Gou Zai Xianwu Wenjing Search for Opportunities

"Are there limits to the function of the internal organs?" Lin Yuan asked, puzzled. "How can one increase the upper limit of their digestive capacity?"

"Human strength has its limits, let alone the internal organs," Doctor Meng said, changing the subject. "There are methods, the best being internal cultivation of the internal organs. But you haven't even finished the three realms of external cultivation yet, so take it slowly."

There are six innate realms, three external realms: body tempering, bone forging, and tendon strengthening; and three internal realms: visceral purification, marrow cleansing, and innate realm.

Lin Yuan finally understood: replenishing qi and blood and increasing the efficacy of medicine does not mean that the more good things you eat, the better. Otherwise, your internal organs will not be able to process them, which will have the opposite effect.

"It's difficult for you to raise the upper limit of your internal organs right now, but it's possible to reduce the difficulty of digesting and transforming medicinal diets."

Lin Yuan was overjoyed: "Please teach me, Doctor Meng."

"This requires a Body Tempering Pill! Medicinal herbs have medicinal properties, but also dross and even toxicity. Refining medicinal herbs into pills can remove the impurities and preserve their essence. This essence is also the core, which is easily digested and absorbed by the internal organs. Therefore, the art of alchemy is highly regarded by the Taoist school."

Upon hearing that it was a medicinal pill, Lin Yuan cautiously asked, "Is it expensive?"

Doctor Meng chuckled: "This Body Tempering Pill is only distributed within the Earl's mansion, not sold. It's inaccessible to those who aren't related to the family. Outsiders don't even have the connections to buy it."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan had already given up hope and didn't press the matter further.

"However, if you're in a hurry to break through, there is a way," Doctor Meng said, then whispered, "Ten taels of silver for one pill. One pill is several times stronger than medicinal food. One pill a day will help you break through sooner."

The effects of the Body Tempering Pill are several times greater than they are now. I'm just one step away from breaking through. If I use the pill, it probably won't take more than a month.

Lin Yuan silently calculated that ten taels a day would amount to three hundred taels a month—truly expensive!

This is essentially trading money for time to quickly improve one's strength. However, it's also good because it saves money on ranking and increases the chances of winning in the Autumn Competition.

Investing in yourself is never a bad investment.

"May I ask, doctor, where can I buy it?" Lin Yuan asked earnestly.

At this moment, the young apprentice stepped forward and whispered to Lin Yuan, "Young master, here are some Body Tempering Pills from the Earl's Mansion."

"Is this true?" Lin Yuan suddenly realized that Doctor Meng was reselling the Earl's family's elixirs, which seemed to be a case of collusion between insiders and outsiders.

It's true what they say, it's hard to guard against a thief within your own ranks.

"I will not deceive anyone, young or old," the young medicine boy affirmed.

Lin Yuan then looked at Doctor Meng.

Doctor Meng nodded and said, "Young Master Lin, don't worry, you can take three pills to try first."

"Thank you very much, Dr. Meng!"

"No need to be so polite. I only did this because I saw how diligent and hardworking you are, and I couldn't bear to see you stagnate. If it were anyone else, I certainly wouldn't have mentioned it." Doctor Meng then instructed, "Remember, do not spread this matter."

Lin Yuan clasped his hands in greeting, bought three Body Tempering Pills for thirty taels of silver, and also bought a porcelain bottle for one tael of silver.

Before leaving, Lin Yuan inquired about the precautions and learned that the Body Tempering Pill could be taken separately from the Body Tempering Diet. He would take the pill in the morning and the medicine at night to maximize the medicinal effect.

The next day.

Lin Yuan arrived at the small peach grove early in the morning.

The Red Instructor arrived early today, seemingly still fuming from yesterday, her long whip waving wildly as if she were starving.

Lin Yuan immediately took out a small porcelain bottle, took out a Body Tempering Pill, and swallowed it with cool boiled water from a bamboo tube.

The reason he did this was because he was worried that if the Red Instructor arrived too late and there was no long whip to enhance his skills, he would have difficulty fully refining the medicinal power and would have wasted his money.

His money didn't come from thin air; he had to be very careful with his spending.

Instructor Hong glanced at the dark blue-green body-tempering pill, narrowed his eyes, and slightly curled the corners of his mouth, suddenly becoming interested.

Just as Lin Yuan stood up on the barricade, a whip lashed out.

"Snapped!"

Lin Yuan instantly entered a state of high-frequency battle terror. He suddenly realized that he wasn't in much pain today and had actually endured it. So he continued practicing his stance and entered a state of selfless martial arts practice.

The force and aftereffects of this whip were perfectly controlled, allowing him to maintain his focus on martial arts practice even in a state of high-frequency trembling.

The effect of immersing oneself in martial arts training combined with a high-frequency state of fear is greater than the sum of its parts.

His internal organs rapidly absorbed the medicinal power into his blood and qi. His blood and qi, now at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm, flowed abundantly, accelerating the circulation of the medicinal power and nourishing his entire body.

