Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Xu Shangao wanted to shout out loud badly. At this very moment, he stood with a straight back and his heart was swarmed with emotions.
The expressions of the other official disciples had all changed, especially the huge and tall youngster. They were looking at Xu Shangao in disbelief. ‘He has actually refined Clear Heart Pills of medium-grade quality! How is that possible?’ That was the thought that emerged in most of their minds.
The elder looked at Xu Shangao doubtfully then he glanced at the pills in his hand once again. He was suspicious if these Clear Heart Pills were truly refined by Xu Shangao. After all, he was well aware of Xu Shangao’s standards. Even if he did manage to successfully refine the Clear Heart Pills by coincidence, he would only be able to produce low-grade pills. It was absolutely impossible for him to refine medium-grade Clear Heart Pills.
There were many other official disciples with better grades than Xu Shangao, but only very few of them were capable of refining medium-grade Clear Heart Pills, so how could the bottom-rated Xu Shangao do it then?
“Elder, these pills are definitely not refined by Xu Shangao himself. I’m sure that he asked for someone else’s help to refine it on his behalf. Will you please examine that, Elder?” suggested the hulking youngster named Lin Xu suddenly.
Xu Shangao was instantly infuriated as soon as he heard the accusation. He roared aloud, “It is I who refined these Clear Heart Pills. You’re defiling my work!”
Lin Xu sneered suspiciously, “Who doesn’t know that you, Xu Shangao, can only refine low-grade quality elixirs? How dare you call these medium-grade quality Clear Heart Pills yours? What a joke!”
Xu Shangao’s face flushed scarlet in rage. He was breathing rapidly as he glared at Lin Xu with a deadly gaze.
Nevertheless, Lin Xu did not display the slightest fear. He looked at Xu Shangao with a disdainful expression.
“Xu Shangao, tell us frankly. Did you or did you not ask someone to refine these pills on your behalf?” asked the old man. He still refused to believe that Xu Shangao was capable of refining medium-grade Clear Heart Pills.
Xu Shangao was stunned for a moment upon hearing that. Soon afterward, he looked around and discovered that every single person around him was looking at him with a suspicious gaze. He grieved for himself in his heart. So, it turned out that all the official disciples looked down on him to such extent. The pills were obviously refined by his own hands, yet no one believed that it was his.
“Elder, I’m willing to refine the pills before every witness here in order to prove that it was me that refined these pills. If I fail, I’m willing to receive any form of punishment!” Xu Shangao declared to the old man with a loud, powerful voice and a determined look on his face.
Everyone was startled. Xu Shangao was basically committing suicide by volunteering to refine the pills before everyone.
Lin Xu immediately chimed in, “Elder, please fulfill the wish of Junior Brother Disciple Xu since he’s so determined to prove his innocence.”
Xu Shangao suddenly turned his head to the side and glared at him in rage. “If I were to succeed, then you must kneel down and apologize to me!”
“What?” Lin Xu was slightly hesitant at once because he did not expect that Xu Shangao would involve him.
Xu Shangao chuckled coldly and challenged him, “What? Are you scared?”
Lin Xu sneered, “Why should I be afraid of a low-grade disciple like you? Sure! If you can refine medium-grade Clear Heart Pills successfully, I shall kneel down and apologize to you. However, if you fail, you shall kneel down before me and bark like a dog twice!”
“Consider it a deal then,” replied Xu Shangao coldly.
Lin Xu laughed coldly. He was particularly excited as if he could already see the scene where Xu Shangao knelt before him and barked like a dog.
The old man did not attempt to stop them, but he looked toward Xu Shangao and said, “The athanor and medicinal herbs have been prepared. Begin now. However, you should understand the consequences of doing this.”
Xu Shangao said without the slightest hesitation, “I understand.”
The old man nodded and brought the group of people to an alchemy room. “Go ahead,” he said to Xu Shangao while he pointed at the alchemy room.
“It’s not too late to regret. You can kneel down before me now. I don’t need you to bark like a dog,” Lin Xu mocked.
Xu Shangao scoffed coldly. He did not pay attention to the offensive words and just walked into the alchemy room at once. The old man followed closely behind him while the rest of the official disciples waited outside. After all, the act of refining elixirs was a serious matter. A crowd too huge would affect the alchemist’s focus.
Two hours later, the old man walked out of the alchemy room with a jade bottle in his hand. There was no way to tell his thought based on just his expression. Xu Shangao walked out behind him. There was an inconcealable lethargic expression on his face, but his gaze was filled with joy.
The group of people outside was shocked to witness the scene, especially Lin Xu who was freaking out.
‘It can’t be! He is but a low-grade disciple. Moreover, he’s the trash that belongs to the bottom pile. He can’t possibly make a medium-grade elixir. He can’t!’ Lin Xu repeated in his heart. However, he felt more and more perturbed as he looked at the cheerful expression on Xu Shangao’s face.
Everyone looked at the old man anxiously, awaiting him to announce the result.
The old man peered around at the people surrounding him before landing his gaze upon the huge and tall youth at last. He shook his head ever so slightly and heaved a sigh before he said, “It’s a success.”
Those three simple words were akin to a crack of thunder in the desert. It shocked the official disciples present. The old man did not bother to speak much as he procured the few Clear Heart Pills just produced by Xu Shangao. The pills appeared just the same as before. They were evidently medium-grade quality pills.
Upon witnessing the scene, Lin Xu turned ghastly pale instantly while his forehead was covered in cold sweat. The rest of the people looked toward him with a piteous gaze. At the same time, they were also secretly rejoicing in their hearts for not placing a bet against Xu Shangao. Otherwise, it would be extremely embarrassing for them now.
