Concerning Dragon One and Dragon Two, they had been taken in and cultivated by the Gongyi Clan since childhood. They were taught to obey the Tianlong Guard's master — The aristocratic family's young master. And when they were ten years old, Gongyi Tianheng was born. Henceforth, they were Tianheng's subordinates.
Although Tianheng wasn't able to practice martial arts for a time, he relied on his intelligence and perception to give the Tianlong Guard substantial aid. This let them obtain more things than even some aristocratic families' young masters who were hale and capable of cultivation! What's more, after Gongyi Tianheng could practice martial arts, the potential and capability he displayed made them gasp in admiration.
When it came to acknowledging one's allegiance, they were long willing to do so from the bottom of their hearts. They were even more willing to form a bloodline connection with the young master — Otherwise, if they delayed their progress, wouldn't they be left behind when the young master marched ahead farther and farther? Compared to a complete loss of freedom, being left behind or replaced was a matter that was intolerable as Tianlong Guards.
Dragon One and Dragon Two's determination was resolute.
Gu Zuo watched on. While he was happy for his dear big brother, he was also a little envious.
These two former Tianlong Guard commanders were practically devoting their everything… This kind of devotion was impossible to witness in the modern era.
Gongyi Tianheng also regarded these two with absolute importance.
After slightly muttering to himself, he said: "Right now, I've yet to break through to Xiantian, and the Xiantian Pills refined from this blood are also ordinary. Once I've broken through, there should be a difference in the blood's effectiveness. At that time, you two will take it."
Dragon One and Dragon Two's eyes showed their gratefulness: "Many thanks, young master."
Gongyi Tianheng waved his hand and ordered them to stand up.
From this dialogue, Qian Hu and Liu Bao gradually learned that the Xiantian Pill they took had actually used their current master's blood as a medicinal ingredient for refining. There were also certain changes that had taken place that forced them into complete subservience, leaving them overwhelmed with shock.
At the same time, they also had to constantly convince themselves in their hearts that this master had many trump cards and his potential was boundless. By obeying this worthy master, they could obtain endless benefits in the future.
After several rounds of rea.s.suring themselves, on top of the suppressive force that the bloodline transmitted, the two enslaved martial artists finally pacified their hearts' unwillingness. Their sharp edges and untamed nature slowly dissipated.
At this time, Gu Zuo said: "Big brother, I've been thinking. If the pills refined from big brother's blood has this kind of effect, based on what the prescription mentions, would pills refined from the blood of other Xiantian martial artists also have this effect? The prescription actually doesn't have anything written about this, but I'm still a little worried."
Gongyi Tianheng said: "Ask 'It'."
Because there were outsiders present, he didn't clearly state who this 'It' was.
Gu Zuo understood instantly.
He inwardly asked: System, what's going on with that prescription? Do Xiantian Pills have this residual effect?
[Blood is quintessential to the human body, and medicinal pill combinations usually have different effects. Because there are too many, the item books' ordinary and blood-related medicinal pills are not written down in detail. May the host please figure it out himself.]
Gu Zuo: …So you also don't know if it has this kind of residual effect?
[The Xiantian Pill prescription's second method uses blood to refine the pills — An unorthodox technique successfully researched by other races. Under normal circ.u.mstances, one would optimally use the blood essence of the heart. If it was the other blood in the body, the produced Xiantian Pill's grade and the probability of a breakthrough would both be reduced. However, if a Xiantian martial artist lost their heart's blood essence, their bodies would usually be ruined and they would die.]
Gu Zuo stared blankly: In other words, by refining high quality medicinal pills, it would be the loss of one Xiantian martial artist to facilitate another Xiantian martial artist? Wasn't this just too deficient?
The system didn't respond again. Indeed, it also never once shared any interest in Gu Zuo's a.n.a.lysis.
As a result, Gu Zuo knit his brows and just went to grumble to Tianheng: Big brother, in order to become Xiantian, one must kill a Xiantian. How can this be…
Gongyi Tianheng heard this, and understood what was going on: "To large and influential groups, the exchange of an old and enfeebled Xiantian for a young one with boundless prospects would be worthwhile. To some experts, taking the blood essence of an outsider in exchange for their younger generation's breakthrough is also worthwhile. So long as something is worthwhile, there's nothing one wouldn't do."
