Chapter 263: Mysterious Black Qi
Earthfire Cave.
The Fusang Divine Tree was still absorbing the energy of the earthfire as usual, using it to recover itself.
Meanwhile, the Wind-Chirp Bird was screeching anxiously. As Lin Changan transformed into a streak of escape light and entered the cave, he was instantly shocked.
In the corner, the Azure-Horned Ox was drenched in blood. Its eyes were blood-red, having completely lost its rationality, and it was roaring madly.
The solid walls around the underground cave bore numerous marks of destruction.
“Master, it wasn’t me! I didn’t touch it!”
The Wind-Chirp Bird hurriedly explained. It knew very well that it had only joined halfway, while this dumb ox had been raised by its master since it was a calf.
“I know!”
Lin Changan glared at the bird irritably. Sure enough, this bird hadn’t changed one bit.
The moment something went wrong, its first instinct was to pass the blame—ahem—or rather, to wash its hands of responsibility.
“Moo!”
When the Azure-Horned Ox saw Lin Changan, it roared in fury. Thick white breath gushed from its nostrils as it charged madly forward.
Lin Changan narrowed his eyes. He could tell the Azure-Horned Ox had lost its mind. The injuries on its body originated from within.
Moreover, before he had come out, the Wind-Chirp Bird had been suppressing this ox.
“Master, this gluttonous dumb ox swallowed your bottle.”
Before Lin Changan could even ask, the Wind-Chirp Bird blurted out the truth.
“Bottle!?”
Lin Changan froze for a moment, then quickly looked toward the jade bottles collecting from the Fusang Divine Tree. Sure enough, one was missing.
These jade bottles were used to collect the mysterious black qi purified by the Fusang Divine Tree via a formation. This ox had actually swallowed one!
“Damn it! What a gluttonous fool of an ox!”
Lin Changan couldn’t help but curse aloud. But what greeted him was the furious charge of the Azure-Horned Ox.
“Go!”
Facing the attack, Lin Changan knew he couldn’t let the Azure-Horned Ox rampage further. If it continued like this, it really would exhaust itself to death.
He raised his hand, and a golden talisman turned into a stream of light.
The next moment, the Azure-Horned Ox's movements halted instantly. However, the terrifying momentum still carried it forward.
With another gesture, Lin Changan used Object Manipulation as a Core Formation Cultivator, lifting the Azure-Horned Ox into the air.
At this moment, a golden Tranquil Spirit Talisman was affixed to the ox’s forehead—the same kind he had used before to slay the Sinister Spirit Beast King, with more than half of its energy remaining.
A low-grade third-rank Tranquil Spirit Talisman was a dimensional suppression against a late second-rank Azure-Horned Ox, even if it now had quasi–third-rank strength due to its frenzy.
“Master, is the dumb ox alright!?”
Seeing that the ox was finally subdued, the Wind-Chirp Bird chirped anxiously.
Spirit beasts had emotions too. Especially after gaining intelligence, they developed feelings like humans.
The Wind-Chirp Bird had joined when it was still a fledgling and spent its days with the Azure-Horned Ox.
At first, it had cunningly taken advantage of the ox, but over time, it had grown used to this honest, if often misguidedly clever, ox.
Unconsciously, when the Azure-Horned Ox got into trouble this time, the Wind-Chirp Bird had become genuinely worried.
It had even prepared to burn through the formation barrier using a thread of its internal Golden Flame Divine Fire if the master didn’t come out in another day or two, just to awaken him.
“What’s going on with the Azure-Horned Ox? Why did it come here?”
Seeing the now-subdued ox, Lin Changan rushed forward to use his spiritual power to heal it and purify the mysterious black qi within.
Facing his master’s question, the Wind-Chirp Bird awkwardly began to explain.
Apparently, the bird had been bored and gone to the cave abode to snag a Spirit Fruit when it encountered the Azure-Horned Ox.
With their master away, the two spirit beasts had naturally let loose.
After the Wind-Chirp Bird tired out from playing, it tried to return to its nest.
The Azure-Horned Ox, ever trying to be clever but always backfiring, assumed the bird’s nest must contain something tasty and followed it.
The result: the bird lazed about on the Fusang Divine Tree, while the ox, about to leave disappointed, spotted the jade bottle used to collect the black qi.
Following its long-held habit of “never leaving empty-hooved,” and its instinct to eat wherever it went, it swallowed the jade bottle.
This had caught the Wind-Chirp Bird completely off guard.
“So, it was just being a glutton?”
The bird nodded rapidly. Lin Changan was speechless. This dumb ox really would eat anything.
Some time passed.
“Moo!”
Under Lin Changan’s treatment, the viciousness in the ox’s pupils gradually faded, replaced by clarity—but also weakness and exhaustion.
“This is—!”
As Lin Changan probed further, he clearly sensed that the mysterious black qi had seeped into the ox’s blood, flesh, and bones—fusing with its body.
“This is that black qi!”
Lin Changan immediately realized something and scolded with frustration, “You even dare eat poison? You really want to end up in a stew pot!”
The Azure-Horned Ox mooed weakly and aggrievedly, while Lin Changan frowned deeply.
