Chapter 57 - 56: First-Grade Flesh Soul, Celestial Demon Body Refining

Chapter 57: Chapter 56: First-Grade Flesh Soul, Celestial Demon Body Refining

The sudden turn of events caught them both completely off guard.

Zhao Ci truly hadn’t expected a Secret Skill like this to exist—one that involved sticking needles all over someone’s body to forcibly draw out all their True Qi. He was in a world of hurt but couldn’t even put it into words.

He had long accumulated enough True Qi for his first Body Refining. The only reason he’d been delaying was that the Emperor Pill could increase his body’s maximum capacity for True Qi.

So, he had intentionally stockpiled it for an extra half a month.

One had to understand that the Imperial Extreme True Qi cultivated in the Harmony Realm was terrifyingly immense in both quantity and purity.

He hadn’t even thought he could use it all up in a single Body Refining session, but now every last bit of it had been drawn out.

’This is gonna be the death of me!’

’I’m not going to explode from this, am I?!’

Gu Xiangzhu was also stunned. She had wanted to help Zhao Ci forge a Third-Grade Flesh Soul or higher but was worried he didn’t have enough True Qi. That’s why she had resorted to using a Secret Technique to stimulate it while also specifically locking onto the medicinal power of the Emperor Pill.

This Secret Technique used an extremely potent drug to stimulate the body, turning it into a deep-sea trench that desperately absorbed everything. It was designed to gather all a person’s True Qi into their skin and flesh in a short time, with Supreme Qi Cultivation Pills to be used as a supplement. While this might make the Imperial Extreme True Qi impure, for someone without an abundant supply of True Qi, the benefits definitely outweighed the drawbacks.

The needles were inserted into the tendons to greatly enhance the body’s explosive power, artificially creating an advantage for the Emperor’s Extreme Body Refining Technique.

But she never expected Zhao Ci to have so much Imperial Extreme True Qi in his Dantian.

And it was so pure.

The Supreme Qi Cultivation Pills were definitely not needed now.

But there was simply too much True Qi. Even with the Emperor Pill increasing his body’s capacity, he probably couldn’t absorb it all!

’And once this Secret Technique starts, it can’t be stopped!’

’This is bad!’

’Is my dear boy about to explode?’

Gu Xiangzhu’s heart tightened. Unable to think of the best solution on such short notice, she could only watch Zhao Ci quietly.

A faint golden light began to glow beneath his skin. His once well-proportioned muscles instantly doubled in size, pulsed by the True Qi, giving his entire body a wild, explosive aesthetic.

Meanwhile, an expression of extreme agony had appeared on Zhao Ci’s face.

Even with the Emperor Pill expanding his body’s capacity, the sensation of True Qi frantically pouring into him was excruciating.

But thankfully, it was only pain, and it was still bearable.

Right now, he felt as if every cell in his body had become a workshop running at full power, sucking in barrels of gasoline from the outside and igniting them, furiously incinerating every structure within.

The sensation was a bit like the Divinity Refining Furnace.

It was all about tempering!

But the difference was, the Divinity Refining Furnace was a single furnace on the Spirit Platform, tempering only one thing: the Primordial Spirit.

Now, however, every one of the billions of cells in his skin and flesh had become a goddamn furnace, and the tempering was so agonizing he wished he were dead.

Even his sphincter...

Zhao Ci had no time for stray thoughts. He could only forcibly control his True Qi, trying to suppress the speed at which it poured into his flesh.

It had some effect, but not much.

He could only endure the agony and force his skin and muscles to remain open.

"HUMMM!"

His entire body suddenly trembled, as if his cells had let out a collective, joyous hum.

Gu Xiangzhu’s pupils shrank. ’That’s the resonance of a Flesh Soul! A single hum means it has reached a grade. Many commoners save every penny to buy Qi Cultivation Pills just for a chance at this.’

But a normal person would have to temper themselves for at least six hours to reach a grade.

But Zhao Ci? It had taken him less than ten minutes.

And the amount of Imperial Extreme True Qi he had consumed was negligible compared to the total.

’This...’

"HUMMM!"

A quarter-hour later, another joyous hum.

Ninth Grade!

Another quarter-hour passed.

"HUMMM!"

After the time it takes an incense stick to burn...

"HUMMM!"

Gu Xiangzhu felt her face stiffen. ’What kind of speed is this?’

’How long has it been? He’s already at Seventh Grade?’

She steadied herself and decided not to dwell on it for now, instead staring intently at Zhao Ci to guard against any anomalies. After all, she didn’t believe he could absorb all this True Qi, even after using the Emperor Pill to raise his limit.

’Even a Top-Grade Emperor Pill might not be enough.’

’Let alone a Low-Grade one.’

This Body Refining process was simply too frightening. She had never seen anything like it and felt like an accident could happen at any moment.

Any accident could be fatal, and since she hadn’t gotten the Alcohol Refining Technique yet, she absolutely could not allow that to happen.

Then.

"HUMMM!"

