Without the constraints of a Spiritual Root, his progress was like a bolting horse or wildly growing weeds.
In a short seven days, Wang Sandong’s cultivation reached the realm of Rank 1.
Even for someone like his eldest brother, Wang Jinghong, who possessed a top-tier Spiritual Root, reaching Rank 1 had taken six months.
Yet, Wang Sandong could not bring himself to be happy.
As his cultivation entered Rank 1, the slight itching sensation in his chest grew stronger.
In the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Wang Sandong subconsciously scratched at his chest several times.
He wasn’t sure if it was a delusion, but there seemed to be a slight feeling of swelling as well.
At Fengyue Tower.
“It must be a delusion,” Yuan Di replied without looking up from her book as she sat by the window.
“It is only Rank 1. The power is very weak, not enough to cause obvious physical changes.”
Wang Sandong felt that her words were reasonable.
Feeling slightly more at ease, he looked up at the cover of the book in Yuan Di’s hands.
*Collection of Elegant Poems*.
“Heh,” Wang Sandong couldn’t help but laugh.
“Aren’t you supposed to be a demon?”
Yuan Di shot him a sidelong glance.
She continued reading the poetry collection and asked, “Must a demon be crude and unrefined? That is a stereotype.”
Wang Sandong wanted to tease her more, but before he could speak, he realized the cover of the book looked familiar.
“That book… where did it come from?”
“Your study.”
“…”
He had originally thought that the Wang Family Mansion was heavily guarded and that Yuan Di wouldn’t dare set foot there easily.
‘She is one of the Five Emperors after all; she shouldn’t be underestimated.’
“Impressive,” Wang Sandong muttered.
Yuan Di flipped a page and said, “Why are so many words underlined, with so many strange words written next to them? They do not look like annotations.”
Wang Sandong replied, “I was thinking about changing my name before.”
The name “Sandong” was too casual and a bit crude.
Wang Sandong had never liked it.
Hearing this, Yuan Di came to a sudden realization.
Looking at the words in the book, she read aloud, “Wang Anyu? Wang Hedi? Wang Yibo?”
“Which one do you think is suitable?”
Yuan Di thought seriously for a moment and said, “Why not go with ‘Wang Xinling’?”
A shiver ran through Wang Sandong’s heart.
He scrutinized Yuan Di and said cautiously, “Palace Jade Liquid Wine?”
Yuan Di looked up at him with a look of utter confusion, clearly not understanding what nonsense he was spouting.
Wang Sandong frowned and asked, “Where did the name ‘Xinling’ come from?”
Yuan Di said, “The brush stirs the clouds to contest all things, the heart transcends the peaks to spread the wings of destiny. These characters, ‘Xin’ and ‘Ling,’ come from that verse.”
After a pause, she added, “That is the couplet from Wen Di’s house. It is recorded on page 53 of the *Collection of Elegant Poems*.”
Wen Di was one of the Five Emperors, a legendary master on par with Yuan Di.
“Uh…”
Wang Sandong’s lips twitched.
“That name sounds too girly. It’s no good.”
“Girly?”
Yuan Di was somewhat puzzled and argued, “A heart that transcends the peaks—that is clearly a man’s name.”
“Actually, I suddenly feel like ‘Wang Sandong’ is a pretty good name.”
Yuan Di let out a cold snort and stopped speaking.
Wang Sandong remained silent for a while, and then he couldn’t help but smile.
Wang Erdong, Wang Sandong…
Names like these existed probably because they weren’t expected to live, so there was no point in putting effort into naming them.
‘Thankfully, Brother’s injuries have healed.’
Otherwise, there would likely have been another baby who died young named “Wang Sidong.”
Adjusting his emotions, Wang Sandong consulted Yuan Di on serious matters.
“*Huitian* says that after reaching Rank 1, one can use ‘Soul Snatch.’ Can I start practicing ‘Soul Snatch’ now?”
“Of course.”
“*Huitian* says that after mastering ‘Soul Snatch,’ a Rank 1 Demonic Cultivator can slay a Rank 3 Spiritual Cultivator. Is that not an exaggeration? Is ‘Soul Snatch’ really that powerful?”
The term “Spiritual Cultivator” had not existed until demonic cultivators appeared.
To distinguish them from demonic cultivators, ordinary practitioners were referred to as Spiritual Cultivators.
“In theory, yes,” Yuan Di said.
She then looked at the pale, thin, and physically weak Wang Sandong before adding, “You, however, probably cannot do it.”
“In theory? You haven’t tried it?”
Yuan Di shook her head and said, “I don’t know it.”
“Huh?”
“Those with Spiritual Roots cannot practice it.”
