I, Who Hate Marine So Much, Have Become A Future Nika?

Chapter 14: It Doesn't Matter, It Will Make a Move!

The items sold at the Four Seas Pavilion are slightly more expensive than elsewhere, but they come with a guarantee of quality.

However, talismans and Law Weapons are related to combat. If there are any flaws, they are easily exposed in battle, and the loss would be one's own life.

Dan medicine is taken orally and is related to one's own cultivation and future. This cannot be taken lightly. Therefore, even though the items at the Four Seas Pavilion are expensive, many people still come to buy them because of the quality guarantee.

Just like Zhong Cang, when he obtained spirit stones and was ready to buy dan medicine, the first thing he thought of was the Four Seas Pavilion, not the small stalls.

However, the large number of people buying also causes the items at the Four Seas Pavilion to be in short supply and frequently out of stock.

When he came to buy dan medicine three days ago, he couldn't buy the Crimson Blood Dan, and could only buy Snow Jade Cream and Bay Leaf Fragrance.

However, the effects of just the Snow Jade Cream and Bay Leaf Fragrance also made Zhong Cang understand why among the four elements of cultivation, wealth comes first.

The auxiliary effects of dan medicine are indeed too strong.

"Before using the Bay Leaf Fragrance, when I practiced the Five Beasts Infusion Technique once, it could only increase my proficiency by 1 point. But after igniting the Bay Leaf Fragrance, my divine sense became clear, my spirituality increased, and the proficiency of my cultivation technique could increase by 3 points in one go!"

The triple increase made Zhong Cang ecstatic, but also somewhat fearful and emotional.

"It's a good thing that the higher the cultivation level of a cultivator, the fewer dan medicines they can use as assistance. And for high-level cultivators to break through, besides resources, they also need a strong mentality, comprehension, and a bit of opportunity. Without these restrictions, us poor people wouldn't have a place in the cultivation world... Although now, it's also difficult for poor people to make a name for themselves."

After the emotional moment, Zhong Cang also thought about the effects of the Snow Jade Cream.

When applied all over his body, it increased Zhong Cang's physical strength, or in the language of the cultivation world, Body Refining cultivation.

The effect it increased was also three times that of normal cultivation, just like the Bay Leaf Fragrance.

—Unlike the Ignorant Heart Sword Art, which is only about combat, the Qi Consumption Technique and the Five Beasts Infusion Technique are cultivation methods.

And they are only methods, which means that these two cultivation techniques do not directly increase Zhong Cang's cultivation level.

For example, when the Qi Consumption Technique reaches the 2nd stage of proficiency, Zhong Cang's cultivation level is still at the 3rd layer of Qi Refining. Even after advancing to the 3rd stage of mastery, Zhong Cang's Qi Refining cultivation level remains at the 3rd layer of Qi Refining, without any change.

Of course, this doesn't mean that advancing the cultivation technique is useless.

After the Qi Consumption Technique advanced, Zhong Cang gained the Devouring Tongue. His speed of Qi Refining cultivation skyrocketed several times.

This is the second major function of higher-level cultivation techniques... increasing cultivation speed.

The higher the proficiency of the cultivation technique, the faster the cultivation speed.

As for why increasing cultivation speed, such a powerful ability, is only ranked second, it is because there is another function that is more important—the realm of the cultivation technique, which is related to the upper limit of cultivation.

For example, with the Five Beasts Infusion Technique, if it is only at the entry level, no matter how hard Zhong Cang tries, he can only raise his physical cultivation to the 3rd layer of Qi Refining. If he wants to advance his physical cultivation to the 4th layer of Qi Refining, it is impossible.

This is also the reason why Zhong Cang said, "Besides resources, high-level cultivators need a strong mentality, comprehension, and a bit of opportunity to break through."

...

"Except for special techniques like the Ignorant Heart Sword Art, other techniques are not too difficult to progress from the 1st stage of entry to the 2nd stage of proficiency, or even to the 3rd stage of mastery. It can be achieved through time and effort. Only the 4th stage mastery is considered a threshold."

"And the upper limit of mastery at the 3rd stage is the completion of Qi Refining."

"If ordinary cultivators don't have extraordinary comprehension and a bit of opportunity, it is difficult for them to personally break through the realm of the technique to the 4th stage mastery, which is also related to the upper limit of cultivation. Therefore, Foundation Building is the first difficulty for all cultivators."

"However, in this Rank One stage, cultivators can still forcefully break through with the help of Foundation Building Pills. This also falls into the category of accumulating resources. But once they go beyond Foundation Building, there are no such convenient pills."

