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Lu Li walked with a spring in his step, his heart brimming with joy.

This trip into the mountains had truly yielded a massive harvest.

Not only had he secured precious medicinal herbs, but he had also obtained the method to control demons, along with Hu Niu.

Each of these three gains was of immense value.

He could truly say he had returned with his pockets overflowing!

However, the Demon-Spirit Communion Technique was of little immediate use to him.

This was because controlling a demon required implanting a gu-insect into its body.

Otherwise, relying solely on communication with a demon would inevitably lead to being devoured by it.

He could not control any demon that exceeded his own strength.

Descending the mountain, Lu Li let out a long breath as his feet hit the dirt of the main road.

"Phew, finally out."

He was currently dressed in rags and covered in filth.

There was no helping it; the deep mountains were thick with dense foliage that easily snagged his clothes, and combined with the fighting, he naturally looked quite disheveled.

"I'll head to the Huang Mansion first to deliver the herbs. I've been gone for two days, and some people will inevitably start getting restless."

In this world, there were few kind souls and far too many wolves and tigers; if he didn't show up in time, there was no telling if they would tear his home apart.

Entering the city, he avoided the gazes of the listless crowds and followed the bluestone path straight to the Huang Mansion.

It happened to be the time for herb collection, and there were many gatherers in the courtyard.

"Huh, I don't see Lu Li today. Could it be he saw Niu Er make a fortune and got jealous, so he went deep into the mountains too?"

"Even Niu Er and his whole group got into trouble, and Niu Er himself barely made it back. How could Lu Li, all by himself, possibly survive?"

Lu Li's two-day absence had caught the attention of some, sparking a discussion.

They had no forms of entertainment, so they used gossip to pass the time.

Niu Er approached, limping on a crutch, his face drenched in sweat as he set the basket of herbs from his back onto the ground.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling stifled and resentful.

Last time he went into the mountains, he had encountered a fierce and brutal White Tiger. If he hadn't run fast and left a few men behind as bait, he would never have made it back.

Even so, he had lost a leg.

Now that he was hobbling on one leg, movement was difficult, and even gathering herbs on the mountain was a struggle.

After a full day of effort, he had barely managed to fill half a basket.

It was nowhere near the Huang Family's requirements.

Although he had earned sixty taels of silver, it couldn't last forever.

Besides, replacing the medicine for his severed leg cost two taels alone.

Money came fast, but it went just as quickly.

More importantly, the other gatherers who had followed him to get rich now treated him like a plague god, avoiding him from afar and showing no intention of helping him at all!

Bah, a bunch of ungrateful wolves! he cursed inwardly.

He rested for a moment before handing the herbs to Uncle Huang.

Uncle Huang merely glanced at them coldly, then scribbled "Unqualified" on the paper with a brush, heartlessly declaring, "If the rest of your time is like this, your pay will be halved."

He dared not argue and could only offer a sullen, forced smile.

But his inner rage grew even hotter. Upon hearing people talk about Lu Li and learning he had been gone for two days, his anger subsided slightly.

Good, at least I'm not the most miserable one. That Lu Li went into the mountains too; by now, he's probably been devoured clean by the demons.

Hmph, you coward, trying to imitate your brother Niu? What a delusional fool!

Suddenly, another man hurried over, his eyes scanning the courtyard anxiously: "Has Lu Li returned?"

Everyone shook their heads. Seeing that he, too, could not find a trace of Lu Li, the man felt a wave of grief.

He had searched the outskirts for a long time and found no signs in the places Lu Li usually frequented.

He had even gathered the courage to venture a bit deeper into the mountains, but discovered nothing.

The answer was self-evident.

He was so anxious his face turned beet red; like an ant on a hot pan, he paced back and forth in the courtyard.

"How am I supposed to explain this to his father?"

"Pah, just kill yourself and head down to the underworld; won't that solve it?" Niu Er sneered, his mood already sour.

Back then, Uncle Zhao had mocked him for having his leg bitten off by a demon. It had been a mere argument, but he hadn't expected it to become a curse.

