Li Zhenshan's Strength

The old shopkeeper was as silent as a cicada in winter, not daring to say another word.

"It's just a matter of practice makes perfect. It can't compare to your Excellency's peerless saber technique that decides life and death!" Chu Feng hurriedly lowered his head and bowed, his face a mask of panic.

"Haha, you certainly know how to talk..."

Gao Han sized up Chu Feng and suddenly laughed. He sheathed the saber that had been drawn an inch out.

His skin was no different from an ordinary person, and his body was so thin that he was even worse off than the old shopkeeper. His eyes darted around, his spirit timid and cowardly. How could such a person be the ferocious god who killed six or seven people from the Fang family?

According to Constable Xu and the descriptions from the people on the street, the culprit was burly and his muscles were as strong as a beast's. Chu Liu Xiang, standing before him, was not only incomparable to the ferocious god, but even to the traitorous slave.

He had come here today knowing there were refugees from Qingyan City, and had come on a whim to ask a few questions.

"Alright, there's no need to be nervous. I'm just here to patrol."

Gao Han had already determined that the young man before him posed no threat.

He turned to the old shopkeeper and asked, "Besides him, you have another outsider in your restaurant. Call him out too?"

This time, the old shopkeeper dared not say more. He could only whisper to Chu Feng, "Little Chu, go and call Chef Li."

Chu Feng took the order and returned to the kitchen to call Li Zhenshan.

"You're not here with good intentions. Don't mess up," Chu Feng kindly reminded him on the way.

After a night of chatting, he felt quite compatible with the old man and didn't want anything to happen to him.

"The person who can make me mess up hasn't been born in Yong'an City yet..."

Li Zhenshan smiled faintly, his steps unhurried.

The two arrived in the main hall. Gao Han sized up Li Zhenshan from head to toe and said.

"Li Zhenshan, a native of Qingyan City. He appeared in this city a year ago and then became a cook at the Hongyun Restaurant."

"Master Li, please answer truthfully. His Excellency will definitely not wrong a good person..."

Before Li Zhenshan could speak, the old shopkeeper said tremblingly.

Li Zhenshan was the golden signboard of his Hongyun Restaurant, far more important than Chu Feng. He couldn't afford for anything to happen to him.

"Shut up! I didn't ask you..."

Gao Han's face turned ashen. This clueless old man kept interrupting his interrogation rhythm.

He wasn't a patient person to begin with, how could he tolerate this garrulous, dried-up old man repeatedly?

"Clang!"

The saber was drawn from its sheath, its light like spilled mercury, heading straight for the old shopkeeper's neck!

Chu Feng's expression changed slightly, and he was about to step forward to save the old shopkeeper.

But in the next moment, Li Zhenshan's previously calm eyes suddenly turned sharp. His bones crackled, his Blood Essence surged like a rainbow, and a powerful aura erupted.

His robes fluttered in the wind, making rustling sounds. His five deformed fingers turned a dark blue and reached out to grab the sharp saber.

"He's actually trying to grab the incredibly sharp iron weapon with his bare palm?"

Chu Feng was shocked. He hadn't expected this old man to be so fierce?

Wasn't he afraid of losing his hand?

Chu Feng couldn't help but maliciously speculate that this was how the old man's fingertips were lost.

"Clang!"

However, to Chu Feng's surprise, when the palm collided with the blade, the gleaming saber shattered into countless pieces.

Li Zhenshan waved his large hand, and the sharp fragments immediately shot towards Gao Han.

Gao Han's expression changed drastically. He seemed to have not expected such a situation. He rolled and dodged, but could not avoid them all.

A fragment grazed his cheek, leaving a deep gash.

Blood flowed down his cheek into his mouth, tasting intensely of fishy metal, with a hint of bitterness!

He ignored the blood and said in shock, "A Bone Forging Realm expert?"

"I am here to live out my old age and do not wish to concern myself with worldly affairs, but please do not think that I am an old man that can be bullied at will."

"Master Li is actually a Bone Forging Realm expert, then he certainly isn't the murderer of the Fang family. I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave."

Gao Han retracted the saber, which now only had a hilt, cupped his fists, and disappeared from the restaurant's main hall.

After Gao Han disappeared, Chu Feng's heart immediately relaxed.

If he had exposed his identity and fought Gao Han just now, he would have been on the verge of death!

The old shopkeeper's face was deathly pale, and he stammered his thanks to Li Zhenshan, "Master... Master Li, thank you for saving my life."

He also realized that the chef he had hired was actually a martial arts expert.

"You're too kind, shopkeeper. I'm just a chef who likes to cook now."

Li Zhenshan waved his hand casually and turned to leave.

Chu Feng followed behind him and asked, "Old man, your move just now was amazing! Can you teach me?"

Li Zhenshan said irritably, "We're not related, why should I teach you?"

"You look like a lonely old man. How about I take care of you in your old age and see you off, and you teach me martial arts?" Chu Feng said with a grin.

If there's a freebie, why not take it? If this old man agrees, he'll be a free bodyguard and teacher. Wouldn't that be great?

"Dream on! I have an agreement with Fang Hanshan not to have any conflicts with the Fang Family. That person already suspects you. You're on your own now!

"Don't you dare die. I've buried enough people, I don't want to dig another grave for you," Li Zhenshan sneered.

"Pah! Stop jinxing me. I'm aiming for the pinnacle of martial arts, how could I die at the hands of a mere extra?"

Chu Feng spat, as if to ward off bad luck.

Li Zhenshan didn't understand the meaning of 'extra', but he got the general idea.

"Keep a low profile these days. Geniuses who die are no longer called geniuses!"

With that, he left with his hands behind his back.

After Li Zhenshan left, Chu Feng hurried out to the pharmacy to get medicine.

Relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself. My current situation is very dangerous. The most important thing is to recover my body and improve my strength as soon as possible.

To avoid being tracked by the Fang Family, Chu Feng cautiously changed his identity multiple times, purchasing medicinal ingredients in batches from different pharmacies. This way, no one could figure out the prescription, nor could he be easily tracked.

Jimintang Pharmacy...

This was Chu Feng's last stop, the largest pharmacy in Yong'an City, and also a property of the Fang Family.

Chu Feng had no particular qualms about this. In his opinion, using the enemy's resources to nurture himself was even more fulfilling.

He spent five taels of silver to buy the last ingredient for the prescription, Ten-Year Polygonatum.

It was a bit expensive, but luckily, Chu Feng hadn't been short on 'loot' from his recent activities, so he could afford it.

He couldn't help but sigh, "It's expensive to study and rich to practice martial arts; the ancients truly didn't deceive me!"

If it weren't for the saying that "killing and arson bring golden belts," he wouldn't even be able to afford to practice martial arts with his meager monthly salary.

Just then, a tall figure entered the medical hall. He was covered in thick muscle, making him particularly noticeable in ancient society where people were generally slender.

"Shopkeeper, can you see if my hands can still hold a knife?" the man asked anxiously as soon as he entered.

The attending physician carefully examined the man's bloody hand and said, "The palm is injured, affecting the muscles and tendons. It will likely need some time to heal."

Upon hearing this, the strong man sat down on the ground.

"Three days from now is the Ghost Festival. Every household will be sacrificing to their ancestors. We need a large amount of meat for the offerings. What am I going to do if I can't hold a knife?"