Chapter 265: Chapter 63: Dragon and Tiger
Soft-Hearted Armor: Made from the hide of powerful Fierce Beasts and crafted by numerous skilled artisans, it can resist some of the Yin Evil Aura’s corrosive effects. It neutralizes eighty percent of the power from attackers below the Grandmaster Martial Artist realm. Against those at the Grandmaster Martial Artist realm or higher, it can neutralize thirty to fifty percent of their power. Additionally, its defense is unparalleled, impervious to ordinary Divine Weapons.
A brief introduction showcased the strength of this inner armor. Neutralizing eighty percent of the power from those below the Grandmaster realm meant that as long as one’s own strength wasn’t too weak, they would be nearly invincible against anyone below that level. Neutralizing thirty to fifty percent of a Grandmaster’s power was also incredibly formidable.
What was power? Qi and blood were power. True Qi was power. Slashing with a saber and chopping with an axe—these were all forms of power. To be able to neutralize a certain percentage of power was equivalent to reducing damage from all aspects. To call it a treasured armor was no overstatement at all.
However, from the Soft-Hearted Armor’s description, Shen Changqing could tell that its upper limit wasn’t high; at most, it was useful for ordinary Grandmasters. If it were a martial artist at Grandmaster Peak, the Soft-Hearted Armor would hardly be of any use. Therefore, he had no intention of taking the Soft-Hearted Armor.
When I go to Luyang City, I’ll be facing a Demon Evil that can threaten a Defender Envoy, he mused. What use would a mere Soft-Hearted Armor be? Its only use would probably be to resist the invasion of the Yin Evil Aura. However, having honed my flesh to the Great Sun Furnace and condensed a Great Sun Golden Core in my Dantian, I don’t need any Soft-Hearted Armor to resist the Yin Evil Aura. The power I possess is the best means to fend it off.
Turning the page, he saw that the list also contained other inner armors similar to the Soft-Hearted Armor, as well as powerful Divine Weapons. Shen Changqing even found a long saber there that was marginally stronger than his Lengyue Blade. However, he did not exchange for that saber. He had grown accustomed to the Lengyue Blade and felt a sort of spiritual connection with it. Unless a Divine Weapon far more powerful appeared, Shen Changqing had no intention of abandoning it.
He flipped through the pages, his gaze skimming over them. After a while, Shen Changqing closed the list and looked at the elder before him. "How many Dragon Tiger Pills, Heavenly Origin Pills, and Nine Suns Pills are left in the Demon Slaying Hall now?"
Hearing this, the elder pondered for a moment. "There’s only one bottle of Dragon Tiger Pills left. As for Heavenly Origin Pills and Nine Suns Pills, there are about three bottles of each."
"I’ll take them all," Shen Changqing declared with a grand wave of his hand.
If I were spending my own Merit Points, I would have had to consider it more carefully, he thought. After all, even the cheapest among the three types of Elixirs costs twenty Merit Points each. One bottle of Elixirs would cost at least over a hundred Merit Points. But since it’s not my Merit Points being spent, there’s no need to be polite. Besides, I’m braving danger by going to Luyang City for Xun Qu. Taking some items for self-preservation... I believe Ji Tianlu wouldn’t mind at all.
Dragon Tiger Pill: After ingestion and refinement, it can nourish a Martial Artist’s physical body and Qi-blood, and also enhance the Martial Artist’s strength for a short time. Even a late-stage Grandmaster Martial Artist can gain a certain increase in strength.
Heavenly Origin Pill: A Holy Medicine for healing, capable of reviving the dying and mending bones. As long as an injury isn’t fatal, recovery can be swift. Even for fatal injuries, it can prolong life for a time.
Nine Suns Pill: This elixir strengthens a Martial Artist’s own Yang Qi, rendering them unafraid of the troubles caused by Yin Evil Aura. It can also increase a Martial Artist’s True Qi; it is an elixir of utmost firmness and Yang nature.
All three Elixirs were personally chosen by Shen Changqing. In terms of effects, they were all the most beneficial for his current situation. The Dragon Tiger Pill needed no further explanation; while nourishing his body, it could also amplify a Martial Artist’s strength. Heading to Luyang City, there’s no telling what dangers I might face that I can’t handle. With the Dragon Tiger Pill, I’ll have an extra means of preserving my life. The Heavenly Origin Pill was a Holy Medicine for healing. In a critical moment, it could save his life. As for the Nine Suns Pill, he felt that this Elixir, combined with his Great Sun True Qi, would complement each other. If I take it, it might even have some effect on the Great Sun Golden Core.
Other than these, Shen Changqing had no intention of exchanging for anything else.
—
By the time he left the Demon Slaying Hall, Shen Changqing’s robes were already bulging with several bottles of Elixirs. All the Elixirs were of the same standard; each bottle contained eight pills. Seven bottles of Elixirs meant over fifty pills. He felt that as long as nothing majorly unexpected occurred, he had a great chance of leaving Luyang City unscathed.
He didn’t go straight to Luyang City. Shen Changqing first returned the Identity Token to Ji Tianlu.
"Thank you for your generosity, Defender Ji," Shen Changqing said. "I’ll pack up and leave shortly. However, I’m not very familiar with the exact location of Luyang City, so I hope Defender Ji can arrange for someone to lead the way."
"Of course," Ji Tianlu replied with a slight smile. "May I ask what Elder Shen took from the Demon Slaying Hall? Will it be enough for your trip to Luyang City?"
