The Lord of Azure Dragon Mountain was immensely powerful!
Blackwater County was filled with his informants. Coupled with his cooperation with the Black Tiger Gang, he was practically omniscient!
The moment he left the Azure Cloud Medical Hall, news of his whereabouts would be sent straight to Green Dragon Mountain.
That was why he could only have his son secretly check the fruit's ripeness during this incident!
To see whether that fruit was still there!
Once he confirmed that the fruit was still in that place and determined when it would ripen,
he would stir up a commotion in Blackwater County!
When the time came, he would secretly head to Green Dragon Mountain, consume the fruit, break through to the Aperture Opening Realm, and no longer fear the Lord of Azure Dragon Mountain!
After finishing dinner, Su Xian hurried home. Along the way, he visited several street stalls and bought several masks and sets of clothing!
Fortunately, Song Zheng had generously contributed twenty taels of silver. Otherwise, Su Xian truly could not have afforded them.
After returning home, Su Xian hid the clothing and masks.
He planned to join in the Azure Cloud Medical Hall's excitement three days later and earn some silver on the side!
But he would have to conceal his identity.
One hundred and fifty taels of silver would be enough for Su Xian to visit the Black Market and look for some Muscle Forging Realm martial techniques!
In the Black Market, martial techniques of the same realm usually cost less than half as much as cultivation methods.
As long as he obtained those one hundred and fifty taels, Su Xian should be able to acquire several Muscle Forging Realm martial techniques.
As for Tendon Refining Realm martial arts, one hundred and fifty taels would not be enough.
But as long as he killed those Cat Demons after entering the mountain this time,
with Su Xian's talent in martial techniques,
he should be able to push a second-grade Muscle Forging Realm martial technique into the third-grade Tendon Refining Realm category!
At that moment, a knock sounded outside the house again.
Su Xian frowned and opened the door. The visitor was the person responsible for collecting medicinal herbs for the Azure Cloud Medical Hall.
In the past, after entering the mountains to gather herbs, Su Xian had sold the herbs he collected to this man.
"Su Xian, do you want to enter the mountain sometime soon? The Azure Cloud Medical Hall is offering a huge price! Five taels of silver for every herb gatherer!"
The moment Su Xian opened the door, the man raised a smile and hurriedly spoke.
Su Xian shook his head slightly after hearing this. He did not plan to enter the mountain as an herb gatherer; his actions would be restricted.
It would be better to disguise himself tomorrow and enter the mountain as a martial artist. That would give him a little more freedom!
"No need. I only barely escaped alive from Green Dragon Mountain a few days ago! I don't want to go in again!"
Su Xian waved his hand while putting on a frightened expression.
"This... Why don't you think it over again? This is five taels of silver! How long would you have to gather herbs to save that much?"
"Besides, martial artists will be accompanying everyone this time! It'll be absolutely safe!"
Seeing Su Xian refuse, the man immediately grew anxious and hurriedly tried to persuade him again.
"Stop trying to persuade me! Even if there's money to be made, you still need to be alive to spend it! Green Dragon Mountain is far too dangerous right now! You should leave!"
Su Xian's tone was firm and left no room for argument.
Seeing this, the man could only shake his head slightly.
"All right, all right! If you don't want to go, then forget it!" With that, the man turned and left.
Su Xian directly shut the door and returned to the house.
Hearing the door close behind him, the man froze in surprise. He had not expected Su Xian to truly have no intention of going!
He had thought Su Xian was trying to drive a harder bargain!
"Forget it! If he doesn't want to go, so be it!"
The man shook his head and hurried away.
"Do they really need so many herb gatherers to enter the mountain and collect medicinal herbs?"
Back in his room, Su Xian frowned. This was clearly abnormal.
The Azure Cloud Medical Hall already had medicinal herbs in reserve, and in large quantities at that.
Even if herb gatherer casualties had been severe recently and the amount of collected herbs had plummeted,
the medical hall's reserves should still have been more than enough!
Besides, the purpose this time was to exterminate those Cat Demons. Why not simply send martial artists into the mountain?
Why insist on having herb gatherers enter the mountain with them?
One had to know that if martial artists and herb gatherers encountered Cat Demons together in the mountain forest, it went without saying who would survive.
Could those martial artists not outrun the Demon Race? Surely they could at least outrun herb gatherers!
Su Xian took out a mask and changed into the newly purchased clothing. He controlled the muscles in his body and face, causing them to change.
His hands and feet became considerably thicker, while the changes in his facial muscles transformed him into an entirely different person.
At the same time, Su Xian spoke. A rough voice emerged from his mouth, completely different from his former voice.
Now that Su Xian had reached the Muscle Forging Realm, he could already control the muscles throughout his body and make some changes.
It was quite easy for him to completely become another person like this.
Unfortunately, Su Xian had yet to reach the Bone Tempering Realm!
Otherwise, he could even alter his height. In that case, he might not even need a mask!
Two days later, Su Xian wore a blue outfit and a mottled mask as he arrived at the Azure Cloud Medical Hall's martial artist recruitment site.
During those two days, Su Xian continued investigating the Azure Cloud Medical Hall's mountain expedition to slay demons and discovered that it was indeed unusual!
There were simply too many people! Not only were there many martial artists, there were also many herb gatherers!
Quite a few Skin Grinding Realm martial artists who practiced at the Blazing Sun Martial Arts School had joined this demon-extermination operation as well!
Of course, the disciples of the Blazing Sun Martial Arts School's master had not joined. They were not people short of money.
"Hello, I'm here to apply as a martial artist to enter the mountain and gather herbs!" Su Xian said indifferently as he looked at the man before him.
"All right! What realm are you in?" The man looked at Su Xian with a hint of surprise.
Although many people had come to participate recently, there were few like Su Xian who still wore masks.
"Muscle Forging Realm!"
"Really? Try punching me!"
Hearing this, the man was slightly surprised, then extended his right hand and clenched it into a fist.
Su Xian studied the man before him, then clenched his own right fist. Controlling his strength, he punched the man's fist.
Their fists collided. The man on the other side did not move an inch. After a moment, he revealed a smile.
"Not bad. You really are in the Muscle Forging Realm!"
"Tomorrow at this time, in this same place!"
"Before entering the mountain, I'll pay you half the wages. After leaving the mountain, I'll pay the other half!"
The man looked at Su Xian and spoke softly.
"All right."
Su Xian nodded and turned to leave. He had come to participate in this operation
mainly to find out more about those few Cat Demons and earn some silver on the side.
After all, even if he happened to encounter some stronger members of the Demon Race in Green Dragon Mountain,
he could still run. At the very least, he would be much faster than the herb gatherers accompanying him!
Early the next morning,
Su Xian wore his mask, a Mountain-splitting Saber strapped to his waist, and arrived before the Azure Cloud Medical Hall.
It was different from yesterday's location. This place was now packed with people.
There had to be several hundred people in all, divided into two groups.
Su Xian swept his eyes over them. One group consisted entirely of herb gatherers!
They made up more than half the people present.
As for the group of martial artists, they were quite numerous as well.
Among them, Su Xian spotted many familiar faces. They were all people who practiced martial arts at the Blazing Sun Martial Arts School!
Suddenly, Su Xian noticed a familiar face in the herb gatherers' ranks.
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