‘It's time to cultivate the Sealing Spirit Heaven-Seizing Art. I wonder what kind of innate ability I'll obtain?’

After memorizing every detail on the beast-skin sheet by heart, Yun Hanshuang took the three beads out from his bundle, his eyes filled with anticipation.

The cultivation of the Sealing Spirit Heaven-Seizing Art was simple. One only needed to drip blood infused with spiritual power into the beast souls, then place the three beast souls respectively at the brow, heart, and dantian, and recite the corresponding incantation.

Yun Hanshuang used his spiritual power to force out three drops of blood, then refined them with spiritual power. Once all three drops brimmed with spiritual power fluctuations, he smeared the three spirit-blood drops onto the three beads, then lay down directly on the snow.

After placing the three beads at the three required spots, Yun Hanshuang formed a simple hand seal and loudly recited the incantation according to the secret art.

"By my Heaven Soul, seal and seize thy soul. Absorb.

By my Earth Soul, seal and seize thy soul. Fuse.

By my Human Soul, seal and seize thy soul. Merge."

The moment Yun Hanshuang finished reciting the incantation, countless tiny tendrils extended from his brow, pulling the soul bead at his brow into his body and leaving behind the mark of a Six-Winged Centipede on his brow.

The soul bead at his heart melted on its own and burrowed into his body, leaving the mark of a small white snake. His dantian produced a suction force that drew the soul bead into his body, and the mark of a small bird burning with white flames emerged at his dantian.

Yun Hanshuang took out the mirror he had long prepared. After examining the three marks, he drew in a sharp breath.

‘Six-Winged Profound Centipede! Profound Underworld Ba Snake! Profound Spirit Ice Sparrow! These three are all existences within the top ten of the Divine Insect and Divine Beast Rankings. Old Monster Profound Yin's handiwork is truly grandiose, producing pure-blood divine beasts in a single stroke. Let me test what innate abilities I've obtained.’

Yun Hanshuang touched his brow, and as if sensing his intent, over a dozen spiritual power threads extended from his body. Information about this ability appeared in his Sea of Consciousness.

‘Spiritual Power Threads? I wonder how much force they can withstand? And how tough they are?’

Yun Hanshuang retracted the rest of the spiritual power threads back into his body, leaving only one outside. He grasped this single thread with both hands and pulled hard, but the thread could not withstand the force and snapped directly, turning into motes of light and scattering.

After testing several more times, Yun Hanshuang concluded that the spiritual power threads he could currently release could only bear about a hundred jin of force, and their elasticity allowed them to stretch to double their length.

Furthermore, the spiritual power threads were extremely easy to control. As long as spiritual power was supplied to maintain them, they felt like an extra hand. Yun Hanshuang even felt they were easier to control than his own two hands.

After testing the first innate ability, Yun Hanshuang then touched his heart. Outwardly, there was no change, but a surge of vigorous vitality welled up within him, and a booming heartbeat echoed from his heart. Information about this ability subsequently appeared in Yun Hanshuang's Sea of Consciousness.

Heart of the Ba Snake: When activated, it grants the wielder the ability to rapidly recover from injuries. The duration and effect are determined by cultivation level.

Yun Hanshuang could judge that, with his current cultivation, he could only activate this ability for about three breaths, and at most it could heal some flesh wounds.

‘I wonder what the third ability is?’

He was extremely satisfied with the first two abilities and grew even more expectant of the third innate ability. Reaching out to touch his dantian, a stream of information appeared in his Sea of Consciousness. After reading its contents, Yun Hanshuang raised his hand, watching as it gradually transformed into a bird-like claw.

Deathflame Claw: Any living creature wounded by this claw will have its life force devoured by the mysterious flames attached to it.

After understanding the three innate abilities he had acquired, Yun Hanshuang formed hand seals, then gave a great shout.

"Come forth."

Three spirit beasts flew out from his brow, heart, and dantian respectively, their bodies all formed of ice. Yun Hanshuang looked at the three spirit beasts floating before him and was about to command them to display their respective strengths, but as soon as the three spirit beasts moved, they disintegrated into motes of light.

‘I got too excited and didn't pay attention to the spiritual power consumption.’

Seeing the three spirit beasts disperse, Yun Hanshuang realized his Qi Sea was now completely empty.

‘Old Monster Profound Yin said that even when I'm in my male body, it wouldn't affect the recovery of spiritual power. I wonder how it recovers. Could I possibly glimpse a thread of its profound mystery from this, and allow my male body to also absorb spiritual energy?’

Yun Hanshuang sat down cross-legged on the spot. He was determined to see exactly how his spiritual power recovered. Sitting cross-legged, Yun Hanshuang formed hand seals and silently recited the incantation of the Profound Yin Formula.

Then Yun Hanshuang felt a suction force suddenly arise from three places: his brow, his heart, and his dantian, drawing the surrounding spiritual energy into his body. After about fifteen breaths, the spiritual power within his Qi Sea was restored to its full state.

‘What? So that's how it is! No wonder Old Monster Profound Yin left behind this secret art—it was to help me recover spiritual power.’

After Yun Hanshuang understood that the Sealing Spirit Heaven-Seizing Art was the key to restoring his spiritual power, he tried to activate the secret art again, but there was no reaction whatsoever.

‘It seems this secret art can only be used for recovery and cannot be used for cultivation. But its speed in recovering spiritual power is truly fast!’

Recalling that it had taken only a dozen or so breaths to return to full capacity, Yun Hanshuang couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

After his spiritual power was restored to full, Yun Hanshuang once again summoned the three spirit beasts and then made them fight each other. Watching the three spirit beasts disintegrate into motes of light, Yun Hanshuang concluded that it was probably because his cultivation was insufficient.

The combat power of the three spirit beasts was still very weak, even weaker than their master. They couldn't even use any innate skills.

After testing the combat power of the three spirit beasts, Yun Hanshuang took the Myriad Soil Spirit-Gathering Pot out from his bundle. He wanted to refine this treasure and store it inside his body to be at ease; otherwise, if other cultivators found out about such a treasure, what awaited him would be an endless pursuit.

Yun Hanshuang dripped his blood onto the pot, then continuously washed it with spiritual power. After about an hour, he finally finished refining this treasure.

"Store."

Yun Hanshuang cast a spell seal at the Myriad Soil Spirit-Gathering Pot and gave a light shout. The Myriad Soil Spirit-Gathering Pot transformed into a streak of light and flew into his Qi Sea. Gazing at the pot floating beside his Spiritual Power Seed, Yun Hanshuang let out a breath of relief.

‘Next is practicing spells and martial skills. But first, I need to place this jade pendant inside my body. It always feels unsafe wearing it on me.’

Yun Hanshuang took the jade pendant hanging at his waist that could accelerate his cultivation speed and held it before him.

‘But where should I put it?’

After comparing various spots on his body for a long time, Yun Hanshuang decided to embed the jade pendant beneath the small snake mark on his heart.

Yun Hanshuang retrieved his long saber, used his spiritual power to seal the meridians in that area, then cut open a slit in the skin with the blade and inserted the jade pendant inside. With the meridians sealed by spiritual power, Yun Hanshuang felt no pain. Perhaps because the pendant was relatively thin and small, he felt no discomfort.

After healing the wound with the Heart of the Ba Snake, Yun Hanshuang began practicing spells and martial skills.