Mockery and Ridicule

The screening within the Medicine Hall continued for an entire day. Not only the lowly apprentices and guards, but even the Alchemy Hall—the core of the Medicine Hall—was included in the search.

They failed to catch the culprit who had ambushed Wu Han, but they did drag out several people who had stolen pills. At such a critical juncture, their ends were naturally miserable beyond measure.

Before everyone's eyes, their hands and feet were chopped off, and their blood was drained while they still lived. Their screams echoed through the small courtyard for a long time before gradually fading.

This was both killing a chicken to scare the monkeys and an attempt to intimidate the hidden culprit, hoping fear would make him lose his head and expose himself.

Midnight, inside the dilapidated little hut.

Jiang Feng stood in the middle of the room, his qi and blood surging throughout his body. Every inch of muscle was taut, every sinew trembling faintly.

He maintained his breathing in a peculiar rhythm. With every inhale and exhale, qi and blood raced through his limbs and bones, completing a full great circulation.

A moment later, his body finally reached its limit. He suddenly exhaled a long breath of foul air, which shot out like an arrow and condensed into a streak of white mist in the cool air. Then he slowly opened his eyes.

At that very moment, a virtual blue panel slowly unfolded before him.

[Yesterday's Evaluation: Excellent!]

[Reward: Iron Stake Technique Proficiency +11, Exquisite Breathing Method Proficiency +10]

[Name: Jiang Feng]

[Realm: Blood-Moving Realm, Sixth Layer (20/100)]

[Techniques:

Iron Stake Technique (Minor Success 186/200)

Exquisite Breathing Method (Beginner 11/100)]

[Skills:

Herb Identification Art (Major Success 122/300)

Bedchamber Arts (Beginner 5/100)]

Seeing that every stat had improved, Jiang Feng was pleasantly surprised.

"Sure enough, the Exquisite Breathing Method truly ranks above the Iron Stake Technique. Even at the beginner stage, its cultivation speed is more than twice as fast as before."

But amid his delight, he also felt some regret. "It's just that accumulating proficiency is still much slower than with the Iron Stake Technique. I clearly spent most of today on the Exquisite Breathing Method, yet its proficiency growth still can't keep up with the Iron Stake Technique."

He did not dwell on it too much. After all, it was a superior technique. Greater difficulty and slower progress were only to be expected.

"Today, my realm increased by nine points. At this pace, I should enter the seventh layer of the Blood-Moving Realm in seven or eight days. By then, I can leave this godforsaken place.

I've truly had enough of this broken shack. Besides, Fan Qingyang and Xue Zhao, those two vicious dogs, are watching me every moment. Trouble both within and without."

Though he said that, Jiang Feng knew this calculation was somewhat too idealistic.

Chances to spend an entire day cultivating like today would likely be hard to come by again.

Barring any surprises, tomorrow he would have to return to work. That would greatly prolong the time needed for a breakthrough, and insufficient qi and blood might even bring his cultivation to a standstill.

After turning it over in his mind, Jiang Feng's gaze settled on the Blood-Qi Pills he had gotten from Wu Han.

He had to start using them.

"I'll test the effects tomorrow first and see whether these are actually legitimate goods."

Having made up his mind, he turned and lay down on the straw mat, closing his eyes to rest.

The next morning, just as Jiang Feng had expected, the piercing clang of a bronze gong erupted punctually at dawn, urging everyone to work as though it were demanding their lives.

The Medicine Hall still had to conduct business as usual. They could hardly shut down their main trade over an internal screening.

Jiang Feng no longer went to the rear warehouse and resumed the duties of a Medicine Hall apprentice.

He sliced herbs, processed medicines, tended medicinal ingredients, and occasionally handled some "special" medicinal materials.

Though the work was far more varied than before, it was somewhat easier than being shut in the warehouse day and night sorting items.

Of course, this so-called "easier" was only relative. The workload each day was still astonishingly heavy. Under such long hours of repetitive labor, many apprentices could not help secretly slacking off or grumbling now and then.

But Jiang Feng was not among them.

He had a clear goal in his heart and powerful self-motivation driving him onward. Not only was he meticulous in his work, but whenever he caught even a brief break, he would assume a stance and silently practice his techniques.

