Promise!

Chapter 208, Vermilion Fruit

"That's fine!"

Seeing this, Shen Xianhong was not surprised, given his understanding of Zhuang Jin.

After Zhuang Jin broke through to the Innate Realm, countless people devoted themselves to analyzing and studying his information, personality, and so on. Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu were particularly involved. It could be said that they now knew Zhuang Jin better than they knew their own wives.

According to Shen Xianhong, Zhuang Jin is cautious and will refuse anything that is too dangerous. She also has a moral bottom line. For example, if it is an action against Mu Yuantu, she will refuse because of Mu Qing. This is also the reason why Mu Yuantu insists on marrying his daughter off.

However, this time it's neither of those; if you're confident, please proceed.

"The reason we invited Zhuang Sheng this time is to join forces to deal with a strange beast at the Five Viscera Realm, to obtain its core, and to prepare a secret medicine to break through to the Innate Realm."

'So it was for the sake of future generations.'

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly: "But didn't the patriarch obtain the broken mid-grade Qingyuan Pot, which allows him to cultivate a hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass?"

"The Qingyuan Pot of the aristocratic families in the state capital is of medium grade and can cultivate Tongxuan Grass of even higher age. However, Zhuang Sheng probably doesn't know that these aristocratic families in the state capital basically don't allow their own children to take Tongxuan Grass to help awaken their innate spiritual light and break through to the innate level."

Shen Xianhong explained, "The hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass, with its violent medicinal power, will severely increase the burden on the meridians and also confuse the mind, increasing the difficulty of the 'Divine Gate'. Of course, the secret medicine made with beast cores and beast beads also has this problem because it contains the residual will of strange beasts. However, compared to that, the hidden dangers are ultimately smaller."

"If we say that the innate spiritual light is naturally awakened, the difficulty of breaking through the last two of the three innate barriers is ten;
The Innate Pill uses five beast cores with the five elements and other auxiliary materials to neutralize residual beastly nature and awaken innate spiritual light. The difficulty level is also ten.
The secret medicine made from the beast beads is difficult to prepare because the beast beads are produced by exotic beasts in the Bone Forging Realm, and the residual will of the exotic beasts is relatively weak.
The secret medicine made from beast cores contains the residual will of a beast in the Five Viscera Realm, and its difficulty level is 15.
Therefore, directly consuming a hundred-year-old Mystic Herb would be at least twenty times more difficult.

"Even a hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass only has a 10% chance of helping to awaken innate spiritual light. If the age is increased, the chance of awakening will be even greater, but the difficulty of this breakthrough will be even higher."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin discovered a blind spot: "The secret medicine made from beast beads has fewer hidden dangers than the secret medicine made from beast cores. Does that mean the secret medicine made from beast beads is better?"

"That depends on the perspective. In terms of difficulty, the secret medicine prepared with beast beads is indeed better. However, compared to the effect of awakening innate spiritual light, the success rate of the secret medicine prepared with beast cores is about 50%, while the success rate of the secret medicine prepared with beast beads is like that of a hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass, which is usually only 10%."

Zhuang Jin understood that reality was not a game. Pseudo-randomness had a safety net, but reality was truly random. Each event was an independent one, and even considering drug resistance, the probability was decreasing. If you were unlucky, you might not succeed even after taking the secret medicine made from the beast pearl, let alone ten or eight times.

Furthermore, considering that beast beads can only be produced by exceptionally talented beasts at the Bone Forging Realm, making them extremely rare, using beast cores to prepare secret medicines is even more feasible.

"That's why Zhuangzi's natural awakening of innate spiritual light was so enviable!" Shen Xianhong glanced at Zhuang Jin and sighed.

Awakening one's innate spiritual light naturally requires the right timing and circumstances to break through; it's practically a stroke of luck. Even innate pills, like the core seeds of a noble family, cannot guarantee this, making them extremely extravagant. Secret medicines made from beast cores and beast pearls are the most common. As for the Tongxuan Grass that is over a hundred years old, it's somewhat useless for people who aren't exceptionally gifted and have a strong will like Shi Yong; it's best not to try.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin realized that the help he had received from directly awakening his innate spiritual light without any bottleneck was greater than he had imagined, equivalent to taking an innate pill. No wonder his breakthrough had been so smooth back then.

"Speaking of which, the Tongxuan Grass can also be used as the main ingredient to refine the Enlightenment Pill, which can help martial arts break through bottlenecks. However, it is best for Zhuang Sheng not to use it, lest his spiritual perception become dulled, which would be detrimental in the long run."

"Thank you for informing me, Master."

