Blood Bone Pill

The Inner City remained brightly lit at night.

Squads of patrolling soldiers moved through the streets and alleys, their armor clinking softly, their steps neat and uniform.

Su Yuan concealed himself in the shadows and quietly made his way toward the Shan Estate.

"The Shan Family has so many residences. Where exactly is Sister Mian being held?" After a brief thought, he turned toward the courtyard he knew best.

He lay hidden in the shadow of the outer wall, quietly lying in wait.

This wait did not prove fruitless.

Before long, Shan Xiongqing emerged from the gate, his face as dark as still water.

"Sister Mian really is being held here?"

Thoughts turning in his mind, Su Yuan entered a nearby tavern and went straight to the second floor.

Looking out from the window, he indeed saw shadows moving around a courtyard within the Shan Estate. The guards there were clearly much tighter than elsewhere.

Gao Mian was likely being held under house arrest there.

Yun Xu had only just escaped her cage, yet Gao Mian had fallen into one.

Just as Su Yuan was considering a plan, he suddenly heard a waiter cry out, "Chief Su!"

His heart jolted. Had his whereabouts been exposed already?

Su Yuan immediately settled the bill, pulled down his felt hat, and hurried downstairs.

Once he reached the street, he finally realized that there was actually no need to be so wary in the Inner City.

The powerful and wealthy people here valued security above all else and strictly prohibited private fighting. Even Vein Splitting Martial Warriors were not allowed to act.

He still needed to spend more time in the Inner City. In the Outer City, he would very likely face an assassination attempt from the Shan Family.

Su Yuan returned to the Chai Mansion but did not see Tie Niu.

After asking Chai Nian, he learned that Tie Niu was also adjusting his condition, preparing to take a Break Strength Pill and break through to Savage Strength.

Tie Niu's doing well, keeping right on my heels, Su Yuan thought.

He then tested the waters. "Young Master, can I redeem Tie Niu's indenture contract?"

Now that he and the Chai Family were considered partners, there were some questions he could ask.

At his words, Chai Nian paused with his white fan and snorted coldly. "Ten thousand taels. Not one copper less. No discussion."

Ten thousand taels!

Su Yuan's mouth twitched. What a joke. Better to just snatch it back when the time came.

Just as Su Yuan was about to take his leave, Chai Nian suddenly asked, "Have you taken the Blood Bone Pill?"

"Not yet."

"Take it now. Its market price is two hundred taels per pill. The Chai Family supplies you with two every month, along with a monthly allowance of one hundred taels. Aside from my Chai Family, who else could afford to offer such treatment to someone with low-grade innate bones?" Chai Nian rose to his feet, his tone carrying the superiority of charity.

Su Yuan admitted that Chai Nian was right. The Chai Family truly treated him generously. Other lineages probably did not even intend to recruit him.

The title of Chief sounded impressive, but in truth, it was hollow. He had not even seen a single congratulatory gift.

Then another thought occurred to him. Could the Chai Family have intercepted them all...?

Su Yuan took out the Blood Bone Pill.

When he removed the stopper, a fishy stench rushed at his face. The pill was mottled red and white, its surface uneven and its color murky. It looked unpleasant enough to make one sick.

"Is anyone buying these pills now?" he asked.

"Not many yet, but don't worry. Since we've put them on the market, there can't be a problem with them. We simply lack a pretext to publicize them. Take it properly." Chai Nian's tone was firm.

"What are its ingredients? They couldn't be..." Su Yuan recalled everything at the horse farm, and his heart sank.

Seeing Su Yuan hesitate so much, Chai Nian walked to his side, fanning himself as he launched into lecture mode. "Do you know what innate bones are?"

"The quality of a person's skeleton?"

"Yes, but not entirely. Rather than quality, it is more accurate to call it vitality. At their core, innate bones are the efficiency with which our bodies convert and contain Blood Qi."

"For humans, the size of one's skeleton does not determine the strength of one's innate bone vitality. But for Monsters, the larger their bodies, the more vast the Blood Qi within them, and the stronger that vitality often is. This Blood Bone Pill is refined from the vital innate bones of powerful Monsters. Limited by the materials, though, the trials show that if you take it continuously for half a year, you may barely raise your innate bones to the middle grade."

"Improving one's innate bones is already an act that defies heaven. Achieving such an effect is no easy feat."

Su Yuan did the math in his head. One pill cost two hundred taels; two a month meant two thousand four hundred taels over half a year, and the medicine could not even be stopped.

