Plum Blossom Pill

Lu Chen finished his stance and exhaled a long, steady breath, as if he had merely swatted away a few flies.

He brushed off his lapels and looked toward the Mistress.

The entire courtyard was deathly silent.

All the mockery, disdain, and gossip from moments ago had now transformed into invisible slaps, landing heavily on everyone's faces.

Jin Ming's mouth hung open, his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.

The shock in the Mistress's beautiful eyes slowly faded; she gave Lu Chen a deep look, her red lips parting slightly:

"In this bout, Lu Chen is the victor. The winner of this year's trial is Lu Chen."

The Mistress took a small, pure white porcelain bottle, no thicker than a thumb, from her robes and held it out.

"Take it."

Lu Chen accepted it with both hands, pulled out the cork, and tipped one out. The pill was about the size of a soybean, deep crimson, and emitted a crisp, faintly bitter medicinal fragrance.

"This is the Plum Blossom Pill," the Mistress said, watching him. "Follow me to the main room; I will teach you how to consume it."

She paused, then added, "The medicinal power of this pill is fierce. If taken incorrectly, it will cause you harm."

Lu Chen nodded. "Many thanks, Mistress."

At this moment, Master Deng, who had been slumping in his chair, stretched out in a long yawn. "Finally over... Liu Qi! Let's go, let's go! This is boring as hell—accompany me to find some entertainment!"

He stood up as he spoke, not bothering to greet the Mistress, and sauntered away with a swaying gait.

Liu Qi scrambled to follow him at a trot.

The Mistress was long accustomed to this; her expression remained unchanged as she gave a slight nod to Lu Chen. "Follow me."

She turned and walked toward the main room of the Plum Blossom Martial Hall, with Lu Chen following silently behind.

The two entered the main room one after the other.

The Mistress stood by the table and turned to look at Lu Chen. "Come here."

Lu Chen obeyed and stepped closer.

The Mistress suddenly reached out, her fingertips pressing quickly against Lu Chen's shoulders, arms, and spine through his cotton-padded jacket, before pinching his wrist bones.

Lu Chen's body stiffened slightly, but he did not dodge.

A moment later, the Mistress withdrew her hand, a look of doubt flickering in her eyes. "Strange. Your natural talent is mediocre; why has your progress been so rapid?"

Lu Chen raised his eyes to meet hers, his gaze open and honest. "Perhaps it is the result of this disciple working harder than others."

"Harder?"

"That is correct. When others train for one hour, I train for three. When others rest, I continue. When others sleep, I am still training. I believe that diligence can compensate for clumsiness, and only through hard work can one succeed!"

"Nonsense!"

The Mistress's delicate brows furrowed, her voice suddenly turning stern. "To train yourself to death like this—are you tired of living? Your muscles and bones are like bowstrings; if you pull them too tight, they will only snap! Do you know how many martial artists with decent talent have ruined themselves through such lack of restraint, suffering internal injuries, aging prematurely, or even losing their cultivation entirely?"

Lu Chen fell silent, then bowed solemnly. "This disciple will take your words to heart."

Seeing him listen to reason, the Mistress's expression softened slightly, though her tone remained grave. "Next, I will explain the rules for taking this medicine. You must remember every word: after consuming the pill, you must not touch a single drop of water."

Lu Chen nodded. "This disciple has noted it."

"That is only the first step," the Mistress continued, her voice dropping lower. "Once the pill enters your stomach, it will gradually dissolve. At that time, you may hear some... sounds."

Lu Chen's eyes narrowed. "Sounds?"

"Yes."

The Mistress's gaze fell upon the crimson pill, as if she were scrutinizing a living thing. "They might sound like the chirping of insects, like whispers, or even..."

She paused. "Like someone in your belly calling out to you, calling for 'Mother'."

Lu Chen's brows locked together tightly.

"If you hear such sounds, remember: do not panic, and above all, do not answer. Immediately drink some wine—any kind will do, the stronger the better. Once the alcohol enters your stomach, it can suppress those sounds and force them back down."

