Living as a Mortal: Grinding Experience Starting from the Underworld

After Zhang Feng's spiritual power cultivation reached the Foundation Establishment stage, his body and soul refinement naturally broke through to the second stage.

Previously, both of these were limited by their spiritual power cultivation level and had not been able to break through to the second tier. Now that their spiritual power has broken through, both of these have naturally broken through to the second tier.

Zhang Feng then spent another six months stabilizing his cultivation.

Only then did they begin to sort through the spoils obtained from the Underworld.

Two second-tier Yinming Beast Crystals, the Nascent Soul cultivator's magic weapon, the Shadow Needle, the storage bags of the three Li siblings, an ancient storage bag collected from Huangtu Village, cultivation insights, and Yin Chen Water.

Second-tier Netherworld Beast Crystal: Very rare. It can be used to refine puppets, but it's only valuable if sold to someone who knows its value.

The Nascent Soul cultivator's magic weapon, the Shadow Needle, is quite valuable, but Zhang Feng cannot use it now. Without the core-forming stage's alchemical fire, he cannot refine and use it at all.

The storage bags of the three Li siblings: Since they were all independent cultivators, there were not many valuable items in their storage bags, including several bottles of Qi-refining pills, a few mid-grade magic weapons, about thirty spirit stones, and three low-level cultivation techniques.

An old storage bag: It contains many valuable talismans, elixirs and magical artifacts, but because it has not been nourished by spiritual energy for a long time, most of them are dilapidated and can only be disposed of as waste. However, some ancient books of elixir recipes can be sold.

Cultivation Insights: Five complete sets of experience and insights on Foundation Establishment and Core Formation can be compiled and sold to some cultivation families for a high price.

Submerged Water: A rare and valuable item that can be used for crafting weapons.

Oh, and Zhang Feng suddenly remembered that Huang Tiangu had once given him a bead.

Zhang Feng took the bead out of his storage bag and placed it in his palm.

A faint aura surrounds the surface of the bead, emitting a soft white light.

This bead could actually absorb spiritual energy on its own, which aroused Zhang Feng's curiosity.

Zhang Feng used his divine sense to probe into it. It was a hazy gray area, and there was a figure sitting inside, with gray hair and beard, and closed eyes.

Oh no! Danger!

Upon closer inspection of the figure's face, Zhang Feng was startled; it was none other than Huang Tiangu.

Zhang Feng realized what was happening and immediately threw the beads in his hand.

But it was too late.

"Hahaha, very good, Fellow Daoist Zhang, you actually managed to escape the Netherworld! You have indeed lived up to my expectations!"

Huang Tiangu's spirit suddenly appeared in mid-air, laughing wildly and cheering.

"It's you, Huang Tiangu! You actually hid inside this bead!"

Zhang Feng's expression changed drastically. He never expected that the dying Huang Tiangu would secretly hide inside the bead he had given him.

"Hehehe, Fellow Daoist Zhang, no need for further words. I will accept your body!"

Huang Tiangu let out bursts of laughter, and his body suddenly split into several gray soul entities, which wrapped around Zhang Feng's body, drilled into Zhang Feng's brain through his nostrils, and went straight to his soul.

Before Zhang Feng could react, his soul sea was invaded by the other party.

Within the sea of ​​souls, Huang Tiangu's primordial spirit transformed into a gray python, tightly coiling around Zhang Feng's body.

"How is that possible? You actually managed to completely abandon your physical body and become a ghost cultivator in the Netherworld?"

Zhang Feng was somewhat surprised, not expecting that Huang Tiangu could be so ruthless as to abandon his physical body and become a ghost cultivator, hiding inside a bead.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you flatter me. Compared to escaping that hellish place, what is a mere physical body?"

"Fellow Daoist, you have surprised me by being able to safely climb Storm Mountain and escape from the Netherworld."

"It seems you must have an extraordinary opportunity."

"However, your opportunity, fellow Daoist, will soon be mine!"

"Hahaha!"

The gray python spoke in human language, laughed wildly, and its body erupted with even greater twisting force, attempting to crush Zhang Feng's primordial spirit in one fell swoop.

Zhang Feng felt his primordial spirit being squeezed and deformed, and a fine, stinging pain traveled from his soul to his body.

Zhang Feng dared not slack off and activated the Undying Demon Soul Technique. Black soul power surged around his primordial spirit, forming a protective membrane to resist Huang Tiangu's crushing force.

As soon as the black soul power surged forth, Huang Tiangu immediately realized that the primordial spirit he had been able to manipulate just moments before seemed to have suddenly been encased in a hard shell, making it impossible to shake.

"No, no! You're not in the Qi Refining stage?"

