novelraw Page 549
Page 549
As a cultivator in the Enlightenment Realm, one's strength will only increase dramatically if there is progress in enlightenment. However, this does not mean that the body and soul cannot be enhanced. It's just that the enhancement gained through this gradual accumulation is worlds apart from the progress in enlightenment. Perhaps the enhancement gained over billions of years is not as good as the progress gained in a single day of enlightenment.
After the banquet, Yi Shuihan obtained a secret technique, as did the other nine Dao Enlightenment Realm cultivators. They needed to learn this secret technique and then use it in combination when healing.
A secret technique that can even affect a Great Dao Emperor is naturally extraordinary. In terms of its rarity, this secret technique is comparable to the entire fortune of any Dao Enlightenment Realm expert.
The secret technique was not difficult to master; Yi Shuihan learned it in just one month.
Two months later, Yi Shuihan was notified to participate in the treatment.
A group of 10 Enlightenment Realm cultivators arrived at an altar, where the Poison Heart Emperor sat cross-legged in the center.
"Each of you choose a spot and stand in a designated area."
The Poisonous Heart Emperor gave his orders.
Yi Shuihan and the others exchanged glances after realizing the Dao, and then each walked in a different direction.
The ten directions represent due south, due north, due east, due west, slightly south, slightly north, slightly east, slightly west, up, and down. In the end, Yi Shuihan occupied the due east position, Yang Yihuang and Gui Muhuang were due south and slightly south, Xu Wuhuang and Hong Donghuang were due north and slightly north, and the three fierce ones were slightly east, due west, and slightly off-center.
A pair of Daoist lovers, both at the Enlightenment Realm, with Emperor Mingye above and Emperor Ruoshui below.
The so-called "above" and "below" are not above and below the Poison Heart Emperor, but in front of and behind him. Yi Shuihan and the others formed a circle, Ming Yehuang and Ruoshui were in another circle inside the circle, and the Poison Heart Emperor was at the center.
With all ten directions complete, the Poison Heart Emperor began to activate his secret technique. Points of green light began to appear beneath him and quickly enveloped him. In a short while, he was completely enveloped by the green light, and Yi Shuihan and the others could only see a slight outline of him.
After reaching a certain saturation level, the green light began to spread outwards, first connecting Emperor Mingye and Emperor Ruoshui, who were located above and below each other.
When the green light on Emperor Mingye and Emperor Ruoshui reached a certain level, it continued to spread, and the remaining eight directions were connected in turn.
"All directions are complete, time and space flow, the origin returns to one, without beginning or end, all gather together."
Chapter 1418, Puppet Brand
The Daoist incantations echoed in the void, and at the same time, the urging voice of the Poison Heart Emperor rang in Yi Shuihan's mind.
Instead of immediately activating the secret technique, Yi Shuihan focused his attention on the other cultivators.
Yi Shuihan had also studied the secret technique given to him by the Poison Heart Emperor, but he hadn't figured it out. It seemed to be similar to what the Poison Heart Emperor had said: using it would only make one weak for a period of time.
Yi Shuihan even had the system study this secret technique, but the system couldn't figure it out either. However, the system is a system after all, and it is more reliable than Yi Shuihan. It made a suggestion: to observe the condition of other enlightened beings after they used the secret technique while the healing was being performed. Having examples in front of them would make it much easier.
The first to use the secret technique were the Daoist couple located on opposite sides of the world. Thanks to the system, their situation was immediately reflected on Yi Shuihan.
The system began to perform frantic deductions and quickly provided an answer.
"So that's how it is. The Poison Heart Emperor did indeed conceal the truth. The secret technique itself is not the problem, but it is different when combined with the current altar. If the secret technique is used, the Poison Heart Emperor will leave a mark on you. The mark will continuously affect your mind over time, and in the end, you will unknowingly become close to the Poison Heart Emperor and become his puppet."
Having seen through all this, Yi Shuihan's heart sank. He didn't want to become the Poison Heart Emperor's puppet, but the current situation was that if he showed even the slightest abnormality, the Poison Heart Emperor would probably not let him go.
"What should we do? Should we just use hyper teleportation to leave, or..."
"It is recommended that the host not use teleportation."
"why?"
"The host's energy is now linked with that of the Poison Heart Emperor. If you use teleportation, there is a 50% chance that the Poison Heart Emperor will also be teleported away."
"What!?"
The system's words startled Yi Shuihan, putting him in a dilemma. However, the system's next words reassured him.
"The system can help the host remove the brand, as long as the host cooperates..."
A system is still a system. Even though it hasn't reached the level of a Great Dao Emperor, it still possesses divine abilities that surpass those of a Chaos Emperor.
According to the system's analysis, the reason why the Poison Heart Emperor sought out ten Enlightenment Realm cultivators instead of Creation Realm cultivators was because the mark could not affect Creation Realm cultivators. Of course, once marked, even if one broke through to Creation Realm after a while, it would be of no use.
Although Yi Shuihan is not yet a Dao Creator, with the support of the system, he is no less capable than a Dao Creator, and may even be stronger. Removing the mark is not difficult for him.
Of course, in order to avoid being discovered by the Poison Heart Emperor, Yi Shuihan could not remove the mark immediately and had to wait until he left the Poison Heart Emperor before taking action.
Although the brand is powerful, it takes time for it to take effect; initially, it has virtually no impact.
"Why don't you make a move quickly?"
Just as Yi Shuihan made up his mind, the Poison Heart Emperor urged him on again, his figure now showing signs of anger.
Poison Heart Emperor was indeed in a bad mood at this moment. Everything was going smoothly, and the other nine Dao Enlightenment cultivators had not discovered his intentions and had been secretly branded by him. However, Yi Shuihan seemed to be deliberately not using any secret techniques, which made Poison Heart Emperor begin to suspect.
Just as the Poisonous Heart Emperor was considering whether to teach Yi Shuihan a lesson, Yi Shuihan finally began to use his secret technique.
After successfully branding Yi Shuihan, Emperor Poison Heart finally stopped doubting him. He was very confident that once Yi Shuihan was branded, even other Great Dao Emperors would be helpless against him. At most, they could only suppress the development of the brand, but eventually the brand would come into play.
The branding was not the end of the healing ceremony; on the contrary, the healing of the Poison Heart Emperor had only just begun.
The Poison Heart Emperor truly needed the help of this secret technique to fully recover, as he was indeed injured.
The healing process lasted for more than a month, and the green light on the altar remained on. Apart from that, there were no other unusual phenomena. This was particularly low-key for a Great Dao Emperor or even a Chaos King. Don't you see that even a True Saint's sermons are full of flowery language and golden lotuses springing from the ground?
To be honest, the special effects of this healing ritual are only worth one dollar; the extra 50 cents is due to the duration.
The green light gradually faded, marking the end of the healing ritual. The moment the secret technique stopped, Yi Shuihan staggered and fell to the ground. Fortunately, he changed direction at the last moment, so he didn't fall face down.
At this moment, Yi Shuihan felt completely drained, as if he had been carrying bricks for three days and three nights. He didn't even want to talk; he just wanted to get a good night's sleep.
If Yi Shuihan hadn't discovered the Poison Heart Emperor's "good intentions," he would definitely be sleeping and resting right now. But at this moment, he forcibly restrained himself, not knowing what the Poison Heart Emperor might do while he was asleep.
"I will be in seclusion for three days. You can come to me after three days to collect what is rightfully yours."
After speaking, the Poison Heart Emperor disappeared from the altar, leaving behind 10 corpses of the Enlightened Ones.
The other cultivators who had attained enlightenment were no better off than Yi Shuihan, and in some cases even worse. Most of them ended up face down, and none of them looked like true cultivators.
Unlike Yi Shuihan, they were unaware of what they had experienced and were very relaxed. The three villains even fell asleep before the Poison Heart Emperor left, and after the Poison Heart Emperor left, they slept for most of the time. In the end, only Yi Shuihan and Mingye Emperor were still awake.
The reason why Emperor Mingye didn't sleep was to take care of his Daoist partner, Emperor Ruoshui, not because he didn't want to sleep. It was clear that he was enduring a lot of hardship.
"This treatment is really inhuman; I'll never do it again."
It took Yi Shuihan more than half an hour to recover. He tried to stand up, which was very difficult, but he succeeded.
Glancing at the corpses scattered on the ground, Yi Shuihan speechlessly took out some recovery pills and swallowed them whole. He felt much better immediately; although still weak, he had the strength to walk.
Yi Shuihan ultimately did not choose to leave the altar. After all, it was safer to be with these fellow sufferers than to be alone, in case it aroused the suspicion of the Poison Heart Emperor.
Over the next three days, Yi Shuihan continued to recover. With the power of his personal world and the system, he had recovered nearly halfway in three days. If he were given another three days, it wouldn't be impossible for him to fully recover. Of course, this full recovery does not include the weakness that was a side effect of using the secret technique. To completely eliminate the weakness, even with the system and his personal space, it would take at least a few years.
Compared to other enlightenment methods that take hundreds of millions of years to recover, Yi Shuihan's recovery in just a few years is obviously much better, although the cost involved is a considerable sum.
