"The effects of demon meat have indeed weakened."
Li Cunxiao looked at the two empty paper packets before him and could not help sighing.
After achieving Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi through the Heart and Lung Circulation, the Blood Qi boost brought by demon meat was still passable, but the Killing Intent had clearly diminished.
Before his advancement, demon meat bought from street stalls provided roughly one-ninth of a charge per tael, while demon meat from the Firewood Gang's shop provided around one-fourteenth. Eating both together, he could accumulate one Obstacle-Breaking Opportunity for the Vajra Scepter in less than half a month.
But now, the effects of both had greatly diminished. At present, Li Cunxiao could consume four taels, even half a jin, of demon meat a day. At that rate, it would probably take another twenty-odd days to fill it once.
However, demon meat from the stalls cost three taels of silver per jin. In other words, he would need to eat thirty taels' worth of demon meat.
After returning from his escort mission, his share of the profits plus his original savings came to just about thirty taels. Meat alone would once again drain his entire fortune.
And he still had not repaid the thirty taels he owed He Bi.
"Luckily, the Vajra Scepter helps me suppress the Killing Intent, so I can eat that crudely processed demon meat without restraint. If I bought everything from the Firewood Gang, my money would run dry in a day or two."
Li Cunxiao had not forgotten that he was still only in the Blood Qi Realm, breaking through minor bottlenecks. Once he broke through the Blood Qi Realm and reached the Second Realm: Muscles and Sinews, demon meat would become even less effective.
If he found no other method, his cultivation speed slowing down was inevitable. He had to prepare himself mentally in advance.
As for charging it by killing people, that could only depend on fate.
As he had said before, troubled times were approaching. Taking the initiative to make enemies was a foolish move, but if someone bore ill intentions toward him, Li Cunxiao did not mind striking first.
"Looking at it this way, I should ask He Bi at tonight's gathering whether he has other channels for demon meat."
Li Cunxiao tidied up, washed up briefly, then headed out onto the long street.
In truth, when Chuqiu County had first been built, there had been no distinction between an inner city and an Outer City.
The so-called Outer City was merely an expansion built beyond the original walls after villagers flooded into the city. Coupled with the county office's on-again, off-again restrictions, it had gradually formed the present layout. Not only Chuqiu County, but many prefectural cities were the same.
Naturally, the inner city, with its first-mover advantage, had become the residence where the "old money" flaunted their wealth and status. Now that chaos loomed over the land, people had even begun patrolling the inner city walls. To those from the Outer City, this only made the inner city seem more imposing and mysterious.
But the Outer City was not entirely a slum. It had its bustling and prosperous places as well.
The banquet Qin Yu had reserved tonight was at Qunfang Tower in the eastern part of the city. One table alone cost four or five taels of silver, which was already extravagant in the Outer City.
A laborer who carried sacks could work for half a year and only earn enough to eat here once.
Fortunately, while Qin Yu's family was not a great merchant house, they ran an Herbal Medicine Shop and could be considered comfortably well-off. Thus, though the feast was not cheap, Qin Yu could still grit his teeth and afford it.
"Brother He, Brother Li, please, come in!"
Led by a servant, the three of them arrived at a private room on the third floor. Through the open window, they could see the lively night market below, as well as a faint tower spire in the distance that rose above the inner city walls.
"That is Zui Chun Lou, the most famous house of pleasure in the inner city. Its courtesan is said to command a thousand gold for a single dance. Countless young masters from great lineages dream of nothing but winning a beauty's smile."
He Bi noticed Li Cunxiao's gaze and explained casually, his eyes carrying no small amount of emotion.
"Buildings in the Outer City rise no higher than three stories, yet Zui Chun Lou has six. At its very top stands another pavilion, soaring high enough to overlook the entire city."
"Do not begrudge the silver spent on fine wine aboard linked boats; cast a thousand gold in one throw to buy spring's fragrance. What a place to drown in wine and dream of death."
Qin Yu could not help showing a trace of yearning. Even Li Cunxiao was no exception.
But he did not yearn for Zui Chun Lou. What he longed for was the inner city guarded by the city watch. There, both he and Wood Fork would be safer.
Then again, the Flying Tiger Escort Agency was a prominent force in Chuqiu County, yet it was stationed in the Outer City. Zhang Lishi's family lived there as well.
Thinking of what he had seen at the county office that day, Li Cunxiao fell into thought. He did not notice that He Bi beside him was quietly studying him too.
After learning that morning that Li Cunxiao had been taught an Internal Cultivation Method, He Bi had immediately ridden home and asked someone to gather information.
Though Murong Bai and Xie Donglai had ordered the news sealed, that only meant they did not want the matter known by everyone. Anyone with intent could piece together the truth without much difficulty.
Li Cunxiao caused a great disturbance at the county office to repay a debt of gratitude!
He struck viciously, fought one against five, and Zhao Xiaoyi lost his manhood!
Zhang Lishi fiercely protected his own, forcing County Governor Murong Bai to retreat three feet!
Though some of it was exaggerated, Li Cunxiao's exploits, as well as the way Murong Bai and Zhang Lishi had handled the matter at the end, were plain to see.
Moreover, combined with Li Cunxiao being taught the Internal Cultivation Method ahead of schedule, the conclusion was practically leaping off the page.
Li Cunxiao had already caught the Chief Escort's eye!
Never mind how much weight he carried in the Chief Escort's eyes. For an ordinary man born as a restaurant waiter to enter the Chief Escort's sight repeatedly in just one month was an ability in itself.
And the conclusion He Bi ultimately reached was simple.
He was making Li Cunxiao his friend, and not even his own father could stop him!
"Brother He, you've been staring at me this whole time. Is there something you want to ask?"
After breaking through the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi, Li Cunxiao's senses had improved as well. Besides, the other man's gaze was so scorching, like infrared light, that it was impossible to ignore.
"Ahem. I was thinking that the dishes have already been served three times. Now that we are full of food and drink, Brother Qin and I are respectfully awaiting Brother Li's guidance."
He Bi coughed dryly. With Qin Yu beside him, he naturally would not casually reveal that Li Cunxiao had won the Chief Escort's favor.
"Yes, Brother Li. I've been practicing the active stance techniques for over half a month, but when it comes to manipulating Blood Essence, I simply have nowhere to begin."
Once someone opened the subject, Qin Yu cast aside his embarrassment and got to the point, voicing one by one all the doubts he had encountered in his daily martial training.
Since Li Cunxiao had agreed to clear up their confusion, he did not hold anything back. Seeing that the private room was spacious enough, he simply explained while personally guiding them through the exercises.
When the Vajra Scepter had broken through the realm, every trick and process of overcoming the barrier had been deeply branded into his mind. Moreover, Li Cunxiao had learned Tiger Form Fist alongside them, so he naturally knew which parts of Cui Yao's teaching were hardest to grasp.
Thus, they talked martial arts for a while, drank a few cups of wine, and before they knew it, the meal had lasted nearly two hours.
When they left the restaurant, Qin Yu could not stop shifting between fist and claw forms. He muttered under his breath, his face brimming with excitement.
"Brother Li's words truly struck me like a cleansing from the crown to the soles. After tonight, I feel I'll be able to manipulate blood essence within half a month."
He Bi nodded approvingly, and his gaze at Li Cunxiao gained several degrees more respect.
Teaching and learning promoted each other. Being able to impart correct experience to others already spoke for one's own level. Seen from this angle, Brother Li's comprehension was truly astonishing.
"By the way, where is Run Dong?"
Li Cunxiao suddenly remembered his quiet roommate.
At that, Qin Yu's expression turned complicated.
"The night before Brother Li left on the escort mission, Run Dong left the agency. Apparently, he had practiced martial arts for over a year without seeing any results. His father decided it would not do and had him return to help at the shop."
"A year? Wasn't Run Donglai Escort Agency only for three months?"
