"Now then," I spoke as I looked around the hall.
The people present here were of backgrounds that I didn't even need to guess were powerful because none of them seemed to have the slightest shred of weakness nor meekness exuding from them.
I was among the best of the best, and the strongest people in the vast expanse. So, might as well go all out.
I checked my clothes, they were all torn beyond repair. It was sad to have the pixy-made robes shredded and torn to this degree. Quite the annoyance.
And since everyone already knows that I'm the Poison God's follower.
I waved my hand summoning the Poison God's book.
"See lord Zhang! He is a follower of the Poison God!" Xuan Su spoke as if her words were going to change the situation.
No one however paid her any heed or warning, they were all focused on me.
"This is far too unpleasant of a look in the presence of so many powerful figures," I spoke then called upon a set of black robes that I donned immediately.
However, the scars and disfigurations on my body were too much to just cover with a robe.
"Would his majesty please excuse my rudeness," I said as I clasped my hands to Zhang Tian and the king.
In my hand was a black pill that seemed to exude Qi far too nefarious for anyone below the Ascendant Realm could ever dare to be present next to.
Yet not many here were below the Ascendant Realm so it wouldn't have been much of an issue.
Yet there was something on this pill that caused many people to stand up from their seats.
In my hand was the pill I made from refining the King Rank cultivator, it was something that wasn't easy to come with not because it's a pill made from a corpse. But because it had Cloud symbols on it.
A pill at the peak of pill making, a perfect pill that would call upon the wrath of the heavens for merely existing.
"Child, are you willing to sell that pill!" one of the oldest-looking people in the room spoke.
I looked at him and said, "It almost cost me my life and five years of intolerable pain for obtaining something like this, it has no price in my eyes than my own life, and I appraise my own life to be far too expensive," I said to the man with all the politeness of a fuck you, I'm not selling, I could ever say.
The old man's nose crumpled but he had to stand down, especially since Lord Zhang Tian was still not talking and was watching what was going on.
I then simply popped the pill in my mouth.
"FOOL!" another old man spoke.
I looked at him while I was swallowing the pill.
"Why did you do that? Are you mad?! That is a Saint Class Pill it will immediately kill you upon consumption, did you survive all that long just to kill yourself like this!" he said.
"Honestly," I said to the old man as I swallowed, "I didn't think it would taste like strawberries, especially since it came from a corpse," I said.
My words were clear disregarding what the old man was saying.
The pill melted into my body and began surging its content through my body.
Zhang Tian took a step toward me, worry clear in his eyes because he too believed that I was foolishly throwing my life away.
Yet, with one hand raised up, Zhang Tian stopped, and soon the pill's content instilled itself into my Dantian.
Qi, so much of it that it seemed like I was going to bust apart seemed to surge from within the pill, it rode through my veins and meridians, through every nook and cranny of my body.
Every cell seemed to be fully fused with it enough that they were charged up and were about to burst from the power of such energy.
Yet, nothing of the sort was going to happen. Because I used all of that energy into bolstering my own cultivation to break through.
"Is he seriously breaking through right here, right now? In the presence of so many people?" someone muttered, and the rest agreed, wouldn't it be safer for him to breakthrough somewhere safe away from the eyes of other people, not to mention he is breaking into the ascendant cultivation realm, that's not something you can do lightly.
But then, they seemed to realize that he was doing this explicitly because there were too many people who could easily fend off the Heavenly Tribulation for him.
A sly and cunning man they thought.
Suddenly, the energy rotating within my core charged up like a roiling dragon that wanted to flood out the world with energy.
A vast wave of Evil Qi surged from within me, this was of course only natural, a Corpse Based Pill is nothing benevolent or good, it is made from the hatred of a cultivator that lived for eons, and within that pill even if there was a lot of Qi, it was packed full with Evil Qi.
In this world, though it might be seen as Evil Qi, it is at the same time power. It matters not the source of this power, benevolent or vile, as long as it is power, it is respected. So no one questioned the Black Qi that was exuding from me, and at best people used small gestures to block the vile Qi from reaching them since they disliked the 'scent' of it.
