Spending Money to Grow Strong Is the World's Ultimate Truth

Lin Lin's expression was calm as he casually said that he had no friends and that cultivation made him happy.

A few months ago, Lin Yue would have dismissed it as a teenager putting on a brave face, hiding untold loneliness and sorrow beneath the surface.

But now, recalling his son's hard work and growth over the past few months, Lin Yue sincerely felt that this was probably Lin Lin's truest thought.

If he did not regard cultivation as a pleasure, how could he devote nearly every waking moment to it, pushing himself almost to the limit?

Things of a kind flock together; people of a kind gather together.

Friends who rose together from humble beginnings were certainly precious.

But when his son Lin Lin stood at great heights, he would see more beautiful sights and meet more outstanding friends.

When that time came, the hardship and effort of the present, the loneliness and pressure he endured, would all be worth it.

Understanding his son's thoughts and approving of his current attitude, Lin Yue smiled. "Since you think cultivation is a pleasure, Little Lin, I won't urge you to rest. Just be careful not to damage your body through excessive training."

After they finished eating, Lin Yue brought out a box. Opening it revealed rows of porcelain bottles packed inside, each marked with the symbol of Star Moon Palace.

"Some time ago, when I passed by Star Moon Palace to visit a friend, an old friend gave me this cultivation secret medicine, Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder. Taking it can enhance qi and blood and quickly restore Inner Force."

"I figured that before long, you'll have fully tempered your meridians and reached the Acupoint Opening Realm. At that point, you'll need to expend a great deal of Inner Force to nourish and open your acupoints, so this medicine will be just right for helping you cultivate, Little Lin."

Lin Yue introduced the item he had brought out.

Star Moon Palace was another renowned Martial Arts Holy Land in the martial world. Compared with Hundred Flowers Valley, which excelled at refining and producing medicine, it was more skilled in forging, though it also possessed its own unique secret medicines.

Besides aiding cultivation in the Acupoint Opening Realm, Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder was a treasured item for martial artists roaming the martial world, allowing them to quickly recover qi and extend their endurance in battle. It sold extremely well throughout the martial world.

Lin Lin had once heard his Geography and Culture Class teacher explain that one bottle of Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder contained five doses, yet cost as much as one hundred and fifty taels of silver—more expensive than the Hundred Flowers Heart Clearing Pill.

Lin Lin glanced at Lin Yue, whose expression remained calm and whose tone was casual.

He understood at once.

No wonder his father had been away for so long this time.

Besides completing Sect Missions, he had likely taken the opportunity to prepare this cultivation secret medicine, which Lin Lin could only use after reaching the Acupoint Opening Realm.

"Father really has extensive connections. I heard that Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder is incredibly hard to come by, yet you bought ten whole bottles at once."

"Yesterday, I opened and lit my first acupoint, the Tan Zhong Acupoint. This medicine came at exactly the right time, Father. I can put it to use in my cultivation right away."

Lin Lin immediately showered him with praise.

He knew that his father did not want to hear him marvel at how expensive the medicine was, nor did he need Lin Lin worrying about his purse.

As long as Lin Lin cultivated diligently and grew stronger, that would be the best repayment he could give his parents. So at a time like this, he only needed to accept the other's kindness.

Lin Yue froze slightly at his words.

Then he said in delight, "You've already achieved Acupoint Opening, Little Lin? Then this medicine truly came at the right time."

He had thought his son would still need some time before achieving Acupoint Opening. He had not expected him to be so much faster than anticipated. It was truly a pleasant surprise.

After checking Lin Lin's pulse, he found that Lin Lin had indeed nourished and lit the Tan Zhong Acupoint.

Once his surprise subsided, Lin Yue solemnly warned him, "Little Lin, since your cultivation is progressing so quickly, you can now begin preparing for promotion to Elite Disciple."

"First, you need to finish studying the many Required Courses that will be tested. Then you need to train your practical combat ability. Only by advancing on all fronts and working hard from now on can you apply to become an Elite Disciple the moment you light thirty-six acupoints."

"I'll need to leave again after resting for a few days. During this time, you can have your mother spar with you and train your practical combat ability."

In Hundred Flowers Valley, one had to become an Elite Disciple or even a True Inheritor Disciple, and make sufficient contributions to the sect, in order to learn Superior Martial Arts.

Although both of Lin Lin's parents knew several Superior Martial Arts, if they wished to teach them to their son, they had to report it to the sect first. Only then could Lin Lin openly and legally use those Superior Martial Arts outside the sect. Otherwise, he would be violating sect rules and face severe punishment.

This approach would allow Lin Lin to learn Superior Martial Arts directly from his parents, but his Sect Contribution would immediately be deducted into the negatives—roughly half the amount normally needed to exchange for a Superior Martial Art. He would have to repay that debt before he could exchange for other Superior Martial Arts.

More importantly, the Superior Martial Arts learned directly from his parents might not necessarily suit Lin Lin.

Hundred Flowers Valley had over a hundred Superior Martial Arts, more than ten Sect's Supreme Skills, and three Peerless Divine Arts.

If Lin Lin had ambitions in martial arts, he could not simply take the easy route and learn the few Superior Martial Arts his parents knew. He had to work hard to earn Sect Contribution and choose Superior Martial Arts—or even Sect's Supreme Skills—that suited him from the Hidden Scripture Pavilion.

And Peerless Divine Arts were what every martial artist aspiring to reach the pinnacle of martial arts should pursue.

To obtain those, one needed an enormous amount of Sect Contribution.

Official Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples could toil for their entire lives without earning much Sect Contribution. Only after becoming an Elite Disciple would one have the chance to earn enough Sect Contribution to learn Superior Martial Arts and even Sect's Supreme Skills.

Lin Lin nodded to show that he understood his father's instructions.

Taking the Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder from him, Lin Lin returned to his room to cultivate his Inner Power Cultivation Method.

He first took one dose each of the Hundred Flowers Heart Clearing Pill and the newly acquired Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder. There was no need to mention the taste of the Hundred Flowers Heart Clearing Pill, but the Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder tasted utterly terrible, making Lin Lin feel as if he were eating dirt and ash.

While waiting for the medicine to take effect, Lin Lin checked the effects of the Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder.

Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder consumed. Inner Force recovery speed per unit time +50, lasts one hour.

A unit of time was the time it took Inner Breath to complete one Grand Circulation in battle, roughly one minute.

In other words, apart from Lin Lin's own Inner Force recovery speed, the Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder could restore an additional three thousand points of Inner Force per hour.

For the current Lin Lin, using such an effect for cultivation was practically taking off on the spot.

Not only could he use this vast, continuously replenishing Inner Force to nourish and light his acupoints, he could also use it to practice sword techniques and movement techniques, reducing the time he needed to rest.

As long as his supply of Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder remained sufficient, it could increase the speed of Lin Lin's overall martial arts advancement by at least threefold.

Its only drawback was that it cost money.

But that was not a drawback of the Star Moon Qi Boosting Powder.

It was Lin Lin's drawback.

He was too poor.

"How can you grow stronger without spending money? Old Ma truly didn't deceive me."

Sighing at the endlessly surging Inner Force within his body, Lin Lin closed his eyes and began circulating the Acupoint Opening Realm breathing method of Hundred Flowers True Qi, gathering the Inner Force in his body to nourish the meridians and acupoints throughout his body.