Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Red fruits were extremely rare and valuable treasures that could increase an adept’s level of practice, and it was incredibly good fortune to come across one of these.
If an adept below level-three of Qi-gathering used a hundred-year red fruit, they could increase their level by one in just a few days.
Even an ordinary person who did not practice could attain level-one of Qi-gathering in several days if they used one.
A thousand-year red fruit, if used by a level-six adept and below, would increase their level by at least one in a few days, and those of a lower level might even hope to advance by two levels or more.
A ten thousand-year red fruit, if used by a level-nine adept and below, would increase their level by at least one in just several days, and those of a lower level might even hope to advance by four levels or more.
In the history of Yunyang country, there had never been a ten thousand-year red fruit, and even thousand-year red fruits had only been seen several times throughout history.
However, one-hundred-year red fruits were more commonly seen, but every time one appeared, it would trigger a struggle which would sometimes result in a bloodbath.
It really is a thousand-year red fruit.
Opening the brocaded box that Freezing Wind passed to him, Zhou Donghuang saw a fruit that was completely red, about the size of a baby’s fist. It gave off a smell that made one happy and relaxed.
To him, who had stood at the pinnacle of the universe, a ten thousand-year red fruit was like an apple back on earth, much less a thousand-year red fruit.
But now, this thousand-year red fruit had caused a ripple in the previously calm waters of his inner heart.
“You have probably already attained level-three of Qi-gathering, haven’t you?” Zhou Donghuang asked, looking at Freezing Wind.
Freezing Wind nodded and replied, “All thanks to the Way of the Thousand-Star Sword and the qi-gathering elixir that Young Master passed on to me, I attained level-three of Qi-gathering six days ago.”
“The fact that you recognized this as a thousand-year red fruit shows that you know its use…you only need to consume it, and your level of practice will advance directly to level-four of Qi-gathering, and even to within touching distance of level-five.”
Zhou Donghuang gazed deeply at Freezing Wind and said, “Actually, you could have kept it for yourself and consumed it and raised your level of practice by one level.”
Zhou Donghuang knew well that the benefits of a thousand-year red fruit were immense.
Even if Freezing Wind did not consume the thousand-year red fruit himself, he could have presented it to the Chu King or even the imperial court of Yunyang, and the royal family and the imperial court would have rewarded him richly.
“Young Master must be joking.”
Freezing Wind shook his head with a resolute look in his eye. “The grace you have shown me can never be repaid… this thousand-year red fruit is only a small token that Freezing Wind can offer.”
“It is hard to come by someone like you.” Zhou Donghuang nodded and continued, “Fortunately, you did not consume this thousand-year red fruit… this thousand-year red fruit can only help one person raise their level of practice if consumed directly.”
“But if we use it as a key ingredient and mix it with some herbs, the potion produced will be enough for ten bottles, and the effectiveness of each potion will be no less than the effectiveness of the raw fruit,” Zhou Donghuang said.
Hearing Zhou Donghuang’s words, Freezing Wind was stunned.
Did he mean that a thousand-year red fruit in the hands of his Young Master could effectively be used as ten thousand-year red fruits?
“After I formulate the potion, I’ll give you a bottle,” Zhou Donghuang said.
“Young Master. You should keep that potion and consume it yourself… this way, your level can greatly increase,” Freezing Wind said.
Zhou Donghuang shook his head. “The potion made with a thousand-year red fruit as the key ingredient is the same as the thousand-year red fruit itself, and it is only effective the first time it is consumed… after the first time, the body develops a resistance to it, and from the second time onwards it will not help increase the level of practice.”
Before Freezing Wind left, Zhou Donghuang wrote a detailed list for him to pass to Granny Lian.
The herbs on the list were those needed to formulate the potion with the thousand-year red fruit, but they were not valuable. All of them could be easily found in the prefecture capital of Yunfeng prefecture.
That night, Granny Lian delivered the herbs to Zhou Donghuang.
Zhou Donghuang proceeded to formulate ten bottles within half an hour.
“With this potion, I will attain level-five of Qi-gathering within three days!”
After formulating the potion, Zhou Donghuang called Fu over and gave him five bottles of the potion, and instructed him, “Fu, of these five bottles, take one for yourself… deliver the remaining four to my mother, Granny Lian, Freezing Wind, and Lu Qinghu.”
“Young Master, what is this potion?” Fu asked curiously.
“Haven’t you almost attained level-two of Qi-gathering? After you consume this potion and let it take effect, you will advance directly to level-three of Qi-gathering!”
Zhou Donghuang smiled casually.
Fu naturally believed Zhou Donghuang’s words unconditionally, and because of this, he was stunned for a long time. When he came to his senses, his expression was one of unbridled joy.
“Many thanks to Young Master.”
Fu knelt down and kowtowed in thanks, then left.
Five of the ten bottles were given to Fu, and Zhou Donghuang consumed one of the remaining five bottles and began to practice…
From the thousand years’ worth of experience practicing in his previous life, he knew very well how to absorb the effect of the potion in the shortest time possible.
Therefore, in only one day and two nights, he had completely absorbed the effect of the potion and smoothly attained level-five of Qi-gathering.
Moreover, it was not just attaining level-five of Qi-gathering that would be easy.
