novelraw Chapter 961
Chapter 961
There, there was a faint scent of medicinal herbs.
"A thousand-year-old blood jade ginseng." A thought struck him. "It should be in that direction."
He led the four men and hurried off in that direction.
Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Struggle
Half an hour later, they arrived at a huge canyon.
The canyon was bottomless, its walls a dark red, as if soaked in blood. At the canyon entrance stood a massive stone tablet. Inscribed on it were several ancient characters:
"The Valley of the Netherworld: those who enter bear the consequences of their own lives."
Without hesitation, Fu Shaoping stepped into the canyon.
A chilling wind howled through the canyon, accompanied by the wails of ghosts and wolves. Strange shadows flickered across the rock walls on either side. Fu Shaoping gripped the Moonflower Sword tightly, activating his Law-Breaking Spiritual Eye at full power, and proceeded cautiously.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a fierce fighting sound suddenly came from ahead.
He approached quietly, hid behind a boulder, and looked out.
Two groups of people are engaged in a fierce battle in an open area in the middle of the canyon.
On one side was the Qingyun Sect team led by Yuehua, and on the other side were seven or eight Blood Fiend Sect disciples clad in blood-red robes. Yuehua's swordsmanship was fierce, and she held her own against three opponents. However, her teammates were struggling, and two of them were already injured.
The leader of the Blood Fiend Sect was a sinister-looking young man with a Foundation Establishment stage cultivation level, wielding a blood-red longsword. While locked in combat with Yuehua, he shouted fiercely, "Hand over the Thousand-Year Blood Jade Ginseng! Otherwise, none of you will leave here today!"
Fu Shaoping's gaze swept across the battlefield and soon spotted the thousand-year-old Blood Jade Ginseng.
It grows in a crevice in the middle of the canyon, its entire body is crimson, shaped like a ginseng root, and emits a faint red glow. The ginseng is about the thickness of an adult's arm, and its surface is covered with fine lines, a testament to thousands of years of history.
"It really is a thousand-year-old blood jade ginseng." Fu Shaoping was overjoyed, but then his expression darkened.
The Blood Fiend Sect outnumbered and outmatched Yuehua and her group. Although Yuehua and her companions were strong, they were outnumbered and already at a disadvantage. If the conflict dragged on any longer, there was a risk of casualties.
"We must take action." He made the decision immediately.
He turned to look at Shi Gandang and the other three, and whispered, "I'll go and distract the Blood Fiend Sect people. You take the opportunity to help Senior Sister Yuehua."
Shi Gandang was taken aback: "Junior Brother Fu, you're going to lure them away by yourself? That's too dangerous!"
Fu Shaoping shook his head: "I know what I'm doing. Don't worry."
Before they could persuade him any further, he flashed out from behind the boulder and rushed straight for the thousand-year-old Blood Jade Ginseng!
"Who goes there?!"
The disciples of the Blood Fiend Sect were shocked and turned to Fu Shaoping!
Fu Shaoping ignored their exclamations and slashed at the Blood Jade Ginseng with his sword!
"Crack!"
He severed the Blood Jade Ginseng by the roots, and the ginseng flew into his hand!
He carefully put away the Blood Jade Ginseng, then turned and ran!
"Chase him! Chase him!" The sinister young man roared in anger, abandoning Yuehua and leading the Blood Fiend Sect members in pursuit of Fu Shaoping!
Fu Shaoping ran ahead, while the Blood Fiend Sect members chased after him.
He was incredibly fast, his feet barely touching the ground as he weaved left and right through the canyon, deliberately choosing the most difficult paths. Although the Blood Fiend Sect members outnumbered him, they couldn't catch him.
"Kid, you can't escape!" the sinister young man shouted, raising his hand and unleashing a blood-red blade of light towards Fu Shaoping!
Fu Shaoping dodged to the side, and the blade struck the rock wall, blasting out a huge crater.
He didn't look back and kept running.
