Essence-Nourishing Pills, Bright Futures for All!

Spirit Stones were crystallized condensations of the spiritual essence and qi of heaven and earth.

They came in many varieties: jade, mineral ore, and even Carbon Jade formed from the fossilized remains of ancient trees. All contained the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

And the spiritual qi of heaven and earth was the very foundation by which cultivators weathered tribulations and attained longevity.

Fang Shu's depleted body sensed the spiritual qi within the Spirit Stone, and an involuntary craving rose within him. He wanted to consume it and mend his flesh.

He repeatedly stroked the Spirit Stone in his hand, suddenly finding it immensely weighty.

His mind drifted for a moment, as though he had returned to the mass grave, listening to that weasel expound upon cultivation.

But Fang Shu did not draw upon the Spirit Stone's qi. He forcibly suppressed the urge, wrapped it again in cinnabar-red paper, and tied it tightly to prevent its spiritual qi from leaking away.

His Second Uncle watched with an unchanged, smiling expression, signaling with his eyes as if to say, "Why not give it a try? Draw out a few wisps of spiritual qi and have a taste?"

Fang Shu exhaled a long breath of hot air and replied solemnly:

"How precious is a Spirit Stone? Second Uncle must have spent no small effort trading for it.

How could I covet a mere wisp and spoil the quality of this thing?"

Hearing this, a strange gleam appeared in Second Uncle's eyes. He gave Fang Shu's shoulder a hard pat.

Then Second Uncle turned his hand and drew another medicine bottle from his sleeve, telling Fang Shu to open it.

At once, a rich and peculiar medicinal fragrance wafted from the bottle.

The moment Fang Shu smelled it, he felt the qi and blood throughout his body grow stronger, while his flesh itself began to stir restlessly.

Second Uncle then wrote out an explanation, introducing the pill in his hand and explaining how it differed from a Spirit Stone.

This pill was called an "Essence-Nourishing Pill." It was refined from the essence and blood of ferocious beasts such as tigers and bears from Mount Lu, combined with ginseng, venison, Kidney Essence Grass, and other strongly nourishing, heating ingredients.

A single bottle cost three hundred coins. An ordinary person would have to sell blood for an entire month just to earn enough for one bottle, and each bottle held only ten pills.

Taking one of these pills every three days was barely enough to sustain Fang Shu for a month.

Its effects were to nourish essence and blood, repair the deficiencies in the taker's body, and help them control their qi and blood while cultivating at the Daoist academy, increasing the efficiency of their training.

"Spiritual qi can also improve cultivation efficiency when consumed, but its rate of use depends on one's innate bone structure.

We are all ordinary breeds without Spirit Roots. Using spiritual qi for cultivation is not particularly worthwhile. It is far better to breathe in the scattered spiritual qi of heaven and earth, or gather the morning and evening rosy clouds, the moonlight of the night, and the like..."

Second Uncle continued writing swiftly:

"As for pills, such as these Essence-Nourishing Pills, their medicinal effects are fixed. Although digestion and absorption also depend on one's innate bone structure, their lower limit is quite high. They are the preferred supplementary aid for cultivators like us. One cannot do without them when cultivating at the Daoist academy.

If you enter the Daoist academy and have any chance to obtain similar pills, you must never let it slip by. I will also prepare what you need."

After reading it, Fang Shu nodded earnestly.

"Understood."

At once, under Second Uncle's watchful eye, he swallowed an Essence-Nourishing Pill to test it out.

As the medicine entered his body, he felt as if he had eaten a bowl of hot porridge in winter. His entire body grew warm, all the way down to his heels.

Instinctively, Fang Shu began using the Moon-Absorbing Breathing Method. The breaths flowing through his mouth and nose immediately turned scorching hot, while the medicinal effect of the pill inside him swiftly dissolved.

When he opened his eyes again, he felt invigorated, his body brimming with vitality.

He silently called upon the Dao Register in his heart and discovered that his lifespan limit had immediately recovered by another year. The extent to which his lifespan had been reduced had grown even shallower!

"This medicine is excellent," Fang Shu said.

Seeing that he had gained quite a bit, Second Uncle's smile widened. He then wrote:

"Essence-Nourishing Pills are merely the most commonly used pills for practicing immortal arts in a Daoist temple. They are nothing remarkable.

In the future, Second Uncle will surely bring you even finer pills."

