Chapter 197: Golden Body
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Deep in the night.
The room was bright like day as the lights filled the entire room with radiance.
This was the maximum potential of the Bright Moon Pearl. However, when the Bright Moon Pearl was compared to the object in Fang Yuan's hand, it paled in comparison. It was like passing of fish eyes for pearls.
"Dragon pearl, dragon pearl...in this world, there might indeed be dragons...if those exist, then water dragons and the likes exist as well!"
The world was vast. The mainland that Fang Yuan was living in was just a small, remote and desolate corner of the world.
Because of its location, the elemental energy of the heavens and earth was low, resulting in it becoming a forgotten place unworthy in the eyes of those in power.
However, things were different in the centre of the world, for example, where the Da Qian Empire was located.
Fang Yuan stared at the pearl in his hand.
A blue light constantly swirled around and encompassed the pearl with a brilliance that was able to captivate onlookers.
"This does not just contain the water dragon's energy, it is very much like the jade and contains a spiritual will as well!"
Fang Yuan closed his eyes and channeled his immense spiritual will into the pearl.
"Roar!"
Within the pearl, there was chaos. Suddenly, a dragon's shadow appeared. It had a snake's body and a fish tail, with a single horn on its head. The dragon had 4 limbs with 3 claws each. It was a standard green water dragon!
It witnessed Fang Yuan's spiritual will and was momentarily enraged. With a roar, it pounced on Fang Yuan.
"Hmmmph! You dare to be mischievous with such a small water dragon aura?"
Fang Yuan's spiritual will rumbled like a passing storm.
"Boom!"
Multiple giant streaks of lightning appeared and struck the water dragon.
The green water dragon gave a pitiful cry before it dissolved into purple energy which was dispelled.
"Reveal yourself!"
Fang Yuan's spiritual will continued to probe and amidst the chaos, a string of golden words appeared.
'My name is Nie Kuang, from the central province of Da Qian. I used the Hundred Poison Golden Body to cause chaos in the world. The future generations must continue to spread my name and let the world know that my way is neverending...'
The words were clustered together and the beginning was an autobiography.
"Nie Kuang?"
After a while, Fang Yuan opened his eyes and kept the pearl. "This Hundred Poison Golden Body is really so powerful?"
The inheritance within the pearl was a martial arts manual.
Fang Yuan was disappointed as the technique was not like the Da Qian Giant Spiritual Technique which talked about opening meridians and achieving the Divine Body.
At his peak, Nie Kuang was just an ordinary Wu Zong who had not opened his spiritual meridians.
However, he had the blood of a spiritual knight in the Elemental Opening Realm in his hands!
It was because of this that Nie Kuang had no choice but to travel far away to a secluded area to escape from trouble.
"An ordinary Wu Zong who managed to kill a spiritual knight in the Elemental Opening Realm?"
To Fang Yuan, that was like an ant biting an elephant to its death!
"If the Hundred Poison Golden Body was like what he described, I suppose that there is still a possibility!"
According to what Nie Kuang described, he came from a small martial arts sect and possessed an inheritance of his own. He had an ancestor who was able to breakthrough to become a Wu Zong, but due to the shortcomings of his technique, was unable to reach the Meridian Opening Realm. The ancestor was unhappy and later on, made a vow to create a technique able to rival that of a meridian opening technique.
This ancestor's martial arts prowess was not up to mark. However, his skills lie in medicine and poison. After toiling for his entire life, he finally developed a technique that became the Hundred Poison Golden Body later on.
This technique used all types of objects with poisonous properties and combined it with the flesh of the martial artist, bringing out their hidden potential and increase the strength of the body. While the martial artist would not be able to enter the next realm, his strength would be comparable to that of a Wu Zong who had entered the Meridian Opening Realm. Truth be told, this was a technique that was only focused on strengthening the body.
Although the objects used were very rare, this method was viable. According to Nie Kuang, although he had never managed to open his spiritual meridians, his body was so strong that at his peak, he had an elemental power level of 7, unable to be wounded by swords and spears. His body was impenetrable by fire and water and even the spiritual spells of a spiritual knight in the Elemental Opening Realm was nothing to him!
That was something really impressive!
"The Giant Spiritual Technique of the Yang Family can only increase the elemental power level by 1 and it is considered impressive. This Hundred Poison Golden Body is able to increase the elemental power by 6 levels?"
Fang Yuan stroked his chin. "This is not bad indeed. It is just that..."
If this technique had no shortcomings, everyone in the Da Qian Empire would be practising this technique. How is it possible that not even the descendants know about this technique?
With a look at the prescription required, Fang Yuan was able to guess the reason.
"Jade Bone Dark Flower? Heavenly Fragrant Bone Burning Grass..."
Fang Yuan had never heard of these poisonous plants before.
There was one ingredient that he had heard of, Nine Festival Jade Sweet Flag, which was an earth grade spiritual plant!
"This technique requires too many resources and the results are not directly proportional to the resources used!"
Fang Yuan shook his head as he figured out the shortcoming of this technique.
While the technique was indeed strong, it required a terrifying amount of resources. The resources used to nurture Nie Kuang was sufficient to train up a few spiritual knights in the Elemental Opening Realm and Wu Zongs in the Meridian Opening Realm!
