Volume 1, Chapter 50 – Eighth Stage of the Body Tempering Realm

Looking at the crack across the front of her breastplate, Shi Lan suddenly felt the armor on her body grow much heavier, making it a little hard to breathe.

“Huff…”

Shi Lan took off her helmet, feeling the tang of blood lingering at the tip of her nose slowly dissipate. She let out a long breath, her expression dazed.

After a long moment, Shi Lan suddenly clenched the helmet in her hand. She used so much force that her knuckles turned slightly white, and several shallow finger marks appeared on the helmet forged from hundred-times-tempered black iron.

After quite a while, Shi Lan’s expression gradually calmed down. She just had to adapt; sooner or later, she would get used to it…

Shi Lan walked out into the outer room, took off her armor, then sat down on a long couch and pulled up the system panel.

The last mission the system had issued—leaving Tenglong City—had rewarded her with a lottery draw. She hadn’t used it, instead saving it. Adding in the draw from this mission, she now had two chances.

By now, she’d reached the point where she had no choice but to use them.

Staring at the familiar lottery interface in front of her, Shi Lan took a deep breath. “Draw!”

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a one-star item: one bottle of Bone-Strengthening Pills.】

A pill?

Shi Lan tapped open the system’s temporary storage and took out a jade bottle.

Before Shi Lan could even ask, the system had already given the detailed information on the Bone-Strengthening Pill.

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【Bone-Strengthening Pill: nourishes the body and strengthens tendons and bones, suitable for martial artists at or above the seventh stage of the Body Tempering Realm.】

Shi Lan let out a breath of relief. Since it was something to increase her strength, it was definitely better than nothing.

There were a total of ten Bone-Strengthening Pills in the jade bottle. Shi Lan didn’t rush to test its effects, and instead spun the lottery wheel again.

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a two-star item: Flying Cloud Boots.】

Shi Lan opened the system’s temporary storage and took out the Flying Cloud Boots.

The Flying Cloud Boots were a pair of dark teal half-boots, their surface embossed with many moon-white cloud patterns. Overall, they didn’t look particularly eye-catching.

Shi Lan cautiously slipped the boots on. The shafts weren’t very high, just reaching halfway up her calves.

She got down and took two steps. Shi Lan immediately noticed the difference—these boots made her whole body feel as light as a swallow. The soles were soft, as if she were stepping on clouds, incomparably comfortable.

Moreover, these boots gave Shi Lan a feeling somewhat similar to the White Crane Skirt. She couldn’t quite put it into words for the moment; if she had to say it, it was simply that they did not seem like mortal goods.

Shi Lan experimentally took a step forward. With a single step, she appeared three zhang away, almost crashing into the wall.

After carefully trying a few times, Shi Lan quickly came to a conclusion: these Flying Cloud Boots increased her speed by at least twofold, if not more.

With Shi Lan’s current cultivation, when she ran at full speed she was already no slower than a thousand-li horse. Now, adding these Flying Cloud Boots, if she were to run flat out, she would already be no slower than the speed at which ordinary Innate Realm martial artists flew on their artifacts.

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With the help of the Flying Cloud Boots, she could also lessen some of the burden the armor put on her. That too was a great help.

After testing a few more steps and gradually getting a feel for her current speed, Shi Lan sat back down on the couch, took out a Bone-Strengthening Pill, and swallowed it.

Once the pill entered her stomach, it quickly turned into a thick medicinal power that began circulating through Shi Lan’s body.

Wherever the medicinal power passed, her muscles and bones became even more compact and solid.

After she had completely digested the effects of that Bone-Strengthening Pill, Shi Lan finally touched the bottleneck of the eighth stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

Opening her eyes, Shi Lan let out a somewhat regretful sigh. Though the Bone-Strengthening Pill didn’t raise her cultivation slowly, compared to spirit crystals, the difference was like heaven and earth.

