C3 Fighting Openly and Covertly.

After saying that, five items materialized before Xiao Yong and automatically dressed him: two bracers for his arms, a vest for his torso, and two shin guards for his legs.

"That's more like it," Xiao Yong thought slyly. "You want to inhabit my body; you better bring some offerings. Can't let you off that easy, can I?"

He stood up, slipped on the vest, fastened the bracers around his arms, and secured the shin guards on his legs.

As the gear settled onto his body, Xiao Yong plopped down on the ground and shouted angrily, "You blasted cauldron! Are you trying to kill me?"

The cauldron spirit quickly retorted, "My apologies! I didn't expect you couldn't even handle a hundred and sixty kilograms. I've reduced it to eighty kilograms, the absolute minimum." Internally, the spirit was pleased, thinking, 'Act all high and mighty, will you? Look down on this venerable cauldron? Time you learned your lesson.'

Xiao Yong stood up, rubbed his sore backside, and took a few steps. "Not bad; this weight is within my tolerance. By the way, can I control this weight myself? If I can't, and you decide to mess with me, things could get troublesome."

Kid, it's better if I maintain control. This will prevent you from slacking off. It's for your good," responded the cauldron spirit.

"Forget it. I'm not wearing this contraption. Take it back. Refining pills is way easier, and at least I don't have to deal with this nonsense," Xiao Yong declared, determined to achieve his goal by any means necessary.

"Young man, I can't remove it at the moment; I've depleted too much energy. You'll have to bear with it for some time until I recover," insisted the cauldron spirit.

Xiao Yong sighed, "I have to go up the mountain to collect herbs. Do you want me to tumble down and die?"

"Kid, we're at an impasse," the Suppression Cauldron said. "You've got two choices. Either you boost your strength to handle this burden, or you find me high-grade materials so I can upgrade and then help you remove them. I need to go dormant for a while. If I gather enough energy, I'll wake up sooner; otherwise, it'll take longer." The Cauldron was secretly pleased. 'You might as well just get used to wearing me.'

"How do I improve my strength? And where can I find these high-grade materials?" Xiao Yong urgently questioned.

"You dimwit! Haven't you noticed how people in your sect improve their abilities? When you come across suitable materials, I'll let you know. Now quit your bickering; I can't stay awake much longer. I'm going into hibernation." The voice of the Suppression Cauldron grew fainter until it was utterly silent, signaling that it had fallen asleep.

"Wait, explain how I can remove this," Xiao Yong pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation.

The spirit within the cauldron remained silent, pretending to have fallen asleep. Internally, it mused, 'Thinking you can outwit or overpower me? You're not even close.'

Seeing that the Suppression Cauldron was unresponsive, Xiao Yong sighed deeply. The sensation of being unable to control his condition was unbearable. Bereft of options, he resigned himself to endure the imposed weight.

Upon closer inspection, he found that the refined tool wasn't bad. It was thin and form-fitting. Even during movement, it didn't chafe against his skin; it felt almost like wearing regular clothing.

Xiao Yong slowly walked to a pile of firewood and pulled out a stick. He swung it ferociously at his leg. To his surprise, there was no pain, just a resounding thud. He tested it further by hitting his forearm and chest—still no pain, only vibrations and sound.

"Damn, it might be heavy, but it fits like a glove," he muttered. 'It looks way better than the sandbags those meridian-opened disciples use. It even serves as excellent armor. But how can I speed up my progress in cultivation?'

Having realized the advantages of the refined tool, Xiao Yong began to pace the courtyard, pondering how he could quickly advance his abilities.

The Suppression Cauldron grinned maliciously. 'Kid, you're way out of your league to challenge me. Focus on boosting your skills; you won't regret it.'

After less than an hour's walk, Xiao Yong erupted in frustration. "This damn cauldron is so heavy! How am I supposed to collect herbs like this? My hands, legs, and even my whole body are slow. This is unbearable!"

