chapter 7 Practice. Plan. Goal

Unaware of the hatred brewing in Owen's heart, Sonny left the arena and headed towards the medicinal room.
The Brahma Buddha Technique was indeed domineering and fierce. Sonny's meridians were currently too fragile, and his cultivation progress was too slow. In three months, the Sword Mastery Tournament would take place. To achieve any success, he needed to at least cultivate the Brahma Buddha Technique to a rudimentary level. Only then would there be a glimmer of hope for Sonny.
Hope, even a glimmer, was still hope. Sonny couldn't afford to give up.
The only current method was to diligently cultivate. To prevent any hidden dangers in his meridians, Sonny had to rely on medicinal herbs to nourish his meridians. This would accelerate the recovery of his meridians and help him adapt to the overbearing Brahma Buddha Technique.
Before entering the medicinal room, the strong scent of herbs continuously wafted into Sonny's nostrils. Inside, an elder was sitting behind a desk, eyes closed in meditation. A young female disciple in a white dress lay on the counter, engrossed in reading.
"Hello... I'd like to buy some herbs."
Sonny politely said in a low voice.
The girl, with a fair complexion and delicate features, raised her head. Her finely shaped eyebrows added to her exquisite beauty.
"Hello... What do you need?"
After carefully marking her book, she closed it and asked with a smile.
Sonny didn't hesitate. "I need medicines to nourish the meridians... do you have any?"
The girl pondered for a moment before speaking softly, "There are eighteen types of meridian-nourishing medicines, among which five are meticulously formulated pills by our pharmacists. The best among them is the Warm Meridian Pill. The remaining fifteen are various herbs. You need to boil them into a concoction and soak your whole body in it, allowing it to enter through the body's acupoints to nourish the meridians. The effect is slow, but it's quite inexpensive."
After listening to the girl's skilled explanation, Sonny lowered his head in contemplation. "How are the Warm Meridian Pills sold?"
"A hundred silver taels each. Of course, if you have merit points, you can exchange them. Fifty merit points can be exchanged for one pill."
The girl whispered.
"Merit points...I don't have any merit points." Sonny said a little embarrassed.
Merit points are a kind of reward within the Sword Sect. Every major competition and disciples who make outstanding contributions to the Sword Sect receive rewards in the form of merit points. These points are a valuable commodity within the Sword Sect, exchangeable for advanced martial arts techniques and medicinal pills. Disciples within the Sword Sect spare no effort to earn merit points whenever the opportunity arises.
Since entering the Sword Sect, Sonny had participated in few competitions, occasionally entering and often ending up losing. As for making contributions to the sect, that seemed like a distant dream for him.
The girl's expression remained unchanged, and she continued, "Then you'll have to pay in silver."
"A hundred taels..." Sonny mused for a moment and continued, "Can it be cheaper?"
The girl shook her head gently.
"Alright!"
Sonny sighed and made up his mind. He took out a silver note worth three thousand silver taels from his pocket.
"Exchange all of it for Warm Meridian Pills... Can you also give me some affordable meridian-nourishing herbs?" Sonny asked with a hint of reluctance. This three thousand silver taels was his entire savings.
"I can... but not too many. I'm just working here."
the girl apologized.
"No problem... being able to get some is enough," Sonny joked.
The girl showed a shy smile and turned to prepare the medicine for Sonny.
After a while, the girl handed two boxes, one front and one back, to Sonny. "These are the medicines you need. These are the herbs I'm giving you."
"Good!" Sonny took the medicine boxes and left in a hurry.
The girl carefully stored the silver note, opened her book, and prepared to continue reading.
The elder, who had been meditating with closed eyes, suddenly opened his eyes and emitted a hoarse voice, "Girl, from now on, when this kid comes to buy Warm Meridian Pills, give him all at half price and provide him with extra herbs. As for the price difference, I'll make up for it."
The girl's expression slightly changed. This was the first time she had seen the usually indifferent elder make such a gesture. She wanted to ask more but thought of the elder's eccentric temperament and nodded silently. "Understood."
Walking on the road, feeling the weight of the medicine, Sonny was planning his cultivation schedule. He had decided to use Warm Meridian Pills and the herbal concoction together to maximize the nourishment of his meridians.
"To cultivate the Brahma Buddha Technique to a rudimentary level, I must reach the third layer of the technique. These thirty Warm Meridian Pills are just a drop in the ocean... I should visit home soon, and also go to the bounty hall to find some manageable tasks to earn merit points. This way, I can alleviate some financial pressure."
Sonny silently calculated in his mind, his footsteps, however, were swift.
After all, time waits for no one.
His only current goal was the Sword Mastery Tournament.
Regardless of the outcome, he should strive for it.
The early morning at White Cloud Peak was beautiful, with warm sunlight, gentle breezes, and fresh air carrying the fragrance of flowers. Dewdrops rolled on the leaves, reflecting a colorful radiance. Everything was enchanting, making it easy for people to be intoxicated.
Comfortable, quiet surroundings were precisely what Sonny needed. With the assistance of Warm Meridian Pills and herbs, Sonny could cultivate frantically to maximize his progress.
Although the vitality concentration at White Cloud Peak was low, it was sufficient for Sonny. Emptying his mind, he allowed the faint vitality to circulate through his meridians, eventually converging into his dantian. A sacred aura emanated from Sonny.
Dignified and noble, like a deity descending to the mortal realm.
The Brahma Buddha Technique consisted of nine layers. The first three were considered elementary, the middle three advanced, and the final three, perfection. Like a nine-story tower, the height and power increased with each layer. Sonny had just started, barely managing to cultivate internal energy.
Internal energy was a symbol of a martial artist and the starting point for a warrior.
…
Cultivation was tedious and boring, but time slipped away quickly.
In no time, a month had passed. Sonny successfully cultivated the Brahma Buddha Technique to the first layer, allowing the swallowed vitality to convert into elemental power at any time. However, the Brahma Buddha Technique was excessively domineering, and Sonny couldn't use elemental power on a large scale yet, as the damage it would cause to his meridians was incalculable.
During the night, as he looked at the empty medicine boxes, Sonny's expression became troubled.
Without the assistance of Warm Meridian Pills, his cultivation speed would significantly decrease, making it almost impossible to achieve the rudimentary level of the Brahma Buddha Technique.
"Tomorrow, I'll visit the bounty hall and see if there are suitable tasks for me. This way, I can earn some merit points... It's been more than two years, I should also visit home. The estate my father left hasn't been checked on, and it's time to take a look!"
Sonny silently planned how to ensure a steady supply of medicine.