Ten Out of Ten

Small courtyard, meditation chamber.

"By now, it has been confirmed that the fragrance of the Wolf-Poison Flower does indeed help temper the divine soul to a certain extent. And at present, the best way to draw out this trait to its fullest is through burning it."

Sitting cross-legged, Jiang Chen rolled a Wolf-Poison Flower petal between his fingers, a thoughtful look flashing through his eyes.

The outside world had been in an uproar these past days, bustling with excitement, but none of it had anything to do with him. Though Ironman Tu had repeatedly demanded that Golden Sand Valley send out more forces, Jiang Chen had merely had Skinny Monkey carry out those orders on his behalf. He had no intention of moving personally.

After so many days of study, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Wolf-Poison Flower's properties. Its fragrance could create illusions and stimulate one's mind, thereby helping strengthen the power of the divine soul. However, this method was far from safe. An ordinary person could easily suffer a mental breakdown and descend into madness.

"The reason Wolf-Poison Flowers can help living beings break through to the Qi Refining Realm is that they hypnotize them, magnify their desires, and cause them to unconsciously unlock the shackles on their bodies and release greater potential, creating the illusion of increased affinity with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

"In theory, this method can indeed help cultivators break through to the Qi Refining Realm, but the price is steep. Not only is the true qi cultivated through it of poor quality, leaving little hope for the future, it also drains the body and even the potential of the divine soul, shortening one's lifespan."

"That was precisely why the Qi Refining wolf king of the Ferocious Wolf Clan died so early."

Having gained a thorough understanding of the Wolf-Poison Flower's medicinal properties, Jiang Chen had formed a conjecture regarding the truth behind its ability to aid breakthroughs into the Qi Refining Realm.

Wolf-Poison Flowers could indeed help people break through to the Qi Refining Realm, but the cost was rather grave. Of course, that did not negate their value. For people like Jiang Chen, this medicine was no different from poison, but for many ordinary cultivators, it was still an opportunity.

"It lives up to its name—a true medicine of tigers and wolves. But if used well, it still holds immense value."

With that thought, Jiang Chen tossed the Wolf-Poison Flower petals into the incense burner he had prepared long ago.

A moment later, as the Wolf-Poison Flowers burned, wisps of bluish smoke rose from the incense burner.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen immediately adjusted his state and emptied his mind.

With a light inhale, the wisps of smoke immediately slithered into Jiang Chen's nostrils like tiny snakes. As time passed and the Wolf-Poison Flower's medicinal effects began to take hold, Jiang Chen felt his body grow much lighter, as though every trace of exhaustion had been cast off and he was drifting toward immortality.

And so, time slipped by soundlessly. Jiang Chen's face remained tranquil, and his entire body was utterly relaxed. Only after the Wolf-Poison Flower petals in the incense burner had burned to ashes and their fragrance had completely dissipated did Jiang Chen open his eyes again.

"I possess a trace of the essence of a second-order soul. Using Wolf-Poison Flowers for stimulation does indeed aid the growth of my divine soul. Though I have only cultivated with it properly once, I can already sense a slight increase in the quantity of my soul power."

"If this continues, perhaps before long, the total amount of my soul power will truly reach the limit of a first-order soul—ten times that of an ordinary person."

Feeling the changes within himself, a faint joy welled up in Jiang Chen's heart.

Improving the soul had never been an easy matter, whether in quantity or quality. Yet because of his ability, Jiang Chen found it far easier than ordinary people to achieve breakthroughs.

In fact, compared to the path of cultivation, his soul ability was not particularly powerful, at least not in Jiang Chen's current circumstances. Yet he still attached tremendous importance to it. After all, it was this very ability that had allowed him to struggle on for so long in the apocalypse.

Moreover, his soul ability and cultivation complemented one another wonderfully. He had only been transported here for a few months, yet he had attained his current strength. His soul ability had played a crucial role in that.

"I already possess a second-order essence. As long as I reach the peak of the first order, returning to the second order will not be difficult. When that time comes, an entirely new world will open before me. Compared to first-order souls, second-order souls have many more uses."

"The most important thing I need to do now is cultivate Wolf-Poison Vines and harvest more Wolf-Poison Flowers. But that requires a large amount of flesh and blood. It will not be a problem in the short term, but in the long run, it will inevitably become an issue."

His thoughts turning, Jiang Chen considered his future direction.

The Ferocious Wolf Clan's cultivation of Wolf-Poison Vines was exceedingly crude. They simply watered them with flesh and blood. As long as enough flesh and blood was supplied, the Wolf-Poison Vines would naturally bloom with Wolf-Poison Flowers. Though this method was simple and brutal, its efficiency was low. Jiang Chen wanted to change that, but unfortunately, he himself was not skilled in this area.

"In the cultivation world, cultivating spiritual plants is a profound field of study in itself, with inheritances dedicated to it. I should pay more attention to it in the future."

"Come to think of it, the Wolf-Poison Vine is still the most precious spiritual item in my possession. Compared to the low-grade Spirit Spring Stone, it can at least be considered a genuine ranked spiritual item."

Shaking his head and no longer dwelling on it, Jiang Chen left the meditation chamber. At that moment, a clap of thunder exploded, dark clouds gathered, and heavy rain began to fall from the sky.

"It's raining again. This weather really is rather strange."

Standing beneath the eaves, Jiang Chen reached out and caught the falling raindrops, his gaze turning toward the sky.

This season was usually rather dry, so rain should have been a good thing. Yet over the past month, it had rained far too frequently, completely unlike the climate of previous years.

Just as Jiang Chen stared blankly at the sky, Wang Yuan, clad in a straw rain cape, hurried in from outside.

"Third Boss, a handwritten letter from the First Boss."

Arriving before Jiang Chen, Wang Yuan directly pulled a letter from his robes.

Hearing this, Jiang Chen took the letter and opened it without any attempt at concealment.

"They have confirmed Zhao Meng's whereabouts and want me to personally lead men to intercept them? I must kill every last one of them, spare no one, and bring back all the treasures?"

After reading the letter's contents, Jiang Chen frowned.

"Has Ironman Tu found what he was looking for? Or is there something unusual about this group?"

His thoughts turning, Jiang Chen casually handed the letter to Wang Yuan.

Seeing this, Wang Yuan did not hesitate and took it directly.

"The wording is harsh. The First Boss is likely deeply dissatisfied that you have remained in the valley all this time."

"Also, according to news from Skinny Monkey, the Second Boss appeared on the river a few days ago as well. Yet under such circumstances, the First Boss still repeatedly demands that you act personally. It is clear that this fleet is far from ordinary."

After a brief pause, Wang Yuan voiced his true thoughts without the slightest concealment. Though they were both River-Sweeping Bandits, he knew perfectly well whom he truly served.

Jiang Chen was quite satisfied upon hearing this.

"What do you think I should do now?"

Jiang Chen turned his gaze toward Wang Yuan and asked again.

Wang Yuan raised his head and met Jiang Chen's eyes.

"May I ask, Third Boss, if you were to face the First Boss, what are your chances of victory?"

His voice low, Wang Yuan asked the most crucial question.

"Ten out of ten."

Jiang Chen's tone was calm and without the slightest fluctuation as he gave his answer.

Though Wang Yuan had long suspected that Jiang Chen was no ordinary man, his mind still jolted at those words. At that moment, something seemed to ignite in his eyes.