Intelligence from Holy Soul Village

After bringing the two disciples back to the valley, Luo Can and Qian Renxue's "sparring" became much more restrained.

Perhaps because she had tasted the delights of sparring in disguise, Qian Renxue came up with more and more tricks over the following days.

Today she was the charming Princess Xue Ke; tomorrow, the gentle Tang Yuehua. Every so often, she would even disguise herself as noblewomen of various temperaments from Heaven Dou City, bringing Luo Can a fresh surprise each time.

Luo Can could not help sighing to himself. Having Qian Renxue was practically like having countless beauties of every kind. His days were so comfortable that he nearly forgot his way home.

Early that morning, after finishing his daily Fishing, Luo Can summoned Dugu Yan to the Alchemy Room.

Inside, Luo Can took out a black iron cauldron half the height of a person from his Storage Soul Tool. He then arranged the poisonous herbs and venomous creatures Dugu Bo had sent according to their portions. Bottles and jars covered half the stone table. Just looking at those herbs glinting with an eerie sheen gave off a dangerous air.

"Master, what are you doing?" Dugu Yan swallowed unconsciously at the sight and shrank back a little.

She had dealt with poison since childhood, but seeing so many poisonous substances gathered together still made her uneasy.

"Tell me, how much of the Myriad Poison Force have you understood?" Luo Can asked without looking up as he poured Life-Reversing Spring Water into the cauldron.

"About thirty percent!" Dugu Yan immediately straightened her back, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Enough." Luo Can nodded and pointed at the cauldron. "Once I finish refining this Five-Poison Bone-Tempering Liquid, you'll jump in and circulate your Soul Power according to the Myriad Poison Force method. Refine the toxins in the medicine into your bones and blood. Do you understand?"

Dugu Yan froze for a moment, then bit her lower lip and nodded heavily. "Mm! I understand!"

Whenever she thought of her senior sister Ye Lingling's glorious thousand-year First Spirit Ring and her rapid progress these past few days, she felt a fire burning in her heart.

Wasn't it just soaking in poisonous medicine? If she could not endure even this much hardship, how could she catch up to her senior sister? How could she deserve the opportunity her master had given her?

Luo Can then focused on refining the medicine. Following the records of the Myriad Poison Force, he placed five highly poisonous herbs and five venomous insects into the cauldron one after another, carefully controlling the heat.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, the clear water in the cauldron had boiled down into a thick, pale-purple medicinal liquid. Fine bubbles covered its surface, and an unusual, pungent smell filled the Alchemy Room. Merely breathing it in made one's scalp tingle.

"It's done." Luo Can withdrew the fire and looked at Dugu Yan. "Yanyan, jump in. Remember, you cannot stop circulating the Myriad Poison Force at any point. If you can't hold on, call for me."

Looking at the strange medicinal liquid bubbling in the cauldron, Dugu Yan scrunched up her little face, looking utterly despairing. Yet after only two seconds of hesitation, she steeled herself, swiftly removed her outer garment, closed her eyes, and jumped in.

"Hiss—"

The scalding medicinal liquid instantly wrapped around her body, like countless fine needles viciously piercing her flesh and drilling through her meridians into the gaps between her bones. The burning, numbing pain made Dugu Yan shudder all over, and she nearly cried out.

She bit down hard on her lower lip and did not dare lose focus. Quickly following the Myriad Poison Force method, she guided her Soul Power through her meridians, drawing the toxins from the medicine little by little into her bones and blood.

Luo Can stood guard beside the cauldron, watching her condition closely.

The moment Dugu Yan entered the cauldron, her fair skin turned deep purple. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and pain had drained the color from her small face. Yet she gritted her teeth without making a sound, and her Soul Power circulation remained steady.

Time passed second by second. After fifteen minutes, when Dugu Yan's body began trembling faintly and her Soul Power started to stagnate, Luo Can finally reached out and lifted her from the cauldron.

The moment she landed, Dugu Yan's legs gave way and she nearly collapsed. Her whole body still glowed with an eerie pale purple, spasming uncontrollably. Pain had twisted her little face out of shape.

This was the unavoidable trial of cultivating the Myriad Poison Force: the five poisons entering the body to temper the bones. This path was like dancing on a blade's edge. If she failed, the toxins would invade her heart meridians. At best, her cultivation would be ruined; at worst, she would die on the spot.

