Zi Yan's Advancement

Zi Yan's Advancement

Xiao Yang took out a long-handled jade ladle and carefully scooped out the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk, placing it into a fine Mutton Fat Jade Bottle. He deliberately left behind some that was difficult to scoop out, rather than scraping the place clean.

This was also the common understanding among all alchemists: treasures of heaven and earth belonged to those fated to obtain them, but their roots should not be destroyed.

Ever since inheriting the legacy of that Eighth-Grade Alchemist and becoming an alchemist himself, Xiao Yang had long since prepared these jade containers. He had bought them in Black Seal City during his previous travels.

Xiao Yang then fitted the circular stalactite piece back into place. Descending from the ceiling of the karst cave, he landed beside the large bluish stone once more. Looking at the milky-white liquid within the groove, he took out a jade bottle and collected every drop.

He had no use for this stuff, but it would be perfect to save for his own brother Xiao Yan and Xun Er, who were still at the Dou Qi stage.

With a flap of his wings, Xiao Yang took Zi Yan to inspect this underground cavern before leaving the valley.

Three days later, in a secluded and spacious valley, Xiao Yang looked at Zi Yan, who had fallen asleep after taking the Transformation Pill, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

This girl was recklessly bold. She had first grabbed the bottle containing half a bottle of Earth Core Body Tempering Milk and poured it straight into her mouth. Then, without waiting, she stuffed the Transformation Pill into her mouth as well, chewed it like candy, and swallowed it in two bites.

The next instant, a dense purple radiance surged from Zi Yan's body. It eventually formed a purple cocoon over three meters wide, completely enveloping her.

Thanks to the penetrating vision of his Heavenly Demon Blood Eyes, Xiao Yang could still see Zi Yan curled up within it like an infant, sleeping deeply.

Shaking his head, Xiao Yang took out a large wooden barrel and filled it to the brim with clean water. He then brought out several dozen medicinal ingredients and began preparing them.

Zi Yan had helped him find all of those medicinal ingredients over the past three days, on the way here before they arrived at this cave.

Xiao Yang first poured his half—an entire bottle—of Earth Core Body Tempering Milk into the barrel, then began refining the medicinal ingredients.

Incense Candle Grass, Green Lotus Fruit, Snake Shedding Flower, Buddha Flame Root, Blood Refining Grass, Yuan Yang Fruit...

Xiao Yang refined several dozen varieties of medicinal ingredients and poured them into the barrel.

Then, Xiao Yang stripped off all his clothes and jumped straight into the barrel.

The immense medicinal potency immediately began pouring madly into Xiao Yang's body!

Yet Xiao Yang remained perfectly still, guiding the medicinal potency according to the new cultivation route of the Yuan Magnetic Xuan Gang Overlord Body as it began tempering his body. That medicinal power, as vast and heavy as the earth itself, continuously seeped into Xiao Yang's muscles, tendons, bones, organs, blood, and even cells...

Xiao Yang had a strange sensation. It was as though his body had once contained many gaps, but now a heavy material was filling them in. His body did not become cumbersome or sluggish, yet its very substance became far sturdier, denser, and tougher.

At the same time, thousands of kilometers away at the Misty Cloud Sect of the Jia Ma Empire, Yun Leng, the Great Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, had been discussing matters in the main hall when, without any warning, he suddenly bared his teeth, rolled around on the floor, and wailed, "Ah! It hurts! It itches! It feels like tens of thousands of ants are crawling through the gaps in my bones! Sect Master, save me!"

Meanwhile, Yun Yun, seated in the Sect Master's seat in the main hall, was utterly bewildered. No matter how she thought about it, she could not understand why her Great Elder had suddenly begun screaming.

But judging by the agony on his face, he clearly was not faking it. Besides, Great Elder Yun Leng had no reason to do something like this. What meaning could there be in suddenly screaming and wailing without warning, rolling all over the floor without regard for his image, other than embarrassing himself?

Fortunately, everyone present was a disciple or elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, so he had not made a fool of himself before outsiders.

Yun Yun instinctively looked toward Pill King Gu He, the guest elder of the Misty Cloud Sect seated nearby.

Seeing Yun Yun's plea for help, Gu He naturally did not refuse. He hurried forward with several Misty Cloud Sect elders at his side and forcibly held Yun Leng down.

After Gu He used his soul perception to scan Yun Leng's body inch by inch, his expression changed drastically.

Seeing this, Yun Yun hurriedly asked, "Elder Gu He, what is wrong with the Great Elder?"

Gu He's face darkened, his expression turning exceptionally grim. "Sect Master, the Great Elder's condition is dire. Forgive Gu He's incompetence, but I cannot determine the exact cause.

"I only know that the Great Elder appears to have been afflicted with some kind of strange poison. His remaining lifespan is now less than three years.

"This intense pain must be the result of the latent poison within his body acting up."

Of course, this was not the onset of some strange poison at all. The side effects of absorbing the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk had been transferred to Great Elder Yun Leng through the Damage Transfer Card.

The agony one had to endure while absorbing Earth Core Body Tempering Milk was so severe that even Xiao Yan, a ruthless man who had endured the refining of Heavenly Flames, had been tortured half to death by it. Let alone Yun Leng.

Xiao Yang was not foolish enough to bear that pain himself. Such a blessing was better left to you, Great Elder Yun Leng!

Although the Damage Transfer Card could only bind one target at a time, once the previous bound target died, it could be rebound to another target.

That was why the system had only rewarded Xiao Yang with one Damage Transfer Card. One was enough.

Yun Yun's lovely face filled with astonishment. "Poisoned? Within the Jia Ma Empire, who would have the audacity to poison the Great Elder of my Misty Cloud Sect?"

After a pause, Yun Yun continued, "Never mind that for now. Saving him is more important. Elder Gu He, can you cure this poison?"

Gu He's old face reddened at her words. "Forgive Gu He's incompetence. I have never seen or even heard of such a strange poison. It is colorless and odorless, shows no warning signs before it acts up, and even erodes one's lifespan. If such a strange poison were judged by medicinal pill standards, it would at least rank at the seventh grade...

"Gu He is merely a low-tier sixth-grade alchemist. I am truly powerless."

"Seventh grade?" Yun Yun's expression changed dramatically. "Yun Leng, when did you provoke such a person? Speak at once!"

Yun Leng was also dumbfounded. For a moment, he even forgot the excruciating pain wracking his body. "Sect Master, please see clearly! What virtue or ability do I, Yun Leng, possess to have ever encountered such a person? Besides, these past few years, I have diligently remained on Misty Cloud Mountain managing the sect's affairs. I have never gone out!"

Yun Yun rubbed her brow, her face full of helplessness. Waving a hand, she said, "Enough. Great Elder, focus on recuperating properly."

Upon hearing that, Yun Leng felt as though he had been struck by lightning. His face instantly turned ashen.

Just as the entire Misty Cloud Sect was consumed by suspicion and paranoia, the system prompt sounded once more in Xiao Yang's mind: "Severely traumatized the body and mind of Yun Leng, Great Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Reward: Divine Blade Slash, mastery complete."