But for me, It mattered not what any of them thought.
'Time for you to pay your rent,' I muttered to myself.
The proud-looking and confident eyes of my own persona disappeared where the dead-looking eyes of a corpse seemed to lapse back instead.
Immediately, all the black Qi that was leaving my body seemed to have found a willing host, they turned back and fused back into my body as if they never wanted to leave.
More of the pill's power exuded but not a bit of it came out of my body. it then began affecting my skeleton, bit by bit it was solidified and then reinforced once more. Enough that the wooden tiles under my foot seemed to groan as if I had gained several tons of weight.
My nerves came second, and with the Qi funneling their way into them they felt as if they were being fried, yet my body didn't move an inch nor did it shudder, because I had removed the ability to control the body from the being that was currently eating all the vile Qi.
Soon then, the nerves seemed to turn more elastic yet sturdier, I was able to feel everything within my body to the point I could even feel my own blood flow with every beat.
Then came the most important part. The blood veins that seemed to have taken a lot of damage from the constant torture. They moved through the body like tunnels, and with the Qi reinforcing them now, they became reinforced tunnels as they turned far sturdier.
Every blood vessel that was going through my body had gone through a change that made them far stronger than before. To the point that I could feel Qi itself coating every vein.
More of the blood veins that went through my brain seemed to have undergone a new metamorphosis. They seemed to have become more capable of absorbing Qi and thus my own thinking process at the same time seemed to jump several folds. Enough that I felt that time was slowing down as I underwent a tremendous bodily change.
Soon came the flesh that seemed to be reinforced even more than when I drank the Stone-Aged Milk. Not in a quality change, since my body had already reached perfection below the Ascendant Stage. But the current change, it was an additive change that further enhanced my body overall.
I could feel my entire build changing, to the point that I felt that I was slightly taller. Increasing my mass and adding more bone mass affected my outward look.
The skin that was full of wounds and damage was no more and the weak emaciated body was no more.
Yet, not a single impurity seemed to want to expunge itself from within me, simply because, there were none.
With everything happening within my body I needed the final push. After all of the vile Qi had been fully absorbed, it was time for me to take control back of my body. And with a simple order, the being that was taking control was forced back into the tower of my Sea of Consciousness and I was back.
I took a small breath and exhaled.
Immediately after that, I felt the world's Qi, a different Qi this time, not the meek heavenly one, but the Saint Qi that seemed to overflow this world.
Yet, it only lasted a moment then it disappeared. As I was once again disconnected from the heavenly flow.
"Tsk"
I clicked my tongue dissatisfied but at the same time not that worried. I've been disconnected from Qi throughout my cultivation life. It's not much.
Suddenly, the world up above us seemed to roil and coil as red clouds gathered above us.
"I like this kid," one of the oldest-looking people in the hall said. "Not only did he remove the Soul Shackling Stakes on his own, he even broke through the ascendant stage unassisted, using a pill that would kill even a fully-fledged ascendant in a second. Hah, no wonder Prince Zhang Tian holds him in high regard. For this, I'll help you fend off this heavenly tribulation, even if it's going to cost me a bit," he said as he stood up.
"No need," I said to the old man.
He frowned, clearly thinking that I was refusing a gift that not many would ever refuse.
I looked up and spoke, "Fuck off."
Not anyone in the room ever expected those words, since when had anyone ever dared speak so rudely to the Heavens themselves? With these words, heavenly tribulation will become heavenly punishment and that cannot be escaped. How much of a madman one has to be to throw their lives away not once with that pill, but now twice with daring to speak such vileness to the heaven?!
Yet, against everyone present's judgment. The roiling clouds that seemed to almost cover half of the country seemed to dissipate as if they have been told off.
A hearty laugh echoed from the other side of the room while everyone was still in the process of trying to understand what was going on.
Looking back, I saw Master Rain laughing like a madman with tears in his eyes from how amused he was.
And next to him was the cold Sect Master who seemed to have a rueful smile that spoke of pain and sorrow.
"I'm back," I said I turned to the two people who caused me a lot of pain.
"Now, you can't be thinking that I've forgotten about you now?" I spoke.
