Absorbing Spiritual Energy

"I calculated that that thread of Dou Qi would be just enough to evaporate all the moisture. This requires you to have a clear understanding of the power of your Dou Qi and to control every bit of your energy. I know this is a little difficult for you, but once you manage it, you'll be able to wield strength beyond your current level."

Under Gu He's guidance, Xiao Yi Xian began learning this method of controlling power, practicing through all sorts of small tasks around her. For instance, she would attach Dou Qi to a toothpick and use it to write on a wooden table of the same material. The writing had to look no different from usual, and the toothpick could not be damaged.

After practicing like this for over an hour, Gu He saw the fatigue in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes. He knew that after watching alchemy for a day and a half straight and using up most of her Dou Qi, her body had nearly reached its limit, so he let her return to her room to rest.

Watching Xiao Yi Xian enter her room, Gu He thought to himself, Xian'er, don't blame me for being strict. Your constitution is a ticking time bomb that could erupt at any moment. All Master can do is help you gain control of the Calamity Poison Body as soon as possible, but that requires at least the strength of a Dou Zun.

Gu He withdrew his gaze and sat in the hall, planning to find a room to cultivate in after Fama finished his verification. Taking advantage of this rare free time, Gu He decided to sort through his plans for the future.

He currently had enough ingredients in his Ring for twenty-four complete batches of Sixth-grade pills: eight batches of Imperial Pill ingredients, eight batches of Spirit Dou Pill ingredients, two batches of Spirit Melting Pill ingredients, two batches of Soul Clearing Pill ingredients, two batches of Sect Breaking Pill ingredients, and two batches of Calamity Breaking Pill ingredients. Materials that could not make up a complete batch of Sixth-grade pill ingredients were not included for now. Since becoming a Sixth-grade Alchemist, he had only refined Imperial Pills and Spirit Dou Pills. He had never refined the other Sixth-grade pills. His current success rate for Spirit Dou Pills was around eighty percent, while his success rate for Imperial Pills was lower, only fifty percent. He had never refined Spirit Melting Pills or Soul Clearing Pills, so his success rate would be at most forty percent—and that was only because those pills were less difficult to refine than Imperial Pills. As for Sect Breaking Pills, he only had an incomplete formula. He knew what materials were needed, but not the specific refining method.

The final result would probably be four Imperial Pills, six Spirit Dou Pills, and one Spirit Melting Pill or Soul Clearing Pill. Considering that he needed to give two pills to the Misty Cloud Sect, even fewer would ultimately remain in his hands.

Gu He could not help rubbing his forehead. He was not particularly satisfied with this result. To reach the Peak Dou Emperor level, he needed at least seven Imperial Pills. These ingredients might seem plentiful, but they were still short of that goal. Hopefully, the Three Great Families and the Jia Ma Royal Family in the Imperial Capital would come through tomorrow!

The Jia Ma Royal Family at the very least needed him to refine a Primal Bone-Shaping Pill to treat their guardian Magical Beast. Among the other Three Great Families, at least one should need pills refined. That would mean another twenty-six batches of ingredients added to his collection. He hoped that Imperial Pill ingredients would make up a larger share. He could also test how much Devouring Flame could improve his strength by absorbing Spirit Dou Pills.

As for digesting all that energy, the Monster Mountain Range was naturally the most suitable place. Not only could he battle Magical Beasts to temper his rapidly growing Dou Qi, but killing Sixth Tier Magical Beasts to obtain Magic Cores could likewise increase his strength. Besides, considering that he would soon be heading to the Black Corner Region, it would be best to use a Shaping Pill to subdue a Dou Emperor-level Magical Beast. That way, when he established a force in the Black Corner Region, he would not be the only one there to hold things together.

Gu He abruptly rose to his feet. He had recalled Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, whose strength had been sealed by Queen Medusa. He could make a deal with him: in exchange for refining a Calamity Breaking Pill, Hai Bodong would serve him for one year.

Gu He struck his right fist into his left palm and decided that once he reached the Peak Dou Emperor level, he would make a trip to the Tagor Desert and give it a try.

At that moment, a thudding set of footsteps sounded out. Gu He looked toward the staircase, knowing that Fama was coming down. Sure enough, Fama soon entered his sight. Although his expression was calm, the excitement at the corners of his eyes undeniably betrayed his true feelings. Confirming the correctness of the soul realm and learning the direction of the road ahead had clearly left him immensely excited.

Still, Gu He stepped forward and asked, "Elder Fa, how was it? Did you sense Spiritual Energy?"

"Unbelievable. Such a miraculous cultivation technique actually exists in this world. It is somewhat regrettable that I cannot absorb Spiritual Energy, but merely learning of its existence and studying its nature holds immeasurable value." It was clear that Fama was extremely satisfied with this deal.

"It's good that you sensed it. I was worried you wouldn't, since I had no way to definitively prove that Spiritual Energy existed. Then I might have been kicked out in the middle of the night and forced to crash at someone else's place!" Gu He relaxed and began joking around.

"Pill King, it seems that going out for a while has made you much younger at heart!" Fama laughed heartily, neither confirming nor denying Gu He's words.

After seeing Fama out of the bamboo grove, Gu He returned to his room and immersed himself in cultivation.

With no one to disturb him this time, he wanted to try using Devouring Flame to directly absorb Spiritual Energy. Since he could already sense Spiritual Energy, Devouring Flame should be able to do it, given its ability to devour all forms of energy.

Gu He sat on the bed, calmed his mind, and silently recited the incantation. A low, indistinct sound slowly echoed through the room. After nearly an hour, Gu He finally entered that strange state where he could sense Spiritual Energy once more.

Gu He felt that within the empty space of the room, which had originally been filled with Heaven and Earth energy, tiny wisps of faint, chaos-like airflow had suddenly appeared. He had never experienced this in cultivation before. These currents were hidden extremely deeply, obscured by the dense Heaven and Earth energy. If not for the incantation, Gu He would certainly have been unable to sense such subtle foreign energy.

Gu He locked onto the nearest wisp of Spiritual Energy. The desire to devour rose within him, and he half-consciously urged his Dou Qi to form pitch-black Devouring Flame. In an instant, the black flames spread through the surrounding space, covering that entire area with Devouring Flame. He then carefully evaporated the chaotic energy surrounding the Spiritual Energy bit by bit before finally burning the Spiritual Energy itself, allowing it to quickly merge into the flames. Gu He drew the flames back into his body and immediately felt a surge of active energy slip into the space between his brows. Soon, a faint coolness arose within his mind. He understood that this was a phenomenon that only appeared after the Spiritual Energy within his soul had increased.

It worked. Gu He murmured joyfully to himself.

Gu He roughly gauged the extent of his soul's growth and the amount of Dou Qi consumed. He estimated that if he did not cultivate throughout the night and instead focused solely on restoring Dou Qi and absorbing Spiritual Energy, he could absorb around ten wisps of Spiritual Energy, increasing his soul strength by five percent.

"Hiss!" Gu He was startled by the number he had calculated. At this rate of growth, after twenty days, his soul strength would be twice what it was now—almost enough to match the soul strength of a Seventh-grade Alchemist. And this did not even account for daytime, nor the increased efficiency that would come with growing proficiency. Otherwise, the rate of growth would be even more terrifying.

"This incantation is practically tailored for me. Without an absorption method, I can instead focus entirely on using Devouring Flame to absorb it." Gu He could not help standing up and pacing back and forth a few times to calm the excitement in his heart.