Chapter 111: Beyond Grand Master?

Chapter 111: Beyond Grand Master?

Shi Er popped a Qi Blood Pill into his mouth and began his cultivation practice, feeling his qi and blood strengthening. The excitement was evident on his face.

Indeed, pills were invaluable treasures for assisting in cultivation.

Just one pill was equivalent to half a month of arduous training.

"Pills are easy to refine and won't leave any impurities, but they shouldn't be overconsumed, as it can lead to an unstable foundation," Shi Er thought to himself as he stored away the remaining pills.

"I've already entered the initial stages, and it's about time I learned some knife techniques. I can't seem to grasp the teachings of the Master, so I'll wait for Meng Chong to return and teach me."

"Or perhaps I could learn some inner domain techniques as well." Shi Er contemplated, glancing at the time. It was about time to start preparing a meal. It had been a few days, and it was now time to make the Master's favorite chicken soup.

As he stepped out, he happened to see Meng Chong returning, his upper body bare and covered in blood, with a particularly nasty wound on his chest. Shi Er was shocked at the sight.

"Meng Chong, what happened to you?" he exclaimed.

It was evident that Meng Chong had been through a fierce battle, especially considering the severity of the chest wound. If it had been any deeper, his life would have been in peril.

Shi Er was well aware of the extraordinary resilience of Meng Chong's physical body, one that even he, a martial artist, couldn't penetrate, let alone an ordinary person.

"It's just a minor injury, nothing serious," Meng Chong replied, breathing heavily as he entered the courtyard.

"Second Senior Brother, what happened to you? How did you get injured?" Su Lingxiu rushed over, alarmed by his appearance.

"Second Senior Brother, don't move. Let me treat your wounds," Zhou Ying said, bringing over a chair for Meng Chong to sit on.

"Master," Li Xuan acknowledged calmly as he approached.

Meng Chong respectfully greeted him, "Let me tend to your wounds first."

Li Xuan nodded and returned to his seat. As he watched Su Lingxiu dressing Meng Chong's wounds, he said, "Sew the wound shut, and it will heal faster."

Su Lingxiu paused, looking at her master in confusion, "Like sewing clothes?"

"Something like that," Li Xuan nodded.

Su Lingxiu studied the wound on Meng Chong's chest, deep in thought. But what could she use to sew it shut? Needle and thread?

"Sister, do you think this is a spiritual herb?" Meng Chong held up a silver grass wrapped in cloth, picked with his precious knife.

"This is... Water Spirit Grass! It's a spiritual herb!" Su Lingxiu exclaimed joyfully.

She had found the perfect material to sew the wound shut. Reaching out, she plucked a stalk of the Water Spirit Grass and rubbed it between her fingers, extracting a few thin strands of grass fiber.

"Brother, I'll sew your wound shut," she said, taking out a needle and threading it with the Water Spirit Grass fiber. However, she found it impossible to pierce the needle into Meng Chong's skin. The needle bent as soon as she applied pressure.

"Brother, this..." Su Lingxiu was at a loss.

Meng Chong's muscles twitched a few times as he said, "Sister, it's alright. Try again."

Su Lingxiu tried once more, and although it was challenging, as if she were sewing through leather, she managed to sew the wound shut.

Meng Chong carefully controlled his muscles to ensure the wound didn't reopen. Su Lingxiu then applied medicine made from Water Spirit Grass onto the wound, and soon, the bloodstains on Meng Chong's body began to fade.

In a day or two, there wouldn't even be a scar left.

"So, Master suddenly left because he sensed Second Senior Brother was in danger?" Su Lingxiu wondered to herself.

That would explain why he had abruptly departed.

"Second Senior Brother, where did you get this Water Spirit Grass? Spiritual herbs shouldn't exist in the borderlands. Did you go to the inner domain?" Su Lingxiu asked curiously.

Only the inner domain had spiritual herbs, and Meng Chong's injuries suggested a fierce battle there.

"It was in the capital of the Kingdom of Wu. I encountered a man who was highly respected in the local martial arts world. For some reason, he became incredibly powerful, and I felt like he wasn't the same person I knew..." Meng Chong replied gravely.

The state of Elder Wu was very peculiar.

He then recalled the worm he had seen on Elder Wu's forehead and wondered if it had something to do with this mysterious creature.

Li Xuan's gaze shifted to Meng Chong, "Tell me everything that happened, in detail."

Meng Chong recounted the events and the battle, leaving out no information. The most significant question was how Elder Wu had become so powerful.

Moreover, the opponent seemed to be a powerful member of the demonic sect, with techniques similar to Xue Wuxin's, but even more refined and fierce.

Li Xuan's expression remained calm, but his mind was racing.