"Unable to forcefully break through with resources anymore, this is also the reason why the higher the cultivation level, the higher the requirements for mentality and comprehension."

Thinking about various points regarding the advancement of cultivation techniques, Zhong Cang also thought about his own physical cultivation.

"Because the previous owner of my body didn't practice diligently, the strengthening of my physical body by the Five Beasts Infusion Technique is only at the level of the 1st layer of Qi Refining... Fortunately, spiritual energy can also nourish the body. With my cultivation level at the 3rd layer of Qi Refining and a little practice of the Five Beasts Infusion Technique, my physical cultivation is now at the 2nd layer of Qi Refining."

"As for Yan Lingdie, because of the Heavenly Flame Spirit Scripture, she is at least at the level of the 4th layer of Qi Refining, and she is among the top cultivators at the 4th layer of Qi Refining... That's why when she slashed at me, I used the Sword Heart to stimulate the full potential of my body and spiritual energy, and that's why I was able to withstand it despite the difficulty."

With these thoughts, Zhong Cang did not despair, but instead felt joyous.

"I don't need extraordinary physical qualities, not even equal ones. Even if I'm slightly weaker, I can still achieve victory with the superlative swordsmanship skills bestowed by Sword Heart."

"When my physical cultivation reaches the third level of Qi Refining, I may surpass her!"

"And with the power of the elixirs, I can strengthen my physical cultivation to the third level of Qi Refining in the shortest amount of time."

This is the source of Zhong Cang's confidence.

Just as he was happily contemplating, the maid on the opposite side spoke up.

"Sir, your elixirs. Five laurel incense sticks for one spirit stone, and one spirit stone for each portion of scarlet blood pill and snow jade ointment. How many portions would you like?"

"...So expensive!"

Complaining inwardly, Zhong Cang still gritted his teeth and said, "Just one laurel incense stick, and ten portions each of scarlet blood pill and snow jade ointment!"

"Yes, sir. That will be twenty-five spirit stones."

As the maid handed over the elixirs to Zhong Cang, she suddenly remembered something and quickly reminded him.

"By the way, sir, although both the scarlet blood pill and snow jade ointment are Body Refining elixirs, one is taken internally while the other is applied externally. One is of the ice attribute, and the other is of the fire attribute. Ice and fire are incompatible, and if taken simultaneously, it will cause intense pain."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Cang did not feel any fear, but instead smiled and said, "But by taking them simultaneously, the effects of Body Refining will also double, won't they? I remember that your Four Seas Pavilion's elixir booklet specifically mentioned this."

"That is indeed the case, but very few can endure it."

As the maid finished speaking, she noticed that Zhong Cang remained calm. She opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

As a maid in the Four Seas Pavilion, it was her duty to remind cultivators of the side effects of the elixirs they purchased. This was also one of the reasons why the Four Seas Pavilion had a good reputation. They never concealed the negative effects of the elixirs and Law Weapons they sold, but instead tried their best to identify and warn about them.

However, all these maids could do was to remind. They had no say in what the cultivators who bought the elixirs would actually do.

Although she couldn't stop him, the maid shook her head as she watched Zhong Cang's departing figure.

This scene happened to be witnessed by another passing maid, who couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Xiao Yao, are you feeling unwell? I can take over your shift for you."

"I'm fine, I just encountered another person who thinks they're special. That person wants to take the scarlet blood pill and snow jade ointment at the same time. Hehe, Xiao Ying, how long do you think he can endure it? Once or twice? I think even once is difficult. From what I've heard, taking the scarlet blood pill and snow jade ointment together not only causes unbearable pain but also an itching sensation like ants crawling all over..."

As she said this, the maid serving Zhong Cang couldn't help but shudder.

The other maid, Xiao Ying, did not comment on the matter. She just sighed helplessly and sternly said to Xiao Yao, "Don't badmouth customers in the store. If you get reported, you'll lose your job."

This consequence frightened Xiao Yao.

She shrunk her neck and hugged Xiao Ying, feeling a bit scared and trying to please her. "But it was you who asked, so I just answered. I'm not stupid. I won't say anything to others."

"I didn't ask, and you shouldn't say anything to me either..."

Zhong Cang was unaware of what happened afterwards.

Regarding the pain and itching caused by taking the snow jade ointment and scarlet blood pill simultaneously, Zhong Cang had anticipated it, but he still planned to take them together.

This was not arrogance on his part, but rather his confidence.

"According to the records in the elixir booklet, only one out of eight hundred cultivators can withstand the pain of taking the snow jade ointment and scarlet blood pill together."

"Undoubtedly, my willpower is not that strong."

"But it doesn't matter. It will make a move!"