Gate-Breaking Pill

A large hand weakly slapped the ground, then picked up a bottle of medicinal powder.

Jiang Yuan poured all the white powder into his mouth. A warm sensation spread from his stomach, driving away the weakness throughout his body.

After a long while, Jiang Yuan's figure returned to its slender form, no longer resembling the burly man from before. This meant his control over his physical body had returned to normal.

This was Rejuvenation Powder, something Jiang Yuan had kept on hand as a precaution.

He had not expected it to actually come in useful.

Rejuvenation Powder was used to restore the bodies of martial artists who had failed to knock open the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate.

Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the ground, recovering his body.

That mouthful of blood he had just spat out represented thirty percent of his qi and blood.

Jiang Yuan slowly replenished his qi and blood, while pondering why his breakthrough had failed.

Logically speaking, with his experience of breaking through before, his breakthrough should have been foolproof.

Unable to make head or tail of it, Jiang Yuan sat in the room for a long time. Only after his aura had completely stabilized did he slowly rise and head for the Escort Agency's library tower.

It was a place much like a library. Perhaps there, he could find the answer he wanted.

Because Jiang Yuan had felt he did not need breakthrough experience recorded on paper, he had not searched the library tower for records about breakthroughs, nor had he sought guidance from Hua Jin escort masters.

That was what had led to this situation.

The library tower was silent, so quiet one could hear a silver needle hit the floor.

Jiang Yuan quietly took a book and stood beside the shelves, leafing through it.

He was fairly familiar with the library tower. Previously, in order to search for information regarding Sin Heart, Jiang Yuan had come here to browse its books as well.

Jiang Yuan put down the book, his brows knitting slightly.

Everything about advancing to Hua Jin matched what Jiang Yuan had thought. The only difference was that, when advancing to Hua Jin, one had to find and consume a Gate-Breaking Pill.

Only after consuming a Gate-Breaking Pill would one be qualified to knock open the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate. Otherwise, no matter what one did, one would not even be qualified to touch the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate.

And only major powers possessed the pill formula for refining Gate-Breaking Pills.

This was also why there were many Rogue Cultivators outside at the qi and blood realm, but few high-level martial artists.

Gate-Breaking Pill...

What exactly was this?

At this moment, Jiang Yuan found it absurd. According to the cultivation memories of his First Life, there had been no need for any external aid to knock open the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate. Yet now he needed some kind of pill. Why?

Clearly, the martial arts system in the life simulation was identical to the one in reality, apart from this Gate-Breaking Pill.

Jiang Yuan rubbed his brow slightly, feeling somewhat frustrated.

His disciple was already somewhat stronger than Jiang Hao of the First Life, yet a single special pill prevented him from opening the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate.

Jiang Yuan no longer considered why modern martial arts required a Gate-Breaking Pill to open the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate. Instead, he began searching for one.

As one of Haiyuan City's major powers, the Zhenyuan Escort Agency naturally had a supply of Gate-Breaking Pills.

"Hmm? I need one Special Merit Point?"

"Yes. You have enough ordinary merit points, but no Special Merit Points."

Jiang Yuan's brows furrowed slightly. Special Merit Points could only be obtained after completing an escort assignment.

The tasks Jiang Yuan had taken these past days had all been ordinary commissions. He had not participated in a single escort job from the Escort Agency.

The main reason was that most escort jobs took a long time and covered great distances. Jiang Yuan feared that once he left the Zhenyuan Escort Agency, the people lurking in the shadows would make their move.

Though Jiang Yuan was not afraid of ordinary opponents, he feared that they would send increasingly formidable people. He might be powerful, but he could not withstand an endless stream of enemies.

But now, that strange force in the shadows had vanished without a trace. Perhaps he could take on an escort job?

The Escort Agency stipulated that Escort Hands had to complete one escort assignment every year. Each escort assignment took anywhere from one month to several months.

He could take the opportunity to complete his mandatory yearly escort assignment now.

As Jiang Yuan pondered this, a somewhat reverent voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Brother Jiang?"

