Subduing the heart tiger

Hidden Dragon Temple.

Zhou Wuji was tinkering with a bronze cauldron in the backyard; he had picked it up from Yin Yang Dao Devil Cultivator.

As Pill Furnace, this crude contraption is sufficient.

Since killing the Gu Master from the Five Dragons Gang, more than twenty days have passed peacefully. Zhou Wuji has rarely gone out, spending his days in the backyard tinkering with alchemy.

Now he no longer needs Wuzheng's guidance and can refine low-level pills such as Grain Avoidance Pill, Purple Qi Pill, Golden Flower Pill, and Heavenly Origin Pill on his own.

Refining elixirs requires consuming a large amount of medicinal herbs, and one must spend all day tending to the bronze cauldron and controlling the fire. When the elixir is produced, one must also use the True Gathering Form Elixir.

Alchemy is extremely expensive and requires a great deal of energy.

Zhou Wuji also received money from Wu Di, so he had plenty of money and bought medicinal herbs without batting an eye.

It was precisely because he could afford to expend so much energy that his alchemy skills improved by leaps and bounds during this period, which greatly impressed Wuzheng, who believed that Zhou Wuji's alchemy skills had far surpassed his own.

Although Wuzheng greatly admired Zhou Wuji, he felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing Zhou Wuji's rapid progress in alchemy.

Once Zhou Wuji refining pills, he rarely watched from the sidelines.

Zhou Wuji could understand this very well; no matter how good their relationship was, men still had a competitive spirit.

Wuzheng was quite accomplished in alchemy and was quite proud of it.

He easily surpassed me, which naturally made me uncomfortable.

He was a little embarrassed, after all, it was only with the blessing of the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment and the help of many defeated subordinates that he was able to easily master the art of alchemy.

But this is something that can't be said directly.

Just as the Purple Qi Pill was about to be ready, the young Shangxin.

Seeing Zhou Wuji refining pills, Shangxin didn't dare to disturb him and just kept circling around him.

Zhou Wuji found it somewhat amusing; Shangxin was a bit simple-minded, an honest boy who didn't quite understand how to be resourceful.

That's precisely why he's so reliable and dependable. Zhou Wuji thought this kid was quite good, and he often Shangxin some of the pills he refined with Shangxin.

Shang Shangxin free, became increasingly respectful of Zhou Wuji. In his mind, Uncle Wuji was far more powerful than his master.

During this time, Shangxin became Zhou Wuji's personal attendant, taking care of his food, clothing, and lodging.

Shangxin was also very willing, as he could learn a lot from Uncle Wuji every day. Uncle Wuji had a good temper and wouldn't beat or scold him like his master did.

Zhou Wuji knew Shangxin's temperament; if he didn't speak, Shangxin would just keep pacing around in circles.

He called out, "Shangxin, what's the matter?"

Shangxin stepped forward and carefully examined the bronze cauldron. He couldn't understand anything about it, but he felt that his uncle's alchemy skills were amazing. He didn't dare to speak loudly.

"Uncle-Master, Master Yang of the Flying Eagle Martial Arts School has sent someone to see you," Shangxin said in a low voice.

"Let him come over." Zhou Wuji's alchemy skills have now truly reached a state of perfection, and even though the pill is about to be completed, it does not affect his ability to communicate with people.

Besides, it's one thing if others don't see him, but he still owes Yang Shuling a favor. The fact that Yang Shuling sent someone over probably means something.

Before long, Shangxin led in a middle-aged man in a blue robe.

The middle-aged man bowed deeply from afar, clasping his hands in greeting. "Yang Ping greets Daoist Zhou."

Zhou Wuji nodded slightly. He had seen this Yang Ping before; he used to be by Yang Shuling's side and was probably Yang Shuling's trusted steward or something similar.

Yang Ping realized Zhou Wuji was refining pills and didn't dare approach rashly. He took out an exquisite invitation from his pocket and handed it to Shangxin with both hands, "Master Zhou, tomorrow is Young Master Tie Ying's eighteenth birthday. The old master invites you to a banquet at River Viewing Tower— "

Zhou Wuji took the invitation from Shangxin, casually opened it and glanced at it. The invitation was very simple, just a respectful invitation to Yang Tie Ying's birthday banquet.

What's there to celebrate on my 18th birthday?

Zhou Wuji found it strange. According to the rules of this world, only men who reach adulthood at the age of twenty are qualified to wear a crown, which is called "weak crown".

