Maria spat out a mouthful of her apple.

She reached for a tissue and wiped her lips, and then Looked up to glare at Jack.

“Did Anthony really say that?"

“Yes, of course!" Jack nodded in earnest.

“It is exactly what Mr. Wilson said, word for word. I would never make anything up or lie to you, I swear.”

Maria pouted in displeasure.

This was the modern age, with the Internet at the tip of everybody's fingers. Why couldn't Anthony stick to messages and phone calls instead of giving these supposedly private missives to a third party? He shouldn't have sent Jack here, in the first place! It was wholly unnecessary, Anthony could have just sent one Long email that contained everything Jack had just said!

It left her feeling like she was some child who needed to be spoken to directly. It was humiliating.

"Fine," Maria said crossly. "Tell him that I will see what I can do." Relief passed over Jack's face now that he had completed his task. He even Looked a Little excited. "Miss Jenkins, do you think it's possible for me to reach the fifth level?"

As if to better his chances, he raised his chin and puffed up his chest. He made sure to flex his biceps, too, but he only reminded Maria of Donald Duck from the kids' cartoons.

“Hmm... %It does appear like you are about to make another breakthrough..."

Maria studied him for a bit, and then something occurred to her. She went to fetch her suitcase from her wardrobe and retrieved a small bottle of pills. She returned to the Living room and tossed it to Jack.

“Take one pill a day. It will help you ascend to the next level and stabilize your cultivation base."

Jack's eyes widened in awed disbelief as he checked the pills.

“Mi-Miss Jenkins," he sputtered. "You... Did you refine these by yourself?"

Maria nodded casually. "All the pills in my possession were crafted by none other than myself."

Isla, who had been standing nearby, was dumbfounded by what she was hearing.

She had just begun practicing the ancient martial arts. Isla was aware that Maria was no ordinary person, and that she had written the book, “An Introduction to Ancient Martial Arts" within the span of two days. But for her to have refined these rare and coveted pills...

There were only a handful of people who were gifted in alchemy. Even the Jenkins family only had one alchemist at their disposal, and they had to invest a Lot of money to secure his services.

Moreover, Isla knew that this alchemist was only a third-level one, and could therefore only refine third grade pills and below.

Still, the Jenkins family revered him Like he was one of the royalty. Isla's eyes then drifted over to Jack. What had he said just now?

He was about to reach the fifth level?

As in the fifth Level of cultivation in the ancient martial arts?

And Maria, she had said that those magic pills would help him achieve that goal. That meant that the pills would have to be at least fifth grade ones.