Bathing in medicinal liquid was excruciating. Lian Chengyu circulated his vital energy throughout his body to protect himself, yet he still grimaced in pain. But when he thought of entering the Tai'a Divine Kingdom in the future, of possibly cultivating the Tai'a Sacred Law and becoming a superior being, Lian Chengyu endured it all!
It had to be said that Lian Chengyu's willpower was truly extraordinary when it came to becoming stronger.
Someone with slightly weaker willpower, relying on the title of a clan young master, could sneak some good meat and grain in a small clan and flirt with the young women there whenever he had nothing to do, becoming nothing more than a playboy village young master. How could such a person ever climb to Lian Chengyu's current height?
"Young Master Lian, what tremendous willpower!"
"Young Master Lian is truly made of iron!"
"Bathing in boiling medicinal liquid isn't something ordinary people can endure! Young Master Lian is truly a dragon among men!"
Seeing Lian Chengyu boiled in the medicinal liquid until he looked like a fully cooked shrimp, the few lackeys around him, Zhao Tiezhu included, began showering him with flattery.
They normally did not speak this way. Their mouths were full of vulgarities, but to flatter him, they had specially learned a few high-sounding adjectives.
"Add more fire!"
Lian Chengyu shouted through clenched teeth. Being boiled in water at ninety degrees—what kind of torment was that? At that moment, the veins on Lian Chengyu's forehead bulged one after another, his body curled up, and his skin was bright red.
In this state, if one really had to associate Lian Chengyu with "a dragon among men," it could probably only be by linking him to boiled lobster.
He truly was nearing his limit, but the effects of the medicinal bath were far weaker than he had expected! How could this be?
"More fire?"
The few lackeys exchanged glances, their admiration for Lian Chengyu surging like the endless waters of the Yangtze River.
"Damn it! Young Master Lian told you to stoke the fire. What are you standing around for? What, do you doubt that Young Master Lian can endure it? Young Master Lian's willpower and ability are things you can never presume to fathom!"
Zhao Tiezhu still held some authority. He immediately gave the few underlings a thorough scolding.
After reprimanding them, he personally got to work. He moved over a huge pile of firewood as thick as arms, lit it without hesitation, and placed it around the iron barrel, where it blazed with a whoosh.
Seeing that Lian Chengyu's Body Refinement seemed to have reached a critical juncture, Zhao Tiezhu, in order to show his devotion, even fetched a large palm-leaf fan and vigorously fanned the flames.
The flames were almost licking Lian Chengyu's hair.
"Young Master Lian, feeling good?" Zhao Tiezhu asked with a grin, seeking credit.
Lian Chengyu could no longer speak. His teeth were nearly shattered from clenching them, and his fists were tightly clenched. His skin had been boiled to the verge of splitting, yet the results still fell far short of his expectations.
"What is going on?"
Lian Chengyu was furious and alarmed. Under Zhao Tiezhu's eager service, the flesh on his body had genuinely begun to split.
When human skin was subjected to intense heat, it curled and shrank, eventually cracking apart completely. That was exactly what was happening to Lian Chengyu now!
But Lian Chengyu could not spare any thought for that, because he had realized a possibility that terrified him so much it left him suffocating.
With Lian Chengyu's cultivation at its current level, he was just one step away from the Purple Blood Realm. He was extremely sensitive to every improvement in his body.
He knew that although he was being steamed and boiled in this pot of excellent medicine, his heartbeat had barely changed. His bones and flesh had undergone some tempering, but the effect was still insignificant.
After going through this whole pot of excellent medicine, he had absorbed almost none of it!
Lian Chengyu realized that he had probably reached what was known as a "bottleneck"!
Lian Chengyu had heard his master, Yao Yuan, say long ago that when martial artists practiced martial arts, especially before breaking through into a new realm, they often encountered bottlenecks. A single bottleneck could even trap someone for an entire lifetime, making a breakthrough impossible!
The martial path stretched on without end. On the road of martial cultivation, one constantly charged toward new realms, and sooner or later, one would become stuck at a bottleneck. This was almost unavoidable. Yet Lian Chengyu had never expected that he would encounter his first bottleneck merely while attempting to reach the Purple Blood Realm.
He was unwilling to accept it!
He was heaven's favored son, a golden dragon trapped in a shallow bay. As soon as wind and clouds arrived, he would soar into the heavens!
How could he encounter a bottleneck at the mere Purple Blood Realm?
He did not believe it!
"Add more fire!"
Lian Chengyu seemed to muster every ounce of strength in his body as he shouted furiously.
"More... more fire?"
Zhao Tiezhu also sensed that something was wrong. He saw the split flesh on the inside of Lian Chengyu's arms and around his thighs. If Lian Chengyu were truly that formidable, he should not have been boiled into this state, should he?
"Y-Young Master, if we boil you any... any longer, you'll be cooked..." one lackey said hesitantly.
"I told you to add more fire!"
Lian Chengyu roared. His voice was like that of an enraged male lion.
Zhao Tiezhu had no choice but to add more fire, while the group of underlings fanned the flames with all their might.
