Choosing medicine as a skill is like gaining a craft for survival.
In this world, having a craft to survive is crucial, so I chose the Essence-Nourishing Recipe.
Whether it enhances virility or not doesn't matter; the main goal is to boost Qi and blood.
[Essence-Nourishing Recipe: Stage One formula, nurtures Qi, blood, and essence.]
[Ingredients: Ten-year ginseng, deer antler, polygonatum...]
This formula is a Stage One recipe, something an ordinary family would consider a family heirloom.
Not just any doctor can prescribe such an entry-level formula.
As for Zhou Family Medicine, these days, a village doctor not causing death is already commendable.
However, the ingredients for the Essence-Nourishing Recipe are hard to find; among the three main ingredients, Bai Yu only has deer antler.
Ten-year ginseng is extremely precious.
But there's no rush; as a Changsheng, I can eventually gather them all.
For a Changsheng, slow is fast.
As long as you endure, there's nothing you can't achieve.
Bai Yu calmed his mind and invested all 8 points of life experience into the Five Elements Fist.
[Five Elements Fist level up: First Glimpse of the Path.]
[Aptitude +2.]
His current attribute panel became:
[Name: Bai Yu.]
[Aptitude: 3]
[Qi and Blood: 8.8]
[Strength: 10]
[Cultivation: Unranked Martial Artist.]
[Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Fist (First Glimpse of the Path)]
[Divine Ability: Immortality.]
[Skills: Play Suona (Practice Makes Perfect), Literacy (First Glimpse of the Path), Hunting (First Glimpse of the Path).]
The Five Elements Fist finally reached the beginner level, with the next level's experience progress at 1.2/100!
The best part is, his aptitude has improved!
Bai Yu was thrilled and practiced the Five Elements Fist from start to finish.
This time he noticed that after practicing, his whole body felt warm.
At this moment, his martial cultivation finally advanced!
It was truly a double blessing!
[Cultivation: Stage One Flesh Refining (1%).]
Clenching his fist, the muscles on his arm bulged, hard as rock.
Stage One Flesh Refining, muscles swell, and strength greatly increases!
Flesh Refining, as the name suggests, is about training the muscles to increase muscle strength.
Generally speaking, the maximum strength can reach three hundred pounds.
"Finally, I've become a Stage One martial artist!"
Bai Yu exhaled deeply and glanced at the panel.
After one round of punches, the experience progress increased by 0.2!
However, the Qi and blood depletion value dropped to 0.1.
Moreover, there was another gain; his strength also increased by 0.1.
When his strength reaches 30, which is three hundred pounds, he can become a Stage Two Tendon Forging martial artist.
***
Bai Yu's days were peaceful and fulfilling.
Farming, hunting, practicing punches.
Occasionally, he would perform funeral rites, sharing some of the prey with Mr. Meng and others.
Unhurried and calm, life was peaceful.
His strength was steadily increasing.
Sometimes he would hunt a wild boar weighing over a hundred pounds and have a hearty meal.
Sometimes he would catch a fiery red fox, and its fur would earn a few silver coins.
The plum seeds he planted sprouted green buds and grew new branches.
Unnoticed, the saplings were growing rapidly.
In the first year the plum tree bloomed, Little Yu got married.
The little girl who used to follow Bai Yu around, calling "Brother Changsheng" all day, had her hair tied up and became someone else's wife.
That year, the plums bore fruit, dark red and sweet with a hint of tartness.
In the fifth year of the plum tree bearing fruit, Mr. Meng passed away.
Bai Yu took care of the funeral arrangements single-handedly.
During this time, some ruffians tried to take advantage of the situation and divide Mr. Meng's property.
Bai Yu showed his fist as big as a sandbag and reasoned with them.
Later, Third Sister-in-law's little son went out to explore the world.
Third Sister-in-law often stood at the village entrance, waiting for her son to return, until her hair turned white.
***
One winter, the snow fell particularly heavily.
It broke a branch of the plum tree and also overwhelmed Third Sister-in-law.
A new grave appeared at the village entrance, facing the mountain road leading out of the village.
With a suona in hand, Bai Yu played through the weddings and funerals, the separations and reunions of the small mountain village.
Unnoticed, when he looked up, the plum tree he planted had grown tall and lush.
