Chapter 9: Medicinal Bath
This was the advantage brought by talent and power. When you stood proudly above the clouds, the entire world would smile for you and release goodwill.
But when you fell from the clouds to the bottom of the valley, the entire world would bare its fangs and claws at you.
Shi Yi deeply understood this principle. His expression remained unchanged as he responded one by one, nodding slightly and gesturing with his eyes to the beings who greeted him.
Although he was only four years old, he did not resemble a child at all. With every movement, he exuded a great majesty, like a Divine Being walking in the human world.
“Is Yi’er really only four years old? Why do I feel a tremor in my Soul when I face him?” A Wu King Manor Disciple, just over ten years old, muttered to himself.
Others also felt this way. In front of Shi Yi, who was surrounded by endless halos, no young Disciple felt anything but self-abasement. In comparison, Shi Yi was the bright moon in the sky, while they were merely fireflies on the ground, existing only to set off the invincibility of this Twin Pupils.
The “stars” in “stars holding the moon” should refer to those top Prodigies; they were not yet qualified.
Not long after, the two reached their destination. This was a medicinal bath area specially prepared for Wu King Manor Disciples. Before they even entered, a strong medicinal scent wafted towards them.
Shi Yi was not the only one here for a medicinal bath today. Many children were brought by their elders and placed into Medicine Cauldrons, refined over a great fire. From time to time, tender screams could be heard.
Shi Yi was a Disciple that Wu King Manor was pouring all its resources into cultivating, the future leader of the younger generation. Naturally, his medicinal bath location would not be with ordinary Disciples.
Led by Shi Yuan, they arrived at the deepest part of the medicinal bath area.
A long-sealed courtyard was open. At this moment, more than one elder stood inside, not Zong Laos, but Old Ancestors, whose seniority was even greater than Shi Yuan’s.
“Yi’er, you’ve arrived.”
An elder, who had been sitting motionless with a terrifying aura, opened his eyes. He stood at the Peak of the Inscription Realm, not far from becoming a Marquis. His strength was incredibly formidable, and he had not appeared for many years.
Even when Shi Ziling and his wife caused a ruckus in Wu King Manor last time, he did not appear. The four Old Ancestors who took action at that time were all of lower seniority than this elder.
“Shi Yi greets Old Ancestor.”
Shi Yi performed the Junior’s 禮. His Twin Pupils glowed faintly in the slightly dim courtyard, mysterious and profound. Even with Old Ancestors everywhere, he remained composed, possessing an indescribable temperament.
Several Old Ancestors nodded secretly, affirming Shi Yi’s performance.
In fact, during the great battle at Wu King Manor, Shi Yi had already displayed the Heaven-Defying nature of his Twin Pupils, being able to discern the weaknesses of Shi Ziling’s precious arts, and even connecting his Qi with Shi Li, bestowing the power of his Twin Pupils upon Shi Li.
Although it ultimately proved ineffective due to the vast difference in cultivation, it was enough to spark endless imagination.
And when Shi Yuan informed the Old Ancestors of Shi Yi’s achievements, several elders were all moved, looking at Shi Yi as if he were a rare treasure. Their gazes focused on him. They realized that they had previously underestimated the Twin Pupils somewhat; this Supreme talent was even more terrifying than imagined, and Shi Yi’s future would be a sea of stars.
“As expected of an ancient Divine Being, a born Saint,” an Old Ancestor exclaimed.
“Now, we must add ‘a born Supreme’,” an Old Ancestor who favored Shi Yi chimed in.
Immediately, the atmosphere in the courtyard solidified. The four words “born Supreme” were too sensitive.
Originally, Wu King Manor had two Supreme Prodigies, one a born Saint, and one a born Supreme. In the end, the born Supreme perished and died young.
To avoid embarrassing Shi Yi, several Old Ancestors spoke up, changing the subject and breaking the heavy atmosphere.
Afterward, they began to prepare the medicinal bath for Shi Yi.
A tall, ancient Cauldron lay horizontally in the center of the courtyard. It was unknown what Materials it was cast from, and it was inscribed with various patterns: flowers, birds, insects, fish, mountains, rivers, and so on, truly extraordinary.
“This Cauldron comes from the famous Medicine Capital. In the past, the Wu King himself once took a medicinal bath in this Cauldron, laying a profound Dao foundation,” an elder said, revealing the origin of the Medicine Cauldron.
Next, several elders took out precious great medicines, all prepared strictly according to the medicinal bath Pill Formula mastered by Wu King Manor.
There were ancient precious medicines, brimming with Spiritual Qi, rarely seen in the outside world; there were poisonous insects and creatures, black and foul-smelling, yet indispensable main ingredients; there was also crystal-clear precious blood, like agate; and even unknown powders, said to be ground from the bones of some powerful Vicious Beast, possessing strange effects.
“This Pill Formula is considered among the top tier in all of Stone Country’s Marquis residences. This medicinal bath can be called the most perfect in Wu King Manor’s history. All the Materials are exactly as specified in the Pill Formula, with no substitutes whatsoever.
However, according to legend, there exists an even more potent Pill Formula in our Stone Country’s true ancestral land. Unfortunately, the location of the First Ancestral Land has been lost and is very difficult to find,” the Old Ancestor sitting before the Medicine Cauldron sighed, feeling a bit regretful for not being able to provide Shi Yi with the most Supreme medicinal bath.
Shi Yi naturally knew what the other party was referring to.
Shi Hao’s rapid progress and swift rise, besides his unparalleled innate talent, owed much to the Medicine Cauldron and those few Pill Formulas in Stone Village. They helped him a great deal in an intangible way.
The map of Stone Country’s First Ancestral Land had already fallen into Shi Ziling’s hands. Shi Yi could not force the Old Ancestor who delivered the map to make a copy and hand it over.
Currently, the medicinal bath prepared for him by Wu King Manor was already Supreme enough and sufficient.
Several Old Ancestors also sighed for a moment, then lifted the Cauldron lid, allowing Shi Yi to enter.
Inside the Medicine Cauldron at this moment, it was far from peaceful. Various poisonous insects and snakes were alive, constantly moving within the Cauldron. Some even devoured each other, or greedily consumed the precious medicines and precious blood inside the Cauldron.
As soon as Shi Yi entered the Medicine Cauldron, he was targeted by these poisonous insects and creatures. They instinctively found his flesh and blood interesting. With the Twin Pupils and Supreme Bone, his flesh and blood were considered a type of precious medicine.
Against this, Shi Yi did not activate his Twin Pupils or Supreme Bone to drive them away. Instead, he allowed these poisonous creatures to crawl all over his body. Before entering the Medicine Cauldron, several Old Ancestors had said that if one’s endurance was sufficient, it was best to let these poisonous creatures act freely, as it would allow them to be better absorbed into the medicine, making the medicinal bath more effective.
Therefore, Shi Yi endured the excruciating pain of myriad poisons gnawing at his heart, solely to enhance the medicinal bath’s effect.
After a period of unbearable torment, finally, heat emanated from the bottom of the great Cauldron. Several Old Ancestors took action, spewing forth blazing Dao flames to roast the Medicine Cauldron.
The medicinal bath finally began. Shi Yi could feel that the poisonous creatures biting him everywhere gradually could not bear it, falling off one by one and melting into the medicinal soup. From time to time, there were sounds of poisonous creatures exploding, and each explosion would send black, foul-smelling liquid splashing everywhere.