He had left this ox to watch the place, yet it had gluttoned itself into a mess.
Despite the scolding, Lin Changan’s hands didn’t stop, continuing to channel spiritual power to heal the ox’s internal wounds—
—and to purify the black qi that had merged with its flesh.
“This black qi—what is it? It’s like a lingering plague... For now, I can only purify its impurities.”
While treating the ox, Lin Changan also scanned the surroundings with his spiritual sense—and was suddenly stunned.
“What’s going on here!?”
He noticed that some patches of the ground were different in texture. As the one who had personally hollowed out this underground cave, he knew every inch like the back of his hand.
“The terrain is harder—and there are lingering traces of spiritual power. Could it be…”
At that moment, Lin Changan recalled how earlier, during the Azure-Horned Ox's frenzy, it had exhaled white breath from its mouth and nose.
“All these changed areas had contact with that white breath and then became like this.”
Frowning, Lin Changan raised his hand and summoned a chunk of altered earth into his palm.
What was once dark red soil had turned grayish-white—clearly, it had become stone.
“Petrification!?”
Lin Changan suddenly remembered something. Back when he bought the Beast-Taming Compendium on Five Dragon Island for 800 mid-grade spirit stones, it clearly documented—
Mutated Spirit Beasts!
These were even rarer than wild exotic species. For instance, a regular Wind-Chirp Bird was considered a wild exotic species, though modern cultivators casually called them all exotic beasts.
A “mutated” spirit beast referred to one whose bloodline had regressed to an ancestral form or fused with another, evolving in a special manner.
Of course, not all mutations were beneficial—some resulted in abilities that were useless or flawed.
“How could this be? The Azure-Horned Ox never showed any signs of mutation before.”
Lin Changan frowned. Mutated beasts usually showed abnormalities early on—part of a long bloodline evolution. He would have noticed if there were any clues.
“Could this mysterious black qi have triggered a mutation in its bloodline?”
He watched the ox closely, deeply concerned.
Its injuries were worse than he had thought—seemingly caused from within. Its flesh and bones appeared to have reached their limit.
Had it been left untreated, the only outcome would have been death by exhaustion.
“But… its blood vitality has grown stronger. Could this be a blessing in disguise? Its strength actually reached quasi–third-rank…”
He had observed this mysterious black qi before. It brimmed with savagery and could affect one’s mind.
Purifying that madness from the black qi was particularly troublesome, which was why he had always purified the whole thing via the Fusang Divine Tree, then sealed and stored it.
And yet, something still went wrong.
What surprised him even more—this black qi might have other, unknown effects.
While Lin Changan pondered, the recovering Azure-Horned Ox looked at him pitifully, mooing softly.
“Moo, moo!”
The Tranquil Spirit Talisman on its forehead had already turned to ash earlier—its power fully exhausted.
“You’re still feeling wronged?”
Lin Changan glared. He had just broken through and was planning for his two third-rank spirit beasts to hunt demon beasts together in the future. Yet the moment he emerged from seclusion, this happened.
The Azure-Horned Ox looked at its master pitifully, mooing continuously as if complaining.
Lin Changan could naturally sense the ox’s emotions.
“Greedy dumb ox!”
Seeing the wounds on its body gradually healing, the Wind-Chirp Bird landed on the ox’s horn and began mocking it.
“Moo, moo!”
“Master is right. Why not just toss this dumb ox into the pot?”
The two spirit pets rarely quarreled, but this time, Lin Changan didn’t intervene and let the Wind-Chirp Bird scold, while the Azure-Horned Ox mooed pitifully in return.
“Enough. If I’d come out any later, I really would’ve been collecting your corpse for stewed beef.”
Lin Changan spoke irritably, though in his heart, he had already resolved to seek out some ancient records to investigate what exactly this mysterious black qi was.
Not only could it erode the Fusang Divine Tree, which was said to repel all evils, it could also strengthen the body and even activate latent bloodline potential.
……
Celestial Spring Peak.
Half a month after Lin Changan left seclusion, the Azure-Horned Ox lazed in the water pool, sunbathing.
After narrowly escaping death, some kind of mutation had clearly occurred within its body. It had recently become extremely drowsy and lethargic.
“Master.”
The Sword Attendant bowed respectfully. After nearly two years, she had gradually adapted to her new life.
Being able to continue cultivating—and having a cave abode filled with sunshine—delighted her.
Lin Changan sat in the pavilion with a calm expression. The sword attendant, who appeared no older than sixteen or seventeen, still had some baby fat on her cheeks.
Being a human-beast hybrid, she carried a hint of wildness.
Overall, her face was cold and petite, always showing a detached expression, yet it oddly carried a hint of “ferocious cuteness.”
“Looks like you’ve been cultivating well lately.”
“All thanks to Master’s grace.”
She nodded respectfully. Her hands didn’t pause as she brewed fresh spirit tea, poured it carefully, then stood silently behind him, completely assuming the role of a personal maid.
This pleased Lin Changan greatly. The world of cultivation wasn’t much different from the mortal realm.
