As the sky began to brighten, Li Bufan woke naturally. A deep night's sleep, combined with his body's powerful recovery after the breakthrough, left him brimming with Vital Energy. Yesterday's exhaustion from training had been swept away, and he felt as though he had shed his mortal body and exchanged his bones, his abundant vigor with nowhere to vent itself.
He turned his head to look at his younger brother Ping'an, who was still sound asleep beside him. The little fellow's lips curved faintly upward, as though he were having some sweet dream. His cheeks were rosy as he slept peacefully beneath the new quilt. Seeing his brother's calm, happy sleeping face, Li Bufan's lips unconsciously curled into a warm smile. All his efforts and risks had been for the sake of protecting this simple warmth.
He rose quietly, careful not to wake Ping'an. After washing up, he pushed open the wooden door and stepped out into the crisp, chilly air.
The little courtyard in the dawn was covered in a thin layer of white frost. The cold seeped into his bones, yet it invigorated Li Bufan. Rather than immediately beginning any strenuous training, he slowly assumed the opening stance of the three forms of the Nameless Fist Technique.
It was time to properly temper this fist technique, which had already reached Great Mastery. Once practiced to Great Mastery, it gave him long, steady breath and boundless stamina. It had rendered illustrious service when he chased the fox through the snowy mountains and fought desperately beside the cliff wall.
If it reached the Perfection Realm, it would likely rise another level!
With a thought, his blood and qi began to circulate naturally. First stance: Thousands of Soldiers Split Easily! This was no simple horizontal sweep; it contained a fierce intent to cleave through every obstacle, dividing and disintegrating all in its path. His fist shot out like lightning, stirring the air and producing a faint whistle of tearing wind.
Next came the second stance: Directly Strike the Yellow Dragon! His body tightened like a drawn bow, then suddenly sprang open. He concentrated all his force into one point, his fist blasting forward in a straight line like a meteor, pursuing the utmost speed and penetrating power! A barely audible burst seemed to sound in the air.
Third stance: Feint to the East, Attack to the West! His fist shadows drifted and shifted, false and real interchanging. His intent and blood qi moved with them—seemingly striking left, yet truly attacking right—containing the essence of confusing the enemy and changing unpredictably.
He did not use his full strength. Instead, he focused more on sensing the "meaning" contained within these three fist forms, as well as the subtle changes in the movement of his blood and qi. From the foundation of Great Mastery, he pushed toward a deeper and more perfectly rounded level.
Bolstered by the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] fate, every punch and every change of stance deepened his understanding of the technique. Countless insights from his past training came flooding in, confirming one another, merging together, and becoming fully integrated.
His movements grew increasingly smooth, and the transitions between the three fist forms became seamless, without the slightest trace of sluggishness. At times, his fist intent was peerlessly fierce; at times, it gathered into a single point; at times, it was elusive and impossible to predict. The blood qi throughout his body also surged and coursed along with it, faintly joining with the momentum of his fists. These simple three forms of the fist technique unexpectedly took on an utterly natural air.
Without realizing it, the east had already turned white, and the rising sun burst forth, scattering golden light across the courtyard.
Li Bufan slowly withdrew his stance. The white vapor he exhaled shot more than a foot away like an arrow before gradually dissipating. He closed his eyes and concentrated, sensing the blood qi within him, which had become increasingly smooth and responsive, the fist intent that had sunk deep into his bones, and the information fed back by his fate.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence] Nameless Fist Technique, Great Mastery (788/)
After only a single morning of training, his proficiency had surged by several hundred points again! The Perfection Realm no longer seemed so impossibly far away.
This Nameless Fist Technique truly is profoundly mysterious. After Great Mastery, every step forward brings a clear improvement, especially in control over blood qi and understanding of the forms' intent. Li Bufan rejoiced inwardly.
Amid his delight, a thought surfaced on its own. With the Cinnabar Fruit, my cultivation speed is already extremely fast. But if... if I could also combine it with the powerful medicinal bath I used back at Lin Manor, cultivating both inside and out, just how far would my cultivation speed rise?
He recalled the medicinal baths he had used in the Guard Camp of Lin Manor when he had just broken through to the Skin Tempering Realm. Those medicinal decoctions could not compare to heavenly treasures such as the Cinnabar Fruit, but they could greatly nourish blood qi, warm and strengthen the body, relieve fatigue, and allow training to continue longer and more efficiently.
