Zhang Yang carefully lifted the three fruits from the exquisite box. The box had been specially made by Zhang Yang afterward; safeguarding treasures of heaven and earth was not as simple as storing common medicinal herbs, and the Three-Color Fruits were exceedingly rare gems.

The moment the Three-Color Fruits were brought out, Xiao Shandian’s body went ramrod straight. It stopped looking at Zhang Yang, its eyes fixed intently on the three fruits.

Its intelligence was exceptionally high; it understood the effect these three fruits would have on it, and it knew that it was precisely because of these fruits that it had ended up in its current state. Unfortunately, the attraction these three fruits held for it was too great.

Once Zhang Yang produced them, it couldn't help but be captivated again. “A pity, these are only the first batch of fruits.

If only there were a second, third, or even more!” Gazing at the Three-Color Fruits, Zhang Yang shook his head again, murmuring to himself. After speaking, he laughed self-mockingly, feeling he was too greedy.

The Three-Color Fruit was merely the nascent form of the Seven-Colored Immortal Fruit. One Three-Color Fruit matured every five hundred years.

The first batch of three fruits took fifteen hundred years to ripen, which was what Zhang Yang held in his hand. This type of Three-Color Fruit had the lowest efficacy among all Three-Color Fruits.

This was only in comparison to other Three-Color Fruits; measured against other medicinal materials, this was an incredibly rare treasure. Even a two-thousand-year-old ginseng root couldn't compare.

For ginseng to contend with the Three-Color Fruit, it would likely need five thousand years of age. Collecting his thoughts, Zhang Yang brought out everything, preparing to concoct the medicine.

The pre-prepared herbs were all placed in boxes. Before him sat a small medicinal furnace with a fire already lit within.

This furnace too had been specially commissioned by Zhang Yang, for which he had spent a considerable sum. The medicinal preparation required the furnace, though not the long hours of actual alchemy.

Various juices and powders were slowly merged by Zhang Yang, following the precise sequence. Xiao Shandian beside him remained motionless, watching Zhang Yang’s actions without blinking.

Soon, a fragrant medicinal aroma permeated the room. This scent was deeply intoxicating to Zhang Yang; since childhood, this was the smell he loved most.

When his grandfather prepared medicines, he always loved to watch nearby. It was because of this that he had learned so much about medicinal preparation.

However, this was his absolute first time concocting with the Three-Color Fruit; even he didn't know if it would ultimately succeed. Once most of the herbs had fused, Zhang Yang hesitated for no moment.

He crushed all three fruits and directly integrated them into the furnace. Three streams of different colored liquid flowed out, and the entire room was immediately filled with a distinct, fresh fragrance.

“Squeak!” Xiao Shandian suddenly chirped and huddled even closer. It seemed more nervous than Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang no longer had the energy to spare for his surroundings; he continuously monitored the situation within the furnace, allowing the Three-Color Fruits to fully integrate. Once they were completely incorporated, this batch of Immortal Fruit Pills would be successfully prepared.

Time slowly passed. Zhang Yang constantly swayed the furnace, the inner flame slowly baking the medicinal liquid.

After nearly two hours, Zhang Yang’s hand finally stilled. By this time, the medicinal scent in the room had transformed into something incredibly fresh—a flavor beyond words.

“Success!” Zhang Yang wiped the sweat from his brow. Preparing medicine like this was arduous work, demanding meticulous care.

Even for him, it was somewhat exhausting. The furnace contained an automatic pill-molding mechanism.

Zhang Yang carefully poured out the pills, which were layered with the three colors, counting them gently. “Twenty-two pills.

Two more than I had anticipated!” A faint smile touched the corners of Zhang Yang’s mouth. The yield was better than he expected; he had managed to create twenty-two finished pills.

These twenty-two Immortal Fruit Pills could be called priceless treasures. In the hands of someone who knew how to use them, they could exert tremendous effects, capable of saving a life instantly.

A human life is priceless, and a spiritual medicine that can directly save a life is naturally invaluable. With twenty-two Immortal Fruit Pills, his thousand-year ginseng could still yield dozens of Thousand-Year Ginseng Pills.

His current wealth surpassed that of his grandfather and great-grandfather combined; he was like a veritable local magnate. Recalling this, the smile on Zhang Yang’s face deepened, yet it was quickly followed by a wave of sorrow.

It was a shame that these two people were no longer a part of his world, that they didn’t even know their descendant's soul had transmigrated into someone else’s body. “Squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak!” Xiao Shandian, confined in the glass cage, suddenly shrieked wildly, jumping up and down as if desperate to get out.

Since Xiao Shandian had been placed in this cage, it had never behaved like this. It had always been docile, obediently waiting for Zhang Yang to feed it daily, cooperating perfectly even when others tried to tease it.

As the little creature bounced around erratically, it did not forget to glance toward the pills Zhang Yang was securing in his hand. Seeing its frantic ‘squeaking,’ a hint of hesitation crossed Zhang Yang’s face.

Xiao Shandian clearly desired the Immortal Fruit Pills in his hand, but these were no ordinary medicinal ingredients; even among spiritual medicines, they were considered quite high-grade. Every single one was a true treasure.

“Forget it. You are a spirit beast, and moreover, I obtained this medicine because of you.

I’ll give you one.” Zhang Yang suddenly shook his head. The Fox-Tailed Marten was a spirit beast, and such spiritual medicines had a far greater effect on them.

