Chapter 2: Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art . . .
It wasn't that Ye Hang's medicinal concoction lacked efficacy; rather, Ye Yuan's current state was exceptionally dire.
Despite the potential side effects of Ye Hang's medicine, Ye Yuan paid little attention. The paramount concern at the moment was alleviating the symptoms afflicting his wretched body.
As for the latent threats left by the Detoxification Pill, Ye Yuan possessed the means to eliminate them effortlessly.
Since inheriting this body, the esteemed Alchemy Emperor Qingyun Zi found it challenging to regard his own physique. He struggled to comprehend how his predecessor endured the past decade or so.
Born into a prestigious Alchemy family, this individual failed to advance beyond the Second Level Essence Qi Realm, a stark disappointment. Even in a mortal country, one born into such a family and regularly consuming commonplace Essence Qi Pills should typically reach the Fourth Level Essence Qi Realm and beyond.
Wanting to cry but unable to shed tears, this Alchemy Emperor could only use such a phrase to describe his prevailing emotion.
Enduring such a violent poison with this feeble body explained Ye Yuan's demise. Although Qingyun Zi now inhabited this form, immediate changes were impractical. Progress would have to occur one step at a time.
To onlookers, Ye Yuan's pill-snatching act exposed his true nature. However, Ye Hang merely smirked. "Ha! I knew you were bluffing. You actually scared me for a moment."
Ye Hang had sensed something amiss earlier. This individual likely peeked at the pill formula or overheard the family's retainers discussing the refinement of the Detoxification Pill. That explained how he knew every detail about the pill. Since Ye Yuan was already making light of the situation, his condition likely wasn't severe.
Ye Yuan had no intention of explaining. Feigning ignorance and incompetence suited this body. Maintaining a low profile seemed the prudent course.
"Father, Mother, I'm a little tired and would like to rest for now," Ye Yuan, desiring recuperation, requested their departure.
"Yuan-er, you've just recovered from a severe illness. Rest is indeed warranted. If anything arises, let Lu-er inform us," his parents assured before ushering everyone out of the room.
... ...
Ye Yuan commenced meditation, circulating essence energy within his body to absorb the Detoxification Pill's medicinal effects and expel the lingering poison.
However, the meager essence energy in his body rendered its efficacy feeble. An Alchemy Emperor of his stature, granted a second chance at life, nearly succumbed to frustration after surviving poisoning.
By the time all the medicinal effects were fully absorbed, dawn approached. This meditation session spanned a laborious 12 hours. Yet, the effort bore fruit. Ye Yuan's complexion noticeably improved, radiating a rosier hue. The toxins within his body were largely neutralized.
To the current Ye Yuan, this was a modest achievement. Leveraging Qingyun Zi's expertise in the Dao of Alchemy, extracting the full potential of the diminutive Detoxification Pill posed no difficulty.
Reflecting on it, despite his predecessor's lackadaisical approach to training, it proved advantageous. This body was akin to a blank canvas, allowing Qingyun Zi unrestricted manipulation without fear of damaging it. Had his predecessor haphazardly practiced martial arts, rebuilding the foundation would have entailed a considerable price. This, in turn, simplified matters.
Yet, despite the Intestine Rupturing Grass Poison's relative insignificance, Ye Hang's Detoxification Pill's efficacy remained severely restricted. Traces of residual toxins lingered in the body. Furthermore, the pill's inherent flaws introduced medicinal toxins, necessitating the procurement of medicinal herbs to eradicate potential future threats once dawn broke.
Fortuitously, the Ye Family, one of the esteemed Alchemy families in the State of Qin, could easily acquire the necessary herbs.
With time before dawn, Ye Yuan resolved to strategize his path post-rebirth.
In his previous life, Qingyun Zi's devotion to the Dao of Alchemy overshadowed his commitment to the Martial Dao. This imbalance rendered him powerless against the traitor.
Qingyun Zi cultivated martial arts merely to refine superior pills; adequacy for use sufficed. This approach led to him becoming the youngest Alchemy Emperor in the Divine Realm.
Upon reaching Alchemy Emperor status, he earned accolades as the most likely genius to ascend to Alchemy God status in tens of thousands of years. A feat not accomplished for millennia. However, that glory had become history. Today, the Divine Realm's prodigy Qingyun Zi no longer existed, only the Lower Realm's youth Ye Yuan embarking on the path of revenge.
For vengeance against the traitor, diligence in the martial path became imperative. Despite the traitor's Dao of Alchemy proficiency rivaling Qingyun Zi's, he undeniably excelled in the Martial Dao. To surpass him, the current Ye Yuan would need to invest considerable effort.
Initially, a mortal country's youth in the Lower Realm faced the most significant deficiencies in resources and techniques. Resources were indeed a luxury for the current Ye Yuan, but techniques were the least of his concerns.
Irrespective of whether in the Lower Realm or the Divine Realm, alchemists commanded exceptional respect. Moreover, Qingyun Zi's father, Zhengyang Zi, held the prestigious title of the number one Alchemy Emperor in the Divine Realm, accumulating countless techniques over the years.
Though Qingyun Zi was initially indifferent to the Martial Dao, his extensive study of martial art manuals aimed at enhancing alchemical procedures led him to uncover suitable techniques for his cultivation. Sorting through memories from his past life, Ye Yuan settled on the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art as his core cultivation technique.
This martial art stood as the core practice of the renowned Spirit Bristle Divine King in the Divine Realm. To obtain a Ninth Rank Medicinal Pill, the Spirit Bristle Divine King had sought Zhengyang Zi's assistance. Failing to provide adequate compensation, he left behind this formidable cultivation technique.
The Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art was exceptionally potent, propelling the Spirit Bristle Divine King to unparalleled heights in the Divine Realm, ranking among the top ten mysterious entities.
In the Divine Realm, anything labeled 'Divine' held incomparable value, sparking intense conflicts. The revelation of the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art had shaken the entire Divine Realm. To secure this technique, over ten Divine Kings reportedly fell. Ultimately, it found its way into the hands of the Spirit Bristle Divine King, who remained inconspicuous for over a decade before emerging as the top Divine King.
The Spirit Bristle Divine King entrusted this technique to Zhengyang Zi due to their shared passion for the Dao of Alchemy and their lack of ulterior motives or aspirations for worldly contention.
Studying the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art, Ye Yuan delved into the cultivation manual. Traces of essence energy permeated his body, emitting a faint yellow glow.
At the Essence Qi Realm, cultivators directed essence energy from the heaven and earth into their bodies, laying the foundation for cultivation. While seemingly unremarkable, the Essence Qi Realm was crucial for martial arts cultivation. It served as the foundational stage, akin to a solid base for constructing a towering skyscraper.
Exhaling after four hours of cultivation, Ye Yuan marveled at the power of the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art. Though the essence in his body had not substantially increased during this period, its quality had significantly improved. Evaluating the technique, he considered the potential for invincibility within the same realm.
As an Alchemy Emperor, Ye Yuan possessed extensive knowledge, and his positive assessment of the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art underscored its exceptional nature. During the four-hour session, he used the technique to refine the limited essence energy of his predecessor, enhancing the purity of the essence energy in his dantian.
Despite this refinement not advancing his realm, it caused it to regress to the First Level Essence Qi Realm. Thankfully, his predecessor's neglect of cultivation in recent years proved advantageous, sparing Ye Yuan from the arduous task of refining his body's essence energy.
With the morning light already illuminating the sky, Ye Yuan left the room to acquire medicinal herbs for his body from the Ye Family's medicine warehouse. As he stepped out, a green figure collided with him.