New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 243 [The Garden of Shadows?]

After listening to Zhuzi's explanation, Mengxi frowned, deeply puzzled: "It's well said, but where is the profit point of your 'flask'? How can I profit from it and get rich?"

Yuan Zhu said with a look of disdain, "You're too vulgar, all you care about is making money."

Mengxi was annoyed: "You tricked me out of so many [Little Pumpkins], and then gave me nothing in return, and you blame me for being materialistic? According to you, without your involvement, it's just an ordinary Holy Light enchantment container. So, can the [inferior Holy Light] it contains be supplied indefinitely?"

"Of course not! Even a senior holy cultivator has a limited reserve of holy light. Burning it too much could cost them their lives, let alone a mere flask?"

Mengxi gave it a huge negative review: "That's even worse. It's a scam against consumers, what's the point of having it?"

Yuan Zhu: "No! It still has value and advantages. First of all, the holy light attribute it contains is permanent! It's not an ordinary holy light blessing, a one-time use item that completely dissipates once exhausted. As long as the flask is recharged, the material structure of the flask wall can slowly, automatically, and inefficiently convert into new holy light. This is a disguised form of 'infinite holy light, infinite holy water,' which is very valuable to the laboratory!"

Mengxi retorted, "But it's just extremely low-grade trash holy light and inferior holy water, too weak. Only when combined with your [Sealing Technique] can its 'power' be greatly increased; it's not worth much when bought alone."

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Yuan Zhu, and he realized, "But ordinary people don't care! This is practically a perfect [water purification device]. Pour potentially hazardous wastewater into the bottle, let it sit overnight, and then slowly pour it out. The pollution is digested and absorbed, transformed into holy light. Once the trace amounts of [holy light pollution] in the water dissipate, it becomes supreme pure holy water for longevity!"

In a world where the lingering pollution of the spirits is everywhere, and even breathing air slowly increases one's [deviation], the [Holy Beaker's] ability to sterilize, disinfect, exorcise, and remove impurities can indeed slow down the rate of pollution in ordinary people, indirectly prolonging their lifespan—this is no exaggeration!
"Hiss!" Meng Xiyue gasped, then thought about it seriously and realized that it could actually be sold as a high-end thermos? Damn, this has commercial value!

Then, she shook her head fiercely! She sneered self-deprecatingly, "Heh, if it were really that easy, the health and wellness equipment from [Sanctuary] would have sold like hotcakes long ago!"

It's not like only Yuan Zhu, a mere second-rank nobody, can make glass. Other Holy Temple monks can also develop similar creations. In fact, the field of alchemical instruments has long been divided up by various forces and major brands.

Newcomers might manage with small-scale ventures, but once they make a name for themselves, they'll either be absorbed into the company or wiped out. Or they'll crush established brands, climbing over them to the top. This brings us to the realm of "business gods and industrial kingdoms"—another extraordinary arena!
She glanced at Yuan Zhu's demeanor: a nobody with no powerful backing, yet he dared to act all domineering? He was asking for death!

Seeing that Mengxi didn't take it seriously, and that Zhuzi was still unfamiliar with the business environment of Duling (the commercial war), he continued to explore the commercial potential of his own [Saint Sao Cup]: "Its hidden spatial attributes are also one of its selling points. Theoretically, those extraordinary individuals who are proficient in spatial abilities, besides me, can also use it to seal and contain contaminants; secondly, the vast number of holy monk groups can also use their respective [Holy Light] to tap into the hidden potential of the flask."

His [flask] fell into the hands of a superhuman proficient in spatial abilities, and naturally it could serve as a magical artifact embryo, being modified and upgraded to be forged into a 'spatial refining magical treasure' like the [Jade Purification Bottle] or the [Purple Gold Gourd].

Yuan Zhu, the founder of the [Saint Sao Cup], does not possess this ability himself and can only use it to perform [Sealing Techniques]. However, if he persists in searching for relevant 'spatial pollution sources' and continues to burn soul embers to feed the [Sanctuary], he may be able to realize his dream of the [Jade Purifying Bottle/Purple Gold Glazed Gourd].

