This Time, We'd Run into a Master

After leaving the Money Shop.

Lin Guanhuo didn't return to the Demon Suppressing Division. Instead, he turned and headed for the busiest part of the city.

After wandering around for a while, Lin Guanhuo finally arrived at the Wonderful Pill Workshop.

It was a three-story vermilion pavilion.

Most of the customers coming and going were dressed in fine clothes, and quite a few even had armed guards accompanying them.

This was the place in Blackwater City that specialized in selling Martial Dao pills. It had deep roots and was said to have ties to powerful forces in the County City.

Lin Guanhuo stepped inside.

The Spirit Nourishing Grass medicinal bath he'd used earlier might have had a significant effect on those in the first or second grade of Body Tempering, but by the third grade, its effect had become negligible.

If he wanted to keep improving, he had no choice but to rely on pills.

"Sir, what are you looking for? Medicinal herbs, pills, or other materials? We have it all here."

"I'm Yulong, the manager of this Medicine Workshop."

As soon as he entered, a fragrant breeze swept toward him.

A beautiful woman in a purple dress, with a graceful figure, came to greet him.

She was alluring and lovely. Who knew how many men would fall at her feet?

"Pills," Lin Guanhuo said succinctly.

"Please come this way, sir."

Yulong led Lin Guanhuo into the Wonderful Pill Workshop's main hall. The counters here were made of glass, with exquisite pill bottles displayed inside.

Lin Guanhuo's gaze swept over them and stopped at one counter.

Several golden pill bottles sat there, looking exceptionally precious.

"Those are Fourth Rank Dragon Tiger Pills."

Yulong introduced them softly from his side. "They're essential pills for Martial Masters, though a little pricey. They start at five hundred taels each."

Five hundred taels... for one pill?

Lin Guanhuo was at a loss for words.

The six hundred taels he'd scraped together through blood and sweat—

could only buy him one pill?

The Martial Path was a bottomless pit. The thought of all that money going up in smoke made his heart pound.

I can't use those yet.

Lin Guanhuo shook his head and lowered his gaze.

He looked at the pills in ordinary porcelain bottles. "I want Qi Boosting Powder."

Qi Boosting Powder was a First Rank pill.

Its effects were gentle, with few side effects, and it replenished one's qi and blood quickly.

For Body Tempering cultivators, it was the best value for money.

But even so, it wasn't something an ordinary cultivator could afford.

After all...

"Qi Augmenting Pills are forty taels apiece. If you buy more, I can offer you a discount," Yulong said with a smile.

Lin Guanhuo thought for a moment. "I'll take ten bottles. Can I get a discount if I buy them together?"

Seeing that Lin Guanhuo was a straightforward customer, Yulong didn't waste time. "All right. Ten bottles, three hundred and fifty taels for the lot. That's a fifty-tael discount."

Lin Guanhuo nodded.

He didn't dally. He took out a banknote, paid, and left the Wonderful Pill Workshop.

He hadn't even had time to warm those six hundred taels in his pocket.

More than half of them were already gone.

Night had fallen.

Lin Guanhuo left the Wonderful Pill Workshop and headed east, preparing to return to the Demon Suppressing Division.

Meanwhile, in a dark alley across from the Wonderful Pill Workshop,

six or seven figures were huddled in a corner.

Several pairs of greedy eyes stared fixedly at Lin Guanhuo's retreating figure.

They were all disciples of the local Black Robe Sect.

Calling it a sect was generous. In truth, it was just a gang of bandits with some martial arts training.

They spent their days robbing homes and extorting people.

"Big brother, he's out."

A Black-clothed Man licked his lips and whispered, "That kid just came from the Money Shop, then went to the Wonderful Pill Workshop. He's bound to have hundreds of taels on him!"

"We've struck it rich this time, brothers!"

"Mm."

Their leader, Black Fifth, was bald. He sneered. "He's a fat sheep. And from the way he walks, he's probably just a rookie who's barely entered the ranks. There are six or seven of us, all ranked fighters. We can take him for sure!"

"Follow him!"

Black Fifth waved his hand, and the group used the cover of night to sneak after him.

Dressed in black, Lin Guanhuo walked along at an unhurried pace.

Soon, he turned into a deserted alley.

It was a shortcut. If he went through it, he could head straight back to the Demon Suppressing Division.

"Big brother, perfect chance!"

The Black-clothed Man behind him brightened. "There's no one in this alley! Let's do it here! Up ahead is the main street, with too many people around. It'll be hard to make a move."

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~

Just then, wind swept through the alley.

One of the Black-clothed Man's underlings adjusted his hair and muttered, "Damn it, why'd the wind suddenly pick up?"

"Forget it. The fat meat's almost in our hands!"

Black Fifth gave a sinister grin, then waved his hand and quickened his pace. "Brothers, get your weapons! Let's make this quick!"

Black Fifth charged at the very front, a long saber in hand, greed written all over his face!!

The underlings behind him followed close, picking up speed.

Suddenly.

Whoosh~~

The wind grew stronger.

And within it, there was a sharp, cutting force.

Black Fifth, leading the charge,

suddenly felt a chill on his cheek.

Then came a searing sting.

"Hm?"

"What's going on?"

He instinctively reached up and touched it.

Wet.

He lifted his hand before his eyes, using the faint moonlight to see.

And then he saw that his hand was covered in blood!!

"Blood?!"

Black Fifth's pupils contracted!!

Something was wrong!!

An overwhelming sense of danger surged through him!!

He jerked his head up and looked at Lin Guanhuo's back ahead.

Lin Guanhuo hadn't even turned around.

He hadn't drawn his sword.

He just kept walking quietly, as if nothing had happened.

But the wind in the alley was like countless invisible blades, slicing at their skin!

"This... this is..."

"Blade Wind??"

Blade Wind?!

Projecting force outward and gathering qi into wind!

That was a technique only someone at least in the third grade of Body Tempering, or even someone who'd reached a higher threshold, could use!

And the other man could wound people with Blade Wind alone, without even turning around.

Just how much control did he have over his swordsmanship?!

"Stop!!!"

Black Fifth abruptly dug in his heels and frantically waved his hand, signaling his underlings to stop.

By now, cold sweat covered Black Fifth's head!!

A master!

This time, they'd run into a master!!

If he'd charged just a few more steps,

it wouldn't have been his cheek that got cut—it would've been his throat!

"Big brother? What's wrong? Get him!"

The underlings behind him looked confused when Black Fifth stopped. "That kid's right there! One cut each and we'll have him dealt with. Then we'll have piles and piles of—"

"Smack!"

But before the underling could finish,

Black Fifth spun around and slapped him hard across the face. "Get him, my ass!"

Black Fifth swore at them. "You brainless pigs! All you ever do is give me rotten advice! You almost got me killed!"

"You think just anyone can afford to shop at the Wonderful Pill Workshop? That kind of person has powerful connections and strength to match!"

"That was his warning! If we take one more step after him, we'll all die here today!"

The underlings were stunned by the scolding. They covered their faces and didn't dare make a sound, grumbling inwardly that it had clearly been their big brother's idea.

Black Fifth touched the wound on his face, feeling utterly aggrieved.

"It's over, it's over..."

Black Fifth took out a small bronze mirror and examined his face. Seeing the bloody gash, he looked ready to cry.

"I'm disfigured... I'm disfigured..."

"My handsome face is ruined. Will Little Peach Red still love me?"