Medicinal Mercury, the Might of Man

Basement level.

One by one, the ghosts scattered.

They have no idea whether this is an underground floor or not.

Some fly upwards, while others fly directly through the walls, underground, and then fly an unknown distance before emerging back onto the surface.

Only Du Chen remained on the altar.

He ran the razor in his hand twice across his chin, the blade softening into a silver droplet that disappeared into his sleeve. His face was full of suspicion as he looked at the overhead view displayed below.

Those points of light representing Evil Spirit are still being blocked and are still decreasing.

When the Three Mo Brothers led their men out, there seemed to be quite a few Evil Spirit, allowing them to roam freely.

However, this improving trend did not last long.

"Around four or five in the afternoon, Wang Bo and his group exposed that the Ghost Market headquarters was located in Guangling. Because of the White Bone Centipede, this attracted attention, and we immediately began preparations to perform a ritual to communicate with the gods..."

"Given such a short time, at most some of the Jianghuai Special Investigation Bureau personnel can arrive; their manpower will likely be far from sufficient."

Dr. Du weighed the options in his mind.

It's because, besides the outside help, there are actually that many local people who are still interfering with the Evil Spirit.

Or are the Three Mo Brothers simply shirking their duties?

That guy, Eldest Brother Mo, must have some other scheme in mind.

But he's invested his entire fortune in the Ghost Market into this one night. What good would it do him if the plan failed?

Du Chen tried to put himself in Eldest Brother Mo's shoes, and a series of wicked schemes immediately came to mind.

However, the justification for each of these treacherous schemes is never quite convincing.

"Hiss! This person is truly unfathomable; I can't fathom him at all..."

Du Chen clenched his hands and felt that his palms were a little damp.

That's because of nervousness, that's why I'm sweating.

However, things have already progressed to this point, and even if a situation of internal and external troubles arises, he doesn't want to give up halfway.

He provided the complete set of secret methods for communicating with the Mirror Ape.

He had long studied information about Ghost God, and he personally handled all the details of arranging this scene.

Even if the Three Mo Brothers turn against each other, it won't be so easy for them to take away his position as the master of the ritual.

"The reason I was able to lead a major project researching the bloodlines of the Spirit Realm species is because I am also sensitive enough to the aura of the Spirit Realm."

"With my cultivation level, even if fire were to break out on all sides, I might still have a chance to snatch a chestnut from the flames!"

Du Chen kept calculating in his mind, and couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"It's infuriating! If Chang'an hadn't stopped my project and refused to give me a chance to resume my research, how could I have ended up like this?"

"These short-sighted, foolish officials, who are terrified of even the slightest disturbance to their positions, only know how to cover things up and live off their own wishful thinking."

"And those old bastards in the Special Investigation Bureau, you guys are really generous, so generous that you treat the masses like your pet rabbits?"

Du Chen stared at the statue before him, his mind filled with grievances that had been building up for too long, as if he wanted to tell the Ghost God before him.

"A little wind and rain can scare a rabbit to death? Why won't you promote and apply a technology with slight flaws but great potential?"

"Which great scientist or which great technology in the world wasn't put into use when it was flawed, and then developed through practice?"

Humans are far more resilient than you imagine!

Inside the building, ghostly figures flitted about, and eerie winds howled.

It seemed that only Du Chen's voice was filled with a burning resentment.

But as he uttered these words, a powerful and furious voice also erupted from the ceiling.

"People are tough enough, but do you know how much tears, sweat, and blood it takes to forge that toughness out of necessity?!"

"That's not an excuse to force them!"

Golden blades flashed, tearing through the ceiling.

The blade's energy shredded part of the concrete, creating a crack resembling a vertical eye.

Feng Jianhua leaped down from the vertical eye and slashed directly at the altar with his sword.

Du Chen suddenly looked up and saw a hemispherical ice-blue protective shield light up above the altar, which was ten meters in diameter.

The golden Great Saber slammed heavily into the protective barrier, but only produced a deafening sound like a large bell.

Feng Jianhua's internal energy was originally contained within the blade, which he focused on refining to enable the blade to unleash tremendous destructive power.

But the instant he struck the shield, his internal energy transformed into a cyan stream of energy, which spilled out from the blade in all directions.

The entire floor was filled with an extremely dense yin energy, which eagerly counteracted his internal energy.

A dozen or so ethereal Evil Spirit flew toward him.

Feng Jianhua frowned, did a backflip, and dodged far away.

As he landed, some of the cardboard boxes around him crumbled and fell apart, revealing the contents inside.

Stringed copper coins, a small tripod, an incense burner, a bone flute, a purple crystal skull...

These evil magical artifacts were all dull and cracked, seemingly about to shatter into pieces at any moment.

"You madman!"

Feng Jianhua's anger had not subsided, so he simply unleashed his inner strength.

It was as if a blue flame was rising from beneath his feet, enveloping his entire body.

