Su Que retrieved the beast trap from the White Lotus Sect members.
Then, he herded the three donkeys, pulling the three carts to a mountain fifty miles outside Jade Water City, Cyan Flower Mountain.
He cleared traces along the way as he walked.
Upon reaching Cyan Flower Mountain, he found a hidden cave and moved the three large mahogany boxes inside.
After practicing the Seven Injuries Fist, he became strong and healthy, having no trouble lifting the mahogany boxes filled with herbs.
About ten steps inside the cave, he piled up dense tree branches and leaves, placing more than twenty beast traps among them.
To prevent wild beasts from entering the cave and consuming his herbs.
After doing all this, Su Que glanced at the three donkeys.
Thinking that if he took the three donkeys to sell in the city, it would be too conspicuous and likely to be discovered by the White Lotus Sect members who were gathering information.
But if he tied the three donkeys in the forest, they might become prey for other fierce beasts.
With no alternative, Su Que reluctantly killed the three donkeys, skinned them, and ate their meat.
After boiling, donkey hide can be made into donkey-hide gelatin, which is very valuable. If he sold it in the city the next day, he could earn some money.
After devouring the donkey meat, Su Que practiced the Seven Injuries Fist for a while, then went to the river to wash away sweat and blood, and returned home.
The next morning, Su Que went to an isolated corner and disguised himself as a robust man.
Then, he headed to Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall and bought the medicinal formula from them for three hundred taels.
When paying, a disciple from Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall looked at him with unusual eyes, not knowing where Su Que suddenly got so much money.
But since they were not the government, they didn't concern themselves, took the money, gave Su Que a piece of paper with the medicinal formula, and warned him not to spread it externally.
After obtaining the formula, Su Que went to the market to sell the three donkey hides.
Then, he went to a corner, took out the formula, and looked at it carefully.
Since the formula had thirteen types of herbs, and he only recognized six of them.
Therefore, he couldn't select the necessary herbs from those three large mahogany boxes.
He jotted down the names of the seven herbs he didn't recognize and, still in the guise of a robust man, visited ten herb shops to buy a few ounces of each of the seven herbs.
Thus, he finally recognized all thirteen herbs.
Removing the guise of the robust man, Su Que immediately rushed to teach at the academy.
In the afternoon, after class, he visited the market to buy a clay pot for boiling herbs, a scale for measuring herbs, two gourds for holding water, a pestle for grinding herbs, and other necessary tools, then headed out of the city.
He was eager to verify whether the formula from Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall was genuine and check if those three large mahogany boxes contained the thirteen herbs.
In a deserted area outside the city, he suddenly sped up and began running.
Currently, although his running speed couldn't compare to some martial artists skilled in Lightweight Skills.
However, after cultivating the Seven Injuries Fist, his physical condition improved, his stamina was excellent, allowing him to keep running at high speed.
Upon reaching Cyan Flower Mountain, he went to the cave storing herbs, jumped over the branches covering the beast traps, then took a hatchet from his bundle to break the locks of the three large mahogany boxes.
Opening the boxes, various medicinal scents immediately filled the cave.
He looked into the boxes and found one filled with different herbs, separated by wooden boards.
Su Que glanced over and spotted the thirteen herbs needed to brew "Body-Strengthening Soup."
Thus, following the formula's instructions, he weighed the thirteen herbs, ground what needed grinding, decocted what needed decoction, and soaked what needed soaking.
After completing the preliminary work, he put the herbs in the pot and started the fire to boil them.
Following the formula, he first boiled with martial fire, then with civilian fire.
After busying himself for half an hour, a pot of Body-Strengthening Soup was ready.
Looking at the dark color and smelling the familiar scent, Su Que thought the formula probably had no issues.
This single pot had the quantity for three bowls.
Su Que ladled a bowl and drank it down.
As the soup passed through his throat and into his stomach, a medicinal power soon rose in his abdomen.
"Looks like this formula is real!"
Su Que immediately used the medicinal power to practice the Seven Injuries Fist.
Spurred by the medicinal power, he felt his entire body's qi blood surge, and coupled with the exercise from the Seven Injuries Fist, qi and blood flowed rapidly, engulfing his body with a feeling of comfort.
His efficiency in practicing the fist greatly increased!
After it got dark, Su Que went hunting for food.
After filling his stomach, he continued practicing the fist.
Because his Seven Injuries Fist had reached 4th Realm Elite, further improvement required more medicinal power.
In just one night, he consumed the medicinal power of three bowls of Body-Strengthening Soup.
Yet in one night alone, the progress of his Seven Injuries Fist increased by 3%.
More than a month later, perhaps his Seven Injuries Fist could advance one realm further.
After resolving the issues of lacking medicine and money, Su Que returned to a peaceful life of teaching during the day and practicing martial arts at night.
Days after killing the White Lotus Sect members, he heard about how they razed three martial arts halls to the ground.
Only then did he realize that the black-clad person who attacked the sect members was a disciple from these three halls.
The deaths of six White Lotus Sect members transporting herbs were discovered by the sect members of Jade Water City.
Thereafter, the Jade Water City sect members took the heads of those martial arts halls' disciples to Jade Water City to identify them.
They immediately knew the black-clad individuals came from the three halls.
Actually, from the wounds of the deceased sect members, the White Lotus Sect knew that the ones who ultimately robbed the herbs weren't the disciples of the three halls.
After all, the shattered hearts were likely the result of the Heart Shattering Palm, Seven Injuries Fist, or some martial arts capable of destroying inner viscera.
The disciples of those three halls typically used weapons, not these martial arts.
However, they thought that if it weren't for the disciples of these halls attacking them, someone wouldn't have been able to profit and snatch the herbs.
The Jade Water City White Lotus Sect thus sought the medicine robber while exacting revenge on the three halls.
According to rumors on the streets and alleys, the masters of those three halls didn't know about their disciples' actions.
But the families of those three hall masters, along with the families of the disciples involved in the action, were entirely slaughtered by the White Lotus Sect overnight.
After this tragedy, people grew even more fearful of the White Lotus Sect.
The government office and some martial arts halls that wanted to unite against the sect were instantly too afraid to act.
Though they wished to resist, failing to do so would endanger their entire families.
In a flash, another month passed.
The weather had entered winter, and the wind carried harsh cold, but Su Que trained bare-chested in the forest, sinking his waist, sitting on a horse stance, drawing bows left and right, practicing the Seven Injuries Fist.
Not only did he not feel the cold now, but his qi blood surged through his body as if immersed in a hot spring, feeling very comfortable.
Moved in his heart, he summoned four lines of small black characters.
Name: Su Que (17 years old)
Lifespan: 66
Talent Value: 11
Martial Arts: Seven Injuries Fist (4th Realm Elite 99%), Five Animals Qigong (1st Realm Initial Insight 1%)
The Seven Injuries Fist was on the brink of breaking through a realm.
Full of excitement, Su Que lunged forward and punched.
Punch after punch struck the air, the fist force collided with the air, sending ripples and generating loud sounds.
Before long, he felt a power brewing within his body.
The Five Viscera and muscles gradually trembled, ringing.
This was a precursor to a breakthrough!
"Hah!"
Su Que exhaled sharply and punched forward again!
At this moment, the power within him erupted, rushing toward his limbs and bones.
"Crack crackle…"
A dense sound of crackling came from within his body.
"I broke through..."
Su Que looked again at the four lines of small black characters before him.