Chapter 8 Accelerated Cultivation: All Directions of Heaven and Earth United

Although their effectiveness falls short compared to those rare and exotic flowers, having something is better than nothing! Even if what he found at the market and in pharmacies were, in the world of cultivation, considered utterly ordinary herbs, Zhang Pu knew that with some advanced techniques from the cultivation world, he could still work a bit of magic with them.

He was confident: by the time school started, he would likely have reached the level of a martial arts expert, just like those described in the wuxia novels of China. On Earth, such experts are called martial artists—akin to the legendary masters of ancient martial society. And even if he was just an ordinary martial artist, far from being a true grandmaster, in a small place like Qingwu District, martial prowess alone would let him walk unchallenged.

Having lived two lifetimes, and after a thousand years in the cultivation world, Zhang Pu had truly seen the wider world—Qingwu District might seem vast to those around him now, but to him, it was tiny. Even the entire Dading Province, to which Qingwu belonged, was insignificant. Compared to Dading Province, the country of Hua, the Earth itself, and then, in turn, to the myriad star realms of the cultivation world—Radiant Star Realm, Celestial Dragon Star Realm, Frozen Star Realm, Dark Star Realm, Undead Star Realm, and so on—Earth was but a drop in the ocean.

Enough idle thoughts—Zhang Pu hurried to hunt for herbs! He needed to accelerate his cultivation of the "Heaven and Earth, Eight Directions, Six Harmonies Return to One" technique, to step into the Qi Refining stage as soon as possible; otherwise, everything would remain empty words, amounting to nothing.

After browsing the herbal stalls and major pharmacies at the market, Zhang Pu found that some of the herbs required for his technique were indeed available. Though they could not compare to the high-grade elixirs and rare materials of the cultivation world, they still could serve as auxiliary aids for Qi Refining.

However, those herbs, which he considered utterly commonplace compared to those in the cultivation world, were still expensive for someone with his current means. After all, Zhang Pu had returned to his student days on Earth by a twist of fate, empty-handed—none of the treasures he had amassed in the cultivation world came with him. The only things he retained were his memory of cultivation techniques and recipes. Despite once being fabulously wealthy, now he was just a student still dependent on his parents, unable to earn money for the time being.

The supplementary herbs required for his technique, available on Earth, included ginseng, cordyceps, deer antler, goji berries, angelica, astragalus, and so forth. The latter few were manageable; his parents’ allowance was enough to cover them, provided he refrained from spending frivolously like his classmates.

But for the former, especially ginseng—requiring roots of considerable age—Zhang Pu’s student status meant he had to think carefully. In ordinary pharmacies, such items were sometimes rare even if you had the money.

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: in any era, cultivating a powerful technique always comes easier for the wealthy than for the poor.

But he was determined to escape this mundane, powerless state as quickly as possible, knowing all too well that an ordinary person without money, influence, or connections is too easily bullied, and often has nowhere to turn for justice. The bitter lessons of his previous life were seared into his memory.

Still, the ginseng, cordyceps, and deer antler had to be bought! Zhang Pu did not regret refusing Zeng Baoying’s offer of help—her manner had been that of a wealthy patron bestowing charity on the poor, which deeply wounded Zhang Pu’s innate pride.

Even now, in this moment of financial need, he found he simply could not accept such charity from her.

No matter—he would grit his teeth and endure for now. Zhang Pu was confident that these difficult times would pass in the blink of an eye. At worst, he would make do with smaller quantities and work harder to compensate.

Wait! Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck—had he forgotten everything about the cultivation world? Even in his current predicament, could he not make pills and sell them for money? Who said he had to rely on charity from the likes of that wealthy woman?

Zhang Pu had reached the Tribulation Crossing stage in the world of cultivation, and possessed countless advanced recipes. Even here, in this world so lacking in rare herbs, there were still miracles he could perform with the right formulas.

Of course, he needed a market for his pills. At present, he was just a student, not a licensed doctor. He couldn’t simply prescribe or administer medicines at will: even if he knew a single dose could cure someone instantly, he couldn’t risk practicing medicine illegally—unless he found someone who trusted him completely and wouldn’t turn on him later. Otherwise, after doing good, he might end up blackmailed or even facing the authorities.

For now, he would take things one step at a time. Even in this situation, Zhang Pu was confident: when the road reaches the mountain, there will always be a way forward.

If he wanted to sell medicine, buyers would appear. It was true in the cultivation world, and it would be true on Earth as well.

Despite the exorbitant cost of ginseng, cordyceps, and deer antler for someone in his position, he managed to obtain a small quantity. The effects would be milder, but by skillfully combining them with advanced formulas from the cultivation world, they could still serve him well.

Naturally, Zhang Pu did not choose to absorb these herbs in Nanhu Park. Though the spot he’d found was somewhat secluded, the park was vast—who knew if someone with binoculars might spot his unusual behavior from afar? His cultivation technique, after all, was quite different from ordinary exercise or martial arts. Worse, someone with ulterior motives might mistake him for a cultist. If the authorities were called, trouble would soon follow.

At his current level, Zhang Pu knew he was in no position to handle such complications. There was certainly no shortage of busybodies in today’s society; and once people gathered out of curiosity and excitement, things could quickly spiral out of control, as so many news stories had shown.

Yet, Zhang Pu was far from fragile. He might have been rather weak in his past life, but now that he had returned, he would never allow himself to be so vulnerable again.