Xiao Jin’s current state was less that of a protective spirit beast and more akin to a talismanic puppet crafted from a spiritual artifact.

Zong Shou’s lips curled slightly, and with a subtle flick of his fingers, a black talismanic blade materialized in his palm. Not only did cloud patterns shimmer within the blade itself, but a faint breeze caressed its surroundings, making the aura of the blade increasingly dangerous and inscrutable.

He then sheathed the talismanic blade and took out the Pine-Patterned Wind Sword instead. Immediately, a silvery-white sheen spread from his palm across the sword’s body until it was completely enveloped.

Zong Shou smiled faintly, his eyes shining with satisfaction. Both the ability to devour and the capacity for purification were Xiao Jin’s innate divine powers. The power to transform all things was the ability awakened after Xiao Jin advanced to the second tier. At this moment, Xiao Jin not only made the Pine-Patterned Wind Sword tougher but also allowed its internal spiritual conduits to function like an innate formation, enabling Zong Shou to perfectly utilize the wind manipulation abilities of the Wind Spirit Cyan Pearl. In a critical situation, it could even replace the original Wind Containment Orb to serve as the spiritual core for the Wind Wall Talisman Array. However, this ability was still weak at present, merely auxiliary at best. Its multifaceted potential would only begin to manifest fully once it reached the fourth tier.

With a slight movement of thought, Xiao Jin understood his intention. The silver-white covering its arm immediately retracted, sinking back into his sleeve.

It was then that Zong Shou noticed a foul stench assaulting his nostrils. Looking down, he saw his clothes were thoroughly soaked. Especially his chest and abdomen, which were oozing a layer of black, mud-like substance that smelled overwhelmingly fetid.

Zong Shou’s brow furrowed momentarily before he broke into a smile, glancing at Chu Xue with ill intent. Calculating the days, it was indeed time for the medicinal bath. Coincidentally, he was currently so exhausted he couldn't move a single finger.

※※※※

For the next several days, Zong Shou ceased using the Devouring Origin technique. Instead, he rigidly practiced the Fetal Breathing Spirit Fist no less than forty-eight times daily, ensuring he met the minimum requirement. The Qi guiding techniques were also performed within thirty repetitions. Even his swordsmanship practice was curtailed. While solidifying his foundation, he used this set of fist techniques to gradually bring the surging True Qi within his body under control. During occasional meditation sessions, he focused all his effort on consolidating the three primary channels of the Fetal Breathing Marrow, occasionally opening one or two extra-meridian acupoints to store his true energy, bringing the count of usable extra-meridian points across his body to twenty, most of which related to the Water and Wind affinities.

As for the hours around the Zi time each night, he would employ the Soul Reflection technique using the Celestial Mirror to draw in moonlight, continuously burning his spirit and soul. The number of bronze mirrors had increased to a full sixteen, and their surfaces were polished even smoother by Zong Shou. Moreover, the Solar Essence Fire drawn in had tripled in intensity!

“What Spirit Masters call Soul Observation is akin to scrutinizing one's own spirit and intent, or even visualization, constantly monitoring the changes in one’s soul consciousness. Similar to the earlier Spirit Settling, this isn’t just for initial Spirit Master training; even upon reaching the True Action realm, it remains a mandatory daily practice. It shares a strange kinship with the self-inspection required of us martial artists—”

Perhaps due to being too deeply immersed in the martial cultivation path in his previous life, even though Zong Shou could now be considered a mid-to-late stage Soul Observation realm Spirit Master, practicing both spirit and martial arts, his mindset had not shifted. He still regarded himself primarily as a Martial Master. In his past life within the game, he had already stood on the threshold of the Immortal Martial realm. In reality, despite having mediocre aptitude, he had forced his way into the Heavenly Rank during that era of spiritual tide extinction. Since all techniques share a common origin, even though Zong Shou had always followed the martial path, his cultivation of soul power had also benefited greatly.

