When Zhang Chaofeng returned with the things, Shen Bai finished eating and dozed in the reclining chair for an hour. Coupled with the airflow in his dantian, his body had already recovered completely.
"Old Zhang, keep an eye on the shop. I'm heading to the back courtyard."
Shen Bai stretched lazily and called out to Zhang Chaofeng.
Zhang Chaofeng was going through the accounts as usual. Hearing this, he nodded. "Shopkeeper, go take care of your business."
Back courtyard.
Shen Bai gripped the Rusty Longsword and began practicing once more.
There was no Killing Intent, and he could not find its source. Besides, it was broad daylight, not a good time to wander outside. Shen Bai felt that practicing the Blood Sword Dance was more convenient.
By now, the Blood Sword Dance had reached 800 proficiency points. Though it was still far from the next level, Shen Bai felt that proficiency was something one simply had to grind out.
That was what it meant when they said a person lived inside one's liver.
Every few swings of the longsword raised his proficiency by a little, bringing no small sense of reward.
The surging of his blood and qi consumed a considerable amount of it. After practicing for a while, Shen Bai stopped.
"The Blood Sword Dance relies on shaking the blood and qi when swinging the sword. If this keeps up, I'll have to eat after practicing for only a short while, which will slow me down."
Shen Bai stroked his chin, stared at the Blood Sword Dance's proficiency, and sank into thought.
He realized this was a problem.
The Vajra Fist was fine; it did not consume much blood and qi. But the Blood Sword Dance was truly a bottomless pit for blood and qi. He could not keep this up.
"Perhaps ordinary food can no longer satisfy me. I need something that replenishes blood and qi."
After thinking it over briefly, Shen Bai decided not to grind the Blood Sword Dance for now. Instead, he would go out and look for something that could replenish his blood and qi.
To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools. There was no rushing such a thing.
Shen Bai hung the Rusty Longsword at his waist and came to the counter. "Old Zhang, what things do you think can replenish blood and qi?"
Zhang Chaofeng had just finished checking the accounts. Upon hearing Shen Bai's question, his eyes widened. "Shopkeeper, could it be that you really went to the pleasure quarter last night?"
At first, he had merely been joking. But now Shen Bai was actually asking about replenishing blood and qi, which caught Zhang Chaofeng completely off guard.
"If you want to replenish blood and qi, you'll have to go to the pharmacy. They have physicians there, perhaps they'll have a prescription."
"A pharmacy?"
Shen Bai nodded. "Old Zhang, watch the place. I'm going to the pharmacy."
"Alright, Shopkeeper. Though you're young and vigorous, you still need to know moderation. Those ladies in the pleasure quarters are too skilled—I'm afraid you might not be able to handle them."
Zhang Chaofeng wore the look of someone speaking from experience.
Shen Bai's mouth twitched slightly. He said nothing more, leaving the shop and heading toward the pharmacy.
Ascending Cloud County Pharmacy.
As the only pharmacy in Ascending Cloud County, it had always stood in the county's bustling district.
When Shen Bai arrived, he followed the rules and first let the physician take his pulse.
The attending physician had only examined Shen Bai's pulse for a moment before a surprised expression appeared on his face. "Shopkeeper Shen, there's nothing wrong with you at all. Why have you come to see a doctor?"
Shen Bai said, "I just want a prescription to replenish blood and qi. Physician, don't be fooled by how healthy I look now—Old Zhang is nearly done for. His wife demanded too much of him last night, and today he can barely walk. I'm getting it for him."
In Ascending Cloud County, Shen Bai's was the only pawnshop, so the neighbors all knew one another.
"At Old Zhang's age, he can still turn the clouds and tumble the rain? Truly impressive."
The physician did not question it further and wrote out a prescription. "Then get a few doses of medicine and boil them when you return."
Shen Bai shook his head. "Twenty doses."
The physician froze slightly. "Shopkeeper Shen, is Old Zhang trying to kill himself?"
"Don't concern yourself with that. After all, it's Old Zhang's business," Shen Bai said.
In these times, if there was money to be made, naturally one had to make it.
Since Shen Bai had put it that way, the physician said no more and wrote the prescription as Shen Bai requested.
As for Zhang Chaofeng's blood-and-qi deficiency afterward, that would be a matter for afterward.
At Old Zhang's age, it was perfectly normal for him to carry the blame.
Before long, Shen Bai had the prescription and collected the medicine.
There were twenty full doses. Shen Bai felt they should last him for quite some time.
With the Blood Sword Dance on his mind, he prepared to leave the pharmacy and return to continue grinding.
But before Shen Bai had taken two steps, someone suddenly entered from outside the pharmacy.
It was a little girl of five or six, dressed in clothes covered with patches.
At a glance, most children in the county were dressed like this.
Shen Bai would not ordinarily have paid attention, but when the little girl entered, he caught a faint, unusual scent.
"A fragrance?"
He had smelled this scent before when he encountered that man in black at the Qian residence.
"This little girl is obviously not that person."
Neither her height nor her build, not even her age, matched.
Shen Bai rubbed his chin and thought, Perhaps this little girl has come into contact with that man in black, which is why the scent lingers on her.
Other than that, Shen Bai could not think of a second reason.
After entering, the little girl cautiously took out a sheet of paper and handed it to the physician. "Physician, I'm here to get medicine."
After taking it, the physician asked in surprise, "Little girl, why are you getting medicine for external injuries?"
The little girl lowered her head and clutched the corner of her clothes. "My father went into the mountains to gather wild goods the day before yesterday and accidentally fell, so he told me to come get medicine."
Hearing this, the physician had no doubts and called out to the pharmacy clerk.
The little girl collected the medicine, paid, and left on her own.
Shen Bai watched the entire exchange. After thinking for a moment, he quietly left the pharmacy and followed behind the little girl.
He had always harbored doubts about that man in black's identity.
He now needed Killing Intent, and he also needed to come into contact with things related to it.
Shen Bai did not consider the yamen's side of things. Matters involving the authorities had too many hidden twists and turns, and he had no intention of getting involved lest he stir up trouble.
That man in black had clearly come to investigate the Qian family matter as well, so Shen Bai wanted to see whether he could obtain some Killing Intent from this.
The first thing he needed to do was uncover the man in black's identity, and this little girl was his breakthrough.
Having thought it through, Shen Bai followed quietly.
The little girl did not walk quickly, and carrying the medicine made her even slower.
After following her all the way, the streets changed from bustling to deserted, until they finally reached a remote and dilapidated area.
Ahead stood a rundown house.
The little girl arrived at the door and looked around. Once she confirmed no one was nearby, she took out a key from her waist, pushed open the door, entered, and shut it behind her.
Shen Bai considered it, then came to the door and pressed his ear against it to listen.
Before long, the little girl's voice sounded from inside.
"Big Sister, this is the medicine you wanted. Can you let my father go now?"
After the little girl finished speaking, a crisp female voice rang out from within the house.
"Your father cultivates the Five Hearts Sect's Five Hearts Technique and has already been contaminated. Releasing him would only harm him."
Before you continue