Rich Spoils of Battle

"Senior Brother Deng, magnificent!"

Wang Wei shouted, and in an instant, the entire place erupted in cheers.

Fan Sheng stepped forward, threw an arm around his shoulders, and grinned from ear to ear. "Good lad, I knew you could do it. I knew you could do it!"

As he spoke, he pulled Deng Qing before Zhang Yan and gave him a pointed introduction.

Zhang Yan declared loudly, "Junior Brother Deng fought well in today's battle.

Tiger-Subduing Fist is nothing rare in Celebration Hall. Many have practiced it, and many think it crude and shallow.

But the quality of a martial art is one matter; whether one is willing to put in the hard work is another. Junior Brother Deng won today because of the skill he tempered through water-grinding persistence."

Everyone fell silent. Thinking back on Deng Qing's battle with Song Que, had Deng Qing not used nothing but a single set of Tiger-Subduing Fist?

Deng Qing cupped his hands. "Senior Brother Zhang overpraises me. I was merely lucky."

Rather than feeling pleased with himself, he felt a vague unease at having exposed himself.

But there was no helping it. He had calculated the accounts carefully—the returns were high enough that this risk was bearable.

Zhang Yan waved a hand. "Enough, no need to be modest. The result is solid and undeniable.

In any case, you did well. You have set an example for everyone."

Deng Qing did not dare accept the title of example and hurriedly changed the subject. He offered the Blacksteel Soft Sword in his hand to Zhang Yan. "Senior Brother Zhang, this sword belongs to the Golden Saber Sect. How should it be handled? I ask Senior Brother to decide."

Zhang Yan waved his hand. "Spoils belong to the victor. That has been the rule since ancient times. Neither Song Que nor Chen Kong has the face to demand it back, and you need not hand it over. Keep it yourself, but do not show it off too often.

After all, Song Que's status is not low. The Golden Saber Sect not asking for it today does not mean they will forget this matter."

Deng Qing's heart tightened, and he said solemnly, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Zhang."

As he spoke, he wrapped the Blacksteel Soft Sword around his waist.

Zhang Yan looked up at the sky. "It is getting late. Blackwind Ravine is not a place to linger. Pack the medicine chests quickly and return at once."

Everyone answered in unison, immediately packed up the medicine chests, and hurried down the mountain.

On the way back, quite a few people came over to greet Deng Qing, some of whom he could not even name.

The first fellow to call him the Offal Martial Saint sincerely apologized to Deng Qing and insisted on treating him to a banquet as compensation.

Wang Wei could not even squeeze his way to Deng Qing's side. He could only trail behind, walking with Fan Sheng, who was holding the rear.

Wang Wei said in a low voice, "Senior Brother Fan, thinking back now, I no longer feel that crossing North Warehouse that time was mere luck. Someone is truly formidable."

There were ears all around, so Wang Wei did not dare speak too plainly. After all, the death of the mountain wind had fulfilled several people's merits.

Fan Sheng said, "It seems so now. No matter what, the stronger Junior Brother Deng is, the better it is for you and me."

Wang Wei smiled and nodded.

By the time the party returned to the county town, night had fully fallen. The journey had passed without incident.

After everyone escorted the herbs to Tianshun Apothecary, Zhang Yan dismissed the group.

The next day, after Deng Qing finished breakfast at Celebration Hall, Fan Sheng came looking for him and gave him a voucher bearing the grand seal of Celebration Hall's master. It was precisely a redemption certificate for a medicinal bath that required no supplementary ingredients of his own.

At the same time, there were ten taels of silver—the reward Zhang Yan had promised him.

Fan Sheng patted Deng Qing on the shoulder. "Hurry up. Earthfire will be sealed again in a few days. Do not delay."

Deng Qing quickly agreed. As he spoke, he handed the Silver Crow Handwraps to Fan Sheng. "Senior Brother Fan, it is time to return this item."

Fan Sheng took the handwraps and inspected them carefully by lamplight. Several thin white marks had appeared across the palms of the Silver Crow Handwraps, left behind when the Blacksteel Soft Sword had brushed past them.

Looking at those marks, Deng Qing felt his heart tighten as well.

The rental fee for this thing was not cheap, and the deposit was twenty taels.

If it was truly counted as damaged, the reward silver he had just received would have to be paid back before it had even warmed in his hands.

