Chapter 98 – Taking the Spirit Medicine
An indecipherable, deep purple liquid bubbled constantly within the cup, like the murky waters of a swamp.
With no other choice, Tang Wulin closed his eyes, furrowed his brows, and lifted the metal cup, emptying it.
Unexpectedly, the taste of the liquid wasn’t as bad as it smelled, and upon entering his mouth, it gave him a miraculously warm feeling. It tasted slightly sweet and fishy and had a tang to it. As if he was consuming a sea urchin, it was both smooth and slimy and stuck to his throat before he swallowed it down.
The warmth spread throughout his body, leaving him unspeakably comfortable. Tang Wulin couldn’t help but release a sigh. This mouthful had costed him hundreds of thousands of federation coins, and it was already gone!
No, it might have been even more than that. Although he didn’t personally buy these items, the blood of a hundred-year dragon-type soul beast should’ve been a sought-after item that would fetch a sky-high price.
What should I do now? Tang Wulin was dazed for a while, but he sobered up in a flash. Taking two steps back, he sat in a meditative position.
He chose to avoid sitting on the chair to prevent the possibility of falling to the ground if something happened during his meditation to cause his body to react.
Concentrate, meditate, and circulate soul power.
This should be it; by circulating his soul power, he should be able to dissolve the effects of the medicine.
Tang Wulin had a thought, how is Old Tang going to help me break the first seal?
Suddenly, a strange feeling overcame him from every corner of his body. It felt as though vitality was flowing into his blood, as if steam was rushing out of every pore in his body. This sudden heat left Tang Wulin feeling unbearable, and he could barely remain in his seated position.
His temperature rose, his body similar to a furnace. Sweat poured from his body like a waterfall. Tang Wulin couldn’t control the heat within him and started trembling violently.
A faint golden pattern started appearing on his forehead, growing until they covered his whole body. The golden patterns, in the shape of rhombuses, appeared faint at first, but they slowly grew clearer. Tang Wulin’s body became as red as a cooked prawn.
So hot, so hot!
Tang Wulin clenched his teeth and persevered, as Old Tang had previously said that he should have strength, endurance and dedication.
The weak soul power within him had seemingly escaped his control and began surging throughout his body. Tang Wulin could no longer maintain his state of meditation and felt that his surroundings were turning blood red.
Could it be that my body is actually melting?
Tang Wulin’s body trembled, and the golden webs on his body became even clearer.
Suddenly, the heat disappeared like subsiding waves and with it, the unbearably miserable feeling.
After reaching equilibrium, this level of comfort would normally not be reached, but comforting relief from misery would easily cause intoxication.
Currently in such a state, Tang Wulin relaxed after going through that agony and felt like his body had been thoroughly exfoliated by the immense heat previously coursing through his body. It left him with no energy; he couldn’t even lift up a finger.
Without waiting for his mind to relax, a sudden wave of chilliness emerged from his heart and spread throughout his body. Like the heat before, this chilliness circulated right into the depths of his body. The redness that had lingered on his skin was replaced by a pale blue.
Tang Wulin’s body trembled with more violence. The only thing that wasn’t trembling as much was the golden webbed pattern. The golden webbed pattern had become even more distinct than before.
His body began emitting biting cold instead of extreme heat, the change leaving his clothes in ruin. Torn to shreds, the scraps of clothing fell off his body. Exhausted completely, his mere rank 12 soul power was unable to relieve some of his suffering.
It was so cold that his blood would freeze soon. Tang Wulin could only feel his heartbeat falling at an alarming rate, his vision blurring out.
Are these the effects of the hundred-year Ice Crystal Fruit and Scarlet Flame Fruit? It’s so painful.
Tang Wulin was unaware that with these two spirit fruits of like age, a process called Fire-Ice Body Refining that could be used to increase his physical strength. This was a dangerous process for most, however, as the sudden change from temperature extremes could cause a weakling to collapse. To prevent that, a fruit with balancing properties of higher age was necessary to ensure safety.
More importantly, the body refining process required a Soul Master with a significantly higher cultivation to guide and protect the body refiner.
To Mu Chen, it was obvious that Mang Tian would help guide Tang Wulin in the process, but he didn’t expect Tang Wulin to have consumed all three spirit items by himself, alone.
These were hundred-year spirit fruits, and even a Soul Elder with three rings would have been hurt badly in the process, leaving hidden traces of incurable diseases in them.
Not to mention the fact that Tang Wulin had merely cultivated to rank 12 soul power.
Finally, after an unknown period of time, the extreme cold subsided, and Tang Wulin’s mental state recovered.
Paralyzed, he could only feel numbness throughout his body, as if his body was no longer his. Despite this, he felt strangely clear-headed and could clearly see the patterns of golden webs shimmering brightly on his body, as though his body was wrapped up within a huge web.
Old Tang, where are you? What should I do? Tang Wulin thought mentally.
But Old Tang didn’t reply him at all, as if his existence had always been a mere nightmare.
Tang Wulin knew he had no other routes to escape to, so he could do nothing other than allowing these three spiritual items to wreck havoc within his body.
At this time, his body regained mobility, and he felt the comfortable feeling once again. He did not let his guard down, however. First was the immense heat followed by extreme coldness; what would be the effects of the dragon-type soul beast’s blood? What type of suffering would it be this time?
The facts had proven his guess right.
Immense heat and extreme coldness were both unbearable, but they were nothing compared to what he felt next.
It seemed as if there were tiny ants slowly crawling up his limbs and drilling into his muscles, organs, and bones.
“Ah!” Tang Wulin couldn’t bear it anymore and screamed bitterly. He wanted to scratch at the sensations, but his body wouldn’t move at all. Even worse was his mind’s currently exceptional clarity; he could fully experience the inhumane agony. This suffering was too hard to bear with.
Why? Why did this happen? Tang Wulin’s whole body shook violently.
Can’t take it, I can’t take it anymore.
“If you can’t take this, then only death awaits you. If you want to live on, you have to bear this. If you are able to face any sufferings bravely, you will be able to overcome them. Learn to persevere and the doors to success will open to you.” Old Tang’s voice finally appeared once again, but he sounded sombre this time.
Tang Wulin’s spirit shook. That’s right! I can’t give up. If I can’t break the seal, I would only be greeted with death.
I can’t die. There are still many things I have yet to accomplish. I want to be strong. I want to be a powerful Mecha Master and to be able to use a mecha crafted out of the metals I forged myself.
I need to search for mom and dad too—and Na’er as well. I want to become a powerful Soul Master and a powerful Mecha Master.
I want to live on. There are so many beautiful things for me to experience in this world.
In his heart, a strong feeling of defiance grew within, and it seemingly reduced his suffering as well as the numbness and itchiness, which retreated from his bones and back to his spine.
What Tang Wulin couldn’t see was the change in color of the webbed patterns on his body, as it had turned from gold to purple. The purple color didn’t stay for long, the patterns shifting back to a gold that shone even brighter than before.
It was as if the purplish color had nourished the golden pattern before subsiding thereafter.
Tang Wulin’s numbness and itchiness gradually disappeared as well, and he panted heavily. Feeling returned to his body once again, and he realized that he could move all his limbs.
What is happening? Could it be that I have recovered already?
It’s done? Has the seal been broken?
“Be prepared; this is just the beginning!” Old Tang’s icy voice resounded within his mind.
This is just the beginning?
Three feelings—immense heat, extreme cold, as well as numbness and itchiness—had all reappeared suddenly without giving Tang Wulin any time to react. At that point, Tang Wulin felt as though he had been engulfed.
As he continued releasing his piercing screams, his vision gradually turned white.