Gu Zuo sighed.
Fine. Actually, he understood, too.
Tianheng pat his head and didn't say anything else.
Yet, he had paid attention to one phrase: Other races.
Perhaps his little pharmacist didn't care, but he was thinking what this "other races" meant. Being capable of researching another kind of medicine refining method, it could be a.s.sumed that they were knowledgable. Could it be possible that in this world there really were other kinds of races besides the human race? As indicated by "other races", did it mean one other race or very many races?
Barely a snippet and nothing more, yet Gongyi Tianheng felt like a vast world was unfolding before him. He couldn't help but want to explore it.
Merely, right now still wasn't the right time.
Off to the side, Gu Zuo didn't worry about this problem any longer. He was thinking whether to use the blood of the enslaved martial artists to try refining a Xiantian Pill… Of course, he didn't intend on using their blood essence.
Even if it was a Xiantian Pill with a slightly lower grade, it was still a Xiantian Pill. He only wanted to know if this kind of Xiantian Pill also had that side-effect.
This could be considered…a pharmacist's dedication.
The current Gu Zuo was already drawing closer and closer to becoming a true pharmacist.
Under Gongyi Tianheng's command, Qian Hu and Liu Bao had no other choice but to extend their wrists to offer their recently-broken-through Xiantian blood.
The qi and blood of a martial artist who'd reached Xiantian was abundant. Their bodies were also very robust. Gu Zuo just took a gourd of blood per person, and gave each of them a top grade Snowy Ginseng Pill as compensation.
After the two enslaved martial artists took the pill, their faces showed their astonishment. They knew that in order to conserve their fighting power, their master would give them a few pills. Yet, they never expected that the medicinal pill's effects would be this strong!
After this shock pa.s.sed, the two were slightly more willing on the matter of obeying Gongyi Tianheng.
After that, Gu Zuo went back to refine pills.
At the same time, Tianheng also instructed Dragon Two to go to that Free Market Street and buy the remaining three perfect Houtian martial artists and return — Previously, he only purchased two people because their numbers were few. He was worried that it would be hard to watch over them all and that there would be an accidental leak of secrets. But since they discovered the Xiantian Pill's other effect, there was no concern about buying a couple more people.
About an hour later.
Gu Zuo brought out two Xiantian Pills.
Despite that even more blood had been extracted this time, when Gu Zuo was refining, he thought that the biggest difference between the heart's blood essence and ordinary blood was the concentration of the blood quintessence. It would be better to purify this blood as much as possible to see whether it was possible to raise the grade of the finished pill.
After this attempt, he used the blood of the two people separately to refine two light-violet Xiantian Pills. They were both mid grade.
Gu Zuo frowned.
His big brother Gongyi Tianheng had casually taken blood from his wrist, and under the circ.u.mstances of imperfect refining techniques, the ones he refined were high grade. Yet this time, he did his best with complete techniques and carefully purified the blood. What he got was still only mid grade… It was obvious that if he hadn't purified it, then he would've obtained Xiantian Pills that were only slightly better than low grade.
However, this time's Xiantian Pills were just like what the prescription stated: A light-violet color.
Perhaps this was also the difference in the blood of the Tiandu Body.
Gu Zuo didn't think about it anymore as he picked up the medicinal pills and walked out the door.
At this time, Dragon Two had already returned. The ones staying in the courtyard were three additional enslaved martial artists. Among them was a slim man with a treacherous face, who was called He Wu; a man with a short stature and whose eyes whirled around in a very dishonest manner, who was called Bao You; and another man who was even huskier than the previous Qian Hu and Liu Bao, but seemed simple and honest, who was called Wu Gang.
The three stood to the side wearing necklaces. Besides Wu Gang who only showed a little dissatisfaction, the other two were very unruly, with the looks that they might cause a ruckus at any time.
There were many slaves who came from all walks of life. The stronger one was, the harder they were to deal with.
The three of them were also no exception.
Tianheng saw that Gu Zuo had come out, and beckoned him: "Ah Zuo, come."
Gu Zuo unconsciously showed a smile. He scampered over and offered the two medicinal pills: "Big brother, take a look. The ones now are different from the ones before."
Gongyi Tianheng saw this, and pondered somewhat.
