Body Tempering Powder

All of this had been witnessed by Huo Yuhao, standing beneath a tree not far away.

From the start of Lin Yan and Wang Dong's confrontation, to Wang Dong's quick and decisive surrender, to her public announcement that she wouldn't be staying in the dorms, Huo Yuhao had seen every change in Lin Yan's wonderfully expressive face.

Especially when Wang Dong said she didn't plan to stay in the dorms, the shock, stiffness, and disbelief that flashed across Lin Yan's face, followed by the anger and frustration that quickly welled in his eyes, had all been noticed by Huo Yuhao's deep, still gaze.

"...Idiot."

Huo Yuhao judged him coolly in his heart.

He thought he could "steal the dorm" and thereby "steal the person"?

Never mind that Wang Dong was Tang San's daughter, proud and sensitive by nature—not someone he could easily approach with such a shallow ploy.

Even setting that aside, Lin Yan's undisguised predatory gaze and smug, self-satisfied air were as glaring as a bonfire in the dead of night to anyone truly perceptive.

Wang Dong might not know exactly what Lin Yan was plotting, but she had instinctively sensed the danger and discomfort.

He looked away, no longer watching Lin Yan brood over his failure.

He had seen the battle and gathered the information he needed.

He had already formed a preliminary assessment of Lin Yan's Martial Soul traits, Soul Skill effects, fighting style, and even his flaws of character.

There was no point wasting more time here.

Huo Yuhao turned and left the clearing without a sound. His footsteps were light, and his figure soon disappeared into the shadows cast by buildings and trees.

Shrek City, a sprawling metropolis of two million people, had broad streets, shops standing in rows, and a steady stream of pedestrians.

As the most important commercial hub at the junction of the three empires on Douluo Continent, it was no less prosperous than any town Huo Yuhao had visited before.

He didn't rush to find a place to stay. Instead, he strolled around the city at an unhurried pace for nearly an hour.

On the surface, he was wandering aimlessly. In truth, he was scouting the area.

Which route led most directly to Shrek Academy? Which districts were less crowded and better suited for concealing his movements?

What were the city guards' patrol patterns? Where were the more upscale residential areas?

After making a circuit, he had already sketched out a rough map of the city in his mind.

At last, in a quiet alley about a quarter of an hour's walk from Shrek Academy's east gate, he found a small courtyard for rent.

It wasn't large, with three bedrooms and a living room. It had its own kitchen and washroom, and even a little rooftop where he could stretch and exercise.

The furnishings were simple but complete and tidy. The windows were bright, and the place had clearly been cleaned regularly.

Most importantly, it was quiet and secluded.

The landlady was a kind old woman. When she heard he was a new student at Shrek Academy, she grew even more welcoming and lowered the rent from eight Gold Soul Coins a month to five.

Huo Yuhao didn't haggle. He paid eight months' rent on the spot and received the key to the courtyard gate.

Five Gold Soul Coins a month was practically a giveaway in a place as expensive as Shrek City, especially in a district so close to Shrek Academy.

Huo Yuhao knew that while the landlady's kindness was surely a factor, the price also reflected the fact that this wasn't one of Shrek City's main wealthy districts and that the living conditions were fairly ordinary.

Still, that suited him perfectly.

He didn't need luxury. He needed somewhere safe and quiet, where no one would bother him.

After putting away his simple belongings, Huo Yuhao didn't linger in the room.

He changed into cleaner clothes for going out, checked how many Gold Soul Coins he had in his Storage Ring, then headed out again.

His destination was a shop selling medicinal ingredients.

Simply cultivating by the book wouldn't be nearly enough to improve his strength quickly.

In his previous life, after unifying the continent, he had spent a great deal of time traveling the world and exploring hidden realms in search of a chance to break through to godhood.

By a stroke of luck, in an extremely well-hidden ancient realm, he had obtained a precious alchemy tome, Alchemy Reflections.

The tome wasn't a complete collection of pill recipes. It was more like the notes and reflections of an ancient master of alchemy.

