Blood Deer Meat

Father Zhao had changed his opinion of him, and Lu Chuan was quite pleased.

Although he did not particularly care what others thought of him, winning over that old man would make Zhao Xuanhe's days after returning home much easier.

The two of them chatted and laughed as they made their way to Chunxiang Tower.

Chunxiang Tower stood on the liveliest street in Qinghe County. Its carved beams and painted rafters were exceedingly grand.

Zhao Xuanhe was clearly a regular. The moment he entered, a waiter came to greet him with a face full of smiles. "Young Master Zhao, you're here! This way to the private room upstairs!"

The two of them were led to the third floor and into a private room.

Zhao Xuanhe immediately ordered several dishes:

"Bring a pound of Blood Deer Meat, Steamed Mandarin Fish, Braised Bear Paw, Black Snake Soup, and a few seasonal side dishes."

The waiter wrote everything down and left.

Lu Chuan did not know the exact prices of the dishes, but just hearing their names told him they could not be cheap.

"Brother Zhao, this is too much of an expense..."

Zhao Xuanhe waved his hand. "Brother Lu, don't say a word. Today's meal is partly to celebrate your achievement, and partly because I'm happy myself. My father has spent all these years scolding me. Today, he finally praised me once. Do you think that was easy for me?"

Lu Chuan laughed as well and no longer declined.

Before long, the dishes were served one after another.

The last dish was a platter of sliced meat on a white porcelain plate. The meat was a deep red, with delicate marbling, and looked extraordinarily tempting.

Pointing at the plate, Zhao Xuanhe said enthusiastically, "Brother Lu, you absolutely have to try this Blood Deer Meat. A pound costs Ten Taels of Silver. I specially ordered it for you!"

Lu Chuan froze. He lowered his head to look at the plate. "Ten Taels of Silver for just one pound of meat?"

Ten Taels of Silver was enough to buy five Qi and Blood Pills!

Lu Chuan thought for a moment. "Could this Blood Deer... be an Exotic Beast?"

The Old Mountain Lord he had hunted previously could also be considered a ferocious beast close to an Exotic Beast, but when its meat was sold to a tavern, it only fetched one mace of silver per pound.

This Blood Deer was actually a hundred times more expensive!

Zhao Xuanhe nodded. "That's right. The Blood Deer is indeed a powerful Exotic Beast. Martial Artists specifically enter the Black Wind Mountain Range to hunt them. Every trip costs quite a few lives. How could the meat not be expensive?"

"The Black Wind Mountain Range?" Lu Chuan was startled.

"I heard my father say there's a Black Wind Ridge near Qinghe County. What does it have to do with this?"

"Black Wind Ridge?" Zhao Xuanhe smiled.

"That should be an outer mountain of the Black Wind Mountain Range. The true Black Wind Mountain Range is enormous. You have to cross Black Wind Ridge and travel over a hundred li inward before reaching the place where the Exotic Beasts truly dwell."

"I heard my father say that the earth-vein energy beneath the Black Wind Mountain Range is dense, so the Exotic Beasts gather there. But that place is extremely dangerous. Of ordinary First Qi and Blood Martial Artists who enter, few can come back alive."

Lu Chuan listened and secretly committed the information to memory.

Ordinary people had no way of learning such things.

"Come on, don't just listen to me. Try it." Zhao Xuanhe picked up his chopsticks and gestured toward Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan picked up a slice of Blood Deer Meat and put it into his mouth.

The moment the meat entered his mouth, it released an intense, strange aroma.

Immediately afterward, a powerful current of heat rose from his abdomen and spread through his meridians to all four limbs and hundreds of bones.

Lu Chuan's eyes lit up.

He said nothing and picked up another piece.

Seeing his expression, Zhao Xuanhe smiled happily.

"I'm glad you like it, Brother Lu. I ordered this entire plate for you."

Lu Chuan did not stand on ceremony. After thanking him, he began to feast.

In all the time he had practiced martial arts, this was the first time he had eaten something so good.

With every bite of meat, the current of heat grew stronger, and the qi and blood within his body became increasingly lively.

The entire plate of Blood Deer Meat went into his stomach.

The other dishes were not wasted either. The two of them chatted as they ate, sweeping the whole table clean.

After eating and drinking his fill, Lu Chuan rose to his feet and felt warm all over.

"Brother Zhao, I'll be leaving first."

He cupped his fists. "Thank you for the hospitality today."

"Why the formalities?" Zhao Xuanhe cupped his fists as well. "Go back and digest it properly. You'll know the effects of this Blood Deer Meat tomorrow."

Lu Chuan nodded, left Chunxiang Tower, and made his way toward the Martial Arts Hall.

By the time he returned to his quarters at the Martial Arts Hall, it was already midnight.

