Chapter 228

“I already said it. What I wants is something I can use right now, a treasure that can increase my cultivation speed. If it can simultaneously enhance my Body Refining progress, that would be even better.”

“You—”

The curse caught in her throat, Jin Miaoshan nearly spat it out.

Affected by her killing intent, her temperament had grown unstable, sometimes cold, sometimes irritable—utterly unlike before. Yet for the sake of the Prajna Heart Sutra, she forced herself to calm down and think clearly.

After a long silence, she finally remembered something. However, its value was far beyond comparison with a mere Buddhist Heart Sutra. If she had to add a supreme-grade Core Formation spiritual item on top of that, she would suffer a massive loss.

Seeing her hesitation, Wang Yu quickly said,

“The Prajna Heart Sutra is absolutely worth the exchange. If what you offer is too valuable, I can add either the Molten Earth Core Fruit or the Ten-Thousand-Year Tree Heart as part of the trade.”

Jin Miaoshan: “...”

She almost vomited blood in frustration. Those very items were originally things she had extorted from him! How infuriating.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her annoyance and said,

“The Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed—a heaven-and-earth treasure obtained from the far north, the Endless Icefield. When cultivating ice-element techniques upon this bed, one can absorb the eternal freezing power within it.

“It can double one’s cultivation speed, and the extreme cold can temper the body, providing a fifty percent improvement in Body Refining efficiency. It also calms the mind, placing the cultivator under the protection of an ‘Ice Heart’ state.

“This item is one of the few things that help me suppress my killing intent. You must prove that the Prajna Heart Sutra offers a greater effect, or I will not trade.”

As her voice fell, Wang Yu’s eyes lit up.

That was it!

He also cultivated a secret technique called the Frost-Absorbing Art, which allowed him to draw in the world’s cold qi in icy regions to hasten cultivation and strengthen the chill within his true essence.

The appearance of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed far exceeded his expectations.

With this, and the high-grade Core Formation material he intended to exchange, most of his problems during the Foundation Establishment stage would be resolved. After all, as he advanced, the amount of true essence he needed to accumulate grew exponentially—one realm taking twenty years to climb.

That might be fast for others, but not for him.

He was not satisfied!

He wanted faster progress. Greater strength.

Now, it was his turn to worry whether the Prajna Heart Sutra truly worked. It was not a ranked technique; even if placed in an Idle Slot and cultivated without distraction, it would still take three hundred years to reach completion.

He did not know if it could take effect immediately.

Wang Yu had practiced the Lesser Asura Killing Fist through insights gained from the Killing Intent Stone Slate, but he had never experienced true loss of control over his killing intent. Therefore, the effect of the Prajna Heart Sutra was still uncertain.

He could only hope it was powerful enough.

“Come, follow me to the secret chamber. Let’s test it. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

“Hmph, you’d better be right.”

Wang Yu paid no attention to Jin Miaoshan’s attitude. His mind was already consumed by thoughts of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed. This treasure could greatly accelerate his cultivation.

After all, “twice as fast” was only an estimate; whether that effect could be fully achieved depended on the user.

Soon, Wang Yu brought her into the first cultivation chamber.

“I’ll light a Tranquil Mind Incense to help you stay calm. Just listen as I recite the Prajna Heart Sutra.”

“I understand.”

Wang Yu had only practiced the sutra for a few years. To say he had deep insights would be false, but through constant recitation, he could sense tranquility growing within.

Especially after comprehending the killing intent stone slates, the recitation could quickly soothe his raging murderous will. Its limits had yet to be reached.

Moreover, his intangible spiritual strength had steadily increased. Whether or not the sutra could cleanse karmic afflictions seemed secondary; its mental purification alone was invaluable.

When all preparations were complete, Wang Yu entered a meditative state and began chanting the Prajna Heart Sutra.

At first, Jin Miaoshan found his voice irritating, like the droning of a fly. Her suppressed Asura Killing Intent even began to stir. She briefly suspected that Wang Yu had joined hands with Jin Lin to harm her—but that was impossible.

Forcing herself to endure, she waited.

As time passed, her state of mind gradually shifted. The veil covering half her face unknowingly slipped off. Her pale features flushed slightly, and a blood-red Asura mark glowed between her brows.

Wang Yu’s chanting emitted faint golden light that drifted toward her forehead, entering her spiritual sea. White smoke began to rise from her head.

It was as if her spirit was being purified, like a drought-stricken land finally meeting rain. Her entire being felt cleansed and at peace.

The effect of the Prajna Heart Sutra was unexpectedly perfect.

This was partly because Jin Miaoshan had not practiced her killing path to its extreme, and partly because she had used Golden Abundance Tower’s resources to maintain her spiritual purity.

Seeing this, Wang Yu relaxed and immersed himself fully in the chanting of the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra, losing all sense of self.

The purification lasted for three full days.

From irritation, to serenity, to excruciating pain—until the final traces of Asura Killing Intent were purged from her mind.

Soaked in sweat, Jin Miaoshan exhaled deeply. The process had been overwhelmingly satisfying.

Yet she knew that as long as she continued cultivating the Asura Killing Scripture, the same state would eventually return. Wang Yu’s chanting could not cure the root of the problem.

She could no longer abandon this path.

Even if she stopped cultivating it deliberately, her growing experience would still stir the killing intent within her over time.

