Chapter 116: Fusion And Unexpected Gains (I)

After receiving the silver, Lin Zheyu disguised himself before stepping out. He was purchasing a rather large quantity of herbs this time, enough to attract unwanted attention, so a disguise was the safer choice.

However, he was not skilled in disguise techniques, so he simply changed into a loose robe, stuck a full beard on his face, and darkened his skin tone. The simple disguise made him look very different from his usual self. Anyone who was not well acquainted with him would have a hard time recognizing him.

Climbing over the courtyard wall to avoid prying eyes, Lin Zheyu made his way to Jihe Hall.

"Shopkeeper, I want as much as you have of every herb listed here," said Lin Zheyu in a deep, heavy voice.

He handed over a prescription listing all the herbs needed for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction, with precise quantities for each. He often came here to buy herbs, though each visit was for a different prescription.

"Please wait a moment, sir. I will prepare the herbs right away," said the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up with a smile when he saw the prescription. All of these were premium herbs, each one extremely expensive. He looked Lin Zheyu up and down, sensing a hint of familiarity in the stranger's face, though he could not recall where he had seen him before.

"Hurry up. Are you worried I can't pay?" Lin Zheyu snapped coldly. He pulled 20 taels of gold from his robe and laid them out in a neat row.

"Yes, yes, please wait, sir. I will get them right away," the shopkeeper stammered. He dared not look Lin Zheyu over any further.

Whoever this man was did not matter to him, as long as he was willing to pay. With merchant caravans in the city increasing lately, strangers were a common sight, and the shopkeeper had grown used to it. It was only because of that faint sense of familiarity that he had looked a few times too many.

Half an hour later, thirteen sets of herbs were neatly arranged on the table.

"Sir, this is all we have in stock. The herbs you're buying are extremely rare and expensive. Few people purchase them, so our inventory is limited. If you need more, you can return in three days," said the shopkeeper.

"Alright then. Calculate how much everything is," said Lin Zheyu as he gathered the herbs.

After settling the payment and storing the herbs in the secret chamber at home, he set out again for other pharmacies. For three consecutive days, he visited every major pharmacy in Songyi City. The herbs used in the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction were precious and scarce, so most pharmacies carried only small amounts. Even after searching the entire city, he managed to purchase only 88 sets. As for the rest, he would have to wait for new stock to arrive before buying more.

"This money disappears fast. Over a thousand taels of silver spent in just a few days... Fuck," muttered Lin Zheyu.

Yesterday, Chen Xihong returned. Upon hearing that Lin Zheyu had found a leg technique capable of reaching the third transformation of blood qi, he grew interested and spent 800 taels of silver to buy it. Now, after buying the herbs, Lin Zheyu's savings were just over 1000 taels.

Time to advance. I'll push my strength straight to the second transformation of blood qi,

thought Lin Zheyu.

Several days later, he had accumulated another unit of Origin Force, bringing his total to eleven units available for use. To push the Golden Goose Technique through the seventh stage and into the second transformation of blood qi, he needed nine units of Origin Force. He would still have some left over even after the breakthrough.

After reaching the first transformation of blood qi, each unit of Origin Force consumed roughly the medicinal energy of six sets of the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction to advance further.

Lin Zheyu took out fifty-four packets of medicinal powder and poured them all into a wooden basin. It was his first time using so many herbs at once. If he were to boil them into a decoction, it would require tremendous effort. The volume of fifty-four packets was substantial, filling nearly two-thirds of the basin. He poured in water and stirred the mixture with his hand, turning the powder in the basin into a paste-like mush.

"

Uh...

It's turned into mush."

He paused to think, worried that this method might not allow full absorption of the medicinal energy, and fetched another wooden basin from inside. He poured half of the paste into the second basin, added fresh water to both, and stirred them again. This time, the consistency looked better. He placed both hands into the basins and sent forth his thoughts.

Use 9 units of Origin Force to enhance the Golden Goose Technique.

It was Lin Zheyu's first time using so much Origin Force at once. The immense surge of energy that burst forth made him involuntarily let out a groan. The instant the energy surged, his consciousness blurred, and he entered the realm of his inner mind.

Lin Zheyu began an intense session of cultivation. Each unit of Origin Force was equivalent to about a year of rigorous training, five hours each day, without the aid of tonics. With so many units of Origin Force poured in, his Golden Goose Technique in the mental realm had long since reached an extraordinary level of mastery.

At this stage, further improvement in the technique itself was nearly impossible. Continued practice could only refine his blood qi and induce qualitative changes in it. Yet this time was different from before. Since acquiring the Ten Thousand Troop Steps technique, Lin Zheyu had gained new insights and directions for advancing his movement techniques.

