Try and Try Again

Lin Zheyu shook his head. After a moment of thought, he could not help but ask, "I wonder if the shopkeeper here has any formulas with greater medicinal potency than the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction?" Since Baochun Tower knew the recipe for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction, perhaps they also knew other nourishing formulas. "Honored customer, you've certainly asked the right person," the shopkeeper replied with a beaming smile. "Many martial decoction formulas circulate widely throughout Bafang City. Among them, three possess greater medicinal potency than the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. "The medicinal strength of these three formulas is far fiercer than that of the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction, placing an immense burden on the body. "Even martial artists in the Qi and Blood Realm wouldn't dare use them lightly. Most only take them when attempting a breakthrough to smash through bottlenecks." "Could you tell me more about them?" Lin Zheyu asked with curiosity. "Of course. "Please take a seat over here, honored customer. Geng Li, bring tea! "Wait here just a moment, honored customer. This humble one will bring out brewed samples of all three formulas for you to try." The shopkeeper ushered Lin Zheyu into a side hall and asked him to wait a moment. *It seems there are many martial artists like me. Baochun Tower even keeps brewed decoctions ready for customers to sample,* Lin Zheyu thought to himself. Upon brief reflection, the reason became clear. As the most prosperous city in the region, Bafang City sat at a major crossroads of transportation, and nearly every passing merchant caravan traveled through it. Consequently, an enormous number of merchants and travelers passed through each day. Among them, there were bound to be many martial artists from modest backgrounds like Lin Zheyu who came seeking advice or purchasing potent nourishing formulas. *Perhaps I can gain quite a lot here in Bafang City,* Lin Zheyu thought. Before long, the shopkeeper returned carrying a tray with three bowls of richly fragrant decoctions. Lin Zheyu twitched his nose, recognizing several herbs from their scent. His grasp of medicine and poisons was not especially deep; he could identify only three ingredients and could not tell the rest apart. The shopkeeper smiled faintly. "This bowl is Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, this one is Yang-Gathering Decoction, and this one is Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. "The Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction was developed from the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. Its potency is fiercer. Even martial artists at Qi and Blood Three Transformations or above cannot take it long-term; it can only be used for a brief period when breaking through a bottleneck. "The Yang-Gathering Decoction is an ancient formula. Its medicinal potency can penetrate deep into the five viscera, internal organs, and bone marrow, accelerating the cultivation progress of martial artists like yourself. "However, its side effects are also substantial, as it possesses strong aphrodisiac properties. After consuming it, one must vent the excess heat for two or three hours to suppress the wicked fire. "Excessive use may lead to an accumulation of medicinal toxins and yang deficiency, requiring another prescription to rebalance the body." The shopkeeper smiled warmly and continued, "As for the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, it is meant to bolster qi and blood, sharing similar efficacy with the Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. "Compared to the Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction, however, the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder's medicinal strength is much fiercer. Upon drinking it, the body feels as if it were on fire, scalding hot all over. That is how Scarlet Fire earned its name." Listening to the shopkeeper's introduction, Lin Zheyu lifted a bowl and fanned the aroma toward himself with his hand. A rich herbal fragrance greeted his nose. Judging by the scent alone, he could tell that the medicinal potency contained within was far greater than that of the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. "Truly not bad. Let me try it first." Lin Zheyu picked up the Yang-Gathering Decoction. The bowl did not contain much—barely enough to fill two small teacups. As the decoction entered his stomach, a warm current diffused outward. Accurately discerning its exact potency from such a small sip was impossible. Yet martial artists dealt with various decoctions and herbs on a regular basis, and tasting the liquid allowed him to gauge a general idea. Lin Zheyu sampled them one by one. He found that the three decoctions did not differ dramatically in overall strength, but each emphasized a different aspect. "What are the prices for these three formulas?" Lin Zheyu asked after a brief silence. Naturally, the formulas would not be given away for free. The shopkeeper's eagerness was precisely to market them. "Not expensive, not expensive at all. "The formula for the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder is one hundred and twenty taels of silver, the Yang-Gathering Decoction formula is three hundred and eighty taels, and the Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction formula is two hundred and twenty taels." The shopkeeper said with a beam, "The Yang-Gathering Decoction is somewhat more effective, and its medicinal potency is the gentlest. As long as it is paired with Earth Yin Pills, its side effects can be minimized, and it also nourishes yin while bolstering yang. "The Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction is an enhanced version of the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. Its side effects are relatively minor, but it cannot be taken long-term; the body simply cannot bear it, so it should