A full day passed before Yang Kai finally opened his eyes.
This day of meditation had brought his condition to its peak. Immediately after, he began moving his hands ceaselessly. Delicate jade vials and rare medicinal herbs soon spread out around him, each one brimming with potent spiritual energy.
These were the auxiliary materials needed to refine the Xuan Yin Kui Shui, items Zong Ao had told him about. Yang Kai had gathered them all back on the Rain Falls Star.
Though these materials were rare and precious, Yang Kai had harvested quite a few herbs on the Hanging Continent. Later, on the Rain Falls Star, he had thoroughly ransacked the stores of the Heng Luo Commerce Association's branch. Collecting these items hadn't been much trouble at all.
Zong Ao had said that refining the Xuan Yin Kui Shui was best done at the Void Return Realm, because only a warrior who had reached that level of cultivation could endure the pain of the process.
Yang Kai’s choice to begin refining while only at the Saint King Realm was entirely due to his supreme confidence in himself.
Whether it was the strength of his physical body, the depth of his Divine Sense, or the vast purity of his Holy Yuan, he believed himself to be the equal of any Void Return Realm cultivator. Apart from not having comprehended the power of Might, he was hardly lacking compared to them. Furthermore, his own tenacity and endurance were far beyond ordinary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to merge with the Great Demon God’s Proud Bone Golden Body when he was still so weak, nor would he have comprehended the strange martial art, Unyielding Pride, from it.
Therefore, he wasn't worried about his cultivation level at all. The only thing he needed to consider now was how to maximize the wondrous effects contained within the Xuan Yin Kui Shui.
Zong Ao had said this substance could dramatically elevate a warrior's cultivation without any significant drawbacks. Yang Kai was already keenly aware of how low his first-level Saint King Realm cultivation was. If he could raise it significantly in a short time, he would possess far more capital.
His foundation, his mental state, his comprehension of the Martial Dao and Heavenly Dao—he wasn't worried about any of that.
His foundation was exceptionally solid. Even if his cultivation level surged this time, it wouldn't destabilize his core, leading to difficulties in future cultivation. Regarding his mental state, he had absorbed the spiritual energy of so many warriors; it was long since beyond the level of a typical Saint King Realm cultivator. Likewise, his comprehension of the Heavenly Dao and Martial Dao already far outstripped that of warriors at the same level.
Now that everything was ready, he wasn't about to stay idle.
Despite his thorough preparations, Yang Kai still inspected every material laid out beside him one by one. Only after confirming nothing was missing did he give a slight nod. After a thought, he produced several Golden Sun Fruits and placed them nearby.
These Golden Sun Fruits were the ones he and Dai Yuan had obtained in the Flowing Flame Sand Field. They contained extremely powerful Yang-attributed energy, making them perfectly suited for consumption at a time like this.
With everything prepared, Yang Kai’s expression grew solemn. He struck out a bolt of Holy Yuan, channeling it into a stone pedestal not far away. After absorbing the energy, the pedestal’s surface shimmered with light. The long-dormant formation array within the stone chamber roared back to life.
Moments later, a stream of pure, fire-attributed spiritual energy was drawn from the Earth Vein Fire Pool below and channeled toward Yang Kai's seated position.
The fire energy, condensed into a tangible form, instantly flooded the air, enveloping Yang Kai completely and surging recklessly into his body. Yang Kai’s expression remained unchanged as he endured the piercing pain. Far from blocking it, he opened his mind and body completely. Every pore dilated, allowing the fire energy to invade him freely.
Soon, all his clothing was incinerated, revealing his powerful physique. His muscles were well-defined and solid. Golden light shimmered on his skin, which had already begun to crack. Golden blood seeped out, and with its restorative power, constantly repaired the damaged areas. This cycle repeated over and over.
Yang Kai clenched his hand, and a jade vial on the ground flew to him. He opened the vial and tipped out a crimson pill, tossing it directly into his mouth. Closing his eyes, he refined the pill’s medicinal effects.
An hour later, the medicinal power had fully dispersed, filling every inch of his flesh and blood. He then took a dark-red spirit herb and chewed it down in large bites.
Different pills, different herbs—even the Golden Sun Fruits he had taken out temporarily were consumed one by one.
The entire process lasted three full days and nights.
With each new material he consumed, the fire glow surrounding Yang Kai intensified. The heat emanating from his body grew terrifyingly fierce, enough to make anyone’s face pale at the mere scent.
Every muscle in his body twitched and writhed. His face had become twisted in agony, his eyes bloodshot, as if he might pounce and devour someone at any moment. Though he looked utterly wretched, Yang Kai’s formidable Divine Sense ensured he remained painfully conscious. He wasn't sure whether to feel grateful or bitter about that.
In his lucid state, Yang Kai clearly felt the pills and herbs he had consumed transform into waves of medicinal power, crashing and fusing within his meridians and flesh, undergoing subtle and incredible changes. It was as if billions of tiny ants were racing about inside him. This unbearable torment was far beyond what an ordinary Saint King Realm warrior could withstand.
No wonder Zong Ao had warned him so urgently against being greedy and rushing ahead, against even thinking about the Xuan Yin Kui Shui before reaching the Void Return Realm. The old man really hadn't been speaking idly, Yang Kai thought with a sigh.
The pain he was experiencing now was enough to overwhelm most Void Return warriors, and this was only the beginning! If his Golden Blood hadn't possessed such powerful regenerative abilities, he would have had to stop long ago. To continue like this, his body would inevitably explode.
All the materials Yang Kai had consumed were Yang-attributed and Fire-attributed pills and herbs. Combined with the Earth Core Fire of this place, an unimaginably intense heat had accumulated within him. The torment he was enduring was truly beyond imagination.