Yin-Yang Life Destruction Fruit

-

In a common room within the compound, Yu Tao, Huang Xiaolong, Huang Wei, and Jiang Qiao gathered to discuss their current predicament.

It hadn't been long since the four of them were transported into the mysterious independent space and managed to reunite by following the disturbances caused by each other.

Approximately 10% of their deranged adversaries remained, while the rest had met their demise through slicing, tearing, smashing, or simply vanishing from existence.

However, despite the significant reduction in enemy numbers, the four companions couldn't fully relax, as the true purpose of the independent space remained shrouded in uncertainty.

They held the assumption that the independent space could be some form of trial ground, yet the exact nature of this trial remained an enigma.

Could it be a battlefield? A testing ground for cultivators to refine their combat skills.

Or perhaps a labyrinth? A place designed not only to assess a cultivator's strength but also their intellect and wisdom.

Alternatively, could it be a trial ground for inheriting the legacy of a formidable cultivator?

Any of these possibilities seemed plausible, leaving them in a quandary when deciding their next course of action.

Yu Tao gave an idea, "What if we capture those lunatics and throw them into the bonefield? They won't be of any use to us."

Huang Wei countered, "But what if they join forces with the other abominations inside the bonefield?"

"We'll eliminate them," Yu Tao confidently responded.

Huang Wei continued, "And what if they merge their strengths in a literal fusion?"

"In that case, we'll still eliminate them," Yu Tao asserted.

Concerned about potential ambushes, Huang Wei asked, "What if they decide to hide in the bonefield and launch a surprise attack on us later?"

Yu Tao reassured, "You have your keen eyesight, I have my vibration sensing, and while I'm uncertain about the abilities of these two, I trust that they will be more than capable of handling such situations."

Considering the potential strength of their adversaries, Huang Wei questioned, "But what if our enemies are simply more powerful than us?"

Yu Tao quickly responded, "That's where Jiang Qiao comes in. So far, most of the enemies we've encountered were in the Houtian Realm, with only a few Xiantian Realm cultivators among them, who were mainly elders assigned to the farming valley. It's highly probable that the remaining adversaries we'll face are at our level. However, I could be mistaken. After all, we still lack a complete understanding of this place and who was behind its creation."

Turning to Jiang Qiao, Huang Xiaolong inquired, "Among the God Realm experts in the empire, who do you think is most likely to have created an independent space like this?"

Frowning, Jiang Qiao responded, "While there are several possibilities, it's important to note that God Realm experts are not permitted to create independent spaces outside their designated territories. Even the God Realm expert assigned to this region requires permission to do so. The only person who might have the authority to create such a space is the first imperial prince, given his standing below the sovereign and other high-stage God Realm experts."

The first imperial prince is the eldest child of the Broken Blade Sovereign. He is renowned throughout the Martial Spirit World for his exceptional talent. If anyone were to disregard the empire's laws, it would likely be someone like him, who possesses the necessary status.

"Alternatively, it could be a fugitive or a God Realm expert from over 2,000 years ago who created this independent space to rest and regain power. They might have designed it in a way that only individuals with sufficient talent can enter, providing them with better resources," Huang Wei said, adopting a serious tone.

Yu Tao and Huang Xiaolong pondered Huang Wei's words.

Shaking her head, Jiang Qiao reassured them, "There's no need for concern. The Desolate Paradise Empire offers a service that scans for abnormal space-time fluctuations and unregistered independent spaces within their territories. Given the relative youth of the Broken Blade Empire, the sovereign avails this service every half a millennium."

Although Huang Xiaolong and Huang Wei found this reassuring, Yu Tao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't that pose a threat to the territories being scanned?" Yu Tao inquired.

This type of service existed in Yu Tao's previous life. As useful as it was, it also presented dangers by exposing weak spots and rare resources on a planet. Consequently, only low-level civilizations would recklessly utilize such a service.

"Indeed, it can pose a threat. However, the service functions more like an incredibly advanced device that individuals can operate themselves, allowing them to erase any gathered data. Virtually every reputable faction in the Martial Spirit World possesses a device of this kind, but only the Desolate Paradise Empire possesses a scanning device comparable to that of a peak-stage High God Realm expert. Furthermore, the Desolate Paradise Empire has no need for the resources or security information of other factions. Their resources are abundant, and their might is unparalleled. They could easily conquer the world through brute force," Jiang Qiao explained, emphasizing, "Nothing can stand in their way."

Glistening with determination, Yu Tao looked outside. "So, what's our next move?"

"It's as you said before," Jiang Qiao smiled. "Dispose the dwellers of the bonefield, and I'll take care of the rest."

