Lin Chang'sheng activated the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique, absorbing the medicinal power of the Qi Blood Ointment.
He realized that it took half an hour to fully absorb a bottle of Qi Blood Ointment, and it would increase his Cultivation Experience Points by 50.
After absorbing five portions of Qi Blood Ointment.
Lin Chang'sheng found that his Cultivation Experience Points had increased by about 250.
At the same time, he felt a surge of powerful, boundless Inner Strength spontaneously rising up in his meridians, making him much stronger in an instant!
Lin Chang'sheng then took out two Qi Blood Pills and swallowed them. The medicinal power of the Qi Blood Pill was much stronger than the ointment—a single pill increased his Experience Points by 300, which was six times that of the ointment, but the price was ten times higher.
However, Qi Blood Pills were easier to absorb than the ointment, and much faster, too.
[Great Dao is Simple: Level 1]
[Lin Chang'sheng: 16/55]
[Cultivation: Second-class (1301/2500)]
[Cultivation Technique: Sun and Moon Breathing Technique (Proficient 2278/5000)]
[Martial Arts: Archery (Great Perfection), Iron Sand Palm (Great Perfection), Flying Eaves and Light Body Skill (Great Perfection), Cyan Snake Sword Technique (Great Success 6223/12500)]
[By spending a certain amount of silver, you can simplify cultivation techniques, martial arts, etc.]
[Status: Yin Qi Invasion (Weakened)]
"The Qi Blood Pills are really effective. One pill adds 300 EXP. In that case, if I buy four more, I should be able to break through to First-class Realm?"
Lin Chang'sheng looked at his stat panel, eyes flashing with excitement.
"Ah!!"
"Crack!"
Lin Chang'sheng was cultivating in his room. Without noticing, it was already noon when suddenly, a startled cry came from the kitchen.
"What happened?"
Lin Chang'sheng ended his practice, opened the door, and walked toward the kitchen—only to see Yu Wenjing's delicate little face smeared with black soot. She was holding fire tongs, her pretty face showing frustration. "I… I was just lighting the stove for cooking, and… I accidentally broke the pot."
"Ah, the pot broke?"
Lin Chang'sheng was a bit dumbfounded. He walked over and saw a pot on the stove with a hole as big as a fist. The water inside was flowing into the stove, water and fire clashing and filling the kitchen with thick steam. He said right away, "No worries, I'll just go buy a new pot this afternoon. We've used this one for a long time anyway."
Lin Chang'sheng figured that maybe the pot had cold water in it and the fire was too strong, so the hot metal expanded rapidly and the fire tongs struck too hard at the bottom—causing it to break instantly.
"Chang'sheng… I… I'm so clumsy, I can't help you with anything…"
Yu Wenjing lowered her head, full of self-blame.
"Don't blame yourself. Who isn't a beginner at first? Take your time."
Lin Chang'sheng comforted her.
"Thank you, Chang'sheng."
Hearing Lin Chang'sheng's words, Yu Wenjing felt a warm feeling rise straight from her heart.
In the past, whenever she made even the slightest mistake, she never got care or comfort—only severe criticism and unreasonably high demands.
"You don't need to thank me. Go rest for a bit. I'll do the cooking."
Lin Chang'sheng rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
There were two pots on the stove. One was broken, but there was still another one.
Yu Wenjing didn't just stand around; she went behind the stove to tend the fire.
Soon, delicious smells began wafting out from the kitchen.
"I might need to head out for a bit this afternoon."
Lin Chang'sheng mentioned while eating, speaking to Yu Wenjing.
"Okay."
Yu Wenjing nodded, not asking where he was going—just as Lin Chang'sheng had never pressed her about her past.
........
Afternoon.
"How come… that silhouette looks so much like Chang'sheng?"
After finishing up things at her noodle shop, Yan Zhen headed to West City to buy some daily necessities.
Right after she passed the high wall at the West City and East City border, she spotted a wanted poster and was immediately startled.
"No way, how could Chang'sheng possibly kill Ma Zhankui?"
Yan Zhen thought about how skinny Lin Chang'sheng was. Even though he'd gotten a bit stronger lately, there was no way he could have killed that many people from the Cyan Snake Gang.
"Haven't seen Chang'sheng in a while. I'll pick up some things and go check on him."
That thought crossed Yan Zhen's mind.
