Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Huangji Spirit Raising Pill

Back mountain of the Lin Family.

Lin Zhao found what she had been searching for.

Within her inner palace, a faint mist drifted—thin, pale, alive. Her eyes lit up.

So it was true.

This was the product of sword aura and spiritual energy fusing—the unique attack method of the Hong Hu sword art: Hong Hu sword light.

Lin Zhao held her breath and guided that thread of sword light through her meridians.

Warmth spread through her body like a slow fire.

Then the pain hit.

Searing agony tore through her meridians as the sword light forced open blockages that had resisted years of cultivation. The opened channels drank greedily from the world, drawing in spiritual energy in hungry, violent streams.

Any ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator would have been stunned.

But Lin Zhao had spent years without a technique, relying only on her foundation as she threw herself into secret realms and crawled back out alive. Even Granny had praised that foundation.

Lin Zhao clenched her teeth and drove the sword light through her entire body as if pain were irrelevant.

Meridians expanded by force.

Spiritual energy roared.

A cold gleam flashed in her eyes.

“I refuse to believe I can’t break through this first level,” she said, voice hoarse.

She began circulating the Phoenix Pulse Art without hesitation.

The technique fought to regulate the violent spiritual energy inside her. Each rotation was a struggle, a grind, a burning resistance that made thin lines of blood bead on her skin.

Lin Zhao bit down hard, eyes bright with stubborn fury.

If she wanted Yao Chi Sacred Land to stop targeting the Lin Family, she could not fall here.

Chen Little Yan’s visit had made one thing clear: Shen Yu Han clung to Chen Luo Luo, yet still didn’t want to let go of Lin Zhao.

It disgusted her.

Even more disgusting was Yao Chi’s willingness to crush others with power.

The Lin Family couldn’t withstand Yao Chi. It was cruel, but this world was cruel—strength ruled.

If she wanted to stand above the blade, she needed a higher sky.

South Sea Academy.

Once she entered, even Yao Chi wouldn’t dare storm the academy to seize her.

Then, in everyone’s eyes, it wouldn’t be Lin Zhao unworthy of Shen Yu Han.

It would be Shen Yu Han blind enough to miss her.

For the Lin Family. For herself.

“I want to see whether you can really sever my meridians,” Lin Zhao whispered, swallowing down the metallic sweetness and hardening her resolve.

Stars turned.

Clouds drifted.

A whole night slipped away in bitter cultivation.

When the first morning sunlight fell into her bloodshot eyes, pale green spiritual energy erupted around her.

At the same time, an aged voice sighed with satisfaction.

“You’re better than I expected, girl,” Granny said, floating before her.

Lin Zhao wiped blood from her lips. Her clothes were soaked through, yet her body felt strangely warm, alive with new circulation.

She ran the Phoenix Pulse Art again and felt the difference immediately.

“I reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment?” she asked, almost disbelieving.

Granny circled her once, approving. “As your master, I congratulate you. You’ve entered the first level of the Phoenix Pulse Art—late Foundation Establishment.”

Relief loosened Lin Zhao’s shoulders. “Master,” she said, voice eager despite her exhaustion, “can you tell me now how to reach Foundation Establishment perfection within a month?”

Granny burst into laughter. “If you weren’t this capable, Granny wouldn’t be sure. But you’re promising—late Foundation Establishment in less than three days.” Its tiny eyes gleamed. “Girl, do you want to learn pill refining?”

Lin Zhao froze, then frowned. “I have talent?”

Across two lives, no one had ever told her that.

Granny nodded. “Your old master wanted to keep you because he saw your pill refining talent. But in his hands, it would have been wasted.”

Lin Zhao’s pupils tightened. In her first life, Yun Ding had never once mentioned it. Not once.

Her fingers curled into a fist.

“Looks like I have one more reason I must kill him,” she said quietly.

Granny huffed, satisfied at the murderous edge.

“Your spiritual roots are fire-wood dual roots—fire dominant, wood assisting. You’re a natural healer seedling.” Granny’s tone shifted into instruction. “There aren’t many pills suitable for your breakthrough that won’t leave pill poison. But you’re lucky. Granny has one: the Huangji Spirit Raising Pill.”

Lin Zhao’s heart jumped. “Spirit Raising Pill?” she repeated, eyes sharpening.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator could advance one level with a single Spirit Raising Pill, and one person could only take three in a lifetime. It was the dream of countless cultivators.

On Mount Yun Ding, she had once earned a few as rewards—only to have every single one taken away by junior brothers and Chen Luo Luo with a parade of excuses.

But Huangji Spirit Raising Pill?

She’d never heard of it.

Granny nodded. “Most pills leave pill poison inside a cultivator, making cultivation unstable and future breakthroughs difficult. High-grade pills reduce that, but they’re rare.”

It lifted its tiny chin proudly.

“But the Huangji Spirit Raising Pill—if you carry Phoenix Fortune, you take it with no pill poison left behind.”

Lin Zhao’s breath caught.

A Foundation Establishment breakthrough pill with no pill poison at all—if word got out, it would shake the entire cultivation world.

Granny clearly enjoyed her shock.

“That’s only for someone carrying Phoenix Fortune,” Granny said. “If the Phoenix Fortune is strong enough, the pill also gains extra effects. And with your Phoenix Pulse Art, that technique is the best way to refine the medicinal power.”

Lin Zhao’s fingers itched.

She held out her hand. “Then hurry and give me three pills, Master. Let me reach Foundation Establishment perfection.”

Granny laughed, then scolded. “You think Granny is a god who can conjure them instantly?”

A slip of paper fluttered down into Lin Zhao’s palm.

“Go prepare the herbs,” Granny said briskly.

Lin Zhao scanned the list. Most ingredients were within her reach as the Lin Family’s Young Lord.

Then her gaze paused.

“One thing—there must be a third-rank spirit beast spirit core,” Granny added, “and it must come from a spirit beast with phoenix bloodline.”

Lin Zhao frowned. “A third-rank spirit beast with phoenix bloodline…” She lifted her eyes. “Spirit beasts with phoenix bloodline have inheritances. They won’t be easy to find.”

Granny rolled its eyes. “All birds under heaven are phoenix descendants. What’s hard to find?”

Lin Zhao exhaled, relieved. “I thought you meant a true Qingluan or something.”

Granny’s beak twitched. “Qingluan? You really dare to dream. A direct phoenix descendant is born at Golden Core. Where would you find one this weak?”

Lin Zhao rubbed her nose. “That strong?”

“What’s so strange?” Granny said, voice drifting into something distant. “In ancient times, plenty of the Heavenly Phoenix clan were born Nascent Soul…”

It paused, then continued, almost casually, as if revealing a world in passing.

“Little girl, this continent is vast. The planes the Ancestral Phoenix built atop it aren’t the only ones. There’s even the highest-level plane created by the Five Gods. When you’re strong enough, you’ll discover the cultivation world is dazzling.”