Materials

Lu Heng stared at the lines of text. When he saw "Thick Earth Physique" in particular, his eyes nearly bulged out.

Earth attribute!

Among the five elements, earth governed defense.

The Azure Wood Body had previously given him monstrous recovery and endurance, while the Li Fire Body had granted Lu Heng terrifying explosive power and attack strength.

Now, the Thick Earth Physique would enhance Lu Heng's defenses.

Once he awakened the Thick Earth Physique, paired it with the mid-tier Xuan-class defensive Dou Technique Earth Origin Shield, and added his absurdly unkillable recovery ability...

When he fought people in the future, he could probably stand still and let them hack at him. The ones who would die of exhaustion would likely be his opponents.

With a thought, Lu Heng immediately brought up his current status panel.

[Name: Lu Heng]

[Age: Ten years old (almost eleven)]

[Cultivation: One-Star Dou Master]

[Soul Realm: Mortal Realm (mid-stage)]

[Physique: Azure Wood Body (Rank Two, upgradeable), Li Fire Body (Rank Two, upgradeable), Thick Earth Physique (unawakened)]

[Technique: Five Spirits Chaos Art (Dou Master Chapter)]

[Dou Techniques: Azure Wood Seal (low-tier Xuan class), Blazing Sun Finger (low-tier Xuan class), Earth Origin Shield (mid-tier Xuan class)]

[Profession: Alchemist (Rank Three)]

"Hm? There wasn't a profession upgrade reward this time?"

Lu Heng scratched his head in confusion.

Every previous page turn had come with an improvement to his professional skills. Last time, for instance, he had received an introductory scroll for alchemists. This time, it was merely a technique and physiques?

But after giving it some thought, he understood.

You couldn't chew more than you could swallow.

His most pressing concern now was these three physiques.

Lu Heng's gaze fell upon the "Physique" section. The two "upgradeable" labels and one "unawakened" label there were a rather glaring red.

He tapped it open.

[Obtained the Thick Earth Physique awakening method. Requires five Rank Three earth-attribute Magic Cores and ten Rank Three earth-attribute medicinal herbs.]

[Azure Wood Body can be upgraded to Rank Three. Requires five Rank Three wood-attribute Magic Cores and ten Rank Three wood-attribute medicinal herbs.]

[Li Fire Body can be upgraded to Rank Three. Requires five Rank Three fire-attribute Magic Cores and ten Rank Three fire-attribute medicinal herbs.]

Hiss!

Lu Heng sucked in a sharp breath. The joy of his successful breakthrough was instantly dampened by that string of numbers.

Rank Three Magic Cores!

Those were things only Magical Beasts equivalent to Da Dou Shi could produce.

A single Rank Three Magic Core cost at least several thousand gold coins on the market. If it was of high quality, it could fetch tens of thousands.

Lu Heng remembered that in the original novel, Xiao Yan had spent thirty thousand gold coins to buy a Rank Three Magic Core for a breakthrough.

And Lu Heng needed five in one go—that was over a hundred thousand gold coins.

To settle all three physiques, he would need fifteen Rank Three Magic Cores and thirty Rank Three Medicinal Herbs!

This entire set would cost at least a million gold coins!

Sure enough, scholars could be poor, but martial cultivation demanded wealth. The ancients had not deceived him.

"Luckily, I'm an alchemist. Once I refine a batch of Spirit-Nurturing Powder and Yuan-Gathering Pills, then let Sister Ya Fei handle the sales, gold coins definitely won't be a problem."

Lu Heng pondered.

He then stopped thinking about it, closed his eyes again, and began adapting to the liquid Dou Qi within his body.

Before he knew it, the sky outside had brightened.

The first ray of dawn filtered through the window paper and into the room, dispelling the night's chilly stillness.

Lu Heng rose to his feet and stretched his limbs.

After his Dou Qi had liquefied, it was not merely his energy that had undergone a qualitative change. His physical body had also received a thorough cleansing.

Now, with physical strength alone, he could probably kill a Rank One Magical Beast with one punch—perhaps even a Rank Two one.

"Phew..."

Lu Heng straightened his slightly rumpled clothes and pushed open the door.

Creak.

The sound of the door hinge turning was especially distinct in the early morning.

In the courtyard, Ya Fei was dozing beside the stone table. Her long hair was slightly disheveled, and a thick cloak that someone had apparently draped over her covered her body.

Hearing the door open, she jolted awake. Her eyes were still somewhat unfocused for an instant, but in the next moment, they fixed on Lu Heng as he stepped out.

"You're awake?"

Ya Fei stood and hurried over, not caring in the slightest whether she still looked dignified.

She looked Lu Heng over from head to toe, then directly reached out to squeeze his arm before pressing her hand to his chest to feel his heartbeat.

"You really broke through?"

Though she had sensed his aura long ago, after confirming it with her own eyes, Ya Fei still felt as though she were dreaming.

Lu Heng let her touch him as she pleased, the corners of his mouth lifting.

"I did not disappoint."

"You freak!"

Ya Fei withdrew her hand. Her voice was thick with a nasal tone. Though she was scolding him, her tone brimmed with joy she could not suppress.

She took a deep breath and tried hard to calm herself.

"You scared me to death."

Ya Fei lightly punched Lu Heng, then let out a long sigh. The exhaustion in her eyes could not be faked.

Lu Heng's heart warmed. He understood that she had been worried about him. He stretched out an arm and gently drew Ya Fei close by the shoulder.

"Sister Ya Fei, thank you."

Ya Fei froze briefly, then a smile spread across her eyes and brows.

She reached out to straighten Lu Heng's slightly crooked collar. Her fingertips brushed across the warm collarbone of the youth, her movements utterly natural.

"Why are you being so polite with your sister?"

Ya Fei shot him a reproachful glance, the charm of a mature woman fully displayed at that moment.

"As long as you're safe and well, your sister is willing to do anything."

The morning light was faint, and the mist in the courtyard had yet to fully dissipate. The air carried a damp chill.

Ya Fei paused, withdrew her hand, and leaned against the stone table with her arms folded. The smile on her face faded somewhat, replaced by the expression of a shrewd merchant.

"Tell me. After this breakthrough, do you need Magic Cores and medicinal herbs again?"

Lu Heng was taken aback. He rubbed his nose and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Sister Ya Fei, you're practically clairvoyant. I haven't even said anything yet."

"Cut it out."

Ya Fei snorted. She simply knew him too well.

"That strange physique of yours—when has advancing it ever not burned through money?

Last time, it was Rank Two Magic Cores. Now that you're a Dou Master, the price should have gone up, right?"

Though she complained, there was not the slightest impatience in her eyes. Instead, she had the calm composure of someone who had already seen through everything.

In business, business was business. As one of the Miteer Auction House's finest auctioneers, she possessed an almost instinctive sensitivity toward the ratio of investment to return.

And investing in Lu Heng was, in her view, the most profitable deal she had ever made in her life.

"It did go up."

Lu Heng did not hide anything. She was his sister, after all, so there was nothing he could not tell her.

"Five Rank Three fire-attribute Magic Cores, five Rank Three wood-attribute Magic Cores, and five Rank Three earth-attribute Magic Cores."

Ya Fei raised her brows and waited for him to continue.

"Also, ten Rank Three medicinal herbs of each of those three attributes."

The courtyard fell silent for several seconds.

Ya Fei's arms slowly dropped from before her chest, and the composed expression on her face gradually turned rather colorful.

She swiftly ran through the market prices of those items in her mind.