Chapter 25: Siblings of One Heart, Misery Unending

Chen Chuyang increasingly admired this Xiao Pangzi—young in age, true to his word, a good seedling.

Since that was the case, he had to lend a hand no matter what.

After all, this was his former little brother-in-law; he could not stand by and watch him die.

So then.

Please step into the pot, little brother-in-law.

"Shang Yue, please."

"What are you doing?" Shang Yue glared fiercely, wanting to push away Chen Chuyang's hand.

How could Shang Yue possibly push him away? Chen Chuyang reversed his grip, seized his hand, and directly suppressed his body. His blood Qi could not move. Shang Yue, who had not yet condensed a Qi seed, had no true Qi. If he had true Qi, he would have been astonished to find that his true Qi was also suppressed—before Primordial True Qi, any true Qi would be suppressed.

This was the domineering nature of Chen Chuyang's Primordial True Qi: dare to disobey, and it would swallow it directly.

"What do you think? Inviting you into the pot." Chen Chuyang said with a grin, "Are you going up yourself, or should I send you up?"

Shang Yue exerted force, could not break free; exerted force again, still the same. He was shocked to discover that he was actually no match for Chen Chuyang—in strength and in every other aspect, he was suppressed. He thought of his father; that day, he had thought his father went easy, letting Chen Chuyang do as he pleased. He never expected that it was not... like this.

His father, too, had been suppressed, left at his mercy.

"Let go." Shang Yue tried hard to look ferocious, attempting to intimidate Chen Chuyang into releasing him.

Chen Chuyang was not about to be frightened. He grabbed him by the neck and tossed him straight into the pot.

"Chen Chuyang, I'm warning you, don't do anything rash, I'm from the Shang Clan..."

"Noisy."

Chen Chuyang pressed down hard, plunging Shang Yue's entire head into the green liquid inside the pot. He had difficulty breathing, could not breathe at all, his mouth full of that foul stench.

Seeing this, Shang Hongxue hurriedly pleaded, "Brother Chuyang, Shang Yue didn't do it on purpose, please spare him."

Only then did Chen Chuyang release his hand, and Shang Yue's head finally emerged for air.

"Huff, huff."

"Chen Chuyang, I'll fight you to the death!"

Slap!

One slap across, and Shang Yue behaved himself.

He sat obediently in the pot, not daring to make a sound, not daring to speak.

As docile as a little chick.

His aggrieved look was exactly like a resentful wife confined to her chambers.

Chen Chuyang clapped his hands, glanced at him, and was quite satisfied with the current Xiao Pangzi.

"Shang Yue, remember, don't move around, and don't try anything rash. I'm neither your eldest sister nor your father."

"This is my territory, and I call the shots."

"I don't like people wailing, and I don't like people causing trouble."

Shang Yue nodded repeatedly, looking deeply aggrieved.

He never imagined that he would... have no power to resist. The whole time, he could only take a beating. He didn't know why, but he simply could not win—couldn't match him in strength, wanted to fight back, but...

Tend the fire, continue adding spiritual herbs.

Shang Yue fell silent; he recognized these spiritual herbs.

They were all valuable spiritual herbs. The Spirit Origin Grass among them sold for one spirit stone outside, and that was the kind people fought over for. If put up for sale, it could fetch at least two spirit stones.

And the Hundred-Heart Fruit and Lantern Grass in Chen Chuyang's hands—these were all valuable spiritual herbs, and he used every one of them.

These spiritual herbs combined exceeded the rewards his eldest sister had given him.

Looking again at the pot, it was full of the medicinal properties of the spiritual herbs. That medicinal potency seeped into his body. He felt that terrifying medicinal power—his body was strengthening. Skin, bones, blood, all operating at a terrifying speed. His flesh was rapidly growing stronger.

This speed was terrifying, surpassing any previous occasion.

"This Item?"

