Chapter 8: Strike While the Iron Is Hot

“Mr. Gan, I’d like to buy some Blood-Refilling Pills and Foundation-Strengthening Pills, but I’m short on silver—could I exchange my extra Mind-Clarifying Pills for a few? Would that be possible?” In the alchemy room of Jinshan Dao Academy, Xu Jin was negotiating with an elderly man with a short beard.

After leaving Ning’s training ground, Xu Jin pondered for a while, assessed his own condition, and realized how vital elixirs were to him.

Mind-Clarifying Pills primarily refresh the mind and restore a small amount of spiritual power, allowing cultivators to attract and recover star energy once more during morning and evening sessions, thereby gaining an extra body tempering.

But for star energy, Xu Jin had the Star-Counting Platform to supplement him—he didn’t yet need to rush.

In contrast, Blood-Refilling Pills and Foundation-Strengthening Pills, which counter the Great Hunger Reaction, were now his top priority.

Without elixirs to replenish him, repeated Great Hunger Reactions would damage his foundational constitution.

Under these circumstances, Xu Jin either had to find elixirs to replenish himself or drastically reduce his cultivation speed to avoid the Great Hunger Reaction.

That was why Xu Jin came to the alchemy room to buy pills.

Blood-Refilling Pills cost three taels per pill; Foundation-Strengthening Pills cost five taels per pill.

Xu Jin had no spare silver, so he turned his thoughts to the remaining Mind-Clarifying Pills in his possession.

But the sales clerk refused, so he came to Mr. Gan to plead his case.

This Mr. Gan was the instructor who taught the young students the “Herb Inquiry” aspect of the Six Star-Martial Arts—there was a teacher-student bond between them. Today’s afternoon session was Herb Inquiry, so Xu Jin came to ask for his help.

“Xu Jin, you took eighty-three days to ignite your star point—based on experience, Mind-Clarifying Pills suit you better. Blood-Refilling and Foundation-Strengthening Pills may strengthen the body, but if you can’t absorb them, they’re wasted.”

“Mr. Gan, you don’t know—I developed a Great Hunger Reaction after igniting my star point. I asked Master Ning, and he said I need Blood-Refilling or Foundation-Strengthening Pills to replenish myself, or my foundation will be damaged.”

“And my family is poor—aside from these Mind-Clarifying Pills, I have no other silver to spare,” Xu Jin said frankly.

“You developed a Great Hunger Reaction?” Mr. Gan studied Xu Jin with surprise.

This was another step in Xu Jin’s investment-pitch plan—expanding his target investors.

If Master Ning wouldn’t help, he’d have to try others.

Whether it succeeded or failed, he had to try.

Trying wouldn’t cost him a single muscle.

“If you truly have a Great Hunger Reaction, then you should indeed take Blood-Refilling and Foundation-Strengthening Pills first,” Mr. Gan nodded. “Hand me your Mind-Clarifying Pills.”

Xu Jin quickly passed over the vial—seven Mind-Clarifying Pills remained inside.

Mr. Gan uncorked it, sniffed carefully, then handed the pills to the alchemy room’s shopkeeper. “These are indeed our academy’s Mind-Clarifying Pills, and their potency is fully preserved—no loss at all. Exchange them for him. It’s hard being a young lad.”

“Yes, Master.”

With Mr. Gan’s word, the shopkeeper naturally said nothing more. Xu Jin was overjoyed and bowed deeply again in thanks.

“Blood-Refilling Pills replenish blood and essence; Foundation-Strengthening Pills replenish essence, fill the marrow, and solidify the foundation. Take one of each during morning and evening sessions, and the Great Hunger Reaction will vanish. If you take one Foundation-Strengthening Pill every two days, it will double your tempering efficiency.”

Xu Jin thanked him again before leaving.

A few minutes later, Xu Jin exited the alchemy room—his Mind-Clarifying Pills were gone, but his arms now held eight Blood-Refilling Pills and two Foundation-Strengthening Pills.

Seven Mind-Clarifying Pills were worth thirty-five taels total. Blood-Refilling Pills cost three taels each, Foundation-Strengthening Pills five taels each—the shopkeeper even returned Xu Jin one tael.

Only because Mr. Gan spoke up did the shopkeeper agree to the exchange—otherwise, he wouldn’t have even considered it. Once sold, goods were not to be returned.

Evening session.

Xu Jin smoothly assumed the Drinking Radiance posture. Just over twenty minutes later, a swelling sensation rose in his chest—star energy was full. He immediately began the Five Stars Killing Fist.

The results from his morning session’s Five Stars Killing Fist tempering were now evident.

At the start of the morning session, his star energy had been full—he could only complete one full round of Five Stars Killing Fist, then his energy was gone.

Now, after one full round, he completed four more forms before his star energy was fully depleted.

Both his tempering progress and star energy increase were unmistakable.

But after the first round, Xu Jin felt a faint hunger.

This must have been a lingering effect from the morning session.

He had eaten enough after morning practice, but the root cause of the Great Hunger Reaction remained unresolved.

He immediately swallowed a Blood-Refilling Pill, then resumed the Drinking Radiance posture to attract and restore star energy.

