Blood Deer Meat

Zhao's Father's change in opinion made Lu Chuan quite happy.

He didn't usually care much about what others thought, but being able to shift that old man's view meant Zhao Xuanhe would have an easier time when he went back home.

The two chatted and laughed as they walked toward Chunxiang Tower.

Chunxiang Tower sat on the busiest street in Qinghe County, with carved beams and painted rafters, looking extremely grand.

Zhao Xuanhe was clearly a regular; as soon as they entered, a waiter hurried over with a full-faced smile: "Young Master Zhao has arrived! Please, upstairs to a private room!"

They were led to the third floor and into a private booth.

Zhao Xuanhe directly rattled off a few dishes:

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

The waiter noted it down and withdrew.

Lu Chuan didn't know the exact prices of the dishes, but just hearing the names told him they weren't cheap.

"Brother Zhao, this meal is too generous..."

Zhao Xuanhe waved a hand: "Brother Lu, say nothing. Today's feast—first, to celebrate your success, and second, for my own joy. My father has scolded me for years; getting a single word of praise from him today—do you think that's easy?"

Lu Chuan smiled and stopped refusing.

Before long, the dishes came out one after another.

The last to arrive was a white porcelain plate of sliced meat, deep red in color with fine grain, extremely tempting.

Zhao Xuanhe pointed at the plate enthusiastically: "Brother Lu, you absolutely must try this Blood Deer Meat. A pound costs ten taels of silver—I ordered it specially for you!"

Lu Chuan froze, looking down at the meat. "Ten taels of silver for just one pound of meat?"

Ten taels of silver could buy five Qi and Blood Pills!

He thought for a moment: "This Blood Deer... could it be an Exotic Beast?"

The Old Mountain Lord he'd hunted before was a fierce creature close to an Exotic Beast, but its meat sold to the Tavern for just one silver coin per pound.

This Blood Deer was a hundred times more expensive!

Zhao Xuanhe nodded: "Right. The Blood Deer is indeed a powerful Exotic Beast. Martial Artists go into the Black Wind Mountain Range specifically to hunt them. Every trip costs several lives, so how could the meat not be expensive?"

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

"My father told me there's a Black Wind Ridge near Qinghe County. Is it related?"

"Black Wind Ridge?" Zhao Xuanhe chuckled.

"That's probably just an outer peak of the Black Wind Mountain Range. The real range is much larger. You'd have to cross Black Wind Ridge and go a hundred miles in to reach the Exotic Beasts' true habitat."

"My father said the earth vein energy under the Black Wind Mountain Range is dense, so Exotic Beasts gather there. But that place is dangerous—few First Qi and Blood Martial Artists who go in come out alive."

Lu Chuan listened, silently committing it to memory.

This kind of information wasn't something ordinary people could learn.

"Come on, don't just listen to me—taste it." Zhao Xuanhe picked up his chopsticks, motioning to Lu Chuan.

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

As the meat entered, a strong, exotic meat fragrance burst forth.

Immediately after, a powerful surge of heat rose from his stomach, spreading through his meridians to his limbs and bones.

Lu Chuan's eyes lit up.

He didn't speak, but took another bite.

Zhao Xuanhe watched him and laughed happily: "Glad you like it, Brother Lu. This whole plate is for you."

Lu Chuan didn't stand on ceremony; he thanked him and began to eat heartily.

In all his time training in martial arts, this was the first time he'd had such good food.

With every bite, the heat grew stronger, and the Qi and blood in his body became more active.

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

The other dishes weren't wasted either. The two chatted as they ate, cleaning the table completely.

Full and satisfied, Lu Chuan stood up, feeling warm all over.

"Brother Zhao, I'll take my leave." He cupped his hands. "Thank you for the hospitality today."

"Don't mention it." Zhao Xuanhe cupped his hands in return. "Go back and digest it well. You'll know the effects of that Blood Deer Meat tomorrow."

Lu Chuan nodded, left Chunxiang Tower, and headed straight for the Martial Arts Hall.

