Every One of You Is Talented

"First a Qi-Blood Pill, then a Dragon-Tiger Pill!"

Mo Yun tipped out a Qi-Blood Pill and swallowed it. The familiar warmth spread through his stomach.

Then he tipped out a Dragon-Tiger Pill. The milky-white pill was round and smooth as a pearl, giving off a faint fragrance.

He put it in his mouth and gently swallowed.

Boom!

The instant the pill reached his stomach, medicinal power far fiercer than that of the Qi-Blood Pill erupted!

That power was like a fiery dragon, rampaging through his body. Everywhere it passed, his muscles, bones, and meridians trembled!

"Hiss! That's some potent medicine!"

Mo Yun sucked in a sharp breath, hurriedly focused his mind, and assumed the Tiger-Crouching Stance to begin guiding the medicinal power.

Though fierce, the Dragon-Tiger Pill's medicinal power was not unruly. Under his guidance, it soon became streams of warmth that flowed into every limb and bone.

He could clearly feel those warm currents seeping deep into his bones, as though tempering something.

His bones grew faintly hot and gave off tiny crackling sounds as his tendons and bones were strengthened and transformed.

"So this is what bone tempering feels like..."

Mo Yun's expression grew slightly intent.

He could feel his bones becoming tougher and denser, little by little.

At the same time, the Black Seal on his wrist lit up!

The black portion advanced at a speed visible to the naked eye. It was not as fierce as the Emerald Pill, but it was by no means slow.

"The Dragon-Tiger Pill charges it about as well as the Foundation-Nourishing Pill!"

Having reached that conclusion, Mo Yun continued guiding the medicinal power through his body.

A short while later, the medicinal power ran out, and everything settled into stillness.

He raised his wrist and examined the Black Seal.

The black portion had filled in another small stretch, roughly twelve percent.

"Not bad, not bad. The medicine won't be fully absorbed that quickly. After a full day, with the energy from food added in, it should reach about eighty-one percent!"

Taking a deep breath, he assumed his stance and continued practicing the Nameless Fist Technique.

His fists whistled through the air, fierce as a tiger.

Under the sunlight, his figure darted and turned across the clearing, his sweat gleaming like crystals.

Once, twice, three times...

Only when he was utterly exhausted and unbearably thirsty did he stop.

"Whew-"

Mo Yun let out a long, stale breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He raised his wrist and glanced at the Black Seal to check his progress.

"The progress is about what I expected. With Qi-Blood Pills and Dragon-Tiger Pills together, I can form a Black Point in seven or eight days!"

Mo Yun was delighted, his face brimming with smiles.

"Too bad I've used up all the Foundation-Nourishing Pills. Otherwise, with all three working together, it'd be even faster. I could form a Black Point in three or four days.

"Right, when I report to the Guard Team tomorrow, I'll ask where I can buy pills..."

Mo Yun remembered an old servant saying that pills could be bought in the Inner Court, and manor guards could purchase them at an internal rate, much cheaper than outside.

He felt the silver tucked inside his clothes, an idea taking shape in his mind.

The ten taels of silver he had taken from the woman in the red dress, plus the hundred taels the Village Master had rewarded him, made a total of one hundred and ten taels.

That silver was enough to buy quite a few pills.

"And that Emerald Pill... I still don't know what treasure it was. Its effects were so powerful."

Thinking of that pill set Mo Yun's heart burning with eagerness again.

Unfortunately, there had only been one. Once he had eaten it, it was gone.

"If I get the chance someday, it'd be great to get a few more."

He shook his head, put the thought aside, and looked at the sky. The setting sun was almost below the mountains.

"It's about time. I should go pick up Xiao Liu and the others."

Mo Yun tidied up, took a quick bath, and strode toward the Spirit Herb Garden.

When he reached the Spirit Herb Garden, Xiao Liu and the others had just finished work.

They were coming out of the herb beds, their clothes smeared with dirt and grass, their faces weary. But their eyes lit up at the sight of Mo Yun.

"Old Mo!" Xiao Liu rushed over first. "What brings you here? We were just about to go back and find you!"

"I came to pick you up, didn't I?" Mo Yun said with a smile. "Come on, let's head down the mountain. My treat today-eat your fill!"

"Great, great, great!" Xiao Liu rubbed his hands together. "What are we eating?"

"You'll know when we get there." Mo Yun kept him guessing.

They headed down the mountain together, talking and laughing along the way.

Thanks to Crouching Tiger Manor, quite a few people came and went on business. With a decent flow of visitors, a small marketplace had formed at the foot of the mountain, with all sorts of businesses.

Restaurants, teahouses, cloth shops, apothecaries, smithies... it had everything. Though not as lively as the town, it was still fairly prosperous.

Mo Yun led them to a reasonably decent restaurant and asked for a private room.

"Order whatever you like. Don't hold back." Mo Yun waved a hand, his generosity soaring to the clouds.

Xiao Liu took the menu, his eyes shining. Looking at the dazzling array of dishes, he couldn't help swallowing, wishing he could order every last one.

In the end, however, he only ordered two relatively cheap side dishes.

Tang Yin did not stand on ceremony. He took the menu and ordered several dishes he liked.

Han Tang asked for a pot of fine tea, while Luo Shan only wanted a plate of beef. Tie Zhu and Zhang Qiang were somewhat reserved and ordered just two vegetable dishes.

"Don't try to save me money!" Unable to bear watching, Mo Yun added several substantial dishes.

Soon, the food arrived, covering the entire table.

