Suppression

The Seven Insect Seven Flower Poison was concocted from seven kinds of venomous insects and seven kinds of poisonous flowers. It was a chronic poison, yet exceptionally difficult to expel. Once it entered the body, the poisonous flowers would bloom and the venomous insects would begin to grow—in the meridians, blood, internal organs, even the bone marrow.

It could be said to be everywhere.

It was said that the most potent Seven Insect Seven Flower Poison could even contaminate the soul. Not even a Great Luo Immortal could save the victim.

It was something akin to a gu poison, but far more troublesome than ordinary gu poison.

Fortunately, Su Jingshan's poison had not reached that stage. Though it had been in him for a long time, it had always been suppressed by his cultivation. Moreover, he had been clever enough not to continue strengthening his cultivation.

The stronger one's cultivation, the more terrifyingly the venomous insects and poisonous flowers of the Seven Insect Seven Flower Poison would grow.

The insects and flowers could absorb the power of cultivation and gradually swell in size.

"Take off your clothes and lie face-down on the bed," Su Hao said directly.

Having reached Qi Condensation, Third Layer, Su Hao's mana surged within him. As one with an Innate Dao Body, the divine abilities he wielded far surpassed those of ordinary people. His fire-element abilities were no longer ordinary flames; he could condense a strand of Innate Dao Fire.

"What are you trying to do?" Upon hearing Su Hao's demand, the Supreme Elder's expression changed, suspicion rising in his heart. Detoxification required stripping naked and lying face-down on a bed?

"Of course I'm detoxifying you. The venomous insects and poisonous flowers in your body have spread all over you. I need to use flames to gather them together, then find a way to drive them out completely."

Su Hao explained briefly. What was this old man thinking?

"I see. The Patriarch's methods truly are brilliant." Su Jingshan's old face reddened. He had overthought things.

"It may be a little uncomfortable shortly. Don't make a sound. It may get hot, so don't scream. It may hurt, so you must grit your teeth and endure it." Su Hao looked at the old man, who had already rapidly shed his outer garments and lay face-down on the bed, and gave him a reminder.

"Patriarch, this old man has roamed the world for decades. A little suffering and pain are nothing. Patriarch, feel free to do as you please. There is no need to hold back for my sake." The Supreme Elder spoke with absolute confidence. Back when he had battled his enemies, every bone and shred of flesh in his body had been shattered, yet he had never uttered a single cry.

He had absolute confidence in his endurance.

"Here it comes."

Su Hao circulated his mana, and a flame appeared in his palm, taking the shape of a lotus. A surging heat wave blanketed the surroundings.

His palm slammed onto Su Jingshan's back. The flaming lotus burrowed into his body, its fire energy coursing through the Supreme Elder's meridians, blood, and marrow. It was not excessively hot, but rather as comfortable as a hot spring.

Not only did the Supreme Elder feel no pain, he felt incomparably comfortable, as if he were floating among the clouds. He nearly let out a blissful moan.

"Patriarch, I think you can put in a little more force. Don't worry about this old man," the Supreme Elder said with considerable enjoyment.

In truth, there was no need for him to say so. Su Hao had already increased his power. The temperature of the flames gradually climbed, and the Great Elder's comfort slowly faded, replaced by an itch as though countless tiny insects were crawling through his body.

Pain could be endured, but this itching left him utterly helpless. His expression immediately changed, and his teeth ground together with creaking sounds.

"Good. Once the itch passes, heat comes next. You must endure it." Su Hao spoke as the poisonous flowers and venomous insects in his body began to wriggle, sensing danger.

What Su Hao needed to do was gather them all together.

"Hurry up, I want the heat," the Supreme Elder said somewhat impatiently. The itchy sensation had left his whole body unbearably uncomfortable, and he had no way to deal with it.

Boom!

Su Hao did exactly as requested. The flame's temperature immediately surged, powerful fire energy bursting forth and enveloping every part of the Supreme Elder's body. The itching sensations vanished at once.

