"Sanlang, the Chief Escort truly thinks highly of you."
Qian Laosan, Gao Huan, and several other veteran escorts watched the young man sorting equipment in the storeroom, unable to keep a few traces of envy from showing on their faces.
"You brothers are joking. Working here in the storeroom is still working for the escort agency. What does being valued or not valued have to do with it?"
Li Cunxiao checked off the sabers, spears, and leather armor in the room against the ledger, chatting and laughing with them as he worked.
Although the old steward who had handed things over to him earlier had said that the work here was leisurely, that attendants usually handled the maintenance, and that they only needed to periodically inspect losses and manage items going in and out of storage.
Li Cunxiao was meticulous by nature. After politely seeing off the old steward, he still had to personally inspect everything once before he could rest easy.
As for Gao Huan and the others, they had heard that Li Cunxiao had changed duties and had come specially to congratulate him.
Though they had not known one another for long, the veteran escorts all thought highly of this imposing-looking young man.
He practiced martial arts diligently, handled matters conscientiously, and treated others kindly. During the last escort mission, he had even saved Big Foot Li's life.
If his parents had not died early and left him without anyone to support him, matchmakers should already have been knocking on his door by now.
"You foolish boy, Escort Missions may pay well, but you sleep rough and eat whatever the wind and dew bring. There are demons, monsters, and bandits along the road. Which one of us brothers doesn't keep his head tucked into his belt? We're terrified that one day, the wives and sons back home will have to wear hemp and mourning clothes."
"But the storeroom is different. You may not get a share of the profits, but there's little work and a whole heap of time for fun. If I were you, I'd have gone to a brothel long ago."
Seeing Qian Yu and the others growing more outrageous with every word, Gao Huan hurriedly coughed.
"Sanlang, don't listen to these unreliable fools spouting nonsense. Since you have the time, practice more. Go ask Escort Cui Yao for guidance more often. Studying martial arts properly is the serious path."
"Back then, Great Escort Shi Tie also began with Escort Missions before coming to the storeroom. He studied diligently and trained bitterly, and later became the Chief Escort's eldest disciple."
"You're still young. You need to work hard!"
Li Cunxiao could hear that these words came from the heart. Looking at the men before him, all at least around thirty years old, he suddenly said:
"Old Brother Gao, Old Brother Qian, if I become the Chief Escort's disciple someday, will you come on Escort Missions with me?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha! You brat, Old Gao says a few words and you take them seriously?"
Qian Laosan and the other men laughed so hard they bent forward and backward. Gao Huan, however, was somewhat surprised. In his understanding, Li Cunxiao was not someone who liked boasting, nor was he someone who enjoyed joking around.
But Zhang Lishi taking Li Cunxiao as a disciple... wasn't that Ye Chengxiao fellow the one who had been making the biggest name for himself lately?
Gao Huan laughed silently. It seemed Li Sanlang was still young. Sometimes, he too would indulge in dreams.
It was good to have dreams.
After another ten-odd years, once you had endured your way into becoming like us, you would no longer be able to dream.
Gao Huan did not say those words aloud. The escorts beside him likewise did not take Li Cunxiao's words seriously. They merely agreed to drink together after their shift ended at dusk, then turned and left.
In their eyes, Li Cunxiao did indeed count as talented within the escort agency. Being transferred to the storeroom now was indeed because the Chief Escort valued the character he had displayed during Escort Missions and intended to elevate him.
But at most, after four or five years, he would reach Blood Qi Perfection, then become the disciple of one among the four escorts such as Ge Yingyang. After another four or five years, he would become an escort in his thirties. That would already be the peak of his prospects.
Forget becoming Zhang Lishi's disciple—even becoming a disciple of the Cui brothers was something countless people begged for and could not obtain!
Yet all these years, the Cui brothers had stubbornly never taken on a single disciple.
Li Cunxiao watched everyone's retreating backs without saying anything more.
Actions spoke louder than words. Once he broke through to the Muscle Realm and formally entered Zhang Lishi's school, everything would naturally become clear.
No matter what, Gao Huan and the others had been right about one thing: the storeroom work truly was leisurely.
Li Cunxiao spent most of the day checking inventory, then remained there until his shift ended at dusk. Not a single person came to disturb him.
For someone used to being busy, this sudden idleness was genuinely a little uncomfortable.
Back when he had worked at the restaurant, even taking a moment to sneak a drink of water could get him caught and scolded.
Shopkeeper Sun was not a bad man, but whenever it came to the wages he paid out, he truly wished the attendants would wipe down the latrine while they relieved themselves.
"There are few people in the storeroom, but to be safe, I should practice the Visualization Method at home. Here, I can continue standing stake and boxing."
"Oh, right. Master Zhang must have quite a few books in his residence. I came from a poor background and only know a few characters."
"They say that opening a book brings benefit. The more chaotic the world becomes, the more precious knowledge is. If I learn more, perhaps it may come in handy someday."
Li Cunxiao planned everything out one by one. Only after filling his day's schedule to the brim again did he let out a breath of relief.
