Buying Qi and Blood Pills, Killing You Eighteen Times!

"It refreshed!"

Qin Wang looked at the Intelligence Panel, anticipation shining in his eyes.

Every time he checked the Intelligence Panel, he felt a keen sense of anticipation.

"County Magistrate Chen Hao is preparing for the River God Sacrifice half a year from now?"

"I have to speed up and raise my strength!"

Qin Wang looked at the first piece of intelligence, a sense of urgency rising in his heart. Over these six months, he needed to grow stronger quickly before he could rescue his sister Qin Xuemei from her sea of suffering.

As far as he knew, Chen Kun, head of the Chen Family, possessed exceptional martial arts and was one of Yan Yun County's five greatest experts.

To rescue his sister from the Chen Family, he needed strength comparable to Chen Kun's!

"Landlord Lin Ruhai will be visiting relatives in Youzhou Prefecture in three days, only to encounter Black Wind Stockade bandits and die?"

Qin Wang looked at the second piece of intelligence, his gaze flickering.

Lin Ruhai owned quite a few houses. Qin Wang was merely one of his many tenants. If he went and told him now that he would encounter bandits, Lin Ruhai probably would not believe him and might even think Qin Wang was after something.

Besides, time was pressing for Qin Wang. He had no time to concern himself with others.

"Zheng Kecheng plans to head to Youzhou Prefecture tomorrow to make arrangements?"

Qin Wang's eyes lit up as he looked at the third piece of intelligence.

That really was good news.

Earlier intelligence had revealed that Zheng Kecheng was keeping a beauty in a hidden residence in the north of the city, where he had an inner cultivation manual. Perhaps once Zheng Kecheng left, Qin Wang could go take that manual.

Zheng Kecheng had burned Li Tianyi and Li Laocai's First Madam to death, then pinned the crime on fourteen farmers, himself included. He truly had a death wish!

He felt no burden whatsoever about taking the man's inner cultivation manual.

"Granny Yan, you old witch—you're preparing to kill me, yet you still want to offer me up to County Magistrate Chen Hao. Then I'll kill you ahead of time. I happen to need silver to buy medicinal herbs!"

Qin Wang looked at the fourth and fifth pieces of intelligence, a fierce light appearing in his eyes.

He had already planned to come to the county seat and kill Granny Yan.

Yet he had not expected Granny Yan to be so vicious, still constantly thinking of selling him off. If he did not kill her, the hatred in his heart would never be quelled!

Perfect.

The fifth piece of intelligence revealed Granny Yan's address—Building Three, Backstreet Alley, east of the city.

"Zheng Kecheng has gone to Youzhou Prefecture, and Li Chunxia is going to Yue Ma Bridge to clear her head?"

Qin Wang looked at the sixth piece of intelligence but paid it no mind. Instead, he looked at the eighth, shock filling his eyes as he murmured, "Tongrentang Pharmacy sells Qi and Blood Pills? Blood Strengthening Pills? I ate a Treasure Fish, and the intelligence says my date of advancing to third-rate has moved up. If I buy Qi and Blood Pills and Blood Strengthening Pills to eat..."

As that thought crossed Qin Wang's mind, his eyes gradually burned with excitement.

Treasure Fish were rare, but Qi and Blood Pills could be bought. They would surely be expensive, but he had the Intelligence Panel. He could first get Granny Yan's 220 taels of silver, and if that was not enough, he could return to Qingniu Town and retrieve those 850 taels, then spend it all on Qi and Blood Pills!

Besides, there were another 400 taels of silver buried beneath the ground in his mud-walled, thatched hut!

Qin Wang directly skipped over the ninth and tenth pieces of intelligence.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll go take a look at Tongrentang Pharmacy!"

Anticipation gleamed in Qin Wang's eyes. With Qi and Blood Pills, his strength would rise even faster!

The next day.

Early morning.

As the rising sun emerged, Qin Wang got up early. He did not cook for himself, instead buying four meat buns and a bowl of tofu pudding from the street. Once he had eaten his fill, he went to Tongrentang Pharmacy's Green Maple Road branch in the north of the city.