The medicinal power of a single Cinnabar Fruit supported four hours of my frenzied cultivation, plus a night of gradual dispersal and digestion, yet it still hasn't been completely absorbed. Some of its power remains deposited in my body. If I could soak in a powerful medicinal bath now, using its effects to stimulate and guide the remaining Cinnabar Fruit medicinal power while repairing the tiny injuries caused by training... then the results would definitely surpass simply swallowing a Cinnabar Fruit or simply taking a medicinal bath!
The thought made Li Bufan's heart pound. In martial cultivation, wealth, companions, methods, and land were all crucial, but resources were especially important. When different resources could be used together, one plus one often produced a miraculous effect greater than two.
Once the thought arose, it multiplied like wild grass. Li Bufan knew well that cultivation was like rowing a boat upstream: if one did not advance, one would fall back. Since there was a way to accelerate his progress, he had to strive for it with all his strength. After having breakfast with Ping'an, he tidied himself up and headed out once more.
He first went to a pastry shop and carefully selected several kinds of pastries Doctor Liu might enjoy—ones that were not overly sweet or greasy. He wrapped them carefully in oiled paper before carrying them toward Huichun Hall.
When he arrived at Huichun Hall, the medicinal fragrance remained as strong as ever. Doctor Liu sat at the front of the hall, wearing reading glasses and slowly grinding medicinal powder. Seeing Li Bufan enter, he lifted his eyelids and snorted. "Oh, it's you again, brat. Is your arm better? What's wrong with you this time? Or did you find some herbs to sell?"
Li Bufan chuckled and set the pastries on a nearby table. "Listen to you, sir. Can't I come specially to visit you? And perhaps... ask you about something while I'm here."
Doctor Liu set down the medicine grinder and glanced at the package of pastries. The corner of his mouth seemed to twitch upward almost imperceptibly, but he immediately put on a stern face again. "Hmph, you never pay respects without a reason. Speak. What scheme are you plotting now? Let me make this clear first: this old man won't help for nothing. I'll have to test you. If your answers satisfy me, what you ask will be simple. If they don't, hmph hmph, don't blame this old man for being black-hearted and charging you extra silver!"
Li Bufan knew that this apparent attempt to make things difficult was actually the old man's way of offering guidance and testing him. His heart warmed, though he put on an exaggeratedly confident expression and slapped his chest. "Haha, then bring it on, sir! My martial skills may be nothing to speak of, but as for medicinal herbs, I've been studying them day and night lately. I may not be afraid of your examination!"
"Oh ho! You've got quite the mouth on you!" Doctor Liu was amused by his manner. Stroking his beard, he said, "Fine, then this old man will test you. Tell me first: what are the properties and flavor of Panax notoginseng? What conditions does it treat? What are its contraindications?"
Without hesitation, Li Bufan answered loudly, "Panax notoginseng is sweet with a slight bitterness, and warm in nature. It enters the liver and stomach meridians. It excels at dispersing blood stasis and stopping bleeding, reducing swelling and relieving pain. It is used for coughing blood, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, blood in the stool, uterine bleeding, traumatic bleeding, stabbing pain in the chest and abdomen, and swelling and pain from falls or impacts. As for contraindications... those with blood deficiency but no blood stasis should avoid it, and pregnant women should use it with caution."
His answer was smooth and accurate, even going beyond what was recorded in the Herbal Compendium, adding some of his own understanding.
A trace of surprise flashed through Doctor Liu's eyes, and he nodded. "Mm, your foundation is fairly solid. Then let me ask you this. If a hunter enters the mountains and is accidentally bitten by a venomous snake, and the wound rapidly swells, blackens, and causes severe pain, but there is no specific antidote for that snake venom nearby, how should common herbs be used for emergency treatment?"
This question was more practical. Li Bufan pondered briefly, then answered by combining the Herbal Compendium with his experiences in the mountains. "First, bind the limb with a cloth strip on the side of the wound closer to the heart to slow the spread of venom, but do not tie it too tightly, and loosen it regularly. Then try to enlarge the wound and expel the poison. Clean water or urine can be used to rinse it. If one can find herbs such as lobelia, Spanish needles, or Chinese violet nearby, they can be mashed and applied externally. All have the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, as well as reducing swelling. If there are palpitations or difficulty breathing, help must be sought as quickly as possible. Internal medicine must be used with exceptional caution."
"Oh? You even know to use urine to rinse it? Looks like your time in the mountains wasn't wasted." The approval in Doctor Liu's eyes grew stronger. "Then is there anything particular about using Spanish needles together with Chinese violet?"
"Spanish needles are powerful at clearing heat and detoxifying, while Chinese violet can also cool the blood and reduce swelling. Used together, they work well. But it is best to mash them fresh."
