Chapter 44 The Essence of Heaven and Earth, with a Very Fine Appearance (Please Read Further)

Luo Fang was horrified and thought to himself, "Oh no, oh no, what merit does this Li Xian have? Is his ancestral grave emitting auspicious smoke? How could he possibly catch the eye of the lady?"

“I offended him terribly before, and from now on... from now on... life will really be very difficult.”

My heart was burning with anguish.

They dared not make the slightest sound.

Li Xian obeyed the order and raised his head. Although he was young, his features were clear and well-defined, and he was quite handsome.

"He does have a good appearance."

Madam Wen was generous with her praise, nodding and saying, "It's just that it's too immature. If it grows a few more years, it will suit my taste even better."

Pang Long casually said, "Madam, I told you long ago that this lad is the most handsome guard in the courtyard."

Li Xian humbly replied, "I wouldn't dare." But inwardly he thought, "When did you say that? How come I don't know?"

As he looked up, he finally saw the lady's true face.

Perhaps this lady had already entered the realm of "rebirth," as there was no trace of martial arts training on her body.

She has a graceful figure and an elegant demeanor. Her skin is fair, yet it has a faint, cold, and aloof glow.

I dared not look too closely at the details of their facial features and clothing.

Li Xian only glanced at her briefly, not daring to examine her closely. But he did notice a beauty mark under the lady's right eye.

This added a touch of charm to her face.

A thought suddenly occurred to me:

"I had heard them say that the lady was extremely beautiful. Seeing her today, I can confirm that they were right. I have only seen such a woman once in my two lifetimes."

"I only saw her today. Although she is exceptionally beautiful, she is still just a 'human' after all. But without them, the rumors would be so bizarre."

He lowered his head again, and all that could be seen was the hem of the lady's white skirt and the toes of her white boots peeking out from beneath it.

“Every stitch and thread is made of real money.”

Li Xian muttered to himself.

More than the lady's appearance, he cared about her outfit and how much it cost.

Next came the distribution of meat and soup. Madam Wen was always careful to reward merit fairly, so calling Li Xian over was not out of appreciation or regard.

How could someone like her value a mere guard? She simply rewards merit and punishes wrongdoing; that's all.

Li Xian was well aware of this, and felt neither joy nor sorrow. This small amount of fine food was something he had barely managed to obtain by risking his life twice.

He deserved it.

"Pang Long, take a piece of meat and give it to Li Xian," Madam Wen ordered.

"yes!"

Pang Long did as instructed, placing a piece of fine food, about the size of a finger joint, on Li Xianzhang's palm, still covered in milky white broth.

The moment the hand touched his palm, Li Xian felt a tingling sensation.

This clearly demonstrates that this substance is extraordinary and possesses potent effects.

After distributing the meat, Madam Wen waved her hand and said, "The remaining soups shall be distributed as usual."

With light, graceful steps, her figure flickered and vanished in an instant.

"Li Xian, you have made a great contribution to this fine meal. You can first scoop three bowls of the fine soup and eat it with the fine meat."

Pang Long said bluntly.

"good!"

Li Xian, without any pretense, filled three bowls with soup. Smelling its delicate fragrance, he couldn't help but swallow.

This is the original broth, which has been simmered for two days and one night, resulting in a very thick broth, almost like a gelatinous soup base.

The soups distributed to the other nurses were diluted, mixed with other herbs, and then boiled again. Compared to the original soup, they were much less effective.

This is why Pang Long asked Li Xian to scoop up some soup and drink it on the spot.

Li Xian held the large bowl and gulped it down in one go.

The soup entered my stomach and immediately turned into a warm current that quickly spread throughout my internal organs, bringing me indescribable comfort.

[You drink a bowl of the Snow Demon Monkey's exquisite soup.]

[Skill 'Consuming Food' Proficiency +29]

But then, Li Xian's expression changed. That warm current flowed through his flesh and blood, like a stream washing over the cracks in the rocks.

It removes dirt and nourishes the body.

But then it began to rapidly leak out of the body.

Among them, the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, the nine orifices of the human body, are like nine drainage holes.

"Commander Pang, this..." Li Xian looked at him in confusion.

“You’ve felt it too. Ordinary clay sculptures can’t retain this energy.” Pang Long laughed. “But there are benefits to it, and it’s a rare opportunity, so it’s good that you try it in advance.”

Li Xian drank a second bowl.

As before, the soup, once ingested, transformed into an invisible warm current that spread throughout the flesh and muscles. It then flowed through the skin and all nine orifices.

This energy is intangible.

It came with a tangible form, but vanished without a trace.

Although it couldn't be retained, as it flowed through his flesh and blood, it seemed to nourish his body. Li Xian felt full of vitality, and his strength, bones, and meridians were all stronger.

I finished the third bowl.

Although the energy dissipated, the "internal Qi" continued to emerge from the dantian.

Li Xian suddenly had a thought: "The flow of internal energy seems to slightly affect the trend of this energy?"

"Could it be that only after the Qi has circulated throughout the body can this energy be barely retained?"

Unfortunately, this thing is like a gust of wind. It feels refreshing when it blows, but before you can react, it has already dissipated.

"Fine food is the most precious."

"When I was your age, I didn't even know what [fine food] was."

"You're lucky, you encountered the Snow Demon Monkey and almost lost your life."

"You're really unlucky. At such a young age, you get to eat fine food. In the neighboring Qingning County, many wealthy families have children who also practice martial arts. They are extremely rich, but even they may not have the opportunity to eat fine food to strengthen their bodies when they are teenagers."

Pang Long was deeply moved.

This fine food is only the size of a little finger joint, translucent and crystal clear, like a piece of beautiful jade.

After swallowing it, Li Xian's body trembled, his skin flushed, and his blood and energy circulated rapidly, like a rushing river.

"Crackling" sounds came from all parts of my body.

[First time consuming Snow Demon Monkey Essence Food]

[Skill consumable, proficiency +70]

[Skill: Ingestion]

[Proficiency: 398/500 (Beginner)]

[Description: A tiny clay figure, broken and laughable, edible but fleeting, a helpless situation. You continue to consume the essence of heaven and earth, beginning to glimpse the mysteries of food, with a slight improvement in absorption.]

Pang Long said:

"This energy, called 'the essence of heaven and earth,' is essential for a complete transformation."

"You cannot retain the essence of heaven and earth, but the medicinal properties contained in the flesh are enough to transform your physique."

"Just rest today, no need to practice martial arts or boxing, let your muscles and bones adapt on their own."

...

The essence of heaven and earth quickly dissipates, but the medicinal power contained in the flesh continues to nourish the body.

Li Xian lay on the bed, his blood surging out. Perhaps because he was too young, he felt a burning, restless heat coursing through his veins.

“I only ate a small bite, and it had such an effect.”

"I really don't know how Commander Pang and his wife... dealt with this."

This was the most well-behaved day for Li Xian.

The next morning, Li Xian rinsed it with cold water by the well.

After washing away the sweat, I felt refreshed.

To his surprise, he seemed to have grown taller. Previously, due to malnutrition, Li Xian was rather thin and shabby compared to other martial artists of the same age.

Later, he became a nurse and his height gradually caught up, but after only a little over a month, the changes were ultimately limited.

But this morning...

He was surprised to find that he had grown a full inch taller in a single day, and his body had become much stronger and more muscular.

"Good heavens, it's so ferocious."

Li Xian unleashed a punch into the air, employing a technique called "Raging Bull Fist," whose power and momentum were more than 30% stronger than before.

[The bull roars, its punches strike like a bull, proficiency +3]

The difference lies not in the skill level of boxing.

Li Xian did not use his internal energy.

Rather, it is the improvement of muscles and bones that makes the accumulation of power, punching, and finishing the movement more seamless.

“In addition, my internal energy has also increased significantly.”

"I wonder how far we are from achieving the complete circulation of Qi?"

(End of this chapter)