Hidden genius: Black belly snake

Chapter 139: Touching the Emperor Realm Part2

Body tempering consisted of blood purifying, bone thickening, marrow cleansing, muscle building, and meridian strengthening.

Once a mortal body successfully achieves this feat, it could be said that the cultivator has now stepped into the martial realm. 

Without an adequately tempered body, the excessive cultivation base, soul strength, and mental strength would soon start corroding the bones and tissues. 

So this step was a must before stepping into the martial realm. 

One could even skip out on upgrading their soul strength or mental strength, but without improving their body's state they can never truly cultivate.

Not to say that improving soul strength or mental strength is not important. Everything had its own benefits and drawbacks.

Tang Yue sat cross-legged on the dirty floor of the alchemy association practice chamber, mostly dirtied by the sweat and gunk leaking out of Tang Yue.

Black blood seeped out of her orifices and her entire body was sticky with impurities being expelled.

Huff. Huff. Huff. Tang Yue panted and withstood the pain by biting her lips.

The current existing tissues and muscles needed to be broken down before they get upgraded, so body tempering was an especially painful process when compared to the other transformations. 

She had spent two whole days on this and now she was finally done with both body and soul metamorphosis.

Her entire being felt different now. She had much more energy and strength in her core essence.

She could see more clearly, hear more clearly, her basic sword movements were more fluid; in short everything about her had changed visibly. There was a new sense of power and vigor within her.

Tang Yue could hardly believe that she was experiencing so many changes just for stepping into the martial realm.

Even though it was the very next realm, the difference between the Mortal realm and Martial realm was akin to Heaven and Earth. One was the world of mortals while the other was a path to immortality.

Tang Yue sighed in satisfaction and stood up. Black sticky liquid literally dripped from her.

"Yuck." The snake cringed and quickly shifted to her serpentine form. 

She then slithered over to the closest bath chamber, present in different corners of the alchemy association, and cleaned herself up.

The cool water felt refreshing and nourishing to her soiled skin and she thoroughly scrubbed herself from top to bottom.

The elf Herman who was still following Tang Yue, now understood what Xander had mentioned.

"Of course! The princess was simply trying to breakthrough from mortal to martial realm!" He nodded in understanding and slapped his thigh.

He used his soul sense to study Tang Yue's progress and noticed that she had completed both soul and body upgrades.

"Oh. Good. Good. She should be returning now then." Herman predicted.

But right in front of his eyes, Tang Yue returned back to a different practice chamber and busied herself again.

"What the hell?" Herman was shocked! "Don't tell me??? She is going to try and break through her mental strength as well all on her own??"

He had thought that someone the Prince had an eye on would be at least an astute and intelligent person, but this was pure stupidity!

Who on their right mind would try to break through their mental limits all by themselves?

This was the most dangerous step and one needed someone else with a higher cultivation level to pull them out of danger if the need arises.

Herman crushed another jade slip to call for a replacement. He needed to ask Xander again what to do in this scenario.

"But but" Herman struggled with his conscience. 

For all he knew, the princess had already started the mental refining process and he simply couldn't leave her side now.

The elf slowly walked closer to Tang Yue's chamber and hesitantly pushed open the door. He had decided to err on the side of caution.

Inside the chamber, a slender pale blue figure laid on the floor, twitching and convulsing, her emerald eyes now fully white in color.

White froth was leaking out of her mouth.

Herman silently squatted next to Tang Yue without making a noise. Not that it mattered. 

Even if thunder crashed right next to her, she wouldn't be able to hear anything now.

Just as he had expected, Tang Yue was already past the point of no return.

"What a nonchalant attitude! Tsk. Tsk." Herman shook his head in disappointment. 

In the split second, before he could intervene or do anything, she had already entered the chamber and popped a pill into her mouth as if she was merely eating a snack.

Devil Awakening Pills were the only known and effective method for improving one's mental strength and that was irrefutably a brutal and painful method.

It was an illusionary vortex that pulled one's mind into nothingness, a nothingness that consisted of the deepest fears and the most dreaded nightmares 

And if one was not careful enough they would forever be stuck in that imaginary realm, their mind and conscience forever lost.

Seconds ticked by and soon the replacement he had called for arrived. "You stay here. I need to go and talk to his highness."

"Do you know how to tend to someone who has taken a Devil Awakening pill?" He turned his head seriously to ask the new guard who arrived.

But his half-turned head suddenly stopped mid-air.

Standing next to him was not another replacement guard, but the Crown Prince Xander himself in person.

"Your highness." Herman instantly stood up and bowed.

"Shhh." Xander signaled him to remain quiet. He then waved his hand to dismiss the elf.

Herman bowed and quickly disappeared, leaving behind Tang Yue and Xander alone.

The alchemy association practice chambers were supposed to be private and confidential but who was going to question the mad man himself.

Xander silently sat cross-legged next to Tang Yue. 

The man seemed to be calm and relaxed but his crimson eyes were nevertheless observing even her smallest movements like a hawk.

"She should have taken the modified version." He muttered.

It was meant to be a safer option than the original version, but still

"You couldn't have done this in the royal palace itself? Are you that confident of your alchemy skills? Stupid." 

He retrieved a piece of silk cloth from his ring, which was his storage pouch, and wiped the froth coming out of Tang Yue's mouth.