C22 Pill Inscription

A massive box and a withered, unsightly stick were laid out before them.

Lee Qingyun presented the magical artifacts he had acquired, prompting Aoxue to mockingly comment, "To the uninformed, it might look like Grandmaster Lee scavenged these from a garbage heap."

Lee Qingyun retorted with a snort, "These are authentic magical artifacts."

"Is that true, Master?" Ping An inquired, drawing closer with excitement.

"Indeed," Aoxue confirmed with a nod. "They're the real deal, and the craftsmanship is quite sophisticated. They're definitely among the finest of magical artifacts."

"Hmph, could my judgment ever be flawed?" Lee Qingyun boasted.

Amidst their conversation, a whooshing sound filled the air.

Xun Liang had taken up the stick and was skillfully manipulating it. The stick twirled between his hands, gathering a swirl of yellow spiritual energy around him. After performing a series of intricate maneuvers, Xun Liang stopped, a pleased grin spreading across his face. "Thank you, Master. I'm really fond of this stick!"

"As long as you're happy with it," Lee Qingyun replied, not surprised by Xun Liang's attitude. He valued the effectiveness of a weapon over its appearance. Despite its unattractive look, Lee Qingyun knew the stick's power was on par with top-grade magical artifacts—a premium among its kind.

"Big Brother is incredible!" Ping An clapped and cheered, then turned to Lee Qingyun with a forlorn expression. "Master, is this box meant to be my weapon? It seems... rather large."

"Um..." Lee Qingyun hesitated, "It is quite sizable, but trust me, it's a formidable weapon."

A minute later, Lee Qingyun and Aoxue exchanged awkward glances as they watched Ping An, still childlike in stature, dragging an axe taller than Lee Qingyun himself.

"Master, Great Elder, why the long faces?" Ping An asked, brandishing the colossal axe. "I find this axe far more practical than the one for chopping wood."

"And it doubles as a shield," he added with a hint of pride.

Lee Qingyun reassured them, "Ping An, your weapon is fine, and so is the Boss's. Get comfortable with them today; we're heading into battle tomorrow."

"Yes!"

Lee Qingyun ushered Aoxue out of the room and inquired, "Did you manage to purchase the new clothes for Xun Liang and Pingan?"

"They're bought. They'll change into them tomorrow."

Lee Qingyun, Aoxue, and his two disciples were lodging at an inn close to the martial arts field. Lee Qingyun was in the midst of selecting weapons for his disciples to bolster their abilities.

He had tasked Aoxue with picking out clothes for the two disciples at the market. With tens of thousands of spectators expected, a polished appearance would serve as excellent publicity for Twin Rage.

"Don't worry, we're sure to win," Aoxue reassured him gently.

She had observed Lee Qingyun's relentless efforts over the past few days and understood the gravity of the upcoming competition for him. Although new to Twin Rage and despite not harboring any romantic feelings for the intriguing man before her, she recognized the significance of the event to Lee Qingyun and couldn't bring herself to discourage someone so earnestly dedicated.

She felt as though she had come to know him well. For the sake of the sect, he could transform into various personas: at times a stern master, at other times a magnanimous sect leader, occasionally a meek figure pandering to others, or even a petulant child...

Yet, she also felt that he was an enigma, for he always possessed a fierce ambition and a certain... disdainful confidence. "System, do you recommend any medicines that could be used during the competition?"

The System responded, "Although this system is highly capable, it does not directly supply pills and weapons."

Lee Qingyun muttered, "Oh."

The system wasn't omnipotent after all. That it had already provided such substantial aid to his cultivation seemed almost too good to be true.

He had several pills on hand for tomorrow's contest, each with different effects. However, even the finest pills in Deepmere City were merely at the entry-level of Mortal Rank. Lee Qingyun had exhausted all his spirit stones on these...

Hold on!

Mortal Rank, first grade?

The system had mentioned it didn't directly supply pills and weapons.

Could there be a way?

Lee Qingyun cleared his throat with a couple of dry coughs, mustering his emotions and contorting his face into a picture of distress. With a tone tinged with melancholy and envy, he lamented, "If only my pills were of the second grade at the Mortal Rank..."

The system remained silent.

No response? Could it be impossible?

Undeterred, Lee Qingyun composed himself and selected a pill from the stash, repeating his wish, "If only this pill was at the second grade of the Mortal Rank..."

"If only this pill was..."

"This operation will consume 5 Genius Points. Would you like to proceed?"

Lee Qingyun was stunned.

"Hahahahahaha... Just as I thought!"

"Keep going! Keep going!"

"The system is adept at the art of inscription. It can etch inscriptions onto pills, with each inscription elevating the pill by a minor grade. Currently, the system is at Level 1 and can apply up to three inscriptions. Would you like to proceed?"

"Keep going! Keep going!"

...

"The pill inscription is complete. A total of six pills have been inscribed once, and one pill has been inscribed twice, for a total cost of 45 Genius Points."

"Host's basic information:

Cultivation Value: 300 (Peak of the Middle Period of Foundation Establishment)

Spiritual Roots: Six spiritual roots

Foundation Establishment: Top-grade Dao Foundation

Cultivation Technique: Azure Clouds Spell, low-grade Yellow Rank

Genius Points: 0"

"Alert: The host's Genius Points have been depleted. Please replenish them promptly."

Lee Qingyun examined the white patterns on the pills in his hand, familiar with the art of inscription. He had read about it in ancient texts; it was a technique held by the old and mighty sects—no, they were more than sects, for they were vast, governing dozens of nations and the vast continent.

These sects were known as... the orthodoxy!

He now possessed a skill that only the super sects of orthodoxy level had at their disposal. He had to exercise extreme caution; any individual from these orthodoxies was not someone he—or even the entirety of Stormford—could afford to provoke.

"System, you mentioned that the system is at Level 1. How can I upgrade it to Level 2?" inquired Lee Qingyun.

"The system will accumulate enough energy to complete the upgrade once the sect has developed sufficiently," the system explained.

"Ah, I suppose that's a long way off for me," Lee Qingyun responded, his tone flat. The thought of the massive orthodoxy had left him feeling somewhat adrift.

But within moments, Lee Qingyun's confidence was restored, and his fighting spirit surged anew.

"It turns out there are such colossal sects in the world. It would be fascinating to be part of one..." he mused.

Lee Qingyun rolled the pills in his hand, contemplating. "But before that, let's focus on winning tomorrow's competition."