“Oh right, Samsara, can you absorb the energy in these spirit crystals?” A thought flashed through Shi Lan’s mind, and she hurriedly asked in her heart.

“For now, don’t concern yourself with replenishing my energy. Even if you had several hundred thousand more of energy crystals of this quality, it would be no more than a drop in the bucket. What matters most for you right now is still increasing your strength.”

Hearing that, Shi Lan felt a bit disappointed.

Following the principle of using good steel on the edge of the blade, Shi Lan finally suppressed the idea of using up the remaining two spirit crystals. She decided to wait until she had finished all the Bone-Strengthening Pills before thinking about the spirit crystals again.

After sighing over how easy it was to go from frugality to luxury and how hard it was to go back, Shi Lan took another Bone-Strengthening Pill and sank into cultivation.

…

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Night passed into dawn. After Shi Lan swallowed three Bone-Strengthening Pills in a row, the bottleneck of the eighth stage of the Body Tempering Realm began to totter.

The bottleneck of the eighth stage of the Body Tempering Realm didn’t hinder Shi Lan for long. It was quickly shattered by the medicinal power of the Bone-Strengthening Pills, and Shi Lan’s cultivation stepped into the eighth stage of the Body Tempering Realm along with it.

After calming the qi within her body, Shi Lan slowly ended her cultivation. Ever since her root bone had risen to 8 points, breaking through had become much easier than before—there was almost no difficulty at all.

Shi Lan untied the bandages wrapped around her left arm. The wound that had still shown some trace yesterday had now completely vanished. Her skin had returned to its original state without leaving the slightest mark—this was clearly all thanks to the Jade Tempering Art.

Rising from the couch, Shi Lan felt a bit sticky all over. Ever since she’d run into that shape-shifted demon king, she hadn’t had a chance to bathe up to this day. It was only natural she’d feel uncomfortable.

She frowned slightly and once again began to miss the Shi Residence. Truly, a thousand days at home are good; the moment you go out, everything becomes hard. Now, even wanting to take a bath was an ordeal.

Shi Lan opened the door. The two maids from yesterday were standing right outside.

Seeing Shi Lan come out, the two maids swiftly stepped forward and offered towels and clean water for her to wash up.

After Shi Lan finished washing, the two maids left for a while, then brought her a breakfast. They were meticulous in everything, leaving no loose ends.

After Shi Lan tactfully asked if there was anywhere she could bathe, the two maids led her to a small room with a wooden tub inside and soon had hot water sent in.

Once she was refreshed and had changed into a clean set of clothes, Shi Lan finally felt much more comfortable. The heavy feeling in her heart also eased a great deal.

When Shi Lan returned to the room again, she happened to run into Jiang Li, who had come looking for her.

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Jiang Li hadn’t come alone. He’d brought his wife, as well as a son and a daughter. The two children were both quite young—the boy was about ten, and the girl not yet eight.

After a round of polite greetings, Jiang Li looked at the two children and said sternly:

“Jiang Qi, Jiang Ya, kneel to your benefactor!”

Shi Lan froze for a moment. Before she could stop them, the two children obediently knelt down and kowtowed to her.

“Brother Jiang, what are you doing?” Shi Lan was a bit at a loss. In her view, she’d taken three spirit crystals from Jiang Li and given him a spot in return—it was a straightforward transaction. Where did grace or favor come into it?

Jiang Li shook his head. “Brother Shi, there’s no need to say more. You’re the reason these two children won’t lose their mother. You can well afford this bow.”

Jiang Li’s wife gave Shi Lan a somewhat complicated look, murmured a word of thanks, but her expression didn’t seem particularly happy.

Shi Lan helped the two children up. “Let’s talk inside.”

After setting the tea, the two maids tactfully left the room and closed the door behind them.

“Tomorrow at dawn, that Yunxiao Treasure Warship will arrive at Twin Moon City. It won’t stay for long, so I brought my wife here early to meet you, so we won’t be scrambling when the time comes.”