Liu Hundred Household Officer Arrives

The next morning.

Goose feather snow fell thicker from the sky, blanketing everything in white.

Weather like this was perfect for sleeping in.

Chen Mo still rose early and called for Qiulan. "Qiulan, go to Xie Manor and ask Xie Dong what he's been up to lately. See if he still remembers the matters I entrusted to him."

"Yes, young master, I'll go right away." Qiulan cheerfully performed a curtsey, then hurried off.

Chen Mo picked up his blade and practiced in the courtyard for half an hour, loosening his muscles and bones, before heading to the rear courtyard to check on the woman.

As soon as he entered, he saw Ma Tie feeding the woman raw pork.

When Ma Tie saw Chen Mo approaching, he quickly stepped forward with utmost respect. "Young master, you've arrived."

After last night's events, Ma Tie was utterly in awe of Chen Mo. Even greeting him felt like an immense pressure—he had to run every word through his mind several times, making sure nothing was amiss, before daring to speak.

"Any changes in the woman?"

"Young master, see for yourself."

Chen Mo walked to the doorway and glanced inside.

The sky had yet to fully brighten. In the dim room, lit only by a single horn lantern, the woman was covered in dense white fur, crouched on the ground gnawing at raw pork. Her face was bloodied, a truly horrifying sight.

Chen Mo stepped closer to look at her abdomen and pulled up the panel.

He was startled to see the baby face on her belly had grown even clearer, its open mouth wider. The two black rods in the panel's frame were thicker than before.

And the faint outline of a third rod was beginning to appear.

Chen Mo's heart sank...

A third black rod was about to emerge?

The more black rods, the greater the resentment of the ghost curse.

This was no good omen.

The woman's growing strength was directly tied to the increase in black rods.

Chen Mo felt an indescribable chill and pressure wash over him.

It felt like the calm before a storm.

Seeing Chen Mo crouched in silence for a long time, Ma Tie edged closer. "Young master, is something wrong?"

Chen Mo snapped back to reality. "Nothing. Keep an eye on her. From now on, don't leave the premises without my orders—just watch her here. Keep detailed records, and hand me the daily logs to review."

Ma Tie didn't understand the reason, but he knew the matter was serious. "Rest assured, young master. I'll watch her well."

Chen Mo nodded, then cut a small piece of skin from the woman. He boiled it into Wei Qi Skin Paste, formed a tiny pill, and fed it to Lu Wei.

No sooner had Lu Wei swallowed the pill than he let out a bloodcurdling scream. He writhed on the ground, wailing in agony.

"Bastard, what did you give me? I'm burning up, I'm burning to death!"

"Chen boy, get me a doctor, I don't want to die! Aah, aah..."

"So hot, so hot!!"

In moments, Lu Wei's legs kicked once.

He was dead.

Even Ma Tie, watching from the side, was shaken.

"Throw his body to the woman. I'll find someone at the Blood Rush Realm to experiment on later."

Leaving that order, Chen Mo hurried back to the central courtyard, took one of the previous batch of Wei Qi Skin Paste pills, and felt a soothing warmth inside—no reaction.

As for the freshly brewed Wei Qi Skin Paste, Chen Mo, ever cautious, didn't take it. He needed to find a Blood Rush Realm cultivator to test it first.

After all, money could be earned again, but life was only one.

He didn't want to take the risk himself, so he'd have to let someone else take it for him.

Fortunately, this world was full of bandits and scoundrels. Catching a few for experiments was putting them to good use—serving society and ridding the people of pests.

Chen Mo walked out of the East Courtyard and found the snow falling even heavier. A handsome, resolute youth stood straight in the snow, his head white with flakes, waiting silently.

Recognizing the face, Chen Mo was taken aback. "Chen Wu, why didn't you knock when you arrived?"

Chen Wu's still somewhat boyish face was pale from the cold. He rubbed his hands vigorously. "I knew Brother Mo was still injured. I didn't want to disturb your rest."

Chen Mo shot him a glance. "Did Second Mother send you?"

Chen Wu's face flushed red, and he hung his head in shame.

"Follow me."

"Mm." Chen Wu nodded firmly, gripping his broadsword as he followed behind Chen Mo, chest out, head high, brimming with excitement.

As they passed the training ground, several guards practicing there stopped their routines, calling out "Second Young Master" one after another. As for Chen Wu trailing behind Chen Mo, the guards instinctively ignored him.

For years, Chen Wu had been like a ghost. The guards never paid much attention to the concubine-born Chen Wu. Some newer guards didn't even know the Chen family had a Chen Wu.

But Chen Wu was long used to this treatment. He didn't mind, simply sticking close behind Chen Mo.

Chen Mo paused briefly, glancing at the training ground full of guards. "This is my younger brother, Chen Wu."

The guards immediately caught on that Chen Mo intended to groom Chen Wu, and they began calling him "Third Young Master."

Hearing this, Chen Wu felt the taste of being a master for the first time, and his eyes reddened. He looked at Chen Mo beside him, gratitude swelling in his heart, and silently vowed to repay Second Brother well in the future.

Chen Mo was satisfied with the guards' response. "Wei Heng, Liu Jiang, come here."

Wei Heng and Liu Jiang approached with broad grins.

"Second Young Master, what are your orders?"

Chen Mo said, "You two performed with exceptional bravery yesterday—I saw it all. Are your injuries serious?"

"Nothing serious, just some minor flesh wounds."

"Thank you for your concern, Second Young Master."

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Mo continued, "The estate will soon open a medicine workshop, and from now on, you'll be supplied with Tiger Viscera Essence Soup and Tiger Blood Soup for free. That should be enough to help you break through the Five Passes. I'll also gather some martial arts manuals and place them in the Library Tower for you to study and practice..."

The two were stunned and quickly expressed their thanks.

Chen Mo waved a hand. "Don't thank me yet. I have a favor to ask. This is my brother, Chen Wu—you both know him. He's a natural talent for martial arts; at thirteen, he's almost at the Skin Refining Realm. From now on, you'll both serve as his teachers and guide him in training. If you do well, I'll reward you handsomely."

Wei Heng immediately slapped his chest in assurance. "Rest assured, Second Young Master. I, Wei Heng, will teach him personally. I won't let you down."

Liu Jiang added, "Same here."

Chen Mo nodded and turned to Chen Wu. "Wei Heng and Liu Jiang are both experts in the Five Viscera Realm, and they're in their prime—breaking into the Blood Rush Realm is only a matter of time. Study hard under your two teachers and don't slack off."

Chen Wu's eyes reddened with emotion as he bowed deeply to Chen Mo. "Thank you, Mo-ge..."

"'Mo-ge' sounds awkward. Call me Second Brother."

"Second... Brother!"

Chen Mo left the training ground and headed toward the East Courtyard, wanting to see if Qiulan had returned. But before he'd taken two steps, he spotted the estate's senior maidservant, Haitang, hurrying over.

"Haitang, is something the matter?"

Haitang was a young maidservant who had come with his mother as part of her dowry, serving the estate for eighteen years. Her status was unique, so Chen Mo treated her with extra respect.

Now thirty, Haitang was in the prime of her maturity—graceful in figure and lovely in face.

She curtsied to Chen Mo and said with a smile, "The Master requests your presence in the Central Courtyard, Young Master."

Chen Mo asked, "Did Father say why?"

Haitang replied, "Liu Hao, the Hundred Household Officer from the Guard Station, has arrived. He's having tea with the Master in the Central Courtyard. Officer Liu heard about your feat of slaying bandits yesterday and was full of praise. He asked for you—there might be a great opportunity in store."

Chen Mo's heart lifted.

The sky was just barely light, and Officer Liu had already come to the estate—a clear sign of his close bond with Father.

Honghe County sat on the southeastern border of the Great Gan Dynasty, so heavy troops were stationed there. Official posts were high-ranking; the county's thousand-household garrison held three thousand soldiers, and the Thousand Household Officer was a sixth-rank official, outranking even the county magistrate.

Word had it that the Thousand Household Officer was a remarkable figure—an Internal Martial Master.

Maybe he could get the method for Blood Infusion to Qi Transformation from Liu Hao?