Chapter Forty-One: Mastery of the Pillar Technique

Chen Yushu had his own plans and ideas.

There were far too many inconveniences in the communal dormitory. The environment was one thing, but the most important concern was secrecy. After all, he was not only practicing martial arts, but also cultivating the heritage of the Yin Walker. In terms of martial arts, the time he had spent was still short, and the special traits of the attribute panel had not yet manifested, so the changes would not be too obvious for now. But the Yin Walker's legacy was different. This was, in every sense, another path of cultivation. The state of entering the Yin trance might go unnoticed by fellow apprentices, but if the overseers saw it, they would certainly sense something was off. Not to mention, the Yin Walker's legacy included other arts—such as talisman drawing!

He had already reached the minor trance state, able to enter the Yin trance at will, and thus was qualified to draw talismans. Naturally, he wished to try it. But inside the pharmacy, it was simply impossible to attempt. Thus, moving out became inevitable.

“But now, I have little silver left,” Chen Yushu calculated silently. The nourishing decoction cost him twenty-five taels, and half a year's rent was twelve taels—thirty-seven taels in total. The precious fish had fetched fifty taels, and with the seven taels gained from Li Pei's belongings, he had twenty left. Twenty taels would have been a fortune to him before, but he knew drawing talismans was far from simple. Talisman paper, brush, and ink—none were cheap. And with the cost of trial and error, twenty taels might not be enough.

“Talismans are critically important for a novice Yin Walker. They are vital weapons against evil spirits and corpses—at present, the only means I can think of to deal with such threats.” From Li Pei's belongings, Chen Yushu had obtained three books: The White Tiger Visualization Method, Li Chao’s Ghost Encounters, and The Dawn Talisman Arts. Of these, the White Tiger Visualization was the foundation for a Yin Walker, a method for focusing and refining the spirit; Li Chao’s Ghost Encounters was a guide, a kind of experiential chronicle. These were of great use to Chen Yushu—he had relied on their techniques to enter the Yin trance and successfully help Shi Hao escape a deadening fate. Yet aside from these, he had no accompanying arts. So, he was eager to draw talismans, hoping to use their power for protection and self-defense.

...

Time passed.

Chen Yushu finished brewing the last batch of medicine, tidied up briefly, and headed to the communal dormitory. Compared to the relaxed atmosphere at the front pharmacy, the apprentices in the back courtyard were indeed busier, most of them engrossed in their work at this hour.

When Chen Yushu entered the dormitory, it was empty, which suited him well—he didn’t need to tidy up much. He simply bundled his belongings in cloth and left. After bidding farewell to a few familiar apprentices, he headed straight for his new lodgings.

The journey was smooth, and soon he arrived at his residence. Unlocking the front gate, he carried his things into the bedroom. He drew a deep breath, relieved to be free from the thick stench of the communal quarters. However, the place was rather bare, lacking many necessities. So, after putting his things down and seeing that dusk had not yet fallen, he quickly went out again.

In less than half an hour, he returned with many supplies. He carried what he could himself; heavier items, such as wood, pots, and tableware, would be delivered by someone else. In bits and pieces, he spent over three taels more. Only after another hour did he finally feel at ease.

“It’s already late—purchasing talisman paper and drawing talismans will have to wait. I might as well use the time to study and ponder further.” Chen Yushu knew that beginnings were always difficult—drawing talismans was not something to be accomplished in a day. After a short rest, he rose and began to prepare a fire for cooking. Because of the move, he had missed mealtime at the pharmacy’s canteen, so he had to cook for himself. Fortunately, he had bought rice in his shopping spree. Though he had been idle in his previous life, as a bachelor, his only redeeming skill was his cooking.

He also set up the medicine stove and began decocting the nourishing decoction.

...

In the front courtyard, Chen Yushu was practicing the Medicine King Stance. With time, his proficiency in the stance had grown. Every movement was imbued with a unique rhythm; coupled with the stance’s special breathing technique, his breath became long and deep, and his figure more agile. He also realized that after his spiritual power had increased, it greatly benefited his stance practice. With each session, he gained new insights, especially regarding the coordination of posture and breath, and gradually began to refine his technique.

Unconsciously, he would adjust and perfect his moves:

Medicine King Stance +2
Medicine King Stance +1
Medicine King Stance +2
...

“As expected, my efficiency has greatly improved. With each practice session, the experience gained is greater than before.” Chen Yushu glanced at the attribute panel, delighted. Previously, each session only added one point of experience; now it was two—and when inspiration struck, even three.

Although the increase in experience did not immediately translate to drastically better results—since he was still at the beginner level and the improvement in vitality was limited—it allowed him to reach the next level of mastery more quickly.

“Just like now—after nine consecutive practice sessions, my Medicine King Stance has reached entry level (89/100). It’s not far from full experience and the next stage.” Looking at his progress, Chen Yushu felt a surge of excitement.

“Should I just keep going?” he wondered, his gaze falling on the eight remaining portions of nourishing decoction. One dose allowed him to practice the stance nine times. Taking them in succession would diminish the effect somewhat, but he could still manage seven or even eight sessions per dose. At this rate, he should be able to push his stance straight to the next level.

“Continue!”

He quickly made up his mind, stepped forward, and began preparing another dose of nourishing decoction. Half an hour later, the second portion was ready.

“Let’s begin—let me raise the Medicine King Stance to the proficiency level in one go.” Chen Yushu drank the decoction in a single gulp. Almost instantly, he felt the previously depleted energy within him become full again; heat surged through his body, enveloping him in warmth. The nourishing decoction was a powerful tonic, each portion carefully blended with rare medicinal herbs—enough to improve the constitution of any ordinary person.

As the medicine took effect, he resumed his stance practice:

Once, twice, three times...

Medicine King Stance +1
Medicine King Stance +3
Medicine King Stance +2
...

Suddenly, he felt a jolt throughout his body. Countless insights about the Medicine King Stance flooded his mind—it was as if he had practiced it a thousand times in a single instant.

He had broken through!

His stance had advanced to the proficiency level.