In front of Hundred Herbs Hall.
Jiang Che stared blankly at the sign with the three words "Hundred Herbs Hall."
This was the very pharmacy where he had asked about poison before!
'This…'
Jiang Che instantly felt a bit awkward, and his steps slowed.
Zhang Xiong, completely unaware of Jiang Che's strange behavior, strode inside.
Resigned, Jiang Che had no choice but to follow.
"Elder Zhou!"
Zhang Xiong greeted the old man with the goatee.
The old man was weighing herbs. Seeing Zhang Xiong arrive, a smile immediately spread across his face.
"Young Master, you're here!"
Then, he saw Jiang Che walk in.
Since Jiang Che hadn't followed right away, they weren't close together. The old man assumed Jiang Che was back to buy poison and furrowed his brow.
"You there, customer. I really don't have the kind of medicine you're asking for. Please leave!"
Hearing this, Zhang Xiong turned his head and asked curiously, "Medicine? Junior Brother Jiang, did you come here to buy medicine?"
Jiang Che gave an awkward laugh. "I was just looking to buy... uh, a drug that can temporarily paralyze someone..."
"Poison, right!" Zhang Xiong understood at once, lowering his voice.
"Young Master, who is this?"
The old Shopkeeper, called Elder Zhou, hesitated when he realized the two knew each other.
"Oh! He's my junior brother from the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Che. He's one of us! I brought him here to buy some Exotic Beast Meat."
Zhang Xiong deliberately stressed the three words "one of us."
"So it's Young Master Jiang." Elder Zhou's expression softened. "In that case, what kind of Exotic Beast Meat would you like to buy?"
"It's Junior Brother Jiang's first time buying Exotic Beast Meat. Just bring out everything for him to see," Zhang Xiong instructed.
"Right away, Young Master!" Elder Zhou then turned and went to the storeroom in the back.
Seeing Elder Zhou leave, Zhang Xiong lowered his voice and said:
"Junior Brother Jiang, about poison... most pharmacies keep some in stock. But they don't usually sell it to the public. It's normally for their own use or for regular customers. Of course they wouldn't sell it to a stranger who just walks in."
"I understand. It was presumptuous of me," Jiang Che said sheepishly.
"It's not your fault, really. It's an excellent item for self-defense. It's just that the Government Office is strict, so pharmacies don't dare to sell it," Zhang Xiong said, shaking his head.
A short while later, Elder Zhou returned carrying a large wooden box.
Inside, it was divided into small compartments, each filled with various long, dark strips of dried meat. It was impossible to tell what animals they came from.
"Young Master Jiang, this is all the Exotic Beast Meat we have. Please allow me to introduce them."
Then, Elder Zhou began to introduce them one by one.
These were all Low-Grade Exotic Beast Dried Meat.
There were rodent-type, canine-type, serpent-type, and porcine-type Exotic Beasts, and so on.
It was an eye-opening experience for Jiang Che, who was amazed that there were so many types of Exotic Beasts.
He listened intently, occasionally picking up a strip to smell and examine it.
However, Jiang Che discovered that all the dried meats had a foul, gamey smell. Not a single one was pleasant.
'They probably don't taste much better, either.'
"So, what's the difference between all these types of Exotic Beast Meat?" Jiang Che didn't understand, so he had to ask.
"Actually, the main difference is texture... Of course, they're all disgusting in their own unique way."
Zhang Xiong said with a laugh,
"Also, people who practice different Cultivation Techniques have slightly different types of Qi Blood, so the effects of eating different Exotic Beast Meats will vary from person to person."
He picked up a reddish-black strip of dried meat and said, "I've tried them all, and I feel this Pig-Sheep Beast Dried Meat has the best effect. It's the most effective at stimulating the Qi Blood for our Cloud-Stacking Fist."
Jiang Che nodded. 'Then I'll just buy this one later.'
"However," his tone shifted, "different people also have different constitutions. I've even seen disciples from the same Sect who are suited for different types of Exotic Beast Meat. I suggest you buy a little of each and test them out yourself at home."
"Thank you for the advice, Senior Brother Zhang!" Jiang Che said gratefully.
He would never have learned any of this if he had come by himself.
