When Chu Zhiyuan left, he found himself in a courtyard in the outer city.
This courtyard was located in the south of the city.
It was convenient to enter and exit the South City Gate, but a bit far from the inner city. Without Zou Fang by his side, he felt quite unaccustomed.
Wandering through the bustling crowd, the air was filled with the scent of burning firewood. Dusk had deepened, and the lanterns were just being lit.
Every household began to cook, and wisps of smoke curled upwards.
Some people went directly to the snack stalls after work for a quick bite, while others bought a few pounds of meat to cook themselves. Still others went to restaurants, calling friends and companions, singing loudly and laughing heartily, indulging themselves to their hearts' content.
A strong scent of incense swirled around him. Chu Zhiyuan walked among them, observing his surroundings.
The concentration of martial arts experts was higher than in the inner city; almost everyone wore a sword or carried a knife. Even those with poor martial skills would carry knives and swords to boost their prestige.
But the concentration of high-level experts was far lower than in the inner city.
He discovered some experts from evil sects in the crowd, and there were quite a few of them. A murderous intent surged in his heart.
But he restrained himself, ultimately not shooting out his flying knives, as he didn't want to expose the existence of the White Cauldron yet. Back at the Prince's mansion, during dinner, Bai Ning霜 returned excitedly.
"The Empress really hasn't relapsed. She's completely recovered this time, and her appetite has greatly improved, and her health is much better," Chu Yi clapped his hands and laughed, "I knew Big Brother could cure Grandmother!"
Chu Minghou also revealed a smile.
Bai Ning霜 said with a smile, "The Empresses in the palace are all praising you and want you to take a look at them too."
Chu Zhiyuan quickly waved his hand, "This time it was Grandmother's blessing, good luck. It just so happened that I understood it. It might not work for others."
"I've already recommended you," Bai Ning霜 said, "But sometimes you can't refuse. In the future, there will be people who won't give up and will come to you." Chu Zhiyuan said, "I'll do my best. If it doesn't work once or twice, they'll give up."
"This time, I've really been met with smiles everywhere," Bai Ning霜 said with a smile, "Even the Empresses of the East and West Palaces are all smiles." She then said, "By the way, Ruoling should be finished with her work, right? Aren't you going to see her?"
"No rush," Chu Zhiyuan said, "It might be delayed for a few more days."
"Sigh..." Bai Ning霜 said helplessly, "What's so good about being a Holy Maiden..."
"Mother—!" Chu Yi quickly interrupted her, "It's good for Sister Xiao to be a Holy Maiden. The Moon Invitation Palace sent a pile of things over today." "...Alright, alright," Bai Ning霜 said helplessly, "I can't control you young people's affairs."
Chu Yi said with a smile, "Sister Bai is so busy and still doesn't forget to send things over here, how nice."
Chu Zhiyuan asked, "What things are there?"
"Besides the Sky Penetrating Grass, there are also some rare flowers and herbs, hee hee, they're for me," Chu Yi said with a beaming smile, "There are also some elixirs, beauty elixirs, said to be the ones that the Moon Invitation Palace disciples usually like to use the most, with the magic of preserving youth."
She looked at Bai Ning霜, "The women of the Moon Invitation Palace are all ageless, and it's greatly related to these elixirs."
Bai Ning霜 hesitated, "Isn't it because of the martial arts techniques?"
"There's a relationship with the techniques, and on the other hand, there's also a relationship with these elixirs. Mother, don't you want them? I'm going to use them," Chu Yi said, "I'm going to dissolve them and apply them to my face as rouge."
"Why wouldn't I!" Bai Ning霜 said quickly, "What are you, a little girl, preserving your beauty for!"
Chu Yi said with a smile, "You have to start now. This elixir is unique to the Moon Invitation Palace, made from rare flowers in the secret land of the Moon Invitation Palace, which even the Empresses in the palace don't have." "Really?" Bai Ning霜 immediately became eager to try it, wanting to see the beauty elixir immediately and test its effects.