Lu Chen's frown deepened further.

This no longer sounded like taking a restorative pill; it sounded more like... suppressing something.

"Mistress... what exactly is this Plum Blossom Pill made of?"

Why were the instructions so bizarre, even sinister?

The Mistress glanced at him and said coolly, "The Plum Blossom Pill is a secret medicine passed down through our Plum Blossom Martial Hall, known only to the head of the hall. You need only remember to do as I say to maximize the medicinal effect and minimize the damage. As for the rest..."

She shook her head slightly. "Do not ask."

The room fell into silence once more.

The crimson pill lay in Lu Chen's palm, yet it now seemed to possess a life of its own, radiating an unsettling warmth.

Outside the window, the twilight deepened.

The Mistress's face was exceptionally calm, perhaps even indifferent.

"If you are afraid, you can still return the pill to me now."

Afraid?

Lu Chen silently clenched his fingers, completely wrapping that bit of warmth within his palm.

The word "afraid" had been chewed up and swallowed the very day he learned how to make a fist.

Clutching the pill, he had just stepped over the threshold of the main room.

Several disciples who previously couldn't be bothered to look him in the eye were now crowding around him with smiles plastered on their faces.

In the past, Lu Chen, a poor drifter from South City, would have been beneath their notice—they would have felt it beneath their dignity to even speak to him. But things were different now; everyone had clearly seen his performance of taking on four men alone.

For someone like him, with a bit more tempering of the bones and muscles, and some medicinal resources, reaching the External Strength realm was only a matter of time—it wouldn't even take a year.

In this world, a hard fist is the only truth.

An expert in External Strength, whether guarding a wealthy household or escorting merchant caravans, was a vital asset.

If you don't burn incense now, are you going to wait until the Bodhisattva is already in the temple to start kowtowing?

"Senior Brother Lu, you truly opened our eyes today!" A dark, thin disciple stepped forward first, cupping his hands with a forced, intimate smile.

"Brother Lu, if you're free tonight, you must do us the honor of having a drink at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion on East Street!" Another tall one chimed in quickly, fearing he would be left behind.

"That's right, Brother Lu. In the future, we'll have to ask for your guidance around the hall..."

For a moment, flattery and invitations rose and fell, washing over him with a stifling heat.

"Heh, what are you all standing around here for?"

Jin Ming pushed through the crowd and walked in, his usual smile hanging on his lips.

"You all used to have your noses in the air, not even sparing Brother Lu a glance. What's this? Now that you've seen him show his skills, you're all crawling back to cozy up to him?"

His words were barbed, causing the expressions of those disciples to stiffen as they awkwardly took half a step back.

"I said," Jin Ming lifted his chin slightly and waved a hand at them, "scatter, scatter. Go do what you're supposed to do. Isn't it a bit late to be showing such courtesy now?"

His tone carried an air of natural intimacy and protection.

Unable to save face, the disciples dispersed reluctantly, though they didn't forget to spit toward Jin Ming's back once they were further away, muttering, "Who does he think he is?"

Jin Ming didn't care in the slightest; he turned and threw an arm around Lu Chen's shoulder.

"Brother Lu, don't mind them. This lot, their eyes are stuck on the tops of their heads, and they're quick to change with the wind."

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice.

"But you really made a name for yourself this time. From now on in the hall, there will be plenty of people lining up to suck up to you. If you get annoyed, just push it off on me—this brother of yours will block them for you!"

Lu Chen let him hold him, wearing a perfectly measured smile. He didn't speak, merely nodding.

"Come on, I'm in a good mood today. We have to have another drink tonight, no matter what."

Jin Ming dragged him along without room for argument. "My treat! We're going to have a proper meal and celebrate you properly!"

That evening, in a private room on the second floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

On the table were seven or eight hearty dishes ordered by Jin Ming—chicken, duck, fish, and meat, stir-fried and deep-fried, filling the table to the brim, accompanied by top-tier wine.