"Then let's get to it. They're not going to throw themselves in," Huang Xiaolong remarked as he surveyed the barriers blocking the horde of lunatics from entering.

"This should be entertaining," Yu Tao chuckled.

-

"And... 109!" Yu Tao joyfully hurled the final lunatic into the bonefield.

The screaming lunatic tumbled through the air, crashing into the bonefield and meeting its demise.

Among the 109 enemies they had thrown into the bonefield, less than half appeared to have survived the landing, while the others were dispatched by the wasteland dwellers.

"That's all of them," Jiang Qiao confirmed.

"I didn't realize we had so many clan members here. I assumed the clan would have sent them back to their assigned posts," Huang Wei remarked.

"After my departure, the schedule and rotations will return to their normal state. Operating the androids comes at a significant cost, you know?"

"I can only imagine."

Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the air.

"Rargh!"

A mountain of bones trembled, accompanied by dreadful screeches. Undoubtedly, one of the remaining lunatics had met their demise at the hands of a wasteland dweller.

"How strong is this one?" Huang Xiaolong inquired, turning to Jiang Qiao.

"No different from the others, a 7th Order Houtian," Jiang Qiao sighed softly. "Follow me. The sooner we leave this place, the better."

Jiang Qiao proceeded with great caution as they entered the bonefield, aware that their lives were at risk. However, leaving them outside while she explored wasn't a viable option either.

-

The four of them ventured carefully into the bonefield, and as they did, the path they entered through was immediately obscured by the mist that enshrouded the wasteland.

"This place isn't what I expected," Jiang Qiao remarked as she observed the illusion before her.

The illusion depicted a battlefield, a war zone, where millions of cultivators fought to the death. The leaders of the war were renowned experts of the past, individuals Jiang Qiao had learned about at the institute.

*Swoosh!*

"So the wasteland dwellers that dispatched those lunatics earlier are mere illusions that intermittently manifest in physical form," Yu Tao concluded as he caught a spear aimed at him and hurled it back, dispelling the illusion.

"Indeed," Jiang Qiao nodded in agreement.

"I assume the creator of this place is not a resident of the empire," Huang Xiaolong speculated.

"Why do you say that?"

"The flag on the bald man's side bears the emblem of the Dragon Blood Kingdom, while the symbols on the cloaked individuals' side belong to the Winter Night Sect. The person responsible for creating this place might be the one who instigated the skirmish near the imperial capital about a millennium ago... Whoever they may be."

To this day, the identity of that individual remains a mystery.

The four continued their journey, encountering increasingly astonishing and perilous illusions along the way.

At one point, an army of soldiers attempted an attack, but Jiang Qiao effortlessly dispatched them.

This incident prompted the trio to contemplate Jiang Qiao's cultivation level. Knowing that even the least talented students at the Broken Blade Institute would reach the 7th Order Xiantian within five decades, they wondered how advanced Jiang Qiao's cultivation truly was.

Could she already be an expert in the high-stage Xiantian Realm, close to surpassing the legendary Marshal Hao Tian of the Luo Tong Kingdom?

As the trio delved deeper into this topic, time seemed to slip away swiftly. Eventually, they reached a less crowded area of the bonefield.

"Oh, no. There's going to be a full-blown world war here," Yu Tao muttered, seeking refuge behind Jiang Qiao, followed by the other two.

Jiang Qiao's left eye twitched at their display of foolishness, but she turned her attention to the clearing before them.

Suddenly, a peculiar sound echoed through the air.

"Zhi zhi zhi!"

All eyes turned toward the source of the sound, a small violet monkey with light blue eyes.

"It's a violet devourer spirit monkey!" Huang Xiaolong exclaimed, recognizing the creature from clan records in his past life. This rare spirit beast was known to be formidable in battle.

"Zhi zhi zhi!" the violet monkey squeaked, pointing towards a cliff.

"Let one person focus while the rest remain vigilant. Illusions could be masking reality," Jiang Qiao cautioned, keeping her gaze fixed on the monkey.

"I'm already looking," Yu Tao quickly replied, his gaze following the monkey's direction. "What red fruit grows in short thick vines in a place abundant with extreme yin qi?"

"Are you certain of what you saw?" Jiang Qiao inquired, never taking her eyes off the monkey.

"Let me confirm." Yu Tao gripped Huang Wei's shoulders and forced him to look at the cliff while turning his own gaze in the same direction.

"Enough with your antics," Huang Wei spat, annoyed. But his expression swiftly changed as he caught sight of what was on the cliff. "It's definitely what he described."

