Chapter 195: Breakthrough
Nangong Hong Yue looked at Su Yan in shock and couldn’t help but ask, “What did you do?”
Su Yan said indifferently, “Killed all ten True Intent Realm Martial Artists from both waves of pursuers, and also conveniently had someone destroy some of their rural industries.”
What a ruthless method.
Seeing Su Yan describe it so lightly, Nangong Hong Yue’s heart was truly extremely complex.
Ten True Intent Realm Martial Artists, even for the eight great families, that would be injuring muscles and bones.
Not to mention Su Yan also uprooted industries on the supply chains of Tian Yuan Pill Workshop and Da Chuan Pill Workshop, which was simply digging up their roots.
No wonder it took almost a day for such a big reaction; they had been wiped out too cleanly.
To the point that the two Pill Workshops didn’t react at all.
“Workshop Master, people from Tian Yuan Pill Workshop and Da Chuan Pill Workshop have blocked our main gate.”
Outside the private room, the maid hurriedly came to report.
Nangong Hong Yue’s gaze sharpened as she looked at Su Yan and said softly, “I’ll go send them away.”
“Go ahead.”
Nangong Hong Yue put on her veil, her eyes cold, and left the private room, arriving at the entrance of Red Moon Pill Workshop.
At this time, in front of Red Moon Pill Workshop’s gate, two teams were surrounding from left and right, each with dozens of people.
Leading them were respectively Tian Yuan Pill Workshop’s Workshop Master Dongfang Mu, Da Chuan Pill Workshop’s Workshop Master Yang Lechuan, followed by several guard commanders and tributes on left and right.
“What a big formation, are your Tian Yuan Pill Workshop and Da Chuan Pill Workshop going to war with my Red Moon Pill Workshop?”
Nangong Hong Yue’s aura pressed down, confronting the two teams with the tributes and guards behind her.
She questioned coldly, her gaze coldly sweeping over Dongfang Mu and Yang Lechuan.
Dongfang Mu’s face was dark, suppressing his anger: “Nangong Hong Yue, you and Sacred Insect Merchant Guild raided our medicine fields and Medicine Mountain, what a vicious method!”
“Putting hats on without evidence, Dongfang Mu, you have some thick skin.”
Nangong Hong Yue didn’t yield at all, retorting coldly: “How so, saying it was Red Moon Pill Workshop who did it, show the evidence, otherwise, let’s draw the line today and go to war!”
“You think I don’t dare?”
Dongfang Mu fully released his True Intent Realm, revealing a ferocious black ferret with scarlet eyes, glaring menacingly.
True Intent Realm Fourth Realm strength aura fully unleashed, trying to suppress Nangong Hong Yue.
However, Nangong Hong Yue was not afraid at all, a blood-red giant scorpion shadow emerged behind her, eyes flashing with cold light.
“Afraid of you?”
Yang Lechuan frowned and said in a deep voice: “Nangong Hong Yue, you really didn’t do it?”
Red Moon Pill Workshop was slightly weaker than them, with only four tributes, all now behind Nangong Hong Yue, not looking like they went out to cause trouble.
“Hmph, you’ve repeatedly disrupted my trades with Sacred Insect Merchant Guild, a few days ago you even forced people out of Southern Sky City, and today you dare come to our door, are you also trying to force Red Moon Pill Workshop away to do business?”
As soon as these words came out, Dongfang Mu and Yang Lechuan’s expressions changed.
The onlookers also started discussing animatedly.
Whether the two Pill Workshops’ industries were destroyed or not, they didn’t know, but first troubling Sacred Insect Merchant Guild, then coming to block Red Moon Pill Workshop’s door, they all saw it.
This behavior was really ugly.
Not only breaking Southern Sky City’s trading rules, with such a reputation, people willing to trade with the two Pill Workshops would drastically decrease.
“Nangong Hong Yue, don’t talk nonsense.”
Dongfang Mu interrupted coldly, and Yang Lechuan followed: “Workshop Master Nangong, since you didn’t participate, then hand over clues about Sacred Insect Merchant Guild, and our grudge can be written off.”
Nangong Hong Yue laughed angrily: “You really think I’m easy to bully, get lost.”
She directly struck with Five Poisons Palm, fusing Blood Scorpion True Intent, True Intent Realm Fourth Realm full power erupting.
Dongfang Mu and Yang Lechuan faced it with dark expressions, counterattacking similarly.
Three streams of power collided, stirring spiritual energy within hundreds of meters, blowing banners askew, onlookers tumbling east and west.
‘Damn, how does this little wench have such strength.’
Although they knew Nangong Hong Yue was definitely a True Intent Realm Fourth Realm Spirit Merging Stage Martial Artist.
But combat power was something only known through real contact.
Just one strike, and they realized this woman’s true essence was solid, True Intent Beast Spirit quality not low.
Plus skilled in poisoning, if really fighting, probably many would be lost.
The two exchanged a glance, faces ugly, now unable to fully confirm Nangong Hong Yue’s connection with Sacred Insect Merchant Guild, couldn’t fight.
