Learning Fists in the East of the City, a Demonic Calamity Strikes

"Ding-high? And hundred-year ginseng roots?"

Chen Mu picked up the two curved ginseng roots that had fallen atop the pile of snow silver, unable to contain his delight.

Ratings were ranked A, B, C, and D, each further divided into high, middle, and low grades.

Previously, Chen Mu had only ever received D-low ratings, with rewards mostly consisting of scattered silver.

Occasionally, he received a Blood Qi Pill or some nourishing medicinal herbs that were only ten years old.

It was precisely through nourishing himself with these herbs, combined with the blood qi he had seized from slaughtering livestock, that Chen Mu had broken through the Hundred-Blood Trial in less than half a year—a hurdle that took others two or three years of hard tempering.

He had not expected that merely killing a rogue today, adding one more deed of slaughter to the ledger, would earn him a D-high rating.

Ten taels of patterned silver was profit he could not earn even from slaughtering pigs and sheep for two or three months, enough to sustain an ordinary household for a year.

The Blood Qi Pill was not all that rare instead.

Though called a pill, it was really just a common blood-nourishing medicine.

An ordinary apothecary could brew it in a large cauldron. It could slightly strengthen one's blood qi and physique, and each pill was worth no more than two or three taels.

What delighted Chen Mu most were those two hundred-year ginseng roots.

They were truly supreme medicinal ingredients for greatly replenishing blood qi.

A single ginseng root at a medicine hall could be worth a hundred taels of silver, and even then, there was a price but no market for it.

A-Ning's cold affliction needed precisely this kind of medicine rich in yang energy.

Chen Mu had made several trips before, only managing to buy younger ginseng roots for her medicine. He had originally planned to think of another way after taking a master and joining a martial academy.

He had not expected a pillow to be delivered just as sleep came. One burden had finally been lifted from his heart, and he felt utterly delighted.

"Good. I won't have to worry about money for medicine either."

Suppressing his excitement, Chen Mu put away the pills and ginseng medicine, then divided the silver on the table into two piles.

He separately counted out one hundred taels into an oilcloth pouch and placed it in his gray cloth bundle.

This was tomorrow's fee for taking a master.

The remaining pile amounted to roughly thirty or forty taels, more than enough to buy A-Ning some supplementary medicinal herbs.

With his plans settled, Chen Mu went to bed contentedly after putting everything away and extinguishing the lamp, waiting quietly for dawn.

Snow fell all night, while the wind blew without cease.

Chen Mu woke once in the middle of the night. A-Ning was ringing the bell, and with practiced understanding, he helped her up in the dark to relieve herself.

"H-Husband... I can do it myself..."

Recalling the shy tremor in her voice, Chen Mu could not help smiling. Knowing she was thin-skinned, he did not tease her too much. After giving her a few instructions, he closed the door and left.

By the time dawn was approaching, the snow finally stopped.

Chen Mu rose early and cut off a small section of ginseng root to cook medicinal porridge.

Afterward, he left a note through the crack of the main room's door. Before the sun had even risen, he took his luggage and stepped out of the courtyard.

He lived in Rubble Ward, near the base of the western city wall. The location was remote; if not for the western market being close to the docks, strangers would hardly ever come by on ordinary days.

Chen Mu did not leave immediately. Instead, he went to the fenced little courtyard in the neighboring alley and pounded on its gate.

"Who is it? Calling souls at this early hour? Are you sick in the head?"

A coarse male voice sounded from inside, its tone irritable.

"It's me." Chen Mu lowered his voice. "Tiger Boy, come out. Help me handle something."

The man inside was instantly startled. "Brother Mu? What are you doing here?"

He called out, then heavy footsteps thudded toward the courtyard wall. With a creak, the gate was pulled open.

The one who poked his head out was a brawny man nearly two meters tall. Even in this heavy snow, he wore only a hemp shirt and straw boots.

This man was Wang Hu, the original owner's childhood friend.

When Chen Mu had been injured and A-Ning brought him back to the city, it was thanks to Tiger Boy carrying a blade and intimidating those wandering famine refugees that no one had sneaked into the house at midnight and gnawed him down to bones.

The two had a friendship forged in life and death. Chen Mu did not waste words, directly pulling out a pouch of scattered silver and tossing it over.

"Take it. There are several taels of silver inside."

"You work at the docks. Find some trustworthy brothers, treat them to a meat meal, then help me keep an eye on Ma San's gang."

"I'm going to the eastern part of the city today and will return by afternoon at the latest. Your sister-in-law is sick at home, so help me keep watch over her."

Wang Hu had still been groggy from sleep. He caught the money pouch in his huge hand, but after hearing Chen Mu's instructions clearly, his expression changed drastically.

"Ma San? Brother Mu, how did you provoke him?"

"That bastard is vicious as they come. Several of my dockworker brothers borrowed their usury money and couldn't repay it, then their entire families, young and old, were beaten to death alive."

He seemed to still be haunted by the memory. Fear and rage mingled in his eyes, but there was even more concern for Chen Mu.

Chen Mu offered no further explanation, only saying, "Don't concern yourself with anything else."

"It's only for these next couple of days. Your people don't need to show themselves; just keep watch for me. If anything happens, come to the martial academy in the east of the city and call for me. Hear me? Keep your wits about you."

