Chapter 30

The National Master stood up from the ground, glanced at Zhang Ruochen who was standing behind him, and revealed a displeased expression, saying, "Ninth Prince, why don't you kneel and pay homage to Empress Chiryo?"

"I only bow to heaven and earth, and to my parents. I will not bow to her."

After saying this, Zhang Ruochen walked through the imperial shrine, passed through a hidden door, and followed the stone staircase behind it, step by step, down to the underground Man Shen Pool.

Fifth Prince, Situ Linjiang, Xue Kai, and Lin Nishan stood up and looked at Zhang Ruochen.

"Such a rebellious character will eventually be his downfall!" Situ Linjiang shook his head lightly.

After the battle with Zhang Ruochen, Situ Linjiang still admired his martial talent. However, Zhang Ruochen was indeed too proud, even refusing to bow to the Empress, which would surely bring great trouble in the future.

"What is there to be proud of? He is only at the Lesser Apex of the Yellow Extreme Realm, just barely stepping into the path of martial arts. Whether he can become a true powerhouse in the future is still uncertain!" Lin Nishan said.

Subsequently, under the guidance of the National Master, Fifth Prince, Situ Linjiang, Xue Kai, and Lin Nishan also descended the stone staircase, entering an underground world filled with a bloody smell.

In the center of the underground world, a huge blood-red divine pool had been excavated, over a hundred meters long and wide.

The blood-red water in the pool continuously boiled, churning up layers of blood waves.

In the center of the blood pool stood an ancient altar, square in shape, constructed from massive stones, each surface engraved with sacrificial texts and diagrams.

The stone platform extended upwards, merging with the altar on the ground.

"You should now enter the Man Shen Pool for cultivation! Remember, the blood essence power in the Man Shen Pool is extremely fierce. If you cannot endure it, immediately leave the water and do not force yourself. Otherwise, there is a risk to your life," the National Master said sternly.

Zhang Ruochen, Lin Nishan, Situ Linjiang, Fifth Prince, and Xue Kai, the five young geniuses, entered the Man Shen Pool one by one.

The water in the Man Shen Pool was scalding hot, almost boiling, capable of cooking a person.

"Ugh!"

The five young geniuses, upon touching the water, let out a muffled cry. The skin that came into contact with the water immediately melted, and their legs became a bloody mess.

They gritted their teeth, enduring the pain, and immediately circulated their true qi to resist the blood essence power.

"If you use true qi to resist the blood essence power, it will not be able to enter your body," the National Master said calmly from the pool's edge.

To obtain the blood essence power from the Man Shen Pool, the five young geniuses had to retract their true qi back into their bodies. The pain returned, causing their veins to protrude.

Zhang Ruochen's mental strength was powerful, clearly feeling the scorching blood essence power seeping through the wounds into his flesh, merging with his blood and bones.

"Indeed, it is blood essence power, this is excellent! With the help of blood essence power, my constitution will definitely improve significantly. I must not waste this opportunity!"

Zhang Ruochen slowly closed his eyes and walked step by step towards the center of the Man Shen Pool.

The deeper he walked towards the center, the deeper the water became.

Zhang Ruochen had only taken ten steps, and the blood-red water had already reached his waist.

The more he came into contact with the water, the faster he absorbed the blood essence power. At the same time, the pain in his body became more intense.

The National Master, standing by the pool, showed a look of surprise, sighing inwardly, "Impressive! His willpower is so strong that he dares to walk to the mid-region of the Man Shen Pool upon entering. When the Seventh Prince first entered the Man Shen Pool for cultivation, he spent an hour adapting to the low region before daring to walk to the mid-region."

The Man Shen Pool was divided into three regions: the low region, the mid-region, and the high region.

The low region was the outer part of the Man Shen Pool. The deepest part of the low region only reached the knees of a martial artist.

Generally, martial artists entering the Man Shen Pool for the first time only dared to cultivate in the low region, not daring to enter the mid-region.

In the past ten years, only the Seventh Prince had walked into the mid-region during his first cultivation in the Man Shen Pool.

Zhang Ruochen, upon entering the Man Shen Pool, directly walked into the mid-region for cultivation, causing a significant shock and immense pressure for the other four young martial artists.

The Fifth Prince, entering the Man Shen Pool for the second time, still did not dare to walk into the mid-region, only enduring in the low region, striving to absorb more blood essence power, temper his body, and strengthen his constitution.

After two hours, Lin Nishan could no longer endure and immediately left the Man Shen Pool. Being a woman, her physical constitution could not compare to that of male martial artists.

