Within the darkness, the nine golden dragon pillars were arrayed before Wu Yu.

Wu Yu could not see its shape, but he could feel the presence of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column.

The intelligence, the disdain, the domineering and unruly nature!

Perhaps its previous owner had far surpassed Wu Yu, which was why it slighted him. It fought intensely against Wu Yu's blood bond.

Of course, the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column did not enlarge itself. It knew that, as a spiritual immortal treasure, its only will was to either heed the control, or resist control. It could not proactively destroy other things.

Even the Paranormal Pillar of Blood could become 10 zhang high!

Wu Yu knew that the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column had many more designs on it. A complex Shapeshifting Design was amongst them, and it was said that at its smallest, it could become nine needles. At the largest, it could be more than 30 zhang, and could easily level a mountain with a sweep.

Of which, the weight-adding Mount Tai Design could synergize with the Divided Synthesis Design to greatly increase the deadliness of the Nine-Tiered Fire Design's flames. There were dozens of types, and each one had marvelous properties.

However, there were three most central designs. One of them was the Nine Palace Dragon Design, inscribed on each of the nine golden dragon pillars. This was the basis and foundation of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column.

As for the other two, one was the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Design. This was an offensive design that had been added onto the spiritual immortal treasure. More accurately, within the offensive designs, it was an Intimidation Design. Wu Yu only had to pour in his Jindan essence and control the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column to employ the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment dao technique and suppress his opponent!

Such a suppressive technique far surpassed the Argenti Chain.

Finally, there was a Nine-Directional World Shatterer Design. This was a purely offensive spirit design, based on the same principles as the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Design, but it was even more powerful. It was the most famous killing move of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column. It was said that the Nine-Directional World Shatterer's destructive power was truly awesome.

To Wu Yu, the Nine-Directional World Shatterer was made for him. He could not imagine the effect that the Violent Art combined with it, in addition to the Invincible Vajra Body, would produce.

It was exactly these capabilities of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column that made Wu Yu thirst after this spiritual immortal treasure.

He would not forget that this was the keepsake of love that Nangong Wei had given him.

To him, the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column had gained an additional dimension of meaning. No matter what, he would master the sentient Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column, and succeed in his blood bond!

Immortal Ape Transformation!

Wu Yu transformed into the Immortal Ape, his flesh fortifying. He reached out a rough hand to grasp the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column. He used his immortal fire to cover it, and aid his blood bond spiritual art. He attacked the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column vigorously!

Nothing in this world was impossible if one set their heart to it.

After 10 days, Wu Yu's relentless and intense efforts and savage attacks had finally caused the immature awareness of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column to bow to him. No matter how different it thought Wu Yu's Jindan was from that of its previous owner, there was an awe-inspiring pressure and bloodline emanating from Wu Yu. It had a moving quality, and the staff's final resistance was but an expression of its excitement.

"Merge!"

After the blood bond, the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column had finally become a part of his arm. An extension of himself that moved freely.

Wu Yu dispelled the blood bond with the Paranormal Pillar of Blood, the Sword of the Mystic Eye, the Sword of the Blazing Rainbow, and other spiritual immortal treasures. He intended to sell these off after leaving the Core Sword Cell. Perhaps then he could get some Golden Essence Pills.

He was simply too poor right now.

Even the immortal essences with him had basically been all used up in refining immortal medicines. He had just started to dabble in it. No matter how talented he was, his failure rate was still quite high.

Even so, Wu Yu's interest did not wane. He prepared to try his hand at researching the fashioning of spirit designs after he became a Huang sword rank disciple.

Refining immortal medicines and fashioning designs was fairly significant in helping to raise one's level. To refine immortal medicine, one needed immortal fire, and the better and purer one's immortal fire was, the faster one could refine one's Jindan.

Under Wu Yu's manipulation, the nine Demon Imprisonment Columns began to fuse, finally becoming a single whole. It became a staff circled by nine golden dragons. It was about as tall as Wu Yu, and an inch thick.

Compared to the Paranormal Pillar of Blood, it was not as fear-inspiring. But the intensity, the power, the spirit designs' efficacy made it worth 10 Paranormal Pillars of Blood! It has to be said that the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column increased Wu Yu's fighting ability enormously.

"This is truly the mystical weapon that belongs to me, Wu Yu!"

After becoming one with the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column, it felt very similar to the Jingu Bang. And the more the resemblance grew, the more excited Wu Yu became.

"I just don't know when I can finally finish cultivating the Great Way of Immortality Art, the Invincible Vajra Body, and the 72 Transformations. When can I use the Ruyi Jingu Bang?" Thinking of the future, Wu Yu was filled with anticipation.

One day, there would be a seat for him up in the sky palace, where he would live forever. How wonderful that would be!

"Banish demons, shatter the world!"

He continued to sit cross-legged on the floor, holding the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column before his chest. He carefully sensed the power and changes between the Demon Imprisonment and World Shatterer spirit designs.

This was Wu Yu's first time encountering something on the spiritual immortal treasure that was virtually equivalent to a dao technique. Even the Yin Yang Dao Sword was far from this level!

