Zhi Xuan patted his waist again, taking out a spiritual fruit from his storage bag. He tossed it up towards the tree branch where the moth was.

  The spiritual fruit, which shimmered with a dark jade color, shot into the air. Xiao Die, resting on the branch, gracefully caught it with her forelegs, letting out a melodious hum that conveyed satisfaction.

  "Perhaps we should spend the night here first. I don't want to rush towards Green Cloud City."

  Zhi Xuan spoke, his voice calm, looking back towards the bonfire. The fire from the Azure Holy Flame he controlled emitted stable and pure heat, warding off the chill of the primordial forest. Dusk began to creep in and the shadows of the ancient trees looked like dark claws surrounding him.

  Zhi Xuan casually walked towards the nearby river, crouched beside the river, and flicked out the devil blood needle, which looked like a single thread, not as substantial as the devil blood sword. Zhi Xuan sharpened his Divine Sense, searching for fish he could catch.

  "I have won the fishing competition in the village many times; catching fish is my specialty."

  Xiao Die had returned to his shoulder, sitting quietly after devouring her spiritual fruit. The moth tilted her head, staring at the invisible red-blood thread that Zhi Xuan cast into the water.

  Zhi Xuan waited patiently. Some aquatic spiritual beasts that might have frightened him when he was still in the Divine Wheel realm now felt ordinary. Several times, spiritual beasts, both large and small, passed by, but Zhi Xuan remained silent, staring at his devil blood thread. Even when a Jade Swallowing Python emerged from the water, Zhi Xuan just waved his hand dismissively.

  "Move aside, you're disturbing the water flow! The fish will be scared to come." Zhi Xuan waved his hand, looking at the Python's head, which was the size of a human thigh. "I don't like the taste of your meat, go away."

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand once more, refusing to catch or even pay attention to the python. Although the python was good nutrition for him, possessing the strength of a peak Divine Wheel, it had decent essence. However, Zhi Xuan ignored the beast as if it were unworthy.

  The Jade Swallowing Python, which should have been a small ruler in this primordial river, was stunned. Its body, deadly white as jade, which usually emitted an aura of fear, froze in the water. It had raised its head to see the cultivator who dared to sit by its riverbank, but the cultivator—a handsome young man with long, flowing hair—not only ignored it but also ordered it away like a dog.

  "S-Sss..." The Python tried to let out a growl, but it only sounded like a confused hiss.

  "Yes, yes, go," Zhi Xuan repeated flatly, his voice slightly annoyed when he saw that his thread hadn't caught a fish yet. "Damn it, where are these fish!"

  "Wait, Monkey. I think it's not a fish problem, it's a you problem," Ruo Xianxue scoffed, her voice sounding amused in the Sea of Consciousness. "You are fishing with the Devil Blood Sword manifested from ancient Devil energy, and you are radiating a Sanctum aura. The fish in this river are not stupid; they sense the arrival of a dragon in their stream."

  Zhi Xuan frowned. "You're right. Those fish must be scared of my Devil aura." He retrieved his devil blood thread, which dissolved into a dark red light. "So troublesome! I must resort back to mortal methods."

  Zhi Xuan stood up, turned to the forest, and cut a long, sturdy branch. He carved it with his finger, removing the bark and leaves. He then crouched again, using his Divine Sense to pinpoint the location of the largest and fattest spiritual fish, without using any Devil aura.

  "I will spear it!" Zhi Xuan decided with determination. "A faster and more efficient method. No need to waste time with bait."

  Zhi Xuan held his long branch and thrust it into the water with the speed of a First Ember Sanctum.

  WHOOSH!

  The river water surged violently, but Zhi Xuan missed the target. The spiritual fish he was aiming for, though not as fast as a cultivator, had reacted to the massive displacement of water. Zhi Xuan tried again, and again, and again. Each thrust was a manifestation of incredible strength, but each time, the fish scattered, and not a single one was caught.

  The river now looked like it had been hit by a small storm, and Zhi Xuan began to sweat coldly, not from Essence exhaustion, but from a sense of embarrassment he could only feel in the presence of Xiao Die and Ruo Xianxue. With one movement, Zhi Xuan rose from his squatting position.

  "Alright, we will use the Broken Duck method again to catch these fish!"

  With a rough snort, Zhi Xuan stuck the long branch into the ground. Patting his waist, he took out a spiritual fruit that was not categorized as a rare herb. Tossing the fruit into the air, he split it into six pieces.

  Zhi Xuan stood tall at the turbulent riverbank, his delicate hands now smeared with dirty river water. His handsome face, which had just radiated the calmness of a heaven-defying Sanctum cultivator, now emitted very human frustration.

  "I can kill three Zenith Bandits in one go, but I can't spear a damned fish!" Zhi Xuan grumbled, he glanced sharply at Xiao Die who was still tilting her head as if awaiting a ridiculous circus performance.

  Zhi Xuan slowly tossed the five fruit pieces at various points in the river. Crouching back down, his fingers now grasped the sharp, long branch. He skewered the tip of the branch with the sixth fruit piece, then dipped the tip of the branch into the water, creating a small ripple.