The flames grew stronger and stronger. Bubbles churned through the medicinal liquid, and the entire pot of medicine boiled!
Even Lian Chengyu found it difficult to endure boiling water. On top of that, his body had not absorbed much of the medicinal effect at all. Finally, in a roar of fury, he erupted with all the vital energy in his body.
"Boom!"
The medicinal barrel exploded, sending the scalding liquid flying in every direction!
"Ow, ow, ow!"
The group of lackeys nearby were instantly scalded into cries of agony.
Fortunately, they were all dressed. Although the medicinal liquid splashed onto their clothes and was still unbearably hot, its temperature dropped somewhat. Coupled with their thick, callused hides, they could at least endure it.
It was damn hot.
But these lackeys were masters of the art of flattery. Lian Chengyu was going to become a Divine Kingdom Warrior, and in the future, he might even receive a title in the Tai'a Divine Kingdom. If they flattered Lian Chengyu properly, wouldn't their futures be bright?
Thus, Zhao Tiezhu and the other lackeys ignored their burns, threw themselves onto the ground, and shouted, "Congratulations, Young Master Lian, on your great achievement in cultivation!"
Seeing Lian Chengyu blow up the medicinal barrel in an explosion of tremendous might, Zhao Tiezhu and the others assumed that Lian Chengyu had broken through. If they did not flatter him now, when would they?
However... the scene they had expected—Lian Chengyu laughing loudly and generously handing out rewards—did not occur. Instead, Lian Chengyu's entire body was red, his veins bulging. With parts of his flesh already split open, he looked extremely ferocious.
"Get lost!"
Lian Chengyu was furious. Without warning, he kicked out, sending Zhao Tiezhu and the other lackeys tumbling across the ground like rolling gourds.
Zhao Tiezhu was kicked senseless. His buttocks hurt terribly, but he did not dare make a sound, and he had no idea what had happened.
"All of you, get out!"
Lian Chengyu shouted. The few lackeys turned pale with fear and were just about to hurry away.
Suddenly, Lian Chengyu waved his hand. "Come back!"
Lian Chengyu's expression was icy. "Bring me the Medicinal Dregs!"
"Yes, yes!"
The few lackeys did not dare ask a single question. They crawled and rolled away, and not long afterward, they brought back the Medicinal Dregs without even daring to breathe loudly.
Lian Chengyu rummaged through the Medicinal Dregs and then questioned them about the process of boiling the medicine. His expression grew uglier and uglier.
There was nothing wrong with the Medicinal Dregs. All kinds of excellent medicines had indeed been used. In fact, even if a physician from a large clan examined them, they would not be able to see anything amiss. Who could have imagined that someone would possess the ability to absorb the medicinal power of herbs directly, without using a secret method to boil them?
After seeing the Medicinal Dregs, Lian Chengyu was certain that he had encountered a bottleneck!
"Damn it!" Lian Chengyu smashed his fist into the wall!
He had displayed a talent for martial arts from a young age. According to Yao Yuan, even among the great clans, he would be considered outstanding among the outstanding.
The problem did not lie with him. That meant it was the Lian Clan that had harmed him!
"The medicine the clan gave me is too inferior! The young elites of those great clans and powerful factions bathe in the finest medicinal liquid from the moment they are born. They can even eat savage beast bones as food. How can I possibly compete with them?"
Lian Chengyu clenched his fists. He hated it. He hated that he had not been born into a wealthy household, but in a place where even birds would not shit.
"This impoverished Lian Clan has delayed me for seventeen years! If I had been born into the imperial family of the Tai'a Divine Kingdom, I would have reached the peak of the Purple Blood Realm by now. I might even have charged into a higher realm, or... or even taken part in the struggle for the throne of the Tai'a Divine Kingdom!"
The thought made Lian Chengyu even more unwilling to accept reality. He hated the Lian Clan. What use was it even if the Lian Clan devoted every last resource to nurturing him?
Why couldn't I have been born into an emperor's family?
Why couldn't I have enjoyed everything?
They stood in a place so high that I could not even look up to them! And I have to struggle upward like a dog! I hate this!
"Someone!"
Lian Chengyu shouted. Zhao Tiezhu did not dare delay. He forced himself to run back, not daring to breathe loudly.
"Pass down my order. Set up the large cauldron, gather the able-bodied men in the village, and begin refining the savage beast bones!"
Zhao Tiezhu's heart leaped. Was it finally going to begin? He had thought they would have to wait a few more days. "What about the medicinal herbs...?"
"Keep gathering them!"
Lian Chengyu's voice was indifferent. The Lian Clan Medicine Mountain had originally been the most precious place in the Lian Clan. The gathering of medicinal herbs had been planned and coordinated to prevent overharvesting from wiping out the herb seeds.
But now, Lian Chengyu would be leaving the Lian Clan in a few months. The Lian Clan Medicine Mountain was already worthless to him. He might as well let it generate a little residual value.
While he was at a bottleneck, the medicinal herbs were not very effective for him, but something was better than nothing.
As for the savage beast bones... now, only savage beast bones could help him break through his bottleneck!
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