Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & PewPewLaserGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain

Although he had been praised as so by Dai Yuan, Yang Kai still felt a bit puzzled. Although his control of medicinal efficacies was indeed quite good, the five Origin Grade Alchemists from Medicine Pill Sect could not possibly be bad; after all, they had been practising this craft for hundreds of years at least. So, for Dai Yuan to come seek his help instead of that of Medicine Pill Sect, there must be some other reasons.

He did not rush to ask though because he knew that Dai Yuan would definitely explain to him.

Seeing Yang Kai’s intently listening appearance, Dai Yuan smiled and continued, “If it were simply about finding a qualified Alchemist, it wouldn’t be too difficult. The true problem was with gathering the materials needed for this detoxifying method.”

“Oh? What kind of materials are required?” Yang Kai asked.

“There are many, but the previous Senior who lived here spent many years on this and managed to gather ninety percent of what was required, including the most difficult to find, the Yin Pond. My Senior spent a lot of energy to move this Yin Pond back to Thousand Illusion Peak from the place she discovered it. This was the reason I needed Junior Brother Yang to come here with me, because this Yin Pond cannot be moved again, otherwise, I wouldn’t have troubled you so.”

Yang Kai nodded lightly, finally understanding why Dai Yuan had insisted he come with her to Coloured Glass Sect. Yin Ponds were an extremely rare treasure. They only formed in places where there was a high density of Yin Qi gathers, which almost always meant that they formed in dark, gloomy locations. Even if a Yin Pond formed, it was useless for most cultivators, but for those who cultivated cold, evil Secret Arts, Yin Ponds were a cultivation treasure, because the pure Yin Qi contained within it could allow such a cultivator to rapidly increase their strength.

Yang Kai had heard of Yin Ponds before but had never seen one with his own eyes.

“Because Thousand Illusion Coloured Glass cannot be suppressed by any of the five main elements, if one wants to expel Coloured Glass Toxin from their body, they need to use a medium like a Yin Pond. By mixing the medicinal efficacies of a number of precious spirit herbs with the water of a Yin Pond, then pouring that medicinal liquid into my body, I will theoretically be able to expel all the Coloured Glass Toxin,” Dai Yuan explained softly.

Yang Kai nodded while listening. With his Alchemy skills and knowledge, although he did not understand the exact process, he felt that this method should be feasible.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Since that Senior had found the necessary materials and even managed to move a Yin Pond back to Thousand Illusion Peak, why did she not try to detoxify herself in the end?”

“Because she still lacks one vital component,” Dai Yuan smiled bitterly, “She was unable to obtain a Blood Invigorating Mushroom!”

“A Blood Invigorating Mushroom?” Yang Kai was shocked, “The Blood Invigorating Mushroom, which is used to refine the Blood Mushroom Pill, which is said to be able to bring one back to life from the brink of death?”

Shock filled Yang Kai’s face, as if he had heard something incredible.

“Yes, the Blood Invigorating Mushroom which is used to refine the Blood Mushroom Pill!” Dai Yuan gently nodded, extending her hand and summoning a delicate wooden box onto her palm. Opening the wooden box, a baby fist sized spirit mushroom appeared before Yang Kai’s eyes. This mushroom was quite misshapen and had a multitude of dark red veins on its surface, like there was fresh blood flowing through them. It exuded a pungent scent which bristled one’s nose.

Yang Kai took it solemnly and gently stroked it with his hand, probing it carefully for a while before nodding, “En, it is indeed a Blood Invigorating Mushroom, and its medicinal age is at least three thousand years, moreover… it seems to have been picked recently. Is it from the Flowing Flame Sand Field?”

“Sure enough, Junior Brother Yang was able to see all its details,” Dai Yuan smiled slightly, “I must give my thanks to Junior Brother Yang for this too. This Blood Invigorating Mushroom was something I obtained in the Flowing Flame Sand Field’s fourth layer.”

Yang Kai expression changed as he thought that Dai Yuan’s luck was quite good. Precious treasures and spirit herbs were incredibly sparse in the fourth layer. Yang Kai had travelled across it twice yet the only things of note he managed to harvest were a few strings of Purple Fine Jade Fruit. On the other hand, Dai Yuan had found this Blood Invigorating Mushroom, and it just so happened to be something she desperately needed. It seemed that after he left, Dai Yuan had spent a lot of effort to find this Blood Invigorating Mushroom. Perhaps searching for this Blood Invigorating Mushroom was the main reason she wanted to travel with him to the fourth layer.

After all, with it, she could finally achieve her greatest wish.

“What are you going to do with this Blood Invigorating Mushroom?” Yang Kai closed the box and returned it to her as he asked.

Dai Yuan silently stroked the wooden box in her hand a few times before sighing, “I won’t lie to Junior Brother Yang. Although this detoxifying method was created by the last Senior who lived here, even she was not certain it would succeed because the Thousand Illusion Coloured Glass Toxin has already penetrated my entire body. Expelling all of it would damage my foundation and dying in the process is not impossible. This Blood Invigorating Mushroom is meant to guarantee that I can at least survive.”

Yang Kai frowned, “If so, wouldn’t it be better to refine it into the Blood Mushroom Pill?”

