Chapter 219: Chapter 152: Vein Tempering 2

’I’ll just have to endure it for my future’s sake.’

A full hour passed before he felt the initial wave of physical enhancement subside.

"Phew!" Lü Zhong let out a long sigh. He glanced at the dumbstruck Bai Ling beside him and, with a wave of his hand, pulled her into the tub. Now that the initial wave of the medicine’s effects had passed, there was no longer any need to force himself to endure.

After an hour of Vein Tempering and adding more water seven times, the medicinal liquid finally became as clear as water. This meant the potency of the Vein Tempering Formula was completely spent.

Lü Zhong sat cross-legged in the tub, closing his eyes to carefully sense the benefits of his first medicinal bath.

After this tempering, parts of his meridians had already developed a crystalline texture. Although it was just a tiny, insignificant amount, it did not escape the observation of his Divine Sense.

He swallowed a Pill and completed one Grand Circulation of his energy.

Lü Zhong suddenly stopped circulating his qi, his eyes flying open with a look of pure ecstasy.

’It’s working! It’s really working!’

Comparing his cultivation speed before and after the medicinal bath, he noticed a definite change. To quantify it, his speed had increased by roughly one-tenth of a percent.

’If I soak a few more times, the effect should become even more pronounced.’

At this thought, Lü Zhong glanced at the unconscious Bai Ling beside him. A wry smile touched his lips as he muttered under his breath, "Next time, I absolutely have to add a Sinking Yin Lotus. Otherwise, this is going to get someone killed."

With his cultivation prospects looking up, he was too excited to sleep.

He spent the entire night meditating and practicing Qi Refining, and soon it was dawn.

Lü Zhong was still full of vigor, without a trace of fatigue.

He walked to the Central Courtyard and had breakfast with Li Hejun.

As they ate, they discussed the business at the Talisman Shop.

"Business at the shop has been booming lately. Perhaps seeing how popular we’ve become, three Immortal Masters have visited, one after another. They want to sell their Talismans on consignment in our shop. What do you think?" Li Hejun asked as she served Lü Zhong a bowl of Wontons and handed it to him.

"Have their Talismans been appraised for quality? The shop... SLURP... we’re only going for high-end products from now on. Even if we’re trying to expand our selection, we can’t just accept any piece of junk from any random cultivator!" Lü Zhong said, his words muffled. He paid no mind to the decorum expected of a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, inhaling a meat-filled Wonton the size of a chicken egg in one go.

"Yes, I’ve already had an Appraiser look them over. One of them makes Golden Light Talismans that could be considered high-quality." Li Hejun took a Golden Light Talisman from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

Lü Zhong polished off the bowl of Wontons, still feeling unsatisfied.

He spared it a glance and saw the quality wasn’t terrible. It even had some redeeming features.

Although it couldn’t compare to the Golden Light Talismans he crafted, it wouldn’t look out of place on the shelves.

"Alright. Find some time to sign a Spirit Contract with him." Lü Zhong accepted another bowl of Wontons from a serving girl and began devouring them one by one.

One’s appetite would skyrocket for a while after Body Refining. Thankfully, he’d had the foresight to give instructions ahead of time. Otherwise, he’d probably be gnawing on dry Spirit Rice right now just to appease the black hole of hunger in his stomach.

"Is there anything else?"

"Well, there is something..." Li Hejun hesitated for a moment before continuing, "My Lord, an Immortal Master has taken an interest in Manqi. He wants to buy her freedom so they can marry. And Manqi... from what I can tell, she’s willing."

"What?" Lü Zhong froze mid-motion. ’Who is this brave soul?’ he thought.

’You’d never know unless you raised one just how... uniquely gifted Barbarians are.’

After a few months of good food and drink, Manqi had shot up in height. She now stood a full fifteen feet tall.

’The expression "dating a big girl" doesn’t even begin to cover it.’

Seeing the panic on Hejun’s face, he realized she had misunderstood him. "Don’t worry," he explained patiently. "I’m just a little shocked, that’s all. Tell me more about this man. If they’re truly in love, I have no problem with Manqi leaving to be with him."

"Yes..." Li Hejun nodded and began to explain.

It turned out to be a budding romance born from a chance encounter.

On one side, a young apprentice from the Artifact Refining Square; on the other, a Barbarian handmaiden from the household of a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator.

After listening to the story, Lü Zhong thought, ’What a damn cliché. I can’t believe I’m running into a plot like this!’

’Fine. Since even Hejun thinks the man is alright, I suppose it wouldn’t be right of me to stand in the way of true love.’

’It’s just that without her, there’ll be no one in the house to do the heavy lifting.’

’Oh well,’ Lü Zhong thought. ’I’ll just have to make a trip to the market when I have time.’ He downed another bowl of Wontons, then grabbed yet another large bowl and kept eating.

In the middle of his meal, he also remembered to ask about Bai Ling’s condition.

She wasn’t in any danger, just completely drained. She would need a month or two of rest to recover.

After a moment’s thought, Lü Zhong instructed Li Hejun to take some Spirit Stones from their accounts and buy some Spiritual Objects that could restore one’s vitality, so Bai Ling could properly recover.

...

After eating his fill, Lü Zhong left the house, hailed a Beast Vehicle, and quickly headed toward the inner ring of the city.

After getting that Silver Plate, he had started asking around and soon heard that there was an old cultivator in the city who specialized in teaching Silver Tadpole Script. Anyone could learn it for a fee of five hundred Spirit Stones.

He had already paid the tuition fee, so today he was going for his first formal lesson.

Lü Zhong’s decision to learn the Silver Tadpole Script wasn’t just to prevent the secret of the Silver Plate from leaking out. He was also preparing for his future expedition to Chenyuan Palace. Generations of cultivators who had explored the site had confirmed that traces of Silver Tadpole Script were abundant within the Ancient Secret Realm, making it essential to master the language.

The Chenyuan Palace Secret Realm wouldn’t open for another six years, which was more than enough time for him to learn the Silver Tadpole Script.

Soon, he arrived before a cave residence and handed his visiting card to the attendant at the door.

Other cultivators were also waiting outside. Like Lü Zhong, they were here to learn the script.