Cultivation through Skin Making

These pauses lasted over a century, and he never managed to break through the Middle Stage, while wave after wave of his disciples came and went, some even becoming rising stars as Elders, yet he remained unchanged.

So, in his twilight years, he ceased delving into the Sword Dao and began researching pill recipes instead.

To become a powerful cultivator in the Crimson Palace Realm, one must take risks and consume some of the less stable Crimson Palace Pills, otherwise... they can only take the standardized elixirs.

Stable they may be, but much weaker as well.

"Erysipelas" is a disaster every Crimson Palace cultivator faces.

This is evident from how Song Yan died tens of thousands of times while digesting the "Changwang Tiger Blood."

Sun Kuye felt that "cultivating the sword on one's own" was short-sighted, while alchemy aimed at the thousand-year grand enterprise of the Sword Sect, focusing on the future sword cultivator talents.

Although he himself had not been able to become a top sword cultivator, he felt a great sense of "no regrets in this life" in thinking that future generations could reach the peak through his pill recipes.

So, he was currently painstakingly researching methods to remove the different demon blood toxins in the Crimson Palace Pills.

Upon hearing a noise, the old man suddenly stood up, but instead of looking at the visitor, he hurriedly turned around and entered the room, leaving the door open as he eagerly leaned over the table, grabbing a sheet of paper and scribbling on it, before rushing to the backyard to fetch and weigh the herbs, embodying a state of "sudden inspiration, act when ready."

Song Yan did not disturb him and waited outside.

The Sword Sect respects teachers and their teachings.

Waiting for the teacher for a while is nothing.

However, Song Yan hadn't waited long before the voice of the Sword Master Kuye came from the backyard.

"Kid, bring in two pieces of the dried Manji Grass from outside!"

The sudden shout genuinely stunned Song Yan for a moment.

He quickly glanced at the drying rack in the Sword Master Kuye's yard and the more than thirty bamboo trays of drying herbs and fell into a brief contemplation.

He only had superficial information from Bai Xiuhu's mind, which did not include details such as whether he recognized Manji Grass...

If the Sword Master Kuye was testing him, taking the Manji Grass might lead to suspicion.

"Hurry up, kid, stop dawdling!"

The sword master urged again.

Song Yan's gaze quickly scanned over the bamboo trays, picking out two pieces of black medicinal materials resembling tree root pieces, and quickly walked into the room.

These years, he hadn't been idle either, reading many miscellaneous books, and he recognized Manji Grass.

He took a gamble on "a gentleman's openness."

If the Sword Master Kuye truly wanted to test him, he wouldn't do it this way.

Besides, if he claimed it was something he learned over the years, what would be odd about that?

He stepped into the backyard, a mixed scent of medicinal herbs and fierce flames hit him, seeing a medicine cauldron over half a zhang tall set up in the yard, with the wood under the cauldron not being ordinary timber.

"Cut three qian!" Sword Master Kuye, while flying high with sword control, tossed the herbs into the medicine cauldron, giving instructions.

Song Yan hurriedly took a knife from the side, calculating the weight as he cut slightly, measured it on the scale, adjusted a bit more, then quickly came to the medicine cauldron, presenting it with both hands.

Sword Master Kuye raised his hand, a gust of wind lifted the three qian of Manji Grass and scattered it into the cauldron.

With another flick of his sleeve, the cauldron lid whistled towards Song Yan with a terrifying "whoosh" sound.

Song Yan didn't move.

The lid flew past in front of him and landed on the cauldron.

Sword Master Kuye descended from the sky, muttering to himself: "Though Manji Grass is an ordinary herb, it can cure men's night terror losing energy. I've planted a lot in Profound Land soil, yet I don't know if it can be enhanced to resist Yin-evil invasion, dilute soul poison. If it can... that would be good, very good indeed."

When he stopped mumbling and turned to look at Song Yan, only then did Song Yan bow deeply and call out, "Teacher."

Sword Master Kuye said: "You stayed in Linwu City for a year, your mental realm was broken, and tainted, can you still come out of it?"

Song Yan said: "Disciple... wishes to try."

Sword Master Kuye said: "Can't control the sword? Can't use techniques?"

If he could control the sword, he wouldn't have rowed a boat to the island.

If he could use techniques, he wouldn't have had to give medicine just by hand.

Song Yan had long thought of a coping plan, at this moment he bowed his head hard to speak, eyes showing some struggle, and his arms hung down with fists clenched as he bit his teeth.

