Chapter 20: Re-entering the Pharmacy

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Re-entering the Pharmacy

The side effects from the medicine last time, especially the "torture of ripping off the Plasters," still left Xu Mo shaken. The pain, which felt like being flayed alive, followed by red, swollen, sensitive skin and a deep, persistent muscle ache, had only mostly subsided just as the next forty-eight-hour cooldown was about to end.

For the past two days, Xu Mo had strictly followed his adjusted plan. He focused primarily on Pile Training, supplemented it with oral medication, and almost completely paused his External Skills practice. This was the only way his body could slowly recover from the double whammy of overtraining and overmedicating.

And because he had reduced his strenuous activity, combined with his still-ample food reserves from the restaurant, Xu Mo’s goal for "opening the door" this time was crystal clear: to restock his heavily used topical medications, especially Honghua Oil, and to try and find books on traditional Chinese medicine.

The countdown hit zero. Xu Mo was once again standing before the glass door marked with a cross. With his previous experience, his mindset was much calmer, but his anticipation hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

"Open!"

A faint light shimmered, and the familiar medicinal scent wafted over him once more. When the scene stabilized, he found himself in another pharmacy, just as he’d hoped. The stability of the rules was reassuring. The layout was similar to the last one, a hybrid of Chinese and Western styles, with white shelves for Western medicine standing opposite dark brown cabinets for traditional remedies.

’Looks like it’s a chain pharmacy.’

Xu Mo didn’t immediately rush for the medicine. Instead, his gaze swept eagerly across the entire pharmacy. ’Books. I need to find books on traditional Chinese medicine first!’

His eyes quickly scanned the checkout counter, the tops of the shelves, and the corners, hoping to spot a section for books. But Xu Mo was disappointed.

’Looks like finding any systematic knowledge on traditional Chinese medicine here is going to be difficult,’ Xu Mo thought with a hint of regret, but he didn’t dwell on it. After all, a pharmacy’s main purpose was selling medicine; it was normal for it not to have books. He mentally filed the request away, making it a top priority for when he eventually searched for a bookstore or library.

Time was precious and not to be wasted. Xu Mo immediately turned to his main objective for this trip: the topical medication aisle.

He made a beeline for the shelf displaying Honghua Oil. The few bottles he’d grabbed last time had been used up quickly with his constant massaging. The stuff really went fast; Xu Mo figured it was best to stock up.

Without hesitation, Xu Mo swept every brand of Honghua Oil off the shelf, along with similar products like Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Tincture and Rheumatic Oil, stuffing them all into the large backpack he’d brought. The various bottles and jars instantly filled more than half the bag.

Next up was the Plaster aisle. Taught by his painful lesson from last time, Xu Mo showed much more restraint. He didn’t go on another mad grabbing spree. Instead, he selectively picked a few different brands of Plasters, checking the packaging to ensure they were breathable. He also focused on small and medium-sized packs, planning to use them sparingly on only the most critical and painful spots from now on.

Then, Xu Mo moved to the oral medication section, restocking on the Muscle Relaxing and Blood Circulation Pills and Trauma Pills he was running low on. When he saw Vitamin B complex and calcium tablets on the shelf, he paused for a thought, then grabbed a few bottles of each. He vaguely recalled hearing that Vitamin B was good for nerve function and muscle metabolism, and that calcium was crucial for bone strength. In any case, it couldn’t hurt to be prepared.

By the time he was done, his backpack was heavy and bulging. About forty seconds had passed.

Xu Mo’s gaze drifted back to the traditional medicine cabinet, a flicker of longing in his eyes. He didn’t know much about herbs, but he had genuinely felt the benefits of the ginseng from last time. For the past two days, he had been chewing on a single Ginseng Root each day, and it felt pretty good.

Sanqi, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Danggui, Du Zhong, Achyranthes Root... A few familiar names caught his eye. He seemed to recall that Sanqi was a miracle herb for improving blood circulation and dispelling stasis, and that Du Zhong could supposedly nourish the liver and kidneys and strengthen one’s sinews and bones. ’These would all be beneficial for my training.’

Unfortunately, he couldn’t recognize the actual herbs and had no idea how to use them.

Time was running out.

