Chapter 55: A Trembling Heart

Improving a mature pill to further enhance its efficacy is an extremely difficult task.

Ye Hang, already a初级大丹师, could not even improve the efficacy of the Yuan Qi Dan, which shows how difficult it is.

As for inventing a new first-grade pill with several times the efficacy of the Yuan Qi Dan, that is simply a fantasy; otherwise, how could the Ju Yuan Dan of Drunken Star Pavilion put such immense pressure on Ye Hang?

Yet now, this fantasy had actually come true, and the shock in Ye Hang's heart was unimaginable.

In the decades since Ye Hang embarked on the path of alchemy, he had never heard of a first-grade pill with several times the efficacy of the Yuan Qi Dan.

But Ye Yuan said that the so-called Explosive Yuan Dan had such miraculous effects!

Ye Hang was now extremely conflicted. Reason told him this was definitely a lie, yet the one telling the lie was his son. Should he believe it or not?

Taking a deep breath, Ye Hang spoke somewhat bitterly: "Yuan'er, you're not joking with your father, are you?"

Ye Yuan, however, smiled and said: "Father, why not try it yourself and find out?"

Ye Hang stood up abruptly, grabbed Ye Yuan, and said: "What are we waiting for? Let's go to the alchemy room!"

"Father, don't rush. I have something else to tell you," Ye Yuan said, not moving.

"Ah, we can talk about that later. Refining the Explosive Yuan Dan is the top priority," Ye Hang said, clearly impatient.

With the life-and-death of the Medicine Fragrance Pavilion at stake, Ye Hang appeared calm on the surface, but no one could match the anxiety in his heart.

The Medicine Fragrance Pavilion was the work of his lifetime. Even with the most open-minded disposition, he could not bear to see it collapse overnight like a tree falling and the monkeys scattering.

However, Ye Yuan was not anxious at all. He pulled his father back to sit down and said with a smile: "The Explosive Yuan Dan is just a small matter. My master passed down countless pill formulas to me. What I'm about to say next is the real point. Father, please be patient."

Ye Hang was a bit bewildered: "What could be more important than saving the Medicine Fragrance Pavilion? Alright, alright, go ahead. I'm listening."

Ye Yuan sat back down and said solemnly: "My master taught me many things in my dreams, but I want to tell you about two techniques. One is called the 'Ling Zhe Nine Yang Divine Art,' and the other is the 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art.' Father can switch to these two techniques in the future. I believe that even the Youyun Sect will be nothing but a minor sect to you."

Hearing the names of the two techniques, Ye Hang was startled, and this time the shock in his heart was even greater than when he heard about the Explosive Yuan Dan.

"The 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art'? Is it a technique for cultivating soul power?" Ye Hang's voice trembled, clearly very excited.

Ye Hang did not know what the 'Ling Zhe Nine Yang Divine Art' was, but the name 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art' immediately made him think of a soul cultivation technique.

In a place like the Qin Kingdom, the preciousness of a soul cultivation technique was beyond words.

Even the lowest-grade soul cultivation technique, once revealed, could stir up a bloody storm and could not be measured by gold or silver.

For martial artists, yuan force techniques were everywhere, only differing in quality, but soul cultivation techniques were so rare as to be appalling!

Compared to yuan force, the soul was more ethereal and mysterious, and creating a soul cultivation technique was harder than reaching the heavens!

Throughout history, only those great beings who had reached extremely high levels in soul cultivation and had profound insights into the soul could possibly create their own soul cultivation techniques.

The number of soul cultivation techniques was probably less than one hundred-thousandth of that of yuan force techniques, and their rarity was thus evident.

However, the preciousness of soul cultivation techniques was not reflected in enhancing a martial artist's strength. In fact, a powerful soul had very limited effect on improving a martial artist's combat power.

The terrifying aspect of soul cultivation techniques was that they could produce a large number of alchemists! And what did alchemists mean? They meant an endless supply of pills, meaning a sect could rapidly increase its strength!

Imagine if a sect had a large number of martial artists at the peak of the Liquid Realm, but they were unable to break through due to talent limitations.

Just then, the sect's alchemist obtained a soul cultivation technique, advanced by leaps and bounds, and refined pills that could help Liquid Realm martial artists break through to the next realm. How terrifying would that be?

Alchemy was a profession with a very low entry barrier but extremely difficult advancement.

The low entry barrier was because a one-star alchemist, i.e., an alchemy apprentice, had very low soul power requirements, which could be met by a Yuan Qi Realm martial artist.

However, the step from alchemy apprentice to alchemist was a major hurdle, because starting from second-grade pills, the soul power requirement for alchemists increased dramatically!

This soul power threshold blocked countless potential alchemists at the door!

Every time a martial artist advanced to a major realm, their soul would be nourished by the world's yuan force and thus greatly enhanced, but this enhancement could not keep up with the increasing soul power demands of alchemists.

Feng Zhirou had long been a高级丹徒 and had also broken through to the Liquid Realm, but she had yet to become an alchemist precisely because of insufficient soul power.

Now, with a soul cultivation technique placed before him, how could Ye Hang not be excited?

Ye Hang had remained a初级大丹师 for several years, unable to break through due to insufficient soul power.

With the 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art,' it was only a matter of time before Ye Hang advanced to中级大丹师!

Ye Yuan was right; compared to this 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art,' the Explosive Yuan Dan was insignificant.

Even if he was now being beaten by Wan Donghai without any power to fight back, with this 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art,' overturning Drunken Star Pavilion in the future would be as easy as turning his hand.

"That's right, the 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art' is indeed a soul cultivation technique," Ye Yuan gave his father a confirming look.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! With this 'Thousand Derivative Soul Art,' what is Wan Donghai? Hahaha..."

Ye Hang said 'excellent' three times in a row, showing how excited he was.

After the excitement, Ye Hang suddenly felt something was inappropriate and said to Ye Yuan: "Yuan'er, these two techniques were given to you by that senior. If you teach them to me privately, and if he finds out that you leaked his techniques, won't it put you in a difficult position? I... I'd better not learn them. Just tell me the formula for the Explosive Yuan Dan."

Ye Hang gritted his teeth and rejected Ye Yuan's kindness, but the reluctance in his eyes was obvious to anyone.

Ye Yuan, however, was deeply shaken!

He knew very well the temptation of a soul cultivation technique for an alchemist. If you put a kingdom, a beauty, and a soul cultivation technique together, an alchemist would definitely choose the soul cultivation technique!

On this point, Ye Yuan, himself an alchemist, understood too well.

In other words, with a soul cultivation technique, fame, status, and beauties would naturally follow. How could an alchemist be foolish enough to choose anything else?

After all, like martial artists, strength was the foundation for alchemists!

Yet Ye Hang, for his sake, was willing to give up the chance to become a high-level alchemist. How could this not shake his heart?

Since his rebirth, every bit of Ye Hang's care for him flowed in his heart, greatly impacting his mind, and before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face...