13 Nine Aperture Golden Elixir, Transformation

"Remember the lofty ambitions of the younger days where one vowed to be the best in the world…"

Zhao Yuan pondered on its meanings. At first glance, it seemed to be passionate and ambitious.

However, after reading it a few more times, he felt that it was filled with a sense of sadness that welled up in his chest.

It was supposed to be a lamentation of a middle-aged person having achieved nothing and reminiscing about the past.

His brother was only at the age of 15, yet his passion had been eaten away into lethargy.

However, the 15 years of imprisonment in the cold palace were truly unbearable.

Thinking of that, Zhao Yuan's eyes started turning red as he could not help but feel sorry.

"What's gotten into you?"

Zhao Mu, who was only practicing his calligraphy to kill time, had no idea of his brother's imaginations.

After accepting the imperial decree, his lifestyle was just the same as before without any changes.

Practicing calligraphy and reading every day, then converting true Qi. His routine was regular and productive.

Due to Zhao Mu's hard work, the 200 years of internal energy in his body had gone down to just 100 years. 

The Primordial Yang Qi that was flowing through his apertures had grown thicker from the thin silk-like strands in the beginning.

It was like beads of golden light that covered his entire body.

Very soon, he would be able to condense a Primordial Yang inner core.

Three months later, when his Yin Qi reaches completion, then the Yin and Yang Qi would compliment each other and reach perfection.

When that time comes, his martial arts will reach a new height.

"Brother, wait for me. I'll find a solution!"

Zhao Yuan's face was filled with determination. He still had a Spiritual Transformation Expert master.

"Why are you bringing this up again?"

Zhao Mu felt helpless.

If not for the situation not allowing for it, he would not keep it a secret from his brother.

His cultivation level and the reason behind his miraculous progress in martial arts cultivation were unexplainable.

Moreover, he was stuck with the fate of a cursed child.

If Zhao Mu showed any achievements in his cultivation, it might incur the wrath of the emperor and the Crown Prince.

By that time, he might not even be able to keep his life, much less being sent off to Tong Province for the rest of his life.

Because of that, Zhao Mu constantly reminded himself to be careful.

He only wished to cultivate in peace and breakthrough the stages.

"...Brother, your poem is well written, and your handwriting is amazing too! Can you give this to me?!"

Zhao Yuan rubbed his little face and tried to change the topic.

"Sure, just take it."

Zhao Mu nodded in agreement.

Regarding the issue of being sent away, he had long planned for it.

Due to his abundance of internal energy, he had been stuck at the third Mortal Stage, the Unblocking Aperture Stage for too long.

In three months, he would convert all the 200 years of internal energy to true Qi, refining them into Primordial Yang Qi and Mysterious Yin Qi.

After that, he would learn the Flame Blade, Flame Arrow, and other techniques of the kind to fend off enemies.

By then, he would have some ability for self-preservation.

Even if he was sent to the imperial tomb in Tong Province, it would not matter much.

"How's your martial arts cultivation going?"

Zhao Mu changed the topic.

He absorbed and familiarized Huo Rulie's decades of martial arts experience.

With one glance, he could already tell that his brother had already reached the adept level of Body Tempering.

Even when placed among the sacred grounds or sects, his progress would be among the top.

"I'm still trying hard to train my muscles and bones. I can already break three wooden poles and was praised by the royal guard instructor."

Zhao Yuan seemed proud as he said with his chin lifted.

The royal guards would soak a thick wooden pole in tung oil and wrap it with burlap to be used as a way to judge one's strength.

If one could crack or break a wooden pole barehanded with one's internal energy, that would symbolize the completion of the Form Shaping Stage and successfully step into the first step of the Mortal Stages.

Breaking three poles with a single punch.

By the standard of the second Mortal Stage, it was already considered quite good.

"Rumbling Thunder Force is an art to train the muscles and temper one's form. You're already at the second Mortal Stage of Body Tempering. You should've strengthened your bones and internal organs, right?"

Zhao Mu's eyes twitched. He planned to pass on the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist to his brother to help him secure a better foundation.

At least up until that point, he had yet to come across a fundamental martial art that was stronger than that fist technique.

"The royal guard instructor taught me a set of fist techniques named Elephant Back Piercing Fist. It specifically strengthens the arms, waist joints, and bones. I practice it every day and would only stop when my whole body is sore."

Zhao Yuan practiced a few moves expertly with punches and kicks.

The air current rumbled.

From that, he could see that this little prince's lower body was steady and his strength course through his waist and back.

It was not just an empty form.

"Mm, it seems impressive," Zhao Mu praised.

He planned to copy down the moves of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist and place them in the booklet within the library.

Zhao Yuan would head over again eventually and notice it.

