Moments later, a middle-aged man came crawling in hurry.

He still bore numerous wounds on his body and looked quite dispirited.

This man was none other than the newly appointed Puppet Hall Master, Wu Sankui, who was also Wu Xingkui’s son.

After Wu the Old Monster was killed by Lin Chen, Wu Sankui temporarily assumed the role of the new Puppet Hall Master.

He also had a Golden Core late period cultivation, which barely stabilized the Puppet Hall.

When Lin Chen detonated the nuclear bomb, Wu Sankui was unfortunately in Zhongliang City.

Though not killed by the explosion, he was still heavily injured.

Upon seeing the Blood-Pupil Demon, Wu Sankui hurriedly crawled over.

"An...ancestor..."

Blood-Pupil Demon looked at Wu Sankui’s cowardly state and became even more infuriated.

Blood-Pupil Demon first kicked Wu Sankui, making him vomit blood.

Yet Wu Sankui dared not show any hint of displeasure, obediently rushing over, keeping his head down, and waited for orders.

Blood-Pupil Demon calmed slightly upon seeing this and asked:

"How did the task I assigned you earlier go?"

"Luo Ming’s body was turned into a puppet... taken away by that kid from the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect."

"Your Puppet Hall’s secret technique should be able to locate it, right?"

Hearing this, Wu Sankui showed a terrified expression.

He quickly knelt down and began kowtowing incessantly, exclaiming:

"Ancestor, that Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect’s methods are too mysterious..."

"Our Puppet Hall’s secret technique can sense the puppet as long as it’s within Qing State’s boundaries, even if within a storage bag."

"But for some reason, I’ve been casting spells day and night these past few days yet haven’t sensed a thing."

"There’s no reaction at all from the puppet..."

Upon hearing this, Blood-Pupil Demon’s eyes widened.

Crimson True Essence transformed into a hand, clutching Wu Sankui’s throat and lifting him high.

Wu Sankui couldn’t breathe, but could only keep shouting:

"Spare me, Ancestor, spare me..."

"It was my incompetence, but that Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect..."

"Ah, Ancestor, spare me!"

Terrifying Netherworld Fire began burning on Wu Sankui’s body.

The pain nearly made him faint.

Blood-Pupil Demon looked at Wu Sankui’s miserable state and gradually calmed.

"Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect, from the Outer State... perhaps they’ve taken Luo Ming’s puppet beyond Qing State?"

"But it’s only been a few days. How could Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect act so swiftly?"

Blood-Pupil Demon’s thoughts churned before finally tossing Wu Sankui down.

"Hmph, I’ll spare you for now... if I weren’t short-handed, I’d refine you into a Nether Ghost!"

As Wu Sankui was let down, the Netherworld Fire gradually extinguished.

He knelt on the ground, still incessantly kowtowing.

"Thank you, Ancestor, for sparing my life!"

Blood-Pupil Demon waved his hand, signaling Wu Sankui to hush.

Then, he held his forehead in contemplation.

"This Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect, their methods are overly mysterious..."

"Why can this Celestial Thunder Master, from thousands of miles away, detonate in three cities simultaneously?"

"Could there be spies within the city?"

Blood-Pupil Demon’s expression was indecisive, after pondering he said:

"You, assess the city’s losses... then, gather all cultivators and proceed to the frontline promptly!"

As he spoke, a bloodthirsty look flashed in Blood-Pupil Demon’s eyes.

"Heh, with Outer State forces involved, there’s no need for a gradual approach in this war."

"Within half a year, I want the entire Fog Country under my Ghost-Exorcising Sect’s command!"

...

Meanwhile, after Lin Chen acquired five million Spirit Stones from the Righteous Alliance, his Spirit Stones totaled fifteen million.

Entirely sufficient for advancing the Devouring Spirit Root to the Third Stage.

Therefore, once the reversal time reset, Lin Chen immediately headed to the cultivation room.

Great Xia Country, Martial Arts Palace cultivation room.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged inside the Spirit Gathering Array, surrounded by piles of Spirit Stones like a small hill.

Nearly half a million Middle Grade Spirit Stones, and another ten million Lower Grade Spirit Stones.

"The time has come to break through to the third stage of the Devouring Spirit Root!"

Lin Chen was filled with anticipatory excitement.

The third stage of the Devouring Spirit Root promised cultivation speed comparable to a Celestial Spirit Root.

Once reaching the third stage, Lin Chen’s cultivation would progress towards Golden Core Perfection even faster!

With a slight thought, Lin Chen activated the Devouring Spirit Root.

As the surrounding Spirit Stones turned to powder, pure energy surged into the Spirit Root.

In a blink, three days passed...

Currently, most Spirit Stones in the cultivation room had been devoured by Lin Chen.

And within Lin Chen, the Spirit Root finally underwent a qualitative transformation at that moment!

Boom!

Lin Chen’s mind roared, soon after, he felt the Spiritual Energy in the world become more vigorous.

He subtly explored the gaseous changes in Spiritual Energy.

The True Essence within him had, in that moment, consolidated multiple ranks more than before.

Much time later, Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes.

Under Divine Soul internal observation, he sensed life radiating from the surface of the Devouring Spirit Root.

"Is this what the third stage of the Devouring Spirit Root feels like?"

"It seems... my True Essence has become far more powerful!"

Lin Chen took a deep breath, feeling that his True Essence had condensed by nearly fifty percent.

According to his original estimation, only by reaching Nine Revolutions Golden Core would he have such a profound True Essence.

But now, he possesses it ahead of time.

"Hmm, my True Essence Magical Power should fully be equivalent to a Half-Step Nascent Soul Cultivator who has passed the Magic Power Barrier!"

