Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

Still, there was no perfect solution.

At that moment, Su Ye’s Divine Sense stirred. At the edge of his vision, an incredibly vast, red coastline had appeared.

A scorching, searing wind blew. The distant horizon was shrouded in a crimson and amber halo, magnificent, like fiery clouds.

They had arrived at Volcano State.

Gazing at such a beautiful sight, Su Ye felt a stir in his heart and temporarily set aside his worries.

’Worrying is pointless. I reside in Volcano State, where even Nascent Soul cultivators stay away. I should be safe for the time being.’

’As for divination, I possess a rule-based technique and have a certain degree of Personhood. Scrying me won’t be so quick or easy...’

’I might as well fulfill my agreement with the Dream-Watcher first, refine the Dao Source, and increase my strength...’

Su Ye muttered to himself.

No matter the situation, strength was always paramount.

The same predicament held vastly different meanings for cultivators of different realms.

With that thought, Su Ye formed a Technique with his hands.

He concealed his presence, retracted his aura, and returned to his Grotto Heaven unnoticed.

...

「The next day.」

In the Grotto Heaven.

Within a side hall.

It was a little cramped, but the layout was ingenious and the decor exquisite.

Inside the side hall, Zhao Shao sat cross-legged with a solemn expression, holding a piece of red jade coral as he circulated his Cultivation Technique.

A short while later, he opened his eyes, ceased his cultivation, and rose to his feet. Sensing the improvement in his Magical Power, a look of delight appeared on his face.

"Excellent, excellent!"

"This treasure from the Grotto Heaven is truly extraordinary!"

"Even with my mediocre aptitude, I can feel a distinct improvement in my Magical Power after just one Circulation!"

Zhao Shao’s expression was exultant. His aptitude was average; he only had a high-grade Spiritual Root.

Such a Spiritual Root was passable among Foundation Establishment cultivators, but for a Crystal Formation cultivator, it was far too mediocre.

It was already a stroke of luck that he had reached the Crystal Formation realm. Barring any accidents, he would likely remain in the initial stage for the rest of his life.

But he had seized an opportunity, switched his allegiance, and joined Su Ye.

Furthermore, he had acted decisively, taking the initiative to explore the Grotto Heaven and earning some merit, which allowed him to exchange for its rare treasures.

’As long as I have enough resources, what does a mediocre aptitude matter?’

’I can still cultivate, improve, and advance!’

Zhao Shao couldn’t help but clench his fists, a fiery light glinting in his eyes.

At that moment...

"Hm?"

’Mr. Su has come out of seclusion!’

He suddenly looked up, feeling a stir in his heart.

He hastily summoned an Escape Light and flew out of the side hall.

BOOM!

He saw the gates of the main hall burst open, and a bloody scent laced with Evil Qi rushed toward him.

A figure in black robes walked out with steady steps, his vital energy soaring to the heavens like a dragon!

Zhao Shao stared at the figure, his pupils contracting violently. The inhumanly terrifying vital energy made him tremble all over, as if he were facing a primordial beast!

His mind reeled, and he almost lost control of his Magical Power, nearly falling to the ground.

"Mr. Su!"

"Congratulations, Mr. Su, on your Body Refining breakthrough!"

Not daring to look any longer, he quickly landed and bowed deeply, his waist bent nearly in half.

"Oh..."

Su Ye nodded lightly, a dazed look on his face, as if he had been in seclusion for too long.

Seeing Zhao Shao’s terrified expression and posture, he seemed to realize something, reining in his vital energy and retracting his oppressive aura.

But even so, the intense pressure still made Zhao Shao feel like he was on pins and needles, struggling to keep his composure.

"This Dragon Demon heart is indeed a supreme medicine for the physical body... Its only flaw is that the Evil Qi is too heavy and difficult to refine completely, leaving some residual effects."

"It’s not good to be so conspicuous."

Su Ye explained, seemingly with a sigh.

Of course.

This was just a cover. He had already completely refined the mere Dragon Demon Evil Qi.

He flicked a finger, and a sliver of icy silver light flew out, landing between Zhao Shao’s brows to protect his mind.

The latter’s complexion finally eased, returning to normal.

"Greetings, Mr. Su."

"Zhao Shao was impolite. Please forgive me, Mr. Su."

Zhao Shao bowed respectfully.

"It’s nothing."

Su Ye shook his head.

"How long was I in seclusion?"

"Replying to Mr. Su, two months and seventeen days."

Zhao Shao answered precisely.

As for Su Ye having previously snuck out of the Grotto Heaven, with Zhao Shao’s level of cultivation, he was naturally completely unaware.