No, to be precise, they had not vanished. They had simply been completely overwhelmed by the scorching heat of the blazing flames.

Hmph!

The Supreme Elder's entire body instantly tensed. Sweat poured from him, his eyes bulging wider than an ox's and streaked with blood. This was far too hot—could it get any hotter?

"The temperature isn't enough. It needs to be increased." Su Hao increased the fire energy once again.

"Aah!"

The Supreme Elder let out a heart-rending scream. So it really could get hotter. His earlier solemn vows had long since been flung beyond the nine heavens.

"It may hurt a little next. You must grit your teeth and endure it." Su Hao spoke again, as if he had long anticipated the Supreme Elder's agonized screaming.

The Supreme Elder no longer dared be careless. Gasping heavily, he said, "Patriarch, easy, easy. This old man is advanced in years; I can't withstand too much tossing about."

Su Jingshan had lost all his previous composure. Besides, heat itself was a kind of pain. Yet Su Hao said the pain was still to come—could it possibly be even harder to endure than this?

"Supreme Elder, didn't you just solemnly swear for me to let loose without restraint?" Su Hao teased. That strand of Innate Dao Fire completely dispersed, becoming lotus after lotus that bloomed within the Supreme Elder's body.

"I... fuck... Aah!"

The piercing scream drained all the Supreme Elder's strength. The pain nearly made him pass out on the spot.

Outside, Lin Yaoyao had been guarding the door. Hearing the sound, he could not help muttering, "When our village slaughtered pigs back when I was little, they never made a sound this piercing."

The Supreme Elder writhed between life and death. Though it lasted only ten seconds, it felt to him as long as ten years.

His entire body was completely spent. The fact that he could still keep his eyes open was already a miracle.

At this moment, two fist-sized patches of seven-colored light had appeared on his back. One glance at them made one's scalp crawl and sent goosebumps all over the body.

"It really is serious. Had this been delayed another year or so, you probably would have been beyond saving." Su Hao shook his head, withdrew his hand, and collapsed to one side. He too was drenched in sweat from exhaustion.

The Innate Dao Fire was equivalent to Su Hao's source power. With his current cultivation, using it even once was an immense drain.

Only after a long while did the Supreme Elder regain some strength and slowly sit up. As he sensed the state of his body, his aged face immediately flushed red.

It was excitement!

His poison seemed to have been eliminated.

Moreover, he discovered that his Qi Sea had expanded once more. The bottleneck that had troubled him for five years had been broken through at this very moment.

Qi Condensation, Sixth Layer!

"Don't celebrate too soon. The poison has only been temporarily suppressed. To resolve it completely, we'll need to wait a year. My current cultivation isn't sufficient," Su Hao said weakly.

"Many thanks, Patriarch. This old man can afford to wait a year. Besides, I can cultivate again now. Once I break through to Qi Condensation, Seventh Layer, my lifespan will increase greatly." The Supreme Elder could not suppress his wild joy.

Qi Condensation had three hurdles. Breaking from the third layer into the fourth was the first; breaking from the sixth layer into the seventh was the second. Once the second hurdle was crossed, one's lifespan surpassed that of mortals and reached one hundred and fifty years.

The third hurdle was Qi Condensation, Ninth Layer, also the Qi Condensation Peak. Qi Condensation was the first step through the immortal gate. Once this realm was crossed and one entered the Spirit Sea, one's lifespan would reach three hundred years. It was a qualitative ascension in the level of one's life.

"Protect the Su Family well, and you can reach the realm you have always dreamed of. Breaking into the Spirit Sea won't be a problem either!" Su Hao said casually before striding out.

"The Spirit Sea? Do I have a chance to enter the Spirit Sea in this lifetime?" The Supreme Elder felt as though he were in a dream. Only after a long while did he clench his fist fiercely and make up his mind to follow Su Hao at all times!