"Boy Yan, that Demon Poison Spot on your body is no ordinary technique. Even at my peak, it would take me a lot of effort to solve. You've got quite the big heart, not in a rush at all?"
Yao Lao's tone changed as he focused on the black mark on Yan Qingshan's body. Before leaving, Medusa had asked Yao Lao to check on Yan Qingshan's condition, and since Yao Lao still needed the help of the Jia Ma Empire's powerhouses, he naturally wouldn't refuse.
Yao Lao's spiritual energy spread into Yan Qingshan's body. When the energy passed through his heart and the center of his brows, his skin suddenly glowed with a pale green lotus-like pattern. As the pattern heated up, two pale green flames flickered in Yan Qingshan's eyes.
"You're not simple, kid!"
Yao Lao gave Yan Qingshan a meaningful look, as if he had discovered a secret. Yan Qingshan's expression remained calm, but he was highly vigilant. Although he believed Yao Lao wasn't a man without principles, the Heavenly Flame was something that was second only to life for an alchemist.
Yan Qingshan smiled faintly, "Yao Lao is joking. This junior is just a coward; without a backer, to live well, I have to keep a few more trump cards, just like how I haven't revealed all of them yet."
There was a hint of a strange emotion in Yao Lao's ancient voice. "Don't worry! I'm not interested in the belongings of a junior like you. I can solve this Demon Poison Spot.
I have two solutions. One is that I can completely resolve it, but you must let me work on it without resistance, and you must suppress the power hidden in your body. It will take about three days to completely destroy it.
As for the second, I will seal it inside your body, and you can slowly refine it yourself. This process is a bit slow and dangerous. After all, it is Dou Qi from a Dou Ancestor-level poison master, and it could easily backfire.
But since you possess that... you should be fine. It might even turn into a blessing in disguise. Your cultivation speed before Dou Ancestor will probably increase rapidly."
"Senior Yao Lao, I'll choose the second option."
Yan Qingshan naturally chose the second option. It would be a waste to directly destroy the essence of a Dou Ancestor's entire Dou Qi. Why wouldn't he keep it to use for himself?
"Good!"
After getting his answer, Yao Lao immediately took action. Streams of pale white flames entered Yan Qingshan's body, surrounding the Demon Poison Spot and forming a very profound seal. However, it didn't completely block its exit, only slowing down its efficiency of releasing poison.
"The original Demon Poison Spot would completely erupt after half a year, not giving you much time to refine it. Now with my seal, it can probably last for about ten years, which should be enough time for you to slowly refine it away."
Yao Lao's voice sounded a bit tired. It was clear that this task was not without its toll on him. Yan Qingshan flipped his storage ring and took out a bottle of Soul Nurturing Pill, throwing it to Xiao Yan. A Grade-5 medicinal pill was not enough to hire a Dou Venerate powerhouse, but it depended on the situation.
Both Xiao Yan and Yao Lao's eyes showed satisfaction. Although the Soul Nurturing Pill was only a Grade-5 medicinal pill, its ingredients were difficult to collect. It was only easier in the Black Corner Region, a hub for selling stolen goods in the Northwest Continent. However, this was what Yao Lao needed most right now.
Although Yao Lao's soul body had recovered, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't be harmed sometime in the future. At this moment, having a bottle of Soul Nurturing Pill was a life-saving item.
"Senior Yao Lao, I've heard that for an alchemist to break through to the high-grade realm, there is a method for cultivating the soul. I wonder if you have any..."
Yan Qingshan felt the situation inside his body and then stroked his chin as he looked at Yao Lao. He was now a Grade-6 alchemist, and it was time to consider the high-grade alchemist realm.
On the Dou Qi Continent, soul realms are divided into four major stages: Mortal, Soul, Heaven, and Di. All alchemists below Grade-8 are in the Mortal Realm. Grade-8 is Soul, and Grade-9 is Heavenly. As for the Di Realm soul, only those few peak Grade-9 Dou Saints have reached it, also known as half-Saint.
Although Yan Qingshan was still far from the Grade-8 Spirit Realm, a Grade-6 alchemist had at least gotten close to the edge. Of course, he had to plan for the future. Having read the original work, he knew that without cultivating a Soul Technique, breaking through to the Soul Realm would be extremely difficult!
"Kid, how do you know so many things? But, no, I don't!"
Yao Lao looked at Yan Qingshan in surprise, his eyes full of shock, then shook his head, "I naturally cultivate a Soul Technique myself, but this is a family legacy. Even if I was expelled from my clan, I can't leak it.
Back when I made a name for myself, I was training... I thought about looking for a Soul Technique. But who knew, that treacherous disciple actually..."
When Yao Lao reached the end of his sentence, the pale white flames suddenly flared up. It was clear that he had put a lot of thought into Han Feng's growth and was preparing to find a Soul Technique for him when he was betrayed and ambushed. This matter must have broken his heart.
"Yao Lao, since you're in a bad mood, I'll take my leave first, haha!"
Yan Qingshan had no interest in continuing to chat with the old man. With a faint smile that didn't hide his awkwardness, he clasped his hands and decisively left. This left Xiao Yan feeling a deep sense of malice. As a disciple, he couldn't leave and could only listen to Yao Lao's constant talking.
