Wang Lin, with a gesture of his right hand, summoned Shisan before him, the youth’s body rising as if weightless. Two fingers pressed against Shisan’s brow, and a stream of demonic energy flowed forth, invading the youth’s form.

“Hmm!” Wang Lin’s expression tightened, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

A year prior, he had declared Shisan’s meridians shattered, incapable of channeling demonic power. Yet now, upon closer inspection, a curious anomaly presented itself.

While the youth’s meridians remained fractured, even atrophied in places, his body, for some unknown reason, had accumulated a vast reservoir of demonic energy.

This power did not flow within the veins but resided within the very flesh and bone. If this continued unabated, Shisan’s body would naturally embark upon a path of body refinement.

Alas, the youth possessed no knowledge of such arts, squandering much of the energy. Furthermore, lacking the understanding of its proper circulation, he would inevitably succumb to bodily petrification and death before achieving any significant progress on this path.

“Strange,” Wang Lin mused, his gaze sharp. “A year ago, Shisan possessed barely a trace of demonic energy. Now, he has reached nearly the standard of a Two-Star warrior.” From the memories of Luo Yun, he knew that within this Land of the Demon Spirit, Three Stars constituted one “Jia,” and Three Jia equated to the Foundation Establishment stage of a cultivator.

He raised his right hand, settling into a meditative posture. After a short while, his eyes flashed with crystalline light as his nascent soul, a wisp of purple luminescence, shot forth from his crown and plunged into Shisan’s brow.

Compared to Wang Lin, Shisan was but a firefly to the luminous moon. Wang Lin’s soul effortlessly navigated the youth’s mind, and in a fleeting moment, he witnessed all that had transpired in the past year.

Wang Lin beheld Shisan enduring agonizing pain, a torment beyond mortal comprehension. He suffered the constant agony of shattered meridians unable to contain demonic energy, and the excruciating sensation of that energy merging into his flesh, feeling as if a million insects devoured and burrowed within his very being.

This litany of suffering he had endured for over a year, without respite.

All of it stemmed from his unyielding spirit, his desire for strength, his yearning to once more draw Wang Lin’s attention.

Wang Lin withdrew his soul, deeply moved by what he had witnessed. His gaze hardened as he contemplated the floating youth, lost in thought.

Shisan’s unwavering resolve had earned Wang Lin’s favor. However, only one method could fully restore him: the Ancient God Technique, a power Wang Lin did not readily bestow.

After a moment of contemplation, Wang Lin touched Shisan’s chest, and a surge of demonic energy caused the youth to twitch and part his lips. In that instant, Wang Lin retrieved a pill from his storage bag and thrust it into Shisan’s mouth, aiding its dissolution before withdrawing his hand and resuming his meditative posture.

Shisan’s body slowly descended, landing softly upon the ground.

An incense stick’s time later, Shisan shuddered, seized by a violent cough. He struggled to sit up, spitting out a mouthful of black blood. As the foul ichor left him, a palpable sense of relief washed over him.

Only then did he realize he was within the valley. Startled, Shisan spun around and, seeing Wang Lin by his side, scrambled to his feet and knelt with utmost respect.

“Shisan greets Ancestor!” Wang Lin’s expression remained impassive as he regarded the youth, a glimmer in his eye. “How did you acquire this demonic energy within your body?”

Shisan trembled, his heart filled with reverence for Wang Lin. He recounted his experiences of the past year, detail by detail, mirroring the events Wang Lin had witnessed in his memory, without the slightest hint of deception.

Wang Lin nodded inwardly, yet maintained his stoic facade. “Shisan,” he said slowly, “your meridians are shattered. Even with an abundance of demonic energy, it is all for naught. Without meridians to channel it, its accumulation will inevitably lead to your demise!”

Shisan’s face paled, and he offered a bitter smile. He took a deep breath and said, “Ancestor, Shisan refuses to remain a useless husk, accumulating power within. I know this path may be ill-fated, but only in this way can I feel that I am not without purpose. I, too, possess demonic energy…” His voice trailed off, and his fists clenched.

Wang Lin studied Shisan for a long moment before speaking. “I possess a technique that can channel the demonic energy within you into your flesh, endlessly strengthening your body. Although you will be unable to wield supernatural arts, your physical form will become increasingly resilient. This is the art of Body Refinement. Are you willing to learn it?”

Shisan’s body quivered, his face alight with ecstatic joy. Without hesitation, he nodded vigorously.

“Do not be too hasty in your agreement. Cultivating this art is fraught with difficulties and dangers. Should you err, even I cannot save you. Furthermore, the path of Body Refinement demands the endurance of immense suffering. Can you bear it?”

“Ancestor, Shisan will not disappoint you!” Shisan declared, gazing at Wang Lin with a newfound determination burning in his eyes.

Wang Lin pondered for a moment, then reached into his storage bag, producing a jade slip. After impressing its contents upon his brow, he tossed it to Shisan. “You possess demonic energy within your body. Keep this jade slip close; it should allow you to peruse its contents.”

