The Encompassing Washing pill turned into a chilling cold wave of energy that traveled through Ye Mo's body.
Skin, bone, flesh, marrow, meridians—it flew everywhere, not sparing one inch.
The part of the body where it passed gave a deep, unpleasant feeling of itchiness.
Ye Mo endured it, and as the sensations grew more intense, a black, smelly substance oozed from his skin.
His body was quickly covered in a dark, sticky fluid until it trickled down to the ground.
After a moment, the dark mass flew like powder dissipating into thin air however, the odor persisted.
Ye Mo instead felt relaxed and invigorated, like having been massaged for a long time.
"My qi flows smoothly and circulates even better than before, I should be able to breakthrough the 4th layer."
"Since I also obtained the light blue Encompassing Washing Pill, I can return in seclusion and cultivate at will with mid-tier Spirit Qi Pills, moreover..." Ye Mo retrieved two objects from his pouch.
One was a martial art manual, the Cyclone Kick, a mid-tier Yellow Class battle skill.
The other was a small jade bottle containing the Chasm Transcending Profound Pill.
Ye Mo couldn't help feeling contented looking at them, particularly the latter.
He probed the Liu clan's belongings with incessant demands, but he didn't expect them to retain a Chasm Transcending Profound pill.
It was a peak-tier Yellow Class pill that could help the user increase his chances of breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm by twenty percent!
There was no need to say how amazing its effect was, especially for cultivators with low talent.
Some of them could be stuck in the Qi Gathering Realm for the rest of their lives, unable to cross over to the next realm. At this point, they could only dream of obtaining a Chasm Transcending Profound Pill, but they were as rare as the alchemist who made them, remaining as a mere wish until the end.
Now, one rested in Ye Mo's grasp. It could be said that as long as he attained the peak of the Qi Gathering Realm, he would already have half a step into the Foundation Establishment Realm.
As for the battle skill, it enabled a cultivator to unleash kicks at extreme speed, using their legs as weapons to drown their enemies in waves of strikes!
It must be known ordinarily, the moon pacifying herb and Soaring Leaf together wouldn't even be enough to obtain a low-tier Encompassing Washing pill by themselves.
But by using the Liu clan's distress, Ye Mo got his hands on these four altogether.
From cultivation to battle strength, they would push his abilities to tremendous lengths!
"Chasm Transcending Profound Pill can be put aside for now. The Stone Breaking Punch is powerful but too linear and predictable. With Cyclone Kick, I will be able to vary my attacks and lower my opponent's guard. In addition, once I breakthrough the 4th layer, I can go pick another battle skill at the second floor of the tower."
"But first..."
Ye Mo reflected on his new possessions before he undressed himself and went in a basin of water prepared beforehand, the putrid odor from the impurities assaulting his nostrils
.....
"Here, patriarch, drink it this instant so you can relieve us of our worry."
Liu Tianhan was an old man, his long hair had turned white long ago, and his face was full of wrinkles, but his eyes were big and round, giving him the air of a playful grandpa.
In his youth he was able to rise through the ranks with time, skills, and talent until he became the medicinal elder of the Liu clan.
Now he handed a wooden bowl to Liu Hao, a grey mixture residing inside.
It is what was left of the moon pacifying herb.
Liu Hao made a complicated expression as he looked at the bowl.
After a moment, he abruptly raised it and gulped everything in one go.
The mixture didn't have any taste, but in his heart, Liu Hao was bitter to no end.
This herb, for which the Liu clan made numerous sacrifices, was the reason behind his children's demise.
"We only obtained the Chasm Transcending Pill through a stroke of luck. Since then, it has been preciously guarded in our storage for more than a hundred years. We always pushed its use back again and again, afraid to waste it, waiting for the right moment to make the most of its miraculous effect.
"If Liu Huan was still alive, he might have been the one to finally benefit from it, but now it's in the hands of this little demon."
Liu Hao couldn't help but think in dismay at all the sacrifices, he felt he aged a lot in the past months, the weight of responsibilities towards the clan crushing his back.
The sleepless night, the constant worry, the repulsion of the poison—today he truly felt tired.
"It's done, I don't feel the poison agitated anymore. I stopped suppressing it, but I wasn't injured at all." Liu Hao said expressionless.
By his side stood his brother Liu Han and his father Liu Dan.
Liu Dan sighed in relief, but Liu Han clenched both his fists hard as he looked at the ground.
"We should have been outside killing this punk right now, but not only is he well and safe, we're helping him grow stronger instead. When has the Liu clan ever fallen this low?" Liu Han muttered, gritting his teeth.
"We did what was necessary to save Liu Hao, your brother's well-being is in the interest of the whole clan. Consider them small prices." Liu Dan said, composed.
He had a wider vision of the situation than Liu Han and could see where they should put their efforts as a priority. Although he wanted vengeance just as much as his sons, the interests of the clan came first and to protect it, Liu Hao was the cornerstone of their forces, their best expert.
As long as he was alive and well, the other small clans would have misgivings about clashing head-on with them. The lure of profit was at the core of their actions, if they fought with the Liu clan and their losses were too great, they would not be happy even after destroying the Liu clan and plundering everything.
"Small prices?" Liu Han didn't believe his ears. "The Chasm Transcending Pill, the dishonor of having our battle skills used by an outsider, and both Encompassing Washing Pills—they are small prices?!" He roared in anger and frustration.
"It's true that it's concerning, with the dark and light blue Encompassing Washing Pills this lunatic wouldn't hesitate to cultivate through Spirit Qi Pills. The news of his rank 2 talent was auspicious, but now he might be able to reach the 8th layer and join a sect. Once it happens, we won't be able to deal with him anymore."
"Even if it doesn't happen and he stays at the institute, he just needs to reach the peak of the Qi Gathering Realm, and with the Chasm Transcending Pill, he will have great chances to enter the Foundation Establishment realm. By then, killing him would be extremely difficult."
Liu Hao spoke softly, the situation indeed didn't look optimistic.
"He will die before any of that happens, don't worry. Once he's dead, we can just retrieve the Chasm Transcending Pill on his corpse. Our reputation will be saved with his death as well. As for the Encompassing Washing Pills, like I said, they are small prices." Liu Dan's gaze flashed as he told them with confidence.
The vicissitude of life reflected in his eyes.
Although his cultivation has been diminished all these years, he retained a mind full of schemes and plots against his enemies, and at this moment they were all directed toward Ye Mo.
In the afternoon, the wind howled and ominous clouds swallowed the sun, covering the earth in their shadows.
Inside the courtyard, Ye Mo stood in front of a boulder more than twice his size.
Flexing his muscles, he lowered his center of gravity and, with a rotation of the hip, sent his fist smashing on the rock with unprecedented explosivity.
Boom!
The boulder broke in multiple pieces that were sent flying against the wall of the courtyard.
"Indeed, the Stone Breaking Punch can be learned with ease. A few more days and I should be done with it."
"Fortunately, Cyclone Kick is pretty simple, I won't need to rent another courtyard to practice this battle skill."
Brushing the stone dust off his hand, Ye Mo returned to his house.
He knew he helped the Liu clan escape a great crisis by handing them the moon pacifying Herb and that they would never stop trying to kill him, however he benefited even more from this situation.
As long as his strength grew steadily, the rest was secondary.
How could one's cultivation journey be without waves or dark clouds? Traveling peacefully until the end of the world was wishful thinking.
If he was scared of a mere Liu clan, he might as well stop everything and start a farm far from civilization.
On his path towards supremacy, he had to face obstacles without any fear, overcoming every hardship thrown at him as they would become the foundation of his success.