Under the superposition of the two states, the skin, flesh, muscles and bones of the whole body continuously consume the nourishment and medicinal power in the blood and qi, and undergo high-frequency tempering and tempering.

The Red Instructor kept circling around him, studying Lin Yuan like an old peach tree, looking for anything else that needed tending.

Whenever his performance dipped, a whip would always come and bring him back into form.

Half an hour of stance training and footwork, half an hour of Taizu Changquan (a style of Chinese martial arts), and an hour of Sheyiquan (another style of Chinese martial arts).

After two hours, Lin Yuan was drenched in sweat and his head was spinning. The medicine had worn off and his energy was depleted, so he simply collapsed to the ground to rest.

This half-day's training is equivalent to several days of hard work, but the price is money and hardship.

This money was well spent. It seems the Body Tempering Pill is genuine. I should continue buying it, even if not for the Autumn Competition, but to become a Martial Master as soon as possible.

At this moment, Coach Hong shook his whip, still staring at him intently. He had thoroughly enjoyed whipping him today, especially seeing the carefully pruned flowers and plants growing vigorously, which filled him with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

After observing her for a while, she smiled, turned around, and left without saying a word.

Lin Yuan was too exhausted to pay attention to her.

Over the next few days, Lin Yuan's life once again reverted to a period of intense, trembling martial arts training.

Coach Hong, like a diligent gardener, tirelessly tends to and prunes Lin Yuan, this little sapling.

Lin Yuan felt increasingly that his skin and flesh were tougher and his bones were stronger. Both his strength and the feeling when he threw a punch were significantly enhanced.

It seems that a breakthrough is just around the corner.

That afternoon.

Lin Yuan and Wu Yong practiced their swordsmanship at the Hu family's house, still using wooden swords.

Now Wu Yong has long since stopped holding back, and even if he goes all out, he can no longer deliver a devastating blow that can overwhelm all opponents.

About half an hour later, the two were still locked in a fierce battle, with neither gaining the upper hand.

In terms of strength, Wu Yongqiang still holds the advantage, but the gap is constantly narrowing.

Even with instruction from Instructor Hong every five days, Wu Yong still couldn't surpass Lin Yuan's Snake-Slaying Saber Technique in swordsmanship.

Lin Yuan privately analyzed the reasons, mainly due to his footwork. Since he started practicing Snake Intent Fist under the guidance of Instructor Hong, he quickly mastered the thirty-six steps of the snake, especially the snake form, which allows him to move around, entangle, and launch surprise attacks.

He mastered the art of hit-and-run tactics, always playing to his strengths and avoiding his weaknesses. He avoided direct confrontation with Wu Yong, instead using hit-and-run tactics to wear him down and launching surprise attacks, constantly keeping Wu Yong on the defensive.

However, Wu Yong seemed not to have noticed this, and only believed that it was because Lin Yuan had taken the Body Tempering Pill.

Just then, Wu Yong stepped out of the battle and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Let's stop fighting! Junior Brother Lin, the effects of your Body Tempering Pill are indeed powerful; you can now fight me on equal footing."

Lin Yuan clasped his hands in a fist and asked with a smile, "Senior Brother Wu, why aren't you using the Body Tempering Pill?"

"Who said I don't need it?" Wu Yong immediately retorted, then explained, "I used it when I broke through to the Bone Forging Realm last time. I didn't tell you before because I was afraid you'd overthink it. Actually, I don't use it often; I only use it when I'm stuck in a certain realm. Using it too much would waste the medicinal power."

As he finished speaking, his voice trailed off, sounding somewhat lacking in confidence, clearly not befitting the extravagant and wasteful style of a scion of a powerful family.

Over the past six months, Lin Yuan had gradually heard that Wu Yong's father had gotten into some trouble, which caused him to lose face for the family and make it impossible for him to stay in the Wu family. That's why Wu Yong followed his mother to seek refuge with his maternal family, the Li family. Because his father had lost face, the Li family did not accept him into the inner martial arts hall of the Earl's Mansion, but for the sake of his mother, they placed him in the outer martial arts hall of the ancestral home.

Adversity can destroy a person's will, but it can also ignite a person's fighting spirit; Wu Yong belongs to the latter.

"Senior Brother Wu is right. Once I break through to the Bone Forging Realm, I won't need to anymore." Lin Yuan never asked about his past, but simply sparred with him in fist and sword techniques, progressing together and complementing each other perfectly.

Seeing that the topic had been steered away, Wu Yong smiled and said, "Junior Brother Lin, don't forget what I told you earlier. Tomorrow morning we're going to the Guanchao Tea House in the county town to meet that group of people. Please invite Senior Brother Li along as well."

"Don't worry, Senior Brother Wu, how could I forget something so important? I sent someone to the pavilion at noon to deliver a message. If I don't receive a reply by tonight, I'll go to Senior Brother's house to look for him."

That's good.

The two agreed, rested for a while, and then began a new round of boxing practice.