Chapter 29: Nine-Turn Tiger Bone Pill

On the hospital bed, Zhang Ji's right arm was tightly wrapped and immobilized. He had just undergone surgery to remove the bullet. Because of his formidable hard-qigong training, the procedure had proven to be quite difficult.

In front of him stood a frame displaying a landscape painting of a waterfall. The water rushed down from a mountain peak, transforming into a silver thread. This painting had been recovered from the water monster. When Zhang Ji first saw it, he knew it was the visualization chart for "Waterfall Drop," a combat technique from the Flowing Water School.

Words often fail to convey information as clearly as images. Consequently, many truly advanced combat techniques are passed down through diagrams. The artist often embeds their own artistic conception into the work, allowing the viewer to perceive the essence of the technique. This is especially true for the Mysterious Heart School’s techniques, which borrow power from heaven and earth; they require deep insight. Without mastering the corresponding mental resonance frequency, these techniques cannot be unleashed.

Zhang Ji’s talent was at the "player" level—the pinnacle of human potential. His comprehension was naturally high, and after viewing the chart, he could faintly perceive something, though it remained unclear, preventing him from truly glimpsing its mysteries. He understood why: the Mysterious Heart School’s techniques usually require a certain foundation in mental attributes. His current mental strength was likely insufficient. To truly comprehend and master it would take time. It would be best to have a specialized technique to temper the mind; otherwise, relying solely on the natural nourishment from his Dragon-Form Fist’s primordial energy and the secondary benefits of physical conditioning would take an eternity.

"Knock, knock, knock! Junior Uncle Zhang, it’s me!" A voice came from the door.

"Please, come in," Zhang Ji said.

Zhou Hao pushed the door open, carrying a large dining tray. On it were slices of roast duck, both lean and fatty, alongside a portion of staple food larger than one would expect. Zhou Hao placed the meal on the dining assist arm beside Zhang Ji’s bed. "Getting this meal you wanted wasn't easy. The head chef had to experiment for quite a while before he could make it. It was a real hassle."

"You could have just bought instant roast duck rice online. Why trouble the head chef?" Zhang Ji asked.

"That stuff has too many additives. It’s not good for your health if you eat too much of it," Zhou Hao explained.

"I’m sorry for the trouble," Zhang Ji replied. As he spoke, he focused his mind, and the brain-machine interface attached to his temple sent a command to the robotic assist arm. It lowered the visualization chart, picked up the tray, and began feeding him large mouthfuls of food.

As Zhang Ji ate, Zhou Hao said, "It’s no trouble at all. It’s my fault you ended up injured like this."

Beyond the bullet in his arm, the explosive strike Zhang Ji had unleashed had also strained his muscles and bones, and his internal organs had been rattled by the overexertion. He hadn't noticed it at the time, fighting through the pain to clash with the water monster for dozens of rounds—a testament to the raw power of adrenaline.

"How are things at the pharmaceutical factory?" Zhang Ji asked between bites.

"We intercepted them in time. They didn't have a chance to detonate the explosives. Elder Wang Quan arrived as well, so they didn't manage to take anyone or any raw materials," Zhou Hao reported.

"That’s good," Zhang Ji nodded.

"By the way, I brought you something." Zhou Hao reached into his pocket and pulled out a palm-sized, sealed wooden box. It was wrapped in several layers of packaging and appeared to be wax-sealed. Zhang Ji couldn't imagine what would require such careful storage.

"What is it? A Great Restoration Pill?" Zhang Ji asked.

"You’ve got quite an imagination. We don't even know if the Vajra Sect’s Great Restoration Pills still exist. How would I have the connections to get you one?" Zhou Hao chuckled.

"Then what is it?"

"A Nine-Turn Tiger Bone Pill!" Zhou Hao said. "It’s a treasure of our Five Forms School. Forty years ago, one of these could have fetched ten million; today, you couldn't buy one even if you wanted to."

"What’s it for?" Zhang Ji asked, curiously taking the box with his robotic arm to examine it.

"It’s specifically for healing bone injuries. It leaves no sequelae, and after taking it, it will elevate the strength of your tendons and bones to a new level. Our school can no longer produce these, as we can no longer find hundred-year-old tigers. Three-turn tiger bone pills are the best we can do now."

A typical tiger lives at most twenty or thirty years; a hundred-year-old predator is an exotic beast born under the unique environmental conditions of this world.

"Thank you," Zhang Ji said.

"Don't talk about 'thank you.' That makes us strangers," Zhou Hao smiled. "Just swallow it after you finish eating. Taking it early will help with your recovery. I have some business to attend to, so I'll see you later."

"Go ahead," Zhang Ji nodded.

Zhou Hao turned and left. After finishing his meal, Zhang Ji used the robotic arm to open the packaging, revealing the wax-sealed pill. It was a deep, pure blood-red, about the size of a little finger. Zhang Ji sniffed it, but it had no scent, so he tossed it into his mouth and swallowed.

