Cooked If Boiled Again

The process of bathing in medicinal liquid was incredibly grueling. Lian Chengyu circulated his full body's vital energy to protect himself, yet he still grimaced in pain. However, the thought of entering the Tai'a Divine Kingdom in the future and potentially practicing the Tai'a Sacred Law, becoming someone superior, made Lian Chengyu endure it all!

It had to be said, Lian Chengyu's willpower was extraordinary when it came to becoming stronger.

Someone with weaker willpower might be content with the title of Young Master of a tribe, secretly enjoying the best food and grains from a small tribe, and occasionally messing around with the young girls in the tribe, living the life of a carefree village prodigy. How could they possibly reach the heights Lian Chengyu had attained?

"Young Master Lian, what willpower!"

"Young Master Lian is truly a man of iron!"

"This boiling medicinal liquid bath is not something an ordinary person can endure! Young Master Lian is truly a dragon among men!"

Seeing Lian Chengyu being cooked in the medicinal liquid like a perfectly roasted shrimp, the surrounding lackeys, including Zhao Tiezhu, started to flatter him.

They didn't usually speak like this; they were full of crude language. But to flatter him, they had specifically learned some high-sounding adjectives.

"Add more fire!"

Lian Chengyu gritted his teeth and shouted. Being boiled in ninety-degree water, what kind of suffering was this? At this moment, the veins on Lian Chengyu's forehead bulged, his body curled up, and his skin turned bright red.

In this state, if one were to associate Lian Chengyu with "a dragon among men," it would probably only be in the context of a boiled lobster.

He was truly at his limit, yet the effect of the medicinal liquid bath was far worse than he had estimated! How could this be?

"Add more fire?"

The lackeys exchanged glances, their admiration for Lian Chengyu growing like a boundless, surging river.

"Damn it! Young Master Lian said to add fire, what are you guys standing around for? What, do you doubt Young Master Lian can endure it? How can your understanding fathom Young Master Lian's willpower and capabilities!"

Zhao Tiezhu still held some status, and he berated his subordinates head-on.

After scolding them, he personally took action, bringing over a large pile of firewood as thick as an arm. He unhesitatingly lit it and placed it around the iron bucket, burning with a "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Seeing that Lian Chengyu's body refinement seemed to be at a critical juncture, Zhao Tiezhu, in an effort to show his diligence, specifically grabbed a large palm-leaf fan and relentlessly fanned the fire.

The flames were already about to burn Lian Chengyu's hair.

"Young Master Lian, feeling good!" Zhao Tiezhu chuckled, seeking praise.

Lian Chengyu could no longer speak. His teeth were about to shatter, his fists clenched tightly, and his skin was on the verge of cracking from the boiling, yet the effect still hadn't reached his expectations.

"What's going on?"

Lian Chengyu's heart filled with shock and anger. Under Zhao Tiezhu's diligent service, the flesh on his body truly began to crack.

Human skin, under high heat, would curl and contract, leading to complete cracking. This was precisely what was happening to Lian Chengyu's body!

But Lian Chengyu couldn't bother with that anymore, because he realized a possibility that terrified him, so much so that it made him suffocate.

Having reached Lian Chengyu's level of cultivation, just one step away from the Purple Blood Realm, Lian Chengyu was extremely sensitive to every bit of progress his body made.

He knew that even though he was being steamed and boiled in this pot of good medicine, his heart rate had barely changed. His bones and flesh had been tempered somewhat, but the effect was not significant.

After this entire pot of good medicine, he hadn't absorbed much at all!

Lian Chengyu realized that he had probably reached the so-called "bottleneck"!

Lian Chengyu had long heard his master, Yao Yuan, speak of how martial practitioners, especially before breaking through to a new realm, often encountered bottlenecks. A bottleneck could even trap someone for an entire lifetime without any hope of breaking through!

The path of martial arts was long and endless. In the pursuit of martial arts, constantly striving for new realms, one would inevitably get stuck at a bottleneck; this was almost unavoidable. Yet, Lian Chengyu hadn't expected to encounter his first bottleneck while only attempting to reach the Purple Blood Realm.

He was unwilling!

He was a heavenly prodigy, a golden dragon trapped in shallow waters, destined to soar to the heavens at the first sign of wind and clouds!

How could he encounter a bottleneck in the mere Purple Blood Realm!!

He didn't believe it!

"Add fire!"

Lian Chengyu seemed to muster all his strength and shouted furiously.

"St-still add fire?"

Zhao Tiezhu also felt that something was wrong now. He saw the cracked skin on the inner side of Lian Chengyu's arms and near his thighs. If Lian Chengyu were truly that powerful, he wouldn't be cooked to this extent, would he?

"Young... Young Master, if we boil it any longer... he'll be cooked..." one of the lackeys hesitantly said.

"I told you to add fire!"