Even if you love your own child dearly, you would only invite your own relatives to your 18th birthday celebration. Sending out invitations to outsiders is rather unusual.

Zhou Wuji asked, "Did Master Yang give any other instructions?"

Yang Ping bowed respectfully and said, "Master has given no further instructions."

He paused for a moment and then explained, "It's called a birthday celebration, but actually it's because Young Master Tie Ying has mastered Hidden Force, and the old master is very happy, so he invited all his relatives and friends."

"I see." Zhou Wuji nodded. "I will attend on time."

Yang Ping was overjoyed to receive Zhou Wuji's permission. He bowed repeatedly and backed away from the backyard.

After watching Yang Ping leave, Zhou Wuji fell into deep thought.

Yang Shuling made it clear that his grandson was about to master Hidden Force, but the child was still young and needed to keep a low profile to avoid causing trouble.

Yang Shuling is now publicly holding a birthday banquet for his grandson and announcing to everyone that his grandson has mastered Hidden Force, which greatly contradicts Yang Shuling's previous statements.

In his view, Yang Shuling was quite old and had been in the underworld for decades. He was experienced and shrewd, and wouldn't say anything careless in front of him.

Yang Shuling also said that he wanted his grandson to become his apprentice, and he repeatedly pleaded with him, which was clearly not just a polite remark.

The invitation contained no explanation, nor was it given to Yang Ping.

This is a huge problem!

If he didn't want his grandson to become his apprentice, it would be normal not to mention it, but there was no need to throw a big birthday banquet for his grandson and specially invite him.

Such behavior is tantamount to provocation.

Given Yang Shuling's experience and shrewdness, he would never make such a basic mistake.

Zhou Wuji felt there was something wrong more and more, but he remained calm and stayed up until dusk to refine the Purple Qi Pill.

A single batch of pills yields only a dozen or so, requiring medicinal materials worth thirty taels of silver, two days of preparation, and a significant investment of effort.

According to market prices, a first-stage Purple Qi Pill can be sold for ten taels of silver. A second-stage pill can be sold for thirty taels.

These qi-replenishing elixirs are extremely beneficial to cultivators.

Even those who are not skilled in Qi Refining disciples or martial artists, can benefit from the elixir and sense changes in Qi in advance.

However, since they haven't been able to establish acupoints and Qi Sea within their bodies, the effects of the elixir will gradually dissipate.

Overall, the market for Purple Qi Pill is good.

With his mastery of alchemy, Zhou Wuji could refine pills that remained stable at the second level, greatly increasing their value.

Conversely, the more expensive the elixir, the smaller the market.

Zhou Wuji didn't care; if these pills couldn't be sold, he could consume them himself.

In short, he won't lose out by being proficient in layered alchemy.

Seal the Purple Qi Pill with wax coating and put them all into gourds.

The remaining chores, such as cleaning the bronze cauldron, were left to Shangxin. Zhou Wuji didn't eat dinner and went back to his room to take a Grain Avoidance Pill.

He now fasts every three to five days, using Grain Avoidance Pill to regulate his body.

With the addition of the Purple Qi Pill, Heavenly Origin Pill, and Golden Flower Pill, which correspond to the spirit and essence respectively, his cultivation progressed steadily during this period.

Most importantly, it's the century-old Purple Blood Ginseng. He's been taking it every day for a while now, and his health is improving Heavenly Capital.

Zhou Wuji took out the last section of the century-old Purple Blood Ginseng, which was the thickest section of the Purple Blood Ginseng. He had originally intended to save it for later consumption, but now there was no need to wait.

He slowly chewed and swallowed a ginseng root about the length of his thumb. A strong heat quickly rose in his body, and his blood seemed to boil.

Zhou Wuji assumed the Heart Tiger Stance, visualizing the Mind Tiger spirit in his mind and focusing his Heart Tiger Fist Intent.

The century-old Purple Blood Ginseng is highly potent, working by burning away toxins in the internal organs and bones through the circulation of Qi and Blood.

Under normal circumstances, Zhou Wuji use the Five Tigers Fist to channel the medicinal effects and avoid burning his own body.

After taking Purple Blood Ginseng for more than 20 days, his physical strength has greatly increased, and he has gained a deep understanding of the medicinal effects of Purple Blood Ginseng.

This practice of boxing opens up all the pores of the body, inevitably wasting some of the medicinal power and efficacy.

