Chapter 216: Chapter 151: Chenyuan Palace (Part 2)

Upon hearing Lü Zhong’s admission, Liuu Piaoniang burst out laughing for some reason. She shot a glare at Su Xu’er, who was ravenously devouring Spirit Fruit pastries at the side, as if embarrassed to have taken on such a gluttonous apprentice. Then, she steered the conversation back on track.

"Go on, Junior. Why have you come to see me? What is it you wish to ask?"

"I wish to ask how I might rapidly advance my cultivation," Lü Zhong said, getting to the point. "When I consume Pills, even with minimal Pill Poison buildup and very low resistance, my cultivation progress is still sluggish. This became particularly pronounced after I broke through to the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm!"

After listening to Lü Zhong, Liuu Piaoniang mused for a moment before saying, "Hold out your hand. Let me examine you."

"This..." Lü Zhong hesitated slightly.

Physical contact would allow her to easily perceive everything within his body—a situation cultivators typically avoid at all costs.

Recalling he had no major secrets hidden within him, he extended his hand.

As her jade-like finger touched his wrist, a wisp of Divine Sense immediately entered him, stopping tactfully at his forearm.

"I see now!" Liuu Piaoniang withdrew her hand and said calmly. "Your cultivation has advanced too quickly, Junior. So quickly, in fact, that your meridians and even your physical body haven’t been properly saturated and tempered by Spiritual Qi. This is a crucial step for us cultivators. Spiritual Qi subtly transforms the body, making it more suitable for cultivation. This is also why the gap in innate talent between cultivators shrinks the higher the Realm one reaches."

Lü Zhong’s eyes filled with anticipation. "In your esteemed opinion, Senior, how can I solve this?"

Liuu Piaoniang smiled sweetly. "Isn’t it simple? You don’t have to do a thing. Just wait thirty to fifty years. Once your body has been adequately transformed by Spiritual Qi, your cultivation speed will naturally return to what it was."

Seeing Lü Zhong’s crestfallen and dejected expression, a look of triumph flashed across her face, vanishing in an instant, as if she had just accomplished some goal. Then she chuckled softly. "As it happens, I do have a special Body Refining Technique that could solve this little problem of yours, Junior!"

A glimmer of hope ignited within Lü Zhong. He could guess what she was after—her offer was undoubtedly laden with schemes—but he still wanted to hear it.

’If the price is right,’ he thought, ’it might not be a bad idea to agree.’

Although he knew what she was thinking, he still had to play the part. He feigned ignorance, asking, "I wonder how many Spirit Stones Senior would require to impart this Body Refining Technique to me?"

PSH! Liuu Piaoniang couldn’t help but laugh. "I honestly can’t tell if you’re genuinely foolish or just playing dumb, Junior. A technique that even *I* would go to the trouble of collecting—how could it be some common Cultivation Technique? Do you really think it can be bought with mere Spirit Stones? Let’s not beat around the bush. I’ll be blunt!"

The woman reached out, pulling Su Xu’er into an embrace with a doting look on her face. Then, in a relaxed tone, she said, "The Dao Transmission Bead for this Body Refining Technique is damaged. You’ll only be able to comprehend a portion of its contents before the bead shatters under the strain, but that will be more than enough to solve your problem. As for how to obtain it... that’s simple. You just have to do one little thing for me!"

’So that’s the catch!’

Lü Zhong cursed inwardly. ’She’s a wily old fox, just what you’d expect from someone who’s lived three hundred years. Trying to get me to work for her with just a damaged Dao Transmission Bead, and using such a breezy tone, as if it’s some simple task. I’d have to be an idiot to believe her!’

Be that as it may, he still didn’t want to let this opportunity pass him by.

’One thrives in adversity and perishes in comfort.’

Lü Zhong knew his own personality. ’If I really wait for three to five decades without a breakthrough, all my ambition will be ground to dust. By then, even if I reach Perfect Foundation Establishment, I’ll have lost my heart for the Dao. I’ll probably be too afraid of the Three-Nine Celestial Tribulation and just settle for a mundane life.’

’At that point, what’s left but to surround myself with wives and just wait to die?’

’It sounds nice, sure, but I’d lose my chance to see the true wonders of the Cultivation Realm. How could I ever be content with that?’

’The Northern Border, the Western Realm, the East Sea, the Southern Barbarian lands!’

’There’s a vast world out there, and I’ve seen none of it.’

At this thought, Lü Zhong’s gaze became resolute.

He cupped his hands. "Please elaborate, Senior!"

"Well, look at that. You ended up benefiting from this!" Liuu Piaoniang covered her mouth and chuckled. She could easily tell her words had unexpectedly helped solidify Lü Zhong’s resolve for the Dao, which would be a great boon to his future cultivation.

"What I need you to do," she said, "is to protect this little apprentice of mine and retrieve something from Chenyuan Palace!"

’Chenyuan Palace... of course it’s Chenyuan Palace again,’ Lü Zhong thought.

Ever since reacquiring a Black Muzhu not long ago, he had started paying close attention to any information regarding Chenyuan Palace, and through that, he had learned a few things about the Secret Realm.

He hadn’t realized it before, but Chenyuan Palace was actually a renowned Secret Realm in the Southern Barbarian lands, situated on the border between the Lingyue Sect and Huayi Temple. It was a sunken basin a thousand li in diameter, completely enveloped by countless terrifying Ancient Magic Bans. Rumor had it that it was once the headquarters of a faction called the "Medicine King Immortal Sect."

For some unknown reason, however, this faction vanished into the mists of time, leaving behind a trove of Spirit Medicines scattered throughout the Secret Realm, among which were precious Spiritual Objects capable of increasing one’s chances at Core Formation.

The Black Muzhu, as it turned out, was the token of an ordinary disciple of the Medicine King Immortal Sect, which is why it could be used as a key to bypass the Magic Bans.

Due to a restriction set by the Medicine King Immortal Sect, the Black Muzhu can only be used by Foundation Establishment Cultivators. If a Golden Core Cultivator or a Qi Refining cultivator were to obtain one, they would be unable to use it to enter the Secret Realm.