Going Home

Crash!

At noon, the blazing sun hung high in the sky.

Soaked from head to toe, Jiang Chen came to the water vat, hauled up water, and poured it over his head, giving himself a thorough physical cooldown.

"The reactions in my five viscera are growing stronger."

On the Myriad Dao Chart, the data had not changed much, but through inner observation, Jiang Chen could clearly sense the changes in his five viscera.

He had to admit, the medicinal power of the Five Elements Pill was astonishingly potent. Every time he executed a fist technique, its medicinal power seeped precisely into his five viscera.

At this rate, he would certainly step into the Second Blood Qi Gate within ten days.

That afternoon, he cultivated bitterly for several more hours. By dusk, Jiang Chen returned to his quarters, shouldered his bundle, and left the martial hall.

This scene was naturally noticed by Zheng Hao and the others, who had been watching him all along.

"The opportunity has come."

After watching Jiang Chen disappear at the end of the street, Zheng Hao and the others also hurried away.

"Are the gangs still fighting over territory?"

After leaving the martial hall, Jiang Chen hurried home.

The sun had yet to set, but the street vendors along the way had already packed up their stalls. Some shops had even closed their doors.

Half a year ago, the shops along the street would not have closed until at least the Hai Hour.

Clearly, the turmoil in the East District was not over. It might even be growing more intense.

About three quarters of an hour later, Jiang Chen returned to the residence.

"Young Master."

The gatekeeper spotted Jiang Chen and hurried over to take his bundle.

After crossing the gate, Jiang Chen saw more than a dozen sturdy men sparring with one another.

"Who are they?"

Jiang Chen looked toward the men.

Each of them had a robust build and sharp eyes. One glance was enough to tell that they were martial artists.

"These are all guards the master hired."

The gatekeeper answered.

"Has the family's business been affected too?"

Thoughts churned through Jiang Chen's mind.

There was only one reason for the gangs in the city to fight over territory: competing for resources.

And any gang that could survive in the Prefecture City had a powerful force behind it.

It seemed Luo Yang had been right. With the city lord's departure, the Prefecture City had begun to descend into chaos.

This also filled him with urgency.

In this world where martial strength reigned supreme, without sufficient power, one was merely a fish on the chopping board, left to be slaughtered at will.

His current cultivation at the First Blood Qi Gate was truly far too weak.

"Chen'er, how did you get so much darker?"

At that moment, Lin Shuyun hurried over after receiving the news. Looking at Jiang Chen, who had noticeably darkened after only a little over ten days apart, she felt both heartache and relief.

There was no need to ask. During his time at the White Ape Martial Hall, Jiang Chen clearly had not slacked off. Otherwise, the change would not have been so great.

"Mother, did anything happen at home?"

Jiang Chen asked about the family's situation.

"Don't worry. Nothing happened."

Lin Shuyun was even more pleased. Jiang Chen had truly grown up.

In the past, he had never asked about such trivial matters.

"By the way, why did you come home today?"

But then Lin Shuyun asked suspiciously.

Before he had gone to the martial hall, she had given him several dozen taels in banknotes.

By rights, that should have lasted Jiang Chen at least a month.

Could it be that Jiang Chen had gone off carousing with those people again?

"Mother, I have reached perfection at the First Blood Qi Gate."

Jiang Chen naturally saw his mother's worry and revealed his progress in cultivation.

"Perfection at the First Blood Qi Gate?!"

Lin Shuyun froze, then flew into a frenzy of delight. "Is that true?!"

Although she was not a martial artist, she still understood something about martial cultivation.

In just a little over ten days, he had gone from initially condensing Blood Qi to reaching perfection at the First Blood Qi Gate?

That cultivation speed was absolutely a thousand miles a day.

Could it be that Jiang Chen did not possess Ordinary Bone Aptitude?

"Of course it's true."

As Jiang Chen spoke, he threw several punches into the air. The punching wind thundered in his ears, and the force was extraordinary.

"Good, good, good!"

Lin Shuyun's delight grew even greater, and she immediately arranged for someone to inform Jiang Sihai.

Such wonderful news naturally called for a family celebration.

Jiang Chen had people prepare hot water, soaked comfortably in a bath, and then stood in a stake stance to recover.

Tap, tap, tap.

About half an hour later, a burst of hurried footsteps approached.

"Father."

Jiang Chen looked up and, sure enough, saw Jiang Sihai hurrying over, panting for breath.

"Chen'er, have you really reached perfection at the First Blood Qi Gate?!"

Jiang Sihai stared fixedly at Jiang Chen, his eyes full of hope.

"It's true."

Jiang Chen threw several consecutive punches at the ancient tree in the courtyard, and clear fist marks appeared one after another.

"Fist force penetrating wood!"

"Three hundred units of strength!"

Jiang Sihai hurried over and carefully examined the fist marks. The more he looked, the more excited he became.

There was no mistake.

