As he was reading the book he realized the weakness of the sharingan. He is able to copy the pictures on how to perform the technique perfectly, but the theory on how to perform it is different. If he saw someone perform the technique personally he'd be able to copy their flow of Qi and copy them. But his own understanding is not the best, so even though these techniques are only mortal level he needed the full hour to barely comprehend them. Even then, it's only a basic understanding.
But he's hoping that just like Flowing Flower Palm, he can use his eyes to see weak points in the basic technique and correct it.
When the hour was up the light burst, causing an alarm to sound. Rising from his seat, he exits the door.
“I hope you were able to make some progress.” the old man's voice enters his ears.
Marco shakes his head slightly “They were fairly complicated, how do I get more jades if I want to take another look?”
“Completing missions or trade with other disciples are the only two ways”
“Thank you Elder” as Marco gets ready to leave the elders voice sounds again.
“You can test your new techniques in the northern section, once you get a basic understanding the best way to improve is through combat.”
Marco nods his head and exits the door.
Of his six gates, he now has five open. Now that his Core is bronze 5, he can handle the stamina drain of five gates like breathing. A normal Qi gathering cultivator would never dream of something like this and would have to swallow pills just to copy it.
His eyes are occupying 3 gates of Qi, his illusion on himself to suppresses Patrick is taking a bit of Qi from the 4th gate. Marco takes the hammer from his bag, holding it in his left hand he begins pressuring it with the remainder of his free Qi.
The noise from the disciples outside causes Ezra to stir awake. Marco grabs her from his head and places her into his robe. She holds on, peeks out her head, and begins to look around.
Marco and Ezra make there way back to the residential district.
Unknown to them, the scarred disciple follows.
After moving for a while, he arrives back in the southern district. He was originally planning to head straight back, but he realized that if he let all those stones sit in his bag it would be a waste.
Thinking up to here, he walks into the pill shop. As he enters a strong herbal aroma hits him. Looking around, the room is fairly plain. The room is fully made of wood, the room is divided in half by a large glass counter. Behind the counter is a woman in her early 30s.
She has long silver hair in a high ponytail. Her eyes are dark green and has a straight nose. She has nice full lips and as she smiles dimples are present on her face. She is currently dealing with a young man.
Looking at her Marco can neither sense nor see any Qi. Marco walks up behind the young man to wait in line.
“Common Ms. Cynthia, I come here all the time! Can't you give me a deal??”
“Ohh~ is there somewhere else you can go to get pills?” a sultry voice escapes her mouth, totally contradicting her adorable appearance.
“Disciples in the outer court cannot generate fire with Qi, so where else can you get pills, if not from me~. These are the prices so pay up”
“Ahh you're ruthless!!” the disciple places some spirit stones on the counter, picks up a pouch of pills, then turns to leave. As he turns he sees Marco scarlet vortex pupils, causing his eyes to widen a bit. Getting ready to open his mouth he sees that he's holding a hammer, causing him to bite his tongue. Scoffing, he walks away.
Marco follows him with his eyes for a bit before walking up to the counter. The counter is filled with different types of various colors. He sees the green stamina pills he's been eating, the ones made with bronze cores.
Cynthia is silent as she looks at his strange eyes. The next thing she notices is a small fairy peeking her head out of his robe, furiously pointing her hand at different pills.
“Miss I'm here to buy pills, but besides the basic stamina pill I know nothing else.”
“That's strange~ how can someone with a bloodline so great that he has an innate ocular ability know nothing about pills? Did your clan teach you nothing?” an eyebrow raises as she looks at Marco strangely.
Marco takes a dramatic breath “I'm the last member of my clan" he sighs deeply.
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Seeing Marco look so sad, Ezra pats his chin.
“It's ok Ezra" using his right hand he pats Ezra body in his robe “It's just you and me for now.”
The ladies eyes become more tender “Sorry for bringing it up! But what are you trying to do~ maybe I can recommend something?”
“Is there any pill that helps cultivation?”
She shakes her head “Qi gathering cultivators are very limited in what can help them, only pills that can decrease pain and lets you attack the gate more violently will help with cultivation.”
Decreasing pain won't really help with Marco, as he can just heal anyway. If he attacks the gate anymore then he already is, he'll die.
The best thing for him to do now is to increase his Aura so that his healing will become stronger and overall strength increase.
“Hmm, do you have any stronger stamina pills, preferably made with iron cores or stronger?”
“See~ you do have a bit of knowledge. To know stamina pills are made with Demonic beast cores.” a mischievous grin appears on her face, highlighting her dimples. “I doo~ have what you want, but how much are you willing to pay?”
“Well, just tell me the price.”
“Standard pills are 20 spirit stones for a batch of 20, intermediate pills are 50 spirit stones for a batch of 5, advanced is 1 medium spirit stone each.”
“I don't know if these prices are good or bad, but do you have anything that can help Demonic Beasts?”
“The stamina pills will help them just fine, but of course there are a few pills for Demonic beast as raising them is pretty popular.”
“Oh, I've heard that before, but why haven't I seen anyone else with one?”
“Silly boy~ disciples who can tame demonic beast have some skill, you won't see them randomly milling about the sect. They're either out training or Cultivating. Even though your Fairy isn't the most powerful beast, I've bet you've gotten a few strange looks.”
“Why does everyone keep calling her a fairy, and what pills can help beast?”
“It's a fairy because it's a fairy kid, I don't know what else to tell you~ As for pills to help, besides the stamina pill there's the spirit calming pill and the body cleansing pill. The spirit calming pill has been found to soothe their Aura and body cleansing pill will help remove impurities from the body.”
Hearing the descriptions he squints his eyes, a sense of foreboding hits him. “How much are they?”
“50 spirit stones each~”
Marco blinks a few times, hoping he misheard her. Just when he thought he hit a windfall, he finds out he's still broke.
“I'll take two spirit pills, two cleansing pills, and five batches of intermediate stamina pills.”
“That will be~ 450 spirit stones"
Marco’s face twitches a bit. If he didn't get these stones so easily last night, he'd be feeling the pain. Reaching into his bag, he begins counting out stones.
After receiving all the stones, she places three containers onto the counter. “Here you go~”
Marco places the pills into his bag. “Can you tell me how a Fairy is different from a Pixie?”
“Awww~ did you think it was a Pixie? Haha listen here kid, Pixie have separated wings while Fairy wings are solid.”
Looking down at Ezra his brows shoot up. Feeling his gaze, she looks up. “Well thank you, if I need more pills I'll be back" Marco turns and begins to leave.
“Come again~”
Walking outside Marco looks at the sky. Seeing the position of the sun he figures it’s a bit past noon. Picking up his pace, he heads towards the dorms.
Arriving back in the residential district he heads for the fields. In the fields is an area available for disciples to pump water into a barrel.
Grabbing a barrel with his right hand he places it under the pump. After pumping water for a moment the barrel is full. While still holding the hammer, he hugs the barrel to his body.
Uncomfortable due to the barrel, Ezra flies onto his shoulder.
Marco begins to walk back to his room.
The scar faced disciple sneers as he sees this. He's been following this bastard for a while and he's just now going back to his room.
Walking into the dorm Marco descends the stairs, barrel in hand. As he is almost to his room, he notices a problem. He is one level away from his floor, but he can hear footsteps behind him. He knows no one lives at least three to five levels above him, so no one should be down here.
Furrowing his brows he arrives at his door, opening it he goes inside. As he sets the barrel down Ezra flies to the bed. He finally puts the hammer down on the desk.
“Take off all your clothes, Ezra" Marco begins taking off all his clothes as well.
Hearing him Ezra squints her eyes. Watching him take off his clothes she hesitates.
“Cheem!” After seeing he wasn't trying to trick her again, she begins to take off her clothes.
Setting his bags on the table, he pulls out all the pills and the cores. He splits the pills into two groups. He gets 20 intermediate stamina pills, 1 spirit pill, and one cleansing pill. For Ezra, she gets 5 intermediate stamina pills and a set of spirit and cleansing pills.
“Ok Ezra eat these stamina pills first then these two pills"
Ezra nods her head.
He then divides the cores, two for him and one for her.
After taking a deep breath he begins swallowing pills.
Seeing him do so, Ezra begins chewing the pills with her sharp teeth.
He quickly swallows the 20 pills. The power is overwhelming, he instantly hears the popping sound twice. He directly stepped into bronze 7, before the power becomes unstable like last time he swallows the spirit pill and cleansing pill.
Ezra is a bit slower but she too finishes her pills.
His Aura becomes calm as it flows through his body due to the spirit pill. He can feel his body strengthening at a rapid pace, the body cleansing pill is pushing his Aura into every pore.
The funnel on his Aura is rapidly disappearing as his body catches up with his power. Relishing in the feeling for a moment he picks up a core.
“Quick Ezra, swallow your core!”
Swallowing the core causes more power than ever to fill his body. His Aura breaks through again, going from 7 to 9. Black ooze begins to seep out his skin, looking at Ezra she is in a similar condition as she swallows her core.
Taking the last core he swallows it without hesitation. His eyes open wide as he feels his Aura break through to level 10. It continues to climb until it hits a wall. Closing his eyes he senses the changes in his core.
Cracks form in his core and begin to quickly spread, power swells through his body as he begins to tremble.
Ezra's process was much simpler, as she didn't have as many pills or cores she is already done. Covered in black ooze she watches Marco shake.
After a few seconds, his shaking stops. A burst of Aura escapes the core as the cracks reform, leaving a solid grey core behind.