The old man and the young man began exchanging questions and answers right there in the Apothecary Hall. Doctor Liu's questions went from shallow to deep, from medicinal properties to prescriptions, from gathering to processing, even touching on diagnostic reasoning for certain difficult and complicated illnesses. Li Bufan, meanwhile, fully drew upon all the accumulation granted by the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] fate—his practical experience moving and drying herbs at Huichun Hall two months ago, his thorough mastery of the Herbal Compendium, and the confirmation provided by personally observing the growing environments and properties of medicinal herbs in the mountains.
He discovered that his understanding of medicinal herbs ran far deeper than he had imagined. Much knowledge seemed to have long since melded into instinct, ready at his fingertips. He could even draw inferences from one instance to another and offer some insights of his own.
The [Heaven Rewards Diligence] fate was operating at high speed. All his previous knowledge and experience concerning medicinal herbs were rapidly sorted through, fused, and elevated amid this intense exchange of questions and answers!
No one knew how much time had passed—perhaps nearly two hours—before Doctor Liu finally stopped questioning him. He clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his laughter full of gratification. "Good! Good! Good! Good lad! You truly put in the hard work! Not only have you memorized the books thoroughly, you can also connect them to practical matters and have quite a few insights! Not bad, truly not bad!"
Li Bufan hurriedly bowed. "It is all thanks to your excellent teachings in the past, sir. This junior has never dared forget them." He was sincerely grateful.
Doctor Liu stroked his beard with satisfaction. Then, his tone abruptly shifted, and his gaze turned sharp as lightning as he looked at Li Bufan. "Your spirit is full and your blood qi is far more vigorous than before. What cultivation are you at now?"
Li Bufan answered truthfully, "Reporting to you, sir, this junior was fortunate enough to break through to the Initial Muscle Tempering stage several days ago."
Though he had anticipated it, a flash of shock still passed through Doctor Liu's eyes. He carefully examined Li Bufan before slowly nodding. "In just over a month, from Minor Success in Skin Refining to Initial Muscle Tempering... at such a pace, you can be counted among the outstanding young generation of Huaiyuan County. However..."
The old man's tone turned solemn. "Remember this well: do not grow proud and complacent. The path of martial arts is long and perilous. Having lived to this age, this old man has seen geniuses as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river, yet those who ultimately achieved anything were few and far between. Most lacked sufficient temperament—either they became arrogant and slack, or they suffered a setback and never rose again. Only perseverance, with neither arrogance nor impatience, is the proper path."
"This junior will remember your teachings, sir!" Li Bufan's expression sharpened, and he engraved those words deeply in his heart.
"Mm." Doctor Liu nodded and said no more. He picked up a brush, swiftly wrote out a prescription on a sheet of paper, and handed it to Li Bufan. "Take it. This is what you wanted. Go get the medicine from the counter and tell the clerk to charge you at cost. But do not spread word of it."
Li Bufan accepted the prescription. After only one glance, his heart shook. Most of the herbs listed were excellent medicinal ingredients for replenishing qi and blood, strengthening sinews and bones, and nourishing the body. Several were even rather precious—precisely what was needed to prepare a powerful medicinal bath! Furthermore, the chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy ingredients were matched with extraordinary ingenuity. It was far beyond the ordinary stuff he had used at Lin Manor.
The old man's kindness made his throat tighten. He bowed deeply once again. "Sir, for such great kindness, this junior..."
"Enough, enough. Spare me that." Doctor Liu impatiently waved his hand and interrupted him, though a gentle smile rested on his face. "Go on now. This old man is tired and needs to rest. In the future... just come visit this rotten old man more often when you have time."
As he spoke, he took out another thread-bound book from a drawer, one that was clearly thicker and older, and casually stuffed it into Li Bufan's hands. "Take this one to read too. It might be of some use to you."
Li Bufan looked at it after taking it. The pages were yellowed, and four ancient, vigorous characters were written on its cover—Complete Herbal Compendium! This was clearly an advanced version of the Herbal Compendium, and its value was impossible to measure!
He looked at the old man before him, who seemed ill-tempered yet had in truth taught him everything he knew and cared deeply for him. A thousand words clogged his chest, but in the end, they became only an incomparably solemn bow, nearly ninety degrees deep. All his gratitude was contained in what remained unspoken.
Carrying the prescription and the Complete Herbal Compendium, he walked to the counter. The clerk had clearly already received instructions. He quickly gathered all the medicinal ingredients, indeed charging only the cost price, and even helped grind them into medicinal powder for easier use.
Carrying this heavy package of medicinal ingredients, heavier still with sentiment, Li Bufan walked out of Huichun Hall. The sunlight fell across him, and his heart was filled with warmth and strength.
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