Black Market Channels, Testing

"Sister Yuelu, please don't be angry. Que'er was just worried about my big brother."

Mucha knew he was clumsy with words and couldn't sweet-talk. With a face full of sincerity, he simply took out the jerky from his arms.

"But my big brother said we've already received great kindness from the Chief Escort and shouldn't be greedy. That's not how one should behave."

"We can't accept this jerky."

Zhang Yuelu was surprised by his words.

She knew the two brothers came from poor backgrounds and likely didn't know the jerky's origin.

Knowing its value, had they already eaten it?

And after knowing its effects, they could still resist greed and return it?

Taking the jerky, Zhang Yuelu, familiar with the taste, immediately knew it was the same kind they usually ate.

Her expression softened instantly.

It seemed the Li brothers truly knew gratitude and had a sense of propriety.

Seeing her sister's softer expression, Zhang Que'er knew she had passed the test and her sadness turned to joy. She also felt that Mucha had pleaded with their third sister for her sake. Though he was small, just like herself, his figure suddenly seemed incredibly tall in her heart.

"Hehe, Mucha, that dummy, he still cares about me."

Just as she was about to step forward and comfort Mucha's wounded spirit with a pat on the shoulder, Zhang Yuelu beat her to it, pulling Mucha into her embrace with a smile as warm as a spring breeze. This infuriated Zhang Que'er, who clenched her small fists but could only endure it for the moment.

"Mucha, I knew you were a good child. How about this, later you can take a letter to your big brother for me."

"Demon meat..."

Li Cunxiao looked at the letter in his hand. The pure white Xuan paper was soft yet strong, with neat lines of elegant calligraphy and a gentle tone.

In simple terms, Zhang Yuelu lightly dismissed the matter, stating that a child's mischief didn't need to be made a big deal of.

There were no rewards or punishments for the Li brothers returning the item, but Li Cunxiao knew this was the best possible outcome.

After all, to put it bluntly, the brothers were living under someone else's roof and hadn't accomplished anything for the Escort Agency.

The demon jerky didn't belong to him in the first place. If the owner was happy, they could bestow it as a gift, but it was also reasonable for them not to, as they owed him nothing.

It was good that Mucha was fine.

The only thing that surprised Li Cunxiao was that Zhang Yuelu's letter detailed the effects of demon meat, serving as both an explanation and a form of future incentive.

"Demons are brutal beasts, their flesh and blood containing malevolent energy. If consumed without proper processing, it can lead to irritability and anger at best, or even madness and demonic possession at worst."

"Within the Escort Agency, only escorts are qualified to receive demon meat."

"Martial artists cultivate by consuming demon flesh and blood?"

Li Cunxiao subconsciously recalled the inexplicable irritability he felt when consuming the demon meat that morning, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Yuelu's letter mentioned that processed demon meat could greatly replenish Blood Essence while minimizing the impact on the spirit.

And after Li Cunxiao consumed the demon jerky that morning, while his Blood Qi increased, the Vajra Scepter's charge also increased by about one-sixteenth.

However, when he consumed the Escort Agency's medicinal soup after his morning training, only his Blood Qi increased; the Vajra Scepter showed no reaction at all.

If the medicinal soup's effect was too weak to trigger a reaction from the Vajra Scepter, then it meant...

"It's the malevolent energy! The Vajra Scepter needs malevolent energy!"

"Demons are devils. Could eating demon meat also be considered Falling Devil?!"

The emergence of this new line of thought immediately invigorated Li Cunxiao.

If this were true, wouldn't that mean that the more unprocessed demon meat, with its stronger malevolent energy, the better its effect on him?

He had already personally experienced that processed demon meat was excellent for cultivation, but its sale would undoubtedly have many restrictions, and the price would be beyond his means.

But what about the black market?

Where there are rules, there will be those who break them. With both legitimate and illegitimate channels, there must be gray areas.

The only problem now was finding someone with connections, as the black market was called that for a reason – it was bound to be hidden from the sight of ordinary people.

A name suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"I remember when He Bi talked about sensing Qi, he seemed to have some hidden circumstances..."

The next day.

It was still dark when the door of Room D-4 opened. The first to emerge was Qin Yu, humming a tune, followed by Run Dong, who hurried along. However, by the time they reached the training grounds, the sparse group of early risers already had the two roommates standing there.

