Chapter 97: Bone-Forging and Soaring Clouds

Inside the secret realm, the alchemical fire burns warmly.

Shen Tang leaned against Lu Xingzhou's shoulder, accompanying him as he refined the pill.

If Master Chen Zhangsi's refinement of the Heart-Saving Pill could elevate his Alchemist rank, then Lu Xingzhou similarly possessed a comparable experience point.

That was the fruit obtained from the secret vault of the Incense-Burning Pavilion, which he had previously intended to use for refining various different pills for everyone to train their qi and blood, but had set aside for the time being because he felt his alchemical skill was still insufficient and feared wasting such a precious resource.

But after so much time, the required auxiliary herbs had long been gathered by the disciples of the Tianxing Sword Sect from all directions, and were now fully prepared.

The so-called insufficient alchemical skill was actually fine for self-use; however, if he intended for it to benefit Shen Tang's cultivation, it would at least need to be a fourth-grade pill. Lu Xingzhou's Alchemist level had previously been sixth grade, so he truly dared not refine recklessly.

During these days, studying the Mohe notes and the Incense-Burning Pavilion scriptures, he had made great progress, estimating that he had already risen to a fifth-grade level, though it had not yet been certified.

A fifth-grade level naturally allowed for attempting to refine a fourth-grade pill beyond one's grade; if successful, that would firmly establish a fifth-grade level, even taking a solid step beyond the experience of the fourth grade.

After all, from the prescription to the refinement, he had handled it all himself; according to the Alchemist certification method, he could even be certified as fourth grade, but the success rate was not high, so it could not be calculated that way directly.

Since he intended to leave, he naturally had to finish what was left undone; refining this fruit pill was one of them, which could both help everyone's cultivation improve and allow himself to accumulate more experience for the assessment.

Lu Xingzhou carefully prepared several portions of medicinal materials, putting only one portion into the cauldron, and focused his entire attention on refining.

The alchemical cheat A'nuo squatted to the side eating a sweet potato, blinking her eyes as she watched the pills inside rotate: "Failed, Master."

With the cheat A'nuo by his side, failure usually wouldn't cause the cauldron to explode; the pill was barely formed, but the medicinal effects were basically not fused. It looked like a single unit, but cutting it open would reveal a lump here and a lump there. If one had to count this, there was some medicinal effect, generally called a substandard product.

Lu Xingzhou took the pill, broke it open, and studied it for quite a while, pondering: "The earth fire of the secret realm is fine, the cauldron is fine... the problem now is my spirit is not vigorous; after refining for a long time, my spirit becomes scattered, lacking control. Forcing another refinement would just be like this... I still need to solidify myself; that is the hard truth."

A'nuo glanced at Shen Tang, thinking inwardly: Isn't your lack of focus and scattered spirit because you are holding a woman?

Who refines pills like this? If the Daoist priests of the Capital Alchemy Academy heard this, wouldn't they beat you to death...

Afraid of being scolded by the Master's Wife, A'nuo had to phrase it tactfully: "The secret realm is vast; it is hard not to be distracted. Why not try meditating in a secluded room?"

The dog couple could easily hear the child's true meaning; Shen Tang's face instantly turned red, and she rose awkwardly: "Um, I will go back to cultivate first... I will come see you tomorrow."

"Don't." Lu Xingzhou grabbed her, speaking seriously: "A'nuo's reminder was good; we indeed should go to the secluded room to meditate..."

A'nuo: "..."

The little dumpling watched with wide eyes as her Master horizontally carried the Master's Wife and darted into the secluded room.

An hour later, Lu Xingzhou returned to the cauldron with his trousers pulled up, his expression truly one where nothing else occupied his mind, utterly focused.

Shen Tang hid inside by herself to wash her hands, then emerged lazily, smoothing her hair, with her small lips slightly pouting as she sat to the side.

A'nuo sighed, feeling the process of this pill's formation; it was obviously much smoother than the previous time... indeed, seeing this, Master would never be distracted again.

After an unknown amount of time, the cauldron shook slightly.

The pill floated up, filling the room with fragrance, accompanied by some light like colorful auspicious clouds; one glance showed the grade was very high.

Fourth-grade Dragon-Elephant Pill.

Lu Xingzhou let out a breath, one arm holding Shen Tang: "Great success, shall we kiss?"

Shen Tang covered his mouth with one hand: "Where did you get all that talk? You should eat the pill instead."

Lu Xingzhou moved her hand away, held the pill with his lips, leaned down to feed it to her: "This pill was refined for you..."

Shen Tang froze for a moment, but her lips were already blocked.

Regarding alchemy, Shen Tang was an amateur; before Lu Xingzhou refined the pill, he truly hadn't said it was for her. She didn't even know what pill she needed to take, and it wasn't yet time for her to break through the realm...

The pill was pushed into her mouth; Shen Tang didn't even have time to ask a question before the medicinal power had dissolved into her throat and then spread through her four limbs and hundred bones.

Shen Tang felt all her bones and tendons begin to creak; immense Dragon-Elephant power surged into her body, her qi and blood multiplied in vigor, her bones became solid, and her meridians toughened.

The power of the Imperial Extreme Shocking World Scripture within her body was drawn, beginning to rotate wildly; qi and blood and true qi mingled and circulated, growing doubly.

Shen Tang quickly sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and guided her dantian.

Her body was like mountains and rivers, purple qi misty and dense, spreading throughout the universe. It was somewhat like the feeling Lu Xingzhou had when he shed his mortal frame; she felt her mortal bones beginning to vaguely show signs of jade-like transformation.

