Chapter 122: Breakthrough
Su Yan heard this news from Yang Kun and also revealed a surprised expression.
The Little Mountain Association’s reach was longer than he had anticipated, and they were even more brazen.
“Tell me carefully about what happened today.”
“As you command.”
Yang Kun told Su Yan everything that happened today in detail, from Xu Sanhu and their manpower, performance, and words, leaving nothing out.
After hearing this, Su Yan’s face showed a subtle expression: “They’ve always wanted to meet me?”
“Yes, although they say it’s for cooperation, their words actually all indicate they want to see Lord once. This subordinate feels they want to probe Lord’s identity.”
Yang Kun’s brows were already furrowed as he asked in a deep voice: “Lord, what about their matter of cooperating with me?”
“Cooperation.”
Su Yan had no concerns: “Cooperate with the Little Mountain Association on the waterway matter, and also use their channels to help me find some things.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Kun’s expression changed slightly, revealing a joyful look.
They had helped Su Yan collect things before, and the last time Su Yan said this.
Once the items were gathered, not long after, the Blood Locust turned into the even more powerful Blood Fiend Mother Worm.
Now with this request again, it must be that Lord’s insect refining technique has advanced further, and those fierce insects are about to advance again.
Su Yan told Yang Kun all six molting materials, among which finding the Small Fine Iron Ore Vein and Hundred Poisons Blood Pool were the simplest.
The first is to inquire about news; various families have more or less some mine vein industries in their hands, it’s just a matter of targeting whom.
As for the latter, that is collecting a hundred kinds of poisonous herbs or poisonous substances, as well as a large amount of feral beast essence blood.
After hearing Su Yan finish, Jiao Yang Sou Yang Kun thought for a moment and immediately said: “Lord, some of these six items don’t need probing; I already know a clue or two.”
Su Yan showed a joyful expression and asked: “Which ones?”
“Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish and Bat-Winged Eagle.”
Yang Kun did not dare to conceal anything and immediately shared what he had known from early years.
“It is said that the Tianhe Gang rose to power because its gang leader saved a Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish in his youth, which allowed him to dominate the waters and establish the Tianhe Gang. Currently, that Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish is the Tianhe Gang’s guardian beast.”
“As for the Bat-Winged Eagle, a few days ago Brother Ding Meng swept an Iron Hand Stronghold near the Hundred Thieves Cave while searching for Rosemary Green, and saw a Bat-Winged Eagle nearby. Brother Ding Meng originally wanted to shoot it down to refine Blood Essence Condensing Pill with Lord, but unfortunately gave up because the Bat-Winged Eagle could fly and was hard to deal with.”
Yang Kun paused slightly and said: “The Tianhe Gang certainly won’t hand over the Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish, but with me and second brother joining forces for a surprise attack, we might lure it out and kill it. For the Bat-Winged Eagle, Cai Peng and Brother Ding Meng can make a slight arrangement to capture it directly.”
Yang Kun not only gave the locations of the items but even provided solutions.
“Have Ding Meng and them capture the Bat-Winged Eagle, as for the Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish, I’ll handle it myself. For the remaining items, you inquire and collect them.”
“Yes, Lord.”
Yang Kun nodded in agreement, then said again: “Lord, the medicinal herbs for the True Intent Pill have been gathered.”
Su Yan’s eyes brightened as he said: “Bring them to my room.”
Su Yan’s orders were not dared to be neglected by Yang Kun and them; they delivered the prepared medicinal herbs to his room overnight.
One portion of True Intent Pill medicinal herbs: Heart Protecting Flower, Illusion Heart Grass, Rosemary Green…
There were dozens of medicinal herbs, but combined they were only enough to refine one furnace of True Intent Pill.
“Given the medicinal potency requirements and difficulty of this True Intent Pill, at most two or three pills will come out of this furnace, no wonder one is worth ten thousand gold.”
The unit price of True Intent Pill should be the highest among the pills Su Yan currently refines.
Its effect is also the best, or rather the most attractive.
It helps people comprehend beast spirit true intent, promotes the true essence in the body to undergo metamorphosis, thereby guiding the true intent phantom from illusory to real, breaking through to become a true True Intent Realm martial artist.
For many martial artists stuck at the final hurdle of Spirit Nurturing Realm Perfection, this is a priceless treasure.
Even for Su Yan himself, its value is inestimable.
“Although I haven’t reached Spirit Nurturing Realm Perfection yet, it’s ultimately just a matter of accumulation. Swallowing the True Intent Pill can actually speed up this process; though it’s somewhat wasteful, what does it matter.”
He was confident he wouldn’t easily encounter bottlenecks.
Thus, the True Intent Pill’s main function of assisting breakthrough was already redundant for him.
Instead, its greatest effects, like comprehending true intent and accelerating true essence transformation, could speed up his accumulation process for Su Yan.
“First refine Beast Essence Pill to warm up, then directly refine True Intent Pill.”
Su Yan adjusted his breathing slightly, then immediately took the Beast Essence Pill medicinal herbs and put them into the medicine furnace one by one.
