Min Nan City.

South City.

Lin Chang'sheng rented a secluded three-courtyard residence, with a small two-story loft, for half a year.

His goal was to join a Cultivation Sect, but even the nearest Liuyun Immortal Sect wouldn't accept disciples until next spring. There were six months left, and when the recruitment started, his lease would be up.

By then, he could head straight for Liuyun Immortal Sect without missing a beat.

[Great Dao is Simple: Level 1]

[Lin Chang'sheng: 17/55]

[Cultivation: First-class (12499/12500)]

[Cultivation Technique: Sun and Moon Breathing Technique (Perfection), Golden Bell Shield. Broken Fifth Level (Perfection), Minor Circulation Breathing Method (Great Success 42040/125000)]

[Martial Arts: Nine-Star Linked Beads (Bow/Stealth) (Perfection), Fleeting Shadows (Perfection), Iron Sand Palm (Perfection), Cyan Snake Sword Technique (Perfection), Thunder Shock Slash (Perfection), Tiger Roar Fist (Mastery 1223/2500)]

[Alchemy: Qi Replenishing Pill (Perfection)]

[Spend a certain amount of silver taels to simplify cultivation techniques, martial arts, etc.]

[Status: Yin Qi Invasion (Weakened)]

"This bottleneck, from First-class Peak to Martial Arts Grandmaster, is damn hard to break!"

"Looks like I have to go to Hundred Herbs Hall and try buying some elixirs!"

Lin Chang'sheng stared at the cultivation bar on his status panel—just a bit more experience and he'd break through. He mused to himself.

Currently, Minor Circulation Breathing Method was at Great Success.

Still needed some time to reach Perfection, but with over ten thousand silver taels, buying higher-level Tiger Blood Pills and Dragon Blood Pills was the fastest route!

Min Nan City, Hundred Herbs Hall—the main hall of the Tian Family, one of the five great clans—was skilled in alchemy; rumor had it they could refine Qi Blood Pill, Tiger Blood Pill, and even the rare Dragon Blood Pill.

Thinking of this, Lin Chang'sheng locked his door and headed for Hundred Herbs Hall in West City.

Hundred Herbs Hall had more than thirty branches in Min Nan City. The main hall was outside West City, a hundred li from Jade Box Mountain, on a plain, with a massive herb garden stretching fifty li in every direction.

West City, Hundred Herbs Hall branch.

The place bustled with customers, many martial artists buying Qi Blood Soup, Essence Stabilizing Pill, Qi Blood Ointment, and Qi Blood Pill. Seven or eight pharmacists were explaining elixir effects and how to use them.

"Brother, are you looking to buy elixirs or...?"

Just as Lin Chang'sheng walked into the hall, a slim pharmacist in his thirties greeted him warmly.

"Do you have Tiger Blood Pill or Dragon Blood Pill for sale?"

Lin Chang'sheng sized up the shop and asked in a low voice.

"Brother, you're looking for Dragon Blood Pill, Tiger Blood Pill?"

Xin Jie caught his words, eyes lighting up, voice even warmer. "Brother, come have a seat. Here's the situation: For now, we only have Tiger Blood Pill available, and it's a bit pricey. As for Dragon Blood Pill, the ingredients are so rare, we only manage three batches a year—and as soon as they're ready, the Royal Family and the two great sects, Liuyun Sect and Golden Saber Sect, reserve them."

"So... the Dragon Blood Pill gets pre-ordered outright?"

Lin Chang'sheng frowned. He'd wanted to buy a few Dragon Blood Pills, see if he could break that Martial Arts Grandmaster bottleneck, but they'd all been reserved?

"So I hope you'll understand. But you can buy Tiger Blood Pills—the effect is still very strong!"

"Perfect for First-class Realm experts and below!"

Seeing Lin Chang'sheng frown, Xin Jie smiled wryly.

Aside from supplying the Royal Family with Dragon Blood Pills, Hundred Herbs Hall kept a few for themselves, but didn't sell them—those are for their own elders and alchemists. After all, they needed their own martial strength.

Otherwise, they could easily get swallowed up.

"Alright, give me some Tiger Blood Pills then."

Lin Chang'sheng laughed bitterly.

Seems like...

No matter where you go, strength rules.

