Ling Xiao had no interest in the trivial matters of other people’s families, but he still felt a bit of joy in his heart.
Back when he was a beggar, Ling Yu bullied him simply because he had neither money nor influence.
Later, when he joined the Ling Family, Ling Yu abandoned him, also because he had no money and couldn’t afford to buy the numerous pills needed to enhance his strength.
But today, he held a fortune in his hands and could come to the Pharmacy Hall to buy whatever he wanted. He wondered what Ling Yu would feel if she heard about this?
"Master Uncle, please give me one Heart-protecting Pill, one Vessel-protecting Pill, one Breakthrough Pill, and, additionally, ten Qi Gathering Pills!"
Most of the people in the Pharmacy Hall were elders, and the one standing behind the counter was, by seniority, Ling Xiao’s Master Uncle.
"Oh, isn’t this Ling Xiao? I’ve already prepared today’s leftover medicine dregs for you."
This elder was definitely not mocking Ling Xiao; he truly cared for him.
In the past, Ling Xiao would come to collect medicine dregs almost daily, and before he knew this Master Uncle, he was always subjected to all kinds of insults and difficulties.
However, after getting to know this Master Uncle, things changed. The old man would always prepare medicine dregs for him, just waiting for him to come and collect them.
"Master Uncle, I don’t want the medicine dregs today; I want the Breakthrough Pill, Heart-protecting Pill, Vessel-protecting Pill, as well as the Qi Gathering Pills. These are the items I need."
Originally, some Ling Family disciples who came to buy pills or receive treatment thought they had misheard Ling Xiao’s words and didn’t pay much attention.
But this time, Ling Xiao said it again.
They had heard him clearly now.
And they all looked at Ling Xiao with an odd gaze.
"Hehehe, Brother Feng, that pauper is actually saying he’s going to buy pills—that’s hilarious!"
Ling Yu couldn’t help but burst into laughter; she thought Ling Xiao had truly gone mad.
Even she couldn’t afford those pills, let alone Ling Xiao.
"The items he’s asking for add up to eight thousand taels of silver. He’s really got a knack for bluffing!"
Ling Feng also sneered scornfully.
Eight thousand taels of silver—even for him, he would only be able to get that much money in a month at most, and that was only because he had a wealthy father.
Merely an outside disciple, with only a waning old beggar in his family, how could he possibly have that much money?
"Young man, struck it rich?"
The elder behind the counter asked with a smile.
"Master Uncle, I ventured into the Fulong Mountain Range these past few days. I was lucky enough to gather some medicinal herbs and even killed a few Monster Beasts. That’s why I have a lot of silver on me now."
As he spoke, Ling Xiao took out the materials for the Vessel-protecting Pill, Heart-protecting Pill, and Breakthrough Pill and handed them over, saying, "Master Uncle, I’d like to exchange these materials for those three pills. As for the Qi Gathering Pills, I’ll buy them directly with money."
Under the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd, Ling Xiao spent five thousand three hundred taels of silver and three sets of alchemy materials to get what he wanted.
Ling Yu’s laughter stopped abruptly.
Ling Feng’s contempt turned into surprise.
"How could he, with his strength, possibly venture into the Fulong Mountain Range and even kill Monster Beasts?"
Ling Yu and Ling Feng were inexplicably shocked.
Not just because Ling Xiao had come into money, but because he had managed to emerge unscathed from the Fulong Mountain Range.
You see, although the family did not enforce a strict rule, it was generally discouraged for Martial Artists below the Four-level Martial Veins to enter the Fulong Mountain Range.
If one must go, it would require a group of more than ten people, and it was imperative to have a leader who was at the Pinnacle of the Martial Meridian Third Layer.
What’s more, it was advised to only operate around the periphery.
Up to today, neither Ling Feng nor Ling Yu had been to the Fulong Mountain Range.
Because they had money and could ask their family for it, they didn’t need to risk their lives.
At this moment, they felt as if they had suddenly been overshadowed by Ling Xiao, their faces showing extreme embarrassment.
"Good lad, you really have made a fortune, and you’ve made progress! Alright, Master Uncle will get the medicine for you!"