For humans, ten pills were equivalent to the effect of three fruits, but for spirit beasts, the effect of just two pills was enough to equal that of one fruit. Twenty-two pills equaled eleven fruits, meaning the efficacy was nearly quadrupled.

This was the benefit of compounding medicine. This was why many accomplished traditional healers lamented how many natural treasures were wasted by spirit beasts, which simply devoured them directly without understanding the complexities of compounding or refining.

Zhang Yang took out one pill, placing it over the glass cage with reluctance. Xiao Shandian was already crouched below, looking up at Zhang Yang’s hand with pitiful eyes—eyes filled with an agonizing craving for that small pill.

“Here, take it.” Since he had made up his mind, Zhang Yang would not retract it despite his reluctance. This Immortal Fruit Pill would undoubtedly benefit the Fox-Tailed Marten greatly, but it wouldn't be enough to instantly enhance its power and allow it to escape the cage on its own.

Besides, the Fox-Tailed Marten was so adorable, and after spending so many days together, they had established some bond. Zhang Yang also felt some guilt for keeping it caged, but he dared not release it; such a spirit beast posed too great a hazard.

This Immortal Fruit Pill could serve as compensation. The pill gently dropped from Zhang Yang’s hand.

Before it even hit the floor, it was snatched by the Fox-Tailed Marten, which immediately swallowed it whole. Watching it gulp down the spiritual medicine as if swallowing a date pit whole, Zhang Yang couldn't help but shake his head again.

The little fellow was too impatient. It would have been better to savor it slowly; this was an extraordinarily rare spiritual medicine, intensely fragrant, and could be appreciated for its flavor with patient tasting.

But all such musings were useless now; Xiao Shandian had completely consumed the pill. Having eaten the pill, Xiao Shandian immediately settled down and began to snore contentedly, falling asleep in a short while.

Zhang Yang was momentarily surprised, then quickly understood. Spirit beasts absorbing spiritual medicine differed from humans; they absorbed it thoroughly, and the absorption process was akin to hibernation, causing them to fall instantly asleep.

How long it would take for them to finish absorbing it and awaken depended on the quality of the spiritual medicine and the beast’s own level. The higher the level of the spirit beast, the faster it would awaken, and conversely, the higher the quality of the spiritual medicine, the longer the beast would sleep.

Seeing Xiao Shandian asleep, Zhang Yang paid it no mind and slowly began collecting all the remaining pills. These were genuine treasures; he wouldn't sell them no matter how much money someone offered.

Possessing so many treasures now gave Zhang Yang a feeling of exhilaration, as if any difficult ailment or disease held no terror for him. Zhang Yang was confident that no one in this world possessed more spiritual medicine than he, unless they had been as lucky as him, obtaining a thousand-year ginseng and unexpectedly acquiring other heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

If those things were truly easy to acquire, Zhang Yang wouldn't have gone so many years without a single one in his past life. After tidying everything up, he looked at the soundly sleeping Xiao Shandian, feeling another moment of hesitation.

The medicinal effects of the ginseng pills he had consumed earlier had been completely absorbed. The pills no longer worked on him as effectively as they did initially.

Spiritual medicine was not like candy; one couldn't consume it indiscriminately, as the efficacy diminished with overuse. Otherwise, Zhang Yang wouldn't speak of using an entire block of thousand-year ginseng for recovery, which still took half a year.

The efficacy of the ginseng pills had decreased, but the Immortal Fruit Pills certainly would not; this was a higher-grade spiritual medicine with a better effect than the ginseng pills, especially the first dose. Seeing that the time was still early—only ten in the morning, and Mi Xue wouldn't return until six or seven in the evening—Zhang Yang carefully took out another Immortal Fruit Pill.

Since Xiao Shandian had already consumed a spiritual medicine, it was only right that he, the master, should sample it too. He decided to take this time to experience the true effect of the Immortal Fruit Pill.

With that thought, Zhang Yang swallowed one immediately. Only after swallowing it did he recall that he had just laughed at Xiao Shandian for swallowing its pill hastily, and now he had done the same.

Zhang Yang shook his head helplessly, admitting that the allure of the spiritual medicine was simply too great, compelling him to swallow it whole. At that moment, he deeply understood Xiao Shandian's previous feeling.

Just as he was contemplating this, a surge of heat rushed up from his abdomen. He knew the spiritual medicine was beginning to take hold.

The quality of the Immortal Fruit Pill was indeed far superior to the ginseng pills. The ginseng pills hadn't caused such a dramatic reaction upon ingestion, but the Immortal Fruit Pill forced Zhang Yang to immediately enter a seated meditation posture to help his body absorb the medicinal power.

He now understood why Xiao Shandian had fallen asleep so quickly; spirit beasts relied on sleep to aid absorption, and with such potent medicine, sleep was unavoidable. Zhang Yang absorbed the medicinal force as time slowly drifted by.

He only awoke just before Mi Xue returned. Xiao Shandian, however, had awakened even earlier, staring at him with wide, bright eyes.

Seeing Zhang Yang look at him, Xiao Shandian immediately folded its front paws, bowing to Zhang Yang as if performing a solemn ritual—an utterly adorable sight. Zhang Yang let out a soft breath.

Every acupuncture point on his body felt as if it had been irrigated with cool water, resulting in an incomparably clear sense of comfort. This caused Zhang Yang to groan slightly and stretch languidly.

The effect of the Immortal Fruit Pill was truly remarkable, far surpassing the ginseng pills. Now, every limb and bone in Zhang Yang’s body felt imbued with boundless strength.

His inner energy had also increased significantly compared to before. (To be continued)