Meng Xiyue: "Okay, it's not exactly garbage, but it's pretty useless. You need [pumpkin ash] to make glass, which is very low cost-effectiveness. If I had a [little pumpkin], I would never let you burn it to ashes and turn it into a [little slutty cup]. A [slutty cup] is far inferior to a [pumpkin]."

Yuan Zhu retorted, "I'll find a way to find a substitute for [Pumpkin Ash], and it has other uses too!"

Mengxi: "What else? Keep performing."

"During the refining and shaping process, I can mold 'glass' into various shapes at will, such as closed flasks, open beakers, conical flasks, narrow-necked flasks, multi-necked flasks, distillation flasks, and so on."

Mengxi: "But you also said that their inherent [Holy Light] attribute will continuously pollute the alchemy materials, which is actually redundant."

"No! From another perspective, in certain situations, they can actually play a role in the alchemical field of 'decomposing and purifying [contamination]'."

Mengxi: "You've already verified it?"

"No! I've only had this ability for a day, and I've just figured out how it works. I plan to have some fun in the bubble world."

The ability that [Shelter 2] developed was also related to his constant thinking about 'veterinary drug synthesis'. He was determined to reproduce Earth's pharmaceutical industry, so [Holy Seal] developed the [Holy Beaker] to help him realize his dream.

The [Holy Light Cup] can accelerate the stripping away of the 'extraordinary concept' from native chemical substances and, in a specific magic-free environment, assist in classical chemical synthesis. The [Holy Light Cup] itself can even replace the [Alcohol Lamp] to aid in the 'Holy Light Contamination Chemical Reaction,' giving the final 'veterinary drug product' a unique Holy Light label, restoring its stable properties.

Furthermore, the 'seal' of the [Holy Beaker] combined with 'Holy Light Refining' can accelerate the removal of impurities from the sealed object (contaminant), leaving only a weak and pure 'contamination essence', which can then be fed to [Inner Universe] and directly jump to the [Changgui Refining Channel].

This is equivalent to the Tiger Demon sealing its prey in a Sacred Flask before feeding. Just as the Golden Horned King weakened Sun Wukong with his gourd, though unable to turn him into blood, it continuously weakened his resistance, essentially creating a pre-cooked meal through repeated purification.

Ultimately, the Tiger Demon swallowed it whole, allowing for rapid digestion and absorption. This accelerated the refining process, reduced its difficulty, and significantly increased efficiency. (Holy Light and Shadow have collaborated.)

All of this was a choice made spontaneously by the [Holy Seal] under the influence of his subconscious (Holy Light).

Yuan Zhu: "This [Holy Light] is really like a Zanpakuto + Sharingan, with the subconscious taking the lead."

Snake: "I understand! It was your desire for 'Holy Light Breathing Technique,' 'synthesis of chemical drugs,' and 'improving the efficiency of [Chang Gui Refining]' that overshadowed your desire for handcrafting 'storage equipment,' which is why [Sanctuary] was born with the current 'Show Cup Ability'! And it comes with [Magic Sealing Wave] to highlight the spatial attributes of [Little Pumpkin]."

...

Meng Xiyue wanted to say something more, but the team leader on the other side called out to everyone: "It's time, let's get ready to set off!"

Zhou Chu then gripped the chain around the 'little goat's' neck, met Yuan Zhu's gaze with the others, and nodded.

Meanwhile, Meng Xiyue quickly slung her oversized travel bag over her shoulder. She closed her eyes and began selecting a suitable 'optional task,' then moved closer to Yuan Zhu, seemingly lost in thought.
At this moment, Yuan Zhu had also gone through the tasks issued by the team leader, and then, with a disdainful look, he didn't select any of them. This was purely a leisurely vacation for him! He'd also take the opportunity to screen the list of "anti-lawyer clients," sign a batch of talent, and replenish his human resources.

