Longevity starts with choosing Hextech enhancement

Chapter 448 News from the Chongtai Secret Realm - Xuanzong's Evil-Suppressing Sword Pill

"It's a pity that nothing that could help with timing was left in the Blood Burning Hall."

Xiao Chen circled the huge wine jar, examining it carefully from top to bottom: "In this case, it's really not easy to determine the specific storage period."

Alcohol is a magical thing.

It is one of the few things that, if stored properly, will not only not spoil over time, but will become more mellow, fragrant, and precious with age.

Even if it's the same batch of spirit wine, or even the same jar of spirit wine, it can be divided into two different small bottles.

If one is preserved for only a few years, while the other is preserved for hundreds of years.

The value of the two can then differ by several times or even more than ten times.

As for body-strengthening spirit wines like Blood Burning Brew, their effects should improve to some extent with longer storage time, although the difference won't be as significant.

However, even a 20-30% improvement is a significant boost for users.

Considering that the batch of spirit wine in front of Xiao Chen must have been stored in the Blood Burning Hall for at least tens of thousands of years.

So whether he uses it when practicing martial arts or sells it, it is completely different from when it was first brewed.

"Unfortunately, the Black Iron Venerable said it didn't taste very good."

Xiao Chen said with a slight regret, "Otherwise, it would be more appropriate to keep this fine wine to entertain guests than to sell it."

However, nothing in this world is ever perfect.

Although he hasn't tasted it yet, he won't complain about the taste of the Blood-Burning Brew.

They happily put them all into their storage rings as usual.

Behind the Blood Burning Hall is the last and most important palace in the cave – the storeroom!
As the name suggests, this is the actual place used to store treasures.

Xiao Chen walked around from left to right, but had not yet seen any so-called breakthrough spirit items.

If nothing unexpected happens, it should be stored in the warehouse.

Thinking of this, he quickened his pace.

From the outside, the storeroom is not much different from the previous miscellaneous storage hall.

However, when Xiao Chen pushed open the door, the first thing that appeared in front of him was an exquisite screen.

It is not forged from black iron, but rather has white jade as its core and brocade as its base, forming a landscape painting in the form of embroidery.

"Huh? There are things like this here?"

Xiao Chen was stunned for a moment, feeling that this thing was somewhat out of place with the overall style of the cave.

He had seen many screens before, but this was the first time he had ever seen one like this.

Judging from the white jade and five-colored silk threads that naturally radiate a soft spiritual light, the entire screen is made of different fourth-order spiritual materials.

Moreover, it is made from a combination of semi-finished products that have only undergone preliminary refining and whose size and color have been simply fixed.

This means that it is not only extremely expensive to build, but also has no practical effect.

The so-called practical effect certainly does not mean that it is unqualified as a screen.

Rather, it means that besides being a screen, it offers no help in magical duels or anything else.

After all, the materials used in it have only undergone preliminary refinement, so there are naturally no artifact patterns or array patterns on it. It belongs to the purest kind of decoration.

Objectively speaking, the embroidery is quite beautiful, but that's all it is—beautiful.

"Good heavens, they really don't treat fourth-tier spiritual materials as spiritual materials at all!"

Looking at the screen, Xiao Chen could only sense the immense wealth and power emanating from the Nascent Soul Venerable.

More importantly, when the Black Iron Venerable left, he didn't even leave any protective measures for this screen.

As a result, after being displayed for so long, some of the spiritual materials have begun to show signs of spiritual dissipation.

Simply put, if you leave it for too long, it will become old and lose its value.

Of course, perhaps they didn't care about this at all, and naturally wouldn't have thought of taking special protective measures outside the screen like they would with the preservation of the Burning Blood Brew.

Xiao Chen silently observed for two breaths, then walked around the screen and entered the storeroom.

The first thing that catches the eye is a black iron table.

It is estimated to be about eight feet long, two feet wide, and a little over one foot high, with three jade slips scattered on it.