“Hmph, you better have no relation.”
Yang Lechuan snorted coldly, sweeping his gaze over the onlookers and shouting: “Whoever has news of Sacred Insect Merchant Guild, come claim the reward, one hundred first-order origin stones for clues, one thousand first-order origin stones for hiding place.”
Yang Lechuan and Dongfang Mu, after throwing harsh words, didn’t dare continue confronting Nangong Hong Yue, and slunk back home.
Nangong Hong Yue instructed her subordinates to operate normally, then returned to Su Yan’s side.
“Those two old things came to beat the grass and startle the snake, wanting to probe if Red Moon Pill Workshop has any connection with Sacred Insect Merchant Guild.”
Nangong Hong Yue said to Su Yan.
“Mm,” Su Yan responded: “They can’t figure out how many people did it, of course they have to probe, but it’s useless.”
Nangong Hong Yue frowned slightly: “Fighting is prohibited in the city, though not strictly enforced in the past, but to deal with Dongfang Mu and Yang Lechuan, the commotion won’t be small.”
To cut the grass, remove the roots, Su Yan had already killed so many from the two Pill Workshops, the grudge was set in stone.
Now the best method was to completely eliminate the two Pill Workshops, otherwise endless trouble later.
But after such incidents, those two workshop masters might not dare go out easily.
Su Yan didn’t care, saying: “Then don’t kill in the city.”
Nangong Hong Yue’s eyes flashed with brilliance, asking: “You have a method?”
“Yes, but wait two days, they’re not anxious enough yet.”
Su Yan stayed calm, directly descending Insect Consciousness Seed onto the fierce insect, sending a message to Yang Kun and the other two.
Slowly withdraw camp, cover tracks
Once the message was sent, Yang Kun and they immediately changed strategy.
The two Pill Workshops’ important industries still needed destroying, but the speed was not like the previous day’s night raid destroying over ten places.
They appeared and disappeared mysteriously, but always destroyed industries at midnight.
For a time, Tian Yuan Pill Workshop and Da Chuan Pill Workshop were in chaos, having to send more guards to patrol, and even spend heavily to recruit tributes.
Large amounts of materials production sites destroyed, suddenly medicinal herbs and such couldn’t be supplied, both Pill Workshops faced varying degrees of medicinal herbs shortage.
Fortunately, Dongfang Mu and Yang Lechuan acted decisively, buying from other merchants to resolve the urgent crisis.
However, under such circumstances, it was really hard to endure.
Su Yan and Nangong Hong Yue’s side, on the contrary, became exceptionally calm.
He stayed calm, swallowing pills, refining medicinal potency, while comprehending battles like ranking challenges and siege battles one by one, finally completing the breakthrough to True Intent Realm Third Realm Condensing Momentum.
Su Yan broke through successfully, and Nangong Hong Yue’s side was finally prepared, ready to refine the fifth gu worm for Five Worms Casting Heart Gu.
In the private room, Nangong Hong Yue sat cross-legged, having adjusted her physical and mental state.
Su Yan stood beside her, asking: “How do you plan to cast the heart?”
“I want to borrow one drop of essence blood from Heavenly Fiend Mother Locust.”
Nangong Hong Yue explained: “Although the essence blood nurturing technique is miraculous, the stronger the exotic beast, the harder it is to succeed. If Heavenly Fiend Mother Locust bloodline is third-order, I could try, but for such top-tier bloodline, success rate too low, not worth the time.”
Su Yan nodded slightly: “Then what’s your idea?”
“Blood Marrow Worm as the fifth worm for heart casting, using one drop of essence blood from Heavenly Fiend Mother Locust, referencing essence blood nurturing technique, to partially revert its bloodline, that would be enough.”
Su Yan ordered Heavenly Fiend Mother Locust in Insect Realm Space to extract one drop of essence blood.
With a thought, he suddenly drew a strand of insect yuan into the essence blood, then took it out.
“Here”
He said indifferently: “I’ve commanded the Blood Marrow Worm, it will obey you, try fusing.”
“Yes”
Nangong Hong Yue summoned the Blood Marrow Worm, seeing it poke out half its head, immediately fed it the essence blood.
Blood Marrow Worm directly swallowed the essence blood, then Nangong Hong Yue began activating incantations.
Blood Marrow Worm constantly changed, turning into a lump of fleshy mud-like tissue, integrating into the body.
Strands of spirit threads merged into the body, true essence circulating inside and out, starting to revolve around this meatball as center, fully supplying the fifth worm’s metamorphosis and heart casting.
Nangong Hong Yue’s plan divided into two steps, first bloodline reversion to further enhance Blood Marrow Worm’s strength.
Second, refine Blood Marrow Worm into heart casting gu worm, introduce its power into the heart, forming a town beast like True Intent Beast Spirit, guarding the heart.
Time passed bit by bit, the metamorphosis slower than expected.
