Chapter 298 - 292: Jade Dew Pill, Black Fish Dragon
The next morning, a thick fog rolled in.
Perhaps it was because the Black Lotus Sect’s mysterious Earth King had forcefully cast a spell to alter the weather the night before, but this vast, chilling white fog had uncharacteristically blanketed the entirety of Black Stone City.
Su Yu stretched comfortably. He gently moved Yang Zhen’s voluptuous, peach-like body, still lost in a languid slumber, and quietly got out of bed.
Although the Su Mansion’s estate was now quite large and employed many servants, Su Yu was fundamentally unaccustomed to the elaborate ceremony of being waited on by personal maids.
He had even sent Yaya, who had always been with him, to help out in his older brother Su Hong’s courtyard.
Pushing open the door, he walked over to the courtyard well.
He drew a bucket of frigid well water, then picked up his toothbrush from a jade box on a bluestone platform.
The handle of the toothbrush was carved from a piece of agarwood, smooth to the touch and cool in the summer yet warm in the winter. The bristles were implanted from the softest tuft of fine hair on the neck of an Iron-Bristled Black-Tusked Pig, a Demon Beast—each one distinct and resistant to rot.
Using a small bamboo sliver, Su Yu scooped out a pinch of pale green salt powder from a white porcelain medicine jar nearby.
This powder was all the rage among the great families. It was mixed with fine powder from deep-sea mermaid pearls, used top-grade green salt as a base, and was specially formulated for Martial Artists to brush their teeth. It was far superior to the toothpaste of his previous life.
After evenly spreading the powder on the bristles and dipping it in the ice-cold well water, Su Yu placed it in his mouth and began brushing up and down.
He quickly finished washing up. Bare-chested, Su Yu began to stretch his muscles and bones in the morning mist.
As he stretched his body and elongated his great spinal "dragon," the bones throughout his body let out a continuous, dense series of CRACKLE-POPs, like beans being stir-fried.
Feeling the terrifying power within him, Su Yu nodded in great satisfaction.
As the saying goes, that sound is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.
The foundation of his body, forged through a thousand trials, had now reached an astonishing depth.
Even setting aside his heaven-defying Breaking Limit Traits and abilities, his innate talent alone, which had transformed to the "supreme" grade, was enough to drive many Martial Artists mad with jealousy.
’I wonder how many merit points Mansion Master Pang will approve for me this time, for completely wiping out the Black Lotus Sect’s stronghold and destroying the Water Snake Gang’s lair?’
Su Yu calculated silently. ’I already have over twenty-six thousand points to my name. I’m still nearly halfway from the fifty-thousand-point mark needed to exchange for that Bone Marrow Cleansing and Bone Forging Pill. If I can gather enough soon and consume that Treasure Pill... my innate talent might just break through the shackles of the Mortal Grade and reach the legendary Spirit Grade!’
’Spirit Grade innate talent!’
’You couldn’t find a single person with that kind of aptitude in Black Stone City’s Outer City. Even in the Inner City, with its unfathomable depths, there probably wouldn’t be many.’
’Moreover, stepping into the Spirit Grade means my future path in Martial Arts will become a smooth highway. A training speed of a thousand miles a day would definitely leave my peers far behind in the dust!’
After finishing his stretches, Su Yu untied the Azure Spirit Yuan-Transformation Gourd from his waist and blissfully chugged a large mouthful of top-grade Spirit Wine, which had been steeped with ancient green lotus seeds.
As the liquor went down his throat, his mind instantly became clear and empty.
As his Qi and Blood began to boil like a furnace, Su Yu sank his shoulders, dropped his elbows, and settled into a fist stance, beginning his daily, unshakable practice of the Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The violent winds from his fists tore through the morning fog, kicking up visible waves of white air in the courtyard.
[Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist Skill Level +25]
[Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist Skill Level +25]
...
「Two hours later.」
Su Yu slowly relaxed his stance, exhaled a puff of hot white air, and summoned his status panel to check it.
[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Great Accomplishment 2000/10000)
’I’m past two thousand points already? Looks like that life-and-death battle with an old expert like Hong Lei outside the city yesterday really helped me grind out several hundred points of Skill Level. Real combat truly is the fastest path to advancing in Martial Arts.’
"Brother Su, hurry and wash your hands. It’s time for breakfast."
Just then, Yang Zhen’s soft voice, tinged with the laziness of someone who had just woken up, drifted over from the corridor.
"Alright, I’m coming."
...
In the main house, by the golden-threaded nanmu round table.
Mu Ying’s cooking skills had improved even more. The Su Mansion’s breakfast today was exquisitely arranged.
Besides the lotus leaf and seed congee made with spirit rice and the translucent crystal shrimp dumplings, the center of the table held a whole platter of grilled meat cutlets and a steamed Golden-Thread Treasure Fish drizzled with green salt sauce, exuding a rich aroma.
Having just finished two hours of fist practice, Su Yu’s body was in a state of hunger from depleted Qi and Blood. He immediately began to feast, devouring the half-pound meat cutlet in a few large bites before voraciously consuming the delicious meat of the Treasure Fish.
Beside him, Yang Zhen used a white porcelain spoon to scoop up some lotus leaf and seed congee. She blew on it gently to cool it down before taking a small sip.
She set down her spoon and looked at Su Yu, her voice gentle. "Brother Su, regarding that White Jade Porcelain Bottle you brought back from outside yesterday, I just went to the mansion’s library to check some old texts. I’ve figured out the origin of those three golden pills."
"Oh? What are they for?" Su Yu asked curiously, swallowing a mouthful of fish.
"The pills are called Golden Light Jade Dew Pills," Yang Zhen explained patiently. "Their greatest effect is to help a Martial Artist break through a bottleneck. Their medicinal power is gentle yet potent, several times stronger than the Blood Boiling Pills from our Outer City."
"No alchemist in the Outer City can refine a pill like this; they only circulate from the Inner City. While its value isn’t necessarily sky-high, it’s a priceless treasure for anyone in urgent need of a breakthrough."
Su Yu swallowed a piece of the Treasure Fish and said with a smile, "Hong Lei must have gotten these from the Inner City. I wonder which Inner City faction gave them to him. In any case, it’s our gain now."