"Zhi zhi zhi!" the violet monkey chimed once again.

"I believe it's indicating that we should gather those fruits and distribute them equally among the five of us," Huang Xiaolong suggested. Although he could communicate with demon beasts through telepathy and aura-reading, he hadn't yet mastered the conventional method used by people in the Martial Spirit World. "What do you all think?"

Yu Tao replied, "If that's indeed a genuine monkey, then I'm all for it. Moreover, it might belong to one of those Half-Saint demon beast tribes. It could be beneficial for networking purposes."

The Half-Saint demon beast tribes are factions of demon beasts within the Luo Tong Kingdom, led by at least one Half-Saint Realm demon beast. While their presence poses a threat to the kingdom, they also serve as a deterrent to neighboring kingdoms.

Jiang Qiao liked the idea and had been considering approaching the demon beast tribes for some time now, so this could be a helpful opportunity. She responded, "Alright, it seems nothing is going to happen anytime soon. You can disengage."

Taking it as a cue, Huang Wei punched Yu Tao on the shoulder.

Ignoring the slight pain, Yu Tao asked, "What is the rank of those fruits? I can't sense anything special from them."

Similar to formation arrays and artifacts, everything has a rank corresponding to the five cultivation realms of the Mortal Realm. Mortal rank for Houtian Realm, earth rank for Xiantian Realm, heaven rank for Saint Realm, saint Rank for god Realm, and divine rank for High God Realm.

There is also the sacred immortal rank, mainly associated with formation arrays, artifacts, and techniques originating from the upper world.

Based on their rank, a treasure would emit an aura or have some indication of its rank.

However, the red fruits on the cliff lack any such indications, which is peculiar since even mortal rank treasures usually possess some form of indication.

Curiosity piqued, Jiang Qiao examined the fruits, her eyes glimmering. After a moment of observation, her eyes widened in astonishment.

Noticing her expression, the trio and the monkey grew curious.

"I initially thought it was a nine yang spiritual fruit, an earth rank spirit fruit, but... I never expected it to be a yin-yang life destruction fruit, a top-grade divine rank heavenly treasure!" Jiang Qiao exclaimed, her excitement evident in her quickened breath.

"We have no idea what that is," Yu Tao admitted, sharing a sheepish look with the others.

Jiang Qiao sighed before explaining, "The yin-yang life destruction fruit is one of the most coveted heavenly treasures not only in the Martial Spirit World but in the entire Mortal Realm. Its creation remains a mystery, but it is renowned for being an exceedingly rare and mystical fruit that catalyzes the process of life destruction. Consuming the fruit harmonizes the cultivator's yin and yang aspects, enhancing their life essence and balancing their energies. It grants immense yin-yang elemental affinity, spiritual insight into the universe's mysteries, and resistance to imbalances in yin-yang forces. Eating this fruit initiates a transformative journey, leading to the rebirth of one's cultivation foundation and unlocking greater potential in cultivation and combat power.

"The remarkable thing about the yin-yang life destruction fruit is that anyone, regardless of their cultivation level, can consume it, and its effects last a long time until the person reaches a certain power level!"

Everyone, including Jiang Qiao herself, found themselves salivating as they gazed at the fruit.

"Hey, do we have to share one of the fruits with the monkey?" Yu Tao asked.

After such a long time, stumbling upon something so delectable is akin to discovering a celestial treasure. Who in their right mind would willingly share such a rare find?

With a partial understanding of Yu Tao's intentions, the violet monkey let out an angry howl, "Zhi zhi zhi!"

Jiang Qiao spoke solemnly, "The yin-yang life destruction fruit is a celestial fruit that can only be consumed once. Eating another one wouldn't offer much benefit."

The violet monkey continued to angrily howl at her, as if to say, "I helped you find that treasure, and now you won't even give me one‽"

Huang Xiaolong suggested, "Let's just give it to the monkey. Since it arrived here before us, it likely possesses the necessary qualifications to enter this place. Having a non-human ally with such high potential can only be advantageous, right?"

"Well, I suppose so," Jiang Qiao conceded.

"Zhi zhi!" the violet monkey joyfully jumped onto Huang Xiaolong's head, expressing gratitude for his suggestion.

"Also, there are actually six yin-yang life destruction fruits, not five."

"Ah…/Zhi…" the three humans and the demon beast uttered in surprise.

"You know what? I think I'll reward myself by taking one and trading it for a favor from someone," Jiang Qiao mischievously declared.

Yu Tao and the others stared at her blankly.

