"Brother Blood Ghost, take care along the way." The shadowy figure waved goodbye to Lu Li with a smile.
Lu Li nodded, used Flying Swallow Step, and quickly disappeared into the distance.
Riding Hu Niu, he sped through the dense forest. Her snowy-white body blended in with the snow.
"Master, master, did you find the herbs I need to break through?" Hu Niu asked as she ran.
Lu Li opened a palm-sized piece of Sandalwood Purple Bamboo in front of her.
Just as its name suggested, the moment he opened it, sandalwood fragrance filled the air and flooded Lu Li's nostrils, clearing his mind.
Hu Niu twitched her nose, let out an excited howl, and her eyes lit up, clear and bright as stars.
"You're so good to me, Master." Hu Niu was deeply moved, tears of excitement welling in her eyes.
Such a wondrous treasure—her master had really gotten it for her!
She had originally thought that Lu Li would have to find a breakthrough medicine for himself, while also looking for one for her.
And as a demon, she was already difficult to find things for.
So Hu Niu hadn't taken it to heart.
He had stopped her from being oppressed as she had been before and let her eat grilled meat with seasoning. That alone had made her sincerely consider Lu Li a friend.
Only now did she realize how terribly mistaken she had been.
Lu Li had really found something for her breakthrough!
Hu Niu was deeply moved. There was not the slightest reluctance in the way she called him "Master"; it came straight from her heart.
After an unknown amount of time, they finally returned to the cave.
Hu Niu eagerly took the Sandalwood Purple Bamboo, crunched it between her teeth, and swallowed it.
Soon, she felt tipsy and warm, as if floating on air. Her steps staggered, and she let out a long yawn.
Seeing her condition and hearing her internal organs churn like rolling thunder, Lu Li realized she had entered the breakthrough state.
Demons needed to sleep for a while to break through.
He stroked Hu Niu's head. "Go to sleep. I'll watch over you."
Drowsy and docile, Hu Niu nodded, closed her eyes, and yawned. Then she fell backward, exposing her fluffy belly, and quickly fell asleep.
Lu Li smiled and took out his own pill, swallowing it in one gulp.
The pill slid down his throat, and a wave of heat instantly spread throughout his body, making him unbearably hot, as if he were bathing in a sea of flames.
Yet the medicinal power also seeped into his internal organs, continuously making them tougher and stronger.
What was more, after taking the Purple Sun Pill, his body visibly turned purple, as though he had been steeped in a vat of purple dye.
"Urgh, this feels awful. The Purple Sun Pill's effects are far too intense."
"I can feel the medicinal power working from the inside out. It's not only tempering my internal organs; it's also continuously tempering my skin, flesh, and sinews."
"If I'd already started tempering my bones, I'm afraid they'd be getting tempered too!"
Lu Li was astonished by the Purple Sun Pill's effects.
Its medicinal power was so potent that it could temper his entire body.
Lu Li could feel that after breaking through to the Organ-Refining Realm, his strength would rise by another huge leap!
Still, wasn't it too wasteful to use it here?
At the thought, his heart bled.
"Purple Sun Pill..." Lu Li licked his lips.
Nine hundred taels of silver per pill—it was worth every penny!
The strongest pill at the Wind and Rain Pavilion was the Purple Sun Pill, but they were out of stock. The old man had said that the Dragon Essence Pill was also quite effective, though at eight hundred taels of silver a pill, it wasn't cheap either.
He would have to save up more money to buy Dragon Essence Pills in the future.
Having made up his mind, Lu Li began practicing the Elephant Strength Bull Demon Fist, move by move.
Dawn broke faintly.
In the depths of winter, the sun had made a rare appearance, piercing through layer upon layer of dark clouds.
Still, goose-feather snow continued to fall, and the wind was bitterly cold.
Lu Li stretched his limbs and couldn't help looking at his panel.
[Life Master: Lu Li] [Destiny: Heaven Rewards Diligence] [Attribute: A sorry nag may travel a thousand miles through perseverance] [Martial Arts: Elephant Strength Bull Demon Fist (Tendon-Refining Realm 700/900) Practice once a day; it will take seventy years to master...]
It had risen from four hundred points to seven hundred!
It had gone up by three hundred points in a single night.
Lu Li sucked in a breath.
He'd thought that gaining around one hundred and fifty points would be about right. He hadn't expected it to be twice as much!
Lu Li looked at his arm and directed his qi and blood through it. Its flexibility immediately changed, becoming tough as oxhide.
He pinched it hard. Feeling nothing, he nodded in satisfaction.
Just as expected, his skin had been tempered too, further increasing his defensive power.
He stretched his arms and loosened his joints.
He felt that even without using poison, he could now beat Wang Ju to death without letting him escape!
Lu Li smiled confidently. He was already strong enough to forcefully beat an Organ-Refining Realm cultivator to death!
In about a month, he had come this far. His rate of improvement was truly like riding a rocket.
"Mm..."
Suddenly, he heard a soft moan behind him and turned to look.
Hu Niu was still groggy, restlessly shifting her body and wildly swinging her four paws in the air, whipping up gusts of wind.
A single swipe like that could probably split a person in two.
Lu Li stepped forward and carefully examined her.
There was no obvious change on the outside, but Lu Li could hear that Hu Niu's breathing had grown steadier, her breaths deep and powerful.
The rumbling in her internal organs had also stopped.
It was clear she had broken through successfully.
Hu Niu slowly opened her eyes, yawned, stretched her limbs, and then gradually got to her feet.
She first looked momentarily dazed, then turned to Lu Li, her face lighting up. "Master, master, I broke through to the Organ-Refining Realm!"
She jumped for joy in the cave, bouncing around in excitement.
Suddenly, she dug all four limbs into the ground, her back rising like a mountain ridge and her muscles bulging like little hills.
She shot out of the cave in an instant, tracing a white arc through the air.
With a fierce slap, she turned a black wolf passing by into a meat patty.
The black wolf was enormous, standing a full head taller than a person. It was clearly a demon too, yet Hu Niu killed it in an instant.
Seeing Hu Niu strike, Lu Li felt the force of her blow and couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat.
If he were caught off guard by a blow like that, even he wouldn't be able to withstand it.
It was still anyone's guess who was stronger now, he or Hu Niu.
He hadn't yet broken through to the Organ-Refining Realm. Compared to Hu Niu, he might be slightly weaker!
In any case, Hu Niu was a powerful asset in battle.
Lu Li was very satisfied. They had reaped a great harvest this time!
"Hu Niu, I'll head back first." Lu Li patted her fluffy head.
"Master, master, when will you take me into the city?" Hu Niu raised her head, her eyes full of anticipation.
"What do you want to go into the city for?" Lu Li asked in confusion.
It was strange that a ferocious beast living deep in the mountains and forests would want to go into the city.
"My parents said human cities are fascinating. I want to go see one." As Hu Niu spoke, a trace of sadness flickered in her eyes. She had clearly been reminded of something painful.
Seeing this, Lu Li felt for her and didn't bring it up again.
He gently comforted her for a while, then said, "Once I'm powerful enough to rule Changfeng County, I'll definitely take you there."
Hu Niu let out a whimper and said nothing more.
Lu Li sighed. "The seasonings should last for a while. I'll bring you some more the next time I come up the mountain."
Hu Niu nodded slightly, but the light in her eyes faded, replaced by utter disappointment.
Judging by the teeth she bared slightly, there was even a hint of hatred and hostility.
Lu Li paused for a moment, then turned and left without asking for details.
He could sense that something big was going on with Hu Niu.
But his strength wasn't enough yet to let him get involved in such matters.
Before you continue