Chapter 8: First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill
"This is... a Spirit-Nurturing Pill?" Jian Wushuang was momentarily astonished, but then immediately shook his head. "No, that's not right. With a medicinal fragrance this rich, it's definitely not an ordinary Spirit-Nurturing Pill. Could this be a First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill?"
The Spirit-Nurturing Pill was specifically meant for martial artists at the Spirit Path level, providing immense assistance to the cultivation of martial artists of that level.
However, Spirit-Nurturing Pills came in two varieties. One was merely the most ordinary Spirit-Nurturing Pill, while the other was far rarer than the regular kind, with medicinal potency more than ten times stronger and virtually free of any impurities—a pill that could be consumed without restraint: the First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill.
The First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill was the pinnacle among Spirit-Nurturing Pills—extremely precious!
On the market, even a hundred ordinary Spirit-Nurturing Pills were worth far less than a single First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill.
There were quite a few alchemists in the Sword Marquis Manor's pill chamber, yet not one of them was capable of refining a First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill. This meant that such pills simply did not exist within the Sword Marquis Manor. If truly needed, the manor could only purchase them from the Life-and-Death Martial Arena.
Jian Wushuang had never imagined that Hong Lao would actually possess First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills—two of them, no less.
"These two First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills were something I traded for from the Life-and-Death Martial Arena at no small cost. Originally, I planned to take on a good disciple and give them to him, but who would have thought that before I even found a disciple, the Sword Pavilion would face such a great crisis. So, I'll hand these two First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills over to you, Young Pavilion Master, in the hope that they can help you." Hong Lao smiled.
"Hong Lao..." Jian Wushuang looked at Hong Lao but did not immediately reach out to take them.
"The First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill has immense medicinal potency. Under normal circumstances, a Spirit Path martial artist would need a full month of secluded cultivation to fully absorb the pill's effects. You have two months, more than enough time to completely absorb the medicinal power of these two First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills. This will undoubtedly be of great help to your strength. Take them." Hong Lao said.
"Thank you!" Jian Wushuang nodded without any false modesty and accepted the jade box, then said solemnly, "Hong Lao, rest assured. As long as I live, the Sword Pavilion will never fall!"
"In two months, at the Sword Marquis Token competition, before the Sword Pavilion, before the Blood Martial Hall, before everyone in the Sword Marquis Manor, I will defeat Jian Meng'er openly and honorably!"
"I will let everyone know that the position of Sword Pavilion Master can only ever be held by a disciple of the Sword Pavilion!"
With that, Jian Wushuang turned around and once again stepped into a cultivation chamber—and this time, it was the Earth-Grade Cultivation Chamber, one of the three great secret cultivation chambers.
Hong Lao stood where he was, watching Jian Wushuang enter the Earth-Grade Cultivation Chamber, a faint smile slowly spreading across his face.
"The Young Pavilion Master's temperament is truly just like the Pavilion Master's!"
"Stubborn—yes, the Pavilion Master was every bit as stubborn!"
"But to defeat Jian Meng'er in two months... it's too difficult, almost impossible." Hong Lao shook his head inwardly. On the day Jian Meng'er was appointed Sword Pavilion Master, he had personally exchanged blows with her, and he had sensed that although Jian Meng'er was very young, her strength was truly extraordinary.
One must remember that he himself had reached the pinnacle of Sea Transformation long ago. Going all out, it would be nearly impossible for an ordinary martial artist at Great Accomplishment of Sea Transformation to last twenty moves against him. Yet that Jian Meng'er had managed to do so.
"Two months from now, I hope the Young Pavilion Master really can create a miracle. Also, the Young Pavilion Master condensing spiritual power and becoming a martial artist is a joyous occasion—the one in the Golden Dragon Hall ought to be informed of it."
...
In the Earth-Grade Cultivation Chamber, the immense pressure was far greater than in the Human-Grade Cultivation Chamber.
