Chapter 30: Elixir

Over the next few days, Chen Yuan practiced martial arts during the day and treated Yu Zhenchuan to drinks at night. He wandered about the county seat, immersing himself in its prosperity and losing himself in its charms.

On the sixth day, Chen Yuan reported to Wei Wuding that he had consumed the Marrow Refining Pill and broken through to the Marrow Refining Realm.

Upon receiving this news, Wei Wuding was quite delighted. He immediately arranged for Chen Yuan to serve as the Captain of the Hundred Weapons Hall Guard Force, commanding thirty Skin Refining martial artists and two Bone Refining martial artists, one of whom was Yu Zhenchuan.

Naturally, Chen Yuan expressed his loyalty once more, earning further praise from Wei Wuding.

Only three days after assuming his post as Captain, Chen Yuan followed Wei Wuding into the Chiman Mountains.

Much like the branch in Leping County, the main hall in the county seat also conducted business with mountain bandits, but on a much larger scale; a single transaction could involve thousands or even tens of thousands of taels of silver.

In addition, the main hall had dealings with merchant houses in Qingzhou, frequently transporting ironware through the Yuanping Pass, which required armed escorts.

These transactions were massive in scale, usually led by three deacons, and sometimes even requiring a Deputy Hall Master to lead the way.

This time, Wei Wuding was leading the team to conduct a transaction with a large stronghold within the Chiman Mountains.

It took a total of ten days for the convoy to return to the county seat.

In the past, when Chen Yuan escorted convoys into the mountains in Leping County, it only took three or four days to trade with the bandits on the fringes of the Chiman Mountains.

However, the main hall's clients were all large strongholds, requiring them to travel at least a hundred miles deep—effectively into the heart of the mountain range—which necessitated more time.

Fortunately, it was merely a tiring journey; there were no skirmishes along the way.

According to the rules, after leading a trip like this, Wei Wuding could rest for twenty days to a month before the next transaction, which would then be led by two other deacons.

On the night they returned to the county seat, Chen Yuan activated the Starlight Infusion and consumed a pill. Feeling his strength increase slightly, his inner gloom eased somewhat.

During the convoy escort, he had stayed with fellow gang members and was unable to activate the Starlight Infusion; he could only wait until now.

Chen Yuan put away the jade pendant and looked at the empty jade bottle in his hand, shaking his head.

Since obtaining these three bottles of pills from the cave, Chen Yuan had used them not only for the Starlight Infusion but also to assist his daily cultivation. In the span of a dozen or so days, he had already used one bottle.

For an ordinary Inner Strength martial artist, one pill every five days would make this bottle last for fifty days.

But for Chen Yuan, a single Starlight Infusion required one pill, and since his physical body was stronger than that of an ordinary Inner Strength martial artist, a single pill could only keep his blood qi active for three days. His consumption rate was extremely fast; one bottle every half month.

If he did not purchase new pills, the remaining two bottles would only last him one month.

Fortunately, Chen Yuan had silver, and as long as he had silver, he would never lack pills.

...

The next day, Chen Yuan quietly slipped out of his small courtyard and arrived at Jieyuan Ward, which was not far from Chongxin Ward.

Jieyuan Ward was named after a scholar who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations a century ago. It was separated from Chongxin Ward by only two streets and was a mere fifteen-minute walk away.

Those living in Jieyuan Ward were ordinary folk. The ward gates were wide open, and many pedestrians passed by; Chen Yuan blended into the crowd, appearing entirely unremarkable.

Many of the houses in Jieyuan Ward were rented to outsiders coming to the county seat to make a living. The population was a mixed bag, with fewer locals, making it easy for an outsider to blend in.

After walking for fifteen minutes, Chen Yuan arrived at the entrance of a residence in the southwest corner of the ward and stopped.

It was a two-courtyard estate with locked gates, and the plaque read "Xie Manor."

Chen Yuan pulled out a copper key, opened the door, and walked in. The courtyard was clean and tidy, and the main hall was tightly closed.

He entered a side room; the interior was clean, and all the furniture and furnishings appeared to be newly acquired.

This estate was one of three properties Xie Quan owned in the county seat.