"Oh, and Master Uncle, could you also get me one hundred Golden Wound Healing Medicines and ten bottles of Injury Healing Pills..."
Ling Xiao suddenly thought that if he frequented the Fulong Mountain Range, he would undoubtedly be prone to injury. For external injuries, there was the Golden Wound Healing Medicine, and for internal ones, the Injury Healing Pill, and neither were very expensive.
Of course, that was only true for Martial Artists.
For ordinary people, these items were still astronomically-priced.
Because a piece of Golden Wound Healing Medicine cost one Silver, a hundred pieces would cost a hundred Silvers, and a bottle of Injury Healing Pill, usually containing about a hundred pills, was valued at a hundred Silvers too, meaning ten bottles would cost a thousand Silvers.
In the past, Ling Xiao wouldn’t even dare to dream of such things, but now he could easily afford them.
This was the difference in status.
"Alright, no problem!"
After the transaction was completed, as Ling Xiao walked out, he gave Ling Feng and Ling Yu a slight nod accompanied by a smile.
Seeing their liver-colored faces brought him great joy.
But he didn’t mock them on the spot.
At the moment, the most important thing was to build up his strength.
Because he knew his current strength was still no match for the likes of Ling Feng and Li Xingyun.
Strength is everything!
With strength comes dignity, and with it, more wealth!
Ling Feng paid no attention to Ling Xiao.
Ling Yu looked at Ling Xiao with an awkward expression, as if something had changed in his eyes, revealing a hint of regret.
"Well, it’s more fun when your strength has improved. At the annual competition, I’ll make sure you lose convincingly!"
It wasn’t until Ling Xiao was about to step out of the Pharmacy Hall that Ling Feng reluctantly turned his head and forced a smile, making a remark.
However, his smile was so unpleasant that it looked even worse than crying.
Ling Xiao just smiled, saying nothing; the annual competition was fast approaching, and there was no point in saying anything more.
Upon leaving the Pharmacy Hall, he immediately returned home.
His grandfather seemed to have recovered a great deal.
"You child, going out without any notice."
His grandfather seemed a bit angry.
"Grandpa, don’t be upset. Here’s a hundred Silvers. From now on, buy whatever you want. We have money now and don’t have to live like beggars anymore. Also, I’m thinking of renovating this house; it’s really difficult to live here when it rains."
"Where did you get so much money?"
"Grandpa, it’s not stolen nor robbed, so don’t worry. Your grandson’s strength is improving rapidly. I reckon it won’t be a problem to break through to the Martial Veins Third Layer in the annual competition."
Ling Xiao did not elaborate and merely tossed the package containing a hundred Silvers onto the table before heading to his room to prepare for his breakthrough.
In recent days in the Fulong Mountain Range, he had continuously trained and fought, and in fact, he had been ready to break through for some time.
The reason he hadn’t was not that he couldn’t, but because he had deliberately held back.
Without the Heart-protecting Pill and the Vessel-protecting Pill, breaking through was exceedingly dangerous, and he didn’t want to risk any mishaps.
Poor people only have one life.
Unlike the rich, who could be brought back from the brink of death by their families no matter the situation.
As for him, a severe injury would likely be a death sentence.
After taking the Breakthrough Pill, Heart-protecting Pill, and Vessel-protecting Pill, Ling Xiao began to sit cross-legged and circulated the Crimson Sun Technique, ready to break through the third Martial Vein.
And it must be said, the Breakthrough Pill was ferociously potent; once ingested, the terrifying force immediately spread through the Dantian and, carrying his body’s True Qi, fiercely surged towards the third Martial Vein.
"No wonder they require Heart-protecting Pill and Vessel-protecting Pill. Without them, this terrifying force might very well shatter the heart vessels!"
The power of the Breakthrough Pill astonished Ling Xiao, while the effects of the Heart-protecting Pill and Vessel-protecting Pill were even more significant than he had anticipated.
As the True Qi increased, the meridians would inevitably be stretched; without these two types of pills, the meridians could very well have broken.
But now there was nothing to worry about. The violent energy wouldn’t destroy him but instead would expand his meridians, allowing his body to better handle the more powerful Gang Qi, and preparing him for the advance to the Martial Vein Quadruple Layer in the future.