  "The fish will scramble to eat the spiritual fruit; the scent of spiritual fruit is impossible to resist," Zhi Xuan muttered, a wide smile and his eyes shining with mischief. "Then, when they see the sixth piece of fruit, I will trick them into crowding closer to the sixth piece until it makes them jump onto the land."

  Zhi Xuan crouched patiently, staring into the water. His strategy, though convoluted and involving mortal manipulation, was based on the instinctive greed of living creatures.

  Upriver, the spiritual fish—ranging in size from a palm to an arm—began to gather at the points where he threw the fruit pieces. The sweet aroma of the spiritual fruit, enhanced by the Essence stored within, was irresistible. The water began to churn gently due to the commotion of the scrambling fish.

  "See, Xiao Die. They are scrambling," Zhi Xuan whispered triumphantly. "Now, focus your attention on the sixth piece."

  He slowly moved the tip of the branch skewered with the sixth fruit piece. The branch barely touched the water's surface, creating a very subtle ripple. The aroma from the sixth fruit piece, moving and tempting, immediately attracted the attention of the spiritual fish that had finished devouring the other fruit pieces.

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  An Ancient Rainbow Fish, with a multi-colored body and rich Essence, approached first. Behind it, dozens of other fish, driven by the instinct to compete for the last resource, immediately followed. They crowded beneath the sixth fruit piece, jostling and pushing each other, creating a larger disturbance.

  "Perfect!" Zhi Xuan exclaimed. He saw his opportunity. The crowd of fish under the branch had reached maximum density, creating a water bulge almost like foam.

  "Time to launch!"

  Zhi Xuan flicked his branch upwards with a swift and explosive motion. He did not spear them; he used the branch as a lever. The mass of spiritual fish that were jostling and focused on the sixth piece of fruit were suddenly launched into the air by the rapidly moving water pressure and momentum.

  WHUUMMPPH!

  A dozen spiritual fish were thrown out of the water, landing on the rocky riverbank. They writhed desperately on the unfamiliar land, radiating rapidly dimming Spiritual Essence. Zhi Xuan immediately jumped to the edge, his blue eyes shining with excitement. He picked up the fish one by one, tossing them near the bonfire he had prepared.

  "Alright, alright! I'll be full tonight!"

  Zhi Xuan picked up the wriggling spiritual fish with quick and skillful movements, tossing them near the bonfire. A sense of satisfaction flooded his Sea of Consciousness.

  That satisfaction far surpassed the satisfaction he felt when crushing the Forest Bandits. Fishing was a mortal skill, and mastering a mortal skill was an acknowledgment of a much deeper control.

  Zhi Xuan stared at the pile of wriggling spiritual fish with the gaze of a king who had just secured his precious spoils.

  "See, Ruo," Zhi Xuan whispered triumphantly, ignoring the fact that he had just struggled for almost ten minutes just to fish. "No devil aura needed. Just mortal intelligence and a little manipulation of instinct. I am not only powerful; I am also proficient in mundane things."

  'Sure, Monkey. After spending enough Essence to kill a First Ember Zenith, you finally managed to trick fish with brains the size of pebbles,' Ruo Xianxue retorted, although there was an undeniable tone of amusement in her voice. 'But I must admit, your strategy to make them launch themselves was quite unique.'

  Zhi Xuan merely snorted proudly, ignoring Ruo Xianxue's sarcasm. He returned to the edge of the bonfire and began cleaning the fish. With his delicate fingertip, he channeled a small amount of Black Jade Essence, which transformed into a thin wind blade. The wind blade cleaned the scales and guts of the fish with incredible speed, without wasting even a tiny bit of spiritual Essence.

  Xiao Die, who had returned from the branch, now sat sweetly beside the bonfire, observing her master with compound eyes full of interest.

  "We will grill it with Soul Fire," Zhi Xuan muttered. "That will lock the spiritual Essence within the meat, making it tastier and more nutritious."

  Zhi Xuan skewered several of the spiritual fish with the branch he had discarded earlier, arranging them over the bonfire. He did not use ordinary firewood. He flicked his finger, and the Dark Purplish Azure Holy Flame beneath it immediately dimmed into stable, bluish embers.

  The heat from the high-level Soul Flame was highly controlled, grilling the fish evenly. The aroma of grilled fish began to spread in the air, attracting the attention of even some distant Spiritual Beasts, who immediately retreated after sensing the suppressing aura of the Azure Holy Flame.

  In moments, the fish skin became crispy and golden-colored, while the meat inside looked snow-white and steamy. Zhi Xuan took a pinch of spiritual salt from his storage bag and sprinkled it over the fish.

  Zhi Xuan took one of the cooked fish, and after blowing on it briefly, he took a bite. The savory taste that exploded on his tongue, combined with the warm and stable Spiritual Essence, felt like music in his Sea of Consciousness. After days of consuming dry pills and herbs, this fresh spiritual fish meat was an extraordinary pleasure.

  "Delicious!" Zhi Xuan exclaimed with sparkling eyes. He tossed a piece of spiritual fish meat, which he had cleaned of bones, towards Xiao Die. The moth caught it quickly and began devouring it with a pleasant hum.

