The Medicine-Rush Furor

Inside Jisheng Pharmacy, the scent of medicine mingled with the sweat of the crowd, making the air stifling and oppressive.

Qin Meng caught sight of Lei Jun and felt a flicker of unease. Why is this guy here again?

As if by coincidence, after Lei Jun entered the hall, his gaze fell on Qin Meng and Wang Tieniu. His eyes turned icy, and a playful curve tugged at his lips.

"Shopkeeper."

Lei Jun strode straight to the counter and slapped down a stack of silver notes. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the hall. "My martial hall will take all the tonics in the shop for the Boiling Blood Realm and above."

The people in line stirred.

Li Tiezhu grew anxious. "We got here first. We want to buy three doses of blood-replenishing medicine."

The old shopkeeper behind the counter lifted his eyelids, ready to agree.

A tall, thin bookkeeper beside Lei Jun sneered. "What are you shouting about? The martial hall placed a bulk order with Jisheng Pharmacy long ago. First come, first served? You think you're buying vegetables?"

"We've been in line for nearly half an hour!" Wang Tieniu shouted in his booming voice. "Shopkeeper, tell us who's in the right!"

The old shopkeeper's face showed his dilemma, his wrinkles bunching into deep furrows. He looked at Qin Meng and the others, then at Lei Jun, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Young Master Lei... according to our shop's rules, we have to serve customers in order..."

"Rules?" The broad-faced, burly man behind Lei Jun stepped forward with a snarl and kicked the counter. The wooden stand thudded, and the medicine scale jumped. "My young master's word is the rule. Is the Leiming Martial Hall's face not enough?"

"Don't be rude." Lei Jun rebuked him, though his tone carried little real censure.

He turned to the old shopkeeper and said unhurriedly, "Shopkeeper Liu, your establishment's owner promised that the martial hall would have priority in special circumstances. The town's unsettled these days, and the martial halls are stocking up on medicine. That counts as a special circumstance, doesn't it?"

Sweat beaded on the old shopkeeper's temples. He glanced at Qin Meng and the others, silent and unsmiling, then at Lei Jun's unyielding gaze. His shoulders slumped.

"...All right. I'll take care of it."

He turned and ordered the shop assistants to bring out the medicine. A moment later, the shop's remaining twenty-odd packets of herbs were bundled up and carried from behind the counter, all of them placed in front of Lei Jun. Their oil-paper wrappings let the medicinal aroma seep through. They were all quality goods, beneficial for martial training.

"Shopkeeper, you're not even following the rules anymore?" Li Tiezhu's voice was tight with anger.

Wang Tieniu's face reddened with fury. "This is too much!"

A rustle of complaints rose from behind them. Several martial artists looked displeased, but none dared raise their voices.

The old shopkeeper cupped his hands helplessly. "I'm sorry, everyone. The town hasn't been peaceful lately, and our stock really is limited. I'll be sure to save some for you next time."

Only then did Lei Jun turn around at his leisure, looking at Qin Meng with a half-smile. "Well, what a coincidence. You two came to buy medicine too? What a shame today isn't your lucky day."

"You did this on purpose!" Wang Tieniu clenched his fists.

"On purpose?" Lei Jun raised his brows in feigned surprise. "Buying medicine is just buying medicine. What do you mean, on purpose? Shopkeeper Liu is following the rules of trade. Are you saying Jisheng Pharmacy can sell to you, but not to the Leiming Martial Hall?"

The burly man sneered. "Want tonics? Come back next time. Though next time... there might not be any stock either."

Everyone in the hall was furious, but dared not speak.

The Leiming Martial Hall held great power. Its master, Lei Ba, was at the peak of the Body Forging Realm. Which ordinary martial artist would want to offend him lightly?

Qin Meng reached out to stop Wang Tieniu. His expression calm, he watched Lei Jun for a moment, then spoke slowly. His voice wasn't loud, yet the entire pharmacy fell silent.

"Young Master Lei, don't be too arrogant. Though you might not be able to take that advice in—so let me put it another way."

He paused, then said each word distinctly. "Do you still remember... Song Jiang, Song Gongming?"

The whole hall fell utterly silent.

The haughty smile on Lei Jun's face stiffened in an instant. The humiliating night from several days ago surged back into his mind—disciples lying dead, Zhao Tie slain, and himself fleeing in disgrace...

"You... how dare you!"

Lei Jun's face shifted from red to green to white. His knuckles went pale as his blood and qi churned, making his robe flutter on its own.

Qin Meng shrugged without the slightest fear and raised his voice. "The whole town's been buzzing about it. They say your martial hall throws its weight around and has offended too many people. Several died that night, including your martial master, Zhao Tie. What a pity!"

"Right, he died a miserable death," Wang Tieniu chimed in with a sarcastic drawl.

The martial artists in the hall stared for a moment. Then someone couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.

A moment later, quiet chuckles and mocking snickers spread through the room.

