"T-The method to cultivate my Hundred Poisons Body into a Thousand Poisons Body? Could a technique like that really exist under this heaven? If so, then why would you give it to someone like me – someone you've only just met?" Xie Xingfang asked with a trembling voice. Despite her colossal background and her family's enormous wealth, she couldn't help but tremble in excitement at this technique that may or may not even exist.
"There's no point in keeping it for myself since I do not have a Hundred Poisons Body, so I might as well give it to someone that actually has a use for it. I am no saint, but it will always be a personal pleasure of mine to make beautiful ladies, one such as yourself, happy, especially if it only takes a few small gifts." Su Yang replied in a calm voice, sounding as though he really did not care that he was going to share such a priceless technique to some stranger.
"Beautiful lady?" The feeling that Su Yang could see through her veil became stronger in Xie Xingfang's heart.
"Only a small gift?" Senior Zhong nearly fell unconscious when Su Yang called a technique that could cultivate one's Heavenly Constitution into a higher grade a mere 'small gift'. In fact, he was so dumbfounded that he missed the obvious flirting that was happening right in front of his wide eyes.
"A-Are you sure? Surely, something this precious, you must–"
"No need to be so humble, I am also doing this for myself. Come, lean your head towards my way."
Although she felt overwhelmed by the sudden development, as though his words were said with magic in it, Xie Xingfang obediently listened to his words and leaned forward.
When she leaned forward, Su Yang also followed. He closed his eyes and gently touched her forehead that was still covered with a veil with his own forehead, not to mention her flowery fragrance that calmed his mind.
Xie Xingfang, on the other hand, could feel her face heating up from embarrassment. This was her first time being so close to another man's face with her own; it was close enough that she might accidentally kiss him if she moved forward even the slightest.
A few seconds after their foreheads connected, a bright yellow glow could be seen in-between their foreheads slowly growing larger and brighter as time passed, and a few minutes felt like a few hours to Xie Xingfang, who was currently trying to absorb all of the information being fed into her head by Su Yang. Her body began sweating, and her breathing quickened.
When Senior Zhong saw the changes to Xie Xingfang, he wanted to interrupt them. However, fearing that he might distract them and cause irreversible damages to her, he decided to sit back and bite his jaw with as much strength as he could muster and patiently wait for the two to finish whatever they were doing.
"Immortal-grade tempering technique – Thousand Poisons Tempering?!?!" she cried inside her heart.
When Xie Xingfang finally learned the name and grade of the technique, she was nearly shocked into a coma.
There are countless techniques in this world that offer countless varieties of skills and different effects, each divided into different grades and categories depending on the technique's power and versatility.
From the weakest and least powerful techniques to the heaven-defying techniques that could destroy mountains, they are ranked: Mortal-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, and lastly, the Immortal-grade, which was considered the highest attainable rarity for techniques in this mortal world.
To put in perspective how rare and valuable Immortal-grade techniques are in this world, one could use the ten fingers on their two hands to count all of the known Immortal-grade techniques in this world and still have spare fingers to use for counting.
Hell, forget about the unobtainable-by-most Immortal-grade techniques, even Heaven-grade techniques are considered national treasures in powerful sects and are kept secured under strict supervision.
Unless one belonged to a great family that ruled an entire region in the Eastern Continent or some super sect like the Divine Sword Sect, they can forget about ever seeing any Immortal-grade technique up close and personal.
When Su Yang finally finished transferring the technique into Xie Xingfang's mind, he slowly pulled his head away from her forehead.
"I have transferred the technique directly into your mind so you can bring it up and look at it whenever you want. However, keep in mind that you will not be able to share it with anyone no matter how hard you try, so save yourself from pointless sweating," said Su Yang a few moments later.
"Haaa… Haaa...." Xie Xingfang panted heavily, sounding as though she just finished spriting a marathon.
"This…. This gift… how am I suppose to repay you? Even if I give you everything in my possession, it will not amount to even half the value of this technique!"
"Like I'd said. I am doing this not just for you but also for my own selfish reasons. And you can repay me by successfully cultivating your Hundred Poisons Body into the Thousand Poisons Body."
"Something like that is…" Xie Xingfang was speechless. She couldn't understand Su Yang's actions or guess his thoughts no matter how hard she tried. It was as though she was trying to see something deeply shrouded in a thick fog.
"A genius such as yourself, who is at the Earth Spirit Realm at such a young age, will surely be successful when cultivating the technique." Su Yang suddenly turned his head to look at the carriage ceiling, and he continued: "It seems like I have finally arrived at my destination. Although this meeting was short, it was filled with excitement – even a bit of fate's aura."
"..." Xie Xingfang silently stared at Su Yang, seemingly in a daze.
"Open the carriage door!" Senior Zhong suddenly shouted, his voice hasty-sounding, almost as though he wanted Su Yang to leave the carriage as soon as possible.
The door to the carriage opened, and Su Yang quickly stepped out of the carriage.
"Wait! Senior brother Xiao!" Xie Xingfang looked like she was about to leave the carriage to follow him but was quickly stopped by Senior Zhong before she could even reach the door.
"Young lady, his Majesty gave me strict orders to not let you leave this carriage, or else the protection that was bestowed onto it will not be able to protect you from danger!"
"But I still have a lot of things I need to talk to him about!" she insisted on leaving the carriage.
"Young lady, don't forget your standing! Although his swordsmanship is above even mine, he is only a mere commoner from the Eastern Continent! You cannot involve yourself too deeply with someone like that, or it will bring endless trouble – not just to yourself, but also that Xiao Yang! If it is as he said, that this meeting was fate, then you will surely meet him again in the future," said Senior Zhong, who did not know what kind of technique Su Yang gave her.
"..." Xie Xingfang finally gave up on leaving the carriage to chase after Su Yang after hearing those words.
"Start the carriage!" shouted Senior Zhong a few seconds later, and the carriage began moving.
Su Yang took one good look at the golden carriage from the outside before turning to face the valley in front of him that had a sky that was covered in thunderclouds from where he stood to the horizons.
"This is the Thunder Valley, huh."