Purple Lingzhi, a Great Tonic; Five Skills Cultivated Simultaneously; A Plan to Turn the

Chapter 55 Purple Lingzhi, a powerful tonic; Five cultivation techniques simultaneously; A clever scheme against a clever plan [Please subscribe!]

Su Yang's gaze fell on the old felt hat on the wall.

He broke off the metal bolt, wrapped it in cloth, stuffed it into his hat, and put it on his head. A heavy sense of oppression washed over him.

[Iron Head Skill Proficiency +1]

"feasible."

With a firm resolve, he walked out of the room, picked up a bamboo broom from the corner of the wall, and swept it a few times.

[Iron Broom Technique Proficiency +1!]

"The Flowing Cloud Step requires stepping on clouds" — He looked at the white clouds in the sky, a flash of inspiration: "If I can't step on the clouds in the sky, why not step on the clouds in the water?"

He summoned the guard Cai Yang: "Go and bring a basin of hot water."

Cai Yang quickly brought a basin of hot water and placed it in the courtyard. The steam rising from the water clearly reflected the white clouds in the sky.

Su Yang took off his shoes and immersed his feet in hot water, focusing his mind on the swaying cloud shadows in the water.

[Flowing Cloud Step Proficiency +1!]

【Flowing Cloud Step (Beginner 1/100)】

"It really works!" His eyes flashed with surprise.

Grasshopper excels at swift attacks, and the Flowing Cloud Step, as a close-range footwork technique, will greatly enhance combat adaptability once mastered.

Immediately afterwards, he began his unique practice of "cultivating five skills simultaneously":

Wearing an iron hat, he occasionally sweeps with a bamboo broom in his left hand, his feet are soaked in a basin of hot water, a tiger skin is placed on his thigh, and he lightly chops with a wooden knife in his right hand. His eyes also need to glance at the picture of a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey on the wall inside the house from time to time.

[Iron Head Skill Proficiency +1]

[Iron Broom Technique Proficiency +1]

[Flowing Cloud Step Proficiency +1]

[Overlord Blade Proficiency +1!]

[Tiger Soul Blade Proficiency +1!]

【————】

The panel prompts in my mind began to connect and flash steadily.

"A win-win situation, not bad."

Su Yang looked at the panel, his eyes filled with anticipation.

10:00 AM.

"Tap, tap, tap."

There was a gentle knock on the courtyard gate, and Sun Wang cautiously peeked in: "Captain Su, I'm sorry to disturb your rest. It's getting late. What kind of soup would you like for lunch today? The kitchen can prepare it early."

Upon hearing this, Su Yang slowly withdrew his stance, pondered for a moment, and said, "Let's stew some old hen soup today, and make it quite rich and flavorful."

"Yes, I will go and give the order right away."

Sun Wang bowed and agreed.

"Wait a minute."

Su Yang called out to him, then turned and quickly walked back to his room.

A short while later, Su Yang came out with the brocade box and opened it directly in front of Sun Wang.

A purple-gold radiance and a refreshing, exotic fragrance wafted over him, causing Sun Wang's pupils to contract abruptly and his breath to catch in his throat.

He had heard of Ganoderma lucidum before, but this one in front of him—

The natural purple-gold luster and the unique medicinal fragrance that invigorates the spirit with just a breath all challenged his limited understanding.

A thought exploded in his mind like a thunderbolt: "This thing could probably buy half a street's worth of shops!"

A chill mixed with heat instantly shot up his spine.

The chill was fear; he had seen things he shouldn't have seen and learned secrets he shouldn't have known.

He was burning with excitement; Captain Su was actually revealing this precious treasure to him without any concealment!

Su Yang saw every trace of shock, fear, and even the barely suppressed excitement on Sun Wang's face, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply used a knife to calmly cut off that precious piece.

"Do you know what this is?"

Su Yang handed over the Ganoderma lucidum slices, his voice low but heavy with weight.

Sun Wang accepted it with trembling hands, his throat dry: "I...I don't know, but it must be...an immense treasure."

"Do you know it shouldn't be known to outsiders?"

"I understand! What I've seen today will remain a secret, even unto death!"

Sun Wang knelt down with a thud, banging his head on the ground, his voice hoarse from extreme tension: "If I break this oath, may I be struck down by heaven and earth, and may my lineage be cut off!"

Su Yang looked down at him and remained silent for a few moments.

The silent pressure made Sun Wang press his forehead to the ground, cold sweat seeping out.

Get up.

Su Yang finally spoke: "Do your job well. I'll remember your loyalty."

"yes!"

Sun Wang kowtowed deeply, carefully putting away the Ganoderma lucidum slices as if they were his life. As he left, his back exuded a tense aura.

Unwavering loyalty.

At noon, Sun Wang appeared on time, carrying a pottery urn.

The lid was lifted, and a wonderful aroma burst forth.

The bottom layer is a rich chicken aroma, the middle layer is the sweet and moist aroma of medicinal herbs, and the most captivating is a wisp of clear, snow-like fragrance with a woody, aged aroma of Ganoderma lucidum.

The soup was golden and clear, with amber-like oil floating on top, and the purple Ganoderma lucidum had almost completely dissolved.

Su Yang scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

The broth was delicious, but the real transformation came after it entered the stomach. A pure, gentle yet incredibly powerful heat surged up from the stomach like a volcano awakening, instantly spreading throughout the entire body!

This heat flow is as warm and smooth as jade. Wherever it passes, the meridians feel as if they are being nourished by a warm spring. The fatigue of the past few days is swept away, and the internal energy in the dantian is like a long-awaited rain after a drought. It begins to spontaneously accelerate its rotation, condense, and grow!

[Proficiency in the Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise +1!]

[Simplification point +1!]

The notification sounds on the panel suddenly became more frequent, especially the proficiency in the Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Gong, which saw a leap in speed!

"No wonder it's a 25-year-old Ganoderma lucidum!"

Su Yang's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He knew that the medicinal power of this purple Ganoderma was far beyond his expectations.

He didn't linger any longer, taking small, steady sips of the nectar-like Lingzhi chicken soup while focusing on sensing the changes within his body.

That warm, moist current seemed to come alive, constantly washing and nourishing along the meridians. With each sip of soup, one could clearly feel the internal energy in the dantian becoming increasingly abundant and substantial.

The numbers on the panel were jumping faster and faster. The proficiency level of the Nourishing Life Skill, which had been stagnant at nearly 4000 points, was visibly increasing—

The speed at which it was seen skyrocketed!

【Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercise (Small Completion 4342/12500)】

When the Lingzhi chicken soup in the earthenware jar was finished, and the last bit of medicinal power was completely absorbed by the body, the notification sound on the panel finally stopped and the screen froze!

In the short time it takes to eat a bowl of soup, my skill level increased by a whopping 300 points!

"Just this one piece increased my stats by 300 points! The medicinal power of this 25-year-old purple Ganoderma lucidum is truly terrifying!"

Su Yang put down the ceramic spoon, feeling his blood boiling and his spirits high.

"The remaining Ganoderma lucidum should be enough to slice into eighteen or nineteen pieces. At this rate, the remaining Ganoderma lucidum, along with the 15-year-old ginseng, will be enough to propel my Qi-nourishing and Vitality-building exercises to the pinnacle!"

"How strong would I be if my internal energy advanced from the minor stage to the major stage?"

"If my internal energy reaches its peak, combined with perfected swordsmanship and movement techniques, I'll be absolutely confident I can navigate the murky waters of the Gale Martial Arts School. Then, the scheme behind that 'Sky Eagle' waist token, and the black-robed man's true intentions, will become clearer."

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, which condensed into a faint white ribbon visible to the naked eye under the afternoon sun, lasting for several breaths before dissipating.

Deep in a quiet alley in the west of the city, in an inconspicuous house, the paper windows could not block the deepening twilight, casting long shadows of the wooden pillars inside, giving off a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.

Zuo Sanpaizi stepped into the room with trepidation and saw the short and thin Fei Jianhua leaning against the wall in an old armchair, holding a yellowed and brittle contract between his fingers. It was the debt certificate that he had been forced to sign to pay for his mother's medical treatment.

The edges of the contract were badly worn, yet it still acted like a shackle, tightly binding the mind of the left-handed man.

"Three-pronged."

