The morning sun hung high, its rays piercing through the frost-covered trees as training ca to an end. I stood in the courtyard, drenched in sweat, steam rising in the cool air of winter.
My muscles ached, my breath ca in labored gulps, but there was a strange vitality coursing through .
Elder Ming walked up to , leaning on his staff, his sharp eyes scanning my posture. “You’ve improved,” he said, his tone asured. “It’s not perfect, but it’s enough.”
I nodded, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Enough to spar without collapsing, at least.”
He snorted, the corner of his lips quirking upward. “Enough to finish this tribulation, perhaps.”
I tilted my head, curiosity piqued. “What do you an?”
He gestured toward the horizon, pointing in the direction of the village outskirts. “The banyan tree,” he said simply. “You’ve reached the point where you should be able to make a dent. One blow, correct? That’s all it takes to break through.”
My stomach tightened. Of course, I knew. The tree was ancient, its roots sprawling across the earth like a web of veins. It had been the focal point of the quest, a symbol of the tribulation’s end. If I could dent the tree, I'd finish the tribulation and be free of this troubleso weight.
I clenched my fist. My fingers trembled slightly, though I wasn’t sure why. The unease that stirred in my chest wasn’t logical. I was stronger now, better prepared. This should have been cause for celebration, not hesitation.
So why was I like this?
“I’ll do it,” I said, forcing a confident nod. “Soon.”
His sharp gaze lingered on for a mont before he nodded. “Good. We'll be able to return to refining the Heavenly Fla Mantra once you do so."
As I turned to leave, I caught Wang Jun and Lan-Yin lounging on the training grounds, their faces flushed from their respective drills. I waved to them. “I’ll see you two later. Going to refine the Golden Bamboo. If I'm blessed by the heavens, I'll have so new pills for the both of you to try!”
"Good luck, don't blow yourself up!" Lan-Yin called out.
I couldn’t help but whistle as I trudged ho, my legs heavy but my spirits light.
Back at the shop, the familiar scent of herbs and parchnt greeted like an old friend. I glanced around, not seeing Tianyi anywhere. But from our bond, I could feel she was sowhere within the periter. Probably training, or doing her own thing. I shook my head, focusing on the task at hand.
I stepped inside, my gaze imdiately drawn to the bedroom. The pieces I had so painstakingly cut and prepared sat in a box.
“This is it,” I murmured, running a hand over the smooth surface of a bamboo segnt. “Ti to experint.”
Hours later, the world outside had dissolved into darkness. The soft glow of lantern light filled the shop, casting long shadows across the walls. My hands moved with practiced precision, grinding, mixing, and heating ingredients. The first attempts had been... less than successful.
I winced, glancing at the charred remnants of one failed batch still smoldering in a corner. “Guess I should note down to never combine Golden Bamboo with Sunfire Blade Grass without stabilizing agents.”
A sharp cough escaped my throat, the lingering effects of accidental poisoning still scratching at my lungs. I’d underestimated the potency of the essence, and the resulting fus had nearly knocked unconscious. Luckily, Tianyi had been nearby to pull out of the shop before I joined the ancestors.
But now, after countless missteps and monts of inspiration, I held success in my hands.
The pill was small but perfect, its surface smooth and glistening like polished amber. It radiated a faint golden light, the energy within it palpable even without direct contact.
I leaned back in my chair, exhaustion washing over in waves. My fingers trembled as I held the pill up to the light, admiring the way it seed to capture and reflect the lantern’s glow.
The Golden Bamboo had lived up to its reputation, though not without testing every ounce of my patience and skill. The process had pushed to my limits, forcing to adapt and innovate in ways I hadn’t anticipated. R̃άɴȪᛒËṡ
Spiritual Herbalism has reached level 7.
I set the pill down carefully, thinking on my next move.
"Hm... Golden Pill of Radiance?" I muttered aloud, turning the vial in my hand. "No, too pompous. Maybe sothing simpler. Bamboo Essence Core? Nah, sounds like sothing you’d find on the discount shelf."
I drumd my fingers on the table, racking my brain for inspiration. The pill glistened under the lantern light, its golden sheen almost mocking .
Every na I thought of sounded either overly dramatic or utterly forgettable.
“This is harder than actually making the pill,” I muttered, rubbing my temples.
At that mont, Tianyi stepped into the room with the top of her hair covered in snow, her wings folding neatly behind her. She glanced at the ss I’d made; ash stains, shattered vials, and a faint scorch mark on the ceiling.
"You made it." she said.
I nodded, gesturing at the pill. “Yeah, but now I’m stuck. What do I even call this thing? Everything I co up with either sounds ridiculous or like sothing soone else already nad.”
Tianyi humd for a mont. She stepped closer, studying the pill for a mont before speaking. “Golden Drop.”
I blinked. “Golden Drop?”
She nodded, her expression calm. “It’s simple. Easy to rember. And it describes what it is.”
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I stared at her, then back at the pill. “Golden Drop, huh?” I turned the na over in my mind. It was straightforward, maybe a little plain, but it rolled off the tongue nicely. And there was a certain elegance to its simplicity.
“You know what?” I said, smiling. “It works. Let’s go with Golden Drop.”
I picked up the pill, holding it between my thumb and forefinger as I turned to her. “Guess that makes you the co-creator of this masterpiece. I’ll make sure to share the glory with you when I reveal it to the world.”
“Your generosity knows no bounds.”
I chuckled, popping the pill into my mouth without hesitation. The mont it touched my tongue, a warm, golden energy coursed through , spreading like sunlight breaking through a foggy morning.
I crossed my legs, closing my eyes as I focused on the surge of power. The Vermilion Lotus Refinent technique humd to life, guiding the energy through my ridians with a newfound ease. But this energy was unlike anything I had experienced before. It wasn’t just replenishing my qi reserves. it was weaving into my body, perating my muscles and bones.
So this was the difference between a regular pill and a body refinent pill.
Each inhale drew the energy deeper, and the technique’s purification process accelerated to match the intensity of the pill. The essence of the Golden Drop worked in harmony with the Vermilion Lotus Refinent, amplifying the speed and efficiency of purification beyond what I thought possible.
Was it extrely compatible with my physique?
My entire being felt alive, vibrant, as though every cell had been ignited with a golden fla.
Ti slipped away unnoticed. Minutes? Hours? I couldn’t tell. My focus remained sharp, every ounce of my will dedicated to controlling the flow of energy. It was strong; surpassing the potency of my share of the beast core elixir. The impurities within my body, which I thought I had already dealt with, surged to the surface with alarming potency.
The first breakthrough ca with a crackling sensation that rippled through my muscles. My body surged with strength as the refinent reached its peak.
Body has advanced to Qi Initiation Realm - Rank 2.
The notification was almost secondary to the sensation itself. My physical form felt more robust, like steel tempered through countless hamr blows. The weight of the Black Tortoise shell which pervaded every movent, felt less of a burden than before. But the energy didn’t stop there; it pushed further, deeper into my dantian.
The Vermilion Lotus Refinent roared, a crimson flower blooming within the swirling currents of qi. My reserves expanded, the energy condensing and purifying with startling efficiency. I felt the threshold looming, the line between one stage and the next. After all the pills I consud to keep myself afloat during the tribulation, the Golden Drop was the final component I needed to breakthrough.
And with a final surge, I crossed it.
Qi has advanced to Essence Awakening Realm - Rank 1.
The difference was imdiate and profound. My dantian pulsed with a newfound depth.
But then, the inevitable ca.
A wave of black sludge erupted from my pores, the impurities expelled by the pill’s purification. The stench hit like a brick wall, a putrid, acrid scent that made my stomach churn.
I gagged, covering my nose with my sleeve.
“Not again...”
I opened my eyes, only to see the horrifying extent of the ss. Thick, black sludge coated the floor around , steaming faintly in the lantern light. It seeped into the cracks of the wood, staining the planks with its foul residue.
My jaw dropped. “No, no, no! This is going to stain everything!”
Scrambling to my feet, I nearly slipped on the viscous sludge. My robes were ruined, sticky with the tar-like substance. I stumbled to grab a rag, only to realize the futility of cleaning this ss with re cloth.
“Tianyi!” I called out, half-panicked. “Get a bucket. Or ten! This is a disaster!”
Silence.
I paused, wiping the sweat—and sludge—off my forehead with a sleeve that was already beyond saving. Reaching out with my senses, I tried to locate Tianyi through our bond. There was no panic, no urgency in her emotions. Just calm focus, tinged with curiosity.
But she wasn’t nearby. In fact, she was far; much farther than I’d expected her to be at this hour. What was she doing? My brows furrowed, but without any distress from her end, I decided against calling her back.
“Great,” I muttered, grabbing an old bucket from the corner. “Looks like this disaster is mine to deal with.”
With a sigh, I set to work. The black sludge had already begun to dry in patches, its pungent stench thickening the air.
"Where'd I put that soap from Bai Hua... There it is!"
Every scrub with the rag felt like a battle against so malevolent entity that had decided my shop floor was its final resting place. The wood creaked under the strain of my efforts, and I muttered a silent apology to the floorboards.
Hours passed. The first hints of dawn crept through the windows, painting the walls with a pale, golden light. My muscles burned from the constant scrubbing, yet my energy remained strangely unflagging. I hadn’t slept—not even a minute—but I didn’t feel tired. If anything, I felt... alive.
Body refinent must’ve done more than I thought, I mused, rinsing the rag in murky water. Yet even with my enhanced stamina powering my efforts, the sll lingered like a stubborn ghost, refusing to leave no matter how much soap I used.
A knock at the door jolted from my thoughts. I stood, groaning slightly as I stretched my back, and trudged over to answer it. Jian Feng stood there, his green sect robes immaculate as always, a stark contrast to my sludge-covered, sweat-drenched self.
"Kai—"
Jian Feng paused, his sharp eyes taking in my appearance and the faint acrid sll wafting out of the shop. His nose scrunched up ever so slightly before he quickly smoothed his expression, likely out of etiquette.