Forcibly sealing the pores and then visualizing the Fist Intent to control the medicinal power for proper absorption while in a static state is extremely difficult.

If things go wrong, you might damage your internal organs first.

Zhou Wuji relied on his strong physique and the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment contained a Gu worm that provided him with Origin Mystic Essence, so even if something unexpected happened, there wouldn't be any major problems.

By absorbing the medicinal power of the century-old Purple Blood Ginseng through the Five Tigers Fist every day, he not only became stronger, but also gained a deeper understanding of the Five Tigers Fist.

The Iron Tiger refines the body, the Black Tiger refines strength, and the Flying Tiger refines speed. All three tigers remain at the level of substance, which is the Seventh Rank rank.

The Heart Tiger Refines the Spirit, and has already touched upon the profound level of Fist Intent.

Although Zhang Xinhu was skilled in martial arts, he ultimately could not subdue the tiger within his own heart. This is why he was disturbed by the Sword Intent, which disrupted his mind and Transforming Force. He was killed in the first encounter.

Zhou Wuji used the Sword Intent to reflect on the Heart Tiger Fist Intent. Although the two martial arts paths were very different, they ultimately had something in common.

With the blessing of the Origin Profound Spirit, his Five Tigers Fist had already reached a high level of mastery, with all its techniques and variations fully integrated and mastered.

Comprehending the White Tiger Fist Intent is simply a natural progression.

With the White Tiger Fist Intent, Zhou Wuji could manipulate Qi and Blood, mobilize the five internal organs, and control the limbs, bones, muscles, and tendons.

Even without any external support, the Fist Intent allows one to have almost complete control over one's muscles, bones, Qi and Blood, and blood, and even to a certain extent, control over the internal organs.

With the support of his Fist Intent, as long as he doesn't actively circulate his Qi and Blood, outsiders won't be able to discern his level of martial arts cultivation.

Although he was still at the Seventh Rank rank, he had already far surpassed Zhang Xinhu in terms of martial arts level.

It was precisely because the Heart Tiger Fist Intent was so powerful that Zhou Wuji dared to risk using his Fist Intent to mobilize his Qi and Blood, attempting to fully absorb all the medicinal power and efficacy of the Purple Blood Ginseng.

His idea proved to be correct; his Heart Tiger Fist Intent was powerful, and his body was equally powerful.

The medicinal power and efficacy released by the century-old Purple Blood Ginseng were completely suppressed by his body. He then used his Fist Intent to continuously mobilize his Qi and Blood, allowing his internal organs, muscles, and bones to absorb the medicinal power and efficacy in an orderly manner.

The whole process lasted for about half an hour. Zhou Wuji finally exhaled a breath of somewhat hot, turbid air, having completed the absorption of all the medicinal effects.

After a while, his feverish skin quickly returned to normal.

Looking at the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment again, his physical stats had reached 500. His lifespan had also increased by seven years, reaching 102 years.

Zhou Wuji was very satisfied with this; he was now physically comparable to Zhang Xinhu.

You must know that Zhang Xinhu had been cultivating since childhood and was exceptionally talented. It took him thirty years to develop such a powerful body.

In just a few months, his body had reached such a formidable level; what more could he ask for!

Moreover, his boxing skills were superior to Zhang Xinhu's.

If Zhang Xinhu were alive, he could kill his opponent within ten moves with his bare hands.

Zhou Wuji felt the pure and powerful force emanating from his physical body, and he estimated that his arms now weighed around 2,400 jin (approximately 1,200 kg).

This is not simply the power of his punch, but the formidable strength his body possesses, along with the strength to control such power.

Martial artists are like this; through tempering their inner and outer selves, they can truly wield immense power. This is fundamentally different from cultivators who have strong techniques but weak bodies.

With top- Seventh Rank martial prowess, he is exceptionally fierce simply by exerting physical strength, and possesses superhuman endurance, lasting even longer than cultivators of the same level.

Not to mention cultivators of the same level, he could even fight against Sixth Rank cultivator.

As long as the opponent hasn't set up an altar beforehand, he's very confident he can blast Sixth Rank cultivator to pieces in a hasty encounter.

In the battle of White Bamboo Village, he had already killed a Sixth Rank Devil Cultivator!

Now his martial arts have greatly improved, and his true strength and spirit have also been significantly enhanced. At this point, no matter what tricks Yang Shuling plays, he can easily defeat them with his Law Technique, Swordsmanship, and fist techniques.