Seeking Medicine

After the rewards were divided, Deng Qing received sixty taels of silver in compensation from Fan Sheng and the other three. The county yamen also awarded him an additional ten taels.

Adding the two taels he had found on Mountain-Crossing Wind, he had gained a total of seventy-two taels of silver.

To Deng Qing, that already counted as striking it rich overnight.

Besides that, the county yamen gave him a small plaque reading "Household of Merit." Hung above the door, it showed that the household had rendered service to the county. Ordinary runners and hooligans would not dare harass them.

Celebration Hall, meanwhile, gave him one opportunity for a medicinal bath.

To Deng Qing, all of that was far more tangible than a stepping stone to advancement.

After the feast, everyone went their separate ways. Fan Sheng stopped Deng Qing alone and lowered his voice. "Hurry up and redeem that medicinal-bath quota the hall awarded you. Before the New Year, they'll put out the Earthfire and seal the pool for repairs.

If you drag it past this year, the medicinal-bath quota will expire."

Deng Qing cupped his hands. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I'll definitely use it before the New Year."

Though he said so, Deng Qing still planned to put it off for a while.

He had his own considerations, but they were not convenient to speak of.

In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed.

With the silver from North Warehouse, the meals at Celebration Hall, and the meat supplied by Wu Yun, Deng Qing's days had become far more comfortable than before.

Of course, he did not spend money visiting brothels and pleasure houses. Every day, he still ate meat, practiced his fists, circulated his qi, and slept.

That night, Deng Qing completed a cycle of the Violet Palace Method and slowly exhaled.

A warm current within his chest and abdomen gradually sank. When he opened his eyes, a clear radiance surfaced.

Deng Qing focused on this entry: [Violet Palace Method: 18% (Beginner)]

Seeing the Violet Palace Method's progress, Deng Qing's heart leaped with delight.

From Tiger-Subduing Fist's successive advancements, he had already roughly figured out Tang Juan's pattern.

One to nineteen was Beginner.

Twenty to fifty-nine was Minor Accomplishment.

Sixty and above was Major Accomplishment.

As for whether there were higher standards beyond Major Accomplishment, that remained uncertain for now.

Now that the Violet Palace Method had reached eighteen, Minor Accomplishment was not far away.

Besides that, he had also discovered that whenever his cultivation hit a plateau, fiercely replenishing his qi and blood often had a miraculous effect in breaking through.

The reason Deng Qing had not used that medicinal-bath opportunity was precisely because he wanted to wait until he pushed the Violet Palace Method to nineteen.

Then, with the medicinal bath to give him a hard shove, he might directly push it into Minor Accomplishment.

Another point worth mentioning was that the Violet Palace Method progressed far more slowly than Tiger-Subduing Fist, but the benefits it brought were solid and real.

In the past, whenever Deng Qing ate too much meat in one meal, his stomach would often feel bloated and sluggish. He had to practice his fists for a long while before he could work it away.

Now, after circulating the Violet Palace Method once, it was as though an extra millstone had appeared in his stomach, grinding the meat bit by bit into warm qi and blood that replenished his body.

Moreover, after each session of Tiger-Subduing Fist, whenever his qi rose and his blood grew restless, he only needed to circulate the Violet Palace Method for one cycle. The agitated qi and blood would once more become heavy and settled.

His recovery ability had also improved greatly. In the past, after one round of fist practice, he needed to rest for the time it took to burn an incense stick. Now, before even half an incense stick had burned, his strength could be restored.

This made Deng Qing increasingly certain that although the Violet Palace Method appeared plain and unremarkable, it was the foundation for replenishing qi and blood.

If he could push it into Minor Accomplishment, the benefits would likely be even greater.

With that thought, Deng Qing decided it was time to use the medicinal-bath quota.

He immediately headed for the nearest apothecary to purchase several supplementary medicines needed for the bath, such as Tiger Bone Powder.

Seeing Deng Qing dressed in Celebration Hall's clothes, the shopkeeper greeted him with a smile.

But the moment Deng Qing stated what he needed, the shopkeeper said they did not have it.

Deng Qing was greatly surprised. He had not come on a whim. He had already learned the medicinal-bath procedure and knew he needed to prepare the supplementary medicines himself.

He had visited several apothecaries beforehand to ask about them, and the medicines had all been available then.

Moreover, these supplementary medicines required special storage methods. Deng Qing was in no hurry to take the medicinal bath, and if he bought them only to leave them sitting for ten days or half a month, he feared they would lose their potency. That was why he had planned to buy them only when he was ready to use them.

