Cultivation begins with earning spirit stones

Chapter 81 One Night, Nine Drops

Zhang Lin's mind raced, but his face remained impassive: "Reporting to Senior, the fire control technique was something I gained from observing the secret teachings of Danxia."

"Just a fleeting feeling?" The old man chuckled. "You must be a newly initiated disciple of Cuiping Peak. Compared to your comprehension, those alchemists in the outer sect probably haven't even entered the door."

He waved his hand and said, "Never mind, I was just asking casually. Go ahead."

Zhang Lin cupped his hands in greeting again, then turned and left.

Even after walking a long way, he could still feel that gaze on his back.

------

When I returned to courtyard number 72, it was already late afternoon.

As dusk settled and the twilight deepened, the branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree rustled in the evening breeze.

Zhang Lin closed the door, sat cross-legged on the futon, and took out the spirit stones he had earned from selling pills that day, carefully counting them.

Five hundred and eighty pieces.

He pondered for a moment, then took out the Transcendent-level Qi Cultivation Pill from his storage bag.

The pills are emerald green, round and smooth, with a subtle sheen on the surface. They have a refreshing and pleasant aroma that soothes the mind.

[Transcendent-Grade Qi Cultivation Pill: An existence that transcends the limitations of rank, created by the workings of heaven and earth. Taken during the Qi Refining stage, it can widen meridians, strengthen bones, and improve aptitude. The first pill has the best effect, with subsequent pills showing decreasing effects. A maximum of nine pills are recommended.]

Zhang Lin put the pill into his mouth and closed his eyes to refine it.

The medicine entered the abdomen like a warm spring, flowing slowly along the meridians. Wherever it passed, the meridians felt slightly hot, as if something was slowly expanding.

Even his dantian expanded slightly, and eighty drops of liquid true qi flowed slowly like a galaxy, with the medicinal power merging into it, making the true qi more condensed and profound.

After an unknown amount of time, the warmth gradually dissipated.

Zhang Lin opened his eyes and looked inward at his dantian.

The meridians widened by about 10%, and the dantian gained two more drops of liquid true qi.

He nodded slightly, then took out a Transcendent-level Qi-restoring Pill and put it in his mouth.

The medicinal power of the Qi-Returning Pill is different from that of the Qi-Nourishing Pill. It is like a clear spring that flows directly into the dantian and slowly spreads within it, as if it is opening up something.

Fifteen minutes later, the effects of the medicine wore off.

Not only did his dantian grow larger, but he also gained five more drops of liquid true qi, bringing the total to eighty-five drops.

Zhang Lin took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and circulated his cultivation technique. The spiritual energy from the Spirit Spring Well flowed into his body, mingling with the residual medicinal power, and the true energy in his dantian continued to slowly increase.

Silent all night.

The next day at dawn, Zhang Lin opened his eyes and looked inward at his dantian.

A total of eighty-nine drops of liquid true qi were used.

Overnight, nine drops were condensed, bringing it one step closer to the 108 drops required for perfect Qi cultivation.

He got up, washed up, and went out.

Outside the courtyard, the morning light was faint, and birds were chirping.

Yu Youwei is no longer in courtyard number seventy-three; she must have gone to the spirit field long ago.

Zhang Lin walked along the bluestone path toward Thousand-Foot Cliff. He had just reached halfway to the top of the cliff when he suddenly saw someone waiting ahead.

The man was handsome and dressed in a white robe with a blue identity token hanging from his waist.

Standing behind him was none other than Senior Brother Meng He from yesterday.

"This must be Junior Brother Zhang Lin?" The white-robed man clasped his hands in a salute, his voice booming, "I am Gu Beichen, a disciple of Tianzhu Peak. I have long admired your name, Junior Brother."

Zhang Lin returned the greeting: "Zhang Lin of Cuiping Peak greets Senior Brother Gu."

Gu Beichen took out a brocade box from his sleeve and handed it over with both hands.

"These are the ingredients for the Breakthrough Pill. Please take a look, Junior Brother."

Zhang Lin took the brocade box, opened it, and examined it closely.

A century-old *Breath-Breaking Flower* plant, with golden flowers and faint cracks on the petals, is a characteristic of this century-old plant.

Three stalks of Chongling Grass, fifty years old, with slender, deep purple leaves, brimming with spiritual energy.

A section of dragon blood vine, fifty years old, with a dark red vine body, as if soaked in fresh blood, and faintly smelling of blood.

