Volume Three: How a Crooked Merchant Is Made - The Heavenly River Demon Beasts (Part Two)

Old Roughworker was badly wounded. When Zhao Xihe pulled him from the rubble, he had only a breath left. The Three-Tailed Soaring Serpent's spear-like tail had pierced his body, and blood filled his mouth. Pain cut through Zhao Xihe's heart like a knife. Clutching his hand, Zhao called again and again, "Old Roughworker! Old Roughworker! How are you? How are you..."

Old Roughworker knew his own condition. With a bitter smile, he said, "Old Zhao, I'm not going to make it. Tell Xin Yezi and the others I'm afraid I won't be at next year's chess tournament. Cough, cough..." He had barely spoken a few words before coughing up a great mouthful of blood. Zhao Xihe snapped, "Nonsense! No one will be missing from next year's tournament!" Old Roughworker had little strength left. "Old Zhao, there's something I never told any of you. I... I have a child. Help me look after him..."

Standing nearby, Luo Qian found the whole scene rather depressing. He patted the now-unharmed Jadewater Qilin. "Bi'er, what are they doing? No matter how badly he's hurt, wouldn't one Great Dream Golden Divine Pill take care of it? If Longque knew Old Zhao had a pill tucked in his robe while he held his old friend and said a tearful farewell, wouldn't it make him furious?" Bi'er panted heavily beside him, as though laughing. Unfortunately, although the pill had helped, Bi'er's injuries had not fully healed. A piercing pain shot through three wounds, and Bi'er promptly settled down and stopped laughing at his master.

Zhao Xihe froze. That's right. I got a pill from Longque's last batch of Great Dream Golden Divine Pills. He cursed himself for being so muddleheaded that he had forgotten something so important. Hurriedly taking out the pill, he forced it into Old