So, Jiang Che picked out a little of each type, but took the most of the Pig-Sheep Beast Dried Meat.
After all, he had eaten it yesterday, and the effect had been quite good.
'I just wonder if the other types would be even more effective?'
Elder Zhou wrapped the meat in oil paper, tied it tightly with a thin hemp rope, and handed it over.
"Young Master Jiang, this dried meat is cooked, so you can eat it directly, which is more convenient. You can also chop it up for soup, or steam it and then stir-fry it. Adding some seasoning will make it easier to swallow," Elder Zhou advised.
"Thank you! How much is it?" Jiang Che took the package and pulled out some silver from his robes.
"We sell it to the public for ten taels of silver per catty. For you… eight taels will do!" Zhang Xiong said in a low voice.
Elder Zhou frowned upon hearing this but said nothing.
Jiang Che was grateful, knowing Zhang Xiong had given him a huge discount.
He took out eight taels of silver from his robes and handed them over.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang, Elder Zhou. I will take my leave now!"
Jiang Che cupped his fist.
"Wait a moment." Zhang Xiong suddenly called out to Jiang Che.
He went into the back storeroom, looking for something.
A moment later, he returned with two small paper packets.
"Inside… is that paralyzing drug you wanted. The green powder is the poison, and the white powder is the antidote. Don't mix them up. This stuff works on anyone below the Iron Skin Realm. It's perfect for self-defense," Zhang Xiong said in a low voice.
Jiang Che's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he needed!
"How much silver? It's just that I don't have much money left…"
Jiang Che only had eight taels left and was worried he couldn't afford it.
"No charge, it's a gift! The ingredients are actually very cheap. We just collect some on the side when we're out gathering herbs. We just don't normally sell it."
"How can I accept this? You already gave me such a huge discount on the Exotic Beast Meat. I should still pay you!" Jiang Che insisted.
But Zhang Xiong refused to take any money.
Jiang Che could only accept it. At the same time, he gained a deeper understanding of Zhang Xiong's character.
Although he had a rough exterior and seemed like a martial arts fanatic, he was actually thoughtful and extremely good to his friends.
Jiang Che cupped his fist and said solemnly, "Then I won't be polite! Senior Brother Zhang, I, Jiang Che, will remember this kindness you've shown me today!"
After speaking, he carefully tucked the packets into a pocket inside his robes and left.
Seeing Jiang Che walk off into the distance, Elder Zhou sighed.
"Young Master, you're always bringing people to the pharmacy, either selling them things at cost or just giving things away.
"But will those people truly appreciate your kindness? Have you forgotten that kid with the surname Li? He claimed his family member was gravely ill, and we practically gave him all that medicine for free. It turned out he had no sick family at all and just turned around and sold it for a high price!"
Zhang Xiong shook his head and said:
"Elder Zhou, I believe that if you treat people with sincerity, it will eventually be repaid. Besides, I'm only giving away things of little value; it doesn't really affect our pharmacy.
"Our pharmacy is doing fine for now, but I can see the city is becoming more and more chaotic. If one day the pharmacy falls on hard times…
"Even if only one person out of a hundred is willing to lend us a hand at a critical moment, I believe it will have been worth it!"
"But I see this kid is deficient in Qi Blood, and he was sneakily trying to buy poison…" Elder Zhou said hesitantly.
"Elder Zhou, did you know that my breakthrough into the Qi Blood Realm a while ago was actually thanks to Jiang Che!" Zhang Xiong's expression was serious.
"Oh? How so?" Elder Zhou asked, puzzled.
"In the eyes of outsiders, Jiang Che is deficient in Qi Blood, just a good-for-nothing who would crumble at the first blow.
"At first, I thought so too…
"But when I truly fought him, I realized how ridiculously wrong I was!"
Zhang Xiong suddenly clenched his fist, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.
"His mastery of Fist Technique is far beyond my imagination! That most basic, Entry Level Fist Technique… in his hands, it can be trained to such a level!
"His every move and every form is incredibly profound. Isn't this the very Martial Dao I pursue?
"Therefore, I believe he will definitely achieve great things in the future!"
After speaking, Zhang Xiong gazed at Jiang Che's departing figure from afar, his eyes burning with intensity.