Chapter 1167: Hollow Spirit State Peak Stage
Ye Mo used three of the remaining spirit ponds. One was for cultivation; the other two supplied spirit chi to his seven-spirit attraction formation, feeding the time formation disk. With his special-grade Hollow Spirit Pill, he anticipated reaching the hollow spirit state tertiary stage after depleting one spirit marrow pond. While others formed a single spirit chi whirlpool, Ye Mo formed eight, swirling like mist. Inside the spinning time formation disk, he was completely invisible to those outside.
Two months later, Lin Yiban awoke from cultivation, delighted to find himself at body condensation state level eight. He'd consumed only about one-fifth of his spirit marrow pond, indicating top-grade spirit marrow. Observing the others, he saw Gan Liang had progressed furthest, reaching nascent soul state level seven. Xu Tong, Gan Liang's wife, was at body condensation state level six. Ye Mo's two wives were at nascent soul state level three, and his sister at golden core state level eight. Luo Fei and Xin Zhida were both at golden core state level one, having clearly formed their cores during this period.
Ye Mo, however, remained shrouded in a spinning formation that made Lin Yiban dizzy just to look at. The sight of Ye Mo’s formations on the other two spirit marrow ponds—each depleted by a third—was shocking. Considering the amount Ye Mo himself consumed, Lin Yiban was awestruck. His new city lord's cultivation speed was terrifying. Were those two additional ponds merely powering his formation? And what kind of formation demanded such immense spirit chi?
Ye Mo, unaware of the time elapsed outside, knew he'd cultivated for two years, reaching hollow spirit state level seven peak stage, on the verge of breaking through to level eight, but he showed no sign of stopping. He would continue as long as his spirit marrow pond remained.
Two more months passed. Ye Mo abruptly ceased cultivation, having spent four years within the time formation disk. Reaching hollow spirit state peak stage, he knew further cultivation was unwise. He needed time to familiarize himself with the tertiary stage's essence before seeking a suitable location for his divine damnation.
Emerging from his formation, Ye Mo found Tang Beiwei had already finished. While others progressed quickly, only his and Lin Yiban's spirit marrow ponds showed significant depletion; Lin Yiban’s was about 40 percent less. He was now at body condensation state level eight peak.
"Brother, you're done too?" Tang Beiwei exclaimed joyfully, admitting to boredom from her inability to cultivate further at golden core state peak stage.
"About to form nascent soul," Ye Mo replied, confirming the wisdom of their retreat. Luo Ying was at nascent soul state level four, and Ning Qingxue at level three, with others also making progress.
"How long have you been cultivating?" Ye Mo asked, mindful of the time formation disk.
Tang Beiwei, confused, replied, "Four months. Brother, you don't know how long you've been cultivating? What formation are you using? It makes me dizzy just looking at it!"
The twelve-fold time acceleration of his formation, powered by the spirit marrow pond, was indeed astounding. Ye Mo, however, chose not to explain; it was too complex.
He led Tang Beiwei aside and set up formations to facilitate her nascent soul state formation. With everyone else cultivating, he wanted to prevent her divine damnation from affecting them. Despite Ning Qingxue's superior talent, Tang Beiwei reached nascent soul state first, thanks to Ye Mo's assistance.
"Brother, what's your power now?" Tang Beiwei asked after her divine damnation.
Ye Mo produced dozens of pill bottles, handing them to her. "I'm at hollow spirit state peak stage and need to find a place for my divine damnation. These pills are labeled; give them to everyone. I won't be far."
"Huh…" Tang Beiwei mused. "Brother, we're in a palace. Where can you go for your divine damnation? Can't you do it here?"
Ye Mo firmly replied, "No, don't worry. I have a place in mind. If anything happens, contact me via this communication bead."
His previous discovery was linked to a gurgling sound; its absence here confirmed this wasn't the right place. His hollow spirit state divine damnation had collapsed a swamp; he feared a similar outcome here. While he possessed the Golden Page World, the others did not.
Tang Beiwei, though reluctant to see him go, remained silent. She understood his unspoken anxieties and his desperation to increase his strength, knowing his respect for Ji Ling from Xin Zhida's account.
After Tang Beiwei resumed cultivation, Ye Mo moved the unused spirit marrow ponds into his Golden Page World, collecting the spirit crystals. His enhanced power soon allowed him to hear the gurgling sound again—clearer inside than outside—a rhythmic sound within the palace.
"Another stealth formation," Ye Mo muttered, unimpressed. This formation master seemed obsessed with concealment.
Deploying formation flags, he found a small door. Inside, after removing the flags, a nine-zigzag walkway appeared, leading to a yard where dead spirit herbs indicated intense spirit chi. A half-closed wooden door stood at its end, incredibly well-preserved for its age, showcasing the exceptional quality of the wood. He resisted the urge to take it; he'd already taken more than enough.
The spacious room beyond was old but intact, filled with valuable furnishings and decorations, but Ye Mo remained uninterested. He valued his own creations.
Following the sound, he opened another door, revealing a pink room. A spirit marrow pond resided there, fed by a fountain on the stone wall above, producing exceedingly dense, higher-grade spirit marrow than found outside. This was clearly a woman's bathing chamber, complete with a beautiful spirit glass and expensive lingerie. Ye Mo, though uninterested in such items, could imagine a beautiful woman bathing there. He wondered about the powerful cultivator who resided here, and who had frozen the maids, and what happened to the Spirit Eating Bugs.