The group continued forward after crossing Ghost Head Town.

During a rest stop, the adults formed a patrol and kept watch to prevent any unforeseen incidents.

Night.

The Lunar Star hung in the sky.

Soft moonlight spread across the land.

Ma Ning sat cross-legged, holding the Hundred Ghosts Banner, surrounded by three Underworld Souls, each absorbing and releasing Pure Yin Energy.

The Pure Yin Energy was refined by the Underworld Souls, and a portion was distributed to Ma Ning through the Hundred Ghosts Banner to aid her cultivation.

This is the benefit of crafting the Hundred Ghosts Banner. If one can truly refine a hundred Underworld Souls, the mere enhancement of cultivation speed would be several times that of an ordinary person.

Of course.

Refining Underworld Soul Ghosts demands an extremely high requirement on the Divine Soul.

If one forcibly refines an Underworld Soul beyond one’s own capability, backlash will surely occur, resulting in anything from madness to death.

For Ma Ning, three Underworld Souls was already her limit.

However, the Yama Secret Realm was filled with Profound Yin Qi, which was extremely convenient for those cultivating using the corresponding technique.

In the outside world, with Ma Ning’s talent and scarce resources, she wouldn’t be able to cultivate much at this age.

On the other side.

Ma Chao was sound asleep.

For a Martial Artist, the focus is on body refinement. If the essence within is not abundant, forcibly refining the body would actually damage it.

Rest,

is also for better adjustment of the body’s condition.

"Crackle..."

The wood crackled crisply in the bonfire, and Fang Zheng poked the flames with a dry branch, then turned his head and asked:

"Brother Ding, what are the requirements for entering the Inner City in previous years?"

It was his turn to keep watch and patrol tonight, and perhaps Ding Li wasn’t very assured, so he stayed by.

Upon hearing this,

he thought for a moment and said:

"Fengdu City governs four districts and dozens of towns. Each district sends suitable children to the city once every four years."

"No older than ten, no younger than six, rotating in this way."

"When I was young, if one cultivated the Yama Heart Sutra to the second layer and had outstanding talent in certain areas, they could enter the Inner City."

At this point, Ding Li shook his head with a bitter smile.

Clearly.

He did not receive the opportunity to enter the Inner City back then.

"In recent years, I don’t know why, but more and more talented children are appearing. Last time, out of the ten children admitted to the Inner City, seven had cultivated the Yama Heart Sutra to the third layer, and the other three were also exceptionally gifted, but their cultivation base was slightly lower due to their age."

Fang Zheng raised an eyebrow.

It seems that the disturbances in Heaven and Earth’s Qi Mechanism also lead to changes in the Secret Realm, producing many talents here as well.

"Brother Fang."

Ding Li spoke:

"In fact, staying in the Outer City is an option. As long as one cultivates the Yama Heart Sutra to the third layer before the age of twelve, they can also enter the Inner City then."

Ma Ning and Ma Chao, one nearly ten and the other eight, clearly had no hope of entering the Inner City this time.

But to make an effort, there’s still a chance to stay in the Outer City.

With some hard work over the next few years, there’s still hope to enter the Inner City, though it seemed unlikely to him.

Fang Zheng nodded slowly.

Two years!

He could not wait.

The Ma siblings must enter the Inner City, only then could they have the opportunity to access the complete version of the Yama Heart Sutra.

"By the way."

Ding Li said:

"Brother Fang, your Yama Heart Sutra should have reached the fourth layer, right?"

The fourth layer signified cultivation of Mana and True Qi, enabling one to perform magic without external aids.

It marked a significant difference from those below the fourth layer.

"Yes."

Fang Zheng replied:

"I recently reached the fourth layer. I was planning to go to Fengdu City to seek the subsequent cultivation skills."

It indeed was not long ago.

Previously, he hadn’t even started cultivating the Yama Heart Sutra.

"What a pity!"

Ding Li sighed:

"If Ghost Head Town were intact, Brother Fang could learn the subsequent five layers of cultivation from the town head."

"However, with sufficient cultivation, entering Fengdu City is also accessible."

Fang Zheng felt a slight stir in his heart.

It seemed,

cultivating the subsequent techniques here wasn’t troublesome.

Perhaps because everyone here cultivated the Yama Heart Sutra, the restriction on the techniques was naturally much more relaxed.

As per the general guideline, the Yama Heart Sutra has eleven layers in total, directly pointing to the Rogue Immortal stage.

Three layers for Warlocks.

Five layers for Mages.

Three layers for Masters.

The Mage realm is divided into five layers, corresponding to the Five Elements, the Five Viscera, and even the Five Chakras.

The stone stele in Ghost Head Town only detailed the cultivation up to the fourth layer, stopping at the cultivation of Mana.

In other words, completing one chakra.

Ding Li curiously asked:

"I wonder which magic Brother Fang specializes in?"

Hmm?

Is this something that can be casually asked?

Here, everyone cultivated the Yama Heart Sutra, but the auxiliary magic varies, sometimes encountering mutually restraining techniques.

If one’s technique was entirely known to others, it’d be easy to be targeted.

Fang Zheng’s eyes shifted, and he spoke slowly:

"Primarily the Soul Hook Chain, with a bit of Martial Arts."

"Oh!"

Ding Li squinted:

"Quite nice."

Then he didn’t say much more.

"Brother Fang’s auxiliary magic is the Soul Hook Chain?" A patrolling woman in the distance turned back upon hearing:

"What a coincidence, my daughter practices it too."

"Her surname is Cui, and everyone calls her Nanny Cui." Ding Li said softly:

"This woman is somewhat stubborn. Ever since her husband passed away, she’s not been quite right, so don’t mind her."

Fang Zheng looked up.

Nanny Cui had a robust frame, with a peculiar large serrated knife on her back, her eyes shining brightly.

Based on her physique and weapon, she seemed to be a Martial Artist.

Strictly speaking, the Yama Heart Sutra is a path that combines magic and martial skills, where the Mana and True Qi cultivated are merely terms.

Both Magic and Martial Arts are essentially the same.

However, some are innately dull in sensing Heaven and Earth’s Qi Mechanism, making magic spells extremely difficult for them.

In such cases, martial practice suits better.

Though they could cultivate magic, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble.

This is somewhat similar to the Martial Sect and Masters.

But Martial Sects are not due to dullness in perception but habituation to combat with Martial Arts, making it different.

Nodding towards the other, Fang Zheng withdrew his gaze.