【Happy Home】has now officially taken root in 【Feathered World】, named by the captain, and has defeated 【Cicada City】 to establish a cooperative relationship.

Therefore, the team has no shortage of information about the [Feathered World], nor does it lack basic supplies.

Therefore, the optional missions released this time mostly involve actively exploring and discovering more underground [Insect Cities], establishing friendly cooperative relationships, promoting [Luxury Children's Clothing], or hiring local insect cultivators to raise [Silkworm Seeds]...

In addition, there are numerous missions to explore the surface world, and to develop, modify, and protect more 'giant fairy tree remnants' amidst the siege and destruction of the [Calamity Knights].

Those [surface coordinates] are also suspected to be related to the giant dead tree remains that triggered the [moon worship ceremony].

After Yuan Zhu compiled the intelligence he had collected, he analyzed and deduced it using the [Immortal Scripture], and found that the mystery of the [Mao Mao King] was gradually being unveiled.

The other party's emphasis on the [Feathered World] stems not only from the high compatibility of the underground world's extraordinary system with [Silkworm Weaving], but also from the [Moon Worship Ritual] that is periodically triggered in the surface world. This can be seen from the changes in Mai Lili's [Rainbow Feather Robe]. Furthermore, the exclusive mission assigned to Meng Xiyue by the captain is also related to the 'moon' in the surface world.

"Teleportation activated!"

The sudden pulling force caused Yuan Zhu's body to tilt, and he lost all sense of time passing.

When he shook off the dizziness and nausea, he found himself back inside the familiar Shadow Domain.

At this moment, he was lying face down on the ground, his body submerged under a large amount of supplies, buried under a small hill. All around him came the rustling sounds of insects crawling, munching on food, and leaves whispering.

Although his body was being pressed down, his senses told him that he was lying in a vast, empty, and silent space. It was precisely because of the emptiness and stillness that these rustling background sounds were so abrupt and distinct.

In addition to the feedback from the five senses, Yuan Zhu also has another 'feeling', which is the feeling of absolute control over his own [Shadow Domain].

The moment Yuan Zhu appeared in the Shadow Domain, he resonated with the Shadow Dream Hole, regained all his authority, and ascended to become the ruler and controller of the domain in one step.

Therefore, everything within the three-layered legal domain was clearly reflected in his mind, granting him a high-dimensional third-party perspective and allowing him to understand all the mysteries.

Therefore, he was absolutely certain that he had appeared on the second level of the [Shadow Domain].

Detached from the real world, the Shadow Space was created using the Shadow Dream Hole. The deeper Third Layer of the Dream World now binds and ties the dreams of many residents of Pastoral Village, like invisible parasitic tubes, extracting energy from their dreams and weaving together the embryo of a Dreamland.

Meng Xiyue has fallen into the first level of the Shadow Domain, in the Pastoral Village, and is surrounded by a group of militia patrolling with 'magical giant insects', but no conflict has occurred.

Yuan Zhu issued a divine decree from afar. The militia immediately lowered their guard and respectfully escorted her to the Shadow Auditorium in the center of the village.

...

Upon opening his eyes again, Yuan Zhu gained some understanding of the current [Shadow Domain].

The second level he was in was a closed [Shadow Dimension], which could only be entered and exited by a few people who had obtained management rights.

The current size of the 'Shadow Space' is equivalent to a stadium large enough to host a World Cup match. Furthermore, according to feedback from the [Mountain Lord's Domain], the second layer of space has reached its development limit and can no longer grow.

In theory, as more Insect Pillar Suppression Stones are added, the Shadow Domain should continuously expand in size, thereby increasing the size of the inner world.

But unexpectedly, after he left, [Shadow Dream Hole] continued to devour 'Shadow Demon Insects' to refine [Insect Pillars] according to the program he had set.