As for time to rest and relax, he reserved only a portion for Wood Fork.
If it had been his previous life, he probably would have started crying misery within three days of living like this. But in this life, the sense of fulfillment brought by grinding inward instead made him feel at ease.
After his shift, Li Cunxiao met with his colleagues as agreed and did not return until a quarter into the hour of the dog.
The night was deep. On the silent streets, only the night watchman's footsteps drew near and then faded away. The sound of his clapper announced that the first watch had passed, and ordinary households had long since entered their dreams.
Inside the small courtyard house, Li Cunxiao opened the sandalwood box softly by candlelight. Within lay five savage-looking pieces of Tiger Insect Jerky.
Along with this Tiger Demon Jerky came three catties of premium Demon Meat, pills for calming the mind, soothing the spirit, regulating internal heat, detoxifying and healing injuries, as well as Trauma Medicine for external wounds. The assortment covered every aspect of cultivation and combat.
According to Zhang Yuelu, these resources were enough for half a month of cultivation.
"Half a month?"
Li Cunxiao examined the strange dried meat that looked both like a tiger and a centipede, feeling somewhat helpless.
Taking this Tiger Demon Jerky once every three days and visualizing the Fundamental Diagram could indeed last half a month. Li Cunxiao had later discovered that visualizing the Fundamental Diagram also consumed mental energy.
If he visualized again without sufficient rest, not only would the effects be poor, it would also cause mental agitation. Too much was as bad as too little.
But as for the remaining resources, especially the Demon Jerky, Li Cunxiao could now eat a catty a day. Forget half a month—even half a day would not be enough!
"Could it be that after the Vajra Scepter absorbed Killing Intent, I consumed Demon Meat at an entirely different rate from other martial artists?"
"Do they only eat one or two taels a day?"
Li Cunxiao immediately developed a headache, feeling as if he had become one of those pill-popping protagonists from immortal cultivation novels.
Others could achieve Foundation Establishment with a single pill, while he needed to eat a whole bottle. He was a pure money-burning glutton, a pay-to-win player.
Fortunately, his cultivation speed was directly proportional to his meat consumption. As long as he had enough Demon Meat and replenished Killing Intent with all his might, there would be no bottlenecks in his martial cultivation. His future was bright.
So the question now was, how would he make up the shortage of Demon Meat?
"I can apply to Master Zhang for more. Perhaps being able to eat is also the mark of a genius?"
"But I can't possibly ask for too much. Another catty or two would be the limit. For the rest, I'll probably still need to go to the black market. I ordered Second Order Demon Meat last time, and I wonder whether the Firewood Gang has any leads yet."
"Besides, I'm not afraid of Killing Intent. I can ask them to skip the processing step and see whether I can shave off some silver. Demon Meat that costs a hundred taels a catty..."
Thinking of this, Li Cunxiao's head began to ache again. He planned to find an opportunity to sell Shen He's jade pendant for some silver.
Not to mention more, he could at least get seventy or eighty taels of silver for it. Added to his current savings, he would have around a hundred taels.
"Since things have come to this, I should eat first."
After putting away the dried Tiger Demon Worm, Li Cunxiao took out the leftover Demon Meat he had bought at the black market last time and placed it on the table together with what Zhang Lishi had given him.
After advancing to Blood Qi Perfection, he still did not know how much charge these things could provide for the Vajra Scepter!
Morning training at the Flying Tiger Escort Agency training grounds.
"Eh? He Bi, Qin Yu, the two of you have improved quite a bit lately, haven't you?"
Cui Yao carried a white waxwood staff as he walked back and forth among the groups practicing exchanges. Whenever he spotted even the slightest mistake, he raised the staff and struck.
After making his rounds, he watched Qin Yu and He Bi for half an hour. To his surprise, he could not find a single place to bring down his staff.
Seeing him lower the staff, Qin Yu's taut heart finally eased a little. He Bi also let out a breath and said:
"Instructor Cui, you overpraise us. We dare not accept it. But lately, Qin Yu and I have often sought guidance from Li Sanlang and gained much from it."
Li Sanlang? Li Cunxiao?
Hearing this, Cui Yao could not help thinking of the young man transferred from the escort convoy to the storeroom.
To be honest, there was nothing wrong with Zhang Lishi doing so to commend a righteous act. But Cui Yao had known him for many years, and he could more or less sense that there was something different about it.
Yet when that possibility surfaced in his heart, he found it hard to believe and even less able to confirm it.
Ten years earlier, he often would have done such things on a momentary impulse. But after being reprimanded by his elder brother too many times, Cui Yao had gradually learned to rein in his curiosity.
What he could see, his elder brother Cui Wei could surely see as well. Since his elder brother had not reacted, neither would he interfere.
A mule or a horse had to be led out for a walk eventually. He would simply wait and watch the show.
"Li Cunxiao is indeed quite good. If he had family to support him, his path in martial arts would surely be smoother than it is now."
After casually saying that, Cui Yao strode off with the white waxwood staff in hand.
The speaker had no intent, but the listener took it to heart.
He Bi immediately remembered the matter he had mentioned to his father: his plan to have Li Cunxiao lend his name to the grain shop.
