Hiss...

A series of hissing sounds came from the bed. Luo Chen felt the cool, tingling, and slightly itchy sensation coursing through his body, and it was surprisingly pleasant.

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Just now, he had poured a drop of the meridian repair liquid given by Mi Shuhua into a bowl of water and drank it.

He had to admit, the effect was quite remarkable.

Under the enhancement of his Spirit Eyes, he could vaguely observe the repair of his deep internal meridians. The process wasn't fast, but it was steady.

"I wonder how much this stuff would sell for on the open market…" he murmured, gently corking the bottle and tucking it away with utmost care. "One drop a day—any more would be a waste."

The higher one climbed in the cultivation realm, the more support pills and elixirs became necessities. Back during the earlier stages of Qi-Refining, a bottle or two of qi-nourishing pills had been more than enough. But now—now, entering the late stages and brushing up against Foundation Establishment—it was an entirely different story.

On the contrary, Foundation Establishment cultivators, who laid the groundwork for the Great Dao, went to great lengths to refine their bodies for the breakthrough to the Core Formation Realm. And for every part of that journey, there existed specialized elixirs.

"To think I can enjoy the benefits of this kind of medicine now... I really owe it to Mi Shuhua," Luo Chen muttered with a wry smile.

Stretching, he leaned back into the bed and began to organize his cultivation schedule for the next month.

First things first—no more practicing the Long Spring Art, at least not for a while. Absorbing external spirit energy too aggressively would only aggravate his meridian damage. He would need to take it easy, giving his body time to heal.

As for pills, he could still take them in moderation. He had a stash of qi-nourishing pills purchased from the Spirit Herb Pavilion and several bottles of the Jade Essence pills he had personally refined.

Unfortunately, the effects of those pills had begun to dull. The effects of the previous medicinal power, which had supported his advancement to the seventh stage of Qi-Refining were no longer as effective as before.

It seemed that the rumored medicinal resistance had appeared.

"Calculating carefully, I haven't consumed more than fifty bottles of qi-nourishing pills, just a few hundred pills in total, and yet medicinal resistance has already set in.

"The claim that a thousand bottles of qi-nourishing pills could forge a cultivator to Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining is nothing more than a myth.

"Of course, it might also be because I haven't stopped consuming them continuously. If I had used them intermittently, perhaps the resistance wouldn't have appeared so soon."

The qi-nourishing pills' potency was no longer as strong as before, and the mid-grade Jade Essence pills retained only half their usual effectiveness. However, since resistance had not yet developed for the Jade Essence pills, they could still be taken occasionally.

Still, the Jade Essence pills had side effects; excessive consumption could lead to dantian jade transformation, something he had to keep in mind.

Given this, his cultivation speed this month was unlikely to progress much.

However, Luo Chen's Long Spring Art had reached the Grandmaster level, granting it an automatic recovery effect. Given that, it was time to shift his focus.

If he couldn't advance his realm for now, he would turn his attention elsewhere.

He opened the status panel.

[Status Panel]

Name: Luo Chen

Lifespan: 27/75

Spirit Roots: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth

Realm: Qi-Refining Realm Stage Seven (1/100)

Achievement Points: 24

[Techniques]

Long Spring Art: Grandmaster (927/1000)

[Spells]

Fireball: Perfected Mastery

Wind-Control: Grandmaster (670/1000)

Traction: Grandmaster (800/1000)

Entangle: Grandmaster (510/1000)

Spirit Eyes: Grandmaster (521/1000)

Cleanse: Perfection (350/500)

Spirit Suppression: Perfection (312/500)

Heal: Skilled (115/200)

[Alchemy]

Jade Fracture: Beginner (97/100)

Unadorned Heart: Beginner (13/100)

[Martial Arts]

Carefree Wander: Grandmaster (910/1000)

Mountain Cleaving Monument Breaking Palm: Perfection (350/500)

Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers: Beginner (81/100)

[Skills]

First-tier Alchemist

It had been some time since Luo Chen had last thoroughly reviewed his status panel. Now, as his eyes scanned the familiar interface, several notable changes caught his attention.

First, a new section had appeared—Martial Arts—where Carefree Wander and a few other mundane techniques were now neatly categorized. This wasn't surprising; after all, these martial arts didn't significantly enhance his combat prowess and were mostly a means of earning achievement points.