"It should be enough," Shen Changqing said, also smiling. "I’ve taken some Dragon Tiger Pills, Heavenly Origin Pills, and Nine Suns Pills. I believe there will be no major issues entering Luyang City."
Hearing this, Ji Tianlu winced internally. He had already known that Shen Changqing wouldn’t hold back. But when the other party actually said it out loud, he still felt as if he had been dealt a heavy blow.
Dragon Tiger Pills! Heavenly Origin Pills! Nine Suns Pills! Those are all truly top-tier elixirs; each one requires a considerable amount of Merit Points to exchange for. Judging by his demeanor, it’s unlikely he only exchanged for one or two. This time... what a devastating loss! Even as a Defender Envoy, obtaining Merit Points wasn’t easy. However, the thought of Xun Qu returning safely made him feel that his sacrifices were worthwhile. Or perhaps, he mused, I could have Xun Qu foot the bill when he returns. Thinking this, Ji Tianlu felt a bit better and maintained a faint smile on his face. "Elder Shen, just ensure you are prepared. I will arrange someone to guide you."
"Understood. Then I’ll take my leave first," Shen Changqing said, cupping his fists.
—
Leaving the main hall, he went straight back to his lodgings. Shen Changqing didn’t concern himself too much with the situation of Jiang Zuo and the others. Since they were reinforcements, Ji Tianlu certainly wouldn’t send all of them to their deaths. One dealt with problems corresponding to one’s strength. Jiang Zuo’s methods were not weak. He believed that as long as the Demon Evil was not overly powerful, even if Jiang Zuo couldn’t deal with it, retreating shouldn’t be too difficult.
Back in his small courtyard, Shen Changqing did not use a Heavenly Origin Pill. Instead, he took out one Dragon Tiger Pill and one Nine Suns Pill. The two elixirs didn’t look much different in color. But if one were to sense them carefully, some distinctions could be discovered.
Immediately, he first swallowed the Nine Suns Pill. Once the elixir entered his stomach, powerful energy burst forth from within his flesh, much like a furnace roasting inside his body. Soon after, the Great Sun Golden Core within his Dantian trembled gently. All the energy released by the Nine Suns Pill was absorbed by it. In less than two quarters of an hour, the energy of the Nine Suns Pill vanished completely. Upon inspecting the Great Sun Golden Core again, the ethereal Golden Core had undergone some subtle changes. It seemed to have become a bit more solid, yet at the same time, it appeared not much had changed.
However, as the master of the Great Sun Golden Core, Shen Changqing could confirm that after taking the Nine Suns Pill, the Great Sun Golden Core had truly become somewhat stronger. Although the increase was not significant, the growth was real and tangible.
After I condensed the Great Sun Golden Core, it might eventually become substantial. Continuing to call the energy it uses True Qi seems somewhat inappropriate, he reflected. At this realm, I am already capable of confronting lower-rank Demon Evil. The Defender Envoys wield a power called Spirit Essence, Demon Evils harness Demon Essence, so the power I now control might as well be called True Yuan!
Shen Changqing stretched out his hand, and a fiery ball of energy materialized in his palm. It burned fiercely, searingly hot. Compared to the intangible nature of True Qi, the power he could now manifest was more real and apparent. Renaming it True Yuan posed no significant issues. After retracting his power, he had gained a fair understanding of the Nine Suns Pill’s effects.
Next, Shen Changqing began to ingest the Dragon Tiger Pill. As the elixir slid into his stomach, he faintly seemed to hear the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling. In the next breath, the unique energy of the Dragon Tiger Pill continuously permeated his physical body’s Qi and blood. As his sinews and bones resonated in unison, his dormant Qi and blood were also awakened, stimulating some hidden potential deep within.
BOOM—
His aura exploded. At that moment, Shen Changqing felt an intense power within his flesh that simply had to be released. He threw a punch. The air split apart. The sound of dragons roaring and tigers howling grew from faint to intense, suddenly sweeping in all directions.
Three zhang away, a sunken fist imprint appeared on the courtyard wall. The fist imprint materialized abruptly, as if it had been there from the very beginning. Around the mark, the wall showed not a single crack.
One Dragon Tiger Pill has increased my physical strength by roughly ten percent, Shen Changqing assessed, retracting his fist. He now had a certain understanding of the Dragon Tiger Pill’s effects. Seeing is believing; hearing is deceptive. The descriptions of an elixir’s effects were somewhat lacking without true personal experience.
With that one punch, most of the Dragon Tiger Pill’s energy had been depleted. If the elixir’s energy isn’t explosively released, it could continue to nourish the physical body and Qi-blood for some time. However, directly unleashing the energy is equivalent to consuming the elixir prematurely. Thus, the Dragon Tiger Pill’s effects of nourishing the physical body’s Qi-blood and enhancing a Martial Artist’s strength are conflicting. One must choose between the two; it’s impossible to have both.
Understanding the specific functions of the Dragon Tiger Pill, Shen Changqing felt, to be honest, somewhat disappointed. However, one couldn’t have both fish and bear’s paws. If one Dragon Tiger Pill can enhance my strength by about ten percent, even if only for a single punch, it could change the outcome at a critical moment. If all the Dragon Tiger Pills were swallowed, the resultant force would be absolutely astonishing. The remaining Dragon Tiger Pills must not be used recklessly; they could save my life at critical times.
Shen Changqing solemnly stored the elixirs away. Just then, someone knocked on the courtyard door. Opening the door, he found Deng Gu standing there.
"Elder Shen," Deng Gu said, "by Lord Defender’s command, I shall serve as your guide and take you to Luyang City!"