200: Top-grade Essence Pill

When Zhang Sheng returned to the Huafu, he was already pondering the idea of the star bead.

Finally, an idea popped into his head:

Use the star bead as a Yao Beast breeding ground!

Although there was no Spiritual Qi inside the star bead, Zhang Sheng had plenty of spirit crystals at hand, so temporarily feeding a batch of Yao Beasts was not a problem at all.

Cracked Skin, the leader of the Earth-Splitting Rock Centipede, along with several of its clansmen, and Wing Heaven, the Swift Dragon, were all shoved into the star bead by Zhang Sheng.

He also passed on the secret method for cultivating the Ant Queen to Cracked Skin, tasking it with this project inside the star bead.

Later, when Zhang Sheng's Divine Sense once again probed the star bead, he was pleasantly surprised to find several ant-beasts, whose forms were already somewhat humanoid, had hatched, though they were still far from adulthood.

This day, Cracked Skin led three Divine Breath Realm Earth-Splitting Rock Centipede subordinates, appearing with a rumble in Zhang Sheng's palace.

Their massive bodies almost burst the entire great hall, their carapaces scraping against the floor and walls, emitting dull sounds, and the space instantly became cramped and oppressive.

"Master, you summoned?" Cracked Skin respectfully lowered its head, its aura already approaching the Divine Breath Realm Peak.

Zhang Sheng quickly waved his hand, his voice rising a few octaves: "Leave one! Hurry, the rest go back!"

If they stayed a second longer, he feared the great hall would crack.

After a clumsy repositioning, the great hall finally regained its spaciousness.

Zhang Sheng finally let out a sigh of relief, flicking his fingertip, and a Low Grade essence pill transformed into a streak of light, accurately flying towards the remaining Earth-Splitting Rock Centipede. "Swallow it!" The command was crisp and clear.

"Yes, sir!" The rock centipede dared not delay, opening its massive mouth and sucking in the Medicinal Pill.

The Medicinal Pill entered its belly and instantly erupted!

The vast and scorching Qi and blood essence, like a burst dam, wildly surged and crashed within the rock centipede's massive body, permeating every inch of its carapace and every sinew.

Zhang Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly, his Spirit Eye activated, and his Divine Sense was tightly locked on, not missing any subtle change.

Although Cracked Skin dared not speak, the rich and peculiar aroma emanating from the Medicinal Pill caused its throat to involuntarily roll, and saliva almost drooled out.

Its instincts screamed: Good stuff! Absolutely a great tonic treasure!

The rock centipede that swallowed the pill, its rough dark brown carapace visibly flushed an abnormal crimson, and its body trembled slightly, as if enduring a huge energy impact.

After a long while, the red light gradually stabilized and became contained.

Zhang Sheng clearly perceived that this rock centipede, which was originally only in the Early Stage of the Divine Breath Realm, had its aura significantly strengthened, even carrying a hint of ferocity.

"How do you feel?" Zhang Sheng asked.

"Great! Thoroughly great!" The rock centipede's eyes flashed with intoxicated light, its voice filled with excitement,

"Sir, the Qi and blood essence released by this Medicinal Pill is too overbearing; for me, it's simply a heaven-sent treasure!"

The effect met expectations, and Zhang Sheng was satisfied.

He casually took out a storage ring, which contained the Low Grade and Medium Grade essence pills he had previously refined, and threw it to Cracked Skin.

"Cracked Skin, do well. As long as the Ant Queen is cultivated properly, you won't lack benefits in the future."

Cracked Skin took the storage ring, so excited that its carapace trembled slightly:

"Master, rest assured! Your subordinate will Cultivate the Ant Queen as quickly as possible, even if it costs my life!"

These essence pills were different from the simplified versions circulating on the market; they contained his greatest secret, so Zhang Sheng could only keep them for internal use.

Fortunately, the star bead formed its own Small World internally, so Cracked Skin taking the storage ring back was completely fine.

The storage ring given to it was also filled with mountain-like piles of desolate beast flesh and blood, enough for it to Cultivate its clan and hatch ant-beasts.

Next, Zhang Sheng summoned Wing Heaven and also gave it a storage ring containing flesh and blood and essence pills.

As for the Black Fin Bloodthirsty Pomfret, Hei Sha's clan? Zhang Sheng didn't even consider putting them in the star bead—their potential was too low, not worth investing resources.

After confirming the effect of the essence pill on the Earth-Splitting Rock Centipede, Zhang Sheng confidently took out a supreme-grade essence pill and put it into his mouth.

The Medicinal Pill entered his belly, and a gentle yet irresistible warm current instantly burst forth, like countless warm streams, gently and firmly washing over his five zang organs, six fu organs, and four limbs and hundred bones!

The crimson heart palace, one of the three palaces of the human body—the sole location of the heart—its vast sea of Qi and blood suddenly churned.

The immense Qi and blood essence transformed by the essence pill, like a sky full of crimson spirit rain, condensed and dripped from the huge dome of the crimson heart palace, silently merging into the sea of Qi and blood below.

Rumble... The surface of the sea was expanding!

