Chapter 480: Spirit Medicine Pool
The crowd was collectively dumbfounded!
They watched as Zhao Dong grabbed one of Hai Dongqing's legs and swung him overhead like a giant windmill, spinning him at high speed. Hai Dongqing was spun until he was completely disoriented, projectile-vomiting the contents of his stomach. The disgusting spray sent the surrounding crowd scrambling backward in a panic.
Even so, a few Disciples who couldn't dodge in time were splashed with the foul mess. The sour stench was nauseating to the extreme!
THUD!
Zhao Dong let go. Hai Dongqing's body flew through the air like a kite with a broken string before crashing heavily to the ground.
The entire area fell into a dead silence, shock written on every face.
"Senior Brother Hai actually… lost?"
"This Zhao Dong is too strong. Even Senior Brother Hai was no match for him?"
"That young man is so handsome! Please, join the Qingyun Sect! I'm willing to be your cultivation partner!"
"Me too! I'm willing too!"
The crowd instantly erupted. Seeing Zhao Dong's incredible strength, who would dare to underestimate him now? The male Disciples expressed their admiration, while the female Disciples blushed, their faces flushed with excitement, each wishing they could bear his children that very instant.
Ling'er hurried over to Hai Dongqing, but he had already fainted. She anxiously helped him up, shot Zhao Dong a fierce glare, and then quickly left.
With the farce concluded, a hint of admiration appeared in Dongfang Shi's eyes.
This young man is indeed extraordinary. It would be for the best if he joined the Qingyun Sect!
He waved his hand and announced, "Alright, you have all witnessed Zhao Dong's strength. Does anyone still doubt his ability to take first place?"
"Not at all, not at all! Fellow Daoist Zhao's strength is heaven-defying! We are thoroughly convinced."
"We were blind to your greatness just now. We hope Fellow Daoist Zhao can forgive us."
The crowd hurriedly apologized.
Zhao Dong, of course, wouldn't stoop to their level. He smiled. "It's nothing. Consider it a friendly spar."
Withdrawing his gaze, Zhao Dong looked coldly in the direction Hai Dongqing had disappeared.
You're lucky you passed out so quickly. Otherwise, you wouldn't have escaped having to call yourself 'useless' three times!
This was Zhao Dong's nature: he wouldn't bother anyone who didn't bother him. But if someone offended him, they'd be met with his blade.
The commotion having ended, Dongfang Shi finally led Zhao Dong toward the Spirit Medicine Pool. The other Disciples followed closely behind them. The opening of the Spirit Medicine Pool was a rare event, and they all wanted to see how much Zhao Dong could improve.
Soon, the group arrived at the peak of the rear mountain. Atop the mountain, cranes circled in the sky amidst a dense, swirling mist of Spiritual Energy. The Spiritual Energy was so rich that just by standing there, his Mystic Sky Technique began to circulate on its own, absorbing the dense energy.
Zhao Dong's eyes lit up.
This place has even denser Spiritual Energy than the Blood Sect. If I could cultivate here long-term, my progress would be twice as fast with half the effort!
As if sensing his thoughts, Dongfang Shi stroked his beard and smiled. "This is a treasured land of our Qingyun Sect. It is not normally open to the public."
Hearing this, Zhao Dong felt a pang of regret. If it were possible, he would have loved to stay for a few days to absorb the rich Spiritual Energy.
The summit was covered in lush vegetation. The group passed through the greenery, and a misty pool situated on the edge of a cliff came into Zhao Dong's view. The medicine pool wasn't large, only about three meters in radius, but it was filled with rising steam and a potent medicinal aroma. Various precious herbs soaked within it, causing the milky-white bath to pulse with terrifying waves of Spiritual Energy. The concentration was so intense that for a moment, Zhao Dong suspected it was a hot spring filled with liquefied Spiritual Energy!
"Young friend Zhao, this is our Qingyun Sect's Spirit Medicine Pool," Dongfang Shi said, pointing to the pool with a proud expression. Clearly, the Spirit Medicine Pool was a source of great pride for the Qingyun Sect.
"Thank you, Qingyun Sect, for granting this junior such an opportunity!" Zhao Dong said respectfully, bowing with his fists clasped.
"The opportunity is yours, but whether you can seize it is up to you," Dongfang Shi smiled. "Although the medicinal power of this Spirit Medicine Pool is immense, it also inflicts excruciating pain on those who soak in it. Therefore, how much you can improve depends on how long you can stay inside."
"I see," Zhao Dong nodded slightly, his expression turning solemn.
He took a deep breath and slowly approached the Spirit Medicine Pool. Just by reaching the edge, the dense Spiritual Energy made him feel as if his cultivation realm was beginning to loosen.
An opportunity! A great opportunity! Zhao Dong was overjoyed.
He hesitated no longer. After taking off his upper garment, he slowly stepped into the Spirit Medicine Pool.
Instantly, a piercing pain assaulted him. Zhao Dong's skin began to swell, the change visible to the naked eye.
"Argh!" A muffled groan escaped his lips.
This pain was different from the sting of a fire; it was a heart-rending, soul-tearing agony. If the pain from a fire was like a hundred insects gnawing at his bones from the outside in, then this agony was like being skinned and flayed alive. It felt as if every bone in his body was shattered and then forcibly fused back together. It was an intense pain radiating from the inside out, which made it far more difficult to endure.
Zhao Dong now seemed to understand the purpose of the first trial. If one couldn't withstand the scorching pain of the Burning Sky Strange Fire, they wouldn't last more than three minutes in this medicine pool.
Outside the pool, the crowd had already started murmuring.
"How long do you guys think Zhao Dong can last?"
"Hard to say. Senior Brother Hai lasted for six hours when he went in. Since this guy is stronger than Senior Brother Hai, he should last for at least eight hours, right?"
"Eh, it's not that simple. The intense pain of this Spirit Medicine Pool is a test of willpower!"
"That's true, but he probably won't give up such a rare opportunity so easily. Even if he passes out, he likely won't come out."
"Definitely! If it were me, I wouldn't leave even if it killed me!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, their eyes filled with envy. How they wished they could enter the Spirit Medicine Pool to wash the essence and marrow. But entry was restricted. Other than the Doctrine Conference, only the top three from the annual grand competition or those who made significant contributions to the sect were eligible. None of them had ever had a taste of the Spirit Medicine Pool in their entire lives.
Inside the medicine pool, Zhao Dong gradually began to adapt to the excruciating pain. Unlike the incrementally intensifying pain from the Burning Sky Strange Fire, the agony from the Spirit Medicine Pool, while unbearable, did not increase. Thus, with sheer force of will, one could adapt to it relatively quickly.
Once he adapted, Zhao Dong started to feel the changes in his body. His skin was visibly becoming tougher and more resilient. Beneath the surface, his flesh and blood were also undergoing a subtle transformation. A foul-smelling, black paste oozed from his pores, only to be quickly dissolved by the Spirit Medicine Pool.
This process repeated itself over and over.
When the black paste finally stopped appearing, Zhao Dong felt as if his body had become several times lighter. He felt a formidable strength coursing through his legs. He was confident that if he leaped with all his might, he could soar a dozen meters into the air!
The sense of power in his fists… it made him feel like he could demolish a small mountain with a single punch