Chapter 105: Yang Ling, Do You Need Cultivation-Boosting Pills to Break Through Lately?

"You recognize me?"

Yang Ling narrowed his eyes slightly.

These bandits were indeed not ordinary.

"Ironclad Department Constable Yang, who doesn't know you these days? Heh!"

The lead bandit sneered, then glanced at his severed arms, a flash of despair flickering in his eyes.

Yang Ling opened the Status Panel of these guys. Their attributes were normal, nothing unusual was apparent, and they were not Giant Spirit Sect Martial Artists.

Then, he used the Insight Technique, but the information he obtained wasn't very useful either.

"Yang Ling, thank you for your assistance today. Otherwise, our Third Division, Bandit Apprehension Division would have suffered heavy losses.

Even I, this Director, might not have left this place alive."

Wen Kongxuan suddenly clasped his fists in salute.

Seeing this, the Ironclad Constables present also hurriedly cupped their hands in respect.

The looks they gave Yang Ling were filled with gratitude.

If something had happened to Wen Kongxuan, even if they could return alive, they would definitely be unable to stay in the Bandit Apprehension Division!

Wen Xiaoba stepped forward at this moment and said in a low voice:

"Director, Constable Yang specifically came to our Third Division looking for you, which is why he encountered this matter."

Wen Kongxuan nodded slightly; he knew why the other party had come.

After a moment's thought, Wen Kongxuan smiled:

"Yang Ling, I'll take them back for interrogation first. Come to my house tonight, I'll treat you to a meal."

"Alright."

Yang Ling nodded with a smile.

Evening, the Wen residence.

When Yang Ling arrived, Wen You and Wen Xiaoba were both waiting at the entrance to welcome him.

"Brother Yang, great kindness cannot be repaid with mere words!"

Wen You's eyes were slightly red at this moment. He stepped forward and patted his own chest.

He already knew about today's events and was still feeling shaken by the close call.

If Yang Ling hadn't gone over at that time, what he might have seen was his father's corpse!

Every time he thought of this, Wen You's heart trembled.

He only felt a chill drilling up from his tailbone, shooting straight to the crown of his head!

"Mmm."

Yang Ling smiled and nodded. "Where is Director Wen?"

"Father is warming wine, waiting for you."

Seeing this, Wen You immediately showed a smile and, together with Wen Xiaoba, led the way for Yang Ling.

Wen Kongxuan had now changed into casual clothes. Seeing Yang Ling, he warmly rose to usher him to his seat.

Then: "You two, go out. Close the door behind you."

Wen You and Wen Xiaoba, who had just been about to take their seats, hearing this, immediately left dejectedly, closing the door on their way out.

"Yang Ling, this cup of wine, I toast to you."

Wen Kongxuan poured a cup of wine for Yang Ling, then raised it high with both hands.

"Director Wen, you are too kind."

Yang Ling raised his wine cup.

After the two of them drained their cups, Wen Kongxuan got straight to the point:

"After this afternoon's interrogation, those bandits still refuse to reveal who sent them.

I estimate it will take some time to pry open their mouths."

He paused briefly, then smiled slightly:

"However, inviting you for a drink today isn't to discuss this matter."

"Is it about the Water Qilin Cave?"

Yang Ling mused.

Wen Kongxuan nodded: "Exactly that.

I specifically sent my son to make a trip to Green Mountain City, hoping you would have a chance to enter the Water Qilin Cave.

To be frank, my relationship with the Pharmacy Guild is quite good.

The five Foundation Consolidation Pills I gave you before were also entrusted to me by someone from the Pharmacy Guild to give to you.

They hope that if you can go to the Water Qilin Cave, any rare flowers and exotic herbs you obtain there can be sold to them first."

"Just selling to them first? No other conditions?"

Yang Ling pondered.

Wen Kongxuan laughed: "What other conditions would they dare have? Having priority is already good enough.

They are actually seeking out many candidates this time, but in my opinion, if you can go, the bet placed on you will likely pay off."

At this point, he recalled the scene from today, a flicker of admiration passing through his eyes.

He himself was also Lower Eighth-Rank, yet he could never have handled it so cleanly and efficiently.

Those bandits were dealt with before they could even fire the crossbows in their hands.

Such skill was truly remarkable!

"Alright. Since I've accepted the Foundation Consolidation Pills, if I can go to the Water Qilin Cave, any rare flowers and exotic herbs I obtain will be sold first to the person Director Wen promised."

After brief consideration, Yang Ling nodded in agreement.

