Chapter 552 Threading the Needle

If you learn this acupuncture technique, you can use it from level one to level nine, but the threshold for cultivation is having a primordial spirit.

Once used, it can be used not only for stitching up the physical body, but also for the primordial soul that has merged with the accompanying treasure. It can be a physical entity or an illusion.

In short, it is very mysterious, very strange, and very difficult to grasp.

This acupuncture technique also requires the use of special needle-shaped instruments.

Moreover, the cultivator's own primordial spirit strength cannot be too weak—if they need to suture wounds on their primordial spirit, then a portion of their own primordial spirit will be released as a result. If they are not careful, too much primordial spirit will be released, which will not only prevent them from treating the patient, but will also harm themselves.

This is not a problem for Zhong Cai.

First of all, Zhong Cai's primordial spirit is strong enough - after all, he never misses his daily nourishing pills. Whenever his primordial spirit is even slightly uncomfortable, he will swallow pills, and they are all top-grade pills without any impurities!

Over the years, Zhong Cai's primordial spirit has become extremely powerful. Moreover, the ancient city he fused with is a top-tier level nine treasure, which greatly protects and tempers his primordial spirit.

Even if Zhong Cai uses this method in the future, as long as he simultaneously takes a Yuanhun-type pill or a similar liquid, he can ensure his safety. Furthermore, he can even place dozens or hundreds of similar pills or a large bottle of similar liquid next to him... In this way, even if Zhong Cai wants to cause trouble, it will be impossible.

And the needle-shaped mysterious weapon...

Zhong Cai flicked her fingers slightly, revealing a golden needle.

It was about three inches long and looked extremely slender. When it landed in his hand, the needle was still trembling, clearly very light.

However, this golden needle is actually a level nine treasure.

Alchemists who have reached the Fusion Realm can attempt to refine and use it; however, the higher the cultivator's own level, the longer they can use it.

Its material is very special; it is a needle-shaped artifact that can help alchemists suture any wound, including the primordial spirit.

This complements the acupuncture technique that Zhong Cai has currently discovered.

·

Zhong Cai was very satisfied.

He obtained this golden needle during a card draw sometime in the past. Because it was of a high level and looked like a treasure used for acupuncture, Zhong Cai kept it, thinking that the path of alchemy was so long, and perhaps one day he would need it...

Now, isn't this exactly what we're about to need?

Zhong Cai released a burst of profound energy in a cheerful mood, enveloping the golden needle.

He carefully refined the golden needle and drew out his own soul essence to make a mark on it.

The profound energy continuously washed over the golden needle, as did the soul energy, precisely to allow the golden needle to fully adapt to Zhong Cai's power and become familiar with Zhong Cai's aura.

In this way, when using it later, you can use it as easily as if it were your own arm, and perform the most delicate operations.

Because alchemy is a very delicate art, even the slightest mismatch can lead to enormous failure.

Zhong Cai would absolutely not allow such a thing to happen.

·

It took Zhong Cai several days to ensure that she was completely proficient in using the golden needle.

While performing the procedure, he began to practice that acupuncture technique.

Zhong Cai's practice was not ordinary; it took place in a simulation room. Furthermore, because the acupuncture involved several secret techniques related to alchemy, he would practice these techniques repeatedly in the simulation room.

Whenever she was training herself to the point of brain pain, Zhong Cai would temporarily leave the ancient city and go out to the deck for some fresh air.

At the same time, he also took the opportunity to resolve some difficult questions from other alchemists.

Perhaps because he had gained a lot of new insights into acupuncture techniques, Zhong Cai found it much easier to answer questions from other alchemists than before. When he was the only one who could be sure of treating certain patients, he could also feel that he was more relaxed than before.

Zhong Cai was fairly satisfied with this.

·

The other alchemists were naturally alarmed to discover Zhong Cai's progress.

Privately, they looked at each other, all deeply shocked.

[Am I seeing things? Your sect's Pill King Zhong's alchemy skills are so much stronger than last time!]

—This telepathic message came from a pill refiner who had come to provide support. Because his pill refining skills were quite good, and he didn't want to leave such a good training environment, he stayed here and worked with the pill refiners of the Lingxian Sect. Over time, everyone got along very well, the pill refiner made great progress, and also made many friends in the Lingxian Sect.

The other Lingxian Sect disciples were also shocked, but they quickly calmed down.

[It is indeed very fast, but Junior Brother Zhong's alchemy skills have always improved by leaps and bounds before, so this... upon closer inspection, it's not surprising.]

[Senior Brother Liu is right; Junior Brother Zhong is simply progressing much faster now. But before, Junior Brother Zhong didn't have as many patients to practice on. Now, we're all gathered together researching alchemy, and we have many methods to try... If we're progressing so quickly, it's only natural that Junior Brother Zhong's progress is even faster than before.]

That makes sense, but ultimately it was still a bit frightening.