Suddenly, an invisible force pulled on the cliff, causing that section to be drawn toward Jiang Qiao along with the yin-yang life destruction fruit and their vines. As the heavenly treasures approached her, their appearance transformed into intricately designed round fruits emanating an ethereal golden glow.

Jiang Qiao plucked five of the six fruits and distributed four among the others. She stored the cliff, along with the remaining fruit and its vines, inside a special container, which she then placed into her spatial ring.

"For something that accelerates the process of life destruction, it feels oddly comforting," commented Yu Tao.

"Indeed," Jiang Qiao agreed, gently caressing the fruit.

"Should we consume them here or find a better location?" Huang Wei inquired.

Upon hearing that, the violet monkey leaped off Huang Xiaolong's shoulders and sounded, "Zhi!"

The violet monkey then darted off towards one of the paths ahead, gesturing for the others to follow.

Observing this, the four exchanged glances and cautiously trailed after the monkey.

After running for about five minutes, they arrived at an unexpected sight.

Within this seemingly boundless wasteland of the isolated realm, lay a breathtaking green meadow emitting the fragrant scent of exotic flowers. At its heart, there was a small turquoise lake, akin to a vivid painting of a long-lost paradise brought to life.

Perhaps most importantly, this place exuded an immensely potent and untainted spiritual energy.

"The spiritual energy is concentrated heavily around the lake. Let's cultivate there," Jiang Qiao directed, leading the others toward the water's edge.

Once they reached the spot, Jiang Qiao began setting up a grand formation array that would facilitate their cultivation and ensure their safety while in a vulnerable state.

Soon, the four humans and the demon beast sat equally far apart around the lake and began consuming their yin-yang life destruction fruit.

Jiang Qiao seemingly just inhaled the fruit by turning into pure energy while the other four ate the fruits like they normally would. After consuming the fruits, they began cultivating.

The five were bathed in ethereal golden lights as intricate runes encircled them.

Life destruction refers to the process of breaking through one's mortal limitations and ascending to a higher level of existence. It represents a profound transformation and advancement in a cultivator's cultivation path.

During the life destruction process, a cultivator undergoes a fundamental change in their cultivation base and life essence. They transcend their mortal form, shedding their old self and refining their life force to a purer and more powerful state. This transformation often involves the destruction and reconstruction of their life essence, allowing them to cultivate a more advanced and refined energy.

Life destruction is usually a highly dangerous and challenging process. It requires a cultivator to face and overcome formidable trials, tests, or tribulations that push them to their limits. The tests vary from cultivator to cultivator, but the most basic parts of a test are confronting and overcoming their inner demons, harnessing immense amounts of spiritual energy, and refining their essence to achieve the breakthrough.

Upon successful life destruction, a cultivator would experience a significant increase in their cultivation base, power, and potential. They can tap into higher realms of energy, comprehend deeper mysteries of the cultivation world, and unlock new cultivation techniques or abilities. The specific benefits and advancements gained through life destruction can vary depending on the cultivator's path.

Life destruction is often considered a critical turning point in a cultivator's journey, marking their transition from an ordinary cultivator to a formidable force in the cultivation world. It signifies the mastery of a particular cultivation realm and opens up new possibilities for further cultivation and exploration of higher realms.

Life destruction normally happens at the later stages of cultivation, but the yin-yang life destruction fruit is capable of accelerating the process. Not only that, but it also guarantees a successful life destruction and grants more benefits than a normal life destruction.

-

Yu Tao's trial of life destruction.

There are tales of individuals possessing power akin to a trillion suns, though the true meaning behind such claims remains shrouded in mystery. If taken literally, it implies that one's body harbors the annihilating force of an ever-burning, primordial celestial entity.

This is how Yu Tao would describe his own process of life destruction.

Unbearable agony pierced through him.

"Argh…!"

-

Huang Wei's trial of life destruction.

Within an expanse of boundless fog, Huang Wei sat, his countenance fraught with tension as he confronted the penetrating gazes emanating from the mist.

Inner demons. Undoubtedly, he was facing his inner demons.

-

Huang Xiaolong's trial of life destruction.

Amidst an expanding crater, Huang Xiaolong quivered, his hands firmly planted on the ground as he resisted the colossal power that sought to make him kneel.

-

The violet monkey's trial of life destruction.

In contrast to the others, the violet monkey's tribulation unfolded peacefully, absorbing vast amounts of energy.

-

Jiang Qiao's trial of life destruction.

Jiang Qiao's physical form turned ethereal as she floated in a realm devoid of sky and earth.

-

*1 - Desolate North Empire is changed to Desolate Paradise Empire.