Xu Mo made a snap decision, no longer agonizing over individual herbs. His eyes locked onto the space beneath the counter, where a few fancy-looking boxes were stored. He repeated his previous trick, shattering the glass with a punch and reaching in. His hand didn’t find ginseng, but several boxes of what appeared to be high-end Cordyceps and Deer Antler Slices!

Though he wasn’t as clear on their specific effects as he was with ginseng, their reputations were just as impressive. ’They have to be good,’ he thought.

He shoved the boxes inside his jacket, and just as he did, his vision flashed. The sixty seconds were up.

Standing on the street, Xu Mo surveyed his haul and nodded in satisfaction. Though he hadn’t found the traditional medicine books he desperately wanted, his core objectives—restocking a large supply of topical medications and acquiring new supplements—had been perfectly accomplished.

After hauling the supplies back to his shelter, Xu Mo looked at his replenished stock of medicine and felt a sense of security. The "Elixir" supply line for his cultivation path was, for now, stable. The next step was to figure out how to use these resources more intelligently and efficiently, and, just as importantly, to find a source of knowledge as soon as possible.

Xu Mo began a methodical training routine. When performing the Posture Stance, he could clearly feel that his lower body was much more stable than before. The flow of his breath was smoother and more sustained, and his fine muscle control had improved by more than just a little.

While performing his restorative, controlled-intensity External Skills exercises, Xu Mo also noticed that his strength, endurance, and resistance to impact had all improved by leaps and bounds. Before, smashing a fist into the wall with all his might would send a painful shock through his knuckles. Now, he only felt a firm rebound; the resilience of his skin, muscle, and bone had clearly increased.

’I’ve definitely gotten a lot stronger.’ After finishing his exercises, Xu Mo felt the surging power within him and the new toughness of his body, confirming his progress.

However, he had no clear timeline for when he might break through to the First Realm of the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training—the Cowhide Realm.

The Cultivation Technique didn’t come with a progress bar, and his Second Uncle had never said how long it would take to master. Xu Mo could only vaguely sense that his body was steadily progressing toward the state of "skin so dense it can withstand common scratches, bites, and blows from a club." He believed that as long as he kept at it, supplemented with enough resources and medicine, reaching the Cowhide Realm was only a matter of time. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

This increase in strength brought with it greater ambition and more concrete plans. Xu Mo was no longer content with merely improving his body’s fundamental attributes.

’I need to make practicing with Cold Weapons a priority,’ Xu Mo thought, weighing the gleaming Bone-Cutting Knife in his hand.

The knife’s material and weight were excellent; it was a fine weapon. In his hands, however, it was little more than a tool for brute-force chopping, devoid of any real technique.

Brute-force chopping might be enough for slow-moving, ordinary zombies, but against more agile and dangerous enemies, or even mutated ones, relying on strength alone would be suicide. He needed to systematically practice basic moves—chopping, slashing, upward swings, and thrusting—and learn to coordinate them with his footwork to improve his practical combat skills with Cold Weapons.

He could probably figure that out on his own. After all, he hadn’t watched all those fight videos for nothing.

Then, a bolder and far more tempting thought began to circle in Xu Mo’s mind: firearms.

No matter how good the Bone-Cutting Knife was, it was still a melee weapon, requiring him to get up close and personal, which was extremely risky. If he had a gun... even just a pistol, his chances of survival and his ability to intimidate others would increase exponentially. Eliminating threats from a distance was undeniably the safer and more efficient option.

Once the idea took root, it was hard to suppress. Xu Mo’s mind turned to his ability to "customize" the scenes he entered.

’If I stick a sign that says "Armory" or "Weapons Depot" on a sturdy security door, will it actually open to a place that stores guns and ammunition?’

The thought made Xu Mo’s heart race. This would undoubtedly be a much bolder test of the rules. Pharmacies and restaurants were things ordinary people could access, but armories and firearms were tied to government enforcement agencies.

Xu Mo decided to add this plan to his agenda. He would need to find a suitable door—one that looked sturdy enough, like the entrance to an important facility rather than an ordinary apartment.

Then again, he could always test it on a regular security door first.

In the days that followed, Xu Mo’s life became more fulfilling and purposeful. His mornings were dedicated mainly to Pile Training and conditioning his body with oral medications. His afternoons were split into two parts: one for practicing basic Cold Weapons techniques, and the other for controlled sessions of External Skills conditioning. In the evenings, he would study the instructions on his medicines and plan his next "door opening" objective.