only be used when breaking through bottlenecks. "If you intend to take medicine long-term, I still recommend the Yang-Gathering Decoction paired with Earth Yin Pills, or the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. "As for the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, this formula has the strongest potency, but its side effects are the harshest among the three. Excessive use will cause fire poison to invade the heart, so it can likewise only be used when breaking through bottlenecks. "If you are looking for a replacement for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction, I suggest using the Yang-Gathering Decoction paired with Earth Yin Pills, and then turning to the Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction when pushing through bottlenecks," the shopkeeper said with a genial grin. These formulas were common knowledge to nearly every local Qi and Blood Realm martial artist in Bafang City; only an outsider like Lin Zheyu had never heard of them. Even so, he had not lied to Lin Zheyu. Deceiving a martial artist who might well be in the Qi and Blood Realm was no different from courting death. The Yang-Gathering Decoction paired with Earth Yin Pills was indeed a substitute for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction, and many martial artists turned to the Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction when breaking through bottlenecks. However, those were commoner martial artists without noble inheritances. The martial artists of major factions all possessed secret nourishing formulas that were never shared with outsiders, yielding far superior results. Regrettably, those formulas were kept strictly confidential. Only these three formulas and the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction circulated in the public domain. "How much do the medicinal ingredients for each formula cost?" Lin Zheyu asked. That was what mattered to him most. If the price was reasonable and the potency stronger, then using one as a replacement for the Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction would indeed be an excellent choice. "Sixty taels of silver for Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, one hundred and fifty taels for Yang-Gathering Decoction paired with Earth Yin Pills, and one hundred and eighty taels for Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. "Don't be put off by the higher prices of the Yang-Gathering Decoction with Earth Yin Pills or the Great Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction; their effects are far better than Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder. "Although the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder is extremely potent, the ingredients it uses contain the most fire poison and medicinal toxicity. Its side effects are severe; prolonged use over months and years will cause fire poison to attack the heart," the shopkeeper explained. While Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder was the cheapest, it had the worst side effects. Only martial artists cultivating peculiar martial arts showed any interest in it. Even then, they did not use it alone; they always paired it with unique secret formulas to minimize the decoction's adverse effects. "Give me five portions of Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, plus five portions of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. As for the other ingredients written on the paper, five portions of each as well. "I will go back and test the effects. If they suit me, I will return to buy more. "Calculate the total for me," Lin Zheyu said after a moment's consideration. Had this been a few months ago when he still absorbed medicinal potency by drinking the decoctions, he might have hesitated. Now, however, Lin Zheyu did not need to ingest them. By utilizing the mysterious energy generated by Origin Power, he could directly channel the medicinal potency from the ingredients without worrying in the slightest about side effects. From his brief test just now, he could tell that the potency of the three sets of herbs did not differ drastically. They simply had different emphases. For daily martial training, the Yang-Gathering Decoction paired with Earth Yin Pills was the most suitable, offering the gentlest potency and minimal side effects. Yet Lin Zheyu was not using them for routine training. He never used medicinal decoctions to aid his everyday workouts; he only used them when advancing his skills with Origin Power. Therefore, Lin Zheyu cared more about the cost and value of the herbs. Evidently, going by price, the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder offered the highest cost-effectiveness. It was only so cheap because the fire poison and medicinal toxins in its ingredients were difficult to eliminate, leading to excessive side effects. "Please wait a moment," the shopkeeper said with a beam. He picked up an abacus and began flicking the beads, quickly arriving at the total. "That comes to five hundred and nineteen taels altogether. I can give you a small discount—let's call it five hundred and fifteen taels of silver." "Very well." Lin Zheyu nodded. Soon, carrying the herbs along with the formula for the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, he stepped out of the medicine shop. Returning to the vicinity of his courtyard and ensuring no one was watching, Lin Zheyu tapped the ground with his toes and vaulted into the yard. Once home, the muscles on Lin Zheyu's face began to shift subtly. Through mere minute adjustments in the finer details, his entire appearance and demeanor underwent a radical change, transforming from the domineering, brash middle-aged man into an ordinary, somewhat handsome scholar. *Let's test the effects of the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder first,* Lin Zheyu said to himself. He fetched a wooden basin from the courtyard, poured in clear water, ground one portion of the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder ingredients into a fine powder, and poured it in. Most of the ingredients used in the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder were rare herbs. Although their medicinal potency was fierce, the fire poison they contained was equally potent. That was why brewing them into a decoction caused one's entire body to burn like a furnace; it was caused by the herbs' fire poison invading the body. *Previously, when advancing the Golden Goose Skill, one unit of Origin Power had to be paired with six portions of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction herbs.