Another addition was a newly created Alchemy section, likely the result of his ongoing deep study of

The Treatise on Green Origin Pills

. It was gratifying to see his focus and efforts taking form.

"Without realizing it, I've already accumulated twenty-four achievement points," Luo Chen murmured, his eyes gleaming faintly with interest. "Maybe… I could try using them to unlock one of those incomplete alchemy recipes?"

His thoughts wandered to the

Spirit Passage pill

—an obscure alchemical formula Mi Shuhua had once passed to him. If consumed, it was said to strengthen the foundation of one's divine soul.

But after a moment of contemplation, Luo Chen decided to put it aside for now.

After all, the main ingredients for the Spirit Passage pill were somewhat peculiar, and purchasing them in large quantities would inevitably attract attention. That was a risk he couldn't afford at the moment.

Better to save those achievement points for now!

Without solidifying his position, he needed to remain cautious in his actions.

Luo Chen's gaze fell on the spells and martial arts that were on the verge of leveling up, most notably the Spirit Suppression!

A glint of determination flashed across his eyes.

"This month, I'll focus all my spare time on refining these spells," he muttered.

"If I can push all of them to the next level, my overall battle power will surge. And that, in turn, will help me earn even more achievement points."

***

That day, Luo Chen remained close to Crescent Moon Valley, avoiding the depths of the Howling Moon Mountain Range. Instead, he practiced in a quiet clearing not far from the valley's rear cliffs.

A lone figure flickered through the sky.

Sometimes twisting and turning, other times leaping several meters like an arrow released from a bow. At times, he would descend slowly, floating like a drifting autumn leaf, only to suddenly surge upward again as if caught by a gust of wind.

Then, he came to a gentle stop in mid-air.

Suspended above the ground, Luo Chen's eyes narrowed with contemplation.

It's finally reached Perfected Mastery.

After half a month of diligent training, his mundane lightness skill, Carefree Wander, had reached its peak. The enhancement brought by Perfected Carefree Wander was the ability to circulate inner energy. In other words, even when his stamina was nearly depleted, he could generate bursts of vital energy, allowing him to soar once more through the heavens and earth.

However, with a spell like the Wind-Control, this impressive effect seemed rather redundant.

"I guess I got my hopes up for nothing," Luo Chen muttered with a self-deprecating laugh.

Still, he didn't consider it a waste. "If I ever run out of spirit energy in a fight, this might just save my life."

Besides, reaching Perfected Mastery had earned him an achievement point. That alone made it worthwhile.

What's more, the synergy between Carefree Wander and Wind-Control was evident—his flying speed had increased by nearly thirty percent. With both combined, his agility in the air now far outclassed even those late stage Qi-Refining cultivators who relied on enchanted flying artifacts.

In terms of short bursts and close-quarters movement, he was practically unrivaled. There was a real sense of "carefree freedom" to his every step, as if he could step through the air and walk across the sky.

If the Wind-Control also reached Perfected Mastery, combining the two would undoubtedly result in an even more remarkable ability.

Putting everything else aside, Luo Chen was about to max out his skill in escaping.

Luo Chen dismissed Carefree Wander for the moment and used only the Wind-Control Seal on the way back, deliberately building his muscle memory and increasing his proficiency through repetition.

Soon enough, Crescent Moon Valley came into view once more. As he landed lightly by the outer path, a voice called out to him.

"Luo Chen! Here, this was sent over by the Gang Leader. See if it fits."

Murong Qinglian stood nearby, holding out a soft, snow-white coat lined with thick fur.

Looking at the pure white, fluffy coat in her hands, Luo Chen was a little surprised. "The gang even hands out clothes?"

As he spoke, he put on the coat.

Murong Qinglian watched from the side, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes.

What a striking appearance!

He looked like a graceful gentleman, exuding elegance and handsomeness. The coat draped over him like it belonged there, its snowy-white fur accentuating his lean figure and noble bearing.

Perhaps due to his recent injuries, his focus on practicing spells, and his dedication to alchemy, he had shed some of his earlier worldly demeanor, now exuding a calm and detached aura.

The youthful sharpness that once hinted at a roguish charm had faded.

