Chapter 766: Spiritual Power Half-Saint
Huang Yanchen was quite surprised and stared at Zhang Ruochen, asking, "Is the Sacred Flame Qilin Meat not impressive enough?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Sacred Flame Qilin Meat is indeed extremely precious, priceless beyond measure, and even Saints would flock to it."
"However, in the history of humanity, there have been emperors and kings who have slain Beast Kings. Why haven't they managed to cultivate three thousand prodigies comparable to Sacred Bodies?"
Huang Yanchen furrowed her brow for a moment before replying, "Could it be that only the Nine-Colored Sacred Flame cultivated by the Sacred Flame Qilin King can temper a cultivator's physique? Consuming the flesh and blood of other Beast Kings wouldn't achieve such an effect?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and countered, "Do you know how much power is contained in a single drop of a Beast King's blood? A Fish-Dragon realm cultivator with an ordinary constitution who consumes a drop of Beast King blood wouldn't be able to digest it. Instead, their body would fail to withstand that immense power and would eventually explode and die."
"Among those three thousand prodigies, some directly ate an entire cauldron of Sacred Flame Qilin Meat, consuming at least several thousand drops of Beast King blood. Yet they endured that tremendous power. Don't you find that astonishing?"
Huang Yanchen's eyes grew very bright as she began to grasp Zhang Ruochen's meaning. She said, "You're saying that the truly remarkable thing isn't the Sacred Flame Qilin Meat itself, but rather the eighteen ancient secret methods of the imperial chefs. That's what created the incredible miracle at the Realm Son Banquet."
"Exactly."
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "There must be an extraordinary master in Empress Chi Yao's imperial kitchen. Only a true master could cook the meat of a Beast King. An ordinary cultivator, even wielding a Sacred Artifact, wouldn't be able to cut through a Beast King's flesh."
Huang Yanchen said, "Could it be that one of the empress's Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens, the 'Miraculous Hand Divine Maiden,' personally prepared it? Legend says she inherited the legacy of the God of Cuisine from ancient times and possesses the most wondrous hands in the world. Tasting one of her dishes is more effective than swallowing a Sacred Pill."
In ancient times, the Kunlun Realm had "Gods" in existence.
If the Miraculous Hand Divine Maiden truly inherited the legacy of a "God," then she was certainly not just a cook; she must also be a formidable figure.
"None of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens are simple characters." Zhang Ruochen glanced again toward Shengshu Cainü, his expression turning serious.
With his current cultivation level, even compared to the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens, he was still far behind. When would he ever catch up to Chi Yao's level?
Shengshu Cainü spoke up again, "King's Seat, Tea Banquet."
One hundred and eight young maidens in white palace attire danced gracefully, performing beautiful movements, while holding crystal trays. They presented a set of tea utensils before each of the one hundred and eight young kings.
The teapots were emerald green, extremely translucent, with intricate patterns on their surfaces. Every line contained the power of the Sacred Dao.
Three teacups, also emerald green and made of the same material, emitted an exceptionally pure Sacred Qi, giving one a refreshing and invigorating feeling.
"The teapots and teacups are carved from Sacred Jade. Each set is priceless. What kind of tea could be worthy of such utensils?"
The young cultivators who had secured the King's Seats were mostly Sacred Bodies, while the rest possessed special constitutions, some even stronger than Sacred Bodies.
Thus, their minds were more composed. Even though they eagerly anticipated the tea in the teapots, they restrained their emotions.
Bu Qianfan, however, seemed indifferent. He picked up the teapot and poured tea into one of the cups.
"Splash!"
The tea was quite cool, also emerald green, like nectar. It emitted a fragrant tea aroma, but aside from that, there was nothing particularly special about it.
Yet, how could something served at the Realm Son Banquet be ordinary tea?
Everyone's gaze turned to Shengshu Cainü.
Shengshu Cainü gave a faint smile and said, "This tea is called 'Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea.' From the Middle Ages to the present day, only these one hundred and eight portions exist."
Shengshu Cainü's words were somewhat unbelievable.
From the Middle Ages to now, at least a hundred thousand years had passed. How could there be only these one hundred and eight portions? Could it be that even she herself hadn't tasted it?
"Don't doubt my words. The wine, meat, and tea at the Realm Son Banquet were all personally arranged by the empress, meant to feast the talented heroes."
Then, Shengshu Cainü added, "These one hundred and eight portions of Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea were made using the Sacred Sources of eight Beast Kings as tea leaves, combined with thirty-seven other ten-thousand-year Sacred Medicines, and refined over three hundred years."
"So, when I say these are the only one hundred and eight portions from the Middle Ages to now, I'm not exaggerating. In the last hundred thousand years, or the next hundred thousand years, who else could refine Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea?"
After hearing Shengshu Cainü's explanation of the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea, no one could remain calm.
Even the Saints of the major powers in the Divine Platform City were so excited that their faces flushed red and their blood boiled.
Martial arts had four realms: Yellow Extreme Realm, Mysterious Extreme Realm, Earth Extreme Realm, and Heavenly Extreme Realm.