The medicinal materials were complete and of excellent quality, showing that Gu Beichen had spared no expense in preparing this batch of pills.

Zhang Lin closed the brocade box and said, "Come and collect it at this time tomorrow."

Gu Beichen was overjoyed and took out a cloth bag from his sleeve, handing it over.

"Here are three hundred spirit stones, a small token of my appreciation. Please accept them, junior brother."

Zhang Lin did not accept the offer: "Bring your own medicinal herbs. The processing fee is one hundred spirit stones. I will not accept more."

Gu Beichen was taken aback and said, "Junior brother, this..."

"Rules are rules," Zhang Lin said calmly. "If you want to give more, senior brother, you can wait until the pills are refined and then see the quality."

Gu Beichen and Meng He exchanged a glance, gave a wry smile, put the cloth bag away, and then took out a small porcelain bottle from their sleeves and handed it over.

"Then, Junior Brother, you should accept this, right?"

Zhang Lin took the bottle, uncorked it, and a rich medicinal aroma wafted out.

"This is a top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill."

Gu Beichen nodded: "This is a top-grade Qi-cultivating pill that I have treasured for many years. I originally planned to take it when I broke through, but I have always been reluctant to part with it."

"Yesterday, I heard Meng He say that my junior brother's alchemy skills are extraordinary, so I thought I would give it to him as a gift when we met."

Zhang Lin handed the porcelain bottle back: "I appreciate Senior Brother Gu's kindness, but I cannot accept a gift without having done anything for it. Please take this pill back, Senior Brother."

Gu Beichen couldn't refuse, so he had to take it back, but his eyes showed more respect.

He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Junior Brother Zhang, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

"Please speak, senior brother."

"After you went back yesterday, Brother Meng and I chatted. Brother Meng mentioned that he saw a Taoist boy in gray robes at Thousand-Foot Cliff. He was acting suspiciously and trying to find out about you."

Zhang Lin's gaze sharpened slightly: "The gray-robed Taoist boy?"

"Yes," Gu Beichen said. "That person called himself Afu and said he was running errands for an inner sect senior brother. He asked about your residence, cultivation level, what kind of magic you are good at, and who you usually associate with."

"Meng He ignored him, but as far as I know, that Afu has a wide network of connections in the outer sect, knows people everywhere, and is quite good at gathering information."

Zhang Lin was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I understand."

Seeing his calm expression, Gu Beichen secretly admired him and clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Then I will come to collect the pill again at this time tomorrow."

"it is good."

Gu Beichen and Meng He turned and left, but after taking a few steps, they looked back one last time.

Seeing Zhang Lin standing in the middle of the road, hands behind his back, the morning breeze blowing his robes, his demeanor calm and composed, he did not seem like a newly initiated outer disciple, but rather like a seasoned veteran.

"This person is no ordinary person... He's not simple," Meng He said in a low voice.

Gu Beichen nodded: "I feel the same way."

The two quickened their pace and disappeared into the morning mist.

Zhang Lin stood there, watching the two leave, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The gray-robed Taoist boy, Afu, is an inner disciple.

The Zhou family arrived quite quickly.

He originally intended to keep a low profile, first establish a foothold in the outer sect, and then plan for foundation building.

But since the Zhou family has already set their sights on him, keeping a low profile has lost its meaning.

Instead of hiding your head and tail, take the opportunity to make a name for yourself.

He wanted everyone outside the sect to know that Zhang Lin was an expert in alchemy.

This will make those who are secretly watching hesitate to act rashly.

He wanted to attract the attention of the inner sect elders and deacons, so that they would know that there was a genius alchemist in the outer sect.

At that time, it won't be so easy for the Zhou family to touch him again.

Zhang Lin pulled himself out of his thoughts and walked along the bluestone path toward the top of the cliff.

The area around Thousand-Foot Cliff was a bit more lively today than yesterday.

As soon as Zhang Lin reached the top of the cliff, he saw that more than 30 stalls had been set up on the stone platform, nearly half more than yesterday.

The number of disciples coming and going has increased considerably, stopping in twos and threes to look around at each stall.

He found the same spot near the cliff as yesterday, spread out a blue cloth, and placed the jade bottle there.

In addition to the Qi-Nourishing Pill and the Qi-Returning Pill, two more Heart-Concentrating Pills were also displayed today.

Of the twelve pills he refined yesterday, he only gave ten to Meng He; the rest were for the alchemist—that's the rule.