Fifth Rank Pill

Several days passed. After taking quite a few Healing Pills, my body gradually recovered a great deal. My meridians also felt much better, and I could already circulate a little Dou Qi.

Meanwhile, Yun Yun remained seated cross-legged elsewhere, her eyes closed as she cultivated. She was probably recovering and healing as well. She had been injured by the Amethyst Winged Lion King, then fallen unconscious into the pool. Her injuries could not have been light.

I had plenty of dried rations and clear water in my Ring of Holding, so there was no need to go out searching for food. Later, I also replenished the medicinal powder that repelled magical beasts and concealed our presence. No magical beasts discovered or attacked us. It was quite easy and leisurely—so leisurely that I felt like I was about to grow moldy.

I slowly sat up from the mat, crossed my legs, propped my chin on my hand, and blinked as I stared at Yun Yun.

After these days of recuperation, she had recovered considerably. Color had returned to her face, and her cheeks were rosy. Combined with those picturesque features, her graceful and noble bearing, and the pale Azure Dou Qi swirling around her, stirring the hem of her moon-white dress until it fluttered in the air, I was entranced for a moment.

"Hey!"

A sharp cry suddenly jolted me awake. I focused my eyes and saw that Yun Yun had opened her slightly closed eyes. Those calm eyes were glaring at me with a trace of anger.

I gave a dry cough and hurriedly looked away, saying awkwardly, "Senior... good morning."

Silence. Yun Yun looked at me without speaking, while I gave an awkward smile, not knowing what to say. The cave sank into wordless silence.

After a moment, Yun Yun finally said, "It is noon."

I froze before understanding. Carefully circulating my Dou Qi, I took out dried meat and clear water from my Ring of Holding, slowly moved over, and handed them to Yun Yun.

Yun Yun nodded lightly, accepted them, and began eating in small bites. I gave a dry laugh, retreated to my side, and began eating my lunch as well.

After we had eaten our fill, Yun Yun intended to resume cultivating, but I could not take it anymore. It was far too boring. I really wanted someone to talk to!

After thinking for a moment, I asked, "Senior, when do you think my injuries... will heal?"

Yun Yun opened her eyes and looked at me. After a moment of silence, she took out a jade bottle from her Ring of Holding and tossed it over. "There is a Fifth Rank Healing Pill inside. After taking it, your injuries should recover faster."

I caught the jade bottle and looked down at it, momentarily speechless. How extravagant. As expected of the Yun Lan Sect Master—she could casually give away such a precious Fifth Rank Pill... But medicine was not what I wanted!

I silently set down the jade bottle, rose to my feet, and solemnly bowed to Yun Yun. "Nalan Ye thanks Senior for the medicine."

Yun Yun did not react much. She closed her eyes again and resumed cultivating. I had no temper to speak of in response to this and did not dare disturb her again. With a bitter smile, I sat back down.

When I picked up the jade bottle again and poured it out, a White Pill the size of a longan rolled around in my palm, followed by a rich fragrance that filled my nostrils.

Instinctively, I took a deep breath and inhaled the medicinal fragrance. I did not know whether it was merely an illusion, but the stuffiness in my chest seemed to lessen considerably. I felt relaxed and refreshed.

A good pill, a good pill indeed!

Looking at the White Pill, I was filled with joy. My meridians had been injured, and these past few days I had worried that lingering aftereffects might delay my future cultivation. Yet I did not have any sufficiently good pills on me.

Who would have thought that I would obtain a "Fifth Rank" Healing Pill today!

I looked gratefully at Yun Yun, nearly forgetting that I had ended up in this state because I had saved her!

After looking deeply at her once more, I withdrew my gaze, calmed my mind, and stopped thinking about it. Slowly adjusting my breathing, I placed the pill into my mouth.

The pill did not melt upon entering my mouth. Instead, it felt somewhat cool. After thinking about it, I still chewed it a few times before swallowing it.

Before long, a faintly warm medicinal power rose within my body. Fortunately, this pill was meant for healing, unlike pills used for breakthroughs or cultivation. Its medicinal power was extremely gentle, continuously nourishing and repairing the injuries within me.

I carefully mobilized a thread of Dou Qi and slowly guided the medicinal power to deliberately repair my injuries. After a long while—perhaps two hours—the injuries inside my body had unexpectedly healed by more than half.

A Fifth Rank Pill was actually this terrifying!

I quietly opened my eyes, somewhat moved. This Fifth Rank Pill was simply too useful—it was just far too precious.

The two hours of circulating energy made my already injured body somewhat unable to endure. I stopped cultivating and lay down to rest. Feeling a little bored, I turned my head to look at Yun Yun again.

Remembering what had happened at noon, I felt somewhat worried and turned to look at the sky outside the cave. It was still bright, and there was some time before dinner—Yun Yun probably would not stop cultivating.

With that thought, I relaxed and stared unblinkingly at Yun Yun, studying her carefully. I looked from her head to her feet, then from her feet back to her head, marveling inwardly.

Beautiful, lovely, graceful, noble...

Words of praise continuously sprang into my mind. As I tilted my head and admired Yun Yun's beauty, my mood improved greatly. Even the fatigue from my earlier cultivation seemed to vanish completely, leaving me refreshed and at ease.