Those who had waited in line for ages only to find no medicine were already seething. Now that the Leiming Martial Hall was getting humiliated, they were delighted to watch the spectacle.

Many looked at Lei Jun with mocking amusement, and the name "Song Jiang" was repeated again and again.

The Leiming Martial Hall's men turned livid.

The burly man roared, "What are you laughing at? Shut your mouths!"

The laughter didn't stop. It only grew louder. Someone deliberately coughed, but couldn't hide the curve of his mouth.

Lei Jun stared at Qin Meng, murderous intent coalescing in his eyes. But in the end, he didn't dare attack. The aura Qin Meng had shown that night was still fresh in his memory. Besides, the frontier forts were full of hard-bitten men who lived by the blade...

"...Very well." Lei Jun forced the words through his teeth and flung his sleeve.

"Let's go!"

The Leiming Martial Hall's men carried off the medicine and pushed their way out of the pharmacy, their faces ashen. The laughter behind them slapped their faces like a series of blows, and several disciples hurried along with their heads bowed.

Qin Meng watched them leave, his gaze turning cold. He hadn't been able to kill that pest that night; the man remained a hidden danger. He'd have to find an opportunity...

"Mengzi, the medicine's gone. What do we do now?" Li Tiezhu asked quietly.

Qin Meng pulled his gaze back and said calmly, "Don't worry. Let's deliver our goods to Kexianju Restaurant first. We'll fill our bellies, and as for the medicine... I have a way."

He touched the cold Bronze VIP Token in his robe. He already had a plan.

Lei Jun dared to throw his weight around at Jisheng Pharmacy, but in a place like Duobao Pavilion, he'd probably have to keep his head down.

The three of them left Jisheng Pharmacy.

The sun was already high, and people streamed along the street.

Li Tiezhu and Wang Tieniu each dragged a handcart piled with game. They followed Qin Meng through two streets to the back courtyard of Kexianju Restaurant.

Shopkeeper Hu came out to greet them. When he saw half a Spotted Deer, his eyes lit up.

"Fine goods, truly fine goods." Shopkeeper Hu inspected it himself, grinning from ear to ear. "Brother Qin, your hunting skills keep getting better. This venison is fresh, and we can talk price."

Once the deal was done, the money changed hands.

Shopkeeper Hu welcomed them warmly. He not only had the kitchen prepare a meal, but also told a worker to heat water and even arranged for a few clean sets of clothes.

"You've all come a long way. Wash up before you eat."

Qin Meng didn't refuse Fatty Hu's kindness. Thanks to his Self-Healing talent, most of his injuries had recovered, and he was back to looking hale and hearty.

Warm water washed away his weariness and dried blood. He changed into the coarse new clothes the worker had bought. Once dressed, Qin Meng let his consciousness sink into the panel.

[Name: Qin Meng]

[Realm: Mortal Body]

[Innate Talent: Divine Valor]

[Talents: Wild Instinct—Advanced (13%), Environmental Integration—Intermediate (24%), Iron Back—Intermediate (9%), Thick Skin and Fleshy—Intermediate (28%), Self-Healing—Intermediate (11%), Water Control—Beginner (1%), Blood Shadow—Beginner (1%)]

[Core Cultivation Method: None]

[Martial Skills: Black Dragon Eighteen Hands—Minor Mastery, Evil-Slaying Blade-Breaking Saber—Proficient, Chain Arrow—Minor Mastery, Berserker Spear Technique—Minor Mastery]

"I'm only missing a cultivation method now, but I'll have one soon." Qin Meng's eyes gleamed.

After washing up and changing into fresh clothes, Qin Meng, Li Tiezhu, and Wang Tieniu ate their fill, then set off with their game for the East District.

In a town of mostly two- or three-story wooden buildings and brick houses, Duobao Pavilion's seven-story pagoda towered above everything else. Its flying eaves and carved brackets, its red-lacquered beams and pillars, and the well-dressed people coming and going all stood in stark contrast to the market bustle of the West District.

Qin Meng had been there once before, and his experience in the modern city of a later age kept him unfazed.

Li Tiezhu and the others gaped up at the building, clicking their tongues in amazement. They usually trained inside the fort and had never traveled far. How could they have seen anything like this?

The building's interior was spacious, and the gilded sign above the medicine hall bore the imposing words "Medicine God Pavilion."

But cultivation resources were precious, and the Medicine God Pavilion had its own rules for selling them. Many martial artists were waiting in line, and the queue for medicine stretched from the counter to the entrance.

Qin Meng glanced around. Besides martial artists from the nearby forts, there were also disciples of the Leiming Martial Hall in line, all waiting quietly.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but not long after they arrived, a commotion broke out at the entrance.

Lei Jun arrived too, surrounded by his followers. His brocade martial robe stood out in the crowd. They also spotted Qin Meng and the others near the entrance.

Their eyes met, and in that moment, the air seemed to freeze.