I'd never live this down. He's going to tell this to the rest of the disciples and I'll lose face. They'll start addressing as Stinky Kai, Master of the Olfactory Arts. Or the Pungent Prodigy. Or—
“Kai,” he said, inclining his head slightly and breaking out of my spiraling thoughts. “There’s sothing urgent you need to see.”
I leaned against the doorfra, trying not to groan too loudly. “Can it wait? This stain's going to be permanent if I leave it.”
He shook his head, his expression grave. “No. This is not sothing to delay.”
The urgency in his tone made my heart skip a beat. I hesitated for a mont, then nodded, stepping back inside to grab a fresh cloak. As I moved, I glanced over my shoulder.
“Tianyi—” I started, but stopped short, rembering she wasn’t nearby. My bond with her still pulsed with calm focus, reassuring that she wasn’t in any imdiate danger. But why was she so far from the shop this early?
Jian Feng’s gaze followed mine, but he said nothing, his posture patient yet firm.
“I’ll co. Just give a minute to wash off and change.”
After getting dressed in one of my old robes and the Iron Boar cloak, the second-class disciple turned sharply on his heel, his steps brisk as I followed him down the frost-laden path. The cold air was refreshing after the stifling ss I’d been dealing with, but the unease in my chest only grew as we approached the village outskirts.
“What’s this about?” I asked, quickening my pace to match his.
Jian Feng’s expression remained neutral, but the slight tension in his posture betrayed the gravity of the situation. “You’ll see soon enough,” he said, his voice steady but clipped. “I suggest you prepare yourself.”
Not ominous at all.
My gut churned as we passed through the village, the frosty morning air biting at my face. The early morning light was weak, struggling to push back the dimness that clung to the village like a shroud. Frost coated the ground in a thin layer of silver, crunching faintly beneath our boots as Jian Feng led toward the outskirts. The air was cold enough to bite, but it was the quiet—the heavy, uneasy silence—that made my skin crawl.
Most of the villagers were still asleep, their hos dark save for the occasional flicker of lantern light. Even the usual sounds of livestock stirring or carts creaking were absent, leaving the air thick with an eerie stillness.
I caught sight of Elder Ming standing at the center. His face was a mask of grim contemplation as he spoke to several Verdant Lotus Sect disciples. They were gathered in a tight circle and spoke in low, hurried tones, their breaths visible in the cold air. Lanterns swayed in their hands, casting shifting light over the ground.
But it wasn’t him or the disciples that drew my attention.
It was the massive corpse sprawled out in the snow.
I stopped in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat.
My breath hitched. The beast was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Its fur was jet-black, its stripes so faint they were barely visible. Even in death, it exuded an aura of power, its muscular fra taut and imposing. The sheer size of it reminiscent to the Wind Serpents that attacked Qingmu.
“What... what is this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Jian Feng stopped beside , folding his arms. “A black tiger,” he said. “A spirit beast of considerable strength. They are rare, even in the deepest forests. This one...” He gestured to the tiger’s lifeless form. “This one is larger than any I’ve ever heard of. Probably the leader of its pack.”
I stepped closer, the scent of blood and decay sharp in the cold air. My eyes were drawn to the gaping wound in its side—three deep claw marks that had torn through muscle and exposed the ribcage. Blood had frozen in jagged streaks around the injury, the snow beneath it stained a dark crimson.
“This killed it?” I murmured, crouching to examine the wounds.
Jian Feng nodded grimly. “It was found just beyond the outskirts of the forest, already dead when our patrols ca upon it. To think sothing could drive a beast like this from its depths and leave it like this...” He trailed off, his expression dark
Elder Ming’s voice carried over. “There has been no sighting of a beast of this size or caliber in this area since I beca Village Head,” he said. “Such a creature would not leave the forest lightly, nor would it fall so easily. Whatever did this forced it out of its domain and killed it without rcy.”
If sothing powerful enough to kill a black tiger had entered the outskirts of the forest, it ant danger was closer to the village than anyone was prepared for.
My eyes drifted back to the claw marks. They were brutal, precise—far too similar to the ones I’d seen before. My hand unconsciously brushed the edge of my Iron Boar cloak, the mory of the Iron Claw Sect’s discovery flashing through my mind. The markings matched exactly.
There was a predator in the shadows.
The connections clicked in my mind like pieces of a puzzle, and a chill ran down my spine. Before I could voice my thoughts, the crowd parted, and Tianyi appeared, her face pale and her wings fluttering in agitation. Her usual calm was replaced by a visible worry that made my chest tighten.
“Kai,” she said, her voice steady but strained. “Windy didn’t return last night.”
The blood drained from my face. “What?”
She nodded, her expression grim. “I went looking for him. I found a den of snakes. They told he left... to challenge a ‘shadow’ in the forest.”
My heart skipped a beat. Windy. The reckless, stubborn serpent had gone into the forest alone, knowing full well the dangers that lurked within.
I didn’t hesitate. Turning sharply, I started toward the forest. The icy air stung my face, but I barely noticed. My heart pounded, and my mind raced.
“Kai!” Jian Feng called after . “What are you doing?”
“To bring him back,” I said over my shoulder, my voice hard. “Whatever’s in that forest, it’s not taking him from .”
Tianyi fell into step beside , her wings folding tightly against her back.
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