Marrow Cleansing Pill

Roar! Howl!

A dragon's chant and an elephant's roar seemed to travel from the primordial wilderness of ancient times, exploding within his body at the same instant.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The bones throughout his body erupted in a dense series of pops, like beans crackling in a frying pan.

An unprecedented explosive force surged wildly from the depths of his bone marrow!

Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, seventh layer—breakthrough!

Shen Che abruptly opened his eyes. He could feel that his strength had undergone a qualitative leap.

According to the rules of the upper three layers of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, every breakthrough increased one's strength by a hundred thousand jin.

His physical strength, originally one hundred and seventy thousand jin, had now skyrocketed directly to two hundred and seventy thousand jin!

This power had already completely surpassed Yan Hong at the Primal Force Peak.

Shen Che did not stop.

He could feel that the potential within his body was far from exhausted.

He closed his eyes again and launched an assault toward the eighth layer.

The eighth layer was several times more difficult than the seventh.

This time, he spent a full month and a half—nearly two months.

Within the quiet room, the crimson-gold Dragon Elephant Qi over Shen Che's body had nearly become tangible, wrapping his entire body in a massive cocoon of energy.

At a certain moment, the energy cocoon suddenly contracted before bursting apart with a thunderous bang.

Roar—

A dragon chant and elephant roar, more resonant and solid than before, rang through the entire residence.

Shen Che rose to his feet.

His bones and muscles had undergone a complete tempering by the Dragon Elephant Qi, reaching an unbelievable state.

Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, eighth layer—complete!

His physical strength, already at two hundred and seventy thousand jin, surged by another hundred thousand jin.

Three hundred and seventy thousand jin!

A terrifying force approaching four hundred thousand jin!

He merely rose casually, yet the gust of wind he stirred overturned the teacup on a nearby table and sent it crashing to the floor.

Shen Che clenched his fist.

He felt that a single punch from him now could bore straight through a small hill.

He was practically an ancient ferocious beast wearing human skin.

His seclusion over, Shen Che pushed open the door to the quiet room.

After more than two months of arduous cultivation, his entire being had undergone a complete transformation.

He opened the attribute panel visible only to him.

[Name: Shen Che]

[Realm: True Meridian Realm, Twelve Meridians Perfected]

[Techniques: Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill (Eighth Layer), Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield (Fifteenth Layer), Dragon's Roar Iron Shirt (Twelfth Layer)]

[Time Value: 100]

To break through the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill to the ninth layer through normal cultivation would take half a year.

The remaining 100 points of Time Value were nowhere near enough.

If he wanted another qualitative leap in strength, the only path was to advance to the Primordial Qi Realm.

It seemed it was time to take on another mission.

He could earn Contribution Points while replenishing his Time Value—killing two birds with one stone.

Having made up his mind, Shen Che headed straight for the Demon Suppression Division's mission hall.

The mission hall bustled with people coming and going.

Shen Che passed through the crowd and spotted Yan Xiu behind the counter at a glance.

Two people stood beside Yan Xiu.

One was a lean old man in embroidered robes with graying hair.

The other was a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth dressed in white, his features so handsome they seemed almost excessive.

Both carried themselves with extraordinary bearing and did not look like members of the Demon Suppression Division.

Shen Che stepped up to the counter and got straight to the point. "Lord Yan, I would like to find a suitable mission."

Yan Xiu set down the case file in his hand, raised his head, and revealed a perfectly measured smile.

He pointed to the two beside him. "What a coincidence. These two distinguished guests happen to have a commission."

The white-haired old man sized Shen Che up and down, frowning.

"Lord Yan, I have said before that this journey is perilous. What we need are experts at the Primordial Qi Realm or above."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable arrogance.

"This young man may be from the Demon Suppression Division, but given his age, his cultivation is likely..."

He did not finish, but his meaning was crystal clear.

You are too young. We do not trust you.

The white-robed youth beside him said nothing, but the way he looked Shen Che over showed that he shared the old man's thoughts.

Yan Xiu's smile did not change.

"Elder Bai, do not underestimate him."

"This is Shen Che, the most monstrous genius our Cangyun City Demon Suppression Division has seen in recent years."

Yan Xiu slowly dropped a bombshell.

"Yan Hong, a Class-A wanted fiend on the Demon Suppression List and a demon at the Primal Force Peak, died at his hands."

"Yan Hong?"

A puzzled look appeared on the white-haired old man's face. He had never heard that name.

He had long occupied a high position and was unfamiliar with the demons and monsters of the martial world.

The white-robed youth beside him, however, changed expression.

"Grandfather, Yan Hong was an old demon who became famous three hundred years ago. He was at the peak of the Commander level and was said to have already placed half a foot into the Innate Realm."

The white-robed youth's voice carried a trace of disbelief.

"What?"

This time, the white-haired old man was truly startled.

He looked at Shen Che again. The contempt in his attitude had vanished, replaced by scrutiny and astonishment.

A youth under twenty had slain an old demon who was half a step into the Innate Realm?

Who would believe that if it were told aloud?

Yet these words had come from Yan Xiu, the head of the Demon Suppression Division's branch.

Yan Xiu took in both their reactions. The heat was just right.

He turned to Shen Che and dangled the true bait.

"Shen Che, Elder Bai's reward for this commission is a Marrow Cleansing Pill."

Marrow Cleansing Pill!

The moment those three words entered his ears, ripples rose in Shen Che's ordinarily still heart.

He knew this thing all too well.

It was a uniquely refined spiritual pill of Heavenly Dragon Temple in the Great Sun Kingdom. Legend said it could cleanse one's meridians and marrow, remold one's body, and bring about a rebirth.

More importantly, it could improve a martial artist's aptitude and comprehension.

This was precisely Shen Che's greatest weakness at present.

His blade arts and fist arts had long been unable to break through into the true realm of "intent," all because of the limits of his comprehension.

To him, this pill was worth far more than several thousand Contribution Points.

It was like someone bringing him a pillow just as sleep overtook him.

Seeing Shen Che's reaction, Yan Xiu knew there was hope.

He continued, "The mission itself is not complicated. Escort Young Master Bai Fengling back to the White King's Mansion in the Great Sun Kingdom."

He pointed at the white-robed youth.

The Great Sun Kingdom was one of the Human Race's ten kingdoms and bordered the Great Jing Dynasty.

Setting out from Cangyun City and traveling west, the road was long. Even at the fastest pace, it would take more than a month.

And the White King's Mansion...

Shen Che had some impression of that name. The master of the White King's Mansion, that Prince Bai, was one of the Great Sun Kingdom's foremost experts, a top martial artist listed on the Heavenly Ranking.

Elder Bai sighed and glanced at the silent Bai Fengling beside him.

"The greatest danger of this escort mission will not come from petty riffraff along the road."

"It will come from within the White King's Mansion."