Lian Chengyu roared, his voice like an enraged Mighty Lion.

Zhao Tiezhu had no choice but to add more fuel, and the group of underlings fanned the flames with all their might.

The fire burned hotter and hotter, bubbles churned in the medicinal liquid, and the pot of medicine boiled over!

Even Lian Chengyu found it difficult to endure the boiling water. Coupled with the fact that his body hadn't absorbed much of the medicinal effect, he finally let out a furious roar, and his vital energy erupted.

"Boom!"

The medicinal barrel exploded, and the scalding liquid scattered everywhere!

"Ouch!"

The surrounding group of lackeys were immediately scalded, crying out in pain.

Fortunately, they were all wearing clothes. The medicinal liquid splashed onto their clothes, and although it was still incredibly hot, the temperature dropped significantly. Moreover, they were all tough-skinned, so they could somehow endure it.

"That's incredibly hot."

But these lackeys were masters of flattery. After all, Lian Chengyu was destined to become a Divine Kingdom Warrior, and might even be granted a noble title in the Tai'a Divine Kingdom in the future. If they played their cards right, their future would be bright.

So, including Zhao Tiezhu, several lackeys ignored their burns and immediately threw themselves onto the ground, shouting, "Congratulations, Young Master Lian, on your great success!"

Seeing that Lian Chengyu had exploded the cauldron with such immense force, Zhao Tiezhu and the others assumed he had broken through. If they didn't flatter him now, when would they?

However... the expected scene of Lian Chengyu laughing heartily and generously distributing rewards did not materialize. Instead, Lian Chengyu's entire body was flushed red, his blood surging. Some of his skin and flesh had cracked, making him look incredibly ferocious.

"Get lost!"

Lian Chengyu, furious, kicked out without warning, sending Zhao Tiezhu and the other lackeys tumbling like rolling gourds.

Zhao Tiezhu was stunned by the kick. His backside hurt terribly, but he didn't dare to groan, nor did he understand what had happened.

"All of you, get lost!"

Lian Chengyu roared. The lackeys turned ashen with fear and were about to scramble away.

Suddenly, Lian Chengyu waved his hand. "Come back!"

Lian Chengyu's expression was icy. "Bring me the dregs!"

"Yes, yes!"

The lackeys didn't dare to ask a single question. They scrambled away, returning shortly with the dregs, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Lian Chengyu sifted through the dregs and inquired about the process of boiling the medicine. His face grew increasingly grim.

The dregs were fine; indeed, all sorts of precious herbs had been used. In fact, even a physician from a major tribe wouldn't be able to discern anything amiss. Who would have thought someone could possess the skill to directly absorb the medicinal power of herbs without using secret methods to boil them?

Seeing the dregs, Lian Chengyu was certain he had hit a bottleneck!

"Damn it!" Lian Chengyu punched the wall!

He had shown great talent for martial arts since he was young. In Yao Yuan's words, he was top-tier even among the major tribes.

If the problem wasn't with him, then the Lian Clan was to blame!

"The medicine the clan gave me is too inferior! The young prodigies from those large clans and major powers are bathed in the best medicinal liquids from birth, and Savage Bones are treated like food. How can I possibly compare to them!"

Lian Chengyu clenched his fists, filled with hatred. He hated why he wasn't born into a wealthy family but into this desolate place.

"This impoverished Lian Clan has wasted seventeen years of my life! If I had been born into the royal family of the Tai'a Divine Kingdom, I would have already reached the peak of the Purple Blood Realm, perhaps even challenged higher realms, or even... even competed for the throne of the Tai'a Divine Kingdom!"

Thinking of this, Lian Chengyu's resentment grew. He hated the Lian Clan, even if they had poured all their resources into cultivating him, what good was it!

Why couldn't I have been born into a royal family!

Why couldn't I have enjoyed everything!

They stand where I can't even look up to them! Yet I, like a dog, struggle to climb! I hate it!

"Someone!"

Lian Chengyu shouted. Zhao Tiezhu dared not delay and ran back, his heart pounding, not daring to breathe.

"Pass on my order: set up the large bronze cauldron, gather the strong men of the village, and begin refining Savage Bones!"

Zhao Tiezhu's heart skipped a beat. Was it finally starting? He thought it would take a few more days. "What about the medicinal herbs..."

"Continue gathering them!"

Lian Chengyu's voice was indifferent. The Lian Clan's medicinal mountain was originally the most precious place for the Lian Clan, with herb gathering meticulously planned to avoid depleting the species due to over-collection.

However, now that Lian Chengyu was leaving the Lian Clan in a few months, the medicinal mountain held no value for him. It was better to let it yield some final benefit.

During his bottleneck period, the medicinal herbs had little effect on him, but it was better than nothing.

As for Savage Bones... only Savage Bones could help him break through his bottleneck now!