Chen Baiqing walked up to Steward Chen with a dark expression and yanked the stinking sock from his mouth.
Steward Chen took a deep breath, then immediately began to wail loudly.
"Shopkeeper, you have to stand up for me! They're not human! They nearly tortured me to death on the way here!"
"Shut up!"
Chen Baiqing barked, his refined face twisting into something almost ferocious.
"Chen Moshan, by seniority, you are my granduncle. You and my father were cousins.
Back then, when my father left home to study medicine, you stayed behind and helped him care for my grandmother.
Neither my father nor I have ever forgotten that kindness."
Steward Chen hurriedly said, "It's good that you still remember, Shopkeeper. You and I are family! How could our Chen family let outsiders humiliate us like this?"
"I regarded you as family, but did you ever regard me as family?"
Deep disappointment appeared on Chen Baiqing's face.
"All these years, I knew perfectly well that you had little ability, yet I still made you a steward of Shenghe Hall. How much authority did I give you?
I knew you had been lining your own pockets in Shenghe Hall, but I turned a blind eye to it all because you had once shown kindness to my father and me.
Your son, Chen Gui, had only mediocre talent, yet I taught him everything I knew for more than twenty years, allowing him to become a Senior Pharmacist capable of standing on his own.
But this time? Transporting these Spiritual Medicines concerned the reputation of Shenghe Hall! It also concerned the lives of all these workers!
Chen Moshan, making money on the side was one thing, but for your own selfish desires, you disregarded Shenghe Hall's reputation and nearly got these workers, who trusted me and had followed me for so many years, killed. You truly deserve to die!"
"Shopkeeper, listen to me..."
Steward Chen was genuinely panicked this time and hurriedly tried to defend himself.
But Chen Baiqing gave him no such chance. With a wave of his hand, he had someone tie him up and drag him away.
Han Zheng, Li Sancheng, and the others watched from the side, feeling thoroughly satisfied.
They did not know how Chen Baiqing would deal with Steward Chen this time, but he certainly would not let him off lightly.
Chen Baiqing turned and gave Han Zheng a solemn cupped-fist salute.
"Brother Han, thank you all for your help this time.
If not for all of you, forget these cartloads of Spiritual Medicine—even my workers would have been lost.
The previous fifty taels of silver was too little. I have also prepared an additional one hundred taels for each of you as thanks."
At those words, Han Zheng and the others' eyes immediately lit up.
What a decent man!
In truth, since they had accepted the commission, they should have remained loyal to their duty. Even if Chen Baiqing had not paid them extra, there would have been nothing wrong with that.
They had not expected him to be so generous, directly giving each of them one hundred taels—more than their original payment.
"And Brother Han, you were the one who turned the tide this time. Since a large batch of Spiritual Medicine has just arrived, I will also prepare a medicinal bath for you free of charge as an additional gift of thanks."
"Shopkeeper Chen, you are truly too courteous."
Han Zheng was overjoyed.
One hundred taels of silver would only let Han Zheng live more comfortably and spare him from worrying about his next meal.
But a medicinal bath could genuinely increase his current strength by a great deal.
Li Sancheng and the others all looked at him with envy.
Still, none of them felt jealous.
After all, they had witnessed Han Zheng's performance throughout the journey.
His ruthless willingness to risk his life when facing the Pig Demon.
His decisiveness in joining Li Feng to seize control and subdue Steward Chen.
His composed advance and retreat when confronting the Incense Cult, forcing them back with grace.
They likely could not have accomplished even one of those things. What was there to envy?
"I need to get these Spiritual Medicines back to Shenghe Hall for processing as soon as possible. Brother Han, all of you should hurry back and rest. You have truly worked hard these past days."
Chen Baiqing had someone bring out banknotes and hand them to the group, then went to direct the Shenghe Hall workers in transporting the Spiritual Medicines.
Li Feng walked over and said quietly to Han Zheng, "I'll go help the shopkeeper deal with these Spiritual Medicines first. Once I'm done, I'll come find you and tailor a medicinal bath for you."
Li Feng had seen Han Zheng's potential clearly. Befriending such a young martial artist could only be beneficial.
"Thank you." Han Zheng cupped his fists.
With a Senior Pharmacist like Li Feng personally preparing Han Zheng's medicinal bath, its effects would certainly be far better than those of medicinal baths made from standard formulas.
The people of Shenghe Hall began bustling about, while Li Sancheng and the others could no longer hold on and went home first to rest and catch up on sleep.
As the leader of this escort mission, Han Zheng had to return to the Martial Arts Academy and report everything that had happened to Li Jingzhong.
There seemed to be no classes at the Martial Arts Academy today. The disciples were all training on their own.
When they saw Han Zheng return, they all looked at him with faint curiosity.
After all, none of them had officially completed their training yet, while Han Zheng had already been able to escort a merchant caravan.
They were also curious how much silver Han Zheng had earned on this trip and whether he had encountered any danger.
These were all things they might encounter themselves in the future.
"You're back? Was the trip eventful?"
Li Jingzhong called Han Zheng into the inner hall and asked with a smile.
Han Zheng smiled bitterly. "More than eventful. I nearly died out there."
As he spoke, Han Zheng told Li Jingzhong everything that had happened along the way.
Naturally, he concealed the matter of using the Gluttonous Crucible to improve himself, saying only that he had gained insight in battle and his strength had surged.
After listening, Li Jingzhong sighed. "I haven't left the county town for some time either. I never expected these times to grow more and more difficult.
