Cultivation through Skin Making novel Chapter 401

Chapter 401: 179. Traveling Together in Secret, Ancient Tomb Turmoil (8.5K words - Thanks to "Which Holy in the World" Silver Alliance)

Formless Ancient Race, Ancestral Vein Secret Realm...

Outside the oiled paper window, the shadows of trees swayed wildly in the sudden summer rain, while inside, a never-extinguishing Demon Beast Oil Lamp emitted a soft glow, casting both long and short shadows over the various objects in the room.

Song Yan sat by the oil lamp, contemplating three things in his mind.

First, the map.

Strictly speaking, Lu Kingdom does not fall within the territory of the Formless Ancient Race. The closest of the Fifteen Kingdoms to it is the West Extremity Ancient Country.

Only a narrow mountainous corridor, no more than a few dozen miles long, separates Lu Kingdom and the West Extremity Ancient Country. Because Lu Kingdom is devoid of Profound Qi, the West Extremity Ancient Country has almost never regarded it as part of their territory, not even when the emperor of the ancient country levies tributes do they bother with Lu Kingdom, let alone the sects of the West Extremity Ancient Country.

Lu Kingdom is more often seen as one among the sparse, small countries in the Profound-less Barbaric Land.

This Profound-less Barbaric Land is bordered by the Fifteen Kingdoms of Formless to the west, the Night King Ancient Race to the east, the Ice Mirror Wilderness to the north, and the Dragon Tomb Ancient Country to the south. Even though Lu Kingdom is close to the Formless Ancient Race, if an opportunity arises, the other two races will not stand idly by, especially the Dragon Tomb Ancient Country.

Ancient tombs are something they regard as their forbidden possession.

Second, two array diagrams.

"Separation Fire Gathering Array" and "Ice Coffin Profound Killing Array."

Of course, these array names are completely false; their essence is arrays for offering sacrifices to the Nine-Child Demon Mother using "fire" and "ice" respectively.

Song Yan believed that since he could extract the incomplete "Little Heavenly Dao Texts - Introduction" from the "Myriad Souls Banner Sacrificial Refining Array" and "Five Elements Gathering Profound," he might naturally extract something from these two arrays as well.

Yet, after so many years and numerous attempts, he has gained nothing.

However, he is certain that these two arrays hide three things: first, a Heavenly Dao Character; second, the target of the Heavenly Dao Character’s effect; third, the result directed towards the Nine-Child Demon Mother.

Third, the "Netherworld Corpse Demon Corpse Refining Secret Technique" (extremely incomplete) (simulated state).

This was something he simulated after repeatedly contemplating through the powerful Talent of the Formless Ancient Race, having encountered a Netherworld Corpse Demon in the Ice Mirror Soul Threshold and was nearly instantly killed by it.

This thing lacks extremely important information, and no matter how much time is spent, it cannot be further deduced.

But this thing itself revealed to Song Yan one fact, that "Netherworld Corpse Demons," which possess no soul, no cause and effect, and whose flesh and blood strength rival the Divine Infant Realm, can actually be refined using the Corpse Refining Technique!

"Netherworld creatures" are monsters so fearsome that the world requires the Tumor Realm to resist them, which is the main reason for the formation of the Soul Threshold.

But now, they can actually be refined through Corpse Refining Technique?

This...

This really...

In the past, he would surely congratulate her, then continue to encourage this ordinary female cultivator whom he had pushed into the Purple Mansion Realm.

An Li was just a naturally lovable little female cultivator, not special, without any world-shaking divine physique, nor any background. Her destiny was originally to die in obscurity, just like him without the Remaining Life Dao Fruit, never thinking to touch the Purple Mansion Realm for life, let alone become even the most ordinary member of an ancient race.

The sudden rain intensified, as if a sluice in the sky was opened, and water poured down.

Song Yan did not congratulate An Li but rather picked up the Communication Stone and abruptly asked a question: "I have to go to Lu Kingdom to do something dangerous for the family. Will you come?"

After a long time, a voice came from the other side of the Communication Stone.

"Since you’re inviting, how can I not come? I, the grandaunt, have experienced many trials and am quite experienced! It’s just that in front of you, I still appear as I did before!"

Song Yan communicated, "This time is different from all the others; there’s a real risk of death."

Not long after, An Li’s voice came from the Communication Stone again.

"I don’t want to die!"

Song Yan chuckled and said, "I’ll wait for you for half a month, hurry up."

He couldn’t always protect An Li, but since he enjoyed the beauty of emotions, he hoped that the shelf-life of this emotion could be as long as possible, because even if his life was long-lasting, it was extremely rare to encounter such feelings again. Therefore, he didn’t want to marginalize An Li easily, or simply keep her as a pet. If that were the case, the emotion he cherished would inevitably deteriorate and vanish.