Chapter 52 - Wind Elephant Pill

It was July 2 of the 97th year in the Hongli Federation Calendar.

Three people in green combat attire—Instructor Lisa, Lisa's teacher, and her master Oumai—visited Cassius in the training room during his punching practice.

All three of them had a very serious expression on their face, the words "Cassius, you're in big trouble," written on their faces. Fortunately, the skinny old man with a white beard who was walking out in front, managed a smile and said, "Li Wei, you are the Wind Elephant Sect’s lucky star!"

Cassius recognized him as the man from the practical ranking in the first time-travel: the deputy head Sam who oversaw the Wind Elephant Sect's medicinal materials and logistics.

Their tones were friendly and pleasant as they probed Cassius for details about the site. The process was smooth, especially as soon as Cassius mentioned that the area was uninhabited. The atmosphere then became even more congenial.

The senior members in green combat attire had large smiles on their faces as Cassius described the Lanxin Grass site. It sounded perfect; an untouched and fertile land just waiting for the Wind Elephant Sect. Currently, the sect only had one or two branches in Black Sand City, but with a precious Lanxin Grass site in their hands, that would surely grow. From this day on, the sect's influence would gradually extend throughout Black Sand City. Moreover, Black Sand City would grow stronger with time, becoming second in importance only to the headquarters in Oak City.

These developments were already in the early planning stages.

In the afternoon, Sam, Master Oumai, Cassius, and the other two senior members hurried down to Oak City and, through their connections, managed to board a freight train.

After three days, at the Oak City train station.

"Oh, these old bones of mine can't take much more of this..." Sam stood on the rectangular platform, tapping his back and complaining. Contrary to his words, however, his face glowed with excitement.

Cassius had spoken the truth. There really was a large patch of undiscovered wild Lanxin Grass, nestled deep in the Beierna Mountains of Black Sand City!

There was enough to provide medicinal supplies for the entire Wind Elephant Sect for roughly two years! But this was only a small part of it. What made it truly valuable was the land as Lanxin Grass was only able to grow due to its environment. As long as that was protected, Lanxin Grass could be artificially cultivated to no end!

Once you learned how to fish, you'd never have to worry about not being able to catch a meal!

In Oak City, the five weary travelers enjoyed a hearty meal that nourished their tired spirits. They didn't return to the Wind Elephant Sect until the afternoon of July 5.

The next day, Cassius received his long-awaited reward. He was usually quite calm but when Lisa placed four boxes in front of him, he couldn't control the wave of excitement washing over him. He knew that Instructor Lisa and Master Oumai had done everything in their power to secure the best possible rewards for him.

"Open them up and take a look. These are rightfully yours," Lisa said, pushing several red boxes of various sizes across the table. Cassius solemnly accepted them and opened the boxes from left to right.

The first box contained a pale yellow sponge pad that held a light blue pill in the center's depression. The smooth surface of the pill gleamed in the bright sunlight. The air was instantly filled with a rich medicinal aroma.

The second box held a familiar, perfectly cut, translucent square paste that Cassius had used before. The third box carried a small bottle that, when shaken, he could hear liquid sloshing from inside. The fourth box was long and narrow. Inside were five purple incense sticks that were about as long and thick as chopsticks.

Cassius only recognized one of the four items, but he guessed that the other three were likely no less valuable than the Hundred Herbs Body Refining Paste. He looked up at Lisa, who was smiling slightly at him.

"I'll explain how to use these items. First, this pill." She pointed to the one in Cassius’s left hand. "This is called the Wind Elephant Pill and it is the most valuable of the four items. Every five years, the Wind Elephant Sect spares no expense and resources to make these pills. If we fail to make these, we lose everything, but if successful, we get three finished pills. It is exceptionally difficult to make this.

"Its purpose is simple. It enhances the constitution of anyone below the realm of a pugilist. It’s especially effective for those under twenty, like you, Li Wei. Your constitution is above average but after taking the Wind Elephant Pill, they might become exceptional! But this, of course, varies from person to person."

Lisa paused, then continued, "Diligence determines the lower limit of a Covert Martial Artist's path, while the quality of their constitution determines the upper limit. If you have great ambitions in martial arts, your constitution being just above average isn't enough. So, I asked my master to get you a Wind Elephant Pill."

"Thank you, Instructor. Thank you, Master."

Cassius was grateful, knowing that without Instructor Lisa and Master Oumai, he might not have gotten this Wind Elephant Pill. It was important to remember that after fulfilling Li Wei’s lingering attachment, all of his improvements could be brought back to his reality.

Lisa smiled and nodded, continuing to explain, "You’ve had the Hundred Herbs Body Refining Paste before, so I won’t explain it in too much detail. Just remember it's most effective the first time you take it. Be prepared for the effects to diminish with each subsequent use. Also, if you want to take full advantage of its benefits, it's best to take it after consuming the Wind Elephant Pill."

Cassius nodded. Lisa pointed to the third item.

"This is Fire Oil. It’s a special potion used to break through barriers. Once you reach the limits of the first stage of Elephant Soul, you’ll hit a bottleneck, and overcoming it can vary from person to person. It might happen as quickly as the next day for some, while others will be stuck there.

"Fire Oil is designed for such a situation. Once you drink it, your blood and qi will be extremely vigorous for the next seven days, greatly increasing your chances of breaking through a bottleneck. The only downside is that the excess qi and blood might cause insomnia."

Lisa then pointed to the last item.

"Calming Incense can really help with training, specifically for Wind Elephant Fist practice. Light a small piece before training, inhale for a while, then put it out. This will improve your clarity of thought, memory, and learning ability. You’ve got five sticks of Calming Incense. If you use them sparingly, they’ll last six months to a year."

After she finished explaining, Lisa couldn’t help emphasizing, "Make sure you use them sparingly and don’t waste them. This Calming Incense isn’t made in the Hongli Federation. The Wind Elephant Sect only imports about a dozen sticks a year, and now you have almost half of them..."

Her tone soured when she remembered that her annual supply was only a thumb’s length, and all of a sudden, Cassius had five sticks.

Perhaps out of courtesy or because he sensed Lisa’s bitterness, Cassius said, "Instructor, why don’t you take some? I don't think I'll use all five."

To his surprise, Lisa didn't look happy at Cassius's offer. She frowned and said coldly, "The things you earn are for you to use, and you alone. Keep the good stuff for yourself! I'm warning you: don’t share these with anyone. You better take them in front of me, or I’ll beat you up!"

"Yes!" Cassius immediately straightened up. As harsh as Instructor Lisa's tone was, he could sense the affection threaded through it.

Yes, affection. Ever since their intense sparring session, Cassius felt that Lisa had been paying more and more attention to him, almost as if he was her sole focus.

Time traveling wasn't some game; Cassius had his goals, but the people around him were real people with real feelings. Lisa’s dedication to Cassius was evident, and Cassius fully respected her as his master.

"Good. I’m glad you understand." Lisa nodded. She told Cassius to wait in the meditation room, and five minutes later, she came back with a round wooden bucket filled to the brim with hot water. She set it down in the corner, some water inevitably splashing on the floor.

She turned to Cassius. "Take the Wind Elephant Pill."

"Okay." Cassius immediately did just that and swallowed it down.

"Take off your clothes. All of it."

"Huh?!" Cassius blinked.

"What do you mean 'huh'? Hurry up and strip! Don’t make me do it for you!"