None of the Golden Core cultivators in Volcano State had noticed, let alone Zhao Shao.

"A little over two months..."

Su Ye murmured to himself.

"Has anything noteworthy happened during this time?"

"Yes!"

Zhao Shao quickly replied, "During this period, another Grotto Heaven node has manifested in Volcano State. According to the deductions of the high-level cultivators from the three sects, this is the final node."

Hearing this, Su Ye narrowed his eyes slightly. The final node... The manifestation of the Grotto Heaven nodes was complete.

This might mean that the exploration of the Grotto Heaven had advanced another step, and the deterrent power of the Nascent Soul True Monarchs had lessened once more!

After all, these node passages were the connection points between the Volcano Grotto Heaven and the Radiant Heaven and Earth.

The Volcano Grotto Heaven was formerly the Li Huo Divine Kingdom. The more connections this foreign divine kingdom had to the Radiant Heaven and Earth, the more astonishing the rate of consumption within it would be!

Zhao Shao continued, "At the same time, based on preliminary exploration, we can confirm that the Grotto Heaven region corresponding to this node also contains a group of ruins."

"Oh?"

Su Ye’s interest was piqued, and he asked.

"Who controls this node?"

Zhao Shao sounded a bit helpless. "It’s unclaimed."

"Cultivators from the three sects and the Star Casting Hall discovered this node at almost the same time."

"The Golden Core masters fought each other, and the cultivators from the three sects gained a slight upper hand. But the Star Casting Hall is eyeing it covetously, so it’s impossible to set up an Array to occupy the node."

"Besides that, during this time, both the three sects and the Star Casting Hall have sent reinforcements... including multiple Golden Core cultivators!"

"The Star Casting Hall even sent a Golden Core Perfection cultivator! He’s a True Disciple from the previous generation of the Star Casting Hall, with the Daoist name ’Qingcangzi’."

"Furthermore, he is also a great Grandmaster of Arrays. According to Mr. Lu, this Qingcangzi’s skill in Arrays is in no way inferior to his own."

"However, strong reinforcements have also arrived for our three sects..."

"The Jade Void Sword Sect also dispatched a Golden Core Perfection cultivator, a True Disciple from the previous generation named Jiang Wenyuan. Mr. Jiang’s Daoist name is ’Long Rainbow Sword’."

Zhao Shao said with a serious expression.

"Mm."

Su Ye just nodded faintly after listening.

He wasn’t very interested in these matters... ’No matter how powerful a Golden Core cultivator is, if I really want to kill one, it’s just a matter of using my Netherworld Skill.’

’Hmm...’

’I could kill a few casually and raise the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s rank to quasi-Tier Five.’

Tier Four Perfection required one thousand source energy points, and Su Ye was already very close to that number.

Quasi-Tier Five, however, required fifteen hundred, meaning nearly ten more Golden Core cultivators would have to contribute their lives and fortunes.

’I just wonder who’ll be lucky enough to run into me.’

Su Ye mused on this for a moment before moving on.

However, the group of ruins corresponding to the Grotto Heaven node was crucial.

According to Su Ye’s judgment, it was highly likely that a Dao Source was being suppressed there.

"Good."

’This is perfect. I can fulfill my agreement.’

Su Ye glanced at his panel. The main goal of his trip to the Far South Continent had been Refining the Spiritual Spring,

but he had also harvested ten to twenty thousand experience points along the way. His current experience had recovered to around ninety thousand.

’This much experience should be... more than enough to refine one Dao Source, right?’

Su Ye pondered.

He still felt it wasn’t a sure thing.

After all, what if he ran out of experience points in the middle of refining the Dao Source? What would happen to him?

Su Ye didn’t know, and he didn’t want to find out. That was an experience he absolutely, positively did not want to have!

’So...’

’It’s probably best to... have the Dream-Watcher arrange to send some mobs my way so I can max out my experience.’

Just as Su Ye was thinking this, Zhao Shao, ever perceptive, noticed Su Ye’s lack of interest in the topic.

He therefore stopped speaking and instead compiled the information he knew into a jade slip, which he respectfully handed over.

Su Ye took it and swept his Divine Sense over it casually.

Suddenly,

"Hm?"

A glint appeared in his eyes.

Jiang Wenyuan, Golden Core Perfection, Daoist name Long Rainbow Sword, a True Disciple of the Jade Void Sword Sect’s previous generation, with an outstanding combat record...

...Began his cultivation at age six, joined the Sword Sect at fifteen, and was accepted as a disciple by the Nascent Soul True Monarch Fuyunzi, who taught him with great care...