An Uninvited Guest

It was already early winter.

The northern reaches of Mang Province were now a world of ice and snow.

At last, the nights in the south carried a trace of chill.

Xia Daoming sat cross-legged in the rear courtyard, holding a Three Yuan Blood Return Pill in his hand.

Yesterday, Ji Wenyue had quickly returned and brought him a whole package of medicinal pills.

Among them were ten Three Yuan Blood Return Pills, each worth two hundred taels on the market.

Moreover, the ones Ji Wenyue had given him were superior Three Yuan Blood Return Pills reserved for Ji Family descendants. If sold outside, they could likely fetch three hundred taels apiece.

That alone was worth three thousand taels.

Besides the Three Yuan Blood Return Pills, there were Spirit Azure Pills, Nine Bone Paste, Azure Lotus Vitality Pills, and many other pills with lesser effects.

Xia Daoming found it difficult to put an exact price on all these pills together, but on the market, they would be worth at least six thousand taels.

And this was only the first batch.

"Living off a woman really was easy and sweet!"

Xia Daoming muttered to himself, then tossed the Three Yuan Blood Return Pill into his mouth as if he were throwing in a bean.

Very soon, a surging wave of medicinal power spread through his meridians.

He kept taking pills and cultivating until the beginning of the Hour of the Tiger before slowly opening his eyes.

A simple system display surfaced in his mind.

Xia Daoming—

Cultivation: Fifth-Rank Martial Master

Level One Meridian Strengthening progress: 60%.

The day before yesterday, the Level One Meridian Strengthening progress had still been zero.

"Living off a woman really was easy and sweet!"

Xia Daoming could not help sighing again.

"The effects of these Three Yuan Blood Return Pills have already fallen greatly. The remaining two can be saved for Liu Qiaolian after she breaks through to Fourth-Rank Martial Master."

Xia Daoming took out the brocade box still holding two Three Yuan Blood Return Pills, looked at it, then put it away again.

Three months flew by in the blink of an eye.

Xia Daoming discovered that he had still underestimated the system's ability to devour money.

The nine strengthenings of the Fifth-Rank Realm grew more difficult each time, consuming increasing quantities of nourishing pills and meat.

Each round also took longer than the last.

Xia Daoming had completed the Level One Meridian Strengthening in only four days.

Yet the Eighth Level Meridian Strengthening had taken him a full twenty days, and the resources it consumed were even more staggering.

Of course, this was not only because higher meridian strengthening levels demanded increasingly higher-quality medicinal pills. It also had much to do with the fact that the more often Xia Daoming took the same pill, the more its efficacy declined.

After all, the quality of pills produced by the Ji Family was limited. They were mainly intended for Sixth-Rank Great Martial Masters and below; above that level, their effects became very limited.

Once Xia Daoming's meridian strengthening had reached Level Four, it had actually already become comparable to that of a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master.

Fortunately, Xia Daoming's realm was still that of a Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master, allowing the Ji Family's pills to retain considerable effect.

But as his level rose higher and higher, the waste grew increasingly severe.

On the other hand, over these three months, Liu Qiaolian had benefited from Xia Daoming's good fortune. Every day, she enjoyed treatment comparable to that of the direct descendants of great powers, and five days ago, she had unexpectedly broken through in one stroke to become a Fourth-Rank Martial Master.

Now, aside from continuing to nourish herself and cultivate diligently each day, Liu Qiaolian had begun taking the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School's secret medicine for condensing qi, blood, and force—Dragon Abyss Paste—in preparation for studying the secret diagram and cultivating Hidden Strength.

Besides her breakthrough in cultivation, during these three months, Liu Qiaolian had become ever more eager to please Xia Daoming while playing cards, making it impossible for him to stop. He had nearly become lost in feminine charms, strayed down the wrong path, and neglected his proper business.

Fortunately, Xia Daoming noticed in time and reined in his horse at the edge of the cliff. He set limits for both himself and Liu Qiaolian, finally returning to the right track.

Late one night, in the rear courtyard of the Xia residence.

Xia Daoming slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that the Ninth Level Meridian Strengthening progress displayed in his mind was only two percent, he could not help frowning slightly as he fell into thought.

"This won't do! In such a short time, I've used up such an enormous amount of resources. No matter how much authority Ji Wenyue has within the Lineage, she'll probably have to bear considerable pressure.

"And the medicinal power conversion rate for the pills Ji Wenyue gave me is even lower for Ninth Level Meridian Strengthening. The waste is far too serious. To complete it all, who knows how many more pills it will take.

"Looks like after a few days, once I've studied the secret diagram, I can consider accompanying Senior Brother Zhuo on a few escort runs. Senior Brother Zhuo often travels between several major southern cities. Perhaps I can buy higher-grade pills there and ease Wen Yue's burden somewhat.

"It'll also let me see the world and broaden my horizons, while earning some money along the way. Even a mosquito is still meat, no matter how small. Living off a woman forever isn't a long-term plan!"

Having made up his mind, Xia Daoming stopped taking pills and continued cultivating no longer.

Of the eight thousand taels he had on hand, almost none had been touched over the past three months aside from daily expenses.

But if he used them to buy higher-grade pills, he likely would not be able to buy much. Besides, Xia Daoming still had to prepare for meridian strengthening in the Sixth-Rank Realm.

Therefore, he should avoid wasting the pills piled up in his possession as much as possible. It would be more appropriate to save them and sell them for money later.

As for how Ji Wenyue would feel if she learned that he was selling the pills she had given him like a middleman, Xia Daoming had not thought about that.

Wu Family Fortress.

The study of the Wu Family patriarch's residence.

An old man in gray stood slightly bent behind Wu Yueli and said in a low voice, "Master, the suspicions surrounding the Tian Family, the Tiger Saber Gate, and the other six families have basically been ruled out. It is unlikely that they were the ones who killed Young Master Wu.

