"This strange fish has been nourished by Spiritual Qi for many years. Its Flesh and Blood has long since been transformed, and it now contains pure Essence Qi and Spiritual Power. For a Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator, especially a young man like you who is still growing and developing his body, it is a Great Nourishing Item!"
"Its nourishing effects are no less potent than those expensive Low Tier Spiritual Cuisines in the city."
"If you eat it in portions while you cultivate, it might boost your progress. As for these scales, while they can’t be made into a Dharma Artifact, you can find a blacksmith to polish them into a simple Heart-Protecting Mirror for defense."
Hearing this, the disappointment in Chu Bai’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a pleasant surprise.
A Great Nourishing Item! On par with Spiritual Cuisine!
’What am I lacking the most right now? Isn’t it high-quality energy to keep up with the consumption of my Nourishing and Exquisite Fate Chart?’
This mutated fish, weighing over a hundred catties, would be enough to last him for quite a while!
"Thank you for your guidance, Master!"
Chu Bai put away the scales, feeling content. He had originally killed the fish just to save his own life; he never expected to earn a batch of Cultivation Resources from it.
"Take off your shirt."
Daoist Zhang took a cyan porcelain bottle from a shelf. When he opened the stopper, a clear, herbal fragrance instantly filled the room.
Chu Bai did as he was told and unfastened his top, revealing a back and shoulders covered in dark purple bruises.
Those were marks left from being rammed by the strange fish on the small boat, and from the final life-and-death struggle.
Daoist Zhang dipped a fingertip into the light-green ointment. With a flick of his finger, Spiritual Power wrapped around the ointment and spread it evenly over the injuries.
"HISS..."
The moment the ointment touched his skin, a piercing cold seeped in, followed by the rapid fading of the fiery, stinging pain. It was replaced by an indescribable sense of relief.
His originally stiff and sore muscles felt as if they were being gently smoothed out by a large, invisible hand, and even much of the fatigue in his meridians dissipated.
"This is an ointment made from Rejuvenation Powder. It’s miraculously effective on flesh wounds," Daoist Zhang said, putting away the porcelain bottle. "Your injuries aren’t serious, but if they aren’t treated promptly, the clotted blood could build up and become a hidden danger in the future."
"Thank you for the medicine, Master." Chu Bai put his shirt back on, feeling a fair bit lighter.
After the medicine was applied, Chu Bai didn’t hurry to leave. It was a rare visit, so he naturally wanted to seize the opportunity to ask for guidance.
He spent half a day cultivating in the Zhang Mansion, taking advantage of the dense Spiritual Qi to completely stabilize his slightly fluctuating aura from the previous night’s fierce battle. He also asked his master for a few more details about the Qi Filtering Technique before finally taking his leave.
It was already afternoon when he left the Zhang Mansion.
Chu Bai didn’t go straight home, but instead took a detour to the Zhao Mansion in the south of the city.
Today happened to be a rest day, but his sparring partner duties couldn’t be neglected.
Inside a courtyard of the Zhao Mansion, waves of heat rolled through the air.
"Again!"
Zhao Xing shouted, and a Fire Bomb shot out with a whistle.
Although Chu Bai was injured and his movements were occasionally a bit stiff, he hadn’t asked for a day off, nor had he uttered a single word of complaint.
On the contrary, after last night’s true life-and-death battle, his gaze had become even more steady and sharp.
Facing the whistling Fireball, he no longer relied solely on instinct as he had before. Instead, he could more accurately predict its trajectory and threat level.
That calm and composed demeanor made Wuu Shang, who had been instructing from the sidelines, unable to resist giving him a couple of extra glances.
’This kid... seems to have grown up a lot overnight,’ Wuu Shang thought to himself. ’The once somewhat green boy now faintly exuded the ruthlessness of someone who had seen real bloodshed.’
After the double-hour of sparring, Chu Bai accepted the reward of three hundred cents. Filled with a weary but fulfilling sense of satisfaction, he started on his way home.
By the time he returned home, it was nearly dusk.