The invisible boundary of the crimson heart palace also extended outwards by a thread!

The crimson heart palace governs the 'essence' of a Cultivator's vital Qi, spirit, and mind!

"essence pill... lives up to its name!" Zhang Sheng was shocked in his heart,

"It can not only replenish Qi and blood essence, but also directly temper and strengthen the Origin of the human body's 'essence'!"

“Whereas those simplified versions on the market only dare to mention 'replenishing Qi and blood,' without the true core function...”

"So that's how it is..." Zhang Sheng's eyes sharpened,

"Those who possess the complete Pill Formula simply don't want this true 'essence pill' to appear in the world, only wishing to profit from simplified versions.

They would never have thought that I could deduce the complete formula through my Talent!"

"Not a single one of these Medicinal Pills can be allowed to flow out! Otherwise, it will surely be a monstrous calamity!"

To verify his conjecture, Zhang Sheng began refining a batch of simplified essence pills.

With his mastery of the complete version, refining the simplified version was like building from a commanding height, a natural progression.

The first batch directly produced supreme-grade!

After consuming it... the medicinal effect was at most one-tenth of the original, and the miraculous power that could nourish the crimson heart palace and temper the Origin of 'essence' was completely gone.

"Indeed!" Zhang Sheng understood in his heart.

The Qi and blood essence contained in one supreme-grade essence pill was enough to rival ten thousand blood essence pills.

Finally, he no longer had to swallow blood essence pills like candy.

He didn't stop, refining more than a dozen batches of supreme-grade essence pills before resting.

Because seven days had passed, it was time to Undergo Tribulation for the sixth tribulation of the Nine Tribulations Secret Codex - Divine Breath Chapter!

For safety reasons, Zhang Sheng decided to return to his residence in Qinglan Academy to do so.

For this tribulation, he chose the Lightning Spiritual Qi Tribulation, and his reliance for Undergoing Tribulation was the second-tier Spell, Lightning Light Arrow, which he had already Cultivated to Perfected State!

With the abundant Qi and blood support provided by the supreme-grade essence pill, this tribulation process was astonishingly fast.

The violent Lightning Light Arrow tore through his Physical Body, then rapidly Rebirth under the operation of the Nine Tribulations Secret Codex. The entire process took only ten minutes!

After the Lightning Tribulation, Zhang Sheng's perception of the world's lightning Spiritual Qi became several times sharper, and the power of his lightning breath Spells surged even more.

He set off for the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall, preparing to replenish the medicinal ingredients needed to refine essence pills.

As soon as he stepped through the familiar doors of the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall, a teasing voice rang out:

"Yo, Zhang Sheng, kid, back again? Have you figured out anything fancy from that Starfall Art Jade Slip yet? If you really can't crack it, this old man will be charitable and buy it back for five thousand merit points, so you lose a little less."

If you really can't crack it, this old man will be charitable and buy it back for five thousand merit points, so you lose a little less?"

Old man Song Huan leaned behind the counter, smiling as he looked at him.

"Senior Song is joking," Zhang Sheng said calmly, "Junior still wants to try; it's too early to give up now."

"Heh, you kid!" Song Huan shook his head, his white beard trembling along,

"In these past few hundred years, many young fellows like you, who didn't believe in evil, bought that Jade Slip from me, only to later cry and beg me to buy it back. Listen to this old man's advice, don't waste too much time on it."

“Listen to this old man’s advice, don’t waste too much time on it.”

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior, Junior has noted it." Zhang Sheng nodded slightly, then changed the subject, "I'm here today to purchase some medicinal ingredients."

Song Huan took the list Zhang Sheng handed him and glanced at it: "How's your essence pill refining coming along? This stuff isn't easy to make; the mission hall doesn't even look at Low Grade or Medium Grade, they only want High Grade and supreme-grade."

"Junior only refines some for personal use," Zhang Sheng said indifferently. "When my skills improve in the future, I'll consider exchanging them for merit points."

“Junior only refines some for personal use,” Zhang Sheng said indifferently. “When my skills improve in the future, I’ll consider exchanging them for merit points.”

As he spoke, Song Huan deftly organized the simplified essence pill medicinal ingredients Zhang Sheng needed; he had already purchased all other Spiritual Plants from the trade association.

Returning to his residence in Qinglan Academy, Zhang Sheng immediately immersed himself in Cultivating first-tier Spells that had not yet reached the True Intent Realm.

Two days later, Wood Prison Cage successfully broke through to True Intent First Layer!

Four days later, Fireball Technique's flames surged, entering the True Intent Realm!

Seven days later, Freeze Technique's cold glow became contained, also advancing to True Intent First Layer!

Zhang Sheng did not stop, immediately beginning to Undergo Tribulation for the seventh tribulation of the Nine Tribulations Secret Codex - Divine Breath Chapter—the Light Spiritual Power Tribulation.

The Undergoing Tribulation Spell he chose was the second-tier light-element Spell, Flowing Light Arrow, which was also at Perfected State.

Just as Zhang Sheng successfully passed the seventh tribulation, and the halo around him had not completely dissipated, an old acquaintance entered Qinglan Academy.