Ways to Make Money

It had been mentioned before that cultivating the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture's training method brought an incredibly pleasant sensation, one so ethereal it made people reluctant to stop.

Yet that sensation could easily make one lose oneself in it, eventually cultivating oneself to death. It was tremendously harmful to one's mind and will.

However, it could effectively offset the pain brought by the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture's combat method. Coupled with Song Ankang's ability to absorb its side effects, not only would he not become addicted to it, it would instead sharpen his mind and strengthen his will.

This was the perfect antidote!

Song Ankang had not dared use this antidote recklessly before, because the surplus energy in his body was limited. But now that he had several bottles of medicinal pills to assist him, he had grown far bolder. While enduring the agony caused by the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture's combat method, he could use its training method to counteract that pain.

In this way, the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture's training and combat methods could effectively neutralize and spur each other on through the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance. Together with the side effects brought by the medicinal pills, Song Ankang's strength rose at a ferocious pace.

To describe that speed as advancing a thousand miles in a day would have been an insult. Ten thousand miles a day could barely convey its swiftness.

He cultivated bitterly until midnight. Only after tempering his stomach and intestines did Song Ankang fall into deep sleep.

To avoid affecting his cultivation foundation, Song Ankang did not use the Viscera Injury Fist to knock himself unconscious before sleeping. Instead, he planned to cultivate the Viscera Injury Fist while awake.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Song Ankang took several dozen taels of silver and rode a carriage to Tongxin Town.

Among the Human Race of the Xia Kingdom, one tael of silver was worth one thousand copper coins. A copper coin was roughly equivalent to one yuan on Earth, though it had somewhat greater purchasing power.

One hundred taels of silver were worth one tael of gold. The exchange rate between silver and gold was one hundred to one, while the rate between copper coins and silver was one thousand to one.

Several dozen taels of silver amounted to tens of thousands of yuan, absolutely no small sum for ordinary people.

Jiang Yunhe guarded him at his side, while Qiushi's little face was full of excitement. She was clearly delighted to be getting out for some fresh air.

Upon arriving in Tongxin Town, he received the townsfolk's enthusiastic welcome as usual.

"Great Filial Son Song is here! We heard all about what happened at the cloth shop. Thank you for eliminating that vicious female ghost and saving the lives of everyone in our town."

"Young Master Song is even more handsome than last time, and his bearing has improved as well. Come taste my family's fried cakes—they've just come out of the oven and are absolutely delicious."

"A few days ago, I gathered a nest of medicinal chicken eggs. They're especially good for replenishing qi and blood. Would Great Filial Son Song like some? I'll give you a few."

"That female ghost was near our home. I even ran into her the day before Great Filial Son Song got rid of her. If my wife hadn't noticed that something was wrong in time, I would have been killed then and there. Thank you so much, Great Filial Son Song."

Like the residents of many places in the Xia Kingdom, the people of Tongxin Town knew to respect the elderly and care for the young, and they knew even better how to repay kindness.

As Capital's Foremost Filial Son, Song Ankang had already been an example and benchmark in the hearts of all the residents. What was more, he had killed the female ghost hiding in Tongxin Town and harming people a few days ago, saving many lives.

This made the residents of Tongxin Town think even more highly of Song Ankang. Though their lives were not prosperous and they might even go hungry this year, they still generously brought out some good things, hoping to let Song Ankang have a taste.

Song Ankang smiled and politely declined, but he could not withstand the residents' enthusiasm. Before long, the carriage was loaded with quite a few snacks, enough for him to eat for several days.

His heart warmed somewhat. Though the Human Race here struggled to survive, they were truly united and friendly toward one another. There were very few people who were utterly vicious and evil.

Whether in the many villages near the capital or those elsewhere, there were many places where no one picked up lost items on the road and doors were left unbarred at night. Even open and secret struggles and mutual slaughter among the Human Race were not especially common.

By the time Song Ankang and his party reached their destination, Huachun Hall, the carriage was already piled high with goods.

"Young Master Song, you truly deserve to be Capital's Foremost Filial Son. You're so popular!"

At the entrance to Huachun Hall stood a tall woman with a square face and large eyes. Looking at the goods piled in the carriage, she said with a smile.

Song Ankang hurriedly climbed down from the carriage. "You flatter me, Shopkeeper. It is only because the people of the town think highly of me."

"This is not mere esteem. It is heartfelt respect and gratitude." The square-faced, large-eyed woman smiled. "I heard about what happened a few days ago as well. If not for Young Master Song, I fear all of Tongxin Town would have been in danger. A female ghost comparable to a martial artist of the Inner Refinement Realm was nearly impossible for anyone in Tongxin Town to resist."

Song Ankang smiled. "Then Instructor Jiang should be thanked as well. Instructor Jiang was the one who killed that female ghost."

"Instructor Jiang naturally deserves thanks, but so does Young Master Song." The square-faced, large-eyed woman said, "I am Pang Huachun, the head shopkeeper of Huachun Hall. These past few days, I happened to come from the capital to purchase some medicinal herbs unique to the area around Tongxin Town. I didn't expect to arrive just in time for this incident. It seems I have quite an affinity with Young Master Song."

"May I ask what brings Young Master Song here today? If there is anything you need, Huachun Hall will certainly spare no effort to help."

Upon hearing that this square-faced, large-eyed woman was Pang Huachun, the head shopkeeper of Huachun Hall, Song Ankang was somewhat surprised. Even in the capital, Huachun Hall was no small apothecary. Its branches were spread throughout and beyond the capital, numbering at least several dozen.

He had not expected Pang Huachun, the head shopkeeper and founder of Huachun Hall, to happen to come to Tongxin Town on business. What a coincidence.

After they entered the reception hall, Pang Huachun had someone prepare tea. Song Ankang smiled and said, "Actually, I came to Huachun Hall today mainly because I hope to cooperate with Huachun Hall on a certain matter."

"Cooperate with Huachun Hall?" Pang Huachun paused. "As I recall, Huachun Hall has always worked with Chaoyun Manor. Quite a few of Chaoyun Manor's medicinal herbs are sold to Huachun Hall."

Song Ankang shook his head. "That is merely a buyer-seller relationship, not a cooperative partnership. By cooperation, I mean that I wish to provide Huachun Hall with some preliminarily processed medicinal herbs. That way, Huachun Hall can directly use these processed herbs to refine medicinal pills, without needing to specifically recruit large numbers of apprentices to learn how to handle those herbs."

"Young Master Song means that Chaoyun Manor would take over most of the work done by Huachun Hall's apothecary apprentices and earn some fees from it?" Pang Huachun's eyes lit up.

Song Ankang nodded. "That is more or less what I mean. However, Chaoyun Manor would also purchase medicinal herbs, then sell the processed herbs to Huachun Hall for a certain profit."

"If it is merely simple processing, it is not worth much money. But if you want to process them to the point where they can be used directly to refine medicinal pills, it will require considerably more time and effort. You would also need to train specialized apprentices. Young Master Song, are you sure this will not cost more than it earns?" Pang Huachun looked at Song Ankang skeptically.

Song Ankang smiled. "If Chaoyun Manor only processes somewhat simpler medicinal herbs and brings them to the point where they can be directly used to refine medicinal pills, there should be no problem."

"Moreover, Chaoyun Manor will not be like Huachun Hall, training apprentices to become proficient in processing every kind of medicinal herb. We will only train some apprentices to specialize in processing one, or perhaps several, kinds of medicinal herbs. That will not be difficult, and efficiency will rise quickly."