Your journey was truly dangerous. You even encountered a Demon.
Still, this could be considered a blessing in disguise. Your strength has increased greatly.
You've opened two hundred and twenty Acupoints and eight meridians. Your current realm is no weaker than Song Tianqing and the others'."
"This disciple was merely fortunate. It was all thanks to the academy master's teachings.
By the way, Academy Master, do Demons also have realms? The Pig Demon I encountered possessed such immense strength that it was practically comparable to a Houtian Late Stage martial artist."
Li Jingzhong nodded. "Martial artists have divisions of realm, so naturally Demons do as well. It is simply not as detailed as that of martial artists, and they are mostly distinguished by race.
For example, among Houtian Demons, that Pig Demon possessed boundless strength. As long as it was a healthy adult, it could rival a Houtian Late Stage or even Houtian Peak martial artist.
With only a little training, it would become a Demon of the Innate Realm.
But if a rabbit or rat gained intelligence and became a Demon, its combat power in the Houtian Realm would not be so formidable. At most, it could only deceive some ordinary people.
However, once a Demon crosses beyond the Innate Realm, it is no longer an ordinary Demon. It becomes a Great Demon comparable to a martial artist of the Profound Gang Realm.
As long as it is a Great Demon, regardless of its race, it will not be a simple existence.
You must know that a single Great Demon possesses the power to slaughter a city."
Han Zheng smiled bitterly. "Why does it feel like human martial artists are at far too great a disadvantage compared to Demons?
Even a low-level Demon like a Pig Demon reaches Houtian Peak upon adulthood and only needs a little training to enter the Innate Realm.
Yet martial artists might never achieve the transition from Houtian to Innate in their entire lives."
Li Jingzhong said, "Demons may be strong, but they are not truly invincible. The one advantage we human martial artists possess is potential.
That Pig Demon reaches Houtian Peak upon adulthood, and at most it can attain the Innate Realm.
But even after one hundred years or one thousand years, the overwhelming majority of Pig Demons can only remain at that realm for their entire lives. Those able to break through and become Great Demons are as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
Human martial artists are different. Who can say that an ordinary, unremarkable low-level martial artist today will not someday stand at the peak of martial arts?"
In truth, Li Jingzhong was also feeding Han Zheng a bowl of chicken soup with those words.
Martial artists also placed great importance on bone structure and talent.
Some martial artists simply had poor bone structure and talent. Even if they trained their entire lives, they would not reach the Innate Realm.
Still, compared to Demons, who revered race and bloodline above all else, human martial artists had greater potential in cultivation.
Han Zheng suddenly thought of something. He took out the Blood Fiend Saber Art he had obtained from the Pig Demon and handed it to Li Jingzhong.
"Academy Master, after killing that Pig Demon, I found a saber manual on its body. I only gave it a cursory look, but something felt wrong, so I would like to ask you whether I can cultivate it."
Li Jingzhong took the saber manual, which still carried a thick stench of blood, and his brows drew tighter the more he read.
Only after a long while did Li Jingzhong say, "This Blood Fiend Saber Art is a standard Demonic Cult Technique.
It requires one to condense Killing Intent to increase its power. Although it is only a Houtian Realm saber art, if enough Killing Intent is condensed, its combat power can actually rival that of the Innate Realm.
However, once Killing Intent enters the body, failing to control it may affect one's state of mind. Demonic Cult Techniques are all like this—quick to master and immensely powerful, but with an unstable foundation.
So whether you cultivate it depends on you. If you do, you must control your state of mind. You must never allow the Killing Intent to influence you."
Han Zheng nodded, but he had already made up his mind to cultivate it.
He was quite confident in his own state of mind.
Could anything be more sinister than the Gluttonous Crucible?
Even before the Gluttonous Crucible's temptation, he had been able to control his state of mind and had not sacrificed every last part of his body. Not to mention a Houtian saber art like the Blood Fiend Saber Art.
"By the way, Academy Master, should we notify the County Yamen about the Incense Cult? After all, the Incense Cult has practically already appeared in Shannan Dao."
Li Jingzhong pondered for a moment. "We should indeed tell the County Yamen about this. When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. Huainan Dao has been breached by the Incense Cult, so we must stay on guard as well."
After saying this, Li Jingzhong called over a servant and had him deliver the news to the County Yamen.
About half an hour later, a County Constable in his thirties entered the Martial Arts Academy. He was lean, tall, and sharp-looking, dressed in a black-and-red official uniform.
Han Zheng looked up at the constable, and a chill rose in his heart without warning.
The man carried an exceptionally fierce and icy aura. Though he was doing his utmost to conceal it, Han Zheng could still sense traces of Killing Intent leaking out.
Moreover, that Killing Intent had reached the point where it could no longer be fully hidden. This man had undoubtedly taken many lives!
Wasn't the County Magistrate of Black Stone County said to be useless, with the authorities weak and incompetent? Why would there be an expert of this level?
The County Constable glanced at Han Zheng unconsciously.
His face was gaunt, his eyes narrow and sharp, and a somewhat savage saber scar ran across his cheek.
With that single glance, Han Zheng felt as though he had been targeted by a ferocious beast.
The County Constable turned to Li Jingzhong and revealed a seemingly amiable smile.
"Teacher, I trust you have been well. It has been a long time since I returned to the Martial Arts Academy, and now its scale has grown larger and larger. I truly miss those days when I practiced boxing under your guidance.
I returned in too much of a hurry a few days ago and had not yet had the chance to visit you. I hope you will not take offense, Teacher."
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