Chapter 58: Killing and Refining the Soul

"Ding Hao, I've broken through my bottleneck and reached the fourth stage of the Innate realm," Shang Hai said, having taken the body-strengthening pills his father brought him. He was now even stronger, having entered the middle stage of the Innate realm. He clenched his fist and said, "I now have the strength of two rhinos!"

Ding Hao nodded and said, "Good! This shows that your father's choice was right. Even if he spent a lot of money to buy you the Heaven-Breaking Pill, you've achieved this effect now."

"But I'm afraid it's too late for me this year," Shang Hai said, lowering his head. "Prince Chai said that with my talent, it would take another three to five years of cultivation before I can participate in the imperial examination. He also said that even if I participate, I will eventually be kicked off the martial arts platform. Even if I manage to enter the Nine States Academy by chance, I will always be an outer disciple. He told me not to have delusions and to honestly learn a blacksmithing skill."

Ding Hao asked, "What do you think about it?"

Shang Hai looked up and said, "I want to go to the Nine States Academy with you! My father said I'm a bit simple-minded, but following you won't make me lose out."

This kid spoke his honest thoughts, and Ding Hao smiled. "Then what are you hesitating about? Work hard and cultivate. Since we have a dream, we should try. If we don't succeed after trying, it's a natural disaster; but if you give up without trying, it's a man-made disaster! Don't listen to Prince Chai's nonsense..."

Just as they were talking about Prince Chai, the door opened, and Prince Chai walked in with many subordinates, like a star surrounded by planets.

He was like a star, always standing at the center of everyone's attention, high above.

Seeing Ding Hao there, he was a bit surprised, then sneered, "Innate fifth stage, one stage higher than the last time we met. It seems you haven't been idle these days. But let me tell you, with your cultivation speed, you're not even worthy to carry my shoes!"

As he spoke, he turned to the servant behind him and said, "Bring out my advancement chart and show it to him. Let him see how far behind he is. A genius of Wuzhou, what a joke."

The servant really brought out a chart, showing how many days it took to advance each level, the percentage increase, and how much better he was compared to the average person, making it look very professional.

Ding Hao laughed. "I've seen narcissists, but I've never seen one as narcissistic as you. Tell me, what does this chart represent? Besides using it to打击别人的信心, what else can you do? Your cultivation speed is fast, but you just took more Spirit Essence Pills, didn't you?"

Prince Chai had indeed taken many Spirit Essence Pills, but he didn't feel ashamed.

"That's right, Spirit Essence Pills. I can afford them, what's it to you? Spirit Essence Pills are banned drugs, but they help with cultivation and don't harm my genius talent. Why shouldn't I take them?"

The group of men and women behind him all chimed in, "Right, right, if you can afford them, why not take them? Unlike those poor people who can't even afford them! One Spirit Essence Pill costs so many spirit stones, it could scare you to death!"

Ding Hao smiled faintly. "Scare me to death? You really underestimate people!"

After saying that, he casually threw out the small box given to him by Mayor Ling.

Shang Hai walked over and opened it, revealing three red Spirit Essence Pills, each with a yellow paper talisman to suppress the spiritual energy.

"These are really Spirit Essence Pills. I said Ding Hao is also very rich," Shang Hai supported Ding Hao.

Seeing Ding Hao take out the Spirit Essence Pills, Prince Chai's subordinates all fell silent.

But Prince Chai sneered, "What's so great about that? Showing off with three Spirit Essence Pills? I wouldn't even bother to show them. If you want to compare wealth with me, you're just a water seller by the river!"

Ding Hao smiled slightly. "Prince Chai, you really are very rich, I don't think so! These days, people who dress well are either scammers or pretty boys!"

Prince Chai laughed in anger. "Ha, really funny, there's actually someone who looks down on the wealth of the Chai family!"

Ding Hao said, "I do look down on your Chai family! Ask yourself, have you paid for your stay at the Shang family? Have you paid for your accommodation? Have you paid for your meals? You're just a poor family from the Southern Border!" After saying that, Ding Hao threw the box of Spirit Essence Pills to Shang Hai and said, "I'm not like some poor people who just talk big. I'm giving them to you!"

"Understand, this is what a truly rich person does!" Ding Hao snorted, gave a challenging look to Prince Chai, and turned to leave.

Shang Hai was stunned. His father couldn't even afford a Heaven-Breaking Pill for 200 spirit stones, and now Ding Hao was throwing him three even more expensive Spirit Essence Pills!

But what he didn't expect was that Prince Chai, in a fit of rage, shouted, "Ding Hao, I'm much richer than you! What are Spirit Essence Pills? Xia He, go to my room and bring five to Shang Hai! I don't believe I'm not as rich as you, you little brat!"

"Five more!" Shang Hai's eyes nearly popped out. This... this... happiness came too suddenly!

Although Prince Chai gave more than Ding Hao, Shang Hai knew it was all thanks to Ding Hao! So he would only remember Ding Hao's kindness!

The three Spirit Essence Pills were useless to Ding Hao, and selling them would only get him 900 spirit stones, so he initially wanted to give them to Shang Hai. Now, he could use Prince Chai to help Shang Hai even more.

