A twenty-round Nascent Soul cultivator in the Demon Spirit City was a tremendous honor in a place where strength reigned supreme, enough to drive all other Nascent Soul cultivators mad with jealousy and draw the discerning eyes of Nascent Soul Lords.

However, for Ye Qin, a cultivator who had just arrived on the Southern Demon Continent, the weight of a twenty-round ranking was unknown. Of course, even if he had known, he likely wouldn't have paid much attention; his focus was on achieving the Soul Transformation stage, not on the status afforded at the Nascent Soul level.

Ye Qin, Huangfu Bing'er, and Bai Xiuer entered the city unhurriedly, taking in the local customs and atmosphere of this foremost grand Immortal City of the Southern Demon Continent.

In truth, Demon Spirit City was not particularly large; it wasn't even larger than Xianque City in the Eastern Sea Cultivation World.

Due to the high cost of living within Demon Spirit City, the number of cultivators who actually resided there was not large.

The vast majority of Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators on the Fading Demon Continent actually lived within the territories of the various Soul Transformation Lords. Each Soul Transformation Lord possessed expansive domains and commanded a large retinue of subordinates and follower cultivators.

They only traveled to Demon Spirit City for major events, trade, or to procure rare supplies.

Demon Spirit City had an extremely ancient founding; the old city was rugged and functional, steeped in an ancient aura. Legend held that ancient cultivators arrived here and established the Southern Demon Continent's sole grand Immortal City, and this city had maintained its original style almost continuously since its construction.

One rarely saw ornate pavilions or palaces here; the decoration was far less intricate and complex than that of Xianque City in the Eastern Sea Cultivation World. Yet, the wild, imposing grandeur of Demon Spirit City was something Xianque City could never match.

At the center of Demon Spirit City towered a colossal palace. This was the headquarters of the Sky Demon Alliance, and the station of the Elder Council, whose members were all at the Soul Transformation level—a stature incomparable to the Eastern Sea Cultivation World.

The lower-tier cultivators in Demon Spirit City were mostly descendants of native Southern Demon Continent cultivators, rarely having come from the Eastern Sea. With the exception of some Golden Core cultivators handling menial tasks, most residents were at the Nascent Soul stage or above. After all, residing in the city required consuming one seventh-tier Yuan Crystal daily—a burden most Golden Core cultivators could not sustain long-term. Most Golden Core cultivators resided in the territories of the various Lords, serving them.

Occasionally, one could glimpse Soul Transformation cultivators arriving in the city, either flying on artifacts or riding luxurious carriages drawn by high-grade spirit beasts. The Soul Transformation Lords did not settle in Demon Spirit City, as they needed to manage their own domains.

Only those Nascent Soul cultivators who refused to pledge allegiance to a Lord, and had no other recourse, would consider a temporary stay in Demon Spirit City.

The cultivators in Demon Spirit City carried, to varying degrees, a fierce, martial aura.

Furthermore, the headquarters of several major merchant guilds were also situated in Demon Spirit City. In the absence of major activities, the usual atmosphere of Demon Spirit City was not noisy but rather somewhat quiet, populated mostly by hurried Nascent Soul cultivators passing through.

Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er strolled down the streets, conversing casually.

Bai Xiuer, on the other hand, looked around with wide-eyed curiosity, frequently asking this and that, completely forgetting that Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er were also first-time visitors to Demon Spirit City.

After playfully chiding Bai Xiuer a few times, Huangfu Bing'er turned to Ye Qin and said, "Husband, we are strangers here. Perhaps we should find a place to stay temporarily before making further plans?"

"Yes, that sounds fine. There should be private estates available for rent in the city; let's rent one and settle in first."

Ye Qin agreed with a nod.

He located a low-tier Golden Core cultivator and inquired; indeed, there were many vacant courtyards and estates in the city, available for rent by spending a considerable sum of Yuan Crystals.

With the low-tier cultivator serving as a guide, Ye Qin spent little time securing a secluded courtyard estate of about a few acres, complete with high-level formation restrictions, for the price of thirty thousand seventh-tier Yuan Crystals per year. Naturally, the spirit stones required to power the formation were Ye Qin’s responsibility.