Before following Wei Wuding into the mountains, Chen Yuan had appeared to be wandering aimly around the county seat, but in reality, he had scouted the environment and quietly investigated the four properties held by Manager Li and Xie Quan.

None of these four properties were occupied; they were cleaned and maintained periodically by people from the brokerage.

Chen Yuan had presented the property deeds at the brokerage and obtained the keys from the broker. From that moment on, these four properties were his assets.

In the following days, Chen Yuan spent silver to have the broker purchase daily necessities and carefully furnished the four properties to prepare for any contingencies.

Entrusting such matters to a broker would certainly involve some under-the-table dealings, but as a newcomer to the county seat, Chen Yuan had no connections, and buying things himself would be too conspicuous. He could only allow the broker to earn this commission.

The other three properties were further from Chongxin Ward, so this two-courtyard estate was the closest, and Chen Yuan had spent the most on furnishing it.

He stripped off his clothes, removed the ring from his right hand, and changed into loose gray garments and black short boots. He donned a bamboo conical hat and carried a ring-pommel saber, transforming himself into a wandering martial artist, a common sight in the martial world.

This ring had been forged for him by a blacksmith before he entered the mountains. It was dusty and unremarkable, but inside was the strange silver wire he had obtained from Manager Li.

Since Manager Li wore that ring year-round, Chen Yuan did not dare to show it in public.

Aside from the Hundred Weapons Hall, there were no blacksmiths in Leping County capable of forging exquisite mechanisms, so he had to wait until he reached the county seat to have it modified.

Fortunately, Manager Li had never used the strange silver wire in front of others; if Chen Yuan used it, it would not arouse suspicion.

Once fully disguised, Chen Yuan examined himself carefully in a mirror to ensure there were no flaws. Taking a black face mask, he left the estate and walked out of Jieyuan Ward.

He walked low-profile through the crowds, and after thirty minutes, he arrived at East Street.

East Street was even more prosperous during the day than at night. The streets were bustling and noisy, and every shop along the way was crowded with customers.

Chen Yuan turned into a small alley, covered his nose and mouth with the black mask, and entered a pharmacy with a plaque that read "Jishitang."

This pharmacy was massive, with a counter roughly thirty feet long and seven or eight attendants serving customers.

Most people were there to seek medical consultation or purchase medicine. Chen Yuan, masked, was quite conspicuous as he walked in, drawing frequent glances from the crowd.

An attendant paused for a moment and asked, "Is this guest here for a consultation?"

Chen Yuan spoke in a hoarse, gruff voice, "I wish to purchase some pills."

"Please follow me, guest."

Chen Yuan followed the attendant through a long corridor and into a quiet room.

Inside the room sat a middle-aged man in his forties with a goatee, wearing silk robes. Upon seeing Chen Yuan, he stood up to welcome him.

"Manager Wang, this guest wishes to purchase pills."

The attendant spoke respectfully, then withdrew from the room and closed the door.

The middle-aged man cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Yuan and said, "I am Wang Ruyi, the manager of Jishitang. May I ask what kind of pills you are looking for?"

Chen Yuan sat opposite him and said in a hoarse, gruff voice, "Foundation-Strengthening Pills suitable for Inner Strength martial artists."

A smile appeared on the man's face, and his attitude became somewhat more respectful. "Our hall's Foundation-Strengthening Pills are quite well-known in the Yuzhou martial world. The medicinal potency is gentle and pure, guaranteed to satisfy you. How many do you require?"

"Show me the pills first."

"Please wait a moment, guest."

The man turned and left the room. Shortly after, he returned with a jade bottle and handed it to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan opened the bottle and poured a single black pill into his palm. A familiar medicinal fragrance wafted into his nose, identical to the pills he had obtained from the cave.

Chen Yuan put the pill back into the jade bottle, placed it gently on the table, and asked gruffly, "How much per bottle?"

The middle-aged man replied, "Ten pills per bottle. The market price is two hundred taels of silver."

"If I buy several bottles, can I get a discount?"