“The Blood Mushroom Pill…” Dai Yuan laughed bitterly, “Since Junior Brother Yang is an Alchemist, you should be clear that the Blood Mushroom Pill is an Origin Grade High-Rank pill. Can the Alchemists on Shadowed Star even refine such a thing? If we were in the outside world, Junior Brother Yang’s proposal might be reasonable, unfortunately… or, is Junior Brother Yang an Origin Grade High-Rank Alchemist? “

“No!” Yang Kai shook his head. Right now he was an Origin Grade Low-Rank Alchemist, but if he put all his effort into refining a pill and was not concerned about the loss of herbs, there was some small chance could refine an Origin Grade Mid-Rank pill. Refining an Origin Grade High-Rank pill, however, was impossible, so after pondering the issue for a while, he said, “What I mean is, if you aren’t in a hurry, you may wish to wait for some time. Acting hastily might not be for the best, you may be able to find a safer method in the future or find someone capable of refining the Blood Mushroom Pill!”

He did not dare to say that he would refine it himself. Although Yang Kai felt that within a few years he should be able to become an Origin Grade High-Rank Alchemist, he could not go around making irresponsible guarantees like that.

“I can’t wait,” Dai Yuan shook her head bitterly, “If I could wait, I wouldn’t have sought out Junior Brother Yang so anxiously. Because I cultivate the Thousand Illusion Coloured Glass Art, when the concentration of Thousand Illusion Coloured Glass Realm in my body reaches a certain point, my cultivation must increase to match it. At most, I can only delay for another six months. Half a year from now, whether I am willing to or not, I must attempt to break through to the Origin Returning Realm. If I succeed, I will have a chance to survive, but if I fail, with my current cultivation, I will not be able to suppress the Coloured Glass Toxin in my body and will die. Although taking the Blood Invigorating Mushroom directly will dramatically reduce its effectiveness and is truly a waste of Heaven’s precious gifts, at present, it is my only option.”

“There’s really no other way?” Yang Kai frowned.

“None!” Dai Yuan smiled gently, “Many thanks for your concern, Junior Brother Yang, but since I have decided to do this, I have already prepared myself. No matter whether this detoxification will succeed or not, I must try. All the Seniors who cultivated the Thousand Illusion Coloured Glass Art before me did not even have such a chance, so I cannot complain.”

Yang Kai sighed softly and ceased tried to dissuade her, instead just nodding, “Since you have already decided, then so be it. Just tell me what you need my help with, I will definitely go all out.”

When Dai Yuan heard this, she was filled with joy and gratitude, “Then I will offer my thanks in advance to Junior Brother Yang. I’ll inform you now about the detoxifying process. Please listen carefully. After we begin, I won’t have the spare energy to respond to any questions you might have.”

“En.”

Then, Dai Yuan began describing the detoxification method to Yang Kai. Of course, this method and its details were formulated by Dai Yuan’s Senior from the Coloured Glass Sect and they improved upon until she died. As Yang Kai listened, he could not help feeling a sense of admiration towards this Coloured Glass Sect Senior as this method was quite ingenious.

However, as she was explaining the various steps involved in this detoxifying method, Dai Yuan’s face was constantly blushing bright red and her eyes would often shift uncomfortably, her voice going from high to low, highlighting her restlessness. Even though she knew that this was not the time to be feeling shy, she couldn’t stop herself, and the innocent yet flustered look that filled her eyes added a unique charm to them.

Yang Kai finally understood why Dai Yuan had been reluctant to tell him the details of her request before now. It turned out that this detoxifying method required quite a bit of intimate physical contact.

Dai Yuan blushing constantly was understandable considering all this. Any woman would have such an expression when facing a man and telling him how to press and inject various medicinal liquids into her body.

After all, if they went through with this, it was inevitable that some awkward moments would occur.

Although Yang Kai had not met Coloured Glass Sect’s Grandmaster Xiao, he was fairly certain that the other party was an old man, otherwise, Dai Yuan wouldn’t have said that asking him was inconvenient.

Among the five Grandmasters of Medicine Pill Sect, four of them were also old men; only one was an old woman.

Compared to having to ask these old men, Dai Yuan would rather choose Yang Kai. Fortunately, Yang Kai was an extraordinary talent that could reluctantly be considered a brave and heroic-looking young man, so Dai Yuan’s feelings of rejection were somewhat weaker. Of course, if it were possible, she would have preferred to ask the female Grandmaster from Medicine Pill Sect; after all, between two females, things would obviously be less troublesome.

However, she could not afford to pay such a big price.

Yang Kai’s musings on the subject almost completely matched with Dai Yuan’s worries. Her becoming an Alchemist in the first place was probably because she wanted to carry out this detoxifying herself.

Unfortunately, she did not have time to raise her Alchemy level high enough. She was currently just a Saint King Grade Alchemist, and that would not be of any use in this situation.

While Dai Yuan’s face showed much embarrassment as she explained, Yang Kai’s face remained indifferent. He did not show any superfluous emotion and simply listened attentively, refusing to miss the slightest detail. Seeing Yang Kai’s performance, Dai Yuan also gradually relaxed and began seeing him as a professional. Currently, her relationship with Yang Kai was somewhat similar to that between a doctor and patient.

With such thinking, Dai Yuan’s expression gradually became tranquil.

Over the next day or so, Yang Kai actively asked questions whenever they came to key points in the process. Dai Yuan naturally understood this and would answer him in detail.

One night later, Dai Yuan finished her explanation and Yang Kai had completely committed the detoxification method to memory and understood what needed to be done.

“Has Junior Brother Yang remembered everything?” Dai Yuan looked at him and asked. Although she hadn’t rested for an entire night, she didn’t show any signs of sleepiness, instead seeming even more energetic than when they had started, probably because she felt some excitement about approaching what would be the most important moment in her entire life so far.