Jiang Chen had indeed reached perfection at the First Blood Qi Gate!

This was truly a case of smoke rising from the ancestral graves!

"Chen'er, how did you manage it?"

Amid his excitement and wild joy, Jiang Sihai could not help asking.

When Jiang Chen's aptitude had initially been tested, he had ordered several examinations. Later, he had even specially invited someone to conduct another assessment. Every result said that Jiang Chen possessed Ordinary Bone Aptitude.

But the talent Jiang Chen was displaying now was far beyond what Ordinary Bone Aptitude could match.

What family's ordinary bone aptitude could produce such outstanding cultivation speed?

"Although my bone aptitude is ordinary, my comprehension and physique are excellent..."

Jiang Chen explained the matter of his comprehension and the Blood Ginseng Soup.

"Blood Ginseng Soup? I've heard of that secret medicine. They say its medicinal properties are especially fierce, and only those with an exceptionally strong physique can take it. The slightest carelessness will leave behind Medicine Toxin."

"Chen'er, are you feeling any discomfort?"

Worry appeared on Jiang Sihai's face.

He would rather Jiang Chen progress more slowly than leave him with lasting aftereffects.

"Father, don't worry. My senior brother at the martial hall examined me. Nothing will happen."

Jiang Chen used the martial hall as his shield.

"Come, let's eat first. Your mother personally cooked today."

Sure enough, only after hearing that the martial hall had examined him did Jiang Sihai relax.

"Come eat."

When father and son arrived in the side hall, Lin Shuyun had already prepared a large table of steaming delicacies, nearly all of them dishes Jiang Chen loved.

"Go bring out the medicinal wine I've been saving."

After taking his seat, Jiang Sihai gave the order.

"Yes!"

The steward went to the cellar and brought back a bottle of medicinal wine.

"Come, Chen'er. Let's have a drink, father and son."

On such a joyous day, they absolutely had to drink several cups.

"All right!"

Jiang Chen took the medicinal wine, poured two cups, and let its rich medicinal fragrance spread through the air.

The two clinked cups and drank deeply. The fiery liquor exploded through their bodies.

"Drink slowly. Have some food."

Lin Shuyun served dishes to father and son.

Jiang Sihai and Lin Shuyun both enjoyed this meal immensely.

Every parent hoped their son would become a dragon and their daughter a phoenix.

Now that Jiang Chen had turned over a new leaf and was striving upward with valor, they were naturally overjoyed.

"Master, Doctor Qi has arrived."

Not long after dinner, the steward came to report.

"Chen'er, come with me."

Jiang Sihai rose and took Jiang Chen to the main hall.

"Old Qi, it's so late. Sorry for the trouble of making you come all this way."

In the main hall, an old man with hair and beard as white as snow was already waiting.

"Shopkeeper Jiang, you're too polite."

The old man was the senior physician of Longevity Hall. His medical skills were quite extraordinary, and he was renowned throughout Willow Catkin Ward. Many martial artists specifically invited him to help regulate their bodies.

"This is my son. I ask that you examine him, Old Qi."

Doctor Qi stepped forward and diagnosed Jiang Chen in an orderly fashion. He first inspected, listened, questioned, and felt his pulse, then kneaded and handled his muscles and bones, examining him with extreme thoroughness.

Jiang Sihai watched quietly from the side, tension visible in his eyes.

Although Jiang Chen had said he felt no discomfort, Jiang Sihai was still not at ease. That was why he had specially sent for Doctor Qi.

It came down to the same thing: whether Jiang Chen could practice martial arts or not, his body could not be allowed to suffer.

"Follow this prescription and take a medicinal bath."

After examining him carefully, Doctor Qi wrote out a prescription.

The steward accepted it and took Jiang Chen away to prepare the medicinal bath.

"Old Qi, is there anything wrong?"

Jiang Sihai asked.

"Your son has suffered only slight strain to his muscles and bones. There is no serious issue."

Doctor Qi answered.

"Only muscle and bone strain? Are there no signs that he has taken forbidden drugs?"

That was precisely why Jiang Sihai had specially invited Doctor Qi.

There was no other way.

Jiang Chen's cultivation speed was too fast. Even with Blood Ginseng Powder as an aid, someone with Ordinary Bone Aptitude should not have advanced so quickly.

Therefore, he worried that Jiang Chen had secretly taken forbidden drugs to raise his cultivation.

"Shopkeeper Jiang, rest assured. Your son has not taken any forbidden drugs."

Doctor Qi smiled.

Only then did Jiang Sihai completely relax and personally see Doctor Qi out.

"Thank heavens!"

Jiang Sihai immediately threw back his head and laughed heartily.

Not having taken forbidden drugs meant that Jiang Chen's cultivation had all come from his own bitter training.

With such astonishing talent, as long as he was properly nurtured, his future achievements would certainly be extraordinary.

How could that not send him into wild delight?