This Tongrentang Pharmacy branch was far larger than Hundred Herbs Hall in Qingniu Town. This one branch alone had as many as four gatekeepers!

"Hello, what do you need?"

Qin Wang entered Tongrentang Pharmacy, and an apprentice about twenty years old came over. His expression was respectful and his manner very courteous.

"Do you have any pills that replenish qi and blood?"

Qin Wang glanced around, only to have the fragrance of medicinal herbs wash over him.

At this time, because it was still early, there were only three customers in the pharmacy, along with seven or eight pharmacists behind the counters preparing medicinal herbs.

"For pills that replenish qi and blood, our pharmacy has Blood Strengthening Soup, Blood Strengthening Pills, and Qi and Blood Pills. Their prices vary, depending on which kind you want."

The apprentice had slightly protruding teeth. Embroidered on the shoulder of his clothes was a '○', within which was the emblem of a spiritual herb with two leaves. He continued, "Blood Strengthening Soup costs 200 cash per serving, Blood Strengthening Pills cost one tael of silver each, and Qi and Blood Pills cost three taels of silver each."

"So expensive?"

Hearing the apprentice's introduction, Qin Wang immediately clicked his tongue. This was far too expensive.

A single Qi and Blood Pill cost three taels of silver.

One had to know...

In this world, three taels of silver was enough to cover a family of three's food and living expenses for most of a year!

"Though it's a little expensive, the pricier it is, the better the effect! The medicinal effects are immediate!"

The bucktoothed medicine boy rattled on with his introduction.

"Then get me three Blood Strengthening Pills and one Qi and Blood Pill!"

Qin Wang said, a pained look in his eyes.

"Certainly. Three Blood Strengthening Pills plus one Qi and Blood Pill comes to six taels of silver. If you buy ten pills, you'll get half a discount."

The bucktoothed medicine boy suggested.

"I'd like to, too, but I don't have any extra silver."

Qin Wang took six silver ingots from his pocket and handed them to the bucktoothed medicine boy with an agonized expression.

"Here, one Qi and Blood Pill and three Blood Strengthening Pills."

The bucktoothed medicine boy fetched a white porcelain bottle from behind the counter. It was sealed with a wooden stopper, and he handed it to Qin Wang. "You may inspect them first."

Qin Wang pulled out the stopper and saw three brown pills, each the size of a broad bean, lying inside the bottle. A faint medicinal fragrance wafted out.

"Thank you."

Qin Wang tucked the white porcelain bottle into his robes and left.

After that, he went to a branch of Apricot Grove Spring and bought some of the ingredients for Blood Strengthening Soup. Together with the ingredients from yesterday, he now had the full set of ingredients for the soup.

It was not that Qin Wang did not want to buy Qi and Blood Pills.

But if he bought too many of them at once, it would be bad if it drew covetous eyes.

Better to take things slowly and be more cautious.

Qin Wang returned to his rented room five li behind the streets of the northern part of the city.

He shut the door and, as usual, slid the crossbar into place.

Sitting on the bed, he took out the Blood Strengthening Pills and the Qi and Blood Pill, inspecting them carefully.

"Tongrentang Pharmacy is the largest pharmacy in Yan Yun County City. Their pills should be safe, or they wouldn't have earned their current reputation."

Qin Wang pinched a Blood Strengthening Pill between his index finger and thumb. After thinking it over, he tossed it into his mouth.

"As expected of a Blood Strengthening Pill!"

"This effect..."

Qin Wang felt a warm current spread from his stomach through his entire body. He grew hot all over, brimming with energy!

"Double Scoop Seal Heaven!"

"Charging Step Twin Palms!"

Qin Wang immediately spread his stance in the room and began practicing Ancestor's Long Fist to digest the medicinal power!

His fists whistled through the air!

Qin Wang practiced for nearly half an hour before finally exhausting the medicinal power of that Blood Strengthening Pill.

Martial Arts: Ancestor's Long Fist (Beginner)

Progress: (278/800)

Effect: Agile footwork, long-range strikes and close-range body checks, powerful explosive force, adept at close-quarters combat. Can achieve minor mastery in two years.

"The medicinal effect of this Blood Strengthening Pill is equivalent to one-fifth that of the Golden Winged Red Carp."

