"Alright, no time to waste," Marco collected his smile and said seriously, "Everyone sit cross-legged on the spot, adjust your breathing and Soul Power, bring your mental state to its peak, then take the Marrow Cleansing Pearl. I will stand guard here to ensure nothing goes wrong."
Without further discussion, everyone complied and sat cross-legged in the center of the training ground. Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Shímò, Shímó, Ye Lingling, Li Qiuyao, and Osler formed a circle. Lu Zhou also walked to an open space nearby and sat cross-legged.
They carefully took out their Marrow Cleansing Pearls and placed them in their mouths. The pearls dissolved instantly upon contact, releasing a warm, moist, cool yet overwhelmingly vibrant stream of energy that surged down their throats and flowed toward their limbs and bones!
Soon, the medicinal effects began to take hold. Everyone felt a gentle warmth rising from their dantian, quickly spreading to every meridian and corner of their bodies. Initially, it was a comfortable warmth, as if soaking in a perfectly tempered hot spring, making them want to sigh in contentment. But soon, the warmth intensified, turning into a distinct burning sensation. Their meridians began to feel sore and swollen, as if countless tiny brushes were gently scraping and cleansing inside, or like parched earth receiving nourishing rain—subtle ruptures and regeneration occurring simultaneously.
"Focus your mind and calm your spirit, anchor your consciousness in the dantian, guide the medicinal energy to flow naturally through your meridians. Do not resist it; let it take its course," Marco's calm and reassuring voice rang out at just the right moment, acting as a stabilizing pill that soothed the slightly tense group.
Following his instructions, everyone tightened their mental focus, guiding that pure and gentle energy to circulate slowly through their bodies along their cultivation pathways. The soreness and swelling gradually became more pronounced, even beginning to mix with slight stinging sensations—this was the pearl's power stripping away impurities and subtle hidden injuries or toxins that had accumulated on their meridian walls over years of cultivation. Sweat began to seep from every pore on their bodies, initially clear droplets but soon darkening to a gray-black color, becoming sticky and emitting a faint, fishy, foul odor. This was precisely the toxins and impurities being expelled from their bodies!
The entire Marrow Cleansing and Meridian Tempering process lasted about two hours. During this time, everyone's expressions varied. Yu Tianheng slightly furrowed his brows, seemingly enduring the distending pain from his meridians being widened and strengthened; the Shímò and Shímó brothers maintained resolute expressions, silently bearing the process; Osler occasionally gritted his teeth, clearly experiencing more intense flushing from the medicinal energy; Dugu Yan's face flushed red, her Jade Phosphor Serpent Spirit Soul seeming particularly reactive to this pure energy; Ye Lingling and Li Qiuyao remained relatively calm, their Martial Soul characteristics allowing them to absorb the energy more gently; Lu Zhou remained expressionless throughout, but a sharp Blade Intent faintly circulated around him—he seemed to be using the Marrow Cleansing Pearl's pure energy to temper both his Blade Intent and meridians, making them more refined and resilient.
Marco stood quietly to the side, his powerful Mental Power enveloping the entire area like quicksilver, closely monitoring each person's condition. Fluctuations in Soul Power, breathing rates, and even subtle changes in expression were all within his perception, ready to intervene and assist at any moment.
Two hours later, the medicinal effects of the Marrow Cleansing Pearl gradually subsided, and the unusual conditions affecting everyone began to stabilize. The burning sensation and soreness receded like a tide, replaced by an unprecedented feeling of lightness, clarity, and an indescribable buoyancy! It was as if they had shed heavy shackles carried for years—their entire Meridians were unobstructed, and their Soul Power circulated several times faster than before, flowing with effortless control as if guided by thought. The Soul Power itself had also become more refined and concentrated! Even their breathing grew deeper and more powerful, each inhalation seeming to draw in more of the world's spiritual energy.
Slowly, everyone opened their eyes, their gazes clearer and brighter than ever. They exchanged looks, seeing in each other's eyes disbelief, delight, and a sense of being completely reborn!
"Wow! My body feels so light! My Soul Power seems especially obedient—it's circulating so much faster!" Ye Lingling was the first to jump up, excitedly moving her limbs as she felt the surging vitality and smooth flow of Soul Power within her.
"My Soul Power... seems more concentrated, and it's much easier to control!" Osler carefully sensed the changes inside him and shouted excitedly.
Yu Tianheng clenched his fist, faint blue-purple sparks dancing at his fingertips, more condensed and agile than before! "The quality of my Soul Power has improved, and the restlessness of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit seems to have calmed somewhat."
Dugu Yan, after careful perception, nodded and said, "The flow of Soul Power is indeed much smoother and more solid."
Though Shímò and Shímó didn't speak, they forcefully bumped fists, producing a dull thud, their faces showing simple, satisfied smiles—clearly, their physical defense and Soul Power foundation had been strengthened.
Li Qiuyao's small face flushed pink as she felt the changes in her body: "Brother Marco, I feel so warm inside, it's so comfortable! My Soul Power seems to have increased a little!"
Even the usually stern Lu Zhou stood up, gently swinging his arm, a rarely seen flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. His Blade Intent, having undergone this purification, seemed to have become purer and sharper.
However, immediately afterward, an indescribable, pungent odor—a mix of fishy, sour, and foul smells—spread through the air. Everyone instinctively looked down and were stunned!
Each person's originally pristine clothes were now covered in a layer of gray-black, greasy, sticky filth, clinging tightly to their skin and making them extremely uncomfortable. Exposed skin on their arms, necks, and cheeks was also smeared with grime, making them look as if they had just been pulled out of a mud pit! This was the impurities and toxins expelled from their bodies during the marrow cleansing process!
"Oh my god! It stinks! It's so dirty!" Ye Lingling was the first to scream. She, who valued cleanliness the most, nearly cried upon seeing her originally fair, slender arms now blackened and sticky, stomping her feet repeatedly.
"Ugh... what... what is this! It's disgusting! Marco! You must have done this on purpose!" Dugu Yan also panicked. Always meticulous about her appearance, she stared furiously at Marco, her face red with anger at the sight of her filthy state and the unbearable smell.
Even Li Qiuyao wrinkled her small nose, her voice tearful: "Wah... it smells awful... and I feel so sticky and uncomfortable..."
The men weren't faring much better either. Yu Tianheng looked awkward, wanting to raise his hand to rub his nose but seeing the grime on it, he had no choice but to lower it. Osler wore a pained expression as he tried to shake off the stains on his clothes, but to no avail. The Shimo and Shimo brothers glanced at each other, somewhat at a loss. Though Lu Zhou remained expressionless as ever, his tightly pressed lips and slightly furrowed brow revealed he was also enduring the discomfort.
Marco looked at this group of disheveled "mud figures" before him - particularly Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, who usually cared the most about their appearance but were now frustrated and on the verge of breaking down. The stark contrast with their excited anticipation before taking the Marrow Cleansing Pearls finally made him unable to hold back a soft chuckle.
"Brother! How can you laugh! It's all your fault! What kind of terrible pearls are these! How can they be so filthy!" Hearing Marco's laughter, Ye Lingling felt both embarrassed and angry. Forgetting about the dirt for a moment, she rushed over wanting to hit Marco, but seeing her grimy hands, she withdrew them, only able to complain with grievance in her coquettish voice.
"Marco! You... just you wait!" Dugu Yan was equally furious and anxious, looking at her own disheveled state and wishing she could either find a hole to crawl into or beat Marco up first.
Osler said with a mournful face: "Boss, this... this effect is really 'immediate'... My new clothes are completely ruined..."
"Alright, alright," Marco suppressed his laughter and comforted them, "This is a normal phenomenon of marrow cleansing and detoxification. The more that's expelled, the more impurities were accumulated in your bodies, meaning the better the marrow cleansing effect. Hurry and go wash up. The advanced bathroom behind the training ground should be empty, and there's prepared hot water and change of clothes."
Before he finished speaking, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan simultaneously let out screams, no longer caring about their image as they rushed toward the bathroom at top speed, afraid that being one second slower would mean enduring this filthy feeling for one more moment. Li Qiuyao also hurried after them on her short legs, shouting "Wait for me!" Yu Tianheng, Osler and the others smiled awkwardly, glanced at each other, and quickly left one after another, eager to wash off this unbearable grime. Lu Zhou nodded at Marco before swiftly departing, his pace noticeably faster than usual.
In the blink of an eye, only Marco remained in the training ground, with a faint fishy odor still lingering in the air. Watching the fleeing backs of his companions, he shook his head helplessly, but his eyes held a warm and gratified smile. After this thorough Marrow Cleansing and Meridian Tempering, his companions' cultivation foundations would become more solid. Their future path as Soul Masters would undoubtedly become steadier and allow them to go further. This effort was worth it.
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