Chapter Seventy-Five: The Realm of Clarity! The Realm of Profound Tranquility! (Third Chapter: Please Subscribe and Vote)

From a distance, Chen Yushu happened to see Manager Su emerging from the restaurant and quickly hurried over.

“Let’s go!”

Manager Su nodded, then led Chen Yushu swiftly toward the medicine shop.

“You did well just now,” Manager Su remarked as they walked, a note of admiration in his voice.

Chen Yushu paused, understanding that Manager Su was referring to his decision to stay at the Liu Family Pharmacy.

“I don’t know much about spirit mediums, invoking deities, or the path of cultivation. But I do know Qing Song Monastery. The abbot there, known as the Five-Tongued Daoist, is probably the most accomplished cultivator in Jianghuan Town. According to your sect’s standards, he’s only at the ‘three incense sticks’ level—just on the verge of true initiation. To draw a comparison, that’s equivalent to the peak of the inner training phase among martial artists. Initiation would correspond to the Internal Strength Realm. Of course, while the methods differ and have their own focuses, your sect’s techniques are indeed more varied and have certain advantages over pure martial artists. Someone at the ‘three incense sticks’ level is equal in status and power to an Internal Strength martial artist. However, the upper limit at Qing Song Monastery is fixed—it goes no further. Our Liu Family Pharmacy is different.”

As they entered the quieter end of the street, where the crowd thinned, Manager Su continued.

“Our Liu Family Pharmacy has branches in one county and three towns. The family patriarch reached the Primordial Steel Realm of martial cultivation thirty years ago. With steady study and your talent, you could very well achieve the Primordial Steel Realm yourself—maybe even enter King of Medicine Valley.”

“King of Medicine Valley?” Chen Yushu immediately asked.

He found himself partly agreeing, partly skeptical of Manager Su’s words. Regarding legacy, while Qing Song Monastery’s ceiling was the Five-Tongued Daoist, he also knew that monasteries often had connections. A seemingly insignificant temple might be established by a disciple from a great sect, offering pathways for outstanding students to study at higher sects. But Qing Song Monastery was a gamble he dared not take. Perhaps Manager Su was right—perhaps their legacy was limited, their prospects capped. Manager Su, after all, knew far more than he did.

When it came to martial arts inheritance, the Liu Family Pharmacy was indeed his best option so far. Their teachings were systematic, leading all the way to the Primordial Steel Realm. This was also why he had not chosen to leave.

“Our pharmacy’s legacy traces directly back to King of Medicine Valley. Master Liu Botong is a registered disciple of the King of Medicine himself. Every few years, the most promising among us are selected to become disciples in the valley. Only then will you see how vast the path of martial arts truly is—no less than the path of cultivation.”

Manager Su patted Chen Yushu on the shoulder in encouragement.

Chen Yushu nodded, feeling keenly that his current standing was indeed still very low. The higher you stand, the farther you see. His knowledge was still limited to Jianghuan Town; he could hardly see the way forward. Staying at the Liu Family Pharmacy was, for now, the best choice.

“Since you’ve chosen to stay, I should reward you accordingly. Your status as an apprentice can’t be changed now, with the annual assessment approaching, but your meals can be improved. From now on, you’ll have your meals according to Qian Qian’s standard—no more sharing his portions and inviting gossip. I’ll let Master Liao in the kitchen know. Also, every month you can collect three servings of Vitality Soup from Manager Zhou for your training. Anything extra, you’ll have to pay for yourself.”

Manager Su smiled as he spoke.

“Thank you, Manager Su!” Chen Yushu quickly bowed. Though meals and Vitality Soup were no longer rare luxuries—he had some money now—he certainly wouldn’t refuse such a reward.

Soon, the two returned to the pharmacy. Manager Su went upstairs, and Chen Yushu made his way back to the decoction room.

“Yushu, what did the manager want with you?” Xu San hurried over, and the surrounding apprentices all pricked up their ears.

The apprentices were busy every day but craved any news or excitement.

“Oh, a couple of days ago you all ran off ahead and I got tripped up and couldn’t make it, so I ended up lending a hand. The manager called me in to give me a little reward,” Chen Yushu replied, glancing around and noting Wang Kui’s absence, which surprised him.

Still, what he’d said was true enough. If not for his actions that day, Daoist Ma and Wu Hong wouldn’t have taken notice of him or invited him to join them. He had simply turned them down.

“A reward? What did you get?” the others asked, curiosity piqued.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Chen Yushu replied, masking his own curiosity. Before leaving, he had slipped a Luck-Draining Talisman onto Wang Kui—he wondered what had happened to him today.

He didn’t have to wait long. Just then, Wang Kui came in from the courtyard, having changed clothes but still reeking with a foul stench. As he approached, everyone’s faces twisted in obvious disgust.

“You don’t know what happened after you left,” Xu San couldn’t resist sharing, barely suppressing laughter. “Wang Kui went to the latrines—and fell into the sewage pit! The stench was so bad it could be smelled ten miles upwind. He’s washed himself over a dozen times, but the smell lingers. Probably won’t fade for days.”

“So unlucky?” Chen Yushu exclaimed, both amused and sympathetic. That was truly a social death—he’d be laughed at for years by the other apprentices. Even Chen Yushu hadn’t expected the Luck-Draining Talisman to have such a humiliating, if not harmful, effect.

Manager Su’s order for improved meals was implemented quickly. That very noon, Chen Yushu enjoyed a hearty pork knuckle, nourishing both body and spirit.

