Distributing the Blood-Connecting Pill

A cold wind blew past, and He An felt a sudden unease in his heart.

"We're family."

A trace of sorrow flickered in He Ping's voice as he said softly, "No matter where we go, no matter when, we are always family."

"Now you're hiding things from me, hiding things from your sister-in-law. Do you think your eldest brother can't help you, or do you not consider me and your sister-in-law as your family?"

"No!"

He An quickly waved his hand. Seeing his eldest brother like this, his own mood grew heavy.

A moment later.

He sighed and said, "Eldest Brother, since you want to know, I won't hide it from you anymore."

He An reached into his bosom and took out the jade bottle he hadn't yet hidden, along with a hundred-tael banknote.

Instantly.

He Ping held his breath.

"This is... a medicinal pill!!"

"That's right, it is indeed a medicinal pill." He An carefully recounted the whole story of how he came by it.

Hearing this, He Ping felt a pang of heartache.

Although He An hadn't said it, he knew.

When he killed Zhang Yongda in self-defense, He An must have suffered considerable injuries.

After all, he himself was a martial artist at the Muscle Condensing Realm, and he understood the gap between the two realms very well.

"Xiao An, you... are you alright?"

He Ping's voice choked up.

If he weren't too weak to protect his family.

His younger brother He An wouldn't have taken such a risk, using his Bone Forging Realm strength to forcibly kill a Muscle Condensing Realm expert.

Seeing this, He An quickly said, "Eldest Brother, rest assured, my injuries aren't serious."

"To be honest, it's only because I've cultivated the Yi Jin Jing to Great Accomplishment that I dared to trade wounds with Zhang Yongda. Otherwise, even with a sneak attack, I might not have been his match."

Hearing that the Yi Jin Jing had reached Great Accomplishment, He Ping finally relaxed, believing that He An truly hadn't suffered severe injuries.

He didn't know much about the Yi Jin Jing, but to have cultivated it to Great Accomplishment.

He An's current physique was definitely not much weaker than his own.

Then, He Ping's gaze burned as he looked at the jade bottle on the table.

"I didn't expect it to actually be a Blood-Connecting Pill."

"Eldest Brother, do you know about this pill?"

"Know it? I know it more than well." He Ping could barely contain his excitement.

"For martial artists who haven't Entered the Ranks, the Blood-Connecting Pill is the most valuable pill."

"The reason is simply one of its effects: it helps one Enter the Ranks."

"For those martial artists who wish to Enter the Ranks, it can increase their success rate by at least thirty percent."

"So even though it's only a Ninth Rank pill, in terms of effect and value, even some Eighth Rank pills might not compare."

"Furthermore, if you pair this Blood-Connecting Pill with some precious Spirit Medicine for a medicinal bath, it can not only temper the body but also open up the meridians, greatly enhancing a martial artist's strength."

"It's just a pity that a single martial artist can generally only use two Blood-Connecting Pills."

"One to break through, one to temper the body."

"If you continue using them, the effect will be less than a tenth."

"I see!"

He An looked at the jade bottle, pondering. "With my Water Flows to a Channel destiny, I don't need pills to break through. I only need to keep one Blood-Connecting Pill to temper my body."

"The remaining two can go to Eldest Brother."

"Ever since he lost his arm, Eldest Brother has been very down. With these two Blood-Connecting Pills, he might be able to rekindle his hope of Entering the Ranks."

"Once he's strong enough in the future, Regenerate Limbs might not be impossible!!"

With this thought, He An made up his mind.

"Eldest Brother, I've decided. I'll keep only one pill for my breakthrough and give you the remaining two Blood-Connecting Pills. You can use them for your cultivation."

Instantly.

He Ping stood frozen in place.

"I don't want them!"

After snapping out of it, he immediately refused. "I'm a cripple now. Using a Blood-Connecting Pill would be a complete waste, let alone two."

"You keep all the Blood-Connecting Pills. When you're strong enough, I'll just follow behind and enjoy the good life."

"At the very least, you use two of them, and give the extra Blood-Connecting Pill to Brother Wang Zheng—that would still be far better than giving it to a cripple like me."

A flicker of desolation passed through He Ping's eyes.

From childhood martial training to now, he had endured countless hardships, gritting his teeth and pushing through every time.

His goal was to Enter the Ranks and become a ranked Martial Artist.

But now, he was already ruined.

A cripple!!!

"No!"

A voice cut through his thoughts.

