Treasure Pill

As soon as he returned to his room, Zhou Muzhi lay down on the bed.

His conversation with his second brother still circled through his mind.

The Qian Family.

It was an absolute colossus in Suming County. As for just how powerful it was...

Even the wastrel's memories held a particularly weighty recollection of it.

As Zhou Muzhi understood it, in plain terms, it was big enough to arm-wrestle the county magistrate.

The Song Kingdom's general circumstances differed little from ancient times in his previous life. Imperial authority essentially stopped short of the countryside, where the gentry and powerful clans were local emperors.

These local emperors controlled the most important resources: wealth and people. Even conscription and tax collection had to go through them. Without their cooperation, practically nothing could get done.

And the one among them that had truly grown into a force was this Qian Family.

If that was the case, it explained why Uncle Chen had come back without any news after being sent to inquire.

"Now I know who they are, but I don't know what they want, what their intentions are, or what trouble might be hanging over me."

Zhou Muzhi exhaled the stifling breath in his chest, feeling the pressure grow considerably.

Resolving the Curse on him had already taken a great deal of effort. Only now did he realize there was still a boss waiting at the end.

It really was rather unpleasant.

He kept turning his next steps over in his mind until drowsiness came and his consciousness sank into nothingness.

Zhou Muzhi fell asleep.

The first light of dawn seeped through.

The sky brightened from darkness.

Roosters crowed three times, dogs barked several times, and old farmers in worn clothes took their farming tools and headed down the streets toward the fields outside the city.

Zhou Muzhi sat in his family's carriage with his eyelids half-closed.

The driver urged the horses onward, traveling at a leisurely pace with gentle jolts, from the main road into smaller lanes, until they finally stopped before the Li Residence.

Lao Xu had come along. He climbed out first and, copying the driver, set down the footstool, then watched the fourth young master step out.

Zhou Muzhi entered the Li Residence with Lao Xu.

Once inside,

he went to find his master, Li Jingfei.

He was still quite looking forward to the pill mentioned yesterday.

In the front courtyard, Li Jingfei wore a gray shirt and long trousers as he practiced, his hands moving sometimes swiftly, sometimes slowly. His hands and feet worked together through one inscrutable movement after another.

Zhou Muzhi waited quietly to the side, while Lao Xu went to attend to other work. There was no shortage of things to do at the Li Residence.

Half a quarter-hour later,

Li Jingfei finished his practice and walked over with his hands behind his back, speaking as he passed Zhou Muzhi.

"Come with me."

Zhou Muzhi obediently followed, and the two entered the main hall.

On the small table nearest the threshold sat a palm-sized black box.

Li Jingfei stepped forward, took the box in hand, and snapped it open. A smooth, round red pill the size of a thumb rested on the padding inside.

A rich medicinal scent spread out. At first it smelled sweet, but after a short while, a faint spicy sensation appeared in the throat.

Li Jingfei looked at Zhou Muzhi.

"This is a training supplement I bought for you, called a Blood-Coagulating Pill. It was refined from the essence blood of a rare treasure beast, supplemented with various fine medicinal ingredients. Go ahead and swallow it."

So when you said it would hold things off for a while, you meant helping me advance faster.

Zhou Muzhi met Li Jingfei's gaze and could find nothing bad to say about it. After all, this would indeed help him.

"Thank you, Master!"

He reached out to take the little box and picked up the Blood-Coagulating Pill.

New options appeared on the deduction panel.

[Blood-Coagulating Pill, refined by an unknown apprentice. Average efficacy]

[Effect: Can accelerate a martial artist's Body Condensation]

[Current deduction paths]

[1. Blood-Nourishing Pill (effect: A fine-quality pill that greatly accelerates Body Condensation). Deduction Points required: 1]

[2. Blood-Burning Pill (effect: A supreme-quality pill for the Body Condensation stage, unleashing aftershocks upon consumption). Deduction Points required: 2]

[2. Heavenly Blood Treasure Pill (effect: A unique treasure pill created by a mysterious master alchemist. Can be continuously absorbed after consumption, with a trace of Scorching Fire True Intent upon complete refinement). Deduction Points required: 3]

"!"

Zhou Muzhi's gaze was utterly drawn to the third deduction option.

With scarcely any hesitation, he let out a shout.

"Master!"

"Hmm?"

Li Jingfei was left somewhat stunned by the shout, then looked at Zhou Muzhi.

What madness has gotten into this boy now?

