Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid

"Mu Chen, kid..."

"Little Marten, call me Boss."

"..."

Little Marten fell silent. With his pride, how could he possibly call Mu Chen Boss?

At his peak, Mu Chen's strength would have been nothing to him; a single fart could have blown him and a whole crowd to death. Even if he needed Mu Chen's help later, he truly could not bring himself to say it.

Mu Chen knew that Little Marten could not possibly call him Boss right now, because he was too weak.

He really was weak now, but in the future, anything was possible.

One day, Little Marten would willingly call him Boss. Mu Chen said so, and no one could change that.

Years later, when someone asked Mu Chen why he had worked so hard to become stronger, it was because he wanted Little Marten to call him Boss.

Mu Chen left the Ancestral Stone space. He had only met Little Marten today to exchange greetings and see him in person. More importantly, he wanted to confirm whether this was the original Ancestral Stone. Little Marten being inside proved it was not a replica.

Dark clouds filled the sky, and the air was thick with moisture. A layer of mist shrouded the streets, leaving only the shadows of people passing back and forth visible.

Mu Chen had slept well. After waking up, he began planning his cultivation. Without the Ancestral Stone, he would not have considered it.

The Ancestral Stone could produce a miraculous Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid, which had exceptional effects on both cultivation and body tempering. It was especially useful during the early stages of cultivation, and if used properly, it could lay a solid foundation.

A drop of crimson liquid fell into the basin of water and dissolved instantly, spreading into thin blood-like strands.

When he placed his hand inside, he could see the pale-red liquid seep through his skin. A burning sensation spread through him as a strange energy nourished the flesh of his palm. In that brief moment, his skin already felt much tougher.

Mu Chen's eyes lit up. As expected of spirit liquid produced by the Ancestral Stone—its effects were truly impressive. It was gentle and non-irritating, just right for someone his age.

"What an ignorant bumpkin. This Stone Talisman does more than just that. Once you learn martial arts, you'll see its other marvelous uses." Little Marten emerged, arms crossed over his chest as he spoke disdainfully.

"Little Marten, you can come and go whenever you want? Then when I'm using the toilet, do you sneak a peek too?" Mu Chen teased.

"Bullshit! Marten Lord isn't that bored—I have no interest in watching you take a dump. I can only come out when you take out the Stone Talisman. When it's inside your body, I can't sense anything unless you, the Stone Talisman's owner, allow it." Little Marten rolled his eyes in a very human-like manner, utterly speechless.

"Oh, and while I don't know what the Stone Talisman is worth in this world, you'd better not take it out casually. Don't let anyone set their sights on it. Marten Lord doesn't want to lose his life over this." After saying that, Little Marten slipped back into the Ancestral Stone.

Back then, not long after obtaining the Stone Talisman, he had been hunted down. It was clearly because of the Stone Talisman. For outsiders to have found out so conveniently, someone who knew about it must have leaked the secret.

Thinking of that betrayal filled Little Marten with killing intent. If he had not been hunted down, how could he have ended up reduced to nothing but a demon spirit? He had already guessed who had leaked the secret.

Mu Chen shrugged. On the Heaven Xuan Continent, he had to worry about Other Demons and old monsters recognizing the Ancestral Stone. But in this Heaven Origin World, as long as he did not flaunt it openly, no one would covet an unknown nobody like him.

"Cough, cough..."

Just then, violent coughing came from next door, followed by Su Youwei's worried voice.

"Grandpa, have some water first. I'll go brew your medicine."

"Cough, cough... It's fine, Youwei. Don't worry." The old man's weak voice sounded out. In this weather, his condition was especially severe.

Mu Chen looked at the Ancestral Stone in his hand, his eyes shifting as an idea came to him.

Lin Dong's father's injuries had been healed by the Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid. Then Su Youwei's grandfather should be curable too. The apothecary's physician could treat him, which meant it was not an incurable illness.

When he entered the courtyard, he saw Su Youwei tending the fire as she brewed medicine. Her fair little face was smudged with a layer of black soot, making her look like a dirty Cinderella.

"Youwei, is this medicine effective?"

Mu Chen held a fan and fanned the fire at the side as he asked casually.

"This medicine has the weakest effect, but it's also the cheapest. It can only barely suppress Grandpa's condition." Su Youwei's eyes were full of bitterness.

And this inferior medicine could not be taken every day. They could not afford it.

Her grandfather had been injured when he was young. Now that he was old and his body was far weaker than before, his condition had worsened day by day.

"Youwei, do you trust me?" Mu Chen asked solemnly.

"Huh?!"

"Mm."

Su Youwei blinked and nodded instinctively. After spending several days together, she could tell that Mu Chen was not a bad person.

"Mm... I have a kind of spirit liquid here. It's quite effective and might be able to cure the old man."

Mu Chen took a jade bottle from his robe, filled with the Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid he had dripped out earlier.

"Really?"

Su Youwei looked at Mu Chen excitedly. To treat her grandfather, she had tried many methods, but in the end, they all came back to the fundamental problem: she had no money.

If her grandfather's condition continued to worsen, Su Youwei would kneel outside the apothecary and kowtow, begging for help.

"Mm, there's a ninety percent chance." Mu Chen nodded, his tone brimming with confidence.

Seeing that Su Youwei did not object, Mu Chen directly dripped a drop of Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid into the medicinal broth. A hint of red rippled through it before vanishing at once, leaving no trace that anything had been added.

"Grandpa, drink slowly."

With a try-it-and-see mindset, Su Youwei handed the medicine to her grandfather. Her heart was in her throat as she prayed that it would cure him.

"Sorry to trouble you, Youwei." Su Youwei's grandfather spoke guiltily. His illness had burdened Su Youwei as well.

His granddaughter was very sensible and had never considered him a burden. If he could, he did not want to burden Su Youwei either.

Su Youwei shook her head. She had never thought that way. Even if there was only the slightest possibility, she had to try.

Su Youwei's grandfather drained the entire bowl of medicine in one gulp.

A few breaths later, his complexion visibly turned crimson, and white vapor rose from above his head. Su Youwei clenched her little hands tightly, deeply worried.

Mu Chen remained calm. Under normal circumstances, this was a sign of his body temperature rising. The Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid was taking effect, and it was not harming the old man.

As expected of the Ancestral Stone—it had not disappointed him. A single drop had such a powerful effect. It was not only beneficial for cultivation, but also excellent for healing.

"Pfft!"

Su Youwei's grandfather tilted his head and spat a mouthful of black, congealed blood onto the ground. His body temperature rapidly dropped as well, and the flush quickly faded from his face. No longer sickly pale, it now bore a healthy rosiness.

"This..."

Su Youwei's grandfather clenched his fist. He felt strength filling him for the first time in a long while, no longer so weak and powerless.

"Grandpa, are you all right?"

Su Youwei had been badly frightened just now. She looked at her grandfather anxiously, afraid that his condition had worsened.

After all, what had just happened was terrifying—it had looked as though he was about to explode.