Even for cultivators who successfully formed a Nascent Soul after surviving the tribulation, their perception of the laws of heaven and earth was very vague, almost non-existent.
They still needed to take the wisp of the power of the laws of heaven and earth, so faint it was almost invisible, that they had barely managed to absorb into their bodies through a life-and-death struggle, and diligently comprehend it day and night. In the day-after-day of arduous cultivation, they would slowly improve their comprehension of the power of the laws of heaven and earth.
At the same time, after forming a Nascent Soul , they also gained a slight possibility of being able to utilize the power of the laws of heaven and earth.
Only on a certain day, when their hard work paid off, and they suddenly touched the surface of the laws of heaven and earth in a moment of enlightenment, would the opportunity to step into the mid-stage of Nascent Soul appear. And the cultivators who could touch this level were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
The cultivators who could step into the mid-stage of Nascent Soul were all first-rate, heaven-defying prodigies in this world. This was no longer something that could be explained by having fortuitous encounters and immortal fortune.
But even for such people, very few could enter the late-stage of Nascent Soul .
A late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator was already a top-tier existence in this world. Spirit Transformation cultivators, in order to avoid the rejection of the mortal realm, would not want to fight with such a person easily.
A late-stage Nascent Soul , that was a great divine ability cultivator who could already utilize the power of the laws of heaven and earth according to their own will to a slight extent.
Compared to initial and mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, both could utilize the power of the laws of heaven and earth, but the late-stage Nascent Soul could just slightly add some of the cultivator's own consciousness in its application.
But this was already a fundamental, insurmountable gap.
An initial and mid-stage Nascent Soul was a hundred and eight thousand li away from a late-stage realm. In front of him, they appeared so weak. This was also the reason why late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators were called "Great Cultivators."
In the mortal realm, due to the insufficient concentration of Spiritual Energy and the restrictions of the laws formed by this world, if condensing a Golden Core was a one-in-ten-thousand chance, then forming a Nascent Soul was something that only one in a hundred thousand could succeed in.
Otherwise, even according to the two-thousand-year lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator, the total number of Nascent Soul cultivators on the entire Desolate Moon Continent , excluding those who had found the passages to other realms and had broken into the Immortal Spirit Realm , would not be so few by now.
At the same time, of the high-level cultivators remaining on the few continents in the mortal realm, about seventy percent were initial-stage Nascent Soul , less than twenty percent were mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.
The final less than ten percent were late-stage Nascent Soul and a few Spirit Transformation stage cultivators.
And what Wei Zhongran had said before, that late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators could not easily make a move in the war between humans and demons, was because some formidable late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who had comprehended the laws of heaven and earth already possessed the possibility of escaping from the hands of Spirit Transformation cultivators.
Once such a late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator made a move, only a Spirit Transformation could restrain him. The decisive battle would be triggered in an instant.
"Senior Qian Fangshu is one of the few late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators in this realm. Very few people know what sect he came from. It is only known that he has no intention of establishing a sect, lives in seclusion all year round, and does not meddle in worldly affairs. This senior Almighty is obsessed with the art of artifact refining. I am not sure if he has any disciples, but I know that the Four Great Sects have invited him to be a guest Supreme Elder more than once. But Senior Qian has never agreed to join any of them. Otherwise, with him around, the balance of power among the Four Great Sects might be greatly different. 'Exquisite Annihilation' is said to be Senior Qian's masterpiece. But I have only heard of its name and have not seen its true form. Seeing it today, it is indeed unfathomable!"
Wei Zhongran seemed to be explaining to Li Yan, and also seemed to be talking to himself. With his current cultivation, his investigation just now had yielded nothing. There was nothing strange about the object before him.
But the more it was like this, the more Wei Zhongran knew how tyrannical this magical treasure was. Great skill appears clumsy; a great form has no shape.