Upon hearing Xiao Yong's complaints, the spirit of the cauldron rolled its eyes internally. 'This ungrateful brat,' it thought. 'I've given him an excellent training method and set him on a path to greatness, yet he complains.'

"Only half a month until the pill-refining contest, and I don't have any medicinal herbs. What am I going to do?" sighed Xiao Yong. "I'm stuck with this burdensome cauldron. Ying's busy cultivating, and there's nothing else to do, so I might as well focus on mastering the Dragon Scripture."

Rather than sitting down to meditate, Xiao Yong wore his refinement tool as he walked. When he got tired, he'd stand; when he felt more relaxed, he'd resume walking. All the while, he focused on his meridians, guiding what felt like a nonexistent flow of energy through his third meridian.

"Wait, what am I doing?" Xiao Yong slapped his forehead and chuckled at himself. "I can already look inside myself. Why bother visualizing? I should just direct the flow."

Three days later, Ying's room was filled with her shrieks. "Why does my room smell so bad? It's unbearable!"

Hearing her from the courtyard, Xiao Yong shouted, "Ying, go take a shower! The water's already hot."

"So it's me? How revolting," Ying muttered, and the rustling sounds coming from her room indicated she was making haste to clean up.

After a short while, Ying burst out of her room. "I feel so much better, Brother. But now I'm starving."

Looking at his sister's flawless skin and her bright, captivating eyes, Xiao Yong grinned. "How about we eat out today?"

Ying retorted, "Brother, it's more economical to eat at home."

Unfazed, Xiao Yong replied, "Don't worry about it. You love Lao Chen's soy beef, right? Let's indulge ourselves today and grab some rice on the way back."

Although tempted, Ying cautioned, "It does taste amazing, but we're running low on funds, you know."

With a reassuring smile, Xiao Yong told her, "Don't stress, Ying. I'll handle the finances. From now on, I'll treat you to that soy beef at least once a month."

Unable to contain her excitement, Ying leaped into her brother's arms. "Really?" she exclaimed, but before her voice even settled, Xiao Yong toppled over like a felled tree.

Quickly disentangling herself, Ying grabbed one of Xiao Yong's arms and yanked him back up. Her voice tinged with worry, she asked, "Brother, are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Struggling to his feet with a slight blush, Xiao Yong said, "I'm fine. I just wasn't prepared for you to jump on me like that. Haven't you noticed? You're a lot stronger than before."

Curious, Ying walked over to the courtyard wall and picked up a wooden stool they usually sat on. "Wow, you're right, Brother. My strength has increased a lot. I could barely shift this thing before."

Intrigued, Xiao Yong asked, "Ying, how many meridians have you opened?"

"Three," Ying replied.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yong spoke gravely, "Ying, you can't tell anyone about your opened meridians. Go get all our silver at home; we're dining out."

Ying emerged from the house, unfolding her hand to reveal three small pieces of silver weighing less than 300 grams. "Brother, this is all we've got."

Gently patting Ying's head, Xiao Yong reassured her, "Don't worry. We'll find a way to get more silver and beef."

"Brother, why are you strolling?" Ying asked.

"Do I seem slow? Maybe you're just walking faster," Xiao Yong countered.

Though Xiao Yong had opened two meridians, his youth limited his strength. Carrying eighty kilograms of refined tools was a significant burden for him.

"Just get three kilograms," Ying suggested. "You'll need two, and one is enough for me."

"I ate way too much today," Ying admitted as they left the restaurant. "We bought twelve kilograms, and I ate over five. How did I become such a big eater? How much will this cost us in the future?"

Chattering incessantly, Ying accompanied Xiao Yong on a leisurely walk home after their meal.

Upon entering the Liu family's rice shop, the shopkeeper greeted Xiao Yong warmly. "Ah, Pill Master Xiao, what brings you here? How much rice would you like?"

