Doctor

Although Chen Wu had decided to take revenge, this was not something that could be achieved overnight or launched immediately; he still had a great deal of preparatory work to do.

The first order of business was cultivation; he had to seize these next two days to achieve the Jade Bone. Only then could he continue his cultivation of the Heaven-Intercepting Dao-Exposition Method.

After much deliberation, Chen Wu decided to continue practicing this bizarre martial art.

The main reason was that he had already completed the most difficult first step—borrowing the power of the Concentrated Spirit Realm—and the path ahead would not be as arduous.

For the past two days, Chen Wu had been pondering the Heaven-Intercepting Dao-Exposition Method, feeling that it bore a striking resemblance to the Dao Heart Demonic Seed Method and the Longevity Formula described in the novels of his past life. It was not that their manifestations were similar, but rather that their underlying logic of cultivation was somewhat alike.

Both followed a path of difficulty first and ease later, focusing on ascension before laying the foundation.

In this world of Great Shun, martial arts cultivation generally followed a step-by-step process, improving one's essence, qi, and spirit in a steady, methodical sequence.

Even in other nations, while they might not cultivate the extraordinary meridians but instead focus on the three wheels and seven pulses, rational souls, or the tree of life, the overall approach remained largely the same, with the final results being much of a muchness—a testament to the saying that the Heavenly Dao holds no secrets.

The Heaven-Intercepting Dao-Exposition Method, however, did the exact opposite; by using the method of borrowing the Concentrated Spirit, it aimed to enter the Concentrated Spirit Realm from the very start, then use that power to nourish one's subsequent cultivation.

It was much like how the Longevity Formula granted innate true qi upon entry, or how the Dao Heart Demonic Seed Method required one to cultivate a demonic seed from a Dao embryo at the very beginning to directly manifest a Yang Spirit.

Chen Wu had already borrowed the Concentrated Spirit, clearing the greatest hurdle. It would be a pity to abandon the practice now out of fear of risk. Furthermore, this secret manual vaguely pointed toward the path of a Grandmaster—a matter that even Old Jin could not fully explain.

If one dies, one dies; if one survives, one lives for eternity.

He had lived a life of rigid conformity in his past life; if he were to do the same after transmigrating, wouldn't that mean his transmigration was all for nothing?

That day on the sheepskin raft, Old Jin had examined Chen Wu's bones and concluded that he was on the verge of achieving the Jade Bone, needing only one final push.

For this purpose, Chen Wu stood before an inconspicuous medical clinic; he needed to purchase herbs for a medicinal bath, combining it with the nourishment of the Concentrated Spirit to forge his Jade Bone as quickly as possible.

The hour was already late, and the clinic's main doors were tightly shut, but those in the know understood that this was when it truly opened for business.

This was a clinic that specifically catered to the heroes of the underworld, welcoming all comers regardless of whether they were righteous or villainous. In particular, their reputation for keeping their mouths shut was legendary among the outlaws of the jianghu.

Chen Wu did not shy away, knocking on the door with a rhythm of three short taps and one long one.

Creak—

The door opened just a crack, revealing half a face from within.

"Please, come in."

The man stepped aside, allowing Chen Wu to squeeze through the gap.

Upon entering, Chen Wu was immediately hit by a pungent medicinal odor, laced with the faint, metallic scent of blood.

"State your business, and ask no questions," the doctor said, sitting behind the counter and weighing herbs without looking up.

Chen Wu produced a prescription and handed it over: "Just fill the prescription as written."

The doctor took the paper and examined it carefully: "The rest is fine, but this Bone-Piercing Herb—we are currently out of stock."

"I can pay extra!" Carrying a large sum of money, Chen Wu spoke with righteous confidence.

"Then please wait a moment; I will send someone to fetch it."

With that, the doctor summoned the assistant who had opened the door and gave a few instructions, and the assistant prepared to leave.

"In such a hurry? You aren't going to report me to the authorities, are you?" Chen Wu joked half-heartedly.

"What kind of talk is that? Are you doubting me?" The doctor was instantly enraged. "If we reported to the authorities, how could we continue this business? It's just a bit of Bone-Piercing Herb; if you're worried, you can go along and fetch it yourself."

"How could I? I was just speaking off the cuff."

About two quarters of an hour later, the assistant returned with a bundle of herbs and handed them to the doctor, who inspected them before passing the newly arrived Bone-Piercing Herb along with the other pre-prepared ingredients to Chen Wu.

"When taking the medicinal bath, watch the heat. Once the water boils, you must extinguish the fire within a quarter of an hour. Otherwise, the medicinal properties will dissipate, and the effect will be poor."

"How did you know I was going to take a medicinal bath?"

"It's a formula for external hardening; all roads lead to the same destination, and I've seen plenty. Even though you mixed in some irrelevant herbs, you can't fool me." The doctor maintained his take-it-or-leave-it attitude.