Luo Can did not interfere. He simply watched quietly.

After another incense stick's worth of time, the pale purple color on Dugu Yan's skin gradually receded. In the end, it gathered into several fine, bewitching purple patterns on her arms, waist, and abdomen—the mark of entering the Myriad Poison Force, the Purple Poison Mark.

She had succeeded.

Only then did Dugu Yan slowly open her eyes and gasp for breath. She got up and moved her limbs. The expected agonizing pain did not come. Instead, her entire body felt light and refreshed, and even her physique had strengthened tremendously.

Luo Can extended his hand and sent Soul Power into her body for an inspection. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. "Not bad. You've completed the first step of the Myriad Poison Force. With your current physical strength, your Second Spirit Ring can absorb at least eight hundred years' worth. That's even better than I expected."

"Hehe!" Dugu Yan put her hands on her hips, her little face beaming. "Does that mean I'll catch up to Senior Sister Lingling soon?"

"You little girl, you're still naked. Put your clothes on first." Luo Can shook his head helplessly.

Only then did Dugu Yan realize it. Her face flushed crimson, and she hurriedly grabbed the clothes beside her and pulled them on.

"This cauldron of Five-Poison Bone-Tempering Liquid can still be used. From now on, soak in it for two hours every day. It should last around ten days." Luo Can added, "Once the Purple Poison Mark stabilizes further after ten days, I'll take you to hunt your Second Spirit Ring."

Dugu Yan's face finally calmed down, and she nodded heavily. "Yes, Master! I'll train hard!"

After settling Dugu Yan down, Luo Can left Fate Defying Valley in high spirits and headed to the summit of Jueming Cliff.

When the thirty-one Core Disciples on the cliff summit saw him arrive, they all rose and bowed. "Lord Luo!"

Luo Can waved for them to sit, then began explaining the distribution of the human body's meridians and acupoints, as well as the core principles behind the circulation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

The method was indeed effective. Previously, only six of them had touched upon the threshold of the Mysterious Heaven Skill. Now, that number had risen to fourteen.

Especially the dark, skinny boy named Asan. He had successfully entered the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, and his Soul Power had steadily broken through to level two. His progress was the fastest among the children.

Luo Can estimated that at this rate, when they next drank Life-Reversing Spring Water, the children's Soul Power would rise by at least seven levels.

After teaching for two hours and answering the children's questions, Luo Can went down to the foot of the cliff to answer questions for the twenty-one Associate Inner Pavilion Disciples.

Seeing that half the children had already touched the threshold of Deep Meditation, Luo Can was quite satisfied. He decided that once everyone could enter Deep Meditation, he would have them all drink Life-Reversing Spring Water and undergo Cleansing Marrow and Washing Meridians.

Once he finished, Luo Can went to Baican Village as usual.

The moment he entered the temporary command headquarters, Ye Qingyu came forward with a grave expression. "Little Luo, you're finally here. These two were sent by my father to Nuoding City to gather intelligence. They only returned yesterday and said they had important information for you."

Two unfamiliar men stood in the office. The robes they wore bore the Ye Clan emblem, and their faces were weathered from travel. They clearly had not been back for long.

Luo Can nodded and looked at them calmly. "Go ahead. What's the situation over there?"

The tall man in the lead hurriedly bowed and answered respectfully, "Reporting to Mister Luo, following the patriarch's orders, we first went to Nuoding City and used free medical consultations as a pretext to gather intelligence everywhere. There was nothing unusual during the first half month."

"Not until we entered Holy Soul Village did we learn that there really was a child named Tang San there. He was still young and had not yet undergone Spirit Awakening. Most importantly, his father's name was Tang Hao."

The shorter man beside him quickly added, "At first, we thought it was merely a coincidence of names. But a few days ago, by chance, we saw him in person."

"That man looked slovenly and reeked of alcohol, but that face and the imposing presence he could not conceal—we could not possibly be mistaken. He was the Clear Sky Douluo of old, Tang Hao!"

Luo Can listened to their report without any obvious change in expression. Tang Hao hiding in Holy Soul Village had been within his expectations, so it was no surprise.

He merely raised his eyelids and asked blandly, "And then?"