Refining Pills

Just as they were preparing to leave, one of the men in white flew out from the group.

He tossed a parcel to Ji Siyuan: "This contains the Soul Ascension Pill Zhang Lexuan promised you, along with a Mystic Water Pill as compensation. It would be best if you forgot about this entire incident."

Having said that, the man departed.

Huo Yuhao: "How detestable! They hurt people at will, and they think they can just compensate us with a few items?"

Ji Siyuan: "In reality, we weren't actually injured. These are just hush money to ensure we don't speak of what happened."

Still, it was quite strange that they would hand over a Mystic Water Pill, especially since they hadn't been injured at all.

It seems that having connections makes things much easier; Zhang Lexuan managed to secure these pills with just a few words.

"Siyuan, what are the Soul Ascension Pill and the Mystic Water Pill used for?"

"Want to know?"

"Yes."

"They are pills of the same grade, but their effects are quite different. The purpose of the Soul Ascension Pill is to increase a person's soul power without any cost, usually by an amount ranging from level 30 to level 31. It is rumored that if a soul master only takes it once in their lifetime, there are no side effects.

The effect of the Mystic Water Pill is quite different; it cleanses the meridians, removes impurities, and increases Innate Soul Power. Both are extremely precious pills."

Huo Yuhao: "Then the hush money provided by the academy is quite generous."

Ji Siyuan: "It's a pity I can't use either of them."

"Ah, why is that?"

"Well, I have a wager with someone that prevents me from using these kinds of soul-power-boosting pills. As for the Mystic Water Pill, my body would only absorb impurities if I were to consume it."

To an outsider, this would sound like pure boasting.

Huo Yuhao didn't believe it either.

"I'll give them to you tonight. For now, let's get ready for class."

"No, no, these were both earned through your efforts, I don't want them." Ji Siyuan had handled the entire conversation and the combat; Huo Yuhao didn't feel he was qualified to use the pills.

Ji Siyuan didn't refuse him: "We'll talk about it tonight, we're going to be late for class!"

The outer academy courses were rather boring, so Ji Siyuan simply slacked off, while Huo Yuhao studied quite diligently.

As night began to fall, they prepared to return to their dormitory to begin refining the pills.

Outside, a queue had already formed. Both of them possessed excellent skills, and their technique in preparing drinks had many students waiting specifically for them.

"Damn, are they not coming today?"

"They didn't show up yesterday, and they aren't here today either. I've been starving myself just to grab a few super-sized skewers."

"I want to eat grilled fish! It was so hard to find something that actually tastes good. I could tolerate a higher price, but what am I supposed to do if they stop selling altogether?"

Ji Siyuan and Huo Yuhao couldn't hear their lamentations at all; they had already returned to their dormitory.

Ji Siyuan opened the parcel provided by the academy, which contained two pills.

One was shaped like a Green Walnut; the other was shaped like a blue cherry, its surface covered in a light mist of water.

Huo Yuhao: "Which one is the Soul Ascension Pill, and which one is the Mystic Water Pill?"

Normally, one would assume it was the one with the water mist, but neither of them was certain.

Ji Siyuan took out the storage Soul Tool given to him by Yan Shaozhe and retrieved the Mystic Water Pill he already possessed.

The pill was a deep blue cherry shape with white patterns on its surface and faint wisps of water mist.

"How do you have another one?"

Ji Siyuan: "Dean Yan gave it to me. He saw that my talent was high enough and wanted to focus on cultivating me."

Huo Yuhao was incredibly envious; having high talent meant you could do whatever you wanted. Even if you lacked money, people would send it to you, and you would even receive special status.

If only his talent were that high.

Tian Meng was still in his spiritual sea, comforting him and telling him that as long as he reached level 20, everything would get better.

Ji Siyuan rubbed his nose: "The Mystic Water Pill is useless to me, and I can't use the Soul Ascension Pill. Normally, these would be for you, but I suspect you won't accept them, so I'll try eating a Mystic Water Pill. Besides, the effectiveness of these pills diminishes over time until they do nothing at all."