With my current level of practice and with the qi-gathering elixir that increases my sensitivity to qi by seventy percent, I will be able to attain level-six of Qi-gathering in at most three months.
I never would have imagined that Freezing Wind’s luck would be so good as to find a thousand-year red fruit… this is really a stroke of good luck.
After attaining level-five of Qi-gathering, Zhou Donghuang stopped practicing and left his room.
Since the Magnolia Guild had begun operations, he rarely left his room, usually eating and drinking in his room. Other than eating, he only slept or practiced.
I actually haven’t really explored the capital of Yunfeng prefecture at all.
With this thought, Zhou Donghuang began walking towards the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, preparing to go for a stroll.
As he passed by the receiving chamber, Zhou Donghuang heard a familiar voice chatting with his mother, Lin Lan.
“Lin Lan, I really envy you for having a son who is already a level-five adept of Qi-gathering at seventeen years of age… not like my own daughter, who has not even attained level-one yet, even though she is only a year younger than your Donghuang.”
Hearing this, Zhou Donghuang was able to guess the identity of the speaker, and it really was the guild master of Qingyun Guild of Ningping town, Li Yun. She was his Lin Lan’s good friend of many years.
Li Yun was also Li Rui’s mother.
Compared to Li Rui, he had a far better impression of Li Yun.
“Sister Yun, you flatter me… I have not seen Xiao Rui for many years, and she really has changed so much, she grows prettier by the day.”
Lin Lan’s voice reached him.
“Aunty Lan, you are also no less elegant than in the past.”
Hearing Li Rui’s voice, Zhou Donghuang could not help smiling a thoughtful but mocking smile. He never imagined that Li Rui had the gall to come with her mother to see Lin Lan.
“Mother.”
Now, Zhou Donghuang was no longer in a hurry to go out, and he strode straight into the receiving chamber.
“Aunty Yun.”
Standing beside Lin Lan, Zhou Donghuang gave Li Yun, who was standing together with Li Rui, a slight smile.
“Donghuang, you’re just in time… your Aunty Yun doesn’t visit the prefecture capital often, this afternoon we’ll have a meal with your her and Xiao Rui,” Lin Lan said with a slight smile, looking lovingly at Zhou Donghuang.
“Sure.”
“Donghuang, Aunty Yun never imagined that you could attain level-five of Qi-gathering at seventeen years of age… even among this generation of youths in the entire country of Yunyang, probably no one can compare to you.”
Li Yun smiled radiantly as she praised him.
Immediately, Li Yun glanced at Li Rui, who was beside her.
“Rui’er, why are you standing there dumbly and not greeting him?”
As Li Yun finished, Li Rui looked at Zhou Donghuang, red-faced, and greeted bashfully, “Big Brother Donghuang.”
“It’s my honor,” Zhou Donghuang replied indifferently, not responding to Li Rui’s affection.”
Seeing Zhou Donghuang’s coldness to Li Rui, Lin Lan gave a slight frown. “Donghuang, why do you speak like that to your little sister Xiao Rui?”
“Mother, if others look down on me, how can I be warm and friendly to their cold and rude demeanors?
Zhou Donghuang shook his head gently.
“This… what is this?”
At that moment, Lin Lan discerned that surely something unpleasant had occurred between Li Rui and her son. If not, she knew her son well enough to know that he would never be this rude for no reason.
“Aunty Lan, don’t blame big brother Donghuang, it’s my fault… I annoyed big brother Donghuang the last time we met,” Li Rui said tearfully, looking extremely pitiful.
When Lin Lan saw Li Rui in this state, her heart softened. Zhou Donghuang looked at Li Rui and laughed indifferently.
“Li Rui, you and aunty Yun probably came from Ningping town together and just arrived in the prefecture capital, and have not yet returned to the Li family?”
Li Rui gave a start, not knowing why Zhou Donghuang suddenly asked about this.
She and her mother had indeed just arrived in the prefecture capital.
Earlier, when they discovered that Lin Lan’s Magnolia Guild had reopened in the prefecture capital, she returned to Ningping town and asked her mother, Li Yun to come with her to the prefecture capital, and under the guise of visiting Lin Lan, get close to Zhou Donghuang and mend their relationship.
In Li Rui’s opinion, with her beauty, all she had to do was be a little more proactive, and Zhou Donghuang would definitely fall for her charms.
“You probably don’t know yet… but the head lady of your Li family returned two days ago?”
Zhou Donghuang looked deeply at Li Rui and said unhurriedly, “Returning together with her was the first young master of the governor’s household of the intermediate-level Guangling prefecture that she married, Wu Nanxun.”
“Tsk tsk… if she knew that a side relative of the Li family was mixing with the enemy who killed her younger brother, aren’t you afraid that you’ll be expelled from the Li family?”
Zhou Donghuang smiled as he clicked his tongue.
His words caused Li Rui’s expression to change in an instant. Even Li Yun’s expression changed completely, sitting beside Li Rui.
Just as both Li Rui’s and Li Yun’s expression changed, Granny Lian’s voice came into the room:
“Lady, the people from the preeminent Li family have arrived… leading them is the patriarch of the Li family, Li Jingyu!”