After renting the courtyard, Ye Qin activated the formation. From then on, only those possessing the corresponding token could enter or exit the courtyard.

Huangfu Bing'er and Bai Xiuer, brimming with excitement, began redecorating and repairing the estate inside and out.

Ye Qin, unable to offer much help, excused himself to Huangfu Bing'er and headed into the city to gather information regarding the "Soul Transformation" stage.

Walking alone through the relatively quiet streets of Demon Spirit City, Ye Qin organized his thoughts.

He no longer held much hope about finding the Nascent Soul stage cultivation method for the Sitting-Forgetfulness Sutra.

His cultivation had already reached the peak of the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage, unable to advance further. Huangfu Bing'er had also reached the peak of the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage during their journey south. Both were at the absolute pinnacle, needing only one final step—breaking through the realm, undergoing the grand Soul Transformation tribulation, and entering the Soul Transformation stage.

The Southern Demon Continent was teeming with powerful experts. If an accident occurred, their cultivation at the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage might not even allow them to protect themselves.

Breaking through to the Soul Transformation realm was unquestionably his most urgent priority.

However, to become a Soul Transformation cultivator, apart from those whose innate talent allowed a direct breakthrough, other cultivators needed external assistance from elixirs. The Eastern Sea Cultivation World lacked both the alchemical materials and the prescription for the Soul Transformation Pill; Ye Qin did not know if the Southern Demon Continent possessed them either.

"And then there is the grand Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation; without a sufficient number of minor divine-ability-level magic artifacts to expend, survival would be a matter of sheer luck."

Ye Qin shook his head slightly.

At this moment, Ye Qin arrived before a rustic-looking merchant pavilion in the city and stopped, stepping inside.

"Welcome to our pavilion, esteemed guest. What might you require, or do you have any spirit treasures to sell?" As Ye Qin entered, a manager stepped forward, greeting him with eager attentiveness. Although Ye Qin was an unfamiliar face, the manager dared not slight him given his cultivation at the peak of the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage.

"Does your esteemed pavilion have any Soul Transformation Pills for sale, or perhaps the prescription for the Soul Transformation Pill, or its spiritual materials?" Ye Qin mused.

The manager was momentarily stunned, then meticulously examined Ye Qin before answering gravely, "Are you new to Demon Spirit City, honored guest? A peerless, rare elixir like the Soul Transformation Pill is not stocked by any merchant pavilion here; only a few great Lords possess any. However, our pavilion does have the prescription for the Soul Transformation Pill. It's just that..."

"Just what?" Ye Qin’s brow instantly rose upon hearing there was a prescription, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably. He pressed immediately.

The manager of the Huaming Merchant Pavilion hesitated slightly, then spoke with a hint of difficulty, "The prescription for the Soul Transformation Pill is priced exceedingly high—over a hundred twelfth-tier Yuan Crystals, with no room for negotiation. It is not affordable for ordinary cultivators."

"Over a hundred twelfth-tier Yuan Crystals?"

Although Ye Qin had some mental preparation, he was still startled by this price.

The Yuan Crystals he won from twenty straight victories in the Demon Combat Arena amounted to only nine twelfth-tier Yuan Crystals, enough to cover only a fraction of the cost.

However, the prescription for the Soul Transformation Pill was indeed worth that price.

Ye Qin currently lacked the sufficient Yuan Crystals and could not afford the prescription immediately. Yet, the silver lining was that as long as he had the formula, accumulating the Yuan Crystals was merely a matter of time. Ye Qin still had over a hundred years of lifespan, plenty of time to earn the crystals and prepare for the tribulation.

Seeing Ye Qin startled, the manager was quite understanding. An ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator might never accumulate that many twelfth-tier Yuan Crystals in a lifetime, unless they had powerful family backing.

"I will go back and think of a way to gather the Yuan Crystals, and return to purchase it later," Ye Qin told the manager, bidding farewell, and turning to leave.

"Hold on! Actually, while the price of the prescription is steep, it isn't the most crucial factor. The key lies in the spiritual materials needed to refine the Soul Transformation Pill. Without the materials, the prescription alone is useless."

