The Preciousness of Monster Flesh

Chapter 38: The Value of Demonic Beast Flesh and Blood

She nodded, her tone calm. "Much obliged."

Li Fu hurriedly demurred, then trotted ahead, took out a key, and pushed open the courtyard gate.

"Milord, please."

The courtyard was small, yet clean and tidy.

Three main rooms, one side room to the east and one to the west, a well in the center of the yard, and a few clumps of green bamboo—all quite elegant.

"Is milord satisfied?"

Jiang Yuechu swept her gaze over the place. This environment was countless times better than the barracks; how could she possibly find anything to complain about?

"Mm."

She nodded, indicating it was acceptable.

Seeing this, Li Fu's smile grew even warmer, and he began chattering on, introducing the various facilities in the yard, even pointing out where in the city it was convenient to shop and where the food was tasty.

Jiang Yuechu grew a bit impatient, waved her hand, and cut him off. "Alright, you may withdraw now."

Li Fu took the hint, immediately handed over the key, bowed, and took his leave.

After he left, Jiang Yuechu walked to the center of the courtyard and took a deep breath.

This was her home now.

In this foreign world, she finally had a place of her own to settle.

Even if this place had come to her through some twists and turns, through some bloodshed.

But so what?

She looked around.

"A house this big... should I hire some maids or servants to help with the upkeep?"

No, no.

She shook her little head vigorously.

Jiang Yuechu, Jiang Yuechu, how could you sink so low?

You're just an eighth-rank squad leader, and already you're thinking about having people wait on you?

And even if you had the desire, you lack the means.

Her monthly salary was only ten taels. In the Great Tang, ten taels of silver might be enough for an ordinary family of three to live comfortably for half a year.

If they were frugal, they could even scrape by for a year.

But for Jiang Yuechu, this was just a drop in the bucket.

They say the poor study, the rich practice martial arts.

But in truth, studying costs money, and martial arts cost even more.

For a poor family's child, having enough to eat was already a luxury; where would they find spare cash to buy nourishing herbs or hire a martial arts instructor?

Even the most basic techniques, without ten or eight years of hard training, were hard to master.

As for children of noble families, they had good teachers from childhood, rare delicacies to nourish them, and medicinal baths to temper their bones—their physiques were naturally far superior to ordinary people.

The cost of all this was more than a thousand gold.

The Hundred Demons Compendium was certainly heaven-defying, allowing her to cross decades of ordinary people's bitter cultivation in a short time.

But this golden finger wasn't all-powerful.

Just in terms of daily consumption, now that she was at the Bone Resonance Realm, her body's demand for energy had reached an astonishing level.

This meant that from now on, just eating would eat up most of her salary.

What?

You ask how she managed before?

Naturally, she had shamelessly mooched meals off Wei Qing.

But now that she'd been promoted to eighth-rank squad leader, how could she still have the face to go?

Thinking this, she instantly dismissed any notion of using her salary for enjoyment.

Maids, servants, elegant living—all were nothing but illusions.

She took a deep breath and cast aside those messy thoughts.

She decided then and there to go out and do some shopping first.

After all, from now on, she'd be living alone.

She'd have to prepare everything she ate and used herself.

East of Liangzhou City, outside the Demon-Pacifying Ward, was the market.

Jiang Yuechu first went to a cloth shop, had two sets of everyday clothes cut, and then found a tailor to order two sets of training attire.

After buying all the daily necessities, he found a rice shop and weighed out five bushels of polished rice.

The promotion money from the Demon Suppression Bureau did not include monthly provisions of rice and meat, so the expenses of these past days had to be covered out of his own pocket first.

The rice was bought, and next came the meat.

A martial artist's diet was vastly different from that of ordinary people.

Ordinary pork and mutton were not only hard to fill the stomach but also a drop in the bucket when it came to improving cultivation.

Wealthy martial artists would mostly purchase the flesh and blood of demonic beasts specifically.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author—maybe it was just renamed!

Demonic beasts were not demons; they were rare creatures carrying a trace of demonic bloodline.