Seeing his appearance, Sword Master Kuye's voice showed no mercy, instead, it was even more stern: "If it weren't for you not disgracing my Sword Sect's name outside these six months, I would have killed you with one sword long ago.

Your conduct in Linwu City, how is it different from the Demon Sect?!!"

"Disciple knows his fault, willing to be punished."

Song Yan said.

Sword Master Kuye said: "Then how do you wish to be punished?"

Song Yan said: "Willing to be grounded to reflect and clean the island."

Sword Master Kuye said: "Now it is not only the Puppet Sect invading, but more is the northern evil Jianghu, you go help the Wang Family in the Southern Wu Jianghu."

"This..."

Song Yan was a bit dumbfounded.

His intention was to be punished, assigned to "some building or pavilion" to sweep the floor or something similar.

The colder, the more unnoticed the pavilion, the better, preferably a "Cold Palace" type place, for him to maintain cleanliness alone, or maybe with an almost "retired" old man, that would be just fine.

By then, he could establish a foothold there, understand the situation, survey the terrain, inspect situations, restrictions, mechanisms, the distribution of experts, and could begin plotting the heritage of the Nanwu Sword Sect.

In an era of peace, he simply wouldn't have the opportunity.

But now in such "seemingly calm, but outside long in shambles" wartime, anything was possible.

His "Granny Fox" shadow puppet though lacking in techniques, was at least of Middle Stage Crimson Palace Power, with an illusion technique no ordinary Crimson Palace Realm could perceive. If he truly had patience to lie low, plot for something, there was considerable hope.

The precondition though, was to settle down, with no one watching.

Now, he already said he wanted to "be confined," to "clean the island," yet Sword Master Kuye still wanted to send him out.

However, he did not resist or confront directly, attempting to rely on speechmanship to make Sword Master Kuye change his mind... he simply responded respectfully with "yes," then turned and left the place.

Indeed, relying solely on a status, it's hard to earn the trust of Sword Sect cultivators. Even if he trusts you, he still won't use you.

As he walked to the gate, about to leave, the voice of Sword Master Kuye finally came again from behind the door.

"You are too tainted by the worldly life, go train your heart, and when you've found it again, control the sword back."

Song Yan paused his steps, turned back to bow, and respectfully said, "Yes."

...

...

Gurgle gurgle gurgle...

At the Blood Pool end of the Demon Swamp, Song Yan filled a Jade Bottle with "Changwang Crocodile" Essence Blood.

In adulthood, such a demon beast could barely enter the Crimson Palace Realm, but most could only be counted as at the Refining Profound Level.

At this moment, the Changwang Crocodiles circled around, watching the unfamiliar human collecting the Essence Blood, each squinting but not approaching, only because another woman in a Profound Robe stood by his side.

That woman in Profound Robe had an aura that was inherently reverable and inherently submissive to them...

Song Yan filled up a bottle with the "Changwang Crocodile" blood.

This blood, for body recovery, might be quite good material for refining Crimson Palace Pills for the Three Kingdoms Human Race cultivators, yet for Song Yan, it only belonged to the category of "take it if available."

Speaking of whether he would use this blood, maybe not.

After using "Changwang Tiger Blood," "Night Candle Soul Worm Blood," such blood... already seemed inadequate.

After collecting, he directly tossed it into a Storage Bag.

The matter of Nanwu Sword Sect vexed him quite a bit.

Currently, his two shadow puppets outside, one was guarding that ancient teleportation array, the other had already begun helping the Wang Family at the Nanwu Sword Sect, guarding Jianghu.

Really just "things do not go as you wish, what you want, not so easy to have."

...

After collecting the "Changwang Crocodile" Essence Blood, Song Yan and Lady Ling returned to the Secret Realm.

After dining, just before entering the room to rest, a strand of "tentacle" emerged in the darkness.

The "tentacle" caressed to where Song Yan stood, dancing in a changing form.

Lady Ling laughed and said: "They all recognize you now."

Song Yan lifted a hand, a Night Candle Soul Worm landed on his fingertip, flapping its wings, baring fangs, its big eyes staring directly at his small ones.

Song Yan curiously asked: "Do they possess intelligence?"

Lady Ling replied: "They do not, but these insects are extremely sensitive to aura, and these soul worms are not only sensitive to aura, they are especially attuned to perceived Divine Souls."

"Is that so..."

Song Yan lifted his hand lightly, and the soul worm flapped its wings and flew away.