In the loft where Lin Xiao lived, an elderly man with the bearing of an immortal gently stroked his beard, bone spirit white flame blazing in his hand.
As he added medicinal ingredients, the old man's expression grew increasingly solemn.
Lin Xiao's eyes were wide open. He dared not miss a single moment of Old Medicine's pill refining.
Old Medicine's pill-refining technique was flawless. The bone white flame burned even more fiercely, and a medicinal fragrance spread through the air. Fortunately, Old Medicine kept it under control, preventing it from drifting outside.
As time passed, a medicinal pill slowly took shape in Old Medicine's hand.
Ice and fire intermingled within the pill, sending alternating waves of cold and heat washing over Lin Xiao. Bearing the distinctive patterns of water and fire and a faint, delicate fragrance, the pill slowly emerged in Old Medicine's hand.
"Xiao Xiaozi, this pill was refined using those hundred-thousand-year-old specimens of octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot as its main heavenly materials and earthly treasures, along with some other heavenly materials and earthly treasures that aren't immortal herbs."
"Once you take it, your body will be able to withstand my possession."
Old Medicine had not fully recovered yet. The battle energy he consumed while refining the pill had come from converting some of the Soul Power of those low-grade immortal herbs after he awakened.
Lin Xiao swallowed. Two hundred-thousand-year-old immortal herbs, plus all those other ingredients-wouldn't the medicinal power inside burst him apart?
"Teacher, can I take this pill as I am now?"
Although Lin Xiao was sorely tempted, he was no fool.
"Of course you can. This pill was refined specifically for you."
"You won't absorb it completely after taking it. Its power will gradually be used up as you continue cultivating."
"Once you've fully absorbed its effects, your physique will rival a Dou Emperor's."
Old Medicine explained it to Lin Xiao. This pill was no mere trifle; if all the energy inside it were released at once, Lin Xiao would certainly explode.
And Lin Xiao had no idea how long it would take to absorb all the energy within the pill.
"Teacher, what grade is this pill, then?"
Lin Xiao was still very curious. With such powerful effects, its grade surely couldn't be low.
"I adapted this pill formula from one in my world. As for its grade, it should be around fifth grade."
Old Medicine studied the pill and answered after a moment's thought. Refining it had almost completely exhausted the Soul Power supplied by those immortal herbs.
If he had refined it using Soul Power, the pill's effects would have been weaker.
A fifth-grade pill! Lin Xiao swallowed instinctively. There was no denying it-he wanted it.
Old Medicine gently placed the pill in Lin Xiao's hand. "Take it."
Lin Xiao accepted the pill and swallowed it straight down.
In an instant, a tremendous surge of energy flooded Lin Xiao's body. Half his body burned hot, while ice crystals formed over the other half.
The cold and hot energies intertwined within him, surging through his limbs and bones and cleansing his meridians with their immense power.
Old Medicine looked at his handiwork with satisfaction, then slipped back into the ring.
After refining a pill, he needed a good rest.
There were still plenty more pills waiting for him to refine.
Lin Xiao remained there, refining the energy within the pill.
By nightfall, the loft where Lin Xiao stayed was glowing with red and blue light.
Du Busi, Long Aotian, and Weina arrived.
"Teacher, is our junior brother cultivating some powerful technique?"
Long Aotian could not help asking. That immense energy frightened even him a little.
Weina's eyes lit up. Ever since learning that he had a junior brother, he had been curious about him, but had yet to meet him.
Du Busi shook his head. "I don't know either. Perhaps he's awakening his body martial soul."
Long Aotian's eyes brightened. Martial soul awakening? Could it really be this powerful? Was our junior brother actually going to achieve a gold-grade awakening?
Weina was also very excited, growing increasingly curious about his junior brother.
Du Busi enveloped the loft's red and blue light with the radiance of his Soul Power. He suppressed news of what had happened that day, taking full responsibility for it himself.
Time trickled by. Immersed in cultivation, Lin Xiao had no idea how long had passed.
When he finally awakened again, all he felt was that his body's strength had advanced another step.
"Martial soul, body!"
Lin Xiao murmured, and his martial soul emitted a faint, dark purple glow.
As Lin Xiao's martial soul trembled, his body involuntarily released a red and blue radiance, which quickly turned golden.
Golden martial soul awakening!
It worked! One pill, and my martial soul achieved a gold-grade awakening!
Activating this state boosted my strength more than threefold!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Three figures appeared beside Lin Xiao.
They were none other than Du Busi and his two companions.
Almost all the Body Sect's senior members had now gone out to search for the materials Du Busi needed.
"Xiao Xiaozi, has your martial soul achieved a gold-grade awakening?"
Du Busi's eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the faint golden glow surrounding Lin Xiao.
This phenomenon was precisely the hallmark of a golden martial soul awakening.
Lin Xiao replied with a smile, "Yes, Teacher. I've already achieved a gold-grade awakening."
"Hahaha! Well done, lad! You truly are my disciple."
"Tell me, how did you do it?"
Du Busi's interest was piqued. This was a gold-grade awakening. Those who could achieve it at this stage were few and far between.
Du Busi was curious, and so were Long Aotian and Weina.
Before Lin Xiao could speak, Old Medicine's voice came from within the ring. "Busi, I've made some changes to your Secret of the Body. I'll have Xiao Xiaozi give it to you in a little while."
Hearing Old Medicine's words, Du Busi immediately smiled, then pulled Long Aotian and Weina away with him.
Long Aotian and Weina looked utterly bewildered. Uh... what just happened?
Lin Xiao was equally bewildered. Only when Old Medicine appeared with the Secret of the Body in his hand did Lin Xiao understand what had happened.
"Xiao Xiaozi, during the two months you spent refining the pill, Electrolux and I finished revising this Secret of the Body."
"Achieving a golden martial soul awakening is easier now, though medicinal ingredients are still needed to improve the chances of success."
"Give this to Du Busi in a little while. I already told him about it."
With that, Old Medicine left the Secret of the Body behind and returned to the ring.
Lin Xiao slowly leafed through the Secret of the Body. It had become easier to use, and its side effect had been changed to weakness.
That was far, far better than consuming one's origin and life force.
Lin Xiao silently put away the Secret of the Body. He had never imagined that two months had already passed while he was refining the pill.
The gold-grade awakening had pushed his Soul Power to level 30.
Lin Xiao could not help marveling at the pill's potency. Even now, he had not completely refined it, and its remaining medicinal power still lingered within his body.
The Soul Power left behind when the Ice Empress became a soul spirit was also sealed within him.
Now, Lin Xiao could improve rapidly simply by cultivating step by step.
But he also needed to cultivate battle energy. Balancing the two brought his cultivation speed down to that of an ordinary prodigy.
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