Expanding Income Streams

After steadying himself, Chen Mu washed up and cooked.

White wheat rice, charcoal-grilled wild rabbit, and a platter of wild forest fruit.

This was the first time he had carefully prepared a meal since returning to Chen Family Village.

For the past few days, he had been dazed, spending all day drilling into the woods to throw stones and practice the Flying Locust Stone.

This skill gave him a sense of security.

The plants, insects, and snakes in the forest had suffered quite a bit at his hands.

He brought up the Gray Wall.

Writing: 1445/10000/Second Tier;

Drawing: 1353/10000/Second Tier;

Throwing: 4623/10000/Second Tier;

Red Falcon Body Tempering Technique: 216/10000/Second Tier;

Culinary: 2642/10000/Tier 1;

He had slackened off somewhat on the Body Tempering Technique, gaining only around thirty proficiency points each day.

Instead, he had pushed the throwing skill more than halfway through.

Not only had his throwing technique become more refined, but his mind had also gained many strange methods for crafting concealed weapons.

Chen Mu could not help but recall something.

When he killed Sheng Hong, one of the stones had flown straight at the man's forehead.

Sheng Hong's forehead had split open and bloodied his entire face, yet the bone beneath had not broken.

"Once the Body Tempering Technique reaches the Bone Strengthening Realm, the bones become hard. Even if an ordinary stone shatters on impact, it might not be able to injure the bone."

"In a couple of days, when I return to the city, I'll have a batch of special concealed weapons made."

Three days later, Chen Mu had no choice but to return to Qingshan County.

He needed to draw wanted posters for the Qingshan County Office.

On the way back to the city, Chen Mu appeared calm, but he was extremely tense inside.

He feared that a squad of yamen runners would suddenly rush out from some corner and swarm him, tying him up hand and foot.

Yet in reality, nothing happened.

Sheng Hong had vanished without a sound, and no one cared.

Even after Chen Mu left the County Office, no one came looking for trouble.

He had even probed around and asked about major happenings in the county.

Other than a Malevolent Spirit causing trouble at the Zuo Family, only to be struck down in a great show of power by Eldest Young Master Zuo, there was nothing else new.

"It's good that everything's peaceful." Reassured, Chen Mu headed home.

On the way, he also stopped by the blacksmith's shop and ordered a pouch of Iron Lotus Seeds, intending to upgrade his Flying Locust Stone.

After cautiously investigating for a few more days and confirming that no one had truly discovered Sheng Hong's death, Chen Mu finally relaxed completely.

Day after day passed, and the weather grew colder and colder.

People on the streets wished they could wrap themselves up like rice dumplings.

Chen Mu also discovered another benefit of the Body Tempering Technique—resistance to cold.

After completing Muscle Strengthening, it seemed as though some special tissue had formed beneath his skin. It not only increased his defense, but also strengthened his tolerance for temperature.

He could feel the cold, but he was not afraid of it.

Still, to avoid standing out, Chen Mu wrapped himself up like a rice dumpling anyway.

East Market rice shop.

Chen Mu left carrying a sack of White Wheat.

"Six copper coins per jin. That's doubled, hasn't it?"

The chaos in the heartland of Great Liang had finally affected this small border city.

He had already begun consciously stockpiling grain.

He then made a round of Butcher Zheng's place, where meat prices had indeed risen as well.

Not only had prices gone up, but there had also been several shortages this month.

"Is Qingshan County going to fall into chaos too?" Chen Mu worried anxiously.

As time passed, the weather grew increasingly cold.

The flow of people on the streets visibly dwindled.

News of turmoil throughout Great Liang made this little city even quieter. Everyone had huddled at home and stopped going out.

The entire county city appeared peaceful, but beneath the surface, undercurrents seemed to be surging.

Chen Mu sat before the Square Table, counting the silver and copper coins in his hands one by one.

"Ninety-seven taels of silver and four hundred thirty-five copper coins."

Between medicine, meat, and training each month, he spent at least sixty taels.

If he did not reduce the intensity of his training, he could hold out for another month and a half at most.

Chen Mu's expression turned grim.

Throughout the entire second month, he had not received a single portrait commission.

Since Boss Zhen of the Wonderful Painting Workshop went to Nanyang Prefecture City, he had never returned.

