An indescribably strange sensation welled up in his heart.
Yangmei was known for its sweet-and-sour taste. This particular fruit in his hand amplified that flavor to the extreme—sweetness wrapped in sourness, sourness enveloped in sweetness. The taste cycled endlessly between the two, like an eternal cycle, filling every taste bud, invading the mind, and lingering in the soul. All 108,000 pores on his body instinctively opened wide.
It was pure bliss.
Not only did it soothe body and soul, but even the Gourmet Cells within his body became wildly excited, devouring the ambient Heaven and Earth energy and fusing it bit by bit into his flesh and blood. His physical strength naturally began to increase. The density of his muscles, bones, and flesh began to rise unconsciously. At the same time, the power contained within his flesh surged, his blood essence roared, and his flesh cells naturally began to divide.
Had Yi Tianxing not been suppressing it, his body would visibly be growing inch by inch—his physique expanding.
The larger the body, the more power it could store—an unchanging truth.
Generally speaking, a human body cultivator, after completing the First Turn—known as the Black Cauldron Realm—would have their flesh, bones, and meridians refined to the limit. This was the peak condition the body could naturally achieve, essentially reaching perfection. This stage represented the innate physical limit, a wall formed by one's inborn physique—a transformation from postnatal to prenatal form.
To advance further required special methods to reforge the body, causing a qualitative leap through accumulation. This transformation often led to the formation of various battle physiques. Naturally, allowing the body to increase in size was one of the most effective approaches.
Without intentional suppression, one's body would grow proportionally with their physical cultivation. The physique could reach towering heights like a giant.
Of course, this physical expansion could be fully controlled.
It wouldn't impact normal life.
One could maintain the form of an ordinary person at will or unleash a massive physique akin to Heavenly Law Manifestation. But unlike the illusory nature of such manifested bodies, this one was entirely real and substantial, possessing terrifying defense and astonishing destructive power.
Thus, upon reaching the White Cauldron Realm, each completed chime would cause the physical body to surge in power.
These forged cauldrons were essentially one's physical Dao Fruits. By fusing them into the body, one could cause explosive increases in physical strength. When not in use, the cauldrons would store qi and blood internally and restrain the aura. Body cultivation was, in essence, forging cauldrons.
After eating the yangmei, Yi Tianxing's physical strength surged naturally.
Ten jin!A hundred jin!A hundred and thirty jin!
Though the increase wasn't drastic, it was steady—he could clearly feel his strength rising, an addictive sensation. Especially after the refinement by the Food Cauldron Life Aperture, his body had grown even stronger.
His physical strength had now reached over 180,000 jin, just a step away from 190,000, and 200,000 jin wasn't far off.
One could even see a snow-white White Cauldron weaving through his flesh, faintly visible, still incomplete in its condensation.
Important Element Highlighted:
Gourmet Cells (美食细胞)
Food Cauldron Life Aperture (食鼎命窍)
White Cauldron Realm, Cauldron Forging as body cultivation
Physical Dao Fruits (肉身道果)
"Such a divine fruit."
Without hesitation, Yi Tianxing finished one and immediately picked a second, then a third.
The tree bore an abundance of yangmei, its branches dense with fruit—by rough estimate, likely tens of thousands.
"Harvest them all. Everyone gets a share," Yi Tianxing ordered.
"Many thanks, Lord!"
The surrounding soldiers, who had already been drooling at the sight, responded with joy.
The yangmei were quickly picked and distributed. Though each person only got one, everyone held theirs with excitement and placed it into their mouths. As they tasted the mystical flavor, expressions of bliss bloomed across their faces.
"This is amazing. I've never eaten such delicious yangmei before!" cried Wang Dahu.
"There's spiritual energy in this. Refining it helps with cultivation, but compared to the taste, the energy is almost negligible," said Jia Xu between bites.
Indeed, the yangmei were spirit fruits, containing spiritual energy—but not enough to drastically boost cultivation. At best, it provided modest assistance—far less than what cultivating with crystal stones or Eternal Coins could achieve.
"This tree is mine."