"Hmm?" Jiang Yuan turned around and saw Li Quan standing beside him.

"Thank you again, Brother Jiang, for saving me that day!" Li Quan's face was full of gratitude as he bent at the waist and gave Jiang Yuan a deep bow.

Jiang Yuan hurriedly helped Li Quan back up.

"We're both from the Escort Agency. There's no need."

"Great kindness needs no words of thanks! If there is ever anything Brother Jiang needs from me, please do not hesitate to ask!"

"Easy enough. Have the Fengxing Family people already left?"

"Yes, and I have Brother Jiang to thank for that as well! I just don't know why Feng Pan vanished without explanation..."

Li Quan sighed softly. The Fengxing Family had one less person, and the few Hua Jin experts leading the group had found it strange as well. However, Feng Pan had not been close to him, so Li Quan had not thought much of it.

Li Quan had now been completely won over by Jiang Yuan, not only because of Jiang Yuan's formidable strength, but also because Jiang Yuan had saved him once.

If Jiang Yuan had not intervened, Feng Yao would have fallen into Chu Yun's hands.

And the Fengxing Family clearly could not come to Haiyuan City for revenge, while Feng Yao was not a member of the Escort Agency, so the Escort Agency would not help her either.

Unless they went to beg Wenzhao, relying on the relationship between the Fengxing Family and Wenzhao.

But by then, it would have been too late.

"Brother Jiang, are you here for a Gate-Breaking Pill?" Li Quan spotted the pill the staff member behind them was about to put away, and froze. Then he said in great admiration, "I never expected Brother Jiang to nourish his qi and blood to the point where there is no further room for advancement so quickly!"

Jiang Yuan's rate of progress was truly astonishing. However, with Jiang Yuan's precedent of using qi and blood to fight Hua Jin experts, Li Quan was not all that surprised.

After thinking for a while, he took out his identity token from his robes and said something to the staff member. Then he stuffed a bottle of pills into Jiang Yuan's arms.

"Hmm? Brother Li, what are you doing?" Jiang Yuan was startled.

"Brother Jiang, I have an unused Special Merit Point. It is of no use to me, so I can give it to Brother Jiang. If you do not mind, please accept it."

Since Li Quan had put it that way, Jiang Yuan naturally had no intention of refusing any longer. He accepted the pills from Li Quan.

"Consider it that I owe you a favor." Jiang Yuan tucked the porcelain bottle into his robes and spoke seriously to Li Quan.

"Brother Jiang saved both Yao Mei and me before. I have not even had the chance to repay my gratitude..."

The two exchanged pleasantries for a long while afterward, and Jiang Yuan then returned to the courtyard.

He took out the Gate-Breaking Pill and opened the bottle. A pitch-black pill rolled into his hand.

[Sin Heart (Fragment) detected. Extract?]

Just as Jiang Yuan was about to bring the pill closer for inspection, the simulator's prompt sounded by his ear.

What?!

The Gate-Breaking Pill contained the Sin Heart Jiang Yuan had yearned for all this time?

"How much can be extracted?" Jiang Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly and muttered under his breath.

[Currently extractable: Sin Heart *0.32]

Jiang Yuan pondered for a long time, but did not choose to extract it.

Less than one Sin Heart was useless to him. It would be better used to break through his realm.

But he had only failed his breakthrough today. Although his qi and blood had recovered, his foundation had not fully recovered yet. He needed to rest for several days.

Jiang Yuan slowly closed his eyes and gradually entered meditation.

*

*

*

Within the vast ancestral residence of the Wang Family.

The once grand, ancient, and sacred ancestral residence was now filled with the stench of blood.

A bare-chested man sprawled over an old man's corpse, his head lowered as he chewed.

The old man had white hair and a youthful face, carrying himself with extraordinary bearing, yet several streaks of blood stained his face.

If anyone saw him, they would surely recognize him as the patriarch of Haiyuan City's Wang Family, a top expert at the Peak Hua Jin Stage.

The bare-chested man spat.