“In other words, ‘Soul Snatch,’ just like *Huitian*, is something you just dreamed up out of thin air?”
“How can you call it ‘dreamed up out of thin air’?”
Yuan Di was greatly displeased and grumbled, “It all follows established theories.”
She gave a cold snort and continued, “If you are worried, you don’t have to practice it.”
Wang Sandong was momentarily speechless.
‘I am definitely worried.’
However, he still had to practice.
After all, *Huitian* only had one offensive move: “Soul Snatch.”
There was another move called “Soul Hook,” but it was a “passive skill” and wouldn’t be “triggered” before Rank 3.
Glancing at Yuan Di, Wang Sandong decided not to argue with her anymore.
Go home and cultivate.
Leaving Fengyue Tower and boarding the carriage for home, Wang Sandong silently recalled the mental techniques for “Soul Snatch” recorded in *Huitian*.
He suddenly frowned, his heart filled with unease.
These names, “Soul Snatch” and “Soul Hook”…
‘Why do they feel a bit indecent?’
After thinking for a while, Wang Sandong yawned.
Perhaps because he was burdened with worries and busy with cultivation, he hadn’t been able to rest well lately.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he heard the low voice of the stable boy, Wang Tong, calling him.
“Master.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
Wang Sandong replied with his eyes closed.
“It looks like Miss Zheng is up ahead.”
Wang Sandong’s drowsiness vanished instantly.
He pulled back the curtain to look out.
Not far away stood a master and servant duo—Miss Zheng and her maid.
Miss Zheng walked over quickly with a grave expression, looking somewhat aggressive.
Coming directly to the carriage window, she spoke immediately.
“I was just about to head to the Wang Mansion to find you.”
Before Wang Sandong could speak, she added, “I want to break our engagement.”
She was blunt and spoke her mind, showing the spirited nature of a woman of the martial world.
Wang Sandong wasn’t surprised; he was even a bit pleased.
He smiled and said, “Alright. Return the betrothal gifts, and the engagement is over.”
Miss Zheng’s almond-shaped eyes widened, clearly surprised.
She hadn’t expected Wang Sandong to agree so readily.
“Then… then…”
The sharp arguments she had prepared were suddenly useless, leaving her momentarily at a loss.
She even felt a twinge of guilt, as if she had done something wrong.
Smiling, Wang Sandong said sincerely, “I wish you the best in finding a suitable husband, Miss Zheng.”
With that, he let the curtain fall.
“Wang Tong, let’s head back.”
The carriage started moving.
After traveling a short distance, Wang Sandong suddenly slapped his thigh and sighed.
“What’s wrong, Master?”
Wang Tong asked.
“Alas, I forgot the line, ‘Never look down on a poor youth.'”
Wang Sandong was filled with regret.
Thinking that he would likely turn into a woman in the future and probably never have another chance to say that line, he felt the regret even more deeply.
“Sigh.”
Even Wang Tong let out a sigh.
Amused, Wang Sandong asked, “What are you sighing for?”
“Miss Zheng is being a bit of a bully. The wedding date is approaching, yet she comes to break the engagement.”
Wang Tong felt the injustice for his master, speaking with a mix of sorrow and anger.
“The Wang Family is one of the families of the ‘Nine Surnamed Kings.’ If word of this gets out, it will be so embarrassing. And yet, you agreed to her request so easily.”
“What else should I have done? Should I have killed her over such a trivial matter?”
Wang Sandong asked with a laugh.
“Of course not. You are kind-hearted, Master. You wouldn’t just kill someone.”
Wang Tong replied quickly.
Wang Sandong laughed aloud and leaned back lazily in the carriage with his eyes closed.
“Who would want to marry a waste who is already at death’s door? The fact that she only came to break it today suggests she probably had some unpleasant arguments with her family.”
He paused and then lamented, “She is a pitiful soul as well.”
“You are right, Master.”
Upon returning to the Anzhi Courtyard in the Wang Mansion, Wang Sandong locked himself in his room and began trying to practice “Soul Snatch.”
After running through the mental techniques, Wang Sandong discovered that Yuan Di was right: if one possessed a Spiritual Root, it was indeed impossible to use “Soul Snatch.”
The way the power constantly surged and dashed through the body while practicing “Soul Snatch” was not something an ordinary practitioner could achieve.
The Spiritual Root was like a horse’s reins.
It could control the horse’s direction, but it also restricted the horse’s wild nature.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
A bout of violent coughing left Wang Sandong’s handsome face flushed as he struggled for breath.
For a moment, his mind went blank, and he felt as if he were about to expire.
The surging power within him was putting a great deal of strain on his body.
