.


    This time, Ethan''s room didn''t turn into a mess after he advanced.


    From what he''d learned, the phenomenon of ck liquid oozing from his body only urred during the body refining stage.


    This was because, at this stage, the body is being prepared for the trials that lie ahead on the path of cultivation.


    The ck liquid was a concentration of impurities being expelled from the body, a process that happens gradually during the initial phase of cultivation.


    There are a total of three times when the body expels these impurities:


    the first time during the first level of body refining, the second time at the midpoint, in other words, the fifth level, and finally at thest level of body refining, just before breaking through to the next stage.


    So, Ethan didn''t have to worry about being covered in that foul-smelling substance again.


    When the process was over, Ethan opened his eyes and immediately noticed small changes in his body.


    His QI cirction seemed smoother, his breathing more stable, and Ethan could feel that his body now held an explosive power strong enough to rival others at his level with ease.


    In fact, Ethan felt he might even be able to stand his ground against those a level above him.


    He knew this was likely due to his special physique, which, as he grew stronger, made his body superior to what it should be at that level.


    Ethan still knew little about this body, and even Bai Yu seemed to know only a bit.


    From what little she had told him, his body was a physique once possessed by a powerful being from the past.


    This being seemed to wield multiple energy sources, including rare mes.


    Bai Yu had mentioned that obtaining a rare me put a strain on the owner''s soul, so usually, a person wouldn''t assimte more than one rare me, not that they had many chances to find others to assimte in the first ce.


    If they did find them, they would ensure that the stronger me absorbed the other as fuel to grow stronger, something his me also needed to do to increase its power.


    He shook his head to clear these thoughts and turned his attention to his status screen.


    He wanted to see what changes had urred since hisst advancement.


    .


    [------------------------------


    Name: Ethan


    Cultivation: Body Refining (Lvl. 6 --> Lvl. 7)


    QI: 12/800


    Physique: Heavenly Body of the Sacred mes


    Strength: 57 --> 68


    Agility: 51 --> 61


    Intelligence: 59 --> 70


    Soul Strength: 122 --> 124


    [Shop]


    [Storage]


    [System points]: 237


    -------------------------------]


    .


    As usual, some stats seemed to have improved more than others, though this time, not by much.


    Ethan could only attribute this to the fact that he had spent more time refining than training recently.


    His system points had also increased, but they were still far from the 1000 he needed.


    ''Haa, it''s taking longer than I thought to umte them,'' Ethan thought, recalling the number of high-level pills he had created in thest period.


    The number itself was quite high, but the points he received in return were far fewerpared to the amount of QI he gained.


    Not that he couldin. After all, it had only been a week, and in that time, he had umted over 100 system points and advanced nearly two levels.


    For a normal person, this speed, both in alchemy and cultivation, was extremely high. It was only Ethan, being ustomed to it, who thought it was slow.


    Ethan didn''t dwell on it too much.


    He had alreadye to terms with this long ago.


    Cultivation was a long and arduous path.


    Just as it was mentioned in the novels he read in his previous world, here too, people could spend years cultivating to make progress.


    The short time it took to advance in level would stretch out as the cultivator grew stronger.


    Ethan had heard that several of the sect''s elders had been in istion for months now.


    Ethan didn''t know what stage the sect elders were at, but he knew they were all beyond the Dantian Expansion stage.


    Ethan could only imagine how powerful the sect elders were at this stage.


    After showering, Ethan started working in the kitchen to prepare a good meal as a reward for advancing.


    Just as he finished cooking, he heard the dormitory door open.


    Turning his head, he saw that it was his dorm mate who had entered.


    "Wee back, how''s business going?" Ethan asked, while he started serving everything into a bowl.


    Da Shu, who had just entered, couldn''t help but shake his head.


    "Of all the things you could ask me, you ask how business is going?"


    "Well, what did you want me to ask? Something like:


    How was your day?


    Or if you''ve eaten?


    I''m not your wife," Ethan said.


    Both of themughed.


    "Hm? What''s that delicious smell? Are you making your usual dishes or something new?" Da Shu asked, drawn by the aroma.


    "No, just some beef with rice and a few seasonings," Ethan replied while finishing the bowl.


    Once done, he admired it and indulged in its splendor.


    ''Maybe I should consider going into the food business,'' he thought as he sat down, ready to dive into his meal.


    "Hey, don''t eat all the good stuff by yourself, share some with me," Da Shu said, seeing what his friend had prepared.


    Ethan didn''t bother replying and began eating, gesturing with his hand toward the kitchen counter, where there was still some fried rice and slices of cooked beef left.


    After a while, both of them finished dinner.


    Ethan was satisfied with what he had prepared, and from Da Shu''s expression, it was clear he was too.


    ''Well, it doesn''t hurt to have a meal in goodpany every once in a while,'' he thought as he began cleaning up.


    At that moment, Da Shu, remembering something, said:


    "Hey, speaking of business, I think it''s time to take the next step," he said.


    Ethan, who was cleaning the bowls, stopped and turned his head as he asked:


    "It sounds like my pills have sold well," he said.


    "Well? More than well. The quality of your pills is impable.


    You''ve practically made a name for yourself among the buyers. I think it''s time you start promoting your own brand," Da Shu said enthusiastically.


    "My own brand?"


    .


    -----------------------------


    FRANK_LEE_JUNIOR:


    Here''s today''s chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.


    As always, if you have anyments or concerns, feel free toment below.


    Now that I''ve gone premium, I''ll try to speed things up a bit, and if I can save some time during the day, I might start releasing two chapters a day.


    I''ll see what I can do in theing days.


    See you tomorrow.