Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo picked up a root of bone, about the size of a chopstick, a thin, long grass root covered with white down.

When you put it in your mouth and chew it carefully, it tastes bitter and astringent, but a strange energy is released. It smoothly integrates into your energy channels, flows throughout your body, and finally slowly seeps into your bones.

A deep, tingling itch made Liu Xingmo shiver. He took a deep breath, trembling, and swallowed the entire grass root.

There are ants crawling on the bone...

Liu Xingmo couldn't help but roll around on the bed.

Sumali leaned closer and gently hugged him: "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine, it's just that this stuff is a little stimulating. You should try it, it's really interesting!"

"No need. During this crucial period of advancement, I need to keep the energy in my body pure."

"Practicing magic is really troublesome."

"I studied alchemy, not magic."

"They're all the same to me."

……

Having adapted to the power of the bone-strengthening root, Liu Xingmo turned his gaze to another medicine jar on the bedside table.

The large, transparent glass jar is coated with gold and silver threads, and regular geometric patterns are interwoven to form a dazzling array of runes.

This was made by Sumali using alchemy; it can seal spiritual energy and store spiritual medicines.

Liu Xingmo picked up a fish roe from the jar.

It is about the size of a finger, semi-transparent black, with a rich aura of blood flowing within it.

It was produced by a crucian carp that controls blood and qi, and like the bullfrog I encountered a few days ago, it belongs to the category of acquired mythical beasts.

These fish roe can aid in bloodline cultivation; it's said that eating them raw is the most effective way to consume them...

Liu Mo frowned, but still put the raw caviar into his mouth.

With a "smack," it broke apart, and a sticky substance filled my mouth.

It smelled fishy and disgusting.

Liu Mo made up his mind that once he had money, he would definitely roast these medicinal herbs before eating them—even though this would reduce their potency.

As the fish roe was swallowed, the blood and qi in the body surged.

Even the flow of qi was expanded, and the previously obstructed areas seemed to be washed away by a flash flood, causing the surging blood and qi to flow out in a torrent.

Liu Xingmo quickly sat down to stabilize his blood and qi. After a while, the various strange phenomena subsided.

These are only one dollar a piece, they're such a great deal!

No wonder reselling is prohibited; it's a limited-edition grant to support outstanding individuals, and demand far exceeds supply.

That said, a crucian carp can produce tens of thousands of eggs a year, so that red-blooded crucian carp earned tens of thousands of yuan...

Why doesn't Baohei lay eggs? It's so lazy! I wonder if there's any elixir that can change its nature...

Liu Xingmo ate 10 fish roe in one go, while simultaneously circulating his blood and qi. Only when the sky turned blue did he fall asleep contentedly in bed.

This training speed is ten times faster than casual practice in one's spare time.

If there is enough fish roe every day, one can break through from the fourth to the fifth level of the first stage of the Blood Path in just a few months—which would normally take several years for an ordinary person.

When the sun was high in the sky, Liu Xingmo got out of bed.

Full of energy and vitality.

Then take out 10 fish roe and practice blood cultivation.

Afterwards, I felt full of energy.

No wonder some people enjoy practicing Qigong; seeing results every day naturally fosters perseverance and willpower.

If you're like an ordinary person, all you do is give and receive little in return, your spirit will naturally be worn down.

Liu Xingmo's progress was already very fast, reaching the third level of the first tier at the age of 18. Most of his peers at this age could only play in the mud with a contracted insect.

A few days ago, my great-grandfather's elixir added another level to his cultivation. Calculating the time, he should reach level five by the end of the year, which would make him a top-tier genius.

After eating and drinking to our hearts' content, we started tidying up, finishing all the chores we had done while I was away for the past two days.

Go to the bushes to chop firewood, go to the river to fetch water, and go to the market to buy fish, meat, and fruit.

Another important task was to sell the medicine to the Xizhen Pharmacy and to get a new batch of medicinal herbs.

These medicines have no spiritual power, but they can still treat colds and fevers, injuries from falls and blows, or be used to assist in spiritual practice.

This medicine is known as a miracle drug, and it is produced in extremely high quantities in Heilongzhai.

Using her alchemy skills, Su Mali refines and processes medicines at home, earning about 30 yuan a day.

The couple has enough money to live on, and even has time for entertainment. However, in the next few years, they will likely have to live frugally in order to improve their financial situation.

Liu Xingmo was busy until dark.

Baohei in the big wooden tub has almost recovered and ate a lot of small fish today. It will grow bigger and stronger.

Who knows what adventures the future holds, but for now, life is still about the mundane necessities of daily life.

Dinner consisted of persimmon cakes and stewed fish, which tasted quite good.

Surprisingly, Sumari, this Westerner, was an excellent cook and very hardworking. After clearing away the dishes, she went back into the workshop.

The cabin was somewhat dim, with three oil lamps casting a faint glow.

The simple shelves were filled with various herbs, and transparent glass bottles contained medicines of different colors.

Sumali was busy at her worktable, fiddling with test tubes, flasks, and crucibles.

Her long, slender, and fair hands distributed various medicinal herbs, tossing them into the bubbling boiling water. A wisp of eerie blue flame occasionally flashed between her fingertips, illuminating the withered, dry herbs.

Her graceful figure, shrouded in a brown robe, resembled that of a witch.

Liu Xingmo also moved a chair and followed him into the workshop. He wanted to read by the light of the lamp.

Records of Tortoises and Soft-shelled Turtles

A worn-out handwritten book, its pages stained, the handwriting somewhat illegible, the language and grammar rather archaic, yet revealing a deep affection for turtles.

Liu Xingmo adopted the same approach he used when learning classical Chinese in his previous life, copying and translating at the same time. When he encountered difficulties, he would consult the thick, brick-like dictionaries.

The workshop was very quiet.

After finishing her chores, Sumari waited for the medicinal extract to settle and be fully extracted.

She looked at the man in the corner of the room.

The young man's face held a focus beyond his years. His eyes were fixed on the yellowed ancient book, extracting valuable knowledge from the chaotic symbols.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock..."

The medicine in the funnel filter paper dripped into the flask, creating tiny ripples that shimmered with golden light under the lamp.

Time passed by, second by second.

Liu Xingmo, who was hunched over his desk, looked up and stretched.

The book "Records of Tortoises and Soft-shelled Turtles" has been translated, with one whole page remaining and more than ninety pages left.

This book is quite remarkable. The first half provides a brief introduction to various turtle species, from sea turtles to giant tortoises, while the second half details the breeding methods for rare turtles and tortoises.

The author's name is Li Yannian, and he appears to be an ancient person who traveled around the world.

In short, the future growth direction of Baohe Black has basically become clear.

At this moment, Sumali, who was unable to leave the flask, said, "My dear husband, please get me some distilled water."

"Okay, is it from that bucket?"

"That's right."

Liu Xingmo put down his worn-out fountain pen, but he accidentally let the ink leak out from the slightly cracked nib and flow onto the pages of the ancient book.

I tore off a piece of paper and gently wiped away the ink. Thankfully, only two words were smudged.

"Hmm? Something's not right!" Sumali moved the flask away from the flame and strode over. "How come the paper hasn't rotted from such an old book?"

"Hey! That's right..." Liu Xingmo paused, then his eyes lit up, "This plot seems so familiar!"