172: The arduous road ahead and the determination of the sword heart

“Medicine Clan…”

The two words Yao Chen uttered made the atmosphere in the hall even more solemn. Wind Venerable’s smile also faded, his brows tightly furrowed.

“Medicine Clan… this is troublesome,” Wind Venerable said in a deep voice. “Those arrogant old fellows have always regarded their Alchemy as the only orthodox on the continent and are extremely exclusive towards outsiders. Even my Face and Yao Chen’s Face, in front of them, would probably…”

Yao Chen nodded, taking over the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness: “Wind Idle is right. The Medicine Clan lives in seclusion, forming their own world. It is already incredibly difficult to enter their clan territory. Even if one is lucky enough to get in, trying to peruse the ancient Pill Formulas they consider secret… it’s hard, as hard as ascending to the heavens.”

He looked at Li Ao, his eyes filled with warning: “Unless you can offer a price they absolutely cannot refuse, or… display an absolute value that forces them to take you seriously.”

Absolute value? Li Ao’s eyes flickered. The nirvana star core was of great importance and could not be easily exposed. So what could he rely on?

That’s right, it was power, potential, it was his unique Dao!

He recalled the Saber Intent that resonated from the depths of his Soul when the nirvana star core backfired in the Flame Abyss, and that one slash from the ancient Blade Ancestor that tore through the nirvana star core.

“Power…” Li Ao murmured to himself, then raised his head, his eyes becoming sharp and resolute. “Teacher, Elder Wind, I understand the road ahead is difficult. But no matter what, the trip to the Medicine Clan is imperative. For Xiao Yi Xian, even if there’s only a sliver of hope, I must try.”

He paused, then continued: “As for the qualifications to make them take me seriously… I will strive for them in my own way.”

Feeling the undeniable determination and confidence in Li Ao’s words, Yao Chen and Wind Venerable exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of awe in each other’s eyes. After experiencing this tribulation, the young man in front of them seemed to have become even more resilient, and his sharpness was now more restrained and dangerous.

“Good!” Yao Chen slapped his thigh. “Since you’ve made up your mind, I will naturally do my best to mediate for you. I am, after all, from the Medicine Clan. Although I’ve been expelled, there’s still some lingering goodwill. Allow me to write a few letters and contact some old acquaintances to see if I can secure you a qualification to participate in the ‘Medicine Ceremony’ that the Medicine Clan will be holding soon. This is one of the few opportunities the Medicine Clan opens to outside Alchemists, and it’s your best stepping stone to enter the Medicine World and interact with its high-ranking members.”

“Medicine Ceremony?” Li Ao noted down the name.

“Precisely. It’s a grand event where the younger generation of Alchemists from the Medicine Clan showcase their talents, and occasionally, some renowned Alchemy Grandmasters from the outside are invited to observe. If you can perform well at this ceremony, it will undoubtedly increase your bargaining chips,” Yao Chen explained.

“Thank you, Teacher!” Li Ao bowed deeply. He knew that for Yao Chen to secure this opportunity for him, he would have to pay a considerable price in terms of favors.

“Don’t thank me so soon.” Yao Chen waved his hand, his expression serious. “Even with the qualification, standing out at the Medicine Ceremony is by no means easy. Among the younger generation of the Medicine Clan, there are many hidden talents, with no shortage of seventh- and eighth-grade Alchemists. Moreover, whether your unique Nirvana Power is an aid or an obstacle in Alchemy is yet unknown. You need time to familiarize yourself and integrate it.”

Li Ao nodded solemnly: “I understand. Before heading to the Medicine Clan, I need to further enhance my strength and thoroughly clarify my Dao.”

The night was like water, at the Peak of a secluded cliff in the back mountain of Starfall Pavilion.

Li Ao sat alone on a bluestone, gazing up at the myriad stars. The mountain wind was biting, rustling his dark hair, but it couldn't disperse the thoughtful light in his eyes.

The goal of resurrecting Xiao Yi Xian was clear, the next stop — the Medicine Clan.

But the journey to the Medicine Clan was by no means smooth. Without sufficient strength, he wouldn't even have the qualifications for equal dialogue. He needed stronger power, and even more, a clear, powerful, and completely unique Dao.

He slowly raised his right hand, his mind slightly moving. A wisp of pure gray Qi seeped from his fingertip, carrying the deathly stillness that annihilated all things – it was Nirvana Power. At the same time, another faint but incredibly condensed golden glow, carrying the will to sever all things, also lit up from his fingertip – that was his rekindled Saber Intent.

The two forces intertwined at his fingertip, like two spiritual snakes, repelling each other yet subtly showing a tendency to fuse. The initial harmonization in the quiet room was merely the beginning.

“Saber as the bone, Nirvana as the Soul… With my will, I command all Laws…”

He murmured to himself, his mind constantly replaying that one slash that tore through the star river. That was not a simple superposition of power, but an essential Fusion and sublimation. The Blade Way was an extension of his will, the “form” that cut through all obstacles in his path; and Nirvana was one of the ultimate Laws of the Universe, the “essence” that destroyed the old and brought about an end.

What he wanted to do was to control the “essence” with the “form,” transforming the ultimate power of Nirvana into the sharpest blade in his hand!

“Hiss!”

Li Ao’s eyes sharpened, and the wisp of grey-gold energy at his fingertip suddenly compressed, turning into a light blade as thin as a cicada’s wing, about a foot long! The light blade trembled slightly, and the surrounding space rippled subtly, as if unable to bear the power of cutting and annihilation it contained.

The prototype of Silent Void Slash condensed in his hand.

But compared to before, this light blade was more stable, and the Saber Intent and Nirvana Power within it were no longer simply intertwined, but had begun a deeper level of intermingling. The Saber Intent gave Nirvana “direction” and “cohesion,” while Nirvana gave the Saber Intent the characteristics of “ending” and “destruction.”

He gently waved it at the Void Realm in front of him.

There was no deafening explosion, only a faint sound, like fabric being torn. A subtle black line, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, flashed across the air and then disappeared. That was the trace of space being temporarily cut open, and a faint gray Qi permeated the incision, preventing the space from self-repairing.

The power was more than double that of simply using Nirvana Finger before! And it was more condensed, with less consumption.

“This is… the power of the Fusion of Saber and Nirvana?” Li Ao looked at the slowly dissipating black line, a sense of enlightenment and joy welling up in his heart. He had found the correct direction.

Although this was only a preliminary Fusion, still a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Realm of tearing through the star river, he had undoubtedly embarked on the correct path to the Peak.

He knew that before going to the Medicine Clan, he needed to thoroughly stabilize this preliminary Fusion and try to create more applications. At the same time, he also needed a weapon that could perfectly bear this power.

“Materials for recasting a weapon… dragon emperors reverse scale, nine nether cold iron, void crystal stone, solar essence gold…” He silently recited the rare Materials needed. These were all things that were hard to come by, and collecting them would undoubtedly take a long time.

The road ahead was long, but Li Ao’s Dao Heart, at this moment, was more steadfast and clear than ever before.

He put away the light blade at his fingertip, his gaze once again cast towards the vast starry sky, as if penetrating the endless Void Realm, seeing the Medicine Clan’s territory hidden from the world.

“Medicine Clan… Medicine Ceremony… wait for me.”

The mountain wind howled, whipping his robes, making them flutter. The figure at the cliff’s edge was like a sharp blade about to be unsheathed; though its full edge had not yet been revealed, it already hinted at the peerless sharpness that could cut through everything.