Boxed Weapons! Dragon Tiger Pill!

"Finally, some downtime."

Late at night, Ye Li finished his martial arts training and washed up.

Lying in his humble room, he stared blankly at the ceiling.

Too much had happened today; he truly needed to digest everything he had gained.

First, he broke through to the Body Tempering Realm, then he beat up Lu Yue and his two companions, and stepped on Li Xi's face.

Afterward, he secured a property in the east of the city and, with Instructor Feng's guidance, unlocked the map of the entire district.

To think that a single day's experience was enough for the author to pad out eight chapters—how shameless!

Benefiting from the habits of his past life, Ye Li was accustomed to summarizing information before going to sleep.

First was the expansion of the map. Since he was currently a nobody, he didn't need to worry about being coveted by major powers.

He just needed to maintain his persona as a local prodigy, cultivate until he reached the Post-Heaven Realm, and then consider moving to a new map.

Next was cultivation!

The current guarantee for core disciples was too flimsy; he needed to find a backer to serve as insurance, at least enough to make the Li Family afraid to move against him.

At the same time, he couldn't slack off on his training; he would strive to break through to the mid-stage of the Body Tempering Realm within three months!

Having secretly set his plans based on the currently available intelligence, Ye Li finally changed into a comfortable position and drifted off to sleep, satisfied.

However, he was unaware that at this very moment, the Central Province was rippling slightly because of his existence.

These ripples were caused precisely by the orange-tier trait, Cause-Tracing and Effect-Tracking.

Consistent with the information described by the outside world, as the strongest intelligence-gathering trait, the ability of Cause-Tracing and Effect-Tracking required a medium to serve as the "cause" in order to deduce the "effect"!

The more detailed the cause, the more detailed the deduced result; at its peak, it could even peer through the past and the present.

If one were within the Great Qing Dynasty, even something as specific as the exact amount of rainfall or an individual's private thoughts could be calculated through this method.

But outside the Great Qing Dynasty, its computational power was insufficient, requiring a sufficient medium to trigger it.

For instance... speech!

This was also the reason why the Great Qing Dynasty actively spread news of its own traits to the outside world.

As long as everyone in the world discussed it, a vast web of cause and effect covering the heavens and earth would allow the dynasty to seek good fortune and avoid disaster!

Therefore, when Feng Yue took the initiative to talk to Ye Li about this trait today, the conversation between the two directly touched the most minute end of the causal chain.

Four hours ago, inside the Exquisite Pagoda at the center of the Bureau of Astronomy, which had captured the keywords, thin, weightless sheets of white paper were automatically spat out.

A green-robed official wearing a headband, who was on duty there, picked one up casually. After his gaze swept over the few lines of small characters outlined in starlight on the paper, his expression immediately turned serious:

"Report to the Director immediately! Someone in the Southern Barbarian Region is suspected of awakening a gold-tier trait! Request that Dragon Tiger Mountain immediately begin divination to find the exact location! We must bring them under our dynasty's banner!"

The official who received the order looked troubled: "That gold-tier trait only mentioned the Great Qing Dynasty. With such a meager medium to start the divination, the target and the result will surely be miles apart!"

The green-robed official shook his head: "We must at least try. A gold-tier trait has the potential to change the world. If it cannot serve the Great Qing Dynasty, we must nip it in the bud!"

"I only hope that the major sects in the Southern Barbarian Region don't get their hands on that trait before us."

"If they use their arts and supernatural powers to bewitch its mind, it will be another huge threat to the Great Qing Dynasty!"

The order was transmitted rapidly, without delay!

A quarter of an hour later, after passing through layers of review, an urgent document stamped with the seal of the Bureau of Astronomy was carried personally by the Chief Eunuch, transforming into a streak of light as it headed out of the city.

Ten thousand miles away from the capital of the Great Qing Dynasty, outside a Taoist temple atop a mist-shrouded mountain, a young Taoist bowed:

"The Celestial Master is already aware and will begin the divination immediately. Regardless of the result, it will take seven days and seven nights, and the chances are slim. Please wait patiently!"

The Chief Eunuch from the palace returned the bow solemnly: "Regardless of the outcome, I have troubled you, Daoist!"

