Under the Dragon Emperor Technique's guidance, the medicinal essence surged like ceaselessly like a tidal wave. Slowly, Yi Yun felt that his dantian came to resemble a huge whirlpool as all the energy surged towards his dantian.
This energy poured into Yi Yun's dantian, nearly to the point that it threatened to explode. But with the circulation of the Dragon Emperor Technique, the energy more naturally infused into Yi Yun's flesh and blood.
Under the impact and tempering of the potent medicinal essence, Yi Yun's skin flushed red. Slowly, he effused a jade-like glow. His meridians turned translucent and firm, while his flesh and blood seemed to undergo immense tempering.
The injuries that remained from the battle were completely healed during this process. At the same time, even the Azure Wood Divine Tree in Yi Yun's dantian began to grow taller and taller.
Through it all, Yi Yun felt extremely comfortable as he sensed the tumultuous energy raging in him. He suddenly opened his eyes with a flash of lightning. His aura was honed like an extremely keen blade.
Unknowingly, Yi Yun's cultivation level had reached the mid-stages of the Supremacy realm.
To an average warrior, a small subrealm improvement during the entire process of going from the early-stages to the late-stages might take them decades, centuries, or even millennia.
However, with the River of Forgetfulness's water and Dragon Emperor Relic's aid, Yi Yun had managed to complete this process in an extremely short period of time. The key reason was the Dragon Emperor Technique's potency. As long as one could gather the sufficient amount of treasured herbs to refine the Dragon Emperor Relic, one could rapidly develop one's strength.
However, this process of seeking out treasured herbs was fraught with great difficulty. Yi Yun had offended the Pillheart Sect in the process of obtaining the Abyssal Red Lotus, putting him on a proverbial tightrope. He infiltrated the Li household only to be discovered and was forced to fight Myriad God Patriarch. A single misstep in these endeavors would have led to him perishing.
The second Dragon Emperor Relic did not come easy. Peril was at every turn and it was extremely risky.
And yet, Yi Yun still needed to seek out even more treasured herbs to bolster his growth. But at the same time, the stronger he was, the easier it became to seek them out.
"Phew!" Yi Yun finished absorbing the final wisp of medicinal essence. He stood up and raised his head to release a deep breath. His breathing contained a faint dragon's cry.
As though stirred by Yi Yun's cry, the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm, which had been asleep all this while, seemed to awaken.
Yi Yun realized it and immediately looked over. He saw the white cocoon trembling gently like a hatching egg. The life within was about to bore out anytime soon.
Yi Yun used a fraction of his perception to monitor the cocoon's changes. Slowly, the movements of the cocoon turned more intense and suddenly, there was a light crack.
Immediately following that, a series of chain reactions happened. The entire cocoon casing began producing crackling sounds before a boundless aura emitted from within.
A snake figure flew out together with the aura. The seven-colored snake's figure flashed about in the sky like lightning. It let out an excited cry while circling the sky.
After it finished its joyful flight, the snake figure returned to float in front of Yi Yun.
Yi Yun revealed a look of surprise when he saw the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's new appearance.
The pair of sharp horns on the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's tiny head had turned crystalline. It suffused an aura that made one's heart disquieted. As for its body, a pair of tiny dragon claws had grown as its hind legs.
After this evolution, the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm now had the embryonic form of a dragon.
"Very good, you might one day become a True Dragon," said Yi Yun.
The Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm shook its head and burrowed its head endearingly in Yi Yun's palm. It looked like a wheedling child.
While the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm was undergoing its evolution, it also sensed that the strengthened Yi Yun's dragon bloodline had turned richer and purer. This made the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm feel even closer to Yi Yun, so it showed more affection towards him.
Yi Yun smiled as he rubbed the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's tiny head. It had evolved rapidly alongside him. It might really transform into a True Dragon one day.
"We have been in this herbal garden for quite some time. It's time we leave." Yi Yun said as his eyes flashed with a faint coldness.
A flash of lightning streaked across the sky above a desolate land, producing a rift. Wind howled through the rift as various nomological fragments coruscated incessantly.
Following that, a figure flew out from the rift. It was none other than Yi Yun.
He had gone to great effort to find the spatial node that Myriad God Patriarch had used to enter the herbal garden. Then he forcibly opened his own spatial passageway.
If not for Myriad God Patriarch, Yi Yun would probably have taken much longer to find the way. If Myriad God Patriarch knew that he ended up helping Yi Yun, the sheer anger could've brought him back to life.
Yi Yun stroked his chin as he looked at the situation beneath him. He had entered the herbal garden above a sea but he came out in a desolate plain. That was not entirely strange. The herbal garden was situated in another pocket world. Therefore, the spatial passageway that Yi Yun opened could lead to anywhere.