Fei Jianhua's voice was colder than the twilight outside. He lightly flicked the contract with his fingertips, making a dry sound: "Your mother's medicine cost twenty taels, but with the interest compounding over the year, you still owe me fifty taels, right?"

He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp and menacing, sweeping over the man's tense face: "This contract is still in my hands. Your mother's illness still depends on money to stay alive. If you want her to live peacefully, you have to listen to me."

As he spoke, he pulled out an oil paper package from under the table and tossed it to the left three-handed man's feet. The oil paper still had some dirt on it, clearly indicating that it had been deliberately hidden: "That kid Su Yang drinks tonic soup every day. Find a chance to secretly add a small pinch of this into it."

Fei Jianhua leaned forward, lowered his voice, and said with a naked threat, "Given time, he'll naturally become weak."

If the cause of the illness can't be found, it's not our fault. If things go well, this contract is yours. If not, the debt will double, and I'll kick your mother out of Jingling. You know I'm capable of doing that.

The man with three left feet trembled all over as he picked up the oil paper package, his fingertips icy cold.

The packet of powder was grayish-brown and felt rough to the touch, like holding a red-hot branding iron.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

Fei Jianhua's gaze was like an icicle, his voice so low only the two of them could hear: "The medicine must be administered. No questions are allowed."

"Zhao Liu will be watching your every move. If I find out the medicine hasn't gone in—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the man's neck, a cold smile curving his lips: "Then next time your mother drinks, it won't be medicine to cure her illness."

The night was dark and the wind was high.

The man with the left hand floated to the outside of Su Yang's courtyard like a wandering ghost. His face was pale, and after trembling for a long time, he finally knocked on the door knocker.

The door opened a crack, revealing Su Yang's calm face.

"Captain Su!"

The man with the three-pronged left foot knelt down with a "plop," tears streaming down his face before he could speak. He held the oil paper package high above his head: "Fei Jianhua—you forced me to harm you! You put this stuff in the ginseng soup! I—I'm truly desperate!"

He rambled on, spilling out the debt contract and his mother's threats, then banged his head on the ground, pleading, "Please, Captain, save me! I'll do anything for you!"

Su Yang looked at him silently, a silence more suffocating than any interrogation. After a few moments, he slowly reached out and took the oil paper package.

I picked up a bit of powder with my fingertips, examined it closely by the light, and took a gentle sniff.

The perfect level of "Identifying Herbs in the Medical World" allows for instant identification.

"Wulingzhi is mixed with soapberry powder." Su Yang's eyes were as cold as ice. "Wulingzhi and ginseng are incompatible. Long-term use will deplete qi and blood, and cause emaciation. Soapberry powder has a pungent taste and is used to mask the odor—Fei Jianhua has gone to great lengths to get rid of me."

""

He not only identified the ingredients but also instantly saw through everything: "Is it so that you can find an opportunity to add a little bit to my soup every day, accumulating over time to destroy my foundation, is that right?"

The man with three toes on his left trembled violently and kowtowed repeatedly: "Squad Leader, you are right! It is indeed so!"

"I want you to go back and do as he says." Su Yang's tone suddenly changed, calm yet carrying an undeniable sense of control.

The man with three toes on his left suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with confusion and fear.

"Listen carefully."

Su Yang looked down at him and said, word by word, "Go back and pretend you're being manipulated by him, agreeing with fear and trepidation. Every time you receive an order, find an opportunity to boast to him or Zhao Liu, saying that you've already received an extra share for today, acting as if you're both afraid and want to please him."

"Finally, and most importantly."

Su Yang's eyes were sharp: "Record their reactions and conversations after each time you 'show your merits,' then fabricate a fake drugging record, noting the time and dosage. These are your true pledge of loyalty."

"You think that just because he's gone, the debt is null and void?"

Su Yang's tone turned cold: "If we don't dig him out and whoever might be behind him, you and I will never have a peaceful day."

"Do as I say. After it's done, I'll take care of the debt and your mother's arrangements. If you have any other intentions—"

Su Yang's unfinished words transformed into a flash of icy killing intent in his eyes.

The man with three toes on his left felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, yet also as if he had grabbed a piece of driftwood. He kowtowed heavily, saying, "I understand! I will certainly follow the squad leader's orders and do it properly!"

