Chapter Forty-Two: The Sacred Tome of the Pill Emperor

For ten years, the Qin Lang courtyard had been deserted, but in recent days, it had become a bustling hub of activity, with people coming and going incessantly.

Inside Qin Lang’s room, gifts of all kinds were piled high.

These were congratulatory presents sent over the past few days from the major factions of Qingfeng Town as well as some clan members.

Qin Zhanshan had even specially sent several maids to help Yun’er sort and organize the gifts.

The maids’ eyes gleamed with astonishment; each gift was exceedingly precious and worth a fortune!

Yet now, they lay scattered casually across Qin Lang’s room, as if worthless street vendor wares.

“Young master, for ten years we haven’t received a single gift. Now it feels like we’re making up for all that time! Selling these gifts would surely fetch a great sum!” Yun’er said with a smile to Qin Lang as she tidied up, her eyes sparkling like stars. Having lived in poverty with Qin Lang before, barely having enough to eat, she had never seen such wealth.

“You little miser!” Qin Lang chuckled, shaking his head.

In the past, he had been a worthless nobody, naturally ignored by all. But now, as the leading young figure of Qingfeng Town, everyone eagerly sought to befriend him and add glory to his name.

Strength is supreme!

That was the law of this world.

Even more pragmatic than the Earth he once knew.

Had Qin Lang not closed his door to visitors today, his room would surely have been packed with people.

Leaving Yun’er and the maids to tidy up, Qin Lang reached into his bosom and pulled out a wooden box. Opening it revealed a thumb-sized, crystal-clear pill.

Immediately, the room filled with a rich, fragrant aroma of medicinal herbs. The scent was refreshing, invigorating both mind and spirit.

Even Yun’er, busy sorting gifts, involuntarily paused, following the fragrance to fix her gaze on the translucent pill before Qin Lang.

“It’s a Grade Three Spirit Pill—the Marrow Cleansing Pill!” Yun’er’s eyes brightened. This pill had been personally given to Qin Lang by Tian Yuan after he won first place in the Tianfeng Mountain Youth Trial.

Though a Grade Three pill, the herbs needed to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill were extremely rare and difficult to process, making it even more valuable than some Grade Four pills.

It had value but was rarely seen on the market.

As far as Yun’er knew, even the renowned Alchemy Pavilion of Qingfeng Town did not sell Marrow Cleansing Pills!

Rumor had it that only royal offspring and some true disciples of great sects had the chance to obtain one.

Yun’er quietly signaled the maids to leave with her, then closed the door for Qin Lang, so he wouldn’t be disturbed during his marrow cleansing.

Qin Lang swallowed the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Immediately, his teeth and mouth filled with a refreshing fragrance. A cool sensation traveled down his throat and esophagus into his stomach, rapidly spreading throughout his body, infusing every organ and limb.

He felt a profound comfort, as if every cell rejoiced and underwent tremendous transformation.

Unconsciously, a layer of dark, greasy impurities began to surface on Qin Lang’s skin.

At that moment, Qin Lang felt not only lighter but also that his six senses had sharpened remarkably. His spiritual awareness was clear and bright, and even his thinking became swifter and clearer.

He could distinctly sense the slow heartbeat of the lazy old cat sunbathing on the roof;

At the courtyard gate, Yun’er was politely refusing visitors;

In the Qin family hall, Qin Zhanshan, the head of the family, laughed excitedly in his seat;

At the Qin family’s main gate, two guards whispered about Qin Lang’s astonishing performance in the Tianfeng Mountain Trial;

Within nearly a thousand meters around, every event and movement was captured clearly and precisely by Qin Lang.

“Marrow cleansing truly is extraordinary!” he thought.

Though his strength hadn’t increased at all, Qin Lang was immensely thrilled.

The Marrow Cleansing Pill not only changed his constitution but also greatly enhanced his comprehension.

He then jumped into the bath prepared by Yun’er to wash away the grime from his body. Afterward, he changed into a clean set of azure clothes and toyed with a thumb-sized jade pendant in his hand.

The pendant was crystal-clear, without a trace of impurity, cool to the touch, and surrounded by an aura of mysterious power.

It was the mysterious jade pendant left behind after Ye Keqing’s self-destruction, obtained after she killed a true disciple of the Wind and Cloud Sect.

The fact that a true disciple of Wind and Cloud Sect had carefully stored it in their storage pouch spoke volumes about its rarity.

Qin Lang clearly remembered Ye Keqing saying that through this pendant, she could merge with his martial soul and become a dual martial soul cultivator.

“A pendant that can merge with someone else’s martial soul?”

Observing the pendant closely, Qin Lang’s face was filled with confusion and curiosity as he tried to uncover its secrets.

He summoned a trace of spiritual power from his dantian and carefully infused it into the pendant. Immediately, the pendant emitted a dazzling white light, and a secret manual materialized before Qin Lang.

“The Yin-Yang Soul Seizing Manual!”

Triggered by his spiritual power, the manual appeared out of thin air. Scanning the contents, Qin Lang realized that by using this manual in conjunction with the pendant, one could indeed seize another’s martial soul.

“Is it really this easy to uncover the pendant’s secret? This is too simple!” Qin Lang’s eyes flickered with suspicion.

No, that wasn’t right.

Calming his mind, Qin Lang concentrated and scrutinized the pendant again.

He soon realized that under the influence of his spiritual power, the mysterious aura surrounding the pendant showed no fluctuation whatsoever.

Qin Lang shuddered.

Clearly, the Yin-Yang Soul Seizing Manual was not the true secret of this pendant.

Could it require a blood oath to bind it?

A possibility flashed through his mind. Qin Lang pricked his finger, letting a drop of his blood fall onto the pendant, then carefully sensed it.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

He waited a full ten minutes, but his blood did not integrate with the pendant, nor did he experience the mysterious sensation of merging with it.

“Strange! Did I guess wrong? Apart from the Yin-Yang Soul Seizing Manual, this pendant has no other secret?” Qin Lang shook his head, ready to give up temporarily. Yet his gaze accidentally landed again on the floating manual. Suddenly, a bolt of inspiration struck his mind, and his pupils constricted sharply.

“So that’s how it is! I understand now!”

An epiphany washed over him. Qin Lang immediately released his Fire Dragon Martial Soul and Black Eye Ring Martial Soul, infusing their soul power into the pendant.

Instantly, the pendant seemed to come alive, trembling continuously. The mysterious energies surrounding it surged wildly in response.

“Just as I thought!” Qin Lang’s eyes lit up. He had guessed correctly this time.

The Yin-Yang Soul Seizing Manual was merely a trigger to activate the pendant.

Only by injecting soul power from paired martial souls of the same origin could the pendant’s true secret be revealed.

A faint dizziness followed, and the next moment, Qin Lang found his spirit transported to a dim, gray space.

More precisely, it was his spiritual consciousness entering a misty realm.

“So this is the pendant’s inner space?”

Studying his surroundings, Qin Lang frowned slightly. The space was shrouded in gray fog, severely restricting his vision to only two or three meters.

Suddenly, countless dazzling golden lights flashed in midair. Amidst the radiant glow appeared a heavy tome, its title shining even more brilliantly.

The Sacred Book of the Pill Emperor!

Qin Lang was stunned. This was a sacred scripture detailing how to cultivate to become a Pill Emperor!