Chapter 36: Research (1)
Su Chen found it inconceivable that breaking into the Spirit Burning Realm was actually so simple.
However, upon further reflection he realized that his foundation was far more solid than an average person’s. His ample preparations had finally paid off, so this outcome was actually not too surprising.
Who could even reach a thousand units of consciousness power anyways?
And without the Immaculate Cultivation Technique, who was able to possess Origin Energy sevenfold denser than the Origin Energy of an average cultivator?
Because of these foundations, Su Chen’s path towards the Spirit Burning Realm was also much less eventful than it would have been for anyone else.
“So as long as I distribute the True Heart Scripture and the Immaculate Cultivation Technique, a majority of the issues related to breaking into the Spirit Burning Realm without a bloodline will have been resolved?” Su Chen muttered to himself as he smiled with delight.
That was indeed good news.
However, this matter obviously was not finished just yet.
After all, the latter two steps had yet to be resolved.
The first two steps were merely the foundation, while the last two steps required more finesse and technique. This was also the reason why Spirit Burning Realm cultivators could unleash skills impossible for anyone below that cultivation realm.
Su Chen had already obtained the Zhu Clan’s secret technique for ascending, and he had also snagged Li Chongshan’s technique as well. Finally, he had also managed to purchase three of the Rong Clan’s common methods for ascending.
All of these complicated methods required the support of a bloodline, and they possessed varying success rates as well. The Rong Clan’s and the Zhu Clan’s techniques were the most marvelous. Unfortunately, for bloodline reasons, it was extremely difficult to use these techniques even if a person obtained them.
Su Chen wondered if he could possibly combine the techniques together to get rid of the bloodline requirements and greatly improve the techniques.
He was someone who just naturally enjoyed breaking through restrictions and blazing a new path. Even though a way forward to the Spirit Burning Realm was already opened, Su Chen wasn’t satisfied. Since his current situation had dealt with some of the problems he was facing, he had lots of free time on his hands, so he decided to take care of the remaining outstanding issues.
Su Chen once again immersed himself in his research.
This time, the Rong Clan’s six elders were extremely unlucky.
The first thing Su Chen changed was that he began to reduce his use of the Origin Bone Scepter.
The Origin Bone Scepter only predicted outcomes, not processes.
Su Chen only needed results in the past, which the Origin Bone Scepter would give him when he asked a question.
However, the Origin Bone Scepter would have a hard time giving him the process, and even if it could, there wasn’t much point because Su Chen was trying to find the optimal outcome. This meant that he would need all the answers, both good and bad, which was something the Origin Bone Scepter couldn’t give to him. As such, Su Chen would need to gradually research these things one after another.
The Rong Clan’s six elders thus became the perfect research subjects for Su Chen to use.
When he realized that the envoy sent to the capital would likely return soon, Su Chen didn’t hesitate to use the six elders unsparingly. Everything was done with maximum efficiency..
Perhaps human experiments were evil, but the outcomes would benefit the common people. This was generally the case; many beautiful things in life were built on the foundation of something ugly. Without rotting meat decomposing into nutrient-rich mud, no tall trees would be able to grow.
The only thing Su Chen could do was only use these dark, underhanded methods on his enemies – the six Rong Clan elders had attempted to sell out the human race, so Su Chen felt no reluctance in experimenting on them.
A series of unimaginably grotesque experiments began to unfold.
Su Chen tested out medicines, physical regeneration, different Origin Substances, and their effects on how Origin Energy moved in the body. He had long since moved past studying their Divine Palace’s, and he was now investigating how to develop a poison that could kill Spirit Burning Realm cultivators, how to conceal oneself from their consciousness, how to defend oneself from their consciousness attacks, how to see through the way a Spirit Burning Realm cultivator utilized Origin Energy, how to further stimulate the Darkness Snake Bloodline, etc.
As his strength and experience had increased, Su Chen’s goals became higher and higher, and his movements were also incredibly smooth and efficient.
As per usual, Su Chen was engrossed in his experiments when Iron Cliff suddenly walked in from outside.
“Master, the envoy from the capital is here.”
“So they’ve finally arrived, have they?” Su Chen sighed.
About ten days had passed since the Rong Clan was captured, and this was even given that the Zhu Clan had done their best to try and delay. But to Su Chen, this time still seemed so short, even though he had not slept a wink these past ten days.
There were too many things he wanted to try out and too many ideas he wanted to confirm.
Each cultivation realm was like a new world ready for him to explore, and the scenery before his eyes had intoxicated him.
Unfortunately, before Su Chen was able to take it all in, the door was shut on him.
Even though he had already done his best to gather as much data as he possibly could, he still felt extremely regretful.
The Rong Clan’s elders absolutely needed to be handed over to the imperial family because of their crimes, and there was no negotiating that. That afternoon, the six Rong Clan elders were given to the imperial envoy.
The envoy had originally expected the Rong Clan’s six elders to be scared or even to try and escape, but they actually confessed to their crimes incredibly quickly, all of them seemingly unwilling to stay even a moment longer.
This shocked the imperial envoy greatly.
