Chapter 77

Bang!

Five fingers slightly curved like eagle claws, the hard rock in Li Rui's hand shattered inch by inch, and finally turned into a pile of powder with a crisp sound.

"A thousand catties of force."

Now it can be considered the ability to shatter bricks.

Li Rui estimated that after reaching Golden Bone, his strength had finally crossed the thousand-catty threshold.

His strength had increased by a full double.

This is a sign of Bronze Bone completion.

Ordinary martial masters would try to break through to the Willow Sinew Realm at this step, but for Li Rui, who possesses the Wu Gu, he certainly wouldn't be limited to this.

Now that he lacks nothing in resources, root bone, or cultivation method, he certainly wants to refine the Jade Bone realm.

Only by laying a solid foundation in the early stages can one go further.

If one is only satisfied with a seventh-rank, it is a waste of heaven's gifts, and a full Wu Gu is wasted if given.

No matter how good the talent, it cannot be achieved overnight; one must practice hard.

Li Rui looked at the empty wooden box.

Just now, to break through to Golden Bone, the last Bone-Strengthening Pill was also eaten.

Originally thought it could last at least two months, never expected it to be finished in just seven days.

Of course, the progress was also quite gratifying.

"Need more pills."

Alchemy room.

The crimson flames under the furnace made a sizzling sound of firewood and grease bursting, a scene of fiery activity.

Li Rui and Jiang Cheng looked at the furnace with nervous expressions.

"Wait, wait a bit longer."

"Ten."

"Nine."

"One."

"It's done!"

Almost the moment Li Rui's voice fell, Jiang Cheng rushed to the furnace and lifted the lid to take out the pills inside.

Instantly, the pill fragrance overflowed.

"The efficacy is increased by at least forty percent, nearly a seventh-rank pill."

After Jiang Cheng confirmed the grade of the spiritual pill, he found it incredible himself.

During this period, his alchemy level had risen greatly.

It was inseparable from Li Rui's exquisite control of the heat.

"This is your share of the pills."

Jiang Cheng took seven pills from the dozen or so and handed them to Li Rui.

The cooperation mode between the two had improved.

Li Rui provided some of the medicinal materials bought from the black market, then helped Jiang Cheng refine pills; after the pills were formed, he took away pills of equivalent value, and the rest remained in the Medicine Hall.

In this way.

Li Rui could get a rich variety of higher-grade pills, and Jiang Cheng could also find a few more pill formulas for Li Rui to improve the heat control.

Win-win.

Li Rui got the pills and prepared to leave happily.

But saw Jiang Cheng had no intention of leaving and started another furnace of ordinary pills.

After this period of influence.

Li Rui also had some understanding of pill formulas; listening roughly, it should be a batch of medicine for knife wounds.

This was already the third batch today.

He keenly smelled something wrong.

Medicine for knife wounds is indeed often used in places like the Tiandi Alliance where fighting is frequent, but the quantity today was a bit too much.

"The branch is probably in trouble, otherwise it wouldn't suddenly need to store so much healing medicine."

Li Rui asked tentatively: "Little Jiang, who is this medicine for?"

Jiang Cheng was obsessed with alchemy and had a simple mind, answering without thinking: "It's something Helmsman Dao personally ordered, saying we're about to deal with the Guiming Sect and it will be useful soon."

"Sure enough."

Li Rui's eyes narrowed slightly.

He had heard news before that Magistrate Zhang summoned all the big figures in Qinghe to meet and join forces to deal with the Guiming Sect.

It seems they are about to make a move.

"Should I just pretend to be sick?"

Li Rui pondered.

Because of his old age, Hearing Dao Xiong didn't let him participate in the Guiming Sect operation.

But one couldn't be sure if they would bring it up again because of a lack of manpower.

"Surely they wouldn't ask a sick old man to go fight and kill."

Li Rui was sick.

He caught a cold and lay in bed for several days.

During this time, Wu Tu and Zhang Yang both came to see him; it was indeed a cold.

Martial artists have strong bodies, but it doesn't mean they won't get sick; in this world, martial artists also get sick, and if left untreated for a long time, they will die; eighth-rank is far from being immune to all evils.

Pretending to be sick would be discovered sooner or later.

Once it reached Hearing Dao Xiong, or even Tang Sheng, things would be very troublesome.

To catch a cold.

Li Rui stayed in the ice cellar for a full four days and nights to get his wish.

A little physical suffering in exchange for not having to take risks.

He felt it was worth it.

Sure enough.

A few days after he fell ill, Hearing Dao Xiong summoned the Qinghe Branch to encircle and suppress the Guiming Sect; this time, all deacons and hall masters were dispatched.

Originally, Li Rui was also on the list.

But Hearing Dao Xiong heard Li Rui was sick and even came to Li Mansion to take a look.

Then, considering Li Rui was indeed old and sick, it was indeed inappropriate.

And upon closer inspection, the matter of suppressing the Guiming Sect was a secret, known by very few; Li Rui couldn't have timed his illness.

So he let it go.

Li Rui naturally understood that Hearing Dao Xiong came to visit on the surface, but in reality, he wanted to personally confirm whether he was pretending to be sick.

And if he were in his prime, he wouldn't be able to hide even if he really had a cold.

This is the effect of the two combined.

"Old age indeed has its perks."

That night.

The Tiandi Alliance Qinghe Branch made its move.

Hun Tian Yi Hall had too few people, and neither Liang He nor Zhou Shulin went, but the black market drew quite a few people.

Li Mansion, in the room.

"Old Li, you're at such an old age, don't run around all day; our bodies aren't what they used to be."

Yang Yong walked in with a bowl of hot soup.

"Quick, drink it."

Li Rui took the hot soup and sipped it from the bowl.

He hadn't told anyone about intentionally getting sick, so Yang Yong and Wang Zhao didn't know the inside story, and it was normal for old people to get sick; it was the minority who were as energetic as Li Rui before.

Yang Yong looked worried.

He was truly afraid that Old Li would go before him, and then the last person in the world he could talk to would be gone.

When people get old, the thing they fear most is loneliness.

"Where's Xiao Zhao?"

Li Rui asked.

Hadn't seen Wang Zhao for most of the day.

Yang Yong: "In the kitchen, that kid boiled this medicinal soup for a full five hours, not daring to close his eyes for a moment."

"He's a thoughtful child."

Li Rui smiled faintly.

Although Wang Zhao wasn't smart enough, he was sincere and willing to endure hardship; which elder wouldn't like him?

Li Rui drank the medicine.

Casually picked up the "Great Cave True Scripture" on the side and flipped through it.

Practicing martial arts as soon as he got sick was too eye-catching; reading Daoist scriptures was just fine.

Flipping through books all night.

The dim candle flickered; fortunately, Li Rui didn't lack the money for this bit of lamp oil, otherwise, the long night would be hard to endure.

Unknowingly.

He fell into a deep sleep.

Like a dream, like an illusion.

In front of him was a thick white fog that wouldn't disperse; in the distance, he could faintly see a corner of a palace's flying eaves, dragons and phoenixes seemed to be dancing together in the clouds, and the sounds of fairy birds and spiritual beasts came to his ears.

Curling blue smoke rose, falling before the stringed bamboo platform.

What a scene of a fairy mountain.

An old Daoist sang softly:

"Rest the essence, rest the qi, nourish the spirit; essence nourishes the dantian, qi nourishes the body.

If someone learns this technique, they will be an immortal who never dies."

(End of chapter)