Within the Earth-Grade Cultivation Chamber, the spiritual power in Jian Wushuang's body was consumed even more rapidly, but at the same time, Jian Wushuang was still practicing his swordsmanship. That sword art was ethereal, following one like a shadow—one of the Sword Pavilion's many first-rate secret arts: the Azure Cloud Sword Art.
Previously, Jian Meng'er had demonstrated all eighteen of the Sword Pavilion's first-rate sword arts before everyone, and had mastered each one to Great Accomplishment. This had made everyone in the Sword Marquis Manor marvel at her sword dao talent. Yet they only knew to marvel, forgetting that Jian Wushuang, the one who had taught her those eighteen first-rate sword arts step by step, was the true monstrous genius of the sword dao!
Jian Meng'er was now recognized throughout the entire Sword Marquis Manor as its number one sword dao prodigy.
Yet even Jian Meng'er herself knew clearly that in terms of sword dao talent, Jian Wushuang was countless times more heaven-defying than she was!
Sword arts like the Azure Cloud Sword Art, when displayed in Jian Wushuang's hands, truly reached the pinnacle of perfection. Compared to his, the Azure Cloud Sword Art that Jian Meng'er had performed before the crowd was nothing more than a child's play...
The practice of sword arts accelerated the consumption of spiritual power, but Jian Wushuang had already swallowed a First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill.
The First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill had immense medicinal potency. Ordinary martial artists, after consuming one, generally needed a month or even longer to fully absorb its effects. But with Jian Wushuang, under the operation of the Great Heaven Creation Art, the pill's medicinal power was rapidly activated.
In just a single night, the medicinal effects of the First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill were completely absorbed by Jian Wushuang.
Riding on that medicinal power, he directly broke through to the fourth heaven of the Divine Path.
"The fourth heaven of the Divine Path." Jian Wushuang clenched his fists, feeling the surging power in his body.
Just yesterday, he had only just broken through to the third heaven of the Divine Path, yet today he had broken through again, stepping into the fourth heaven. This was entirely due to the immense potency of the First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill, combined with the marvels of the Great Heaven Creation Art.
A First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill that others needed a month or more to fully absorb—he had absorbed its entire potency in just one night.
"The Great Heaven Creation Art is truly miraculous!"
"The First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill has such enormous medicinal power, yet with the Great Heaven Creation Art, I was able to completely absorb it in just a single day. If I had more First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills, wouldn't that mean..." At this thought, Jian Wushuang's eyes couldn't help but redden slightly with fervor.
"First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills—I need First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills!"
"The more, the better!"
Jian Wushuang's heart burned with desire.
A pill whose effects he could absorb so quickly was of enormous benefit to his cultivation. Naturally, he longed to obtain more.
Unfortunately, First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills were not so easily obtained.
"Even in the Sword Marquis Manor, no one can refine a First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill. In the entire Bashui Commandery, I'm afraid only the Life-and-Death Martial Arena has the ability to supply large quantities of them." Jian Wushuang thought to himself.
The Life-and-Death Martial Arena was an enormous merchant guild with a transcendent status in Bashui Commandery. Materials the Sword Marquis Manor needed—even many pills—were purchased from the Life-and-Death Martial Arena if the manor did not have them itself.
Moreover, what made the Life-and-Death Martial Arena even more attractive were its internal arena battles—its life-and-death duels!
For instance, Jian Wushuang's father had once entered the Life-and-Death Martial Arena and fought in life-and-death battles for two full months, which was how he had made such tremendous progress during those two months.
"First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pills are extremely expensive. I have no way to buy them myself right now. Since that's the case, there's only one option left—no matter what, I have to take the gamble." Looking at the single First-Rank Spirit-Nurturing Pill remaining in his hand, a trace of madness appeared on Jian Wushuang's face.
Wager battles!
The reason the arena battles and life-and-death duels of the Life-and-Death Martial Arena were so attractive was that alongside the fierce combat, there existed wager battles!