"Mr. Gan, I want to buy some Blood Replenishing Pills and Solid Foundation Pills to take, but I don't have enough silver on me. I was thinking of exchanging the Mental Awakening Pills I bought extra before for a few, what do you think?" Inside the Pill Room of the Jinshan Taoist Institute, Xu Jin was negotiating with an elderly man who had a short beard hanging below his jaw.
After leaving Instructor Ning, Xu Jin pondered for a while and, considering his own situation, he determined the importance of the pills to himself.
The main function of the Mental Awakening Pill was to refresh the mind and help restore a small amount of Divine Soul Power to cultivators. It could be used in morning and evening classes to channel and recover Star Power once more and refine the body again.
However, regarding Star Power, Xu Jin received supplementation from the Starlight at the Candou Platform and, in the short term, he wasn't in such a rush.
On the contrary, the Blood Replenishing Pills and Solid Foundation Pills, for countering the severe hunger reaction, ranked first in importance for the current Xu Jin.
Without the supplementation of pills, repeated severe hunger reactions could damage the body's foundation.
In such cases, Xu Jin either had to find pills to supplement his needs or he had to greatly reduce his cultivation speed to avoid severe hunger reactions.
Thus, Xu Jin went to buy pills in the Pill Room.
Blood Replenishing Pills cost three taels of silver each, and Solid Foundation Pills cost five taels each.
Xu Jin didn't have any spare money, so he had to think of using the remaining Mental Awakening Pills.
However, the sales assistant refused to accept the deal, so he had to come and negotiate with Mr. Gan.
This Mr. Gan taught the Medicine Inquiry among the Star Martial Six Arts to the youngsters at the institute, as he was an instructor, and seeing as that afternoon's class was about Medicine Inquiry, Xu Jin came over to seek help.
"Xu Jin, you've pointed stars for eighty-three days and, from what I understand, Mental Awakening Pills suit you better. Although Blood Replenishing Pills and Solid Foundation Pills can strengthen the body, it would be a waste if you can't refine and absorb them," Mr. Gan said as he stroked his short beard.
"Mr. Gan, what you don't know is that after I pointed stars and refined my body, I experienced severe hunger reactions. Instructor Ning suggested I need Blood Replenishing Pills or Solid Foundation Pills to supplement, otherwise it would damage my foundation. Being poor, other than these Mental Awakening Pills, I have no extra money," Xu Jin candidly explained.
"You experienced severe hunger reactions?" Mr. Gan looked at Xu Jin with some surprise.
This was also another step in Xu Jin's investment attracting plan, extending to potential capital investors.
If Instructor Ning's place didn't work out, he would have to try others.
Success or not, he had to try it.
Trying wouldn't hurt anyways.
"If you truly are experiencing severe hunger reactions, then you indeed need to first take Blood Replenishing Pills and Solid Foundation Pills," Mr. Gan nodded and then said, "Let me see the Mental Awakening Pills you have."
Xu Jin quickly handed a medicine bottle to him, which still had seven pills.
Mr. Gan opened the bottle and sniffed carefully, then passed the medicinal pills to the Pill Room Manager standing beside him, "These are indeed our institute's Mental Awakening Pills, and the drug efficacy is preserved very well, with no loss at all. Exchange them for him; it's not easy for the young man."
"Alright, sir."
With Mr. Gan speaking out, the Manager naturally had no more objections, and Xu Jin was overjoyed and bowed deeply to thank him again.
"The main function of a Blood Replenishing Pill is to replenish blood and generate essence, while the Solid Foundation Pill is to supplement essence, fill the marrow, and solidify the roots. Taking one Blood Replenishing Pill in the morning and evening classes should naturally remedy the severe hunger reaction. If you take one Solid Foundation Pill every two days, it will multiply the effect of your body refining," seeing Xu Jin giving such respectful thanks, Mr. Gan gave more advice.
After thanking him again, Xu Jin then departed.