"Soul power surges outward and takes form; the second stage of the Undying Demon Soul Technique: Soul Refining Level."

"How is that possible? Without decades of dedicated study, how could the Netherworld Technique be cultivated to such a level?"

Huang Tiangu suddenly screamed in alarm, and the gray python fled in panic from Zhang Feng's primordial spirit.

Zhang Feng gave Huang Tiangu no chance to escape. Black soul power split into threads, instantly trapping the gray python.

"Fellow Daoist Huang, why are you trying to escape before this incredible gamble is even over?"

Zhang Feng hooked his fingers onto the black soul thread and slowly pulled it closer.

When he first encountered the possession attempt, Zhang Feng was quite shocked, but as soon as Huang Tiangu released his soul power, Zhang Feng was able to sense its strength.

Its soul power is roughly equivalent to the strength of Zhang Feng's first stage of the Undying Demon Soul Technique.

"Fellow Daoist, wait a moment! Fellow Daoist, wait a moment! I was just teasing you!"

The gray python vanished silently, and Huang Tiangu's ethereal figure appeared bound by the soul threads, repeatedly begging for mercy.

"Heh~ When you possessed my body, did you ask for my opinion?"

Zhang Feng remained unmoved, grabbed the soul thread with his fingers and squeezed it, and the black soul thread immediately embedded itself into Huang Tiangu's soul body.

"Ah~ Fellow Daoist, wait a moment. Your 'Netherworld Technique' is only the first part of the general cultivation method. There is also the most important adaptation technique in the second half."

"A complete set of techniques consists of the combination of skills and cultivation methods."

"If you spare my life and find me a suitable body to possess, I will..."

"Hmph, that cunning old fox, even on his deathbed he's still making deals!"

Zhang Feng interrupted Huang Tiangu's suggestion, his fingers suddenly exerting force again, and the soul threads abruptly gathered together.

Snapped!

Huang Tiangu's soul was cut into several small pieces.

"You'll regret this..."

Before his consciousness faded, Huang Tiangu left behind his last words.

"Phew~"

Zhang Feng let out a long breath, feeling a lingering fear in his heart.

This Huang Tiangu is truly ruthless, decisive, bold, and meticulous.

He readily abandoned his physical body and boldly hid his soul inside the bead, betting that Zhang Feng could escape the Netherworld.

If Zhang Feng hadn't had an experience panel that allowed him to cultivate his soul to the second level of the cultivation technique, the Soul Refining stage, and hadn't successfully established his foundation with Wan Qing's Foundation Establishment Pill, his Soul Refining would have also risen to the second level.

Perhaps, Huang Tiangu has already successfully possessed Zhang Feng's body, and from now on, Zhang Feng will no longer exist in the Chaotic Star Sea.

Fortunately, he ultimately prevailed.

After a moment of calming his mind, Zhang Feng picked up the bead that had been thrown out and examined it closely.

The bead, now without its owner, emitted a soft, clear light, and Zhang Feng once again probed it with his divine sense.

Upon closer inspection, Zhang Feng discovered that the bead was actually a defensive magical artifact, and it seemed that materials for nurturing the soul had been added during its creation.

In this way, Huang Tiangu could safely hide inside.

"Good stuff!" Zhang Feng didn't hesitate to erase the divine imprint on it and directly bind it to his master with his blood. He was currently in need of a defensive magic weapon, and this magic weapon was just right.

As for the content of the second half of the Netherworld Manual mentioned by Huang Tiangu, Zhang Feng believed it to some extent.

After mastering the entire cultivation technique, Zhang Feng didn't discover any accompanying techniques other than gaining a Blood Demon Body that he had comprehended on his own.

Logically speaking, a profound technique like the "Netherworld Technique" should generally have accompanying techniques and supernatural abilities to unleash its power.

"Damn Huangtian Valley!"

Zhang Feng couldn't help but curse inwardly. He had suffered several losses at the hands of Huang Tiangu because of this "Netherworld Manual".

After calming down, Zhang Feng reflected on the situation again and realized that he should not underestimate any cultivator, especially old cultivators who had cultivated for decades or even hundreds of years; none of them were easy to deal with.

Whoosh!

A sound interrupted Zhang Feng's thoughts, and a communication talisman was delivered to him.

"Fellow Daoist Li Keng, your cave dwelling rental period has expired. If you wish to continue renting it, please renew your fee at the Biyun Gate market!"

The expiration date for the cave dwelling has passed?

Zhang Feng pondered, his cultivation level was now stable at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and with the addition of second-stage body and soul refinement, he would be able to put up a fight against someone in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

It's time to exchange the spoils from the Underworld for spirit stone resources.