As soon as she stepped out of the Man Shen Pool, the burned skin on her legs began to heal at a visible speed, quickly becoming smooth and flawless, without a single scar.

The unbearable pain disappeared, replaced by a cool and comfortable sensation, as if her entire body was immersed in an ice crystal milk bath, feeling very comfortable.

"How could it heal so quickly?" Lin Nishan felt surprised.

"The blood essence power you absorbed just now helped heal the wounds on your legs! Immediately cultivate and strive to refine all the blood essence power, converting it into your own strength. Otherwise, the results of your cultivation will be greatly reduced," the National Master said.

Lin Nishan immediately sat down in a meditative posture, mobilizing her true qi to refine the remaining blood essence power in her body.

After half an hour, Xue Kai could no longer endure and also left the Man Shen Pool.

Another two hours passed, and Situ Linjiang and the Fifth Prince almost simultaneously left the Man Shen Pool.

Upon leaving the Man Shen Pool, they immediately sat down and began to refine the blood essence power.

At this moment, only Zhang Ruochen was still cultivating in the Man Shen Pool, and he was in the mid-region.

"Half a day has passed, and he is still cultivating in the mid-region, truly incredible. The Seventh Prince only managed to stay in the mid-region for a day. Could he also last a day?" The National Master, with his hands behind his back, showed a look of disbelief.

In Yunwu County, the Seventh Prince could be considered a rare genius, opening the Seventh Rank Divine Martial Mark at the age of three, and using various treasures to temper his body from a young age, with a solid foundation, and both talent and insight at the pinnacle.

The Ninth Prince only opened his Divine Martial Mark at the age of sixteen. Could he compare to the Seventh Prince?

Lin Nishan, Xue Kai, Situ Linjiang, and the Fifth Prince refined the remaining blood essence power in their bodies, significantly enhancing their constitutions and reaping great benefits.

They did not leave the Man Shen Pool but stood by the pool, watching Zhang Ruochen in the water.

"How can there be such a big difference when we are all entering the Man Shen Pool for the first time?" Situ Linjiang felt incredulous, his confidence severely shaken.

He believed his willpower was very strong, able to endure pain that others could not, but compared to Zhang Ruochen, the difference was so great.

After a day, Zhang Ruochen was still firmly standing in the mid-region of the Man Shen Pool.

By the afternoon of the third day, Zhang Ruochen finally left the Man Shen Pool, then sat down and began to refine the remaining blood essence power in his body.

After refining all the blood essence power in his body, Zhang Ruochen slowly opened his eyes, a thread of blood light flowing in his eyes, which then disappeared, retracting back into his pupils.

"Indeed, my constitution has improved significantly. With my current constitution, if I advance to the Middle Apex of the Yellow Extreme Realm, I will definitely be able to open nineteen meridians, and there is even a chance to open twenty meridians," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.

After the year-end assessment, Lin Fei moved back to the Yushui Palace.

Zhang Ruochen returned to the Yushui Palace and immediately took out ten small jade bottles containing bone-washing liquid from the inner space of the time crystal, arranging them neatly in a row.

"I can start advancing to the Middle Apex of the Yellow Extreme Realm!"

Zhang Ruochen took the first dose of bone-washing liquid and began to open his twelfth meridian.

...

At this moment, the National Master came to the palace where the Empress resided, reporting everything that happened in the Man Shen Pool to her.

"Bang!"

The Empress's five fingers emitted white true qi, crushing a glass cup into pieces.

"Truly impressive, managing to cultivate in the mid-region of the Man Shen Pool for two and a half days. His talent is indeed high! Does he not understand the principle that 'the tree that stands out in the forest will be the first to be broken by the wind'?" the Empress said in a deep voice.

The National Master reminded, "Your Majesty, the year-end assessment has just passed. If the Ninth Prince encounters any misfortune now, the King will surely suspect you."

The Empress laughed coldly, "Do you think I am so foolish? I cannot touch him in the palace. But once he leaves the palace, even if he is killed, it will have nothing to do with me."

The National Master said, "Actually, even if the Ninth Prince's talent is high, he is only at the Lesser Apex of the Yellow Extreme Realm, far from comparing to the Seventh Prince. Whether he can grow into a true powerhouse in the future is still uncertain. Your Majesty, there is no need to..."

The Empress interrupted the National Master, saying coldly, "Anyone who poses a threat to my Seventh Son must die! It is precisely because he has not grown up yet that he must be eliminated to prevent future troubles."