Without portrait work, Chen Mu's life had immediately taken a sharp turn for the worse.

Portraits depended on a peaceful and stable environment.

With troubled times approaching, the painting and calligraphy trade had inevitably been affected.

"I need to find a way to increase my income."

It was not that he did not want to cut expenses. He simply had no way to.

To rapidly cultivate the Body Tempering Technique, he could not do without the aid of Secret Medicine.

He had also considered no longer having Jie Jia run errands to buy it for him.

Twenty taels of silver each time. His heart ached whenever he saw the old man.

But now the official roads had been blocked by bandits, and the medicine shops were missing most of their medicinal ingredients.

Other than Jie Jia's channels, he had nowhere else to buy medicine.

"Maybe I should sell this manual?" Chen Mu raised his head to look at the portrait hanging on the wall. It recorded the Red Falcon Body Tempering Technique in detail.

He was rather reluctant. He always felt that he should have it all to himself.

But then he thought of how Sheng Hong might have taught this Body Tempering Technique to who knew how many people, so he could not really claim exclusive ownership.

Besides, even if others learned it, without the Proficiency Cheat, no one could cultivate it faster or better than he could.

Thinking of it that way made him feel much better.

He could trade it for a huge sum of silver and cultivate even better and faster!

"It's decided. I'll find a chance to sell this thing for money!"

At the end of the second month, one evening.

Chen Mu prepared a table full of food at home.

Before long, Jie Jia appeared as mysteriously as usual.

Even with Chen Mu's current Muscle Strengthening Realm cultivation, he could only barely make out the other man's figure.

This old man might even be a peerless master of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

"Old Jie, care to have a bite?" Chen Mu invited him warmly.

Jie Jia carefully inspected the dishes, his eyes shifting as he stared at Chen Mu. "Speak."

"Speak about what?" Chen Mu played dumb.

"Payment." Jie Jia casually tossed down the sack containing the medicine.

Forget it if you won't say it.

Chen Mu gave an awkward smile. This old man was still as blunt and direct as ever.

"I want to sell a Body Tempering Technique. I wonder if you have any channels for it." Chen Mu did not hide it.

Yes, Chen Mu had set his sights on Jie Jia.

The man was an assassin with a hidden identity and unique channels.

"Twenty percent." Jie Jia said indifferently.

"What does that mean?" Chen Mu was baffled.

Then he realized that this meant Jie Jia wanted twenty percent as payment?!

That damned old man was so greedy!

"Fine!" Chen Mu said through gritted teeth.

The Body Tempering Technique was powerful. Ordinary people could not afford it, and without connections, it would truly be difficult to sell!

"Tomorrow evening. Ghost Market." Jie Jia nodded in satisfaction.

This old man actually knew about the Ghost Market. He truly had connections!

Chen Mu had lived in Qingshan County for more than half a year and had heard plenty of vague rumors.

The Ghost Market was one of them.

It was said that it sold everything and dared to sell anything!

"Hurry up and pay me. I need to go back and help you open up the Ghost Market connections." Jie Jia urged.

"Alright, alright, alright." Chen Mu's face was full of delight.

Once he sold the Body Tempering Technique, it would give him a major financial boost. He would be able to cultivate steadily for quite some time.

Just as he was about to take out the silver, he suddenly felt that something was off.

Why was Jie Jia urging him to pay?

Chen Mu looked at the packets of medicinal ingredients, then at Jie Jia, who sat there looking utterly composed.

He walked over, opened the bags, and inspected them one by one.

After a long while, Chen Mu pulled out a handful of medicinal ingredients from the very bottom of a bag and carefully compared them with those at the top.

They looked almost identical, but...

Chen Mu looked helplessly at Jie Jia.

Good thing I'd recently been bored enough to read a few medical books and gain the Medicine Crafting skill. Otherwise, you really would have fooled me!

How had your adulteration technique leveled up too?!

"Damn counterfeit medicine seller." Jie Jia said blandly, a flash of disappointment passing through his eyes.

Chen Mu glared at Jie Jia.

When others said that, they were cursing the counterfeit medicine seller for selling fake medicine.

But when Jie Jia said it, he was fucking complaining that the counterfeit medicine seller's medicine was not fake enough!