Treasured Medicine

The two chatted idly for a few more moments. Then County Deputy He changed the subject and asked:

"Cheng Heng, what kind of root bone do you have?"

Cheng Heng looked embarrassed at those words before slowly replying:

"Reporting to you, sir, this subordinate has a Low-Grade Root Bone. I reached the Hidden Force realm only through bitter toil day and night, which is how I have achieved what I have today!"

County Deputy He was taken aback. Clearly, he had not expected Cheng Heng to possess merely a Low-Grade Root Bone.

Then he said, "You need not worry. The world is vast, and all manner of strange things exist. In the Sky Net Sect where I once trained, there were treasured medicines capable of improving one's root bone."

"However, the requirements are exceedingly harsh. If you can place among the top ten in the Martial Examination and enter a sect in the prefectural city, you may not be without hope of improving it!"

A flash of delight crossed Cheng Heng's face. "In today's Martial Examination, this subordinate will certainly place among the top ten!"

County Deputy He nodded slowly, then said:

"It is getting late. You may leave. Tomorrow, you will formally assume the post of head constable!"

"Yes!"

Cheng Heng cupped his hands in salute, then slowly left the county deputy's residence.

Only after Cheng Heng had departed did County Deputy He's expression turn solemn. A chill flashed through his eyes as he said, "Cheng Heng, I want to see whether your blade is truly sharp!"

There was no free meal in this world. Everything had already been secretly marked with its price!

And what County Deputy He had set his sights on was Cheng Heng's identity as a man from the Outer City!

The reason he had specifically promoted Cheng Heng this time was to use him as the county yamen's blade against the four great lineages of Gaoyang County's Inner City.

When the mountain bandits had robbed the medicinal materials, he had always suspected that someone among the four great lineages had acted in secret. He had immediately arranged for Wang Ming to begin investigating. The moment they found even the slightest clue, they would strike at once.

On the open line, Cheng Heng would serve as bait outside, drawing the attention of the hidden mastermind among the four great lineages.

On the hidden line, Wang Ming would investigate and gather evidence of their crimes.

After Cheng Heng returned home and shut the door, he began quietly considering the matter.

The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. In this chaotic age where every man was for himself, no one would treat him so well for no reason!

The county deputy had given him medicine, promoted him, and made him head constable in charge of Inner City security.

Cheng Heng wanted to devise a countermeasure from these scattered clues, but he possessed too little information and could not yet see through the murky waters of Gaoyang County.

For now, the way to break the deadlock was still to increase his strength as quickly as possible. If he could reach Skill-Transforming Force soon—

Then no matter what schemes or tricks they had, he could shatter them with a single punch!

After coaxing Li Qingwan to sleep, Cheng Heng carefully took out the Blood Ginseng.

He had not examined it closely during the day. Now, he saw that the Blood Ginseng was bright red all over, like congealed blood. Its rootlets were dense as red threads, its skin gleamed with a lustrous sheen, and faint streams of bloody light seemed to flow across it. When he leaned close and inhaled, a rich scent of blood drilled into his nostrils.

It truly deserved to be called a treasured medicine born of heaven and nurtured by earth!

He carefully cut off one-tenth of the Blood Ginseng, washed it thoroughly, placed it into a porcelain pot, and began simmering it over a low fire.

Before long, a rich fragrance filled the entire kitchen.

After inhaling that fragrance, Cheng Heng felt comfortable from head to toe, and even his qi and blood stirred faintly.

The small section of Blood Ginseng in the porcelain pot had been thoroughly cooked, and even the broth had turned completely crimson.

After taking it out, Cheng Heng slowly put the Blood Ginseng into his mouth.

The crisp, tender ginseng flesh split apart, and its rich fragrance instantly flooded his mouth. It transformed into a warm current that slowly spread through his meridians. Then a scalding torrent erupted in an instant, making the qi and blood throughout Cheng Heng's body boil hot.

"Worthy indeed of a treasured medicine. Its effect is several times stronger than the Essence-Blood Pill!"

Cheng Heng suppressed the joy in his heart and struck while the iron was hot, beginning to practice his stance technique.

With this treasured medicine assisting him, practicing the stance technique once was equivalent to practicing it several times.

At the same time, he secretly thought, If I could keep taking this kind of treasured medicine, perhaps I could reach Skill-Transforming Force before the Martial Examination!

Of course, such a beautiful dream could only remain a dream!

Not only was this treasured medicine worth one hundred and fifty taels, but throughout all of Gaoyang County, it was likely something with a price but no market!

Even the core disciples of the five great martial academies and the four great lineages likely did not receive such treatment.

Meanwhile, at the Li Family of Gaoyang County.

The Li Family had been established here for centuries. They controlled the local medicinal material trade and were one of the foremost local tyrants. Even the county magistrate had to fear them by three parts!

Within a dark hall of the Li Family residence.

"County Deputy He has already become suspicious? I did not expect him to trace it to the Li Family so quickly!"

A middle-aged man around forty, clad in white robes and standing tall and straight, frowned deeply as he spoke.

This man was the current head of the Li Family, Li Wen, a Skill-Transforming Force martial artist.

"Father, there is no need to worry. This matter was done seamlessly, without leaving behind any loose ends. Those useless fools at the county yamen will never discover that we did it!"

Beside him stood another youth in white robes, his face as handsome as carved jade. He was Li Teng, the Li Family's young master and a Hidden Force martial artist.

"Good. Though he suspects us, he will not be able to trace it to us anytime soon. If the silver required to purchase that pill had not been so enormous, I would not have touched that batch of medicinal materials from the county yamen!"

Li Wen nodded and spoke slowly.

Li Teng's face reddened. "Thank you, Father. If it were not for my poor aptitude, Father would not have been forced into such a difficult position!"

Li Wen waved a hand, his expression solemn.

"Your father has already passed the age when his qi and blood were at their peak. My cultivation can no longer advance even half a step. You are the Li Family's hope for the future. This is what I should do."

"In another two months, that pill should be brought back from the Heavenly Treasure Sect. By then, the problem with your root bone can be completely resolved!"

The Heavenly Treasure Sect was a famous great sect in the prefectural city, renowned in the field of pill refinement. It also had another name: the Pill Sect!

Nearly seventy percent of all pills in the prefectural city came from the Heavenly Treasure Sect.

The Li Family had purchased from the Heavenly Treasure Sect a pill capable of improving one's root bone. Even with the Li Family's substantial wealth, they had nearly smashed their pots and sold their iron just to buy this one pill!

The medicinal materials being transported by the county yamen to the prefectural city this time had been robbed after the Li Family secretly colluded with the bandits of Black Crow Mountain, all to scrape together the silver needed to buy the pill that could improve one's root bone.

The reason was Li Teng's root bone. As the Li Family's eldest son, his root bone had tested as merely low-grade.

For all these years, it had been a difficult problem the Li Family had been unwilling to face.

Li Teng had worked diligently and bitterly over the years. Treasured medicines, treasured fish, and other cultivation resources had been supplied without interruption, yet at the age of twenty-two, he had only just broken through to the Hidden Force realm!

Those who practiced martial arts had to cultivate especially while their qi and blood were flourishing. Once their qi and blood declined, their progress in martial arts would plummet like a thousand-foot waterfall.

The Li Family still had Li Wen, a Skill-Transforming Force martial artist, holding the fort. But if Li Wen passed away, Li Teng, with his mere Hidden Force cultivation, would be a lone tree unable to hold up a collapsing house!

By then, the Li Family would likely be swallowed up by the other lineages!