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This old man was none other than Shopkeeper Yao Ya of Daliang Pharmacy.

"No. I've been practicing martial arts too much lately, and the Qi and Blood Nourishing Soup I used before seems to no longer be enough. So I came to ask if there are any new prescriptions?"

Qin Yang had long prepared this excuse.

Besides, he truly was not lying about this.

As he cultivated the Primordial Qi Shield, he needed to replenish far too much qi and blood every day.

Now, he ate meat five times a day, along with all kinds of Blood Replenishing Decoctions, just to sustain his cultivation.

It could be said that the vast majority of Qin Manor's income was now spent on Qin Yang's own cultivation.

"Young Master truly is exceptionally gifted. If even the Lingzhi Qi Boosting Soup is no longer enough, then perhaps it is time to use the Single Ginseng Prescription."

"This prescription uses ginseng as its main ingredient, supplemented by various auxiliary herbs to make its medicinal properties even stronger. It has marvelous effects in strengthening one's foundation, nourishing one's vitality, and boosting qi and blood."

"The medicinal strength of this decoction is too potent. To ordinary people, it would be poison."

"But it should be quite suitable for Young Master."

Yao Ya said with a smile.

"Single Ginseng Soup sounds pretty good."

"Have someone deliver it to the manor tomorrow."

Qin Yang was very satisfied.

"Understood. Does Young Master have any other business?" Yao Ya asked.

"No. I'll go take a look around Dashan Pharmacy and Laifu Inn as well."

Qin Yang looked as though he had merely come to inspect the place.

He was the master of the household, so there was nothing improper about such behavior. Yao Ya did not grow suspicious either.

Qin Yang left Daliang Pharmacy, his brows slightly furrowed.

Yao Ya had acted far too normally. There was not the slightest trace of guilt in him; he had been utterly open and composed.

He truly did not seem like someone who had embezzled money.

"I'll keep looking. I refuse to believe I can't catch him by the tail."

Qin Yang's eyes shifted.

Since he was already out, he really did make a round through Daliang Pharmacy and Laifu Inn.

He spent every day squatting in Qin Manor to cultivate, so he truly needed to show his face once in a while.

After making his rounds, he went to a tea shop to while away some time. As the sky gradually darkened, Qin Yang headed once more toward Daliang Pharmacy.

He hid in a corner and quietly observed.

Yao Ya was having several shop assistants sort the herbs while he himself calculated the accounts at the counter.

Once everything had been put away, Yao Ya sent the shop assistants home first and stayed behind to close up the pharmacy himself.

Only after the sun had completely sunk did Yao Ya seem to finish settling the accounts. He then took the account book, locked the pharmacy's main doors, and left.

He walked through streets and alleys.

Every so often, he looked back over his shoulder, appearing extremely vigilant.

Qin Yang, following behind him, felt somewhat startled. Had Yao Ya discovered that he was being followed?

He watched for a while longer and decided that perhaps Yao Ya was simply too nervous himself.

Then what was Yao Ya nervous about?

He followed quietly.

They entered an alley where foul water flowed freely and rubbish was piled everywhere.

"What is Yao Ya doing here?"

In Qin Yang's memories, this area was the poorest and most backward part of Linjiang City.

All sorts of dilapidated houses stood there. Even in the corners of straw huts, beggars and vagrants hid away.

As the shopkeeper of Daliang Pharmacy, Yao Ya had worked for so many years. It was impossible for him to live in such a godforsaken place.

If he had come here, he definitely had some other purpose.

Sure enough, the very next moment.

Yao Ya arrived before a fairly clean courtyard and knocked lightly on the door.

A head immediately poked out from behind the wooden door. Upon seeing that it was Yao Ya, the person quickly let him inside.

Qin Yang took in the entire scene.

His expression turned suspicious. Pretending casually to be merely passing by, he circled around to the rear of the courtyard, lightly climbed over the wall, and crouched low as he approached the corner of a room where voices could be heard.

"Sorcerer, this is today's money."

"A total of thirty-two taels of silver."

A constrained voice drifted out. It should have been Yao Ya's.

"Silver. This should be the money he embezzled today."

"Who is he handing it over to?"

Qin Yang frowned slightly.

This was all his money!

He shifted positions and moved beneath the edge of a window. He gently poked out a tiny hole and peered inside.

The room was dim, lit only by a single faintly burning candle.

Then Qin Yang saw a bald man in a White Sacrificial Robe, sitting cross-legged.

The man was around forty, with an ordinary appearance and a short beard.

Yao Ya stood before the man, placing several pieces of silver on the ground in front of him.

"Yao Ya, you have offered up so much wealth these days."

"Your child, struggling in the Yellow Springs, will soon reach the other shore."

The bald man smiled when he saw the silver on the floor.

"As long as he can reach the other shore and transcend suffering, that is enough."

"It does not matter if I offer up everything I have."

Yao Ya became extraordinarily fervent.

"The other shore will feel your sincerity."

"Go. Bring back even more wealth."

"This money will become the Ferry of Guidance, carrying your son away from the Yellow Springs."

The bald Sorcerer's voice carried a bewitching quality.

"Sorcerer, then I will come again tomorrow."

Yao Ya respectfully bid the Sorcerer farewell and left the house.

"What the hell?"

"The other shore, the Yellow Springs, guidance?"

Qin Yang was utterly baffled as he eavesdropped outside the window.

But he soon recalled something.

Several years ago, Yao Ya had finally had a son in his old age. When the child celebrated his first full month, Qin Yang's original self had even attended the feast.

But afterward, the child contracted some strange illness and died before reaching one year old.

Poor Yao Ya had spent his life saving lives and healing the wounded, treating countless people, yet he could not save his own only son.

"Looks like that big bald head learned of this and is deceiving Yao Ya into constantly making offerings to him."

Anger rose in Qin Yang's heart.

Not long after Yao Ya left, another person entered and offered wealth to the bald man.

Over the next half hour, Qin Yang watched with growing alarm.

It was not only Yao Ya. Many people seemed to have been bewitched by the bald man, endlessly offering him money.

"I originally thought he was some Jianghu swindler."

"Looking at it now... this is more like a Cult Organization playing god and ghost."

Qin Yang's heart jolted.

Linjiang City was already chaotic enough. He had not expected such a thing to be lurking in the shadows as well.

He had roughly looked over all those who entered earlier.

From peddlers and porters at the bottom to wealthy merchants and nobles at the top, all were present.

People from nearly every class in Linjiang City had appeared here.

That was terrifying.

What exactly was this Cult Organization?

After a while, no one else entered the room.

The bald Sorcerer rose to his feet and called over several men in yellow robes, having them gather up most of the money on the ground.

They then divided it into small bags.

"Go." The bald Sorcerer waved his hand.

After sorting the money bags, the yellow-robed men respectfully took their leave.

After considering it, Qin Yang did not act rashly and silently left the residence.

Waiting for a while in a dark corner, he saw several yellow-robed men emerge from the courtyard gate and scatter in different directions.

Qin Yang randomly chose one of them and followed.

He wanted to see what these people from the Cult Organization intended to do with the money.

He followed all the way.

Before long, Qin Yang saw the yellow-robed man stop outside a house and knock on the door.

Very soon, a gaunt-faced middle-aged man came out.

The yellow-robed man placed the money bag in his hand into the man's palm and said something.

The man immediately fell to his knees in tears of gratitude, repeatedly kowtowing to the yellow-robed man.

The yellow-robed man helped him up, said a few more things, and then left.