Even without any other side effects, that expense would be enough to cultivate several Martial Warriors with middle-grade innate bones through Savage Strength.

Of course, for rich young masters suffering under the limits of their innate bones, it might still be worth trying.

"Take it," Chai Nian urged.

"Fine, but if anything is wrong with this medicine, I'll stop taking it immediately." Su Yuan tipped back his head and swallowed the pill.

The moment it entered his throat, a fishy, astringent, turbid taste spread through his mouth. It was truly nauseating.

Chai Nian watched coldly from the side, sneering inwardly.

For someone who truly thirsted for a breakthrough in martial cultivation, even the slightest improvement in innate bones was enough to make them addicted.

Once Su Yuan tasted the sweetness, he would never be able to let go. He could only obey the Chai Family and follow every command.

"With [Smoothing Edges], even if there are side effects, it should be able to resolve them." Su Yuan chose to trust his trait.

The drawbacks of the Blood Origin Pill could be offset, so perhaps the Blood Bone Pill could be handled as well.

After the pill entered his stomach, there was no reaction at all. Su Yuan looked at Chai Nian in confusion.

"This medicine works through subtle, imperceptible changes. You will naturally experience the difference when you cultivate later." Chai Nian spoke calmly, then sighed.

"Monster innate bones are ultimately not compatible enough with humans, so the efficiency is too low. Su Yuan, you were right. Perhaps we should try refining them with human bones as the material. I will report this proposal upward. If it succeeds, you will be credited with a great merit. When that time comes, you will be the finest advertisement for this Blood Bone Pill."

Su Yuan froze. When did I ever say that? I hadn't even finished what I was saying earlier.

Well, damn. He wants to make me take the blame! He immediately understood the other party's scheme.

The Chai Family had likely been doing this in secret already. Refining pills from humans was far too vicious; it could never be brought into the light.

"Young Master, I have never made such a proposal. Please do not falsely accuse me," Su Yuan said sternly.

But Chai Nian revealed a knowing smile. "Don't worry. This matter... will not spread."

Fuck you! Su Yuan could not help swearing inwardly.

As though nothing had happened, Chai Nian took out another black iron token, engraved with a sharp, forceful character for "Horse." "There is one more matter. The Fierce Horse Army heard that you are skilled at tracking and hunting. They wish to transfer you to lead a small squad in investigating and suppressing rebel remnants. The Chai Family has already agreed. Go report to the army."

"Can I refuse?" Su Yuan truly did not want to get involved.

Tracking down rebel remnants was fraught with unknown danger. Not only might he earn the hostility of forces such as the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, but the Shan Family might also strike at him in secret.

"This is an order from the City Lord Estate. The Chai Family cannot disobey it." Chai Nian's tone turned cold. "If you refuse, that is defying orders. The pills, monthly allowance, and even Tie Niu's treatment that were promised to you earlier will all have to be reconsidered."

"Fine, fine, I'll go. Is there any reward?" Su Yuan did not want to be free labor again.

"Discuss the reward with the army yourself."

The next day, Su Yuan arrived at the Fierce Horse Army camp north of the city with the order in hand.

The camp was built against the North City wall, with towering fences and banners fluttering atop the watchtowers.

Before he even drew near, he could hear the earth-shaking shouts of drills and the clash of metal within. A murderous air rushed toward him.

After his token was inspected, a hard-faced soldier led him through the barracks and training grounds to a military tent.

"Captain Wei, Chief Su has arrived," Lu Ning called out.

"Enter."

Su Yuan lifted the tent flap and went in, meeting Wei Xian again.

The captain was a burly man over two meters tall. He was swinging a pair of enormous mixed-iron stone locks until they whistled through the air, the muscles on his bare arms knotted like coiled dragons as steam rose from his sweat.

When he saw Su Yuan enter, he casually stopped the stone locks, making the ground tremble faintly.

His tiger eyes swept over Su Yuan, and he grinned. "Su Yuan? It's rare for someone with low-grade innate bones to take first place. I heard you have quite a knack for tracking and scouting?"

Before he could finish speaking, a fierce glint suddenly flashed in his eyes!

"But if you want to hold a post in the Fierce Horse Army, knowing a few tricks isn't enough! Let me see just how much substance this Chief of yours has!"

Before his words had faded, he suddenly hurled the two stone locks in his hands, one from the left and one from the right, wrapped in a vicious gale as they flew straight at Su Yuan's head!