The martial academy in the east of the city? Hearing this, Wang Hu knew Chen Mu had truly run into trouble. Could he be going to ask a martial master to settle things?

He had worked until evening yesterday before returning, so he did not know exactly what had happened.

Worried about his good brother, Wang Hu did not think further and immediately thumped his chest in assurance.

"Don't worry, Brother Mu. So long as I, Tiger Boy, am here, no one will get through your door to bully Sister-in-law."

"I'll head to the docks right now and get a few brothers to help keep watch. Nothing will go wrong, guaranteed."

Seeing his solemn manner, Chen Mu knew that although this oaf could be reckless in handling matters, his word was as good as a nail driven into wood. He immediately felt reassured.

"Remember, if something really happens, don't go charging out blindly by yourself. Protect your sister-in-law and wait for me to return."

With that, Chen Mu waved his hand, tightened the bundle on his shoulder, and strode out of the alley.

Wang Hu scratched his head where he stood. Only then did he think to open the money pouch in his hand and inspect it.

The sight gave him a fright. There were at least ten taels of scattered silver inside. He could not earn that much in an entire year.

"Good heavens, did Brother Mu dig up Ma San's ancestral grave?"

He nervously swallowed, made sure no eyes were watching from the shadows, then hurriedly cinched the pouch shut, pulled the front gate closed, and ran toward the docks.

Elsewhere.

Chen Mu had already reached the entrance to the western market.

Morning light faintly glimmered at the horizon. It was just past dawn, and early-rising merchants had already set up their stalls.

He casually bought a basket of meat buns and strode onward.

Everlasting Prosperity Town was a typical little frontier city, with fewer than ten thousand permanent residents registered by the authorities.

Of course, Chen Mu knew that there were many famine refugees in the city as well. Counting them all, the population exceeded that number, likely reaching twenty or thirty thousand.

But most of them were crammed into the chaotic western part of the city.

The eastern city was separated only by a small river, casually called the Grass River by the locals.

The Grass River ran through the city, flowing from northeast to southwest. After Chen Mu crossed a stone arch bridge, even the streets beneath his feet became much cleaner.

This was where the city's wealthy lived.

The government offices and the frontier army's drill grounds were also near the eastern gate, with soldiers patrolling day and night.

Chen Mu was now standing on Caiyi Street, an alley of flowers and willows where pleasure was sought.

Early in the morning, many refined scholars and gentlemen dressed like officials emerged from the red-light houses in twos and threes, heaven knew what shady business they had been up to the night before.

"I have to say, that Hundred-Puppet Opera Troupe from the south is quite interesting."

"Too bad that opera singer is a pure courtesan. Tsk, tsk, that figure..."

Several young gentlemen with slicked hair and powdered faces passed by, chatting and laughing.

Chen Mu's heart stirred, and he quietly committed it to memory.

An opera troupe from the south? If the opportunity arose, perhaps he could make contact and gather some information.

Those of lowly registered status were not permitted to leave their place of household registration without authorization. Chen Mu did not know where in the south might be safe.

But the northern frontier was simply too chaotic!

Once he had gained a firm foothold in the martial academy, he would certainly find a way to take A-Ning south to escape disaster.

But such matters were still too distant. Even if he truly wanted to head south, he first needed martial strength to protect himself. Otherwise, demons and monsters would swallow him alive along the road.

For now, Chen Mu suppressed his wandering thoughts and walked with his head lowered to the middle of the long street, arriving at his destination.

There stood a large courtyard with four successive sections, rows of residences enclosed by walls three meters high.

A towering archway rose before the gate, with a sign hanging from it.

Four great characters, painted in gold and dancing like dragons and flying like phoenixes, were written upon the plaque:

Azure Dragon Martial Academy.

The instant Chen Mu stopped before it, the gate guards looked over.

He wore a gray cloth jacket and carried a heavy bundle at his side. At a glance, he was clearly someone who had come to take a master and learn boxing.

Azure Dragon Martial Academy's reputation was at its height throughout Everlasting Prosperity Town and the surrounding region.

Its master, Liu Qingcang, was an innate martial master at Great Completion of Meridian Opening. Several of his foremost disciples possessed illustrious reputations for slaying demons and monsters.

Thus, nearly every day, people like Chen Mu came drawn by its fame, hoping to enter the academy and learn boxing.

But its threshold was not so easy to cross.

"Where did this mud-legged peasant come from? What are you staring at?"

The guard beneath the eaves stood on the steps with his arms folded, looking at Chen Mu's shabby clothes. His tone dripped with contempt. "If you have no money, get lost. Is this a place someone like you should come?"

Born into lowly registered status, Chen Mu had long grown accustomed to cold stares.

He could not be bothered to argue with this little ghost blocking the way. He intended to follow the usual practice and spend money to buy convenience, asking him to announce his arrival.

As he thought this, Chen Mu secretly pinched a piece of scattered silver in his palm and was about to cup his fists in salute.

But just then, several government runners suddenly came sprinting down the street, their faces pale with panic as they shouted:

"Quick! Go invite Master Liu! A demonic calamity has broken out at the docks! They're all dead!"