Back to the cave mansion.
Xuanqing took out the two porcelain bottles and removed the cork.
Boar~
Suddenly, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the entire cave.
As the fragrance entered his nostrils, Xuanqing felt invigorated, and the Qi in his Dantian was slightly trembling.
One of the porcelain bottles contained nine Blood Enhancer Pills, which were bright red in color. The tempting fragrance was emanating from these pills.
He swallowed one!
Gurgle~
As the Blood Enhancer Pill went down his belly, a wave of heat immediately surged from within.
Xuanqing quickly held his breath and focused, sitting cross-legged with his five centers facing the sky, and began to fully refine the medicinal power of the pill.
A moment later.
The medicinal power of the Blood Enhancer Pill was completely refined.
"Phew~"
Xuanqing opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath. The refinement of this pill had saved him about four to five days of hard cultivation.
There were three bottles of Blood Enhancer Pills in total, each containing nine pills. Including the one already refined, he had twenty-six pills left.
With this many pills, he would have enough for some time, especially since there was also a more powerful Solid Foundation and Nourishing Origin Pill.
"I'll refine all these pills first!" Xuanqing thought to himself.
After that.
He entered the dull and boring closed-door cultivation.
Furthermore.
Due to the difference in the flow of time between the two worlds, he had to leave the game after a week of cultivation at most in Black Wind Mountain to deal with his real-world physical needs of eating, drinking, and so on.
...
A month passed quietly.
All the Blood Enhancer Pills were consumed, and more than half of the Solid Foundation and Nourishing Origin Pills were also taken.
Today.
He once again swallowed a Solid Foundation and Nourishing Origin Pill, and, as before, held his breath and concentrated on breathing exercises to refine the pill's medicinal power.
Suddenly, thunder-like explosive sounds emanated from within Xuanqing's body.
Rumble~
The Qi in his Dantian became thick and viscous, changing from its original misty state to become more condensed. Its quantity also multiplied several times.
With a thought.
"Open Character Panel!"
[Name]: Xuanqing
[Grade]: Taiji Palace Selected Scholar of Five Thunder Court, Right Judge, Conjoined with Thunder Administration Affairs (9th Rank)
[Cultivation]: Qi Introduction (Intermediate)
[Cultivation Method]: Basic Breathing Method (Passive)
[Ingot]: 0
In just one month, with the help of the pills, his cultivation had broken through from the early stage of Qi Introduction to the intermediate stage of Qi Introduction.
The breakthrough in cultivation not only increased the mana in his Dantian but also strengthened his body to a certain extent.
For example, his five senses became more acute, and his aura became increasingly elegant.
Just as he was about to verify the results of his breakthrough!
Suddenly.
A prompt sounded in his mind.
[Warm Reminder: There is a disturbance in the real world, do you wish to exit the game?]
??
Xuanqing was slightly startled.
What does the disturbance in the real world mean?
However, since the game had already prompted him, he decided to exit the game and see what was going on.
"Exit the game!"
...
In reality.
At the entrance of Qingping Temple.
Two men and a woman were standing outside the gate of the Taoist temple.
One of the men was wearing a blue work uniform, carrying a bag and tools. He seemed to be a technician.
The other man was carrying a camera while the girl with a ponytail was holding a wireless microphone. They were whispering to each other as they looked at the temple.
The two groups weren't together. The man in the blue work uniform was there to install broadband for the temple, while the man and woman were reporters from a local television station.
In an era where choking on water or tripping while walking can make the news, the opening of a Taoist temple was enough to attract some attention.
"What's going on? No one answers after knocking for so long, and we can't reach them by phone!" The man with the camera complained.
They waited a little longer.
As time passed, the man with the camera grew increasingly impatient. He turned to the man installing the broadband and asked, "Hey, did your telecom company get the date wrong? Are you sure they scheduled the installation for today?"
Click~
The man in work uniform took out a cigarette, lit it and took a deep puff, "I wouldn't know, buddy. I come when they tell me to come."
"Brother Zhao, don't worry. Let's wait a bit more. Maybe the priest is in the toilet," the ponytailed girl consoled.
As they waited anxiously,
Creak~
The temple gate opened.
"Wishing you immeasurable longevity and fortune!" Daoist priest Xuanqing slightly bowed.
Seeing a Taoist wearing a robe and walking with a gait, exuding an ancient and tranquil aura, the three people immediately felt affection.
"Are you Daoist priest Xuanqing? I'm from the telecom company, here to install your broadband," the man in the work uniform put out his cigarette and greeted.
Xuanqing suddenly realized.
After experiencing the events in the Journey to the West World, his mind was deeply shocked, causing him to completely forget about the scheduled broadband installation.
"My apologies, please come in!"
Xuanqing directed the man in work uniform.
Next,
He looked curiously at the other man and woman, carrying a camera and holding a microphone.
The girl with the ponytail quickly stepped forward with a smile, "Hello, master, we're reporters from Qingping TV Station. Here's my press pass."
As she spoke, the girl handed over her credential from around her neck.
"Qingping TV Station intern journalist Yang Ying...Miss Yang Ying, may I ask what brings you here...?" Xuanqing glanced at the press pass and continued to ask.
Before the girl with the ponytail could speak, the man holding the camera blurted out his complaints.
"Of course we're here for an interview! Don't tell me we came all the way to this god-forsaken place just to sightsee?"
From the county to Qingping Temple, cars could only reach the town. The whole way, he had carried the heavy camera, feeling utterly exhausted.
Furthermore, the path up the mountain was not only narrow but also extremely difficult, covered with just a one-meter-wide stone stairway.
Upon hearing the words of the man with the camera,
Xuanqing frowned slightly.
The words were quite unpleasant - did he owe them something?
"I'm sorry, but this is a place for Daoist cultivation, and I cannot accept any interviews. Please leave!"
Xuanqing waved his sleeve and calmly said.
Taoist cultivation seeks spiritual clarity and doesn't follow the Buddhist principle of repaying grievances with virtue. If you're rude to me, I won't indulge you either.
"You..." The man was taken aback, disbelief written all over his face.
Usually, showing their identity as television staff was enough to receive warm hospitality wherever they went. Thus, they had developed an air of superiority.
"I'm really sorry, Daoist priest. Brother Zhao was too tired from the journey, so his words were a little... I apologize on his behalf. Can you please let us in for an interview?"
The girl with the ponytail was getting a bit anxious.
As an intern, her first assignment was to interview the Taoist temple. If she screwed up, Brother Zhao, her cameraman colleague, would be fine, but she would get a black mark on her internship report.
After the girl's apology,
Xuanqing didn't bother with the man's rude remarks anymore. He instructed the girl, "No need for an apology. Just don't take random shots once you're inside."
In the end, Xuanqing glanced at the man with the camera, the meaning all too clear.