A Nascent Soul cultivator could usually only refine a magical treasure of a realm lower than their own cultivation. That is to say, a Nascent Soul-grade artifact refining grandmaster, in the usual sense, could only refine a magical treasure equivalent to the attack of a Golden Core cultivator. This was a common consensus.
So cultivators like the one who could refine "Exquisite Annihilation" and the "Yin-Yang Realm River Formation" were not only awe-inspiringly high in cultivation, but must also be peerless prodigies in formations or artifact refining.
"I really didn't expect that even Senior Qian, who has always ignored worldly affairs, would make a move this time! You must keep this treasure safe!"
Having said this, Wei Zhongran did not explain any further, but then instructed Li Yan with an extremely solemn expression.
Since Qian Fangshu could produce this magical treasure, it meant that he was confident that the Demonic General would not be able to detect it. This also added another layer of security to this mission.
However, if this magical treasure were to fall into the hands of the enemy, the consequences for the Desolate Moon Continent would be unbearably heavy.
The dark blue crystal felt a little moist to the touch. After hearing Wei Zhongran's explanation, Li Yan subconsciously released his Divine Sense again.
But to his regret, even though this object was in his hand, his Divine Sense was still empty. If it weren't for the cool and moist feeling from his hand, Li Yan would definitely think that there was something wrong with his eyes.
'It's just that this shape makes it impossible to connect it with the famous 'Exquisite Annihilation.' If I were to place this object underground, if I didn't rely on my previous memory of the location, I would never be able to find it again. So, to sink it into the ground, there is only one chance.'
Li Yan muttered in his heart, but he suddenly raised his eyebrows slightly, because not long after he got his hands on the "Exquisite Annihilation," the circulation speed of the wood Spirit Power in his dantian had actually increased quite a bit.
Li Yan was sure that he had not mobilized the Spirit Power in his body, let alone deliberately converted it to wood Spirit Power to circulate around his body.
"A wood-element magical treasure!"
As his thoughts raced, Li Yan thought of a possibility. His intuition told him that that Nascent Soul cultivator Qian Fangshu should be a peerless master with a wood spirit root.
There was no change on Li Yan's face despite the change in his body. Now, the habit of hiding some secrets had been deeply engraved in his bones. Then, a light flashed in his hand, and the "Exquisite Annihilation" disappeared again.
After Li Yan put away the "Exquisite Annihilation," Wei Zhongran's expression turned solemn.
"I don't have much to give you. Take this with you. Even if you encounter a mid-stage Golden Core, this object can trap the opponent for about half a cup of tea's time."
As he spoke, a light flashed in his hand, and a small section of green vine appeared in front of Li Yan. The green vine was only three inches long, not much thicker than a few strands of hair combined, and had a glossy, verdant sheen.
"This object is called the 'Affectionate Sky Vine.' It was a gift from your martial grandmaster to me back then, and it is also a magical treasure that you can control with your current cultivation. After it entangles an enemy, you can take the opportunity to escape. If the enemy cannot subdue it and can only break it by force, this object will scatter and directly escape into the ground. You can find it again in the future. I have already removed the imprint on it. The manual is in this Jade Slip."
As he spoke, Wei Zhongran handed another Jade Slip to Li Yan.
Li Yan was somewhat moved by this. This magical treasure was too precious. A magical treasure that could entangle a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, if put on the market, would probably be snatched up at a sky-high price in an instant.
If it were put outside, it would cause a bloody slaughter among countless cultivators.
After giving a deep bow, Li Yan then took the two items.
Wei Zhongran nodded at this. Although he had more powerful magical treasures, they required a high level of cultivation to drive.
The magical treasure he gave to Li Yan was not for Li Yan to take the opportunity to kill the opponent, but for him to use that strange movement skill to quickly escape while the opponent was trapped for a short period of time. He thought that he should be able to escape from danger.
But this was also just a backup plan. If Li Yan's enemy was that Demonic General, then there was no need to think about anything.
