8: Body Tempering and Strength Improvement

General Manager Liu Yuan's injuries recovered extremely quickly under the nourishment of the Spring Return Pill; in just three days, he was able to get out of bed and move, and his spiritual power had recovered seventy to eighty percent.

These past few days, he had almost dedicated all his energy to refining the Body Tempering Powder.

The Liu Family's Pill Refining Room was actually just a crude mud hut, containing only a worn-out Pill Furnace, which General Manager Liu Yuan had acquired by chance when he was young. At this moment, flames flickered beneath the Pill Furnace, making General Manager Liu Yuan's face alternately bright and dim.

Mo Chu lay at the entrance of the Pill Refining Room, observing the situation inside the furnace with his Spirit Vision.

blood leaf orchid, iron vine, dew-gathering flower… various Spiritual Plants gradually melted under the scorching heat of the flames, transforming into medicinal liquids of different colors, swirling and fusing in the Pill Furnace. General Manager Liu Yuan occasionally added new medicinal materials, forming hand seals to guide his spiritual power and comb out the Impurities from the medicinal liquid.

"Almost there…" Sweat beaded on General Manager Liu Yuan's forehead, but his eyes sparkled with excitement. "The last step, Pill Condensation!"

He clapped his hands together, and a surge of pure spiritual power infused the Pill Furnace.

The medicinal liquid inside the furnace instantly boiled, turning into a dense brown mist, which, guided by spiritual power, gradually condensed into pills the size of green beans.

"It's done!" General Manager Liu Yuan let out a long breath and opened the furnace lid.

A pungent yet powerful medicinal aroma instantly filled the air.

At the bottom of the Pill Furnace, more than twenty dark brown pills lay quietly; these were the Body Tempering Powder.

Mo Chu's Spirit Vision could see that each pill contained violent earth-elemental spiritual power—this was the characteristic of Body Tempering Powder, achieving a strengthening effect by stimulating the Physical Body.

"Good! Good!" General Manager Liu Yuan carefully put away the Body Tempering Powder, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out. "With these Body Tempering Powder, the children of the Family will be able to Breakthrough their Bottleneck!"

He held the Body Tempering Powder and quickly walked out of the Pill Chamber, shouting to the Family members who were Cultivating in the courtyard: "Everyone, come here!"

Liu Zhi and others, who were practicing basic sword techniques, immediately stopped and gathered around.

When General Manager Liu Yuan took out the Body Tempering Powder and explained its effects, everyone's faces turned red with excitement.

"Body Tempering Powder! It's actually Body Tempering Powder!"

"I've been stuck at Qi Refining First Level for a long time; maybe I can Breakthrough with it!"

"Quiet!" General Manager Liu Yuan pressed his hands down. Only after everyone calmed down did he continue, "This Body Tempering Powder has potent medicinal effects. After taking it, one must Cultivate with the Family's 'Body Forging Fist' to maximize its efficacy and avoid damaging one's Foundation. Zhi'er, you take one first and try it."

"Yes! Old Ancestor!" Liu Zhi excitedly stepped forward, took a Body Tempering Powder, and swallowed it without hesitation.

Soon, his face flushed red, his whole body emitted heat, and it felt as if countless ants were crawling under his skin.

"Activate your Mind-Cultivation Technique and perform the 'Body Forging Fist' once!" General Manager Liu Yuan said in a deep voice.

Liu Zhi gritted his teeth and, following the Old Ancestor's instructions, began to perform the Liu Family's basic boxing technique. His movements became faster and more powerful, and when he threw his fists, they even created a faint whooshing sound.

"Hmph!"

With a loud shout, Liu Zhi punched a nearby stone, actually cracking it!

He stopped his movements, feeling the surging power within his body, and exclaimed in surprise: "I… I've broken through! I've reached Qi Refining Second Level!"

"He really broke through!"

"That's great!"

The Family members erupted in cheers, their gazes at the Body Tempering Powder in General Manager Liu Yuan's hand filled with longing.

General Manager Liu Yuan smiled and nodded: "Very good. One Body Tempering Powder for each person, to be taken in turns. From today onwards, everyone will Cultivate twice as hard. Our Liu Family will no longer be bullied!"

"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison, their voices filled with unprecedented drive.

Wang Lan stood at the doorway, watching this scene, her eyes slightly red. She knew that the Family truly had hope.

Mo Chu silently watched everything. The effect of the Body Tempering Powder was even better than expected; Liu Zhi's Breakthrough to Qi Refining Second Level meant that the Liu Family finally had a second Qi Refining Second Level Cultivator.

[Ding! The overall strength of the bound Family has slightly increased, gaining 50 Contribution Points.]

With 50 Contribution Points added, Mo Chu's total Contribution Points reached 80. He opened the System Mall, his gaze falling on the "Low-Grade Spirit Intelligence Development Fluid"—priced at 100 points, it could slightly enhance the Spirit Intelligence of a Spirit Beast.

He still needed 20 points.

Mo Chu was not anxious. He could feel that as the Family developed, Contribution Points would become easier to obtain.

In the following days, the Liu Family was immersed in a wave of Cultivation.

With the help of the Body Tempering Powder, two more young people broke through to Qi Refining First Level, and Liu Shan's Cultivation was also stable at the Peak of Qi Refining Second Level, just one step away from the Third Level.

The atmosphere of the entire Family became vibrant, no longer having the previous lifelessness.

General Manager Liu Yuan's injuries also completely healed, and during the healing process, he even vaguely touched the threshold of Qi Refining Fourth Level.

That evening, General Manager Liu Yuan came to Mo Chu with two Body Tempering Powder, handing one of them over: "Mo Chu, this one is for you. Although you are a Spirit Beast, Body Tempering Powder is also beneficial for your Physical Body."

Mo Chu looked at the pill, shook his head, and pushed the pill back with his tail. What he needed more now was the Spirit Intelligence Development Fluid, not the Body Tempering Powder.

"You don't need it?" General Manager Liu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then understood something. "That's fine, keep it for someone who needs it more."

He put away the Body Tempering Powder and sat beside Mo Chu, looking at the Family members who were Cultivating in the courtyard, a relieved smile on his face: "Mo Chu, thank you. If it weren't for you, our Liu Family would probably have fallen apart."

Mo Chu gently rubbed his hand.

"Don't worry," General Manager Liu Yuan looked at him, his eyes firm. "This Old Man will certainly Cultivate diligently and break through to Qi Refining Fourth Level as soon as possible. At that time, it will be this Old Man's turn to protect you and protect this Family."]}```