Thankfully, he was not very far from Martial City. After Yi Yun landed and rested for a while, he rushed for Martial City once he got his bearings.
Everything had proceeded as per normal for Martial City during the past few months. The only difference was that more people were entering Martial City.
Yi Yun joined the crowd and entered Martial City, hoping to find a chance to infiltrate the Li family and secretly rescue Wang Mu's wife, so as to fulfill his promise to Wang Mu.
However, when Yi Yun infiltrated the Li family manor, he realized that it was a lot quieter. Many of the Li family experts were no longer present.
"Oh? Where did they go?"
Yi Yun knitted his brows slightly. He went to Li Yunshang's yard and discovered that it was nearly empty. Even the maidservants were gone, much less Wang Mu's wife.
With a flash, Yi Yun left the Li household. While on the streets around the household, Yi Yun happened to hear the conversation of a few warriors who were passing by.
"It's said that even the upper echelons of the Martial Numinous clan are planning on attending the wedding. I heard that a few core disciples of the Martial Numinous clan have already obtained approval to head to the White Lunar Divine Empire to cultivate. One of the disciples is Fairy Rain. Be it her looks or talent, they are both astounding. And Fairy Rain's aunt happens to be the Li family head Li Qijian's wife. Therefore, this wedding will truly be the spotlight. Many people are heading for the Li family, including Fairy Rain. The Li family is truly becoming better by the day."
Yi Yun's ears caught their conversation. A Li family junior's wedding? Were they talking about… Li Yunshang who had lost his foot?
But with so much time having passed and the Li family being skilled at alchemy, it was possible that Li Yunshang had already recovered if they could find the sufficient treasured herbs. However, the replacement limb would not have experienced the tempering of Yuan Qi. It would not be any different from a mortal's body, making it useless in combat. Just a little impact would cause the limb to shatter once again. In order to restore the restored limb to its original standard, one needed to temper it year after year. It was unknown how long that would take.
A treasured herb that could allow Li Yunshang to grow back his limb in such a short period of time was definitely priceless. The Li family was truly willing to go to great lengths.
"This Li Yunshang still thinks of getting married after having his foot ripped off. He's truly broken in the body but firm in spirit."
The corner of Yi Yun's lips curled up. He had planned on saving Wang Mu's wife directly from the Li household but now that he had heard the conversation, he came up with another plan.
"Fellow brothers, are you discussing the Li family's Young Master Li Yunshang's wedding?"
The warriors were dressed in gorgeous clothes and looked distinguished. None of them resembled warriors and instead were more like mortal scions. They had been having a happy conversation when a normal-looking middle-aged man with ordinary cultivation level interjected. Immediately, they frowned.
However, the warriors' eagerness to show off was satisfied a little by Yi Yun's curious expression.
"Did you just get to the city? This matter is known by everyone in Martial City. Is there a need to ask?" said a warrior.
"Heh heh. Brother, you saw through me. It's true I just came to Martial City. I had been cultivating in the village and never expected to chance upon such a grand event right as I step into Martial City. Might I know when the wedding is being held, exactly?" Yi Yun asked with great anticipation as though this was the first time he was seeing the world.
Another warrior snapped his feathered fan and said, "It will be half a month from now. Why? Do you plan on watching the ceremony? Typically speaking, those without any status will not even be allowed in. However, the Li family specially plans to hold the wedding at their ancestral grounds. As long as you really wish to send your blessings, you can attend the ceremony. There's no need for an invitation. Of course, in order to prevent riff raff from attending, those without presents and well wishes will not be allowed entry."
"I have already prepared some gifts just to get a glimpse of Fairy Rain's beauty."
"Haha, me too!"
"I paid quite a heavy price for it. But it's worth it if I can get to see Fairy Rain."
These warriors began conversing among themselves again and ignored Yi Yun.
From their point of view, it was not worth their time or breath to chat with an ordinary middle-aged warrior.
However, Yi Yun did not mind. As he looked at the warriors' departing backs, he shook his head. "To think that there are people who are voluntarily giving them money."
Instead, it was the crippled Li Yunshang that was truly greedy. From Yi Yun's point of view, the reason why there was no need for an invitation was that the Li family wanted to take gifts as an entry fee, thus earning a lot of money quickly.
And these people with lowly statuses would apparently rush to attend the wedding just for Fairy Rain. Under such circumstances, they naturally would do their best to bring great gifts to avoid wagging tongues.
Others might not know what Li Yunshang's wedding was about but how could Yi Yun not know? Li Yunshang's wedding was a complete farce that masked his goal of dual cultivation. If they weren't making a killing, they would probably not hold such a huge wedding ceremony.