The White-Forehead Striped Tiger

Considering the tonic still had lingering effects, Luo Yi didn't rush to the medicine shop and instead practiced for another half hour or so.

Only when the warm current in his lower abdomen faded did he stop his training.

Glancing at the panel, it showed: Fierce Tiger Skin Refining Technique (Minor Accomplishment 11/300). In that half hour, he'd gained 10 points of progress.

Sweating from martial practice, Luo Yi walked to the well, drew water to wash himself clean, and put on fresh clothes.

He headed toward the town's medicine shop.

The shop owner, sitting inside, saw the kid who'd bought tonics a few days ago—back so soon?

Just days ago, he was an ordinary man, and now he'd reached Minor Accomplishment in Skin Refining! Could this kid be some kind of "martial prodigy" with a special constitution?

Filled with doubt, the owner smiled and said, "How is it, young friend? The medicine from the other day worked well, didn't it? This old man didn't lie to you, right?"

Looking at the owner's grinning face, like a typical swindler, Luo Yi couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

"It worked well enough, but it's too expensive! And it doesn't last—one dose a day, costing a tael of silver. This kid's purse can't keep up!"

"I was wondering if you, shopkeeper, have any medicine with stronger effects or longer duration."

Hearing Luo Yi's words, the owner laughed. "For the Skin Refining stage, these are the best Chinese medicines available."

Any other medicine would be too potent for a Skin Refining Martial Artist to handle.

After the owner's explanation, Luo Yi's face fell with disappointment.

"Young friend, don't just rely on medicine all day. In martial arts, besides medicinal supplements, there's also dietary nourishment."

"Here, I just got a bear gall a few days ago—a rare treasure. Fixed price of five hundred silver taels. Interested, young friend?"

Five hundred taels for a single bear gall—Luo Yi was startled by the price the owner quoted.

"Shopkeeper, can you lower the price a bit?"

Seeing Luo Yi's interest in the bear gall, the owner asked, "How much can you offer, young friend?"

Thinking about his total assets—barely over a hundred silver taels—

Luo Yi held up one finger.

One hundred taels?

No, ten taels.

Hearing Luo Yi's offer, the owner barely held back the urge to kick him out.

"Young friend, don't joke around. Ten taels won't buy a bear gall."

"Shopkeeper, I'm not joking. I mean, could you cut me ten taels' worth of bear gall? Let me try it out first and see the effect."

Seeing Luo Yi was serious about buying, the owner thought it over.

He went into the back room, fiddled around for a while, then came out with a "crumpled piece of paper" and handed it to Luo Yi.

Took ten silver taels.

Taking it from the owner, Luo Yi carefully opened the paper ball, revealing a bear gall the size of a fingernail.

"This is worth ten taels?"

Seeing Luo Yi's skeptical look, the owner laughed and scolded, "My hand slipped just now, and I cut you an extra piece—it breaks my heart! And you still don't believe me."

With that, the owner made as if to take back the bear gall from Luo Yi.

Luo Yi tucked the bear gall into his chest and said to the owner, "Give me another ten packs of the same medicine from the other day, wrapped up."

The owner took the medicine from under the counter and handed it to Luo Yi.

Including the bear gall, that came to twenty silver taels.

Seeing the owner's expression like he wanted to eat someone alive—

"Thanks, shopkeeper!" Luo Yi said, pulling twenty taels of silver from his chest and placing them on the counter.

Taking the silver, the owner waved his hand, signaling Luo Yi to scram.

Thinking about the bear gall's steep price, Luo Yi decided to head home and test what effects it actually had.

Just as Luo Yi stepped out of the medicine shop, the owner waved someone over from outside. A middle-aged man dressed as an "ordinary peddler" walked in.

"Subordinate greets the lord."

The owner waved his hand, signaling the man to rise.

"Go investigate that kid who just bought medicine—his background, and whether he's been acting strangely lately."

"Yes!" With that, the man exited the shop.

Thinking about how the shop owner had hyped up the bear gall, Luo Yi had no mind to go hunting in the mountains. Back home, he first put the tonic medicine in the kitchen.

He took out the paper ball from his chest and opened it, looking at the fingernail-sized bear gall.

He thought about swallowing it whole, but remembering its price, he held back.

Carefully dividing the bear gall into four pieces, he picked the smallest one and tossed it straight into his mouth.

As the bear gall entered his stomach, blood gushed from his nostrils like a faucet.

A scorching sensation spread through his abdomen.

Feeling the potent medicinal effects of the bear gall, he confirmed the Medicine Shop Owner hadn't deceived him.

He assumed a stance and began practicing the Fierce Tiger Skin Refining Technique.

After two hours of training, sensing the medicine's effects fading, Luo Yi stopped.

He glanced at the Panel: Fierce Tiger Skin Refining Technique (Minor Accomplishment 35/300).

That small piece of bear gall had added over twenty points of progress.

Good stuff!

If he could keep eating this, supplemented with Tonic Medicine, he'd reach full body refinement in five or six days at most.

But recalling the price of Bear Gall, Luo Yi felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on him.

He didn't take another dose of the bear gall, instead preparing to practice Basic Archery for a while.

Just as he picked up the three-stone Hunting Bow, he suddenly realized something.

With his current strength, entering the Inner Area of Yunling Mountain—as long as he didn't run into a pack of large beasts—he could handle himself well enough. Since the bear gall was so effective and so expensive, why not go into the mountains and hunt for it himself?

No sooner said than done. He slung his bow and arrows, hung his Dao at his waist, and headed toward Yunling Mountain.

Entering the forest, Luo Yi stuck to familiar paths.

Passing by a puddle, he casually shot a Wild Chicken drinking water and stowed it in his pack.

Moving on, he spotted scattered bones around.

"Pfft," he spat and pressed deeper into the woods.

As he entered the Inner Area of Yunling Mountain, wary of ambushes by large carnivores, Luo Yi stayed on high alert.

He walked while searching for signs of animal activity.

After wandering the forest for an hour, he found not a single hair, let alone traces of large game.

Realizing blindly searching the mountains was just a waste of time, he took out the Wild Chicken he'd bagged, slit its neck, and fiddled with it for a while—but no blood came out.

Rubbing his forehead, he figured he'd try anything, so he hung the chicken carcass upside down on a branch.

Not long after it was hung up—

"Roar..." "Crack, crack"

A tiger's roar and the sound of snapping branches came from nearby.

Seeing the chicken carcass actually worked, Luo Yi drew the Dao at his waist and fixed his gaze on the direction of the noise.

As the saying goes, "Clouds rise with dragons, wind rises with tigers." A gust of wind swept through the forest, and the chicken carcass on the branch vanished.

After devouring the chicken, the tiger eyed the nearby prey, unknown liquid dripping from its mouth.

"Roar!" The tiger let out a roar and lunged at the food.

Watching the "yellow-and-black striped" White-Forehead Striped Tiger charge, Luo Yi swung his Dao.

Clang! The tiger's claws clashed with the Dao in his hand, producing a sound like striking fine steel.