The bathing pool in Meng Chuan’s cave abode.
“Lord, the water has already been heated up,” said Steward Liu respectfully.
“Remember, keep it hot. Don’t let the water turn cold,” instructed Meng Chuan. “Alright, you can leave.”
“Yes.” Steward Liu retreated.
The bathing pool was above a hypocaust. There were servants in the hypocaust that burned the firewood to maintain the water temperature.
Meng Chuan picked up a yellow gourd and pulled off its stopper. He poured a large amount of mixed powder into the bathtub. It was a medicinal herb that had been grounded and mixed up long ago. It was used as an aid for his Eighth Refinement. After emptying the gourd, the pool’s clear water immediately turned light green. He then took out three jade bottles and poured out a pill from each. He crushed the pills and scattered the remains in the water.
Thankfully, these medicinal herbs and pills can be exchanged at Archean Mountain. If I were to gather them myself, I would have a headache. Meng Chuan smiled as he put away the items.
Following that, he took out a black bottle. The bottle contained the Golden Crow baneful aura! Meng Chuan stared at it before gently removing the stopper. He took a deep breath and used his Quintessential Essence to draw the baneful aura inside out. The golden-white baneful aura flew out and entered his nose.
After absorbing two streams of baneful auras, Meng Chuan immediately placed the stopper back on the black bottle.
He executed the complementary body-tempering saber art on the spot. Using his Saber Intent, he guided his body into absorbing the baneful aura. He found his body burning up from within. Even his head was scalding hot. The Power of Essence Soul maintained his consciousness as he constantly executed the body-tempering saber art. Finally, the two wisps of Golden Crow baneful auras were absorbed by his body, and the scalding heat inside his body turned milder.
I haven’t reached my limit. I can continue refining the baneful aura. Meng Chuan picked up the black bottle and removed the stopper again. Another two streams of golden-white baneful auras entered his body through his nostrils.
By the time he finished absorbing all the Golden Crow baneful aura within the bottle, Meng Chuan still hadn’t reached his limit. However, he didn’t dare continue.
It’s already enough to refine a bottle of Golden Crow baneful aura each time. If I absorb too much, my body probably won’t be able to withstand it.
He immediately took off his clothes and entered the bathing pool.
As Meng Chuan sat against a stone wall, the scalding herbal bath’s medicinal essence seeped into his body. It entered his bones and muscles, gradually stirring the Golden Crow baneful aura he had absorbed, catalyzing its fusion with his body.
After he absorbed the raging Golden Crow baneful aura, it began damaging his body. However, the micro-structures within his body were instantly destroyed before they could even transmit the pain. A bottle of Golden Crow baneful aura only had nine streams worth of baneful aura. According to the manual, absorbing the baneful aura all at once would only cause heavy injuries to somebody who had completed the Seventh Refinement. Death wasn’t possible.
If he absorbed too much, his body would really collapse. The medicinal effects of the bathtub seeped into his body, nourishing the damaged areas. One caused damage while the other restored him.
Meng Chuan felt like countless ants drilled into his bone marrow and flesh. The pain caused his body to spasm uncontrollably. His skin flushed red, and his veins protruded. The pain overwhelmed him instantly. His eyes were red as he grabbed a towel—that he had prepared earlier—and stuffed it into his mouth.
He bit the towel and let out a painful groan.
Bear with it. Bear with it. It’s only pain. It’s nothing life-threatening.
If he didn’t have the medicinal bath to aid his cultivation, most of his body would be injured. Even if he didn’t feel much pain, how was he to treat them? Archean Mountain would have to pay a great price to heal him, and it would take him half a year to recover completely. It was stupid to waste half a year absorbing a bottle of Golden Crow baneful aura. The Eighth Refinement required a total of 120 bottles of Golden Crow baneful aura. He couldn’t spend sixty years on the Eighth Refinement.
The only way to cultivate the Eighth Refinement was to use a herbal bath. Although it was extremely painful, it minimized the damage. Furthermore, it constantly healed him, allowing him to be full of vigor the next day.
Bear with it. Bear with it. Meng Chuan bit the towel and gripped the bathtub walls with both hands. His fingers left marks on the stone wall; blood flowed from his shattered fingernails into the pool.
He recalled the scenes of demons invading Eastcalm Prefecture. Scenes of parents using their lives to protect their children, only to end up slaughtered. In order to protect the family clan’s juniors, Third Elder stood in between them and the demons, only to be killed by the demons. Facing the demons, the entire Blazing Sun Dao Academy was on the verge of collapse.
Only strength!
Only if he had strength could he kill demons and save people.
I want to become stronger!
What’s this bit of pain? Rather than being helpless and regretful when the time comes, I’d rather suffer more while on Archean Mountain. I want to become stronger! The stronger I become, the better! Pain? Come on, let the pain strike harder! Meng Chuan’s eyes were burning with madness. He bit the towel, and blood appeared on the towel.
…
At night, Marquis Heavenstar was teaching.