Lu Chuan pushed open the door, lit an oil lamp, but did not go to sleep.

The powerful qi-and-blood essence of the Blood Deer Meat had all gathered inside him. His entire body was feverishly hot—how could he possibly sleep?

"Looks like I finally came back, only to find I still can't sleep. I might as well practice the saber."

He casually picked up a long saber.

A set of Mountain Splitting Saber slowly unfolded.

The opening stance, a downward slash, a horizontal cut...

Lu Chuan's qi and blood surged, and every saber stroke carried tremendous force.

The current of heat brought by the Blood Deer Meat began to stir. Following his movements, it flowed through his meridians toward his limbs and bones.

One stroke, two strokes, three strokes...

Lu Chuan practiced faster and faster, more fiercely with every stroke.

Sweat dripped from his brow, but he felt no fatigue. All he felt was the qi and blood within him growing increasingly full.

Only when the eastern sky began to brighten did he finally sheathe his saber and stand still.

His clothes were soaked through with sweat, yet a smile appeared on Lu Chuan's face.

The qi and blood within him had completely fused into his body. He could feel that the strength of his qi and blood had reached a certain limit.

"First Qi and Blood Complete!" Lu Chuan lightly clenched his fist.

"No wonder Blood Deer Meat is so expensive. Its effects are far stronger than those of a Qi and Blood Pill."

He recalled what Zhao Xuanhe had said: the Exotic Beasts were hunted by Martial Artists who entered the Black Wind Mountain Range.

"But if they can go in, why can't I?"

A Blood Deer like that had to weigh at least several hundred pounds, right?

Wouldn't that be worth several thousand taels of silver?

"Ordinary Martial Artists may not be able to enter, but I have Mountain Splitting Saber at Major Success, and I've also mastered Mountain Collapse. Especially with that strange Seven Star Steps... Even against Second Qi and Blood, I'd have the nerve to give it a try!"

"In a few days, I'll make some preparations and take a proper trip to the Black Wind Mountain Range!"

Thinking this, Lu Chuan immediately took out Ye Qi's pair of Treasure Boots.

[Weapon: Night Roaming Boots]

[Quality: Peak Mortal Grade]

[Description: Night Roaming Boots made from the soft belly hide of a white rhinoceros. They are light yet tough, make no sound when walking, and provide a slight boost to footwork martial arts.]

[Collection Effect: Grants the martial art Seven Star Steps at Minor Success]

[Collect?]

"Collect."

The next moment, that familiar feeling of irrigation came over him once again.

Lu Chuan closed his eyes and spent a while digesting it. When he opened them again, the sky outside had already become completely bright.

He pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard.

He had intended to test the might of Seven Star Steps, but someone in the Martial Arts Hall was already practicing their morning exercises.

Lu Chuan shook his head.

He did not want people to mistake him for a disciple of the Night Roaming Gate.

Those people were notorious. Once he became involved with them, there would be no way to explain himself.

"I'll test it outside the city. It's also been a long time since I went home. I'll visit my parents while I'm at it."

After leaving the Martial Arts Hall, Lu Chuan made his way toward the outskirts of the city.

He passed through the city gate. Once he reached a place where no one could see him, he stopped and suddenly pushed off with his feet.

Seven Star Steps unfolded.

His figure blurred, and his whole body shot out like a ghost.

His footwork was strange and unpredictable. With every step, no one could tell where his next foot would land.

Lu Chuan moved faster and faster, more smoothly with every step.

"As expected of the Night Roaming Gate's signature skill, Seven Star Steps. I'm at least fifty percent faster than before!"

What delighted him even more was that the footwork technique in his mind was not merely footwork.

Once practiced to Major Success, it also came with a secret technique: Seven Star Stomp.

That was the first move Ye Wu had used when he ambushed Head Escort Fang that night.

That kick had been fast and vicious. Even though Head Escort Fang had blocked it, he had still been kicked flying.

Afterward, Lu Chuan did not stop moving. He ran freely through the mountain forest.

Normally, traveling from the county town to Kaoshan Village took more than half an hour.

This time, relying on the speed of Seven Star Steps, he saw Kaoshan Village in less than fifteen minutes.

Pushing open the gate to his own courtyard, Lu Chuan wore a smile.

"Dad, Mom, I'm back!"

The door opened. Mother Lu stood at the entrance, forcing a smile onto her face, but somehow, that smile looked wrong.

"You're back? Good, good..."

Lu Chuan looked at his mother, and his heart gave a jolt.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing... Are you hungry? I'll heat up some food for you..."

"Mom, where's Dad?"

Mother Lu's hand trembled.

"Your father... your father..." She opened and closed her mouth several times but could not get the words out.

Lu Chuan stopped asking. He pushed past his mother and strode into the house.