Buying Pills, House Guard Competition (Please Follow)

"Have you been here before?"

Xiao Qing led the way ahead, rounding a long corridor before suddenly asking.

"First time," Li Xian answered honestly.

"It seems there are plenty of rules you don't know yet." Xiao Qing smiled. "I have time today, so I'll explain them to you while we walk."

Li Xian said solemnly, "Thanks!"

Naturally, it was a good thing when someone was willing to tell him about such rules and offer guidance.

Xiao Qing waved it off. She simply found Li Xian handsome and rather polite.

With nothing better to do, she found a topic to pass the time and began explaining some of Leisure Pill Pavilion's rules: pills could not be touched, prices could not be bargained over, and so on.

Some of the details, if overlooked, could force one to buy pills they did not want.

Nor were all the pills in Leisure Pill Pavilion complete in efficacy. There were quite a few failed products and defective goods among them, with meager medicinal effects but potent pill toxins.

If one did not wish to buy such pills, one had to judge them for oneself. No one was allowed to cause trouble at Leisure Pill Pavilion afterward, or they would violate manor rules and meet a miserable end.

Generally speaking, Grade-D House Guards could only purchase pills once every three months.

Grade-C House Guards could do so once a month, Grade-B House Guards three times a month, and Grade-A House Guards five times a month.

"You only have one chance to buy pills, so you must think it through carefully."

She stopped before a wooden rack lined with many wooden boxes.

The pills were inside, but their varieties differed enormously.

"I see..." Li Xian had not expected so many restrictions.

"Of course, if you have the ability, you can always find a way to buy a few more pills." Xiao Qing reminded him.

"Oh?"

Li Xian was quick-witted and immediately understood what she meant. Finding a "way" meant asking Grade-C or Grade-B House Guards to purchase pills on his behalf.

"Looks like you figured it out too. So, it's best to build good relationships with the other House Guards, especially those a grade above you," Xiao Qing advised kindly.

Grade-D House Guards could only buy pills once every three months, an interval that was truly too long. When they urgently needed pills, they could only entrust Grade-C House Guards with the purchase.

Naturally, Grade-C House Guards would demand some benefit in return.

Thus, a chain of profit came into being. Every month, Grade-C House Guards could steadily earn several hundred extra copper coins.

Li Xian focused on the wooden rack. There were more than a hundred pills in all, with a chaotic variety of types and appearances. Sometimes, two pills of the same kind could differ tremendously.

For example, Li Xian saw a Deer Breath Pill. One was pitch-black, giving off a faint fishy stench, and was not even properly formed.

The other was pale green, round and smooth in appearance, with the faintest fragrance drifting from it.

Yet his intuition told him that the pitch-black Deer Breath Pill was closer to a finished pill.

"Deer Breath Pill," "Leopard Bone Pill," "Deer Blood Pill," "Ox-Rhino Pill," "Strength-Boosting Pill," "Qi-Recovery Pill," "Tough Tendon Pill"...

Grade-D House Guards could only buy these pills.

These were all the most basic pills, so their names and effects were simple and clear.

Pills with the word "beast" in their names were generally refined from wild animals. Their effects were nothing more than strengthening the body, fortifying the bones, invigorating qi, and replenishing essence.

"Strength-Boosting Pills stimulate flesh and blood, increasing physical strength when consumed."

Li Xian selected carefully.

The Tiger Blood Pill he had swallowed last time was a Grade-B pill, and one that had long been more sought-after than available.

Trying to buy another was no different from a fool dreaming in broad daylight.

"I have fifteen hundred copper coins. I should buy the most expensive one possible. Among these, Leopard Bone Pills are the most expensive. They toughen the bone membranes, restore qi and blood, and increase leg strength."

Li Xian quickly narrowed down his choices.

There were seven Leopard Bone Pills on the wooden rack, each with different quality and texture.

There was also a rule: one could only observe from afar and could not pick them up for inspection. If one touched a pill, one had to buy it.

"Have you decided?" Xiao Qing urged.

"I'll take that one." Li Xian pointed to a Leopard Bone Pill in the upper-right corner.

Xiao Qing nodded lightly. Judging from her expression, this pill should not be too bad.