"Sir, your eyes are sharp!"

This man was a master!

Chen Wu suddenly thought of a question and asked, "This Humble One would like to ask you something. If a Mystic Realm master of external hardening techniques has his protective qi shattered, his arteries severed, and his tendons and bones crushed by another Mystic Realm master, how long would it take for him to recover?"

"You're talking about Li Changgeng, aren't you?"

"You even know that?"

"The Daya Hall that treated Li Changgeng is run by my brother."

The medical circle in Jincheng Prefecture was truly small!

"Then, sir, could you enlighten me?"

"That will be an additional fee."

Slap—

Chen Wu immediately pulled out a banknote and slapped it onto the counter.

The doctor remained completely unmoved, simply pocketing the money with practiced ease before speaking in a leisurely tone.

"Li Changgeng's other injuries are manageable, but his Jade Bone was damaged by powerful internal qi, and the injury runs deep into the marrow; it won't heal in a short time. Without a miraculous encounter, it is highly likely he will be left with a permanent ailment."

"So, he won't be able to fight for the next few days?" Chen Wu felt a surge of excitement in his heart.

"Li Superman is a Mystic Realm expert. He can force a move if necessary, but he cannot sustain it, and it will cost him his lifespan."

That is enough! Chen Wu calculated in his heart.

"Many thanks!" Chen Wu performed a salute and returned the way he came.

After calculating that Chen Wu had been gone for a while, the doctor called over his assistant: "Go find Zhang Zhihe and tell him someone came to buy the medicinal bath for hard-body training and also inquired about Li Changgeng."

The assistant was shocked: "Aren't we forbidden from exposing customer information?"

"Do you really think Zhang Iron Ruler doesn't know about my place?" The doctor gave a self-deprecating smile. "He needs a place to gather information on martial artists, so he turns a blind eye to me. I cannot be so tactless."

"I could let ordinary matters slide, but since this involves Li Changgeng, I have to give Zhang Iron Ruler a heads-up. I have already been disciplined enough by not reporting this person on the spot." As he spoke, the doctor's expression turned cunning. "Besides, we haven't revealed any real information, have we? Did I say who this person was? Do you even know who it is?"

The assistant suddenly realized, nodded, and asked no more.

At the Qingbaishi villa, Old Ma had already prepared the firewood for the medicinal bath.

As soon as Chen Wu entered the door, Old Ma asked eagerly: "Everything went smoothly, right?"

"No problems."

Chen Wu then told Old Ma everything exactly as it happened.

Old Ma stroked his beard and pondered: "Chen Gawa, you were a bit reckless. Doctor Wang has certainly already reported you. Next time, buy your medicine somewhere else."

"Ah?" Chen Wu grew nervous at once.

"Everything else is fine, but you asked about Li Changgeng, and that is too big a deal. He surely had to inform the authorities to clear his name."

"Then why did you say he was tight-lipped?"

"He naturally keeps his mouth shut for small matters, but for something this big, he has to protect himself," Old Ma said. "Do you really think the authorities don't know about the gray-market business he runs? It is merely a tacit understanding."

"If they truly wiped him out, the authorities would lose a source of information. If they don't, they can occasionally get some news. He has definitely reported your matter to Zhang Iron Ruler."

So that was it; he had suffered from a lack of experience in the martial arts world! Chen Wu could not help but feel annoyed.

"Don't worry too much. People like him are old hands in the underworld; they won't burn all their bridges." Seeing Chen Wu's frustration, Old Ma comforted him. "He surely only reported some vague information to give the authorities an answer, without exposing too much."

"He has kept his business running for so long by offending neither side; otherwise, he would have crashed long ago."

"You certainly have the experience." Chen Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hmm, these are just minor tricks." Old Ma shook his head and said solemnly, "For us martial artists, everything must ultimately come down to martial arts. If you truly want to avenge the Patrol Commissioner, hurry up and cultivate the Jade Bone."

The words were spoken with great integrity, but since Old Ma had long since given up and regressed in his own martial arts, hearing them from him carried a hint of dark humor.

"Right!" Chen Wu curled his lips and carried the medicinal herbs into the inner room.

"Good, I understand."

Upon hearing the report, Zhang Iron Ruler replied with only this, then remained silent.

The scouts below looked at each other, not knowing what kind of trouble this Chief Inspector was planning to stir up.

No one had forgotten the scene a few days ago when Wu Chengyi escaped from prison and Qiao Weisheng was killed, causing Chief Inspector Zhang to fly into a rage. At this moment, no one dared to ask a single question.

After a long while, Zhang Zhihe suddenly slammed the table, making everyone jump.

"In the coming days, increase the manpower to protect Li Changgeng!" Zhang Zhihe ordered. "Bring all the muskets and iron armor; do not let your guard down for a single moment!"

"Yes!" The subordinates responded in unison, though they all breathed a sigh of relief.