Five Foundation Consolidation Pills could increase the Vajra Bright King Technique's experience by another two thousand five hundred points.

By then, it wouldn't be far from the third layer.

"If I can advance to the third layer before going to the Water Qilin Cave, my strength would at least reach Upper Seventh-Rank level by then."

"Though it might possibly reach Lower Sixth-Rank... but Sixth-Rank can't enter, it would attract the attention of the Water Qilin..."

"Hmm, if I save the 20 free attribute points rewarded for reaching the third layer and don't add them, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Yang Ling, you are indeed straightforward. Come, let's drink!"

Wen Kongxuan smiled and poured another cup of wine for Yang Ling.

Yang Ling drank it down in one go, then asked with a smile:

"Director Wen, is the Pharmacy Guild very well-stocked with Foundation Consolidation Pills?"

"Foundation Consolidation Pills? Not only are they not well-stocked, they are actually stretched thin."

Wen Kongxuan said thoughtfully: "Currently, the Foundation Consolidation Pills the Pharmacy Guild manages to obtain have to supply the Major Sects.

The Four First-Rate sects take fewer, because they have the capability to refine Foundation Consolidation Pills themselves.

But the remaining Second-Rate, Third-Rate sects, as well as the major guilds, the various Prefectural Capitals, including our Ironclad Department, all require large quantities of Foundation Consolidation Pills.

In the end, very few pills actually end up in the hands of individuals."

He sighed with emotion: "Internal technique cultivation is not easy. At the beginning, Foundation Consolidation Pills have a very strong effect on internal techniques.

But the further you go, the more Foundation Consolidation Pills you need. Sometimes, swallowing over a dozen pills might not even increase your power by a few points."

Yang Ling's mind stirred; he knew why.

Advancing from Flawless Proficiency to Skilled required one hundred thousand experience points.

That needed two hundred Foundation Consolidation Pills.

Advancing from Skilled to Transcendent required one million experience points, that's two thousand Foundation Consolidation Pills!

And that's just the consumption for one Martial Artist.

Expanding to the entire Zhao State, he felt few Martial Artists could afford to take Foundation Consolidation Pills so unrestrainedly.

Among the many Martial Artists he had seen, their Martial Arts Technique Proficiency was quite high, but in terms of internal techniques, only one had reached Skilled—Sect Master Liang Yue of the Mountain and River Sect.

Take Sun Biao for example; he was already quite old, and was the Director of the First Division, Public Security Department in Changhe Prefectural Capital, yet his Ironclad Heart Technique was only at Flawless Proficiency.

Even if he wasn't far from Skilled, he wouldn't be very close either.

"Take me, for instance. My Ironclad Heart Technique reached Flawless Proficiency a few years ago."

"But the Skilled realm still seems hopelessly far away. Unless I could take a supreme martial medicine like the Water Bodhi seed, I might have a chance to break through the realm in a short time."

"Otherwise, even if I drag on until I'm seventy or eighty, I might not successfully break through."

At this point, Wen Kongxuan's expression changed, and he said seriously:

"Yang Ling, do you need Foundation Consolidation Pills recently to break through a realm?"

Yang Ling thought for a moment and nodded honestly:

"That's right. My cultivation technique has the potential to break through. If I can successfully break through, I believe I would gain more from going to the Water Qilin Cave."

Wen Kongxuan stood up, paced back and forth a few steps, then suddenly stopped and said in a deep voice:

"I'll speak to the Pharmacy Guild and ask them to allocate some Foundation Consolidation Pills for you.

However..."

Yang Ling's eyes lit up slightly: "Director Wen, what are the conditions?"

Wen Kongxuan smiled: "The condition is simple. If you really can go to the Water Qilin Cave, any rare flowers and exotic herbs you obtain must be sold to them, not to any other party."

Before it was priority, now it's must sell?

Yang Ling immediately asked: "What if I can't go to the Water Qilin Cave?"

"Then you just need to pay back the cost of these Foundation Consolidation Pills later. That's still a good deal, after all, this item isn't necessarily something you can buy even if you have money."

Wen Kongxuan smiled: "It just so happens I have a little influence and can negotiate this condition for you."

"Then thank you very much, Director Wen!"

Yang Ling felt a surge of excitement inside.

Regardless of whether he could go to the Water Qilin Cave or not.

At the very least, his Vajra Bright King Technique had hope of advancing to the third layer, the Flawless Proficiency realm, in the short term!

At this moment, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the door, accompanied by an urgent voice:

"Director Wen! Were you injured!?"

The door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man strode in, his face full of concern.