Martial artist!
Fabricate the existence of a powerful martial artist behind him.
That way, the changes in his body would have a good chance of passing unnoticed.
In just a few days, he had gone from a slow-witted, frail teenager to someone sharp-minded and much stronger, capable of taking down the tall, burly Li Kui with one hand.
Such a tremendous change in such a short time was most likely because a martial artist had given him some miraculous pills. Otherwise, this could never have happened.
He was introverted and rarely went out.
During the month of his conflict with Li Kui, he had not left the medicine shop even once.
There was no way he could have obtained such miraculous medicine inside the shop.
It could only have been that a martial artist had silently entered the medicine shop and made him take the medicine.
Over the past few days, the medicine's effects had gradually emerged, bringing earth-shaking changes to his body.
That explained why his physique had changed so drastically.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Heng nodded unconsciously, fully agreeing with the idea. It seemed that was exactly what had happened; even he himself was completely convinced.
Before long, Yang Heng fell peacefully asleep.
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, Yang Heng received apology gifts sent by the three people who had whispered together last night.
There were three medicinal herbs in all.
Among them stood a root of Old Ginseng.
The other two herbs were medicines for replenishing blood and strengthening vitality. Yang Heng had seen them in the medicine shop; the shop's physicians had prescribed these two herbs to some customers who were weak and suffered from kidney deficiency.
After putting away the three herbs, Yang Heng spoke to them with a genial expression, saying that as long as they did not oppose him again in the future, the previous matter would be wiped clean with one stroke.
The three of them shook their heads repeatedly, saying they would not dare.
The few of them left as though a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
These three medicinal herbs were all great tonics. Old Ginseng in particular was worth a great deal and possessed extremely high nutritional value.
To Yang Heng at this moment, these herbs were like charcoal delivered in snowy weather.
He had been worrying that it would take too long for the Marrow Cleansing Pearl to accumulate enough energy. With the help of these medicines, the time required would surely be greatly shortened.
However, now was not the best time to consume the herbs. He would only be able to eat them without concern after weathering the medicine shop's questioning and waiting for the storm to pass.
After delivering medicine in the afternoon and returning to the shop, an apprentice came to find Yang Heng and said that the shopkeeper wanted to see him.
As expected, it was probably about the abnormal changes in his body.
Yang Heng had expected the medicine shop to question him about this matter.
What he had not expected was for Shopkeeper Chen, the head of the medicine shop, to question him personally.
In an instant, Yang Heng's face turned icy, and his mind fell into chaos.
Because Shopkeeper Chen was a martial artist!
He had thought the person questioning him would be Master Zhang, after all, Master Zhang was the apprentices' immediate superior.
Who could have expected it to be Shopkeeper Chen, a genuine martial artist!
Yang Heng had some confidence in muddling through before Master Zhang, but facing a martial artist, trying to muddle through would be harder than climbing to the heavens.
He did not even know which way the door to martial arts opened. His mind was utterly blank when it came to knowledge of martial artists; there was no way he could pass by simply making up nonsense based on imagination.
As for martial artists, he only knew one thing: they were beings unlike ordinary humans!
As Shopkeeper Chen's residence drew closer and closer, Yang Heng still could not think of any way to handle Shopkeeper Chen's interrogation.
His heart sank without end. His face instantly turned pale, and his eyes dimmed, losing their light.
Could it be that his life would end today?
Was he going to croak before even three days had passed since his transmigration?
No, absolutely not!
How was that any different from getting killed the moment he landed?
Other transmigrators became saints and patriarchs, while he was going to kick the bucket the moment he arrived. Wouldn't that disgrace all transmigrators?
Thinking of this, Yang Heng forcibly roused his spirits and began desperately thinking of a countermeasure, yet still gained nothing.
There was too little information about martial artists. He had no clue where to begin; he did not even know how to fabricate a lie.
Forget it. He would leave it to fate.
Yang Heng made up his mind not to spout nonsense. He would answer whatever he was asked.
Before such a seasoned old hand, especially when he knew nothing about the other party, the more he said, the more mistakes he would make; the less he said, the fewer mistakes he would make.
Say nothing? Heh heh... then there was only a dead end.
After inwardly grumbling, Yang Heng immediately felt much more at ease. At worst, I'll die. Eighteen years from now, I'll be a good man again.
With a light and cheerful mood, Yang Heng strode like the wind. Soon, Shopkeeper Chen's residence came into view in the distance.
Pushing open the door, Yang Heng walked inside with a calm expression.
The room was lavish and splendid, antique and elegant, decorated like the home of a wealthy family.
In the center of the room stood an incense burner engraved with flowers, birds, fish, and insects. It was clearly extraordinary, and wisps of incense smoke curled upward.
The moment Yang Heng smelled it, he felt his head grow somewhat heavy.
Looking around, he saw Shopkeeper Chen sitting upright in a jet-black wooden chair. Behind him hung a piece of calligraphy bearing the four characters, "Harmony Brings Wealth." The strokes danced like dragons and serpents, bold and vigorous, carrying the air of a master.
This was the second time Yang Heng had seen Shopkeeper Chen. The first had been on the day he joined the medicine shop, when Shopkeeper Chen had merely shown his face before the crowd and left.
Shopkeeper Chen was fat, with a round face and the appearance of a prosperous merchant. Every one of his ten fingers was adorned with precious jade, dazzling to the eye.
Yet when Yang Heng looked toward Shopkeeper Chen, he found him smiling warmly at him, wearing an utterly harmless expression.
Yang Heng did not dare let down his guard and was not fooled by that appearance.
The instant he entered the room, his hairs had stood on end, goosebumps covering his body as his legs trembled without stopping, as though a tiger hidden in the shadows were watching him.
After probing carefully, he found that this pressure came from the room's owner—Shopkeeper Chen!
The feeling Shopkeeper Chen gave him was completely different from that of ordinary people. Facing him was like facing a higher lifeform; a tremor rose from Yang Heng's bloodline itself, urging him to submit.
It was like the innate suppression lions, tigers, and other large beasts held over ordinary animals.
There was no ability to resist at all.
They were practically not even the same species as ordinary people.
At that moment, Yang Heng understood the widely circulated saying: martial artists were beings unlike ordinary humans!
Huff... inhale...
Yang Heng suddenly felt his mind grow muddled, as though he were deep beneath the sea, unable to take in even a trace of oxygen and on the verge of suffocating.
"You're called Yang Heng, right? What do you think of the calligraphy behind me?"
A gentle voice entered Yang Heng's ears, waking him from his dazed state.
Yang Heng forcibly gathered his focus and looked toward the voice, only to see that Shopkeeper Chen's face was a blur of white, layer upon layer, making his features impossible to discern.
Right, Shopkeeper Chen was asking me a question. I haven't even answered him, yet I'm worrying about what he looks like. Yang Heng slapped his forehead and laughed at himself inwardly.
"The calligraphy is majestic and grand, bold and powerful, with the air of a master," Yang Heng answered without hesitation.
"Not bad... Your diction is clear, your words flow into polished phrases, and your thoughts are quick. It seems you really did encounter some fortuitous opportunity recently. Not only has your mind returned to normal, but your body has also grown much stronger."
Shopkeeper Chen looked at Yang Heng with a sly expression.
Damn it, he was testing me just now!
In a flash, Yang Heng understood everything. Cold sweat broke out all over him, and his mind cleared considerably.
But before he could think of a response, Shopkeeper Chen's follow-up question arrived!
"Tell me, then. What fortuitous opportunity did you encounter?"
A wisp of smoke entered his nose, and Yang Heng's head became muddled again. He fell into boundless darkness, unable to break free.
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