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

Lu Chuan pushed open the door, lit the oil lamp, but didn't sleep.

The powerful Qi and blood essence of the Blood Deer Meat was now all gathered inside him, his whole body burning hot—how could he possibly sleep?

"Looks like I won't be sleeping after finally making it back. Time to practice the blade."

He grabbed a long saber at random.

A set of Mountain Splitting Saber techniques slowly unfolded.

Starting stance, chopping slash, horizontal cut...

Lu Chuan's qi and blood surged, every strike carrying full force.

The heat from that Blood Deer Meat inside him began to stir, flowing through his meridians and spreading to his limbs with each movement.

One slash, two slashes, three slashes...

Lu Chuan moved faster and fiercer with every repetition.

Sweat dripped from his forehead, but he felt no fatigue—only the growing fullness of qi and blood within.

Only when the sky began to lighten did he stop and stand with his blade.

His clothes were soaked through, but a smile spread across Lu Chuan's face.

The qi and blood energy had fully merged in. He could sense that his qi and blood intensity had reached a certain limit.

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

"No wonder Blood Deer Meat sells for so much. This effect is way better than Qi and Blood Pills."

He recalled what Zhao Xuanhe said—those Exotic Beasts were all hunted by Martial Artists entering the Black Wind Mountain Range.

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

One of those blood deer alone must weigh a few hundred jin, right?

That'd be thousands of silver taels!

"Sure, ordinary Martial Artists aren't allowed in, but with my Major Success Mountain Splitting Saber and Mountain Collapse mastered, especially that eerie Seven Star Steps... even a Second Qi and Blood, I'd dare to take on!"

"In a few days, I'll make some preparations and head straight into 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 Lingxi. Light and tough, they allow silent movement and provide a faint boost to footwork-type martial arts.]
[Collection Effect: Can obtain martial art · Seven Star Steps · Minor Success]
[Collect?]

"Collect."

The next moment, the familiar sensation of infusion came again.

Lu Chuan closed his eyes to digest for a while. When he opened them again, the sky outside was fully bright.

He pushed open the door and stepped into the courtyard.

He wanted to test the power of Seven Star Steps, but someone was already practicing morning drills in the Martial Arts Hall.

Lu Chuan shook his head.

He didn't want to be mistaken for a disciple of Night Roaming Gate.

Those people were infamous—getting tangled up with them would be impossible to explain.

"I'll try it outside the city. It's been a while since I went home anyway—might as well visit my parents."

Leaving the Martial Arts Hall, Lu Chuan headed straight out of the city.

Passing through the city gate, once he reached a spot where no one could see him, he stopped and suddenly pushed off the ground with force.

Seven Star Steps, unleashed.

His form flickered, and he shot forward like a ghost.

His footwork was eerily unpredictable—every step made it impossible to guess where the next would land.

Lu Chuan moved faster and smoother with each stride.

"This Seven Star Steps—no wonder it's Night Roaming Gate's signature skill. My speed's at least fifty percent faster than before!"

What delighted him even more was that the footwork in his mind wasn't just movement.

Once trained to Major Success, it also unlocked a special technique: Seven Star Stomp.

That was the first move Ye Wu used to ambush Chief Escort Fang that night.

That kick was fast and vicious—even though Fang blocked it, he was still sent flying.

After that, Lu Chuan kept moving, sprinting freely through the woods.

Normally, it took over half an hour to go from the county town to Kaoshan Village.

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

Pushing open the gate to his family's yard, Lu Chuan wore a smile on his face.

"Father, Mother, I'm back!"

The door opened. Mother Lu stood at the entrance, a smile forced onto her face—but there was something unmistakably off about it.

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

Lu Chuan looked at his mother, his heart sinking.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

"Nothing... nothing's wrong. Are you hungry? I'll heat up some food for you..."

"Mother, where's Father?"

Mother Lu's hand trembled.

"Your father... your father, he..." She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Lu Chuan asked no more. He brushed past his mother and strode into the house.

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