It contained few recipes, but every one of them was a long-lost treasure.

What Huo Yuhao needed now was a recipe from the book called Body Tempering Powder.

The recipe used Body Tempering Flower and Bone Refining Grass as its main ingredients, together with more than a dozen fierce medicinal herbs whose properties amplified one another. They were simmered into a medicinal liquid through a special process.

Its effects were simple and brutal: with almost tyrannical medicinal force, it forcibly tempered the user's muscles, bones, and internal organs, greatly improving their physical condition and the limit of Soul Power their body could bear in a very short time.

In his previous life, when Huo Yuhao had first read about the recipe in Alchemy Reflections, he had scoffed at how reckless it was. Such an overbearing method of tempering was tantamount to torture, and the slightest misstep could even damage the user's foundation.

Only after studying it in depth did he understand the essence of Body Tempering Powder: the more violent the medicinal force, the more thorough the tempering; the deeper the agony, the more complete the transformation.

It wasn't a tonic for the pampered. It was tailor-made for those with no way back, those who had to be reborn in the shortest time possible—or die trying.

And that was exactly the kind of person Huo Yuhao was now.

He needed to temper this frail, malnourished body of a boy who had been weak for years into one capable of bearing stronger Soul Power and enduring more intense battles, as quickly as possible.

The ferocity and pain of Body Tempering Powder weren't obstacles to him. They were the very catalyst he needed.

However, the ingredients required for Body Tempering Powder were extremely particular.

The main ingredient, Body Tempering Flower, had to be at least three years old and picked within the past two months for its medicinal properties to be potent enough.

He had to find an established pharmacy with a reliable reputation and guaranteed quality.

While scouting the city earlier, Huo Yuhao had discreetly asked several passersby about the pharmacies in Shrek City.

He asked casually, like a newcomer making ordinary inquiries about local shops, but he silently memorized every remark and every opinion.

After comparing information on four or five pharmacies, he settled on one in the bustling eastern district, an old establishment said to have been open for forty-three years and run by the same family for three generations—

Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion.

Huo Yuhao stood before Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion and looked up to take it in.

The shop wasn't large, but it was tastefully and neatly arranged. An old plaque hung above the door, the three characters "Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion" written in vigorous strokes that carried the bearing of a master.

Two neatly trimmed orchids stood by the entrance. A crisp, rich medicinal fragrance drifted out—not a muddled, pungent smell like that of ordinary pharmacies, but one with a steady, soothing quality.

He pushed the door open and entered.

The shop was bright inside. Rows of glass display counters stood in orderly lines, their contents clearly visible in the warm yellow light of Soul Tool Lamps.

Hundred-year-old ginseng, excellent-quality lingzhi, translucent spirit shells, dark-red dragon's blood resin... Each ingredient was kept in a fine casket or jade box, with a label listing its name, age, place of origin, and price.

It really was the most reputable old shop in town.

The care and grandeur of the display alone put it far beyond an ordinary pharmacy.

However, the shop assistant behind the counter took one look at Huo Yuhao, and the welcoming smile he'd been about to rise and greet him with visibly cooled.

His eyes swept over Huo Yuhao in an instant: coarse cloth, washed somewhat pale but clean and neat; cloth shoes that weren't torn, though the edges were worn; not a single decent accessory on him—not even the simplest jade pendant or Soul Tool ornament.

A pauper.

The shop assistant reached his conclusion at once.

He'd worked at Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion for over a year. What kind of customer hadn't he seen?

Which of the truly wealthy patrons didn't wear fine clothes and jade, surrounded by attendants?

Even when they made an effort to be discreet, the confidence in their every gesture still showed.

This boy was clearly one of those poor students who had saved for who knew how long just to buy a few cheap medicinal herbs.

What could a customer like that possibly buy?

A few ordinary herbs, one or two years old? A few ounces of common dried tangerine peel and atractylodes?

The sale would be worth a few Silver Soul Coins at most. His tiny commission—just a few thousandths of that—wouldn't even buy him a mouthful.

Why bother being friendly? What a waste of effort.