He believed in Huo Rulie's knowledge, it would not be difficult for him to recognize the greatness of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.

…

Time passed by quickly for the meeting between the brothers.

When the sky turned dark, Zhao Mu was the only one left in the bedchamber.

It was midnight and the sound of the night patrol on duty could be heard.

He once again changed his clothes and slipped out of the cold palace.

That day, he had asked his brother Zhao Yuan and learned of the layout of the inner district of the imperial city.

Eastern Palace, Queen's Garden, West Garden, North Garden, Imperial Garden…

Those were the places heavily guarded by the royal guard patrols.

Whereas Jingren Palace and Eternal Happiness Palace which were closer to the outer circle of the imperial city would have lower security.

"Truth Monastery"

Zhao Mu confirmed his target.

That was an imperial daoist monastery that served as a cultivation facility of a princess in the previous dynasty.

As of then, after being rebuilt, it was used by the consorts from the harem to pray for blessings.

"It's not far from the cold palace and has several centuries of history. I should be able to get some good stuff from there."

In recent days, Zhao Mu's conversion of internal energy to true Qi caused his appetite to grow continuously.

The simple meals were totally insufficient to fill his stomach.

If not for the elixirs he acquired from signing in to supply him with vitality and nutrition, he might have fallen into a pitiful state of stealing food from the kitchen complex.

If things continued this way, he would eventually be found out to be practicing martial arts.

"Let's see if I can imprint something useful…Fortunately I have this Presence Concealment Mantra, or it'll be extremely difficult for me to sign in outside."

Zhao Mu exhaled, feeling that every step was filled with hardship.

He had grown more and more proficient with that particular weird art.

He reached the point where he could conceal all the Qi in his acupoints and apertures, causing his entire body to be devoid of the aura of a living human.

That day, when Eunuch Gao from the Credentials Directorate approached Zhao Mu, he failed to detect any abnormalities.

That was sufficient proof that the Presence Concealment Mantra was able to fool someone of the fifth Mortal Stage, an expert of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

As it went deeper into the night, Zhao Mu stealthily left the Eternal Happiness Palace.

According to the location described by his brother, he made his way quickly in the direction of the Truth Monastery. 

Along the way, he met eunuchs and maids holding onto lanterns as they ran errands for their own masters.

There were also three alternating royal guard patrol groups consisting of five men in each patrol.

However, ever since Zhao Mu's apertures were unblocked, his five senses were extremely sensitive and could easily notice everything within three feet of him.

It was naturally no issue for him to avoid those people.

"It's only a few daoist trainees."

Zhao Mu snuck into the monastery, vaulted over the outer walls, and saw the grand Purity Hall.

Within it was a life-like stone sculpture of nine dragons.

Zhao Mu stood where he was as he felt its spirit.

Within his mind, the mysterious stone dial shook violently.

"You've arrived at Truth Monastery. Acquired Nine Aperture Golden Elixir!"

"Would you like to imprint?"

Zhao Mu's face was in complete shock.

Why was it another elixir?

"I was careless."

After that, he sighed helplessly.

"I forgot that these daoists would often refine elixirs to nurture Qi and health for the nobles in the harem. The lingering marks would naturally be mostly elixir Qi and herbal Qi."

200 years of abundant internal energy. He had originally refined one-fifth of them.

With the addition of the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir, who knew how long that would set him back again!

Once again, Zhao Mu let out a lamentation that would cause jealousy in others.

Too much internal energy is also a problem!

"Imprint."

For a reward delivered to his doorstep, there was no need to reject it. Zhao Mu nodded slightly.

He focused his attention. From within the mysterious stone dial, relevant information slowly flowed out.

"So it doesn't only increase one's internal energy. I can also transform a person to change one's physical traits and refine the bone marrow!"

Zhao Mu's heart was filled with shock. That dark golden-colored elixir was actually such an amazing item.

The so-called 'miracle elixirs' would only smoothen one's meridians, nurture the internal organs, replenish vitality, and increase internal energy.

Just that alone was sufficient to cause the various sects to scramble all over for it.

One can imagine if news of this dark golden elixir with nine holes like the apertures of a human body that lets out and absorb vitality were to be leaked to the public, it would probably cause a bloody storm.

A person's bone structure and talent were determined from birth and could not be changed.

A person's appearance would be determined from the moment of birth.

Even if one ingested elixirs daily and had experts infuse Qi to cleanse one's bones, its effects would be limited.

For the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir to have the ability to transform a person, that was no different from changing one's fate and creating a new body.

"Who's the thief! How dare you trespass the Truth Monastery!"

Just as Zhao Mu was about to leave, a loud roar shook the Purity Hall.