He knew that as long as he could hold these people off for a while, Yuehua and the others could deal with the remaining Blood Fiend Sect disciples and then come to his aid.
As he ran, he suddenly realized that there was no road ahead.
It was a cliff, bottomless.
He stopped and turned to look at the Blood Fiend Sect members who had caught up with him.
"Run! Why aren't you running anymore?" The sinister young man grinned maliciously, leading the crowd to surround him.
Fu Shaoping looked at him calmly.
"You've been chasing me for so long, you must be tired by now."
He took out a jade pendant from his bosom and held it high.
"This is a teleportation jade token. As long as I crush it, I can instantly teleport out of the secret realm. The Blood Jade Ginseng you want will also go out with me."
The sinister-looking young man's expression changed drastically.
"you dare!"
Fu Shaoping smiled.
"Why wouldn't I dare? The Blood Jade Ginseng is in my hands, and I'm free to do whatever I want with it."
He looked at the sinister young man with a calm, still gaze.
"Now, you have two choices. First, continue chasing me, and I'll crush the jade token, and we'll all go our separate ways. Second, let me go, and the Blood Jade Ginseng will be mine; I'll owe you a favor."
The gloomy young man's expression shifted between light and dark.
He certainly didn't want to let Fu Shaoping go. But if Fu Shaoping really crushed the jade token, the Blood Jade Ginseng would be completely gone.
"Fine! Fine!" he gritted his teeth and said, "Kid, you win! I'll remember this! We'll settle the score once we're out of the secret realm!"
With a wave of his hand, he led the Blood Fiend Sect members away in anger.
Fu Shaoping watched their retreating figures with a calm expression.
He knew this was only temporary.
The real trouble is yet to come.
But he wasn't afraid.
Because in this life, he will no longer run away.
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Blood Jade Ginseng
After the Blood Fiend Sect members left, Fu Shaoping returned along the same route.
In the canyon, Yuehua and her group had already dealt with the remaining Blood Fiend Sect disciples and were cleaning up the battlefield.
"Junior Brother Fu!" Shi Gandang was overjoyed to see him. "Are you alright?"
Fu Shaoping shook his head: "It's nothing."
Yuehua walked over, looked at him, and her gaze was complicated.
"You took too much risk just now."
Fu Shaoping smiled slightly: "How can we obtain the Blood Jade Ginseng without taking risks?"
He took out the thousand-year-old Blood Jade Ginseng from his bosom and handed it to Yuehua.
"Senior sister, this is for you."
Yuehua was taken aback: "Give it to me?"
Fu Shaoping nodded: "You are the captain, so you should be in charge of keeping the Blood Jade Ginseng."
Yuehua looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
"Fu Shaoping, do you know how much this Blood Jade Ginseng is worth?"
Fu Shaoping shook his head: "I don't know. It's not important."
After a moment of silence, Yuehua finally accepted the Blood Jade Ginseng.
"Alright. I'll keep it for everyone. We'll distribute it according to contribution after we leave the secret realm."
Fu Shaoping nodded without saying anything more.
Shi Gandang leaned closer and chuckled, "Junior Brother Fu, you're incredibly bold! You lured away seven or eight Blood Fiend Sect members all by yourself, and you still dare to bargain with them?"
Fu Shaoping said calmly, "They're afraid I'll crush the jade token, so they don't dare touch me."
Shi Gandang shook his head: "Not everyone has that kind of guts. If they don't play by the rules, you're dead."
Fu Shaoping smiled slightly: "They will. Because they want the Blood Jade Ginseng. As long as they want it, they will be hesitant to act rashly."
Shi Gandang looked at him with admiration in his eyes.
"Junior Brother Fu, I'm convinced."
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Deep Within the Secret Realm
After obtaining the Blood Jade Ginseng, Fu Shaoping did not rush to leave the secret realm.
He knew that there were even more opportunities in the secret realm.
Over the next few days, they ventured deep into the core area of the secret realm and explored several ruins.
