentioned his request for Madam Ye to help him search for Dao Pattern Spirit Jade and Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads.
Madam Ye agreed without hesitation.
Now that she was in charge of the Ye Family, she would naturally mobilize all of the family’s major powers to handle the matter. The results would surely be different compared to when she could only rely on her own third branch.
The Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads were extremely difficult to find. Fang Cheng had also posted a request in the Merit Hall, hoping to find leads through the Yinluo Sect’s other True Disciples and Inner Sect Elders.
...
After Fang Cheng and Ye Yan returned to Demon Lion Peak, they once again entered seclusion.
First, he continued to absorb the astonishing Spiritual Qi generated when his Li Hen Demon Light had devoured the Mad Daoist. He refined his Magical Power and tempered his Life Talisman, allowing this surge of power to fully integrate with his own.
Second, he began the process of refining the one and a half catties of Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads he had bought from the Yinluo Sect Marketplace into his Immortal Binding Rope.
Among the many Magical Artifacts in his possession, this was the most powerful and wondrous.
Although its current grade was low, it had repeatedly produced miraculous effects. Even a master like the Mad Daoist, one of the Late-stage Life Talisman Cultivators, had fallen prey to it.
He sat cross-legged in the Quiet Chamber and summoned the Immortal Binding Rope. A shimmering golden rope shot out, darting about the room and bathing Fang Cheng’s face in a golden radiance.
Following the Spell taught to him by Murong Yan, he took out the Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads. He first refined them with his Magical Power, making the threads able to change size at will, until they were as thick as the mouth of a bowl.
Then, using his Magical Power as a brush, he inscribed Ancient Runes onto the threads.
This was the secret and the core of the Immortal Binding Rope’s power.
When these profound Ancient Runes were arranged in a specific formation and combined with the Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads, they produced astonishing transformations, giving rise to various Divine Techniques such as "Restriction Breaking," "Binding," and "Sealing."
Murong Yan’s lineage had chosen the path of runes, a more "economical" route, precisely because they could not afford the expenses of Artifact Refining.
Artifact Refining was a slow, grinding process. It often took Fang Cheng three to five days to refine a single silkworm thread.
Then, he would slowly refine that thread into the Immortal Binding Rope.
The power of the Immortal Binding Rope would increase by a tiny fraction.
A month later, Fang Cheng emerged from his seclusion.
Artifact Refining was truly too tedious. After persisting for a long time, he finally couldn’t take it anymore and came out to "inspect" the cultivation of his beautiful wife and concubines.
Ye Yan, Die’Er, and Dong Qing naturally served him attentively, their gentle compliance allowing his body and mind to completely relax.
After relaxing, Fang Cheng returned to the Quiet Chamber to continue his cultivation, Artifact Refining, and polishing his Sword Technique.
Ye Yan had already begun cultivating the *Thunder Jade Scripture*. After being refined, that wondrous stone could expand to a size of one zhang in circumference. Cultivating while seated upon it truly produced twice the results with half the effort.
After Fang Cheng gave her some guidance, Ye Yan’s intelligence and quick-wittedness meant that little more needed to be said.
「Several more months passed in the blink of an eye.」
There was a reaction from the secret chamber of the Gu Pit. Fang Cheng went to take a look and saw that the two Vajra Gu Pits he had started earlier had produced a total of twelve Tier Two Vajra Gu.
’Just as I thought. After I advanced to the Life Talisman Realm, my efficiency at cultivating Tier Two Vajra Gu has increased dramatically.’
With this, the number of Tier Two Vajra Gu in his possession reached nineteen!
Without a word, Fang Cheng continued to prepare new pits to refine more Gu.
First, he housed the nineteen Tier Two Vajra Gu separately. Then he prepared new pits to cultivate another batch simultaneously.
He gave the order, and the Ye Family delivered large quantities of Tier Two Demon Beast Flesh and Blood to support his unending consumption for Gu refinement.
He fed all nineteen Tier Two Vajra Gu with the flesh and blood of Late-stage Second-tier Demon Beasts to spur their evolution. Any that evolved too slowly, Fang Cheng would toss into other Gu Pits to be devoured by the faster ones!
Only through such a process of natural selection could he raise truly powerful Gu Insects.
Then there was the Poison Gu.
After devouring a large amount of highly toxic Spiritual Objects, this Gu had also fallen into a deep slumber.
It seemed to be on the verge of breaking through to the next tier.
...
「Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, several years had passed.」
Fang Cheng led a reclusive life on Demon Lion Peak, spending most of his time cultivating his techniques, honing his Swordsmanship, and on Artifact Refining.
Occasionally, he would engage in Dual Cultivation with his beautiful wife and concubines to balance his body and mind, and he would guide the three women in their own cultivation. Although it delayed his own progress, it was a unique pleasure that he could not do without.
Over at the Law Enforcement Hall, Cai Li assigned him a few more minor tasks, all of which involved activities within the Abyssal Marsh and were completed with ease.
He took these opportunities to go out and naturally had his private rendezvous with Wen Qianqian and Feng Ling. Each time, the three of them would spend several days wrapped up in each other before he returned to Demon Lion Peak.
The days passed one by one, and it would soon be ten years since he had last entered the Void Ghost Marketplace.
...