The Sacred Dao also had four realms: Half-Saint, Saint, Saint King, and Great Saint.
Only a savage beast that reached the Great Saint realm could be titled "Beast King," becoming the most powerful existence in the entire Kunlun Realm.
If a cultivator refined a Saint's Sacred Source, they had a high chance of achieving Sainthood and reaching the Saint realm.
Using the Sacred Sources of eight Beast Kings to refine the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea—only Empress Chi Yao had such a grand gesture in the past hundred thousand years. Drinking a sip would be equivalent to swallowing at least ten Sacred Sources.
"Is the empress truly so enlightened, willing to part with such precious treasures for the young kings to drink?"
"I suspect even the Saint ancestors are mad with jealousy."
"In the past, if a human emperor had such treasures, they would never have shared them with the world. The current empress can truly be called the greatest ruler in a thousand generations."
Even demonic and heretical cultivators were filled with admiration for Empress Chi Yao's actions.
If they were in Empress Chi Yao's position, possessing the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea, they would only consume it themselves, never sharing it with a group of completely unfamiliar young juniors.
This showed that the empress was truly wise and saintly, genuinely revitalizing humanity, making many feel ashamed.
A young king from the Black Market stood up, raised his teacup, and declared solemnly, "Today, I, Shang Jia, swear an oath: If I ever become the master of the Black Market, as long as the empress reigns, the Black Market will never oppose the imperial court."
Zhang Ruochen took a deep breath, his heart heavy. He felt he understood Chi Yao less and less, and he was very curious about what she was doing.
If Chi Yao was truly so selfless and noble, why had she ambushed and killed him back then?
Why had she secretly built the Heaven and Earth Altar, hiding it from everyone?
Was tonight's Realm Son Banquet part of a larger conspiracy?
Or, as Shengshu Cainü said, was a great crisis for the Kunlun Realm imminent?
"Three hundred years ago, or even earlier, Chi Yao was already preparing the Realm Son Banquet. She cultivated so many outstanding talents, prodigies, kings, and realm sons—what was her purpose?"
Eight hundred years had passed. Chi Yao was no longer the innocent young girl of the past, nor the treacherous woman who had killed Zhang Ruochen with a single sword strike. She had become even more profound and unfathomable.
Drinking the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea wouldn't immediately elevate a cultivator's cultivation to a heaven-reaching level. It only made it easier for them to comprehend the Sacred Dao.
In other words, the one hundred and eight young kings would definitely break through to the Saint realm in the future, and even higher realms.
Moreover, their speed in cultivating martial techniques and comprehending the Sacred Dao would be extremely fast. Within a hundred years, they would surely become Saints, encountering no bottlenecks.
Those outstanding talents who drank the Six Saints Heaven-Ascent Wine and the prodigies who consumed the Sacred Flame Qilin Meat also gained many benefits, but whether they could reach the Saint realm remained uncertain.
The First King's Seat was the highest position, receiving the most Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea—a full pot.
Huang Yanchen took out two teacups, filled them both, then extended two slender jade-like fingers, handing one cup to Zhang Ruochen. Her eyes were exceptionally bright as she said, "This pot of Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea rightfully belongs to you. Try it first."
Zhang Ruochen didn't stand on ceremony. He took the teacup, brought it to his lips, and drank it all in one gulp.
The tea entered his abdomen and immediately transformed into an emerald green mass of Qi. Then it dispersed, forming strands of sacred Qi threads, like a spider web, interweaving throughout his entire body.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen's entire body was enveloped in emerald green sacred light. His mind was extremely empty and clear. Some previously perplexing problems now seemed very simple.
Almost every instant, his understanding of the Sacred Dao climbed to a new height.
Of course, the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea only helped him comprehend the Sacred Dao more easily. It couldn't elevate him from the early stage of Fish-Dragon Eighth Change to the middle stage.
For cultivators at Fish-Dragon Ninth Change, it was entirely different. Their realm had reached its peak, but their understanding of the Sacred Dao was insufficient, preventing them from breaking through to the Half-Saint realm.
Now, after consuming the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea, their realms broke through instantly.
Among the one hundred and eight young kings, more than ninety became Half-Saints within a quarter of an hour. Only a few whose realms were insufficient or who deliberately suppressed their cultivation remained at the Fish-Dragon realm.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, above Zhang Ruochen's head, a Sacred Soul also condensed, and he reached the Half-Saint realm.
How could a cultivator at the early stage of Fish-Dragon Eighth Change suddenly become a Half-Saint?
Shengshu Cainü had been observing Lin Yue the whole time. When she saw him condense a Sacred Soul, she wasn't surprised at all, because she knew that Lin Yue cultivated not only martial arts but also Spiritual Power.
It must be that the power of the Great Saint Heaven-Connecting Tea had pushed his Spiritual Power intensity to the forty-fifth level, making him a Spiritual Power Half-Saint in one fell swoop.
...
The true great era and chaotic times will begin on the ninth day of the ninth month with the Sword Discussion Conference. Everyone, please look forward to it!