With these eight Spirit Essence Pills, Shang Hai would have no problem breaking through to the late stage of the Innate realm before the imperial examination.

...

After leaving the Shang family, Ding Hao went to visit the major merchants in Wuzhou.

There were still half a month before the autumn hunt, and Ding Hao knew he wouldn't find any medium-grade spirit wood during this period. If that was the case, his cultivation would be a bit lacking compared to the young prince and Prince Chai. He had briefly fought with the fully cultivated Chai Biyue and could feel the gap.

Ding Hao was a genius, and the seventh stage of the Innate realm was equivalent to the eighth or ninth stage for ordinary people.

But don't forget, Prince Chai and the others were also geniuses! Compared to other geniuses, Ding Hao had no advantage. If he encountered someone at the ninth stage of the Innate realm or even a fully cultivated person, Ding Hao would not be a match.

However, it wasn't as if Ding Hao was destined to lose. He analyzed the situation and felt he still had advantages.

The autumn hunt was different from a martial arts competition. It was a free-for-all, so he could use his secret methods.

First, he had the Star Absorption Stone, which he could hide in at any time, making him immune to even the fiercest spirit beasts.

Second, the demon vine was now almost completely under his control. Using it well could make things much easier. For this reason, Ding Hao took a lot of ancient bait grass when he left.

Finally, he had one more trump card: Big Huang!

Big Huang was also cultivating and was now quite strong. More importantly, Ding Hao had absorbed a lot of beast stones, and there were many beast powders in the Star Absorption Stone space. Big Huang would undergo significant mutations after eating these beast powders in a short time!

So Ding Hao felt that he could fight and win this battle, and he didn't lose heart.

During these half a month, he didn't cultivate but bought many maps and information about the Lianyun Mountains, analyzing the positions of various spirit beasts. He also bought a lot of injured tree leaves to refine into powerful healing powder, just in case.

Before he knew it, half a month had passed.

The Lianyun Mountains were towering and long, looking like a deep green dragon lying down.

On the road leading to the main peak, which was usually deserted, people were now passing by in groups of three or two, all young men and women heading for the summit.

Clop, clop, clop.

The sound of hooves approached as a horse team galloped in, led by the young prince's guard, Dugu. He cracked his whip and shouted, "Move! A genius is coming! You can't afford to disturb a genius! Scram!"

Then, the young prince and Ding Juncai rode on horned horses, walking slowly without hurrying.

"Juncai, your cultivation has indeed improved a lot during this period," the young prince praised, looking at Ding Juncai beside him.

Ding Juncai had been cultivating outside the realm using certain secret methods. Despite being only about ten years old, his body was already larger than Shang Hai's. His face was still childish, but his clothes couldn't hide his muscular build.

Ding Juncai looked at the road leading to the summit. "I am now at the seventh stage of the Innate realm, and Master Mo has confidence that I can reach the ninth stage before the imperial examination!" He then looked far into the distance. "My path, reaching the ninth stage of the Innate realm, is the peak of the mountain!"

The young prince knew that Ding Juncai had used these secret methods to break through so quickly, but the result would be that he couldn't advance further after reaching the ninth stage of the Innate realm.

He also looked at the path to the sky and said, "Do you regret it?"

Ding Juncai shook his head. "No, Young Prince. Ding Hao is my blood enemy, and I only seek to kill him with my own hands. I don't consider anything else!"

The young prince nodded in satisfaction and pulled the reins. "Some paths are like that; once you step on them, you can't turn back. Walk to the end, and if you can reach your peak, see your own rainbow, that's the greatest luck."

Ding Juncai then said, "Young Prince, I heard we have a plan to target Ding Hao. Can I participate?"

The young prince shook his head. "No, you just focus on your hunt. This operation is carried out by the Bamboo Demon Tribe, all of whom are masters. You can't help."

Ding Juncai was frustrated. "But I gave up everything to kill him. Now I can't kill this little waste of space with my own hands, I really hate it!"

"Ha ha ha." The young prince laughed loudly, his eyes flashing with a cold light. "Do you think I didn't consider this? Don't worry, I've already told the masters to take his soul after killing him! Not letting him enter the cycle of rebirth, then giving it to you to refine his soul every day, making him suffer even in death! The pain of soul refinement is worse than any punishment in the world!"

"Is that possible!" Ding Juncai's face lit up with joy, his expression twisted. "I will definitely refine him 99 times a day! The masters' methods are truly remarkable!"

The young prince laughed heartily. "Of course, they are all at the third or fourth level of Qi Cultivation, and even some at the fifth level!"

"Good!" Dugu rode back and said with a smile, "Young Prince, I will help by using my spirit fox to find the little brat's location! I also want to take revenge!"

Ding Juncai looked at Dugu. "Right, right, your brother Dulong was killed by him! We are truly in the same boat!"

The young prince then said, "But Juncai, I need to tell you, I want to win the title of the autumn hunt. The Lianyun Mountains are close to the Chai family, so Prince Chai will definitely cheat. We can't be so honest!"

Ding Juncai immediately understood the young prince's meaning and said, "Young Prince, don't worry. I just need to qualify for the Nine States Academy. Any extra game I catch will be counted under your name."

The young prince smiled in satisfaction. "You really know what's important."

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