Seeing that Ye Qin seemed inclined to buy the prescription, the manager called him back, saying with a wry smile, "I suggest you find the spiritual materials first before attempting to purchase the prescription, lest you waste your effort. You seem unfamiliar with the situation here, honored guest. Do you happen to know an important piece of news?"

"Oh? What news?" Ye Qin paused his movement, turning back without betraying any emotion.

"It is common knowledge among the Nascent Soul cultivators in the city, not a secret at all. Approximately every ten years, there is a large-scale hunt on the Southern Demon Continent, where numerous Nascent Soul cultivators venture into the hinterlands to hunt demonic beasts. One species, known as the 'Abyssal Strange Beast,' a high-grade demonic beast, possesses the spiritual material required for refining the Soul Transformation Pill. All Nascent Soul cultivators aiming for the Soul Transformation stage participate in the hunt in the Abyss, where the Strange Beasts appear. Our pavilion possesses a detailed map scroll recording the possible habitats of this demonic beast. If you go, carrying this map will undoubtedly double your efficiency! Even if you fail to find a Strange Beast, you certainly won't get lost in the subterranean depths." The manager added with a smile.

"How many Yuan Crystals for this map scroll?"

"Cheaply priced! Only ten thousand seventh-tier Yuan Crystals!"

Ye Qin was naturally not stingy about this amount of Yuan Crystals. After handing the merchant manager the equivalent in seventh-tier Yuan Crystals, he bought a map scroll.

The manager tucked away the Yuan Crystals and promptly retrieved a map scroll from behind the counter, handing it to Ye Qin. "That type of demonic beast haunts the Demon Domain Abyss in the Southern Demon Continent's interior—a subterranean rift stretching for hundreds of millions of miles."

"The Demon Domain Abyss?" Ye Qin heard the term for the first time and felt a touch of confusion.

"Precisely. This Demon Domain Abyss houses countless demonic beasts. The Abyssal Strange Beast is a fifteenth-rank demonic beast, and within its body is a rare and peculiar spiritual unguent. This unguent is the primary spiritual material for refining the Soul Transformation Pill. Every ten years, when the abyssal miasma dissipates, large numbers of Nascent Soul cultivators enter the Abyss, hoping to acquire the unguent. In fact, if you can obtain two portions of this Strange Beast’s unguent, you can hire a divine alchemist in the city to refine the Soul Transformation Pill for you. One portion of the material goes to you, and the other to the divine alchemist. You won't need to buy the prescription."

"Since there are such benefits and a detailed map, why sell the map instead of just going yourselves?"

"Haha, that is a fifteenth-rank demonic beast! Even with the Abyss map, it is not something easily hunted. In the hunt held every ten years, most Nascent Soul cultivators return empty-handed. Among tens of thousands of Nascent Soul cultivators, it is extremely fortunate if one or two manage to obtain the unguent. The number of cultivators who die in the Abyss is countless."

The manager recounted the entire situation, then smiled, "This hunt is scheduled to take place in a few months. If you delay any longer, you will have to wait for the next cycle. This map scroll marks the known habitats of the Abyssal Strange Beast; you can examine it carefully upon returning. It will certainly be helpful for your journey."

Ye Qin felt a heavy weight settle upon him. He bid farewell to the manager, left the merchant pavilion, and returned to his rented courtyard.

He needed to discuss matters thoroughly with Huangfu Bing'er.

News about the Soul Transformation Pill had been acquired more easily than expected, yet instead of joy, he felt an oppressive sense of suffocation. What rank was a fifteenth-rank demonic beast? Was it as strong as the Demon Saint Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox, the Demon Saint Three-Legged Crow, or the Demon Saint Azure Ox? Or was it even stronger than these Demon Saints?

Nascent Soul cultivators dared to scheme against it? Were they courting death?

Ye Qin reached the outside of his courtyard estate when his expression suddenly shifted, his gaze flickered with uncertainty toward a nearby spot.

There, a woman clad in red stood gracefully before the courtyard gate, staring at him coldly.