Zhuang Jin's martial arts skills also had no bottlenecks, so he naturally wouldn't use something like the Enlightenment Pill. Getting back to the main topic: "I wonder what the situation is with the Five Viscera Realm beast that the Patriarch mentioned?"

The Five Organs Realm of a Beast is roughly equivalent to the Innate True Qi Realm of a Martial Artist. While a Martial Artist condenses true qi in the Innate True Qi Realm, a Beast in the Five Organs Realm uses its unique power to temper its five organs.

The tempering of one organ by a different force roughly corresponds to the first level of the Innate True Qi Realm—where even flying flowers and plucking leaves can injure people; the tempering of the second and third organs by a different force roughly corresponds to the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm—where qi moves like thunder; the tempering of the fourth and fifth organs by a different force corresponds to the third level of the Innate True Qi Realm—where qi is refined like a rainbow.

Compared to martial artists cultivating true qi, it is much more difficult for mythical beasts to temper their internal organs. Even with their formidable physiques, a minor injury to their heart organ can cause them great difficulties.

However, difficulties also mean strength. When a beast breaks through the Five Organs Realm and condenses its beast core, its supernatural power leaps to a higher level, penetrating the physical body more deeply. At the same time, it awakens beast skills. In addition, with the cultivation and tempering of the Five Organs, it becomes incredibly terrifying. Even three or four ordinary innate martial artists of the same realm may not be able to kill a beast of the same realm.

"My Shen family has a Cloud Hidden Tea Tree. Do you remember the origin of this semi-rare tree, Zhuang Sheng? Our ancestors went deep into the Mangcang Mountains and found a cliff. Because of its height, they named it 'Shangbaiyun' (Upper White Cloud)... Beyond 'Shangbaiyun', there is a valley, and a group of Wind Valley Thunder Apes live at the bottom of the valley."

Shen Xianhong paused for a moment, then said, "That's not the point. The point I want to make is that there is a truly extraordinary tree at the bottom of that valley: the Vermilion Fruit Tree. This Vermilion Fruit Tree flowers once every twenty years, bears fruit once every twenty years, and matures once every twenty years. When the fruit matures, all the other fruits wither away, leaving only the true Vermilion Fruit."

"The Vermilion Fruit, such a rare and precious material, can expand the meridians of a Nascent Soul Realm martial artist who cultivates fire-attribute techniques. It is of great use to the second of the three innate gates, the 'Body Gate'. However, its effect is relatively small for us innate martial artists. Its abundant medicinal power can be used as cultivation resources, but we have medicinal materials cultivated with Azure Essence Liquid, which can be used as a substitute."

"For the beasts, this Vermilion Fruit is an even greater treasure, as it can help them quickly complete the Bone Forging Realm cultivation and break through to the Five Organs Realm... We will go to the bottom of the valley, capture the leader of that group of Wind Valley Thunder Apes who is in the Bone Forging Realm, bind him with shackles, and wait for him to consume the Vermilion Fruit and successfully break through before killing him."

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly upon hearing this. If the beast that had just broken through to the Five Viscera Realm was still bound, then it would be much simpler: "If that's the case, the patriarch can complete it alone, right? You don't need me, do you?"

"Zhuang Sheng, you are unaware of this. The last time my father did this was because the Vermilion Fruit Tree had reached 150 years of age, and the medicinal power of the Vermilion Fruit was unexpectedly strong. After the leader of the Wind Valley Thunder Ape broke through the Five Organs Realm, he almost broke the Refined Gold Shackles... In the end, my father killed the leader of the Wind Valley Thunder Ape, but he also suffered serious injuries and damaged his vital energy. That's why he passed away prematurely at over ninety years old."

Zhuang Jin: ...

The phrases "over ninety years old" and "passed away prematurely" sound a bit strange when put together, but since innate martial artists can enjoy a lifespan of two Jiazi (60 years), dying before the age of one hundred is indeed considered premature.

"If it weren't for that, the Medicine King Gang wouldn't have happened..."

Shen Xianhong shook his head slightly and said, "This time, the Vermilion Fruit Tree has reached the age of two hundred years, and the Vermilion Fruit it bears has even stronger medicinal power... I went to the state city and used materials such as refined gold, meteorite iron from outer space, and Yuan magnetite to create a shackle that is more restraining to the Wind Valley Thunder Ape, in case of any changes or accidents. I specially invited Zhuang Sheng to go with me."

On the surface, Mu Yuantu is stronger, but now the Shen and Mu families are competitors, so it is impossible for them to invite the other. Besides, two years have passed, and Zhuang Jin's strength may not be inferior.

"I see." Zhuang Jin pondered, weighing the pros and cons.