Over the years, the Five Elements Fist advanced from First Glimpse of the Path to Practice Makes Perfect.
Bai Yu's aptitude also increased to 5 points.
[Realm: Stage One Flesh Refining Realm (97%)]
[Five Elements Fist (Practice Makes Perfect, 12/1000)]
With continued training, he could become a Stage Two martial artist.
In the small wooden house, Bai Yu was flipping through a blue-covered scripture, the "Meng Family Herbal Classic."
This was given to Bai Yu by Mr. Meng before he passed away.
"Changsheng, my greatest regret in this life is not having taught a scholar.
You were the disciple I had the highest hopes for, alas.
We are "pawread dot com", find us on google.
Well, if not a good minister, then a good doctor. Here is a medical book passed down in our Meng family. Take a look.
You have a pure heart, and you will surely achieve something."
Then, he took out an envelope and handed it to Bai Yu.
If Bai Yu wanted to make a living in the city, he could take this letter to find Mr. Meng's prized disciple, Yang Lin.
Bai Yu flipped through the herbal classic, reading it very seriously.
Old Mo was also lying beside the table, reading along with Bai Yu.
It loved learning things, even sneaking in study sessions while Bai Yu slept.
"Tiger Thorn Grass, commonly known as Yellow Chicken Claw, has roots resembling chicken claws."
Bai Yu took out an herb, comparing it with the description in the herbal classic, confirming it repeatedly.
"With the root of Tiger Thorn Grass and the ten-year ginseng brought from the city, the ingredients for the Essence-Nourishing Recipe are complete."
Bai Yu solemnly took out a small package wrapped in several layers, containing a ten-year ginseng.
It cost Bai Yu a full two taels of silver to have someone bring it from the city.
Next were deer antler, polygonatum, and Tiger Thorn Grass.
"Two qian of ginseng, three qian of deer antler ground into powder, five qian each of polygonatum and Tiger Thorn Grass."
Bai Yu took out a set of tools and began preparing the medicine.
After proportioning the ingredients, he ground them into powder and mixed them thoroughly.
After half a day, he finally prepared several packets of Essence-Nourishing Powder.
Using only non-toxic herbs, even if the preparation was wrong, the side effects wouldn't be too severe.
Bai Yu eagerly dissolved a packet of Essence-Nourishing Powder in water and drank it.
As the Essence-Nourishing Powder entered his stomach, he felt a warm current rising from his abdomen, slowly flowing throughout his body.
On the attribute panel, it was clear to see the Qi and blood value continuously increasing.
[Qi and Blood +0.1!]
[Qi and Blood +0.1!]
[Qi and Blood +0.1!]
***
One packet of Essence-Nourishing Powder increased Bai Yu's Qi and blood value by nearly 5 points, and it was still gradually increasing.
This batch of medicine was worth about five taels of silver, enough to make ten packets of Essence-Nourishing Powder.
In other words, just the Qi and blood value alone amounted to fifty points.
The abundant Qi and blood flowed throughout his body, generating strands of strength in his muscles.
Bai Yu's entire spirit was invigorated, as if he had endless energy.
He couldn't help but let out a long howl and went outside to practice the Five Elements Fist.
"White Tiger Attacks the Enemy!"
"Basalt Guards the North!"
"Orient Loong God Extends its Claws!"
Old Mo also followed along with each move, already quite adept.
Bai Yu practiced the Five Elements Fist over and over again.
His pores opened, and his spirit grew increasingly vibrant.
He clenched his fist, and the muscles on his arm swelled, with veins bulging like dragons and snakes.
Muscles like dragons!
Stage Two Tendon Forging!
At this moment, Bai Yu finally became a Stage Two martial artist!
With a thought, he suddenly punched the plum tree.
A fist mark appeared on the sturdy trunk!
Bai Yu finished his move and exhaled a long breath of turbid air.
Finally, he had entered the Tendon Forging Realm.
Once the flesh reached three hundred pounds of strength, further muscle training had little effect.
At this point, it was time to start training the tendons.
As the saying goes: "An inch longer in tendons, three points more in strength, ten years more in life."
Constantly tempering the tendons can increase strength to five hundred pounds.
Moreover, the whole body can exert force in a circular manner, allowing each move to use the full body strength.
After that, he could enter the Stage Three Skin Refining Realm!
Bai Yu glanced at the attribute panel.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan