Apricot Yellow Medical Hall

Over the next few days, Su Yi's life was extremely regular.

At dawn, he went to the Mulberry Forest on the banks of the Great Cang River to practice martial arts. At noon, he returned to the city to purchase medicinal herbs, and once home, he brewed medicinal decoctions to temper his body.

In just three days.

The two sesame-seed-sized pieces of Obsidian Spirit Crystal had been completely refined.

And Su Yi's cultivation had reached the perfected stage of "Flesh Refining."

The next step would be to begin cultivating the "Flesh Tendons" stage.

Such cultivation speed could already be called terrifying, and it was more than ten days faster than Su Yi had first expected!

However, such progress was also reasonable.

After all, the medicinal herbs he consumed every day were worth fifteen hundred taels, and the Obsidian Spirit Crystals he refined were incomparably rare. Combined with the profundities of the Pine Crane Body Forging Art, it would have been hard for his cultivation not to advance.

"I only have two thousand taels of silver left..."

Beneath the Green Date tree in the courtyard, Su Yi lay lazily in a rocking chair, basking in the sun. Mottled light spilled down through the Green Date tree's branches, making his eyes narrow slightly.

He had just undergone an extreme bout of cultivation, and his body needed rest.

In only ten days, eight thousand taels of the ten-thousand-tael banknote Zi Jin had given him had already been spent. This forced even Su Yi to start pondering ways to make money.

"But there's no hurry when it comes to making money."

Su Yi raised his hand, picked up a cup of Ginseng Tea placed on the desk at his side, and drained it in one gulp.

At once, a refreshing warm current flowed down his throat and into his body, spreading like a tide through his limbs and bones. His qi and blood abruptly boiled, and his originally exhausted body began recovering rapidly.

In merely a moment, all the fatigue throughout his body was swept clean away!

This was medicinal tea brewed from the leaves of the Nine Leaves King Ginseng. Su Yi had also added Blood Poria, Polygonum Multiflorum, and other medicinal ingredients, so it contained an incomparably abundant accumulation of vitality and Spiritual Qi.

"Use the leaves for tea, the roots for soup, and chew the fruit raw. This Nine Leaves King Ginseng should be enough to support my cultivation for several days at least," Su Yi thought to himself.

After all, the Nine Leaves King Ginseng was a Second Grade Spirit Medicine. It was more than enough even to satisfy cultivation in the Qi Gathering Realm.

"I'll go forge a sword tomorrow morning!"

Letting out a long breath, Su Yi's eyes became bright.

In his past life, he had proven his Dao through the sword. In the end, his sword had suppressed the starry sky, and he alone reigned supreme over the Great Wilderness Nine Provinces, honored by the world as "Xuan Jun Sword Master."

And the reason he had reincarnated was likewise to break through to an even higher realm in the Dao of the Sword!

It could be said that the entirety of his Dao accomplishments, Su Xuanjun's, were all connected to the Dao of the Sword.

Since he was a sword cultivator, how could there be no sword in his hand?

"Son-in-law, the mistress asks that you go to the main hall. She says there's something she wants to discuss with you."

A maid's voice suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard.

Su Yi was startled, then answered, "All right."

The main hall.

When Su Yi arrived, his father-in-law, Wen Changtai, and mother-in-law, Qin Qing, were already seated at the dining table.

On the table was a steaming, sumptuous lunch.

"You sit and eat too."

Wen Changtai glanced at Su Yi and spoke.

"Hold it!"

Qin Qing glared at Wen Changtai in displeasure.

Wen Changtai immediately shut his mouth, lowered his head, and silently ate.

Su Yi was already used to this. His father-in-law, Wen Changtai, was an "honest man," simple and dutiful by nature, without great ambitions, wanting only to live a steady, peaceful life.

Qin Qing set down her bowl and chopsticks and said, "Su Yi, do you know that Lingzhao is about to become the direct disciple of the Vice Palace Master of Heavenly Origin Academy?"

Su Yi nodded. "I heard."

On the second day after Old Madam's Longevity Banquet ended, news spread that Wen Lingzhao had caught the eye of Zhu Guqing, the Vice Palace Master of Heavenly Origin Academy, who intended to take her as a direct disciple.

Zhu Guqing was one of the few Martial Dao Grandmasters in Cloud River County, her reputation spreading far and wide.

To ordinary martial artists, she was like a divine dragon in the heavens.

For Wen Lingzhao to be favored by such a Martial Dao Grandmaster simply made everyone in the Wen Family wildly overjoyed, and they all boiled with excitement.

And when the news spread, the entire Guangling City was shaken, setting off a heaven-startling uproar. Who knew how many people were left in an uproar over it?

But to Su Yi, it was merely somewhat unexpected.

After all, Wen Lingzhao had entered Heavenly Origin Academy less than half a month ago, yet she had already gained the favor of a Martial Dao Grandmaster. Even Su Yi had not expected that.

However, he was far from shocked by it.

She was only the disciple of a Martial Dao Grandmaster in the Furnace Nourishing Realm. What did that amount to?

Joy showed at the tips of Qin Qing's brows as she said, "This is a heaven-sent happy occasion for our Wen family. This morning, the clan leader personally agreed to grant our family a thousand taels of gold, ten bushels of pearls, nine house deeds, and even handed over the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall on Azure Sparrow Street in Guangling City for our family to manage!"

At this point, her brows danced with delight, her face glowing, and there was no need to mention how pleased with herself she was.

These past few days had absolutely been the most comfortable Qin Qing had felt in a long time. No matter who saw her, they greeted her with smiles, full of warmth and the flavor of fawning.

Even the clan leader and Old Madam were noticeably far more respectful when facing her!

It even made Qin Qing feel a little light-headed, as if it were unreal.

"That is indeed a happy occasion."

Su Yi gave a perfunctory reply.

Qin Qing suddenly grew wary and said, "None of this wealth has any share for you. Don't even think about it!"

Su Yi did not know whether to laugh or cry. Even if he lacked money, he had all kinds of methods to earn it. Why would he need to covet this little bit?

Qin Qing seemed to think of something. Her jade-like face shifted through several expressions, and in the end, as if she had made up her mind, she said:

"You've already been in our family for a year, and you can't keep eating soft rice forever. I plan to have you take over the business of the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall!"

Su Yi froze.

Though Azure Sparrow Street was not the most bustling area of Guangling City, it was still densely populated, gathering people from every trade, every walk of life, the three teachings and nine schools alike.

The Apricot Yellow Medical Hall located on this street had been open for many years and had never needed to worry about lacking business.

What made Su Yi suspicious was this: would his mother-in-law, who had always rejected and loathed him, really be kind enough to give him such a benefit?

Then he saw Qin Qing's expression turn stern as she said harshly, "I'm warning you. Though I'm letting you manage the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall, you must hand over one thousand taels of silver to me every month. If it's less than that amount, don't blame me for turning my face and showing no mercy!"

Only then did Su Yi understand. Right, this was more like the mother-in-law he knew. There was no way she would casually hand benefits over to him.

"One thousand taels a month?"

Wen Changtai could not help speaking up.

Qin Qing said smugly, "I stayed up all night last night and finally sorted out the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall's accounts. If things continue according to the current situation, the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall can only earn around one thousand taels a month, with at most a difference of no more than three taels of silver!"

Su Yi was startled. In his mother-in-law's calculations, he was completely just a hard laborer, and the sort who took no wages...

What was this supposed to be?

The Xuan Jun Sword Master who had stood alone and supreme over the Great Wilderness World in his previous life, only to be squeezed and exploited by his shrewd mother-in-law after reincarnation?

"What if Su Yi fails to earn a full one thousand taels of silver in a month?"

Wen Changtai asked.

Qin Qing gave a cold laugh, her tongue nimble as she said, "It's not as if I'm unreasonable. The Su fellow can owe it first, as long as he pays it back within three months."

