Chapter Forty-Six: The Fragmented Manuscript of Ashen Marks

Beneath the gathering mist, Brother Bai poured a little from nearly every jar into the medicinal barrel. Whether slicing or cutting, each action seemed to follow some unspoken rule, his expression intensely focused. His movements, while still somewhat inexperienced, showed not a trace of hesitation.

A medicinal bath that appeared both exceedingly precious and peculiarly intimidating was slowly taking shape under his careful preparation. Li Le watched as the concoction gradually came together, unable to muster the energy to wonder whether the ingredients were truly valuable or not. Her complexion had turned a shade of green, and she silently wished the bath would take longer to finish.

But it was clear she would be disappointed. As the final pale green liquid was poured in, the dark, steaming fluid inside the barrel seemed to undergo some kind of reaction. Under the tower’s light, it shimmered with a strange, corvid-like brilliance.

At last, the medicinal bath was complete—extraordinary, imbued with a strange, inexplicable vitality. The word “vitality” hardly seemed appropriate here, and yet, for reasons she could not explain, its presence pressed upon her with an almost supernatural force.

Desire…

A primal, biological yearning welled up within Li Le; it was as though a dying traveler in the desert had at last glimpsed a spring, or a soul lost in the snows of a winter night beheld a blazing fire. It was the deep, genetic longing to grow stronger, roaring within her.

Her senses, dulled by modern life, began to awaken, asserting themselves with a clarity she had never before experienced: beneficial, beneficial, beneficial…

Gone, gone, gone…

Li Le gazed at the rippling surface, inexplicably entranced, like an infant glimpsing a corner of the vast universe for the first time—struck dumb with awe.

“Wake up!”

A sharp, familiar voice snapped her out of her stupor. Li Le shuddered violently, cold sweat breaking out over her body. She had just been utterly ensnared by the witch’s brew—how terrifying was that? What grade of potion had Brother Bai just concocted? Why had her mind gone utterly blank, instantly drawn to the liquid? That strange, contradictory allure was anything but normal!

She couldn’t help but feel alarmed. Thinking back, her reaction had been disturbingly similar to the addicts she’d seen in her previous life. Forcing her gaze away, she looked at Brother Bai with barely concealed fear.

“Brother Bai, is this the medicinal bath?”

She tried to avoid looking directly at the liquid, her voice still edged with lingering dread. Brother Bai, however, seemed entirely untroubled. In fact, seeing the faint longing in her eyes just now, his expression softened, even showing a hint of satisfaction.

Satisfaction?

Li Le wondered if she’d imagined it. Brother Bai didn’t answer her question, instead pointing to the barrel with a serious look.

“Le, what did you feel when you looked at it just now?”

“Feel?” Li Le echoed, confused. Yet that strange, inexplicable pull still lingered in her heart, leaving her unsettled. Seeing his earnest, attentive expression, she hurried to respond:

“Brother Bai, I don’t know what happened. When I saw the bath just now, I felt an overwhelming urge to go to it... I— I— something felt very wrong. I couldn’t control my body at all. I can’t accurately describe what I felt, but... I couldn’t look away…”

“I’m certain, Brother Bai, if you hadn’t called me just now, I wouldn’t even have realized I was being drawn in…”

She did her best to put her experience into words Brother Bai could understand, but that uncontrollable, primal urge had left her genuinely shaken. Even hypnosis couldn’t work so quickly! And she had always been disciplined, never having touched anything addictive before—never had her mind been seized like that.

Brother Bai listened, then breathed a sigh of relief. Perceiving the fear in her heart, his usually cold tone softened a little as he explained with care:

“This is normal.”

“This was prepared according to the ancient ‘Ashen Pattern Fragment’ formula passed down in the Bai clan, a traditional method for forging the ‘Tempered Skin Realm.’ It’s designed to maximize the latent potential of the young.”

“And for the young, the stronger the pull of the ancient formula, the better it matches their innate constitution. In the ‘tempering’ process, this means greater potential can be awakened, and a stronger foundation laid.”