A grin spread across Fang Shu's face as well.

The surprises were not over yet.

After taking out the pills, Second Uncle suddenly pulled a roll of gray Fox Fur from his sleeve. He blew on it, then handed it back to Fang Shu.

It was precisely the Fox Fur artifact Fang Shu had refined, now returned to its owner.

This truly astonished Fang Shu. Second Uncle had not sold the Fox Fur, yet he had still acquired a Spirit Stone for tuition and even gotten a bottle of pills besides.

Only after asking carefully did he learn that Second Uncle had waited outside the market district's Monster Market for three days and two nights.

He had first sold the tiger hide and the original copy of the Mouth-and-Stomach Secret Sword Technique for money. Then he had copied down the Brain Pulp Leatherworking Technique attached to the tiger hide and sold it as nothing more than a leatherworking craft, peddling several copies.

This minor leatherworking art did not involve Mystic Script, which was why it could be handled in such a manner, though its price was not high either.

In the end, Second Uncle encountered a lucky little monster from an illegal mine. He traded for this Spirit Stone from the fellow, with three or four hundred Talisman Coins left over, then returned to the market district and casually bought the pills.

Having explained this, Second Uncle suddenly warned Fang Shu:

"Remember, you must not purchase pills recklessly. It is best to buy them only from old, established shops in the market district.

If you have no choice but to trade for them from others, you must have someone inspect them before you may take them."

"Yes, Second Uncle!"

Faced with all of Second Uncle's instruction, Fang Shu nodded repeatedly, feeling that having an elder at home was like possessing a treasure.

That day, the two spoke in detail until night fell.

Only when Second Uncle urged him did they finally stop talking and go to sleep.

Before lying down, the two even fetched water and scrubbed each other clean, so they could go to the Daoist academy the next day to take a master and learn the arts.

The following morning.

Fang Shu wore a brand-new Daoist robe, with a wooden hairpin in his hair. Though the style was simple, it carried a vigorous vitality that made his youthful air especially striking.

Second Uncle rubbed his hands together. He was somehow even more excited than Fang Shu himself. He stepped out of the paper house first, then hurried Fang Shu along, looking exactly like a parent sending a child to school for the first time.

The moment the two stepped outside, a teasing voice suddenly sounded from nearby:

"Oh my! How rare, Yu the Second. Did you win back your gambling losses and strike it rich?

You're up so early, and it looks as though you even washed up."

It was the wet nurse surnamed Dou from next door. She had rolled up both sleeves, exposing her pale white arms. Carrying a chamber pot, she spoke as she bent over and poured its contents into the ditch, the stench of urine overwhelming.

Hearing her, uncle and nephew could not help but let their gazes fall upon Wet Nurse Dou's body, looking her up and down.

Second Uncle smiled without speaking, while Fang Shu paused before cupping his hands in greeting.

After exchanging greetings, they did not chat further. The two followed the ditch and continued toward the depths of the market district.

Just as Fang Shu was about to leave the Paper Workshop, the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.

The person had her head lowered, both hands pressed over her lower abdomen as she walked in tiny steps.

Beside her stood a heavily made-up older woman, chattering without pause:

"Little Sister Su, let me tell you, don't think it's bad luck. Though that family's son is about to die, he isn't dead yet, is he?

Once you marry in, when he dies, you won't have to serve him, yet you'll still eat their food and drink their drink. What splendid fortune!"

The heavily made-up woman continued, "Once that man dies, there'll only be an old relic in the house. Do you think you can't handle that old relic? Just support the old one for a few more years, send them off properly, and you'll be able to put down roots in Guling Town!

You and I are close as sisters, so I won't hide it from you. That family really just wants to find a clean girl to see someone through their last days. Be patient later and perform well..."

Perhaps noticing people passing by, the heavily made-up woman instinctively lowered her voice, as though afraid this good opportunity might leak out.

Fang Shu looked more closely and discovered that the woman with her head lowered was Su Qingao, who had come ashore from the same boat as him!

Looking at the shy expression on Su Qingao's face, he found that although she appeared uneasy, she was also filled with anticipation and yearning for her future life.

Fang Shu withdrew his gaze. His own face was likewise full of expectation as he strode toward the market district.

Excellent!

Su Qingao had not entered a brothel, but had instead found a household to take her in. Meanwhile, Fang Shu was about to enter a Daoist academy,

Both of them had bright futures ahead!