Today, the number of Insect Pillars in the surface world of [Pastoral Village] has already exceeded the incredible 720, and is approaching 900!

The scale of the inner world was completely locked after the [Suppressing Stone Insect Pillar] reached 360 units. No matter how much the scale of the outer world's domain expanded thereafter, it remained unaffected.

No! When the number of [Insect Pillars] exceeded 360, the 'magic array strength' of the surface magic domain increased, but its scale did not expand. When the number of [Insect Pillars] exceeded 400, even the strength of the [Magic Domain] remained constant.

According to feedback from the Shadow Domain, the problem lies with the Shadow Dream Hole. The triple domain structure constructed from 360 Insect Pillars is already the limit that a single Shadow Dream Hole can withstand.

Therefore, as the number of [Insect Pillars] continued to increase, it had already exceeded the load limit of the [Shadow Dream Hole], and not a single drop of nutrition could be squeezed out.

As for the [Shadow Domain], it does not rely on the [Shadow Dream Hole], but relies entirely on its own 'domain' abilities to survive, devouring the energy of the heavens and earth and absorbing the energy of the [Shadow Layer] to expand its own scale.

The result was simply impossible. The harsh environment of the underworld and the non-existent [Shadow Dimension] made the autonomous expansion of the [Shadow Domain] extremely difficult.

...

Aside from the structural changes of the [Dharma Domain], which have reached their ultimate development.

Yuan Zhu also received more 'intelligence', such as the appearance of a small reverse-growing tree above the [Shadow World], with its roots digging upside down into the top of the 'Inner World' and countless roots penetrating into the 'Outer World', replacing the root array of the [Shadow Domain].

The trunk of the Reverse-Growth Tree, with its lush, dark purple branches and leaves, hangs upside down in the air of the [Shadow World], supplying 'pure spiritual energy' to the inner world.

Yes, there is not much 'shadow energy' in the shadow space. Instead, it is replaced by the 'breathing' of the Reverse Tree, which feeds a large number of [Maurice worms].

Hmm, this reverse-growing tree appears to have been modified by the captain; it's a purplish-black mulberry tree. Its trunk is covered with large and small *Morchella hymenopterus*, which breathe in spiritual energy, gnaw on the mulberry leaves, and thrive.

The rustling sounds were the sounds of countless *Morchella spp.* crawling and moving overhead, eating leaves, and dropping their droppings.

Besides the upside-down 'Reverse-Life Tree', the surface of the inner world was also covered with countless disposed corpses. From the perspective of the [Dominator], the vast stadium floor was neatly arranged with countless corpses.

Strange plants, fungi, spiritual plants, and winter-inducing herbs stubbornly sprouted from the gaps in the facial features, fingernails, fingers, arm skin, and even the seams of clothing of these corpses…

[Corpse Species]!
The bodies of these deceased cultivators sprouted countless mycelia at the points where they touched the ground, connecting with the earth and then with the 'energy circulation network' constructed by the [Shadow Dream Hole] and the [Reverse Life Tree], continuously absorbing spiritual energy to nourish their corpses and replenish their nutrients.

As the master of the [Law Domain], Yuan Zhu instantly realized that this was a method of refining [Immortal Zombies]. The corpse was constantly being tempered and processed using 'Immortal Zombie whiskers + mycelium' to replenish its nutrition and spiritual essence. Then, a better culture medium was used to cultivate different spiritual herbs and plants.

Even after death, these corpses did not stiffen and could still breathe the pure spiritual energy emanating from the 'Reverse Life Tree' above. The silkworm excrement falling from the [Mao's Worm] was also captured and absorbed as fertilizer by the mycelium that split off from the corpses.

"Damn, it's formed its own little ecosystem?!"

The 'Shadow World' he was in at this moment gave him the feeling of having stumbled into a 'Garden of Disease'? It was the same unmanaged, fully automated farming system. Silkworms were raised and silk was reeled above, while zombies were cultivated and grass was planted below.

(End of this chapter)