Chapter 1419, Each Gains Something
When Yi Shuihan saw the Poison Heart Emperor again, he found that the other party was full of a sense of perfection, and his primordial energy was flawless.
Perhaps because of the mark, the Poison Heart Emperor became increasingly affectionate towards Yi Shuihan, treating Yi Shuihan and the others as if they were not outsiders, which made Yi Shuihan and the others feel flattered.
"The healing was very successful. You all fulfilled your duties. Now it is my turn to fulfill mine. In addition to the opportunity I promised to help you once, you can tell me what you want. Even if I don't have it here, I will find it for you from somewhere else."
"The Poison Heart Emperor said with a smile."
Upon hearing this, the group of enlightened beings were greatly encouraged, their faces beaming with joy and showing signs of being deeply inspired.
"Your Majesty, my wife and I would like a twin Ice-Fire Lotus. Is that possible?"
The first to speak was Emperor Mingye, who was holding hands with Emperor Ruoshui, showering everyone with a sweet display of affection.
"Hmm, you want the Twin Ice and Fire Lotus. This item can increase the fertility rate of the Chaos Emperor and make the children born only one step away from becoming True Saints. Do you want an offspring?"
"That's right, Your Majesty also knows that it is extremely difficult to conceive at our level. My wife and I have tried for hundreds of billions of years without success, and now we can only rely on external means."
"Alright, I don't have this right now, but I know someone who does. It won't be difficult to get it. Give me a hundred years, and you will definitely see the Twin Ice and Fire Lotus within a hundred years."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty."
Upon hearing the Poison Heart Emperor's assurance, Emperor Mingye and Emperor Ruoshui quickly expressed their gratitude.
"Your Majesty, we, the Three Fiends, hope that you can accept us as your disciples. If that is not possible, we would like some things that can enhance our combat power, at least to ensure that we can escape from the hands of the Creator."
The leader of the Three Chaos Fiends, Tianxiong, spoke up. Making such a condition was obviously an attempt to curry favor and find a powerful backer. Of course, they also considered that the Poison Heart Emperor would not agree, so they opted for treasures that could enhance their combat power or save their lives.
The conditions mentioned here do not include any action taken by the Poison Heart Emperor.
"This is a defensive magic weapon I used when I was still in the Dao Creation stage. It can withstand a full-force attack from the Dao Creation stage and can trigger a light-year teleportation."
With a flick of his hand, the Poison Heart Emperor threw a beam of light at the Three Fiends of Chaos; it was a chainmail-style magic weapon.
Clearly, the Poison Heart Emperor refused the request to accept the Three Fiends of Chaos as his nominal disciples.
Speaking of the Three Fiends of Chaos, as the Enlightenment Realm among the Chaos Emperors, they are more than qualified to be disciples of a Great Dao Emperor. After all, many Great Dao Emperors only have disciples who are at the Seeking Dao Realm, and the Enlightenment Realm only accounts for a small percentage.
However, the actual calculation is not like that. After all, the Three Fiends of Chaos are self-taught and entered the sect with prior skills. It can be said that at their current level, even the Great Dao Emperor cannot teach them anything. They are nominal disciples without real power, and are just a protective umbrella. The Three Fiends of Chaos certainly do not have a sense of belonging, and if necessary, they may switch to another sect.
Emperor Poison Heart had many concerns about accepting the Three Fiends of Chaos as his nominal disciples, but giving them a magic weapon would have been far more satisfying.
Of course, this is only on the surface. The three Chaos Fiends are unaware that they have already been branded. In reality, their status in the heart of the Poison Heart Emperor is similar to that of a nominal disciple. Even without this title, the Poison Heart Emperor would not abandon them and would definitely help them to the best of his ability if he encountered them.
"Big brother."
The human of the three Chaos Fiends seemed unwilling, but before he could speak, the heavenly fiend glared at him and shut him up.
Afterwards, Emperor Yangyi and Emperor Guimu each asked for some of what they needed, while Emperor Xuwu and Emperor Hongtong did not speak. This was probably because they were both at the Enlightenment Realm of the company.
"Yi Shuihan, is there anything you particularly want? If not, I'll just give it to you as I see fit."
"The Poisonous Heart Emperor asked."
"I need quite a lot. Here's a list. I wonder how much Uncle Poison Heart can provide?"
Yi Shuihan handed the list of items to the Poison Heart Emperor. The other Enlightenment Realm cultivators were not surprised to hear Yi Shuihan's special title, as they had heard it before at the banquet.
"You've asked for quite a lot, but they're mostly not very valuable. I already have about 80% of those things here."