The Demon Suppression Bureau's Crimson-Eyed Stallion was one such example.

For martial artists, the flesh and blood of demonic beasts was a great tonic.

Jiang Yuechu mused that she was now in the Bone Resonance Realm, and ordinary flesh and blood would hardly meet her needs.

Since she was out shopping, she might as well take a detour to see this so-called demonic beast flesh.

After making some inquiries, she headed toward the largest meat shop in the city.

"What? This little bit of meat, and you're charging fifty taels?! Why don't you just go rob someone!!!"

The meat shop owner, a burly man with broad shoulders, shrank his neck under Jiang Yuechu's roar, a look of grievance on his face.

He glanced at Jiang Yuechu's Demon Suppression Bureau uniform, ultimately dared not say much, and only explained in a low voice, "Milord... this demonic beast meat has been at this price for years. Ordinary hunters wouldn't dare touch it; only some Jianghu folk go out of their way to hunt demonic beasts..."

Jiang Yuechu took a deep breath, forcing down the anger rising in her heart.

Fifty taels of silver for just this small piece of meat?

Even robbery wasn't this fast!

With her current monthly salary of ten taels, buying one piece of meat would cost her five months' pay—who could bear that?

She grumbled inwardly, but kept her face expressionless.

Though this demonic beast meat was good, her purse was light right now, so she had to settle for second best.

Frustrated as she was, what else could she do if she couldn't afford it?

It wasn't like she could actually go rob someone.

That was bandit behavior, and she, Jiang Yuechu, was at least a registered Eighth-Rank Squad Leader.

"Forget it, give me five catties of beef shank and two fat chickens."

She pointed at the ordinary livestock meat on the chopping block, her tone carrying a hint of reluctance.

The meat shop owner breathed a sigh of relief and quickly sliced and bundled the meat.

Jiang Yuechu reached into her pocket for her money pouch, about to pay, when a steady voice suddenly sounded beside her.

"Wrap up this meat. I'll pay for her."

Jiang Yuechu froze and turned to look at the newcomer.

Dark-colored casual robes, a straight posture, deep-set eyes, steady as a mountain.

Who else could it be but Wei He?

Her heart skipped a beat.

There was nothing more awkward in the world than running into your boss while out shopping.

"Lord... Lord Wei! What brings you here?"

"I happened to be passing by."

Jiang Yuechu quickly waved her hand, "No need, no need, how could I let you spend your money..."

Wei He shook his head, his gaze falling on the few catties of ordinary meat in her hand. "This bit of money is nothing to me. Now that you've stepped into the Bone Resonance Realm, you need to replenish your qi and blood. These ordinary meats are a drop in the bucket for you. Don't skimp on these external things and hinder your cultivation."

"..."

Jiang Yuechu was somewhat surprised.

She had never mentioned stepping into the Bone Resonance Realm to anyone.

Even Xu Changfeng hadn't said anything at the time.

Wait...

Perhaps he already knew and just couldn't be bothered to bring it up.

"Thank you, milord."

She cupped her hands in thanks, her tone carrying a bit more sincerity.

What else could she say?

She couldn't very well argue with her direct superior in front of the meat shop owner, could she?

Wouldn't that make her seem petty, and also embarrass the leader?

She sighed inwardly, but a trace of warmth stirred in her heart nonetheless.

Wei He only gave a faint "Mm," saying nothing more, casually pulling silver from his bosom to pay.

The shopkeeper took the silver, thanking him repeatedly, and swiftly wrapped up the meat Jiang Yuechu had requested.

Only when he saw her accept it did a hint of satisfaction appear on Wei He's face.

He didn't linger long, gave a few instructions, and then hurried away.

As if he really had just happened to pass by.

Watching Wei He's figure vanish around the street corner, Jiang Yuechu clutched the meat in her hands, a flood of mixed emotions surging in her heart.

For him to look after her like this... what exactly was he after...

Forget it.

A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring.

Whatever his motives, she would remember this goodwill.

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