The pill cost one thousand two hundred and eighty-nine copper coins—one tael plus more than two hundred copper coins.

Li Xian's money pouch was emptied at once, making him appreciate even more the importance of advancing to Grade-C House Guard.

Grade-C House Guards received a ten percent discount.

After doing the math, that meant saving more than a hundred copper coins.

"Only four days remain! In the days ahead, I have to seize every moment to practice my fist technique!"

"Otherwise, I'll have to wait another year for the next martial art. That's too slow, too long."

The next day.

During morning training, Li Xian swallowed the Leopard Bone Pill. As its effect gradually arose, he felt a faint warmth in his leg bones.

[Skill: Consumption]

[Proficiency: 12/500 Initiation]

This skill increased extremely slowly, but Li Xian was surprised to discover that ordinary food could also increase the proficiency of [Consumption].

It simply could not compare to swallowing pills.

The medicinal power circulated through his entire body, and his qi and blood grew even more vigorous.

Li Xian practiced his fist technique in silence, accumulating inner strength and gathering fist intent. Heavy snow whirled through the air, yet his will remained as tough as iron.

Four Directions Fist gained around [70] proficiency each day. Though it could not break through to Major Accomplishment, each day brought clear results.

Bit by bit, he drew closer to his goal.

The feeling was immensely solid and reassuring.

The only fly in the ointment was that patrol duty consumed too much time. He was often awakened in the dead of night, braving the freezing wind as he walked back and forth through the courtyard.

In the past few days, Li Xian had been assigned many shifts, so busy that he was nowhere to be seen.

Three days before the House Guard Competition, a notice board was suddenly erected in the courtyard where everyone practiced their fists.

A list was posted on it, containing the names of those participating in this House Guard Competition.

"All Grade-A, Grade-B, and Grade-C House Guards must participate. Forty-nine Grade-D House Guards have signed up."

"The list of contestants is below. You may check it yourselves. The House Guard Competition will officially begin in three days."

Pang Long left after saying only a few simple words.

The House Guards crowded around, looking over the contestant list and discussing it among themselves.

"Purple-Faced Chun, why isn't your name on there? Didn't you shout a month ago that you wanted to become a Grade-C House Guard?"

"Hahaha, with the way you look, you'd better honestly stay a Grade-D House Guard. What a disgrace."

A burst of laughter came from the crowd.

Wang Chun, the second brother, had always enjoyed joining in the excitement. But his recent experiences had chilled his temperament considerably. When he saw the notice board go up, he instinctively wanted to take a look, but after touching his cheek, he pretended not to see it and took a detour away.

Who could have known that the palm print on his face was so conspicuous? People still seized the chance to mock him to their hearts' content.

"Oh!"

"Say, guess who I saw? Li Xian is actually on the list too."

"Purple-Faced Chun, Green-Faced Zhuo, Black-Faced Zhao, rest assured. If I face Li Xian in the House Guard Competition, I'll definitely slap him a few times for you and vent your anger."

Mocking laughter rang out.

It drew another wave of uproarious laughter.

Wang Chun fled in anger. Li Xian watched his retreating back and secretly shook his head. Why pay so much heed to idle gossip?

Immersed in his own world, he threw punch after punch.

Only after everyone had dispersed did he approach the notice board to examine his opponents' names.

"The true opponents are often only a handful of people."

"Unfortunately, names alone reveal no further information. So be it. When the time comes, I'll counter each move as it comes."

In the blink of an eye, the day of the competition arrived.

The weather had grown ever colder, and the wind and snow were fierce. Several mountains outside the manor had already been sealed off by heavy snow.

One Accord Manor was some distance from Qingning County. Apart from the manor, there was practically no human presence within more than ten li.

[Four Directions Fist Proficiency: 1157/1500 Minor Accomplishment]

As Li Xian calmed himself and sensed within, the warm current in his lower abdomen—the qi within his Dantian—had already grown to the size of four fists.

Qi flowed through his flesh and blood. A current of heat seeped out from beneath his skin, melting the snowflakes that landed upon it.

"There is a way to ward off the cold. This Clay Embryo of mine is no longer what it once was."