Cultivating with Bragging System-Chapter 687 - 334 Removing the Evil _1

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another decade had passed.

Wang Xiu had his many incarnations continue to absorb the information within the Soul Crystals, constantly condensing Origin Runes, while his true self focused on refining the Three Lives Stele.

The final step—refining the Three Lives Stele into a complete Merit Spiritual Treasure—proved more difficult than Wang Xiu had anticipated.

Artifact Refining is an art! Although I have the Primordial God Refining Technique as my foundation, my practical experience is still too lacking. Refining ordinary Magic Artifacts is no issue, but a treasure of this caliber also requires extensive experience…

Wang Xiu paused, slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air. He stood up and clasped his hands behind his back, standing by the lake and watching the Three Lives Stele gently rotate within the Fire of Candleholder.

At this moment, its original appearance was gradually vanishing. It was now entirely golden, no longer resembling a stele at all. Instead, it looked more like a gigantic brick of gold. Its surface was covered with countless densely packed runes, each one exceedingly profound.

There was no problem with his technique. What he lacked was an approach.

The Three Lives Stone is related to the Law of Cause and Effect. What kind of runes, exactly, can fully release the Power of Cause and Effect it inherently carries?

Causality is a law of an extremely high order, no weaker than space and time. Naturally, Wang Xiu wanted to preserve this treasure's intrinsic characteristics, rather than simply refining a brick of tremendous might. But when it came to the practical application, Wang Xiu was momentarily at a loss, caught in a bottleneck.

He did not agonize over the problem, instead strolling along the lakeside formed by the waters of the Yellow Springs. Nie Linglan silently followed.

Her cultivation had reached a stage where she could attempt Tribulation Transcendence at any time, and she had grown accustomed to her new body without any new problems arising.

Seeing that Wang Xiu was still deep in thought, she did not disturb him and merely followed quietly. The mud by the lake was soft, making a SQUEAK, SQUEAK sound when stepped on, like some sort of accompaniment. Neither Wang Xiu nor Nie Linglan made any attempt to muffle these sounds.

The world was too quiet, especially after all the wandering souls had been guided to their final rest. The entire world was empty and devoid of any sound, leaving only the two of them and a dog.

Granted, quietude had its benefits. For Wang Xiu, he had never experienced such a time before. For more than a decade, he had been immersed in a daily cycle of enlightenment, cultivation, and Artifact Refining. His mind was filled with the operations of various runes; the moment he closed his eyes, the so-called laws of the universe and the path of runes would flock to him.

For a moment, Wang Xiu felt somewhat bewildered, as if he had truly become a dedicated ascetic. But ultimately, he was still not fully accustomed to it.

After a few circuits around the lake, his stifled mood eased slightly. Wang Xiu sat down again, engrossed in his research.

Fortunately, his incarnations were proving very effective, processing the information within the Soul Crystals at an increasing speed and proceeding in an orderly fashion. The number of runes floating around the Origin Stamp had also grown. Therefore, the time spent without a breakthrough was not entirely wasted.

Nearly every day, Wang Xiu's strength and foundation grew.

「Meanwhile, in the outside world.」

Within the lands of the Xuanyuan Clan, in a dimly lit great hall, countless runes suddenly lit up. On the massive throne, Xuanyuan Zhan's eyes snapped open. His expression respectful, he bowed to the empty air. "Greetings, Teacher!"

An ancient and vast figure slowly emerged, looking down at Xuanyuan Zhan. "Di Yi, have you found that person?"

Xuanyuan Zhan lowered his head. "I've found him, but…"

The figure stared at him, an eyebrow slightly raised. "What happened?"

"He has entered a forbidden area!" Xuanyuan Zhan replied.

The figure fell silent for a moment before asking, "Which forbidden area?"

"The Savage Wilderness!" answered Xuanyuan Zhan.

The figure became quiet once again. Faintly, from what seemed like the edge of the sky, a hazy, indistinct chanting sound arose.

"How long has he been in there?"

"Twenty years now!"

The figure spoke again. "No wonder. The things I left behind have been disturbed."

Hearing this, Xuanyuan Zhan looked puzzled.

After a pause, the figure slowly said, "You need not concern yourself with this matter anymore. Make a trip to the Tianxuan Realm and find your Senior Brother."

Xuanyuan Zhan's expression changed. "Senior Brother has returned?"

"Mm," the figure affirmed.

Xuanyuan Zhan bowed respectfully. "Yes!"

「Yaoguang Heavenly Realm.」

In an elegant courtyard of the Yu Family, Yu Xiaolong sat by a window, hunched over a desk, writing with intense concentration. His figure was still somewhat bulky, and his cheeks remained round, but he had lost some of his restlessness and gained a measure of stability.

After a long while, he stopped and ordered, "Deliver these letters to the Shan Hai, Long'an, and Liuhe chambers of commerce, respectively. Ask their managers to meet me tonight at Spring Harmony Pavilion." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Yes!" the attending maid replied respectfully as she took the letters. Then, as if remembering something, she added, "By the way, Second Young Master, Elder Yi Zhongtian of the Yi Clan has come looking for you four times now. He wishes to discuss purchasing elixirs and Magical Treasures. Do you think… perhaps you should see him?"

Hearing this, Yu Xiaolong said nothing. He simply stared at the maid, his gaze indifferent.

The maid's delicate body shivered as if she had been plunged into an ice cave.

"I spoke out of turn! Please forgive me, Young Master!" Breaking out in a cold sweat, she immediately knelt and slapped herself twice across the face. SLAP! SLAP! Two bright red handprints instantly appeared on her fair cheeks.

Yu Xiaolong suddenly spoke. "How long have you been with me?"

The maid trembled as she replied, "I was fortunate enough to be chosen by the clan to serve you, Young Master, when I was sixteen. It has been… over a hundred years now!"

Yu Xiaolong nodded. "A hundred years… indeed not a short time. Aside from my parents, my aunt, and my elder brother, you are probably the closest person to me. It's no wonder they chose you as their breakthrough point."

At these words, the maid's complexion changed, her pretty face turning pale.

"Back then, you followed my elder brother's orders and placed a soul-tracking charm on me. That's what prevented me from leaving the Celestial Province and led to me being captured and brought back. I didn't hold you responsible because I knew you had your own difficulties. But now, what has the Yi Clan given you? Enough for you to repeatedly speak on their behalf? Is it more than what my Yu Family has given you?"

Hearing this, the maid's expression shifted. "Young Master, have you heard something? I have always been loyal to you! Everything I've done was for your sake and for the sake of the Yu Family! You mustn't believe rumors!"

However, her composure shattered in the next moment.

Yu Xiaolong tossed a bead in front of her. Light and shadow immediately emerged from it, projecting scene after scene. The figures and their conversations were all crystal clear.

"You were very careful. You made everything seem flawless. But you still underestimated the Jade Fan of my Yu Family."

"Young Master, I know I was wrong! It was a moment of confusion… Young Master, please spare me this one time!" the maid crawled to Yu Xiaolong's feet, clutching the corner of his robe. She pleaded continuously, her tears making her look all the more pitiable.

Yu Xiaolong pinched her delicate cheek and said, "I will miss you."

The maid's face turned ashen.