Qin Wang sensed that his strength seemed to have increased somewhat and thought to himself.

He looked over the panel data. Digesting the Blood Strengthening Pill had increased Ancestor's Long Fist's progress by 35.

At this moment, his body was covered in beads of sweat, his skin smooth and clean. Though he still looked thin, the outlines of muscle had emerged. His abdomen was taut, and bulging muscles stood out on his arms.

"Rest for a while, then continue."

Qin Wang looked at the two remaining Blood Strengthening Pills, heated some water, wiped the sweat from his body, drank the hot water, and rested for a while.

By evening.

The rosy sunset glow spilled across the window of the rented room as Qin Wang stood inside.

His hair and clothes were soaked through, heat steaming off his entire body and dispersing through the air into a hazy mist!

"As expected of a Qi and Blood Pill!"

"It increased Ancestor's Long Fist's progress by 250 points!"

Qin Wang looked at his panel, satisfaction shining in his eyes. His Ancestor's Long Fist progress had now reached 528 points!

He could also feel that the strength in his body had doubled!

"With my current strength, combined with my proficient Ancestor's Long Fist, three or four ordinary burly men would be no match for me!"

Qin Wang looked at his hands, anticipation in his eyes.

"Granny Yan, tonight is the night you die!"

Thinking of Granny Yan, a fierce killing intent flashed through Qin Wang's eyes. That old hag had plotted against him time and again; unless he killed her, he could never vent the hatred in his heart!

Before coming to the county city, Qin Wang had already bought a dagger and a set of black clothes.

Granny Yan's home was in the third courtyard of Backstreet Alley in the east of the city.

Carrying a small bundle, Qin Wang went out and bought five steamed buns. After finishing them, he headed for Backstreet Alley in the east of the city.

East of the city.

The third courtyard of Backstreet Alley.

The area was filled with rows of small, detached courtyards. Each had three rooms, with a front yard and a back yard planted with quite a few vegetables.

Inside the third small courtyard.

In the left side room.

A woman in a brown dress, with two orange flowers in her hair, sat cross-legged on the bed by the light of an oil lamp, counting the gleaming silver ingots and banknotes before her.

"Oh my! Not bad. I sold another fat sheep today! Earned five taels of silver!"

Granny Yan's eyes curved into smiling slits. She placed the five-tael silver nugget between her teeth and bit down, savoring the allure of silver. Then her brows furrowed as she muttered, "That bastard A-Kang went gambling again. Ai!"

"If it weren't for that bastard all these years, how could I have saved up so little silver?"

"At the very least, I could have traded for a big courtyard!"

The thought of her disappointing son made Granny Yan's anger flare at once.

Her husband had died early, leaving her to raise her son alone. Without any trade or skill, life had been unbearably hard.

By chance, she had once sold her own cousin and earned five taels of silver, opening up a path to wealth. Little by little, she became a broker in Yan Yun County City, arranging transactions for those in need. She raked in no small amount of silver, bought this courtyard, and even saved several hundred taels.

The only blemish was that her son loved gambling. Over the years, she had cleaned up plenty of his messes.

After dinner tonight, he had run off again. He probably would not return until tomorrow morning.

"Put it away. I'll make a trip to the county yamen tomorrow."

Granny Yan gathered up the silver, wrapped it in a bundle, walked over to the wall cabinet, opened its door, and stuffed the bundle inside.

"Give it to me. No need to hide it."

At that moment, a low voice sounded behind her. Immediately afterward, Granny Yan felt a powerful arm clamp around her throat. She instinctively opened her mouth to scream, but a dishcloth was stuffed into it.

"Mmph—ahhh!"

Granny Yan looked at the lean figure before her, dressed all in black with vicious eyes, and struggled desperately. But the figure threw a rope around her, binding her hands and feet.

"Granny Yan, I'm only here to borrow a little silver. Behave yourself. If you shout, I'll stab you with one stroke. Do you understand?"

Qin Wang dragged Granny Yan onto the bed and pressed the dagger against her throat, his tone icy cold.

The intelligence said that Granny Yan had 220 taels of silver.