[Isn't that right? Last time, when Junior Brother Zhong treated a patient, he was already very quick. This patient's condition is several times more complex, but Junior Brother Zhong resolved it in even less time than last time. His explanations to us were also much more detailed. His progress is terrifying!]

[As expected of Junior Brother Zhong...]

After exchanging sighs of admiration, the alchemists didn't dwell too much on discussing Zhong Cai's progress. Instead, they continued to ponder the various pharmacological principles taught by Zhong Cai and began exchanging alchemical techniques with each other.

What they are more obsessed with is the progress of their own alchemy skills.

·

After clearing his mind, Zhong Cai returned to the ancient city and continued his seclusion.

He continued to hone his acupuncture skills without indulging himself, and did not rashly start trying new techniques just because he was already familiar with them.

Only after finally feeling somewhat satisfied did Zhong Cai exhale and temporarily store the golden needles into his Dao Palace.

Next, Zhong Cai went to the simulation room.

He was preparing to begin attempting to stitch the primordial spirits together.

As Zhong Cai thought about it, two identical fragments of the primordial spirit appeared before him.

Zhong Cai sat cross-legged for a while, adjusting her mind and body to their most energetic state.

Then, he released the golden needles again.

The golden needles hovered in front of him, their faint light constantly flickering.

Zhong Cai used her own soul power to guide and infuse it into the golden needle.

The next instant, a special kind of energy began to gather at the tip of the golden needle, forming a point of crystalline red light.

This red light was not the blood-red light that cultivators often saw, but a very clear and bright color, like a ruby.

A clear red light gradually enveloped the entire needle, and under Zhong Cai's command, it flew forward at an extremely fast speed!

In an instant, it flew to the fragment of the primordial soul.

A bright red light shone forth, and the golden needle, enveloped in light, pierced the edge of one of the Yuan Soul fragments in an instant!

"Clang!"

A very faint metallic clang.

Zhong Cai's lips twitched.

Wow, we crashed into it, but we didn't even get through!

It was obvious that the golden needle had been bounced back and was now trembling slightly around the primordial spirit.

The primordial spirit itself was trembling, as if it had endured some great force and was on the verge of collapse.

If the piercing continues with force, the fragment of the primordial spirit may shatter.

After testing the waters, Zhong Cai realized that this tactic wouldn't work.

Therefore, the fragments of the primordial spirit in front of us should be treated as companion treasures that have been fused with the primordial spirit.

·

If the primordial spirit is damaged even under the protection of the accompanying treasure, the repair will naturally be carried out within the accompanying treasure.

However, companion treasures are often physical objects, while primordial spirits are half-real and half-illusory, so one cannot force them.

Therefore, if the gold needle is used to stitch up the primordial spirit in the fused state of the accompanying treasure, it cannot be done directly with the gold needle itself.

After all, this golden needle is a level nine Xuan artifact. If it were used to pierce through the companion treasure, it would be brute force. Not only would it fail to mend the primordial soul, but the sharpness of the golden needle would also damage the Xuan artifact itself.

...Now this fragment of the primordial spirit is hard, and it cannot be obtained by brute force.

·

With a slight change of thought, Zhong Cai changed the method of manipulating the golden needles.

He poured a large amount of his profound energy into the golden needle, and also used his spiritual sense to bring in some soul energy.

These forces collided and interacted within the gold needle, and through the harmonization of the needle itself, formed a strange energy...

Visibly, a large amount of red light was emitted from the front of the golden needle, and it was rapidly compressed and condensed in a very short time... Gradually, it formed a half-illusory, half-solid, red needle.

The red needle and the gold needle are almost identical.

Zhong Cai revealed a satisfied smile.

Now we can proceed to the next step.

Zhong Cai poured her soul essence into the golden needle once more.

The gold needles began to tremble slightly.

The red needle appears three inches in front of the gold needle. Interestingly, when the gold needle vibrates, the red needle also moves along with it, and the amplitude of each vibration is exactly the same as that of the gold needle!

It was just like the shadow of a golden needle.

Then, Zhong Cai began to manipulate the golden needles.

As Zhong Cai directed, the golden needle once again condensed a red light, especially the red light spot on the tip of the needle, which was very clear, and even released red threads as the golden needle danced.

Interestingly, the red needle also gathered light and released threads.

The red needle gathers golden light and emits golden threads.

The golden needle made a piercing motion, and the red needle followed suit, piercing directly through the edge of the Yuan Soul fragment from top to bottom!

It was a success!

Zhong Cai clearly saw that, as the red needle pulled, a golden thread passed through the edge of the Yuan Soul fragment, and it was fluttering as the red needle danced.

Then, the red needle can be used for suturing.

The golden needle, trailing a red thread, moved forward.

The red needle, trailing a golden thread, pulled the fragment of the primordial spirit it had pierced to the front of another fragment of the primordial spirit, and then pierced it again.

The next moment, both fragments were hung on the same golden line.