Chapter 198 - 98: Spiritual Treasure: Golden Marrow Source Liquid, Melting Gold and Refining Iron

Chapter 198: Chapter 98: Spiritual Treasure: Golden Marrow Source Liquid, Melting Gold and Refining Iron

"???"

Far from dispelling Jiang Xuan’s confusion, Chen Wandie’s words only made him even more suspicious.

However, he did not press the matter further.

After all, he was not a member of the Chen Family, nor had he joined the War God Palace. It was already more than generous of them to share this inside information. Pushing for more would be ungrateful.

Jiang Xuan’s expression was grave, as were those of Yu Xian, Yan Shouzhuo, and the others nearby.

In fact, their expressions were even grimmer.

"We weren’t even the first to learn about something so crucial to the Sect’s future. The Four Seasons Valley... has truly fallen into decline."

Jiang Xuan found this difficult to respond to. It was Granny Lan who offered some comfort. "We can still hold our position as a Middle-Class Dharma Vein. Besides, we probably didn’t hear the news sooner simply because the Valley Master is still in seclusion."

Despite this, Granny Lan didn’t have Jiang Xuan begin his Cultivation immediately.

Although they felt the Chen Family was unlikely to deceive them after reaching an agreement, they couldn’t possibly make a hasty decision based solely on Chen Wandie’s side of the story.

And so, upon returning to the Four Seasons Valley, Granny Lan immediately set off for the Upper Vein she originally came from to verify the information.

Of course, while Granny Lan was away, Jiang Xuan wasn’t idle either.

He dove headfirst into the Four Seasons Valley’s central Scripture Pavilion, selecting the Dao Scriptures and Daoist Collections he desired. He planned to have copies made of all the books he needed and move them back to his personal courtyard.

Of course, as a core disciple of the direct lineage receiving priority training, Jiang Xuan only had to specify which books he wanted. All other menial tasks, from transcription and moving the volumes to even expanding his personal library, would be handled by Outer Disciples of the Four Seasons Valley.

After making his selections, Jiang Xuan returned directly to his residence to begin the Refinement of the Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid.

...

The Chen Family’s Core Cultivation Method was based primarily on Blood Qi. Their so-called "Hundred Battles Refining Form" was both a way to build momentum through a hundred battles and a Technique for forging a Hundred Weapons.

In the Cultivation Realm, a land teeming with Spiritual Materials, the Chen Family’s lifebound weapons were naturally not forged from Blood Qi alone. At the Late Stage, they would combine Spiritual Materials with their Blood Qi to forge Lifebound Magical Treasures. These served as extensions of their limbs and, more importantly, as Dao-Inheriting Treasures, thereby enhancing their combat prowess.

Such a lineage naturally possessed its own unique Technique for refining Spiritual Materials into the body.

Perhaps they saw Jiang Xuan’s potential and wanted to build a good relationship, or maybe they wanted to increase his strength, hoping he would look out for their family’s Legitimate Son during the Hundred-Day Exam.

In any case, when they gave him the Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid as promised, they also threw in a complete refinement ritual.

It was a special Technique that used one’s own Essence Blood to refine Spiritual Materials, allowing them to fuse completely with one’s Divine Soul and Blood Qi.

Because it was a ritual and not a dedicated Cultivation Technique that had to be learned from scratch, Jiang Xuan was able to prepare it completely after a brief period of study.

But after attempting it just once, Jiang Xuan couldn’t help but shake his head.

’The efficiency is too low. Using this method, it would take at least three months to fully refine a single drop.’

This wasn’t because the Dharma Track Ceremony from the Chen Family was of poor quality; rather, the Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid was simply too stable.

Mundane Gold is known for its extreme chemical stability, making it one of the least reactive metals in the world. It can resist corrosion for millennia and permanently retain its color. Its key natural advantage is that even after a thousand years, unearthed golden artifacts still possess their original luster.

Because of these Traits, Gold is seen as a symbol of immortality and Perfection.

As the spiritual successor to mundane Gold, a version elevated by Heaven and Earth, the Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid was even more frighteningly stable and extremely difficult to corrode or refine with external force.

In a way, this was a fantastic attribute. It meant that while a Golden Bell forged from the Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid would have limited resistance to physical strikes, its resistance to corrosion from Techniques would be pushed to the absolute limit.

However, all of this was predicated on Jiang Xuan actually being able to refine it into his body.

’No wonder the Chen Family was willing to part with such a Spiritual Treasure, and why Chen Qianjun specifically warned me to choose carefully... Refining this thing is certainly no easy task.’

At this thought, not a trace of frustration or anger appeared on Jiang Xuan’s face. Instead, the corners of his lips curled into a smile.

’But I am no ordinary person.’

As soon as the thought formed, Jiang Xuan meticulously completed the full set of rituals: Purifying Heart, purifying his hands, and Purification.

Once everything was ready, he began a mysterious and solemn Witch’s Dance in the quiet room, on the wall of which hung the two words: "Heaven" and "Earth."

At this point, Jiang Xuan’s intentions were perfectly clear.

He intended to use the Feast Ceremony to swallow the Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid and use his power to devour all things to forcibly digest and refine it!

’Let’s see which is more stubborn—your immortal golden nature, or my tyrannical Feast Ceremony!’

BUZZ—

The moment the Feast Ceremony concluded, an extreme greed filled Jiang Xuan’s eyes. His entire being radiated a strange and terrifying aura, as if he could devour anything and everything.

Maintaining this state of viewing all things and spirits as mere food, Jiang Xuan sat primly at a dining table, holding a knife and fork.

On the white jade tray before him lay a single, perfectly round drop of Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid, shimmering with a magnificent golden light.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Xuan—his hunger stoked to an extreme by the ritual—raised his hand and popped the drop of Spiritual Liquid into his mouth.

GULP...

As the Spiritual Liquid entered his mouth, Jiang Xuan immediately began to chew.

This step... was not difficult. The Golden Marrow Spirit Liquid, with Traits similar to mundane Gold, had an inherently soft texture. With just a little pressure from his teeth, he was able to bite it and change its shape.