Braised pork knuckle, steamed bass, braised beef, roasted lamb ribs, sweet-and-sour spare ribs... the dishes were a feast of color, aroma, and flavor. Just looking at them made their mouths water.

"Dig in, dig in!" Xiao Liu was the first to pick up his chopsticks. He stuffed a piece of braised pork knuckle into his mouth, eating until his lips gleamed with grease.

The others held nothing back either and picked up their chopsticks.

For a while, the only sounds in the private room were chewing and chopsticks clinking against bowls.

Watching them wolf down the food, Mo Yun couldn't help smiling.

"Come on, let's have a drink!" He raised his wine cup.

The others raised their cups and drained them.

After three rounds of wine and a good sampling of the dishes, the atmosphere gradually grew livelier.

Xiao Liu's face and neck were flushed from drinking. Draping an arm over Mo Yun's shoulders, he slurred, "Old Mo, y-you can't forget us! When you make it big, y-you can't pretend you don't know me..."

"Don't worry. I won't forget." Mo Yun smiled.

Zhang Qiang raised his wine cup somewhat shyly. "Brother Mo, here's a toast to you. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, bar none!"

"Keep it low-key, keep it low-key." Mo Yun grinned and clinked cups with him.

Holding his teacup, Han Tang said with refined courtesy, "Brother Mo, with your talent, your future prospects are limitless. Should wealth and honor come your way, forget not your old friends."

"Haha, right, right! Should wealth and honor come a dog's way, forget not your old friends!" Mo Yun said with a laugh.

Luo Shan spoke up for once, raising his wine cup and saying coldly, "Mo Yun, you're strong, but I won't admit defeat. Sooner or later, I'll surpass you!"

"Yes, I believe in you!" Mo Yun clinked cups with him.

Tie Zhu smiled with honest simplicity, not knowing what to say. He merely placed food in Mo Yun's bowl from time to time.

Seeing this, Mo Yun couldn't help shaking his head.

This fellow really is simplehearted right now. Who knows when he'll turn dark.

Zhang Qiang sat in the corner, quietly drinking, but his eyes were filled with reluctance to part.

Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Mo Yun settled the bill. The tableful of dishes and several pots of good wine cost nearly half a tael of silver.

"Come on, next stop!" Mo Yun waved a hand.

"There's another stop?" Xiao Liu's eyes lit up.

"The entertainment house, to listen to songs! Didn't we agree on that before? You even said you wanted three girls!" Mo Yun said with a smile.

"Hiss! Let's go, let's go!" Xiao Liu's eyes brightened.

They left the restaurant and headed deeper into the marketplace.

They found a fairly decent entertainment house, took a private room, ordered several pots of tea, and called for a few singing girls.

The strings rang melodiously, and the voices rose in lilting song. The girls took turns performing folk tunes, which were pleasant enough to listen to.

Xiao Liu swayed his head as he listened, occasionally humming along. Unfortunately, he was tone-deaf and sounded awful.

Tang Yin held his teacup and made a show of savoring the tea, while his eyes kept darting this way and that.

Han Tang listened with his eyes closed, his fingers gently tapping the rhythm on his knee.

Luo Shan remained expressionless, but his gaze was a little softer than usual.

Tie Zhu and Zhang Qiang sat quietly, absorbed in the music.

Leaning back in his chair, Mo Yun listened to the songs and drank his tea, feeling all the weariness of recent days swept away.

Now this is living... he sighed inwardly.

An hour later, the songs ended and the gathering broke up.

Mo Yun settled the bill, spending another tael of silver.

"A whole tael of silver..." Xiao Liu's mouth twitched with heartache. "Old Mo, you're practically the God of Wealth!"

"It's fine, as long as we had fun." Mo Yun smiled, though he felt a slight pang himself.

Money was hard to earn, but flowed away like water.

Still, he had no regrets.

He was absorbed in martial training, and relied on the others to help with many everyday matters.

During their time together, Xiao Liu and the others had helped him a great deal, even often washing his clothes. Treating them to a meal and some music now was a way of returning the favor.

Besides, he was about to join the Guard Team, and they would have fewer chances to see each other.

This meal counted as a farewell banquet.

They walked back together. The night was deep, and moonlight spilled over them, stretching their shadows long.

"Old Mo, once you join the Guard Team, we won't get to see each other as much," Xiao Liu suddenly said wistfully, his voice full of reluctance to part.

"It's fine. It's not like we won't see each other again." Mo Yun patted his shoulder. "I'll still be in the Mountain Manor. I can come back to see you anytime."

"Then make sure you come back often!" Xiao Liu urged.

"Of course. I love it here. Every one of you is talented, and you all speak so nicely." Mo Yun nodded.

Xiao Liu looked a little bewildered. "Huh?"

Mo Yun waved a hand. "Nothing. I'm complimenting you."

Tang Yin leaned over. "Mo Yun, don't forget us."

"Of course I won't. Heh, I'm only worried you'll make it big one day and stop letting me tag along." Mo Yun wore a faint, knowing smile.

Tang Yin frowned. "What are you talking about? Am I that kind of person?"

Seeing that the others still wanted to say something, Mo Yun said in exasperation, "Enough. I'm only going to the Inner Court. Don't act like we're parting forever. It's late. Hurry back and get some sleep!"

The next day.

Mo Yun got up early and, as usual, went to the Martial Training Ground in the Servants' Court to train.

"I'll practice my fists first, then report to the Guard Team in the Inner Court!"