After a long pause, the Poison Heart Emperor finally spoke.
"Eighty percent is enough. I'll figure out the rest myself. I won't bother Uncle Poison Heart."
This proportion was exactly what Yi Shuihan had predicted. In fact, the list Yi Shuihan gave was an expanded version, and he also wrote some things that he didn't need in order to confuse people. As long as the Poison Heart Emperor gave him 30%, Yi Shuihan would have no problem getting rid of his weakness.
"The items aren't here. I'll send someone to deliver them to you when I get back, or you can come with me to pick them up."
The Poison Heart Emperor did not mention making up for Yi Shuihan's losses because Yi Shuihan's quantity was very large. Although none of them were particularly rare items, their total value was quite high. Taking out 80% of the items on the list was mainly because of Yi Shuihan's powerful backing, and another part of the reason was naturally due to the branding.
"I'll go back to Chaos City and wait there; I won't go to Uncle's place."
Yi Shuihan would naturally not choose the latter method; that would be like a lamb entering an abyss!
With the terms mostly agreed upon, Yi Shuihan and his group stayed on the nameless planet for a few more days before finally leaving together.
The senses were no longer blocked upon leaving, even though it was still the same magical artifact I was riding.
One by one, the group of cultivators chose to leave midway. Yi Shuihan finally set off his magic weapon a month away from Chaos City. Ghost Mother Queen also chose to leave, as she had to go to Chaos City for some business.
Without the Poison Heart Emperor by his side, Yi Shuihan felt very relaxed. If it weren't for the Ghost Mother Queen being there, he probably would have dealt with the branding issue first.
The month spent discussing Dao with the Ghost Mother was quite pleasant. The Ghost Mother was particularly close to Yi Shuihan, whether it was out of affection for her or because of Yi Shuihan's talent.
After entering Chaos City, Yi Shuihan separated from the Ghost Mother and returned to the branch.
“Holy Spirit, hurry and start solving the problem.”
The problem of the brand was like a fishbone stuck in his throat, and as soon as Yi Shuihan returned, he immediately went into the secret room to deal with it.
"Okay, please circulate the energy according to this method, and then..."
Chapter 1420, Drowning Sorrows in Alcohol
Several months have passed since Yi Shuihan returned to the Chaos City Division branch, and he still remains in the secret room without coming out.
The methods of the Great Dao Emperor are not so easy to eliminate, even though Yi Shuihan's enlightenment was not ordinary.
At this moment, a subtle battle was taking place within Yi Shuihan's body, with the system's power as the main force and Yi Shuihan's power assisting in erasing the mark.
The brand is definitely related to the Poison Heart Emperor. To be on the safe side, Yi Shuihan chose to slowly boil the frog in lukewarm water, trying to gradually wear down the power within it.
He had already laid a trap when the brand was first placed on him, making the connection between the brand and him not so close. Even the power that the brand grew was deliberately transferred by him, making it much easier to separate them.
When the brand was first removed, it manifested as a solidified Dao character within Yi Shuihan's body. Now, after several months of wear and tear, the Dao character has become almost transparent and is on the verge of dissipating. As long as Yi Shuihan exerts more effort, it can be completely removed.
However, at this moment, Yi Shuihan stopped trying to erase the brand, not because he was powerless to continue, but because he did it on purpose.
"That's about it. We'll deal with the rest once I receive the Poison Heart Emperor's instructions."
The reason for not completely removing the mark was to take into account the reaction of the Poison Heart Emperor. According to Yi Shuihan's plan, once the batch promised by the Poison Heart Emperor arrived, he would first remove the weakened state, then break through to the Creation Dao, and remove the mark when he broke through to the Creation Dao.
In this way, even if the Poison Heart Emperor knew that the mark had disappeared, he would have an explanation: that Yi Shuihan's cultivation speed was too fast, and he happened to break through and then happen to remove the mark. It was an isolated case, and he would not doubt that Yi Shuihan had the ability to remove the mark.
After all, it's obvious that this mark is of great significance to the Poison Heart Emperor. Who knows how many marks the Poison Heart Emperor has secretly and openly carved? Once he finds out that Yi Shuihan can remove this mark on his own initiative, he might be driven to desperation and try his best to eliminate Yi Shuihan. At that time, Yi Shuihan will only be able to hide under his master's protection.
Even if Yi Shuihan told the other party that he could only remove the brand that hadn't been imprinted for long, the Poison Heart Emperor would definitely not believe it. He would think that if someone could remove a brand at the Enlightenment Realm, who knows if they could go further and completely remove the brand after they become stronger.