C5 Attack!

Three miles beyond the gates of the Cloud Sword Sect, Xiao Yong took a momentous turn and saw the sect vanish behind him. Filled with exhilaration, he leapt into the air and yelled, "I can craft a pill with eighty percent efficacy! I'm a true alchemist now! And I've opened three meridians; I've reached the late stages of the Vein Opening Realm!"

"What on earth are you yelling about, boy? You're so excited; I thought you were about to die," a disembodied voice said, sounding exasperated.

"Cauldron Spirit, you're awake! Look at me now, a genuine alchemist in the Vein Opening Realm. Not too shabby, eh?" Xiao Yong responded, his voice tinged with pride.

"Is this modest achievement enough to satisfy you? How disappointing," the Cauldron Spirit remarked listlessly.

"Eighty percent pill efficacy is considered top-tier in the Dragon Star Continent! And being in the late stages of the Vein Opening Realm makes me one of the highest-ranking new disciples in the Cloud Sword Sect," Xiao Yong defended.

"Your horizons are rather limited, aren't they?" the Cauldron Spirit chided.

"This is just the beginning. I aim to perfect my pill to one hundred percent efficacy and ascend to the realm of Martial Master. I will become the most powerful entity on the Dragon Star Continent," Xiao Yong declared confidently.

"Your ignorance is quite frightening. Listen, boy, I'm about to give you a reality check; brace yourself," the Cauldron Spirit warned.

"While it appeared that the Martial Master was the ultimate stage on Dragon Star Continent, it was far from the truth. Hidden figures known as Martial Lords were seldom seen but existed nonetheless. Above Dragon Star lay Dragon Soaring Continent, where the realm of Martial Lords and even Martial Kings existed. In the same vein, while Dragon Star Continent's alchemists were esteemed, Dragon Soaring Continent had individuals at the level of Pill Lords. Both realms operated on a similar tier system for cultivation and alchemy.

Judging an individual's prowess solely on the number of opened meridians was an incomplete measure. Meridians varied in size; larger ones could store more Yuan Qi (life force), enabling more sustained combat. Human bodies had acupoints capable of storing Yuan Qi; the more Yuan Qi one stored, the more abundant one's reserves would be.

The truly powerful cultivators had to temper not just their muscles, bones, and skin but also their blood, marrow, and internal organs. Additionally, they needed to cultivate their spirit and will.

After unblocking their meridians, individuals would experience a revitalized body, leading to an extended lifespan. The more meridians they cleared, the more life force or "Yuan Qi" they accumulated, further prolonging their life. A dried-up river couldn't rejuvenate itself; only a raging river could teem with life.

To create high-grade potions, an alchemist needed a robust physique and strong willpower. Although an alchemist might not possess remarkable combat abilities, their physical resilience had to align with their soul power, or else their body would disintegrate."

The more Xiao Yong heard, the more astonished he became. He realized he had been like a toad at the bottom of a well, ignorant of the vast complexities of cultivation and the existence of realms beyond the Star Continent. But rather than being discouraged, he felt a renewed determination to become both an Alchemy Lord and a Martial King.

"How can I expand my meridians?" "How do I cultivate my soul power? How can I reach the Star Continent?" He bombarded with one question after another.

The Cauldron Spirit, equally pleased, revealed the methods for widening meridians and refining the body. As for cultivating willpower, it could only provide a general guideline, being itself a damaged magical artifact with limited knowledge. As to how to reach the Star Continent, the Cauldron Spirit was clueless but assured him that the answer would come once he reached a specific level of mastery.

Xiao Yong then took a 70% Essence Gathering Pill and divided his attention. As he walked, he began to circulate the Dragon Scripture, guiding energy flow through his three main meridians, aiming to expand them. By now, he had abandoned the idea of removing the refining tool attached to his body, recognizing its value in his training.

Beyond the Star Continent lay the Dragon Soaring Continent, making him realize that the Star Continent was merely a starting point. He was destined to journey even further.

The Cauldron Spirit was delighted when Xiao Yong ceased talking and focused on his cultivation. Their relationship was symbiotic: the stronger Xiao Yong became, the easier it would be for the Cauldron Spirit to repair itself, and vice versa.

Meanwhile, within the Cloud Sword Sect, Lau Daofu sat in the lounge without heading home. With his eyes slightly closed, he also circulated a nameless chant.

After a long pause, he sighed softly and opened his eyes. "Brother Xiao, where are you now? Your son has become a true alchemist, just as I have. We even used your chants. If I could, I'd love to journey to the Dragon Soaring Continent."

In Gou Changyi's lounge, Liu Jiyuan stood before him respectfully. "You're saying that Xiao Yong has managed to create Blood Clotting Pills with a 70% purity and Essence Gathering Pills with 60% purity?"

"Yes, I verified it. I've heard there was also a 70% Essence Gathering Pill, but it's already been consumed."

"How did he accomplish this? You still can't manage more than a 50% success rate in your pill refining, and even then, your success rate isn't higher than 60%. Get back to refining! No, call your brother first!"

That day, Xiao Yong had been quite productive in his alchemical pursuits. He had created Essence Gathering Pills for Lee Yuan and Senior Brother Gu and even had some left over for himself, with varying levels of purity.

Feeling the elemental energy in his three meridians was relatively weak, Xiao Yong took three more 70% pure pills. Then, he thought momentarily and took an 80% pure pill. Within a few breaths, the elemental energy in his meridians had more than doubled.

'It seems one 80% pure pill has the effect of three 70% ones. No wonder the purer the pill, the higher its market value,' he mused.

"Hold on there, young man! Medicine has its limits, and you can't solely rely on pills. The real path lies in absorbing the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth," the cauldron spirit urgently advised, seeing Xiao Yong continuously consume more pills.