"Stand guard for me!"

He wasted no words. After tossing out that sentence, he confirmed his choice inwardly.

As the pill entered his mouth, his Deduction Points fell almost to zero, and the Blood-Coagulating Pill became a Heavenly Blood Treasure Pill.

It melted in his mouth like a sip of warm tea, carrying threads of an indescribable bitterness down into his belly.

A warm current seemed to spread through his body.

Zhou Muzhi immediately used one opportunity for sudden enlightenment.

His understanding of the Body Condensation Method instantly deepened. This time, besides the increase in cultivation speed, his body also had enough medicinal power to support his advancement.

Zhou Muzhi performed the movements of the Body Condensation Method, like weighty locks amid clear emptiness, his whole body radiating a sense of heaviness.

His strength, previously only at the introductory level, was now rising at an unbelievable speed.

Li Jingfei was equally shocked.

Was what I gave him really a Blood-Coagulating Pill?

Could it have been an ancient divine pill?

Of course, neither could possibly be right.

The only thing he could be certain of was that this boy's comprehension of their school's method, his compatibility with it, and his absorption of the medicinal effects had utterly overturned everything he knew.

His hands tightened slightly behind his back, his gaze fixed on Zhou Muzhi as he practiced.

Though practicing in the main hall was strange, the strangest thing here was this disciple of his!

An unknown amount of time passed.

The sky darkened.

Candlelight shone from the main hall. Zhou Muzhi had shifted into a cross-legged sitting position, and his eyelids trembled slightly before he opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was Li Jingfei staring intently at him.

Several blood vessels had appeared in the whites of his recently acknowledged master's eyes. Li Jingfei narrowed his eyes at Zhou Muzhi, then spoke.

"You're awake. How do you feel?"

That voice brought Zhou Muzhi fully back to his senses.

He checked his condition. His muscles were indescribably powerful, and the energy throughout his body seemed almost inexhaustible.

Moreover, the treasure pill had not yet been fully absorbed. Warm currents still flowed through his abdomen like a hot spring.

"Very good."

He answered truthfully.

"Of course you feel good. With your current cultivation, you can already attempt Gate Knocking."

Li Jingfei rose from the chair that had been brought over and spoke unhurriedly, then immediately added,

"But I advise you not to rush into Gate Knocking. Rest your spirit first. An evil entity is entangling you now, which will work against you."

Zhou Muzhi nodded, understanding his present condition.

He had not expected that, with those two sources of assistance, he would already meet the requirements for the Blood-Knocking Pass.

This was also an extremely important watershed in martial cultivation.

Only by locking in his qi and blood could he completely prevent their loss, giving him more time to strive toward higher realms.

As for vengeful spirits, the higher his cultivation, the more he would naturally suppress them.

But beyond the path of martial cultivation, he vaguely felt there was another way.

He could try investigating where this vengeful spirit had come from.

Those so-called fair-weather friends had been freeloading for so long. It was time to put them to use.

Li Jingfei waved a hand.

"It's very late. You're progressing too quickly, so we'll stop here today. Come again tomorrow."

Hearing Li Jingfei's words, Zhou Muzhi immediately agreed. He had indeed spent a long time at the Li Residence, and it was time to leave.

He immediately left the Li Residence with Lao Xu.

Before the sky went completely dark, he still had to visit Half-Immortal Xu.

Now that his strength had soared, going a night without sleep was a trivial matter.

Zhou Muzhi decided not to return to the Zhou Residence for now that night. He informed the driver of the Zhou Family carriage that had come to collect him, and the driver nodded, taking note.

The carriage first took them to Youhe Street, then returned to the residence on its own.

When the two reached Half-Immortal Xu's home, he had not yet gone to bed. Upon seeing Zhou Muzhi again, his eyes seemed to ask how the gathering of materials was going.

As usual, Zhou Muzhi first absorbed a round of Deduction Points.

"Don't worry. I'm already looking. I'll bring the materials over once I have them all."

"Good, then. I've never made this new incense before, so you'll have to come help when the time comes."

Zhou Muzhi naturally agreed.

The two exchanged insights on incense-making again, though it was mainly Zhou Muzhi asking questions and Half-Immortal Xu answering.

After they finished talking,

he absorbed a full three points and more.

[Deduction Points: 3.5]

Looking at the points, Zhou Muzhi withdrew his hand. This absorption had taken several times longer than yesterday's, and the aura he sensed was no longer surging.

It was time to attend to proper business.