All signs pointed to Elder Wu being possessed, but why would someone want to possess a centenarian? And where had Elder Wu been possessed?

Based on the current situation in the martial arts world of the Kingdom of Wu, it was highly likely that Elder Wu had been possessed while seeking a master in the Endless Mountains.

And that worm was probably the host of the possessor!

"Grand Masters don't possess the ability to possess others. This opponent's strength surpasses that of a Grand Master. And if I'm not mistaken, it seems to be a residual soul, clinging to that worm for survival," Li Xuan thought to himself.

"That worm is also extraordinary. It is the foundation of the opponent's possession.

"There are indeed stronger beings beyond Grand Masters. But why is Grand Master the pinnacle in the inner domain? Are there restrictions on those beyond Grand Masters?

"The opponent's residual soul was very weak, with barely any essence left. That's why Meng Chong was able to suppress it with his knife intent and kill it."

Meng Chong narrated the perilous battle, especially the final moment when he could have pursued and struck down his opponent, but a powerful pressure had suddenly emerged, immobilizing him and allowing his opponent to escape.

"Master, that pressure felt somewhat like a Grand Master, yet it was different. It had similarities to knife and sword intent, but also distinct differences.

"It was very unique and powerful. I sensed that my opponent was in a weakened state, which is why I was able to defeat him," Meng Chong said, counting himself lucky.

Su Lingxiu and Zhou Ying exchanged glances, their hearts pounding with excitement.

Could there be an even higher realm beyond Grand Master? What kind of realm was that?

Along with Shi Er, the four of them looked at Li Xuan, awaiting his explanation.

Although Li Xuan didn't know what kind of martial artist was beyond a Grand Master, a sudden realization struck him, and he now had an idea about the realm beyond the Tongxuan Realm.

However, he maintained his calm demeanor and said, "It's just a residual soul. Possessing another's body is nothing. It can be easily destroyed."

"Possession?" Meng Chong and the others murmured.

Their master seemed unconcerned, indicating that he didn't view the mysterious opponent as a threat.

"Master, what about that worm?" Meng Chong asked curiously.

"Just a vessel for the residual soul," Li Xuan replied, not elaborating further. However, he had guessed the worm's purpose, and his explanation wasn't entirely wrong.

Li Xuan stood up and walked in front of Meng Chong. "Although this battle was dangerous, you also awakened your knife soul and comprehended knife intent. It wasn't without gains."

He looked up at the sky and said in a deep voice, "There are indeed stronger beings beyond Grand Masters, just as I've always told you—the path of martial arts is endless. What you've heard about its limits is merely the ignorance of the weak.

"Stay humble and diligent in your cultivation. The path of martial arts is long, and you've only just taken the first steps."

"Yes, Master!" Meng Chong replied respectfully.

Li Xuan continued, "Meditate on the Grand Solar Golden Body and strive for a breakthrough."

"Yes, Master!" Meng Chong agreed solemnly.

Su Lingxiu's expression turned solemn, her eyes sparkling with excitement. There were stronger beings beyond Grand Masters, and the mastermind behind their troubles might be one of them.

"I haven't even entered the initial stages yet. Even if I break through to the Innate Realm, I won't be able to deal with those people or bury them. I must cultivate diligently and delve into the path of alchemy. I will study more pill formulas and refine more pills. With pills in hand, countless martial artists will be willing to serve me!"

Su Lingxiu was well aware of the value that alchemy brought to the martial path.

She turned to Meng Chong, "Second Senior Brother, I want to use these Water Spirit Grass to refine pills. You're also about to break through, so I'll refine a furnace for you, a pill suitable for your cultivation."

Meng Chong nodded, "If you need it, take it. As for the pills, I don't need them. I can break through without them."

"Second Senior Brother, this is a spiritual herb. The pills refined from it will be very effective," Su Lingxiu said, narrowing her eyes.

"That's still an external force. It's fine for occasional assistance, but ultimately, one must rely on themselves. A hollow realm will hinder true strength. After I break through, I can try pills then. If you need it, take it." Meng Chong didn't reject pills, but he was aware that relying solely on them could lead to a mismatched strength and realm.

Shi Er was a prime example, in his opinion.

"Then, thank you, Second Senior Brother." Su Lingxiu happily took the Water Spirit Grass and left.

Back in her room, she recalled the Alchemy Manual and began to formulate a pill recipe. "Only Water Spirit Grass is a spiritual herb, a monarch ingredient. As for the minister ingredients, there's the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi and mountain ginseng... This is a new recipe for Bone Tempering Pill, which shouldn't be called the Evergreen Pill. This is what I used to temper the Evergreen Bone."

Su Lingxiu quickly devised a pill formula.

