by D cat
"That is too slow!"
Su Lang pursed his lips, showing a hint dissatisfaction.
Having just indulged himself in the pleasure of leveling up every few hours, Su Lang was no longer patient enough to wait dozens of hours for his next breakthrough.
If the other martial cultivators heard his ridiculous words, who knows how much blood they would cough out?
"How about the Quasi Martial Cultivator Realm? How long will it take until I arrive in that realm?"
Su Lang would have to break through to the Mortal Realm at the very least in order to crush the stronghold of the Broken Axe Hunting Group. However, he would be able to assassinate two Quasi Martial Cultivators by being one himself.
[The Host will need 25 hours to break through to Quasi Martial Cultivator Realm.]
"It's still going to take that long?"
Su Lang revealed a waning frown. The undying resentment he had for the two people who bullied him urged him to exact his revenge as quickly as possible.
However, what methods could he use to increase his strength even faster?
"That's right!"
Su Lang's expression changed as he thought of idea, "I can take just take medicinal pills!"
The only reason he was able to enter the Initial Body Tempering Realm so quickly was because the effects of the medicinal herbs that the original host previously took.
Upon consuming those medicinal pills, his cultivation speed would increase tremendously.
When Spiritual Qi first came into existence, the Azure Star gave birth to many types of natural treasures, which included medicinal herbs of varying rarity.
Through the practice of alchemy, one could turn those medicinal herbs into pills with various effects.
Healing medicine was one of them.
However, medicinal herbs were very precious in this world as they were easily worth more than ten silver coins.
As for medicinal pills, they could be sold at an even higher price. Even the lowest-grade medicinal pill would cost at least one gold coin.
That was equivalent to the monthly salary of an ordinary martial cultivator in the Body Tempering Realm.
"I will go to the City Gate Hall to have a quick look."
Su Lang followed the map and walked towards the main hall.
Although the prices of the items sold in the main hall were slightly higher than the ones sold privately, the prices were clearly marked and the quality was guaranteed.
"Hello, I would like to buy some medicinal pills."
Su Lang arrived at the store selling medicinal pills and said straightforwardly.
"This is the price list for all the items. You may take your time looking through the list."
The staff member handed Su Lang a small booklet.
"Body Tempering Pills, Body Strengthening Pills, Bone Forging Pills.... From the looks of it, the Body Tempering Pill seems to be the best option."
"After consuming the Body Tempering Pill, the user will notice an increase in the speed and efficiency at which they cultivate. The effects of this pill will last for around two hours."
"The quality of the Body Tempering Pill differs according to the one who concocts the pill. Furthermore, the effects of the pill will vary according to the condition and cultivation of its user."
Upon reading its effects, Su Lang shook his head slightly and thought to himself, "The effects of each pill will only last for two hours?"
"Taking into account the cultivation of an ordinary martial cultivator in the Body Tempering realm, two hours was far too short of duration for an item of its price. Even if one does end up buying it, they would simply be throwing away their money."
"Fortunately for me, the effects of the pill will work wonders for me since I have the assistance of the One Click Cultivation System."
Despite being disappointed by the duration of the pill, Su Lang decided that he would still buy it. He then proceeded to look at the prices of the pills.
CHAPTER 12 - CAN'T I EAT IT LIKE CANDY?
[Body Tempering Pill (Low Grade, Tier 2): 5 gold coins...]
[Body Tempering Pill (Middle Grade, Tier 2): 7 gold coins...]
[Body Tempering Pill (High Grade, Tier 2): 12 gold coins...]
Medicinal pills are usually divided among nine different tiers. According to the effects of the pills, they are further separated into six different grades: waste, low, middle, high, supreme, and perfect grade.
Among them, the high-grade pills were already extremely difficult to produce, let alone come by. While those high-grade pills would occasionally appear here and there, perfect-grade pills would only appear once every few years.
"It seems that the best quality pills they sell here are high-grade pills for 12 gold coins each, equivalent to that of half a suite.
Upon seeing the prices of the pills, Su Lang clicked his tongue and reminded himself, "I will have to money on such items. It will all come back when it's all gone anyways."
"Give me five high-grade Body Tempering Pills!"
Su Lang said as he handed the booklet back to the staff member.
However, hen his words fell into the ears of the surrounding people, it immediately stirred up a wave of discussion.
"What? I didn't hear wrongly, right? That guy actually wants to buy five high-grade Body Tempering Pills?"
"That young man actually asked for five high-grade Body Tempering Pills the moment he opened his mouth.... Surely, he has to be joking...."
"Those five pills are worth a total of 60 gold coins. Does that fellow really have that amount of money on hand?"
"Does he not know what gold coins are?"
"..."
Everyone stared at Su Lang as if they were looking at a clown.
"Are you sure you want to buy five high-grade Body Tempering Pills?"
The staff member asked in utter disbelief.
If a well-known, powerful martial cultivator asked to buy such luxuries, he would not be surprised whatsoever.
However, the young man in front of him did not have any Spiritual Qi fluctuating around his body. Thus, he was definitely not a Standard Martial Cultivator. Furthermore, he wore cheap clothes and did not have a single piece of armor on his body.