Furthermore, a Wu Zong in the Meridian Opening Realm need not be afraid of this technique. After opening the spiritual meridians and attaining the Divine Body, the physical body would similarly be strengthened and become more powerful than using the Hundred Poison Golden Body.
With this comparison, those sects that still trained the disciples with the Hundred Poison Golden Body technique could be considered foolish.
"Based on how this person spoke and acted, this is a technique spread and used by an evil sect...to swindle and forcefully take what belongs to others to benefit themselves..."
Fang Yuan was able to largely guess Nie Kuang's history based on this technique.
"It would be hard to gather the ingredients and undergo the 1st Refining Stage here!"
Fang Yuan stroked his chin. "However, this might be possible for me...!"
This technique did not require the opening of the spiritual meridians and instead focused on the training of the physical body. To an ordinary Wu Zong, this technique was of no use.
However, Fang Yuan had incredible botanical skills and as such, he did not give up.
He knew the advantages of strengthening his physical body as he had used rough techniques to breakthrough to become a Wu Zong.
"The Hundred Poison Golden Body is split into the 1st, 10th and the 100th Refining stage. Every stage requires the use of poisonous objects...after the 1st Refining Stage, the physical body will gain an increase in 1 level of elemental power. The body will then be impervious to hundreds of poisons. Nie Kuang was in the Tenth Refining Stage. As a result, his body was tough as steel and resistant to Elemental Opening spiritual spells and his elemental power level increased by another 5 levels!"
"As for the Hundredth Refining Stage, it is just a conjecture. Not even Nie Kuang's ancestor was able to achieve it. It was not because he was unable to learn the technique but rather, the resources needed was too much!"
Fang Yuan clenched his teeth and made up his mind.
"I do not need to rely on the Tenth or the Hundredth Refining Stage. However, it would be good to have another set of technique for self-defense on my road to Da Qian. I will practice this technique before making my way there!"
To him, it was a bonus for him to obtain this Hundred Poison Golden Body technique.
...
As Fang Yuan was the emperor in this area, people would tend to whatever he needed.
When he returned to the capital of Secluded Country, the whole country was abuzz with activities when they received the news of what Fang Yuan required.
All sorts of common, uncommon poisonous objects from across the world and even from the plains were sent to the palace.
"The 1st Refining Stage is the easiest stage of this technique!"
Within the palace, a layer of green fog lingered, taking on the shape of a dragon and a snake. The green fog was trapped by the spiritual inscriptions at the side.
Fang Yuan stared at the multiple cauldrons in front of him, each holding medicinal liquids which gave out fragrances that were able to captivate onlookers.
However, they were all poisonous!
There were snow mountain spiders, green bamboo five-paced vipers, 3-eyed peacock guts and spirit-chasing scorpions...
In addition, there were also Cruel Sky Flower, Earth-rotting grass and Intoxicated Orchids...
There were all sorts of known and unknown poisonous objects that were first refined multiple times before being placed in the cauldron and the process continued. An ordinary person would surely die when he comes into contact with the poison! Even a Wu Zong might be poisoned to death!
"Furthermore, the required ingredients were not considered too precious and substitutes could be found as well..."
Fang Yuan was a famous doctor and after practicing, he was able to carry out the process easily.
"Rumble! Rumble!'"
After an hour, the fragrance of the medicine started to vanish and Fang Yuan extinguished the flames. The liquid in the furnace had become congruent and become a black paste.
Fang Yuan nodded his head as his smile expressed his joy. Without hesitation, he walked forward and applied the poisonous paste onto his body.
"Oh..."
When the paste came into contact with his skin, there was a sensation of pain and numbing itch which slowly seeped into his bones. It was as if there were thousands of ants climbing all over his body and biting him.
Fang Yuan had experienced this sensation multiple times before. He furrowed his brows and bore with the pain. His body absorbed the poisonous properties and stimulated his potential.
The technique to attain the Hundred Poison Golden Body was crude and easily managed.
"Of course, the most important element of this technique happened to be the Water Dragon Pearl!"
After a while, the medicinal properties were slowly absorbed and Fang Yuan's skin took on a bronze hue.
The court was made mostly of rocks and in the middle, a large hole was carved out and filled with boiled medicine.
In the middle, the Water Dragon Pearl bobbled up and down, giving off threads of blue light.
"This is a true inheritance, with a technique and an accompanying treasure to train with! What a pity this is only the First Refining Stage!"
Without hesitation and fear, Fang Yuan removed his clothing and jumped straight into the pool.
"Whoosh!"
The poisonous liquid, combined with the boiling temperature made Fang Yuan feel like he was stabbed a thousand times over.
"Good!"
Fang Yuan gritted his teeth as he felt his elemental force surging forward towards a barrier.
"Bang!"
After a while, there was a roar of a dragon and the Water Dragon Pearl in the pool burst open, transformed into a fine powder and entered Fang Yuan's body.
"Roar!"
Fang Yuan's nose trembled, emitting a roar similar to a dragon's. He suddenly leapt out of the pool and looked at his hands, his expression jubilant. "I have successfully attained the First Refining Stage!"