Muddling Through

"Shopkeeper, I just now..."

Before Yang Heng could finish, Shopkeeper Chen waved a hand and cut him off. "Just now, you were briefly unable to withstand a Martial Artist's Pressure and felt dizzy for a while. You're fine now."

"Oh... so that's what happened."

"Shopkeeper, did you summon me because you had some instructions for me?"

Yang Heng asked excitedly, his face brimming with joy.

He displayed, to the fullest, the excitement and delight of a lowly apprentice meeting the head of the pharmacy.

When the head of a pharmacy suddenly wanted to see a lowly apprentice, nine times out of ten, something good was about to happen.

It was like a company boss arranging a meeting with an ordinary employee—either a promotion or a raise.

Otherwise, they would not waste their precious time on ordinary employees like these.

Yang Heng's excited expression did not surprise Shopkeeper Chen.

His status was honorable. Not only was he the one in power at the pharmacy, he was also a martial artist. It was only natural for an apprentice to be thrilled and excited at being summoned by him.

"Since joining the pharmacy, you have been diligent and hardworking, with outstanding performance. I summoned you today to reward you."

"The pharmacy has decided to raise your wages to one hundred copper coins a month." Shopkeeper Chen suppressed the resentment in his heart and spoke pleasantly.

"Ah..." Yang Heng opened his mouth wide and froze in a daze.

Only after a while did he recover from his "surprise," hurriedly declaring his loyalty.

"Thank you, Shopkeeper. Thank you, pharmacy. From now on, I will work diligently and devote myself until death, only resting after I die. Only then can I live up to your high regard for me."

Had any other apprentice said such words, Shopkeeper Chen might have felt gratified and offered them some support.

But coming from Yang Heng's mouth, they stirred no ripples in his heart. He only wanted to end this matter quickly.

"Mhm." Shopkeeper Chen nodded. "If there's nothing else, you may go."

Yang Heng left the room bent at the waist, his face full of delight.

This scene happened to be seen by an apprentice. Before long, the news spread, and everyone in the pharmacy learned that Yang Heng had won the shopkeeper's favor and received a wage increase.

After Shopkeeper Chen learned of this, he did not say anything.

The apprentices all lamented Yang Heng's good fortune, their hearts filled with envy and jealousy. The apprentices who shared a room with Yang Heng became even more awed by him.

Meanwhile, Li Kui's gaze grew increasingly cold and venomous, like a poisonous snake lurking in the shadows and watching Yang Heng's every move.

After putting some distance between himself and Shopkeeper Chen's room, Yang Heng stopped, gasping for breath as he rubbed his chest and silently thanked his lucky stars.

The incense that drugged people, which he had once only seen in television dramas, had now entered reality—and he had personally experienced it. He did not know whether that was fortunate or unfortunate.

Yang Heng gave a bitter smile.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the Marrow Cleansing Pearl had revealed its divine miracle and brought him back to his senses, allowing him to escape disaster.

As for why the Marrow Cleansing Pearl had acted like that, he did not know either.

He secretly guessed, Could there be an old grandpa hidden inside the pearl?

"Senior?"

"Grandpa?"

"Immortal?"

Yang Heng silently called out in his heart, but after calling for ages, the Marrow Cleansing Pearl showed no reaction whatsoever.

After a long while.

He gave up.

If he could not figure it out, then so be it. As long as it benefited him, that was enough.

He firmly believed that one day, he would understand it.

Perhaps the time had simply not yet come.

Recalling what had just happened in Shopkeeper Chen's room, Yang Heng still felt lingering fear.

A martial artist!

Martial Artist's Pressure!

Just as the rumors said, martial artists were inhuman beings, practically a different species from ordinary people.

Facing them was like facing a higher life-form. All fighting spirit vanished, and goosebumps rose all over his body—his body was sounding a warning.

If one became their enemy, being able to wield even half of one's full strength would already be excellent.

In that situation just now, Yang Heng had felt utterly powerless, like a puppet on strings that could be manipulated at will.

He did not want to experience such helplessness again.

Strength!

At this moment, he craved strength beyond measure—powerful strength. He desperately wanted to make himself stronger.

For that, he was willing to pay any price.

The Marrow Cleansing Pearl was his fastest path to increasing his strength, but that was not enough!

The Marrow Cleansing Pearl could alter his talent and strengthen his physique. It was enough for dealing with ordinary people, but it could not handle martial artists.

Martial artists not only possessed incomparably powerful bodies, they also knew martial arts. Shattering a huge rock with one punch was effortless for them.

He only possessed a powerful body, yet knew no martial arts and could not bring out its full strength.

It was like discovering a gold mine but having no tools to dig it. Entering a mountain of treasure, he could only return empty-handed, helpless despite it all.

It was difficult for ordinary people to defeat martial artists.

Poisoning them?

But he did not know how to prepare poison, and poisons were tightly controlled. They were forbidden goods and not easy to buy.

Besides, he did not know whether the poisons on the market could threaten a martial artist.

Carrying quicklime powder on him?

While the martial artist was off guard, he could fling a handful into their eyes, blind them, then slit their throat with one stroke.

But could things really be that simple?

For one, martial artists reacted far faster than ordinary people. Before the quicklime powder could even be thrown, he might already be knocked down by one punch.

For another, these were chaotic times of war. Weapons were scarce and expensive, far beyond what ordinary people could afford.

Even if he had a weapon, could he carry it openly without making others wary?

Besides, could one slash really sever a martial artist's neck?

What if it got stuck?

Then he would be killed instead.

For an ordinary person to kill a martial artist in good condition, the odds were infinitely close to zero.

Only a martial artist could deal with another martial artist.

And to become a martial artist, one first needed a Martial Arts Manual.

A Martial Arts Manual was like a key—the key that opened the door to martial arts.

One door, one lock.

A Martial Arts Manual was the key that opened the door to martial arts.

Without this lock, that door could not be opened.

Yang Heng had learned this information from the idle chatter of pharmacy apprentices.

Those who could enter the pharmacy as apprentices all had some connections. Some had ancestors who had once been martial artists.

It was only that after several generations, their families had fallen into decline.

There were countless such examples.

These people knew some information about martial artists, but their understanding was incomplete and scattered.

For instance, they did not know the ranks and realms of martial artists.

Martial Arts Manual!

Yang Heng had no clue whatsoever how to obtain a Martial Arts Manual.

"Alas..."

With a sigh, Yang Heng silently thought that he could only take one step at a time.

Night fell. He returned to the communal sleeping quarters, washed up, then lay down on his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

But he did not notice a pair of snake-like eyes watching him gloomily from the shadows.

The next day, Yang Heng went out to deliver medicine and bought some dried pork strips in town, taking them together with the Old Ginseng.

These three medicinal herbs were all the kind that strengthened the blood and replenished vital essence, and could be eaten raw.

Besides, with the Marrow Cleansing Pearl there, Yang Heng was not afraid of wasting the medicinal power.

The energy provided by these three herbs far exceeded that of the pork strips. The Old Ginseng in particular had extremely high nutritional value and supplied a great deal of energy, causing the Marrow Cleansing Pearl to accumulate energy at a soaring pace.

Yang Heng also benefited greatly. His body grew sturdier day by day, and his strength increased dramatically.

Time flew by.

Before he knew it, a month had passed.

The silver coins on Yang Heng and the three medicinal herbs had all been used up, but he did not feel it was a pity. He only felt that they had been well worth the cost.

Because the Marrow Cleansing Pearl had already accumulated half its energy. The large words Marrow Cleansing Pearl (50%) appeared vividly in Yang Heng's mind, gleaming brightly.