Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, Breaking Through Level Twenty

"Hengqing, if Dugu Yan asks to spar with you in the future, try to agree as long as it doesn't interfere with your cultivation progress."

Yu Yuanzhen walked ahead of Yu Hengqing, whispering his instructions.

"Also, go to the cabin behind the mountain later; I have something for you."

Hearing his father say this, Yu Hengqing immediately understood that Dugu Bo and his father had reached some sort of agreement.

Furthermore, with Dugu Bo in possession of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his father must have obtained quite a few rare treasures from him.

"Understood, Dad!"

Yu Hengqing became visibly excited; one had to know that the medicinal herbs within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were all top-tier goods.

Inside the cabin behind the mountain.

Just as he finished his cultivation, Yu Hengqing saw a jade box resting on the table beside Yu Yuanzhen.

Yu Yuanzhen met Yu Hengqing's expectant gaze and couldn't help but shake his head with a chuckle.

"The medicinal herb in the box is a gift from Dugu Bo specifically for you, as compensation for your future sparring sessions with Dugu Yan."

Yu Hengqing opened the jade box with some excitement, and a pale purple, nine-leaf ganoderma lay quietly inside.

It's actually a Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma!

However, Yu Hengqing quickly realized the truth: among the herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, there were very few that Dugu Bo could actually identify. The reason he chose to give the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma was likely because, among all those immortal herbs, it was the easiest one to recognize!

"Ancient sect records contain entries about it. Consuming the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma can solidify one's foundation and make up for innate deficiencies!"

Yu Yuanzhen spoke up to explain to Yu Hengqing, who was becoming lost in the sight of the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma.

Coming back to his senses, Yu Hengqing closed the box and said to Yu Yuanzhen, "Dad, thank you!"

Having transmigrated for so long, Yu Hengqing could naturally feel the care Yu Yuanzhen poured into him—making up for his innate deficiencies and looking after his daily life.

Faced with Yu Hengqing's gratitude, Yu Yuanzhen was stunned for a moment, then ruffled Yu Hengqing's hair with a relieved smile.

"A father taking care of his son is only natural; there's no need for thanks! Go on and consume the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma."

"Mm!"

Yu Hengqing nodded vigorously. He sat on the bed, took the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma from the box, and devoured it in a few bites, much like a cow chewing on a peony.

The Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma tasted slightly bitter at first, followed by a lingering sweetness, and the texture was springy—this was Yu Hengqing's assessment of the herb.

I can write this into the ancient records later so future generations will know the taste of the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma.

Before Yu Hengqing could finish his thought, the medicinal effects of the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma took hold!

Waves of warmth flowed from his lower abdomen throughout his entire body, nourishing every muscle and meridian.

Just as Yu Hengqing began to refine the medicinal power, the Seven-Pointed Star on the back of his hand suddenly lit up, and wisps of Cangming Lightning flowed out, wrapping around him.

Refining the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma and the Cangming Lightning simultaneously made Yu Hengqing's breathing turn ragged.

"Calm your heart. Do not let them lead you by the nose; grasp your own rhythm—inhale, exhale!"

Hearing Leiyi's voice, the agitation in Yu Hengqing's heart was gradually soothed, and he regained control over his breathing rhythm.

To regain his rhythm so quickly—he is truly worthy of being someone chosen by the gods!

Seeing that Yu Hengqing had restored his breathing rhythm without much effort—when he had been prepared to offer a reminder—Yu Yuanzhen felt a wave of deep emotion.

As the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma cleansed his body, the impurities within Yu Hengqing were gradually purged, while the instability in his cultivation level caused by the potent medicinal power was tempered and solidified by the Cangming Lightning.

Yu Hengqing's soul power, which had been stagnant for a long time, began to grow steadily, and his aura grew stronger bit by bit.

When Yu Hengqing opened his eyes again, he found himself back in his own mental space.

But before he could call out to Leiyi, the sound of crashing waves echoed all around him.

"Splash! Splash!..."

