Courtyard Guard

Lu Chen settled into the Yam Herb Shop.

The position Wang Shouyi assigned him was that of a courtyard guard.

It was also the duty most commonly assigned to newcomers after they joined the Yam Herb Shop.

The Yam Herb Shop had operated in Scarlet Cloud County for many years. With Wang Firm's name hanging over it and so many skilled martial artists in its employ, ordinary hooligans and ruffians did not dare come and cause trouble.

Thus, the guards' daily work amounted to little more than making a few rounds between the front hall, rear courtyard, and storerooms.

If the pill room fired up its furnace to refine pills, a few extra men would be sent to stand watch nearby, preventing idlers from approaching.

If valuable medicinal ingredients were placed in storage, they would guard the storeroom entrance until the accountants had finished inventorying them, after which designated personnel would lock and seal the goods away.

To Lu Chen, it was a rather leisurely job.

Early each morning, he first stood in the small courtyard for half an hour practicing the Coiling Dragon Stance. Only after his qi and blood had slowly circulated through his body once did he put on the fitted blue uniform Wang Firm had prepared for him, hang his badge at his waist, and head to the rear courtyard for roll call.

Wang Firm had more than twenty courtyard guards in total.

They were all martial artists at the initial Blood Shifting stage, hailing from all parts of Scarlet Cloud County. Some were household servants trained by the Wang Family itself.

The head of the guards was named Zhao Yiting.

He was thirty-one years old, a martial artist at minor attainment in Blood Shifting.

He had come from Scarlet Cloud County's Rock-Solid Martial Hall and had held a post at the Yam Herb Shop for five years.

The first time Lu Chen saw him, Zhao Yiting had been practicing the Rock-Solid Art in the rear courtyard.

It was a cultivation method utterly different from the Coiling Dragon Stance Art. It emphasized being unmoving as a mountain, steady as a boulder.

Once cultivated to success, one's qi and blood would sink into the sinews and bones, making the body as weighty as mountain stone. It did not excel in variation, but it was exceptionally suited to defense and head-on clashes.

Although Lu Chen watched it once, he had no intention of learning it.

His Coiling Dragon Stance Art had already reached minor attainment. There was no need for him to switch to another stance art; it would not only waste time, but also reduce the efficiency with which he nourished his qi and blood.

However, Zhao Yiting was not the most formidable person in the Yam Herb Shop.

The true pillar holding the Yam Herb Shop steady was Qiao Yuan, a martial artist at major attainment in Blood Shifting.

Lu Chen had been in his post for several days, yet he had not seen him.

Qiao Yuan's status in the Yam Herb Shop was completely different from that of martial artists holding posts like Lu Chen.

He received Wang Firm's patronage. All the medicinal ingredients he required for martial practice were supplied free of charge by Wang Firm, and Wang Firm also gave Qiao Yuan a tenth of its monthly profits.

In ordinary times, he did not need to concern himself with any of the Yam Herb Shop's affairs, large or small. Only when trouble truly threatened Wang Firm's survival would they ask him to step in.

It was precisely because he stood guard that, although the Huang Family had pressured Wang Firm at every turn over the years, they had never dared completely tear off all pretenses.

"Lu Chen, you'll guard the pill room today. Master Ge Ye is refining a batch of Foundation-Stabilizing Pills. Remember, unless the master summons you, do not disturb him!"

After roll call, Zhao Yiting assigned Lu Chen his duties for the day.

"Foundation-Stabilizing Pills? Didn't Master Ge usually refine Blood-Qi Powder?" Lu Chen's heart stirred as he asked.

Zhao Yiting said, "The Foundation-Stabilizing Pills are specially being refined by Master Ge for Senior Qiao. Senior Qiao has tempered himself at major attainment in Blood Shifting for many years and is preparing to charge toward the peak of Blood Shifting."

"Foundation-Stabilizing Pills strengthen the foundation and stabilize the origin. They are of great help to martial artists breaking through realms and steadying their qi and blood."

"With them, Senior Qiao's chances of breaking through will increase greatly."

"Oh, Senior Qiao is attempting to reach the peak of Blood Shifting?" Lu Chen was surprised.

If a martial artist at major attainment in Blood Shifting was enough to hold down one side, then the peak of Blood Shifting was practically the ceiling of Scarlet Cloud County's combat power.

If Qiao Yuan could break through to the peak of Blood Shifting, the situation between the Yam Herb Shop and the Huang Family would abruptly reverse. The Yam Herb Shop would have a chance to suppress the Huang Family and reclaim the industries and markets the Huang Family had steadily gnawed away over the years.

Zhao Yiting spoke with extreme gravity. "This matter is of great importance. Do not spread it around."

Lu Chen nodded. "I know the stakes."

"However..."

Zhao Yiting hesitated before saying, "The path of martial arts is fraught with a thousand hardships and ten thousand difficulties. The farther one goes, the harder it becomes to break through. Even with the Foundation-Stabilizing Pills to aid him, Senior Qiao's chance of success may not exceed fifty percent."