The Prajna Heart Sutra—she had to obtain it at all costs.

As for the day when she condensed the Asura Killing Heart and even the Prajna Heart Sutra could no longer suppress it… that would be a problem for the future.

She could only take one step at a time, following the simple principle that when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten.

Wang Yu had consumed quite a bit of mental energy in this round and was feeling a little tired. “So, how is it? Satisfied?”

Jin Miaoshan rolled her eyes speechlessly. Although his words could easily cause misunderstanding, she had no strength to argue, because indeed, it was quite satisfying.

Her entire body was drenched and in a rather indecent state. After being seen like that, a few teasing words were nothing worth mentioning anymore.

“The deal is complete. I’m very satisfied with the effect of the Prajna Heart Sutra. However, regarding the supreme-grade Core Formation spiritual material, it must be exchanged. The Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed is a rare treasure even Nascent Soul cultivators covet.

“Even if it cannot be used later, it can still be refined into a functional spiritual treasure. If I find another complementary item with the same attribute, it might even enhance the effect further.”

“Then I’ll take your good words as a blessing. Let’s begin.”

Without much hesitation, Jin Miaoshan remained lying on the ground, her chest still rising and falling as she flipped her palm.

A six-meter-long, three-meter-wide Profound Ice Bed appeared in the cultivation chamber. The surging cold aura rising from it made Wang Yu feel his cultivation technique circulate more actively just by being near it.

Unable to resist, he climbed onto it and pressed his face against the icy surface, eager to personally experience its power.

For a normal dual spiritual root cultivator, when reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage, the auxiliary effect of the True Essence Lake would usually allow one to accumulate about fifty drops of true essence within two to three years of cultivation. However, with the assistance of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed, that number would soar to around ninety to one hundred and ten drops.

The exact number depended on his own condition. Being skilled at calculations, Wang Yu naturally came to this conclusion.

Moreover, the extreme cold power absorbed from it could greatly strengthen his ice-element techniques. This enhancement surpassed what his cultivation method alone could provide, and the upper limit could not yet be measured.

He also sensed great benefits to his physique.

It was even more remarkable than the fifty percent Jin Miaoshan had claimed. Perhaps it was because he cultivated the Corpse Demon Secret Technique that his blood essence had taken on a strangely yin-cold nature.

The tempering effect of this extreme cold aura was even stronger than the thunder energy in the Thunderfall Abyss. It could also strengthen the essence of his Dragon Spine and allow the yin-blood demonic flood dragon formed from his qi and blood to continue evolving.

He had a feeling that this body refinement method—created by chance and unique to him—still had potential to advance further, with the key lying in the evolution of the Yin Nether Demonic Flood Dragon Spine.

If the Corpse Demon Secret Technique could be completed to its third stage, it might provide that opportunity as well.

All in all, the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Bed unexpectedly suited him perfectly, doubling the efficiency of his body refinement cultivation. If combined with proper body refinement elixirs, his physical cultivation might advance to the third rank ahead of time.

As a result, ironically, the Heavenly Cold Yin Blood Art, which he had always regarded as his foundation became the slowest to progress.

“What are you doing? That’s enough.”

Watching Wang Yu’s actions toward the Profound Ice Bed, Jin Miaoshan’s face grew even redder. After all, that was something she had used before. Seeing him touch and explore it all over made her feel embarrassed.

Wang Yu paused, thinking she was just eager to continue learning the Prajna Heart Sutra, and stopped lingering on the bed.

Over the past three days, although she had listened several times, her state of mind had been unstable, and she had not memorized everything. She still needed him to continue transmitting the scripture.

“Listen carefully. The full name of this scripture is the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra. It is a Buddhist method of cultivating the heart, capable of removing karmic hindrances, increasing blessings, and purifying the six senses...”

“Stop. Just transmit it directly.”

“...Alright.”

He merely wanted her to feel the exchange was worthwhile. A treasure with additional value and an inspiring story could always fetch a higher price.

Half an hour later, the deal was settled.

Jin Miaoshan, having recovered from exhaustion, regained some of her merchant-like nature, though not completely.

With a complex expression, she said, “This time, I owe you a favor, Wang Yu. If you encounter trouble in the future, I’ll help you once.”

Wang Yu smiled. “No more calling me ‘Daoist Friend’? It seems Senior Jin recovers quickly.”

Before she could get angry, he continued, “This was a transaction. Both parties were willing, and neither owes the other. But if Senior truly wishes to help, then please pay more attention to the matter of Core Formation spiritual materials. I would be deeply grateful.”

Jin Miaoshan shot him a glare and walked toward the exit.

As she passed him, she swiftly tapped his cheek with her fingertip and immediately darted out of the chamber into the outer corridor.

Wang Yu’s voice echoed behind her.

“Don’t think that seduction will work on me. You can’t escape the damages caused by Master Tianshui!”

On the staircase, Jin Miaoshan stumbled slightly.

Then, transforming into a streak of golden light, she fled angrily.

She had actually run off without paying.

Soon after, Wang Yu also entered the passage, his expression solemn.

Special Note: This novel has no female lead, but it is not eunuch-like either. When something should be done, it will be done. There are beauties, but no soulmates.

(ps: This part shows Jin Miaoshan’s merchant instincts awakening again. The scene is a setup, not a sign of romance.)