Fan Sheng turned it over several times, then smiled. "It is fine. Only a few scuff marks; there is no real damage. There should be no problem getting the deposit back when we return it."

Only then did Deng Qing breathe a sigh of relief.

After waiting an hour, Fan Sheng brought back the twenty-tael deposit.

Deng Qing immediately went to Tianshun Apothecary.

Thanks to the battle at Blackwind Ravine, Deng Qing had rendered merit.

Shopkeeper Zhang had long known Deng Qing was coming to buy medicine and had already given instructions. Upon hearing that Deng Qing had arrived, the round-bodied Steward Liu personally came out from the rear hall to warmly receive him.

After Deng Qing explained his request, Steward Liu resolutely gave him the greatest discount.

Deng Qing spent five taels of silver to buy all the supplementary ingredients. After cupping his hands to Steward Liu, he turned and left, hurrying back to Celebration Hall.

When Deng Qing arrived, Fan Sheng was practicing in the courtyard. Seeing the bulging bundle in his hands, he knew the supplementary ingredients had all been purchased.

"Let's go."

He asked no further questions and led Deng Qing toward the pharmacy.

The pharmacy lay to the east side of the inner courtyard, and one could smell the heavy medicinal scent from far away.

After entering the pharmacy, Deng Qing took out the Tiger Bone Powder, Bloodvine Branch, Meridian-Clearing Sand, and other supplementary ingredients one by one, handing them to the pharmacist Elder Wu for inspection.

Elder Wu was a lean, wizened old man with drooping eyelids, yet his movements were exceedingly meticulous.

He first opened the packages and smelled the medicines, then pinched up some Meridian-Clearing Sand to inspect its quality. Only then did he nod. "The medicines are fine."

Having said that, he told Deng Qing to wait outside.

That wait lasted half an hour.

Half an hour later, Elder Wu beckoned to Deng Qing from within. "Come with me."

Deng Qing rose and followed him deeper into the inner courtyard.

The farther they went, the more damp and hot the air became.

At last, the two descended a stone stairway for more than ten steps and entered an underground stone chamber.

Steam churned through the stone chamber. Water droplets hung on all four walls, and the stone slabs beneath their feet had been baked faintly hot.

Several small pools were set into the floor. In one smaller medicinal pool, the liquid was dark red and bubbling with heat. A sharp, pungent medicinal smell rushed at Deng Qing's face, making his chest tighten slightly.

Elder Wu pointed at the small pool. "Get in."

Just as Deng Qing was about to enter, Elder Wu added, "Remember, a medicinal bath is both a great tonic and a trial by suffering. If you cannot endure it, get out. Do not force yourself to tough it out."

"Understood."

Deng Qing removed his clothes and slowly stepped into the medicinal pool.

The moment he entered, he discovered that the medicinal liquid seemed alive. It bored through his skin and pores, as if countless fine needles were piercing his flesh, carrying waves of heat deep into his bones and flesh.

Deng Qing gritted his teeth and sat down. The instant the medicinal liquid submerged his chest and abdomen, his entire body went taut.

In little more than ten breaths, the medicinal power grew increasingly fierce.

His skin seemed to be torn open layer by layer, then repeatedly flooded by scorching currents.

Soreness, numbness, swelling, pain—several sensations mixed together, forcing the veins at his temples to bulge.

Deng Qing closed his eyes, forcibly steadied his breathing, and began circulating the Violet Palace Method.

As the technique began, it felt as though an invisible millstone had appeared between his chest and abdomen.

The medicinal power that had been charging wildly in every direction was ground apart by that millstone.

The heat no longer surged upward in chaos. Instead, it sank into his organs with each breath, then spread from his organs into his limbs and every bone in his body.

The surging, tyrannical medicinal power was gradually refined by the Violet Palace Method and sank deep into his skin.

Sitting in the dark-red medicinal liquid, Deng Qing felt as though he had been boiled from the inside out.

After an unknown amount of time, a clear gleam suddenly flashed.

He stared at the final line,

[Violet Palace Method: 20% (Minor Accomplishment)]

Deng Qing was secretly delighted. The Violet Palace Method had finally broken through into Minor Accomplishment.

He immediately looked at his realm again. It was still Skin Tempering First Layer, and his delight faded somewhat.