In the spacious and bright cave, Xiao Yan gazed at a large wooden basin placed in front of him. The basin was filled with crystal-clear water. Beside the basin, there was a simple wooden frame, laden with all sorts of herbs. At a glance, there were probably more than several dozen varieties. It had taken Xiao Yan nearly three days to gather these herbs.
“Give me the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk,” the Pharmacist Elder instructed, extending his hand after checking if all the required herbs were present.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan hastily handed the item to the elder. The elder held the jade bottle filled with “Earth Core Body Tempering Milk,” weighed it for a moment, then pulled out the stopper. Instantly, a faint emerald mist wafted out, gathering around the mouth of the bottle, lingering without dispersing.
The Pharmacist Elder took a deep breath of the mist and felt a gentle warmth flow through his soul. He couldn’t help but smile and praise, “Indeed, it is a spiritual object that condenses the power of the earth. So pure and potent, no wonder it has such miraculous effects in cleansing the bone marrow and refining the bones.”
After the praise, the Pharmacist Elder tilted the bottle slightly and carefully poured ten drops of the emerald liquid into the wooden basin. As the ten emerald drops left the bottle, the remaining liquid decreased by almost a quarter.
With the ten drops of “Earth Core Body Tempering Milk” added, the clear water in the basin instantly transformed into a rich emerald color, and a faint mist gradually emerged from the surface, persisting for a long time, making the scene extremely peculiar.
Curious, Xiao Yan watched the changes in the water and scratched his head, saying, “Am I supposed to cultivate inside this again?”
“Yes,” the Pharmacist Elder replied, fully focused on the color changes in the water. “The energy of the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk is too immense. With your current strength, you can’t ingest it directly, so we have to use this method. Even so, it must be combined with other herbs to achieve the effect of cleansing the bone marrow and refining the bones. Otherwise, forcing it might not only fail to cleanse but also cost you your life.”
Xiao Yan smiled sheepishly, thinking he wasn’t that weak. “Give me the Incense Candle Grass,” the Pharmacist Elder instructed, ignoring Xiao Yan’s muttered thoughts, as he observed the concentration of the liquid.
Xiao Yan quickly reached for the wooden frame and picked up a red, candle-like herb, handing it to the elder. Holding the “Incense Candle Grass,” the Pharmacist Elder waved his hand, and a cluster of snow-white flames formed in his palm. Tossing the herb into the flame, the Incense Candle Grass rapidly withered and, under the scorching of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, turned into a drop of red liquid.
After purifying the red liquid with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, the elder flicked his finger, and the red liquid fell into the wooden basin. With the addition of the red liquid, the originally emerald water turned slightly dark red.
“Green Lotus Fruit,” the Pharmacist Elder said again. Xiao Yan hurriedly found the fruit on the frame. After a few minutes of refinement, the Green Lotus Fruit also turned into a drop of green liquid, adding a faint tinge of green to the water.
“Snake Shed Flower.” “Buddha Flame Root.” One by one, the names of different herbs were called out, and as the names were spoken, the herbs on the frame rapidly decreased. An hour later, dozens of herbs had been transformed into various colored liquids and added to the wooden basin.
After refining the last herb, the Pharmacist Elder sighed in relief, looking at the now multicolored water, and nodded in satisfaction. “Remove your clothes and enter. Cultivate until the water returns to its original clear state.”
Xiao Yan stared in amazement at the multicolored liquid, a mixture of the essences of dozens of herbs. He couldn’t help but admire the elder’s incredible skill in refining herbs. Such skills were not just about innate talent but required years of experience and a deep understanding of various herbs and their effects.
“Be careful when you enter. Although the ‘Earth Core Body Tempering Milk’ has been tempered by the herbs, its energy is still intense. You might experience some pain during cultivation, but enduring it will be very beneficial,” the Pharmacist Elder patted his hands and said with a smile.
Xiao Yan nodded, quickly removing his clothes and diving eagerly into the wooden basin. As his body entered the multicolored water, he shivered violently; the water was freezing cold. Without using Dou Qi to protect his body, even his skin would feel an agonizing chill.
“Do not use Dou Qi to wrap around your body; it will hinder the absorption of the medicinal energy. The coldness is due to my Bone Spirit Cold Flame and won’t harm you,” the Pharmaiser Elder said as Xiao Yan tried to resist the cold.
Xiao Yan nodded reluctantly and submerged himself in the multicolored liquid, feeling the immense energy within. Before he even began cultivating, the energy was already rushing into his body, causing a tingling sensation, as if ants were crawling on his skin.
Shaking his head, Xiao Yan suppressed the discomfort. He had endured many hardships, so these sensations didn’t pose much of a problem. Sitting cross-legged in the basin, he formed the cultivation seal, closed his eyes, and his breathing became slow and steady. Soon, the tingling sensation faded, and he entered a meditative state.
The Pharmacist Elder watched Xiao Yan, smiling and nodding. “Cleansing the bone marrow and refining the bones is immensely beneficial, but it also brings significant pain. Endure it, and the path ahead will be smooth. If not, not only will all efforts be wasted, but your meridians might also be damaged, resulting in a loss. Despite the risks, one cannot progress in cultivation without taking chances and having courage.”
As Xiao Yan entered the meditative state, tiny bubbles started to form on the multicolored water. Soon, the bubbles grew more intense, as if the water was boiling, though it remained frigid. In that instant, Xiao Yan’s body trembled, sensing numerous streams of pure energy entering his body through his pores, forcefully flooding his system.
Due to the overwhelming energy, his skin felt swollen and painful. However, the energy continued to rush in, and when it had nowhere else to go, it began to move chaotically under his skin, causing bumps and ripples. It looked like there were small snakes beneath his skin, appearing quite terrifying.
Unaware of the grotesque appearance, Xiao Yan focused on the internal movements. The multicolored energy rushed to his bones, turning them into a rainbow of colors. Underneath, something seemed to invade his bones, mixing with the marrow.
Unable to stop the energy, Xiao Yan could only watch as more and more of his bones turned colorful. In less than ten minutes, his entire skeletal structure was enveloped in multicolored light. Just as he pondered this, a sudden, intense burning sensation shot through his bones, spreading throughout his body.
Gritting his teeth, Xiao Yan’s body quivered, his skin turning red, and sweat pouring down his face. He now understood why the Pharmacist Elder warned of pain. Wasn’t this a bit too much?
Watching Xiao Yan, the Pharmacist Elder’s eye twitched, sighing softly. “Hang in there, little guy. If you succeed, reaching the Dou Wang level will be much easier.”
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