Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan removed the stopper from the bottle, sniffed it, and without further hesitation, tilted his head back and poured the contents into his mouth.
Instantly, the rich, milky aroma filled his mouth, as if he were immersed in a pool of milk. The fragrance was so intense it bordered on cloying.
The drop of pool milk flowed down his esophagus, spreading a burning sensation throughout his body. As it traveled, Xu Sanyan could clearly sense its progress, pinpointing exactly which areas it reached.
"Ah~"
The burning of his internal organs was mildly painful, yet strangely pleasurable. This bittersweet sensation left Xu Sanyan wondering if he was awakening some peculiar attribute.
He immediately channeled his spiritual power to refine the pool milk. It spread to every corner of his body, burning and repairing his internal organs in a process similar to the Dog God's blessing, though less intense and less effective.
A single drop of pool milk had no noticeable effect on his body, making the River Sun Grass juice unnecessary.
Moments later, the pool milk had completely integrated into his system and been consumed. Xu Sanyan stood up, flicked his sleeves, and sensed the changes in his body. His five viscera had strengthened slightly, but only marginally.
To put it in more concrete terms, a typical Soul Refinement Cultivator's body stats would be around 100. After consuming pool milk, they might increase to 110.
Xu Sanyan, however, was already at approximately 600. After consuming the pool milk, his stats only increased to 605—a difference of barely half a percent.
The more solid a cultivator's foundation, the harder it becomes to improve further, and the less benefit pool milk provides.
But this was just from a single drop of pool milk. Rumor had it that Suspended Bitter Mountain contained an entire pool...
Xu Sanyan's thoughts began to stir.
He wasn't afraid of thieves stealing from him, but he was wary of being targeted by one—and he was that thief.
After a moment's contemplation, Xu Sanyan rose and headed out of the city. By now, night had fallen, and the streets were nearly deserted.
He planned to find a secluded spot to enter the secret realm. It had been a while since his last visit, and he wondered how the Dog Clan was faring.
Reaching the outskirts of the city, Xu Sanyan moved through the darkness. The silent mountains were occasionally punctuated by the roar of wild beasts, and the deep shadows seemed to conceal terrifying monsters.
After a long journey, he arrived at the foot of a low mountain. Xu Sanyan pried open a massive boulder and began digging underground. Soon, he had carved out a small chamber beneath the mountain, into which he ducked.
Turning back, he sealed the entrance with the boulder, making it indistinguishable from its surroundings.
Unfurling his great banner, he watched as a dim, gray light flowed across its surface, emitting a faint glow. Xu Sanyan channeled most of his spiritual power into the banner. With a whoosh, his figure vanished from the spot.
As dawn broke over the Dog Clan, the newly appointed clan chief inherited the Old Clan Chief's cave. Just as her predecessor had done, she was now inside, preparing medicinal herbs.
Having followed the Old Clan Chief for many years and received her meticulous guidance, the new chief's herbal knowledge rivaled even that of her mentor.
At her feet, her Six-Headed Dog lay in feigned slumber, its ears occasionally twitching to catch distant sounds.
Since the last battle against the Bear Clan, the Old Clan Chief had fallen in battle, resulting in significant losses for the Dog Clan. Yet the gains were even greater: they had absorbed many Bear Clan members, seized their Earth Vein Stones, and plundered the Bear God's Essence Blood.
After a period of recuperation, the Dog Clan's strength had surged. The chief herself had successfully broken through to the Sixfold Blessing, evolving her Five-Headed Dog into a Six-Headed Dog.
Those who had distinguished themselves in the battle had also been rewarded with advancement. Previously, only five members of the Dog Clan had achieved the Fourth Blessing; now, that number had swelled to thirteen, including Xun Ancai.
The chief poured the herbs from two clay jars into a single container, thoroughly mixed them, and placed the mixture in a cool, shaded spot to dry. Though her hands were busy, her mind remained preoccupied with deeper matters.
According to the Dog Clan's customs, every newly appointed clan chief must begin selecting their successor, taking them under their wing for personal instruction.
The Old Clan Chief had chosen her, and now it was her turn to select the next leader.
After careful consideration, three individuals remained under her consideration:
Xun Yang, Xun Hua, and Xun Ancai.
The successor must first be relatively young, preferably under fifty years old, and possess exceptional talent. These two criteria alone eliminated more than half of the candidates.
Moreover, they needed to be steady, intelligent, and wise. As clan chief, one cannot act impulsively but must always prioritize the clan's interests. Xun Ancai fell short in this regard; she was too emotionally driven.
While this wasn't inherently bad, it made her unsuitable for leadership, as her decisions could easily be swayed by sentiment.
Finally, the successor must possess impeccable character and command respect. Xun Hua also fell short here; she was too narrow-minded and prone to petty grievances.
In the end, only Xun Yang remained.
She had pondered this matter for days, and no other candidate seemed as suitable.
He possessed formidable strength, exceptional talent, and sharp intelligence. Most importantly, he was young, only thirty years old.
Having lived over a hundred years, she had already passed the midpoint of her life. By the time she grew old, Xun Yang would have matured enough to take up the banner of the Dog Clan.
This was the Dog Clan's most crucial matter, allowing no room for negligence.
"Woof!"
The Six-Headed Dog sprang to its feet, its gaze fixed on the cave entrance. Following its line of sight, the clan chief saw a familiar figure approaching.
"I've come, Clan Chief," Xu Sanyan said with a smile, nodding in greeting. His eyes swept over the Six-Headed Dog, his eyebrow twitching almost imperceptibly. Another head?
This confirmed that the clan chief had already received the Sixfold Blessing.
"Hmm," the clan chief nodded slightly, casually asking, "Didn't you go to see Ancai?"
"Ah... I just came from her."
Xu Sanyan's expression turned somewhat troubled. He had noticed Xun Ancai's desires growing increasingly intense, to the point where even his robust physique struggled to keep up.
After her fourth blessing, Xun Ancai's physical prowess had surged again. She could play for hours without tiring.
Xu Sanyan had actually arrived at noon, but only now found time to meet with the clan chief.
"You've come at the perfect time. The pack beasts are nearly finished giving birth, so the Snake Clan's harvest must be substantial. I plan to lead a raid on their hunting party tomorrow. You should join us."
"Raid... the Snake Clan?" Xu Sanyan frowned slightly. "Why not follow the Bear Clan's example and attack their village directly?"
The clan chief shook his head. "The Snake Clan excels at controlling snakes. Countless venomous serpents lie hidden around their village. A direct assault would result in catastrophic casualties for us."
Xu Sanyan understood. So that was the reason.
No wonder the Bear Clan had chosen to attack the Dog Clan first instead of the Snake Clan. They must have considered this factor as well.
"Very well," Xu Sanyan agreed, "but if tomorrow's mission succeeds, I'll need to perform my third blessing."
The original agreement with the Old Clan Chief had been to kill the clan chiefs of the Snake and Bear Clans, nothing more. Since the new clan chief was asking for his help, compensation was only fair.
"Agreed," the clan chief replied, "but you must also contribute to future battles against the Snake Clan."
"Fine," Xu Sanyan nodded.
This condition fell within his acceptable terms.
(End of the Chapter)
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