Chu Bai didn’t disturb his mother, who was cooking. Instead, he changed into some old work clothes and went to the cellar in the backyard by himself.
In the dim cellar, the hundred-catty mutated fish still lay quietly on a pile of dry grass, exuding a faint, bloody Spiritual Qi.
’A creature this big... I definitely can’t eat it all at once.’
Wielding a sharpened Bone-Carving Saber, Chu Bai began to process the massive creature.
As the blade sliced through the fish’s belly, there was none of the fishy stench he had expected. Instead, a strange, fresh fragrance emerged. The bright red flesh had a clear texture, like fine jade.
’What a pity...’
Chu Bai sighed. Although this flesh was a great supplement, it was from a Mutated Beast after all, and its body contained trace amounts of Evil Qi.
While he had his Qi Filtering Technique and his Cultivation to protect him, allowing him to neutralize this Evil Qi and convert it into energy, his parents and younger siblings were all Mortals. If they ate this meat, they would at best suffer from vomiting and diarrhea; at worst, they would fall gravely ill.
’Looks like I’ll have to enjoy this all by myself.’
Chu Bai deftly cut a few large chunks from the most tender part of the belly, weighing a good three or four catties, for his dinner tonight.
He rubbed coarse salt on the remaining parts and hung them in a ventilated spot to air-dry, creating a long-term food reserve.
’This supply is enough to last me for half a month.’
After dealing with the strange fish, Chu Bai carried the basin of fresh fish meat back to his room.
To avoid wasting any Spiritual Qi, he chose the simplest cooking method: boiling.
He set up a small stove, placed the sliced fish into the boiling water, and added just a pinch of salt.
A moment later, a rich, meaty aroma filled the small room.
’Time to eat!’
Chu Bai picked up a slice of fish with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth.
It melted in his mouth!
There wasn’t the slightest earthy or fishy taste, only an ultimate freshness and tenderness. Before he could even savor it, the fish meat transformed into a scalding hot current that slid down his esophagus and into his stomach.
BOOM!
It was as if he had swallowed a ball of fire.
The Nourishing and Exquisite Fate Chart was instantly activated, beginning to operate frantically.
The hot current exploded in his stomach, transforming into immense Essence Qi that rushed toward his limbs and bones like a bursting dam.
’Such powerful energy!’
Chu Bai’s expression changed. His face instantly flushed crimson, beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead, and wisps of white steam even began to rise from the top of his head.
Compared to the pork and chicken he had eaten before, the energy contained in this mutated fish meat was on a completely different level!
After just a few bites, he felt an unbearable heat throughout his body, and his meridians were bulging to the point of aching faintly.
Not daring to delay, Chu Bai immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks and sat down cross-legged.
’Refine!’
As he operated the Small Qi Gathering Technique at full power, the frenzied Essence Qi was gradually tamed and purified, transforming into threads of pure Spiritual Power that flowed into his Dantian’s Qi Sea.
Time passed bit by bit.
When Chu Bai opened his eyes again, the moon was already high in the sky.
He let out a long breath of turbid air. The breath condensed like a white ribbon, shooting out three feet before slowly dissipating.
He summoned his panel.
[Realm: Qi Introduction (28/100)]
[Small Qi Gathering Technique: Skilled (145/200)]
’Just one meal, and my Spiritual Qi progress increased by a full point! The proficiency of my Small Qi Gathering Technique also shot up by ten points!’
Chu Bai stared at the line of data, his eyes gleaming with ecstatic joy.
Before, gaining even one thread of Spiritual Power in two days was considered divine speed. Now, thanks to the nourishment of this Spiritual Flesh, he could gain a thread a day, or maybe even more!
’This is what real Cultivation is like...’
Chu Bai clenched his fists, feeling the power brimming within him, ready to burst out.
With this stock of preserved food, plus that treasured spot by the Sanmu River, the coming days would be his golden age for sprinting full-speed through the Qi Cultivation Stage!
’Three months? No, maybe it won’t be long at all before I can touch that threshold!’

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