Qin Yu immediately felt a sense of superiority but couldn't express it directly, so he nudged Run Dong beside him and raised an eyebrow:

"Look over there."

Run Dong instinctively looked over and saw Li Cunxiao and He Bi practicing horse stance.

His face also unconsciously lifted a bit, and a spark of spirit appeared in his eyes.

Young people are always prone to comparison, especially when they are roommates.

Like Run Dong and Qin Yu, they were sons of small shop owners. To enter the Escort Agency and cultivate martial arts, their families had to strain their finances and spend a considerable sum of money.

However, the remaining two... He Bi's father was a wealthy merchant in the outer city who owned a grain store, and his family was well-off. Mastering Tiger Form Fist in seven days was one thing.

But the other Li Cunxiao was just a helper at the tavern. He didn't know what stroke of luck he'd stumbled upon, but he received favor from the Chief Escort and brought his younger brother into the Escort Agency.

In just half a month, he could already vaguely sense Vitality.

This speed, among the apprentices in the Escort Agency, wasn't particularly fast.

But it surpassed Run Dong, who had been there for two months, and Qin Yu, who had been there for one month.

This greatly stimulated the young men's pride.

Fortunately, the two of them finally broke through first. Now, they no longer had to stand in the same place practicing stances with ordinary apprentices. Instead, they were on the other side of the training ground learning active posts and combat techniques, already becoming reserve escorts!

Waving from a distance to their "former" roommates, Qin Yu and Run Dong walked away with refreshed spirits.

"Has Qin Yu been learning combat techniques for seven or eight days?"

He Bi was a young man with handsome features and a tall, slender build. As he spoke, his tone held little envy, but instead, a hint of smugness and excitement.

Li Cunxiao had also been at the Escort Agency for half a month, practicing martial arts and training every day. Coupled with the nourishing meals he had at every sitting, his physique rapidly expanded, and he grew over an inch taller.

Compared to He Bi's appearance as a dashing young man, Li Cunxiao looked more like a robust man in his early twenties, quite formidable.

Upon hearing He Bi's words, Li Cunxiao glanced at him. Recalling the progress of He Bi's training, he immediately had a guess in his mind.

As expected, when the helpers had all gathered and Cui Yao was about to drill them, He Bi suddenly stepped out from the crowd, cupped his fists, and announced loudly:

"Instructor Cui, I had an epiphany during my training yesterday and can now sense Vitality."

Before he finished speaking, the helpers let out a surprised murmur. Cui Yao was also a bit surprised upon hearing this and immediately stepped forward to test him.

Within the human body, where the meridians intertwine, lie the acupoints, which are also the hubs of Vitality.

Cui Yao struck a few acupoints on He Bi's arm with extremely precise force. Those who hadn't begun cultivation would only feel a tingling sensation, but an initiate of Tiger Form Fist could sense the changes in the flow of Vitality.

Indeed, He Bi's answers were all accurate. The surrounding helpers immediately showed envious expressions.

"Didn't he start less than half a month ago? And he can sense Vitality already?"

"His family is wealthy and doesn't lack supplements. As long as Vitality is strong, even a blind person can sense it!"

He Bi remained indifferent to the surrounding chatter. Others might be surprised, but he himself knew that to shorten the time for Sensing Qi, he had risked taking Demon Meat bought from the black market.

When he was absent for a few days, he claimed it was due to family matters, but in reality, it was his first time eating it, and he consumed too much. The malevolent energy from the Demon Meat overwhelmed his mind, making him too agitated to train.

To calm him down, the maids in his household were exhausted.

After the outburst, He Bi learned his lesson and only dared to take a small amount each time afterward.

Fortunately, he had finally broken through, so the suffering wasn't in vain.

"I remember you haven't been practicing for ten days since you started, right? Not bad."

Cui Yao showed some satisfaction. The shorter the time taken to sense Qi, the higher the talent, or the more willing the family was to spend money.

Either way, it was good for the Escort Agency.

He Bi couldn't help but show a hint of joy. Just as he was about to respond with modesty, Li Cunxiao suddenly stepped out from the crowd, cupped his fists, and said:

"Instructor Cui, I have also broken through to sensing Qi. Please test me."

Thanks to the book friend 20250102194202264 for the reward.