C6 The Dragonelephant Divine Might Was Added to His Body!

To assist Hu Nao in gathering information, Pei Le delivered a Nirvana Pill to him. However, after exchanging only a few words, Pei Le hurried back home.

Hu Nao, being close friends with Pei Le, didn't stand on ceremony. He simply escorted him to the courtyard gate before pausing to contemplate the jade box with the Nirvana Pill in his hand, his brow furrowed in thought.

Nan Xi inquired, "What's troubling you, Young Master?"

"It would be one thing if the pill came from Zhiyuan, but she got it from another man and then gave it to me. It feels so demeaning!" Hu Nao expressed with resentment.

"Why did you accept it then?" Nan Xi probed further.

With a resigned sigh, Hu Nao explained, "It's not just about me and Zhiyuan; we also represent the Hu and Pei families. Even though Zhiyuan had Pei Le deliver the pill, Pei Zhan is surely aware. If I were to reject it, it would signal a rift between our families, and that's not an option."

Continuing, his mood seemed to lighten, "Moreover, how valuable is the Nirvana Pill? My father exhausted all his resources and still couldn't obtain one. Now that I've reached the Fifth Heaven of Body Tempering, I don't really need it. Otherwise, I'd be overwhelmingly grateful and wouldn't overthink it."

That was the crux of the matter.

He feared he was overthinking things with his fiancée, Pei Zhiyuan, worrying excessively and always assuming the worst. His earlier words, "It's all your fault... Don't blame me..." carried an ominous tone, as if hinting at a breakup. But what if there was another meaning?

By dwelling on such thoughts, was he not failing to appreciate her genuine affection and efforts?

"This is giving me a headache!"

"I'm done thinking about it. She knows exactly how I feel about her, better than anyone. And no matter how anxious I get, it won't change how she feels about me!"

Clutching the jade box in one hand, Hu Nao gave his forehead a firm slap, as if to scatter the intricate web of thoughts that had entangled his mind.

At that moment, he finally had the chance to examine the Nirvana Pill closely. It was the size of a grape, fiery red, and glowed with a bright, needle-like brilliance. Radiant red beams emanated from it, transforming into runes that flickered mysteriously between light and dark, indescribable in their complexity.

"What a pill, truly an exceptional pill!"

Hu Nao couldn't stop singing its praises.

Having been frail and frequently ill since childhood, he had consumed numerous panaceas and knew well of the supreme pills that money couldn't buy.

Take the Nirvana Pill, for instance. Though small, it was packed with countless rare treasures and heavenly materials. It was beyond the capabilities of ordinary people to refine such a pill. Only those who had reached the enigmatic and profound Spirit Speak realm could wield the Heaven and Earth Flames, harness the essence of the sun and moon, and craft it into existence.

Legend had it that even a great master of the Nirvana Realm would need to retreat for decades, dedicating themselves to its creation, to produce just one such pill.

This pill could not only enhance one's physique and facilitate rebirth, but it also contained the wisdom and martial spirit of a Nirvana Realm master. It had the power to transform a fool into a sage and a coward into a valiant hero.

Hu Nao had returned to his room by this time and was extending the jade box to Nan Xi. "Here, take it. With this, you'll be able to enter the Spirit Speak realm in one leap and become the genius girl the whole city admires."

"Ah?"

Nan Xi was startled, not expecting such a precious pill to be offered to her so readily.

After all, if he were to consume the pill himself, he could instantly advance to the Sixth or even Seventh Heaven of Body Tempering.

Her eyes shimmered with emotion, but she firmly shook her head, "Young Master, I cannot accept this pill."

"Why?" Hu Nao's eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

Without offering an explanation, Nan Xi continued to shake her head determinedly, "Please, Young Master, don't insist. I won't take it, not for anything."

Understanding Nan Xi's gentle exterior and resolute interior, Hu Nao saw her distress and near tears, and chose not to press further. After watching her intently for a while, he huffed, "It's so frustrating. It's obviously something wonderful, yet you refuse it for no clear reason. If I didn't believe in putting the best steel to its proper use, and that you taking it would be more beneficial than me, do you think I would part with it so easily?"

Nan Xi remained silent, contemplating the situation. She couldn't fathom using the gift meant for her to compete for the title of Number One Genius Girl of Egluarsall, which rightfully belonged to her.

Hu Nao murmured to himself, "Taking this pill doesn't seem quite right. It's incredibly precious and tied to family matters. It should be in my father's care. But if he just holds onto it, that's a waste. If he gives this one to me, someone else will be upset, and if he gives that one, then I'll be upset... To save my father the trouble, I'll just handle it myself!"

"Man, being a good son is tough!"

Nan Xi couldn't help but laugh. "Young Master, you're utterly shameless. You clearly want it for yourself, so why concoct such a noble excuse?"

Hu Nao felt a surge of triumph as he saw Nan Xi's mood lift. Without hesitation, he popped the Nirvana Pill into his mouth. "Damn, it's so slippery!"

The Nirvana Pill dissolved instantly upon touching his tongue. Before he could even discern the flavor, he felt it transform into saliva, trickling down his throat and spreading throughout his body.

Suddenly, his body echoed with heavy thuds, as if a giant hammer was relentlessly pounding his flesh, bones, and meridians.

Hu Nao was overcome with a searing pain, as if his entire body was being ripped apart. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

Nan Xi was quick to react, snatching a cushion from the chair to support him, while urging, "Young Master, bear with it. Quickly, regulate your breathing and assimilate the pill's power."