Listening to the sound of the waves, Yu Hengqing felt his entire body relax; he felt as if he were floating on the surface of the sea.

"Bang!"

Yu Hengqing felt the ground beneath him vanish, and he plummeted into the seawater.

Choking, Yu Hengqing struggled to swim toward the surface, desperate to breathe air.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, he continued to sink rapidly, watching the surface of the sea grow further and further away.

The remaining oxygen in his lungs was quickly consumed, an intense sensation of suffocation began to take hold, and the scythe of the Grim Reaper touched his throat.

Yu Hengqing's consciousness began to blur, and his five senses started to fade.

"Do not let them lead you by the nose; grasp your own rhythm!"

Just as Yu Hengqing was about to sink into darkness, the voices of Leiyi and Yu Yuanzhen suddenly rang out, causing him to snap back to clarity.

Right, grasp my own rhythm!

Yu Hengqing halted his descent, summoned the Cangming Lightning to manifest a suit of deep blue armor, and raised his hand to strike forward.

"Break!"

With that single word, the seawater, the suffocation, and even the sound of the waves vanished.

Yu Hengqing remained standing within his own mental space, as if none of what had just transpired had ever existed.

However, the deep blue Thunder Armor worn on Yu Hengqing's body served as a reminder that everything just now was no illusion!

"What is it? You've been standing here motionless ever since you came in. Did something happen?"

Leiyi appeared before Yu Hengqing, asking with a hint of concern.

"It's nothing, I just felt like I had a very realistic dream."

"An illusion?"

"It must be. This Thunder God Trial is truly not simple."

After chatting with Leiyi about his experience in the illusion, Yu Hengqing dissipated his Thunder Armor and exited his mental space.

Opening his eyes, Yu Hengqing exhaled a breath of stale air, stood up, and stretched his back.

"My soul power has broken through to level twenty!"

"Hmm, then what type of second soul ring are you planning to choose? Given your current physical constitution, absorbing a thousand-year soul ring is also feasible."

Yu Yuanzhen's voice appeared suddenly, startling Yu Hengqing so much that he nearly threw his back out while stretching.

"Dad, could you not speak so suddenly next time? You nearly scared me to death!"

Yu Hengqing patted his chest, soothing his racing heart. As for his second soul ring, he was still considering his options.

"I don't have any good ideas yet. I plan to flip through the Encyclopedia of Lightning-Type Soul Beasts over the next few days to find some soul beasts with special talents."

Hearing this, Yu Yuanzhen set down the files in his hands and affirmed Yu Hengqing's idea.

"You should indeed consider it carefully, but make sure to have backup soul beasts. The number of powerful soul beasts is dwindling; don't waste too much time on just one type."

"Right, the Purple Vein Ginseng you gave me earlier has been processed. Once a week, one packet at a time. These ten packets should be enough for you to cultivate for a while!"

Yu Yuanzhen took out ten packets wrapped in oil paper and placed them in front of Yu Hengqing.

"Understood!"

Yu Hengqing smiled as he picked up the medicine and placed it into his soul tool. He was already looking forward to how much soul power this Century-Old Purple Vein Ginseng would add to his cultivation!

"Since you've finished refining the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, go back and rest early! I still have sect affairs to attend to."

Yu Yuanzhen put away the files on the table and pushed open the door. Without further words, the two parted ways and headed toward their respective destinations.

Returning to his room, Yu Hengqing couldn't wait to summon the Cangming Lightning.

Just now, not only had Yu Hengqing finished refining the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, but he had also refined this Cangming Lightning as well!

[Detected that the successor has met the requirements to initiate the second trial. Now releasing the contents of the second trial.]

Hearing that the second trial was about to be released, Yu Hengqing perked up. He was now very much looking forward to the rewards for this trial.

[Thunder God Trial · Second Trial]

[Task Content: Attract lightning to complete forty-nine sessions of thunder body tempering.]

[Reward: Cinder Extinction Lightning and Skin of Thunder (Automatically generates lightning armor on the skin surface, reducing physical damage by 10%, growth-capable!)]