The area behind the desk was divided into eighteen equal sections. In each section stood a square platform about four feet high.

Twelve of the square platforms were already empty.

The other six square platforms were all enveloped by a layer of silver-white spiritual energy barrier, protecting the items stored inside.

"Since the cultivation technique has already been inscribed on the central stone tablet, what is the purpose of the jade slip here?"

Curious, Xiao Chen casually picked up a jade slip from the table and pressed it to his forehead.

As his divine sense flowed into it, he felt as if he had returned to the central plaza of the cave.

A burly figure stood with his back to him, using his finger as a brush to carve his martial arts technique onto the stone tablet.

He began to explain his insights into the cultivation of the "Iron-Forging Body Technique".

Seemingly due to a lack of prior preparation, the other party spoke almost haphazardly, resulting in a disorganized and unsystematic explanation.

However, he repeatedly emphasized two things.

First, practicing martial arts requires diligent study and perseverance. The worst thing you can do is give up halfway.

Since you've chosen this path, you must persevere even when faced with difficulties. It's best to maintain physical exercise every day and try to avoid interruptions.

Secondly, this "Iron-Forging Body Technique" is actually a compilation of many different body-forging techniques.

Although it seemed to be quite perfect, he always felt there was still room for improvement.

Therefore, if later practitioners feel that a certain aspect can be improved, they should not be bound by the original, but should try and innovate.

The Black Iron Venerable even left a wish at the end, hoping that someone would one day truly complete the "Iron-Forging Body Technique".

"That's a simple wish; just leave it to me."

Xiao Chen thought for a moment and said, "I will make a few more copies later and give one to each of Chen Fan, Chu Tianze, Zhang Shouquan, Lin Ping'an, and Ye Fei."

"At that time, someone will surely come up with something new and complete this technique."

He then picked up the second jade slip and infused it with his divine sense to browse it.

But what I saw this time was different.

Xiao Chen's vision blurred, and he seemed to arrive at the bottom of three green mountains, surrounded by large clusters of fiery red spiritual flowers, which were incredibly beautiful.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that he couldn't even recognize the variety of the spiritual flower.

However, just by looking at its vibrant and spiritual appearance, one can tell that it is no ordinary item.

As Xiao Chen was pondering where this scene was, he heard narrations that seemed to be coming from all directions at the same time.

This place was originally called Chongtai Secret Realm, a sacred place for physical cultivation.

Not only does it produce fifth-tier spiritual items related to Qi and blood, but the secret realm itself is also a rare opportunity for body cultivators who enter it.

It is said that some people have used the secret realm to solidify their foundation, thus breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage in one fell swoop.

Although the Chongtai Secret Realm does not restrict the cultivation level of those who enter, it only opens once every thousand years, and one must possess a Chongtai Secret Token to enter.

Therefore, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch only has one chance in their lifetime, and not everyone can necessarily get their turn.

When the Black Iron Venerable was still in the Nascent Soul stage, he had thought about entering the secret realm to improve himself before seeking a breakthrough.

However, due to his background as a rogue cultivator, he initially had no idea that such a place existed.

Despite running around everywhere, they still failed to obtain the Chongtai Secret Order.

Fortunately, not long after, the Black Iron Venerable finally broke through through years of perseverance and attained the Venerable status.

However, this matter left him with some regret, so he specially left a jade slip to inform future generations about the existence of the Chongtai Secret Realm.

Those who come after him should make preparations as early as possible if they do not want to miss the opportunity like he did.

"Hiss~, it only opens once every thousand years?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen gasped, "What kind of place is this? It's been way too long!"

"And you'd better tell me, where exactly is this place?"

Although in the inherited image, there are three prominent mountains and a sea of ​​fiery red flowers at their foot as reference points.

However, Xiao Chen really couldn't remember where such a strange sight was in the Eastern Region.

Even whether the Chongtai Secret Realm is actually located in the Eastern Region is debatable.