Yet this shop had unexpectedly sold out as well.

Deng Qing did not panic. He immediately hurried to the second shop, never imagining he would hit a wall there too.

Deng Qing began to feel uneasy. He rushed to a third apothecary, but the answer was still no. Unable to help himself, he said, "What if I pay more?"

As he spoke, he took out a silver ingot and set it on the counter.

The square-faced shopkeeper shook his head. "Little brother from Celebration Hall, it's not that I don't want to earn your silver. There simply isn't any stock.

The Donghuang Cult only just caused trouble, and there are many wounded in the county. Medicine is in short supply everywhere.

The few supplementary medicines you need were already difficult to buy. Now, even with money, you can't get them."

Deng Qing secretly cried bitterly. He took back his silver, and as he walked out of the apothecary, the wind blowing from the street corner made his heart turn cold.

As he walked, Deng Qing began calculating how to solve the predicament before him. Then he suddenly thought of Li Cheng. Li Cheng had many connections; he was sure to have well-informed sources.

At that thought, he turned and hurried toward Li Cheng's home. Half an hour later, he arrived before a grand, imposing residence.

When Li Cheng heard the servant's announcement, he came out smiling and invited Deng Qing in for Initiation.

Deng Qing waved his hand, saying he had come in a hurry and brought nothing with him, so he would not go in.

Li Cheng then sat with him at the stone table before the gate and spoke with him.

Deng Qing stated his purpose directly. After hearing him out, Li Cheng did not make any promises, only said he would try asking around and told Deng Qing to go back and await news.

Early the next morning, Li Cheng came to Celebration Hall, found Deng Qing, pulled him into a corner, and said in a low voice, "These past few days, medicinal materials have indeed been hard to obtain.

But there is an opportunity right now. The chief shopkeeper of Tianshun Apothecary is inside Celebration Hall meeting our master."

"The largest apothecary in the city."

Deng Qing's eyes lit up.

Li Cheng nodded. "One of their carts transporting medicinal materials met with trouble at Blackwind Ravine.

I didn't find out exactly what happened, but since the chief shopkeeper came personally to see Master, he most likely wants Celebration Hall to send people to help.

Given Tianshun Apothecary's backing, I reckon Master will agree.

And now that medicinal materials are scarce, there are quite a few people in the hall who need medicine. If there really is an assignment to retrieve it, many people will surely be willing to go."

"I'll go find Senior Brother Fan right now."

Deng Qing turned and left.

He felt that yielding his share of the credit that day and forging good ties with everyone had been an exceedingly wise move.

When Deng Qing reached the rear courtyard, Fan Sheng was practicing. Seeing Deng Qing arrive in such a hurry, he stopped his routine and invited him to sit.

Deng Qing did not sit. He hurriedly explained the whole matter from beginning to end.

Fan Sheng said, "I told you long ago to hurry, but you wouldn't listen. Now that the fire is burning your eyebrows, you know to panic.

Wait here. I'll go look into it."

With that, Fan Sheng turned and left. Deng Qing stood beneath the corridor and waited quietly.

More than half an hour later, Fan Sheng returned. From afar, he called out, "Good thing you informed me in time. The trip to Blackwind Ravine to retrieve medicine has indeed been decided.

Many registered disciples were volunteering for it. Relying on my status as a disciple of Initiation, I snatched a spot for you."

Deng Qing's heart loosened.

Fan Sheng continued, "We leave in five days.

Senior Brother Zhang Yan will lead the group. He is a veteran disciple of Initiation, at the fourth level of Skin Tempering.

Senior Brother Zhang has abundant experience. With him holding down the field, it will be extremely safe."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Deng Qing cupped his hands in thanks.

Fan Sheng waved a hand. "Don't celebrate yet. Things are still chaotic outside, so you must be careful on this trip.

I'll give you a suit of leather armor. I used to wear it myself.

After becoming an Initiation disciple, a friend gave me a suit of silkworm-silk armor, so the leather armor has been sitting idle. Take it and use it.

Wear my leather armor beneath your outer clothes. It is very light. It can't stop heavy blades or long spears, but it can at least block flying stones and hidden arrows."

Deng Qing cupped his hands again in thanks.

Fan Sheng waved his hand. "There's one more thing you should prepare.

You cultivate Tiger-Subduing Fist. You are formidable in close-quarters combat, but what you fear most are weapons.

When fighting someone, if your opponent uses a weapon and you face him empty-handed, you'll be at too great a disadvantage.

You can rent a pair of Silver Crow Handwraps."