Under the scorching sun, the intense heat baked the earth until it cracked and split, making the ground hard as iron. The soles of the feet touching the solid earth felt a wave of heat surge upwards, causing the traveler to drench in sweat while continuously cursing the wretched weather. On the wide, yellow soil road, a simply dressed youth was walking with great difficulty, his face covered in sweat. Each time he took a step, it was as if a heavy object had landed, creating a splash of dust. Upon closer inspection, one could see that on the youth’s back was an enormous black greatsword. Well, it was more like a thick, blunt iron ruler without any edge or tip. The black greatsword also lacked a point, and at its end, it appeared as if something had cut it in half, revealing a smooth, mirror-like cross-section. On the surface of the pitch-black greatsword, there were some vague, peculiar patterns that extended from the hilt and covered almost the entire sword body. The ancient, dark hue made it look quite mysterious. The length of this strange greatsword surpassed the youth’s height, drawing curious glances from the occasional travelers passing by. After walking another few hundred meters, the youth finally could no longer bear the weight, wheezing like a windmill, dragging his feet as if they weighed a thousand pounds, and heading towards the cool shade under a roadside tree. Reaching the base of the tree, the youth flopped onto the cool grass, letting the sweat on his forehead flow down like a small stream. “Teacher, this thing… it’s too terrifying. After carrying it, the flow of my internal energy has become sluggish, and this ghastly thing is way too heavy. A journey that should have taken only a day has now stretched to two, and I still haven’t reached my destination!” After taking a few deep breaths, Xiao Yan’s voice, due to extreme exhaustion, sounded hoarse. “Hehe. The training has officially begun. You didn’t think I sent you out just for a leisurely stroll, did you? Since it’s called ‘hard training,’ be prepared to enjoy the most arduous conditions. The comfortable life in Wu Tan City is already a distant memory,” the old, somewhat gleeful laughter of the Pharmacist Elder emerged from the ring. Hearing this, Xiao Yan shook his head with a bitter smile, slightly turning his body and glancing at the blunt, black greatsword on his back, his eyes filled with astonishment. He hadn’t expected that this unremarkable-looking thing would be so frightening, not only able to suppress his rapidly flowing internal energy to a snail’s pace but also having an incredibly oppressive weight that nearly broke his back even when he was fully exerting his energy. Over these two days, Xiao Yan finally experienced what true exhaustion was. With this bizarre black greatsword on his back, his combat power could probably only match a newly promoted beginner fighter. However, although the black greatsword imposed many restrictions, its suppressing effect also prevented others from easily discerning his true strength. Traveling alone, in unfamiliar territory, revealing his true capabilities was a rather foolish move. Gently stroking the Nalan Ring, a light green pill appeared in his palm. This was a Qi Restoring Pill, which could accelerate the recovery of internal energy in a short period. This pill was specially refined by the Pharmacist Elder before Xiao Yan left Wu Tan City. However, due to the scarcity of the required herbs, even the mighty Mithril Auction House could only gather enough to make about thirty pills. Therefore, Xiao Yan usually dared not use them casually. But in his current situation, he couldn’t afford to be frugal. After carefully scanning the nearby road and ensuring no one was around, Xiao Yan swallowed the pill and leaned against the tree, waiting for the pill’s effects to take hold. Although taking the pill and entering a state of cultivation would maximize its effects, Xiao Yan clearly didn’t have the peaceful environment needed for such a state. The constant flow of people on the road made it impossible for him to enter a meditative state. Closing his eyes, the extremely exhausted Xiao Yan could clearly feel his sore muscles greedily absorbing the spreading, soothing medicinal energy. As the last traces of the pill’s effects were absorbed, Xiao Yan felt that the explosive power contained within his muscles and cells seemed to have subtly increased compared to before. Although the rigorous training had only just begun, Xiao Yan felt confident that if he removed the heavy sword from his back, he could definitely defeat a six-star fighter! “It seems to be working?” Muttering to himself, Xiao Yan suddenly grinned, lazily stretching his arms, feeling a burst of vitality that made him feel renewed from the inside out. Rising from the ground, Xiao Yan patted the heavy, cumbersome greatsword on his back with a mix of love and hate, then took his heavy steps once more, heading towards his destination. Before the sky darkened, Xiao Yan finally arrived at the nearest town to the Magical Beast Mountains. The town was named Qing Shan Town, also known as the Magical Beast Town due to its proximity to the mountains. The majority of the town’s population consisted of mercenaries who lived on the edge, discussing the most flavorful women, the strongest drinks, and the fiercest magical beasts. Walking along the bluestone-paved streets, Xiao Yan, with the incongruously large greatsword on his back, naturally drew many curious glances. However, he paid them no mind, wiping the sweat from his forehead and continuing to walk slowly. Along the street, numerous shops thrived, bustling with activity. Xiao Yan’s eyes roamed over the brightly lit shops, stopping when they landed on a spacious herbal shop. He paused, pondered for a moment, and then entered the shop named “Ten Thousand Herbs Hall.” While he had little interest in weapons and armor, he was deeply fascinated by rare herbs. With the right herbs, the Pharmacist Elder could refine all sorts of strength-enhancing pills, essential for survival in the dangerous Magical Beast Mountains. Entering the spacious shop, the moonstone hanging on the walls illuminated the place like daylight. The shop was bustling with customers, and the staff were very busy, so no one greeted Xiao Yan immediately. Unbothered by the lack of attention, Xiao Yan slowly scanned the transparent counter. When his gaze fell on a small jade box, he paused. “A healing potion? Is there an alchemist here?” Staring at the description beneath the small jade bottle, Xiao Yan muttered in surprise. Shaking his head, Xiao Yan continued to scan the counter. After examining everything, he sighed in disappointment. Though there were some intermediate-level herbs, they weren’t particularly useful to him. Just as Xiao Yan was about to leave empty-handed, his wandering gaze suddenly stopped. His eyes locked onto a light yellow block at the corner of the counter. After a moment, he licked his lips and casually walked over to examine the yellow object. “Ah… Excuse me, could you please take this out for me?” After retracting his greedy and excited gaze, Xiao Yan looked up and smiled at a male clerk who had approached. The young clerk, giving Xiao Yan a disdainful glance, noticed the low-grade Yellow Lotus Essence he was asking for and frowned. Stiffly, he took it out: “Yellow Lotus Essence, low-grade herb, 100 gold coins.” Ignoring the clerk’s dismissive attitude, Xiao Yan inwardly sneered, casually taking the supposed low-grade Yellow Lotus Essence and discreetly scratching its surface. The slightly yellow surface revealed a tinge of blood-red. Xiao Yan’s eyes twitched as he saw the faint red, subtly sniffed his fingers, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. “It’s indeed the Blood Lotus Essence!” As Xiao Yan felt elated, the slightly surprised voice of the Pharmacist Elder echoed in his mind. “Kid, your luck seems pretty good. To actually find such a rare herb!”
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