However, this is not a big problem. Since we already know that such a place exists, we can simply take the initiative to inquire about it.

If they can't even find out the address, then they probably have no hope of competing for the Chongtai Secret Order, so they might as well give up.

Conversely, when the time comes to know the address, it will naturally not be a problem.

After noting down this piece of information, Xiao Chen picked up the third jade slip and began to browse through it.

However, this time, he did not see any new images, but only received three messages.

The first message was from the Black Iron Venerable.

He said he originally wanted to keep a few bottles of elixirs, but considering that the elixirs have a relatively short shelf life, they might turn into dregs after a few thousand years.

So he simply left behind two pill formulas and clues to a few main medicinal herbs, hoping that future generations would be self-reliant.

The next two messages are two complete fourth-order pill formulas.

These are a poison-repelling elixir and a body-strengthening ointment, respectively.

The former was of no use to Xiao Chen, so he focused his attention directly on the latter.

This elixir, named Black Jade Body Forging Ointment, does not need to be swallowed; it is an ointment that is effective when applied externally.

Its main material is black jade crystal, which is mainly produced in the Black Lin Mountains. Occasionally, a lucky person may find a piece in the Xiangjiang jade mine.

"Blackscale Mountains? Xiangjiang Jade Mine?"

Xiao Chen softly read out the two place names: "Where are these?"

He is now 90% certain that neither of these places is in the Eastern Region.

After all, for a place that is full of islands, it is rare to find such famous mountains and rivers.

If these two places were in the Eastern Region, they would have been famous long ago, and he would definitely have heard of them at all.

"Never mind, I'll go get my upgraded spiritual item first."

Xiao Chen tilted his palm slightly, letting the dust from the jade slip, which had been automatically produced after he finished reading, fall from between his fingers.

Then, stepping over the table, they arrived at the square platform behind it.

Unlike the screen at the entrance of the warehouse, the six items stored here are protected by a spiritual barrier.

However, when Xiao Chen approached one of the square platforms, the spirit tablet of his cave dwelling, which he had temporarily placed in his bosom, trembled slightly.

At the same time, the restrictions on the nearby cave dwellings seemed to sense his arrival, immediately dispelling the spiritual energy barrier closest to him. "Oh, it has such a function?"

Xiao Chen deliberately took two steps back and saw a flash of white light on the platform, as if it was checking if there was anything on it.

Immediately afterwards, the reserved patterns lit up, protecting the contents inside once again.

He took two steps closer, and the newly formed spiritual energy barrier disappeared again.

"This looks fun."

Xiao Chen took two steps back and repeated this process before walking to the front of the stage to examine the items on it.

On the platform was a large wooden box, which seemed to have the effect of preserving spiritual objects.

Upon closer inspection, one can even sense a distinct vitality emanating from the wooden box itself.

Xiao Chen reached out and lifted the lid, revealing a cylindrical, brownish-yellow root inside. The surface was slightly glossy and emitted a very faint honey fragrance.

The fractured surface even had golden patterns and a small trace of new growth.

The hidden vitality within is even more obvious; even before you hold it in your hand, you can feel the flow of qi and blood in your body seem to have accelerated.

"Judging from this characteristic, it should be a fourth-order golden silk astragalus that is at least three thousand years old."

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up immediately: "This is a great thing for replenishing qi and blood!"

Golden silk astragalus is different from ordinary astragalus; it is more like a mutated variety, similar to a mutated mythical beast.

Although it still retains some of the characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus in appearance, it can actually be considered a completely new medicinal herb.

Of course, the key point is that it can effectively boost the qi and blood in a cultivator's body in a short period of time.

It is best suited as a boost when breaking through bottlenecks.

Having obtained this item, Xiao Chen is now absolutely certain that he can directly break through the path of body cultivation.

The only thing to consider is the timeframe.

After all, although the system does not require Nascent Soul formation to go from the third to the fourth level, it is not a trivial matter that can be accomplished in a few days.

Theoretically speaking, it would take almost ten months.

In addition to the mental preparation before the breakthrough, it also takes time to adapt to the power after the breakthrough.

Even if Xiao Chen could postpone the process of accumulating true essence after his breakthrough to a later stage, it would be best to give himself a gap of more than a year.

This can also be considered one of the drawbacks of cultivating both the physical body and the Dharma.

Since you've chosen to walk two paths at the same time, you'll have to spend twice the cultivation and breakthrough time.

Of course, Xiao Chen can give up one of them at any time. After all, it is not as serious as choosing to comprehend the Great Dao. He can completely specialize in one.

However, whether it's to gain stronger strength among those of the same level, or to have some insurance.

It's best to proceed simultaneously if conditions permit.

What if one day in the future, Xiao Chen finds himself stuck at a bottleneck in either magic cultivation or body cultivation, unable to overcome it no matter what?

Alternatively, you could try breaking through to the other end to acquire new Hextech items.

Simply put, having an additional path to practice is like giving yourself an extra margin for error.

For example, when he was in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, he obtained the new Hextech through body cultivation, and he may encounter similar situations in the future.

"Spring is just around the corner, so it's best not to miss the deal we agreed to with the Reverse Immortal Alliance."

Xiao Chen gave a brief analysis: "We can also take a trip to the Sea of ​​No Light while we're waiting, which is perfect."

So they decided to postpone the breakout time slightly and get the trade sorted out first.

After storing the golden astragalus root along with the wooden box into his storage ring, Xiao Chen walked towards the second square platform.

As before, the spiritual energy barrier outside the platform dissipated on its own the moment he approached, revealing the spiritual objects stored inside.

It was a long, dark gray flag with jagged edges.

Both sides of the flag are embroidered with dense runes, and even the flagpole is covered with fine patterns.

At first glance, it even evokes an indescribable sense of eeriness or trypophobia.

"What an ugly flag! What is this thing?"

Xiao Chen had never seen such a strange thing before, and he couldn't help but frown slightly: "Since it can appear in this place, it should be a treasure."

"But what can a single little flag do?"

"It can't be like the forbidden flag at the Earth Dragon Ruins, which is also a key, can it?"

To be fair, the key's appearance is rather shabby.

Fortunately, it seems that the Black Iron Venerable had anticipated this, as later arrivals might not recognize the origin and function of this thing, so he left a jade slip next to the flag.

Xiao Chen picked up the jade slip and quickly scanned it with his divine sense.

Only then did I realize that the seemingly ugly flag was actually a protective treasure.

It turns out that this flag is a branch of the forbidden flag and the array flag, and its full name is the Yellow Stone Disturbing Spirit Array Flag.

Huang Shizi is an elegant name. He was a fifth-order array master who was well-versed in array formations nearly 100,000 years ago.

However, unlike ordinary array masters, he prefers to study how to break arrays rather than how to set them up.

Besides the proper magical artifacts for breaking formations, he also produced some treasures that could help rogue cultivators escape.

One of the more practical items is the spirit-disturbing array flag.

Once unleashed, it can disrupt the flow of spiritual energy within a ten-mile radius of the user, and briefly create a chaotic area within a thousand feet around the user that is ten times more powerful.

This thing is best suited for independent cultivators who have enemies to carry around.

If one day, while walking, you suddenly find yourself trapped in a pre-prepared trap or killing formation by the enemy.

This allows them to promptly unleash the flag to create an escape route, thus freeing themselves from the great formation and securing a chance of survival.

Since this Huang Shizi was a fifth-order array master, the spirit-disturbing array flags he created were quite powerful.

It can be quite effective against many fifth-order formations.

Black Iron Venerable was a rogue cultivator, so he spent a lot of money to acquire such a protective treasure back then.

However, according to him, with his current strength, he no longer needs this spirit-disrupting array flag.

So I'm keeping it to give to someone who's destined to receive it, hoping it can play a role in a crucial moment.