A hazy drowsiness overcame me. Looking at Yun Yun, I unexpectedly fell into a deep sleep.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, a wave of pain struck my abdomen. I abruptly opened my eyes, rolling and struggling on the mat as I gritted my teeth and groaned.

Pain, pain!

I gritted my teeth and tried to sit cross-legged to circulate my energy, but the pain was in my abdomen. I could not summon any strength throughout my body, much less sit up.

At that moment, one hand rested on my shoulder, while another landed on my abdomen. A cool sensation flowed from that hand and entered my abdomen.

The pain immediately weakened significantly. I stopped struggling and turned my head. By now, the sky had darkened, but if it was not Yun Yun, who else could it be?

She was crouching beside me, constantly using Dou Qi to suppress the abnormality in my body. Her graceful face carried a look of concentration.

Coming back to my senses, I asked hoarsely, "Senior, what... what is happening to me?"

She looked down at me, her brows furrowing. "You... ate the pill I gave you?"

I did not understand, and confusion filled my heart. I answered awkwardly, "Senior, aren't pills—meant to be eaten?"

"That was a Fifth Rank Pill. How could a mere Dou Zhe like you possibly consume it?"

Yun Yun shook her head and glared at me as though she hated iron for not becoming steel. "I truly did not know you would be this foolish, to actually dare swallow it directly! The medicinal power of a Fifth Rank Pill is immense, far beyond what you can refine. On top of that, you fell asleep. The medicinal power has now accumulated into a huge mass inside your body and is scouring your meridians!"

Yet upon hearing this, I felt relieved. So it was merely an accumulation of medicinal power. Though that was troublesome, with Yun Yun here, it should not be much of a problem. After thinking about it, I asked, "Then how should I take this pill?"

Yun Yun shook her head. "Naturally, you should keep it in your mouth and refine it slowly. If there is too much medicinal power, simply spit the pill out again."

"I see, I see. Hahaha, no wonder the pill did not melt in my mouth. I even chewed it a little. It tasted rather nice, sweet..."

I looked at Yun Yun and laughed awkwardly. But after speaking, I suddenly realized something. That pill—it seemed to be a size smaller than ordinary pills?

Logically speaking, whether pills were First Rank or Ninth Rank, whether they aided cultivation, were used for breakthroughs, or treated injuries, they were all the same size. But—why was this pill a size smaller?

Could it be... A strange thought appeared in my mind. Based on the method Yun Yun had described, could it be that she had used this pill before, then spat it back out because she had not finished using it?

"Calm your mind and stop thinking nonsense!"

A sharp cry rang out. I turned my head and saw Yun Yun. There was a faint flush of embarrassment on her face. Could she have seen what I was thinking?

Then it was true?

With a cold snort, Yun Yun seemed to become angry from embarrassment. She slapped me and shouted, "Sit cross-legged properly. Your injuries have already healed for the most part, and this medicinal power has nowhere to go. Now, I can only let you attempt to break through to Dou Master and see whether you can absorb this medicinal power while you are at it."

I hurriedly sat cross-legged, then asked somewhat hesitantly, "Senior, isn't this a Healing Pill? It can also be used for a breakthrough?"

Yun Yun also sat cross-legged behind me. I could no longer see her expression, only hear her say, "At its root, the power of a pill is simply energy, though their properties differ. A Dou Zhe's cultivation and breakthroughs involve absorbing energy, so Healing Pills can naturally be used for breakthroughs as well—even poison pills can assist cultivation and breakthroughs, so long as the poison does not kill you."

Hearing this, I could not help thinking of the Little Fairy Doctor. Was not her Calamity Poison Body able to absorb poisons and poison pills for cultivation?

Thinking about it that way, using a Healing Pill for a breakthrough seemed quite normal.

I stopped thinking wildly, calmed my mind, and slowly immersed my consciousness into my body. Behind me, Yun Yun gently placed both hands against my back, and a stream of cool Dou Qi continuously entered my body.

I hurriedly mobilized my own meager Dou Qi as well, guiding the medicinal power through my meridians according to the Geng Xin Vast Thunder Skill.

Unfortunately, the medicinal power inside me was too immense, while my Dou Qi was too meager. I could only guide a tiny portion of the medicinal power into circulation. The remaining medicinal power continued doing as it pleased, too lazy to pay any attention to me.

Fortunately, Yun Yun was helping me! I did not know how much of her strength she had recovered, but she was certainly far stronger than I was. Her Dou Qi began guiding the remaining medicinal power, following behind my own Dou Qi—cultivation had finally begun smoothly.

Guided by Dou Qi, the medicinal power slowly circulated according to the Geng Xin Vast Thunder Skill. The medicinal power began refining into Dou Qi, and my Dou Qi grew dense once again.

Everything was just like it had been a few days ago. The medicinal power surged forth endlessly, and my Dou Qi became increasingly dense until it began to liquefy!

This was a slow and boring process, because cultivation itself was slow and boring.

But when you thought about how your strength was gradually increasing, how you could make the person you admired turn around and fall in love with you; how you could make those who looked down on you curry favor with you, kneel before you, and beg you; how you could have enough strength to kill your enemies; how you could obtain everything you wanted—then perhaps you would come to love cultivation, this slow and boring cultivation.

You could endure loneliness and solitude. You could endure pain and suffering. You could even offer your soul to the devil and fall into darkness—all for that sliver of power.