C19 The Moon God River Purification Began!

"Little friend, you've done exceptionally well. With the way you effortlessly defeated your opponent, if you can advance to a Grade Nine Spirit Disciple within two months, you'll be welcome to join my sect," Dugu Ye said with a look of genuine appreciation in his eyes.

Those around who overheard the old man's offer drew in a sharp breath. The prospect of joining Dugu Ye's tutelage after a mere two months, despite the challenge of reaching Grade Nine Spirit Disciple, was a clear-cut case of favoritism!

"Senior Dugu Ye holds the position of an outer sect elder at the Azure Cloud Sect. With just a nod from him, becoming a disciple there would be a breeze," Mo Zhen chimed in with a smile.

"Thank you, Senior. I, Lu Chen, will spare no effort!" Lu Chen responded with a respectful bow, neither accepting nor declining outright.

Dugu Ye returned the gesture with a smile and a nod before addressing the crowd, "Alright, if you're not involved, please leave now."

Unrelated people? The City Lord's Mansion was typically a place for the inner circle, yet the elder's words were a clear signal for the Du family to make their exit.

"Pfft!" Du Chun, still sprawled on the ground, spat out blood in frustration upon hearing Dugu Ye's dismissal.

Despite his anger, Du Chun dared not defy an order from someone of the Spirit Profound Stage. He silently picked up Du Zheng, ready to leave, when Mo Zhen, who had been quiet until now, suddenly interjected, "Hold on, Patriarch Du. Your son lost a bet, and that stone on his chest should now be handed over to Lu Chen."

Caught off guard by Mo Zhen's demand, Du Chun shot him a furious look, then sighed and reluctantly removed the stone from Du Zheng's chest, tossing it to Lu Chen with a disdainful snort, "Here, take it. Don't get too carried away."

With a dark expression, Du Chun turned and left. Lu Chen caught the stone and carefully tucked it into his clothing, laughing heartily, "Hahaha, no need to worry, Patriarch Du. I can handle it. And if there are any more, feel free to send them my way!"

"Pfft, hahahaha!"

As soon as Du Chun had departed, Mo Ruxue, who had been stifling her giggles, finally let loose with laughter, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she glanced at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen, standing nearby, strolled over and gave Lu Chen a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Very good, very good!"

Lu Chen offered a smile, his words heavy with unspoken emotion. In that moment, Lu Yuanmo seemed to stand even taller, his spine straightening with pride.

"Alright, let's commence with the Moon God River Purification. Esteemed patriarchs, please observe from the sidelines."

Dugu Ye resumed his affable demeanor, extracting an ornate jade bottle from within his garments and approaching the pond at the City Lord's Mansion. He uncorked the bottle, tilting it ever so slightly.

A drop of golden liquid cascaded from the bottle in the next instant.

The emergence of the liquid suffused the entire City Lord Mansion with a subtle, refreshing scent. Those familiar with the ritual instinctively sat down cross-legged and began to meditate in silence.

Lu Chen inhaled deeply, immediately sensing the Spirit Force within him quicken its pace.

This is some high-quality stuff!

His eyes gleaming, Lu Chen couldn't help but lick his lips in anticipation.

The golden liquid continued to pour from the bottle, transforming the pond before Dugu Ye into a shimmering pool of gold.

"Alright, the four of you may enter now. The Moon God River Essence is unlike any other baptism. Its Spirit Force is exceptionally gentle, making it suitable for individuals at any stage of cultivation. Moreover, the Moon God River Essence facilitates the breaking through of the next spirit meridian with greater ease."

"However, be mindful that while the Moon God River Essence is mild, it's not to be equated with the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth. It must be absorbed gradually by the body. Do not attempt to draw it in actively, or you risk a violent death!"

Lu Chen and his companions nodded in understanding and entered the pond from four different sides.

As Lu Chen stepped in, a cool sensation from the Moon God River Essence began to permeate his being.