Huo Yuhao hurriedly refused: "Siyuan, you should take that Soul Ascension Pill. I think it's best if you use it so you can reach level 20 before the freshman assessment."

Huo Yuhao had heard from Bei Bei about the three-month freshman assessment and knew how important it was.

"The Mystic Water Pill didn't come for free; I promised Dean Yan that I wouldn't use a Soul Ascension Pill to reach level 20 within three months."

"Isn't that too harsh?"

Ji Siyuan didn't even think about it: "I have an Ultimate Martial Soul. My growth speed from level 10 to 30 is quite fast; it only slows down significantly after level 30. It's even more severe than a regular martial soul."

Ji Siyuan fell silent for a moment: "You don't think I'm giving these to you for nothing, do you? Let me tell you, you owe me a favor today; remember to pay me back in the future."

Huo Yuhao said with teary eyes: "I will definitely find a way to repay this favor! Absolutely!"

"Then eat up, I want to see what this cherry tastes like too."

Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged and used the Mystic Water Pill first.

He would expand his meridians before using the Soul Ascension Pill.

It was just that Ji Siyuan had forgotten to tell him to prepare a change of clothes.

After all, when Ji Siyuan consumed it, he was completely unaffected.

Ji Siyuan's body had no impurities to purge, but the effects on Huo Yuhao were visible to the naked eye.

Before long, a layer of black, viscous substance appeared on the surface of his body, emitting a foul odor.

Ji Siyuan: "Damn, I really overestimated myself."

He couldn't stand it at all, so he walked out of the room, leaving Huo Yuhao alone in the dormitory.

He left a note reminding Huo Yuhao to open the window for ventilation.

Tang San: "I thought you would stay in the dormitory to see how the Daughter of Luck hides her identity."

"Uncle, none of those Titled Douluo could tell she was a girl. I now suspect that million-year soul beast gave her a soul skill to hide her identity! Like Simulation. Although it was acquired later in the books, with so many changes now, we can't rule out that possibility."

"Your reasoning is quite sound, so you only came out because you couldn't bear to watch a beautiful girl?"

"How could that be? The smell was truly unbearable."

Ji Siyuan went out for a walk, and before long, he saw their dormitory window wide open. Guessing that the refinement was complete, he returned to the room.

In a good mood, he opened the door.

"Hey? You, you, you, how did you come in?" Huo Yuhao was wrapped in a bath towel, her cheeks flushed red.

Ji Siyuan felt a bit awkward for a moment; he was aware that the person opposite him was a girl.

"Ahem, you put on your clothes first, I'm going in to take a shower."

The two walked cautiously toward each other's direction, and they accidentally brushed against one another while passing by.

It wasn't just her face; her neck had also turned a bit red.

Fortunately, with Simulation, Huo Yuhao could still hide her identity.

By the time Ji Siyuan came out, his hair was still dripping with water.

He lifted his eyes to look at Huo Yuhao on the bed, and she was staring at him intently, not even blinking.

Noticing that Ji Siyuan was looking at her, she immediately lowered her head and bit her lip lightly.

Ji Siyuan: "Did you take the Soul Ascension Pill?"

"No, I wanted to wait for you to guard me!"

"Alright."

Huo Yuhao held the pill in her hand, thinking to herself: This was given to me by him. The Mystic Water Pill that helped me reach level 12 was also from him. I cannot let him down; I must reach level 15! I absolutely cannot let him down.

Even though Ji Siyuan hadn't set any requirements for her, she had her own expectations.

The Green Walnut entered her body, and as the medicinal power coursed through her meridians, Huo Yuhao began to circulate her soul power to absorb it, converting the medicine into energy.

Ji Siyuan watched from the side as her soul power climbed step by step: level 12 peak, level 13, level 14, level 14 peak.

Huo Yuhao's expression grew solemn, and she bit her lip hard, pushing herself to the limit.

Level 15!

Huo Yuhao opened her eyes, forcibly suppressing the urge to hug Ji Siyuan: "Siyuan, I've reached level 15."