Liu Qiyue and six other disciples listened carefully.
“Bai Yi, Fu Chang, Qian Yu,” shouted the Marquis Heavenstar coldly. “The three of you aren’t far from passing the Nine Mystical Caves. Once that happens, you’ll leave the mountain and enter the battlefield! I see that the three of you have spent too much time on Archean Mountain. It’s too comfortable and peaceful. You are satisfied with your meager improvements. You don’t feel the urgency to become stronger!”
The three Godfiend disciples trembled when they heard this.
“I focus on cultivating in private,” Bai Yi immediately said.
“Me too,” Fu Chang and Qian Yu said.
“Is that so? From what I know, you are more interested in befriending others. You show off your archery skills at the Dao Exchanges. You also invite a number of Godfiend disciples to your respective cave abodes every other day,” said Marquis Heavenstar.
Fu Chang said respectfully, “Master, we will likely leave the mountain within a year. After we leave the mountain, we will fight alongside other Godfiends. Therefore, we are trying to familiarize ourselves with others in advance. It will be easier for us to work together in the future.”
“You are even talking back?” Marquis Heavenstar said coldly, “Do you know how many Godfiends are fighting elsewhere while you cultivate on Archean Mountain peacefully!? Even twenty-year-old mortals are risking their lives in the military. Yet, you are beginning to indulge yourself on the mountain. Don’t you feel ashamed?”
The three disciples didn’t dare say a word. They had only recently begun to indulge themselves. After all, it was extremely difficult for them to increase their strength when they were close to leaving the mountain. Instead, they began to befriend everyone with their statuses as Godfiend sharpshooters. Their strength was ranked among the top among the disciples that remained on the mountain. If they invited other disciples, they would feel flattered and be more than willing to attend.
After all, others were willing to befriend powerful sharpshooters.
“There’s a new disciple named Meng Chuan,” said Marquis Heavenstar.
Liu Qiyue perked up.
The other five Godfiend disciples listened obediently.
Marquis Heavenstar continued, “He has already reached the Seventh Refinement of the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body, and can be considered as mastering a transcendent-grade Godfiend body. Furthermore, he has also mastered a move from a Black Metal Sutra legacy. Among the two hundred plus disciples present, apart from Xue Feng and Xiao Yunyue, he is the third to attain this feat. Yet, he has never flaunted himself. He didn’t indulge in such affairs, and instead chose to reach the Eighth Refinement.”
“What?” Bai Yi, Qian Yu, and the other Godfiend disciples were alarmed.
He mastered a transcendent-grade Godfiend Body and a Black Metal Sutra move? They hadn’t about his achievements. There had been no news.
However, Marquis Heavenstar continued, “He practices his saber art eight hours a day. The Eighth Refinement is extremely painful, but he continued doing it every day.”
“Don’t you feel ashamed when compared to him? You are flaunting yourselves with your meager archery skills. He has only been on the mountain for over half a year, but he hasn’t even flaunted his transcendent-grade Godfiend body or the Black Metal Sutra move. Yet, you show off your archery skills like they are something impressive? You even host banquets every other day? While you’re doing so, others are becoming stronger!”
The Godfiend disciples lowered their heads and listened obediently. On the other hand, Liu Qiyue felt proud.
“Every bit of strength you raise now might mean killing an additional demon monarch, saving a Godfiend companion, or even saving yourself on the battlefield!” said Marquis Heavenstar angrily. “On the battlefield, it’s useless befriending all these people. The things that are useful are the arrows in your hands! You are sharpshooters, Godfiends! Don’t embarrass me!”
“Yes.” They didn’t dare to make another sound.
…
After the lesson ended, Liu Qiyue rushed back to Bright Scenic Peak excitedly.
“Ah Chuan, Ah Chuan.” Liu Qiyue wanted to share what her master, Marquis Heavenstar, had said today.
“My lord is undergoing a herbal bath,” said Steward Liu respectfully.
“Herbal bath?” Liu Qiyue nodded slightly. She silently walked to the bathing room and gently cracked open the door. She looked in. Back at Mirror Lake Meng Manor, Meng Chuan often took herbal baths. She had long gotten used to it.
At a glance, the smile on her face disappeared as she stared blankly.
Meng Chuan was biting on a towel and grabbing the stone walls beside him with both hands. His fingernails were shattered and covered in blood. His body trembled as he stared at the pool in front of him. Suddenly, he raised his head and forced out a smile, but his smile became a grimace.
“Ah Chuan, continue your cultivation.” Liu Qiyue closed the door immediately, but her face was somewhat pale.
She was concerned about Meng Chuan, so she had read some introductions regarding the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body’s cultivation. She knew that the Eighth Refinement process would be very painful, but she had never seen it with her own eyes. Now that she had seen it with her own eyes, she realized the pain Meng Chuan was experiencing.
At that moment, Liu Qiyue only hated herself for being powerless. She couldn’t help Ah Chuan relieve the pain.
