Chapter 1323: Stewing a Pot of Soup
Immortal Machine Mountain.
By the lake at the foot of the spiritual mountain, after Zhang Ruochen recovered, five-colored light shot out from his body, as if his physique had been forged from five-colored divine stone, brimming with inexhaustible power, giving him an unprecedented sense of exhilaration.
Even the sky above the spiritual mountain seemed affected by the power within him, condensing into a mass of five-colored sacred clouds that lingered for a long time.
"Heavenly River Fist Art."
Zhang Ruochen's body automatically lifted off the ground, flying to a height of several hundred zhang, and executed a move from the Luo Water Fist Art.
"Boom!"
The heavens and earth in this area resounded with deafening wind and thunder. A phantom of a Heavenly River appeared, suspended in the sky, unleashing a world-destroying force that shook the spiritual mountain gently.
Landing back on the ground, Zhang Ruochen withdrew his overflowing sacred Qi. The five-colored luster on his skin gradually faded, retracting into his flesh and blood.
Qing Mo was overjoyed, letting out a silvery laugh. "Congratulations, Young Master, on your full recovery. From now on, you will be invincible."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and nodded. Suddenly, an intense pain shot through his entire body. Cold sweat broke out on his face, veins bulged prominently, and his legs felt weak, making it difficult even to stand steadily.
Qing Mo's smile froze. She quickly flashed over and supported Zhang Ruochen. "Young Master, what's wrong? Did something go wrong during the healing process?"
Zhang Ruochen himself didn't know what was happening. He only felt a stabbing pain in every blood vessel, meridian, and sacred meridian, as if they were about to shatter again.
Gu Songzi walked out of the thatched hut with his hands behind his back, letting out a light snort. "Your three meridians have fully recovered, even stronger than before. But they were just formed, like a newborn baby—how can they withstand the violent circulation of blood Qi and sacred Qi?"
Gradually, the pain inside Zhang Ruochen's body began to subside, easing up.
Zhang Ruochen was sharp and understood the meaning behind Gu Songzi's words. He asked, "How long do I need to recuperate before I can fight?"
"With your physique, half a month should be enough. Since I find you somewhat agreeable, I won't rush to kick you out. Stay here for the next half month to recover."
Gu Songzi said this lightly, then strolled away leisurely.
Qing Mo stared at Gu Songzi's retreating back, suddenly feeling that this eccentric old man wasn't as cold and distant as he appeared on the surface.
"Young Master, do you feel better?" Qing Mo asked with concern.
"It's nothing. I was just too impatient."
Zhang Ruochen gave a self-deprecating laugh, then took a deep breath. The spiritual Qi of heaven and earth within a hundred li turned into strands of light patterns, flowing into his body and circulating slowly through his meridians and sacred meridians.
After a full ten cycles of breathing exercises, the pain completely disappeared.
"Young Master, I'll go catch a wild fowl and stew some soup to nourish you."
Qing Mo used her movement technique, climbing the towering spiritual mountain and disappearing into layers of white mist.
Gu Songzi had lived here for centuries, indicating that this place was quite safe. So Zhang Ruochen wasn't worried about Qing Mo encountering danger. He planned to devote himself fully to cultivation, using this half month to advance his cultivation further.
Zhang Ruochen was well aware that once news of his appearance on Immortal Machine Mountain spread, it would attract many enemies. Only by becoming stronger could he gain a greater advantage in the coming conflicts.
"Oh?"
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power entered his Qi Sea, and he was surprised to find the Buddha Emperor Relic floating there, above the Purifying Divine Flame, emitting ten thousand zhang of golden light, filled with a sacred aura.
"I clearly swallowed the Buddha Emperor Relic into my stomach. How did it end up in my Qi Sea?"
Puzzled, Zhang Ruochen extended his right hand and placed it on his brow.
"Swoosh—"
The Buddha Emperor Relic flew out of his Qi Sea, passed through the Divine Martial Mark on his brow, and landed in Zhang Ruochen's hand. It was only the size of a peanut, with Buddhist characters floating and sinking on its surface.
Zhang Ruochen never expected that reshaping his three meridians would inadvertently resolve the hidden danger of the Buddha Emperor Relic.
"It must have been during the formation of my meridians and sacred meridians. With the rapid circulation of sacred Qi, the Buddha Emperor Relic was carried into the Qi Sea."
Zhang Ruochen revealed a bright smile. Truly, after great disaster comes great fortune. It seemed his luck would only get better from here.
He reabsorbed the Buddha Emperor Relic into his Qi Sea, where it once again floated above the Purifying Divine Flame, slowly rotating. The power released from the relic allowed Zhang Ruochen's cultivation to increase tenfold even without actively practicing any technique.
"The Buddha Emperor Relic is truly a priceless treasure. No wonder so many cultivators want it. With its help, it shouldn't be long before I cultivate Profound Yellow Qi and become a Profound Yellow Realm Saint," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
After entering the Saint Realm, every breakthrough in cultivation was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
It was precisely because of the Buddha Emperor Relic's assistance that Zhang Ruochen could break through to the Upper Realm Saint even with his three meridians shattered.
Now, not only had his three meridians been reconnected, but with the help of Chaos Qi, the Purifying Divine Flame, and the Buddha Emperor Relic, his cultivation speed would only become faster.
"My spiritual power should have reached the mid-stage of the fifty-third rank," Zhang Ruochen judged.