The next second, he was like a cannonball, smashing through the Evil Spirit blocking his way, and stabbed the shield with his sword once again.

Gaa!!

The shield emitted an extremely unpleasant sound and cracked.

"Such powerful internal energy!"

Du Chen's expression changed slightly. "However, regardless of its attribute, a person's internal energy is essentially related to their life essence. Recklessly unleashing internal energy in this situation is tantamount to courting death."

He formed a hand seal, resembling a lotus flame, his fingers trembling slightly, rising from his lower abdomen to his throat and then forward.

A tall statue of Mirror Ape stands behind him.

The ghostly spirits that had been drifting aimlessly from the ape's chest were now being drawn by an inexplicable force.

Like water flowing in a stream, it split into two arcs, flying past Du Chen on his left and right.

They were gradually filled into the cracks that appeared on the protective cover.

The Evil Spirit that had been trying to leave the floor also flew back and crashed into Feng Jianhua.

Feng Jianhua's internal energy was still surging, resisting all the Evil Spirit spirits and yin energy around him, but his face was already pale, and his skin was dry and flaky due to dehydration.

He exerted force with his feet, let out a long roar like a wild horse, and pushed the Great Saber forward with all his might.

The collision of internal energy and yin energy around Feng Jianhua caused the air around him to surge and boil.

Multiple white lines were visible in the airflow, whistling back and forth, swaying incessantly.

Many weathered cardboard boxes on the ground were blown into pieces by the strong wind.

The sound of wind could be heard throughout most of the floor.

Du Chen's expression grew even more serious. His hands moved in a series of hand seals as he focused intently on manipulating the Evil Spirit's yin energy.

Du Chen's scalp suddenly tingled; no sound or words had time to flash through his mind.

Only a sudden sense of fear gripped his mind.

He shrank back abruptly, his clothes ripped and deformed, releasing a burst of dense silver light.

In that very instant.

If you look up through the crack in the ceiling of this basement level.

You will see Chu Tianshu jump up from beside the crack and quickly brace his hands against the ceiling of the first floor.

With both arms exerting their full force, the floor slab in that area deformed violently.

Chu Tianshu's body was propelled through by this reaction force.

It pierced through the razor-sharp crack and smashed into the top of the altar's protective shield.

Clang!!!

Chu Tianshu's already somewhat damaged boots were completely shattered.

His trousers and clothes were tattered and torn, and his entire body, just bones, emitted a creaking sound.

At the same time as the deafening roar, a large hole was blasted into the top of the protective shield.

The ragged figure successfully passed through and landed on the altar.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he was greeted by a blinding flash of silver light.

It was a silver light emanating from Du Chen, with a heavy metallic luster, seemingly a large amount of mercury.

The reason this doctor dared to keep mercury close to his body was because it wasn't ordinary mercury, but rather refined "Medicinal Mercury."

The Medicinal Mercury Secret Art uses mercury as its main component, mixed with the essence of 137 kinds of medicinal herbs, and repeatedly permeates and refines it with Mind Power.

Once mastered, one can control the heavy Medicinal Mercury with Mind Power, as easily as using one's own arm or fingers, as light as the wind, and as swift as an arrow.

It can be easily deformed, and can be stored close to the body without any unusual feel. The protective medicinal properties form a thin film that separates the skin from the Medicinal Mercury.

When used to kill the enemy, its highly toxic side becomes apparent, making it one of the most potent drugs available.

The sorcerer is at a great disadvantage when a warrior gets close.

However, those who master the "Medicinal Mercury Secret Art" may actually use this moment to turn the tables and kill their enemies.

The silvery liquid metal did not form any shape resembling a venomous snake, a giant python, or a crossbow bolt.

It was a large expanse of watery, seemingly extremely soft light, which was directly splashed and enveloped the area.

Compared to any tangible attack, this completely invisible attack is the most terrifying.

Each drop of highly toxic mercury is a solid substance, with a higher density than normal mercury. If even one drop hits, it can penetrate deep into the bone marrow.

To test the power of this secret technique, Du Chen once emitted Medicinal Mercury towards a life-sized bronze statue.

A soft, thick silver light swept over it, and the brass statue almost turned into a honeycomb pattern.

The insightful light in Chu Tianshu's eyes expanded and then contracted. As the light receded, he even closed his eyelids. He suddenly took a large step forward and rammed forward at full speed.

The air whistled, like the vibrations in a tiger's throat when it roars.

He was truly striding with the power of a dragon and the gait of a tiger; the muscles in his back rippled, their contours sculpted as if by an axe, fully accentuated; his long arms stretched out, and he pushed out with a palm.

Wow!!!

Du Chen's heart was in his throat.

As the intense silver light successfully concealed the dangerous figure, he only had time to reveal a look of relief at surviving such a close call.