As he held the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column, he was elated. He was as excited as a child with a new toy.

"The Nine Palace Dragon Design is the foundation and the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Design is the variable. Release Jindan essence accordingly to the positions of the nine palaces, while using the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column's strength as the source to form a small spirit design that suppresses the opponent!

"Nine-Directional World Shatterer activates all the spirit designs simultaneously, fusing the Demon Imprisonment Columns into one unified, explosive release. It can bring about an end to worlds. It is the extreme limit of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column!"

Training these two major spirit designs, Wu Yu became deeply engrossed and lost track of time. He could feel the power of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Design and the Nine-Directional World Shatterer Design, but could not employ them as of yet.

"Wei Er, more than half a year has passed. I wonder how she is faring in the Shushan Reincarnation Realm...."

After half a year, she would have grown considerably again. When they first met, she was a small girl of 13 or 14, and now she was probably 16. In another two or three years, she would be 18 or 19.

Mortal women married and became wives by 16, and were already having children.

"Wu Yu, time's up. Time to go." One day, while Wu Yu was still deeply engrossed in the realm of the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column, the Cell Warden roused him from his reverie.

"Yes."

He had spent half a year in the Core Sword Cell quite comfortably. It was a safe environment for Wu Yu to completely master the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column.

"On the last day of the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals, I reached the top rank, but the Galaxy Sword Sage did not take me as his disciple. Now that half a year has passed, I wonder if the Common Sword Domain disciples still remember me.

"I wonder if anyone from the four major sword ranks at the Clear Sky of Shushan is still waiting for me to appear and take me on as a disciple."

Thinking of this, Wu Yu's mood changed slightly.

"How will my future be? Of course, the first order of business is to trade for merits. I am too broke now. Without merits, even my cultivation speed will be too slow!"

Wu Yu had long made plans. After he was released, he would aggressively earn merits and trade them for Golden Essence Pills.

Once he walked out of the Inner Fruit, the harsh lights and sounds caused Wu Yu momentary pain. He had some difficulty adjusting. It was unimaginable that he had spent half a year in a world with no sight or sound.

In truth, the snowy mountains before him were extremely peaceful, and the light faint. After a while, Wu Yu adjusted, and began to feel the comforts of the outside world again.

"I am out!"

Release from the Core Sword Cell spelled a new chapter. Wu Yu could not wait. He would go roaming the divine continent!

His sword landed on the floor. Firstly, he bowed to the Cell Warden, and then left unobtrusively on his sword. Outside the Core Sword Cell, no one was waiting for him.

In this vast Shushan, the one who had treated him best was Nangong Wei. Even Shen Xingyu was busy with her own business. She could occasionally give Wu Yu a hand, but that was because she favored him.

After half a year, Shushan was still covered in wind and snow - no change there. He quietly returned to the Battle Sword Palace, Warring Immortals Hall. Along the way, he met a few other ordinary dan disciples who smiled at him, only whispering amongst themselves after he had left.

"Wu Yu seems to have been released from the Core Sword Cell."

"I wonder what kinds of improvements he has made. Zhao Xuanxian and He Taiyao have already become Huang sword rank disciples, and the two have taken up discipleship under the Black Sky Sword Sage. Who knows, they might come and look for trouble with Wu Yu."

"A pity for Wu Yu that the Galaxy Sword Sage did not favor him. Now he's left bereft. Although there are definitely other beings of the Shushan Sword Sages' level who are watching him, given Zhao Xuanxian's personality, he will definitely bully him."

"Forget that. He's an elite genius, and has nothing to do with ordinary disciples like you and I. Let's hurry on to the Demons' Abyss to earn some more merits."

"Yes, my brother. Last month at the Demons' Abyss, a Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens was killed. And it was the kind with a Natural Mystique. That was worth many merits, an enviable feat...."

A pity that Wu Yu had flashed past without hearing this. There was a coldness in the bones of the Shushan Sword Sages. Wu Yu could clearly feel this. On his way back, everyone that he met gave him small smiles, then hurried away on their own business.

"First, I will go to Heaven's Equal Peak to compose myself and then go to Flying Immortal Hall to see if there are any missions to undertake."

Wu Yu had some aversion to the Demons' Abyss. He was not too willing to go there and earn merits. Besides, there was basically no match for Wu Yu there.

Back at Heaven's Equal Peak, he spent a few days sorting things. He went to the Yi Treasure Vault at the Battle Sword Palace to sell the Paranormal Pillar of Blood, the Sword of the Mystic Eye, and the other spiritual immortal treasures that he no longer needed. In exchange, he received more than 100 Golden Essence Pills and other immortal essences needed for refining immortal medicines.

After he was done sorting things, he prepared to leave.

Just as he was about to leave, he discovered that Baili Feihong was resting on his wine jug in front of the door of Heaven's Equal Peak. His hair was still disheveled, and his face still flushed. He still looked to be in an alcoholic stupor. After seeing Wu Yu, he showed a row of yellow teeth and chuckled. "Heard you just got out of the Core Sword Cell. The boss lady Shen Xingyu bid me send greetings to you on her behalf. She's in seclusion right now, but she'll come out and play with you when she can."