After a pause, she said leisurely, "But in that case, he'll need to pay an extra sum of interest. The more he owes, the more interest there will be. If he doesn't pay it off within three months, interest will beget interest. By then, the money and interest he owes will keep accumulating, and the total debt he owes will keep doubling."

After hearing this, even an honest man like Wen Changtai could not help sucking in a cold breath, and he began to feel somewhat pitying toward Su Yi.

Qin Qing took a sip of tea to moisten her throat. Immediately after, her gaze cut toward Su Yi like a knife. "You wouldn't refuse to pay back a debt, would you?"

Su Yi asked in return, "What if I earn more than one thousand taels every month?"

Qin Qing immediately laughed and praised him, "You, who eat soft rice, at least still have some ambition, knowing you should earn more money. Then I might as well tell you: any part earned in a month that exceeds one thousand taels all belongs to you."

"Good. Then it's settled."

Su Yi agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Qin Qing froze, not having expected Su Yi to agree so straightforwardly. Instead, she felt somewhat uneasy.

After thinking it over, she warned him again, "If you dare play any tricks, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Very soon, Su Yi left.

Qin Qing told him to go to the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall tomorrow, and from then on, he would eat and live there as well.

To Su Yi, this was instead a good thing.

If he kept staying in the Wen family, doing anything would be inconvenient, but outside was different.

Only Wen Changtai and his wife remained in the main hall.

Wen Changtai could not help asking, "Why do you want Su Yi to manage the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall? That place was always held by Second Brother's family before. From the physicians above to the hired hands below, they're all Second Brother's people."

"If you have Su Yi go there, he'll definitely be bullied by them every day. Who knows how much suffering he'll endure."

By the end, he could not help letting out a long sigh.

Qin Qing snapped angrily, "If you were as capable as your Second Brother, how could Old Madam have made Su Yi marry into our family? Do you know how much grievance our daughter Ling Zhao has suffered because of this marriage?"

"Then look at your eldest brother, the dignified Head of the Wen Family, holding great authority in his hands and managing all the family property. How impressive is that? And you? No good at scholarship, no good at martial arts, fighting for nothing at all, letting those two brothers of yours snatch away every benefit!"

"All these years, if I hadn't personally managed our family, then with that little bit of ability of yours, our whole family would long since have been bullied to death by the other members of your Wen family!"

Wen Changtai was scolded until he did not dare make a sound, and could only smile wryly. His temperament had always been like this, and he also knew that compared with those two brothers of his, he was very mediocre.

And Qin Qing's forceful shrewdness made him seem even more useless.

After a long while, Qin Qing finally calmed down. Only then did she say, "I know the Apricot Yellow Medical Hall belongs to Second Brother's family, but that was in the past. Starting today, it belongs to our family!"

"As for whether Su Yi will be bullied... Hmph, don't you underestimate this son-in-law of ours."

Wen Changtai said in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"I heard that a few days ago, Su Yi taught that wastrel Huang Qianjun a lesson at the Gathering Immortals Pavilion. I originally thought the Huang Family wouldn't let him off, but who would've thought? Even now, he's still alive and kicking, without a hair harmed."

Qin Qing sneered. "Though I can't see through the reason behind it, my intuition tells me there's definitely something fishy here!"

After a pause, she sighed again. "What a pity. If he were still the Outer Disciple Sword Leader of the Green River Sword Mansion, it would barely be passable for Ling Zhao to marry him."

"But now, Ling Zhao is about to become a Grandmaster Disciple! And then look at him, Su Yi—he's simply good for nothing!"

Her tone was already thick with deep resentment.

Wen Changtai consoled her, "If he hadn't lost his cultivation, he probably wouldn't have become our family's son-in-law. After all, at that time, Ling Zhao still hadn't entered the Heavenly Origin Academy to cultivate."

"You shut your mouth!"

Qin Qing slapped the table, interrupting in towering fury. "Are you comforting me, or are you mocking our Ling Zhao? Or have you been holding it in so badly lately that you're asking for a beating?"

Wen Changtai looked embarrassed and fell silent with an awkward smile.

PS: First day of April, wildly begging for votes~~~