The Master Truly Possesses Divine Strength

Upon hearing that consuming a Vitality Pill could cause one to explode and die, Lin Fei was startled.

He had originally assumed it was something like a "Ten-Complete Tonic Pill," meant to strengthen the body and boost one's vigor.

He hadn't expected it to be something only cultivators could refine and consume.

He just wondered if a martial artist like Wu Zhen would be able to take it.

Just as Lin Fei was pondering this, the young man in black suddenly took a bottle of pills from the shelf.

"This is a Body Strengthening Pill; it replenishes blood and qi while fortifying the physique. It is quite helpful for matters between men and women. This is the kind of pill you wanted, right?"

Lin Fei shouted in his heart that he was being wronged; he truly did not want this kind of pill.

He was young and strong; why would he ever need to replenish his blood and qi?

However... since the man had already brought it out, he might as well buy a few.

Just in case he ever needed them!

"How much for one?"

"Three thousand gold coins each."

The fact that this thing was even more expensive than a Small Foundation Pill made Lin Fei somewhat look forward to its effects.

"Give me five!"

The other party cautioned: "You can only take one Body Strengthening Pill at a time; do not overindulge. If you eat too many, you will bleed from your seven orifices all the same."

"When used in conjunction with the Vitality Pill, it is of great benefit to the cultivation of those in the Qi Refining Realm. For mortals like you, it will at most strengthen your physique and increase your stamina."

Being constantly addressed as a "mortal," "mortal," was starting to annoy Lin Fei.

Was there truly no way for a mortal to cultivate?

"Esteemed Immortal, is there really no way for a mortal to possess the talent for cultivation?"

"Esteemed Immortal?"

It was the first time he had been addressed this way, and the young man in black felt an inexplicable sense of joy.

He was merely a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm, the very bottom of the cultivation world, which was why he could only handle menial tasks here at the Duobao Pavilion.

In the eyes of ordinary people, he might seem extraordinary.

But to cultivators of higher realms, he was nothing more than an ant who hadn't even truly stepped across the threshold of immortality.

"Of course there is. Many heavenly treasures and spiritual medicines can allow a mortal to be reborn and possess the aptitude for cultivation."

"Here at our Duobao Pavilion, we have the Marrow Cleansing Pill, which can cleanse the essence and marrow while purging impurities."

Lin Fei couldn't help but feel secretly delighted; it turned out there was a way for mortals to cultivate after all.

But before he could finish rejoicing, the other party poured a bucket of cold water on him.

"It's just that this Marrow Cleansing Pill cannot be bought with gold or silver; it must be purchased with spirit stones, or exchanged for magical artifacts, pills, or heavenly treasures."

Lin Fei was deeply disappointed; it turned out he had been happy for nothing.

Where would he ever get spirit stones?

As for magical artifacts, he did have the "Wish-Fulfilling Mask."

Li Ruxue had said that for cultivators, this was a "tasteless" artifact that only had the ability to change one's appearance.

He figured such a low-level artifact wouldn't be enough to exchange for a Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Otherwise, Li Ruxue would never have been willing to give it to him.

As for heavenly treasures...

Lin Fei suddenly remembered the "Millennium Cold Jade Bed" in the secret room of the haunted house in South City; perhaps that item could be exchanged for a Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Lin Fei tentatively asked: "Esteemed Immortal, what kind of heavenly treasures can be used to exchange for a Marrow Cleansing Pill?"

"I once heard people mention things like Millennium Black Iron, Millennium Ginseng, and Millennium Cold Jade. Would those work?"

The young man in black's expression tightened, and he asked solemnly: "Do you possess these items?"

"No."

"If you don't have them, why are you talking? You made me get excited for nothing."

Lin Fei gave a sheepish smile and replied: "I just wanted to clarify so I could figure out a way to acquire them."

The young man in black rolled his eyes. "Do you think these heavenly treasures are radishes or cabbage? You think you can just buy them whenever you want?"