In just a few days, the process of ‘Soul Observation’ saw considerable progress. Apart from the insufficient accumulation of soul power, he had broadly mastered the structure of his own spirit. Strictly speaking, his Spirit Master cultivation could be considered entering the mid-to-late stage of the Soul Observation realm. Spirit Master cultivation proceeded this way, relying more heavily on comprehension and aptitude. As long as each step was fully understood and executed correctly, the realm could elevate dramatically in one leap. Zong Shou recalled that during the Divine Emperor era, the fastest cultivator among Spirit Masters only took one year to ascend from the initial Spirit Settling realm to the Returning Yang realm. This was unlike martial cultivation, which demanded step-by-step accumulation and gradual progress.

In comparison, his current cultivation speed was merely average. The only thing that afforded him a slight sense of pride was that over these recent days, thanks to the Celestial Mirror Soul Reflection technique and the Twelve Celestial Talismans, his spirit had returned to a state of purity. The fluctuation of soul power caused by the forced expansion of his soul sea seemed to be stabilizing.

“If I can maintain this level of purity, I might be able to skip the fifth Spirit Master realm, Night Roaming, and advance directly to the sixth realm, Returning Yang—”

Thinking this, Zong Shou ceased his meditation. When he opened his eyes, the first rays of sunlight were streaming through the window. The dual-channel body, although making him physically weak, offered little improvement even with his cultivation having reached the Martial Master realm. Only his spirit felt exceptionally full of energy. This three-hour meditation session overnight was more effective than a full night’s sleep, banishing all fatigue.

However, the moment he awakened, an intense feeling of hunger suddenly overwhelmed him, accompanied by rumbling sounds emanating from his stomach. Zong Shou couldn't help but smile. The direct effect of consolidating the Fetal Breathing and opening the Marrow Wheel was a drastic increase in appetite. His daily food intake had tripled. This also signified that his physique was strengthening and improving, thus demanding significantly more energy. Therefore, this was not something to worry about, but rather a cause for happiness.

“Having continuously traversed the Black Mud Swamp for seven days, it is time to halt and make some necessary preparations. I recall that the most delicious local delicacy here is the Black Mud Swamp Crocodile. Legend has it that the meat of this crocodile is not only exquisite but also highly beneficial for a martial artist in tempering bone and refining marrow, as well as hardening skin and bone. I should have Uncle Yin capture one nearby later—”

As his thoughts settled, Zong Shou frowned again. Then, with a slight sigh, the feeling of danger he’d experienced earlier had neither increased nor diminished over the past few days. It remained like a persistent sore, impossible to shake off. It had even led him to suspect recently that this sense of crisis might just be his own delusion.

Suddenly, the carriage shuddered almost imperceptibly, then slightly decelerated. Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, followed by a cold, cynical laugh. After waiting so long, they are finally here—

His figure blurred, and he was already outside the carriage, standing at the front of the Cloud-Flipping Carriage. He saw Yin Yang and Su Chuxue both staring intently toward the right, their brows deeply furrowed. Following their line of sight, Zong Shou looked closely and observed a pack of wolves surging forward about a thousand zhang away to the front right. Leading them were five Cloud-Treading Steeds, fleeing in the direction of the carriage. Four men and one woman were mounted on them. The men were dressed as martial artists, but their faces now showed sheer panic.

And the woman, Zong Shou paused after just one glance, momentarily stunned. Her beauty was like a hibiscus emerging from the water, perfectly sculpted and exquisitely lovely, surpassing all comparison. Even while fleeing for their lives, she exuded a captivating allure that evoked profound pity. Her gaze, looking back, seemed on the verge of tears, laced with a hint of pleading, making one wish to cast aside their own life just to help her.

Zong Shou, however, shook off his trance after only a moment’s hesitation, slightly shaking his head: “Pay them no mind. Speed up and go around them!”

Xue'er’s expression faltered, showing reluctance, but ultimately, she prioritized Zong Shou’s safety, remaining silent. Yin Yang’s expression sharpened. He snapped the horsewhip again, eliciting a sharp crack through the air above the eighteen Cloud-Treading Steeds, causing the Cloud-Flipping Carriage to suddenly accelerate!