Xiao Pangzi was stunned. He looked at Second Sister beside him, sitting quietly in the pot, enduring that foul stench. But this Item was truly potent—this medicinal potency was far stronger than those pills sold outside.

Moreover, it had no side effects on the body, very suitable for Second Sister.

Second Sister's skin was flushed red, and her face had gained color.

Her body was recovering, at a very slow pace, naturally no match for his.

"Second Sister, Chen Chuyang, he..."

"Enough, stop talking nonsense, hurry up and absorb."

"Oh."

Scolded, he lowered his head and began to absorb.

Sitting cross-legged in the pot to absorb, the burning temperature was not high; Chen Chuyang controlled the temperature well.

It would not harm the two of them, merely maintaining a certain temperature so the medicinal potency of the Item would not dissipate.

Two hours passed.

The Item in the pot turned clear. Chen Chuyang looked with satisfaction at Shang Hongxue's body—her blood Qi was full and abundant. This change was within his expectations; compared to the first time, this time was far more effective.

"It seems the modified prescription is very useful; the effect has improved by at least double compared to the first time."

"Xiao Pangzi is not bad either; his bodily foundation is excellent, a good seedling for cultivation."

Most of the Item was absorbed by Xiao Pangzi. Shang Hongxue could not absorb much. The remainder was of no use to Chen Chuyang, so he might as well let Xiao Pangzi absorb it.

This Item gave Chen Chuyang a deeper understanding—the medicinal properties of spiritual herbs and their mutual compatibility was a vast field of study.

Spiritual herbs that seemed useless, when combined, produced astonishing effects.

"The prescription still needs modification. Once I fully master all the spiritual herbs, I can begin refining pills. It's a pity I'm short an Alchemy Furnace—I wonder if Father can collect one."

"Alchemy Furnaces are rare. Even the lowest-grade Alchemy Furnace is worth a fortune."

"As for pill prescriptions, the Chen Clan doesn't have any either; I'll need to figure them out myself."

In this regard, Chen Chuyang had experience, slowly exploring and slowly refining.

This couldn't stump him; a little bit of trial and error would do.

Coincidentally, Xiao Pangzi was also here, making him the perfect test subject.

"Hongxue, come out first."

"Oh."

Shang Hongxue obediently walked out of the pot; the upcoming medicinal bath wasn't suitable for her, her constitution was weak, this absorption had already been sufficient, and the next time she would need to wait until these medicinal properties were fully absorbed before she could soak in the medicinal bath.

Xiao Pangzi tried to come out, but Chen Chuyang forcibly pressed him back in.

"You still can't come out."

Shang Yue saw Chen Chuyang's smile and felt frightened in both body and mind.

"That... I was wrong."

He who knows the times is a hero.

When it's time to bow one's head, one should still bow.

"It's fine that you're wrong; sit tight, the next part might be a bit painful, so endure it."

"..."

Shang Yue widened his eyes, staring at Chen Chuyang; he wanted to rise, but was pressed down again.

He still wanted to rise again, but upon meeting Chen Chuyang's gaze, he grew afraid and obediently sat down.

"I'm ready, I'm about to begin."

"Wait, I'm not ready yet, I..."

Chen Chuyang directly ignited the fire, the Hunyuan True Fire blazing, the temperature inside the pot rose rapidly, Shang Yue sensed something was wrong, wanting to jump out, but the lid was slammed shut.

"Hongxue, sit on it."

"Oh oh oh." Shang Hongxue jumped onto the pot's lid and sat down, pressing down the younger brother inside the Protector.

"Burn."

"Melt."

The Hunyuan True Fire blazed, the spiritual medicine melted instantly, after being burned by the flames it was thrown into the pot, seeping in through the edge's opening, that pot began to emit purple steam, the entire pot enveloped in a purple aura.

"Cough cough."

"Second spiritual medicine, go in."

Refining, continue throwing it in.

Soon, the sound of Shang Yue's pig‑squealing cries echoed across the whole mountain.

"Ah."