But Qin Wang guessed that Granny Yan had more than that.

"Mmph..."

Terror filled Granny Yan's eyes as she hurriedly nodded.

"Other than this bundle, where else do you have silver?"

Qin Wang stared at Granny Yan, pressing the dagger closer to her throat as he pulled the dishcloth from her mouth.

"G-g-great hero, there isn't any more. It's all... all here."

Granny Yan's eyes were full of fear. Daring not to speak loudly, she answered in a faint voice, trembling like a sieve.

"No more?"

"You and Li Laocai have been selling boys and girls for so many years, and this is all you have?!"

Qin Wang opened the bundle and found only a little over 260 taels of silver inside, most of it in banknotes.

Granny Yan had committed evil for years. There was no way she had only this much!

She was clearly not being honest!

"You..."

Hearing this, Granny Yan's eyes widened as she stared at Qin Wang. This villain actually knew that she and Li Laocai had partnered in buying and selling boys and girls. Who was he?

"Where is it? My patience is limited!" Qin Wang's eyes flashed coldly. "Hand over the money!"

"There are another 200 taels in the cellar behind the house."

Granny Yan trembled all over. The stench of urine spread through the room; she had lost control of her bladder.

"Take me to get it!"

Qin Wang dragged Granny Yan along with one hand and headed toward the back.

His strength had surged enormously now; dragging Granny Yan, who weighed over a hundred jin, was naturally no problem at all.

"Yes."

Granny Yan's whole body had gone limp. Qin Wang dragged her into the back room. Pointing at a chamber pot in the corner, she said tremblingly, "Th-there... move the chamber pot. Underneath it..."

"A chamber pot?"

Qin Wang looked at the chamber pot, stepped forward, and lifted it aside. He immediately saw that the earth beneath it was looser than the surrounding ground. Spotting an Iron Wedge in one corner of the room, he fetched it and dug. Half a chi down, he found a jar with a stone pressed on top of it.

Qin Wang moved the stone aside and saw that the jar was filled with gleaming silver.

At a rough glance, there were no fewer than two hundred taels.

"You old hag, time and again you tried to sell me to Gentle Haven as a catamite. You and Li Laocai are utterly vicious!"

Qin Wang stuffed a rag into Granny Yan's mouth, packed more than four hundred and sixty taels of silver into a bundle, then crouched before her and said through gritted teeth, "Even carving you into a thousand pieces wouldn't quell the hatred in my heart!"

"Die!"

The moment Qin Wang finished speaking, he drove his knife into Granny Yan's upper thigh!

The next moment.

Qin Wang stabbed Granny Yan in the lower abdomen again!

"Mmph~~~~"

Granny Yan stared at the black-clad man before her. Pain made her whole body tremble; terror filled her eyes as she struggled desperately.

"Q-Qingniu Town's Qin Wang!"

Hearing the black-clad man mention catamites and Li Laocai, Granny Yan's eyes flew wide open. She suddenly remembered who the person before her was!

No wonder the voice still sounded somewhat familiar, even though it had been deliberately made hoarse!

But...

How could Qin Wang possess such great strength?

Just one of Qin Wang's hands had rendered her unable to move!

At that moment, Granny Yan finally understood. She had walked too many night roads and finally encountered a ruthless man. Regret rose in her heart, and she wanted to beg for mercy, but it was already too late!

The Qin Wang whom she and Li Laocai had considered weak and easy to bully kept swinging his dagger!

"So Li Laocai was nailed down... it was him who ambushed him..."

Granny Yan's eyes suddenly widened as she recalled Li Laocai's death. Her consciousness gradually blurred.

One stab!

Two stabs, three stabs!

A full eighteen stabs!

Blood spilled from the corners of Granny Yan's mouth. Her eyes remained wide open in death, her end utterly miserable. Worried that his reflection might be in her pupils, Qin Wang simply gouged out her eyeballs. Then he set a fire, picked up the bundle, and left Granny Yan's home under cover of night.

Qin Wang moved stealthily along the street.

Only after he had gone three li did he see Granny Yan's house in the distance ablaze, the flames shooting into the sky and rousing the nearby residents, who got up one after another to put out the fire.