After dinner, Qin Qi had Teacher Zhao take him to see the dean. Then, after shamelessly pestering him, he managed to get an advance on part of his prize money from the principal and took it to buy medicine.
While shopping at the apothecary, Qin Qi suddenly spotted something. After asking about it, he discovered it was Whale Rubber.
"I remember this stuff is supposed to be a powerful tonic. It can improve physical fitness and increase the number of years a Spirit Ring can be absorbed for, right?"
After thinking it over, Qin Qi bought it. Whale Rubber wasn't expensive at this point in time; after all, no one had discovered its effects yet.
After buying it, he picked up a few other medicinal ingredients and left. As he walked out, the shop assistants looked at him strangely.
"Someone this young is already buying this kind of thing!"
"Ah, we just don't understand the world of the rich."
"Spirit Masters sure get up to some wild stuff."
The others whispered among themselves.
Once Qin Qi had left, he put the Whale Rubber into the Study Space, then entered it himself.
He showed the Whale Rubber to Tang Jiaren and explained roughly what it was used for.
"Mm, it's a powerful tonic. But you can't just swallow it as is. I'll write up a prescription; go find the herbs to take with it."
After a brief examination, Tang Jiaren confirmed the Whale Rubber's medicinal properties, then began writing the prescription.
The Tang Sect's study of medicine was rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which emphasized the principle of sovereign, minister, assistant, and envoy—that is, combining different medicines.
The goal was to bring out the full effect of one ingredient while reducing its toxicity as much as possible.
Qin Qi bought the herbs according to the prescription, then brought them back and started brewing the medicine. The resulting liquid was as thick as jelly.
He added a few other ingredients and formed it into pills. That one piece of Whale Rubber yielded ten pills.
"Take one of these a day. After you've eaten it, start circulating the Five Treasures Body Protection Method to absorb the medicinal effects."
Tang Jiaren explained the precautions for taking the pills. The most important thing was not to take too many.
More of a good thing wasn't always better. The key was moderation. Even tonics could harm the body if taken in excess!
"Granduncle, will this make my whole body feel hot after I take it?"
Before eating one, Qin Qi asked. He knew Whale Rubber was apparently used as an aphrodisiac.
But would it still have that effect after being refined into a pill? If so, that'd be trouble.
He had no one to vent that heat on right now.
"No. The prescription contains herbs that balance it out. The medicine is mild and well-balanced now, and easy to absorb."
Tang Jiaren replied.
"Oh, then that's fine."
Qin Qi popped the pill into his mouth. It tasted a little sweet and was pretty good.
But not long after swallowing it, he felt energy and warmth surging through his body.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, activated the Transparent World to observe himself internally, then began circulating the Five Treasures Body Protection Method to absorb the energy.
When taking traditional Chinese medicine, it wasn't just the prescription that relied on the sovereign, minister, assistant, and envoy principle. There were also methods for absorbing the medicine.
If you simply swallowed it and let your body digest it on its own, most of the medicine's effects would go to waste.
But by circulating a cultivation method to absorb it, you could make the most of its effects!
[Five Treasures Body Protection Method (Beginner): Cultivation Progress: 18%]
After Qin Qi absorbed the effects of the pill, his Soul Power and physique both improved.
Even his cultivation progress in the Five Treasures Body Protection Method increased by one percent.
"Sure enough, cultivation is just one cheat after another, plus a steady diet of pills!"
Qin Qi couldn't help sighing.
That night, before bed.
"So bored."
Xiao Wu sat on her bed, looking at everyone in the room, then suddenly spoke.
Tang San sat beside her, quietly cultivating. Ever since Qin Qi and Xiao Wu had given him a wake-up call, he had trained even harder.
All day long, he was either working or cultivating, turning himself into a regular workhorse.
"I said I'm bored!"
Xiao Wu looked at Wang Sheng and repeated herself.
"Sister Xiao Wu, don't drag me into this. I'm about to reach Soul Power level ten."
"I've been busy studying every day lately. I really don't have time to play with you."
Wang Sheng was burning the midnight oil over his books. He was close to level ten, and graduation was right around the corner.
The previous sixth-year class had left, making him the sixth-year student now. Before long, he might have to go Soul Hunting.
He had to get ready before then.
"So bored!"
Xiao Wu lay on the bed and started rolling around. Everyone had been busy lately, and she was so bored all by herself.
"Ugh, I can sleep peacefully through Xiao Wu's racket, but Wang Sheng turning pages keeps me awake all night."
"You're all so obsessed with working hard. I'm so unlucky to be sharing a dorm with you."
Qin Qi looked at Tang San cultivating and Wang Sheng studying. He thought they were all far too diligent.
Couldn't they learn from him and just go to bed early?
"Qin Qi, are you free tomorrow? Let's go shopping!"
Xiao Wu suddenly sat up and looked at Qin Qi with bright, sparkling eyes as she asked.
"No. I have classes in the morning and work in the afternoon. I don't have time to go shopping."
Qin Qi refused without hesitation. He was a good student, after all. He wouldn't give up a single moment of study time.
"Seriously? You're the one who's always telling everyone else off, but you're the busiest person in this dorm."
"Other than meals and sleep, I never see you at any other time. Oh, except in class."
Xiao Wu couldn't help complaining.
"At least I go to bed on time every day. All right, stop talking. I need to sleep."
Qin Qi lay down, then entered the Study Space. One hour in the outside world equaled one day in the Study Space.
On the brink of death, I sprang upright—turns out I'm the grind king!
In the Study Space, Tang Jiaren began teaching Qin Qi the Tang Sect's close-combat techniques: Instant Strike and Catkin Step, which was used for evasive movement.
"Instant Strike, as the name implies, is an attack launched in an instant. It's a technique our Tang Sect designed specifically for close-quarters combat."
"It has two stages. The first focuses on speed, number of strikes, and consistency."
"The second focuses on strength, explosive force, and lethality."
As Tang Jiaren spoke, he conjured a wall in the Study Space and drew a target on it.
Then he struck in an instant. In the blink of an eye, every part of the target on the wall had been hit.
The attacks were densely packed.
"This is the first stage. When you're learning the basics, focus on speed and consistent force. Precision isn't that important yet."
After speaking, Tang Jiaren struck again in an instant. This time, he unleashed an explosive burst of force, punching a hole straight through the wall!
If the first attack had been a spray of bullets, this one was a cannon blast.
"This is the second stage. Once the opponent has adapted to the speed and rhythm of the first stage..."
"Strike with greater speed and force before they can react, and kill them with a single blow. To master this technique, you have to practice until it becomes instinct!"
"Of course, even though the second stage is a killing move, that doesn't mean you have to use it to kill someone."
"If you can kill them with the first stage, that's better."
Tang Jiaren said.