Qin Yu remained silent even longer this time. Only after a moment did he say, "Before coming to the agency, Run Dong had already spent time at several martial schools in the Outer City."
For a moment, Li Cunxiao did not know what to say.
He knew in his heart that his talent was not bad, but neither was it especially good. Perhaps he was only evenly matched with He Bi, while lacking He Bi's substantial family background.
If not for the Vajra Scepter, he might have spent half a year struggling at the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi, then another year and a half struggling before the threshold of Blood Qi Perfection.
If luck favored him, perhaps he could attain Blood Qi Perfection before turning twenty, then compete with the lineage youths of the inner city for that distant, unreachable position of personal disciple.
And if luck did not favor him, perhaps he would only attain Blood Qi Perfection at twenty-two or twenty-three. Though he would have no chance with Zhang Lishi, he could still become the disciple of another escort master, then spend several more years gambling with life and death as he attempted the Muscle and Tendon Realm bottleneck.
But the problem was that signs of chaos had already appeared throughout the land. The future might not give him so much time to grow.
For a moment, he keenly felt his own good fortune. Without the Vajra Scepter, he likely would not escape an ending as bleak as Run Dong's.
At least Run Dong's family had a shop, selling coffins and making burial clothes. Once war broke out, they might even make a fortune.
But he had nothing. Perhaps he could only wander everywhere with his younger brother, not knowing on which day they might starve to death on the streets.
"Brother Li, thank you for your generosity."
After Qin Yu had left and only the two of them remained, He Bi suddenly clasped his fists solemnly toward Li Cunxiao.
"Brother He needn't be like this. Without your demon meat, I couldn't have broken through so quickly either."
Li Cunxiao did not think much of it, but He Bi shook his head.
"Brother Li is a great talent, unlike the rest of us."
Qin Yu said he still needed half a month, but during the banquet, He Bi had already begun to feel how to manipulate blood essence. He would likely break through the minor bottleneck of suppressing qi within seven days.
When it came down to it, before entering the Blood Qi Circulation, whether Sensing Qi or suppressing qi, what mattered most was often a flash of inspiration. Without it, one might waste an entire spring, or even half a year.
Once inspiration arrived, success often came within one or two months. True geniuses could even cross two minor barriers in a single night.
"I heard that Ye Chengxiao from the inner courtyard is such a genius. He sensed qi in seven days, suppressed qi in half a month, achieved Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi in three months, and reached Blood Qi Perfection in seven months."
"He has studied martial arts for only eighteen years, yet already has one foot across the threshold of the Second Realm. He is currently the likeliest candidate to become Chief Escort Zhang's personal disciple."
"My talent is far inferior to that sort of genius. Brother Li's enlightening words have saved me half a month, perhaps even a month, of hard work. How could you not accept my thanks?"
Li Cunxiao naturally felt He Bi's sincerity, so he did not continue being modest. But the other person mentioned in He Bi's words made him frown.
Three months to achieve Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi?
That slow?
It was not that success had made him arrogant. He had originally planned to tell Cui Yao in a few days that he had already achieved Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi and completed the Heart and Lung Circulation, making a stunning entrance.
Yet Ye Chengxiao, currently called a genius, had taken three months. If he broke through in three days, would that not be a little too shocking?
After all, the Minor Heart and Lung Circulation required medicine and Blood Qi to strengthen the organs. It had to take some time.
For his heart and lungs to be completely transformed in three days, Li Cunxiao felt that only Demonic Power could accomplish it.
Would that make Zhang Lishi suspicious?
Besides, Li Cunxiao had not forgotten that Xie Donglai and Zhao Xiaoyi, that uncle-nephew pair of beasts, were most likely watching him right now. The escort agency and county office were maintaining a tacit understanding and suppressing the news, allowing him to develop steadily.
Once the talent he displayed became too monstrous, open attacks and hidden arrows would come at once.
"Let them come. What the hell am I afraid of?"
Li Cunxiao hardened his heart and rejected the plan of concealing his ability.
Half a month.
