The sky outside the window shifted from deep black to dark blue, gradually revealing the pale white of dawn.

The first faint rays of morning light filtered through the cracks, falling upon Chen Ping, who was covered in grime.

As the last trace of medicinal potency was guided through a final Circulation Cycle and converged into his Dantian, Chen Ping slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath of turbid air tinged with a faint metallic scent.

His body felt unprecedentedly light.

It was as if a burden of dozens of pounds had been lifted; every joint possessed a long-lost sense of flexibility.

His skin was covered in a layer of dried, dark-brown crust emitting a pungent, foul odor…

But he paid it no mind.

Because that faint cluster of Qi within his Dantian had clearly grown larger than before!

Though still minute, its solidity and presence were far beyond what they had been.

If the Qi cluster in his Dantian before had been the size of a single strand of hair, now it was roughly the thickness of two strands.

Significant progress indeed.

Chen Ping nodded with satisfaction.

As expected, the path of Cultivation truly relied on Pills.

Chen Ping did not rise. Instead, he sank his mind inward and continued cultivating.

When he once again circulated the Evergreen Art, guiding Qi through Circulation Cycles, the sensation was completely different.

As Qi traveled through his Meridians, that feeling of sluggishness and obstruction was greatly reduced.

While far from smooth and unimpeded, it was no longer the sensation of trudging through mud with every step as before.

The speed at which Qi circulated had increased slightly, and mental guidance felt somewhat easier.

The efficiency of his Circulation Cycles had improved.

A bright light erupted in Chen Ping’s eyes.

The effects of the Marrow Cleansing Pill were immediate.

Not only had it helped expel vast amounts of impurities and toxins from his body, lightening the burden on his Meridians, but it also seemed to have a gentle nourishing effect on the Meridians themselves, making them more capable of containing and conducting Qi.

This directly increased his Cultivation speed.

Chen Ping looked down at his filthy, foul-smelling body but did not immediately go to wash.

He still needed to confirm exactly how much his Cultivation efficiency had improved.

Once again sinking his mind inward, he fully activated the Evergreen Art and began another round of Circulation Cycles.

Qi flowed from his Dantian, traveling along the familiar pathways.

The surrounding multicolored specks of light were once again attracted, gathering toward him.

After entering his body, specks of different attributes still collided and annihilated each other.

This could not be changed; it was the nature of his Five Elements Waste Spirit Root.

A sudden thought occurred to Chen Ping.

Was there a possibility? Could some kind of miraculous Pill be used to improve his Spirit Root aptitude?

Not asking for much improvement. Even if it only raised him to a Four Spirit Root or a better-quality Five Spirit Root, his Cultivation speed would increase by a noticeable margin.

He didn’t dwell on it further.

Chen Ping continued immersing himself in Cultivation.

The proportion of collisions and annihilations seemed… to have decreased by just a tiny bit?

Chen Ping wasn’t sure if this was an illusion or if, due to his Meridians being more unobstructed after cleansing, the faster circulation speed allowed the specks to be guided away promptly upon entering his body, reducing their chances of colliding with each other.

He observed carefully.

One Circulation Cycle concluded.

Chen Ping carefully sensed the changes in his Dantian.

That cluster of Qi had indeed grown more after completing one cycle compared to before the Marrow Cleansing!

Though the increase was small, even minuscule, compared to the previous state of near-stagnation, it was tremendous progress.

Efficiency had improved by approximately thirty percent.

This discovery invigorated Chen Ping’s spirit.

Thirty percent!

This meant the time required for him to break through to the 1st Level of Qi Condensation would be greatly shortened.

Several years?

No, perhaps only two or three years? Or even less?

Hope rekindled in his heart.

“Hah…”

He exhaled a breath of turbid air, finally revealing a weary yet genuine smile on his face.

The Marrow Cleansing Pill lived up to its reputation.

This was the first time since embarking on The Immortal Path that he clearly felt tangible progress.

He stood up. Slight popping sounds came from various parts of his body—the sound of sinews and bones stretching.

He walked to the water jar in the corner, picked up a wooden dipper, scooped up cold water, and poured it over himself from head to toe.

The icy water washed over his body, carrying away the dried filth and lingering stench.

The dark-brown mud crust washed away, revealing slightly reddish skin beneath.

His skin seemed somewhat finer than before, possessing a healthy sheen.

He rinsed himself over and over until his skin turned slightly red from the cold water and no trace of odor remained on him.

Changing into clean coarse cloth garments, Chen Ping felt refreshed and clear-headed.

The fatigue in his body also subsided considerably under the stimulation of the cold water.

Walking to the stone hut’s entrance, he pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The cool morning air rushed in, carrying with it the unique fragrance of herbs and plants from the Hundred Herb Garden, dispelling the last traces of stale air inside.

The sky was now fully bright; the outlines of distant mountains were clearly visible.

A new day had begun.

He was still a Manager disciple of the Hundred Herb Garden with duties to attend to.

Chen Ping took a deep breath of fresh air; his gaze was firm.

Drawing Qi into the Body had been achieved. The Marrow Cleansing Pill had taken effect. Although The Immortal Path ahead remained arduous and long, at least he now had a clear direction.

Since relying solely on his own Spirit Root aptitude made Cultivation extremely difficult…

Then he would find ways to obtain large quantities of Pills to greatly accelerate his Cultivation speed.

Chen Ping touched the Jade Pendant hanging around his neck.

Within the Black Earth space were two hundred Dew Condensing Grass plants and one hundred ninety-nine Cold Star Grass plants.

These were all part of his wealth.

When the time was ripe, he could completely use these two types of spiritual herbs to exchange for large quantities of medicinal resources to support his own Cultivation.

Or perhaps… embark on an entirely new path.

If his Black Earth could provide a continuous supply of spiritual herbs…

Was there a possibility… that he could become an Alchemist himself? To refine Pills personally?

Chen Ping’s eyes shone brightly.

Becoming an Alchemist seemed like an even better choice.

Walking toward the eastern herb garden…

Chen Ping once again saw that graceful figure.

Bai Zhi wore a white ruqun dress today as she moved among her own herb plots. Sunlight scattered across her face like an elf flitting through a forest.

Chen Ping habitually stepped forward to greet her.

But today Bai Zhi acted out of character. Instead of coming closer for their usual chat after nodding in acknowledgment, she hurried away quickly.

Though Chen Ping felt a slight pang within him, it quickly subsided back into normalcy.

His aspiration had always been becoming an Immortal, rescuing his parents, and avenging himself upon those who wronged him.

Matters concerning romance held no place within his heart.

No matter how beautiful any woman might appear right now within present-day Chen Ping’s eyes, they were no different than skeletons adorned with rouge powder—utterly indistinguishable.

Following past habits, Chen Ping instructed the subordinates under him, handling affairs related to managing herb garden duties accordingly.

Supervising during the daytime, cultivating during the nighttime—life passed by fulfillingly enough.

However, Chen Ping’s thoughts remained fixated upon the Marketplace above all else.

He awaited the maturation of the Cold Star Grass and also awaited the Dew Condensing Grass aging further, increasing its medicinal potency and fetching higher prices.

His Cultivation speed remained far too slow.

Without support from Pills, one year’s time simply wouldn’t suffice to meet the Sect requirements.

Breaking through to the 1st Level of Qi Condensation within one year might prove effortless for others.

For him—Chen Ping—the difficulty remained immense.

He absolutely must find… a different path.