Less than a minute after the pill entered his belly, a wave of heat spread from his abdomen, coursing through his limbs and bones. Where his chest had already been tempered and covered by starlight, the heat and numbness intensified dramatically.

The faint hunger he’d felt after the first round vanished.

Over twenty minutes later, Xu Jin resumed the Five Stars Killing Fist to continue tempering.

During cultivation, perhaps due to his intense focus, Xu Jin faintly sensed glances occasionally flickering over him.

Soon, he realized Ning Yuchan, the training instructor, was observing him intermittently.

But with over four hundred youths on the evening practice ground, Ning Yuchan had many duties—she couldn’t constantly watch him, only glancing now and then.

After completing one and a half rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist, Xu Jin didn’t avoid it—he directly drew starlight from the Star-Counting Platform to refill his energy and continued the fist forms.

Xu Jin’s Five Stars Killing Fist was now highly refined—he could complete one round in just two or three minutes. Unless Ning Yuchan watched him constantly, she wouldn’t notice anything unusual.

He used the Star-Counting Platform’s starlight twice to replenish his energy, continuously tempering to enhance the effect.

The improvement was most obvious.

After the second starlight refill, with his energy full, Xu Jin completed two full rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist before his energy was exhausted. The Blood-Refilling Pill’s potency remained, but had weakened.

Xu Jin didn’t hesitate—he swallowed a Foundation-Strengthening Pill and immediately began attracting starlight to restore his energy.

Xu Jin had finally understood.

The saying went: “The poor study literature; the rich practice martial arts.”

His frail body, without elixir support, would collapse under high-intensity tempering.

The Foundation-Strengthening Pill’s potency spread as a rolling heat—but this heat sank deep into his bones, as if drilling inward. Xu Jin felt his entire body warm, as if he had endless strength.

His star energy, full from the Drinking Radiance posture, resumed the Five Stars Killing Fist.

When exhausted, he drew starlight from the Star-Counting Platform and resumed the Five Stars Killing Fist.

A Foundation-Strengthening Pill cost five taels—he couldn’t waste its potency.

After two consecutive starlight refills, Xu Jin completed six and a half rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist in one go. Combined with the elixirs’ effects, his tempering results were astonishing.

Ning Yuchan’s gaze likely passed over him two or three times during this.

But only glances.

As long as she didn’t watch him constantly, she couldn’t detect anything abnormal.

He began the third round of attracting starlight to restore energy.

Xu Jin closed his eyes and glanced at the Star-Counting Platform—the remaining starlight was barely a sliver, enough for perhaps one more refill.

He did not draw this sliver into his body—he kept it.

First, for emergencies; second, excess is worse than deficiency.

Too much display might attract hostility.

The upper limit of star energy Xu Jin could store kept rising. During evening practice, after only four rounds of Drinking Radiance, he felt extreme mental exhaustion.

His Mind-Clarifying Pills were gone—he had to end his cultivation.

Even so, his evening session results were astonishing.

Four rounds of Drinking Radiance, plus four refills from the Star-Counting Platform—Xu Jin completed thirteen full rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist, tempering thirteen times.

Other youths who hadn’t yet reached Meal of Mist First Stage could manage at most seven or eight rounds in a night—maximum.

And they took breaks—usually restoring energy after every two tempering sessions.

Xu Jin, however, had reached six and a half rounds in one go—his tempering efficiency doubled.

By the end of the evening session, starlight had already covered nearly half his chest and abdomen—an area the size of a watermelon.

This coverage matched that of youths who had ignited their star points for about half a month.

Since he’d reached his limit, Xu Jin prepared to inform Master Ning and end the session early to rest.

“If you’ve reached your limit, go rest early,” Ning Yuchan replied, then suddenly added, “Draw some star energy—let me see your progress.”

This was genuine concern.

Usually, instructors overseeing so many youths checked on a student once every three or five days—anything more was considered diligent.

Xu Jin understood—it was because he’d proactively demonstrated his value at noon.

Perhaps, securing investment was possible.

He stripped off his clothes, visualized the star patterns—his chest, abdomen, and back instantly glowed with faint starlight.

Ning Yuchan visibly froze. This time, Xu Jin noticed—though she wore a veil, her eyebrows and almond eyes betrayed clear surprise.

“Did you have a Great Hunger Reaction? Did you take any Mind-Clarifying Pills?” Ning Yuchan suddenly asked.

“Instructor, I exchanged my Mind-Clarifying Pills for Blood-Refilling and Foundation-Strengthening Pills this afternoon. I took them tonight—no Great Hunger Reaction.”

Xu Jin’s answer made Ning Yuchan’s gaze shift again.

This young man had strong initiative—and clear determination.

“Keep pushing!”

She waved him off—he still had to remain on duty. So many youths hadn’t yet ignited their star points—they still needed her oversight.

On his way back, Xu Jin thought: Strike while the iron is hot.

He’d already shocked Master Ning twice today—she might already be suspicious.

Then he’d strike while the iron was hot—try to secure investment and see if it worked.

In his dormitory, Xu Jin rehearsed his speech and negotiation strategy for a long while.

When he heard the noisy return of the youths who hadn’t yet ignited their star points, he stepped out and headed straight for Master Ning’s courtyard.

Whether he secured investment—or a loan—depended on tonight.

(End of Chapter)