"Let’s try the cultivation speed again..."

Lin Chen didn’t rush to leave seclusion, but continued cultivating for another day.

The Devouring Spirit Root can make True Essence more abundant than cultivators at the same stage.

But more importantly, it increases the cultivation speed!

The next morning, Lin Chen finished his cultivation.

He counted the remaining Spirit Stones in the room.

Breaking through the third stage of the Devouring Spirit Root cost Lin Chen about eleven million Spirit Stones.

Now, Lin Chen only has four hundred thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones left, but it’s enough for a long time of cultivation.

"The Devouring Spirit Root, after advancing to the third stage, seems somewhat different from what I imagined..."

Lin Chen slightly frowned.

He feels that his cultivation speed increased by about sixty to seventy percent.

This degree of increase is indeed not insignificant.

But the problem is, it doesn’t seem to have reached the Top Grade Celestial Spirit Root, it barely reached the celestial level in cultivation speed.

Under Divine Soul Internal Observation, Lin Chen senses the Spirit Root within him that emits a faint vitality and mutters:

"Why do I feel like the Devouring Spirit Root, after reaching the third stage, is just beginning?"

Lin Chen recalls the jade scroll that Jiang Liqian gave him over a decade ago.

The jade scroll records the cultivation insights of a cultivator from ancient times who had a Devouring Spirit Root.

But that senior only cultivated the Devouring Spirit Root to the third stage, with no further advancement.

However, there are some insights from his cultivation at the third stage.

Ten years have passed, the time has been quite long, but Lin Chen’s memory is indeed quite good.

He murmurs:

"If I remember correctly, after the third stage of the Devouring Spirit Root, the method of improvement will change."

"Not only direct devouring of Spirit Stones, but Spirit Stones consumed during cultivation can also improve the Spirit Root quality."

"Currently, the Devouring Spirit Root is barely celestial level, but after a long period of cultivation, it can reach Top Grade Celestial Spirit Root level. By then, the cultivation speed will be doubled!"

Lin Chen slightly nods, this method of improvement is greatly beneficial to him.

Because while cultivating, he can simultaneously enhance the Spirit Root.

No longer needing to consume a large amount of Spirit Stones at once.

Rather, it’s directly apportioned into each cultivation session.

"However, for the advancement of the fourth stage of the Devouring Spirit Root, the jade scroll doesn’t record anything..."

Lin Chen slightly frowned.

The third stage of the Devouring Spirit Root requires devouring a whole Spirit Vein.

Lin Chen hasn’t devoured a Spirit Vein, but directly devoured over thirty million Spirit Stones, forcibly reaching that standard.

"Perhaps, the advancement to the fourth stage of the Devouring Spirit Root is related to the Spirit Vein?"

Lin Chen ponders.

"Well, let’s take it one step at a time."

"Currently, the third stage is sufficient for my use... Originally, it would take at least six or seven years to cultivate to Golden Core Perfection."

"But now, four or five years should suffice."

Lin Chen silently thought.

Four or five years, for a Golden Core Cultivator, is just a small part of the long years.

Even a single seclusion can take that long.

And Lin Chen, who cultivates the Evergreen Technique, has a lifespan much longer than the average Golden Core Cultivator.

Golden Core Cultivators have a lifespan of five hundred years.

After Lin Chen cultivates the Evergreen Technique to Golden Core Perfection, his lifespan can reach eight hundred years.

"Since Golden Core Perfection is not far off... I should also consider the matter of Nascent Soul."

Lin Chen continuously ponders.

Nascent Soul Cultivators remain mysterious to Lin Chen at this point.

Within the Righteous Alliance’s sphere of influence, Golden Core Cultivators are numerous.

But Lin Chen has only encountered Blood Pupil, the old demon.

And Blood Pupil alone is enough to almost suppress the entire Righteous Alliance.

This shows the great gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul.

"Fortunately, the Golden Yuan Sect’s relics contain quite a bit of information on how to break through to Nascent Soul. Otherwise, I’d be truly clueless..."

Lin Chen silently thought.

Golden Core Perfection Cultivators, wanting to break through to Nascent Soul, must pass three barriers.

The Flesh Body, Magic Power, and Divine Soul barriers.

Passing any one barrier makes one a Half-Step Nascent Soul, passing all three barriers elevates one to Nascent Soul Cultivator!

But passing all three barriers is the process of condensing the Nascent Soul, not the preparation required.

To advance to Nascent Soul, the basic requirement is, of course, a Nascent Soul level Cultivation Technique.

Coincidentally, several years ago, Lin Chen’s Evergreen Technique reached the Nascent Soul level through the inference of the Celestial Derivation Pearl.

Regarding the Cultivation Technique aspect, Lin Chen doesn’t need to worry.

But breaking through to Nascent Soul is not just about having a Cultivation Technique.

Before Golden Core, cultivators would not trigger Thunder Tribulation during breakthroughs.

But breaking through from Golden Core to Nascent Soul will indeed trigger Thunder Tribulation!

Celestial Thunder Body Tempering enables the cultivator’s Divine Soul and Magical Power to further advance, providing great benefits.

It also poses great risks.

Ordinary cultivators find it overly difficult to pass Thunder Tribulation relying on flesh and techniques.

Therefore, special Magical Treasures or Pills are needed.

"Thunder Avoidance Divine Pill... Fourth Tier Pill, has miraculous effects in helping to pass Thunder Tribulation!"

"There’s also the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Shield, a special Magical Artifact... none of these are available within the Righteous Alliance’s range."

Lin Chen shook his head and said:

"Looks like I must explore other parts of Qing State."

"Perhaps, in Wenda Sect... the core region of Qing State, I can find these items needed to break through to Nascent Soul?"