The "Affectionate Sky Vine" magical treasure was previously used by Wei Zhongran to trap enemies and then take the opportunity to kill them. Now that he had given it to Li Yan, he had no intention of letting Li Yan retrieve it, but truly as a one-time use for trapping enemies and escaping.
But he was afraid that Li Yan would be reluctant to part with it, so he had said that it could be retrieved in the future.
With Li Yan's mind, he only needed this one reminder, and Li Yan would know what to do. He would definitely not go back alone to look for a magical treasure so easily.
Li Yan of course knew the importance of this magical treasure. Although his physical body had been tempered twice by the Essence Blood of the "Undead Nether Phoenix," and its toughness had been promoted again, and the speed of "Phoenix Soars to the Heavens" had also increased a lot at the same time, of course, the more of such good things, the better.
A magical treasure that could deal with a Golden Core cultivator, even a first-rate sect would regard it as a treasure. Not to mention giving it to a disciple, even an elder would not be bestowed with it.
"If it is really impossible, when the Nascent Soul cultivators of both sides are at war, you should abort the mission and return. And you don't need to worry about what comes after."
Just as Li Yan took the magical treasure, Wei Zhongran's words sounded in his mind. Li Yan was stunned at first, then immediately understood.
This was because of the unprovoked intervention of that Nascent Soul cultivator just now. Wei Zhongran had not noticed it at all and had once again raised his vigilance.
He had reconsidered the things he had ignored before, knowing that some things were already beyond his ability to solve, and had started to use voice transmissions.
Li Yan did not know if his master was sure that the voice transmission would not be easily deciphered by that Nascent Soul cultivator just now, but he himself definitely could not reply with a voice transmission.
Li Yan replied with a respectful face, "Yes, Master! This disciple will go now. I will definitely do my best!"
Li Yan was not a person who acted on impulse. Although he was forced this time, he could not let his master be criticized for it. He of course still had to try to complete this mission first.
Before leaving, Li Yan did not greet Bu Luo and the others who had already gathered below, but turned around in the air and disappeared from sight.
Only Wei Zhongran's slightly plump figure was left standing in the air, like a mountain, a look of extreme fatigue slowly appearing in his eyes, and streams of blood welling up from the corner of his mouth.
Just now, he had used a secret voice transmission technique from his family that was beyond his level. It was a secret technique passed down from a Spirit Transformation cultivator of the Wei family.
As "Mutual Destruction Ridge" behind him slowly shrank and blurred, Li Yan simultaneously cast the "Stealthy Night Art" and the "Phoenix Soars to the Heavens" movement skill.
It was already noon at this time, and he had less than nine double-hours left. And the place he was going to was a place occupied by the Demon Clan army.
A distance of a thousand li, on a normal day, would not take him too much time just by flying on his own, even without using any secret flying arts.
But now, the journey was through the territory of the Demon Clan army. Although Li Yan had the protection of the Five Elements Sect's secret art, he had no confidence against the Divine Sense scan of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
So he had to, after probing a certain distance, wait and observe for some time, and repeatedly confirm that there was no Divine Sense scan or any other abnormality in this area.
Only then would he fly out of this distance at high speed, and then stop again to investigate, stay, and then rush again.
He looked very much like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow.
He did his best not to rush into the Divine Sense range of a Nascent Soul or Golden Core cultivator. Of course, if a Divine Sense were to suddenly descend during his rush, then Li Yan could only blame his bad luck.
However, just after leaving "Mutual Destruction Ridge," Li Yan's investigation was simple and fast, not very detailed. He guessed that in a position he did not know, there was already one or several Windy Cool Mountain Nascent Soul cultivators secretly following.
At this time, they were still close to "Mutual Destruction Ridge." The great war had just passed, and it was normal for cultivators from both sides to appear or to probe each other with their Divine Senses .
It was just that as Li Yan continued to go deep behind enemy lines, this protection would be lost. Those secretly following Nascent Souls would also have to hide themselves deeply, and Li Yan's real danger would arrive.