"Millennium Black Iron can be used to forge magical artifacts, Millennium Ginseng can be used in medicine and alchemy, and Millennium Cold Jade is also a rare treasure."

"A piece of Millennium Cold Jade the size of a fist is enough to exchange for one Marrow Cleansing Pill. When held in the palm during cultivation, it not only accelerates the absorption and refining of heaven and earth spiritual energy, but it also keeps one clear-headed and calm, preventing one from falling into demonic obsession."

The Millennium Cold Jade in the secret room was the size of a person, like a bed.

However, Lin Fei couldn't be certain if it was truly Millennium Cold Jade.

After all, Bai Yansong was just an ordinary person; he hadn't seen Millennium Cold Jade with his own eyes either, having only heard of it through hearsay.

Just as Lin Fei was about to ask something else, the young man in black suddenly grew impatient.

"Do you have anything else to purchase? If not, I shall not be entertaining you further."

"Many thanks, Immortal, farewell!"

Lin Fei did not press further, lest he cause offense.

Carrying the purchased pills, Lin Fei returned to his small residence in South City.

"I wonder how effective this Body Strengthening Pill is?"

Lin Fei trusted that the people at Duobao Pavilion would not deceive him; for a mortal to take one, there should certainly be no issues.

He swallowed a Body Strengthening Pill, and before long, he felt a surge of heat flowing through his entire body.

"Why is it so hot..."

Lin Fei stripped off all his clothes, yet he still felt unbearably feverish; his blood flow accelerated, and his skin turned bright red.

"I'm burning up! Could it be that my body is too weak to handle such a potent supplement?"

Lin Fei was filled with regret. Why had he taken a Body Strengthening Pill for no reason? If he were to die from bleeding out of his seven orifices, it would be a truly miserable fate.

"Someone, bring me a tub of cold water! I need to bathe!"

Several servants immediately brought over a wooden tub filled to the brim with freshly drawn well water.

Lin Fei jumped into the tub, and only then did he feel much more comfortable.

It took a full hour before the discomfort in his body finally faded away.

The cold water in the tub had turned lukewarm.

"Has the medicinal effect worn off?"

Lin Fei stepped out of the tub, faintly sensing that his body was brimming with strength.

"The young man in black said the Body Strengthening Pill could fortify the physique and increase strength. I wonder how much stronger I am now?"

Lin Fei looked at the water bucket in front of him and wrapped his arms around it.

He exerted his full strength, expecting the bucket to be heavy and doubting he could lift it.

To his surprise, as soon as he applied force with his arms, the bucket was hoisted into the air.

"This..."

Lin Fei was startled; the water in the bucket weighed at least two hundred catties.

In the past, he would have been unable to lift it at all.

Yet now, he did so with ease, feeling no strain.

"Just how much has my strength increased?"

Lin Fei changed into a fresh set of clothes and went out into the courtyard, intending to find something heavy to test his strength.

However, aside from flowers, plants, and trees, there was nothing heavy in the courtyard.

Just then, Lin Fei remembered the two stone lions at the entrance of the residence.

He immediately walked outside, and the guards, seeing his actions, curiously gathered around.

"Master, what are you doing?"

Lin Fei asked, "How much do these stone lions weigh?"

One guard replied, "Master, these stone lions weigh at least five hundred catties. Even the four of us together cannot move them."

"Oh?"

Lin Fei wondered if he should find something else instead.

If he failed to lift them, he would become a laughingstock to these guards.

"Are they really that heavy? Let me have a try."

Lin Fei gripped the recessed base of the stone lion with both hands, took a deep breath, sank his waist, and began to exert force through his arms.

Under the watchful eyes of the guards, the stone lion slowly lifted off the ground.

"Master has such great strength!"

"Good heavens, Master truly possesses divine power!"

"Could it be that Master is a cultivator?"