......
Hundred Herbs Hall.
"Young master, hello—what do you need to buy today?"
Lin Chang'sheng walked into Hundred Herbs Hall, and the same pharmacist who'd helped him yesterday greeted him.
"I'd like to buy five more Qi Blood Pills."
Lin Chang'sheng pulled out 50 taels of silver and said so.
"Alright!"
The pharmacist's face showed delight. He brought over five Qi Blood Pills and handed them to Lin Chang'sheng, then asked, "Anything else, young master?"
"By the way, do you take on alchemy apprentices here?"
Lin Chang'sheng asked the pharmacist.
"Young master, you want to learn alchemy?"
The pharmacist gave Lin Chang'sheng a curious look, a little surprised.
To his mind, people who could afford Qi Blood Pills shouldn't be short on cash, so why do this? After all, alchemy wasn't something you could pick up in a few days!
"That's right. I'm very interested in alchemy and want to give it a try."
Lin Chang'sheng nodded.
"Hundred Herbs Hall does take medicine boys, but you have to pay 10 taels of silver. And if you don't show talent in three months, you can't stay."
The pharmacist explained.
"You have to pay 10 taels just to be a medicine boy? Isn't that pretty much the same scheme as the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall?"
Hearing this, Lin Chang'sheng was stunned, but still nodded. "Alright, I'll come tomorrow then."
......
Great Yu Grand Canal.
Thousands of miles away.
In a certain residence.
A young man—tall, dressed in white, and impressively handsome—stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking out toward the faraway Grand Canal.
"Reporting, young master: since that boat went down, a lot of organizations have searched, but none have found any trace of the Eldest Princess. Unless something unexpected happened, it's unlikely she survived."
At this moment, a man in black came forward, dropped to one knee, and reported.
"Okay, I understand."
"Keep searching. I want her alive or dead."
The young man's eyes flashed with a hint of satisfaction.
"Yes, young master."
The man in black turned and left.
.........
[Cultivation: Second-class (2499/2500)]
Lin Chang'sheng sat on his bed, looking at his panel with a thoughtful gaze.
He had absorbed five Qi Blood Pills.
But once it reached 2499, he gained no more experience.
"So this is the threshold, huh?"
"I wonder, once the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique reaches Perfection, can I advance to First-class Expert?"
Lin Chang'sheng's eyes were full of anticipation.
Right now, he had two options in front of him.
Either upgrade the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique to the Great Perfection Realm, or find another cultivation technique to reach Great Perfection as well, merge it with the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique, and develop a new technique.
That way, his Experience Points would probably go up again.
"With my current strength combined with Perfected Archery, I could take on even First-class Experts now!"
Lin Chang'sheng muttered to himself. Right now, he could feel Inner Strength surging in his dantian like a mighty river—his power had more than doubled from before!
At this moment—
He needed both sunlight and the method of alchemy from Hundred Herbs Hall. As soon as he got the technique and used the Great Dao is Simple panel to simplify it, his alchemy skill would soar sky-high.
"Let's get the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique to Great Perfection first."
Thinking that, Lin Chang'sheng walked outside the yard to cultivate—or rather, to bask in the sun.
Just then, he saw, about ten-odd yards away outside the courtyard, a graceful figure walking up.
"Sister Zhen, what brings you here?"
Lin Chang'sheng was a little surprised when he saw Yan Zhen approaching.
"What, I can't come? Not welcome?"
Yan Zhen flashed a charming smile, teasing him.
"How could you not be welcome? You're always welcome here, Sister Zhen."
Lin Chang'sheng invited her into the house.
"Chang'sheng, did you hear? That Cyan Snake Gang Leader Ma Zhankui who caused trouble at my noodle shop and over thirty of his gang members were all shot and killed by a mysterious masked man with a bow and arrow. Now the County Government Office is offering a reward of 100 taels of silver for clues about the killer."
"They say that on the night of the killings, one leftover Cyan Snake Gang member caught a glimpse of the masked man's back. They made a sketch, and now it's posted all over every street and alley in Mu City."
Yan Zhen looked at Lin Chang'sheng as she spoke.
"Yeah, I know."
Lin Chang'sheng replied calmly.
"That hero is a great benefactor of mine. I really hope they don't get caught…"
A look of worry flickered in Yan Zhen's beautiful eyes.