From Beast Abilities to Sect Grand Master

"What do you mean I'm spoiling the market?" Zhang Xi shot back.

The store owner protested and said, "We all sell them for at least twenty contribution points!"

Both of them proceeded to go into an argument.

Lin Fan figured Ho Jie must have arranged with Zhang Xi to sell him these pills at a low cost.

As a way to help Lin Fan get stronger faster and join Physique Peak earlier.

It's easier to do so in the black market without being tracked by Tan Fei's spies.

When Zhang Xi was done quarreling with the other store owner, Lin Fan asked, "Maybe you can give me a cheaper price? I'm really eager to join the Physique Peak. Without these pills, I can't win the menial disciple rankings."

Lin Fan tried to make use of the fact that Zhang Xi wanted him in the Physique Peak badly, so as to get a better price.

But it didn't work.

"This is the lowest I can offer. I must cover my costs," Zhang Xi shook her head vigorously.

All right, maybe she didn't want to help too much, Lin Fan thought to himself in jest.

However, he could understand her difficulties, needing to find resources to run the Physique Peak while not having the influence and manpower for it.

"Deal. Here are two taels of silver for the pills," Lin Fan said and paid the two taels of silver.

After he kept the two bottles of pills, he asked Zhang Xi, "Who can I approach to buy cultivation technique manuscripts?"

"The last store down this path," Zhang Xi said as she pointed at the store.

Lin Fan thanked her and left.

As she thought about what possible manuscript he would want to buy, something struck her.

This Lin Fan still had money to buy more stuff!

Stomping her feet, and hands on her hips, she mumbled under her breath, "Damn, I should've charged him more."

The store Zhang Xi pointed at was just an open space, with a piece of cloth in front of the store owner.

On top of the cloth were scrolls of manuscripts placed on top.

"Feel free to look around," the store owner with his monkey mask said with a high-pitched voice in disguise.

Lin Fan started to pick up the manuscripts and read the titles.

Hurricane Kick Strikes.

Eight Iron Palm Strike.

Kirin Sword Style.

Most of them didn't appeal to Lin Fan.

These manuscripts couldn't complement his Beast Abilities, and some even contradicted them.

If he learned the palm strike, his Iron Claw would be rendered useless.

Finally, when he picked up the last manuscript, the title immediately intrigued him.

Yin Yang Hammer Style.

Just the right technique for him.

"How much for this?" Lin Fan asked.

The store owner looked at the title and his eyes opened wide.

"Should be two taels of silver, but I will charge you one tael of silver.

"This manuscript has been unsold for too long."

"Here. One tael of silver," Lin Fan paid for the manuscript and left the store.

After one night, his three taels of silver were gone.

Lin Fan had known that cultivation costs lots of money, but previously it was just a vague concept to him.

Now, he knows exactly what it means.

Three taels of silver could easily provide for a family of three for three years.

With the pills and manuscript in hand, it was time for him to leave.

On his way back, the system initially prompted him of threat with malevolent intent.

It disappeared; someone had helped him take care of it.

Lin Fan figured it must be Zhang Xi trying to keep him safe.

When he got back to the wooden hut, Ho Jie was waiting for him.

"What had you gotten from the black market?" Ho Jie asked.

Lin Fan took out the two pill bottles, showed them to Ho Jie and replied, "Some old manuscript, Qi gathering pills and Body tempering pills."

Seeing the pills, Ho Jie was delighted; he proceeded and said, "Take one of each type of pill, then we can start your cultivation."

After Lin Fan took the pills, Ho Jie got Lin Fan to sit in a lotus position and regulate his breathing.

Lin Fan did so, letting his breathing slow down, taking deeper and deeper breaths.

When his breathing was stable, Ho Jie pressed his palm to Lin Fan's back.

The palm emitted a familiar feeling, tingling to Lin Fan's skin, slowly seeping through his flesh and arriving at his dantian.

With the Qi in Lin Fan's dantian, it allowed him to connect with the Qi in the surroundings.

Through his skin, the Qi slowly gathered at his dantian.

Ho Jie's eyes opened wide when he felt the Qi expanding in Lin Fan's dantian through his palm.

Success!

What amazing progress.

It was only a few days, and Lin Fan could now get to Qi Concentration level stage one.

Ho Jie then got his palm off Lin Fan's back and said, "Well done, keep trying to gather the Qi to your dantian."

Lin Fan tried to, and indeed the flow of Qi didn't stop.

It was able to keep coming through his skin, flesh and then from his meridian to his dantian.

With that, the meager amount of Qi in his dantian slowly increased.

He continued for around an hour, after which he stopped as he wanted to try out his hammer.

With the hammer in his hand, he injected some of his Qi into it, and its size increased.

Perfect, now he can start to learn the Yin Yang Hammer style, Lin Fan thought to himself.

Seeing that it was already very late, he went to bed for the day.

…

Next day.

Lin Fan went into the woods and chopped for firewood as usual.

When he got to the menial disciple quarter, a crowd formed around a senior menial disciple.

"Senior menial disciple Liang, you are finally back. Anything interesting you've brought back this time?"

"No. I've only brought back the necessary supplies, vegetables, salt and sugar."

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