The Evergreen Pill, used to assist her in breaking through the constraints of the Golden Bone and entering the Evergreen Bone realm, refining her body.

"If I had a Spirit Crystal to assist, the effect would be even better," she thought.

"This formula will be called the Nourishing Pill, suitable for Second Senior Brother's cultivation. And this one will be the Qi-Gathering Pill, suitable for Big Senior Brother's Innate Realm cultivation, able to restore depleted true qi."

New formulas emerged in Su Lingxiu's mind.

"I should also prepare healing pills. If anyone gets injured, they can take these pills..."

She pondered, continuing to extract formulas from the Alchemy Manual and creating new ones based on the theories within.

"These formulas will do for now. I should spend time studying the Alchemy Manual further and continue to comprehend new formulas, creating an advanced manual. I've already gained some insights into the manual."

Su Lingxiu's eyes sparkled with excitement as she held the Water Spirit Grass, ready to begin pill refinement.

"Shi Er, instruct Kou Ruozhi to purchase more medicinal ingredients," she instructed.

"Okay, I'll tell him," Shi Er nodded.

Su Lingxiu began her pill refinement while Meng Chong left the courtyard and headed for the hillside.

He sat cross-legged with his treasured blade across his knees, carefully sensing his body and meditating on the Grand Solar Golden Body.

His battle with Xue Lingzi had taught him a lot.

The moment his Blade Soul awakened, that domineering blade that seemed to rule over the heavens was deeply imprinted in his mind.

That blade carried the might to overpower the world.

"I've been nourishing my blade for a long time. When I drew my blade, it had such overwhelming power. But now, if I were to strike again, I don't think it would have the same terrifying might," Meng Chong mused.

"So, the power of that strike was related to my blade nourishment."

Meng Chong pondered the cost of nourishing his blade—the consumption of qi and blood, the focus of his mental energy. It wasn't something that could be achieved overnight, but once achieved, the power of a single strike was not to be underestimated.

"Is it worth spending time to nurture a single strike?" he wondered.

"I'll meditate on the Grand Solar Golden Body first. After breaking through, I can consider blade nourishment then, or perhaps ask Master about it," Meng Chong decided, refocusing his mind on the Grand Solar Golden Body.

Having already awakened his Blade Soul, he wasn't sure if further blade nourishment was necessary.

If he tried nourishing his blade again, would the first strike still possess the power that exceeded his current realm's limits? That was uncertain.

After all, his initial blade nourishment had been to awaken his Blade Soul.

And when the blade was drawn, the Blade Soul awakened, resulting in overwhelming power.

Li Xuan sat in his chair, deep in thought. Meng Chong's recent encounter with danger made him realize that while he wasn't afraid of Grand Masters, there were stronger beings beyond that realm who could pose a threat.

Could there be such a powerful being in the Inner Domain?

What was the strength of the demonic sect member who had possessed Wu Laoshi? How had they appeared in the borderlands? "Was he being chased and only managed to escape with a fragment of his soul? But how did that fragment survive in the borderlands where the world's spiritual energy had been exhausted? Did he rely on that worm?"

Li Xuan felt he should investigate the borderlands. What if another half-dead being like that appeared and threatened his disciples, or even himself?

Glancing at Su Lingxiu refining pills, he thought about the potential trouble her background could bring. If there were Grand Masters involved, things would get tricky.

"When will Xu Yan comprehend a Tongxuan Realm technique? Once he does, and I break through to the Tongxuan Realm, even Grand Masters won't be a threat!"

With a hundredfold increase in strength compared to his peers, along with his mastery of sword and blade intent, his Dragon Soaring Mountains and Rivers body, and his Innate Spirit Bone... Transcending realms to defeat enemies shouldn't be difficult, right?

"Xu Yan should go to the Inner Domain and gain some experience there," Li Xuan exhaled.

The Inner Domain would broaden his horizons and aid his understanding of the martial path.

"I should take a trip to the Endless Mountains," Li Xuan decided, and his figure disappeared from the spot.

Su Lingxiu turned around, only to find that her master had vanished. "Master, did you go to avenge Second Senior Brother?" she wondered.

In the Endless Mountains, Li Xuan walked through the air, surveying the land for any signs of martial artists.

In the East River County, within the Xu Family Estate, the sound of bones and tendons popping rang out, followed by the excited voice of Pan Yaoshi.

"Haha, I've entered the Qi and Blood Realm! This is what it feels like! So powerful!"

Beside him, Xu Yan's face showed disdain. Pan Yaoshi was too weak.

But inwardly, Xu Yan was astonished. The pill was indeed a treasure for martial artists, its effects astonishing. With the pill's assistance, Pan Yaoshi had quickly completed his organ refinement and broken through to the Qi and Blood Realm.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end