Now, he carried himself with a calm, detached poise, reminiscent of a noble scion or a refined inner disciple of a prestigious sect.

"You sustained hidden injuries during your breakthrough, didn't you?" Murong Qinglian said softly, watching him. "You shouldn't be exposed to the cold, so the Gang Leader had this demonic fox coat made for you."

Her voice was gentle, almost motherly, as she continued. "The climate here is warm for most of the year, but winter comes eventually. Once the mountain passes freeze, the temperature drops quickly. With this coat, you won't have to expend your spirit power just to keep warm."

Luo Chen, listening to her ramble, felt warmth rising not just from the coat, but from his heart, both emotionally and physically.

He smiled faintly. "The stitching is impressive. So fine I didn't even notice it at first. And the material… this is excellent work. If someone added a few formation scripts, this wouldn't be any worse than a low-grade enchanted robe."

He nodded in appreciation, both at the craftsmanship and the thoughtfulness behind it. Inwardly, he gave Mi Shuhua a silent thumbs-up.

The old man was thoughtful!

Murong Qinglian smiled and said, "The gang is planning to start a new business, using the scattered beast hides brought back from hunts by the combat halls to make coats. It could bring in a decent income during the winter."

"Is that so?" Luo Chen raised a brow.

She sighed, glancing toward the other female cultivators working in the valley. "The Medicine Hall has more women than any other hall. Once winter sets in, medicinal herbs become scarce, and we don't have much to do. We need to find them some income-generating activities."

She reached out and gently adjusted the collar of Luo Chen's coat. "This one you're wearing… It was stitched by the women of our Medicine Hall. The hide came from a complete demonic fox skin provided by the Gang Leader."

Luo Chen fell silent, lost in thought.

He had lived through the winters of Dahe Market before. Those bitter, snow-bound days were indeed hard to endure.

Once the mountains were sealed in ice, hunting, gathering herbs, and even mining became nearly impossible. Cultivation resources dried up like autumn leaves, and survival itself became a challenge. Many rogue cultivators couldn't survive such winters. They either stopped cultivating or left their homes to seek livelihoods in warmer markets.

As for him? He'd made it through those harsh months the only way he knew how—by slacking off.

He survived on his self-made fasting concoctions, scraping by day after day. Cultivating had been out of the question. The cold, the hunger, the helplessness—it all returned to him now in flashes.

Thinking back to those days, Luo Chen felt the warmth of the coat on his body and said thoughtfully:

Then he turned to Murong Qinglian and said sincerely, "Sister-in-law, go ahead and fight for it. When the time comes, my Alchemy Hall will definitely support you. I'll also speak with Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen and Brother Wang Yuan. You'll have our backing."

Murong Qinglian's eyes brightened with delight. "Thank you so much. And if the coat ever needs cleaning, you can leave it to the female cultivators in the Medicine Hall."

She was clearly pleased—this was the response she'd been hoping for.

After a bit more small talk and confirming plans to attend the courtyard birthday banquet at the end of the month, Luo Chen took his leave and returned to the Alchemy Hall.

At this time every day, he would return to the Alchemy Hall to oversee the afternoon alchemy work. Jade Essence pills were always scheduled for the mornings—painstaking, high-stakes work. Afternoons, on the other hand, were for the more routine Myriad Wonders pills, and a handful of fasting concoctions.

He still held onto the core technique for the Myriad Wonders pills, never fully passing it down. But for the fasting concoction, he had already shared everything. There was no reason for him to personally manage something with such minimal benefit.

By delegating the tedious tasks, Luo Chen had freed up much more of his time.

He stood before the gathered apprentices like a commander before his troops.

"Mi Li, you're in charge of the main alchemy room today," he said.

"Tang Quan, you'll handle the smaller furnace.

"The rest of you, cooperate fully. I want to see how much progress you've made during this time!"

With a single command, the young cultivators bustled into action.

Luo Chen stood outside, his gaze falling on another abandoned alchemy room, frowning deeply.

Leaving an alchemy room unused is such a waste. It not only limits my proficiency but also reduces the pill output, and that affects my dividends!

No, I need to get Mi Shuhua to buy a new alchemy furnace!

It had been a while since he last reaped any effortless benefits and after donning the new coat today, that urge stirred within him again.

For a moment, Luo Chen couldn't resist the itch in his hands.