Hundred Herbs Pharmacy

This was truly marvelous!

After finishing the Seven-Colored Glazed Body in his hands, Zhou Muyun could not help but sigh in admiration.

This cultivation method was divided into five levels: bronze, iron, silver, gold, and glazed.

As a body-tempering cultivation method, every level could make the flesh tougher, the qi and blood richer, and one's strength greater.

However, he did not intend to practice it just yet. For one thing, he had only just been injured and needed time to recuperate.

For another, body-tempering cultivation was fundamentally water-dripping-through-stone work, slowly honing the physique. Practicing while injured might well prove counterproductive.

The battle tonight had also left Zhou Muyun somewhat weary. He lay down on his bed and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

"Senior Brother Mo."

"Junior Brother Zhou."

Mo Qi was somewhat surprised. Usually, Zhou Muyun did nothing at the martial arts school but train, and Mo Qi was always the one to greet him first.

Yet today, not only was he not training, he had even taken the initiative to greet him. What had happened?

Of course, Zhou Muyun was not slacking off. He was injured, and it truly was inconvenient for him to train.

But he did not intend to sit idle either. Since he wanted to learn a body-tempering cultivation method, medicine that strengthened qi and blood was indispensable.

Otherwise, training in martial arts while also tempering his body, relying on the meat provided by the Leng Household alone would likely leave him stretched thin, robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Since he did not know much about such things normally, he thought of asking Mo Qi at the martial arts school.

"Senior Brother Mo, do you know of any medicine that can increase qi and blood and assist cultivation?"

"Of course." Seeing that Zhou Muyun was merely asking about medicine, Mo Qi's hanging heart finally settled.

He had feared Zhou Muyun might become like those other disciples and no longer study diligently or train hard.

"For increasing qi and blood, the best choice is spiritual herbs of various ages. The older they are, the better their effects, but they are rather expensive.

"Next are the Qi-Blood Powders refined by Hundred Herbs Pharmacy. They work well and take effect quickly, making them the choice of many wealthy disciples.

"The lowest option is ferocious beast meat. You need to consume a great deal of it before it has any effect. I believe Junior Brother Zhou understands this as well."

Others did not know that Leng Ni had been supporting him, but Mo Qi did.

That was because Zhou Muyun had once asked Mo Qi about Leng Ni and the Leng Household, so he had mentioned Leng Ni's support in passing.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for clearing up my doubts." Zhou Muyun cupped his hands.

"It is a small matter, not worth mentioning." Mo Qi waved his hand.

Afterward, Zhou Muyun discussed some insights about training with Mo Qi, then left the martial arts school and headed toward Hundred Herbs Pharmacy.

Hundred Herbs Pharmacy was located in the West Market of the Inner City. That area connected to the trade routes, making it easier to acquire all kinds of medicinal ingredients. It truly was the best choice.

But at the same time, that area was a chaotic mix of fish and dragons. There were not only local merchants from Yunlin County, but also quite a few merchants from elsewhere.

The outside merchants in particular all hired martial artists as guards.

This made the already complicated West Market even deeper and more unfathomable.

Zhou Muyun intended only to buy medicine, keep a low profile, and make sure his wealth did not show.

When he arrived at Hundred Herbs Pharmacy, he found that, as the largest pharmacy in Yunlin County, it was practically a massive manor.

An exquisite plaque bore the three large characters, "Hundred Herbs Pharmacy." Five or six guards stood at the entrance. Though they were not martial artists, they were all trained fighters.

Upon entering the pharmacy, a rich medicinal fragrance washed over him. The entire front hall was incomparably spacious, its walls lined with densely packed cabinets filled with medicinal ingredients.

More than a dozen attendants continuously guided customers as they selected herbs and medicine, while several burly men sat in each of the four corners of the front hall.

Judging from their auras, Zhou Muyun found that they were all at least in the Tempered Bone Realm.

No wonder no one dared cause trouble here. As expected of Hundred Herbs Pharmacy—it could not be mentioned in the same breath as the pharmacies I visited before. Zhou Muyun clicked his tongue inwardly.

"Esteemed customer, my name is Little Four. May I ask what you need?"

One of the attendants noticed Zhou Muyun standing there and hurried over to inquire respectfully.

"Do you have Qi-Blood Powder here?"

"Of course. Please follow me, customer."

Little Four led Zhou Muyun to a counter, then stepped behind it and took out a packet of medicinal powder wrapped in oiled paper from beneath the counter.

"Customer, this is Qi-Blood Powder. Two doses cost one tael of silver."

One tael of silver could only buy two doses? Zhou Muyun finally understood why Hundred Herbs Pharmacy was so profitable.

The common folk of the Outer City worked themselves to the bone for a month, yet they probably could only afford a single dose.

Had he not received support from the Leng Household and come into an unexpected windfall, he likely would not have been able to afford it either.

"Give me four doses."

Putting on a pained expression, Zhou Muyun rummaged through his pockets as though emptying out all his savings, then took out two taels of silver.

