Qi Recovery Pill

"Isn't it good?" Lu Ming asked, confused.

Dugu Mingri shook his head, "It's very good, but it can't be considered peerless."

"I started cultivating at twelve and only spent nearly three years to reach the peak of Inner Qi Layer Nine. However, after another full six months, I still haven't successfully broken through to the True Qi Realm."

He sighed at this point.

Hearing this, Lu Ming secretly compared himself. He had only been cultivating for less than two months since he started, and he was already at Inner Qi Layer Six.

So, compared to him, Dugu Mingri's talent was indeed nothing special.

However, it also depended on who he was compared to. According to Old Man Zhao, his cultivation speed, excluding the advantage of the Heavenly Saber Art's rapid breakthroughs, would be considered a rare and peerless genius if he could maintain it.

The only pity was his late start.

In this world, the most suitable age to start cultivating inner energy was generally twelve years old.

This was because the meridians were considered fully developed at this age, allowing inner energy to flow.

He had started nearly two years late.

He had turned fourteen a while ago.

"And the reason you asked why I didn't join a sect is because I wanted to become an Inner Sect disciple of those sects directly after becoming a True Qi Realm expert."

"I just didn't expect to be stuck for half a year, and my reason for entering the mountains this time was to see if I could find a breakthrough opportunity through life-and-death battles."

"Then did you find it?"

Lu Ming didn't know how to comfort him.

Dugu Mingri's lips curled up, "I can feel my realm loosening. I believe it won't be long before I can refine True Qi and enter the True Qi Realm."

"Then congratulations."

Lu Ming felt that the other person was quite good and was happy for him.

"You're not bad either, even stronger than me. At only fourteen, you've reached Inner Qi Layer Six. I expect you'll reach my current realm before you turn fifteen."

Dugu Mingri assumed Lu Ming had also started cultivating at twelve, which was why he said that.

Lu Ming didn't explain. To avoid being too astonishing, it was better to keep a low profile.

Thus, the two walked back while talking. Through their conversation, Lu Ming learned more about hidden matters.

For example, the Young Master Yang he met at the blacksmith shop earlier was already a True Qi Realm expert before he turned fifteen.

He was hailed as the most talented person in Shuofeng City in the past twenty years.

Another example was learning about the famous young genius experts who had emerged in Shuofeng City, and even the entire Zhao Kingdom, in recent years.

They were all exceptionally talented.

In short, through their conversation, Lu Ming's horizons were greatly broadened.

It also made him realize that geniuses in this world were as numerous as carp in a river, not rare. It all depended on who could stand out and go the distance.

This filled him with fighting spirit.

Soon, the two exited the mountain and then began a competition of Qinggong.

Since Lu Ming was carrying a lot of items, Dugu Mingri put his belongings into a storage ring for fairness, which made Lu Ming envious for a while.

With the competition, their travel speed naturally increased rapidly.

Lu Ming was now at the Inner Qi Layer Six realm, and his Cloud Soaring Skill had also improved. He could leap up to twenty meters in a single stride.

Dugu Mingri was not weak either. The Qinggong he cultivated had a similar name to Lu Ming's, called Cloud Ascending Skill, and it was Human-grade Mid-tier.

It wasn't that the Dugu family didn't have higher-level Qinggong, but Human-grade High Stage and above could only be fully utilized by True Qi Realm experts.

Of course, exceptionally talented individuals were another matter.

"You won. I didn't expect you to be so skilled not only in saber techniques but also in Qinggong."

A giant poplar tree stood by the official road on their way back, which was the agreed-upon finishing point for their competition.

Lu Ming arrived first, leading by about ten meters.

"Your Cloud Ascending Skill, judging by its name, excels at climbing high. If we were competing on who could fly higher, I would definitely lose to you."

Lu Ming said humbly. In truth, there was one thing he didn't mention: the inner energy of the Heavenly Saber Art provided a significant boost to speed, and he hadn't used his full strength.

"Losing is losing. In a life-and-death battle, there are no such excuses."

Dugu Mingri was very forthright, openly admitting his shortcomings.

This was also why Lu Ming felt the other person was worth befriending.

Afterward, the two rested briefly before continuing their journey and successfully arrived at Shuofeng City as the sun began to set.

"This is for you."

Upon entering the city, Dugu Mingri returned Lu Ming's cloth bag and tossed him another porcelain bottle.

"What is this?"

Lu Ming asked, catching it in confusion.

"Qi Recovery Pills can quickly restore inner energy. They're very useful when facing tough battles or group fights."

"Isn't this too valuable?"

Lu Ming knew these pills. Buying them at a pharmacy would cost eight hundred taels of silver for just one, and this porcelain bottle contained about ten of them.

"Take them. I'm about to enter the True Qi Realm, so these will be useless to me."

Dugu Mingri waved his hand and then added, "It's getting late, and I'm a mess. Let's meet again another time."

They had already exchanged addresses.

"Then I hope when we meet again, you'll have already become a True Qi Realm martial artist."

Lu Ming had no choice but to accept the Qi Recovery Pills.

"Haha, thank you for your kind words."

The two soon parted ways. Lu Ming didn't rush back; instead, he planned to sell the spoils from his trip into the mountains first.

The streets were crowded with pedestrians, but Lu Ming didn't feel overwhelmed. Many people, seeing his blood-stained clothes, instinctively made way for him.

"Good heavens, this young man is filled with a killing aura, and judging by his blood-soaked clothes, he must have killed quite a few demonic beasts."

"Nonsense, don't you see the sack on his shoulder? It's packed to the brim. He definitely killed a lot of demonic beasts."

"He's a tough one. He's even more impressive than those veteran monster hunters. They can't carry this much loot in one trip."

Amidst the surrounding chatter, Lu Ming remained unfazed and walked briskly, soon arriving at a shop.

"This is the bone of a late-stage Rank 1 demonic beast, a tiger bone. It can be used as medicine and is worth eleven hundred taels."

"These are the teeth of a mid-stage Rank 1 demonic beast, a Wind Chasing Wolf. They can be used for crafting. This quantity is worth six hundred taels."

"This is the hide of a Red Rock Lizard. It can be used to refine protective inner armor, but unfortunately, its grade is a bit low and not tough enough. It's only worth three hundred taels."

The shopkeeper meticulously sorted through the items in the sack, becoming increasingly astonished with each piece.

He hadn't expected this young man, who was only at the sixth level of the Inner Qi Realm, to have hunted so many demonic beasts in one go.

Furthermore, there were materials from quite a few late-stage Rank 1 demonic beasts, which were equivalent to martial artists in the seventh to ninth levels of the Inner Qi Realm.

He couldn't fathom how the other party managed it.

"Could he be a genius who can fight and kill opponents above his level?"

After finishing the inventory, the shopkeeper muttered to himself but quickly dismissed the thought, focusing on calculating the price. After a while, he said, "The total value of the items our shop can purchase is six thousand seven hundred taels. Do you find this price acceptable?"

Lu Ming secretly swallowed. He knew martial artists made good money, but he hadn't expected it to be this profitable.

He had earned six thousand seven hundred taels from just one trip. If he went out a few more times, wouldn't he never lack money again?

However, he quickly realized that this might only apply to him.

After all, ordinary people didn't have his profound cultivation techniques and martial skills. Even if they did, they wouldn't have his talent to quickly cultivate them to a profound level.

Thus transforming them into his strength.

It could be said that this was also the reason he could defeat opponents above his level.

Without further thought, he nodded, "Let's do it."

"Rest assured, this is absolutely the fairest price."

Seeing Lu Ming agree, the shopkeeper was also pleased. He wasn't trying to cheat him, but he would still make a decent profit.

Clutching the six thousand seven hundred taels in silver notes, Lu Ming went to other shops to sell his remaining materials, as well as two steel knives from which he had erased his personal markings, earning another two thousand one hundred taels.

Of course, the bulk of that amount came from the two steel knives.

Lu Ming only took a thousand taels for them. The remaining eleven hundred taels were used to purchase a fine knife that suited him.

After battling demonic beasts, his steel knife, which had only cost fifty-five taels, was already full of nicks.

Therefore, he had to get a new one.

After dealing with his spoils, he picked up a deer leg he had kept aside and started heading back.