In ancient times, it was said that Wu Xiu had a realm called "Bone-Forging"; was it so?

Under the pull of the physical body, the Spirit Platform opened its orifices, the Bright Hall shone with light, and the Soul Sea began to condense. There was a vague illusion of ascending through feathering... this was not an illusion; from this moment onward, the body would be light and clear, and riding mist and soaring clouds would no longer be a dream.

In ancient times, it was said that Dao cultivators called this realm "Soaring Clouds"; does it count now?

Regardless of what it counts as... Shen Tang's mind flashed, knowing very clearly that now everyone calls it "Upper Third Grade."

That was the most important great hurdle within the nine grades, the typical watershed distinguishing true experts from "newcomers"!

"Boom!" Dark clouds suddenly gathered overhead, as if Lei Ting flashed in the half-air.

This is beneath the secret realm; where did this thunder come from...

The Spirit Platform also seemed to have fire rising, beginning to forge the Soul Sea.

"This is..." A thought flashed through Shen Tang's mind: "The Upper Third Grade great hurdle indeed has a minor heavenly tribulation... mine is actually a dual thunder-fire tribulation."

Drawing heavenly thunder from above and heart fire from below, this belongs to a rather difficult type of tribulation.

Difficulty doesn't matter... that represents that in her fourth-grade cultivation, she is far stronger than others, so the third-grade tribulation is also harder than others'. It is heard that for those with poor pill cultivation, there might not even be a tribulation... meaning the Heavenly Dao thinks, "Do you count as third grade?"

That means the Heavenly Dao thinks, "Your strength exceeds the standard; it is best you do not live," which is why it grants a strong tribulation.

Then that counts as a good thing!

Shen Tang suddenly opened her eyes, her jade hand waving lightly.

The purple sword unsheathed, and vast purple qi gathered like a dragon, roaring as it ascended to the sky.

"Boom!" The purple qi and heavenly thunder collided, shaking the secret realm as if it trembled slightly.

Lu Xingzhou had long understood the situation; after giving his wife a pill to boost her strength, she actually broke through the third-grade barrier in one smooth move and even attracted a minor heavenly tribulation! At the same time, Shen Tang drew her flying sword, and he quickly slipped another pill into her mouth.

Regarding Tribulation Crossing, others generally cannot help, as it would cause the one crossing the tribulation to miss this layer of trial, making the breakthrough half-baked. But it does not hinder taking medicine for assistance; that is natural and right.

Lu Xingzhou saw at a glance that Shen Tang's body currently had tribulation fire, mainly invading the Spirit Platform. This pill was to calm thoughts and clear the heart; actually, it was prepared to counter charm techniques...

Shen Tang soon noticed that within her Soul Sea, it seemed as if sweet rain descended, stopping the boiling and scorching flames.

She smiled slightly. Actually, she could have done without help... but with this assistance, it was naturally easier and more certain.

The purple qi spread, carrying fine drizzle, and the boiling soul fire was easily calmed.

The heavenly thunder dissipated, and the tribulation fire ceased.

Shen Tang opened her eyes and met the bright, sparkling gazes of Lu Xingzhou and A'nuo before her.

In an unknown secret realm, Princess Zhaohuang and Tianxing Sword Sect's Sect Master Shen Tang broke through to third grade, having just passed her twenty-third nominal new year, with her actual birthday not yet arrived.

If the Zhenmo Bureau found out, she could be struck from the New Talent List and should go compete for ranking on the Heroes List instead.

"Third grade achieved?" Lu Xingzhou asked joyfully.

"Achieved."

Lu Xingzhou scooped her up and spun her around: "My wife is truly a genius!"

She really was a genius.

That pill was no realm-breaking pill, nor a cultivation-boosting pill — it merely trained qi and blood, increasing strength. It only made her a bit stronger than others of the same grade, giving her an advantage in same-grade matchups.

Who would have thought that Shen Tang, using this great strength as a boost, would go all in and open the path of breaking through the realm, and in one push truly break through.

The terrifying dual tribulation of thunder and fire that would frighten ordinary people, she also handled with extreme ease, looking as if she could have done it without the aid of his Clear Heart Pill.

That's right — she was originally the phoenix whose innate talent crushed numerous Imperial Princes, one the Emperor himself had to act to suppress.

Yet such a woman, one hour ago, had been docilely held in his arms in the secret chamber for "quiet cultivation," her cherry lips offered for tasting, sweet nectar secretly shared, allowing him to undo her clothes and toy with her, shyly using her small hand to help him solve his "problem of scattered focus."

Yes, this time she used her hand, not her foot.

"Who's your wife?" Shen Tang laughed as he held her sideways in the air, reaching out to pinch his cheek: "Call me Sect Master, my lord!"

"Sect Master, my lord." Lu Xingzhou complied readily: "Great success accomplished, one more kiss."

Shen Tang reached out to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed him first, her voice so soft it was barely audible: "No matter how much of a genius I am... it was still with the aid of your pill. Xingzhou, you are the greatest treasure Heaven has given me."

Lu Xingzhou mumbled back indistinctly: "You are."

A'nuo shivered beside them, covered her ears, and ran off.

So disgusting.

Don't these people get goosebumps from their own words?

Master really wasn't like this before...

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PS: A transitional cultivation chapter, don't rush me. Today's ten-thousand-word goal is complete, begging for monthly votes again~

(End of chapter)