"Speak, what happened today."
After Niu Shouren left, Wang Jianqiang's smile faded, and he looked at Chen Jiaojiao with a blank expression.
Chen Jiaojiao's pretty face turned pale, and she hurriedly explained, "Uncle, it wasn't me who asked Shouren to come; he insisted on coming himself."
Wang Jianqiang remained silent, still looking at her expressionlessly.
Chen Jiaojiao gave a bitter smile and continued to explain, "You used to give us plenty of resources, but recently you've only given us one Spirit-Gathering Pill each time, which is a significant reduction.
Shouren guessed that it might be because he hasn't visited you for a long time, causing your dissatisfaction, so he insisted on coming along.
I couldn't stop him, and I couldn't explain it, so I had to come with him."
Upon hearing this, Wang Jianqiang's expression softened. "Really?"
"Absolutely true," Chen Jiaojiao nodded repeatedly.
Wang Jianqiang had initially suspected that Chen Jiaojiao brought Niu Shouren to pressure him and extort resources.
If that were the case, he would have decisively cut ties with Chen Jiaojiao, even if it meant becoming enemies with them, he would never give her any resources again.
After hearing Chen Jiaojiao's explanation, his expression completely relaxed.
"So that's how it is."
He felt a bit guilty and placed a hand on Chen Jiaojiao's shoulder.
"Jiaojiao, Uncle wrongly blamed you...
I noticed you looked a bit pale earlier, are you feeling unwell?
Come, let Uncle check your health."
***
For the next month, Wang Jianqiang didn't go out and focused on refining elixirs.
Ever since he awakened the System, he hadn't failed in refining elixirs.
A 100% success rate in pill formation was almost inhuman.
After a month, all the spirit herbs he had purchased were used up, resulting in ten Perfect Body-Nourishing Pills and over a hundred Perfect Azure Spirit Pills.
He also accumulated a large number of Cultivation Points.
During this time, Niu Shouren and Chen Jiaojiao visited a few more times.
After exchanging pleasantries, they left Chen Jiaojiao to supervise and departed.
Little did he know.
The most formidable hunters often appear as prey.
Wang Jianqiang merely watched his performance indifferently, as if watching a clown.
To him now, Spirit-Gathering Pills were just pocket change.
Cultivation is inherently a tedious task.
Long periods of cultivation are even more monotonous, so it served as a diversion during cultivation breaks.
Spending a little money for this was nothing.
***
In the dimly lit room.
Wang Jianqiang looked at the Attribute Panel showing exactly 100 Cultivation Points and, without hesitation, added them to the Spirit-Derivation Technique.
Enhancing the cultivation method's level could increase the absorption rate of elixirs, which was currently the best way for him to improve his cultivation base.
His goal was to directly elevate the Spirit-Derivation Technique to the highest Major Completion level.
"Ding, the Spirit-Derivation Technique has reached the current highest level."
"500 Cultivation Points can be consumed for an Optimization Upgrade. Would you like to proceed?"
Hearing the System's voice in his mind, Wang Jianqiang was taken aback.
Even cultivation methods could be optimized and upgraded?
Looking at the Attribute Panel, the "Hall Entry" after the Spirit-Derivation Technique had changed to "Major Completion," and indeed, there was an "Optimization Upgrade" option.
His aptitude was already poor, and coupled with practicing the common Spirit-Derivation Technique, his cultivation was naturally frustratingly slow.
If he could elevate the cultivation method's level, his cultivation speed would undoubtedly increase significantly.
Thinking of this, Wang Jianqiang felt a surge of excitement.
However, seeing the remaining 5 Cultivation Points, his excitement quickly cooled.
It had taken 95 Cultivation Points to advance the Spirit-Derivation Technique from Hall Entry to Major Completion, leaving these 5 points.
He was still 495 points short of optimizing and upgrading the Spirit-Derivation Technique.
Wang Jianqiang shook his head, temporarily setting aside these thoughts.
He took out a Perfect Azure Spirit Pill and swallowed it.
After reaching Major Completion in the Spirit-Derivation Technique, his utilization rate of the pill's potency increased from 31% to 70%.
A quick look at will leave you more fulfilled.
His cultivation base improvement speed more than doubled.
In just two days.
After refining five Perfect Azure Spirit Pills in one go, his cultivation base successfully broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refining.
He was about to continue cultivating and break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining in one go when Chen Jiaojiao's voice came from outside.
Wang Jianqiang decided to take a break.
Half an hour later.
Chen Jiaojiao left satisfied with a Spirit-Gathering Pill in hand.
After a short rest, Wang Jianqiang continued his seclusion and cultivation.
***
Ten days later.
Sitting cross-legged, Wang Jianqiang's body trembled as his cultivation base broke through once again.
Breaking through from the fifth to the sixth level of Qi Refining consumed twelve Perfect Azure Spirit Pills.
He didn't plan to refine the remaining three Perfect Azure Spirit Pills himself.
After reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining, the cultivation speed from consuming Perfect Azure Spirit Pills dropped sharply.
To break through relying on Perfect Azure Spirit Pills, he would need to refine at least a hundred pills, which would take over two months of continuous refining.
For others, such a breakthrough speed would be considered astonishing.
But he was a cheat.
This breakthrough speed didn't match him.
With a surge of spiritual energy, he expelled the impurities from his body and headed straight for the Hall of External Affairs.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan