"Hiya!"
"Ah!?"
Just as Li Zhanya thought victory was in the bag, Tang San, whom he had assumed was exhausted, suddenly charged at him with renewed vigor.
This was the marvel of his First Soul Skill, Energy Storage!
It allowed Tang San to fight longer. Combined with the formidable Blue Silver Creation Dao, his staying power could be described as a perpetual motion machine.
Blue Silver Creation Palm!
Faced with Tang San's inexplicable resurgence, Li Zhanya could barely defend himself.
Tang San's attacks came like a gale-driven downpour, pinning Li Zhanya firmly at the edge of the platform.
Only his higher Soul Power cultivation allowed him to hold on at all.
Unfortunately, against Tang San's abundant Soul Power...
There was only one outcome awaiting Li Zhanya.
Defeat!
"Gwah!"
Tang San seized an opening in Li Zhanya's defense and kicked him off the platform.
"Blue Silver Grass Soul Master, Tang San! The winner!"
As the announcer declared the result, the entire audience erupted.
What had they just witnessed?
A Blue Silver Grass Soul Master had defeated the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group's young commander despite being at a lower level!
He had even used multiple Soul Skills. Didn't he only have two Soul Rings?
Today's battle was undoubtedly one they would never forget watching.
One could say they had witnessed history.
"Tang San!"
"Tang San!"
"Tang San!"
Tang San merely smiled and nodded at the audience's cheers before stepping down.
"Hello, Young Commander Li Zhanya."
"No need to call me young commander. Just call me Zhanya."
Li Zhanya showed no impatience at Tang San's greeting.
Their battle had already earned this young fellow his respect.
"Was there something else? That fight gave me some insights, so I'm in a hurry to get back."
"Well, our teacher and the two of us are new to Geyin City. We're planning to stay for a while and run a small business."
As Tang San spoke, he took out a glass bottle filled with a blue-green liquid.
This was a diluted version of the Healing Dewdrop. Its effectiveness was somewhat reduced, but it was still sufficient.
Tang San pitched his healing potion to Li Zhanya and demonstrated his second Soul Skill, intending to use him to get the word out.
Li Zhanya found it remarkable. As the mercenary commander's son, he naturally understood how much help this Blue Silver Dewdrop could offer mercenaries.
He immediately invited Tang San to return with him.
Tang San nodded, then brought Grandmaster and Ma Hongjun along as he followed Li Zhanya back to the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group.
They simply canceled their two-on-two match. Although they paid some compensation, it was nothing compared with the business they were about to discuss.
Tang San had originally considered making this deal with the Black Rose Mercenary Group.
However, he had asked around earlier and learned that this mercenary group was an up-and-coming outfit, operating as an elite squad rather than on any substantial scale.
That helpful spectator had also told him about the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group, an established mercenary group in Geyin City.
It had even developed some local businesses of its own, so Tang San had planned to approach the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group afterward.
He had never expected such a coincidence: his opponent happened to be its young commander.
Everything had fallen into place as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
Tang San and the others followed Li Zhanya to the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group's headquarters and met its commander, Li Daya.
They were unmistakably father and son. Li Daya greatly resembled Li Zhanya, with an even more pronounced eagle's stare and wolf's backward glance.
Of course, neither father nor son had a personality that matched his appearance.
Both were remarkably straightforward.
Still, he was a mercenary commander after all. Fortunately, Grandmaster was there, or they would have been taken for a ride.
The verbal sparring secretly alarmed Ma Hongjun, though Tang San had already witnessed it several times.
Grandmaster must have dealt with the craftiest of crooked merchants quite often.
In the end, they successfully reached a relatively fair agreement.
The Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group would provide premises and protection, as well as help advertise Tang's Medicine Shop.
In return, Tang San would give the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group priority access to the three kinds of second-grade dewdrops-the diluted versions.
Before leaving, he would also leave the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group fifty portions of each of the three kinds of first-grade dewdrops.