In an abandoned palace, they discovered a jade slip left behind by an ancient cultivator, which contained a long-lost array formation—the "Celestial Dipper Array." Liu Qingqing was overjoyed and immediately began to study it.
In a deep pool, they discovered a thousand-year-old Cold Pool Grass, an excellent ingredient for refining cold-attribute pills. Zhou Yuan, a skilled swimmer, dived to the bottom of the pool and retrieved it. In a mountain cave, they found a skeleton. On the skeleton's finger was a storage ring. Inside the ring were thousands of spirit stones, dozens of bottles of pills, and several high-grade magic artifacts. Tie Shan, usually taciturn, was the first to rush forward, burying the skeleton before handing the ring to Yuehua.
“The fact that this person died here means that he was also a cultivator who came to explore the secret realm back then,” Yuehua said. “Since we used his things, we owe him a favor. Let’s use his spirit stones to erect a monument for him after we get out.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Chapter Forty: The Return Journey
The secret realm will be open for half a month.
On the fifteenth day, when a huge gate of light appeared in the sky, everyone knew it was time to leave.
Fu Shaoping stood at the edge of the canyon, looking at the land where he had stayed for half a month, and a sense of emotion welled up in his heart.
He has experienced a lot in the past two weeks.
He experienced battles, faced life and death, worked with his comrades, and dealt with the enemy.
He gained the Blood Jade Ginseng, spiritual herbs, cultivation techniques, and friendship.
More importantly, he found himself.
"Let's go," Yuehua said softly as she walked to his side.
Fu Shaoping nodded, turned around, and followed her into the portal.
After a dizzying moment, they returned to the Qingyun Sect.
At the summit of Moonflower Peak, Master Moonflower is waiting for them.
She smiled when she saw the ten people return safely.
"Good! Good! They're all back!"
Her gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Fu Shaoping.
"Shaoping, you found it?"
Fu Shaoping took out the thousand-year-old Blood Jade Ginseng from his bosom and presented it with both hands.
"Master, your disciple has lived up to your expectations."
Master Yuehua accepted the Blood Jade Ginseng, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Good! Good! With this, there's hope for the Marrow Cleansing Pill!"
She looked at Fu Shaoping with gentle eyes.
"Shaoping, you've worked hard. Go back and rest well. In three months, I will refine pills for you."
Fu Shaoping nodded and turned to leave.
Behind him, Yuehua watched his retreating figure, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
This junior brother was even more extraordinary than she had imagined.
After returning from the Netherworld, Fu Shaoping's life returned to its usual rhythm.
Every morning, he meditates by the spiritual spring, absorbing the energy of the rising sun and the power of the moon; in the morning, he studies the "True Explanation of Moonlight" to comprehend the deeper mysteries of cultivation techniques; in the afternoon, he immerses himself in the alchemy room, helping the sect refine pills and earning contribution points; and in the evening, he stays in the cultivation room, gradually integrating the day's accumulation into his meridians.
But this time, he felt a sense of anticipation.
Marrow Cleansing Pill.
That legendary elixir that can cleanse the marrow and reshape the meridians.
If he can truly master this technique, the damaged meridians within his body will be completely resolved. At that time, his cultivation speed will no longer be limited by his meridians, allowing him to improve his cultivation level like a normal cultivator, or even faster.
For three months, Master Yuehua locked herself in her cave and did not leave.
She spent a whole month studying the formula for the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Although she had obtained the formula long ago, she had never refined it herself. Every step of the process, the timing of adding each medicinal herb, and the intensity of each infusion of spiritual energy required repeated deduction and precise calculation.
She spent another month preparing the necessary auxiliary materials for refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Besides the main ingredient, the Thousand-Year Blood Jade Ginseng, the pill required forty-nine auxiliary ingredients. While not as precious as the Blood Jade Ginseng, these were still rare items. Master Yuehua used her accumulated connections and resources over many years to gather them all.
In the last month, she began to formally refine elixirs.