  Zhi Xuan continued to devour his spiritual fish with rare enthusiasm. This physical enjoyment was an important reminder that he was not just fighting for a grand Dao, but also for his right to enjoy simple, mortal moments.

  "After this, I will try to see what ingredients are needed for that Blood Bone Pill."

  After devouring all the grilled spiritual fish, Zhi Xuan felt his Essence had recovered much faster than by simply consuming pills or Pure Spiritual Stones. The warmth of the fish meat cooked with the Azure Holy Flame had perfectly absorbed the spiritual energy into his meridians.

  Zhi Xuan cleaned his hands in the river, then returned to sit cross-legged beside the bonfire which now only had bluish embers. With a controlled motion, he took the Blood Bone Pill jade scroll from his storage bag.

  He channeled his Divine Sense into the scroll. The crude alchemy formula, written in the handwriting of a rogue cultivator, immediately flooded his Sea of Consciousness.

  The Low-Level Blood Bone Pill Formula, though simple, was a gateway to stability for Zhi Xuan.

  He immediately processed the information in his mind. The formula required four main ingredients, and he recognized two of them. Wild Blood Grass Root, easy to find in the forest, and Low-Level Beast Heart Oil, obtainable in a small town.

  The other two ingredients were White Jade Powder and Sun Fallen Leaf. These ingredients, although not rare, required a more specific search in an organized herbal market.

  Zhi Xuan sighed in relief. This Low-Level Blood Bone Pill Formula was a stroke of luck. The pill was designed to stabilize and strengthen mortal blood, which could effectively counteract the corrosion from the residual Taiyin Essence in his body.

  "Not bad. With this, I can postpone the search for the Azure King a little longer," Zhi Xuan muttered.

  'Don't underestimate the Blood Bone Pill, Monkey. Although low-level, for a cultivator with a flawed foundation like you, this pill is a lifesaver,' Ruo Xianxue chastised. 'This formula will sustain you until you get the ingredients for the real Blood Transformation.'

  Zhi Xuan nodded. "Two easy ingredients—Wild Blood Grass Root and Low-Level Beast Heart Oil—I can get in this forest or any small town. I just need to buy White Jade Powder and Sun Fallen Leaf in Green Cloud City."

  He closed the scroll and stored it away. With the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron as the cauldron, the Azure Holy Flame as the Soul Fire, and a little preparation, he could start alchemy in Green Cloud City.

  Zhi Xuan extinguished the blue embers with a flick of his finger, ensuring no traces were left. He rose, glancing at Xiao Die who floated back to his shoulder.

  "Time to hunt," Zhi Xuan whispered. "We need Wild Blood Grass Root, and I don't want to waste time."

  Zhi Xuan walked for a few minutes north, stepping with measured Sanctum speed. He moved like a shadow blending with the forest dusk. His dense Divine Sense scanned the environment, searching for the spiritual Essence of Wild Blood Grass Root—typically found in damp, dark areas under ancient trees.

  In five minutes, he found what he was looking for. Under the roots of a giant pine tree that looked like bronze, grew several strands of grass with faint blood-red veins. He crouched, smiling in satisfaction.

  "Look, Xiao Die. It only took—"

  His smile faded. His brow furrowed, and his eyes narrowed warily. He did not turn his head, only stared at the Wild Blood Grass Root.

  'What is it, Monkey?' Ruo Xianxue asked, sensing the sudden shift in Zhi Xuan's aura.

  "I have passed this pine tree before," Zhi Xuan muttered, his voice very low. "At least, four times."

  Zhi Xuan slowly stood up, turning in place. He observed his surroundings with a calm but intense Divine Sense. Every tree, every shadow, and every pattern of spiritual Essence was processed by his brain at terrifying speed. He looked behind him.

  There, in the middle of the dense forest canopy, stood an Ancient Pine Tree whose branches were peeling, its bark emitting a familiar dark jade color under the twilight. At the base of the tree, there was a crack shaped like an old lightning strike mark.

  "I remember that crack," Zhi Xuan hissed, a cold feeling creeping up his spine, not from the weather. "This is the tree I passed since we were looking for the blood moss root."

  He sharpened his Divine Sense again, but it immediately dulled when he tried to look back. It was as if something was compressing his field of vision and spiritual consciousness.

  He remembered his footsteps, his mental compass direction, and the rough map he had seen. He should have been walking straight north, far from the river. Yet, he returned to the same tree—and he had returned to it four times in a short span of time.

  "I'm just circling in place. Illusion Formation?" Zhi Xuan whispered, his delicate hand touching the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron now shrunk as a jade bead in his hair.

  Illusion Formation? No. There was none of the usual Essence fluctuation that accompanied an Illusion Formation, nor any trace of carved runes. The forest looked 100% natural, yet he was circling in a perfect loop.

  No Spiritual Beast or cultivator appeared. Instead, the shadows beneath the giant pine trees suddenly stretched and curved unnaturally. The twilight light piercing the forest canopy suddenly became dim, as if the sun had set in a flash. The air grew cold, and the scent of the forest, recently burned by the Azure Holy Flame, was suddenly replaced by the smell of very wet moss and freshly dug soil.