If Xiao Ruoling sent other elixirs and miraculous medicines, Bai Ning霜 wouldn't be so rare, after all, the Prince's Mansion is no longer what it used to be, and Chu Zhiyuan can get any elixir she wants. But the beauty elixir of the Moon Invitation Palace is different.
For a woman, the temptation of a beauty elixir is irresistible, especially with the female disciples of the Moon Invitation Palace as role models.
Everyone knows that the disciples of the Moon Invitation Palace are young and beautiful, as if they never age. Hearing that it's the effect of a beauty elixir, how could they not be tempted?
Seeing her like this, Chu Zhiyuan couldn't help but admire Xiao Ruoling's powerful skills.
Zou Fang handed him a small cold jade box, inside were ten Sky Penetrating Grasses, collected by Xiao Ruoling.
Although she was outside, she had already instructed the Moon Invitation Palace that if anyone could obtain the Sky Penetrating Grass in the secret land, they should send it here. The Moon Invitation Palace didn't pay much attention to the Holy Maiden's actions.
After all, it was for her man, and the Sky Penetrating Grass was not a precious treasure, so giving it was no big deal.
Chu Zhiyuan looked at the ten Sky Penetrating Grasses, still covered in dew, obviously freshly picked.
He looked at them suspiciously, thought about it, took out one, put it to his mouth, and then put it down again, trying another one. He cycled through this ten times, finally putting them all back in the cold jade box, his eyes filled with doubt.
"Zou Fang, where are the previous Sky Penetrating Grasses?" "Young Master, they're all put away."
"Bring them here." "Yes."
Zou Fang quickly brought another small cold jade box, inside were six Sky Penetrating Grasses.
These six were the ones that Chu Zhiyuan had picked out a few days ago after the Moon Invitation Palace sent them over, the ones that were not suitable for consumption.
Chu Zhiyuan picked up one and put it to his mouth, his expression completely changed, looking at this one suspiciously, and then trying the other five. Discovering that they were all the same, his expression became even more puzzled.
So he put them all down, focused his mind on sensing, and after a moment, determined that his intuition was correct, he could indeed sense danger. He thought with his fingers and formed a mudra, the second mudra of the Fearless Great Perfection Hand Seal, and immediately a strong premonition of danger arose.
But these dozen Sky Penetrating Grasses had no sense of danger at all.
The six that gave him a sense of danger a few days ago no longer had a sense of danger. He suspected that his premonition was malfunctioning, but he confirmed that it had not malfunctioned. So what had changed in him?
It was the beginning of Tendon Refining.
Could it be that because of Tendon Refining, these Sky Penetrating Grasses that were not suitable for consumption could be consumed? Does Tendon Refining also have a detoxification effect?
In his doubt, he picked up one that he couldn't eat before and put it in his mouth. The sixth layer of the Dragon Transformation Art, Tendon Refining, began to circulate.
Golden currents circulated between the bones, rapidly strengthening the tendons between the bones.
The Sky Penetrating Grass instantly turned into black flames and drilled into the golden light. The black flames, which originally only made the meridians more resilient, actually had the effect of strengthening the tendons. The tendons between the bones were originally in sections, each forming a whole, blocked by the bones.
Now there was actually a sign of merging.
The sections of tendons were rapidly lengthening, no longer blocked by the bones and began to connect, forming a tendon.
Chu Zhiyuan's feeling was instantly different.
A surge of majestic power seemed to emerge from within his body, eager to roar to the sky.
Sky Penetrating Grasses were swallowed one by one, and the progress of Tendon Refining was advancing by leaps and bounds. The tendons began to lengthen, thicken, and connect with each other. Finally, when the connection was halfway through, the Sky Penetrating Grass was eaten up, and the speed suddenly slowed down.
Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes regretfully.
He stopped operating with unfinished intent, his spirit was extremely exhausted, and he couldn't hide his excitement.
He faintly felt that once Tendon Refining was successful, his physique would undergo a fundamental change. It would be true Dragon Transformation.
He couldn't wait to get another twenty Sky Penetrating Grasses and directly complete Tendon Refining.