Fu Shaoping was allowed to stand guard outside the cave. He sat cross-legged at the entrance, the Moonflower Sword resting on his lap, his divine sense spreading out, alert to any disturbances around him.
Inside the cave, the rumbling of the alchemy furnace and the aroma of medicinal herbs wafted through the air. The fragrance was rich and complex, sometimes resembling orchids and musk, sometimes sandalwood and cinnamon, and sometimes carrying a hint of spiciness and bitterness. Although Fu Shaoping couldn't see what was happening inside, he could roughly judge the progress of the alchemy process simply by observing the changes in the aroma.
On the twenty-seventh day, a clear "ding" suddenly came from the cave.
That was the sound of the alchemy furnace being turned on.
Fu Shaoping opened his eyes, his heart beating slightly faster.
The cave door slowly opened, and Master Yuehua stepped out.
Her face was pale, her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked exhausted. But a faint smile lingered on her lips.
"It's done."
She took out a jade bottle from her bosom and handed it to Fu Shaoping.
The jade bottle was entirely white, with a faint, swirling light. Through the bottle's walls, one could see a pill the size of a longan lying inside. The pill was pale gold, its surface covered with fine patterns, as if they were the imprints of the Great Dao.
"This is... the Marrow Cleansing Pill?" Fu Shaoping took the jade bottle, his fingers trembling slightly.
Master Yuehua nodded: "Take it, and your damaged meridians will be completely rebuilt. But the process will be very painful, even more painful than the Meridian Connection Technique. Are you... ready?"
Fu Shaoping took a deep breath and nodded.
"Ready."
Chapter 42 Marrow Cleansing
That night, the moon was full.
Fu Shaoping sat cross-legged on the blue stone at the top of Moonflower Peak. The moonlight, like water, shone on him, enveloping him in a silvery white.
He took the Marrow Cleansing Pill out of the jade bottle and put it in his mouth.
The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a warm and powerful medicinal force spread out in an instant, surging into every part of the body.
At first, the medicinal power was like a gentle stream, mild and soothing. Fu Shaoping could feel the medicinal power flowing slowly along his meridians, and wherever it passed, the blocked meridians began to soften and loosen, like parched land nourished by spring rain.
But soon, the medicine became stronger and stronger.
The trickle turned into a raging river, the gentle flow became violent, the soothing action became intense. Fu Shaoping felt as if his body was being torn apart by an invisible force, every inch of his meridians trembling, twisting, and reforming wildly!
That kind of pain goes deep into the bone marrow and reaches the soul.
It's ten times, a hundred times more painful than the Meridian Technique!
Large beads of sweat dripped from Fu Shaoping's forehead, his face was as pale as paper, and his body trembled violently. But he gritted his teeth and persevered, without uttering a single groan.
He knew that this was the Marrow Cleansing Pill reshaping his meridians.
The old will not go, and the new will not come.
He has to get through this.
I don't know how much time passed.
It might be an hour, a day, or a month.
Fu Shaoping felt as if his body had been torn apart and reassembled countless times.
Finally, the violent effects of the medicine gradually subsided.
The tangled mess of meridians in his dantian had completely changed.
It is no longer chaotic, blocked, or tangled, but rather clear, unobstructed, like rushing rivers that tightly connect the dantian with the limbs and bones.
The abandoned meridians will be completely rebuilt.
Fu Shaoping opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.
He raised his hand, and a wisp of pure spiritual energy flowed through his palm. That spiritual energy was more condensed, purer, and more powerful than before, as if it contained infinite possibilities.
"These are... the meridians of a normal person?"
He murmured, a surge of indescribable joy welling up inside him.
From this day forward, he will no longer be a useless person.
He can cultivate like a normal cultivator, and even faster than a normal cultivator.
He stood up and looked into the distance.
Under the moonlight, the mountains appeared dark and the sea of clouds surged.
An unprecedented sense of peace welled up within him.
Chapter 43: New Life (End of Chapter)