Shen Xianhong then said, "Zhuang Sheng, as a backup plan, may not need to take action. If he doesn't, he can compensate with this innate movement technique 'Free and Easy Wind Control' and fifty catties of meat from a rare beast at the Five Organs Realm; if there are any unexpected events that require Zhuang Sheng to take action, the compensation will be increased according to the amount of effort he puts in."

"The meat of a rare beast in the Five Viscera Realm can accelerate cultivation. It also contains the residual medicinal power of the Vermilion Fruit, making it even more effective. With these, given Zhuang Sheng's talent, he should be able to break through to the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm even faster."

The other party was unaware that Zhuang Jin had already broken through to the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm, but this did not mean that the beast meat was useless; on the contrary, it was even more valuable.

'After breaking through to the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm, my cultivation has become even slower. Accumulating little by little like this, I don't know when I'll be able to break through to the third level of the Innate True Qi Realm. Having the meat of a beast from the Five Organs Realm to accelerate my progress is a good thing for me,' he thought to himself.

"When will the operation take place?" "Under normal circumstances, the Vermilion Fruit will ripen around April or May. However, as summer approaches, the special environment of Wind Valley is filled with wind and thunder. Such great power of heaven and earth poses a considerable danger to us innate martial artists, making it difficult to advance or retreat. Therefore, it is best to act in advance."

Shen Xianhong explained, "By acting ahead of time, I can use Qingyuan Liquid to ripen the Vermilion Fruit. The Vermilion Fruit tree is over a hundred years old. Qingyuan Liquid cannot increase the age of the tree, but it can ripen the Vermilion Fruit."

"If Zhuangzi wants to cultivate, he should first cultivate 'Free and Easy Wind Riding' as a backup plan, which can at most postpone the action until March."

"Then let's do it that way, thank you very much, Patriarch!" Zhuang Jin agreed.

"The 'Free and Easy Wind Riding' technique is inherited from the Swift Wind Step, and proficiency can be transferred to some extent. I have no bottlenecks, and after breaking through the innate level and passing the divine barrier, my human spirit has been developed, and my comprehension has greatly improved. It should be enough for me to master the 'Free and Easy Wind Riding' technique within two months."

This is another reason why Zhuang Jin was able to master the Yin-Yang Two Elements Palm technique in such a short time, a point that Zhuang Jin only gradually realized later.

"Once I cultivate the 'Free and Unfettered Wind Control' to its peak, combined with the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm—the Qi-Moving Thunder Sound Realm—and the peak-level 'Tai Xu Sword Technique,' even if something unexpected happens, I'll have enough reserves to protect myself."

……

Because of the deal between Zhuang Jin and Shen Xianhong, they did not leave the prefectural city after the New Year and their travels were temporarily suspended for several months. This matter concerned the secrets of the Shen family, and the specific reasons were not easy to explain. Chen Yun and the other women were also discreet and did not ask further.

These days, Zhuang Jin has been focusing on cultivating the innate movement technique "Free and Easy Wind Control," spending less time with Chen Yun and the other girls. However, Chen Yun and the other girls no longer say they can't live without Zhuang Jin.

Zhuang Jin's family had no elders to deal with, and Zhuang Jin herself was easygoing, so the atmosphere at home was naturally very relaxed, without any rules or restrictions. Chen Yun and the other girls had traveled for two years, broadening their horizons and gaining knowledge. After hearing that Chen Yun had once dressed up as a man to go to the lantern festival, they were all eager to do the same.

So, after consulting with Zhuang Jin, Chen Yun, Shen Xujun, Mu Qing, and Yu Qingjun often disguised themselves as men and went out. In the past two years, they had been traveling and enjoying themselves, but now they found the everyday life and bustling city life quite enjoyable and had a great time.

Even in the prefectural city, nothing unexpected might happen. Chen Yun is now at the eleventh level of cultivation, and Shen Xujun at the tenth level. In terms of cultivation level alone, there aren't many people in the prefectural city who are more powerful than them.

The identities of the other three are as follows: Zhuang Jin is one of only three Xiantian masters in the prefecture city, and Chen Yun, as his legal wife, wields immense influence; Shen Xujun, the young lady of the Shen family, now serves as Zhuang Jin's secondary wife and holds considerable power within the Shen family, almost comparable to a high-ranking official; Mu Qing is the only young lady of the Mu family, doted on by Mu Yuantu and her brothers, and holds an extremely high position within the Mu family and in the government...

It can be said that by joining forces, they have opened up the entire chain of the prefectural city system, and there are very few things that cannot be done in the prefectural city.

The reason for mentioning this is because of the current situation in the prefectural city.