"Elder Brother, you must accept these two Blood-Connecting Pills."

He An's tone was gravely serious: "You are my elder brother, Ru'er's father, and Eldest Sister-in-law's husband. Our family has been targeted, and there will be no shortage of open attacks and hidden arrows ahead."

"If I'm home, it's fine. But if I'm not, and your strength isn't enough, then what?"

He Ping had no reply.

He An pressed on: "Only when your strength is sufficient to handle some of those open attacks and hidden arrows can I stop worrying about something happening at home at any time."

"One inside, one outside—anyone who dares to covet Eldest Sister-in-law or Ru'er will have to think twice."

"So, you must accept both pills."

A moment later.

He Ping answered softly: "I can accept the pills, but I only need one. Keep the other two for yourself."

He An shook his head.

"Elder Brother, have you forgotten? I cultivate the Yi Jin Jing. The Blood-Connecting Pill's effect on tempering the body is minimal for me."

"It's better to save that pill—whether for tempering the body or opening the meridians, it's crucial for you."

"Your right arm is crippled. You need that second pill more than I do."

He Ping's heart ached.

Who didn't need a Blood-Connecting Pill? It was just a consolation to make him accept the pills.

Looking at He An's expectant gaze, recalling everything He An had just said, He Ping's resolve wavered.

He reached out, patted He An on the shoulder, and said with a faint smile: "Xiao An, you've grown up. You don't need your big brother to protect you anymore."

"Mother and Father would be happy to know."

Outside the city.

In a rundown hut in the forest.

A cry of genuine pain suddenly rang out.

The remnant of the Salvation Cult, the middle-aged man who had escaped, stood disheveled inside the hut.

Several bloody gashes marked his body. Sun Wangxian and the others hadn't killed him, but they hadn't let him off easy either—that much was plain to see.

"The pill, my pill!!"

He ground his teeth, his eyes bloodshot: "Town Martial Division, the Meng Family—whoever swallowed my pill, I'll make you spit it out."

With that, he limped out of the hut.

Standing outside, the middle-aged man stared fixedly toward Fangcheng.

"Since I don't know who took my pill, then none of you will get away."

"Touch my things..."

"Courting death!!"

Meanwhile.

At the Meng Family residence.

Turning around, Meng Chenghao changed into fresh clothes, all traces of his earlier dishevelment gone.

"Father, everything is settled."

"Though there was a minor incident—I don't know why the Town Martial Division showed up—I still managed to convince that fellow to leave Fangcheng."

Meng Chenghao was smug.

Little did he know, Meng Hai's face was dark and terrifying.

"Idiot!"

He suddenly cursed: "Who told you everything was settled?"

"Do you realize that if your identity were exposed, our entire Meng Family would be finished? Those two old bastards would never miss a chance to smear our name."

Meng Chenghao was startled by the sudden outburst, then said aggrievedly: "My identity wasn't exposed. Those people never caught me."

"Bastard, how dare you talk back!"

Meng Hai said with bitter disappointment, "You weren't exposed, but what about the others?"

"As far as I know, the Town Martial Division didn't come away empty-handed this time. They captured someone alive. If that person talks and spills everything our Meng family has done—"

"What do you think will be waiting for us?"

Hearing this, Meng Chenghao was stunned.

He hurriedly defended himself, "Father, I didn't know. I didn't know they caught someone alive. I thought..."

Meng Hai snorted.

"Thought what? Thought they were all dead? Thought the Town Martial Division were all useless, that they not only let you go but did nothing at all?"

Meng Chenghao lowered his head.

Seeing this, Meng Hai said with disappointment, "Hao'er, I always had high hopes for you, but you've let me down too much. I gave you chance after chance, and you never seized them."

"Since that's the case, you don't need to concern yourself with the rest."

"Just focus on your cultivation. When your strength is sufficient in the future, you can work for the Meng family again."

"In a few days, your Eldest Brother should be returning from the Earth Water Sect. According to him, he has gained the favor of an elder and is now in the Blood Circulation Realm."

"He's not far from Entering the Ranks either."

"With his help, I believe things will be much easier for me—at the very least, I won't have to handle everything myself like I do now."

Walking out of the room, Meng Chenghao's eyes turned icy cold. He muttered, "Eldest Brother, you already left, so why come back? Are you still coveting the position of Meng Family Patriarch?"

"As long as I'm here, don't even think about it. The position of Meng Family Patriarch must be mine."

"It can only be mine!!"