"HUMMM!"

"HUMMM!"

"HUMMM!"

’He’s at Third-Grade already?’

Gu Xiangzhu’s head was buzzing. She originally thought she would have to put in a great deal of effort to help Zhao Ci forge a Third-Grade Flesh Soul.

She never imagined it would be this easy.

And from the looks of it, it was far from over.

The surging Imperial Extreme True Qi in this boy’s body was not even half-depleted.

’When is this going to end?’

Gu Xiangzhu touched her forehead and found it beaded with fine sweat. She could only steady her nerves and continue to wait.

[System Prompt]: Wish fulfilled. Reward received: Comprehension +10, Body Suppressing Talisman x1.

[Body Suppressing Talisman]: Apply to a target to prevent the body’s deterioration in all senses. Duration: a quarter of an hour.

Zhao Ci: "..."

’Is this for saving my life?’

’Is it afraid my body will be torn apart?’

’But do I dare use it in front of Gu Xiangzhu?’

’I’ll just have to endure it for now!’

Another incense stick’s worth of time passed.

"HUMMM..."

Second Grade!

Gu Xiangzhu: "..."

She no longer knew what words could describe how she felt.

’Does a Low-Grade Emperor Pill have this kind of effect?’

A Second-Grade Flesh Soul.

This was undoubtedly a level only the most supreme geniuses could reach.

Any higher would be on the level of someone like Xiang Tiange...

"HUMMM!"

This time, Gu Xiangzhu’s own head buzzed along with it.

First-Grade Flesh Soul!

Gu Xiangzhu didn’t know how many had appeared throughout history, because many historical records were lost when the Great Yu Northern Territory fell and the Imperial Family made their Southern Crossing.

But she knew that since then, only two people had achieved it.

One was Marquis Zhonglie, Xiang Tiange.

The other was the previous Sect Leader of the Demon Sect. But this great power’s strength surpassed that of any other Sect Leader in history. He was truly one of a kind, and had even come close to breaking through the Imperial Palace’s Grand Array all by himself.

That’s why no one called him Sect Leader. They called him the Demon Monarch!

But now, a boy who had lived in a daze for seventeen years had actually reached this level.

And...

...his Imperial Extreme True Qi still wasn’t used up! It was still pouring into him ferociously.

But the Demon Monarch had once stated with great certainty that First Grade was the limit of the human body.

’This is bad!’

’Something terrible is about to happen!’

Sure enough.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Zhao Ci’s body began to tremble violently.

Beads of blood burst from his pores, blooming into vibrant, bloody flowers.

Blood also began to seep from his seven orifices.

Gu Xiangzhu: "..."

Zhao Ci: "..."

He was truly panicking.

It wasn’t that he was completely out of options.

Faced with this situation, he had at least two solutions.

First, he could use the Body Suppressing Talisman he just got. But that would definitely arouse Gu Xiangzhu’s suspicion. Moreover, after the Talisman Paper’s effect wore off, no one knew if this bizarre state would simply return.

Second, he could immediately activate the Celestial Demon Body Refining Secret Technique. He had to go through it once anyway; if he destroyed all his muscles and skin, the True Qi would have nowhere to pour into.

But to use the Celestial Demon Body Refining Secret Technique in front of Gu Xiangzhu...

’I’d probably be killed on the spot!’

’Fuck!’

’This damn Demon Sect woman has really screwed me over!’

’Am I really going to die here?’

Just then.

He suddenly felt his eyes being forced open, and then he saw a pair of exquisitely beautiful eyes that shone with an eerie light.

Immediately after, his head swam and his consciousness began to dissipate. All he wanted was to fall asleep right away.

’This is bad.’

’Mind control?’

’What is this woman trying to do to me?’

’Don’t tell me she thinks I’m about to die and is going to forcibly search my soul for the Alcohol Refining Technique?’

’Does such an evil art even exist in this world?’

Terrified, Zhao Ci bit his tongue hard, forcing a sliver of clarity back into his mind.

Then, he pulled out a piece of Talisman Paper and stuck it on himself.

The Limitation Removal Talisman!

It removes all adverse restrictions on the body and mind.

In an instant, his mind became clear again. Although his entire body was still in excruciating pain, his five senses had returned.

But strangely, it seemed Gu Xiangzhu had no intention of doing anything to his head. Instead, she had sealed all the meridians in his body, suppressing the rampaging True Qi.

’What’s she doing?’

’Whatever!’

’I’ll just keep pretending to be unconscious and see what she’s up to.’

Immediately after.

Zhao Ci heard Gu Xiangzhu shout sharply.

"Lady Yue, show yourself at once!"

"Act as my Dharma Protector!"

With a SWOOSH, a gentle breeze swept by.

Then, another woman’s voice asked, "Saintess, what are you...?"

Gu Xiangzhu gritted her teeth and said, "I’m going to perform the Celestial Demon Body Refining Secret Technique on him!"

Lady Yue: "..."

Zhao Ci: "..."