Making A Fortune! Hammering And Refining, Red River Soup

Hong Clan Martial Hall.

Everyone had barely set foot inside when people from Three Rivers Gambling House arrived. Not only did they bring Shi Lei's IOU, they also delivered everyone's winnings from Hong Master Gambling House.

"It's too much."

Xu Liang counted it over.

The man who had come said, "Not at all. This is what we at Three Rivers Gambling House are paying on behalf of Chen Hui and his disciple. Everything before was a misunderstanding, entirely the reckless actions of Chen Hui and his disciple. Three Rivers Gambling House is now managed by me, Chen A'si. If any of you ever have need of me, Chen A'si, just say the word—I will never refuse!"

"Good. See them out."

Xu Liang waved a hand, then took back their original stake and placed all the remaining money in Zhang Lingshan's hands. Junior Brother took risks and rendered great service this time. All of this is what you deserve.

Zhang Lingshan weighed it in his hand, startled. "So much?"

It was more than a thousand taels of silver!

Even with his high odds, it should not have amounted to this much. Clearly, the extra was compensation from Three Rivers Gambling House.

They really were rich.

They could casually hand over a thousand taels. If he could uproot Three Rivers Gambling House...

"A thousand taels is not much. Once you reach Flesh Refining, the places where you'll need to spend money will multiply without end. Just take it."

Third Senior Apprentice Brother Wu Yuanqing laughed.

Zhang Lingshan chuckled. There was no need to stand on ceremony. He tucked the banknotes into his robes and headed inside to see his master.

He found Hong Zhengdao half-reclining on the bed once more, still wearing a sickly expression. "Three Rivers Gambling House came to make amends and apologize?"

"Yes, Master. Everything was within your calculations," Xu Liang said.

Hong Zhengdao said indifferently, "They are merely insignificant figures pushed to the front, trying to gauge how badly I am injured. Then I shall grant their wish.

"Now that Chen Hui and his disciple have been beaten to death, no one will be foolish enough to come looking for trouble for some time. You must seize this time to cultivate.

"Xiao Juan, Ah Liang, Yuanqing—you three must work hard and strive to break through to Tendon Changing.

"Xiao Ming, you are still some distance from Tendon Changing. Xiao Shan and Mingzhong, however, have both reached the peak of Copper Hide. I will have to trouble you for the time being to help your two junior brothers break through to Flesh Refining first. Is that alright?"

Xiao Ming nodded. "Alright. I will obey Master's arrangements."

Hong Zhengdao shook his head and sighed. Sigh. You child are simply too honest. Whatever people ask of you, you agree to it, never knowing how to refuse. Xiao Shan, Mingzhong, listen carefully to your Fourth Senior Apprentice Brother. Do not waste his heartfelt intentions.

"Yes!"

Zhang Lingshan and Pan Mingzhong hurriedly replied.

"Alright, all of you go home. It is the first day of the new year, after all. Rest for a day."

"Yes."

Everyone withdrew together.

On the way home, Zhang Lingshan secretly pondered: The final punch I used to beat Chen Hui to death was adapted from the first stance of the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique. I wonder whether Master noticed. But he did not ask. Was it because he did not care, or...

Forget it. Never mind.

Since Hong Zhengdao had not mentioned it, Zhang Lingshan would pretend he did not know. If his master brought it up in the future, he would explain then.

"Eh, Uncle Tie, Tie Feng, why are you standing at the door instead of going inside?"

Just as he thought of the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique, Zhang Lingshan saw the two benefactors who had given him the axe standing before his door, seemingly waiting for him to return.

"Brother Shan."

"Young Master Shan."

The Tie father and son hurriedly raised the gifts in their hands. "We came to pay our New Year's respects."

Zhang Lingshan laughed. "You came all this way, yet you're still being so courteous. Come in."

Inside the house.

Zhang's mother was astonished that someone had come to pay New Year's respects. She had never seen such a thing in all these years. As a result, she solemnly prepared a large red packet for Tie Feng.

Zhang Lingshan returned to his room to change clothes and counted the banknotes once more.

More than a thousand taels!

He had to make proper use of it.

Time was money, and money could also buy time.

Spirit Root Grass had a low absorption rate and consumed too much time, so he could cross it off the list for now.