"Ahhhh, it's killing me!"

Hu Nao's cries and bellows contorted his face as his body shook uncontrollably. With Nan Xi's assistance, he managed to stay seated, enduring the excruciating pain. He took a deep breath and began to circulate his breath according to the techniques of the Dragon-Elephant Divine Might.

Nan Xi swiftly placed her hand on Hu Nao's shoulder, fearing that he wouldn't be able to withstand the intense pain and would lose control of his inner breath, potentially leading to disastrous consequences.

"No pain, no gain. To break through to the next level, what's a little pain? I can bear it!" Hu Nao muttered to himself, closing his eyes to concentrate on the transformation occurring within his body.

He observed the energy from the Nirvana Pill merging with his inner breath, transforming into a dragon and an elephant, both blazing red like fire, rampaging through his body. As they passed, his flesh quivered and his bones shook, indicating the most rigorous and profound Body Tempering process.

Impurities and toxins, the dregs of his body, oozed out from every pore. These were the deep-seated contaminants that could clog his meridians and pollute his inner breath. Now, they were being expelled from his system.

Soon after, a warm and soothing dark gold flame ignited within him, alleviating some of the pain and making him feel more comfortable.

The dark gold flame worked silently like a gentle, nourishing spring rain, repairing the ravages inflicted by the Nirvana Pill. If the pill was the destroyer, then the dark gold flame was the rebuilder, quietly reshaping Hu Nao's physique.

Hu Nao was astounded, "What is this dark gold flame, and how can it be so miraculous? Anyone else would have to endure the excruciating pain of the Nirvana Pill, but I've managed to pull through so quickly, and now the pain is gone."

To his further amazement, the blood throughout his body had taken on a dark gold hue under the flame's nourishment. Even his bones and meridians were now enshrouded in a faint, yet discernible, dark gold light.

"What in the world is happening? Am I even human anymore? Whose blood is golden?" Hu Nao inwardly exclaimed in frustration.

As time progressed, his practice of inner breath continued.

Eventually, the One Dragon and One Elephant, symbolic of Hu Nao's inner breath, also took on a dark gold color. He realized that this signified the complete assimilation of the Nirvana Pill's potency, and he breathed a long sigh of relief.

A cacophony of crackling erupted, as if something had splintered into fragments.

Hu Nao's eyes snapped open to the sight of the phoenix blood wood table before him, now reduced to smithereens.

Nan Xi gasped in astonishment, "Ah! Young Master, you're incredibly strong! Ancient texts say that phoenix blood wood, infused with the lifeblood of the Divine Phoenix, is exceedingly tough. Not even swords and sabers can slice through it. And yet, you've blown it apart with a single breath? My goodness, it's a good thing I was standing behind you. If I had been in front of you when you let loose that breath, I would have..." She trailed off, her hand instinctively going to her chest as she shuddered at the thought.

"Am I really that powerful?"

It was only then that Hu Nao became aware that he had inadvertently reached the beginner's level in his practice of the Dragon-Elephant Divine Might.

With his eyes closed and his mind focused, he could see a formidable, dark gold elephant lurking within him, its presence so vast it seemed to engulf mountains and rivers. Circling behind the elephant was a divine dragon of the same dark gold hue, its claws outstretched, commanding the storms and skies.

The thought of the divine might that would be unleashed if the One Dragon and One Elephant burst forth from his body was almost too incredible to imagine.

What a rush! The sensation of being brimming with power was exhilarating!

Hu Nao chuckled to himself, "Without even channeling my Qi, I've managed to manifest a divine dragon and an elephant within me. This is exactly the 'Inner Breath Transforming Dragon and Elephant' stage mentioned in the skill. I now possess the strength of both a dragon and an elephant!"

On land, the elephant's might is unparalleled, and in water, the dragon reigns supreme.

With the combined strength of One Dragon and One Elephant, shattering the Phoenix Blood Wood with a mere breath was trivial for him.

Moreover, his body had become more than ten times stronger than the day before, yet he remained at the Fifth Heaven of Body Tempering without advancing in realm. This showed the sheer brilliance of the Dragon-Elephant Divine Might, capable of unlocking the utmost potential of one's physique.

"This must also be connected to the dark gold flame within me. Otherwise, how could I have mastered such a sophisticated martial art like the Dragon-Elephant Divine Might in just two attempts? And of course, the Nirvana Pill that Zhiyuan bestowed upon me has played a crucial role as well."

Hu Nao keenly sensed the transformations within his body, pondering various causes.

Nan Xi, with her Ninth Heaven Body Tempering cultivation, was highly attuned to fluctuations in aura. She instantly picked up on Hu Nao's condition and couldn't help but marvel, "Good heavens, Young Master, just by sitting here, I can feel the overpowering presence of a prehistoric behemoth. It's as though there's a dragon lurking in the depths, an elephant lying dormant, yet you remain at the Fifth Heaven of Body Tempering without advancing in realm. I can't begin to fathom the extent of your physical prowess."

As Hu Nao rose to his feet, the air around him stirred, creating subtle ripples that were alarmingly chaotic.

"The turmoil in Egluarsall is imminent, yet I'm not the least bit anxious. On the contrary, I'm somewhat looking forward to it," Hu Nao said with a nonchalant shrug, reverting to his usual, infuriatingly laid-back demeanor.

This time, Nan Xi refrained from any silent rebuke and instead joined in with laughter.

Her smile radiated contentment and relief, as though she found more joy in witnessing his progress than in her own breakthroughs.