Spiritual power wasn't divided into such detailed levels; only ranks were mentioned.
However, as a spiritual power cultivator, Zhang Ruochen had his own assessment. A spiritual power cultivator who had just broken through to the fifty-third rank was certainly far inferior to someone who had cultivated at that rank for decades.
In Zhang Ruochen's view, the strength of a fifty-third rank spiritual power cultivator corresponded to the Thorough Earth and Heaven-reaching Realms of martial saints, a very wide range.
So he divided the fifty-third rank into four levels: early stage, mid stage, late stage, and peak.
Early and mid stages corresponded to Thorough Earth Realm Saints.
Late and peak stages corresponded to Heaven-reaching Realm Saints.
Without a doubt, the Fate Goddess Xian Feizi of the Earth Divine Temple and the Undying Goddess Yinghuo of the Undying Divine Temple were both at the peak of the fifty-third rank.
Moreover, with their exquisite control over spiritual power and their powerful treasures, their strength far exceeded that of ordinary peak fifty-third rank spiritual power Saints. Only someone at the level of a Heaven-reaching Blood General could contend with them.
A fifty-fourth rank spiritual power Saint corresponded to True Saints and Ultimate Saints.
Painting Sect Leader Chu Siyuan's spiritual power was at the peak of the fifty-fourth rank. One more step to the fifty-fifth rank would lead to a brand new realm, becoming a Spiritual Power Saint King.
Of course, though it seemed like just one step, it was extremely difficult. Countless spiritual power Saints were stuck at that barrier.
For example, Chu Siyuan had been stuck at the peak of the fifty-fourth rank for at least a hundred years.
Zhang Ruochen had gone from the early stage of the fifty-third rank to the mid stage in just a few days. To other spiritual power Saints, this was absolutely astonishing. All of this was thanks to the Buddha Emperor Relic.
If Chu Siyuan could obtain the Buddha Emperor Relic, he would probably break through instantly, stepping into the Spiritual Power Saint King realm.
Next, Zhang Ruochen took out the Abyssal Ancient Sword and held it in his hand. Closing his eyes, he immediately felt a connection as if it were part of his flesh and blood.
He didn't feel this way with any other sword.
"Whoosh."
Zhang Ruochen's arm shook, and the black greatsword thrust forward. His feet followed with mysterious footwork, leaving illusory figures by the lake.
The sword followed the body, and the body followed the sword.
He danced with the sword there, completely absorbed, not using sacred Qi, only pure sword techniques.
Heavenly Heart Sword Art.
True One Thunderfire Sword Art.
Nine Deaths Sword Art.
Time Sword Art.
...
Every sword technique Zhang Ruochen had ever practiced or every sword manual he had read naturally flowed out in that moment, each move perfectly coherent, smooth and precise.
It wasn't until a tempting fragrance wafted from afar that Zhang Ruochen stopped his sword momentum.
"I've already comprehended the ninth level of Sword Seven. Only the final tenth level remains—Sword Strike Without Regret—to reach the Great Perfection of Sword Seven and earn the title of Sword Saint."
Zhang Ruochen felt quite expectant. As a sword cultivator, who wouldn't want to become a Sword Saint?
Now, Zhang Ruochen was only one step away from that coveted realm.
The tenth level of Sword Seven: Sword Strike Without Regret.
"Sword Strike Without Regret doesn't seem like just a sword path realm anymore. It's more like a life realm."
Zhang Ruochen frowned, feeling he couldn't quite grasp that final level. Was it because his life experience was still insufficient?
The fragrance grew stronger, making it impossible for Zhang Ruochen to focus on thinking. He decided to let it be and go with the flow.
Qing Mo had somehow caught a sixth-rank wild fowl and actually stewed a large pot of soup. The broth was golden and radiant, containing not only meat but also some spiritual herbs.
Gu Songzi had already rushed out of the hut, crouching by the big pot, wide-eyed, swallowing saliva repeatedly. "Miss Qing Mo, you seem to have deep knowledge of alchemy too?"
"No, I don't," Qing Mo replied.
"Impossible. The thirteen spiritual herbs you added to the soup each have different medicinal properties, yet they complement each other perfectly, making the potency comparable to half a sacred herb. I've never seen such a combination before."
Gu Songzi's gaze never left the pot. He licked his lips and asked impatiently, "Is it ready yet?"
Qing Mo said, "This is a nourishing soup I made for my Young Master. It's not for you. Why are you so anxious?"
Gu Songzi had lived alone on Immortal Machine Mountain for centuries, sustaining himself only by consuming blood pills. He had never eaten real food.
Suddenly, Qing Mo had stewed a large pot of soup right outside his door. With Qing Mo's culinary skills and the fragrance wafting from the pot, one could imagine how irresistible it was to Gu Songzi.
Gu Songzi said seriously, "Zhang Ruochen has just recovered from a serious illness. Heavy nourishment isn't suitable for him. On the other hand, I've been starving for centuries, already thin and weak, about to collapse from a gust of wind. I've also worked hard to refine the Meridian-Nourishing Pill for Zhang Ruochen. Lately, I feel like my eyes can barely see the road, and my head is dizzy. I really need some nourishment."
Zhang Ruochen walked over from a distance, hearing Gu Songzi's shameless words. A smile appeared on his face. "As long as Senior Gu is willing to reveal the secret about the Death Clan, you can have a share of this pot of soup."