"So, this is a fifth-order spirit-disrupting array flag."

After realizing this, Xiao Chen looked at it with a fresh perspective and said, "Hmm, it's still ugly."

It's unclear whether Master Huang Shizi did this to save materials or for some other reason, but the entire chess piece is covered in patterns.

In this situation, even if it is a fifth-tier spiritual creature, it really doesn't look good.

Xiao Chen promptly put away the spirit-disturbing array flag, aiming to avoid seeing it altogether.

Then he walked straight to the next platform.

On this square platform is a small jade bottle, which looks like some kind of elixir.

"Huh? Didn't we just say that we wouldn't keep the elixirs because they're difficult to preserve?"

Xiao Chen picked up the jade bottle with a hint of curiosity, uncorked it and looked inside: "Oh~, so it's the Concealing Breath and Hidden Spirit Water, then it's alright."

He didn't recognize this spiritual liquid at first, but he had seen related descriptions in the Stele Forest before.

Simply put, this is a trophy that the Black Iron Venerable accidentally obtained from a ruin.

Its main function is to conceal the aura and spiritual fluctuations of cultivators, and it can even evade long-distance detection by Nascent Soul Venerables.

Theoretically speaking, as long as the two sides are more than ten miles apart, they will never be discovered.

Black Iron Venerable, considering that he had already broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, left this item behind as a way to improve the survival ability of those destined to receive it.

"Oh wow, this is a crucial and valuable item!"

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up immediately: "With this, even if I encounter a Nascent Soul cultivator in the new cultivation world, I'll have a way to escape."

This thing might not be as useful to others.

However, since he had already prepared several Black Abyss Blood Escape Talismans, avoiding a distance of more than ten miles was not a problem at all.

Even more importantly, this is in a place like the Holy City, where Nascent Soul cultivators frequently appear.

Xiao Chen could have chosen to sprinkle spiritual liquid on himself before approaching, thus avoiding attracting the other party's attention from the outset.

This allows for the development of even more applications.

In conclusion, this is a very practical spiritual item!

"Very well, thank you for your gift, Senior Black Iron!"

Xiao Chen had actually wanted to visit the legendary Holy City for a long time, but he wanted to make ample preparations in advance for the sake of prudence.

Even though having this magical item doesn't necessarily mean you can just swagger off, it at least provides an extra layer of protection for your future journey.

This thing can be used not only in the Holy City, but also in the so-called Three Mountains Grotto Heaven.

Xiao Chen was not naive enough to believe that all the Nascent Soul cultivators in this world were good people.

They are simply not as bad as those in the Holy City because they lack the necessary means.

"The spiritual items stored here seem to be quite good."

Xiao Chen looked at the fourth platform: "What could this be?"

He walked over and took a closer look, and saw a black pellet the size of a hawthorn lying quietly on the table.

Beside the bullet was a jade slip that was almost as long as it.

"Oh, what's this again?"

Xiao Chen was taken aback for a moment, then decisively chose to check the jade slip directly.

It turned out that what was placed on this square platform was actually a Xuanzong Zhenxie Sword Pill.

Although it's called "Suppressing Evil," it's not meant to target evil spirits, but rather to deal with evil cultivators.

As long as true essence is injected, it can transform into tens of thousands of evil-suppressing sword energies that rush out and kill the evil cultivators on the spot.

As for what constitutes a heretical cultivator, that depends entirely on the user's perspective.

Interestingly, the Black Iron Venerable did not mention the specific origin of this item in the jade slip.

According to his tests, the evil-suppressing sword energy generated by this Xuanzong Evil-Suppressing Sword Pill was roughly at the level of the early Nascent Soul stage.

However, due to the dispersed power, although it can scratch the skin and flesh of a body cultivator, it cannot damage the bones.

"Wow, such a detailed and specific test?"

Xiao Chen blinked, finding this testing method quite intriguing.

(End of this chapter)