A few minutes later, Xu Jin left the Pill Room, no longer having the Mental Awakening Pills, but now he had eight Blood Replenishing Pills and two Solid Foundation Pills in his arms.
The seven Mental Awakening Pills were priced at thirty-five taels, three taels each for Blood Replenishing Pills, and five taels each for Solid Foundation Pills; in the end, the Manager even gave back one tael of silver to Xu Jin.
This was possible only because Mr. Gan spoke up; otherwise, the Pill Room Manager wouldn't even think about returning the silver, let alone exchanging the pills, since they were already sold.
***
During the evening class time.
Xu Jin skillfully started the Drinking Radiance Style, and in just over twenty minutes, his chest was swelling with a feeling of fullness, Star Power had accumulated, and he directly started practicing the Five Battles Killing Fist.
The results of the Five Battles Killing Fist that had refined his body during the morning class were apparent now in the evening class.
When today's morning class began, Xu Jin had his internal Star Power fully accumulated, and after completing one iteration of the Five Battles Killing Fist, at most one more move could be performed before the Star Power was exhausted.
But at this moment, Xu Jin completed one iteration of the Five Battles Killing Fist and was able to perform four more moves before his internal Star Power was fully depleted.
Both body refining progress and the enhancement of Star Power were significantly evident.
But after the first round was completed, Xu Jin felt a slight hunger.
This was probably still an aftereffect of the morning class.
After the morning class, he had only filled his stomach, but the fundamental issue of the severe hunger hadn't been resolved.
He immediately took a Blood Replenishing Pill on the spot, then posed in the Drinking Radiance Style again, channeling to restore Star Power.
Less than a minute after the Blood Replenishing Pill was ingested, Xu Jin felt a surge of warm energy spreading from his stomach to his limbs and bones, especially at the chest where the body had been refined and covered by Starlight, the warmth and tingling sensation was particularly intense.
The faint hunger he felt just after the first round of cultivation had disappeared.
Twenty minutes later, Xu Jin again set up the Five Battles Killing Fist and continued his body refining.
During the cultivation process, perhaps because his spirit was highly focused, Xu Jin faintly sensed occasional glances sweeping over him.
Soon, Xu Jin realized that Instructor Ning Yuchan was occasionally observing him.
However, with over four hundred youngsters in the evening class square, Instructor Ning had a lot to care about and couldn't possibly keep his attention on him all the time, only managing to glance over occasionally.
After completing one and a half iterations of the Five Battles Killing Fist, Xu Jin, without any reservation, directly channeled Starlight from the Candou Platform to refill his Star Power and continued the Five Battles Killing Fist.
Xu Jin's Five Battles Killing Fist was now very proficient, completing one iteration in just two to three minutes, unless Instructor Ning was constantly watching him, he wouldn't notice anything.
He had replenished his Star Power twice on the Candou Platform, continuously undergoing Body Refining to enhance its effects.
The improvement was exceedingly obvious.
After replenishing his Star Power a second time, Xu Jin, with his Star Power fully charged, managed to execute the Five Battles Killing Fist twice in a row before his Star Power was depleted.
The effects of the Blood Replenishing Pill were still present, though they had diminished.
Xu Jin did not hesitate, and this time, after taking a Solid Foundation Pill, he began to draw in starlight to restore his Star Power.
Xu Jin had come to understand.
The saying was, the poor cultivate their minds, the rich cultivate their arms.
His frail body, without the aid of Pills, would only break down under the strain of intense Body Refining.
The effects of the Solid Foundation Pill spread throughout, bringing a surging warmth, but it was a type of heat that penetrated deep into the bones, feeling as though it was burrowing into them. Xu Jin felt a heat all over his body, as if he had inexhaustible strength.
With his Star Power at maximum from the Drinking Radiance Style, he continued with the Five Battles Killing Fist.
After depleting it, he drew starlight from the Candou Platform to restore his Star Power, and continued with the Five Battles Killing Fist.
A Solid Foundation Pill cost five taels of silver, and its effects could not be wasted.