The next day, Ye Li rolled out of bed, feeling refreshed.

He had no idea that far away in the Central Province, countless waves had been stirred up because of his existence.

After waking up, his first thought was to follow the instructions Instructor Feng gave him last night and head toward Spring Return Alley in the east of the city.

Half an hour later, after finishing his meal, Ye Li stood at the entrance of Spring Return Alley.

Though it was called Spring Return Alley, it was actually a long, narrow street.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, but a sweet, cloying scent of powder and rouge already drifted through the air.

Unlike the upright prosperity of the main street in the east, the buildings on both sides of this alley were lined with mottled vermilion paint, and faded silk lanterns hung from the eaves, casting an ambiguous, warm glow even in broad daylight.

It was currently daytime, so there were few customers, save for a few officials who had stayed the night, stumbling their way out.

"A newcomer, little gentleman?"

Noticing Ye Li standing at the alley entrance, a woman in her early thirties, wearing her hair in a fallen-horse bun, suddenly leaned out.

Her eyes swept over Ye Li's Azure Dragon Gang uniform, and a look of realization appeared on her face: "You may call me San Niang. Instructor Feng is waiting for you at the Jade-Rinsing Pavilion in the back courtyard~"

The woman's voice trailed off lingeringly, while the folding fan in her hand pointed precisely toward a three-story building deep in the alley that hung a gilded plaque.

From the depths of the small building came the faint, crisp clanging of metal striking stone, a sound worlds apart from the usual silk-and-bamboo music of a brothel.

"Many thanks for your guidance, San Niang!"

After cupping his hands in thanks, Ye Li stepped into the shadowed alleyway.

Passing by one pleasure house after another, listening to the alluring, melodious cat-like cries from within, Ye Li remained indifferent, his composure unshaken.

Upon entering the Jade-Rinsing Pavilion, the girls inside did not lead him upstairs, but instead brought him into the backyard.

Here, he saw an acquaintance with a flushed face.

Under Ye Li's gaze, Lu Xiuyuan stood shirtless, his face beet-red, holding a horse stance while enduring the relentless strikes of iron rods wielded by servants behind him.

With every collision between his body and the iron rods, the sound of metal clashing against metal rang out from his skin.

Nearby, countless heavily made-up women cheered and rooted for Lu Xiuyuan.

Such defensive power—he was clearly also a martial artist in the Body Tempering Realm!

He reached the Body Tempering Realm this quickly too! Watching Lu Xiuyuan, Ye Li's memories were still fresh.

This was the very same newcomer who had awakened a blue-tier trait and joined the gang on the same day as him.

Who would have thought that after only a month, this guy had actually stepped into the Body Tempering Realm just as early as he had?

Ye Li: No way, is he hacking too?

"Do not be discouraged; this fellow does not surpass you in natural talent."

Feng Yue appeared beside him at some point and explained indifferently:

"It is simply that he awakened a blue-tier trait, so he received the gang's full cultivation support, with Body Tempering Pill supplies provided daily."

"To break through to Body Tempering this time, he consumed a total of 35 Body Tempering Pill units, breaking through one day earlier than you."

"35 pills?" Ye Li's mouth twitched; truly, money was no object.

At the same time, he realized why Feng Yue had used the word "also" when he heard about his own breakthrough yesterday.

It turned out this Lu Xiuyuan had broken through a day before him.

"After all, blue-tier traits are precious; you cannot find many in the entire city. Especially his Master of Ninjutsu—it has excellent effects when practicing those extremely painful, fast-track hard-body techniques."

"The further one progresses in cultivation, the more obvious the differences between traits become. Relying on a high-level trait, one can be almost invincible among peers!"

As Feng Yue spoke, a pill appeared in his hand. "Eat this Dragon Tiger Pill."

"Dragon Tiger Pill?" Ye Li asked, puzzled. "What is this pill used for?"

"It is a potent, aggressive medicine, specifically for martial artists. If an ordinary person ate it, they would bleed from all seven orifices immediately."

A mysterious smile appeared on Feng Yue's face. "Eat this one, and you won't need to rest for the next hour."

Ye Li: Ah???

"What are you 'ah-ing' about? Every core disciple is the same; you must take it for half a year!"

"Next, you are in for a real treat!"