"Not even fifty percent?" Lu Chen's brows furrowed slightly.

In his view, Qiao Yuan was already at major attainment in Blood Shifting and had tempered himself in that realm for many years. Now, with the aid of Foundation-Stabilizing Pills, he ought to have at least a seventy or eighty percent chance.

Zhao Yiting saw what he was thinking and explained, "You entered Blood Shifting only recently, so you do not yet know the difficulties ahead."

"At the initial Blood Shifting stage, producing a thread of qi and blood counts as entering the gate. At minor attainment in Blood Shifting, qi and blood flow like a stream and can circulate through the limbs and bones. At major attainment in Blood Shifting, qi and blood become heavy and powerful like great rivers; the sinews, bones, skin, and flesh are all nourished, and even ordinary blades and swords find it hard to easily wound the body."

"But the peak of Blood Shifting is different."

Zhao Yiting's tone grew heavier.

"One must truly refine all the qi and blood in one's body to perfection, allowing it to course through the entire body and be unleashed or withdrawn at will. At that point, every punch and kick can carry three or four thousand jin of tremendous force. Not only is one's explosive power greater, but one's endurance far surpasses that of a major attainment martial artist. One man can hold the pass, while ten thousand cannot break through!"

Lu Chen listened intently.

Zhao Yiting continued, "Senior Qiao is now forty-eight years old. He has already passed the stage when his qi and blood were at their most vigorous."

"And the further martial cultivation progresses, the more it depends on talent. Breaking through lies on a single thread. Yet if your talent is lacking, you cannot touch that threshold at all."

As he spoke, his tone gained a trace of complexity.

"Senior Qiao has been trapped at major attainment in Blood Shifting for over a decade. Now that his qi and blood are no longer as vigorous as in his prime, even the Foundation-Stabilizing Pills may not help him cross that threshold."

"I see..." Lu Chen came to an understanding.

Qiao Yuan had failed to break through during the years when his qi and blood were most vigorous, missing the best time. The longer he waited, the slimmer his hopes became. Even with medicinal pills to assist him, it would be difficult to bridge the chasm of talent.

Zhao Yiting sighed. "That is why geniuses are so highly valued by all the major powers."

"As the saying goes, once one thing goes smoothly, a hundred things follow suit."

"Those martial geniuses find it easier than ordinary martial artists like us to touch the bottlenecks. There are no few examples of them passing five gates and slaying six generals, then soaring into the heavens in a single leap."

"As for ordinary martial artists, no matter how desperately you struggle, you may spend your entire life stuck at the initial Blood Shifting stage, or minor attainment in Blood Shifting..."

He looked at Lu Chen. "Shi Hao of your Hidden Dragon Martial Hall was bound to the Huang Family by a marriage pact the moment he broke through."

"Why?"

"Because what the Huang Family valued was not his current initial Blood Shifting stage, but his potential to reach minor attainment, major attainment, and perhaps even higher in the future."

Lu Chen nodded.

That was the value of a genius.

Having said that, Zhao Yiting spoke no further. He patted Lu Chen on the shoulder. "Go. Nothing can go wrong with Master Ge Ye today."

"Rest assured, Head Zhao." Lu Chen solemnly cupped his fist.

The Yam Herb Shop had three alchemists in total. Master Ge Ye was the most skilled among them.

Therefore, Ge Ye's treatment at the Yam Herb Shop differed from everyone else's. He had his own independent courtyard, with strict guards posted around it every day.

Lu Chen arrived to relieve Zhao Tiezhu, a courtyard guard who had stood watch through the night.

The latter stretched lazily, greeted Lu Chen, then headed toward the martial artists' quarters without looking back.

His partner was Qian Ming, twenty years old, at the initial Blood Shifting stage, and from Mighty Far Hall.

"So you're the one who defeated that trash Liu Xiaolou?" When Qian Ming saw Lu Chen, he casually brought it up.

Lu Chen nodded and looked at Qian Ming.

He was somewhat surprised.

Since Qian Ming came from Mighty Far Hall, he should have been of one heart and one mind with Liu Xiaolou. Yet Qian Ming's tone was full of disdain, without the slightest intention of standing up for Liu Xiaolou.

Qian Ming seemed to see through his thoughts and said lazily, "Don't look at me like that. There are so many people in Mighty Far Hall; not everyone wears the same pair of pants as Liu Xiaolou."

Then he added, "That trash is not worth mentioning, but you should be careful. He has a cousin named Liu Heng."

"He also holds a post at Wang Firm. These past few days, he's been escorting medicinal ingredients through the deep mountains. Once he returns, he'll definitely come looking for trouble with you."

"Oh?" Lu Chen paused. "Liu Heng?"

"Is he very strong?"

Lu Chen pressed cautiously.

"That fellow's Iron Thread Grappling Hand is quite well practiced and has already reached minor attainment. You'd best avoid him." Qian Ming offered the warning kindly.