Watching his retreating figure disappear into the night, Su Yang rubbed the packet of poison powder in his hand.

Dominate the mountain villa.

An underground chamber.

The candlelight cast the shadow of the golden mask onto the stone wall, giving it a cold, hard glow.

A man in gray bowed and reported, "My lord, news has come from the Earth Listening Department that Elder Liu has escaped back to the main altar in Shu. The sect leader personally verified that the first half of the sword manual rubbing he possessed is missing. He has been imprisoned in the Punishment Hall and, according to sect rules, has taken a Devouring Essence Pill, awaiting further punishment."

His gaze behind the mask suddenly sharpened, and the rhythm of his fingertips tapping the table quickened abruptly: "Just taking the Devouring Essence Pill? That's too easy on him."

He slowly rose, his golden mask gleaming eerily in the candlelight. "The things sent to Liu Family Manor—Uncle Liu never saw clearly what was hidden in the folds of that leather-bound booklet before he died. That was bait I deliberately laid out. That so-called rubbing of the Forty-Nine Styles of the Overlord Blade" was nothing more than a shell concealing clues to the incomplete Heavenly Demon Strategy manual. Once news spread that the sword manual contained clues to the Heavenly Demon Strategy, those forces in the martial world who possessed incomplete copies of the Heavenly Demon Strategy would undoubtedly rush to seize it at all costs in order to collect all ten volumes.

The man in gray suddenly realized: "Does the master intend to—lure the snakes out of their holes? To use the chaos of the robbery to force out those who possess the fragments of the Heavenly Demon Strategy?"

"good."

The golden-masked man's voice was as cold as iron: "The ten volumes of the Heavenly Demon Strategy are scattered throughout the martial world. Which sect of the Demonic Cult, the forces beyond the Great Wall, or even the reclusive cultivators of the righteous path doesn't have one or two volumes hidden in their possession? They've hidden them too well, and searching for them one by one would be time-consuming and exhausting. Now we're throwing out this bait, letting them jump out to fight for it on their own initiative. We just need to sit back and reap the benefits, and retrieve these ten incomplete volumes one by one."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly ruthless: "Tell the Earth Listening and Star Gazing Departments to keep a close eye on the Demonic Sect's Evil Extreme Sect, the Emotion-Extinguishing Path, and those forces beyond the Great Wall. Make a note of everyone involved in the struggle for the sword manual; they must have clues about the Heavenly Demon Strategy."

"Yes, my lord!"

The man in gray bowed in agreement and continued his report: "Furthermore, the Astronomical Observatory has discovered that the purple-robed man who stole the second half of the rubbing has been identified. The palm technique he used, 'Seven Turns of the Raging Waves,' is none other than the signature move of Qu Ao, the Flying Eagle of the Frontier!"

"Qu Ao?"

The man in the golden mask paused, his brows furrowing slightly beneath the mask: "I didn't expect that old scoundrel to get involved too. His disciples dared to infiltrate the Central Plains; it seems they also want to join the fray of the Heavenly Demon Strategy."

"According to our informant, the purple-robed man is one of Qu Ao's disciples, named Kuanglang Jian (Wild Wave Sword)." Chi Li's original purpose in infiltrating Jingling was to gather information about the Heavenly Demon Strategy. His attempt to seize the rubbing likely stems from his misconception that it contained a complete fragment.

The man in the golden mask sneered, "Qu Ao has big ambitions. He wants to dominate the borderlands with the Heavenly Demon Strategy and then take over the Central Plains. Unfortunately, he miscalculated. In that second half of the rubbing, there are only scattered annotations of the Heavenly Demon Strategy's 'Dao Heart Demon Seed Great Method,' not the complete mental cultivation method."

He walked deeper into the secret chamber, where a tattered map of the martial arts world hung on the wall. His fingertip hovered over the border region: "Pass on my order to have the Star Gazing Department keep a close eye on Chi Li's movements. If he can't get the complete clues, he will definitely continue searching for the first half of the rubbing, and may even take action against other forces that possess the fragments. We can use him to stir up trouble in Jingling, and once they are both exhausted, we can then clean up the mess."

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