It was surprisingly soothing. Lu Chen marveled inwardly; the Spirit Force within him remained perfectly calm! In his past life as a Spirit Emperor, Lu Chen had never experienced such a gentle baptism. Most baptisms were fraught with pain, challenging one's willpower and endurance. A momentary lapse could mean the failure of the entire process, or worse, lead to madness!

"Not only practitioners from the Spirit Transforming Stage, Soul Controlling Stage, and Spirit Profound Stage, but even our Sect Master from the Spirit Origin Stage, relish the chance to soak in it to break through their next spirit vein. So, if you join the Azure Cloud Sect in the future, opening your meridians will be a breeze!" Dugu Ye said, his smile beaming.

Lu Chen's interest in the Azure Cloud Sect grew. Vast Dragon City was too confining for him; he knew he would eventually have to venture out into the world. Still, spending some time at the Azure Cloud Sect seemed like a good idea. With that thought, he wasted no more time and began to draw in the Moon God River Essence from the pool.

Lu Chen's approach was different from the rest. He didn't passively wait for the essence to permeate his body. Instead, he silently recited the Dragon Sucking Technique and actively pulled the essence into himself.

"Hmm?" Dugu Ye was the first to notice. Lu Chen's use of the Dragon Sucking Technique was anything but subtle; he was blatantly absorbing the essence.

Dugu Ye's brow furrowed in disapproval of Lu Chen's boldness. It was one thing for a prodigy to be confident, but ignoring the advice of elders was sheer arrogance! With that thought, Dugu Ye decided to let Lu Chen be, closing his eyes to patiently await the end of the Moon God River Purification.

The purification, relying on the body's innate ability to absorb, typically lasted half a day. But just two hours in, Dugu Ye's eyes snapped open, staring incredulously at the pool.

The water was clear; not a trace of the Moon God River Essence remained!

"Something's not right here," Dugu Ye muttered. He glanced at Lu Chen, who was still deep in concentration, and with a slight frown, he retrieved the bottle and added another drop to the pool. Instantly, the water shimmered golden once more.

The Azure Cloud Sect usually allotted only one drop of Moon God River Essence for an entire city's purification. Yet, driven by curiosity and a hint of admiration for Lu Chen, the elder added a second drop.

"I'm curious to see just how much this youngster can absorb today!"

Dugu Ye glanced at Lu Chen and let out a soft chuckle before closing his eyes once more.

But half an hour later, Dugu Ye's eyes snapped open, his gaze filled with alarm as he stared at Lu Chen. The pond before him had transformed back into crystal-clear water!

This time, even his accompanying disciple had opened his eyes in surprise.

"Can this kid really absorb that much?"

With some reluctance, Dugu Ye produced another jade bottle from his clothing and added a single drop to the pond.

"I refuse to believe you can keep absorbing at this rate!"

He declared, then closed his eyes again, though his composure had clearly waned.

Unbeknownst to him, Lu Chen, as the bearer of the Arid Disaster Stage, required more Moon God River Essence than the average person. Plus, with Lu Chen employing the Dragon Sucking Technique, his absorption rate defied normal expectations.

The Dragon Sucking Technique was an ancient cultivation method used by True Dragons.

As the dragon traversed the seas, wherever it went, the mere opening of its maw would unleash its might, compelling the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth to willingly rush into its mouth.

The Moon God River Essence, formidable as it was, paled in comparison to the might of an ancient True Dragon, and was effortlessly absorbed.

For Lu Chen, three drops were clearly insufficient. It wasn't long before Elder Dugu Ye was reaching into his clothes for the fourth time.

By the time the fourth drop was dispensed, the other three had already opened their eyes, their absorption reaching saturation.

Yet Lu Chen remained still, eyes closed, seated in meditation, showing no sign of completion.

"Today, I'm determined to see your limit. Just how much can you absorb?" Dugu Ye, paying no mind to the astonished looks from the others, reached into his clothes for the fifth time, driven by a frenzied resolve.