Having a martial master lend his name to a business was, in truth, a form of paying protection money. Once others knew you had connections, invisible troubles would lessen considerably.
With Li Cunxiao's strength in manipulating Blood Essence, Old Master He had naturally opposed his son's plan upon first hearing it. But now that Li Cunxiao had become the storeroom manager, the situation had changed.
He Bi had come to the escort agency to study martial arts for two reasons. One was that he held hopes for his own talent in martial arts. The other was that he wanted to secure a job at the escort agency.
After more than a month of training, eating Demon Meat and boxing every day, he had gradually touched the ceiling of his potential—insufficient compared to those above, yet more than enough compared to those below. With a few years of hard work, reaching Blood Qi Perfection would not be a problem. But the Muscle Realm was harder to say; merely finding a master would be difficult.
With that fantasy shattered, finding employment became the worry weighing on his heart.
The He Family Grain Shop possessed abundant wealth, but lacked martial strength and feared that should trouble arise in the future, it would be unable to protect itself.
The strength of the experts they hired was certainly not poor, but how could they compare with the golden signboard of an escort agency?
Others might not think much of the storeroom manager's position, but to He Bi and Old Master He, it was an excellent post.
There was no need to undertake Escort Missions, no danger involved, and he could frequently associate with escorts. Perhaps merely sharing a meal or drinking together once in a while could forge deep ties.
Li Cunxiao was now the storeroom manager. If a suitable opportunity arose later and he helped arrange things, perhaps He Bi could also obtain a stable job at the escort agency.
It did not matter whether the pay was high or low. Wouldn't the Flying Tiger Escort Agency's skin then be firmly draped over him?
Under such circumstances, did his father still have any reason to refuse?
The more He Bi thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Once morning training ended, he eagerly went to find Li Cunxiao, intending to invite him to his residence as a guest that evening.
"Tonight?"
Delight stirred in Li Cunxiao's heart.
He had already planned to visit his angel investor, but the invitation had come at precisely the right time. After breaking through to Blood Qi Perfection, he had discovered that Demon Meat's effects had noticeably declined once more.
Now, whether it was flesh bought from the Firewood Gang's shop in the black market or from street stalls, he had to force down an entire catty merely to achieve the slightest increase.
Before reaching Blood Qi Perfection, a catty of Demon Meat each day could fill the Vajra Scepter once in roughly twenty days. Now, that time had doubled, and the effect had plummeted.
Li Cunxiao had known this day would come, so he had deliberately kept a piece of Blood-Patterned Mountain Spectre meat for a comparative test. The results were clear: the flesh of this demon, whose strength was suspected to be at Blood Qi Perfection, provided stronger Killing Intent than black-market jerky.
By now, he could basically summarize several patterns:
The stronger the demon and monster, and the fewer processing steps its meat had undergone, the greater the Killing Intent contained within it. If the Blood-Patterned Mountain Spectre served as the standard for a First Order Demon, then the black-market jerky contained 0.6 spectres' worth of Killing Intent, while its blood qi content was roughly 0.4 spectres' worth—equivalent in strength to a martial artist capable of manipulating Blood Essence.
After all, demons and monsters at that level were relatively easy for martial artists at Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi and Heart and Lung Circulation to kill and harvest.
And the "premium" Demon Meat Zhang Lishi had given him truly was premium. Its blood qi content was roughly 0.7 spectres, while the Killing Intent after consumption was extremely slight, about 0.3 spectres. For ordinary martial artists, it was undoubtedly an excellent cultivation resource that could be consumed without burden.
But what Li Cunxiao needed was the exact opposite of what ordinary martial artists needed. Others regarded Killing Intent as vipers and scorpions, while he relished it as sweet nectar.
Fortunately, after discovering the problem last night, he had immediately gone to the black market. The Firewood Gang shop had finally obtained news of Second Order Demon Meat.
The good news was that Demon Meat was already in stock.
After Li Cunxiao proposed skipping the processing procedure, the shopkeeper's expression became extremely strange, but he reluctantly agreed. He gave him a discount from the original hundred taels per catty, lowering it to seventy taels per catty. He could collect it the next day, without wasting time waiting for processing.
The bad news was that, calculated at Li Cunxiao's consumption of a catty per day, seventy taels was still extremely expensive. No matter how effective Second Order Demon Meat proved to be, he needed to buy at least ten days' worth—seven hundred taels of silver.
Seven hundred taels!
Even if he sold Shen He's jade pendant, he could only scrape together at most a hundred taels. And after careful consideration, he realized that he could not sell it.
Shen He's personal jade pendant entering the black market would be far too conspicuous. Such an item was like a custom luxury car belonging to a rich second-generation heir in his previous life. Ordinary people might not recognize it, but those within the circle would see through it at a glance.
His master-disciple relationship with Zhang Lishi had not yet been made public. It was best not to create unnecessary complications.
Thinking of this, Li Cunxiao's gaze toward He Bi grew gentler, as though he were looking at a savior.
"Brother He, you truly are my timely rain!"
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