As an attendant of Hundred Herbs Pharmacy, Little Four had seen all sorts of people. He did not change his attitude because of Zhou Muyun's embarrassed appearance.

He still greeted him with a smile, happily accepted the silver, wrapped the medicine together, and handed it to Zhou Muyun.

"Customer, here are your four doses of Qi-Blood Powder. If you need anything else next time, you may still come to our Hundred Herbs Pharmacy."

"Alright." Zhou Muyun murmured inwardly. That was professionalism.

He carefully tucked the Qi-Blood Powder into the hidden pocket at his chest and left Hundred Herbs Pharmacy.

As he walked down the street, he suddenly spotted someone selling Osmanthus Cake nearby. Remembering that he had not bought any for his little sister in a long time, he walked over and spent fifty coins on a portion.

He had once only dared buy it by the piece. Now, he could buy it by the portion.

Practicing martial arts truly had been the correct choice.

Since he needed two days to recover from his injuries, Zhou Muyun did not return to the martial arts school and went straight home instead.

"Little sister, look what this is." Zhou Muyun took out the Osmanthus Cake and waved it before Zhou Tong.

"Osmanthus Cake!" Zhou Tong, who had been listless just moments ago, instantly perked up. She took the cake and hugged Zhou Muyun's arm, shaking it back and forth.

"Brother, I knew you treated me the best."

Seeing how happy Zhou Tong was, Zhou Muyun smiled as well.

For three months, he had buried himself in martial arts training. Although his family's circumstances had improved greatly, even surpassing those of most of their neighbors,

he had also somewhat neglected his little sister and mother. Since he would not be training these next two days, he planned to spend more time with them.

Just then, Xu Rou returned from delivering her handiwork.

The Zhou Household no longer needed her to earn money through handicrafts, but Xu Rou could not sit still and insisted on doing it. Zhou Muyun therefore did not stop her.

Moreover, with the World-Saving Sect now around, though the sect seemed strange in every respect to him, it did not change the fact that public security in the Outer City had improved greatly.

"Mother, Brother bought Osmanthus Cake. Come eat some too." Holding the cake, Zhou Tong spoke with a smile.

"Yun'er is thoughtful." Xu Rou accepted the Osmanthus Cake Zhou Tong handed her and took a bite, but there was a trace of worry on her face.

Zhou Muyun keenly noticed it and asked, "Mother, did something happen?"

Xu Rou hesitated, then sighed. "When I went to deliver my handiwork earlier, I ran into your eldest uncle on the way back."

"Did something happen to Eldest Uncle's family?" Zhou Muyun already had a guess in his heart.

"Ah, your eldest uncle's family trades goods for resale. Some days ago, your cousin somehow got acquainted with a group of people.

"Those people told your cousin that they had a batch of medicinal ingredients for very cheap and asked whether he could take it all.

"Your cousin went home and discussed it with your eldest uncle and aunt. After adding it up, they decided it would definitely bring in a huge profit.

"So they gave those people their family savings and even the capital for their next shipment.

"They did receive the goods, but aside from the little bit on the surface, everything underneath was fake medicinal ingredients. They lost everything, down to the shirt on their backs.

"Your eldest uncle and cousin went to reason with them, but they were beaten too, their faces battered black and blue.

"The leader was a martial artist. He even threatened that if they dared report it to the authorities, he would beat your eldest uncle's family into cripples.

"Now your eldest uncle's family does not even have the capital for business anymore. Their days are about to become impossible to endure."

After hearing Xu Rou's words, Zhou Muyun frowned.

Although his eldest aunt was somewhat sharp-tongued, the first money he had used to learn martial arts had indeed been borrowed from his eldest uncle.

No matter what, he had to repay that debt of gratitude.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Muyun continued, "Mother, did Eldest Uncle say what the martial artist leading that group was called?"

"Yes, yes. He said his name was Ying Tianlong, and he lives around the East Market."

East Market? The moment he heard where they lived, an idea immediately came to Zhou Muyun.

"Yun'er, are you planning to stand up for your eldest uncle?"

"I have such thoughts. I cannot fail to remember Eldest Uncle's kindness."

Though he needed to keep a low profile, Zhou Muyun was a man with principles. If he did not repay a favor, he would not be able to rest easy.

"Yun'er, there is a martial artist among those people. Mother is worried something will happen to you. If it truly will not work, I will send some silver over tomorrow and consider the favor repaid."

On one hand, Xu Rou hoped Zhou Muyun could help; on the other, she feared something would happen to him too. Her words were somewhat contradictory.

"Mother, do not worry. I know my limits." Zhou Muyun comforted her.

After comforting Xu Rou a few more times and waiting until the atmosphere had eased, Zhou Muyun returned to his room.

Eldest Uncle's matter was especially urgent, but he needed to wait until his injuries had healed before acting. This afternoon, he would first ask Brother Lu whether he knew of Ying Tianlong, then proceed step by step.

After taking out a packet of healing medicine and consuming it, Zhou Muyun regulated his breathing for a while, then left his room, walked out of the house, and headed toward the East Market.