As he trained furiously in the Golden Goose Technique within his consciousness, he discovered a new path forward and began gradually integrating the Ten Thousand Troop Steps into it.

In the courtyard, Lin Zheyu's body was undergoing tremendous changes. The vast Origin Force surged outward, drawing forth the medicinal power from the basins and transforming it into energy that streamed into his body.

An endless flow of blood qi was being refined, growing purer under the influence of the mysterious energy, with each unit of blood qi containing increasingly potent power. The stronger his blood qi became, the more formidable his physical body grew. The mysterious energy guided the medicinal power into his limbs, bones, muscles, and tendons, strengthening them further.

A dozen breaths later, Lin Zheyu opened his eyes, his gaze heavy with exhaustion. Using 9 units of Origin Force in one go had nearly overwhelmed him, leaving his spirit weighed down by intense drowsiness and fatigue.

Phew... Using 9 units of Origin Force at once was a bit too much.

Lin Zheyu exhaled deeply. He rubbed his brow and rested for a while before recovering. The medicinal power in both basins was completely depleted, and the blood qi in his body was stronger than ever before.

"

Huh?

" Lin Zheyu glanced at his consciousness panel and let out a startled sound.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 2]

[Skills: Barbaric Ox Fist (Perfection), Sixfold Saber (Initial Mastery: 79%), Golden Goose Technique (Seventh Stage: 2%), Ten Thousand Troop Steps (Fourth Stage: 23%), Poison King Body (First Stage: 0%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 4%)]

Even the Ten Thousand Troop Steps has improved along with it!

A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Lin Zheyu's face. He had already cultivated the Golden Goose Technique to its peak, and any further progress would depend on his own insight and innovation.

After acquiring the Ten Thousand Troop Steps, he gained new inspiration and discovered another path to enhance his movement techniques. Thus, while training in the consciousness space, he unconsciously steered the Golden Goose Technique toward the direction of the Ten Thousand Troop Steps, increasing its agility and close-combat evasion capabilities.

If I keep improving them, I might even be able to fuse the two techniques into an entirely new one!

A complete fusion would be difficult, but integrating Ten Thousand Troop Steps into the Golden Goose Technique while removing conflicting aspects was certainly possible. It would simply require long periods of study, refinement, and relentless training. And time was the one thing he had in abundance. A single unit of Origin Force allowed him to train for roughly a year in that special consciousness space.

Whoosh!

Lin Zheyu moved, vanishing from where he stood. Activating the Golden Goose Technique, he darted swiftly across the courtyard like a phantom. After less than a meter, he changed direction abruptly and continued accelerating. At times, he twisted in midair, leapt forward or back, or darted left and right with movements even more elusive than before. It was impossible to anticipate how he'd move.

Bang!

Lin Zheyu suddenly appeared before a wooden stake, his blood qi surging, and a powerful momentum qi rising from his body as he threw a punch. His fist struck the stake with a deep, thunderous boom.

My strength is nearly double what it was after the first transformation of blood qi,

Lin Zheyu noted to himself.

Each time blood qi underwent a qualitative transformation, the energy contained within each unit increased, and the power it could unleash grew stronger.

After completing his enhancement, he chose not to use the remaining 2 units of Origin Force.

The difficulty of advancement had increased significantly after reaching the seventh stage of the Golden Goose Technique. He estimated that he would need about 12 units of Origin Force to break through to the third transformation of blood qi, the stage where blood qi surged like a tiger.

2 units of Origin Force would not improve his strength much, so there was no need to rush. Having just undergone a breakthrough, his mind was deeply fatigued and needed sufficient rest.

After resting for a while, Lin Zheyu went out to patrol. Even with his promotion, he still had some responsibilities to manage, but Leader Xu had assigned him a deputy, so most of the tasks had been handed over.

"Sir!" Zhen Bin cupped his hands in greeting toward Lin Zheyu.

Over this period, his respect for Lin Zheyu had grown considerably. This Lord Lin was humble and composed. Though Zhen Bin had challenged him many times, Lin Zheyu had always defeated him with ease and had never struck too hard. After each match, Lin Zheyu would even offer him guidance, from which he benefited greatly.

"Nothing unusual lately?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"No, except that the fighting has resumed. More merchant caravans are passing through the city, and things are becoming more chaotic. Rumor has it the rebel army has captured another city, so the people here are growing anxious," said Zhen Bin.

"Alright, carry on then," said Lin Zheyu with a nod.