"Master, are you... feeling better?"
After a long time, Yao Lao seemed tired from talking and stopped his almost cathartic roar. Xiao Yan, looking exhausted as if he had just been through a great battle, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and forced a smile.
Yao Lao shook his head. After venting, he felt much better. "It's nothing, Xiao Yan. You're too honest. Look how shrewd that brat is."
"It's nothing, it's nothing..."
Xiao Yan wiped his sweat and spoke, a flurry of curses in his heart. If he wasn't Yao Lao's disciple, he would have run away long ago. Given Yao Lao's furious roar and the rampaging Bone Chilling Flame just now, staying there was extremely dangerous!
Xiao Yan smiled and then spoke again, "Oh, right, Master, you and Yan Qingshan were talking about soul cultivation methods. Is there really such a thing?"
Yao Lao narrowed his old eyes and said in a deep voice, "Soul cultivation methods, also known as Soul Techniques, were already quite rare even in the ancient times when Dou Qi was prosperous. They are also divided into four tiers: Tian, Di, Xuan, and Huang. Nowadays, only a few top-tier powers on the continent still have them.
Compared to other cultivation methods and Dou Techniques, which have a relatively smooth lineage, soul-attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques are extremely rare. Even Huang-tier ones are quite uncommon. I've only seen Xuan-tier ones in top powers like the Pill Tower. Di-tier ones are probably only held by those ancient clans.
As for Tian-tier soul-attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques, they likely don't exist, or they've been lost. But you can't be sure. The Hall of Souls' various bizarre attack methods seem to be a type of these techniques.
This kid Yan's soul realm is also quite high. He should have a talent in this area similar to yours, which is why he's asking about it. But I didn't get a chance to collect a new Soul Technique back then.
However, I still have some connections in the Pill Tower. In the future, you won't have to worry about this issue."
Yan Qingshan naturally didn't know about the conversation between Yao Lao and Xiao Yan afterward, and he wouldn't care even if he did. It was within his expectations that Yao Lao didn't have one on hand, or had one but wouldn't teach it.
Before Xiao Yan, Yao Lao had only one disciple, Han Feng, whom he raised from a young age and would naturally cultivate meticulously. Han Feng's talent in the alchemist path shouldn't be weak, but after so many years, Han Feng was still a Grade-6 alchemist, which meant he hadn't cultivated a Soul Technique at all.
The only reason Han Feng didn't have a Soul Technique was that Yao Lao didn't teach him. Why didn't Yao Lao teach him? Was there no time? The more likely possibility was that he didn't have one or couldn't teach it. Given his background from the Yao Clan, the second possibility might be the truth.
Although Yao Lao was expelled from the Yao Clan, he still knew some of their cultivation methods and Dou Techniques. It was fine for him to use these things himself, but he definitely couldn't leak them without permission.
…
By the time Yan Qingshan returned to Black Mountain Fortress, everything was almost settled. Medusa had led the Snake-People tribe's powerhouses to the Mu Lan Empire, Yun Shan had led the Misty Cloud Sect to sweep through the Luo Yan Sect, and the Jia Ma Royal Family was even more direct, sending their army to completely destroy the Chu Yun Empire.
The strongholds of this area of the Northwest Continent were already captivating, but the outcome was even more shocking. The Jia Ma Empire's side had three Dou Ancestors appear one after another, completely annihilating the powerhouses from the three empires who had come to participate.
This kind of action seemed a bit dishonest, with a hint of ambush, but to the victor go the spoils. With three Dou Ancestor powerhouses, the Jia Ma Empire was an extremely powerful existence among the second-rate powers in the Northwest Continent. In this region, no one could stop them except for the Black Corner Region.
The victory was written by the winner. The Jia Ma Empire gambled and won, annihilating the three empires' powerhouses in one battle. In this situation, any accusations were meaningless compared to the concrete victory. Complaining for the losers was completely pointless.
Spies from the surrounding countries and powers were now desperately trying to rush back to report the important firsthand information to their leaders. But to maximize their interests, the Jia Ma Empire's side would certainly not allow them to leave. Thus, there were constant conflicts in Black Mountain Fortress.
"Black Mountain Fortress is sealed for a month. Everyone within a hundred miles, come back to me. If you want to die, you can leave."
Yan Qingshan directly manifested what seemed to be an Azure Dragon above Black Mountain Fortress. The powerful aura made many people with ill intentions tremble in fear. As he quickly flew dozens of miles and killed a few people, the rest didn't dare to cause trouble and accepted the control of Black Mountain Fortress.
"Princess Yao Ye, I didn't expect you to personally manage Black Mountain Fortress."
After landing, Yan Qingshan met the current administrator of Black Mountain Fortress on the city wall. He was a bit surprised to see that it was the royal family's Princess Yao Ye.
Yao Ye's beautiful eyes lit up when she saw Yan Qingshan, and her slender curves unconsciously stood out. "As a member of the royal family, Yao Ye naturally has to play my part at this time. Although I can't kill enemies with the army, stabilizing the situation here at Black Mountain Fortress is also good."