Ji Yuan ignored the nameless archer's gobsmacked expression and surveyed his damaged condition. He then thoughtfully took the pill from the the pocket that wasn't ripped open.
With his book, he can easily confirm the effects of this pill, but he shouldn't take out something valuable and mysterious in front of this group of people. What if they also misunderstand he has a spatial bag on him and seek to rob him?
Unless...
Ji Yuan looked up at the man who was giving him a strange look. The bow on his back was particularly enticing. Especially since he was at the cusp of becoming a true Hunter.
But he shook his head. He can't get carried away after killing some dogs. They killed far more.
Their strength and experience far outstrips his, which means that he can't do anything against them for now. Well, it's not like he actually needs to do anything against him.
Nor does he want to do something against them unless they attack first.
Right now, he's like a sedated animal.
In this type of mood, he recalled the peaceful times he spent with his parents and the things they taught him, like repaying kindness. If this really is a healing pill, then...
"Tell that lady I appreciate her gift. If she needs anything, then she can ask Ji Yuan for a favor."
Not Xiao Yuan. That man is dead. If news starts spreading of him still being alive, then it'll just drag danger back in his direction. This is the best way to delay things.
Of course, it won't completely remove suspicion. What if his killer is distrusted by his boss and wants hard evidence of his death? He would have to go back and search his body for a piece of him.
At the same time, is he really worth that much? All in all, he wants to reduce suspicion for now, but he doesn't want to completely erase suspicion. The name Ji Yuan is similar enough to Xiao Yuan that it might cause his killer and the people behind him to remember that there was a person they assassinated in the past.
The archer eyed the injured man and concealed his desire to rob him. Based on Ji Yuan's ferocious fighting style and the mercenary's prior experience in dealing with people like him in the past, he judged that it wasn't a good move to attack this person while he's this injured.
At least, not until he's gotten permission from his boss.
As the scout and archer, there was only one thing he needed to do: keep an eye on any possible marks and dangers. He continued to build a profile from the young man's words and actions all the way down to how he breathes.
"Message received," he said after a noticeable pause the transmigrator didn't take seriously. "Anything else?"
There was a strange mix of naivety and experience radiating from this severely injured youth that felt very inorganic. The archer failed to understand the sense of discord, which is why he uncharacteristically asked if he needed anything else.
"Anything else? Hm... Oh! You brought up New Moon City earlier. Is that the closest place out of the forest? Give me some directions if you don't mind."
He actually wasn't planning on leaving the forest any time soon, but he would have to keep directions in mind once he needed to visit some civilization.
That place should have a stereotypical branch shop owned by a merchant's guild that has multiple branches across the entire continent. By the time he leaves this forest, he'll have a bunch of stuff in his book ready to sell off.
The archer stared at the youth for a brief moment, baffled at the fact that, if he were to take his words at face value, then that would mean he is actually lost.
He's actually lost?
Someone this weak is lost in a forest where high level Nascent Profound Beasts like to linger in the outer areas if they're pushed out of the inner regions.
He wouldn't believe a bad joke like that even if his old father told him.
"From where we are, turn right at where the river splits into two streams and go straight. That's the quickest way of leaving the forest. From the exit, follow the beaten path onto the main road and then you'll arrive at New Moon City."
"Right at the river's split and go straight. Follow the beaten path onto the main road... Okay, got it. Thanks. I'll give you a heads up in return. If you and your buddies are still interested in robbing me, please understand that I truly have nothing on me. I am as broke as broke can be."
"...Be serious. Why are you assuming we're out to get you? You even thought the young miss wanted to poison you."
He palmed his face. The archer could no longer hold himself back.
Ji Yuan frowned, surprised that he'd need to share such an obvious truth.
"If you're out on your own in a forest, isn't it safe to assume that strangers are dangerous? If you're going to pick whether or not to be suspicious of something, shouldn't you always choose to be suspicious?"
It's always better to be safe than sorry.
Well, unless safety prevents one from enjoying blood pumping battles with one's life at risk.
The archer couldn't deny his reasonable words. He only felt it was ridiculous because he was on the receiving end of another person's justified wariness. Especially from this weirdo who came to a dangerous forest all on his own, seemingly without any necessities.
He shrugged his shoulders and sighed, walking back to his group with thoughts ready to share to his comrades.
Ji Yuan watched as they collected the remnants of their ruined tents and began heading upstream. After they reached a far enough distance that they couldn't be seen with the naked eye, he stood up with his book in hand.
There were multiple things to do now that he was alone, but the most important thing was recovering. The pages began turning until it stopped on a record about the small green pill in his hand.
Flesh Recovery Pill.
