Chapter 132: Inspiration

"Indeed!" Student C nodded.

Students A and B pondered the remark, finding that Student C’s words held a kernel of truth. It was well known throughout the academy that the two campus beauties, Hu Qingqing and Murong Yueyin, shared an ambiguous relationship with Xin Lang. Although Shangguan Ningyu and Huangfu Huijing had no prior connection to him, Xin Lang had once proclaimed at the Promotion Hall that all four campus beauties were his personal property. Neither Shangguan Ningyu nor Huangfu Huijing had ever stepped forward to refute this. What did that imply?

Was it a tacit approval of Xin Lang’s claim, a de facto admission?

It was not just Student C; many students at the Martial Arts Academy believed that Xin Lang shared an extraordinary bond with the four campus beauties.

Following his duel with Huangfu Huijing, Xin Lang’s days were quite pleasant. He spent his time cultivating, farming experience points from Long Zhanyi in the mornings, and participating in a few matches against Silver-rank students during the day.

Since Xin Lang had advanced to a seventh-level Grandmaster, his strength far surpassed Long Zhanyi’s. The experience points Long Zhanyi provided daily had dwindled significantly, which Xin Lang found quite regrettable.

Meanwhile, Xin Lang’s matches against other Silver-rank students had turned into a series of forfeits. Everyone knew his reputation—if even Ling Tian, third on the Golden List, and Long Zhanyi, second on the Golden List, were no match for him, who would dare step into the ring to throw their life away? Consequently, whenever Xin Lang signed up for a match, his opponents would immediately concede. This allowed Xin Lang to rake in dozens of points a day, putting him on the fast track to becoming a Gold-rank student.

After Xin Lang reached the seventh-level Grandmaster stage, the Upgrade System’s daily task had become an impossible feat. Requiring his vital energy to circulate through seventy cycles in a single day—even if he neither ate nor slept, it was impossible to complete.

However, Xin Lang did not give up. He discovered that as the vital energy circulated within his body, it brought him immense benefits. It not only cleansed his meridians and tempered his physique, but it also absorbed and refined energy essences just like the "Qi Transformation Technique," and it did so even faster. This realization came as a great shock to him.

It turned out that the primary purpose of the Upgrade System’s daily task, beyond tempering the body and cleansing the meridians, was to refine and absorb vital energy. Previously, when Xin Lang’s level was low, he could only "refine the body's essence." It was only after reaching the seventh-level Grandmaster stage that the true function of the daily task revealed itself.

One morning, after finishing his cultivation, Xin Lang sighed: "The time it takes for my vital energy to complete one cycle is much shorter than before, but to finish seventy cycles in a day, I would have to go without eating or sleeping!"

The daily task offered a reward of 100 experience points, and missing out on it every day felt like a great waste. After much deliberation, Xin Lang conceived of a plan he intended to test.

During his duel with Huangfu Huijing, the vast difference in their levels had forced him to jump six levels in a critical moment, reaching the seventh-level Grandmaster stage. While he emerged victorious, the daily task requirements had increased from the initial ten cycles to seventy.

Though his cultivation speed was increasing, completing seventy cycles a day required him to be tireless. To secure those 100 daily experience points, he devised a new method.

Xin Lang began practicing multitasking, attempting to control his vital energy to continue its circulation even while walking or eating.

At first, he struggled immensely. Any lapse in concentration would cause the energy to dissipate, forcing him to start over. Yet, he never gave up, persisting in his attempts.

After more than ten days of hard work, Xin Lang could finally keep his vital energy slowly circulating while walking and eating. However, he still had a long way to go before he could achieve perfect fluidity.

Fatty Gu, Qian Baiidu, and Hong Jingang were also training diligently. Fatty Gu, in particular, showed the advantages of his unique constitution, always maintaining a slight edge over Qian Baiidu in strength. Yet, whenever Qian Baiidu felt the sting of being surpassed, he would work twice as hard the following day to catch up.

Poor Hong Jingang, who had once been far stronger than the other two, now found himself trailing behind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't bridge the gap created by the other two.

"Boss, you looking for us?" Fatty Gu asked as he entered Xin Lang’s dormitory with Qian Baiidu and Hong Jingang in tow.

Xin Lang replied, "You lot are training too slowly. I’m not satisfied at all!"

"Ah!" Fatty Gu wailed, "Boss, I’ve been training my guts out every night! If you’re still not satisfied, I’m afraid I’ll just expire from exhaustion!"

Ignoring the theatrics, Xin Lang said, "The plan has changed. I’m revising the requirements. I’m giving you six months. In six months, your strength must surpass Ling Tian’s and reach the level of Long Zhanyi!"

"What! No way, Boss! That’s an impossible mission!" the three cried out in unison.

*Impossible mission,* Xin Lang thought to himself, *I’ve already overcome several of those.* But he kept this to himself. "Pressure creates motivation! Don't worry, I’ll help you. As long as you work hard, it’s not impossible to surpass Ling Tian and catch up to Long Zhanyi in six months!"

Hearing that Xin Lang would assist them, the trio brightened. Fatty Gu drooled, "Boss, have you concocted a Saint-level potion? One that can make us soar and become Grandmasters?"

Qian Baiidu chimed in, "It must be! Otherwise, how did you become so formidable all of a sudden, taking down the second and third-ranked experts on the Golden List?"

"A Saint-level potion? Is our boss a Saint Apothecary?" Hong Jingang wondered aloud. It was his first time hearing that Xin Lang was an apothecary, let alone one capable of crafting Saint-level concoctions.

"Uh..."

The trio’s comments gave Xin Lang an idea. The disciples of the immortal sects seemed to bypass the mortal physical tempering phase and enter the "Qi Transformation Stage" directly, likely through the use of Saint-level potions or even higher-grade pills.

In his past life, Xin Lang was only a ninth-level Grandmaster Apothecary and had never reached the rank of Saint Apothecary. He hadn't encountered pills that allowed direct entry into the "Qi Transformation Stage," but with the help of the Upgrade System in this life, it was worth a try.

Inspired by Hong Jingang, Xin Lang gave the trio a few instructions, sent them back to their training, and headed out of the Martial Arts Academy alone.

Originally, he had intended to channel his own vital energy into their bodies to guide them through the daily task cycles, hoping to see if he could force them into the "Qi Transformation Stage" like the disciples of the great immortal sects. However, after hearing Hong Jingang, he changed his mind. He would go procure medicinal herbs and attempt to craft pills for them instead.

Based on his understanding, they needed pills rich in refined vital essence. If their bodies could absorb these directly and convert them into energy that could be guided into their Dantian via the meridians, they might stand a chance at reaching the Grandmaster realm directly.