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A warm current flowed through her heart, and the deep sorrow of losing her father in childhood still lingered vividly in Huo Rui's mind. Though her master and mistress were only a few years older than her, their meticulous care made Huo Rui's resolve grow stronger within.
'In the future, I must repay Master and Mistress,' she thought. These so-called immortal herb essences were undoubtedly treasures they had painstakingly collected over the past six months. Yet, despite their value—even to themselves—they had unhesitatingly used them to nurture her. She vowed never to disappoint them.
With a single gulp, Huo Rui drank down the essence from the jade bottle. Unlike the previous warm sensation, this time, a cool, icy feeling began coursing through her eight extraordinary meridians. Not daring to waste a moment, she focused her mind, mobilized her soul power, and began refining the medicinal energy.
Her previously rosy skin now took on a faint, jade-like luster.
After a while, Huo Rui successfully refined the essence of the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone.
Testing her martial soul cultivation, she realized that her previously decent cultivation speed had now skyrocketed. Only now did she understand just how exaggerated the cultivation speed of those with full innate soul power could be. Even using the instinctual cultivation method Ye Wen had devised for the ice chamber, she had only barely matched the pace of those with full innate soul power.
Seeing that Huo Rui had fully absorbed the immortal herb essence, Ah Yin let out a sigh of relief. After all, safeguarding someone as they absorbed such potent energy was a first in her life. She then turned to Huo Quan with a gentle smile.
For some reason, an ominous premonition sent a shiver down Huo Quan's muscular frame.
"Mistress, there's no need for you to intervene—I'll do it myself," he said, preparing to leap directly into the water to experience the sensation of drowning.
Smack!
A delicate hand firmly pressed him in place. Ah Yin smiled kindly and said, "Don't rush. Your situation is different from your sister's. Before jumping in, you need to drink the immortal herb essences first."
This explanation left Huo Quan puzzled. After all, both siblings possessed innate martial souls—how could their situations differ so greatly?
A Yin elaborated: "Though both you and your sister have super innate martial souls, your physical endurance far surpasses hers.
To maximize the stimulation of your body reaching its limits and promote the second awakening of your innate martial soul, you must first ingest two different types of immortal herb essences. Then, submerged at the bottom of the pool, you'll need to coordinate your martial soul to balance these energies under high pressure. This method will ensure the greatest chance of completing your second martial soul awakening."
The ominous premonition proved true. The idea of entering a near-death state at the bottom of the pool due to drowning was already terrifying enough. Now, he was being asked to absorb two different types of immortal herb essences—energies so powerful that merely imagining them made Huo Quan swallow nervously. He tried to resist, but Ah Yin suddenly remembered something and quickly rummaged through her storage ring. She pulled out a small notebook and handed it to Huo Quan.
"I almost forgot—this is the Two-Instrument Meditation Method your master specially prepared for you. Using this meditation technique will allow you to refine the essences of both herbs to their fullest potential and stimulate your body. Memorize it quickly."
Taking the notebook, Huo Quan's face turned bitter. It seemed there was no escaping this ordeal. After carefully reading the Two-Instrument Meditation Method, he silently marveled at its ingenuity. As expected, it was a special meditation technique created by his master.
Accepting the two jade bottles from Ah Yin, Huo Quan couldn't help but tremble. Red and blue light shimmered within the bottles, intensifying his fear.
According to Ye Wen's Two-Instrument Meditation Method, the essences in the bottles were diluted versions of the Blazing Apricot Delicate Herb and the Eight-Trigram Mystic Ice Grass. These two essences represented two extreme attributes, each of which could be considered highly toxic to soul masters if used alone.
Only by using this specialized meditation technique to simultaneously refine and harmonize them could they complement one another, tempering the soul master's body until it reached a state of immunity to fire, ice, and even poison.
"Don't worry, Xiao Quan. Even if you fail, I have ways to save you. Good luck!" Ah Yin encouraged with a smile.
Huo Quan felt as though an arrow had pierced his heart. Was she really that skeptical of him?
'Just two extreme attributes? Watch me completely refine them and achieve a Gold-level awakening—it'll blow your minds,' he thought defiantly.
Summoning his courage, he poured both bottles of immortal herb essence into his mouth. The sensation of fiery heat and icy cold exploded in his mouth, leaving him momentarily overwhelmed.
He quickly activated the Two-Instrument Meditation Method, harmonizing and refining the invading foreign essences. His body's surface alternated between red and blue, creating an eerie sight.
Relying on his body's exceptional control, Huo Quan managed to establish a terrifying balance between the two extreme essences in a short time. While they countered each other, they also strengthened his body. Staggering, he fell into the icy pool.
The once-clear pool now flickered with alternating blue and red light, as though something beneath the surface was clashing violently.
A trace of worry flashed in Huo Rui's eyes as she stood silently by the edge of the pool.
"Mistress, is Xiao Quan really going to be okay?"
"Rest assured. Among all of your master's disciples, Xiao Quan's physical strength is undoubtedly the strongest.
Moreover, the dosage of the immortal herb essences was personally controlled by your master. Though it may be somewhat dangerous, there's no risk to his life.
Of course, if Xiao Quan fails, he'll likely face another month of hellish training… Heh, heh." Recalling Huo Quan's recent brutal training regimen, Ah Yin couldn't help but chuckle mischievously.
At this moment, Ye Wen and Dao Ba descended. Seeing the colors emanating from the pool, Ye Wen knew Huo Quan had begun.
Huo Rui greeted Ye Wen respectfully, then stepped aside.
"Xiao Rui, how did it go?" Ye Wen asked.
"It was successful, Master. And it was an unprecedented Gold-level awakening for an innate martial soul. My baseline strength has increased by 2.5 times compared to before."
Though it didn't quite reach the threefold increase described in the original story, it was still impressive.
However, after the second awakening of an innate martial soul, it was time to give the martial soul a new name. In the original story, the leader of the Body Sect, Du Bu Si, still referred to his martial soul as the "Body," though it could also be called the "Ten-Thousand Poison Body."
"Have you considered giving your martial soul a new name? Calling it the 'Heart Martial Soul' anymore seems inappropriate," Ye Wen remarked.
Though Huo Rui wasn't particularly concerned, since her master had suggested it, she decided to change the name. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Let's call it the Vajra Heart."
The name wasn't bad, and Ye Wen nodded in approval.
After all, in the original story, the effects of the Qi Rong Tong Tian Ju were described as enabling one to cultivate an indestructible Vajra body—though it always felt somewhat exaggerated.
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