As Pu Yao entered the sword cave, he completely disregarded Zuo Mo, going off by himself to furiously absorb yin energy. Looking at Pu Yao’s intoxicated state, Zuo Mo felt that yao and people were really different.

It wasn’t easy to make a trip to the sword cave. Zuo Mo decided to make some more yin beads. One was that this thing was worth jingshi, the second was that it was needed to make yin fire beads. Even though he had not tested the power of the yin fire beads, but Zuo Mo was confident in its power. Something that was so difficult to make, it wouldn’t make sense if it didn’t have any power!

He found a place that had relatively denser yin energy and was not disturbed by Pu Yao before starting to form yin beads.

Ever since Pu Yao said that all spells were formations, Zuo Mo started to deliberately think in that direction. However, reality was always more complex than theory. Even the simplest spell would have many changes. If the true nature of a spell was really formations, then the difficulty of finding the formation within such numerous and complex changes would be unthinkable.

He quickly sunk into the world of exploration. His hands moved erratically, sometimes slow, then fast, without any rhyme or reason. There still was not any expression on his face, his eyes dazed and absent as though his mind was wandering.

The yin energy gathered around his hands would suddenly gather and then spread out, or occasionally collapse. He seemed to not have detected it, his ten fingers continuously changing like he was bespelled.

Pu Yao opened his eyes, and noticed Zuo Mo’s state. The yin energy that was frantically flooding towards his body suddenly paused. He closed his eyes again, the yin energy in the surroundings moving at even faster speeds towards him.

The movements on Zuo Mo’s hands slowly started to become ordered. The speed that the yin energy moved towards his hands started to increase and a yin bead started to form. When the yin bead on his hand was fully created, Zuo Mo’s soul came back into his body. He put the yin bead he had just made in front of his eyes, and couldn’t help but be disappointed. The yin bead he had made did not seem different than the yin beads he had made before. The only difference was that he was the tiniest bit faster this time.

It was extremely minuscule. If Zuo Mo hadn’t paid close attention, he wouldn’t have felt anything. Even though it was an insignificant progress, but it was great motivation for Zuo Mo. He was slightly disappointed but he knew that for him, studying formations was very difficult for him. At least, this meant that he was working in the right direction. As long as his direction was not wrong, if he slowly walked down this road, he would definitely improve,

He had just did an extremely daring but tiny adjustment. It was this adjustment that he didn’t even understand himself that had just slightly shortened the time it took for the yin bead to form.

Maybe when my skill at formations is higher, it wouldn’t be so difficult, Zuo Mo comforted himself.

After this, he didn’t spend time on experimenting but focused on forming yin beads. In one go, he made thirty yin beads before he stopped.

Full of yin energy, Pu Yao’s complexion seemed to be glowing, and he looked extremely satisfied. He floated next to Zuo Mo, “Go hunt a few yin fiends!”

He looked like an extremely greedy child wanting to eat meat.

“You can go hunt yourself.” Zuo Mo asked, slightly puzzled. Pu Yao was much stronger than he was. There was not any reason that he was asking for help.

Pu Yao twisted his mouth and said slightly helplessly, “If I do it, the taste of the yin fiends won’t be good.”

“Really?” Zuo Mo didn’t quite believe it.

Pu Yao shrugged his shoulders, not explaining.

Zuo Mo pondered it. It was better not to offend this renyao too much. He was extremely clear how much Pu Yao yearned for souls. Hunting yin fiends was much better than him going out and killing people for their souls.

“Alright, but you know my strength.” Zuo Mo reminded Pu Yao.

Pu Yao was very excited, “It’s enough. This crappy place, how strong of a yin fiend can it produce? Tsk tsk, if we managed to get here before your shixiong came, there might be some good ones.”

“Why?” Zuo Mo asked in puzzlement.

Maybe it was that Zuo Mo was going to work, but Pu Yao did not show impatience this time, and explained in great detail, “Yin fiends mostly originate from places with dense yin energy. They are born of yin energy, and gradually attain a basic intelligence. After continuously absorbing the yin energy in the surroundings, their intelligence would continuously increase. When they become intelligent, they would naturally have the ability to cultivate, and would continuously purify and cultivate their body. Oh, some strong yin fiends, in the end, they can cultivate to become yao. Since they were yin fiends that cultivated into yao, since they have natural bodies of pure yin, they are very difficult to deal with.”

Zuo Mo was slightly surprised. Difficult to deal with, it was very hard to hear something like that from Pu Yao’s mouth.

Pu Yao continued, “However, yin fiends, since they are born of yin energy, they need a certain amount of time. Your shixiong just cleaned out this sword cave. He really is a monster. He didn’t leave even one behind! If it wasn’t that this sword cave has blood fiends and malicious energies, in addition to yin energy, yin fiends wouldn’t form this easily.” Then he said regretfully, “But the time is too short. There wouldn’t be anything good. Oh, life is so difficult!”

Zuo Mo felt strange at Pu Yao’s regret. He decided to remind Pu Yao, “Pu, you aren’t a person, you do not have life.”[i]

One person and one yao started to travel into the depths of the sword cave.

The deeper they went, the denser the yin energy, and the more pleasure there was in Pu Yao’s expression. But landing in Zuo Mo’s eyes, it seemed very strange. As expected, yao and people were not the same. The deeper they went, the more Zuo Mo’s heart shook. The surrounding scenery became even darker and terrifying. Since Zuo Mo’s consciousness was now stronger, he felt it even more clearly. The coldness that made a person’s hair raise up was like countless little worms, burrowing into Zuo Mo’s body.