Yang Kun and them all knew Su Yan raised fierce insects, with their life force linked to the Blood Fiend Mother Worm, so they were quite attentive to collecting Beast Essence Pill medicinal herbs.
They prepared about four portions of medicinal herbs, all placed here together.
Su Yan spent over two hours refining all the medicinal herbs, and soon obtained thirty Beast Essence Pills.
Although the quantity was still not much, it could serve for a while temporarily.
After refining the Beast Essence Pill, Su Yan gradually got into the groove.
After consuming a True Essence Pill to replenish true essence, Su Yan took out the second-order feral beast heart stored in the Insect Realm Space.
Then he started another furnace, carefully putting the medicinal herbs into it one by one according to the True Intent Pill refining method.
Refining the True Intent Pill took a full night, until outside the room, the sky was completely bright and sunlight shone through the window.
Inside the room, Su Yan finally fully refined the last main ingredient Heart Protecting Flower, fusing it into the True Intent Pill.
“Roar”
From the medicine furnace, a faint beast roar emanated, like a tiger leopard or a cattle roar, making it hard to distinguish what feral beast it was.
Core Formation!
Hearing this faint sound and feeling the furnace’s vibration, Su Yan’s eyes flashed with sharp light, knowing the pill had succeeded.
The True Intent Pill can guide martial artists to comprehend true intent, naturally requiring activation of the hidden feral beast mental power in the main ingredient, using it as a trigger to manifest true intent.
Now with the roar sounding, how could it not be core formation?
He opened the alchemy furnace, and three round dark blue pills rested at the bottom.
The medicinal fragrance was denser than any previous refining.
“One slightly flawed, two perfect; luck isn’t bad.”
Being able to refine three on the first try already showed his pill refining skill was solid.
Putting away the True Intent Pill, Su Yan pondered in his heart: “I currently cultivate two true intents: one Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon, two White Ape; if breaking through, there must be an order.”
Condensing true intent together isn’t realistic, as it requires extremely vast true essence as foundation.
Su Yan had good talent, but this transformation process is not just comprehension; it’s also accumulation.
With two true intents, the order of breakthrough would naturally allow different actions in the current situation.
Putting White Ape True Intent on the surface allows many things and can solidify his genius golden body.
But the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon is undoubtedly stronger.
After careful thought, Su Yan quickly made a decision.
Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon!
In the martial artist world, the strong are revered; there’s no reason to not break through the stronger true intent and choose White Ape True Intent instead.
Moreover, the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon’s path is longer; even in the Beast King Sect, it may not be a weak beast spirit true intent.
Whereas White Ape True Intent, compared to the Beast King Sect’s inheritance, is certainly much weaker.
Once entering the Beast King Sect, either change cultivation manuals, disperse this true intent, and fuse into other beast spirit true intent.
Or select a beast spirit true intent cultivation manual that advances White Ape.
Feral beast cultivation manuals of the ape monkey type are common in the cultivation world.
After all, similar to humans, evolving cultivation manuals from their meridian operation and divine abilities is far simpler than for other feral beasts.
With the decision made, there was no need to rush.
The Jiao Yang Sou brothers outside the door had guarded all night and should have brought news; he needed to see them first.
“Come in.”
Hearing Su Yan’s call, the Jiao Yang Sou brothers dared to push the door open.
The two had smelled the pill fragrance last night; now seeing Su Yan’s calm gaze as usual.
They were certain in their hearts that the pill must have succeeded, and said: “Congratulations Lord on successful pill refining; your cultivation will advance further.”
“Has Ding Meng and them set off?”
“Reporting to Lord, last night after we five discussed, we roughly inquired about the news each knew and made arrangements first.”
“Brother Ding Meng and Brother Cai Peng went together to Iron Spear Stronghold to capture the Bat-Winged Eagle; Brother Wang Cang contacted various past channels to collect a hundred poisonous creatures and inquire about Crimson Flame Fine Gold news. We two brothers stayed behind to await Mister’s orders.”
“Hm?”
Su Yan’s eyes narrowed: “News on Essence Flame Armored Beast?”
Hearing them speak like this, he immediately caught the information in their words.
“Yes, Lord. The Essence Flame Armored Beast inhabits ground fire mountain ranges; there were none originally in Yunling Mountain Range. But Brother Wang Cang once heard that Tian Feng Weapon Shop bought one at a high price from Beast King Sect to smelt minerals and extract special metal, imprisoning it in Mangshan Great Mine.”
Hearing this news, Su Yan’s eyes lit up with joy in his heart.
This Tian Feng Weapon Shop had truly done a good deed.
He also knew this Essence Flame Armored Beast wasn’t a feral beast that could be born in Yunling Mountain Range and had prepared for the Red Armored Mad Scorpion’s metamorphosis to be delayed.
But now, for the Red Armored Mad Scorpion, Tian Feng Weapon Shop would have to suffer a bit.
“Mangshan Great Mine is Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s foundation.”
“Mangshan Great Mine was obtained by Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s second-generation shopkeeper Shi Tiexiong for repelling a second-order mid-stage feral beast. The minerals are abundant, mineable for a century, with no lack of essence of metal and quite a few special metals born.”