Zhu Yunyan glanced at Su Chen. “It seems that you tormented them quite badly.”
Su Chen shrugged. “Not really. I promised that I would hand them over in one piece. See, aren’t their arms and legs all still attached?”
Zhu Yunyan chuckled coldly.
Spirit Burning Realm cultivators possessed the ability to regenerate their limbs, so it was unclear which arm and which leg they were on at this point.
Zhu Yunyan surmised that Su Chen had probably gone through the equivalent of twelve elders at this point.
However, there was no need for Zhu Yunyan to bring those up now.
Su Chen, who had been incredibly busy, suddenly had a lot of free time now that the six Rong Clan elders weren’t in his hands anymore.
Since he had a lot of free time, he was naturally going to spend some time with Zhu Xianyao.
Su Chen hadn’t really explored Flat Sky City yet, and had only really walked around the city on his first day. Of course, he hadn’t had the time to observe his surroundings because he was being chased.
As such, in the following days, Zhu Xianyao brought him all around the city, and they also engaged in some behind-closed-doors activity – the Zhu Clan was completely agreeable with Su Chen now.
Zhu Xianyao was extremely happy, as if she was a little bird that had been released from a cage.
The two of them were going at it yet again today.
After they had indulged themselves and the passion had somewhat subsided, Zhu Xianyao laid down on Su Chen’s chest, planting little kisses on his chest as she stroked his chest gently with her fingers.
Zhu Xianyao gazed at Su Chen as Su Chen rubbed his head with his hands, staring in a daze at the ceiling.
“What are you thinking about now?” Zhu Xianyao asked tenderly and softly.
Su Chen thoughtlessly replied, “Origin Energy goes through the Leak Valley into the Lower Huge Passage…… What would happen if I use the Thousand Flowers Seal?”
Zhu Xianyao’s expression changed as she grabbed Su Chen’s nether regions. “You’re still thinking about cultivation when you’re with me?”
As she twisted hard with her right hand, Su Chen’s expression became strained.
Su Chen couldn’t help but say as he realized his mistake, “I’m sorry, that’s my fault. You know that the Origin Bone Scepter only gives outcomes, not the process, so my knowledge in some areas is still lacking. I need to summarize and reflect on my findings so far so that I can fill in the necessary gaps.”
Zhu Xianyao stared wide-eyed at him. “So that’s why you’re thinking about this stuff now?”
Su Chen said, “I’ve been with you for so long already. I thought that we already didn’t need to communicate with words anymore.”
As he spoke, he leaned in to kiss Zhu Xianyao.
Su Chen was actually pretty good at placating women.
Zhu Xianyao’s unhappiness was quelled by Su Chen’s kiss, and as the two of them lost themselves in their passion, they began another round of battle.
Finally, once the clouds had cleared, Zhu Xianyao was completely satisfied, and she lay in Su Chen’s arms. “Since you worked so hard, then I’ll forgive you.”
Su Chen chuckled, “I risked my life just to be forgiven?”
“Then what else do you want?”
“How about the corpses of those two harpies?” Su Chen said.
Zhu Xianyao panicked. “How did you know……”
Su Chen sighed. “How could I not know?”
The Harpy female that had been captured was sent off along with the Rong Clan to the capital, but the two Harpy males that had been fighting with Zhu Xianyao were killed by her. Of course, they didn’t need to be sent over to the imperial family, so Zhu Xianyao had kept them all this time.
However, Zhu Xianyao had never mentioned it, and Su Chen had never asked.
Until today.
Su Chen calmly said, “You are my woman. How could I not understand your thoughts?”
No one was clearer than Zhu Xianyao about Su Chen’s hobbies. Zhu Xianyao might have been able to capture the two of them alive during her battle with them, but she had killed them on purpose so that he could have two more targets to research.
However, after killing the Harpies, Zhu Xianyao changed her mind and decided not to hand them over to Su Chen. The reason for this was very simple – she wanted Su Chen to spend more time with him.
Women often thought this way. The motivation was very similar, but the result was that she had made two decisions that totally contradicted each other.
She had kept the corpses but then hid them. The reason she had made such conflicting decisions was because of her unchanging love.
Su Chen also knew this, which was why he had waited.
He couldn’t have afforded to wait for the Rong Clan’s six elders, so he could only research them first.
After handing over the six elders, Su Chen had suppressed his curiosity and spent all of his time with Zhu Xianyao before bringing it up now.
Zhu Xianyao flushed slightly upon being exposed by Su Chen. She was unwilling to relent, however, and said stubbornly, “What Harpy corpses? I burned them already. Who would want to keep those things around?”
Su Chen could only apologize and promise her that he wouldn’t neglect her for these Harpy corpses, and that he would spend at least four hours with Zhu Xianyao every day.
Even so, Zhu Xianyao jabbed Su Chen fiercely one more time and harrumphed, “It seems that even corpses are more attractive than me. You should take them as your concubines instead.”
She stood and said angrily, “Follow me.”
Su Chen followed Zhu Xianyao meekly. No trace of the prestige of a Sect Master could be found.