At present, albeit tired, Xu Shangao felt especially joyous in his heart. He could finally vent his long pent up anger today. “Lin Xu, why aren’t you kneeling down yet now that I’ve won?” he suddenly roared in rage.
Lin Xu went incomparably stiff. He felt sorrow in his heart when he heard Xu Shangao’s roar and noticed that the rest of the people were keeping clear of him. He knelt down before Xu Shangao at once.
“I was wrong!” he hastily stood up upon saying these words in a rush. He ran away at once without caring about anything else.
Xu Shangao cracked into a smile. Lin Xu had always been someone that looked down upon him. Still, Lin Xu had actually knelt down before him to admit that he was wrong today. Even though it could be said that they were considered foes now, Xu Shangao did not mind at all. Anyhow, he was in a great mood for being able to vent his anger.
By the time Xu Shangao returned to his residence, he noticed that Fang Lin was sprawled across a bamboo chair leisurely.
Upon seeing that, Xu Shangao felt rather speechless at once. ‘I thought he said he wanted to refine the Meridian-opening Pills! Why is he dozing off in the courtyard?’
“Junior Brother Disciple Fang, Junior Brother Disciple Fang!” Xu Shangao called out loudly, yet he did not manage to wake Fang Lin up. He noticed that he was in deep sleep when he walked over to take a closer glance. Besides that, Fang Lin was also slightly pale. Worried, Xu Shangao walked into the house and took a blanket to cover Fang Lin.
Xu Shangao touched the athanor when he walked beside it. It felt warm which proved that Fang Lin had genuinely utilized it.
‘Sigh, Junior Brother Disciple Fang is still not experienced enough. I bet his state of mind is exhausted from using the athanor,’ said Xu Shangao in his heart.
Fang Lin only awakened slowly when it was dawn. He appeared to be in a better state than before.
“Junior Brother Disciple Fang, you’re awake at last. I was about to feed you with some elixir to save your life if you still didn’t wake up,” said Xu Shangao in relief from the side.
Fang Lin took a look at the sky and realized that it was already getting late. Then, he took a glance at Xu Shangao and cracked into a smile. He procured two round pills shimmering with golden radiance from his chest pocket and revealed it to Xu Shangao.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, these are the Meridian-opening Pills I’ve promised you. Find a suitable time to consume these,” said Fang Lin.
Xu Shangao accepted the two pills in astonishment. He took a closer look and noticed that the pills were of exceedingly good quality. The pills were round, full, vibrant in color, and had a mellow, rich scent. Even though he was incapable of determining the quality of the pills, he could see that the quality was at least medium-grade and could even possibly be a high-grade elixir.
At the thought of this, Xu Shangao could not help feeling shocked. When he shifted his gaze back to Fang Lin once again, it seemed like he was looking at a monster.
“Did you refine these?” asked Xu Shangao in wonder like he was an amateur.
Fang Lin blinked his eyes innocently and said with a smile, “I refined these, of course. Don’t you believe me?”
Xu Shangao said to himself in his heart, ‘Of course, I don’t believe you. You’re but a junior alchemy disciple, yet the quality of your refined elixir is so high. I bet anyone else in my place will be even more shocked than I am.’
However, Xu Shangao had also borne witness to Fang Lin’s miraculous ability. Had it not been for Fang Lin’s guidance, perhaps Xu Shangao would have still failed at refining the Clear Heart Pills. As a result, he did not lose his cool despite feeling immensely astonished at this moment.
“Junior Brother Disciple Fang, I suspect that you must be some alchemy genius hiding intentionally amongst the junior alchemy disciples, aren’t you?” Xu Shangao asked helplessly.
Fang Lin had a shocked expression on his face. “You’ve managed to figure that out, huh?”
He refined a total of six Meridian-opening Pills. He gave two to Xu Shangao and left four pills for himself. Based on his currently blocked meridians, four Meridian-opening Pills should be enough to open them.
Xu Shangao had also briefed Fang Lin about the incident that had taken place earlier. He sounded proud when he talked about how Lin Xu lost the bet.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, it seems like we are fellow sufferers that commiserate with each other. I’m despised amongst the junior alchemy disciples while you are looked down upon by the official disciples similarly. Sigh, we are truly a well-matched pair of brothers,” said Fang Lin emotionally.
“Junior Brother Disciple Fang, you’ll certainly rise above others one day with your capabilities while I, your senior brother disciple, am hopeless,” Xu Shangao lamented.
Fang Lin patted his shoulder and said, “That’s not for certain. There are many people who achieve success late in life. I think you may be a talent that takes time to mature, Senior Brother Disciple Xu.”
Xu Shangao smiled bitterly. “Stop consoling me.”
At night, Fang Lin and Xu Shangao consumed the Meridian-opening Pills simultaneously. However, the results were different for each of them. The morning after that, Xu Shangao’s blocked meridians ere opened up. All his 36 meridians were running absolutely smoothly and he felt like his entire body had risen to a higher level.
On the other hand, Fang Lin engaged in closed door cultivation for the next consecutive days to digest the medicinal power of the Meridian-opening Pills. He continued the effort to open his blocked meridians.
On the fourth day, he finally exited the closed door cultivation. The blocked meridians in his body had opened up and he even managed to open one of the 72 meridians by accident.
There were a total of thirty-six major meridians and 72 minor meridians in a human body. There were also countless minor branches too. The 72 minor meridians were supposed to be completely blocked while there were supposed to be only eighteen out of 36 major meridians were open.
The most important step during the initial phase of cultivating martial art was to open these blocked meridians, starting from the 36 meridians all the way until the 72 meridians were completely opened.