Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing-Chapter 155: Persistence Through Failure (II)
Lin Zheyu tasted each one in turn and found that while their potency was similar, their effects emphasized different aspects.
"What are the prices for these three formulas?" asked Lin Zheyu after a brief moment of thought.
Obviously, the formulas wouldn't be offered for free. The shopkeeper's enthusiasm clearly came from his intent to sell them.
"Not expensive at all. The Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder costs 120 taels, the Yang Gathering Decoction 380, and the Great Blood and Bone-Fortifying Decoction, 220." The shopkeeper smiled as he said, "The Yang Gathering Decoction is the best overall. Its power is the most balanced, and when paired with Yin Earth Pills, its side effects are minimized. It even nourishes yin and strengthens yang.
"The Great Blood and Bone-Fortifying Decoction is an enhanced version of the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction. Its side effects are lighter, but it can't be used long-term; the body won't withstand it. It's meant for breaking through bottlenecks. For long-term use, I recommend the Yang Gathering Decoction with Yin Earth Pills, or simply the original Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction.
"As for the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder, it's the most potent of the three but also the most dangerous. Overuse can cause fire poison to invade the heart, so it should only be used during breakthroughs.
"If you're looking for an alternative to the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction, I recommend using the Yang Gathering Decoction with Yin Earth Pills for regular training, and the Great Blood and Bone-Fortifying Decoction during breakthroughs."
These formulas were common knowledge among Bafang City's local Blood Qi Realm martial artists; only outsiders like Lin Zheyu had never heard of them. Still, the shopkeeper wasn't lying. To deceive a martial artist, possibly at the Blood Qi Realm, would be no different from courting death.
The Yang Gathering Decoction, paired with Yin Earth Pills, truly served as a substitute for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction, while most martial artists used the Great Blood and Bone-Fortifying Decoction to break through bottlenecks.
However, those users were mostly commoners without lineage. The martial artists from great sects possessed their own secret, superior restorative formulas. Unfortunately, such recipes were never shared with outsiders. Only these three formulas, along with the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction, circulated publicly.
"How much silver would the ingredients for each of these three formulas cost?" asked Lin Zheyu. That was the question that truly mattered to him. If the price were reasonable and the effect stronger, it would make an excellent replacement for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction.
"The Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder costs 60 taels of silver, the Yang Gathering Decoction with Yin Earth Pills costs 150, and the Great Blood and Bone-Fortifying Decoction costs 180. Don't be put off by the higher prices of the Yang Gathering Decoction and Great Blood and Bone-Fortifying Decoction; their medicinal effects are far superior to the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder. Though the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder is potent, its ingredients contain heavy fire and medicinal toxins. Prolonged use will cause fire poison to invade the heart," the shopkeeper explained patiently.
Although the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder was the cheapest, it also carried the greatest risk. Only martial artists cultivating special techniques would find it appealing. Even then, they would combine it with unique secret formulas to minimize its harmful side effects.
"Give me five sets of Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder, five sets of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction, and five sets of each additional herb listed on this paper. I'll test their efficacy when I return. If they work well, I'll come back for more. Calculate the total for me," said Lin Zheyu after a brief moment of thought.
Had this been a few months earlier, when he still relied on drinking decoctions to absorb medicinal power, he might have hesitated. But now, Lin Zheyu could draw upon the mysterious energy of his Origin Force to extract a herb's essence directly, without ever consuming the decoction or worrying about side effects.
From his brief sampling of the three formulas, their potency didn't differ by much. They simply emphasized different effects. For daily martial training, the Yang Gathering Decoction with Yin Earth Pills would be most suitable. They were gentle yet effective, with minimal side effects.
However, Lin Zheyu didn't rely on decoctions for regular training. He only used them when employing Origin Force to enhance his strength. Thus, what he valued most was the herbs' price-to-effect ratio. And from the prices, it was clear that the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder offered the best value. Its low cost came from the difficulty of removing its fire and medicinal toxins, which caused severe side effects.
"Please wait a moment," said the shopkeeper with a cheerful smile. He picked up the abacus, his fingers clicking rapidly over the beads. "That comes to 519 taels of silver. I can give you a small discount, so let's make it 515."
"Alright." Lin Zheyu nodded.
Soon after, he left the pharmacy carrying the herbs and a copy of the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder formula. When he reached the courtyard and confirmed no one was nearby, he tapped the tip of his foot lightly and leapt inside.
Once home, the muscles on his face began to shift subtly. With just a few minute adjustments, his entire appearance transformed from a rough, domineering middle-aged man into an ordinary, slightly refined scholar.
"Let's test how effective the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder really is," Lin Zheyu murmured.
He fetched a wooden basin, filled it with clean water, ground a set of Redfire Blood-Nourishing herbs into fine powder, and poured it in. The Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder contained mostly rare herbs; its effects were powerful, but the fire poison within was equally fierce. That was why, when boiled into a decoction and consumed, it caused one's body to burn like a furnace and would result in the fire toxins seeping into the flesh.
When enhancing the Golden Goose Technique before, 1 unit of Origin Force required six sets of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction herbs. The Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder uses highly tonic herbs, whose potency is exceptionally strong. Even if it can't fully meet the energy required, it won't cause a loss of blood qi. At worst, it'll just drain all of it temporarily.
At present, his blood qi strength was at about 80% of its peak. He wasn't in a state of exhaustion from pushing his limits, so using Origin Force now was safe. Even if the medicinal power proved insufficient, his remaining blood qi would compensate, preventing depletion.
He poured the ground powder into the water and stirred it thoroughly with his hand. He closed his eyes and sent forth a thought. Use 1 unit of Origin Force to enhance the Golden Goose Technique.
In an instant, a vast surge of mysterious energy burst forth from deep within his cells, drawing the medicinal power from the basin into his waist and legs. The ninth stage of the Golden Goose Technique required him to fully merge the blood qi burst technique into it.
It was an exceedingly difficult process, demanding not only far greater control over his body and blood qi but also the strengthening of specific muscles and membranes. Otherwise, his body would never endure the violent surges of blood qi unleashed by the technique.
Lin Zheyu's mind blurred for a moment as he entered his consciousness space and began endless cycles of training. Unlike his previous training, advancing in the ninth stage of the Golden Goose Technique proved immensely challenging. He attempted again and again, only to fail each time.
These repeated attempts and failures inflicted tremendous strain and damage upon his body. Fortunately, within his consciousness space, his body could regenerate swiftly, sparing him from lasting internal injuries.
Undeterred, Lin Zheyu persisted through failure after failure, learning from each mistake and refining his control with every attempt. Through repeated setbacks, his understanding deepened, and his mastery grew sharper. The muscles, tendons, and skin involved in channeling the Golden Goose Technique gradually toughened through the repeated strain, becoming firmer and more resilient.
The mysterious energy carried the essence of the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder, nourishing and tempering the muscles, tendons, and skin of his waist and legs. After a few breaths, Lin Zheyu slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long, heavy breath. The first thing he did upon opening his eyes was not to check the progress of his Golden Goose Technique, but to sense his own condition.
My blood qi has fully recovered to its peak. The Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder truly lives up to its name!
He lifted his hand from the basin and sniffed; a faint medicinal fragrance still lingered. That meant the herbs' medicinal power had not yet been fully exhausted.
1 set of Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder is at least as potent as 6 sets of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction. How much more exactly, I'll need to test further.
After some calculation, Lin Zheyu felt very satisfied with the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder. He turned his awareness inward; the progress of his Golden Goose Technique had risen by another 4%.
Integrating the blood qi burst technique into the Golden Goose Technique was far harder than he had ever imagined; it was almost impossible to achieve through ordinary means. If not for the aid of the Origin Force, which allowed him to enter that mysterious mental realm, to train without restraint, and to refine and strengthen his body, he would never have managed it.
[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]
[Name: Lin Zheyu]
[Origin Force: 8]
[Skills: Golden Goose Technique (Ninth Stage: 27%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 100%)]
After nearly two months of cultivation, his Tortoise Breath Grand Method had reached complete mastery at the third stage, while his Golden Goose Technique had advanced to 27% of the ninth stage.
I'll continue the enhancement of the Golden Goose Technique. This time, I'll use 2 units of Origin Force and add another set of Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder.
He still had 8 units of Origin Force remaining, and they were enough to determine precisely how many sets of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction equaled one Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder.
He took out another set of Redfire Blood-Nourishing herbs, ground them into fine powder, and poured them into the basin that still held residual medicinal power.
Use 2 units of Origin Force to enhance the Golden Goose Technique.
The thought rippled outward; the familiar sensation returned as Lin Zheyu began another round of ceaseless cultivation and refinement. Through failure after failure, he absorbed lessons and insights, transforming each into a deeper comprehension of his technique.