The sound of his violent coughing even alerted Wang Tong.
Wang Tong rushed into the room, and seeing Wang Sandong’s eyes rolling back from the coughing fit, he was instantly terrified.
Fortunately, Wang Sandong didn’t die.
After a few quick gasps for air, he stopped Wang Tong, who was about to call for help.
“It’s… it’s no big deal.”
Even if it was a big deal, he couldn’t let Wang Tong call for help.
If anyone discovered he was a demonic cultivator, everything would be over.
Wang Sandong had known since childhood the level of hatred this world held for demons.
He believed that even his cousin Wang Yunteng and his brother Wang Jinghong, who loved him the most, would not allow him to take the path of “no return” just to stay alive.
Everyone believed that demonic cultivation was a path of self-destruction and harm to others.
A drop of water splashed onto the back of the hand Wang Tong was holding.
Wang Sandong opened his eyes and saw Wang Tong’s face covered in tears.
The 12-year-old boy was desperately trying to suppress his emotions, refusing to cry aloud, but the tears wouldn’t stop.
“Master, please don’t die.”
Wang Tong gripped Wang Sandong’s hand tightly.
Wang Sandong was touched, but also a bit annoyed.
“Get lost. You’re going to crush my hand.”
Wang Tong was startled and quickly let go.
Only then did he notice that the Master’s delicate, white hand, which looked like a young girl’s, had been squeezed bright red.
“Oh, Master, I…”
“Go, go, get out.”
Wang Sandong rubbed his aching hand.
“Let me get some rest.”
Wang Tong withdrew, filled with worry but not daring to disobey.
Wang Sandong let out a long breath.
While his body rested, his mind remained busy.
He was pondering “Soul Snatch.”
Although it was “crafted” specifically for him by Yuan Di because he lacked a Spiritual Root, it hadn’t undergone any “clinical trials.”
There were likely issues that Yuan Di herself hadn’t considered thoroughly.
For instance, the lack of a Spiritual Root made the body exceptionally fragile.
At this stage, while the power within him was weak, his physical frame was even weaker.
Thus, even a slight impact was difficult to withstand.
If he forced the cultivation, he might actually practice himself to death.
The safest way was to wait until his cultivation reached the next level before practicing “Soul Snatch.”
He would set it aside for now.
He would try again at Rank 2.
According to his current progress, Rank 2 should be reached quite soon.
Having made up his mind, he was about to relax and get some good rest when a spark of inspiration hit him.
He remembered something.
It was the Heart-Nurturing Pill that his brother Wang Jinghong had sent someone to deliver from the New Capital.
He wondered if he could use the protection of the Heart-Nurturing Pill to force the practice of “Soul Snatch”?
It might not work, but it was worth a try!
If it didn’t, he would just stop in time.
Wang Sandong immediately got out of bed and pulled out the porcelain bottle containing the Heart-Nurturing Pill from under his pillow.
After taking the pill, he cautiously ran the “Soul Snatch” technique.
The progress was surprisingly smooth.
A faint, black Demonic Qi flickered on Wang Sandong as he sat on the bed.
The Demonic Qi didn’t scatter; instead, it clung to his body.
At first glance, it almost looked like a phantom shadow of a person overlapping with his own body.
The path of cultivation was nothing more than the word “plunder.”
One either plundered the heaven and earth or plundered the natural order.
In this world, the weak never triumphed over the strong; it was always the strong preying on the weak.
Therefore, if one wished to snatch the soul of another, one must first forge their own soul.
Strengthening one’s own soul was the prerequisite for “Soul Snatch.”
This was the viewpoint Yuan Di had recorded in *Huitian*.
It made some sense.
For Yuan Di to have become one of the legendary masters of the Five Emperors, her insights and strength were naturally beyond ordinary.
Furthermore, her *Huitian* was indeed profound, and “Soul Snatch” was indeed mysterious.
However…
Wang Sandong still felt caught between laughter and tears.
He strongly suspected that during the subsequent cultivation of *Huitian*, more accidents beyond Yuan Di’s “theoretical understanding” would occur.
For instance, his body might explode, he might experience a fate worse than death, or he might turn into a pig or a dog…
Even the wisest can make a mistake.
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be this “modified” version of *Huitian* that he was practicing now.
Thinking this way, Wang Sandong had a realization: if practicing *Huitian* meant he could turn into a woman and continue to linger on in life, that might very well be the best possible outcome…
Taking out the poorly bound *Huitian* from under his mattress, Wang Sandong raised his elegant eyebrows.
‘Sigh…’
‘Why does practicing *Huitian* feel like I’ve boarded a pirate ship?’