However, that dense silver light suddenly surged, rolled, and broke apart rapidly in his direction.

A shirtless man emerged from the heavy, highly toxic mercury.

All the mercury, driven by Mind Power and trying to penetrate his body, was rippled across the surface of his skin.

With skin as white as topaz and flowing black hair, he exuded an aura of powerful energy.

Those were fourteen hearts, all unleashing Palm Thunder together, every part of their bodies radiating energy.

Only when even the resilience of one's mind begins to improve.

Only then can one achieve a state where all parts of the body, including the eyelids, back of the head, and ears, are exerting force without any flaws.

"No!"

Du Chen was caught off guard and let out a desperate cry.

Chu Tianshu's eyes snapped open, and his hand moved even faster.

With a hum, Du Chen's head was struck by that palm, exploding into a large cloud of fragments and blood mist, which sprayed onto the statue behind him.

With Du Chen dead, the highly toxic mercury went out of control, rolling and swaying on the ground.

The altar's protective shield collapsed completely, and Feng Jianhua rushed forward.

He slammed his sword into the ground, rapidly withdrawing his internal energy, and took a deep breath.

"You scared me!"

Chu Tianshu looked at the old man, "Why did the principal rush down first?"

After finding the location of the altar, the plan was for Chu Tianshu to go down and attract attention.

His strength is more comprehensive, his vitality is tenacious and vigorous, and his cultivation technique has no obvious flaws.

Then, Feng Jianhua, the swordsman, lay in wait, fully prepared, and with a devastating strike, killed his opponent.

As a result, Du Chen's resentful words must have touched a nerve with Feng Jianhua.

The old man struck first, killing the man.

The planned tasks were swapped.

Fortunately, Feng Jianhua perfectly succeeded in attracting attention.

When someone who has cultivated their internal energy to this level unleashes their full power, the resulting awe-inspiring force is truly breathtaking.

Chu Tianshu, with a leap and a fall, shattered a head with a single palm strike.

That's efficient enough.

"His words are infuriating. If he truly paid attention to the lives of ordinary people, he wouldn't spout such nonsensical nonsense."

Feng Jianhua's voice was hoarse as he looked at the statue, "There's still this to be resolved."

Chu Tianshu looked at the statue and punched the mirror.

Choke!

Chu Tianshu's expression changed slightly, and he took a step back.

Feng Jianhua hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

"A false sense of threat, but with real pressure..."

The moment Chu Tianshu's fist touched the mirror, he seemed to see the world filled with ice and snow, and a towering ape looking down.

That instinctive sense of threat made him try his best to pull back and not actually launch an attack.

Is this what they call intimidation?

Feng Jianhua's gaze shifted, and he roughly guessed. "Try throwing a heavy object from a distance."

"No need!"

Chu Tianshu took two deep breaths.

The remaining concentrated Mind Power within the Sanqi Divine Sword had already been completely absorbed.

His body absorbed the Mind Power as if it were water, and after absorbing it completely, his whole body experienced a transcendent clarity.

He could sense that the so-called Yellow Sprout True Qi, or Samadhi True Power, was about to emerge, but it was still scattered throughout every muscle and bone in his body, without gathering.

There's no need to gather together!

Gathering them together and circulating them through the meridians—that's something for cultivating internal energy later on.

And this is how a "Martial Stove God" should be.

Feng Jianhua's nostrils twitched, as if he could smell a strong scent of blood and the scorching heat of steel.

The hairs on the back of his hand inexplicably stood on end.

The slumbering White Bone Centipede in the transparent breeding boxes placed around the altar were all awakened, hissing and crawling around wildly.

The centipede, with its bizarre shape resembling a human spine, now exudes not ferocity, but rather fear.

The remaining ghosts on the floor also stopped moving, floating stiffly in mid-air, trembling slightly.

The source of this strange feeling was Chu Tianshu, who was clenching his fist.

Is it some new hormone generated by the physical body spreading, or is it a threat emanating from the Fist Intent?

That's not important.

Three United in One Body, martial arts can create gods.

Even Ghost God have their own oppressive power.

Humans who have cultivated their martial arts to this level also possess a powerful aura!

Chu Tianshu swung his fist again, slamming it into the statue.

A red light suddenly shone in the statue's eyes, as if trying to remember this human, but it only flashed for a moment before the light disappeared.

A soft cracking sound came from inside the statue, and it crumbled and shattered, sending fine debris flying.

Feng Jianhua witnessed this scene, let out a long sigh of relief, and felt that the night was finally coming to an end.

He suddenly realized that he was getting old after all.

Even such a battle felt like an eternity to him.

Chu Tianshu looked down at the collapsed statue, then suddenly turned around. His face showed no signs of fatigue, but rather a hint of excitement.

"Time to keep killing the Evil Spirit!"

The altar has been destroyed.

Now I can safely go kill Evil Spirit and collect materials!

(End of this chapter)