The blood fiends that flowed beside his feet were even more vibrant and sticky than the outside. Countless malicious thoughts were spread from it. Zuo Mo’s consciousness had to avoid these malicious thoughts. Thinking that he had almost used his fingers to touch these blood-like liquid, Zuo Mo couldn’t help but feel fear. Now that he could feel the power of the blood fiends, he found it was definitely something he could not touch presently.

“Where’s the yin fiend?” Zuo Mo’s voice was slightly trembling.

Pu Yao stopped and looked around. He suddenly pointed in one direction, and said excitedly, “There, one up ahead.” Finishing, he floated ahead. Pu Yao’s entire body was eternally floating in the air like a ghost.

Zuo Mo could only follow behind.

A ball of black mist was restlessly turning in the corner.

“This is the yin fiend?” Zuo Mo pointed at the black mist, and asked dumbly. He had heard Pu Yao speak of how terrifying it was, so he hadn’t thought it would be a ball of black mist that would look harmless.

“All yin fiends that just have formed are like this. It still hasn’t formed intelligence. When it has intelligence, the yin energy around it would solidify.” Pu Yao shrugged, “The shapes that yin fiends take the form of will vary, anything is possible. You won’t find it strange if you see more.”

“It would be best if I didn’t have to see any.” Zuo Mo uttered. Looking at the constantly changing black ball of mist, he instantly felt it hard to handle, “How do I hunt it?”

“Very simple. Just wound it.” Pu Yao’s eyes were bright, and he expectantly added, “Serious wound!”

Zuo Mo summoned out the Water Drop sword. The Water Drop sword had become even more glowing and soft like a water drop after being continuously nurtured in the ling spring. After motioning for a bit, he decided to attack!

[Flowing Water]!

In front of Zuo Mo, a semi-clear ripple quietly spread out. The Water Drop sword thrust straight into the yin fiend, its sharp point seemed to have thrusted into water. He could clearly feel the resistance coming from the tip of the sword.

Hiss!

The yin fiends suddenly started to move restlessly.

Zuo Mo suddenly felt his head hurt, like a needle piercing his mind. The Water Drop sword instantly became disorganized.

“This is the weakest of yin fiends. It only knows one move, consciousness stab. It is as weak as it gets.” Pu Yao mocked from the side, “Are you not able to even get this one down?”

Just at this time, a second consciousness stab came. Zuo Mo’s sword instantly became a mess.

His consciousness might have formed but how to use his consciousness was a problem he had always had a headache about. He had so much spiritual power, but he didn’t know how to use it, it really was a waste, to say nothing of using his consciousness to attack or defend.

It seemed like someone had forcefully pierced his head twice, his head instantly in throbbing pain.

But the attack of the yin fiend was invisible and intangible. When his consciousness detected it, the other’s attack would have arrived. He basically could not dodge it. Anything related to Pu Yao, it was never anything good, Zuo Mo wailed inside.

The yin fiend was relying on its instincts. It had been provoked by the Water Drop sword. Other than the consciousness stab, it was like an infuriated beast, leaping at Zuo Mo.

Zuo Mo felt the temperature of the surroundings dramatically increasing, the yin energy almost tangible as it surrounded him as though it wanted to burrow through his pores inside his body! Zuo Mo felt countless needle were pricking his body. He couldn’t help but howl.

“You’re really trashy. This kind of yin fiend, your crappy shixiong only needs one sword blow to defeat them.” Pu Yao mocked heartlessly from the side.

Zuo Mo didn’t have the attention to argue with Pu Yao now. The Water Drop sword came back to his hand. This time, he did not hesitate. Using all his ling power, he prepared to give a blow with all his power!

However, he was instantly frightened!

He suddenly lost control of the ling power inside his body! The black mist which tightly enclosed his body was like a sponge, furiously absorbing the ling power inside Zuo Mo’s body.

Why was it like this?

At this rate, his ling power would quickly be sucked dry by the yin fiend!

“Consuming ling . All yao know how to do it. Oh, this little yin fiend doesn’t count as a yao yet.” Pu Yao’s words really came at a good time, but it was full of disdain towards this yin fiend.

Zuo Mo heard Pu Yao’s words and his heart jumped. Consuming ling ! Based on the term, it would be consuming ling power. For some reason, he suddenly thought of [Vajra Profound Sutra]. At this time, he had no option but to instantly start channeling [Vajra Profound Sutra].

A golden light suddenly flashed inside the black mist. It was as though a layer of dark gold was layered on Zuo Mo’s entire body.

It had an effect!

Zuo Mo clearly felt the loss of ling power inside his body slow down. The dark golden skin was like a layer of protection, it could stop the loss of his ling power. Holding the Water Drop sword, Zuo Mo did not hesitate any longer, attacking with all his power!

[Layered Wave]!

The sword rose up, like the start of the tide. As it moved, the waves rose in layers, forming a raging wave!

Just at this time, the coldness that had gathered for a long time was like a landslide, erupting out, and crashing!

The pressure around Zuo Mo’s body instantly lessened. Holding the sword, with him as the center, there was a circle of light blue icicles.

[i] The pun here is that life is人生 in Chinese which is literally “human(person) birth.” Pu Yao is a yao, not a human and so he does not have “l(fā)ife.”

Translator Ramblings: I think I had named the things “devilings” the first time around but they are now yin fiends. Pu Yao has high demands for his food.