Nangong Hong Yue used her body as container, constantly urging true essence, repeatedly adjusting the metamorphosis process.
From day to night, the spirit consumption and true essence consumption were not small.
Nangong Hong Yue had swallowed four pills to replenish spirit and true essence, almost every two hours.
Finally at nightfall, Su Yan’s expression moved slightly: “It really succeeded?”
He was the first to sense the Blood Marrow Worm’s change, then Nangong Hong Yue opened her eyes, flashing with joy.
The meat lump in her body reformed into ‘Blood Marrow Worm’, named Blood Marrow Worm but with wings on back, legs sickle-shaped, aura more than doubled, with obvious malevolent energy entwining, constructing its flesh and blood.
She tried summoning this Blood Marrow Worm out, Su Yan saw clearly, now not calling it Blood Marrow Worm, but Blood Fiend Marrow Worm.
This appearance had some similarities with the previous Blood Fiend Mother Worm.
“Success, Blood Marrow Worm’s bloodline grade now matches my Black Gold Silkworm and Blood Scorpion without difference”
Nangong Hong Yue showed joy, with all five worms complete, could immediately start the next step of refining gu.
Su Yan said: “Then continue.”
Nangong Hong Yue slightly calmed her mood, then said: “During gu refining, Blood Marrow Worm may instinctively resist, please Master help suppress.”
“Good”
Su Yan sat cross-legged in front of her, pointing true essence at her shoulder, merging into her meridians, attaching to Blood Marrow Worm.
Since instinctive resistance, commands alone might not suffice, need extra insurance.
Moreover, Su Yan wanted to see how Five Worms Casting Heart Gu operated and how it cast the heart.
Seeing Su Yan like this, Nangong Hong Yue had no resistance, focusing on refining Blood Fiend Marrow Worm.
Incantations changed in hands, true essence circulated in body, with special fluctuations and runes gradually integrating into Blood Fiend Marrow Worm’s body.
As soon as refining started, Blood Fiend Marrow Worm immediately erupted power, instinctively resisting refinement.
Fortunately, Su Yan’s command arrived immediately, plus Insect Consciousness Seed integrated into its body, starting to observe changes.
‘True essence as guide, runes as nodes, adjust gu worm’s whole body demonic essence circulation, embed mutually responding circulation cycle, so that’s refining… not just that, because Blood Fiend Marrow Worm was already symbiotic, bloodline connected, skipping blood sacrifice spiritual connection step…’
Su Yan had previously comprehended Five Worms Casting Heart Gu, knowing how this witchcraft operated and its mysteries.
Now observing operation with true essence, directly watching internals with Insect Consciousness Seed, comprehension speed was a thousand miles a day.
【Five Poisons Heart Casting Gu1/200（Minor Accomplishment）】
Heart enlightened, not just beginner, directly to minor accomplishment.
And at the same time, as time passed, Blood Fiend Marrow Worm was continuously refined, strands of vitality and origin extracted, fusing into Nangong Hong Yue’s heart.
Vaguely visible, heart beating constantly, seeming to turn into five regions, a exotic insect shadow occupying one region each, merging into one, forming a strong powerful heart.
“Boom”
Five Poisons Heart Casting Gu accomplished, Nangong Hong Yue’s aura suddenly changed.
At dantian, true essence gathered, in inner landscape the liquefied true essence surged like lake waves, soon a half-virtual half-real golden core emerged from this true essence lake.
Golden core not yet solidified, but already had some aura, all true essence rotating around it, compressing and fusing.
Just one breath, Nangong Hong Yue’s dantian true essence reserves rose at least thirty percent.
Half-step Dan Meridian Realm achieved.
Virtual core turns real, heart realm stabilized, that would be breakthrough to Dan Meridian Realm.
Nangong Hong Yue showed joy, converging her aura: “Hong Yue thanks Master for assistance.”
Su Yan slowly stood up, saying: “Virtual core formed, how long for Dan Meridian breakthrough?”
Nangong Hong Yue carefully sensed, eyes flickering slightly, saying: “Less than two years, after Five Worms Casting Heart, this heart moment far stronger than I expected.”
Confidence flashed in her eyes, for ordinary martial artists stuck at half-step Dan Meridian, many never comprehend and fail to form core lifetime.
But absolutely not her Nangong Hong Yue.
Su Yan nodded slightly: “Since you broke through, perfect to resolve Tian Yuan and Da Chuan two Pill Workshops with me. Hung them for two days, probably now they can’t sit still.”
Two days time, almost sent out all they could dispatch or entrust, just to catch Yang Kun and the three.
But with Su Yan’s reminder, now their attacks preferred releasing blood bees from afar, rather than directly charging to sneak attack.
This behavior also frustrated Dongfang Mu and Yang Lechuan greatly, seeing losses daily but no progress, how not to be angry?
Many tributes and guards by their side sent out, just to guard industries.
“Order your four tributes, tonight at the third watch, disguise and sneak out of the city, head towards the breeding farm direction at Nanyang Mountain.”
