All-Encompassing Tonic Soup

These past few days, Huangshi Town had been quite lively.

A major figure from the renowned Sifang Society of the county seat had clashed with people from the Black Tiger Gang at the city gate.

Perhaps because they had received word in advance,

the Black Tiger Gang had been prepared,

and had mobilized its elite to launch an encirclement attack. Among them was Song Ding, the Black Tiger Gang Vice Leader and one of the gang's only two Viscera Refining Realm martial artists, overseeing the battle.

From the very beginning of the clash,

the Sifang Society's forces had been at a disadvantage, beaten back step by step.

But immediately afterward,

when the imposing Hall Master Feng, who led the Sifang Society's forces, made his move,

everything changed!

That silver figure leaped more than a dozen zhang and landed amid the crowd.

Then,

the figure moved like a furious thunderbolt ripping through the sky. The terrifying force it unleashed swept through the Black Tiger Gang members in all directions like a raging flood!

With a single hand,

he snapped weapons and extinguished their sharp edges!

He pushed straight through a thousand soldiers!

The force that erupted as wildly as a mountain torrent told the watching crowd

what it meant to be invincible!

The terrifying might and invincible strength he displayed, sweeping all before him, left everyone watching at the city gate in utter silence!

Even when the Black Tiger Gang Vice Leader Song Ding saw that the situation was bad and personally entered the fray,

he was defeated by three moves soon afterward!

In the end, the Sifang Society entered the town in grand fashion, riding the might of a triumphant victory backed by their invincible strength!

Their reputation soared!

At the same time,

rumors spread through every street and alley

that Hall Master Feng of the Sifang Society, who had led the group here, possessed the strength of the late Viscera Refining Realm!

This caused quite a stir throughout Huangshi Town!

Because a realm like that

already placed him above every martial artist in all of Huangshi Town!

Before this, Huangshi Town had never produced a martial artist expert of the late Viscera Refining Realm!

Even Shi Meng, the Black Tiger Gang's leader and reputedly Huangshi Town's number-one expert, was only at the mid Viscera Refining Realm!

It was only after breaking through to the mid Viscera Refining Realm several years ago that the Black Tiger Gang's leader had taken the position of Huangshi Town's number-one expert!

Compared with Hall Master Feng of the late Viscera Refining Realm,

he was clearly an entire level behind!

Moreover, as Hall Master Feng came from the Sifang Society, a great force that dominated an entire county, the martial techniques he possessed were certainly more formidable, and the resources he could obtain were far superior to those of a mere small town like Huangshi Town.

Thus, the people of the town generally believed

that Hall Master Feng was stronger than the Black Tiger Gang's leader Shi Meng, who had yet to make a move!

Of course,

Shi Meng's breakthrough to the mid Viscera Refining Realm had happened several years ago.

No one outside knew whether he had made another breakthrough over the years, but presumably he had not improved by much. In all likelihood, there would be no major surprises.

For that reason,

many of the town's martial artists and factions had visited that very day, sending congratulatory gifts to the Sifang Society's party in hopes of building connections.

After the other party took up residence in Weilong Martial Arts School, and Hall Master Feng of the Sifang Society declared that they had come to visit Zhou Weilong, his fellow disciple,

everyone in Weilong Martial Arts School,

from the instructors to the students, suddenly became highly sought-after.

For a time,

all of Huangshi Town seemed exceptionally lively.

However, amid all the commotion,

some people remained motionless.

For example, Datong Escort Agency and the Wu Family, the other two factions in Huangshi Town with Viscera Refining Realm martial artists overseeing them, merely sent an unimportant steward to offer congratulations and make a lukewarm statement.

As top factions in Huangshi Town, they understood very clearly

that the Sifang Society's visit was likely anything but friendly.

Next,

there would probably be a fierce battle between the Sifang Society and the Black Tiger Gang!

Each of them had established businesses and property of their own, and neither wanted to choose a side lightly, causing their forces to suffer needless losses.

The various factions each had their own calculations, weaving together with one another,

and within Huangshi Town,

an undercurrent was already surging.

The commotion outside had little to do with Yang Qingyun.

Because he had chosen a quiet place when renting his courtyard, the turmoil outside had not affected him during this period.

At that moment,

he was concentrating wholeheartedly, placing all his energy into refining the pill before him.

As the refined charcoal beneath the cauldron gradually burned away, Yang Qingyun lifted the lid. A ray of light, almost tangible, burst from within the cauldron. Along with the dense pill fragrance, it seemed to fill the surrounding air with vigorous life!