* *The ingredients used in Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder are all potent tonics with fierce medicinal strength.* *Even if it cannot fully supply the required energy, it won't deplete my qi and blood; at worst, my qi and blood power will be momentarily exhausted,* Lin Zheyu thought. Right now, his qi and blood power hovered around eighty percent of its peak. He was not using Origin Power to boost his strength while exhausted right after breaking past his physical limits. If the medicinal strength proved insufficient, his own qi and blood power could be consumed as a buffer, preventing any deficit. Lin Zheyu poured the ground powder into the clear water and stirred it evenly with his hand. Closing his eyes, he sent out a thought: *Use one unit of Origin Power to advance the Golden Goose Skill.* Instantly, vast mysterious energy surged from the depths of his cells, drawing the medicinal potency from the wooden basin and pouring it into his waist, abdomen, and legs. The ninth layer of the Golden Goose Skill required integrating the qi and blood burst technique entirely into the art. This was exceptionally difficult. It not only demanded a drastic improvement in his control over his body and his qi and blood, but also required strengthening the resilience of the muscles, flesh, and skin in specific areas of the body. Otherwise, he would simply be unable to withstand such a violent burst of qi and blood power. Lin Zheyu's consciousness blurred for a moment as he entered the consciousness space and began endless rounds of training. Unlike his previous sessions practicing the Golden Goose Skill, as he advanced the ninth layer, Lin Zheyu tried again and again, only to fail again and again. Through this endless cycle of attempts and failures, the damage inflicted on his body was tremendous. Fortunately, within the consciousness space, his body could rapidly recover, freeing him from worries about leaving behind severe hidden injuries. Lin Zheyu tried and failed, and tried again. With every failure, he drew lessons and experience, refining his method before attempting once more. Amidst repeated failures, his insights deepened, and his mastery grew ever stronger. Under constant battering, the muscles, flesh, and skin involved in circulating the Golden Goose Skill also gradually strengthened, becoming increasingly resilient. In the courtyard. The mysterious energy carried the medicinal potency of the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, nourishing and tempering the muscles, flesh, and skin of his waist, abdomen, and legs. After several breaths, Lin Zheyu slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of turbid air. The moment he opened his eyes, rather than checking his progress in the Golden Goose Skill, he examined his own condition. *My qi and blood have directly returned to peak condition. The medicinal potency of this Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder is truly formidable!* Lin Zheyu thought to himself. He pulled his hands from the wooden basin and held them under his nose to sniff. He could still catch a faint herbal aroma. That meant the medicinal potency within the herbs had not been entirely exhausted. *The potency of one portion of Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder is at least stronger than six portions of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction. As for exactly how many portions it equals, I will need to test further.* Lin Zheyu tallied it up, thoroughly satisfied with the Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder. He turned his gaze to the stats in his mind; the Golden Goose Skill's progress had increased by another four percent. Integrating the qi and blood burst technique into the Golden Goose Skill was far more difficult than imagined—practically impossible to accomplish in reality. Had it not been for the aid of Origin Power, which allowed him to enter that mysterious consciousness space to experiment, improve, and temper his body without restraint, Lin Zheyu would never have been able to achieve it. [Heaven Rewards Diligence] Name: Lin Zheyu Origin Power: 8 Skills: Golden Goose Skill (Ninth Layer 27%) Turtle Breathing Art (Third Layer 100%) After nearly two months, his Turtle Breathing Art had reached the perfection of the third layer, and his progress in the ninth layer of the Golden Goose Skill had risen to twenty-seven percent. *Let's keep advancing. This time, I'll use two units of Origin Power and add another portion of Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder herbs,* Lin Zheyu thought to himself. With eight units of Origin Power remaining, it was enough for him to test just how many portions of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction one portion of Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder was equivalent to. He took out another portion of Scarlet Fire Blood-Nourishing Powder, ground it into fine powder, and poured it into the wooden basin that still held residual medicinal strength. *Use two units of Origin Power to advance the Golden Goose Skill.* As the thought went out, the familiar sensation washed over him once more, and Lin Zheyu plunged into endless training and refinement yet again. Failing again and trying again, he absorbed lessons and gathered experience through each failure, converting them into true mastery of the martial art.