Consuming More Energy

A old knife scar slashed diagonally across his face from brow bone to chin. That scarred face was now full of panic, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, yet he did not even dare wipe it away.

His voice was hurried and cautious. "Instructor Wang, this is what I learned in that little village. Young Masters Tian Ping and Tian Fan returned to the village with a man named Liu Teng. Liu Teng's father was Green Mountain Village's chief, Liu Dagang. A few nights ago, a strange Martial Artist broke into his home and killed him, even cutting off his head."

"Liu Teng returned to the village to avenge his father. The two young masters went with him merely to stand behind him and lend him support."

Li Dahu carefully raised his eyes to glance at Wang Batian. Seeing that he did not immediately fly into a rage, he dared continue. "We originally thought that, with the prestige of our Wang Clan Martial Hall, that strange Martial Artist would show at least some restraint and would not dare lay a cruel hand on the two young masters."

"Who would have thought that thief would be so audacious that he did not care about the Wang Clan Martial Hall's name at all? Liu Teng was killed, and the two young masters also... also met with foul hands."

"I have already seen the bodies. The villagers of Green Mountain Village knew enough to behave themselves. They placed the young masters' remains in coffins and laid them out in a house. I did not dare bring them back without permission and wished to wait for you to handle the matter personally."

After hearing him out, Wang Batian did not speak at once.

He stood where he was, his chest heaving violently, like an enraged tiger desperately suppressing its last shred of reason.

The room was so silent that only his heavy breathing and the faint patter of sweat dripping from Li Dahu's forehead onto the floor remained.

After a long while, he took a deep breath. His pupils were stained with blood-red fury so thick it could not be dissolved, and his voice was hoarse and gloomy as he squeezed out each word through clenched teeth. "Good. I understand. Tomorrow, I will take men to that little village and see with my own eyes who killed my sons."

"I will make that person wish for life but be unable to live, wish for death but be unable to die."

"Master, why wait until tomorrow? Let's go tonight!" Zhou Shi abruptly rose from her chair.

Her eye sockets were so swollen and red that they were nearly unrecognizable. The carefully maintained makeup on her face had been washed into a mess by tears, and a large patch of her dark purple silk sleeve was soaked through.

Her voice was shrill and mournful. "Our sons have been killed, so why care whether it is day or night? Go now! Turn that village upside down and drag that thief out!"

Wang Batian turned to look at her. After a moment of silence, he said, "Night is not suitable for action. Especially in the mountains, there are some things... that even we Martial Artists must be wary of."

It was as if Zhou Shi had suddenly remembered something terrifying. The Killing Intent on her face was extinguished at once by fear.

Her face turned deathly pale. She collapsed back into her chair, her lips moving twice, but in the end, she said nothing more.

Having lived at the martial hall for decades, she had naturally heard those rumors about the Black Mountain Range at night!

The demonic beasts that only dared emerge from the depths of the mountain range after nightfall were beings even high-level Martial Artists did not wish to provoke lightly.

Though Green Mountain Village lay on the outskirts of the range, it was still within the Black Mountain Range's reach. That mountain road after nightfall truly was not easy to travel.

"I have made my decision. We leave at first light tomorrow."

Wang Batian looked back at Li Dahu, his voice regaining the low, imposing tone customary to an instructor. "Go make preparations first. You will lead the way tomorrow."

"Yes, Instructor Wang."

Li Dahu felt as though he had been granted a pardon. He bowed and withdrew.

By the time he left, his collar had already been soaked through with cold sweat, clinging icily to his neck.

Time flashed by!

The night passed.

At first light the next day, just as East Mountain Ridge began to glow with a faint golden sheen and sparrows on the crooked jujube tree in the courtyard started chirping, Feng Chen rose.

He turned over and got out of bed quietly, but he still woke Lin Qing'er.

She rubbed her eyes and sat up as well, draping on an outer garment before following him out of the room.

The two of them made breakfast together.

Brown rice porridge bubbled and steamed in the pot. Lin Qing'er sliced up some leftover salted meat from the previous night and tossed it in, and its fragrance soon spread through the room.

After breakfast, Feng Chen took out the remaining portions of High-Grade Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs from his Spatial Ring!