After that, he just opened his mouth and said: "Wu Gang, come here and swallow this Xiantian Pill. Try to advance to the Xiantian realm."
Wu Gang blanked.
He Wu's complexion was gloomy. When he looked at that Xiantian Pill, his eyes flashed with a hint of greed.
Bao You's eyes shifted back and forth, and shamelessly requested: "This one and Wu Gang are both the same kind of person. Master must not favor one and discriminate against the other! Wouldn't it also be better to give this one a pill to consume? The breadth of master's mind is vast, and this one has long ago accepted willingly. This one only hopes that master…"
Three people and three kinds of att.i.tudes.
Tianheng casually gave him a glance.
This glance didn't have too much emotion and didn't seem to carry any special meaning. Yet, it had a strong sense of crisis, making Bao You to involuntarily shut his mouth. He didn't dare continue to speak.
Once this reaction pa.s.sed, Bao You's face revealed a trace of fear and regret.
Just now, he… What happened?
On the side, the originally gloomy He Wu's face flashed with amazement.
Contrary to what one might expect, he understood what he saw. The reason why Bao You shut his mouth was because when the one who bought them, this person, looked at Bao You like he was a dead person.
A dead person couldn't speak. Under this kind of domination, Bao You naturally had that kind of reaction.
Perhaps it was because of this that He Wu instead exercised some restraint.
That he could survive up to this point definitely wasn't because he never encountered danger. Instead, he could always find danger and…either avoided or resolved it.
Moreover, unlike the unyielding Qian Hu and Liu Bao who didn't want to be slaves, after he was captured, he adapted to circ.u.mstances. As a result, he was in a comparatively favorable state of being.
As for Wu Gang, he hastily took a Xiantian Pill and swallowed it as commanded.
A mid grade Xiantian Pill could let a martial artist have a fifty percent chance of a breakthrough. At this moment, he immediately sat on the ground cross-legged and started to digest the medicinal power in an attempt at advancing to the Xiantian realm.
Gu Zuo attentively watched this Wu Gang, wanting to watch for any differences in his breakthrough and the breakthroughs of Qian Hu and Liu Bao previously.
— Unexpectedly, there was almost no differences.
Similarly, there were many signs visible on his skin that the medicinal power was erupting as it a.s.sisted his advancement. Finally, he succeeded in splitting apart the barrier…
They only saw the top of Wu Gang's head emitting white mist like the two before. He was going to break through! All of a sudden, that white mist became thin — There wasn't enough medicinal power!
In response, Gongyi Tianheng said: "Open your mouth!"
Wu Gang heard this and absent-mindedly opened his mouth.
The next moment, another Xiantian Pill was shot into his mouth by Tianheng.
Even more medicinal power surged up, lending Wu Gang a hand. that white mist billowed like a smoke signal and like how a ca.n.a.l formed where water flowed, Wu Gang immediately broke through and became Xiantian!
He Wu and Bao You watched this with malice and envy.
Wu Gang's face carried hints of joy and thankfulness. Being able to consume two of such precious medicinal pills in a row was already enough to make him capitulate. Although he still had the ident.i.ty of a slave, it was worth it.
He respectfully said: "Many thanks…Great One for helping me succeed."
He'd yet to say the phrase "Master", but the exchanged t.i.tle conveyed his own feelings of reverence.
Gongyi Tianheng didn't correct his appellation, and only looked at Wu Gang's face and asked: "What kind of special feelings do you have right now?"
Wu Gang startled, and after carefully experiencing things, he shook his head: "I only feel incredibly refreshed and energetic. There are no other feelings."
Tianheng then realized that he really only had a normal breakthrough to Xiantian. There also weren't any side-effects.
At this moment, Gu Zuo had already understood that the light-violet Xiantian Pill was the ordinary Xiantian Pill. No matter what kind of refining method, there weren't any differences whatsoever. However, if it were the brown Xiantian Pill refined with his big brother's blood, the one who took it would become something like a believer of big brother.
The Tiandu Body really did have a special distinction.
Following that, Gu Zuo quickly refined another two brown high grade Xiantian Pills and gave one each to He Wu and Bao You.
Those two were naturally unwilling, but they had no choice except to swallow it. Likewise, they completely offered up their freedom and couldn't put any devious thoughts into action.
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