After replenishing his Star Power twice, Xu Jin managed to perform the Five Battles Killing Fist six and a half times in one go, and combined with the powers of the Blood Replenishing Pill and Solid Foundation Pill, the Body Refining effects were astonishing.
During the process, Ning Yuchan's gaze had probably fallen on Xu Jin a couple of times.
But it was just mere attention.
As long as she wasn't constantly watching Xu Jin, she would not notice anything unusual.
He began the third cycle of drawing in starlight to restore his Star Power.
Xu Jin closed his eyes and looked at the Candou Platform—the starlight remaining there was less than half of its original amount, at most enough for one more replenishment of his Star Power.
This bit of starlight, Xu Jin did not draw into his body again, but kept it.
Firstly, as a precaution, and secondly, too much of a good thing could be bad.
Appearing too exceptional might attract malicious intent.
Xu Jin's capacity for storing Star Power inside his body continued to increase, but by evening class, after only four cycles of the Drinking Radiance Style, he felt extreme exhaustion.
With no Mental Awakening Pills left, Xu Jin could only end his cultivation.
Even so, the achievements of Xu Jin's cultivation during this evening class were incredibly remarkable.
Four cycles of the Drinking Radiance Style to restore Star Power, plus four times drawing starlight from the Candou Platform into his body, Xu Jin had performed the Five Battles Killing Fist thirteen times in total during the class, refining his body thirteen times.
Other youths who hadn't broken through to the first layer of the Dining Dawn could, at most, execute the Five Battles Killing Fist seven or eight times in one night.
And they had to split their attempts, generally needing to restore Star Power after every two continuous Body Refining sessions.
On Xu Jin's part, the peak was six continuous reps of the Five Battles Killing Fist, with the Body Refining effect increasing manifold.
In just one evening class, the starlight had covered half of Xu Jin's chest and abdomen, about the size of a watermelon.
Looking at the area covered by starlight, it was nearly comparable to those youths who had been Pointing Stars for about half a month.
Since he had already cultivated to his limit, Xu Jin was preparing to notify Instructor Ning that he would end the evening class and head back to rest early.
"Since it's at the limit, then head back and rest early," Ning Yuchan responded, and then suddenly added, "Activate your Star Power, let me see your cultivation progress."
This showed some concern.
Normally, an instructor managing so many youths, checking on a youth once every three to five days was considered diligent.
Xu Jin understood that it must be due to him actively displaying his value at noon.
Perhaps, attracting investment was possible now.
Removing his clothes, Xu Jin concentrated on his Star Pattern, and half of his chest and abdomen, including his back, immediately emitted a faint starlight.
Ning Yuchan's expression clearly startled; this time, Xu Jin, who was observing intentionally, noticed that though her face was veiled, the movements of her willow brows and almond eyes showed she was quite surprised.
"Are there any severe hunger reactions, did you take another Mental Awakening Pill?" Ning Yuchan suddenly asked.
"Instructor, I exchanged the Mental Awakening Pill for a Blood Replenishing Pill and a Solid Foundation Pill in the afternoon, and took them in the evening, so I didn't experience any severe hunger reactions."
Xu Jin's response once again caught Ning Yuchan's eye.
This young man in front of her was very proactive and seemed to have a strong opinion.
"Keep up the good work!"
Waving her hand, Ning Yuchan let Xu Jin leave, as she still had to continue her vigil, with many youths who had not yet succeeded in Pointing Stars remaining in the evening class square.
On his way back, Xu Jin felt that one should strike while the iron is hot.
Since he had already surprised Instructor Ning continuously today, she might have started to speculate.
Then, striking while the iron is hot, he decided to try and attract investment if possible.
Back in the dormitory, Xu Jin pondered for quite some time on his speech and communication plan.
Just when he heard the noisy return of the youths who had not succeeded in Pointing Stars, he went out and headed straight to Instructor Ning's courtyard.
Whether he could attract investment (loans) or not, tonight was the night it would be decided.