His diligent, striving appearance was particularly conspicuous throughout the Pharmacy, naturally drawing plenty of attention.

At first, the others thought Jiang Feng was merely putting on a burst of enthusiasm that would fade in three minutes. Before long, they expected, he would join their ranks of idlers with a clear conscience.

But one hour passed, then two. Gradually, they realized things did not seem to be that simple. This Jiang Feng had not slackened in the slightest. Instead, the more he practiced, the more absorbed he became, and the more spirited he grew.

Now, some people could no longer sit still, and sour remarks began drifting over one after another.

"I say, Jiang Feng, you're acting completely differently from before. Don't tell me yesterday's spectacle scared the guts out of you, and that's why you're working yourself to death?"

"Exactly, exactly. Jiang Feng, you're far too timid. Didn't the young master leave you alone? Besides, isn't this sudden awakening a little late? You're long past the best age for martial training. Training now is a waste anyway."

"If you ask me, instead of wasting time on this blind flailing, why not look for that thief hiding in the dark? If you get lucky and find a bottle of Blood-Qi Pills, maybe you'll actually improve a little. Hahaha..."

Mockery and ridicule rose and fell in the small room. It was as though only by belittling Jiang Feng enough could they find a shred of comfort for hearts that had long since given up struggling, and a respectable fig leaf for their own descent.

Even Zhao Sen's eyes were filled with confusion and disappointment as he looked at Jiang Feng. He sighed quietly.

"Why go this far... Take my advice. Go apologize to Young Master Wu Han. It's not as if it'll cost you a piece of flesh."

Jiang Feng heard every word of their ridicule. But he did not care. He remained immersed in his cultivation, utterly forgetting himself.

After all, every drop of sweat brought tangible rewards. With such clear and powerful positive feedback laid before him, he had strength he could not exhaust and motivation he could not use up.

Time trickled away bit by bit, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.

After finishing a morning's work, Jiang Feng leaned against a corner of the room for once, seizing a brief moment of leisure to rest.

While no one nearby was paying attention, he discreetly slipped a Blood-Qi Pill into his mouth and held it beneath his tongue. He silently felt its warm medicinal power slowly dissolve, while the qi and blood in his body, nearly dried up, gradually filled like parched earth meeting sweet rain after a long drought.

He had already carefully tested these pills on the small animals in the hall. They contained no strange aphrodisiacs; they were perfectly ordinary Blood-Qi Pills.

"Open the panel."

With a thought from Jiang Feng, the familiar blue panel quietly appeared before his eyes.

[Name: Jiang Feng]

[Realm: Blood-Moving Realm, Sixth Layer (45/100)]

[Techniques:

Iron Stake Technique (Minor Success 199/200)

Exquisite Breathing Method (Beginner 20/100)]

Though work prevented him from devoting himself wholly to cultivation, with the Blood-Qi Pills continuously supplying him, his cultivation progress had not strayed from his original plan.

"After tonight's settlement, the Iron Stake Technique will definitely enter the Major Success stage. By then, my cultivation speed will rise by another huge margin!"

Jiang Feng could hardly suppress his excitement, but when he thought of how only five Blood-Qi Pills remained in his possession, he could not help feeling troubled.

"If only I could refine Blood-Qi Pills myself. After tasting the good life, going back to those bitter old days really is hard to bear."

After resting for a while, he felt that seven or eight tenths of the qi and blood in his body had recovered. Just as he was about to get up and resume working, he saw a thin, hunched figure slowly enter the Pharmacy.

The man wore a square headscarf and kept a small goatee. His face was refined and gentle. He was none other than Xie Shu, the resident shopkeeper of the Benevolent Heart Medicine Hall.

His gaze swept over everyone present, and he announced in a clear voice, "Everyone, set down what you're doing for now. I have something to announce."

When the shopkeeper spoke, no one dared disobey. Curious, they all put down what they were holding and gathered around.

After pausing briefly, Xie Shu finally said, "The Medicine Hall is increasing its production of Blood-Qi Pills. The Alchemy Hall is short on manpower, so one of you will be transferred over to help."