Chapter 11: Unwilling to Harbor Overnight Grudges

"Then let me tell you about it," the middle-aged man said, his voice resonating with the wisdom of age.

"F-Class Wind Wolf Zone used to be an excellent hunting ground, perfectly suited for us Body Refiners! But later, a rare and cherished herb appeared in the area, and it was seized by the notorious Broken Axe Hunting Group."

The words "Broken Axe Hunting Group" were spoken with a distinct chill. This was a group infamous for their ruthless and wicked deeds. They had staked their claim, allowing no one else to hunt or gather herbs in that area.

"Anyone who dared to venture in for hunting or herb gathering was killed by them!" the man continued, his voice dropping to a whisper as if fearing eavesdroppers. "This led to widespread discontent, and some people even filed complaints with the Martial Arts Alliance, but for reasons unknown, the issue was suppressed."

"I've heard that the Broken Axe Hunting Group has powerful backing. As for exactly which power supports them, I don't know," he said, his eyes narrowing, hinting at the depth of intrigue behind those words.

"What about the Broken Axe Hunting Group's base? What's it like?" Su Lang asked, his voice contemplative, hinting at underlying plans. "Are there martial artists guarding it?"

"No, not really."

The middle-aged man lowered his voice further, a note of fear creeping in. "It's only an F-Class area after all, guarded by quasi-martial artists. But because of the Broken Axe Hunting Group's strong backing, even official martial artists wouldn't dare provoke them easily. If an official martial artist were to go to their area, they wouldn't antagonize him; rather, they would treat him well."

"Hey boss, how much for this saber?" a voice interrupted from the side, and the middle-aged man hurried to attend to the customer.

"Quasi-martial artist?" Su Lang muttered to himself as he left the stall, a thoughtful look on his face. "System, how long until I can advance to an official martial artist?"

From Middle-stage Body Tempering to official martial artist status, one needed to traverse Later-stage Body Tempering, Peak-stage Body Tempering, and Quasi-Stage Martial Artist, breaking through four times.

"For most people, even spending a lifetime might not be enough to complete these four breakthroughs and become an official martial artist."

"Host, you only need 51 hours to break through to a martial artist."

"That's too slow!" Su Lang complained, his lips pursed in dissatisfaction. Having experienced rapid upgrades, waiting for dozens of hours was, of course, not something he was pleased with. Who knows how much metaphorical "old blood" others would vomit if they knew of his impatience?

"To become a quasi-martial artist? How long will it take?"

"Host, you only need 25 hours to break through to a quasi-martial artist."

"That's still a bit long."

Su Lang frowned; he was not the type to harbor overnight grudges. But how could he quickly enhance his strength?

"Right!" An idea flashed across Su Lang's face. "I can take a pill!"

He had previously advanced into Early-stage Body Tempering in mere minutes, thanks to the boost from medicinal power.

Once he ingested a pill, his cultivation speed would soar.

Since the resurgence of spiritual energy, the Blue Star had borne many miraculous resources, among which were medicinal herbs. Through the mystical process of alchemy, these herbs could be transformed into various medicines and pills with different effects, such as healing elixirs.

However, such pills were precious, easily costing several silver coins. As for true pills, even the lowest grade ones would cost a gold coin, equivalent to a common Body Refiner's monthly wage.

"Let's go to the City Tower Hall first."

With the map in hand, Su Lang entered the grand hall.

The City Tower Hall sold items at slightly higher prices than private vendors, but they were known for quality assurance.

"Hello, I'd like to purchase some pills."

Su Lang approached a pill-selling window and stated directly.

"Here's the price list; choose as you please," the staff member said, handing over a small booklet.

Looking for something to enhance his Body Refining speed, Su Lang found a few options: Body Refining Pill, Strong Body Pill, Bone Forging Pill, but the best choice was the Tempering Pill.

"One Tempering Pill can improve Body Tempering efficiency, lasting about 2 hours."

The quality of Tempering Pills varied, and their effects depended on the user's condition.

Reading this, Su Lang shook his head inwardly: "Each pill lasts only 2 hours? For most people, Body Tempering takes years. The cost-effectiveness is way too low. Even if they bought it, it would be a waste of money. Fortunately, my own breakthrough time isn't long."

Though he lamented the situation, the pill was still necessary. Su Lang began to check the prices.