The Wonders of the Medicinal Bath

The martial arts school's Dining Hall was spacious and noisy, filled with the mingled smells of food and sweat. Long wooden tables held large basins of brown rice, thin soup with not a trace of oil, and a small amount of boiled Fierce Beast offal that barely tasted of meat. This was the standard fare for the apprentices' two daily meals: just enough to fill their stomachs. To think they could sustain high-intensity training on so little was pure fantasy.

Li Yuan carried his portion to a corner and sat down in silence. He didn't complain like the other apprentices. He simply ate calmly and quickly. The coarse food slid down his throat and into his stomach, and "Crimson Sun" began turning on its own, trying to wring out a sliver of energy. It yielded precious little. That meager nourishment was a drop in the bucket compared to what he'd expended training in the Iron Body Technique last night.

He could feel the Crimson Sun Qi and Blood in his qi sea slowly recovering on its own, but far more slowly than when he directly devoured high-energy substances. The tempering of the skin on his arms had also stalled for lack of energy.

Resources. He desperately needed more resources!

His gaze drifted toward the grocery shop outside the Dining Hall. The school had set it up for its members, and supposedly they could exchange silver or contribution points earned from school tasks for better food, medicinal herbs, and even higher-grade medicinal baths. But the prices were beyond his reach. He didn't have a penny to his name.

By evening, after a full day of Stance Training and basic physical conditioning, all the apprentices dragged their exhausted bodies back to their rooms. The atmosphere in Class C Room Seven was as usual.

Zhao Hu came in and flopped onto his bed, cursing under his breath. "Damn, this Iron Body Technique is inhuman! This fat master's about to drop dead from exhaustion! Feels like my bones are about to fall apart!" Though he grumbled, there was a hint of satisfaction on his face. It was clear he'd made noticeable progress during the day's training.

Li Gou Er also slumped down, utterly drained, and rubbed his sore arms.

Even Shi Feng, who was usually silent, wore a trace of fatigue between his brows.

Before long, an errand-running disciple brought in four wooden tubs, each half a person's height and filled with steaming, dark-brown medicinal liquid. This was a daily perk provided by the school, meant to ease training fatigue, aid the circulation of qi and blood, and nourish the skin.

"The medicinal baths are here! Hurry up and get in! Don't waste time!" the errand-running disciple called before leaving.

Zhao Hu scrambled to his feet, stripped in a few quick motions, and eagerly jumped into his tub. He let out a long, blissful sigh. "Ah... That's the stuff! This is the only thing that gets my vitality back!"

Li Gou Er and Shi Feng also climbed into their own tubs.

Li Yuan was the last. He walked up to his tub and looked at the steaming brown liquid. Its herbal scent was far stronger than that of last night's leftovers. He dipped a finger in. The liquid felt warm, and at the same time, "Crimson Sun" sent him a clear pulse of longing, several times stronger than last night's.

This medicinal bath worked!

He didn't hesitate. He stripped and sank into the liquid.

Warmth enveloped his body as the medicinal power seeped through his skin, trickling into him and bringing a faint tingling sensation. It really did ease his muscle fatigue.

But it still wasn't nearly enough!

Li Yuan leaned against the tub, closed his eyes, and sank his awareness into his body. Unlike the other three, who were passively absorbing the medicine, he actively set "Crimson Sun" in motion!

An invisible force of attraction quietly spread out from him!

Buzz...

The medicinal liquid in the tub seemed to have a magnet dropped into it. An almost imperceptible whirlpool formed around Li Yuan! The medicinal power, which had been evenly distributed throughout the liquid, seemed to have heard a Monarch's summons. It surged wildly toward his body!

The power of Smelting—fully unleashed!

Pure, searing Crimson Sun Power swept through every pore of his body, instantly capturing and refining the medicinal power seeping inside! The medicinal herbs' impurities were stripped away, leaving only the purest essence, capable of nourishing his body and strengthening his qi and blood. It was rapidly absorbed, flowing into his meridians and merging with his Crimson Sun Qi and Blood!

A warm current, several times stronger than passive absorption, surged through his body! His depleted Crimson Sun Qi and Blood quickly replenished. The tempering of the skin on his arms resumed, and even the deep fatigue from the day's training was swiftly soothed by this pure medicinal power!

The difference in efficiency was like heaven and earth!

Li Yuan's heart surged with excitement. This proper medicinal bath was indeed far more effective than the leftovers! Though it still couldn't compare to directly devouring Fierce Beast flesh and blood, it had the advantage of being steady and sustainable. As long as he could keep soaking in this medicinal bath, his cultivation speed would surely far outstrip everyone else's!

He circulated "Crimson Sun" with all his might, greedily absorbing the essence in the liquid.

The liquid in the tub visibly grew paler. The original dark brown gradually faded to clear as Li Yuan drew out the medicinal power at a terrifying rate.

In the tub next to him, Zhao Hu was still enjoying himself with his eyes closed, humming contentedly. "Mmm... This medicinal bath is pretty good. My qi and blood feel a lot more active, and my skin's tingling. It's definitely getting stronger!"

Li Gou Er chimed in softly. "Yeah, Brother Zhao. I think it's helping me too."

Shi Feng remained silent, but his brow furrowed slightly. Did the medicinal power in his tub seem to be running out faster than expected? He glanced at Li Yuan, who sat with his eyes closed and his mind focused, but said nothing.

About the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Li Yuan felt that the medicinal power in his tub had grown extremely faint, almost no different from clear water. He slowly stopped absorbing and opened his eyes.

His qi and blood were full, his fatigue was gone, and the tempering of the skin on his arms had advanced a little. The results were remarkable!

He was the first to get out of the tub. He dried himself and put on his clothes.

Only then did Zhao Hu slowly open his eyes. He glanced at Li Yuan's now-clear tub and scoffed. "Poor is poor. Can't even afford to soak in the medicinal bath long enough? You're out already? What a waste!"

By convention, it was best to soak in a medicinal bath for at least half an hour to absorb as much of its medicinal power as possible. Seeing Li Yuan get out early, Zhao Hu naturally assumed he couldn't "enjoy the luxury" or simply didn't know what he was missing.

Li Yuan ignored him, went straight back to his bed, and sat down to quietly regulate his breathing, consolidating the medicinal power he had just absorbed.

When Zhao Hu saw that he wasn't answering, he lost interest, closed his eyes again, and continued enjoying the medicinal power still left in his tub.

Li Gou Er looked at Li Yuan, then at Zhao Hu, and hesitated, wanting to say something.

Shi Feng's gaze swept over Li Yuan's clear tub once more. A trace of bewilderment flickered in his eyes, but in the end, it faded away.

Li Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, feeling the Crimson Sun Qi and Blood in his body grow active and surging once more. His mind was perfectly clear.

He had mastered the wonders of the medicinal bath.

For others, this martial arts school might be a place to temper themselves. For him, it was more like a cultivation accelerator that provided a steady supply of "fuel."

Even so, a single tub of medicinal bath still couldn't fully satisfy "Crimson Sun's" appetite.

His gaze once again grew deep.

He needed... more.