Saving Money to Marry a Wife?

The effects of a Blood-Qi Pill were simple and brutal.

It strengthened one's qi and blood, increasing one's strength.

The moment Chen Shaojun swallowed it, he immediately felt a vast surge of medicinal power rampaging through his body.

Even though he could clearly feel the qi and blood within him steadily growing stronger, with steaming heat dispersing from his body and vaguely forming a haze of blood qi around him—

The process was far too painful.

The medicinal power ran wild.

It was like blades scraping over him.

He immediately realized that he had acted rashly again.

Although his body had been transformed and improved by the Essence-Nourishing Pill, it was still nowhere near that of a martial artist. Moreover, martial artists could absorb medicinal power through their unique cultivation methods—but what about him?

He began to panic.

"Hmm?"

But very soon, he froze.

He suddenly felt his body continuously trembling.

At first, it was extremely faint.

But perhaps driven by his ever-strengthening qi and blood, it gradually became more intense.

And for some inexplicable reason, the frequency of the tremors in his flesh and blood felt familiar.

Up and down, shaking and moving, with a distinct rhythm.

"This is... the Evergreen Breathing Method?"

He quickly understood.

At that crucial moment, the Evergreen Breathing Method was taking effect. Using its own breathing rhythm, it drove the circulation of qi and blood within his body, guiding and absorbing the rampaging medicinal power.

He had originally thought the Evergreen Breathing Method was little more than chicken ribs—something that needed a long time to cultivate before showing any effect. He had not expected it to work so quickly.

With the Breathing Method guiding it—

The raging medicinal power soon calmed down.

Just like that, an hour passed.

As the medicinal power gradually dissipated, Chen Shaojun clenched his fist. Veins bulged, and strength surged through him.

Even his originally frail body had grown somewhat sturdier.

However, the change was not obvious. Even those who spent time with him regularly would find it difficult to notice.

"This Blood-Qi Pill should have increased my strength by more than double.

"I reckon that even if I were asked to lift a two-hundred-jin stone pedestal now, it wouldn't be a problem.

"And that is with more than half of the Blood-Qi Pill's medicinal power having gone to waste."

Chen Shaojun sighed in amazement, delighted beyond measure.

As for wasting medicinal power, that was actually perfectly normal.

His body could only withstand so much. Although the Breathing Method could sort through the medicinal power and help him absorb it, the excess naturally had no choice but to be expelled from his body.

He was already satisfied with that.

The road had to be walked one step at a time. Waste was regrettable, but the price of being stuffed beyond capacity was something he was even less willing to pay.

For example, becoming fat?

As the saying went, the weak could not take rich nourishment, and excess would overflow.

If the medicinal power in his body could not be absorbed in time, would it not simply be stored away and turn into fat?

By the time he walked out of the appraisal room, it was already very late.

Fortunately, neither Shen Lang nor Xu Hongtao had left yet.

Both of them had homes outside and did not live at the pawnshop. They would usually return home before night fell.

Shengjing City was not safe at night, either.

Much darkness and danger lay hidden beneath the curtain of night.

"I didn't expect you to finish appraising those materials so quickly?"

Shen Lang was quite surprised.

He had watched Chen Shaojun take the materials into the appraisal room. He had thought three pieces of "raw material" would be enough to keep him busy for quite a while, perhaps to the point that he would not need to collect more materials from Shen Lang tomorrow.

Yet so quickly, the Baleful Intent Cleansing of all three pieces of raw material had already been completed.

Adding the previous item, Chen Shaojun had appraised four items today.

"Working so hard today?

"Are you saving up money to marry a wife?"

Xu Hongtao, who also knew about Chen Shaojun's appraisals, could not help teasing him.

Within Shengjing City, many people his age had indeed already begun taking wives.

"No."

Chen Shaojun gave a "shy" smile and said, "I'm only planning to save up some money to learn martial arts."

"Hmm?"

"Learn martial arts?"

Shen Lang and Xu Hongtao were both startled.

Ordinary pawnshop appraiser apprentices had to remain on tenterhooks every day because of the possible dangers during appraisals. Once they finished appraising, they would all be exhausted, with no time to think of anything else.

Someone like Chen Shaojun, with such "aspirations," was truly rare.

"It's only because appraisals have felt much easier lately that I dared to think about such things.

"Besides, Third Master said that for those of us who work as appraisers, qi and blood are the most important thing. When qi and blood are vigorous, they can nourish the spirit. With abundant spiritual intent, the Divine Gaze Technique can improve.

"I heard that all three appraiser masters at our Lin Clan Pawnshop know martial arts.

"I can't remain a pawnshop appraiser apprentice forever, so I hope to practice martial arts and strengthen my qi, blood, and physical strength.

"That way, I can become an official appraiser sooner in the future."

Chen Shaojun hurriedly explained.

It was not as though he truly wanted to suddenly draw attention to himself.

Rather, he had his own considerations.

Today's rewards from appraising treasures had been extremely generous, making him understand even more clearly the miraculous nature of the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.

He believed that if things continued at this pace, his strength and methods would inevitably improve by leaps and bounds.

And outstanding people could not be hidden.

He did not think he was truly all that outstanding, but the endless rewards from the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror were enough to build him up, gradually making him different until his edge shone forth.

At the very least, the changes in his expression and bearing, as well as his improving command of the Divine Gaze Technique, would absolutely be impossible to conceal from those around him.

Therefore, he could only reveal himself to an appropriate degree.

Learning martial arts and hinting that his Divine Gaze Technique had improved were both for that purpose.

"That's right.

"A good man ought to practice martial arts. You apprentices are all so scholarly and weak, listless and lacking any spirit. I don't think much of that."

Xu Hongtao's eyes lit up as he praised him.

In his early years, he had roamed the martial world and greatly admired its heroic figures. He had often lingered in tea houses, listening to tales of the martial world.

Thus, he greatly appreciated those who wanted to learn martial arts and naturally felt an extra measure of goodwill toward them.

Chen Shaojun smiled awkwardly. Pawnshop appraiser apprentices had to use the Divine Gaze Technique every day to "cleanse" treasures of Killing Intent. Yet each of those treasures was like a blood-sucking demon. Without meat and medicinal meals to nourish themselves, how could the apprentices possibly develop healthy bodies and vigorous spirits?

Being frail and weak was entirely normal.

Even if their qi and blood were depleted to the extreme and they suddenly dropped dead, it would be highly possible.

Not to mention the threat of Killing Intent entering their bodies.

"Has your Divine Gaze Technique reached the proficient level?"

Shen Lang's focus was elsewhere.

If appraisals had become easier, did that not mean the Divine Gaze Technique had advanced?

To continuously cleanse and appraise four pieces of raw material in a single day, the Divine Gaze Technique had to have reached the proficient level for that to be possible.

"Probably? I don't know, either.

"I only feel that using the Divine Gaze Technique has become much faster and easier.

"Oh, and it seems that the speed of spiritually 'cleansing' Killing Intent has also become faster."

Chen Shaojun deliberately put on a confused look.

"Then it should be so.

"Tomorrow, I'll notify Zhang Gao. He'll test you.

"As for learning martial arts, it's good that you have the ambition.

"But don't let it delay your work at the pawnshop."

Shen Lang clearly began to value Chen Shaojun much more and promptly offered him a reminder.