Yang Kun had obviously prepared and understood Mangshan Great Mine quite well.
“Currently, the great mine should be guarded by Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s Second Shopkeeper Pang Jian, with a thousand miners inside, hundreds of guards, and at least two Spirit Nurturing Realm guard leaders.”
The guarding forces were no less than those of great mountain bandits like Wang Tiangong and Lin Xiao.
Not to mention they had operated Mangshan Great Mine for so many years, with solid camps and complete fortifications; even if an army attacked, it would be hard to fully succeed.
Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s greatest skill is forging craftsmanship.
Who knows how many defensive weapons and equipment they made?
“Tell me your thoughts.”
Su Yan looked at Yang Kun; since he dared to say this, he should have a plan in mind.
“With Lord’s abilities, plus this subordinate and brothers, at least three True Intent Realm combat powers. We two subordinates cover Lord, holding back Pang Jian and the guards, letting Lord kill the Essence Flame Armored Beast; this has the highest success rate.”
No matter how strong Tian Feng Weapon Shop is, they can’t conjure more True Intent Realm martial artists out of thin air.
“Not bad.”
Su Yan nodded: “Scout carefully; we act in three days.”
“Yes, Lord.”
Sending the Jiao Yang Sou brothers out, Su Yan also began to ponder.
He wasn’t hesitating whether to act against Tian Feng Weapon Shop, but considering the breakthrough.
“Originally I wanted to polish it a bit more, perhaps save one True Intent Pill for White Ape True Intent, but now it seems I can’t. Tian Feng Weapon Shop…”
Su Yan summoned all the fierce insects: Blood Fiend Mother Worm guarded his sides, White Bone Poison Centipede and Red Armored Mad Scorpion blocked the inside of the room door, Gold-Eating Demon Insect perched on his shoulder.
After entering metamorphosis stage, though not yet metamorphosed, the White Bone Poison Centipede and Red Armored Mad Scorpion had increasingly divine sheen in form, extraordinary at a glance.
The two linking up could probably withstand even a Heart Ape Stage True Intent Realm martial artist.
With the fierce insects’ guardianship, Su Yan finally felt at ease and took out the three True Intent Pills.
He sat cross-legged on the ground; as his aura rose, two beast spirit phantoms emerged behind him.
On the left, a three-meter-tall white-furred giant ape, burly in form, thick arms, covered in pitch-black insect armor, spine like insect bone, cold and intimidating.
On the right, a Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon rose, green scales all over, poisonous mist churning, single horn pitch-black like a sword, eyes cold as blades, flood dragon claws faintly visible, in a pouncing posture.
This Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon wore insect armor, enormous in size at three to four zhang long; if fully manifested, it could probably be even longer.
With the two phantoms out, Su Yan’s aura behind him was already extremely powerful.
The insect-type White Ape Phantom first opened its bloody maw, its huge arm virtually grasping, sucking massive spiritual energy to Su Yan’s front and infusing it into his body.
For this breakthrough, the White Ape Phantom was merely assisting.
Su Yan swallowed the slightly flawed True Intent Pill in one gulp; immediately, the true essence operating in his body sped up several times.
The dantian vortex spun ceaselessly, like a heaven-swallowing whirlpool, pulling in every strand of true essence, then transforming it into drops of true essence liquid for accumulation.
From the dantian acupoints came a dragon roar; Su Yan’s spirit continuously dispersed, soul trembling, at this moment his divine sense sank into the dantian.
“Roar”
All around pitch black, feet treading black water, ripples spreading from under Su Yan’s feet.
No sun or moon in the sky, only faintly feeling mental power coiling, forming a layer of bright firmament.
“Dantian world, or rather inner landscape manifestation.”
True intent is never just pure true essence condensation, nor soul and spirit remolding.
It is the unity of martial artist’s spirit, bloodline, and true essence; condensing beast spirit true intent naturally isn’t empty words or wild imagination.
It requires rooting true intent in the dan qiao, sprouting deep in the spirit, forming one’s unique beast spirit true intent.
Two phantoms emerged from behind Su Yan; in the dantian inner landscape, the true essence-formed lake water gradually surged.
The sky dimmed, rolling poisonous mist began to appear, manifesting a pitch-black solitary peak shrouded in clouds and mist; beneath the solitary peak, a black water deep pool where a poisonous flood dragon thrashed.
A ferocious Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon over a hundred zhang in size lunged head-on, as if to kill Su Yan.
However, Su Yan stood motionless, lifting his gaze full of curiosity.
‘This is the True Intent Pill’s beast spirit illusion, indeed lifelike; pity this is my inner landscape…’
Countless chains descended from the firmament, binding the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon; the chains extended to behind Su Yan, connecting with the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon phantom.
His spirit steadied, comprehending the manifesting poisonous flood dragon’s aura, physique, bloodline… then the lake water continuously rose, bit by bit integrating into the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon phantom.
Strands of mental power descending from the sky also continuously fused in at this time.
From illusory to real, the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon True Intent was step by step transforming.
