36 Cultivation Methods

The three colors of energy corresponded to poison, fire, and ice attributes respectively.

In truth, poison was not a specific attribute. Anyone of any attribute could become a poison master as long as they put effort into pharmacology.

Only when the amount of poison in one's body reached an extremely high level, like that of a Calamity Poison Body, would poison become an attribute.

Chen Cheng's poison came from Red Serpent, while the toxins within his body came from the Curse Poison Power he had absorbed. The poison content was extremely high, so he could be considered to have a poison attribute.

His fire attribute had been copied from Yan Lingji, while the ice attribute was Chen Cheng's own.

"Good, good, this is truly wonderful. Not only can you cultivate Poison Art, but you can also cultivate fire-attribute cultivation methods. This is truly astonishing." Chen Ye's face blossomed with delight.

"Cheng'er, come with me. I'll teach you a cultivation method right away," Chen Ye said to Chen Cheng.

Hearing this, Chen Cheng got out of bed, straightened his somewhat rumpled clothes, and followed Chen Ye toward his study.

Chen Ye removed several books from the shelf, then pressed a section of wooden paneling that looked no different from the surrounding area to the naked eye. A depression appeared in the panel.

Immediately afterward, a door-sized section behind Chen Ye's desk rotated open, revealing a secret chamber.

Chen Cheng had not expected that, apart from the secret chamber beneath the artificial rockery, there was another one in Chen Ye's room.

"Within the family, all Cultivation Methods and Fighting Skills below the Earth Rank are stored in the Dou Qi Pavilion. But some high-level cultivation methods and fighting skills are kept in my secret chamber, under my personal care," Chen Ye explained to Chen Cheng.

Then Chen Ye led Chen Cheng into the secret chamber.

The chamber was not large, only about the size of an ordinary room.

A bookshelf stood inside, and on it were only a little over twenty exquisite wooden boxes.

Chen Ye shut the secret chamber door and said to Chen Cheng, "These are all of the Chen Family's Cultivation Methods and Fighting Skills at the Earth Rank and above. Three were passed down through the Chen Family, while the remaining twenty-two sets were acquired from others."

Chen Cheng found it hard to believe that the Chen Family possessed twenty-five sets of Earth Rank and higher Cultivation Methods and Fighting Skills.

In the Izumo Empire, possessing even a single Earth Rank cultivation method was enough to establish a sect on the same level as the Misty Cloud Sect. More than twenty sets was simply beyond belief.

Chen Ye walked to the shelf, opened one of the wooden boxes, took out an ancient-looking book, and handed it to Chen Cheng.

"This is the Source of Deadly Poison. Take a look."

Chen Cheng accepted the cultivation method and opened it to read.

Chen Cheng did not possess a Calamity Poison Body, so this cultivation method could only be considered Earth Middle-Rank for him.

As Chen Cheng flipped through it, he found that it truly was a very peculiar cultivation method.

It used special poisons as guidance to condense a poison qi vortex within the body. Once cultivated to the later stages, the entire body would become a poison-element energy body. One could freely absorb toxins and release poison ten times the amount of other poison masters at the same level.

"If you had a Calamity Poison Body, this cultivation method would be even more effective. But even so, cultivating it will bring enormous benefits. Though it cannot reach the level of a Calamity Poison Body, where consuming poison can raise one's realm, absorbing highly toxic substances can likewise directly increase one's cultivation," Chen Ye explained.

Chen Yuan had cultivated this method, which was why he could directly absorb a sixth-tier Nether Poison Dog to increase his cultivation.

"Cheng'er, remember this: only someone with a Calamity Poison Body can bring out the greatest effect of this cultivation method. If you ever encounter someone with a Calamity Poison Body, find a way to kill her and seize her physique. This cultivation method explains how to seize another's physique," Chen Ye instructed Zheng Zhong.

"Remember, you must not personally make a move against a Calamity Poison Body. A Calamity Poison Body has far too strong a restraining effect on those who cultivate the Source of Deadly Poison. You cannot possibly defeat her. Just have your subordinates do it."

"I understand." Chen Ye nodded upon hearing this.

Hearing Chen Ye's instructions, he could not help thinking of Xiao Yi Xian in Green Mountain Town. She possessed a genuine Calamity Poison Body.

It seems that once I learn this cultivation method, it'll be time to pay Xiao Yi Xian a visit, Chen Cheng thought.

"Cheng'er, starting three days from now, come here to cultivate the Source of Deadly Poison. The Curse Poison Qi underground can speed up your cultivation of this method. As for the poisons needed for cultivation, I'll have Chen Li prepare everything for you. Three days should be enough to gather all those medicinal ingredients."

"Oh, right. Since you also have a fire attribute, let me show you something else." A meaningful smile appeared on Chen Ye's face as he took another cultivation method from a wooden box and handed it to Chen Cheng.