Here, anyone capable of crafting pills was respectfully termed a "Pill Master," which was far more esteemed than simply being a pharmacist. Xiao Yong was among the rare disciples in the Cloud Sword Sect with this skill. Liu Jiyuan of the Liu family was still considered just a pharmacist, although rumors showed that he was close to mastering pill crafting.

"Thirty kilograms, please." Xiao Yong watched as the shopkeeper handed him a sack of rice.

"Of course, just a moment." The shopkeeper didn't grab rice from the bins out front. Instead, he took an empty sack into a back room, returning shortly after with it filled. "Here is your rice, Pill Master Xiao," he said, placing the bag respectfully before him.

Xiao Yong plunged into the bag and grasped a handful of grains. "Ah, this is new rice. Quite good."

"You have an excellent eye, Pill Master Xiao. This batch arrived just two days ago," the shopkeeper said with a chuckle.

Xiao Yong hoisted the bag onto his back and had barely walked two hundred feet from the shop when he had to set the sack down. He gasped for air; sweat beads the size of soybeans trickled down his forehead. His heart pounded, feeling as though it would burst from his chest.

Peering outside, the shopkeeper took notice then discreetly shut down the shop before leaving.

"Brother, what's going on? Are you okay?" Ying asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, just a bit too full. Let's take a quick break and continue," he said, catching his breath. Internally, he was cursing at the weight of the rice, thinking, 'This is exhausting.'

They had less than two miles to go, but the journey was punctuated with frequent stops. By the time they reached home, nearly two hours had passed. They were utterly exhausted; their limbs felt like jelly, and they were soaked in sweat.

"Bro, don't we still have rice at home? Why'd you buy even more?"

"Did you eat all that rice? You went through it in just two days?"

"At this rate, how much will we have to spend on food every month?"

"We've got just a bit more than a tael of silver left. How are we going to make it work from here on out?"

Ying walked beside him, carrying four kilos

After taking a shower, Xiao Yong hit the bed early. Lying there, he noticed his third meridian seemed somewhat activated. Sighing, he muttered, "It's useless to have it open without energy. And to get that energy, you need money. Darn it! This cultivation system requires financial resources and connections—both of which I lack right now. What a useless cauldron!"

Meanwhile, in a tranquil valley within the sect, an old man with an expressionless face looked at a younger disciple. "Are you saying the kid has gone home?"

"Yes, Master. He seems to have been home for a few days but only came out today."

"So, he's that weak? Can't even carry thirty kilograms of rice without struggling?"

"Yes, Master."

"Alright, you may go." The young man bowed respectfully and vanished into the night.

Meanwhile, in another residence, a middle-aged man was also conversing with a young man.

"Are you certain you left no trace of the medicine?"

"Master, when I checked two days later, no scent remained."

"Did you just leave without inspecting the area?"

"I saw Liu Bofan and his four companions crying. My brother and Senior Brother Zhong gathered the net, and we left."

"Very well, you may go."

After watching the young man fade into the dark, the middle-aged man stood up and paced. He then walked out of his house and went to the ancient residence. He knocked and, upon seeing the old man answer, gave a nod before stepping into the courtyard.

The old man briefly stepped outside, gazing at the sky and surveying the surroundings. Satisfied, he returned to his home and bolted the door.

"Changyi, this isn't as straightforward as we thought. That kid has returned."

Uncle, that kid's luck is something else. He survived a fall into Ghost Cliff Gorge. Even Lau Daofu went to investigate and didn't see him bring anyone down from the mountain. How did he come back?"

"We need to act quickly. We can't afford to lose the pill-refining competition next month. Failing would mean losing our ability to restrain him, and our standing within the sect would weaken."

"Understood. I'll go back and make sure he focuses on his training. I guarantee he'll successfully concoct a pill and ascend to the rank of Pill Disciple. That could help us diminish Lau Daofu's influence."

"That's just one angle. We must brainstorm other strategies. We need a comprehensive approach to neutralize him in one swift move."

"Uncle, I'll think of more alternatives for my nephew. If you come up with any viable ideas, please share. Time is running out; we have to make this work."