With a single glance, he could tell that the young man was currently in the Intermediate Body Tempering Realm at best. How could he simply take out 60 gold coins?
"Are 60 gold coins really that much? You guys are just a bunch of poor people."
Su Lang looked at the surrounding people with disdain before taking out 60 gold coins from the system and handing them over to the staff member.
"Woah! He really took out 60 gold coins!"
"What a rich guy! To think that he could take out so much money when he's just in the Body Tempering Realm."
"I must have been blind! That young man is definitely someone from a rich family!"
"Tsk, tsk. He actually took out and used 60 gold coins in the blink of an eye!"
"..."
The surrounding people whom Su Lang had looked down on were so shocked that their jaws dropped to the ground.
"This... these are the pills that you wanted. I apologize for my previous attitude."
The staff member handed the pills to Su Lang and smiled apologetically.
"Good. Your attitude is much better than that old hag's."
Su Lang revealed a smile of satisfaction before stuffing all five pills into his mouth. He then turned around and took his leave.
His unexpected action once again caused another wave of discussions amongst the crowd.
"What in the world did he just do?! Did he just stuff all five pills into his mouth? Shouldn't he have taken a medicinal bath, burned some incense, and adjust the condition of his body before taking those pills?"
"That should definitely have been the case! On the contrary, he simply stuffed them into his mouth and casually walked away! Is he not even going to use any circulation techniques to refine them?!"
"Since he didn't refi
ne the pills, wouldn't its effects be greatly diminished?"
"Oh my god! Is that guys some sort of monster?"
"Why do I feel like he's an absolute lunatic?"
"..."
Almost everyone was staring now staring at Su Lang's departing figure.
At this moment, Su Lang turned around and stated with a smile, "Can't I just eat it like candy?"
"Pfft!"
A thin Initial Body Tempering martial cultivator who standing in the corner trembled and spurted out a mouthful of blood.
The other onlookers were dumbstruck by his words and stood petrified for a long time.
Under normal circumstances, Su Lang would not have been able to eat those pills like candy.
That, however, is only under normal circumstances. Compared to the other martial cultivators, Su Lang possessed the One-Click Cultivation System. No matter how he stood, how he walked, how he slept, how he ate, or even how he looked at a beautiful woman, the system's function allowed him to circulate the Spiritual Qi from those pills automatically.
Those medicinal pills would also naturally be refined in that automatic process.
"This cultivation speed is indeed fierce!"
As he continued walked, the Spiritual Qi around Su Lang surged through his body.
The small white figure in the mysterious space was suddenly surrounded by the golden light at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"System, how long will it take for me to become a Quasi Martial Cultivator now?" Su Lang asked.
[The Host will only need ten hours to break through to the realm of the Quasi Martial Cultivator.]
"Hoh? The duration has been halved? The effects of those pills happen to last exactly ten hours."
Su Lang nodded in satisfaction and thought to himself, "It seems that those 60 gold coins were not wasted."
The effects of the Body Tempering Pills weren't half bag. However, Su Lang did not consider consuming enough pills to maintain his current state.
After all, that would be far too costly. One day would cost him 144 gold coins!
Furthermore, seven days of spending would be enough to raise the function of the system by another level. Since the effects of upgrading the system would permanently double his cultivation speed, it was clear which one was worth prioritizing over the other.
"Alright, I'll just have to wait patiently for my next breakthrough. In the meantine, let's take a look at the map."
Upon taking out the map and unfolding it, Su Lang immediately noticed a large number of intersecting paths and various kinds of markings imprinted around the map.
CHAPTER 13 - HARBORING ULTERIOR MOTIVES
The map was divided into six colors: white, green, orange, red, dark purple, and black.
Each color represents the different territories of the Vicious Beasts such as the F-class Vicious Beasts district, E-class Vicious Beasts district, D-class Vicious Beasts district, and C-class Vicious Beasts district.
The strength of a Vicious Beasts also corresponds to the realm of a martial artist.
The F-class Vicious Beasts had strength equivalent to that of a cultivator in the Body Tempering Realm. Although the Vicious Beasts of this class may be weak, their numbers reigned supreme. No matter how many of those beasts were killed, they would come back in larger amounts.
The E-class Vicious Beasts — possessing strength similar to that of cultivators in the Mortal Realm — were also innumerable.
The D-class Vicious Beast were comparable in strength to cultivators of the Martial Expert Realm while the C-class Vicious Beasts to that of the Martial General Realm.
It was reported that the B-class Vicious Beasts had once appeared in the Red Maple Stronghold and almost destroyed the entire base.
As for A-class Vicious Beasts, they had never been sighted anywhere around the Red Maple Stronghold before. If such a powerful Vicious Beast were to appear, it would represent the total destruction of the city and the death of its people.
Legends had it that there were even S-class Vicious Beasts superior to the ones of A-class. Those mythical existences have been said to possess the ability to cause total chaos wherever it sets put. However, no one had ever seen them before, let alone traces of them.
While specific Vicious Beasts usually moved around in their corresponding territories, the probability of ones of a higher class entering the territories of the lower class beasts should be taken into careful consideration.