"Now only the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School within the city remains. According to our investigation, Liang Jingtang suddenly accepted a disciple half a year ago. That timing happens to match when Young Master Wu Changlu was killed."

"A Pledge of Allegiance!" Wu Yueli's heart stirred, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. But he quickly shook his head. "Not likely. Changlu was quite cunning. He knew his identity was special, so he usually pretended to be a wastrel. He concealed his cultivation whenever possible, all to avoid drawing outside attention.

"Therefore, the outside world basically believed he was only a Third-Rank Martial Master. They did not know that despite his young age, he was not only a Fourth-Rank Martial Master, but had secretly cultivated a trace of Hidden Strength.

"Liang Jingtang's newly accepted disciple could at most be at the Fourth-Rank Realm. How could he have killed Changlu without even giving him a chance to escape? Not to mention, Changlu had two attendants with him."

"This old servant thought the same, which is why I ruled out the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School long ago. But now that the suspicions around the other families with grudges against our Wu Family Fortress have all been eliminated, only the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School remains. If it was not them either, I fear we will have no leads left," the gray-clothed old man replied.

Hearing this, Wu Yueli frowned and rose to his feet. With his hands behind his back, he paced several laps around the study before abruptly stopping. "In that case, whether it was him or not, find an opportunity to capture him first, question him thoroughly, and then kill him."

"What if Liang Jingtang learns of it..."

"Gu Ren was gravely wounded by a trap set by the Shi Family. Liang Jingtang now has no successor, and there are few among his disciples who can truly fight. Even if he learns that his newly accepted disciple was killed by us, could he possibly attack our Wu Family Fortress for him?

"If Wu Changlu were not my illegitimate son, and if he did not possess such talent in martial arts, earning my secret affection, I would not still be unable to let go after all this time.

"Still, Liang Jingtang is quite formidable and values loyalty and righteousness. It would be best if word did not leak, so you should handle this matter personally." Wu Yueli said.

When Wu Yueli mentioned his illegitimate son, a flash of hatred passed behind the gray-clothed old man's lowered eyelids. Yet he respectfully replied, "Master is right!"

"Master."

In the main hall of the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School's inner courtyard, Xia Daoming respectfully called out to Liang Jingtang, who was reclining in a chair.

"You're here. Go wait for me in the cultivation chamber first." Liang Jingtang nodded at Xia Daoming, slowly rose, and walked toward his bedroom.

In just three months, Liang Jingtang had become much thinner and older.

His once tall and imposing body now seemed somewhat hunched, and he walked with the unsteady gait of old age.

Clearly, Gu Ren's matter had dealt him a great blow.

Very soon, Xia Daoming was joined in the cultivation chamber by Liang Jingtang.

Liang Jingtang gave the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram to Xia Daoming. This time, he offered no instructions and simply left.

This time, the moment Xia Daoming unrolled the scroll, his divine sense immediately triggered the divine rhyme within the secret diagram.

The magnificent and mysterious scene he had seen half a year ago appeared before him once more.

But this time, he saw it more clearly and gained deeper insight.

His mind was even drawn along by the scene, and he nearly urged his force to break open the sixth meridian. Fortunately, Xia Daoming came to his senses in time.

Otherwise, before completing the Ninth Level strengthening of his Fifth-Rank Realm meridians, he would have directly broken through and become a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master.

One hour later.

Liang Jingtang entered again.

This time, Xia Daoming's performance was completely opposite to last time.

Last time, his face had been pale, and cold sweat had soaked through his clothes.

This time, his expression was calm, with almost no change throughout the hour.

Seeing this, Liang Jingtang became even more disappointed.

Because it could only mean that Xia Daoming had seen nothing different the second time than the first, which was why he had no intense reaction.

Yet Liang Jingtang said nothing. He merely silently put away the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram and shuffled off.

Xia Daoming sat quietly in the cultivation chamber for another hour, carefully pondering the phenomena of the seventh and eighth layers of the cultivation method that he had seen clearly this time. Only after deeply branding them into his mind did he rise and leave.

The night had grown deep.

Pear Blossom Alley lay quiet and dark. Only faint lamplight seeped from within the walls of the Xia residence.

Xia Daoming strode swiftly to the gate of the Xia residence. Just as he was about to knock, he turned around and said to the empty street, "Since you've come, why hide in the shadows? Why not come in and sit for a while?"

Creak!

The door opened from within, and Liu Qiaolian stood there holding a lantern, looking at Xia Daoming's back with a puzzled expression.

"Lian'er, go back inside. Have Xia He and the others stay indoors. I'm waiting for an uninvited guest," Xia Daoming said.

"Yes, Master!" Liu Qiaolian's expression changed slightly as she retreated into the front courtyard with the lantern.

"Interesting!" From the darkness emerged an elderly man dressed in black with his face covered, subtle qi, blood, and force rippling around him.

Xia Daoming's pupils contracted slightly, but inwardly, he let out a great sigh of relief.

After studying the secret diagram twice, although Xia Daoming had not yet reached the eighth layer, his powers of perception had far surpassed his current realm.

The qi, blood, and force the masked old man had inadvertently revealed allowed Xia Daoming to judge his realm at once.

A Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master—and an aged Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master at that. To Xia Daoming now, he was truly a weak little chicken.

"So it's an old gentleman. If you have business, come inside. No need to disturb the neighbors," Xia Daoming said calmly.

"Very well," the masked old man said flatly.

Xia Daoming entered first and stood in the middle of the front courtyard. The main gate remained wide open, and the courtyard was brightly lit.

The masked old man glanced through the gate, then leisurely entered the front courtyard as well, casually shutting the gate behind him.

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