Snow Silver Flower could provide 4 points of energy per day. It sounded like a lot, but spending a thousand taels would still take more than two hundred days.

It was still too slow.

He needed to find something with higher absorption efficiency.

After pondering for a moment, he walked out just as the Tie father and son were preparing to leave. He said, "Let's go together. I also need to pay New Year's respects to Senior Apprentice Brother Feng Shaolong."

Paying New Year's respects was merely an excuse; finding Feng Shaolong to buy medicinal ingredients was the real purpose.

This time, he wanted to buy more and rarer medicinal ingredients to experiment with until he found the one best suited to his absorption.

Before long, they arrived at Feng Family Pharmacy.

Seeing Zhang Lingshan personally come to pay New Year's respects, Feng Shaolong said in pleasant surprise, "Senior Brother Shan has just fought such a fierce battle. How could you still think to come all the way here?"

"Isn't it to thank Junior Brother Feng for introducing me to Feng Family Pharmacy? Otherwise, I would not have been able to cultivate so quickly. By the way, I wonder whether Junior Brother Feng has..."

After exchanging pleasantries, they got down to business.

When Zhang Lingshan left, he carried a huge pile of medicinal ingredients in packages large and small.

Besides medicinal ingredients, there were also prescriptions prepared by Feng Family Pharmacy.

Zhang Lingshan took every last one of them.

Over the next few days, he would lock horns with these medicinal ingredients.

The next day, early in the morning.

Zhang Lingshan arrived at Hong Clan Martial Hall and found Fourth Senior Apprentice Brother Xiao Ming already waiting for him.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Xiao."

"Junior Brother, you're here. Have some hot broth first to warm your body. Then I will begin helping you with Flesh Refining."

Xiao Ming still wore that amiable smile. This good-natured fellow seemed incapable of getting angry.

Zhang Lingshan asked doubtfully, "How does one assist with Flesh Refining?"

Xiao Ming brought out a refined copper rod. "I will use this to hammer and temper your body.

"After beating you until your skin splits and your flesh blooms, I will place you in the Red River Soup medicinal bath, allowing your body to absorb the medicinal potency to its heart's content. This will promote the growth of skin and flesh, thereby increasing their toughness.

"After repeating this over and over, until I can no longer break your skin and flesh, you will officially have entered Flesh Refining."

Xiao Ming was still smiling.

But that smile no longer seemed amiable. Instead, it looked rather terrifying.

"This..."

Zhang Lingshan stared blankly at the thick, sturdy refined copper rod.

So this was how Flesh Refining was practiced?

Had he known it would be like this, he would not have come here beaming with joy, thinking they would impart some new martial art—only to find out he was here to be beaten?

No wonder Pan Mingzhong had not shown up all morning. That fellow must have known long ago how Flesh Refining was done and deliberately skipped out.

"Junior Brother, are you ready?"

Xiao Ming raised the rod.

Zhang Lingshan bent his legs slightly and planted his stance. Holding his breath, he tensed his body, the muscles on his back swelling as he said, "I'm ready!"

Bang!

Xiao Ming's rod smashed down.

His skin and flesh rippled like waves beneath the blow. Pain pierced straight to his bones, making Zhang Lingshan grit his teeth and grimace, wishing he could leap three feet into the air.

Yet he did not move. He endured until Xiao Ming had beaten his entire back until it split open. Only then did Zhang Lingshan finally exhaust all his strength, blood and sweat streaming onto the floor.

Swoosh.

Xiao Ming hurried forward to support him, then called to the servants, "Quickly, put Junior Brother Shan into the Red River Soup!"

The so-called Red River Soup.

At first, it was not red, but pale white. Yet the moment someone was placed inside, it would immediately be dyed crimson by blood—hence the name Red River Soup.

This was a special Flesh Refining medicinal broth unique to Hong Zhengdao's martial hall and could not be bought elsewhere.

However, every sect, school, and major power had its own Flesh Refining medicinal broth, and their effects were largely similar. Even if Zhang Lingshan did not use the medicine here, he could buy some from Feng Family Pharmacy.

But an experienced hammerer and refiner like Xiao Ming was not someone one could find just anywhere.

This was precisely the greatest benefit Hong Clan Martial Hall had bestowed upon Zhang Lingshan!

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