Shisan accepted the jade slip with trembling hands, his inner excitement beyond description. He kowtowed deeply several times before rising and taking his leave.

Only after Shisan had departed did Wang Lin release a sigh. In the end, he had not imparted the Ancient God Technique. Instead, he had compiled and passed on a condensed version of the Body Refinement techniques of the Giant Demon race.

“If this youth can successfully cultivate this rudimentary Body Refinement art, then I shall bestow upon him the first level incantation of the Ancient God Technique. If he fails to achieve the necessary cultivation, it will only prove that he is not fated to tread the path of the Ancient God!”

Spring passed, and autumn followed. Two years swiftly elapsed. In those years, the expansion of the Soul Refinement Tribe had reached a frenzied pace. The tribe’s territory had grown from forty li to nearly three hundred li in the past two years, and the number of male warriors within the tribe had exceeded five thousand.

Within a radius of one hundred thousand li, all tribes except for two exceeding ten thousand people had been consumed by the Soul Refinement Tribe.
In these past two years, Wang Lin had struck thrice. Each time, it was because a strong presence resided within the opposing tribe. Yet, these so-called “strong ones,” dwelling in this savage wilderness, possessed but limited power. Before Wang Lin, they stood utterly defenseless.

It must be said, Wang Lin’s strategy of gradual absorption proved a resounding success. He now commanded a force of five thousand, each versed in the art of Soul Refinement. Though their mastery was nascent, the combined unleashing of their souls was a formidable spectacle.

If time permitted their full maturation, Wang Lin would wield a power most daunting!

Within a hundred thousand li, a tenuous balance of power had emerged, a stalemate amongst three factions.

Ouyang Hua had intended to forcibly conquer one of the larger tribes, but Wang Lin forbade it, demanding instead that his people cease all outward aggression and devote themselves wholly to cultivation.

Wang Lin’s word was as divine decree to the Soul Refinement tribe.

It is worthy to note the lad Thirteen, whose perseverance was astounding. He had gleaned some mastery of the Giant Demon clan’s body-tempering techniques, his flesh now forged as hard as iron. In battle, he charged to the fore, unmatched and unstoppable!

Four years had passed, and Wang Lin had forged a small valley tribe into a force of five thousand souls. Having commanded all to focus on their cultivation, Wang Lin turned his mind to other matters, preparing for a journey!

His destination: the Ancient Demon City!

Four years prior, Wang Lin had possessed the opportunity to visit the Ancient Demon City, but had refrained. For then, he had no power base, and his presence would have been futile.

Now, four years hence, Wang Lin journeyed to the Ancient Demon City, unburdened. With the Soul Refinement tribe at his back, he possessed the means to recover even should he fail to gain a foothold within its ancient walls.

To ease communication, Wang Lin spent half a moon crafting two Transmission Jade Slips. One he kept upon his person, the other he left within the Soul Refinement tribe.

Had materials sufficed, Wang Lin would have erected a Transference Array within the tribe, allowing instantaneous return.

Wang Lin did not depart alone. At his side marched two young men, one being the aforementioned Thirteen!

The other, named Hu Pao, was once of a small tribe, possessing awakened Two-Star Demon Power from his youth. Endowed with keen intellect, he became the foremost warrior of his people.

Ouyang Hua personally captured him, forced the Demonic Dispersal Draught down his throat, and inducted him into the Soul Refinement tribe. There, his innate talent blossomed. Endowed with Two-Star Demon Power, he surpassed nearly all within four years, rivaling even Ouyang Hua.

He had ascended to the Fifth Stage, wielding ninety-three Soul Banners, thirty-one of which held Main Souls. His overall strength approached that of a Core Formation cultivator.

In him, Wang Lin beheld true genius. Though the Soul Refinement Sect’s arts were easily grasped, to achieve the equivalent of Core Formation within merely four years was beyond Wang Lin’s comprehension.

Though this was undoubtedly due to the innate Two-Star Demon Power and the potent demonic aura of this realm, Hu Pao’s cultivation speed was the fastest Wang Lin had ever witnessed!

Should he reach the Spirit Transformation stage within a century, he would rival the legendary Red Butterfly herself, perhaps even surpass her.

Such a prodigy merited Wang Lin’s attention. He kept Hu Pao close, to better control him, lest his power turn unruly within the tribe.

Hu Pao’s reverence for Wang Lin was no less than Thirteen’s. He was thrilled to learn the Ancestor was taking him on a journey.

As for Thirteen, the resilience of his body had reached an unbelievable level. He could contend with Hu Pao without succumbing.

All this stemmed from his unrelenting will and effort. Since acquiring the body-tempering techniques, Thirteen had trained day and night. In diligence, he surpassed all within the tribe!

One clear morning, as the sun crested the horizon, Wang Lin strode forth from the Soul Refinement tribe, Thirteen and Hu Pao flanking him like loyal guards.

Wang Lin was bound for the Ancient Demon City.