Complete one practice method every day

"This Li Lie... he seems a bit different today." Chen Lin muttered to himself, watching Li Lie's retreating figure. He then smiled at Chen Yue, "Chen Yue, just focus on refining your pills. The pharmacy's security will be strengthened; what happened today won't happen again!"

"I understand," Chen Yue replied.

Chen Yue returned to the courtyard, bolted the door, and completed his task of taking twenty Blood-Activating Pills for the day.

After completing his official duties, Chen Yue did not slack off at all and immediately devoted himself to his own cultivation.

He first practiced the Mountain Collapse Technique. His Qi and blood, which were at the peak of his cultivation, circulated powerfully and deeply, and every punch and kick carried a dull sound.

Next is the Wind Chasing Technique. Although this newly acquired movement technique is only at the beginner level, it integrates the strengths of five basic movement techniques. When used, the body moves nimbly and swiftly within a small space, already showing signs of agility and speed.

Then came the Raging Waves Blade Technique. He practiced the moves using his hands instead of a real blade. Although he didn't have a real blade, the force he exhaled was enough to simulate some of the fierce and violent essence of the blade technique.

Finally, Chen Yue attempted to cultivate the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, which requires a whopping 3000 experience points to even begin.

Even if you just follow the basic method and use a specific breathing rhythm combined with slight body tremors to stimulate the tendons and fascia, you can feel a hammering sensation that is completely different from the Collapse Mountain Technique.

There were many cultivation techniques to practice, and Chen Yue squeezed almost all of his time into the limit.

He knew that if he hadn't broken through to the Flesh Refining Realm last night and possessed several cultivation techniques, he might already be a cold corpse lying in a pool of blood.

He continued cultivating until night fell completely and the sky was filled with stars. Only then did Chen Yue stop, exhaling a long breath of white silk that carried a scorching heat.

As the moon rose above the willow branches, Chen Yue carefully left the pharmacy. On the way, he changed into an inconspicuous dark coarse cloth outfit, put on a bamboo hat and mask, and headed familiarly towards the black market in the east of the city.

After breaking through to the Flesh Refining Realm, the cultivation points gained from daily practice of the Mountain Collapse Technique and the consumption of the Qi-Consolidating Pill decreased sharply from 15 points when he was in the Skin Refining Realm to only 6 points.

The panel displays [Flesh Refining Realm (18/1000)]. At this rate, even without interruption, it would take nearly six months to reach the maximum value of 1000 points and attempt to break through to the Bone Forging Realm.

This speed, when applied to an ordinary martial artist, would naturally be considered astonishing.

But Chen Yue was in this chaotic world full of dangers, and he knew that a crisis could come at any time. Six months was not a long time, but he wanted to go faster!

"If I could cultivate the Mountain Collapse Technique to perfection, my daily cultivation level would increase by one or two points, and the time would be shortened a bit. But... it's still not fast enough."

As Chen Yue moved through the darkness, he pondered, "To go faster, I need to take better pills!"

The Solidifying Essence Pill is already a top-grade pill for martial artists in the Flesh Refining Realm, but there are even higher-grade pills, such as the Spirit Condensing Pill.

That was a pill specifically for martial artists in the Bone Forging Realm, and its effects were far superior to those of the Qi-Stabilizing Pill.

However, the medicinal materials are expensive, and the refining process is even more difficult.

Chen Yue's trip to the black market was to try his luck and see if he could find the recipe for the Spirit Condensation Pill.

With a slight thought, Chen Yue brought up a panel that only he could see.

After breaking through to the Flesh Refining Realm, not only did the need for cultivation growth increase significantly, but Chen Yue also discovered a huge change. The experience points gained from various cultivation techniques and skills at the daily settlement were dramatically higher than when he was in the Skin Refining Realm!

For example, with the Mountain Collapse Technique, when I was in the Skin Refining Realm, I could only get about 50 experience points a day by practicing it hard, but now I can reliably get more than 90 points.

The beginner experience for new techniques like the Wind Chasing Technique and the Raging Tide Blade Technique is gained much faster, and even the daily experience for refining the Qi-Consolidating Pill has increased by more than ten points.

Chen Yue guessed that it was because his realm had improved and his physical and mental foundations were stronger, so the same effort would have a more significant amplified effect during the settlement.

If that's the case, then as Chen Yue continues to break through his realm, the skill experience he gains from daily settlements will continue to increase, and the speed at which he cultivates various techniques and skills will become faster and faster!

This is perhaps one of the most overpowered aspects of the panel; the stronger it is, the more efficient it becomes.

The black market in the old city district in the east of the city has not only not become quiet after recent events, but has become even more active than before.

Chen Yue lowered his straw hat and quietly blended into the hurried crowd.

Instead of rushing to the stalls selling secret manuals or elixirs, he slowed down and strolled around, stopping near a few relatively lively corners to listen to the scattered conversations drifting from the darkness.

"...Have you heard? Huichuntang was raided last night! Many people died, and it's said that even several alchemists were kidnapped!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! I have a relative who works for the Chen family. He said the thief's movements were methodical and his methods were extremely ruthless."

"Could it have been done by refugees from outside the city?"

"It's hard to say. But lately, those soup kitchens outside the city have become increasingly popular, with more and more people going there. I heard they're even giving out grain, not just thin porridge!"

"Food distribution? Really? Who's that generous?"

"Who knows? Something's definitely not right. But I heard they do get food there, and a lot of people who couldn't survive went..."

The whispers were intermittent, and most of the people spoke in a somber tone.

After listening for a while, Chen Yue stopped in front of a stall.

The stall had a simple platform made of a few wooden planks, on which were placed more than a dozen bottles and jars of various sizes. There were also several rolls of old paper or silk tied with leather rope scattered around.

Chen Yue glanced at the medicine bottles; the labels were blurry, but the occasional whiff of medicine suggested they weren't all counterfeit.

"Boss," Chen Yue lowered his voice and asked in a hoarse tone, "do you sell any pill formulas here?"

The stall owner opened his eyelids a crack, his cloudy eyes sweeping over Chen Yue before slowly saying, "Pill recipes? I do have a few. What kind of pill recipe do you want?"

"Do you have a Spirit Condensation Pill? If you have one that's even better, you can take a look."

"Spirit Condensation Pill?"

The stall owner seemed to have sobered up a bit, straightened up, and carefully looked Chen Yue up and down. "The Spirit Condensation Pill can help experts in the Bone Forging Realm cultivate. I do have one here... but the price..."

Really?

"Let's inspect the goods first," Chen Yue said calmly. "I need to verify their authenticity before we can discuss the price."

"I can't show you the complete prescription."

The stall owner chuckled, turned around and rummaged through a worn-out wicker box behind him. After a moment, he pulled out a piece of paper with frayed edges and handed it over.

"This is part of the outline of the elixir formula. If you are knowledgeable, you will understand after taking a look."

Chen Yue took the paper and began to read it word by word.

He had never seen a true recipe for the Spirit Condensation Pill, and even Lin Quan had never refined a pill of this level in front of him.

However, he has now mastered the Gu Yuan Dan, and the formulation and processing of medicinal materials for the Ning Ling Dan should have similarities with the Gu Yuan Dan, only more complex and sophisticated.

At first glance, the contents of this outline seem logically consistent, with no obvious conflicts in the compatibility of medicinal materials, and the possibility that it is true is at least 70% to 80%.

Chen Yue's heart stirred slightly. He looked up at the stall owner and said, "This outline looks quite interesting. Name your price."

A glint of light flashed in the stall owner's eyes, and he rubbed his fingers together: "Sir, you know your stuff. Give me a price, and I'll sell if it's right."