Chapter 399: Cultivation Breakthrough! This is Qi Refining

The malevolent energy surged from his fingertips faster and faster, growing in volume. It was like a river bursting its banks, pouring its entire torrent into his body.

In that instant.

The Exorcism Effect he had just acquired today launched a full-scale counterattack!

Like ice meeting fire, they canceled each other out, annihilating one another.

The Exorcism effect resisted the energy and was immediately reduced by 10%.

10% wasn’t a lot, but it was enough.

The force gripping Wan Ze’s arm loosened for a moment.

The instant his arm was free, his hand flew back from the coffin lid. His fingers splayed open in the air, a thin layer of white frost already coating his nails.

Wan Ze took a step back, staring at his hand in shock and uncertainty.

He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking. The warmth slowly returned to his palm as the frost melted into droplets and trickled down his fingers.

He quickly glanced at the data frame.

The dense wall of notifications for [Spiritual Form +999%] was still scrolling across his vision, but a new notification had pushed it down.

…

[Illustrated Guide: Blood Evil Celestial Net (Beginner’s Volume)](Beginner Level Mastered)

[Effect: Blood Evil Shield (All Attributes +0.05)]

[Requirement for Skill Basic: Yin Evil Entering the Body ten times]

…

“Holy crap?”

‘An accidental success?’

Wan Ze stared at the lines of text for two seconds, then couldn’t help but laugh.

“Excellent.”

His gaze shifted back to the coffin lid.

This time, he didn’t retreat.

Instead, he took a step forward.

‘Afraid? Not a chance.’

The coffin could give him a +999% bonus to his Spiritual Form.

Besides, there was also the mission for the Blood Evil Celestial Net.

Having Yin Evil enter his body was dangerous, true.

But risk and reward were directly proportional!

‘As long as I handle this correctly…’

Wan Ze narrowed his eyes.

He stared at the coffin before him—sealed by layer upon layer of enchantments, suppressed by countless talismans, and holding some unknown existence sleeping within…

The look in his eyes was far more excited than if he were looking at a beautiful woman.

Once Wan Ze confirmed the coffin could bring him immense benefits, he felt no fear. In fact, he grew even more interested in it.

He crouched down and brought his face close to the coffin lid, only a fist’s distance from the layer of Yellow Talismans.

The Cinnabar Runes on the Yellow Talismans glowed faintly red in the darkness, as if they were burning.

He sneered, “You think a puny fiend like you can scare Uncle Wan?”

With that, he reached out his hand.

And touched it.

The moment his fingertip touched the coffin lid, the icy sensation erupted again, but this time Wan Ze didn’t panic.

He held his finger steady against the lid, feeling the chill pour in as the Spiritual Form numbers danced wildly across his vision.

[Spiritual Form +899%]

The cold, sinister aura tried to lock onto Wan Ze again.

The malevolent energy seeped out from the Blood Talismans on the lid like a black snake. It crept up Wan Ze’s finger, slower than the first time, but more stealthily.

It wound around, trying to find a gap in his Exorcism defense.

Wan Ze activated his Exorcism.

With a thought, the Exorcism effect dropped by a minuscule 0.0005%—an almost negligible amount.

Wan Ze quickly let go, his finger snapping back from the coffin lid.

He didn’t forget to glance at the data frame.

[Yin Evil Entering the Body ten times (1/10)]

Judged as a success!

‘It worked!’

Wan Ze’s eyes lit up.

‘Yin Evil Entering the Body… so that’s the upgrade condition for the Blood Evil Celestial Net Skill.’

‘Entering the body… that doesn’t mean I have to let it flood in completely. Master Wan will let you have a little taste.’

Besides, the loss to his Exorcism was within an acceptable range.

Wan Ze rubbed his hands together excitedly.

He clasped his hands, interlacing his fingers. “Haha, you little thing! You’re still too green to play mind games with Uncle Wan!”

Coffin: “…”

The coffin didn’t speak. Coffins can’t speak.

But Wan Ze figured that if the coffin *could* speak, it would probably be cursing him out right now.

Wan Ze reached out his hand again.

This time, the coffin counterattacked quickly. The sinister, cold energy surged out the instant his finger drew near, as if it had been waiting right on the lid for him to place his hand there.

But Wan Ze was faster. By the time his hand was halfway there, his Exorcism had already activated. A warm current from his Dantian rushed to his fingertip in advance, forming an invisible barrier between it and the coffin lid.

His fingertip tapped the coffin lid, then sprang back.

The entire contact lasted less than 0.03 seconds, so fast he barely felt the chill.

The Exorcism effect dropped by another minuscule 0.0003%.

Wan Ze yanked his hand back.

He quickly scanned the data frame.

[Spiritual Form +200%]

[Yin Evil Entering the Body ten times (2/10)]

‘Success again!’

The curve of Wan Ze’s lips widened.

A 200% bonus to his Spiritual Form. While not as good as the first time’s 999%, it was still a massive gain.

Most importantly, the count for Yin Evil Entering the Body was steadily increasing, while the loss to his Exorcism had dropped from 0.0005% to 0.0003%—nearly half.

‘At this rate, after a few more touches, the drain on my Exorcism will be practically zero.’

“Still trying to ambush me? You’re a dirty fighter!”

Wan Ze sneered, his gaze falling upon the coffin lid. He wasn’t looking at the Blood Talismans or other talismans, but rather observing the reaction speed of the sinister, cold energy. He was trying to gauge the optimal distance between his hand and the lid.

Just then, while it was off guard.

Wan Ze’s hand shot out.

His movement was even faster than the previous two times. He jabbed forward, tapped the coffin lid, and retracted his hand.

The data frame updated!

[Spiritual Form +166%]

Exorcism effect dropped by a minuscule 0.00021%.

[Yin Evil Entering the Body ten times (3/10)]

The coffin was a step too slow again.

Wan Ze pulled his hand back, suppressing a laugh.

‘Score!’

‘A huge score, at that!’

THUD! THUD!

The coffin shook violently twice.

The Yellow Talismans on top of it rustled loudly, and the red ropes pulled taut, looking as if they might snap at any moment.

The red glow of the Cinnabar on the talismans flared violently before dimming again, as if struggling to suppress the fury of the thing inside the coffin.