Chapter 16 - Month After Month

For the past several months, Li Lang had settled on his routine. He would cultivate in the morning before going off to sell his sodas, then he would resupply his ingredients before spending his day making more of his merchandise for the next day. During all other times, he would keep to himself and practice his newfound Qi powers.So far, he could only replicate the most simple moves that only involved concentrating his Qi to certain parts of his body. When he concentrated the Qi to his eyes, he would be able to see further while if he gathered it into his feet, he would be able to kick off with more force. However, it took a lot of concentration to do.Anytime he tried to do anything more complicated, the result would be a painful backlash. It didn't do him any serious harm, as it was more akin to touching a boiling kettle for a brief moment.If only I could find some cultivation techniques to reference…He shelved away any idle thoughts and proceeded into Ruby's artifact space. There were a lot of materials and herbs to analyze. When he read the report, he quickly broke out into laughter."It's done! All the materials for the Recovery Pill have been identified!"With all the ingredients analyzed, Li Lang could finally get started reverse engineering the pill recipe for the Recovery Pill. He had all the building blocks. Now he needed to find the method to trim off the excess and be left with the active ingredients.From the time he read the results of the first herb he had put into the auto-analyzer, he knew it wouldn't be as simple as he initially thought. The results he got were the final answer, but he now needed to find the process to get there.Continuing with the report, he found while he had gotten the material makeup, none of the materials had the same Qi signature as the Recovery Pill he had first analyzed.This was a large setback to his timetable, as it meant he was missing something. Something that would change the Qi signature, either the refining process or perhaps a technique of some kind.No matter what it was, it would definitely cost Li Lang more time and money.To confirm his new direction, he swiftly did a small experiment. Inside his artifact space, he took a small amount of each herb and began mixing them and boiling them. There was no recipe to follow, and he did everything on a whim. He threw the completed mixture into the auto-analyzer and patiently waited.A few days later, the results confirmed one of his theories. The Qi signature of his concoction was completely different from that of every material he had used to create it.With the path to his goal in sight, Li Lang didn't shy away from putting in the hard work. He steadily continued his routine for another month, then another and another. During this time, he did add one thing to his routine, which was to carefully test the reaction of herbs mixed together.He would start by simply heating the specimen and recording its new properties using the auto-analyzer. The amazing power of Ruby came into play during this time. Every herb that had been recorded could be used endlessly in his experiments, and his only bottleneck was the auto-analyzer to study the results.At the same time, he saved up money as he prepared to get a new batch of unknown herbs. He would eventually have to buy another warding talisman in order to do so.Months passed by and soon he was able to save up a sizable amount of money. He even felt his body bursting with energy after a cultivation session, which he suspected was his breakthrough to the second stage of Energy Gathering. However, not much changed besides a further increase in his physical strength.Having made his breakthrough and some wealth, Li Lang began to ponder how to utilize his resources.There's no point in money if I don't spend it. I still need to save more money to be able to afford another talisman to replenish my material stock…Li Lang fetched out his purse and counted a healthy sum there, but it was still a way off from purchasing another talisman.As he worked day in and out, he kept thinking of ways of improving his efficiency, so he had been making more soda to sell now than in his early days.However, producing more meant he had to dedicate more time to both production and sales. He had struck a delicate balance that he could manage.Maybe I should find people to help me sell my wares, too…With his war chest filled, Li Lang prepared himself the next morning to head out and had an early breakfast. Sitting inside the first floor of his inn, all the other guests continued about their business without sparing him a glance."Today's finally the day of the recruitment tests. I wonder how many sects will show up this year?""Hopefully more than last year. I hope they don't recruit enough disciples, so I have a chance to take their special exam.""Brother, you should be over twenty by now… I doubt you can handle the tests for your age bracket…It's all usually people who are at the peak of Energy Gathering!""...Let me dream, will you?"The sect recruitment tests taking place today… And with multiple sects, too.Li Lang didn't forget about his goal of making connections to powerful cultivators who could help him save his childhood friends or provide him with useful research data. It was what he had been working toward.Seeing such an opportunity before him, he didn't hesitate to make a last-minute change of plans and go spectate the event.Each sect was a huge repository of knowledge, which was why Li Lang wanted to join one if he could. While he had broken through to the second level of Energy Gathering recently, he knew if he participated, his results would be the same as before. There was no way any sect would accept someone with only a grade one aptitude, as it would simply be a waste of their resources.It wasn't hard for him to find the location of the tests, as the entire city seemed to be in a festive mood because of it. Numerous people on the street were actively talking about the event, all heading in the same direction, so Li Lang simply followed suit.He soon came before the city walls and found a large stream of people slowly climbing up the stairs onto the walls. When he finally managed to make it up, he instantly knew why they had gathered there.On the other side of the walls, where there was usually a large clearing, a group of people gathered on top of a wooden platform. Reinforcing his eyes with his Qi, he was able to tell the majority of the people there were children similar in age to him.They were all quietly facing a small crowd of adults at the front. There were several groups of them and it was easy to tell them apart due to their clothing."Mother, is it starting yet?" A small child beside Li Lang yelled out."Yes, almost. You must conserve your energy to cheer on your brother when it's his turn, okay?""Mmm, I will!""Good boy. As long as your brother does sufficiently well, he should at least be able to choose to join the Violet Sword Sect!"The test soon began, and a similar scene from his own tests played out. The children were ushered forward to place their hands on a transparent ball to have their aptitude tested.Many people cheered in excitement while others who had poor results walked back into the city despondently. Li Lang couldn't help but think back to his own experiences when both Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei were with him. He let out a sigh as he continued to observe the event.He caught sight of several children who were crying in the corner, refusing to leave the area or accept the reality thrust upon them. The people from the various sects ignored them and they continued to carry on their tests until the end.The entire event lasted half a day and a powerful cultivator then declared the end of this year's recruitment. Many people on the walls beside Li Lang did not hide their disappointment when no special recruitment was announced. Everyone began to make their way down the walls and go on with their lives.However, the small group of disappointed children still stood in the corner of the clearing, as if their time had been frozen.Seeing their crestfallen expressions, Li Lang felt an urge to reach out his hand to them. They were all like him, with no aptitude to cultivate, and he wanted them to join his research for alternatives.Even then, his feet remain frozen atop the walls. Li Lang knew if any of them joined him, it would mean they would take part in his experiments. There were too many risks associated with becoming a test subject, especially in an untested field that was starting from scratch. If it was so easy for people of low aptitude to cultivate, then the cultivators of this world wouldn't have so readily abandoned them.If Li Lang accepted the children before him, many of them would definitely perish. Despite his experience in performing human experiments, he was still reluctant to enlist the help of those who were so young.He knew they were the best test subjects he could find, which caused an intense internal battle to take place within Li Lang.He only stopped wracking his brain on this dilemma when he noticed the odd behavior of one of the children in question.A small child had lurched down and repeatedly slammed his head into the ground. It was only because the floor beneath him was dirt that he was still okay, but that may change if he continued with his antics.Seeing how none of the other children around moved to intervene, Li Lang sprang into action.