Looking at the now barren tree, Yi Tianxing made a swift decision. Naturally, a tree like this had to be taken.
With a single order, soldiers immediately began carefully excavating the area with shovels, avoiding damage to the roots. With their cultivator strength, they worked quickly. Soon, the entire root system was exposed.
Yi Tianxing stepped forward, touched the tree—and in a flash, the massive yangmei tree vanished.
The next moment, it appeared in the Dantian Life Aperture, planted into a spiritual field, where the ambient spiritual energy quickly revitalized the somewhat-wilted tree. It glowed with new life.
Faint signs of blooming could already be seen.
Important Element Highlighted:
Dantian Life Aperture's spiritual field (丹田命窍的灵田)
"What an opportunity. What a foundation," the old beggar commented, eyes gleaming with interest.
He said no more, simply leaned against a corner and fell asleep.
"We should rest as well. A bloody battle awaits tomorrow," Yi Tianxing said with a deep breath.
Night passed without incident. Clearly, the assassins and killers had been scared witless by the old beggar's strange line: "Come into the bowl." It haunted their minds like a nightmare, no one dared approach.
This wasn't a battle—it was unexplained death, drawn into some mystical bowl. Such a death was unbearable.
Fear kept the enemy at bay that night.
Yi Tianxing's group passed the night in peace, without incident.
"The old beggar's gone," Jia Xu reported the next morning.
Indeed, the spot where the beggar had slept was empty. No one had noticed when he left.
"He's a true eccentric. The wilderness is full of such people—surviving out here requires divine abilities. Every one of them is unique," Yi Tianxing remarked without surprise.
Such people were always unpredictable.
"Eat up—we depart soon," he added after checking the sky, still gloomy with signs of a storm brewing.
The troops efficiently ate their breakfast in silence, then checked their weapons, adjusting their mind, body, and energy to their peak state.
"Form ranks!"
"March!"
The army advanced in perfect formation, swords and blades drawn, vigilant of their surroundings.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Their synchronized steps echoed across the wilderness, emanating invisible pressure.
In the skies, the clouds shifted ominously.
Suddenly, droplets of rain began to fall—at first lightly, then intensifying.
The army didn't halt. With cultivators' bodies, mere rain was no issue. Even wet clothes could be dried with true qi.
They marched in the rain for half an hour.
The rain grew heavier, each drop as large as a bean.
No one noticed that the clouds above had turned a strange green hue. The raindrops themselves bore a faint green tint, almost imperceptible. As they landed, they began seeping into flesh.
"Something's wrong. The rain is poisonous! Everyone—activate your protective qi barrier! Don't let a single drop touch you!" Yi Tianxing barked.
He had noticed the moment a raindrop hit his arm. With his acute control over his body, he immediately sensed a strange toxin trying to burrow into his flesh. This was no ordinary rain—it was Poison Rain.
Important/New Element Highlighted:
Poison Rain (毒雨)
"The rain's toxic—some alien race must've seeded the clouds with poison. The toxins descend with the rain, killing silently," Jia Xu warned, eyes narrowing as he spotted the green miasma in the sky.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
Soldiers activated their techniques, forming protective qi barriers. The poisonous raindrops struck the barriers and sizzled violently—the toxins corrosive, eating away at the barriers. True qi consumption spiked instantly.
Howl!
Suddenly, fierce winds swept across the sky, stirring clouds and rain together. The wind fueled the rainstorm, making the Poison Rain fall in torrents.
The raindrops hissed as they struck the earth, releasing black smoke. Trees withered instantly, the scene one of terrifying desolation. After this, nothing would grow again.
The toxin was too potent.
"Water and fire are ruthless. With poison added in, it's even worse. We must disperse the poison clouds—or the army won't last long," said Ye Zhiqiu gravely. Even qi barriers wouldn't hold long under such intense toxin; once true qi ran dry, exposure would be deadly.
"Hmph. Do they think I'm just a sick cat?"
Yi Tianxing stared at the poison clouds, sneering. He raised one hand and gripped the air.
With a commanding voice, he roared:
"All the waters of Heaven and Earth—fall under my command!"