The man smiled and said, "That depends on how many you buy. The herbs used in the Foundation-Strengthening Pills are quite precious, and the process is extremely taxing for the alchemist. If you only buy two or three bottles, it is difficult to lower the price."

Chen Yuan said indifferently, "I want five bottles."

The man's eyes lit up. "If you take five bottles, I can reduce the price by ten taels per bottle."

Chen Yuan frowned. "Can it be any more?"

The man said apologetically, "This is the rule set by the hall. We can only offer this much of a discount. I ask for your understanding."

Chen Yuan said, "The Shennong Hall of the Tiger-Subduing Gang should also sell Foundation-Strengthening Pills, right?"

The man's expression shifted slightly. "Shennong Hall naturally sells them, but since the market price is what it is, Shennong Hall would only offer a similar discount per bottle. Why bother making the extra trip?"

Chen Yuan nodded and pulled a banknote from his robe, placing it on the table. "This is a one-thousand-tael banknote. I want five bottles of Foundation-Strengthening Pills."

A smile spread across the man's face. "Please wait a moment while I verify this."

"Go ahead."

The man picked up the banknote, inspected it carefully, nodded, and placed it back on the table. "Please wait, guest. I will fetch the pills immediately."

With that, he left the room. A quarter of an hour later, he returned with a wooden box.

He placed the box on the table and opened it to reveal five jade bottles neatly arranged on a bed of soft silk.

"Please inspect the pills, guest. Once you leave the premises, this hall will not be held responsible."

Chen Yuan took out the jade bottles one by one and inspected them carefully.

The middle-aged man was in no hurry, waiting quietly by the side.

It took a full fifteen minutes before Chen Yuan finished inspecting all fifty pills. Once satisfied, he handed the banknote to the man.

The man took the banknote, pulled a fifty-tael banknote from his robe, and handed it to Chen Yuan with both hands, smiling. "Please take this, guest."

Chen Yuan took it, inspected it just as carefully, and then tucked it into his robe. He picked up the wooden box and said gruffly, "Jishitang truly lives up to its reputation as one of the largest pharmacies in Xin'an County. You do not cheat newcomers. If I need pills again in the future, I shall return."

The man's smile deepened. He produced a jade token and handed it to Chen Yuan with both hands. "Our hall has operated in Xin'an County for over thirty years, treating old and young alike with honesty. We guarantee you will not suffer a loss. With this token, you can enjoy VIP treatment at all our branches. Please accept it."

Chen Yuan took the token and looked closely. On it was carved a single character, "Ji" (Relief/Aid). The jade was fine and the pattern exquisite, clearly made of high-quality white jade.

He put away the token and, with the man seeing him out, left Jishitang and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

Twenty minutes later, Chen Yuan quietly returned to the Xie Manor, shed his wandering martial artist disguise, and transformed back into a Deacon of the Hundred Weapons Hall Guard Force.

He took out the wooden box, looked at the five bottles of newly acquired Foundation-Strengthening Pills, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Jishitang was a pharmacy established by the Three Rivers Gang, dealing in medicinal herbs and pills. It stood as a rival to the Tiger-Subduing Gang's Shennong Hall in Xin'an County and was well-known.

After wandering the county seat for a few days and learning of Jishitang, Chen Yuan had decided to purchase his pills here.

Having broken through to the Marrow Refining Realm, being appointed Captain of the Guard Force by Wei Wuding, and having the feat of splitting Jiang Feng with his saber, he was quite famous within the Tiger-Subduing Gang. If he had gone to Shennong Hall, there would have been a risk of being recognized.

Since Jishitang and Shennong Hall were bitter rivals, no one would ever suspect that a Marrow Refining martial artist from the Tiger-Subduing Gang would go to Jishitang to buy pills.

Furthermore, Jishitang had operated in Yuzhou for many years with branches spread across various counties and districts. Their reputation was excellent; they wouldn't sabotage a one-thousand-tael transaction just to ruin their name. He could trade with peace of mind.

From then on, Chen Yuan no longer had to worry about pills.

Holding the five bottles of Foundation-Strengthening Pills, he returned to his small courtyard in Chongxin Ward, calmed his mind, and focused entirely on his martial arts training.

(End of Chapter)