Niu Er had long harbored resentment and blamed a portion of his misfortune on Uncle Zhao.

"Niu Er, stop spouting nonsense here. Didn't you encounter a demon last time? I remember Lu Li went into the mountains on the same day as you," Uncle Zhao asked urgently.

Niu Er let out a cold snort.

"Hmph, where he is, what does that have to do with me?"

"Instead of worrying about Lu Li, you'd be better off worrying about yourself."

"Your wife is a bottomless money pit right now, taking medicine three times a day. Can you even afford that?"

"Can you even afford the protection fee for the Black Tiger Gang next month?"

Every word from Niu Er felt like a giant boulder pressing down on Uncle Zhao, leaving him feeling utterly drained of strength.

Uncle Zhao gritted his teeth, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

He had never felt so powerless in his life!

Lu Li missing, his wife's medical expenses, the protection fee...

His eyes were bloodshot, and with no other options left, he felt he had no choice but to sell himself into slavery to scrape together some silver.

But even after selling himself, he still had to head into the deep mountains—what if he managed to find Lu Li?

Having made up his mind, a flash of determination crossed Uncle Zhao's eyes.

Just then, Lu Li walked in, immediately sparking a cry of shock.

"Lu Li, you... you aren't dead?"

Lu Li glanced at him and snapped, "Tie Zhu, if you don't know how to speak, keep your mouth shut."

Uncle Zhao froze, then felt a surge of wild joy in his heart.

He covered the distance in two strides, arriving before Lu Li and staring at him over and over.

Seeing that Lu Li's clothes were just dirty and tattered, but his body was unharmed, he finally felt at ease.

He pressed his palms together: "Heaven be praised!"

Then, his expression turned stern: "You little rascal, where did you run off to?"

Lu Li rubbed the back of his head and gave a sheepish laugh: "I went to the deep mountains."

Uncle Zhao's face changed drastically.

But before he could speak, Lu Li ran over to Uncle Huang and handed him a medicinal herb: "Uncle Huang, could you take a look at this?"

Uncle Huang had been resting with his eyes closed, but he opened them slightly, and then his eyes suddenly widened.

They lit up: "Oh, a Red Sun Fruit! Not only can it invigorate the blood, but it can also treat deficiency, making an old tree bloom again. Good stuff!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room erupted in an uproar.

Lu Li had found a great medicinal herb!

Uncle Zhao felt a jolt of surprise, then broke into a smile; the heaviness he felt just moments ago vanished instantly.

Niu Er's eyes bulged in disbelief, his pupils bloodshot, his heart filled with resentment.

Uncle Huang examined it and nodded: "I'll give you seventy taels of silver for it."

Just as he was about to write the receipt, Lu Li interrupted: "Uncle Huang, I want to learn martial arts."

Uncle Huang's hand paused. He watched as Lu Li's expression shifted from indifference to keen interest: "You really want to learn martial arts?"

Lu Li nodded firmly.

Uncle Huang gave a slight nod, his gaze turning appreciative.

He went ahead and wrote out the receipt, handing it to Lu Li: "The Huang Family can still give you these seventy taels."

"The family is in need of fresh blood. Once you enter the Huang Family, you won't need to pay tuition for martial arts training. You'll get a bowl of medicinal soup every day and big portions of meat and fish at every meal, all completely free."

"It's a pity that there is only one Lu Li who can join my Huang Family."

He said it as if it were unintentional, but everyone understood that he was mocking Niu Er.

Uncle Huang had offered Niu Er a chance before, but Niu Er had turned it down.

"What?" Hearing the terms, Niu Er felt as if his heart were being stabbed; he was filled with deep regret.

Resources for free, meals for free—if he had known, he would have tried it too.

Every time he smelled the scent of meat on the Huang Family servants, he would drool with envy.

And on top of that, they still paid for the medicinal herbs!

But he had wasted that opportunity all on his own!

In just a short time, his heart had been pierced three times over, leaving it riddled with holes. His bloodshot eyes were filled with nothing but jealousy and hatred.

Lu Li was also somewhat surprised to hear these terms.

Why would the Huang Family be so generous?