Those of higher status never did things personally—they always had subordinates to serve them.
This gave rise to many industries, such as training and disciplining female cultivators. Such cultivators were constantly sold at the Sea Abyss of Beasts.
They were quite popular among cultivators.
“Not bad.”
Lin Changan held some copied materials from the Xuanyin Pavilion, trying to find clues regarding the mysterious black qi.
After all, Xuanyin Pavilion had centuries of history and had inherited some of the Mystic Yin Divine Sect’s legacy—far beyond ordinary sects.
Even as he read, he didn’t forget to instruct his attendant.
“Regarding your cultivation, although I’ve annotated everything in the jade slip, every person’s physique and progress differ. A tiny difference can lead to a vast error.
And you, being a human-beast hybrid and bearing the Heavenly Spirit Sword Body, naturally differ greatly from normal cultivators…”
The Sword Attendant nodded respectfully and opened her sandalwood lips. Her voice was cool yet youthful as she asked cultivation questions.
Lin Changan didn’t look back, but his powerful spiritual sense had already noticed—when she spoke, she deliberately avoided showing her teeth.
Not out of etiquette, but to hide the fangs in her mouth.
Hmm! A pair of slightly wild little tiger teeth.
It seemed she was quite self-conscious about her human-beast hybrid status.
“Hm, worthy of the Heavenly Spirit Sword Body. Though your hybrid bloodline hinders your cultivation speed, you can actually control your internal Sword Intent so delicately!”
Even Lin Changan couldn’t help but lower his jade slip, surprised as he looked at the Sword Attendant.
When he himself had cultivated this technique, the Sword Intent constantly ravaged his meridians.
Yet in her body, this incredibly sharp intent moved as if guided by thought—so obedient it was absurd.
Curious, Lin Changan placed his hand on her pale, slender wrist to personally feel the difference between her Heavenly Spirit Sword Body and his own ordinary physique.
Half a stick of incense later, the Sword Attendant stood respectfully, her head lowered, never once moving without permission.
Meanwhile, Lin Changan’s expression grew darker and darker.
Damn it!
Comparison really was infuriating. The Heavenly Spirit Root already had no bottlenecks before Core Formation—that was broken enough. But the Heavenly Spirit Sword Body wasn’t far behind.
In some ways, it was even more unreasonable.
“The Killing Origin Sword Art, one of the most difficult top-tier sword arts in the cultivation world—its greatest flaw is the powerful Sword Intent that often injures the cultivator and is hard to control. That’s why top-tier arts are difficult and restrictive.”
But this Heavenly Spirit Sword Body seemed naturally compatible with Sword Intent. Even with the hybrid bloodline influence, it was still absurdly tame.
Anyone else would think the spiritual power she cultivated was innately imbued with Sword Intent.
“No wonder the Three Great Sword Cultivation Physiques are hailed as prodigies of the sword path—their potential rivals that of the Heavenly Spirit Root.”
The Heavenly Spirit Root held early-stage advantages, while top-tier physiques held power in later stages.
In reality, the early stages were critical for cultivators—this was when they were weakest and most likely to perish. And with no bottlenecks, the Heavenly Spirit Root allowed one to swiftly reach the Core Formation Realm, gaining the power of self-preservation. Upon forming a core, one gained long life and rapid cultivation speed—giving ample time to prepare for the Nascent Soul stage.
This overwhelming early advantage was why the Heavenly Spirit Root was so beloved in the cultivation world.
As for special physiques, they were far more restricted. One had to cultivate techniques tailored to the body to unlock its power.
Most physiques weren’t that exceptional—top-tier ones were always rare.
Some cultivators even had the misfortune of being born into the “wrong” gender for their physique, turning it into a shackle—or worse, a disaster.
That was even more tragic than possessing a useless physique.
Each had their pros and cons.
But if given a choice, most cultivators would surely pick the Heavenly Spirit Root.
After all, techniques compatible with special physiques were hard to find, and the early stages were the hardest to survive.
“Ordinary cultivators really are leagues apart from those with top-tier physiques.”
Lin Changan sighed in admiration and couldn’t help but feel envious.
Although he possessed a Regenerative Body, it still hurt like hell whenever he forcibly activated sword arts.
“If the hybrid bloodline problem could be solved, wouldn’t her cultivation speed soar?”
Thinking of this, Lin Changan glanced subtly at the Sword Attendant.
“Very good. It seems this technique suits you well.”
“Many thanks, Master.”
Having just resolved many cultivation doubts and now receiving praise, the Sword Attendant quickly bowed her head in gratitude.
Lin Changan nodded quietly to himself. Even the Blood Fiend True Lord had possessed a special physique—but it wasn’t this powerful.
Still, progress must come step by step. This girl had slowly regained her fighting spirit over the past two years.
“But I still need to dig deeper into this physique—and into that mysterious black qi.”
As Lin Changan thought of this, his eyes narrowed. Heavenly Spirit Sword Body, human-beast hybrid, and this mysterious black qi—
All of these required further investigation.
It seemed that the stronger his cultivation grew, the smaller and more ignorant he felt in this mysterious world of cultivation.