Naturally, the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group would reimburse all container costs.
Tang's Medicine Shop would not have to give the Hunting Wolf Mercenary Group a cut of its earnings, though the group could offer no help with Spirit Hall's taxes.
"By the way, Commander, I also know a thing or two about smithing. Would you be interested in another deal?"
Tang San's sudden mention of this made Li Daya's eyes light up.
Although there were defense-type Soul Masters, a team's defensive Soul Masters could not cover every angle. At such times, a good suit of armor might well save a rear-line Soul Master's life.
Consequently, skilled blacksmiths were quite welcome in mercenary groups.
"You Blue Silver Grass lad really are full of surprises. Let me see your work."
Tang San did not ask Ma Hongjun to display the Phoenix Emperor, because it was a work into which both of them had poured their hearts and blood, not something representative of his usual output.
Instead, he took a suit of Chainmail from Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moon Night.
Li Daya accepted it and examined it carefully, running his large hands over it to feel the exquisite workmanship.
He then nodded. Had Li Zhanya not already gone back to enter secluded cultivation, there would certainly have been a round of "Look at someone else's child!"
"Fine work. I'll agree to this deal as well."
Li Daya settled the matter.
Thus, the group smoothly established a foothold in Geyin City.
It was only temporary, however. Grandmaster said they would leave this place sooner or later.
They would head to Suotuo City.
Grandmaster did not explain the reason in detail, only saying that he wanted to see an old acquaintance.
After that, Tang's Medicine Shop and Tang's Blacksmith Shop opened successfully in Geyin City.
Medicine and equipment were absolute necessities for mercenary groups.
Moreover, Poison Miasma had recently plagued the Hundred Flowers Mountains outside the city. Tang San's Purification Dewdrop happened to allow the mercenaries to enter again and resume their work.
Investigating the Poison Miasma, hunting Soul Beasts, and gathering medicinal herbs.
The mercenary groups finally no longer had to spend all their time in the Soul Fighting Arena.
As a result, the three of them earned enough to fill their pots and bowls to the brim, accumulating considerable wealth.
During this time, Tang San and Ma Hongjun continued Soul Fighting to gain combat experience.
Sometimes they also joined mercenary groups exploring the Hundred Flowers Mountains. Tang San collected many medicinal herbs, intending to formulate new medicines and expand Tang's Medicine Shop's offerings.
He also wanted to spread the formulas so that certain things would no longer be restricted by Soul Masters.
Grandmaster knew a little pharmacology as well and joined him in the research.
In the end, they successfully formulated an antidote and a Red Potion for treating injuries, their effectiveness second only to the second-grade Blue Silver Dewdrop.
At Tang San's suggestion, Grandmaster also improved the medicinal bath formula.
It helped him and Ma Hongjun further strengthen their physiques.
Throughout this period, neither dared neglect any aspect of his cultivation.
In the blink of an eye, a year passed.
Tang San, eleven years old, level twenty-nine.
Ma Hongjun, eleven years old, level twenty-eight.
Truly terrifying!
Besides cultivating, Tang San also had to juggle forging, preparing medicines, Soul Fighting, strengthening his Soul Rings and heart, and studying the Dharma Sutra.
Yet he had still risen six levels within a year, partly because his heart and mind were free of obstruction.
The same was true of Ma Hongjun. He refined all the violent energy of his Evil Fire into himself rather than venting it through relations between men and women. He deserved such accomplishments.
He had also discovered that the Blue Silver Dewdrop had a certain soothing and purifying effect on his Evil Fire.
Thus, his progress of a thousand miles a day was understandable.
But soon, these peaceful days would be shattered.
"Have you heard? Apparently, a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast has appeared in the Hundred Flowers Mountains! It's what caused the Poison Miasma."
"Exactly! I heard Spirit Hall has already sent people to investigate."
"Hello, could you tell me more about that?" Tang San asked.
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