Half a month later, he would tell the escort agency that he had broken through—but not that he had achieved Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi. He would say that he had reached Blood Qi Perfection!
He would seize this peaceful stretch of time, eat demon meat like his life depended on it, and strive to fill the Vajra Scepter in around half a month. When the escort masters saw him, they would see Li Cunxiao at Blood Qi Perfection, Li Cunxiao capable of surpassing Ye Chengxiao and becoming a personal disciple—
Skip the empty window, skip the candidate status, and reach the destination in a single step!
By then, with Zhang Lishi's attention and protection, even if Xie Donglai wanted to move against him, he would have to consider the consequences.
Not to mention that after his status changed, Wood Fork's standing in the Zhang residence would rise with the tide, and his safety would be guaranteed.
And after Blood Qi Perfection, Li Cunxiao's ability to protect himself would be stronger than it was now. Even if something unexpected happened, he would at least have a few more means of self-preservation. That was far better than exposing himself now.
"In truth, there is no best choice. In the end, my strength is insufficient, so I can only choose the one with the greatest returns and the greatest risks, then gamble on it."
"I'm actually someone who likes to play it safe."
Seeing Li Cunxiao suddenly sigh, He Bi's heart stirred. He lightly knocked on the carriage wall, and the driver immediately understood. He stopped the carriage in a secluded spot, then went to relieve himself beneath a willow tree.
"Does Brother Li have some trouble? Are you short of funds?"
He Bi, you truly are my timely rain.
Li Cunxiao seemed somewhat embarrassed to speak.
"Alas, Brother He, to be honest, Master Cui taught me the Internal Cultivation Method today. The method is good, but I'm finding the demon meat increasingly insufficient."
"Brother Li, now you are being too distant. What is the relationship between you and me? Silver is nothing but a thing outside the body. Take this money."
He Bi had come prepared. From his robes, he took out a fifty-tael silver ingot, its ends raised and middle dipped, commonly known as horseshoe silver.
Truthfully, though his family ran a grain shop and possessed considerable wealth, fifty taels in one go was still a painful amount for He Bi. For the rest of the month, he would not be able to visit a brothel.
Thus, when he took out the silver, Li Cunxiao could clearly see the reluctance in his eyes and the trembling of his hand.
That would not do.
I, Li Cunxiao, secure investments through my own ability. How could I take money given so unwillingly?
Besides, after the escort mission, he had felt his defenses were lacking. He intended to spend money on a set of chainmail to wear close to his body, and he also intended to buy some poisoned hidden weapons. Together with the demon meat, he needed at least a hundred taels to cover everything.
He needed to add more money.
With that thought, his face showed emotion as well.
"Brother He, how deeply you treat me!"
As he spoke, he took a porcelain bottle from his robes. It was clearly the Leopard Fetus Pill Cui Wei had given him during the day.
But he had used the Vajra Scepter to achieve Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi, and afterward ate demon meat to accumulate Killing Intent. This pill was no longer very useful to him.
"So be it. Great Escort Cui Wei gave me this Leopard Fetus Pill. It is a fine pill that nourishes Blood Qi. Brother He, take it!"
"Leopard Fetus Pill?! This is the Leopard Fetus Pill that has a price but no market?!"
He Bi's reaction was even greater than Li Cunxiao had expected. His hands gripped the porcelain bottle, tightening and loosening; his face turned red, then pale. Anyone unaware might have thought it contained poison.
Yet after a long while, he gritted his teeth and pushed the pill back.
Not only that, he took another fifty-tael banknote from inside his boot and stuffed it back into Li Cunxiao's robes along with the pill.
Li Cunxiao could only stare at He Bi in shock. The other man's voice trembled, clearly coming from the bottom of his heart.
"Brother Li, I cannot take the pill Escort Cui gave you, no matter what! These fifty taels are my private savings. Take them and train hard."
"If Brother Li truly becomes Chief Escort Zhang's personal disciple someday, please do not forget the sincerity I have shown today!"
Before you continue