Many martial cultivators have met their ends in lower level areas because of that exact reason.
In the map, the entire Red Maple Stronghold was marked as a white region.
The outskirts of the stronghold were colored in green and divided into various irregular areas.
These green areas were relatively safe F-class areas that included the territories of the Wind Wolves.
"Found you!"
Su Lang narrowed his eyes, revealing a trace of killing intent.
*Thud!*
Suddenly, he felt a light pat on his shoulder.
"Who!?"
Su Lang frowned and turned around. His gaze, as sharp as a knife, dug into the eyes of the newcomer.
It was a bearded man in the Intermediate Body Tempering Realm.
"Don't be so agitated! Aha, my name is Tan Zicheng...."
Tan Zicheng said with a smile, "I see you are currently studying the map. Are you going to hunt outside the stronghold?"
"What does it have to do with you?"
Su Lang asked indifferently.
"You really are going to hunt? Don't blame for not warning you later. The outskirts of the stronghold is not only dangerous but also troublesome to navigate through."
Tan Zicheng stated, "As for me, I specialize in several jobs, acting as one's guide, support, carrier, and errand boy. Of course, that is my main source of income. Are you interested in my services?"
"How much?"
Su Lang glanced at Tan Zicheng and smiled.
"Only 50 silver coins."
Tan Zicheng immediately said, "You don't have to worry about anything other than fighting. If you need me to fight, you will have to pay an extra amount."
"Hmm.... I just happen to need a guide."
Su Lang nodded and said, "Follow me. We'll leave the city after dinner."
Immediately after, Su Lang began walking towards a restaurant with Tan Zicheng following from behind.
This particular restaurant served a rich variety of dishes, including the meat of various kinds of Vicious Beasts. There were even vegetables that contained hints of Spiritual Qi.
Su Lang ordered a table full of dishes, worth a total of 10 silver coins.
"This might be far too sumptuous!"
Tan Zicheng exclaimed in excitement, "I have never eaten such a grand meal before in my entire life. Thank you so much."
"Eat to your heart's content."
Su Lang smiled.
After satisfying their gluttony, Su Lang and Tan Zicheng returned to the City Gate Hall.
A moment later, the two of them arrived outside the stronghold through a long and narrow passageway.
"This is the world outside the city!"
Upon stepping out of the passageway, Su Lang was met by a great mountain that towered endlessly into the clouds. It was coated with a dense green forest that seemed to separate the heavens and earth.
Further away beyond the clouds stood the peak of the grand mountain that seemed to be unreachable by mortal means.
"Come, let's go to the territory of the F-class Wind Wolves."
Su Lang handed his backpack to Tan Zicheng while only holding onto the black long blade in his hand.
"The territory of the F-class Wind Wolves? But that place now serves as the stronghold of the Broken Axe Hunting Group."
Tan Zicheng's expression changed as he faintly observed Su Lang from the back.
Su Lang replied with a faint smile, "Don't worry. I have already heard news of their group. I will only take a quick look and avoid causing any tr
ouble."
"That's good, that's good! I'll lead the way for you now!"
Tan Zicheng's tense expression relaxed into a smile as he said, "You've found the right person for this job. I happen to know a shortcut to the territory of the Wind Wolves. It will take four hours at most to arrive at the destination."
After saying that, Tan Zicheng took the initiative and led the way.
The roads on the outskirts of the city were extremely difficult to traverse. Aside from the potholes and ramps everywhere, one could see all kinds of bones left behind by the Vicious Beast from time to time.
Upon their arrival at an eerie forest halfway down the road, Tan Zicheng suddenly came to a stop in his tracks.
CHAPTER 14 - DEATH SENTENCE
"Why did you stop?"
Su Lang held the Tang Blade in his hands and asked.
"The scenery here is absolutely beautiful. It's actually a pretty good burial ground!"
Tan Zicheng slowly tweaked his body around as he revealed a cold smile and hint of cruelty on his face.
"I think so too."
Su Lang chuckled, "In fact, I recall seeing you when I was buying pills in the City Gate Hall."
"You knew that I had ulterior motives?"
Tan Zicheng sneered, "Then you still dare to follow me out of the city? Do you think you are a match for us? Brothers, come out and kill this sheep!"
"Hahahaha!"
"I wonder how fat this sheep is?"
"The guy that our boss discovered must certainly have some wealth!"
"Make sure to keep this delicate and tender kid alive. I'm going to take my sweet time killing him later!"
Four martial cultivators of the Body Tempering Realm rushed out of the forest and surrounded Su Lang together with Tan Zicheng.
"Are you really going to do this?"
Su Lang remained unfazed as he said in a languid manner, "It would be best for you to back off now. Even if you refuse to do so, I'm not afraid of a mere bunch of hooligans."
"You're not afraid? Are newborn calves not afraid of tigers? Stop spouting nonsense."
"Brat, open your eyes wide and take a look around you. We have two cultivators of the Intermediate Body Tempering Realm and three others of the Initial Body Tempering Realm. Not only does our group outnumber you, but we will easily overpower you."