From the book's observation, it was made by an alchemist of moderate skill. The medical efficacy is 40% and it's capable of helping those up to the True Profound Realm recover grievous wounds until they are left as nothing more than faded scars. The side effects of this type of pill is that it's a drain on the consumer's profound energy as it makes use of the vitality in the body to heal itself, thus it will leave a person relatively exhausted and weak in the body after consumption. It will leave a person severely tired if they're in the Elementary Profound Realm.
It doesn't actually overdraft on a person's life because there is already enough energy in the pill to naturally boost the body's recovery method.
Fusing both the pill's ability to recover a person's flesh while boosting a person's natural healing ability produces an exceptional effect.
The book is vague about the exact herbs and medicinal plants that were used to make it.
If he learns more about a subject, will the book add more information? It's worth considering in the future, but for now, bottom's up.
Ji Yuan tossed the pill in his mouth and swallowed it. He idly wondered about the difference between chewing a pill and swallowing it whole, something the book didn't elaborate on either. Based on the novels he read in the past he swallowed it whole.
"It's itchy. Should I sit cross-legged?"
That's how cultivators usually act to digest a pill. They drive the internal energy in themselves to digest the pill so it acts faster according to the stories.
The closest thing to meditation he's done was sit in churches and listen to scriptures. Even then, he was always antsy and agitated, barely having the diligence to sit in one place. Even when studying for tests, he needed to listen to music in the background as a distraction from his thoughts.
How exactly does one mobilize profound energy?
While he fought against the wolves with his life on the line, a muscle memory took over. When he needed to punch, it condensed around his fist and stopped at his wrist. The energy circulated autonomously according to his needs.
It was all based on offensive instinct.
However, when it came to defense, he had to forcefully drive it through his whole body. It didn't react instinctively, or rather, it was slow to buffer the teeth and claws tearing through his body.
Was it because he was more used to dishing out damage than shielding himself and avoiding it? Could it just be that using profound energy defensively inherently a more difficult task?
This is a good time to pick up a new skill then. Though he has no teacher and the book has no page about profound energy, he has time and determination. The main motivating factor is that his future life and happiness is contingent on learning how to manipulate profound energy.
This was the perfect opportunity after a hearty battle. His heart was completely at peace and the low undercurrents of agitation in his heart no longer joined its beating in a chaotic orchestra. The world around him, the world in him, was finally quiet.
Ji Yuan expelled warm air and inhaled the cool air lingering near the river. The profound energy within his body was like the river in this stream; the endless, unceasing flow and small blockages in the form of tiny rocks within the veins increased the difficulty of smoothly controlling the water.
He made a decision after five minutes of struggle: since he could not control it, he would guide it.
That's what he recalled doing in battle. He treated the energy, not as water, but as fire. The winds of battle made it blow in his favor and it reacted with violent intensity through his burning emotions. With that blazing fire retreating to the size an ember, it would be inefficient to try and replicate the scenario again.
The risk of contacting enemies in his state is obvious, but that's not what the actual issue was.
This may be the arrogant opinion of a novice trying to present oneself as an expert, but he believes that only when one is able to control energy are they able to use battle to further hone that control.
If he reverses it, then it would be making himself a foolish brute who can only rely on instinct.
It'd be nothing more than throwing oneself into a fire while thinking one can control the fire.
He's a human, not a mindless beast.
He is not a slave to his desires.
Right...
It's because he's human that he has these complex desires.
Profound energy exists to better oneself. Every single person is unique in this world, which means that the profound energy within people is unique as well.
His profound energy exists for a reason. He desires strength for a reason. He no longer suppresses himself for a reason.
With that final thought, his mind emptied.
Ji Yuan's rate of healing rapidly increased with profound energy flowing all around his body, spiking in intensity around his injuries.
A person cannot manually control all the cells in their body, but they can control the cells in their body.
Conscious and unconscious.
Reason and instinct.
The transmigrator fed his desires and guided his instincts.
His first meditation in this world was a deep one. He pierced through his complex contradiction of the nature he always wanted to follow versus the path that was correct to follow.
He fell into enlightenment at the crossroads. The endless rushing water splitting into two paths were before him.
He died following one path, so isn't it obvious to choose the untread path?
Because it was what he wanted to do all along.
Without suppressing himself, Ji Yuan has performed a preliminary conquering of himself.
He was completely still, the slightest rise and fall of his chest being the only proof that he was still alive. For nine hours, he remained in that exact position.
When he opened his eyes, the sun's blinding light entered them, making him shut his eyes again. The rays of the sun's light bled through the white clouds in the sky and invited the birds in the forest to sing.
Ji Yuan greeted the morning with peace.