Looking at the Spirit Ginseng Jade Dew Pill within the cauldron, its entire body a jade-green, crystalline as though carved from jade, with a sparkling radiance glowing from within,

delight appeared on Yang Qingyun's face.

He carefully picked up the pill, which still retained a trace of warmth, with a piece of silk, then cautiously placed it in a jade bottle and sealed it.

He could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Although plain Jade Dew possesses the ability to regrow severed limbs, the time required for it to restore the body is not short."

"But if it is refined into a Spirit Ginseng Jade Dew Pill, the coordination between its medicinal power and spiritual energy can greatly accelerate the recovery process. Moreover, the enormous medicinal essence the pill itself provides can restore a large amount of Qi and Blood in a short time."

"For martial artists below the Blood Changing Realm, a single Spirit Ginseng Jade Dew Pill can practically be considered a second life!"

"Even for martial artists of the Viscera Refining Realm, it possesses an extremely impressive healing effect."

Looking at the Spirit Ginseng Jade Dew Pill in the jade bottle, the corners of Yang Qingyun's mouth lifted slightly.

With this thing,

he undoubtedly had another layer of protection.

Moreover,

even if he wasted one,

he could still use it as a pill for breaking through, forcing his way into a higher realm!

Although forcing a breakthrough would damage the body's meridians, the pill itself possessed immense vitality. Once the breakthrough was complete, that vitality would circulate through the body, repairing the meridians and the hidden injuries caused by the forced breakthrough.

This made a forced breakthrough almost entirely free of side effects!

"Whew!"

After securing the Spirit Ginseng Jade Dew Pill close to his body, Yang Qingyun exhaled deeply.

Having finished refining this life-saving pill,

the next step was to raise his own strength.

"Xiaoshi, take the prepared medicinal ingredients to the kitchen!"

Yang Qingyun called toward the courtyard outside as he crossed the courtyard and walked into the kitchen.

Smoke drifted through the kitchen. In the large pot, the skinned, cleaned, and prepared Black Panther Demonic Beast had already been simmering over glowing charcoal for three days and three nights!

After a demonic beast of the Viscera Refining Realm died, its demonic power dispersed and transformed into Blood Essence scattered throughout its body.

It also possessed the Bronze Skin Iron Bone-like traits of a Viscera Refining Realm martial artist!

In fact, compared with a martial artist of the same realm,

its toughness was even greater. Only prolonged simmering over a low flame could cook it tender.

"A pot of All-Encompassing Tonic Soup made with a demonic beast as the main ingredient provides an enormous boost to a martial artist's essence. After eating this whole pot of tonic soup, I should more or less be able to break through to Late Entering the Realm!"

Opening the lid, Yang Qingyun saw that the demonic beast's meat had almost been cooked tender. The rich fragrance rushed toward him, and he thought to himself.

At that moment,

Wang Xiaoshi had already brought over a large basin filled with prepared precious medicinal ingredients.

Yang Qingyun took it from him and, after confirming that everything was correct, poured it all into the pot in one go before covering it with the lid.

Based on his experience,

after simmering it for another hour,

this All-Encompassing Tonic Soup, brimming with nourishing essence, would be complete!

Just then,

Wang Xiaoshi respectfully said from the side:

"Young Master, the medicinal ingredients in the storeroom are almost used up. Should we replenish them?"

"Almost used up?"

Hearing this, Yang Qingyun suddenly remembered

that although he had acquired a large batch of medicinal ingredients through Zhou Weilong's martial arts school after entering the city,

the consumption from refining pills and other things these days

had been considerable.

He had not replenished the supply, and unexpectedly, it was nearly exhausted now.

However, he did not take it to heart.

Among the spoils he had obtained from Black Wind Stronghold, he had only used five hundred of the five thousand Gold Notes.

As long as he had money, medicinal ingredients were not much of a problem.

So he said:

"Go to my study and take the list of medicinal ingredients beside the table. Buy ten jin of each. If there are aged ginseng, cordyceps, Fo-ti, or other tonics, buy as many as they have."

Yang Qingyun took a one-thousand-tael Gold Note from his robes and handed it to him.

Then he waved his hand,

signaling for him to leave.

"Yes!"

Wang Xiaoshi cupped his hands and withdrew.

Yang Qingyun once again focused all his attention on the large pot of All-Encompassing Tonic Soup.

An hour later,

as a rich medicinal fragrance filled the air,

Yang Qingyun could feel the Qi and Blood within his body beginning to stir restlessly!

It worked!

A trace of a smile appeared on Yang Qingyun's face.