Eternal Life Starts from Tai Chi-Chapter 86: Tiger Demon Bone Refining
’I’m finally back to gaining 1.8 Potential Points per day.’
Yang Chan watched his Potential Points recover with a pleased expression. It was on the third day after Lü Zhenghai and the others had left that he resumed his normal activities. He also began taking his various daily medications, which allowed his Potential Point gain to return to normal.
His panel now showed 8.5 Potential Points. Although it was a bit less than usual, he could accept it. It also meant he could avoid having to go down the mountain.
Even though three Inner Refining Elders were on this mission, Tan City was still dangerous. Whatever threat even Elder Wu couldn’t handle had to be an expert at the Inner Refining Grandmaster Level hidden in the city. Yang Chan wouldn’t dare get close to a battle between experts of that caliber, even with his External Iron Bone Refining.
If his luck was bad, he could die in the aftershocks of their battle, or even fall victim to sneak attacks, poison, and other such tactics.
That’s what an Evil Cult was: they acted without scruples, their methods were exceptionally vicious, and they had absolutely no regard for human life. Their followers were even more fanatical.
You couldn’t tell on a normal day, but it was common for them to backstab you at a critical moment. The place was fraught with danger, and Yang Chan certainly didn’t want to step into such a perilous environment again.
Although his monthly stipend would be reduced because he had been bedridden, it would still be enough for his needs.
Besides, he hadn’t been without gains while he was laid up. He’d had many insights regarding the refining of the Lantian Jade Refining Pill. If he could successfully create one, he wouldn’t be short on cash for a while.
The Lantian Jade Refining Pill was far from cheap; it was more than enough to cover the cost of his medicinal supplies.
Yang Chan looked at his panel and, without a second thought, allocated his Potential Points to the Tiger Demon Bone-Refining Fist. The proficiency on the panel shot up, stopping at Tier Two Entry, 85%. At this rate, he would soon reach Tier Three.
At the same time, Yang Chan clearly felt another sixteen bones in his body finish tempering. His strength had taken another noticeable leap forward.
He had now tempered a total of fifty-one bones in his body. He was one step closer to refining all two hundred and six, having completed roughly a quarter of them.
Although Liu Shengyu, the Young Sect Leader of the Cyan Yuan Sect, was considered the most likely to become the sect’s next Inner Master, no one knew that Yang Chan’s own breakthrough speed would be enough to make them all despair.
If he kept up this pace, he would likely break through to the Inner Refining Grandmaster Realm before he turned eighteen, becoming the youngest Inner Master in the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty.
Even the prodigies of the Imperial Family could typically only hope to break through to the Inner Refining Grandmaster Realm around the age of twenty. Such was the gap.
And this was all thanks to Yang Chan’s diligent cultivation. He firmly believed that hard work pays off.
As the bones finished tempering, they emitted a crisp sound. By now, however, Yang Chan was no longer in the Medicine Hall and Pharmacy. He was in the rather spacious courtyard the Cyan Yuan Sect had assigned to him as a Pharmacist.
Before using his Potential Points, he had deliberately stepped out for a moment before returning to add the points and level up.
’I have to admit, the effects of leveling up by adding points are just too good.’
His Talent had now reached 21, making him a genius even within the Cyan Yuan Sect. The proficiency he gained when practicing the Tiger Demon Bone-Refining Fist was considerable, but it still couldn’t compare to the effects of using Potential Points.
It would be a long and arduous journey to get his natural cultivation proficiency to match the effect of Potential Points, but with three Health Cultivation Skills in his possession, he was confident he could achieve it sooner or later.
’Perhaps one day,’ Yang Chan mused, ’my cultivation will reach a level where I can comprehend a cultivation technique at a single glance, and then master it to Perfection after practicing it just once.’ He eagerly awaited the day that would come.
...
「Early morning.」
As was his routine, Yang Chan absorbed the misty Purple Qi at sunrise before getting up and heading to the Medicine Hall and Pharmacy. If he stayed in bed for a few more days, his monthly stipend would be practically nonexistent, which was not a prospect he enjoyed.
He planned to see his act through to the end by attempting to refine the Lantian Jade Refining Pill one more time. The cost in silver coins was not small, but a Pharmacist’s monthly stipend could cover the expense.
As someone who had personally tested the ingredients just to refine the Lantian Jade Refining Pill, it was only fitting that he would try refining it again after his "recovery." This was consistent with his established persona.
"Oh? Pharmacist Yang, you’ve recovered quite quickly. Aren’t you going to rest for a few more days?"
Zhao Yi asked with some surprise upon seeing Yang Chan in the Pharmacy checking on injured disciples.
He knew that while some color had returned to Yang Chan’s face, he wasn’t fully recovered yet. Resting for a few more days would be good for his body.
"If I rest for a few more days, this month’s stipend will be gone," Yang Chan replied with a wry smile. "Besides, I plan to use the insights I gained from taking the medicine to try refining the Lantian Jade Refining Pill again. I’m afraid if I wait too long, the insight will fade and all this will have been for nothing."
He looked for all the world like someone who had no choice but to work tasks to increase his monthly stipend just so he could afford the ingredients for the Lantian Jade Refining Pill.
It was the perfect act for his current situation.
He didn’t know if anyone was watching him or not, but he had to make sure his actions were flawless.
"Oh, in that case, Pharmacist Yang, you must take care of yourself. Don’t force yourself to do tasks while you’re still unwell. Don’t risk further injury; it’s not worth it."
"You’ll have plenty more chances to refine the Lantian Jade Refining Pill. There’s no need to rush."
Hearing this, Zhao Yi understood Yang Chan’s predicament and could only offer a word of caution.
He also knew how expensive the ingredients for the Lantian Jade Refining Pill were. After failing several times in a row, he himself couldn’t bear to keep trying. Even after testing the ingredients, he hadn’t succeeded, and could now only rely on slowly grinding it out over time.
Zhao Yi had ultimately decided to try again only after becoming an Intermediate Pharmacist. For the past few years, he had been poring over pharmacy-related books. While he had made some slight progress, he still had a long way to go before reaching the Intermediate Pharmacist level.
"Yes, yes, thank you for your concern, Pharmacist Zhao. I’ll take care of myself. Health comes first, after all!"
Yang Chan smiled and nodded. No one understood his physical condition better than he did. If he wanted, the weakness he was feigning could vanish in an instant.
His Tai Chi Health Cultivation Skill, at Tier Four Masterful, was no joke.
Zhao Yi saw an injured disciple walk in seeking treatment, so he stopped chatting with Yang Chan and began his work.
Although Pharmacists weren’t required to complete tasks every day, the more they did, the higher their monthly stipend would be. However, most Pharmacists didn’t take on extra work unless it was an emergency.
Then there were Pharmacists like Xu Gaocen, who were notorious for arriving late and leaving early. That was another approach entirely.
Pharmacists spent most of their time studying texts related to their profession or on their Martial Arts Cultivation, pursuing both simultaneously.
The Pharmacists of the Cyan Yuan Sect had access to a considerable amount of Cultivation Resources, so naturally, they wouldn’t neglect their Martial Arts Cultivation. After all, the key was to turn those resources into actual strength.
Yang Chan also busied himself until sweat beaded on his forehead, at which point he stopped to rest. This was all part of his act. He then sat back, slacking off while watching the other Pharmacists work.