King of Medicine Stance +5

After finishing his set of King of Medicine Stance exercises, Chen Yushu hurried to the side room to continue his studies. The way he could deduce martial progress from medical texts fascinated him—he was utterly absorbed.

Days passed in this manner.

Each day, Chen Yushu would toss a Luck-Draining Talisman onto Wang Kui. Whether it improved Chen’s own luck was unclear, but Wang Kui’s misfortunes were relentless. By the third day, unable to bear it, Wang Kui took a leave of absence to return to his village, reportedly seeking a skilled fortune-teller.

Chen Yushu wasn’t worried. From his understanding of the profession, most fortune-tellers were frauds; even if one could truly divine something, they would never lightly involve themselves in karmic entanglements.

Thus, his days became peaceful and routine.

He spent his time either practicing stance techniques, studying, drawing talismans, absorbing soul beads, practicing the White Tiger Visualization, and occasionally the Flaming Sun Sword, Yin-Subduing Technique, and Qi-Viewing Art.

Busy and fulfilled, his progress was obvious.

Especially in the King of Medicine Stance—just three more experience points and he would break through.

He glanced at his attribute panel:

King of Medicine Stance: Proficient (197/200)

His heart beat with excitement. The stance practice was about to reach a new level.

Even more thrilling was his progress in study. With business at the pharmacy still slow, he had more time to read, and his daily learning experience grew rapidly. Now, his study had reached “Enlightenment” (384/400)—just a little more and he’d break through.

“Unfortunately, I have only a handful of books left in the side room now,” Chen Yushu reflected. He read quickly, scanning three lines at a glance, with a memory so strong that two readings were enough to recall everything. Even if his understanding of medical theories and pharmacology was shallow, he could always revisit them in his mind and deepen his comprehension.

Thus, he had almost reached perfection in the third realm of study. Even his medical skills, improved through reading, were now at Entry Level (37/100)—enough to surpass village doctors and even some small-town clinicians. What he lacked was experience.

Despite this, Chen Yushu remained humble, calming his mind and picking up another medical text.

An hour passed, then two. When work was needed, he would set aside his book and help dispense or prepare medicines, or sort herbs.

As dusk fell, Chen Yushu reached the final page of a medical book.

Study +1

He felt a sudden shift within. All the information from the books he’d read recently flashed through his mind, the medical knowledge and records flowing through him until he gained a deep, comprehensive understanding. It was as though he had truly mastered and internalized it all.

“Have I… broken through to a new realm of study?” Chen Yushu realized at once that he had achieved a breakthrough, advancing from the third realm, Perfected Enlightenment, to the fourth.

But what was the fourth realm of study?

He quickly checked his attribute panel:

Study: Clear Mind (1/800)

“The fourth realm is Clear Mind? To see one’s nature is to become enlightened, to achieve Buddhahood… This realm…”

A hint of wonder flashed in Chen Yushu’s eyes as he quietly sensed the changes.

First, his spiritual power had greatly increased again. Where before he could extend his awareness three inches around him, now it spread over three feet. For the first time, he could even direct his spiritual sense beneath his skin, observing his own physical and muscular changes.

Excitement surged within him. This was the difference between outward and inward vision. Outward vision let him sense external danger; inward vision allowed him to monitor his body, an immense help for martial cultivation, especially stance practice.

But the greatest change from this breakthrough was in his state of mind—in his meditative depth. His earlier suspicions were confirmed: progress in study truly enhanced his meditative discipline. When he reached the third realm, “Enlightenment,” his meditation had advanced from Light Trance to Lesser Trance. Now, with the fourth realm, “Clear Mind,” he had achieved Great Trance.

Light Trance, Lesser Trance, Great Trance, Constant Trance… At Great Trance, one’s composure was so steady that even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, his expression wouldn’t change. Most importantly, this state brought immense improvements to his visualization practices and talisman drawing.

Chen Yushu was overjoyed, eager to test the practical effects of Great Trance.

Yet, considering the surroundings—he was still in the pharmacy—he restrained himself. Only after Manager Zhou told him work was over, and he’d had dinner in the canteen, did he hurry home.

Once home, he closed the door and immediately entered meditation.

Within an instant, every sound and movement within dozens of meters was clear to his senses. He could hear everything, and even, in a way, “see” it—his mind piecing together the sources of sound into a dynamic, though vague, mental image. It was as if he had complete awareness of his surroundings.

In this state, everything he did seemed effortless and natural. Yet, this was not spirit-walking—a different mental state in which he could move freely and perform magical arts. This was simply deep meditation, a heightened sensory extension. Any abrupt movement would break the trance.

“It’s said that at Constant Trance, one can move as freely as in spirit-walking, and practice arts and martial skills with exceptional results,” Chen Yushu mused, but remained in meditation.

This too was a change. In Lesser Trance, any stray thought would break his focus; only by banishing distractions could he maintain the state and focus on talisman drawing or cultivation. Now, in Great Trance, even stray thoughts did not break his meditation—only true inner turmoil would. As long as his heart remained calm, his mind could wander without breaking the state.

“Great Trance! With a steady heart, outside disturbances cannot touch me. In this state, whatever I do, my efficiency is greatly increased. Resting in this trance is equivalent to eight or even ten times the depth of normal sleep. Drawing talismans, I can more readily grasp their secrets. Practicing the White Tiger Visualization, the results are more than double.”

After a long while, Chen Yushu emerged from the state, his heart full of satisfaction.

…

This chapter is four thousand words; today I wrote ten thousand in total—please support the first subscriptions and monthly votes. It’s the start of the month, after all; I have to ask!