CHAPTER 701: CHAPTER 92: ELIXIR EVIL’S PINNACLE, SHAOQING SECT DISCIPLE

Zhang Yan sat poised atop the Small Pot Mirror Bamboo Tower, first casting a boatload of True Sand in front of the tower. After meditating for a brief moment, he retrieved the "Su Lan Gauze" gifted by Huo Xuan, gave it a shake, and used a spell to consecrate it in midair.

A brilliant light flashed forth, and from within the misty aura emerged a thin gauze. The gauze swirled around the boatload of True Sand, grinding it entirely into fine particles, transforming it into wisps of exceptionally pure Essence Qi that floated forth.

Though he had long known of its potency, upon witnessing its effect, Zhang Yan couldn’t help but feel delighted. With its assistance, he would no longer need to spend too much time daily grinding True Sand.

Huo Xuan’s gift of this Dharma Treasure would have been of marginal use in the past for one simple reason: the amount of Essence Qi a person can absorb in a single day is limited.

Once Essence Qi enters the body, one must constantly rotate the Golden Core to refine it. For someone like Zhang Yan, who absorbs a boatload of True Sand Essence Qi, it would take nearly a full day and night to assimilate fully before being refined into Elixir Evil. Any excess would be a waste.

Much like a mortal dining, one may overeat but still has a limit—overindulgence would only lead to self-harm.

Now, however, things had changed entirely, and the reason lay in the Dharma Treasure Qi Yuntian lent him.

The treasure, named the "Golden Dust Furnace," when lit, emits an extraordinary and profound aroma.

While absorbing True Sand Essence Qi, if enveloped by this mysterious fragrance, the speed of refining Essence Qi is amplified severalfold.

This means that he could now consume two or even three boatloads of True Sand Essence Qi per day.

Ning Chongxuan’s Golden Core formed as Second Grade, yet he broke through the Shell Barrier in less than twenty years, largely thanks to this treasure.

For Zhang Yan, the treasure’s utility was even greater. To break through the Shell Barrier, the process consists of two steps. The first step is to temper Elixir Evil within the body until it reaches the maximum possible amount. The second step involves attempting to break through the barrier wall.

Given that Zhang Yan’s Golden Core is First Grade, he must spend far more time accumulating Elixir Evil than ordinary cultivators. With this treasure aiding him, he could save significant amounts of time.

Upon careful reflection, Zhang Yan realized that besides these two treasures, he also possessed another item for assisting in Barrier breakthroughs—six strands of "Penglai Qi," gifted by Elder Yan.

This rare treasure greatly increases a cultivator’s odds of breaking through realms. Yet, due to its profound value, it would be wasteful to use it solely for Shell Barrier breakthroughs. After deliberation, Zhang Yan decided to store the treasure for future use.

Placing the treasure into his Sleeve Bag, he sat calmly and began directing his inner vision toward his body’s structures.

As Zhang Yan accumulated Elixir Evil, he could now see a membrane-like shell surrounding his Golden Core. The shell shimmered with a clear light, flowing mistily, radiating the brilliance of pearls and jade. Nine apertures dotted the surface, permitting the Elixir Evil to flow in and out.

This membrane, known as the Acupoint Barrier Membrane, forms concurrently with Elixir Evil and is the product of purged turbid Qi from within the Golden Core.

The more robust the accumulation of Elixir Evil, the thicker and sturdier the membrane becomes. Once Elixir Evil reaches its maximum capacity, the membrane solidifies into an impenetrably dense barrier, halting the surging momentum of the Elixir Evil.

Consequently, cultivators at the First Realm of Hua Dan cannot release all their Elixir Evil in one Qi through the barrier. Instead, it must be discharged gradually from the nine apertures. Even when half the Elixir Evil is emitted, the membrane blocks the remainder, preventing it from exiting entirely.

This limitation renders First Realm cultivators inferior to Second Realm cultivators in terms of both mana circulation and Divine Skill deployment. It is only after breaking the barrier and shattering the Shell that one achieves unrestrained flow.

During the sect competition, Feng Zhen’s cultivation technique was lauded as a Divine Skill precisely because it could temporarily open the apertures of the Shell Barrier, allowing all the Elixir Evil to be released at once and used freely.

However, this Divine Skill was derived from Du De’s experimentation, intended merely to verify a theory he held. The technique remained unfinished, utilizing a workaround approach. While releasing Elixir Evil was easy, retracting it proved difficult. Each usage required gradual consolidation and caused damage to Essence Qi, making the skill suitable only for life-or-death situations.

After examining his internal condition for a while, Zhang Yan gradually gathered his Heart and Spirit, recognizing that now was not the time to contemplate breaking through the Shell Barrier. Priority must instead be given to increasing Elixir Evil.

Sitting cross-legged on his platform, he first lit the Golden Dust Furnace, then released the boatloads of True Sand, and consecrated the Su Lan Gauze before commencing the slow refining process.

The closed-door cultivation lasted seven years in the blink of an eye.

One day, Zhang Yan suddenly realized that, no matter how much Essence Qi he absorbed, the Elixir Evil that had been steadily growing was no longer increasing by even the slightest amount.