He returned to studying the "Waterfall Drop" chart. Unfortunately, due to his mental deficiency, he studied it for a long time without result. He simply lacked the necessary conditions to learn it. Just then, he felt a warm current radiate from his abdomen, naturally diffusing throughout his body.

"The medicine is taking effect!" Zhang Ji immediately realized the Nine-Turn Tiger Bone Pill was working. The warmth was distinct, and as it reached every part of his body, it felt incredibly soothing. The injury on his right arm, in particular, began to tingle, and the pain diminished sharply. Zhang Ji closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When he awoke, it was already late at night. Beside his bed sat a fresh, covered portion of roast duck rice, along with several bouquets of flowers and some fruit—he had no idea who had sent them.

The next day, Zhang Ji felt that the pain in his right arm had receded significantly; he even felt as though he could move it slightly. He immediately grasped the true value of the Nine-Turn Tiger Bone Pill.

By noon, Li Long and Wang Quan arrived at his room. "This time it was my oversight. I wanted you to go down the mountain to relax, and I never expected you to run into something like this," Li Long said.

Zhang Ji, of course, did not blame him. After some small talk, they discussed the origins of the attackers. "They were a group of mercenaries. The trail went cold at the platform, but we can guess who arranged it," Wang Quan said. "It was most likely the people from Kang'an Pharmaceuticals."

Zhang Ji didn't know which faction Kang'an Pharmaceuticals was, nor did he understand their strength, and he looked confused. Li Long explained, "It’s a property of the Lin family. They also sell a brand of scar-removal ointment."

Zhang Ji nodded in understanding. The Lin family was the one with an assemblyman, the same family backing the Xian Mountain School. He wasn't interested in the politics behind these factions; he preferred to let his fists do the talking.

"There is a martial arts tournament in Kyoto next month. Do you want to participate?" Li Long asked.

"What is the level of competition?" Zhang Ji asked.

"Professional level. Don't worry, there won't be any Grandmasters. The highest level will likely be first-rate. With your strength, you should be able to place very well. If you get into the top ten, the rewards are quite good," Li Long said.

He understood Zhang Ji’s thinking all too well. From his interactions with him, Li Long felt that Zhang Ji’s perception was a bit skewed. He always seemed to think Grandmasters were common, even treating them as his hypothetical opponents. In reality, Grandmasters were rare, and even combatants above the fifth professional rank were few and far between. The Five Forms School, one of the premier schools in the country, only had five or six Grandmasters. In the entire martial arts world today, there were likely fewer than thirty, and most were old relics over fifty years old.

"If my injury is healed, I will go," Zhang Ji replied. If Li Long said the rewards were good, Zhang Ji knew he wouldn't lose out by going.

"It will definitely be healed. You’ve already taken the Nine-Turn Tiger Bone Pill," Li Long said.

Zhang Ji understood; it seemed Li Long had played a part in getting him that medicine. During the conversation, Li Long glanced at the "Waterfall Drop" chart by the bed. "These things are techniques used by ancient sorcerers. They lack a systematic structure and are far inferior to authentic martial arts. They are considered heterodox. You can browse them, but don't delve too deeply and neglect your own training," Li Long cautioned.

"Understood, I have a sense of balance," Zhang Ji replied.

At this stage, many techniques that borrow power from heaven and earth indeed lacked a system. Most were just tricks and skills, not true cultivation methods. Simply put, skills are things that allow one to better utilize their existing attributes, while cultivation methods are things that strengthen those attributes. In the eyes of traditional martial artists, one is a "craft" and the other is the "Way," and they cannot be spoken of in the same breath.

But in reality, the two are complementary. When Zhang Ji played games in his previous life, a B-rank fighter once told him a theory: Craft can lead to the Way, and the Way can derive craft. For example, the "Spiritual Intent Manifestation" of the Spiritual Intent School is a "Way" born from the ultimate skill of integrating force. And who says practicing skills doesn't increase attributes? Does control not count as an attribute? The schools within the Mysterious Heart School also slowly increase mental power during practice. It isn't just pure skill.

However, compared to combat techniques that primarily increase base attributes, these skill-oriented techniques were indeed inferior in the early versions.

...

The recovery process was tedious. Zhang Ji couldn't practice martial arts for several days, and it wasn't until the sixth day that he could move a little. By the eighth day, his injuries had recovered enough for normal activity. His natural recovery ability, combined with the Nine-Turn Tiger Bone Pill, had shortened what would have been a six-month recovery—with the potential for permanent damage—to less than ten days with no side effects.

Following this, Zhang Ji began his training again. He practiced the "Iron Cloth Shirt" three times a day, feeling no discomfort in his body at all. His "Dragon-Form Fist" was even smoother, and he could refine primordial energy faster. Zhang Ji calculated that at this rate, in twelve days, he would have enough "Iron Cloth Shirt" combat crystals.