The Marrow Cleansing Pill's medicinal power was domineering.
It had not been diluted at all.
Pure energy rampaged through his blood vessels.
Su Chen felt as if his body were about to be torn apart.
He forced himself to stay conscious.
He immediately mobilized the spiritual power in his Sea of Consciousness.
His materialized mental power became a massive, invisible hand.
That hand forcibly restrained the out-of-control medicinal power.
He began circulating the Chaos God-Demon Art.
The black-and-white vortex in his dantian spun faster.
The vortex generated an immense suction force.
The medicinal power scattered throughout his limbs and bones was forcibly drawn in.
It began circulating along the specific paths of the Chaos God-Demon Art.
This greatly eased the strain on his meridians.
The changes brought by the Marrow Cleansing Pill were not limited to his bones.
His internal organs were also being scorched by intense heat.
The beat of his heart sounded like a war drum.
His blood flowed ten times faster than an ordinary person's.
This was a remolding that broke through the shackles of his genes.
Su Chen squeezed his eyes shut.
His gums bled from how hard he clenched his teeth.
A metallic sweetness spread through his mouth.
It only stimulated his nerves further.
Keeping him absolutely alert.
He continuously urged the Million-Year Head Soul Bone in his mind.
His materialized mental power was like cold water.
Again and again, it poured over nerves on the verge of collapse.
Without the Soul Bone's assistance,
the spiritual power of a mere six-year-old child
could never have endured this pain on a soul-deep level.
Black impurities seeped out through his pores.
They were toxins buried deep in his bone marrow and blood.
The waste accumulated from years of eating poor-quality food was expelled completely.
Su Chen's skin was covered in a thick layer of black slime.
The slime gave off a pungent stench.
The Soul-Calming Incense in the room was completely overwhelmed by the foul odor.
As the cultivation art continued to circulate,
a miniature vortex of energy appeared around Su Chen.
The Fire-Attribute Crystals in the room shone brightly.
The energy contained within them was forcibly stripped away.
It became red specks of light that flowed into the vortex.
The black-and-white vortex devoured this energy as well.
It converted it into the purest light-and-dark Soul Power.
The marrow-cleansing process lasted a full four hours.
The Night-Shining Pearl's light gradually dimmed.
The sky outside the window had already brightened.
At last, the medicinal power was completely absorbed.
The tearing sensation inside him gradually vanished.
In its place came an extreme, soothing coolness.
His broken bones healed anew.
A faint jade sheen glimmered across the surface of his newly formed bones.
His narrow meridians had widened more than tenfold.
Their walls had become as tough as leather.
Su Chen slowly opened his eyes.
Black-and-white light flashed and disappeared in their depths.
He lowered his head and looked at his body.
His clothes were soaked through with sweat and black slime.
The slime clung tightly to his skin.
It felt extremely uncomfortable.
He stood up.
His body felt so light that he seemed weightless.
He walked to the washroom on the side of the room.
It was one of the high-end amenities provided by the Cloud Condensing Pavilion.
A huge white-jade bathing pool stood inside.
Its water came from an underground hot spring.
The temperature stayed at the most comfortable level year-round.
Su Chen took off his filthy clothes.
He jumped straight into the hot spring pool.
The water instantly turned murky as black impurities spread through it.
He scrubbed his body vigorously.
After changing the water three times,
he finally washed away all the grime.
Su Chen climbed out of the bathing pool.
He stood in front of a huge, full-length bronze mirror.
He carefully examined his appearance.
His once scrawny body, weakened by malnutrition, had been completely transformed.
He had grown much taller.
He no longer looked like a child who had just turned six.
Instead, he looked more like a boy of eight or nine.
His skin was fair,
but he did not look delicate.
His muscles had become balanced and well-defined.
Every muscle brimmed with explosive power.
He clenched his right fist.
A faint popping sound rang through the air.
He had not mobilized any Soul Power.
He had thrown the punch with nothing but his physical strength.
The wind from his fist howled.
The gauze curtains in the washroom whipped violently.
Su Chen was very satisfied with the punch's power.
He estimated that his bare physical strength now exceeded two thousand jin.
Even a level-thirty Soul Elder who specialized in defense and strength
would not be able to withstand that punch without using a Martial Soul.
This constitution was more than enough for absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
The Marrow Cleansing Pill had raised his physical limits by leaps and bounds.
After being tempered,
his internal organs were as strong as refined iron.
With every breath,
his lungs efficiently absorbed the ambient energy in the air.
Even without deliberately meditating,
the Chaos God-Demon Art would automatically circulate through a minor cycle in his body.
It was the equivalent of cultivating around the clock.
Su Chen dried himself off.
He left the washroom.
He found a fresh set of black brocade clothes in the wardrobe and changed into them.
They fit him perfectly.
Clearly, Bibi Dong had sent someone to take his measurements and have them custom-made in advance.
Su Chen returned to the bed and sat down cross-legged.
The high-level meeting was two days away.
He had to use those two days to fully master the Soul Power in his body.
He closed his eyes again.
His consciousness sank into the Sea of Consciousness.
The verses of the Chaos God-Demon Art flashed through his mind.
He discovered that the art could not only purify Soul Power,
but also strengthen the essence of his Martial Souls.