He placed the clay pot over the stove fire and slowly simmered them. An hour later, the familiar rich medicinal fragrance filled the kitchen.

Once the medicinal herbs were done stewing, Feng Chen ladled a small bowl for Lin Qing'er as usual and set it on the stove. He told her to drink it after it cooled, then went into the courtyard to assume the Tiger Fist Stance and guide the medicinal power through his body.

Lin Qing'er held the small bowl and nodded obediently.

Once the medicinal liquid in the clay pot had cooled enough to drink, Feng Chen picked it up, tipped back his head, and gulped it down.

The scalding medicinal liquid poured into his stomach. A violent heat surged up from his abdomen, and the blood and qi within his body immediately boiled like rolling water.

He set down the clay pot, suppressed the surging medicinal power, and strode quickly into the room specially used for cultivation.

The room was completely empty.

Feng Chen set his Giant Strength Stance, closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and guided the rolling heat transformed from the medicinal power to continuously temper his sinews and bones.

His blazing blood and qi washed over every inch of muscle and bone again and again!

Nearly an hour passed in a flash.

The sunlight slowly shifted from the eastern window to the center of the room. The old window lattice cut it into several parallel beams that fell over Feng Chen.

Wisps of white steam rose from his head like steam from a steamer lid, while faint crackling sounds came from all over his body!

That was the sound of his sinews and bones continuously becoming denser and tighter under the dual tempering of medicinal power and blood qi, as crisp as bamboo shooting up through its nodes.

A moment later, Feng Chen slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath of turbid air. Helplessness flashed through his gaze.

The crackling had stopped. Although the blood and qi in his body had grown much stronger than before he drank the medicine,

it was still lacking by just a little.

Just one little step away from breaking through to the Body Tempering Third Level.

Feng Chen sighed softly.

He had thought that the remaining Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs would be enough to shatter the barrier, but he had not expected to still fall short by a thread.

On second thought, it made sense. When he had broken through to the Body Tempering Second Level last time, he had used more than ten portions of High-Grade Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs. The energy consumption of the third level would only be greater, not less.

The higher the realm, the more energy it consumed. That was perfectly logical!

He silently estimated that another five portions should be enough to make up that final gap.

Then he would buy another five portions.

There were several pharmacies in Green Mountain Town anyway. High-Grade Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs were expensive, but several hundred taels of silver still lay in his Spatial Ring. It was more than enough.

He left the room just as Lin Qing'er finished practicing the Tiger Fist.

She wore a coarse training outfit soaked through with sweat. Her hair was tied high with an old cloth strip, and she looked far more spirited than she had in Green Mountain Village.

She sat on a small stool, wiping away sweat with her sleeve. When she saw Feng Chen come out, she hurriedly stood and asked with a smile, "Husband, is it done?"

Feng Chen shook his head. "Not yet. It needs a little more heat. I need to go out and buy more Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs. Stay home and take care of yourself."

"Alright, Husband, go ahead." Lin Qing'er nodded obediently, then added, "Be careful on the road."

Feng Chen nodded, returned to his room to change into clean clothes, then quickly left the residence and blended into the flow of people on Green Mountain Town's streets.

This time, he did not plan to go to the Hall of Benevolent Relief.

There was more than one pharmacy in town. There were several sizable ones on West Street, their signs all boasting such phrases as century-old heritage and authentic medicinal herbs.

Previously, he had gone directly to the largest one for convenience, but now he did not want to keep showing his face in the same place.

He turned into West Street and found a pharmacy called Hundred Herbs Hall.

Its storefront was slightly smaller than the Hall of Benevolent Relief, but the shop was spotless. Behind the counter stood a full wall of medicine cabinets, and a bitter medicinal fragrance hung in the air.

The shopkeeper was a small old man in his fifties with a goatee, currently using a small balance to weigh medicinal powder.

Feng Chen asked about the prices of Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs. They were the same as at the Hall of Benevolent Relief: ten taels per portion for low-grade, twenty taels for mid-grade, and thirty taels for high-grade.

The pharmacies in town had likely long reached an unspoken understanding over prices. None of them would break it.

Without another word, he asked for five portions of High-Grade Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs and spent one hundred and fifty taels of silver.

The shopkeeper deftly wrapped them in oiled paper, tied them with thin hemp cord, and handed them over with both hands.