"But if I don't take these pills, my elemental energy will stagnate, and my cultivation level will stop advancing. That would leave me stuck at the late stage of the vein-opening realm," Xiao Yong argued.

The cauldron spirit replied, "Pills can aid you, but you mustn't become dependent on them. Doing so would hinder your future progress. You should be working to improve your body, your realm, and your soul force simultaneously. If you advance in these three aspects, your potential will be limitless."

Xiao Yong was a complete novice when it came to cultivation. He had neither experience nor any prior focus on this specific field of knowledge. His only experience with cultivation had been the enigmatic incantations his master taught him, along with observing his master's alchemy techniques. It was fair to say that he had led a life that was both simple and fulfilling.

In the past, Xiao Yong rarely kept any of the pills he refined except to sample their effects. But that day was different. He had successfully opened his meridians and reached the late stage of the Pulse Opening Realm. As a result, he had started to save some of these pills, primarily as a safeguard to avoid attracting too much attention.

Faced with the prospect of having an endless supply of pills to consume for his future cultivation, Xiao Yong felt uneasy. "So, how can I continue to progress?" he wondered aloud.

"You have alternative means of acquiring energy. For instance, you can absorb the spiritual energy in the air or glean vital energy from food. But be cautious; food can also introduce impurities into your system," the spirit within the cauldron explained.

"So you're saying I can cultivate by inhaling small amounts of spiritual energy from the atmosphere and eating certain foods?"

"Exactly. Whether you're at the Martial Warrior or Master stages, you'll find that the concentration of Yuan Qi increases as you ascend through the realms, making your cultivation more effective."

"But I've only ever eaten meat from beasts at the Martial Warrior stage. I've never even heard of Martial Master stage beast meat. At this rate, I'll never become a Martial Master or Alchemist in my lifetime," he complained

The spirit inside the cauldron chuckled, "So, how exactly did you manage to open your three meridians? Did you solely rely on pills for that?"

"It was because of that fruit I ate," Xiao Yong clarified.

"Eating the fruit only opened two of your meridians. Now you have three open. If you keep consuming these low-grade pills, they'll leave impurities that could seriously hamper your future cultivation. If you continue down that path, there's no guarantee you'll ever be able to leave the Star Continent," the spirit warned.

Xiao Yong fell silent. He had to admit it was true. After returning, he had opened his third meridian without the aid of any elixirs. Besides eating copious amounts of food, he had also absorbed the ambient Essence Qi.

During the rest of his journey, Xiao Yong multitasked in three different ways. First, he focused on walking; second, he continually circulated the mystical knowledge in the "Dragon Scripture"; and third, he pondered his future development.

When he pushed open the front door, he didn't find his sister Ying playing in the courtyard. Instead, he saw her dash out from inside the house. "Brother, you're back?" she exclaimed.

Xiao Yong greeted her with a warm smile. "Ying, are you hungry? I'm going to start cooking now."

With a sheepish grin, Ying responded, "I've been practicing the Dragon Scripture all day at home. I cooked up some beef for lunch, and believe it or not, I'm still pretty hungry."

Chuckling, Xiao Yong told her, "Well, hunger is the best reason to eat."Chuckling, Xiao Yong told her, "Well, hunger is the best reason to eat."

"But I've already eaten half of what I cooked," Ying admitted.

Unfazed, Xiao Yong took out the thirty-six silver taels with him. "Don't worry, we've got plenty of money. You start on the rice, and I'll buy some more beef and sauce."

Ying's eyes sparkled at the sight of the money. "Well, in that case, hurry and go buy it. I'll handle the cooking here."

As he stepped outside, Xiao Yong turned to consult the cauldron spirit. "Senior, my sister and I are eating so much these days. What's going to happen as we progress in our cultivation levels? How much more will we need to eat?"

The cauldron spirit was elated, finally grasping the concept of respecting elders. "The reason your appetites have surged is due to the swift opening of your three meridians and the transformation of your bodily energy into Essence Qi," it explained. "However, once your system stabilizes, this extreme hunger will disappear."

Xiao Yong let out a sigh of relief, then asked a question that seemed to catch the cauldron spirit off guard. "Is the lack of Martial Lords on the Dragon Star Continent because there's not enough Essence Qi in the air to sustain them?"

Taken aback, the cauldron spirit admitted, "Yes, you're correct."

After getting home, Xiao Yong reconsidered his plan to give Ying an Essence Gathering Pill. If she was already feeling this hungry, then food would suffice for now. He could always give her the pill later when he managed to refine it to 95% purity.

Having understood Ying's Qi circulation, he taught her a nameless chant, warning her to keep it a secret.

Late at night, while Xiao Yong was deeply engrossed in the Dragon Scripture, he heard faint knocking sounds in the courtyard. 'Someone's entered. Three people,' he thought to himself.

Quietly, he grabbed a wooden stick from behind the door and cautiously opened it. In the dim flickering light, he saw three figures wearing masks; two of them were wielding knives.

With a speed akin to lightning, Xiao Yong struck the intruder on the left. Four years of collecting herbs in the wild had made him agile and strong, even without formal cultivation training. Now, with three meridians opened, his strength and agility were greatly enhanced.

The struck man fell to the ground with a cry, silenced. The others quickly sidestepped, the unlit fire piston tossed far away.

"Who are you? What nerve you have to break into my home at night!" Xiao Yong challenged.

Reacting swiftly, the remaining intruders circled him. "Kid, you don't need to know who we are. This is the end for you!"

Another scream echoed as one more intruder was knocked to the ground. Then, silence enveloped the courtyard. Neither Xiao Yong nor the remaining intruder made a move, each biding their time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to deal a lethal blow.