Hundred Herbs Hall was one of the five great clans of Min Nan City, with plenty of First-class Peak experts, but the Dragon Blood Pills they refined still got monopolized by the Royal Family, Golden Saber Sect, and Liuyun Sect!

Monopolized by royal and sect powers, Hundred Herbs Hall couldn't even sell them for a premium.

"Alrighty! Tiger Blood Pill is made by refining pure tiger blood, with eighty-one kinds of rare herbs. The price is... 100 silver taels apiece! How many would you like?"

Xin Jie gazed at Lin Chang'sheng, full of anticipation.

"100 taels?"

"If it's cheaper, I'd buy two right now!"

Lin Chang'sheng narrowed his eyes at the price—damn, that was expensive.

Just think:

In this world, 5 taels of silver will provide for a family of three for a whole year. 100 taels would keep a regular family going for 20 years!

That's how insane the price was!

If Lin Chang'sheng hadn't fleeced a few folks back in Mu City, he couldn't have even afforded these.

"Our Hundred Herbs Hall elixirs all have a fixed retail price, no bargaining allowed. Unless... you buy in bulk, I can contact management."

Xin Jie struggled to explain.

Unless you're a major client buying dozens at once, enough to get the shopkeeper involved—just two pills wasn't worth the trouble.

"Forget it, just let me try 2 for now!"

Lin Chang'sheng pulled out a 100-tael silver note and handed it to Pharmacist Xin Jie.

He had more than ten thousand silver taels, didn't want to buy too many yet—better to test the effect first!

"Alright."

Xin Jie nodded, carefully took out two white porcelain bottles from the counter, and handed them to Lin Chang'sheng, offering a pointed warning. "Brother, these Tiger Blood Pills are for First-class experts—they pack a punch, and you need at least Third-class strength to take them!"

To him, this young man's strength looked barely Third-class.

"Mm."

Lin Chang'sheng accepted the bottles, shook out a pill into his palm, inspected it repeatedly—it was blood-red, with a thick herbal aroma that made his blood nearly boil just from smelling it!

"Brother, Hundred Herbs Hall has branches in cities all over Great Yu—we'd never risk our reputation! Quality is absolutely guaranteed, you have my word!"

Seeing Lin Chang'sheng scrutinize the pill, Xin Jie hurried to reassure him.

"If it works well, I'll be back for more!"

Lin Chang'sheng pocketed the elixir, voice steady.

.......

South City.

Lin Chang'sheng's rented courtyard.

He bolted the front door, headed up to the second floor.

Crossing his legs to sit, he set two small porcelain bottles before him, both marked with a reishi emblem—the symbol of Hundred Herbs Hall.

Lin Chang'sheng took out a Tiger Blood Pill.

The blood-red pill, about the size of a pigeon egg, gave off a rich herbal scent. Lin Chang'sheng examined it, then swallowed it whole.

The Tiger Blood Pill hit his stomach, and a mighty medicinal power—at least ten times stronger than a Qi Blood Pill—exploded inside him!

"No wonder they call it Tiger Blood Pill!"

Lin Chang'sheng immediately activated his perfected Sun and Moon Breathing Technique, absorbing that immense medicinal power and channeling it into every inch of his flesh!

The energy seeped into his body, nourishing his limbs, bones, meridians, and sinews—his already formidable physique grew even more saturated with blood and energy!

Meanwhile, some of the medicine was transformed by the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique into surging inner strength!

At that moment—

If anyone else had been present, they'd see Lin Chang'sheng bathed in a red aura, his whole body surrounded by powerful waves of energy!

As time passed—

Lin Chang'sheng kept absorbing the medicine, his meridians, bones, and sinews growing ever tougher and resilient, his dantian filling with potent inner strength!

Soon enough, the medicinal power from the first Tiger Blood Pill was nearly spent. Lin Chang'sheng grabbed the second pill and swallowed it!

Boom!

A surge of overwhelming energy erupted, like a drop of water hitting a hot skillet. Lin Chang'sheng continued using his Sun and Moon Breathing Technique, absorbing the torrent!

Crack!

Boom!

Suddenly, Lin Chang'sheng heard the sound of something breaking inside his mind!

A strange sensation flooded his whole body—it was like a gateway to a new world had opened!

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