Puzzled, Chen Cheng set down the Source of Deadly Poison and accepted the cultivation method Chen Ye handed him.

When Chen Cheng opened it and saw the description inside, he froze in shock.

Emperor Flame Sacred Art, Heaven Rank High-Level.

"Heaven Rank High-Level?" Chen Cheng's face was filled with shock, and his tone became exceptionally solemn.

"Grandfather, this is?" Chen Cheng still could not believe that someone in a small place like the Izumo Empire could produce a Heaven Rank High-Level cultivation method. Seeing Chen Cheng's incomparably shocked expression, the smile on Chen Ye's face deepened. After a moment, he coughed, gathered his thoughts, and said to Chen Cheng:

"More than ten years ago, there was a genius Dou Wang in the Jia Ma Empire. He was very powerful and killed many members of the Chen Family. At that time, I had just advanced to the Dou Emperor realm. When I heard that our clansmen were being slaughtered, naturally I could not endure it. So I arranged with Old Devil Murong and Old Devil Lin to intercept and kill him."

"At the time, he seemed to have gone out to handle some business and had not brought many people with him. We found an opportunity.

"He was very strong. Though he was only a Dou Wang, he could suppress me even after I had broken through to the Dou Emperor realm. Old Devil Lin and Old Devil Murong were both Dou Wangs as well. Yet when the two Dou Wangs and I fought him together, we were still at a disadvantage. After a prolonged battle, both old friends died by his hand. Later, the poison I had left in his body erupted, and I finally killed him."

"At the time, I found these twenty-two Cultivation Methods and Fighting Skills on him. They were all Earth Rank and above, and the highest-ranked among them was this Heaven Rank High-Level Emperor Flame Sacred Art.

"Back then, I could not believe it either. I thought, how could such a small place possess cultivation methods of such a high grade? I brought these cultivation methods back to the clan, but I never dared reveal them. I feared that his enemies would come to our door. Yet after a long time passed, I never heard of any particularly powerful faction announcing that their cultivation methods had been stolen."

"Only then did I conclude that he must have acquired these cultivation methods from some ruin, and that their origins were legitimate.

"But I still dared not make these cultivation methods public. Their ranks are too high—at the very least, they are all Earth Rank. If others learned that the Chen Family possessed such powerful cultivation methods, it would surely bring about the destruction of our family. So I kept them sealed away. Besides, the requirements for cultivating these things are too demanding. One must obtain a Heavenly Flame before cultivation can begin. I have never heard news of a Heavenly Flame anywhere, so these cultivation methods never had a chance to see the light of day."

As Chen Ye explained, Chen Cheng suddenly felt that Chen Ye seemed just like the protagonist of a story, blessed with heaven-defying fortune—he had gone out once and obtained a heaven-defying cultivation method.

Chen Cheng was extremely tempted by a Heaven Rank cultivation method, but the requirement of possessing a Heavenly Flame before he could cultivate it was no small condition.

It seems it's time to make a trip to the Tagor Desert, Chen Cheng thought.

With such a high-level cultivation method before him, there was no way he would not cultivate it. Of the Heavenly Flames he knew, only the Green Lotus Core Flame in the Tagor Desert came to mind. He just did not know whether Medusa Queen had already obtained it.

After opening the Emperor Flame Sacred Art and reading its description, Chen Cheng was full of praise for the person who had created this cultivation method.

According to its description, after cultivating this method, one could forcibly fuse multiple Heavenly Flames without suffering backlash from them.

It sounded as though this cultivation method was even more advanced than the Fen Jue.

After all, the Fen Jue started at Low-Rank Yellow, while the Emperor Flame Sacred Art began at Heaven High-Rank.

Chen Cheng casually looked through the other cultivation methods on the bookshelf.

Among them, the three sets of Cultivation Methods and Fighting Skills above the Earth Rank that had been passed down through the Chen Family were all poison-attributed. There was the Earth Middle-Rank Source of Deadly Poison, another Earth Low-Rank cultivation method, and an Earth Low-Rank fighting skill.

The remaining twenty-odd Cultivation Methods and Fighting Skills were all fire-attributed. Though their ranks were high, their cultivation requirements were equally demanding—at the very least, one needed to possess a Heavenly Flame.

With such harsh requirements, it was no wonder Chen Ye could not make them public.

Aside from the danger of possessing a treasure, the greatest reason was that no one could cultivate them.

Chen Cheng continued flipping through the pages until his gaze landed on a secret technique that required a Heavenly Flame to perform.

Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Flame!

"Grandfather, could you tell me the name of that Jia Ma Empire Dou Wang you robbed more than ten years ago?" Chen Cheng asked in surprise.

Chen Ye thought for a moment before answering, "I don't remember his exact name. I think it was Xiao something."