After cultivating for two weeks, Ang finally absorbed the Qi inside the Blue Pill and created a second core containing water Qi. As the Core Formed, Ang could sense that something was moving inside his water core. The main reason a 98% pure pill was double the price of a 95% pure Qi pill is because of the purity. Based on the composition of the core of a cultivator, they have a chance to contract a spirit. The purer the core, the better the chances of attracting a strong spirit. So, the purer the pill, the costlier it is.
System Notification:
Core Purity: as long as it cultivates naturally without the help of any external items, its core will remain pure. But this process is slow, so many use external items like pills and treasures. This may lead to a rise in impurities in the core, but they can be purified as long as they go through a thunderstorm while breaking through.
Spirits: Spirits are life forms that reside in between the world of living and the dead. They sometimes wander into the world of living and are attracted to the Qi cores of cultivators. As they cannot consume the Qi in nature in the world of living, they reside in the cores of cultivators and feed on the Qi inside their core. In return, the cultivator can use the power of that spirit. Cultivators with multiple types of Qi in their core can attract and accommodate more than one spirit, but this also results in slow cultivation due to a lack of sufficient Qi in their core.
"Well, the fact that I already attracted a spirit is great but also concerning", Ang thought.
System: Why?
Ang: My water core is not yet merged with my natural core. Wouldn't that reduce my water core composition from 98% the moment they merge? Also the spirit should have been quite special to get attracted by 98% Qi composition. It's a loss that it will leave.
System: usually, that would be the case. But the natural core you have is very pure, as you did not cultivate at all after you broke through to apprentice warrior. As such, the will of the world is very active in your core. Once your water core absorbs your natural core, the will of the world will assist you one last time in having the best results. I think your core will be converted to a 100% water core. Although this might make you unable to cultivate any other forms of Qi again, it also massively increases your potential in water elements.
Ang: That's news. Does that mean I cannot use any other Art other than water arts?
System: It's similar. The amount of effort needed to cast any other Art will increase significantly. Also, you cannot cultivate any other Qi if your core is 100% on a single element, and it's not reversible. So, cultivators avoid any core that is 100% until they reach the later stages of cultivation.
Ang: I remember Lust King having an 80% Fire core. The amount of energy consumed to cast any Basic Art not related to the Fire element would cost almost double the energy needed normally. But he was also able to cast the Fire arts with only half the amount of energy needed. He also made contact with a Fire salamander spirit in his later years. As a result, he was extremely powerful but also weak in a few situations. In the end, his defensive arts were weak, and Shin penetrated them. Suppose my core becomes 100% water now. I might become strong in one aspect and weak in many other aspects.
Ang fell into deep thought; he was in a dilemma about whether he needed to merge the cores or not.
System: You might become weak in certain aspects, but didn't you say you will not be alone this time? Wouldn't they cover for you?
Ang smiled and said, "Yes, I will not be alone this time", and finally started to merge his Cores.
After three days of excruciating pain, Ang finally merged his Cores, and as the system said, the result was a 100% pure water core. After the core stabilized, Ang could sense a spirit deep inside his core. It's as if it was asleep and was unwilling to show its presence.
System: Don't force the spirit now. It must be in pain.
Ang: Pain?
System: Spirits get attracted to a core similar to their natural habitat in the spirit realm. 98% water qi was its natural habitat, so it got attracted to your water core previously, but now it's converted to 100% water qi. 2% might look small, but for spirits, it's a change in their ecosystem. So it will have to evolve to get adapted or die, becoming nourishment to your core.
Ang: hmm...
Ang finally stopped concentrating and opened his eyes. He could see that his body had become visibly thin. "Maybe I should finally go out and have some food". He stood and walked out of his room.
Rue, who was talking to someone, noticed Ang leaving his room and immediately left in his direction, saying, "Why don't we talk about this some other time? I need to attend to my master", to a female dressed in a knight's uniform.
Upon seeing Rue approaching his direction, Ang said, "Long time no see Rue. How are you doing?"
"I am good, Master, but I could not say the same about you. " Rue said, looking at Ang's body, but then he immediately realized something. Ang has entered the third stage of the apprentice warrior level.
"Master, you are already at the third stage of apprentice warrior level !" Rue exclaimed.
System Notification:
Every major realm has three sub-realms: initial (first), Middle (second), and Late (third). They serve as a measure to estimate the strength of a cultivator in a realm.
"hehe! I was lucky. More importantly, can I have something to eat?" Ang said as he held his grumbling stomach with his thin hands.
"Sure Master. Please go to the dining room, i'll get things ready." Rue said as he rushed towards the kitchen.
The dining room was empty as it was past lunchtime. "Well, it's not like there will be anyone apart from Rue and myself, even during lunch." Ang sighed, looking at the deserted dining room. As he sat, Rue came into the dining room with a few bowls of food. He served quite a few delicacies.
As Ang picked up the meat, "You start with soup, Master" Rue said. Ang chuckled and proceeded as per Rue's instructions.
Once complete. Ang finally asked Rue about the tasks he gave him.
"I have successfully established a contract with the Apothecary couple. They were overjoyed when I said they could stay in the mansion and continue their work." Rue replied.
Ang: what about the terms and conditions?
Rue: Based on your instructions, I found in the pouch,
One condition was that we would provide them with safety and freedom of choice regarding their goal to make medicine affordable. In return, we will get 10% of the pills they make as tax.
Second, we will provide them with a workforce and a base of operations. In return, any pill that exceeds 90% purity should be sold at a premium.
Ang: the second should have been very hard for them to accept.
Rue: it was Master, but it was necessary. Considering how costly the medicine valley sells them for, they would lose a lot of gold. They might even try to get rid of us if that happens.
Ang: I knew you could pull it off.
Rue: Well, I promised to place health camps for people experiencing poverty and sickness for free.
Ang:....
Rue: I know it's a bit costly, but it had to be done to win them over. You should have seen their faces beaming with joy and gratitude.
"you bloody kind-hearted old man, do you have any idea how many poor there are in this region alone." Said Ang, glaring with an emotionless face.
Rue: Well, we do have the premium pills to make money. Moreover, the price of premium pills will be decided by us. The good news is that they agreed to share most of the profits from their premium pills for this cause.
Ang: Well, that should provide us with enough funds if well planned.
Ang sighed in relief and asked, "Now, what about the other task?"