The golden light of the Judgment Holy Sword grew purer and purer.
The holy flames burning along its blade seemed to flicker beyond it.
The black of the God-Slaying Magic Spear grew deeper.
The dark-red dragon-scale patterns on its shaft seemed to come alive.
They slowly swam through the darkness.
The quality of his Martial Souls was evolving alongside his improved constitution.
His innate full Soul Power of level twenty flowed through his meridians like a gentle stream.
It moved wherever his will directed it.
There was not the slightest obstruction.
He could even force this Soul Power out of his body.
It formed a tangible blade of energy at his fingertips.
For the next two days,
Su Chen did not leave the Cloud Condensing Pavilion.
He remained in a state of meditation.
The maids brought him three meals at regular times each day.
The food was of the highest quality.
A Soul Guidance Array for keeping the food warm was engraved inside the meal box.
The plates held golden-brown meat from a hundred-year Lightning Leopard.
Beside it was rich soup made from precious medicinal herbs.
Su Chen chewed the beast meat in great mouthfuls.
The violent energy was instantly ground apart by the black-and-white vortex.
It became pure nourishment and flowed into his limbs and bones.
After eating high-level Soul Beast meat for two days straight,
he found that his stamina had reached its peak.
The guards around the Cloud Condensing Pavilion kept a strict watch.
Without Bibi Dong's written order,
no one could come within a hundred meters of the place.
On the morning of the third day,
sunlight streamed through the window lattice into the room.
Su Chen opened his eyes right on time.
The Soul Power in his body had been honed to its utmost.
He only needed a Soul Ring to break through completely.
A rhythmic set of footsteps sounded outside the door.
The footsteps stopped outside.
"Young master, His Holiness the Pope sent someone with a message."
The senior maid's voice came through the wooden door.
"The meeting is about to begin. Please proceed to the Elder Hall's council chamber."
Su Chen rose to his feet.
He straightened his black brocade robe.
At his waist hung the Purple Gold Pope Token, a symbol of supreme authority.
He walked toward the door.
He reached out and pulled open the heavy wooden door.
Four Cardinals in red robes were waiting outside.
When they saw Su Chen emerge,
all four bowed at once.
"Young master Su Chen, His Holiness has ordered us to escort you there."
One of the Cardinals spoke respectfully.
Su Chen gave a slight nod.
"Let's go."
He strode ahead.
The four Cardinals followed close behind.
The party left the Cloud Condensing Pavilion in grand procession.
They headed toward the most central building in Spirit Hall.
The Elder Hall's council chamber stood at the highest point in Spirit City.
It was the seat of power where all of Spirit Hall's major affairs were decided.
The chamber doors stood open.
Two rows of Temple Knights stood guard on either side, halberds in hand.
The atmosphere inside the chamber was tense.
A huge round table stood at the center.
Spirit Hall's most influential leaders filled the seats around it.
Bibi Dong sat at the head of the table.
She wore an ornate papal robe.
A purple-gold crown rested on her head.
Her cold gaze swept over every elder present.
Qian Daoliu was absent.
But Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, sat opposite Bibi Dong.
On either side of the round table,
Demon Bear Douluo, Snake Lance Douluo, and the other elders wore impassive expressions.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo sat beside Bibi Dong.
The meeting had yet to officially begin,
but the air was already thick with hostility.
Su Chen stopped outside the chamber.
He could sense several powerful auras coming from within.
They intertwined,
forming an invisible web of oppressive pressure.
It was a show of force from Spirit Hall's leaders, meant to intimidate him.
The Cardinals stopped at the door.
They had no right to enter a meeting of this caliber.
"Young master, please go in."
One of the Cardinals reminded him in a low voice.
Su Chen didn't hesitate.
He lifted his foot and crossed the high threshold,
stepping straight into the chamber.
The moment he entered,
more than a dozen sharp gazes fell on him at once.
An invisible mental pressure surged toward him.
The Million-Year Head Soul Bone in Su Chen's mind flickered faintly.
His materialized spiritual power formed a protective barrier around his body.
The pressure crashed against it,
but failed to stir so much as a ripple.
Su Chen's expression didn't change.
His steps remained steady.
His breathing stayed even.
A flicker of surprise crossed the elders' faces.
Golden Crocodile Douluo watched Su Chen coldly.
He didn't release any pressure.
Bibi Dong watched Su Chen approach without a hint of unease.
She gestured toward the only empty chair beside her.
"Sit."
Bibi Dong's voice broke the silence in the chamber.
Su Chen walked over to the chair.
He turned to face everyone,
then sat down with measured composure.
The movement was smooth and effortless.
Bibi Dong's gaze swept over the room.
She paid no heed to the elders' varied expressions.
She folded her hands in front of her.
"Now that everyone is here,"
Bibi Dong began slowly,
"I called you all here today to announce one thing."
"I have decided to appoint Su Chen as Martial Soul Hall Holy Son."
As soon as the words left her mouth,
the elders on both sides of the round table erupted into an uproar.
Demon Bear Douluo slammed his hand on the table.
He shot to his feet,
his eyes fixed on Su Chen, seated beside Bibi Dong.
Before you continue