"Now then," I spoke as I looked around the hall.
The people present here were of backgrounds that I didn't even need to guess were powerful because none of them seemed to have the slightest shred of weakness nor meekness exuding from them.
I was among the best of the best, and the strongest people in the vast expanse. So, might as well go all out.
I checked my clothes, they were all torn beyond repair. It was sad to have the pixy-made robes shredded and torn to this degree. Quite the annoyance.
And since everyone already knows that I'm the Poison God's follower.
I waved my hand summoning the Poison God's book.
"See lord Zhang! He is a follower of the Poison God!" Xuan Su spoke as if her words were going to change the situation.
No one however paid her any heed or warning, they were all focused on me.
"This is far too unpleasant of a look in the presence of so many powerful figures," I spoke then called upon a set of black robes that I donned immediately.
However, the scars and disfigurations on my body were too much to just cover with a robe.
"Would his majesty please excuse my rudeness," I said as I clasped my hands to Zhang Tian and the king.
In my hand was a black pill that seemed to exude Qi far too nefarious for anyone below the Ascendant Realm could ever dare to be present next to.
Yet not many here were below the Ascendant Realm so it wouldn't have been much of an issue.
Yet there was something on this pill that caused many people to stand up from their seats.
In my hand was the pill I made from refining the King Rank cultivator, it was something that wasn't easy to come with not because it's a pill made from a corpse. But because it had Cloud symbols on it.
A pill at the peak of pill making, a perfect pill that would call upon the wrath of the heavens for merely existing.
"Child, are you willing to sell that pill!" one of the oldest-looking people in the room spoke.
I looked at him and said, "It almost cost me my life and five years of intolerable pain for obtaining something like this, it has no price in my eyes than my own life, and I appraise my own life to be far too expensive," I said to the man with all the politeness of a fuck you, I'm not selling, I could ever say.
The old man's nose crumpled but he had to stand down, especially since Lord Zhang Tian was still not talking and was watching what was going on.
I then simply popped the pill in my mouth.
"FOOL!" another old man spoke.
I looked at him while I was swallowing the pill.
"Why did you do that? Are you mad?! That is a Saint Class Pill it will immediately kill you upon consumption, did you survive all that long just to kill yourself like this!" he said.
"Honestly," I said to the old man as I swallowed, "I didn't think it would taste like strawberries, especially since it came from a corpse," I said.
My words were clear disregarding what the old man was saying.
The pill melted into my body and began surging its content through my body.
Zhang Tian took a step toward me, worry clear in his eyes because he too believed that I was foolishly throwing my life away.
Yet, with one hand raised up, Zhang Tian stopped, and soon the pill's content instilled itself into my Dantian.
Qi, so much of it that it seemed like I was going to bust apart seemed to surge from within the pill, it rode through my veins and meridians, through every nook and cranny of my body.
Every cell seemed to be fully fused with it enough that they were charged up and were about to burst from the power of such energy.
Yet, nothing of the sort was going to happen. Because I used all of that energy into bolstering my own cultivation to break through.
"Is he seriously breaking through right here, right now? In the presence of so many people?" someone muttered, and the rest agreed, wouldn't it be safer for him to breakthrough somewhere safe away from the eyes of other people, not to mention he is breaking into the ascendant cultivation realm, that's not something you can do lightly.
But then, they seemed to realize that he was doing this explicitly because there were too many people who could easily fend off the Heavenly Tribulation for him.
A sly and cunning man they thought.
Suddenly, the energy rotating within my core charged up like a roiling dragon that wanted to flood out the world with energy.
A vast wave of Evil Qi surged from within me, this was of course only natural, a Corpse Based Pill is nothing benevolent or good, it is made from the hatred of a cultivator that lived for eons, and within that pill even if there was a lot of Qi, it was packed full with Evil Qi.
In this world, though it might be seen as Evil Qi, it is at the same time power. It matters not the source of this power, benevolent or vile, as long as it is power, it is respected. So no one questioned the Black Qi that was exuding from me, and at best people used small gestures to block the vile Qi from reaching them since they disliked the 'scent' of it.
