"Chang'sheng, what's wrong? Is it not tasty?"
Seeing Lin Chang'sheng's expression, Yu Wenjing quickly picked up a bite and shoved it into her mouth, but before she could swallow, her face instantly changed—like she'd just eaten a fly—she whimpered, "It's so salty! Chang'sheng, don't eat it..."
"Well, it's fine if it's a little salty. Let's make it into soup rice, just add some water and it won't be as salty."
Lin Chang'sheng couldn't help but sigh as he carried the dish to the kitchen, figuring this girl was probably a spoiled young lady at home, delicate and soft, never touching any chores.
She'd never cooked before, so he couldn't blame her.
"Let me start the fire!"
Yu Wenjing hurried over to light the stove.
After fiddling around for a while, each of them had a bowl of soup rice and dug in.
"Bang bang bang!"
Just as they finished eating, a sudden banging sounded at the door.
"I'm going to hide."
Yu Wenjing slipped behind the kitchen.
"And you are?"
Lin Chang'sheng stared at the three young men standing at the door, pausing for a moment.
"Let me introduce ourselves. We're with the Black Tiger Gang. I'm Liu Zhuang. Now that the Cyan Snake Gang's gone, their turf in East City is ours. We're here to collect the monthly fee."
"Three wen from every household!"
The burly youth leading them, Liu Zhuang, looked at Lin Chang'sheng and spoke.
"But I paid the Cyan Snake Gang not even a month ago!"
Lin Chang'sheng replied.
"Doesn't matter to me. We're the Black Tiger Gang. Either pay, or no protection—you decide." Liu Zhuang cocked his brow, sounding tough.
"Fine. Here, this month's monthly silver."
Lin Chang'sheng's eyes flashed as he fished out three copper plates and handed them over.
"Mm, nice. Quick and straightforward! Same time next month."
Liu Zhuang clapped Lin Chang'sheng on the shoulder and left.
"Chang'sheng, what happened?"
Yu Wenjing waited until Liu Zhuang and his crew left before coming out and asking.
"Just some street thugs collecting protection money."
Lin Chang'sheng explained the whole gang situation, and Yu Wenjing's pretty eyes flashed with anger. "Doesn't the government do anything?"
"Do what? The emperor's far away and the sky is high. Used to be, the Cyan Snake Gang leader's sister was the County Magistrate's concubine. Those guys have given plenty of hush money to the government."
Lin Chang'sheng let out a sigh.
He could easily kill all three Black Tiger Gang members, but that'd only bring trouble.
Better to keep his head down, focus on getting stronger for now.
Just look at the Cyan Snake Gang—didn't they end up coughing up over 1500 taels of silver with interest?
Yu Wenjing went quiet after hearing this, deep in thought.
......
East Street.
Three miles away, inside a grand courtyard.
Ling Ziyu, dressed in cyan, sat on a high-backed chair while an elderly man in black bowed before him, saying, "Master Ling, we've found six people went into the mountains before the new year, eleven after. Please, Master Ling, come verify yourself."
"Old Li, you've done well. Take me there!"
Ling Ziyu's eyes glimmered with hope.
That item was critical—it was the key to getting into an Immortal Sect. If he got it, he'd enter Liuyun Immortal Sect for sure!
"Yes, Master Ling!"
Old Li nodded respectfully and added, "Master Ling, the Black Tiger Gang in West City saw the Cyan Snake Gang wiped out and seized all their former turf. Shall we...?"
"No matter. Let's check out those seventeen people first!"
Ling Ziyu spoke gravely.
He wanted that token—not to just lord it over Mu City.
"As you wish!"
Old Li bowed low.
........
Lin Chang'sheng's house.
"Miss Yu, I'm heading out to buy a few things."
Before leaving, Lin Chang'sheng let Yu Wenjing know he was off to Hundred Herbs Hall.
He planned on picking up some medicinal soups, see if they'd help boost his cultivation experience quicker.
"Mm."
Yu Wenjing nodded, agreeing softly.
Finished with that, Lin Chang'sheng grabbed his snake cage and headed toward Hundred Herbs Hall in West City. On the way, the experience points for his Cyan Snake Sword Technique kept ticking upward.
"A hundred taels silver reward, find the killer who wiped out Ma Zhankui's whole family? That kind of cash is tempting, but it's not easy money!"
"No kidding—anyone who could off the Cyan Snake Gang leader isn't a nobody."
"A hundred taels—I couldn't earn that in a lifetime!"
"All they've got is a silhouette. It's gonna be tough to track him down!"
"......"
When Lin Chang'sheng walked up to the border of West and East City, he saw a huge wanted poster up on a tall wall with a crowd of onlookers around it.
On it was a slender figure, holding a bow, face hidden by a black scarf.
"A government bounty? Wait... is that my silhouette?"
"Heh."
Lin Chang'sheng stepped forward to look at the drawing, his eyes flickering. With his snake cage in hand, he turned and left.
Just a silhouette—nothing more.
........
Hundred Herbs Hall.
The biggest pharmacy in Mu City, it stocked Strengthening Soup, Qi Blood Soup, Nourishing Soup, Qi Blood Ointment, and even pricey stuff like Qi Blood Pills, Essence Stabilizing Pills, and more!
The headquarters were back in Min Nan County City—this was just one of eighteen branch halls.
"Hello, how can I help you today?"
Lin Chang'sheng hunched his back as he walked in. A pharmacist came over and greeted him.
"I'm looking for some soup or elixirs that boost qi and blood strength."
Lin Chang'sheng, holding his snake cage, spoke up.
"Certainly. Our Strengthening Soup and Nourishing Soup are five hundred wen coins per serving. Qi Blood Ointment is 1 tael of silver a jar. Qi Blood Pills, 10 taels of silver for a bottle of one!"
The pharmacist introduced the products to Lin Chang'sheng.
"I'll take two Qi Blood Pills and five jars of Qi Blood Ointment."
Lin Chang'sheng pulled out 25 taels of silver and placed his order.
He wanted to test if the Qi Blood Pill would speed up his cultivation experience—if it worked, that'd be a shortcut to leveling up!
If things panned out, maybe he could apprentice here?
Pick up some alchemy skills?
Then he could make his own pills—his cultivation would skyrocket, wouldn't it?
"Coming right up!"
The pharmacist grinned, delighted, and bustled off to get the pills and medicines, coming back to explain how to take them and what to watch out for.
Back home, Lin Chang'sheng found Yu Wenjing sitting cross-legged, apparently cultivating.
He didn't ask—he already sensed the cultivation on her, though it seemed unstable, must've suffered serious injuries.
Lin Chang'sheng went into his own room, a ray of sunlight streamed through the cracks in the wall, lighting the space but not disrupting his Sun and Moon Breathing Technique training.
He sat down cross-legged and took out the Qi Blood Ointment.
This ointment came in a small porcelain vial, thick and black, but fragrant with a strong medicinal aroma.
Lin Chang'sheng scooped some out and took it.
Instantly.
A surge of heat spread from his belly, flooding his whole body!
Lin Chang'sheng began circulating the Sun and Moon Breathing Technique, absorbing the medicinal power!
As he absorbed it, he checked his stats panel, and his eyes suddenly lit up—his daily cultivation progress, normally just a few points, jumped by more than ten in this short time!
"Eating Qi Blood Ointment really works—how about the Qi Blood Pill?"
Thinking of that, Lin Chang'sheng's eyes shone with anticipation.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he broke through to First-class Expert!