After the destruction of the Medicine King Gang, the main conflict in Yunnan Prefecture is now between the Shen family and the Mu family, and this conflict is becoming increasingly prominent over time.

The Mu family inherited the ruins of the Medicine King Gang and, with the cooperation of the government, quickly digested them. Mu Yuantu, while still in office, took advantage of his natural position as prefect to aggressively undermine the government, transfer benefits, and privatize public assets. Under these circumstances, the Mu family rose to prominence rapidly, and in just two years, they surpassed the Medicine King Gang in power.

—It can only be said that Mu Yuantu had little motivation to cause trouble in the past, because the government office belonged to the imperial court, and no matter how much he did, he wouldn't get the lion's share. Now that he has established the Xiantian family and is working for himself, he is naturally full of initiative.

However, as the Mu family expanded and rose to prominence, problems arose. Even brothers had their disagreements. The Shen and Mu families, two powerful clans in the same household, were naturally not on good terms due to their competitive relationship. The honeymoon period when the two sides joined forces to attack the Medicine King Gang ended quickly.

As the eldest son, the Shen family naturally had the power to suppress the second son, subtly controlling and tripping him up; the Mu family, with Mu Yuantu's status as prefect and official power, retaliated in some places... They had many open and covert struggles and exchanges of blows.

There were probing questions above and friction below, and it seemed like they were just short of going to war like the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang had done in the past.

For the past two years, Zhuang Jin had been away from the prefectural city, but he had kept in touch through letters and learned about the situation there. Now that he had returned, he had a clearer understanding of the situation in the prefectural city.

When people like Lin Hong and Bi Kai came to visit, they all subtly expressed their concerns.

Zhuang Jin saw it clearly: as long as the top leaders of the Shen and Mu families did not have any problems, or more precisely, as long as Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu did not have any problems, this balance could be maintained, and the city as a whole would remain stable.

Against this backdrop, the Shen family's connections were not very effective with the Mu family and the government; similarly, the Shen family would not give face to the Mu family... But the Zhuang family was different; they had connections with both sides and were influential in Yunnan Prefecture.

This has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it gives one a superior position and allows one to benefit from both sides. The disadvantage is that now that we have returned to the prefectural city, we will face all kinds of tests. This kind of interference and compromise is quite exhausting.

It can only be said that going down to the counties back then was an extremely wise choice.

It wasn't just the Shen and Mu families testing each other; within the Shen family, the struggle between the fourth young master, Shen Xujing, and the eighth young master, Shen Xuchen, was also becoming increasingly overt.

Since Zhuang Jin and his group returned, the Fourth Young Master Shen Xujing has been bringing gifts every day, seemingly trying to move Zhuang Jin with his sincerity; the Eighth Young Master Shen Xuchen, because he places his hopes on the power behind him, also has no choice but to come along.

Besides, old friends and relatives would come to visit, not to ask for anything. Asking Zhuang Jin would be too much of a burden, as Zhuang Jin's status and position were too high. Asking him for a favor would be like using a sledgehammer to crack an ant.

In fact, simply being able to enter the door and deliver the gift is meaningful in itself. It sends a signal to the outside world that there is a connection with Zhuang Jin. With this nuclear deterrent, many difficult things will become simple, and simple things will be handled directly by someone else.

For example, Ruan Yongqi, the cousin of Chen Yun's younger brother Chen Hong's goddaughter-in-law Ruan Jinghua, only runs a small business. After entering the inner courtyard for the grand wedding two years ago, things that used to be difficult to get done when going to the government, even if you had to give enough money and made three, five, or even ten or eight times, suddenly became smooth sailing, even smoother than diarrhea.

Doing business has become extremely simple. Upstream suppliers come to you, you offer the lowest prices, and they deliver goods quickly without any rush to pay. Downstream distributors pay first and then deliver the goods. It's like they're feeding you the business!

In just one or two years, Ruan Yongqi became very successful and earned a considerable fortune.

He was one of the few who had enough self-awareness to think that he was able to get where he was today entirely on his own merits. Despite his fear, he remained quite composed.

Ruan Yongqi was just one example. With Zhuang Jin's rise to power, the fates of many people were changed. Since returning to the prefectural city, he had visited many people every day.

Amidst all this turmoil, Zhuang Jin simply secluded himself from visitors, focusing on cultivating the "Free and Easy Wind Riding Technique" with a tranquil mind.

……

Two months passed quickly, and it was March of the fifty-sixth year of the Qian Yuan era. On this day, Zhuang Jin said goodbye to Chen Yun and the other women, and left the prefectural city with Shen Xianhong.

……

(End of this chapter)