Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 336: New Mission

Kyrian considered the matter.

His proficiency in alchemy and formations was certainly not insignificant. He possessed the capability to refine pills for sale and the skill to craft formations for a fee, enabling him to achieve independence.

"I shall decide once I am there," Kyrian responded.

"I have no desire to commit myself to anyone until I fully grasp the circumstances."

Dong Zhen emitted a short laugh, more like a stifled cough.

He rose from his seat and approached the window, his gaze fixed upon the overcast sky. The somber clouds dominating the plain shifted languidly, as though possessed of a life of their own.

"Bai Zhu and the others are expected to return within the coming days," he stated, his back still turned to Kyrian.

"You may undertake one final mission together, as a form of farewell." He paused, a moment of silence hanging in the air.

"There is no certainty as to when you might see each other again."

Kyrian inclined his head in acknowledgment.

"I understand."

He stood and offered a slight bow.

"In that case, I will return to my dormitory."

Dong Zhen gestured dismissively with his hand.

Kyrian departed from the office, descending the broad, somber stone steps. The resonance of his footfalls echoed through the deserted corridors. The Blood Court was enveloped in a profound silence at that hour.

He traversed the Blood Core hall, where the immense blood core throbbed with a faint luminescence, and proceeded into the passageway leading to the dormitories.

His chamber was as he had left it: unadorned, practical, and devoid of any superfluous items. A bed fashioned from dark wood, a table of stone, and a few empty shelves constituted its furnishings. Kyrian closed the door behind him and surrendered to the embrace of the bed.

The weariness accumulated from days of travel and the recent engagement upon the mountain finally claimed him.

He closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.

...

Kyrian awoke the subsequent day to find the sky still dark.

The plain of the Blood Court was devoid of any sunlight, obscured by the thick black clouds that blotted out the heavens, with only the spiritual lamps providing illumination along the corridors. Nevertheless, his body, accustomed to early rising, roused him at his usual hour.

He sat up in bed, stretching his neck with a series of deliberate movements.

'A period of stagnation lies ahead,' he mused.

'I must not squander this time.'

From his spatial ring, Kyrian retrieved the alchemy cauldron that Dong Zhen had bestowed upon him. It was a vessel of considerable quality, its surface intricately etched with runes designed to aid in temperature regulation and enhance the purity of refined pills.

He positioned the cauldron upon the stone table and commenced the task of sorting the spiritual herbs he had acquired over the preceding months.

These were herbs intended for Rank 4 pills – nothing exceedingly advanced, yet sufficient for practice. He selected a straightforward formula, the Qi Recovery Pill, and began his work.

A gray flame ignited, heating the cauldron. Kyrian introduced the herbs sequentially, exercising meticulous control over the timing and temperature. His gaze remained fixed upon each internal reaction within the cauldron, observing the transformation of the herbs into their pure essence.

The inaugural pill emerged imperfect, bearing a minuscule fracture on its surface and a hue slightly too dark. Its purity registered at eighty-nine percent.

Kyrian meticulously analyzed the error, adjusted the flow of his Qi, and initiated the process anew.

The second attempt proved superior. The third achieved near perfection.

He persisted until the arrival of noon, fully engrossed in his craft. Upon concluding his efforts, he had successfully refined dozens of pills, the vast majority boasting a purity exceeding ninety percent. He carefully transferred them into jade bottles, subsequently storing these bottles within his ring.

His focus then shifted to a different endeavor.

Kyrian produced several blank jade plates and commenced the intricate process of engraving formations upon them. These included formations for protection, concealment, and offense – nothing overly complex, yet valuable for anyone requiring rapid defense.

He toiled until the onset of night, his eyes strained by the intense concentration. The jade plates emitted a faint glow, illuminated by the symbols he meticulously etched, each line of Qi placed with surgical precision.

Upon completion, he secured the plates and retired for the night.

The following day, he repeated the entire process.

And the day after that.

And the subsequent day.

Thus, five days elapsed.

Kyrian succeeded in refining numerous Rank 4 pills and a few Rank 5 pills, the latter presenting a considerably greater challenge. He sensed an elusive element missing during the refinement of Rank 5 pills, yet he still managed occasional successes.

Furthermore, he fabricated over twenty formation plates, each representing a different type and appearing as a miniature masterpiece.

However, his cultivation remained stubbornly stagnant.

On the fifth day, Kyrian sat upon his bed, his gaze fixed upon his hands. The Qi within his eyes maintained a steady state, showing no signs of advancement.

He had attained the 1st stage of Core Formation, and the subsequent stage seemed frustratingly distant. The inherent limitations of his eyes presented a vexing obstacle, impeding his progress toward becoming stronger at a rapid pace.

He was aware that certain cultivators dedicated decades to mastering a single stage.

For the majority, the Core Formation realm represented a lengthy journey, where each incremental advancement demanded years of arduous effort.

Yet, Kyrian was not part of the majority.

'The dark masses of hostility...' he recalled, a memory surfacing.

'The blank book residing within my mind absorbed those masses, effectively lowering the limit of my cultivation.'

This was the method by which he had achieved such rapid progress thus far. It wasn't solely innate talent, but rather the peculiar power contained within the book, which consumed hostility and transmuted it into advancement.

"I must seek out more of these black masses," he resolved, a decision solidifying within him.

"The more hostility I absorb from them, the faster my cultivation will advance."

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a forceful knock reverberated through the door.

Kyrian rose and proceeded to the entryway. He unlatched the door.

Bai Zhu was waiting on the other side.

The lanky and powerfully built young man stood with his forearms crossed, a broad grin stretching across his face. Clad in his customary Blood Court robes, his eyes sparkled with exhilaration.

"Heh," he uttered, planting a solid thwack on Kyrian's shoulder.

"You returned swiftly."

His gaze traversed Kyrian from his head to his toes, and the smile broadened.

"Oh. You've caught up to us..."

He was scrutinizing Kyrian's current cultivation level – the 1st stage of Core Formation. This was the very same realm that he and the others had attained a few months prior.

Kyrian gave a slight nod.

"This way," he commanded, turning and commencing his walk down the corridor.

"Everyone is assembled in the Core hall. Master Dong Zhen has a new assignment for all of us."

Kyrian secured the door and followed in Bai Zhu's wake.

They proceeded in quietude through the somber passageways of the fortress. Bai Zhu refrained from inquiring about the journey.

Upon their arrival at the Blood Core hall, the remaining individuals were already present.

All eyes turned towards Kyrian as they approached him, offering their greetings.

Dong Zhen uplifted a hand, signaling for quietude.

"You may converse later," he declared, his tone resonating with depth.

"I have a mission designated for you."

A hush immediately fell over the assembly.

Dong Zhen advanced to the hall's central point and commenced his address.