But for me, It mattered not what any of them thought.
'Time for you to pay your rent,' I muttered to myself.
The proud-looking and confident eyes of my own persona disappeared where the dead-looking eyes of a corpse seemed to lapse back instead.
Immediately, all the black Qi that was leaving my body seemed to have found a willing host, they turned back and fused back into my body as if they never wanted to leave.
More of the pill's power exuded but not a bit of it came out of my body. it then began affecting my skeleton, bit by bit it was solidified and then reinforced once more. Enough that the wooden tiles under my foot seemed to groan as if I had gained several tons of weight.
My nerves came second, and with the Qi funneling their way into them they felt as if they were being fried, yet my body didn't move an inch nor did it shudder, because I had removed the ability to control the body from the being that was currently eating all the vile Qi.
Soon then, the nerves seemed to turn more elastic yet sturdier, I was able to feel everything within my body to the point I could even feel my own blood flow with every beat.
Then came the most important part. The blood veins that seemed to have taken a lot of damage from the constant torture. They moved through the body like tunnels, and with the Qi reinforcing them now, they became reinforced tunnels as they turned far sturdier.
Every blood vessel that was going through my body had gone through a change that made them far stronger than before. To the point that I could feel Qi itself coating every vein.
More of the blood veins that went through my brain seemed to have undergone a new metamorphosis. They seemed to have become more capable of absorbing Qi and thus my own thinking process at the same time seemed to jump several folds. Enough that I felt that time was slowing down as I underwent a tremendous bodily change.
Soon came the flesh that seemed to be reinforced even more than when I drank the Stone-Aged Milk. Not in a quality change, since my body had already reached perfection below the Ascendant Stage. But the current change, it was an additive change that further enhanced my body overall.
I could feel my entire build changing, to the point that I felt that I was slightly taller. Increasing my mass and adding more bone mass affected my outward look.
The skin that was full of wounds and damage was no more and the weak emaciated body was no more.
Yet, not a single impurity seemed to want to expunge itself from within me, simply because, there were none.
With everything happening within my body I needed the final push. After all of the vile Qi had been fully absorbed, it was time for me to take control back of my body. And with a simple order, the being that was taking control was forced back into the tower of my Sea of Consciousness and I was back.
I took a small breath and exhaled.
Immediately after that, I felt the world's Qi, a different Qi this time, not the meek heavenly one, but the Saint Qi that seemed to overflow this world.
Yet, it only lasted a moment then it disappeared. As I was once again disconnected from the heavenly flow.
"Tsk"
I clicked my tongue dissatisfied but at the same time not that worried. I've been disconnected from Qi throughout my cultivation life. It's not much.
Suddenly, the world up above us seemed to roil and coil as red clouds gathered above us.
"I like this kid," one of the oldest-looking people in the hall said. "Not only did he remove the Soul Shackling Stakes on his own, he even broke through the ascendant stage unassisted, using a pill that would kill even a fully-fledged ascendant in a second. Hah, no wonder Prince Zhang Tian holds him in high regard. For this, I'll help you fend off this heavenly tribulation, even if it's going to cost me a bit," he said as he stood up.
"No need," I said to the old man.
He frowned, clearly thinking that I was refusing a gift that not many would ever refuse.
I looked up and spoke, "Fuck off."
Not anyone in the room ever expected those words, since when had anyone ever dared speak so rudely to the Heavens themselves? With these words, heavenly tribulation will become heavenly punishment and that cannot be escaped. How much of a madman one has to be to throw their lives away not once with that pill, but now twice with daring to speak such vileness to the heaven?!
Yet, against everyone present's judgment. The roiling clouds that seemed to almost cover half of the country seemed to dissipate as if they have been told off.
A hearty laugh echoed from the other side of the room while everyone was still in the process of trying to understand what was going on.
Looking back, I saw Master Rain laughing like a madman with tears in his eyes from how amused he was.
And next to him was the cold Sect Master who seemed to have a rueful smile that spoke of pain and sorrow.
"I'm back," I said I turned to the two people who caused me a lot of pain.
"Now, you can't be thinking that I've forgotten about you now?" I spoke.
